Chapter 113 - 112: The Eldest Miss Who Married in Place of Another 28

Chapter 113: Chapter 112: The Eldest Miss Who Married in Place of Another 28

"To get rich, first build roads."

This was a key, proven measure for strengthening the nation and enriching its people.

Building roads required a large workforce, which would solve employment issues in many regions and bring income to some families.

Ji Xiaosong had calculated that, given the nation’s current size, it would take at least ten years just to finish building the official roads connecting all the State Mansions.

And that was only for the roads between cities. The paths connecting villages remained untouched and would take many more years to complete.

However, Ji Xiaosong wasn’t worried about these matters. Chu Qingyun would handle them.

As the Empress and a role model for all the women in the land, there were a few other things she needed to accomplish.

The first was to establish a women’s medical hall.

Most of the medical halls in the nation were run by men, and very few were established exclusively for women.

Female physicians were even rarer, practically impossible to find.

Ji Xiaosong possessed Medical Skill, and her skill was exceptionally high. It was, therefore, most fitting for her to establish the nation’s first women’s medical hall and Medical Academy.

After choosing an auspicious day and a mountain on royal grounds, Ji Xiaosong took Zixi and went to personally begin the construction.

The women’s medical hall was to be built adjacent to the Medical Academy so that students could immediately apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting.

Ji Xiaosong stood on the royal mountain, her gaze sweeping over the empty land before her.

She gently raised a hand, murmuring an incantation. A surge of Spiritual Power flowed from her palm, instantly transforming into countless bricks, stones, and wooden beams that arranged themselves neatly to one side.

First, she marked out the area for the medical hall, dividing it into several courtyards.

The first was the Consultation Courtyard, which housed several elegant examination rooms where female physicians could diagnose patients.

The second was the Apothecary Courtyard, filled with precious, neatly arranged medicinal herbs that exuded a fragrant aroma.

The third was the Inpatient Ward, a tranquil and serene environment. Each room was arranged to be warm and comfortable, allowing female patients to rest and recuperate in peace.

Adjacent to the medical hall was the Medical Academy.

It had a Lecture Courtyard, spacious and bright, with desks and chairs neatly arranged for the female students to attend lectures.

There was also a Practical Courtyard, fully equipped with medical instruments for students to practice their skills.

And then there was the Library Courtyard, which housed a vast collection of medical texts for students to consult and research.

Ji Xiaosong then retrieved rare materials from her personal dimension to build comfortable dormitories for the women.

The dormitory courtyards were filled with rare and exotic flowers and plants, fragrant through all four seasons.

The entire complex, with its flying eaves, interlocking brackets, carved beams, and painted rafters, was an architectural marvel.

Pavilions and towers were artfully arranged, connected by winding corridors that led to serene, secluded spots.

Rockeries and ponds dotted the landscape, with murmuring streams and playful koi, creating a scene like a paradise in the Mortal World.

Zixi watched from the side, dumbfounded. "Your Majesty," she exclaimed, "this place is simply unparalleled in all the world!"

Ji Xiaosong smiled, looking at her masterpiece with satisfaction. "I only hope this place can serve the well-being of all women in the land."

After completing the construction of the medical hall and the Medical Academy, Ji Xiaosong immediately began setting up recruitment centers in every State Mansion across the nation.

Zixi accepted the order and, bearing Ji Xiaosong’s great trust, led a group of capable aides to travel to the various regions.

The recruitment centers in each State Mansion were bustling with activity as numerous women, their hearts full of hope, came to apply.

But not every girl was fortunate enough to have a supportive family.

Most people adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Many more were discouraged, especially after learning that studying medicine required a thousand-mile journey to the Imperial City.

"It’s improper for women to show their faces in public. What if something happens on such a long journey?" an old man said, his face etched with worry and skepticism.

Zixi patiently explained, "Please rest assured, sir. All selected students will be escorted by an elite guard detail specially arranged by the Empress. Furthermore, the Medical Academy and medical hall will be guarded day and night. We guarantee the absolute safety of the students and female physicians. Nothing will go wrong."

"Do we need Silver Coins to study medicine there? My family doesn’t have that kind of money," a woman asked, her eyes filled with anxiety.

Zixi continued her gentle explanation. "No Silver Coins are needed. All fees are waived until graduation. Furthermore, the Empress will provide for all the students’ living necessities."

"Something that good? Are you trying to fool us?" someone else shouted skeptically.

Zixi smiled. "Everyone, it is absolutely true. The Empress holds all the women of this land in her heart and is dedicated to their welfare. How could such a benevolent act be false? Once you become a physician, you will be expected to return to your ancestral home. The Empress will even help you establish your own medical hall to benefit the people of your region."

"After we graduate, do we have to stay and work at the medical hall?" a young woman asked timidly.

Zixi quickly replied, "Not at all. After graduation, whether you stay or leave is entirely your decision. However, the Empress hopes that you will use the Medical Skill you have acquired to save lives and serve the people."

"How long does the medical training take?" someone else pressed.

"Are food and lodging provided?"

"What if we can’t learn it?"

"Can we open our own medical hall after we graduate?"

"How many Silver Coins can you earn practicing at the medical hall?"

"Can a female physician treat male patients?"

The aides Ji Xiaosong had sent chimed in to explain. "Studying medicine is a matter of life and death, so it must be learned thoroughly. It will take a minimum of three years, or as long as five, depending on individual aptitude and effort."

"Food and lodging are, of course, provided. The Empress is benevolent and will not let the students have any such worries."

"It doesn’t matter if you struggle to learn. As long as you study diligently, you will make progress. The Empress will not give up easily on any student."

"After graduation, you can open your own medical hall, and the Empress will provide a certain amount of support."

"Your income from practicing at the medical hall will depend on your Medical Skill and the number of patients you treat."

"Female physicians may treat male patients, but there will be appropriate rules and arrangements in place."

One after another, the crowd raised all sorts of questions, and Zixi and the aides sent by Ji Xiaosong answered each one with unwavering patience, gradually dispelling everyone’s doubts.

While the conditions appeared lenient, the actual screening process was so rigorous that it involved a thorough investigation of a candidate’s family for three generations.

Zixi immediately removed anyone who posed even a potential risk from the selection list.

They were casting a wide net in order to recruit as many high-quality candidates as possible.

In a bitter, cold land on the frontier, the village chief stood under an old pagoda tree at the village entrance, loudly announcing Ji Xiaosong’s recruitment policy to the assembled villagers.

"Listen up, my dear neighbors! The Empress, with the grace and approval of His Majesty, has a heart for all the people! If any of our families have a girl of the right age, you can send her to town to sign up! Aunt Zi Xi is at the government office today. If any of you are thinking about it, you can take your daughters to give it a try. This is a grand opportunity the Empress has given us, a chance for our girls to make something of themselves! Who knows, maybe one day she’ll become a physician who heals the sick and saves lives, bringing glory to your ancestors!"

However, the villagers just shook their heads, their faces full of disapproval.

An old man smoking a long-stemmed pipe muttered, "What future can a woman have? It’s disgraceful for her to be showing her face in public!"

A middle-aged man chimed in, "Exactly! A woman’s place is in the home, doing chores, bearing children, and cooking. What’s this about learning medicine?!"

A peasant woman added scornfully, "Hmph, a woman learning medicine? What good could she possibly be? It’s just a waste of time and money!"

The village chief frowned and tried to reason with them patiently. "Everyone, this is a sign of the Empress’s goodwill. Why can’t a woman have a promising future? If she learns Medical Skill, she can save lives and secure a good future for herself."

But the villagers remained unmoved, looking down on the very idea of women studying medicine. The village chief sighed in frustration.

He didn’t notice that, not far away, a girl in straw sandals and tattered clothes, her face sallow and thin, was listening intently, afraid to miss a single word.