Chapter 252: Chapter 209: The Delegation
After a spell of autumn rain, the weather in Chang’an turned gloomy, cold, and damp. Li Wei, who was staying at the Academic Palace, complained about the dampness in his dormitory. He asked Li Ang for a talisman and stuck it on his quilt.
The sudden change in weather also led to many people in Chang’an City developing coughs, which worried Li Ang. He made a special trip to the sick house to observe and found that the patients’ symptoms were all related to wind-cold: nasal congestion, runny nose, and itchy throat.
The sick house Doctors were not surprised by this; it was merely wind-cold. Compared to terrifying diseases like malaria, pestilence, and tuberculosis, it was considered trivial. They didn’t understand why Li Ang took it so seriously.
A common cold isn’t scary, but a pandemic flu is... Li Ang thought silently.
Memories from an Otherworld reminded him of the great influenza pandemic of the early 20th century, which had directly infected one-third of the world’s population and killed at least twenty million people. The secondary disasters caused by the ensuing labor shortage were even harder to estimate.
Highly populated and mobile cities always saw various strange symptoms emerge. With Chang’an’s population of two to three million, Li Ang wouldn’t be surprised by the appearance of any kind of illness. He couldn’t explain to the sick house Doctors what a virus was, so he had to use his influence to ensure that the sick house maintained cleanliness, implemented quarantine measures, and prepared enough medicine.
After returning to the Academic Palace, he published an article in its journal discussing the relationship between wearing masks and contracting cold-related diseases, proving that wearing masks could significantly reduce the likelihood of catching a cold. He hoped this would encourage more Chang’an citizens, especially those showing symptoms of a cold, to wear masks.
Tsk, why do other transmigrators just get to enjoy the thrill of showing off and face-slapping, while I have to worry about all sorts of diseases?
Li Ang sat in his seat, massaging his temples to relieve the pressure.After nearly a year of his academic papers’ influence, public health in Chang’an had improved significantly. At the very least, every household had bought soap, people were washing their hands regularly, avoiding unboiled water, and actively exterminating mosquitoes and rats. Ever since Li Ang published a paper on rat dissection, detailing the diseases they could carry, the common people of Chang’an grew even more disgusted with rats and exterminated them with greater diligence.
This led Li Ang to dream of a fat-headed, big-eared rat being hanged from a streetlamp, wailing continuously and crying something like, "Little rat me, I’m really done for this time."
Such strange dreams.
"Risheng!" Yang Yu rushed in from the classroom doorway, plopped onto his stool, and said excitedly in a low voice, "Have you heard?"
Li Ang, somewhat speechless, replied, "Heard what?"
"The delegation from the Haotian Taoist Sect!" Yang Yu slapped the table, his tone buoyant. "For the first time in fifty years, Taihao Mountain has sent an official delegation to Chang’an. They’ve already entered West Jing and will arrive in Chang’an in a while."
Li Ang grimaced. "So?"
"This is a huge deal!" Yang Yu said excitedly. "The delegation is led by a Faith Cultivation Cardinal, one of the four Haotian’s cardinals! When my grandfather heard the news, he ate an extra bowl of rice at dinner. Other families who heard the news have already begun preparing flowers and red carpets."
"Is it that exaggerated?" Li Ang couldn’t help but feel speechless.
Taihao Mountain and the Academic Palace had never been on good terms. The last time they sent someone was to celebrate the Holy Empress’s birthday. Soon after, the Holy Empress was overthrown, and the previous Emperor took the throne. At that time, the Haotian Taoist Sect, sensing an opportunity, dispatched a delegation to Chang’an, claiming they would preside over the previous Emperor’s enthronement ceremony, but they were directly rejected by the Academic Palace.
In countries like Nanzhou and West Jing, the enthronement of sovereigns was presided over by Cardinal Priests from the Haotian Taoist Sect. Divine power lay above imperial power; theoretically, if a Cardinal Priest was dissatisfied, he even had the authority to replace the Emperor. Only Yu Country, with its Academic Palace, was not subject to this control. Relations between the two sides had thus turned cold, with no exchanges for fifty years.
However, the conflict between Taihao Mountain and the Academic Palace had not affected the devotion of Yu Country’s common people to Haotian. Every household still hung Haotian Bells and Heavenly Bells, and they frequently visited temples to burn incense, pray, and seek blessings.
Li Ang himself was not very devout and felt completely indifferent to the so-called guests from Taihao Mountain. Yang Yu, however, coming from a devout family, was particularly looking forward to their visit and chattered nonstop beside him. He spoke of how when a Cardinal Priest walks in the Human World, both sides of the road are inevitably packed with devout followers, laying out red carpets and strewing flowers for him. And when this Cardinal Priest arrived in Chang’an, he would undoubtedly take Vermilion Bird Avenue. Who knew how many fervent believers would set up tents and make their beds there days in advance, sleeping there day and night, just to be closer to the great Cardinal when the delegation passed.
...Why does it sound like it’s not a Cardinal Priest coming, but a new iPhone? Li Ang silently complained to himself. He couldn’t just dismiss feudal superstitions as unacceptable either—the Haotian Bell and the Heavenly Bell truly did affect Aliens, suppressing Evil to some extent.
Whatever, as long as it doesn’t affect my studies and Cultivation, Li Ang thought, shaking his head. He ignored Yang Yu’s muttering and focused his attention on his book.
TAP, TAP, TAP.
Footsteps approached from afar as Academic Palace Supervisor Mou Zhengqing entered the classroom, accompanied by Xi Yangyu.
The position of Academic Palace Supervisor was an official appointment by the court, responsible for liaising with the Academic Palace. The Supervisor usually only appeared on important occasions and did not interfere with regular classes.
"Cough." Xi Yangyu coughed lightly, and the chatter in the classroom immediately quieted.
Mou Zhengqing walked to the front, cleared his throat, and said loudly, "I presume all students have heard some news. In one or two months, a delegation from the Haotian Taoist Sect will arrive in Chang’an City. They are coming, firstly, to re-establish connections with Yu Country and, secondly, to engage in academic exchange with the Academic Palace."
"Hmm?" Li Ang raised an eyebrow. Academic exchange? What academic matters could the Haotian Taoist Sect and the Academic Palace possibly exchange?
The conflict between the two was long-standing. The Daoists believed that Haotian created all things, and all things possessed their own perfect, immutable laws. Conversely, the Academic Palace developed Natural Science. They observed celestial phenomena and found that stellar orbits constantly changed, with some stars even appearing and disappearing seemingly from nowhere. Furthermore, some Academic Palace Doctors who studied philosophy questioned: if Haotian loved humankind, why did He create all sorts of dark and fearsome Alien creatures and establish the perilous Endless Sea to hinder humanity’s outward exploration? Even the esteemed Elder Su Zi, after being repeatedly criticized by the Daoists, had directly made the bold declaration: "Celestial changes are not to be feared, ancestral traditions are not to be followed, and public opinion is not to be heeded." This greatly infuriated the Daoists.
One of the Academic Palace’s aims was to explore natural laws. They had no common ground with the Daoists, who sought to uphold Haotian’s majesty, let alone any basis for academic exchange.
Indeed, Mou Zhengqing immediately added, "The scope of exchange will not be limited to poetry, calligraphy, painting, music, or debate, but will also include competitive exchanges in Cultivation. Students from all year groups can participate. Additionally, students of a similar age from West Jing, Nanzhou, and the Turkic countries will also come to Chang’an to participate. Specific details will be announced after the delegation arrives."