The world of film and television begins with the God of Medicine.

Chapter 1521 Demonstrating Attitude
"Third Master!"

Qi Dazhu, accompanied by a woman with a scar on her face, happily bowed to Wang Yan.

After the previous suppression of the Japanese pirates in Chun'an, the front lines were in dire need of supplies, and able-bodied men were transferred from the rear to handle logistics and provisions—a mandatory assignment. Qi Dazhu volunteered again, so Wang Yan simply granted his request. And sure enough, after going out to fight, he found another wife.

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "That's right, you earned a lot of military merits on your trip and also got such a beautiful wife."

"This humble woman greets the Third Master. It was Dazhu who saved me; if it weren't for him, I would have died long ago."

"Great, that's a good story of a hero rescuing a damsel in distress."

"Third Master, I'm hardly a hero," Qi Dazhu chuckled, then continued, "But my wife is indeed a beauty, though her face has been slashed by Japanese pirates. Third Master, you're a renowned physician, could you perhaps take a look at my wife?"

"It's impossible to completely remove them, but it's possible to make the scars shallower. We'll take care of it for you in the next few days."

Wang Yan readily agreed, then turned to Zhu Qi and cupped his hands in greeting: "Seventh Master, it's been a long time. I was really surprised to see Dazhu bring his wife back. I didn't mean to slight you, Seventh Master."

"We're brothers, why bother with these formalities?" Zhu Qi laughed. "But you really make us look at you in a new light."

Before Wang Yan could express his confusion, he continued, "I heard that you led Qi Dazhu and other local militia to annihilate the Japanese pirates. You personally donned armor and charged ahead, killing more than a dozen pirates in a single charge. None of your men could withstand a single blow?"

"They merely relied on their armor and brute force to charge around recklessly."

"That's quite an achievement. I used to think you were just a show-off, always practicing slow and leisurely punches. I never imagined you were such a master. It just so happens that you're coming with me this time, so let's have a good spar and get revenge for being captured alive by the people of Chun'an."

"What grudge is there for being captured alive? Seventh Master simply doesn't want to harm the common people. As for a friendly spar, Wang Yan is always ready to oblige."

After responding with a reply, Wang Yan asked, "When shall we set off?"

"Not in a hurry."

Zhu Qi smiled and waved his hand, "The imperial court has sent Yan Maoqing to inspect the salt, so we should also take a look."

He spoke softly, only letting Wang Yan know. This conveyed a different attitude—it was Jiajing's blatant suspicion. However, Wang Yan was one of his own, not a member of Yan Xishan's faction, and kept his mouth shut. Knowing just a little bit wouldn't be a problem; it would only demonstrate closer ties.

Zhu Qi continued, "Furthermore, Your Majesty heard that you were going to build houses for all the people in the county. Now that three months have passed, the houses should be almost finished, right? It's good to finish what you start. It's not too late to come to the capital with me after you've finished building them before winter."

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty." Wang Yan immediately kowtowed in the direction of the capital, fully demonstrating his loyalty to the emperor and his patriotism.

This thing is good no matter how you do it, but you never know when it will play a crucial role. After all, not everyone respects the great emperor all the time, and you never know when someone might find fault with you and accuse you of something, leaving you in a terrible mess.

Wang Yan had nothing but unwavering loyalty...

Thus, Wang Yan took advantage of the time before winter to accelerate the construction of the house. In fact, it wasn't slow to begin with; brick kilns were everywhere, and the thick smoke billowed out non-stop.

Mining, coal mining, transportation, construction—all sorts of people were lined up. At the docks, boatloads of timber were being transported in, piling up like mountains.

The people are not short of money to buy timber for the building beams. They have already sold two batches of raw silk, and with the grain they borrowed earlier, they are still quite well-off. The silver that the county government had advanced for the purchase of timber for the building beams has been recovered.

Adding to the ill-gotten gains from the previous confiscation of wealth from wealthy merchants who colluded with the Japanese, and the monthly cleaning fees collected from shops within the county, Chun'an County's finances are currently at their best level in nearly ten years. This is no exaggeration, as Wang Yan is the registrar, and Chun'an County's accounting office has never experienced a fire, so he compiled the past accounts.

After three years, once the tax exemption period ends and taxes are levied on the people's land, the finances will be even better.

If the current tax rate is guaranteed and not increased, it is absolutely right for Chun'an to be described as a place of great order and harmonious governance.

However, considering that Wang Yan, Hai Rui, and even Tian Youlu were all leaving Chun'an, the two of them got together and discussed it before suddenly spending money.

The Changping Granary was expanded, increasing its capacity from 30,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) to 50,000 shi. Several schools were also built, and subsidies were given to a few promising young scholars in the county who had passed Hai Rui's tests, in the hope that they would achieve great things. Another portion of the funds was used to care for the county's elderly living alone and children, urgently constructing a welfare home to provide them with centralized care.

He arranged jobs for the elderly and ensured that the children received an education and learned a trade. At the same time, Wang Yan personally went to the countryside to investigate, explained the principles to the people, and found a group of people willing to follow his orders, assigning them tasks such as protecting the people.

Of course, he always made sure his employees were well-fed before they started working. Even after spending all the money Jiajing gave him on food and drink, he still had a considerable amount left over, and he was determined to continue his large-scale pig, chicken, duck, and goose farming operations.

He'd rather spend money to buy these saplings and have the people who do his bidding raise them, then buy them back once they're grown. He'd calculate the costs, and the small profit would be enough to keep the business running. The locals would raise chickens, ducks, and geese, which would provide eggs, and they could also breed their own saplings, thus expanding their business.

As long as the epidemic is under control, it's a good thing for everyone.

What Wang Yan needs to do is train veterinarians and conduct research and dissemination of breeding techniques—these are fundamental tasks. Only he is willing and capable of doing them.

After all this fuss, the government's funds were basically exhausted. Naturally, the plan to repair the official road could no longer be implemented.

Repairing the official road isn't that crucial, since the existing roads are usable. All other expenditures are beneficial to Chun'an. No matter how the money is spent, as long as it's spent within the county, it's good.

After all this commotion, Hai Rui had another falling out with Yan Maoqing, leaving Yan Maoqing humiliated, and Wang Yan was finally ready to set off.

“My lord, you must be careful when you take up your post elsewhere,” Wang Yan said. “Your sister-in-law is pregnant, and your niece is still young. If she causes trouble, those lawless people will really take risks. The most important thing right now is to protect the pregnancy. This is a boy, which will fulfill your mother’s wish.”

I won't try to persuade you; the choice is ultimately yours. Just think it through and don't regret it later.

Hai Rui remained silent, unsure of what to say.

Wang Yan then turned to Tian Youlu and said, "Good brother, you should also be less corrupt after you've been transferred elsewhere. You should at least do something for the people."

Tian Youlu sighed deeply, "Third Master, even if I want to get things done, I need the means. Elsewhere, it's still the local low-ranking officials and the big shots who are in charge. I'm all alone, weak and powerless. It's good enough if I can just live my life peacefully."

"We've worked together for a while, so I'll give you a few pieces of advice. Whether you listen or not is up to you."

Wang Yan patted him on the shoulder, then left the county office, got into the carriage, and, with Qi Dazhu and his wife, set off for the capital with Zhu Qi...

That's how farewells are; there aren't many sorrowful partings, just parting ways on such an ordinary day.

Wang Yan's departure was uneventful. The people knew he was leaving, but they didn't know when. Besides, Wang Yan owned a butcher shop in the county, and since the Third Master's business was there, he could certainly keep an eye on things. So there was no grand procession of people holding umbrellas and seeing him off for miles; Wang Yan simply left.

Qi Dazhu had several brothers, so he didn't need to serve his parents. He felt secure following the Third Master and took his wife along as if they were going to the capital to make a fortune.

They traveled leisurely and unhurriedly. Every day, Wang Yan sparred with Zhu Qi and the other Imperial Guards. After beating up Zhu Qi and the others, everyone became even more enthusiastic about him. Every morning, they would practice together and ask him for advice on martial arts and health preservation.

After all, Wang Yan was skilled in both martial arts and medicine. Although medicine and martial arts are inseparable, and they all knew a little about them, they were not experts. After consulting with Wang Yan, getting a massage, and being prescribed some medicine, they clearly felt that some of their old ailments had disappeared, and they felt like they were starting anew.

Qi Dazhu also followed along and studied. After a month of leisurely progress, Qi Dazhu's martial arts skills improved considerably.

Along the way, Wang Yan and his companions enjoyed a very comfortable journey. They were served good food and drink at the inns along the way. Since they were not in a hurry, they could even take the time to explore the surrounding areas and observe the local people's lives.

By the time they leisurely followed Yan Maoqing's salt inspection team into the capital, it was already the end of the year.

It was snowing heavily that day.

The carriage swayed and rattled into the city, where it encountered a troop of soldiers and a large group of high-ranking officials. The carriage was stopped and wouldn't be allowed to leave, so Zhu Qi jumped out.

"Who do we have here at this hour? It's Seventh Master!" Yan Shifan greeted him loudly and confidently.

Zhu Qi cupped his hands in greeting: "So it's the young Grand Secretary. Please don't be offended, young Grand Secretary."

"We're brothers, what's there to be surprised about? Did you bring back someone who's been colluding with the Japanese?"

"Exactly."

"Wang Yan is here too?"

“Exactly.” Zhu Qi nodded.

Yan Shifan laughed and said loudly, "There is such a person, a mere ninth-rank clerk, who dares to presume to discuss national policies, defy his superiors, disobey orders, incite the people to gather in chaos, and even collude with Japanese pirates to wreak havoc in our southeast."

He walked step by step to the carriage, lifted the curtain, and looked inside at Mr. Wang, who was tending a small red clay stove and drinking tea from a pot.

"What, someone who fears neither heaven nor earth has become spineless once they arrive in the capital? Huh?"

Wang Yan glanced at him: "Yan Shifan, it's not that I'm afraid of you, it's that I don't want to put His Majesty in a difficult position."

Yan Shifan laughed in anger: "You think you can make money for His Majesty by getting him some lousy cement and white glass? You think you're safe now? Let me tell you, you're dead this time. Don't want to make things difficult for His Majesty? What? You want to kill me?"

Wang Yan chuckled, then reached out and grabbed Yan Shifan by the neck, pulling him further into the carriage.

Those outside saw a pair of hands reach out, and Yan Shifan's head was hidden behind the curtain. His legs were off the ground, and he struggled wildly.

Zhu Qi's face turned green: "Wang Yan! Stop!"

As he spoke, he rushed over like lightning, lifted the curtain, and pried open Wang Yan's hand.

"Young Grand Secretary!"

Luo Longwen, Yan Maoqing, and their group shouted anxiously, "Help! Help! Save him! Catch this thief and tear him to pieces!"

The carriage was only so big that even the soldiers around couldn't get a hand in. Zhu Qi gritted his teeth and used all his strength, but he still couldn't pry Wang Yan's hand off. He could only helplessly watch as Yan Shifan's face turned purplish-red, and it was clear that he wouldn't survive.

"Wang Yan, don't do anything foolish..." Zhu Qi said with a sorrowful tone.

Wang Yan slapped Yan Shifan across the mouth with his other hand, then released him and kicked him into the snow. He looked at Zhu Qi strangely and said, "Seventh Master, you didn't really think I was going to kill him, did you?"

"Uh..." Zhu Qi didn't reply, and quickly jumped out of the car to help Yan Shifan, who was panting heavily and coughing uncontrollably.

Yan Shifan angrily shoved Zhu Qi aside, and Yan Maoqing shouted from the side: "Zhu Qi, how dare you not put a shackle on someone who colludes with Japanese pirates? How dare you condone the murder of the young Grand Secretary in public? What are your intentions!"

"You son of a bitch, I was brought to the capital for investigation, not to be convicted. What kind of bullshit are you spouting?"

Wang Yan climbed out of the carriage and stood on the shaft. "Besides, don't you know whether I'm guilty or not? You sons of bitches, you're allowed to slander me? But I'm not allowed to fight back?"

"How dare you! How rude!"

"Someone, take him away from me."

"Don't move!" Zhu Qi shouted to stop everyone, looking at Yan Shifan who was clutching his neck. "Young Grand Secretary, this is the person His Majesty wants. Under no circumstances should your people take him. Today, the Young Grand Secretary is injured, and the blame lies with me. I will apologize to His Majesty when we return."

Yan Shifan stared intently at Wang Yan, then waved his hand: "Let them go!"

Wang Yan nodded to Yan Shifan: "Young Grand Secretary, I see your forehead is dark, you're in for a bloody disaster. You should be careful, when bad luck strikes, even drinking cold water can cause problems. You might get a stroke tonight if you favor your concubine."

After making a sarcastic remark, Wang Yan was pulled into the carriage by Zhu Qi.

"You really know how to cause trouble..."

"I was harmed by them. Yan Shifan was practically blatantly defiant; it wouldn't be right not to retaliate, would it?" Wang Yan rambled on. "Seventh Master, you know perfectly well. I became an official just to make money, but I've only been in office for two days, and that damned Yan Shifan ordered the dikes destroyed and the fields flooded..."

Now, I haven't even gotten a single copper coin, let alone silver. It was His Majesty's mercy that gave me a thousand taels of silver; otherwise, I wouldn't even have a chance to eat or drink.

Zhu Qi let out a long, helpless sigh: "I know you've had a tough time, but who is Yan Shifan? You almost got strangled to death by him, is this going to end well? You're in big trouble. From now on, you'll have to sleep with your eyes open..."

Wang Yan chuckled...

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