To add fuel to the anger of Emperor Wanli, just as Deng Yizan and four others were imprisoned, Zou Yuanbiao, a newly-minted Jinshi who was observing government affairs in the Ministry of Justice, perhaps inspired by his two predecessors, Ai Mu and Shen Sixiao, also submitted a petition.

Moreover, his insults were more harsh than those of the previous four. Not only did he criticize Zhang Juzheng for not living up to his reputation and having great ambitions but little talent, he even criticized Emperor Wanli:

He said that Your Majesty had said before, "I have not yet completed my studies. If the teacher leaves, all my previous efforts will be wasted." It is fortunate that Zhang Juzheng is only in mourning. If he died now, Your Majesty, wouldn't you become a child without education? And no longer be able to govern the country? Can't you live without Zhang Juzheng? You are too unambitious, aren't you?"

Emperor Wanli had lived for fifteen years and had never been humiliated like this by his subjects. He was so angry that he threw his figurine and shouted loudly: "Beat them in the court! Beat them all in the court! Drag these guys to the vegetable market, take off their pants and beat them to death! Don't come back to report if you don't kill them!"

Feng Bao also hated these bastards who humiliated his uncle, especially Zou Yuanbiao, who actually dared to call his uncle a beast. Should they not be beaten to death and kept alive for the New Year?

Naturally, they did not stop him, so they decided to carry out the public beating in Caishikou on October 22nd to serve as a warning to others!

Feng Bao still had some brains. In order to prevent the situation from escalating, he ordered the Imperial Household Department to keep all the anti-seizure memorials and settle the accounts in the autumn.

~~

However, the storm was unstoppable...

As soon as the imperial decree of caning was issued, the whole capital was in an uproar. The majority, who had previously remained silent for various reasons, now jumped up. Some signed petitions, some wrote collective letters, and everyone showed their magical powers to rescue the five people and stop the caning at all costs.

What's interesting is that it was the Queen Mother who kept the prisoners, Feng Bao who arrested them, and the Emperor who ordered the beatings, but all the officials only had Zhang Xianggong in their eyes. It was as if he was the mastermind behind the scenes, and as long as he spoke up, this bloody disaster would be eliminated.

The six ministries and five temples all appealed for a rescue, but all their efforts fell on deaf ears, so everyone decided to go to his home and try to persuade him in person.

Dashamao Hutong, which had just been quiet for a few days, is bustling with people again.

Of course, ordinary officials could not enter and could only hold banners and petition outside.

But the nine great ministers came one after another, and You Qi couldn't stop them. The Grand Minister of Justice Liu Yingjie came to plead for the three useless subordinates, asking Prime Minister Zhang to show mercy and not let the gentleman suffer the humiliation of being beaten in court.

Minister of Works Guo Chaobin, Minister of War Wang Chonggu, and Left Censor-in-Chief Chen Zan also came to plead for mercy. Even Minister of Rites Ma Ziqiang, who was at a critical stage of his career advancement, risked not being able to join the cabinet to plead with Zhang Juzheng.

Mr. Zhang was no longer in the study, but was lying prostrate in the mourning curtain, looking like he was in mourning and dazed by grief. He was lucky if he could answer one out of ten sentences...

Ma Ziqiang and other senior officials tried their best to defend the five people, saying that these young people were young and hot-tempered, presumptuous and ignorant, but they were only concerned about the country and did not intend to attack the prime minister. They also said that now the emperor was furious, and only if the prime minister submitted a petition to rescue him could this disaster be eliminated.

"I am in mourning and cannot care about what is happening outside. Please forgive me, everyone..." When they were so thirsty from talking, Zhang Juzheng crawled on the ground and said the harshest words in the weakest voice.

Seeing that he was as stubborn as a piece of meat and refused to listen, Ma Ziqiang and others could only leave sadly.

Seeing that the ministers had failed miserably, the officials became somewhat discouraged. It seemed that a beating in court was inevitable.

However, there are also those who do not believe in evil, such as Wang Xijue. Although he has not expressed his opinion on this love-stealing incident due to his relationship with Zhao Hao and the favor of Zhang Xianggong's promotion.

But this time, two Hanlin scholars were beaten with sticks. As the president of the academy, he could no longer pretend to be deaf and dumb. He brought a group of Hanlin scholars to the prime minister's residence to plead for mercy, and even dragged Shen Shixing, who was no longer in the Hanlin Academy, with him.

Shen Shixing was really unlucky to have such a fool, a fellow countryman and a good friend. But he was also a senior in the Imperial Academy and had even served as the head of the Imperial Academy a few years ago. It was really hard to refuse, so he had to bite the bullet and follow him.

But Shen Zhuangyuan was afraid of making too much noise even if he farted, so how could he really barge into the prime minister's residence? When they were about to reach Dashamao Hutong, he said to Wang Xijue, "We are here to save people, not to show off. There are too many people in the alley, so let's go in through the back door."

Wang Xijue thought so too. If they could handle the things that the ministers couldn't handle, where would the ministers put their faces?

So a group of people found their way to Mr. Zhang's back door, knocked on it, handed over their business cards and asked to see Mr. Zhang, then sat in the back door room drinking tea and waiting.

As a result, they drank all the tea before the servant came to tell them that the master had suddenly fallen seriously ill and could not see the guests. The gentlemen should go back.

"Well, we won't disturb your rest, sir." Shen Shixing got up happily and went back home with Zhao Zhigao, Zhang Wei, Yu Shenxing, Yu Shensi, Tian Yajun and others.

Who knew that Lao Wang had such a strange way of thinking that he took advantage of no one's precautions and slipped in.

The servants of the prime minister's mansion couldn't catch up with him, and they couldn't just let the dogs bite Mr. Wang, so they could only watch him run into the inner courtyard.

In the inner courtyard, Mr. Zhang was lying on a soft chair, enjoying the comfort of the two Hu Ji's gentle fragrance and soft jade, and he felt alive again. He was about to have a deeper exchange, but Wang Xijue barged in.

Zhang Juzheng had no choice but to let Hu Ji leave with a gloomy face. He did not stand up and looked at Wang Xijue coldly and said, "Yuan Yu, what is the crime for trespassing into the prime minister's residence?"

Wang Xijue did not respond. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked Mr. Zhang to let the five men go.

Zhang Juzheng rolled his eyes and snorted, "The emperor wants to fight. What's the point of you coming to Bugu?"

"The emperor always listens to my husband." Wang Xijue said in a muffled voice.

"The emperor is angry now. It's useless for Bu Gu to say anything." Zhang Juzheng turned his head away.

"Even if the emperor is angry, it's because of my husband!" Wang Xijue said stubbornly.

"If you say so, Bu Gu has nothing to say." Zhang Juzheng stood up with the help of the chair back, preparing to go back to the study and stay away from this idiot.

"My lord, please! This beating in court will cause endless troubles!" Unexpectedly, Wang Xijue dared to reach out and grab Mr. Zhang's sleeve.

"Let go!" Zhang Juzheng looked at his hand coldly.

"I won't let you go unless you agree!" Wang Xijue was still arguing with him. He took Zhang Juzheng's hand and explained to him the facts and reasons why this case couldn't be opened. He talked about the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors all the way to the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor...

Zhao Hao, You Qi, Si Xiu and Mao Xiu who rushed over after hearing the news were all stunned.

They saw that Mr. Zhang's face was wet with Chef Wang's saliva, but Zhang Juzheng just stood there silently, as if petrified.

Just as Wang Xijue was about to continue telling the story of the filial son of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Zhang Juzheng finally exploded. He turned around and pulled out a knife next to him, holding it in his hand with a ferocious look!

Looking at the shining precious sword, Wang Xijue was immediately frightened to the point of trembling in his legs, and stammered, "Sir, if you want to talk, let's talk. A gentleman should use his mouth, not his fists..."

Just when he was considering whether to kneel down and beg for mercy or run away in fear to increase his chances of survival, something even more incredible happened!

Mr. Zhang, who was arrogant and self-respecting and never compromised, actually knelt down to Wang Xijue with a plop.

"Uh..." Before Wang Xijue could figure out the situation, he saw Zhang Juzheng draw his sword and put it across his neck.

Zhang Xianggong's eyes were bloodshot and tears were rolling down his cheeks. He raised his knife and roared at him:

"The people want me to go, but the emperor won't let me go. What can I do? Here is a knife. Please kill me!"

"Father-in-law! Watch out!"

"Master! Be careful!"

"Dad! Be careful!" The hearts of the onlookers were all in their throats.

"Kill me! Just kill me!" Mr. Zhang, with disheveled hair, roared at the top of his lungs. He stuffed the knife into Wang Xijue's hand and asked him to pull it to his neck.

Wang Xijue was so frightened that his soul almost left his body. He never expected that Mr. Zhang, who had nerves of steel, would be forced to collapse.

And he forced himself to do it... He was so scared that he didn't know what to do. He didn't dare to struggle hard, but he also didn't dare not to struggle, for fear that Mr. Zhang's hand would shake and cut his throat.

Then I would be the first person in history to kill a prime minister.

Unexpectedly, the next moment, Mr. Zhang couldn't hold on any longer. His face suddenly turned pale, sweat covered his forehead, and he let go of Wang Xijue's hand with a ferocious expression.

Wang Xijue quickly threw the knife to the ground and held Zhang Xianggong with both hands. He saw a pool of blood on the back of Zhang Juzheng's white mourning clothes.

"Ah, husband, were you stabbed by the knife?" Wang Xijue was extremely shocked. Did he succeed in killing the Prime Minister?

Zhao Hao hurried forward and kicked the bloodless knife away with his toes. You Qi pushed Wang Xijue away viciously, and Mao Xiu Sixiu supported Zhang Xianggong who had fainted.

He was barely breathing and his face was as pale as gold paper. He was actually sick from anger.

Everyone hurriedly carried Mr. Zhang into the bedroom and called Pang Xian, the director of Xishan Hospital, to treat him.

Fortunately, it was just a hemorrhoid attack caused by anger, and blood gushed out of his penis. Coupled with not eating a grain of rice for many days, Mr. Zhang fainted. Pang Xian prescribed medicine for You Qi to boil, and then gave Mr. Zhang an acupuncture injection, and then gave Mr. Zhang a glucose transfusion, and he stabilized.

~~

When Zhao Hao and Pang Xian walked out of the bedroom, it was already dark outside.

Pang Xian told Zhao Hao that hemorrhoids were not a serious problem, but they must be taken seriously. Once they became serious, they could even endanger one's life. So, in addition to avoiding anger and fatigue, one should also avoid excessive alcohol, heavy food, cold food, or excessive sitting or standing for a long time...

Zhao Hao nodded and listened to the doctor's advice, thinking that it was unjust that his father-in-law didn't have hemorrhoids...

He instructed Pang Xian, "Conservative treatment first. I will immediately ask your master and others to come to Beijing for consultation. We must come up with the most reliable plan to cure your father-in-law's illness as soon as possible!"

Pang Xian was stunned when he heard this. Isn't it just a hemorrhoid? Is it necessary to alarm the three deans?

"My father-in-law, your position is vital to the country. If there is trouble with the Ju tribe, the whole world will be in turmoil. We must pay attention to this and complete it as a top priority. Do you understand?" Zhao Hao ordered in a deep voice.

"I understand." Pang Xian nodded quickly, thinking that the young master was truly a filial son. He treated his father-in-law as his own father!