Everything became easier, thanked to Mu Ying's help. Mu Ying immediately introduced Zhu Su to the entire Yunnan government officials who were gathering at the government office. As they learned that they were meeting with the son of the emperor, those officials soon kowtowed, paid their respect to Zhu Su.
"Welcome to Yunnan, Your Highness Zhou Wang. May you forgive our delay to greet you. Give us your orders, Your Highness, and we will give our best effort to fulfill them."
Shortly thereafter, Zhu Su formed a small group yet filled with clever intellectuals, especially in aspects of medical science. This small group only consisted of three people due to the inadequacy of professional experts. Even two of them were not the natives, but the physicians whom Zhu Su brought from Kaifeng Palace.
Li Heng was a well-known physician. He was chosen to be a member of the Tai Yi Yuan - the Imperial Medical Institute in the Ming era - and was subsequently placed to work for the Zhou Fan Wang Guo. He was in charge of taking care of Zhu Su's entire family. Zhu Su himself was certainly no doubt with the physician's intelligence as he straightaway summoned the physician to help him deal with Yunnan's health problem.
It took quite a long time to invite Li Heng. The royal procedure turned out to be very complicated, to the point that Zhu Su doubted whether Li Heng would come to Yunnan or not. However, just at the moment Zhu Su almost accepted the fact that Li Heng could not help him, Li Heng had been standing in front of his house.
"May I pay respect to Your Highness," Li Heng bowed reverently. "It's very nice to see you again."
"I'm also very happy to meet you now, Physician Li," Zhu Su quickly pulled Li Heng's hand. "Don't just stand here. Come in, let's have chat inside."
"I am very glad that you are fine, Your Highness." Li Heng said as he drank the tea prepared for him on the table. "I have always been worried about you, especially since General Feng Sheng died."
"What... do you say? My father-in-law... what?!"
"Your father-in-law has died, Your Highness. Executed by the Emperor."
"W... what?!?" Zhu Su shouted loudly. "How come?! For Heaven's sake, how can it be?!?"
"Jinyiwei informed the Emperor that General Feng Sheng was involved in a treason plot. Being furious, the Emperor directly executed General Feng Sheng to death sentence."
"When did it happen?!"
"Just in time when I was going to depart towards Yunnan."
Then it meant, it had been a month since his coming to Yunnan? Zhu Su got frustrated. He was really devastated as the death of his father-in-law, whom he loved so much, came into his ears.
"Fu Huang... it happens again. You mistreat a person and kill him... My father-in-law is a loyal man, yet you suspect him and now you execute him... what is your responsibility when meeting him in the afterlife then..." Zhu Su muttered frivolously, mind was full of sadness.
"Your Highness?"
"Oh... how about Ruina? How about my wife? She is also being punished?!"
"You can calm down, my Lord. Wang Fei is fine. The Emperor only punished General Feng Sheng alone. Right now Wang Fei is accompanying your eldest son in taking care of the Kaifeng Fan Wang Guo."
Zhu Su took a very relieving breath. His communication with his family in Kaifeng had been severed for months, thence even though he missed them so badly, he could only think of them in his heart - along with his all misery and sorrow.
"I really miss Ruina... my children... my whole family. Yet, after all, interacting with them is merely an unreachable dream..."
What Li Heng could do was just remaining silent and letting Zhu Su confide his sadness. He knew clearly, no advice would be useful right now, all would be no more than futile consolation. Because what Zhu Su needed the most was not sweet words, it was the real help he needed the most right now. Therefore, Li Heng let the silence fill this house for quite a long time.
Zhu Su took a long, deep breath.
"I shouldn't be bothered about that, I have to thank Heaven since They help you fulfill my wish to come here. Hoping more than that will only depresses me." Zhu Su poured tea into his cup. "Physician Li, are you ready to dwell in here for an unspecified period of time?"
"I've heard that your purpose in inviting me is to help Yunnan people who are suffered from illness. What else can be a physician's hope besides healing the sick? As you may expect, I am definitely willing to accompany you walking this very noble path."
"That's right. You indeed will do something exceedingly noble. Do you know how many people have died here? Hundreds already! And don't ask about sick people, the amount will make you shocked. Rather than settling in my residence, it would be better for you to help far more commoners."
Li Heng nodded. "But we are lack of professional human resources."
"Yes, and as the consequence, Yunnan people can be deceived by such petty gossip, which blows up the rumors that what causes the outbreak is the work of Xie Wang." Zhu Su pursed his lips. "It's nonsense, but it's the reality. The more underprivileged a society, the easier they will believe in such foolishness!"
"Not at all, my Lord. I know many smart people who can easily believe in a bunk and unreasonable mystics. It all depends on the person, Your Highness. Perhaps it will be much easier for us to educate underprivileged people since their poor knowledge makes them less arrogant and by then can be guided without any disturbance."
"Are you sure?" Zhu Su asked in doubt.
"I am certain that Xie Wang's problems will be resolved brilliantly."
Zhu Su clasped Li Heng's hand. "You're awesome, Physician Li! I know I can point at you. Okay! Let's do our best for the welfare of all human beings!"