Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 184 The Second Saint Arrives?

By the last few days of the first year of Taichang, the palace was filled with a New Year atmosphere.

Zhu Changluo, who had been busy with state affairs for a year, appeared very filial in these last few days and stayed in the Cining Palace for a longer time.

Every day some people came to the palace for banquets. The emperor's banquets included generals of the Yongwei Camp, important ministers, lecturers of the imperial lectures and people from the Hanlin Academy.

After the banquet, he would take a short rest, then go to the Cining Palace for dinner, then go to the Renshou Palace to visit the two empress dowagers, go to the Kunning Palace to talk to the empress, and then return to the Qianqing Palace to visit someone, and finally go to bed.

Life seemed regular for a while.

On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, they arrived at the Cining Palace again. After dinner, they served Zhu Yijun something to eat.

He had great difficulty in eating and could only eat liquid food, which were all carefully prepared soups.

The spoon was fed into his mouth and he had to be helped to swallow.

Not everyone who suffers from a stroke will lose the ability to swallow.

Zhu Yijun used to be often emotional, his tear glands were well developed, his eyeballs were flexible, and his swallowing function was not impaired.

But now I am slowly experiencing swallowing difficulties.

"When Father is eating, you must help him sit up first."

Zhu Changluo instructed the trembling eunuchs in a matter-of-fact voice.

Then he said to Zhu Yijun: "Your son is busy with state affairs. I just learned recently that your father has difficulty eating. I am heartbroken."

Zhu Yijun: ...

"The soup should not be too juicy, it should be thicker to avoid choking." Zhu Changluo instructed the eunuchs again, then looked at Zhu Yijun, "Father, this is an important matter. I have asked and investigated these two days, and found some solutions. There are a few small things that you should practice diligently on weekdays."

After that, he explained in front of the eunuchs and Zhu Yijun how to exercise by opening the mouth, closing lips, puffing up cheeks, and retracting the tongue by oneself or with assistance.

He then said to the eunuchs: "Applying small ice cubes to the cheeks can also help..."

The eunuchs had never heard of these methods. When Zhu Yijun heard him talk about applying ice cubes on the face and pressing the tongue with cotton swabs, he just felt that he was trying to torture himself in some way.

"Go and report to the Imperial Grandmother and make some preparations. I will talk to the Imperial Father for a while."

The eunuchs felt relieved and went to report to Empress Dowager Li.

"Are these methods really useful?"

Empress Dowager Li also recently learned that her son was having increasing difficulty swallowing, and she was still anxious.

"Your Majesty, what you said is reasonable and well-founded. You said that... the muscles on your face have been unused for a long time and are gradually weakening. Applying ice to stimulate them may help."

"…Then go get ready first."

Empress Dowager Li gave them instructions and went to the backyard.

When the emperor and the emperor eunuch spoke alone, the eunuchs and palace maids usually left.

Empress Dowager Li walked to the door alone and only heard her grandson's words faintly coming from inside.

"…Father, why are you so frightened that you are now like this? I am saying something disrespectful. Since I have already ascended the throne, why would I worry about your recovery? I am a filial son and only hope that you can get better. But in front of a servant, the less you try to move, the worse your condition will get if you stay in bed for a long time…"

Empress Dowager Li's eyes reddened. These words were indeed true.

Then I heard Zhu Changluo say, "Now it's hard to swallow, aren't you worried, father? If you can't eat, how long can you last? If your son has bad intentions, just let it go. Your father should try the ice compress method. If your mouth and tongue can move, you must not show it in front of the servants because of suspicion. This is related to your health, you must cherish your body."

When Empress Dowager Li heard this, she opened the door and walked in.

Zhu Changluo stood up first, but before he could speak, Empress Dowager Li said, "You heard the emperor's words. He was so honest. If you had been able to take action earlier and were willing to find a way to take action, why did you wait until today?"

Seeing Empress Dowager Li crying, Zhu Yijun felt aggrieved again.

Do I dare to show that I want to recover and that I can recover?
How did I get through the past year and a half?
His eyes were red, but they were filled with despair and indifference, as if he really wanted to just die.

Zhu Changluo still remembers that he was able to speak relatively quickly after his first stroke and was very positive in his recovery.

I also remember that after his second stroke, although he couldn't speak yet, his eyes were very bright.

But perhaps the fact that his "fingers could move" and "drafting the imperial edict with his fingers" was too stimulating that night, and he showed no signs of recovery afterwards.

At least in front of others.

If there is no active rehabilitation exercise, how can there be no muscle atrophy after staying in bed for so long?

Zhu Changluo believed that his current difficulty in swallowing was real, because if this kind of thing continued, the only result would be death, and usually it would happen very quickly.

We can’t do gastric feeding by tube now, and the patient might choke and die.

Zhu Changluo really doesn't have to worry too much about what he does now. He has his own arrangements and interest bundles for the Yongwei Camp, the Beijing Camp, the nobles and relatives...

So he picked up his old memories of how to take care of stroke paralyzed patients, hoping that Zhu Yijun could recover.

Although Zhu Yijun had lived for so long, it was reasonable for him to die now, but why bother? He could no longer threaten the power, so he might as well improve his reputation as a filial son. So Zhu Changluo said, "The imperial doctors often come to treat me, and they give me many medical advices. You should listen to them. The Huangji Gate has been rebuilt, and I wanted to invite you to attend the grand court meeting on the New Year's Day. I want you to know how I dare not slack off. I hope you can recover, and the world will know it."

Although everyone knew that he was "hoping" for his father's recovery now that his throne was secure, Zhu Yijun still didn't expect that he would dare to let him appear directly in front of the ministers.

Her eyeballs moved and looked at him.

"Grandmother is here too, I'll tell you the truth." Zhu Changluo walked over to her and sat down, massaging his thin hands. "It's hard to count on father to recover. But even if he can just speak, walk around with the help of servants, look at the flowers and trees in the back garden of the palace, and see how diligently I work to protect the Ming Dynasty, wouldn't that be good? Although that night was just a temporary measure, I shouldered this heavy responsibility, hoping to hear father say that I am a good son, and that I have lived up to my ancestors and the trust of my father."

After saying this, he lowered his head, his voice choking with sobs: "Even if Father can teach his son a few words, and if I can hear Father speak again, I will be happy to do so."

Zhu Yijun didn't believe him, but he moved his eyes up and down twice.

Empress Dowager Li said happily: "Your father agreed!"

Zhu Changluo raised his head and looked at Zhu Yijun.

Zhu Yijun also looked at him: his voice was choked, but there was no moisture in his eyes.

He knew that it was not appropriate for him to die now, even though there were many hidden worries. Wasn't his son worried that there would be more gossip in the world?
No wonder, if you want to take action against officials and gentry, there will be hidden concerns.
He wanted to attend court together in front of the civil and military officials, just to let the people of the world know that he was filial and had no fear that the emperor would get better again.

Zhu Yijun also wanted to appear in front of the civil and military officials to see if they would have any different expressions when they saw him.

Just take a look.

Anyway, the current situation is indeed the worst, and he no longer has any hope.

This country no longer belongs to you, go and take a look.

Attending the court one more time can be considered as a farewell as an emperor.

See if he has a stable government. If he is, then he doesn't have to feel guilty in front of the ancestors. If there are still any concerns... help him, then help him... After all, he is my own flesh and blood.

Later, Zhu Yijun saw him applying a small ice cube wrapped in cloth to his cheek and felt his fingers gently massaging around his throat.

In the past, Zhu Yijun would have been extremely worried.

But now he has been bedridden for more than a year, and during this period he has thought about countless causes and consequences.

He had indeed never praised his son, so it was difficult for his son to cry in front of him, but what did it matter?
A cruel emperor is a good emperor.

On the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, the palace was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns.

There was a stage in the Qianqing Palace for opera performances and storytelling.

The Grand Empress Dowager, the Retired Emperor, the two Empress Dowagers, the Emperor, the Empress and the two concubines spent time here together, as well as several of the Emperor's younger brothers and sisters.

It's a happy family occasion.

While Zhu Yijun was half lying on the chair, he looked at the queen's belly and then looked at his queen.

Sister Wang Xi didn't understand at first, and Zhu Yijun looked at Empress Dowager Li again.

After a round of questioning and eye contact, Empress Dowager Li understood and said with red eyes: "The Supreme Emperor wants to reward the Empress with something. He hopes that the Empress can give birth to a prince smoothly."

Then Sister Wang Xi took off a very precious piece of jewelry from her body and handed it to Guo Lanzhi.

After tonight, Zhu Yijun will be forty years old.

Listening to the sound of firecrackers and opera, and looking at his other sons and daughters, he thought of his other son in Fengyang. He then looked at his daughter-in-law and her belly, who had carefully stood up to express her gratitude, and his eyes gradually turned red.

At least... I'll try to hold on until I can see my grandson.

The night passed like this, and the next day he was served early in the morning and put on the long-lost dragon robe.

The Supreme Emperor is also the Emperor.

The newly rebuilt Huangji Gate was officially opened today. Behind the emperor's throne, there is a higher throne.

There are plenty of charcoal stoves in the lobby of Huangji Gate.

Tian Yi and Chen Ju were both there, one on the left and one on the right. After the strong eunuchs carried Zhu Yijun to sit on the throne belonging to the retired emperor, they helped him fill the two sides of the throne with soft pillows with mixed feelings, put his hands on both sides, and then knelt on both sides to avoid the sight of the ministers who might look at him, and just stretched out their hands to support Zhu Yijun's waist from the left and right.

Zhu Yijun glanced down at the two old servants, wondering whether they were kneeling to atone for their sins or to be on guard.

He had managed to drink the ginseng soup before, and now the charcoal stoves on both sides were very warm, and Zhu Yijun was in good spirits.

In front, his son also sat on the throne and nodded to Wang An, whom he once wanted to kill.

The order was passed on to the Meridian Gate in front. Not long after, the third drum beat was heard at the Meridian Gate, followed by many people shouting together.

"The Emperor ascends the throne! The Emperor ascends the throne! All the ministers come to pay homage!"

Outside the Meridian Gate, both the civil and military officials were stunned to hear this loud voice.

(End of this chapter)