After spending the New Year at Sanglin Manor, Li Shimin rushed back to Chang'an the next day to receive the congratulations of the officials.
However, he kept Sizi behind, fearing that she might suddenly fall ill in Chang'an and delay her treatment.
As soon as Li Shimin returned to Taiji Palace, he saw Li Zhi leading more than a dozen people to greet him.
"Father, this is a renowned physician whom I specially invited from various regions to treat Sizi's illness!"
Li Shimin smiled and nodded upon hearing this.
"That's so thoughtful!"
"But Sizi doesn't need it anymore; she already has the best doctor in the world!"
Li Zhi was very puzzled when he heard this. Did his father no longer care about Si Zi's condition?
"Father, let them take a look at Sizi. Perhaps one of them has experience treating such difficult and complicated diseases?"
Li Shimin grew a little impatient upon hearing this, thinking to himself, "Doctor Sun lives right next to Sizi. Is there any doctor in the world whose medical skills are even more superb than Doctor Sun's?"
"Child, stop causing trouble here!"
"I've just returned to the palace and have a lot to do. I don't have time to waste with you here!"
Li Zhi felt deeply aggrieved upon hearing this, but dared not show it. He could only respectfully withdraw and then lead a group of physicians back to the Eastern Palace.
"Where did I go wrong?"
Why would this arouse the Emperor's displeasure?
Li Zhi was completely baffled, so he wrote a note and asked someone to take it to the palace to ask Sister Wu.
After reading it, Wu Zetian sighed helplessly.
This fool is already the crown prince, how come he's still so timid, fearful, and suspicious?
His Majesty's attitude was just a little bad, and it made him suspicious. If he becomes emperor in the future, wouldn't it be enough for him to feel uncomfortable for half a day just from a glare from his subjects?
Although Wu Zetian was very disappointed with Li Zhi's performance, she still replied to his letter.
"Fool, His Majesty is just in a bad mood, that's why he's being so dismissive of you. Don't take it to heart..."
With Sister Wu's comfort, Li Zhi's mood improved considerably.
As for His Majesty's refusal to allow the doctor he had invited to treat Si Zi, he didn't care. He had already fulfilled his responsibilities as an elder brother, and even if Si Zi died, it would have nothing to do with him.
During the Tang Dynasty, officials would have a seven-day holiday for the New Year. During this seven-day holiday, officials would generally not go to the government offices to handle official business, except for going to the palace to offer congratulations.
Therefore, the whole of Chang'an seemed very comfortable and leisurely.
There was only endless wine to drink, endless banquets to eat, and endless song and dance performances in the homes of the wealthy and powerful.
When Li Shimin returned to Taiji Palace, he first held a banquet, inviting all the meritorious officials and senior ministers of the court. Then he set up several tables in the inner palace to entertain the concubines. Only then did he manage to get through the New Year.
After the New Year comes the Lantern Festival, which is another time for celebration.
Therefore, the entire imperial court would not resume work until after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
During this period, Li Shimin was also very free. Apart from attending necessary occasions in person, he delegated all other activities to Li Zhi in his place.
As for him, he was either on his way to Sanglin Village or on his way back to Chang'an.
Although the back-and-forth journey left him exhausted, he persevered through sheer willpower.
Because he knew that Heaven had given him and Sizi little time left.
Before they knew it, the Lantern Festival arrived. Li Shimin had planned to take Sizi and Li Jue back to Chang'an to enjoy the lanterns.
But on that very day, Jizi experienced severe chest pain, and her breathing became rapid and labored.
Upon seeing this, Li Jue and Sun Simiao quickly carried Sizi to the infirmary to provide emergency treatment.
Although the two had already conducted numerous experiments on cadavers and were familiar with all the key points of pericardiocentesis, they were both extremely nervous when they stood in front of the operating table.
"Senior brother, who should go?"
Seeing Li Jue's hands trembling slightly, Sun Simiao couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
"I'll do it!"
"As the saying goes, a doctor cannot heal himself. You and this girl are very close, so it's inevitable that you'll have reservations when you take action..."
"Senior brother, you misunderstand. We are not close relatives, but our feelings for each other are even stronger than those of close relatives..."
Sun Simiao smiled faintly upon hearing this.
"Same!"
Upon hearing this, Li Jue secretly rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, "How can they be the same? My own flesh and blood are all in the palace..."
"Thank you for your help, senior brother. I'll assist you!"
Sun Simiao took out a silver needle and inserted it, first putting the ox into a deep sleep, then picked up the silver needle he had prepared beforehand and pierced it diagonally into the skin of the ox's chest...
The surgery is actually very simple, but in the Tang Dynasty, where there were no imaging devices and the operation relied entirely on touch, this kind of surgery could be fatal.
One wrong move and someone could die instantly.
Half an hour later, the two men, looking exhausted, came out of the infirmary and bumped into Li Shimin.
How is my daughter?
"I have fulfilled my mission!"
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