My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

Chapter 35 Su Wan's Mischief, Fang Yi'ai Falls into Her Trap

the next morning.

Su Wan's boudoir.

The physician came again to change Xue'er's dressing.

Su Wan took out a packet of silver and handed it to him.

"Medical officer, you treat Xue'er's injuries. Take this money and buy her a pair of shoes."

"Miss Su, you're too kind. I've already paid the due amount."

"This is a small token of my appreciation; please accept it."

"Thank you very much." The physician took the bag of silver in his hand and weighed it in his hand. It was at least five hundred taels of silver.

Su Wan thought for a moment and said to the physician, "I have something I'd like to ask for your help with."

"What can I do for you, young lady?"

Do you have any medication here that can put someone in a coma for a month?

"Excuse me, young lady, what do you need this medicine for?"

"To be honest, I heard that Fang Yi'ai is messing around with women outside. I can't stand it anymore, so I'm going to teach him a lesson."

Upon hearing this, the physician quickly waved his hand: "Miss, that's probably impossible. Just a few days ago, I was treating him for that kind of ailment."

He can't have sex yet.

"No matter what, he's a lecherous scoundrel, so I'm going to punish him on behalf of the women of Chang'an."

"This—," the physician said with a worried expression, "I do have the medicine, but if the Grand Secretary finds out about this, I can't afford to be offended."

"If Fang Yi'ai suddenly falls into a coma, how would he know it was you who did it? If anything happens, I'll take the blame; it has nothing to do with you."

"Alright, I have a medicine here that is colorless and odorless. Once he takes it, he will fall into a coma and even the imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau will not be able to detect it."

Su Wan gave a thumbs up and praised, "Your medical skills are truly superb!"

That evening.

Fang Yi'ai summoned the physician to his residence again and gave him a severe scolding: "Didn't you say that after taking your medicine, I would be able to display my full virility? Why is it still not working?"

"Sir, I have another dose of medicine here. This time, it will definitely work!"

"Are you trying to scam me out of money again?"

"How dare I?" the physician said, pulling a small bottle from his pocket. "Just take this medicine, and you'll definitely get a good erection! And you can pay me after it works, is that alright?"

Fang Yi'ai was skeptical, but he opened the cap of the small bottle, closed one eye and looked inside. The bottle contained a crystal-clear liquid that was colorless and odorless.

"What if I take this medicine and it still doesn't work?"

"Please rest assured, sir. If it still doesn't work, I'm willing to refund all the medical expenses."

"Are you serious?"

"It's true!" the physician said firmly.

Fang Yixin thought that if this medicine worked, then he could spend the night making love with Qiu Tianjiao.

Thinking of this, he looked excited, tilted his head back, and drank the whole bottle of medicine.

the next morning.

After Fang Xuanling finished the morning court session and returned to his residence, Fang Yizhi reported, "Father, my second brother still hasn't woken up."

Fang Xuanling cursed, "What time is it? He's still sleeping! He must have gone out with some shady friends again last night and drunk himself to death!"

"No, this time is different from the past. No matter how we call him, we can't wake him up."

"Huh? Is that so?"

"Yes, please go and take a look."

So Fang Xuanling went to Fang Yi'ai's room and saw him lying on the bed with his face up, like a dead man.

Fang Xuanling asked Fang Yizhi to call him, but no matter how they called, they couldn't wake him up.

Fang Xuanling was puzzled, wondering what was going on.

Could it be that Fang Yi'ai has contracted some strange illness?

However, it's hard to say. He had also heard that Fang Yi'ai was infertile and often took random medications, which only made things worse. Every medicine has some side effects, and it's possible that one of the medications had a reaction in his stomach.

"Go quickly and ask the Emperor to summon the imperial physician!"

"This—." Fang Yizhi hesitated.

"What, didn't you hear what your father said? Or do you have some concerns?"

"Yes, sir!" Fang Yizhi replied reluctantly.

Zichen Palace.

Li Shimin was reviewing memorials, and Wang De stood by his side.

After Fang Yizhi entered, he knelt on the ground and exclaimed, "Long live the Emperor!"

Li Shimin, seated behind the desk, glanced down at him and said, "No need for formalities, rise!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Fang Yizhi stood up and stood respectfully to the side, keeping his eyes focused on his nose, nose, mouth, and mind, without looking to the side.

Li Shimin also heard that Fang Xuanling had a profound meaning behind giving his eldest son this name.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a wise man in the State of Jin named Yangshe Xi. Because of his noble character, Confucius called him "Yizhi".

However, Fang Xuanling gave his eldest son a nickname that belonged to someone else, which shows that Fang Xuanling had very high expectations for Fang Yizhi.

"What brings you to see me?"

Fang Yizhi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I don't know why, but my second brother has been unconscious since last night."

My father is very anxious, therefore, I implore Your Majesty to send the imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau to examine him.

"Oh, is that so?"

The imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau generally treated the emperor and members of the royal family exclusively, and did not treat ministers, unless the emperor agreed otherwise.

"Yes, his symptoms are very peculiar. He lies there as if he's asleep, but no matter how much you shake him, he won't wake up."

"In that case, very well. I will send Wang De to the Imperial Medical Bureau to announce my decree, and have Physician Sun treat your second brother."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Fang Yizhi bowed again.

"Wang De, did you hear what I just said?"

"Your servant obeys the decree."

Wang De agreed and turned to leave.

From this perspective alone, Li Shimin gave Fang Xuanling tremendous face. An ordinary minister wouldn't even have considered it.

"How has your father been feeling lately?"

"Your Majesty, his health is not bad, but he coughs frequently."

"I instructed him to go to the Eastern Palace to tutor the Crown Prince when he had time. Did he go?"

"This—," Fang Yizhi's heart skipped a beat. In fact, Fang Yizhi had his own different opinion on this matter. He opposed Fang Yi'ai getting too close to Li Tai, and he also expressed his incomprehension and disapproval of his father's refusal of the position of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. However, Fang Xuanling insisted on doing so, and as his son, he could not do anything about it. "No."

Why didn't he go?

"Besides handling state affairs, he also had to compile the Book of Jin and the Zhenguan Code every day, so his time was indeed very tight."

Li Shimin put down the memorial in his hand, stood up, and paced back and forth in the hall, slowly saying: "Your father is my most trusted minister. Back then, I fought alongside him on the battlefield, risking my life together."

Your father also made great contributions during the Xuanwu Gate Incident, and my gratitude to him is beyond words.

I also greatly admire his wisdom and talent.

However, I hope to see him do more of what I want to see and less of what I don't want to see.

Upon hearing this, Fang Yizhi felt a chill run down his spine, sensing the deeper meaning in Li Shimin's words, which seemed to indicate dissatisfaction with some of Fang Xuanling's actions: "This humble servant understands."

"You may leave the palace!"

"This humble servant takes his leave!"

After leaving the Zichen Palace, Fang Yizhi wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. For some reason, he always felt a great fear whenever he saw Li Shimin. This time, if it weren't for Fang Yi'ai's matter, he wouldn't have come to see Li Shimin.

Physician Sun arrived at Fang Xuanling's residence. It is said that Physician Sun was Sun Simiao's nephew and had extremely high medical skills.

After examining the patient's pulse, Physician Sun shook his head: "Your son's pulse is sometimes strong, sometimes weak, sometimes absent, which is very strange. I have never encountered anything like it before. I am helpless. Please ask Lord Fang to find another expert."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xuanling thought, "If even Physician Sun can't cure Fang Yi'ai's illness, then who can?"

"Physician Sun, please think of another way."

Physician Sun looked helpless: "Lord Fang, it's not that I don't want to treat him, but I'm truly at a loss."

Seeing that there was truly no way to cure him, Fang Xuanling had no choice but to give up.

Su Wan's boudoir.

Xue'er walked in from outside with a cheerful smile: "Master, I have good news to report to you. After the physician took the money, he kept his word and made Fang Yi'ai unconscious. He is lying stiffly on the bed like a dead man."

Su Wan chuckled upon hearing this: "Really? People often say that money makes the world go round, and it's true! Let that kid suffer a bit, and see how he dares to mess with other women then."

"He's a good-for-nothing, who can he possibly harm?"

However, this time, the Emperor was very accommodating and actually sent Physician Sun from the Imperial Medical Bureau to treat him. However, even Physician Sun was helpless.

Upon hearing this, Su Wan raised an eyebrow: "Really? Fang Xuanling certainly has a lot of influence. You know, imperial physicians are reserved for the royal family and they generally don't treat ministers."

"This shows that the Emperor values ​​Fang Xuanling highly."

"However, he resigned from his position as tutor to the crown prince, which clearly shows that he did not want to support the crown prince."

Now that Fang Yi'ai is ill, it's as if Li Tai has lost his eyes and ears in Chang'an, and our plan has essentially taken its first step.

"Master, you really have a way with things. So, what's our next plan?"

Su Wan smiled as she looked out the window: "We can do this..."

Upon hearing this, Xue'er's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands, laughing, "This sounds like a lot of fun!"

Literature Museum.

Li Tai left Chang'an for Yangzhou, but the people at the Literary Academy continued to compile the "Kuodi Zhi".

Xiao Deyan sighed, "Now that the King is gone, no one will pay our salaries anymore."

Gu Yin laughed and said, "Lord Xiao, the King gave each of us a considerable sum of money before he left. Have you already spent all your money?"

Jiang Yaqing said, "Lord Gu, you are truly ignorant. Our Lord Xiao is handsome and dashing, quite the ladies' man. I heard that he met a woman named Sai Xishi twenty miles outside the south gate of Chang'an. Although he has a lot of money, can he fill that bottomless pit?"

Everyone laughed.

"No wonder people often say 'literati and poets,' Lord Xiao is indeed a romantic and talented man," Gu Yin said.

Xiao Deyan pointed at him and said, "You brothers always like to exaggerate and make baseless accusations!"

"There's no such thing as a baseless rumor in this world. So tell me yourself, is this true or not?"

"..."

night.

Twenty li south of Chang'an City.

There are three thatched houses, and a courtyard behind them.

"Thump, thump, thump!"

At this moment, Sai Xishi and her mother were already asleep when there was a knock on the door.

The old woman put on her clothes, got off the bed, and opened the door.

She opened the door and saw three masked men dressed in black standing in front of it.

The old woman was startled and asked in a trembling voice, "Who...who are you?"

One of the men drew his sword and held it to the old woman's neck: "Shut up, where's your daughter?"

"She...she's inside."

"Call her out; we need to talk to her."

Sai Xishi had already heard the commotion outside, so she got dressed and came out.

She saw a man in black holding a sword to her mother's neck and was terrified!

She knelt down with a thud, crying, "What are you going to do? Let my mother go, I beg you!"

One of the tall women in black said coldly, "Do you want to live or die?"

"Of course we want to live!"

"If you want to live, do as I say."

"Of course. What are your instructions?"

The man in black was Su Gui, the woman in black was none other than Su Wan, and the other woman in black was Xue'er.

Su Wan slowly asked, "Do you know someone named Xiao Deyan from the Literature Museum?"

"Yes, yes, how did you know?"

"Don't ask that. Can you ride a horse?"

"Yes."

"Get on my horse and go into the city to fetch Xiao Deyan for me."

"What do you want with him?"

"Why are you talking so much nonsense? You'll find out when he gets here."

Sai Xishi knew that the woman in front of her was not someone to be trifled with, so her voice softened: "But it's so late, if I go to find him, he might not come."

"Just tell him your mother is seriously ill and ask him to come see her one last time."

"This—." Sai Xishi thought to herself that this was a good idea.

"What, you're unwilling?" Su Wan's voice was cold and stern.

"No, I'm willing!"

"However, let me make this clear first: don't try anything funny with us. If you dare report us to the authorities or try anything else, you'll be in big trouble!"

"I see."

Sai Xishi gave her mother some more instructions, then went out the door, mounted her horse, and headed towards Chang'an.

Not long after, she met Xiao Deyan.

Xiao Deyan asked, "What brings you here so late? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Sai Xishi lied and cried, saying, "My mother may be dying, please come and see her one last time."

"How could this happen? She was perfectly fine just a couple of days ago!"

"The weather is unpredictable, and life is full of unexpected events. As people get older, they can fall ill at any time. How would I have known?"

"Have you consulted a doctor?"

"We've already consulted a doctor, but he couldn't do anything either. Don't say any more, you should go and take a look!"

"Oh well!"

Although Xiao Deyan had some doubts, he still nodded in agreement.

The two of them rode back on horseback.