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

Chapter 260 Lightning Strike Intimidates the Powerful! Is Uncle Shi unwell?

“Absolutely not. Zhu Yingzhen is a Duke, after all. If you treat him like this, it will only provoke the wrath of the nobles. If you lose their support, it will be a very bad situation.”

Outside the mental health center, Zhang Rong was speaking with great earnestness and concern. Even someone as radical as him felt a chill run down his spine when he heard about Zhang Yunxiu's brain removal and lightning therapy.

Is this kid a demon who came out of the underworld?
This kind of punishment was never used even during the reign of Emperor Taizu.

But Zhang Yunxiu spoke with great conviction, explaining very earnestly.

"Your Excellency should not allow the Duke of Cheng to conceal his illness and avoid medical treatment. The addiction mechanism is complex and involves abnormal excitation in areas such as the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens of the brain."

If gambling, sex, or alcohol addiction becomes excessive, damaging the relevant brain regions becomes the only solution.

He seemed rather regretful.

"Unfortunately, our Ming Dynasty still lacks surgical experience, and it is not advisable to open the skull lightly, as there are still risks involved. At this time, electroconvulsive therapy to inhibit the relevant brain regions becomes one of the feasible methods."

Zhang Yunxiu raised his eyes and looked at Zhang Rong, reminding him.

"Uncle, please rest assured, I, Zhang Yunxiu, am a kind-hearted man and would never take the life of the Duke of Cheng. However, the Duke of Cheng is a pillar of our Great Ming Dynasty, and it is only right for him to sacrifice himself for science."

Even if this matter were reported to His Majesty, it would be reasonable.

"Zhang Shiyuan!" Zhang Rong was furious. "What kind of hysteria have you had now? If someone is struck by lightning and their head is cracked open, how can they possibly survive? You mustn't be so reckless!"

He did this not only for Zhu Yingzhen, but also for Zhang Yunxiu.

Heaven knows what kind of sensation this kid would cause among the nobles if he really cracked Zhu Yingzhen's skull open.

But Zhang Yunxiu narrowed his eyes and said, "Uncle, haven't you always said that the nobles also feel that my futures market is misleading people? I am trying to solve this problem now, but why are you changing the subject?"

He looked very displeased.

"Since the nobles are hesitant, then I, Zhang Yunxiu, must act in accordance with official business!"

Zhang Rong paused for a moment, then frowned deeply.

After saying this, Zhang Yunxiu turned to Luo Xian beside him and said, "Jun De, when there is a thunderstorm, we can test whether our lightning-attracting device works and conduct an experiment first."

"Yes, sir!" Luo Xian's eyes widened, not finding it outrageous at all, but rather filled with a desire to explore scientific truth.

This really terrified Zhang Rong.

He finally realized the hidden meaning in Zhang Yunxiu's words.

Recently, a dispute has broken out between the gentry in Jiangnan and the imperial court.

Logically speaking, this group of nobles had always stood with the imperial court and the Zhang family.

However, whether it is the "Single Whip Law" or the various industries in Xishan promoted by Zhang Yunxiu, they will undoubtedly affect the interests of the nobles.

It is true that many nobles have shares in Xishan.

However, the land they occupied and the shops they operated were no less than those of the gentry in Jiangnan.

In the past, Zhang Yunxiu used various short-term interests to bring this group of people together to form a common interest group against the gentry and the upright officials.

However, as the government policies were continuously implemented and the gentry with their intricate networks of connections were won over, these people gradually began to become disloyal.

Just like the recent price increases in Beijing, these people are partly responsible for fueling the fire.

Suddenly, the anger on Zhang Rong's face disappeared, and he began to become serious.

As the backbone of all the nobles in the capital region, Duke Zhang Rong of England naturally understood the crux of the matter.

Just like Zhu Yingzhen in the treatment center, most of the nobles are short-sighted and greedy, only looking at immediate benefits and not letting go.

Moreover, they have always harbored resentment towards Zhang Yunxiu, feeling that he takes too much care of ordinary people and neglects the interests of the nobility.

Many people even felt that without their assistance, Zhang Yunxiu would not have been able to defeat the Qingliu forces one after another.

"This matter...I am truly sorry for what I have done to you."

Zhang Rong's expression became complicated. He kept saying he supported reform, but he turned a blind eye to the actions of the nobles below him who assisted the Qingliu faction. Wasn't he just taking a chance?

Now that Zhang Yunxiu had pointed it out, she felt somewhat ashamed.

Zhang Yunxiu, however, said quite bluntly, "Uncle, it's not that I'm being presumptuous, but all the gentry and merchants in the land can oppose the new policies and reforms, except for the nobles. You share the fate of the nation; don't you understand this principle?" "This..."

Zhang Rong suddenly felt a little unsure of herself.

As Zhang Yunxiu said, all of them, including dukes, marquises, and earls, lived and died with the nation.

The reforms implemented by the emperor and Zhang Juzheng may have seemed to harm their interests in the short term, but in reality, they maintained their wealth and status.

After all, once the dynasty changes, will you still be able to become a duke?

The rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty were closely related to them.

Conversely, the upright officials were completely different. Even if the Ming Dynasty fell, they could still "turn to a new wise ruler," it would just be a different emperor.

Having suddenly understood the crux of the problem, Zhang Rong sighed heavily. Lately, the wrinkles on his forehead had become more and more pronounced, and his back was no longer as straight as before.

"I'm really getting old. I feel my strength is failing. If it were in the past, how could I have let these juniors run wild?"

He seemed somewhat melancholy as he spoke very sincerely to Zhang Yunxiu.

“What Shi Yuan said is from the bottom of his heart. I understand. From now on, even if it costs me my old life, I will definitely make these brats work together.”

The new policies of our Great Ming Dynasty will surely be implemented! This policy of opening up the seas will also surely be achieved!

Zhang Rong's eyes began to harden. In recent days, the benefits of opening the sea had already been widely discussed in court and reported in the newspapers.

Everyone knows the benefits of opening up the sea, but no one dares to go any further, ultimately due to the influence of the Jiangnan gentry.

Zhang Yunxiu then said leisurely, "Matters in the court don't necessarily have to be resolved in the court. Resolving the influence outside the court can also achieve twice the result with half the effort."

These words surprised Zhang Rong greatly. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he sighed helplessly and said...

"At such a young age, you already possess such cunning and scheming; I wonder if this is a blessing or a curse."

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and said, "These villains are wicked, so naturally I must be even more wicked than them to succeed."

"Enough, enough," Zhang Rong said, shaking his head repeatedly. "I can't discipline you either."

His expression then became unusually firm.

"I will certainly take this matter of the nobles to heart. If anyone dares to cause trouble again, I, the Duke of England, will certainly not sit idly by."

Zhang Yunxiu continued to advise, "If necessary, these three major camps in the capital must also be ready to go."

"This..." Zhang Rong's expression turned serious. "These people are really that audacious?"

Zhang Yunxiu replied leisurely, "Murderers and arsonists wear golden belts. These people might risk their lives for a few tens of thousands of taels of silver. Do you think they wouldn't take the risk?"

Zhang Rong's eyes gradually became serious, and he released a murderous aura of an old general. He spoke very resolutely.

"Nephew, please rest assured. We won't discuss anything else. If anyone dares to harbor rebellious intentions, I, Zhang Rong, will make sure they see how sharp my blade is!"

After saying this, Zhang Rong hurriedly prepared to take his leave, presumably to teach some spoiled brat a lesson.

But Zhang Yunxiu still stopped him.

"What? Are you planning to open my head too?" Zhang Rong glared at him with his bull-like eyes and said with great dissatisfaction.

"Uncle isn't sick, why is he having such a brain fart?"

Zhang Yunxiu smiled slightly as he spoke.

"I just remembered something and wanted to remind you, Uncle."

"what?"

Zhang Yunxiu looked the other person up and down and asked, "Uncle, have you been feeling unwell lately?"

"Feeling unwell?" Zhang Rong immediately became alert, subconsciously shifting his position. "I won't have my anus cut open. I don't need your method for treating dysentery!"

In recent days, with the further advancement of medical skills at Renmin Medical Hall, this method of treating dysentery by cutting the flesh from the anus has become famous in the capital.

(End of this chapter)