Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 195 Saint's Natural Illness
Prince Wu Li Ji entered the palace with Li Zhen.

This was his first time attending a banquet for the royal family.

The layout inside Qianqiu Hall is slightly different from last year.

Four long tables, connected end to end, formed a square, and the tables were filled with wine, food, fruits and vegetables.

The royal family members stood in groups of three or four. According to etiquette, they could not take their seats because the emperor had not arrived.

Although Li Ji was young, he was very well-known because of his father, Li Ke, the King of Wu. From time to time, a member of the Li clan would come to greet him, and Li Zhen would teach him how to call people.

After calling out to uncles, aunts, and uncles for a while, I finally recognized all my relatives and could rest for a while.

Li Ji stood next to Li Zhen and Li Shen, listening to them gossiping about some interesting stories among the royal family.

Li Zhen laughed and said, "Hey, Shilang, our twenty-second uncle hasn't been back to Beijing for almost ten years, but he's back this year."

Li Ji pondered for a moment, isn't Li Zhen's twenty-second uncle Li Yuanying, the Prince of Teng?

"Hmph, he calls me Uncle Wang? I think he's just a scoundrel. He sold his house in Beijing as soon as he returned and lived in a small courtyard in the south of the city. He wears patched clothes every day when going out. Doesn't he want to tell the world that Your Majesty treats him, your uncle, harshly?" Li Shen rolled his eyes.

When Li Zhen impeached Li Yuanying to Li Zhi for committing lawless acts in his fiefdom, Li Zhi sent people to investigate this uncle and indeed uncovered a multitude of scandals.

Li Zhi issued an edict to transfer Li Yuanying to Shangzhou as governor, and reduced his actual fiefdom to 300 households.

Shangzhou is very close to Chang'an, and Li Zhi wanted to monitor Li Yuanying nearby to see if he dared to do anything wrong again.

Li Yuanying spent a year obediently.

At the end of this year, he returned to Chang'an City, sold his house, dressed himself like a refugee, and wandered around the streets every day, which really caused a lot of controversy.

Li Zhi was busy dealing with the Tibetans and was too lazy to pay attention to him. However, Li Zhen had always disliked the behavior of this uncle Wang and went to Li Yuanying's house to mock him.

Li Yuanying didn't care at all and remained the same.

Most of the princes who came to attend the royal family meeting today were dressed in fancy clothes, but he was the only one dressed like a beggar.

At this time, Li Yuanying was sitting on the doorstep, with his legs crossed, looking very comfortable. He didn't talk to anyone, and he had a pen and paper in his hand, but no one knew what he was writing.

Out of curiosity, Li Ji quietly moved up behind him and finally saw clearly that he was painting. He had painted everyone in the hall with superb painting skills and the paintings were lifelike.

At this moment, Li Zhi came into the hall with the eunuchs singing his greeting, followed by a group of concubines and the families of the royal family.

In previous years, the emperor would invite members of the royal family, and the empress would entertain ladies of high rank.

Li Zhi felt that this was not lively enough and did not give him the feeling of a New Year's dinner, so this year he ordered people to rearrange the tables and allow men and women to sit together.

We are all family anyway, so there is no need to worry too much about the differences between men and women.

When everyone saw that the emperor had combined the two banquets into one, they all felt it was lively. They first paid their respects to the emperor and the concubines, and then brought their own princesses and wives to attend.

The most embarrassed person present was Li Yuanying's wife, Yu. When she saw her husband coming to pull her in such clothes, her neck turned red with embarrassment.

Li Yuanying looked normal.

This Prince Teng was two years younger than Li Zhi, and was also quite handsome and elegant. It was a pity that his clothes were so unbecoming of his image.

Wu Meiniang glanced at him, smiled faintly, and said, "When I was in the palace, I always heard people say that Prince Teng was extravagant and spent money like water. After seeing him today, I know that it was all rumors."

Xu Jin saw that Prince Teng was deliberately looking for trouble with Li Zhi, and smiled and said, "Oh, why is that?"

Wu Meiniang said, "Look at the way Prince Teng is dressed. This is what it means to be frugal and thrifty. He should be a role model for the world."

Li Yuanying's expression remained unchanged as he smiled and said, "Your Majesty, the Queen is too kind."

Li Zhi smiled and said, "Okay, everyone, please take your seats. Today is a family dinner, so don't be restrained."

He glanced at Li Yuanying and said, "If you have anything on your mind, you can just say it out loud."

Li Yuanying felt a chill in his heart when Li Zhi glanced at him.

He had already seen that this nephew was different from his brother Li Shimin. He did not care about his reputation. If he caused trouble again, he was afraid that his nephew would not be lenient towards him.

Li Yuanying was very well behaved afterwards, and the family dinner ended in a lively manner.

Li Zhi had attended a grand court meeting and two banquets in succession and was already exhausted. He returned to his bedroom and rested.

The next day, he finally got up around 9:00 a.m.

Wang Fusheng came over to help him dress and said with a smile, "Everyone, you are finally awake. Doctor Sun has been waiting outside for a long time."

Li Zhi hurriedly said, "Why didn't you wake me up earlier? Please ask Dr. Sun to come in."

After a while, Sun Simiao came in carrying a medicine box.

At the beginning of every month, Sun Simiao would take Li Zhi's pulse to check on his recovery.

However, in the past, she would enter the palace around the fourth or fifth day of the New Year, but this month she came a little earlier.

Li Zhi smiled and said, "Doctor Sun, it's a great day, why don't you rest at home for a few more days? It won't be too late to enter the palace on the fifth day."

Sun Simiao said, "Your Majesty, I have a life of toil. If no one comes to me for medical treatment during the New Year, I will be unable to sit idle."

Li Zhi stretched out his hand and said with a smile, "Then I'll have to trouble you, my doctor."

Sun Simiao sat in front of the couch and took Li Zhi's pulse. He finished quickly and said, "Your Majesty, I will take my leave."

Li Zhi hurriedly asked, "How am I recovering?" Sun Simiao replied, "Your Majesty is recovering well. Don't worry. Just remember to get more rest."

"I'm relieved when you say that. Fu Sheng, please send Dr. Sun off for me."

Wang Fusheng accompanied Sun Simiao all the way to the outside of Zhuque Gate. He originally wanted to send Sun Simiao back home, but Sun Simiao declined.

Seeing that there was a disciple of Sun Simiao waiting outside the palace, Wang Fusheng did not insist and turned back.

As soon as he left, Sun Simiao's expression became solemn. He rode his flowery donkey, crossed the side street, and headed towards the main street.

Fei Shisan followed quickly behind and asked hurriedly, "Master, aren't you going back home?"

Sun Simiao said in a deep voice, "Thirteen, do you still remember what I told you a month ago?"

Fei Shisan's expression changed slightly. He said, "You told Senior Brother Meng and I to prepare to leave Chang'an, hide our identities, and never call ourselves your disciples again."

Sun Simiao said: "Just remember it, you can leave now."

Fei Shisan was shocked and asked, "Master, what happened?"

Sun Simiao said calmly, "No need to ask any more questions. If I have nothing to do in a month, you can come back. If I..."

He didn't say anything else. Fei Shisan guessed that it was related to him entering the palace to treat the emperor. He said in a trembling voice, "Master, Saint..."

Sun Simiao shouted, "Hurry up and leave!"

Fei Shisan gritted his teeth, knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to Sun Simiao before leaving.

Sun Simiao looked up at the sky for a while, sighed, and rode his donkey towards the Duke of Yingguo's mansion.

Li Ji was fishing in the back garden of his mansion when he heard that Sun Simiao wanted to see him. He ordered his son to go to the door in person and invite the man into the mansion.

"Dr. Sun, it's the second day of the Lunar New Year. How are you..."

Li Ji could not continue speaking because Sun Simiao's expression was very solemn, even a little nervous.

It was the first time Li Ji had seen this expression on the old man's face. He waved his hand to let his son and servants leave and said in a deep voice, "Divine Doctor Sun, what happened?"

Sun Simiao stared at Li Ji and said, "Lord Li, when I examined Your Majesty's pulse last December, I found that your rheumatic disease seemed to be getting worse."

Li Ji's face turned pale with anger: "How could this be?"

Sun Simiao said, "At the time, I was still unsure. I was afraid Your Majesty would be too frightened and his illness would worsen, so I said nothing. Only today can I be sure that Your Majesty's illness is no ordinary one."

Li Ji's face was pale and his hands were trembling slightly.

"Could it be a natural disease?"

Congenital diseases are diseases that one is born with. Some people develop the disease as infants and die instantly, while others only gradually show symptoms in middle age.

Natural diseases are much more serious than ordinary illnesses and can rarely be cured, they can only be alleviated.

Li Ji was also well versed in medicine. When he heard what Sun Simiao said, he guessed that it might be a congenital disease. Otherwise, with Sun Simiao's ability, the disease would not recur.

Sun Simiao said in a deep voice, "I came to you to confirm this matter. I wonder if the late emperor or Empress Wende ever suffered from a stroke?"

Li Ji's face was extremely pale. He said, "Emperor Gaozu died of a rheumatic disease. The late emperor also had a rheumatic disease."

Sun Simiao sighed and said, "Then we can conclude that it is a natural disease."

Li Ji clenched his fists and asked anxiously, "Divine Doctor Sun, is there any way to cure this?"

Sun Simiao said slowly, "This congenital wind disease is difficult to cure, it can only be alleviated. Fortunately, Your Majesty is strong and with proper care, it should be manageable."

Li Ji took a few deep breaths and asked, "How should I treat it?"

Sun Simiao said, "I once met a man with congenital wind disease. I prescribed a treatment for him, and he eventually lived to be over seventy years old, but..."

"If you have any difficulties, just tell me, Mr. Sun, and I will definitely help you."

Sun Simiao sighed and said, "This method is not suitable for a king."

Li Ji said in a serious tone, "Sir, just say it. Your Majesty's health is related to the country and the well-being of the people. As long as the disease can be controlled, it is more important than anything else!"

Sun Simiao said, "The treatment I prescribed for that man was to have him travel to famous mountains and rivers, worship at temples he came across, bathe at springs he came across, and ignore worldly affairs, allowing his body and mind to be free and at ease."

Li Ji was shocked and said, "This..."

It is simply a fantasy to expect an emperor to ignore worldly affairs.

Sun Simiao said slowly, "I know this method isn't feasible, but the fundamental point is to help the patient relax and maintain a happy mind and body. You're also someone who understands medical principles, so you should understand that many incurable illnesses can often be controlled as long as the patient maintains a positive attitude."

Li Ji sighed deeply and said, "How can I say this, and how can I explain it to the entire court?"

Sun Simiao didn't say anything. Although he was a doctor, there were times when he felt helpless.

Li Ji was silent for a long time, then said in a deep voice, "No matter what, we must inform His Majesty of the situation."

Sun Simiao said, "I have committed the crime of deceiving the emperor. Please, Lord Li, send me to prison and wait for your majesty's decision."

Li Ji took his hand and said, "Don't worry, Lord Sun. You are also concerned about His Majesty's health. From what I know about His Majesty, he will not blame you. Come with me to see the Emperor."

(End of this chapter)