Chapter 211: The Might of Heaven is Hard to Fathom

After sending Li Youzi away, Zhang Yunxiu was in a great mood.

He stood up and stretched, then paced into the small parlor. Inside the parlor, Xu Ruoxi and Zheng Xi'er were sitting side by side, each cradling an infant still in swaddling clothes.

Last month, both of them had given birth to a son.

Xu Ruoxi's son was named Zhang Zhongrui, and Zheng Xi'er's son was named Zhang Zhongjie.

The two women rocked them gently, occasionally murmuring soft words, their plump, fair cheeks filled with maternal radiance.

Nearby, Zhang Xuan looked left and right, her pair of dark, rolling eyes full of curiosity.

Suddenly, she looked up and saw Zhang Yunxiu blocking the light, so she clapped her hands and called out, "Daddy!"

Everyone in the parlor also turned their gaze toward the doorway.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled, scooped up his daughter who had trotted over, and lifted her high. To tease her, he deliberately rubbed his rough chin against Zhang Xuan's soft, tender face.

It made her look at him with utter disdain.

Walking to the head seat to sit down, Zhang Yunxiu placed Zhang Xuan on his lap; Zhang Xuan puffed out her cheeks, crossed her arms, and turned her head away.

Zheng Xi'er covered her mouth and chuckled, teasing, "Look, I told you this little girl has a very fiery temper; as long as things don't go her way, she'll give you the cold shoulder."

"Hmph." Being scolded by her mother like this, Zhang Xuan was immediately very unhappy.

"Alright, don't be angry anymore; tonight there will be your favorite shredded radish stewed with crucian carp." Rubbing his daughter's head, Zhang Yunxiu set her on the floor. "Go play with Lvluo for a while; I'll come call you later."

"Oh."

Zhang Xuan left on her short legs, and Zheng Xi'er and Xu Ruoxi also ordered the servants to take the children away.

The parlor was suddenly left with only the husband and his two wives; seeing the wrinkles on her husband's forehead, Zheng Xi'er and Xu Ruoxi both felt a pang in their hearts.

Then, the two walked to his side, one pounding his shoulders and the other kneading his legs.

Zhang Yunxiu looked very satisfied, but Zheng Xi'er behind him suddenly complained, "Now that Father-in-law has left the capital, all these monsters and demons have crawled out; if it were in the past, would they dare to treat Father-in-law like this?"

"They only dare to bully you because you are young."

"Some things must be faced by oneself sooner or later." Zhang Yunxiu shook his head, closed his eyes slightly, and said to himself, "Perhaps Father chose to leave the capital at this time with this intention in mind."

In the past, he was hidden behind the scenes; now, he was at the forefront.

All the spotlights were on him, and every word and action was infinitely magnified. Zhang Yunxiu felt unparalleled pressure, the kind he had never experienced when Zhang Juzheng was around.

Zhang Juzheng just wanted to see if he could withstand the pressure.

Now that he had thrown him out, he could still keep an eye on things, which was better than him passing away and leaving him to be forced into the role unprepared.

In history, Zhang Juzheng handled everything for the young emperor, which also resulted in the young emperor never getting any training.

With him gone.

Facing such a vast country, the young emperor would finally know how tiring it was to compete with these people.

"Husband." Xu Ruoxi parted her red lips and called out softly.

"Hmm? What is it?"

Zhang Yunxiu opened his eyes and looked at the bright-eyed and white-toothed Xu Ruoxi.

Meeting her husband's concerned gaze, Xu Ruoxi's cheeks turned slightly pink, and she said softly, "Didn't you say that after I gave birth to the child, you would accompany me to Songjiang Prefecture to live for half a year? Why don't we go now?"

"What, are you homesick?"

"A little."

"That won't do right now."

"Oh."

Xu Ruoxi gave a disappointed "oh" and focused on fidgeting with her jade hands.

Zhang Yunxiu felt a pang of pity; he rubbed his beloved wife's fair and tender cheeks and whispered, "Once the business at the academy is finished, we will go to Songjiang Prefecture." Upon hearing this, Xu Ruoxi felt as sweet as if she had eaten candied fruit.

Zheng Xi'er behind him pouted and hummed, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Since Big Sister is going to Songjiang with Husband soon, then Big Sister is not allowed to pester Husband these next few days."

"I won't pester him then."

The three of them flirted and teased, the atmosphere harmonious and happy.

The Grand Secretariat.

Zhang Siwei, who was in his office, suddenly received a message from a eunuch saying that the Emperor had summoned him. Zhang Siwei was overjoyed; he guessed that this must be to discuss the appointment of Assistant Ministers for the Grand Secretariat.

Of course, it wasn't really a discussion.

It was for the Emperor to make the decision based on the people on the list, and he, as the Senior Assistant Minister, was just going through the motions.

The Grand Secretariat was not far from the Qianqing Palace; the sun was shining brightly, and the spring breeze was warm. Zhang Siwei walked with a brisk pace, and in less than two quarters of an hour, he arrived outside the Qianqing Palace.

Wei Qing was waiting outside.

Zhang Siwei looked at this favorite of the Emperor and Zheng Guifei, cupped his hands, and said, "Eunuch Wei, I haven't seen you for a few days, and your complexion is getting better and better."

"I have no desires and no demands, so naturally I look young." At this flattery, Wei Qing gave a cold laugh; not only did he not appreciate it, but he also used his words to "prick" Zhang Siwei, "It is you, Grand Secretary, who thinks too much and wants too much every day; I fear your body won't be able to hold up in the long run."

Zhang Siwei heard the sarcasm in his words, and his face turned cold.

He had offered a warm face only to be met with a cold shoulder; even a clay figurine has three parts of temper, let alone him, the current Senior Assistant Minister. With a heavy snort from his nose, Zhang Siwei flicked his sleeves and left.

The two walked one after the other into the East Warm Pavilion.

The Wanli Emperor sat before the desk, and on the table lay a piece of imperial white paper.

"Your subject, Zhang Siwei, pays respects to Your Majesty."

Once he stood still before the Wanli Emperor, Zhang Siwei lifted the hem of his official robe and performed the customary salute.

The Wanli Emperor waved his hand to signal him to rise, then pointed to the list on the table and asked, "Is this the list produced by the court recommendation?"

"It is."

The Wanli Emperor nodded slightly and circled two people on it.

Then he picked up his brush and wrote the name Li Youzi.

Wei Qing hurriedly stepped forward, picked up the paper, and handed it to Zhang Siwei. Zhang Siwei took it and looked: Shen Li, Yu Shenxing, and Li Youzi.

The first two are easy enough to talk about; they are both illustrious figures in the imperial court. It is this Li Youzi, however, whose reputation is extremely foul; the public opinion currently being orchestrated in the court regarding Zhang Juzheng's retention in office is being planned by this fellow.

How could such a person enter the Grand Secretariat?

And he hasn't even gone through the court recommendation process.

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Zhang Siwei suppressed the panic in his heart and said, "Your Majesty, this Li Youzi has a poor reputation in official circles. Furthermore, he has not undergone the court recommendation process beforehand; to rashly enter the Grand Secretariat, I fear..."

"Fear what?!" The Wanli Emperor knit his brows, putting on the majesty of an emperor, and said through gritted teeth, "Li Youzi has been in charge of the Ministry of Revenue for nearly ten years. From Vice Minister to head official, he has been conscientious and diligent; how is it that in your mouths, he has become someone with a poor reputation?"

"Or is it that you are jealous of the virtuous and capable? Or perhaps, that I am unable to judge people?!"

The Wanli Emperor's barrage of questions left Zhang Siwei dizzy and disoriented.

He hurriedly prostrated himself on the ground and replied with a trembling voice, "This subject would not dare."

"Hmph, it is good that you know. Let it be these three. Send it out to every government office tomorrow; it must be fast." As the Wanli Emperor spoke, his mind was completely filled with the silver of the Ministry of Revenue.

"This subject, this subject obeys the decree."

Zhang Siwei helplessly agreed, and in an instant, he seemed to age seven or eight years.

(End of chapter)