For more than a month after that, Chen Cheng and Yin Chang continued to live in Seoul, waiting for Zhu's illness to be cured or for him to die. Of course, the imperial doctors from the Ming Dynasty worked hard to treat Zhu's illness. These imperial doctors were also from the Ming Dynasty.
The famous master of internal medicine almost never failed to treat people in the capital. But when he arrived in North Korea, so many famous doctors diagnosed and treated Zhu, but they couldn't figure out what kind of disease Zhu had, and they prescribed several prescriptions in a row.
However, after taking it for a few days, it didn't feel better, even after changing the prescription. Although they were unwilling to admit that they couldn't cure it, they were not as tough as they were at first when talking to Zhu Fangyuan, Chen Cheng, and Yin Chang.
Zhu Fangyuan noticed the change in the imperial doctor of the Ming Dynasty, and was secretly happy, but did not say anything at the time. A few days later, after the imperial doctor reported the situation to them and retired, Zhu Fangyuan turned to Chen Cheng and said: "Mr. Chen, you
I have also seen that even the imperial doctor of Shangguo, who treated me for more than a month, was unable to cure the prince's illness, and instead it got worse. I feel very uncomfortable."
"Your Highness, please relax for the time being. Your Majesty has his own destiny, and he will definitely recover from his illness." Chen Cheng advised.
"I am willing to do the same, but human life is determined by fate, how can it be restored by human power?" Zhu Fangyuan couldn't help crying and said. Chen Cheng quickly advised him.
Zhu Fangyuan said a few more words, as if he had made up his mind, and said to Chen Cheng: "If he is just the son of a widower, it would be nothing if he has been sick all the time; but he is still my crown prince of the Joseon Dynasty, and he has been lingering on his sick bed, so it is not
It's a good thing. Especially since he has no heirs now, and he is already over fifty years old. During these days, he is even more worried about his son's condition. If he never gets well, and I suddenly fall ill, who can preside over the affairs of Korea? What if?
What should I do if my power is taken away by a powerful official?"
"Your Highness has no worries. How can the Crown Prince linger on the sickbed all the time? His Highness is also in very good health, so it won't be like this. What's more, there is no need to worry even if a minister assists His Highness. Your Highness is the king of Korea who was personally conferred by His Majesty, and Your Majesty will definitely not allow it.
There is turmoil in North Korea." Chen Cheng added.
"If you don't have long-term worries, you must always be prepared for the worst. Even if His Majesty will uphold justice for my family, if powerful ministers make a mess of the government, my family will be harmed. So," Zhu Fangyuan paused,
Then he continued: "I intend to ask His Majesty for an order to change the crown prince."
"This." Chen Cheng had a very surprised look on his face. He paused and then said, "Your Highness, please think twice about this matter."
"I have thought about it and discussed it with my trusted ministers. For the sake of the stability of North Korea, this is the only way." Zhu Fangyuan said slowly with a painful look on his face.
Chen Cheng tried some more words of persuasion, but Zhu Fangyuan insisted on submitting a memorial to His Majesty to change the crown prince. Chen Cheng could only stop persuading and said: "Your Highness, please prepare a memorial to His Majesty. I, Deputy Envoy Yin, and the envoys sent by His Highness will return to the capital to report to Your Majesty."
.I and Deputy Envoy Yin will report the Crown Prince’s condition to His Majesty truthfully.”
"Why, are both angels going to return to the capital?" Zhu Fangyuan asked slightly surprised. Normally, the angels would not stay so long when they came to North Korea, but now that Zhu is seriously ill, they are mainly here to see the emperor.
The doctor who treated Zhu did not wait until Zhu was completely cured, but at least waited until he got better or died before he could go back. In his opinion, it was best for Yin Chang to return to the capital with his ministers and leave Chen Cheng in North Korea. Although Yin Chang was coming
He offended him on the first day in Seoul, but he had already inquired in detail. Although Yin Chang was ungrateful in his words, he was still an honest gentleman in essence. He would definitely tell the truth when he returned to the capital, leaving Zhu still ill in bed during the Ming Dynasty.
The imperial doctor also told the truth about the situation, but Chen Cheng was already an old bureaucrat and might not tell the truth.
"Your Highness, Xiaguan and Deputy Envoy Yin came to the capital to send imperial doctors to treat the prince's illness. Xiaguan, Deputy Envoy Yin and others do not know medical skills, so it is useless to stay in Seoul. Moreover, Xiaguan and others have never
Before the capital came to Seoul, His Majesty also had other envoys to order the officials and others to go to Liaodong. Originally, I was supposed to go to Liaodong a month ago, so I left Deputy Envoy Yin in Seoul to wait for the prince to recover from his illness.
The official stayed in Seoul for a few more days. Since His Highness is going to send an envoy to the capital to report the matter of Crown Prince Yi, I will return to the capital together with Deputy Envoy Yin. Naturally, this return will take a land route, passing through Liaodong." Chen Cheng replied
.
"I see." When Chen Cheng said that they had other errands to go to Liaodong, Zhu Fangyuan was immediately relieved and said with a smile: "Since Envoy Chen has other errands, it is not convenient for me to keep him here longer. I just want to stay a few more times."
On the day, I will allow you to have a banquet for the envoy Chen Yuan before leaving; I will also consider the memorial I submit to His Majesty."
Of course Chen Cheng would not refuse, so it was decided. Zhu Fangyuan hosted a banquet for Chen Cheng and Yin Chang at noon the next day. The two rested for a few more days. After Zhu Fangyuan's memorial was written, he and Shen Wen, who was once again on his way to the Ming Dynasty,
Leave Seoul and head to Liaodong by land.
Zhu Fangyuan selected a dozen tall and strong horses for them to take back and present to His Majesty the Ming Emperor. Not only that, he also ordered his third son Zhu to see him off on his behalf and send them out of the north gate of Seoul before returning. Seeing this, no matter how ignorant you are,
People also understood that the next crown prince chosen by Zhu Fangyuan was Zhu. Yin Chang had a sarcastic look on his face at that time, but said nothing and said goodbye to the North Korean farewell.
The group of them walked quickly on the road for a few days and arrived at the bank of the Yalu River, the dividing line between North Korea and Ming Dynasty Liaodong. The Liaodong capital on the opposite side had already sent people to pick them up. Chen Cheng, Yin Chang and Shen Wen were bidding farewell to Yizhou Prefecture Yin and others.
People got on the boat and left North Korea.
Shen Wen was not used to taking a boat, so he got on the boat and exchanged a few words with Chen Cheng and Yin Chang before going into the cabin to rest. Chen Cheng and Yin Chang stood at the stern of the boat, looking at the North Korean officials disappearing in the south, looking at the land of North Korea, and Yin Chang reluctantly
He couldn't help but sarcastically said: "Vice President, I really can't believe that the king of North Korea is so impatient and anxious to appoint someone else as the crown prince. If the current crown prince knows about it, I don't know what he will think."
"He must know. Even if he doesn't know that the North Korean monarch wants to depose him as the crown prince so quickly, he still knows that he will be deposed sooner or later." Chen Cheng said.
"Indeed, he must know. Alas, when I think of this, I can't help but feel sad for the Joseon Crown Prince."
"What's so sad." Chen Cheng, who had always been polite in North Korea, said indifferently: "Isn't it because the Ming Dynasty still has to uphold justice for him? Those deposed princes who have no one to uphold justice are the princes who are sad. His
I’ve been very lucky.”
"But I don't know if he would like to see the Ming Dynasty do justice to him like this." Yin Chang said again.
"It's not up to him. Okay, don't talk about this anymore. Think about what we have to do when we get to Liaodong, and we can't leave anything out." Chen Cheng finally said.
They soon arrived in Liaoyang, where the Liaodong Dusi Yamen was located, and met the commander-in-chief of the Liaodong Dusi. It happened that the King of England, who was sealed in Kaiyuan, was also here, and they met him by the way. Shen Wen also rushed to pay his respects.
However, he didn't care about meeting the King of England. The boundaries of Liaodong were controlled by the Ming Dynasty. Although the King of England's fiefdom also had borders with North Korea, they were all inaccessible mountainous areas in the Changbai Mountains. It didn't matter which side had more hills or which side had one less hill. What's more, Shen Wen's mission to the Ming Dynasty also had important errands. He put all other things aside and just read the memorial written by Zhu Fangyuan over and over again every day, guessing the questions that the Ming Emperor might raise, thinking about the words to respond in advance and writing them down. .Zhu Fangyuan’s memorial is only two to three hundred words long, but his annotations are tens of thousands of words long.
But beyond his expectation, the Emperor of Ming Dynasty did not question him too much. He only asked carefully about the condition of the current Crown Prince. When he heard that the Crown Prince's illness was still not cured, and the Ming imperial doctor could not cure it, his expression became a little depressed. He was a little frustrated, but then he asked him to retreat. A few days later, the Ming Emperor summoned him again and carefully inquired about Zhu Fangyuan's wishes. After making sure that Zhu Fangyuan would not regret it, he thought about it for a while and said to him: "Since Zhu has been lingering on his bed and has not recovered, and he has no son. Zhu Fangyuan has already made up his mind. Moreover, what he said is indeed reasonable, so I agree to change the arrangement for the crown prince of Joseon."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Shen Wen immediately became ecstatic after hearing this. Fortunately, he still remembered the etiquette and hurriedly knelt down and said.
Yun glanced at him, with a sarcastic smile on his face: "Are you so happy because your son-in-law will be your heir apparent?" At this time, Zhu, who was named Lord Zhongning, had his first wife from the Qingsong Shen family. , is Shen Wen’s daughter.
Shen Wen did not dare to answer this and could only keep kowtowing. However, he also understood the mood of the Ming Emperor. The Ming Emperor always insisted on the eldest son's inheritance, but North Korea wanted to change someone else to be the heir apparent. Even if there was a reason, the Ming Emperor was not in a good mood. Good and normal.
"That's it, get up." Yun ordered after a while. After he got up, he picked up a pen and wrote a few words on Zhu Fangyuan's memorial, handed it to him and said, "When you go back, return this memorial to Yi De. But don't hurry back. I have ordered the officials of the Ministry of Rites to abolish Zhu Shizi's position and establish Zhu as the crown prince. We will also send envoys to North Korea to choose an auspicious day to read the imperial edict. You and the envoys I sent will return together. "
"Yes, Your Majesty." Shen Wen hurriedly knelt down and agreed. Yun said nothing more and waved his hand for him to retreat.
Zhu Fangyuan breathed a sigh of relief when he learned that the Ming Emperor had agreed to make Zhu the crown prince. Although he believed that the result would be like this, he still felt at ease after receiving the conclusive news. He also learned that the envoy sent by the Ming Emperor would also send the emperor to the throne. The doctors were brought back, and they were not allowed to continue to treat Zhu. They immediately ordered to stop giving Zhu medicine. One drink of this medicine can take effect for several days. Since the imperial doctor of the Ming Dynasty was about to go back, there was no need to let Zhu suffer anymore. Zhu After hearing the news, he lay on the bed blankly for a while, not knowing what he was thinking.
A few days later, the Ming Dynasty sent an envoy to North Korea to read out the canonization decree. He chose a good day to read out the imperial edict, officially abolishing Zhu's position as crown prince and replacing him with Zhu.
"Your Highness, before leaving, Your Majesty also asked your subordinates to tell Your Highness that even if the eldest prince is dethroned as Crown Prince, he is still His Highness's eldest son. Your Highness must not treat him poorly. If something unexpected happens to the eldest prince, or he is entangled Even though he is ill and has no heirs, he still has to adopt someone to inherit his legacy."
When Zhu Fangyuan heard what the messenger said, he quickly said: "Don't worry, angel. I also ask the angel to report back to Your Majesty. Please rest assured. Your Majesty, I will definitely not treat Uncle Hou poorly. I will immediately confer him the title of Lord Rangning, and his treatment will be among the best among all the great monarchs."
First of all, if his uncle is really as good as the angel said, I will definitely adopt him as his heir."
"That's good." The messenger said, handed the imperial edict to Zhu Fangyuan, and ended the edict.
"Yuan Zheng, from today on, you are the crown prince of my Joseon Dynasty. You must not let down your father's expectations." Zhu Fangyuan said to Zhu after returning to the palace.
Zhu still seemed to be in a dream at this time. Ten years ago, Zhu was canonized as the crown prince as the eldest son, and it was also a double canonization by the Ming Emperor and the Korean King. Even though Zhu was seriously ill a while ago and lingered on his bed, Zhu never
He thought he would become the crown prince. So today he heard with his own ears the imperial edict to confer him the title of crown prince. After such a long time, he still couldn't react, and he didn't hear Zhu Fangyuan's words.
Zhu Fangyuan had to say it again, and the voice was louder. Only then did Zhu come back to his senses and said to Zhu Fangyuan: "Father, son, my son is young after all. I'm afraid he won't be able to be a heir."
"You are already eighteen years old, only three years younger than your eldest brother, and you are talented and intelligent. How can you not be a good heir? Even if you are a little unfamiliar now, it will be good if you get to know each other better in the future. You will definitely do better than your eldest brother.
"Zhu Fangyuan said warmly.
"My son will definitely try his best to do his best," Zhu said.
"That's right. It's best if you have such a heart. It's not in vain, father, that I have worked so hard for you to become the eldest son." Zhu Fangyuan said with a smile.
Hearing this, Zhu raised his head in confusion. His eldest brother was ill and never recovered, so his father had to change him to be the heir apparent. How can this be called exhausting efforts?
Seeing his expression, Zhu Fangyuan immediately realized that he had made a mistake. He coughed softly and said, "Go down and think about how to be the heir."
"Yes, father." Zhu agreed, turned around and left. But at this moment, he suddenly felt palpitations in his heart, as if he had taken on something he shouldn't have done. "In the past, every time I had palpitations, something big would happen afterwards.
