Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 71 The Emperor is Furious

After Zhang Jing escaped the disaster, he felt much more relaxed.

The wedding of Princess Yongning and Liang Bangrui was also being prepared in full swing. In the blink of an eye, it was June and there were only five days left until the wedding.

The usually quiet and peaceful palace became unusually noisy because of this wedding.

That morning, after washing up, Emperor Wanli went to the West Warm Pavilion as usual to read memorials.

Before I could step in, suddenly, a shrill voice was heard.

"Have you heard that the new prince consort didn't have a cold, but tuberculosis!"

Another screamed, "Ah, if the princess gets married, won't she still be a widow?"

"Isn't it?" The eunuch who had spoken earlier sighed and continued, "I also heard that Liang Bangrui used many tricks to get close to this royal relative."

"Are you sure? How dare you gossip here?" a trembling voice rang out.

"Well, Wang Yong and I personally sent Liang Bangrui back that day. He was coughing up blood. What else could it be but tuberculosis?"

"Then why don't you report it to the Emperor?"

"Who would dare? The emperor trusts Eunuch Zhang so much. If he just gives us a warning, and we go and tell on him, wouldn't that be like shooting ourselves in the foot and getting ourselves into trouble?"

Emperor Wanli heard it clearly and felt as if he was struck by lightning.

In an instant, the feelings of being deceived, humiliated, and angry quickly surged into his heart, making him so angry that his face turned blue and his facial features shifted.

Wei Qing, who was standing by, saw it all clearly, stood aside with his hands hanging down, and said nothing.

After a long silence, Emperor Wanli's face turned livid. He waved his sleeves, turned around, and ran angrily to the East Warm Pavilion. "Go, call Zhang Yunxiu here immediately."

After receiving the order, Wei Qing immediately went to invite Zhang Yunxiu, and soon the two of them arrived outside the Qianqing Palace together.

Before entering the palace, Wei Qing reminded: "The emperor was very angry today after learning that Zhang Jing had fooled him, but in my opinion, the emperor has not yet made up his mind to kill him."

"Your Majesty doesn't have to do it himself. As long as he steps down from that position and leaves Beijing, Eunuch Feng will have plenty of ways to deal with him." Zhang Yunxiu looked calm and composed.

"This time this kid is unlucky. He offended Eunuch Feng and you." Wei Qing smiled.

"It is your destiny to rise to prominence, Eunuch Wei. We have moved this Buddha statue away for you. When you ascend to heaven, don't forget us."

"Don't worry, Zhang Sicheng, I won't forget you." Wei Qing smiled, turned sideways and spread his hands to make a "please" gesture to the inside, "Go quickly, it won't be good if the emperor gets impatient waiting."

Zhang Yunxiu nodded and moved into the east warm room.

Inside the pavilion, Emperor Wanli had a gloomy face, his hands on his knees, and he sat on the embroidered couch in a rage.

Zhang Yunxiu came in and bowed first. Emperor Wanli waved his hand to excuse him, then asked, "Zhang Yunxiu, do you know Liang Bangrui outside the palace?"

"The new prince consort, of course I know."

"Well, I ask you, you have to tell the truth." Emperor Wanli took a deep breath, then stared at Zhang Yunxiu and asked, "I ask you, is Liang Bangrui sick or not? You have to answer truthfully."

"Illness, what illness?" Zhang Yunxiu pretended to be very surprised.

"Tuberculosis!" Emperor Wanli said gritting his teeth.

"Ah? How is this possible? He was the prince consort chosen by Eunuch Zhang himself, how could he have such a disease? Your Majesty, are you mistaken? Eunuch Zhang has always been loyal to you."

If it were in the past, the emperor would have probably felt favorable towards Zhang Jing after hearing this.

But he was angry now, and Zhang Yunxiu's words, although seemingly praising him, were actually like using oil to put out a fire.

Emperor Wanli slapped the dragon throne, stood up and shouted: "Zhang Yunxiu, are you afraid of him too?!"

Zhang Yunxiu did not comment, which made Emperor Wanli even angrier.

He walked down the steps angrily, came to Zhang Yunxiu, grabbed him by the collar, and asked: "Zhang Yunxiu, are you a loyal minister?" "I am a loyal minister."

"Well, take me out of the palace. I want to go see Liang Bangrui in person again."

"This..." Zhang Yunxiu looked embarrassed.

"What's this? Hurry up and get ready!"

Emperor Wanli stamped his feet and was so angry that his facial features shifted. Zhang Yunxiu saw that the time was ripe and agreed reluctantly.

Half an hour later.

Outside the Liang family compound, Emperor Wanli had a cold face and closed the wooden door tightly. Although it was midsummer, the Liang family compound was unusually desolate and deserted.

Zhang Yunxiu took a few steps forward and knocked gently on the door.

After a while, a voice came: "It's coming, it's coming."

With a sound of "click", the door slowly opened and a middle-aged man stuck half of his head out of the door.

He glanced at the elegantly dressed people and asked suspiciously, "Who are you looking for?"

"Is this the home of the new prince consort, Mr. Liang?"

"Yes." the man replied.

"Oh, that's right." Zhang Yunxiu smiled and pointed at the emperor, "We heard that the new prince consort is an outstanding man, so our young master became curious and insisted on meeting your young master."

The man suddenly became nervous, and he waved his hands quickly, saying, "No, no, our young master has caught a cold, and he won't see anyone now."

As he was about to close the door, Han San took a step forward, put his foot in the crack of the door, and shouted with a dark face: "Our young master wants to see you, that's giving you face. If you dare to talk nonsense again, do you believe I will open a soy sauce shop on your head?"

"You are so unreasonable, man. I have already told you that our young master is not feeling well, but you still insisted on barging in."

"Hehe. Whether it's a real illness or it's something shameful, your words don't count. Only our young master's words count." Han San kicked the door open and called the emperor and Zhang Yunxiu to rush in.

In a small hall inside, Liang Bangrui's face was pale and his breath was weak.

Violent coughing sounds came one after another, and even the air was filled with a hint of blood.

Liang Mancang and Mrs. Liang felt heartbroken and kept patting their son on the back.

"What a sin! How could our child get this disease?" Mrs. Liang covered her face with her hands and said in a crying voice.

"Stop crying. As long as you become a royal relative, our child will have a royal doctor to treat his illness." Liang Mancang glared, but his voice became weaker. "Then everything will be fine. Everything will be fine."

At this moment, someone suddenly rushed in.

"Master, master, something terrible has happened. A group of people have broken in."

"Who is it?" Liang Mancang asked nervously.

"I don't know, but the person who comes has bad intentions, so you should make preparations early."

Mrs. Liang frowned and said worriedly, "They are not here to collect debts. The only thing we can sell now is this house. We can't give it to them anymore."

"Hmph, a bunch of bone-sucking beasts. When I was doing well, they all clung to me, but when I got unlucky, they immediately surrounded me." Liang Mancang gritted his teeth and shouted, then instructed his wife, "Take good care of Rui'er, I'll go meet them."

"no need."

Emperor Wanli has already stepped in.

He just glanced inside and saw Liang Bangrui sitting on the chair, and the anger in his heart was enough to cook a cow.

(End of this chapter)