The war continued, fiercer and fiercer. Yao Guangxiao was correct, Li Jinglong was not a reckless opponent even though he seemed that way at first. Indeed, in the early days, Zhu Di's army gained many victories - they even succeeded in seizing Daning which was the territory controlled by Zhu Quan, and kidnapped Zhu Quan's wife, concubines, and eldest son so that Zhu Quan was finally willing to help Zhu Di. But Li Jinglong quickly learned from his failures, he became better than before, and the war faced by Zhu Di became more difficult.
However, Zhu Su no longer knew all about his fourth brother's progress. The first reason, Jingnan Campaign was located very far from his spot. Zhu Di focused the campaign in the north while Zhu Su had returned to Yunnan. The second reason, because Zhu Su chose to concentrate on receiving a good impression from the people by reopening his social medical center in Yunnan which was once deleted because he had to return to Kaifeng. After all, this was one of Liu Ku's tricks that, according to the Changshi, was "good to do", and indeed Zhu Su's conscience was much happier to do this. He had to admit, rather than killing people, he was much happier when having the opportunity to research medicine to cure people. However, he could not deny that Zhu Di's words disturbed him severely, since it kept echoing in his mind day and night.
"... I find that you haven't been capable to realize the Principle of Ba Dao. How can you be a competent leader? And how can we win against Yunwen then?!"
Zhu Su did know the theory very well. A good leader should be able to practice kindness and cruelty at the same time. He should be capable to be wise in giving rewards for good people, as well as passing sentences for bad people. If good people don't get their rewards and bad people could live happily, who will do good things on their own free will, and who will stop doing bad things? He understood the fact very clearly for sure. Therefore, in the end, he did not prevent Liu Ku from teaching Zhu Di how to spread the disease anymore. His conscience was indeed turbulent in the beginning, yet shortly after his logic immediately recompensed the turbulent. Because his flame of revenge against Zhu Yunwen also played a big role in justifying whatever kind of cruelty they performed...
...but not to do cruelty to the unrelated people.
"But I think no need for you to worry, Fu Wang. No news about the occurring of an epidemic. Fourth Uncle should have changed his mind," Zhu Youdun tried to assure Zhu Su. At that time they were picking some medicinal plants to be processed into medicine.
The birds were chirping. Zhu Su answered with giving a little smile. "That's good. Maybe he has realized that he can win this war without having to use that terrible method." He took a deep breath. "It's not that I disagree with the principle of your Fourth Uncle. Indeed, war doesn't recognize the word named mercy, that's why we should avoid war as much as we can. But somehow, my conscience strongly opposes his principle."
"But fortunately the part of fighting with Yunwen becomes the responsibility of Fourth Uncle. We just need to focus on improving the standard of living in Yunnan. We have managed to do this very well. As the evidence, now the power of Yunnan is in our grasp. We are controlling Yunnan from behind the curtains," Zhu Youdun said cheerfully.
What Zhu Youdun said was totally correct. The power of the central government in Yunnan was just a name in reality. It was Zhu Su who took the control of Yunnan's authority. But the central government did not even care about this. Zhu Di was truly a formidable opponent who made Zhu Yunwen frustrated as hell. Yunnan, which was only a small region, was certainly not comparable to the Throne of Ming targeted by Zhu Di. Moreover, the expertise of Zhu Su and his team in solving health problems was not only famous in Yunnan, but it had also reached the other provinces. And it was not only the lower caste who sought them for treatment, the middle class, and even the upper class also searched them for help. They now moved their medical center to a bigger place, getting closer to the foot of the mountain which was easier to be reached. It was soon filled with queues from other regions' people, fantastically booming there.
"Sir! Please help my son! He can't eat, every time he eats, he will immediately vomit!" A madam dressing elegantly was moaning sadly, she was bringing her seven-year-old son with a wistful face that appeared like a hollow skull.
Right now Li Heng and Guo Songmi also helped in the medical center after Liu Ku summoned them. Li Heng immediately examined the boy. His eyebrows furrowed. "This is... Cold syndrome! Yunnan is a warmer area after all, no matter how cold the area here, it won't cause this kind of disease. It can only happen in northern regions!" Li Heng looked at those elite-appearing mother and son. "Pardon me, where do you come from?..."
"We come from Shandong. My son is the son of Jinan Mayor in Shandong, and I am his wife."
Zhu Su and Zhu Youdun soon stared straightforward at both of them.
They are the family members of a government official? Why can such kinds of people come here?!
As if realizing that they were being watched, Jinan mayor's wife looked back at Zhu Su. A second later, she threw herself onto the ground, "Your Highness! We have heard of your greatness, that you are great in healing sick people, and that you are so compassionate, willing to help the commoners in person. Now I beg you, please help my son! I beg of your generosity, please!"
Government officials should be afraid to ask for my help, because it may wrongfully arouse Yunwen's suspicion that they intend to defect to me. But now they even dare to come... is this a good sign? Or it isn't? Is this Yunwen's trap?!...
As if realizing the dilemma Zhu Su was facing, Zhu Youdun whispered. "Fu Wang... it's okay. This boy appears to be so sick. Let's guess that Yunwen tries to trap us with utilizing him, but his karma will be bad because he uses the distress of people to trap us who are doing a good thing. That is his business to Heaven. And we will get our good karma. Don't hesitate, Fu Wang. Just do it!"
Slowly, Zhu Su nodded. He then stepped forward, joined Li Heng and examined the boy.
"No need to worry, Madam. Your son indeed suffers from severe illness, but we can heal him," Zhu Su concluded.
The mayor's wife turned cheerful. "Thank you very much, Your Highness, thank you very much! I am indeed very worried, because we have searched for so many physicians and all of them cannot treat my son. I was just about to lose hope, fortunately, someone told me about your greatness in Yunnan. Thank you, Heaven! We are really lucky!"
"Of course the physicians in Shandong, as well as other provinces in northern regions and The Central Plain can't cure him. There the varieties of medicinal plants are far fewer than in Yunnan, and more, the quality of plants available there is still worse than here. But for us, this case is totally curable." Zhu Su explained, while Li Heng was writing the concoction for the boy. "And may I advise, you'd better not to immediately go home. Rest here for a week or two. Your son needs warmth, in this late autumn some areas in Yunnan, for example Kunming, can give him more help than Shandong."
"Anyway, Madam, who told you about our medical center?" Now after Li Heng had left to examine other patients, Zhu Su asked the mayor's wife since the woman's words were quite intriguing for him.
"Oh, not only one or two people. All servants always advise us to search for you."
"Only the servants?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"The other officials didn't tell you?"
"No, they didn't."
Zhu Su was stunned. Then it meant, his name was still considered as a taboo name to be mentioned by government officials in order to maintain their survival.
"Ma'am, have you ever wondered why no official has told you about our medical center?"
"Eh?... I've never thought that far... I think their knowledge is still less than the servants, you know, the officials usually know nothing and the servants even know more information..."
"You are wrong. Actually, they know this information, but unwilling to tell you."
"Huh?! Why are they so mean?! After all giving help is a good thing to do, why are they instead unwilling to do it?!"
"Because it is closely related to their survival!..." Zhu Su almost spoke out the reply when he remembered something at once. No... hold on! This woman apparently still doesn't know about the Politics of Xuefan. And maybe other officials haven't yet known either, I'm just overthinking...
"That's right, Madam. Those officials are real bad guys. Just for the sake of their lives, they have the stomach to see a boy suffering from illness," Someone said.