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

Chapter 350 A Battlefield? This stuff invigorates the kidneys and replenishes vital energy!
Zhang Yunxiu's eyes were very deep. He stared at Hosokawa Iya's hurried departure and couldn't help but smile.

Forget about the gentle embrace of women; a man's romance should be a triumphant shout in a tavern!
Even for a woman like Hosokawa Iya, the ability to wield power was more attractive than anything else.

Zhang Yunxiu made a small guess based on scattered historical records, but he did not expect that just a few words of probing would be enough to make Hosokawa Iya lose his composure.

He didn't expect to be able to conquer Japan with just words, but he could plant a seed in the other's heart that might one day take root and sprout.

Most importantly, it can scare away this woman who intends to harm her.

Just as Zhang Yunxiu was standing smugly at the entrance of his study, three people passed by on the stone path outside the courtyard and saw the scene before them.

"The principle of the unity of knowledge and action cannot remain merely in books. We are our teacher's disciples, and we cannot just talk about it on paper. I think we need to take some time to visit the medical school or the laboratory in Xishan to properly explore this scientific path."

"The path of science is vast and profound. My esteemed teacher possesses a broad and inclusive mind, willing to welcome all the talented people in the world to my Xishan. Hey? That young lady is walking hurriedly, she looks a bit familiar!"

This is not

Gu Xiancheng stared intently at the woman's back. She had clearly run out of Zhang Yunxiu's courtyard. Her clothes were even a little disheveled, as if she was hiding from something.

Zhao Nanxing chimed in, "She looks more like Hosokawa Iya, the Japanese woman who has recently become famous in the capital."

Gao Panlong shook his head and said, "This is just speculation. How could Hosokawa Iya have entered my Renmin Medical Clinic?"

Zhao Nanxing said, "No, no! A few days ago, His Majesty issued an edict that Hosokawa Iya had already become a disciple of our master, and is considered our junior sister. It's not strange that she came out of our master's courtyard."

Gao Panlong suddenly pointed ahead and said, "This bowing is so exaggerated, it really is that Japanese woman!"

It turned out that Hosokawa Iya was in such a hurry that he accidentally bumped into a hospital doctor, scattering his medical records all over the ground. Hosokawa Iya looked extremely embarrassed and kept bowing to the doctor to apologize.

Such exaggerated movements are perhaps only something the Japanese would do.

For a moment, the three of them fell silent, each with their own thoughts.

The story of Zhang Yunxiu and Hosokawa Iya has been the talk of the town these past few days. Although Gu Xiancheng and the other two don't believe the exaggerated stories they've fabricated, they can't help but have some thoughts about it.

"This Hosokawa girl seems to have unsteady steps. Ordinary women," Zhao Nanxing couldn't help but speculate.

Gu Xiancheng slapped the other person's forehead and said irritably.

"Do not make unfounded assumptions about your teacher!"

He let out a heavy breath and pulled his gaze away from Hosokawa Iya.

"My mentor was also a man, and it's only natural for him to be interested in matters of love and sex when he reached a certain age. Although he was a bit unreliable, he was still quite virtuous. How could he have done anything sordid?"

Gu Xiancheng looked at his two friends and said, word by word.

"What happened today is between you and me. We must not let a fourth person know about it. We are students, and we should keep our master's secret!"

Gu Xiancheng seemed to be a bit confused, and his words were contradictory.

However, Zhao Nanxing and Gao Panlong nodded repeatedly, like chickens pecking at rice.

Gu Xiancheng seemed to have gone through a great internal struggle. He sighed and looked at the courtyard.

"I will give my mentor some time, and then I will go in to pay my respects later."

Zhao Nanxing and Gao Panlong immediately gave a thumbs up. As expected of the backbone among them, Gu Xiancheng's thinking was more thorough than theirs!

Huitong Pavilion.

The copper bells hanging from the eaves were gently blown by the wind, making a series of tinkling sounds.

The window was slightly ajar, and a warm breeze wafted into the room.

Hosokawa Yusai, dressed in a plain white robe, held a black chess piece in his hand, remaining motionless before the chessboard for a long time.

The black and white pieces on the chessboard are intertwined and entangled, and the center is engulfed in a chaotic battle.

Hosokawa Yusai played both black and white, yet the two were locked in a fierce battle on the chessboard.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, and Hosokawa Yusai asked without looking up.

"came back?"

Hosokawa Iya suddenly stopped in her tracks. She knelt down outside the house, looking slightly flustered, and said...

"Yes, Father."

Upon hearing Hosokawa Iya's voice, Hosokawa Yusai lost all interest in playing Go and became increasingly irritated as he looked at the game.

His mood worsened when he caught a glimpse of a newspaper at his side, and he slowly began to speak.

"Come in and talk."

"Yes, Father."

Hosokawa Iya slowly walked into the room, found a chair and sat down, looking very uneasy and anxious.

Noticing the change in his daughter, Hosokawa Yusai frowned slightly and looked up to ask.

"Did you go and find Zhang Shiyuan today?"

Hosokawa Iya sat up abruptly and said, "Father, I did see him. When I entered the clinic, I was examined by several female officials because of my connection to the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. However, the Ming people seem to have spread rumors about my relationship with Lord Shiyuan."

A blush crept onto her face, whether from embarrassment or joy, it was hard to tell.

"In short, I went in and met Lord Shiyuan."

“These things are not important,” Hosokawa Yusai said, closing his eyes to rest. “We need Zhang Shiyuan’s assistance right now. He is the one who is promoting the Ming Dynasty’s maritime trade policy. Instead of assassinating him, you should be protecting him.”

Hosokawa Iya raised his head slightly, then lowered it again and nodded.

"My daughter understands."

Hosokawa Yusai shifted his posture and scrutinized his daughter as he spoke.

What did you talk about with Zhang Shiyuan today?

“This…” Hosokawa Iya hesitated slightly.

"Hmm?" Hosokawa Yusai said in an unquestionable tone, "Tell me everything, big or small, without hiding anything from me."

Hosokawa Iya pondered for a moment, ultimately unable to defy Hosokawa Yusai's authority, and slowly spoke.

"Lord Shiyuan was quite surprised at first, but he was ultimately a gentle man and did not blame his daughter too much for it. On the contrary..."

A glint of light flashed in Hosokawa Yusai's eyes, and he widened his eyes as he spoke.

What happened between the two of you?

Hosokawa Iya shook his head and said, "Father, Lord Shigen doesn't seem to be as rumored. He is a man of integrity."

Hosokawa Yusai's eyes revealed a hint of disappointment, but he still spoke.

"You don't understand. He's just putting on an act. That's how the Ming people are. They're not nearly as straightforward as us Japanese."

In his eyes, it was almost impossible for someone to remain unmoved by temptation, especially someone like Zhang Yunxiu who achieved fame at a young age. How many people could resist the allure of wine, women, wealth, and power? Unless, of course, this person had a particular fetish, then that would be a different story.

Hosokawa I didn't argue with him, but continued talking to himself.

"Lord Shigen was a learned man. He sat and talked with his daughter, discussing all sorts of things. Most surprisingly, he talked about the Taika Reform and praised Emperor Kōtoku, saying that he was a great ruler of Japan who learned from the Tang Dynasty system, curbed the influence of noble families in the government, and made Japan a 'centralized' country."

Her words contained a lot of "professional jargon" she had read in the newspaper, but given the father and daughter's education, understanding these terms was not difficult.

Hosokawa Iya also omitted the dispute between the two over the title of "Emperor" to avoid making Hosokawa Yusai anxious and upset.

"The Taika Reform?" Hosokawa Yusai raised his head slightly, his eyes showing a hint of surprise, followed by a surge of pride and emotion.

"If our lord can unify the world and then implement the Great Transformation Reform, it should be no worse than before."

He was familiar with that period of history, and his ambition was stirred within him.

"The humiliation brought about by the Battle of Baekgang should be quite different now."

Hosokawa Iya was startled and quickly reminded him.

“Father, although the Ming Dynasty may not appear as powerful as the Tang Dynasty, and there are frequent border troubles in various places, it is by no means weak on the outside but strong on the inside. Especially after the appearance of the Western Mountains, the Ming Dynasty will surely become even stronger. We…”

Hosokawa Yusai waved his hand and said, "This is not a question for you to consider, and it is far too early to be thinking about it now."

His voice paused.

"Besides that, did you discuss anything else with Zhang Shiyuan?"

Hosokawa Iya hesitated for a moment, but finally shook his head and said.

"There was nothing else special. I talked with Lord Shiyuan about history for a while, and also about some scientific matters."

She then began spouting technical terms like "controlled experiment" and "controlled variable," which gave Hosokawa Yusai a headache. Although he was knowledgeable about the Ming Dynasty, his knowledge was mostly limited to literature and history, and he knew nothing about science.

Hosokawa Yusai waved his hand helplessly and said, "Alright, alright. From now on, if there is any news, you must report it to me in detail and not hide anything."

Hosokawa Iya bowed respectfully, his face expressionless.

"My daughter understands."

Northern Pacification Office.

"Damn it!"

Zhang Yunxiu slammed the newspaper to the ground and said angrily.

"Who exactly is ruining my reputation! Do you think I, Zhang Yunxiu, am that thirsty? These tabloids have no bottom line at all. They must be thoroughly investigated."

Zhang Jianxiu sat to the side, unable to suppress his laughter. He kept a straight face as if he was holding back his laughter. He picked up the newspaper on the ground and almost couldn't hold back when he saw the headline.

The inscription reads: "Shiyuan's resistance against the Japanese was as firm as iron; the Japanese women fled to Hanchunzhai in defeat."

To avoid suspicion, the tabloid didn't even use Fang Shiyuan's full name, but rather his pseudonym. However, anyone with discerning eyes could see that "Shiyuan" and "Japanese woman" together referred to only one person.

"Pfft~" Zhang Jianxiu couldn't help but burst out laughing. "This tabloid is really something! They can come up with such a headline. Shiyuan, you haven't named your study yet, have you? Hanchunzhai would be nice."

And this is as hard as iron.

As he spoke, Zhang Jianxiu's eyes swept over Zhang Yunxiu, making Zhang Yunxiu feel extremely uncomfortable.

"Rolling, rolling, rolling~"

Zhang Yunxiu kicked his fourth brother and said irritably.

"How can anyone believe such baseless and filthy rumors? If I were truly so impatient, would I have waited until now?"

Zhang Jianxiu nodded slightly and said, "That makes sense. If you were willing to open your arms, countless women in the capital would be willing to throw themselves at you."

Thinking of this, he lowered his voice.

"Shiyuan, tell your brother, what exactly happened?"

But before he could finish speaking, there was a knock on the door.

"Two adults?"

"What is it?" Zhang Jianxiu frowned.

A captain entered, carrying a food box, which he placed on the table before respectfully reporting.

"Your Excellencies, a doctor from Renmin Medical Hall just delivered a medicinal soup, saying it was specially brought to you, Lord Commander, to help you recover."

"A clinic?" Zhang Jianxiu frowned and asked warily. "Has your identity been verified?"

"It's been verified," the captain replied truthfully. "She's a female doctor at a clinic, and she's wearing a badge; it can't be faked."

Zhang Jianxiu glanced at his younger brother, who also frowned.

"You may leave now."

"Yes."

After waving the captain away, Zhang Jianxiu stepped forward and carefully pushed open the lid of the food box with the hilt of his sword.

Inside the food box was a sealed bowl of warm medicinal herbs. The lid was only slightly opened, and the rich aroma of the herbs filled the room.

Zhang Jianxiu looked as if he were facing a formidable enemy, quickly covering his nose and asking Zhang Yunxiu beside him.

"Is there something fishy about Shi Yuan's medicinal herbs?"

Zhang Yunxiu said speechlessly, "There is no poison in this world that is so potent."

The medicinal fragrance in the air had nothing to do with poison, and there was no such thing as a poison that could kill someone with just one whiff in the Ming Dynasty.

"What is that?" Zhang Jianxiu was a little confused.

Zhang Yunxiu sniffed the air again, his expression growing increasingly strange.

"Why does this thing smell a little... indecent?"

"Not very proper?" A glint flashed in Zhang Jianxiu's eyes.

Zhang Yunxiu stepped forward, lifted the food box, cut the rope sealing the medicine jar, and slowly opened it.

The aroma of the medicine suddenly became even stronger. He didn't dare to drink it, but simply held it to his nose and sniffed it for a while. Based on his experience and memory, he quickly identified the medicinal herbs inside.

"Deer antler, seahorse, epimedium, dodder seed, clove, and black aconite"

Upon hearing these words, Zhang Jianxiu was immediately visibly shaken. His gaze towards the pot of medicine became intense, and he couldn't help but sigh.

"This is a wonderful thing! It's all about invigorating yang, strengthening the kidneys, and greatly replenishing vital energy!"

Zhang Yunxiu said speechlessly, "Do you know what this thing is?"

"Isn't it just an aphrodisiac?" Zhang Jianxiu asked, somewhat puzzled.

Zhang Yunxiu shook his head: "Ordinary aphrodisiacs wouldn't have so many precious medicinal materials. In the past, Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty had no children, so a Taoist priest presented him with the Crane Longevity Pill. This pill was later called 'Turtle Longevity Powder' by the world. With such a name, how could it be something from the mortal world?"

Zhang Jianxiu's eyes widened as he looked at the medicine more and more, and he couldn't help but look at Zhang Yunxiu and say something.

"Fifth brother, I have never asked you for anything."

Zhang Yunxiu looked speechless and waved his hand.

"I have no need for it, but if Fourth Brother needs it, please feel free to take it."

"Fifth Brother!" Zhang Jianxiu said, deeply moved. "From now on, I, your elder brother, will go through fire and water for you without hesitation!"

Zhang Yunxiu ignored his unreliable brother, stared at the food box, and fell into deep thought as he recalled the captain's description.

The answer to the question about the female physician in the palace is practically obvious.

Thinking about this problem, he couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. It seemed that he was about to fall into the legendary "battlefield".

(End of this chapter)