32: Chapter 32 Even in prosperous times, there is darkness.

The time spent on acupuncture and taking medicine was significantly reduced today. Famous physician had been decocting medicine since his arrival.

Yang Fan arrived and proceeded directly to taking his medicine and receiving acupuncture.

"Brother Yang, are you able to leave the palace? Come out for a walk with me."

"Naturally. I am not a servant of Emperor Taizong of Tang; I can go wherever I please."

Yang Fan also wanted to go out and stroll around; staying in the palace for a week was incredibly boring.

Famous physician and Li Junxian were both rendered speechless upon hearing Yang Fan call the Emperor directly by his name.

"Brother Yang, it would be better for you to address him as His Majesty. Even if His Majesty has need of you, you must still show him respect."

Having lived for so long, Famous physician deeply understood the terror of imperial power; the saying that "accompanying the emperor is like accompanying a tiger" was no empty phrase.

"It is fine, rest assured. I call him that to his face as well, and he has no objections."

"Brother, where do you intend to take me?"

He and Emperor Taizong of Tang were essentially on equal footing, so it did not matter what he called him.

Even if he were to marry his daughter, it would be the same.

Famous physician looked at Yang Fan and, sensing that he was not a fool, chose not to continue with his warnings.

"To see my other patients. Do you have any interest in studying medicine? I believe it is not too late at your age."

"I am not interested. However, if you wish to pass down your medical skills, I believe there will be an opportunity for that soon."

"I have given Emperor Taizong of Tang a divine artifact, and the transmission of knowledge will become very simple in the future."

Yang Fan had been working for ten years; could he not take a break?

Studying and the like were out of the question.

Famous physician nodded thoughtfully.

Yang Fan left the palace with Famous physician. Looking around as they walked, he realized that Daming Palace was truly magnificent—a pinnacle of wooden architecture.

Upon reaching the palace gate, Yang Fan noticed Li Junxian was still following and felt a bit curious.

"Li Junxian, right? Thank you for escorting me out of the palace. You may return now."

"Young Master, it was His Majesty who ordered me to protect you personally."

This was the first time Li Junxian had been sent out to protect someone; even the Crown Prince did not receive such treatment.

Yang Fan nodded. Emperor Taizong of Tang was quite generous to arrange for the head Bodyguard to protect him.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Having him assigned was fine; after all, open spears are easy to dodge while hidden arrows are hard to guard against, and his life was still quite important.

The journey took them from the bustling streets of Chang'an to the increasingly dilapidated outskirts of the city.

Here, one could see refugees from time to time, dressed in rags, who would dodge away upon seeing them.

"Why do they dodge us as if we were messengers of the plague?"

Logically, shouldn't they be coming up to beg for food?

"They have been bullied too much; how could they not hide?"

Famous physician sighed.

Yang Fan fell silent as well. He had never experienced such an era; after all, in the modern world, as long as one was willing to work, one would certainly not go hungry.

He had not expected to see such scenes so often during the prosperous Zhenguan era. This was right under the emperor's feet; one could only imagine what it was like in more remote regions.

They arrived near a dilapidated City God Temple, where there were even more refugees, all of them sallow and gaunt.

"With so many refugees here, does the government not do anything?"

"It is useless to care; they only distribute porridge occasionally. These people were originally farmers, but their land was annexed by landlords. This will always be the case."

"Usually, one batch dies off, and another comes to take their place..."

"If there were a great drought, I imagine even more people would die."

Famous physician sighed again.

Famous physician stepped forward to check the pulses of those who were ill and prescribe medicine for their treatment.

Yang Fan went inside to look. Many women and children were already so hungry they were squatting in the corners, merely looking up at Yang Fan, wanting to speak but unable to make a sound.

Perhaps they were too hungry to speak.

A little girl gathered her courage and came up to him, saying:

"Could you give me something to eat? My mother is starving to death; she gave me the last of the food."

Yang Fan patted her head, turned to a corner, and retrieved two bags of rice from his trading space.

Li Junxian, thinking Yang Fan had gone to relieve himself, did not follow. He never expected that Yang Fan would produce two bags of rice.

"Young Master, where did you get this rice?"

Li Junxian was certain that there was only a patch of bushes behind them; it was impossible for there to be rice. Moreover, the rice in the other man's hands looked somewhat like the rice the Emperor had issued to him.

"That is none of your concern."

Yang Fan said this and was about to take the rice to the little girl from earlier.

"Wait, Young Master."

"If you give these two bags of rice to her, you will only bring about her death."

Li Junxian quickly warned.

"Hmm?"

Yang Fan was puzzled. Was that really the case?

Although he had lacked love since childhood, he still possessed the conscience his grandparents had instilled in him.

"Giving them a little might be fine, but if you give them too much, others will covet it. They will either have to give the rice away, or they will be killed for it."

Li Junxian surmised that Yang Fan must be a young master from a wealthy family who had never witnessed the sinister nature of the human heart, especially among refugees who, when driven by extreme hunger, were capable of anything.

Especially with a pair like this mother and daughter.

Yang Fan closed his eyes and let out a breath. Li Junxian was right; he had nearly caused a disaster. After all, people in the modern era, no matter how bad, would not typically take someone's life.

Yang Fan handed the rice to Li Junxian.

"Have your men distribute the rice to those women and children."

"And tell them that as long as these women and children stay alive, food will be sent every few days."

Li Junxian glanced at Yang Fan, surprised that he had sensed there were others nearby.

Moreover, this young man had immediately thought of a way to protect the lives of these women and children.

If they were told this, those people would certainly not let these women and children die, as they would have food to gain as long as they remained alive.

"Very well, Young Master."

Li Junxian did not refuse and agreed immediately; after all, it was highly likely that the Emperor's rice was provided by the very person standing before him.

Li Junxian and his men went to distribute the rice, while Yang Fan went over to Famous physician and watched him treat the patients.

Everything was free, and he had even brought some of the medicinal herbs himself.

Famous physician watched the men go to distribute the rice to the women and children, then glanced at Yang Fan.

"Was this your idea?"

"It is not a long-term solution!"

"Yes, I have already given Emperor Taizong of Tang a long-term solution. They just need to hold on for now; I will have Emperor Taizong of Tang send food over every few days."

"They will have a way out by then."

How could Yang Fan not know that it was not a long-term solution? But since he had seen their plight, how could he not help?

Famous physician looked at Yang Fan.

He wondered what on earth this man had given the Emperor to claim he could solve the problem of the refugees, and even the problem of the transmission of knowledge.

Did he not know that the root cause of the refugee problem was the Aristocratic Families?

"I hope so. But will His Majesty be willing?"

After all, once this precedent was set, a large number of refugees would pour in, and the amount of grain required would surely increase with each passing day.

He feared that Yang Fan was merely acting on a whim, and that when there were too many refugees and no grain to distribute, it would instead incite riots.

"I will provide the supplies, so rest assured. Tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people, will certainly not starve to death."

If he hadn't seen it, that would be one thing, but having seen it and possessing the ability to help, he had to intervene. After all, he had experienced it himself; life was not easy.