Volume 4: Regret for Insufficient Clothing Chapter 5: Yearning

  "Ben Cao Gang Mu, Ben Cao Gang Mu!" Xu Xian muttered to himself, shaking his head and waving his hands. Yun Yan leaned on the windowsill, wondering what this man was thinking about again that made him so worried.

  "Brother, what dish is Ben Cao Gang Mu?"

  "Smack!" Xu Xian lightly tapped Qing Luan's head, and he found himself increasingly enjoying doing so. He also lectured, "The Bencao Gangmu is not a dish, but a book!"

  "Don't hit me on the head!" Qing Luan gritted her teeth and pouted, still fuming. Having had a sister was already unbearable, now there's also a brother, what bad luck!

  Xu Xian smiled and said, "Do you want to spank?" His eyes still glanced at Qing Luan's buttocks wrapped in a long skirt, Qing Luan suddenly blushed and couldn't say anything. This brother is good, but sometimes he is too casual.

  Yun Yan interrupted: "This book 'Ben Cao Gang Mu', Yun Yan has never heard of it!" She is also well-read!

  "You certainly haven't heard of it, because it hasn't been written yet!"

  Yun Yan felt a bit stifled, but also curiously asked: "Are you going to write? Are you writing a poetry collection, but it sounds like the style of Kuang's book!"

  Xu Xian nodded: "Brilliant! It's indeed a medical book, one that is a hundred times more important than poetry!"

  If saying Xu Xian plagiarized poetry is to help himself get a name, then using later generations' technology is to help himself gain benefits. But this medical book truly is for the benefit of all people under heaven. If saying plagiarism of poetry still has some shame, then even if this book was completely copied, one wouldn't feel embarrassed.

  Xu Xian later also noticed that the merit plate had increased by nearly 10,000 merits. He sighed in his heart: It's just a slight movement of thought, and there are already so many merits; if it were truly written out, I'm afraid the merits would be boundless.

  He also truly hopes that this book can bring some benefits to the people of this era. If it were usual, he would never have such thoughts and wouldn't say such big words. He didn't think about being a saint, at most just wanting to be a good person.

  Although he was a traverser, there was little sense of responsibility as a traverser. First, this was not any dynasty in his memory, neither the Song Dynasty that suffered from the Jingkang Incident, nor the Qing Dynasty that had exhausted its energy, nor the Three Kingdoms that were vying for hegemony in troubled times, and naturally there was no danger to the world waiting for him to save.

  Never thought of developing capitalism or communism in a feudal society. Even if it's a history teacher, I don't remember anything, but I still remember one sentence: The material base determines the superstructure! Even if this sentence is not applicable to another world, this high-difficulty job is not something that ordinary people can play with.

  What's wrong with the traversers, even if a hundred of them go to play politics with Pan Yu, they will probably only end up being played to death. Can one really become a high-ranking official just by copying a few poems?

  So Xu Xian has always been content, his behavior fully embodies the excellent concept of "mixing and eating to death", not seeking to become a king or overlord, with three thousand concubines in the harem. He only hopes to become an evil landlord class, mixing up three wives and four concubines. However, of course, the great ideal of having three wives and four concubines was first because of Bai Suzhen, and later because of Pan Yu, always in a state of cold storage.

  In short, writing books is a thankless job that doesn't suit this pleasure-seeking transmigrator at all.

  Xu Xian relied on his merit badge and clearly remembered all the contents of this book.

  "Ben Cao Gang Mu": The author is Li Shizhen, with a total of 52 volumes, the book has more than 1.9 million words, and it took him 30 years to complete, with an average of 190 words per day. Although he didn't have any eunuchs, he was indeed exhausted to death. At the age of over 70, Li Shizhen ran to Nanjing to publish this book, but unfortunately, it was not published successfully.

  Later, even the copyright was given to the imperial court, but the imperial court did not take it seriously. It wasn't until three years after his death that it was finally published successfully, and then it became unstoppable. First, it was published in traditional characters (note: no simplified character edition), and later it was translated into five languages and spread all over the world. Darwin praised it as "the encyclopedia of the century".

  This is also the reason why these medical skills were not valued in ancient times, and farmers, workers, doctors, and diviners all called them miscellaneous studies. Xu Xian was also very clear that if he told others now that he wanted to spend a year compiling a medical book, not only would no one support him, but they would also mock him for not being serious about his career.

  But it is precisely these miscellaneous studies that are the driving force behind social progress! Whether it was stealing fire from heaven or Da Yu controlling the floods, which of the sages in ancient times did not come from a background of miscellaneous studies? The ancestors of medicine and agriculture were also Shen Nongshi who tasted hundreds of herbs.

  Xu Xian wrote so many famous poems and quatrains, but didn't gain any merit. However, as soon as he thought about writing "Ben Cao Gang Mu", he gained a million merits. The aspirations of the people can be seen from this. After all, one needs to be physically healthy to enjoy poetry and painting, and one needs to have a full stomach before they can practice propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame.

  At this time, a knock at the door sounded, and Qing Luan and Yun Yan immediately changed their faces. Xu Xian smiled and said, "It shouldn't be my sister, Luan'er quickly go open the door!"

  Qing Luan hastily rushed to the door, opened it and saw a woman in white clothes smiling and saying: "Excuse me, is this the residence of Mr. Xu Xian?"

  Qing Luan nodded blankly, "Who are you?" The woman's appearance also made Qing Luan pause for a moment.

  Bai Suzhen smiled and said: "My name is Bai Suzhen, I am a friend of Xu Gongzi!"

  Qing Luan had a very bad feeling about this kind of person coming to her doorstep looking for a man.

  Although the current social trend is open-minded and there's no foot-binding or confinement, women can go out freely. However, it hasn't become so open that a woman would visit a man at his home uninvited.

  However, he still brought Ba Su into the house and right in front of Xu Xian.

  Xu Xian exclaimed in surprise: "How did you come here!" He had just thought of learning to fly, and she came to his door, it was truly a case of being given a pillow while sleeping.

  Bai Suzhen blinked and said, "Not welcome?"

  Xu Xian smiled and said, "I've been searching for it in my dreams, turning over and over. Let's go to the east wing to talk!" Her identity still had to be hidden from her, and she couldn't practice her Taoist skills in front of Yun Yanqing either.

  Bai Suzhen pointed at the dazed Yunyan standing aside and smiled at Xu Xian, saying: "Xu Gongzi, is this your respected wife?" She thought to herself: Indeed, she's a heavenly fragrance and national beauty, no wonder she was able to enthrall him!

  "Alright then!" Xu Xian said with a smile.

  Yun Yan finally woke up, and she was still very confident in herself, whether it was her appearance or figure. However, from the woman in front of her, she felt a strong sense of threat. A woman who could come to their doorstep alone and unafraid, and Xu Xian was even overjoyed about it. And he wanted to go with her to the east wing to talk.

  What does this mean, she thinks it's clear. Is this woman going to ride on her own head soon? She still remembers how her mother bullied those concubines of her father, that was a desperate situation! Is she also going to fall into such a sad state?

  She never expected that once Bai Suzhen revealed her identity, she would naturally show the carefree and natural demeanor of a cultivator. Now, it's more accurate to say that it was a fellow Daoist visiting a sect rather than a woman visiting a man. And Xu Xian treated her as nothing more than a friend.

  Yun Yan said politely: "I am Yun Yan, I don't know what Miss Bai wants to see my husband about?"

  Xu Xian was taken aback and said, "What's wrong with you?" Except for their wedding night, Yun Yan had never called him "husband" again.

  Bai Suzhen smiled and said: "There are some things!" But her eyes turned to Xu Xian, who was standing aside, and she gave him a wink. The meaning is: Hey, your wife is jealous!

  Xu Xian's face was innocent, what does this have to do with me? He didn't believe that Yun Yan would be jealous. Most likely he was worried about the status of her little concubine!

  Yun Yan pulled on Xu Xian's sleeve, coquettishly saying: "Husband, I also want to listen!" Her voice was so charming that it could melt any iron-hearted man into soft water, and he would take her in his arms with a mixture of resentment and affection.

  Xu Xian's heart was also surging, but he quickly reacted and pulled his sleeve, saying: "What are you so nervous about? I have something to discuss with her! Besides, I've taught you how to cook for several days now, today at noon it's your turn to do it!" He then smiled at Bai Su'e and said: "Let's go, I have some things I'd like to ask for your advice on!"

  Bai Suzhen smiled and nodded, but then glanced at Yunyan, worried that she would mind.

  Xu Xian then dropped Yunyan and went to the east wing with Bai Suzhen. Yunyan's face was pale, her expression dull. Qing Luan went over and gently patted her shoulder, saying: "Miss, are you okay?"

  Yun Yan tightly hugged Qing Luan and exclaimed, "Luan'er, we're done for!" The miserable life of a concubine was waiting for her. Moreover, when Xu Xian introduced her to Bai Suzhen, he reluctantly said that one sentence "I suppose so!", which also made her heart ache, did I really treat you that poorly?

  Qing Luan said stupidly, "It can't be!" But she also knew that at present, based on Miss and Brother's relationship, she really didn't have the qualifications to ask for anything. Moreover, even if it was true, Yun Yan was just a concubine after all. It was often heard that wives stopped their husbands from taking concubines, but never heard of a concubine stopping her husband from marrying a wife.

  Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian arrived at the east wing, and suddenly Bai Suzhen smiled and said: "It seems that your wife loves you very much! You should explain it to her clearly, don't let her worry."

  Xu Xian also guessed what was going on and sighed: "She just loves her current life!"

  Bai Suzhen gently stroked her hair and said, "If you love your current life, then naturally you will also love the person who brought this life to you!" Although she wanted to advise Xu Xian to give up everything in the mortal world and cultivate well, thinking of that woman just now, she couldn't say it.

  Xu Xian smiled and remained silent, for this kind of thing was impossible to explain.

  Bai Suzhen didn't like to get too involved in other people's family affairs, but she thought that Xu Xian and his wife seemed not as loving as she had imagined.

  The two of course wouldn't really go inside to talk, even if they were cultivators, there was still a need to be mindful of the taboos between men and women. At this moment, Chun Ri sat down on the stone bench at the foot of the stairs. Xu Xian asked: "You've come today, have you thought of a way to repay your debt?"

  Bai Suzhen furrowed her brow and shook her head. In the past few days, she had Xiao Qing gather all the information about Xu Xian, although she admired him even more, but she really couldn't find a way to repay his kindness.

  It's just the right time to come and ask for advice from Mr. Xu Xian.

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