Daming: Dad, you are really not good at governing the country

Zhu Yuanzhang leaned back on the exquisitely carved chair, his eyes slightly narrowed.

He seemed to be dozing, or thinking about something.

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly raised his hand and gently rubbed his temple.

The wrinkles left on his face by the years appeared even deeper under the candlelight, and his fatigue was revealed without any concealment.

At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang stared quietly at the flickering candlelight, his eyes deep and complex, as if the candlelight contained the vicissitudes and emotions of his life.

After a long silence, Zhu Yuanzhang finally spoke slowly, with a hint of fatigue and helplessness in his voice that was hard to conceal.

"Third brother, this country is as heavy as a thousand pounds.

This pressure is so severe that my old bones can hardly breathe.

Dad works hard every day, but some things are ultimately beyond human control!
Take your mother for example. She has been managing the harem for your father all her life. She has kept it in perfect order and has never caused your father any worries.

But now our sister is bedridden and her condition is changing.

All the doctors in the Imperial Medical Bureau were at their wits' end.

Dad, my heart aches so much!"

After saying this, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed softly, and a barely perceptible trace of loneliness and fragility flashed in his eyes.

Zhu Gang's heart suddenly tightened, and the relaxation on his face disappeared without a trace in an instant, and his eyes were full of concern and heartache.

He hurriedly took a step forward, bowed slightly, and said respectfully: "I have always been concerned about my mother's condition, but the war in Yunnan was very intense a few days ago.

I really can't get away, I hope you can forgive me.

Now that the matter of Zheng Yuchun has come to a conclusion, I am thinking of asking my father for permission to accompany my mother and fulfill my filial piety.

I know that my mother has endured hardships throughout her life and has given so much to me. I can only repay her kindness by being filial to her. "

After Zhu Gang finished speaking, he raised his head slightly and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with a firm gaze.

In addition to the worry about his mother's illness, his eyes also revealed a hint of responsibility as a vassal king.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, looked at Zhu Gang gently, with a hint of approval in his eyes.

"Old Three, I'm glad you have this intention.

You've gained a lot of experience outside these years, and your father has seen it all.

But in this vast country, there are still too many things to do that need you princes to share the responsibilities.

Anyway, you don't have anything else important to do today, so go to Kunning Palace to accompany your mother."

After saying this, Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his head and continued to deal with the mountain of memorials on his desk.

The slightly hunched back revealed endless fatigue and hard work.

Zhu Gang felt a pang of sadness in his heart and his eyes turned slightly red.

After bowing respectfully again, he turned and walked towards Kunning Palace.

As soon as you step into Kunning Palace, you are hit by a heavy and suffocating atmosphere, as if even the air has become heavy and stagnant.

The dim palace lanterns emitted a weak and hazy light, casting blurry and dim shadows on the walls.

The palace maids walked hurriedly, looking panicked.

Their faces were full of fear and anxiety, as if they were avoiding some terrible fate.

These people were holding bowls and plates filled with medicine and were staggering.

The soup splashed out from time to time and spilled onto the smooth ground.

The eunuchs bent their bodies and moved carefully between the palaces.

There was tension and worry in their eyes, and they kept secretly glancing at Queen Ma's bedroom, as if waiting for heartbreaking news.

The air was filled with the strong smell of medicine, bitter and pungent, mixed with a faint scent of incense.

The smell seemed to be mixed with the ravages of disease and helplessness, making people feel even more depressed.

This smell was like a haze, covering the entire Kunning Palace for a long time. The two imperial doctors, Dai Sigong and Wang Fu, frowned, their foreheads were covered with fine beads of sweat, and their faces were full of fatigue and helplessness.

Dai Sigong held the medical book tightly in his hand, and his finger joints turned white from the force.

There was a hint of despair in his eyes, as if he was fighting a life-and-death battle with the ruthless disease.

Wang Fuze kept pacing by the side, muttering to himself, as if praying for God's protection.

"Brother Dai, we have been practicing medicine for so many years and have seen many difficult and complicated cases.

But the Queen’s illness…”

Wang Fu stopped, his voice trembling and his face full of anxiety.

"Earlier, you brought the Queen back from the brink of death with your miraculous healing skills.

But now... I am really afraid that I will fail the trust of His Majesty and the Queen."

Dai Sigong raised his head and looked ahead with empty eyes, his face full of bitterness.

"Brother Wang, why shouldn't I be afraid?
However, the Queen's illness now is very different from before.

There was still medicine available before, but those quack doctors were too timid and afraid to use it.

But now, I have read all the medical books and tried everything I have learned, but I still can't find any solution.

I have studied medicine for decades, and I thought I could save lives and heal the wounded, and help the world.

But facing the Queen's illness, I am so helpless. How can I face His Majesty and the Queen?"

"Brother Dai, please don't blame yourself like that."

Wang Fu walked forward and patted Dai Sigong's shoulder gently, with a hint of self-comfort in his tone.

"Let's do our best. Maybe... maybe there will be a chance of recovery."

"Transfer?"

Dai Sigong smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Now, with every moment that passes, the Queen suffers a little more.

As the imperial physician, I can only watch helplessly.

You and I both know how uncomfortable this feeling is. "

Zhu Gang felt a pang of pain in his heart as he listened to the conversation between the two imperial doctors.

He unconsciously quickened his pace as he walked towards Queen Ma's bedroom, silently praying in his heart that his mother would be safe.

In fact, Zhu Gang has always kept a secret in his heart.

As early as his childhood, Zhu Gang accidentally fell into the lake.

After waking up, he found that there were many memories in his mind that did not belong to this era.

Those memories are filled with all kinds of new things and delicious dishes.

At this time, Queen Ma had only drunk water and not eaten for seven consecutive days.

Xu Xingzu and Ma Shun, who were in charge of the Guanglu Temple, and the Silijian and Shangshenjian, who were in charge of the palace meals, tried their best but could not get Empress Ma to eat anything.

"The Empress once issued an imperial decree that leftover porridge, rice and dishes must not be thrown into the ditch.

It can be fed to servants. If humans can’t eat it, feed it to cats or dogs. If that doesn’t work, dry it and feed it to birds.

But we can’t handle meals like this every day. If His Majesty knew about this, he would definitely be furious!"

As soon as Xu Xingzu finished speaking, Ma Shun hurriedly reminded him in a low voice: "The Queen Mother specially sent a maid to explain that His Majesty is worried about the war in Yunnan, and he must not be told about the Queen Mother's true condition.

The most important thing right now is to find a way to get the Queen to eat something, even if it’s just a little bit.”

Zhu Gang listened for a long time not far away. He walked forward with a calm look on his face and said calmly, "My father told me that the identities of the three 'kitchen gods' are suspicious.

Until the Jinyiwei have conducted a thorough investigation, they cannot participate in the palace meals.

I do have a solution: I once traveled among the common people and happened to find some folk nourishing methods, which may help my mother feel better. "(End of this chapter)