I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 290: The refreshing autumn weather in Beijing

In August of the second year of the Longqing reign, although the autumn heat still raged for a few days from time to time in the capital, there were more and more dry and cool days.

Today is a beautiful day with clear and cool autumn weather.

Dongbianmen Wharf.

Wang Shizhen was dressed in a Taoist robe and a big hat, looking handsome and elegant.

Li Shizhen and Wan Quan, each wearing a Taoist robe and a square scarf, stood by.

Today, three of them came to the dock to pick someone up.

"Mr. Fengzhou, Mr. Taihan and the others' boat should be arriving soon."

Li Shizhen clasped his hands and looked at the river in the distance, and couldn't help asking.

After the death of Emperor Jiajing, Li Shizhen and Wan Quan remained in the capital, one as the chief priest of the Medicine King Hall and the other as the chief priest of the Medical Sage Hall. One studied herbs and Chinese patent medicines, and the other compiled medical prescriptions and diagnostic techniques. Each of them had hundreds of proud disciples and lived a very fulfilling life.

In his spare time, he interacted with scholars and literati in the capital, especially famous poets such as Wang Shizhen. Today, let’s meet some of his friends.

"It should be here soon. Centipede ships are rarely late."

Wan Quan smiled and said, "Brother Li, don't be anxious."

"I have listened to several of the pieces written by Mr. Taihan and was mesmerized and dreamlike. Now I have the honor of meeting him in person and I can't wait."

Wang Shizhen also smiled, "Mr. Dongbi is able to take time out from his busy schedule to treat medicine and come to greet me personally as the contemporary king of medicine. Your Excellency should feel honored."

Li Shizhen waved his hands repeatedly, "Mr. Fengzhou, you are flattering me. I am just a traveling doctor who knows medicine!"

"Haha," Wang Shizhen laughed twice, "Mr. Dongbi, your Compendium of Materia Medica will be finished soon, right?"

"It's still early."

"Ah, didn't you say it was going to be completed two years ago? Sir, are you finishing it?"

Li Shizhen waved his hand.

"I thought it was ready. His Highness issued an edict, calling the Coordination Bureau, oh, now called the Shaofujian, Taifu Temple and the Ministry of War, to be aware of all merchants and travellers, as well as all the garrisons and post stations, to collect medicinal materials from all over the country and deliver them to the Medicine King Hall in the capital.

Thousands of new medicinal materials have been sent from the southwest, northeast, northwest, and South China Sea. It will take another three to five years to classify them and clarify their medicinal properties.”

Wang Shizhen exclaimed: "Mr. Dongbi's Compendium of Materia Medica will benefit future generations!"

"Mr. Fengzhou, thank you for the compliment. My medicine is a dead thing. Mr. Mi Zhai's diagnosis and prescription are the real skills. Mr. Mi Zhai presides over the Medical Saint Hall, which is divided into internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, acupuncture, otorhinolaryngology, bone injury and other departments. The classification is clear, and each skill is specialized. That is the benefit of all people."

Wan Quan waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, Brother Dongbi, let's stop flattering each other here. Mr. Taihan and his crew's ship will be arriving soon.

By the way, Mr. Fengzhou, have you booked Zuifenglou yet?"

"It's booked. Alas, I am a Hanlin scholar, but I am not as famous as Mr. Mi Zhai, the medical saint." Wang Shizhen joked, "I asked someone to take my name card to book it, but was politely declined, saying that the room was full and there was no room available.

Mr. Mi Zhai just asked the servant to go and it will be there soon."

Li Shizhen laughed loudly: "It is said that the owner of Zuifenglou is from the mansion of Gu'an Bo. You, a Hanlin scholar, are really nothing in his eyes.

But no matter how powerful he is, he will always get sick. Mr. Mi Zhai's title as the contemporary medical saint is definitely more useful than Mr. Fengzhou's!"

The three of them laughed.

"The ship that transfers goods from Dagu has arrived." A servant came to report.

The three of them quickly stood up and waited for the boat to dock.

The boat was busy on the shore for a while and soon stopped. A man walked up from the plank. He was about forty or fifty years old, thin and elegant, wearing a blue straight-collared suit and a square scarf on his head.

He was Wang Daokun, a Jinshi in the 26th year of Jiajing, from Huizhou. In the 40th year of Jiajing, he served as the deputy envoy of Fujian Province and assisted Hu Zongxian and Qi Jiguang in fighting against the Japanese pirates.

In the 40th year of the reign of Emperor Jiajing, Wang Yi'e, the governor of the grain transport system, was the prefect of Jianning. He defended the isolated city and it was he who led his troops to help and defeated the Japanese pirates. Later, he offended the Yan Party and the eunuchs and was impeached and dismissed from office. Since then, he became discouraged about his career and traveled around the southeast, making many friends. He was particularly fond of the zaju Shuimoqiang, and the repertoires and scripts he wrote were sung all over the country.

Shuimoqiang was brought to Beijing and was named Kunqu Opera by the Empress. Wang Daokun's repertoire was very popular in the capital, and Mr. Taihan became famous.

"Brother Fengzhou, I haven't seen you for several years. You look even more charming and elegant than ever!" Wang Daokun said with a smile and bowed.

"Brother Taihan, I've been waiting for you. Come, let me introduce you. This is Li Dongbi, the chief priest of the Medicine King Hall, and this is Wan Mizhai, the chief priest of the Medical Saint Hall."

Wang Daokun said in surprise: "It turns out to be Mr. Dongbi, the contemporary king of medicine, and Mr. Mi Zhai, the contemporary medical saint. I am so lucky!"

Li Shizhen chuckled, "Li and Brother Mi Zhai have heard Mr. Taihan's music and have admired it for a long time. When we heard Mr. Fengzhou say you were coming today, we followed you with shamelessness."

After the four of them greeted each other, Wang Daokun introduced his companions to Wang Shizhen, Li Shizhen and Wan Quan.

He pointed to a man in his thirties wearing a dark blue shirt and a big hat and said, "This is my fellow countryman, Pan Zhiheng, Pan Jingsheng, the first phoenix in southern Huizhou."

"Student Pan Zhiheng meets Mr. Fengzhou, Mr. Dongbi, and Mr. Mizhai. I have long admired your great names."

Wang Daokun pointed to a man in his twenties and introduced him, "This is Tu Long and Tu Changqing."

After the greetings, Wang Shizhen said, "Tell the servants to send your luggage to my house. We will go to Zuifeng Tower to welcome you all."

"Thank you very much!"

Wang Daokun and the other two bowed and thanked him, then followed Wang Shizhen for a few steps. Tu Long pointed to a line of words painted with lime on a wall not far from the dock.

"Conquer the Tartars and recover our lost territory!"

"Mr. Fengzhou, what is this?"

Wang Shizhen shook his head. "This is a slogan painted by Shuntian Prefecture. The imperial court is going to conquer the Chahar tribe soon, and the Taichang Temple is trying to create momentum. This is one of the reasons."

"Conquer Chahar?"

Wang Daokun, Tu Long and Pan Zhiheng had different expressions.

Wang Shizhen saw it and asked, "What's wrong?"

"We sailed north from Shanghai. At ports like Wusong and Weihai, we saw an endless stream of warships, hundreds and thousands of them, with their masts blocking out the sun. There were also tens of thousands of Marine battalions stationed in various places, gathering and boarding the ships to move south.

It is said that the Marine Corps battalions in Kinmen and Fuzhou areas have moved the fastest and have already moved into Xiangjiang Port and Wanzhou Port.

There are countless grains and supplies piled up like mountains, and thousands of merchant ships are loading and transporting them day and night. National war, Ming suddenly launched two national wars."

Wang Daokun's words caused everyone to fall into silence.

Li Shizhen could not help but say, "The Ministry of War has recruited thousands of surgeons from the capital and local clinics, as well as a group of pharmacists, who have gathered in Dagu and Shanghai and have been trained by the Military Medical Department. Several major pharmaceutical companies have also received orders from the Imperial Household Department for hundreds of thousands of Jinshang medicines, alcohol, Zhuge Xingjun powder, Zhengchang pills, Rendan pills, and Huoxiang Zhengqi water."

Tu Long also said: "I have a relative who runs a cotton mill. He received an order from Taipu Temple for tens of thousands of meters of medical gauze for bandaging wounds."

Wan Quan nodded: "Yes, medical gauze, after being steamed and sterilized, can be used to bandage wounds, which is quite effective. This is the method surgeons use to treat knife and gunshot wounds."

Pan Zhiheng said quietly, "This national war is really different from the usual ones. It is massive and well prepared, with the power of the entire country being mobilized to destroy a small corner."

Tu Long sighed: "One general's success is the result of the sacrifice of thousands of men. After the national war, I don't know how many people can come back alive."

Li Shizhen shook his head and said, "I have several friends in the army. According to them, everyone in the army was eager to apply. After the Kharachin tribe was destroyed, Qi Yuanjing and Ma Dexin were made barons, dozens of people were awarded medals, hundreds of people were promoted, and the rest of the soldiers were rewarded generously.

Now, when they hear the call for conscription, everyone rushes to join the army.”

Wan Quan said quietly, "Your Majesty is wise and clear about rewards and punishments. The soldiers will naturally move forward bravely and are willing to risk their lives to win the title of nobility immediately."

Wang Shizhen looked around and saw that the atmosphere was a little awkward, so he quickly said, "Everyone, are you going to stand here and drink the wind? Why don't we go to Zuifeng Tower, where we can drink fine wine, taste delicious food, and then discuss it in detail."

"Okay!" Wang Daokun responded immediately, "Everyone, please!"

(End of this chapter)