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

Chapter 107 Please, Your Majesty, issue an edict of self-reproach! (8000)

Emperor Wanli sat upright on his dragon throne, his brows slightly furrowed, his gaze focused on Xu Xuemo, the Minister of Rites, who was kneeling in the hall.

He noticed the word "advice" in the other person's words, which was quite different from the usual meaning of "drafting regulations" or "making suggestions".

The emperor felt a surge of displeasure and spoke coldly.

"Minister Xu, I have not received any memorial from you!"

Xu Xuemo, with an air of resignation, raised his head and said, "Your Majesty! Why must remonstrances be submitted in writing?"

The Wanli Emperor's face instantly darkened: "What exactly do you want to say?"

"His Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Xuemo immediately knelt down with a "plop," looking extremely excited, and said loudly.

"Your Majesty claims to be diligent and attentive, but in reality, you listen to and believe the powerful and treacherous ministers, and frequently implement harsh policies! Zhang Jiangling uses the performance evaluation system to shackle the officials and his new policies to force good people to their deaths. All of this has already aroused the wrath of Heaven and the resentment of the people!"
Your Majesty didn't understand before, and still doesn't understand now?
Today, not only are students in Southern Zhili weeping at temples and the people complaining bitterly, but people in Northern Zhili are also suffering terribly.

If this were to happen in one place, it could be explained, but it's happening everywhere. Can't His Majesty finally realize the truth?

Emperor Wanli's eyes widened, his body trembled uncontrollably, and he looked at Xu Xuemo in disbelief.

The person before me is none other than Xu Xuemo, a high-ranking official of the second rank in the current court and my former trusted advisor, the Minister of Rites!

Previously, even if some court officials dared to offend him, they were only officials like the Censorate and the Censorate, who could be considered to be a bit radical when offering advice, as that was their duty.

How could the Wanli Emperor accept a minister of rites like this?
He angrily said, "Xu Shuming! Have I ever mistreated you in any way? How dare you slander me like this!"

Xu Xuemo looked up with an air of righteous indignation.

"Your Majesty has not mistreated me. It is the people of the world who have been mistreated. Your Majesty has not wronged me. It is the Emperor Taizu and Emperor Muzong who have wronged you!"
Your Majesty, I humbly request that you emulate Emperor Wen of Han's regret at Luntai, issue an edict of self-reproach, execute treacherous officials, abolish the new policies, and alleviate the people's suffering! Otherwise, the scholars of the realm will surely become disloyal and alienated, and the fate of our Great Ming Dynasty will be hanging by a thread!

"you!"

Suddenly, Emperor Wanli felt as if a thunderclap had exploded in his head.

The phrase "issued an edict of self-reproach" kept swirling in my mind.

He recalled a time when he was drunk and reprimanded by the Empress Dowager, whose words, "The great task of governing the world is not something you alone can undertake!" sent chills down his spine.
From then on, the Wanli Emperor became increasingly sensitive to such remarks that implied doubt.

Not to mention, these were the words of a high-ranking official.

With a "whoosh," the Wanli Emperor's anger surged to its peak.

He pointed at Xu Xuemo and shouted angrily.

"Xu Shuming! Do you really think I dare not punish you?!"

However, no sooner had he finished speaking than a dozen voices suddenly appeared in the court.

"Your Majesty, please issue an edict of self-reproach!"

"Your Majesty, please issue an edict of self-reproach!"

"Your Majesty, please issue an edict of self-reproach!"

Upon closer examination, some of these voices belonged to high-ranking officials of the Six Ministries, some to Hanlin scholars, and some were even former protégés or former subordinates of Zhang Juzheng.

They kept a low profile in ordinary times, but at this crucial moment, they finally launched a devastating attack on the Wanli Emperor!
Finally, one person slowly stepped out from the court assembly, cupped his hands to the emperor, and spoke in a booming voice.

"Your Majesty, please issue an edict of self-reproach!"

When Emperor Wanli looked up and saw that the man was Grand Secretary Zhang Siwei, he felt dizzy and almost fainted.

In the midst of the chaos, he instinctively grabbed the throne with both hands to barely stand.

On his right hand, a royal brush that he usually played with was snapped in two with a snap!

"You don't look like you've had much education?"

Inside the council hall of Renmin Medical Clinic, Zhang Yunxiu sat upright in his official hat chair, scrutinizing the plainly dressed, gaunt-faced woman below him.

Zhang Lanying looked uneasy and didn't dare to look at Zhang Yunxiu at all. She just lowered her head and answered.

“I have been poor since childhood and have never even read the ‘Instructions for Women’, let alone studied. I only learned to read thanks to the kind old scholar in the village who taught me a little.” “The ‘Admonitions for Women’,” Zhang Yunxiu corrected.

Based on this, he was able to determine that the displaced woman really hadn't received much education.

"Are you from Puzhou?" Zhang Yunxiu asked, looking at the extremely nervous woman.

"Reporting to the guild leader, I am from Puzhou. Our whole village has come to the capital."

Clearly, Zhang Lanying had received some etiquette training before coming, but not much, as she quickly revealed her true colors after just a few sentences.

Zhang Yunxiu didn't seem to care: "Why did you come to the capital?"

“A local official said that the plague in other places is very serious and has reached our village. He said that this plague god eats people and that we should flee to the capital. He also gave us a lot of dry food,” Zhang Lanying thought for a moment and answered truthfully.

Zhang Yunxiu frowned deeply: "Didn't you have any doubts?"

Zhang Lanying shook her head repeatedly: "How can you doubt it? Everyone says so, and some people even saw the plague god eat people with their own eyes!"

As they were talking, Zhang Lanying naturally realized something was wrong. She widened her eyes and hurriedly asked.

"President, have we been scammed?"

Zhang Yunxiu remained silent for a moment, then immediately gave a serious reminder.

"From now on, keep these words to yourself. Don't say them to anyone who asks, and don't tell anyone else that you discussed this with me!"

Zhang Lanying trembled slightly, her face showing fear. She nodded vigorously and said, "I understand. The president is a very good person. Jueji would never lie to me."

Zhang Yunxiu let out a breath and was about to remind her a couple more times when a shout suddenly came from outside.

"Shiyuan! Shiyuan! Something terrible has happened!"

The voice sounded very urgent. Zhang Yunxiu felt a headache coming on, so he had no choice but to turn to Zhang Lanying and say, "You should go back first. We'll talk again next time. You must remember my reminder today."

"President, please don't worry!"

Zhang Lanying nodded vigorously.

When the visitor entered the hall, Zhang Yunxiu realized who was shouting and yelling.

"Big brother?"

He frowned deeply, thinking that the loud and boisterous one would be his third brother, Zhang Jianxiu.

When did my eldest brother, Zhang Jingxiu, become like this?

Zhang Jingxiu arrived in a panic, running all the way, completely out of breath.

Helpless, Zhang Yunxiu poured him a cup of tea. After the other man took a few sips to calm down, he said in an annoyed tone.

"Brother, why are you here instead of properly handling the data in the clinic?"

Zhang Jingxiu's position is now extremely important to the medical clinic. The data reports are reviewed by the imperial physicians and Zhang Yunxiu almost every week, and a copy is even sent to Zhang Juzheng.

But then they heard Zhang Jingxiu muttering something.

"Chaos! Everything's in chaos!"

Zhang Yunxiu was speechless: "What exactly is in chaos?"

Zhang Jingxiu then spoke clearly: "Fifth brother, think of a solution quickly! His Majesty and the court officials are at odds, what should we do!"

"Explain more clearly," Zhang Yunxiu frowned.

Only then did Zhang Jingxiu recount to his younger brother in detail what had happened in court that day.

"Zhang Siwei and Xu Xuemo gathered a group of ministers and forced His Majesty to abdicate!"

They forced His Majesty to dismiss my father from his position as Grand Secretary, and even wanted to abolish the new policies and punish you!

At this moment, Zhang Siwei and his courtiers are still kneeling at the Zuoshun Gate!

(End of this chapter)