zChapter 928 - Whose Word Counts in the Capital? (1/2)
What important matter could the citizens have to discuss with her?
At this time, Huang Quan reminded her: “Remember how there were quite a few incidents in the capital after we left for Ji An Prefecture as a result of Hundred Herb Hall’s closure? The eighth prince also opened one later on. Not to mention killing someone, he brought out quite a bit of fake and expired medicine, scamming quite a few people. If the citizens have come knocking, as this servant sees it, it’s most likely related to Hundred Herb Hall.”
The girl that had come to report quickly nodded and said: “Sister Huang Quan is right. The citizens have indeed come for the sake of asking princess to open Hundred Herb Hall once more. Right now, they’re all kneeling outside the palace’s entrance!”
The citizens were kneeling outside the entrance. This caused a bit more of a disturbance. Feng Yu Heng had no choice but to get up and go out to take a look. There, she found that there was quite a large number of people gathered. Just at a glance, she could see that half the street had been blocked.
Upon seeing her come out, someone immediately led the group in loudly saying: “We beg Imperial Daughter Ji An: reopen Hundred Herb Hall to bring benefit to the people!”
With this person taking the lead, everyone else also shouted: “We beg Imperial Daughter Ji An: reopen Hundred Herb Hall to bring benefit to the people!”
Feng Yu Heng stood at the entrance of the palace and looked at these people. They were all citizens of the capital. There were some normal commoners and some people from wealthy families. This could be seen from the clothes that were worn. She understood that the people urgently needed a Hundred Herb Hall. It was easy to go from frugality to extravagance but difficult to go the other way around. They had become accustomed to modern medical treatments and modern medicine. To have them return to the former bitter medical soups was difficult to accept. They could not go back. It was just…
“I understand everyone’s feelings.” She said to the people: “But the reason that Hundred Herb Hall closed was something that I already said. It was a result of the officials in the capital working together to make a request. That brought about the closure of Hundred Herb Hall. If it was to be opened once more, that is not something that I can decide on my own. It would depend on the court’s thoughts. It would also depend on the Emperor’s opinion, and…” Her tone changed, “I fear that Father Emperor will need to consult the opinions of the officials and the opinion of the eighth prince, His Highness Prince Sheng.”
These citizens were all clear about this. They had gone to cause a fuss with the eighth prince more than once, but Feng Yu Heng had not been in the capital at that time. Even after they caused a fuss, it was for naught. Now that she had returned, the people had a pillar of support, thus someone immediately said: “We all want to stand up for Imperial Daughter Ji An! Regardless of who wants to stop us, we will not agree!”
“Right! We have already been left in quite a bad spot by the eighth prince. He brought in a Persian doctor, and not only did he kill someone, but there are also some people who have become even sicker after eating his fake medicine. My elderly mother is currently unable to get out of bed. No matter how many doctors we invited, they will all say that it was a result of that useless medicine from the beginning that delayed her treatment. Imperial Daughter, you must support us!”
“Right! The eighth prince has caused us to suffer. If Imperial Daughter still won’t open Hundred Herb Hall, our families can only wait to die! We beg Imperial Daughter to take pity on us!”
On this side, the citizens repeatedly begged Feng Yu Heng. Even though they knew that she was now Princess Yu, they had been accustomed to calling her Imperial Daughter Ji An for a long time, and they wanted to call her this way because they felt that it was more intimate.
Behind the crowd, there was a group of people holding up a large stone statue. Some of the citizens pointed at the statue and said to her: “That is the statue of the Bodhisattva of medicine that we had built. It was built in Imperial Daughter’s image, and there was a temple built to that Bodhisattva outside the city. On the 15th of every month, we will go and pray to it. Imperial Daughter Ji An, in our hearts, you are our Bodhisattva. Our fate is in your hands!”
The citizens had honest dispositions, and even the people that had been sent by the wealthy families were earnestly hoping that she could come back once more. Feng Yu Heng truly felt quite emotional. It had to be said that before leaving for Ji An Prefecture, knowing about the citizens causing trouble had been done to get a laugh out of watching the eighth prince. She also wanted to use this opportunity to find out what sort of existence Hundred Herb Hall was to the people of the capital.
But a long time had passed, and her desire to measure her strength had diminished. In addition to this, the eighth prince had used fake medicine to deceive the people. The people had indeed suffered. It was not as though she had not thought of reopening Hundred Herb Hall, but reopening it required the right moment. At the time that she had been forced to close it, it had been done quite loudly. To reopen it now, she definitely could not do it quietly.
At this time on the other end of the street, a group of imperial guards was leading a eunuch through the crowd and heading in their direction. Because there were many people, it was a bit difficult to move. The eunuch repeatedly told the people to let him pass. It was only after the eunuch said that he was also on the citizens’ side and would also be asking Imperial Daughter to reopen Hundred Herb Hall that the citizens were willing to open up a small path to Feng Yu Heng.
The eunuch wiped away some sweat and quickly saluted to Feng Yu Heng: “This servant greets Princess Yu.”