Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 324 Face-to-Face Confrontation, It's Over

"The Iron-Blooded Marquis's wolfish ambitions are obvious. After his conspiracy was exposed, he may take desperate measures and become a cornered dog. I think that is possible. However, all of you Grand Secretaries are loyal and would never commit such a heinous act."

"I think Zhu Wushi is desperate and making baseless accusations to drag the Grand Secretaries down with him."

"It is a fact that the Divine Marquis committed treason and has also admitted to regicide. I believe that he should be imprisoned in the Eastern Depot's prison or the Embroidered Uniform Guard's prison for a thorough interrogation to avoid wrongly accusing an innocent person."

Zhu Wushi lowered his head, facing the attacks from the officials who were defending Yang Yanhe and others. He clenched his fists, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes from time to time, and revealed a mocking sneer.

It was as if the officials in the Fengtian Hall were vying to defend Yang Yanhe and the others.

They seemed to have forgotten.

The entire cabinet was involved in Zhu Wushi's plot to rebel.

The so-called innocence and injustice never existed from the beginning.

Moreover, even if they pin all the blame on Zhu Wushi, it won't make a difference. From the very beginning, the one in charge of this whole affair was not Zhu Wushi, but Zhu Jinzhen.

Zhu Wushi was nothing more than a discarded pawn.

"When Prince Su first ascended the throne, he still lacked a proper understanding of the situation in the court."

"By jumping out so hastily, aren't you clearly telling Prince Su that you are officials of Yang Yanhe's or Li Dongyang's faction?"

"You...you're asking for it!"

Zhu sneered, knowing he wouldn't utter such words.

He couldn't help but wonder how many of those ministers who were verbally attacking and criticizing him in the Fengtian Hall today would one day surpass him.

"Quiet!"

Zhu Jinzhen's voice suddenly rang out, instantly silencing the clamor and uproar in the Fengtian Hall. The officials who had just been arguing heatedly and angrily rebuking Zhu Wushi trembled and all lowered their heads.

"Boom boom boom!"

The sound of Zhu Jinzhen gently tapping the dragon throne with his fingertips rang out one after another.

He looked down at the assembled officials in the Fengtian Hall, his gaze falling on the corpse of Zhu Houzhao, who was being protected by several Tiance soldiers. A meaningful smile slowly rose at the corners of his mouth: "It is a fact that they conspired with Zhu Wushi to rebel, intending to emulate Zhao Gao's 'pointing at a deer and calling it a horse' and support a false emperor to ascend the throne. Is that not true?"

"Could that Prince Nan, who looks exactly like the emperor, also be an imposter?"

Zhu Jinzhen's gaze was piercing, and wherever he passed, all the officials who had been shouting the loudest just moments before trembled and dared not utter a word.

"Even now, there are still people who are delusional enough to distort the truth and confuse the public."

Is it because... you're scared?

Zhu Jinzhen did not specifically name names, but the officials who had been shouting the loudest in the Fengtian Hall were trembling uncontrollably, as if they were afraid that they would hear the coldest and most ruthless word 'kill' from Zhu Jinzhen's mouth at any moment.

Fortunately, Zhu Jinzhen was not a butcher.

He simply glanced at Yan Yimei, telling her to remember the officials who had been shouting the loudest earlier and to investigate them thoroughly later, in case there were any problems.

Then...

They were either executed along with their entire clan, or their property confiscated and they were exiled – a complete package deal.

"Since you think Zhu Wushi is making baseless accusations and may have wronged several Grand Secretaries, why don't you..." Zhu Jinzhen suddenly revealed an extremely playful smile, his gaze falling on the corpse of Zhu Houzhao: "Let the Emperor himself tell you how he really died, how about that?"

???

What do you mean?
All the civil and military officials in the Fengtian Hall wore expressions of confusion.

I don't understand what Zhu Jinzhen meant by that.

What does it mean to make the emperor tell you in person how he died?

The emperor, isn't he dead?
How can a dead person speak?
With these questions in mind, everyone curiously shifted their gaze back and forth between Zhu Jinzhen and the corpse-lying Zhu Houzhao, occasionally exchanging glances and asking questions with those next to them.

"pill!"

"Oops!"

Those who knew that Zhu Jinzhen possessed such heaven-defying abilities as bringing the dead back to life, including Yang Yanhe and Li Dongyang, felt their vision go black, their hearts sink, and they were filled with despair. If Zhu Wushi were to admit that he had conspired with their cabinet to commit treason and regicide, the truly insightful people in the court, or their former protégés and subordinates, would cry out for their innocence.

In addition, there was the influence of scholars from all over the world.

It would be somewhat difficult to substantiate their claim that they plotted to murder Zhu Houzhao and kill the emperor.

At least future generations might seek justice for them and clear their names.

But... what if Zhu Houzhao, the murdered emperor, said it himself?

Whether it was Yang Yanhe, Li Dongyang, or even Zhu Wushi, anyone with a brain could guess that when Zhu Houzhao actually resurrected in front of all the officials in the Fengtian Hall and accused the cabinet and Zhu Wushi of conspiring to kill him...

Yang Yan and his group were truly speechless.

The person involved personally identified it.

They can't clear their name even if they jump into the Yellow River!
"Great."

Princess Yunluo shouted excitedly.

She had never witnessed Zhu Houzhao's resurrection. Although Zhu Houzhao was certain of it, and there was corroboration from Zhu Wushi and the Empress Dowager, she was still worried. She wished she could see her brother come back to life with her own eyes.

Even if she dies again, Yunluo won't worry anymore.

Zhu Jinzhen looked with a smile at some clever officials in the Fengtian Hall who seemed to know something or have guessed something, and said, "Indeed, there are quite a few clever people."

"I don't know how many of you have heard of the Heavenly Sword, which has caused such a stir throughout the world."

Heavenly Sword!!!

In the imperial court, all officials of the third rank and above, those with good connections, were shaken to their core, their faces showing shock and disbelief. It was as if they were silently asking, "Could this be more than just a rumor?"
Those who are unaware of this, seeing the dramatic change in the expressions of their colleagues around or in front of them, probably realized that what Zhu Jinzhen just said was not unfounded.

But is it possible to make the dead speak?
Zhu Jinzhen smiled faintly, looked at the corpse of Zhu Houzhao, and said, "Emperor, rise and die again!"

"Pfft!"

Princess Yunluo couldn't help but laugh out loud.

She knew that she shouldn't behave improperly in such a solemn occasion, but she just couldn't help it.

The officials in the court shrugged their shoulders, trying hard to suppress their laughter.

It's not unusual for someone to get up and go back to sleep, but to get up and die again, especially when it involves the emperor, is to get up and die again.

This was the first time they had ever heard of it.

Novel...and funny.

The next moment, it turned into... horror!
With the use of a Teyvat egg, the already deceased Zhu Houzhao quickly regained his vitality.

"uh-huh!"

Zhu Houzhao's deathly pale body seemed to experience a final burst of energy before death, his face and body quickly regaining color, and his heartbeat and breathing resumed the instant Zhu Jinzhen's voice fell.

He shook his head, looking drowsy and confused.

"It's...it's...it's come back to life!"

"Beep beep beep... His Majesty... He... He... is awake?"

The officials in the Fengtian Hall were terrified, and many of them collapsed to the ground, their groins burning with fear at the sight.

They originally wanted to see Zhu Jinzhen make a fool of himself.

As a result, they themselves became a laughing stock.

If it weren't for the quick-witted people who grabbed those nearby, at least half of the officials in the Fengtian Hall would have fainted on the spot, and the rest would have been so frightened that they jumped into other people's arms like startled rabbits.

"He's...he's alive! His Majesty is really...alive?!" Duke Zhang Mao of Yingguo swallowed hard, feeling a bone-chilling cold rise from his marrow and quickly spread throughout his body.

Has the emperor truly come back to life?

(End of this chapter)