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

Chapter 64 Your Majesty, I am diligent!
Yang Jishi felt a burning pain on his face. His wife's sudden outburst had thrown him off balance, and he didn't even have time to get angry.

He staggered, his eyes wide with disbelief, as if he had suffered a great blow and was enveloped by a huge sense of defeat.

She wanted to go forward and check on her eldest son, but she couldn't bear to look at his pale face.

My thoughts were like a wild horse running free.

"I was wrong."

Yang Jishi muttered to himself, feeling ridiculous and pedantic at that moment.

Yes, I used to have unwavering faith in ancient books, always believing that the wisdom of our ancestors was boundless and that ancient books must contain remedies for all the world's ailments.

But isn't the situation clear by now?
Even ancient books like "Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases" and "Huainanzi," which were regarded as the ultimate guides, were equally helpless in the face of a ferocious epidemic like "Big Head Plague."

If the plague could truly be solved, with so many doctors in the world, if even one person discovered it, how could so many people have died?
Despite having read countless ancient books, I found myself less knowledgeable than my wife, who had never studied medicine.

But what should I do?

Yang Jishi gave a mocking smile. The reason he turned to ancient books was because they were his only hope.

"Let me see Tiancheng."

Yang Jishi stepped forward, wanting to check on his eldest son's condition.

"Get out of my way! I don't need you to come and see him. I will find a famous doctor to save my son myself. I have heard that there is a doctor in Huguang named Li Dongbi who travels around practicing medicine. Isn't he better than a quack like you?"

Wang used to be a mild-mannered person, but with her eldest son on the verge of death, she no longer gave Yang Jishi a kind look.

Yang Jishi was already weak, and when his wife pushed him, he fell to the ground, looking completely dejected.

His eyes gradually lost their light, filled with tears and self-mockery.

"I am a quack doctor, I, Yang Jishi, am a quack doctor, well said! Well said!"

But just then, a "clang" was heard and a small porcelain bottle rolled off Yang Jishi's waist.

Yang Jishi turned his head and realized that the allicin had been brought out from the workshop.

He was immediately furious. It was Zhang Yunxiu again!
Yang Jishi grabbed the porcelain bottle, intending to smash it.

But his arm, which was suspended in the air, suddenly stopped.

"Plagues are caused by unusual energies from heaven and earth. These unusual energies are pathogens, and allicin can inhibit these pathogens, and thus it can also inhibit these unusual energies."

Absurd! Bizarre!
This was Yang Jishi's initial reaction upon first hearing it. However, under Zhang Yunxiu's pressure, Yang Jishi had no choice but to repeat the experiment again and again, recording the process by which allicin inhibited the so-called pathogens.

They even had to listen to Zhang Yunxiu nagging in their ears about his outrageous medical theories.

Now that things have come to this, even if Yang Jishi no longer trusts Zhang Yunxiu and finds his ideas heretical, he has no choice but to give it a try.

Having tried all the remedies, and with his eldest son Yang Tiancheng now in critical condition, Yang Jishi could no longer hesitate.

He immediately stood up and said, "I still have a way to save Tiancheng!"

Cining Palace.

Emperor Wanli lowered his head and glanced at the Buddha statues in the corner out of the corner of his eye. Incense smoke curled in the air, and a sandalwood fragrance permeated the surroundings.

Empress Dowager Li was always fond of Buddhist worship.

Empress Dowager Li, seated in the main seat, remained silent. Emperor Wanli, feeling somewhat uneasy, wondered if his secret had been exposed, and could only feign nonchalance as he spoke.

"Your Majesty, I recently acquired a copy of the Avatamsaka Sutra, which was copied by a high-ranking monk during the Xuande era. I believe Your Majesty will surely like it."

"Zhang Banban"

Just as Emperor Wanli was about to order Zhang Cheng to go and fetch it, he heard Empress Dowager Li's voice.

"The Buddhist scriptures are not urgent. Let the Emperor tell us what he has been doing lately."

Empress Dowager Li possessed an inherent air of authority, and Emperor Wanli, having been under her discipline since childhood, naturally dared not act recklessly in the slightest.

Emperor Wanli quickly bowed and said, "Your subject dares not slacken. Recently, the Grand Secretary sent me a copy of the 'Discourses on Salt and Iron,' which I have now read through to about 70-80%. With the assistance of the Grand Secretary and the ministers of the Six Ministries, the morning court sessions have been relatively well-organized in terms of reviewing and approving memorials. It is just a pity that I have recently heard reports of a plague outbreak in the capital. Every time I hear of the people suffering in dire straits, my heart aches."

After examining the other party, Empress Dowager Li felt that the emperor's appearance had changed. He used to be honest and simple, but now he had become somewhat "cunning".

She frowned and said, "The court has its own regulations regarding the plague. Zhang Juzheng and his team will handle it properly. As the emperor, you should keep yourself clean and set an example for all the people."

Empress Dowager Li seemed to be referring to something specific.

But the emperor, like an eel, pretended to be confused and said, "Your Majesty's good intentions are deeply appreciated by your son."

Empress Dowager Li stared at Wanli for a long time, her expression somewhat complicated.

“Last year, you did something outrageous, and I forced the emperor to issue an edict of self-reproach. Do you have any complaints?”

"It is only right and proper for Your Majesty to encourage and guide me to pull back from the brink in time."

The Wanli Emperor of the past would have been terrified upon hearing such words, but today he answered fluently, clearly having mastered this routine.

Empress Dowager Li seemed hesitant to speak, but finally sighed and said...

"You've been reading a lot of storybooks lately, haven't you?"

"My son."

At this point, the Wanli Emperor began to stammer.

"Your Majesty, I am wise. I only dared to read a bit of it after I finished dealing with state affairs. There are many good things in the Wanli New Gazette." The matter of the storybook was already common knowledge, so there was no need to hide it anymore.

"Alright." Empress Dowager Li rubbed her forehead, seemingly somewhat helpless. "My son has grown up. Since I returned to Cining Palace, I should no longer be watching over the emperor as I used to. Now that the court is being overseen by the Grand Secretary, I hope the emperor can accept my advice day and night, prioritize the well-being of the nation and its people, and not follow the example of Emperor Wuzong."

This Emperor Wuzong was none other than Zhu Houzhao, who proclaimed himself the Mighty General, favored the eunuch Liu Jin, and established the Leopard Chamber.

The Wanli Emperor nodded repeatedly, appearing to be listening attentively to instruction.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, your son will diligently attend to state affairs and safeguard the legacy of our ancestors."

"Go," Empress Dowager Li said, seemingly tired, waving her hand to let the emperor go back.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I still have some memorials to attend to, so I will take my leave now." Emperor Wanli was as if he had been granted a pardon. He bowed repeatedly and then left the palace as quickly as he could.

"Emperor"

Empress Dowager Li wanted to say something more, but when she looked up, she found that Emperor Wanli had already disappeared.

Staring at the empty bedchamber for a long time without saying a word, her gaze then fell on a document on the desk.

The signature was indeed Zhang Juzheng.

Qianqing Palace.

"Zhang Banban! Zhang Banban!"

Upon his return, the emperor made a great fuss and searched everywhere for Zhang Cheng.

Upon hearing the call, Zhang Cheng hurriedly ran out of the palace and bowed to Emperor Wanli.

"Yes, Your Majesty! What are your orders?"

The Wanli Emperor, no longer displaying his previous obedient demeanor, spoke with great enthusiasm.

"Where is my petri dish? Did you put it away properly for me? Take me to see it now."

Zhang Cheng immediately said respectfully, "Your Majesty, please rest assured that I have handled this matter properly. I have placed them all in the Qianqing Palace. When Your Majesty is tired of reading memorials, you can take a look at these petri dishes."

"Good good!"

Emperor Wanli nodded repeatedly, and as he followed Zhang Cheng into the Qianqing Palace, he gave him instructions.

"Zhang Shiyuan said that the petri dish should be opened as little as possible to prevent the intrusion of external odors, and the temperature should not be too hot or too cold. You must keep these matters in mind."

"I'll remember, I'll remember." Zhang Cheng nodded hurriedly. "I've memorized everything, even more clearly than when I'm eating or sleeping."

Emperor Wanli nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Zhang Cheng and gave him a reminder.

"Zhang Banban, you must treat this petri dish more like your own life. If anything goes wrong, I'll take your dog's head."

Zhang Cheng shuddered, feeling utterly miserable! This Zhang Yunxiu was causing him all this trouble again!
However, he still knelt down and bowed, saying this.

"How dare I not do my best?"

Upon entering the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Wanli headed straight for a dark, secluded compartment that was difficult for ordinary people to find.

Emperor Wanli carefully pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The doors and windows of the cubicle were tightly closed, blocking out the sunlight. The only light was on a desk with a small porcelain bowl on it.

That was Emperor Wanli's personal petri dish.

"Bring me the gloves."

In the blink of an eye, Emperor Wanli had changed into a set of pure white clothes, exactly the same as those worn by Yuan Zongdao and the others in the workshop.

Zhang Cheng immediately took a pair of leather gloves from the box and carefully put them on the emperor.

"Face mask."

"Goggles."

It was like some kind of special ceremony; the emperor went through a whole set of procedures, almost as elaborate as the annual ritual of worshipping heaven and earth.

With everything ready, he carefully stepped forward, gently reaching out to lift the lid of the petri dish.

A day has passed; surely some things have changed?

If successful, it would be a "miracle weapon" that benefits the country and its people and saves the common people!
So excited was the emperor that his hands were trembling.

Zhang Cheng, watching anxiously from the side, stepped forward and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, shall I help you?"

"Go away!"

Emperor Wanli glared at Zhang Cheng, as if his sore spot had been touched.

"I deserve to die! I deserve to die!" Zhang Cheng then retreated repeatedly, quickly setting back a distance.

After this little incident, Emperor Wanli finally calmed down and carefully picked up the lid of the petri dish.

Gently lift it up.

　Note 1: The phrase "the emperor was punished and issued an edict of self-reproach" comes from the "Biography of Empress Dowager Xiaoding" in the History of Ming: "She ordered the emperor to draft an imperial edict of self-reproach, and then summoned the emperor to kneel for a long time to enumerate his faults."

　　Note 2: When Empress Dowager Li returned to Cining Palace, she appointed Zhang Juzheng as her advisor. This is based on the entry for the 21st day of the first month of the sixth year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, as recorded in the "Collected and Annotated Daily Records of the Wanli Emperor": "The Emperor's grand wedding is approaching, and I must return to my own palace. I cannot guard him as I have before, lest the Emperor become less diligent in his studies and administration, thus tarnishing his virtuous character. I am deeply concerned about this. You, sir, have been entrusted by the late Emperor and bear the responsibility of a teacher and guardian, which is different from other positions. I hereby issue this edict to you, sir, that you must accept my teachings day and night to assist him in his virtue, so that he may fulfill the weighty trust placed in him by the late Emperor, and that the nation and the people may rely on him. You, sir, shall respectfully accept this!"

　　
　
(End of this chapter)