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“Elder Huang, please don’t take offense. It was an urgent time of war, and Ye Qingyun simply made a mistake in identifying you. However, what you said about a physician’s benevolent heart truly resonated with me. Elder Huang, would you be willing to come with me to Qingzhou to establish a medical system?”
Xiao Ming smiled bitterly.
“Establish a medical system? How would you establish it?” Huang Tingzhi paused, then asked. Googlᴇ search 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩
Xiao Ming smiled frankly, extending his right index finger to point at Qianjin Yaofang. “Today, whether it’s physicians or artisans with extraordinary skills, all of them selfishly hoard their knowledge. Father passes it to son, master to apprentice. Those without sons would rather let their skills be lost than pass them on to others. How lamentable! Now, establishing a medical system means breaking this bondage, allowing all who wish to learn medicine to do so. What does Elder Huang think of this?”
Huang Tingzhi’s expression shifted slightly upon hearing this. “Then how can Your Highness ensure that all who wish to learn medicine can do so?”
“To tell you the truth, Elder Huang, I have already established a medical academy in Qingzhou. However, something happened a while ago, and now I urgently need someone like Elder Huang to take on this important responsibility!” Xiao Ming said solemnly.
“Yes! Like a school, but specialized in the study of medical principles.”
“Yes, that is precisely my intention. Elder Huang’s medical skills are superb and renowned throughout the world. If Elder Huang presides over the medical academy, he will surely be able to cultivate a large number of truly skilled physicians. This would also benefit the world, would it not?” Xiao Ming said slowly.
Huang Tingzhi did not speak, but fell into hesitation. He was a free spirit, and could not stand being confined.
Xiao Ming smiled and stood up. He continued, “Elder Huang, what you just saw was merely a fragment of a Qianjin Yaofang. I have even more here.”
Ye Qingyun then picked up the brush again and began to write. This Qianjin Yaofang was just one of them; he also wrote other medical books, all of which were masterpieces that had been passed down through modern times, and even included anatomical diagrams.
Huang Tingzhi then began to read again, and he was even more shocked than before, especially by masterpieces such as Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica) and Wenyi Lun (Treatise on Pestilence).
The more Huang Tingzhi read, the more surprised he became, as if his mind had gone blank. At this moment, Xiao Ming suddenly stopped writing.
“Alas, this…” Huang Tingzhi was looking intently, still not satisfied, and seemed quite distressed.
Xiao Ming said, “Elder Huang, I am not an unreasonable person. Inviting Elder Huang to Qingzhou is also for promoting medicine and saving lives. But if Elder Huang insists on staying in Jinling City, I will not force him. Later, I will have Ye Qingyun send Elder Huang back.”
“Your Highness, you…” Huang Tingzhi’s face changed rapidly.
Xiao Ming feigned a look of regret and said, “Then Elder Huang, please think slowly. I will not accompany you.” With that, Xiao Ming left with Ye Qingyun, and as they left, he also withdrew the guarding soldiers.
On the way back, Ye Qingyun said, “Your Highness, you went through so much trouble just to keep him, so why are you letting him decide whether to stay or leave?”
“One cannot use force with such reclusive masters. Using force will have the opposite effect. And what good would it do to force him to stay? It’s easy to gain a person, but the hardest is to gain a person’s heart. If his heart is not with me, what’s the use of keeping him? I’ve let him see these medical texts. Whether he stays or not is up to him. You don’t need to make things difficult for him,” Xiao Ming instructed.
“Yes, Your Highness, I understand!” Ye Qingyun said.
Under the escort of soldiers, Xiao Ming arrived at Prince Wei’s mansion. For the next two days, he had officials further compile various data from Jinling City.
After gaining a detailed understanding of the Jinling City treasury, Xiao Ming prepared to return to Qingzhou City on the third day, leaving the remaining matters for Fei Ji to handle.
As before, Xiao Ming planned to return by ship this time. All the officials gathered at the dock to see him off.
Looking at Fei Ji and the many officials, Xiao Ming said, “Jinling City is entrusted to you. Remember what you told me, and give me a prosperous thirteen prefectures.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Fei Ji bowed.
Xiao Ming nodded. At this moment, the warship was preparing to set sail. Just as the warship was leaving the dock, a figure suddenly appeared in Xiao Ming’s sight. Seeing this person, Xiao Ming immediately said, “Wait.”
The newcomer was jogging quickly; it was none other than Huang Tingzhi.
Upon arrival, Xiao Ming immediately had someone help Huang Tingzhi board the ship and bring his luggage aboard as well.
“Your Highness, I have thought it through. As Your Highness said, to practice medicine for the benefit of the world and to bless all living beings is the heart of a physician. This medical academy is indeed suitable for me!” Huang Tingzhi bowed and stood before Xiao Ming.
“It’s good that Elder Huang has come around. I am greatly pleased.” Xiao Ming’s face beamed with joy. Huang Tingzhi’s return was self-evident; the medical academy was finally going to get on the right track.
“Then from now on, I will trouble Your Highness to take good care of me,” Huang Tingzhi said.
Smiling and nodding, he asked Yue Yun to arrange a cabin for Huang Tingzhi to rest. Although Xiao Ming was still returning by ship this time, the route was no longer the previous one.
He planned to return by sea with Yue Yun’s warships, and on the way, make a detour to the Sanmyo Kingdom. According to Yue Yun, the King of Sanmyo had been constantly talking about him, hoping to meet him personally, and had even expressed a desire to visit Qingzhou.
Xiao Ming thought that a trip to the Sanmyo Kingdom would only add three or four days to their journey, so he decided to make a detour. After all, a stable Sanmyo Kingdom was also something he needed, as he also wanted to establish a naval base there to deter the Japanese navy’s southward expansion.
The warships set off, with Yue Yun leading twenty warships.
After leaving Jinling City dock and sailing for four more days at sea, Xiao Ming was woken up by the soldiers’ clamor at noon this day.
Life on the ship was boring. He mostly slept, and when he was awake, Huang Tingzhi would drag him along to write medical books for him to read.
He then rose from the cabin and came to the deck, looking forward. His gaze immediately narrowed. Not far away was a large dock, where many ships were berthed, almost all connected together. Among these ships, three were very tall. Xiao Ming immediately recognized them as Qingzhou warships. This was the dock of the Sanmyo Kingdom.
The warship formation sailed for a while longer before docking. Xiao Ming and his entourage disembarked. At this point, the soldiers guarding the dock immediately gave Xiao Ming a military salute.
Then one person left the ranks and ran towards a star fort being constructed behind the dock. Xiao Ming looked up. That was precisely the defensive star fort he had asked Yue Yun and the others to build.
This fortress, resembling a European castle in its entirety, could effectively provide collective defense to protect the soldiers on the land. It was perfectly suited for a place rampant with pirates, because once a pirate invasion was detected, soldiers could immediately retreat into the fortress and use its supplies and cannons for defense, thus allowing a small military force to maintain the island’s defense and security.