Free Web NovelChapter 2378: Chapter 2353: Ice and Fire
Manbao pocketed the money and followed the Su Family’s steward to the State Duke Pi’s residence to needle Su Jian again. After checking his pulse, she left him a prescription—the same one she and Doctor Ding had written at the racecourse. She said, "Right now this purging-heat-through-the-bowels prescription fits his symptoms best, so let him take this first."
Manbao calculated the time from the onset of his illness until now, nodded, and said, "I see he’s not in as much pain as before, so he should be improving. Keep taking the medicine and doing the acupuncture. But his diet needs to stay light these days—less greasy meat, and it’s best if he doesn’t touch wine at all."
The State Duke Pi’s Madam hurriedly agreed and personally escorted Manbao to the courtyard, asking, "Imperial Doctor Zhou, I heard you once gave my son some medical advice at the racecourse."
Manbao said a bit embarrassed, "Madam, please don’t blame me. I saw the Young Lord indulging in wine and pleasure without any restraint, so I couldn’t help saying a few more words."
She said, "The Young Lord was seriously injured back then. He may look no different from ordinary people now, but his internal organs are weaker than most, so extra care is needed. He should eat less rich, greasy food, and even when he does, it should mainly be steamed or boiled. Roasted and grilled things he should rarely eat, and as for wine, all the more he should avoid it."
Manbao said, "Drinking too much is bad for anyone, not to mention someone who has suffered an injury like his."
The State Duke Pi’s Madam immediately thought of the Crown Prince—didn’t he also have to abstain from alcohol during his infertility treatment?
She hardened her resolve at once and said to Manbao, "Rest easy, Imperial Doctor Zhou, I will keep a close watch on him from now on."
Su Jian’s illness was not serious, but not minor either. It sounded like just a stomachache, but in an acute attack it really could kill.
So when Xiao Tan Taiyi returned to the palace, he wrote down Su Jian’s pulse condition in the records and also reported it briefly to Director Xiao.
The Emperor had caught a bit of a chill and had just summoned Director Xiao for treatment. Director Xiao then informed the Emperor of this matter and said clearly that the Su Family had already privately invited Zhou Man to attend him.
The Emperor got on fairly well with State Duke Pi, his in-law, so he really did care about Su Jian’s health. Thus he said, "Since Zhou Man is more skilled at treating this kind of illness, let her take over Su Jian’s case."
This was a shift change, assigning Zhou Man to handle the consultation outside the palace.
Director Xiao smiled and answered yes.
The Emperor was concerned about Su Jian’s health, but he cared even more about having good ministers to assist the Crown Prince. So after the reunion dinner that night, the Emperor called the Crown Prince aside and said, "Su Jian is not fit for great responsibility. Even if you are showing favor to the Crown Princess’s family, you must not entrust him with anything important."
The Crown Prince: ...We were eating peacefully, why did we suddenly start talking about my brother‑in‑law?
The Emperor lifted his gaze and looked at the Crown Prince. "What, can’t bear to part with him?"
The Crown Prince asked, "What has Su Jian done to anger Father Emperor?"
"Nothing. It isn’t I who am angry, it’s the State Duke Pi and his wife," the Emperor said coolly. "Su Jian can’t even manage something as simple as abstaining from alcohol. Clearly, he’s not a man of much self‑discipline. From what I’ve seen, aside from being obedient, he’s of little use at your side. So you may send him on minor errands, but you must not entrust him with major matters."
The Crown Prince said, "Is it so bad to be obedient?"
The Emperor shot him a glance and said, "As a ruler, what you need are good and capable ministers, not obedient mediocrities. Of course, keeping one or two such people beside you is not necessarily a bad thing. It puts you at ease and shows affection and loyalty. But if you heavily favor him, he’ll inevitably take the place that should have gone to a better man. That is naturally not good."
"I know Su Jian is your study companion, and you have feelings for him, but affairs of state cannot be handled by emotion. It’s time you changed some of the people around you." The Emperor continued, "I don’t wish to interfere with your personal confidants; you decide for yourself whom to use. But Su Jian cannot stay at your side any longer. Find an opportunity to send him away."
Su Jian as a study companion was not the same as the others. Bai Shan and the rest were also technically the Crown Prince’s study companions, but after they entered the academy, the Crown Prince only had five classes every ten days at the Chongwen Pavilion, one of which was taught by Mr. Zhuang alone. At first, he would still find chances to take the little companions to the drill ground to play, but after his son was born and his status was fully secured, he basically stopped playing with them.
Su Jian was different. He had accompanied him in his studies since childhood. The Crown Prince had five study companions. In the end, two of them chose neutrality and did not stand with him in his most difficult time. Of the remaining three, everyone except Su Jian had been posted out early.
The one who had always stayed with the Crown Prince was Su Jian.
Adding in the connection of the Crown Princess, the relationship between the Crown Prince and Su Jian was even closer.
So when the Crown Prince heard the Emperor’s assessment of Su Jian, he was quite angry. He felt that the Emperor belittling his friend and subordinate like this was no different from belittling him.
The Crown Prince finally went back to the Eastern Palace with his wife and child wearing a dark expression.
The Empress saw this and said to the Emperor, "You can coax Sanlang when you speak to him. Can’t you be a bit gentler with Dalang too?"
The Emperor said, "If he’s going to be Emperor, he has to get used to enduring this kind of thing. I was already being tactful. If it were Wei Zhi and the others talking to him, they’d be far less gentle. If he can’t bear this now, once I’m gone, will he end up fighting with the entire court every day?"
Moreover, the Emperor felt he was being mild enough. He even let the Crown Prince choose the replacements himself. He hadn’t interfered at all, not even offered a suggestion. How much more lenient could he be?
The Crown Prince returned to the Eastern Palace in anger, and the Crown Princess soon learned what had happened. She felt somewhat disheartened by the Emperor’s assessment of her brother, but still said to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, what Father Emperor said is not without reason. Elder Brother doesn’t even take something as serious as his own life and death to heart. He finds it so hard just to abstain from alcohol. How can he shoulder the heavy responsibilities you give him in the future?"
The Crown Prince had also quit drinking before, and knew how miserable it was. So he said, "Quitting drinking is something you do step by step. He loves wine, so making him suddenly give it up is really painful..."
"Your Highness, his injury has been three years already. Zhou Man said long ago that with his wounds he must not drink, and even after he’s fully recovered he should drink very little. But look at him now—this time he drank himself straight into collapse. I asked the imperial doctors; this illness is more than half due to irregular eating and drinking."
The Crown Princess said, "No matter how hard it is to quit, didn’t Your Highness manage it? Even during a grand festival like the New Year, you only have a light sip. Why can’t he quit?"
The Crown Prince opened his mouth, and after a long moment asked, "You can bear to part with him?"
The Crown Princess said, "I can’t bear it, but one should only take on as much as one’s ability allows. Third Brother’s abilities are limited. Even if you force him to hold a position, he won’t do it well. If he eventually fails in his duties and commits errors, that will be even worse."
The Crown Prince fell into thought.
The Crown Princess took the chance and said, "If Your Highness chooses a good posting for Third Brother, that will be fulfilling the duty of ruler to minister. Let him be sent out of the capital; perhaps after a few years of experience, he’ll grow."
This was just the Crown Princess’s hopeful wish. She and the Crown Prince both knew that at Su Jian’s age, his temperament was unlikely to change. But once he was sent out, as long as he behaved more sensibly, State Duke Pi and his wife should be satisfied.
The Crown Prince tapped the table and pondered. "But who can take over his position at the Chongwen Pavilion?"
The Crown Princess lowered her gaze and thought for a moment, then said, "What does Your Highness think of Bai Shan?"
