Chapter 703: Giving Osmanthus Flowers to Others, the Fragrance Remains on Your Hands
At this time, Yunnan is no longer the colorful south of the clouds, nor is it a colorful, picturesque tourist destination that makes people linger.
Yunnan at that time was a barren land, a harsh frontier, with poor mountains and bad water, and the people were fierce. To be an official there was probably because one had done something bad in the previous life.
Before he went into mourning, Lord Zhou was the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, a third-rank official. He was suddenly exiled to Yunnan to serve as an official.
There are definitely some stories that have to be told.
I hope Mr. Zhou can be like Liu Yuxi who said, "Since ancient times, people have felt sad and lonely when autumn comes, but I say that autumn is better than spring."
Even if you are exiled to a remote frontier, you can still maintain an optimistic attitude.
After dinner, Sun Shan thought about it and decided that the most senior official he knew was none other than Minister He. If not him, who else could he ask? He knew the most about court affairs.
After dinner, Minister He was chatting with his wife about his son and eldest grandson.
As they were chatting, he heard a servant come over and say that his nephew's son-in-law was looking for him.
Minister He thought that Sun Shan was asking him a question.
He thought to himself that he had been away from the imperial examination for many years, and as he was old, he was not very good at the professional aspects of the imperial examination.
I don't know what kind of subject Sun Shan wants to ask him for advice.
The young men in the family never asked him for advice, not knowing whether they understood everything or were afraid.
Minister He planned to let Sun Shan discuss the question with his classmates first. If he was sure that he really didn't understand, he could leave the question and wait for him to ask his old friends in the Imperial College to answer it.
As a result, Sun Shan actually asked him about Zhou Ruo.
Minister He asked curiously, "Ashan, how do you know Zhou Ruo?"
Why are you asking about him?
Is there some unknown story between you?
Sun Shan always spoke the truth to people and lied to ghosts. He answered the question honestly: "Grandfather, I studied at Yuelu Academy. Three or four years ago, Mr. Zhou came home from mourning. I had nothing to do, so I went to Yuelu Academy to give lectures. By chance, I saved his grandson and got to know him."
Sun Shan recounted the story of how he met Lord Zhou, how he shamelessly asked Lord Zhou questions, and how he became good friends with Lord Zhou's grandson.
Of course if I were to ask a question shamelessly I wouldn't say it like that; I would have to embellish it.
He said that he was quick to learn and was not ashamed to ask questions.
Minister He understood, so he asked, "I ate a bone, but I couldn't swallow it, and I couldn't spit it out. What method did you use? Can you show me how to do it?"
It was the first time that Minister He had heard of such a first aid method. He really wanted to see it in person, just in case it was used.
Especially if the kids at home are naughty, don’t eat carefully but love to eat, they might really swallow the bones and become unable to breathe.
If Sun Shan's method works, it might save lives.
Sun Shan: ......
Unexpectedly, the serious Minister He actually heard the key point: Heimlich maneuver.
Isn't the point now to tell him why Lord Zhou came to Dianyun to be an official?
Minister He is the elder, so of course he should be the priority.
Minister He asked Butler He, who was guarding the door, to come in. Butler He, who was confused, turned into a model, and Sun Shan performed a first aid exercise for Minister He.
Minister He immediately discovered the problem and asked: "What should I do if there is no one around, or if the people around me don't know how to do this kind of first aid?"
Sun Shan once again demonstrated to Minister He how he saved himself.
Minister He asked doubtfully, "Ashan, you said that the imperial physician taught you this method?"
Sun Shan nodded confidently and said, "The old man taught me that. When I was a child, my eldest aunt took me to see a doctor. My grandfather was a doctor and was very interested in medicine. When I saw the old man, I asked him a lot of questions. During the conversation, we talked about eating. The old man told me to eat in small bites. If I really choked, I could use the above method to save myself."
Sun Shan didn't want to bring up the old imperial physician. He couldn't find anyone to take credit for the "merit", so he had to put all the blame on the old imperial physician.
Anyway, the old imperial physician has passed away, so it is most appropriate to put the blame on him since there will be no evidence.
Minister He expressed his doubts, but seeing that Sun Shan looked serious, he didn't seem to be lying. Moreover, this method was really effective and he successfully saved Zhou Ruo's grandson.
Minister He thought that perhaps the old imperial physician thought Sun Shan didn't understand, so he told him such an important and unique method to appease a child.
Who knew that Sun Shan had such a good memory? He wrote down all the methods, told everyone he met, and spread the method.
I don’t know whether it’s better to say that Sun Shan is naive or that he is stupid. He has no sense of confidentiality at all.
Seeing that he didn't care, Minister He asked, "Ashan, how can you talk about this unique secret so casually?"
Sun Shan was stunned and said blankly: "Grandpa, this is not a unique secret. When the old master told me, he didn't say that I couldn't tell anyone. This method is not mine, and perhaps not the old master's either, so it doesn't matter if I tell anyone."
After a pause, he said with a smile: "The old man told me the method because he hoped that I could save myself in such a situation. I also tell others about the method in the hope that others can save themselves in such a situation. Haha, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. This may be the original intention of developing this first aid method."
Minister He saw that Sun Shan was so open-minded and said approvingly, "Yes, you think so. Giving sweet osmanthus to others will leave a lingering fragrance on your hands."
Sun Shan quickly returned to the topic and asked anxiously, "Grandfather, why was Lord Zhou sent to Yunnan to serve as an official?"
From a first-tier big city, he was exiled to a remote mountainous area that was not even considered an eighteen-tier city.
Just like the weather in Guangnan, it is summer one moment and winter the next. The changes are so great that most people can’t stand it.
Minister He did not answer, but asked: "Ashan, tell me honestly, what is your relationship with Zhou Ruo?"
Sun Shan did not dare to say that he had hoped that Lord Zhou would accept him as his disciple, tutor him wholeheartedly, and help him reach the pinnacle of his life and marry a beautiful, rich woman.
Lord Zhou looked down on him and refused to accept him as his disciple. Sun Shan was disappointed for three days, but then he continued to do what he was doing.
Sun Shan said evasively, "Grandpa, I have an average relationship with Lord Zhou, but I have a good relationship with his grandson. If Lord Zhou gets into trouble, Chigao won't be much better off. I'm worried about him, and I don't know whether he will go back to his hometown or follow Lord Zhou to Dianyun."
Minister He did not know whether Sun Shan was telling the truth or not, but the interests involved had to be made clear: "When the late emperor was alive, he implemented new policies, Han Shangshu opposed them, and Zhou Ruo belonged to Han Shangshu's faction. In his rage, the late emperor killed, beat, demoted, and dismissed them from office."
After a pause, he continued, "Although Zhou Ruo was not the leader, he also supported Han Shangshu, so the late emperor exiled him to Yunnan and Yun. As for his children and grandchildren, they were also implicated and demoted, and exiled to serve as officials in a bitter and cold place. The women and children should return to their hometown."
Sun Shan was shocked. He didn't expect it was because of the new policy.
Minister He said seriously: "Ashan, fortunately you and Zhou Ruo are not close, otherwise..."
Sun Shan understood it immediately, otherwise he would have become a victim of the "Nine Clans Killing" policy.
In this era, the system of collective responsibility is emphasized. If Sun Shan has a close relationship with Lord Zhou, even if he is not implicated in public, no one would dare to use him behind the scenes.
Sun Shan thought about it and decided that he should not just take a teacher casually in the future. No, it would be best not to take any teacher at all so as not to be easily implicated.