Capítulo 1587: Chapter 1562: Expensive
At first, the Crown Prince also didn’t think it was expensive. Director Xiao had also ntioned the unit price of the herbs, but after they calculated the number of doses needed, the Crown Prince imdiately realized that even if this proposal were submitted, the Ministry of Revenue wouldn’t approve it.
He said, “Even if one dose of dicine only costs six wen, do you know how much dicine we need to distribute just in the capital?”
Manbao shook her head. How would she know?
She’s not the county magistrate.
The Crown Prince said, “The capital has a total population of 334,670 households, summing up to 920,000 people. Among these 920,000 people, even if only one-third co to receive the dicine for sumr heat, that would require 306,700 doses, and at six wen per dose, do you know how much that costs?”
Manbao was stunned for a mont and then said, “1,842,200 wen…”
Just when he was about to tell her the amount he had painstakingly calculated, Zhou Man blurted it out, and he paused, lifting his eyelids to glance at her, “You’re quick with the calculations.”
He said, “And this is only calculating the population of the capital. This ti, the severely affected areas also include Yongzhou and Shangzhou…”
Of course, the combined population of the two prefectures isn’t as much as half of the capital, but the expenses still won’t be any less because transport costs must also be accounted for.
So much money, and they still need to set aside funds for the later drought relief efforts.
Manbao stood there counting with her fingers, sighing, “It’s not easy for His Majesty and Minister Liu.”
The Crown Prince…
He knew it wasn’t easy for his father, but what did it have to do with Minister Liu?
Although he was in charge of the treasury, the treasury didn’t have money, and his father couldn’t just cut off his head, right?
He felt that besides the emperor, the one who had it the toughest should be him because, clearly, this ti, the emperor had mainly entrusted the disaster relief work to him.
The Crown Prince, who rarely worried about money, started to worry about money and asked Manbao, “Do you have any cheaper prescriptions?”
Manbao shook her head directly, “For preventing heatstroke and diseases, these two prescriptions given by Director Xiao are really the cheapest. There is another prescription that might work better. It uses Chinese atractylodes, dried tangerine peel, magnolia bark, bai zhi, China root, raw pinellia, and a combination of patchouli and purple perilla. It’s a good prescription, but it’s slightly more expensive than Director Xiao’s prescription.”
The Crown Prince said, “I asked for cheaper, not more expensive.”
“But we must consider the efficacy of the dicine too.”
The two of them stared at each other in silence, and the Crown Prince, sowhat displeased, waved his hand, “Alright, you’re no help, you may leave. Call Director Xiao and Imperial Doctor Liu in.”
Manbao left with her head drooping and told Director Xiao and Imperial Doctor Liu, who were waiting at the side hall entrance, “The Crown Prince has called you in.”
Imperial Doctor Liu, who had just quietly remarked to Director Xiao about how much trust the Crown Prince had in Zhou Man, couldn’t help but look at Director Xiao when he saw her leaving with her head down.
The two of them were about to call her back to ask about the situation, but Eunuch Wu had already co out with a smile and invited them into the hall.
The two exchanged a glance and could only follow Eunuch Wu in to see the Crown Prince.
Manbao returned to Chongwen Pavilion and happened to see Bai Shan and the others finishing their class. Seeing her frowning, they approached and asked, “What are you thinking about? I called you, but you didn’t answer.”
Manbao said, “I just found out that even such an inexpensive dicine for heatstroke, the court can’t afford to provide it.”
“What kind of dicine for heatstroke?”
Manbao explained in detail why the Crown Prince had called her and then said, “I’m racking my brains now, trying to think of any prescription that costs less than six wen.”
Bai Erlang on the side said incredulously, “Just six wen, can’t even afford the price of a at pie? And yet expect the court to provide dicine for heatstroke?”
Bai Shan said, “For poor families, forget six wen, there are those who can’t even spare one wen.”
He said, “In such matters, we mustn’t asure others by our own standards.”
Manbao nodded repeatedly, “And being frugal is human nature. If there are free dicinal doses for heatstroke, why wouldn’t they take them?”
If it were her father and brothers and sisters-in-law, they would definitely go for it, so if the supply were truly open, even preparing for a third of the population of the capital might not be enough.
Manbao was feeling troubled, but after pondering for a mont, Bai Shan asked, “It seems like each person needs to take the dicine?”
“Not exactly. The weather is very hot now, and it’s to prevent heatstroke and diseases,” Manbao said, “Especially for those who still travel and work in such weather, they carry so heat toxins.”
Bai Shan said, “But illnesses vary in severity, and prescriptions should too, right? Are you planning to use the sa prescription for everyone?”
Manbao said, “As long as they don’t take other dications while using this dicinal dose, there won’t be any issues. Even if the illness isn’t severe, taking it won’t cause any problems.”
She said, “This is the simplest thod, creating a decoction that everyone can drink. Otherwise, if all our imperial doctors are sent out to diagnose and prescribe for people, then the expenses would indeed be enormous.”
Bai Shan asked, “Can’t there be a grading system? Like lighter illnesses with fewer ingredients, more severe ones can have a different prescription, and the dosage can be based on the disease.”
Manbao started stroking her chin thoughtfully, “You’re right. For people like you, who just feel a bit thirsty and hot, you actually don’t need much dicine. You can just boil so juice with Indian pennywort and drink it.”
Manbao ca from Jishi Hall and rembered she used to collect Indian pennywort to sell for money when she was young.
Indian pennywort, which was sold by the jin, how much money per jin was it again?
And there were many herbs in the wild with similar effects to Indian pennywort, growing all over the place.
Manbao began calculating in her mind, “Making a simple purified and detoxifying dication would indeed be cheaper and more convenient, but how to ensure people honestly take only the Indian pennywort and not claim a prescription?”
Bai Shan also started thinking about it, while Bai Erlang scratched his head and said, “How about distributing like porridge, with the governnt office brewing the dicine and handing it out?”
Bai Shan pointed at the blazing sun and asked him, “Would they go out under such a blazing sun to get the dicine?”
Manbao couldn’t help but burst into laughter. People would probably faint from the sun before they even got their dicine.
Bai Erlang then asked, “So what do you suggest?”
Bai Shan had to go back to class, so he said, “Don’t you have to visit the Crown Princess? Go to the palace first, and we’ll discuss it when you get back.”
Manbao nodded and returned to her room to pack her dicine box before heading to Daming Palace.
The Crown Princess’s belly had grown even larger. Manbao hadn’t visited her for several days. This ti, after checking the fetal position by touch, she found it slightly misaligned but not serious, and she taught her a few exercises to practice daily to correct it.
When the Crown Princess heard the fetal position was not right, she beca a bit tense, “Is it going to be a problem?”
Manbao reassured her, “It won’t be a problem. It’s just slightly misaligned. The baby keeps moving around within the womb, so slight misalignnt is normal. So exercises will help align it.”
Upon hearing this, the Crown Princess was relieved.
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