They galloped all the way to the palace. In order to avoid alerting the patrolling guards, the two dismounted and walked quickly to the palace gate.
When he arrived at the main entrance, Zhu Zhanji's pupils couldn't help but shrink, and his expression changed drastically: "Something really happened!"
At this time, the palace door was actually open, and a group of royal guards rushed out in a hurry.
It's not even the fourth watch yet. During this time, the palace gate will never be opened. The only explanation is... the sky is falling.
"Hurry into the palace!"
This time Li Qing didn't need to say anything, Zhu Zhanji shouted urgently and rushed forward.
Li Qing was no slower than him, and even left him behind. As soon as he arrived at the palace gate, he encountered a group of young eunuchs rushing out in a hurry.
"What happened?" Li Qing's voice trembled.
"Ah? Are you... Marquis Yongqing?" Xiao Lizi recognized Li Qing, "Why are you back?"
"What happened?" Li Qing asked again, so anxious that he wanted to kill someone.
Xiao Lizi came back to his senses and said in a tearful voice: "The Emperor... is only here in a matter of days. He sent an urgent message to the six ministries, the cabinet, and Tuogu."
"What?!"
Zhu Zhanji, who caught up later, heard this and his pupils were shaking: "Father is critically ill?"
"Where is the Emperor?" Li Qing's voice trembled slightly.
When Xiao Lizi saw that Li Qing was going to kill someone, he immediately skipped the ceremony for Zhu Zhanji and said directly, "In Qianqing Palace."
Li Qing rushed forward, followed closely by Zhu Zhanji.
…
Qianqing Palace.
The little fat man's face was pale, even his lips were white, his breath was weak, and his life was hanging by a thread. Queen Zhang was kneeling in front of the bed, wiping her tears.
"Your Majesty, Zhan Ji hasn't come back yet, you have to hold on."
Xiaopang didn't speak. He was holding on to his breath for fear that the breath would dissipate and he would no longer be able to speak.
His face was covered with sweat, his fat body was trembling slightly, and his eyes were full of anxiety and regret...
He understood that he could no longer wait for his son and Li Qing.
Even if the Sixth Ministry and the Cabinet were slower, he might not be able to wait.
He raised his hand tremblingly and pointed at the small cabinet opposite.
Mrs. Zhang was stunned for a moment, then understood, got up and walked over.
Opening the cabinet, a long box appeared in front of her eyes. Zhang's fingers trembled as she understood what was inside.
——Edict!
"Your Majesty, I want to open it..."
"emperor!"
A voice suddenly sounded, interrupting Zhang's words.
The next moment, Li Qing hurried forward.
"Father."
There was another anxious call, and Zhu Zhanji rushed in.
The two most important people in his heart appeared one after another, giving Xiaopang a little strength. He struggled to speak, but Li Qing got there first: "Don't speak yet."
Li Qing explored his wrist, and after a moment, he couldn't help but feel a little thump in his heart.
The problem was much more serious than he thought. This time it was not the imperial doctor who was incompetent, Xiaopang had really reached his end.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here for you." Li Qing comforted him softly, and the energy in his body was flowing in crazily.
Little Fatty's complexion began to change, his body no longer trembled, the pain on his face gradually disappeared, and his lips turned a bloody color.
"It's going to be alright." Li Qing comforted him while taking in the energy, "Everything will be alright."
Xiaopang nodded with difficulty, his expression gradually relaxed.
"I want the silver needle." Li Qing turned around and said.
Mrs. Zhang called to the imperial physician waiting on the side: "Do you have any silver needles for acupuncture?"
An imperial physician hurriedly opened the medicine box and presented the needle box.
Li Qing opened the needle box, simply sterilized and poisoned it, then inserted one needle into Guanyuan and the other into Qihai.
After only two needles were inserted, Li Qing stopped, gently twisting the silver needle while observing the changes in Xiaopang's expression.
Xiaopang was originally like a balloon that was about to explode at any moment, but with the crazy input of zhenqi and the twisting of the silver needle, he gradually calmed down.
Two quarters of an hour later, the little fat man finally had blood on his face and his expression was no longer painful.
"green……"
"It's okay, nothing will happen," Li Qing said with a gentle voice, "I will take good care of you, don't talk, and relax."
Xiaopang squeezed out a smile, relaxed his nervous heart, and fell asleep.
Li Qing winked at Zhu Zhanji, who understood and whispered: "It's all gone, it's gone..."
The imperial doctor and eunuch bowed silently and withdrew.
Zhu Zhanji was afraid of disturbing Li Qing's diagnosis and treatment, so he pulled his mother out of the inner hall.
When he arrived at the outer hall, he asked impatiently: "Queen mother, why is my father doing this?"
Zhang said angrily: "They are all those bastards. Your father has issued an edict that officials, nobles, and vassals are not allowed to participate in maritime trade. They all seem to have stepped on their tails. They can jump higher than anyone else and join forces."
Come to bully your father;
Your father is already tired, and when these people are making trouble and not working, he is even more tired, and his official position is restless... By the way, especially that Li Shimian!"
She gritted her teeth: "Your father is like this because he is angry. Zhanji, you must not let him go."
"Li Shimian..." Zhu Zhanji narrowed his eyes and said coldly: "Where are the others?"
"Your father was imprisoned in Zhao Prison." Zhang said.
Zhu Zhanji nodded and said murderously: "Even the King of Heaven can't keep him!"
Suddenly seeing the box in the queen's hand, Zhu Zhanji asked, "What is this?"
Mrs. Zhang looked sad, "Your father's imperial edict was taken out, and you came back just as soon as it was taken out."
Seeing no one else around, Zhang handed it to Zhu Zhanji, "Son, take a look first. If there is something unreasonable..."
Under Zhu Zhanji's burning eyes, Zhang changed his words and said: "Be mentally prepared in advance."
Zhu Zhanji took the box and opened it. Mrs. Zhang also wanted to take a look, but as soon as she got closer, Zhu Zhanji closed it, and the meaning was self-evident.
Zhang's anger was bitter: Is your mother also on guard?
"I won't look at it, but you can look at it." Ms. Zhang took two steps back, her face full of hurt.
Zhu Zhanji then opened the box again, unfolded the edict and read it. Soon, his expression changed.
Incomprehension, disbelief, and even anger were all mixed together, making his face extremely ugly.
"Son, what exactly was written in the imperial edict?" Mrs. Zhang asked curiously.
Zhu Zhanji didn't answer, closed the edict, put it back in the box, and picked up another letter with a list of names.
At this look, his face changed again, and along with it, his gaze towards Mrs. Zhang also changed.
"Son, what is...what's wrong with you?" Mrs. Zhang looked at her son's suspicious and jealous eyes, and felt even more uneasy in her heart. At the same time, she also felt infinite grievance and anger.
She gave birth to him and raised him, but her son treated her like this. How could she not be angry as a mother?
"What on earth did your father say?" Zhang's voice was trembling with anger.
Zhu Zhanji closed the box and said in a cold tone: "Mother, please go back to the harem first."
After a pause, he added: "It's best not to move around casually."
"Zhu Zhanji...!" Mrs. Zhang broke her guard, "I gave birth to you and raised you..."
"My father is in danger and is being treated urgently. Mother, what do you mean by being so loud?" Zhu Zhanji asked coldly.
"You..." Ms. Zhang cried angrily, wiped her tears and turned around to leave.
Zhu Zhanji's expression changed continuously. The content of the edict was difficult for him to accept. He even began to feel confused and didn't know who to talk to.
Suddenly, he realized something and hurriedly walked out of the hall.
"Someone is coming!"
The waiting young eunuch hurriedly came forward and asked, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"Sixth Department, the people from the cabinet are here, tell them to go back immediately. Anyone who disobeys the order... will be jailed!"
After a pause, he changed his words: "Immediately go to the palace gate and lock the palace. No one is allowed to come in. Anyone who violates this will be regarded as treason. Also, tell them that my father is fine."
The two young eunuchs looked at Zhu Zhanji indifferently, somewhat at a loss as to what to do. It was clear that the emperor was dying, what kind of fuss was going on?
Could it be that...the prince wants to...
"Go quickly!"
"Ah...yes!" The two little eunuchs came to their senses: Never mind it, there is nothing wrong with obeying orders. We are just trying to make ends meet, just don't get involved, be wise and protect yourself, be wise and protect yourself...
…
Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but sit on the chair, looking at the box in his hand, his head almost exploded.
At this time, Li Qing walked out.
Zhu Zhanji perked up and stepped forward quickly, "How is your father?"
"It's okay for the time being." Li Qing said solemnly: "But... we are not optimistic."
"Is my father poisoned?" Zhu Zhanji asked again.
Li Qing looked at him in surprise, "Why do you ask?"
"All you have to do is tell me if you were poisoned?"
Li Qing shook his head: "What's wrong with you?"
He could tell that something was wrong with Zhu Zhanji at this moment. He was not simply sad about his father's critical illness, but... his face was full of suspicion, as if no one was worthy of his trust.
"What happened?" Li Qing asked.
Zhu Zhanji looked straight at him and asked, "Can I trust you?"
Li Qing asked, "What do you think?"
Zhu Zhanji stared at Li Qing for a long time, then handed over the box in his hand, "This is your father's last edict, can you take a look?"
"Posthumous edict?"
Li Qing narrowed his eyes, took it unceremoniously, and opened it.
Soon, his eyes narrowed.
[Officials cannot compete with the people for profit, and neither can the king. I will stop going to the West after my death.]
"Keep watching until the end." Zhu Zhanji said.
Li Qing calmed down and continued to look behind.
[The soldiers and civilians who have worked for hundreds of millions of dollars from the north and the south are both trapped. They look up in all directions, Nanjing belongs to them, and I am convinced of my sincerity.]
A brief summary: Stop traveling to the West and move back to Nanjing!
Li Qing was dumbfounded. He went to the Western Seas and moved the capital to Shuntian. These two policies can be said to be the brainchild of Zhu Di. This posthumous edict was completely changed.
"This is impossible!" Li Qing said flatly, "Your father would never issue such a will."
Zhu Di had buried himself in Juyongguan, how could Xiaopang do such a treasonous thing? Moreover, he himself also deeply agreed with the national policy of moving the capital to Shuntian.
Although Xiaopang is critically ill, it doesn't affect his brain and he won't do such stupid things.
"That's why I asked your father if he was poisoned." Zhu Zhanji narrowed his eyes and said, "There is a high probability that this edict has been tampered with."
"Who do you suspect?" Li Qing asked.
Zhu Zhanji lowered his eyes and said, "Queen."
"Huh?" Li Qing was shocked again, "Your mother?"
Zhu Zhanji nodded.
"This..." Li Qing was embarrassed. He finally understood why Zhu Zhanji had the mentality that "no one is worthy of trusting".
He even doubted his mother!
Zhu Zhanji really looks like Zhu Di, even his suspicious character.
"This is unlikely." Li Qing shook his head: "These two national policies will not benefit her at all. Furthermore, if your father drives... what good will it do to her?"
"Could it be that the foreign ministers colluded with the harem to get what they wanted?" Zhu Zhanji said quietly: "The queen has no say, but the queen mother does!"
"..." Li Qing had nothing to say, but he still felt that it was not so bloody.
"Look at the burial list again," Zhu Zhanji said.
Li Qing picked up the list below the edict:
Concubine Gongsu, the Guo family, Concubine Gongxishun, the Concubine Tan, Concubine Zhenhui Shu, the Concubine Wang, Hui'an Li Concubine, the Concubine Gongjing, the Concubine Huang!
"Concubine Guo..." Li Qing frowned and said, "Is this Concubine Guo, the granddaughter of Guo Ying?"
Zhu Zhanji nodded: "She is the only concubine named Guo."
He said solemnly: "After the founding of the Ming Dynasty, all the sons of Taizu married nobles. In order to avoid harming the harmony, Taizu established an ancestral precept that the daughters of nobles should not be buried as sacrifices;
The queen and Concubine Guo have never dealt with her."
Li Qing was silent for a while, then shook his head and said, "You must be overly worried. When we came in just now, judging from the behavior of your father and mother, they were very affectionate;
It's already here. If she was really who you said she was, she wouldn't act so realistically;
Furthermore, you underestimate your father too much. How could he not notice it even after being your bed partner for decades?"
Zhu Zhanji breathed a sigh of relief and said bitterly: "I hope it will be as you said!"
He looked up to the sky: "Except for you, I really have no one I can trust now."
Li Qing also sighed and patted his shoulder: "You don't have to think about it. Your father is fine for the time being. We will know the details when he wakes up."