Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 590 The Flames of Revenge, Granted!
To Zhu Su, the former King of Zhou, the people beneath the dragon throne were merely a blurry, indistinct group, not worthy of his attention.

Officials who were powerful and influential in the eyes of the common people, even powerful regional governors, were nothing more than servants of the Zhu family in Zhu Su's eyes.

When has he ever truly stooped down to listen to the voices of these people?
However, when he shed his python robe and donned the disguise of a "divine physician from the Western Regions," Zhu Su found himself in his element, able to delve deep into the very fabric of the empire.

Only then did he truly see for the first time the complex emotions and thoughts surging within the Ming Dynasty court and among the people under Zhu Yunwen's swift and decisive new policies.

It must be admitted that the vast majority of people were supporters of Zhu Yunwen's new policies.

For officials, the new policy not only increased their salaries but also greatly boosted the fiscal revenue of governments at all levels. The projects and funds they handled flowed by like water, which meant they had more opportunities to manipulate things.

In order to strengthen the management of society, the new policy also increased the number of bureaucratic institutions and created many official positions, allowing more people to become officials.

For ordinary people, the reasons for their support are even simpler.

The new policies ensured they had enough to eat and warm clothes, giving them hope for the future.

Whoever brings good days, the people will support.

These people are all staunch supporters of the new policy.

However, Zhu Su also keenly sensed that the undercurrent of opposition to the new policies was equally surging.

Those conservatives were heartbroken by the series of changes brought about by the new policy, accusing it of corrupting morals, making the world driven by profit, and causing the world to go downhill and people's hearts to become degenerate.

Beneath this high-sounding rhetoric lies a deeper reason.

A kind of resentment and unwillingness to be abandoned by the tide of the times.

Most of them were conservative types who, due to various reasons such as disdain, fear, or cowardice, missed the opportunity amidst the dramatic changes brought about by the new policies.

As a result, they could only watch helplessly as those who were once their equals, or even those whose status was far inferior to theirs, rose rapidly on the back of the new policies, leaving them far behind.

This huge psychological gap breeds jealousy and resentment that is far more intense than any political disagreement.

The anti-corruption storm that Zhu Yunwen launched during his northern tour was like throwing a boulder into a pool of water that was already turbulent.

From Henan to Shandong, a large number of officials have been brought down and imprisoned, and everyone is living in fear.

In Zhu Su's eyes, this fear was the finest fuel, enough to ignite a prairie fire.

A bolder and more tempting idea than mutual destruction gradually took shape in his mind.

When Zhu Su set off from the Western Regions, his heart was filled with a resolute determination to perish together with the enemy.

He planned to use his identity as a "divine physician from the Western Regions" to get close to Zhu Yunwen and then seize an opportunity to kill him.

After killing the Ming emperor, he would most likely be executed.

Zhu Su was also prepared for this.

He was tired of being a fugitive living in anonymity, unwilling to remain unknown, and preferred to die a glorious death!
But the journey was long and arduous. As the impulse to die was gradually worn down by the daily trek, the instinct to survive, like vines growing in the dark depths of the earth, quietly grew and once again entangled his heart.

Between life and death, there is great terror.

A moment of impulsive courage can make someone fearless of death.

But when the blood cools, the attachment to life will overwhelm everything.

This is human nature.

It's like how people who attempt suicide but are saved and reborn rarely attempt suicide again.

Because wanting to die is always just a momentary impulse.

Survival is the instinct for continued life.

Even heroic warriors who dare to charge into battle and are not afraid of death must go all out to have the courage to sacrifice their lives and forge ahead.

Even heroes can grow weary and fear death if this continues!

He, Zhu Su, after a period of impulsiveness, calmed down and decided he still wanted to live.

If you want to live, why should you be content with the fate of an assassin?
After much deliberation, a clear path gradually emerged for Zhu Su.

Taking advantage of the conservatives' discontent as their "momentum" and the corrupt officials' fear as their "army," they quickly united these two forces after assassinating Zhu Yunwen, seizing the initiative!
Zhu Yunwen's biggest weakness now is that he has no children!
He had already sent all the princes and members of the Ming imperial family overseas.

If Zhu Yunwen were to suddenly pass away, the imperial regalia of the Ming Dynasty would inevitably be left in a state of limbo and without a master!
At that time, as the direct descendant of the Zhu family and the emperor's own son, I will raise my voice and have these resentful civil and military officials as my inside help. How can I not succeed?

Even though there were still loyal ministers of Zhu Yunwen in the court, what choice did they have but to accept the fact that he was a de facto monarch and had no heir?
The more Zhu Su thought about it, the more intense the light in his eyes became.

What he is going to do will no longer be a "revenge" of an "assassin", but a high-stakes gamble to change the dynasty!

While exchanging toasts with various officials, Zhu Su subtly probed their true opinions on the new policies and the emperor's anti-corruption campaign.

People tend to be wary of those close to them, but open and honest with visitors from afar.

These officials kept their mouths shut to their colleagues and old friends, fearing that a single slip of the tongue would become a handle for future attacks.

However, when faced with this "Western Regions person" of extraordinary status, their guard was greatly relaxed.

After all, a foreign physician is neither involved in the factional struggles of the Ming Dynasty nor capable of stirring up trouble in the court, making him the safest listener.

People have a natural desire to confide in others.

For their own safety, they may suppress their humanity and reveal nothing to others.

But once they consider the other person a "safe confidant," they will pour out many things buried deep in their hearts.

Taking advantage of this, Zhu Su subtly guided the investigation and uncovered the true nature of many officials hidden beneath their bureaucratic airs. He even managed to find out a fair share of the backgrounds of many people he had never met before.

And so they continued their journey, exploring as they went, until the caravan reached a post station not far from Qufu, Shandong, where they finally caught up with Zhu Yunwen's imperial carriage.

The imperial procession was surrounded by a forest of banners, stretching for miles, creating a magnificent spectacle.

When the camel bells of the Western Region caravan finally merged into the periphery of this torrent of steel, everyone felt an invisible, immense pressure emanating from the heart of the empire.

At a guesthouse outside the post station, Zhu Su, along with the chief envoy of the mission, met with Li Chongwen, the Shandong governor, and Wang Shoulian, the imperial inspector, who had come to deliver a message.

"You two envoys have come from afar to present rare treasures. Your Majesty should have summoned you immediately, but..." Li Chongwen had a warm yet slightly embarrassed smile on his face, but he stopped halfway through his sentence.

The head of the delegation was a military man, not good with words, and subconsciously turned his gaze to "Divine Physician Cao" beside him. Throughout the journey, whenever there were negotiations with the Ming government, it was this "Divine Physician" who was familiar with all aspects of Ming affairs who took the lead. He had already unknowingly become the de facto backbone of the delegation.

Zhu Su stepped forward with neither arrogance nor servility, and smiled calmly at Li Chongwen, saying, "Your Excellency, please speak freely."

"That's right," Li Chongwen said with a smile, "His Majesty's Imperial Concubine also accompanied him on this inspection tour."

Zhu Su understood and nodded slightly: "Does Your Excellency mean that you are worried that the Imperial Concubine will be displeased because the Western Regions are presenting beauties to His Majesty?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Wang Shoulian, the imperial inspector who had been standing to the side with a serious expression, said in a deep voice, "Mr. Cao has also misunderstood."

"The Imperial Concubine is a role model for the six palaces, possessing both virtue and grace. Upon hearing of the strange events in the Western Regions, she became curious and came to inquire. This is a benevolent act, completely different from the 'jealousy' of ordinary women."

Zhu Su quickly bowed and agreed, but he already knew exactly what was going on.

He had already found out that Governor Li Chongwen was a leading figure in the new policies, while Inspector Wang Shoulian was a well-known conservative.

In the eyes of pragmatic officials like Li Chongwen, it is only natural for a monarch to occasionally indulge in hunting and sensual pleasures.

But in the eyes of "moralists" like Wang Shoulian, presenting foreign beauties was tantamount to seducing the king, and their intentions were despicable.

A wise ruler should firmly refuse.

His words at this moment, ostensibly a correction, were actually an opportunity for him to vent his pent-up resentment towards the Western Regions delegation.

Ultimately, he was merely a provincial inspector and could not influence the emperor's preferences.

Li Chongwen smiled dismissively and continued, "The mission's telegram was sent long ago before the resistance began, and His Majesty and the Empress are already aware of it."

"The Imperial Concubine, who oversees the entire harem, has heard of the extraordinary woman from the Western Regions being presented to the emperor. She is quite intrigued and anticipates arriving soon to visit her."

"We have come here to inform Your Excellency in advance so that we can make preparations."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Su's heart tightened suddenly!
His heart, which had long been calm and still, began to pound uncontrollably.

He naturally recognized Xu Miaojin. And many of the eunuchs around her were old acquaintances!

His disguise might fool these local officials he had never met before, but it might not fool the palace guards he had been with day and night!
In an instant, he felt a fine layer of cold sweat seep out from his back.

As Zhu Su pondered how to deal with the situation, and even considered temporarily fleeing, a clear and long announcement pierced everyone's thoughts like a sharp sword: "The Imperial Concubine has arrived!"

Said Cao Cao, Cao Cao.

Before Li Chongwen's words had even faded, Xu Miaojin's imperial carriage was already right in front of them, leaving them no room for maneuver.

This startled everyone inside the building. They quickly straightened their clothes and rushed out to greet them.

As soon as I came out, I saw a bright and beautiful figure darting into the courtyard like a swallow.

The newcomer was dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, with tinkling ornaments; it was none other than Consort Xu Miaojin.

She was followed by several palace maids and eunuchs. Unlike ordinary palace maids, they were all dressed in tight-fitting clothes and carried weapons. These were the personal female bodyguards that Xu Miaojin had painstakingly trained.

Xu Miaojin's beautiful eyes sparkled with curiosity, her face full of pure wonder, without a trace of the restraint often seen in women of the imperial harem. She urged repeatedly, "Where are the two sisters from the Western Regions? Quickly bring them out so I can have a good look at them."

"Greetings, Your Highness!" Upon hearing this, Gulizaba and Dinaruoya's hearts leaped into their throats. They hurriedly came out from the inner hall, bowed gracefully, and were too nervous to raise their heads.

The reason why Shamichagan did not send the two directly to Jinling was that he wanted to take advantage of the Ming emperor's northern tour to bypass the concubines in the harem and meet the emperor directly in order to secure his favor.

Unexpectedly, man proposes, God disposes; the first person they had to face was none other than the Ming Dynasty's Imperial Concubine, who held the same rank as the Empress.

This filled them with uncertainty and unease.

"Quickly raise your head and let me see you." Xu Miaojin's voice was gentle and pleasant.

Upon hearing this, the two men nervously and slowly raised their heads.

Xu Miaojin showed no jealousy whatsoever. Instead, she clapped her hands crisply and exclaimed sincerely, "Indeed, she has fair skin and jade-like bones, and a unique charm. No wonder she is known as the Pearl of the Western Regions. Brother Tong will surely be overjoyed to see her."

Her words were sincere, and her joy was palpable. But to the members of the delegation and the officials, her words carried an inexplicable chill.

Since ancient times, the imperial harem has been a silent battlefield, where smiles conceal daggers and honeyed words conceal daggers—history is replete with tales of such treachery.

The Imperial Concubine appeared very magnanimous at this moment, but who could know whether there was a hidden cunning behind her radiant smile?
"Let's go, come with me to see His Majesty." After saying this, Xu Miaojin took Gulizaba's arm with her left hand and Dinaruoya's hand with her right hand, affectionately helping the two of them up from the ground, and turned to leave.

Zhu Su could no longer remain silent. He hurriedly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, please forgive my rudeness! When the two princesses come to pay homage to the Emperor, it is only proper for us envoys to formally present them, as is the custom in diplomatic relations."

He had been worried that Xu Miaojin would recognize his identity, but now that they had met and she seemed perfectly normal, he felt that his disguise was very successful. His courage increased, and he took the initiative to speak.

“No need.” Xu Miaojin turned around, her smile unchanged, and said, “This is not the imperial city of Jinling, there is no need to be bound by those formalities.”

She then said, "His Majesty has decreed that everything be kept simple during the northern tour, and that no foreign officials be received."

"Your delegation may proceed to Jinling first. He will summon you after His Majesty returns to the capital."

This imperial decree was like a bolt from the blue, striking Zhu Su squarely on the head!
He felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and only one thought echoed wildly in his mind: It's over, it's over!

They traveled thousands of miles, proceeding cautiously at every step, all for the sake of seizing the opportunity to assassinate Zhu Yunwen!
But if you can't even see his face, how can you even talk about assassinating him?

How can we talk about revenge?

How can we talk about that earth-shattering dream of changing dynasties?
A sudden thought flashed through Zhu Su's mind. He suppressed the shock in his heart, bowed again, and said in an extremely sincere tone, "Your Highness, it is not that this humble subject is deliberately disturbing you."

"It's just that the two princesses are of noble birth and have been suffering from minor illnesses since entering the Central Plains due to the change in climate and environment."

"As a physician, I may not be as skilled as the imperial physicians of the Ming Dynasty, but through my experience accompanying the princesses on this journey, I am most familiar with their constitutions and pulses."

"I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to temporarily remain here in the vicinity, in case of any unforeseen circumstances, to ensure that Her Highness the Princess can serve Your Majesty in good health."

Upon hearing this, Xu Miaojin stopped and looked back at him scrutinizingly. Her gaze then fell on the two foreign women beside her. Although their faces were flushed, they did have a somewhat timid demeanor.

“Very well,” she nodded. “Since you are a physician from the Western Regions, you may stay for now. If the two of them really need anything, they can summon you.”

After saying that, he didn't say anything more, and led the two of them out excitedly.

……

(End of this chapter)