Although these eunuchs were usually very submissive in front of Zhu Youxiao, he knew that where there are people, there are rivers and lakes. When these eunuchs fought, they were also very ruthless.

Checks and balances are very important. In this world, no one does not want to deceive the emperor, even loyal eunuchs.

Zhu Youxiao knew that he had to favor someone and let this person become a target to suppress some people. This person was Wang An. Firstly, because Wang An had good character, and secondly, he had to be a calm and steady eunuch.

The Ming Dynasty's system divided officials into inner and outer ministers. Wang An was now the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, and was usually referred to as the inner minister.

Wei Zhongxian was stunned when he heard Zhu Youxiao's words. Kebaba was sick? How could he not know? Besides, he didn't know any medical skills, so how could he treat Kebaba?

But in a moment, Wei Zhongxian was suddenly frightened, and a thought that even he himself felt was terrible came into his mind. His whole body was shaking violently. Could it be that it was really as he thought?

Wei Zhongxian was instantly covered in cold sweat, his body drenched. How could this be? He licked his dry lips, wiped the sweat from his forehead, raised his head and said, "Your Majesty, I am not an expert in medicine!"

"Oh?" Zhu Youxiao picked up the teacup and took a sip. A curious look flashed across his face, as if he had heard something extremely funny: "Could anyone dare to deceive me?" As he said that, he put down the teacup in his hand and looked at Wei Zhongxian with a smile.

Feeling the burning gaze from above, Wei Zhongxian felt a torment in his heart, both because Kebaba was his consort and because of the emperor's change of attitude.

You know, the emperor used to hold her in high esteem. He would personally visit her to congratulate her during every festival and treat her to lavish meals. When he first ascended the throne, the weather was unbearably hot, and he even built a tent for her and sent her ice. He even had the upper hand over other ministers, riding in a sedan chair in and out of the palace. But now...

Wei Zhongxian was trembling, feeling cold to the bone. The trembling became more and more intense, and Wei Zhongxian thought that something serious was about to happen.

People say that serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. Wei Zhongxian had never felt this before, but at this moment, Wei Zhongxian felt as if he was pulled out of ice water.

After a while, Wei Zhongxian gritted his teeth, bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, although this servant is not an expert in medicine, I do know a little about folk medicine, and I am willing to go and see Madam Fengsheng."

Zhu Youxiao's face remained indifferent. He waved his hand and said casually, "Then go!"

Except for the warm room, Wei Zhongxian shivered when the cold wind blew, his body swayed, and he almost fell to the ground. His lips trembled, his body was limp, and he could hardly hold his urine.

After leaning against the pillar for a long time, Wei Zhongxian finally caught his breath. He understood what the emperor said. What would be the result if he let a person who couldn't treat a disease to treat a patient?

Of course, he would just kill the patient! The emperor wanted Kebaba to die!

Thinking of this, Wei Zhongxian shuddered again, and his whole body was filled with fear.

What about me? Do I have any choice?

The answer is no. If he didn't do it, he would be the one to die. If he did it, there were two possible outcomes: the emperor would reward him for his work and he would rise to prominence; or he would become a scapegoat and be executed by imperial decree.

Wei Zhongxian's expression changed from bright to dark, but he knew that this had to be done.

After Wei Zhongxian left, Zhu Youxiao reached out from the secret compartment under the table and took out a book to read. This was a book Zhu Youxiao had just found.

What was Zhu Youxiao reading? The answer is simple: it was Han Feizi, which he had stumbled upon by chance.

At this moment, Zhu Youxiao finally understood why Qin Shi Huang liked Han Fei. The article he was reading was called "Preparation for the Interior", which was about the emperor.

Han Feizi said in "Bei Nei": The trouble for a ruler lies in trusting people. If he trusts people, he will be controlled by them.

What does this passage mean? The trouble for a ruler is trusting others. Trusting others means being controlled by them.

This passage makes the emperor's ruthlessness even more chilling, that is, as an emperor, you can trust no one. To support his argument, Han Feizi also discussed it from several aspects.

The first thing he discussed was ministers. Han Feizi said, "Ministers are not blood relatives to their rulers; they are bound by power and obliged to serve. Therefore, ministers must spy on their ruler's heart, without a moment's rest. When rulers are lazy and arrogant, this is why there are cases of rulers being hijacked and murdered."

The meaning of this passage is very simple: ministers have no blood relationship with their monarchs; they serve them only out of necessity. Therefore, ministers constantly try to gauge their monarchs' intentions, while the monarchs remain lazy and arrogant in their positions. This is why kidnapping and murder of monarchs occurs in the world.

Although there were fewer cases of openly kidnapping and killing emperors during the Ming Dynasty, there were still many stories behind them, and they have remained unchanged from ancient times to the present.

In addition to ministers, Han Feizi also discussed sons and wives. He said, "If a ruler trusts his sons, treacherous ministers can take advantage of them to achieve their own selfish ends. This is why Li Dui betrayed the King of Zhao and starved the ruler's father. If a ruler trusts his wife, treacherous ministers can take advantage of her to achieve his own selfish ends. This is why Yu Shi betrayed Li Ji to kill Shen Sheng and enthrone Xi Qi. If a man cannot trust his wife, who is close to him and his son, then no one else can be trusted."

If a monarch places too much trust in his son, treacherous ministers can exploit him for their own selfish ends. This is how Li Dui assisted Zhao Ren and ultimately starved his father to death. If a monarch places too much trust in his wife, treacherous ministers can exploit her for their own selfish ends. This is how You Shi assisted Li Ji in killing Crown Prince Shensheng and enthroning Xiqi. If even those as close as one's wife and son cannot be trusted, then no one else can be trusted.

When Zhu Youxiao read this passage, he was the first to attribute it to the Donglin Party. They used big words to gain the emperor's trust and achieve their own goals.

If they are disliked by the emperor, they will turn to the crown prince. These people can basically be defined as treacherous ministers as described by Han Fei Zi.

"Thousands of years of profound truth!" Zhu Youxiao reached out and picked up the "Preparation for the Inner Court" again, sighing, "The wisdom of our ancestors is indeed infinite. This "Preparation for the Inner Court" is indeed enlightening. However, it is very different from Confucian etiquette. It is the art of emperorship!"

If an emperor was educated by the Legalist Han Feizi, it would be difficult for him to be deceived by Confucianism, right? The emperor of the Ming Dynasty was fooled.

After a while, Zhu Youxiao put down the Han Feizi in his hand, picked up the teacup and took a sip, then stood up and stretched his muscles, and then said, "Chen Hong!"

"I'm here." Chen Hong, who was guarding outside the door, was wondering why Wei Zhongxian seemed to have aged ten years when he left.