Free Web NovelChapter 2379: Chapter 2354: Weighing the Options
The Crown Prince pondered for a moment before shaking his head, "Bai Shan has the talent to govern a country. Staying at the Chongwen Pavilion right after entering public service wouldn’t benefit him much. Such a talented individual should be placed outside for training and, after a few years, brought back to the capital. At that time, whether it’s joining the Six Ministries, the Imperial Secretariat and Central Secretariat, or my Eastern Palace, he could make significant contributions."
The Crown Princess: ...So you yourself don’t think her brother has the talent to govern a country, so why are you angry now?
"Then whom does Your Highness think is suitable?"
The Crown Prince thought for a moment and said, "There’s no rush in this matter. Third Brother, even if he’s placed elsewhere, has to recover from his illness first, and then there’s the Ming Classic exam approaching. After the exam, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel will appoint officials, and I will select someone then."
The Crown Princess still felt quite regretful, "If Bai Shan could stay in the Eastern Palace, then he and Zhou Man could truly be a couple together. I heard from Mingda and Changyu that the two families are already setting a date for marriage."
The Crown Prince wasn’t very interested in the marriages of his subordinates, especially since Zhou Man’s marriage had already been decided, what was there to discuss?
So he said, "They’re both not young anymore, indeed they should get married. If it weren’t for the mourning, even Changyu and Mingda would have been married off last year."
The Crown Princess: "... Your Highness, I mean, once Zhou Man gets married, she would certainly follow Bai Shan if he’s placed elsewhere. We can’t just have a couple separated by distance, can we?"
The Crown Prince looked puzzled, "What’s wrong with being separated by distance? Aren’t there many couples in the court separated by distance?"
The Crown Princess, shocked, widened her eyes in disbelief as she looked at the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince looked at her with a baffled expression, not quite understanding her thoughts, "What’s wrong?"
The Crown Princess finally said softly, "Your Highness, how could the two of them be the same as others?"
The Crown Prince: "How are the two of them different from others?"
The Crown Princess opened her mouth, looking like she wanted to say more but stopping short, finally finding the words, "Court officials can be separated from their wives and children because, first, the wife needs to take care of the parents back home; second, to educate the children at home. As long as there’s a legitimate son, you can let a concubine follow the husband when placed outside, but..."
The Crown Princess looked at the Crown Prince softly and said, "Bai Shan and Zhou Man are just about to get married, yet they have to separate, clearly can’t have children immediately; moreover, does Your Highness think Bai Shan looks like someone who would take concubines?"
The Crown Prince then said, "What’s it to do with me? Whether they take concubines or not is a matter between them as a couple. Unless Zhou Man stops being an official, only then can she freely choose to follow Bai Shan when placed outside, stay in the capital, or go elsewhere."
The Crown Princess: "Your Highness is too unkind. What if Zhou Man also wants to go outside with Bai Shan?"
It’s not "what if." From what Mingda and Changyu said, Zhou Man indeed has such plans.
The Crown Prince dismissively waved his hand and said, "That depends on whether she can persuade the Imperial Hospital and His Majesty. After all, she is a fifth-rank imperial doctor, and it is not easy for a doctor of her rank to be placed outside."
The Crown Princess curiously looked at him, "Your Highness is willing to let Zhou Man be placed outside?"
The Crown Prince glanced at her and said, "Didn’t I and the Eastern Palace still do fine when she left the capital for a year? It’s naturally good if she’s here, but if she has more important matters elsewhere, I naturally won’t forcibly stop her. She is a court official, not a household official of mine."
At this point, the Crown Prince still felt quite regretful. If Zhou Man were willing to join the Eastern Palace, there wouldn’t be so much to lament about. But he also knew that if Zhou Man didn’t have her ambition, she wouldn’t have her current medical skills.
Bai Shan is young, and both I and my father can see his talent, knowing that as long as he matures, he will undoubtedly become a pillar of talent in the future;
Zhou Man is equally so, although a woman, her intelligence and ability are no less than Bai Shan’s, and her future achievements will not be less than his.
Speaking of the far future, just mentioning the current research on the cowpox method, if successful, would be a feat benefiting generations to come.
Of course, those who would benefit generations would not only include Zhou Man but also her superiors, future key officials promoting the cowpox method, the current emperor, and the Crown Prince managing the Imperial Medical Bureau.
In the future, it will be recorded in the annals of history as their achievement, if all goes smoothly.
Evidently, many people share the same view as the Crown Prince, so the experiments that Zhou Man and her team conducted at the imperial estate, regardless of their effectiveness, were well-supplied externally.
Of course, they didn’t need much, beyond cows, mainly medicine and people.
These things, aside from the higher expenses on medicine, didn’t cost much overall.
It’s just that a piece of land was fenced off at the imperial estate, and now houses are being built, and even on the day of the Lantern Festival, work didn’t stop.
For the Imperial Medical Bureau, there’s nothing more important than this right now, even though Su Jian received a series of gifts of condolence from the imperial palace, they didn’t allow Zhou Man to skip her duties to treat Su Jian.
Manbao could only visit the Su Family to check on Su Jian after returning home from the office.
Su Jian’s stomach ache improved after two days, but Manbao felt the abscess had not fully subsided, so she continued to give him acupuncture every other day and prescribed two doses of medicine daily.
After about ten days, Manbao said, "No more issues. Just be mindful of your diet in the future."
Su Jian breathed a sigh of relief. Over the past few days, he had been consuming a bland diet along with bitter medicine, making his mouth feel like it was coated with a layer of yellow root, extremely uncomfortable.
Now that he received the all-clear, his entire face lit up.
Manbao couldn’t help but advise again, "Drink less alcohol and pay more attention to your diet in the future."
Su Jian waved his hand and said, "I know, I know. Someone, see Lord Zhou out."
After thinking, he decided to get up himself, "I’ll escort Lord Zhou out myself."
Manbao packed up her medicine box and shook her head, refusing, "There’s no need, I’m familiar with the way and can leave on my own. My Lord, you should get more rest."
Su Jian felt that Zhou Man’s words implied something.
Zhou Man was indeed very familiar with the Su Family, especially since three years ago, during Su Jian’s severe injury, Manbao had frequently stayed at their home. She had also visited for six days this time—so how could she not be familiar?
After coming out, Manbao did not immediately go home but carried her medicine box to visit the State Duke Pi’s wife. Recently, she seemed to have unexpectedly gotten a new patient, and every time she came to give Su Jian acupuncture, she also seized the opportunity to give acupuncture to the State Duke Pi’s wife.
The State Duke Pi’s wife, being older and having been quite upset recently, was not in great health.
Upon seeing Zhou Man, the State Duke Pi’s wife smiled and waved her over, "Doctor Zhou, you came at the right time. The palace just sent some gifts, and I think the color of this piece of satin really suits you. I’ll have someone send it to you later."
Manbao immediately declined politely with a smile, "These are gifts from the palace for you, Old Madam. How can I take what’s meant for you?"
"I’m just an old woman, where would I wear such bright clothing? It’s much more suitable for you, Doctor Zhou."
Manbao said, "But there are also three wives and young ladies at the estate. I think this color suits them as well."
The State Duke Pi’s wife merely smiled and insisted on giving it to Manbao.
Manbao, not skilled at refusing gifts, seeing her decline three times without success, finally accepted.
The State Duke Pi’s wife smiled with satisfaction. She liked this about Zhou Man—when it was appropriate to accept gifts, she did so. No need for false politeness, which made the gift giver happy as well.
