People in the Qin Dynasty sought good fortune and avoided misfortune.

Chapter 42, I will give you a reason you can't refuse.
Xu Qing felt extremely nervous as she sensed Han Wang'an's unfriendly gaze.

He understood that it was inevitable that King Han would be angry about his idea, since it offended the royal family's dignity.

But after much thought, treating the people of Xinzheng was the only way he could think of to improve his practical skills.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Physician's words are truly wise," Consort Hu said with delight.

"Hmm?" Han Wang'an looked at Hu Meiren with a puzzled expression.

"Your Majesty, think about it. The people in the city are suffering. If they fall ill, they will die or be injured. If you issue an edict to have the Imperial Physician treat the people in the city, they will surely be grateful for your kindness and support you even more, calling you a wise and benevolent monarch."

"When the people and talents of other countries learn of this, they will surely regard you as a wise and virtuous king and flock to our Han state. Isn't this the same principle as King Zhao of Yan spending a thousand gold pieces to buy horse bones? It will surely leave a strong mark in the history books. Isn't that a good thing?"

Hu Meiren's voice was soft and sweet, and her coquettish manner carried a hint of joy, her beautiful eyes filled with admiration.

Hearing Consort Hu's soft, coquettish voice and the look of adoration in her eyes, King Han's displeasure vanished instantly. He began to hesitate, pondering whether the matter was truly as Consort Hu had described.

The prospect of being remembered in history and enjoying immense popularity among the people tempted him, as few monarchs could resist such allure.

When Lady Hu saw Han Wang An, she hesitated, so she began to flatter Han Wang An and Xu Qing's request.

Under the flattery and adoring gaze of Consort Hu, King Han An gradually became somewhat conceited.

He was by nature an indecisive person, easily influenced by others; otherwise, Ji Wuye would not have chosen to support him to become the crown prince.

Even after becoming the King of Han, his power made him tougher on his court officials, but he still found it difficult to resist the whispers of his concubines in the harem.

Tempted by the promise of historical fame and flattered by Consort Hu, King Han An smiled and said in a deliberately profound tone...
"What the beauty said makes sense."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing felt relieved, and a look of joy flashed in her eyes.

Hu Meiren truly lives up to her name; with just a few words, she has completely captivated Han Wang'an. No wonder Han Yu goes to great lengths to befriend her.

"However, the Imperial Physician is busy handling various affairs of the Imperial Hospital, and my lord and I also need your service. Therefore, I grant you permission to treat the people outside the palace for one day each at the beginning, middle, and end of the month," said King Han An.
"You can obtain the medicines needed for your medical treatment from the pharmacy. You may not be able to handle it all by yourself, so I allow you to bring three physicians to assist you each time. But I must warn you, never let personal matters interfere with public duties."

Since Xu Qing has already been allowed to treat the people, we might as well go all the way and promise him the medicine for the treatment as well, so that he can earn even more reputation.

Moreover, no matter how skilled Xu Qing is, how many people can he treat in a day? How much medicinal material does he need? The amount of medicinal materials lost from the medicine warehouse every year is unknown.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I will remember your admonition and never forget it," Xu Qing said happily.

"Yes, you must help the beauty recover her health as soon as possible, and you cannot neglect the Crown Prince either," Han Wang An said in a deep voice.

"Your subject will remember," Xu Qing said respectfully.

"Go back."

"promise."

As Hu Meiren watched Xu Qing pat his behind and leave, her heart was filled with resentment.

Xu Qing rose, bowed to King Han An, and took his leave. He picked up his medicine box and left the palace, completely ignoring the hint of sorrow in Consort Hu's eyes.

After leaving the palace, the sound of a zither filled the palace again, but this time it carried a more melancholic tone than the previous cheerful music.

Xu Qing stopped and glanced at the palace.

"What's this woman complaining about? Oh well, she's helped me so much, I can't just turn my back on her now. I'll thank her properly another day."

After making a mental note of this, Xu Qing quickly left the palace.

King Han An was just waiting for the imperial edict so that he could openly treat the people's illnesses. However, he also needed to deal with another matter.

After returning to the Imperial Hospital, Xu Qing greeted the others and headed towards Physician Wang's room.

A knock was made on the door, and Wang Taiyi's voice came from inside. "Come in!"

Xu Qing pushed open the door and went inside, her expression momentarily stunned.

At that moment, Physician Wang was practicing an unknown martial art inside the room, and he stopped when he saw Xu Qing enter.

"Little Xu, what brings you to my place?" Doctor Wang asked, wiping the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief.

"I have something I'd like to ask you, so I've come to visit you specifically," Xu Qing said.

"Sit down and talk slowly."

Physician Wang and Xu Qing sat facing each other, with a cup of tea placed in front of them.

"Speak, what is it? Is there something you don't understand about medicine?" Physician Wang asked.

"That's not the case. His Majesty allows me to treat the people of Xinzheng for three days a month." Xu Qing told the royal physician the general situation.

The imperial physician Wang listened in stunned silence, his gaze towards Xu Qing shifting between shock, complexity, and relief.

"You are truly extraordinary. To be able to do something like this is unprecedented and unparalleled," Doctor Wang exclaimed.

As a place specifically for serving the King of Han and his harem, the Imperial Medical Academy was not allowed to treat even princes and ministers.

However, Xu Qing wanted to provide free medical care to the people of Xinzheng in his capacity as Imperial Physician. This was an act that would disgrace the royal family's dignity. Xu Qing not only thought of it, but he even got King Han An to agree to it.

This shocked Physician Wang, who also lamented that he was truly getting old and could no longer keep up with the ideas of young people.

“This matter is all thanks to Consort Hu’s help; otherwise, I alone would not have been able to persuade the King,” Xu Qing said.

"I see. But the fact that you could think of such a thing to benefit the people is enough to demonstrate your virtue."

"There are two schools of thought in medicine. Our school has been criticized countless times, but now that a young talent like you has emerged, it has brought us honor," said Physician Wang with emotion.

"You flatter me. The reason I brought up this idea was actually for my own sake," Xu Qing said frankly.

"Whether you act for yourself or not, the ultimate result benefits ordinary people, and that's enough. As the Confucianists say, a gentleman judges by his actions, not his intentions; for by intentions alone, no one is perfect," Physician Wang said with a smile.
"You came to me because you want me to help you out, right?"

"You are highly skilled, and you know my medical abilities. Therefore, I need your help to oversee things so that I don't make any mistakes and harm others," Xu Qing said, bowing to Physician Wang.

His purpose in treating the people was to improve his medical skills, but he himself was only a novice and needed an experienced person to guide him.

Firstly, it can guide him and help him avoid detours. Secondly, it provides an extra layer of protection in case he misdiagnoses patients or prescribes harmful medications.

As for why it was Physician Wang, it was not only because Physician Wang was the most skilled doctor he had ever seen, but also because Physician Wang was about to retire.

Once he retires, Physician Wang will no longer belong to the Imperial Medical Academy, and naturally there will be no rules or restrictions. He can continue to help him oversee things until he can take charge on his own.

Before Physician Wang could speak, Xu Qing spoke again, giving Physician Wang a reason he couldn't refuse.

"Of course, I won't let you go there to oversee things for nothing. As far as I know, your eldest son is currently serving as the county magistrate in the capital. Because of his upright character, he has offended many people, which has prevented him from being promoted multiple times," Xu Qing said with a smile.

Physician Wang's eyes narrowed, and he looked at Xu Qing with a complicated expression.

If he didn't know Xu Qing's age, he would have thought that the person sitting in front of him was not a young man who had not yet come of age, but a seasoned veteran who had been in the imperial court for many years.

Not only did they accomplish what ordinary people could not, but their actions were also meticulously planned and executed without any loopholes.

"Xiao Xu, it seems you were already determined to get what you wanted before you came to me."

Physician Wang smiled; his son, who was away from home, had always been a source of worry for him.

(End of this chapter)