Mr. Zhuang had clearly conducted a thorough study of the Imperial Hospital's past, speaking with precision and clarity. Not only were Bai Shan and the three youngsters captivated, but even Xiang Mingxue listened in a daze.
In the previous dynasty, the Imperial Medical Bureau educated students on managing public ailments. Moreover, the Imperial Secretariat had a Pharmaceutical Bureau responsible for purchasing and storing medicinal ingredients, which would be distributed to the populace in case of pandemics or epidemics.
Mr. Zhuang said, "I consulted Mr. Jiang. Although the Imperial Medical Bureau is still nominally under the Imperial Ministry of Rites, it is no longer managed by them. It now functions independently, currently overseen by Director Xiao."
