Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 36 Fourth Brother, we need relief!
"Be careful!"

Zhang Jianxiu was almost scared to death. He looked up at the eunuch who was leading the way, but fortunately the little eunuch was far away and couldn't hear their conversation at all.

He immediately glared at Zhang Yunxiu and said, "Don't talk nonsense. We are your subjects. How can you..."

Even if it's true, you can't say it out loud!

"I was wrong, I was wrong," Zhang Yunxiu immediately corrected himself, "I will certainly not let my father and brothers down, and will do my best to assist His Majesty in becoming a wise and benevolent ruler."

"That's more like it!" Zhang Jianxiu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in satisfaction.

Even if it's a hoax, you can't just openly admit it's not true.

After walking for a long time, we finally arrived at the Qianqing Gate.

During the Ming Dynasty, the Qianqing Gate separated the inner court from the outer court. The inner court was mainly the residence of the emperor's female relatives and concubines. Ordinary officials could only enter with the emperor's permission and were accompanied by eunuchs.

So the little eunuch stopped and turned to look at Zhang Jianxiu apologetically.

“Zhang Qian Shi, you may stop here. This is the inner court. No one may enter unless summoned by His Majesty.”

Zhang Juzheng wielded immense power, and the eunuchs in the palace naturally treated the two men with great courtesy.

My fourth brother, Zhang Jianxiu, was about to argue, but after glancing at the burly generals standing to his left and right, he immediately suppressed his dissatisfaction.

He turned to look at his younger brother, adopting the air of someone who had been through it all.

"I'll take you this far. When you meet His Majesty, remember to be clever."

In fact, Zhang Jianxiu's reminder to Zhang Yunxiu was just idle chatter. Anyone with eyes could see that Zhang Yunxiu was far superior to him in terms of wit and worldliness.

But Zhang Jianxiu liked to say things like that.

Of course, the most important thing is...

"Don't forget about the pharmacy. From now on, my happiness with Miss Xiang'er will depend on you alone."

"Please, brother."

Zhang Yunxiu stepped into the Qianqing Gate and, upon hearing this, glanced at his elder brother with some curiosity.

"What pharmacy?"

"It's that incredibly profitable business!" Zhang Jianxiu rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"A pharmacy."

Zhang Yunxiu hesitated for a moment, then took two more steps toward the door before revealing a serious expression.

"Fourth Brother seems to have misunderstood me."

"Huh?" Zhang Jianxiu's heart sank, immediately sensing something was wrong, and he stammered, "What...what do you mean?"

But Zhang Yunxiu was seen sighing deeply.

"After meeting the disaster-stricken people, I thought about many things along the way."

I think the pharmacy business is important, but saving the people is even more important.

To be honest, when I saw the suffering people on the street just now, I felt terrible. We, the sons of officials, eat the salaries provided by the people of the world. How can we think about making money all day long and forget the mission we bear?

"Throughout my journey, I've been thinking about this. The imperial court has a 'Benefit-the-People Pharmacy,' so let's set up a 'Benevolent-the-People Pharmacy.' We don't seek to make a lot of money; we only hope to save more ordinary people, which can also be considered a way for the Zhang family to build a good reputation."

"What?!" Fourth Brother Zhang Jianxiu panicked immediately, pointing at Zhang Yunxiu and angrily shouting, "You...you didn't say that just now! You lied to me again! Zhang Shiyuan!"

Zhang Yunxiu took two steps back, frowned, and said, "Fourth Brother, do you have any proof? Just words are not enough, and there's no written agreement. How can you say I'm lying to you? I'm doing this for your own good. If Father finds out about this money, won't he break your legs?"

"You—" Fourth Brother Zhang Jianxiu was furious, glaring at Zhang Yunxiu as he said, "Zhang Shiyuan! What exactly do you want to do with my money!"

Zhang Yunxiu sighed and said, "Fourth Brother, saving the world is the duty of us scholars, and I have already devoted all my wealth to it."

Your three thousand taels isn't much, but it's a token of your goodwill.

Don't worry, I'll work hard with you, and your name will definitely be on the list of good deeds in the future.

"???" Zhang Jianxiu immediately exploded, jumping up and cursing. "Zhang Shiyuan! What kind of scholar are you! You haven't touched the Four Books and Five Classics since you were nine! You heartless swindler! I trusted you so much! And you actually want to take my money for charity!"

That's a full three thousand taels of silver!

Zhang Jianxiu had no choice but to take it seriously. In order to protect the three thousand taels of silver, he didn't utter a sound even though Zhang Juzheng punished him with more than twenty lashes.

As a result, this kid is now going to invest all his savings into his so-called "Renmin Pharmacy"!
How does it compare to Huimin Pharmacy?
What kind of institution was that? It belonged to the Imperial Medical Academy and was a government-run medical institution established by the imperial court in the two capitals and local prefectures and counties.

Its main function was to "provide medicine to the poor and sick among the military and civilians," essentially setting it up for the poor and sick. As an institution of the imperial court, the medical and pharmaceutical expenses incurred by the Huimin Pharmacy were naturally borne by the Ministry of Revenue.

Why did you, Zhang Yunxiu, open a "Renmin Pharmacy"? Do you think you have too much money?
But Zhang Jianxiu couldn't think of anything to say to scold his younger brother, who was doing it for the common people and had a great cause in his hands!
He immediately put on a mournful face and said, "Shiyuan! Zhang Shiyuan, please spare me! That's my dowry for my wife!"

There are many people infected with the plague in the capital now. If we really want to carry out relief efforts, even ten thousand taels of silver wouldn't be enough!

His three thousand taels were undoubtedly about to go down the drain.

Zhang Yunxiu! He is truly the greatest spendthrift in history!

But Zhang Yunxiu ignored him completely, turned around and left on his own, leaving behind a sentence.

"Brother, don't let women mislead you. I'll take care of this money for you."

"You boy!"

Fourth Brother Zhang Jianxiu was about to step forward and have a good talk with his younger brother, and even try to salvage his silver notes.

However, he was immediately stopped by the two burly generals on either side.

The burly general on duty was fairly familiar with Zhang Jianxiu, and he frowned as he spoke.

"Zhang Qianshi, don't make things difficult for us. You should know the rules; we are not allowed to enter this important area of ​​the palace."

"I"

Zhang Jianxiu felt a lump in his throat, but dared not make a loud noise outside the palace gates.

He lowered his voice, almost crying.

"Zhang Shiyuan! Give me back my money!"

But Zhang Yunxiu bowed respectfully to him and said very sincerely, "On behalf of the millions of people in the capital, I thank you for your generosity, Fourth Brother."

"I didn't!" Zhang Jianxiu, a dignified seven-foot-tall man, actually cried at this moment, roaring, "You dog Zhang Yunxiu, give me back the silver notes!"

Zhang Yunxiu ignored his straightforward fourth brother and turned to apologize to the young eunuch, saying, "I'm really sorry, sir. My brother is a bit immature, so please don't take his rudeness to heart."

The little eunuch's facial muscles twitched slightly as he said, "That's alright."

It was indeed inappropriate to let Zhang Jianxiu make a scene here, so the little eunuch said to the two burly generals, "Zhang Jianxiu has lost his composure. Please do not let him make a scene at the palace gate. Please take him away."

Considering that he was Zhang Juzheng's son, the two generals exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with pity as they looked at Zhang Jianxiu, and bowed to him.

"I apologize for offending you, Vice Commissioner Zhang."

As they spoke, the two men each grabbed one of Zhang Jianxiu's arms and lifted him up.

Zhang Jianxiu didn't dare to resist, but he just shouted it out.

"Don't pull me!"

"You all heard that, didn't you? That spendthrift Zhang Yunxiu! He actually wants to use the money for some kind of relief! That's over ten thousand taels of silver!"

"You heartless Zhang Yunxiu! That's the money I painstakingly saved up by enduring humiliation and hardship!"

"I'm going to tell Daddy! I want Daddy to stand up for me! Oh no! I don't want to live anymore!"

Accompanied by the pig-like wailing of Fourth Brother Zhang Jianxiu, the group gradually disappeared outside Qianqing Gate.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled slightly, teasing his straightforward fourth brother, which was clearly one of his daily forms of entertainment.

Relief efforts are necessary, and money needs to be made; this was his initial idea, but unfortunately, it seems that Fourth Brother doesn't quite understand it.
Zhang Yunxiu decided to wait until he left the palace to talk to his older brother about it.

Right now, finding the young emperor is naturally more important.

Zhang Yunxiu cupped his hands in greeting to the eunuch beside him and said, "Please lead the way, sir, so as not to keep His Majesty waiting."

The young eunuch, standing nearby, saw clearly that the boy had tricked his elder brother into cursing and crying out for his parents, but then turned around and revealed a slight smile.

He shuddered; to the little eunuch, Zhang Yunxiu's smile was terrifying.

This act of providing relief to the people is indeed a great act of kindness, but Zhang Yunxiu shouldn't have done it.
In a moment, the little eunuch made up his mind that Zhang Yunxiu was indeed just as rumored, a real spendthrift!

After that, the young eunuch's gaze toward Zhang Yunxiu became increasingly polite.

This man is extremely vicious. When he goes mad, he won't even spare his own brother. If you offend him, how can you expect to have a good end?
He said quickly.

"Lord Zhang, please follow me. His Majesty is already waiting in the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

　Note 1: The functions of Huimin Pharmacy are described in the History of Ming, Volume 74, Official Posts III.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)