The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 264: Doctor Sun Returns to Chang'an
In other words, chasing the emperor's milk, making the emperor more wise, and persuading the emperor to do more exemplary things and work diligently for the people can also be classified as benefiting the country.

Li Zhi looked at the fishing rod and suddenly said, "The fish has taken the bait."

After saying that, he picked up the fishing rod and caught a palm-sized fish.

Li Lizhi came over with a bowl of soup and said, "Mingda said that the medicinal food that Taoist Li mentioned is quite good, so Dongyang asked Xiaofu to make it."

As she spoke, she handed a bowl of soup to her brother and said, "Drink it, Zhinu."

Li Zhi took the soup and asked curiously, "Is it delicious?"

Li Lizhi said: "You will know after trying it."

Hearing this, Li Zhi first took a sip, and then gulped down the entire bowl of medicinal soup. He said happily, "It tastes good."

After he put the bowl down, he said, "My brother went to play."

Li Lizhi put her hands behind her back and said, "Go ahead."

Watching Li Zhi leave, Li Chengqian whispered, "He's probably gone to see my father now, and will tell my father everything I said to him."

Li Lizhi smiled and said, "No one can hide Zhinu's thoughts. It was the emperor who asked him to ask his brother, and he has always been the most obedient."

Li Chengqian sat in the waterside pavilion, took out a pomegranate from the basket brought by his sister, peeled it open and gave her half.

While eating a pomegranate, she said, "Divine Doctor Sun will be in Chang'an tomorrow."

"Is the old man back?"

"Yes, I'm afraid that after coming back this time, it won't be long before I leave again."

The next day, just as the morning light illuminated the world, Li Chengqian was taking Li Zhi and Shen Di for a morning run around the East Palace.

Xiao Sizi usually woke up early. Before dawn, she went to the Sanqing Temple to burn incense to the Taoist master and then ran all the way back to the East Palace.

She stood in the morning light in front of the East Palace gate and began to exercise.

When little Sizi was a child, she always walked unsteadily. In the past three years, her lower body has become much more stable. While taking certain steps, she sometimes made fists with her hands, and sometimes opened and closed them, as if she was hugging someone.

Li Zhi and Li Shen finished their morning run and sat aside waiting to recover their strength.

"Brother Shen, what do you think Mingda is practicing?"

"Brother, remember what the emperor said, Mingda's destiny since childhood is related to the Big Dipper, and what she has learned must be the same."

Li Zhi said suspiciously: "But how many sages in this world think of connecting with the Big Dipper? According to the subjective argument your brother made, this is unreasonable."

Dongyang listened to her two younger brothers' whispers and said, "This is just a logical basis. Whether in the Han Dynasty or the pre-Qin period, people used the more stable Big Dipper as a reference, which is reasonable."

Li Shen also said: "We need to find knowledge that is more valuable for reference."

The siblings discussed the future of academics. Their grandfather couldn't understand what they were saying, and even their father might not be able to understand it.

They have been studying with their brother the Emperor in the Eastern Palace since childhood, and their logical thinking ability has long been different from that of ordinary people.

Li Zhi was not gifted and had poor grades since childhood.

"It's time for breakfast!"

Xiaofu's voice could be heard from the East Palace. She was always like this in the East Palace. It was difficult to gather the children together without shouting loudly.

Therefore, Xiaofu also got used to speaking so loudly.

After breakfast, Mingda took a book on Chinese characters and read it as she walked. She walked from one end of the seesaw to the other, and even walked across a suspended piece of wood.

The thickness of this piece of wood is only about the same as the sole of the foot. Although it is not suspended high in the air, you can jump over it with one leap.

Mingda was able to walk steadily, with one hand behind his back and the other hand reading a book, as steady as if he was walking on flat ground.

Li Zhi was still putting noodles into his mouth, observing with curious eyes.

Li Shen served another bowl of noodles and said, "I heard that Taoist Priest Li Chunfeng can walk so steadily on a hemp rope."

"Sizi is indeed gifted." Li Zhi sighed.

Dongyang was ready to see Dr. Sun. She had a cloth bag hanging on her shoulder and said, "Zhi Nu looks like a late bloomer."

Li Zhi said with a bitter face: "My brother really didn't study well, sister, don't scold me."

Hearing this, Dongyang suppressed his smile.

Li Chengqian said: "Let's go and see Dr. Sun."

Dongyang said, "Isn't my brother going to the morning court today?"

"I have sent someone to tell my father that Qingque will also attend the morning court today, so I will not go."

"Alright."

Li Chengqian took Dongyang out of the East Palace. The sky had just started to light up in the morning. When they walked to the streets outside the imperial city, they could feel a chill. It was the frost season and there was still frost on the roofs of some houses.

The leaves have already turned yellow and withered.

Li Ji came over in a hurry and said, "Your Highness, Crown Prince, Your Highness, Princess, are you going to look for Divine Doctor Sun?"

Li Chengqian said, "The news sent by Jingzhao Prefecture yesterday said that Dr. Sun was in Gaoling yesterday and will come to Chang'an City today."

"I will have someone go to the city gate and prepare the carriage."

As soon as you leave Chang'an City, you can see quite a few people waiting to enter the city gate. Some of them come to Chang'an City to find work, some are businessmen, and some come from nowhere, like powerful and wealthy families.

When the carriage goes a little further, you can see old farmers gathered in twos and threes chatting. The busy farming season is over, and some old farmers who have nothing to do will gather together, or sit in groups of three or five with their families by the fields to eat.

On the way, they met an official from Jingzhao Prefecture. Li Ji pulled the reins of the carriage and asked, "Are you from Gaoling?"

The young official replied, "That's right."

Li Ji was wearing his court robes and asked, "Have you seen Dr. Sun?"

The official pointed to a small house in the distance and said, "The divine doctor Sun is over there."

Hearing this, Li Ji continued to drive the carriage.

When the carriage stopped, Li Chengqian and Dongyang got off and saw Doctor Sun sitting in front of the house.

The old man was pounding some herbs.

Dongyang stepped forward, bowed and said, "Teacher."

Divine Doctor Sun slowly raised his head and whispered, "It turns out to be His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Her Royal Highness the Princess."

"I heard that the teacher has returned. I would like to invite the teacher to come to Chang'an City to recuperate."

Sun Simiao sighed and said, "The woman in this family just gave birth to a child. She has been unable to get out of bed these days. It must be because her qi and blood have been greatly depleted."

"Disciple knows how to treat it, let me do it."

"Ah."

Sun Simiao nodded.

Dongyang took the medicine pounding jar and put some herbs into it to boil.

After being away for a year, Doctor Sun, who just returned, looks older and more like a sage.

Li Chengqian said, "Dr. Sun, it's been a long time." Seeing the prince, Sun Simiao's previous tiredness was gone, his eyes were more energetic, and he smiled and said, "Your Highness looks taller than before."

Li Chengqian supported Divine Doctor Sun and asked, "Did you gain anything from this trip?"

Sun Simiao said: "To treat a disease is to treat a person. If you treat too much, you will get little benefit. I am treating people, but for His Royal Highness, treating people and governing a country is much more difficult than what I have to deal with."

"Yes."

"I have already reached an agreement with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to compile the Pharmacopoeia. What reason does His Royal Highness have to keep me here now?"

"How did Divine Doctor Sun know that I wanted to keep you here?"

"There are too many people who miss me, and many who want to make friends with me. Compared to staying in someone else's mansion, I would rather stay in the East Palace."

It sounds like Doctor Sun has some requests.

Li Chengqian pondered and remained silent for a long time.

After Dongyang prepared the medicine for the woman, he said, "The divine doctor Sun lives in Chongwen Hall in Chang'an."

Sun Simiao nodded but did not speak, as if waiting for the prince to put forward conditions.

Previously, Dr. Sun stayed in Chang'an because of his theory on boiled water and microorganisms. Now that the Medicine Classic has been completed, if he wants to continue to stay in Chang'an, he needs to show some more knowledge to satisfy Dr. Sun.

Li Chengqian understood and said, "I've been reading Zhouli a lot these days. Actually, before the Qin Dynasty, there were ancient sages who divided medicine into different branches. So I have an idea. How about further dividing medicine into internal medicine, surgery, orthopedics, and dentistry?"

Sun Simiao seemed to be thinking about something, but still did not nod.

Li Chengqian said, "Some people in the court and the public say that I, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, always like to do things that have never been done before. Divine Doctor Sun, why don't you join forces with me? The so-called division of medicine does not mean to divide doctors into upper and lower classes."

"Instead, doctors will be organized into teams. After the doctors have subdivided their fields, they can make achievements in various fields. After the achievements in these subdivided fields are fruitful, doctors from various medical disciplines can cooperate with each other. In the future, it will not be just one doctor treating one patient, but several doctors treating the same patient."

"For example, when prescribing orthopedic drugs, one needs to consult with the internal medicine department and prescribe drugs according to the patient's physical condition. This essentially makes medicine more detailed and allows more people to study medicine."

Dongyang added: "Just like the current Imperial Medical Bureau, some people are good at taking pulses, some are good at acupuncture, and some are good at using medicine."

Sun Simiao smiled and said, "Then I will try this unprecedented thing with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian bowed and said, "I have to trouble Divine Doctor Sun again."

"To seek welfare for the world is exactly what I want. Your Highness wants to govern the country, and I want to govern people. We are on the same path."

Sun Simiao got on his donkey cart and said, "Let's go to Chongwen Hall."

Dongyang smiled happily and said, "If the teacher can return to Chang'an, all the people in Chang'an will be very happy."

The carriage was heading back, and Doctor Sun's donkey cart was right behind.

Li Ji drove the horse very slowly, fearing that the old man would change his mind and run away.

Not everyone can keep this old immortal, not even His Majesty.

After arriving in Chang'an City, Li Chengqian went straight back to the palace.

Doctor Sun went to Chongwenguan, accompanied by Princess Dongyang and General Li Ji. Yan Qinli, as the head of Chongwenguan, naturally did not dare to neglect him.

Looking at the people in Chongwenguan decorating the room, they even left a bookshelf to store medical books.

Sun Simiao whispered, "You are all governing the counties and the country. Don't let me delay your work."

Yan Qinli said: "Dr. Sun, you must not say that. We are all doing our duty."

Sun Simiao added: "Princess Dongyang, please go back. I will discuss the next matter with Chief Yan."

Dongyang bowed slightly and said, "I will go back first. If Divine Doctor Sun needs anything, please tell them."

Sun Simiao smiled and waved his hand.

In the Secretariat, after the morning court session had just ended, Li Chengqian returned here and heard that the Western Turks had sent another military report, saying that Dilish Khan had divided his people into ten groups, and the chief of each group was divided into ten arrows, with one arrow representing one group.

Dilishi wanted to attack Yugushe and was eager to change the ruling relationship under his command, which involved a redistribution of tribal power.

Under his radical demands, a large tribe in Dili's hands rebelled and defected to Yugushe's tribe. Those who defected and joined Yugushe wanted to make Yugushe the Great Khan.

This time, the war broke out again on the east and west banks of the Ili River, which had been in a stalemate for nearly a year.

Dilisi recovered some lost territory, but it is still difficult to change the current situation of confrontation between the east and west of the Ili River.

This military report has been discussed in the court, and the unanimous opinion in the court is to continue to consolidate the Tang Dynasty's military strength in the southeast of the Western Regions. Now is not the time to clear the Tianshan Mountains.

People in the court naturally supported Dilishi, but Dilishi tried to ask the Tang army for help several times, but Zhang Shigui did not agree. Instead, he reported the general to the court.

Li Lizhi went to see her mother and returned to the East Palace. She asked her two younger brothers who were eating pomegranates, "Is my brother not back yet?"

Li Zhi said: "My brother is still busy with the affairs of the court."

"The Jingzhao Prefecture has finished all the work that needs to be done this year. What else can your father be busy with?"

"Busy with state affairs? Going to see Dr. Sun?"

Li Zhi noticed the look in his sister's eyes. He shrank his neck and said, "I will go find my brother right away."

When he left, he also took Li Shen with him.

Li Lizhi said disdainfully: "This young slave really doesn't know anything."

Li Yuan looked at the chessboard and said, "He understood with just one look from you. How much more sensible do you want them to be?"

Li Zhi and Li Shen hurried to the Secretariat, but did not see their brother.

If the emperor is not in the Secretariat handling government affairs at this time, where else would he be?

If they couldn't find their brother, the two brothers would most likely be scolded, so they went to Taiye Lake to look for him again, but they still didn't see him until dusk.

Until the two of them returned to the East Palace and met their brother the Emperor with a wronged look on their faces.

My royal sister and brother, as well as my father, mother and grandfather are all here.

They sat aside feeling aggrieved and searched the palace for a while before they found that their brother had returned.

Empress Changsun glanced at Li Zhi and Li Shen, who were looking amused, and said, "The cotton sent from the Western Regions has all arrived. There are six hundred carts in total."

Six hundred carts of cotton is not a lot, but it is not a small amount either.

Li Chengqian drank his tea and said, "All matters concerning cotton will be arranged by our mother."

Empress Changsun said with a smile, "Your father intends to make some cotton quilts and bedding for the wives of meritorious officials. What do you think?"

"The Emperor and the Queen will make the arrangements."

Afterwards, after receiving a reply from her son, Empress Changsun left the space for the three of them and took the children back to the East Palace.

In front of the Chongwen Hall, the grandfather, grandson, father and son were silent.

Li Chengqian was peeling walnuts, seemingly thinking.

Li Yuan observed the blueprint in his hand and said, "This Summer Palace doesn't look very big."

Li Shimin, who was drinking tea, said, "This was arranged by Cheng Qian. If the emperor doesn't like it, let the people in the Ministry of Works change it."

Li Yuan put down the blueprint and said, "This summer palace is left for you. I am used to living here and don't want to leave."

(End of this chapter)