"How come Sima Xianggong's foot sores haven't healed yet?"
Zhao Xu was sitting on the mattress in the study room in the east corner of Funing Palace, looking at Sima Kang who was shivering in front of him, and said in a slightly reproachful but yet concerned tone: "I am issuing an edict from now on. You are so happy to serve your husband, and you must not make him work too hard!"
"Why is it that my husband's foot sore hasn't healed yet?"
Sima Kang could only bow his head again and said: "I am guilty of death! I am guilty of death... I failed to serve my father with all my heart. I beg your Majesty to forgive me!"
He was also very troubled.
Since his father became ill, he has been urging him day and night to take more rest. He even knelt down in front of his father and prayed with tears.
But the old father didn’t listen!
Instead of following the imperial doctor's orders to rest and recuperate, he worked day and night to start the final editing and improvement work on "Zi Zhi Tong Jian".
In the old father's own words - I am already married! I must not leave any regrets in this world!
He had already had a premonition that he might not be able to recover from his illness this time.
There is not much time left for him.
Therefore, whether it is him as the heir, Fan Zuyu as the academic successor, or even Lu Gongzhu as an old friend.
No one’s advice is of any use!
Recently, he has become more serious, and even started to lock himself up in his study room, just like when he was writing books in Luoyang, and started to read the lists of officials and ministers and the charts of the past years in front of the classics given by the late emperor. Make final arrangements.
He wanted to use the last time to sort out these historical materials.
Therefore, Sima Kang had no choice.
We can only resort to a trick - go to the emperor and beg him for an edict!
Because he knew that the only person in the world who could persuade his old father was probably the young master who, in his eyes, was a contemporary king and who entrusted his old father with his lifelong political and ideal expectations.
Zhao Xu looked at it and shook his head.
He knew what was going on with Sima Guang's foot sores?
It was probably a disease he contracted when he was writing a book in a cellar in Luoyang.
This is easy to understand.
The cellar was damp, dark, and limited in space.
Sima Guang had been sitting in such an environment for many years writing books. Who could he find if diseases like varicose veins and rheumatism didn't come to him?
When he was young, he was strong and might have been able to hold on.
But now that I am getting older, my immunity has declined.
These things that you didn't care about when you were young will naturally break out in full force and come to him to settle the accounts.
"Feng Jing..." Zhao Xu sighed and ordered Feng Jing beside him: "Go and call Chen Yijian for me!"
Chen Yijian is still the chief official of the Imperial Medical Bureau today - as a Hanlin medical officer, he is in charge of the Imperial Medical Bureau and the chief of the Imperial Medical Bureau. In fact, he is responsible for the daily work of the Imperial Medical Bureau of the Song Dynasty.
"No!" Feng Jing immediately accepted the order and left.
Zhao Xu looked at Sima Kang who was still kneeling in the study and said to him: "Please get up first!"
"It's not easy for you, sir..." It's really not easy for Sima Kang to deal with a father with such a bad temper and a stubborn temper like Sima Guang.
Especially considering that Sima Kang is still an adopted heir.
And Sima Kang adopted Sima Guang for so many years, and he has always been respectful and made no mistakes.
Even people from the New Party can't find anything wrong with him.
This is even more difficult.
When Sima Kang heard this, his eyes suddenly became hot and he couldn't help but choked: "Chen... Chen... Chen..."
"Sit down and talk!" Zhao Xu said softly.
But in his heart, he had already made plans to receive all of Sima Guang's inheritance after his death.
Therefore, his attitude towards Sima Kang is naturally very good.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Sima Kang was deeply moved.
He had already complied with his old father's request and resigned from the imperial court. In theory, he now only had the rank of a minister of imperial court.
Moreover, this was the first time he had met with an official since entering Beijing.
But the officials were very kind to him.
There is even a lot of comfort in the words.
This is truly God’s grace!
So, he sat down on the stool brought by the ministers and waited quietly.
Zhao Xu looked at it and took the initiative to chat with him about home affairs.
The questions he asked were all about his daily life.
This moved Sima Kang even more - the emperor condescended to ask questions about family matters. What does this mean? The emperor did not regard him as an outsider!
After chatting for about a quarter of an hour, Feng Jing's voice came from outside the hall.
"Your Majesty, the imperial medical officer envoy is in charge of the imperial medical bureau, and Yi Jian, the chief minister of the imperial medical bureau, has sent an imperial edict to beg for an audience."
Zhao Xu immediately sat up straight: "Pass!"
Not long after, Chen Yijian, whom he had not seen for some days, bowed in front of Zhao Xu and said, "Your Majesty, Yijian, would like to ask if Your Majesty is well."
"I'm fine!" Zhao Xu waved his hand and asked him: "Has the great doctor brought Sima Xianggong's case?"
Chen Yijian quickly took out a small booklet from her sleeve and presented it in her hand: "I would like to inform your majesty that I have been ordered to take Sima Gong's case and submit it to your majesty for review."
Zhao Xu nodded, and a young minister behind him stepped forward to get the booklet, and then handed it to Zhao Xu.
The case system was a policy formulated by the Imperial Medical Bureau when Zhao Xu asked Qian Yi to prepare his own health records last year.
Since then, it has become popular in this country.
Of course, due to limited medical resources, those who can enjoy this policy are currently only ministers above the rank of civil minister in Beijing and above the rank of military minister in Yaojun.
Implemented together with this system, there is also a system of regular pulse diagnosis.
Every month, an imperial doctor is ordered to diagnose the pulse of all ministers who meet the requirements and record weight, breathing, heartbeat and other data, and give some suggestions on diagnosis and treatment or dietary taboos based on medical theory.
At present, this system has only been implemented for a few months, but ministers from both the government and the opposition have praised it.
The civil servants of the Song Dynasty all understood medical science.
How can we not know that this system can cure diseases before they happen?
Zhao Xu took the case and flipped through it, then frowned, looked at Sima Kang, and asked, "Did your father have a stroke the year before last?"
Sima Kang lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, this is indeed the case."
"In the seventh year of Yuanfeng, my father suffered a stroke. He thought he was going to die..."
"That's it!" Zhao Xu put down the case.
Although he is not a doctor, he only has some common sense about medical science.
But, a patient who has had a stroke develops foot sores?
This may be related to Sima Guang's difficulty in moving after his stroke.
After thinking about it, Zhao Xu said to Chen Yijian: "Excuse me, the great doctor is going to Sun Chaosan's residence to ask Sun Chaosan to come out..."
Sun Qi was the imperial physician to the emperors of the third generation of the Song Dynasty and had extensive experience in treating diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and stroke.
Since the Ren Temple, the figure of this old imperial doctor who was brought to Beijing by the Merciful Saint Guangxian can be seen at the treatment scenes of emperors in successive dynasties after strokes.
"Promise!" Chen Yijian immediately accepted the order and said goodbye: "I will obey your will!"
"Feng Jing!" Zhao Xu then told Feng Jing who was waiting outside the palace: "Pass my message to Yan Chen and order him to select from the military doctors who returned to Beijing, people who are good at treating injuries, debridement, and using medicine.
Together with Sun Chaosan, we will go to Sima Xianggong's residence for diagnosis and treatment and come up with a treatment plan!"
According to the introduction to the case, a small area of redness and swelling appeared on the sole of Sima Guang's foot a month ago, which gradually affected his movement. It hurt even when he walked. Now it has ulcerated.
Obviously, it's an infection.
In this era without antibiotics, once an infection occurs, it is a terminal illness and there is basically no cure.
"promise!"
Feng Jing was about to take the order and leave immediately, but was stopped by Zhao Xu: "You will also go with me to see Mr. Sima and give him my message..."
"The Duke is the elder of the country and the pillar of the country!" Zhao Xu said after brewing his emotions for a while: "The imperial examination regards the Duke as a minister who takes care of the life, and entrusts the Duke to protect him as a teacher!"
"When I met the Duke, I regarded him as a member of the Song Dynasty..."
"The justice should be for me, for the sake of the world, and for the sake of the country, I will rest on myself!"
"I am in the palace, waiting for the Duke to recover, so I can ask for advice!"
It was very touching to watch.
In fact, Zhao Xu already knows Sima Guang's fate - unless a miracle happens, for an old man like Sima Guang who has had a history of stroke, he will die once he is infected with Staphylococcus aureus or similar bacteria!
So, he was just showing off.
Of course, there is inevitably some empathy mixed in - the Zhao family has been facing the risk of stroke for generations.
Zhao Xu's grandfather and father, as well as his ceremonial great-grandfather, all died of strokes.
To be honest, seeing Sima Guang's condition, Zhao Xu was inevitably worried that he might suffer from similar illnesses in the future.
Then life would really be worse than death.
Therefore, sending military doctors who are good at debridement and trauma treatment had certain ideas in mind.
…
"hiss……"
The ulcerated wound on the sole of the foot caused severe pain.
Sima Guang, who was sitting on the chair, couldn't help but take a deep breath.
But he still used his tenacious perseverance to overcome the physical pain.
He still has things to finish!
Looking at the paper spread out in front of him, Sima Guang exhaled slightly: "I can't fall down yet!"
"If I fall, who will sort out the "Pictures of the Years" and the "List of Officials and Officials" into one book to present to the emperor?"
After finishing the draft of "Zizhi Tongjian", he has been writing this brand-new book.
The "Calendar of Years" and "List of Officials and Ministers" handed down from ancient times were organized and condensed into one book.
Before entering Beijing, he had already written the outline.
This book should have a total of twenty volumes, recording the major events and dates of the past dynasties since the Three Kings and Five Emperors, as well as the changes in officials.
Before entering Beijing, he had already written the first fifteen volumes.
After entering Beijing, he used his time to write the next three volumes.
Nowadays, only the last and most difficult "Da Song Volume" and the last chapter are left as the summary volume of his political last words.
Sima Guang planned to write a summary first.
Because he was worried that he might die at any time.
Therefore, it is necessary to write a summary so that if he dies suddenly, the family can put this volume on the suicide note and submit it.
With this thought in mind, Sima Guang endured the severe pain in his feet, gritted his teeth, picked up his pen, and began to dip in ink.
Then leave the first line of words on the paper.
It is also a text that he has been brewing for a long time and has been thinking about for his whole life.
Chen Guang bowed his head and said: I heard the book of Shang said - If you work with the government, you will not prosper? If you work with chaos, you will not perish?
The Book of Later Zhou Dynasty said: I can’t help but watch over Youxia, and I can’t help but watch over Youyin!
The severe pain in the soles of his feet came again, making his forehead start to sweat, and he had to pause.
"Kang'er...Kang'er..." He called the name of his heir Sima Kang who should be waiting for his instructions outside the door at any time.
However, it was not Sima Kang who responded to him, but another familiar voice.
"Ms. sir, my servant is here..."
It's Fan Zuyu!
He opened the door and looked at Sima Guang, who was sitting on a chair. His face was a little pale and he looked almost skinny.
A trace of sadness flashed in his eyes.
"Ms. sir..." Fan Zuyu asked respectfully, "Do you have anything to tell me?"
Sima Guang looked at Fan Zuyu and frowned: "Where is Kang'er?"
"Enter the palace on official vacation..."
"Um?"
"It was my servant and you who persuaded me..." Fan Zuyu lowered his head and said.
Sima Guang woke up instantly and sighed: "Chunfu..."
"Why should I alarm the emperor because of my minor illness?"
Just as Sima Guang was about to continue speaking, a voice came from outside the door.
Fan Zuyu turned around and saw Sima Kang walking in with a group of people.
The leader is a man with gray hair, leaning on a cane, wearing a purple robe, and a silverbait bag tied around his waist.
It is none other than the most famous national player in the world - Sun Qi, the official who became the official of Chaosan.
Behind Sun Qi were a group of young people wearing blue public uniforms.
These young men were all carrying a wooden box and had a plain bandage wrapped around their arms.
He looks very capable and smart.
Under the guidance of Sima Kang, these people came to the study.
…
"Guan Jia De Yin..." Feng Jing stood still.
Sima Guang immediately wanted to get up, but was stopped by the left and right sides.
"Sima Gong, there is no need to salute!" Feng Jing said, "This is a special instruction from the officials."
Sima Guang could only sit obediently, but he still faced the direction of the imperial city, lowered his head deeply, put his hands on the desk, and bowed three times as if he were bowing: "Chen Guang listens to the sound of virtue."
"The Duke is the elder of the country and the pillar of the country. The emperor regards the Duke as the minister who cares about his life and entrusts the Duke to protect him as his teacher!"
"When I met the Duke, I regarded him as a member of the Song Dynasty..."
"The justice should be for me, for the sake of the world, and for the sake of the country, I will rest on myself!"
"I am in the palace, waiting for the Duke to recover, so I can ask for advice!"
After listening to this, Sima Guang had tears in his eyes and helplessly thanked him again: "Chen Guang sincerely obeys De Yin..."
At this moment, Sima Guang was extremely moved.
Since ancient times, how could any young master treat an old minister so kindly?
The feeling of admiration and eager expectation are truly unprecedented!
pity……
Sima Guang lamented in his heart: "I was born before you were born, but you are already old after you were born..."
This is really sad.
So, he looked at Feng Jing and said: "I would like to invite the veteran minister to report back to the emperor..."
"My old minister is in decline and is about to die. I would like to use my remaining life to leave a lasting message for His Majesty..."
Feng Jing hesitated for a moment, and looking at the extremely thin, gray-haired, and extremely haggard old minister in front of him, he finally softened his heart and said, "I will forward your words to the officials."
"However, my husband, please listen to the imperial doctor's diagnosis and treatment first... and follow the imperial doctor's instructions..."
Sima Guang looked at the figures in the study and smiled bitterly: "The old minister's disease has penetrated into the bone marrow, and there is no cure!"
"Why bother running around like Sun Chao San and others anymore?"
You know your own body.
A sudden serious illness occurred in the seventh year of Yuanfeng's reign, which almost took away his life.
Although he recovered by luck, the root cause of the disease had already settled.
Now, Sima Guang knew very well that his illness was irreversible.
(End of chapter)
This chapter has been completed!