THE HELPERS FROM ANTI-MAINSTREAM SECTS

"But this activity is blocked by strong opposition. The officials accuses me of being an immoral leader for cooperating with the marginalized sect. And my daughters, my own family who are supposed to support me, humiliate me and give hurtful criticisms instead!" Zhu Su decided to confide with Nature. Actually, he was not sure whether Nature would reply to him or not. But, it doesn't matter if She doesn't reply. It's okay then, I'm just a stressed person who doesn't know where to tell my sadness.

Notice that, as you get closer to your goal, the obstacles in your way also get bigger. The most difficult obstacles appear at the last second when you are so close to your destination."

Zhu Su blinked. To his surprise... Nature was willing to reply to him! Incredible. The human was unwilling to help him, but on the other hand Nature was instead supporting him.

"There's no need to hope for the support from humans. You just should hope to get the support from yourself, and from Heaven. Do not hope in humans, but hope in Heaven. Hoping for humans will only lead to disappointment. But if we believe in ourselves, and believe that Heaven will help us, no matter how badly humans disappoint you, you will still achieve your dreams in the end. Because only two factors which determine your success. You yourself, and the Destiny of the Heaven."

Thank you very much, Heaven... hopefully, I can do it.

The footsteps were getting closer to him. Zhu Su turned around. Liu Ku and Shao Rong were now standing behind him - along with several people he did not recognize.

"Your Highness, as you have requested, here are the medical experts." Liu Ku reported. "From all kinds of sects, including those who are excluded from society as well."

The experts consist of three people. They saluted, thus began to introduce themselves one by one. Zhu Su looked at them curiously.

"My great respect for you, Your Highness. My name is Zhong Xia, I am Shao Rong's colleague." A man in his mid-forties became the first to introduce himself.

The man standing next to him was younger, in his thirties. His round face looked friendly. He grinned, and his voice sounded louder as he said, "It is my pleasure to get the trust from Your Highness. I am Du Qinfeng, will exert my best effort to help you."

The last man was the oldest, around the mid-sixties. He seemed to be the quietest, with a rigid facial expression and hard to smile. He also did not pay respect as reverently as his other colleagues, he only nodded slightly. "I am Chen Suibo from Song Shan Mountain." Chen Suibo's attitude suddenly reminded Zhu Su of Gao Qing.

Zhu Su observed them one by one. A man was too friendly that he looked overreacting, a man behaved with dignity, and another was cold and indolent to be courteous. But this is indeed how the Jianghu people behave. In stark contrast to the court officials and scholars who are accustomed to imitated politeness and fake gracefulness. If we are not used to them, we will immediately feel uncomfortable and reluctant to connect with them. Like this time, I'm not used to interacting with them... but I should try to adjust myself to them.

"All of them are genuine experts. Just because they are anti-mainstream, society doesn't give them a place to actualize their skills, and they are forced to stay away and live as anonymous hermits. That's why you don't recognize them. But actually, it's a big delight for them to have the opportunity to serve the empire, especially if they may give a great contribution to people's welfare." Liu Ku explained again.

Zhu Su smiled. "I understand, as skillful hermits, you prefer to live away from the stifling crowds, and become reluctant to cooperate with us, the aristocrats. But this time you are willing to help me. I really appreciate your willingness to come here and give us help."

"We do not deserve it, Your Highness." All of them bowed down respectfully.

"Yes, my great pleasure to get help from you. But those scholars who are too stubborn on the theories they consider as the holiest are still unwilling to open their minds. So you should prepare yourself well to face it. Are you ready?"

Now it was Shao Rong who answered, "They are ready, Your Highness. I have told them everything about how the officials and scholars treat me. And by the way, I have made up my mind to ignore their comments. How about you? Are you ready?"

"This time I have been ready one hundred percent," Zhu Su said in a determined manner. "And I have got a very good approach to deal with that... without using Absolute Orders."

Liu Ku widened his eyes, looked so curious. "How will you do it?"

"Just ignore them and keep working."

Zhu Su's reply was immediately responded by Shao Rong's excited applause. "It's the very best way! After all, this is also just like Buddhism told, "A hand has to clap with another to create a sound of clapping. If we don't want to hear the sound, then don't let the hand clap back with another. Just let them criticize this and that and we keep focused on our goal. But, it requires strong willpower. Our walls of patience must not fall easily, because those words can be very annoying."

Zhu Su smiled again. He turned around, looking at his vast-but-almost-empty botanical garden. "This is my botanical garden. It's still empty, because they are still searching for the plants. But I'm sure they can collect the plants very quickly and our research can begin immediately." Yes, there were still very few plants in the botanical garden. What grew in it was the plants brought by Rui and Han Zhong, as well as the plants he got on his way to Luoyang, and the plants from Shao Rong. "I want to know your opinion about this."

"Your Highness, before you start the research, shouldn't you make a preliminary sketch of how this research will proceed?" Liu Ku asked.

"Yes, I have made it. I am guided by the Principles of Confucius, "Learn, Ask, Think, Analyze, Act."

"At first, you have to learn. You have been informed that the state of people's food consumption is dreadful. Then you ask, what we should do. You think of the way. Then you finally obtain the way through analyzing, and taking action to execute the results of your analysis. But according to my observations, you have to take different part for this research."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"You must have knowledge based on ancient medical texts. But there are many kinds of plants we are unfamiliar about." The wavy-edged leaves which caused the female patient's face to swell were evidently not recognized by Shao Rong and it remained an unsolved mystery. "So far we have oriented ourselves with this principle; "We must have knowledge before taking action." But now..."

"Take action first to get knowledge." Zhu Su continued Liu Ku's discontinuous words.

Liu Ku nid-nodded. "Once again, you will do something exceptional..."

"We will indeed do something difficult. As I said before, we will venture into a world full of darkness where lots of ravines and traps are waiting to ambush us but we can't see them. That's why many of our team members choose to resign, I can't blame them."

"So how do you get to this research?" Shao Rong was really curious about this part. "Is it the same way we do: Choose plants with strong instincts trained in spiritual cultivation?"

"I won't rely on instinct. I will do observations. Research. Since we don't have the knowledge about it, we have to research it. Knowledge is acquired as the research proceeds!"

The vast, deserted botanical garden was struck by a moment of silence.

"You are not just doing something exceptional." Liu Ku said slowly. "You will do something nobody has done before... at least, I don't know if anyone ever did it."

"If it hasn't been done before, how will you do it?" Shao Rong was more curious.

"Well, that's why we must wait until the other plants arrive here... at least until the garden has been half-filled."