Li Jing was quite impressive, holding his wife with eyes for no one else, seeing only his sleeping wife. One hand cradled the Red Whisk Woman’s legs, the other supported her back. The Red Whisk Woman seemed very comfortable, even wriggling in his embrace. Li Deyu felt somewhat embarrassed and blocked Yun Ye’s view, which made Yun Ye very dissatisfied. What excellent gossip! How many people could witness the deep affection of a legendary military god? Cheng Chumo was a good child who adhered to the tradition of “see no impropriety,” fawning over Sun Simiao with stars in his eyes.
Sun Simiao had no mind to talk with him. He slapped Cheng Chumo on the head and said: “Your old man talks too much nonsense, and you’re just as full of nonsense. This isn’t good—change it.” Having said this, he pulled Yun Ye to the front hall. Not minding that Yun Ye was covered in pigment, he asked: “You didn’t use golden needles, didn’t use medicinal decoctions, and didn’t use massage. You only frightened Madam Li for a moment and allowed her to escape her predicament and sleep peacefully. What is the principle behind this?”
“Madam Li was merely trapped in a dreamscape unable to extricate herself. Driving away the inner demons naturally cures without medicine—a small technique that makes the Daoist laugh. I haven’t yet asked the Daoist’s name.”
Anyone who could stand side by side with Li Jing was someone Yun Ye absolutely wouldn’t underestimate.
“This poor Daoist is Sun Simiao. I heard long ago that in Chang’an City there was a figure who could snatch blood to continue life, only fifteen years old, a rare genius. I didn’t expect to have the fortune of meeting you today, and even personally witnessed you quelling Madam Li’s grave illness with a turn of your hand. This shows that beneath a great reputation there are no frauds. This poor Daoist’s eyes have been opened wide. In the future, we must maintain close relations. This poor Daoist has many unsolved mysteries that still require consultation with Marquis Yun.” The old Daoist very formally cupped his hands in salute.
Good heavens, Sun Simiao wanted to consult him on medical questions! Thinking of this, Yun Ye’s face instantly flushed red up to his neck. Medicine King Sun Simiao could be called a saint in this era. Over several decades he had traversed all of Guanzhong, saving the dying and healing the wounded, preserving countless lives. His medical skills were exquisite and his morals lofty—one of the few figures of the Tang Dynasty that Yun Ye admired. He hadn’t expected to meet him under these circumstances today. It was truly somewhat unexpected.
“So it’s Divine Physician Sun before me. This youngster doesn’t know the height of heaven or the thickness of earth, showing off some minor skills before the Divine Physician. How laughable, how laughable.” He hurried to pay respects. Even Li’er treated this immortal with family courtesy—he himself had better be respectful.
“Little friend, what are you saying? The so-called ‘accomplished come first.’ What’s laughable or not laughable about it? The technique little friend displayed today, this poor Daoist doesn’t know. Confucius said: ‘When three people walk together, there must be one who can be my teacher.’ This poor Daoist is slightly older in years and has seen a bit more, that’s all. I’ve saved a few more people, and my reputation has been exaggerated by the villagers. But the more people I treat, the more I fear making mistakes, afraid of being unworthy of the villagers who come to see me. The many difficult and complicated cases I’ve witnessed in my life keep this poor Daoist awake at night. Watching helplessly as patients die due to we physicians’ incompetence, this poor Daoist wishes he could read through all the world’s medical texts in a single day to seek solutions. I hope little friend won’t be stingy with your teachings.”
Sun Simiao’s words were earnest, his tone low. Although his appearance didn’t match the Medicine King temple statues of later generations at all, his compassionate feelings were the same. On Medicine King Mountain, the incense offerings never ceased for a thousand years—this showed how profound Sun Simiao’s legacy was.
“This youngster, following my master, has indeed seen some extraordinary techniques, especially some Western medical methods that can be called miraculous. When this youngster finds an appropriate time, I’ll certainly inform you of them one by one. I hope they can be of some benefit to the Daoist.”
Sun Simiao smiled and agreed. Today truly wasn’t a good time to discuss medicine. He told Yun Ye about the Daoist temple where he was lodging, didn’t bid farewell to the master of the house, and hurriedly departed.
Li Jing’s expression when looking at Yun Ye was somewhat strange—impossible to say what feeling it was. Somewhat odd, yet somewhat understanding, and even somewhat inexplicably warm. He came forward and patted Yun Ye on the shoulder: “Today we were negligent toward you two brothers. We’ll make it up to you later. In any case, this old man owes you both a favor. You still have several families to visit—go ahead.”
Watching Yun Ye and Cheng Chumo leave, Li Deyu asked Li Jing why he didn’t have Yun Ye treat his mother’s illness. Since he could allow his mother to let go of past events, there was hope he could completely cure his mother’s strange ailment.
Li Jing shook his head and said: “Your mother’s illness can’t be cured. It can only be soothed when episodes occur. Otherwise, how could I have let him go? That boy didn’t proactively offer to treat your mother, which shows he also has no solution. The nightmare-like scenes from those years still fill me with dread when I think of them today. Your mother, as the person directly involved, endured even more. That she can have her current appearance, only occasionally having an episode, is already a heaven-defying fortune. How dare we demand more? So be it! This is your parents’ karmic retribution—let us bear it.” Li Deyu’s face was full of incomprehension.
After leaving Li Jing’s house, Cheng Chumo didn’t speak. This went against his nature. Since he was rarely deep in thought, Yun Ye didn’t plan to disturb him. If the brain didn’t turn occasionally, it would rust.
This state continued for an entire day. At Niu Jinda’s house he was melancholy and cheerless. At Yuchi Gong’s house when provoked he didn’t respond. Even at Li Ji’s house when surrounded by a group of gaudily dressed women, he showed no pleasure.
Yun Ye was somewhat worried. A simple-minded person who drilled into a dead end wouldn’t find it so easy to turn back out. He drove away the Cheng household servants and returned home to personally cook four dishes: a small plate of vinegar-splashed radish skins, a small plate of stir-fried bean sprouts, a large bowl of braised pork, and a white-cut chicken. The white liquor newly distilled before New Year’s was set on the kang table. Not requiring maid service, just the two brothers preparing to have a talk.
As soon as they started, Cheng Chumo downed three cups in succession with loud gulps, picked the largest piece of braised pork and stuffed it in his mouth to chase the liquor. Yun Ye slowly sipped the wine in his cup, waiting for him to speak first.
“Little Ye, we’re brothers, aren’t we?”
“Bullshit. If we weren’t brothers, I wouldn’t have waited all day for you to speak. Whatever it is, say it quick. When you’re done, get lost. It’s New Year’s and you won’t even let people have a good mood.”
“Today listening to you talk with Divine Immortal Sun, this brother suddenly felt that living is really meaningless.” After gnawing for a long time, he finally produced this sentence, and just this sentence shocked Yun Ye to the core.
“I didn’t hear clearly. Say it again.” Yun Ye really wanted to confirm he hadn’t misheard.
“I said my life is meaningless.” This time he heard clearly. This guy was tired of living.
“So what do you want to do? Take a knife to your throat or hang yourself from a southeastern branch?”
“Little Ye, you want to revitalize your family business. Divine Immortal Sun wants to solve all the world’s difficult and complex diseases. Even that big fool Yuchi wants to carve his name on the Yanran Mountains. In the whole world, I’m the only one idling away waiting to die. My family’s business is big enough—it can’t expand anymore or it will provoke His Majesty’s suspicion. As for family merit, my father earning it alone is enough. My mother manages the household in perfect order—no need for me to manage it. Last time going to Longyou might be my last time on campaign. I’m the eldest son—the Great Tang doesn’t favor eldest sons serving in the military. I should obediently stay home having children until Father passes away and then inherit the title. Thinking about all this makes me want to die.”
Understood. As a Great Tang aspiring youth, he wasn’t willing to have his entire life arranged perfectly by his father. He hoped to create his own domain with his own hands, to roam freely under vast seas and broad skies. What a fine aspiring youth! What an idealistic super angry youth!
“Did you tell Uncle Cheng these words?”
“I did. Father said if you have such thoughts again, I’ll break your legs.”
“Your Cheng family has been a prominent Shandong clan since the Five Barbarians chaos. Although you declined later, your father struggled and fought for many years to gradually revive the Cheng family to its current state. Have you thought about how many lives your family paid for this? How many surnamed Cheng died on battlefields? I understand Uncle Cheng’s thoughts—wholeheartedly wanting the Cheng family to endure for ten thousand years without falling. Though it’s a hope, there are no families lasting ten thousand years. You’re the second generation, and in the future there will be a third generation, fourth generation, passing down generation after generation. To put it plainly, people are competing for survival rights, competing for reproduction rights, competing for resources to stay alive. Even wild beasts understand this principle—when it comes to you, you don’t understand shit? You go to the battlefield to establish merit and build achievements—this assumes you’re lucky. If you die in battle, do you expect your brothers to carry forward the Cheng family? What does Uncle Cheng need you for then? You yourself may have died gloriously, but what about Uncle Cheng? His son whom he worked himself to death raising and educating becomes cannon fodder? That cannon fodder cost quite a lot. Family, nation, and world—family comes first. Only with family can there be nation. This situation won’t change much within a thousand years.”
Yun Ye didn’t understand how he had spoken his innermost thoughts. Such selfish words coming from the mouth of a new youth born in new society and raised under the red flag was somewhat ironic. The noble sentiment of defending home and country without regard for one’s life became brainless idiotic behavior in his own mouth. Why? Could it be that he was originally a member of the feudal family system, and moreover an outstanding member? Yun Ye was frightened by his own words.
Cheng Chumo stared at him with wide eyes, somewhat unfamiliar. Organizing his thoughts, Yun Ye said: “Chumo, we both have hot blood. What’s packed in our chests are burning hearts, not cold stones. When national crisis comes, neither you nor I are cowards. But before that, do your own family’s business well. Besides going to the battlefield, we still have many things to do. The locust plague in the sixth month will definitely arrive as scheduled—there’s no need to question this. The Great Tang doesn’t yet have sufficient preparation. Think about it—when overwhelming locusts come flying, they’ll create starving refugees covering the mountains and filling the fields. How many dynasties weren’t destroyed at the hands of disaster victims? How much rationality can you expect from people who can’t survive? If handled poorly, chaotic times will reappear. So today I specifically made an appointment with Divine Immortal Sun for future discussions—it’s to borrow his reputation to prepare for the disaster in the sixth month. Rather than aiming too high, better to bow your head and do one thing steadily. This way you’ll be worthy of your own conscience, and looking back many years later you won’t regret it. Chumo, can you help me?”
“Just now I wanted to beat you up. Now I don’t. We’re brothers, so of course I’ll help you.”