Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 324 Pursuit
Two days later.

Liu Bei has returned to Linzi and is currently at the medical clinic—which is also a medical school.

Zhuge Liang was quite lucky.

Liu Bei launched a strategy test and quickly pacified Mount Tai and Pengcheng. He also brought gangsters from Huainan and other places in Yuzhou to Linzi to advertise his wares. As a result, many scholars have come from the direction of Yuzhou in the past few days.

One of them was a man from Pei State named Hua Tuo.

Upon learning that medical students could also participate in the imperial examinations, Hua Tuo naturally rushed to enroll immediately.

Since the exact nature of the poison on the hairpin given by Zhang Kai was unknown, and treatment would be very difficult, the medical school asked all students to volunteer.

Hua Tuo volunteered to mix many herbs, but instead of boiling them, he squeezed the juice into the wound and applied it externally.

It is said that some of the herbs are highly poisonous, but this method of fighting poison with poison has indeed been effective.

Zhuge Liang had a fever on and off for two days, and sweated at least two kilograms. Fortunately, Hua Tuo saved him, but he was a little weak.

However, just as he was out of danger, Zhuge Liang was given a severe scolding by Liu Bei.

"Do you know how dangerous what you did was?! You knew they were involved and you still let them into the inner courtyard! There are plenty of ways to get evidence against the thieves, why risk your life?! Besides... even if there's no evidence, so what?!"

Liu Bei grabbed Zhuge Liang's ear and gave him a good scolding: "You were lucky this time to have met Mr. Hua... otherwise you would be dead! Be careful, be careful, be careful! What does it mean to be careful? It means not taking risks! Do you understand! Only those who survive to the end are the victors!"

"Yes...this disciple knows his mistake..."

Zhuge Liang stretched out his hand to indicate that he had given in, because Liu Bei was indeed holding a ruler, one of the three magical tools for controlling unruly children.

Moreover, his sister, Zhuge Zhen, was glaring at him angrily in front of the bed.

“General…this child has been half-conscious and half-asleep for two days without eating, only being given medicinal juices, many of which are poisonous herbs.”

Hua Tuo, standing nearby, spoke up for Zhuge Liang, saying, "Although the poison has been neutralized, the patient is weak and cannot be beaten or scolded..."

"Yes, yes, thank you very much, Mr. Hua. You've worked hard."

Taking advantage of the situation, Liu Bei handed the ruler to Zhuge Zhen, bowed in thanks, and casually changed the subject: "Has Mr. Hua ever written any books or recorded any medical prescriptions?"

"I have never written a book... but I have recorded some prescriptions for miscellaneous ailments..."

Hua Tuo was a little confused by this sudden question: "What do you mean, General?"

"If he has written any works, then it can be considered a policy essay. Mr. Hua's practical abilities have already been proven in Liang's case, so he can be directly appointed to an official position..."

Zhuge Liang, lying on his sickbed, turned his head and spoke.

"Ah... ah?"

Hua Tuo turned to look at Zhuge Liang, then at Liu Bei: "So this is how you become an official?"

"Yes, if one can heal people, one should become a physician. If one can govern a country, one should become a prime minister. If one can manage a profession, one should become an official in charge of studies... Is there anything wrong with that?"

Liu Bei nodded, indicating that this is how quickly one becomes an official here.

What is meant by "cultivating one's profession"?

Hua Tuo asked again.

"To guide and govern an industry... to put it on the right track, to enable more people to benefit from it, or to create new industries that enable more people to make a living through legitimate means, that is what I call governing an industry. For example, enabling doctors to save more lives, enabling farmers to harvest more grain, and enabling weavers to produce more silk..."

Liu Bei looked at Hua Tuo and smiled: "This is a great position in the world, a meritorious deed that is admired by all people, far more important than a general or governor, worthy of being worshipped as an ancestor or sage... It is even possible that he will be regarded as a saint by future generations. With your skillful hands, Mr. Hua, you may be able to save lives."

Hua Tuo took a deep breath: "This is a very important task, I'm afraid I'm not up to the task..."

"Everyone needs to have aspirations, right, Lianglang?"

Liu Bei smiled and looked at Zhuge Liang.

"Ah... ah?"

Zhuge Liang, just as bewildered as Hua Tuo when he was suddenly called out, even seemed a little flustered: "Pursue...pursue what?"

"If you had no ambition, why would you go to the trouble of saving the emperor? You almost got yourself killed in the process..."

Liu Bei curled his lip: "Tell me, what reward do you want for saving my life?"

"Hehe...hehe...my mentor has such discerning eyes...I want to build a workshop..."

Zhuge Liang scratched his head, not holding back at all: "Build a mechanical workshop." "Alright, build it yourself when you're fully recovered."

Liu Bei readily agreed: "But why don't you just say what you want? Why go through all this trouble? Do you think your teacher is stingy?"

"Having saved the emperor's life makes things much easier..."

Zhuge Liang gestured to the top of his head: "I am young, and most people will only see me as a child playing around. They won't take my orders seriously. I need to convince people with my achievements. If I can't convince people, I can't accomplish anything..."

Liu Bei and Zhuge Zhen exchanged a glance, and Zhuge Zhen silently handed the ruler back to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei pretended to wave the ruler, but seeing Zhuge Liang holding his head and looking pitiful, he ultimately didn't hit him and shook his head as he left.

Is saving the emperor less valuable than establishing a career?

Hua Tuo, standing nearby, was even more stunned. He had been treating Zhuge Liang for two days and already knew from the guards that Zhuge Liang had saved the emperor's life, but he never expected that such merit would only be for the purpose of opening a workshop...

"Of course not."

Zhuge Liang said matter-of-factly, "To establish a great enterprise can benefit ten thousand generations, and all people and descendants will benefit for generations to come. This is a great virtue for all time. Saving the emperor is only a matter of the moment, and it is only my duty..."

Hua Tuo was stunned for a long time, then bowed to Zhuge Liang with his hands clasped, saying, "...I have learned a great deal..."

The next day, Hua Tuo handed over the medical prescriptions he had recorded for treating difficult and complicated diseases to the medical school, preparing to compile them into a book and print it out.

It includes the formula for Mafeisan (麻沸散).

Hua Tuo was thus given an official position, but not as a royal physician. Instead, he was appointed as an instructor at the Imperial Academy and held a temporary post in the medical school, responsible for medical and educational affairs. This indicated that he was indeed preparing to develop his medical career.

……

East Pavilion.

"Why do these people always resort to such underhanded and treacherous acts? They are truly treacherous villains..."

After Liu Bei returned, Zhang Fei grumbled angrily.

"This has always been the case in the Han Dynasty. For over a hundred years, all the emperors have died young, and their descendants are less than one in a hundred. Every year, assassins sneak into the palace to carry out assassinations, and every two years, a palace is burned down..."

Liu Bei shook his head and said, "Countless famous ministers throughout history have died from assassination attempts... If we want to be absolutely safe, we can only wait until the world is at peace and the people live in peace and contentment, so that not so many people will take the risk."

Indeed, it was true that few emperors in the Han Dynasty lived past the age of thirty, and the infant mortality rate of princes was alarmingly high. This was not due to fertility or medical reasons.

Many famous ministers were in high spirits and presiding over important matters one month, but died suddenly the next month – what kind of disease is so serious?

There were absolutely no signs before the illness started; it just happened without any symptoms.

What else could it be besides murder and poisoning...?

In particular, powerful ministers have all been the target of multiple infiltrations and assassinations; this is simply the norm in power struggles.

(Note: Dong Zhuo's family suffered multiple infiltrations and assassinations, and he died directly from one of them. Before Cao Cao became king, he suffered multiple infiltrations and assassinations over a period of more than a year. For example, Geng Ji and others colluded with the Imperial Physician to launch a night attack. After the Geng Ji case, when the capital was moved from Xuchang to Yecheng, Cao Cao immediately faced another infiltration and assassination attempt by Wei Feng.)
People who have lived in a safe society for a long time often feel that many things are easy to prevent, but in reality...

Presidents of various countries have been assassinated more than once or twice, and wealthy people with countless bodyguards are frequently kidnapped, and they have succeeded more than once or twice... It's just that ordinary people don't have the chance to encounter such things, so they usually don't think much of it.

To prevent any potential problems, Liu Bei adjusted some security regulations.

All areas were placed under military control, patrols and defenses were strengthened, restricted areas were established, and anyone entering a restricted area had to be accompanied by a guard at all times. Zuo Yuan was also ordered to immediately begin selecting female bodyguards.

At the same time, it connected the original Qi Prince's Mansion and the East Pavilion, renovated all the courtyards, increased the living area, and no longer fixed the palaces and courtyards - now everyone's living location is not fixed every day, at least it is difficult for outsiders to figure it out.

In the past two days, Zhang Fei has captured many people from the Qi Prince's Mansion and the Fu family, but he has not captured Qi Prince Liu Cheng.

People from the Qi Prince's residence said that the Qi Prince went to Luoyang a month ago, and Zhang Kai has been confirmed to be near Linzi. Currently, all departments are making every effort to search for him.

King Liu Cheng of Qi was stripped of his kingdom, his family was purged, the kingdom of Qi was renamed Qi Commandery, and the King's palace was officially converted into the emperor's temporary palace.

The Fu family's property was confiscated. Although there were reasons for it, they could not escape their crimes. Fu De was imprisoned, and Fu Shou was placed under house arrest at Jian Yong's farm.

At the same time, Liu Xie officially issued an edict ordering the officials of Luoyang to arrest Qi King Liu Cheng and Fu Wan, and ordered all officials to go to Linzi to pay homage.

Assassins were rampant, vassal kings were plotting rebellion, and many officials in Luoyang were suspected of colluding with the rebels. If any official did not go to Linzi, then he should resign his post, since Liu Xie would not recognize him anyway.

Of course, it's not Liu Bei's style to always be the target of schemes and not fight back.

Zhang Baiqi and his underworld soldiers were dispatched again, and Taishi Ci, who was skilled in committing crimes, was also sent to Luoyang.

(End of this chapter)