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

Chapter 97 Zhang Juzheng at His Sickbed

"Mysterious?"

Wang Shizhen seemed to find it somewhat amusing, and he shook his head as he spoke.

“Since last year, Zhang Jiangling has been in poor health and often seeks out famous doctors in the capital for treatment. The news is readily available.”

Wang Xijue seemed to finally become interested, and he lowered his voice to speak.

"Is there any news about Brother Yuanmei?"

Wang Shizhen said with a smile, "I have some old friends in the Imperial Medical Academy who have treated Zhang Jiangling. They said he was suffering from a fever and often needed to take cooling medicine. A few months ago, he had become so weak that he could not eat!"

Wang Xijue's eyes lit up and he said, "There is a story in the Records of the Grand Historian, which Xin You'an quoted as the classic: 'Lian Po is old, can he still eat?' Food is the source of qi and blood. If a person cannot eat, he will not live long!"

A hint of anticipation arose in his words.

Wang Shizhen said with some delight, "Brother Yuanyu, have you figured it out?"

Wang Xijue finally shed his nonchalant demeanor and sighed as he spoke.

"Although I wish to stay away from the court, the court cannot stay away from me. Zhang Jiangling's transfer of Yin Zhengmao to Nanjing as Minister of Justice in Southern Zhili is probably a move with great ambitions."

"Brother Yuanyu, do you mean..." Wang Shizhen asked, somewhat puzzled.

Wang Xijue said, "I am not very clear about Zhang Jiangling's plans, but judging from Yin Zhengmao's recent actions, they are probably related to the land survey."

Wang Shizhen focused on matters in the capital, while Wang Xijue was more concerned with any developments around Southern Zhili.

"Zhang Jiangling!" Wang Shizhen exclaimed, startled, seemingly with resentment. "Is he trying to drive someone to their doom?!"

Wang Xijue said dismissively, "Under the overwhelming force of the times, it's nothing more than an ant trying to shake a tree. Even if we find something out about Yin Zhengmao, do Zhang Jiangling have the guts to deal with hundreds of officials from top to bottom?"

"I'm afraid he'll do something desperate!" Wang Shizhen exclaimed.

Wang Xijue shook his head: "Back in the Jiajing era, when Yang Tinghe retired, even Yan Song, who held immense power, lay low for ten years. If Zhang Jiangling is incapable of handling affairs, the court is about to undergo a major upheaval."

"Brother Yuanyu, it seems you've forgotten about Zhang Shiyuan?"

Wang Xijue sneered and said, "This child is nothing to worry about. Empress Dowager Li has already returned to the palace, and Feng Bao has also fallen out of favor. This world does not belong to the emperor alone. The emperor governs the world together with the scholar-officials!"

Zhang Shiyuan has already provoked public anger, and Zhang Jiangling is also unable to continue. What is there to fear?

Wang Shizhen was startled. He had thought that Wang Xijue was already depressed and that he should provoke him. However, he did not expect that after a few words, the other party would be even more "indignant" than he was!
Is this empire not solely the emperor's?

Is it even possible to say such a thing? Isn't Wang Xijue being a bit arrogant?
Such a drastic change left even Wang Shizhen, the "lobbyist," somewhat unsettled.

His teacup paused in mid-air as he asked, "Brother Yuanyu, you don't seem as calm and collected as before?"

"Wow, wow, wow~"

The spring rain outside the pavilion was falling more and more heavily, hitting the banana trees by the artificial hill and making them sway up and down.

Wang Xijue's smile gradually faded, and his expression became extremely solemn.

The Book of Changes says, "A wise man keeps his talents hidden until the right time to act."

He picked up the teacup that was still half full and continued speaking.

"It's not that I'm indifferent, but that the time hasn't come yet! If the time were right, I would find this delicate and gentle tea from Jiangnan tasteless."

As he spoke, he casually poured the tea from his teacup into the lake outside the pavilion.

Zhang Mansion.

Inside the study in the backyard.

There was a canopy bed in the corner of the study that hadn't been used for many years, but for some reason it was recently brought out for use.

"Cough cough~"

Zhang Juzheng leaned against the bedside, the charcoal brazier making the room hot and dry, but his fingers still seemed stiff as he turned the pages of the memorials.

He spoke in a hoarse voice: "The draft proposal is to incorporate plague prevention and control measures into the performance evaluation system for officials in the capital. Any official in charge who conceals the number of deaths reported by the local officials at Shen time (3-5 PM) for more than three days will be dismissed and investigated."

A refined-looking young man stood to one side, holding a book in one hand and a brush in the other, taking notes. Zhang Maoxiu was the third son in his family and the top scholar in the imperial examination of the previous year. He had been working as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy.

Upon hearing Zhang Juzheng's words, his hand trembled slightly as he wrote, and he hesitated before looking up at his father and speaking.

"Father, isn't this too hasty? It might displease the officials in the capital."

There was already dissatisfaction within and outside the capital regarding the plague prevention measures, and Zhang Juzheng's actions were truly incomprehensible.

“Write it, then write it!” Zhang Juzheng said sternly.

Zhang Maoxiu fell silent and could only obediently draft the relevant memorials in imitation of Zhang Juzheng's handwriting.

For two hours straight, the two of them took turns reading, answering, and recording.

Zhang Maoxiu's hands ached from writing so much, and Zhang Juzheng's voice sounded hoarse. He turned to look at the mountain of memorials and couldn't help but sigh.

"Father, you're not feeling well, you should rest."

"Don't."

Zhang Juzheng wanted to reprimand him severely, but then he seemed to think of something and his tone softened considerably as he explained.

"Your Majesty has been neglecting state affairs lately, and I am unwell and unable to offer comfort. However, the plague is raging and must not be taken lightly. If you are alright, you may continue reading."

“But Father is really sick! He’s not faking it! How can his body take this?” Zhang Maoxiu stamped his feet anxiously.

Zhang Juzheng leaned against his sickbed, his face somewhat pale, but he still said, "I've always been used to this, and I know my body well, so you don't need to say anything more."

"I!"

Zhang Maoxiu was almost furious, but his upbringing made him dare not disobey his father like his fifth brother, Zhang Yunxiu. He could only tentatively ask.

"What about His Majesty?"

"Your Majesty still thinks I am faking illness. There is no need to tell him. If he finds out, it will be impossible to hide it from him."

Zhang Juzheng shook his head, clearly aware that the emperor's inner circle had long been infiltrated.

"Shiyuan! We should at least talk to Shiyuan!"

Zhang Maoxiu felt as if he had grasped at a lifeline.

"He must know, right? Renmin Medical Clinic has excellent medical skills now, let them examine you, Father."

"There's no need to disturb him."

Zhang Juzheng has a rigid and old-fashioned appearance.

"The epidemic prevention and control has recently been on track, and it is the time to focus on solving it. How can I let my personal situation affect the livelihood of all the people in the capital?"
Besides, I knew from the start that my fever was difficult to cure completely. I used to believe in the words of so-called miracle doctors and imperial physicians, but now it all seems ridiculous.

Zhang Juzheng had his own thoughts. He searched through ancient medical books but found no record of a cure for dysentery.

Recently, I have witnessed the disgraceful behavior of those former imperial physicians at Renmin Medical Clinic, which has made me even more distrustful of doctors.

As for Zhang Yunxiu's "modern medicine"? Based on those data, Zhang Juzheng was naturally convinced.

However, in his preconceived notion, his youngest son, Zhang Yunxiu, might have some medical talent, but his energy was limited.

With the plague raging and the people of Beizhili suffering greatly, Zhang Yunxiu devoted his energy to developing a way to cure the plague.

If Zhang Juzheng were to waste his energy on his intestinal ailment at this moment, it would certainly not be what he wanted.

Zhang Juzheng became somewhat eccentric in his old age, but he still retained the same sense of compassion and benevolence he had in his youth.

"Daddy!"

Zhang Maoxiu was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks, but he was completely helpless.

Just then, You Qi's report came from outside.

"Master, Third Young Master, Fifth Young Master is back."

(End of this chapter)