Chapter 254: Unexpected Joy

"Duke Zhongjing, if you do not believe it, you may go and see for yourself."

Su Fan smiled and said: "When the time comes, I will certainly not let you down, Duke Zhongjing. Moreover, this time, I have come to Nanyang to invite you to Donghai Ling to become the dean of my Donghai Ling Medical Academy."

"Dean of a medical academy?"

"Correct, it is equivalent to a Medical Hall, but a medical academy is different from a Medical Hall. In my vision, a medical academy must be divided into multiple departments."

"For example, a Surgery department for trauma, an Internal Medicine department for internal injuries, and departments for various difficult and miscellaneous diseases. Physicians at the academy will go to the department they specialize in."

"Of course, I am not just asking you to serve as a physician and Daifu, Duke Zhongjing; I want to invite you to become the dean of the Medical Academy. The Medical Academy is an institution specifically for training physicians and Daifu."

"As long as you are willing to come, Duke Zhongjing, you shall preside over the Medical Academy. We will build the academy well, and as for how to teach, you shall decide everything."

Su Fan said earnestly.

"Let me be the dean of a Medical Academy."

Su Fan gave a simple introduction to the Medical Academy, and he also knew what this Medical Academy was—it was a place similar to an academy of the Medical School, a place specifically for cultivating Daifu.

This made Zhang Zhongjing very surprised. The Divine Han had academies, and quite a few of them, large and small, no one knew how many there were. Of course, the most famous ones were Yingchuan Academy and Lumen Academy.

These were the two largest academies in the Divine Han, yet these two academies were academies of Confucianism, and those taught inside were all disciples of Confucianism.

It could be said that almost all the academies in the Divine Han, large and small, were Confucian academies; the other Hundred Schools had no academies for systematic training at all.

Even the Military School, which was second only to Confucianism, only had a few families with their own separate Inheritances; it was impossible for them to be in the form of an academy.

So when he heard Su Fan's words, Zhang Zhongjing was truly astonished: "Are you really going to establish an academy for the Medical School?"

Zhang Zhongjing was a disciple of the Medical School. Although he had learned orthodox Confucian teachings since childhood, he later accidentally met his teacher, who was a proper disciple of the Medical School. After coming into contact with medical arts, he completely fell in love with them.

Even after being in the officialdom for several years, he had never given up on medical arts.

The Zhang family had reminded him many times, but they could not change him. In the end, they had no choice but to let him step down and choose someone else to replace him.

After all, he had no heart for an official career; it was better to replace him and choose someone else to ensure the Zhang family's influence in the government.

He was also very happy about this. Leaving the officialdom, he completely set himself free, began to study medical arts in depth, and made quite a name for himself.

However, Zhang Zhongjing was very clear that the status of the Medical School among the Hundred Schools was still very low. Even in the Pre-Qin period, the Medical School did not have much fame; it was only the Sage Bian Que who allowed the Medical School to emerge slightly.

By the time of the Divine Han, after the dismissal of the Hundred Schools and the sole reverence for Confucianism, the Medical School became even less attractive.

Disciples of the Medical School were even scarcer.

Now someone actually wanted to open an academy for the Medical School, and it was a feudal lord at that, which truly left Zhang Zhongjing dazed.

He could not figure out what Su Fan was thinking. A feudal lord, instead of thinking about how to increase his territory, why did he want to run a Medical Hall and a Medical School academy?

Of course, although he could not figure it out, his heart was still very excited at this moment. He was a disciple of the Medical School and naturally hoped that the Medical School would get better and better.

Now that there was a feudal lord willing to come forward to seek benefits for the Medical School, he was naturally happy and very willing.

"It is just that Zhang's medical arts..."

"Haha! Duke Zhongjing, with your medical arts, you are absolutely a Sage of the apricot grove. We would be overjoyed if you came to be the dean of our Medical Academy. I ask that you do not refuse."

Su Fan naturally saw that the other party was moved.

He knew that by inviting him with a Medical Academy, there was absolutely no possibility of failure. As long as the other party deeply loved the medical Dao, it was impossible for him to refuse.

After all, founding a Medical Academy would increase the reputation of the Medical School and strengthen the power of the Medical School. The more Daifu there were, would the Medical School not be stronger?

In this era, perhaps those noble families might restrict the spread of knowledge because they wanted to monopolize it.

But the true people of the Hundred Schools would not be stingy; on the contrary, they would be even more willing to spread the knowledge of their respective schools.

Just like Yingchuan Academy and Lumen Academy, their deans treated everyone who came to the academy to learn equally, whether they were from noble families, humble backgrounds, or commoners; if you were willing, they would teach you.

Of course, ordinary commoners could not get in at all, because they knew that learning required money and grain for support.

Did the common people have this money and grain for support?

Of course they did not.

"Then, are there any requirements for the students of the Medical Academy?"

After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Zhongjing suddenly asked tentatively.

"Of course not. As long as they are willing to come and learn, whether they are disciples of noble families or common folk, the academy will accept them."

"And they do not need to pay tuition. If they are young, the academy will even provide subsidies, especially for those who learn well; the better they learn, the more subsidies they get."

Su Fan said with a smile.

The conditions Su Fan gave were simply too good; Zhang Zhongjing finally could not refuse. This temptation was too great.

If the academy were built in the future, and after a few decades, generation after generation of physicians had completed their studies, would he not have students and former subordinates all over the world? In terms of the medical Dao, he could become the teacher of the world.

This was almost something to be remembered for all time; at least in terms of the medical Dao, it would be passed down for ages.

Fame and profit—he had no interest in profit, but as for leaving a name in history, as long as one was a Literati, one could not refuse.

Some people were even willing to die for the sake of fame.

When Zhang Zhongjing nodded in agreement, Su Fan also breathed a sigh of relief. Although he had guessed earlier that the former would not refuse, he was still somewhat nervous in his heart.

Now that he had finally received an answer, a smile appeared on his face.

"Duke Zhongjing, if you have any disciples, you can bring them along. The academy is newly built and needs a large number of teachers."

"Hmm! I do have a few disciples, but they have only studied with me for a few years."

"It does not matter. As long as their theoretical knowledge is solid, it is no problem for them to serve as teachers to instruct newcomers. And most importantly, the classes will still be overseen by you, sir."

Su Fan did not care; he hoped that there would be more and more physicians.

"In addition, I still hope that you, Duke Zhongjing, can conduct research to improve the survival rate of young children. Do not worry about the grain problem; if our Donghai Ling has nothing else, we certainly do not lack grain."

"We have enough ability to support them. The more people there are, the more grain there will be."

Seeing Zhang Zhongjing hesitate, Su Fan hurriedly promised.

"This, I must see for myself, and then find some fellow Taoists to research and discuss it."

"Are there others? If possible, you can invite them to go together. Whatever you need, our Donghai Ling will provide it all."

"Rest assured, Duke Zhongjing, under our rule, there is no suppression of any kind. Whether it is the Medical School, the Mohist School, or Confucianism, all are treated equally."