Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 774 Dragon Heir
Pizhou, in Southern Zhili.

Upon their arrival, Li Zisheng and Pang Qing immediately, in their capacity as Imperial Censors in charge of river management, approached local officials to conscript laborers. They then set off again for their second stop, Xuzhou.

Before they could even set off, they received news of Huai En's death.

"died?"

At this moment, Li Zisheng looked disheveled. He had just been to the river embankment during the day and accidentally fell into a mud pit. After being pulled out, he was only given a change of clothes, and the mud on his body and head had not yet been washed off.

Pang Qing nodded and said, "Yes, he's dead! The news just came in; he died in Shandong."

Li Zisheng frowned and said, "As mentioned before, Huai'en wouldn't be trying to use his death to slander Lai Zhan, would he? Say that Lai Zhan is related to the late emperor's passing?"

"do not know."

Pang Qing shook his head and said, "Should we take precautions?"

“I’m afraid Lai Zhan never even considered this… It’s strange. Huai En was perfectly fine when he left the capital. He’s only been on the road for a few days, and now he’s gone to the underworld?” Li Zisheng sat down in a daze, still somewhat incredulous. “It feels like a lifetime ago.”

Pang Qing asked, "Then, Daoist, should we send someone over to express our condolences?"

Li Zisheng nodded and said, "You've hit the nail on the head... Huai En was ordered by the emperor to go south to supervise my work, but he died on the way. If someone thinks I did it, that would be bad."

"So... should we go or not?"

Pang Qing asked.

"Go, of course."

Li Zisheng said, "Just send someone, but don't be too close. Whether Huai En lives or dies is not my concern. The court will send someone to supervise later. But I think the newcomer shouldn't be as picky as Huai En. If he's a little greedy, he might be easier to deal with."

Pang Qing asked, "What if the newcomer is lecherous? Will we have to choose women for him?"

Li Zisheng rolled his eyes at his advisor and shook his head, saying, "Do you think everyone is like Zhang Laizhan? Besides, the next one will most likely be someone working in the palace, and if I'm not mistaken, it will be one of the remaining few in the Directorate of Ceremonial..."

Pang Qing frowned and said, "Does it have to be people from the Directorate of Ceremonial? It's just supervising river works, why... do we have to draw people from the Directorate of Ceremonial?"

I can't explain why.

Li Zisheng said confidently, "But I always feel that my intuition is correct. Last time, the supervisor was the Grand Eunuch. If he only sends an ordinary person next time, it would be too low-ranking and would make it seem like the court doesn't value the river project. I don't think His Majesty would act in that way."

Pang Qing's eyes lit up, and he said, "Why don't we quickly write to Zhang Guozhang and ask him to use his resources to recommend someone who has a good relationship with us or is easy to control?"

Li Zisheng pouted and said, "Are you questioning the wisdom of Lai Zhan and his son?"

"What the Daoist master means is..."

“We don’t need to mention it to Lai Zhan. He will take it to heart. The river project is not only about you and me, but also about his own reputation and status.”

Li Zisheng said, "Also, when you mention Lai Zhan in the future, it's best to be more respectful. Don't use the term 'father-in-law of the emperor' or 'father-in-law of the emperor.' He was originally the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and now he is even more honorable as a Grand Secretary. He should be addressed as 'Sir' or 'Grand Secretary.'"

"..."

Pang Qing was speechless for a moment.

Li Zisheng said, "Do you think I'm just chatting idly with you? When I encounter local officials, those local bullies, each one of them is arrogant and may not look up to me, a mere alchemist who is just a nominal minister. But even if they are rude, they will have to obediently bow their heads when I mention that I have come to visit."

"This……"

Pang Qing thought to himself, "You yourself address Zhang Luan by his courtesy name, so why are you so harsh on me?"
Li Zisheng added, “Remember, you must make sure you address people clearly in public, otherwise others will think we are not familiar with Grand Secretary Zhang… This time I am here to manage the river on behalf of Lai Zhan, and we must let the whole world know that this is the case… I am not only Lai Zhan’s person, but also His Majesty’s person.”

Pang Qing said, "I'm afraid you'll be all excited about this whole thing..."

"How to speak?"

Li Zisheng said with a dark face, "Quickly prepare a funeral gift and send it to Huai'en's family! It must show my condolences, but I can't let anyone think I'm gloating! It's good that he's dead. He was seriously ill and still running around everywhere. Now he's finally free!"

……

……

Qin Chang has returned to Beijing.

The first thing he did upon returning to the capital was to rush to the palace to see the emperor.

Unfortunately, by this time he had been stripped of his palace pass and had not been summoned by the emperor, so he was not qualified to enter the Forbidden City at all. Even if he asked the Imperial Guards guarding the city gates to report to the Directorate of Ceremonial, no one came to see him.

Outside Donghua Gate, Qin Chang waited for a long time. As it was getting dark, he had no choice but to return to his private residence in the city and wait for another day to come to the palace gate to find an opportunity.

Early the next morning.

Just as Qin Chang finished getting ready and was about to try his luck at the palace gate, he heard that Qin Ji was already waiting for an audience outside his own residence.

Qin Chang naturally knew how favored Qin Ji was by the emperor, so he hurriedly went out to greet him, only to find a haggard old man who looked incredibly worn out and kept wiping away tears upon seeing him...

Qin Chang almost thought that Qin Ji was grieving in front of him because he knew he was going to die.

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of my father-in-law. Let us share this sorrow together." After being ushered into the hall, Qin Ji explained his situation and even burst into tears.

Qin Chang clearly didn't understand what Qin Ji was up to.

Did you come to my house so early in the morning just to cry in front of me? Or do you think that because I worked with Huai En, I would feel extremely sad about his death?
I'm sorry, but my banishment from the capital is inextricably linked to Huai En. Don't expect me to shed a tear for him!

Qin Chang said solemnly, "Houfang, don't forget that before, because Eunuch Huai was seriously ill and the imperial physicians were helpless, we had to ask Zhang Guozhang to come out of retirement. I personally went to Zhang's residence. Since he was seriously ill and difficult to cure, we should have a certain expectation that he would pass away."

Qin Ji, seemingly unrelated to the question, murmured, "Eunuch Huai has indeed reached the age of knowing one's destiny..."

"you……"

Qin Chang didn't know what to say.

Qin Ji raised his head, tears streaming down his face, and looked over, puzzled, and asked, "You've worked together for so many years, aren't you saddened by the passing of Grandpa Huai?"

Qin Chang shrugged and said, "Since he has passed away, grief is futile. We should think about what he left behind. By the way, may I enter the palace to meet the Emperor? As a member of the Directorate of Ceremonial, I should report to His Majesty on matters concerning the Northwest after returning to the capital."

"To see His Majesty? Hasn't His Majesty already passed away?"

Qin Ji's eyes were glazed over, and he murmured something.

"What!?"

Qin Chang was startled.

He stood up in surprise, staring at the old eunuch spouting nonsense in front of him, completely bewildered.

You, Qin Ji, have some nerve! Are you cursing the current emperor to die?

Why do you dare say such things to me?

However, after exchanging a few more words, Qin Chang finally sensed something was amiss, because Qin Ji... spoke incoherently, and although he seemed normal, he appeared somewhat "confused" about people's lives and deaths, their state of being, and the current personnel situation in the court.

Qin Chang couldn't help but wonder, could it be that this old friend who was most trusted by the emperor was so heartbroken by Huai En's death that he had become senile?

I just got back and this happened right away, it can't be such a coincidence, right?
……

……

Qin Chang did not linger with Qin Ji, but instead used the excuse of needing to enter the palace to meet the emperor to escort Qin Ji to the gate of the mansion.

Qin Ji was still wiping away tears as he boarded the carriage.

No matter what, Qin Chang couldn't understand why Qin Ji was so saddened by Huai En's death.

When Qin Chang arrived at Donghua Gate by carriage, he was about to negotiate with the Imperial Guards guarding the city gate when one of the Imperial Guards commanders recognized Qin Chang and knew that he was the uncle of Commander Qin Yun. Without any obstruction, he voluntarily made way for him.

Qin Chang breathed a sigh of relief, strolled into the palace, and went straight to the office of the Directorate of Ceremonial. He wanted to use the help of Li Rong, Dai Yi, and others to get an audience with the emperor...

Before meeting the emperor, someone has to go and announce the arrival, right?
When he met Li Rong, he briefly explained the situation of his meeting with Qin Ji that morning. Li Rong frowned and said, "These past two days, I have also noticed that Eunuch Qin is acting strangely. It seems that after Eunuch Huai passed away, his mind... suddenly became unclear, as if he were possessed by a ghost."

"Are you sure this condition occurred after your father-in-law passed away?"

Qin Chang frowned.

Li Rong's words seemed to suggest that Qin Ji's current state was not due to senility, but rather because he was greatly traumatized by Huai En's death, or perhaps influenced by Huai En's ghost.

It can also be explained that Huai En did not want Qin Ji to take charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial, so he used some methods to make Qin Ji mentally unstable, so that the emperor would not allow a senile old man to preside over the affairs of state.

Li Rong nodded and said, "He was fine before, but ever since he learned of Eunuch Huai's passing, he has been crying, and then..." "Well... maybe their feelings for each other were too deep."

Qin Changdu felt that this explanation was too far-fetched.

Qin Ji stayed in the Eastern Palace for a long time, and his life was almost parallel to Huai En's. The two rarely crossed paths, and their interactions and work together only began after Zhu Youcheng ascended the throne.

Given their relationship, Qin Jiyuan was not in such deep distress.

Therefore, from any perspective, it seems as if Qin Ji has been cursed by Huai En.

"I wish to have an audience with the Emperor."

Qin Chang made a request.

"His Majesty went to Kunning Palace after the morning court session, and he probably won't have any free time until the afternoon... The Empress has been unwell these past two days, so it would be best if we didn't go and disturb her."

Li Rong patiently explained, "Now that Eunuch Qin is not here, I'm afraid we'll have to rely on you, Eunuch Qin, to step in and stabilize the situation. There are quite a few memorials here, take a look..."

Qin Chang said with difficulty, "I have just returned and have not received His Majesty's permission. How can I arbitrarily interfere in the affairs of the Directorate of Ceremonial?"

Li Rong smiled and said, "You are originally from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, so it is most appropriate for you to take over."

Li Rong looked exceptionally relaxed.

Because Qin Ji suddenly developed Alzheimer's disease, Li Rong lost a powerful competitor... No matter how favored you are, Qin Ji, if you are not in your right mind, how can the emperor use you?

If your position becomes vacant, then my status will surely rise even higher.
If this Eunuch Qin is again sent by the Emperor to the south to supervise the river repairs in Lizi Province, then I will be the de facto head of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. That would be truly a cause for celebration!

……

……

Inside Kunning Palace.

Zhang Yu lay on the soft couch, her face somewhat pale, while Zhu Youcheng beside her, like a family member accompanying his wife, was looking intently at his brother-in-law who was taking his wife's pulse.

Zhang Yanling roughly checked her pulse and asked softly, "Sister, have you been feeling unwell these past two days?"

"It's just... I don't have a good appetite, I occasionally have headaches, and I feel dizzy... It doesn't feel like a cold, but I don't know what's wrong. My body feels very heavy."

Zhang Yu asked nervously, "Do I have some serious illness?"

Even Zhang Yu seemed to think that her life had been too smooth these past two years. She went directly from an ordinary girl waiting to get married outside Xingji City to the Crown Prince's principal wife, and then quickly became the Empress of the Ming Dynasty.

Then the Zhang family suddenly transformed from a humble household into a top-tier noble family in the Ming Dynasty.

The more successful things are, the more afraid one is of something unexpected happening, and then life is just a fleeting moment... enjoying it for only a year or two before passing away, it's like a beautiful illusion before death, as dazzling and short-lived as a mirage.

Zhang Yanling said, "It seems that my sister is pregnant."

"what!?"

Upon hearing this news, Zhang Yu wasn't particularly surprised. Instead, she looked shocked and asked, puzzled, "If she were pregnant, shouldn't she feel nauseous and want to vomit, or perhaps..."

Zhu Youcheng, standing to the side, was clearly unprepared and asked dumbfoundedly, "Yanling, you didn't see wrong, did you?"

Zhang Yanling said, "Sister, to be blunt, don't you know when your period is due and how long it's delayed?"

"I……"

Zhang Yu looked somewhat bewildered.

I'm still a young woman.

Even though I'm married, I still have the mindset of a young girl. And now you're suddenly telling me I'm going to be a mother?
Although it's a great thing, I still feel a little unable to accept it right now.

Zhu Youcheng asked in surprise, "Then... Yu'er, are you pregnant?"

Zhang Yanling said, "Brother-in-law, I am but a quack doctor who is only half-baked and knows that my sister will not believe me. Why don't we go and ask the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital to take a look?"

Zhang Yu frowned and said, "Are you teasing your sister? His Majesty said I might be sick, but I only feel slightly unwell, and I haven't even called the imperial physician yet. You...you suddenly tell me this...I..."

At this moment, Zhang Yu was completely bewildered and lost.

"Quickly...summon the imperial physician."

Zhu Youcheng stood up and called out loudly.

The palace servants in Kunning Palace were all extremely excited.

Putting everything else aside, Zhang Yu is indeed a competent mistress. Since she took over Kunning Palace, she has treated the people below her well. Now that they know the Empress may be pregnant with the Ming Dynasty's heir, they are all busy getting things done.

……

……

People from the Imperial Medical Academy have arrived.

The one who arrived was the imperial physician Shi Qin.

Like Zhang Yanling, the first thing they did upon arrival was to take the pulse... There was no mysterious thing like the "suspended thread pulse diagnosis" method; they just used their hands directly, with only a handkerchief placed between the skin and the pulse.

After taking his pulse, I asked him a few questions, just like I did with Zhang Yanling, and then...

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, the Empress may be... pregnant with the Emperor's child."

Shi Qin said cautiously.

Pregnancy is something that needs to be determined because there aren't many good diagnostic methods available in this era. It's mostly about relying on regular menstrual cycles to determine the pregnancy.

If there's still no sign of pregnancy after a period that's twice as long as a normal menstrual cycle, then you're likely pregnant.

After about fifteen days, it's generally possible to make a judgment. At this point, the pregnant woman will basically have the characteristics of pregnancy, such as vomiting and severe pregnancy reactions.

However, some people don't experience any adverse reactions and can eat and drink normally. Some people with a lack of physiological knowledge don't realize they are pregnant until their belly starts to swell. Relying solely on pulse diagnosis... unless there is a very obvious slippery pulse, it is difficult to use as a criterion for determining pregnancy.

Zhu Youcheng was extremely excited, almost bursting into tears of joy. He stepped forward and took his wife's delicate hand, repeatedly saying, "I... I knew this day would come sooner or later... I'm about to have an heir..."

Zhang Yanling was sitting nearby.

Because there were outsiders present, Shi Qin was also confused and didn't know what to say.

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, congratulations, Empress."

At this moment, Zhang Yanling considered himself part of the atmosphere-building team, helping to create a celebratory atmosphere.

Zhu Youcheng turned his head and smiled broadly, saying, "Imperial Physician Shi, you should go back first. You have made a great contribution this time, and I will reward you handsomely later."

"minister……"

Shi Qin was startled.

Your wife is pregnant, what credit do I have for that?
It's just taking my pulse, no need to make me feel so uncomfortable.

That sounds terrifying!
Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Imperial Physician Shi's medical skills are superb. I will have to ask you to take good care of my sister in the future."

"Second Young Master is smiling."

Shi Qin was very embarrassed.

In fact, everyone knew that the nominal head of the Imperial Medical Academy of the Ming Dynasty was still the unreliable Zhang Luan, because no one stripped Zhang Luan of his official position after the death of Emperor Chenghua.

This has resulted in the Imperial Medical Academy now lacking a true leader, and coupled with the fact that the late emperor died not long ago, their presence is now extremely low.

Zhu Youcheng said, "What should we do next? Yanling, come here."

Shi Qin originally thought that he should use his professional knowledge to give the young couple some guidance.

But when he realized that the emperor only wanted to ask his brother-in-law and had lost interest in him, the imperial physician, he could only slink away in disgrace.

Looking at Shi Qin's desolate figure, Zhang Yanling asked in confusion, "Isn't Physician Shi here? How should we nourish the fetus, and what kind of diet should we follow? It's better to listen to the advice of professionals."

Zhang Yu wasn't particularly happy at first, but seeing her husband so joyful, she smiled along with him, though a vague sense of melancholy lingered in her heart.

(End of this chapter)