The great fire burned throughout the entire night. Some of the stones were scorched red-hot. By the firelight, Yun Ye and Sun Simiao drank together from a distance. The White-Eyed General was also called over by Yun Ye to share a cup.
“Marquis Yun, is our business about to conclude?” The White-Eyed General felt bored by the calm and uneventful passing of these days. There had been no slaughter, no conspiracies and schemes. Why would His Majesty transfer him from the border army? He knew that matters in the border army were far more complex than what was happening in this place.
“What is the General’s honored surname?”
“This humble general’s surname is Yuan, given name Qi, courtesy name Zhongdao. Why does Your Lordship only ask this humble general’s name today?”
“I didn’t ask before because that way there would be no psychological burden when killing you. The feeling of killing a stranger versus killing an acquaintance—these are two different concepts. Now that there’s no need to kill you, naturally I should ask your name.”
“If something had gone wrong, would you truly have killed this humble general?”
“Of course I would have killed you. If failure had been caused by your doing, you would have been exterminated to the ninth degree of kinship by His Majesty’s order. I’m not joking.”
Yuan Qi’s face turned pale. He heard from Yun Ye’s tone that he wasn’t joking. For a moment, cold sweat from his back streamed down profusely. He recalled the Emperor’s grave words before departure—this mission absolutely could not have the slightest error, or else come back with your head.
What exactly were they doing? Why did Sun Simiao need to emerge stark naked from the cave? Why did they need to use a great fire to destroy all traces? Why would exquisite zither music drift out from the ventilation window? He was quite certain there was no ancient zither in the cave, and Sun Simiao and the others hadn’t brought one in either. What was he guarding? Why would Marquis Yun draw a turtle diagram for His Majesty?
After condemned prisoners went inside once, they came out as good common people. Could there really be such a strange thing in this world? Could there be such a good thing? If so, who would fear criminal law in the future?
“Don’t think too much. The less you know about this matter, the better. Just treat it as if it were a dream—forget about it!” Yun Ye’s ethereal voice drifted over, startling Yuan Qi with alarm. This was indeed something he shouldn’t know about; knowing about it would only bring great trouble.
When the message-bearing soldiers emerged from the Qinling Mountains, it was already the third watch of the night. The specially arranged relay station at the mountain’s foot was brightly lit. When the station clerk on duty saw the bedraggled soldiers emerge from the mountains, without a word he led out five horses. While the station attendants saddled the horses, he brought out a large basin of fermented rice wine, gave each of the five soldiers a wooden ladle, then retreated far away. When the station was first established, his superiors had issued a gag order. As someone shrewd, it was better not to speak.
After finishing the basin of fermented rice wine, the five men didn’t rest for even a moment. They mounted their horses, inserted the red-plumed urgent messenger banners on themselves, gave a great shout, and galloped toward Chang’an.
By the fourth watch they had reached Chang’an. The gate officer atop Vermilion Bird Gate heard the sound of bells—this bell sound belonged to red-plumed urgent messengers. Not daring to be negligent, he personally came out through the small door and stood before the gate, preparing to verify the documents.
There were no documents. In the darkness, a waist token flew over. Upon catching it and looking, he hastily opened the side gate. The Bai Qi Si’s ten-thousand-fires-urgent waist token—no one dared obstruct it.
Today was a Grand Court Assembly. Before the palace gates of the Great Interior, officials were already waiting to attend court. Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui were among them. The two didn’t like sitting in the side room waiting, so they stood outside exchanging idle conversation. Just as they were discussing whether different inks would affect the aesthetic beauty of calligraphy, the alert-eared Du Ruhui suddenly turned his head toward the end of the long street.
Five swift horses burst out from the darkness. The officials who had been leisurely proceeding along the street all dodged aside. Li Tai poked his head out from his carriage, looked at the messengers, and burst into laughter. The hundred officials, puzzled and confused, cast inquiring glances at him. He hurriedly covered his mouth, putting on an air of nonchalance, but the mirth in his eyes could not be concealed no matter what.
Fang Xuanling came to Li Tai’s carriage, lifted the curtain and sat inside. The Great Tang had no secrets from the Prime Minister. So when the unbearably excited Fang Xuanling emerged from the carriage and missed a step, Du Ruhui hastily supported him and urgently asked, “Brother Xuanling, what matter is this that makes you so overjoyed?”
“Keming, you will know shortly. Just now I asked Prince Wei—I was already being presumptuous. In any case, it’s tremendously good news. You and I should prepare the proper etiquette. The bells of Prayer Heaven Hall will ring shortly—one hundred and eight times.”
Du Ruhui was so astonished his mouth wouldn’t close. When the great army destroyed a powerful nation, conquered a stubborn enemy, or captured a chieftain, the bells would ring ninety-nine, or eighty-one times. Even the destruction of Gaochang didn’t warrant bell-ringing. What person had established such world-shaking merit? For such merit, the Emperor needed to bow and express thanks, the Empress needed to personally offer wine in tribute, the Crown Prince needed to kowtow, and the hundred officials needed to wear court robes and line up on both sides. It could be said to be the greatest honor in the mortal world—all guests in attendance would lower their heads, while one person alone would shine. As for being recorded in history and having one’s portrait painted in Prayer Heaven Hall, that was customary.
Before he could recover from his shock, the bell sound from Prayer Heaven Hall in the northeast corner of the palace began to ring. Li Tai, Fang Xuanling, and Du Ruhui were already prepared—they straightened their caps, brushed their sleeves, and stood solemnly facing northeast. The other officials scrambled in confusion. Those on horseback jumped down from their horses, those in carriages climbed down from their vehicles, those who liked to show off by riding sedan chairs tumbled head-first from their sedan chairs, all turning to face northeast, straightening their caps and standing solemnly. They thought the great army had won another victory—this wasn’t unusual, battle reports had been arriving frequently lately. They expected nine rings, eighteen rings, at most twenty-seven rings, and that would be the end. Who knew it would ring a full one hundred and eight times? This was truly frightening! Which lucky bastard was it? After the bell sounds ceased, officials inquired everywhere.
The wards and markets of Chang’an thought the markets were opening. Just as they opened the ward gates, they were slapped on the head by experienced elders—anyone who couldn’t even recognize the World-Revealing Bell had the nerve to call themselves a Chang’an person?
The Grand Court Assembly was canceled. All officials from the Ministry of Rites entered the palace, all the bigwigs from the Three Departments entered the palace, princes entered the palace—these were summoned by the Emperor. There were also those summoned by the Empress—ladies of the fourth rank and above entered the palace, all the national madams entered the palace, princesses consort entered the palace. In short, the palace was joyfully preparing a great banquet. Lanterns and decorations were hung everywhere. The palace maids and eunuchs responsible for procurement were driven like donkeys, shuttling between the markets and the palace.
The hearts of the hundred officials finally settled—so that king… that exalted person was Divine Physician Sun! Everyone immediately became calm and peaceful. If an exalted immortal didn’t establish some world-shaking merit, could he be called exalted? Divine Physician Sun had devoted himself for decades, using himself as a test subject for medicine, and finally found a cure for the barbarian pox. Was it easy? He administered the medicine to himself, then wore clothing that had been worn by barbarian pox patients and lived alone in a cave for a month, finally emerging alive without falling ill! The Great Tang had plenty of people unafraid of death, but Sun the Daoist was the only one who dared to wear clothing worn by barbarian pox patients. Other people’s hair stood on end just thinking about it.
This had to be properly rewarded. No merit would be excessive. Everyone usually lived lives of delicacies and fine food, but suddenly if someone in the family got barbarian pox, the entire family would be finished. That damned disease didn’t discriminate between male or female, old or young. It didn’t matter if you were wealthy or poor—the probability of getting the disease was the same.
It wouldn’t spare you just because your family ate more meat. It was impossible to guard against. Who knew which day it might fall upon yourself? When it broke out in Shouzhou, the entire city was doomed. A pile of people died. Those who didn’t die lived like ghosts. The family of the Shouzhou Magistrate died until only one daughter remained, and she became severely pockmarked. It was said she tried to jump into a well three times but didn’t succeed in dying.
Now it was good! As long as they could obtain medicine from Daoist Sun, make a small incision in the arm, bury the medicine inside, at most suffer two days of low fever, and then never fear barbarian pox for a lifetime. It was said that even sleeping in the same bed as a barbarian pox patient would be fine. This low fever was worth suffering!
The officials from the Ministry of Rites were composing a memorial for sacrificing to Heaven. They specially invited the great scholar Yan Zhitui to write it. The old gentleman hadn’t picked up his brush in many years. Upon hearing of this matter, he was greatly delighted and insisted on personally writing the memorial. He also said he would personally go thank Sun Simiao when the time came, and ask whether he himself needed to suffer two days of fever.
The ceremonial specifications were astonishingly high—sedan chair, winged screens, not lacking a single item. When Li Tai went out, he only used two small winged screens. This time, Sun was given six winged screens, with generals leading the way, prime ministers supporting the sedan, the Ministry of Rites’ Chief Minister announcing the ceremony, and the Emperor and Empress respectfully welcoming him on Vermilion Bird Street to express their gratitude.
The happiest person was not Sun Simiao—Old Sun was hiding in the Qinling Mountains, daily using alcohol to wipe his body to eliminate residual toxins. The happiest were the large group of Daoists at Xuandu Temple. They were deliriously happy. Yuan Tiangang spent all day wagging his little tongue, telling the Three Pure Ones about how his disciples in the mortal realm had preserved the incense offerings of the Dao sect.
Cheng Xuanying opened his mouth and exhaled a long breath. Carrying his pine-patterned ancient fixed sword and wearing straw sandals, he went to the East Sea again. With Sun Simiao’s pearl and jade before him, he absolutely could not lose face.
“Old Daoist, I heard it’s very lively in Chang’an. Everyone is craning their necks preparing to see the immortal. You keep hiding in the mountains—that’s not right. Daily wiping your body with alcohol, freezing to death. What healthy person wipes themselves with that stuff?” Yun Ye fished out a turtle’s skirt meat from the basin, placed it in his own dish, ladled two large spoonfuls of soup, beautifully drank a mouthful of turtle soup, and nagged at Sun Simiao across from him.
“Young fellow, this should have been your merit. This old Daoist accepting it is truly shameful.”
“Forget it. Only you can bear this ceremony. If I accepted this ceremony, I’d be torn to shreds by those people afterward. For the sake of my little life, you’d better accept it. I’ll just slip along the edges. Your Dao sect still has a whole pile of troubles and needs this merit to settle things. Besides, whether you accept it or I accept it, it’s all the same. The benefits won’t exclude me. Why would I seek trouble for myself? In the future, promoting cowpox will still need your reputation.”
Sun Simiao smiled gently. Indeed, there was no need for him to be polite with Yun Ye. Reputation was already a burden for him. If it weren’t for the Dao sect’s needs, he would never want this merit no matter what. For him, promoting cowpox as soon as possible was the important matter.
The sun had risen high when Yun Ye finally awoke. He didn’t understand why he would sleep so long on such an auspicious day. The noisy sounds of Yuan Qi and the others preparing their luggage hadn’t awakened him. Sun Simiao from the opposite bed was already gone. On the table were two letters. After reading the one addressed to him, Yun Ye felt like crying. That damned old Daoist had taken all the medicine test subjects and run off into the Qinling Mountains to gather herbs, saying he wouldn’t come out for half a year, worried that residual toxins weren’t clear and might harm the people of the world.
He habitually hugged his head and squatted down, worried to death. Li Er was waiting with all the officials on Vermilion Bird Street! He had lost track of the person—what was to be done about this?