The auction in Shenyang was bustling with excitement.
Meanwhile, in Chang'an City, at the Two Poles Palace, Li Shimin had received Fang Er's memorial.
Upon reading Fang Er's proposal for a complete assimilation of the nomadic tribes, he immediately ordered Eunuch Deng to summon his ministers for a discussion on the feasibility of this plan.
"Little Dengzi, summon Duke Fang, Duke Du, and the Minister of Rites to the palace!"
"Yes!"
Deng Dengjie flicked his horsetail whisk and walked out of the hall.
After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui arrived side by side, followed by the newly appointed Minister of Rites.
"Your subjects pay their respects to Your Majesty!"
The three stood in the hall and bowed to Li Shimin.
"Rise, my esteemed ministers. Fang Anzhi, the Duke of Shenyang County, has sent a memorial from Liaodong. He says he intends to establish hospitals and schools there. The memorial details a comprehensive plan. Take it and circulate it amongst yourselves, and tell me your thoughts."
Li Shimin handed the memorial to Deng Dengjie.
The memorial first went into Fang Xuanling's hands. Seeing the small, fly-like characters written in pencil, Fang Xuanling's face turned grim.
"Your Majesty, that brat is bullying us! The characters are written so small, I can't see them clearly!"
"Enough, Old Fang. It's fine if you can't see them clearly; just have someone read them. Dai Li, read it."
Du Ruhui unceremoniously snatched the memorial from Fang Xuanling's hand and passed it to the Minister of Rites.
"Yes, Duke Du!"
Dai Li took the memorial, cleared his throat, opened it, and began to read aloud.
"Your subject, Fang Anzhi, greets Your Majesty from Shenyang. By the way, have you eaten yet? Breakfast or dinner?"
"Alright, none of that matters!"
"Your subject is preparing in Shenyang..."
After a long rambling, Fang Xuanling's beard trembled. This brat's memorials were truly unique!
The opening remarks were interesting, but the further they listened, the more serious Fang and Du's expressions became.
Not only them, but even Dai Li's voice had unconsciously become more steady.
The memorial was not long, only three to five hundred characters, half of which were nonsense.
After finishing, Dai Li closed the memorial and stepped forward to return it to Deng Dengjie, who was standing by.
"Your Majesty, your subject believes this method is feasible!"
"And not just in Shenyang, it can be tested within the passes as well!"
"If, as County Duke Fang says, it can improve the survival rate of infants, this would greatly benefit the child-rearing decree!"
Fang Xuanling stroked his beard, speaking with great emotion.
His hand trembled, and he almost pulled off several strands of his beard, wincing in pain.
"Ministry of Rites, what are your thoughts on this memorial?"
Li Shimin turned his gaze to the Minister of Rites, wanting to hear his opinion, as matters of education fell within the purview of the Ministry of Rites.
"Your subject agrees in principle, but—"
"Then don't 'but,' Your Majesty. Your subject also believes it is feasible!"
Before the Minister of Rites could finish his sentence, Du Ruhui interrupted him. The Minister of Rites looked at Du Ruhui as if he had just eaten a fly and then quietly closed his mouth.
He was an elder, someone he couldn't afford to offend.
Du Ruhui continued speaking.
"As written in the memorial, the grasslands lack medical care. Hospitals will undoubtedly hold great appeal for them."
"Using this as a starting point, then employing schools for education, while also boosting tax revenue in Liaodong, this is excellent!"
Li Shimin nodded with great pleasure. His ministers thought the same as he did. Did this mean he was one step closer to becoming a wise ruler?
"In that case, the matter is settled. Ministry of Rites, immediately select officials to go to Shenyang and assist the Duke of Shenyang County in handling the affairs of the various grassland tribes."
"Little Dengzi, notify the Imperial Hospital to select imperial physicians specializing in women and children's diseases to accompany the officials from the Ministry of Rites."
~~~~~~~~~~
Fang Family Village, inside the Taoist temple.
Sun Simiao handed the letter written by Fang Er to Yuan Tiangang, his eyes narrowing into slits with a smile.
"Fellow Daoist Yuan, what do you say? Do you want to go take a look together?"
After reading the letter, before Yuan Tiangang could speak, a young girl in her teens rushed out of the Taoist temple.
"Master, this disciple wants to go to Shenyang."
The girl tugged at Yuan Tiangang's arm, speaking with a hint of childish petulance.
"Oh? Little Mengjia also wants to go?"
Sun Simiao was curious what this girl wanted to do there.
"Yes, Uncle-Master Sun. Sister Chai Yue sent a letter, asking this junior to help manage the hospital affairs."
Yuan Mengjia stuck out her tongue at Sun Simiao, then playfully turned to look at her master.
"Master, can this disciple go?"
Yuan Tiangang looked at her with doting eyes: "Alright, alright. If you want to go, let your senior brother accompany you, so you'll have someone to look after you."
"Master is so good! This disciple will go find senior brother!"
Yuan Mengjia shouted happily, bowed to Yuan Tiangang, and then ran off to find Li Chunfeng.
"Why, Fellow Daoist Yuan, are you not going along?"
Sun Simiao asked.
"Hahahaha, this old Daoist will not be leaving this Fang Family Village from now on."
"Researching the Heavenly Book and teaching the juniors and the young ones at the technical school is enough for me!"
Old Yuan looked towards the technical school with a meaningful expression.
"If that is the case, then this poor monk shall take his leave. When the two junior nephews have finished packing their bags, come find this poor monk at the Fang residence."
Old Sun cupped his hands and walked out of the Taoist temple.
And Chai Yue's letters were all delivered to their recipients.
At the Changsun Mansion, a group of young women were chattering excitedly, discussing the contents of the letters in their hands.
Otherwise, they would either stay in their homes or roam around Chang'an City. For these blossoming young ladies, the opportunity to do something thousands of miles away was very appealing.
The most important point was that after leaving Chang'an, they would no longer have to worry about future arranged marriages.
The heavens are high and the fathers are far away; even if they wanted to manage them, they couldn't.
Moreover, they had shown the letters to their elders before coming.
When they said they were going to work for Fang Er and would earn money, who wouldn't agree!
Who didn't know that brat had hands that could catch gold?
Changsun Wuji: Chong'er, accompany your sister, do your job well, and learn some skills from that brat!
Zhang Gongjin: Da Xiang, your Uncle Fang has started another business. Your aunt asked your sister to help, so you should go with her.
Li Jing: Qiu'er, go, take Qingqiu to Shenyang, and keep an eye on those grassland fellows for me!
Qin Qiong: Huai Yu, I am passing on this four-edged gilded mace to you. Take your sister and go find Fang Anzhi in Shenyang!
Li Xiaogong: Ke Chi, Anzhi has been a great help to our family. Now that we have an opportunity to get closer, we cannot ignore it. Go, take your sister to Shenyang!
Li Ji: Si Wen, Old Zhang, Old Chai, Old Cheng, and that dark fellow all made money following Fang Xiaozi. We cannot be left behind. Take Lianlian to Shenyang!
Upon returning home, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui learned that their daughters had received invitation letters from Chai Yue and made the same decision.
In addition, Yu Chi Jingde, Tang Jian, and Gao Shilian all had similar arrangements, not only allowing their daughters to go to Shenyang but also sending a son along.