CHAPTER 1548: CHAPTER 1523: LATE ARRIVAL

She still knows that he is from Liang, because he wrote it in the supplementary book, but the book is not very popular in the Imperial Hospital, because it records prescriptions like the Bai Ji ointment, which can only treat very minor skin ailments, and some of the medicines are too precious to be practical for the court physicians.

So after a few generations, if the supplementary book is lost, people will probably not even know where he came from.

Thinking of this, Manbao secretly decided that in the future she must leave her own biography. Even if historians cannot record her in the annals, by writing more biographies, she can preserve her legacy herself.

The Empress, unaware of Manbao’s thoughts about leaving a name for herself, gently stroked the back of her hand and asked with a smile, "Can you make this ointment again? I find it quite useful."

It’s possible, but Manbao, having already made it once, is reluctant to do it a second time.

If the Empress had asked her two days ago, she would have agreed to make a batch of ointment for Second Sister-in-law and Third Sister-in-law as well, but in the past two days, she had been studying acne ointments and now wanted to make a new ointment.

So she said, "Your Majesty, I am currently researching another formula of his, which also has skin-softening effects. Would you like to try it?"

"Oh?" The Empress asked, "How is it different from this formula?"

"This one mainly prevents chapping and cracks and can slightly whiten the skin, while the new formula is for treating acne."

Manbao’s gaze swept over the smooth faces of Mingda and Changyu, then said, "Acne mostly appears on the faces of young men, perhaps the Fifth Prince might need it in the future?"

Everyone: ...

The Empress noticed Manbao’s eagerness and guessed why she didn’t want to make this ointment again, so she nodded with a smile and said, "Then you should try making the acne-treating ointment first, but since you’re making ointments anyway, why not make another batch of this one as well?"

Manbao immediately agreed, delighted beyond measure.

Mingda and Changyu, intrigued by the physician and the ointment, also volunteered to help.

The Empress assumed they were just playing and didn’t stop them, laughing, "But don’t neglect your studies."

Mingda immediately said, "Don’t worry, Mother. We only play after finishing our morning lessons."

Mingda and Changyu, being princesses in their teens, naturally had to study, but because the Emperor spoiled them, and the summer was stifling, they only had lessons in the morning, leaving the afternoons free to play.

And it just so happened that Manbao always visited the Crown Princess at noon and in the afternoon, so the three of them always managed to meet.

After leaving the Empress, Manbao immediately wrote down the revised formula she had researched and gave it to the palace attendants to go to the Imperial Hospital to fetch the medicine,

Because of the Empress’s word, the Imperial Hospital received two prescriptions, three of which were quite valuable medicines. They had no choice but to give them to the palace attendants, though secretly wondering what on earth Lord Zhou Junior was up to, ordering such a bizarre prescription?

When the palace attendants returned with a large bag of medicinal materials, they also went to the Bureau of Food Supplies to fetch the honey that Zhou Man required, a precious item even in the imperial palace.

After all, wild honey is difficult to collect and requires the gatherers to brave significant risks, making it one of the more valuable foodstuffs.

As Manbao fiddled with these medicinal materials, she told Mingda and Changyu, "This physician must be a very, very wealthy person."

Mingda nodded, "Ordinary people cannot afford these medicinal materials."

There was even pearl, albeit an ugly one, but when crushed and used as medicine, it was still very precious.

Manbao started weighing the medicinal materials and dividing them portion by portion; Mingda and Changyu, having done this once, felt quite adept the second time and eagerly brought stools to sit beside and grind the medicines.

The palace maids spread paper for them to place the medicinal materials on, without interfering.

Manbao decided to change the steps today by preparing everything first and then boiling it all tomorrow.

The three had a great time, and only when Manbao left Daming Palace and saw the note in the medicine box did she remember the matter of her salary.

She looked at the time in the system, panicked, and grabbed the medicine box, racing towards the Eastern Palace.

She hurriedly set down the medicine box, found the note and the leave slip from Libationer Kong from this morning, and rushed towards the Imperial City.

The Crown Prince emerged from the Office of Palace Affairs, stretched lazily, and was about to return to the West Mansion when he saw Zhou Man darting past the side gate, heading straight for the Eastern Palace gate.

The Crown Prince paused and frowned, "Go and ask what’s happened?"

Eunuch Wu hurried to inquire, but no one knew.

In the end, he could only run, sweating, to the Chongwen Pavilion, find Bai Shan, who was doing homework, and ask, "Young Master Bai, the Crown Prince just saw Lord Zhou Junior running away. Is something wrong in the Eastern Palace?"

Bai Shan paused mid-stroke, quickly got up, and apologized with a bow, "Zhou Man took a leave of absence from Libationer Kong this morning. She was supposed to conduct business at the Ministry of Revenue, but she went to Daming Palace to see the Crown Princess and returned a little late. It’s probably because the time is late, and she’s anxious about not coordinating with the Ministry of Revenue."

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Wu breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that nothing had happened with the Crown Princess or in the palace.

But he still quietly advised, "Please, Young Master Bai, urge Lord Zhou Junior not to run in the palace. If she collides with a noble, it would be a serious offense."

Even if she doesn’t collide with a noble, seeing someone like Zhou Man, a physician, running makes people anxious, as if something major has happened.

Bai Shan quickly stood up and agreed, apologizing profusely as he escorted Eunuch Wu out of the Chongwen Pavilion, even slipping a purse into his hand. "Please apologize to the Crown Prince on behalf of Zhou Man. It’s really a sin to disturb the Crown Prince."

Eunuch Wu accepted the purse with a smile.

Only when Wu had vanished into the distance did Yin Huo, who was on duty with Bai Shan today, curiously approach and ask, "Was Manbao here just now? I didn’t see her."

Bai Shan exhaled and said, "She wasn’t here."

Yin Huo: "Then how did you know why she was late?"

"I didn’t know, I guessed," Bai Shan said. "Anyway, regardless of the reason, mentioning the Crown Princess is never wrong."

She must have stayed too long at Daming Palace, and that’s why she’s late. Otherwise, if she had returned to Chongwen Pavilion, she wouldn’t have missed this place and wouldn’t have forgotten about the salary.

Bai Shan furrowed his brows, deciding to remind her to be more careful in the future. No matter how urgent, she shouldn’t run.

Manbao, holding Libationer Kong’s note, left the palace and headed straight to the Department of State Affairs.

The Ministry of Revenue was in the left courtyard of the Department of State Affairs, and by the time Manbao arrived, most officials had left, with only a few staying to work overtime, voluntarily or involuntarily.

Manbao found the Ministry of Revenue, and the clerk who had been waiting for her immediately got up when he saw her. Oh heavens, he almost left thinking she wasn’t coming. What about the agreed time of shenshi?

It was already past youshi now.