Chapter 5: Truly Alive (Revised)

In the Tang Dynasty, princes and princesses generally addressed the Emperor as "A-ye" or "Father" in private. The term "Imperial Father," as often heard in television dramas, was never used.

Li Shen watched the entire process from the sidelines. He knew that a person who had fallen into water could be revived if treated in time. In fact, he had calculated that it had been less than ten minutes since Consort Yan had stopped struggling. The golden window for reviving a drowning victim is within fifteen minutes, during which resuscitation is generally successful. Li Shimin had only spent about a minute speaking with the imperial physician.

Li Shen saw this as an opportunity—a chance to make Li Shimin remember him. Whether it succeeded or not, he had to try; his experiences in the future had taught him that opportunities are fleeting. Once he decided to act, he had to be quick, even though he was not entirely certain of success.

"Shen-er, do not speak nonsense. Your father is here," Lady Wei said, scolding her son as she noticed him interjecting, fearing Li Shimin might take offense.

At this moment, Li Shimin looked toward Li Shen. He had never paid much attention to this particular son, having only heard that he studied diligently at the Imperial Academy, though he was not as famous as his sister, Li Mengjiang.

Since Li Shen had decided to act, he could not waste time. Ignoring Lady Wei's warning gaze, he stepped forward and said, "A-ye, if you want to save her, you must be quick, or it might be too late."

"Li Shen, Physician Xu has just stated that Consort Yan has passed away. How do you intend to save her?" Li Shimin asked, his expression blank.

"A-ye, regardless of whether she can be saved, you must at least make a full effort," Li Shen said, meeting Li Shimin’s gaze directly.

Li Shimin found this reasonable; even if she could not be saved, it would at least reflect well on him, so he nodded and said, "Then you may try."

"A-ye, the method of resuscitation must be performed by you," Li Shen continued.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin’s face darkened instantly. He knew nothing of medicine; would performing the procedure himself not make him look foolish? Or was Li Shen suggesting he merely pretend?

Seeing Li Shimin’s reaction, Li Shen did not hesitate and quickly stepped forward.

"I will teach you the method of resuscitation, A-ye. Time is of the essence; whether it works or not, we must try," Li Shen explained anxiously.

Without waiting for Li Shimin to speak, he demonstrated and explained cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rescue breathing. It was actually quite simple, and the procedure was not complicated. It depended entirely on proficiency; if done incorrectly, one might break a rib and pierce a lung. Fortunately, Physician Xu had already cleared the water from her lungs, so now only chest compressions were needed.

Li Shimin had initially been dismissive, but when he heard he had to press his palms against her chest, he understood why Li Shen had asked him to be the one to do it. Throughout the palace, every woman—save for his own daughters—belonged to him; no one else dared touch them, for doing so would be a capital offense. Even the imperial physicians were cautious when taking a pulse, let alone touching the chest area.

"A-ye, please perform the procedure quickly. It may soon be too late. Whether she lives or dies now depends on Consort Yan’s fate."

Li Shimin, a ruler who had risen through the battlefield, was decisive in his actions. He set aside concerns about whether Li Shen’s method would work. He knew that if he personally performed the rescue, his ministers would not react harshly, and the public perception would be favorable.

With this in mind, Li Shimin immediately followed the method Li Shen had taught him and began pressing on Consort Yan’s chest.

"A-ye, do not press too hard, or you might break Consort Yan’s bones," Li Shen, crouching nearby, reminded him.

"I know," Li Shimin replied without looking up.

"One, two, three... thirteen, fourteen, fifteen. A-ye, now you must breathe into her."

"Tilt the chin up a little. Yes, that’s it, pinch the nose. Take a deep breath, and blow—" Li Shen guided him earnestly. He did not notice that Li Shimin’s face had flushed slightly, and many of the surrounding concubines were blushing as well; in this ancient era, performing such an intimate act in front of so many people was scandalous. Even the battle-hardened Li Shimin felt a measure of embarrassment.

"Continue. One, two, three, four... fourteen, fifteen. Blow. A-ye, press a little faster."

They continued for three or four minutes without result. A few mouthfuls of water were expelled, but Li Shimin was beginning to tire.

"Li Shen, is this method of yours truly effective?" Li Shimin asked between compressions.

"A-ye, it should be. I read it in an ancient book. The book says it is effective for drowning victims," Li Shen said with feigned confidence. In truth, he was worried; so much time had passed, and there was still no sign of life.

Li Shimin did not speak, continuing to follow Li Shen's instructions. Another five or six minutes passed.

"Cough... cough..." Suddenly, Consort Yan coughed twice, spat out some water, and then opened her mouth, gasping for air.

"Ah! She’s awake! She really woke up!"

"Indeed! She truly woke up! It is inconceivable!"

"She was breathless for a quarter of an hour and she woke up? This is a resurrection!"

"A-ye, stop pressing," Li Shen said, ignoring the hushed whispers of the crowd. Seeing that Consort Yan could breathe, he urged Li Shimin to stop, fearing he might press too hard and cause harm.

Li Shimin stopped immediately, his face filled with shock. He looked down at Consort Yan, then at his own hands. He had actually saved her. In truth, Li Shimin had not expected it to work; he hadn't fully believed in the method Li Shen taught him. But as Li Shen had said, performing the rescue himself would certainly bolster his reputation.

He had only tried it on a whim, never expecting success. If this were to reach the common people—that a consort had drowned, the physicians had declared her dead, and the Emperor, in his deep affection, had refused to give up and personally performed the rescue, bringing her back to life after fifteen minutes—his prestige would surely soar.

For years, to dispel the shadow of the Xuanwu Gate incident where he had killed his brother to seize the throne, Li Shimin had worked diligently and conscientiously. If this news spread, it would inevitably be exaggerated through word of mouth. With the right guidance, they could claim he possessed the aura of a dragon, was protected by purple vapors, or was blessed by the gods.

"A-ye, since she is awake, it would be better to leave her to the imperial physicians. Consort Yan has just regained consciousness and is quite weak. Moreover, the water was cold. The physicians are better equipped to prescribe medicine for her recovery," Li Shen said, noticing Li Shimin lost in thought.

"Right, right. Physician Xu, come here and see how Consort Yan is doing," Li Shimin said, snapping back to reality and calling for the physician.

"Oh... oh, yes. Your subject will check her pulse," Physician Xu said, waking from his own shock. He found it all incredible. How could this be? No medicine, no acupuncture—just pressing and blowing, and the person came back to life? It was entirely beyond his understanding.

He had begun studying herbs at five and pulse-reading at seven; nearly fifty years had passed. He had read countless medical texts and miscellaneous essays. Any book related to saving lives that he could find, he had purchased and studied. His personal notes filled a large trunk, but today’s events had completely overturned his lifelong understanding of medicine.

After checking her pulse, Physician Xu bowed respectfully to Li Shimin. "Congratulations, Your Majesty. Consort Yan has been brought back from the brink of death. However, because she was without breath for so long and the pool water was cold, her body is quite weak. I believe she should be returned to her quarters immediately, her wet clothes changed to prevent chills from entering her body. I will prescribe medicine to prevent illness and aid in her recovery. Consort Yan is very fragile; she will need to rest and recuperate for at least several months, or even longer, to ensure no lasting harm remains."

"Granted. Do as Physician Xu says. Someone, escort Consort Yan back to her palace at once and ensure she is well cared for," Li Shimin commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty," the maids and eunuchs accompanying Consort Yan replied, and with the help of others, they carried her back to her residence.