Di Ming

Chapter 426 "Traitorous subject! Rebellious son! How dare you deceive me! How dare you deceive me!"

On the second day of the seventh month of the twenty-fourth year of the Wanli reign, a day of auspicious combination of the year and virtue, it was auspicious for sacrifices and ceremonies.

Three days had passed since Prince Xin Xiaoling ascended the throne, and the new emperor's enthronement ceremony was held in Nanjing. Many of the items for the enthronement ceremony had been prepared by Zhu Yin for Zhu Changluo before the uprising, so there was no need for last-minute replacements. Everything from carriages and horses to clothing, ceremonial guards, and music was meticulously arranged.

Ning Caiwei had already bought and trained three hundred women to serve as palace maids, and packed them into the Nanjing Imperial Palace.

The coronation ceremony, of course, required money. This expense couldn't be skimped on; a shabby ceremony would undermine the legitimacy of the Nanjing court. Therefore, Ning Caiwei allocated another 300,000 taels of silver specifically for the ceremony.

It was a complete turnkey operation from start to finish. The court didn't need to worry about the money, the utensils, or the palace staff; all the court needed to do was organize the ceremony according to the proper etiquette.

This shows just how dedicated Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei were to their rebellion.

Before dawn, the palace servants sent by Ning Caiwei helped Zhu Changluo bathe and change his clothes.

Although the Nanjing Imperial Palace has been in disrepair for many years and many palaces are dilapidated, a few major palaces such as the Fengtian Hall and the Qianqing Palace are still well maintained.

Zhu Changluo stayed in this palace for three days and quickly grasped the feeling of being its master. In the Nanjing Imperial Palace, he could go wherever he wanted. The Qianqing Palace, the Three Great Halls, the Wenyuan Pavilion, the Imperial Garden… he could go wherever he pleased. Compared to being confined to the Jingyang Palace in Beijing, it was like heaven and earth.

Moreover, he was allowed to leave the palace. He could wander around the city, but for security reasons, he couldn't leave. This was a world of difference compared to his time as a prisoner in Beijing.

Zhu Yin truly cared for his only disciple. He assigned people to protect Zhu Changluo's safety closely, but did not restrict his freedom, allowing him to remain within the city. His food and drink were provided to the emperor's standards.

It can be said that Zhu Changluo has never enjoyed such a good life.

Clearly, Zhu Yin's education of Zhu Changluo was very successful, and his efforts in nurturing Zhu Changluo were not in vain. In the past two days, although the new emperor had gone out of the city incognito to stroll around and experience the various aspects of Nanjing with great interest, he would read books and study astronomy, geography, and mathematics as soon as he returned to the palace.

They are not obsessed with pleasure and enjoyment.

Although the palace servants, eunuchs, and guards were all selected by Zhu Yin, they were all very respectful and courteous, and never restricted or interfered with the new emperor. This made Zhu Changluo truly feel that he could be a real master in the palace without any constraints.

However, he was genuinely uninterested in politics. He hardly read any of the numerous books Zhu Yin gave him, such as "The Book of Lord Shang," "Essentials of Governance in the Zhenguan Era," "Imperial Model," and "The Book of Reversal," which were about imperial strategies for governing the country, as well as political books like "Zizhi Tongjian" and "Compilation of Treaties Between the Three Dynasties and the Northern Alliance."

On the contrary, he paid special attention to books on astronomy, geography, mathematics, and natural science. His interest in even architecture, carpentry, insects, and plants far surpassed his interest in politics.

This was a very talented person, but actually unsuitable to be an emperor; he wasn't the kind of politically driven individual with a strong desire for power. Even if Zhu Yin hadn't mentored him, and even though he didn't die young, he would likely still have struggled to become a capable and enlightened ruler in history. Rather than saying he wasn't cut out for it, it's more accurate to say he wasn't interested in politics.

However, in Zhu Yin's view, Zhu Changluo's disinterest in the emperor was not merely a lack of interest, but even a degree of aversion. This was a typical psychological stress response, a sequela of childhood trauma.

He loathed his heartless and ruthless father, and by extension, he loathed the emperor's identity as well. This rebellious mentality stemming from childhood trauma requires healing from spiritual support in other areas.

For example, right now, as he puts on the emperor's crown with the help of the palace servants, he immediately thinks of his father, the Wanli Emperor, who hides in the deep palace all day long, both hateful and pitiful.

Immediately, he felt uneasy about his life as emperor.

Fortunately, the master promised him that he wouldn't have to be emperor after a few years. He believed his master's words. When he no longer needed to be emperor, he would travel the world, see all the wonders the master had described.

"Your Majesty. You have finished changing. Please rise." Zong Qin's voice interrupted Zhu Changluo's thoughts.

The dignified young emperor turned to look at Zong Qin, who was dressed in a python robe and looked respectful, and suddenly asked with some confusion:

"Lord Zong, I've heard that you are a trusted advisor of the Emperor Emeritus and are highly regarded by him. Why would you help me and my husband?"

“Your Majesty,” Zong Qin bowed and reported, “I have served the Emperor Emeritus for seven years and know him very well. But the more I know him, the more I worry about the fate of the nation.”

"Although I am a eunuch, I come from the Imperial Study and am well-versed in the classics. I am also a half-disciple of Confucius and understand some principles of rise and fall, order and chaos. I am extremely disappointed with the actions of the Emperor Emeritus. In my humble opinion, if the Emperor Emeritus continues like this, the Ming Dynasty is in grave danger."

"Only Your Majesty and Mr. Zhihu can change the Emperor Emeritus's chaotic rule and bring about a turn for the better for our Great Ming Dynasty."

The new emperor nodded. "I understand. The Duke of Zong is also a man of great integrity and a rare and virtuous official. There were many misunderstandings between us when we were in Beijing."

He had initially thought that Zongqin was merely an opportunist who had only supported him and his husband under duress, so he was somewhat worried that Zongqin might change his mind and betray him. Now it seemed that Zongqin was truly not one of the retired emperor's men.

Zong Qin said cautiously, "The bell is about to ring, and the imperial procession is ready. This servant respectfully invites Your Majesty to depart. We will first go to the Temple of Heaven, and then to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices to Heaven and our ancestors."

"The Grand Tutor has sent word that today's ceremony is quite strenuous, and we ask Your Majesty to bear with it."

Zhu Changlu laughed and said, "What is this little bit of hardship? In my opinion, nothing is more difficult than losing your freedom."

Zong Qin smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right."

He further reminded him, "Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. Today, at this grand ceremony, in front of all the officials, it is best for you to refer to yourself as '朕' (Zhen, the imperial "I").

Immediately, palace attendants and eunuchs helped the new emperor out of the palace and onto the jade carriage that had been prepared beforehand. The carriage was pulled by eight black horses, and its canopy was adorned with twelve tassels.

"Clang—clang—clang—" The clock tower in Nanjing rang, and the first rays of dawn pierced through the city's thin mist.

Zhu Changluo wore a black robe with twelve imperial symbols and a red skirt, with sun, moon and dragon patterns embroidered on the shoulders, stars and mountains on the back, and flames on the sleeves. He wore a crown with twelve tassels and five-colored pearls, looking magnificent and solemn.

The new emperor ascended his jade carriage, and the master of ceremonies announced, "The emperor is departing—"

With a snap of the whip, the imperial procession set off from the palace to the tune of "Flying Dragon in the Sky," played by 360 musicians from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

From the Qianqing Palace to the Fengtian Hall and then to the Meridian Gate, a red carpet was laid out along the way, with ceremonial guards lined both sides.

As regent, Zhu Yin had already led all the officials to respectfully welcome him outside the Fengtian Hall.

When the emperor left the palace, Zhu Yin led the shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" and then the officials lined up in order and followed the emperor out of the Meridian Gate to the Circular Mound Altar (the Great Altar of Sacrifice) on the southern slope of Purple Mountain to offer sacrifices to Heaven.

The procession and ceremonial guard were very grand, with nine pairs of the White Elephant Guard, all brought by the Jinghai Army.

At the beginning of the morning, the emperor and his officials offered sacrifices to Taihao at the Circular Mound Altar.

At 9:00 AM, the Emperor went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices to the ancestors.

The chief priest lit a stack of pine, cypress, and sandalwood to burn as offerings to the gods, played the "Yuanhe Melody," offered jade and sacrificial animals, sank the green jade tablet into the Yangtze River, and then used the three sacrificial animals of the Grand Sacrifice—a black ox, a red sheep, and a black pig—to be placed in a bronze sacrificial vessel to worship the ancestors.

Every procedure is absolutely meticulous.

As the regent, Zhu Yin naturally assumed the roles of Grand Master of Ceremonies and attendant in sacrificial rites, accompanying the emperor in his presence.

The newly appointed regent was dressed in a black robe with four embroidered patterns and a crimson skirt, a seven-tassel crown, and a gold-plated jade belt, looking quite dashing.

Under the guidance of the officials in charge of rites, Zhu Changluo personally recited the prayer: "Your subject Changluo, the successor to the throne, dares to report to our ancestors: By the profound plan of Heaven and the hidden mandate of our ancestors, I, for the sake of the peace of the state and the stability of the nation, obey Heaven's will and the mandate to rule the great throne... I pray that the weather will be favorable and the harvests will be plentiful, so that my great Ming Dynasty may be blessed!"

After offering sacrifices to Heaven and ancestors, the emperor returned to the palace and went to the Fengtian Hall to ascend the throne and receive congratulations.

The emperor ascended the steps of the Fengtian Hall and sat down at the gate. Zhu Yin symbolically presented the emperor with six imperial seals and a black jade tablet for protecting the country; this was the "offering of a green jade tablet to the east."

Next came the court ceremony, with nobles wearing golden sable crowns standing on the east side of the steps, civil officials in beams on the west side, and military officers in helmets standing solemnly below the steps.

The music played on the steps of the palace, including "Heaven's Mandate of Virtue" and "Celebrating the Imperial Capital." It was truly a grand and majestic affair, with bells and drums resounding and sheng and yu instruments playing in harmony.

Then the Court of State Ceremonial cracked three whips, and more than a thousand civil and military officials knelt and danced together, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" Their voices shook the imperial city.

After paying homage to the emperor, the Hanlin Academician bestowed the imperial seal and proclaimed the emperor's ascension to the throne. The enthronement edict did not contain much substantial content; its most important aspect was the announcement of the reign title.

The reign title was a formal announcement that a new emperor had ascended to the throne.

The new emperor's reign title was, of course, decided by Zhu Yin long ago; he simply had the Ministry of Rites go through a selection process.

But the imperial edict proclaimed upon his ascension to the throne: "...Now that the heir to the throne has arrived, I pray that all misfortunes will turn to good fortune, that the nation will be peaceful and prosperous, and that this golden age will last forever. 'Tai' signifies the harmonious interaction of heaven and earth, and the flourishing of the nation. Therefore, the reign title is set as 'Taichang,' and the era name is changed immediately. The twenty-fourth year of the Wanli reign will be the first year of Taichang..."

Taichang! This is the reign title of the new dynasty.

Moreover, Zhu Yin did something very decisive; instead of changing the reign title the following year, he changed it immediately, showing no respect whatsoever to Wanli.

Now is the crucial moment when Wanli has lost popular support and is vying for legitimacy, so of course we should change the reign title immediately.

The so-called change of reign title the following year only applies when the previous emperor has died and a new emperor has ascended the throne, allowing for a leisurely wait until the following year. But right now, with father and son separated in the south and north, there are two emperors in the empire, effectively splitting the Ming Dynasty. How can the change of reign title be delayed until next year?

Either do nothing, or do it thoroughly, so that the world can see the determination of the Nanjing court! Otherwise, how will the world address the Nanjing emperor this year? By changing the reign title, he can be called the Taichang Emperor, and only then can his title rival that of the Wanli Emperor in Beijing.

Zhu Yin refused to change the reign title the following year, a decision opposed by many ministers. However, he also had considerable support, and ultimately, the Grand Tutor Regent made the final decision.

With this, the main ceremonies of the enthronement ceremony were completed, and Emperor Taichang officially ascended the throne.

But that wasn't the end of it. Next came the Imperial Guard Review, a symbolic inspection by the emperor of the imperial troops to signify his command over the three armies.

So the emperor changed into his "Emperor's Great Armor" in the Military Uniform Pavilion of the Wuying Hall, and was equipped with the Emperor's Sword. Then, accompanied by his officials, he rode his imperial horse out of the palace and arrived at the Five Phoenix Tower of the Meridian Gate to watch the military review.

Ten thousand Jinghai soldiers, clad in bright armor and bearing imposing banners, stood in formation, ready to fight. The army was as fierce as dragons and tigers, its momentum unstoppable. The emperor exclaimed in admiration, while the officials were both surprised and delighted.

What's astonishing is the sheer power of this army; anyone can tell they are the finest troops in the land, far surpassing ordinary government troops. Where did the Grand Tutor acquire such a formidable force?
The good news is that Nanjing has such a strong army, which makes the new dynasty more stable. The Northern Dynasty cannot do anything to the new dynasty, and the new dynasty will have the opportunity to promote the unification of the two capitals and unify the north from the south.

Nine cannon shots were fired from the riverbank outside the city, echoing three times from Yanziji. The twenty-one cannons of Jinling responded in succession, and the whole city was in an uproar.

The entire 10,000-strong army at the Meridian Gate knelt down, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" in a thunderous roar.

Zhu Changluo, who was already exhausted from the tedious ceremony, quickly regained his spirits and felt greatly encouraged when he heard the soldiers' cheers.

That's actually the end.

Zhu Yin knew that the Ming emperors' military reviews were merely a formality. Except for a very few individuals, the vast majority of Ming emperors would symbolically don heavy armor, peek out from the city walls, or ride a horse and be led around.

By this time, the sun had already set, and lanterns were being lit everywhere in the palace and the city. A nine-sectioned dragon lantern made of silk gauze hung at Fengtian Gate, and seven-jeweled glass lanterns were hung in various government offices.

Fireworks began to be set off, and even the fireflies outside the city lit up like stars.

The time for the grand imperial banquet had finally arrived. Officials left the palace to change clothes. The emperor returned to the Qianqing Palace, changed into casual attire, and then once again ascended the Fengtian Hall to attend the highest-ranking imperial banquet: the Fengtian Banquet.

Zhu Yin had already led more than a thousand officials to wait in the Fengtian Hall, awaiting the arrival of the emperor.

He was indeed extraordinary, arriving in a six-horse golden chariot drawn by six blue silk carriages. When the golden chariot arrived at the Meridian Gate, he then rode in a palanquin into the palace. When the officials encountered the Grand Tutor, they all bowed to the left, displaying the extraordinary demeanor of the Regent Grand Tutor.

The banquet had been prepared long ago, of course. With money, what can't be done?
Whether it's delicacies from land and sea or delicacies from overseas, everything is available. The only drawback is that no diplomatic envoys are present.

When Emperor Taichang, now dressed in civilian clothes, arrived at the banquet, all the officials bowed and paid their respects again, except for Zhu Yin, the regent tutor, who did not kneel. This was because the new emperor had already decreed that tutors were not allowed to kneel; a simple bow before the emperor was sufficient.

Even Zhu Yin's seat was next to the emperor.

Once everyone was seated, the music began, and the dances commenced. The eunuchs served the meal according to the "Records of the Imperial Kitchen." After the emperor tasted the "Unified Soup of the Empire," all officials were allowed to touch their spoons and chopsticks.

Although Zhu Yin was the regent and the de facto ruler of the new Nanjing dynasty, he was meticulous in his treatment of the new emperor.

Although Zhu Changluo became emperor, he was not very enthusiastic. Many of the delicacies before him were things he had never tasted before, but when he thought of his mother in Beijing, he couldn't help but feel sad and lose his appetite.

The singing and dancing in the main hall did not interest him either.

Knowing his disciple's thoughts, Zhu Yin leaned closer and said, "Your Majesty, in at most half a month, Your Majesty will be able to reunite with the Empress Dowager and your son."

"Sir..." Zhu Changluo's hand trembled, his face beaming with joy, "I can see my mother?"

Zhu Yin smiled and nodded. "I just received a report by express messenger that the Imperial Palace in Beijing was struck by lightning and caught fire five days ago. My men took the opportunity to rescue the Empress Dowager from Beijing and take her to Tianjin by sea..." Zhu Changluo was extremely excited. He nodded heavily and said softly, "Sir, I won't thank you."

Zhu Yin whispered, "Our relationship is like that of father and son, there's no need for thanks. You must be tired today, so relax and have some food and drink."

"Yes." Zhu Changlu smiled, his appetite immediately whetted.

Zhu Yin was relieved to see his disciple's joyful expression. Otherwise, he would have been truly worried that Zhu Changluo would fall ill from worry.

After today's grand ceremony and banquet, the Nanjing court has established its legal standing. The next step is to assess its actual strength.

……

After the palace banquet ended, Zhu Yin returned to the Ningguo Duke's Mansion, where Emperor Kangxi was already waiting outside the study.

"My lord, an urgent report from the Western Regions."

Zhu Yin took the wax pellet and exclaimed, "Yang Hao has suffered a crushing defeat!"

Originally, on the tenth day of the sixth month, Yang Hao's 100,000-strong army was surrounded in Hami. Their supply lines were cut off by Zhu Shuaixin, who had deliberately lured the enemy deep into their territory. More than 40,000 men surrendered to the Western Ming, and Yang Hao led 50,000 men back to Jiayuguan.

"They lost too easily." Zhu Yin sneered. "Yang Hao is truly useless. The Northern Dynasty levied an additional ten million taels of silver to support this western expeditionary army, and he gave away half of it in just three months."

How could Zhu Yin rely solely on Nanjing for a rebellion? After all, ninety percent of the Ming Dynasty's elite troops were in the north. The court had two million troops on paper, although the number was severely insufficient, the strategic heavy forces stationed in the north still numbered over four hundred thousand armored soldiers.

Apart from the Tusi soldiers, the Ming army in the south was basically weak. Excluding the Tusi soldiers, there were fewer than 50,000 armored soldiers, and not all of them would necessarily submit to the Nanjing court.

Although the Jinghai Army is highly elite, its forces are relatively small, making it difficult to reverse the current military imbalance of power between the north and the south. Therefore, the containment efforts of the Western Ming are very meaningful.

In recent years, in order to suppress the Western Ming, Wanli levied additional taxes to supplement military funds, which was called "suppression of military funds" and caused widespread resentment. Although his reputation was worsened, he still managed to amass tens of millions of taels of silver for military expenses, recruited skilled warriors from the Northwest, and trained a 100,000-strong army for the Western Expedition, which could be considered a new elite force.

As soon as the Western Expeditionary Army was formed, Wanli appointed Yang Hao and Sun Xian as commanders, vowing to annihilate the Western Ming.

Wanli actually chose a good time. At that time, the Western Ming Dynasty was engaged in a fierce battle with Persian mercenaries from the Khanate of Bukhara.

Wanli's dispatch of troops to the Western Regions at this time was tantamount to launching a pincer attack on Zhu Shuaixin from the east and west, together with the Khanate of Bukhara.

Logically speaking, Ximing should have been defeated.

However, Wanli Emperor made a terrible mistake by appointing Yang Hao, whom he trusted, as the military commander, and Sun Xian, a powerful eunuch who was known for his knowledge of military affairs and had long served as the military supervisor in the nine border regions, as the military supervisor.

If these two join forces and go to fight in the Western Regions, far from their homeland, how could they not be defeated?
If the Emperor of Gold were to receive this defeat, he would probably be so angry he'd vomit blood.

Xu Wei said, "Our news is faster; Beijing may not have received it yet. Wanli has received news of the defeat in the Western Regions, and news of the Nanjing rebellion is probably arriving as well. With two major pieces of bad news in a row, I'm afraid he can't handle it."

Zhu Yin immediately wrote a letter to Huya, asking them to help Zhu Shuaixin block the Persian mercenaries of the Khanate of Bukhara.

...

On the fifth day of the seventh lunar month, the news that Zhu Yin had been waiting for for several days finally began to arrive.

Chang Jijing, the governor of Zhejiang, and Peng Yingcan, the imperial inspector, along with Liu Yuanlin, the provincial governor, Chen Zizhen, the provincial judge, and others, announced their support for Nanjing and their loyalty to Emperor Taichang.

Jiangxi Governor Xia Liangxin and Imperial Censor Wu Baoxiu, along with Jiangxi Provincial Treasurer Dai Shilin and Provincial Judicial Commissioner Lin Daonan, announced their support for Nanjing and their loyalty to Emperor Taichang.

Upon receiving the intelligence, Zhu Yin burst into laughter, exclaiming, "Within a few days, two provinces have submitted! What a good omen!"

Xu Wei also looked delighted, saying, "News from Fujian and Huguang will arrive within ten days, and news from Guangdong won't be far behind."

Zhu Yin immediately announced the news delivered by Huya and went to the palace to report it.

The entire Nanjing imperial court was immediately filled with joy.

Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces have already pledged their allegiance to Nanjing!

Next, a series of good news arrived from Huya.

On July 13th, Fujian declared its support for the Southern Dynasty!
On July 14th, the people of Huguang declared their support for the Southern Dynasty!
On July 15th, Guangdong declared its support for the Southern Dynasty!
At this point, apart from Southern Zhili south of the Yangtze River, the five provinces of Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Huguang, and Guangdong had all declared their allegiance to the Nanjing court!
The whole of Nanjing was filled with joy!
……

July 15th is the Ghost Festival.

Forbidden City, Qianqing Palace.

Although today is Ghost Festival and the palace is holding a grand ceremony to commemorate the previous fire, it doesn't stop Emperor Wanli from continuing to smoke opium and play mahjong in the inner palace.

"Grandpa." Gao Huai tiptoed in, looking worried. "It's been almost twenty days, and Consort Gong is still nowhere to be found. She's neither alive nor dead. I wonder if she fled south to find Prince Xin?"

Wanli looked up with a cold expression. "Didn't you say she was burned to death in the palace fire? How come she fled to the south?"

Gao Huai smiled bitterly, "That's what I thought. But Jingyang Palace wasn't affected by the fire. We've searched for so many days, but we haven't found any trace of her being burned to death."

"Continue the investigation!" Wanli's face was ashen. "How could a living person leave the palace? It's utterly unbelievable! Does she have such great abilities?"

Just then, Zhang Jing entered with a grave expression and reported, "Grandfather, Grand Secretary Shen has been on leave for half a month and hasn't reported to the cabinet for duty. Even the Grand Secretary doesn't know what's going on. Today, I sent someone to his residence and found out..."

"What?" Wanli asked coldly, his expression very impatient. He hated being disturbed while playing mahjong.

Zhang Jing said, "Shen Yiguan disappeared half a month ago, and no one knows where he went."

"Insolence!" Wanli roared. "What's wrong with the Embroidered Uniform Guard?! Lady Wang in the palace has disappeared, and cabinet ministers outside the palace have also disappeared! And you can't even find a clue!"

Just as Zhang Jing was about to speak, he suddenly saw Gao Cai standing at the corner of the hall, constantly winking at him.

It seems something big has happened?
Zhang Jing walked over, about to ask what was going on, when Gao Cai said, "Eunuch Zhang, I just heard some bad news in the outer court, which hasn't been reported to the palace yet. It says that the Western Regions have been defeated! Devastatingly defeated!"

"Yang Hao's army of 100,000 was halved; he only managed to return to Suzhou with 50,000 men..."

"What!?" Zhang Jing's face turned ashen. "Really?"

Gao Cai gave a wry smile. "The report from the Ministry of War just arrived; it'll probably be reported to the palace soon. I dare not tell Grandfather..."

Zhang Jing's eyelids twitched!
In the past three years, in order to eliminate the false dynasty in the Western Regions, the emperor did not hesitate to increase the levy for the suppression, collecting an extra ten million taels of silver. He finally managed to train a new Western Army of 100,000 men in Shaanxi, preparing to wipe out Zhu Shuaixin in one fell swoop, but what he got was news of a great defeat.

Alas, if the Emperor had listened to my advice and appointed Zhu Yin or Qi Jiguang, things would have been different.

Zhang Jing took a deep breath and quickly headed forward.

He soon received the newspaper.

Defeated!

Inside the cabinet, both Grand Secretary Wang Xijue and Zhang Wei were pale-faced.

Yang Hao, oh Yang Hao, you've ruined everything!
Just then, Shi Xing, the Minister of War, entered the Wenyuan Pavilion with a look of panic, and said in a trembling voice, "Another major incident has occurred in the south!"

After saying this, he handed Wang Xijue an urgent report forwarded from Chongqing: "The Sichuan tax supervisor Qiu Chengyun reports that Zhu Yin has rebelled! He is supporting Prince Xin to declare himself emperor in Nanjing..."

"What?!" Wang Xijue and the others were shocked, then fell silent!

After a long while, Wang Xijue finally stood up shakily, his body swaying involuntarily.

Zhang Jing's legs and stomach were trembling.

Zhang Wei's expression also changed drastically.

Even now, they still find it hard to believe that the news is true.

“Let’s…go to the palace together!” Zhang Jing said, his voice trembling. “These two bad things, especially what happened in Nanjing, cannot be hidden for a moment.”

Wang Xijue's face turned ashen, then he suddenly let out a bitter laugh, "Zhu Zhihu! Zhu Zhihu! Wang Shizhen wasn't wrong about you! Cough cough cough..."

Zhang Wei took a deep breath. "This is of utmost importance. We must report to the Emperor immediately. There's no escaping it!"

The group then entered the palace together, arrived at the Qianqing Palace, and knelt down to pay their respects.

The Wanli Emperor, who was playing mahjong, felt a jolt in his heart when he saw several people enter the palace together, all with gloomy faces.

Why did they enter the palace with Zhang Jing when I didn't summon them? Could it be...?

Emperor Wanli threw down the dominoes in his hand and asked irritably, "Who gave you permission to enter the palace for an audience without authorization? And what happened?"

Zhang Jing and Wang Xijue had no choice but to bite the bullet and present the two reports.

When Emperor Wanli first received the report of the defeat in the Northwest, he was immediately enraged upon reading it.

"Yang Hao!" the emperor roared, unable to contain himself. "You have ruined me and the country! You are a scoundrel!"

His face suddenly turned bright red, his breathing became rapid, and his hands trembled. "I've prepared for three years! Three years! And you've defeated me! Zhu Shuaixin's dynasty is a false one! You've lost to him, so he's going to ascend to heaven!"

"Has Zhu Shuaixin marched all the way to Chang'an?! Huh?! I spent so much money, and this is what you show me! You scoundrels!"

The emperor was furious. He threw down the imperial edict and, his eyes bloodshot, said, "Issue an imperial decree! Arrest Yang Hao and Sun Xian and bring them to the capital! Execute them by slow slicing!"

"Damn it! Damn it!"

The emperor felt dizzy and so angry he was about to suffocate, like a stranded fish.

Zhang Jing quickly gave Gao Cai a wink, "Please invite the Imperial Concubine!"
"Grandpa, please calm down..." Zhang Jing saw the emperor's expression and was afraid that the emperor would faint from anger.

Wang Xijue and the others were also terrified.

The emperor was furious. He grabbed another newspaper and sneered, "Bring it on! I want to see what other bad news there is... uh?!"

The emperor suddenly exclaimed in surprise, staring at the report in disbelief and blinking hard.

Surprisingly, he wasn't angry. Instead, he remained remarkably calm, and his tone even softened. "Wang Xijue, is this newspaper report genuine?"

Wang Xijue's eyelids twitched, and he kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, the Yangtze River has been blockaded by the traitor Zhu Yin. This is a report forwarded by Qiu Chengyun from Chongqing, and it should be correct. Such a major matter, Qiu..."

The emperor stared blankly at Wang Xijue's mouth, his face suddenly turning purplish-red, and half of his face began to tremble violently, as if he had lost control.

"Traitorous subject! Unfilial son! How dare you deceive me! How dare you deceive me!"

Suddenly, Wanli shouted angrily, stood up abruptly, and roared with eyes wide with rage: "How dare they! How dare they! How dare they!!"

Suddenly, his body swayed and he fell backward violently!
"emperor!"

"grandfather!"

...

P.S.: Thank you so much for the generous donation from our esteemed patron, Judge Red, but please, patron, don't donate anymore, it really hurts my heart. Thank you everyone for your support, please vote with your monthly tickets and leave a review! Sorry it's a bit late today!
(End of this chapter)