"Especially when you managed to humiliate your brother so effectively, and then save my father...
this made me trust in you."Fan Yan was silent;he hadn't expected the values formed from that world to have made both the emperor and the eldest prince feel a strange level of trust towards him.The eldest prince came here today hoping to express his attitude toward the surveillance bureau while also expecting some useful advice from Fan Yan.
However, since Fan Yan kept silent, it was best not to be too presumptuous.
With Lin Wan'ere as an intermediary, if anything changed in the capital in the future, he wouldn't expect help from the surveillance bureau but would settle for any useful information."Have you heard that the court physician has visited your residence several times?"The prolonged military life made him uncomfortable discussing such official matters.
Fan Yan chuckled inwardly and explained: "He wanted me to work at the Imperial Medical Academy, but the emperor rejected it.
Now he wants me to teach students there."This was just a casual conversation, but the eldest prince took it seriously.
He said: "Fan Yan, I think you should go to the Imperial Medical Academy.
On that night outside Guangxin Palace, I saw how sincere those court physicians were, and your medical skills are truly remarkable."He curiously asked: "Everyone in the capital wonders, why did you dare let Miss Fan operate inside her own body?They have turned you into a god of medicine."Fan Yan smiled bitterly: "Don't believe them.
Everyone knows that Fei Jie was my teacher...
If they were forced to dissect and autopsy bodies from a young age, like me, they would also be able to do this.""Then it seems not all problems can be solved with talent alone." The eldest prince sighed, then advised: "The Imperial Medical Academy is far less powerful than the surveillance bureau, but it's more peaceful.
The chief physician has simple thoughts;if you teach your medical skills, countless lives might be saved."He stared deeply into Fan Yan's eyes: "Saving people is always better than killing.
And I have experienced in the army that a good doctor means everything to injured soldiers.""Why should I teach medicine?""To benefit all under heaven.""Does the chief physician also think so?""Yes.""The reason you came today was to convince the chief physician, no wonder your conversation seemed so strange." Fan Yan laughed.Seeing him laugh confidently, the eldest prince's face darkened.
"Do you think we are just making idle talk?"Indeed, it sounded like idle talk.
Letting him, a prestigious surveillance bureau official, teach medicine instead of staying at his post was impossible to imagine for anyone else, but these two orthodox individuals said it directly.Fan Yan stopped laughing and noticed that his wound was causing some pain in his chest.
He said: "I am not making fun;I actually have respect for the chief physician."There were many issues with performing surgery—anaesthesia, sterilization, instruments.
In this world's standards, these barriers couldn't be overcome yet.
Fan Yan used simple terms to explain all of that, and finally, the eldest prince understood: a strong form of medicine, using one's body to fight against those sharp blades and drugs.Thinking about how many soldiers had died from arrow wounds in the western campaigns, he sighed with regret: "Is there no better way?"Fan Yan's mind went back to his sister's steady hands.
He said comfortingly: "I will let Ru'er go to the Imperial Medical Academy for mutual learning with court physicians."The eldest prince nodded and continued: "Earlier, it seemed you weren't entirely convinced by the phrase 'benefiting all under heaven'."This was his curiosity.
Fan Yan, though a powerful minister focused on profit, seemed to have broader ambitions.Fan Yan paused, then softly said: "Benefiting all under heaven can be achieved in many ways;saving lives isn't the only method."The eldest prince didn't understand."Take you for example.
You fought Huns in the west and killed countless enemies," he smiled: "But you stopped the Western Hun invasion, which is a great service to the people, right?"Even the most composed eldest prince couldn't avoid this flattery."And me.
Though everyone thinks the surveillance bureau is a dark secret organization, if I can use it effectively to benefit our Great Qing Empire, ensuring its stability and prosperity...
isn't that also benefiting all under heaven?" "Though we have similar goals, there are many ways to achieve them." Fan Yan became more enthusiastic: speaking like his former teacher in junior high school, he recounted the old story of Lu Xun abandoning medicine for literature.The eldest prince was surprised: "Preserving people's physical health is not as important as preserving their spiritual health?" He slammed his fist and said: "But our Great Qing Empire does not need literary enlightenment;it is already strong."Indeed, the Great Qing people had a pure and refreshing spirit, very different from what Lu Xun had suffered in the late Qing dynasty.Fan Yan smiled: "So...
I am not just abandoning medicine;even writing might be abandoned too...
What am I doing?Abandoning medicine for politics?Abandoning pen for arms?"The eldest prince didn't agree with his view: "You are truly a genius.
Why not use all your knowledge to improve the world?If you could make this world better..."Fan Yan agitó la mano y dijo: "La mayoría de las personas quieren cambiar el mundo, pero pocos piensan en cambiar a sí mismos primero (Nota 1).
Creo que es mejor mejorarme a mí mismo antes de intentar cambiar nada".A woman tried to change the world decades ago and died.
Fan Yan didn't want to follow her path;he was more afraid of death and more selfish.Outside, a sudden commotion sounded through the window with joyous laughter.The eldest prince looked at him, smiling: "It seems your rewards are finally coming."Fan Yan smiled self-deprecatingly, saying nothing.
His clear eyes only contained concern for his own body, not the world's.(Continuará...)