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

Chapter 181 Your Majesty! This is Zhang Biao's "Memorial on Public Security"! [Bonus Chapter 15 for Monthly Tickets]

"I have the will to save the country, but I am powerless to reverse its fate!"

"I will smile to the sky from my horizontal sword, leaving my liver and gallbladder intact!"

These two sentences, like a demonic chant, echoed continuously around the execution ground.

So much so that even though Zhang Biao had already been beheaded, the people around the execution ground hadn't reacted yet, as if time had stood still.

After an unknown amount of time, a heart-wrenching cry suddenly shattered the deathly silence.

"Lord Zhang—!"

To everyone's surprise, the first person to cry out was not Shen Lang and his group, nor Zhu Yunwen and his siblings, nor the three Zhu brothers, but a rough man in the crowd wearing a blood-stained apron.

As his cries rang out, everyone who had fallen into a deathly silence instantly snapped back to reality.

"It's all over... I... I've committed a terrible disaster..."

The moment Liu Sanwu came to his senses, it was as if his spine had been removed. His body swayed violently, and if it weren't for the timely support of the minor official beside him, he would have almost collapsed to the ground.

His face was ashen, his lips trembled, and his eyes stared blankly at the execution platform.

Admittedly, he and Zhang Biao had some past grievances, but there was no deep-seated hatred between them.

It was at most a verbal dispute.

These things were perfectly normal in front of the emperor.

Because what the emperor wanted to see was a fierce confrontation between his ministers.

If the ministers are all in harmony, the emperor will be restless and unable to eat or sleep.

Therefore, setting aside their differing political views, Liu Sanwu only verbally expressed his deep hatred for Zhang Biao and his desire to kill him.

In reality, he always tried to protect himself and was unwilling to be the villain.

But Zhu's purpose in having him supervise the execution was actually quite simple: as a representative of Confucianism, he was putting on a show for scholars and officials.

After all, Zhang Biao's words and actions offended not only the officials of the court, but also the scholars of the world.

Because of Zhu Biao's death, Zhu Yuanzhang went on a killing spree, causing widespread panic. If the people's hearts and minds were not stabilized at this time, it could easily lead to unrest.

Therefore, Zhu De had no choice but to kill Zhang Biao.

This is the most fundamental purpose.

When it comes to national interests, loyal ministers are as easy prey as leeks.

However, after Zhang Biao's series of questionable actions, the performance backfired.

If Zhang Biao had obediently faced his death, the outcome wouldn't have been so bad.

But Zhang Biao's crazy words and actions before his death not only ruined the play, but even dismantled the stage.

This is also why Liu Sanwu was so enraged that he had no choice but to ignore Jiang Huan's orders and accept the imperial decree on his own.

Of course, Zhang Biao's words and actions did indeed cross the line of Confucianism. As a representative of Confucianism, it was understandable that he would defend the orthodoxy of Confucianism.

But when Zhang Biao was executed for his image as a patriot and a servant of the people, the meaning of the whole thing changed.

So, what kind of image does he project as a supervising official?

Let's say that.

After Qin Hui killed Yue Fei, he came to toast him, saying, "Brother, you are more awesome than me, drink first as a sign of respect."

That's roughly the image I'm looking for.

Therefore, at this moment, he felt only a chill in his heart.

Especially when he saw the grief and indignation of the people around him, the low-ranking officials in Beijing, and even the veterans, a huge, ominous premonition gripped him.

He felt as if he had personally severed an invisible pillar that was supporting something, and he dared not imagine the consequences.

As for scholars and students like Fang Xiaoru, they were also stunned by Zhang Biao's words and actions before his death.

They stared at the execution platform, at the overwhelming grief of the crowd around them, and at the faint, suppressed cries coming from afar; their minds went blank.

These are the "traitors" and "monsters" they keep clamoring to kill.
Why did his death not bring about the expected "righteousness" but instead seem like... like something precious was destroyed?

Didn't that "Letter to the Scholars Requesting the Execution of the Traitor Zhang Biao to Settle Public Opinion and Secure Peace" list many of Zhang Biao's heinous crimes? And isn't the recent bloodshed all because of Zhang Biao? Shouldn't everyone hate him terribly?

How could this be?
Could it be... that we've been used?
This idea, like a venomous snake, instantly burrowed into the minds of many scholars.

"It was you! It was you bunch of pedantic scholars who drove Zhang Qingtian to his death—!"

In the crowd, an old soldier in a tattered military uniform could no longer contain his emotions and let out a hoarse roar filled with blood and tears!

This roar was like a boulder thrown into a still pool, instantly creating a thousand waves!
"Yes! You're the ones who drove Imperial Censor Zhang to his death!"

"Brother Biao is fighting for our pay! Investigating corrupt officials! What kind of traitor is he?!"

"You bunch of bookworms who only know how to talk! You don't know anything!"

More and more people began to echo this sentiment, their angry gazes piercing like knives as they glared at the scholars in their Confucian robes.

Fang Xiaoru trembled violently, his face turning from white to red, and then from red to green.

He realized he had been used, but when he thought about Zhang Biao's attacks on Confucianism and his distorted interpretation of the Analects, he felt he had done nothing wrong. Zhang Biao's slander of sacred learning alone deserved him to die a thousand deaths.

Then, he suddenly straightened his almost bent back, and with all his might, he uttered a sharp and trembling rebuttal to the roaring crowd:

"Foolish people! You have all been misled by Zhang Biao's heretical words! He slanders sacred teachings and undermines the foundation of the nation; he deserves to die!"

"The sacred teachings are magnificent; how can they be desecrated?! Our resolve to uphold the Way is as clear as day!"

Although his voice still carried its inherent arrogance, a closer listen revealed a subtle hint of bravado masking underlying weakness and panic.

When Fang Xiaoru spoke, other scholars seemed to have found their leader and began to clamor, pointing at the people and cursing them as "utterly foolish" and "blinded by sorcerers."

Among the common people, there were also those who understood the truth, and they roared angrily, "Why don't those who uphold morality die like Imperial Censor Zhang?" and "All corrupt scholars should die."

For a time, the area around the execution ground was filled with the clamor of scholars and the roars of the common people, creating a chaotic scene that was almost out of control.

On the execution platform, Jiang Huan coldly watched all of this.

His gaze lingered for a moment on Liu Sanwu, whose face was ashen, a subtle yet chilling smile playing on his lips. His eyes seemed to say: "You're dead."

Immediately, he ignored the chaos below and indifferently gave an order to Chang Sen, the commander of the Five Cities Garrison, beside him:
"Maintain order and disperse the noisy crowd. Protect the execution ground. Without the Emperor's decree, no one may approach the execution platform, especially Zhang Biao's corpse."

After saying this, he suddenly turned around and, surrounded by a group of Imperial Guards, went straight back to the palace to report, leaving this chaos and grief behind.

On the south side of the execution platform, Zhu Mingyu's eyes rolled back and she fainted the moment she saw the flash of the blade, collapsing softly into her sister Zhu Mingyue's arms.

Zhu Mingyue's face was deathly pale, she held her younger sister tightly, tears streaming down her face, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Zhu Yunwen gritted his teeth, his nails digging deep into his palms until they bled, and forced himself to remain calm as he ordered the palace servants around him, "Return to the palace."

Then, he turned around first and walked towards the carriage.

The moment he bent down and stepped into the carriage, the tears he had been holding back finally burst forth.

He bit his lip hard, making no sound; only his violently trembling shoulders betrayed his inner collapse.

On the periphery of the crowd, Shen Lang, Sun Gui, Li Mo, Wu Naida, and Zhao Fengman stood like five clay statues, staring blankly at the execution platform.

Their minds went blank, as if the whole world had lost its sound and color.

Only when the surrounding crowd began to be dispersed by the Imperial Guards, who pushed and shoved them away, did they stagger backward with the flow of people, as if sleepwalking.

Just then, without warning, fine, cold snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

"Look! It's snowing!"

Someone shouted something at the top of their lungs, and the crowd erupted in commotion once again.

Snowflakes fell on Shen Lang and the others' faces, and the icy touch brought them back to their senses for a moment.

"celebrate……"

Shen Lang suddenly murmured two words, then abruptly looked at Li Mo and the other three, a strange light flashing in his eyes, and looked up, saying:

"Celebrate! Yes! Celebrate! Brother Biao said he's dead, we should celebrate!"

"Tonight! Let's eat pig's head together! Buy five! Just like that day—!"

He practically shouted it out, his voice hoarse.

Upon hearing this, Li Mo and the other three were stunned and at a loss for what to do.

At this moment, Zhao Fengman was the first to react, her eyes red and her voice choked with emotion as she replied:
"And...and plenty of strong liquor!"

“Yes! Strong liquor and pig’s head meat are a perfect match!” Wu Naida’s reaction was quick.

Li Mo glanced at them, sighed, tilted his head back, letting the snowflakes fall on his face, mingling with warm liquid as they streamed down. He let out a long, trembling sigh:

"Sacrificing himself for righteousness... Brother Biao did it..."

Sun Gui slapped Li Mo hard on the back, making Li Mo stagger. He yelled in a rough voice, almost crying, "That bastard! He just wants to be a hero! He clearly... he clearly said we were the heroes! He stole our spotlight!"

After saying that, he vigorously wiped his face and roared:
"Let's go eat pig's head! Let's celebrate him being a hero! We...we'll be the cowards!"

"Hahaha! Yes! Be a bear!"

"Celebrating Brother Biao's heroism!"

The crowd joined in, laughing and crying.

Then, supporting each other, they staggered and disappeared into the snow-covered street corner. The laughter was more heartbreaking than the crying.

In the distance, the curtains of the carriages of the Prince of Yan's residence quietly fell.

Zhu Gaosui forcefully wiped away the tears that kept flowing from his eyes, and asked in a thick nasal voice:
"Big brother... Brother Biao is dead. Has the 'dawn' that Father spoke of arrived?"

Zhu Gaochi's face was full of bitterness as he slowly shook his head.

After a short while, he looked towards Beiping, then towards the majestic imperial palace, his expression incredibly complex, and he murmured in a low voice:

"Perhaps it's here... or perhaps it's even darker..."

"Oh shit!"

Zhu Gaoxu slammed his fist against the carriage wall, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth clenched.
"These sons of bitches! They drove a loyal minister who served his country and its people to his death! And what about my grandfather, the Emperor..."

"shut up--!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Gaochi's expression suddenly changed drastically, and he sternly stopped him: "Do you want to kill the entire Prince Yan's mansion? Go back to the mansion!"

Soon, the carriage silently drove away from this place of right and wrong, which had borne too much blood, tears and anger, amidst the swirling snowflakes.

The snow fell heavier and heavier.

Gradually, it covered the bloodstains on the execution ground, the hustle and bustle of the streets, and also tried to cover up the endless sorrow and impending turmoil in this world.

Zhang Biao is dead.

But the storm he stirred up is far from over.

……

Meanwhile, at the Huagai Hall.

Old Zhu just received a message that was clearly somewhat delayed.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty! No...something terrible has happened! At the execution ground...something has happened again!"

Old Zhu suddenly opened his eyes, a terrible premonition gripping him, his voice hoarse and low:
"What's wrong now?! That bastard... what exactly does he want?!"

At this moment, all he wanted to hear was the news that Zhang Biao's head had rolled.

The little eunuch was so frightened he almost wet himself, and lay prostrate on the ground, stammering incoherently:
"Your Majesty, Zhang Biao... he forced all the civil and military officials and nobles to donate 'burial goods' for him on the execution ground!"

"what?!"

As if struck by lightning, Old Zhu sprang up from his dragon throne, his eyes widening instantly and becoming bloodshot.

He couldn't believe his ears!

Forced donations?!
On the execution ground?! In front of the entire court of civil and military officials, nobles and dukes?!
This is beyond absurd!

This is to trample on the dignity of his Ming Dynasty and the face of Zhu Yuanzhang, rubbing it repeatedly with the sole of a shoe! And then spitting on it!

"You...you explain yourself! What exactly happened?!"

Old Zhu's voice was distorted by extreme shock and anger.

The young eunuch was terrified and stammered out a retelling of what the Embroidered Uniform Guard had reported:
How Zhang Biao enthusiastically "invited" everyone to be buried with him, and how he accurately pointed out the scandals of Vice Minister Liu embezzling river works funds and Governor Li's son misappropriating military funds...

And how it terrified those corrupt officials and nobles, who fled in panic, throwing out jade pendants, gold ingots, and even tiger-patterned badges...

The entire execution ground was in complete chaos, resembling a disaster relief bazaar...

As the young eunuch recounted the events, the color drained from Old Zhu's face, replaced by a terrifying, ashen hue.

His body began to tremble slightly uncontrollably, not from fear, but from extreme anger.

He could almost see that scene:

The civil and military officials he relied on as his pillars, and the nobles and dukes he bestowed titles upon, were all extorted by a death row inmate in the execution ground personally ordered by Zhu Yuanzhang, who treated them like grandsons, displaying their utter disgrace!
At this moment, the dignity of his Ming Dynasty and the authority of his Hongwu Emperor were trampled to pieces by Zhang Biao in the most shameless and ruthless way!
“Li Jinglong…Guo Ying…jade belt…pattern…”

Old Zhu squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, each one sharp and icy.

These two good-for-nothings! They were scared like that! They've completely disgraced his prestigious group!
"Very good! Very good!"

Old Zhu's anger turned into a cruel laugh, a laugh more grating than a cry, filled with violence and an impulse to destroy everything.

"What a Zhang Biao! What a 'cash donation'! You're trying to tear off the last fig leaf from our Ming Dynasty court!"

He suddenly kicked over the imperial desk in front of him.

"Boom——!"

Memorials, writing brushes, inkstones, imperial seals... all smashed to the ground!
We'll tear you to pieces!

Like a completely crazed trapped beast, Old Zhu let out a hysterical roar that shook the entire Huagai Hall:

"Issue the decree! Ring the bell! Ring the bell to remind them!"

"Don't behead him! Don't behead him! That's too easy on him!"

"Tie him to the bronze pillar! Use a low fire! Slowly roast him! Burn his skin! Dry his blood! Crumble his bones!"

"We'll make him wish he were dead!"

"Collect the oil he renders! Let's light it like a sky lantern!"

"Grind the last remaining bone fragments into powder! Scatter them into the latrine! Let him never be reincarnated—!"

This extremely venomous roar, filled with the emperor's frantic desire for revenge after his wrath had been thoroughly violated, echoed in the empty hall, as if the air itself had been frozen.

Yunming and the little eunuch who brought the news were already so frightened that they collapsed to the ground, their faces ashen, unable to even beg for mercy.

Old Zhu's chest heaved violently as he panted heavily, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the direction of the execution ground outside the hall, his gaze so intense it seemed he wanted to spit fire and burn Zhang Biao to ashes.

Torture him to pieces! Rake his bones to ashes!
This was the only punishment he could think of at that moment that would be most satisfying!
However, just as this overwhelming rage was about to consume all his reason—

"clang!"

The bell rang at noon.

Old Zhu, Yunming, and the little eunuch who brought the message were all taken aback.

Clearly, as soon as the bell rang, heads fell to the ground.

They didn't need to think to know that Zhang Biao had already been killed.

But Old Zhu only paused for a moment before coldly snorting, "Hmph! Is death the end of it? Will death quell our anger?!"

"Yunming!"

"This servant...this servant is here!"

Yunming, his voice trembling, crawled forward.

"deliver an imperial order!"

"Zhang Biao's crimes are heinous! He disregarded the law of the land! He showed no respect for the emperor! To uphold the law of the land! To vent the people's anger! His corpse shall be whipped for one hundred days! His body shall be exposed for one hundred days! As a warning to others!"

"Slave... this slave obeys your order!"

Yunming turned deathly pale with fright.

However, just as he was preparing to deliver the imperial decree, the Imperial Guard sent by Jiang Huan arrived one after another.

"Your Majesty! Zhang Biao, a condemned prisoner, has submitted a memorial on maintaining order!"

"A Treatise on Public Security"?
Old Zhu was taken aback again, then frowned and asked, "What 'Public Security Treatise'?"

"Your Majesty, this is Zhang Biao's confession written before his execution. He said it was a 'Memorial on Governance' and that he wanted to present it to you personally! He wouldn't even let Commander Jiang see it, saying that if he did, his whole family would die!" The Imperial Guard answered truthfully.

Old Zhu narrowed his eyes slightly.

Like Jiang Huan, he instinctively felt something was amiss, but he had no choice but to investigate, since Zhang Biao was very likely already dead.

This so-called "Memorial on Public Security" may be the only letter he left behind.

Perhaps, it contains a shocking secret that he dared not speak of in life, but could only reveal after his death.

Could it be... related to Biao'er's death?

Or perhaps... Sooyoung?

Thinking of this, Old Zhu stared intently at the outside of the hall, and after a moment asked, "Is Zhang Biao dead?"

"Your Majesty, he had not yet been executed before I arrived, but I happened to encounter the eunuch who was delivering the imperial edict on my way. Now, the bell has rung at noon, so he should be dead."

Upon hearing this, Old Zhu breathed a sigh of relief and said coldly, "Bring it here!"

"Yes!"

Soon, Yunming nervously took the "Memorial on Public Security" and handed it to Old Zhu.

Old Zhu stared at it for a moment, then slowly unfolded it.

[Ah! Beheading hurts so much, it hurts so much!]

Old Zhu, do you know how Zhu Xiong Ying died?

Please see the back!

……

Requesting double monthly votes!
Only a few hours left.

　I'm writing the next chapter now, don't rush me! I'll post it as soon as it's finished!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)