A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 121 Chu Chen
The Han emperor mingled with the people of Nanyang.

The news caused a huge uproar when it reached Guanzhong.

The real lives of the people in the Guandong region were also known to the people of the whole country.

Countless memorials and petitions flew into Chang'an like snowflakes, passing through the Prime Minister's residence and landing in Weiyang Palace.

The ministers, generals, marquises, and members of the imperial family from both the Chinese and foreign dynasties requested a court discussion.

In the Xuan Shi Hall, they stood in their respective classes.

May Your Majesty live a thousand years and enjoy endless happiness!

The mountains echoed in praise of the saint.

Liu Ju turned and sat down on the throne, raising his hands slightly to signal the officials to rise.

"Your Majesty!"

The chief commander Zheng Dangshi immediately walked into the center of the hall and said loudly, "The banditry in Guandong is now rampant and has become a continuous trend. I request that Your Majesty's southern tour be withdrawn."

Strictly investigate those entering and leaving the pass to prevent the heroes of Guanzhong from colluding with the bandits of Guandong and plotting against them.

Then send out a large army to suppress the rebel forces and severely punish Mi Pu, the prefect of Nanyang, for disturbing the imperial carriage, failing to effectively suppress bandits, and holding his position without doing his job..."

Details of the Battle of Nanyang.

This truly terrified a large group of court officials. How could a bandit from a single prefecture gather tens of thousands of people, disregard the Commandant, and launch a brazen attack on the southern inspection team?

In the eyes of officials of both dynasties, this was no different from rebellion.

Furthermore, when the southern inspection team was at the city gate of Nanyang Prefecture, they were surrounded by a sea of ​​civilians. Fortunately, the scholar Dong Zhongshu and the Grand Master of Ceremonies Wuqiu Shouwang noticed the danger in time, stopped the guards from attacking, and ordered the Nanyang Prefecture soldiers to distribute the supplies carried by the inspection team. This prevented the tragedy of His Majesty massacring the refugees.

Otherwise, if the blood of the imperial family and the blood of all people were to stain the imperial court, Your Majesty could simply commit suicide on the spot to atone for your sins.

But that's scary enough.

If things get like this after just leaving Guanzhong, and the tour continues south, His Majesty will likely not return alive. It is best to withdraw to Guanzhong in time to ensure peace.

Furthermore, the bandits and refugees in Nanyang Commandery are making the officials' necks itch. They are all kind-hearted people who cannot bear to see human suffering. We cannot allow these bandits and unruly people to flood into Guanzhong. Seal the pass! Seal the pass immediately!
The era of the sage king that Your Majesty proclaimed has been shattered, and someone has to take the blame. Your Majesty cannot take the blame, nor can the officials of the court. Only the Prefect of Nanyang County, Mi Pu, can take the blame.

When a ray of light shines into darkness, that light becomes sinful.

Zheng immediately launched into a tirade of numerous crimes, vowing to put Mi Pu to death.

"Withdraw the southern tour? Close the passes?"

Liu Ju interrupted Zheng Dangshi's rambling speech, saying indifferently, "Do you want to become emperor behind closed doors?"

Cutting off the connection between Guanzhong and Guandong was a tactic used by Qin Er Shi, but unexpectedly, it was mentioned again in the Han Dynasty.

"Touch your own heads, are they still there?"

Zheng paused for a moment.

Officials from both the Chinese and foreign dynasties held their breath.

"Commander, I remember that your father was a loyal follower of Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King. Your Zheng family is truly a family of loyalty and righteousness, never forgetting the heart that destroyed my Han dynasty. After your death, I will bury you in Gucheng," Liu Ju said softly.

There was no warmth or human warmth, only endless killing intent. Zheng Jun, Zheng Dangshi's father, had been a general under Xiang Yu. After Xiang Yu's death, he soon surrendered to the Han Dynasty. Emperor Gaozu ordered all of Xiang Yu's former subordinates to address him by his given name, "Xiang Ji," when mentioning Xiang Yu. However, Zheng Jun refused to obey the imperial edict.

Emperor Gaozu issued an edict appointing all those who dared to address him directly as "Xiang Ji" as high officials, and expelled Zheng Jun.

From then on, Zheng Jun never served as an official in the Han court again and died during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen.

People at the time said, "Loyalty and righteousness."

The emperor, from a legal standpoint, denied that the Zheng family were Han subjects.

Neither Zheng Jun nor Zheng Dangshi, who became the chief military officer, nor the entire Zheng family, were any longer Han officials.

The tomb of Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, is located in Gucheng. Being buried in Gucheng means that the name "Chu minister" will haunt the Zheng family for eternity, bringing them endless ruin.

Cold sweat instantly broke out on the heads of officials, generals, marquises, and members of the imperial family from both the Chinese and foreign dynasties.

"Your Majesty!"

Zheng knew that his life or death was hanging by a thread, so he knelt down and cried out, "I may die, but the world must not be in chaos!"
Your Majesty is young and the country is in turmoil. With Your Majesty trapped in Nanyang, if the bandits in Guandong were to harbor evil intentions and seize the Emperor to command the Han people, chaos would erupt in the blink of an eye.

If the banditry in Guandong is to be quelled in the future, I am willing to commit suicide to atone for my sins!

The sound of kowtows echoed throughout the main hall.

Zheng raised his bleeding forehead and cried out in anguish, “Marquis Huo Qubing and Commandant Lu Bode have led their armies away from the capital after their campaigns in the north and south. What if, what if, something terrible happens in Guandong, and bandits attack Hangu Pass, causing another chaos like the end of the Qin Dynasty? Guanzhong will be flat as a plain, and Chang’an can be reached in a day. At that time, our great situation and the state of Han will be in chaos again, Your Majesty!”

"The people are like water, and the court is like a boat. Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it."

Liu Ju looked at the ministers who had changed their minds after hearing Zheng Dangshi's words. The young dragon's roar was very soft, but it was so undeniable: "If the water capsizes the boat, then the people will drown the court. Throughout history, countless last monarchs have drowned in the sea of ​​people. The Qin court was like this, as were the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties. My great Han dynasty is no exception."

The people's sentiments are running high; if this is considered a great situation, then I think the Han Dynasty might as well perish here.

The spirit of a young emperor.

This shocked officials of both dynasties.

Rather abandon the Han court than harm the people in the slightest, the ministers felt as if they were seeing Emperor Xiaowen reincarnated, and their hearts trembled.

“Blocking the roads in and out of Guanzhong and sending troops to suppress the people who cannot survive is not a sincere way to solve the problem, and it will never be my choice.”

Liu Ju gazed at Zheng Dangshi and slowly said, "The southern tour team will not withdraw. Even if my father passes away, he should die on the road to solving the problem, rather than fleeing back to Guanzhong in a sorry state like a coward, deceiving himself and the world. I think that the world is peaceful and prosperous, and my father must have thought the same way."

Has His Majesty become a sovereign ruler with the sincerity to address the people's plight?
The expressions of the courtiers from both the Chinese and foreign dynasties underwent a subtle change. His Majesty was certainly not a coward, but he absolutely did not want to die in this world. If they had to choose between the two, based on their understanding, His Majesty would definitely prefer to live.

The Emperor's words effectively sealed off His Majesty's choice. If His Majesty did not wish to be remembered as one of Jie and Zhou, he could not withdraw the southern tour group, even if he died on the way.

Your Majesty has generously used His Majesty's resources!

This is the power of those who sit in Chang'an and Weiyang Palace, making decisions on behalf of His Majesty without His Majesty's knowledge.

“Your Majesty, I believe…” Zheng knew that His Majesty was not as selfless, close to the people, and willing to die to make amends for the past as the Emperor had described. The debate resumed.

Liu Ju, however, did not intend to let him continue. The emperor's incompetence could highlight the minister's integrity, and conversely, the minister's cruelty could highlight the monarch's benevolence. Next, he would take the minister's life to prove the monarch's determination to solve the problem.

"Take him away and execute him!"

(End of this chapter)