Chapter 2678 I also want to be an official
The envoy was slightly stunned, while the emperor sat up slightly straighter, his eyes sliding across the face of the Shaoqing of the Sinong Temple. He smiled calmly and said, "Lord Zhou is still so spontaneous. What's the problem with this? Right, envoy?"
The envoys quickly came to their senses and responded quickly, saying that they would definitely send Tubo's high-quality seeds after returning home.
However, they couldn't help but look at Zhou Man with some disapproval. If they had high-yield seeds, would they still need to ask the emperor of Dajin for help?
What’s the use of being cold-resistant and drought-resistant? The yield is not high.
Isn’t the key to growing crops the yield?
However, it was obvious that this official was a woman, and her surname was Zhou. She must be the famous female doctor. The envoy had other purposes and did not want to offend her.
This matter was temporarily ignored. Most officials and their wives were not very interested in this kind of grain or good seeds. The emperor smiled and said to the empress: "Let's start the banquet."
The envoys from various countries sat down in their respective seats and the banquet officially began.
Palace maids came in one after another carrying plates, music started, and dancers came in gracefully, standing in the center of the hall to dance.
Manbao's position was in the middle, which was the best place to watch the dance. When he looked up, he saw Fenghua surrounded in the middle. She was smiling tenderly at the emperor at the top. When she turned her head back, she was in Zhou Man's direction. When she met her gaze, she blinked at her with a charming look. Manbao was stunned.
Seeing her dazed look, Fenghua couldn't help but smile brightly. She swung the sleeves in her hand towards Zhou Man, and her body turned lightly, like a butterfly turning in the air. After landing gently, she turned around and faced the emperor again.
Bai Shan couldn't help but waved his hand in front of her eyes. Man Bao covered his heart and whispered, "Do you feel your heart pounding?"
"...No," Bai Shan said, "If I did, you would have beaten me."
Manbao lowered his voice and said, "Nonsense, am I someone who would hit someone?"
Bai Shan remained silent and looked at the dance in the hall with her.
After Fenghua finished her dance, she and the other dancers bowed and retreated, leaving another team to take over.
A palace banquet is just about eating and drinking without talking about state affairs.
First eat and drink with the emperor, then toast and drink to each other.
The family members would sit together for a while, and then they would find various excuses to get together, perhaps to enjoy singing and dancing together, or to go out and play on their own.
It was dark now, but there were many lanterns lit outside, which were very beautiful. Even the garden tour was enough for them to entertain themselves for a long time.
Especially the young men and women, who could not stand sitting for long, so after seeing the adults eating and drinking to their climax, they quietly left and went out to play by themselves.
Zhou Man thought he was young, so he pulled Bai Shan out with him.
Zhou Liru was stunned. She didn't expect that her aunt and uncle had slipped away earlier than her. She hesitated for a moment, and Liu Huan had already stood up and pulled her away.
Lord Tang could only watch them leave. To be honest, he also wanted to leave, but after looking at the emperor who was having a good chat with Duke Zhao and others, Lord Tang decided to stay for a while longer.
Many young ladies slipped out like Zhou Man, and walked down the road hung with lanterns, chatting in groups of three or four.
Manbao and Baishan walked down hand in hand. Seeing that there were many people in front of them, they turned around and entered a dim path.
"Master Zhou, please wait a moment."
Manbao couldn't help but look back. A young lady quickly chased after him. When she reached him, she knelt down and bowed to Zhou Man. She raised her head and looked straight at him, her eyes sparkling. "Master Zhou, my surname is Cui."
Manbao was slightly surprised and looked at her carefully. He really didn't know her, so he smiled and said in return, "Miss Cui, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Miss Cui glanced at Bai Shan.
Bai Shan pursed her lips in displeasure, but Zhou Man shook his hand, so he had to let go of her hand and turn away.
They were just a little unhappy. They had rarely come out, but someone was disturbing them.
Zhou Man thought she wanted to see a doctor, but the lighting here was dim and there were many people coming and going, so he was afraid it would not be convenient, so he said, "Miss Cui, what do you want to talk to me about?" If it's not urgent, we can talk about it another day.
Miss Cui looked at Zhou Man with sparkling eyes and asked, "Is Master Zhou still compiling books at Chongwenguan?"
Manbao was stunned for a moment and then nodded, "Yes."
Miss Cui then asked, "How many books has Mr. Zhou compiled this year?"
Manbao said, "Not much, just two medical books."
Miss Cui breathed a sigh of relief, bowed deeply, and said, "Master Zhou, I also want to be an official in the Chongwenguan like you."
Manbao's eyes widened in surprise, then he was delighted and asked in a low voice, "Young lady, do you have any connections?"
That's good. From now on, there won't be just one female official in the court.
Miss Cui blushed and said, "No, no, I just wanted to ask Master Zhou to say a few good words for me in front of the Crown Prince."
Manbao was stunned and asked, "How can this be a nice word?"
She became distressed. She was able to work as a compiler in Chongwenguan because the Crown Princess was pregnant. She needed an excuse to live in the East Palace and watch over the Crown Princess every day.
Later, because she had been compiling medical books and had not neglected her duties, she was able to stay in this position. She also continued to rise because of her merits. But other women...
Manbao asked her quietly, "Do you have any special skills?"
It would be best if you have a position that is not held by other lecturers or editors in Chongwenguan, only then can you be admitted.
Miss Cui said, "No."
Manbao: ...
She was quite straightforward, saying, "I can do it. The lecturers and editors at Chongwenguan should all be able to do it. But I believe I've read as much as they do, and my abilities are no less than theirs."
She asked, "Why do we women have to know things that they don't know in order to be reused?"
Man Bao was silent for a moment before saying, "Because women have a harder time in this world than men, Your Majesty and the other court officials would think that if everything you can do is what they can do, then why not use men who are more convenient and efficient instead of women who are more controversial?"
Miss Cui was stunned for a moment and then said, "Master Zhou knows the same medical skills that the other doctors in the Imperial Hospital don't know?"
Man Bao said, "I'm better than them at something, at least in acupuncture, ulcers, and women's diseases. They can't compare to me, and there's also infertility. Now I'm the best in the Imperial Hospital."
Miss Cui: ...
Manbao continued to list his strengths, "I can also compile medical books."
She is the only one who can compile medical books as prolific as her. It's not that Xiao Yuanzheng and Liu Taiyi can't write, but she is the only one who can write without reservation after planning. Others always hesitate and try to hide their secret recipes. As a result, the medical books they write are not as good as hers, and their speed is not as fast.
Otherwise, why would the emperor like to give her a title in the Chongwenguan compilation department?
It's all because of the little knowledge she has.
Manbao looked at the girl who was obviously younger than her, full of passion but also a little confused, and said: "If you want to enter the court as an official, you must have the ability that others can't refuse. It doesn't need to be achieved overnight, but it must be there."
After many years in the court, Zhou Man knew her strengths and weaknesses. She also knew that in the future she would only be stuck in the Imperial Hospital, the Imperial Medical Bureau, and the Chongwenguan, and it would be impossible for her to go anywhere else.
They are Liu Sanniang and Zhou Liru. Her plan for them is to work in these three departments. In the future, more and more women will graduate from the Imperial Medical Bureau, and there will be female officials in the local medical bureaus, the Imperial Hospital and the Chongwenguan under the Imperial Medical Bureau.
They are there because they have a skill, but what about the little girl from the Cui family? Where does she want to go and where can she go?
This is what Manbao thought, and that's what he asked her, "This road is not easy. Have you carefully thought about where you want to go, where you can go, what you want to do, and what you can do?"
Miss Cui was in deep thought.
See you tomorrow
(End of this chapter)
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