Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 259 Jiajing warns the imperial doctors that they will all be buried with him!
Jin Chengxun ignored Chen Guang and just kept a gloomy face. After the meeting, he told Yang Dun and other colleagues about this matter.

Soon, all the court officials knew about this matter, and many officials from the south were very angry about it.

However, they were not in a position to express their dissatisfaction openly, and by impeaching Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling, they could only keep their anger to themselves.

Not to mention how many civil servants from the south were so angry that they couldn't eat or sleep, and some even wanted to catch Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling and bite them a few times.

For Emperor Zhu Houcong, at least the new tax policy of banknote customs duties was not interrupted because of the uproar among the nobles and relatives, nor did it aggravate the conflicts between the inner court and the harem.

Renshou Palace.

"Sister, His Majesty is really good. He didn't scold us because we were dissatisfied with the new policy. He just used new ways to make money to convince us to support the new policy."

"My brothers never thought we would meet such a holy and benevolent Lord."

Before leaving the capital, Zhang Heling came to Empress Dowager Zhang's place for a meal and specifically spoke well of the emperor.

Zhang Yanling followed while chewing on the duck's paw and said, "Yes, they gave us a plaque, saying that we were doing good things for the people, and gave us a plaque with the words 'Benevolence and Love for the People'."

"Really?"

When Empress Dowager Zhang heard this, she was even more delighted and asked in disbelief.

"How dare my brothers lie to you?"

Zhang Heling handed the imperial edict he had just received to Empress Dowager Zhang and said, "Sister, please read it yourself."

Empress Dowager Zhang picked up the imperial edict and read it. The more she read, the brighter her smile became:

"Okay, great!"

"You can usually get other rewards, but this is rare, and no in-laws have ever gotten it! This is the first time for you two to get this prize, and this is the prize that truly brings honor to our Zhang family!"

"With your majesty's words, you two won't have a bad reputation in history books in the future."

Empress Dowager Zhang still cared a lot about the reputation of her two younger brothers after their death, so after seeing such an imperial edict, she was happier than when she learned that Jiajing had given her two younger brothers gold, silver and jewelry.

to this end.

Empress Dowager Zhang also gave her two brothers a rare admonition: "Then you must do this well next time, and really help the people, and don't let His Majesty down!"

"Don't worry, sis!"

"My brother has already inquired about it. The interest rates of the temples in Jiangnan are frighteningly high! In the words of His Majesty, the gap between the rich and the poor in Jiangnan is too big, and the gentry have monopolized valuables such as silver that can be traded. Therefore, even if we increase the interest rate in the capital by three times and lend it in Jiangnan, the people in Jiangnan who need to borrow money will only say that we are more Bodhisattva than Bodhisattva!"

As Zhang Heling spoke, he picked up the remaining two duck feet and poured them into the bowl.

Seeing this, Zhang Yanling hurriedly picked up a plate of uneaten shrimps and poured them all into his own bowl. Then, he immediately used chopsticks to pick up the shark fin.

Seeing this, Empress Dowager Zhang hurriedly advised: "Slow down, don't fight! You are a marquis after all, why are you acting like a starving ghost?"

"We want His Majesty to see our Zhang family's loyalty and rush to Jiangnan to do good things for the people! Therefore, we didn't even have breakfast, and rushed to Xingming Bank to withdraw money, and then came to the palace to bid farewell to you!"

Zhang Heling answered hurriedly, and then saw Zhang Yanling was already packing venison buns, and hurriedly shouted: "What are you doing? I haven't eaten a few of those buns yet!"

"I thought that I wouldn't be able to go to the palace to eat the venison buns made in the palace for a long time, so I thought of bringing some with me on the road."

"Brother, why do you have to fight with me?"

Zhang Yanling spoke hurriedly while chewing.

Empress Dowager Zhang saw this and said, "That's not necessary. I'll have the palace maids prepare one for you."

After hearing this, the two were overjoyed and hurriedly expressed their gratitude.

After Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling left burping and carrying a box of venison buns, Empress Dowager Zhang went to Kunning Palace.

Because she heard that after the eldest prince recovered from his illness, the eldest princess started to have a fever again. Thinking that the emperor cared so much about her Zhang family, she decided to take the initiative to visit her, even though it was only the eldest princess who was sick and not the eldest son.

However, as soon as Empress Dowager Zhang walked towards Kunning Palace, she saw the female historian she had sent to Kunning Palace to inform her of her visit in advance and said:

"My lady, I just heard someone around the emperor say in Kunning Palace that Doctor Zhou was poisoned to death!"

"How could this happen!?"

Empress Dowager Zhang shuddered slightly after hearing this, and her whole heart tightened involuntarily. She knew how important Imperial Physician Zhou was to the Emperor!

Now Doctor Zhou is gone.

Empress Dowager Zhang was also aware of how much instability this would bring to the Emperor and the people in the harem.

"Then go back first."

Empress Dowager Zhang had no plans to go to Kunning Palace again.

Because she knew that the emperor must be very angry now.

Zhu Houcong was indeed sitting outside the warm room of Kunning Palace at this time, biting his lower lip so hard that it almost bleeds. The pain became more and more obvious, but he did not let go, and his eyes became more and more murderous.

The death of Imperial Doctor Zhou did make him suddenly feel uneasy, and a surge of rage seemed to be bursting out of his chest.

After all, this was not only because he had killed the imperial physician whom he trusted the most and who was the most skilled in Chinese medicine among the doctors currently serving in the palace, but it also caused him and his family to lose the most reliable guarantee of security.

What's more, he had heard about the conspiracy theories about the Ming Dynasty's Imperial Hospital in his previous life. So, when Doctor Zhou was killed, he could not help but be afraid. He was afraid of what would happen if he got sick, afraid that the eldest daughter, who was also suffering from a fever due to the epidemic flu, would not be able to be cured, afraid of the royal heir, and afraid that Jiang, the biological mother of Empress Dowager Zhang, who could stabilize the harem for him, would die early because of this.

The more Zhu Houcong thought about it, the more his scalp tingled.

He even... he seemed to be able to hear someone chuckling in secret, and even heard these people chuckling and saying that if he continued to do good things for the people and made use of reformers like Wang Yangming, Zhang Cong, Gui E, and Xiong Jia, he would become a truly lonely man and an emperor who died young.

"Rebellion!"

Sudden.

Zhu Houcong shouted hysterically, as if to drive away all the voices.

Snapped!
Simultaneously.

He also threw the teacups on the table onto the dark gold bricks. The teacups, made in Jingdezhen for use in the imperial court, were like pear blossoms falling to the ground, scattered by the strong wind.

"Go check it out!"

Zhang Tong from the Pacification Office was standing in front of him at this time.

After hearing Zhu Houcong's order, Zhang Tong made his statement:

"Your Majesty, I have checked all the pharmacies in the capital that sell arsenic, arsenic trioxide and other poisons, and found no suspicious signs. I also asked the spies in the Zhou family, and they found no suspicious signs recently. Doctor Zhou has always been a recluse, and even when he travels, he is secretly protected by the Jinyiwei."

"So, in my humble opinion, there is only one possibility now, that is, it was Doctor Zhou's colleagues in the Imperial Hospital who did something bad. After all, those who can heal people can often kill people! They don't use ready-made poisons, but make their own!"

Zhu Houcong quite agreed with this.

He had already issued an order to the Embroidered Uniform Guard to strengthen the protection of Doctor Zhou.

Therefore, if Imperial Physician Zhou could be killed, it could only be his colleagues or family members in the Imperial Medical Bureau who worked with him day and night.

Since the Jinyiwei had ruled out his family, the only candidates could be his colleagues in the Imperial Medical Bureau.

"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother asked me to tell you that the eldest princess is getting hotter and hotter. Please send a doctor as soon as possible."

At this time, Hu Qiuying, the female historian who served the emperor's eldest daughter, walked over quickly, knelt down and reported to Zhu Houcong with an anxious look on her face.

Zhu Houcong was also very anxious. After thinking for a while, he said to Zhang Tong:
"Go to the Imperial Hospital in person and call all the doctors there!"

Zhang Tong bowed and said yes.

then.

Zhang Tong ran away.

Zhu Houcong also paced around the room, gritting his teeth from time to time and cursing the word "damn it" in a low voice.

Empress Yao of Kunning Palace was so anxious that she was about to cry. She would touch the red face of the eldest daughter in her arms from time to time, and said anxiously: "Why is it getting hotter and hotter? How could Doctor Zhou be poisoned at this time!"

Empress Dowager Jiang also knelt in front of the Buddhist shrine and began to chant.

After Queen Yao finished speaking, she looked outside and glanced at Emperor Zhu Houcong.

At this time, the sky outside was becoming increasingly gloomy.

The cold winter rain seems to make everything lose temperature quickly.

Even the leaves of the evergreen osmanthus trees inside the palace walls trembled in the breeze, and the brocade cat raised in Kunning Palace obediently ran from under the eaves into the house and curled up beside the stove.

Until the sky was completely covered with dark clouds, making the Forbidden City look like it was dusk.

Zhu Houcong then saw a group of shadowy people running towards him. Except for the leader, all of these people were carrying boxes and wearing quilted official robes.

Obviously the imperial doctors.

Zhu Houcong is now full of expectations but also full of suspicion towards them.

"Greetings to His Majesty!"

"No need to be polite, just stand there and listen to me."

After these imperial doctors came over, Zhu Houcong said something, and then said in a deep voice: "I'm going to say something ruthless first. Now I want you to go and treat the emperor's eldest daughter immediately. If you can cure her, I will reward you generously, increase your official title by three levels, and grant you hereditary privileges; if you can't cure her, you will all be buried with me!"

Zhu Houcong's last sentence was particularly cold, just like the endless winter rain at that time.

Many of the imperial physicians shuddered at this and none of them responded for a while.

"Why, are you dissatisfied with this and don't want to cure it?"

Zhu Houcong asked.

At this time, an imperial physician stood up, knelt in front of Zhu Houcong, bowed his head and said: "Your Majesty, I am willing! Please allow me to treat the eldest daughter first."

"Go!"

Zhu Houcong said something.

The imperial physician then walked in.

Zhu Houcong also looked at the other doctors at this time: "You also go in and take a look at his medical records later."

All the imperial doctors agreed and followed him in, but many of them clasped their hands together and began to pray silently.

Zhu Houcong also walked in with a gloomy face. When he saw the eldest princess's face, which was almost cracked and blackened due to fever, his expression became even gloomier.

He is now very worried that something might happen to the eldest princess.

(End of this chapter)