Tang Dynasty: Saving Lives and Helping Others, Li Lizhi Falls for Him

Inside the Lizheng Hall, Li Shimin sat there blankly, his mind still replaying the words Empress Zhangsun had just spoken.

Cousins ​​marrying...

Too closely related by blood...

The child has a congenital defect...

These words echoed repeatedly in his mind, like heavy hammer blows striking his heart.

Lizhi was his eldest daughter and his most beloved daughter.

Changsun Chong was the son of Changsun Wuji, his most trusted minister.

He personally made the decision to arrange the marriage.

It was a good match between families of equal social standing, a beautiful story of strengthening ties between relatives, and a good move to consolidate the relationship between the Changsun family and the royal family.

But if—if what Shen Chang'an said is true…

Li Shimin's face turned extremely ugly.

He was neither a foolish ruler who believed everything he heard, nor a rigid and incompetent one.

On the contrary, he knew better than anyone that some of the folk tales circulating among the people were not necessarily unfounded.

Especially Shen Chang'an—a divine doctor who could even relieve the Empress's illness on the spot. Could his words be made up?

"Your Majesty..." Empress Zhangsun called softly.

Li Shimin suddenly came to his senses, his gaze sharpening.

"It's better to believe this is true than not to believe it is not." His voice was deep and carried an undeniable air of authority. "I want to investigate."

"How does Your Majesty intend to investigate?"

"Chang'an is such a big city, there are countless families that are related by marriage."

Li Shimin stood up and paced back and forth in the hall a few times. "I will send people to visit the city to see whether the children born to those families are mostly healthy or have problems."

"This matter must be handled in secrecy," Empress Zhangsun cautioned. "If word gets out..."

"I know." Li Shimin stopped and turned to look at Empress Zhangsun, his gaze deep. "Guanyinbi, you did the right thing today. Don't let Lizhi know about this yet. Don't let her worry unnecessarily before we find out the truth."

"I have already instructed her to rest well in Lizheng Palace for the next few days and not to go out," said Empress Zhangsun.

Li Shimin nodded, walked to the palace entrance, and said in a deep voice:

"Issue an imperial decree to summon Fang Xuanling to see me."

"Your Majesty—" Empress Zhangsun hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

"I know what I'm doing."

Li Shimin turned and glanced at her, his gaze softening. "Guanyinbi, you rest first. Leave this matter to me."

Empress Zhangsun responded softly and watched Li Shimin stride away.

She leaned against the couch, closed her eyes, and felt a mix of emotions.

Hopefully... what that Dr. Shen said was wrong.

But her intuition told her that it probably wasn't that simple.

……

Ganlu Temple.

Li Shimin sat behind his desk, the tea in front of him had gone cold, but he had no appetite for it.

Fang Xuanling knelt at the lower end of the table, and after listening to the emperor's account, his expression became very solemn.

"Your Majesty, regarding this matter..."

Fang Xuanling carefully considered his words, "I believe that although what Doctor Shen said is only one opinion, it should not be ignored."

"That's what I think too."

Li Shimin tapped on the imperial desk. "Xuanling, personally arrange for a few people to disguise themselves as commoners and visit Chang'an. Specifically, find families with relatives or relatives by marriage and see how many of their children are healthy and how many... have problems."

"Your Majesty, I understand," Fang Xuanling bowed and said. "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will arrange for reliable people to handle this matter, and there will be no leaks."

"How long will it take to get the results?"

"Although Chang'an is a large city, the number of families that can be related by marriage is limited," Fang Xuanling said thoughtfully. "I will be able to report back first thing tomorrow morning."

"Alright." Li Shimin nodded. "Go ahead."

Fang Xuanling accepted the order and left.

Li Shimin sat alone in the Ganlu Hall, watching the sky outside the window gradually darken, his heart churning with turbulent emotions.

He recalled Lizhi's appearance as a child, her clear eyes when she sweetly called out "Father," and her increasingly thin face and the lingering sorrow between her brows.

That sorrow only appeared after the marriage was arranged.

He thought it was a girl's shyness, a young girl's ignorance about marriage.

He thought that given enough time, she would naturally accept it.

But what if the marriage itself is wrong?

Li Shimin clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white.

--check.

We must get to the bottom of this.

……

The next morning, Fang Xuanling hurriedly entered Ganlu Hall with a secret report in hand.

"Your Majesty," Fang Xuanling knelt on the ground, presenting a document with both hands, "I was ordered to investigate, and I have the results."

Li Shimin took the document, but did not open it immediately. Instead, he looked at Fang Xuanling's face and his heart sank.

"Speak."

Fang Xuanling took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "I dispatched eight men to visit all 108 wards of Chang'an City, and they investigated 47 households of relatives by marriage. Among them—"

He paused, his voice lowering even further:

"Among them, 31 families had children with varying degrees of congenital defects. Some were intellectually disabled, some had physical disabilities, some were frail and sickly and died young, and some... were stillborn."

"Thirty-one households..." Li Shimin's voice trembled slightly.

"Yes," Fang Xuanling continued, "No obvious problems have been found with the children in the other sixteen households so far, but seven of them have children who are under three years old. Whether they have any hidden illnesses will require further observation over time."

"So, out of the forty-seven households, two-thirds have problems?"

"Yes."

Li Shimin slowly closed his eyes.

The hall was so quiet that the faint sound of candles burning could be heard.

After a long time, he finally opened his eyes, his gaze filled with an indescribable weariness.

"That Shen Chang'an..." Li Shimin's voice was very soft, "What he said is all correct."

"Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance," Fang Xuanling began cautiously. "The marriage between Princess Changle and Prince Changsun..."

Li Shimin remained silent for a long time.

"Don't make a fuss about it yet." He finally spoke, his voice regaining the composure befitting an emperor. "I need to think about this matter further."

"Yes."

"Go and investigate Shen Chang'an's background," Li Shimin said, changing the subject. "A young doctor who can provide free medical consultations outside the city and alleviate the Empress's illness on the spot—such a person is not simple."

"I have already investigated," Fang Xuanling said. "Shen Chang'an, eighteen years old, place of origin unknown, appeared outside Chang'an City several years ago, claiming to be a disciple of a wandering physician and making a living by practicing medicine. Two months ago, he began to provide free medical services outside Qixia Gate, curing many people, who all called him 'Divine Physician Shen'."

"Eighteen years old?" Li Shimin raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Yes. I didn't believe it at first either, but after making many inquiries, I can confirm it without a doubt."

Li Shimin remained silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke: "Go tell the Empress to proceed with her follow-up appointment in seven days as scheduled. I want to see just who this Physician Shen really is."

"Yes."

Fang Xuanling accepted the order and withdrew.

Li Shimin sat alone in the Ganlu Hall, clutching the secret report in his hand, his gaze deep and complex.

Shen Chang'an...

If you really have such skills, why are you willing to provide free medical services outside the city?

Who exactly are you?