A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 8 Fighting between gods
Chang'an, the northernmost city.

Also known as Qi Li.

Most of the imperial relatives, nobles, and princes of the Han Dynasty lived here, and the Wuqiang Marquis's Mansion was one of them.

Having not attended court for over a decade, Zhuang Qingzhai had long lost the vigor and spirit he once possessed as a high-ranking official. At this moment, he was wearing a blue linen robe and sat quietly in a chair opposite the large table. He probably hadn't shaved for quite some time, as the beard that was naturally on his cheeks had grown out in varying lengths. His usually large eyes appeared even larger because his cheeks had thinned.

When the rumors in the palace reached Zhuang Qingzhai's ears, he suddenly felt a sense of joy, as if he had seen the dawn after passing through a long, dark night.

Zhuang Qingzhai would never forget that scene from that year, when His Majesty easily dismissed him and Marquis Baizhi Xuchang from their official posts on the fabricated charge of not handling the funeral of the Empress Dowager.

Over the years, he has often reported his understanding of the Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals to His Majesty, and even emphasized that he had chosen to read Dong Zhongshu's commentary.

However, the countless reports submitted by Dao Shang were like stones sinking into the sea, without causing the slightest ripple.

Not long ago, he quoted a sentence from Dong Zhongshu: "The Spring and Autumn Annals has no universal terms; they change with the times. Now, Jin has changed into barbarians, and Chu has changed into gentlemen. Therefore, the terms should be changed to reflect the facts." He then elaborated on his understanding of "unification".

"Inclusiveness and harmony, unity between near and far."

After this chapter was presented, Zhuang Qingzhai heard that His Majesty intended to appoint him as the Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince. He thought that his years of dedication and perseverance had won over His Majesty.

Unexpectedly, His Majesty used him as a tool to control the Crown Prince's palace.

In the past, Empress Dowager Dou supported him and Marquis Bai to the throne in order to suppress His Majesty's new policies. Now, in order to curb the power of the Crown Prince, His Majesty wants to support him and the youngest son of Wan Shijun to the throne.

Rumors have been circulating in Chang'an recently that the Crown Prince has no intention of taking anyone other than the Prime Minister as his teacher. Do not say you were not warned. Zhuang Qingzhai knows that this is a warning from the Crown Prince.

Everyone says that "a son is not like his father," but the Crown Prince's domineering nature surpasses even His Majesty's.

However, he was not in control of his own destiny, and the contest between His Majesty and the Crown Prince had only just begun. He, who had mistakenly entered into the struggle for the throne, would not have a good ending no matter who won or lost.

Sure enough, the angel arrived, and His Majesty summoned him.

Across the courtyard, Zhuang Qingzhai faintly heard his eldest son's bitter words to the envoy: "Your Majesty, my father has been unwell recently. The physician diagnosed him with anxiety and stagnation, resulting in excessive liver fire. This fire has damaged his spleen, causing heaviness in his limbs. However, the heart belongs to wood, and anxiety generates fire, leading to stagnation of liver qi. This excessive fire damages metal, causing discomfort in his spleen and stomach. All five internal organs are burning, making it difficult for him to get up. I implore Your Majesty to convey this to His Majesty, so that he may enter the palace to pay his respects after he recovers..."

“Young Marquis, the imperial edict has arrived. If you refuse to obey the edict due to a slight ailment, His Majesty will be displeased. The already neglected Marquis’s mansion will be further afflicted. Without further ado, please, Old Marquis, appear and come with me to the palace for an audience.”

"..."

The sound grew louder as it approached. Zhuang Qingzhai knew there was no way to avoid it. Just getting up almost exhausted all her strength. Her face was flushed, her eyes were burning, and her eye rims were getting redder and redder. She took two weak steps and then fell heavily to the ground.

In a daze, Zhuang Qingzhai heard the envoy and his eldest son's panicked cries for a healer before losing consciousness completely.

……

Xuanshi Palace.

The imperial physician came to pay his respects.

"What illness does Marquis Wuqiang suffer from?"

"Your Majesty, just now I took the pulse of Marquis Wuqiang. His pulse at the cun position was rapid, his pulse at the guan position was floating, and his pulse at the chi position was wandering. This is a sign of obstruction in the middle jiao and internal fire attacking the heart. In my opinion, it is a stroke."

"In your opinion, is Marquis Wuqiang's illness serious or not?"

"Heavy!"

How heavy is it?

"Stroke is always a serious illness, let alone the case of Marquis Wuqiang, whose symptoms are far more complex than those of ordinary strokes..."

“Speak properly!” “If the condition can be stabilized and prevented from worsening, with proper care, one may live to a ripe old age. If not, death will be… death will occur within a hundred days.”

Faced with His Majesty's pressing questioning, this elderly chief physician, who had served in the Imperial Medical Academy for forty years and had served three emperors, had no choice but to answer truthfully.

Illness originates from fire. Humans are born with fire toxins. Since ancient times, divine physicians such as Bian Que and Qi Bo have all talked about expelling fire and evil to treat diseases. The great method of expelling fire and evil is nothing more than purifying the mind and reducing desires, and not paying attention to external affairs.

In short, Marquis Wuqiang has contracted a disease that prevents him from serving as the Crown Prince's tutor.

After listening to the imperial physician's words, Liu Che remained silent.

The imperial physician presented the prescription for Marquis Wuqiang to His Majesty for review. His Majesty was ordered to use all the medicine in the imperial treasury to treat him, and then took his leave.

……

The imperial edict arrived in Pei County seven days later via express courier service.

Prefect's Mansion.

Shi Qing, the youngest son of the nobleman Wan Shi Jun, whose name alone brought great order to the state of Qi, did not open the imperial edict. Instead, he looked at the person in front of him, Bian Tong, the chief secretary of the prime minister of the Han Dynasty, who was studying the art of diplomacy and strategy.

“I shouldn’t have come,” Bian Tong sighed.

Following the floods of the Dragon Boat Festival, the Guandong region suffered a disaster, resulting in hundreds of thousands of displaced people, including 100,000 without household registration.

Pei County was the birthplace of the emperor. The two counties of Feng and Pei were exempt from taxes and corvée labor, and the county granaries were relatively full. When he arrived, Pei County had already made the decision to open the granaries and distribute grain.

"We shouldn't have come," Shi Qing said helplessly.

Opening official granaries privately to relieve the people was originally a good reason to plead guilty and be dismissed from office, and to avoid the imperial family and their sons. However, Bian Tong's arrival made him a target of factional strife.

If you don't distribute grain, you can't avoid being summoned by the emperor. Once you meet His Majesty, it will be difficult for you not to become the Crown Prince's tutor.

Distributing grain became a matter of choosing sides with the Crown Prince. His Majesty used this as an excuse to make trouble, and not only would the Crown Prince die, but the Wan Shi family would also be hard-pressed to escape disaster.

“You can refuse to distribute the grain. Go see His Majesty and the Prime Minister, and I can explain,” Bian Tong said apologetically.

"Can you explain it?"

Shi Qing stared intently at him, "Prime Minister, you can explain this, but what explanation do you have for the Crown Prince?"

"There will always be a way to explain it," Bian Tong said confidently.

The art of diplomacy is about finding a way out of desperate situations. Even if Shi Qing becomes the Crown Prince's tutor, as long as he helps the Prime Minister obtain the position of the Crown Prince's junior tutor, it can be considered a solution.

Shi Qing did not respond, but tears welled up in his eyes, which had been filled with sorrow for the refugees: "The Zuo Zhuan says: 'If a ruler rises by this, he will surely perish by this.' My family has been highly valued by successive emperors, and we should have fallen with them. No matter how deep the tree is, it will eventually fall."

Bian Tong suddenly stood up, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I've said everything that needs to be said."

Shi Qing shook his head and continued, "Don't go back to the capital immediately. With you in Pei County at this time, you can reassure the people. The court is already in chaos, and the local areas cannot be allowed to descend into chaos as well."

The following day, Pei County opened its granaries to distribute grain and provide relief to the people. It also took in many refugees, relieving the suffering of hundreds of thousands of refugees. The number of people registered reached 30,000. However, Prefect Shi Qing privately opened the official granaries, a crime he could not forgive. He hanged himself day and night out of fear of punishment.

In the summer, a great plague broke out. To prevent the corpses from turning into corpses, they were burned.

(End of this chapter)