Zhu Di has now completely let go. In addition to insisting on going to court, almost all government affairs are left to the elders.
He really doesn’t have the energy anymore!
If it wasn't for the sake of calming down the situation, Zhu Di wouldn't even want to go to the morning court.
However, although Zhu Di was old, he was not confused and strictly urged the people from the south to move north to implement the national policy.
Xia Yuanji from the Ministry of Revenue agreed very much, Jian Yi from the Ministry of Personnel continued to work hard and followed Zhu Di as much as possible, and so did other officials.
No matter what he feels in his heart, he is very obedient on the surface.
He was afraid of walking ahead of Zhu Di or being taken away by Zhu Di.
They knew that Zhu Di could not survive for long, so they all chose to compromise temporarily.
…
The days pass by day by day, and before we know it, autumn turns to winter, and everything becomes desolate.
Zhu Di wears a black cotton robe all day long. He wears it thickly and warmly without caring about his image. He wears this even when he goes to bed in the morning.
He rarely wears dragon robes, but he exudes an even more imperial aura.
This is a reflection of his confidence!
The emperor is the emperor, not by his clothes or his chair.
This day, it snowed.
After the morning meeting, Li Qing was left alone, and Zhu Di invited him to eat hot pot.
~
"Li Qing, I feel that time is really running out. Do you want the feudal king to come by then?" Zhu Di took a sip of wine and asked.
Li Qing put down his wine glass: "There are benefits to coming, and there are benefits to not coming if you don't come."
"It's as if you didn't say anything." Zhu Di rolled his eyes, "Actually, I want them to come. The more generous I am, the more honest the vassal king will be. On the contrary... Alas, the emperor's temptation is too great."
"It's not as big as you think." Li Qing said, "They know how much the price of rebellion is. Although there are constant fighting in the court, the situation is stable, the army has no different intentions, and the vassal king has no guards. They will not Let’s just live a good life and rebel with our heads raised.”
"It's true, then let them come." Zhu Di was a little worried, "My only concern is Gao Chi. He is... a good hand in assisting the government and running the country, but he is soft-hearted and not sophisticated in his methods. , not to mention the tyranny of an emperor;
I am really afraid that this road that I have worked so hard to open will be blocked by him. "
"I will help him." Li Qing promised, then smiled and reassured: "Besides, there is also the emperor's grandson. Today, your father and son join forces, and tomorrow, their father and son join forces. Isn't this the inheritance?"
"Inheritance...that's a good idea!" Zhu Di thought deeply and said in a flash, "I've been dreaming again these days."
"It's a sweet dream, right?"
"Well, sweet dream." Zhu Di said with a smile, "In the past twenty years, this is the only time I have felt truly relaxed and happy."
Li Qing also laughed: "So Your Majesty, you should take medicine on time and receive treatment. The good days have just begun, why don't you enjoy more?"
"Oh? Haha..." Zhu Di laughed and scolded, "You are going to die anyway, so what does it matter if you live one more day and one less day?
If, in order to survive for a day or two longer, you suffer hardships and become unhappy physically and mentally, isn't that putting the cart before the horse? "
He moved his body and changed into a more comfortable position, "I still live according to the previous pace of life. How it was in the past is how it is now.
My destiny is approaching, what can you, a mortal, do? "
Li Qing was silent for a moment and did not try to persuade him again.
Just as Master Zhang Sugao said to Zhu Yunwen before: The legs are growing on you, you choose the road you want to take and how to go. This is your right, no one is qualified to make decisions for you.
Li Qing is not qualified to make decisions for Zhu Di. He just wants to be happy while he is alive, especially at the last moment of his life.
The snow outside is getting heavier and heavier, and the stove in the palace is burning brighter and brighter. The food is fragrant, chatting, eating meat, and drinking warm wine. What a beautiful word.
The two have known each other for decades. On the surface, they are monarchs and ministers, but in fact they are friends.
Li Qing does not have the behavior of a civil servant, nor does he have any thoughts of loyalty to the emperor. He has always been very casual when getting along with Zhu Di.
Zhu Di also likes this kind of Li Qing, the kind of courtier who is only obedient and speaks flattering words against his will. Although he doesn't like him, he still likes people like Yao Guangxiao and Li Qing.
"Time flies so fast. The old monk has been gone for six or seven years." Zhu Di sighed with emotion, "But it's okay. I won't be afraid of loneliness when I go down."
Then, he glanced at Li Qing and said, "You are quite capable of surviving. Looking at you, you won't have any problem living for another ten or twenty years."
Li Qing sneered, really afraid that Zhu Laosi would take him away, even though it was unlikely.
"I am a practitioner of medicine and martial arts, but I am not as hard-working as the emperor. I am also a supervisor in the war, and I have never suffered much." Li Qing said modestly, "But ten or twenty years is an exaggeration, at most seven or eight." Year."
"Really?" Zhu Di teased, "Then do you dare to take off the mask?"
Li Qing pretended to be dissatisfied: "Your Majesty, aren't you rubbing salt into my wounds?
How can I put it this way, I, Li Qing, was also a handsome young man from eight villages in ten miles back then. For the Ming Dynasty, I bled and sweated..."
"Stop it." Zhu Di, with a big head, interrupted his eloquence, "I didn't let you commend yourself."
Li Qing: "..."
Zhu Di did not continue this topic and turned to other topics. The two talked about maritime trade, the situation outside the customs, and the future of the Ming Dynasty... They had a great time chatting.
~
The court was quiet, except for Zhu Di's voice.
The peaceful days passed quickly, and the Chinese New Year arrived in a blink of an eye.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Fengtian Temple Square.
Zhu Di handed out red envelopes as usual, but this time he didn't draw a big picture, and even skipped the year-end summary. It was just a simple routine.
His health was deteriorating. Years of government affairs and conquests had consumed too much of his energy, and he was aging at a rate that was almost visible to the naked eye.
Li Qing knew that Zhu Di wouldn't be able to carry it for long.
The fact was just as Li Qing expected. In early February, Zhu Di's condition worsened, and even going to court in the morning was extremely difficult.
But he still insists, as he said, what was before is what it is now.
Li Qing wanted him to rest for better treatment, but Zhu Di refused.
In his words: Once you lie down, you can never get up again.
Li Qing couldn't resist him, so he had to rely on him and treat him as much as possible.
Zhu Di had been seriously ill several times, and years of fighting had seriously overstretched his body. Now that they were gathering to 'demand debt', Li Qing had no choice.
I had no choice but to use acupuncture and secretly nourish my body with true air.
But after all, true energy is not omnipotent and can only delay the deterioration of the disease.
In mid-February, Zhu Di's condition deteriorated again and he could no longer even go to court.
The arrogant Emperor Yongle finally did not escape the erosion of time and was tied to the bed.
Xiaopang came to visit several times a day, and Zhu Zhanji was even more undressed, waiting on his side day and night.
Zhu Di felt the rapid passage of life and knew that his time was running out. He sighed softly: "Look at Ji."
"My grandson is here."
"Go and pass on my message to let the kings of Han and Zhao enter the capital."
At this moment, Zhu Di changed from the role of emperor to that of a father. He wanted to see his two sons whom he never saw again at the last moment of his life.
Zhu Zhanji was a little reluctant, but he didn't want his grandfather to have any regrets: "My grandson obeys the order."
Zhu Di looked at the bed curtain above his head, lost in thought for a long time, and said softly: "Li Qing, help me up."
Li Qing helped him sit up and put some pillows up for him.
At the same time, he pressed his wrist and frowned.
"It's okay." Zhu Di retracted his hand, raised it and waved. The small yellow gates waiting around him bowed silently and retreated far away to the entrance of the palace.
Not only avoid hearing words you shouldn’t hear, but also ensure that you are always available.
Zhu Di said: "The king of Han established his vassal in Le'an, which is less than a thousand miles away from the capital. It only takes one day for the 800-mile postage to rush. Le'an is just a small county, not like Jinan or Dezhou. There are no city walls there. He would never dare to rebel." ,Right?"
"right."
"But there is always a chance of things happening. He is angry!" Zhu Di sighed. In the past, he was happy to draw cakes, but now he regrets the crematorium. "I can't help him, Li Qing..."
"I am here."
"If, I mean if," Zhu Di looked at Li Qing steadily, "if one day he really rebels, can you protect him like you protected Jianwen?"
"Okay." Li Qing promised, "One day, I will keep him safe."
Zhu Di smiled: "That's good, that's good..."
"Your Majesty, please rest." Li Qing coaxed as if coaxing a child: "The King of Han and the King of Zhao will not be able to get here in three or two days. Only when you have regained your energy will you have the strength to chat, right?"
"okay."
Li Qing helped him lie down and replaced the pillows to make him sleep more comfortably.
After a short while, Zhu Di fell into a drowsy sleep. Li Qing gave him a breath of energy, sat quietly for a while, called the waiter from Xiaohuangmen, got up and left Qianqing Palace.
…
…
Seven days later, Zhu Gaoxu and his son Zhu Zhanqi arrived first.
"My son Zhu Gaoxu (grandson Zhu Zhanqi) greets me, long live the emperor." The father and son saluted.
"Gao Xu is here," Zhu Di forced himself to sit up with a gentle smile on his face, "We are all one family, what are you doing with these false gifts? Come on, come here."
"Yes, Huang...Grandpa Huang." Zhu Zhanqi stepped forward.
"You're already so old." Zhu Di's face was full of kindness, "Are you married?"
"Yes." Zhu Zhanqi was a little embarrassed and nodded respectfully.
Zhu Di chattered for a while, and when he saw that his grandson was restrained, he asked him to step back and rest, "Gao Xu, come here."
"Father." Zhu Gaoxu stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Are you feeling well?"
"Well, it's not bad." Zhu Di took his hand and motioned him to sit by the bed, "We haven't seen each other for some years!"
Zhu Gaoxu was silent for a moment and nodded slightly.
"Why, are you still blaming Father?"
"Don't dare."
"Alas..." Zhu Di said bitterly, "Stop losing your temper, okay? Dad will be fine in a few days. What happened back then was his fault. If you want to blame, blame me. But don't keep your grievances in your heart. Dad hopes you will be well." Yes, I hope you are all well..."
Zhu Gaoxu looked at his old father and saw his cloudy eyes full of tears, and couldn't help but feel a pain in his heart.
Suddenly I no longer hate him.
He said hoarsely: "Okay, I promise you."
"Hey, good boy." Zhu Di smiled happily.
At this time, Xiao Huangmen stepped forward with small steps and whispered softly: "Your Majesty, King Zhao wants to see you."
"Gao Sui is here too." Zhu Di smiled and said, "Xuan."
"My slave obeys the order."
"Wait a minute," Zhu Di said again, "go and call the prince and grandson here."
————
ps: I have to work a night shift, so I finished another chapter, and I feel so guilty o(╥﹏╥)o
