Priceless: A widow with a baby asks the prince to marry again

Fang Qiu's declaration that he "became a general based on his merits" was like a huge rock thrown into boiling oil, and the Hall of Supreme Harmony instantly exploded!

The uproar of shock and anger surged up and almost blew the roof of the hall off!

"Absurd!" Censor Zhao slammed the table, his eyes filled with disbelief and anger. "A woman entering a military camp where men gather is already immoral. How dare she claim credit and reward, even boasting of commanding the troops?! Since ancient times, 'hens crowing at dawn' has been a sign of national disaster. Does Miss Fang intend to make Daxia a laughingstock?"

"The military is a place of blood and iron, how can we tolerate the presence of women!" Another purple-robed official sneered, his words like a poisonous knife. "Military law strictly prohibits women from entering the camp. They are afraid that women will disrupt the morale of the troops and make them lose their focus on fighting and only think about living a life of compromise!"

Some even pointed the finger at the Fang family tradition: "General Zhenyuan, a man of great renown, how could he raise such a shameless girl?! She's already violating social norms by appearing in public, and now she's trying to mingle with men? What's this about 'making great achievements'? This is clearly lewdness and immorality, a defilement of the military camp!"

Foul words flew like poisonous arrows! Fang Qiu gritted her teeth in anger, her fists clenched until the knuckles turned white, her eyes wide open, yet she was speechless... If she hadn't retained a shred of common sense, remembering that this was an imperial banquet, she would have rushed forward and knocked a few teeth out of these foul-smelling mouths!

"fart!"

A roar like a tiger's roar suddenly exploded, instantly filling the entire hall with dead silence!

Fang Kui's suppressed rage erupted completely! He suddenly stood up, and every word sounded like the sound of a war drum: "Whatever happens to my Fang family is not your turn to bark!"

"My daughter is in the army, and the female guards in the same tent are all sent by me! They are innocent and have done absolutely nothing dirty! If anyone wants to make up rumors and slander again, just stand in front of me, Fang Kui, and talk!" How could the power of General Zhenyuan, who was in charge of 500,000 troops, be underestimated?

The civil officials who had been shouting just now fell silent when Fang Kui glanced at them with his leopard eyes. Falling out with the number one general of Da Xia would definitely bring bad consequences both publicly and privately!

"Military orders prohibit soldiers from bringing women into the camp for pleasure!" Chu Shiyu's icy voice sounded at the right moment, carrying an unquestionable pressure: "As for the morale of the army, it is the responsibility of the generals! In this battle in Mobei, Miss Fang, Madam Liu, and more than a dozen other women, either fought bravely or rescued the wounded. They were all public officials that this king had promised them!"

"You are all talking nonsense. Are you blaming them, or are you making indirect accusations..." Ruifeng's eyes glared around with an imposing manner, "Are you accusing me of a crime?!"

The Hall of Supreme Harmony was hushed and silent. This Battle of Mobei was an unprecedented victory, establishing the foundation of Daxia for at least a century! Prince Duan had decisively crushed the Oirat Mongols in this battle, and even rescued Prince Kang from his peril, collaborating to disperse the Tatars and repel the Jurchens! As the commander-in-chief of this battle, his achievements were so immense that they deserved no more rewards! Who in the court, civil or military, could dare to criticize him?!

The situation calmed down, and Fang Kui temporarily suppressed his anger. What mattered most was his master's attitude... He turned to the emperor on the dragon throne, nodded, and clasped his fists, saying, "Your Majesty! My daughter is naughty, and her ambitions are truly shocking... However, it is a father's fault if he fails to educate her. This time, my daughter has infiltrated the army. Ultimately, it is my own fault for allowing her to do so. Your Majesty, I beg you to punish her!"

His wrinkled eyes narrowed slightly, scanning Fang Qiu's reddened eyes and Fang Kui's tense profile for a few moments. But in an instant, he said with relief, "What's wrong with that? Fang Qiu, the daughter of the Fang family, saved my son, Chu Shikun! Even if there are minor details to debate, her merits far outweigh her faults!"

Having said that, the emperor seemed a little "difficult", as if he was still considering how to reward or punish.

"Your Majesty, please allow me to submit." Liu Rusi continued, "If you want to judge... I am equally guilty. I knew that women were not allowed to enter the military camp, but I still followed the Northwest Army everywhere... If Your Majesty wants to punish me, I have no complaints!"

"But, Your Majesty, I beg you to understand!" Liu Rusi bowed her head, her voice sorrowful but resolute. "Resolve the military's medical shortage! Save the lives of the thousands of soldiers who will fight for our country in the future!"

The emperor nodded slightly, then turned the conversation back to the military physician. He asked in a deep voice, "I understand that the shortage of doctors in the army is a long-standing problem, one that has remained unsolved throughout the dynasties. Liu, you've come to see me. Do you have a good plan?"

Liu Rusi took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart. Her voice was clear, yet tinged with a hint of reverence for life: "I dare not claim to have a good plan. In the face of life and death, no one dares to claim to be perfect... However, I have conceived a plan that may be able to change this distressing predicament..."

"This is also the third key point reflected in the 'Military Medical Treatment Record' presented by this woman - the importance of coordination! This Mobei treatment has shown that if someone can lead the dispatch, communicate and coordinate, they can build a powerful force, making better use of limited human and material resources, far exceeding the effectiveness of each individual working alone!"

She paused, her gaze blazing as she looked towards the platform. "This is also closely related to the second point – if there were a dedicated person to take charge, during times of war and epidemics, inviting doctors from around the world to gather together, we would surely be able to save more lives and minimize immense losses!"

"This plan... seems somewhat feasible." The emperor pondered and nodded slowly... Then, his wrinkled eyes lifted slightly, a scrutinizing look in his eyes: "Then, in your opinion, who can take on this important task?"

At this moment, Liu Rusi stopped being modest! She took a deep breath, slowly raised her eyes, and a look of determination appeared in her eyes! In an almost tragic tone, she said, "I may not be very talented, but I have some good methods of treating injuries! In addition, thanks to the introduction of my mentor Li Chunfu, I have met many famous doctors in Daxia..."

Her voice trembled slightly, but every word was clear, as if she was bearing some invisible pressure.

"I am willing to use my body to become a link connecting doctors all over the world and shoulder this important responsibility!"

There was a moment of silence in the hall.

Her posture seemed to be saying - If I don't go to hell, who will?

However, no matter how well she disguised herself, how could the wise and resourceful ministers in the palace not see her intention?! She was going to create an unprecedented official position! Holding the power granted by the emperor, she could call upon all doctors!

The whole place erupted in uproar! Criticisms rang out, and she was denounced for violating etiquette.

"Absurd! It goes against moral principles! How can a hen crow at dawn?" The Minister of Rites slammed the table and stood up.

The Junior Official of the Taichang Temple sneered repeatedly, "Since ancient times, there has been an order of yin and yang, and differences between men and women. As a woman, you should support your husband and raise children, and stay at home! How dare you make irresponsible remarks about government? You are simply shameless!"

Chu Shiyu's face was filled with anger. He stood up with his tall body and was about to speak!

Liu Rusi, however, took the lead and shouted with a woman's shrill voice, drowning out the clamor in the hall.

"As long as I can save more soldiers' lives, I will have no regrets even if my reputation is ruined!"

Several arguments had been suppressed forcefully just now, and now Prince Duan was still staring at him angrily, so the civil officials could not make up rumors and slander him... Now that Liu had shouted out words of righteousness, if the indignant ministers continued to use moral admonitions, it would appear that they were narrow-minded and did not care about the lives of the soldiers of Daxia!

The ministers had to temporarily avoid the dispute between men and women, but how could they not find a place to attack with their sharp tongues? The tide immediately turned and they began to question her ability!

"As a woman, how can you command a group of doctors? How can you shoulder such an important responsibility?!" Someone sneered.

"It's not an order! It's just an invitation and negotiation! I am just acting as a link to connect with doctors all over the world!" Liu Rusi first corrected her wording, putting herself on an equal footing with the doctors, and then looked at the new history of the Imperial Medical Service.

"Just now, this gentleman also said that the teachers I invited to the northwest battlefield are mostly famous doctors in Daxia, even miracle doctors... If there are others who are more qualified than me for this responsibility, I will naturally be happy to see it happen..."

The hospital historian was choked with anger. He had just confirmed that the Liu family could gather famous doctors, so how could he go back on his word now? As for who was more qualified... The Liu family's previous medical conference was almost unprecedented, as few could gather so many famous doctors and prodigies... In short, he didn't have the ability, and he didn't know who else could do it...

The civil officials were laymen, but they understood after seeing the expression on the envoy's face... However, being eloquent is the basic skill of a civil official!

The Minister of Rites even softened his tone a bit, appearing to be giving in for her sake, but this was actually a case of using one person's spear to attack the other's shield: "You said you were able to meet these famous doctors because of your master's introduction. Why not ask your master to take on this important task? You'll also avoid the stigma of being dishonest!"

However, Li Chunfu was already impatient! Upon hearing this, he scoffed: "Humph! I'm too lazy to serve you 'bells and dings' people. If it weren't for my apprentice's persuasion, I wouldn't even want to come to this banquet today! Next time, I won't come to suffer this kind of arrogance again! Only my apprentice has a good temper! He can tolerate the snarling noise!"

"You! You don't know what's good for you!" The Minister of Rites couldn't help but blush when he gave face to Li Chunfu but he called it a dog's barking!

Miraculous doctor Zhu Hengzhen also spoke, but more politely, saying, "I am old, and my energy and spirit are limited, and I am unable to handle such a heavy task. And when it comes to overall planning and coordination, few can match Madam Liu."

Even the most respected doctor said so. This road is blocked!

But the civil official changed his tone, seizing upon Liu Rusi's previous sore spot: "Just now you said that even if we brought doctors to the battlefield this time, wouldn't there be a shortage of doctors, leading to the death of tens of thousands of soldiers without treatment?! It seems that even if you lead the effort, it would still be a drop in the bucket!"

Liu Rusi nodded calmly, her eyes heavy with sorrow but clear, "Your Excellency is right! We certainly need more doctors!"

"More doctors?" someone scoffed, his tone tinged with sarcasm. "How are we going to get them? Do we have to conscript all the doctors in Daxia every time there's a war?"

As soon as these words came out, the faces of all the doctors at the table changed drastically! They all glared at him angrily!

"How heartless!" Li Chunfu cursed. "Doctors are kind-hearted and want to save people from illness! But you treat us like animals to be drafted at will! I don't even need this medical skill!"

"That's absolutely not the case!" Liu Rusi quickly raised her voice, "Doctors should be free to act and follow their own hearts to help the world! Ultimately, the reason there are so few doctors in the world is because it's too difficult to teach and train a good doctor!"

"This is also the original intention of me to hold the Medical Conference in the first place, to help famous doctors and miracle doctors to teach and exchange their unique skills! To train more qualified doctors who can save lives and heal the wounded!"

She glanced at several renowned doctors in the hall, her tone filled with infinite longing and determination, "Perhaps, we should establish an academy that draws on the strengths of various schools and integrates the essence of medicine! To help carry forward the lifelong efforts of all teachers and pass them on for generations to come!"

"Ridiculous!" someone interrupted immediately, "What a boast! How dare you, a mere woman, talk about achievements that will last for generations?!"

"Your Excellency is absolutely right! Such a grand undertaking is definitely beyond the reach of a common woman alone!"

Liu Rusi directly admitted her shortcomings, turned to the throne again, and knelt deeply and earnestly. "It is precisely because of this that I have the audacity to come and ask for the court's support—I beg for Your Majesty's approval!"

The conversation turned to the emperor, and the ministers fell silent for a moment.

The emperor's eyes were deep, and he asked calmly, "Just tell me, what do you want?"

Taking a deep breath, Liu Rusi finally put forward the goal that had been laid out for a long time!

"If we combine all the things I just mentioned... using the Daxia Medical Association, which I founded, as a foundation... we can establish a medical department to oversee the development of Daxia's medical skills, the prevention and control of epidemics, and the mobilization of physicians. We will surely be able to serve Daxia with unwavering dedication and relieve the emperor's worries!"

"boom--!!!"

The voices of opposition exploded like a tsunami in an instant!

The ministers could no longer hold back and stood up, shouting and cursing in unison. It was hard to tell what they were saying.

The violent noise almost overturned the dome of the Hall of Supreme Harmony! Countless fingers pointed at the petite woman, spit flying, and her face was ferocious!

"quiet--!!!"

A long, almost ear-tearing tone! Eunuch Li Yinglian's shrill voice tore a crack in the noisy crowd!

The ministers were instantly hushed in fear... subconsciously looking towards the throne, a cold sweat pouring down their face...

On the high platform, the emperor showed a hint of annoyance and displeasure.

His phoenix eyes, wrinkled with fine lines, swept across the still resentful ministers below him. His voice was not loud, but it carried a chilling chill that chilled one's bones: "Do you have any other solutions to this matter of the military doctor?"

The ministers were speechless! Some of them were well-versed in classics and history, some were skilled in political decrees, and some were skilled in political maneuvers, but none of them were versed in medicine! Furthermore, none of them had ever given much thought to the subject of military medicine! How could they come up with a plan out of thin air at this palace banquet?!

Not to mention being able to defeat the well-prepared Liu family and deny that complete and interconnected plan...

Deathly silence enveloped the hall; you could hear a pin drop.

The emperor slowly withdrew his gaze, his voice steady and powerful, carrying unquestionable determination: "Since there is a feasible plan that can save thousands of our Great Xia soldiers after their bloody battle, how can I turn a blind eye!"

The Minister of War immediately stood up, clasped his fists, and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty is wise and wise! Your benevolence and virtue benefit all the armies!"

Fang Kui also stood up and saluted, his voice as loud as a bell: "On behalf of the 500,000 brave soldiers of the Zhenyuan Army, I express my gratitude to Your Majesty for his great grace!"

"On behalf of the 100,000 brothers of the Qin family army, I would like to thank Your Majesty for your grace!" Qin Shuangyu followed closely behind, clasped his fists and said loudly!

An inexplicable look, a mixture of emotion and joy, swept across the tall, burly middle-aged general with a subtle inquiry. His face didn't show much respect, but it was unusually peaceful, and even contained a hint of sincere gratitude...

All the generals in the hall rose to their feet one after another! Their voices were so resounding and powerful that they shook the tiles on the roof! The voices of gratitude converged into a torrent, highlighting the emperor's majesty, supported by the army, with unparalleled grandeur!

The civil officials, who had fiercely opposed the general just now, suddenly woke up as if from a dream! They hurriedly rushed to their feet, their faces filled with admiration and praise! The praises rose one after another, even more magnificent and passionate than the simple and crude praises of the military commanders, like a lavish display of praise, and there was not a trace of the anger that had just appeared!