Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 421 Remind me to go to Chengxiang Palace tonight.
Shang Pharmacy, consultation room.

Fei Shisan was dozing off at the table when a low shout came from beside him.

"Imperial Physician Fei? Imperial Physician Fei?"

Fei Shisan rubbed his eyes and sat up straight. It turned out that a clerk was calling him.

"what's up?"

The clerk said, "A steward from the Imperial Kitchen has come with more than a dozen chickens, saying that it is your order to have you come over."

Fei Shisan perked up and said excitedly, "That's right, it was my order. Come on, take me to see it quickly."

In a small courtyard outside the Imperial Pharmacy, five palace servants stood. Four of them carried a cage, and each cage contained two chickens, all of them black-boned chickens.

When the head palace servant saw Fei Shisan approaching, he said, "Imperial Physician Fei, these are the black-boned chickens you requested, sixteen in total. Please take a look."

Fei Shisan swallowed hard and laughed, "That's right, sixteen chickens. These chickens will be enough for my master to study for a while. Come with me."

To the northwest of the Imperial Pharmacy, there are two rows of fine houses, which are all the accommodations for the imperial physicians.

Fei Shisan led the palace servants to his room, asked them to leave the chickens behind, and then sent them away.

After they left, Fei Shisan chuckled, boiled water, took a black-boned chicken, killed it, wrapped it in a lotus leaf, smeared it with mud, buried it in the backyard, then piled up stones and built a fire on top.

The fire burned for more than an hour, then the soil was broken open, and a "cooked black chicken" was ready.

This type of roasted chicken is an improvement on "roasted pork," one of the "Eight Delicacies" of the Zhou Dynasty, and is also known as beggar's chicken in the Jiangnan region.

Break open the soil, remove the chicken feathers along with the soil, open the lotus leaf, and instantly, the aroma of meat fills the air. Take a bite, and the meat is tender and juicy, leaving a lingering fragrance in your mouth.

Fei Shisan loved chicken the most, and this black-boned chicken was the best of the best. He immediately devoured it, almost eating his tongue in the process.

Just as he was enjoying his meal, a hand patted him on the back.

"Oh, so you're hiding here stealing chickens again!"

Fei Shisan was taken aback and turned around to see that it was his senior brother Meng Shiyi.

"Senior brother, you scared me to death! Who stole the chicken? It was sent over by the Imperial Kitchen."

Meng Shiyi snorted, "Do you think I don't know? You're using my master's name to claim that you can find a cure for His Majesty's headache by studying this black-boned chicken. You've got some nerve!"

Fei Shisan quickly handed over a chicken leg, smiling obsequiously, "Senior brother, I'll give you eight chickens, please don't tell Master, okay?"

Meng Shiyi said, "I will not go along with you. But don't worry, I won't tell Master."

Fei Shisan was overjoyed: "Thank you, Senior Brother."

Meng Shiyi said, "No need to thank me, anyway, this is the last time you'll trick someone into giving you chicken."

Fei Shisan asked in surprise, "The last time? Why?"

"Because Master is leaving Chang'an."

"How did you know?" Fei Shisan was even more surprised.

Meng Shiyi said, "Last month, my eldest brother sent a letter saying that a strange disease had appeared in the Hedong region, and my eldest brother was also helpless. After receiving the letter, Master has been frequently going to examine His Majesty's pulse. Why is that?"

Fei Shisan said in a daze, "Master wants to confirm that His Majesty's headache has stabilized before he can leave with peace of mind."

"good."

"But Master is currently holding the position of Imperial Physician. Will His Majesty allow Master to leave?"

Meng Shiyi said, "His Majesty has always been very respectful to my master, so he should agree. Sigh, actually I also want to leave the palace."

Fei Shisan asked in surprise, "Why?"

Meng Shiyi sat down on a rock and said, "I just went to give Consort Zheng her routine check-up and found some strange knife wounds on her wrists."

Fei Shisan asked, "What strange knife wound?"

Meng Shiyi waved to him, and when he came closer, she whispered, "I suspect she did it herself."

Fei Shisan's expression changed, and he said, "Self-harm?"

Meng Shiyi sighed and said, "You've seen Consort Zheng's beauty. Such a stunning woman, yet she harmed herself. Why do you think that is?"

Fei Shisan's expression changed, and he said, "Senior brother, that's a saint's woman! Don't do anything foolish!"

Meng Shiyi said irritably, "I just think it's a pity. Only a place like the imperial palace would have such a thing happen."

Fei Shiyi snorted, "That's not necessarily true. Such things are common in the homes of powerful and wealthy families in Chang'an. The Emperor only has six concubines, but some officials have more than a dozen!"

Meng Shiyi paused for a moment, then sighed, "Yes, although we can cure people's illnesses, we cannot cure the greed in people's hearts."

Fei Shisan laughed and said, "Don't be so sentimental. Here, have a chicken, and you'll feel better!"

……

When Wang Fusheng returned to Ganlu Palace, Li Zhi was receiving his routine medical consultation from Sun Simiao.

After examining His Majesty, Sun Simiao stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "His Majesty's headache is becoming more and more stable. As long as there are no unexpected events, it should not recur in the future."

Li Zhi said with delight, "This is all thanks to Lord Sun. Lord Sun has worked hard all these years."

Sun Simiao stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister has a request."

Li Zhi said, "Please speak."

Sun Simiao said, "Now that Your Majesty is well, this old minister hopes to leave Chang'an, travel to mountains and rivers, continue to study medicine, and compile medical books."

Li Zhi sighed, "I know that keeping you in the palace is not your wish. I can grant that wish, but I also hope that you will grant me one thing."

Sun Simiao hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, please give your orders."

Li Zhi said, "I wish to retain your salary and title, and I hope you will not refuse."

Sun Simiao smiled slightly and said, "This old minister thanks Your Majesty for your grace."

Emperor Gaozong personally escorted Sun Simiao out of the palace gate.

He was actually very reluctant to part with this sage who had cured his headache.

However, he also understood that keeping such an extraordinary person as Sun Simiao, who was determined to study medicine and benefit future generations, confined to Chang'an was a loss for the Tang Dynasty and even for later generations.

Back on his couch, Li Zhi still seemed somewhat lost and said, "Fu Sheng, play a game of chess with me."

Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi) has recently stopped playing chess with his ministers, and the only opponents he can find are the palace eunuchs and concubines.

Wang Fusheng's chess skills were far inferior to Li Zhi's, so Li Zhi played very relaxed, chatting casually while playing chess with him.

Before they knew it, Wang Fusheng had steered the conversation to Laizhou, and Li Zhi asked, "Zhong'er is in Laizhou. Is there any news of him lately?"

Wang Fusheng said, "Your Majesty, Prince Chen is renowned for his good governance. Not only are the people of Laizhou praising him, but even the settlers from Baekje and Tamna are very satisfied with their new lives."

Li Zhi laughed and said, "Fu Sheng, you wouldn't be saying nice things to please me, would you?"

Wang Fusheng said, "If Your Majesty does not believe me, you can send an official to Henan to investigate."

Li Zhi nodded and said with emotion, "It seems that elevating his mother to the rank of concubine was the right choice."

Thinking of this, he suddenly said, "Fusheng, how long has it been since I last visited Chengxiang Palace?"

Wang Fusheng said softly, "It's been almost a month."

Li Zhi nodded and said, "I'm going to Chengxiang Palace tonight. Remember to remind me."

Wang Fusheng agreed.

After Shenshi (3-5 PM), Li Zhi forgot about the matter.

Wu Zetian ordered someone to send over a calligraphy scroll that Princess Taiping had just written that day. After reading it, Li Zhi was overjoyed and strode towards the Lizheng Hall.

Wang Fusheng had no choice but to remind him, "Your Majesty, you said you were going to Chengxiang Palace tonight."

Li Zhi slapped his forehead and said, "I almost forgot. Alright, let's go to Chengxiang Palace."

Night fell quickly. After Li Zhi and Consort Liu retired for the night, Wang Fusheng left the main hall and went to a room in the side hall. On the table inside, Jiannan Shaochun liquor, along with bear paws, mutton tongues, and other appetizers were laid out.

Whenever Li Zhi stayed at Chengxiang Palace, Yuzhu would set out wine and dishes in Wang Fusheng's room.

Wang Fusheng usually only drinks a couple of cups, but today he was in a bad mood, so he drank a few more.

When Yuzhu brought in the tea, she saw that Wang Fusheng was already somewhat drunk.

Yuzhu stared at Wang Fusheng in surprise. In her memory, Wang Fusheng had always been extremely self-disciplined, and this was the first time she had ever seen him drunk.

"Eunuch, what's wrong with you today?"

Wang Fusheng glanced at her, waved, and said with a smile, "Yuzhu is here. Come and have a drink with me."

Yu Zhu sat down next to Wang Fusheng, intending to serve him a cup of tea to help him sober up, but Wang Fusheng pushed the tea away and said with a smile, "I don't want tea today, I only want to drink alcohol."

Yuzhu had no choice but to drink with him.

Before long, Wang Fusheng's face turned completely red, and he said drunkenly, "Yuzhu, don't you think I'm pathetic?"

Yuzhu was taken aback and asked, "Why do you say that, eunuch?"

Wang Fusheng looked up at the ceiling and said, "Before, I thought that as long as a person worked hard, they could fight against the injustices of heaven. But now I understand that many things can never be changed! Haha!" His laughter was filled with desolation.

Yuzhu said softly, "What's bothering you, monk? Can you tell me?"

Wang Fusheng glanced at her and said slowly, "You know, I entered the palace at a very young age and became a eunuch. I am no longer a real man."

"At that time, I gritted my teeth and told myself that a person can be physically disabled, but not mentally disabled. With my own efforts, I can overcome my physical disability and become a true athlete!"

"In Yuzhu's heart, the eunuch is a great hero!"

Wang Fusheng shook his head and sneered, "No, I am not. No matter how hard I try, in His Majesty's eyes, I will always be a eunuch!"

Yu Zhu hurriedly replied, "Why do you say that, eunuch? His Majesty trusts you greatly!"

Wang Fusheng said, "That's right, His Majesty does trust me a lot. In this palace, I'm probably the one His Majesty trusts the most. But so what? His Majesty still won't entrust me with important responsibilities."

Yu Zhu hurriedly said, "That's not how it is. Didn't His Majesty appoint you as the Director of the Imperial Household Department? Even Her Majesty the Empress treats you with great respect!"

Wang Fusheng drank another glass of wine and said, "You don't understand. When I said entrusting someone with an important task, I didn't mean this."

"what is that?"

Wang Fusheng seemed completely drunk, slumped on the table, and laughed, "Do you know about the Sigongtai and the Neilingfu?"

Raindrop said, "I know, isn't the Sigongtai under your control?"

Wang Fusheng laughed and said, "That's right, I'm in charge. Precisely because I'm in charge, His Majesty has always placed restrictions on the Sigongtai."

“Wang Jishan was just a Lieutenant General before, but now that he is in charge of the Inner Guard, he has won the Emperor’s trust. The Inner Guard and the Palace Guard are the same institutions with the same functions, but they can participate in major battles. The Emperor even created a special position for Changsun Wuji.”

"Why does His Majesty value Wang Jishan so highly? Is it because His Majesty trusts him? No, it's because he is a man, and I am a eunuch. His Majesty is wary of me, afraid that eunuchs will interfere in politics, afraid that I will bring disaster to the court. Haha, in the end, all my efforts in this life have been nothing but a joke!"

Yu Zhu was horrified. If Wang Jishan's words were overheard and told to the emperor, the consequences would be unimaginable.

She hurried to the door, pushed it open, looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, then closed the doors and windows, went to Wang Fusheng's side, and poured a cup of tea into his wine glass.

"Eunuch, have another drink."

Wang Fusheng, unsuspecting, drank the tea as if it were wine, his mouth still moving, saying, "Actually, it's not Your Majesty's fault. I know that throughout history, many eunuchs have interfered in politics, bringing disaster to the country and its people."

"The most hateful ones are the Ten Attendants of the Han Dynasty. These dogs and rats only cared about their momentary power, ruining themselves and leaving a bad name in history, making it impossible for us eunuchs to ever rise again..."

"Eunuch, have another cup."

Raindrop poured him another cup of tea. After Wang Fusheng finished drinking it, he stopped talking and muttered something under his breath.

Yuzhu helped him to bed, took off his socks and shoes, covered him with a silk quilt, and looked at Wang Fusheng who had fallen into a deep sleep. She sighed and said, "Eunuch, our lady said that people should learn to appreciate what they have and not always chase after what they cannot have. I hope you can come to this realization soon."

After saying that, he tidied up the house and went out.

The next day, at 3:45 AM, before dawn, Wang Fusheng woke up with a start. As soon as he sat up, he felt dizzy.

He rubbed his head hard, feeling like his brain was blank. He couldn't remember anything that happened last night, only vaguely recalling that the raindrops seemed to have been there.

He changed his clothes, got up, and left the house.

Before dawn, the entire Chengxiang Palace was still shrouded in darkness, but many early-rising eunuchs and palace servants were already busy in the courtyard.

Wang Fusheng grabbed a palace attendant and asked, "Where is the Rain Chamber?"

The eunuch bowed and said, "Reporting to the Grand Eunuch, the Rain Master is preparing tea in the West Second Hall."

After getting up, the emperor's concubines would drink a mouthwash tea to cleanse their mouths. This mouthwash tea was more complicated than ordinary tea, as it contained various kinds of medicinal powders.

Yuzhu's official position was the Director of the Imperial Palace, responsible for the emperor's concubines' washing and dressing after they got up.

Therefore, she personally prepared the tea water for rinsing in Chengxiang Hall.

When Wang Fusheng arrived at the West Second Hall, he saw Yuzhu holding a delicate little scale, weighing several kinds of medicinal powders and pouring them into a row of prepared tea.

"Eunuch, you're up." Yuzhu greeted him with a smile when she saw him.

Wang Fusheng said, "Yuzhu, come out here for a moment, I have something to ask you."

Yu Zhu handed the small scale to a palace servant and followed Wang Fusheng out of the palace, arriving near a deserted artificial hill.

"Raindrop, did you come looking for me last night?" he asked.

Raindrop smiled and said, "I brought you tea before, have you forgotten?"

Wang Fusheng frowned and said, "Then what happened next? I can't remember what happened last night."

Raindrop laughed and said, "You're drunk, of course you can't remember."

Wang Fusheng was startled and suddenly remembered that he had drunk a few extra cups because he was depressed about the Sigongtai incident.

"Did I say anything while I was drunk?" Wang Fusheng asked anxiously.

Yuzhu said, "No, you didn't say anything. You were just focused on drinking and got drunk in no time."

Wang Fusheng stared at her for a while, then said softly, "Is that so? Then you go ahead with your work."

Not long after, Li Zhi got up and was having breakfast in Chengxiang Hall when a eunuch came to Wang Fusheng's side and whispered, "Grand Eunuch, the Prince of Wu requests to enter the palace to pay his respects to Consort Liu."

Wang Fusheng nodded, went to Li Zhi's side, and told him about the King of Wu's request to enter the palace.

After listening, Li Zhi asked in surprise, "Chong'ai, does the Prince of Wu often come to the palace to pay his respects to you?"

Liu Chong'ai smiled and said, "That child is very filial. He is close to Zhong'er, so he often comes to the palace to see me in Zhong'er's place."

Li Zhi nodded and said, "That child has suffered in the palace and is more sensible than other children." Prince Fusheng said, "Let Prince Wu enter the palace."

Because Li Ji was coming, Li Zhi stayed a little longer in Chengxiang Palace.

Half an hour later, Li Ji came to pay his respects, and Li Zhi asked if there had been any major cases in Yongzhou Prefecture recently.

Li Ji said, “Uncle Jiu, at the beginning of the year, two major cases occurred in Wannian County, one of which was a dismemberment case. I investigated for several days but had no clue, so I handed it over to the Dali Temple for handling. Two days later, Minister Di had figured it out.”

Li Zhi asked, "Who is the murderer, and why was the body dismembered?"

Li Ji said, "He was a tailor who lived next door to the deceased. He was an ordinary, honest man who didn't look like a murderer, which is why my nephew overlooked him."

"Later I found out that it was because the deceased played drums and sang every night, which kept the tailor from sleeping. The tailor endured it for a year. One night, he climbed over the wall, used a large pair of cloth-cutting scissors to dismember the deceased, wrapped the body in cloth, and sent it to a temple. He placed it under the incense table, and it was not discovered until six days later."

After listening, Li Zhi sighed and said, "When honest people are pushed to the limit, they may do some ruthless things that ordinary people would not do, so you can't offend honest people."

Li Ji said, "Uncle Jiu is right."

Li Zhi quickly left Chengxiang Hall and returned to Ganlu Hall to handle government affairs.

After chatting with Liu Chong'ai for a while, Li Ji prepared to take his leave.

As he was walking down the corridor, a palace servant called out to him, saying that Consort Zheng wanted him to come over.

(End of this chapter)