Chapter 341: The Enemy in Xinqing Palace

In a hidden side chamber of the Flower Petal Radiant Tower of Xinqing Palace, the Tang Emperor Li Longji sat gloomily on the dragon throne, his lower half naked.

Beside him stood an imperial physician of Western Region with a Hu face, dressed in a red official robe, considered a respectable person in the Imperial Medical Institute, the kind that could be listed among the ranks. At this moment he was placing one black leech after another on Ji Ge's thigh, on the areas marked with red spots.

The imperial physician's movements were extremely careful, his facial expression very conflicted, even looking as if he wanted to cry!

Gao Lishi stood silently beside them, like a mute puppet. He lowered his head, as if looking at the ground, as if everything before his eyes had nothing to do with him.

The leeches wriggled on Ji Ge's slightly withered thigh, looking terribly frightening. Yet the medical officers of the Imperial Medical Institute dared not be careless, closely monitoring the situation.

Soon, the leeches, having drawn enough blood, naturally fell off Ji Ge's thigh. The imperial physician let out a light sigh, relaxed, feeling as if he had circled the Gate of Ghosts.

"Cao, can this method cure my strange illness?"

Ji Ge asked wearily; this "strange illness" he now suffered seemed, under normal circumstances, to have no complete cure.

It is what is called "no medicine can heal."

"Your Majesty, this leech‑blood‑sucking method can treat the symptoms, but whether it can cure the root cause remains uncertain.

I dare not deceive the emperor; I can only say I will do my utmost. Using this method to control the condition, treating it periodically, within three to five years there should be no threat to life."

The imperial physician Cao, who came from the Western Region's Zhaowu Nine Surnames, said very cautiously.

In the Tang Empire, especially in Chang'an, the saint's current illness, though he rarely sees, is by no means an isolated case!

Using leech blood‑sucking to control the condition, he has already experimented on some patients.

As for the effect, one can only say: the people have faith, the nation has hope. To eradicate it completely, don't even think about it.

If there is belief, then it works. If one no longer believes, then they must pray for themselves; if you think it works, it works.

But such responsibility‑shifting words he dared not tell Ji Ge, because the other party is the emperor. A doctor has a parent's heart, yet as the emperor's physician you can heal him, but can you be the emperor's parent?

The emperor commands the four seas; does he still need a medical officer to care for his health with a parent's heart?

Anyway, the profession of Imperial Physician is precarious; just do the human affairs and don't overthink.

Imperial Physician Cao respectfully performed a bow to Ji Ge, bending his waist and not rising.

"Enough, you may rest now; from now on reside within Xinqing Palace, come when summoned."

Ji Ge waved his hand lightly, clearly not intending to let Imperial Physician Cao leave Xinqing Palace.

Cao, as if granted a pardon, thought the emperor would need him for at least these years, so there was likely no danger to his life, and he slowly exited the room. Upon emerging, he found the silk undergarments inside his official robe completely soaked with sweat.

After he had gone far, Ji Ge let out a sigh, summoned Gao Lishi to his side, lowered his voice and asked, "Has the matter Zheng Shuqing is investigating been clarified?"

Gao Lishi, his face gloomy, nodded and said, "I am about to report this to the saint."

"Then speak."

Ji Ge stared vacantly toward the doorway, the distant lush leaves swayed in the wind, full of vitality.

A stark contrast to this sixty‑year‑old man who had already contracted the strange illness.

"The Lady of Qin indeed contracted this disease, and because of it she suddenly went mad and strangled herself to death.

And the Lady of Guo…"

Gao Lishi hesitated briefly, unsure how to continue.

"Speak, it's already this late; what else can I worry about!"

Ji Ge said with a cold smile.

"Your Majesty, the Lady of Guo also suffered this disease, but Yang Xing has not; his skin is smooth."

Gao Lishi tried his best to phrase it well.

"Tonight we will go to the Lady of Guo's residence, grant death to Yang Yuyiao, then bring Yang Xing to Xinqing Palace. I bestow upon him the surname Li; thereafter he shall be called Li Xing."

Ji Ge said coldly, his tone devoid of any warmth, like an unfeeling political machine.

A day's marriage, a hundred days of affection.

In those years, Yang Yuyiao moved in and out of Xinqing Palace as if it were her own home. Wearing men's clothing, without makeup, her gaze radiant, naturally beautiful.

She was the most striking of the three Yang sisters, and most favored by the emperor.

Plainly put, Ji Ge had the most encounters with her in bed, and even left a dragon seed.

Such a woman truly meets death at a word.

Gao Lishi's mind flashed with past fragments, yet his body habitually bowed to Ji Ge, offering no excuse.

Everyone must pay the price for what they have done.

The Lady of Qin is like that.

The Lady of Guo is like that.

Even… the emperor is like that.

Gao Lishi understood in his heart, and he also knew that it was enough that he understood; speaking it out would be courting death.

"How will Yang Yuyiao's death be announced abroad, you know, right?"

Ji Ge glanced at Gao Lishi and asked.

Gao Lishi lightly nodded and replied, "Rest assured, Your Majesty, Lady of Guo died from excessive drinking, intoxicated to death at home, which I happened to encounter. Lady of Guo's fragrant loss is truly lamentable, but Your Majesty will not strip her title, nor target the Yang lineage."

He spoke naturally, as if a survival instinct had formed, each time he could finish the emperor's business in the smoothest way, making it less unsightly to the outside world.

Surely, Ji Ge's expression relaxed slightly, he nodded slightly and said, "Then that's it. By the way, has Princess Yuzhen returned to Chang'an?"

"She has already returned."

Gao Lishi said softly.

Princess Yuzhen behaved oddly; she went to Bianzhou, saying she would tour Henan, but after arriving she quickly returned to Chang'an. Since returning, she no longer comes to Xinqing Palace to pay respects to the emperor as before.

"She must have gone to Bianzhou to see Quan Zhong. Let's have Li Bai accompany Princess Yuzhen."

Ji Ge said indifferently.

"Your Majesty, Li Bai resigned a month ago; didn't you scold him severely in Qinzhengwubenlou?"

Gao Lishi whispered a reminder.

Upon hearing this, Ji Ge was startled; only then did he recall that Li Bai seemed to have already resigned on his own.

In fact, the reason Li Bai resigned was simple: it wasn't dissatisfaction with office, but his position as a Grand Scholar of the Hanlin Academy—ostensibly a court‑appointed "literary master," but in reality just a sycophant who wrote flattery poems for the emperor.

Li Bai, proud of his talent, demanded that Ji Ge assign him to a post in the Six Ministries or the Censorate, even a provincial inspector position would do.

At the time, Ji Ge, apparently in a bad mood, flatly refused.

Unexpectedly, Li Bai was not a pushover; he resigned right before Ji Ge's eyes, storming out of Xingqing Palace!

Dashing, indeed—very dashing—but the consequences were equally severe.

The Chang'an dignitaries who once treated Li Bai as a guest of honor now avoid him as if shunning a plague spirit; whether invited or Li Bai himself seeking an audience, they all turn away.

The scholars and literati who were once close to Li Bai have each cut off contact. Those who were idle before suddenly claim to be extremely "busy," lacking even a meal's time, and utterly unwilling to have any substantive interaction with Li Bai.

When a person leaves, the tea grows cold—a painful realization; Li Bai now regrets his rashness that day, thinking he should not have directly confronted the emperor.

But now returning seems to have no chance.

"Li Bai only has poetic talent; let him go."

Ji Ge curled his lip and said, clearly showing no interest in a now‑useless household dog, not caring at all which neighborhood it might become a stray in.

"Go summon Yu Zhen; I wish to speak with her."

Ji Ge's tone softened a bit as he, weary, addressed Gao Lishi.

"Your Majesty, please wait a moment; I will go at once."

Gao Lishi bowed and performed a salute, then departed. After he left, Ji Ge sat on the dragon throne with vacant eyes, as if hearing the ticking clock of his own life counting down.

Although it cannot happen that quickly, could it be that it is simply incurable?

Delay one year, or two, or even three to five years… just keep postponing forever?

Ji Ge felt deep dread inside, yet he dared not show it, not even before Gao Lishi.

An emperor must not display any hint of timidity outwardly; regardless of the person, he must maintain absolute psychological suppression!

Otherwise, I would be betraying my sovereign!

The consort of Qin has already died, her death being extremely gruesome.

The consort of Guo has also contracted this illness; even if I do not order her death, she likely will not live long without a special cure.

Then, could there be a day when I too die of this disease?

For the first time in Ji Ge's life, he realized that death is the greatest fairness in the world, the deity that preserves the final dignity of the weak!

Whether a person wields overwhelming power or is utterly obscure; whether they possess boundless strength or not even enough to bind a chicken; whether they are as beautiful as a flower or as hideous as a monster; whether they are learned with five cartloads of books or illiterate—

Death is fair to them all; everyone meets death, and none can escape it!

Even the emperor himself is inevitably destined to die!

"I desire eternal life; in this land of celestial splendor and earthly treasures, this vast Great Tang empire spanning ten thousand miles, how could it exist without me!"

"If I were gone, what use would this magnificent realm have?"

Ji Ge hammered the armrest of the dragon throne in resentment, and a murky tear slipped from his eye.

He was so unwilling!

He hasn't had enough enjoyment, hasn't played enough; there are so many wonderful things in this world he has never experienced.

"The Yang family's wretched women, even if they die, I will not spare you!"

Ji Ge clenched his fists hard, his face contorted with ferocity!

He sat on the dragon throne, sometimes melancholy for spring and autumn, sometimes trembling with anger; after painstakingly calming himself, his mood suddenly turned frivolous again.

A short while later, Gao Lishi led Princess Yu Zhen to the Huake Xianghui Hall. At that moment Ji Ge's face bore a smile, entirely free of the earlier turmoil and anger.

Upon meeting, he had Princess Yu Zhen sit beside him and asked concernly, "Imperial sister, are you going to Bianzhou to find Quan Zhong?"

"Yes, imperial brother, indeed so.

I had hoped to reminisce, but Quan Zhong's mind is on military affairs; he seems unwilling to speak much with a woman such as myself."

Princess Yu Zhen said with a look of melancholy.

"Hahaha, Quan Zhong is that kind of person. He's good at handling matters but not at speaking; just don't mind it."

Ji Ge waved his hand and said, very casually.

"By the way, imperial brother, there is something..."

Princess Yu Zhen glanced at Ji Ge's pale complexion, hesitated for a while, then continued, "Quan Zhong has a message he wants me to convey to the Sage."

"Speak, no need for formality."

Ji Ge replied offhand.

"Quan Zhong says: Favor virtuous ministers and keep petty men at a distance; this is why the Former Han prospered. Favor petty men and keep virtuous ministers distant; this is why the Later Han declined."

Just that one sentence.

Princess Yu Zhen said with grievance.

"How audacious!"

Hearing Princess Yu Zhen's words, Ji Ge slammed the table and rose, his anger uncontainable!

"How can I govern the realm; must I have this warrior to discipline me?"

"And still talk about favoring virtuous ministers and keeping petty men distant!"

"Then which of those around me is the petty man!"

"Is it just him, Fang Quan Zhong, a loyal and virtuous minister!"

"I have even appointed his son as the Western Regions Expeditionary Ambassador; is that not enough to favor a virtuous minister?"

Ji Ge pointed at Gao Lishi and raged.

"Your Majesty, calm down, calm down; do not anger the dragon body!"

Gao Lishi hurried forward, lightly patting Ji Ge's back, smoothing his turbulent breath.

Ji Ge sat down slowly, his face grim, and said, "Fang Quanzhong doesn't dislike me for not being a close virtuous minister; he dislikes the lack of power, right? Very well, I'll satisfy him and grant him the authority to raise troops—50,000 soldiers!"

His face twisted into a snarling roar as he issued the order, completely lacking the calm demeanor a Son of Heaven should have.

"Your Majesty, do not act on impulse; Fang Quanzhong only urged Your Majesty to favor virtuous ministers over petty men, and he asked for no power. Why, then, would Your Majesty grant him the right to raise troops?"

Gao Lishi hurriedly knelt, kowtowed, and pleaded.

If Ji Ge's edict were issued, it would spark a series of chaos!

Princess Yuzhen was also frightened; Fang Youde indeed seldom speaks, but his words carried no malice.

It wouldn't be to the point of making his own elder brother so angry, would it?

"Your Majesty, Quanzhong never speaks; you need not compare yourself with him."

Princess Yuzhen pleaded.

"For Fang Quanzhong's meritorious counsel, grant him a purple robe, a goldfish bag, and confer the title of Left Prime Minister."

After a long silence, Ji Ge finally uttered this command.

Being bestowed a purple robe is the emperor's favor.

Being given a goldfish bag is also the emperor's favor.

The Left Prime Minister title is now merely an honorary rank without power, yet it remains the emperor's favor.

Ji Ge's point summed up: take the honor, keep quiet, enjoy a peaceful life in Bianzhou, and don't use imperial favor to lecture me.

Princess Yuzhen and Gao Lishi beside him quickly expressed gratitude, and the weight in their hearts finally lifted.

……

In the study of the Zheng family's residence in Chang'an, Yingyang Zheng clan's Chief Minister of the Dali Temple, Zheng Shuqing, stood at the desk and hung a white silk rope from the beam as a hanging tool.

Recalling his tortuous career as an official, it truly was hard to put into words.

But today it seems to have reached its end.

"My death will secure the Yingyang Zheng clan. The emperor, to compensate the Zheng clan, will surely appoint its descendants to official posts."

Thus Zheng's death is meaningful and valuable.

He slowly slipped the rope around his own neck, then, suddenly fearful, let it down.

"Dying like this, isn't it too wasteful?"

Zheng Shuqing sat at the desk, pondering a way to preserve both himself and the Zheng clan. He had learned the emperor's secret, and that emperor likely had only a few years left to live.

Might the emperor intend to send this senior Dali Temple official off first? The answer is obvious: only a dead man can keep the secret.

"But I truly don't want to die! The emperor's illness isn't my fault!"

Zheng Shuqing covered his face with his sleeve and wailed loudly.

He alternated between sobbing and mad laughter, stepping up and down on the small hanging stool countless times.

Until dawn arrived, he still hadn't made up his mind.

Suddenly, the study door was knocked, and a nephew's voice came through.

"Uncle, the palace has sent someone to deliver an edict!"

Hearing this, Zheng Shuqing sprang up like a startled cat. Instinctively he blocked the latch with his body to keep anyone out, then realized the futility of such a futile act, and with a resigned sigh opened the door, saying to his nephew, "Take me there."

(End of chapter)