This comet, which was later numbered as C/1577V1 in astronomy, was a comet that came very close to the earth in 1577 AD, the fifth year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, it looked very large and oppressive, causing panic around the world!

To put it in the common sense, when the Great Comet of 1577 appeared dramatically in the sky, European astronomers tracked and observed it, exposing the church's lie that God created the universe, and paved the way for Kepler, Galileo, and Copernicus to redefine the universe with science. How great is that!

And in your country, which is a country that is not enterprising and is superstitious, this astronomical phenomenon was actually used to persecute the reformers who were trying to prolong the life of the empire. It is true that you will lose. This is a definite question!

But in fact, at least at this point in time, the whole world believed that the comet was an ominous sign. Europe didn't know how many witches were burned to death because of this big comet. Everyone, not to mention the second brother, was equally ignorant.

But Mr. Zhang was indeed badly hurt by this sudden comet...

At that time, he had already made an example of someone to scare the monkeys, so that all the officials who opposed the seizure of power dared not speak out. Once he submitted the petition to "resign from his salary and observe the mourning period", and the emperor approved it, the matter was settled.

Who would have thought that just like that, a big comet would fly right at his face! The officials in the capital, which had been silent, immediately went into an uproar. Officials took the opportunity to frantically petition the emperor to let Zhang Xianggong go home. In the end, the conflict became more and more intense, and it took two rounds of beatings to suppress the opposition. However, it also completely ruined Zhang Xianggong's reputation and led him to the path of self-destruction.

Zhao Hao now predicts that a great comet is about to appear four days in advance, which undoubtedly creates an opportunity for Zhang Xianggong to save himself.

Of course, if he wanted to get through unscathed, it was not enough to just temporarily suppress the "Memorial of Worship and Guardianship". He also had to quickly rewrite a "Memorial of Weeping Blood and Begging for Retirement". It would be best to go directly to the palace, use the thirty-six tactics, persuade the Queen Mother in person, and ensure that he could leave the capital within three days. Only in this way would the comet have little to do with him, and his reputation could be preserved...

We can even take advantage of the opportunity to do something in the opposite direction. For example, after he left Beijing, a comet appeared in the sky, and people could create momentum and say, "Look, the departure of the Prime Minister is a bad omen! We should invite Zhang Xianggong back..."

However, this method can only improve his reputation and repair the reputation that has been damaged during this period. It is not easy to take advantage of the opportunity to make a comeback.

Because the appearance of the comet represents 'chaos in the court, and lack of government orders outside', rather than the removal of wise ministers... In the Confucian system, different astrological signs have special explanations, and it is not acceptable to switch concepts!

And the key point is that this fight for love, on the surface, is about the relationship between father and son, but in fact it is an outburst of long-suppressed officials who are dissatisfied with the reform. As long as they think that Zhang Xianggong will come back and continue to suffer the torture of the examination system, everyone will definitely go crazy.

There is also the more terrifying land survey... Ming officials all say, who is not a big landlord? Who has not concealed their land and evaded taxes? This is the sword hanging over their heads.

The officials all saw that Hai Rui surveyed the land and put Xu Juzheng in a tragic situation where his family was broken up and his loved ones died. They had finally forced Zhang Juzheng to leave Beijing, so how could they let him come back in the blink of an eye?

Anything could happen at that time, and Zhao Hao couldn't guarantee that Zhang Xianggong would be able to strike back.

But this is ultimately a way to resolve conflicts, and in the long run, it should allow my father-in-law to live a few more years.

Besides, it is also good to be separated from Emperor Wanli for a few years, so that his father-in-law can calm down and think clearly that just because Gao Gong can be Longqing's biological father, it does not mean that he can also be Wanli's biological father. Don't take the affairs of the royal family too seriously, otherwise you will end up being eaten by ungrateful people without leaving any bones...

~~

However, Mr. Zhang did not follow Zhao Hao's approach.

Two days passed and he neither submitted a letter of resignation nor went into the palace to persuade anyone.

For two days, Zhang Juzheng did not see anyone and locked himself in his study. The food came out the same as it was when he brought it in…

But everyone outside was worried, so Li Yihe and others urged Zhao Hao to go in and see what happened to Mr. Zhang.

Zhao Hao knocked on the study door. No one answered, so he bravely pushed the door open.

The study was filled with smoke, and I could hardly see my father behind the desk. I didn't know how much he smoked to have this effect.

"Father-in-law, smoking too much is not good for your health..." Young Master Zhao opened the window to allow some air circulation, and then he saw Prime Minister Zhang sitting there with his pipe in his mouth, concentrating on reviewing memorials.

"Father-in-law." Zhao Hao called again, and Zhang Juzheng raised his head.

Seeing him come in, Zhang Juzheng opened his mouth, but his throat was hoarse and he couldn't speak. Damn, I smoke too much...

Mr. Zhang coughed and spat a lot, and Zhao Hao brought him some tea, and he finally recovered.

"My father-in-law has been reviewing memorials these past two days?" Zhao Hao looked at the table in surprise. There were only a few memorials left in the box containing the memorials waiting to be read.

"The memorials have been piling up for more than half a month. If we don't deal with them quickly, how can the country survive?" Zhang Juzheng continued to draft as he spoke. He pointed at a memorial that he had placed aside.

"They think I, Zhang Juzheng, am a person who clings to power and that Bu Gu is reluctant to leave the Prime Minister's throne. What a joke! Look! Bu Gu hasn't even left the position yet, but the gods have already started to make trouble. How can I leave?!"

Zhao Hao quickly picked it up and took a look, only to see that it was a letter from a person named Sun Wei from the Ministry of Personnel, requesting a temporary delay in the land survey.

"Who is this immortal?" Zhao Hao first worried whether it was his disciple.

"He is from Guanzhong, and he is a new Jinshi this year." Zhang Juzheng's memory is much better than his son-in-law's. He said sarcastically: "What does a bookworm who just walked out of the Loess Plateau know? He is just following the crowd and wants to be the first to request to stop the land survey!"

"One leaf tells the coming of autumn. I don't know how many people are waiting for Bu Gu to leave and then write a petition to him!" Zhang Juzheng said with great sorrow: "If Bu Gu goes home to observe the mourning period, the land survey will surely end before it even begins!"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. His true form Wufeng said automatically, "It's not just about measuring the land. What is wrong with the powerful? The powerful have taken advantage of the country and never had the country in their hearts. They only care about their own interests. They don't care about the lives of the people or the survival of the country. It took Bu Gu five years to subdue them and I am ready to take action against them. If we don't take them down in one fell swoop, we will have to go home for three years and all our efforts will be wasted. It will be even more difficult to start over!"

Zhang Juzheng said firmly: "So you don't need to persuade me anymore, Bu Gu will not resign!"

"What about the comet?" Zhao Hao asked stubbornly, "It's very likely that someone will use God to slander my father-in-law."

"If it rains, my mother will marry. If a comet comes, let it come." The kind father took a puff of cigarette and said calmly: "Bu Gu can't control the sky, he can only do his own thing."

Then he said with a determined and cold look, "If someone wants to jump, let them jump out. Can the noise be bigger than the Zuo Shunmen Incident? Yang Sheng'an was beaten into submission by the imperial cane that time! The bones of an official will never be harder than a jujube wood stick covered with iron!"

"Father-in-law!" Zhao Hao was startled and said with a dry mouth: "Emperor Jiajing can bear the punishment of Zuo Shunmen, but father-in-law, as a minister, cannot bear the backlash!"

He put emphasis on the word "minister" to remind Zhang Xianggong not to forget his identity. No matter how much you have taken, you are not the master of the people after all!

"The emperor is still young, so I can only be the bad guy for him." Zhang Juzheng held his pipe in his hand, leaning against the back of the armchair, and said calmly: "Twenty years ago, I had a great wish, 'I would like to use my body as a bed mat for people to sleep on, urinate on, and get dirty, and I would not stop.' If someone wants to cut off my ears, nose, and head, I will also be happy to give them!"

What Mr. Zhang meant by this ambition is that he is willing to be a straw mat for people to lie on, without worrying about it being soaked by feces and urine or stained by body dirt.

"To achieve this ambition, we must not be afraid even if axes are thrown at us and arrowheads are piled on our bodies!" Zhang Juzheng then said in a deep voice: "If the scholars and officials are unwilling to help, then Bu Gu will have to die with all his strength! Since I am ready to abandon my family and sacrifice myself for the country, what else can I not dare to do?!"

Zhao Hao was shocked when he heard this. Perhaps because they had been so close for so many years, he almost forgot that his father-in-law was an incurable idealist...

The setting sun shone through the glass window onto Mr. Zhang, giving him a layer of golden light.

~~

Outside the study.

"What's going on? Has your husband changed his mind?" Seeing Zhao Hao coming out, Li Yihe and others hurriedly surrounded him.

Seeing Zhao Hao shaking his head, Li Yihe, Zeng Shengwu, Wang Zhuan and others breathed a sigh of relief and celebrated. "That's great. I knew that my husband is as firm as a rock and will not be frightened by a mere astronomical phenomenon!"

Zhao Hao, however, only thought that they were quarreling. He had intended to use his great prophecy technique, which he used less and less, to resolve this storm of love affairs with little effort. However, it was just wishful thinking.

He now has a deeper understanding of the saying "character determines destiny". It is indeed not that easy to be a lubricant.

A new moon hung quietly in the inky sky, and Zhao Hao suddenly realized that there was no time for shortcuts anymore, and what was coming would still come.

Then we have to force it.

Yes, although he was touched by his father-in-law's idealism, Zhao Hao had no intention of helping him win back his love, because he himself was also an incurable idealist...

He would put the elephant in the refrigerator no matter what.

~~

On the fifth day of the tenth month in the fifth year of the Wanli reign, at the time of Wu Zi, a comet was seen in the southwest. It was as bright as a cup, pale and several feet long. It passed through the tail of Ji and the bull, and was approaching the female constellation! The Minister of Rites petitioned for rectification, and the emperor issued an edict: "The mysterious phenomenon shows that I am deeply concerned. I warn all officials, big and small, to be diligent in their duties in order to eliminate it."

——"The Veritable Records of Emperor Li Zongling of the Ming Dynasty, Volume 68"