Chapter 102: Gentle and Elegant (1)

Hearing that, Shen Yu immediately got a bit riled up.

Using power to bully someone? In this Mu’en Hall, no one could use their power to overpower her.

Even if Yun Wei, the eldest daughter of Marquis Wuding, or Cao Xiangning, the youngest daughter of Marquis Dingyuan, came, they would still have to call her “little sister” or “big sister” affectionately.

Who do you think you are?

Carrying a folding fan in the middle of winter, like a complete fool.

“Does the young master know what place Mu’en Hall is? It’s the Son of Heaven’s private treasury, serving only His Majesty. Under heaven, only His Majesty has the right to summon me to the palace for diagnosis.”

“What? Can the two people at home be greater than His Majesty?”

Such a huge hat was thrown down.

No matter who heard it, their vision would immediately go dark.

This arrogant young master, who only dared to throw his weight around thanks to his family’s backing, was naturally the same.

If he accepted the charge of contempt for the monarch, it would be a crime worthy of exterminating three generations.

He had just caused trouble for his family a few days ago.

Now, he absolutely didn’t dare to touch this bad luck.

“Hehehehe, Imperial Physician Shen is joking.

How could I dare?

Actually, I heard that Imperial Physician Shen is His Majesty’s upright minister, unyielding in the face of power, unmoved by poverty or lowliness—that’s what a true man is!

I admire Imperial Physician Shen from the bottom of my heart, but I’m also curious.

Does someone like Imperial Physician Shen, described in the great Confucian classics, really exist?”

“So I devised a small test for Imperial Physician Shen, and I’m very satisfied with the result! Imperial Physician Shen is truly a model official, a pillar of the court, exactly as the rumors describe.”

“I admire you! Admire you!”

That young master’s face changed faster than flipping a book a moment ago, he was aloof and aggressive, but now he was grinning foolishly.

He was smiling so brightly, like a village idiot.

Shen Yu even suspected if this guy had something wrong with his brain and whether she should prescribe him a few doses to regulate him.

“I am Wen Boyan, son of Wen Zheng, the Minister of Personnel. I came to visit today to invite Imperial Physician Shen to my residence to diagnose my little sister. She has been weak since childhood. Even a slight cold can cause a high fever that doesn’t go down for days. The elders at home are extremely worried. As her older brother, I’m also anxious. Imperial Physician Shen, you are magnanimous. Please forgive my rudeness.”

Wen Boyan clasped his hands and bowed.

At the moment, his attitude was clearly much more pleasing.

As for evaluating Wen Boyan, in Shen Yu’s view, it could be summed up in a few words: the rich landlord’s foolish son.

His father was Wen Zheng, the Heavenly Official of the Ministry of Personnel.

Shen Yu had seen him at court today—an elegant man.

The Empress’s evaluation of Wen Zheng was also quite positive.

Wen Zheng came from a noble family.

His father was once a Grand Academician of the Wenyuan Pavilion, assisting the Former Emperor in the Grand Secretariat.

By Wen Zheng’s generation, he lived up to the family’s expectations.

Through the Imperial Examination, he rose step by step to the position of Minister of Personnel.

But as the saying goes, within three generations, there will be a son who builds the family, and correspondingly, within three generations, there will likely be a son who ruins it.

Just like this Wen Boyan before her—he didn’t have a single shadow of his grandfather or father.

However, Shen Yu felt it was necessary to maintain good relations with Wen Zheng, the Minister of Personnel.

For the Empress’s matter of opening maritime trade, the primary goal was to win over the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue.

One managed people, the other managed money.

The core of opening maritime trade was manpower and financial resources.

As for the remaining matters of building treasure ships… as long as the money and people were in place, which other department wouldn’t cooperate?

At today’s morning court, even though the Empress called Shen Yu into the hall just to let her express her opinion—seemingly insignificant—in reality, it was more about letting other officials get to know Shen Yu and letting Shen Yu have an initial impression of the other officials.

Setting aside the cowardly Minister of War, Shen Yu’s deepest impression was of Wen Zheng, the Minister of Personnel.

His performance in court was impeccable, the type where you could perfectly apply the sage template to him without any disharmony.

Other civil officials wished they could sharpen their hu tablets and use them as weapons.

But he held himself to high standards and was also the most diligent and conscientious among the Six Ministries.

That was normal.

The Six Ministries and the Grand Secretariat were never a monolithic bloc.

Some sought fame, some fought for profit, and some were truly wholeheartedly devoted to the country and the people.

But on one point, they could rarely reach a consensus: their attitude toward the person on the dragon throne…

Not in favor, not opposed.

When His Majesty speaks, I just say yes.

Yes, yes.

The emperor?

What emperor?

The Former Emperor has long since ridden the crane west.

Isn’t the one on the dragon throne just a shop girl?

Does a shop girl understand governing?

That was the feeling Shen Yu got at court.

The old, experienced officials looked down on the Empress, thinking that a mere woman was useless for great tasks.

The Empress looked down on the officials, thinking that since she, a woman, had become emperor, why were you old-timers still putting on airs?

One day, when I have full power, if I’m unhappy, I’ll drag you all out and behead you!

“Imperial Physician Shen, my father specially ordered me to bring you a little token of appreciation. Please accept it.”

Wen Boyan said, pushing aside the two obstructing laborers and personally opening the heavy large chest.

This young master was clearly out of shape.

Opening the chest left him panting.

But the contents inside made Shen Yu gasp.

Of course, what was in the chest wasn’t half a pig, but silver sycees weighing as much as half a pig.

Neatly arranged on red silk, they glistened in the sunlight, extremely eye-catching.

“To be precise, this should be the consultation fee.”

“What illness is worth such an expense from your mother? All this silver…”

“Imperial Physician Shen is a seventh-rank Inner Court Physician. When treating His Majesty, our status is naturally inferior to His Majesty’s. Paying more consultation fees is only reasonable.”

Wen Boyan noticed Shen Yu’s surprise at seeing so much silver and couldn’t help but let a hint of pride creep into his voice.

Sure enough, everyone in the world loves money no, even His Majesty loves money.

How could the Imperial Physician Shen before her be an exception?

But Shen Yu was thinking something completely different.

So silver is this heavy.

If His Majesty rewards me with silver in the future, will I not be able to take it back myself?

Might as well convert it to gold.

At least it’s easier to carry.

“Do you have any copper coins?”

Wen Boyan subconsciously felt his pouch.

There was half a string of loose copper coins left over from his drinking and carousing a few days ago.

“Yes, yes. What do you need them for, Imperial Physician Shen?”

“Give me two.”

“Okay.”

Wen Boyan couldn’t figure out what two copper coins could do.

But he couldn’t afford to offend the big Buddha before him.

If Shen Yu wanted them, he would obediently hand them over.

“This is the real consultation fee. Let’s go. I’ll go to your residence to see your little sister’s condition.”

Shen Yu handed the two copper coins to Yin Qiu to keep, then pointed at the large chest full of silver.

“Please take this thing back.”

After saying that, Shen Yu didn’t give Wen Boyan a chance to speak.

She led Yin Qiu, who carried the small medicine box, out of the Mu’en Hall courtyard.

“Wait no, this silver…”

At this point, Wen Boyan was dumbfounded.

He never expected such an outcome.

Hadn’t Shen Yu stared at this chest of silver for a long time?

That was a sign she wanted it, right?

With so much silver, even he, a spoiled young master, would really want it.

But why did she refuse in the end?

Had she… taken a vow?

“Hey!”

Shen Yu stood outside the Mu’en Hall gate, hands on her hips, looking at Wen Boyan, who was standing there dumbfounded.

What was he spacing out for?

“Hurry up and lead the way. Take your stuff back. Otherwise, I’ll carry it to His Majesty tomorrow and say it was a donation from Minister Wen.”

On the way to the Wen Mansion, Wen Boyan kept curiously sizing up Shen Yu and Yin Qiu beside her.

After all, the scene of Shen Yu resolutely refusing so much silver was truly shocking.

Having gleaming silver placed in front of you and not taking it—how much self-control did that require?

And Wen Boyan’s reasoning was quite solid.

Mu’en Hall was the private imperial treasury.

Shen Yu was the Inner Court Physician exclusive to His Majesty.

Setting aside the minister’s title, they were all subjects under the Son of Heaven.

Since they were subjects seeking medical treatment and wanted to experience the same treatment as His Majesty, naturally they had to spend more.

Accepting that silver as consultation fees would have been perfectly fine.

No one could find fault with it.

Yet Shen Yu didn’t take it.

Her turn and walk away were so clean and swift it was hard to believe.

“Imperial Physician Shen, don’t you love money? If you don’t love money, you must have some hobby, right? Love beautiful women?”

Wen Boyan subconsciously glanced at the little girl Yin Qiu, who was sticking close to Shen Yu.

He shook his head.

Imperial Physician Shen was a woman herself.

The little girl beside her was also quite attractive.

Loving beautiful women was obviously unlikely.

“My hobby is healing the sick and saving the dying.”

Shen Yu said without turning her head.

This statement dealt a huge blow to Wen Boyan’s worldview, which was usually filled with eating, drinking, having fun, and visiting brothels.

Wasn’t healing the sick just work?

His own father came back from court every day with a worried face, losing clumps of hair over state affairs.

He was either sighing or finding fault with him and grabbing a broom to teach him a lesson.

In Wen Boyan’s eyes, how could that kind of work compare to eating, drinking, and having fun?

If his own father considered his job a source of stress and pain, how could Shen Yu possibly like her job?

“I don’t believe it. Imperial Physician Shen must have a hobby.”

Shen Yu rolled her eyes at him and ignored him.