"What do you say, lust?! In which part do I follow lust? Am I having fun and partying casually beyond the suffering of people? Or building a beautiful palace by tormenting the people?! Your accusation is so hurtful, Nayin!"
"If in your opinion lust only consists of such things, you are wrong. Lust is not only about luxury, beauty, power, wealth, sexuality... it is not limited to those things. But lust is whatever based on unstoppable excessive desire. it may sound positive and kind, but in fact, it is no more than an illusion, because it eventually leads you to the wrong path. And what you are experiencing now, is an excessive desire to do research well and perfectly. You want to help all Ming people, and it must succeed without blemish. But actually, you are only an ordinary human, who has limitations, who can get hurt or sick, who can die... You are not a god! So, please be aware of that. Don't indulge that excessive desire."
"Ah…" Zhu Su's eyes went round. Hu Nayin's statement surprised him. It went against every theory of success he had ever heard of. If a person wanted to be successful, then he must exert his efforts as much as possible. He must concentrate fully before he could create the success he wished. And now, Hu Nayin instead called him overpowered by lust.
However, getting rid of ego and anger, actually he must agree with Hu Nayin. Indeed, he had rarely been overpowered by too much desire. He was passionate about completing his project as best as he could. He was eager to eliminate the polemic caused by Huan Shikang, and to eradicate Huan Shikang, Rumilie, and all their cronies. He was eager to restore the true prestige of Ming in the eyes of the people. He was eager to achieve it all... so that he would do everything to make it happen.
Zhu Su smiled bitterly. "You're right, Nayin. I am lustful. I can do anything and even sacrifice myself to achieve my lust. But, is that wrong? Is it wrong to sacrifice myself to achieve a noble goal? Why I fight for this is not for myself, I am fighting for the people! Is that wrong?"
"You love people, it is a good thing. But you don't love yourself, and your family either," Hu Nayin said dryly. She was getting tired of arguing with Zhu Su, who had been controlled by high idealism.
"Even Goddess Guan Yin was willing to sacrifice Her chance to become Buddha to help the suffering beings in the world. She did sacrifice. Is that wrong?"
Hu Nayin shook her head. She had to admit that it was hard to argue with Zhu Su since he had been adamant about his opinion. Finally, she only said, "Goddess Guan Yin knows her consequences. You do this, and you also have known the consequences. We have warned you, so every decision you have made, you should bear the consequences yourself."
Zhu Su was just about to reply, when a word echoed in his ear. To know whether a plant can be consumed or not, don't just pay attention to the type of raw plant. There are more important things to be concerned, that is, the processing of medicine.
The lamp in Zhu Su's brain turned on. It seemed that he finally obtained the enlightenment he had been seeking for so long. "The processing of medicine, that's right! Even with the correct processing method, all kinds of plants become edible and safe to use as medicine. That may even be the most important method we have to research. Alright! From now on I will focus on that matter!"
"Your Highness?..." Hu Nayin got dumbfounded as Zhu Su suddenly turned around, and now went away hastily. "What's wrong?..."
"I truly don't expect that you manage to accomplish something the high-level Daoist Alchemists can't even imagine!"
Hu Nayin's question was interrupted by a soft and gentle voice. She shouted, "Master Yun!"
If Yun was a woman with a strange and terrifying charm that made people eager to run away from her when she still became the follower of Huan Shikang, then this time Yun had turned one hundred and eighty degrees. Yun's face was radiant, her cheeks flushed cheerfully and she always smiled warmly. Before she was controlled by anger and resentment, yet now anger and resentment had disappeared from her heart, thanks to Zhu Su's patience and kindness to her.
Very much the same as when she still taught me before. Thanks Heaven, Master has back to normal, Hu Nayin thought happily.
"I have to say, that I have changed my perspective about you," Yun continued. "This is different from our point of view all this time, since our principle basically is, we must have high supernatural powers then we may carry out this project. And according to you, it is not a matter of occult!"
"Nope. It is science." Zhu Su replied.
"But from our perspective, you are entering a world of divine spirits."
"That's right, I got this idea from meditation. But I don't think that I got any guidance from the Spirit or the Gods. I just dare to do something revolutionary, which no one has never thought before. But actually, ancient people have also created something similar. Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty has ordered to write Tu Jing Ben Cao, a book of medicinal herbs with many pictures in it. I got the idea from the Emperor."
"Emperor Renzong of Song was very much the same with other emperors of the Song Dynasty, very fond of medicine. You are also very fond of medicine, and you live in the Kaifeng Palace which was once inhabited by all of them. Can this be called yuanfen?"
Yun's words were so similar to what he felt. Zhu Su chuckled. "Maybe you are right. If I have yuanfen with those wise Song Emperors, can I hope for their blessings and supports?"
"I'm sure They will be happy to help you. Anyone will be happy to help those who have principles in harmony with Them," Yun replied. "And what are you currently aiming for?"
Zhu Su nodded at the library in front of them. He went inwards, walking along the giant bookshelves, until finally he came to its end. There the books were very worn and dusty. Everyone rarely contacted with this bookshelf.
"Nayin, you are carrying Youjue. Go out of here. It is very dusty, I worry that it will harm Youjue."
Hu Nayin nodded. She stepped aside just as Zhu Su pulled one of the thick old books from the bookshelf. So much dust above it that he had to fluff it up and then made dust scatter around. Everyone immediately covered their mouths and noses. Including Zhu Su himself, of course.