Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 124 A doctor’s heart is full of compassion!
The matter in Kaolao Village cannot be kept secret.

Li Tai, who was in the palace, also learned about it and became interested in the printing technology that Xiao Ran had developed.

He took the initiative to find Li Shimin.

Tai Chi Hall

"Grandpa, I want to go to Kaolao Village too!"

Li Tai said, "I'll bring more books to help out."

Li Shimin was aware of Li Tai's literary talent.

“Alright, go!” Li Shimin said, “It’s cold now, so bring plenty of clothes. Also, bring some gifts. Xiao Ran doesn’t care about these things, but we can’t be careless about etiquette.”

“Yes, Grandpa, I understand!” Li Tai was overjoyed.

Back at the mansion, I started packing my things, wanting to go there as soon as possible.

Li Tai needs to pack his things, which will take some time.

Li Shimin said, "Anan, send a message to Lizhi and tell her in advance."

"It is Your Majesty!" Zhang Anan turned around to prepare.

Li Tai's sudden appearance was somewhat abrupt.

It would be better if Li Lizhi and Xiao Ran discussed it.

The letter was delivered to Kaolao Village and handed to Li Lizhi immediately.

"Sister, is this a letter from Father?" Princess Yuzhang asked from beside her.

"Hmm!" Li Lizhi opened it and looked at it, saying, "Grandpa said that Silang is coming and wants to get involved in the printing technology. Please help him out."

“Brother, you are very learned and suitable. Shouldn’t we talk to the young master about it first?”

Li Lizhi nodded, "Of course, I definitely have to talk about it. Silang should be here soon."

Li Lizhi put the letter away and went to find Xiao Ran.

"Xiao Langjun!"

"Fifth Sister!"

"Brother, you're interested in printing and would like to participate."

"Brother? Which one?" Xiao Ran didn't know for a moment; Li Lizhi had several brothers.

“It’s Si Lang.” Li Lizhi gestured, Li Tai was rather fat.

Xiao Ran suddenly realized that Li Tai was very knowledgeable and that Xiao Ran had some understanding of him. "That would be perfect. When would that be?"

"I might be here in a bit," Li Lizhi said, a little embarrassed.

"Alright, let's prepare a room in a bit! They need a scholar over there, and Silang's arrival is just right."

"Alright, I'll have Sixth Sister prepare it."

Li Tailai was free labor, and Xiao Ran was quite happy to accept it.

Before long, Li Tai arrived at the gate of the courtyard.

Several horse-drawn carriages followed.

Some of it was Li Tai's own stuff, but most of it was supplies sent by Li Tai.

The gifts given to Xiao Ran included fine silks and satins, many books, and good quality paper.

"Brother!" Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang went over.

"Shiro!"

“Young master!” Li Tai smiled. “I heard that you are studying printing technology and can print books in batches. I am very interested and came to see you. I would like to participate in it as well. I am afraid that I will be bothering you in the village for a while. I am afraid that I will be causing you trouble.”

"Don't be so polite. We're delighted that you've come, Fourth Brother. Please come inside."

Upon hearing that Li Tailai had arrived, Li Kecheng and the others came to meet him and help move his things.

"The village should be able to use these things."

"You've brought way too much!" Xiao Ran really hadn't expected Li Tai to bring so many things.

Li Tai was also very interested in what Xiao Ran was doing.

He wandered around with Li Ke and the others, and even went to the school to see his two younger sisters.

“If my husband gets too busy in the future, I can help him with the classes,” Li Tai said.

“That’s perfect. If you’re free, brother, you can try it later. The classes here are a bit different.” Yu Zhang then didn’t stand on ceremony with Li Tai.

“I’d like to take a look at the printing press first,” Li Tai said.

"Okay, they're still preparing over there, but it should be done soon." Xiao Ran led a few people to find Wang Shen.

Wang Shen is currently in charge of overseeing that area. He is also a scholar and knows more than others. Together with the village head, he can better coordinate and manage the affairs.

Wang Shen never expected that he would be able to find this job.

The materials have mostly arrived; we are now preparing them.

The engraving hasn't been officially started yet, because we're still practicing, and the printing of the book hasn't been finalized.

Wang Shen and Xiao Ran explained the situation to each other.

Xiao Ran also explained Li Tai's purpose for coming.

Xiao Ran didn't say that Li Tai was a prince, but when Wang Shen heard that he was Li Lizhi's brother, he knew that he was no ordinary person.

After realizing this, she knew she had to consult with Li Tai on everything.

Seeing that the preparations were almost complete, Li Tai asked Xiao Ran, "Young master, which books should we print first?"

"I haven't thought about it either." Xiao Ran really hadn't thought about it.

“How about some primers that can be used in school, like the Thousand Character Classic?” Li Lizhi suggested.

“This will work too!” Xiao Ran nodded. “Uncle, what do you think?” Xiao Ran asked Wang Shen, showing him ample respect.

"Fifth Sister's suggestion is good. It can be used in the school now, and the word count is not high. I think it's a good idea." Wang Shen expressed his agreement.

"Okay, let's settle on that. Once everything is ready, we can start construction!"

Xiao Ran didn't need to keep an eye on things; Li Tai was here, so there was no need to worry about correcting these things.

Xiao Ran has done all he can. He has told the others what to do, and the rest is none of his concern.

Li Tai did not go back with Xiao Ran and the others, but stayed in the printing workshop.

It's called a workshop, but it's really just a temporary courtyard.

Back home, Xiao Ran found Sun Simiao.

"Grandpa, how's the gunpowder going?"

Sun Simiao pulled out a pottery urn from under the table, and then took out a neatly folded piece of hemp paper—the paper was covered with densely packed small characters and symbols in different proportions.

He first pointed to the earthenware urn, his tone tinged with caution: "Following your method, saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal were mixed in different proportions. After more than twenty attempts, we have finally been able to consistently produce the 'medicinal guide'."

He picked up the paper and handed it to Xiao Ran, pointing to the words on it with his fingertip: "When this thing was first made, I tried applying it externally to sores and swellings—grind it into a fine powder, mix it with some sesame oil, and apply it. The redness will subside the next day. It works for treating boils and swellings caused by heat toxins, so it can be considered a medicine."

But then Sun Simiao's tone shifted, his brow furrowing and his voice growing somber: "But this medicine is too potent; it cannot withstand even a spark, let alone the slightest mistake. Last time I prepared it, I added 10% too much sulfur, and it exploded with a 'bang' as soon as it was lit, shattering the ceramic bowl and nearly setting the medicine basket ablaze with sparks."

“Another time, when he was testing the ointment on a villager, he accidentally touched the stove fire, and the ointment instantly caught fire, burning a blister on his hand—this was no ordinary medicine; the slightest carelessness could lead to disaster.”

Sun Simiao then pointed to the pottery urn: "You said you wanted it to 'be able to open mountains and be of great use,' but it's still far from that."

"The kind of material we make now can only blast a small pit at most. Its power dissipates quickly. If you want to blast hard rocks, you have to pile it up like a small mountain. Before you can even use it, you'll hurt yourself. Besides, it's too wild and impossible to control properly. I tried putting it in a bamboo tube, and the bamboo tube exploded into pieces, burning half a bundle of firewood next to it."

Finally, Sun Simiao patted Xiao Ran's arm, his eyes full of admonition: "It can be used to treat illnesses, but you must be extremely careful. The kind of 'great use' you want needs to be adjusted in the ratio. However, the stronger this stuff is, the greater the danger. When you try it in the future, be sure to stay far away and find several thick wooden boards to block it. Don't be reckless."

"Grandpa, if I told you I wanted to use this thing on the battlefield as a weapon, would you be disappointed?" Xiao Ran didn't want to hide it from Sun Simiao.

Oneself is a weapon.

After listening, Sun Simiao remained silent for a moment, then slowly put down his tools. His eyes showed no surprise, but rather a more insightful and gentle expression.

"Everything in this world has two sides. Take the sickle that people in our village use for farming, for example. It's used to harvest wheat and millet on ordinary days, ensuring that the whole family has food to eat every day. It's a good tool for improving our lives."

"But if it falls into the hands of evil people, it can become a weapon that can kill. There is nothing wrong with the object itself; the key is who holds it and how it is used."

Looking at the herbs drying in the courtyard, Sun Simiao's voice was filled with the earnestness that comes with the passage of time: "In my life as a doctor, all I've ever thought about is dispensing medicine to save lives in emergencies and treating people's injuries. I can't bear to see anyone suffer even the slightest bit."

"But I have lived for nearly a hundred years and have seen the border cavalry trample villages, and seen people starve to death on the roadside after the soldiers looted grain. Only then did I understand that medicine alone cannot save people. Without a peaceful life, even the most effective medicine cannot protect those who want to live well."

"Peace never comes out of thin air. Sometimes, someone has to hold something that can 'keep away wolves' so that more people can farm, study, and raise their children in peace."

As he spoke, he turned around, pointed to the earthenware urn under the table, and his eyes held a more solemn affirmation:
“Your thing is indeed a bit fierce, but it’s not just a source of trouble that can injure people.”

"If we use it to open up mountains in the future, it can widen the mountain roads, so that people will no longer have to take dangerous detours for dozens of miles to transport grain. If we use it to protect the border, it can deter the barbarian cavalry from easily invading, so that children in the border areas will no longer have to cry for their parents at night. Even in the villages, we can use it to blast open up the hard soil and bring water to irrigate the fields, so that the harvest will be better. Aren't these all good things that benefit the country and the people?"

Finally, he patted Xiao Ran on the shoulder, his tone full of genuine approval: "Don't feel that using it as a weapon is unfair to anyone. As long as it's for protecting those who should be protected and doing what should be done, it has great significance."

"This thing can make life better and give peace more confidence. It's a remarkable object, even more useful than any good medicine I could concoct."

Xiao Ran looked into Sun Simiao's clear eyes, his fingertips unconsciously clenching the proportioning paper in his hand. His heart felt like it was being soaked in warm water, with a touch of bitter guilt.

He had underestimated the old man's "benevolent heart as a doctor".

Xiao Ran thought that Sun Simiao, who had spent his life saving lives and was used to the warmth of medicine saving lives, would definitely be resistant to, or even disappointed by, the idea of ​​"gunpowder becoming weapons".

He was afraid the old man would think that a perfectly good medicine had been turned into a weapon that could harm people, which violated the original intention of a doctor; he was also afraid that the old man would advise him "not to touch anything that could harm people", so he was still a little uneasy when he asked the question.

But Sun Simiao didn't blame him; on the contrary, he saw things more clearly than Sun Simiao—the old man not only understood that "medicine can save lives," but also that "without security, medicine cannot protect people."

They not only know that "objects have two sides," but also that "holding things on the right path can protect the people."

He had lived for nearly a hundred years, seen more chaotic times than Xiao Ran, and understood the importance of peace more deeply than Xiao Ran. How could he be like Xiao Ran, only focusing on the aspect of "weapons hurting people"?
Xiao Ran suddenly realized that his previous concerns were simply narrow-minded speculation.

He limited Sun Simiao's benevolence to "emergency care in the clinic," forgetting that the old man had traveled across most of the country, witnessed the cries of people in border areas, and heard the deathly silence after the passage of chaotic troops.

The old man's benevolence was not only concerned with the immediate problems, but also with the long-term goal of enabling people to "farm and study in peace."

“I was actually afraid you would blame me,” Xiao Ran said in a low voice, his tone tinged with self-deprecating guilt. “I always thought that you had spent your whole life treating patients and couldn’t stand anything that hurt people, but I forgot that you knew better than anyone else that in chaotic times, medicine alone cannot protect those who want to live well.”

Xiao Ran blamed himself for underestimating the old man's wisdom and magnanimity, which he had gained through the years, with his shallow perspective. He shouldn't have confined the image of a "doctor" to the stereotype of "opposing all weapons," and he shouldn't have doubted that this old man, who had seen the suffering of the world, would not understand the necessity of "stopping war with war and protecting peace with weapons."

Sun Simiao smiled, reached out and patted Xiao Ran's hand. The warmth of his palm seeped through the fabric, like the warmth of sun-dried wood.

"Isn't that strange? Why are there so many rules? I've lived this long and I don't bother with people's speculations anymore—but you, spending your time on this makes you seem distant."

He picked up the herbs from the stone mortar and slowly pounded them, his voice filled with the tenderness and trust of an elder for a younger generation:
"I may not understand how big weapons gunpowder can be made, nor do I understand the intricacies of the battlefield, but I understand you, kid."

“You’re not the type to harm people with things—you led the villagers to make roasted chestnuts and persimmon cakes, and to work in the coal mines, so that everyone no longer had to eat frozen corn cakes in the winter and could have an extra cotton coat.”

“You build schools to teach children to read, so they won’t be like their parents who were blind and couldn’t even read the characters on their own grain sacks. When you recruit workers for the coal mine, you think about taking care of Kaolao Village first, and then helping people from the surrounding villages to make money together, afraid that they will be envious and suffer grievances.”

The pestle tapped in the stone mortar, a sound that brought peace of mind: "Which of these things isn't pulling people's lives towards a better future? People who keep these things in mind, who can give children hope and villagers a sense of purpose, even if they really turn that volatile stuff into weapons, it must be to protect these people and these lives. How bad could they be?"

Sun Simiao stopped pounding the medicine, looked up at Xiao Ran, and smiled even more: "So, stop worrying about whether I'll blame you—I trust you more than I trust the nature of those herbs, and that's enough."

Xiao Ran felt very embarrassed.

"Old man, having you is a great blessing for this era!"

Sun Simiao smiled but remained silent.

“Grandpa, I know you’re writing a book. Hurry up and I’ll print it out for those who need it.”

"Medical books should be sold at the lowest possible price so that ordinary people can afford them."

At this moment, Xiao Ran was like a child who had received a benefit, making promises to others.

"Alright, then I'd better hurry. But there are so many people in the world, you might lose out here!"

"It's alright, let the person sitting in the Taiji Hall pay the bill!"

Sun Simiao smiled helplessly, realizing that Xiao Ran had known about Li Shimin and Li Lizhi's identities for a long time.

(End of this chapter)