Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 363 A Plan in Action! Looking upon the world's splendor, this old man is helpless!

Thunder rumbled, deafeningly loud.

"Excellent! I knew I hadn't misjudged Brother Ge. He truly is a loyal and steadfast minister of our Great Ming!"

With admiration in his eyes, Zhan Hui strode forward and steadily helped Ge Song, who was kneeling on the ground, to his feet. He looked at Ge Song with burning eyes and praised him loudly.

Previously, he had always addressed Ge Song as "Lord Ge," but now he addressed him as "Brother Ge."

Their warm attitude made it seem as if their relationship had instantly become much closer.

After all, since the other party had agreed, the two had become allies in the same boat, and their "friendship" was naturally extraordinary.

Ge Song's originally ashen face gradually relaxed.

Just now, his face was deathly pale, as if fear had drained all his life force.

At this moment, she finally regained some color.

The hardest thing for people is often when they have to make a choice between two difficult options.

That kind of inner turmoil and struggle felt like a heavy burden pressing down on my heart.

But once you make up your mind, you feel that your body and mind are no longer as tense and tired as before.

"Death is inevitable for everyone; it may be as weighty as Mount Tai or as light as a feather."

“I, Ge, am willing to dedicate my life to serving the country and Your Majesty. Even if I were to die here, what would I have to complain about?”

Ge Song's face was resolute, and his tone revealed a determination to face death, as if he had already disregarded life and death.

"Hahaha!" Zhan Hui laughed loudly, patted Ge Song's shoulder heavily, and said in a loud voice: "When the Great Way is abandoned, there is benevolence and righteousness; when wisdom arises, there is great hypocrisy; when the six kinship ties are not harmonious, there is filial piety and kindness; when the country is in chaos, there are loyal ministers."

"In our great Ming Dynasty today, there are treacherous officials causing trouble above and corrupt scholars stirring up trouble below."

"The emperor was young, but he had lofty ambitions and was determined to accomplish a great and earth-shattering feat, to bring happiness to all the people and to win a glorious name in history."

"This is a good thing in itself, but if one is too eager, one will inevitably be misled by wicked people."

"If we are not careful and go astray, the Ming Dynasty will be in grave danger."

"Brother Ge was able to step forward at this critical moment, disregarding his own life and safety, impeaching treacherous officials, deterring petty people, and rectifying the court. He truly turned the tide and saved the collapsing edifice."

"This merit and virtue, even a thousand years later, will still inspire awe and be full of vitality!"

clap clap clap!
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At this moment, a fierce wind raged outside, howling like a madman.

A strong wind, accompanied by torrential rain, lashed against the glass windows that were originally sheltered by eaves, producing a rapid and crisp sound that continued incessantly.

Zhan Hui pulled Ge Song to sit down in the seat.

Seeing that Ge Song was exhausted both physically and mentally from the shock and was still somewhat weak, he gently comforted him:
"Brother Ge, please rest assured. Since I have entrusted you with such an important task, how could I let you die in vain?"

"Tomorrow in the imperial court, I will arrange for people to respond to Brother Ge."

"In this turbulent period of court politics, although Brother Ge was the one who initiated it and is now in the eye of the storm, facing immense danger, it is not impossible for him to escape unscathed."

"If I didn't have a good chance of success, why would I let you take such a risk?"

Upon hearing this, Ge Song nodded slightly.

Zhan Hui's words were indeed reasonable and justified.

Even though he was just a "chess piece" thrown around casually in Zhan Hui's eyes, every move made by masters in chess since ancient times has a profound meaning and is by no means arbitrary.

He went to great lengths to find his own particle, and he wouldn't waste it so easily.

Otherwise, the other party will not only waste their efforts, but may also suffer a backlash.

It doesn't make sense from either a logical or emotional perspective.

Perhaps my worries were unfounded.

Upon realizing this, Ge Song stood up, bowed respectfully to Zhan Hui, and said, "I am young and ignorant. I was so shocked to hear of such a major event that I was in a state of confusion and behaved inappropriately. I hope you will forgive me, Lord Zhan."

"Fortunately, thanks to your guidance, I have finally understood everything."

"I will remember this great kindness and virtue, and I will repay it in the future."

Zhan Hui quickly waved his hand and laughed, "Brother Ge, you flatter me. We are both officials in the same court, serving His Majesty. Why be so formal?"

"Moreover, everything I am planning today is for the sake of the Ming Dynasty and its people, and I have no selfish motives whatsoever."

"Eating the emperor's salary is the only way to be loyal to the emperor."

"I am honored by Your Majesty's trust and entrusted with the important responsibility of a minister of state affairs. I will do my utmost to serve Your Majesty and the court."

"Alright, enough with the formalities. Now that we've decided to impeach Yang Shiqi, let's discuss in detail what crimes he has committed."

……

Today's thunderstorm is quite different from usual.

The torrential rain, like a celestial river bursting its banks, raged for over an hour before gradually subsiding.

The amount of rain that fell was terrifying.

Fortunately, after Zhu Yunwen took office, he began a large-scale overhaul of the drainage system in Nanjing.

Otherwise, with such torrential rain, many parts of the city would probably have already been swallowed up by the flood due to insufficient drainage.

After the rain stopped, the charges against Yang Shiqi were discussed and agreed upon, and Ge Song got up to take his leave.

When he arrived, he looked nervous, like a frightened bird.

When he left, he was filled with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow, his emotions complex and hard to discern.

Only when he reached the sedan chair carriers did he suddenly realize that he only had enough silver to pay for their fees that day, and he had no money left. His rice reserves at home were also running low.

Ge Song came from a poor family, but as a censor of the Censorate, he received a monthly salary and should not have fallen into such a predicament.

However, during this period, in order to leave the Censorate and obtain the opportunity to travel outside the capital, he squandered all his savings and also incurred a lot of new debts.

Most of the money he used for bribes was borrowed from various places.

He originally thought that as long as he got the opportunity to go on an external tour, he wouldn't have to worry about not being able to repay the money. However, the final development of things was completely different from what he had imagined.

In fact, Ge Song did not usually ride in a sedan chair.

He was afraid of appearing too shabby and losing face when he visited the Zhan family today, so he hired a sedan chair at the last minute.

Looking back now, it was all just me worrying unnecessarily.

They had already planned everything meticulously, like a carefully laid trap, just waiting for you to foolishly take the bait.

Why waste money on unnecessary expenses?
Ge Song took out some money from his pocket, handed it to the sedan chair carriers, and said, "This is your wages. You can go back on your own."

The sedan bearers were slightly taken aback and asked in confusion, "Aren't you going to ride, sir?"

Ge Song waved his hand and said, "I won't sit down. I want to take a walk on the streets of Jinling City to relax and appreciate the prosperity of this city."

"Then thank you very much, sir." The sedan chair carriers didn't ask any more questions. Anyway, they would still get their wages and save the effort of carrying people on one trip. Why not?
Immediately, he took the money, lifted the empty sedan chair, and hurriedly left.

Ge Song strolled slowly down the street, observing the shops and pedestrians on both sides with great interest.

Only then did I realize that many shops on the street had put on brand new door signs, with calligraphy that was vigorous and powerful, and looked much better than before.

Moreover, many shops have had their exterior walls repainted with bright paint, giving them a grand and impressive appearance. The lampposts lining the streets are uniquely designed and exquisitely crafted, exuding a distinctive aesthetic.

The clothes worn by pedestrians on the street no longer seemed as shabby as before. Many people were dressed elegantly and sophisticatedly, exuding grace in every gesture.

People's faces were filled with all kinds of smiles, some hearty, some reserved, brimming with the vitality of life.

Some people are marveling at the sheer power of today's thunderstorm, the sheer amount of rainfall, and the awe-inspiring celestial phenomenon.

Some people were talking and laughing loudly, sharing interesting anecdotes from the past few days.

There were also women chasing after naughty children, scolding them and raising their hands as if to hit them...

These vivid and lively scenes kept appearing in Ge Song's eyes and reaching his ears.

"So this is what worldly prosperity is like!" Ge Song couldn't help but sigh softly.

Previously, he had never noticed that such earth-shattering changes had taken place in Jinling City.

The streets that were once familiar are no longer what I remember.

The house that I'm tired of looking at every day suddenly seems so pleasing to the eye.

It turns out that life in this world, even though it is full of hardships, is still flavorful and wonderful.

But in the past, I was too obsessed with fame and fortune, thinking only of getting promoted and bringing glory to my ancestors, while completely ignoring the beauty and prosperity of this world.

The beautiful scenery was right in front of me, but I was blind to it.

Today, I finally saw and felt it for real...

However, tomorrow will bring unknown variables.

Once an impeachment memorial is submitted, life and death hang in the balance, and the outcome is unpredictable!

Ge Song's heart first relaxed, immersing itself in the beauty of everyday life, but in an instant, it tightened again, shrouded by the impending crisis.

He didn't want to die; he hadn't yet tasted enough of the joys and sorrows of this world.

He still wanted to fully experience the splendor and prosperity of this world.

But he also knew that he was ultimately unwilling to live his whole life as an ordinary, unremarkable person.

After decades of hard study and countless hardships, one finally achieves fame and fortune. How can one easily give up such a desire for fame and fortune?

Ultimately, he is a character in the play, and cannot stand aside and laugh at his own life as if he were watching others' lives with amusement!

Life is like a journey, and I am but a traveler!

Ge Song thought to himself, "If I succeed in impeaching Yang Shiqi tomorrow, I, Ge Song, will surely become famous throughout the world!"

In that instant, he seemed to see a bright future unfolding before him, radiating brilliance.

But what if we fail?

What awaits him is undoubtedly the death of his head and the separation of his body from his body!
But if you can't stand out from the crowd, what does the world's prosperity have to do with you?
Ge Song looked out at the street again, at the pedestrians, the shops, the road surface...

Countless people and scenes came into view, and then slowly faded away.

Take a good look, that's enough!

Perhaps this is the last time in my life I will be able to freely view the street scenes of Nanjing.

If there's a next time, it could very well be on the way to the execution ground.

“No!” He shook his head: “There is still hope of success. I may not die.”

Ge Song muttered to himself, "A man who doesn't aspire to great things is wasting his life!"

"I want to be the most watched pedestrian on this road."

He clenched his fists, quickened his pace, and walked home with firm steps, his figure gradually disappearing into the cool breeze.

……

The Zhan residence.

After seeing Ge Song off, Zhan Hui stood at the doorway, looking up at the sky outside, his expression somewhat dazed.

Although the rain had stopped and the sky was no longer as gloomy as before, the sun was still hidden behind the clouds and had not yet appeared.

Occasionally, a few gentle breezes would drift by, bringing a touch of coolness, but they did not dispel the faint sense of unease in Zhan Hui's heart.

The butler walked in quietly from outside with light, quick steps, stood steadily beside Zhan Hui, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Master, everything you instructed has been taken care of."

"Well, that's good." Zhan Hui didn't turn to look at the butler; his gaze remained fixed on the sky, as if he were lost in thought.

The butler stood quietly to the side, and after a moment, finally unable to suppress his doubts, he spoke softly:

“Master, in my opinion, Ge Song is frivolous in his actions and lacks composure. He is not the kind of person who can handle important matters. Is it really appropriate for you to have him submit a memorial to impeach him?”

The steward had served the Zhan family for many years and was always Zhan Hui's confidant, knowing many confidential matters.

Just now, when Zhan Hui and Ge Song met, the steward was actually hiding in the shadows and saw Ge Song's every move clearly, just in case.

That Ge Song had an inexplicable arrogance about him.

They came to beg their master for help, but even their act of kneeling was perfunctory, merely going through the motions.

Did he not know that in this capital city, countless officials of much higher rank and greater power than Ge Song would all bow respectfully to their master?

With someone like Ge Song, who is so unwilling even to kowtow, what future could he possibly have in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty?
It should be understood that kowtowing may seem like a trivial matter, but it is actually the "number one important matter" in officialdom!
One must kowtow frequently and know how to kowtow properly in order to become a good official.

If Ge Song can maintain his tough stance, then so be it.

The butler might even think more highly of him.

But to everyone's surprise, his master only used a few tricks, a little coercion and enticement, and Ge Song was so frightened that he trembled all over, hurriedly kowtowing and begging for mercy, and then obediently agreed to cooperate.

To put it bluntly, this person is nothing but arrogant and self-righteous, always thinking that he is no ordinary person, but he has no backbone at all.

For this reason, the steward looked down on Ge Song from the bottom of his heart and had deep doubts about his ability to complete the task.

In the steward's view, his master used to be the Minister of Personnel, holding great power over the promotion and assessment of officials, and his protégés and former subordinates were all over the court.

There are many censors in the Censorate, and many of them were promoted because of the favor of their masters.

The master could have easily arranged for these people to do this, so why choose such an unreliable person as Ge Song?

"It's alright." Zhan Hui said calmly and in a light tone, "It's just using him to ignite this fire."

“He is not one of my confidants, and we have no dealings with each other.”

"He came to this Zhan residence today only to express his true feelings to me and to explain that he is prepared to remonstrate with me even at the cost of his life."

"None of this has anything to do with me."

"I have already earnestly advised him not to do such a thing."

"You must know that Yang Shiqi is a close minister of the emperor and a former official of His Majesty when he was still a prince. Impeaching Yang Shiqi is undoubtedly a blatant provocation against His Majesty."

"However, this man is too stubborn and insists on impeaching Yang Shiqi. I really have no choice but to do so!"

……

(End of this chapter)