Zhao Kuan’s father was in Xiping—he had even less use for this. He insisted on leaving the plaster, asking with concern, “How is Cousin Shen’s injury?”
Zhao Shen had been seriously injured that day. The most severe was a blade wound on his back that nearly reached the bone. He fainted because of excessive blood loss. Fortunately, the military physicians traveling with Zhao Hanzhang’s army had good suturing skills. After receiving him, they sutured the wound and stopped the bleeding. Zhao Shen’s body was also robust, so he survived.
Although the person survived, his body did not recover quickly. Replenishing blood and vital energy was not easy, so for the past period he had been unconscious more than awake. One day, he thought he was just taking a brief nap, but when he woke up he was already in Chen County.
His brief nap had been two days of unconsciousness.
Zhao Song in distant Xiping, hearing that his grandson was seriously wounded, hurriedly brought famous physicians and precious medicinal materials north. A few months ago, Zhao Hu, who had fled back to Xiping fearing Chen County would fall, saw that Zhao Hanzhang had also returned to Chen County and cheerfully came along.
At this time, Zhao Hanzhang was gathered with the two great-uncles in Zhao Shen’s room, looking at him with caring expressions.
Zhao Shen lay weakly in bed, constantly glancing at Zhao Hanzhang, saying gently to Zhao Song, “Grandfather, I don’t need so much medicine here. Move some to Father—Father was also injured.”
Zhao Song said mildly, “Your father’s body is fine. He doesn’t need these. You can eat them without worry. If it’s not enough, I’ll have people buy more.”
After speaking, he glanced at Zhao Hu sitting to the side and smiled. “Your Seventh Great-Uncle is now in the medicinal materials business. Many medicines are easy to buy.”
Zhao Hu nodded repeatedly and said generously, “Just tell me what medicine you want to take, and Great-Uncle will give it to you.”
Zhao Shen: …Thank you all, but this is really unnecessary.
He looked at Zhao Hanzhang, hoping this high-ranking cousin would speak on his behalf. But Zhao Hanzhang’s attention was on another matter. She turned her head to ask Zhao Hu, “Seventh Great-Uncle, when did you enter the medicinal materials business?”
Zhao Hu raised his chin slightly, saying proudly, “A few months ago. When you were fighting, didn’t you need large quantities of medicinal materials? Whoever makes this money makes it, doesn’t it? So I had people go down and purchase medicinal materials.”
Speaking of this, he glanced at Zhao Hanzhang. “You really are something. You have such profitable business at hand but don’t think of the clan—it all went to outside medicine merchants. If I hadn’t happened to see Fan Ying giving medicine lists to merchants, I wouldn’t have known you required so many medicinal materials.”
Zhao Hanzhang sighed. “War always involves casualties, and injuries require medicinal materials.”
Zhao Hu nodded and said warmly to her, “Next time you fight wars, purchase medicinal materials from me. Although my merchant company was only established less than half a year ago, the stewards and assistants inside were all poached from other medicine merchants, so the channels are safe, and the medicinal farmers are all old farmers. You can trust the herbs they gather.”
Zhao Hanzhang readily agreed, then glanced at the sky and immediately stood up. “It’s getting late. Cousin Shen should rest well. Fifth Great-Uncle, Seventh Great-Uncle, I need to go back to work.”
Zhao Song quickly said, “You go ahead with your business. You don’t need to stay with us.”
But Zhao Hu still had serious business to discuss. He quickly said, “I still have something to say. Sanniang, now that you’ve finished fighting, when will you pay me the remaining balance for the medicinal materials?”
Zhao Hanzhang’s expression didn’t change as she said warmly, “You made the order with Fan Ying?”
Zhao Hu nodded.
Zhao Hanzhang said, “Only they know about these matters. I just approve the requisitions. You should go ask her about it.”
Zhao Hu was unhappy. “Isn’t this just a matter of one word from you? Just have her pay me the balance.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “Alright, I’ll mention it to her later.”
Only then did Zhao Hu let her go. He had just arrived in Chen County and didn’t know that Fan Ying was not currently at Zhao Hanzhang’s side, or even in Yuzhou.
Zhao Shen to the side vaguely felt something was off. He looked at Zhao Hu, then at Zhao Hanzhang, but said nothing.
Zhao Hanzhang quickly left. When she reached the courtyard, Zhao Kuan and Zhao Ming were still tugging at each other. Her steps paused, then she turned and went over. “Uncle Ming.”
Zhao Kuan immediately stood up, no longer daring to stuff the box into Zhao Ming’s arms.
Zhao Ming also composed his expression, nodded to Zhao Hanzhang, and asked, “Have you seen him?”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and sat down in the seat Zhao Kuan had vacated. After pondering for a moment, she said, “I want to establish a Medical Bureau under the Ministry of Works, in charge of medical affairs throughout the realm.”
Zhao Ming said, “Wouldn’t that be redundant? Why set up another department when the Ministry of Works can already handle it?”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “The military currently has too few military physicians, so we need to recruit more doctors. Now that the realm is in great chaos, places south of Yuzhou at the commandery level and below still have doctors. North of Yuzhou, forget about counties—even in prefectures and commanderies it’s hard to find a single doctor or a fully functional medical clinic.”
“So I want to establish Medical Bureaus in each province and commandery. The Medical Bureaus would be directly under the Medical Bureau of the Ministry of Works. They could allocate funds to purchase medicinal materials, even cultivate medical talent, and supply doctors to various regions and the military.”
Zhao Ming’s brows furrowed tightly. After pausing for quite a while, he said, “Hanzhang, achieving great harmony in the realm is not so easy. Especially now when people can barely survive—they don’t even have food. You’re already working on this matter too early.”
Zhao Hanzhang shook her head. “It’s not early at all. I’m not saying I want to provide free medical treatment immediately. The Medical Bureaus will charge normal fees for treating illnesses and saving lives.”
She said, “Clothing and food concern life and death, and so do medicine and healing. What I’m doing now is ensuring that when common people fall ill, they can find a doctor, and when they want treatment, there are medicinal materials available.”
Was the problem in the six northern provinces now a lack of money?
No. Their problem was that even with money, they couldn’t buy grain, couldn’t find doctors, couldn’t buy medicine. What Zhao Hanzhang wanted to do now was supply them with grain, doctors, and medicinal materials, and establish a channel so they could obtain these things through proper means.
This matter was not early at all.
Zhao Ming was persuaded by her, so he asked quietly, “How much money can the national treasury allocate for this matter now?”
Zhao Hanzhang choked, then humbly asked, “Where does Uncle Ming think the treasury should get money from now?”
Zhao Ming said, “Taxation.”
He glanced at Zhao Hanzhang. “Doesn’t all the treasury’s money come from taxes? It happens to be time to collect autumn taxes now.”
Collecting autumn taxes at this time… A great mountain crashed down on Zhao Hanzhang’s shoulders. She gritted her teeth and said, “I’ll think of a way.”
Zhao Ming snorted, handing this headache to her. Wanting to eat flatbread but not willing to pay money or provide wheat flour—was that possible?
Zhao Hanzhang turned her head to look at Zhao Kuan standing to the side. “Why are you still here? Haven’t you gone to take up your post in Qingzhou?”
Still thinking about the treasury’s lack of money, Zhao Kuan immediately snapped back to attention. “I’m departing tomorrow. I came today to bid farewell to Uncle Ming.”
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and was about to stand up and leave when something occurred to her. She turned back to Zhao Kuan. “Come with me. I have something to tell you.”
Zhao Kuan pointed toward the back courtyard. “I still need to pay my respects to the two great-uncles…”
“They’re doting on Cousin Shen right now and have no time to pay attention to you. Come with me.”
Zhao Kuan silently followed.