Although Yun had been sitting on the top of the hill for a long time, this time a unique occurrence which was different than usual happened - she was unable to meditate. Her mind was jammed by her meeting with Hu Nayin earlier.
To be honest, she really liked Hu Nayin. During that unexpected meeting, her surprised heart was filled with excessive joy. She really wanted to invite Hu Nayin to drink tea at a nearby tearoom and poured out her overflowing longing for her. She wanted to have a delight chat, she wanted to see Hu Nayin's energetic face just like twenty years ago.
Her hope was ruined. Hu Nayin had changed. The reason of her coming was not because of missing her teacher, but instead, she wanted to persuade her to quit her mission. To defend her enemies - because the Wang Fei had become the part of the Enemy.
Suddenly Yun realized something. Could it be that her Gu Shu failed last time because of Hu Nayin's work? Gu Shu was somehow the representative of the Miao people, all Miao people knew what Gu Shu actually was without doubt. Especially Hu Nayin, who had studied under her guidance before. Without doubt, Hu Nayin knew every antidote to neutralize various kinds of her poisons.
Yun's hands clenched tightly. Her anger with Hu Navin poured through her. She taught everything to Hu Nayin... and this was how that disciple returned her favor - by fighting against her. Now she lamented why she ever accepted that woman as her disciple. Her heart really hurt. She felt betrayed.
Her worldly love has blinded her eyes and led her astray, to the extent that she has the heart to betray her own teacher.
There is no Truth in this world. Everything is fake.
Only falsehood on the surface, but inside is full of demonic lust!
"Nayin..." Yun let out a harsh breath. "How ruthless you are, fooling your teacher like this... you will get the punishment you deserve in the near future."
***
When Hu Nayin and Wu Qi returned to Kaifeng Palace, Zhu Su was reading in the library. He was too focused on reading from book to book he did not notice that Hu Nayin was standing next to him.
"Good evening, Your Highness..." Having been standing for more than a minute but Zhu Su was still engrossed in his activities, Hu Nayin decided to call him.
Zhu Su gasped and "returned" to the real world. He looked up. "Nayin..."
Hu Nayin smiled awkwardly. "I apologize for interrupting you from your reading..."
"Ah, never mind! I was just too focused on my research." He handed Hu Nayin the book he was reading. "Look at this, Nayin! The information about plants written in this book is very incomplete. The recorded medicines are only the results of good cultivation, they must be planted in loose soil and will wither and die if the soil is barren."
Hu Nayin sat on a chair beside Zhu Su, and began to read.
"I agree with you. That's why the people are suffered from famine."
"But it seems that the Team of Wellbeing is lack of confidence to carry out this project."
"Because they are pessimistic, they believe that they can't do it."
"Ah," Zhu Su sighed. "As the Implementator, we must be optimistic and believe that we will succeed. Because we're not going to take action for something we don't believe that it'll succeed. Once they get sure that they will fail, they will definitely fail because they have given up even before trying."
Zhu Su's guess was definitely correct. On the next day, several members of the Team of Wellbeing came to Zhu Su, said, "We do apologize, Your Highness, we are lacking in knowledge and we are not sure whether we can help you. Therefore, please allow us to resign."
Before Zhu Su made any comment, other team members also said, "Now the task is very difficult for us, because we will create new momentum that has never been done before."
Zhu Su looked thoroughly across the room. All of his team members just stared back in silence. Someone should have spoken out to deny this pessimistic statement - but apparently, nobody did it. Instead, their eyes emitted such dark pessimism. Everyone was - except Hu Nayin, Liu Ku, and Li Heng.
Zhu Su nid-nodded.
"Well," He said slowly. "If you are reluctant, that's okay. I will not force you, you have right to do that. And," He looked around, "If somebody wants to resign, I will give permission."
When the team members who asked for permission to resign bowed respectfully and left the room, several people stood up, bowed respectfully, and said, "Please excuse us for resigning, Your Highness."
Thus, only half of it remained. The nine people from the Initial Team of Wellbeing, Hu Nayin, Liu Ku, Li Heng, Qu You, and eight more people.
Looking at the rest of his team, Zhu Su said, "I sincerely thank all of you who keep staying. Even though it is difficult... even though it sounds impossible to be achieved, but you are still willing to keep working."
Liu Ku commented, "If you don't want to make any sacrifice, then don't expect to achieve anything extraordinary."
"And after all, we will do something very meaningful for human welfare," said Li Heng.
Zhu Su nodded. "Just let them go. Later we will get much more assistance. The number of our members can be even more numerous."
All team members furrowed confusingly, "We will recruit more members? Who are the candidates?"
"Kaifeng people."
***
At this moment, Zhu Su had been standing on an impromptu podium, facing thousands of Kaifeng residents straightly. He was accompanied by all his team members, as well as Wu Qi and Chen Xinyi who were constantly on guard to prevent the risk of enemy attack.
Zhu Su watched thoroughly the people who were standing in front of him. He tried to scrutinize them from the look in their eyes when they looked back at him. But Zhu Su might let out a sigh of relief. Kaifeng people were still much better than Yunnan people when he was exiled a long time ago. They looked at him with great curiosity, as if saying that they hoped Zhu Su could lift them from the abyss of suffering.
Well, after all, we are all the same Han ethnicity, all are the people from the Central Plain. It's simply because of the misery they then become apathy towards the government, so the poor can be paid to do riots by the intruders, and the good ones are afraid of them. But, as the government it is indeed our duty to make them live comfortably and prosperously.