The emperor's bedroom was filled with the smell of mugwort.
And on the sickbed.
After a day of acupuncture and moxa burning by the medical officer, the official family finally recovered a little.
At this moment, the queen was sitting beside the official.
Previously, Gao Taotao finally couldn't withstand the reproach of Empress Dowager Cao, so he relented and accepted three concubines into the official family as a blessing for the official family's illness.
However, the official family seemed to be very happy when they suddenly had concubines. However, they were so happy that they suddenly fell ill yesterday before even seeing the three concubines.
After being treated by the imperial physician, the official family was getting better. Just now when Prince Zhao Xu came to visit, he heard Zhao Xu say that he had come up with it, and his face lit up with joy.
Queen Gao on the side said happily: "The king has finally grown up and knows that he can rule the world with benevolence."
Zhao Shu also nodded and said: "Good...good."
His face was full of relief.
Zhao Xu was a little uneasy, and Queen Gao said to him: "Your father has always been worried that you will not inherit the great treasure. Now that you have this knowledge, I am much more relieved."
At this time, Zhao Shu reluctantly said: "Your Majesty, please remember that it is good to govern the world with benevolence and righteousness, but you cannot listen to the ministers in everything."
Zhao Xu asked: "Why?"
Zhao Shu said feebly: "When an emperor governs the world, he has both a royal way and a hegemonic way. You cannot just follow the kingly way. If there is no hegemony to supplement it, there will be no kingly way."
Zhao Xu thought deeply and said: "My son, I have learned a lesson."
Queen Gao said: "Then how do you think your majesty should reward them?"
The official thought for a while, thinking about how he was angry in front of Zhao Zong'e when he was in Prince Pu's Mansion. He also thought about how Zhao Yunchu fought with him for the prince. He also thought about how Zhao Yunbi, who had always treated him well, actually came out to fight on the night of the late emperor's death. The throne, I really hate these three people in my heart.
Asking him to posthumously reward these three people would be even more uncomfortable than killing him.
But after falling ill last night, he felt that his time was running out. After he left, could the ministers fully assist Zuo Zhao Xu?
For the sake of Zhao Xu, I must swallow this breath no matter what and pass the throne into his hands.
In this case, the support of the minister must be obtained.
Zhao Shu said: "Pass it down orally and ask Zhongshu to do it."
After Zhao Shu said these words, he was sweating profusely and lay weakly on the bed.
Immediately, Han Qi and others immediately drafted a decree to give Zhao Yunchu a Zhongshu Ling and adopt the clan's son as his heir.
Zhao Zonge was promoted from Yizhou Defense Envoy to Baojing Army Jiedu Envoy, but the officials were dissatisfied. Later, he was promoted to Tong Zhongshu Menxia Ping Zhangshi, and was changed to Ji Qing Army Jiedu Envoy and Inspector Zuopushe.
Tongzhongshumenxiapingzhangshi is the title of prime minister, but if Jiedu envoy adds this title, it is only a false title. But even this is a first-class honor.
Except for Zhao Zonge, all the descendants of King Pu and the descendants of King Lu were promoted to the first level, and up to 20 people were promoted.
Zhao Yunbi paid homage to Zhongshu Ling.
Anyway, as soon as this incident came out, all the officials heard about Prince Zhao Xu's suggestion, so they all praised the future emperor as a benevolent king.
Even the clansmen who had competed with them for the throne could be treated kindly, so who couldn't be treated kindly?
Suddenly, all the officials had a good evaluation of Zhao Xu.
Autumn passed and winter solstice arrived in November. The official's health had been poor, and he fell ill again this time, and he was even more seriously ill than before.
Zhao Xu followed Han Qi's advice and never left the official residence, staying in front of Yutao almost all day and night.
Sometimes Zhao Shu was awake and could say a few words, and sometimes he could only point to his mouth but couldn't say a word.
Zhao Shu's eldest daughter, Princess Xu, is about to marry Zuowei General Wang Shiyue.
Zhao Shu said to Zhao Xu: "The sons of scholar-bureaucrats all respect the emperor's daughter and seek promotion to avoid the honor of their uncle and aunt. I once thought about this and couldn't sleep at night. I thought it was a waste of human relations and could not be the law of the world. Didn't Princess Fukang have an affair with the consort before? Will my uncle and aunt turn against each other, causing misfortune in this life?"
"I think this should be rectified. From now on, when my daughter gets married, the ceremony of promotion will be abolished."
Zhao Xu was very moved after hearing this. After Princess Xu got married, Queen Gao Taotao and Zhao Xu personally sent him to the Wang family's home to get married.
Everyone in the Wang family was moved when they saw such courtesy from the royal family.
This was also Zhao Shu's final decision. In November, Xixia invaded again, and the officials' worries increased. Moreover, it had been months without government.
It was December of the third year of Zhiping.
The officials were completely speechless, and the medical officers were helpless. Empress Gao immediately invited Han Qi and other officials to visit.
Han Qi and others watched the emperor lying on the bed. This familiar scene happened four years ago.
The late emperor was also so ill at that time. Will the new emperor pass away now?
The ministers cried for a while, and then Han Qi wiped away his tears and said to Zhao Shu: "Your Majesty has not been in court for several months. At this time, the ministers are very worried about your Majesty's dragon body. Please make up your mind to establish a crown prince, otherwise People all over the world are in panic.”
All the chief ministers seconded the proposal.
The official opened his eyes and looked at Han Qi and others. He just nodded slightly but said nothing.
Han Qi immediately ordered: "Please bring paper and pen immediately."
The official's hand was trembling and stiff as he wrote on the paper, but the words he wrote on the paper were like flying immortals from the sky. At this moment, he could not even hold the pen, and the ministers did not dare to support the official's hand to write.
Han Qi and others could only say: "Smear the official finger with ink and write it."
Finally, the official used all his strength to write a few words on the paper, "Make the king the crown prince."
Everyone was relieved to have the official's handwriting, but Han Qi frowned and said: "This is against the rules. Although I know that the king must be King Ying, I still ask your majesty to confirm it so that the ministers and servants will not doubt it."
The official also wrote the three characters "Ying Wangxu" with his finger in ink.
Han Qi and other ministers were relieved, and then looked at Zhao Xu and Empress Gao who were crying.
After a while, Zhang Fangping, the official from the Hanlin Academy, arrived.
Zhang Fangping wanted to draft an edict to ennoble the crown prince. According to Wang Gui's previous rules, he had to ask the official in person about this matter. Han Qi and others did not count.
Therefore, Zhang Fangping kept questioning the official before the bed collapsed. The official said a few words that Han Hu couldn't hear clearly.
In the end, I just dipped my finger in ink.
The official first wrote, "I will issue an edict in the coming day and establish Xu as the crown prince." After that, everyone felt that the handwriting was unclear, so Zhang Fangping asked the official to write again.
The official had no energy at this time, so he wrote the word "Xu Wang", but everyone felt that they couldn't see it clearly.
The official finally used all his strength to write the three words "Great King".
After much fussing, Zhang Fangping still felt it was inappropriate and asked the official to write more accurately. However, seeing Empress Gao, Han Qi, and Zhao Xu all looking at him angrily, he immediately said that he obeyed the order.
At this time, Han Qi and Wen Yanbo came to pay homage to the official, supporting Zhao Xu.
The official glanced at Zhao Xu, and tears fell from the corners of his eyes.
Zhao Xu burst into tears and said loudly: "I don't want to be the crown prince, I don't want to be the crown prince."
Zhao Shu reached out and patted the back of Zhao Xu's hand.
This subtle movement made all the ministers sigh.
