I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 49: Shen reviews and solves the problem, and Dr. Li treats the disease
November 8th, late at night.

The Ministry of Rites on the east side of Daming Gate was brightly lit and noisy.

In the yamen courtyard.

There were the Guanglu Temple directors who were in charge of offerings for suburban sacrifices and banquets for officials, the Taichang Temple secretaries who were in charge of rituals and music for suburban sacrifices, the Jinyiwei captains who were in charge of the imperial guards and ceremonial guards, and the Langzhong, Yuanwailang, and Zhushi of the Ministry of Rites and Ceremonial Affairs.

They paced back and forth, discussing how to arrange the suburban sacrifices with or without the little Wanli.

In the front hall of the ministry.

The Minister of Rites Ma Ziqiang, the Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang Tong, and the Right Vice Minister of Rites Lin Shizhang were all extremely busy.

While flipping through the etiquette book.

While discussing alternative plans in case the young Wanli did not appear.

Unlike general ceremonial activities, it can be postponed and the emperor does not have to attend in person.

The winter solstice suburban sacrifice is the most important event in the Ming Dynasty this year.

If the young Wanli was unable to go due to illness.

The chariots and horses, ritual instruments, dietary standards, sacrificial speeches, and congratulatory speeches all need to be revised.

Such grand ceremonies cannot be changed arbitrarily.

There must be support from the words of classics and the rules of ancestors, and everything must have a code.

During the suburban sacrifices, the offerings placed on the table were all very particular and described a long set of sacrificial rituals.

It is no exaggeration to say that taking a wrong step during a sacrifice is a serious sin.

At this moment, Ma Ziqiang wanted to retire early.

He was promoted to Minister of Rites at the end of September this year, and his most important task was to be in charge of the winter solstice sacrifices.

Originally, there was no one in the court more suitable than him, but then such an accident happened.

Don't say it's him.

Even with the three cabinet ministers present, none of them could perform the suburban sacrifice ceremony in the absence of the young Wanli.

If he made a mistake, Ma Ziqiang would be impeached by a group of censors.

Those who are not prudent don't care about these things. A lack of etiquette is a huge sin.

Also affected were the Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang Tong and the Right Vice Minister Lin Shizhang. Both of them wished they could get a serious illness and recover after the winter solstice.

This job is too difficult!

Just then, Shen Nian arrived at the Ministry of Rites.

Since Ma Ziqiang was also in charge of the Hanlin Academy, Shen Nian went straight to the front hall as if he was entering his own government office.

The clerk at the door hurriedly reported to Ma Ziqiang.

"Minister, Shen, the inspector, has come to the yamen and has something important to report!"

Ma Ziqiang turned around and saw Shen Nian standing at the door with a smile on his face.

"Ziheng, nothing is more important than the Suburban Sacrifice Ceremony right now. Since you're here, let's stay up late together. I'm in need of an assistant to record the rituals."

Shen Nian walked quickly into the yamen.

"I am Shen Nian, your humble servant, and I pay my respects to Minister Ma, Minister Wang, and Minister Lin!" Shen Nian bowed.

All three nodded.

Shen Nian looked at Ma Ziqiang and continued, "Your Excellency, I have found a miracle doctor who may be able to cure Your Majesty's illness. Could you please report this to Lord Zhang and have him come to the palace tomorrow morning?"

Ma Ziqiang stroked his beard lightly.

"Ziheng, you are still too young! How can a folk doctor diagnose His Majesty? This is a serious taboo. The Holy Mother (Empress Dowager Li's honorific title) and the Minister of State would not agree."

"What if this miracle doctor's surname is Li Shizhen and his courtesy name is Dongbi?" Shen Nian asked.

"Are you talking about Divine Doctor Li? Li Shizhen, who worked at the Imperial Hospital during the Jiajing period and is now traveling around the world and compiling the Pharmacopoeia?"

"Yes."

"Where did you find Doctor Li?" Ma Ziqiang walked up to Shen Nian and asked excitedly.

Ever since.

Shen Nian then told Ma Ziqiang in detail how his father wanted to have a grandson and was looking for a doctor for him, and how Li Shizhen was brought to the capital today.

If Gu Yue'er was not happy, Shen Nian was still unwilling to tell her the reason why his father invited Li Shizhen to the capital.

After all, it hurts men's self-esteem.

But now that Gu Yue'er is pregnant, he doesn't care anymore.

Ma Ziqiang, who was always solemn and serious, waved his hands excitedly and almost jumped up after hearing Shen Nian's words.

"If...if Divine Doctor Li could make His Majesty recover before the 11th, we wouldn't have to be so busy!"

Ma Ziqiang patted Shen Nian's shoulder.

"Ziheng, you are truly the lucky star of the Ming Dynasty. You are able to catch up with such an opportunity!"

Wang Tong, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, looked at Shen Nian and said, "Ziheng, for the sake of His Majesty, you actually told us about your hidden illness. You are truly a good minister of the Ming Dynasty."

"Ziheng, I believe that under the care of Divine Doctor Li, your hidden illness will be cured!" the Right Vice Minister of Rites said soothingly. "My Lords, I have no hidden illness. Divine Doctor Li diagnosed my wife and said she is pregnant. I will have a child soon!" Shen Nian said with a smile.

"You...boy, you are truly blessed. If Divine Doctor Li cures His Majesty, not only will the royal family owe you a favor, but we will all owe you a favor as well. When you have a son, I will definitely go to give you a gift!" Ma Ziqiang said.

"Me too!"

The Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang Tong and the Right Vice Minister Lin Shizhang spoke almost at the same time.

At this moment, the burden on the three of them was suddenly lightened by half.

……

Immediately, Ma Ziqiang and Shen Nian ran to Zhang Juzheng's mansion as the Prime Minister together.

When Zhang Juzheng learned about it, he was very excited and immediately asked Shen Nian to treat Li Shizhen well and bring her to the palace early the next morning.

after that.

Shen Nian informed Li Shizhen of tomorrow's arrangements and went home to rest.

……

Early the next morning, in front of the Meridian Gate.

Ma Ziqiang and Shen Nian took Li Shizhen to meet Zhang Juzheng.

"Doctor Li!" Zhang Juzheng spoke first.

He had known Li Shizhen for a long time, and he knew that Li Shizhen was very dissatisfied with Emperor Jiajing's obsession with alchemy.

"I, Li Shizhen, the humblest citizen, would like to pay my respects to Lord Zhang!" Li Shizhen said with a slight bow.

He is just like that, he doesn't like the royal family or the government.

He basically never has a good face towards people who don't care about him, except when he is diagnosing a disease.

Even with such a temper, Zhang Juzheng still respected him so much, which shows how superb his medical skills were.

Afterwards, Zhang Juzheng took Li Shizhen into the Forbidden City.

……

At this moment, in the Forbidden City's bedroom.

Little Wanli was lying on the bed, his face pale and so weak that he didn't even have the strength to raise his hands.

Originally, he was quite happy after catching a cold.

Because there was no need to look at the displays of suburban sacrifice, read the Ministry of Rites's abstruse sacrificial speeches, or listen to Zhang Juzheng and Ma Ziqiang's reports like old monks chanting sutras.

Then when the main sacrifice comes, just show your face.

Unexpectedly, the condition became more and more serious.

At this moment, he felt very uncomfortable, and suddenly he felt that being able to read those sacrificial speeches and being punished by Empress Dowager Li to copy ten large characters were very happy things.

He was also afraid that he would fall seriously ill and the Ming Dynasty would have a new emperor.

at the same time.

Empress Dowager Li was wiping her tears in the front hall.

She thought that she had assigned too much homework to little Wanli recently, which led to his illness, and she felt very guilty.

At this time, Feng Bao quickly came to the front hall.

"Your Majesty, Elder Zhang has summoned the Divine Doctor Li Shizhen, who will be available to diagnose Your Majesty immediately!"

"Really?"

Feng Bao nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

"If Doctor Li can come, the emperor will get better! The emperor will get better!" Empress Dowager Li murmured.

After a while.

Li Shizhen came before the young Wanli, with a group of imperial doctors standing behind him, none of them daring to speak.

Although they were officials, Li Shizhen also served as an imperial physician and his name was well-known among the people.

In terms of seniority, ability and fame, he is far superior to them.

Feng Bao dared to point at their noses and curse them, and even hit their buttocks, but when he saw Li Shizhen, he immediately bent down.

Less than a moment.

After Li Shizhen finished his diagnosis, he sat down at the table and began to write a prescription.

Then he said calmly, "Take the medicine as given here, one dose at noon and one at night, and have a good sleep. You should feel better tomorrow!"

After saying that, Li Shizhen bowed to the young Wanli, then left with his medicine box on his back.

Zhang Juzheng, who was standing by, didn't even dare to ask whether the young Wanli could participate in the suburban sacrifice.

If he asked, Li Shizhen would surely choke him out with a reply: "Common people only know how to save lives and save lives, nothing else."

When a person achieves very high achievements in a certain field and brings great benefits to all living beings and is destined to go down in history, all powers will be infinitely tolerant of him and show great respect.

Li Shizhen of the present time is such a person.

(End of this chapter)