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

Chapter 278 Without my Southern Zhili! What will your Great Ming Dynasty use to pay salaries?

"Feng'er, you..."

Emperor's father-in-law Li Wei stared wide-eyed at his daughter Li Caifeng in disbelief. At that moment, the Empress Dowager was sitting upright, looking arrogant and domineering.

Since she married into the royal family, there has been a clear distinction between the emperor and his subjects.

Li Wei had thought that once he was in the study, he could change his address, but Li Caifeng, using her power to intimidate him, actually reversed the order and made him, her father, address her as Empress Dowager.

Li Wei's lips trembled slightly as he stared at the other person.

But after a long while, he gritted his teeth, bowed respectfully, and said...

"Your subject, Marquis Wuqing, and Father-in-law Li Wei, pay respects to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

Li Weide was fortunate that, apart from the early Ming Dynasty, by the time of the Jiajing, Longqing, and Wanli reigns, many of these formalities had been omitted.

In particular, the kneeling ceremony is now rarely performed except for large ceremonies such as court assemblies and sacrifices, or when there is a significant difference in status. Instead, the bowing ceremony is used instead.

Otherwise, if the father is forced to kneel before his daughter, I wonder if he can accept it in his heart.

Li Caifeng's face remained expressionless as she nodded slightly.

"No need for formalities, please sit down."

Li Wei could sense the anger in Li Caifeng's words.

His recent collaboration with Jiangnan gentry and Shanxi merchants has strained their relationship.

After marrying into the royal family, Li Caifeng was no longer Li Caifeng of the Li family, but Li Caifeng of the Zhu Ming imperial family. In addition to considering the interests of her clan, she also had to take into account the interests of the Ming imperial family.

Naturally, one will become indecisive.

Knowing his daughter's temperament, Li Wei squeezed out tears, looking like a frail old man.

"Your Majesty, this humble subject truly knew nothing of the matter. Even if I had known they dared to harm the imperial heir, I would not have dared to conspire with them."

He was crying bitterly.

“Your Majesty, my two sons, Wen Gui and Wen Song, are still young. How could they dare to do such a rebellious thing? Wouldn’t that bring disaster to their family?”

Li Caifeng clearly understood the implications of his words. The old man was using her two younger brothers as a reminder, and at the same time, he was telling her that if anything happened to the Li family, she, the Empress Dowager, would likely be affected as well.

But Li Caifeng was already familiar with his tactics, and she frowned and questioned him about the ten-odd yuan.

"If it weren't for you, how could those people have interfered in the Jingyang Palace matter?"

"Your Majesty," Li Wei still wanted to argue.

"Enough!" Li Caifeng said, glaring at him.

"I don't care what your intentions are, whether it's a conspiracy or a court attack, but the royal offspring are absolutely untouchable. This is a taboo subject; whoever touches them will die!"

Today they dared to lay a hand on Consort Wang.

If the emperor does not grant their wishes in the future, wouldn't they also try to harm the emperor?

Even if Li Caifeng is biased towards her family, she will never compromise on this matter.

She knew that the emperor was her true power.

Seeing Li Caifeng getting angrier, Li Wei quickly said, "I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!"

This incident still haunts him; if it weren't for the loyalty of those three eunuchs who cut off the investigation's leads by sacrificing their lives...

This time, it seems like a major case is about to unfold.

Even if Li Caifeng were willing to intervene, could she silence public opinion? And how would the emperor view her?

Li Caifeng narrowed her eyes and continued to ask, "Was Prince Lu involved in this?"

What she feared most was the young Prince Lu, and in a moment of irrationality, she also got involved.

Li Wei quickly replied, "Absolutely not. Prince Lu is still young; how could he possibly be involved in such a matter?"

He seemed unsure of himself when he said this, and then added.

"However, His Highness Prince Lu seems to hate the Zhang family father and son very much."

"I have been following Your Majesty's instructions."

"That's all."

Li Caifeng rubbed her temples and pushed Prince Lu to the front of the stage. She had also made great contributions, so it was really hard to say anything.

"From now on, you should keep a closer eye on him and prevent him from causing trouble."

After Prince Lu left the palace to establish his own residence, he rarely visited Cining Palace again.

Li Caifeng couldn't go out easily either, because who knew how outrageous the Prince of Lu would become.

"As the Empress Dowager commands."

Li Wei's overly respectful manner was perhaps a little excessive, and it was unclear whether he was deliberately trying to provoke Li Caifeng.

Li Caifeng turned her gaze southward and murmured to Li Wei.

"Are you all confident about the matter in Jiangnan?"

Li Wei smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the matter of Jingyang Palace is superfluous and unnecessary. We already have victory in our grasp."

"Don't push things to the extreme."

Li Caifeng said in a low voice.

"Jiangnan cannot be allowed to descend into chaos. Some people are too ambitious and it would be good to kill them off."

But the Ming Dynasty still needed long-term stability, and the emperor was unclear about the extent of this.

You, as the emperor's father-in-law, and those members of the gentry should know this very well.

Li Wei nodded: "Your Majesty, please rest assured."

Then, Li Caifeng raised her head again and looked towards the door.

"Is Yongning out there? You, as his grandfather, should go and see him."

Three days later.

The imperial gazette was leaked by someone and spread throughout the capital.

"The Renmin Medical Clinic was ordered by the Emperor to take care of the pregnant woman at Jingyang Palace. However, during her pregnancy, Consort Gong suddenly fell slightly ill, and I am extremely worried."

"Thanks to the all-out efforts of Zhang Shiyuan, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Li Shizhen, the Dean of the Ming Dynasty Medical College, Consort Gong was able to recover from her serious illness, and the imperial pregnancy is safe and sound."

"To recognize his merits, Zhang Yunxiu, formerly the Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, is hereby promoted to Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Office, with the rank of Third Grade, and is granted the flying fish robe, with the same salary as usual."

"Li Shizhen, former head of the Ming Dynasty Medical Academy, was promoted to head of the Imperial Medical Academy and given the honorary title of Senior Grand Master."

Inside a private room on the second floor of the Thirty-Ninth Tea House.

Wearing sunglasses, Duke Zhang Rong of England read the contents of the "Official Gazette" over and over again, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Young man, you've made something of yourself again! The imperial court has finally issued an edict, which can be considered a final verdict on this matter."

Now that you command the Embroidered Uniform Guard and wear the flying fish robe, you will be the most outstanding young person in the capital.

After thinking for a moment, he lowered his head again, revealing a pair of bull-like eyes through his sunglasses, and looked at the young man in front of him.

"You were quick-witted this time, otherwise all the hard work you put into running Renmin Medical Clinic for the past six months would have been for naught."

Now even the Imperial Medical Academy is under your control. All the officials of the Ming Dynasty, high and low, depend on you for medical treatment and medicine!

It's unclear whether this was a sigh or a reminder.

However, Zhang Yunxiu didn't take it to heart at all. He was enjoying his fried peanuts. After many improvements, the fried peanuts in the teahouse were now crispy and crunchy.

He shook his head and said.

"The Imperial Medical Academy should have been abolished long ago; it's nothing but a fraudulent institution."

My uncle has been receiving treatment at my Renmin Medical Clinic recently; he should be able to feel the difference.

"So, what kind of physical examination did you have?"

Zhang Rong seemed to recall some unpleasant memories.

"I am in perfect health and do not need any examinations or treatments. The doctors in your clinic are extremely rude!"

If it weren't for the sake of Zhang Yunxiu and the emperor, Zhang Rong, who was "humiliated" that day, would have definitely made a scene at Renmin Medical Clinic.

Zhang Yunxiu didn't explain to the old man. Instead, he took out a sheet from his pocket and began to read it aloud in a rhythmic and melodious manner.

"The patient's long-term horseback riding has led to strain on his lumbar spine and various joints, as well as severe wind-cold-dampness syndrome."

"The patient has a long history of alcohol consumption and suffers from gout. His joints are severely affected by wind-evil, resulting in swelling and frequent, unbearable pain."

"The patient drank excessively and ate irregularly, leading to spleen and stomach dysfunction."

"The patient has suffered from delirium and dizziness for many years. The initial diagnosis was hyperactivity of liver yang, but further examination is needed to determine the specific symptoms."

"Patient's anus."

"Enough!" Zhang Rong, his face flushed with embarrassment, slammed his hand on the table. "This is just a minor ailment. I am a man of integrity, how could I..."

With a loud "bang".

Zhang Yunxiu placed a bundle on the table, which was bulging with medicine. He smiled and said...

"So, Uncle doesn't care about the medicine prescribed by the clinic, or the recuperation prescription?"

Zhang Rong paused for a moment, then stared intently at the package.

He knew in his heart that the medicines produced by Renmin Medical Hall were highly regarded.

Hemorrhoid cream, anti-inflammatory drugs, and liniment have become essential medicines for the daily lives of Beijing residents.

Even many high-ranking officials and nobles, after experiencing the therapeutic effects, became inseparable from it.

A hint of anticipation flickered in Zhang Rong's eyes as she asked in a low voice.

"Nephew, can these medicines of yours treat my headaches, pain and numbness in my hands and feet?"

Zhang Yunxiu said irritably, "It's not a complete cure, but it can help alleviate Uncle's pain, improve his life, and save his life."

Zhang Rong suffered from a host of age-related illnesses, as well as various ailments accumulated over the years. One of them, liver yang hyperactivity (similar to high blood pressure), was enough to kill him.

Many diseases cannot be cured in later generations, let alone in the Ming Dynasty when medical standards were low.

However, now that we have a general understanding of the symptoms, we can treat the symptoms and take care of the body in a regular way, which should be enough to extend the old man's life by a few more years.

Zhang Rong's eyes lit up immediately, and he said with a sigh.

"If it really works, I will repay you handsomely! Over the years, I have sought out famous doctors all over the country to cure my ailments, but none of them have helped at all."

Zhang Yunxiu couldn't help but complain, "If you had taken fewer of those miracle drugs prescribed by famous doctors, you might be even healthier." Often, when the illness is unclear, it's far better not to treat it than to treat it haphazardly.

At this moment, Zhang Rong looked somewhat embarrassed and gave an awkward smile.

"Then I'll give it a try, however reluctantly."

Just moments ago he kept saying he didn't need treatment, but now he's shamelessly begging for medicine. Even Zhang Rong, with his old face, felt a little embarrassed.

"and many more."

Zhang Yunxiu pressed down on the bundle and said with a smile.

"Uncle, there's no need to worry."

He pushed a sheet of paper with dense handwriting across the table.

"Since Uncle is willing to treat this, let's sign this contract, and all daily life will be done in accordance with the order."

"So many intricacies?"

Zhang Rong was rather impatient, but he still took it and looked at it, and immediately frowned and said.

"No alcohol, no anger, low salt and little red meat. What kind of nonsense is this? What's the fun in life if you don't eat or drink anything?"

Zhang Yunxiu shook his head and said, "If Uncle wants to see the magnificent landscape of the Ming Dynasty again, the only way is to do as I say."

"This..." Zhang Rong stared at the contract in a daze.

He said he wasn't sick, but how could he not know in his heart that he was nearing the end of his life? Birth, aging, sickness and death are the natural course of life, but who doesn't want to live a few more years and see their descendants a little longer?
Zhang Rong's lips twitched slightly, but in the end, he chose to believe Zhang Yunxiu. In the field of medicine, there was probably no one more authoritative than Zhang Yunxiu in the entire Ming Dynasty.

Without hesitation, he immediately picked up a pen and wrote his name on it, even biting his finger to cover it up.

Although she knew there might be some "tricky" clauses, Zhang Rong still chose to trust Zhang Yunxiu.

Then, as if relieved, Zhang Rong handed the contract back to Zhang Yunxiu, grinned, and said, "Shiyuan boy, my life is now in your hands."

Zhang Yunxiu looked serious and reminded Zhang Rong.

"Uncle, you must not be careless. Renmin Medical Clinic is still lacking in expertise, and most of your ailments are incurable."

"From now on, try to avoid getting angry, and don't overexert yourself during daily training. Be careful to avoid falls and strenuous exercise."

Zhang Yunxiu spoke at length, mainly addressing the symptoms of liver yang hyperactivity, noting that various complications caused by hypertension in the elderly in later generations were one of the main causes of death.

As a nobleman, Zhang Rong's daily life was naturally comparable to that of people in later generations, and his biggest hidden danger was probably high blood pressure.

If symptoms similar to cerebral hemorrhage or stroke suddenly appear, Zhang Yunxiu would truly be helpless.

Needless to say, Renmin Medical Clinic is now struggling to even manufacture a blood pressure monitor, let alone treat cerebral hemorrhage.

The precision glass manufacturing technology and the production of various rubber materials required still need time to develop.

Zhang Rong noticed the younger generation's concern for him and felt very pleased, laughing heartily as he spoke.

"I'm an old man with bones, so I'll just die when I'm done. But seeing you young people succeed will make me feel much happier."

At this point, Zhang Rong's smile faded, and she couldn't help but feel a lingering fear when she thought about the incident.

"Kid, aren't you afraid of getting into trouble? If the truth isn't found out this time, you're really in for a world of hurt."

Zhang Yunxiu knew that Zhang Rong was referring to the "Jingyang Palace" incident.
Regardless of whether the mastermind is the Cining Palace or some Shanxi merchants, Qingliu faction, or Jiangnan gentry, if they succeed, it will be extremely dangerous.

In particular, all matters related to the safe delivery of the baby at Jingyang Palace have recently been handled by Renmin Medical Clinic.

If Consort Gong and the imperial heir have run into trouble, then Renmin Medical Clinic must bear some responsibility, no matter what.

Zhang Yunxiu shook his head and said, "How could I be confident? I'm just dealing with whatever comes my way."

He answered honestly that Zhang Yunxiu had no reason to be overly cautious about such conspiracies and tricks. In fact, he was still thinking about countermeasures on the way to Jingyang Palace.

However, Zhang Yunxiu couldn't help but feel a little emotional when he mentioned this.

If it weren't for Princess Yongning in the palace sending someone to remind us in time...

If we let this stubborn old man Li Shizhen stand up to the emperor, who knows what kind of trouble he might cause.

At that time, the well-prepared Qingliu faction will launch an attack, accusing themselves of plotting to harm the imperial heir.

Although it is highly likely that the truth will eventually be uncovered, being covered in filth is something no one would feel good about.

But the more he said that, the less Zhang Rong believed him, and she said with great dissatisfaction.

"Are you even hiding this from me? You're so cunning; you must have a backup plan. Otherwise, how could this matter have been resolved so easily? You're just deceiving this old man again!"

Listening to Zhang Rong's sarcastic remarks, Zhang Yunxiu couldn't help but feel speechless.

Why is it that no one believes me when I tell the truth?
Zhang Rong acted as if it were perfectly normal, treating the matter as a secret and not mentioning it again.

He continued, lowering his voice.

“Nephew, you are now in charge of the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard, and His Majesty trusts you greatly. I'm afraid this ‘Wu Xiang Case’ won’t be so easy to resolve, will it?”

Previously, Zhang Yunxiu, as the Assistant Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, commanded the Southern Garrison Command. Although he was in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he was actually somewhat inferior to Liu Shouyou of the Northern Garrison Command.

Now he has been promoted to Vice Commander-in-Chief, and also has the title of head of the Imperial Guard Administration. He has even been bestowed with a flying fish robe by the emperor, making him the de facto head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Zhang Yunxiu shook his head and said, "This matter is meticulously planned and cannot be accomplished by ordinary people."

Recently, the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard have intensified their investigation, but several palace maids and eunuchs have committed suicide in the palace. There are very few powerful figures in the world who could wield such influence.

"Big man?"

Zhang Rong narrowed his eyes, instinctively sensing the danger involved, and stopped mentioning it, instead turning his attention to another aspect.

He looked at the wooden signs below the stage that were constantly changing. The eyes of the gentry and merchants below were still burning with passion, and the sounds of many people trading were deafening.

"Speaking of which, your futures trading market is truly a place that tests one's patience; many wealthy and powerful people are immersed in it."

"Shiyuan, please forgive my rambling, but are you even 60% confident about your plans for Jiangnan?"

Zhang Rong was also aware that the situation in Jiangnan was not optimistic.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and said, "Eight points."

Zhang Rong looked incredulous: "With the recent news, the prices in your futures market have indeed dropped considerably."

But these people won't give up easily; they'll still raise the prices. What will you do then?

When he said that, some people in the audience were still shouting "Buy more, buy more!"

Clearly, prices in both the capital and Southern Zhili had been driven up to an alarming level by these merchants.

Zhang Yunxiu glanced confidently at Dongfang and said.

"Uncle, just wait and see. The resources in this world are either too expensive to be cheap or too cheap to be expensive. There is a predetermined fate in the universe."

They can still act like clowns today simply because their time hasn't come yet.

"Do you know how much revenue the empire has generated since the sixth year of the Wanli reign? And how much has our Southern Zhili region contributed?"

Inside a restaurant in Taicang Prefecture, Wang Shizhen looked at the gentry dressed in plain silk robes and began to speak eloquently.

"Seven million, two hundred and thirty-four thousand, eight hundred and twenty shi!"

Wang Shizhen stared wide-eyed and said, "Our Jiangnan region alone accounts for 30% of the nation's taxes and grain! The Beizhili region, which is under the jurisdiction of the capital, pays less than half a percent of the taxes and grain."

He then slammed his hand on the table.

"And in this Southern Zhili, my Jiangnan region occupies more than half. Does this world belong to the Zhang family father and son?"
"If it weren't for us diligently paying taxes and provisions for the court, what would the officials in the court be living on in luxury?"

"But what can we do now?"

Wang Shizhen looked resentful.

"The imperial court is short of silver, but instead of punishing corrupt officials, it has turned its attention to us gentry and local worthies. How can we sit idly by and wait to die for such a perverse act!"

This impassioned speech moved many of the gentry present.

The reason they've gathered here today is precisely to deal with the Jiangnan Textile Bureau and the Xishan Money Exchange.
In order to "make a profit," the latter resorted to all means in various parts of Jiangnan, especially the cotton and silk produced by the Tiangong textile machines, which had greatly impacted their business.

The gentry of Jiangnan attempted to curb the implementation of the Jiangnan Textile Bureau by means of hoarding goods and cutting off supply.

If this method is implemented in Yingtian Prefecture, more and more people will join in.

At this moment, they could no longer sit idly by and wait for their doom.

However, many gentry still had some concerns, one of them said in the crowd.

“Mr. Yuanmei, it’s not that we are unwilling to do our part, but the Emperor just recently bestowed a reward upon Zhang Shiyuan, and I’m afraid he has already given us word that His Majesty not only wants to investigate the ‘Wuxiang Case,’ but also wants him to govern Jiangnan.”

"If we openly defy the imperial court, wouldn't it be like throwing an egg against a rock, bringing disaster upon ourselves?"

For a long time, the gentry had been secretly resisting the imperial court, but no one dared to do it openly, because that would be no different from "rebellion".
These are not chaotic times anymore. If we really anger the court, what if the emperor is furious and blames us?
But Wang Shizhen seemed completely unconcerned, scoffing and shaking his head as he spoke.

"You are all greatly mistaken. If something goes wrong in Jiangnan, the whole country will surely be in chaos. How dare the officials of the court act arbitrarily?"

He continued speaking loudly.

"Gentlemen, the Zhang family father and son have already put their knives to our necks. If we don't make up our minds soon, we will become the fat meat on the chopping block!"

At this point, many people showed anger. In those fields that were measured, which family hadn't had to painfully cut off a few pieces of flesh?
The previous implementation of the "Single Whip Law" was tolerable, but now the court has gone even further by implementing this loan system, which is a real blow to the foundations of the aristocratic families.

"Everyone!"

From the crowd, an old man spoke slowly. His name was Hua Zhongheng, and the Hua family had always been a prominent clan in Jiangnan.

He looked old and frail, and tapped the table as he spoke.

"If we are constantly afraid, will we still have the legacy of our generations in Jiangnan?"

With the powerful clans stepping forward, everyone felt more confident.

Wang Shizhen narrowed his eyes and said, "Everyone knows in their hearts that the Jiangnan Textile Bureau is here to steal our business. Since they are stealing our business, we will cut off their sales channels and let the court see what kind of mess the Zhang family has made of Jiangnan!"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a surge of righteous indignation, as if they truly wanted to devour Zhang Yunxiu alive.

"We absolutely cannot afford any mistakes in Jiangnan; we are here to set things right!"

"That's right! Jiangnan is a vital area of ​​the Ming Dynasty. How can we let Zhang Shiyuan stir up trouble?"

"We will not only resist, but also submit a petition to the court with the support of the people! Does Your Majesty intend to deceive the public and silence the voices of the people?"

The sea breeze howled.

The waves lapped against the gunwale of the ship.

Qi Jiguang placed his hands on the deck railing, his eyes filled with a complex expression.

He was over fifty years old, with gray hair at his temples, but his figure was still upright. He looked at Hu Shouren, the adjutant beside him, and his eyes couldn't help but show wrinkles when he smiled.

"Zi'an! When was the last time we boarded this warship and went to sea?"

(End of this chapter)