Chapter 31 The Living Dead

These were five children, boys and girls mixed, the oldest no more than thirteen and the youngest looking just two or three years old.

"Come, administer the medicine to them," Zhu Zan said again, gesturing towards the children.

It had come again.

Such a thing had happened again.

You just knew there were no secrets here; you just knew you couldn't talk recklessly.

Mention one thing that requires verification, and Thousand-Man Commander Lu would drag someone over for a medicine trial.

Say the medicine was for children to use, and the Duke of Chengguo's heir would bring a few more kids over.

Why were these people's ears so long? Long ears, long hands—how did they just turn up as soon as something was mentioned?

The doctors were looking anxious.

"Lord Heir, we can't do this," Doctor Feng insisted.

"I don't need…" Miss Jun couldn't help but speak.

Her smallpox virus did not really need verification; it was to be used directly, so...

Doctor Feng glared at her, cutting her off.

"No, we absolutely cannot test medicines on living people," he declared. "To kill in attempt to save lives—this is something we, as imperial physicians, must never do."

Miss Jun fell silent.

She was not an imperial physician, not a doctor, so she had already done such things as testing drugs on living people.

But these doctors had followed her here precisely because of their benevolent hearts, so now she couldn't blame them for that same compassion.

This was a truly vexing situation.

"Who said you have to test medicines on living people?" Zhu Zan spoke up, showing a trace of impatience.

Ah?

The people in the Buddhist Temple were all momentarily stunned.

Not using living people? Then who were they to use?

"Naturally, we use the dead," Zhu Zan stated. With a long reach, he drew a boy of about ten towards him, nodding toward the doctors, "Here, he's the one."

What kind of joke was this?

The doctors widened their eyes, looking from Zhu Zan to the boy he had pulled over.

The boy was somewhat skinny, his hair a bit dirty and disheveled, appearing like a beggar from the street, but a pair of spirited eyes twinkled from beneath his hair.

Was he picked up from the streets?

Compared to the Jinyiwei, who didn't regard people as humans, these nobles' offspring were slightly better—but in their eyes, these beggars didn't count as people either.

However, in the eyes of these doctors, beggars were people, too.

Doctor Feng heaved a sigh.

"Lord Heir, as long as he is alive, no matter how lowly his life is considered, he is a living person," he said.

Zhu Zan chuckled and patted the boy's shoulder.

"Come on, tell them, are you dead or alive?" he asked.

The boy looked at the doctors.

"My name is Zhou Jing, from Zhending," he stated.

So what?

The doctors looked at him in confusion. The boy calmly introduced himself, not terror-stricken like those dragged here by Thousand-Man Commander Lu. Surely he knew what he was here for, right?

Or had someone paid for his life with money?

"My grandfather is Zhou Bentang," Zhou Jing continued.

Zhou Bentang?

That name sounded familiar.

A thought flashed through the doctors' minds.

Who was that?

Suddenly, one of the doctors exclaimed, his expression astonished as he looked at the child.

"Zhou Bentang? The wealthy Zhou Family of Zhending Prefecture!" he said. "The very Zhou Bentang who was convicted of colluding with the enemy?"

Colluding with the enemy was a grave crime punishable by execution of the entire family—a rarity, so when this doctor shouted the name, the others also recalled who Zhou Bentang was.

Just last winter, despite the Duke of Chengguo's strict defenses, the Jurchen people still raided Zhending Prefecture; many civilians were killed or injured, the Magistrate died defending the city, and the dynasty was outraged. In the end, it was discovered that there was a traitor from within, a scion of the affluent Zhou Family, Zhou Bentang.

Eventually, he was taken to the capital, sentenced to execution by beheading of the whole family after the imperial examinations in March.

Execution of the entire family, then, naturally, all of Zhou Bentang's offspring were sent to the dungeon to await death.

This child…

He was a condemned prisoner waiting to die.

The doctors wore complex expressions.

"They all are," Zhu Zan said, gesturing towards the remaining children. "These are all children of the Zhou Family. Do you still consider them alive?"

Though they were alive now, in a month's time they'd be dead—truly... as good as dead.

Despite appearing alive, these children would soon be dead.

So, indeed, they could not be considered living.

The doctors fell silent.

"I've spoken with the emperor," Zhu Zan added. "If they survive the medicine trial, their death sentences will be commuted. If they don't make it..." he slapped the boy's shoulder, "...you'll have lost nothing."

Indeed, there would be no loss.

The doctors exchanged complicated looks, unsure what to say.

"Although I've already asked you in prison," Zhu Zan looked at the children, "here in the presence of these doctors, I'll ask again: are you willing to give it a try?"

"I am willing," Zhou Jing was the first to say loudly.

The children behind him also began to speak out.

"We are willing," they said loudly.

Their voices had a youthful ring.

"I want to see Mother," the two or three-year-old child added, tugging on his sister's sleeve.

The girl hurriedly held his hand.

"After we're done, we can go see Mother," she soothed in a low voice.

There was a sour tone in her voice.

The truth was they would never see their mother again.

None of the doctors said a word.

Zhou Jing looked uneasy. He couldn't help but step forward.

"We truly are willing; we really are—please let us try," he urged, his voice desperate and quivering.

"Let us try, if only to live and preserve the bloodline of the Zhou Family," he pleaded.

Doctor Feng suddenly felt a prickling at the tip of his nose and had to turn his head away.

Colluding with the enemy was an enormous crime, and they too despised the harm it brought upon people, but these children were innocent after all.

"Doctor Feng, just give it a try," Miss Jun said.

Doctor Feng didn't speak, and neither did the other doctors.

Their silence was consent.

Miss Jun gestured to the children.

"Come," she said.

Zhou Jing's eyes flashed with excitement, and without hesitation, he stepped forward, followed by the others who didn't hesitate either; the little one was pulled along too.

"Don't be afraid; it's very simple," Miss Jun said, motioning for them to sit down.

"We're not afraid," the children said boldly, though nervous.

"Not scared," the little one echoed, learning from the others.

He was being seated on a chair by his sister.

Miss Jun smiled, picked up a copper pipe, then looked at Doctor Feng.

"Doctor Feng, this time you do it," she said. "It's good to get used to it soon. In the future, we may not have enough hands, so everyone needs to learn and become proficient."

This really was a trial, and even the doctors were being given a chance to practice.

Doctor Feng took a deep breath and answered affirmatively.

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It's Tuesday—keep moving forward.