Di Ming

Chapter 209 The Governor of Ningxia!

Ning Qingchen's greatest ideal upon arriving in the Ming Dynasty was to make the Ming Dynasty's medical and health standards three hundred years ahead of the world, increase the average lifespan of the Ming people by ten years, and alleviate the suffering caused by diseases.

But she also knew that to achieve this grand goal, her own expertise and hard work were not enough; she would also need to rely on the power of the little tiger and her sister's money.

Zhu Yin sat down in front of Ning Qingchen and said encouragingly:

"Dr. Ning will surely become a female saint. Perhaps decades later, many places will build temples in your honor and revere you as a deity."

Although their relationship is that of sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Zhu Yin always feels like a father taking care of his daughter whenever he faces Ning Qingchen.

As for Ning Caiwei, she is more like an elder sister or a mother.

Ning Qingchen's eyes lit up, and she smiled sweetly. "Really a little tiger? Will I become a female saint? Or a deity like Mazu?"

Ning Caiwei touched her forehead, speechless. "Little Tiger, can you stop trying to coax her? Don't you know her personality? She might really want to be some kind of female saint or goddess. What will you do if she goes mad?"

Ning Caiwei knew better than anyone that her younger sister was a fanatical convert. The Ning family was the richest family in China when she was born; she never had to worry about material things, lacked nothing, and lacked the motivation of most people.

Therefore, she could only pursue the ultimate spiritual success and absolute high-level achievements to the extreme, which led to her becoming obsessive.

For example, a fondness for dark-colored pets.

If it weren't for my guidance and discipline, she might have developed mental health issues later in life.

Her ambitions were actually greater than Zhu Yin's. Zhu Yin only wanted to reclaim the throne from the eldest branch of the Zhu family and revive the Ming Dynasty. But his sister wanted to become a "god"!
Sure enough, Ning Qingchen grabbed Zhu Yin's hand and said:

"Little Tiger, I actually envy you. You passed all three levels of the imperial examinations with top honors, and many people are superstitious about you, thinking you are the reincarnation of the God of Literature, and they build temples for you to pray for your blessings..."

Ning Caiwei frowned as she listened.

"Alright, alright! What are you envious of him for! Is it a good thing for a living person to build a temple?" Ning Caiwei quickly pulled her over. "Stop talking nonsense all the time. You're only six years old. Let's talk about it when you're a few years older. Even if you want to change the world, you have to take it slowly."

"If you're doing forceps delivery now, who'll believe you? Those precious medicines you're making, like penicillin, allicin, salicylic acid, and quinine, are produced in such small quantities that they can't be mass-produced. They're just sold in small quantities under the guise of family secret medicines. Who would think you made those medicines? You have indeed saved a lot of lives in recent years, but you didn't actually save them."

Ning Qingchen broke free from her sister's hand and yelled at Ning Caiwei in a cute, childlike voice, "You're interfering with me again! I'm not a three-year-old! Little Tiger could pass the imperial examination with flying colors at twelve, and you can earn millions of taels of silver, but what about me?!"

"I'm just a baby, nothing at all! Even if people call me Guanyin's Child, it's only because I'm your sister!"

"People only know me as Mr. Zhihu's sister-in-law and Ning Xiaoguanyin's younger sister. That's why they look at me with such respect, but I want to be myself!"

"Hmph, I don't care about you, I'm going to Qizhou in Hubei. Give me a group of guards, I'll be leaving soon."

Ning Caiwei's autumn eyes widened instantly. "Ancestor! What are you going to Qizhou for? Are you crazy?"

Zhu Yin sighed and asked, "Qingchen, are you going to see Li Shizhen?"

Ning Qingchen nodded, her little face very serious. "Little Tiger, you understand me best. That's right, I'm going to see Li Shizhen. In the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen is the most famous in the medical field. I heard that Qizhou is already a holy land for doctors. As long as he supports me and helps me popularize forceps, we can quickly train a group of midwives who can use forceps."

"Another purpose is that I hope the Compendium of Materia Medica can be compiled better and with fewer errors. I want to give him some inspiration."

"My third goal is to improve traditional Chinese medicine. With Li Shizhen's help, I will save a lot of time."

Ning Caiwei smiled wryly: "Little sister, why are you in such a hurry? You're only six years old, too young. Who would believe you're skilled in medicine? Were you born with this knowledge? Some people will say you're spreading rumors and disregarding human life."

"Wait a few more years, until you're at least ten years old, then it won't be too late for you to show your face in public. I promise you, I'll give you my full support then, I'll provide you with the money and manpower to build a large hospital..."

Ning Qingchen shook his head. "President Ning, how can I not be in a hurry? Li Shizhen will pass away next year. By the time I turn ten, he will no longer be alive. Therefore, I must go now. With Li Shizhen's endorsement and by leveraging his reputation, we can save more women's lives as soon as possible. Every day I delay affects the lives of many women and the fate of many families."

"No way!" Ning Caiwei objected. "A six-year-old child traveling all the way to Qizhou to collaborate with a medical giant? That's just wishful thinking! Do you think everyone is stupid? In Jingchu, witchcraft is rampant. They can label you a demon child and have you beaten to death! I won't give you a single guard or a single tael of silver. Let's see how you get there!"

Ning Qingchen suddenly stood beside Zhu Yin, crossed her little hands, looked up at her sister with unwavering confidence, and said in a clear, childish voice:

"Without Butcher Zhang, you'll eat hairy pork? Without your money and permission, can't I, Ning Qingchen, practice medicine? You officials are officials, you merchants are merchants, and what about me? I don't believe you can watch me every day! You can't stand on my legs. I'm going to Qizhou, and you can't stop me! I'm going! Heh, you can never control me again in this lifetime."

After saying that, he hid behind Zhu Yin.

"You've really gone too far." Ning Caiwei said with a fierce expression, exuding a dangerous aura. "Little tiger, get out of my way."

Zhu Yin chuckled again, trying to smooth things over, "Sigh, her ambition is commendable; she's doing it all to save lives..."

"Get out of my way!" Ning Caiwei's pretty face darkened. "You're protecting her again, aren't you? You've spoiled her rotten! She's not your daughter! Get out of my way!"

"Little Tiger, she's going to commit domestic violence!" Ning Qingchen dodged behind Zhu Yin and grabbed his collar. "You can protect Zhu Changluo, but you can't protect me?!"

Zhu Yin was in a very difficult position, "Uh... this... sigh..."

Ning Caiwei was too lazy to ask Zhu Yin to move aside, so she simply lifted her skirt, walked around Zhu Yin, and went to catch Ning Qingchen herself.

Ning Qingchen, however, "went around Zhu Yin" and started playing a game of eagle catching chicks with her sister.

"You're still being stubborn, aren't you? Stop right there!"

"Come and get me!"

"stop!"

"Am I stupid?"

The two sisters chased each other around Zhu Yin, their interlocking chains and rings jingling melodiously.

Ning Qingchen was still young and short-legged. Although she was agile, how could she possibly outrun her fifteen-year-old sister?
Not to mention that Ning Caiwei has been diligently practicing martial arts and archery for the past few years, making her a kind of female knight-errant.

And so Ning Qingchen met her tragic end.

Ning Caiwei quickly caught her younger sister, pressed the little thing down on the stool, and gave her bottom a couple of hard slaps.

"You think you can handle me? A six-year-old brat dares to defy me? Tell me! Do you still want to go to Qizhou? Are you going or not?"

Ning Qingchen was unable to resist and suddenly burst into tears, which rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.

"You're abusing me again! You're bullying me!"

"Little tiger! Aren't you going to help me?! Waaah..."

"Alright, alright." Zhu Yin quickly stepped forward, saying with a hint of concern, "Your sister is doing this for your own good. She didn't really hit you; this is just a tickle."

“You are indeed too young, only six years old. You shouldn’t act like a child prodigy like this. How can your sister and I feel at ease if you go to Qizhou?”

As she spoke, she rescued Ning Caiwei from her sister's clutches, and then solemnly said:

"You really are something, taking a joke so seriously, look how scared she got."

Ning Caiwei gave Zhu Yin a half-joking, half-serious glare, but she couldn't do anything about her sister. She couldn't really hit her, could she?

My younger sister is so willful. She's always done things her own way since she was little, which has always given her a headache.

Without the little tiger playing the good cop, it would be very difficult for her to play the bad cop.

Seeing that Ning Qingchen's little mouth was about to pout again, Zhu Yin quickly said:
"Alright then, I'll risk all my pride and, in my name as Mr. Zhihu, send someone to invite Li Shizhen and his disciples to come to the capital and stay at our house for a while."

"That's not all. I've also invited all the other renowned doctors who are still alive, such as Wan Quan, Xu Chunfu, and Gong Tingxian, to Beijing for a get-together with you, okay?"

"Alas, it's a pity that great physicians like Zhang Jingyue, Xue Ji, and Chen Jiamo have all passed away at an advanced age. Otherwise, it would have been even better."

"Really?" Ning Qingchen burst into laughter through her tears, then suddenly hugged Zhu Yin tightly. "Little Tiger! You're so good to me! You're my hand warmer! Unlike some cold-blooded capitalists!"

Ning Caiwei couldn't help but roll her eyes, speechless.

Hand warmer? Who was it that said Zhu Yin was working as their bodyguard to freeload and had ulterior motives, and that they asked Zhu Yin to be fired several times?
Isn't it you, Miss Ning the Second?

Oh, now it's a hand warmer.

But then his younger sister happily said to Zhu Yin, "Little Tiger, you've really helped me a lot! These people are all famous doctors recorded in the history of Chinese medicine, each with their own strengths. If they came with Li Shizhen, we could improve the Chinese medical system..."

Ning Caiwei poured cold water on their enthusiasm, saying, "These people are all quite old, aren't they? If you keep causing them all this trouble, they might die prematurely. That would be your fault."

Ning Qingchen said seriously, "You vulgar person don't understand. So what if I die early? Shouldn't I burn my last light and heat for the sake of healing the sick and protecting the health of the people? Besides, with me here, they might even live longer."

“Because they are so old and nearing the end of their lives, I can’t wait any longer and must start this project immediately. I hope that they can see a brand-new Huaxia Medical College before they leave this world.”

"Their names will appear on the founding monument, making them among the founders of Huaxia Medical College. I believe they will be gratified by this. President Ning, you are a businessman, you really don't understand this kind of great medical sentiment, I don't blame you."

Ning Caiwei: "..."

Damn it, I'm speechless.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but pat Ning Qingchen's head, smiling with affection, "Dr. Qingchen, you already have the heart of a great physician. I have high hopes for you, the future founding dean of Huaxia Medical College. Please do your best! On behalf of the people of the Ming Dynasty, I thank you for your compassionate heart as a doctor."

Ning Qingchen nodded like a chick pecking at rice, her black gem-like eyes sparkling.

"I'll try my best, little tiger. Just watch me. I'll definitely help you. Don't you want to fight the Japanese pirates? My medicine will improve the survival rate of wounded soldiers. I'm your sister-in-law. If I practice medicine and save many people, that will also help you."

Ning Caiwei couldn't help but interject, "What will people say about a six-year-old miracle doctor? You might be demonized."

Zhu Yin laughed and said, "I have a plan. We'll take advantage of the common superstition among the ancients. We'll have Huya and commercial networks promote Qingchen as the reincarnation of the Medicine King Bodhisattva, able to identify hundreds of herbs at birth, understand pharmacology at three, and prescribe medicine at five. With these halos promoted, Qingchen won't be demonized. The idea of ​​a six-year-old divine doctor will be more acceptable."

Upon hearing this, Ning Qingchen immediately revealed a sweet smile.

The little tiger is so thoughtful.

Ning Caiwei nodded and smiled bitterly, "That's all we can do. Sigh, by then our family will have the God of Literature descended to earth, Guanyin reincarnated, and the Medicine King Bodhisattva reincarnated. They all have extraordinary backgrounds and are not ordinary people, right? I'm afraid the emperor will take notice of us, and we'll offend his taboos and bring disaster upon ourselves."

Zhu Yin shook his head and laughed, "You're overthinking it. Don't worry, the Ming emperors weren't concerned about gods descending to earth or bodhisattvas reincarnating. Because in the eyes of the self-righteous Ming emperors, even if gods and Buddhas descended to earth and were reincarnated, they would serve the court and bring blessings to the people. They were sent by Heaven to protect the Ming Dynasty and help the emperor to save the world and bring peace to the people."

"What did the Ming emperors truly fear? They feared the imperial princes and vassal kings the most, followed by generals in command of troops, and then displaced people. People like us were not worth their fear."

Ning Caiwei said, "Then I'm relieved. Let's get down to business."

She sat down on the daybed, took off her hair bun, and made two cups of milk powder for her sister and Zhu Yin.

Then he said, "I'm going to Daishan Island in a few days to tell them to prepare for war against the Japanese pirates on your behalf, and then wait for Mr. Xu to return to Daishan. After that, I also need to go back to the factory in Qingqiao. The earliest I can return is June, and we won't be able to reunite for several months."

“Little Tiger, I won’t try to dissuade you from going to Ningxia to supervise the army and fight in Korea. But there’s only one rule: victory or defeat is not the most important thing. You must come back alive and well.”

There was one more thing she didn't say: her wedding this August.

The wedding was definitely going to be a grand affair; she didn't want to compromise herself. She wanted to use a magnificent wedding to remind those women who coveted the little tiger cub and shatter their ridiculous fantasies.

The people I've chosen are not to be touched! Anyone who dares to reach out will have their hands chopped off.

In recent years, many powerful and wealthy people have been eyeing the "little tiger" (a term referring to a powerful, influential young man). Countless socialites and wealthy women have wanted to marry him.

Zhu Yin patted her hand, "Don't worry, I will only become the governor of Ningxia if my godfather commands the troops. I will not go to supervise the army if the court does not allow my godfather to go on the expedition. I value my life."

"I have Lancha and his men, three hundred elite guards to protect me, and Xiao Hei and Fei Hu (falcon), so I'm very safe. Besides, I can now draw a bow and shoot a stone, so I'm quite skilled in archery and can protect myself."

Ning Caiwei frowned slightly. "I'm still a little worried. You've had it too easy these past few years, which makes me uneasy. How about this, I'll have Hongying go with you. She's highly skilled in martial arts and will be very useful in a critical moment. My bodyguards are very strong, but they don't go to the battlefield, so having her around would be a waste."

Zhu Yin knew Ning Caiwei's personality, so he didn't refuse and nodded, saying:
“Alright, then I will take Hongying with me to Ningxia. However, going to Ningxia is just a plan, and it may not necessarily come to fruition. If the plan fails, I will have no choice but to continue staying in the Hanlin Academy. This time, the Emperor is determined to stop his eldest son's studies, so I will be unable to continue teaching him.”

The Zhu family has indeed had a very successful few years. Zhu Yin is a fifth-rank Hanlin Academician, tutor to the eldest prince, and a respected figure in the court. Ning Caiwei's businesses are also widespread, and she is worth millions.

Ning Caiwei said, "If you've been planning for so long and it still doesn't work, then there's no need to force it. Sigh, you are truly a loyal subject of the Ming Dynasty, spending your own money to bribe your way into battle in order to quell the rebellion."

She laughed again as she said this.

Although the young tiger was ambitious and determined to reclaim his ancestors' throne, he was indeed a loyal subject in official matters.

"In these three years, you have taught Zhu Changluo to read and you have raised a prince who is as obedient as a son. Although you have offended the emperor and Zheng Shi a lot in order to protect him, you have also gained a lot of popularity and goodwill. In the end, you have also gained something."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yin immediately pictured Zhu Changluo's delicate face, filled with affection and dependence.

In the past three years, thanks to his protection, Zhu Changluo's situation has improved considerably. He has read many books, become more cheerful, and is physically stronger. His material needs have also improved a lot.

Zhu Changluo and Consort Wang were very grateful to him.

But that's all I can do.

Zhu Yin was well aware that he was using Zhu Changluo to gain political resources. Because of his dedication to protecting and educating the eldest son of the emperor, he was praised by both the court and the public and became a highly respected young minister.

Even this time, when planning to send the governor of Ningxia, they will use the eldest son of the emperor as an excuse.

Despite this, Zhu Yin still cared about this student.

He still had feelings for Zhu Changluo.

Zhu Yin said with a complicated expression, "Chang Luo is actually a good child, intelligent and insightful, and could have been a good emperor."

"It's a pity that he was ruined by Wanli and the Zheng family in history. This time, he is once again confined to Jingyang Palace, and it is unknown when he will be able to get out."

Zhu Yin was somewhat worried about Zhu Changluo's future situation.

Ning Caiwei said, "I know you're worried about him, so I've made preparations. Once he stops studying, we'll increase our public relations budget by 10,000 taels a year to bribe the eunuchs and maids in the palace to take care of him privately. As long as we spend more money, his situation will improve."

Zhu Yin sighed with emotion, “The power of money is truly amazing. Wanli originally disliked me for helping the eldest prince, but after we were willing to give him money, he changed his impression of me. The eunuchs and maids in the palace were originally Zheng’s henchmen, but after receiving money, they treated Zhu Changluo better. Without your money, I would have had a lot of trouble. Caiwei, you are truly my wise and capable wife.”

Ning Caiwei smiled and said, "It's good that you understand. You're not fighting alone; I'm here for you too."

Ning Qingchen scoffed, "Showing off your love again, huh? Fine, I'm leaving."

.........

February 25th.

A urgent report from Ningxia Town and Tangma, Shanxi Province, was delivered to Beijing.

The report was written by Hao Yunlai, the newly appointed Imperial Inspector of Shaanxi.

Extremely urgent!
Seven days ago, Bo Bai and his son, Mongol generals in Ningxia, killed Governor Dang Xin and Commander-in-Chief Zhang Weizhong, and raised tens of thousands of troops to rebel!

When the report arrived in Beijing, the entire court was in an uproar.

Ningxia Town guards the Helan Mountain pass, with the Mongol tribes just outside the mountains. Its location is extremely important, and if it cannot be pacified quickly, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Having made preparations in advance, Zhu Yin immediately instructed several of his cronies in the court, who had been well-fed money, to submit a memorial requesting the swift dispatch of a general to quell the rebellion, and recommended Qi Jiguang, the commander of Ji, to lead the expedition.

At the same time, cabinet minister Shen Yiguan also submitted a memorial to the emperor, saying that in order to quickly quell the rebellion, reduce military expenditures, and prevent the war from being prolonged, the famous general Qi Jiguang should be appointed as the commander-in-chief.

In order to quell the rebellion as quickly as possible and save money, Emperor Wanli disregarded his dislike for Qi Jiguang and immediately approved the request, issuing an edict to appoint Qi Jiguang as commander-in-chief to lead an expedition to Ningxia.

The Ming court immediately made urgent preparations to quell the rebellion, and all officials were busy.

Taking advantage of the outbreak of the Bo Bai Rebellion, which kept the officials preoccupied, the emperor quietly issued an imperial edict, citing the illness of Consort Wang and the need for Zhu Changluo to fulfill his filial duties at all times, to suspend Zhu Changluo's studies outside the palace.

Although the officials were busy preparing for the military campaign to quell the rebellion, upon learning of the emperor's "taking advantage of the situation," they all submitted memorials requesting the emperor to rescind his decree and not to stop the eldest prince from leaving the palace to study.

But this time, the emperor was as stubborn as a mule, ignoring all the memorials from his ministers.

Zhu Yin submitted a memorial stating: "I have taught the eldest prince for three years and know that he is exceptionally intelligent. Your Majesty's decision to dismiss him has caused me great distress... I earnestly hope that Your Majesty will rescind the appointment to appease the hearts of those within and outside the court, and to ensure the filial piety between father and son is preserved..."

The emperor ignored it.

Zhu Yin submitted another memorial, stating: "Is it because I am incompetent as a teacher that Your Majesty has rejected me and implicated the eldest son of the Emperor? If so, I request to resign from my position as lecturer and ask Your Majesty to select another capable person. However, I urge Your Majesty to retract your reputation, and I am willing to accept the blame for my incompetence in teaching..."

Despite the watchful eyes of the court officials, Zhu Yin's memorial was still ignored by the emperor.

So Zhu Yin published a third book:
"Your Majesty's decision to suspend the Crown Prince's studies is entirely my fault; I have misled the Crown Prince. If Your Majesty does not rescind this decree, I will have no face to return to the Hanlin Academy, no face to face the court officials. I can only go to Ningxia to supervise the army, far from the court, to fight the rebels to the death... I implore Your Majesty to rescind this decree..."

When the officials learned of this, they all sighed in dismay.

In order to protect the eldest prince, Zhu Zhihu risked losing his position as a Hanlin scholar and being sent to Ningxia to supervise the army, and advised His Majesty not to stop the eldest prince from leaving the palace to study.

A truly resilient, loyal, and devoted young minister!

As a result, the officials submitted memorials again to offer their advice.

The emperor finally lost his temper.

Is Zhu Yin threatening me?

If I don't agree, you'll have no face to stay in court? And you even defiantly threatened to go to Ningxia to supervise the army and quell the rebellion on the battlefield?
Are you trying to blackmail me?
Fine! You went to supervise the army in a fit of pique, I'll let you go! You got what you wanted! Otherwise, you'll use your reputation as a child prodigy and top scholar to bother me in court!
Soon after, the emperor issued an edict to the cabinet, saying, "Since Zhu Yin is willing to go to Ningxia to supervise the army, how can I thwart his ambition?"

"Zhu Yin is hereby granted the title of Vice Censor-in-Chief, succeeding Dang Xin as Governor of Ningxia, and appointed as Military Supervisor by Qi Jiguang. This is the imperial decree!"

Enraged, the emperor issued an imperial edict, and Zhu Yin was expelled from the Hanlin Academy and made governor of Ningxia!

P.S.: What do you all think? Was it a gain or a loss for someone to go from being a scholar-in-waiting to the governor of Ningxia?

(End of this chapter)