Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 364 The Lord and His Minister! Court meeting! He Xiyi died!
The butler's eyes widened instantly, filled with shock.

It turns out that my master has managed to absolve himself of all responsibility!

No wonder the master had instructed him to make sure that the "middleman" who contacted Ge Song was dealt with cleanly, leaving no trace.

Forget it.

The key point is that tomorrow is the grand court assembly. If the master doesn't send someone to support Ge Song, then Ge Song will undoubtedly be like an egg hitting a rock, courting death.

But what is the point of doing this?
Why would my husband go to such lengths to do something that seems pointless?

"I was merely using him to start a fire," Zhan Hui said calmly. "The first person to start a fire will surely be consumed by it."

"Tomorrow, Ge Song will not survive."

"I use a dying man, so I don't need to care how capable he is."

Will Ge Song die?

The butler's heart skipped a beat.

Although the censor's impeachment of the emperor's close ministers was a momentous event.

However, given the special status of censors, the court could not simply ignore impeachments.

Generally speaking, the higher the status of the person impeached by the censor, the more thoroughly the court will investigate, determined to get to the bottom of the matter.

Conversely, before the truth comes out, it is relatively safe for censors to impeach "important figures".

Punishment of censors usually takes place only after the investigation is completed.

However, it was truly incomprehensible that his own master would assert that Ge Song's life would be in danger tomorrow.

"Is Yang Shiqi really so favored that His Majesty would turn a blind eye even if an imperial censor publicly impeached him during a grand court assembly?"

The butler, filled with doubt, couldn't help but ask.

"That's not the case."

Zhan Hui gently shook his head, a faint, enigmatic smile appearing on his face, and said:
"Do you really think that Yang Shiqi was behind and instigated those scholars to write letters and petitions?"

Is not it?
The butler muttered to himself.

He didn't say anything, but listened quietly, his eyes full of inquiry.

"These scholars, in order to make their memorials seem more reasonable and well-founded, desperately denigrated the current state of the Ming Dynasty and lavishly praised the new tax system of the three Jurchen tribes."

Zhan Hui narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Although the various departments of the court have not submitted these memorials to the court, His Majesty controls the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Inspectorate, and the Intelligence Bureau. Their spies are spread throughout the Ming Dynasty."

"Nothing that happens in Jinling City can escape His Majesty's eyes."

"Such a momentous event is being discussed even by the people of Jinling City. How could His Majesty be completely unaware of it?"

The butler listened and couldn't help but nod in approval to himself.

Many legends circulate about this young emperor, which can be summarized in eight words: "a genius of extraordinary talent and great abilities."

In the eyes of many ordinary people, the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty was practically an omnipotent god.

The butler naturally understood that this was somewhat of an exaggeration.

But the new emperor's prowess is undeniable.

"Since His Majesty knows about this, why can he tolerate such a thing happening?" Zhan Hui suddenly asked.

The butler's thoughts were instantly disrupted. He pondered the master's question, but the more he thought about it, the more terrified he became.

Zhan Hui let out a long sigh and slowly said, "The person who instructed these scholars to submit a memorial requesting the court to implement a new tax system is none other than His Majesty the present!"

"The person Ge Song is going to impeach tomorrow appears to be Yang Shiqi, but in reality, the person he is impeaching is none other than the current emperor!"

"Do you think a mere censor who impeaches the current emperor can survive?"

The soft voice fell, but the butler felt it was much louder than the previous thunderclap.

He was so astonished that he couldn't close his mouth, his eyes wide open, his face full of disbelief, staring blankly at his master.

Just then, a cool breeze blew by, and the butler felt a chill run down his spine.

If it were just about dealing with Yang Shiqi, that would be fine.

Both my master and he were ministers of state affairs. My master had served as the Left Censor-in-Chief for eight years and was a leader of the Qingliu faction. Later, he was transferred to the position of Minister of Personnel.

In terms of seniority in the imperial court, he was far more experienced than Yang Shiqi, who had risen rapidly through a selection process.

If he were to truly engage in a magical duel with Yang Shiqi, the master might not necessarily lose.

However, if the opponent is the emperor... how can a subject possibly defeat the emperor?

Moreover, what kind of person is the current emperor? His talent and strategy are unparalleled throughout history. How could you possibly win?
"Master...Master, since...since that's the case, why...why...why..."

The butler was extremely anxious and tried to persuade the master to stop his actions, but due to excessive nervousness, he began to stammer when he tried to speak, and eventually, he couldn't say anything at all.

Since Your Excellency knows that the opponent is His Majesty, yet still insists on doing so, there must be a reason.

"How could I possibly wish to be an enemy of Your Majesty!"

Zhan Hui sighed softly, slowly turning his head back from gazing at the sky, and walked back to his study with heavy steps.

"But what can be done? His Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition, determined to accomplish something earth-shattering, and no one can dissuade him."

"Lan Yu is just a martial artist, how could he understand such intricacies!"

"I have read through the detailed battle reports on the battles against the three Jurchen tribes."

"In fact, the new army only served as a deterrent and did not fight much. It was all His Majesty's meticulous planning. The Ming Intelligence Bureau, through propaganda, intelligence infiltration and bribery, easily pacified the three Jurchen tribes."

"If we are to reward merit, Your Majesty should be credited with eight-tenths of the credit for this expedition."

"Your Majesty is indeed a genius of unparalleled talent!"

"The new policies that Lan Yu is implementing in the three Jurchen tribes are all carried out in accordance with His Majesty's decree."

"Your Majesty is using the three Jurchen tribes as an experiment. If it works, it will be implemented throughout the Ming Dynasty."

"Just imagine the monstrous waves that would unleash!"

The butler's face turned deathly pale instantly.

If a policy similar to that of the three Jurchen tribes were to be implemented within the territory of the Ming Dynasty, it would inevitably cause a huge upheaval.

Nowadays, all the government affairs of the Ming Dynasty are entrusted to the Administrative Affairs Office.

If there are new policies, His Majesty will not issue an imperial edict, but will instead issue an order from the State Administration of Government to notify bureaucratic agencies at all levels to implement them and to inform the people of the whole country.

As a minister of state affairs, my husband must be under immense, unimaginable pressure.

As if guessing what the steward was thinking, Zhan Hui nodded slightly and said, "You should have thought of it as well. As a minister of state affairs, if there is any change, I will be the first to bear the brunt, and I will not be able to escape even if I want to."

"Rather than being forced into a corner and coerced into opposing His Majesty in the future, it is better to take the initiative now and turn the tables."

As he spoke, he picked up a piece of paper from the table, handed it to the butler, and said, "Take a look."

The butler quickly took it and looked at it closely. He saw that it read "Proof of Calculus and Its Applications".

Filled with doubt, he continued reading the text, which contained a series of explanations and defined various new symbols.

The butler looked at it carefully again and again. He recognized every word and understood the definition of the new symbols, but he felt as if he were in a fog and had no idea what to do.

What on earth is this saying?!

Having served as the steward in the Zhan family, he had read quite a few books, and could read even the most obscure and difficult ancient books and poems without any difficulty.

In this era, the first hurdle for aspiring scholars is punctuating sentences correctly.

Although punctuation marks were invented long ago, their actual usage rate is extremely low. Many people do not use punctuation marks when writing articles, and a large number of books do not include punctuation marks.

To accurately punctuate sentences requires an extremely high level of linguistic intuition; it cannot be achieved simply by recognizing a few words.

However, after Zhu Yunwen came to power, he vigorously promoted the use of punctuation marks and even forced ministers to use them in their memorials.

Punctuation marks were added to the Da Ming Daily and other official publications of the imperial court, greatly reducing the difficulty of reading them.

The paper that Zhan Hui handed him at that moment was also separated by punctuation marks.

The numerous definitions and calculations allowed the butler to roughly determine that this should be an article explaining mathematics.

But apart from that, I couldn't understand anything else.

Seeing this, Zhan Hui asked with a wry smile, "Do you find it completely incomprehensible?"

The butler nodded slightly.

"That's right, you don't understand it. Not only do you not understand it, but I don't understand it either."

"I know I'm not good at math, so I specifically consulted the accountant and the person in charge of accounts at the Ministry of Revenue, but they couldn't understand it either."

Zhan Hui took the paper back from the butler and put it back on the table.

"This is His Majesty's latest paper, published in the journal Mathematics, a subsidiary of the journal Science."

"The researchers at the Ming Academy of Sciences who study mathematics all say that His Majesty's article is groundbreaking and can solve many difficult problems."

"Its significance is almost comparable to the creation of the world by Pangu, and the future of science has been greatly brightened from this point on."

He smiled wryly and said helplessly, "You saw it just now too, we can't understand it at all."

At this point, Zhan Hui sighed softly: "We cannot understand His Majesty's writings; we also cannot fathom His Majesty's plans!"

The steward opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. After a long while, he slowly said, "Your Majesty is a man of extraordinary talent, far beyond the reach of ordinary people."

"Yes!" Zhan Hui said solemnly, filled with emotion, "This is precisely the key reason why I have stood up to oppose His Majesty this time."

The steward's doubts deepened, his brows furrowed, and his face was filled with bewilderment. Zhan Hui's gaze was profound as he said calmly, "Do you think that just because I've cleared myself of any wrongdoing, His Majesty is unaware of who's behind Ge Song's memorial?"

Upon hearing this, the butler was horrified and his face drained of all color.

Zhan Hui continued, "With His Majesty's abilities, how could he not even guess this?"

"Not to mention His Majesty, even the court officials are well aware of this."

"I told you to keep your hands and feet clean, not for His Majesty's sake, but for the sake of your subordinates."

"Only in this way will it be in line with my usual style of doing things, and only then will they be convinced that I am on their side."

Is it not?
The butler was so shocked he couldn't close his mouth, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Of course not!" Zhan Hui replied quickly, as if he could read Zhan Hui's mind.

"I, Zhan Hui, have always been a loyal subject of the Ming Dynasty."

"Your Majesty, I serve you and receive your salary, but I also bear the heavy responsibility of supporting the nation and offering loyal advice."

“If Your Majesty’s decree is contrary to the well-being of the nation and its people, then your subjects cannot blindly follow the crowd and pander to the monarch.”

"Since ancient times, loyal ministers have dared to speak frankly and offer advice, and dared to argue with the emperor on reason."

"Otherwise, how could there be the saying 'to die for one's principles'?"

"I understand this principle, and all the civil and military officials in the court understand it as well."

"As a minister of state affairs and a close advisor to the emperor, I have the duty to lead the court and advise His Majesty to take the right path."

He paused briefly, then continued:

"On the other hand, if I do not stand up and instead stand on His Majesty's side, and become an enemy of the ministers, they will be greatly disappointed and will feel that I am not worthy to be their leader."

"The new tax involves too many interests."

“Even if I don’t stand with them, they will still resolutely oppose the new tax.”

"At that time, no one can predict where things will go."

“If I step forward, it will be the will of the people, and I will become their backbone.”

"In this way, we can control this earth-shattering power, prevent it from running rampant, and avoid the Ming Dynasty's court from falling into chaos due to Your Majesty's vigorous reforms."

"My actions may seem like I'm opposing His Majesty, but in reality, I'm lending His Majesty a helping hand!"

"The most terrifying enemy is the one that cannot be seen."

"The strength of the opposition this time will be unprecedented."

“With this power gathered by me, Your Majesty only needs to deal with me. In this way, things can always be kept under control and will not develop to an uncontrollable point.”

"If there is still a chance to improve things, I will take advantage of the situation and go with the flow to cooperate with Your Majesty in implementing the new tax system."

"If things are truly beyond saving, with me here, standing with those who oppose us, and keeping them in check, the Ming Dynasty will remain as stable as Mount Tai, and the world will not fall into chaos again."

The butler listened quietly to the sound, completely stunned, his eyes filled with shock.

Zhan Hui continued, "Land annexation has always been a major headache for every dynasty."

“The rich own vast and boundless fields, with crisscrossing paths, while the poor don’t even have a place to stand.”

"When the poor are driven to desperation, they have no choice but to rise up in rebellion, which eventually leads to the downfall of the dynasty and the change of dynasties."

"The reason behind this is simple and easy to understand; any person with discernment will know it perfectly well."

"But for thousands of years, no dynasty has been able to completely solve this problem."

"Why?"

"It's not that I can't, it's that I'm unwilling!"

"Because those who govern the world all own land, who would willingly cut off their own property?"

"Therefore, even knowing that the country would perish here, they still sat idly by and did nothing."

"His Majesty wishes to address this matter thoroughly and completely, so that the Ming Dynasty can continue for thousands of generations."

"As a subject of the Ming Dynasty, I should do my utmost to assist Your Majesty."

The butler stared at the master before him, a sudden sense of unfamiliarity welling up in his heart, but upon careful consideration, he felt that everything seemed to make sense.

He stammered, "Master, but we also own some land. Once the new tax is implemented, we're afraid we'll be the first to be affected."

"Nonsense!" Zhan Hui shouted angrily, his eyes wide. "This is a matter of utmost importance, affecting the world and future generations!"

"This is a feat that has never been seen in thousands of years!"

"As a minister of state, if I can assist the monarch in achieving such a great undertaking, such merit will be remembered for all time."

"As long as this matter can be accomplished, I can disregard my own life and fortune. My few acres of meager land at home are nothing but worn-out shoes for my own selfish interests. What harm is there in discarding them!"

Upon hearing this, the butler's eyes reddened, and he couldn't help but cry.

He said with a sob in his voice, "But, sir, if you act this way, even if this matter is successfully completed, history will probably not record your merits, but will only remember that you openly opposed its implementation."

"His Majesty will not only not be grateful to you, but will also resent you."

"You're clearly pleasing neither side."

"You've given everything, yet you don't even get a good reputation. What's the point of doing it? You might end up..."

"If things go wrong, you might even lose your life and fortune!"

Upon hearing this, Zhan Hui laughed loudly, his voice booming like a bell: "A gentleman does good without seeking reward; his heart is set on righteousness, not on personal gain!"

"To make this happen, I'm willing to arrange Ge Song's death. Do you think I'm afraid of death?"

"If that were truly the case, how could I possibly stand between heaven and earth?"

"Moreover, my Zhan family has been deeply favored by the country for generations. My father once served as Minister of Personnel and Hanlin Academician."

“Since I entered the court as an official, I have been highly valued and promoted. From a mere seventh-rank official, I rose to become the Left Censor-in-Chief in just a few years, and later became the Minister of Personnel.”

"After the new emperor ascended the throne, he promoted me to Minister of State Affairs. I am respected and called the leader of the 'pure stream' by everyone in the court and the public. I am worthy of this honor."

The steward, with tears streaming down his face, still pleaded, "Why must you, sir, do this yourself? Can't Yang Shiqi, Yao Guangxiao, and the others do it?"

Zhan Hui slowly shook his head and sighed, "They really can't do it."

"They were all personally selected by His Majesty. If you say they would oppose His Majesty, not only would the court officials not believe it, but who in the world would believe it?"

"Furthermore, given their influence in the court, they simply cannot lead this massive, overwhelming wave of opposition!"

"They have only been in the court for a short time, their foundation is too shallow, and their prestige is far from sufficient. Even if they have this idea in their hearts, they are powerless to change it."

"As a senior official, I am the head of the upright officials in the court and a high-ranking minister in charge of state affairs. It is the will of the people to stand up on this matter."

"As long as the plan is carefully laid out, no one will suspect anything."

"Among all the officials in the court, only I am capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility. I have no choice but to accept it."

The butler wept even more bitterly, and pleaded with the steward:

"Then you can present this matter to His Majesty, tell him the truth, and let His Majesty understand your good intentions. In this way, even if things fail, His Majesty will not kill you."

Zhan Hui shook his head again, his tone resolute: "No."

"This matter is of great importance. If we discuss it with His Majesty beforehand, we are worried that the news might leak out, and we are also afraid that we might accidentally reveal a flaw, which would be a disaster."

"I cannot take this risk, and the Ming Dynasty cannot take this risk either!"

"For thousands of years, the harm of land annexation has caused countless people to suffer, plunging the world into turmoil and devastation time and time again."

"If sacrificing my family can eradicate this scourge from the world forever, then my family's death will have been worthwhile."

"A thousand years of infamy is ultimately nothing but fleeting smoke."

"A true man has the world in his heart, and heaven and earth can bear witness to that. Why should he care about these external fame?"

The butler hesitated for a moment, then choked up and said, "But, sir, the Zhan family bloodline..."

Zhan Hui sighed softly, his expression somber: "Since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety have been difficult to reconcile. If the Zhan family line truly ends because of this, then I will be unfilial to my ancestors!"

"But if our ancestors are watching from heaven, they will surely forgive this unfilial descendant."

He slowly closed his eyes, as if he had made up his mind, and instructed, "Tonight, you will take my two young grandsons and leave Jinling City."

"From now on, we entrust these two to you. If they are fortunate enough to survive and you raise them to adulthood, the Zhan family will always remember your great kindness."

As he spoke, Zhan Hui bowed deeply to the official in charge.

The steward was already sobbing uncontrollably, and hurriedly said, "Master, this old servant understands."

"This old servant will risk his life to protect the two young masters and raise them safely to adulthood."

After saying this, he knelt down with a thud, kowtowed three times, then quietly withdrew and turned to leave.

Only Zhan Hui remained in the room.

He sat upright in the chair, motionless, like a statue, letting the sky gradually darken, enveloping himself in a deep twilight.

……

The next morning, before dawn, sedan chairs filed out of various residences in Jinling City, hurrying towards the palace.

The court session has begun!
……

(End of this chapter)