Chapter 38 Too cruel
In Xianliang Temple.

Zhu Gang, who was soundly sleeping, was suddenly pulled out of bed. He was startled and saw many strong men. Zhu Gang was completely dazed.

Someone said, "Your Highness, I'm sorry, but we are just following your orders..."

Not long after, screams like a pig being slaughtered were heard from Zhu Gang's bedroom.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

…………

The next morning, Deng Qianqiu slept until three o'clock in the morning.

I was bored to death, but luckily Zhu Gang came.

However, Zhu Gang looked very bad and he walked with a limp. When he came to Deng Qianqiu, he did not sit down but just stood there motionless.

Deng Qianqiu asked in surprise: "Your Highness, how... did you get beaten again? What did you do wrong this time?"

Zhu Gang looked confused and blurted out: "I don't know."

Deng Qianqiu: “…”

Deng Qianqiu scratched his head: "How could I not know?"

Zhu Gang tilted his head, thought for a moment and said, "In the middle of the night, the guards from Wenhua Palace pulled me out of bed and said they were ordering me to beat me up. As for the reason... they didn't dare to say, and I didn't dare to ask."

Deng Qianqiu said distressedly: "It's too cruel, how could it be like this, Your Highness, have you treated your wounds?"

"When I was being beaten, there were several imperial doctors with me, and they applied medicine as soon as they were done."

Deng Qianqiu couldn't help but sigh.

I didn't know how to comfort her for a moment, so I just said, "It seems that your father still loves you."

This time, it was Zhu Gang's turn to remain silent.

But he soon cheered up again: "Qianqiu, we should think about the workshop. Didn't we say that we should rebuild a workshop in this capital?"

Speaking of this, Deng Qianqiu suddenly became excited and said, "Yes, yes, this is the most important thing in the world. The business in Nanjing is much bigger than that in Fengyang. Since we want to do it, we naturally want to make it bigger and stronger. Now we have capital in our hands. Not only is the scale of the workshop in Nanjing better than that in Fengyang, but I have some other ideas."

Zhu Gang's eyes lit up, and he seemed to have forgotten the pain in his body. He said hurriedly: "What, what, tell me, Qianqiu, I know you have the best solution."

So Deng Qianqiu said, "I have to be on duty recently, so Your Highness may really need to take care of this matter."

Deng Qianqiu gave a brief explanation. Zhu Gang was confused, but he quickly found a pen and paper and wrote down everything Deng Qianqiu said. He couldn't help but ask, "Will this work?"

Deng Qianqiu said: "When we were penniless, we were able to get something for nothing. Now that we have capital, what are we afraid of?"

Zhu Gang grinned and said, "Haha, haha... Ever since I met Qianqiu, I feel that my luck has changed. However... I don't know what kind of demon I met and what cursed my father. I will ask someone to calculate someday what kind of demon is causing trouble around me. Why has it been hitting me every other day for good or bad reasons?"

At this point, he became indignant.

Deng Qianqiu could only express his sympathy and comfort him, "Your Highness, please accept my condolences. Some things should be more open-minded. There are no parents who are not right in the world. Look, my father never hits me."

Zhu Fan: "..."

But at this moment, an eunuch came and said, "Your Highness, Your Highness, it's time to go visit the Queen."

Zhu Gang put the note he had written down into his arms and said, "I have to go visit my mother. I'll find time to come and see you."

After saying this, he limped away, supported by the eunuchs.

…………

Queen Ma's health seemed to be getting worse.

Especially the swelling of the hands and feet became more serious.

Coupled with her loss of appetite, she looked particularly weak.

When Zhu Gang just arrived at the bedroom, he heard Zhu Yuanzhang's angry voice.

"It was fine yesterday, but today...it's even worse."

At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang glared at several imperial doctors.

The imperial doctors dared not to breathe. Finally, the leading imperial doctor stepped forward and answered: "Your Majesty, the medicine you have used these days is the medicine offered by the King of Jin. We... are powerless."

After hearing this, Zhu Gang shrank his neck in fear, but he was worried about his mother and did not dare to leave. He had to tiptoe and huddle in a corner of the hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze began to wander and fell on Zhu Gang.

Zhu Gang deliberately lowered his head and pretended nothing happened.

Zhu Yuanzhang seemed anxious.

At first, I used the medicine prescribed by the imperial doctors, but there was no effect.

But at least the condition doesn't seem to be getting worse.

But now that I have used Zhu Gang's medicine, the situation has become worse. If there is no way to save him, I am afraid...

After thinking of the most terrible consequence, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but feel cold hands and feet and chilled all over.

Throughout his life, he was fearless and had control over the life and death, honor and disgrace of millions of people in the world. What courage and power he had.

But... when it came to his first wife, he had no idea what to do. At this moment, he was actually confused.

Zhu Yuanzhang turned around and looked at Empress Ma on the sickbed. He deliberately lowered his voice and asked, "Xiuying, how are you now?"

"Your Ma...your Ma is fine..." Queen Ma said softly.

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned even deeper.

He gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and suddenly looked at Zhu Gang.

Zhu Gang was so frightened that he trembled and said hurriedly, "Father, Father...last night...I have already been punished."

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly. He stood up again and said to the leading imperial physician, "Mr. Liu, please come and examine him again to see what the disease is."

This imperial physician Liu used to work in the Yuan Dynasty palace, and was retained because of his superb medical skills.

In the past, Zhu Yuanzhang respected him very much, but... he never addressed him as "Sir".

Doctor Liu was already scared to death, because he knew better than anyone that when the emperor respected him so much, it meant that His Majesty was particularly concerned about the current situation. If he could bring the patient back to health, it would be fine, but if something went wrong, he would be beheaded tomorrow just because he called you sir.

He was trembling with fear, and hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Yes."

So the eunuch brought a brocade cushion in front of the couch. Doctor Liu leaned over and sat down, then respectfully and carefully placed his hand on Empress Ma's pulse.

The bedroom suddenly fell silent.

But soon, Doctor Liu's face changed, and beads of sweat the size of beans actually fell on his forehead.

His hands began to tremble, and he couldn't control it.

When Zhu Yuanzhang saw this, his face changed suddenly.

He stared at Doctor Liu, carefully observing his expression.

Doctor Liu's expression became more and more serious.

He seemed incredulous.

Then, he stood up quietly and looked back at the other old doctor behind him.

The old doctor had been paying attention to Doctor Liu's diagnosis. Seeing Doctor Liu's pleading look, he became confused, but he had no choice but to step forward.

Imperial Physician Liu stood up and gave him his seat, and the old imperial physician had no choice but to start taking Empress Ma's pulse.

When the old doctor's hand touched Empress Ma's artery, he also trembled all over, just like Doctor Liu, as if he had seen a ghost.

His composure was not even as good as that of Doctor Liu, because a look of panic appeared on his face, and he looked as pale as death.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt a black screen before his eyes when he saw this. He, who had always been so proud, felt vulnerable at this moment. His eyes were bloodshot and he said hesitantly, "How...how..."

Hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's voice, Doctor Liu and the old doctor were even more terrified. Doctor Liu fell to the ground with a thud, then choked with sobs and kowtowed: "Your Majesty...Your Majesty is guilty of a thousand deaths, a thousand deaths..."

(End of this chapter)