The Ming Dynasty: The opening scene features Zhu Di angrily accusing him of illegitimate succession.

Chapter 86 Kuai Yue's Performance

Lin Yue followed the eunuch into the side hall, where the copper bells on the eaves jingled softly in the wind.

The pharmacist, Kuai Yue, dressed in a moon-white palace gown, was kneeling beside the table organizing her medicine box. Upon seeing him enter, she immediately rose, curtsied, and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Lord Lin has just recovered from a serious illness. This calming soup has just been warmed up. Please drink it while it's still hot."

Lin Yue took the gilded white porcelain bowl, decisively put the tea into his mouth, and found it bitter but then sweet.

He glanced at the table and saw several herbal illustrations spread out on it, then casually asked, "Is Chief Physician Kuai on duty tonight? Is this a medical book?"

Kuai Yue smiled slightly and answered with her eyes lowered.

"I studied medicine with my grandfather from a young age. After entering the palace, I served as the pharmacist and received guidance from the officials of the Imperial Medical Academy. I only have a superficial understanding of the subject."

Palpitation in adults is often caused by overwork and deficiency of qi and blood.

The gentleman has been experiencing considerable emotional fluctuations lately. Adding a small amount of cinnabar to his clothing will guide the medicine towards his heart; moreover, cinnabar is cooling in nature, which can effectively clear heat and dryness.

Lin Yue nodded repeatedly. This meant he was feeling hot-tempered. He would definitely take good care of himself to relieve the heat later.

He put down the porcelain bowl, his gaze unconsciously sweeping over Kuai Yue, who was kneeling beside the table.

The moon-white white dress accentuated her graceful figure, the hem of the dress flared out, and as she lowered her eyes, wisps of hair fell gently down her temples, exuding a touch of gentleness.

Since it was a sexual encounter, and Lin Yue wasn't someone who only cared about sex, he thought about finding some common topics to talk about.

He casually flipped through the medicine book on the table and saw a few pages of surgical illustrations tucked inside. He immediately had an idea and decided to show off his skills in front of the beauty.

"Kuai Siyao." Lin Yue pointed his finger at the medicine book.

"I noticed that this book contains methods for incising sores and reducing fractures. I wonder if you are aware that after any surgical procedure, the wound is often prone to redness, swelling, heat, and pain, and it takes a long time to heal. Why is this?"

Traditional Chinese medicine in the Ming Dynasty already had the concept of surgery. Surgery had already reached a considerable scale since the Song Dynasty. Chen Ziming, a famous doctor in the Southern Song Dynasty, wrote "Essentials of Surgery", which linked surgical diseases with the internal organs and blood, and proposed the treatment method of "combining internal and external treatment". The incision of carbuncles and the garlic moxibustion method recorded in the book are still important surgical techniques today.

Song Ci's "Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified" contains a wealth of forensic cases and can be considered the world's first anatomical guide. It records in detail procedures such as "exploration of the abdomen and intestines" and "reduction of bone injuries." There are even cases where military doctors cut open the pectoral muscles of soldiers who were shot with arrows, used magnets to remove the iron fragments, and then sutured the wounds. The survival rate was also quite high.

By the Ming Dynasty, the surgical system had become more sophisticated. For complex surgeries such as anal fistula and tumors, Ming Dynasty doctors knew to use licorice water to clean the instruments and burn the wounds with hot cloth to prevent infection. Although there was no concept of "sterile", there was a real "cleaning and disinfection". However, without effective disinfectant drugs, the risk of surgical infection was still very high. The well-known regent of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Juzheng, died from an infection after hemorrhoid surgery.

Upon hearing this, Kuai Yue raised her eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them, before nodding in response.

"Postoperative wound suppuration and swelling, the officials of the Imperial Medical Academy all said it was due to the stagnation of heat toxins" or the invasion of external pathogens.

Sores and ulcers are caused by stagnation of qi and blood and internal attack of heat toxins. After surgery, it is necessary to apply heat-clearing and detoxifying medicine, followed by oral administration of blood-activating and stasis-removing formulas to suppress inflammation.

Lin Yue listened and nodded slightly, then gently tapped the table: "What you said makes sense, but it's just based on experience and doesn't address the root of the problem."

Do you know what these so-called heat toxins and external evils actually are?

Kuai Yue was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously asked, "What do you mean by that, sir? Do you know the root cause of the heat toxin accumulation?"

Lin Yue didn't answer directly. He leaned back in his chair, patted his thigh, smiled slightly, and looked at her intently.

Kuai Yue's cheeks flushed, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and after hesitating for a moment, she finally couldn't resist her curiosity and carefully sat in his lap.

For a moment, the fragrance of mugwort mingled with the delicate scent of her body, filling the air with its sweet aroma.

Lin Yue felt the soft, warm body in her arms, and her small, not-so-clean hands slowly wriggled.

"The key to inflammation is indeed the invasion of external pathogens into the body, but these pathogens" are not things that can be seen with the naked eye.

The world we live in is teeming with extremely tiny creatures, so small they are invisible to the naked eye. Just as countless tiny creatures lurk in clear water, they remain unnoticed by ordinary people.

Kuai Yue was shocked upon hearing this and instinctively sat up straight, forgetting all about being shy.

"Is this true? Such a tiny thing really exists? Doesn't that mean, as the Buddhists say, 'One flower, one world; one leaf, one Buddha,' that even in the smallest things there is a universe?"

"That's about right," Lin Yue said slowly, stroking the curve of his hand.

"Recently, the shipyard has produced transparent glass. This material can be polished into a mirror and made into a telescope, which can magnify distant objects several times to help the border troops observe enemy situations."

If we reverse the principle of a telescope, we can create a new type of mirror that can magnify tiny objects hundreds or thousands of times; I call this a microscope.

With this microscope, tiny organisms hidden in water or attached to objects can be clearly seen.

Those tiny organisms that cause wound inflammation and trigger diseases, I call bacteria, which can also be observed under a microscope.

The reason why surgical procedures are prone to infection is that these bacteria enter the body through the wound, multiply and spread, leading to redness, swelling and pus.

The use of licorice water by physicians to clean knives and burn sores is a fairly reliable summary of their experience.

Kuai Yue listened with rapt attention, her beautiful eyes sparkling with wonder. She couldn't help but wrap her arms around Lin Yue's neck and ask in a sweet voice.

"Your Excellency has actually been able to discern such profound mysteries of the universe. I wonder when that microscope will be made? I also wish to see what these bacteria look like with my own eyes."

Lin Yue glanced at the anxious beauty in his arms, his heart stirred, and he gently lifted her down and placed her in front of the chair.

"Microscopes aren't hard to make, but..." He deliberately dragged out his words, sitting down in his chair with an air of authority.

"However, when it will be completed depends on your performance today."

Kuai Yue's beautiful eyes shimmered with tears. She bit her lower lip, gathered her hair, and crawled forward on her knees.

Outside the window, the moonlight, like water, poured onto the glazed tiles of the side hall. The copper bells on the eaves tinkled softly in the wind, and the silhouettes in the window seemed to be nodding and reciting poetry, their voices hazy and indistinct.

The two talked about human medicine all night under a single lamp, until the sky began to lighten.

The sound of morning drums came from outside the palace, and the fish and dragon dance that lasted all night needs no further explanation.

The next morning at court, the air around Fengtian Gate was filled with the smoke of incense, and officials stood in line according to their rank.

In a daze, Lin Yue mingled among the crowd and attended the morning assembly.

Zhu Di sat upright on the nine-dragon lacquered throne, his gaze sweeping over the officials below, and spoke in a loud voice.

"Due to the floods in Jiangnan, Prefect Tang Zong of Suzhou neglected his duties, allowing the disaster to spread unchecked and failing to provide timely relief from the granaries, resulting in the displacement of many people. The Imperial Guards are hereby ordered to arrest him immediately, imprison him, and subject him to rigorous interrogation!"

"Zheng Ci, the Minister of Justice, is reassigned as the Minister of Rites. Liu Guan is promoted to Minister of Justice and shall assume office immediately."

Zhu Di's voice remained calm and composed, without the slightest ripple.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Ci bowed and stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, I will obey your decree and fulfill my duties to the best of my ability, and live up to your trust."

Liu Guan, standing tall and straight, stepped forward, bowed deeply in gratitude, and spoke in a loud voice.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness. I will certainly rectify the criminal justice system and uphold the law."

The two returned to the court ranks, and Xun Zhan, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Rites, immediately stepped forward with his tablet and bowed to report.

"Your Majesty, the Honghe River in Anqiu County, Shandong Province, has suddenly breached its banks. The floodwaters have overflowed the embankment, submerging more than 200 hectares of crops. People from three surrounding villages have been forced to flee and are now gathered outside the county seat. They earnestly request Your Majesty to send officials to repair the river embankment and distribute relief grain and funds."

Zhu Di nodded: "Issue the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works to take materials and work to Anqiu, and set a deadline of three months to repair and reinforce the river embankment, making sure to raise and thicken it to prevent problems before they occur."

The required funds will be drawn from the Taicang granary of the Ministry of Revenue, and the relief grain and fodder will be allocated in advance by the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission, and subsequently reported to the Ministry of Revenue for verification and reimbursement.

Minister of Works Song Li received the imperial decree and said loudly, "Your subject obeys the decree and will immediately begin preparations."

The court assembly handled all matters swiftly and efficiently.

Soon another official stepped forward and reported.

"Your Majesty, the Luoquan Saltworks in Sichuan recently reported that the water consumption of the Luopian salt wells is gradually decreasing. Dozens of small bamboo tube wells have been discovered in the Daluopian area of ​​Jingyan County, with abundant brine of excellent quality, which can be used to boil salt. We earnestly request Your Majesty's permission to proceed with this matter."

He handed over the memorial, which the eunuch presented to the emperor. When Zhu Di read it, he raised an eyebrow slightly.

Sichuan's salt wells have always been of great national importance, and the addition of new salt wells is indeed a good thing.

"In that case, the new salt-making method should be implemented in the small wells with bamboo tubes in Daluopian."

Zhu Di pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke.

"The salt fields levied a fixed salt tax based on production output, with a tax of three qian of silver per jin of salt. After paying the tax, the salt producers could freely sell their salt, no longer subject to the restrictions of government collection and sales."

Merchants needed to pay taxes to the local salt tax office and obtain official salt stamps. With these stamps, they could purchase salt at the salt fields and circulate it throughout the country.

The government will seek to contract salt-producing land from the Shang dynasty, purchasing it at market price for military use. Any surplus salt will be sold by merchants without government interference.

He concisely and clearly explained the key points of the salt law that Lin Yue had mentioned yesterday, and it was obvious that he had carefully considered them overnight.

"Your Majesty!" Gu Pu hurriedly stepped forward, holding his tablet and loudly objecting.

"The salt administration is the lifeblood of the nation, concerning the fullness of the national treasury and the stability of people's livelihood. How can it be easily handed over to merchants to manage?"

Merchants, driven by profit, will inevitably try every means to evade taxes and lower wages for salt producers. If this continues, the salt administration will fall into chaos, the national treasury will be depleted, and the people will suffer. I humbly request Your Majesty to rescind your decree!

His white beard trembled slightly as he spoke, clearly indicating his strong disapproval of Zhu Di's actions.

Zhu Di stared at him for a moment, his gaze sharp, making Gu Pu tense up. He then spoke loudly.

"The old salt administration was loyal to the country, but the old salt administration had long been rife with problems and abuses. Without reform, it would be impossible to solve the immediate crisis or avert the root of the problem."

This policy will be implemented for six months. If it proves to be inappropriate, it will be changed.

There's no need to elaborate on this matter; let's discuss other things.

Gu Pu's lips moved slightly, and he looked up at Zhu Di, who sat on the throne with a dignified expression, but ultimately dared not speak again.

Emperor Yongle's temperament was not complicated; it could be described as rigid as iron. Once he made up his mind, he rarely changed it.

Unlike Lin Yue, Gu Pu didn't have the courage to confront him directly. After hesitating for a moment, he bowed and retreated back to the court ranks, secretly sighing in his heart. He only hoped that the new salt law wouldn't really cause trouble. Being a Ministry of Revenue official during the Yongle reign was really too difficult.

Once the matter was settled, officials from Yingtian Prefecture stepped forward, bowed, and presented their reports.

"Your Majesty previously ordered a make-up examination for the provincial examination in Yingtian Prefecture. The examination venue has now been renovated, and the registration for candidates has closed. A total of more than 800 students are taking the exam. We earnestly request Your Majesty to determine the chief examiner and examiners so that preparations for the examination can begin as soon as possible."

Zhu Di's gaze swept over the court officials and finally landed on Lin Yue.

"Lin Yue, a Hanlin Academy reader, is quick-witted and well-versed in regulations. He has previously supervised the waterways in Jiangnan and offered advice on salt administration, all of which were effective. He is hereby appointed as the chief examiner."

He then appointed Hu Guang, a Hanlin Academy reader, and Wang Da, a compiler, as deputy examiners, instructing them to immediately prepare for the imperial examination, strictly enforce discipline, prevent cheating, and select truly talented individuals.

Lin Yue, who was almost asleep, was startled by what he heard. He looked up at Zhu Di, somewhat surprised.

The chief examiners of the provincial examinations were usually senior scholars or high-ranking local officials. The appointment of the examiners was usually a prelude to a major promotion. Although he had been in office for several years, he was not yet thirty years old and his qualifications were still shallow. This appointment was really unexpected.

But who cares about all that? Considering Zhu Di's use of the honey trap, they stopped arguing.

Lin Yue immediately stepped forward, bowed, and loudly expressed his gratitude: "Your subject obeys the decree and will do his utmost to strictly abide by the rules of the imperial examinations in order to select virtuous and talented individuals for the court."

Hu Guang and Wang Da then stepped forward to express their gratitude. They exchanged a glance and saw surprise in each other's eyes, but neither said anything more.

The newly appointed Minister of Rites, Zheng Ci, turned to look in Lin Yue's direction, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Has His Majesty's favor towards Lin Yue reached such an extent?

Without much thought, Zheng Ci, who had just become the Minister of Rites, stepped forward and began to talk about the affairs of the Ministry of Rites on the spot.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that envoys from various countries, including Korea, Annam, Champa, Siam, Ryukyu, Java, and Sumatra, have arrived in the capital to pay tribute. The tribute items include ivory, rhinoceros horn, gemstones, pepper, sappanwood, peacock tail, ambergris, and other items, all of which have been stored and registered."

Your Majesty, I request instructions on how to bestow a return gift to demonstrate the majesty of our Great Ming Dynasty.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di smiled, a rare sight on his face, and nodded repeatedly.

Not bad, not bad at all. So many countries are paying tribute to him. This is a symbol that they recognize him as the legitimate emperor.

In high spirits, Emperor Yongle waved his hand and said, "The arrival of the various vassal states to pay tribute is a testament to the far-reaching power and prestige of the Ming Dynasty, a sign of a prosperous era."

The Ministry of Rites and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs of the Imperial Household Department were ordered to jointly prepare the gifts for each country, including 100 bolts of cotton, 50 bolts of brocade, 30 bolts of gauze, 20 pieces of blue and white porcelain, and 100 catties of tea.

A separate banquet will be held to entertain the envoys from various countries, presided over by Minister Zheng. It must be conducted with utmost care and propriety, demonstrating the wealth of our Great Ming Dynasty and showing our consideration.

Zheng Ci bowed and accepted the imperial decree: "Your subject obeys the decree and will immediately discuss the matter with the Directorate of Ceremonial."

When it comes to flattery, Zheng Ci is not much worse than Li Zhigang. Emperor Yongle is all about saving face, so when the time comes, he will organize the envoys of the vassal states to put on a show at the banquet, which will surely please Emperor Yongle.

Lin Yue was furious upon hearing this.

That damned Yongle Emperor, he was so obsessed with saving face that he suffered for it!

Tribute trade was supposed to be a good thing, but instead they insisted on doing a "generous gift to a meager return" kind of money-spending operation. The floods in Jiangnan had just passed, the military supplies for the anti-Japanese pirate campaign were extremely urgent, the salt reform had not yet shown any real results, and the national treasury was already empty. Where would they find spare money to send generous gifts to vassal states?

When these vassal states surrounding the Ming Dynasty come to pay tribute, they proclaim "submission" but in reality, they are all after benefits. The more generous the rewards you give, the more they think the Ming Dynasty is foolish and rich, and they will only demand more and more in the future. It's like raising a tiger to cause trouble!

It would be more satisfying to spend the money wisely and rob them.

As soon as Zheng Ci finished speaking, the joyous atmosphere of praise in Fengtian Hall had not yet dissipated.

Suddenly, a loud rebuttal rang out, so loud that the incense in the hall swayed slightly.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

Lin Yue suddenly stepped forward and strode into the hall.

"Your subject, Lin Yue, is willing to die to remonstrate with Your Majesty, humbly requesting that you rescind this reckless order!"