Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 452 The method to bring Old Zhu back to the light of day, a hidden worry!

Upon hearing this, Yang Shiqi's lips moved as if he wanted to persuade him further, but in the end he chose to remain silent and lower his head.

“There is a way to deal with this matter.” Yao Guangxiao stroked his long beard, pondered for a moment, and then said, “If Your Majesty insists on doing so, we might as well make arrangements quietly to bring the Taizu Emperor out of the palace and let him live in seclusion among the common people.”

"If the Emperor Taizu wishes to travel anywhere, whether to go to Shanghai as before or to live elsewhere, it is entirely up to him. Even if there are some rumors, they are not a cause for concern."

"Since Emperor Taizu was able to live in seclusion in the inner palace for many years, change his whereabouts, and hide in other places, it is probably not much different."

Zhu Yunwen lowered his head in deep thought, his fingertips lightly tapping the dragon desk, as if weighing the pros and cons.

"If there is really no other way, it is not unreasonable to leave it at that for now."

"My grandfather has been confined within the palace walls for a long time. Being able to step outside, appreciate the beauty of the mountains and rivers, and observe the various aspects of life among the people may make him feel more relaxed and is also beneficial to his health."

Zhu Yunwen's tone shifted, tinged with hope: "However, I still hope to find a proper plan to announce to the world that my grandfather has been 'brought back to life,' so that he can walk in the world with dignity without having to conceal his identity, and once again bask in the light of the sun and moon, enjoying the honor he deserves."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.

After a long silence, Yang Rong finally spoke, his voice low and cautious: "The founding emperor could not possibly have 'come back to life,' otherwise, how could the court explain itself to the people? Unless..."

He stopped abruptly at this point.

Zhu Yunwen's heart tightened, and he pressed on urgently, "Unless what? Minister Yang, please speak frankly!"

Yang Rong shook his head slightly and sighed, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was just a momentary whim of mine, a mere pipe dream, not worth mentioning."

"You are usually so composed, why are you hesitant today?" Zhu Yunwen frowned slightly, his tone tinged with displeasure: "I order you to speak frankly, do not test my patience!"

A helpless, bitter smile appeared on Yang Rong's face as he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, please allow me to report."

"I am merely recalling that since Your Majesty advocated the way of science, numerous unprecedented inventions have emerged one after another, which are truly astonishing."

"Even in the field of medicine, the progress has been extremely remarkable."

"Many stubborn diseases that were once incurable can now be cured with effective methods."

"I have heard that physicians at the Medical College of the Capital University have proposed a theory of 'blood circulation,' which is quite novel."

"They are also trying to inject the medicine directly into the monkeys' bodies using a special syringe, without the monkeys having to take it orally."

"It is said that if this method is feasible, even if the patient is unable to swallow the medicine, he/she can still be saved through this method."

"I have also heard that His Majesty personally told them about this method and ordered the medical academy to try it boldly."

"Therefore, I speculate that if the medical skills of medical schools become increasingly sophisticated, they might be able to develop some kind of miraculous medicine that can cure people's chronic illnesses, and even..."

His voice lowered, and he shook his head with a hint of self-mockery: "Alas, I am truly a fool in the night."

"Since ancient times, medicine has been unable to cure fate, and Buddhism only helps those with affinity. How could there truly be a way to bring the dead back to life?"

After hearing his words, a glint suddenly flashed in Zhu Yunwen's eyes, and his expression became excited. He hurriedly asked, "Has the injection of the medicine into the monkeys at the medical school been effective?"

His tone revealed an undisguised expectation, as if he had grasped some faint hope.

In fact, this method was originally proposed by Zhu Yunwen.

After all, injections and IV drips are the most common treatments in later generations. He knew this development path, so of course he would tell the doctor.

However, Zhu Yuntong only put forward a suggestion for the medical school to refer to at the time, and did not pursue it further.

Hearing Yang Rong mention it now, he suddenly remembered the matter, and a surge of excitement rose in his heart.

Yang Rong was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting His Majesty to attach such importance to it, and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, I have read several volumes of medical journals in my spare time."

"According to the contents, the medical school injected the medicine into the monkeys and it had a miraculous effect. Some of the monkeys were cured of their illnesses, which can be called a miracle."

"However, many monkeys also died as a result, failing to survive the experiment."

"As for the reasons for success or failure, the doctors at the medical school are still investigating and have not yet reached a conclusion."

Yang Rong's tone was tinged with a hint of regret as he spoke.

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly, his gaze calm yet revealing a hint of deep thought.

Such progress is to be expected.

Throughout history, humanity has spent hundreds of years exploring the art of needle injection for healing, overcoming numerous obstacles before finally reaching maturity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In the past, a great deal of time was wasted by blindly groping around.

Now, with his guidance, the medical school can avoid many detours, and the academic hall built with the support of the whole country will greatly accelerate this process.

However, even so, it is still wishful thinking to expect to achieve perfection in a short period of time.

Moreover, no suitable injectable medication has been developed yet. Apart from decoctions, perhaps only clean saline solution is usable.

Upon closer examination, the rapid advancements in modern medicine ultimately stem from innovations in three areas.

One is the in-depth study of human anatomy.

Traditional medicine often overlooked this aspect, while coroners, who performed autopsies, had a thorough understanding of human anatomy and were highly skilled.

Unfortunately, there is an insurmountable professional barrier between coroners and doctors, making it difficult for them to communicate.

It wasn't until the concept of "science" was integrated into medicine that this old paradigm was broken.

A new generation of physicians began to systematically study anatomy, gaining insight into the mysteries of the human body, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun.

Secondly, it lies in the subdivision of medical subjects.

In fact, traditional medicine had already shown signs of specialization, with quack doctors specializing in treating injuries, gynecological diseases, and stubborn headaches, each with their own expertise.

However, overall, medical specialties remain fragmented, disorganized, and lack a systematic approach.

The essence of "science" is to learn by dividing subjects.

Science emphasizes meticulous analysis and specialization.

Therefore, the division of medicine in the new era is far more refined and clearer than in the old era, like rivers branching out and flowing in their own streams.

Because of their specialization and meticulousness, they have also promoted the progress of medicine.

Thirdly, there is the rapid development of drug identification and new drug research and development.

The efficacy of old drugs was re-examined, and the creation of new drugs sprang up like mushrooms after rain, opening up a whole new world for medicine.

Zhu Yunwen thought to himself that even if the only method available now was to inject saline solution into the human body, it would still be enough to inspire people. If this method worked, the miracle of the Taizu Emperor's "resurrection" could be cloaked in "science" and "reason," making it convincing and preventing unrest in the court and among the people.

Upon realizing this, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he immediately issued a solemn order: "Immediately issue an edict in the name of the State Affairs Office to the Imperial University of Peking, ordering the Dean of the Medical School and all the medical officers in charge of the syringe injection experiments to come to the palace for an audience. I have important matters to discuss with you, and there is no time to lose!"

Zhu Yunwen had already quietly begun to devise a plan.

If all goes well, we can take advantage of Zheng He's triumphant return to the capital to announce to the whole world the earth the earth-shaking news that the founding emperor has "rejuvenated his nation."

Yang Rong was slightly taken aback, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, not understanding why His Majesty had urgently summoned everyone from the Medical Academy.

He didn't say much, but simply bowed respectfully and replied, "Your subject obeys."

As a subject, his caution and loyalty remained unchanged, and he never hesitated due to doubt.

Zhu Yunwen did not hide anything. He glanced at the three people in the hall and slowly revealed his plans.

In truth, his plan was not complicated.

In this era, no matter what kind of illness afflicts a patient, all a doctor can rely on is herbal medicine for treatment.

The patient must swallow it orally for it to be effective.

In other words, if someone is bedridden for a long time and cannot even swallow medicine, the doctor is helpless and can only watch as the person's condition worsens until they are exhausted and die.

In this era, there is no such thing as a "vegetative state patient".

Because once anyone falls into a coma, they will be unable to eat or drink, and medicine will be ineffective. Within a few days, they will die of hunger and thirst.

However, if the medicine can be injected into the body with a syringe, everything is completely different!

Even if a patient is bedridden, in a deep trance, and unable to eat or drink, doctors can still deliver nutrients through intravenous infusion to maintain their faint light of life, like a flickering lamp in the dark night, prolonging their life, thus becoming what later generations called a "vegetative state patient".

Sometimes, people in a vegetative state can suddenly regain consciousness.

Zhu Yunwen's plan was based on this.

He planned to announce that the Taizu Emperor had not actually passed away, but had been in a coma, unable to swallow medicine or eat, and was therefore forced to announce his "death".

However, as an emperor, his filial piety burned like a blazing fire. Even though he was forced by the times to announce the bad news in accordance with etiquette on the surface, he was determined in secret. He ordered the medical school to use the newly created needle injection technique to continuously deliver medicine and nutrients to the emperor to keep him alive. He did not even arrange the "body" to be put into burial, because he could not accept the fact that the emperor had "passed away" and firmly believed that the power of science could reverse fate.

Unexpectedly, his filial piety truly moved Heaven, causing Heaven to take pity on him!
After two years, Emperor Taizu miraculously awoke and returned to the world!

As Zhu Yunwen spoke, a burning light ignited in his eyes, as if endless hope was surging in his chest: "If this plan succeeds, it will not only explain to the world the reason why Emperor Taizu was 'resurrected,' but also demonstrate my filial piety."

"It can also demonstrate the wonders of the science and medicine of our Great Ming Dynasty to all countries, making the people of our Great Ming Dynasty more supportive of the new medicine."

"It will also allow the prestige of the founding emperor to be restored throughout the world!"

"A triple win!"

The essence of this plan lies in the fact that the path of science was pioneered by Zhu Yunwen, and the medical skills of the medical school were indeed rising like the sun, unstoppable.

Although the method of injecting medicine with a syringe is still in its infancy and far from mature, remaining only in the experimental stage, it is still something to be proud of.

Furthermore, because this technique is too sophisticated and expensive, it is difficult to benefit the common people for the time being.

As for when it will be available to the general public, there is no certainty.

After all, medicines that can be directly injected into the human body are extremely rare and priceless, and only the royal family has the financial resources to afford them.

In this way, the miracle of Emperor Taizu's "return to the human world" is given a reasonable and justifiable explanation. Not only is it impeccable, but it also provides an opportunity to promote the wonders of new medicine to the people of the world, so that they will be subtly and willingly accept it as a blessing from His Majesty the Emperor.

After Zhu Yunwen finished speaking, the three people in the hall were all dumbfounded, seemingly stunned by his bold and meticulous idea.

Yao Guangxiao was the first to regain his senses, stroking his beard and sighing deeply, his voice filled with astonishment and disbelief: "Does such a divine skill truly exist in this world? To be able to bring someone back from the underworld is truly unbelievable and inconceivable!"

The old monk was a learned man, but he had never heard of a person who had been in a coma for years and had not eaten, yet was able to receive intravenous fluids directly into their body through a syringe to replenish nutrients and sustain life.

Don't even think about it.

But as Zhu Yunwen was about to speak, he immediately realized that His Majesty the Emperor had the medical school conduct such an experiment perhaps because he believed the method was feasible.

Just as His Majesty the Emperor had previously commissioned the Academy of Sciences to develop the steam engine.

Such ingenious ideas could probably only be conceived by His Majesty the Emperor.

Yang Rong also sighed and cupped his hands, saying, "Regardless of whether medical skills can reach this level, I'm afraid only Your Majesty could come up with such a brilliant plan."

His tone conveyed genuine admiration, yet a hint of complexity flickered between his brows, as if he were weighing the far-reaching implications of this plan.

Yang Shiqi pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Your Majesty's plan is flawless."

A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he said in a slightly different tone, "As for the huge expenses incurred in treating the founding emperor, they can all be claimed to have been diverted from the funds for building the palace."

"His Majesty's reason for investing so much in building palaces is out of filial piety. He intends to use this as a cover to secretly spend huge sums of money to develop elixirs for the founding emperor."

"People only see the magnificent palace, but they don't know that it cost only a drop in the ocean. All the real gold and silver was used to prolong the life of the founding emperor!"

As Yang Shiqi spoke, his tone became increasingly resolute.

Zhu Yunwen was slightly taken aback.

The extravagant construction of palaces has drawn much criticism both within and outside the court.

Although he didn't care much, why not do it if it could quell the "criticism"?

If it was for the sake of "filial piety" and to save the founding emperor, then no one in the world could speak ill of him anymore.

but……

Zhu Yunwen hesitated for a moment, then frowned and said, "This plan is ingenious, but if the Emperor knew that I was spending such a huge sum of money on his medical treatment, I wonder what he would think? I'm afraid it would be disrespectful of me."

Yang Shiqi shook his head, his gaze gentle yet firm, and said loudly, “Why does Your Majesty say such a thing? The founding emperor was benevolent and loved his grandson, and had the world in his heart. As long as this move is beneficial to Your Majesty’s consolidation of the throne and to the eternal stability of the Ming Dynasty, he will surely agree gladly and be willing to take this ‘good name’ upon himself to fulfill Your Majesty’s will!”

Yang Rong and Yao Guangxiao nodded in agreement, adding, "What you say is absolutely right! If the Taizu Emperor knew of this, he would surely be pleased by Your Majesty's filial piety and profound wisdom!"

Zhu Yunwen fell into deep thought, and after a long while said, "Let me think about this matter carefully before making a decision. There is no need to rush. Let's find out the progress of the medical school first before we can make a decision."

Yang Rong, Yao Guangxiao, and Yang Shiqi exchanged glances and decided not to pursue the matter further.

Yang Shiqi hesitated for a moment, then added, "If Your Majesty insists on bringing the founding emperor back to life, I have another concern!"

……

(End of this chapter)