Chapter 81 Succession of Brother to Brother
Prince Duan disliked Li Zhengyan because of his lowly status, believing he was not good enough for his beloved younger sister.
Zhou Chuanxing, however, had a high opinion of Li Zhengyan, believing that his future prospects far surpassed those of Li Ce.
The two disagreed and argued heatedly, their faces turning red.
Prince Duan was so angry that he flung his sleeves and stormed off.
The Empress personally went to the Grand Tutor's residence to maintain order today. As she was leaving, Grand Tutor Wang secretly slipped her a note.
The inscription above contained only four characters: "Succession from elder brother to younger brother."
The Empress did not immediately grasp her father's deeper meaning and gave the note to her most loyal old nanny.
The old nanny quickly understood.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor is seriously ill and it is feared that he will not recover. The throne will surely be handed over to one of his younger brothers."
At that time, although you will have a little princess and they won't treat you badly, the treatment you receive will definitely not be the same as it is now.
The Grand Tutor wants you to make plans as soon as possible.
The Empress asked, puzzled, "But what can I do?"
The old nanny whispered, "Back then, Empress Wu was just a concubine of Emperor Taizong. But after spending a few years as a nun in a temple, she transformed into the new emperor's empress."
The Empress suddenly understood, "You mean you want me to..."
The old nanny nodded solemnly, "Your Highness, this is the best way out."
The succession of a brother to his brother upon death requires a dual test of ethics and morality, which the empress could not accept at the time.
“How can I do that? The Emperor has been good to me; I cannot betray him.”
The old nanny, with an expression of empathy for the Empress, said, "It's a pity that the Emperor has no son. Even if he had a son born out of wedlock, you could still rule from behind the curtain. If it were any of the other princes, there would be no place for you in the harem."
"The best course of action now is to win over the Second Prince as soon as possible and make him work for you. If you become pregnant again, he has no interest in women, and this child might be his only one. Why should he abandon you?"
The old nanny's plan was good, but the Empress found it hard to accept.
The old nanny added, "Once the Second Prince has this relationship with you, would he still make things difficult for the Grand Tutor's Mansion?"
The Empress was quickly persuaded by the old nanny, but she still had some worries.
"The second son is not interested in women, and I am his sister-in-law. Can this thing really work out?"
The old nanny leaned close to the Empress and whispered a few words, "Once the deed is done, you can control him. He's a man who's been on the battlefield for over a decade. Once he experiences the pleasures of a woman, he'll probably spend the night in the inner palace."
...
When Zhou Chuan had less administrative duties, he would visit the emperor in the palace every day.
If I really can't find the time, I'll go every few days.
I was busy selecting talent a while ago and didn't go for a few days.
I've had a bit more free time lately, and I've been going every day for the past few days.
After seeing the Emperor today, he left the palace and inquired about the imperial physicians in charge of the Emperor's condition.
"How is His Majesty's health? He's taken so much medicine, why isn't he getting better?"
The imperial physicians were all filled with fear and unease.
"Your Highness, it's not that we haven't been diligent, it's just that the Emperor's illness..."
Zhou Chuanxing and the Emperor were born of the same mother and shared a deep brotherly bond.
Over the years, he has been leading troops and fighting desperately in the field, all in order to protect his elder brother's empire.
The country was preserved, the surrounding barbarians submitted, and the people's hearts were won over.
But before the good days could even begin, the emperor fell ill.
"to be honest."
Zhou Chuanxing gazed at the distant sky, his heart filled with desolation.
The imperial physician, feeling deeply saddened, gently shook his head.
Physician Zhang also shook his head.
Only Physician Yang hesitated to speak.
Zhou Chuanxing said, "Physician Yang, please speak frankly."
Physician Yang said respectfully and cautiously, "Your Majesty does have a way to cure your illness."
The Regent, who was usually calm and collected in the central command tent, suddenly couldn't contain his excitement and grabbed Physician Yang: "Quickly tell me what the solution is. Are there some medicinal herbs that are hard to find? Don't worry, as long as there is a prescription, I will find it no matter what."
Physician Yang said with difficulty, "It's not that the herbs are hard to find, but that the Emperor is seriously ill and the prescription is extremely potent."
Without taking it, the emperor could have lasted for several more years.
After taking the medicine, the Emperor was able to live like a normal person, and his life was spared…
Zhou Chuanxing asked anxiously, "How is his life?"
Physician Yang: "It can only last for three to five months."
Zhou Chuanxing: "..."
The Emperor has been bedridden for nearly two years, and is better off than a living dead, occasionally waking up for a short while.
According to Physician Yang's treatment method, he can live like a normal person for three to five months.
If this prescription were not used, the emperor's lifespan could still be measured in years.
Zhou Chuanxing was unable to make a decision for the time being.
“If even a single word of this gets out, watch your heads.”
Tang Xinuan heard about how the Empress had blocked the search of the Grand Tutor's mansion.
That makes sense.
As the daughter of the Grand Tutor, the Empress would certainly be determined to protect the royal family to the death.
It's hateful that their whole family was alive and well, enjoying wealth and luxury, while my family suffered a devastating disaster.
Grandfather, parents, cousins, cousins, the housekeeper and his family—a total of thirteen people—all perished.
Although the eldest brother escaped, he lived in hiding and dared not show his face as a member of the Tang family.
She can show her true self, but she has a reputation for being stupid, and even her cousin, who lives with her day and night, doesn't believe she's a normal person.
All of this is beyond what Grand Tutor Wang's dog life could repay.
Once the truth comes out, she will absolutely not let any member of the Wang family off the hook.
Let them all go to hell and gather together.
After venting her anger, Tang Xinuan planned to consult with Erlang about what to do next.
As if by telepathy, before she could even process this thought, Erlang appeared in her courtyard.
"Erlang..."
She excitedly greeted the man at the door, but found that he wasn't as happy as usual.
His face was expressionless, and his eyes were vacant, as if he were pondering something very complicated.
He seemed a bit listless, and even his shoulders weren't as straight as they used to be.
Tang Xinuan has spent the last six months studying facial expressions and body movements.
She has gradually become able to distinguish emotions that are more complex than joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.
Erlang looks like he's in trouble.
She stopped smiling, took Erlang's arm, and helped him sit down.
"Erlang, are you unhappy?"
Zhou Chuanxing waved his hand, signaling all the maids to leave.
He then nodded, "A little."
Tang Xinuan picked up a piece of chestnut cake and held it to his lips, "A little dessert will do."
Zhou Chuanxing took a bite from her little hand. The chestnut cake was sweet, crisp, and not greasy, which could indeed make people feel happy.
"Our daughter is so thoughtful, she's definitely much better now."
Tang Xinuan sat down beside her. "I have something even more considerate. Why don't you tell me what happened? Maybe I can help."
Zhou Chuanxing couldn't use Tang Xinuan's brother as an analogy.
He then said, "If you have a younger brother who is chronically ill and needs to be bedridden, he might live for another three to five years if he continues with his current treatment plan."
Today the doctor tells you there's a way to let him live like a normal person, but he only has three to five months to live. What would you do?
This question stumped Tang Xinuan.
"If I were a patient..."
"Don't make that assumption," Zhou Chuanxing stopped the girl; he couldn't stand any negative things she said.
Tang Xinuan hugged his big hand and began to whine, "I was just hypothesizing. If it could come true, I would hypothesize every day that Grand Tutor Wang would be punished."
Zhou Chuanxing said helplessly, "I'll listen to you, assuming it won't come true."
Tang Xinuan continued, "If I were a patient, I would hope to live for three to five months like a normal person."
"What joy is there in being bedridden? What difference is there between life and death?"
Zhou Chuanxing sighed, "But he is your brother, your closest relative."
Tang Xinuan remained silent.
Zhou Chuanxing: "My father passed away early, and my mother has always been in poor health. I have been leading troops in battles all these years and have not enjoyed any family affection."
Our eldest brother is the backbone of our group.
Over the years, I have worked myself to the bone, risking my life to quell wars and protect our homeland, all so that one day my brothers and I can sit together in peace, chatting and drinking tea.
But my older brother...
Even if he can't do anything, as long as he has a breath left, I feel that he still has a backbone, and I have the energy to do anything.
But the thought of him leaving, and having to protect this family from now on...
It was as if I had swallowed a mouthful of chili pepper; when it came time to say goodbye, my throat was so sore that I couldn't utter a sound.
Tang Xinuan was young when she faced life and death separations, so her experience was not profound at that time.
She was sent to the Marquis's mansion, thinking that she was only temporarily separated from her parents and would see them again sooner or later.
Little did I expect that this would be a permanent separation between us.
Later, as she grew older, she gradually came to understand the meaning of life and death. But too much time had passed. She felt sad and upset, but she didn't feel heartbroken.
Seeing Erlang sad today, she gently hugged him and comforted him softly: "Erlang, I will fight alongside you and stand with you at the forefront to protect our family."
If you feel tired, in pain, sad, or unhappy, my shoulder is for you.
Don't let its small size fool you; it's made of steel, resilient and powerful, capable of supporting you indefinitely.
This is the little girl that Zhou Chuanxing recognized at first glance.
She is smarter than anyone else.
She is also stronger and more resilient than anyone else.
When the two are together, it seems that he is taking care of her, but the emotional support she provides is immeasurable.
Not only did they help him find talented people, but they also established an academy and personally taught the classes.
Of the four hundred "Jinshi" selected in this imperial examination, six or seven out of ten had attended her lectures.
Not to mention that many students have benefited from her kindness in other places.
A few days ago, many students went to the temple to erect a longevity plaque for her. I saw the pottery jar with my own eyes, and it was placed in the most conspicuous place in the temple.
When he has some free time, he will definitely take the little girl to the temple to see it for herself.
...
Zhou Chuan buried his face in her shoulder and took a deep breath.
"Yes, with my daughter's support, Erlang can overcome any difficulty in the world."
Zhou Chuanxing alone could not decide on the emperor's treatment plan.
They planned to summon Prince Duan and Chao Li to discuss the matter together.
Chao Li arrived quickly upon hearing the news. Prince Duan was still angry that Zhou Chuanxing had made the decision about Chao Li's marriage without his consent, and refused to come to the palace no matter what.
Since one person was missing, Zhou Chuanxing didn't tell Chao Li the truth.
"Zhengyan has brought many rare and unusual items at Madam Li's request. Take a look and see if there's anything you like."
Chao Li, a young woman, is now engaged and satisfied with her husband's family in all aspects, so she naturally looks forward to seeing him more often.
But she was too embarrassed.
Since she lived in the palace, it was inconvenient for Li Zhengyan to contact her.
The two have not seen each other since the day they got engaged.
"Second brother, is Zheng Yan here?"
Zhou Chuanxing pointed to the next room, "You just arrived, go ahead."
In the evening, Zhou Chuan escorted Chao Li back to the palace and also made a trip to the Emperor's bedroom.
Physician Yang happened to come over to take her pulse.
He instructed, "Physician Yang, prepare the medicine first."
Physician Yang accepted the order, saying, "Yes, sir."
Zhou Chuanxing: "How long will it take?"
Physician Yang: "Your Majesty, I will do my best, but this medicine is extremely difficult to make; it will take at least a month."
A month had passed, and Zhou Chuanxing figured it was time to make a decision.
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