Zhu Su did fail to understand this phenomenon. He just got this intuition in and of itself. And somehow, he who was usually critical and concerned with logic was now willing to follow such uncertain intuition. But indeed, this intuition gave him such great insight. He was positive that this intuition would help him to solve his problems. That was, the way he would take thereafter.
"Your Highness." Li Heng and Guo Songmi bowed respectfully as they saw Zhu Su stepped into the medical center.
"Physician Li, Physician Guo, I want both of you to go to Mount Laojun and study the plants there," Zhu Su expressed his intention.
"As you wish, Your Highness." They responded in a respectful manner. "However, would you mind telling us, for what reason we have to go there?"
"Mount Laojun is a mountain where lots of strange plants grow well. I've never seen those kinds of plants in Kaifeng, or Yingtian, or Fengyang or somewhere else. For example, Chishao and Danggui there are better than those in Central Plain. But it's sad to say that nobody has ever researched them. I have read many ancient books of medicine, and with great regret I must say, they are still far from sufficient to explain the plants on Mount Laojun. So many people get sick here, by gathering herbs from Mount Laojun and processing them to be a various new useful formula, we'll be able to cure them."
Li Heng was soon interested in Zhu Su's statement. "Your Highness, the fact you've just stated is truly shocking! Even Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang (Formularies of the Bureau of People's Welfare Pharmacy) * , in your opinion, is still incomplete to solve health problems in Yunnan?"
Zhu Su nodded. "If that's the case, then why are so many people still getting ill and can't be cured? Those books can no longer overcome this problem. We must make a breakthrough by ourselves."
"Break... through?..."
"We will make a new study, and if necessary, we will write our own new medical book."
Yes, this was indeed the insight he got from his meditation. Instead of focusing only on Xie Wang, Zhu Su was "advised" to concentrate on the bigger picture. As a leader, his job was not merely to defeat the enemy, even not to maintain his self-esteem and honor. He was "reminded" to ignore all of these, and thus focused on the other project, to resolve the "holistic problem" in Yunnan - people's welfare.
To heal the sick people.
To raise people's standard of living.
To make people happier, and more prosperous.
"Fantastic, Your Highness!" Guo Songmi praised. "I support your noble wish. I am sure, this will be a brilliant success. Isn't that right, Master?"
Slowly, Li Heng nodded. "Exactly. If we succeed in healing people with that new book, Yunnan people will automatically believe that the Witchcrafts of Xie Wang has nothing to do with the disease appearing here. You are truly an excellent leader, my Lord. Your father will surely be very happy to hear about this, as his son will realize something truly noble."
Zhu Su only smiled cynically in response to Li Heng's words.
"Brother Su... Physician Li... H... help me..."
All of them turned their heads as a groan of pain came to their ears, which turned out to originate from Mu Ying. He, as well as several of his soldiers, was now entering the medical center, their whole bodies were filled with wounds. Hobbling, their one hand was busy holding the injured body part.
Zhu Su quickly supported Mu Ying. "Brother! What happens to you?!?"
Mu Ying now sat on one of the patient beds. "It never crosses my mind... Turgen is not like most of Yuan warriors who are more concerned with physical fighting... He is hiding, letting us circle around the puzzling Mount Laojun... and his attacking method is more like the method of shaman..."
Zhu Su soon remembered the horrific scene he saw last night. "Brother, did your soldiers kill each other?"
"Yes, indeed... How do you know?!..."
"I'm sorry... I also went to Mount Laojun without anybody knowing..." Thus Zhu Su told the experience he encountered yesterday.
Mu Ying sighed. "You've made the right decision without delay. Turgen isn't an ordinary enemy! I plan to summon reinforcements from the capital to deal with him. Only then can I succeed, just like the way I, together with Fu Youde and Lan Yu, defeated Basalawarmi."
Zhu Su was stunned, gave no answer for a moment.
"No, Brother..." He murmured. "I don't agree with you."
Mu Ying was shocked. "What?!?"
"If we are focused on defeating Xie Wang, then we are already being trapped to his snare. That's exactly what he wants! I'm almost being dragged to the snare, that's why I get provoked to go alone to Mount Laojun. And above all, Brother, war will only harm people. Our people have long suffered from prolonged war. Now, after Ming has been firmly established, war must not exist any longer. Now we must do what the leaders should be responsible for - people's welfare. It is the contemplation I was doing at the lakeside which awakens me. That we must change our focus. What we have to concern is about people's welfare, not Xie Wang."
Zhu Su then shared his new idea with Mu Ying. For the second time, Mu Ying got shocked again.
"Brother... Your idea to form the Team of Wellbeing has been enough surprising, now you want to make breakthroughs in the medical aspect... Wow... I should have never heard in olden times whether there was a prince who managed to carry out a medical project... You are a magnificent icon of Ming! Fu Huang would love to hear about this!"
This time Zhu Su did not reply with a cynical smile, he just said with a monotonous voice, "I do this neither for Ming nor Fu Huang. I do this because I get the calling to do it. Just because of that."
...
* Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang is a classic clinical book of traditional Chinese medicine written by Taiping Huimin Pharmaceutical Bureau during the Song dynasty of China (1078 A.D.). This book listed about 788 recipes for medicines.