Chapter 129: The Women's Medical College

(Written late, a long chapter of 3,300 words)

"Female physicians? That is your idea? And the divine healer Sun has agreed to it?"

Li Shimin looked at Mo Dun with suspicion. Had he known it would be this simple, he should have kept Sun Simiao by his side long ago.

Mo Dun nodded firmly. Delaying was not an option; as soon as Sun Simiao had given his consent, Mo Dun had rushed to the palace to report the matter to Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty, think about it. For a man like Elder Sun, who is as divine as an immortal, worldly wealth and fame are like passing clouds. The only thing that can move him is the promotion of medicine. Promoting female physicians is exactly Elder Sun's heart's desire," Mo Dun explained.

Li Shimin couldn't help but nod. He agreed with this point wholeheartedly. Sun Simiao was indeed indifferent to fame and wealth, to the point that he even disdained the position of Imperial Physician.

"It is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. Your Majesty, imagine if a female physician, having received the true teachings of Elder Sun, were to follow by the Empress's side, providing personal care at any moment. How much of a help would that be for her condition?" Mo Dun presented a reason Li Shimin could not refuse.

Li Shimin’s eyes lit up, and he nodded. The foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine was pulse diagnosis. No matter how mysterious "diagnosing via a silk thread" might be, everyone knew it could not compare to taking a pulse directly.

"Through the Empress's illness and the data gathered by the Mo Hospital, I have discovered that the number of female physicians in the Great Tang is far too small. The Mo Hospital has been unable to recruit a single excellent female physician despite offering a high monthly salary of one hundred strings of cash," Mo Dun added.

"A monthly salary of one hundred strings?" Li Shimin gasped. That would be an annual salary of 1,200 strings; in ten years, one could amass a fortune of ten thousand strings.

"I used this as a breakthrough point to persuade Elder Sun to emulate the official academies and open a Female Medical Academy specifically to teach women the art of healing and to cultivate female physicians. To my surprise, Elder Sun agreed!"

"Good, a brilliant idea!" The more Li Shimin thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed. Even if he kept Sun Simiao, the differences between genders sometimes made things inconvenient. But if a group of excellent female physicians were trained, all those problems would be solved. Besides Empress Zhangsun, his harem had three thousand beauties who would all need female physicians. The market demand within the palace alone was immense.

And then?

Mo Dun waited for a long time, but Li Shimin offered no further response. He looked at Li Shimin helplessly. How could he expect the horse to run without feeding it any grass? There was no such cheap deal in the world.

Li Shimin felt his face flush; he realized he had been somewhat stingy. After pondering for a moment, he said, "There is a residence next to the Imperial Academy. It is quite spacious. With a little renovation, it can be put to use. Let us designate that for Elder Sun to teach female medicine!"

"Your Majesty, the real reason for the scarcity of female physicians is not the lack of space, but the source of students." Mo Dun described the hardships faced by Sun Simiao’s few female disciples in detail to Li Shimin.

"That husband's family is truly detestable!" Li Shimin exclaimed angrily.

"On one hand, very few families are willing to let their daughters appear in public. On the other, very few women in the Great Tang are literate, let alone capable of learning medical texts," Mo Dun pointed out the greatest dilemma.

Li Shimin was also at a loss. Although the Great Tang was open-minded, the Zhenguan era was still relatively conservative. While some women did work in public, they were mostly from humble families.

Finding women who could read and understand medical books was difficult enough; even if one were found, there was no guarantee they would be willing to study medicine.

"If Your Majesty could issue an official decree to affirm the status of female physicians and provide policy support, then all these problems would be solved!" Mo Dun suggested.

When it came down to it, the root cause of the scarcity was the low social status of women, their low literacy rates, and the lack of autonomy. Before marriage, their parents held power; after marriage, their husbands did. Any of them could decide a woman's fate.

"Policy support?"

Although it was the first time Li Shimin had heard the term, he easily grasped Mo Dun's meaning.

"What is difficult about that? As long as this can truly solve the problem of female physicians, not only will I establish a Female Imperial Hospital, but I will even grant them titles of nobility," Li Shimin declared domineeringly.

Li Shimin was not at all worried that this decree would fail to pass through the Three Departments. Although the cause was the Empress’s illness, what official could claim his own family would never need a female physician?

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your profound wisdom!" Mo Dun said happily.

With official support, the status of female physicians would rise, and they would possess more autonomy, which would inevitably attract more women to the profession. He had now fulfilled his promise to Sun Simiao and completed his task for Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty, since the Female Medical Academy is supported by the imperial court, the funding issue..." Mo Dun reached out for money with a righteous air.

"Funding?" Li Shimin raised his voice. "Since the Mo Hospital can hire female physicians for one hundred strings a month, surely you do not lack for such trivial funds? I have heard that the Mo Hospital makes a fortune every day!"

Li Shimin's meaning was clear: he would provide the site and the policies, but no money! The recent drought relief had nearly emptied the national treasury; Mo Dun should be grateful he wasn't asking him for money!

"Small change, just the hard-earned money of the healers!" Mo Dun sensed the threat in Li Shimin's tone and immediately backed down. He would pay out of his own pocket if he had to.

He had hoped Li Shimin would be generous for once, but the Emperor remained stingy. However, if the female medical program succeeded, the Mo Hospital would be the biggest beneficiary. Once female physicians joined, the hospital could expand even further.

...

To ensure success, the front page of the latest issue of the *Mo Journal* featured the recruitment information for the Female Medical Academy in bold, black print.

"This is utter nonsense! How can a woman appear in public to treat patients?" Liu Mingcheng slammed the newspaper onto the table in fury.

"Women practicing medicine? How laughable!" In the Liu Family Medical Hall, Liu Licheng looked at the headline with disdain.

By rights, they were now sworn enemies of the Mo family and did not want to subscribe to the *Mo Journal*, but they were forced to by the demands of the patients. They kept reading it to keep an eye on their rival.

"It’s actually a Female Medical Academy ordered by the Emperor himself! Upon graduation, they will be granted the title of Female Doctor," a patient exclaimed while holding the journal.

"What?" The Liu father and son were shocked. They quickly read on and saw the decree issued by Li Shimin. It wasn't just the title of Female Doctor; if their medical skills were exceptional, they could even be granted noble titles.

"How could this be?" The more the Liu father and son read, the more shocked they became.

"Taught by the divine healer Sun himself, not only is tuition free, but there is also a monthly food subsidy of one hundred coins. Such a good deal!" someone exclaimed.

Another added, "That's nothing! Look at this next part: once they graduate with Elder Sun's approval, the Mo Hospital will hire them all, with a maximum monthly salary of one hundred strings!"

"Hiss!"

The crowd gasped. One hundred strings a month—how much would that be in a year, or five? Everyone could do the math. Such a massive fortune was something even generations of their families might not earn. Now the opportunity was here; as long as they supported their daughters in attending the academy, all of this could become reality.

"And this point!" someone said excitedly.

"Practice medicine for filial piety! For all female physicians, any medical expenses under one hundred strings for their mothers—including biological mothers, adoptive mothers, or mothers-in-law—at the Mo Hospital will be completely waived!"

"This is amazing! If any daughter or daughter-in-law learns medicine, wouldn't they have no worries for the rest of their lives?" The crowd looked on with envy.

Mo Dun knew that in this era, the greatest pressure on women came from their in-laws. With this policy, he could minimize that pressure and liberate as many women as possible to enter the field.

"Mo Hospital!" The Liu father and son sighed deeply. They had previously been unwilling to admit defeat, but seeing the news about the Female Medical Academy, they realized the vast gap between the Liu Medical Hall and the Mo Hospital. The Liu family was still focused on their own petty gains and losses, while the Mo family had already planned for the entire world. The difference in vision was immense.

At the Zhuangyuan Tower, Master Yu was an enthusiastic supporter of the *Mo Journal*. Almost every table had a copy, and there were stacks of back issues on the side table for customers to browse.

"Old Yu! Tell me, is what the *Mo Journal* says true?" a regular customer shouted to Master Yu.

"Old Xu! If I didn't know your temper, I’d be showing you my fish-gutting knife right now. If even one thing published by the Mo family is a lie, you can set fire to my Zhuangyuan Tower!" Master Yu patted his chest.

"That's right! The Mo family’s reputation is unquestionable!" The diners around them nodded in agreement.

"Old Yu, don't be angry, I was just joking," Old Xu said quickly. He pulled a tael of silver from his robes and slammed it onto the table.

"Settling the bill, keep the change!" Old Xu said boldly as he stood up and walked out.

"You haven't finished eating yet, where are you going?" his companion asked hurriedly.

"Home! I don't want to marry my daughter off so early. I’ll let her study medicine instead; she might find a better husband in the future!" Old Xu had calculated well. If she became a female physician, the title of Female Doctor and the high salary at the Mo Hospital—not to mention the filial piety policy—would allow his daughter to marry into a prominent family.

Thanks to previous reports in the *Mo Journal* about the dangers of early marriage and marrying close kin, many families had chosen to delay their daughters' marriages, leaving many eligible young women waiting at home. These were excellent potential students!

"Wait for me, I'll let my daughter try too," his companion said, losing interest in his meal.

Old Xu looked at him with disdain. "Is your daughter literate?"

"I'll have her learn now! Besides, isn't there also recruitment for female nursing aides? Even if the conditions aren't as good as for physicians, it’s enough for my dim-witted daughter to find a good husband," his companion said smugly.

Watching the two leave together, many other diners felt their own hearts stir.

As the *Mo Journal* spread, more and more families were enticed by the generous conditions. Before the Female Medical Academy had even opened, it had already become the talk of the Guanzhong region.

Inside the Taiji Palace!

"Practice medicine for filial piety! That’s a good idea!"

Li Shimin looked at the *Mo Journal* in his hands with satisfaction, listening to Pang De report the heated discussions among the people about the Female Medical Academy. Clearly, the academy was an instant success.

"Lord Mo, he may seem unreliable at times, but when he gets things done, he is truly enlightened!" Pang De said with a smile, seeing that Li Shimin was pleased.

"That little catfish!"

Li Shimin thought about Mo Dun's various antics and couldn't help but chuckle.

Just then, a young girl in palace attire, holding a copy of the *Mo Journal*, burst into the Taiji Palace in a hurry.

"Father, I want to practice medicine for filial piety and cure Mother's respiratory illness!"

The girl knelt on the ground, her face full of determination.

"That Mo brat!"

Li Shimin's face turned dark as he gritted his teeth.

He had just been praising Mo Dun's idea, never expecting it to be so effective that it had ensnared his own daughter.

If Mo Dun were here, he would surely recognize this girl as Princess Changle, Li Lizhi, who had visited the Mo residence. The Female Medical Academy was about to welcome its most prominent student.