Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 474: What Happened to the Retired Emperor? (First Update)
A pill the size of a longan was already in his hand. Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian, who was kneeling in front of the bed, and frowned, "Emperor, why are you kneeling again? Get up. If there is a problem with this pill, then tell us. Don't just kneel there and say nothing."

All the ministers in the hall looked at Li Chengqian with serious eyes.

Could it be that this pill really has some problems that they don’t know about?
Li Chengqian smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Father, even wise men like the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor suffered failure after taking the elixir. I am truly worried."

"Get up." Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian and said, "I understand what you mean. If I start taking the pills today, I'll have to take them all tomorrow. Sooner or later, one of them will kill me."

Things don't stand still.

The elixir Li Shimin took today may not be poisonous, but who knows what the elixir will be like in the future.

No one can guarantee that the elixirs Li Shimin took were always non-toxic.

If the poison accumulated to the limit from a certain pill he took one day, Li Shimin would most likely die immediately.

The ministers in the hall finally understood what the emperor meant.

Li Chengqian looked at Li Shimin with a worried look on his face, his eyes full of pleading.

"I know you're filial." Li Shimin shook his head, but said calmly, "But I know my physical condition best. Not to mention the medicine you've all examined, there's nothing wrong with it. Even if I have erysipelas, it won't show up for a long time. If I can live to that point, it would be a blessing in disguise."

All the ministers in the hall looked up, with some surprise in their eyes.

They knew that the emperor was ill, but they had never thought about what would happen.

It is generally believed that the retired emperor can at least live another ten years like Emperor Gaozu.

But now it seems...

Thinking of this, many people finally remembered the weirdness of the whole thing.

The emperor was such a high-ranking figure, how could he not know the dangers of taking elixirs? However, now he not only allowed the Taoist sect to take elixirs, but also allowed the Buddhist sect to take elixirs.

This itself is a strange thing and has greatly revealed the physical condition of the emperor.

Sun Simiao had already left Chang'an, and the emperor was kneeling there.

The ministers shuddered inexplicably. Could it be that the emperor would not live long?

"Alright." Li Shimin's words drew everyone's attention. He said somewhat unhappily, "I'm already this old. What's wrong with taking some pills? Yuchi has been taking pills every day for the past few years, and I haven't seen any problems with him."

Duke of E, Yuchi Jingde, had been suffering from unbearable body pain in recent years due to the battles he had fought in his early years, so he had to start taking elixirs.

But he is doing well and is still healthy.

"I don't ask for a long life of a hundred years, just three to five more years will be enough." Li Shimin said this, and then swallowed the pill in his hand directly into his mouth.

……

……

The morning light is bright and the palace lanterns are gradually dimming.

Li Shimin, who was lying on the bed, finally slowly opened his eyes.

Wake up from a night sleep.

Feeling the relaxation in his body, he couldn't help but smile softly.

A moment later, Li Shimin was already sitting on the bed.

Leaning against the soft cushion, he whispered, "Is the Emperor still waiting outside Ganlu Gate?"

"Yes!" Wu Meiniang nodded as she helped Li Shimin pinch the corner of the quilt. "Your Majesty and Duke Zhao have been guarding outside Ganlu Gate all night and are still there."

"I don't know what he is worried about. I have Zhang Baozang, Master Yin Wencao, and Master Xuanzang here. Even if anything happens, they can be treated in time. Not to mention, there is no problem with this pill itself." Li Shimin felt a little funny for a moment, but he felt relieved and satisfied in his heart.

Taking pills is never a good thing.

Li Shimin knew this.

Li Chengqian also knew this.

Therefore, Li Shimin knew in his heart that the reason why Li Chengqian acted like this today was because he was panicked from the bottom of his heart.

Taking pills is never about focusing on what’s in front of you.

Some pills may seem harmless now, but over time, not only will the toxicity accumulate, but their efficacy may also decrease.

At that time, the recipe needs to be modified.

Once the recipe of the elixir is changed, the efficacy and toxicity of the medicine will change.

It may even trigger a chain reaction.

Even fatal on the spot.

This is what Li Chengqian is really afraid of.

He was afraid that Li Shimin would die.

Although he has become the emperor now, the stability of his regime is largely due to the fact that Li Shimin is still alive.

Once Li Shimin died, there would be unrest in the world.

Li Chengqian is not yet prepared to face the world situation after Li Shimin's death.

"Saint!" Zhang Baozang walked in from the outer hall and said to Li Shimin with a solemn expression, "I would like to take your pulse."

"Yes!" Li Shimin nodded, then stretched out his hand and let Zhang Baozang come over to hold his pulse and examine it carefully.

After a moment, Zhang Baozang finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then, with a face full of joy, he bowed to Li Shimin and said, "Your Majesty, your pulse is steady and strong. The elixir is effective."

Li Shimin smiled and nodded, then looked at Yin Wencao on the side and said, "Master, why don't you come and take a look too."

"Yes!" Yin Wencao bowed, then walked over to check Li Shimin's pulse. After a moment, Yin Wencao bowed calmly and said, "Your essence and energy are in harmony, and your five internal organs are stable. Your Majesty has the potential for a long life."

"Haha!" Li Shimin laughed lightly, his eyes swept over Xuanzang, and then he shook his head slightly.

Xuanzang couldn't diagnose a pulse, so he couldn't tell whether it was good or bad. Li Shimin turned to look at Zhang Ananda and said, "Go tell the emperor that a whole night has passed and I feel healthy. Zhang Qing and Master Yin have already examined his pulse. Let him go back and rest."

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda bowed and was about to turn and leave when Li Shimin's voice rang out: "Tell him that he doesn't need to come over."

"Yes!"

……

Outside Ganlu Gate, the tent that had been set up overnight was taken away.

Li Chengqian stood at the door and looked up in the direction of Ganlu Palace.

Although the palace gate had been opened, Li Chengqian was still waiting for news from inside.

Although he is the emperor now, he never easily breaks into the palace of the retired emperor.

If you really go ahead and break in, that might be when something really bad happens.

Changsun Wuji stood behind Li Chengqian. Although his expression was calm, his hands were still shaking.

At this moment, Zhang Ananda hurried out from Ganlu Gate and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has awakened. Imperial Physician Zhang and Master Yin have both examined his pulse. The Emperor has asked me to tell you that he is in good health. Please return and rest. After all, there are still matters of state that need to be attended to."

Li Chengqian looked up at Ganlu Palace, then turned to look at Zhang Ananda: "Zhang Jian, is the emperor sure everything is alright?"

"Your Highness is kind and filial." Zhang Ananda bowed with a smile and said, "The elixir the Saint took yesterday was absolutely not poisonous. Even if Your Majesty doesn't trust others, you should trust this old servant."

Li Chengqian was stunned for a moment, then he couldn't help laughing. He looked at Zhang Ananda and said, "Yes, you are still here, you are still here. Okay, I won't worry about it anymore. I will go back and rest."

"Farewell, Your Majesty!" Zhang Ananda bowed.

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian turned around and looked at Zhangsun Wuji with satisfaction. As he walked, he said, "Let's go, uncle. I didn't get a good night's rest. Go back and have a good rest. I'll have Prime Minister Chu on duty in the Political Affairs Hall today. Send all matters to him."

"Hmm!" Zhangsun Wuji's expression calmed down as he followed Li Chengqian out, saying with emotion, "Really? I almost forgot about this old dog. With him around, how could anyone else possibly harm the Emperor?"

Zhang Ananda was the eunuch supervisor. For many years, he was the last line of defense to protect Li Shimin.

Zhang Ananda had considerable control over the Hundred Cavalry Division, the Left and Right Thousand Oxen Guards, the Left and Right Golden Guards, Yongzhou Prefecture, the two counties of Chang'an and Wannian, and even the palace.

Even before the emperor abdicated, he had absolute control.

Even though the emperor has abdicated and Zhang Ananda has given up most of his power, he is still the person with the most actual power in the palace besides Li Chengqian and Li Shimin.

Dou Zhijie and Xu An, even Zhang Shigui and Li Anyan, were no match for him.

With him around, how could others easily tamper with the medicine?

Changsun Wuji's voice clearly reached Zhang Ananda's ears.

Zhang Ananda was not at all annoyed by Changsun Wuji calling him the old dog of the emperor, and even felt a little proud.

Because that would mean that Changsun Wuji also admitted that he was the emperor's most trusted person.

With him around, no one can harm the emperor.

……

The night is quiet and the bed is soft.

Li Chengqian slowly opened his eyes.

Everything in front of him was dark, and he was the only one on the bed.

Is it just nightfall?
Li Chengqian lifted the silk quilt and walked down from the bed.

The palace outside the window was quiet, but you could still see the flickering lights on the palace walls in the distance.

Li Chengqian walked out of the inner hall. Although there were some candles in the middle hall, they were only a few scattered ones.

When the maids in the palace saw Li Chengqian, they immediately bowed and saluted.

Li Chengqian waved his hand and walked out of the hall.

Under the eaves, lanterns are bright.

Su Shu was wearing a light green gauze skirt and looking at a memorial with a crimson cover.

Li Chengqian sat down beside Su Shu, glanced at her, and asked in a low voice, "What are you looking at?"

"They are women of marriageable age from various families in Chang'an." Su Shu handed the memorial to Li Chengqian and said, "I have asked the Taichang Temple to look out for unengaged women of marriageable age, twelve or thirteen, from various prominent families in Chang'an. They have good looks and manners, so that they can be selected to serve Your Majesty in the palace."

"Are you starting so early now?" Li Chengqian blinked.

"Yes, if it's any later, we should arrange marriages one by one. We can't let others break off their engagements and marry into the palace after they are already engaged." Su Shu turned sideways and gave Li Chengqian a look.

"That's not what I meant." Li Chengqian took the memorial and took a look at it. It was filled with women's names.

Li Chengqian put down the memorial and shook his head, saying, "The Queen knows that I have never had the same illness as you. Having a few concubines in the palace is enough. For the rest, I can only add one a year at most. I don't have the energy to take care of more concubines."

"Your Majesty is benevolent and kind. There are not many concubines in the palace now. Your Majesty is able to treat everyone equally, which is indeed very good, but..." Su Shu looked up at Li Chengqian and said, "Emperor Gaozu had 22 sons, and the Supreme Emperor had 14 sons. Your Majesty, you only have six sons in the palace now. Your Majesty can be cautious and reflect on yourself, but I cannot. Your Majesty, the reproduction of his offspring is a matter of great importance to the country."

Li Chengqian wanted to say something, but in the end he stopped talking.

Although he was indeed confident that the concubines in the palace would have more children, in the palace, except for the queen, it would be enough for the other concubines to have only one or two sons in the end.

If there are more, it will probably threaten the status of the queen and the prince, and there will definitely be trouble.

"Is everything okay with the Emperor today?" Li Chengqian stepped back slightly and asked.

"It's fine, everything is fine." Su Shu shook her head, then frowned and asked, "I'm a little confused. Father is in good health, and the elixir he took today has been proven to be non-toxic. But why does Your Majesty repeatedly prevent Father from taking the medicine, and even stay on guard at Ganlu Gate overnight?"

Li Chengqian fell silent.

Su Shu looked straight at Li Chengqian and said, "I know Your Majesty very well. If nothing were wrong, Your Majesty would not be so angry. So, Your Majesty, what happened to the Emperor?"

(End of this chapter)