Chapter 21: Treating Empress Zhangsun

Li Shen came to the Lizheng Palace specifically to save Empress Zhangsun. He had been conducting experiments for over twenty days.

The first four patients had already recovered. Later, he had the prison warden privately find a few commoners suffering from asthma and bring them to the prison cells. Since Li Shen could not leave the palace, he had to rely on the warden to find people for him; for this, Li Shen rewarded the warden and the guards with fifty strings of cash.

The warden and guards were overjoyed and brought him three more people. After receiving Li Shen’s medication, they generally recovered in seven or eight days, with one taking ten. Having been delayed for over twenty days, Li Shen’s supply of medicine was running low.

Although his household was producing it daily, the output was truly too low. Furthermore, he estimated that Empress Zhangsun might not be able to wait any longer. In the television series, the Empress died in the seventh or eighth lunar month, and it was currently the sixth.

He reckoned there was only a little over a month left. Li Shen dared not wait any longer; the earlier the treatment, the better the results. If he dragged it out, it might become ineffective. Therefore, after finishing his studies at the Imperial Academy, he grabbed his supplies and headed straight for the Lizheng Palace. As it happened, Li Shimin was also there.

Li Shen followed Wang De to the Empress’s sleeping quarters. He saw her lying on the bed, looking haggard and coughing incessantly. Li Shen concluded that it was essentially pneumonia; he had looked just like this when he suffered from fever and pneumonia in his previous life.

"Your son pays his respects to Father and Mother," Li Shen said, bowing.

"Li Shen, what brings you here? If there is nothing, do not disturb the Empress's rest," Li Shimin said, his face darkening as he began to shoo him away.

"Cough, cough. Shen’er, do not listen to your father’s nonsense. Come, sit down. Pour a cup of water for the Prince of Shen," the Empress said, ignoring Li Shimin to beckon Li Shen over.

Li Shen thought to himself that she truly was a wonderful woman. It was no wonder she appeared in every television drama about the Tang Dynasty. Her virtuous and kind nature was not a fabrication. Only Empress Zhangsun could keep Li Shimin in check; otherwise, why would he have acted so foolishly and changed his temperament so drastically after she died?

"Replying to Father and Mother, my aunt specifically asked me to come and check on Mother's condition. I wonder what the imperial physicians have said," Li Shen said.

"Whose side are you here to take? The Empress will recover soon. Get out!" Li Shimin said, his face turning black with anger. He assumed Li Shen had been sent by Consort Wei to see if the Empress had died yet—why else would he be so eager for her death? In his current state, Li Shimin viewed everyone with suspicion.

"Er-lang, do not be angry. Shen’er is still a child," she said. She knew that after she died, Li Shimin would still need Consort Wei to care for him, and the inner palace would still need her management.

"Shen’er, go back and tell Consort Wei: I hope she will take good care of His Majesty in the future. The inner palace will also trouble her to look after. His Majesty is burdened with ten thousand tasks and is focused on state affairs; the inner palace must not fall into chaos," the Empress instructed.

Seeing that Li Shimin and the Empress had misunderstood his intentions, Li Shen decided to be direct.

"Father, Mother, what I mean is that if the imperial physicians cannot save you, I would like to try treating you myself. I have a type of medicine that might be effective."

"Is this true?" Li Shimin stood up abruptly, grabbing Li Shen’s arm.

"Father, twenty days ago, I went to the Ministry of Justice prison to attempt a cure on four people, and all of them recovered. One of them had symptoms very similar to Mother’s.

I also recruited three commoners from outside whose symptoms were similar to Mother’s. Those three also recovered. I had intended to continue verifying the results, but I heard from my aunt that Mother’s condition had worsened and she could not wait any longer.

That is why I came immediately to see. If the imperial physicians have a solution, I will not interfere. But if they have no other options, I would like to try. It is better than waiting helplessly." Li Shen had almost said "waiting to die," but he swallowed the words.

Li Shimin fell into deep thought. Suddenly, he asked, "Why are you manufacturing medicine?"

Li Shen looked at Li Shimin and replied sternly, "Because my aunt asked me to save Empress Zhangsun."

"Consort Wei wants you to save the Empress?" Li Shimin asked in surprise.

"Yes. My aunt told me that the Empress is virtuous, kind, and has treated her with grace. She said it would be wonderful if there were a way to save the Empress. When I said I could try, my aunt told me to do so," Li Shen answered.

"Good. Wang De, go call Li Xiuwei here," Li Shimin commanded decisively. He was not an indecisive emperor; he knew he had to seize an opportunity if it arose. What if it worked? Primarily, the imperial physicians were already out of options.

"Bring out your medicine and let me see it," Li Shimin said, his expression softening after making his decision.

Li Shen put down his box and opened it, revealing small wax-sealed jars, bamboo tubes, needles, and a small flask of alcohol.

Li Shen picked up a small jar and said, "Father, the medicine is in this jar, but I must perform a skin test first. I need to see if Mother has any adverse reactions to the drug. If she does, this medicine is useless. Using it forcibly would be like using poison." His greatest fear was that the Empress might be allergic to penicillin. As he spoke, he drew a small amount into a needle and injected it into the skin of the Empress’s wrist. The pain brought tears to her eyes.

While waiting for the results, Wang De returned with the Chief Imperial Physician, Li Xiuwei. Li Shimin said, "Physician Li, the Prince of Shen says he has medicine to save the Empress. You will stay by his side to prevent any untoward incidents."

"Your Majesty, the Empress’s illness..." Li Xiuwei hesitated before continuing, "is not suitable for indiscriminate medication. Furthermore, the Prince of Shen is young and lacks medical training. I beg Your Majesty to reconsider." Li Xiuwei meant that if they could not cure her, Li Shen certainly could not.

Li Shen remained silent, waiting for Li Shimin’s decision. After a moment, Li Shimin said, "Do you have any other solutions? If not, let Li Shen try."

Li Xiuwei wanted to argue further, but he ultimately remained silent; after all, they had no way to treat the Empress.

Li Shen did not hesitate and carefully observed the site of the skin test; there was no redness or swelling. He immediately pushed a bamboo needle into the jar and drew a sufficient dose. Then he hesitated—he had forgotten to tell Li Shimin that this needed to be injected into the buttocks. What was he to do? Why hadn’t he trained Lan Yu’er? It was just that the prisoners he had treated back then were all men.

Seeing Li Shen hesitate, Li Shimin asked, "What is the matter?"

After much hesitation, Li Shen said, "Father, this must be injected into the buttocks for the medicine to enter the body and be effective. You see..."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin understood immediately. It meant pulling down her trousers. Could the Empress’s buttocks be exposed to anyone?

"Father, perhaps we can wait a few more days? I can train Lan Yu’er, and she could do it," Li Shen suggested, seeing Li Shimin’s hesitation.

"You child, I am your mother, and you are so young. How could there be anything improper? Besides, you are saving your mother," the Empress said. She knew Li Shimin was worried about her reputation if word got out.

"Fine. Your mother is right; proceed with the treatment," Li Shimin said, specifically emphasizing the word "mother" to signify she was not an outsider. In truth, he was afraid the Empress could not wait a few more days.

"Oh, very well. It doesn’t need to be fully removed, just pulled down a little bit. Mother, please lie on your stomach. Everyone else, please leave; just one maidservant is enough," Li Shen said to the room.

Li Shimin didn't move, glaring at him. "You want me to leave, too?"

"Uh... Father does not need to leave," Li Shen realized he had forgotten about Li Shimin—he had seen his own wife before, after all. After everyone else left, the maidservant slowly lowered the Empress’s trousers until Li Shen said it was enough.

"Mother, it will be very painful; please bear with it. If it hurts too much, you may cry out," Li Shen warned her.

Seeing the Empress nod, he first disinfected the area with a thick cloth soaked in alcohol, then skillfully inserted the needle into the muscle. Finally, he slowly pushed the medication in.

Because the needle was thick, it was indeed very painful. The Empress let out a gasp and bit into the bedding to stop herself from making a sound. A moment later, Li Shen withdrew the needle and pressed the puncture site with an alcohol-soaked cloth. He instructed the maidservant, "Keep pressing until it stops bleeding, then put her trousers back on." Then, Li Shen began to pack his things.

"Is that it?" Li Shimin asked, looking on, bewildered.

"Yes, Father. She needs two injections a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. She should recover in about seven or eight days." This was the experience Li Shen had summarized, as the concentration was low; without overdosing, two injections a day yielded better results.

After the Empress was tidied up, they summoned the Chief Physician, Li Xiuwei. Li Shimin ordered, "Physician Li, stay here for a while and observe if there are any changes in the Empress." Li Xiuwei understood Li Shimin’s meaning and nodded in agreement.

Seeing that there was nothing left for him to do, Li Shen took his leave of Li Shimin. He explained that he would return the next morning to administer the second dose, and then Li Shen returned to the Daji Palace.

(Note: Large doses must indeed be injected into the buttocks, while small doses can be injected into the arm. This is because the muscle layer in the buttocks is thick, the area is large, and there are many capillaries, making it easier for absorption. If you don’t believe it, you can look it up.)