I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 59 The Emperor Fell Ill
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Before meeting Empress Dowager Xiang, Zhao Ji was a little nervous, fearing that Empress Dowager Xiang would scold him for being caught visiting a brothel.

To be honest, Zhao Ji really didn't want to get into this bad luck.

But Zhao Mao died, and Zhao Ji had eyesight problems. According to the principle of "passing the throne to the legitimate son and not to the illegitimate son, and passing the throne to the eldest son and not to the most capable one", Zhao Ji was the first-line heir until Zhao Xu had a new son.

The key point is that Zhao Xu's health was not good to begin with, and he was traumatized by Zhao Mao's death. He cried for three days in a row. What if he suddenly couldn't hold on?

Zhao Ji was a very ambitious man. He did not want to be bound by his status as a prince and unable to do anything. He was even severely punished for just visiting a brothel.

In short, Zhao Ji, who had a good political sensitivity, felt that this might be his chance to change his destiny.

Moreover, Zhao Ji felt that although Zhao Ya had recently performed very well and even many ministers were optimistic about Zhao Ya, and although Zhao Si was Zhao Xu's half-brother, whether from the perspective of etiquette or reason, Zhao Si had a chance. However, as long as he could make Empress Dowager Xiang change her mind and continue to like him as before, if Zhao Xu really died suddenly, he would definitely have a chance to inherit Zhao Xu's throne.

Therefore, Zhao Ji had to bite the bullet and come to see Empress Dowager Xiang, hoping to repair the mother-son relationship with her.

What made Zhao Ji overjoyed was that Empress Dowager Xiang did not scold him, but only gave him earnest advice.

She said to the Empress Dowager, "Prostitutes are lowly and unfit to serve the prince. Besides, the brothels are full of people of all kinds, and accidents might happen. You must take care of yourself."

Zhao Ji felt very ashamed, and he quickly assured: "I have realized my mistake, and I will never make it again." The main point is, if you make a mistake, correct it, and make it again after correcting it, and keep doing it!
Empress Dowager Xiang also advised Zhao Ji to work hard and give birth to a child as soon as possible to expand the royal family.

Zhao Ji also agreed readily.

What made Zhao Ji even happier was that Empress Dowager Xiang invited him to have a meal, and before leaving, she asked someone to bring him a large glass mirror and five small glass mirrors to take to his own wife, Princess Wang.

It can be said that the atmosphere during Zhao Ji's trip was much better than he had imagined.

Zhao Ji even wondered, "Could it be that Zhao Ya angered the Queen Mother and fell out of favor?"

Thinking of this possibility, Zhao Ji was very excited, thinking that he had another chance.

However, Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisu, who knew Empress Dowager Xiang very well, could see that Zhao Ji had completely fallen out of favor.

Zhang Chun was even more certain that Zhao Ji was completely out of the game.

Only when you have high expectations of someone will you be tempted to scold them when their behavior deviates from your expectations. Deep down, you long for them to become better, to live up to your expectations. Hidden within this scolding is concern and care, a burning desire to see them become more fulfilled.

But when one is completely disappointed in someone, all expectations are shattered like bubbles, and enthusiasm is extinguished. At this point, any words seem superfluous, leaving only indifference and alienation. So, one becomes polite to the person. This politeness is no longer out of friendship, but a form of polite distance, a sign of complete despair, a permanent exile from the person from one's emotional world.

In fact, it was not that Zhao Ji was not as smart as Zheng Xiansu, Wang Yisu, and Zhang Chun, but that those who were involved in the matter were often confused while those who were on the sidelines could see clearly, so Zhao Ji did not understand his true situation.

After Zhao Ji left, he asked Zhang Chun from the Queen Mother, "How is Prince Duan?"

The reason why Zhao Ya kept Zhang Chun by Empress Dowager Xiang's side was to let Zhang Chun watch over Empress Dowager Xiang at this last moment, and use her identity as a charlatan to stabilize Empress Dowager Xiang and ensure that Empress Dowager Xiang would always support him, instead of suddenly defecting and "reviving" with Zhao Ji, which would make him lose the opportunity.

Although Zhao Ya did not explain this to Zhang Chun, Zhang Chun, who knew history better than Zhao Ya, knew very well what she should do at this last moment in order for her and Zhao Ya to achieve this crucial victory.

For example, at this time, Zhang Chun wanted to say to Empress Dowager Xiang: "Prince Duan is capable of everything except being a king!" and beat Zhao Ji to death.

But when the words were on the tip of her tongue, Zhang Chun suddenly saw Zheng Xiansu shaking his head at her imperceptibly.

Zhang Chun suddenly realized: "Since Empress Dowager Xiang has already given up hope on Zhao Ji, I can't add unnecessary trouble, otherwise it might backfire."

After figuring this out, Zhang Chun quickly swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue and shook his head in an enigmatic manner. Seeing that Zhang Chun also said that Zhao Ji was not capable, the Empress Dowager sighed deeply, then waved her hand somewhat listlessly, indicating that Zheng Xiansu, Wang Yisu, and Zhang Chun could leave.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisu moved, but Zhang Chun did not.

Seeing this, the Empress Dowager Xiang asked Zhang Chun, "Do you have anything else to say?"

Zhang Chun said in a deep voice: "I observed the dark Purple Star at night, and the calamity is far from over."

Empress Dowager Xiang's pupils shrank, and she blurted out: "Is there something big happening with Your Majesty?!"

Zheng Xiansu and Wang Yisu, who had not yet walked far, were also shocked.

Zhang Chun nodded slightly, confirming Empress Dowager Xiang's guess.

Empress Dowager Xiang, Zheng Xiansu, and Wang Yisu all looked towards Zhao Xu's bedroom: "What other disasters will happen?"

Four days later, a palace maid accidentally knocked over the copper basin, and Princess Yangguo, the youngest daughter born to Zhao Xu by Liu Qingjing, was frightened and died of a sudden illness.

Princess Yangguo was Zhao Xu's favorite daughter. Her death made Zhao Xu, who had already been grief-stricken, feel heartbroken again and burst into tears.

Zhao Xu stopped attending court for three days.

Three days later, Zhao Xu, filled with grief and anger, summoned the imperial physician and wanted to punish him to vent his anger.

A group of imperial doctors knelt in front of the prince in fear, not daring to breathe.

Zhao Xu pointed at them and cursed, "What's the point of me keeping you quacks? First the crown prince, then the princess, and now both my children have died at your hands. How can you face receiving my salary? How can you be worthy of the title of 'imperial physician'?!!!"

Medical Minister Qian Yi gritted his teeth and defended himself:

"The Crown Prince suffers from a congenital heart disease, which began in the womb and has caused irregular heart pulses. Symptoms include shortness of breath and bluish lips. No medicine has been effective, and the disease is incurable. Please forgive me for my incompetence."

"The princess suddenly fell ill. Her hands and feet trembled, and she was unable to control herself. Her teeth were clenched and she was foaming at the mouth. When we arrived, it was too late. No medicine could cure her. We deserve death."

When Zhao Xu was a child, he suffered from diarrhea and dysentery. Many imperial doctors treated him but to no avail. Qian Yi was recommended by the eldest princess to enter the palace. He cured Zhao Xu's disease with loess soup and later became an imperial doctor.

Because of this relationship, Qian Yi dared to make a few arguments, explaining that Zhao Mao suffered from a congenital heart disease that could not be cured at all, and that Princess Yangguo also had a bad heart and became seriously ill due to fright, which did not give them any chance to display their medical skills.

To put it bluntly, Qian Yi meant that Zhao Mao and Princess Yang were both suffering from fatal diseases and it had nothing to do with them.

Zhao Xu pointed at Qian Yi and said angrily, "You quack doctor, you still dare to quibble. I... I..."

Immediately, Zhao Xu spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground!
"Hurry up and save His Majesty!!!"

A group of imperial doctors rushed forward to rescue Zhao Xu, and the palace immediately became a mess.

Soon, news spread that the seventh emperor of the Zhao Song Dynasty, Song Zhezong Zhao Xu, had fallen ill...

……

(End of this chapter)