Chapter 93: Crown Prince?
After Xiao Yu left, Li Xiang wandered around the palace aimlessly. When he saw a group of soldiers passing by, he finally remembered his business.

I hurried to the Liangyi Hall and found Lao Li looking at a map.

"Tell me, what's the matter? Why are you hesitating?" Li Shimin didn't even raise his head. He knew from the footsteps that it was Li Xiang, the naughty boy, who came.

"Uh... after I got here, I suddenly thought of some taboos." Li Xiang said, scratching his head.

Li Shimin couldn't help but laugh. He glanced at Li Xiang and said teasingly, "You lawless little monkey, do you still have any scruples? Between you and me, is there anything that cannot be said?"

"Then you have to promise not to be angry, old man." Li Xiang laughed. He never suffered any loss.

"Okay, I promise I won't be angry, just tell me." Li Shimin put down the map, wondering if this kid had gotten into some trouble.

If I make Sizi cry, I will beat him up even if it means breaking my promise.

Seeing that Li Shimin had promised, Li Xiang said, "The other day when I went to the Xuanjia Army's camp, I saw General Duan...ah, that is, Duke Baoguo, who was ill and unable to walk, so I wanted my grandfather to ask Master Sun to go and see him."

Li Xiang's concerns are not wrong. After all, the Xuanjia Army can be regarded as Li Shimin's personal army. Do you think you, a grandson of the emperor, want to ask someone to treat him?
What’s going on? Have you studied the Xuanwu Gate defense map thoroughly?

He added: "I think he is very ill."

In fact, Li Xiang was not exaggerating. If the normal time trajectory had followed, Duan Zhixuan would have died of illness this year.

Li Shimin didn't think much about it. His first reaction was to worry about Duan Zhixuan's health.

"How could this be?" Li Shimin muttered to himself, and then called Wang De, "Wang De, go and invite Master Sun! Prepare the carriage, I want to go to the Duke of Baoguo's mansion!"

The relationship between Lao Li and Duan Zhixuan was no worse than that between Lao Li and Yuchi Gong. When Lao Li was living in Taiyuan with his father, he met Li Shimin and was even appreciated by Li Shimin.

Since the Jinyang uprising in the 13th year of Daye, Duan Zhixuan has been fighting beside Li Shimin. This friendship that grew out of swords and guns is of course extremely deep.

After saying that, he wanted to kick Li Xiang, but remembering that he had said before that he was not angry, he pointed at Li Xiang and said, "You, you, why didn't you tell me earlier about such a big thing!"

"I've been busy these days and I just remembered it." Li Xiang said innocently.

Li Shimin took a deep breath and said, "No wonder you are afraid that I will be angry, hey..."

"That's not the case. The main thing is... uh." Li Xiang scratched his head and said, "Is it a bit taboo?"

"What taboo?" Li Shimin pulled his face down: "You are only twelve years old, what taboos can there be? Next time you think about these nonsense, be careful or I will beat you up!"

Li Xiang smiled along, still feeling lucky that he had just asked for a talisman.

It must be said that Lao Li still has a very good reputation. He said he was not angry and he really did not do anything.

Soon, Wang De prepared the carriage. The two of them first went to Sanqing Temple to pick up Sun Simiao, and then went to the Baoguogong Mansion together.

When they heard that the emperor was coming in person, the doors of Duke Bao's mansion were wide open. If Li Shimin had not issued repeated strict orders not to let Duan Zhixuan come to greet him in person, I'm afraid that old Duan would have been forced to come out as well.

He is already seriously ill, and if he continues to suffer any more, I'm really afraid he will die.

Li Shimin was worried about Duan Zhixuan's health, so he went straight to the room where Duan Zhixuan was.

Looking at Old Duan's haggard appearance, Li Shimin's tears suddenly came out.

Li Xiang curled his lips imperceptibly behind him.

Damn, crying again.

My aunt is a little girl, but she didn’t shed as many tears as you!
The emperor and his minister cried together, and Duan Zhixuan was truly moved from the bottom of his heart.

"Your Majesty, why do you have to do this? Birth, aging, sickness and death are all predestined..." Duan Zhixuan persuaded Li Shimin in a very open-minded manner.

Li Shimin was so moved that he pretended to be angry and said, "Why didn't you tell me that Zhixuan was ill? If Xiang'er hadn't told me that you were seriously ill, I would still be kept in the dark!"

In fact, Duan Zhixuan and Su Dingfang are similar, both of them are known by their pen names. Duan Zhixuan's real name is Duan Xiong, and his pen name is Zhixuan.

When Duan Zhixuan heard Li Shimin's words, a strange look flashed in his eyes.

Old Duan had a very sensitive political sense. It could be said that anyone who could become a duke in the Zhenguan Dynasty was not a simple person.

What exactly does Li Shimin mean by this sentence?
He specifically pointed out that it was the Prince of Hengshan who said this to him. Was he trying to do the Prince of Hengshan a favor in front of him?
"This is Master Sun Simiao. Xiang'er specifically asked me to invite Master Sun to treat you." Li Shimin said again.

This made Duan Zhixuan think deeply. If he had mentioned Li Xiang for the first time, he could have explained it as an unintentional remark. But he mentioned Li Xiang's favor again, and the meaning behind it made him think deeply.

"I thank your majesty and the Prince of Hengshan." Duan Zhixuan bowed to Li Shimin and Li Xiang, then looked at Sun Simiao and said, "I also thank you, Immortal."

I can't help but thank Sun Simiao, he's a doctor!

As we all know, there are two professions that you must not offend in advance: one is doctor, and the other is cook.

If you offend your doctor, you will be confused if he changes the prescription for you; if you offend your chef, he may add some ingredients to your dish at the least, or directly give you medicine at the most serious.

Even a kind-hearted man like Zhu Yuanzhang treated the cook Xu Xingzu very well.

Trusting in the wisdom of future generations is the end of it.

Sun Simiao just bowed and let it go. He asked Duan Zhixuan to stick out his tongue, and then put it on his pulse to test it, and then said, "It's okay, it's just a minor illness."

"I will prescribe some medicine for the general. You only need to take it for ten to twenty days and you will be cured." Sun Simiao said with a smile, stroking his beard.

Duan Zhixuan: ...

The last time I asked a doctor to see me, he said it was almost a terminal illness.

But now that Dr. Sun has arrived, in his eyes, it’s just a minor problem?
If it was an ordinary imperial physician, Duan Zhixuan might still be skeptical.

But a person's reputation is like the shadow of a tree, and Lao Sun's golden signboard is so famous that Duan Zhixuan couldn't help but believe it.

"The real person really lives up to his reputation!" Old Duan exclaimed sincerely.

Sun Simiao did not take credit for it, but told the truth: "Before, I would have been helpless. Fortunately, the prince found the book "Treatise on Febrile Diseases", which contains a ready-made prescription. This is how I was able to cure the general's illness without any effort."

"This...the prince is among them..." Duan Zhixuan was stunned.

He never imagined that after all the twists and turns, it was actually related to the prince.

Seeing his old friend's stunned look, Li Shimin smiled in his heart, and suddenly remembered the plot against the noble family, so he said to Duan Zhixuan: "Zhixuan, remember not to spread the matter of Treatise on Febrile Diseases to others. Just tell others that it was Master Sun who cured him."

"I'll remember this!" Duan Zhixuan said immediately.

As an old confidant of Lao Li, he naturally knew what it meant not to ask what should not be asked and not to pass on what should not be passed on.

Li Shimin looked at him and sighed and laughed, "Look, you didn't tell me earlier that you were sick. Otherwise, wouldn't you have recovered long ago?"

"I am ashamed." Duan Zhixuan is not good at speaking, so he could only say this.

Old Li also knew his character, so he just smiled and didn't say much.

Since the disease was not serious and could be cured, Li Shimin did not plan to give him the kind of hospice care that would benefit future generations.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he took Li Xiang away from the Duke of Baoguo's Mansion.

After Li Shimin left, Duan Zhixuan also felt a little sad.

The emperor's behavior just now made him think deeply.

Since the emperor was interested, he would certainly add fuel to the flames. So he called his son Duan Zan and asked him to publicize today's events and to emphasize that the emperor had mentioned the Prince of Hengshan twice.

The fact that Li Xiang was previously named Prince of Hengshan only shows that Old Li values ​​this grandson very much.

But bringing Li Xiang to Duan Zhixuan's home and emphasizing on doing favors for Li Xiang is more than just liking him.

Being bad at speaking doesn’t mean you don’t have a sharp mind.

Although Li Shimin did not say it explicitly, in fact, he was already pushing Li Xiang to be the third-generation heir.

Now there is only one last step, which is to formally enthrone Li Xiang as the Crown Prince.

Soon, the news about Duan Zhixuan's family spread like wildfire and reached the homes of various nobles in Chang'an City.

"Yeah, yeah, I told you brother you can do it, right?" Cheng Chubi asked Cheng Yaojin proudly, as if to say 'I knew it a long time ago'.

Normally, Old Cheng would have slapped Cheng Chubi on the buttocks. However, this time, he did not beat the child, but fell into deep thought.

"The Ox is blessed." After a while, he smiled and rubbed Cheng Chubi's head: "Follow your brother well, the wealth and honor of the next generation of our Cheng family is entrusted to you!"

At the same time, Lao Cheng also decided in his heart to officially bet on Li Xiang.

Even a shrewd person like Lao Cheng is considering formally investing in Li Xiang, let alone others.

However, Li Daozon was quicker in action, as he had already asked Li Jingren to publicize the title of 'Young Master Chang'an'.

On the way back to the palace, Li Xiang and Li Shimin heard people talking about the "Prince of Chang'an", Prince of Hengshan, and their words were full of praise for him.

"Master Chang'an?" Li Shimin looked at Li Xiang with a smile.

Li Xiang once again looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, and said in a pretentious tone: "Hey, it's all because of my brothers' kindness that I was given this name."

"Hahaha……"

Li Shimin laughed happily. He stretched out his hand to touch Li Xiang's head and said with a smile: "Do you know that when your father-in-law and I were in Taiyuan, we were called 'Prince Taiyuan'?"

Li Xiang wanted to make starry eyes and praise "Aung is so great", but he thought it was too disgusting.

So he told the truth: "I don't know."

Li Shimin was obviously choked.

This rebellious grandson...

Forget it, forget it. I won’t argue with the child.

"Humph, your uncle was also a famous young master in Taiyuan." Li Shimin pointed out the window: "When traveling, he always had a group of brothers with him, no less pompous than you are now!"

Wow, you want to show off the glorious past you have lived through, right?

Li Xiang gave a thumbs up and praised sincerely, "Otherwise, why do you say I am Grandfather's grandson? Grandfather and I are really alike."

This means, Aung is like me.

When Li Shimin heard this, he instantly got angry.

You kid, you are against Tiangang, right?

It’s almost like you are like me. Is there any grandfather who is like his grandson in this world?

"You rebellious grandson, you deserve to be beaten!"

Li Shimin immediately pushed Li Xiang onto the carriage and spanked him hard on the buttocks several times.

Li Xiang rubbed his butt, just like Taifei who was beaten.

Seeing the miserable appearance of his rebellious grandson, Old Li couldn't help but laughed out loud.

A smile never disappears, it just moves to someone else's face.

Li Xiang rubbed his butt and muttered to himself, "I'm going to complain to my aunt when I get back!"

On the way back from Duan Zhixuan's mansion, Li Chengqian also started to take action.

Under Li Chengqian's instructions, Meng Shu sent several eunuchs to the pharmacy to get some medicine according to the prescription given by Sun Simiao.

These include but are not limited to certain aphrodisiac tonic herbs such as epimedium, polygonatum, mulberry, and wolfberry.

I guess if there was maca, I would have to eat two pounds of it and chew it like raisins.

Just after the eunuch left the pharmacy, the news spread like wildfire.

The prince indulged himself too much and sought famous doctors for help but to no avail. He heard that Zhang Zhongjing's book "Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases" contained a prescription for strengthening male potency, so he sent someone to Jiangnan to "get" the book back for his own enjoyment.

As for why he recently stayed in the Crown Princess's bedroom, which had been neglected for many years, it was of course his legal wife who would help him conceal such a thing.

With the help of some people's exaggeration and dissemination, the news quickly spread throughout Chang'an.

And the rumors were becoming more and more bizarre. Some said that he was harmed by the little boy's mother and could not get along normally with the Crown Princess; others said that he was beaten by the King of Han. In short, there were many different versions, and each one could form a logical closed loop.

Especially since he suddenly began to stay in the Crown Princess's bedroom frequently, this invisibly strengthened the seal on this statement.

If you are capable, why don't you favor so many new beauties, but instead favor a crown princess who has been neglected for many years?

To be honest, before Li Chengqian went to spread the news, he had never imagined that it would spread so quickly, so widely, and even give rise to so many versions.

Now he feels regretful, extremely regretful.

The next day when he was leaving court, Li Chengqian was stopped by someone.

He was originally a little annoyed about the news that had spread, but when he saw the person who stopped him, he threw his annoyance out of his mind.

There is no other reason. This person is none other than Duke of England Li Shiji.

"Ahem, Prince..."

"Duke of England." Li Chengqian also responded.

At first, Li Chengqian didn't know what Li Shiji wanted to talk to him about. Logically speaking, Li Shiji's character was generally not to get involved in anything, and he would not express clear support for any prince.

Now Li Shiji suddenly came to him on his own initiative. He felt surprised and very happy at the same time.

"Hmm..." Li Shiji seemed to be finding it difficult to speak.

"The British public has nothing to say but he can say it."

Seeing that Li Shiji was a little hesitant, Li Chengqian couldn't help but feel curious.

What on earth could have happened that could make a great Duke of England hesitate like this?

As a result, Li Shiji's words instantly changed Li Chengqian's expression.

(End of this chapter)