The Lucky Farmgirl

Chapter 1701 - 1676: The Idea

County Magistrate Tang glanced at him and said, "Tomorrow is still a rest day."

He temporarily let the clerks and constables from the governmental office go to the countryside to spread the word, but he definitely couldn’t catch the Land Officer on a rest day and let him come to the county for a meeting, could he?

Bai Erlang encouraged, "The Land Officers won’t mind, only the officials have rest days. They wouldn’t care whether it’s a rest day or not."

Although knowing what they said was true, what could County Magistrate Tang do if he himself didn’t want to work overtime?

He held his forehead without saying a word, and Madam Tang pushed him too, "Alright, since they’re asking you, just agree to it."

After all, since he works overtime every few days, it doesn’t matter if he does it tomorrow for a little while.

County Magistrate Tang could only look at the three helplessly and agree.

Having the Chief involved is very different from not having him involved. Every village has a hundred households, and the Chief is quite familiar with the circumstances of each family.

County Magistrate Tang told the Chief that the Chiefs, who are familiar with the situation of each family, basically know who is suitable and who is not.

Manbao and the other three joined in the fun and explained to these Chiefs the benefits of studying medicine at the Imperial Hospital.

The Imperial Hospital not only provides meals and accommodation, teaches literacy and medicine, but after graduation, working in the hospital also comes with a salary, and if you perform well, you might even become an official.

Manbao used herself as an example, "I am now a Sixth-Rank Imperial Doctor, and there will be female doctors in the Imperial Hospital in the future, who will also have ranks."

This was the most enticing part, even the Chiefs wanted to send their daughters or granddaughters to try it, though, for such things, it was best for the sons to do it. They decided to have the smart boys in the family apply as soon as they got home.

Hmm, while they’re at it, they might as well bring the girls in their family to give it a shot.

Manbao didn’t know that they were favoring the seventy percent male quota ratio, seeing them agree readily, she exchanged a buoyant glance with Bai Shan.

Bai Shan whispered in County Magistrate Tang’s ear, "If only the County Magistrate of Wannian County could do the same."

County Magistrate Tang gave him a sidelong glance, and after a moment, he put down his teacup, "Alright, I’ll go for you."

He stretched out his hand to them, "Hand over the tea fee."

Today is a rest day, this isn’t official business, if you call people out to talk, wouldn’t you have to offer them tea and food?

Bai Shan thought for a moment, then took a string of copper coins out of his purse and placed them in his hand.

County Magistrate Tang took the money and held out his hand again, smiling, "The tea might be enough, but County Magistrate Guo seems to prefer drinking wine."

Bai Shan usually only carries a string of copper coins when he goes out, the rest are just a few pieces of broken silver, and as long as he doesn’t go out to buy something particularly expensive, that one purse lasts them for several months.

Manbao knew his habit too, he was reluctant to give silver, so Manbao began to search through her purse and also took out a string of broken copper coins for County Magistrate Tang.

County Magistrate Tang saw the gap and knew this string of coins would be less than eighty wen.

He took the money, looked at Bai Erlang clinging tightly to his purse, and curiously asked, "Aren’t you the most carefree about money among the three? I remember you wrote a novel or, no, a biography, and the bookstore’s earnings were all given to the other two."

Bai Erlang said seriously, "The present me is not the same as the past me."

County Magistrate Tang put away his hand, and conveniently also collected the money given by Bai Shan and Manbao, he stood up and said, "Alright, you can go back now."

Seeing their eager to join in the fun look, County Magistrate Tang waved his hand and said, "You don’t know County Magistrate Guo, don’t mess around."

The three gave up the idea as they watched him walk away, sighed, and left the county governmental office.

The constables from Chang’an County were familiar with the three, seeing them walking out they waved to them, inviting them to come and visit often.

It made a difference having a high-ranking official managing the place. The next day, as soon as Manbao entered the palace and sat down, barely warming her seat, Director Xiao came in from outside and said, "Today, for some reason, I thought the enrollment registration was complete these past two days, but early this morning, a large wave of people came."

Manbao perked up and immediately asked, "Are there many women?"

Director Xiao glanced at her and replied, "Indeed, compared to the previous days, there are many more, but still only twenty or so."

Seeing Manbao was somewhat disappointed, he said, "Imperial Doctor Liu is registering outside, you will know once you ask him for the list. I only looked roughly, and it’s still early, there might be more people coming."

But Manbao sighed, she couldn’t keep pinning her hopes on people outside whom she didn’t know might come.

She thought for a while and turned her head to look at the sky outside.

In the afternoon, after visiting Prince Gong at the Taiji Palace, Manbao began to watch him, though she was actually watching the maids revolving around him.

But Prince Gong didn’t know that, he thought she was looking at him, making his heart tingle, so he simply turned his head to glare at her, "What are you up to now?"

Manbao then focused her gaze on his face for a while before moving her gaze to look at the maids beside him, and then she said, "Nothing much, His Majesty doesn’t allow me to be too strict with you, so lately, I haven’t made you diet. You’ll continue eating boiled lean meat every day as before."

Prince Gong’s face almost twisted. That meat, just boiled in plain water, with very little salt, was the hardest meat he had ever eaten. Is this considered not strict?

Seeing this, Manbao felt a bit happier and finally stood up to leave.

However, she didn’t go directly back to the East Palace, instead, she went to meet the Empress. She accepted the cup of tea delivered by a maid and watched her retreat to the side, only then did she lower her gaze to drink the tea.

The Empress looked at her and laughed, "Why do you keep watching the maids in my palace?"

Manbao put down her teacup and sat upright, saying, "Your Highness, the enrollment at the Imperial Hospital is not going well."

The Empress seemed to know this too, since the Imperial Hospital was established by her strong persuasion to the Emperor, using money mostly from the Emperor’s treasury, she naturally cared about it.

She sighed and then followed Manbao’s gaze toward the palace maids, asking, "Well, do you want them to learn?"

Manbao said, "Your Highness, didn’t you say last time that the palace was too luxurious and suggested a reduction? Why don’t you ask the palace maids whether they would be willing to take the exams at the Imperial Hospital?"

The Empress smiled and asked, "Why, do they need to take exams first if they go?"

Manbao replied, "Of course, anyone entering the Imperial Hospital must take exams first."

The Empress pondered for a moment, nodded, and smiled, "In that case, we can only choose the younger maids."

Manbao said, "After they complete their studies, they might even choose to return to their hometown’s hospital, where they can reunite with their family and parents."

The Empress smiled, nodding, "It’s a good idea. You go ahead and let me think about how to handle this matter."

Manbao breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, bowed, and left.

After she left, the Empress smiled and shook her head.

Shang Mama served tea to the Empress, chuckling, "Your Highness, Lord Zhou Junior is still a bit naive."

She said, "I fear not many palace maids would choose to return to their homeland."

The Empress said, "Children should naturally be naive, and that’s not a bad thing."