Chapter 80: Big Brother Teaches You

Sun Simiao told someone to send the decocted medicine to the patients in the adjacent Leper Workshop, then turned back into the room to shoulder his medicine chest:

"Let's go! Follow me to see the patients; these patients were all specially arranged in one place by Consort Du."

"Are they not in the Leper Workshop?"

Sun Simiao did not answer, walking straight toward the east side of Luzhou city, where most of the residents were aristocratic families or wealthy landlords and gentry.

Thinking of the letter Li Chengqian had given him, Sun Simiao could not help but sigh inwardly:

"I wonder if the words the Crown Prince said were meant for himself or for the Prince of Qi.

I hope the Prince of Qi can understand that as an Imperial Prince, one must shoulder responsibilities while enjoying wealth."

At noon, Sun Simiao brought Li You to a courtyard. Looking at the soldiers surrounding the three nearby courtyards, Li You revealed a look of suspicion:

"Are all the people inside suffering from dysentery? Why are they not arranged in the Leper Workshop?"

"Their symptoms are relatively mild, so they are not suitable to stay in the Leper Workshop."

After speaking, Sun Simiao lifted his leg and stepped into the gate, treading on the gray-white stone bricks, and arrived at a room a moment later.

Inside the nearly sixty-square-meter room, ten beds were placed. Nine men were half-lying on their respective beds, either closing their eyes to rest, chatting about the world, or constantly drinking water.

Seeing Sun Simiao enter, everyone stood up in unison to salute Sun Simiao, followed immediately by a cacophony of complaints.

"Medicine King Sun, you have finally come. When can we go back?"

"Yes! There are still many things to do at home, we are already much better!"

"Medicine King Sun, don't look at the fact that I go five times a day now, my body is still quite good, and my legs are not soft at all."

"..."

Sun Simiao raised his hand to interrupt the crowd's arguing:

"I will take your pulses now; once you are well, I will naturally let you leave."

"Good, good, good! Take my pulse first!"

"Liu Zhong, why should it be you? Is it because your face is dark?"

The dark-faced Liu Zhong snorted coldly: "Because my ancestor was Han Xiandi, is that not enough?"

"Do you have a Zushu? If you don't have a Zushu, what are you talking about? I am a descendant of Zhuge Wuhou, why should I let you go first?"

"Exactly, my ancestors also came from the Xie clan of Chenjun, who is nobler than whom?"

"My great-grandmother was a Princess of Northern Zhou, you descendant of Han Xiandi are nothing."

"..."

Listening to the chattering voices of the crowd, Li You was dumbfounded. Are the ancestors of these peasants all so formidable?

Silently moving closer to Sun Simiao, Li You asked in a low voice:

"Teacher, is what they said true?"

"It is all true, but because of various reasons, they lost their Zushu and heritage, and now they can only be peasants.

That Xie clan of Chenjun still has a clan elder, but because they are a branch line, they have been passed down generation after generation and can only become ordinary Commoners.

Just like me, Qu Yuan was my ancestor, and a Crown Prince's attendant of Northern Zhou was my great-grandfather, but by my generation, I have become an ordinary commoner."

"Qu Yuan?"

Li You's pupils shrank slightly: "Teacher, you are also a descendant of Qu Zi?"

"I cannot compare to you being a descendant of Li Er."

Li You curled his lips: "Who doesn't know that Grand Ancestor forcibly claimed Laozi as an ancestor? He was just bullying Laozi for having ascended to immortality.

In my opinion, the Li family can at most trace back to Wei Shangshulang Li Yong."

Sun Simiao shook his head and did not reply. Li Yuan claiming Laozi as an ancestor was not just to gild his own face, but also to win over Taoism.

"Stop! One by one, starting from the one closest to the door."

As Sun Simiao's voice fell, everyone instantly shut their mouths and returned to their beds.

"Hehehe! So what if an ancestor was an Emperor? It's not as good as choosing a good bed!"

Sun Simiao grabbed the man's hand: "Sun Da, your great emperor was a rebel during the time of Han Xiandi. Aren't you afraid that Liu Zhong will kill you to avenge his ancestor?"

"Afraid of what? It's not a deep blood feud like having no descendants or digging up someone's ancestral grave. Living is already a problem, where would we find the time to take revenge?

We are just talking for fun, who would really care who their ancestors are."

Li You spoke up at this moment: "Isn't it good to have formidable ancestors? It's also face-saving to talk about it."

"What face? Without a Zushu, who would believe you!

Look at the Great Tang now, it won't take long, in a hundred years, the Emperor's descendants will also have to farm like us.

So, it's useless to have formidable ancestors; only being formidable yourself is useful."

Li You stood there in a daze. He had never thought about this aspect of things. He was wondering what would happen to his descendants in a hundred years?

Glancing at Li You, who was lost in thought, Sun Simiao did not speak to remind him, silently doing his own work.

A master once said that Chinese people never live for themselves; most live for their parents and children.

Just like many people who suddenly become very responsible after having children, this is the result of thousands of years of education.

Li Chengqian had no way to persuade Li You, so he could only resort to this desperate measure, hoping that through this method, Li You would understand that even for the sake of his descendants, he could not just lie flat.

Of course, Li Chengqian could only do this in the Great Tang; if it were in later generations, this trick would only be counterproductive and might even invite scolding.

Whether he would be scolded by later generations, Li Chengqian did not know for the time being, but what was certain was that he was already being pointed at and scolded:

"Li Chengqian! Can you not act like a human? Don't you know how much Bamboo Paper helps with book compilation? Why do you want to forbid Commoners from cutting bamboo?"

Li Chengqian picked his ear and spoke indifferently:

"Qingque, this is Liangyi Hall, and Fang Xuanling and our uncle are both here; you must pay attention to etiquette."

"I don't care about etiquette! You, a Crown Prince, are not acting like a human, so why should I, a mere Prince of Wei, fear etiquette and law?"

"Qingque, your eldest brother is doing this for your own good. Without Bamboo Paper, can't you delay the time for book compilation?"

"As long as you promote it well, everyone in the world will know what kind of person I am. Wouldn't that be good for you?"

"Do you take me for a fool?"

Li Tai stared at Li Chengqian with a face full of anger: "Without Bamboo Paper, how can the matter of the public proclamations be verified?

If the public proclamations aren't verified, what is Su Guzhang going to Anzhou for? To teach?"

"Oh my! Qingque, you've finally figured it out!"

Li Chengqian grinned: "Third Brother only mentioned finding a Doctor of State School, and Father never said anything about verifying or reforming the public proclamations.

What was discussed at the morning court was only the position of Doctor of State School in Anzhou; you can't blame me for this, who told you to overthink it yourself?

Uncle has always wanted to transfer Su Guzhang out of Chang'an, you know this too, but he couldn't find an opportunity; now, take another look."

"Ah! Li Chengqian! I'll fight you to the death!"

Li Tai could no longer control himself, and his massive body charged toward Li Chengqian.

"Slap! Slap, slap, slap..."

"Ah..."

Li Chengqian pulled out the De Book and struck Li Tai's head fiercely:

"Are you stupid! Are you stupid! How many times have I taught you? The struggle for the position of Crown Prince is a struggle for power, a life-and-death war; why are you always so naive?

How many times have I told you, this position of Crown Prince isn't something Father can just let anyone have; why can't you think about it properly?"

"Ah! You're hitting me again! You lied to me and you're still hitting me, boo-hoo-hoo, I'm going to tell Mother."

"Stop acting! Sit down properly; Big Brother is teaching you today, otherwise you'll be killed by someone without even knowing how you died."