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

Chapter 276 Your Majesty! I can cure it!

"You daring Li Shizhen! What use is your head to me? What I want is for Consort Gong and the child in her womb to be safe and sound!"

The Wanli Emperor was furious. He jumped up and down, cursing and panting heavily.

If it weren't for Li Shizhen's reputation, he would have dragged Li Shizhen out and flogged him.

Li Shizhen, however, remained stubborn and bowed his head as he spoke.

"Your Majesty, please make an early decision."

Regardless, he intends to take full responsibility for this matter.

Seeing the emperor and Li Shizhen locked in a fierce confrontation.

Zhu Yaoying saw this and was anxious. She was thinking of asking Liu Wan'er to go to the pharmacy and get a copy of the calming and tranquilizing drink so she could carefully investigate the trickery involved.

Just then, a commotion broke out outside.

Zhang Yunxiu's voice arrived before he did.

"Your Majesty, let me keep Mr. Dongbi's fine head. I suppose it would be of no use to you."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wanli was initially furious, but when he turned around and saw the person who had come, his face immediately lit up with delight.

"Shiyuan! I've been waiting for you. Quickly check on Consort Gong and see what's wrong with her. I know you'll definitely have a solution. All the quack doctors in the world are no match for you!"

As they said this, both Gong Tingxian and Li Shizhen raised their heads slightly and looked in Zhang Yunxiu's direction. The former's eyes were full of resentment, while the latter's eyes were full of surprise.

Zhang Yunxiu shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I am no immortal, how could I possibly cure all diseases?"

Seeing that the Wanli Emperor's eyes looked a little strange, he smiled and said something else.

"However, I am still about 70 or 80 percent confident about Consort Gong's matter."

Having just arrived from Xishan, Zhang Yunxiu had a general understanding of the situation. With the database information stored in his mind, it wasn't difficult for him to find some relevant cases, and he naturally had a plan in mind.

"Oh?" Emperor Wanli's eyes widened, somewhat incredulous.

Zhang Yunxiu nodded and said, "Your Majesty, please watch and see. Consort Gong and the imperial heir should be fine."

As he spoke, he took two steps forward and looked at Consort Wang, who was weak, exhausted, and unconscious.

As Zhang Yunxiu approached the bedside, his eyes met Zhu Yaoying's, and both of them were momentarily stunned.

However, Zhang Yunxiu concealed his lapse in composure well and turned to Liu Wan'er, who was standing to the side, and said.

"Wan'er, Jingyang Palace has always kept medical records, right? Bring them over so I can take a look."

At this moment, Liu Wan'er looked anxious and uneasy.

She listened to Zhang Yunxiu's instructions and was about to go and fetch it when, as if remembering something, she turned her gaze to the Wanli Emperor.

The emperor nodded slightly, and Liu Wan'er then went to retrieve the detailed medical record.

Zhu Yaoying and Liu Wan'er had previously reviewed this medical record, so obtaining it did not take much effort.

Zhu Yaoying curiously observed this influential young man, who was holding the medical record, looking down and frowning as he carefully examined it. The curves from his chin to his nose to his forehead were clearly visible.

For a moment, Zhu Yaoying was curious about what Zhang Yunxiu could glean from the medical records, and also about his appearance, wanting to take a closer look. Gradually, she became somewhat fascinated.

At this moment, Zhang Yunxiu spoke up.

"Is Consort Gong's illness accompanied by unexplained bleeding?"

Liu Wan'er replied as usual, "Reporting to you, Your Highness has just finished bleeding."

"According to the medical records, you have been experiencing lower abdominal pain or a feeling of heaviness for the past few days?"

“That’s true.” Liu Wan’er nodded.

"During the gynecological examination, was the cervix dilated? Does the size of the uterus correspond to the gestational age?"

Upon hearing the words "maternity ward," Liu Wan'er blushed slightly, but still nodded vigorously and said so.

"With the help of the female doctors, the examination confirmed that this is indeed the case."

The Ming Dynasty did not have the technology to determine the uterus, but some clues could be gleaned from the shape of the abdomen.

Zhang Yunxiu narrowed his eyes, without even taking her pulse, but merely glanced at Consort Wang's face before nodding and smiling slightly.

"Fortunately, there is nothing seriously wrong. Consort Gong and the imperial heir are both safe."

His words truly stunned everyone present.

How come you're not seriously injured anymore?

You, Zhang Yunxiu, didn't even take his pulse, yet you've already drawn such a conclusion?

However, Emperor Wanli trusted Zhang Yunxiu very much, and with a delighted expression on his face, he nodded repeatedly.

"Shiyuan! It has to be you! You're a thousand times, a hundred times better than those two quacks!"

It's not that the emperor didn't think things through; the main reason is that almost everything Zhang Yunxiu said came true.

Gong Tingxian, who was kneeling below, could not bear it any longer.

He glared at Zhang Yunxiu and angrily rebuked him.

"Zhang Shiyuan! How dare you speak so presumptuously about the principles of medicine again? This is a crime of deceiving the emperor!"

Zhang Yunxiu ignored him and instead reminded Li Shizhen.

“Mr. Dongbi, have you diagnosed this as a case of instability of the Chong and Ren meridians, resulting in the fetus not being properly nourished? This bleeding and pain are due to these symptoms and are unrelated to anything else.”

"If the Chong and Ren meridians are not secure, the embryo will not receive proper nourishment?"

The resolute look on Li Shizhen's face vanished, replaced by an expression of bewilderment and shock.

He hadn't heard of these eight characters before, but that didn't stop him from understanding them.

According to traditional medicine, that is a condition known as threatened miscarriage.

He hesitated for a moment: "If it's a case of threatened miscarriage, it means the fetus is unstable, and the main treatment is to stabilize the pregnancy. But Your Majesty's pulse..."

"Wu Xiang".

Zhang Yunxiu interrupted.

"If one ingests black spice, one's pulse will indeed change. Mr. Dongbi should know this better than I do."

A smile appeared on his face, and he made no attempt to hide his smugness as he cupped his hands in greeting to the emperor.

"Therefore, I conclude that Consort Gong is suffering from threatened miscarriage, which is due to the lack of nourishment of the fetus, and may also be due to the influence of black fennel."

Subsequent treatment and control are needed, then...

Before Zhang Yunxiu could finish speaking, Gong Tingxian immediately stood up and angrily rebuked him.

"What nonsense!"

His hair and beard stood on end.

"Zhang Shiyuan, are you trying to deceive His Majesty by saying he is not good at medicine? You are spouting nonsense about such a simple principle."

Whether it's due to insufficient nourishment of the fetus or threatened miscarriage, both can lead to miscarriage!

"Oh?" Zhang Yunxiu said with a sneer. "What does Imperial Physician Gong think?"

Gong Tingxian glanced at the emperor, knowing this was his last chance; the fate of the Imperial Medical Academy depended on this one move.

He said in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the most important thing is to save Consort Gong's life. The best course of action is to first stop the bleeding and prevent further bleeding, and then promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis."
If Zhang Shiyuan continues his reckless behavior, both mother and child may be lost!

"It's ridiculous!"

Zhang Yunxiu glared at him, took two steps forward, and looked like a fierce warrior.

"Gong Tingxian, what do you know about medicine! With your treatment, you're only making the situation worse. A miscarriage that could have been avoided is now inevitable. What are your true intentions!"

Gong Tingxian naturally did not want to back down and was still thinking of arguing back.

But then they heard the Wanli Emperor roar.

"enough!"

He turned his head and glared at Gong Tingxian as he spoke.

"Imperial Physician Gong, you may take your leave now. There is nothing more for you to do here." Clearly, the emperor trusted Zhang Yunxiu more.

"His Majesty!"

Gong Tingxian wanted to say something, but seeing the emperor's attitude, he could only helplessly lower his head and agree.

"Then this humble subject will take his leave."

His words were filled with resentment, and before leaving, he glared fiercely at Zhang Yunxiu.

Inside the sleeping quarters, there were always writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones available for writing prescriptions.
Zhang Yunxiu took a piece of paper and wrote a prescription on it with a brush, his handwriting flowing like dragons and phoenixes.

The handwriting is a bit messy, but the content is still legible.

Emperor Wanli frowned as he read aloud.

"Shoutai Pill: Cuscuta seed, Taxillus chinensis, Dipsacus asper, donkey-hide gelatin, etc."

"Supplement with bee pollen and take daily."

"Eat more soybeans and kudzu root on a regular basis."

While he recited the text, his face showed no reaction, but Li Shizhen, Zhu Yaoying, and others in the hall who were well-versed in medicine all widened their eyes in astonishment.

The emperor was still somewhat uncertain, so he looked at Zhang Yunxiu and said...

"Shiyuan, I have always trusted you. Is this method truly feasible?"

Zhang Yunxiu said with a smile, "Your Majesty, rest assured, following my method will surely cure the disease and allow the imperial heir to be born smoothly."

He added a reminder.

"However, a safer approach would be to send Consort Gong to a medical clinic. The clinic is well-equipped with all kinds of medicines and is strictly managed, so there is absolutely no chance of any problems."

Zhang Yunxiu's words were clearly pointed. They hadn't figured out what had happened to "Wu Xiang" yet. Staying in Jingyang Palace might be fine for now, but who knew what might happen in the future!
"But..." Emperor Wanli hesitated, thinking of Empress Dowager Li's obstruction.

If Empress Dowager Li were to send Consort Wang out of the palace, she would likely find it difficult to agree.

Zhu Yaoying quickly advised from the side, "Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance and cannot be delayed. Compared to Consort Gong's safety, what do these rules of etiquette matter?"
Even if the Empress Dowager knew about this, I believe she would be able to forgive her.

Whether Empress Dowager Li can forgive is unknown, but at present, it is certainly not possible to make Emperor Wanli hesitate.

After much deliberation, the emperor finally nodded and said.

“Then let it be as you say, Shiyuan.”

"According to the order!"

Zhu Yaoying looked pleased, bowed, and couldn't help but glance at Zhang Yunxiu out of the corner of her eye.

With the emperor's permission, Jingyang Palace immediately sprang into action.

The eunuchs and palace maids helped pack the luggage.

The female doctors returned to the clinic to prepare medicine for Consort Gong and arranged for her to stay in a ward.

Zhu Yaoying, of course, had not forgotten the matter of "Wu Xiang," and she reminded the emperor.

“Your Majesty, this matter of the calming and tranquilizing drink seems too suspicious. I fear there are villains in Jingyang Palace.”

The Wanli Emperor was already somewhat tired at this moment, and he left only one word.

"A thorough investigation."

On their way out of Jingyang Palace, Li Shizhen and Zhang Yunxiu rode together in a carriage.

Consort Wang's trip to Renmin Medical Clinic was a major event, and the two of them naturally couldn't be absent. They would definitely have to return to the clinic to handle all the matters.

After leaving the Forbidden City, Zhang Yunxiu noticed that the back of the "Medicine Saint's" clothes were completely soaked.

"Why is Mr. Dongbi doing this? Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; one must use strategy, not recklessness."

Li Shizhen replied irritably, "How could I have known such a mess would happen? I was a little anxious and afraid."

"Afraid that His Majesty will destroy Renmin Medical Hall?" Zhang Yunxiu smiled and shook his head, looking very confident. "With me, Zhang Yunxiu, here, Mr. Dongbi can rest assured."

Li Shizhen, however, was quite moved: "I came to Renmin Medical Clinic relatively late, but I know that this is a true place to heal the sick and save lives. It is not easy to have such an opportunity in thousands of years. Even if I risk my life, as long as I can protect the clinic, I will have nothing to fear."

For a moment, Zhang Yunxiu looked at this "Medicine Saint" with considerable surprise, then smiled and said.

"Why didn't Mr. Dongbi know about threatened miscarriage?"

Li Shizhen said irritably, "You have never told me the method for diagnosing this threatened miscarriage!"

In ancient medicine, the most important thing was not a cure-all medicine, but the ability to accurately diagnose the cause of the illness!
Even Li Shizhen, without systematic research and summarization, would find it difficult to directly diagnose specific symptoms.

He didn't know how Zhang Yunxiu came to his conclusion, but based on his explanation and the cases he had seen, there was indeed nothing wrong with it.

Zhang Yunxiu pretended to be stupid and said, "Um... I forgot, how could I remember everything?"

Li Shizhen's gaze toward Zhang Yunxiu was meaningful, and his white beard trembled slightly.

"Zhang Shiyuan, I often wonder, what exactly is going on in your head?"

Zhang Yunxiu glanced at the other person warily.

I couldn't help but feel a little scared.

In the future, will Li Shizhen become a medical eccentric who wants to dissect his own brain for research?

At Renmin Medical Clinic, a courtyard was specially arranged for Consort Wang, and a group of Imperial Guards were dispatched to be responsible for security. After that, Zhang Yunxiu handed over all the matters to Yang Jishi.

This former imperial physician clearly knew the rules of the palace better, and combining the treatment methods in the clinic with each other would be twice as effective.

However, after seeing the prescription for the "Longevity Pill," Yang Jishi was furious.

He even forgot the proper etiquette between teacher and student, pointing his finger at Zhang Yunxiu and cursing.

"With such a good medicine for preventing miscarriage, why didn't you bring it out sooner!"

Zhang Yunxiu didn't know how to explain it; it was because he had too much information in his head and couldn't process it all at once.

So they could only let Yang Jishi and Li Shizhen complain.

As dusk fell, palace maid Liu Wan'er secretly slipped out and found Zhang Yunxiu.

"Why are you here looking for me instead of helping Her Highness the Princess and Her Majesty?"

"Sir, please look."

Liu Wan'er still had a timid expression as she handed a sachet to Zhang Yunxiu. This time, she didn't leave, seemingly waiting for an answer.

Zhang Yunxiu untied the sachet and, upon seeing the contents of the paper inside, immediately understood what was going on.

Today's matter involves the "Wu Xiang" palace, so he instinctively avoids mentioning it.

This matter is of great importance. To rashly get involved in palace affairs is to overstep one's bounds, no matter how close one is to the emperor.

But then Liu Wan'er explained, "Your Highness, I asked you to ask the gentleman if he has any insights into the poisoning of 'Wu Xiang'."

It seems they've come seeking my help.

Zhang Yunxiu glanced at the description of the situation on the note, thought for a moment, and then smiled and reminded him.

"The Antai Ningshen Drink was produced by the medical clinic, so there is no way it could have gone wrong. The only possibility is that the medicine had a problem on its way to the palace, or perhaps at Jingyang Palace."

Liu Wan'er paused for a moment, then nodded.

"His Highness thinks so too."

Zhang Yunxiu looked at the note again and continued his analysis.

"The 'Antai Ningshen Yin' is a medicinal soup, and it is indeed quite difficult to add opium without anyone noticing."

I think the clinic is quite a distance from the palace. If we have to go through all the checkpoints and then get him to Jingyang Palace, it will take most of the day.

He stared intently at the young palace maid as he spoke.

"In Jingyang Palace, was the medicine served to Consort Gong heated up beforehand?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Wan'er's eyes widened immediately, and she blurted out in disbelief.

"gentlemen!!!"

(End of this chapter)