Chapter 922 The Emperor's Dragon Body

It wasn't unprecedented for an emperor to stay at a subject's home during an inspection tour. In fact, it was a tradition.

Except for those "hunting" trips to the east, west, north, and south, where conditions were somewhat cramped, simple, and perfunctory, which was understandable.

Normally, when the emperor stayed at someone's home during an inspection tour, it was a tremendous honor.

Basically, the moment the emperor stepped through the door, the original owners of the residence would be demoted to servants, cautiously waiting upon him.

Only at the Pingxi Prince's mansion would they dare to treat the emperor's family as ordinary relatives visiting.

The emperor also adhered to the etiquette of a guest. Apart from a few eunuchs and maids accustomed to serving him, all other accompanying personnel were housed outside the Prince's mansion.

It could be said that, besides Eunuch Wei, the emperor didn't have a single capable fighter by his side.

This was also a kind of magnanimity. Since the imperial entourage had already entered the Prince's mansion and the Imperial Guards were left behind west of Wangjiang, what was the point of surrounding the emperor with Grand Inner Court guards?

It was better to entrust the safety of the imperial entourage entirely to the Prince's mansion.

Leaving everything else aside, the emperor had always had great confidence in the Pingxi Prince in terms of security.

Therefore, Blind Man really just walked in. The two eunuchs standing at the door had been instructed beforehand and did not stop him.

The emperor was sitting in the pavilion, looking at the crown prince's calligraphy, with a slight frown.

The crown prince's calligraphy was very beautiful.

The brushstrokes were lively and swift, and the writing was slender and strong, lean but not lacking substance.

The Empress praised it repeatedly, saying it was beautifully written.

But the emperor was not satisfied, yet he couldn't voice his dissatisfaction directly.

His son's writing, somehow, resembled that Zheng fellow.

It was natural for a child to imitate his father, and it was understandable that the crown prince, having been fostered in the Prince's mansion for a year, imitated the handwriting of his adoptive father.

But Zheng Fan's calligraphy was the same as Da Ze's glib tongue.

Zheng Fan only knew that one style of calligraphy from his previous life. He had practiced it with a pen, and in this life, when he needed to practice calligraphy, he naturally took out the familiar one to practice in his spare time.

For a military man from a humble background who had become a meritorious prince, the Prince's calligraphy was indeed extremely good.

But the emperor felt that his son's calligraphy, though seemingly having inner strength, was actually full of a delicate and deliberate air. It might be acceptable for ordinary scholars to write like this for their own amusement, but for an emperor to write in this style, he would lose the grand and imposing manner, and would easily become self-pitying and self-satisfied, lacking in vision.

However, the emperor would naturally not say these words to the Prince. There was no need. But if he did, the Prince would probably sigh and say: "The Emperor truly understands emperors."

When Blind Man came in, Wei Zhonghe greeted him with a smile.

The person from the Prince's mansion who had announced him had completed his task. He couldn't directly speak to the emperor.

Just then, the emperor turned his gaze over.

Blind Man's characteristics were very obvious. The emperor immediately said, "Let Mister come over."

Wei Zhonghe stepped aside.

Blind Man walked straight into the pavilion and greeted the emperor and empress. Originally, like Si Niang, he didn't hold an official position, but Si Niang was now a princess consort, while Blind Man was still a "commoner." So the formalities could be simpler.

It was just that most commoners didn't have this kind of arrogance.

The emperor interrupted his greeting and motioned for him to sit down.

Then, he signaled the Empress to take the Crown Prince away first.

Before leaving, the Crown Prince very respectfully bid farewell to Blind Man.

Although nominally, the Pingxi Prince was the Crown Prince's uncle and tutor, in reality, Blind Man was the Crown Prince's literary teacher.

During the last struggle for the throne in Yanjing, Blind Man did not go to the capital, but stayed behind.

So unlike A Ming, Fan Li, and the others, he hadn't met the emperor as many times.

But seeing that he was a blind man, and seeing his freedom to enter and exit the inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion, combined with the rumors of the Pingxi Prince's "Wise Fan Li,"

one could guess his identity.

"If I'm not mistaken, I and Mister have long been acquainted in spirit, haven't we?"

The emperor had long known that a large part of his correspondence with that Zheng fellow was not actually written by that Zheng fellow. If he had to choose one person who was qualified, it would probably be this "Wise Fan Li," or rather, "Blind Fan Li," Mister.

Of course,

the emperor didn't think that everything Zheng did was controlled by this Mister before him.

Just like when they were drinking and chatting on the top of Mount Tai,

the emperor was surprised: "You actually understand."

The Sword Saint deeply understood this point.

The Prince was always able to say some profound truths that allowed him to enter a state of enlightenment.

But the Prince himself was just a mere fifth-rank uncouth military man.

However, martial arts had a direct and visible aspect, while other aspects were difficult to evaluate as directly, especially in terms of governance. Zheng Fan had always performed extremely well.

Therefore, in the emperor's eyes, Blind Man should be Zheng Fan's right-hand man, and everything should still be centered on Zheng Fan.

It was just that that Zheng fellow was habitually lazy, never respected imperial authority, and didn't treat himself as an outsider. When he was too lazy to reply, he would instruct his subordinate, this Mister he had trained, to help him reply.

This was the limitation.

Because no one would believe that there were people in this world who were born with knowledge.

Naturally, no one would believe that there were people in this world who, the moment they opened their eyes, came with "both civil and military talents" and "unswervingly loyal" subordinates.

"Your Majesty is too kind."

Blind Man was still neither humble nor arrogant towards the emperor.

"Mister's many insights have benefited me greatly and inspired me greatly."

"All of this is due to our Prince's excellent guidance of this commoner."

The emperor obviously had no interest in praising Zheng Fan when Zheng Fan wasn't present. Oh, if Zheng Fan was there, it would be even more impossible.

"What brings Mister here?" the emperor asked directly.

"I have come to examine Your Majesty."

Upon hearing these words, the eunuch Wei's expression changed.

The emperor's health had always been the greatest secret of the nation.

In his later years, the previous emperor's health deteriorated day by day. Not only Yan, but other countries were also guessing when the previous emperor would fall.

Therefore, sometimes even the palace maids and eunuchs serving by his side had to be silenced.

If this weren't the Pingxi Prince's mansion, if the person before him wasn't a Mister from the Prince's mansion,

Eunuch Wei would probably have already taken action.

The emperor frowned slightly, but quickly recovered and said with a smile:

"What illness do I have?"

"I can only know after examining you."

"Very well."

The emperor agreed.

Blind Man "looked" at Eunuch Wei and asked, "There should be a Go board in the house."

This courtyard had been tidied up specifically for the imperial entourage to stay in, and all kinds of necessities were available.

"Go and get it," the emperor said.

"Yes."

Eunuch Wei personally went into the house and brought out the Go board, which he placed in the pavilion.

Then,

Blind Man and the emperor began to play a game of Go.

The emperor was preoccupied. Whenever anyone was involved in their own health, it was difficult to calm down. Moreover, the emperor understood what his dragon body meant to the current situation in Yan.

It was no exaggeration to say that it was enough to affect the balance of power among the various Xia states.

Go was about calculating ability, and in this respect, Blind Man was a well-deserved master.

Not to mention that the emperor didn't put his whole mind on the Go board, even if he was fully prepared, he wouldn't be Blind Man's opponent.

Blind Man played with great gusto, and the emperor lost terribly.

After all, Blind Man wouldn't be like those national masters raised in the palace, nor would he be like those ministers who were proficient in Go, trying to understand the emperor's feelings.

After the first game of Go was over,

Blind Man didn't hesitate,

and started the second game. The emperor followed suit.

While playing the second game of Go,

the emperor thought of his father.

This wasn't in the side hall of the Imperial Study, but it seemed like he could hear his father's voice by his ear, very faint and unclear.

Similarly, the emperor lost the second game terribly.

Blind Man didn't hesitate again,

and started the third game.

They played quickly, and lost quickly, so each game didn't take too long.

While playing the third game,

the emperor couldn't help but look at the mother and son who were talking in the distant corridor.

Blind Man moved his pieces very quickly each time.

The piece was in the emperor's fingertip, but he didn't put it down. The emperor said apologetically:

"Please move slower, Mister."

"As you command."

Blind Man slowed down his speed.

The emperor felt that the first two games had really been too fast.

During the first game, he thought about the affairs of the Xia states and Yan's great cause of unification, but before he could fully develop his thoughts, it was over.

During the second game, he didn't even hear his father's voice clearly, and it was over.

The first game and the second game were over quickly, so be it.

But this third game,

he wanted to look at his wife and children over there for a while longer.

In his heart, some thoughts involuntarily appeared.

If there really was something seriously wrong with his body and he couldn't be saved, then what would happen to his family?

As soon as he thought of his family,

the emperor immediately thought of that Zheng fellow.

Back when he and that Zheng fellow were still doing so-so, they had joked with each other that they had to protect each other's families, at least.

When the struggle for the throne in Yanjing was at its most heated, that Zheng fellow sent his subordinates to take all the members of his household away.

Without a doubt, the emperor believed that that Zheng fellow, once he knew that he had failed in the struggle for the throne, would do everything he could to safely take his family back to Jining.

At that time, the 10,000 Jingnan troops stationed in Yanjing were Zheng Fan's trump card.

Actually, there was no need to think about it for too long.

If the worst really came to pass,

entrusting his family to that Zheng fellow was the safest and most appropriate plan. It was the most suitable path he had chosen for his family as a "husband" and "father."

Jingnan Prince had also chosen this path back then.

The emperor naturally immersed himself in this atmosphere. Accompanied by the crisp sound of the pieces falling, it seemed that the Go board before him had become a kind of temporary sustenance.

Although he deliberately slowed down,

the emperor still lost the third game terribly.

Blind Man was satisfied and comfortable.

The emperor said, "Mister, what's wrong with my body?"

Blind Man raised his head,

and said;

"Your Majesty, let's start the examination now."

"..." The emperor.

The eunuch Wei's face twitched. So you were just playing Go purely?

When they were playing Go earlier, both the emperor and Eunuch Wei thought that this was another way of "examining" him. After all, there were many strange people and unusual events in this world, and diagnosing a pulse through a silk thread was considered an entry-level skill.

But he didn't expect that

Blind Man was just playing Go purely, enjoying the pleasure of defeating the emperor on the Go board.

"Please sit properly, Your Majesty."

Blind Man stood up and walked towards the emperor.

Eunuch Wei narrowed his eyes, but didn't stop him.

This was the Pingxi Prince's mansion. If the Pingxi Prince wanted to assassinate the emperor, it would be too easy. There was no need to put on an act and beat around the bush.

"Does Your Majesty have any discomfort? I'm asking about obvious symptoms."

"I occasionally have nosebleeds. Other than that, there's nothing."

The emperor was likely to be short-lived. Although he couldn't know for sure how many years he would live, it should be much shorter than his father.

Blind Man had specifically asked Tiantian about the details of his dreams.

In the prophecy, when Tiantian attacked Yanjing, he was actually not too old.

At the same time, there was another problem here.

In the prophecy, Tian Wujing died in battle at Zhennanguan. Note that it was died in battle.

Let's not worry about the theory of whether fate is constant,

changing the ending of dying in battle was difficult, but not impossible.

A thousand-mile raid on Xuehaiguan directly subverted the entire situation in Jining. Next, in the Yan-Chu war, the master again advanced alone, disrupting the Chu's deployment. These two military strategies, which could be called divine, successfully reversed the entire situation of the national war.

Old Tian had no reason to be killed in battle, so it was difficult for him to be killed.

And the emperor,

if it wasn't an assassination, then it was a problem with his body itself. After all, the emperor was surrounded by experts and the imperial physicians were also extremely excellent. If he could still die, then it really meant... he had to die.

The emperor sat there,

Blind Man gently pressed his right thumb to the center of the emperor's brow.

"Mister, what kind of technique is this?" the emperor asked.

"Your Majesty, please calm your mind."

"I was being presumptuous."

The emperor closed his eyes,

and Blind Man also closed his eyes.

Wei Zhonghe stood to the side. Then, he sensed the spiritual aura flowing from this blind man, very thick and very pure, like mercury pouring onto the ground, penetrating everywhere.

Not for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, nor for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea,

in fact,

it probably only took less than ten counts,

Blind Man opened his eyes and retracted his thumb from the emperor's forehead.

Actually, the human body was extremely complex, and it was impossible to examine it in one go, but this time, it was really fast.

It started and ended in the same breath.

Wei Zhonghe carefully stared at Blind Man's expression, but unfortunately, Blind Man was accustomed to being calm and collected. Moreover, you couldn't capture his gaze because he didn't have any.

The emperor's body, the emperor's past hysteria, Wei Zhonghe was actually the clearest about it. He had also worried about it, but he didn't dare to think too much about it.

It was just that, when this layer of gauze was lifted, the chief steward of the Yan Inner Court, who had served two emperors, couldn't help but be cautious.

"How is my body?"

The emperor took the initiative to ask.

Blind Man took two steps back, bowed down,

and said:

"Your Majesty's dragon body is healthy, which is a blessing for Yan."

Well, this was a blatant lie, and a very blatant one at that.

The emperor nodded and said:

"That's good."

"I have finished examining Your Majesty. I will take my leave."

The emperor took out an exquisite snuff bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Blind Man:

"This is not a reward, but a consultation fee. This is the rule."

Blind Man smiled:

"I am very grateful."

Blind Man left.

Eunuch Wei frowned, wanting to say something but hesitating.

Some things, a servant naturally had to pretend to see and not see, to know and not know, but when it came to matters of principle, Eunuch Wei still had a bottom line.

He was the emperor's family slave. The word "family" meant that he was a member of the family.

"Your Majesty..."

The emperor raised his hand and said:

"That Zheng fellow will tell me."

Wei Zhonghe was still very serious and said: "Your Majesty, your dragon body, how can it be..."

"Wei Zhonghe." The emperor interrupted Wei Zhonghe.

"This servant is here."

"Do you believe that, in this world, apart from my empress and concubines and children, and... the current crown prince.

Okay,

let's add you and Zhang Banban and a few others.

For outsiders,

the person who least wants something to happen to my body,

is probably that Zheng fellow."

……

Outside Fengxin City,

Gourd Temple.

The paper figurine was still curled up in a dry corner, constantly pondering life.

The old monk had already gone to rest.

The little monk had just gone to add sesame oil again. After finishing his work, he sat on a small stool, holding a snack in his hand, pinching his orchid fingers, eating little by little.

People who were used to dancing gracefully in the wind of Jining would probably not be able to control themselves when they saw this scene.

Seeing this, the paper figurine

murmured to himself:

"The Son of Heaven, celestial phenomena, luck..."

At first, the little monk just thought that this Taoist was going crazy again, so he glanced at him and didn't take it seriously.

After eating the snack, the little monk felt a little sleepy. Then, he lay on the stool and fell asleep.

The paper figurine was still constantly murmuring those words.

Actually, the Taoist had long seen through the little monk's true identity. After all, they had also fought above Fengxin City.

What he was chanting was just an introduction, to lure the snake out of its hole.

The little monk, who was originally dozing there, raised his head at this time and looked at the paper figurine. For a time, his dharma was solemn, and his gaze alone was enough to make believers submit.

Seeing this, the paper figurine said;

"No matter how much a flood dragon transforms into a dragon, as long as it is still covered in that layer of skin, it still can't be considered a dragon;

Now,

the True Dragon Son of Heaven is right in front of you,

aren't you tempted?"

The little monk shook his head.

The paper figurine was a little depressed,

and hurriedly said:

"Are you determined to hang yourself from one tree?"

The little monk said:

"Then do you know why most people who fall to their deaths from trees in this world do so?"

"Why?"

"Because they climb one tree, but look around at other trees. They deserve to fall to their deaths."

After saying these words,

the little monk lay back down and gradually began to snore.

……

"Examined him?"

Zheng Fan sat in the house, looking at Blind Man, who had returned to find him. A Ming stood to the side.

Originally, Zheng Fan was planning to personally persuade Blind Man to help Ji Laoliu examine his body, but Blind Man had taken the initiative to go.

At the same time, the reason that Blind Man gave might seem ridiculous to outsiders, but to Zheng Fan,

it was exceptionally detailed, coherent, and convincing!

"Reporting to the master, this subordinate has examined him."

"So fast?"

"Because, it started and ended in the same breath."

"Tell me about it."

Blind Man reached out,

pointed to his head,

and said;

"Master, the emperor has a...

tumor, in his head."