The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 66 Questioning by His Majesty
After the Prince of Yan issued the decree, the officials in the city were naturally uneasy. However, the only difference from history was that those civil officials who had prepared to die for Jianwen did not die in the dark night.

Since the Prince of Yan wanted to question him, then let him question the crime and determine right from wrong. He straightened his clothes, put on his court robes, and then entered the palace. According to the decree, once the curfew was lifted, the residences and courtyards of all the officials opened one after another, and the carriages went to the palace in a flowing stream, like a dragon in formation!

On Chang'an Street near the palace, one could already see the orderly Yan soldiers, their flags flying high. After crossing the White Tiger Bridge, they entered through the Xi'an Gate, then through the Xihua Gate and the Wuying Gate, and around the Wu Tower. What came into view were ceremonial guards, parasols, and canopies, followed by the Yan army flags and the royal banner, which stood where the Fengtian Hall had once been.

Since Zhu Yunwen's self-immolation, this was the first time the officials had entered the palace, but everything had changed. Upon seeing the Fengtian Hall, which had been burned to the ground, many of Jianwen's loyal ministers burst into tears.

However, most officials simply kept their eyes down, looking at the ground, and remained silent, fearing that they would be labeled as part of the Jianwen faction by the Prince of Yan. Losing their future or their lives was something they could not bear.

Crash.

A sound of iron chains scraping against the ground came from behind the officials. The officials turned around and were immediately shocked. Qi Tai, Huang Zicheng, and Fang Xiaoru were all shackled and had thick iron chains around their feet. They were being escorted by a group of soldiers.

"Duke Qi! Duke Fang!"

The ministers who were loyal to Jianwen almost immediately tried to rush forward, but they were forced back by the gleaming blades of the escorting soldiers. The soldiers shouted in unison, "Anyone who dares to step forward will be beheaded!"

Fang Xiaoru said with a sigh, "Gentlemen, do not step forward. It is nothing more than dying for one's country. What is there to fear?"

Huang Zicheng also said proudly, "Since Yan Ni wants to be questioned in front of the world, then we should have a good discussion about right and wrong, and see if we are treacherous officials or he is a rebel!"
Even if I die here, history will know it, and the world will know it.

Since ancient times, no one has ever escaped death; let us leave behind a loyal heart to illuminate history.

"My lords, on the road to the Yellow Springs, we loyal ministers will walk together, so as not to fail in repaying the Emperor's great favor!"

Upon hearing this, a chorus of agreement arose in front of the Fengtian Hall, but silence prevailed. Qi Tai looked over, a mocking expression on his face, "He eats the emperor's food, yet he is not loyal to the emperor."

"Hu Guang, you were once chosen as the top scholar by His Majesty for your strategy in pacifying the vassal kings, and you have received His Majesty's great favor. Why are you now silent and speechless? Are you going to kneel and welcome the traitor who murdered the emperor?"

Hu Guang had already gone to pay his respects to the Prince of Yan outside the city a few days earlier. Qi Tai knew about this and still did it on purpose, which was to humiliate Hu Guang to death. But he was wrong. Hu Guang was indeed ashamed, but he was even more angry, angry that Qi Tai had ruined his reputation.

"His Highness Prince Yan's campaign to eliminate you treacherous ministers who have brought disaster to the country was in order to get rid of you. It's just a pity that you villains did not die, but instead caused His Majesty to suffer. His Highness Prince Yan is here today to punish you. How dare you bark like dogs here today!"

How shameless! The ministers all looked at Hu Guang in shock, but none of them dared to say it.

Ta-ta-ta-ta.

A line of horse hooves came from the palace, and the officials all changed color, then fell silent.

As soon as Prince Yan, Zhu Di, appeared, some officials started shouting and cursing, and some even tried to step forward. They were quickly pressed to the ground by the soldiers standing on both sides, who stuffed a wad of cloth into their mouths and left them on the ground without taking them away.

Li Qi glanced at everyone's expressions and guessed what had just happened. It was all within reason and expected, nothing to be concerned about.

Zhu Di and Li Qi dismounted before the assembled officials and ascended the steps, standing beneath the Prince of Yan's great banner. They turned and looked down upon the officials below. At that moment, the sky was a clear, azure blue, and sunlight shone on the golden glazed tiles of the palace, reflecting a dazzling brilliance. From above, one could see soldiers standing in orderly ranks, their military bearing impeccable. Beneath the great banner, Prince Zhu Di of Yan stood with his hand on his sword, flanked by his generals who had fought alongside him through thick and thin.

The king, generals, soldiers, banners, ceremonial guards, and military flags seemed to be integrated into one, trapping the civil officials within.

Zhu Di's tiger-like eyes swept across the crowd, taking in the sea of ​​black heads—the officials of the court and the people of the capital. Thinking of what Li Qi had told him that day, a surge of heroic spirit rose within him.

Facing the slightly chilly autumn wind, Zhu Di pointed to the scholars and officials standing on both sides of the army and said, "Gentlemen, you must all know what I mean today. It is to hold the world accountable and to hold all the officials accountable. These are the scholars who are recording today's events."

A commotion immediately arose below the steps. No one had expected the Prince of Yan to go to such lengths; this was going to be recorded in history.

Zhu Di glanced at the assembled officials, then his gaze fell upon Qi Tai, Huang Zicheng, and Fang Xiaoru. The gazes of the others followed, and the Prince of Yan said with a sigh, "I have a question. In the thirty-first year of Hongwu, when you proposed to Jianwen to reduce the power of the Yan vassal state, what crime did I commit?"

The soldiers removed the gags from the three men's mouths, and Huang Zicheng angrily rebuked them, "Look at what you've done today, shouldn't you be stripped of your power?"

Zhu Di roared like thunder, "I ask you, what crime did I commit in the thirty-first year of Hongwu?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the people around him drew their swords and shouted in unison, "What crime has our king committed?!"

The thousands of guards lined up on both sides of Fengtian Terrace also joined their commander in shouting in unison, "What crime has our king committed?!"

Such a scene was something none of the ministers had ever witnessed in their lives. It was as if the heavens were questioning them, majestic and awe-inspiring. Even Huang Zicheng was momentarily overwhelmed by the voice and stood there stunned.

After the commotion subsided, Fang Xiaoru recalled the ugly way he had forced Zhu Di in the past, and a mocking tone arose again. "Naturally, it is your treacherous schemes and cunning that have long harbored rebellious intentions. If you are not punished, you will surely turn against us!"

"Very well! So I am indeed guilty! This is the crime of Han's unspoken criticism!"

Zhu Di laughed loudly, making everyone panic. He then turned to Fang Xiaoru and said sternly, "Since it is a crime of harboring resentment, then I can also consider that the three of you intend to steal the Ming Dynasty's throne and country."

Therefore, they committed this act of framing the imperial clan, intending to first eliminate the emperor's powerful allies, then seize control of the court and intimidate the emperor, emulating the story of the Sima family of Cao Wei!

Fang Xiaoru's expression changed drastically. The crime of harboring resentment was a theory that had long been abandoned. He had only spoken rashly because he was forced by the situation. But after the Prince of Yan's words, he lost the initiative.

But he refused to admit defeat, gritting his teeth and saying, "Since ancient times, vassal kings have always rebelled. We offered the strategy of reducing the power of the vassal kings to ensure the stability of His Majesty's throne. How can you, a traitor who has rebelled against the emperor, compare to us? Do you think you can silence the people with your mere words? You're dreaming!"

"When Qin Hui unjustly executed Yue Fei at Fengbo Pavilion on trumped-up charges, he also compared it to the deeds of military generals of the previous dynasty. He also secretly criticized Yue Fei in front of Zhao Gou. You say you are a loyal minister of Jianwen, but wasn't Qin Hui a loyal minister of Zhao Gou?"

I'm also recommending another book: "Has the World Been Destroyed Today?"
A decent science fiction novel

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(End of this chapter)