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

Chapter 16 Loyal Ministers Can't Save the Ming Dynasty! [New Book, Please Add to Favorites]

The Fengtian Hall was so spacious that you could hear the echo of your own heartbeat.

On the dragon throne, Old Zhu wore a dragon robe, with a large plain linen robe over it.

That was the most solemn mourning attire he wore for Zhu Biao.

Even after Zhu Biao was buried, he still couldn't get over the grief.

He sat there, lifeless, like a stone statue.

The entire hall was filled with the lingering smell of incense, candles, and paper money.

Tap, tap, a series of footsteps slowly approached. He hunched his back slightly and looked intently toward the sound.

It was Zhang Biao, the seventh-rank censor who was audacious in the imperial court, lived a life of luxury in the imperial prison, and recited "Ode to Limestone" during the joint trial of the three judicial officials, leaving the three presiding judges speechless.

"Your Majesty! The criminal Zhang Biao has been brought before you!"

Jiang Huan led Zhang Biao to the foot of the imperial steps, then retreated to the side of the hall as if disappearing into the shadows.

The atmosphere was dead silent.

Only the autumn wind howling outside the palace, whistling through the eaves, made a mournful sound.

Although Zhang Biao had achieved his goal and met Lao Zhu as he wished, Lao Zhu's current state suggested that he wasn't very enthusiastic about him.

Therefore, even though Zhang Biao was now determined to die, he did not speak at an inappropriate time.

After all, a furious killing is the key to returning to the modern world. If Old Zhu isn't angry, how can we play the game? What if something goes wrong, who will be responsible?

"call"

As time passed, until the hall was so deathly silent it seemed to drip water, Old Zhu slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and stared intently at Zhang Biao with his eyes, which had once terrified countless heroes but were now bloodshot.

There were no angry roars, no banging of the gavel, only a bottomless weariness and a chilling scrutiny.

His voice was hoarse and low, like the grinding of sand: "Zhang Biao, you really want to die, don't you?"

"This"

What kind of opening is this?

No, Lao Zhu, this question is really confusing me!

Zhang Biao was stunned for a moment, but he still cleared his throat and said stubbornly, "That's right! Just kill me! You've killed so many people already, one more won't make a difference!"

"hehe."

Old Zhu laughed, but it was a chilling laugh: "Yes, we've killed a lot of people. Perhaps... we killed too many people, which is why Biao'er suffered divine retribution."

No way, Lao Zhu!

Can you please stop with this sentimental stuff? It's making me lose all sense of 'dying for justice'!
Zhang Biao was speechless, but he couldn't help but scoff at Zhu Yuanzhang: "What bullshit divine retribution! If Heaven truly had eyes, it wouldn't stand idly by while disasters ravaged the land, wouldn't let the people be displaced, and wouldn't let the dynasty be engulfed in war!"

"In my opinion, so-called divine retribution is nothing more than an excuse for the incompetent."

"How dare you—!"

When Jiang Huan heard Zhang Biao dare to insult Zhu Yuanzhang by calling him incompetent, he was so frightened that he immediately reprimanded him.

But Old Zhu gave him a cold look, which made his face turn pale instantly, and he knelt down on the ground with a thud.

But then Old Zhu chuckled and chimed in, "You're right, we don't believe in this damned fate! It took away our beloved girl, and it took away our prize!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Old Zhu seemed to regain some of his energy and began to get back to the main topic: "Zhang Biao! I heard that you were quite imposing in the main hall of the Three Judicial Offices, right? You even managed to leave the chief judges of our Ministry of Justice, Censorate, and Court of Judicial Review speechless?"

He paused, his eyes as cold as solid ice, piercing through Zhang Biao: "You want to leave your name in the world. That's quite an ambition!"

"But let me ask you, how much is your 'innocence' worth?"

"Can we exchange it for our label?"

"Can it quell the floods in Jiangnan?" "Can it stop the iron hooves of the Northern Yuan?"

"Can you ensure that our Great Ming Dynasty lasts for thousands of generations?!"

The last sentence was uttered with a sudden rise in volume, carrying with it a long-suppressed immense grief and indignation, as well as the oppressive aura of an emperor, like a muffled thunderclap in the empty hall.

The invisible pressure surged instantly, almost crushing the person.

The eunuchs and palace maids standing in the hall were already terrified, prostrating themselves on the ground, trembling with fear.

Even Jiang Huan, who was kneeling on the ground, couldn't help but place his hand on the hilt of the Embroidered Spring Blade, his knuckles turning slightly white.

The entire Fengtian Hall seemed to have been frozen into an ice cave by Zhu Yuanzhang's five soul-searching questions, filled with sorrow and anger.

The pressure came crashing down like a landslide or a tsunami.

However, beneath the imperial steps, Zhang Biao slowly raised his head, his face showing neither the nonchalance he displayed during the joint trial by the three judicial authorities, nor the fear intimidated by the emperor's power.

His gaze was unusually calm, almost melancholic, meeting Zhu Yuanzhang's blood-red eyes, burning with boundless pain and rage.

This calmness, however, made Zhu Yuanzhang feel something was amiss.

Although Zhang Biao's words and actions were indeed arrogant and audacious, even reckless, Zhang Biao gave him a completely different feeling from those 'loyal ministers' who had previously remonstrated to the death.

It was as if he not only wanted to die, but also wanted to do something truly meaningful for the country.

This kind of mentality is extremely rare even for Lao Zhu, who has seen countless people.

If he hadn't had the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigate Zhang Biao's background, he would have thought this guy was a 'saint' reincarnated.

After all, human nature is complex. There is no one who is truly unafraid of death; it's just a matter of choosing between different interests.

But what exactly is Zhang Biao after?
What is a person who has no ulterior motives if not a saint?
Just as Old Zhu was racking his brains, Zhang Biao finally spoke up: "Your Majesty asks, how much is my innocence worth?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear, carrying a peculiar penetrating power that echoed in the oppressive, deathly silent hall: "I would like to say that Your Majesty's question is misdirected."

"Um?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's brows furrowed sharply, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. How dare this brat say we asked the wrong question?!

Zhang Biao seemed oblivious to the murderous glare in his eyes. His voice remained steady, carrying a world-weary desolation: "My innocence cannot save Crown Prince Yiwen, nor can it stop the raging floods in Jiangnan!"

"My innocence cannot stop the Northern Yuan's scimitar cavalry, much less save the Ming Dynasty's eternal foundation!"

"My innocence is, to put it bluntly, utterly worthless!"

With each word he uttered, the chill on Zhu Yuanzhang's face deepened, and the veins on the back of his withered hand, pressed against the armrest of the dragon throne, bulged out.

"but!"

Zhang Biao's voice suddenly rose, like a sharp sword being drawn from its sheath, his gaze burning as he stared directly at the emperor's face, showing no fear.

"My innocence can illuminate the festering sores growing beneath the splendid Ming Dynasty court!"

"My innocence can expose those parasites that are gnawing at the very foundation of the Ming Dynasty!"

"My innocence can reveal the fatal flaws hidden beneath the glamorous facade, flaws that could cause this empire to collapse!"

“How dare you—!!”

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the table, his hair and beard bristling with rage: "How dare you curse our Great Ming Dynasty?!"

I'm coming!

That's what it feels like!

Seeing that Old Zhu was furious, Zhang Biao immediately perked up.

(End of this chapter)