Chapter 272: All Eating Ready-Made

The people of Huaihua Village naturally were unwilling, but they had the common failing of face-saving adults — instead of speaking directly, they hinted: "After all, this is two villages, and Licentiate Chen, you are unwilling to merge the villages. Wouldn't it be improper to keep the money in one place?"

Licentiate Chen was even more direct: "This money is for the children. Beyond food and clothing, more importantly it is for their education and martial training. When Daoist Priest Pan Xiao and Daoist Priest Sanzhu gave this money, rather than saying it was so the children could take revenge in the future, it would be better to say it was so they could learn the means to make a living and stand on their own between heaven and earth."

"Leave the money with me, and I can guarantee every coin will be spent on the children. What's more, I can be fair and just in looking after each and every one of them. Even children unsuited to study or martial arts, I will find them a path to learn other crafts."

Liu You's face darkened, and he challenged: "What Licentiate Chen means is, we would embezzle these children's money and not spend it on them?"

Licentiate Chen shook his head: "I don't doubt your hearts toward the children, but I believe you lack my breadth of vision and ability. Of the three hundred and sixty trades, all you know is farming, and your strengths lie only in farming. But to speak plainly, what Huaihua Village and Shuangyang Village least need right now is more land. Once you get this money, how do you plan to spend it on them?"

"Beyond the yearly food and clothing, you'll just send them to the schoolhouse to be taught by Mr., won't you? Then spend more money to hire long-term laborers and tenant farmers back to farm for them. If they can study and get ahead, you'll keep supporting them; if not, once they grow up, you'll take a portion from this money to find them wives and build them houses, and you'll feel you've not wronged them."

Liu You and the other two flushed red, because what Licentiate Chen said was exactly what they had been planning in their hearts.

Liu You said: "Time will soften everything. Raise them to adulthood, and if they still want to take revenge, they'll go on their own; if not, they'll settle down and build a life in the village. Wouldn't that be good?"

"No!" Licentiate Chen said loudly: "With this money, I can let them live far better."

"I can have them take the examinations and gain official rank, become clerks and officials; let them be knights-errant, be escort chiefs; let them be carpenters, blacksmiths, every kind of craftsman; I can also have them join the army, enter the Great Ming navy; let them be merchants, traders who travel north and south…"

"Even if they stay here to farm, I can still give them skills other farmers don't have. I'll make it so that when they meet pirates again, they can protect their kin and friends and turn the tables; I'll make it so that when they want revenge, the moment they take that step, they can find their footing, so that no matter what circumstances they find themselves in, they can stand on their own!"

The more Licentiate Chen spoke, the more forceful he became, and he turned directly to Pan Yun: "Daoist Priest Pan Xiao, please entrust all the money to my keeping. I guarantee I will treat the children of both villages equally."

"I will build a schoolhouse between the two villages. From now on, the children of both villages will study, train in martial arts, and learn skills there."

Liu You opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Pan Yun had already nodded: "Agreed!"

Liu You gaped, glancing at Licentiate Chen with a touch of displeasure.

Licentiate Chen paid him no mind, his eyes bright, and went on: "To ensure this money won't be misused by me, we can set up six supervisors — three from each village. For any major expenditure outside the plan, all six must jointly supervise. I will make the proposal, the six vote, and at least four or more must agree before the money can be spent."

Liu You immediately said: "But what if our Huaihua Village has other expenses it wants to use this money for? If you don't bring it up, won't we never be able to use it?"

Licentiate Chen: "You may bring it to me, and after I've reviewed it, I'll propose it. Or, if you can secure the agreement of four or more people, you may also bypass me and bring the expenditure before the meeting. However, in that case, I also have a vote — seven votes in total — and you'll need at least five."

Liu You and the other two thought it over, decided this method would also work, felt somewhat easier in their hearts, and gave a slight nod.

Licentiate Chen: "But all this has one major premise — Daoist Priest Pan Xiao and Daoist Priest Sanzhu hold a veto."

Liu You smiled and said: "How would our benefactors have so much time to mind our affairs?"

"That may not be the case," Pan Yun said: "Who knows, I might just happen to pass by and pop in to check the accounts?"

Licentiate Chen bowed and said: "If the benefactors could come often, the children would be overjoyed."

Once the matter was settled, Pan Yun had Licentiate Chen write up these rules, and the three parties would sign a contract — three copies, kept separately. Before everyone's eyes, she handed the money over to Licentiate Chen on the spot.

Perhaps it was Tao Ji's acupuncture and medicine taking effect, or perhaps it was this money letting Licentiate Chen see a future — in any case, his spirits were much better, and he looked much better as a person.

The sickly air about him had mostly faded. In the dim firelight and lamplight, he took out a writing brush with a broken tip and squatted beside a small chair to write out the contract.

Tao Ji sat watching him, nodding slightly: "The human mind is indeed a fine medicine — hope works better than any drug."

Miao He and her master squeezed together, also studying Licentiate Chen's complexion, and exclaimed: "It's really true — he looked like he was about to fall apart just now, and now he's pieced himself back together."

Pan Yun: "What's so strange about that? Isn't what we cultivate in the Dao precisely the spirit?"

"We want the spirit to leave the flesh and stand independently between heaven and earth, but because we can't achieve that, we use the spirit to act back upon the body, seeking to extend our years and achieve immortality, so we may have more time to cultivate the spirit."

"Since the ultimate goal is still the spirit, one should know how vital the spiritual consciousness is to the human body."

How important is a single breath?

For some people, a single breath may really be just a single breath, but for others, it can be three to five years, or even three to five decades.

There are those who live to a ripe old age on the strength of a single breath.

Why can his breath sustain him for so long?

The greatest difference lies in the spirit.

Pan Yun was very pleased with Licentiate Chen's transformation.

Of all the villagers present, she did indeed trust Licentiate Chen more — his learning, his character, and the feeling he gave off. Perhaps he would earnestly push the children down the road of revenge, but — so what? The same money in his hands would yield the most for the children.

After all the money was handed over to Licentiate Chen, everyone finally turned their eyes to the supplies on the three carts.

This part was simpler still — divide by head count.

Pan Yun herself hadn't expected so few survivors between the two villages, so the share for each person was still quite generous.

No need to count — just divide according to the list.

Considering both villages were now utterly destitute, Pan Yun didn't distinguish between adult and child — everyone got a share.

Moreover, the adults received more grain and more cloth and cotton, while the children received more medicinal herbs.

With Tao Ji and Miao He here, they simply set up a free clinic, examined the survivors of both villages, left behind several common prescriptions, and taught them how to gather the herbs…

In the end, this task was also handed to Licentiate Chen, because no one else could read, and they were also very afraid of messing it up.

This highlighted Licentiate Chen's usefulness — not only could he fill prescriptions, he could also learn a bit of pulse-taking from Tao Ji, and on the spot he diagnosed several illnesses.

Sigh, enough said — which scholar hasn't read the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon and the Book of Changes?

!. Read

The Confucians knew medicine, the Daoists knew medicine, the Mohists knew medicine, the Legalists knew medicine, the Militarists knew medicine too…

Even the rough martial men of the jianghu, whom people thought only knew how to wield spears and clubs — they too knew some skill at treating wounds and injuries.

Medical skill seemed to be something every school dabbled in, yet none mastered.

Why was that?

"Because humanity's inquiry into life is, in its original intent, an inquiry into the cosmos," Tao Ji said: "The human body is like a cosmos. If you study it through and through, you gain an overall understanding of the universe — you have touched the Heavenly Dao, and may live forever."

At this point Tao Ji lifted his chin slightly, and said proudly: "So don't think that just because I can't fight as well as you and Fourth Junior Sister, and my cultivation isn't as high as yours, when it comes to living long, you may not match me."

Pan Yun clapped her hands: "Third Senior Brother, don't forget to share the fruits — I want to live long too."

"I know — you still want to eat ready-made."

Pan Yun muttered: "Ready-made is wonderful — no effort and still delicious."

Tao Ji gave her head a pat, and said: "I think you'd better hang Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He's hidden cards on you as well. Strange — you were all moving together, so why has your merit grown so fast while theirs is so much slower?"

Pan Yun: "Maybe it's because I'm a Merit Saint Body."

"You don't need to change your habit of talking nonsense—it's perfect. When you say you're Pan Sanzhu, no one believes you; when you say you're fake, everyone believes you at once."

Pan Yun: "As long as the Dao recognizes it."

Ordinary people think of Pan Sanzhu and Pan Yun as two different people—she shook her head and said, "A tree that towers above the forest is sure to be struck by the wind; I'm just too outstanding. Splitting into two people is better."

She sighed, "Ah, but even splitting into two is still too noticeable. I'll have to find some more elegant Dao names, take a couple more, design new appearances for myself—I could split into three people, four people…"

Tao Ji watched her in silence.

Pan Yun looked back at him. "Third Master, do you also think I should prepare two more Dao names to share my fame?"

Tao Ji turned away. "Why don't you think about how your reputation got spread in the first place? Sure, you performed well this time, but honestly, you still fall short of Master Xuanmiao. So why is everyone talking about you now?"

Pan Yun frowned. She was thinking about it too—but she truly couldn't figure it out.

"Who does good deeds without leaving their name? Could there be some conspiracy here?" Pan Yun speculated: "First build up my fame, then dump filth on my head?"

While Pan Yun speculated here, a hundred li away in the city, Xue Shao slammed his gavel and declared loudly: "Today's tale of Pan Sanzhu deploying the formation to slaughter the Japanese pirates ends here. To find out what happens next, tune in tomorrow."

The patrons in the tavern, utterly captivated, refused to let him stop—they pulled out coins to tip him, demanding he finish the rest today.

But Xue Shao shook his head and walked away.

The tavern Shopkeeper smiled warmly as he escorted Xue Shao upstairs to the private room, brought him wine and food, then handed him two strings of coins. "Young Master Xue, will you tell more tomorrow?"

Hehehe, see you tonight—I'll try to finish the update early.

(End of Chapter)