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

Another half month passed.

On this morning, the sky was overcast, with leaden-gray clouds hanging low, making it hard for the entire city of Nanjing to breathe.

The atmosphere inside the Qianqing Palace was extremely solemn.

All the imperial physicians on duty at the Imperial Medical Academy, regardless of rank, were summoned to the Qianqing Palace immediately.

Led by the Imperial Physician Zhou Wenqing, dozens of imperial physicians filed in, and the palace gates were immediately closed, isolating the inside from the outside.

Outside the Qianqing Palace, the Imperial Guards stood guard every three steps and sentries every five steps, their armor gleaming and their weapons arrayed.

Meng Ji stood outside the palace gate, his face ashen, his hands tucked into his sleeves. His voice, though high-pitched, carried an undeniable authority: "His Majesty has decreed that no one is permitted to enter the Qianqing Palace without permission! Anyone who disobeys will be executed without exception!"

...........................

East Palace, side hall.

The flickering candlelight cast long and short shadows on the wall.

Zhu Gaochi sat in the main seat, his obese body leaning slightly forward, his face full of solemnity, but even more so with a sense of bewilderment and helplessness.

He had just finished listening to the eunuch's secret report. His hands gripped the armrests tightly, his knuckles turned white, and his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

Zhu Zhanji stood before him, his face equally grim, but his eyes were unusually sharp.

His pace was hurried and disordered, the soles of his boots making a dull sound on the gold bricks.

"The Qianqing Palace is under lockdown? All the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital have been summoned inside? Even Meng Ji is personally guarding the gate?"

Zhu Zhanji abruptly stopped and turned to Zhu Gaochi, his voice filled with barely suppressed urgency: "Father, this...this is not right! Although Grandfather has been taking elixirs for the past two weeks, his spirits have remained relatively good. Yesterday morning, he even summoned Yang Rong to discuss state affairs. Why is the palace gate suddenly sealed off and martial law imposed today? This cannot possibly be a simple case of 'imperial illness'!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gaochi's fat face trembled. He opened his mouth, but only managed a few mumbled words: "This...this...Zhanji, you...you're right, this matter is indeed strange...but...but what can we do? Since Father has sealed off the Qianqing Palace, he obviously doesn't want outsiders to know the inside story...If we rashly inquire, wouldn't we be..."

His voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, his gaze darting away, avoiding Zhu Zhanji's eyes, as if afraid his son would force him to come up with a solution.

"Father!" Zhu Zhanji suddenly raised his voice, carrying an undeniable authority, "At this point, how long are you still hesitating? Grandfather has sealed off the Qianqing Palace, summoned all the imperial physicians, and even Meng Ji is personally guarding the gate. This is clearly a matter of utmost importance! Nine times out of ten, the poison from that elixir has taken effect, and Grandfather is on the verge of death!"

He took a deep breath, his gaze sharp as lightning, and stared directly at Zhu Gaochi: "Father, as the Crown Prince, are you just going to sit here and wait idly?"

"If something truly happens to Grandfather, would Second Uncle let this opportunity slip by? That brat Zhu Zhanjun has just become the vanguard of the Imperial Guard, and he's riding high. They must have been prepared all along!"

"If we, the Crown Prince's Palace, don't make arrangements beforehand, it will be too late to regret it when a knife is held to our throats!"

Zhu Gaochi was so overwhelmed by his son's barrage of questions that beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Although Yang Shiqi had previously enlightened him, he still felt a sense of timidity when the time came.

Zhu Di had a huge influence on him.

Zhu Gaochi's obese body shifted uneasily in the chair, his voice trembling slightly: "Zhanji...you...what you said makes sense...but...but if we secretly plot something now, what if word gets out? Won't we be accused of treason? If Father finds out, we..."

"Treason?" Zhu Zhanji sneered, interrupting him. "Father, we're doing this to protect ourselves! To prevent the Ming Dynasty from falling into the hands of tyrannical people!"

"Master Yang, have you forgotten what you said the other day? If the Prince of Han takes advantage of the chaos to raise an army, and our Eastern Palace is unprepared, we will be killed and our clans wiped out. Are you willing to accept that?"

He walked up to Zhu Gaochi, his gaze intense, his tone resolute: "Father, you need not hesitate any longer! I will make the decision!"

Zhu Gaochi opened his mouth as if to say something, but Zhu Zhanji waved his hand, silencing him.

"Father, listen carefully," Zhu Zhanji turned around, speaking very quickly but clearly, "First, I will go to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices immediately to see Yang Shiqi in person and have him contact all the important officials who are close to the Crown Prince, so that they are aware of the situation and ready to respond at any time."

"Secondly, you shall immediately order the commander of the Eastern Palace guards to strengthen security at the Eastern Palace, starting tonight. All guards must remain in their armor, bows and crossbows must be strung, and swords drawn. No one may enter or leave without my order!"

"Third, I'll have Jin Ying personally go to the Beijing Garrison and find Commander Wang Tong. Tell him that the Crown Prince has been restless lately, and there's a possibility of trouble from petty villains. Instruct him to strengthen the Beijing Garrison's defenses and to immediately report any unusual activity to the Crown Prince!"

He finished speaking in one breath, his gaze sharp as he stared at Zhu Gaochi: "Father, you only need to stay in the Eastern Palace, stabilize the situation, and keep those upright civil officials at bay. I will take care of the dirty work and the tiring work!"

Zhu Gaochi was stunned by his son's series of swift and decisive orders.

His lips moved as if he wanted to refute, but he found that the determination and firmness in his son's eyes gave him, as a father, a strange sense of comfort.

He finally just sighed dejectedly, waved his hand, and said in a weak voice, "So be it...so be it...since you've made up your mind, and you have Master Yang to assist you...then...then...do as you say..."

Zhu Zhanji nodded emphatically, turned and strode out. But at the door, he stopped, turned back to look at Zhu Gaochi, and said in a deep voice, "Father, remember, we are not rebelling. We are fighting for the Ming Dynasty, for the lives of you and me! We must win this battle!"

After saying that, he disappeared into the night without looking back.

Zhu Gaochi sat alone in the empty side hall, gazing at the flickering candlelight, murmuring to himself, "For the Ming Dynasty... For the Ming Dynasty..."

......................

The atmosphere inside the Prince of Han's residence was equally somber.

Zhu Gaoxu sat on the grand chair in the main hall, holding a secret report that had just arrived from the Qianqing Palace in his hand, his face so gloomy it was almost dripping with water.

Several trusted advisors stood beside him, all with tense expressions, not daring to utter a sound.

"The Qianqing Palace is sealed off? All the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital have gone in? Even Meng Ji is personally guarding the gate?" Zhu Gaochi slammed the secret report on the table with a thud. "What the hell is going on?!"

He stood up, paced back and forth in the hall a few times, then suddenly stopped, his gaze sweeping over everyone like a knife: "Tell me, what's wrong with Father? He was perfectly fine yesterday, how could he suddenly..."

"Your Highness, please calm down." An elderly aide with graying hair and beard stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "According to a secret report from an inside source in the palace, His Majesty suddenly vomited blood and fell into a coma last night after taking a pill. Zhou Wenqing, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, rushed to the scene overnight and tried to save him until dawn. Although he has been temporarily stabilized, his condition is not optimistic."

"Vomiting blood? Unconscious?" Zhu Gaoxu's expression changed drastically, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "That sorcerer! I knew long ago that Master Lu was no good! How could Father have been bewitched by him!"

He turned abruptly to another aide: "Any news from Zhanjun? Where is he now?"

"Your Highness, Prince Huai was summoned to Qianqing Palace last night and has not emerged since," the advisor hurriedly reported. "It is said that before His Majesty fell into a coma, he personally requested that the Prince stay by his side."

Zhu Gaochi frowned slightly. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and said in a deep voice, "Issue my order: immediately send people to keep a close watch on the Eastern Palace. Report back immediately if there is any disturbance!"

"Furthermore, summon the commander of the royal guards to see me. From tonight onward, strengthen security inside and outside the palace. Armor must be worn at all times, bows and crossbows must be strung, and swords must be drawn!"

"Furthermore, send someone to secretly contact my former subordinates in the Beijing garrison, and have them prepared for any eventuality!"

Several advisors accepted the order and hurriedly withdrew.

Zhu Gaochi stood alone in the hall, gazing at the gloomy sky outside the window, and murmured to himself, "Father, oh Father, your illness... it really came at the right time..."