TAKING REVENGE, OR FOLLOWING THE CALLING FROM INNER SOUL

Heaven has given me this opportunity. I have the opportunity to take revenge. Now he gets ill... Is it what I hope from the beginning?!...

He has killed my wife... has killed Bai and his entire family... has made many people suffer... Then, why must I be so stupid by healing him?!?

"... Actually, a physician can heal others because his heart is full of love. Because of his compassion, that is, being touched by seeing the suffering a person must endure. On the contrary, hatred wants to see other people suffer. What hatred dislikes the most is happiness. So, if you still keep hatred in your heart, how can you be compassionate towards others? You won't be able to cure people..."

It appears all that way. As if the God of Medicine came back and rebuked him in loud voice, as if he was still in Yunnan eleven years ago. Zhu Su was startled. His chest ached excruciatingly, as if he had just been hit with a big blow. His hands trembled hard.

Deep down, his true wish was to heal as many people as he could, to free them from the suffering of illness. He really liked medicine, because it is a very miraculous science. He always dreamed, after he mastered medicine, he would help the injured people to get recovered, and even to bring back anyone from the dead.

But now, after he mastered it, how could he instead turn it into a murder tool? He was misusing it to do the killing?

And, above all, he was going to do cruelty to his own family. To kill his own nephew.

As a healer, was it a proper way for him to do so?

Zhu Su had his fingers get closer to Zhu Yunwen's wrists, was about to take his pulses.

"Of course you are allowed to do that. He deserves it! Does Yunwen accept you as his family?! He has the heart to exile you and Youdun and get you all imprisoned, even your wife must die because of him! He takes the life of your beloved one, so you may take his life as well! You have the right to kill him! Moreover, Brother Di - as well as Yunwen's other victims - hopes it to be realized!"

Zhu Su felt his hands trembled more violently. He hesitated.

"If you heal him, you will become the silliest prince around the world. Look at your father! Without hesitation, he executed ten thousands, or even hundred thousands of people during his reign! But he executed those who were guilty and had violated the laws! Because of his iron fists, Ming can enjoy rapid progress! You want to become a great leader, don't you? Your dream is to become a leader who can implement the Principle of Wang Dao and Ba Dao all at once?!"

"Fine! Just say it; that you don't want to heal Yunwen, since his level of illness is so severe it is out of your capability and we just wait for him to die soon. Come on, speak it out! Speak it out!"

Zhu Su opened his mouth, ready to say it.

"... I really love medicine. I've no idea about the reason. My family background is in a political and military career, we are born and raised in an environment filled with those who are busy in governmental affairs. It's strange then, I'm ended up being interested in this field..."

He remembered that. He had said those words before. It had seemingly been a very long time since the last time he heard such pure and sincere sentences. Everything had changed. Now his heart was covered by the dust of hatred and the flames of rage. His pure, sincere heart had gone away long time ago. And what remained there, was only this heart, which had been deeply hurt.

However, it seemed that he missed the echo of that pure and sincere heart, and wished it to come back again.

"Zhou Wang? Are you alright?..." Seeing Zhu Su still remained silent without doing anything, the empress asked anxiously.

"Ah... n... nothing... I am fine..." Zhu Su hastily replied. He stepped forward, no longer caring for any disturbance emerging from his mind. He began to examine Zhu Yunwen, then took the paper and ink brush, and wrote the herbal prescription seriously.

He tried to focus on healing his nephew.

***

"Your Highness, it's been your plan that the Emperor falls ill and loses his prestige, hasn't it? But why do you heal him instead?!"

This time Zhu Su and Liu Ku were outside the palace, standing in a deserted terrain. A vast ravine stretched out few meters in front of them, as well as a huge, tall mountain which soared into the sky, the soft clouds covering on the mountain made it appear mysterious and majestic. In this midst of tranquil and deserted terrain, Liu Ku questioned Zhu Su, voice was full of anger.

Instead of answering, Zhu Su just showed a gloomy face. He kept looking at the ravine in his front, saying nothing.

"Or maybe you are pretending? Pretending to cure the Emperor while in fact, you aren't? Because you are worried that the things will get worse if you refuse to heal the Emperor?"

Zhu Su let out a harsh breath. "Well... you may think like that..."

"Your Highness?!?"

Liu Ku also let out a harsh breath. They joined forces with Zhu Di in order to bring down Zhu Yunwen, didn't they? With Zhu Yunwen being affected by the disease then their plan would certainly succeed. Liu Ku was just amazed with what Zhu Su did. Finally his master - who was usually naïve and idealist - could carry out the Principle of Ba Dao brilliantly. Yet in the end, his master suddenly turned back to his naïve principle.

"Your Highness, remember! You are not a medical expert, you are a Prince. A leader! You shouldn't be attached to medical ethics since there is a great difference in basic principle between a physician and a politician! Besides, we are now launching a campaign! Do you remember what I said before, in war we must remove our kindness!..."

"Stop that, Liu Ku! Shut up! Enough talking!"

Zhu Su glared at him, he appeared so infuriated. Liu Ku pressed his lips. But Zhu Su's furious expression managed to close Liu Ku's mouth. And then, stayed away from him.

Liu Ku's accusation was true. He had such a very brilliant idea. It was not easy to bring down an emperor, especially in his current position. He had also tried to galvanize himself so as to follow his father's advice; Don't be too naïve, and must be agile in every condition so he could survive despite the turmoil life of the palace. Now he did it. He got that excellent chance, but why did he waste it anyway?

Just to follow his inner voice.

And his inner voice, was not calling him to become a politician who would stop at nothing to seize power, and if necessary, would step on the illicit way to get it. His inner voice, instead guided him to be fond of medical science, to be willing to help others - even towards his mortal enemy who had made him suffer.

Liu Ku was correct. He was not suitable to become a leader.

He had better get rid of his dream of seizing power, even for the power of a mere small village.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

Zhu Su turned around. Several women whom he recognized as court ladies were approaching him. Panic was covering their faces.

"What's wrong?" Zhu Su asked quickly. Liu Ku moved closer towards them.

"Your Highness... please, help Her Majesty the Empress! She is also infected by the disease!"