Jinting Han people

Although he despised the Celestial Masters sect, as a pragmatist, Liu Xian ultimately did not want to see unnecessary war and would not close the door to cooperation because of it.

Therefore, after the first meeting, Liu Xian kept the two chief administrators in the camp for a while. Lying on his sickbed, he discussed the matter with Lai Zhong, He Pan, Lü Quyang, Xi An, and others, and then drafted three new conditions, hoping to convey them to Qingcheng Mountain:
First, Liu Xian can accept the Celestial Masters as the state religion and accept the title of Taiping Zhenjun, but the so-called grand ceremony of conferring the title of lord, which was presided over by Fan Tianjian, should be temporarily suspended.
Second, the Anle Duke's Mansion can exempt Taoist priests of the Celestial Masters Sect from rent, but in return, the Taoist priests' ordination certificates must be handed over to the government for safekeeping, and all Taoist priests' initiation ceremonies must be conducted under the supervision of the Anle Duke's Mansion.

Third, the Celestial Masters must abandon their armed forces and are prohibited from privately harboring troops, building Taoist temples, or preaching; in return, Liu Xian may set up Taoist temples in each county town to facilitate the preaching of the Celestial Masters.

These three conditions represent the most generous they can offer Liu Xian at present. He can cooperate with the Celestial Masters Sect, provide some support for their missionary work, and even waive some taxes, but there must be a bottom line. At the very least, a clear distinction must be established between ruler and subject, meaning the Celestial Masters Sect must be under his control. Otherwise, given Fan Changsheng's previous conditions, with the Celestial Masters Sect possessing resources, manpower, fortified villages, and the so-called title of Celestial Master, who is truly the master? Their lives are entirely in his hands.

We must remember that Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han throne followed the same pattern: first, he created a great deal of public opinion, using the name of the sage to diminish the authority of the Han dynasty, and then he seized the throne. With this lesson learned, Liu Xian will never repeat such a mistake.

However, Liu Xian also knew that with the power of the Celestial Masters Sect, they would not be content with these conditions and would demand more. Therefore, Liu Xian was prepared for a long negotiation. Knowing that Chen Hui was more friendly to him than the other envoy, he summoned Chen Hui alone and explained his terms to him.

Upon hearing the conditions, Chen Hui indeed looked troubled. After hesitating for a long time, he said to Liu Xian, "Your Highness, this is probably not easy to accomplish."

Liu Xian chuckled, then coughed twice. He said, "Chen Dugong, it's not actually that difficult, is it? Which of the conditions I proposed violates the doctrines of the Zhengyi School?"

This left Chen Hui speechless, because Liu Xian's conditions were indeed very clever. He didn't force the Celestial Masters to abandon their doctrines, but instead added several steps to place them under his supervision. However, this would undoubtedly greatly undermine the sacredness of the religion and make people doubt the authority and power of the Celestial Masters.

Chen Hui then emphasized, “Your Highness, people’s beliefs are free and sacred. It is the choice of the people’s hearts. If you impose too many restrictions, it will only make the people feel uneasy and fearful.”

Liu Xian smiled and said, "Since you are cultivating the Dao, you should also understand that everything in excess is as bad as deficiency. Too much rain is a flood, too little rain is a drought, and the difficulty lies in finding the middle way. The same is true for freedom of religion. A person without faith will be without principles and lack perseverance. But if faith is too firm, it will also become blind and then harm innocent people."

"Your Highness should be more tolerant. To create a peaceful and prosperous era, one should have a broad mind and be open to all things."

"Yes, that's why I spoke frankly with the High Priest, thinking that there are many other people in the world besides followers of the Zhengyi sect. If the Zhengyi sect clashes with others in the future, what should I do? Can I really get everyone to work together and create a peaceful and prosperous world just by speaking up?"

"That's prejudice! We've developed together to this point, when have we ever had a conflict with anyone? Everything we've done has been to protect the peace of the region."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian found it amusing and even somewhat unwilling to continue the debate. What was the point of continuing? Wasn't he thinking of the long-term stability of the realm? If everyone could only speak from their own perspective, then there was nothing more to say. Therefore, he chuckled and said directly, "In that case, please convey these conditions to me, Grand Master. If there are any issues, we can discuss them further later."

Chen Hui also felt extremely helpless. As someone who supported Liu Xian's restoration of his kingdom, he felt that Liu Xian was far too wary of the Celestial Masters Sect. Cooperation between the two sides was clearly a win-win situation, so why impose so many restrictions? Once the news reached Qingcheng Mountain, the only answer everyone would get would be that Liu Xian was a tyrannical ruler.

This was precisely the reason for the widespread criticism of Liu Xian at the previous conference, and also the root cause of the sect's opposition to the past political system of Shu Han. After all, in the early Shu Han period, Zhuge Liang's rule over Shu was harsh, not only leaving them no room for development but also causing heavy losses to the followers. In the later Shu Han period, various auspicious celestial phenomena frequently appeared in various counties, indicating that the Han dynasty was about to end and the Wei dynasty was about to rise, many of which were the work of the Celestial Masters sect.

But why do so many Taoists support Liu Xian today? The answer is that even after the fall of Shu Han, many believers still yearn for that era. Although those were indeed difficult times for the Celestial Masters sect, for ordinary people, compared to the chaotic and confused decades of the past, the only difference was that their lives were simpler, but the spirit of unity and solidarity was something they could not abandon. The reason the Celestial Masters sect was able to grow and thrive was precisely because it filled this void for people.

Therefore, there were many voices supporting Liu Xian among the lower ranks of the believers, which the priests, led by Chen Hui, could not ignore. So they wanted to find a way to achieve the best of both worlds: to get Liu Xian to follow the faith while also maintaining internal unity.

But now it seems that this idea is extremely close to being shattered. Chen Hui could only make one last effort, and asked, "Why is Your Excellency unwilling to follow the Dao? Do you not believe in ghosts, gods, or destiny?"

This was an interesting question for Liu Xian. He waved his hand and laughed, saying, "I believe in seeing is believing. As for the afterlife, let's talk about it after I die. If Du Gong really has any supernatural powers, he can use them now to broaden my horizons. Then I will naturally be completely convinced."

At this point, Chen Hui finally felt a glimmer of hope. He asked, "In our sect, we have extensive knowledge of alchemy, talismans, qi cultivation, medicine, and sexual techniques. Which one would Your Highness like to learn about?"

Liu Xian didn't believe in alchemy or anything like that. After all, Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han were both fond of elixirs, yet they didn't achieve immortality. He wasn't particularly interested in talismans either. Speaking of which, shortly after his birth, his aunt Fei Xiu had asked Zhang Tianshi for a talisman for him, which he placed alongside the Buddhist jade his mother had left her. But aside from feeling his family's good intentions, Liu Xian genuinely didn't know what the talisman's purpose was. He figured these people's talismans couldn't possibly surpass those of the Tianshi himself, so he paid even less attention to them. As for the breathing exercises and sexual techniques that most people were interested in, Liu Xian would think of Sun Xiu whenever he heard them, so he decided to avoid them.

So, all that's left is taking medicine. Liu Xian thought for a moment and then said, "Your ability to cure diseases and save lives is indeed a great supernatural power. Recently, many soldiers in my army have been suffering from acclimatization problems. Could you help me with this?"

Chen Hui was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly bowed, saying, "Healing the sick and saving lives is our duty. We are deeply grateful for Your Highness's trust and will certainly live up to your expectations."

As Chen Hui said, their Celestial Masters sect was able to rise to prominence by healing the sick and saving lives. Although there was some superstition involved, over time, with more patients seen, they developed considerable expertise in treating illnesses and injuries. In fact, from ancient times to the present, medicine and Taoism have been inseparable disciplines. Seeing Liu Xian's request, he immediately volunteered to go to the wounded soldiers' camp to treat their injuries.

Chen Hui was indeed a master in this regard, having saved countless lives. His medical skills were exceptionally proficient; whether it was internal or external injury, or a minor ailment, he could quickly diagnose and devise a corresponding treatment. Of course, he was adept at preparing and administering medicines, but what truly astounded Liu Xian was his ability to treat festering, swollen wounds. He could use datura, a poisonous substance, as a catalyst to anesthetize the patient, then use a heated knife to cut away the rotten flesh before applying herbal remedies. His movements were clean and efficient; this method of healing was unheard of, and many immediately hailed him as a divine healer. Of course, he wasn't capable of curing every ailment. Liu Xian observed for a while and noticed that Chen Hui didn't treat some patients extensively. Instead, he would heat a talisman in hot water, have the patient drink the talismanic water, and then teach them to chant Taoist scriptures. Liu Xian observed a pattern: these patients either had severe injuries or extremely strange ailments. He guessed that Chen Hui himself did not know the real way to cure the patient, so he could only use talisman water to comfort him.

Chen Hui saw about thirty patients in a row, continuing until evening. Afterwards, Liu Xian's attitude towards him improved considerably, and that night he invited Chen Hui to have dinner with him. Liu Xian had been unwell lately and ate rather lightly, only having some tofu and egg drop soup. However, he still prepared a thoughtful meal for Chen Hui, specially serving a plate of roasted venison, a plate of rapeseed and amaranth, and a pot of wine.

Unexpectedly, Chen Hui didn't touch the venison at all, only eating vegetarian food. Liu Xian asked curiously, "Doesn't Du Gong eat venison?"

Chen Hui smiled and said, "Your Highness, I will teach you to abstain from venison."

Liu Xian then remembered that the elk was a divine beast of the Celestial Masters sect, and of course they did not eat venison. Feeling quite embarrassed, he quickly asked his servant to stew a fish and apologized to Chen Hui, saying, "It was my poor hospitality. I hope the High Priest will not be offended."

Chen Hui waved his hand and said, "Your Highness, these are all minor matters. I only hope that Your Highness can reconsider the cooperation."

"Alright." Liu Xian covered his mouth with his hand, coughed twice, and then laughed, "If all the priests of the Zhengyi Sect were like Priest Chen, what would I have to worry about? How about this, once I recover, I will personally go to Qingcheng Mountain to meet with all the priests. What do you think?"

Chen Hui was overjoyed upon hearing this. If Liu Xian could personally go to Qingcheng Mountain, it would indeed reduce many potential conflicts. Regardless of the content of the negotiations, Liu Xian's willingness to cooperate was evident, which could sway many people. Many things fail not because of embarrassment, but because there is nothing to say, nothing to discuss.

Thinking of this, Chen Hui volunteered, "In that case, Your Highness, why don't you let me take a look? If it's just a common cold, I can prescribe two doses of herbal medicine, and it will be effective soon."

Liu Xian had been feeling quite unwell lately. Having personally witnessed Chen Hui's superb medical skills, he readily agreed, nodding and saying, "Then I'll trouble you, Chen Dugong."

Chen Hui was thus able to get closer to Liu Xian and examine him closely. At first glance, he seemed fine, but after carefully observing Liu Xian's complexion, he was startled and asked, "Your Highness, could you please remove your upper garment so that I can have a better look at you?"

Liu Xian was slightly puzzled, but considering that he was a physician and his medical skills were clearly superior to those of Huangfu Dan and the others, he did not refuse. He unbuttoned his robe, showing his naked upper body to Chen Hui.

Chen Hui had treated many wounded soldiers and seen many scars, but a body covered in scars like Liu Xian's was extremely rare. At a glance, there were at least seven arrow wounds, three penetrating wounds, and probably more than ten cuts from swords and knives, which secretly impressed Chen Hui. But that wasn't what caught his attention. He searched along Liu Xian's scars for a moment and sure enough, found a small red boil on his lower right shoulder. He inwardly cursed.

Liu Xian hissed and froze when the abscess was gently pressed. It took him a while to recover, his forehead covered in cold sweat. He asked in surprise, "Where did you press, Du Gong? I've never felt this pain before."

Chen Hui forced a smile and said, "Your Highness, it's nothing serious. I'll prescribe three detoxifying formulas for you, and that might cure you."

After saying this, he immediately returned to his desk and wrote three prescriptions, instructing Liu Xian to take them three times a day, morning, noon, and night. Liu Xian had little medical knowledge, and seeing Chen Hui's strange expression, he handed the prescriptions to Huangfu Dan and the others after Chen Hui left. After confirming that there were no serious side effects, he accepted the prescriptions.

Meanwhile, Chen Hui returned to his tent, his expression solemn. He immediately woke the sleeping Li A, and before the other man could fully wake up, he whispered, "Something terrible has happened! Today I treated Duke Anle, and I don't know where he inhaled miasma. He's also been suffering from acclimatization issues lately and has caught typhoid fever. The shock caused by this has aggravated his old injuries and new illnesses, resulting in a carbuncle!"

Li A, whose mind was still somewhat hazy, was startled by Chen Hui's words and his mind cleared up. He asked, "Is this true?"

“Absolutely true!” Chen Hui glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention, then continued, “I gave Anle three prescriptions that can delay the onset of the carbuncle, but I estimate they can only delay it for a maximum of six months. After six months, there’s no time left to delay. What should we do then?”

In those days, carbuncles were practically an incurable disease. Patients either had to rely on luck to recover on their own, or they were left to die. Once a carbuncle developed, the bleeding was uncontrollable, and of those who survived, only one in ten remained.

Upon hearing that Liu Xian had contracted carbuncles, Li A was overjoyed. He wanted to burst into laughter but feared attracting attention, so he had to suppress his laughter and said, "Ha, Heaven has blessed me! That scoundrel Liu Xian is wicked and has incurred divine punishment!"

Chen Hui frowned and said, "Be careful what you say! Duke Anle is truly a benevolent and righteous ruler. It is no blessing for the people that he has contracted such a serious illness today. What is there to celebrate?"

Li A didn't refute, but clapped his hands repeatedly and said with a smile, "Yes, yes, but Liu Xian only has six months to live, he's practically dead. So why are we still staying here and playing along with him? We should hurry back and tell Fan Tianjian this news. No matter how talented Liu Xian is, the one who will govern Bashu in the future will inevitably be the King of Chengdu!"

Chen Hui was speechless. He strongly disagreed with Li A's idea and felt sorry for Liu Xian, but faced with reality, Li A's idea was beyond reproach. So, early the next morning, they bid farewell to Liu Xian under the pretext of returning to their sect and rode swiftly towards Qingcheng Mountain. (End of Chapter)