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

Chapter 374 I'd rather be dead! Are you practicing the "Art of Immortality"?
Zhang Rong has not woken up for the past few days.

Logically speaking, the anesthetic developed by Renmin Medical Hall should not be so potent; Zhang Rong should wake up within two hours at most.

But he remained unconscious for several days.

If it weren't for his clear breathing, Zhang Yunxiu would have thought that this elderly Duke was about to pass away.

Fortunately, the "enema method" helped maintain Zhang Rong's vital signs; otherwise, the lack of water and food alone would have made it impossible for Zhang Rong, an old man, to survive.

Seeing that Zhang Rong had not woken up, Zhang Yunxiu was anxious and began to worry that Zhang Rong might become a vegetable due to prolonged lack of oxygen.

That's no different from being dead.

Therefore, after the news of Zhang Rong's awakening came, Zhang Yunxiu rushed over without stopping.

Who knew that when Zhang Rong woke up, the first thing she saw when she saw Zhang Yunxiu was cursing.

"You brat! What's wrong with this old man?"

Zhang Rong's voice was extremely hoarse, and he was cursing, but he couldn't move his body.

To prevent him from making any excessive movements that could press on the tube in his throat, Zhang Rong was strapped with restraints, making him look like a prisoner. No wonder he was so irritable.

Zhang Rong groaned for a while, as if she had just returned to her own body, and felt a burning pain in her throat.

However, the suffocating and swollen feeling that had been with him had disappeared.

He then realized that he had never returned to the age of thirty; it was all just a dream.

The truth is, I am old and my days are numbered. My throat condition has worsened recently, and I am on the verge of passing away.

Unexpectedly, after just one dream, the illness was completely cured.

Zhang Rong realized what was happening and, seeing the surrounding furnishings and situation, understood that she was at Renmin Medical Clinic, and it seemed that Zhang Yunxiu had saved her.

However, even so, he could still feel a stinging pain in his throat, and even a burning pain in his anus.

But then Zhang Yunxiu said in a low voice.

"How are you feeling, Uncle? Are you still feeling stifled?"

Zhang Rong took a moment to assess the situation and then spoke in a hoarse voice.

"I feel alright, but there's something stuck in my throat, which is really uncomfortable."

Zhang Yunxiu patiently explained, "This is a ventilator. Uncle relies on this to live, but it cannot be removed. Once his condition stabilizes in a day or two, we will naturally remove it for him."

Zhang Rong wanted to argue further, but ultimately he was too exhausted and could only nod helplessly.

However, there is one place that he cannot help but mention.

"Um... why is my anus burning and stinging so badly? Could this illness have spread to other areas as well?"

Zhang Yunxiu's face stiffened. He knew he couldn't hide it anymore and had no choice but to tell the truth.

"Uncle, please don't blame me. This enema was just to save your life. It's an emergency, an emergency."

"Zhang Shiyuan!"

Zhang Rong's face turned red with anger, and she struggled from side to side, but to no avail.

"I'll kill you, you brat!"

He boasted of his illustrious reputation and claimed to have lived a clean and honest life, only to suffer this calamity in his old age.

Being attacked from behind is worse than being dead!

Zhang Yunxiu guessed Zhang Rong's reaction and quickly stepped forward to comfort her.

"In times of emergency, one must act expediently! In times of emergency, one must act expediently! Uncle, why do you do this? Nothing is more important than life."

Zhang Rong was almost in tears: "You brat, you might as well let me go instead of humiliating me like this!"

Zhang Yunxiu was speechless. The ancients were really pretentious. It was just an enema, wasn't it? As long as he could live, that was the real thing.

However, to prevent all previous efforts from being wasted, Zhang Yunxiu continued to comfort him.

"Uncle, you shouldn't be thinking of yourself, but you should think of the entire Duke of Ying's family, the Beijing Garrison, and the Ming Dynasty! This is sacrificing yourself for righteousness!"

Zhang Rong was stunned for a moment, and really wanted to curse, but after making a fuss for so long, her throat was getting more and more sore.

How could "enema" be considered a way to sacrifice oneself for righteousness? Zhang Yunxiu is simply lying through his teeth!
But he calmed down, after all, what the other party said was right. Compared to this little bit of humiliation, his family and the imperial court were the most important.

He clearly still had concerns about the arrangements made for the Duke's mansion, especially about his sons and the affairs of the Beijing Garrison. Thinking back on it now, Zhang Rong was also somewhat uneasy.

He let out a heavy sigh and said indignantly.

"I'll settle this matter with you later."

Zhang Yunxiu smiled slightly: "Uncle, once you've recovered, you can come and visit me again."

"Humph!"

Zhang Rong wanted to turn her head away, but neither her head nor her body could move.

This forced him to continue looking at Zhang Yunxiu's face, a face that made him furious.

Zhang Yunxiu then said, "Now that you're awake, Uncle, please rest for a while."

Zhang Rong was not in a position to say much anyway, so resting quietly was the best option at this moment.

But Zhang Rong had many thoughts on his mind, so he stopped Zhang Yunxiu and said...

"I've rested enough. Lingyu and Hao'er must be worried sick, so I'll let them know I'm safe first."

Zhang Yunxiu cupped his hands and said, "Uncle, rest assured, this matter has been arranged properly."

As soon as Zhang Rong made his move, he had already sent someone to inform Xia Shi and Zhang Yuanhao.

Zhang Rong pondered for a while, then added what he had said.

"Call Lingyu over; I have something to tell her."

Lingyu is clearly the name of Old Madam Xia.

Zhang Yunxiu thought for a moment, then nodded and said.

"Uncle, please wait a moment."

The situation of British Duke Zhang Rong has touched the hearts of everyone.

Upon receiving the news, Zhang Juzheng rushed over from Wenyuan Pavilion and headed straight for the intensive care unit of the medical clinic.

In the past, the medical clinic was heavily guarded, with restrictions comparable to those of the imperial city. It could be said that without the emperor's decree, outsiders could not enter at will.

Not to mention high-ranking officials, even members of the imperial family are no exception.

After all, Consort Wang lived in the backyard of the clinic, and the courtyard was guarded by Imperial Guards and agents from the Eastern Depot. Most of them were there to protect the Consort, and of course, even more were there to protect the safety of the imperial heirs.

However, Zhang Juzheng was an exception. After all, the respected Grand Secretary was not only a pillar of the court, but also the father of Zhang Yunxiu, the founder of the medical clinic. Most importantly, the Grand Secretary had also lived in the medical clinic for some time, and his heroic deeds of concealing his illness and refusing to seek medical treatment were well known.

With hurried steps, Zhang Juzheng soon encountered Zhang Yunxiu, who was coming out of the ward.

"What is the situation in the UK?"

Zhang Yunxiu answered truthfully, "Father, don't worry. Fortunately, I have been practicing archery and horsemanship in England every day. Although I am old, I am still much better than others. I have been recuperating at the clinic for the past few days and my condition has improved."

He was prepared to continue the surgery, and if the situation became more critical, he would even have to use the immature penicillin. Even if he might die from an allergic reaction or poisoning, there would still be a glimmer of hope.

Fortunately, everything is going smoothly. Given Zhang Rong's current condition, recovery is only a matter of time.

Zhang Juzheng keenly noticed the awkward expression on his youngest son's face and frowned, saying, "You've resorted to strange methods again. The Duke of Yingguo has been associated with the nation for generations; you must never disrespect him!"

If it were anyone else, he obviously wouldn't have such concerns, after all, he is the Duke of England.

But Zhang Yunxiu is different. When this kid gets bold, it's really frightening. I'm afraid he'll cause some trouble again.

Zhang Yunxiu's lips twitched. He felt that Zhang Juzheng was like a tapeworm in his stomach, his eyes becoming increasingly sharp. He forced a smile and said.

"A temporary measure, a temporary measure. Isn't saving the Duke of England's life more important?"

Zhang Juzheng already had a premonition, and his face darkened as he spoke.

"Don't spread this around, save face for the Duke of England."

Zhang Yunxiu nodded slightly and said.

"That is only to be expected."

Zhang Juzheng let out a breath and looked out at Xia Shi, who was talking to Zhang Rong through the window outside the intensive care unit. She occasionally wiped the corner of her eye and couldn't help but sigh.

"I didn't quite understand it before. Your modern medical approach doesn't follow the ancient theories of 'Yin-Yang and Five Elements,' nor does it understand the profound principles of classical texts. Yet, it often manages to revive the seriously ill and save the critically ill through subtle details."

In the past, I saw no effect from it, but now I realize that the efficacy of such medicine is truly miraculous.

First came various epidemic prevention measures, then came the treatment of difficult and complicated diseases; the role of medicine has been demonstrated time and time again.

In particular, bringing Zhang Rong back to life solved a major problem for Zhang Juzheng. If Zhang Rong had really passed away, where would he have found a noble leader who could distinguish right from wrong and whom he could deeply trust?
When the court implements new policies, especially to reorganize the military, it will face numerous difficulties.

It can be said that the huge sums of money that the clinic had invested in the past were finally being realized at this moment.

"The Way is near, yet we seek it far away."

Zhang Yunxiu suddenly quoted a line from Mencius, a smile appearing on his face.

“Father always focuses on the world, and Confucianism is always used to talking about heaven, earth and man, but he forgets the subtlety of these minor details.”

As the Buddhists say, "One leaf contains a Bodhi tree, one flower contains a world."

Without the verdant green of a single leaf, how could a great tree flourish?

For a long time, both Confucianism and ancient medicine have habitually discussed grander goals, such as "moral cultivation" and "social governance."

The development of Yangming's philosophy of mind is also like this. From the beginning, "extending innate knowledge" and "unity of knowledge and action" have been gradually distorted and changed. In recent years, many branches of the philosophy of mind have appeared to be extremely "empty talk".

This is also why Zhang Juzheng previously wanted to abolish the academies that offered lectures throughout the country.

It wasn't until the emergence of "new learning" and "science" that a discipline finally appeared on the market that could rival the philosophy of mind and the philosophy of reason.

The rise of science also signifies the rise of a pragmatic and truth-seeking mindset.

Zhang Juzheng was able to perceive these changes and learn some scientific theories, but his long-held, ingrained beliefs were difficult to change.

After listening to his youngest son's eloquent speech, Zhang Juzheng frowned and said...

“If you continue to think this way, I will naturally give you my full support. However, you should also be mindful of the limits of your ‘truth-seeking and pragmatism’.”

New policies, new laws, and new learning should be integrated into the fabric of society like spring rain nourishing the earth, so as not to cause turmoil.

He narrowed his eyes.

"I have recently heard that you are promoting the cultivation of sweet potatoes in various parts of Jiangnan. This matter requires utmost caution."

Zhang Yunxiu looked rather embarrassed. His previous idea of ​​promoting sweet potato cultivation throughout the country was indeed a bit radical, so he changed his approach. Since the imperial court couldn't promote it, Xishan would step in.

During the last "Battle of Jiangnan", Xishan also took the opportunity to acquire a lot of paddy fields in Jiangnan. In addition, he purchased land in Beizhili, which was enough to grow enough sweet potatoes.

Zhang Juzheng said helplessly, "Have you considered that if your sweet potatoes don't work, tens of thousands of acres of land will be abandoned, and how much will our Great Ming's grain production decrease next year?"

He spoke with earnest concern.

"I know you're anxious, but even we, who are nearing the end of our lives, aren't in a hurry. So why are you so anxious?"

Zhang Yunxiu said confidently, "Father is overthinking it. This sweet potato has been cultivated in Xishan for many rounds and has already shown initial results. Its promotion is not something that can be done overnight. Xishan has a five-year plan to improve it step by step and promote it step by step. This is the scientific way."

He wasn't in a hurry, but from a broader perspective, the window of opportunity left for him after the downfall of the Jiangnan gentry was actually quite limited.

The Qingliu gentry were indeed severely damaged, but they would not necessarily become obedient and docile.

Before that happens, we must "cook the rice into rice" so that the world can see the true benefits of sweet potatoes and use them to quickly solve the problem of food and clothing for the people of the Ming Dynasty.

Only when all these conditions are met can the momentum for opening the sea truly take off.

Zhang Juzheng's eyes were filled with complex emotions. He knew he couldn't persuade his youngest son, but now that things had come to this, he didn't expect Zhang Yunxiu to listen to him.

On the contrary, compared to his previous role in leading the new policies, Zhang Juzheng's current position is more like protecting Xishan.

He sighed and decided to wait and see. If Zhang Yunxiu really caused any trouble, it wouldn't be too late to intervene.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Juzheng mentioned a rumor he had overheard by chance.

"I've heard that your clinic has been conducting some kind of anatomical experiments lately. You're cutting open people's bellies and taking out their hearts, livers, spleens, lungs, and kidneys to make medicinal wine for curing diseases and prolonging life?"

Zhang Yunxiu was startled. It's true what they say, it takes only a mouth to spread rumors, but it takes a lot of legwork to refute them.

The dissection experiments were conducted inside the clinic, but when they went outside, they turned into research on elixirs of immortality?

However, the matter of "dissection" was really difficult to explain to Zhang Juzheng, so he cupped his hands and said.

"Where did Father hear this news? It's just hearsay from outsiders. I'm not some kind of charlatan. I would never do something like soaking human hearts in wine to seek immortality."

"Never seek immortality," Zhang Juzheng said solemnly, narrowing his eyes.

He hadn't felt anything before, but after Zhang Rong "came back to life," he started to feel genuinely afraid.

Could it be that Zhang Yunxiu is following in the footsteps of Emperor Jiajing, refining elixirs in a medical clinic and then bewitching Emperor Wanli to research the art of immortality?

Zhang Yunxiu emphasized, "This is science! Science! Father, you're overthinking it."

The shadow cast by the Jiajing reign was so deep that many court officials were afraid when they heard the word "immortality".

Especially after Zhang Rong faked his death for three days and miraculously "resurrected," all sorts of rumors began to circulate again.

"Enough, enough," Zhang Juzheng sighed. "You're all grown up now, and I can't control you anymore."

But as soon as he finished speaking, he heard an old man running over from not far away, his clothes tattered and his hair disheveled.

As he approached, Zhang Juzheng recognized him; who else could it be but Li Shizhen?

Zhang Juzheng was about to greet him, but Li Shizhen didn't even notice him and went straight to Zhang Yunxiu, shouting excitedly.

"Shiyuan, I understand! I understand!"

"After dissecting three complete cadavers, I have finally confirmed my conjecture. This is a major step forward for medicine in the Ming Dynasty!"

Li Shizhen looked very excited.

"The so-called meridians are not the meridians we know in the past. There are layers of folds in the human brain, and thousands of nerves in the hands and feet, like silver threads winding from the extremities to the sea of ​​marrow in the skull. When they encounter cold, heat, pain, or itching, they transmit signals like lightning."

"And the method of harmonizing Yin and Yang—only today have I glimpsed a fraction of its true meaning. The human body contains various Yin and Yang elements that assist all kinds of things."

"And what about the heart and blood vessels? Why is the qi and blood flowing in all directions? We have only scratched the surface of this matter before!"

His eyes were bloodshot, and he spoke excitedly.

"If we can explore the underlying principles, in the future we will not only be able to cure diseases and save lives, but also extend lifespan, which will not be a pipe dream!"

Li Shizhen was sometimes delirious, and at other times he was beaming with excitement, just like a Taoist priest who had gone mad with desire.

(End of this chapter)