The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the Carpenter Prince!

Shen Shi (3-5 PM).

The warm pavilion of Qianqing Palace.

"What a loyal subject! Send another pill!"

Emperor Taichang was half-leaning on the couch, his face flushed, patting the edge of the couch to urge the medicine to be taken.

More than two hours after the first pill was taken, his voice was still loud, praising Li Kezhuo as a "loyal minister" and urging him to take the second pill.

From Cining Palace to Qianqing Palace, passing through Yuehua Gate and walking along a corridor, it takes less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Zhu Youxiao walked slowly, his mind preoccupied with just a few things.

In Liaodong, three armies were lost at Sarhu, and millions of taels of silver were spent. If the front line could collect 40% of that amount, it would be considered a good job.

The silver reserves in Taicang have been depleted for more than a year or two. Mining taxes have been plundered from the people, but regular taxes are not being collected.

Not to mention the corruption in the bureaucracy, officials were selected based on their mentors, promotions were based on aligning with factions, and assessments were just a formality.

The Donglin Party and the three other parties fought for more than a decade, but they didn't accomplish anything worthwhile.

Every step is flawed.

He knew better than anyone that if things went wrong, the country would perish.

But a fifteen-year-old crown prince, without a pen or seal, had no one to listen to him. On the day Cui Wensheng was given laxatives, the eldest prince was whittling wood in his room and couldn't even get into the warm pavilion.

Emperor Taichang was different.

He dismissed Cui Wensheng with just a word.

He allocated one million taels from the imperial treasury to reward the border regions, and ordered the Ministry of Revenue to comply.

What the emperor can do with a flick of his finger, the crown prince can't do even if he talks himself hoarse.

Save this person first.

When Zhu Youxiao came with Wang An, the first pill had already been taken.

Everyone in the hall thought the emperor was getting better. The eight words, "warm and comfortable, and he wants to eat and drink," came from the mouth of the eunuch, and the officials waiting outside were overjoyed.

Little did they know that if you poured a spoonful of oil on the lamp just before it went out, the flames would leap up nicely, but the lamp would be out of oil.

The light went out after the second spoonful was poured on.

The entire hall was filled with the sight of fire; no one paid attention to the lamp wick, but this lamp could not be extinguished yet.

Li Kezhuo, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, knelt before the bed holding a medicine dish, sweat beading on his forehead, a smug look barely concealed on his face. A mere sixth-rank official, in charge of foreign affairs and protocol, with absolutely no connection to medicine, yet he dared to offer medicine to the emperor—his audacity was truly remarkable.

He'd barely gotten the title of "loyal minister" before another reward was on his hands. He was willing to gamble his life for his future; he knew exactly what the stakes were.

The two imperial physicians huddled in a corner; Cui Wensheng's fate silenced them all.

except him.

How could they stop him? Shout "It's poisonous, don't eat it!"? The fifteen-year-old eldest prince had never read a medical book, so what right did he have to say it was poisonous? Rely on the imperial physicians to stop him? Even the imperial physicians themselves were terrified. Rely on the court officials to stop him? The court officials were waiting outside the palace, separated by three doors.

There is only one person who can stop the drug from being administered: the person administering the drug.

Emperor Taichang lay on his couch, urging for his medicine. Having been deprived of herbal remedies for half a month due to laxatives, he finally felt better after taking one pill and naturally desperately wanted a second. Those seeking survival are unreasonable, and one shouldn't expect them to be.

Zhu Youxiao stood up and walked straight to the bedside.

Before the eunuch beside him could react, he had already stood between Emperor Taichang and the medicine tray. Without bowing or saying "Father, your son has arrived," he just stood there blankly.

The medicine dish in Li Kezhuo's hand swayed slightly—he was startled to suddenly see someone in front of him.

"Father."

Emperor Taichang glanced at him. This stubborn son had always been like this since he was a child, doing whatever came to mind, so it wasn't surprising that he rushed to the bedside.

"Youxiao? What brings you here?" Her tone was gentle, typical of someone who was ill, and she didn't have the strength to be rude.

Zhu Youxiao said in a gruff voice, "I heard someone is giving medicine to Father Emperor, so I came to see."

Without waiting for Emperor Taichang's reply, he turned to look at Li Kezhuo with a blank stare.

"Lord Li, since this medicine is so good, why not give me two pills at once?"

The warm room fell silent for a moment.

good question.

The first pill was a test.

Having successfully tested "warmth and comfort", I felt confident enough to administer the second pill. But is "warmth and comfort" truly a cure or just a false effect caused by excessive internal heat?

Two hours hadn't passed yet, and he couldn't be sure.

But I can't say that.

Admitting there's no certainty means you've gotten the "loyal minister" for nothing; saying "taking two pills together is too strong" is tantamount to admitting the drug is potent.

How could someone dare to give such potent medicine to the emperor?

Neither advancing nor retreating was an option, the sweat on Li Kezhuo's forehead answered for him.

"Your Highness... This medicine is mild in nature, and one pill is the usual dosage. We must... we must wait for another two hours to observe Your Majesty's reaction before administering the second pill."

In plain language: I'm not sure either, let's stall for two hours first.

Two hours? That's enough.

Zhu Youxiao turned around, his voice still rough and forceful, "Father, Lord Li said we need to wait two hours. Your son will stay with you, Father, and administer the medicine when the time comes."

Emperor Taichang frowned. People in high spirits are the least patient when they have to wait, but it's unreasonable to force someone to go against the established rules by saying that Li Kezhuo himself has specified two hours.

"Fine, we'll just wait."

The medicine dish was put down. Li Kezhuo took the dish and stepped aside, his smug expression fading considerably.

The court judge in the corner quietly breathed a sigh of relief, stood up and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, since you are waiting for the medicine, why don't we examine your pulse to check on your health?"

The person who supplied the medicine shut down the conversation, and the imperial physician took the opportunity to take over.

The art of taking a roundabout approach is merely a basic skill.

Everyone in the warm pavilion breathed a sigh of relief, and no one gave him a second glance. It wasn't surprising that the eldest prince, who was illiterate, would ask the right question by chance.

A coincidence?

The court physician paused for a moment as he tidied the medicine dishes. He pondered the question the eldest prince had asked—not "Is the medicine good?" but "Why not give two pills at once?" The measure of administering medicine, the rhythm of dosage—this was not a perspective a brute could conceive.

He looked up at Zhu Youxiao. The boy had retreated to the low table in the corner, touching and looking around, as if he had been frightened by his earlier outburst.

It was probably just a coincidence.

The court judge suppressed the thought. However, his approach to devising a prescription for the eldest prince was somewhat more stable than before.

………………

A moment passed, and Emperor Taichang was still talking, sweat beginning to appear on his forehead.

Two quarters of an hour passed, and he spoke less. The flush on his face gradually faded, and a look of ashen pallor appeared layer by layer.

Three quarters of an hour passed, and Emperor Taichang closed his eyes.

Once the effects of the medicine wore off, no one mentioned the red pills left on the plate. Li Kezhuo's expression was also unpleasant; he huddled behind the medicine plate without uttering a word, waiting until dusk before quietly slipping away.

He left with his back bent three degrees lower than when he arrived. The words "loyal minister" were still fresh in his mind, but the matter of being rewarded was probably in jeopardy.

………………

Night fell. Only two imperial physicians remained on duty in the warm pavilion, along with a few eunuchs keeping watch over the lamps and Zhu Youxiao in the corner.

Emperor Taichang's breath grew weaker and weaker, each breath shallower and shallower.

The imperial physicians dared not make a move. They would examine the pulse once every incense stick's time, exchanging glances after each examination, neither willing to speak first.

Cui Wensheng's fate hung over the heads of everyone who dared to write a prescription—the twenty-odd imperial physicians were first-rate at receiving their salaries, but lacked the courage to actually write one.

Anyone who dares to write down the prescription will be the next Cui Wensheng. Everyone in the Imperial Medical Academy understands this principle, so they all keep quiet, preferring to wait in front of the emperor rather than leave a single word on the prescription.

It's not that this disease is incurable, it's that no one dares to treat it.

The sound of a low table being moved came from the corner.

Zhu Youxiao walked to the bedside, squatted down to look at Emperor Taichang's face, and then turned to stare at the two imperial physicians.

"Why is Father's face getting paler and paler?"

The two looked up.

Is it hot or cold?

This question is even simpler than "Why not give two pills at once?"

But the eldest prince is squatting by the bed, looking at you expectantly, and you have to answer.

"Your Highness, His Majesty's pulse is floating, large, and rapid, indicating internal heat... It is a fever."

"If it's hot, treat it by cooling it down, right?"

"Of course... it should be cleared."

"That's something that can be cured."

The judge opened his mouth.

He certainly knew that the red pill was a pure fire-inducing medicine, and administering it to a body with deficiency fire and dryness would be like adding fuel to the fire. What he needed to do now was to guide the fire downward and nourish yin to reduce dryness.

It's not that he doesn't know how to treat it, it's that he's afraid to.

But the words “That is indeed a cure” were spoken by the eldest prince, who was squatting in front of him.

His tone was urgent and his voice was rough, like a frantic child urging an adult.

When the eldest prince asked, he replied, "It should be clear," so that if something went wrong in the future, he would at least have a way out: "I will obey His Highness's orders."

When someone offers you a straw to grasp at when you're caught in a dilemma, you might as well take it.

"Your Majesty, I... Your Majesty, dare to propose a prescription."

Zhu Youxiao nodded, stood up, and dusted off his knees.

If I give you a way out, you should take it.

The judge and his colleagues discussed in hushed tones for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and devised a prescription to nourish yin and clear heat. The prescription itself was not difficult; the difficulty lay in who would be the first to stick their head out.

The medicine was prepared, and the eunuch fed it to him spoonful by spoonful. Emperor Taichang swallowed most of the bowl in a daze, his complexion remained the same, but his breathing seemed to be more even.

All that's left is to wait.

Zhu Youxiao sat in the corner, not closing his eyes all night. Emperor Taichang broke out in a cold sweat twice during the night, and Zhu Youxiao wiped it for him with a handkerchief. He trimmed the lamp wick again and again. The warm pavilion was so quiet that only breathing and the occasional flicker of the candle flame could be heard.

It seems we've weathered the toughest times.

A mere sixth-rank official in charge of rites could smuggle elixirs of dubious origin into the emperor's mouth, while a dozen or so members of the Imperial Medical Academy cowered in a corner, too afraid to utter a sound. There was no oversight of the medicine being administered; if anything went wrong, no one would take responsibility. This time they stopped it, but what about next time? Emperor Taichang's resources were already depleted; he couldn't afford a second such incident.

Emperor Taichang turned over, his breathing becoming more even than before.

………………

At dawn, the window paper was tinged with the pale light of dawn.

Emperor Taichang moved slightly.

Zhu Youxiao sat up straight.

Emperor Taichang slowly opened his eyes. The flush had faded, his face was ashen, his lips were dry and his tongue parched, but his eyes were moving, and there was light in his pupils.

Though the breath is faint, the spirit remains.

He first saw the imperial physician kneeling by the bed, then the boy in the corner—clutching a handkerchief, which was mostly wet, with dark circles under his eyes.

Emperor Taichang's gaze lingered on him for a long time.

This is the first time in fifteen years that I've looked closely at my son.

The calluses on his hands were from whittling wood, not from holding a pen. His sleeves were stained with medicine, I don't know when he got them. The dark circles under his eyes were from a sleepless night, and the water stains on his handkerchief showed he'd wiped them countless times for others.

He spent half his life vying for the crown prince position, only to find that his son was already fifteen and hadn't even been given a tutor. The entire court called the child a puppet, saying he was ignorant of the classics, and this blame wasn't placed on anyone else.

His Adam's apple bobbed.

"Your voice...it sounded like it was squeezed out from between rocks, 'You...stayed up all night?'"

Zhu Youxiao approached the bedside.

"Your subject is here."

Emperor Taichang raised his hand. The hand was so thin that it was just a skeleton. It trembled twice in the air before landing on Zhu Youxiao's head.

His hand remained still for a long time.

The warm chamber was so quiet that only the occasional popping of candle flames could be heard.

Emperor Taichang's fingers twitched, as if he wanted to touch his face, but didn't know how to do it. He had fought for the crown prince position for half his life, and his son was fifteen years old, yet he hadn't even properly seen him a few times.

The hand was pulled back.

half an hour.

"What have you been doing in the palace all these years?"

"Chewing wood."

Emperor Taichang did not reply. His fingers tightened on the top of Taichang's head for a moment, then relaxed.

Another half a day passed.

Only the breathing of two people could be heard in the warm chamber. The imperial physician buried his head even lower, wishing he could shrink into the floor tiles.

"I... am sorry for what you did."

After uttering those three words, he closed his eyes. His hand, too weak to move, fell limp, his fingertips brushing across his forehead.

In just a moment, he fell into a deep sleep.

But her breathing seemed more steady than last night.

Zhu Youxiao clutched the handkerchief, remaining silent.

The judge checked his pulse, then knelt down with a thud, pressing his forehead to the floor tiles, crying out, "God bless you! God bless you!"

The news spread from the warm pavilion to the corridor, and from the corridor to the palace gate.

"His Majesty has awakened. May Heaven bless His Majesty."

The assembled officials, who had waited all night, were relieved upon hearing the news.

The eunuch who delivered the message came out of the warm pavilion, and someone asked, "Is the eldest prince also in the warm pavilion?"

The eunuch nodded. "His Highness kept watch all night."

The two people beside them exchanged a glance. One of them lowered his voice and said, "The eldest prince can't even read properly. What can he do by staying up all night in the warm pavilion? He doesn't understand medicine either."

Another person chimed in, "Filial piety is a good thing. But filial piety can't replace going out to teach."

The voice wasn't loud, but everyone present heard it. No one responded or argued back.

Yes, filial piety can't replace going out to teach. But if it weren't for this "medical-illiterate" eldest prince asking last night, "Why not give two pills at once?", the news these people are waiting for today wouldn't be good.

Fang Congzhe stood at the front, his brows first relaxing and then furrowing.

The emperor is alive, which is a good thing.

But it was he who put the red pill into the palace.

This matter needs to be settled separately.