The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 169 Making Medicine for Others
The summer resort is really cool in early summer, and the wind blowing from the Chaohe and Baihe River valleys is even a bit refreshing.

It's a bit hot in the capital at this time even wearing light clothes, but here you still have to put on a cloak or something to wrap yourself up from time to time.

Wanli also specially ordered people to transplant many flowers, plants and trees.

At this moment, the entire Miyun Palace is full of flowers and plants, and shaded by green trees, which makes people feel happy just by looking at it.

After he moved here with a large group of people, he seemed to be leisurely enjoying the scenery with his concubines and children every day. In fact, he was thinking about business matters.

He hasn't even started his campaign against the Northern Tartars yet, but it seems like he never has enough money to spend.

The food and wages for the soldiers in the Beijing camp and the border troops were already terrible enough. He also had to build warships, recruit naval officers, and continue to expand the Beijing camp and the border troops. No one knew how much money all this would cost.

This may be the fundamental reason why the Ming Dynasty failed to remain strong. The previous emperors and even court officials never thought of relying on business to make money to support the army and navy. Everyone was eyeing that little piece of land.

The land only produced so much grain, and in order to ensure that the people had enough to eat, the imperial court could not collect too much land tax. In addition, with the increasing severity of land annexation, the Ming imperial court naturally had fewer and fewer people to support.

If we want to solve this problem thoroughly, we have to make money by doing business, and it is not just about encouraging business, but about making big money by doing big business ourselves.

If we only encourage business, those profiteers who have made money will try to seize power in the court just like the three powerful families in Puzhou.

He had realized this problem a long time ago, so he controlled the iron, glass and cloth businesses himself and let his confidants run them.

The problem is that the Ming Dynasty has not developed as a whole. There are only so many rich people, and most of the common people are still poor, which limits the development space for these industries.

He estimated that after these three industries developed, it would be a great achievement to be able to support an army of one million, and they would not be able to fight a war because they would be short of money if they fought a war.

Therefore, he cannot stop expanding his business, and he must expand his business.

There seem to be two options for expanding this business: either expand the business overseas and make money from foreign countries, or expand into other businesses and make money for the Ming Dynasty.

If they wanted to do business overseas, they had to have naval warships. Otherwise, not only real pirates, but also Japanese pirates and colonial bandits from Europe would become pirates and steal their goods.

At the moment, he was worried about not having enough money to build naval warships. He couldn't do overseas business for the time being, so he could only find ways to do more business and make his own money.

So, what other businesses can make a lot of money?

Table salt?
This business seems to be very profitable, but it is a way for corrupt officials to make money. He cannot do it because once he does, the price of salt will skyrocket, and the money he makes is the hard-earned money of the common people. The rich only need to eat so much salt.

He also has to find a way to get the money of those rich people.

He originally thought that investigating and confiscating corrupt officials would be enough to cover the expenses, but now it seems that he was overthinking it.

Corrupt officials all have brains. Unless he arrests all of them and confiscates all their money, otherwise, the more he confiscates, the less money he will be able to confiscate.

The three major wealthy families in Puzhou are clear evidence of this. Once they realize that the situation is not right, they will definitely transfer their money to a safe place.

The house search will continue, but we can't have too much hope.

He has to find other ways to get money from rich people.

Medicine seems to be a good thing. Those corrupt officials who have embezzled money not only want to live a life of luxury, but they also want to live a long life.

This seems like something we can take advantage of.

He thought about it for several days, and only when Li Jianzhong, who was working in Yongchang Prefecture, Yunnan, rushed back did he begin to gather people and prepare to start the pharmaceutical business.

Early in the morning at about noon that day, he specially ordered people to set up a large round table under the big tree in the back garden and brewed fragrant tea. Then he asked people to invite Li Shizhen and his son, the Wan brothers, Li Tingji and others over.

Everyone was surprised to see Wanli being so polite.

If friends and family get together to chat like this, it is naturally normal.

The problem is, it was the current emperor who invited them here.

This young emperor is so polite. Is there something important he wants to discuss?

Wanli invited everyone to sit down and sipped the fragrant tea before he said solemnly, "Doctor Wan, you said that the first priority in maintaining good health is to abstain from food and desire. I'm afraid that's something that few people can do.

As the saying goes, food, sex, and nature are all part of one's nature. Many people live for food and sex. Asking people to abstain from food and sex is the opposite of what they want. Don't you have medicine to treat those who don't abstain from food and sex?

Well, when His Majesty mentioned many people, were they referring to himself?
The Wan brothers looked at each other, their faces filled with solemnity.

Sometimes living with a king is like living with a tiger.

The young emperor is very nice to them now, but no matter how nice he is to them, they cannot go against him. If they anger the young emperor, they will be finished.

Rumor has it that this young emperor is extremely rebellious, and anyone who dares to go against him will suffer a bad end.

Wan Bangzhong thought about it carefully, then said carefully: "Your Majesty, there are of course medicines for this. Health preservation is not just about dieting and reducing desires. The four key points of health preservation are reducing desires, being cautious in movement, following the time, and preventing disease. If reducing desires and being cautious in movement are not possible, then following the time, that is, following the time of heaven and earth, regulates yin and yang.

Those who find it difficult to diet can eat according to the seasons. In spring, eat wheat and mutton; in summer, eat beans and chicken; in autumn, eat hemp and dog; in winter, eat millet and pork. Eating according to the seasons can actually maintain your health.

Those who cannot reduce their desires can also follow the seasons. As the saying goes, nourish yin in autumn and winter, and nourish yang in spring and summer. Spring is for growth and summer is for growth, which is the time for yang energy to be released, and it can increase offspring.

Of course, if these are not possible, then medication is needed to regulate the body. The so-called "removing disease" means prescribing medicine according to the symptoms, and treating the disease early to avoid harm to the body.

It turns out that another thing to do is to take medicine.

very good!

Wanli nodded slightly and said, "Well, that's not bad. Even if you're not sick, you can still take medicine, right? For example, medicine to prolong life, medicine to replenish vital energy, and medicine to refresh the mind."

Of course these are all there.

Wan Bangzhong nodded repeatedly and said, "We have all the medicines His Majesty mentioned. However, these are all tonics. If you take too much, it will inevitably cause internal heat to rise and cause various discomfort symptoms."

Isn’t this simple?

Wanli asked, "Are there any medicines to reduce internal heat? If you have internal heat, wouldn't that be enough?"

Well, that’s not the way to say it. People shouldn’t be so troubled.

Wan Bangzhong said cautiously, "Your Majesty, there are medicines to reduce internal heat, but medicine is always poisonous. If you take too much of any kind of medicine, toxins will accumulate in your body, and you will experience various discomfort symptoms."

This is also simple.

Wanli asked again: "Are there any medicines to detoxify the body if there are toxins accumulated in the body?"

Your body can't take it if you work so hard.

Wan Bangzhong still said cautiously: "Your Majesty, there are antidotes, but it usually takes time to remove toxins. If too much toxins accumulate in the body, it will damage the body."

This can be solved by taking medicine.

Wanli simply spread his hands and said, "There should be some medicine to regulate the body and repair injuries, right?"

Uh, if you eat like this you'll become a sickly person.

Wan Bangzhong cautiously advised, "Your Majesty, I dare to say that health preservation depends on nurturing yourself, not taking medicine. Taking too much medicine will eventually harm your body."

Do you think I need to take medicine?

Wanli slowly shook his head and said, "I don't want to take medicine myself. I mean we make medicine for others to take."

what?
Everyone was stunned when they heard this.

After all this time, don’t you think you want to eat it?
Wan Bangzhong was stunned for a while before muttering, "We make medicine for others to take?"

Of course, you think I'm sick?
Such torture for myself.

Wanli nodded slightly and said, "Yes, we make medicine for others to take. This business should be very profitable."

make money?

Wan Bangzhong was a bit puzzled and asked, "Your Majesty, you want to make money by selling medicine?"

Yes.

Wanli nodded without hesitation and said, "Yes, I want to make money by selling medicine."

How much money can you make in this business?
Wan Bangzhong hesitated for a moment, but still advised carefully: "Your Majesty, doctors are like parents to their patients. Sometimes patients have no money, and we have to treat them even if we have to lose money and medicine. This business is actually not very profitable."

I know that you are all true doctors.

That's what it says, but it can be said another way.

Wanli explained: "It is true that doctors have a caring heart, but you cannot guarantee that you can cure all the sick people in the world. If some people are sick and cannot buy medicine, won't they just wait to die?

We make various medicines and give people the right medicine for their condition. In fact, we are also curing diseases and saving lives. We are just changing the method."

This seems to make sense.

It is impossible for them to practice medicine all over the world and cure everyone's diseases.

(End of this chapter)