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

Chapter 133 These are all my lyrics!
Ling Yunyi's kneeling, coupled with the blood streaming from his forehead, truly startled many ministers.

The ministers who were initially somewhat dissatisfied with him couldn't help but feel a little sympathy upon seeing this scene.

Who doesn't have a rebellious son in their family? It's truly heartbreaking that the father has to bear the blame for the son's mistakes.

Emperor Wanli frowned on his plump face. He was unusually angry when he first heard the news.

Some even suspected that Zhang Yunxiu had been deceiving them all along, and that the one who truly colluded with the White Lotus Sect was not Xu Xuemo, the Minister of Rites, but Zhang Yunxiu himself, father and son, plotting to seize his throne.

The ship of friendship almost capsized.

But the emperor was ultimately able to "distinguish right from wrong," and Zhang Yunxiu presented the latest issue of "The Cases of Judge Dee of the Tang Dynasty" to the palace.

When the emperor saw the plot, he realized, coincidentally, that it was about the White Lotus Sect case.

Whether the White Lotus Sect existed during the Tang Dynasty is unknown, but the emperor seemed to find it fascinating.

Zhang Yunxiu pieced together all the clues from the recent case and explained them thoroughly to the emperor. In a short time, while the emperor was reading the storybook, he also understood the case.

How could what Judge Di said be wrong?
Zhang Yunxiu is none other than my Lord Di! All the others are traitors and rebels!

Therefore, the emperor looked at Ling Yunyi with a very gentle gaze today, even with a hint of sympathy.

This Ling Xuanying is truly deserving of death. He has caused my father such grief. Even I dare not touch Wu Xiang, yet Ling Xuanying actually joined the White Lotus Sect for it. Such behavior deserves to be executed by slow slicing!

However, Ling Yunyi was innocent; he was always honest and upright, and devoted himself to serving the court.

Emperor Wanli sighed and said, "Minister Ling, please rise. Although Ling Xuanying is your own flesh and blood, he is already an adult. His mistakes should not be attributed to you."

Moreover, the case of Ling Yunyi is still unresolved; it's not too late to deal with it after the matter is thoroughly investigated.

Emperor Wanli's words essentially defined the nature of the matter, and it seemed that a final verdict was about to be reached.

Naturally, some court officials were not satisfied with this outcome.

"Your subject, Yang Sizhi, Supervising Censor of Shaanxi Province, has submitted a memorial."

When Emperor Wanli saw Yang Sizhi, he was somewhat agitated and said with a stern face.

"Imperial Censor Yang, there's no need to discuss this matter further. Haven't I made myself clear enough?"

Yang Sizhi said without the slightest fear.

"I believe Your Majesty's words are somewhat biased. It is an undeniable fact that Ling Xuan Ying colluded with the White Lotus Cult."

According to the investigations by the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate, Ling Xuanying has been colluding with the White Lotus Sect bandits in the countryside for half a month. His crimes of inciting the people and holding religious ceremonies are obvious. How can it be said that they have been put aside?
In my opinion, it is astonishing that Minister Ling can shirk all responsibility by claiming that he failed to discipline his children properly.

Ling Xuanying is his own flesh and blood. Does Minister Ling dare to say that you were completely unaware of Ling Xuanying's collusion with the White Lotus Rebellion?

Yang Sizhi's words actually made some sense.

Ultimately, the emperor's explanation was too far-fetched. Even if Ling Xuanyi had a good reputation, how could he possibly get away with colluding with the White Lotus Sect?

This is what the upright officials rely on.

Yang Sizhi bowed again and said, "Your Majesty, I beseech you to uphold the law and imprison Ling Yunyi to await trial!"

Upon hearing this, many censors stepped forward again, offering their unanimous advice.

It's one thing for the emperor to favor Zhang Juzheng and Zhang Yunxiu.

But to show favoritism towards Ling Yunyi in such an important matter seems a bit excessive, doesn't it?

"you!!"

Emperor Wanli was very sensitive at the moment and wanted to get angry, but he remembered his past experiences and forcibly suppressed his anger.

He turned to look at the assembled officials and said.

What do you all think?

At that moment, Grand Secretary Shen Shixing stepped forward and reported with his hands clasped.

"Your Majesty, I believe that Ling Yunyi is the Minister of War. Even if he has made a mistake, the court has its own laws. How can a second-rank official be imprisoned so easily? It is simply unreasonable."

Xu Xuemo, who had been trying to remain calm, could no longer sit still and stepped forward to refute.

"Grand Secretary Shen's words are utterly unreasonable. The emperor is subject to the same laws as commoners, let alone a mere minister! Is Grand Secretary Shen trying to exonerate him? If the White Lotus Rebels are allowed to escape, can you bear the responsibility?"

The court assembly turned into a marketplace, with Grand Secretary Shen Shixing and Minister of Rites Xu Xuemo arguing endlessly, their relationship on the verge of exchanging blows.

Emperor Wanli rubbed his forehead, annoyed by the constant bickering of his court officials, and said angrily.

"quiet!"

The two then stopped arguing.

Emperor Wanli looked up at Zhang Yunxiu standing to the side. The latter looked calm and collected, as if he were about to fall asleep with his eyes open.

Emperor Wanli truly admired his composure and couldn't help but cough and say something.

"Minister Zhang, you may now speak."

During court assemblies, it was usually high-ranking officials of the third rank or above who discussed matters, or censors and officials who spoke out. Military officers like Zhang Yunxiu rarely spoke. Although he was prepared, many military officers looked at Zhang Yunxiu with envy.

Zhang Yunxiu, who originally wanted to "slack off," was caught red-handed by the emperor. However, he was not too flustered. He stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said...

"The minister obeys the order."

After he finished speaking, he looked up at Xu Xuemo, the Minister of Rites, and his gaze lingered on the man's buttocks.

Feeling the other person's gaze, Xu Xuemo's face flushed red, and he said angrily.

"Zhang Shiyuan! Why are you looking at me like that!"

Zhang Yunxiu said with a surprised look, "Minister Xu, why do you say that? I have no homosexual desires, so why would I be staring at you?"

Minister Xu was so eager to imprison Minister Ling, and now he's accusing me—is he feeling guilty?

"Puff~"

Upon hearing this, some people in the court assembly couldn't help but burst into laughter.

For a moment, everyone's eyes turned strange as they looked at Xu Xuemo.

The latter's face was already flushed red; he had been enraged in just one glance.

This was all thanks to the "court flogging" and the "hemorrhoid ointment," the latter being an indelible scar in Minister Xu's heart.

But he was, after all, the Minister of Rites, and he had some self-control. He quickly regained his composure after a few breaths and said...

"Don't beat around the bush. You're just spouting sophistry. Tell me quickly."

“Then I will tell you.”

Zhang Yunxiu said with a cold smile.

"May I ask Minister Xu and Imperial Censor Yang, has Minister Ling been confirmed as guilty of colluding with the White Lotus Rebellion?"

Yang Sizhi answered first, "After being imprisoned and interrogated, we will know the answer."

"That would be strange."

Zhang Yunxiu had a very sad expression on his face.

"Minister Ling is a minister of the court, and he has not yet been convicted. How can he be imprisoned? Why are you two using the punishments for criminals to deal with high-ranking officials in the court?"
Minister Xu repeatedly urged His Majesty to imprison Minister Ling, but wouldn't this make the scholars of the realm feel that His Majesty is mistreating court officials? Wouldn't this dishearten the scholars of the realm?

Will this discourage scholars across the land?
Emperor Wanli, seated on his throne, stared wide-eyed, leaning forward involuntarily, a wave of emotion washing over him.

As expected of Zhang Shiyuan, his eloquence is on par with his father's.

If we had to use a metaphor, Zhang Juzheng was a grandmaster who had cultivated himself for many years. He had been navigating the court for many years and had reached a state of perfection. However, everyone was familiar with his methods and could sometimes figure out the right way to do things.

But Zhang Yunxiu was a master of wild, unrestrained punches, and he was also a grandmaster of wild punches. After a flurry of punches, how could these usually law-abiding ministers possibly withstand it?

For a moment, the emperor couldn't help but feel a little smug, and he pulled Zhang Yunxiu into the court.

This lad is indeed my Lord Di!
Xu Xuemo, however, reacted differently. He paused for a moment, his mind echoing with the phrase "to chill the hearts of scholars throughout the land."

These are all my words!
He shouted in his heart.

Suddenly, the wound on my buttocks started to ache again.

Xu Xuemo pointed at Zhang Yunxiu with a trembling finger and said.

"How can a crime be convicted without being imprisoned and interrogated?"

Zhang Yunxiu retorted, "How can someone be imprisoned without being convicted?"

This back-and-forth questioning actually caused Xu Xuemo's brain to shut down.

Seeing that Xu Xuemo was losing ground, Zhang Siwei, the second-ranking cabinet minister who was standing at the forefront, finally couldn't stand still.

He glanced at Xu Xuemo and knew that after the last time he was flogged, the other man's temperament had become increasingly impatient.

But Zhang Siwei still remembered his backup plan.

He stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting to the emperor, and said...

"Your Majesty, I believe Ling Yunyi should be imprisoned. As for whether he should be convicted or not, words are insufficient evidence. I request that the former Imperial Physician Wang Yingyuan be summoned to court to testify!"

Emperor Wanli suddenly froze, his expression turning serious.

"What is the connection between this Wang Yingyuan and the White Lotus Rebellion case?"

Zhang Siwei said expressionlessly.

"This Wang Yingyuan was a physician at Renmin Medical Hall under Zhang Tongzhi. He was discovered while working at the medical hall."

The clinic had connections with the White Lotus Sect, and Ling Yunyi was secretly involved!

Zhang Yunxiu suddenly looked at Zhang Siwei, his eyes narrowing.

Good grief, I thought I was going to be ruthless, but these people are even more ruthless than me?
(End of this chapter)