Zhu Biao's energy and energy were already very low. Under constant high-intensity exertion, heavy pressure, and double torture, there was no way medicine and stone could cure him.
Li Qing even used his true energy, but still couldn't reverse Zhu Biao's state.
Zhu Biao now is like a bowstring stretched to its limit. There is no way of knowing when it will break.
If the imperial doctor came to see him, he could only see that Zhu Biao's body was not strong enough, and he would never have imagined that the situation would be so bad.
Li Qing repeatedly advised Lao Zhu, but Lao Zhu asked the imperial doctor to check several times. After finding that Zhu Biao was fine, he was already immune and did not believe his words at all.
"I hope Your Highness will forgive me for what I have said." Li Qing cupped his hands and said seriously, "Your Highness, if I am not making alarmist remarks, your body can't bear it anymore. If you continue like this, your life may be in danger."
Zhu Biao recovered from his shock. Seeing that what he said was true, he breathed a sigh of relief and said with a wry smile: "Don't you want to be alone?"
He put down the memorandum in his hand and sighed: "Do you really think that the last time you asked your father to appoint a new crown prince was just a matter of anger and negotiating terms?"
"It's not rare for Gu to be the crown prince. If Gu doesn't want to, he really can't." Zhu Biao rubbed his brows and said, "If Gu wants to retire, who can he take over?"
"Let..." Li Qing changed his words in time: "It is not difficult to select a wise person from among the vassal kings. Why should your highness worry?"
"No, you don't understand!" Zhu Biao said flatly, "This is absolutely impossible. Do you know why since ancient times, we have established direct descendants but not virtuous people?"
Li Qing scratched his head and said, "Your Highness, please make it clear."
"Establish a virtuous person, establish a virtuous person..." Zhu Biao smiled bitterly, "What is a virtuous person?"
"Being kind and honest is a virtuous person, being able to conquer and fight is a virtuous person, being clean and self-sufficient is a virtuous person, having a clear understanding of righteousness is a virtuous person..." Zhu Biao said, "The eldest son is clear, but there is never the only standard for being virtuous."
"If you don't establish a virtuous prince, it will be difficult for anyone to win over the public!" Zhu Biao said bitterly, "And once the father declares that he will appoint a virtuous prince as the crown prince, the princes of various places, the princes in the palace, and the civil and military officials of the dynasty will immediately start to seize the opportunity.
The battle between the direct descendants;
By then, the princes will fight against each other, the officials will form cliques and attack each other, and the army will not be immune;
Even the concubines, eunuchs, and maids in the palace will be involved in the struggle for the crown prince. In this catastrophe, no one can remain neutral. Only by joining one side can they survive.
Do you know how many people will die?
The prince is the foundation of the country, and no emperor can bear the consequences of shaking the foundation of the country!"
Zhu Biao moved his fingers away from his brows, and his soothed brows wrinkled again, "Li Qing, do you think Gu Xianming is wise?"
"Your Highness is well-known for his kindness and outstanding ability in government affairs." Li Qing said it sincerely, and this is indeed the case.
Zhu Biao smiled and said, "If other princes were like Gu from childhood and were cultivated with great pains, it would not be surprising if they could also achieve the same level as Gu, or even do better than Gu.
Being a prince alone is not because you are wise, but because you have established a direct lineage. Therefore, the prince of the Ming Dynasty can only be Zhu Biao!
The general trend is one that even my father cannot change."
Li Qing was silent. He could see that Zhu Biao was really in pain. He really didn't want to be the prince, but he couldn't do it inappropriately.
The general trend, the general trend again... Li Qing was depressed and couldn't help but think of his master's pessimistic remarks.
At this moment, he really felt that there seemed to be a pair of hands pushing everything.
Zhu Biao is not an alarmist. There are soldiers in the hands of vassal kings everywhere. It doesn't matter if one or two rebel, but what if they all rebel?
And Zhu Yuanzhang is old again. At this juncture, who among the ministers would not want to make a contribution to serve the dragon?
After all, Lao Zhu's image in the minds of the ministers... was simply terrible.
Once things get serious and the whole country rebels, the consequences will be much more serious than if we go by history.
At this moment, Li Qing felt a deep sense of powerlessness. He had changed some things, but it seemed that there was an invisible force competing with him, trying to get everything back on track.
The Yuan people took refuge in the country from the beginning, but in subsequent transactions, an official caravan of the Ming Dynasty was robbed last month. Although this was only one case, the signs have already begun to become less friendly.
Why is this happening?
Li Qing couldn't figure it out.
The only thing that pleased him was that the Ming Dynasty banknotes were still strong and had not been printed indiscriminately. Even in these years, Lao Zhu did not print more consistent banknotes except replacing old ones with new ones.
With the development of the economy, the purchasing power of Ming Dynasty banknotes has not declined, but has actually increased.
Don't underestimate this. The economy is not of general importance to the country. Stabilizing the economy will stabilize the national economy and people's livelihood.
The imperial study room was silent except for the faint sounds of reading memorials.
In the evening, Li Qing returned home, listened to Hong Xiu playing the piano, enjoyed the gentle massage on his shoulders, and played chess with Wan Ling, and his irritable mood gradually calmed down.
Wanling is already twenty-four years old and is becoming more mature and taller, while Hongxiu and Lianxiang have also reached the age they call a mature lady.
According to Li Qing's aesthetics, thirty is the age he has grown into.
Since they have always been nourished by love and have never given birth to children, and because Li Qing secretly nursed them back, they were free from any pressure and did not look old and were full of vitality.
And, even more attractive, Li Qing never went to the Jiaofang Division again.
There is another reason why he doesn't go to Jiaofangsi.
The new commander of Jinyiwei was taken over by former Jinyi colleague Jiang Yu. After taking power, he carried out a major change of blood among Mao Xiang's capable people.
Except for Li Qing, the town governor, all the senior Jinyi officials were transferred from their original positions.
Therefore, Li Qing also wanted to be more sophisticated.
Tonight it was Wan Ling's turn. After taking a bath, Xiao Nizi came in wearing a gauze. Seeing Li Qing frowning slightly, she said softly: "Sir, you seem unhappy?"
"I have some troubles." Li Qing lifted the corner of the quilt and said, "It's cold outside, come in quickly."
"Yes." Wan Ling smiled sweetly, crawled from the corner of the bed and lay down inside, "What is bothering you, sir? Can you tell me?"
Li Qing turned over and faced her, "What would you do if you knew something bad was going to happen but you couldn't change it?"
Wan Ling thought for a while, "I don't know what exactly bothers you. As the saying goes: do your best and obey fate. As long as you have a clear conscience, I know that your husband is a good person, but I hope that he is not so good."
"Why?"
Wan Ling said foolishly, "Because it will be very painful."
Li Qing was startled, then smiled and said: "Okay, you girl must be eating honey behind my back."
"Then I'll give you some, sir." Wan Ling was also very knowledgeable and took the initiative to join in.
After being intimate for a while, Li Qing was about to make his next move when Wan Ling said, "Sir, I have something to say to you."
"What words?"
"You don't know, sir, that I and my two sisters are both good at makeup."
Li Qing said with a smile, "Sir, you know that your makeup looks very good today. Of course, the main thing is that you look beautiful."
"That's not what I meant." Wan Ling said angrily. "What I mean is that I can put makeup on my husband."
"Give me makeup?" Li Qing rolled his eyes, "I'm not an actor on stage, what makeup should I put on?"
Suddenly, he paused, "Girl, what on earth do you want to say?"
Wan Ling timidly said, "Sir, actually we all know."
"Know what?"
"Sir... you will never grow old."
Li Qing was dumbfounded, touched the beard under his chin, and thought to himself: "I already have a beard, how can they still see it?"
"Sir, are you angry?"
Li Qing smiled bitterly and shook his head, "When did you find out?"
"It's been several years." Wan Ling said, "In recent years, Sister Hongxiu has changed the servants in her house every year, just to avoid anyone seeing the clues. However, sir, it's really time to pay attention. Beards alone are not enough.
of."
"No wonder..." Li Qing pondered for a while, then suddenly asked: "Aren't you afraid of such a gentleman?"
"What are you afraid of?"
"Aren't you afraid of a person who never ages?"
"No." Wan Ling rubbed against him and said with a smile, "The gentleman is so kind, how can I and my two sisters be afraid?"
After a pause, he said, "Sir, you will live forever, right?"
"Not necessarily, he will probably die, but that will happen in a long, long time." Li Qing was a little sad. One day, this lovely little girl will leave him.
Wan Ling pressed against his chest and said softly, "I hope that your husband can be more open-minded about everything. Just as your husband said at the beginning: The most beautiful thing is that you can't keep it in the world, and a beautiful face can't be saved like a flower in a mirror or a tree.
Since it will eventually pass away, why bother persisting, sir?"