Daming: Internship also counts as work experience

Chapter 150 King Zhou
Old Zheng opened his eyes, his previously flushed face turning deathly pale again. He sighed and struggled to sit up.

Jia Chuan quickly got up to help him up. After Old Zheng sat up, Chen Mo habitually handed him a bowl of water. Old Zheng tilted his head back and drank it down before saying, "How could something like a corpse coming back to life scare me? I've seen plenty of things like that in mass graves. What scared me was that face."

Jia Chuan gently patted Old Zheng's hand and said, "If you don't want to think about it, then don't. Just remember, what you see may not be the truth."

Old Zheng looked at Jia Chuan in surprise and asked, "Fake? I... I saw it with my own eyes. That face turned into several ghostly faces, opened its mouth wide at me, and several blood-red tongues stretched out towards me. There was also an arm that wrapped around me. I took a step back before I could see that it was a human hand..."

Old Zheng was trembling as he spoke.

Jia Chuan frowned and reassured him, "Illusions... are just things you imagine. Are you still in your coffin?"

"It's not covered."

"Did you look at it for a while before... these things appeared?"

Old Zheng wiped the sweat from his forehead, trembling. Chen Mo continued, "I did watch for a while. I chatted with Prince Zhou for a long time, but I really didn't know what to say. I even asked Old Zheng if he needed any help, but he didn't say anything. I got up to go and help, thinking it was better than making small talk with the prince. Then I saw a hand come out of the coffin and grab Old Zheng's wrist, followed by a head. I was so scared that I took several steps back before I could see that it was the person inside who had sat up."

The fact that Yunnan mushrooms can cause hallucinations was not a new thing in his previous life, but here... Jia Chuan really didn't know how the people here understood this kind of thing. But considering the transportation problem, probably only people who have been to Yunnan in person will have the opportunity to experience it. The reason why Old Zheng was so 'lucky' must be inseparable from the Prince of Runan. Otherwise, how could Old Zheng be the only one experiencing hallucinations?
Prince Zhu Youxun of Runan pretended to be dead in the coffin. No matter how far-fetched the process was, what was the purpose of arranging such a step?
Jia Chuan stood up, stretched, and said casually, "There are many good things in Yunnan, but we just don't know them. You don't need to think too much about it or ponder it too much. You've seen just as many dead people as living people, so you should know where ghosts come from. It's all people scaring people."

"Could it be that he used some kind of drug? But how could I have seen it..."

“You weren’t born brave. When you first came into contact with corpses, it was inevitable that you would have some scary thoughts. I also scare myself sometimes. It’s normal. You don’t usually think about these things, but they are in your memory. When the right opportunity arises, they will be triggered. I’m telling you some things you wouldn’t understand. Get a good night’s sleep. When you see the sun tomorrow, you will understand that everything is an illusion.”

……

With Shunzi by his side in the middle of the night, Old Zheng was fully awake and his fever had subsided, so Jia Chuan went back to sleep with peace of mind.

The next day, Jia Chuan woke up naturally and received a message that the Prince of Runan wanted to host a banquet for Chen Mo that night. It was the Prince of Runan, not the Prince of Zhou.

The Prince of Runan sent his attendants with many gifts, saying he wanted to thank the Embroidered Uniform Guards in person for saving his life. They were still waiting in the front hall of the inn. Chen Mo didn't know what Jia Chuan would do. Simply announcing that Old Zheng was a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was probably just the first step. Last night, Jia Chuan didn't intend to stop there.

Jia Chuan asked about the time, and Gao Yuntian said it was time for lunch. After washing up, Jia Chuan said, "Promise him, it's dinner, right? After lunch, let's go see King Zhou first."

Gao Yunduo and Dong Yuanyuan also wanted to go, but Jia Chuan said, "We're not going to fight, so don't worry, I'll definitely stand up for Old Zheng."

Dong Yuanyuan asked, puzzled, "Why can you only involve me and my sister when there's a fight?"

This question made Jia Chuan feel a little awkward, but fortunately Gao Yuntian came to his rescue.

"What are you saying? If we could beat them, we wouldn't be taking you two with us in the fight."

Jia Chuan rubbed his forehead.

……

Jia Chuan followed Chen Mo and Gao Yuntian into the gate of the Zhou Prince's Mansion. The other Imperial Guards who came with him, led by Commander Lu, formed two teams and stood on either side of the gate.

Jia Chuan followed the old eunuch who hurriedly came out of the Prince's mansion a few steps, then turned to the door and said, "Don't stand at the main gate. People who don't know will think you're up to something. It's cold outside. Go wait in the gatehouse. You'll always get some hot tea there."

Upon hearing this, the old eunuch immediately made arrangements!
It's no wonder the old eunuch was flustered. Jia Chuan and his party appeared at the gate without saying hello and were about to walk in without being announced. The servants of the Prince's Mansion tried their best to persuade them, saying that the Prince's Mansion was so big that how could the gatekeepers in the front yard know where the Prince was?

Fortunately, the old eunuch came to the front yard to discuss some general affairs with the accountant. Hearing the commotion, he thought of coming over to take a look. As soon as he did, Jia Chuan designated him as the guide. The old eunuch certainly knew where Prince Zhou, Zhu Youdun, was. He was not allowed to announce his presence, so the old eunuch naturally panicked.

Seeing that the old eunuch had settled the Imperial Guards who had followed him, Jia Chuan remained calm and composed, glancing at each place he went.

The princely residence in Kaifeng was quite a surprise to Jia Chuan. It was far less luxurious than he had imagined. He had seen the gates and walls of the Prince of Han's residence, which were very grand. Although he had never been inside, he could imagine the extravagance inside.

The vermilion gate of the Prince Zhou's Mansion was already visibly mottled. Inside, there were many ancient trees in the courtyard, but the path paved with blue bricks was covered with withered weeds topped with some snow that had not yet melted, looking both aggrieved and stubborn.

The courtyards I passed by had blue bricks and gray tiles, and while they were simple, they were also deserted. The doors and windows were tightly closed, but there was nothing damaged.

The old eunuch would occasionally glance back timidly, his steps slow and deliberate, as if afraid of disturbing the person behind him.

"The Prince's mansion is rather deserted," Jia Chuan remarked casually.

The old eunuch hurriedly replied, "His Highness usually dislikes noise and often writes music and rehearses plays in 'Jin Ke Xuan.' He's probably working on a new script right now."

Jia Chuan raised an eyebrow. His father liked to study traditional Chinese medicine, and his son liked to compose music and direct plays. Was this because he was afraid the emperor would become suspicious, or because he had too much money and found a hobby?

Jia Chuan didn't speak again. He followed the old eunuch through another corridor and heard a clear, melodious flute tune, mixed with intermittent singing.

Jia Chuan frowned as he listened, partly because he couldn't understand it, and partly because he couldn't appreciate it.

Seeing that they had arrived at the door, the old eunuch hurriedly reported loudly, "Your Highness, the Embroidered Uniform Guard... has arrived."

The music suddenly stopped, and soon the door was opened. Zhu Youdun, dressed in a plain Taoist robe and holding a musical score, stood in front of the door. Jia Chuan quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "This humble official, Jia Chuan, Deputy Director of the Imperial Medical Academy's Herbal Medicine Storehouse, greets Your Highness."

Zhu Youdun smiled and offered a slight gesture of support, his brows revealing a gentle refinement characteristic of a scholar. "I have heard of your great name; it is my pleasure to meet you today."

To Jia Chuan's surprise, Zhu Youdun's voice was calm, without any of the arrogance of a member of the imperial family, and he showed no sign of panic.

Jia Chuan and his two companions were ushered inside and seated.

Jia Chuan surveyed the room's furnishings. Apart from the musical instruments, several desks seemed to be placed haphazardly, with manuscripts piled on them. On the bookshelves, various notebooks were neatly arranged, with a few Taoist scriptures interspersed among them.

At this moment, a servant entered the room to serve tea. Jia Chuan hurriedly asked, "Just now, the Prince mentioned that he had heard of my name? I..." Jia Chuan turned to Chen Mo and asked, "What rank am I?"

Zhu Youdun waved his hand and laughed, "This has nothing to do with rank. Although I rarely concern myself with politics, I have heard some rumors about your trip to Le'an."

Zhu Youdun did not address himself as "this king," and his posture was very casual, which made Jia Chuan subconsciously relax a lot.

"Oh? How were they all passed on?" Jia Chuan asked curiously.

Zhu Youdun was surprised that Jia Chuan would ask such a question. His smile froze for a moment, but then he looked at the innocent child with loving eyes and said, "Most people dislike the powerful and wealthy, so they naturally offer mostly words of praise."

Given his age, Zhu Youdun's kindness was understandable; he was over forty, and it was normal for Jia Chuan to be seen as a child in his eyes. However, Jia Chuan was provoked by Zhu Youdun's gaze. He straightened his back, picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and then asked seriously, "What does Your Highness think of my trip?"

"Do you mean the herb-gathering bureau or the Prince's residence?" Zhu Youdun asked with his usual kind smile.

Jia Chuan coughed lightly and said, "I heard that the old prince wrote a book called 'The Compendium of Famine Relief Herbs' before his death. It's been talked about in great renown. I'm a very curious person, and I'd like to borrow it from the prince to take a look. I wonder..."

"Alright! Fan Hong, go to Dongshucaotang and fetch the complete set of 'Jiuhuang Bencao' (Emergency Relief Herbs)."

The old eunuch bowed and withdrew.

Jia Chuan thought for a moment and asked, "Your Highness has such a fine work, why not report it to the court for more printings? So that all medical practitioners in the world can benefit from it."

Zhu Youdun smiled and said, "This... Father has never mentioned it to me. This book was not written by Father alone, but it is indeed the culmination of Father's life's work. Whether it is helpful to doctors and pharmacists, I do not know. In the past, some people came to borrow it because of its reputation, and Father always agreed, or he would have the Herb Collection Bureau receive them. The Herb Collection Bureau also has some manuscripts."

Zhu Youdun did not hesitate; he answered Jia Chuan's questions immediately, and his expression remained calm throughout.

Jia Chuan turned to look at Gao Yuntian and Chen Mo, and the two got up and left the room.

Zhu Youdun was taken aback for a moment, then asked seriously, "Did the Emperor order you to deliver a message?"

Jia Chuan waved his hand and said, "I originally had a good relationship with the two of them, so there was no need for them to avoid me. This is to put Your Highness at ease. Since Your Highness knows who I am and what I did in Le'an, there is no need for me to hide anything. I came here mainly for the sake of the Prince of Runan."

Gao Yuntian, who was standing by the door enjoying the breeze, could still hear this. He couldn't help but snort and thought to himself: "What have you ever tried to hide?"
Zhu Youdun, inside the room, sighed and nodded, saying, "The affairs of the imperial family are like walking on thin ice. These are my heartfelt words. My father is fond of plants and trees, while I prefer musical scores and storybooks. Although Kaifeng Prefecture cannot compare to the prosperity of the capital, it is still quite comfortable. If I could spend my days with music and write a few plays that people would praise, that would be enough to comfort me for the rest of my life. I think my father thought the same way when he was alive, except that he wanted to leave behind everything he had learned and seen... But my younger brother, alas, he is impatient and competitive, and always thinks I am too mediocre..."

A hint of weariness flashed in Zhu Youdun's eyes, but he quickly concealed it, took a deep breath, and said sincerely:

"I hope you won't take offense. Actually, I know he was faking his death to trick me. As his older brother, I had no other choice but to play along and wait for you to arrive so you could expose his actions. He did something similar back then, and it was only thanks to Emperor Taizong's thorough investigation that the Zhou Prince's Mansion and my position as heir apparent were preserved, but..."

"Isn't he afraid that the emperor will punish him for deceiving the emperor?" Jia Chuan asked, puzzled.

Zhu Youdun smiled and said, "He has never achieved the merits of the Prince of Han, but he shares the same heart. You have had much contact with the Prince of Han, so you should know his character... He only acts according to his own ideas and thinks that others should also follow his ideas. Whoever does not is wrong. My younger brother is the same. He thinks that I am weak by nature and will only panic when things happen, so he will definitely try to cover this up and dare not let the Emperor know..."

"So...naive?"

"If he weren't so naive, how could he have been granted a general amnesty, returned to the capital with great difficulty, and regained his princely title, yet still made one mistake after another?"

Jia Chuan agreed with this point, saying that he was a typical example of someone who didn't know how to enjoy his good life, but comparing him to the King of Han was indeed an overestimation of him.

"Your Highness knows the Prince of Han quite well," Jia Chuan said with a smile.

“I’m only a year older than him. I didn’t see him much when we were children, but I’ve seen him a few times since I became an adult. Don’t say that you can tell a person’s character from their childhood. You have to wait until they are adults to see their true nature.”

"Oh? So that means that after the Jingnan Campaign, the King of Han and the King of Zhou had frequent contact?"

Zhu Youdun hurriedly waved his hand and said, "After the Jingnan Campaign, Father finally regained his princely title and returned to his fief. He then established the Bureau of Herbal Medicine and built the Herb Garden. He only complained that there was too little time every day and that he was too busy to think about visiting the Prince of Han. The Prince of Han is arrogant and domineering. If he wants to contact him, Father can't refuse. Especially after Emperor Taizong established the Crown Prince, Father was afraid to avoid him. Whenever the Prince of Han sent someone to ask something, Father would push it to the ambassador of the Bureau of Herbal Medicine. He also knew that although the Prince of Han was unwilling to go to his fief, he could not leave the capital at will."

"Does Your Highness mean that the Prince of Han is also very interested in...herbal medicine?"

"My father's book contains many rare and exotic herbs, which I do not understand. The Prince of Han is interested in them and writes to inquire about them every time. My father would worry for several days. Later, when the book was completed, the Prince of Han ordered someone to make a copy. My father could not refuse directly, so he said that he could only read it with special permission from the court."

Jia Chuan frowned and asked, "This book has never been printed to this day, which means it was not reported to the imperial court at the time?"

"Yes, Father said he would write down everything he had learned, seen, and heard in his life, just to fulfill his wish. He dared not hope that it would be passed down to the world, but only hoped that it could save more lives in critical moments. Father often said that if he was willing, he would come from a thousand miles away to read it, but if he was not willing, he would not read it even if it was placed in front of him. I just thought that Father was comforting himself. It was not that Father did not want to publish it, but that... the Emperor's heart is unpredictable."

"Then I don't understand. Does the book contain... methods for saving or harming people that anyone can learn at a glance? If so, why not remove the methods for harming people?"

(End of this chapter)