knife

Chapter 140 Give me all your disciples!

Two white-haired old men sat facing each other, with a dozen or so exquisite dishes laid out on the low table in front of them.

All of these dishes were cooked by Li Dachui himself.

Now, he even holds a wine pot and serves them attentively, quickly refilling the two old men's cups when they are empty, and immediately serving them some food when someone's plate is empty.

Wine is a part of the human world.

Every now and then, Li Dachui would swallow hard.

"When someone gives a gift, there's always an ulterior motive!" Fu Qingzhu picked up a slice of Lantern Shadow Beef, put it in his mouth, and chewed slowly, looking at Zhou Zhi across from him with a half-smile: "Last time, Big Hammer prepared a huge feast and extorted two Rejuvenation Pills from me. Big Hammer, let me tell you, this time you definitely won't get any Rejuvenation Pills. I only have one left, and that's for myself. Rejuvenation Pills aren't like cabbages; they can't be easily refined."

“It is only right for the younger generation to be filial to their elders. They should eat and drink as they please!” Zhou Zhi said with a smile. “If they really feel bad about it, they can just give him something. They don’t necessarily have to return the Divine Pill. That thing is too rare.”

Fu Qingzhu pointed at Zhou Zhi with his chopsticks: "The younger one is shameless, and the older one is shameless too. You two are truly of the same ilk. Zhou Zhi, you've taught him well!"

"Being thick-skinned means you won't suffer any losses!" Zhou Zhi laughed.

"Big Hammer, just say what you want, but we really don't have any more Rejuvenation Pills!" Fu Qingzhu said.

Li Dachui said, "Grandmaster, actually, I wanted all the senior uncles, senior brothers, junior brothers, and junior sisters of Changchun Valley to come out and help me!"

Fu Qingzhu chuckled: "You certainly have a big appetite. In the valley, most of the disciples with a skill will travel the world to find herbs and refine pills to hone their skills. As for those who haven't mastered their skills, we can't let them leave the valley and embarrass Changchun Valley. If you're so capable, go and persuade those who are traveling outside. I won't stop you!"

Li Dachui shook his head repeatedly: "Grandmaster, I don't have the ability to invite those elders who are traveling around back. I think the ones in the valley right now are just fine."

"With their rudimentary skills, it's too early for them to leave the valley!" Fu Qingzhu shook his head.

"Grandmaster, what I need to solve now is not how skilled the doctor is, but whether there are any doctors at all!" Li Dachui put down the wine pot and said seriously.

"How so?" Fu Qingzhu asked.

“Grandmaster, last year more than 3,000 people died of disease in Tai'an City, including more than 1,000 infants. More than 2,000 people died in Helan Plain, including more than 500 infants. Tai'an City and Helan Plain had a relatively large number of doctors. Now that we have taken over Baoping Prefecture, plus the impoverished territory that Xiao Changche used to rule, these numbers will probably be several times higher. I'm not bragging, but the territory I rule is more than twice as good as those two places.”

Fu Qingzhu nodded slightly.

"With so few doctors, they become incredibly expensive. Whether it's seeing a doctor or taking medicine, it's ridiculously costly. Ordinary people just have to endure minor illnesses and leave serious illnesses to fate. Some who shouldn't have died do die!" Li Dachui said. "This is a huge loss for us."

"so what?"

“That’s why I need more doctors,” Li Dachui said. “I’m planning to train a large number of doctors. They don’t need to have profound medical skills. It would be good enough if they could treat headaches and fevers and minor ailments. As for studying the treatment of diseases in depth, that’s your Changchun Valley for that. Here, I’ll just treat these minor illnesses!”

Hearing these words, Fu Qingzhu fell silent.

“Old Fu, I think Da Chui is right! It’s true that Changchun Valley is striving for excellence in medical skills, but what this world needs more are not miracle doctors like you! Over the years, everyone who has come out of Changchun Valley has been a doctor with superb medical skills, but how many people have they treated? How many people can they treat in their entire lives?”

"What do you want to do?" Fu Qingzhu asked Li Dachui.

"I plan to open a large number of clinics in various places under my jurisdiction. These clinics will need doctors to be stationed there. In addition, I also plan to set up medical schools in Tai'an City, Yuan'an City, Baoping City, Helan Plain and other places. I will invite the senior brothers and sisters of Changchun Valley to train doctors there. They only need to teach some simple and quick things. In this way, within a few years, we can quickly improve the situation of lack of doctors in our jurisdiction."

"Aren't you afraid that these people are not skilled enough and will kill someone?"

“There will always be more patients saved than killed!” Li Dachui said frankly. “This is a necessary process of progress. Moreover, I believe their medical skills will inevitably improve qualitatively during this treatment process. Grandmaster, being a doctor is a process of accumulating experience. The more you see and the wider your horizons, the faster your medical skills will improve.” Zhou Zhi chimed in, “Dachui calls this plan the Barefoot Doctor Plan. Old Fu, we're not wealthy to begin with, but we've allocated 100,000 strings of cash every year to subsidize the medicine costs for this plan!”

"Godfather, you don't need to flatter me. I've done the math. Once this plan is implemented, the number of people who die less each year will save me money from the head tax and other taxes alone!" Li Dachui said. "How could I not do something that brings me prestige, substance, and public praise?"

"I also heard from Fu Cheng that you are encouraging him to write a simple and easy-to-understand medical book, including some prescriptions, and then publish it for people to study?"

"The teacher is still hesitant, saying that these formulas are the secret techniques of Changchun Valley, and he would never dare to pass them on without your permission!"

"Since you know these are all the unique skills of Changchun Valley, why did you encourage him to write books and spread them?"

"Grandmaster, medical skills heal the sick and save lives, and doctors have a benevolent heart. I think the more people who know this skill, the greater your merit will be. The wider it spreads, the more respected you will be. Perhaps one day, you will achieve perfect merit because of this, and thousands of colorful clouds will suddenly fall from the sky, allowing you to ascend to immortality in one step!" Li Dachui said with great enthusiasm.

"If I ascend to immortality in one step, then your chickens and dogs will also rise to heaven, right?"

“That’s right. As someone who promotes your medical skills, I must have some merit, right?” Li Dachui chuckled. “Grandmaster, what do you think of this?”

"Old Fu, I think this will work!" Zhou Zhi cheered from the side. "At the same time, this will also urge Changchun Valley to develop better medical techniques. Otherwise, if people outside learn your medical techniques and become better than you, wouldn't that be a slap in the face for you?"

"Grandmaster, with more people learning, it's possible that some geniuses will emerge!" Li Dachui said, "In this world, many people possess different talents, but they haven't had the opportunity to unleash them, and thus they are buried. If gold is buried in the soil, and no one picks it up and polishes it, it will never have the chance to shine. In Helan Plain, my adoptive father passed on some improved martial arts techniques to everyone, and everyone in Helan Plain can practice them. Over the past few years, we have gained a lot, and some people's talents in martial arts are astonishing. If martial arts are like this, how can medicine be an exception?"

At this point, Fu Qingzhu was quite tempted.

"Sowing widely but reaping little? That does seem like a solution. Speaking of which, Changchun Valley hasn't had a single disciple who has truly moved me in recent years. You are one, but your mind is crooked. You refuse to study medicine properly, but you're quite dedicated to things that harm people." Fu Qingzhu said, "If you were willing to concentrate on studying medicine, you might surpass me one day. Just look at the ideas and methods you've come up with for Fu Cheng; that's enough to prove your talent in this area!"

“Old Fu, well, Da Chui should probably pass. He needs to learn how to govern the world, not how to treat patients!” Zhou Zhi immediately rejected the idea on Li Da Chui’s behalf.

“Master, it’s easier said than done. I can only offer suggestions. If you really ask me to delve into these problems, I don’t have the patience. Master is doing a great job, isn’t he? I think one day, Master will surely surpass you.”

"Alright, I understand what you've said!" Fu Qingzhu waved his hand. "You can discuss these matters with Fu Cheng. This time when I left the valley, I passed the position of Valley Master to him. From now on, I will no longer concern myself with worldly affairs!"

"Huh?" Li Dachui was somewhat surprised: "Grandmaster, given your status, even if you went to Beiyuan, Yingzhuo wouldn't dare to make things difficult for you, right? Why are you making arrangements for your funeral first?"

Fu Qingzhu was furious and smacked Li Dachui on the head with his chopsticks: "What nonsense are you spouting? What do you mean by 'arranging your affairs after death'? I'm just planning to focus on writing a medical book that can be passed down to future generations. Isn't Old Man Yu also writing a book to pass on his knowledge? I also need to plan ahead. I need to record my many insights and experiences so that future generations can learn from them!"

“This is a truly meritorious deed. Once it’s written, let me print and publish it for you throughout the world!” Li Dachui said. “With your reputation, you’ll definitely make a fortune! Grandmaster, I’ll take a cut.”

Fu Qingzhu glared at him, "You're obsessed with money again! Aren't you going to pour the wine?"

"Alright!" Li Dachui smiled and quickly filled the wine for the two of them, then quietly put the wine jar in his hand aside. There was still at least half a jar of "Human World" in it.

He took out a jar of earthly affairs from the small basket beside him and broke the clay seal.

This wine was brewed by Fu Qingzhu himself; others may lack it, but he certainly doesn't.

“Speaking of which, when you went to treat Yingzhuo this time, couldn’t you have just killed him?” Zhou Zhi said, “If Yingzhuo were dead, Beiyuan would inevitably fall into internal strife, and then we would be much more at ease! None of his three sons are easy to deal with.”

"You're dreaming!" Fu Qingzhu sneered. "Don't say I wouldn't do such a thing. Even if I really wanted to, do you think the imperial physicians under Yingzhuo are all pushovers? Every prescription I write and every medicine I use will probably be studied and analyzed by them."

"It was just a joke, you actually took it seriously? Ying Zhuo was actually quite a capable ruler, I admire him quite a bit." Zhou Zhi said.

(End of this chapter)