Chapter 44: Visiting Xiyuan
When the weather was clear and the wind was gentle, and spring was in full bloom, Hu Shanxiang, in accordance with Zhu Zhanji's request, specially had a banquet prepared in the West Garden to entertain ministers and ladies of honor. Concubines from the harem also attended. Those with some status in their families were able to meet their families from afar. Although concubines of lower status could not see their parents, they could also come out and get some fresh air.
Empress Dowager Zhang sat in the main seat. Seeing that the concubines in the harem all looked good, she praised them, "Wang Zhi is indeed as good as the imperial physician. I see that your complexions are getting better and better."
Upon hearing this, the concubines all echoed and praised Xu Wangzhi to the skies, saying things like "miraculous healing" and "benevolent and kind-hearted".
Xu Wangzhi, who had been brought along by the Empress Dowager, immediately stood up upon hearing this and said, "Your Majesty and the other ladies are too kind to praise me. I am simply doing my duty as a physician. Besides, there are many doctors with far superior medical skills than my own. I do not deserve such praise."
"Don't be so modest. If it weren't for you, how could my headache have healed so quickly?" Empress Dowager Zhang looked at Xu Wangzhi with a kind smile and said, "Huanhuan secretly asked me for a reward earlier. He said he wanted to get a clinic for you."
Xu Wangzhi said a little embarrassedly: "How dare I."
Empress Dowager Zhang raised her hand to gesture for her to sit down, saying, "Why should I be afraid? I've asked His Majesty, and he's very supportive. Later, he'll send someone to help you build a clinic so you can bring your family to the capital. From now on, you'll be a legitimate female physician in the palace. His Majesty and I are counting on you to train a few more apprentices, so the concubines in the harem won't be so shy about being treated by the imperial physician."
Xu Wangzhi was overjoyed, tears welling up in his eyes. He immediately kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your grace. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"
Upon seeing this, Concubine Sun first congratulated Xu Wangzhi, then said, "It's all thanks to Princess Shunde that she found Madam Xu and brought her into the palace. Otherwise, I don't know how long these imperial doctors would have to treat the Empress Dowager before she could see any improvement."
Concubine Cao immediately praised her, "Princess Shunde has always been the most filial and devoted to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty."
Hu Shanxiang sighed softly inwardly, then said, "Mrs. Xu's medical skills are truly exceptional; otherwise, how could she have cured the illness? You sisters don't need to take credit for her. Besides, I heard Huanhuan say that Mrs. Xu was invited by the Duke of Yingguo to treat her husband's leg injury and was recommended to the charity hall. So, if there's any credit, it should go to the Duke of Yingguo and his wife."
Zhu Youtong, who was following Hu Shanxiang, was a little confused. She didn't understand why her own mother was helping her sister to shirk the credit, but she just remained silent.
Empress Dowager Zhang smiled upon hearing this and said, "Duke Ying and his wife have always been extremely loyal and respectful." Then she thought of something else and asked, "Where's Huanhuan? Why isn't she here?"
Hu Shanxiang answered truthfully, "Your Majesty summoned Huanhuan, presumably because he had something to tell you."
As they were talking, an eunuch came in carrying two rabbits and said respectfully, "Old Madam, these two rabbits were hunted by Princess Shunde. She said she wanted to present them to you. She then had them skinned and made into hand covers."
After hearing this, everyone was stunned and exclaimed subconsciously.
Unexpectedly, Princess Shunde went to the front to hunt with His Majesty... Everyone heard that Zhu Yuhuan was learning horse riding and archery from the Jinyiwei commander Saihazhi, and they just thought that the princess was just going there for fun. After all, the hardship of horse riding and archery is unbearable for ordinary people. But they didn't expect that the princess actually went horseback hunting and brought back prey.
Empress Dowager Zhang was so happy that she couldn't stop laughing. She said, "This girl, it turns out she went out to play with her father. It's amazing that she still misses me."
Wu Miaosu saw this and praised: "The princess always does everything by herself. I can tell at a glance that she has made preparations in advance."
Empress Dowager Zhang was pleased and said contentedly, "Your Majesty is just as filial as he was when he was a child."
Concubine Sun couldn't help but glance at her daughter next to her. She saw that she was sitting properly, but her eyes occasionally looked at Zhu Youtong not far away, obviously wanting to come up and play with her.
The feast was filled with laughter and conversation, and the hunting grounds were indeed bustling with activity. Zhu Yuhuan, holding the reins, circled the field, bent his bow and arrow, and shot a musk deer. Then he returned to Zhu Zhanji, dismounted swiftly, and said, "Huanhuan, I'm not very good at my craft. I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, father."
She was dressed in a bright red gown, a folded-brimmed hat, a jade belt around her waist, and leather boots. At first glance, she looked like a prince.
Zhu Zhanji smiled and said to Saihazhi beside him: "Saihazhi, your student has not embarrassed you."
Saihazhi bowed and said, "It is the princess's talent and intelligence, not my credit."
Zhu Zhanji looked at Liu Yongcheng and said, "It was the Emperor who originally ordered General Liu to be the princess's teacher..."
Liu Yongcheng said respectfully, "I have taught the princess very little, so I dare not take credit for it."
Zhang Fu stood up upon seeing this and said, "Speaking of the princess's riding and archery, she truly embodies the grace of Your Majesty when she served under Emperor Taizong. During the Dragon Boat Festival, Emperor Taizong invited his ministers to the East Garden to watch them play ball and willow archery. Your Majesty was the first to take the lead, shooting and hitting the target repeatedly, much to Emperor Taizong's delight. Today, the princess embodies the image of Your Majesty, and it is truly a privilege for us to witness her."
Zhu Yuhuan couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Although Zhang Fu was a military general, he was also a meticulous one. He could handle even someone as cunning as Zhu Zhanji with ease. It could be said that he had the heart of a tiger but could still smell the roses. No wonder none of the three grandfathers and grandsons of the Zhu family had anything bad to say about him.
Recalling the past, Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but feel a little emotional, and said to Zhu Yuhuan: "Grandpa Emperor loved you the most back then, and found good teachers and helpful friends to teach you carefully. You must not let him down."
Zhu Yuhuan bowed obediently and said, "Huanhuan will remember Daddy's instructions." After that, she presented the musk deer and knelt down, saying, "The hare has been presented to the Empress Dowager as a token of filial piety, and the musk deer is presented to the Emperor, Daddy. Please respectfully examine it."
Zhu Zhanji showed satisfaction and asked the eunuch beside him to take it. He smiled and said, "Very good."
Just when the father was loving and the daughter was filial, a palace maid came quickly and whispered a few words to the eunuch beside Zhu Zhanji. The eunuch quickly walked to Zhu Zhanji, and Zhu Zhanji quickly stood up and said, "You guys just entertain yourselves and enjoy hunting." After that, he left in a hurry.
Zhu Yuhuan touched his chin and began to think that this important matter might be related to Concubine Sun.
If it was an urgent military situation, Zhu Zhanji could have just called all the military and civil officials to hold a meeting right there. Why would he leave in such a hurry? He couldn't have just been in a hurry to go to the bathroom.
However, since he finally had the chance to interact with everyone so openly, Zhu Yuhuan didn't want to waste time and went to find his own masters to build relationships with them.
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