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

Chapter 89 The Patient of the Duke's Mansion (Second Update!)
The eldest brother, Zhang Jingxiu, was not dissatisfied with the actions of Zhang Juzheng and Zhang Yunxiu, but was genuinely worried about the Zhang family.

Clearly, he could see that the release of this "Emergency Plan for the Prevention and Control of Plague" had immediately stirred up outrage in the court.

Opponents, resentful individuals, and those deeply distressed emerged in large numbers.

In fact, to deal with the backlash from his ministers, Zhang Juzheng and the Wanli Emperor resorted to a dirty trick: using the word "deception".

If the emperor and the chief minister both fall ill, then the officials will have no opportunity to end the implementation of this plan.

When Zhang Jingxiu first heard about this plan, he was dumbfounded. Could it be that matters of the court could be handled in such a way?

Without even thinking about it, it's clear that Zhang Yunxiu must have come up with the idea for his father and the emperor.

It can be delayed for a while, but not forever.

This world does not belong to the emperor alone, nor does it belong to Zhang Juzheng alone. Even if the two of them act, they cannot do whatever they want.

If they could act arbitrarily, then when the new policies were implemented in the early years of the Wanli reign, all government orders would have been able to proceed smoothly. Why did they have to rely on Zhang Juzheng's severe punishments and strong deterrence to barely get things moving?

It is rumored that many court officials and nobles in the capital have colluded to submit a joint petition to "impeach" the emperor, intending to end this absurd "farce."

At this moment, you still think about getting important people to give you money? That's wishful thinking!

Zhang Jianxiu still wouldn't give up, and he said emphatically.

"Shiyuan wouldn't lie to me. He said we're good brothers, and if he says he can make money, then he definitely can!"

The eldest brother, Zhang Jingxiu, looked at his fourth brother with great pity. He had been completely fooled!
But Zhang Jianxiu continued, "Nobles, dukes, and court officials are all human beings. It's impossible for them not to get sick. Now that this plague is raging, if anyone in their family gets sick, they will definitely need to come to us."

Are there still any medical clinics in Beijing that can treat illnesses, like the Birenmin Medical Clinic?

That makes sense. The eldest brother, Zhang Jingxiu, sighed, then, as if remembering something, picked up a document from his desk and said...

"Speaking of which, there really was a big shot."

"An important figure?" Zhang Jianxiu glanced at him and said with some doubt. "Zhu Yingzhen? Isn't that the Duke of Cheng? He's also ill!"

For some reason, the eldest brother, Zhang Jingxiu, felt that there was a hint of excitement in his fourth brother's words.

He said with some helplessness, "It's not the Duke of Cheng, but his younger brother Zhu Yinghuai. It is said that he is a playful fellow. A few days ago, before the city was locked down, when the epidemic was raging in the capital, he still went to the teahouse to listen to storytelling. As a result, he contracted the plague and looks like he is already seriously ill."

Zhang Jianxiu slapped his forehead and said.

“I remember now. A few days ago, the Duke of Cheng wrote a letter saying that his younger brother was seriously ill and asked us to send a doctor to treat him. But my fifth brother said that the Duke was nothing and refused.”

"..." Zhang Jingxiu, the eldest brother, twitched his lips and handed the letter to the other party with a sigh.

"Go and show this letter to your fifth brother. After all, it is a letter from the Duke of Cheng. Even Father has to give it some face. It's just sending a few doctors to visit him. It's nothing serious."

"The Duke of Cheng? Is he that powerful?"

While in the laboratory, Zhang Yunxiu, who was reprimanding a group of doctors, looked up and glanced at the letter that was handed to him.

Zhang Jianxiu looked somewhat embarrassed: "Shiyuan, you should take a look. We can't just turn down money!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunxiu got up and glanced at the contents of the letter. It simply stated that his younger brother, Zhu Yinghuai, was seriously ill and requested the medical clinic to send an imperial physician to treat him, and the amount of silver had been increased to four thousand taels.

They even said that if Zhu Yinghuai could be saved from danger, there would be a generous reward. Zhang Yunxiu thought for a moment, then looked up at Zhang Jianxiu and said.

"Go to the Duke of Cheng's residence and pass on a message for me."

Xianyifang.

The streets were deserted except for two sedan chairs hurrying along. When they reached the alley entrance, the steward leading the way could see from afar the people queuing up to enter.

He spotted the plaque at a glance and immediately went to a sedan chair to report it.

"My lord, the Renmin First Medical Clinic is just ahead."

The sedan chair curtain was opened, and a young man with a furrowed brow, dressed in a robe embroidered with a qilin (a mythical creature), peeked out. He spoke with great displeasure.

"So Zhang Shiyuan still refuses to treat Yunfu?"

The butler looked embarrassed and quickly explained.

"According to Zhang Shiyuan, if door-to-door treatment is ineffective, one must go to his VIP area, where there are relevant equipment and personnel, to achieve the best results. That's what he said."

"Hmph!" Zhu Yingzhen snorted coldly. "I think Zhang Shiyuan doesn't take our Duke Cheng's Mansion seriously at all. When the Imperial Medical Academy was still around, they were always at our beck and call. If Zhang Shiyuan hadn't kidnapped all the people from the Imperial Medical Academy, how could I have been unable to find a famous doctor?"

Just then, from another, even larger sedan chair, an old woman poked her head out. She wore a Liang crown and looked dignified and noble. She was clearly the Dowager Lady of the Duke of Cheng's Mansion and the biological mother of Zhu Yingzhen and Zhu Yinghuai.

Madam Lü raised her eyebrows and glared at Zhu Yingzhen, saying, "Isn't it all because you delayed your brother's treatment? You insisted on believing that Gong Tingxian. He is the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, so his medical skills should be superb. After taking the 'Two Saints' Relief Pill' for a few days, along with some herbal medicine, has your brother improved?"

Zhu Yingzhen looked embarrassed and said, "I didn't know that Gong Tingxian was also helpless against this plague. He even said that the plague was an external pathogenic disease, which was due to his weak constitution and that he would get better with recuperation. Who would have thought?"

Previously, Zhang Yunxiu had resolutely rejected the request from the Duke of Chengguo's mansion, which made Zhu Yingzhen feel that he had lost face, so he turned around and went to Gong Tingxian.

Now, Gong Tingxian is practically all alone in the Imperial Medical Academy. He is stubborn and insists on treating patients based on ancient medical theories, even when invited by Zhang Yunxiu.

During these days, Gong Tingxian traveled from house to house among the officials of the court, specializing in treating the plague among high-ranking officials and nobles.

Unexpectedly, Gong Tingxian spoke eloquently, but his ability to treat illnesses was quite different.

"Enough!" Madam Lü glared angrily at the steward. "Hurry up and go fetch Zhang Shiyuan!"

"Yes!"

Upon hearing the instructions, the steward hurriedly ran into Renmin First Medical Clinic.

"Mother~ Mother~ I'm in so much pain~ My head is so dizzy~ I can't take it anymore~ Just let me die~"

Suddenly, a faint groan came from inside Lady Lü's sedan chair.

Madam Lü turned her head and looked at her young son who was leaning against her. His head and face were swollen and unrecognizable. His face was also as if it had been roasted by fire, taut, bright red and shiny.

A pang of sadness welled up in her heart, and she gently stroked Zhu Yinghuai's cheek as she spoke.

"My son! You've suffered so much. I will definitely save you. Just bear with it, you'll get better."

　There will be one more chapter at 20 PM and another at 21 PM.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)