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

Chapter 1523 Loyal Minister
"You keep calling me a mere subject, yet you expect me to serve you to the death? Lü Fang, what do you think this 'minor subject' is supposed to do?"

Lü Fang said with a smile, "Your Majesty, this servant said he wants an official position, he wants to become a minister."

Wang Yan grinned and said, "How high an official position is considered the best? This humble subject doesn't care about anything else, only about sharing Your Majesty's burdens and fulfilling my duty as a subject."

"You've come to the capital for trial, and you just beat Yan Shifan, so it won't be easy for you. Let's wait and see after the New Year." Jiajing waved his hand, but there was little worry in his words.

Previously, Zheng Bichang and He Maocai had falsely accused Wang Yan of harboring Japanese pirates to the cabinet. Yan Shifan had wanted to dismiss Wang Yan, but Jiajing stopped him. At the same time, the entire incident was being tracked and recorded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so Jiajing knew the details clearly.

Whether from a moral or legal perspective, Wang Yan is not going to die.

Jiajing said, "I heard that you treated Hu Zongxian's illness and even taught him a set of health-preserving exercises?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Without Jiajing pressing for details, Wang Yan recounted Hu Zongxian's physical condition and their conversation to him in detail. Jiajing was certainly aware of all this. He would likely investigate further to see how Hu Zongxian's health was after practicing martial arts for so long.

Let alone someone of Hu Zongxian's rank, even a minor county magistrate like Hai Rui had physical health considered in his appointment criteria. How much more so for a powerful regional official like Hu Zongxian, the third-in-command of the Yan faction.

Emperor Jiajing needed to be aware of the health conditions of his ministers, as well as those of the same or lower rank, and the ministers also needed to be aware of the health conditions of Emperor Jiajing himself.

Health is truly the foundation of everything. If you want to do anything, you have to be able to withstand the strain first.

After listening to Wang Yan's words, Jiajing nodded and said, "I heard that after Hu Zongxian returned to his hometown, he practiced diligently every day, and after three months, his complexion became rosy and he was full of energy. He must have taken some kind of magic pill. It turns out it was all thanks to you."

Lu Fang thoughtfully suggested, "Master, why don't you let Wang Yan take your pulse as well, and then let His Majesty point out any mistakes he might have made?"

"I have achieved great success in my cultivation, why would I need..."

Before Jiajing could boast and brag, Wang Yan said, "Your Majesty is the Emperor of Longevity, whose achievements are comparable to those of the Creator. However, medicinal herbs are naturally grown, the essence of natural plants and trees, and the refined energy of the human world. If Your Majesty uses them after consuming the elixir, it will surely benefit Your Majesty's cultivation."

As for health cultivation techniques, these are merely guiding exercises I devised based on Hua Tuo's Five Animal Frolics. It would be my honor if Your Majesty could offer me some guidance. Perhaps Eunuch Lü could send someone; they could learn the essentials in two or three days.”

Treating the emperor's illness is bound to cause problems, but it's clear that Jiajing wants him to take a look and also wants to learn some health exercises, so naturally he has no choice but to agree.

On the other hand, Wang Yan also wanted Jiajing to live a couple more years; otherwise, all his previous flattery would have been for nothing. Although Prince Yu would certainly give him a position after ascending the throne, given his role in the downfall of Yan Xishan, it wouldn't be as generous as Jiajing's. After all, he was Jiajing's man from the beginning, not Prince Yu's.

After listening to Wang Yan's words, Lü Fang glanced at Jiajing's expression and understood the gist of it: "Then let Huang Jin learn from you and take His Majesty's pulse first."

"Your Majesty, please extend your hands."

Wang Yan crawled forward on his knees, grasped Jiajing's wrists with both hands (he seemed reluctant), and took his pulse for two minutes without asking a single question.

"How was it?" Jiajing asked shamelessly.

He's truly shameless. He claims to have achieved great success in metaphysics, yet he's unwilling to see a doctor and still wants to know the results. Is that reasonable?
Wang Yan said, "Your Majesty has achieved great success in the path of immortality, and naturally possesses a healthy body. This humble servant will write a prescription so that Your Majesty can absorb some of the essence of natural herbs and plants, which can be considered as adding icing on the cake for Your Majesty's cultivation. Eunuch Lü?"

Lü Fang glanced at the smiling Jiajing Emperor, then beckoned to Wang Yan: "Come with me."

Wang Yan kowtowed to Jiajing, then stood up and followed Lü Fang to the side, where he finally saw a group of eunuchs making a lot of arithmetic.

Lü Fang didn't say anything, but simply waved her hand, and the sound of the abacus stopped instantly. Then she raised her head towards the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone: "Please write down the prescription."

"Eunuch Lü, you're making this humble servant feel awkward. Just write the prescription, why bother? This humble servant is not worthy of your trouble."

Wang Yan offered a compliment, then picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and began writing on a piece of paper. The prescription was written in great detail, from the dosage of the herbs to the precautions for decocting them, everything was written clearly.

Emperor Jiajing was quite resistant to the imperial physicians, and netizens jokingly say that he lived a long life because he massacred the Imperial Medical Academy. There's some truth to that; Liu Wentai saw off two emperors, Chenghua and Hongzhi, and managed to withdraw unscathed, which speaks volumes.

Moreover, during the Renyin Palace Coup, Jiajing was strangled unconscious by a palace maid, and none of the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital would treat him. Only one imperial physician, whom Jiajing had promoted, managed to cure him, but this physician also died a few months later...

I guess I haven't been feeling well lately, but it's not too serious. It just so happens that Wang Yan is here, and he has a reputation as a miracle doctor, so I'll have him take a look.

After writing down the prescription, Wang Yan followed Lü Fang back. Just as he was about to kneel down again, Jiajing, who had taken the prescription, waved his hand and said, "Alright, no need to kneel anymore, go back."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. This humble subject takes his leave." Wang Yan bowed ninety-six degrees, cupped his hands, and stepped back to leave.

"Master, this servant will see him off," Lü Fang said, and then left with Wang Yan.

Stepping over the threshold and into the corridor, seeing Wang Yan looking out the window, Lü Fang chuckled and said, "Your white glass is excellent; it has won His Majesty's favor. Whenever His Majesty has free time and looks out the window at the scenery, he always mentions you. You are also thoughtful; you always think of His Majesty first when something happens."

"It is His Majesty who has thought of me, Eunuch Lü. There are countless ninth-rank clerks in our Great Ming Dynasty. For His Majesty to value me is more than just a stroke of good fortune; it is an unstoppable blessing. It is truly a stroke of luck. I imagine Eunuch Lü has spoken well of me often. It is all my good fortune. Rest assured, Eunuch Lü, please feel free to give me any instructions in the future, and I will do my utmost."

"What you say is true, and I have indeed said many good things about you. But what can I possibly ask you? You should save your energy to do the job His Majesty has assigned you."

“Eunuch Lü is right. I am a lowly official with a small position, and I hope you will give me some guidance.” “It is because you have lived up to your own expectations that I could have promoted you. You are a practical person with a clear mind, not a stubborn person. As long as you work diligently, His Majesty will not forget you.”

As they spoke, the two had already left Yuxi Palace. Lü Fang waved to stop the young eunuch who was following them and asked, "How is His Majesty's health?"

"naturally……"

"Tell the truth!"

Wang Yan glanced at him and then said, "He is indeed healthy, but some elixir toxins have accumulated in his body. The prescription I gave is for detoxification and health maintenance. With the help of my health-maintaining exercises, the elixir toxins will be eliminated in just two or three months. During this period, Your Majesty should stop taking the elixir and recuperate before taking it again."

"Is everything you're saying true?" Lü Fang asked, somewhat doubtful.

"He also has a bit of liver fire and weak stomach qi... These are minor ailments, mostly caused by accumulated erysipelas, and also by anger from the Yan faction. His Majesty has the entire nation on his mind, so it's impossible for him not to think about these things, right? We can only wait for these messy matters to pass and His Majesty's mind to calm down, and then he'll be fine."

"Once Your Majesty uses my prescription and practices the health-preserving exercises, your body will recover. Then I will prescribe some dietary supplements, and Your Majesty can eat and drink as you please, and your immortal body will be without hindrance."

On the contrary, it was precisely these minor ailments that Wang Yan mentioned that made Lü Fang even more convinced. Because he served Jiajing, he knew Jiajing's health condition better than anyone else, and all the symptoms Wang Yan described matched, which put his mind at ease.

Otherwise, if Wang Yan had prescribed a remedy without asking any questions, Jiajing would have had his doubts, and he wouldn't have fully trusted him either.

"It seems the people of Chun'an consider you a miracle doctor, and even Li Shizhen praised you highly. You're truly remarkable." Lü Fang nodded in satisfaction. "Let's go back. Tomorrow, have Huang Jin go and learn health cultivation techniques from you."

So Wang Yan was escorted out of the West Garden by a young eunuch, and then taken back to his residence next to the Northern Garrison by the Embroidered Uniform Guard...

After listening to Lü Fang's retelling, Jiajing nodded: "He is right. I have been unable to meditate recently, which is why I am not feeling well. It seems that I will have to go into seclusion for a while after the New Year."

Lü Fang said with a smile, "Wang Yan is so sensible; he can make His Majesty happy."

Jiajing glanced at him: "You're overthinking things. Are you afraid I'll be angry if I find out? I'll find out sooner or later anyway."

"If His Majesty can be happy for even a short while, this servant will be satisfied." Lü Fang knew that this was the end of the matter. "Actually, upon closer examination, Wang Yan's words are not without reason."

"These are all naive words and don't count. Kill him? Does he think I don't want to kill him? Emperor Taizu skinned him alive, could he have been killed?" Jiajing shook his head with a smile. "But his heart is always good. He is willing to share my burdens and can indeed share them."

“What Your Majesty says is absolutely right. Wang Yan is indeed skilled at making money. Take this cement and white glass for example. Next year, it will earn the Imperial Treasury hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. If things go well, it might even reach a million taels of silver, which will save Your Majesty a lot of worry. The money from converting rice paddies to mulberry fields can also be considered as compensation for His Majesty.”

Lü Fang smiled and said, "In addition, regarding employment, I have heard Wang Yan's previous discussion with Hai Rui about the flow of wealth and agree with it. The craftsmen in the cement and white glass workshops are all paid according to their work, and the more they work, the more they earn. We have also followed Wang Yan's example and allowed them to take holidays and leave to spend money."

Whether this money can be earned back, I do not know. But the artisans are all grateful for His Majesty's benevolence and work diligently, producing almost twice the daily output. If the kilns were not insufficient and unable to keep up with the demand, they could produce even more. The artisans work with smiles on their faces and are full of energy.

This servant believes that sending Wang Yan to the Ministry of Works would be making the best use of his talents.

“You’re wrong.” Jiajing shook his head. “He’s best suited to be a local official. What can he decide in the Ministry of Works? Let him be a county magistrate, and look at how he managed Chun’an. In just six months, it was considered a great success. The people, the merchants, and the government offices all have money. Didn’t you also say that he was afraid the next official would be greedy, so he spent all the money before coming to the capital…”

"This is all thanks to His Majesty. If His Majesty hadn't exempted the land tax for three years, and if His Majesty hadn't been so favored, he wouldn't have been able to do this. How could we be like this now, with all the people in the county owning brick and tile houses, and not a single refugee left behind?"

"How could I possibly steal credit from him?" Jiajing shook his head with amusement.

After exchanging a few jokes, Lü Fang asked, "Master, Wang Yan hit Yan Shifan. Yan Shifan certainly won't let this go easily. Should I send someone to bail him out...?"

"No need. Didn't Seventh Brother say that his martial arts are not as good as Wang Yan's? It's not like he's without the ability to protect himself. If Yan Shifan wanted to make a move, he wouldn't dare to do it openly. It's just a matter of whether Yan Shifan's methods are more powerful or Wang Yan's life is tougher."

After a pause, Jiajing said, "Remember this: if Wang Yan survives, think about giving him ten thousand taels of silver. Didn't you say he used all his silver to buy pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese for the people? Give him some more silver to spend then. He's earned so much silver for me, I can't be stingy."

Jiajing said these words through gritted teeth, and Lü Fang knew that His Majesty was truly enraged this time...

Wang Yan was right when he said that Yan Maoqing's salt inspection was a demonstration of the Yan faction's influence. This very influence displeased Jiajing; who were they trying to intimidate?
Jiajing was an emperor, a monster of power, a selfish tyrant. Yan Song had grown too powerful and dared to challenge Jiajing.

On the other hand, Jiajing was also getting old. He claimed to have achieved great success in Taoist cultivation, but his physical weakness was undeniable. After all, he was fifty-four years old; didn't he realize the decline in his bodily functions?
Yan Song is old and incompetent, while Yan Shifan is arrogant and domineering, with his men everywhere. Cleaning them up would take a long time. Considering the time available, it's perhaps time to study Yan Song and his son…

But these things had nothing to do with Wang Yan. He returned with the Embroidered Uniform Guard to the courtyard next to the Northern Garrison Command. As soon as he sat down, all sorts of wine and dishes were served.

Looking at Zhu Qi and the others present, Wang Yan hesitated before saying, "Brothers, I just slapped Yan Shifan in the face. Do you think we can still eat this meal?"

Everyone who was holding their wine bowls, ready to drink heartily, hesitated. Zhu Qi put down his wine cup and sighed, "This journey has been tiring, and you've accomplished something great today. My head is spinning, and I've been careless. It's my fault, my fault."

"What are you saying, Seventh Master? I'm the one who caused this trouble. How can you be blamed?" Wang Yan said. "In theory, Yan Shifan shouldn't be so heartless as to poison you all as well. But it's always better to be safe than sorry. We should always be careful."

"You're right. Come on, bring a few death row inmates over for drug testing." Zhu Qi waved his hand, and someone ran off to carry out the task...

Wang Yan started making tea in a pot again, and joined the others in drinking the hot, sweet tea...

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