Chapter 266: The Earth Bears All Things, Its Radiance Shines to the Four Quarters (Requesting Monthly Tickets~)

Just as Zhu Youjian's heart was surging with excitement over the Great Ming's current level of technology—

Zhang Yan and Zhou Yu had already finished examining both the "raw water" and "boiled water" samples one by one.

Zhang Yan straightened up, her face pale.

She was silent for a moment, about to speak, when she suddenly clutched her chest and retched violently.

"Ugh…"

Oh hell no!

In an instant, goosebumps erupted all over Zhu Youjian!

This was the twelfth month of the seventh year of Tianqi!

At this time, if Zhang Yan were pregnant…

Was it Tianqi's posthumous child? Or… had there been illicit doings in the palace?

If the former, the Tianqi Emperor had been gone four months — the timing could barely fit, but why had it not been reported earlier or later?

If the latter… that would be an even uglier scandal, one that would utterly humiliate him as emperor and defy all explanation!

It made no sense! If something like this had really happened, how could those conspiracy-theory fanatics possibly have resisted spinning a whole cycle of tales?

He would surely have heard of it in later ages!

Fortunately, the next moment, the misunderstanding seemed to resolve itself.

Zhang Yan pressed a hand to her chest, smiled a little sheepishly, and waved it off. "Your Majesty must forgive me… I simply never imagined that the water I drink every day is teeming with such hideous, writhing creatures…"

As she spoke, her brow furrowed again and she broke off, looking as if she wanted to vomit but was forcing herself to hold it in — clearly the images under the microscope had dealt her physiology too great a shock.

Zhu Youjian remained half-doubtful in his heart. He glanced at Zhang Yan, then swept his eyes over the palace maids and eunuchs standing in attendance.

He secretly resolved to send the imperial physicians into the palace in a few days to give Zhang Yan and all of Tianqi's various widows a thorough physical examination. This deep palace compound must not produce any posthumous heirs or illegitimate children — if it did, he would truly have no way to clear his name.

Zhang Yan, having barely recovered a little, was about to drink a cup of hot tea to settle her nerves, but the moment her lips touched the rim of the cup, she instantly realized that this, too, was water, and could not suppress another bout of dry heaving.

She set the teacup down with a bitter smile. "Your Majesty, those various… things seen in the microscope…"

She paused, momentarily at a loss for what to call the things she had just seen.

After all, those long strips and round spheres writhing wantonly in her field of vision had utterly exceeded the bounds of her understanding.

Zhou Yu, whose worldview had long since been shattered and rebuilt, was now comparatively composed. She took up the thread: "Elder Sister-in-Law, these things are exceedingly tiny — born at dawn and dead by dusk, yet multiplying without cease."

Her eyes sparkling, she looked toward Zhu Youjian. "That is why His Majesty, drawing on the meaning of 'the morning mushroom knows not the moon's end, the short-lived cicada knows not spring and autumn,' named them 'bacteria.'"

"Bacteria…"

Zhang Yan turned the two words over in her mind for a moment, her gaze lingering on Zhou Yu's proud face, and said with admiration, "The term is indeed apt — it conveys both their minuteness and the principle of their brief, ephemeral existence."

Zhu Youjian, at this moment, did not look self-satisfied, but instead sighed softly.

"Why does Your Majesty sigh?" Zhang Yan asked, puzzled. "To discover such a source of disease is a blessing for all living people — you ought to be rejoicing." "Elder Sister-in-Law does not know the whole story."

Zhu Youjian's voice sank low. "Even if we verify that raw water truly contains so many bacteria, in truth, it will be of little benefit to the common people of the realm."

"This… why?" Zhang Yan had not yet grasped the crux of it. "If we proclaim this principle to the realm and decree that all people boil their water…" Before she finished speaking, she had already caught on, letting out a soft "Ah" — she had clearly understood.

Zhu Youjian nodded.

"It seems Elder Sister-in-Law has already thought of the key point."

"In the seven necessities of opening a household — firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea — firewood stands at the very head."

"Among the common people, those with some family wealth can naturally boil their water and drink it, avoiding this disease and calamity."

"Those a rung lower, even if firewood is dear and they cannot bear to boil water every day, can still use alum to absorb impurities and seek some peace of mind." "But…" Zhu Youjian's voice deepened, "the poorest households, the black-haired commoners who make up the vast majority of this realm, likely cannot even afford alum, much less spare the firewood to boil this 'boiled water.' They can only let the water sit and settle, then ladle out the upper layer of raw water and drink it." "For them, what use is knowing there are bugs in the water, apart from adding fear and disgust? When a man is thirsty, in the end, he must still drink." The consorts of the Ming dynasty were all selected from among the common people; though most came from modestly comfortable families, they were not utterly ignorant of the ways of the world.

Zhou Yu and Zhang Yan both understood this reasoning, in truth — they had simply not thought of it at first.

The atmosphere in the warm pavilion grew somewhat heavy for a moment. Zhu Youjian, seeing that the moment was ripe, suddenly shifted his tone, his expression turning solemn.

"Today, I have come with Changqiu not merely for the customary greeting, but truly because there is a matter I wish to entrust to Elder Sister-in-Law."

Zhang Yan's heart gave a slight leap, and she thought to herself: Just as I suspected.

This young sovereign, ever since his ascension, had risen early and retired late, grudging every moment and wishing he could split one day into two.

His past visits of greeting had been no more than fulfilling the rites — a few idle words, then he would leave Zhou Yu here to keep her company and dispel her boredom while he himself hurried back to his councils. Today he had broken with precedent, not only bringing a microscope to "present a treasure" but also speaking so many preparatory words. How could it possibly be only a greeting? But what matter could he possibly need from a widow like herself?

Zhang Yan sat up straight and said with a solemn expression, "Your Majesty speaks too gravely. So long as it benefits the state and the people, I, as a daughter-in-law of the Zhu family, shall naturally do my utmost. Your Majesty, please speak." Zhu Youjian looked at Zhang Yan and spoke slowly.

"The matter of bacteria — even if we printed it across the realm and decreed that none should drink raw water, it would not necessarily be of great use. For many common people, it is not that they do not understand, but truly that they cannot."

"To resolve this matter, we must promote Yongchang coal, must reform unceasingly, must implement the New Policies, and only when the black-haired commoners grow prosperous can it truly be solved." "But what I wish to entrust to Elder Sister-in-Law today requires little expenditure, yet can truly and immediately bring blessings to the common people — so much so that they might be worshipped by ten thousand households as living Buddhas."

He paused here, and his tone took on a note of earnest sincerity.

"The many things Elder Sister-in-Law did to aid me before my ascension — I have always kept them engraved in my heart, yet have not known how to repay them."

"Now, if this matter — one that will leave a name enduring through the ages — can be entrusted to Elder Sister-in-Law to carry out, perhaps it may serve as a small repayment."

A name enduring through the ages? Worshipped as a living Buddha?

Zhang Yan's thoughts raced as she pondered what matter could possibly merit such praise.

Zhu Youjian continued.

"It is only that, in undertaking this matter, though its final result is supremely noble and supremely benevolent, at its beginning, in the eyes of the world, it is also supremely base and supremely filthy."

"Therefore, whether to do it or not rests entirely with Elder Sister-in-Law's decision. I have absolutely no intention of coercion."

Both noble and base? Both benevolent and filthy?

These two pairs of diametrically opposed adjectives made Zhang Yan start slightly.

But she was, after all, exceedingly intelligent. Her gaze swept across the faces of Zhu Youjian and Zhou Yu, and connecting it to the earlier talk of "bacteria," "causing disease," and the series of New Policies Zhu Youjian had recently been pushing, understanding dawned in her heart.

"It is the matter of midwives attending childbirth, is it not?" Zhang Yan asked softly.

Beside her, Zhou Yu's small mouth fell open in surprise, and she could not help turning her head to look at Zhu Youjian, as if asking: How did Elder Sister-in-Law guess? Zhu Youjian's expression remained composed and unsurprised; he merely smiled and said, "How did Elder Sister-in-Law know?"

Zhang Yan shook her head slightly and smiled. "Your Majesty's essay 'The Struggle Between Man and Land' — is there a single literate household in the capital or beyond that has not read it word for word? With idle time in the palace, I naturally read it carefully as well."

"At the end of that essay, Your Majesty posed a hypothetical question: What if another great physician were to appear, raising the survival rate of women in childbirth by yet another ten percent — what then?"

"When I read it then, I felt deeply stirred — I saw only Your Majesty's far-sighted vision, your compassion for all. But I never imagined…" Zhang Yan smiled faintly. "That this 'great physician' would turn out to be me."

As she said this, a trace of pride flickered unbidden in her eyes.

"And then, early this month, Your Majesty began promoting the 'science surpassing' initiative — clearly also designed to resolve the conflict between man and land."

"Among its many disciplines advancing side by side, agronomy, engineering, and medicine are all included."

"But after turning it over and over, I asked myself: what is there that Your Majesty cannot conveniently do in person, cannot let outer ministers do, yet I, a woman, can do? And only midwifery remained."

This was indeed something only a woman could do.

In this age of rigid ritual propriety, physicians could not enter the delivery room, let alone assist a birth with their own hands.

All the medical texts on childbirth were pieced together by physicians groping blindly, like men feeling an elephant, gleaning fragmentary knowledge from the mouths of midwives.

For Zhang Yan to take up this work, however, she could raise the moral banner of maternal compassion for all under heaven, to offset some of the moral censure.

And once the first results emerged — never mind moral censure; even the most rigid Confucian minister would have to kneel and call her a bodhisattva.

Zhu Youjian nodded approvingly. "My imperial sister-in-law is indeed astute. May I ask how you feel about this matter?"

He put away his smile and spoke with grave sincerity.

"As I said earlier, this undertaking carries great merit, but also awaits great slander."

"Childbirth has always been regarded as a calamity of blood, filthy and unclean. My imperial sister-in-law is a person of precious stature; to involve yourself in such a matter will inevitably provoke public criticism. If you would rather not do this, I can appoint a court matron to take it up — that would also serve."

Zhang Yan fell silent. Her fingers lightly traced the rim of her teacup; in her heart, she was already deeply stirred.

Since the Tianqi Emperor passed away and she moved to Ciqing Palace, the days had been… unbearably tedious.

Tedious to what degree?

Tedious enough that she would take a telescope, lean on the palace wall, and count how many pedestrians and how many carriages passed along a certain street in a quarter-hour. The answer was 417 people, 32 carriages…

For a woman in the prime of her youth, brimming with talent and sensibility, this desolate life stretching out before her with no end in sight was a slow torment. If she could find something to do — even if it were not a deed to be recorded in history, even if it were merely embroidering flowers or keeping accounts — it would be good.

All the more so when this was truly a great undertaking that could save countless lives and bring blessings to ten thousand households.

Only…

She was, after all, the late Emperor's widow — her position was awkward.

And this Son of Heaven before her, though he called her imperial sister-in-law and seemed gentle, she knew in her heart that this young brother-in-law took the inner palace extremely seriously, with an intense need for control, nothing like the leniency he showed outwardly.

Outsiders might not know, but in these four months, the palace attendants quietly disposed of within the palace walls likely numbered close to two hundred.

Those who vanished were like pebbles dropped into a well — not even a ripple rose to the surface.

In the end, she dared not presume upon the small kindness he owed her from before his enthronement to speak recklessly, lest she bring disaster upon herself and make this emperor think she chafed at her solitude and wished to meddle in state affairs.

But now, since the Emperor himself had raised it… and it truly would benefit the state and the people…

Wait! Zhang Yan suddenly thought of a question she had overlooked!

"Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, your way of doing things has always been to plan thoroughly before acting." Zhang Yan pondered a moment, deciding to begin with flattery. "Though this matter has not yet begun, observing Your Majesty's methods, I gather you believe it can succeed."

"But…"

She shifted her tone and at last voiced her concern.

"Back during the 'man-land conflict' discussion, Your Majesty said in the end that if this method were promoted, the common people would be blessed and the population would multiply."

"Yet the Great Ming's dynastic lifespan would thereby grow shorter. And once the dynastic lifespan is short, in the end we cannot escape an age of chaos, cannot escape the tragedy of people exchanging their children to eat…"

"If I take up this task and save countless women and infants, would I not instead be hastening the Great Ming's steps toward chaos?"

"That dilemma you spoke of then — the left hand without benevolence, the right hand without righteousness — has it been resolved now?"

This was not only Zhang Yan's question; it was the question in the hearts of every astute person at court and among the common people who had truly understood that essay.

To save lives was to kill.

This paradox was too cruel.

Hearing this, Zhu Youjian showed no embarrassment at being stumped. Instead, he leaned back slightly, his whole body relaxing.

How could no one have asked this fundamental logical question?

When the new policies first began, everyone was either scrambling for power and position, or being driven to work, or simply too afraid of the new sovereign's authority — indeed, no one dared to ask this question.

But later, as the new sovereign's style gradually became familiar, as an open and unimpeded atmosphere slowly took hold, the secretaries in the new policy staff gradually found the courage to throw out the doubts in their hearts.

After all, during that earlier "man-land conflict" discussion, Zhu Youjian had only posed the question — he had not, in fact, given an answer.

And the dilemma of benevolence between medical progress and the man-land contradiction seemed, no matter how you looked at it, insoluble.

By logical inference, land output had an upper limit, population growth was limitless, and doomsday was virtually inevitable — only a matter of sooner or later. To be honest, this question had also somewhat stumped Zhu Youjian.

He could hardly tell people of this era: don't worry about this problem; once industrialization arrives, once we enter modern society, everyone's desire to have children will plummet off a cliff. When that time comes, never mind man-land conflict — the state will be handing out subsidies begging people to have children.

Such talk was too absurd — even more absurd than restoring the governance of the Three Dynasties. No one would believe it if he said it, and he could not explain it convincingly.

In this age, the only method he could choose was to use greater honor and grander imagination to temporarily suppress this despairing logic. "Has my imperial sister-in-law seen the Kunyu Wanguo Quantu?" Zhu Youjian asked.

Zhang Yan nodded hesitantly, but with some confusion.

"I have seen it, yes — there is a copy kept in the palace."

"But… isn't it false? It says the earth is a sphere. If it were truly a sphere, wouldn't the people living on the underside all fall off?" This was indeed what many people at the time believed.

Even within the New Policy Secretariat, which represented the most advanced direction of thought, there were now actually some secretaries who opposed the round-earth theory. But what did that matter? Zhu Youjian shook his head, laying bare his nature as a political creature.

"Whether the earth is a sphere or a flat plane — to me, that is not what matters."

"What matters is that beyond the borders of Huaxia, the land is still vast!"

"Look only at the Da Ming Hun Yi Tu, and Huaxia's territory occupies one-quarter of all under heaven."

"But look at the Kunyu Wanguo Quantu, and Huaxia's territory occupies barely one-tenth of all under heaven."

"The lands called India, the lands called the Far West, the lands called America — whether the earth is round or flat, these places truly exist. That is the key."

Zhu Youjian spoke at a measured pace, delivering the most crucial point.

"In many of these places, the natives are ignorant, lacking Huaxia's arts of agronomy — so much so that they sow a dou of seed and reap only two dou of grain."

"If we can bring our Great Ming's farming techniques there and raise the output of their land, we can sustain countless sons and daughters of the Han! As long as our pace is swift enough, as long as our speed of expanding territory can keep up with the speed of population growth, this Great Ming dynastic lifespan can be extended for hundreds, even a thousand years more!"

Zhang Yan listened, somewhat stunned.

The picture he painted was too vast, too unimaginable.

She vaguely sensed something amiss and asked instinctively, "But… those lands belong to others. They won't necessarily agree to let us farm them, will they? Would it not… mean war?"

If extending the dynasty's lifespan required invasion and slaughter, that was something the devoutly Buddhist Zhang Yan could not easily accept.

Zhu Youjian shook his head.

He showed a row of clean white teeth, smiled faintly, and then gently tossed out that future dream he had shared with his New Governance staff, wrapped in the most sanctified words.

"No… Sister-in-law misunderstands."

"Just as in high antiquity, when the Xia and Zhou dynasties civilized the various barbarians, turning men who ate raw flesh and drank blood into Huaxia subjects who knew rites and kept integrity."

"Now, as the Celestial Court and the supreme realm, the Great Ming ought once more to civilize the barbarians on all four sides."

'Where sun and moon, mountains and rivers shine, all is Han soil.'

"That saying dates from the Han. If the Great Ming is to surpass them, how can we not carry forward and magnify the ideals of our forebears?"

"Those savages occupy precious land but know nothing of farming — that is wanton waste of Heaven's gifts. We go to teach them to farm, to teach them to read, to teach them to be human… How can that be called war?"

"This is civilizing!"

Civilizing… was it?

Zhang Yan stared blankly at the young Son of Heaven before her, his face radiant with sunshine.

She could not detect the thick scent of blood behind those two words, nor could she imagine the path of "civilizing" that would inevitably be paved with iron and blood in the future. She only felt that this reasoning… seemed sound enough.

So long as it was not killing people in order to save people, so long as there was a path that could untie that fatal knot, she felt at ease.

Zhang Yan finally set aside her small worry about bearing the "crime of losing the dynasty," let out a long breath, and her gaze grew resolute. "In that case, leave this matter to me."

After nodding solemnly, Zhang Yan hesitated again. "Only, I have spent my life deep within the palace and have never handled concrete affairs. For a moment, I hardly know where to begin…"

Seeing her agree, the great stone in Zhu Youjian's heart fell to the ground. He laughed heartily.

"Easily said! I have already discussed the general plan with Changqiu. For this period, she can work on it together with you. Only, in a few more months, she will be heavy with child and it will be less convenient."

As he spoke, he looked toward Zhou Yu, who had been listening entranced. "Zhou Yu, tell your Imperial Sister-in-law about the whole plan."

Zhou Yu quickly nodded and began to recount, in full detail, the "Charter of the Great Ming Imperial Women's and Children's Healthcare Hospital" — a document that had been repeatedly revised in Zhu Youjian's own hand before it was finalized.

"Imperial Sister-in-law, our first step must be to select a group of literate and attentive female officials from within the palace…"

"Then we set the standards. The midwives across the realm are a mixed bag; we must have a charter specifying which ones are fit to use and which ones need training…" "And the collection of medical canons — the Imperial Academy of Medicine has already compiled some, but we must also gather folk remedies from among the common people…"

"Most important is the data! His Majesty said there must be a comparison. This group uses the new method of delivery, that group uses the old method. Record everything — how many mothers and infants survive, how many fall ill — all must be noted clearly…"

"Also, we must establish the first women's and children's hospital outside Dong'an Gate, dedicated to admitting women in childbirth…"

Listening to Zhou Yu's lucid, well-reasoned exposition, Zhang Yan could not help feeling some surprise.

In past idle chats, this young girl had never shown such sharp brilliance.

Now that she was discussing serious matters, why did everything she said carry the flavor of New Governance official documents?

The two drew close together, talking from the selection of female officials to the siting of the hospital, from the backward customs of midwives to the vision for the future, growing more and more absorbed in their conversation. But seeing the sun sinking in the west, Zhu Youjian and Zhou Yu rose and took their leave.