Chapter 919
Painting Cake
Zhang Liuzhen: "Those who truly study Taoism will not care about ordination certificates. As long as the court is willing to slightly loosen the restrictions on travel permits, it will be convenient for those who want to study to travel through mountains and rivers and study Taoism. Those who want ordination certificates are more looking to give themselves a guarantee in life."
Pan Yun's lips curled up: "I came back this time to find a good way for my fellow disciples, so that they can enjoy the country's benefits even without ordination certificates."
Zhang Liuzhen was slightly surprised: "What?"
Pan Yun said, "I want to recommend them to the Ministry of Works. No, I want to create my own department, under the Daoist Records Office, called the Daoist Instruments Department, which will specialize in researching various Daoist instruments that can be used for people's livelihood."
Zhang Liuzhen reached out and touched her forehead, then turned to Tao Ji and asked, "Could it be that she lost too much energy yesterday and has a fever?"
Pan Yun slapped his hand away: "I'm serious!"
Zhang Liuzhen: "I wasn't joking."
He spread his hands and said, "What kind of magical artifacts do you want them to make? To draw talismans and catch ghosts? But how many souls in this world would linger in the human realm and become vengeful ghosts? There aren't enough for Taoist priests to catch, so why bother the common people?"
"Is it to draw talismans to cure illness? Although talismans are beneficial for some illnesses, they mostly just regulate a person's energy field or replenish the body with spiritual energy. They are fine for minor illnesses, but only provide temporary relief for serious illnesses. If you want a cure, please go see a doctor."
Pan Yun opened her mouth to speak, but Zhang Liuzhen raised his hand to interrupt her: "Don't tell me you're planning to mass-produce peach wood swords, magic seals, tokens, and soul-suppressing bells. What would ordinary people use these for? To fight each other at home or in the neighborhood?"
Pan Yun shook her head, looking disappointed: "Senior Brother Zhang, you've disappointed me so much. Your imagination is so lacking."
This was the first time Zhang Liuzhen had been spoken to like this. He stared in shock, his eyes wide, and looked at Xuanmiao and Tao Ji.
The two had already put down their bowls and chopsticks and were sitting together peeling and eating oranges, their faces calm.
Seeing his expression, Xuanmiao said, "I've heard that there are laundry tubs in the laundries in Hangzhou and Yangzhou that can automatically wash clothes."
Upon hearing this, Pan Yun's eyes lit up, and she patted her chest repeatedly in front of Zhang Liuzhen.
Zhang Liuzhen: "You did this?"
Pan Yun nodded vigorously, full of pride, and said, "The Dao artifact is not about making the existing magical artifacts, but about researching artifacts that do not exist now but are beneficial to people's livelihood, military affairs, or one's own cultivation."
“Senior brother, we students all studied and learned to read and write before coming to the academy. We are here to directly learn Taoist magic, Taoist medicine, and weapon crafting. Magic and medicine are the most important. Although weapon crafting is less involved, everyone has studied it diligently, and many classmates have even chosen to specialize in it. Why can't they carry forward the Taoist weapon crafting tradition?”
Zhang Liuzhen seemed to be deep in thought.
Pan Yun said, "Not only can we cooperate with the court in terms of medical skills, but we can also cooperate in medical skills. Daoist medicine is inseparable. All those who study medicine are Daoist practitioners, and who among those who cultivate the Dao does not know some medical skills? Their origins are the same, and what they seek is the harmony of Yin and Yang, and the cycle of eternal life."
"Increasing the number of ordination certificates is impossible, but there's no need for everyone to focus solely on them. In what way are the disciples who leave our Taoist sect inferior to ordinary people? Are they not allowed to make a living or pursue official careers through other means?"
Zhang Liuzhen had a complicated story to tell: "Do Taoist practitioners seek official careers and future prospects?"
“Hey, don’t be narrow-minded,” Pan Yun nudged Zhang Liuzhen’s shoulder and said, “Like you, senior brother, you come from a family with a thousand-year history. Any one of your possessions could be the life savings of another family. Of course, you can have great ambitions and do great things, but the vast majority of people in this world are ordinary people.”
"They come from ordinary families, and all they ask for is enough to eat and wear, to support their families, and to pay less or no taxes. Of course, if they can support their families and have a little extra money, they won't bother to think about the latter."
Pan Yun said, "Their aspirations and ideals are equally noble, no less than those of my senior brother."
Xuanmiao said, "The people's wishes are nothing more than this, but if we can realize their small wishes and gather them together, then the country will be prosperous and the people will live in peace."
Tao Ji nodded and asked Zhang Liuzhen, "Isn't this your ultimate wish?" Pan Yun replied cheerfully, "Different paths lead to the same destination!"
Zhang Liuzhen lowered his head and pondered for a long time, then chuckled softly after a while: "They really do arrive at the same destination by different paths."
Pan Yun looked at him with bright eyes: "So, Senior Brother Zhang, what do you think..."
Zhang Liuzhen nodded slightly: "Okay."
Pan Yun was overjoyed.
Zhang Liuzhen's gaze slid back and forth between the three of them, and she asked suspiciously, "You three didn't plan this all along, did you? You've already dug a trap for me, haven't you?"
Pan Yun looked at him with disdain: "Aren't you underestimating me? Senior Brother Zhang, my senior brothers and sisters and I are on the same wavelength. If I could receive their messages, would I have left the capital and rushed here so desperately?"
Pan Yun then realized, "How did you lose all contact? Who blocked your communication? Impressive! Even the Embroidered Uniform Guard couldn't get the message. This person should be given an important position."
"It was I who ordered Lin Jingle to seal off Longhu Mountain to prevent the second branch from contacting outsiders. To be absolutely sure, our letters must not be sent out either."
Okay, it's a lose-lose situation.
Pan Yun touched her chest and said, "I was so worried about you."
Zhang Liuzhen looked apologetic, while Xuanmiao and Tao Ji remained calm, continuing the conversation: "Besides this matter, is there anything else you want to do after you came back?"
"Oh, it's nothing big. It's just that, senior brother, since you've already agreed, why don't you give me the list of this year's five-year students, as well as the senior brothers and sisters who graduated last year but didn't pass the ordination exam and don't work at the Celestial Master's Mansion or Taoist temples in various places?"
Zhang Liuzhen pursed her lips: "What do you need them for?"
Pan Yun: "Let's test it first. If this path works, then students graduating from the academy will have another option. No, this path is like an egg, the egg hatches into a chicken, the chicken hatches into an egg, and so on. By the time they graduate, there may have been many different paths."
Seeing her full of vitality, Zhang Liuzhen couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle: "You're quite optimistic."
“Oh dear, whether you’re optimistic or pessimistic, you still have to live one day. Why not be more optimistic?” Pan Yun urged him, “Well, well, senior brother, please agree to my request.”
Zhang Liuzhen: "I can find people for you, but whether they go or not depends on their own wishes; we can't force them."
"That's for sure. Taoists hate to force people, and I would never force them."
Zhang Liuzhen glanced at her and thought to himself: You certainly can't force people, but you can entice them and make empty promises.
Zhang Liuzhen grew worried, fearing that she was making too grand a promise, and everyone would end up disappointed: "You..."
Seeing that he seemed hesitant to speak, Pan Yun looked up at him curiously: "What's wrong?"
"Take it easy when you're making empty promises. Don't make them too big, or it will damage people's morals."
Pan Yun said loudly, "Am I that kind of person? Don't worry, I'll just draw it lightly."
"...I thought you were going to say you weren't just making empty promises." (End of Chapter)