The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

Silence fell over the hall.

Zhu Di looked completely bewildered.

Seriously ill?

He took a breath.

"Big grandson, can't you wish me well for once?"

Zhu Zhanjun: "..."

He coughed lightly.

"Grandpa, I wasn't just saying that, what if."

Zhu Di stroked his chin.

"You mean, if I become seriously ill, Zhanji will rebel?"

Zhu Zhanjun said with a smile.

"That's right."

"How about we give it a try?"

Zhu Di fell into deep thought.

Something just doesn't feel right.

He hesitated.

"Zhanjun, it's not that I believe in this."

"But as the old saying goes, a single word can become a prophecy."

"If I pretend to have a short life, what if later..."

Zhu Zhanjun's lips twitched.

You really are going to have a short life.

He coughed lightly.

"Grandpa, you don't need to worry."

As the old saying goes, good people don't live long, but evil people live for a thousand years.

[Ding! You have obtained a golden treasure chest!]

Zhu Di: "..."

He stroked his beard.

"Zhanjun, if we really do that, wouldn't it easily shake the foundation of the nation?"

"If something happens to the emperor, it's easy for people to panic."

Zhu Zhanjun said with a smile.

"Isn't that perfect?"

"Grandpa Emperor, you have just reigned for ten years."

"Although the Ming Dynasty was at peace, countless demons and monsters were lurking in the shadows, including some former officials of the Jianwen Emperor."

"They might all jump out when you're about to die."

"Wait until those treacherous officials reveal themselves, then you can sweep them away with swift and decisive action. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Zhu Di: "!!!"

That makes some sense.

Zhu Di stroked his beard.

"Zhanjun, there is a great difficulty in carrying out this matter."

"I am currently in good health and full of energy. I can still ride and shoot for half an hour every day and review memorials until the third watch of the night."

"Among all the civil and military officials, who does not know that my imperial health is excellent?"

"If I were to suddenly become 'seriously ill' without any apparent reason, wouldn't that be too abrupt?"

"There needs to be a plausible reason for this."

A sly smile appeared on Zhu Zhanjun's small face as he leaned forward.

"Grandpa, this matter is actually simple."

"Think about it, throughout history, which emperor didn't want to live forever? Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, Emperor Taizu of Song—which one didn't seek immortality and ask about elixirs?"

"Over the years you have fought in the north and south, and worked tirelessly for the country. Although you are in good health, if you catch a cold, even after treatment at the Imperial Hospital, you will not recover well. As a result, you will worry about the country and have difficulty sleeping day and night, and gradually your energy will decline..."

"At this time, if a hermit offers you an elixir, claiming it can strengthen your body and prolong your life, you will be desperate and take it without thinking. After taking a few doses, you may initially feel better and more energetic, so you will believe in it even more and take it every day..."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di frowned, and his fingers unconsciously tapped on the imperial desk.

Zhu Zhanjun continued:

"But as for these pills, Grandfather, you know they are made of lead, mercury, and minerals. They may cause short-term mental excitement, but long-term consumption will inevitably deplete one's foundation."

"After taking it for a period of time, you will gradually show signs of fatigue, a dull complexion, occasional dizziness, and even occasional nausea."

"The imperial physicians of the Imperial Medical Academy can diagnose the signs of poisoning from elixirs affecting the internal organs and depletion of vital energy by taking the pulse."

"At that time, you will 'naturally' become 'seriously ill' and need to rest and recuperate, and may even... 'become unconscious for a period of time'."

Zhu Di remained silent for a long time before slowly saying:

"You mean... you want me to pretend to be poisoned by elixirs, and use that as an excuse to be 'seriously ill'?"

"Exactly!" Zhu Zhanjun nodded. "The history books are full of stories about elixirs, and everyone in the court and among the people knows how harmful they are. If you were to 'fall ill' because of this, it would be perfectly reasonable, and no one would suspect a thing."

"In this way, the severity of the illness and the duration of the disease can be secretly controlled by you and the trusted imperial physicians, allowing you to advance or retreat at will."

Zhu Di stood up, paced around the hall a few times, and then suddenly stopped.

"Zhanjun, your plan is brilliant, but it's quite risky. If this charade becomes real, my health..."

Zhu Zhanjun said solemnly, "Grandfather, I have also considered your concerns."

"Therefore, we must not actually consume those elixirs made of lead, mercury, and minerals."

"My idea is to have the Imperial Medical Academy use the best Chinese herbal medicines that nourish qi and blood, calm the mind and stabilize the will, such as astragalus, angelica, ginseng, poria, and jujube seed, to prepare a pill."

"Grandpa, what you take every day are these nourishing, harmless, and beneficial herbal pills."

"As for the signs of 'poisoning by elixirs,' such as a sallow complexion, occasional nausea and dizziness, we have the methods of the Imperial Hospital. With some harmless herbal juices and slight adjustments to the diet, we can simulate these symptoms and let the imperial physicians 'diagnose' the signs of depleted vital energy and poisoning by elixirs, ensuring a flawless diagnosis."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di's brows relaxed slightly, and he nodded.

Zhu Zhanjun chuckled again.

"Grandfather, think about it, are all the high-ranking officials, the ministers, and the civil and military officials in the court truly loyal and virtuous ministers?"

"Aren't there a few people you find objectionable, but you can't easily take action against them because of personal relationships or the political situation?"

"For example, those old nobles who, relying on their past merits, act arrogantly, form cliques, and engage in favoritism?"

"Or perhaps those self-proclaimed upright officials who, in reality, only engage in empty talk that harms the country and secretly causes trouble for Your Majesty?"

"Or perhaps those surrendered officials who wavered during the Jingnan Campaign, and though they have now submitted, they still harbor ulterior motives?"

Zhu Di's eyes narrowed, and he tapped his fingers lightly on the imperial desk. He did not reply, but his gaze was clearly drawn to Zhu Zhanjun's words.

Seeing that the time was right, Zhu Zhanjun smiled and said.

"Grandpa Emperor..."

"Don't touch or throw away the real 'elixir' made from lead, mercury, gold, and minerals."

"Find a pretext, such as 'remembering their hard work and great achievements' or 'showing consideration for the health of veteran officials,' to reward those ministers you don't like."

"They received the imperial 'elixir,' so they couldn't just throw it away."

"Some of those who took it might die soon after."

"In this way, Your Majesty, you won't have to worry about harming your health, and you can also rightfully send those troublesome fellows to their deaths in peace."

"Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Zhu Di was stunned after hearing this.

Holy crap.

Wonderful.

This kid made him eat pills made from herbs and rewarded the ministers with metal pills.

That's too clever.