Chapter 160 Royal Gossip
"If that's the case, why are there so few female doctors in the Great Zhou Dynasty? Could it be that women don't feel pain, don't scream, and can't speak when they're sick? You have mothers, daughters, and wives. Could it be that you just grit your teeth and bear it when they're sick?"
These words left everyone speechless!
Qiu Ju Niang couldn't help but feel happy when she saw these people being humiliated!
Xu Zhenying knew that there was no way to change their perception of gender equality in a short period of time. Even in modern times, there is implicit discrimination, let alone the Zhou Dynasty with insufficient productivity a thousand years ago?
The task of achieving gender equality is long and arduous. It will take more than a day, a month, or a year to move the mountain of prejudice in people's hearts.
So she simply stopped talking big and directly put forward the most touching conditions, "Not only that. Within the territory of Lan County, I allow you to perform autopsies on the bodies of death row prisoners!"
"What?!"
This time, almost everyone, including Dr. He, changed their expressions.
The main reasons why surgery was underdeveloped in ancient times were, first, insufficient conditions, and second, strict laws.
This was especially true for the dead, even those convicted of serious crimes, whose bodies were carefully buried. Unauthorized dissection of a corpse was considered an insult to a corpse, a crime only slightly less serious than treason.
Xu Zhenying was very pleased with the crowd's response. "Since medicine is a discipline that aims to cure illnesses and save lives, if you don't fully understand the human body—if you don't know where your organs are located, what they look like, and how they function—how can you pursue advancements and breakthroughs in medicine?"
The whole place was dead silent.
Xu Zhenying continued, "I can promise that within my jurisdiction, you have the right to dissect death row prisoners. However, considering local customs and practices, this can only be done in secret, and you must sew the bodies back to their original state after the dissection!"
I took the opportunity to practice my surgical suturing technique again, it was perfect!
There was already a surgeon in the room, and he was already tempted. He asked without hesitation, "But if you leave, or the court sends troops to eliminate you, won't the rest of us still suffer?"
As soon as these words came out, someone next to that person glared at him.
He also realized belatedly that he had said the wrong thing. His face turned pale in an instant, and sweat rolled down his face. He stammered and explained, "City Lord... I didn't mean that... You... You..."
Xu Zhenying laughed nonchalantly. "With me, you won't be punished for what you say, so don't be nervous. Since you're worried, I can keep it a secret, limiting it to just the people in this room. I can also send someone to arrest you, so we can hide it from everyone. Even if I'm not in Lan County anymore, you can still put the blame on me."
These words made Doctor He's eyelids twitch slightly.
This boy... has such a broad mind... and such great ambitions!
These are not bandits at all; they are clearly a thousand times more powerful than the regular army!
"Besides, this is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. The future of medicine depends on it. You..." Xu Zhenying looked around and smiled softly, her voice full of temptation. "Don't you want to be the one to change history?"
Xu Yinxi was listening beside him, with the corners of her lips slightly raised.
This sixth sister——
Every time she wants to get someone on board, she has to paint a big picture. The phrase "painting a big picture" is often on Xu Zhenying's lips. She says that the picture must be big enough to attract useful talents.
Look at the people in this room. They were just saying "women cannot practice medicine" with a righteous look on their faces, but in the blink of an eye they started asking about things in the medical building.
From this we can see that Xu Zhenying was absolutely right: there are no hostile classes, only common interests.
Xu Yinxi was carefully observing the game between the two parties while reflecting on herself.
If it were me, what would I do?
I'm sure I was already unhappy when the other person said, "Women can't practice medicine," and I might even argue back, trying to convince him. But that would only lead to a quarrel, which would be of no help to the advancement of medicine.
The road to gender equality is so long. How can two opposing camps change just because of a few words?
Instead of wasting time arguing, it is better to find common interests, let the other party put aside their prejudices temporarily, and seek cooperation together.
Xu Yinxi had to admire Xu Zhenying's methods.
She was so calm that even from an outsider's perspective, Xu Zhenying's calmness seemed cold.
Xu Yinxi had already noticed that everyone present was moved, including the radicals who had argued with Qiu Ju Niang at the beginning.
As a woman, Qiu Ju Niang was naturally the first to express her opinion. "City Lord, as long as you don't mind my mediocre medical skills, I, Qiu Ju Niang, am willing to be a specially appointed professor at the medical school, and I won't accept any tuition."
Xu Zhenying patted her shoulder and said with a smile of encouragement, "Sister Ju Niang, you're too modest. Your medical skills are far from mediocre. Your gynecology is renowned throughout Lan County. Not only are you skilled, but you also treat all patients equally, regardless of whether they're the down-on-earthed women of the brothels or the elderly women from the countryside who haven't been to the city in decades. If you encounter someone without money, you even provide them with herbs to treat their illnesses. The people of Lan County have all seen this."
Several male doctors nearby looked ashamed.
There were also a few who seemed to be dismissive.
Qiu Ju Niang's eyes were slightly red. "We are all women. It's not easy to live in this world. When something happens, we will naturally help as much as we can."
"Sister Ju Niang is right. My medical school needs doctors like you who have both medical skills and medical ethics to teach. Don't mention the tuition fee anymore. You've put in the work, and this is what you deserve. And if you don't want the tuition fee, there will be other doctors from poor families who need it. Wouldn't you make it difficult for them? So I treat everyone equally. All teachers must be paid according to the hours they teach."
Qiu Ju Niang seemed not to have thought of this and showed a hint of embarrassment on her face.
No wonder her husband often said that she was as honest as a child.
"Oh, right..." Xu Zhenying looked around with a smile, then said to Qiu Ju Niang, "A serious criminal was sentenced to death recently. There aren't many people in Lan County, so it's hard to find a body. Since there's one, we'll follow the first-come, first-served rule. Qiu Ju Niang expressed her opinion first, so you can go and see the body first."
This was a big deal. The people who had been hesitant just now suddenly became anxious. "Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute, City Lord, we haven't said anything yet! You have made great contributions to building this medical school. As doctors, how can we not cooperate? It is our honor to teach at your hospital!"
"That's right, this is a great opportunity to exchange medical skills. The City Lord must take us with him!"
"City Lord, a corpse can be seen by one person or two people. Please have mercy and let us see it as well."
Xu Zhenying held back his laughter.
In modern medical schools, cadaver teachers have to fight for their own cadavers, let alone in ancient times.
There is no doctor who doesn't want to understand the structure of the human body.
Now that Xu Zhenying's position was loosened, these doctors immediately pounced on him like wolves seeing meat, without even remembering the firm words they had spoken before.
Xu Zhenying stood up, and Xu Yinxi beside him also stood up immediately.
Xu Zhenying raised his teacup and said with a smile, "If that's the case, then on behalf of the fifteen thousand people of Lan County, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to you all. Your great achievements will surely be remembered for eternity!"
Everyone clinked their glasses to show that the matter was accomplished.
Xu Zhenying didn't drink a drop of alcohol, and it was already dark when he finished this matter.
Although the gates of Lan County are now closed, except for important supplies that can come in from the west gate, the lives of most people are not affected.
Moreover, Xu Zhenying cancelled the curfew, so although it was late, pedestrians could still be seen on the streets.
It seems to be more lively than before.
Xu Zhenying and Xu Yinxi walked out side by side, and Jiang Yongkang followed behind to protect their safety.
Xu Yinxi reported the gossip she had heard and the intelligence she had gathered to Xu Zhenying. "City Lord, Qiu Ju-niang was previously accused of poisoning her husband. The doctors in Lan County were unwilling to testify for her, so Lord Sun summoned over a dozen doctors from Ye County to prove her innocence. It seems that while this was primarily due to the Lan County doctors banding together to exclude dissidents, it was also Qiu Ju-niang's own fault."
Xu Zhenying raised his eyebrows and motioned for her to continue.
"Qiu Ju Niang actually comes from a family of doctors. Her father was a doctor in Jinzhou Prefecture, and she was influenced by him from a young age, and she had a strong interest in studying medicine. However, her father, seeing that she was a woman, was unwilling to pass on his medical skills, and simply married her off early, hoping that she would have a stable life. However, her husband was very supportive of her medical studies and taught her how to treat illnesses and save lives. She is quite knowledgeable in gynecological diseases, and therefore has a certain reputation among the women in Lan County. It is said that Lord Sun's wife has also sought treatment from her."
"But she had a rather eccentric temper and wasn't very sociable. She was completely absorbed in her medical studies. Apart from her patients, she hardly interacted with anyone else. It's said that her husband was seriously ill at the time, and other doctors didn't dare prescribe medicine, but she did. But in the end... her husband still died. Therefore, her in-laws insisted that she had killed her husband, and before her husband's body was even cold, they kicked her out of the house. She then went to Jinzhou to seek refuge with her father, but her father heard about it and also thought that a woman like her shouldn't be seen practicing medicine in public. Qiu Ju Niang was very proud and didn't want to live under someone else's roof, so she returned to Lan County and made a living by seeing patients. Her life wasn't easy."
Xu Zhenying asked Xu Yinxi, "Why do you think Qiu Ju Niang is disliked by everyone? She has her own reasons for this."
Xu Yinxi was startled by her question before answering, "I just think... Qiu Ju-niang's temper is a little too hard. Hardness can easily lead to failure. Sometimes, if she were to be more tactful, the outcome might be different."
Xu Zhenying shook his head. "If there's a male doctor who has excellent medical skills and good medical ethics, but a bad temper, how do you think people around him would evaluate him?"
Xu Yinxi was stunned and her mind went blank for a few seconds.
Xu Zhenying smiled and said, "You see, people in this world always have two sets of standards for men and women. In the same position, women always have to do better."
Xu Yinxi was at a loss. After being reminded of this, she felt extremely ashamed.
"Qiu Ju-niang is a skilled doctor with a kind heart. She loves medicine and is full of justice." Xu Zhenying patted Xu Yinxi's shoulder and said earnestly, "We can't always demand perfection from girls in this world. We have to be able to tolerate their shortcomings."
Xu Yinxi's face turned red.
It's shameful.
She thought she was at the forefront of gender equality, but when something happened, she still had the habitual male way of thinking.
She actually made such a big mistake.
Xu Yinxi lowered her head, her mind a little confused, and she kept thinking about what Xu Zhenying said.
Suddenly, Xu Zhenying stopped.
Xu Zhenying stood by the river, willow catkins flying and falling onto the river surface, illuminating the remaining lights on both sides of the road.
She was so fascinated by what she saw.
The wind blew gently around her, lifting a strand of hair from her forehead.
There was a hint of mist in the girl's eyes.
Xu Yinxi couldn't help asking, "City Lord, what are you looking at?"
Xu Zhenying asked in a daze, "Fourth sister, do you think she...she feels cold at the bottom of the river?"
Xu Yinxi's face turned slightly pale.
The name suddenly came to my mind.
——Li Zhaodi.
That timid and cowardly girl, that girl who was always as easily frightened as a quail, and that girl who finally dared to jump into the river.
It’s only been a short time, but the voice and smile of my old friend are almost blurred.
Xu Yinxi wanted to say something, but the person next to her had already turned around.
A cold breeze blew.
Xu Yinxi suddenly felt a little cold.
Xu Zhenying originally wanted to visit Mr. Fang tonight, but when the carriage arrived at the door of Fang's house, he saw that the house was pitch black.
Everyone in the Fang family has rested.
It was naturally not appropriate to disturb Xu Zhenying, so he could only visit him early tomorrow morning.
Xu Zhenying sat in the carriage, reclining, one hand supporting her chin, eyes half closed. The curtains were slightly opened, letting in the spring breeze, still a little cold, yet with a hint of freshness.
Jiang Yongkang was riding a horse beside him.
Jiang Yongkang seemed to have something to say to her, but she kept her eyes closed until she reached a point not far from the Xu family's door.
Xu Zhenying is too tired.
Jiang Yongkang was naturally the one who knew best how tired she was.
Xu Zhenying's day is packed, starting with morning exercises, discussing political affairs for half the morning, having just a quick lunch, an inspection of standardized agriculture in the afternoon, and social engagements in the evening.
Even if she returned home, given her personality, she would probably still ask Qian Zhenniang about the craftsmen's situation today.
She is like a spinning top that is always spinning.
To the outside world, she always appears energetic.
It seemed that no matter how many swords and spears there were, or how many verbal battles there were, she could handle them all and always maintain a high level of concentration.
But as soon as she relaxed, Jiang Yongkang would see her with her head down and eyes full of fatigue.
Jiang Yongkang dismounted and lifted the curtain for her, only to find that she was fast asleep inside.
Jiang Yongkang hesitated for a moment and was about to reach out to touch the man, but Xu Zhenying opened her eyes as cold as snow.
Seeing Jiang Yongkang's expression, Xu Zhenying smiled first and said, "Tell me, is it a good thing or a bad thing?"
"It's a bad thing for the Great Zhou Dynasty, but it's a good thing for us."
Xu Zhenying became interested. "But is there any news from the court?"
"Prince Duan led 50,000 cavalrymen to the capital. During his court session, he chopped off Zhu Ci's head."
Wow, so exciting?
Xu Zhenying was no longer sleepy, and his eyes were full of gossip.
"Then he claimed the young emperor wasn't the late emperor's son. He even produced the diary and witnesses from that time. Facts proved that the old emperor's years of taking elixirs had damaged his health, rendering him infertile. To protect their position, the Zhu family allowed Empress Zhu to have an affair with a guard."
"Imperial secrets," Xu Zhenying said with a sly smile, a hint of impatience in his eyes. "I'm afraid the court will be in chaos now. Where are the guards?"
"That guard had been prepared for this all along, and even managed to escape the Zhu family's tight control. Later, by chance, he was employed by Prince Duan."
Coincidence?
Xu Zhenying smiled but said nothing.
"Now that Empress Zhu's guilt is irrefutable, she was executed overnight. While the ministers were still debating how to proceed, a fire broke out in the palace where the young emperor lived, completely burning it down. It's said... they eventually found a body, similar in age and build to the young emperor."
Xu Zhenying was genuinely shocked this time. "The little emperor died just like that?"
"At the moment, the officials have no other options. Prince Duan is too ruthless and leaves no room for maneuver."
Xu Zhenying gloated a bit, "This is going to be a lively time. The old emperor now has only one son left, Prince Ming. And yet this son is still making trouble for rebellion. I remember Prince Duan seemed to be the younger brother of the previous emperor, right? It would be inappropriate to support anyone to take the throne now."
Xu Zhenying laughed loudly, "If Prince Ming had been a little slower and not so eager to rebel using the Fang family's name, he might have been the heir with pure bloodline by now."
Jiang Yongkang also let out a mocking smile, "That's right. Right now, the court is divided into two factions. One faction advocates for Prince Duan to succeed the throne, and the other advocates for Prince Ming to succeed the throne. The two factions engage in hundreds of verbal battles in front of the palace every day, and I heard that there were even physical fights."
"What about Prince Duan? What's his attitude?"
"He stayed indoors, eating vegetarian food, chanting Buddhist scriptures, and devoting himself to the mountains and rivers."
Xu Zhenying smiled, "That's quite interesting. Now that the biggest issue has been resolved, it's up to the subordinates to take action. It's better to stay still than to move. He can barely be considered a figure. But now the other vassal kings are probably going to be restless, especially Prince Ming."
Jiang Yongkang deeply admired Xu Zhenying's keen understanding of the general situation in the court.
"Without a leader, this fight will probably last for a year or two. With the government in a state of emptiness and the Chen Dynasty watching closely, it's not good."
Jiang Yongkang said, "This is a golden opportunity for us. Why is there no smile on the City Lord's face?"
Xu Zhenying sighed, "I'm just worried that if this happens, I don't know how many ordinary people will be implicated. Seeing that chaos is about to break out, who will care about these ants?"
Jiang Yongkang fell silent.
Fortunately, Xu Zhenying said, "However, there is no other way. War is so cruel. How can we rebuild a world without bloodshed and overthrowing one?"
Jiang Yongkang's eyes lit up, "City Lord, what should we do next?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
