In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 609 I just want to ask why

It was nearing dusk in Yingtian, the capital city.

A group of people from small southwestern countries, led by Aju Miao, gathered at the entrance of Yingtian Trading Company.

They surrounded Liu Sili, chattering amongst themselves, attracting the attention of many.

Even the clerks and constables on guard couldn't help but prick up their ears to listen.

"The Ming Dynasty is a celestial empire, and since we have made a promise, we should keep it."

"Why did you take our goods to sell, and then suddenly stop selling them?"

A chief dressed in indigenous clothing shouted,

The clerk beside him quickly translated, automatically omitting the abusive language.

Liu Sili shook his head helplessly:
"The trading company has closed down."

"Why not sell them? The imperial court and His Majesty have both agreed to allow these items to be sold on the market."

They stopped selling it after only a few days.
Is the imperial court deceiving people, or is His Majesty deceiving people?

"The trading company has closed down."

"Where are my goods? It was agreed that today was our Annamite goods' turn to be sold."

Even if they're not selling it anymore, they should at least let us take it.

"The trading company has closed down."

“We need to get the money from selling the goods; the people of the country are waiting for this money to eat.”

"The business has closed down, and all the accounts have been seized."

No matter what people said, Liu Sili always responded with "the business is closed," which made many people look dissatisfied.

Siamese Deputy General Ajumiao, their leader, looked at Liu Sili with an extremely solemn expression:

"Lord Liu, why did your perfectly good business suddenly close down?"

"The Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Ministry of Rites wouldn't allow it to proceed, saying they needed to investigate a case."

"How long will the investigation take?" Aju Miao asked.

"It's unclear... The murder occurred during the opening ceremony. Someone attempted arson and was killed on the spot. We are currently investigating the leads."

"When it opened?"

Aju Miao's voice suddenly rose, attracting the attention of many people nearby.

"Something happened when the business opened, and you're only investigating it now?"
Is the Ming Dynasty court about to perform some kind of witchcraft?

These words caused an uproar, and many officials lowered their heads.

After all, these words are really hard to say.

The argument continued, and despite the indignation of the onlookers and the shameful bowing of the officials, nothing seemed to change the situation.

Standing among the clerks, Ling Han, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, listened to the people around him discussing the case with great seriousness. He felt as if a heavy boulder was pressing on his heart, making him feel extremely heavy.

At this moment, he could only use the phrase "hypocritical" to describe himself and the people around him.

Ling Han sighed softly, put his hands behind his back, and began to pace in the open space in front of Yingtian Trading Company.

The setting sun cast its golden rays, bathing the entire square in a warm glow, creating a particularly cozy atmosphere.

I remember when it opened, there was a big stage here with a raffle box on it, and people were coming and going, queuing up.

He had seen it with his own eyes, and his son had told him about it.

Yingtian Trading Company was so lively; they even said they would come again in the future.

But now, the gates of Yingtian Trading Company are tightly closed, and an invisible sense of desolation permeates everyone's hearts, as if something that was once standing has collapsed.

Perhaps it's conscience, or perhaps something else entirely.

A sense of powerlessness welled up in Ling Han's heart. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he had no choice but to act.

Because he is an official, not an ordinary citizen.

Just then, a series of noises came from the end of Fudong Street, getting closer and closer, as if a large group of people were on their way.

The air, which was originally cool, suddenly became hot and dry!
Many people looked over, their expressions changing slightly. The constables gripped their long knives tightly, their throats bobbing involuntarily.

Ling Han quickly walked to the edge, looked ahead, and his eyes widened slightly.
An indescribable emotion welled up inside me.

"Officials have their way of doing things, and ordinary people have their own ways of coping..."

At the edge of the horizon, a vast crowd surged forth like a tide.

The entire Fudong Street was packed with people, just like on the day Yingtian Trading Company opened.

Most of the people who came were in a hurry, dressed in tattered clothes with patches of various colors clearly visible.

Their exposed skin was dark, beads of sweat were clearly visible, and their eyes were filled with anger.

They were full of vigor, like soldiers about to charge into battle, their hearts brimming with determination.

Ling Han found it difficult to describe this feeling.

There was relief, anger, and even more fear.

"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it"—this saying is not just empty talk.

The once mighty and vast Yuan dynasty was overthrown by these people wielding hoes, sickles, and sticks.

It is precisely because of this that we have the Ming Dynasty as we know it today.

Having personally experienced that period, Ling Han clearly felt that the people before him possessed the same power they had felt back then.

Everyone was holding their breath, wanting to get to the bottom of things:
Why do so many people still starve to death even though we farm properly?
Why is there always war? There are hardly any able-bodied men left in the village.
Why did Yingtian Trading Company suddenly close down, bringing an abrupt end to the good days that were just about to begin?

Zhang Heng, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, changed his expression drastically upon seeing this scene.

Zhou Zhiqing, who had just been seriously discussing the case, suddenly stopped talking.

When the people began to clamor, the officials quieted down.

A deathly silence fell over the scene.

It wasn't until the crowd surged past the Jingzhao Prefecture government office that the group came to their senses.

Zhang Heng and Zhou Zhiqing rushed over immediately.

Zhang Heng's white beard trembled slightly:
"Lord Ling, quickly send men to stop them and prevent them from getting any closer!"

Zhou Zhiqing's face was grim:
"Lord Ling, the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice are jointly handling this case; unauthorized personnel are not allowed to approach."

Looking at their appearance, Ling Han's eyes suddenly became somewhat empty, as if he had seen them before.

He fell into deep thought, and finally, after much contemplation, he remembered.

That was the panicked and fearful look on the faces of the officials when the old Yuan city fell many years ago.

His thoughts receded quickly like the tide; he was no longer the former Yuan, nor was he a clerk in the rebel army.

Now it is the Ming Dynasty, and he is the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

Ling Han took a deep breath and gave the order in a deep voice:
"All constables, step forward! No one is allowed to approach!"

"Yes!"

Once the order was given, the yamen runners surrounding the area began to move towards the east side of the prefectural street, preparing to block the crowd.

Just then, a figure rushed out from the plaza of the merchant guild. Everyone looked surprised. This person was none other than Liu Sili, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial.

"Stop! Everyone, don't go any further!"
"I am Liu Sili, currently in charge of the trading company's affairs. Please feel free to speak to me about anything!"

At this moment, the employees who had been standing there in a daze also reacted and rushed over to shield Liu Sili behind them.

Among the villagers who arrived, some recognized Liu Sili and the employees who had tried to stop him, and they all began to question him:
"Why didn't you come to pick up the goods today?!"

"Are you trying to lie to us?"

Everyone was talking at once, making the scene extremely noisy.

Liu Sili felt a terrible headache coming on. He climbed to a nearby high place, picked up a brass megaphone, and shouted at the crowd in front of him:

"Everyone, please calm down! Let me explain!"

"If you keep arguing, I'm leaving, and there will be no one to explain to you!"

After shouting several times, the scene finally quieted down temporarily, and pairs of angry eyes were fixed on Liu Sili.

They only learned after entering the city that no officials from the nearby villages had come to collect the goods, and that the Yingtian Trading Company had also closed down.

This made them extremely anxious, because the cooperation had not yet ended, the money from the previous days had not been settled, and the business had closed down. What were they going to do with their money?
"Say it!"

The crowd shouted in unison, and the scene descended into chaos once more...

"Quiet, quiet..."

It took Liu Sili a great deal of effort to quiet the scene down again.

He looked at the densely packed crowd ahead, pursed his lips, and shouted:
"A murder occurred when the business opened, and the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Ministry of Rites are investigating."

Once the investigation is complete, the business will be able to resume operations, and the employees will be able to go to the villages to collect goods.

They didn't go today because the authorities are worried that someone might try to escape punishment, so they won't allow them to leave the capital!

The moment he finished speaking, a deluge of curses and insults overwhelmed Liu Sili. The entire Fudong Street was like a swarm of bees, buzzing everywhere.

"Quiet, quiet!!"

"I understand everyone's feelings, but please also consider the court's feelings."

When the imperial court wanted to investigate a case, the merchants had no choice but to cooperate actively.

Please rest assured,

Once the business resumes operations, they will send people to purchase and sell the backlog of goods as soon as possible.

Please go home and wait a bit, don't rush!

Liu Sili shouted loudly,

But the common people didn't care about any of that.
Shouts and curses rose and fell, quickly filling the area around Yingtian Trading Company.

Ling Han, Zhang Heng, and Zhou Zhiqing all looked extremely grim, and the officials on the periphery unconsciously shrank back.

Some of the villagers in front of us have already picked up wooden sticks and hoes.

Judging from their indignant expressions, it seemed as if they were about to rush up and beat someone up at the slightest provocation.

The officials from the Ministry of Justice who had come last night, knowing how formidable these people were, were so frightened that they retreated repeatedly.

Liu Sili was still shouting loudly:

"Don't worry, everyone. The imperial court will definitely provide a proper solution."

Even if the business closes down, all outstanding debts will be settled.

These words immediately caused an uproar!

An egg flew down from below and hit the shelf where Liu Sili was standing...

Immediately afterwards, more and more things flew over, and the entire Fudong Street was filled with curses.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Heng couldn't help but burst into a tirade of curses:

"This Liu Sili, as expected of a northern barbarian, speaks so tactlessly. How could he say such a thing?"

Ling Han glanced at him, wanting to reply with "Go up and say it," but ultimately remained silent.

A hint of doubt flashed in Zhou Zhiqing's eyes. He looked around blankly and asked:

Why haven't the people from the Yingtian Prefecture arrived yet?

Ling Han glanced at him again and thought he was somewhat naive.

The two sides were in a standoff. Since the people on the merchant side were restricted from moving, Yingtian Merchants naturally wouldn't interfere.

Both sides rely on their own abilities; if other government departments are rashly involved, the matter will completely escalate into a factional struggle.

Standing on the shelf, Liu Sili dodged left and right, hiding his face, but he kept shouting:

"Don't worry, everyone. Even if the business closes down in the future, you don't need to worry about making a living."

You can sell the goods to other merchants and make some money that way too.

"Bullshit! Those profiteers will lose money selling to them!"

Someone shouted an insult, completely igniting the emotions of the surrounding crowd.

Almost everyone started cursing and swearing, seemingly disregarding any past relationships.

Liu Sili continued:

"How can you common people disobey the government?"

Go back obediently, and the imperial court will settle you down and even build roads for you. There will be plenty of opportunities to make money in the future.”

"The business has gone bankrupt, how are we going to repay the debt!"

A straw sandal was thrown at Liu Sili, and then all sorts of other things were thrown at him...

At this moment, Aju Miao and others also came over with their men and began to shout and curse, even saying things like the Ming Dynasty had broken its promise.

The situation became increasingly tense, and eventually, even the onlookers began to vent their anger, hurling insults and curses!
The crowd began to surge forward, pushing and shoving.

Liu Sili was covered in vegetable leaves and eggs.

He peeked at the crowd through the gap in his palm, and, thinking it was about time, called out:

"Go, go, all employees, step back!!"

At a command, Liu Sili displayed an agility beyond his years.

He jumped off the shelf and ran wildly toward the shop's gate, looking disheveled.

Behind him were numerous employees of the trading company.

After they left, the officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review were left to face the angry people.

Faced with a massive influx of people, possibly numbering two or three thousand,

The mere three hundred officials seemed incredibly small and fragile, like a drop in the ocean.

Ling Han's expression changed drastically, and he shouted:
"Quick, stop them!"

Zhang Heng's pupils suddenly contracted:

"Quick, quick, don't let them get close!"

Zhou Zhiqing's reaction was even more direct; without saying a word, he turned and ran towards a safe place behind him...

The next moment, a sound that no one wanted to hear rang out; someone shouted:
"Kill these corrupt officials!!!"

Night had fallen, and the hazy darkness enveloped the entire Yingtian Imperial City.

The oppressive atmosphere was suffocating, making the entire imperial city seem like a colossal beast lurking in the darkness.

On the imperial road of the palace, many people hurried along, heads down, preoccupied and silent, heading straight for the Wuying Hall.

Ahead of them,
Several eunuchs carried a wooden plank, on which lay a disheveled person...

Before long, more than a hundred people gathered outside the Wuying Hall, mostly ministers and nobles with influence in the court, as well as important officials from various government departments...

They were left outside the hall, while the officials of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, along with the people from the Governor's Office, entered the hall...

"Your Majesty, a civil uprising has broken out on East Street."

The first words spoken by Li Yuanming, the Minister of Rites, cast a blood-red shadow over the entire Wuying Hall.
Everyone's heart sank, and they all lowered their heads slightly.

At the head of the table sat the Hongwu Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, with the Crown Prince beside him.
A little further down sat two elderly men: Li Shanchang, the Duke of Han, and Tang He, the Duke of Xinguo.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes twitched slightly as he looked at Li Yuanming and asked:

"Because of what?"

Li Yuanming recounted in detail what had happened in front of the Yingtian Trading Company, making the atmosphere even more tense.

Everyone had different expressions, and they were all extremely wary.

Unrest among the common people was not uncommon in the Ming Dynasty court.

But in the capital region, right under the emperor's nose... this has never happened in over a decade.

But now, it has happened.

However, to everyone's surprise, His Majesty showed no anger whatsoever, and his expression remained completely unchanged.

After a long silence, Zhu Yuanzhang finally spoke slowly:
"Minister Zhao, weren't you supposed to be investigating a murder case? How did this mess happen?"

A flicker of panic crossed Zhao Mian's eyes, a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and he bowed deeply, saying in a low voice:
"Your Majesty, Liu Sili, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, embellished the story, leading to a popular uprising."

"Oh? Liu Sili?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked surprised:
"Let him in..."

"Summon Liu Sili to the palace!"

The eunuch's voice rang out...

Everyone turned their attention to the entrance, but no one was in sight.

Just as everyone was getting a little impatient,
A shadow appeared first, followed by a disheveled figure.

Liu Sili was covered in egg yolk and had two pieces of vegetable on his head.

He hopped in with a limp, his right leg dragging lightly behind him.

His face was also a mess, one eye swollen like a small hill.

Her originally thin cheeks were also somewhat swollen.

Even more striking was that his forearms were bent at a horrifying angle, broken in the middle, and dangling there...

Upon seeing this, everyone immediately frowned.