You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 196 The Nation's Most Important Weapon—The Imperial Medical Academy!
Xizhimen.

A rider galloped in.

The knight had a bright yellow flag on his back, and passersby quickly gave way upon seeing him.

Suddenly, his exhausted warhorse stumbled, and he and his horse fell over.
The city gatekeeper rushed over upon hearing the news and helped the knight up.

"Is there an urgent report?"

The knight, his head covered in blood, clutched the leather tube tightly, his voice hoarse: "Great victory at Jingzhou, escort me to the Ministry of War."

"well."

The city gate commander, who came from the Shi family of the Han Army Banner, quickly led his warhorse over and gave instructions to his soldiers.

"Give you half a day off and have you run around the whole city shouting, 'Great Victory at Jingzhou!'"

"Whoo."

……

The messenger sped along on horseback, seeing only...

Soldiers at Xizhimen shouted in the various alleys:

"A great victory at Jingzhou!"

Within a quarter of an hour, all the Manchu bannermen from the inner city had come out.

More and more people shouted, their cries like ocean waves, a thunderous roar that echoed through the sky. Many people cried, unable to tell whether it was from joy or sorrow.

A few days ago, the list of casualties and the urns containing ashes were sent back to Beijing.

Every household hangs white banners and offers paper money at their doorsteps. Now, the gloomy days finally have a glimmer of hope.

……

Forbidden City.

Emperor Shunzhi, who had not slept all night, was somewhat tired.

He had barely lain down in his palace for half an hour when he heard a commotion outside, with a great clamor of voices.

Before he could ask what was going on, Wu Liangfu barged in, all smiles.

"My lord, a great victory has been achieved at Jingzhou."

Moment~
Shunzhi felt that spring was in full bloom, the sky was clear and blue, he was refreshed and full of energy, and jumped off the bed.

"Where's the military report?"

"It hasn't been delivered yet."

"Hurry up and go urge them."

Emperor Shunzhi paced back and forth in the Qianqing Palace like a madman, unable to stop.

Finally, Minister of War Chen Zhilin entered with an urgent report in hand, and immediately knelt down upon entering.

Before she even spoke, tears were already streaming down her face.

"Your Majesty, we have won."

……

With trembling hands, Shunzhi scraped off the sealing wax and took out the military report.

Your humble servant Jiang Qingyun, with tears streaming down his face, reports: Thanks to Your Majesty's protection, the valiant efforts of the soldiers, and my own desperate struggle, we finally defeated the bandit leader Li Dingguo, beheading ten thousand and capturing the important town of Yuezhou.

"Okay, great."

Shunzhi continued reading.

~31 Manchu bannermen from this unit were killed or wounded.

"Good, very good."

Shunzhi was so happy he was about to take off. The casualties of 31 people were manageable and not a big problem.

Looking further down, his smile froze.

Before the great battle, a spy may have infiltrated the central army tent to poison him. This poison was extremely potent, and Ao Bai was severely poisoned, suffering a prolonged period of madness, unable to distinguish between humans and animals, or east and west.

I am fortunate to be able to remain somewhat lucid thanks to Your Majesty's grace, though I am not in good health. To this day, the toxins in my body have not been cleared, and I am sometimes hyperactive and sometimes lucid, barely managing to serve as the acting General of Dingyuan.

However, Beile Tunqi openly opposed my military orders, repeatedly.

Left with no other choice, I killed him.

Fortunately, the battle of Songzi resulted in a significant number of casualties.

May God bless the Qing Dynasty, may God bless the Emperor, may God bless the Eight Banners.

……

Perhaps it was because the news of this victory was too overwhelming, or perhaps it was because he hadn't slept all night, but Shunzhi's thoughts were in turmoil.

"Someone is coming."

"The slave is here."

“Wu Yong, the Imperial Medical Academy Director.”

Before long, Wu Yong, the Imperial Medical Commissioner who worked in the Forbidden City, rushed over.

"Wu Yong, the situation is urgent, so I can only speak to you briefly. Ao Bai and Jiang Qingyun have both been poisoned by a strange poison whose mechanism is unknown. Currently, one is completely insane and the other is half-insane. This is a matter of great importance. You must go south immediately. If you can save these two, I will reward you with a hereditary Yunqiwei."

"Your Majesty, I will leave the capital immediately."

"Bring enough medicine, and I will send four more guards to accompany you."

"Your subject understands, Your subject takes his leave." As he walked out of the Qianqing Palace, Wu Yong's face turned pale with fright. Of course, he knew what had happened.

That day, he hurriedly left the capital, riding at breakneck speed, his heart burning with anxiety, unwilling to slow his horse even when his legs were chafed. This only added to the admiration of Zhuobutai, who was accompanying him.

Zhuobutai was a member of the Bordered Yellow Banner and the younger brother of Aobai.

He carried a secret edict from Emperor Shunzhi, which stated that if Ao and Jiang could not recover and were unable to manage affairs, he could take over as the General of Dingyuan.

Originally, Belleronzi was the best substitute.

But he was executed.

Emperor Shunzhi was greatly surprised by Jiang Qingyun's unauthorized execution of Tunqi, but this was not the time to investigate further; the war was the priority.

……

A light drizzle.

Small Buddhist shrine.

When Shunzhi entered the courtyard, he once again witnessed the monk Tianji praying for blessings in the rain.

He choked up as he said:
"Master, we've won."

Tianji then opened his blood-red eyes, propped himself up, and after taking only two steps, he collapsed with a thud.

"Quickly, summon the imperial physician."

Emperor Shunzhi roared so loudly that the Imperial Medical Academy immediately mobilized, and the small Buddhist hall was packed with imperial physicians, who were packed in layers upon layers.

Fifteen minutes later~
The Imperial Medical Academy judged Liu Lingtai:
"After collective discussion, we have preliminarily determined that the Master has contracted a febrile disease due to overwork, malnutrition, and repeated exposure to rain. His condition is very serious, and he is on the verge of death..."

He looked up at Shunzhi's expression and continued.

"However, all colleagues in the Imperial Medical Academy will still do their utmost to ensure that His Majesty has no regrets."

"Treat him quickly, treat him at all costs, we must save his life."

"According to the order."

That day, the Forbidden City was in turmoil, and even Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was alarmed. After hearing the whole story, she was quite moved.

The next day.

Another shocking piece of news arrived: Prince Lekedehun of Shuncheng had fallen ill with a febrile disease.

The several renowned doctors from the capital invited by the Prince's residence were helpless (in reality, they dared not get involved). The Princess had no choice but to send someone to the palace to invite the imperial physician.

Upon hearing the news, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang immediately ordered Liu Lingtai, a physician from the Imperial Medical Academy, to go and treat the patient.

……

The Prince's Residence.

"Please come this way, Imperial Physician."

"I am the head of the Imperial Medical Academy."

"Excuse me, Your Honor, this way please."

Liu Lingtai walked with his hands behind his back, his steps light and his expression relaxed.

In his view, it was no big deal for a prince to fall ill. Whenever he saw members of the royal family and nobility suffering from illness, he felt as sweet as if he had eaten honey.

After all, the Liu family's ancestor, Imperial Physician Liu Wentai, had achieved the remarkable feat of killing two emperors in succession during the Ming Dynasty, yet his only fate was exile to Lingnan.

We arrived at the inner courtyard.

The lady of the house was very sensible and offered the consultation fee in advance.

"Your Honor, please take good care of me."

"Easy to say, easy to say."

Liu Lingtai immediately opened the wooden box and checked the medical fees.

50 taels of gold, not bad at all.

There is no doubt that medical skills and consultation fees are fully linked.

The ancestral motto of the Wu family, as described by the Imperial Physician Wu Yong, is: the royal family must deeply realize that human life is very fragile, it is normal for a patient not to be cured, and it is rare for a patient to be cured.

However, the Liu family also had ancestral precepts. Imperial Physician Liu Wentai said: "Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural course of life. Even a person of great wealth cannot escape this fate."

Its main characteristic is its stubbornness.

……

As a result, the moment he placed his fingers on Lekdehun's incredibly hot wrist, he was violently flung away.

"Go away~"

Lekedehun showed extreme vigilance towards the people sent from the palace.

"Your Highness, this is a physician from the Imperial Medical Academy, here to examine you."

"Is he being treated for a medical condition or is he being put to death? Throw him out of the palace."

Upon hearing Lekedehun's words, Liu Lingtai's face instantly darkened.

"Gentlemen, you are all witnesses. You all heard it. It was the prince who refused my treatment. The prince's mansion will bear all the consequences."

The princess consort was in tears, torn between two options.

at this point.

Liu Lingtai simply turned and left, refusing to refund any of the consultation fees.

However, he sensed a conspiracy. First, Prince Li died at the young age of 31, and now the 24-year-old Prince Shuncheng...
Something's probably up here!
(End of this chapter)