Watching Shen Yu’s eyes nearly well up with tears over fifty thousand taels of silver, Xiao Yue simply found her adorable.
She also secretly felt that this version of Shen Yu seemed easy to tease.
If just fifty thousand taels could make her this happy, what if, in the future, I directly presented her with the ‘Ten Miles of Red Makeup’ and the ‘Phoenix Crown and Ceremonial Robe’?
Wouldn’t she be so excited she’d faint?
Xiao Yue thought Shen Yu was a little money-grubber.
In reality, what Shen Yu valued was this sum of legitimate income, enough to help her turn the Mu’en Hall profitable.
Shen Yu herself certainly had a lot of money.
In Qingfeng Village, she had nothing if not wealth.
Whether it was her maternal grandfather’s family business or her own grandfather’s enterprises, if Shen Yu wanted, they could produce tens of thousands of taels of silver for her to squander at any time.
It didn’t matter what Shen Yu used the money for.
Even if she took it to visit pleasure houses, as long as it made Shen Yu happy, they were willing and would never utter a word of complaint.
But this money couldn’t be brought into the open.
Shen Yu’s persona was that of a simple, rustic village girl from a poor background.
For this trip, Shen Yu hadn’t even brought any silver notes larger than one hundred taels.
Even if the Emperor sent someone to inspect her purse, it would hold up to scrutiny.
On the surface, she was the child sent forth with the hopes of an entire village, supported by their collective strength.
Pockets empty, yet filled with fervent passion and a wealth of skill.
This kind of character was most pleasing to the imperial family.
After all, who didn’t appreciate a talented individual rising from humble origins?
They wouldn’t funnel benefits to their family and constrain the court, and they were also very useful.
“With this money, what do you plan to do?”
Seeing Shen Yu’s joy, Xiao Yue couldn’t help but ask about her future plans.
“I want to renovate the Mu’en Hall. Many places are quite old. Also, I’d like to find a few children from steady families to help, preferably girls, the kind who aren’t afraid of hardship or fatigue.”
“In that case, I might have some people to recommend to you.”
The people Xiao Yue spoke of were naturally the female medical officers from the palace.
They usually did rough work in the Imperial Academy of Medicine, like grinding herbs, dispensing medicine, and decocting prescriptions.
They understood some pharmacology and could handle simple ailments like headaches and fevers.
Shen Yu’s point made sense.
If the Mu’en Hall really started to thrive in the future, it would inevitably get busy.
The Huimin Hall had so many people yet was still overwhelmed.
Once the Empress Mother took notice, the Mu’en Hall was destined to surpass the Huimin Hall, so they needed sufficient manpower prepared.
Moreover, these were all people from within the Imperial Academy of Medicine, trustworthy to use.
“That sounds great! Who are they?”
“Some who have served in the palace. Obedient, meticulous, they fit your requirements. When the time comes, I’ll bring them for you to see. My family has considerable assets and connections; helping you with this small matter is no problem.”
“However… this matter is far from over.”
Xiao Yue’s tone shifted, and she looked at Shen Yu beside her.
“The refugees outside the city still need to be dealt with. You must understand, this is the capital. Outside the capital, refugees afflicted by the Great Plague are crying out in suffering, yet the capital, as the head of the nation, only dares to shut its gates against them…”
“This isn’t just tarnishing the Imperial Court and His Majesty’s reputation; it’s tarnishing the Medical Recruitment Exam itself.”
“You, Physician Attendant Shen, rose to prominence through the Medical Recruitment Exam. Tarnishing the new examination system is tarnishing you, isn’t it? This Mu’en Hall is also a place bathed in His Majesty’s grace. If we can resolve the refugee problem outside the city, wouldn’t that boost the reputation of both the Mu’en Hall and the Medical Recruitment Exam?”
“His Majesty said before that I and the family behind me are to assist you. His Majesty is very generous, providing a significant amount of silver for relief efforts.”
“The silver previously given by the great noble families for suppressing the bandits in Qingfeng Village can all be allocated for your use. One hundred thousand taels of silver. How much you use depends on your ability. But there is one condition! You must quell the Hundred-Year Sore that has plagued the Empire for years, or at least show the court some signs that it can be quelled.”
“Start with these refugees outside the city.”
Hearing Xiao Yue say this, Shen Yu’s spirits immediately lifted.
If she used up the court’s budget for suppressing the Qingfeng Village bandits, wouldn’t that mean the crisis for Qingfeng Village could be delayed a while longer?
Truly, just as drowsiness sets in, someone offers a pillow.
Ah, ah, this Miss Xiaoyue really is her lucky star.
She had thought she would need to enter the inner circles of the court to have the power to interfere in such matters.
Who would have imagined that just by becoming an Eighth-Rank Medical Official, she could get things done?
“Excellent! Leave it to me! I have a prescription that can alleviate the court’s urgent needs.”