Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

The news reached the outside of the palace a little slower than it reached the inside, but not by much.

Before dawn, the residences of the major officials in the capital were already in an uproar.

The first to receive the news was Fang Bin, the Minister of War.

His second cousin's third cousin's uncle, who was a distant nephew, worked in the Imperial Hospital. He was scared half to death when he was kicked out of Kunning Palace last night. He felt like his entire family was going to be exterminated, so he sent a message to Fang Bin through someone overnight.

Just kidding. Third Uncle doesn't know the specifics either, so he won't execute his entire family. Don't worry about his family; at most, Third Uncle will beat them to death.

After listening, Fang Bin sat in his study for a long time without moving.

"Your Majesty the Empress...has she recovered?" He asked three times, confirming it three times, before he dared to believe it.

The imperial physicians clearly said there was nothing they could do. Yet, overnight, he came back to life. Such a thing could only be the work of a god.

He didn't make a fuss, but the news still got out from the Ministry of War.

Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Revenue, heard about it on his way to court. When his carriage passed the Left Gate of Chang'an, he encountered Zhao Hong, the Minister of Rites. The two exchanged a few whispered words through the curtain in their sedan chairs, and both saw the same shock and confusion in each other's eyes.

"Lord Zhao, what are you saying about this..."

"It can't be said, it can't be said." Zhao Hong waved his hands repeatedly, but the expression on his face clearly said that this matter was too strange and there must be some inside story.

By the time they arrived at the Meridian Gate, the news had already spread throughout the entire court.

The ministers gathered in twos and threes, whispering amongst themselves.

"Her Majesty the Empress is cured? Wasn't it said that she had already...?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! You know how furious His Majesty was last night. The head of the Imperial Medical Academy was almost executed along with his entire family. Who dares to speak out of turn?"

"But this is too sudden. Could it be a miracle?"

"What kind of miracle? I heard that His Majesty invited a master to the palace."

"A master? What kind of master?"

"I don't know. But Kunning Palace was completely surrounded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard last night; not even a fly could get in. Ji Gang personally guarded it all night. Do you think this kind of defense was for an ordinary person?"

"Could it be the monk Daoyan? He's His Majesty's most trusted confidant, and he's well-versed in Buddhism."

"Daoyan is a monk, not a Taoist priest. I heard that His Majesty summoned a Taoist priest last night."

"A Taoist priest? What Taoist priest?"

"I don't know. But it's a fact that Her Majesty the Empress has recovered."

The ministers discussed it for a long time, but none of them had any definite information. However, everyone shared a common thought: this matter was not simple, and there must be some powerful force behind it.

The drums at the Meridian Gate sounded three times. Civil and military officials filed in and stood in their assigned positions in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The atmosphere today was different from usual. Everyone wore a tacit, tentative expression, and their eyes flickered when they met, like undercurrents beneath the surface of water.

Several senior officials huddled together and whispered a few words before quickly separating and returning to their respective positions.

Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi stood at the head of the civil officials, with two eunuchs carefully supporting him; his leg ailment persisted.

Prince Zhu Gaochi of Han stood at the front of the military officials, his back ramrod straight, but his right shoulder slumped slightly, a lingering injury from an arrow wound years ago.

Prince Zhao, Zhu Gaosui, stood behind Zhu Gaoxu, his face pale, occasionally coughing lightly.

The three brothers, each with their own thoughts, glanced in unison toward the direction of Kunning Palace.

Zhu Gaoxu was a restless man. Before the emperor arrived, he turned his head and lowered his voice to say to Zhu Gaochi, "Eldest son, have you heard? This morning, the ministers were all talking about the Empress Dowager, saying all sorts of things."

Zhu Gaochi kept his eyes straight ahead, his lips moved slightly, and his voice was extremely low: "I've heard about it. Ignore it."

"I just find it funny." Zhu Gaoxu grinned. "After all that guessing, do they even know it's the fourth brother?"

"Second brother, keep your voice down," Zhu Gaosui whispered from behind, his voice slightly weak. "Father said this matter must not be publicized."

"I know, I know, I didn't yell," Zhu Gaoxu muttered, stretching his stiff right shoulder. "After court, let's hurry and see Fourth Brother. My shoulder ached all night again, I really can't take it anymore."

Zhu Gaochi didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly. His knees were also throbbing slightly.

He glanced at the eunuch beside him, who immediately understood and quietly moved closer to him so that he could lean on him for support.

The three brothers shared a common thought—to quickly end the court session and go see their fourth brother.

"His Majesty has arrived..."

The three immediately composed themselves and knelt down along with the officials.

Zhu Di strode up to the throne. His complexion was much better than yesterday, his steps were steady, his eyes were sharp, and he exuded a long-lost vitality.

Several ministers who were nearby secretly glanced up and were all shocked. His Majesty's complexion had improved as the Empress had recovered from her illness.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The officials knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

Zhu Di sat down and raised his hand: "All of you, rise."

He glanced at the assembled officials below the prince.

"If you have something to report, speak now; otherwise, the court may adjourn."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Hong, the Minister of Rites, was the first to step forward. Holding his tablet in both hands, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I congratulate you! We have heard that Her Majesty the Empress has recovered from her illness. This is a blessing from Heaven upon the Ming Dynasty and a boon to the nation. We are all overjoyed to hear this news."

Zhu Di looked at him and gave a noncommittal "hmm".

Minister of War Fang Bin also stepped forward: "Your Majesty the Empress is blessed with good fortune, and His Majesty's sincerity has moved Heaven. We, your subjects, offer our congratulations." After he finished speaking, he knelt down, and several ministers and vice ministers behind him also knelt down.

"Your Majesty, we offer our congratulations! Your Majesty, we offer our congratulations!"

Zhu Gaochi stood among the military officials, watching them kneel on the ground, his smugness overflowing. He almost blurted out, "Do you know who cured him? It was my fourth brother! A disciple of the Daoist Ancestor!"

Zhu Gaosui seemed to sense his second brother's restlessness and coughed lightly. Zhu Gaoxu took a deep breath and swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Zhu Gaochi stood at the very front, motionless, not even lifting his eyelids. His knees were aching terribly, and all his energy was focused on keeping his footing; he had no mind to care about anything else. He knew his father would handle it, and he and his brothers didn't need to say a word.

Zhu Di sat there, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the people present. He knew, of course, what they were thinking. Overnight, the Empress, whom the imperial physicians had pronounced dead, had suddenly come back to life; anyone would be curious.

But he was thinking about something else.

Of those kneeling below, how many are genuinely praising, and how many are merely paying lip service?

Back then, he started a rebellion in Beiping, calling it "Fengtian Jingnan," and fought his way to Nanjing, where he seized the throne from his nephew.

He knew exactly what the historians wrote and what the people said. Some called him a traitor, others a usurper. He didn't care.

But he was afraid of one person: his father, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.

He feared that a hundred years from now, in the afterlife, his father would draw his sword and ask him, "Fourth Prince, why did you steal your nephew's throne?"

These words were like a thorn, stuck in his heart for over a decade. Whenever he was alone late at night, or whenever he worshipped at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, this thorn would resurface, causing him a dull ache.

But now, he's not afraid anymore.

His youngest son, Zhu Gaoxi, was a disciple of the Daoist patriarch and a descendant of immortals.

Zhu Di's lips curled up slightly, a hint of smugness hidden in his smile that only he could discern.

My ascension to the throne was illegitimate? So what? My son is the chosen one, and I am the father of the chosen one. In this world, who is more qualified than me to sit in this chair?

Father, watch from the afterlife. You chose the wrong person back then. Heaven has returned the throne to me.

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet heard throughout the hall: "The Empress has indeed recovered. The imperial physician says it is the will of Heaven."

God willing.

These two words silenced everyone. The ministers exchanged bewildered glances, wanting to ask but daring not to. What was the will of Heaven? Was it a divine intervention, or something else entirely?

Zhao Hong tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, may I ask which extraordinary person offered this assistance? We are wondering..."

"What are you thinking about?" Zhu Di interrupted him, his tone as indifferent as if he were commenting on the nice weather. "You will know when the time is right."

Zhu Gaochi stood at the head of the civil officials, his eyes lowered, motionless, only kept from collapsing by the support of the eunuchs. His father's words were wise: "What you should know, you will know; what you shouldn't know, don't inquire."

Zhu Gaoxu almost burst out laughing. He desperately held it in, his facial muscles contorting, when a sharp pain in his right shoulder pulled him back to reality.

Zhu Gaosui watched from the side, secretly glad that his second brother was standing in front of him; otherwise, if the censor had seen his expression, he would have been impeached again. He coughed again and quickly covered his mouth.

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Xia Yuanji stood in the queue, his eyes lowered, and remained silent. He understood the meaning behind Zhu Di's words: what he shouldn't know, he shouldn't inquire about.

Fang Bin wisely retreated back into the queue, and Zhao Hong also shut his mouth.

Several more ministers submitted memorials, each detailing routine local affairs: drought in one place, locust plague in another, and military pay shortages in yet another. Zhu Di responded to each one swiftly and decisively, but his mind was clearly elsewhere.

When the court session ended, the ministers left in twos and threes, still whispering among themselves.

"His Majesty said it's 'Heaven's will,' do you believe it?" a young censor asked his colleague in a low voice.

His colleague rolled his eyes at him: "If His Majesty says it's the will of Heaven, then it is the will of Heaven. Do you want to investigate further?"

"I don't want to investigate, I'm just curious..."

"Curiosity killed the cat." His colleague pulled him aside and quickly walked away.

Fang Bin walked at the back, squinting at the direction Zhu Di had left, pondering the words, "You will know when the time is right."

What does that mean? Does it mean that person is not convenient to show themselves for the time being? Or is His Majesty waiting for something?

He shook his head, swallowing his question. What His Majesty didn't want to say, no one could get out of him.

But then he remembered the news his nephew had sent the night before: the Fourth Prince had moved into the east wing of Kunning Palace, heavily guarded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, with Ji Gang personally keeping watch all night. His intuition, honed over years in politics, told him that this matter must be related to the Fourth Prince.