Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 143 A Frenzied Climb and Bite! Shocking the Imperial Court for a Whole Year! [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

"Emperor...Emperor..."

Fu Youwen's voice was fragmented.

Old Zhu descended the imperial steps one by one, his heavy footsteps like a death knell striking the hearts of everyone present.

He walked up to the four men, looking down at them, his shadow completely enveloping them.

"Did you hear that drumbeat?"

Old Zhu's voice was eerily calm, but anyone could hear the destructive energy about to erupt beneath that calm.

"Listen...hear..."

The four men kowtowed repeatedly.

"Did you hear what that old litigator said?!"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty... We heard it..."

"The contents of that package..."

Old Zhu's voice suddenly rose, like a thunderclap: "Do you even know?!"

"Your Majesty, we knew nothing! We knew absolutely nothing!"

Fu Youwen practically cried out, his scalp pressed to the ground: "This must be a frame-up by a treacherous commoner! It's a plot by Zhang Biao's accomplices! I beg Your Majesty to investigate!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! We knew nothing about this!"

"Your Majesty, please investigate! This must be a frame-up by a villain!"

"Yes! Your Majesty! It was Li Mo and Wu Naida who framed us! We truly knew nothing!"

Ru Chang, Zheng Ci, and Zhai Shan also kowtowed desperately in agreement, swearing that they knew nothing about it.

They genuinely didn't know what was in the package, but the old lawyer had mentioned an old case in Shaanxi, and given the previous impeachment by the Censorate, they couldn't escape responsibility.

"I don't know?"

Old Zhu squatted down, almost touching Fu Youwen's ear, his voice so cold it could freeze the soul: "Alright, let's change the question."

He paused, each word like a shard of ice squeezed from between his teeth: "The matter in Shaanxi. Do you know anything about it?!"

"This"

Fu Youwen and the other three felt a chill run down their spines.

Old Zhu's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a heavy hammer, slamming into the golden bricks of Fengtian Hall, the echo of which shattered everyone's hearts.

Those four cold words were no longer an inquiry, but a final ultimatum before trial.

Old Zhu's original idea was to wait until Fu Youwen and his group found the iron box, until Zhang Biao could no longer sit still, until his men were captured, and until all the people behind it were exposed, before starting the reckoning.

But now that the drum of petition has sounded, he can no longer delay it even if he wants to.

Therefore, given the current situation, he has no choice but to reveal his hand in advance.

Upon hearing his question, Fu Youwen abruptly raised his head, his facial muscles contorted with extreme fear, and sweat instantly soaked through the back of his court robes.

His mouth was open, his throat as dry as a traveler who hadn't drunk water in a long time while walking in the desert, and his chest made strange sounds like a broken bellows, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He knew that any denial would be laughably pale under the emperor's bloodshot eyes, and would only hasten his death.

However, his silence does not mean the matter is over.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Minister of War Ru Chang had indeed weathered many storms.

He struggled to support his nearly collapsed, obese body, kowtowing repeatedly, his voice shrill as he preemptively argued:

"Your Majesty and the Ming Dynasty are utterly loyal! The matter in Shaanxi concerns the Crown Prince's inspection tour of Shaanxi years ago. The so-called old case is likely a corruption issue. We were merely carrying out related duties under orders and have not concealed anything whatsoever!"

"It must be Zhang Biao! His accomplices! They know that Your Majesty has deep feelings for the Crown Prince, so they are using this to frame loyal officials! Your Majesty, please do not listen to the words of these treacherous commoners!"

"Indeed! Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly! It is merely a matter of corruption! We have indeed failed in our investigation! But to implicate the Crown Prince and the harem is pure slander!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! Even if we had a hundred lives, we wouldn't dare implicate the Crown Prince or the harem! It must be Shen Lang and Sun Gui's accomplices who, failing to steal, instead framed him!"

Minister of Works Zheng Ci and Vice Minister of Personnel Zhai Shan also realized what was happening and immediately began to kowtow frantically, crying and shouting to express their loyalty, pushing everything onto the treacherous people who had framed them.

He tried to extricate himself from the fatal associations brought about by the word 'Shaanxi'.

"Acting under orders? Absolutely nothing concealed? Pure slander?"

Old Zhu slowly straightened up, looked down at the four people trembling at his feet, and revealed an extremely cruel, almost ferocious smile on his face.

"What a loyal and devoted person! What a foolish thing to say!"

He turned abruptly, no longer looking at them, and strode back to the imperial steps. However, he did not sit down but stood beside the overturned imperial desk, like the eye of a storm.

At this moment, all eyes, both civil and military, were on him.

He pointed towards the direction of the petition drum outside the hall, and his voice suddenly rose, resounding throughout the entire hall like thunder:
"Then tell us! How did a country bumpkin lawyer know the words 'Shaanxi old case'?!"

"How did they manage to associate it with 'forbidden drugs for the imperial palace'?! Huh?!"

"How many of these officials, our most trusted ministers, know the details of the Crown Prince's inspection tour of Shaanxi back then?"

"How many people know what's recorded in the old archives of the Eastern Palace? And how many know which concubine in the palace uses which spices?!"

Old Zhu's roars grew louder and louder, each question like a slap in the face, striking Fu Youwen and his three companions, and also striking the hearts of all the terrified officials in the hall.

"You don't know! The entire capital doesn't know! But this old geezer who's beating the drum knows! And you four 'loyal ministers' are implicated!"

"Tell us! Why is this happening?!"

"Your Majesty, we truly do not know!"

Fu Youwen finally found his voice, and with a sob in his voice, he had no choice but to repeat "I don't know".

A tremendous fear had gripped him.

He knew that the emperor had long suspected they were hiding something.

"Still pretending not to know?"

Old Zhu whirled around, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Fu Youwen: "Fu Youwen, have you found the iron box? Didn't you say it had nothing to do with you? Why are you so nervous?"

boom--!
These three soul-searching questions were like a thunderbolt, completely shattering Fu Youwen's last psychological defenses.

"Your Majesty! Your subject... Your subject..."

Fu Youwen completely broke down, collapsing to the ground, tears streaming down his face, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Ru Chang, Zheng Ci, and Zhai Shan were also pale-faced. Fu Youwen's powerless explanation dragged them completely into the abyss.

"Fine! Still not going to talk? You're all pretending to be confused, aren't you?"

The rage on Old Zhu's face gradually subsided, replaced by a more terrifying, frozen stillness.

He slowly scanned the entire room, and every official whose gaze fell upon him subconsciously lowered their head and held their breath.

"Jiang Huan!"

Old Zhu's voice was eerily calm.

"Chen is here!"

Jiang Huan emerged from the shadows of the palace pillars like a ghost and knelt on the ground. He had been waiting for a long time.

"Take these four 'loyal' but 'ignorant' officials to the imperial prison. Treat them well and let them think and speak slowly."

Old Zhu's tone was so calm, it was as if he were instructing people on what to cook for dinner:

"Let's give them time to reflect on what happened in Shaanxi, on that package, and on the things behind it all!"

"Sir, obey the order!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Jiang Huan's eyes. With a wave of his hand, several fierce-looking Imperial Guards rushed towards Fu Youwen and the four men, Ru Chang, Zheng Ci, and Zhai Shan, whose faces were ashen.

Upon seeing this, Fu Youwen suddenly raised his head. His face was no longer filled with fear, but with a kind of madness born of utter despair and a ferocious, desperate look.

He knew that the emperor would never give them a way out.

The prince behind them had truly given up on them.

Otherwise, how could such a secret have fallen into the hands of an old litigious lawyer?!

In that case
"emperor--!"

Fu Youwen's voice suddenly turned shrill and piercing. He struggled to break free from the Imperial Guards who were trying to restrain him, crawled forward two steps, and roared with all his might, his voice drowning out everyone's gasps:

"We are guilty! We deserve death!"

"But the matter in Shaanxi is beyond the capabilities of a few of us! The mastermind behind it is someone else! We were merely forced to act, following orders, Your Majesty!"

Boom!

This statement is even more shocking than the sound of the petition drum just now!

The entire Fengtian Hall seemed to have been hit by a huge rock, and it instantly erupted into chaos!

Climbing and biting! It actually climbed and bit directly!
Moreover, it points directly to a 'mastermind' behind it all!
Old Zhu's pupils suddenly contracted, his body leaned forward slightly, and a terrifying glint shot out from his crimson eyes.

But he didn't interrupt immediately. Instead, like a predator eyeing its prey, he waited for an even more astonishing confession.

Ru Chang, Zheng Ci, and Zhai Shan were taken aback at first, but then they realized what was happening.

Since we're doomed either way, we might as well stir things up even more; maybe that will offer a glimmer of hope, or at least allow us to take a few down with us.

Minister of War Ru Chang immediately followed, his obese body trembling violently with excitement and fear, yet his voice carried a ruthless, desperate edge:
"Your Majesty, please be wise! The funds for river repairs and the allocation of military equipment in Shaanxi are being obstructed at every turn! Although we have made some oversights, many of the orders did not originate from our own department! Rather... rather, they are being remotely directed by someone else, and we dare not disobey!"

Minister of Works Zheng Ci also kowtowed repeatedly, speaking at an extremely fast pace, as if afraid that if he was a step too slow, he would lose his chance to speak:
"Absolutely! Your Majesty! Especially during the Crown Prince's inspection tour of Shaanxi, all the reception, guards, and even the itinerary arrangements were secretly instructed by someone! We are of low rank and have little influence, how dare we disobey?!"

Zhai Shan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, went even further, speaking recklessly and directly pointing the finger in a more ambiguous yet more terrifying direction:

"Your Majesty! It's not just in Shaanxi! There are many in the court who form cliques, engage in corruption, and sell official positions! In the Ministry of Personnel's evaluations of promotions and demotions, there is often an invisible hand interfering! I suspect... I suspect they are connected with the regional governors..."

"shut up--!"

Old Zhu suddenly roared, like a thunderclap, abruptly interrupting Zhai Shan from uttering that word that could cause an earthquake.

He couldn't allow that name to be called out in the court without any evidence!
But it was too late to stop it!
That unfinished sentence, like an invisible giant hammer, slammed heavily into the hearts of all the officials!

Fan...?
Which feudal lord?!
Is it Zhu Shuang, the Prince of Qin, who was enfeoffed in Xi'an and whose power was deeply rooted in Shaanxi?

Or perhaps it's Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan, who was enfeoffed in Beiping, commanding a large army and dominating the north? Or one of the other powerful princes?

Were they involved in corruption?!

Are they involved in the licentious harem?!

Were they involved in the death of the Crown Prince?

Everyone's expression changed, and horrified, suspicious, and incredulous gazes rapidly exchanged among the officials.

The air in the entire Fengtian Hall seemed to freeze, filled with a suffocating feeling of impending storm.

Although Zhai Shan's words were interrupted, the implication was already quite clear.

In an attempt to save themselves, Fu Youwen and his three companions went so far as to shift the enormous blame onto the empire's princes and even onto the emperor's own son.

This is truly insane!
This is a predatory act that could shake the very foundations of the nation!
"Hahaha...Good! Very good!"

Old Zhu laughed in exasperation, his laughter filled with boundless rage and a chilling sense of having been utterly offended.

He looked at the four people at his feet, who were biting wildly like mad dogs, his eyes as cold as ice.

"Climbing and biting! You're about to die, and you still dare to climb and bite in front of us?!"

Old Zhu's voice suddenly became incredibly calm, yet it was more terrifying than any roar: "You say you have someone backing you? You say you're following orders? Where's the evidence?!"

Having said that, he slammed his hand on the armrest of the dragon throne: "You think you can disrupt the court and sow discord within the imperial family with mere empty words?! Jiang Huan!!"

"Chen is here!"

Jiang Huan responded and stepped forward, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.

"Let's get them to talk!"

Old Zhu's voice was resolute, carrying an undeniable will to destroy:
"Use every means possible! Get to the bottom of every single bad debt in Shaanxi!"

“Every trip the Crown Prince takes! Whose orders are they supposedly 'on command'? And what are they actually doing?”

"Every name! Every single matter! We must investigate it thoroughly and completely!"

"Anyone involved, regardless of who they are, what position they hold, or what connection they have with the royal family, will be prosecuted once verified—"

At this point, Old Zhu's gaze, like a cold blade, slowly swept over every official in the room, and he said, word by word:
"They shall all be punished for treason without any leniency!"

Treason will be punished! Absolutely no leniency will be shown!

These eight words, like a final verdict, struck the hearts of everyone in the Fengtian Hall with overwhelming killing intent.

Everyone knew the emperor wasn't joking.

A bloody storm sweeping through the highest levels of the Ming Dynasty has officially begun.

From Shaanxi to Nanjing, from the Six Ministries to the princely residences, no one could escape it.

Upon hearing the word "treason," Fu Youwen and the other three collapsed to the ground, their last vestige of madness turning into utter despair and death.

They knew they were finished, and that their entire family might be implicated.

Jiang Huan sneered and waved his hand again. The Imperial Guards immediately dragged the four completely limp men out of Fengtian Hall and towards the terrifying Imperial Prison.

This time, what awaits them is a true case of being unable to live and unable to die.

The court session ended in a deathly silence and extreme oppression.

The officials, pale-faced and unsteady on their feet, left the Fengtian Hall, many needing assistance to walk.

Everyone was filled with immense shock and fear.

They knew that the four men's frantic accusations before their deaths, whether true or false, had already planted a poisonous seed in the emperor's heart.

From that moment on, the political landscape of the Ming Dynasty was never the same again.

Old Zhu stood atop the imperial steps, gazing at the empty hall, his eyes blazing with fury.

He knew that this was exactly the kind of performance Zhang Biao wanted.

Now, it's time to go find the director.

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(End of this chapter)