The First Uncle of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 13 Unparalleled Achievement
Ma Xiuying was certainly aware of her own physical condition.

It’s just that she was young before and thought that small things could be overcome by just resisting them, and she was not that delicate.

As the man beside him, Zhu Yuanzhang could understand Ma Xiuying's expression. Moreover, he also knew that his sister would be a little depressed sooner or later.

The confused Zhu Biao was called to the Qianqing Palace, along with several old men with white hair and goatees.

Zhu Biao nervously watched the imperial physician taking Ma Xiuying's pulse, and then he himself was even more confused as several imperial physicians took turns taking his pulse.

After a careful discussion, several old men said, "Your Majesty, the pulses of Her Majesty the Queen and His Majesty the Crown Prince are normal and they are not ill."

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression became even uglier, and he asked sternly, "Have you diagnosed it clearly?"

The imperial physician was even more terrified. "Your Majesty, our medical skills are limited. We did not find any problems with the pulse of Her Majesty the Queen or the Crown Prince."

Ma Xiuying was not too happy either. "I feel chest tightness and shortness of breath morning and night. The prince also has severe panting occasionally, especially since the beginning of spring. Doctor, is this really nothing?"

Several imperial doctors were even more frightened, and immediately felt that something was wrong. They actually knew whether the queen and the prince had some minor problems.

But it is a good thing to see the problem when treating the queen and the prince, but there is a prerequisite that it can be cured. If it cannot be cured, and the problem is found, it is also a matter of life and death.

Ma Xun, who was standing aside, spoke up, "The Queen and the Crown Prince are suffering from respiratory diseases, but they are not too serious and are not life-threatening, right?"

The imperial doctors knelt down and kowtowed loudly, but this attitude seemed to prove something.

Zhu Biao's face also turned ugly. "Respiratory disease? But is it the respiratory disease that Empress Changsun suffered from?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's face turned pale, he clenched his fists, and the veins on the back of his hands were bulging.

Empress Wende, a virtuous empress who was famous throughout the ages, died of respiratory disease at the age of 36. She and Emperor Taizong of Tang had been married since they were young and supported each other for 23 years.

This inevitably made Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao nervous, because Ma Xiuying was thirty-six years old this year!

Ma Xiuying stood up with a smile and said, "Zhongba, Biaoer, you don't need to ask anymore. I also know that qi disease cannot be cured."

Then Ma Xiuying waved her hand and said, "You guys can leave."

If the imperial doctors were pardoned, they would feel that they could be beheaded at any time if they continued to stay here. Either the emperor would order their beheading, or the prince would order their property to be confiscated.

Ma Xiuying held Zhu Biao's hand and cried with guilt, "Biao'er, I am sorry for you. I let you come out with this disease."

Zhu Biao also understood. Although he was panicking, he subconsciously comforted her, "Mom, you gave me my life, and you also gave me my wealth today. Mom, let's find a way, we can always cure it."

Zhu Yuanzhang also started to cry. His beloved wife and son had this "incurable disease", and he must have been devastated.

Suddenly Zhu Yuanzhang looked aside and said, "Speak!"

Zhu Biao subconsciously defended him, "Dad, what does this have to do with uncle? Dad, you must not vent your anger on uncle!"

Ma Xun spoke earnestly, emphasizing again, "Brother-in-law, sister, you are too concerned. Qi disease cannot be cured, and I don't have the ability to do that. Just be careful, it won't be a big problem. I can't say that you can live to be a hundred, but at least fifty or sixty, right?"

Zhu Yuanzhang denied it outright, "Fifty or sixty is not enough, your sister must live a hundred years!"

"Zhongba!" Ma Xiuying immediately reminded him, "Do you still want me to say something?"

Ma Xun quickly said, "If it can be prevented, you don't have to worry about your life in the future, and your life span won't be greatly affected. This is all I can do."

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately said, "Your sister's life span is not enough, I will take it from you!"

Ma Xun was stunned, and Ma Xiuying was anxious, "Zhu Chongba, what do you mean? I have good intentions, but you still want to kill him?"

"I just said it in anger, I just said it in a hurry." Zhu Yuanzhang hurriedly comforted and flattered, "Sister, you are my brother, how can you vent your anger on him." Zhu Biao said disapprovingly, "Dad, you are the emperor. Your angry words might really cost my uncle's life. Even if it is a word of anger, you shouldn't say it!"

Ma Xun, who was standing aside, couldn't help but sigh. If the Hongwu Emperor got angry, only Empress Ma and the Crown Prince could control him a little.

Ma Xun did not keep the topic in suspense and immediately said, "This qi disease is not necessarily fatal. Just control it and don't make it worse. I have some tips. Just pay attention to it in your daily life."

Ma Xun continued to talk nonstop, "Don't be too sad or happy, don't run around too much, keep the house clean and avoid dampness, and also don't smell pollen. My sister and the prince are not seriously ill, there's nothing serious."

Zhu Yuanzhang listened carefully, and the next moment he shouted, "Come here, cut down all the plum trees in front of the East Palace immediately! No flowers are allowed to be planted in the back garden!"

While Ma Xiuying scolded Zhu Yuanzhang for making a fuss out of nothing, she asked her trusted female official to go to the East Palace immediately.

There is a patch of plum trees planted in front of the Chunhe Palace in the Eastern Palace. It is also the largest forest and flower forest in the entire imperial palace, even larger than the back garden.

Listening to Ma Xun earnestly explaining the 'medical instructions' and precautions, Ma Xiuying suddenly burst into tears.

Zhu Yuanzhang was very anxious. "Sister, let's listen to me. I have a way!"

"When I was little, I remember that my father sometimes panted badly. I was already over ten years old at that time, but I didn't know what was good or bad." Holding Ma Xun's hand, Ma Xiuying felt even more guilty. "My younger brother has taken care of my father for all these years. How old was he then?"

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao also realized that Ma Xun knew so much about these things, it must be because Ma Taigong was seriously ill at that time.

Even if there had always been such a patient in the family and he had gained some experience as a doctor through long-term treatment of illnesses, at that time Ma could not find a ten-year-old child. How difficult and filial this must have been!
Ma Xun looked strange. Could it be that his sister was in menopause?

Ma Xun said quickly, "It's okay, as long as you are sick, you will become a doctor. I dare not say anything else, but my sister and the prince's qi disease is not serious now. If we pay attention to it every day and don't let it get worse, we will definitely live a long life!"

Old Zhu nodded in satisfaction and patted Ma Xun's shoulder happily, "It was right for me to come back, otherwise your sister and I would not know about this! You have done me a great favor!"

"What are our family members saying?" Ma Xun said quickly, "My sister and brother-in-law are so kind to me, and the prince doesn't mind my vulgarity and treats me kindly. How can I not care about this?"

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and nodded, then said, "I won't give you the title of king. The title of King Xu is too important, and it's not good for the Ming Dynasty to have a king of a different surname. I'll make you Duke of Xu and General Guardian of the Nation, and the title will be hereditary. What do you think?"

Ma Xun was stunned for a moment and quickly declined, "Your Majesty, this is too heavy. I have no merit, so I dare not accept it."

Ma Xiuying was originally not in a hurry to confer a title on Ma Xun, as she felt that he should find some opportunities for him to make meritorious contributions, but now her opinion has changed.

"How come you have no merit? You saved Biao'er and the Emperor of Ming Dynasty. Being a Duke is a minor honor!"

Ma Xun quickly said, "I am doing this for my sister and the prince. Why are you saying this to your family?"

Zhu Chongba stared at me, unhappy. "You know we are family, but you refuse to give me a reward. When did you treat us as family? You are the younger one who has to protect your sister and nephew. When I, your brother-in-law, give you some benefits, you think we are not family members?"

Zhu Biao also nodded and advised, "Uncle, mother is the queen, I am the crown prince, uncle has made an unparalleled contribution! Besides, grandpa is the Prince of Xu, it would be unfair to you if I don't let you inherit the title. The position of Duke should be yours, and you should be the head of all the Dukes!"

Ma Xiuying also nodded repeatedly. It was understandable that her younger brother did not want to be a prince. But saving the prince and the Ming Dynasty was an unprecedented achievement!
Ma Xun was flattered by this family of three and almost lost his way. He even felt a little inflated. Have I really achieved something unprecedented?
When Ma Xun left the Qianqing Palace, Ma Xiuying immediately said to Zhu Biao, "When you become emperor in the future, you must be nice to your uncle!"

"Mother, what are you talking about!" Zhu Biao said unhappily, "I don't know how my uncle treats me?"

Ma Xiuying's advantage of being well-read in poetry and history came into play. "Emperor Wu of Han treated his uncle Tian Fen harshly, and Emperor Gaozong of Tang exiled his uncle Zhangsun Wuji. Is that true or not?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded beside him.

Zhu Biao explained with a smile, "Mother, Tian Fen brought this upon himself. My uncle is not such a domineering person who doesn't know when to advance or retreat. Although Zhangsun Wuji has made great contributions, he also made big mistakes in his later years. My uncle won't do that!"

Zhu Yuanzhang thought, "I still have to be on guard. I'll give your uncle a golden book and iron certificate, so he can be spared from death when the time comes!"

(End of this chapter)