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

Chapter 164 Ten Thousand People Petition? Slay the Traitors and Set the Truth Free! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Are you teaching me... how to be an emperor?

Old Zhu's extremely calm question pierced the frozen air in the Fengtian Hall like an icicle.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty dare not!"

Chen Qingtan's body, which was lying on the ground, trembled violently. His forehead was pressed tightly against the cold floor tiles, and cold sweat instantly soaked through the back of his official robes.

But he persisted, his voice trembling with a sense of desperation:
"Your Majesty, I am merely... merely fulfilling my duty as a censor! For the sake of the nation's laws and regulations! For the sake of the Ming Dynasty! I humbly beg Your Majesty to consider this!"

"What a noble cause for the sake of national law and order! What a noble cause for the sake of the Ming Dynasty!"

Old Zhu's voice suddenly rose, like a long-suppressed volcano finally erupting.

He abruptly stood up from the dragon throne, his hair and beard bristling, his eyes bloodshot, and pointed at Chen Qingtan, roaring fiercely:
"A mere seventh-rank censor! How dare he spout such nonsense in front of us?! Accusing us of delaying government affairs?! And protecting a wanted criminal?!"

"Do you think I'm too old to wield a sword?! Or do you think I'm not the emperor you want me to be?!"

boom!
Upon hearing this, the terrifying imperial power, like a tangible raging tide, swept across the entire hall.

All the officials were terrified and knelt down in unison, crying out, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

However, at this moment of utter silence and widespread fear, another official stepped forward:
"Your Majesty! Although Imperial Censor Chen's words were harsh, his heart is indeed compassionate!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he knelt down beside Chen Qingtan with a thud. Although his face was also pale, he held his head high.
"The Zhang Biao case has far-reaching implications and remains unresolved, causing much discussion in the court and among the people! I earnestly request Your Majesty to make a swift and accurate judgment to put the minds of the people at ease!"

As if signaled, or perhaps encouraged by their 'courage,' one after another, civil servants stepped out of the queue.

First came several lower-ranking officials from the Six Ministries, followed by several upright scholars from the Hanlin Academy, and even the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy.

As if by prior arrangement, they all knelt down on the ground, their voices sometimes impassioned, sometimes sorrowful, sometimes indignant, but their goal was surprisingly consistent, much like the reckless Zhang Biao.

"Your Majesty! Although Imperial Censor Chen's words were somewhat hasty, his sincere intentions are evident!"

“Zhang Biao, this scoundrel, has insulted the sages with his outrageous words of ‘abolishing Confucianism,’ destroying the thousand-year-old tradition of Chinese civilization. He has truly brought shame upon our culture and aroused the wrath of both gods and men!”

"All scholars under heaven are filled with righteous indignation! Only by killing him can the anger of the scholars be appeased, and only by killing him can the world's perception be corrected!"

An elderly scholar with white hair was heartbroken and almost burst into tears.

"I second that opinion! Zhang Biao has not only insulted the sacred learning, but his auditing of the Six Ministries, framing ministers, inciting clerks, and even disturbing the palace are all acts that disrupt the order of the court and shake the foundations of the nation!"

"The longer such a monster remains in the country, the more trouble it will bring! Your Majesty, please execute him swiftly and justly!"

Another mid-to-lower-level official from the Ministry of Personnel spoke with a firm tone, full of concern for the country and its people.

"Your Majesty! Rumors are rampant in the capital, and the court is in turmoil, all because the Zhang Biao case remains unresolved!"

"Only by dealing with the ringleader as soon as possible can we stabilize the people's hearts and demonstrate His Majesty's determination to cleanse the court and uphold justice!"

"Your Majesty, we humbly request that you issue an edict to execute Zhang Biao and his accomplices, as a warning to others!"

The Chancellor of the Imperial Academy also prostrated himself and shouted.

"I second the proposal!"

"I second the proposal!"

"Your Majesty, please execute Zhang Biao immediately!"

In an instant, calls for Zhang Biao to be severely punished rose and fell, eventually forming a considerable momentum.

They clung tightly to the two banners of 'abolishing Confucianism' and 'disrupting the court,' using vehement language as if the country would perish if Zhang Biao did not die.

Although they were not the most numerous, in the deathly silent court, in the emperor's fury, their continuous secondings and desperate remonstrances created an invisible but immense pressure.

This is no longer a simple suggestion!

This is more like a premeditated, collective coup!

Looking at the kneeling officials below the stage, Old Zhu's fury was gradually replaced by an extreme coldness.

His gaze slowly swept over the kneeling faces, then over the nobles and high-ranking officials who knelt but remained silent, and finally landed on the faces of Liu Sanwu, Mei Yin, and others whose expressions were constantly changing, as if they wanted to say something but dared not.

A surge of overwhelming rage—from isolation, coercion, and a challenge to his authority—mixed with grief over the death of the crown prince, disappointment with the corruption of the court, and suspicion of his sons' possible involvement, completely consumed his reason at that moment.

Great! That's really great!

[We're not even dead yet! And you're already so eager to band together and force us to kill? To force us to do what you want?]

Is it to silence us? To muddy the waters? Or do you think we're really old and can be manipulated at will?!

"Hehe...haha...hahaha!"

Old Zhu let out a chilling burst of maniacal laughter, filled with endless sorrow and violence.

He abruptly stopped laughing, his eyes as cold as ice, staring intently at the kneeling officials below the stage. He spoke each word slowly and deliberately, his voice seeming to echo from the deepest hell:
"You...are very good!"

"They all looked like loyal ministers and generals! They kept saying they were fighting for the law and for the country!"

"Let's see today whether your necks are tougher or our knives are tougher!"

"Someone is coming——!"

With a roar from Zhu, the Imperial Guards who had been waiting outside the hall rushed in like wolves and tigers!
"Chen Qingtan! And these..."

Old Zhu pointed at the kneeling officials, as if calling out the name of death: "These 'loyal ministers,' take them all down!"

"Take him to the Meridian Gate! Execute him immediately!" The last four words, like a thunderclap, resounded in everyone's hearts.

Execute him immediately!

The Emperor is about to unleash such a brutal massacre the moment he ascends the throne!?

And it was directed at officials who dared to speak out! This was extremely rare even during the Hongwu reign!

Is this...is this still the emperor we know?!

"Your Majesty! You mustn't!"

Liu Sanwu finally couldn't hold back anymore, tears streaming down his face, and he collapsed to the ground: "Even if the officials who report matters based on hearsay are inappropriate, they do not deserve to die! Your Majesty! Such a massacre will surely chill the hearts of scholars throughout the land!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Mei Yin also kowtowed deeply.

Even some of the previously silent nobles and veteran officials showed fear and spoke up to dissuade him.

They were not afraid of the emperor killing people, but they were afraid of being subjected to a massacre that happened without warning, where people were punished for their words and had a wide-ranging impact.

"Shut up, all of you!"

Old Zhu, as if possessed, kicked over the imperial desk, scattering writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones all over the floor.

"Anyone who dares to plead for mercy will be punished as an accomplice!"

The Imperial Guards stepped forward and roughly dragged Chen Qingtan and the others away.

Chen Qingtan's face was ashen, yet he still cried out, "I do not regret my death! I only hope that Your Majesty will prioritize the well-being of the nation and its people! Do not allow the laws of the land to collapse—!"

Other officials who were named either wept bitterly, collapsed like mud, or looked ashen-faced, all in a bleak state.

Inside the Fengtian Hall, it was like a battlefield!

However, at that moment, a faint but increasingly clear commotion suddenly came from outside the hall.

The sound was like a distant tide, initially faint, but quickly becoming surging and powerful, interspersed with uniform, chanting-like prayers, which penetrated the thick palace walls and clearly entered the Fengtian Hall.

"Slay the traitors! Set the record straight!"

"Uphold sacred doctrines! Execute Zhang Biao!"

"Your Majesty is wise! The hearts of the people must not be dishonored!"

The officials in the hall, whose nerves had just been on edge, tensed up even more instantly. They listened intently with suspicion, exchanging bewildered glances, wondering what had happened outside.

Old Zhu narrowed his eyes, and the anger in his heart flared up again as if oil had been poured on it, even more intensely than before.

He slammed his fist on the armrest of the dragon throne in extreme impatience:
"What's going on outside again?! Jiang Huan! Go and see! Who dares to make a scene outside the Fengtian Hall?!"

His voice was like a volcano about to erupt, filled with violent killing intent.

Jiang Huan's expression turned solemn, and he immediately strode towards the palace gate.

He had barely opened a crack when he saw a Jinyiwei commander standing guard at the door, his face pale and covered in sweat.

"Lord Commander!"

When the commander saw Jiang Huan, it was as if he had seen a savior. His voice was urgent and fearful: "It's terrible! Fengtian Hall Square! Outside Chengtian Gate! People are kneeling...kneeling everywhere!"

"Explain yourself! Who are you?!"

Jiang Huan's heart sank, and he asked sternly.

"They are students from the Imperial Academy! And...and also compilers and reviewers from the Hanlin Academy, censors from the Censorate, and scholars and literati who have come from all directions!"

"They're so densely packed, you can't even see the end of them!"

"They...they are all shouting...demanding that the Emperor immediately execute Zhang Biao to uphold the sacred teachings and bring peace to the world!"

The commander's voice trembled: "And...and it's said that the area outside the city is also filled with kneeling students who have come from all over, and...and representatives of the Confucius family, several renowned Confucian scholars have also come! The scale is enormous, this...this is simply..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the result was quite obvious.

This is a petition from ten thousand people!

Jiang Huan's heart sank to the bottom!
He immediately realized the seriousness of the situation!
This was no longer just a few officials offering advice in the imperial court; it was a long-planned and unprecedented coup attempt!

This was aimed at the emperor's reluctance to execute Zhang Biao!

He dared not delay, immediately turned around, and strode back into the hall. Under the terrified gazes of the officials and the emperor's almost murderous stare, he knelt on one knee and reported in a heavy voice:
"Your Majesty! Outside the palace... in the square of Fengtian Hall, inside and outside Chengtian Gate, and even outside the capital, kneeling people are Imperial Academy students, Hanlin censors, scholars and literati from all over the country... the number is probably in the tens of thousands!"

"They all... they all shouted 'Slay the traitor!' 'Set the record straight!' and begged the Emperor... to execute Zhang Biao immediately to appease the scholars of the land!"

Boom——!
Despite having a premonition, the entire Fengtian Hall still erupted in chaos when Jiang Huan personally confirmed the scene of "ten thousand people petitioning for help."

The officials were in uproar, and everyone's expression changed.

A coup!

This is a real coup!

A blatant and undisguised attempt to force the emperor to abdicate, using the entire scholarly community as a bargaining chip!

Compared to this, the officials who just offered their advice are like child's play!
They are trying to use 'public opinion' and 'tradition' to suppress the emperor!
To force the emperor to execute someone immediately! To force him to close the case as soon as possible!?
(End of this chapter)