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

Chapter 187 Zhang Biao the Madman! Activate! [Requesting Double Monthly Tickets]

I happily finished the last Orleans roasted chicken wing.

Zhang Biao glanced at the countdown on his hand and revealed a hint of indescribable anticipation.

【00:00:05】

【.4】

【.3】

【.2】

【.1】

【.0】

Zhang Biao counted lazily.

Suddenly, everything went black, and the world spun around me.

I don't know how much time passed, but I heard the sound of rain falling from the eaves, making a 'drip, drip' sound.

Zhang Biao lay on a wooden bed and suddenly opened his eyes.

He skillfully proceeded to the next step, completing the action in one smooth motion.

Touching my neck—completely fine!
Look at the arm—the pure white countdown and the "50Kg" mark have disappeared!
Feeling my body—why do I feel something icy cold? Like I'm not wearing any clothes!?
"Fuck!"

Zhang Biao subconsciously cursed, then jumped out of bed and quickly checked his body.

Just as he suspected, he was indeed not wearing any clothes.

"What the hell! Who's so wicked?! You son of a bitch!"

He wanted to start cursing, but he quickly realized something was wrong.

Based on his past experiences with time travel, no matter how he died, he would always return in a faded, worn-out seventh-rank imperial censor's robe.

"What happened? Where did my official robe go?"

Zhang Biao frowned deeply and then looked around.

The room was still the same dilapidated room, and even the blurry bronze mirror remained unchanged...

"and many more!"

Just as Zhang Biao was getting ready to practice the 'Deathly Admonition' meme, he suddenly noticed a few things.

He remembered it was one of his experiments.

In his 'previous life' in the Ming Dynasty, he bought some daily necessities and decorated his dilapidated and impoverished official residence.

At that time, he didn't know when Old Zhu would kill him, and he might have to stay at this official residence for a long time.

So he did something that had never been experimented with before.

For example, add some tables, chairs, and other furniture to your 'resurrection pool,' which is this room, and see if they're gone when you travel back in time next time...

Based on past experience, every time he traveled back to the Ming Dynasty, the people there didn't remember that he had ever died, as if the world had been "refreshed".

Refreshing means that all traces of the past are erased, and everything starts anew.

Therefore, he was able to 'admonish' Zhu Yuanzhang to the death each time he traveled back in time.

But now, everything he arranged in his 'past life' is still there.

What does this mean? It means his experiment was successful.

He left his mark on this world.

In other words, no matter how the world is 'refreshed', the traces of his existence will not be erased.

Zhang Biao was both surprised and delighted by this.

However, new problems arose one after another.

Now that he has left his mark on this world, will the people of this world forget him, just like before?
Or, to put it another way, were their memories erased because of the "refresh" of this world?
Thinking of this, Zhang Biao couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

When he first transmigrated to the Ming Dynasty world, he was like a player enjoying life, while the people around him were treated as NPCs.

Because every time he travels back in time, it's a fresh start, and the people around him don't remember him at all, only what he did.

For example, they would remember that it was 'someone killed by Lao Zhu' who did something.

Then, the 'fixed NPC Shen Lang' informed him of this matter and reminded him to be careful of Old Zhu when he went to court.

It wasn't until Old Zhu forcibly kept him there and made him experience everything he had never experienced before that he gradually understood the hardships at the bottom of this world and realized that this world was a real world, not a game world.

Later, he developed an impulse to change the world, and even took action, with a madness and sincerity.

Although throughout this process, he always knew that after he 'died' and traveled back to this world, the people in this world would no longer remember him as 'Zhang the Madman' or 'Zhang the Upright Official'.

But he still went all out with his madness.

Just like he told Shen Lang and the others before, today's people should do today's work, and tomorrow's work should be left to tomorrow's people.

He died today, and tomorrow's person might be a 'new him' or 'someone else'.

But no matter who it is, as long as the world changes, everything 'they' do is meaningful.

Just like those heroic predecessors, not everyone is remembered by name and past. Does that mean their heroic sacrifices have lost their meaning?

No, absolutely not!
In Zhang Biao's view, unsung heroes are just as great as famous heroes.

If you worry about your greatness not being remembered after you die, then your original intention to change the world is gone.

However, upon returning from this time travel, Zhang Biao discovered something unusual.

Not only did he not wear the robes of a seventh-rank imperial censor, he even left his mark on this world.

Could it be... that I've gained a new ability?

This situation has occurred in previous time travels.

For example, the ability to carry 50kg of items was a new ability that Zhang Biao gained after acquiring the ability to travel through time.

Thinking of this, Zhang Biao frowned slightly, then got off the bed, walked to the blurry bronze mirror, and looked at himself in the mirror.

His physical features remained unchanged, except that he was not wearing clothes.

"What kind of bullshit new ability is this? Starting naked?!"

Zhang Biao looked utterly dejected.

Just then, a cool breeze blew in from the window, and he shivered. He rubbed his arms and hurriedly rummaged through the drawers and cabinets in the room.

After a while, he finally found an old piece of clothing with patches and a musty smell, and made do with it.

Then, following the familiar procedure, I pushed open the door and met Shen Lang.

“Imperial Censor Zhang…”

"Thank you, thank you! Good morning, Brother Shen! Yes, today is another good day to offer advice!"

Before the other person could finish speaking, Zhang Biao knew what they were going to say, so he skillfully chimed in.

However, what responded to him was not the 'dissuasion' that Shen Lang was familiar with, or the rumor that 'someone was killed by Old Zhu'.

"Zhang Biao! What's wrong with you?! Who told you to put on clothes?! Go back and take them off right now!"

Zhang Biao was suddenly taken aback, and then looked in the direction of the sound.

What came into view were two Imperial Guards standing at the entrance of his official residence, one of whom was shouting at him fiercely.

【Wait, what's going on now?!】

Where's Shen Lang? Where's my permanent NPC? Why have they been replaced by two guards?!

[And what's with taking off clothes? Who's so perverted as to not let people wear clothes?!]

Just as Zhang Biao was looking bewildered and at a loss, another member of the Imperial Guard spoke up:

"Imperial Censor Zhang, please stop making things difficult for us brothers. We've been guarding you for almost two months now, please stop causing trouble, okay?"

"????"

Zhang Biao was full of question marks, seemingly even more bewildered than before.

The Imperial Guard who had just reprimanded him impatiently rushed forward, ripped off his clothes, and angrily said:

"You committed such a serious crime and you're still alive? You're incredibly lucky to be alive. You should be content!"

After saying that, he picked up the clothes he had torn off, turned around and went back to the door, leaving Zhang Biao alone in the wind and rain, disheveled.

……

Before long, Zhang Biao returned to the dilapidated room, shivering from the cold, but his brain was practically burning out.

[The Imperial Guard just said, "I've committed such a grave crime; it's a miracle I'm still alive."]

Another member of the Imperial Guard said they had been guarding me for almost two months.

In other words, they know me, Zhang Biao, and in their minds, I'm a prisoner who committed a serious crime, survived by sheer luck, and is now being held captive?

"Is this my new identity... or... something else?" Zhang Biao couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

In his 'previous life,' after being executed by order of Emperor Zhu, he traveled back to the modern era and took a two-month leave.

After being pardoned by Zhu De, he was confined naked for two months.

Is this really such a coincidence?

Just as Zhang Biao was puzzled, another unfamiliar voice came from outside the door:

“Imperial Censor Zhang, the Emperor has decreed that you have been released from confinement and reinstated to your original position. Your official robes are right outside your door.”

"Furthermore, the Emperor also said that without his decree, you are still not allowed to attend court, and you should not seek death again, otherwise he will make you wish you were dead."

As soon as the words were spoken, a series of 'patter, patter' sounds of footsteps on mud came from outside the door, followed by a 'bang' as the door slammed shut.

"Old Zhu's decree? I've been released from my ban? And reinstated to my original position?"

Zhang Biao was stunned for a moment, then, holding his body which was turning purple from the cold, he carefully opened the door and immediately saw the familiar, faded seventh-rank imperial censor's robe.

[Damn it! Shouldn't he be reinstated as Left Vice Censor-in-Chief? How come he's still just a seventh-rank censor?!]

Zhang Biao rolled his eyes, but still quickly picked up the official robe and put it on, immediately feeling a bit of warmth.

However, an even greater question arose in my mind.

They say I've committed a serious crime. What serious crime?

Moreover, judging from their expressions, they seemed somewhat wary of me.

This familiar feeling... it's kind of like my 'past life'.

Thinking about this problem, Zhang Biao felt he needed to go outside and take a look.

After all, seeing is believing and hearing is believing.

Before long, he arrived on the streets of Yingtian Prefecture.

Perhaps because it was still raining, the sky was overcast, like early morning.

But everything around was still so familiar; the buildings remained unchanged, pedestrians hurried by, and the cries of vendors filled the air.

When Zhang Biao arrived at the entrance of the Censorate, the passing censor was taken aback when he saw him. Then, an extremely complex expression appeared on his face, showing surprise, awe, and even a hint of barely perceptible fear.

They didn't greet him casually as they would a colleague; instead, they turned slightly to the side, seemingly trying to avoid his gaze.

"Imperial Censor Wang?"

Zhang Biao tried calling out to a familiar-looking 'colleague'.

The Imperial Censor Wang froze, turned around, and forced a smile that was more like a grimace:
"Lord Zhang... Lord Zhang? What brings you to the yamen today?"

His tone was polite to the point of being distant, as if Zhang Biao were some kind of monster.

Zhang Biao frowned: "Shouldn't I have come? Where is Shen Lang?"

"Shen... Imperial Censor Shen?"

Censor Wang's eyes flickered: "He has been sent by the Emperor to Shaanxi as an Inspector General. Lord Zhang, I have official business to attend to and must take my leave!"

After saying that, he practically fled in panic.

Something's not right! Something's really not right!

Even they remember me, and are even afraid of me!

Isn't this me from my 'past life'?

The more Zhang Biao thought about it, the more his scalp tingled.

But he was still unsure whether his speculation was correct.

So, after leaving the Censorate, he began to wander aimlessly in Yingtian Prefecture, listening intently for any possible information.

Inside the teahouse, several scholars dressed in Confucian robes were engaged in a heated debate.

"The principle of 'dismissing all other schools of thought and exclusively honoring Confucianism' is an unchanging truth that has stood for thousands of years! It cannot be questioned!"

“Brother, you are mistaken! While ‘abolishing Confucianism’ may be a wild statement, the ideas that ‘empty talk of Neo-Confucianism harms the country’ and ‘practical matters should be prioritized’ are not entirely without merit upon closer examination…”

"Shh! Be careful what you say! This is a taboo subject, don't discuss it further! I heard the palace is furious about this and has punished many people..."

Zhang Biao paused in his steps.

To abolish Confucianism?

Are they talking about this?
Does this mean I succeeded in my 'past life'? I planted the seed of 'abolishing Confucianism,' and it's still taking root and sprouting?
Thinking of this, Zhang Biao couldn't help but feel gratified.

Immediately afterwards, he walked to the entrance of the Ministry of Justice and saw a convoy of prison vans being escorted out. He vaguely recognized the people inside as some of Fu Youwen's former lackeys, who now looked ashen-faced.

People around were whispering among themselves:
"Another batch has been arrested..."

"I heard they're all following those parasites like Fu Youwen and Ru Chang, harming the people!"

"Serves him right! It's all thanks to Censor Zhang!"

"Yes! On the day he was beheaded, the sky suddenly showed signs of snow falling in June, and even the emperor issued an edict of self-reproach!"

"I have the will to kill the traitors, but lack the power to save the nation; I laugh as I brandish my sword towards the heavens, my loyalty unwavering, whether I live or die! May Lord Zhang rest in peace!"

Zhang Biao was deeply shaken upon hearing this.

Old Zhu actually issued an "Edict of Self-Reproach"?!

It seems my desperate plea in my 'past life' was worth it.

Zhang Biao thought to himself with amusement.

However, he was even more puzzled.

"Lord Zhang, Imperial Censor Zhang, are they talking about me?"

But I clearly remember that the weather was fine when I was executed! Where did this 'snow in June' omen come from?

Did something happen after I died that I was unaware of?

With these questions in mind, Zhang Biao decided to find a low-ranking official in Beijing whom he knew well and who had once 'demanded back pay' with him. He invited the official for drinks and subtly probed the matter.

After a few drinks, the low-ranking official in Beijing was also slurring his words. He patted Zhang Biao on the shoulder and spoke earnestly:
"Brother Zhang... Brother Zhang! I admire you! I truly admire you!"

"Back then, you were so powerful in front of the Fengtian Hall, scolding the nobles and interrogating the Six Ministries. You gave those Dukes like Li Jinglong and Guo Ying quite a hard time!"

"Although you later uttered such shocking words that angered the Emperor... I know, brother, you'll be alright!"

"Look at this, not only did you walk through the gates of hell, but you were also released by the Emperor. It's all thanks to that thing you wrote before your execution!"

Zhang Biao nearly dropped his wine glass.

When he heard the other party mention his writings, the first thing that came to his mind was "Memorial on Public Security"!
"Wait a minute, brother, my mind's a bit muddled. You mean, I submitted what I wrote to the Emperor, and therefore I was pardoned?!"

"That's right! Commander Jiang stopped Scholar Liu from carrying out the execution, presented what you wrote to the Emperor, and then the Emperor decreed that the death penalty be commuted to imprisonment while naked! You've had too much to drink, haven't you? Hehe."

Boom!

Zhang Biao was struck dumb upon hearing this.

An absurd yet astonishing conjecture took shape in his mind:
[This means that my 'past life' ending was changed!]

Moreover, I did indeed gain new abilities!

I can continue all the relationships from my 'past life'. Like a relay race, what wasn't finished in my 'past life' can be completed in my 'next life'.

The difference from before is that this time, I was resurrected after dying, and now I've returned after being unsealed.

In other words, the people of the Ming Dynasty remember everything except that I had ever died.

[Furthermore, and most importantly, I truly changed this unreasonable world!]

"Hahaha--!"

Having figured this out, Zhang Biao couldn't help but burst into laughter at the dinner table, leaving the low-ranking Beijing official bewildered and himself almost in tears.

"Good, good! Madman Zhang Biao is back!"

He suddenly stood up, downed the remaining wine in his glass in one gulp, his eyes gleaming with a more frenzied and excited light than ever before.

You remember everything, right?

[I haven't even received my 'salary' yet, and that good-for-nothing Zhu Yunwen isn't finished yet. You need hundreds of millions in assets to get into a modern high-end club.]

[The mastermind who used me and my brothers as pawns in our 'past life' wants to kill us to silence us? Your Grandpa Zhang is back to collect his debt!]

This time, I'm going to go all out! I'll make you guys have a blast!

[Zhu Chongba, I told you! We'll meet again!!]

He tossed down the money for the drinks and strode out of the tavern.

His silhouette against the gray sky of Yingtian Prefecture resembled a rusty yet sharper demonic blade, drawn anew from its sheath.

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(End of this chapter)