Chapter 1067: Chapter 1066: Barefoot Doctor’s Manual
Si Lingxi’s lips curled slightly, not minding at all that Lu Zheng said her "going with the flow" approach wasn’t the optimal solution.
Liu Qingyan pursed her lips without speaking, casting a glance at Lu Zheng with a tinge of amusement in her eyes.
"They definitely won’t want to wait." Kong Lan thought for a moment, nodded slowly, and looked at Lu Zheng with a sparkle in her eyes as well, "Then, while reaping benefits, we can also win over one party, and if the other party has opinions, it won’t be directed at us."
Lu Zheng snapped his fingers, "Exactly!"
Kong Lan was deeply ingrained in the zero-sum game mindset, not foolish at all. As Lu Zheng explained, she certainly understood that when faced with an unstoppable situation, the wise approach was to capitalize on it as quickly as possible.
Waiting a few more years will inevitably lead to some seeds being spread. Not only is it impossible to stop the spread, but the tribes under Phoenix Mountain with a large number of seeds will be targeted with major resentment.
To forcibly keep secrets is foolishness, even less wise than Si Lingxi’s natural approach.
Kong Lan finally looked at Lu Zheng with a serious expression, "I didn’t expect Young Master Lu to understand governance."
Kong Lan was not lacking in experience, having traveled through the Central Plains, visited the Northern Domain, traversed the mortal realm, and seen various officials. She was sure that someone as calm and rational as Lu Zheng, who could see how to maximize advantage, was no ordinary official.
Typical officials do not have this level of strategic thinking.
Moreover, according to Bai Yuan, the batch of seeds was related to him, and with Si Lingxi already committed to him, Phoenix Mountain could be considered his property. Thus, these high-yield seeds are core interests of the Phoenix Mountain tribes.
Yet, he chose without hesitation to exchange them.
The ability to make such quick decisions belongs to at least a regional leader, possibly even part of the central hub.
Additionally, for someone at Lu Zheng’s age to have such Dao Practice...
Kong Lan’s eyes twinkled.
Historically, officials of the Central Plains Dynasty were mostly mortals, deeply immersed in governance and politics, with intricate thoughts, seldom practiced cultivation. Only those who excel in both areas can enter the central hub and govern the realm.
Such individuals, who have both profound Cultivation and understand governance, are rare gems, appearing once every few decades in the Central Plains. Even in the face of the Da Jing Imperial Family, they are treated with great respect.
Therefore...
"Young Master Lu, do you hold an official position in Great Jing?" Kong Lan couldn’t help asking.
Liu Qingyan couldn’t help but brighten, revealing a smile, feeling proud of Kong Lan’s speculation.
Lu Zheng burst into laughter, waving his hand, "No, not even a Scholar. It’s too exhausting to be an official. I prefer traveling around, enjoying the journey with beauty."
Kong Lan raised her brows, nodded, and finally understood a bit of Lu Zheng’s inner self.
Appearing carefree and casual, but with sharp insight and a heart full of ambition, a man of great talent, no wonder he’s viewed favorably by the Palace Master.
However... it’s not enough!
This alone is not enough to make Si Lingxi fall head over heels!
Kong Lan glanced at Si Lingxi and seeing her nod, she replied, "I’ll go back and discuss this with Red Crane and the others."
And so, the matter of the seeds was settled.
Lu Zheng looked at Liu Qingyan, "Shall we return to Tonglin County, or stay here at Phoenix Mountain a little longer?"
Liu Qingyan’s bright eyes gleamed, her face radiant and unable to hide her smile, clearly extremely pleased with Lu Zheng’s concern for her thoughts. Her vibrant expression and vigorous presence even made Kong Lan, who was herself a stunning beauty, feel a flutter in her heart.
"Let’s stay a little longer," Liu Qingyan said, "The Southern Border isn’t as developed as the Central Plains, with a lack of doctors. The witch doctors vary in quality; some skilled doctors refuse to share their knowledge beyond ten miles around them. I want to stay longer, both to tend to nearby patients and to teach some basic medical skills."
Lu Zheng’s eyes flickered, suddenly realizing, and turned his head to see several witch doctors who had just been helping patients by concocting and dispensing medicine, now sitting nearby together, poring over a book.
He hadn’t paid any attention before, but now he focused and saw on the book’s cover, in Da Jing script, "Barefoot Doctor’s Manual" inscribed in large letters.
Lu Zheng, "..."
Liu Qingyan felt a bit bashful, "I think the name is good, straightforward, not pretentious. Even ordinary people won’t feel intimidated upon seeing it.
I referenced some original content, added some of my own insights, organized it into a book using language that local doctors can understand.
Just, well, because I’ve been practicing medicine recently, every place I visit I consult during the day and transcribe a copy at night to leave locally for all doctors to read, hence this..."
"Understood." Lu Zheng said, "Leave it to me, I’ll prepare more copies for you. How many do you think are appropriate?"
"The more the better." Liu Qingyan wasn’t shy with Lu Zheng, "I can’t visit every village and tribe, but even in places I can’t reach, sending a few medical books there can allow literate common folk to manage basic ailments."
"Alright!" Lu Zheng nodded in agreement, then asked, "Would you need any simple tools, like... a stethoscope?"
Liu Qingyan was slightly stunned, she hadn’t considered that.
Modern medicine has a myriad of instruments, though Liu Qingyan has studied them, she doesn’t use any in traditional medical practice because she knows they can’t be brought to Da Jing.
However, if it’s just the simplest stethoscope...
Seems feasible?
The simplest acoustic stethoscope can certainly be made by Da Jing’s craftsmen, and thus...
Liu Qingyan’s brows arched and she smiled brightly, "Alright!"
Even a stethoscope, for a doctor with weak pulse analysis skills, can be a useful aid.
"Good, I’ll bring a batch, though the quantity might not be large."
"Not too many needed." Liu Qingyan said, "Stethoscopes are easily replicated and will quickly spread once they appear."
Kong Lan asked, "Is Young Master Lu returning to Great Jing to print medical books and purchase equipment?"
Lu Zheng nodded, then shook his head, "I do need to go out, but not to return to Great Jing. I have my channels for book acquisition and equipment purchase."
Seeing Si Lingxi with an equally calm demeanor, Kong Lan didn’t press further, "I have nothing to do here, so I’ll accompany Miss Liu for a walk, a tour of the territory, so to speak."
Si Lingxi agreed, "Sounds good."
...
Thus, after they finished discussing, everyone returned to Phoenix Mountain. The next day, Liu Qingyan, radiant as ever, descended the mountain once again, while Lu Zheng and Si Lingxi returned to the rear palace.
