The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

Zhu Zaizhen's gaze fell on the other palace servants. Chang'an's mother died because of the Renyin Palace Incident. Her father, the emperor, was wary of her and moved to the West Garden, where he never paid much attention to her again. In the past, the palace was managed by the Noble Consort, so things were still going well.

As a result, the princess fell seriously ill after only a short period of time when the imperial concubine stopped managing affairs.

Congenital deficiencies are certainly part of the reason, but the princess has already grown up well to the age of thirteen or fourteen, which shows that she has been well cared for.

She wasn't overworked like the late Crown Prince, so why did she suddenly become unwell? There must be a reason.

Unexpectedly, before he could even give the order to investigate, the housekeeper jumped out first. What else had a housekeeper who dared to stop the imperial physician in front of the prince done behind the scenes? It was self-evident.

At the very least, there was some mistreatment of the princess, in order to tame her and make it easier for her to control the prince consort in the future, so that she could live the life of an empress dowager in the princess's mansion.

It seems he underestimated the depths of the palace. He hadn't realized it before because he was, after all, a prince, more precious than a princess, and had the devoted care of his attendant.

Moreover, he was ranked third among the princes at the time, which was not particularly noteworthy.

But as he gradually comes into contact with supreme power, the dangers in the palace will only increase, and there will always be a problem with one person and one pair of eyes.

Seeing that the imperial physician still dared not move, Ma Dezhao had no choice but to say, "Imperial Physician Zhao, please."

"Ah...okay."

Once only Da Ma Dezhao and Tao Ze remained, Zhu Zaizhen whispered, "Master, pass on a message to Zhao Shanggong: please take care of this matter. I will thank her in person later."

Ma Dezhao was slightly taken aback: "Your Highness, Lady Zhao..."

"It's nothing," Zhu Zaizhen interrupted him.

Zhao Jingxian, the head of the palace ladies who had saved the emperor's life, had already expressed her intention to pledge allegiance to him after the crown prince's death.

That very night, the Imperial Concubine secretly sent someone to tell him something: Zhao Jingxian is His Majesty's eyes. Whoever controls Zhao Jingxian will have a general grasp of the affairs of the harem, but they will also have to accept the watchful eyes of those eyes.

He had some reservations at first, but now he doesn't care anymore. He needs more power, and as for being watched, he can handle it.

"promise."

Another message was sent to Nanjing, instructing my maternal grandparents to send someone to find a doctor named Wan Mizhai, skilled in pediatrics and gynecology, who should be practicing in the Huguang region. If found, they were to be brought to the capital at any cost.

"promise."

Zhu Zaizhen re-entered the palace. This time, no one dared to underestimate him because of his young age or treat him like a princess.

Liu Wenjie was kneeling by the bed, his fingers resting on the princess's wrist, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, but he dared not wipe them away.

This time, he pulled out all the stops, including potent medicines that he would normally carefully consider before being added to the prescription.

Either way, there's danger; it's better to seek survival amidst the danger.

"Your Highness," Liu Wenjie said, his voice still trembling slightly after taking the pulse, but with more confidence than before.

"Although the princess's pulse is weak, it is still firm when palpated. I have adjusted the prescription to focus on warming the yang and supporting the body's resistance, supplemented by removing blood stasis and unblocking the meridians. As long as the fever subsides tonight, there will be a turning point."

"It's not a turning point," Zhu Zaizhen said calmly from behind him, "it has to get better."

Liu Wenjie gritted his teeth: "Yes, it absolutely has to get better!"

Princess Chang'an awoke at this moment, though still dazed, her thin face contorted with pain. But when she saw Zhu Zaizhen, she managed a smile and said, "Zaizhen, you've come to see your sister?"

"Yes, I'm here. Sister, rest assured, I'll take care of everything."

"Um."

...............

News from the capital always reached Nanjing somewhat late, but no matter how late it was, the Lu family home became the liveliest place in the city, with the gatehouse piled high with visiting cards and gifts.

The doorman had worked for the Lu family for ten years, and for the first time he felt that he was really old and it was time for his son to take over. He was just too tired and his mind couldn't keep up.

Some of these officials in Nanjing were ousted from Beijing by the Yan family, some were forced to choose the wrong side during the Grand Ceremony, but most were simply unlucky.

With no vacancies available in front and no powerful backers behind, he was kicked to Nanjing, where he endured his fate until he was forgotten, and it seemed he would die of old age there.

After studying hard to pass the imperial examinations and become an official, who hasn't dreamed of entering the cabinet to govern the country, issuing orders to the world, or acting as a shepherd to protect the people and safeguard a region?

No one is willing to live a mediocre life, watching others make a fortune while they drool and watch longingly.

But the reality is that they can only watch, just like their predecessors throughout history, growing further and further away from the center of power. Even writing a letter to their fellow graduates in the capital requires careful consideration, for fear that if they say something inappropriate, they will be unable to even get into the circle.

In the capital, the struggle over the succession to the throne, the position of Minister, and right and wrong was raging fiercely. But on the banks of the Qinhuai River, they could only watch from afar. Even when they finally managed to submit a joint memorial, it didn't even cause a ripple.

Since they could only watch from afar, how could they possibly have the chance to light the stoves in the capital?

Even if they could reach it, the stove would already be crowded with people.

Having spent so many years sitting on the sidelines in Nanjing, what makes them think they can compete with those people for a position next to Prince Yu?

If you can't grab it, there's no need to.

Because right in front of them was a cold stove, the Prince of Jing, the Lu family, and the Prince of Jing's maternal clan.

They privately discussed and concluded that the reason His Majesty was reluctant to appoint an heir after the Crown Prince's death was because His Majesty favored Prince Jing and wanted to make him the Crown Prince.

Everyone can see the difference between His Majesty's treatment of Prince Yu and Prince Jing. Although no one is currently tending to this cold stove, sparks are already faintly flickering underneath.

Offering help in times of need is always better than adding to someone's success. To Prince Yu, they weren't even considered flowers, but to Prince Jing, as long as they were quick enough, they were considered charcoal.

As a result, the once quiet dirt road in front of the Lu family mansion has recently been filled with all kinds of carriages. People who come to deliver invitations and request an audience are read out one by one. Before the Empress entered the palace, even the gatekeepers of the Lu family had to kneel to receive them.

Minister of Works, Vice Minister of War, Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review...

Even He Ning, the eunuch in charge of the Nanjing garrison, sent someone with two baskets of fresh seasonal fruits, smiling as he handed over a greeting card.

In this situation, the Lu family dared not be presumptuous. Several of their legitimate sons personally waited at the gate to receive them, so as not to embarrass the Empress and His Highness, and even more so to prevent the Emperor from thinking that the Lu family was arrogant.

But in the past two weeks, it wasn't just Nanjing; local gentry and officials from the surrounding areas also sent their families to visit. They didn't say anything too explicit, but their meaning was clear.

If there's anything we can do to help, don't hesitate to speak up. Let's all work together to find a solution!

Of course, not everyone was ready to challenge Prince Jing. Ever since Gao Gong and Zhao Zhenji arrived in Nanjing, a considerable number of people had also joined the fray, since Prince Yu was the eldest son and rightfully so.

Now that Xu Jie has entered the Ministry of Personnel, the reformist faction is showing signs of gaining momentum. Although the hot stove is crowded, if one can get involved, it will be a great contribution to the future. Moreover, it is more stable and less strenuous to be in a hot stove than to be in a cold one.

…………