Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 274 The Peril of Jingyang Palace

Jingyang Palace.

Princess Yongning, Zhu Yaoying, flipped through the medical records and couldn't help but sigh.

"Be good~"

"Renmin Medical Clinic has come up with some kind of forceps to help with childbirth. These people really have some wild ideas!"

She couldn't help but raise her eyes and ask Liu Wan'er.

"Wan'er, do you remember if we had similar methods in the palace before? Or did the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital ever use this method to treat patients?"

Liu Wan'er looked embarrassed and said, "Your Highness, what are you saying? In the past, the imperial physicians were very cautious and would never dare to use such a thing on the ladies. They would only use some methods from the midwives in the capital, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine."

Zhu Yaoying asked with a puzzled look, "Most of the doctors in Renmin Medical Hall came from the Imperial Hospital. Why do they dare to do things that they wouldn't dare to do in the Imperial Hospital?"

Liu Wan'er was taken aback: "This servant doesn't know either. I suppose they're confident?"

But Zhu Yaoying's eyes became very deep, and she shook her head and said.

"It seems that there is no need for our Imperial Medical Academy to continue existing."

Since Zhang Yunxiu established Renmin Medical Hall, the Imperial Medical Academy has been severely weakened. Apart from the imperial physicians who were initially kidnapped by Zhang Yunxiu, almost all the doctors who followed voluntarily joined Renmin Medical Hall.

Even as time went by, the reputation of Renmin Medical Hall gradually changed. From being accused of witchcraft and heresy at the beginning to becoming the medical authority of the entire Ming Dynasty, it only took a few months.

There is only one reason why this miracle can be achieved: Renmin Medical Clinic truly has the ability to save people's lives!
"I'm afraid that's inappropriate," Liu Wan'er advised. "His Majesty also had this idea before, but we still have the Imperial Hospital in the palace, and we mainly need to consider the Empress Dowager's feelings."

Gong Tingxian, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, still guarded his post station. Even though he only had a dozen or so people left under his command, he stubbornly clung to his traditional medicine and refused to use any of the medicines or medical skills from Renmin Medical Hall.

Emperor Wanli did not have a good impression of him, but Empress Dowager Li insisted on keeping the Imperial Medical Academy, and even the Cining Palace still used traditional medical methods for most of the treatments.

If it weren't for the Wanli Emperor and Zhu Yaoying's insistence on the matter, Jingyang Palace would probably have been taken care of by the Imperial Medical Academy.

Zhu Yaoying sighed: "Mother is still too stubborn. Modern medicine is a way to really save lives. I heard a few days ago that the Duke of Wei in Nanjing even wrote to my brother the Emperor, specifically asking the doctors of Renmin Medical Hall to help treat and recuperate his body."

Everyone in the world has accepted modern medicine, but...

Liu Wan'er waved her hand quickly, as if afraid of being overheard.

"It may take some time, after all, it's a new thing."

Zhu Yaoying, however, did not care much. The more she studied "new learning" and "modern medicine" and the more she respected objective laws, the less she respected her mother.

She muttered to herself.

"If it weren't for the Empress Dowager's obstruction, my sister-in-law would have already used the latest treatment methods from Renmin Medical Hall. Why would we have to go through all this trouble? It's truly foolish."

She hesitated to speak, but ultimately didn't say it.

Looking at the sky outside, Zhu Yaoying put down the medical records in her hand, stood up and said.

"Go to the palace to check on her. Yesterday, my sister-in-law had some mild lower abdominal pain. I don't know if it's a stomach problem or something else. We must take it seriously."

"Wan'er, please take a look. If it really doesn't work, we'll have to seek out Doctor Li."

As she said this, Zhu Yaoying's eyes still held a hint of worry. After all, she didn't have much medical experience. What could she possibly diagnose by relying solely on those quack doctors from the Imperial Hospital?
Although the doctors from Renmin Medical Clinic come to check on patients regularly, the process of entering the palace is too complicated. If something goes wrong, by the time they enter the palace, it will be too late.

Liu Wan'er looked very nervous, but she still nodded obediently and said.

"Princess, please rest assured. Even ordinary dolls experience mild abdominal pain. It might be a stitch in the side, or perhaps some gastrointestinal discomfort from the medication. A slight modification to the milder prescription should resolve the issue."

Zhu Yaoying sighed, "I hope so."

The two headed towards the palace, but halfway there they saw a large procession. Zhu Yaoying recognized Zhang Cheng, the emperor's personal eunuch, in the distance and knew who it was.

She stepped forward and asked, "Has His Majesty arrived?"

Upon seeing that it was Zhu Yaoying, Zhang Cheng's face immediately lit up with a smile.

"This servant greets Your Highness. His Majesty is currently in his bedchamber speaking with Consort Gong. He is thinking of..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Yaoying turned and went inside without giving him any face, leaving Zhang Cheng feeling embarrassed.

The door to the palace was not closed, and apart from the accompanying maids, only Emperor Wanli and Consort Wang were present.

The latter was leaning against the bed, wrapped in a thick quilt, and looked somewhat weak.

The Wanli Emperor's large frame completely blocked Consort Wang's view, but one could hear his slightly stiff expression of concern.

"Is Consort Gong feeling unwell anywhere?"

"I've been feeling a little dizzy lately, and I occasionally have some lower abdominal pain, but it's not unbearable, just a little bit now and then."

"Oh dear, it's normal for pregnant women to feel dizzy and unwell occasionally. I often read the Wanli Daily News, which contains some precautions for pregnant women to take care of their pregnancy."

Consort Gong appeared very reserved and somewhat frightened, but nodded dignifiedly and said...

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will certainly take good care of myself."

"But be careful~ The child in your belly is my first imperial heir. If you can give birth to a prince, it will be a blessing for the country and the Ming Dynasty. You will have made a great contribution, hahaha~"

The Wanli Emperor let out another dry laugh.

Zhu Yaoying, who was watching from behind, could not bear it any longer. She coughed lightly twice and then bowed to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, my younger sister Yongning greets you."

Upon hearing his sister's voice, Emperor Wanli immediately turned around, waved his hand, and said...

"No need for formalities!"

Upon seeing Zhu Yaoying, he seemed quite relieved.

"I am extremely lucky to have you as my sister, Yongning, in taking care of Jingyang Palace."

Zhu Yaoying found a brocade stool by the bed and sat down, smiling slightly as she spoke.

"Your Majesty, what are you saying? It is a blessing for Yongning to be able to share your burdens."

The two exchanged polite words but seemed quite familiar with each other, instantly easing the awkward atmosphere in the bedroom.

The emperor shifted his position on the larger brocade stool, a smile spreading across his face, and continued speaking.

"Yongning, you've come at the right time. It's been quite a while since I've been to Jingyang Palace."

Zhu Yaoying was quite speechless. It wasn't just that he hadn't come for a while; ever since Consort Wang moved into Jingyang Palace, the Emperor had never visited her, nor had he given her any gifts.

This shows how much she disliked Consort Wang, who was born a palace maid, was plain-looking, and even timid.

Unaware of his sister's inner thoughts, Emperor Wanli awkwardly touched his nose and said...

"Well, Consort Gong just said that she felt a little dizzy and had some lower abdominal pain. This is a serious matter. Sister, you are well-versed in medical books, so you must know something about it. Please take a look at her."

In fact, Emperor Wanli felt a sense of kinship with his sister's obsession with medical books.

He was also engrossed in vernacular novels and occasionally glanced at those artistic portraits of women. Both were miscellaneous subjects, and there was no real difference between them.

With Yongning reading medical books, his usual behavior didn't seem so absurd. Zhu Yaoying had come for this very reason, and immediately called Liu Wan'er over. The two of them then began to examine Consort Wang.

When it came to the consultation, Liu Wan'er got into the zone, habitually holding a notebook and asking Consort Wang questions.

"Your Majesty, have you eaten anything different from usual these past two days?"

Consort Wang, with a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead, said, "We usually use the same food in the palace as Her Highness the Princess, so there shouldn't be any problems."

Liu Wan'er glanced at Zhu Yaoying, who nodded slightly.

To ensure Consort Gong's safety, all her food and drink were inspected by Zhu Yaoying.

Liu Wan'er then continued recording and asked questions below.

"Has Your Majesty ever fallen or tripped?"

Consort Wang continued to shake her head and said, "I have been very careful lately, and I don't even dare to take big steps when I walk in the courtyard."

Next, Liu Wan'er looked at the incense in the bedchamber and gave Consort Wang a brief check-up.

Finally, she shook her head at Zhu Yaoying, seemingly helpless.

Emperor Wanli frowned and asked Zhu Yaoying a question.

"How is the girl? You two both look so worried, it makes me very anxious."

He might not care about Consort Wang, but he absolutely could not possibly not care about the imperial heir in her womb.

Zhu Yaoying sighed softly: "Your Majesty, you don't know, this matter can be serious or minor. The lower abdominal pain in a woman after childbirth could be due to prolonged activity, urinary tract infection, or even a disorder of the spleen and stomach."

She paused, looking very serious.

"If it's more serious, then it's a sign of impending miscarriage."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wanli was so frightened that he jumped up. He turned his head sharply to look at Consort Wang, who was lying on the bed, and said incredulously.

"How could she have miscarried out of nowhere?"

He was clearly asking Liu Wan'er, who was more experienced.

However, the latter was too frightened to speak, so Zhu Yaoying had to answer the question.

She said with a sense of helplessness, "Your Majesty, miscarriages have always been unpredictable. Some miscarry after taking medicine, some after eating things they shouldn't, and even incense can cause a miscarriage. If the mother is weak or in a bad mood, there may be some risks. It's really hard to say."

Zhu Yaoying's words were also a reminder to the emperor.

These days, due to the emperor's neglect, Consort Wang is terrified in the palace and can't sleep at night. If she really miscarries, the emperor might be partly to blame.

"How could this be! How could this be!" Emperor Wanli's eyes were almost red.

Seeing that the emperor was somewhat out of control, Zhu Yaoying also comforted him, saying, "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry too much. After all, miscarriage is a low-probability event. I think it would be safer to ask the renowned physician Li from Renmin Medical Hall to take a look."

"Yes, yes, yes! This matter is still unresolved."

After comforting himself, the Wanli Emperor quickly gave instructions to Zhang Cheng, who was not far away.

"Zhang Banban, hurry to Renmin Medical Hall and invite Mr. Dongbi to come and give Consort Wang a special treatment."

Zhang Cheng also looked anxious, as if something had happened to his wife, and he quickly bowed his head in greeting.

"The slaves obey the order."

Before Zhang Cheng could leave, the Wanli Emperor called him back.

"Does Your Majesty have any further instructions?"

The Wanli Emperor seemed somewhat guilty, and sighed heavily as he spoke.

"In the end, it was not on my mind. You should send someone to the inner treasury to retrieve a few of the century-old ginseng from the Liaodong Commandery that I have treasured, as well as bird's nest from Siam, candied fruit from Persia, and grape wine from the Western Regions. These are absolutely essential. Make a list and send them all to Jingyang Palace."

He spoke with great arrogance, after all, he had made money and spent it without batting an eye.

Emperor Wanli looked around again and sighed.

"Jingyang Palace still needs some repairs. In a few days, after Consort Gong has recovered, I will use my own funds to give Jingyang Palace a proper makeover."

The emperor could spend tens of thousands of taels of silver with just a few words.

Although it was a bit painful, he was, after all, an imperial heir, and Emperor Wanli had received substantial income from various sources in recent months, so it was not a problem.

Zhu Yaoying's lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to remind the emperor that these things were almost never suitable for women in labor.

However, seeing Consort Wang's reaction, she immediately stopped speaking.

Consort Wang, who was leaning against the bed, was deeply moved upon hearing these words. Tears streamed down her face, and she quickly got up to kowtow to the emperor in gratitude.

"Your Majesty."

Zhu Yaoying quickly stepped forward to help him up and offered words of comfort.

"Since Your Majesty is pregnant, there is no need for such formalities."

Emperor Wanli nodded and said, "Consort Gong, you should rest well. Getting well is the most important thing."

Consort Wang cried and smiled intermittently, it was hard to tell whether she was happy or sad, she nodded vigorously and said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Princess."

When Consort Wang lay back down on the bed, Emperor Wanli did not approach her, but instead exuded an air of heroic grandeur.

"Consort Gong, please take good care of yourself. If you need anything, just tell me and I will grant it."

He was genuinely afraid that the imperial heir would be lost.

But Consort Wang lowered her head and thought for a moment before speaking somewhat abruptly.

"I don't lack anything, but lately the 'Tranquilizing and Soothing Drink for Pregnancy' has been quite effective. I can't sleep all day long, and I can only get some rest thanks to this prescription."

"I'd like to have another bowl."

"Hahaha~"

Emperor Wanli was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, clutching his stomach as he spoke.

"I thought it was something else, but my beloved consort thought it was just a bowl of medicine. It's so simple. No matter how precious the medicinal herbs are, if my beloved consort wants to drink it, then drink it to her heart's content."

As he spoke, the Wanli Emperor gave instructions to the maid beside him.

"Quickly prepare this medicine and give it to Consort Gong. Remember, the candied fruit is absolutely essential."

Emperor Wanli repeatedly referred to Consort Wang as his beloved concubine, demonstrating his current high regard for her. This was exactly what Zhu Yaoying had hoped for, but at this moment she realized something was amiss.

Zhu Yaoying and Liu Wan'er spoke at the same time.

"Wait a moment!!!"

(End of this chapter)