Why was Li Shanchang here too?
Hu Weiyong's thoughts raced like lightning.
Of course. If Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to entrust state affairs to others, he certainly wouldn't feel comfortable leaving me alone in the Central Secretariat. Arranging for Li Shanchang to keep me in check was only natural.
But Zhu Yuanzhang probably didn't know how close old Li and I were, did he?
Only after turning these thoughts over did Hu Weiyong bow and announce, "Your Majesty!"
"Rise."
Hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's languid voice, Hu Weiyong finally raised his head for a look, then froze again.
Instead of sitting ramrod straight as usual, or with the commanding air of a warrior astride his horse, Zhu Yuanzhang was lounging idly in a Grand Tutor's Chair. Moreover, a young eunuch stood behind him, kneading his shoulders, while his own eyes were half closed in a picture of indolence.
His posture and expression looked nothing like those of a sick man. If anything, he resembled a country landlord enjoying himself.
This made Hu Weiyong even more puzzled, and even a little nervous.
Then he noticed that Crown Prince Zhu Biao was there too, and bowed to him as well.
Before long, Li Wenzhong and Tang He also arrived at the side hall.
Naturally, both found Zhu Yuanzhang's posture and expression odd. Each asked a couple of concerned questions, all of which Zhu Yuanzhang brushed aside.
"Everyone's here?" Zhu Yuanzhang struggled to sit a little straighter in the Grand Tutor's Chair. "Then let's get down to business."
"We've developed a minor ailment recently. According to the imperial physician, we need about a month of rest. But affairs of state need attention every day, and the court cannot keep foregoing morning audiences just because we're recuperating. That's why we've summoned you today-to make some personnel arrangements."
At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang clenched his teeth and furrowed his brows, as though something hurt and he was enduring it.
Watching him, Hu Weiyong thought, Now that looked like illness-he nearly fooled me earlier.
Still, it certainly didn't look serious.
Just as Hu Weiyong was secretly feeling disappointed, Zhu Yuanzhang continued.
"Biao'er is twenty-three now and has long since made good progress in his studies. After careful consideration, we intend to have him help us handle state affairs starting today-in fact, he's already reviewed quite a few memorials these past few days."
"If he starts handling government affairs early, he won't be unfamiliar with them when he takes the throne, or let those treacherous scoundrels pull the wool over his eyes."
As he said this, Zhu Yuanzhang cast a very discreet glance at Hu Weiyong.
Hu Weiyong noticed nothing.
"Furthermore, although the Duke of Han made mistakes a few years ago, he is, after all, one of Great Ming's founding elders. Over the past two years, he has diligently and conscientiously carried out everything we've assigned him."
"The court is also in need of capable men right now, so he will be recalled to the central government to coordinate affairs across the Central Secretariat, the Chief Military Commission, and the Censorate, with particular responsibility for overseeing the Censorate on our behalf."
Apart from Li Shanchang and Zhu Biao, Hu Weiyong, Li Wenzhong, and Tang He all looked surprised.
No matter how they listened to it, Zhu Yuanzhang's arrangement for Li Shanchang sounded neither like a proper office nor even a formal assignment. It sounded more like summoning someone to lend a temporary hand.
He could ask about anything, yet very likely have authority over nothing.
At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang turned to Li Shanchang and said, "Old Li, you're well into your sixties, with half your body already buried in the earth. By rights, we shouldn't be giving you burdensome duties."
"But you can see that we're not feeling quite ourselves, and the crown prince still lacks experience in governing. So we must trouble you to shoulder more of the affairs of state."
Although Li Shanchang had already discussed this with Zhu Yuanzhang beforehand, the corners of his eyes still twitched at these words.
What was this about being "well into his sixties, with half his body buried in the earth"? It sounded downright awful.
He felt perfectly healthy. Living to seventy would be no problem at all; with luck, he might far outlive Sima Yi and reach eighty.
Why did I think of Sima Yi? I absolutely mustn't let Zhu Yuanzhang know about that thought.
Li Shanchang gave an inward start, but hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, what are you saying? It is this old minister's honor to ease the burdens of you and His Highness the Crown Prince."
Zhu Yuanzhang added, "Wenzhong, you're the crown prince's cousin. Tang He, you're his elder. And Hu Weiyong, you too are a veteran minister who has served our Zhu family since the founding."
"So, over this coming month, each of you must give the crown prince more assistance with military and civil affairs."
All three bowed with their hands clasped and replied, "We obey Your Majesty's decree!"
"All right, there's nothing else of importance. Return to your respective offices and attend to your duties. Oh, old Li and Biao'er, stay a little longer."
"We take our leave."
After Hu Weiyong and the other two left the Western Side Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang actually leaned back in the Grand Tutor's Chair for a nap and soon fell asleep.
Li Shanchang was getting on in years, after all. He had already been standing for quite a while, and after standing idly a little longer, he began to find it unbearable.
With no idea when Zhu Yuanzhang would wake up, Zhu Biao could only approach with a wry smile and rouse him.
"Father? Father?"
"Hmm?" Zhu Yuanzhang woke, opened his eyes, and looked around. "Did we fall asleep?"
Zhu Biao said, "You've been asleep for over a quarter of an hour, Father."
"Oh, this little ailment makes us drowsy and fond of sleep." As Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, he looked at Li Shanchang, who was having trouble remaining on his feet, and scolded, "Biao'er, honestly! After all this time, why didn't you think to have someone bring the Duke of Han a chair? Someone, give the Duke of Han a seat. And bring a chair for the crown prince too."
That last remark was addressed to the eunuchs.
Soon, a eunuch brought two stools and placed them behind Zhu Biao and Li Shanchang.
Li Shanchang actually suspected that Zhu Yuanzhang had been pretending to sleep, deliberately making him stand a little longer to put him in his place.
But he dared not say so.
"Thank you for showing consideration for this old minister, Your Majesty." He bowed gratefully before perching on the edge of his stool.
Once Zhu Biao had also sat down, Zhu Yuanzhang shifted into an even more indolent position and said, "Old Li, if we want to place greater importance on medicine and advance it, how should we go about doing so?"
Place greater importance on medicine? Advance medicine?
Li Shanchang began pondering as soon as he heard this.
Placing greater importance on medicine was easy to understand, but this was the first time he had heard the word "advance" used this way, especially in conjunction with "medicine."
Still, the meaning of advancing medicine was not difficult to grasp.
Had Zhu Yuanzhang thought of emphasizing and advancing medicine because he was ill?
After considering it for a while, Li Shanchang chose his words carefully. "Your Majesty, in fact, every dynasty has taken measures to emphasize and advance medicine."
"The Han dynasty established the post of Director of Imperial Physicians to coordinate medical administration at court and in the provinces. It also had policies for collecting and organizing medical texts scattered among the common people."
"The Sui dynasty formally established an office like the Imperial Medical Office to oversee the nation's medicine and pharmaceuticals. The Tang inherited the Sui system and also commissioned the Tang Materia Medica, the first pharmacopoeia in history."
"The Song dynasty pioneered the Peaceful Beneficent Dispensary, ensuring that medicine prices among the common people did not rise too high. It also established the Medical Texts Collation Bureau to collate and print numerous medical classics. For the first time, it explicitly stipulated in law the penalties for incompetent physicians who harmed patients and for those who sold counterfeit medicines."
"Even the Mongol Yuan had a Medical Supervision Office..."
At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang finally could not help frowning and waving his hand.
"Enough. We already know most of that-isn't Great Ming's Imperial Medical Academy equivalent to the Imperial Medical Office? The Medical Supervision Office was established back in Wu Year, and the Beneficent Medicine Bureau in the third year of Hongwu."
"Since we said we want to emphasize and advance medicine, these same old measures are not what we want to hear!"
In truth, although Zhu Yuanzhang had canceled morning court over the past few days to fight the negative status of "Giving Up," and spent a substantial part of each day resting and enjoying himself, he had not done nothing at all.
First, he had discovered that it was difficult to resist the urge to give up through sheer willpower. Even when he managed it, reviewing memorials and handling affairs was extremely slow and inefficient.
Yet if he set aside some time for rest and enjoyment, he could instead suppress that urge and secure some time in which he could think things over and deal with matters.
Thus, over the past few days, he had simply spent more time resting and enjoying himself, buying enough time to barely manage to record, in coded language, some of the important matters discussed in the second group chat.
At the same time, he had devised a way to cope with this month-long negative status of "Giving Up"-namely, having the crown prince help handle state affairs and recalling Li Shanchang to the central government to assist.
In fact, he had already been considering letting Zhu Biao participate in handling state affairs. Barring any surprises, he would have put it into effect by this summer or autumn at the latest.
But the first Rebel Army Group chat had taught him that Zhu Biao had a somewhat frail constitution due to congenital weakness, which had led to his later death from illness in the prime of life. According to Dai Sigong's advice, Zhu Biao would be best off avoiding excessive exertion.
Now, however, he needed Zhu Biao to share the burden of state affairs, so naturally he hoped to safeguard Zhu Biao's health in other ways.
According to the guidance he had received in the Rebel Army Group:
For an emperor to extend his lifespan, or even live a long life, the first requirement was a regular daily routine, moderation in eating, consistent exercise, appropriate recreation and relaxation, and a calm disposition. The second was to emphasize and advance medicine.
The first was easy to understand, but Zhu Biao could only do his best to maintain it himself.
As for the second, although he had some ideas, they were not clear. That was why he had kept Li Shanchang and Zhu Biao behind to discuss it.
While Li Shanchang reconsidered in response to Zhu Yuanzhang's dissatisfaction, Zhu Biao spoke.
"Father, listening to what the Duke of Han just said, isn't there still one thing among the medical undertakings of previous dynasties that Great Ming has yet to do? Why not begin with that?"
Although the urge to give up affected Zhu Yuanzhang, it had not made him stupid. He immediately understood. "You mean compiling medical books and pharmacopoeias?"