Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 384 The Emperor's End (10,000 words)
A warm breeze carried a hint of spring chill, and tender green shoots sprouted on the slightly barren grass. The wind rustled Fang Wanlin's skirt, occasionally making a rustling sound.

It's only early spring now.

Butterflies and birds are not yet widely visible.

Looking around, the surroundings were mostly bare, yet there was a hint of tenderness. Occasionally, there were white and red pear and peach blossoms in the forest.

Song Yan was surprised that the woman in front of him was different from the one Fang De had described.

Fang Wanlin, however, remained composed and poised: "I don't know exactly what my father said to the Marquis, but I can roughly guess. However, the Marquis can rest assured that I am only interested in Taoist things and have no intention of becoming a Taoist nun."

"If I meet the right person, I will get married and have children."

"Moreover, Taoism is different from Buddhism; it does not prohibit marriage or funerals."

A hint of helplessness showed on her pretty face. Fang Wanlin was well aware of the doting affection her father and brothers had for her. As a concubine's daughter, she received treatment that even some legitimate daughters could not match. However, sometimes their excessive concern could easily lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.

Of course, Fang Wanlin is a very rational woman.

She wouldn't pursue freedom or love like Fang Lingyu and Fang Lingyue. And even if it were love or freedom, it wouldn't be a reason to get pregnant before marriage, much less a reason to try and pin the blame on Song Yan.

It wasn't that she was old-fashioned, but rather that living in this era and enjoying the food, clothing, shelter, and transportation provided by her family, she naturally had to shoulder certain responsibilities for the family.

She knew very well that even though she was her father's most beloved youngest daughter, she could not escape the fate of an arranged marriage.

At most, her father and brothers would choose a good husband for her.

In Fang Wanlin's mind, Song Yan was quite good. He was capable of slaughtering Japanese pirates, calming the seas, and trampling the royal court; he was also capable of leaving behind timeless masterpieces such as "Linjiang Xian" and "Qingyu An". Apart from having too many women around him, there was nothing wrong with him.

Moreover, in this era, it was perfectly normal for capable men to have multiple wives and concubines, and Fang Wanlin was capable of accepting that.

Song Yan nodded, feeling inexplicably puzzled... No, you're not planning to become a Daoist nun, you'll get married and have children, what does this have to do with us?
Did you really need to tell me this?

Fang Wanlin didn't linger long. After exchanging a few words, she turned and left, as if she had only come to say hello. Song Yan didn't take it to heart either. He didn't expect to stay in Dongling City for much longer, and he wanted to make the most of these last few days. His gaze casually swept across the crowd, and inadvertently, in an inconspicuous corner, a familiar face came into view.

Song Yan clicked his tongue and lowered his head, pretending not to see. But this was obviously useless, as a wrinkled old face soon appeared before Song Yan: "My lord, my master invites you."

Song Yan sighed helplessly, looking at the face so close to his, as red as an old chrysanthemum, and shrugged: "Who are you? Wei Zhong, Wei Xian, Wei Xiao, or Wei Liang?"

Emperor Ninghe had four old eunuchs by his side.

They are loyalty, filial piety, virtue, and goodness!

These four people are practically identical.

If it weren't for the occasional simultaneous appearances, Song Yan would have even thought that Wei Zhong, Wei Xiao, Wei Xian, and Wei Liang were the same person.

"This old servant is Wei Liang." The old eunuch grinned, his lips dry. "My lord, don't keep your master waiting. Please hurry over."

Song Yan was helpless.

These past few days have been incredibly busy. I finally had a little free time and was about to take a short rest when Emperor Ninghe called me in.

However, although unwilling, there was nothing they could do.

Who made him the emperor?

Watching Song Yan's reluctant back, Wei Liang shook his head helplessly. Generally speaking, it is a great honor and favor for a subject to have the opportunity to meet the emperor. In the entire Ning Kingdom, it is estimated that only the Marquis of Champion in front of him can take it lightly, and may even find it a bit annoying.

Unfortunately, his master had a habit of secretly meeting with the Marquis of Champion. This led Wei Liang to suspect that his master might have some kind of bad habit.

Luo Tianyi and Ziyu naturally noticed Song Yan's movements. They exchanged a glance, and Ziyu followed behind at a distance.

"My lord..." Wei Liang, who was walking a little behind, quickened his pace to catch up: "There is something I'm not sure if I should say."

“Then there’s no need to say it,” Song Yan said casually without even blinking.

Wei Liang's expression stiffened slightly. He had to admit that he was indeed the Marquis of Champion. His way of speaking was different. Shouldn't he have said, "Please speak," and offered a way out?

Wei Liang blinked his cloudy old eyes, and, being thick-skinned, pretended not to hear Song Yan's words: "My master has been feeling a little unwell lately. If you have time later, I hope that you, Marquis, can examine him."

Song Yan raised an eyebrow: "What's wrong?"

"head."

Is he out of his mind?
In ancient times, the emperor's health condition was absolutely not to be revealed casually, as the slightest carelessness could lead to unimaginable chaos.

But Wei Liang and the others were ultimately more concerned about their master's health.

Moreover, the Marquis of Champion is also the son-in-law of the emperor.

He also possessed profound medical skills.

It's always a good idea to discuss this with the Prince Consort.

After careful consideration, Wei Liang slowly spoke: "Recently, Your Majesty has been experiencing occasional headaches. Just before the New Year, the renowned physician Sun Shuji traveled to Dongling City, and Your Majesty sent someone to invite him to the palace. After examining Your Majesty, Sun Shuji said that Your Majesty had a tumor in your brain, which was causing the headaches."

Song Yan, who had been walking casually, suddenly stopped upon hearing this. His entire body seemed to stiffen, and he turned his head slowly and creakingly like a rusty machine, looking at Wei Liang behind him: "A tumor? Are you sure?"

Damn it, could it be a brain tumor?
If it is indeed a brain tumor, even in its early stages, there is absolutely no possibility of a cure, because in this era, there are no basic conditions for surgery.

If even the most basic examination conditions are not available, how can it be confirmed that it is a brain tumor?
“That’s what the Divine Physician Sun Shuji said.” Wei Liang’s face was somewhat sad: “Divine Physician Sun is currently the most skilled doctor in the entire Central Plains. He is good at treating difficult and complicated diseases, especially headaches… Divine Physician Sun has treated many patients for free. Some were cured, but some died.”

"One of the conditions for free treatment is that if the patient cannot be cured, his body will be handed over to him for disposal after he dies."

"Many people, having no money in their pockets, agreed to Dr. Sun's request in order to receive treatment, even if it meant less suffering after their illness had progressed to a terminal stage."

According to Dr. Sun, headaches are divided into many types, and the causes are also different. In a few cases, the cause of headaches is a tumor that should not be present in the skull.

"And the master's situation is very similar to that of these people."

Song Yan's pupils contracted slightly.

I felt a great admiration for Sun Shuji.

He could guess what Sun Shuji wanted the patient's corpse for: dissection, research, and to explore the pathology.

It's important to understand that even in modern society, there aren't many people willing to donate their bodies after death to become cadavers, let alone in ancient times with its conservative views. Nobody wanted to do that, as their bodies would be handled and abused after death.

For doctors, dissecting corpses is tantamount to desecration, and they also have to bear enormous psychological pressure.

In order to make further progress in the path of medicine, Sun Shuji was willing to defy public opinion and break through the constraints of thought, ethics and morality. This alone made her a pioneer of her time.

I am not as good as him.

At the same time, Song Yan also vaguely understood why Emperor Ninghe had said something like, "Let's overturn the heavens."

Emperor Ninghe probably understood that he wouldn't live much longer. The court was currently relatively stable, but what about the future? If Luo Jingyu were to ascend to that throne, all his efforts would likely be in vain. Even if he painstakingly pushed Luo Tianshu and Luo Tianquan to that position, it wouldn't be of much use. The two had no foothold in the court and weren't as shrewd as Emperor Ninghe; dealing with the Yang family and Bailu Academy would be virtually impossible.

The entire royal family will be devoured sooner or later, leaving not a trace.

One can imagine that at that time, the entire Ningguo court was in turmoil, and the people were suffering.

When chaos descends, human life is as worthless as grass.

Emperor Ninghe could not bear to see the people suffer and the land be devastated, so he chose Song Yan to overturn the heavens and reshape the world. In the period that followed, he first restored Song Yan's status as the governor of Pingyang, giving him ample time to consolidate his power.

General Pinglu, with 30,000 soldiers, further strengthened his military force.

He probably already sensed his impending death, and everything he did was paving the way for Song Yan's future... He likely hoped that if Song Yan could one day truly overthrow this dynasty, then he would treat Luo Yuheng, Luo Tianxuan, Luo Tianyi, Luo Tianshu, and Luo Tianquan well...

Although he had only known Emperor Ninghe for a short time, Song Yan did not understand the situation. He felt a heavy and oppressive feeling in his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.

Taking a deep breath, Song Yan shook his head: "Did Doctor Sun say what to do?"

"According to Doctor Sun, the only way is to break open the skull and remove the tumor."

"No." Song Yan said instinctively.

Are you kidding me? With the current sanitary conditions, every brain surgery would be fatal. Leaving aside surgical experience, the sheer number of bacterial and viral infections during surgery would be enough to kill someone.

Wei Liang's face showed a bitter expression: "Master, this is your reaction. In your words, if someone's head is cracked open, how can they possibly survive?"

"Dr. Sun didn't insist, only saying that if the craniotomy wasn't performed, the tumor would grow larger and larger, and the master's headaches would become increasingly severe. If the master could put down all his work, relax, and rest properly, perhaps he would have another three to five years to live, if..."

That's all.

Emperor Ninghe was a typical workaholic.

The last time I saw Emperor Ninghe, it was already late at night, and he was still reviewing memorials in the Hall of Diligent Governance, his work ethic was comparable to that of Emperor Yongzheng.

With this level of workload, it would be difficult to maintain even one or two years, let alone three to five years.

After a brief pause, Wei Liang spoke again: "The Prince Consort is a divine physician no less skilled than Sun Shuji. He can even cure terminal illnesses like tuberculosis. Surely he must have a way to treat this brain tumor as well?"

A heavy weight seemed to press on her heart, making her feel uneasy. Song Yan pursed her lips and asked, "Besides the headache, are there any other symptoms, such as vomiting?"

"Occasionally."

For brain tumor detection, both CT scans and cranial MRIs are acceptable.

However, Song Yan didn't have any of these things; he could only make a judgment based on some physiological symptoms.

"Do you experience any symptoms such as numbness or tingling in your limbs?"

"Have."

Song Yan's heart sank.

Do you experience muscle weakness or unsteady gait? Is your memory declining, or are you experiencing anxiety?

Wei Liang thought about it carefully for a moment: "There doesn't seem to be any muscle weakness, but there is some unsteadiness in gait. A while ago, Master's legs suddenly twitched and trembled, and he almost fell. This has happened twice already. As for memory, there shouldn't be any problem."

“Emotional anxiety…Ever since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has been quite anxious.”

There is a very high probability that it is a brain tumor.

Song Yan suddenly rubbed his hair in frustration.

The situation in Ningguo has only just begun to improve. If Emperor Ninghe could sit on the throne for another ten years, he might truly have a chance to completely change the current state of Ningguo. Who would have thought that he would contract such an illness?

Song Yan actually felt quite powerless.

Even though he was a time traveler and had all sorts of medicines he brought from modern society, he was ultimately helpless in the face of a brain tumor.

With a sigh of relief, Song Yan continued walking forward and soon arrived beside Emperor Ninghe. Perhaps because the midday sun was a little hot, Emperor Ninghe was sitting under a large tree enjoying the cool shade.

There's actually not much shade.

The tree was large, but it was bare; the leaves hadn't even grown yet.

Song Yan didn't stand on ceremony and plopped down next to Emperor Ninghe, glancing at him with annoyance... Emperor Ninghe looked quite energetic and seemed to be in a good mood.

There were few signs of illness on his face.

Only around the eyes could one faintly see the weariness that could not be suppressed.

Song Yan then roughly grabbed one of Emperor Ninghe's hands and placed his fingers on his wrist.

Emperor Ninghe was taken aback, then quickly realized what he meant and gave Wei Liang a reproachful look: "You old fool, I told you not to tell anyone else."

Wei Liang remained silent.

His eyes were fixed intently on Song Yan.

After a long while, Song Yan loosened his fingers.

"Your Highness... how is the master?" Wei Liang asked hurriedly.

There are many people here, and it would be somewhat inappropriate for others to hear the title "Prince Consort."

Song Yan shook his head. Brain tumors can't be diagnosed by taking a pulse after all: "The diagnosis by the divine physician Sun Shuji should be correct. It's most likely a brain tumor."

"Terminator."

"There's no cure."

Upon hearing this, Wei Liang's face turned pale instantly, and his already hunched body looked even more bent.

Even Emperor Ninghe's expression darkened for a moment.

Although he had long been prepared to face life and death, he couldn't help but feel a little more expectant when he saw Song Yan taking his pulse.

After all, although Ningguo was in ruins, it was still a beautiful land, so why wouldn't people miss it?

Now that his hopes were dashed, Emperor Ninghe's eyes darkened for a moment before brightening again. He laughed and slapped Song Yan on the back of the head: "You brat, if you're hopeless, you're hopeless. You can't even put it more tactfully."

"It's lucky you ran into me. If it were anyone else, you'd be in for a beating."

Song Yan did not dodge, but silently endured it.

Emperor Ninghe changed the force of the slap he gave Song Yan on the back of the head, casually patting Song Yan's head without saying much, only revealing a slight sadness and a deep sense of resentment on his face.

"ten years."

"If I had another ten years..."

Emperor Ninghe murmured.

Song Yan pursed her lips, raised her head, and looked at something in an unclear way.

Did the brilliant and ambitious Emperor Wu of Han have any regrets when he died?
On that day, when Khan Li Shimin was on his deathbed, was he still resentful that he had failed to conquer Goguryeo?
What was the Hongwu Emperor, who killed countless people, thinking on his deathbed?
Did the Yongle Emperor, who led five expeditions to the northern deserts, have any regrets when he was dying?

Unwilling, regretful.

Most emperors of great talent and ambition, upon reaching the age of fifty, fall into this state.

(End of this chapter)