Chapter 4, Underflow

In the autumn of the year 1208, the eighth year of the reign of Emperor Taihe of the Jin Dynasty, Emperor Wanyan Jing fell gravely ill. The Imperial Medical Institute was at a loss, and preparations for the aftermath were already underway.

Wanyan Jing has met with Wang Chuyi and Liu Chuxuan, two of the Seven Disciples of Quanzhen, and they had a pleasant conversation

During this period, Wanyan Honglie remained in the residence except for visiting the palace to pay his respects. He refused to meet with any court officials who came to visit and strictly prohibited anyone in the royal residence from discussing matters privately

The Seven True Ones were highly sought after in the upper echelons of the Jin Dynasty, not for their martial arts, but for their teachings on Daoist health preservation. In any era, longevity has been a pursuit of humanity, especially for those in positions of power.

As the daughter of a private tutor, Bao Xiruo places great importance on the education of young children. She brought forth the "Thousand Character Classic" for Yang Kang to recite. In order to win his mother's favor, he effortlessly memorized the "Thousand Character Classic".

Wanyan Honglie understood that the physicians in the Imperial Medical Institute were afraid of taking responsibility and were reluctant to employ more severe measures, resulting only in prolonged delays, which ultimately led to the outcome of a long-term illness remaining untreated

After this turmoil, Yang Kang continued to live a comfortable life as a young prince, but he had an additional daily task: he had to start studying

The seemingly vast Jin state is at a turning point; should internal palace strife occur at this moment, the consequences would be unimaginable

Later, the Quanzhen Sect gradually grew stronger and spread rapidly. It began to be restless in merely being Taoist priests, disseminating some remarks detrimental to the Jin Dynasty, which attracted the attention of the Jin court. Consequently, they prohibited the Quanzhen Sect from preaching in the Jin Dynasty on the grounds of "spreading heretical words to confuse the people." However, this ban was not effectively enforced.

At this time, Yang Kang was already three years old. He could sense the atmosphere of an impending storm, the oppressive feeling was almost suffocating, and the entire royal residence was as silent as a grave.

If he were to become emperor, in order to reform the existing issues, the first thing he would need to eliminate would be his maternal family. Only by completely removing the Li clan from the court could he restore the integrity of the dynasty. However, this is something he cannot achieve at present, as the Li clan is the foundation of his power.

The Seven Disciples of Quanzhen took advantage of this opportunity to establish connections with high-ranking officials and royal aristocrats, paving the way for the spread of the Quanzhen Sect. Later, Qiu Chuji even traveled to Mongolia to teach Genghis Khan about the principles of health preservation, receiving great honors in return

This situation persisted for half a month, and while the court officials were embroiled in endless disputes, a Taoist priest secretly entered the palace

This time, Ma Jue's entry into the palace was the idea of Wanyan Honglie, who took a significant political risk in doing so

As the foremost of the Seven True Ones, Ma Jue is renowned for his "Miraculous Needle Technique." He is well-versed in medical principles, excels in acupuncture, and has established the title of "Ma Danyang's Twelve Divine Needles," making him a widely acclaimed physician

Ma Jue entered the palace and employed the heart method of the Quanzhen Sect to protect Wanyan Jing's heart meridian. He utilized acupuncture techniques to unblock the long-congested meridians of Wanyan Jing. After a total of twenty days, initial results were finally observed, and Wanyan Jing regained consciousness

However, Wanyan Honglie's mother is the currently favored Yuan Consort Li Shier. Although she is a consort, she enjoys the treatment of an empress. Had it not been for her humble origins, she would have long been conferred the title of empress and held significant power in the imperial harem

The early Quanzhen Sect was highly regarded by the Jin Dynasty court. During the Dading period of the Jin Dynasty, Emperor Shizong, Wanyan Yong, invited Qiu Chuji to the central capital to expound on the principles of health preservation, and also granted him a considerable amount of pocket money

Explaining the principles of health preservation and treating illness are two different matters. The former can be managed simply by talking and taking some tonics, which is not life-threatening. The latter, however, is much more complicated. Moreover, it is difficult for the Jurchens to trust a Han doctor. In the event of an accident, Wanyan Honglie, as the recommender, bears significant responsibility.

The reason why Wanyan Honglie acted in this manner was due to careful consideration. The Jin state is currently on a downward trajectory, with domestic nobles indulging in extravagance and luxury becoming the norm. The court is dominated by powerful relatives of the emperor, and the common people across various regions are suffering. Among the Han people, the sentiment against the Jin is gradually rising.

Yang Kang felt the majesty of the emperor; the health of an emperor can influence the mood of an entire city, or even the entire nation. This is the power of authority

It is conceivable that if one party were to emerge victorious, the other party, as the loser, would face extreme repression, even to the point of physical annihilation

Any organization can only have the potential for significant development if it gains the recognition of the state

This message has warmed the winter in Zhongdu City, and laughter can also be heard in the Zhao Wangfu.

He knelt with a pained expression, maintaining a proper posture. He cried when it was appropriate and remained silent when it was time to be quiet, unlike other unruly children who did not understand the situation. This earned him considerable praise.

In an instant, the entire capital was rife with hidden currents, and the atmosphere was charged with the threat of violence

The relationship between the Quanzhen Sect and the Jin Dynasty court is somewhat complex. Wang Chongyang, the founder of the Quanzhen Sect, once took part in the martial examination in the Jin Dynasty and held an official position. After resigning from his post, he became a Taoist priest and established the Quanzhen Sect

The courtiers were very satisfied with his performance; if they succeeded, this child would become the future crown prince. At this moment, Yang Kang's fate was closely tied to Wanyan Honglie.

This is the court struggle, where it is either your death or my survival

He also wishes to become an emperor, but the timing is not right

Among the many offspring of the emperor, the voices in favor of the eldest son Wanyan Hongyu and the sixth son Wanyan Honglie are the loudest. The Jin dynasty has always upheld the ancestral system of appointing the eldest, and the royal relatives of the Grand Council have begun to rally for Wanyan Hongyu's succession

He was brought to the palace and knelt before the bed of Wanyan Jing, accompanied by other children, who were the next generation of nobility in the Jin state

The Quanzhen School was able to spread rapidly during the Jin and Yuan dynasties, becoming one of the important Daoist sects of the time, which is closely related to the policy of adopting an upward path.

If his elder brother Wanyan Hongyu were to become emperor, a ruler lacking in capability would lead the Jin state into a deeper quagmire

The Quanzhen Sect is located on Mount Zhongnan, under the jurisdiction of the Jingzhao Prefecture of the Jin Dynasty.

Both the court and the people were filled with trepidation, as Wanyan Jing had not yet designated an heir. Consequently, various factions began to engage in frequent activities.

After much contemplation, he decided to invite Ma Jue to treat Wan Yan Jing. He believed that with a few more years to cultivate a group of trusted confidants, he could ensure the prosperity of the Da Jin Kingdom under his leadership. For this reason, he was willing to take this risk

This Taoist priest is Master Ma Jue of the Quanzhen School

Thus, the rumors regarding the Young Prince being a prodigy spread rapidly, bringing him some minor troubles

At this time, the signs of interference in governance by the imperial harem and the maternal relatives of the Jin dynasty had already emerged. Li Shier naturally hoped for her son to become emperor. Furthermore, due to Wanyan Hongyu's own mediocre abilities, most court officials wished for Wanyan Honglie to ascend the throne. Consequently, the imperial harem began to form alliances with external officials to counterbalance the power of the clan.

With the awakening of Wanyan Jing, the turmoil in both the imperial harem and the court has subsided. However, the undercurrents have never ceased; they have merely taken a temporary respite.