Daming: At the start of the showdown, Lao Zhu was stunned

Chapter 879 The Queen is Seriously Ill
Seeing his wife's bleak face, Lao Zhu felt sad, but he swallowed the emotion back in his heart and said, "Lao Wu is back. We have state affairs to ask him, so we hurried here."

Upon hearing this, Empress Ma smiled gently at Old Zhu, turned her head and gently tidied Zhu Su's hair, which had become messy due to the journey, and said to Zhu Su: "In this case, Xiaowu, state affairs are more important. Go and discuss with your father."

"Ahem... Mother is very sleepy. Let's take a nap first. When you have finished discussing state affairs with your father, come and talk to Mother."

She seemed to know that she didn't have much time left, and she wanted to see her children and grandchildren as much as possible. Zhu Su sensed her feelings and felt sorry for her, so he turned his head away. After a while, he turned back and replied, "Yes, mother, I will come to accompany you after I finish discussing state affairs with my father."

"Good boy." Empress Ma smiled. Zhu Su immediately withdrew. Old Zhu winked, and Zhu Biao also led Zhu Xiongying and his brothers out of the Kunning Palace.

"Old Five, Dr. Dai is just outside the palace." Old Zhu whispered to Zhu Su. "Your mother has been getting worse these days... You must come up with an idea!"

"Yes." Zhu Su also nodded seriously. Although his own medical knowledge was mostly limited to the superficial medical attempts of later generations, Dai Sigong was a medical expert of this era. Even for some difficult and complicated diseases, as long as he provided an idea, Dai Sigong might be able to find a solution.

However, what Dai Sigong said put Zhu Su into a helpless situation.

"…Your Highness, the Queen's illness is not a specific disease, but a result of exhaustion, which cannot be cured by medicine." Dai Sigong looked miserable and unbearable. "Your Highness lived in poverty and cold in her early years, which damaged her essence. Although she has been taking care of herself since then, it is hard to make up for it."

"Can't I recuperate?" Zhu Su seemed to be craving for the last straw.

"Recuperation... I have been recuperating for a long time." Dai Sigong shook his head. "It is a great achievement to be able to prolong my life until now."

He was brought to the palace by Zhu Su over the years, and the diet and medicine of the emperor and empress were all prepared by him. It can be said that he has helped Empress Ma to prolong her life. He has already changed her fate against the will of heaven, and he can't change it any more.

"Old man Dai...what nonsense are you talking about! You..." Zhu Chong wanted to step forward in anger.

"Second brother!" Zhu Biao stopped Zhu Chong. He said to Dai Sigong and Zhu Su with a heavy face: "Old Dai, you are a master of medicine. Fifth brother, you are also gifted in many subjects and often do amazing things."

"You two should discuss it carefully, maybe, maybe..."

Dai Sigong bowed his head in silence, Zhu Su closed his eyes and thought deeply for a while, then just shook his head. He also hoped that he could think of a way to prolong life, but even in later generations, there was no such magic. He had already dug out the little medical knowledge in his mind and told Dai Sigong everything. Now, even if he racked his brains, he couldn't think of any method that could cure the disease.

"Old Five, even you...are you helpless?" Zhu Su had never seen Old Zhu's face so pale.

Zhu Su was silent. Old Zhu's tall and majestic body shook for a rare moment. He murmured to himself, "It was me...it was me who didn't treat my sister well in my early years, causing her to hurt her essence..."

The great king was once again overwhelmed by the feeling of self-blame. He thought of the time decades ago when he and Queen Ma got married in a dilapidated hut in Haozhou City. At that time, he didn't even have a decent jacket. When it was cold on weekdays, his sister pulled out the lining of her clothes and made him a jacket, which kept him from getting cold when he was outside.

He was wronged and imprisoned, and his sister stuffed two hot pancakes into his body and sent them to him. His chest was so hot that there was no good meat. Later, he took Xu Da, Tang He and other 24 Huaixi riders to make a living. His sister never left him and traveled day and night to catch up with him. He didn't know how much he was hungry and cold along the way. Later, when he went to war, his sister worked hard in the rear, raising children, and helping him to comfort the families of his generals and stabilize the rear. At that time, he spent all his money on raising soldiers, and his sister saved money, and had to weave cloth and make shoes, and even cut military uniforms for the soldiers, often busy day and night...

Now that I think about it, the girl must have developed a chronic illness since then.

Old Zhu's face was as pale as paper.

Zhu Su also looked solemn. Even if she had escaped the smallpox, would Empress Ma still not live a long life?
"Doctor Dai, how long does my mother have left?" Zhu Su asked.

"...I, your majesty, will try my best to extend your life for another half a month." Dai Sigong said. Then he lowered his head. "From now on, we can only leave it to fate."

Everyone in the Zhu family was gloomy. Dai Sigong remained silent for a long time, then withdrew with the other imperial doctors.

Dai Sigong's prediction of Empress Ma's condition was extremely accurate. Half a month later, Empress Ma's condition really took a turn for the worse. Originally, she could still wake up for half a day, but half a month later, she could only wake up for one or two hours.

This went on for another half a month. One day, Empress Ma suddenly stood up from the couch and asked someone to call Zhu Yuanzhang and his descendants.

"Sister...sister?" Old Zhu rushed over and saw that Empress Ma was sitting up with her clothes on, which was rare for her. A look of panic appeared on his face.

At this moment, his mind was filled with only the four words "last glimmer of light".

Empress Ma, however, had a calm expression and a faint smile, like the Avalokitesvara in the Buddhist temple who saves all living beings. "Chongba, you are already the emperor, how can you look so sad?"

"Sister, if...if you are really well, I would rather not be the emperor..."

"You are talking nonsense again." Empress Ma glared at him. The two of them still looked like the poor couple in Haozhou City decades ago. "Birth, aging, illness and death are human nature. My children and grandchildren are filial, and I have a large house. I have saved my grandson from a disaster and lived for so many years. What is there to be sad about?"

Everyone cried, "Grandma Empress..." Zhu Xiongying was already a tall Tibetan boy, but when he heard about how Empress Ma had taken care of him despite fear of smallpox, he still couldn't stop his tears from flowing.

"Chongba, don't rush to speak." Seeing Zhu open his mouth to speak, Empress Ma said with a smile. The Hongwu Emperor, who was always cautious, quickly closed his mouth and tilted his ears, fearing that he would miss a word from Empress Ma. Empress Ma said, "Chongba, I know that if I die, you will be furious and blame all the doctors, and Doctor Dai..."

"The doctors have done their best, and Dr. Dai has helped our Zhu family a lot. Life and death are natural laws. Please don't punish them for this."

"If that happens, I'm afraid I'll be ashamed even if I die."

(End of this chapter)