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

Chapter 74 The Father's Wrath

Yin Zhengmao was heading to Nanjing to take up his post. Compared to the bumpy ride by horse-drawn carriage, traveling south by boat along the Grand Canal was clearly the best route.

He stayed in the capital for a while, and it took him more than ten days from his departure to reach Cangzhou in late April, before he had even left Beizhili.

The official boat docked at Liangdian Post Station in Cangzhou. Yin Zhengmao looked at the once bustling wharf, which was now unusually dilapidated. People hurried by, as if they were wary of something.

Upon seeing this scene, Yin Zhengmao couldn't help but frown deeply.

After a long wait, a captain of the Imperial Guard finally ran back.

On his journey to Nanjing, the emperor dispatched a team of Imperial Guards to escort him. This move was clearly intended to demonstrate the court's high regard for Yin Zhengmao. Local officials, seeing the emperor's personal guards escorting him, naturally dared not underestimate Yin Zhengmao.

As the captain drew closer, Yin Zhengmao noticed that he was accompanied by a middle-aged official dressed in a blue robe.

Upon seeing Yin Zhengmao, the official immediately bowed and said, "This humble official, Wang Youde, the magistrate of Wuqiao County, pays his respects to Your Excellency."

When Yin Zhengmao arrived at Liangdian Post Station in Cangzhou, which belonged to Wuqiao County, local officials naturally came to greet him.

"Hmm." Yin Zhengmao nodded slightly.

Wang Youde smiled, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your Excellency must be tired from your journey. If you don't mind, you may move to the county government office to rest for a while."

“No need,” Yin Zhengmao shook his head and said. “I am on my way to Nanjing to take up my post, how can I linger here without permission? I have come to ask you about something.”

For a moment, Wang Youde's expression froze, and he finally sighed and said.

"Does the Minister want to ask about the recent 'big head plague'?"

"Tell me everything you know," Yin Zhengmao said, his expression turning serious.

"Your Excellency, traveling on the Grand Canal, may not be aware of this," Wang Youde replied helplessly. "Since the beginning of the month, this plague, which originated in Datong Prefecture, has spread to the Baoding and Beijing areas. Now, more than a month later, it has intensified and is showing signs of becoming uncontrollable, as evidenced by the reports received these past few days."

"How is it?" Yin Zhengmao asked somewhat anxiously.

Wang Youde sighed again and said, "It's alright here, as it's far from the capital. But Tongzhou and Baoding are different. Yesterday, we just received news from Tongzhou that more than a thousand people have died or been injured in the city, and Baoding Prefecture has already sealed off the city."

This "big-headed plague" comes on very strangely; the patient's head and face swell up to the size of a bucket, and within a month, their face will ulcerate and they will die.
Rumors are circulating in the capital that this is divine punishment.
Several public pharmacies were also stormed by rioters, who said that there were treacherous officials in the court who had angered the plague god.

Upon hearing this, Yin Zhengmao's thick eyebrows immediately stood up, and he angrily rebuked him.

"What nonsense!"

On the official boat docked at the canal post station, Yin Zhengmao held a report in his hand and fell into deep thought under the flickering oil lamp.

His accompanying staff noticed Yin Zhengmao's worry and couldn't help but offer words of comfort.

"Your Excellency need not worry so much. With the Grand Secretary in charge in the capital, nothing will go wrong. The rumors circulating in the streets are even more unfounded and will not cause any trouble."

"I have no doubt about Uncle's abilities and methods," Yin Zhengmao sighed. "What I worry about is those petty villains who are trying to use this plague as an excuse to harm Uncle and the new policies!"

"Plagues are natural disasters, and have always been intractable diseases. Even Uncle Da couldn't solve them, could he?"

"Perhaps the Minister is worrying too much."

"Two adults."

The staff wanted to persuade him further, but then they heard a report from outside and immediately went out of the cabin to fetch him.

"It's a letter from the capital!" The aide handed the letter to Yin Zhengmao with some delight.

Yin Zhengmao's eyes lit up at first glance.

"This is a letter from Uncle Da!"

He had been wondering why Zhang Juzheng should have sent a letter after such a major incident in the capital.

But when they opened the letter, they found only three words inside.

"An Dongnan."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing Yin Zhengmao's original idea of ​​returning to the capital, and his body seemed to deflate.

"Minister." The aide standing to the side looked puzzled.

Yin Zhengmao sighed and said.

"Let's continue south." (Zhang family's study in the backyard.)

It is unclear when exactly, but Zhang Juzheng began to prefer handling official documents here.

The study in the backyard was quiet and a nice place, but unfortunately the painting of immortals in the hall had not yet been returned, so it was put back into the pawn shop.

But Zhang Juzheng had no time to care about these things.

The influx of refugees from Shanxi into Beijing, the rampant plague in Beizhili, and the various troubles arising from the new policies and reforms—all these issues combined to overwhelm him.

Of course, there's an even more troublesome "living father" waiting for him.

At that moment, Zhang Juzheng was stroking a document. The title read "Respectfully submitted to the Empress Dowager Cixi." He sighed helplessly, glanced at it lightly, and threw the document into the charcoal fire, where it burned to ashes.

Then, Zhang Juzheng turned his head and looked at a copy of "Discourses on Salt and Iron" on his desk.

More than half a month has passed since the "Discourses on Salt and Iron" was sent to the Qianqing Palace, but there has been no response from the emperor.

This is unusual. In the past, the Wanli Emperor, no matter what, would carefully read the books annotated by Zhang Juzheng, and then write back with his own insights or ask Zhang Juzheng some questions.

But now, there isn't a single one.

The emperor has grown up, but he's grown up too fast, and it seems he's grown up in a somewhat unbalanced way.

The image of the enlightened ruler Zhang Juzheng had been hoping for, one whose rule rivaled that of the Tang and Song dynasties, seemed to be gradually fading away.

All of this was extinguished by the "exceptionally talented" youngest son, who was positioned at the bottom of the study.

Zhang Juzheng looked up and saw his two sons kneeling in the study.

At first glance, he saw the honest-looking fourth son, Zhang Jianxiu, and felt a little disgusted.

He shifted his gaze to Zhang Yunxiu, the fifth son who was also kneeling to the side. Zhang Yunxiu had a handsome face and bright eyes.

If others saw him, they would surely think he was a refined gentleman who was well-read in poetry and literature.

But the truth was quite the opposite. When Zhang Juzheng saw his youngest son in this state, he was immediately enraged.

He questioned him in a stern tone.

"You unfilial son! Why did you urge the Emperor to use the imperial treasury? Why did you persuade the Emperor to leave the palace? And what about the medical clinic and the Imperial Hospital?"

"You even bullied your fellow students, extorted money from them, and forced three students to work as your accountants?"

At this point, Zhang Juzheng was heartbroken.

"I have changed my opinion of you and was willing to entrust the Zhang family to you. I thought you had turned over a new leaf, but I did not expect you to still be so unruly!"
What you once told me about "keeping a low profile" was probably just an excuse!

Seeing that his youngest son still acted recklessly, he became even more furious.

"You are indeed exceptionally talented, and at only fourteen years old, you have already surpassed your elder brothers in both insight and courage."

"But so what? You are dissolute by nature, acting without any scruples, spending your days thinking of strange and ingenious tricks, making your father..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Juzheng began to rub his forehead, feeling a sharp pain inside, as if a tendon was about to burst.

　I recommend this book by a Level 5 veteran author; quality guaranteed.

　　Synopsis: In the fifteenth year of the Hongwu reign, the rising Ming Empire was on its way to greatness.

　　Judy, the male lead in this wish-fulfillment novel, seems to have picked up the wrong script.

　　Following in his father's footsteps, the son became a professional pig farmer.

　　Zhu Di became a pushover for the Ming Dynasty, a laughing stock in the court and among the people, a disgrace to the Zhu family, a target of ridicule from the old Zhu and a source of indignation for Zhu Biao. He was a bad example for the imperial family and a laughingstock for the powerful.

　　What's wrong with me raising pigs, Dad? Everyone can govern a country and fight a war. Why don't you let me try?

　　What's wrong with me raising pigs, brother... cough cough, my elder brother is ill, I should encourage him!

　　What's wrong with me raising pigs, Gao Xu? Don't overthink it. If I don't cause trouble, you won't have to be a clay pot chicken anymore. Dad just feels sorry for you!
　　Why are you all looking at me?

　　I have no ambition whatsoever. I just want to raise pigs and live a peaceful life as a vassal king. But please, don't force me to commit treason!
　　Old Zhu, I'm calling on you! You'd better be more careful!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)