Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 67 Please, sir, save the people of the capital!

"Just as Zhang Shiyuan said."

With a sigh, Zhang Cheng wanted to trip the other party up, but the facts were right in front of him.

Does he really think the emperor is a fool? He wants to distort the truth.
So Zhang Cheng told the emperor exactly what he had inquired about in the clinic.

"When we first saw the clinic, we found it very strange. It didn't seem like a proper clinic; it was more like a witch doctor's clinic."

"But what can we do? The prices here are fair. As long as you can prove your family is poor, you can see a person for ten coins."

"Ten coins for a life, even if it's a witch doctor, we'd accept it."

Zhang Cheng recounted these words vividly, even using some gestures, making his speech full of emotion.

Ultimately, all the people's words can be summed up in one sentence: This clinic is strange, but it can save lives!

Nothing illustrates the truth better than hearing the people's opinions firsthand.

Emperor Wanli was also keeping a close eye on the situation at the medical clinics. He saw people flocking to Renmin Medical Clinic while Wanmin Medical Clinic was deserted, and the answer was obvious.

He no longer had any doubts, and even seemed somewhat excited, his bird beak bobbing up and down as he spoke to Zhang Yunxiu.

"Shiyuan did not lie to me! With the advent of allicin, our Great Ming Dynasty will be free from the plague! This is a great achievement that benefits the present and future generations!"

In that instant, amidst his excited words, the emperor seemed to see the scenes recorded in history books a hundred years later.

"In the ninth year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, a great plague struck the capital. The Emperor, showing benevolence, sought out the miraculous medicine garlic extract, saving six out of ten lives—a feat rarely achieved by emperors throughout history."

In an instant, an uncontrollable smile appeared on his lips, and his eyes almost closed.

For an emperor, nothing could be more pleasing than this.

Even through the mask, Zhang Cheng could see the emperor's joy, and he quickly bowed and knelt, saying, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! This divine medicine brings blessings to all people and is a great contribution to the nation."

Just as the Wanli Emperor was immersed in his dream of being a sage ruler.

Zhang Yunxiu sighed.

Emperor Wanli found it strange. Zhang Yunxiu had been trying to convince him of the effects of allicin, but now that he believed it, he seemed rather unhappy.

Zhang Yunxiu shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, although this allicin is good, if we want to solve the epidemic in the capital, we still need to plan carefully."

Since ancient people did not develop drug resistance, allicin naturally had a very strong anti-inflammatory effect.

Ultimately, however, it is not a cure for "big head plague." Can allicin alone solve the plague crisis? That's a pipe dream.

After thinking it over, Emperor Wanli regained some of his composure, but his words were still tinged with agitation.

"Shiyuan, if you have any difficulties, please speak freely, and I will certainly do my utmost to assist you!"

After stealing a glance at the emperor, Zhang Yunxiu immediately became blunt and began to recount all the difficulties in resolving the plague.

"First of all, it's money. Your Majesty, don't be fooled by how well my medicine workshop and clinic are doing. They all require money. If you want them to continue operating, you can't do it without money."

Take this workshop for example. I bought it for nearly three thousand taels of silver. This is an important location west of the capital. Adding the two clinics, it cost five thousand taels of silver.
The clinic only charges a meager consultation fee to the poor. Including the monthly wages of the doctors and assistants, as well as various medical expenses, the total cost is easily over ten thousand taels of silver per month.

Zhang Yunxiu had not yet calculated the costs of allicin raw materials and experimental equipment.

His words were somewhat exaggerated, but basically true.

After all that trouble, Zhang Yunxiu had almost spent all of the nearly 20,000 taels of silver he had swindled and cheated.

"silver?"

Emperor Wanli was startled, not expecting it to cost so much money.
"Your Majesty! If we want to save the people, we can't do without money. If we want to mass-produce garlic extract and distribute it to the people, we can't do without at least 10,000 taels a month!" Zhang Yunxiu said with great distress.

"This"

At first, Emperor Wanli hesitated, but when he thought of the records in the historical books, his heart warmed up.

He gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, saying, "The people are suffering from disaster, how can I sit idly by and do nothing? I will pay for it!"

Over the years, thanks to the Wanli Emperor's reforms, the imperial treasury has indeed accumulated some silver reserves, and it is still possible to spend tens of thousands of taels of silver.

Zhang Yunxiu was surprised that the Wanli Emperor would agree so readily, and immediately urged his horse onward.

"In the future, I will merge the two clinics into one, both using modern treatments. Doctors are in extremely short supply, and many doctors in the city are unwilling to come to my clinic."

That's the downside of a bad reputation; when doctors in the capital heard that Zhang Yunxiu's clinic was open, they all avoided it like the plague, and even those with money couldn't hire him.

No matter how potent allicin is or how advanced modern medicine is, it's all in vain.

"Need more people?"

Emperor Wanli frowned and pondered for a while. In order to realize his dream of becoming a "wise ruler", he was willing to grant any request and slapped his forehead and said.

"That's simple. The Imperial Medical Academy has over a hundred people. Besides the head and the chief physician, there are also several imperial physicians who treat the Empress Dowager. I can let you choose over fifty imperial physicians, clerks, and medical staff! That should be more than enough, right?"

After Yang Jishi used earthworm excrement to treat his illness, Emperor Wanli was clearly still bothered by it and became suspicious. When the emperor returned and looked through the daily records from the Hongzhi to Longqing periods, he was terrified when he saw the cases of the Imperial Hospital treating the royal family.

The Imperial Medical Academy was more trouble than it was worth! Especially Liu Wentai during the Hongzhi era, he was simply the worst of the worst!

If we don't change them soon, are we just waiting for them to kill us too? "The Imperial Hospital?" Zhang Yunxiu looked disgusted.

That expression seemed to say, "Your Majesty, you can't just dump all this garbage on me!"

But then I thought about it again. Although the Imperial Medical Academy of the Ming Dynasty had a bad reputation, it was still a carefully selected team of doctors, and was much better than the doctors in the general public.

Take Yang Jishi for example. This old man is a bit old-fashioned, but he's not a bad person and he's quite intelligent.

So Zhang Yunxiu nodded and said, "I think these imperial physicians are a bit old-fashioned, but they are not unteachable talents. I beg Your Majesty to allow them to be trained before they enter the Renmin Medical Hall, so that we can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

“Cultivate?” Emperor Wanli’s expression was strange.

Zhang Yunxiu replied matter-of-factly, "That's natural. Under my tutelage, Imperial Physician Yang has now reformed and is wholeheartedly devoted to experimental research."

"Imperial Physician Yang?" Emperor Wanli immediately imagined Zhang Yunxiu whipping Yang Jishi, and couldn't help but feel a little worried.

"You didn't humiliate him, did you?"

Zhang Yunxiu looked very dissatisfied: "Why doesn't Your Majesty trust me? I, Zhang Yunxiu, am a kind and honest man. How could I possibly bully people? Your Majesty must not ruin my reputation. If you don't believe me, let's go and confront Yang Jishi!"

Even so, Emperor Wanli still looked at Zhang Yunxiu with suspicion.

The two then returned to Renmin Pharmaceutical Factory No. 1.

Just as Zhang Yunxiu was about to find Yang Jishi to "testify," he couldn't find the old man anywhere.

There was no other way but to go to the laboratory and find Yuan Zongdao, who was still engrossed in his research.

He was wearing a white lab coat, and when he saw Zhang Yunxiu's angry expression, he shrank back in fear.

"Imperial Physician Yang didn't come yesterday. He was worried about his own clinic last time, so perhaps he couldn't get away?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunxiu flew into a rage: "That pedantic old man, which clinic is more important than garlic extract? That dog-like bastard, he messed up my business, can he take responsibility? I, Zhang Yunxiu, would even skip my shift! I'll break his dog legs!"

Zhang Yunxiu couldn't help but be angry. In his previous life, he worked diligently and never skipped work. Why should Yang Jishi skip work?
Moreover, Zhang Yunxiu repaid evil with kindness, and Yang Jishi cursed him as "absurd" every day.

How about that? Zhang Yunxiu didn't take the old man's life; he only slapped him a few times, which was already merciful!

How dare he be so ungrateful!
Upon seeing the furious Zhang Yunxiu, Emperor Wanli felt somewhat helpless. He could not stay away from the palace for too long, and after learning about the effects of allicin, he could only reluctantly return to the palace.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to remind Zhang Yunxiu.

“Shiyuan, Physician Yang may have many faults, but you should not have humiliated him. He is, after all, a physician of the Imperial Hospital. If this attracts the gossip of scholars and physicians, I will not be able to protect you.”

Even the emperor himself was helpless against these Confucian scholars; he was genuinely afraid of being criticized.

"minister"

Zhang Yunxiu is now in a situation where he can't clear his name no matter what.

"This is a small matter," Emperor Wanli said encouragingly. "Saving the people is the greater good. If you manage the medical clinic well and can resolve the plague, I will reward you handsomely!"

The beginning was all the usual platitudes, and the emperor finally sighed and said meaningfully.

"I don't have many people I can trust, but you are one of them. From now on, I will have to rely on you."

Zhang Yunxiu understood the meaning behind the emperor's words and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Dare not to do your best."

After the emperor's carriage had driven away, Zhang Yunxiu walked back to the workshop alone. Just as he was wondering whether he should go to Yang Jishi's house to confront him, he suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps.

Suddenly, a person ran out from the previously deserted street.

"Mr. Zhang~"

His loud shouts could be heard from afar.

The man's hair was disheveled, his face was haggard, and his clothes were filthy. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the workshop gate.

At first glance, who else could it be but Yang Jishi?

Seeing this, Zhang Yunxiu was furious. He pointed at Yang Jishi and angrily cursed.

"You old scoundrel, you dare to come back!"

However, before he could finish speaking, Yang Jishi walked up to Zhang Yunxiu and suddenly knelt down straight before him with a thud.

Startled, Zhang Yunxiu instinctively took a step back and shouted loudly.

"Yang Jishi, don't try to extort me! My father is Zhang Juzheng, I have no money to compensate you!"

But at this moment, Yang Jishi was no longer the tough guy he used to be. Tears streamed down his face as he kowtowed heavily to Zhang Yunxiu, his voice trembling with grief and pleading as he shouted.

"The quack doctor Yang Jishi begs Mr. Zhang to save the entire city!"

Zhang Yunxiu was stunned.

(End of this chapter)