Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 419 Blood Equivalent, an Imperial Edict Shocks the World!

The bedchamber fell silent once more.

Zhu Yunwen held Gu Panjun's arm tightly, neither tightening nor loosening it, maintaining a seemingly calm posture.

His expression remained unchanged, as calm as a still lake, without the slightest ripple.

He parted his lips slightly and asked softly, "Why?"

The voice was deep and resonant, echoing softly in the quiet space.

Gu Panjun did not respond immediately, but gently broke free from Zhu Yunwen's warm embrace and walked lightly toward the entrance of the bedchamber.

Upon reaching the entrance, her cool gaze swept over the palace maids and eunuchs waiting outside, her voice clear and imposing: "I have important matters to discuss with the Emperor. You may all step aside."

After a brief pause, she added, her tone growing even colder, like frost and snow in the dead of winter: "Anyone who dares to approach the bedchamber within thirty paces will be killed without mercy!"

Upon hearing this, the palace maids and eunuchs present instantly turned pale.

Normally, the imperial concubines were kind and benevolent to their servants and never severely punished the palace maids and eunuchs.

Even if they did make a mistake, the Empress would only give them a light reprimand and then gently warn them not to do it again.

This is why the palace maids and eunuchs in Kunning Palace did not exhibit the tension and restraint that one would show when serving a superior.

In Kunning Palace, the atmosphere is always relatively relaxed and comfortable, and laughter can often be heard, which is completely different from the tense and oppressive atmosphere in other palaces where the maids and eunuchs are always on edge, afraid of making mistakes.

However, today, the Empress has made such a clear statement that anyone who approaches without permission will be killed without mercy. Such a stern order is unprecedented.

In an instant, the air inside Kunning Palace seemed to freeze, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

The palace maids and eunuchs dared not delay for a moment, and hurriedly left the entrance of the bedchamber to guard the outside vigilantly, for fear that someone might accidentally trespass into this "forbidden zone".

Everyone knew that no matter how kind and approachable the Empress was, she was still the Empress who ruled the world.

If we really push her to the point of wanting to kill, then we'll regret it.

Therefore, upon hearing the Empress's icy and chilling tone, the palace maids and eunuchs dared not harbor the slightest thought of offense.

In fact, the bedroom was extremely spacious and had excellent soundproofing; even standing at the door, it was difficult not to hear a single word being spoken inside.

However, the matter discussed today is of utmost importance. Gu Panjun is cautious in his actions, and in order to ensure that nothing goes wrong, he has issued such a strict order.

After giving her instructions, she turned around and walked towards Zhu Yunwen again.

He slowly bent his knees and knelt down three feet away from him.

"I am of humble origin, a commoner. I am honored to have Your Majesty's favor in making me Empress."

Gu Panjun's voice was soft yet firm.

"If it weren't for Your Majesty, I would probably still be in that remote village, trapped in this small world."

She shook her head gently, filled with emotion.

"Never be born a woman, for your joys and sorrows are determined by others."

"Most women in this world have tragic fates."

"Men control our lives and property."

"Moreover, I come from a humble background, which makes it impossible for me to achieve what I desire and live the life I dream of."

"If I had not met Your Majesty, when I reached marriageable age, my family would have simply betrothed me to a country bumpkin."

"If I'm lucky, I might be able to marry a pedantic scholar who has read a few books but has no real talent or ability. That would be a blessing."

"But I have been studying since I was a child, and my mind has become wild along with the books. I have always had ambitions that are higher than the sky."

"If I were truly forced to submit to those men I despise and bear their children, I would rather die."

At this point, a resolute glint flashed in Gu Panjun's eyes, which then turned gentle.

"Fortunately, I met Your Majesty."

“Fate has been kind to me, and I have become the Empress, the mother of the nation.”

"Your Majesty, as the current emperor, is a sage ruler who is rare throughout history. His insight and knowledge are unmatched by anyone in the past or present."

"In my heart, Your Majesty is also my savior."

She paused slightly, then changed her tone and sighed softly, like a solitary orchid in a secluded valley.

"But as Your Majesty said in the chemical classics, everything in the world is based on 'equivalent exchange'."

"There is always a gain and a loss; this is the ultimate truth of the world."

"Your Majesty's favor has granted me the position of Empress, and I should also make some contributions."

Gu Panjun looked up, her beautiful eyes gazing at Zhu Yunwen: "On the dragon throne sits the sage, and kneeling beneath it are the wives and children."

"Your Majesty intends to promote new learning and new policies, and I understand this perfectly well."

"Your Majesty, I am well aware that there are many ministers in the court who are strongly opposed to this."

"This makes His Majesty hesitant and unable to make a decisive decision."

"If Your Majesty wishes to implement the new learning and new policies, you will surely have to overcome numerous obstacles."

"If we can make an example of someone to deter others and prevent opponents from acting recklessly, that would be the best outcome."

The Empress remained calm and slowly said, "I come from a commoner background and have no connections in the court."

"However, I am, after all, the Empress."

"Your Majesty desires to achieve lasting glory. Although I am limited in my abilities and unable to solve Your Majesty's problems, I am willing to sacrifice my family so that no one in the court will dare to openly oppose the new learning and new policies."

"This is precisely why I advised my brother to oppose the new policies and new schools."

Gu Panjun's tone was gentle yet resolute.

"If Your Majesty requires it, you may send my brother out to sacrifice to the flag as a warning to others, thus removing obstacles to the smooth implementation of the new policies and new learning."

"Utterly foolish!" Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen abruptly stood up, his sleeves billowing as he spoke, and exclaimed, "How could you make such a crucial decision on your own without consulting me at all?"

"It is true that I want to promote new learning and new policies, but how can I let my wife and family sacrifice themselves to achieve my ambitions?"

"If I were to act in such a way, would I still be considered a true man?"

"Then how can one talk about becoming a great ruler for all time?"

Zhu Yuntong's voice trembled slightly, and he clenched his fists, as if he had a lot of pent-up frustration with nowhere to vent it.

"The new policies and new learning are unprecedented events since the beginning of time."

Gu Panjun looked up at Zhu Yunwen with her eyes as stubborn as ever, and said, "Someone has to bear the blame."

She gripped the hem of her dress tightly, as if encouraging herself.

"If Your Majesty does not stand up, then Your Majesty will only suffer infamy."

"Your Majesty is a wise and virtuous ruler throughout the ages, and also the husband I admire and respect the most."

"Your Majesty, I cannot bear to see you suffer eternal condemnation and infamy for the sake of all people."

Gu Panjun took a deep breath, her tone becoming increasingly firm: "Your Majesty and I have been blessed with boundless favor and have enjoyed all the riches and honors of the world."

"It is my duty to do something for His Majesty and for the sake of this country and its people."

"His Majesty also stated clearly in this chemical classic that 'equivalent exchange' is the eternal and unchanging essence of all things in the world."

"How can my family simply accept your favor without paying any price?"

She tilted her head slightly, her expression solemn: "This is the 'exchange price' that my family must pay."

Gu Panjun paused, her bright eyes fixed on Zhu Yunwen.

"Your Majesty, the success of one general is built on the bones of ten thousand."

"If Your Majesty wishes to promote new learning and new policies, some sacrifices are inevitable."

"I have built palaces at great expense, spending countless sums of money, and selected many women from the common people to enter the palace and bewitch the emperor. I have already been infamous for this, so I don't care about adding this one more thing." She smiled faintly, her expression magnanimous.

Zhu Yuntong sighed softly, looking at Gu Panjun with pity, his gaze as gentle as the spring breeze.

He built grand palaces and selected many beautiful women, all to satisfy his own selfish desires.

But he always remained quietly behind the scenes, letting Gu Panjun charge into battle.

It is precisely because of this that Gu Panjun has been burdened with the infamy of being a "femme fatale".

"These major policies concerning the fate of the nation are completely different from matters within the palace."

Zhu Yunwen spoke slowly.

"If anyone should bear the blame, it should be the ministers in the court who are paid by the emperor."

"They enjoy the generous salaries provided by the court, so they should share the emperor's burdens."

"How can we allow you, the Empress, to bear the blame for such a matter?"

Gu Panjun gently shook her head, her hair swaying slightly, and said, "This matter is too great for the court officials to bear; their weight is far from sufficient."

"Moreover, if Your Majesty were to carry out a large-scale purge of the court, it would inevitably cause a lot of unnecessary turmoil and chaos, which would be detrimental to the country in every way."

"As the Empress, I hold the highest position in the harem and am of great prestige. I am the best candidate Your Majesty would use to establish your authority."

"Your Majesty can even take the opportunity to push all the blame onto me."

"Your Majesty is a wise and virtuous ruler, and should be cleansed of all dust and filth."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen felt as if a huge rock was tightly blocking his heart, making him feel extremely suffocated. He said, "But you shouldn't have to bear all of this."

"No, it is only right that I should bear this responsibility." A smile appeared on Gu Panjun's face: "I am just a common woman of humble origin. What virtue or ability do I have to be fortunate enough to become the Empress who governs the world?"

"To enjoy such honor, it is only right to pay some price."

Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, yet it carried a powerful and moving quality: "This is 'equivalent exchange'."

……

Zhu Yuntong gazed quietly at Gu Panjun's face, their eyes meeting.

In that instant, time seemed to stand still, and the whole world seemed to consist only of each other's breathing.

After a long silence, Zhu Yunwen slowly shifted his affectionate gaze and asked softly, "Have you truly considered everything thoroughly? This matter is of great importance; are your brother and sister-in-law aware of it?"

Gu Panjun gently shook her head: "They were unaware of it."

“My brother and sister-in-law are just ordinary people. If they knew the truth, they would inevitably slip up and ruin Your Majesty’s important plans.”

She paused slightly before continuing, "In my brother's heart, he truly and sincerely opposed the new learning and new policies."

"But Your Majesty, you need not feel embarrassed for me."

“My brother, as the emperor’s brother-in-law, has enjoyed wealth and honor for a long time. Now, it is his duty to share the emperor’s burdens and serve the country and the court. It is only natural.”

Zhu Yunwen remained silent, but reached out and slowly pulled Gu Panjun up from the cold ground, then embraced her tightly, as if wanting to give her endless warmth and comfort.

"Your Majesty must not be so soft-hearted," Gu Panjun spoke again, her voice softly echoing in Zhu Yunwen's arms. "The Emperor Emeritus should still be residing deep within the heavily guarded inner palace, shouldn't he?"

Zhu Yunwen's body stiffened abruptly, and he blurted out, "You actually knew about this?"

"Not only do I know this, but I believe that many ministers in the court have some suspicions about this matter."

Gu Panjun looked directly into his eyes and said, "This must be a 'message' that His Majesty intentionally released."

"As the Empress, I am in charge of the affairs of the six palaces. How could I not guess why the inner palace is closed off?"

She continued, "If I am not mistaken, the Emperor Emeritus's willingness to live in seclusion in the deep palace is actually to protect and support Your Majesty's upcoming implementation of new learning and new policies."

"No matter what measures Your Majesty takes outside, the Emperor Emeritus will always be there in the palace to oversee things."

"Once things get out of control, the retired emperor will step in to clean up the mess, stabilize the court, and prevent the Ming Dynasty from falling into chaos."

Zhu Yunwen stared blankly at the exceptionally intelligent woman before him, his heart filled with mixed emotions, yet he remained silent.

Gu Panjun raised her head slightly and said, "In order for His Majesty to smoothly implement the new policies, the Emperor Emeritus did not hesitate to use himself as bait and willingly imprisoned himself in the deep palace."

"Your Majesty, think about it. The Emperor Emeritus was a true dragon among men. In the past, he roamed the court with great vigor and spirit. He should have been soaring in the heavens, overlooking the mountains and rivers."

"But now they are trapped in the small world of the inner palace, like a caged beast at the bottom of a well. Every day they face only the four palace walls. How can they not be bored after a long time? If this continues, they may become depressed and ill."

She sighed, her expression growing increasingly grave: "If something were to happen to the Emperor Emeritus, His Majesty would be burdened with the guilt of being unfilial, and how could he possibly feel at ease?"

"The best course of action now is for Your Majesty to expedite the implementation of the new education and policies and ensure that this matter is handled well."

"Once everything is in place, the court is stable, and the people are united in their hearts, we will then welcome the retired emperor out of the palace with a grand ceremony."

"Only in this way can His Majesty's sincere filial piety be demonstrated, and it is also the best reward for the Emperor Emeritus's painstaking efforts."

"This is the greatest filial piety Your Majesty should fulfill right now!"

Zhu Yunwen frowned, his face solemn, and said in a deep voice, "But the court has already announced to the world that the Emperor has passed away."

"If we invite him out again now, what will the people of the world think?"

"How should historians record this bizarre event in their historical records?"

He had actually been worried about this all along.

Historically speaking, Zhu De's death should have occurred within the last year or two.

However, his appearance undoubtedly disrupted the original historical trajectory.

Thanks to advancements in medicine, Old Zhu's health has improved compared to before.

But as Gu Panjun said, being "imprisoned" in the deep palace for a long time is bound to cause problems.

Old Zhu made a "sacrifice" for him.

Both morally and logically, he should complete the reforms of the new learning and new policies as soon as possible and bring Old Zhu out of the deep palace.

A faint smile appeared on Gu Panjun's lips as she said softly, "Since the Emperor Emeritus was able to meticulously set up this scheme back then, he must have had a backup plan."

"He will surely find a reasonable excuse to be reborn."

"Otherwise, how could we protect His Majesty at critical moments and stabilize the situation in the court?"

"As for history books..." At this point, she looked slightly into the distance and said, "I have been studying history since I was a child, and I know very well that history books never record the truth of things, but rather the stories that the people love to hear."

"Your Majesty only needs to use your ingenuity to carefully weave a story and tell it to the world, and this matter can be resolved smoothly."

She turned and looked directly into Zhu Yunwen's eyes, her gaze full of expectation and urging: "Your Majesty, there is no time to lose, do not hesitate any longer."

"The retired emperor has been living in the deep palace for a long time and is physically and mentally exhausted. If something unexpected were to happen to him, even if His Majesty regrets it, it will be too late."

"As the granddaughter-in-law of the Emperor Emeritus, it is only right and proper for me to lend Your Majesty a hand and accomplish this matter as soon as possible, so as to fulfill my filial duty."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhu Yunwen suddenly kissed her lips.

One by one, the clothes on their bodies quietly slipped off and fell onto the cold ground.

The two embraced tightly, as if trying to become one...

……

The following day, an imperial edict was issued from the palace.

The Emperor's brother-in-law, Gu Yanxiu, has been found guilty of allowing his servants to attack those who support the new learning and new policies, which violates the law. The Yingtian Prefecture government is hereby ordered to arrest him immediately and bring him to justice, and to conduct a thorough interrogation in order to uphold the law.

Empress Gu Panjun failed to properly manage her family and is to blame. She shall remain in Kunning Palace to reflect on her mistakes from this day forward.

All affairs in the palace will be temporarily managed by Consort Xu Miaojin.

The news sent shockwaves throughout the world.

……

(End of this chapter)