The Lucky Farmgirl

Bai Shan also won’t go, he can’t leave.

But Wei Yu hesitated greatly, because he was caught in between, thinking about his father’s situation in recent days, Wei Yu couldn’t help but come to find his father.

Wei Zhi had just awakened, sweating from his sleep, but it was a fine, light sweat, which was not uncomfortable. After drinking some water, he actually felt refreshed.

He put down the teacup and said, "Since the princess is going, and His Majesty is also going, you should go with them."

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"But father, in the palace..."

Wei Zhi smiled slightly and said, "Can they eat me up? Don’t worry, even if they knew my illness, they wouldn’t dare to do anything about it, it’s just some verbal probing, what’s there to fear?"

Seeing Wei Yu’s furrowed brows and unhappy expression, he laughed and said, "People in this world bustle about for profit, especially so in the officialdom, so what’s there to be worried about?"

Wei Yu lowered his head and said, "It’s my inability, I can’t ease father’s worries..."

Wei Zhi shook his hand and said, "This has nothing to do with you, not even your older brother, or even His Majesty can help me with this matter, I have to walk this path myself."

Wei Yu pursed his lips and couldn’t help asking, "Father, has Lord Zhou mentioned your illness..."

"You want to ask how much longer I can live, right?" Wei Zhi smiled slightly, "Rest assured, I can live for another one or two years."

He didn’t ask Zhou Man how long he could live, but he did ask Imperial Doctor Tan.

Wei Zhi shared a good relationship with Imperial Doctor Tan, and during the consultation in front of His Majesty, Imperial Doctor Tan had privately met him again for another look.

In the words of Imperial Doctor Tan, "Continuing to work without restraint, sudden death could happen at any moment; if able to control oneself and take care, symptoms may appear in one or two years, at which point treatment can be decided based on the circumstances, but relinquishing political affairs might allow you to live another one or two years more."

In short, careful maintenance starting now can allow one to live for three or four years.

Three or four years, the reform on the salt tax should have results by then, right?

In Jiangnan, private salt runs rampant, official salt gets stolen and becomes private, yet buying private salt is not necessarily much cheaper for the common folk, ultimately benefiting only those who convert official salt to private.

Wei Zhi rubbed his forehead, and there are issues of land encroachment everywhere; under the current equal field system, the division of land is no longer stable, in many places land given to Cheng Ding is not sufficient, let alone Yongye Fields being taken away, if this continues, what to do once there’s no land left to divide, with the equal field system and current tax system?

Until now, Wei Zhi still couldn’t think of a better way, alas, he wished he could live another twenty years.

"You go." Wei Zhi didn’t want Wei Yu to get involved in these matters too early, as he is young and of low rank, he can’t participate anyway.

Better to live well at present, wait until he reaches his position and has the qualification to participate in affairs, he will naturally understand.

Wei Yu left with a lowered head, thought for a bit, then went to the neighboring room to find Zhou Man.

Bai Shan had also returned from his errands, the two were sitting under a tree in the courtyard eating tofu pudding, on the table were also small fried meat strips, made in a small kitchen set up by Xi Bing, the meat was bought with money from the Imperial Kitchen, also buying a little wheat flour, coated with wheat flour and fried, very tasty.

This skill was taught by Junior Ms.Qian.

Wei Yu: "It’s almost dinner time..." and you two are still eating such filling things.

Manbao and Bai Shan both looked up at the bright sun above.

Well, it’s long daylight now, just the start of the afternoon.

Bai Shan invited Wei Yu to sit down and eat with them.

Wei Yu politely declined, sat aside and asked them, "Are you going to the imperial estate tomorrow?"

Manbao and Bai Shan both shook their heads, "Wish to go, but there’s no time."

Wei Yu instead sighed in relief, stood up and bowed to Zhou Man, saying, "Lord Zhou, please take care of my father."

Manbao: "... You leave in the morning, return in the evening, it’s not a long separation, why such solemnity?"

These two were in the know, Wei Yu spoke more relaxedly, he sighed and said, "No way around it, these days many want to inquire about my father’s illness."

Manbao waved his hand and said, "It’s nothing, they’re just active now, after half a month, a month, two months, six months, when Lord Wei is fine, they’ll believe I’ve misdiagnosed."

Wei Yu was quite doubtful.

Bai Shan laughed, "People’s doubt has a time limit too, unless they can invite a doctor as skilled as Lord Tan to carefully diagnose Lord Wei, otherwise they can’t confirm Lord Wei’s condition, rest easy Brother Wei."

Zhou Man was right, apart from the first two days of rest, Wei Zhi appeared no different from usual.

Dealing with affairs of state was still sharp, speaking to the emperor was still when needed, the emperor’s temper, however, had improved a lot, often able to hold back from retorting, although occasionally would retort when scolded severely, but far less than before.

Indeed, the emperor’s attitude made the courtiers think Wei Zhi’s health wasn’t that simple, likely the emperor was conceding more because Wei Zhi was unwell, more obedient than before.

Everyone knows, the emperor is quite soft-hearted, yet a bit willful and playful, if Wei Zhi wasn’t ill, could the emperor endure him like this?

But they privately watched Wei Zhi, waiting for him to fall sick, only to find no hint of it.

Previously, every day around noon, a servant would send a bowl of herbal soup, later even the soup wasn’t there, rumored it was because the summer heat illness was cured.

Some folks discreetly noticed him taking pills.

But that was also hearsay, no one truly witnessed it.

Before long though, he carried a faint medicinal scent, spirits lifted, yet before they could rejoice, Wei Zhi recommended Zhou Man’s newly concocted sleep-aiding foot soak herbs to them.

Manbao nearly got dark circles from staying up to prepare a suitable herbal package for Wei Zhi, and she was given extra tasks, so when asked about the herbal package while she went for the emperor’s pulse, she said somewhat crossly, "The Imperial Hospital’s budget is limited, Lord Wei’s herbs were sent by order of His Majesty, if you gentlemen want some, send money later and I’ll have Assistant Doctor Duan package them for delivery."

Several ministers were displeased, asked the emperor, "Are our contributions to His Majesty and Great Jin insufficient, or is our rank below Lord Wei?"

The emperor, worried about his private expenses, vaguely replied, "All you courtiers are naturally good, the Imperial Hospital also has its difficulties, how about Courtier Zhou giving you the prescription instead?"

Manbao had no objections, just that the prescription was most suitable for Wei Zhi, if given to them, some adjustments would be needed, so she nodded and said, "Alright, those who want it just send someone to the medical institute to fetch the prescription."

The ministers thought to themselves, are we that petty kind of people?

Getting the prescription and still needing to go to Yongzhou to get the medicine, so they said, "Forget it, since the Imperial Hospital is not well-off, we’ll just pay and buy it."

Manbao was then happy.