Yu Shenzi's face grew increasingly troubled, his expression increasingly awkward. He resembled a young maiden eager for marriage but too shy to express her feelings.
She waited, longing for a worthy suitor to kneel and propose.
'Heavens! Please don't let those incompetent physicians ruin my medicinal fields, my alchemy laboratory, my spirit spring. Actually, I could stay in the Great Jin. Jin City is still nestled within the vast Southern Ridge Mountains, far removed from the conflicts of the Central Plains. Even if I become the Great Jin's imperial physician, our Azure Cloud Sect's way of life won't change much. In fact, with Fan Li's support, my medical achievements could surpass those of all previous sect leaders combined! Fan Li, if you just ask me one more time, I'll definitely agree to oversee the Imperial Hospital. Please, just ask!'
Fan Li didn't possess mind-reading abilities; he couldn't hear Yu Shenzi's inner turmoil. But he was a keen observer. He had noticed the old man's flushed face and longing gaze.
The fish had taken the bait.
But to prevent it from escaping, Fan Li, the angler, needed patience. He had to wait until the fish had swallowed the hook completely.
He deliberately turned to Lu Fubao beside him. "Among your father's three thousand disciples, there's a Go enthusiast like Huang Longshi. Surely there are some who specialize in medicine?"
"Of course! Who are you looking down on?" Lu Fubao, clearly well-rehearsed, said with feigned anger, glaring at Fan Li. Then, with an air of pride, she added, "My father is a scholar who has mastered both ancient and modern knowledge. He has considerable expertise in medicine himself. Among his students, at least thirty to fifty specialize in medicine. Those thirty to fifty senior and junior brothers are passionate about medicine. In Lu City, they destroy seventy or eighty alchemy furnaces every year from their experiments!"
Lu Fubao spoke "casually," but Yu Shenzi listened intently.
'What?! Almost a hundred alchemy furnaces destroyed every year? What kind of medical practitioners are they? They're a disgrace to our profession! If those half-baked physicians are allowed to join the Great Jin Imperial Hospital, all my hard work will be wasted!'
Yu Shenzi couldn't hold back any longer. He grabbed Fan Li's hand, urging, "Your Majesty, you cannot entrust the Imperial Hospital to those young men. You must understand, medicine requires a deep foundation. Without decades, even a century, of experience, one cannot become a true master physician."
Fan Li, held captive by Yu Shenzi's grip, merely smiled but said nothing.
Lu Fubao, deliberately playing the contrarian, said, "Sect Leader Yu, are you looking down on Lu City? Have you forgotten that although your ancestor was Xia Wuqie, the imperial physician of the Qin Dynasty, my ancestor was the first Marquis Wenxin of the Qin Dynasty. In terms of rank, Xia Wuqie would have to kneel before my ancestor."
"Rank is rank, medicine is medicine!" Yu Shenzi said, stamping his foot in frustration. "Empress, do you truly believe those half-baked Confucian scholars from Lu City can surpass the medical expertise accumulated by my Azure Cloud Sect over a thousand years?"
The title "Empress" caught Lu Fubao completely off guard. She flushed crimson, unsure if she should correct the misunderstanding.
After all, in Yu Shenzi's mind, Fan Li and Lu Fubao were a genuine couple.
Fan Li was the founding Emperor of the Great Jin, so Lu Fubao was naturally the Empress.
However, this was merely Yu Shenzi's perception.
There were several other "observers" present - Wang Ban, Jing Wudi… and Fan Yuehua.
Wang Ban, a loyal official and a devoted tech enthusiast, only cared about completing Fan Li's tasks, then returning to his beloved mechanical arts. He acknowledged Lu Fubao's supposed status as Empress but didn't dwell on it.
Jing Wudi was more perceptive. He and Fan Li were master and servant in name, but their bond was closer to that of loyal retainers. To repay Fan Li's kindness, he was prepared to sacrifice his life for the Great Jin, just as his ancestor Jing Ke had sacrificed his life for Crown Prince Dan of Yan.
Since Lu Fubao was the Empress of the Great Jin, Jing Wudi had gained another mistress to serve with unwavering loyalty.
The true "observer," however, was Fan Yuehua.
She quietly approached Lu Fubao, whose face turned crimson, even her ears flushing red.
"Imperial Noble Consort, when did you become my sister-in-law?"
Fan Yuehua didn't speak. Instead, she used her finger to write on Lu Fubao's back.
Lu Fubao wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. She trembled, her legs weak, barely able to stand.
She swayed, collapsing into Fan Li's arms.
"Feeling unwell?" Fan Li asked softly, holding her steady.
"No… I… uh…"
Lu Fubao, unable to explain, buried her face in his chest. If she couldn't see them, they couldn't see her!
"Ahem!"
Yu Shenzi, believing he had won the argument against the "Empress," swelled with pride.
He straightened his back, waiting for Fan Li's invitation.
"Sect Leader Yu makes a valid point. Entrusting the Imperial Hospital to young and inexperienced physicians would be unwise."
As expected, Fan Li agreed with Yu Shenzi, ignoring even the "Empress's" presence. Yu Shenzi beamed with delight.
"It seems the best course of action is to recruit talented individuals from the Central Plains to staff our Imperial Hospital."
"Uh… what?" Yu Shenzi froze.
"As far as I know, there's Li Shizhen in the Great Ming, Zhang Zhongjing in Wei, Dong Feng in Wu, Huangfu Mi in Han, and Hua Tuo in the Great Chu. If we could invite one or two of these renowned physicians to oversee the Great Jin Imperial Hospital, I believe our concerns would be addressed."
Yu Shenzi had never imagined that Fan Li would be so knowledgeable about renowned physicians. He wanted to denigrate them, but he couldn't find any fault with their reputations. Compared to him, an unknown physician from a remote mountain sect, these individuals were leaders in their field.
'Woe is me! Are my Azure Cloud Sect's hundreds of medical elites destined to remain trapped in these mountains for another thousand years?' Yu Shenzi was filled with regret.
He turned sadly, looking at the nearly completed Imperial Hospital, then at the vast medicinal fields beyond the city walls. A wave of despair washed over him, and tears welled up in his eyes.
"Actually… In my mind, you have always been the ideal candidate to lead the Great Jin Imperial Hospital."
Suddenly, Yu Shenzi, unable to believe his ears, heard Fan Li speaking to him with the utmost respect and sincerity.
"Is… is that true, Your Majesty?" he stammered.
"Yes, I speak from the heart."
Fan Li bowed deeply.
"There are countless medical practitioners in the world. But only you, Sect Leader Yu, can I entrust with the lives of my officials and my people. I sincerely implore you to join the Great Jin Imperial Hospital."
Thud!
Yu Shenzi, overcome with emotion, dropped to his knees.
"Your Majesty! Yu Shenzi is willing to serve the Great Jin!"