Chapter 1580 - 1427: The False Commandery Princess 37
Qin Muchen was convinced that Ye Shuangshuang had been reborn; if not, how could she have developed a medicine to treat malaria? Although she loathed Ye Shuangshuang, Qin Muchen acknowledged her medical skills.
But even with certainty, what could it change? Qin Muchen felt somewhat frustrated. If it were a matter of household struggle, the reborn Qin Muchen was sure she could defeat Ye Shuangshuang.
However, Ye Shuangshuang was now like a person from another world, far away, doing things akin to a man; her character and medical ethics were praised by countless people.
If anyone initially criticized her for being a woman who showed herself in public and lacked traditional virtues, after the Emperor’s evident favor, no one dared say such words again; outside, the praise was overwhelming.
As for Qin Muchen, she was merely a woman trapped in the inner courtyard, incapable of stepping into the world of men outside like Ye Shuangshuang, nor could she extend her reach to Nanzhao to deal with Ye Shuangshuang.
Not to mention Ye Shuangshuang solved the major threat of malaria for the people of Nanzhao; nowadays, in Nanzhao, her words might have more influence than those of the Emperor.
With such connections and reputation, even if she could extend her reach, what could she do to Ye Shuangshuang? Truly, the more she thought about it, the more despairing it became.
In the midst of everything happening in the Capital City, the upheaval at the Prince Nan Mansion, and all of Qin Muchen’s speculations and obsessions with Ye Shuangshuang, Ye Shuangshuang knew nothing; she was busy fretting over the inadequacy of silver.
It must be said, the Emperor’s reward came at a perfect time; although Ye Shuangshuang was not as lacking in silver as the Emperor thought, for she had numerous patients daily and a substantial income.
Yet, indeed, she was out of money, because she earned a lot, but her expenses were just as high, mainly due to the construction of the Medical Hall being extremely costly.
Ye Shuangshuang did not want to hasten for speed and make do with a simple building; she aimed to construct architecture that could stand firm for thousands of years.
So, every detail was refined, whether in quality or in intricacy; Ye Shuangshuang demanded precision in construction, which naturally slowed the building process, but cost more silver in terms of effort.
Ye Shuangshuang did not charge high fees for consultations; thus, she earned little, and coupled with building the Medical Hall with detailed features like the carving of doors and windows by master craftsmen, the costs were extremely high.
This was even with these people being grateful to Ye Shuangshuang, charging very minimal fees; if they charged based on their true status, Ye Shuangshuang would have been broke long ago.
Just when Ye Shuangshuang was about to pull her hair out over money, the Emperor’s reward finally arrived on time, among the imperial envoy there were even two guards who had unfortunately contracted malaria.
Luckily, due to Ye Shuangshuang, now any clinic in Nanzhao could easily purchase pills to treat malaria; the guards spent two hundred wen, bought two pills, took them, and recovered after resting for two days.
When the imperial envoy arrived, they brought the Emperor’s reward with ten carriages, full of all kinds of medicinal herbs, fabrics, jewelry, and gold bestowed upon Ye Shuangshuang.
Along with the imperial envoy came those from the Ministry of Industry responsible for constructing the Commandery Princess Mansion for Ye Shuangshuang, which was also a special privilege granted by the Emperor; he ordered it to be built modeled after the Princess Mansion, showing his fondness for Ye Shuangshuang.
After arriving, the people from the Ministry of Industry consulted Ye Shuangshuang about her desires, and built the Commandery Princess Mansion on the shore of Erhai Lake, close to the Medical Hall for Ye Shuangshuang’s convenience in traveling between the Medical Hall and the Commandery Princess Mansion.
The Commandery Princess Mansion required no concern from Ye Shuangshuang; all regulations were pre-established, and the people from the Ministry of Industry would handle it themselves. After enthusiastically sending off the imperial envoy, Ye Shuangshuang continued using the gold to build the Medical Hall.
During this period, the number of doctors and patients drawn by reputation doubled, as Ye Shuangshuang’s fame reached the Capital City; now doctors came not only from Nanzhao but also from other regions.
Doctors from all over gathered, and the foremost issue was language; Ye Shuangshuang, feeling helpless, found someone to teach the confused doctors who came to Nanzhao bewildered everywhere to first learn the Nanzhao language.
Ye Shuangshuang actually had another idea; she wanted Nanzhao to be developed; the beautiful South of Colorful Cloud should not be recognized as a land of exile; it is indeed a place filled with treasures.
Here, the flowers bloom year-round without wilting; the scenery is pleasant, the soil nurtures people, there is rich ethnic culture, and it is the most beautiful heavenly paradise; it should not be misunderstood.
However, for development, language remains a problem; speaking only Nanzhao’s language and not the official language hinders communication with the outside, so Ye Shuangshuang consistently guided those around her to learn to speak the official language, consciously or unconsciously.
Results have been satisfactory; the power of idols is truly infinite, and Ye Shuangshuang’s influence extends beyond mere idolization; she is even the idol of some common people, their heartfelt deity.
Ye Shuangshuang’s every action led to her worshippers emulating her unconsciously; as Ye Shuangshuang frequently spoke the official language, some ardent fans among the common people began learning it spontaneously.
So when Ye Shuangshuang fretted over how to popularize the official language in Nanzhao, she found that one day suddenly, some Nanzhao locals around her started occasionally tongue-twistingly speaking the official language!
Ye Shuangshuang took the opportunity to approach Zhang Jingguo, discussed her plans, and decided to organize a class to teach the official language, inviting two teachers to specialize in teaching the official language.
Of course, this class would be free, with no compulsory attendance; people could come whenever they had time to learn, controlling their own learning pace, offering maximum flexibility to those learning the official language.
Ye Shuangshuang planned to set up this class after the Medical Hall was completed, right at the former clinic, since it was purchased with her money; she couldn’t bear to leave it empty after moving out, better to utilize it for something meaningful.
Come time for the class, Ye Shuangshuang would cover the teachers’ wages and provide tea for those learning the official language.
Zhang Jingguo thought it over and decided to contribute some money himself so that every person learning the official language could have a hot bowl of porridge.
Thus, with Ye Shuangshuang’s appeal coupled with the practicality of drinking porridge, naturally, more people would come to learn the official language.
Actually, Zhang Jingguo had considered promoting the official language himself; knowing that if Nanzhao people could all speak it, it would undoubtedly benefit Nanzhao’s development. The landscapes in Nanzhao are truly stunning, easily attracting scholars and guests.
But this task wasn’t easy; common folks were tired from daily labor and yearned for rest during leisure, reluctant to spend time learning the official language, especially since everyone around them spoke Nanzhao’s language, making the knowledge of the official language seem useless.
Moreover, when malaria was rampant, no matter how good the scenery was, many dared not visit; now that the threat of malaria is gone and if communication issues are resolved, transforming Nanzhao into a travel sanctuary appealing to scholars and guests won’t be difficult.