Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

In the silence, Zhang Lu walked with steady steps to his daughter's boudoir, which was filled with the air of a young girl. He paused briefly, cleared his throat, and a light cough echoed quietly in the quiet corridor. The crisp sound was like a stone dropped into a calm lake, shattering the silence.

A moment later, the daughter's personal maid quietly emerged. Seeing the master, she hurriedly stopped and knelt respectfully, her gesture of humility extremely low. Then, as agile as a fawn, she swiftly turned and entered the house, announcing the master's arrival to Zhang Fubao, who was already inside.

At that moment, Zhang Fubao was immersed in the exquisite world of a medical book. Hearing the maid's announcement, she was startled. She quickly closed the book in her hands and glanced anxiously around the room. She frantically arranged the doctrinal texts, mysterious talismans, and other items she studied daily on the desk, meticulously arranging them neatly to give the appearance of concentrated study. Once everything seemed flawless, she took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and slowly walked out of the room. She bowed to Zhang Luyingying with a perfect, impeccable ceremony.

Zhang Lu, accompanied by his daughter, stepped across the threshold and into her boudoir. He always upheld the principle of gender equality, and even when facing his own daughter, he dared not be careless in matters of etiquette. After all, he was determined to cultivate his daughter into a model of a well-educated, gentle, and virtuous lady, whose every word and action must conform to the norms of etiquette.

Entering the room, Zhang Lu's gaze naturally fell on the desk. There, neatly arranged, were numerous items related to the Five Pecks of Rice Sect's teachings: a fortune chart inscribed with mysterious runes, and volumes of classics expounding on the essence of the doctrine. Seeing this, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a smile of satisfaction, one filled with hope and love for his daughter. He said earnestly, "My son, I came here today not to force you to study the doctrine. Look, the Five Pecks of Rice Sect inherited by our Zhang family has gone through the baptism and precipitation of the years. Now it has widely accepted believers in the world. The followers are as numerous as stars, and its influence is growing day by day. The prosperity of this sect is the result of the diligence and hard work of several generations of our Zhang family. It is like the foundation and lifeblood of our family. Only by relying on the concerted efforts of the family members to maintain and pass it on can our Zhang family's clan tree always flourish and the family's glory and incense continue. , passed down from generation to generation. Your father knows you are kindhearted and intelligent, and I wish to place no restrictions or limitations on you. Yet, you have been surrounded by auspicious signs since childhood, blessed with profound blessings. Your father once asked a master physiognomist to examine your face carefully, and the reader was astonished, stating that you possess a destiny rarely seen in the world destined for great wealth and honor. Your destiny is noble and transcendent, like the brightest and most dazzling star in the night sky. It will not only bring you endless glory and happiness, but also signify your status as a model for the nation. You will surely become the pride of our family, protecting the entire Zhang family and bringing blessings to all who live.

Zhang Fubao pouted slightly and said reluctantly, "Daddy, why are you here again? You always use this same rhetoric to nag me. I'm just a girl, and I can let my brothers spread the teachings. You keep talking about those vague things like destiny. Are they really that important?"

Zhang Lu couldn't help but look displeased when he heard this. He said in a deep voice, "What are you talking about? My dear girl, we are a family that has passed down the teachings. If even our own family members don't believe in the Mandate of Heaven, how can we expect others to believe in it and follow the teachings?"

Zhang Fubao pursed his lips and continued, "Didn't the great virtuous teacher Zhang Jue use potions to write his talismans? He even used grain as paper. Don't you know all this? Do I need to explain it? It's clearly just a bluff."

Zhang Lu was furious upon hearing this, but he didn't want to vent his anger on his daughter. He suppressed his anger and patiently explained, "Fu Bao, our family is completely different from the lineage of the Great Sage Master. Our teachings require a five-pence-of-rice donation upon initiation, which is then used to help each other and alleviate the suffering of the poor. We have always encouraged good deeds and never incited rebellion. How can you confuse your father with the lineage of the Great Sage Master? This is a blasphemy against our ancestors. You must never entertain such thoughts."

Zhang Fubao looked at her father and saw that he was clearly displeased. Her heart tightened, and she quickly changed her tone to coax him, "Dad, look, I've been studying ancient texts on fortune and luck lately. I've been so well-behaved lately, never leaving the house, concentrating on studying our family's teachings and talismans. You can just say those words to the other believers, why bother taking it so seriously with your daughter?"

Zhang Lu couldn't contain his anger at his daughter's expression. After a few gentle words of comfort from his daughter, his once solemn expression broke free, and a smile instantly lit up his face. He said, "Ah, my daughter, you're right. Our family's teachings are passed down through generations, and no matter what, this legacy must never be abandoned. It's not that I, your father, want to restrict you, but you must not act like an ordinary medical officer, going out at will and giving people medical advice and prescriptions. Not to mention that saving lives is a matter of life and death, just considering your status..."

Zhang Fubao was immediately displeased when he heard this. He snorted coldly and interrupted, "Dad, you're the only one who can say that. Everyone outside trusts me and is grateful to me, but you're the only one who doubts my medical skills."

Although Zhang Lu was interrupted, he still patiently coaxed his daughter, "Fubao, Daddy knows you're a skilled doctor, a true miracle worker. But aside from the fact that ladies of noble families are supposed to stay secluded, your fate dictates that you be as mysterious as possible. How can you be seen in public all day, interacting with so many common people? In the future, you'll be destined to be the mother of the nation, at the very least, an imperial consort. That will be of extraordinary significance to the spread of our family's teachings..."

Zhang Fubao pursed her lips slightly, her beautiful eyes fixed on Zhang Lu. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked so pitiful that she choked back a sob as she spoke to him, "Father, why do you still say such things? Do you understand how wronged I feel? I studied medicine simply to do good and relieve the suffering of others. How can you call that inappropriate? I understand the importance of family teachings, but I also have my own pursuits and ambitions. Just because I'm a girl, should I be restricted in so many ways that I can't even indulge in these small interests?"

Seeing his daughter's pitiful appearance, Zhang Lu's heart instantly tightened, and he hurriedly said gently, "Alas, my dear daughter, I have no intention of making things difficult for you. You are passionate about medicine, and if you simply focus on studying it and explore whether it is consistent with our teachings, I will naturally support you. But you are always showing up and running around, which is really inappropriate. Moreover, the world is in turmoil right now, and you are out there like this. How can I not worry about your safety?"

Zhang Fubao stared at his father with wide eyes, full of suspicion, and asked, "Dad, do you really think so?" Zhang Lu nodded hurriedly, saying, "Yes, yes, yes, Dad is not lying. I am indeed worried about your safety."

Zhang Fubao still had doubts and said, "Why should I worry? Hanzhong has always been a place where many believers gather. The people are honest and simple. No one picks up things on the road, and they leave their doors open at night. How could there be any bad guys around? Besides, once my identity is revealed, who among the believers would dare to do anything bad to me? Dad, you are not kidding me."

Zhang Lu's face was solemn, and he spoke with deep worry, "Daughter, how could father deceive you for no reason? Do you know that the war between our Hanzhong followers and the Western Liang has been raging for a long time? Have you really heard nothing of this conflict and turmoil? Look carefully, aren't the wounded soldiers in this city increasing like a tide? Those Western Liang warriors are fierce and brutal by nature. They act solely on force. How could they talk to us peacefully and reasonably? We have always been kind to others. When have we ever provoked them? But now, the Western Liang army is approaching like a dark cloud, and the situation is extremely critical. Father has been unable to eat or sleep these days, trying to cope with this difficult situation. He has been racking his brains every day to figure out a solution. Look, his black hair is almost turning white with worry."

Zhang Fubao blinked his smart eyes and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Yes, yes, that's indeed the case. But then again, the reason why Hua Tuo, the genius doctor, has accumulated such a huge reputation in our Hanzhong is because his medical skills are so superb. Besides, Dad, please don't sigh in front of me. Your hair can't turn white so easily. Don't think I don't know anything. Our family has hidden rare treasures in the world, such as thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum, thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum, and even the extremely precious thousand-year-old ginseng. You have these magical herbs at your side. Just using a little can keep you radiant. How could your hair turn white so easily? Don't use this excuse to coax a child like me."

Zhang Lu was both angry and amused after hearing his daughter's words. He raised his hand and gently patted his forehead, saying helplessly, "Alas, my precious daughter, you have seen through all our family's wealth. There is not a single secret left."

Zhang Lu's expression straightened, a serious and solemn expression. His tone was firm and unquestionable, as he spoke, "Daughter, your father has made up his mind. No matter what, you must never again consider studying medicine with Hua Tuo. While Hua Tuo is a skilled doctor and renowned in Hanzhong, his style and philosophy are simply unacceptable to me. I've even decided not to allow him to remain in Hanzhong. You must understand that our family has its own teachings and numerous affairs to attend to, and your status and responsibilities are extraordinary. Excessive contact with Hua Tuo and studying his medical techniques could negatively impact you and could even deviate from our family's established path and aspirations. You must focus on family affairs and understanding the teachings, and avoid obsessing over your own medical skills, lest you cause unnecessary trouble and misfortune."