Chapter 326

Upon returning to the estate, Wang Xiujin first went to see the old general. After offering his greetings, he asked about the matter of training physicians. In truth, he was not thinking only of medical coverage. He also wanted to establish retirement benefits. Once a person reached a certain age and could no longer work, he would be able to draw a pension. Naturally, this would apply only to those employed by businesses under Wang Xiujin’s name. A portion of their wages would still be deducted each month. If anyone was unwilling to contribute, he would not force them; they simply would not receive a pension once they stopped working. The sole difference from the pensions of his previous life was that these payments would not increase from year to year.

Wang Xiujin did not bring up pensions just yet. For now, he would first settle the matter of medical care. If that succeeded, he would begin working on retirement benefits. As for unemployment insurance, maternity insurance, and housing funds, there was no need for any of them in this era. When women gave birth, why would they need to go to a hospital? Midwives came to their homes to deliver the babies. Nor would there be any expenses for caesarean sections or the like. If anyone dared to cut open a woman’s belly, her family would beat him to death before he could even begin.

After Wang Xiujin explained everything to Old Master Li, the old man fell into a long silence.

“If the medical hall is established in the future, will it be open to outsiders?”

“My intention is for it to be open,” Wang Xiujin replied. “However, the prices will certainly differ. Workers at the workshops and shops, as well as the servants in the estate, will need to pay only thirty percent of the cost when they seek treatment. The remaining seventy percent will be covered by the workshop, shop, or estate. Outsiders, on the other hand, will have to pay the full amount. There is no need to speak of fairness. They work for me, and whatever I provide them is what they deserve. As for outsiders, putting it bluntly, what relation do they have to me? This will be a medical hall, not a charity.”

Wang Xiujin spoke very practically, yet his words caused the old master to frown. They were blunt, but there was truth in them. Still, Old Master Li feared that Wang Xiujin would earn a bad reputation.

Wang Xiujin thought the old man was worrying too much. Even if word spread, it might not damage his reputation. Whenever people visited a medical hall, did they not pay? Whether the physician charged more or less was a matter of conscience. He would not set his prices excessively high, but neither would he set them too low and steal the other medical halls’ business. Those who paid the full amount might feel resentful, but such resentment would not lead to any real trouble.

Seeing that Wang Xiujin seemed determined to establish the medical hall, Old Master Li did not stop him. There were quite a few children among the hereditary household servants. It would do no harm to have them serve as apprentices. Even if the medical hall never opened, they could still be raised within the estate.

Having received Old Master Li’s consent, Wang Xiujin left happily. After returning to his room, he felt that he should discuss the matter with his father as well. His father was different from Old Master Li; a civil official viewed matters from an entirely different angle. Wang Xiujin decided that after returning to the city the next day, he would have a proper talk with him.

That evening, everyone ate the roast whole lamb until their mouths glistened with grease. Every face was bright with smiles as they talked freely about this and that. When the gathering finally dispersed, no one wanted it to end. The family had come together in such lively, unrestrained fashion, and no one knew when they would next have such an opportunity. Reluctant to return to their separate rooms, the unmarried young men gathered around the fire and chatted about every imaginable topic. Even Ya Chang was too lazy to leave. Wang Xiujin had no choice but to let his son remain there.

Back in their room, Wang Xiujin told Li Linshan about the decisions he had made that day. Li Linshan raised an eyebrow.

“Soldiers in the army do not need to pay consultation fees. As long as the army has enough medicine, it will never refuse to treat them. But the military camps are enormous, while there are only a few physicians assigned to them. There will inevitably be times when they cannot attend to everyone properly.”

“Then why not train physicians specifically for the army? Those who qualify could treat injuries and illnesses only within the military. If there are not enough candidates, recruit orphans. Give them a monthly allowance so that they do not have to wander the streets and live by begging.” At times, Wang Xiujin felt that the ancients’ minds were made of knots, able to move in only one direction. “If you are worried they might be spies from another country, investigate them carefully. I believe that with your abilities, you can find out everything there is to know. If you recruit many of them, you can simply write a memorial and submit it to the palace. Let His Majesty pass it on to those people. Their methods will certainly uncover even the slightest clue.”

Li Linshan remained silent for a long time before nodding. He felt that Wang Xiujin was right. The matter ought to be handled, but it was not something the Li family should shoulder alone. He decided to write a memorial and entrust it to the Fourth Prince. As for what the Fourth Prince chose to do, that would no longer be within his control.

After they finished discussing that matter, Wang Xiujin brought up retirement benefits as well. After hearing him out, Li Linshan said only two words.

“Not advisable.”

“Why?” Wang Xiujin did not see what was improper about it. He felt that this would be easier to implement than medical coverage. Of course, the servants of both estates would have to be excluded. Household servants served for life; they had sold themselves into servitude, and when they grew old, if the estate no longer wished to employ them, their contracts could simply be returned. Most masters, however, would give those dismissed from service a sum of money in order to display their own “benevolence.” Whether that money was enough to support them for the rest of their lives was another question, but it did earn the master a fine reputation for kindness and righteousness.

“Whether shops or workshops, they are already the first choice for city residents seeking work. They have aroused the jealousy of countless merchants, who have refrained from acting only because of your status. Opening a medical hall is not a problem. Even if other merchants follow your example, they will not suffer much loss. But if you truly begin paying old-age allowances, those merchants may come to hate you to the bone. If someone acts rashly and makes a dangerous decision, the loss will outweigh the gain.” Li Linshan was thinking of Wang Xiujin’s safety.

Wang Xiujin fell silent. In this society, taking a human life seemed almost as easy as killing a chicken.

“You may think that your money is yours to spend as you please. But once the interests of many people are involved, even your own money must remain in your purse.” Seeing that Wang Xiujin did not respond, Li Linshan continued, hoping to persuade him to abandon the idea.

Wang Xiujin let out a sigh. It was difficult to accomplish anything practical, no matter the era.

“What if the imperial family took the lead?”

His mind worked quickly. Before long, he had thought of the greatest privileged class in the empire. If the imperial family initiated the effort, all these problems would be solved.

Li Linshan was speechless. Wang Xiujin would never turn back until he had run headfirst into a wall. All Li Linshan could do was protect his safety. If the plan truly proved feasible, it would be an enormous blessing for the common people.

Wang Xiujin urged Li Linshan to write the memorial at once. As for pensions, he felt that he should enter the palace in the next few days and explain the matter to the emperor in person. If he could persuade His Majesty, that would be ideal. He could begin with the enterprises under the Fourth Prince’s name. If he failed to persuade him, then the matter would have to be shelved. He only hoped that the emperor was truly a good ruler who cared about the people.

Li Linshan gazed at the moon hanging high in the sky, a piece missing from its round face. On a night like this, Wang Xiujin wanted him to write a memorial…

Li Linshan did not bother to argue. He simply hoisted Wang Xiujin over his shoulder and, before Wang Xiujin could react, tossed him onto the bed. He loosened his belt and was just preparing to do this and that when a knock sounded at the door.

“Father, Little Father, I’m back.”

Wang Xiujin glanced at Li Linshan’s hand resting on his belt and burst out laughing. He rolled around on the bed, utterly delighted. Li Linshan’s face turned darker than night itself. After removing his belt, he turned and went to open the door for his son.

The sky had darkened, and Ya Chang did not notice his father’s expression. He only felt a little cold when the door opened, but the sensation was quickly forgotten. He strode into the room, saw Little Father laughing uncontrollably on the bed, and immediately ran over.

“What are you laughing at, Little Father?”

“Nothing. Did you have fun?” Wang Xiujin forced down his laughter. Even after he spoke, his voice still trembled.

“Yes. My cousins are all very impressive. Father, when will I be able to go to the battlefield and kill the enemy? One of Second Grand-Uncle’s younger sons has already killed enemies.”

Ya Chang had listened to his cousins boasting outside. Now he had come back to report everything to his father and Little Father, while innocently asking his question.

Wang Xiujin poked his son on the forehead.

“If I had my way, I would hope that Ya Chang would never have the chance to set foot on a battlefield in his entire life. That would mean Great Liang was powerful enough that no foreign enemy dared invade.”

Li Linshan said nothing, but a faint smile appeared in his eyes. He agreed with Wang Xiujin. If possible, he too hoped that none of their descendants would ever need to go to war.

Ya Chang puffed out his cheeks. He clearly did not agree with Little Father, yet he had no words with which to refute him.

Could reality truly unfold as Wang Xiujin wished?

Unfortunately, no. Great Liang was indeed powerful, but it was also rich in natural resources. That wealth tempted certain nations whose people never knew whether they would have food for their next meal to take desperate risks. Even though Great Liang had changed its policies and no longer gave silver or grain to defeated countries, it still could not prevent them from coveting its land.

After calling in servants to wash and prepare the child for bed, Wang Xiujin began arranging the bedding. Since Li Linshan had been interrupted by his son, he would be unable to do anything else that night. It was terribly inconvenient to have so many people at the estate. Even the children could not be given rooms of their own.

After staying at the estate for several days, the Li family returned to the city. Wang Xiujin went straight to the shop and made a round of inspection, finding nothing amiss. After calculating the time, he went to the Wang residence. That morning, when Li Linshan had taken Ya Chang to the academy, Wang Xiujin had asked him to stop by the Wang residence and tell his father that he would visit in the afternoon.

Minister Wang did not go to the office that afternoon. Recently, people had been rushing there every day because of the emperor’s announcement concerning the newly established supervisory office. Everyone thought it was a splendid piece of meat and wanted a bite, forgetting what kind of place the Inspectorate was. They ran there with great enthusiasm. Some even cursed him as old-fashioned because he refused to divide the prize among them. He had taken note of every one of them. Before long, they would have plenty of opportunities to meet again; the Inspectorate’s cells had been sitting idle lately and were in need of new occupants.

“Father!”

Wang Xiujin first went to pay his respects to his mother, then sought out his father in the study. His mother told him that his father had not gone to the office that afternoon, which surprised him slightly. He had thought his father would merely return early, not that he would leave the entire afternoon free.

“Sit down. What is it this time?”

Li Linshan had deliberately told him that his son was coming back, so there had to be some matter at hand. Otherwise, why would he have gone out of his way to make the announcement?

Author’s Note: The wind was terribly strong today. When I went out to unlock my bicycle, it fell on me and knocked my glasses crooked. Sob.

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