novelhk Chapter 260 Taking the King of Qin's Pulse
Chapter 260 Taking the King of Qin's Pulse
But Ying Wuyou was not about to give in. Without saying a word, she stepped forward, grabbed the sleeve of Physician Li tightly, and said coquettishly, "Hmph, I've already said I'm fine! Just come with me."
And so, Ying Wuyou arrived at Zhangtai Palace with Physician Li's order. Hearing footsteps, King Qin looked up and saw Ying Wuyou and Physician Li. King Qin asked Ying Wuyou, "Why have you come back again?"
Ying Wuyou's lips curled up slightly, revealing a warm smile, and he said softly to the King of Qin, "Father, you are busy with countless affairs of state every day. Your son has specially invited Imperial Physician Li to take your pulse to ensure your good health."
King Qin initially wanted to refuse, as he felt he was perfectly healthy. However, when he met Ying Wuyou's worried gaze, his heart softened, and he changed his mind, saying, "Since my son is so filial, then I will trouble Physician Li." With that, King Qin slowly extended his right hand and placed it flat on the table.
Upon seeing that the King of Qin had agreed, Physician Li hurriedly stepped forward, respectfully sat on a low stool to the side, and gently placed his fingers on the King's pulse. For a moment, the entire hall fell silent; everyone held their breath, afraid of disturbing Physician Li's diagnosis.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Physician Li finally released his grip. He stood up, bowed to the King of Qin, and said slowly, "Your Majesty, judging from your pulse, it seems that you are preoccupied with important matters, causing stagnation of liver qi. In addition, your forced suppression of anger has resulted in difficulty in breathing. Fortunately, there is nothing serious yet. I will now prescribe a remedy for Your Majesty."
The King of Qin nodded slightly in approval and said, "Well then, I'll trouble you, my dear minister." Physician Li quickly bowed again to express his gratitude, and then, after receiving the King of Qin's permission, hurriedly left the hall.
Ying Wuyou listened attentively to Physician Li's diagnosis. After he left, she said to the King of Qin with concern, "Father, if you are feeling down because of something on your mind, why not take this opportunity to go out and have some fun to clear your head? It might help you feel better."
Upon hearing this, the King of Qin pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "What my son says makes sense, but the end of the year is approaching, there are many things to attend to, and the New Year is just around the corner. I will make a plan after the New Year."
Seeing that he could not persuade the King of Qin to change his mind, Ying Wuyou did not press the matter further. Instead, he obediently said, "In that case, Father, I hope you will take good care of yourself and rest early. Your son will take his leave now." After saying this, Ying Wuyou bowed to the King of Qin and turned to slowly leave Zhangtai Palace.
Ying Wuyou left Zhangtai Palace and quickly chased after Imperial Physician Li, calling out as he ran, "Imperial Physician Li, please wait!"
Upon catching up, Ying Wuyou was panting, but still couldn't wait to ask, "Imperial Physician Li, what is the condition of my father? Are there any other problems?"
Physician Li stopped and turned to face Ying Wuyou. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Your Highness, according to my observation, Your Majesty has been prone to getting overheated lately. You should pay more attention to your diet and try to eat more light foods." After saying this, Physician Li stroked his beard.
Upon hearing this, Ying Wuyou frowned slightly and continued to press, "Besides that, are these the only things we need to be careful about?" His gaze was fixed on Physician Li, as if trying to glean more information from the other's face.
Imperial Physician Li shook his head and slowly said, "As it stands, His Majesty's health is still quite good, and there are no other major problems."
Upon receiving this reply, Ying Wuyou finally felt a little relieved. She thought to herself: "So, Father must have stopped taking those so-called elixirs." Thinking this, Ying Wuyou breathed a sigh of relief, her mood lightening considerably.
Today, the Qin Dynasty is thriving, with all its undertakings flourishing. However, Ying Wuyou knows very well that all this prosperity is due to the wise leadership and powerful deterrent of the King of Qin. As long as the King of Qin remains on the throne, the Qin Dynasty will maintain its strength; but if the King of Qin were to meet with misfortune, the consequences would be unimaginable—the Qin Dynasty could very well fall into disintegration. Thinking of this, Ying Wuyou felt the burden on his shoulders grow ever heavier.
If history could be rewritten, if Zhao Gao and Li Si had not altered the imperial edict concerning the fate of the dynasty, allowing Fusu to smoothly inherit the throne, would the Qin Empire have truly lasted for thousands of generations and remained immortal as people wished? The answer may not be so certain.
Admittedly, Fusu enjoyed popular support, but this "popular support" was only relative to the cruel and tyrannical King Qin and the debauched Huhai. It must be understood that Fusu's character had a fatal flaw—indecisiveness and excessive kindness. Even if he ultimately succeeded in ascending to the supreme throne, he would very likely be manipulated and controlled by those treacherous courtiers.
Worse still, the Confucian school already held considerable influence in the court. If Fusu were to ascend the throne, these powerful Confucian officials might seize the opportunity to dominate the court, leading to disunity, factionalism, and constant infighting within the Qin court. Under such circumstances, not only would the remaining forces of the six external states, who were eyeing the throne with predatory intent, be vulnerable, but even the Qin Empire itself would likely descend into chaos, like a pot of boiling porridge that would be difficult to control.
Of course, it cannot be denied that during Fusu's reign, the Qin Dynasty might have been able to barely hold on for a few more years. But in Ying Wuyou's opinion, this situation probably wouldn't last long. After all, the long-term stability of a country requires not only the benevolence of its ruler, but also decisive and resolute decision-making power and effective means of balancing various forces. And Fusu clearly lacked these crucial qualities.
After parting ways with Imperial Physician Li, Ying Wuyou shook her head vigorously, trying to clear her mind of all the chaotic thoughts swirling within her. Then, with light steps, she hurried towards her own Chaohua Palace.
After having lunch at Chaohua Palace, Ying Wuyou slowly rose and left Xianyang Palace by carriage. Her purpose in leaving the palace this time was clear—to visit Xiao He, who had been properly settled. Ying Wuyou had already visited him once before, and this was her second meeting with Xiao He.
A beautifully decorated carriage slowly made its way through the bustling streets of Xianyang. The wheels creaked and groaned, as if telling the story of the city. Inside the carriage, Ying Wuyou's eyes were slightly closed, but her mind was working like a high-speed machine, rapidly searching and organizing various kinds of knowledge about the economic zone, which she would later explain to Xiao He.