Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 619 Rescue! Chaos! Kill!

The two generals guarding the gate exchanged a glance. Seeing that he was all alone and that Wang Shoulian's name had been mentioned, they nodded and signaled to the soldiers to let him pass.

Tie Xuan strode in.

The scene in the square unfolded before his eyes like a painting.

As far as the eye could see, there were rows of civil and military officials kneeling on the ground, surrounded by rebel soldiers with drawn swords and spears, as fierce as wolves and tigers.

At the other end of the square, on the steps of the Dacheng Hall, another group of people were in a tense standoff with the rebels.

Tie Xuan kept his eyes straight ahead and strode straight toward the center of the standoff.

When Wang Shoulian saw that he had come alone, his brows furrowed.

This person isn't one of our own, so why were we allowed in?

Before he could think further, he saw Tie Xuan's gaze sweep across the entire room, passing over Wang Shoulianjie, but without lingering, instead looking straight into the depths of the main hall.

Inside the main hall, there was no sign of any rebellion.

Wang Shoulian's men were all on the other side.

His Majesty stood in front of the main hall, just a few steps away from the threshold of the main hall behind.

Thoughts raced through Tie Xuan's mind, and he quickly made final adjustments to his already meticulously planned scheme.

After all, he didn't know the specific situation inside, the distribution of people, etc., before he came in, so he had to make various preparations.

Now that things are settled, we can choose the best option based on the actual situation.

The next moment, Tie Xuan suddenly lifted his official robe and knelt heavily on the ground, his voice echoing throughout the surrounding area:

"Your Majesty, I, Tie Xuan, am too late to save Your Majesty. I deserve to die a thousand deaths for this. Please forgive me!"

The sound faded, but the person remained seated.

Before anyone could react, he already had a signal bamboo tube in his hand, about the size of a gun barrel but shorter in length.

"Whoosh!"

Tie Xuan suddenly pulled the fuse, and with a sharp whistling sound, a crimson streak of light shot up from the ground, tearing through the blue sky and soaring straight into the clouds!

Almost simultaneously, he mustered all his strength and shouted hoarsely towards the direction of the main hall:

"Your Majesty! Retreat into the palace immediately!"

"The outer perimeter is now under the control of the Imperial Concubine, the rescue troops have arrived, and the rebels in the temple are trapped like turtles in a jar! Hold out for a moment, the main force will arrive soon!"

That crimson signal, like a death warrant, instantly ignited the powder keg in the square.

Everyone was utterly shocked by this sudden and shocking turn of events.

Wang Shoulian and Zhu Su were ashen-faced. They had never expected the situation to take such a sharp turn for the worse!

Before they could recover from their shock, another sharp command pierced the sky.

On the high wall separating the Confucian Temple and the Confucius Mansion, a whole row of dark gunmen had appeared like ghosts at some unknown time!

Immediately afterwards, a popping sound like popping beans suddenly rang out!

"Bang! Bang bang! Bang!"

The intense gunfire shattered the solemnity of the festival, as scorching bullets, carrying the whistling of death, rained down.

Perhaps because they had previously avoided being exposed and dared not look inside rashly, they hastily climbed the wall now, unable to distinguish friend from foe. The first volley of fire was not aimed at either side, but instead all shot into the central open space where the two sides were facing off.

In an instant, pebbles flew everywhere on the bluestone slabs, dust filled the air, and the entire square descended into utter chaos!

"Escort!"

"Escort!"

Zhao Rui's screams sounded particularly sharp and desolate amidst the gunfire.

In fact, without his reminder, the Tian Shu Guards who had always stood guard around Zhu Yunwen like a rock had transformed into a precise and ruthless machine the moment the gun fired.

Zhu Yunwen has always attached great importance to his own safety.

Furthermore, it introduced "scientific" methods.

The guards around him were not simply assigned personnel to protect him step by step.

Instead, they will conduct rehearsals again and again.

One person "plays the emperor" to simulate how the guards would "rescue" the emperor in an emergency.

In the past, the imperial guards, though highly skilled, would not have conducted such drills.

Therefore, in the event of an emergency, chaos is still inevitable.

The Tian Shu Division is different; it has conducted countless drills.

They had already deeply ingrained every step of dealing with a surprise attack into their very being.

They had repeatedly simulated what unexpected situations might arise and what terrible things might happen, checking for any omissions or deficiencies.

The sound of gunfire is the order!

Almost simultaneously, several Tian Shu Guards rushed forward, forming an unbreakable mobile shield wall in front of Zhu Yunwen with their flesh and blood, firmly protecting the emperor's figure behind them.

Another group of people, with an unyielding stance, half-lifted and half-carried Zhu Yunwen, forming a second ring of human shields to escort him swiftly back to the Dacheng Hall. Throughout the entire process, the two human walls overlapped layer upon layer, forming an impenetrable barrier.

They used their own bodies to shield the emperor from all possible bullets.

If someone is shot, their comrades will immediately fill the gap, ensuring that this line of defense, forged with loyalty and lives, will never collapse!
Zhu Yunwen was located very close to the palace gate, and in the blink of an eye, the group had retreated to the palace steps.

Seeing the big fish about to escape the net, Zhu Su's eyes turned bloodshot, and he completely descended into madness.

He suddenly raised the musket in his hand and instinctively pulled the trigger!
"boom!"

A gunshot rang out, and a Tian Shu Guard covering the rear fell to the ground, his scalding blood staining the stone steps beneath him.

But the moment he fell, the gap was filled by another, more resolute body, and the human wall remained unbreakable.

"Fire! Fire at me!" Zhu Su roared hoarsely, "Stop them! We must not let them retreat into the main hall!"

Tie Xuan's words made him realize that he had no way out.

Only by sparing no effort, either by killing Zhu Yunwen or by taking him into custody, can they find a glimmer of hope.

Otherwise, if the outside army were to invade, he would surely die without a burial place!
"Don't fire!" Just then, Wang Shoulian struggled to his feet from his panic, his face flushed, and he roared hysterically, "Stop! I'll say it again, we are here to petition His Majesty, to ask him to accept our loyal advice, not to rebel!"

"No one is allowed to fire a shot, and no one is allowed to harm His Majesty in the slightest!"

The two completely contradictory orders left the already chaotic soldiers utterly bewildered.

Clutching their muskets, they looked blankly at their companions on either side, caught in a dilemma.

Seeing the army's morale wavering, Zhu Su's eyes widened in fury, and he shouted sternly, "Brothers, don't listen to this pedantic scholar's nonsense!"

"Open your eyes and look! The muskets on the wall, and the signal from the sky just now—the army outside has surrounded us like an iron barrel!"

"We have no retreat!"

His voice was desperate yet full of inflammatory rhetoric as he said, "If we cannot capture the emperor and obtain a pardon now, what awaits us is death by a thousand cuts and the extermination of our entire family!"

"Your parents, wives, and children will all be taken to the execution ground because of your hesitation today!"

"Only by capturing Zhu Yunwen, holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, and making outsiders hesitant to act, can we have a way to survive! Only then can we have a chance to live!"

His words struck like a hammer blow, hitting the most fearful and vulnerable spot in every soldier. The instinct for survival overwhelmed everything, and many soldiers' faces instantly turned resolute as they pulled back their rifle bolts.

"No! Absolutely not!" Wang Shoulian shouted hoarsely upon seeing this. "We are staging a military remonstrance! We are loyal ministers and righteous men who are restoring order! We are not traitors plotting to usurp the throne! If you dare to harm His Majesty, you will truly be doomed!"

"Listen to my orders, no one is allowed to fire!"

He suddenly pointed at Zhu Su, angrily shouting, "Cao Zhu! You traitorous scoundrel, stop spreading your heresies and misleading the public!"

"If His Majesty's health suffers even the slightest harm, we will have committed the crime of regicide!"

"When the imperial army arrives, we will all die without a burial place, bear eternal infamy, and be despised by future generations!"

Seeing that the situation was completely out of control, the fragile alliance between him and this "ally" finally collapsed.

To everyone's surprise, Zhu Su, after hearing these words, threw his head back and burst into a maniacal laugh.

Amidst the laughter, he suddenly raised his hand and ripped his cheek hard!
The beard that made him look ordinary was actually torn off by him, along with a human skin mask!
Beneath the mask was a completely different face, pale and ruthless, belonging to a member of the royal family.

"Cao Zhu? Hahahaha!"

He laughed wildly, his voice filled with vengeful pleasure and endless mockery:

"Wang Shoulian, you are truly patheticly stupid!"

"I am Zhu Su, the son of the Supreme Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty, the Prince of Zhou of the Great Ming Dynasty!"

This earth-shattering confession plunged the entire room into a deathly silence.

"Soldiers!" Zhu Su looked around at the dumbfounded soldiers and shouted, "Today, you and I are all in the same boat!"

"Listening to this pedantic scholar's nonsense is just asking for death!"

"The only solution now is to kill Zhu Yunwen and enthrone me as emperor!"

"At that time, you will all be meritorious officials who followed the emperor, and you will be ennobled and appointed as prime ministers, bringing glory to your ancestors!"

"Whether you follow me to gain immense wealth, or follow this fool and wait to be torn to pieces! The choice is yours!"

Wang Shoulian was struck dumb, frozen in place.

He stretched out his trembling hand, pointing to that face that was both familiar and unfamiliar, his lips quivering as he squeezed out each word through clenched teeth:

"You...you...you are actually the wanted criminal...Prince Zhu Su of Zhou?"

Zhu Su's gaze swept over each hesitant soldier like a hawk's, and he roared in a voice filled with both temptation and threat:

"Soldiers! Today, you have followed Wang Shoulian in this military remonstrance. Regardless of your original intentions, you have committed the heinous crime of confiscation of property and extermination of your clan!"

"Think about the laws of the Ming Dynasty!"

"Think of your parents, wife, and children far away in your hometown!"

"If you are defeated, they will suffer the same cruel torture of being slowly sliced ​​to death, cut into a thousand pieces! Their lineage will be extinguished, and they will be shamed for eternity!"

"But!" he abruptly changed the subject, raising his arm high and his eyes burning with a mad rage. "As long as you follow me to kill Zhu Yunwen and enthrone me as emperor, you will not be rebels, but meritorious officials who restore order!"

"They are loyal ministers who supported my ascension to the throne!"

"Suddenly, you were not only innocent, but you also performed a great service!"

"Your families will enjoy unparalleled glory because of you!"

"Being granted titles and positions, even the division of land and territory, is all within easy reach!"

"You're all doomed anyway, are you still unwilling to follow me, take this gamble, and exchange it for immense wealth and power?"

He raised his arm and shouted, his voice resounding throughout the venue.

The fear of death and the desire for glory, like two invisible hands, gripped everyone's throats.

The silence lasted only a brief moment.

"I am willing to follow Your Highness and fight for this wealth and honor!" Someone shouted this first.

Like a lit fuse, the crowd was instantly ignited.

"I am willing to follow Your Highness!"

"I am willing to follow Your Highness!"

The overwhelming response completely declared the collapse of public sentiment.

When faced with life and death, the sage's teachings of loyalty to the emperor and serving the country ultimately cannot overcome the instinct for survival and the greed for power.

Not only the lower-ranking soldiers, but even many civil officials who followed Wang Shoulian and considered themselves to be of high moral character, had a strange light in their eyes at this moment.

In their view, Zhu Su had royal blood, and with Zhu Yunwen dead, the relatives overseas were powerless to help him. It seemed natural for them to support the Prince of Zhou to ascend the throne.

Perhaps, the central government will eventually have to acknowledge this fait accompli.

At that time, we will truly have the merit of "serving the emperor"!
Looking at the familiar faces around him, some fanatical, some greedy, some struggling, Wang Shoulian finally woke up as if from a dream.

He was horrified to discover that the fire he had started was already out of his control and was spreading wildly toward destroying everything in its path.

His face was filled with shock, his body was ice-cold, and all that remained was endless bewilderment and despair.

"what!"

Wang Shoulian suddenly let out a long, mournful howl, turned around abruptly, and knelt heavily in the direction of the main hall.

He pounded his head on the ground, his forehead striking the hard flagstone with a dull thud, and cried out, tears streaming down his face:

"Your subject Wang Shoulian has failed the country's grace and the sacred teachings!"

"A single wrong thought led to this monstrous mistake! It is an unforgivable crime!"

He raised his bloodied and mangled face and let out a final roar towards the hall: "Your Majesty, take care! The heavenly army to defend the king is already outside the gate!"

Having said that, a resolute glint flashed in Wang Shoulian's eyes. With the last of his strength, he slammed his head against the bluestone ground once more!
"boom!"

This time, it was the sound of a skull shattering.

Blood gushed out like a spring, instantly staining the bluestone beneath him red.

His body then slumped down, lifeless.

Wang Shoulian, a leader of traditional learning, ended his foolishness and prejudice in such a tragic way.

Meanwhile, taking advantage of the infighting among the rebels, Zhu Yunwen had already retreated into the sturdy main hall under the layers of protection of the Tian Shu Guard.

With the palace gates tightly shut, the Tian Shu Guards quickly set up three lines of defense, taking advantage of the terrain. Everyone's face was grim, and they were prepared to fight to the death against overwhelming odds.

This is the most crucial part of Cheol-hyun's rescue plan.

If the emperor approached the temple gate, he would be escorted to break through the encirclement.

If they approached the main hall, they retreated inside and held their ground, awaiting reinforcements.

Zhu Su glanced coldly at Wang Shoulian's corpse, as if looking at a stray dog.

His eyes were filled with nothing but boundless greed and murderous intent as he loudly commanded:

"Soldiers, charge in for me! Charge!"

……

(End of this chapter)