Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 224 Even if the sky falls, I will hold it up!

Night is deep.

The back hall of the Songjiang Prefectural Government was brightly lit, yet so quiet that one could hear the faint crackling sound of the burning lamp wicks.

The thunderous shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" still echoed in my ears during the day, and the eerie smell of lime mixed with blood emanating from the "Tomb of the Traitor" at the city gate seemed to penetrate through the layers of courtyard walls, lingering at the tip of my nose, reminding me of the brutal reshuffling that had just taken place here.

Zhu Youjian did not rest.

The emperor's desk was piled high with secret reports that Tian Ergeng had just presented, concerning the movements of the gentry throughout Jiangnan.

He watched with extreme concentration, holding a pen in one hand, occasionally writing down a few names on the paper and drawing circles, as if sketching a chessboard that no one could understand.

"call……"

The candle flame flickered slightly; it was Wei Zhongxian replacing the candle that was about to burn out.

The once all-powerful official, who commanded the respect of all his ministers and could even stop children from crying at night, now stood impeccably by his side.

He bowed low, his eyes narrowed, and whether he was adding tea, grinding ink, or organizing documents, every movement was as precise as a cat without a shadow.

However, beneath this overly cautious and humble demeanor lay a subtle hint of dejection.

Zhu Youjian did not look away from the case file, but said indifferently, "Zhongxian, the tea is cold."

Wei Zhongxian trembled almost imperceptibly, and immediately bowed, saying, "This old servant deserves to die. I will change Your Majesty's clothes for a warmer one right away."

He picked up the teacup, retreated lightly, and quickly returned with freshly brewed hot tea. The whole process was smooth and seamless.

But when he gently placed the teacup on the corner of the imperial desk, Zhu Youjian put down the wolf-hair brush in his hand and looked up at him.

That gaze, calm and undisturbed, seemed to pierce through one's heart.

"Zhongxian".

"This old servant is here." Wei Zhongxian lowered his head even further.

"sit."

Zhu Youjian pointed to the embroidered stool next to him.

Wei Zhongxian's body stiffened abruptly, and he said in a panic, "There is no seat for a subject before the emperor. Where is there a seat for this old servant before the emperor? This old servant will feel at ease standing and serving."

"I say, sit down." Zhu Youjian's tone was not more forceful, but the will it contained was unquestionable. "There is no need for such formalities in front of me. If you have something on your mind, standing here is tiring for me to watch."

These words were like a warm current, yet also like a sharp awl, instantly piercing through Wei Zhongxian's psychological defenses.

He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately dared not disobey. He did as he was told and leaned halfway up the embroidered stool, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"Speak," Zhu Youjian said, picking up his teacup and gently blowing away the foam. "From Qufu to Songjiang, your soul has been restless. What have you been thinking about?"

Wei Zhongxian's heart began to pound.

He never imagined that his little schemes would be so obvious to the emperor.

He had spent his life trying to understand the emperor's intentions and read his expressions, considering himself the best at it. But in front of this young emperor, he felt like a child just entering the palace, and all his pretense seemed so ridiculous.

The emperor's sincerity gave him a sliver of courage to speak; the doubts and disappointments of the past few days had been stuck in his throat, and he had to get them out.

He rose from his seat and knelt down again, this time from the bottom of his heart.

"Your Majesty... This old servant has a question. Please forgive this old servant for overstepping his bounds."

"You are innocent, speak."

Wei Zhongxian took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, this old servant knows that his sins are grave and his reputation is infamous. In the mouths of scholars, he is a traitor to the country that everyone wants to kill; in the annals of history, he is destined to be a eunuch dog who will be infamous for ten thousand years... This old servant... This old servant's reputation is already rotten to the core, and he doesn't care about bearing a little more infamy."

He raised his head, his cloudy eyes filled with incomprehension and genuine bewilderment.

"Why?"

"Why does Your Majesty not allow this old servant to bear the infamy of the bloodshed in Qufu and the slaughter in Songjiang?"

"Whether it's executing the Duke Yansheng with a cane or building this 'Tomb of the Traitor,' these are dirty and heinous deeds that offend all the scholars in the world and are destined to be condemned for thousands of years. Why doesn't Your Majesty entrust these tasks to this old servant? It would be perfectly reasonable for this old servant to do them, and no one would find it surprising. And Your Majesty can continue to maintain your reputation as a sage and benevolent ruler and appease the hearts of the people..."

"With this old servant as your most useful, dirty knife, why does Your Majesty... choose to stain your own hands with blood and take on this eternal infamy upon yourself?"

He had been holding these words in for a long time.

From Shandong to Songjiang, he witnessed firsthand how the emperor used ruthless and direct methods to uproot powerful clans one after another.

The more decisive the emperor was, the more useless he felt.

His greatest value was simply to serve as the emperor's shady weapon and to take the blame for things he couldn't escape.
But the emperor never gave him that chance.

After hearing these heartfelt words, Zhu Youjian was not angry; instead, he smiled.

There was no mockery or disdain in that smile, only the understanding and clarity of an elder looking at a stubborn junior.

He stood up, walked over to Wei Zhongxian, and personally helped him up.

This gesture flattered Wei Zhongxian so much that he almost knelt down again.

"I know what you mean." Zhu Youjian stood with his hands behind his back, walked to the window, and looked at the deep night outside. "You want to ask why I, as a successor emperor, have outwardly appeared benevolent while inwardly manipulating power?" Wei Zhongxian dared not answer, but his expression said it all.

“Because…” Zhu Youjian’s voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet night, “I am not one to be hidden from others.”

He turned around, his gaze fixed intently on Wei Zhongxian: "I want everyone who follows me, whether it's you, Wei Zhongxian, Tian Ergeng, or anyone else, to clearly see what their emperor is doing!"

"What I am about to do is unprecedented, and it is an act of fighting against the accumulated ills of the world! This path is full of thorns and abysses. If I myself shrink back and hide behind my ministers to reap the rewards, while you bear all the risks and infamy, who will be willing to die for me? How can the hearts of the people be calculated in this way?"

"I have shed blood with my own hands, and I have taken full responsibility, so that the world may know, and all those who follow me may know—my will is unshakeable! My blade will both pave the way for you and cover your retreat! If the sky falls, I will hold it up!"

"This is the way of ruler and subject that I want to establish!"

His words, each one like a resounding bell, struck Wei Zhongxian's heart with tremendous force.

Wei Zhongxian was stunned.

His life was filled with deceit and intrigue, he was mired in the mire of power, and he was accustomed to betrayal, scheming, and hypocrisy.

The Tianqi Emperor, whom he served, listened to him obediently, but never before had he shown such openness and shared hardships with him.

Wei Zhongxian's mind flashed through all the events since Zhu Youjian ascended the throne.

The emperor said that as long as he served loyally, he would be guaranteed a peaceful end.

At one time, he was skeptical of this, thinking it was just a common trick used by emperors to control their powerful ministers.

But now, Wei Zhongxian believed it.

An emperor who dares to bear the infamy of a thousand years and disdains to make his subjects scapegoats—how valuable are his promises!
This genuine and reliable nature, free from hypocrisy and scheming, allowed this old eunuch, who had spent most of his life walking in the shadows, to experience something called trust for the first time.

Moreover, all the decisions the emperor made along the way.

From purging the imperial court to launching a surprise attack on Qufu, and then sweeping through Songjiang.

Every time, it seems like walking a tightrope, taking a risky gamble, and being shocking.

Although the emperor would ask for their opinions, he always made the final decision alone, never fearing to take responsibility, never hesitating, and never shirking his duties.

What's even more terrifying is that, so far, every single step he's taken has been the right one!

Every step was taken at the most crucial juncture, and every step yielded results beyond imagination.

Thinking of this, Wei Zhongxian's sense of loss and uselessness turned into a deep sense of shame.

I am ashamed that I had previously tried to use political maneuvering to try and understand this powerful ruler.

He felt ashamed for not being able to keep up with the emperor's pace, and even for his limited usefulness.

With this thought in mind, Wei Zhongxian bowed deeply once again, this time with a voice filled with sincere reverence and longing.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty's magnanimity and sense of responsibility are far beyond what an old servant like me could ever imagine. This old servant... knows his mistake."

He paused, raised his head, and asked with a hint of expectation in his eyes, "But Your Majesty, now Commander Tian's Embroidered Uniform Guard is as easy to command as an extension of his own arm, and his henchmen are everywhere in the land; Your Majesty is also divinely appointed and has absolute authority... then... how can this old servant share Your Majesty's burdens and solve your problems in the future?"

This is no longer a matter of taking credit.

Wei Zhongxian feared that he would truly become a discarded and useless son.

Upon hearing this question, Zhu Youjian's smile vanished.

He did not answer immediately.

The room fell silent again, with only the candlelight flickering gently, casting the two figures on the wall in a way that was sometimes clear and sometimes blurry.

Zhu Youjian turned around, walked back to the imperial desk, and sat down again.

His deep eyes were fixed on Wei Zhongxian, who was kneeling on the ground.

That gaze seemed to pierce through his hunched body and see into the deepest part of his soul.

A long time, a long time.

Wei Zhongxian was sweating profusely, his heart pounding with anxiety, wondering if he had asked the wrong question.

Zhu Youjian finally let out a long breath, breaking the suffocating silence.

His voice was deep and solemn, carrying an unprecedented seriousness.

"Zhongxian".

"I do have something of paramount importance to discuss."

“This is something that Tian Ergeng cannot do, and neither can Yang Sichang and Hou Xun.”

"Looking across the world, after much thought..."

Zhu Youjian spoke slowly and deliberately, each word like a heavy stone, striking Wei Zhongxian's heart.