The next day, there was an uproar and heated discussions inside and outside the palace, and among the government and the public.
"Have you heard? His Majesty has been poisoned!"
"That night, I saw someone in the palace urgently summoning Imperial Physician Liu. Even Shen Yuanzheng, whose medical skills were comparable to Liu's, was invited. Unfortunately, Shen Yuanzheng was ill that night and could not enter the palace."
"I also heard that Imperial Physician Liu hasn't returned for several days and has been staying in the palace."
"Not only that, yesterday Mr. Luo from the palace personally went to the General's Mansion to invite Madam Hua from the Ye family into the palace. Madam Hua is a disciple of the Lanling City Lord, and her medical skills are undoubtedly not inferior to those of Imperial Physician Liu. It seems our condition is quite serious."
"Not only that, I also heard that Your Majesty has long been poisoned, the poison has penetrated deep into your bones, and no medicine can cure it."
"Are you talking nonsense? Our emperor is a benevolent and wise ruler, how could he be poisoned?"
In the Shangshu Ling's mansion.
The mansion used to be peaceful and tranquil, but today it was a little different. A servant hurriedly crossed the front yard, the corridor, and went straight to his master's study.
His face showed some tension and anxiety, as if he had something important to report to Shangshu Ling Lu Jin.
After entering the study, the servant calmed his breath a little, then reported to Shangshu Ling Lu Jin, who was sitting at the desk: "My Lord, a rumor has suddenly spread among the people. In just half a day, it has spread throughout the city. I have come to inform you of it."
Shangshu Ling Lu Jin was originally processing official documents with his head down. After hearing the servant's words, he slowly raised his head and looked at the servant.
His eyes darkened slightly, as if he was interested in the rumor. "Tell me."
The servant understood what he meant and immediately told him everything he had heard.
After the servant finished his story, the Minister of the Chancellery remained silent, as if lost in thought.
Then he waved his hand and said, "Back off."
After the servant left, Shang Shuling looked out the window. The crabapple tree under the window had several yellowing leaves and was about to fall.
In the afternoon, Minister Wang of the Ministry of War rushed to the Lu Mansion like a gust of wind to visit his daughter and grandson.
After a brief stay in his daughter's yard, Minister Wang went straight to find the Minister of the Chancellery.
"Zijin."
"Bo Ce." The two words Bo Ce are exactly the names of Shangshu Wang.
Although Minister Wang was over fifty, his square face remained resolute, revealing the heroic spirit of his early military career. After his transfer to the position of Minister of War, he was highly regarded by His Majesty and became a loyal and devoted minister.
This time, Shangshu Wang came because he had heard rumors in the market that His Majesty had been poisoned and was in danger of death. He was extremely anxious and rushed to the Shangshu Ling Mansion in a hurry.
"Zi Jin, you have heard about His Majesty. Are the rumors in the streets true? Is His Majesty really..." Shangshu Wang couldn't wait to ask the Shangshu Ling, his words full of concern.
The Minister of the Chancellery shook his head slightly, waving his hand in denial. "Bo Ce, how can we trust rumors? Your Majesty may be ill, but he is not, as the rumors say, poisoned and incurable. Imperial Physician Liu is meticulously treating Your Majesty, and you will surely recover soon. You and I are both pillars of the court, and we must not believe rumors and sway us with skepticism."
"You are right. I was impulsive and lost my composure." Shangshu Wang thought for a moment and felt that what Shangshu Ling said made sense.
He has lived for most of his life, experienced many ups and downs, and had a career. How could he be so easily influenced by rumors?
As the emperor's uncle, the Minister of Chancellery naturally understood the emperor's situation best. Among all the civil and military officials in the court, who else could understand the emperor's true situation better than the Minister of Chancellery?
Shangshu Wang talked with the Shangshu Ling for a long time, and the doubts in his heart gradually dissipated. He left the Shangshu Ling's mansion with a sense of relief.
The Minister of State's heart was in turmoil, as if shrouded in a thick cloud of suspicion. Ever since he left Xiangning Palace and returned to the mansion yesterday, that thick fog of doubt had been lingering in his mind, unable to be shaken off.
Why did His Majesty say that he would die sooner or later? And why did Luo Shen cry so heartbrokenly?
Your Majesty was poisoned on the Mid-Autumn Festival, so how can it be said that Your Majesty had been poisoned long ago?
If Your Majesty had already been poisoned, why had you concealed it until now?
This series of questions, like a tangled ball of hemp rope, trapped Shangshu Ling's mind, leaving him puzzled.
Assuming that Your Majesty is truly incurable and has no children, who would Your Majesty choose as the crown prince?
A name suddenly flashed through Shangshu Ling's mind - King Qin Zhao Yingyi.
He carefully recalled everything from the selection of the concubine to the dispute between His Majesty and the Queen Mother, and finally His Majesty, under pressure from the Queen Mother, gave Tianyun in marriage to the King of Qin. There seemed to be something strange about it.
In particular, His Majesty's attitude towards Tianyun has changed drastically.
In the past, His Majesty was lukewarm towards Tianyun. Before and after the selection, His Majesty suddenly showed his liking for Tianyun, and made it clear in both explicit and implicit ways that he wanted to make Tianyun a noble concubine.
Is it possible that Your Majesty did this on purpose, and finally gave Tianyun to the King of Qin as his princess?
If Your Majesty chooses the King of Qin, and uses the opportunity of the selection to grant a marriage between the King of Qin and the Lu family, thus tying the Lu family and the King of Qin together, it will not only allow the Lu family to support the King of Qin, but also use the power of the Lu family to stabilize the court. Then, all of Your Majesty's strange behaviors will be reasonably explained.
…
Xiangning Palace, warm room.
Hua Fushu and Doctor Liu spent a day and a night developing a pill that could suppress the onset of the toxin.
Eunuch Luo will present it to Zhao Zixu.
Zhao Zixu looked at the inky-colored pill and asked Hua Fushu seriously, "After taking this medicine, how long can I last at most?"
Hua Fushu bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, this medicine is the most effective pill that Imperial Physician Liu and I have ever developed, using all our knowledge. It will only last about ten days at most."
Hearing this answer, Zhao Zixu suddenly chuckled. There was a hint of relief in that relaxed laugh, an open-minded attitude towards life and death. "Ten days is enough."
Hua Fushu couldn't help but stare at Zhao Zixu with his almond-shaped eyes startled. After hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, aren't you afraid of death?"
Zhao Zixu raised his head slightly, took a few steps forward, and stared into the distance with a determined gaze. He slowly said, "Miss Fushu, in this world, no one can escape the cycle of life and death. Everyone will die one day, it's just a matter of sooner or later. It may be lighter than a feather, or heavier than Mount Tai. That's all. Why should you be afraid of death?"
These words impressed Hua Fushu. It was amazing that the emperor of a country could be so open-minded in the face of death.
How many people in this world are entangled in birth, old age, sickness and death, how many people are afraid of death, and how many people are as indifferent to life and death as Your Majesty and are not afraid of death?
Even someone like her sometimes fails to take life and death lightly and face and accept it calmly.
Your Majesty's open-mindedness is truly admirable.
Zhao Zixu swallowed the pill and said in his heart, "I'll wait for you when it rains."
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