Chapter 5: The Moists' Affairs in Healing and Saving Lives

Without providing any explanation, he shouted at the crowd: "Nonsense, it's hot and you've been affected by the heat. If you splash cold water on yourself, the sweat won't be able to dissipate the heat, and you'll die even faster"

On the cultivated land divided into squares outside the barren mountains, there are either farmers from the well-field villages, or forced laborers, or landless poor who have sought refuge, or sons-in-law who have sold themselves as hostages. They rely on simple farming tools made of bones, wood, shells, or bronze to nurture their hopes, occasionally accompanied by a few verses of desolate and sorrowful ballads

A young girl, approximately fourteen or fifteen years old, squatted beside a middle-aged man who had fainted, repeatedly calling out for her father. At that moment, she was also in a state of panic, yet she did not cry, only feeling at a loss.

Four strong men carried the unconscious middle-aged man to a tree, reached out to unfasten his clothing, and checked his body temperature.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Shixin remarked that perhaps no true disciple of the Mo family had ever spread the Mo family's thoughts in the same manner as he did. With these small tactics, he could indeed establish a reputation for himself even before becoming a true adherent of the Mo school

This statement is peculiar. Although Mozi is well-known, he ultimately specializes in his own field. At this time, apart from shamans, the truly renowned physician is actually Bian Que's master, Chang Sangjun.

The young girl did not know how to respond, and after sizing him up, she noticed that he did not appear to be a wealthy young master. After all, one must eat to uphold one's principles. There was still some corn at home, so she decided to ask for his name, intending to express her gratitude in person in a few days when she went to the city, which would be better than merely uttering a few dry words of thanks.

I did not want to reach out with a strong pair of arms and grab her by the arm

Call someone to open the mouth of the person who has fainted, use a wooden stick to hold down the tongue, insert a funnel made from tree bark deep into the throat, and slowly pour in the cold, salted well water.

Ah, being an ambitious person is not an easy task, especially for those who aspire to infiltrate the Mo family; it is better to prepare for the future by toughening the soles of one's feet.

Previously, I did not cry, thinking that if I cried, there would be things that this young man beside me would ask me to do that I could not accomplish, which would only add to the chaos. At that moment, seeing my father regain consciousness, I could no longer hold back.

Some say my father has offended the gods, some say we should splash him with cold water, and others say we must not splash him... What on earth should I do

Although there is an abundance of firewood, there are even more people. Those nearby can eventually gather it all, but before the distant golden crow sets, it is impossible to return. The best places are the noble's forest resources, which must not be disturbed

Bending down to look at this small girl, who was not yet of sufficient stature and had a face full of tear stains and dirt, I nodded and said: "As a disciple of the Mo family, it is my duty to save others. Whether I can succeed or not, I cannot guarantee; I can only do my best"

Muttering to myself, I also understand that infiltrating the Mo family, even with disguise, is not easy, as it requires at least ten or eight years of effort; the internal requirements are too strict.

This single exclamation of "ah" is truly akin to a glimmer of fire seen while walking on a winter night, filled with hope

Upon reflecting on this, I sighed and thought to myself that I should first carry back the firewood and straw needed at home to fill my stomach before considering these matters

Before getting close, I could hear some people shouting in a disorganized manner

The center of the shouting resembled a piece of rotting flesh, attracting a swarm of people like flies.

The crowd can obstruct the line of sight, yet it cannot block the intangible sounds. Through the crowd, it became clear that someone must have fainted.

The icy salt well water poured into the stomach, causing the abdomen of the fainted person to gradually swell, while more and more people brought freshly drawn cool well water.

Finally, he waved his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his face, called out with a "hey," and with a strong effort, straightened his back to carry the firewood on his back, heading towards the city walls

The young girl, though not very old, was exceptionally capable. With a determined nod, she signified her agreement

The farmers in these villages have all served in the military, and the formal distinctions between active duty soldiers and reserve soldiers have long been disregarded. Everyone is considered a soldier, and as soon as someone issues a command, they quickly divide into several groups, each acting according to the instructions given.

At this moment, mentioning the little-known Chang Sangjun is even less impactful than calling out the name of the familiar minor noble, Sima Chang, from the fields of Qiu Tian.

Shaking his shoulders to drop the firewood onto the ground, he knew that being young meant that no one would listen to him, especially in this era of clan disintegration that had only recently occurred

At that moment, turning around, I discovered that the hand belonged to the young stranger beside me, whose sharp eyebrows were striking.

Scattering seeds everywhere is still mainstream, and rarely do we see land with furrows crisscrossing.

However, on one hand, they were unaware of the reputation of Chang Sangjun, and on the other hand, in the Song state, the fame of Mozi was greater. These individuals did not understand what the Mo family actually did, but there was the matter of Chu attacking Song. Even in cases of healing and saving lives, mentioning Chang Sangjun ultimately did not carry as much weight as mentioning the name of Mozi

A crowd of people was talking animatedly, forming a circle.

If there truly comes a day when I have the opportunity to become his disciple, I will inevitably have to embark on a long journey for the sake of righteousness, carrying food and weapons on my back, which will certainly be far more burdensome than carrying these firewood and grass now

At this time, when shamans were prevalent, even minor ailments like heatstroke could easily lead to death, especially with the current hot weather

At this moment, one could only use the tiger's skin to make a big flag, and declared loudly: "I am a disciple of Mozi, so naturally, you must listen to me! If we are to discuss knowledge of the will of the gods and spirits, who can surpass my Mo family? I say it is not a punishment sent by the gods and spirits, then it is not!"

Having taken only a few steps, I heard a flurry of frantic shouts coming from the fields in the distance

Thinking of this legendary figure, whether true or false, being so close to oneself inevitably stirs some indescribable emotions within the heart

He reached out his hand to test the well water, which was very cool and just right. Estimating the amount of water in the jar, he pinched a small amount of salt according to the approximate physiological saline concentration of 100 grams of salt per liter of water and stirred it with his finger.

After crying for a while, I saw Shi beside me through my misty eyes, and only then did I remember the courtesy of expressing my gratitude. However, before I could utter even half a word, Shi smiled and shook his head, saying: "As a disciple of the Mo family, it is only natural to save others. I saved someone’s life, and in truth, I was merely practicing the principles of a Moist. There is no need for thanks."

No one has ever witnessed such operations akin to slaughtering pigs and dogs, secretly clicking their tongues in astonishment

Geng Zhuzi served as an official in the State of Chu, and upon acquiring 200 taels of gold, he hurriedly intended to return it to the organization, along with a bamboo slip explaining the origin of the gold, as he did not dare to use it for personal purposes. Gong Shang had previously gone to the State of Yue to persuade them, and the King of Yue was willing to grant the Mo family a fief of 500 li. However, Mozi wanted to first clarify whether the great principles of the Mo family could be implemented; if they could not be realized, then even a fief of 1,000 li would not be worth accepting.

Looking at the farmers around him, who toiled all day with faces blackened by dirt, he sighed and said to the young girl: "In our Moism, we advocate for universal love for all people. You have a father, and others have parents and siblings as well. If someone else were to die from heatstroke, even though they are not your relatives, the pain of loss would still be the same. Don't you all agree with this?" If someone else were to die from heatstroke, even though they are not your relatives, the pain of loss would still be the same. Don't you all agree with this?

Silently observing the surrounding land and the labor of the farmers, he wiped away a bead of sweat and sat beneath a cypress tree, with a large bundle of branches piled up behind him

The young girl emerged from the crowd, flustered and at a loss, and with a thud, she collided head-on with someone, nearly dropping the ceramic pot in her hand. Without bothering to say anything, she hurriedly attempted to leave.

Perhaps it is the heat? Splashing some cold water on the face might help to wake up

Under the lubrication of saliva, the pulling sounds with a popping noise, each tug feels as if someone has sprinkled some expensive purple dye on the body, and it also seems as if those spots have ignited with black-purple flames

The tales of ghosts and deities are elusive and hard to perceive, yet there is a well nearby to pour cold water. Witnessing her father faint, the inherent trait of overcoming nature, akin to the spirit of Dayu controlling the waters, ultimately prevailed. She picked up a water jug to fetch water from the nearby well and requested everyone to help carry her father to a distant ditch to prepare for soaking him with water.

The little girl squatted to the side, watching as patches of purple appeared on her father's body. Although she did not understand what was happening, she felt a sense of hope and silently thanked the deities and the supreme god Haotian, her previously anxious heart gradually calming down

Thanks to the uprising of the people in Zhou Wang City at that time, and taking history as a lesson, some public wasteland was left outside Shangqiu City for the commoners in the city to cook, rather than for the property of the nobility or the government.

This is the true Central Plains, developed very early, and except for the necessary firewood and grass, all has been cultivated into arable land

Apart from the farmers trapped under the village community system of Jingtian, nobles of the rank of sergeant and above are frantically cultivating private fields that do not require tax payments, relying on the profits from public fields and the dependents who have fled.

The young girl, who had just pretended to be calm, suddenly felt her body go limp, devoid of any strength, even the effort to hold back her tears was gone, and tears fell in torrents onto her clothes and the dirt below.

The body is not incapable of bearing burdens; it is merely that there has been little firewood gathered, and the two red marks and calluses that should be present on the shoulders have yet to form.

The land on the hillside may not be perfectly square or round, and four trees have been planted at the corners as boundaries

It is not very heavy, but the thin hemp rope tightens around the shoulders, causing significant pain

Before long, those who had gone to fetch water and those who had gone to collect salt returned, and the rest of the people gathered around, eager to learn this skill, so that in the future, if someone in their family suffered from heat-related ailments, they could follow suit

It is regrettable that I have yet to take that first step, at most I can be considered a peripheral member; let alone being a direct disciple of Mozi, I am not even a formal adherent of the Mo school.

Having suffered from the summer heat, perhaps soaking in cold water would help

Extending two fingers, slightly bending them to form a hook, he spat between the knuckles, reminiscent of how his grandmother used to treat him for heatiness when he was a child, and then pinched a few spots on his chest.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he looked at the few people on the road, like him, carrying firewood. Some of them were even younger, yet they carried more than he did. At this moment, it would be somewhat embarrassing to put down the load, so he could only bear it with determination.

The cool well water with added salt stirs in the stomach, balancing the excessively high temperature within the body from the inside out. The greatest concern with heatstroke is the inability to dissipate heat. If cold water is applied directly, it can cause the external pores to close, further exacerbating the accumulation of heat within the body

Upon hearing this, the little girl touched her tears and said, "Brother from the Mo family, I beg you to save my father. My brother is still away building the palace for the officials, and we still have some millet at home. As long as you can save him..."

The gentleman lecturing under the tree may not be aware of whether his shoulders bear such red marks, but his soles are certainly as hard as iron, traversing the various regions of Xia with his steps and grass-woven shoes for the sake of his righteous cause

Please, everyone, carry him to the tree and clear the circle for ventilation. Whose house is closest? Go back and fetch some salt, and then get some cold water.

Rushing over to see the commotion, it was as if a duck had been pinched, stretching its neck. I discovered a middle-aged farmer lying among the crowd, likely having suffered from heatstroke due to the intense heat.

The audience was in disarray, and the young girl had long lost her resolve. Was it the mischief of spirits or the heat causing the splashing of water? How could she possibly understand?

After stumbling a few steps, he turned back to support the firewood, twisting his body as he ran over, curious about what had happened.

I fear that I have offended the spirits, alas... my son met his end in this manner

Turning around, he picked up a stone and smashed a piece of bark, shaping it into the form of a funnel

The young girl, anxious to save her father, did not look back and pulled hard in an attempt to break free. However, she did not expect that the hands holding her were extremely strong, making it impossible for her to escape.

Estimating that it was about time, I squeezed that person's abdomen a few more times. After a long wait, the person finally let out a gasp and came to their senses, but still had not opened their eyes

The young girl, still quite young, was from a poor family and understood things early. At that moment, upon hearing the words "dead" and "faster," it truly felt as if a thunderclap had exploded in her heart, leaving her standing there like a wooden statue. After a moment, she burst into tears.