Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 112 If you dare to come, I dare to kill.
On the main street outside the capital city.

When the civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty heard Xiao Hongzi say "all of them were skinned alive," they were all dumbfounded.

There's no need to elaborate on Huang Lijie and others.

Huang Liji, whose skin was torn and bleeding from the whip, was no longer concerned about the excruciating pain on his face.

His mind was filled with only one thought.

How dare the emperor do such a thing?!
Didn't he realize that once these people died, there would be no possibility of reconciliation between the central government and the local authorities of the Ming Dynasty?!

Did he not know that the nominal rebellion across the Ming Dynasty would escalate into a real, actual rebellion?!

Where did he get the confidence to face the powerful and wealthy families across the country?
Does he really think that powerful and influential families are as easy to deal with as those so-called captives?!
But the reality is.

Once the emperor kills them all, things will really come to that.

At that point, they won't even need to take direct action.

In just two or three months, powerful families from all over the country will join forces to stir up trouble under the pretext of national unrest.

Even the capital city would fall into chaos and collapse without a fight.

Wasn't the turmoil in the capital a few days ago enough of a warning to the emperor?!

It's not just those in the civil service who can't understand it.

Even the royalists looked on in disbelief at this moment.

Zhang Weixian, who was so angry just moments before that he wanted to go out and chop someone up, is now thinking about saving people.

We can't do that! What would happen to the Ming Dynasty if we did?!
Chen Xinjia, who had nearly fainted several times, suddenly regained his energy and became invigorated, as if he had been injected with chicken blood.

Chen Xinjia's mind raced.

He immediately guessed that with His Majesty's intelligence, it was impossible for him to actually kill all of these people.

Presumably, the intention is still to intimidate and gain leverage in later negotiations?

Or perhaps some other method he hadn't considered?

Regardless of the reason.

Anyway, once His Majesty returned, they were no longer as passive and helpless as they had been at the beginning.

The other members of the royal party were extremely agitated, glaring angrily at Huang Liji and his group.

Good! Cut them all to pieces! Don't spare their families either!
Just imagine.

These people, who worked together with His Majesty on the great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty, almost died an untimely death.

The despair brought about by the collapse of this faith.

It's fair to say that instead of rushing forward, they simply devoured the group alive.

That's already considered putting the bigger picture first.

As for the remaining officials...

He trembled all over and lowered his head, afraid of attracting any unnecessary attention.

Finished!

The Emperor has gone mad!
He must have seen that the Ming Dynasty was beyond saving, which is why he started to carry out mass killings without any regard for the consequences.

The emperors of the Ming Dynasty are turning into the same kind of people as the Gao family of the Northern Qi Dynasty!

But no matter what, please don't cut me with that knife!
The group of people had different thoughts.

However, most of them are inseparable from the underlying emotion of fear.

But this time.

However, there was no longer any time to allow the public's emotions to ferment.

Because the four cabinet ministers and the remaining representatives of the aristocratic families had all been captured by the men brought by Xiao Hongzi.

After they tied these people up tightly and threw them into the carriage...

The imperial procession then proceeded as if nothing had happened, slowly entering the city gate.

now.

The rest of the people knelt obediently on both sides of the Heavenly Street.

Even members of the imperial faction dared not make any moves or utter any words.

Because they did not yet know the true meaning behind His Majesty's actions, they were afraid that they might inadvertently ruin His Majesty's plans.

Therefore, it wasn't until quite some time after the imperial procession disappeared through the city gates that the civil and military officials seemed to wake up from a dream and got up from the ground.

The centrist officials exchanged glances and cautiously walked into the city gate.

Being a fence-sitter isn't easy.

The main problem is that the winds of change in the Ming Dynasty have shifted too quickly, creating a situation that is truly a tale of two extremes.

Their backs were practically snapping in the wind.

But no matter what, they now have no choice but to side with the emperor again.

Whoever holds the knife has the final say.

Meanwhile, the civil servants associated with Huang Lijie and others were trembling uncontrollably.

Some people even said that their pants got soaked on the spot.

Didn't we agree that the Emperor wouldn't dare to carry out any more massacres?!
Didn't we agree that we had already won a great victory?!

Didn't we agree that the next step was to figure out how to gradually kill the emperor?!

How come everything is completely different from what we agreed on?!

The stark contrast between before and after made it impossible for these people to accept for a while.

He even had the idea of ​​running away on the spot.

But seeing the wolfish gazes of the soldiers guarding the side and the royalists, they had no choice but to move their legs and walk into the city.

After everyone had entered the city.

Zhang Weixian and Chen Xinjia exchanged a glance.

Then he led the royal party members to the palace.

They had too many questions in their minds.

If Your Majesty's punishment of those people was merely a way to vent your anger, then they will do everything in their power to persuade Your Majesty to stop!
Now this situation.

Only if Your Majesty endures humiliation and bears heavy burdens can you truly fight for a glimmer of hope for the Ming Dynasty!
They would even endure humiliation and risk their lives without hesitation.

The words "revive the Han dynasty" are simply too tempting.

If the Ming Dynasty hadn't had this opportunity, it probably wouldn't have had another one.

Everyone dies eventually.

Is it better to wait for death or die for one's country?!

at the same time.

The three men, including King Cao of Wei, were waiting in the palace.

The three people had different expressions, but they all seemed to be filled with sorrow and desolation.

original.

They intended to greet the emperor at the city gate together with a group of officials.

However, Zhang Weixian and Chen Xinjia managed to persuade the three of them to stay.

The reason given was: this is a critical moment of life and death.

If the three of them leave.

Those damned civil officials might very well take this opportunity to instigate rebellion among the palace eunuchs and maids, so as to harm His Majesty.

Under the pressure of the prevailing trend.

The three of them had no choice but to stay obediently inside the palace, never leaving its side day or night.

Even if everyone outside turns against them, they still have to ensure that the palace remains a safe haven.

But what the three of them did not expect was...

The imperial procession had just entered the palace.

The three of them saw Xiao Hongzi, who was strutting arrogantly at the front of the group, and Huang Liji and others tied up behind him.

What's going on? !

Could it be that His Majesty, in a fit of rage, intends to kill all these people to vent his anger?!

The three exchanged a glance, realizing something was wrong.

Wei Zhongxian took the lead and went first to Xiao Hongzi's horse.

Upon seeing the three, Xiao Hongzi dismounted and proactively cupped his hands in greeting, saying:

“You three eunuchs, His Majesty ordered these people to be dealt with. They will be dragged out and executed shortly.”

Scratched?!
Hear this.

Wang Chengen's expression froze for a moment, then a look of satisfaction at having avenged his great enemy appeared on his face.

However, Wei Zhongxian and Cao Huachun exchanged a glance and hurriedly ran towards the carriage where Zhu Youjian was.

No wonder the two were in such a hurry.

Killing these people is easy; all it takes is raising a knife.

But the problem is that killing them would only plunge the Ming Dynasty into an even more precarious situation.

If it weren't for these concerns...

Wei Zhongxian would have already taken his men to finely chop these things into minced meat; why would he have waited until today?
After reporting, the three hurriedly climbed into the carriage where Zhu Youjian was.

Upon entering, they discovered that His Majesty was calmly perusing documents.

Their eyes and expressions showed absolutely no sign of the madness or panic the three had imagined.

Looking at this scene.

The three of them were taken aback, and hesitated before they could say what they wanted to say.

Zhu Youjian looked up at the three of them and waved his hand:
"I know what you want to ask. Let's talk about it together after everyone has arrived."

On the Korean side, Zhu Youjian planned to rest briefly before heading there immediately.

On the one hand, Zhu Youjian always preferred blitzkrieg tactics in his military campaigns.

On the other hand, there's the current situation.

The faster we act, the more likely we are to catch the enemy off guard; we cannot afford to delay even for a day.

Therefore, it is essential to have a heart-to-heart talk with everyone before setting off.

Only when those below truly understand what he is about to do can they work together more effectively to protect the capital.

Don’t say anything else.

Once news of the nationwide unrest spread throughout the capital, it could become a breeding ground for malicious individuals to exploit the situation and do something in the city.

Then the capital city would immediately descend into chaos.

Therefore, Zhu Youjian needed to make all the necessary arrangements before leaving the capital.

Otherwise, we would fall into a passive situation where if we leave Beijing, our base will fall to the enemy.

To achieve this, the cooperation of everyone is essential.

After a moment's hesitation, the three men, including Wei Cao Wang, gritted their teeth and said, "This servant obeys the decree."

Not long after.

The imperial procession stopped inside the palace.

Zhu Youjian and his entourage also arrived at the Qianqing Palace.

After a while.

Zhang Weixian, Chen Xinjia, and others rushed in anxiously.

Upon entering the main hall, Zhang Weixian couldn't help but kneel down and cry out:

"Your Majesty, Huang Liji and the others must not be killed lightly! Otherwise, the Ming Dynasty..."

Before Zhang Weixian could finish speaking, Zhu Youjian waved his hand to interrupt him again.

"Since the entire Ming Dynasty has already rebelled, there is no need to waste any more effort on any political strategies."

"I will take care of the two capitals and thirteen provinces one by one."

"Three days from now, I will leave the capital again, and then I will hand the capital over to you."

Everyone:?
Listen to these words.

Everyone present was once again stunned into silence.

Even said.

This shocked them.

This is far more serious than the emperor's immediate execution of those within the civil service group upon his arrival.

What does it mean to properly manage the two capitals and thirteen provincial capitals?!
Does His Majesty mean he wants to overthrow the Ming Dynasty completely?

Everyone felt that these words sounded somewhat fantastical.

The main question is: how to cook it properly?!
Although His Majesty's personal guards have some combat experience, their numbers are only about two thousand.

A number of young and strong men have indeed recently entered the Beijing garrison.

But the total number is only slightly over 20,000, and His Majesty cannot take them all away, especially since these people have no combat experience whatsoever.

With these people, how can they possibly confront the powerful and influential families across the country head-on?
Isn't this tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock?!
Even if His Majesty is wise and powerful, this is absolutely impossible.

Just as the group was about to offer their advice...

But looking at His Majesty's calm expression and the composed demeanor of his personal guards beside him...

Only then did I realize that His Majesty seemed to have been prepared all along!

and so.

This is why His Majesty immediately took down those civil officials as soon as he returned to the capital!
After all, they've already decided to rebuild the world, so why keep these people alive?
At this moment, Zhang Weixian couldn't help but recall the imperial edict issued by His Majesty a couple of days ago, instructing them to prepare for educational reforms.

Furthermore, many aspects of educational reform involve the study of gunpowder and ordnance manufacturing.
In other words.

Did His Majesty anticipate today's situation from the moment he left the capital?

In this way, everything His Majesty has done since ascending the throne can be pieced together, and everything makes sense!

The members of the royal faction exchanged glances and couldn't help but gasp.

Once again, everyone recalled the inspiring slogan they shouted in unison that night: "For the revitalization of Han, let's work together!"

Just recalling that scene made everyone feel their blood boil.

What does "reviving the Han dynasty" mean?
The emperor of the Ming Dynasty took the lead in re-plowing the land of the Ming Dynasty.

This is called Xinghan!

Some people were so excited that their bodies trembled slightly.

Which man wouldn't want to be a part of such a monumental undertaking?
Among the crowd, only a few people, such as Zhang Weixian, remained somewhat rational.

The others were now completely bewildered.

After a pause, Zhang Weixian tentatively asked:
"Your Majesty, this move is far too dangerous. Where do you plan to begin, and what do you need us to do? We will do our utmost to help you."

Zhu Youjian looked at everyone, naturally not wanting to keep anyone in suspense at this moment.

He said calmly, "The first step is to start with North Korea and the Dongjiang military town."

North Korea?!
Dongjiang Military Town?!
Because I was still reeling from the shock I had just experienced, I didn't pay much attention to these two points that shouldn't be mentioned.

Surprisingly, no one reacted excessively again.

"After I leave the capital, you only need to guard the capital and at the same time vigorously promote educational reform."

Hearing this, the group exchanged glances.

There's no point in offering any further advice now that things have come to this.

Since the Ming Dynasty is now entirely composed of reactionaries.

Since His Majesty has already made his decision.

The most important thing they should do is to cooperate as much as possible.

The crowd knelt down in unison and shouted, "Your Majesty, we will do our utmost, even if it means our lives!"

Zhu Youjian nodded, then looked at Wei Zhongxian and Cao Huachun and continued to instruct, "Now take Huang Liji and the others to be executed by slow slicing as a warning to others."

"We must make sure the people know that the unrest in the capital a few days ago was caused by these people."

"At the same time, I must inform the people that the entire Ming Dynasty has been in rebellion, and my departure from the capital is to go to various places to quell the rebellion."

Upon hearing this, the two men from Cao Wei instantly understood the profound meaning behind His Majesty's actions.

Only by stirring up public anger can the people of the capital unite in their hatred of the enemy and unleash their greatest power.

"Your servants obey!" The two bowed and immediately led their men to carry out the order.

After the group left.

Zhang Weixian seemed to just remember something and reminded him:
"Your Majesty, now that you have decided to depart for Korea in three days, may I ask which route you will choose?"

As the leading military general among the imperial faction, Zhang Weixian naturally had some understanding of military geomancy.

There are essentially only two options for traveling from Beijing to North Korea.

One route was via Liaodong, then by sea, to Dongjiang Town, and finally to North Korea.

This route is the shortest and theoretically the most convenient.

However, there is a problem: the situation in Liaodong is turbulent, and this move is too risky.

One wrong move and the Tumu Crisis could be repeated.

Another option is to go from Shandong.

This route will take longer, but it will be slightly safer.

However, this route also has a very thorny problem.

His Majesty has already stated that he intends to implement major educational reforms in the capital.

Educational reform is tantamount to digging up the ancestral graves of Confucianism.

The ancestral graves of Confucian scholars happen to be located in Shandong.
Therefore, if one wants to pass through Shandong, one cannot carry out any reform initiatives in the capital.

At the very least, if changes are made, they shouldn't be too drastic.

Otherwise.

Once the news reaches Shandong, it could very well trigger a fierce backlash from the Confucian forces there.

Inside the Qianqing Palace at this moment.

The others, upon hearing Zhang Weixian's words, immediately connected the dots.

The passion that had just been ignited in everyone was quickly extinguished, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over their heads.

The phrase "revive the Han dynasty" sounds rather casual.

But in reality, it is so difficult.

Don’t say anything else.

If even the route out of Beijing requires such careful consideration, how dangerous must the journey be?!
In response to Zhang Weixian's question, Zhu Youjian replied, "I plan to travel through Shandong, first to Dongjiang Town, and then to Korea."

"Are you worried that the education reforms in the capital will alarm the Confucian forces in Shandong?"

Zhang Weixian nodded somewhat heavily:

"I believe that since Your Majesty intends to pass through Shandong, educational reforms should not be undertaken drastically but rather gradually."

Zhu Youjian had naturally considered the issue raised by Zhang Weixian long ago.

However, Zhu Youjian never even considered the idea of ​​proceeding gradually.

Reforms can only be effective if one moves forward relentlessly.

Take a break today, and three to five months will pass.

Let's take it easy tomorrow; three to five years will have passed.

Let's take it easy for a couple more days, and thirty or fifty years will have passed.

If we do it this way, then what's the point of reform?

Do you really think revolution is a dinner party?!
It can be said.

If there is even the slightest sign of weakness, all our efforts will inevitably come to naught and come to nothing.

of course.

Zhu Youjian wouldn't recklessly rush forward without considering anything else.

Zhang Weixian and others' views were limited by their era and perspective, so Zhu Youjian shouldn't be too critical.

As for the counterattack from the Confucian forces in Shandong, he had naturally made preparations long ago.

In Zhu Youjian's view.

Although Confucianism is powerful and has been rooted in this land for thousands of years, influencing generations of people.

However, they have a fatal weakness: their base is based on so-called legal principles.

If there is no legal basis, then...

The Confucian forces would collapse on their own without him even having to lift a finger.

Therefore, the Confucian forces could not openly carry out any military action against the imperial procession.

That's all they can do openly.

They organized people to block the emperor's procession and used various means to obstruct it in the name of law and reason, forcing Zhu Youjian to return empty-handed.

But in Zhu Youjian's view, this was a problem that was too easy to solve.

If you dare to come, I will definitely dare to kill you.

If a hundred come, kill a hundred; if a thousand come, kill a thousand; if ten thousand come, kill ten thousand.

His goal from beginning to end was to lead the empire to the highest position.

And he will ruthlessly crush any obstacles he encounters along the way.

Again.

The empire's progress required breaking free from Confucian influence.

If Confucianists want to maintain their dignity, he can let it go for now.

If someone doesn't appreciate the courtesy, then he can simply clean it up as well.

of course.

Zhu Youjian must have considered the consequences of doing so.

It was nothing more than using the guise of righteousness to incite public opinion in Shandong and coerce a group of students to directly storm the emperor's carriage or even the capital.

But when it comes to inciting public opinion...
to be honest.

It was Confucius who crawled out of his coffin and took the lead in doing this.

Zhu Youjian could forcefully push him back into the graveyard.

The whole country is already at odds with us, what's one or two more?!

However, talking about these things now is just a plan.

The actual course of action will have to wait until Zhu Youjian departs and then be determined based on the specific circumstances.

Faced with everyone's concerns.

Zhu Youjian then briefly recounted these events to everyone.

After hearing this, although the group was still not completely relieved of their worries, they were at least no longer as helpless as they had been at the beginning.

no way.

After the initial excitement, everyone now understands just how extraordinary His Majesty's plan is.

I've heard of rebellions, restorations, and foundings, but I've never seen a reigning emperor start over from scratch.
But regardless of whether this matter will succeed or not, since His Majesty has already made up his mind, he is determined to go all the way down this path.

Since that's the case, they must do their best to...
Zhang Weixian, Chen Xinjia, and the others exchanged glances and solemnly spoke:

"Your humble servant obeys the decree! We will now proceed to handle all matters!"

Say it.

The group quickly left the Qianqing Palace to run errands.

His Majesty will be leaving the capital for Korea in three days, so they must act swiftly.

Of course, no matter how urgent the situation is, it is still necessary to sort out the priorities of various matters.

Ever since.

After Zhu Youjian returned to the capital, such a scene appeared in the city.

First, the Embroidered Uniform Guard stirred up public sentiment among the people.

Tell the people that all the bad things that happened a few days ago were instigated by Huang Lijie and others.

The reason is that they saw His Majesty was not in the capital, so they started to do evil!

Anyway, the main point is to pin all sorts of blame on these people.

Now that His Majesty has returned to the capital, he will directly seek justice for everyone!

This move naturally boosted Zhu Youjian's prestige once again.

It's just a pity for Huang Lijie and those representatives of the powerful families.

He enjoyed wealth and luxury his entire life.

In the end, he was left to watch helplessly as his entire family was slaughtered.

He even witnessed firsthand how he was skinned alive and then devoured by an angry mob.

then.

It was the Embroidered Uniform Guard again stirring up public opinion.

The propaganda claimed that because these people had died, powerful families across the country should unite to rebel against the emperor.

No one had the mind to think about the reasons in detail; they were all terrified.

The government then immediately released the news.

Don't worry, His Majesty will personally lead the troops to quell the rebellion.

It's nothing more than a rebellion across the entire territory.

Nothing to worry about!

This is the end.

The people of the capital were instantly reassured.

There was no way around it; that was the effect of an emperor's prestige, and Zhu Youjian's prestige in the capital was simply too high.

This thing is invisible and intangible, but it has the greatest power over people's hearts.

For most ordinary people.

They didn't know what a nationwide rebellion truly meant; they only knew that it might be difficult to handle.

But they sincerely believed that His Majesty could resolve the matter.

I don't know how to solve it.

I just believe it anyway.

That's pretty much the mindset.

After this series of procedures were completed, it was already the second day after Zhu Youjian returned to Beijing.

It was also on this night.

Having barely slept for two nights, Zhang Weixian and Chen Xinjia finally set their sights on the Confucian forces in the capital.

and this.

This also happened before His Majesty left the capital.

The last problem to be solved, and also the most difficult one, is this one.

　Ahem. I posted 10,000 words yesterday, it really wasn't intentional or anything like that.

Seeing all the comments criticizing the author, the author, a top-tier, god-like talent, fainted on the spot, sob sob sob...

I didn't sleep well last night, so this might be the only chapter today.
　
(End of this chapter)