Chapter 22: Stop Making a Scene, Marquis of Wucheng

"Master Chun, I wonder if you have heard the saying: military and civil administration should be managed at separate levels. Government affairs are one thing, and the military is another!"

"Those in government should not study military strategy; they should focus only on the people's livelihood and the economy!"

"Those in the military should not study civil governance; they should focus only on training and warfare!"

"If possible, we could even implement a hierarchical management system for education. For instance, the Confucian school among the Hundred Schools of Thought could have its own dedicated administrative body to oversee education and research!"

"In this way, a tripartite structure of military, civil, and academic powers could check and balance one another, preventing many problems from arising."

Upon hearing this, Chunyu Yue’s face beamed with joy. What was happening today? How was it that every word the Prince spoke resonated so deeply with his own thoughts? The Confucian school! This was his own foundation! If it were truly as described, the Confucian school would become an inseparable part of the Great Qin, and it would surely flourish. It might even attain the same status that the Legalists currently held in the Qin Empire.

"Splendid, splendid, splendid!" Chunyu Yue stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "Your Highness, this 'provincial system' of yours... I find it superior to the commandery-county system."

"We are proposing four administrative levels, whereas the commandery-county system only has two. A careful comparison reveals many drawbacks to the latter!"

"For instance, once officials become corrupt, they form cliques, engage in nepotism, and wallow in petty schemes within the imperial court..."

Wang Ruonan listened to all of this in a daze. What on earth? What were they talking about? Wait! What did Chunyu Yue just call Fusu? He seemed to have performed the rites of a student, and he even addressed Fusu as his teacher? Most importantly, Wang Ruonan could not make heads or tails of what they were discussing. The provincial system, the commandery-county system... Wasn't Fusu a hypocrite? Wasn't he a playboy who coveted the beauty of Lady Li and dared to defy ethics to satisfy his own desires? Since when did playboys become so learned?

Wang Ruonan listened for a while longer, but eventually gave up. *So, Fusu is a learned playboy,* she thought to herself.

However, Wang Jian, who had been left on the sidelines, was not pleased. He had already slapped the table several times, yet the scholars remained completely oblivious, crowding around Fusu. They would knit their brows one moment and look enlightened the next. These scholars had even taken their seats as if it were only natural—had they forgotten whose house they were in? Who was the master of this residence?

Wang Jian grew angrier by the moment, slapping the table repeatedly until he finally annoyed Chunyu Yue. Chunyu Yue looked toward Wang Jian and cautioned, "Marquis Wucheng, do not make a scene. Be quiet for a moment!"

*Quiet? To hell with being quiet!* Wang Jian’s face turned even darker as he saw Chunyu Yue return to the discussion. Today was supposed to be a joyous occasion for his granddaughter. Yet these people had arrived at his estate, and instead of offering congratulations, they were surrounding his future grandson-in-law to discuss policies of statecraft? What did he care about commandery-county systems or provincial systems? What did that have to do with him? Wang Jian had spent his life fighting wars; he only cared about military affairs. He never dabbled in politics, nor did he pay much attention to them.

Huayang watched as Chunyu Yue and the others acted with such humility, performing the rites of students, and felt both annoyed and amused. She was annoyed because she had been worried that Fusu might have caused some trouble, and she had intended to treat these great scholars well, hoping they would not be too harsh on her younger brother. She was amused because Fusu had finally grown up; he was no longer the frail little boy who used to trail behind his sister. Huayang could not help but wipe away a tear.

"Grandmother, why are you crying?" Wang Li asked upon seeing this. Wang Jian also looked over. Huayang immediately wiped her eyes and said, "Something just blew into my eyes."

Hearing this, Fusu looked over and asked, "Sister, would you like to rinse them with some clean water?"

Huayang waved her hand immediately, saying, "No, no, you all continue, continue!"

At that moment, the imperial physician hurried over. "Your Highness, let this old servant examine you."

Only then did Chunyu Yue and the others realize Fusu had injured his left hand, and they wisely refrained from further questioning. Fusu finally let out a sigh of relief, allowing the physician to apply some herbal medicine for bruising and swelling, and to bandage the wound properly.

"Has your medical department ever developed penicillin?" Fusu asked curiously.

Physician Xia was taken aback. "What is this penicillin that Your Highness speaks of?"

Fusu thought for a moment and said, "Like this: when you return, take some paste and let it grow moldy until it sprouts green fuzz."

"If you encounter external wounds that cannot be reduced by ordinary herbs or are festering with pus, try applying some of that; it has miraculous effects."

"These fuzzy fungi contain penicillin. If it can be purified, it will be a holy medicine for treating consumption!"

"Consumption?" Physician Xia looked incredulous. As a practitioner of medicine for decades, he had seen all manner of difficult and strange illnesses, but he had never heard of such a thing as penicillin.

Physician Xia said suspiciously, "Your Highness, please do not speak nonsense. This is not something to play around with."

Fusu nodded and said, "Do not use this medicine unless the person is on the verge of death; some people may have allergic reactions."

Physician Xia’s expression darkened instantly. He stood up and said, "Your Highness’s wound is not very deep; applying some medicine will suffice."

"When I return to the palace, I will have someone send more medicine. Just change it on schedule."

Fusu was baffled by the visibly angry physician. He had kindly offered a method to treat consumption, and not only was his advice unappreciated, but the man had even taken offense! As he left, Physician Xia remarked, "A physician's heart is like that of a parent; those who do not understand medicine can kill people!"

Fusu: "..."

Seeing this, Wang Ruonan’s expression improved slightly, and she chimed in, "If you don't understand it, don't talk nonsense."

"You could kill someone that way!"

Fusu glanced at Wang Ruonan. *Is this woman ill?* What had he done to provoke her? Why was she so insufferable?

While Fusu was feasting at the Wang residence, several scholars left with Physician Xia. A quarter of an hour later, inside the Prime Minister’s residence, Li Si listened to a scholar recount everything he had seen at the Wang estate. The atmosphere grew oppressive. Li Si paced the room with a gloomy face.

Zhou Qingchen, Wu Gong, and another middle-aged scholar watched the restless Li Si with confusion. It was not until Li Si had thought things through that he looked at the middle-aged scholar and said, "Doctor Shusun Tong, it is time to clean house!"

Shusun Tong was slightly startled. A look of doubt appeared on his face as he said, "Master Kong says the time is not yet ripe."

Li Si replied bluntly, "If we do not initiate change now, we will have no chance left."

Shusun Tong frowned and fell into deep thought. Li Si was a mole planted by the Confucian school within the imperial court; he wore the robes of a Legalist while secretly aiming to revitalize the Confucian school. The occultists were the traitors to their cause. First, there were the scoundrels Lu Sheng and Hou Sheng, and now Xu Fu was using his silver tongue to peddle talk of elixirs and immortality. To eliminate these people, Li Si had specifically laid a trap. He had intentionally helped Hou Sheng and Lu Sheng escape, all to enrage the First Emperor of Qin, thereby providing the pretext to have them all executed.