Sun Simiao was very ill. Rather than saying it was physical, it was more accurate to say it was psychological. The live experiments gave him tremendous psychological pressure. He was also an extremely taciturn person. This time doing experiments on himself, he’d really gone all out—the wounds were far larger than those Yun Ye had made on the prisoners, and much more cowpox was applied. This thing was full of bacteria. Even if it was beneficial, it couldn’t be applied without limit. Too much would still be fatal.
All the academy’s upper echelon came. Yun Ye hugged his head squatting under a pine tree, guilty to death. He’d always believed Sun Simiao was a mountain, was an ocean, from whom he could endlessly draw nutrients and courage. He’d overlooked that he was a flesh-and-blood person, a compassionate Daoist. Knowing those experiments would cause harm to human bodies, yet he himself had to conduct them over and over, drug dosages from small to large, until harm to the human body appeared—what kind of impact was this on his faith and moral values?
Sun Simiao didn’t know the story of Unit 731. He only believed what he was doing was the most evil thing in this world. Perfectly fine people were tortured by him into disabilities. Those death row prisoners whose eyes couldn’t see, their sharp and miserable cries further stimulated his kind heart. So he became even more silent. He hadn’t chanted scriptures for a long time now—not that he didn’t want to, but that he believed himself unworthy to recite those sacred texts. Unfortunately, Yun Ye misunderstood, thinking that as he absorbed more modern knowledge, he no longer believed in those things, and took pride in his own influence.
Today was the first experiment after the first successful cultivation of cowpox. Last night he’d looked at those five anxious and uneasy prisoners. Fear, helplessness, despair—these emotions could infect others, and Sun Simiao was precisely at his most panicked moment. Eyes closed, teeth clenched, he gave himself a double dose of the experiment, only hoping he could succeed in one try, sparing those five prisoners the risk. He hadn’t considered that if those five didn’t do the experiment and returned, what awaited them would be gleaming steel blades. This simple and sentimental old fool.
Ganlu Hall had been blown up by Li Er himself. Now he could only live in Lizheng Hall. After hearing the Bai Qi Si’s report, he remained silent for a long time. Zhangsun didn’t ask—she just sat beside him keeping him company in silence.
“Guanyin Maid, how fortunate am I? Even under great achievements, human nature hasn’t been lost. Syphilis rampages across the world, impossible to guard against completely. Whoever can cure syphilis will immediately be elevated to divine status. In the Great Tang, they would be someone even I must bow down to in worship. Now, someone has finally found hope of success, yet feels tremendous guilt thinking they must kill a few death row prisoners.”
“Taking unknown drugs meant to be used on prisoners and using them on himself, at double dosage—now one is unconscious, one painfully squats on the ground all day without speaking or eating. This makes me feel proud from the bottom of my heart. These are our Great Tang’s scholars. High officials and nobles haven’t lost their true nature. Clearly what they’re doing contradicts their own moral principles, but for the safety of future descendants, they force themselves to do it wholeheartedly. Only such people are worthy of being Great Tang’s divine figures. Only such people, after future success, are worthy of receiving my great ritual of respect.”
“The one unconscious is Sun Simiao, the one squatting on the ground is Yun Ye, right? They always have some inexplicable kindheartedness. Yun Ye’s rage toward Cheng Xuanying was inexplicable. Throwing children into the sea was actually the doing of local witches. Cheng Xuanying did his utmost to reduce it by half—that’s great merit. Yet Yun Ye wouldn’t let it go. Afterward when the Daoist sect explained to him, he was stubbornly adamant, saying even one child thrown into the sea was Cheng Xuanying’s sin. Watching the incident happen but not stopping it to preserve the Daoist sect’s foundation in the East Sea—inhuman. Being able to stop it but not stopping it—inhuman. Next time there’s a chance, he still wants Cheng Xuanying’s ear. Really don’t know where these thoughts come from.”
Li Er rose and came to the terrace, patting the railing and continuing: “Things we see as perfectly natural and justified, in their eyes always stir up waves. Many times they’re just making things difficult for themselves. If I had their same mindset, I’d have died of guilt long ago. How could I have the opportunity to create this situation of myriad nations coming to court?”
“So you see, you can’t solve syphilis, and they have no possibility of being you. This is good too—two separate matters. You properly be emperor, they properly research how to deal with syphilis, the great generals properly wage war, civil officials properly govern prefectures and counties, common people properly till the land, and won’t the realm be at peace? Sometimes we’re ruthless. The night you blew up Ganlu Hall, this concubine killed people. A woman’s hands stained with so much fresh blood—as long as you don’t feel disgust, it’s fine.”
“Hmph, we two are the masters of this realm. I overturn clouds and rain in front, you watch the wind for me from behind. When dragons travel the realm, waves must rise. These matters—Sun Simiao doesn’t understand, Yun Ye understands a little. Doing great things without sacrifice is impossible. Don’t send imperial physicians down either. If they go, they’ll just be driven away by Yun Ye. With him there, Sun Simiao will pull through. I’m always full of confidence in this kid. I’ll write a letter, you write a letter too. Give them a boost of faith. Just say if there’s sin, it’s not their concern—we’ll bear it. This is just reiterating old words—put in a bit more effort, that’s all.”
Zhangsun nodded and together with Li Er picked up their brushes. After brief consideration, she began writing directly: “This palace has heard of those with the hearts of ancient benevolent people. They invariably prioritize the greater situation. Small kindness cultivates the body, great kindness cultivates the heart. The Daoist Master’s compassion is like the sea, yet how would he know that violent storms and fierce winds are also heaven’s grace…”
Soon, the letter to Sun Simiao was written. For the letter to Yun Ye, Zhangsun didn’t deliberate. She picked up the brush and wrote: “Get up already. Hurry and research the syphilis cure. Shouzhou may very likely erupt again. If you don’t want people dying all over the world, hurry and work on it. These few deaths can be counted on this palace’s account. When I meet the King of Hell, I’ll explain it to him. No need for you to worry.”
After the two finished writing, they exchanged letters to read. With telepathic understanding, they smiled at each other, then ordered Duan Hong to seal the letters with fire wax and transfer them to palace messengers to swiftly deliver to Yushan.
Sun Simiao’s life was tough. Probably the Divine Farmer gave him good fortune. By evening, the high fever gradually receded, indicating the inflammation was under control. When Huo Zhu lit the candles, he opened his eyes and saw the white-bearded Li Gang looking at him worriedly. He smiled bitterly and said: “Elder brother, do I still count as someone who cultivates the Dao?”
Li Gang, seeing him awake and mentally clear, stroked his beard and said: “Of course you count. A lifetime laboring for the common people, breathing miasmic air and seeking medicine in deep mountains, tirelessly traveling the Three Qin region without complaint—who knows how many people you’ve cured, how much merit you’ve accumulated? This old man’s entire life can’t compare. That you could endure this ordeal—doesn’t that count as the gods’ protection?”
Yun Ye wiped away tears, choking up: “If you’d gone, I wouldn’t continue either. With you blocking in front, I at least lived comfortably. Without you, I absolutely wouldn’t dare touch these worldly taboos. They all say syphilis is a disaster sent down by heaven, that it shouldn’t be treated and can’t be cured. Only your reputation can make them shut up.”
“Nonsense! We’ve already found the source of syphilis. Now we’re just seeking corresponding countermeasures. Although I still don’t understand the principles you speak of, this old Daoist has tried all symptomatic medicines and herbs—all failed. Only your method remains to try. Though it’s somewhat cruel, if it works, it’s a good method. Even if this old Daoist dies, you must continue. Don’t let my soul be restless even underground.”
Yun Ye covered his face and wept bitterly. Everyone present shed tears. Even a tough man like Hong Cheng wailed loudly. For the first time, Xu Jingzong didn’t hide his tears streaming down his face. Before absolutely noble character, any dark petty thoughts would vanish without trace in the sunlight.
The Emperor and Empress’s letters arrived. Sun Simiao shook his head, only instructing Huo Zhu to lock the letters in a box. He closed his eyes to rest his spirit. What the imperial couple wanted to say, he could guess eighty percent without looking. Yun Ye even less wanted to look. The edicts and letters the Li Er couple gave Yun Ye never had good words. Except when he became a marquis—that appointment edict had appropriate wording and elegant language. The rest was all plain talk. After Yun Ye objected twice, Li Er mockingly said if he wrote it deeply, Yun Ye wouldn’t understand, so plain talk was good. So many times, the opening of the Yun family’s edicts all used terms like “boy” as substitutes. Yun Ye considered this humiliating. Many people, including Grandmother, believed this was imperial favor that needed to be kept as a memento. Grandmother most loved collecting edicts. Once brought back, they’d be placed in the ancestral hall. She could talk about these things to the ancestors all night without getting tired.
These past few days, Yun Ye hadn’t left the medicine quarters. Without a thermometer, he relied on his own hand’s feeling. Strictly speaking, there were now six medicine subjects. Sun Simiao strongly requested to place himself among the prisoners, continuously explaining to the prisoners the reasoning for doing this and the hope of success. He led in swallowing the medicine Yun Ye brought, led in exposing his arm for changing dressings.
Seeing even Immortal Sun being a medicine subject, the prisoners’ fearful feelings gradually faded. Sometimes they could even joke around. The symptom of high fever was still unavoidable, but among the prisoners, two fellows had strong bodies and had almost no reaction to the minor inflammation. They still ate and drank heartily, always asking Yun Ye if there was wine to give them some—always wasting good wine smearing it on wounds.
Three days later, symptoms gradually subsided. Everyone pulled through well. Sun Simiao looked at the two black scars on his arm and smiled bitterly, saying: “I hope it works.”
One month later, the real test would come. In the depths of the Qinling Mountains, there was a large glass bottle containing a linen undergarment taken from a patient in Shouzhou. It was covered with smallpox virus. No one dared hide this thing in the academy. Yun Ye dug a cave in the depths of Qinling. Three hundred soldiers guarded here. Anyone who left from here without undergoing two months of observation would be killed without mercy, no matter who they were.
The leading military officer had more whites than blacks in his eyes. He was a capable subordinate Li Er had selected from the Imperial Guards. Before the virus was transported, he’d been to the mountains himself. Yun Ye always felt that officer really wanted to kill him, because he kept sizing Yun Ye up and down for no reason, deliberately lingering on places good for stabbing with a knife.