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

Chapter 119 My lifelong reputation as Zhang Juzheng!
"what?"

Upon hearing You Qi's words, Zhang Yunxiu and Zhang Jianxiu were immediately shocked.

Especially the fourth brother, Zhang Jianxiu, looked furious. He grabbed You Qi and asked urgently.

"You Qi, what do you mean he can't? How could my father not be able to work?"

There was a hint of sorrow in his voice; he had expected this day to come, but he hadn't anticipated it would arrive so soon.

"Hey!"

You Qi was out of breath. He slapped himself in the face, took a deep breath, and then spoke fluently.

"Please forgive me for saying such unlucky things, gentlemen. I was just a little anxious."

The master's problem isn't that he can't have sex, but rather that his health is failing him.

"Isn't that the same thing! You old fool! What happened to my father?" Zhang Jianxiu glared with his bull-like eyes, almost bursting into a tirade.

You Qi quickly waved his hand and said, "No, no."

He stumbled over his words for a moment, then took a few breaths before continuing.

"It's because the master's condition is getting worse and worse. Oh dear!"

You Qi was so anxious that he kept stamping his feet. Zhang Yunxiu finally couldn't stand it anymore and reminded him.

"Tell me about Father's recent condition."

You Qi suddenly seemed to realize something and quickly explained, "It's like this, recently the master's health has become increasingly weak. The third young master found some treatment prescriptions, but the two young masters know the master's temper. He always means what he says, and he is unwilling to use the medicine or get any acupuncture. Even when the madam tries to dissuade him, it's to no avail."
Today, the master has a persistent high fever, poor appetite, and can't even drink a sip of water. The imperial physician came to the clinic and diagnosed him, saying that it might be some kind of 'germ inflammation' outbreak, and he must be treated at the clinic.

But the master refused to go, insisting on staying in his study to handle the memorials.

If it were an ordinary servant, speaking with such heavy breathing and saying "it's no longer possible," they would certainly be slapped.

Fortunately, You Qi was an elder in the family, so Zhang Jianxiu only scolded him a couple of times and didn't pursue the matter further.

However, what You Qi said is actually not wrong. In ancient times, medical conditions were low. Usually, when a person had a high fever that wouldn't go down and couldn't even eat or drink, they were basically not far from death.

"What kind of time is this? This old geezer is still refusing to see a doctor because he's sick!"

Fourth Brother Zhang Jianxiu was so anxious that he kept stamping his feet.

"Don't you have any other options? Can't you take him to the clinic?"

You Qi said with a bitter expression, "Among the Zhang family, who can persuade the master, and who can tie him up?"

Zhang Juzheng was always the one to have the final say at home, and even his wives couldn't persuade him otherwise.

You Qi glanced at Zhang Yunxiu and said meaningfully.

"At this juncture, it seems only the young master can take action."

Zhang Jianxiu frowned. He looked at his younger brother and thought about it. He realized that what his brother said was true. Among all the family members, only his brother could control their father.

"You old bastard!!!"

Unexpectedly, Zhang Yunxiu, who was standing to the side, gritted his teeth.

This Zhang Juzheng is like those old men in later generations who refuse to get medical treatment. He won't listen to advice or reason, and you can't do anything about him. It's really infuriating.

However, Zhang Juzheng in history was a stubborn person. He had been in charge of the court for so many years that he was used to having the final say and would not listen to other people's advice.
In fact, in the original historical timeline, Zhang Juzheng's condition deteriorated step by step because he did not take his dysentery seriously, had blind confidence in himself, and delayed treatment until he had no other choice but to seek out a so-called "miracle doctor" who took his life.

Zhang Yunxiu naturally wouldn't let history repeat itself. He led the other two men and stormed into the backyard of the mansion.

He had to be somewhat cautious when dealing with the emperor, but he had countless ways to deal with his father, Zhang Juzheng.

Before even reaching the study door, one could hear Zhang Juzheng's hoarse, yet authoritative, reprimand from inside.

"Zhang Weishi! You need not say more! If you are unwilling to read the memorial to me, I will do it myself."

"What treatment for dysentery? I'm not sick, I don't need any treatment!"

"Renmin Medical Clinic? No way! A scholar can be killed but not humiliated. What kind of 'enema' method is this? It's an insult to civilization! I would rather die than do it!"

The three people stood outside the study and looked at each other in bewilderment upon hearing these remarks.

You Qi sighed heavily, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Zhang Yunxiu, and said, "Fifth Young Master, it's all up to you now."

He thought for a moment and then added a sentence.

"Master is in poor health, Fifth Young Master must not be violent."

These days, Zhang Yunxiu, the fifth son who was originally the least favored in the family, has become the backbone of the Zhang family.

Zhang Yunxiu's expression was ashen, and he nodded slightly.

"How can I, as a son, beat my father?"

He turned to look at his fourth brother, Zhang Jianxiu.

"Fourth Brother! Kick the door down!"

Zhang Jianxiu was stunned for a moment, then nodded immediately. Without any hesitation, he kicked the door open.

With a loud bang, the tightly closed door was kicked open, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The light from the courtyard shone into the study, dazzling Zhang Juzheng, who lay weakly on the sickbed, and his third brother Zhang Maoxiu, who stood anxiously to the side. They instinctively used their sleeves to shield their eyes.

"Shiyuan? Fourth brother?"

Zhang Maoxiu was stunned for a moment, and then spoke as if he had seen a savior.

"You are finally here!"

However, Zhang Juzheng, lying on his sickbed, panicked. He looked around as if searching for something and spoke urgently to Zhang Maoxiu.

"Hurry! That brat Zhang Shiyuan is here! Go get a towel to wipe me down, and quickly help me up."

When a person is sick, they become more vulnerable. Who would have thought that this old man, who was in such a state of chaos on his sickbed, was once the invincible Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty?

Standing at the door, Zhang Yunxiu took in Zhang Juzheng's disheveled appearance. He felt an indescribable bitterness in his heart, a mixture of sorrow and anger. He pointed at the other man and angrily rebuked him.

"Old Deng! Are you still going to remain stubbornly ignorant?"

When Lao Deng uttered this sentence, it really startled everyone around him.

Fourth Brother Zhang Jianxiu stared wide-eyed, looking at his younger brother who was "imposing" and pointing at their father while scolding him. A sense of annoyance welled up in his heart.

"Damn it! Zhang Shiyuan beat me to it again! That's what I should be saying!"

Zhang Jianzheng was thinking of adding a few words to properly reprimand his father for being reluctant to seek medical help.

But then his third brother, Zhang Maoxiu, came over and quickly stopped the two agitated brothers, trying to calm them down.

"Fourth brother, fifth brother, don't be anxious. Father is just confused because of his illness. We should reason with him."

Zhang Jianxiu pushed the other person away and, mustering his courage, walked toward Zhang Juzheng on the bed, saying as he went.

"Father, this can't go on! Come with us to the clinic quickly; saving his life is the most important thing."

But before he could finish speaking, Zhang Juzheng shouted angrily.

"you dare!"

His eyes were wide open in anger, and his beard was trembling.

"If you commit such a heinous act, I, Zhang Juzheng, will disown you as my son!"

Zhang Juzheng became extremely agitated.

"You first humiliated me by applying medicine, then you talked about cutting off the affected area, and even more so, you mentioned piercing my buttocks with steel needles!"

Now they want to insert foreign objects into the anus? That's utterly disgraceful!

As he spoke, Zhang Juzheng's aged face showed signs of grievance.

"I, Zhang Juzheng, have spent half my life navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom. How can I endure such humiliation? Rather than suffer this great disgrace, I would rather die than suffer such a shameful death. At least I can let future generations know that I, Zhang Juzheng, am a man who would rather break than bend!"

(End of this chapter)