The morning light had just begun to shine through, and a hint of fish belly white had just appeared in the eastern sky. Ming Chengzu, who had been restless all night, slowly sat up and stretched out his hand to gently open the curtain in front of the dragon bed.
Hearing the sound, Wang Xiaosi, who was taking a nap against a pillar outside, opened his hazy eyes, raised his sleeves to wipe the scratches at the corners of his mouth, and hurriedly came closer.
"Your Majesty, are you awake?" Wang Xiaosi asked hurriedly, bending his body.
Looking at the mark on Wang Xiaosi's right face on his shoulder, Ming Chengzu asked: "You stood outside all night without sleeping?"
"The Emperor didn't sleep well all night. He was turning over and over. I was afraid that you would call me, so I kept waiting by your side." Wang Xiaosi said.
Looking up at the bits of light outside the window, Ming Chengzu gently rubbed his forehead with his right hand: "Go back to sleep. You don't have to accompany me to Huailaiwei today."
"Your Majesty, why don't you sleep a little longer? It's just dawn and it's still early for the 'hunting' time, so you can still have a good sleep." Wang Xiaosi said hurriedly.
"I won't sleep anymore. Even if I sleep, I can't sleep. I have a severe headache. Please go find Xiao Linzi and rub it for me." Ming Chengzu leaned back and lay down again.
"The Emperor has a headache? Do you want to send the imperial doctor over to take a look?" Wang Xiaosi felt nervous when he heard that the Emperor's body was not well.
Lying on the bed, Ming Chengzu waved his hand gently: "No, it's just because I haven't had a good rest. Call Xiao Linzi, and then you go to bed. You don't need to accompany me today."
"Yes." Wang Xiaosi bowed and backed away gently.
After drinking tea, Lin Shangli hurried over. Wang Xiaosi did not go to bed, but followed him into the emperor's palace.
Walking into the palace, looking at the pale Ming Chengzu lying on the dragon bed, Lin Shangli pulled back the sleeve of his right hand without saying a word, and put the back of his hand on Ming Chengzu's forehead.
"I'm not sick. I just haven't had a good rest. I've been thinking about things all night, which will give me a severe headache. Please rub it for me." Opening his eyes, Ming Chengzu said softly.
"Yes." Lin Shangli stood up on tiptoes and sat down on the dragon bed. He placed his hands on Ming Chengzu's forehead and temples and began to massage them gently.
Looking at Wang Xiaosi who looked nervous next to him, Lin Shangli said: "Go, bring that hot cloth over and wipe the emperor's face."
Wang Xiaosi nodded and hurried out again.
"Your Majesty, how about suspending the 'hunting' for a day today?" Lin Shangli asked softly while massaging.
Although he knew that even if the sky fell, the emperor would not stop his hunting. But in his current state, how could he continue to participate in activities?
"No, we must not pause." Ming Chengzu said slowly with his eyes closed.
"Otherwise, it doesn't matter if we don't pause. You don't want to go." Lin Shangli advised again.
"If my emperor doesn't go to the Ming army's 'hunting' activities, isn't it going to make the world laugh at them and those envoys from foreign countries?" Ming Chengzu shook his head gently.
"But, you are like this, I am worried..."
"What are you worried about? Don't worry, I really know what I'm doing. I can stand it." Ming Chengzu interrupted Lin Shangli's persuasion.
While he was talking, Wang Xiaosi ran in hurriedly with a hot cloth in his hand.
Taking the cloth, Lin Shangli wiped it gently on Ming Chengzu's face, then folded it in half and placed it on Ming Chengzu's forehead.
A slight sound of footsteps came in.
"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness King Zhao has arrived outside the main hall and said that he is taking the Emperor to Huailai Guard to participate in the 'hunting'." The old eunuch on duty at the entrance of the main hall bowed to report.
"Let King Zhao wait outside." Lin Shangli said angrily.
Yesterday, I came to pick up the emperor early, just wanted to do it. Why did he come here again today?
I just want to show my sincerity. No matter how old the emperor is, coming here so early is not showing filial piety, but clearly urging him to do something.
"King Zhao is also kind-hearted. He came from Huailaiwei to pick up his father. Let him come in." Ming Chengzu said softly with his eyes closed.
"Your Majesty, this servant is going to give you a massage. Just close your eyes and take a good rest. It's still some time before the hunting starts, so let King Zhao wait outside." Lin Shangli tried his best to comfort him.
He had been up all night, and if he didn't take the opportunity to take a nap, judging from the emperor's current physical condition, he might go to participate in the "hunting" activity, and something might happen.
"It's okay, it's rare for him to have such filial piety, so let him in." Ming Chengzu said slowly.
Lin Shangli had a hint of reluctance on his face, but he could only nod towards the old eunuch: "Let King Zhao come in."
Ming Chengzu lay quietly on the bed, enjoying the momentary relief brought by Lin Shangli's hands on the heavy depression on his forehead.
There was a sound of heavy footsteps, accompanied by the sound of metal rubbing on armor, from far to near.
The door curtain was opened, and the tall and majestic figure of Zhao Wang Zhu Gaosui appeared in front of everyone.
"Father, what's wrong with you? What's wrong with you?" With anxiety and worry on his face, Zhu Gaosui threw himself in front of Ming Chengzu's bed.
"Sui'er, you're here." Opening his eyes, Ming Chengzu weakly greeted him. His eyes looking at Zhu Gaosui showed no trace of the emperor's majesty, but were full of kindness.
"Imperial Physician, where is the Imperial Physician? My father is so ill, don't you know how to call the Imperial Physician?" Turning around suddenly, Zhu Gaosui was furious at Wang Xiaosi behind him.
Ming Chengzu smiled faintly and said softly: "Don't blame them. It was my father who refused to call the imperial doctor. My father is fine."
"Father, I'm so anxious seeing you so sick." Zhu Gaosui said as he sat on the edge of the dragon bed, put his hands against the mattress, and pushed the quilt on Ming Chengzu's body under his body.
It seemed that he was afraid that his father would catch a cold.
"Ahem, cough, cough." Ming Chengzu coughed several times in pain, "Last night, my father didn't sleep well all night. He always felt irritable and abnormal. In the morning, when it was time to get up, his head was very heavy again. My father was really upset.
He’s getting old.”
"No, how could my father grow old? He will live for ten thousand years. Even though it is March, the weather is still cold. I am afraid that my father has suffered from the wind and cold." Zhu Gaosui seemed to have lost his mind and said with anxious eyes.
As if there was no place to put his hands, he groped on the dragon bed and pushed the quilt hard under Ming Chengzu's body.
"I know my father's health well. Today, I'm afraid I really can't go to Huai Lai to defend me. It just so happens that you can host today's 'hunting' activity for my father." Ming Chengzu said.
Zhu Gaosui nodded vigorously: "Father, don't worry, the child will definitely live up to his high expectations."
"Go, the time for the 'hunting' to begin is coming soon, don't let those foreign envoys laugh at our Ming Dynasty." Ming Chengzu smiled and said softly.
Hearing this, Zhu Gaosui stood up and saluted Ming Chengzu with his hands clasped in fists: "The child has gone, please have a good rest and take care of yourself."
"Don't say that your father is ill." Ming Chengzu warned again.
