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

Chapter 268 I decree that the sound of this bell shall begin in Nanjing and resound throughout the two capitals and thirteen provinces.

Midnight, in the Vairocana Palace.

The once magnificent and incense-filled Buddhist holy site has now been transformed into a sinister demon realm.

The palace doors swung open like the gaping throat of a giant beast, continuously drawing in the thick, pungent stench of blood from the plaza in front of the palace, which mingled with the remaining sandalwood incense to create a nauseating smell.

Moonlight streamed through the high window, casting dappled shadows on the ground and illuminating the blood-red dust suspended in the air.

Zhu Youjian stood beneath this Buddha statue.

He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the city of Jinling shrouded in the blood moon outside the palace gates. His figure appeared solitary yet powerful in the shadow of the enormous Buddha statue.

Li Ruolian, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Zhou Quan, the commander of the Imperial Guards, entered the main hall one after the other.

Their black boots clattered on the smooth yet slippery floor, their footsteps sounding exceptionally clear in the empty hall.

Both of them were people who had seen life and death and whose hearts were as hard as stone.

However, looking at the bizarre scene of the king's back and the blood-stained giant Buddha, a chill rose from his spine and pierced his bones.

Li Ruolian stepped forward first, stopping three steps away, bowed, and earnestly reported:
"Your Majesty, the palace is filled with foul odors, and the ghosts outside are restless. The resentful aura is stagnant, which may harm Your Majesty's health and auspiciousness. This is not a place for Your Majesty to linger. Your health is of utmost importance. We humbly request Your Majesty to move to the temporary palace. We will do our utmost to handle the remaining cleanup matters for Your Majesty."

Zhou Quan was more direct. He lowered his voice and spoke from a safety perspective: "Your Majesty, the temple's halls and pavilions are situated in a complex terrain. Although a thorough search has been conducted, it is impossible to guarantee complete safety. There may be fugitives hiding in the shadows. Moreover, it is the height of summer, and with hundreds of corpses in front of the halls, there is a risk of disease spreading overnight. For the sake of complete safety, I urge Your Majesty to descend the mountain first."

Their advice was reasonable, well-founded, and heartfelt.

However, the emperor remained unmoved and did not even turn around.

He chuckled softly instead.

The laughter echoed beneath the dome of the main hall, sounding both unusually empty and jarring.

Zhu Youjian slowly turned around and walked to the threshold of the palace.

He gently parted the face of a monk's corpse outside the threshold with the toes of his blood-stained soap boots.

The face was contorted with extreme fear before death, the eyes wide open, staring intently at the silent Buddha statue in the hall.

"spirits?"

Zhu Youjian looked at that face, as if he were talking to himself, or as if he were questioning the world.

"If there truly are countless gods and Buddhas, how could they tolerate such a filthy place enjoying the offerings of incense for hundreds of years? If there are, they are the greatest accomplices to this evil!"

The emperor's voice wasn't loud, but it struck Li Ruolian and Zhou Quan's hearts clearly.

"If there truly are vengeful spirits seeking revenge..."

Zhu Youjian slowly straightened up and took the Emperor's Sword, a symbol of supreme imperial power, from Zhou Quan's hand.

The sword reflected an eerie red light under the blood moon outside the hall.

"I want to see whether its resentment is stronger, or whether my sword is sharper!"

After saying this, he took out a snow-white silk handkerchief from his bosom and, under the moonlight, meticulously and attentively wiped the blade of the sword.

The movement was so elegant that it was as if he were not wiping a killing weapon, but appreciating a priceless treasure. The composure that ran deep in his bones made Li Ruolian and Zhou Quan involuntarily lower their eyes.

After wiping the sword clean, the emperor returned it to its sheath and made his final decision.

"I will sleep in this Vairocana Palace tonight."

"By my decree, light bonfires and illuminate this square as brightly as day. I want to rest my head on their bones, listen to their wails, and see how the dawn of this so-called Buddhist Pure Land differs from that of other places."

After these words were spoken, no one dared to offer any further advice.

"According to the order!"

Zhou Quan and Li Ruolian dared not hesitate any longer and immediately mobilized the Imperial Guards and the Embroidered Uniform Guards to set up an impenetrable defensive perimeter, centered on the Vairocana Hall.

Squads of soldiers washed the floor of the palace with clean water to dispel the stench of blood, and then repeatedly fumigated it with mugwort and realgar for disinfection.

The brand-new royal bedding was quickly laid out on the bed in the cleanest meditation room in the inner palace.

Zhu Youjian, surrounded by mountains of corpses and seas of blood, fell into a deep sleep amidst the crackling of the bonfire burning in the square and the faint smell of blood in the air.

One night, dreamless.

This was the sweetest and most peaceful sleep he had had since leaving Beijing and heading south.

……

Mao Shi.

When the distant chimes of the clock towering over Nanjing pierced the darkness before dawn for the first time, Zhu Youjian rose promptly.

He was refreshed and his eyes were bright, showing no signs of fatigue from staying up all night.

Outside the window, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

The bonfire in the square had not yet gone out, and its glow, intertwined with the faint light of dawn, illuminated the bloodstains that had congealed into a dark brown color, as well as rows of corpses covered with white sheets; the scene remained horrifying.

Zhu Youjian, however, acted as if he were in the Qianqing Palace of the Forbidden City, calmly washing up and changing his clothes.

After changing his clothes, Zhu Youjian stood with his hands behind his back in front of the Vairocana Palace, watching the morning light gradually dispel the darkness, illuminating the hellish scene beneath his feet more and more clearly.

A new day has begun.

And so his purge officially began.

The emperor's voice rang out in the cool morning air, clear, cold, and intricately linked.

"Zuo Liangyu".

"Your subject is here." Zuo Liangyu, who hadn't slept all night and whose eyes were bloodshot, immediately stepped forward.

"By my decree, I order your clerks to join forces with officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to immediately conduct a thorough investigation of Jiming Temple! From the gold and silver in the Buddhist treasury to the money and grain stored in the storehouse; from the land deeds belonging to the temple to the utensils in the monks' quarters, down to every tile, every inch of land, every needle and thread, everything must be inventoried, registered, and sealed away for me! Anyone who dares to conceal or hide even a single item will be executed along with the rebellious monk from last night!"

"Li Ruolian".

"Your subject is here," Li Ruolian replied with a bow.

"I hereby issue another imperial edict: Draft an edict immediately and issue it to the whole country, informing the two capitals and thirteen provinces! Starting today, beginning in Nanjing, purge all Buddhist and Taoist temples throughout the land! Within the territory of the Great Ming, any temple or monastery found guilty of one of the following five crimes—encroaching on farmland, concealing taxes, harboring traitors, causing death, or engaging in licentious acts among the people—if verified, the head monk or Taoist priest in charge shall be executed on the spot without pardon! All temple property, gold, and silver shall be confiscated and turned over to the national treasury!"

Upon hearing this order, all the officials present turned pale!

The emperor's goal was not merely Jiming Temple, but even more than the entire Jiangnan region.

This is to thoroughly eradicate the Buddhist and Taoist traditions that have been passed down for thousands of years, from north to south and from east to west, leaving no stone unturned!
“But…” Just as everyone was shaken to their core, Zhu Youjian changed the subject, his voice carrying a hint of inscrutable meaning.

"Issue an imperial edict granting me a conditional pardon."

"Those officials, gentry, and landlords who have cooperated with the court in implementing national policies such as 'land surveying' and 'officials and gentry paying taxes together,' and who have voluntarily returned land and paid back taxes, and who, in this investigation, voluntarily surrender to the imperial court, present evidence of their collusion with temples, make up for all their losses, and sincerely repent... I will consider that they still have a heart to serve the country and will grant them leniency."

Zuo Liangyu and Li Ruolian instantly understood the Emperor's intention. They exchanged a glance and then stepped forward together.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Zuo Liangyu's voice boomed like a bell. He clasped his hands and said in a deep voice, "I will carry out this order to the end, investigate thoroughly, and never let a single villain go unpunished, nor will I wrong a single person who is dedicated to serving the country!"

Li Ruolian bowed deeply, his tone resolute: "Your Majesty, rest assured. This matter involves a wide range of issues and requires swift and decisive action. We will ensure that this case is handled thoroughly and cleanly, so that the whole world can see clearly who the pillars of the nation are and who the parasites are!"

……

As the dawn bell rang, the gates of Nanjing, which had been sealed off overnight, slowly opened.

However, the expected surge of people did not materialize.

The people leaving the city and the early-rising merchants were horrified to find that the atmosphere inside the city was even more eerie and oppressive than when the city was under lockdown.

On the streets, squads of Beijing garrison soldiers were still patrolling.

All the temples and Taoist monasteries in Nanjing, regardless of size, were guarded by government troops. The gates were tightly closed, and wooden signs were hung high: "By imperial decree, all those who trespass will be put to death."

Countless people carrying incense baskets, who were preparing to offer incense in the morning, were driven away by the soldiers, and the entire city of Jinling fell into an eerie silence.

In the morning, all sorts of chilling news began to circulate wildly throughout the city through teahouses, taverns, and streets.

"Have you heard? Jiming Temple... is gone! Last night, it was filled with cries and screams that lasted all night!"

"It's more than just a big deal. My cousin's son works in the city defense camp. He said that the blood that rushed down from the mountain last night stained the area of ​​Xuanwu Lake near the foot of the mountain red!"

"It's true! The emperor himself did it! He killed hundreds of monks, and many officials who went to offer incense! The corpses are piled up like mountains!"

These rumors, some true and some false, all revolve around the same few words: "Emperor," "bloodbath," "temple," and "officials and gentry."

When these words are put together, they are nothing short of a death knell for the powerful and wealthy families in Nanjing.

Just as fear was still growing and spreading in the shadows of people's hearts, the imperial court finally struck with its thunderous force.

In the afternoon, a large number of Imperial Guards appeared on the main thoroughfares of the city. Under the terrified gaze of countless people, they posted imperial edicts, still wet with ink and bearing the imperial seal, in the most conspicuous places.

It was the "Edict to Purify Buddhism and Taoism" and the "Edict of Conditional Pardon".

Words written in black and white, sharp as knives.

It not only confirmed all the rumors, but also announced the official start of the investigation with undeniable ruthlessness!
The first tile fell from the collapsed building.

At the residence of Zhao Zhilong, the Earl of Xincheng.

This usually arrogant and domineering man, who considered "offering land to Buddha" as a refined pursuit, has been unable to eat or sit still since he was invited home by the Imperial Guards yesterday.

When the steward read the contents of the edict to him, especially the sentence "His chief monks and Taoist priests shall be executed without pardon," in a trembling voice like that of someone mourning a funeral, the well-preserved old nobleman let out a strange, incomprehensible sound, his eyes rolled back suddenly, and he suffered a stroke on the spot, his mouth and eyes became crooked, and he collapsed on the bed unconscious.

Immediately afterwards, panic spread like a plague.

At this moment, the desire to survive completely shattered the last vestiges of hope for all families that had been involved in "offering land to Buddha" or similar activities.

They knew better than anyone that the seemingly ambiguous "conditional pardon edict" was their only and last straw to grasp for survival.

Before 3 PM, what could be described as the most bizarre scene since the founding of the Ming Dynasty unfolded on the long street outside the Nanjing Imperial Palace.

A long queue stretched as far as the eye could see, standing there in deathly silence.

The group consisted of the most prominent officials, gentry, wealthy merchants, and nobles in Nanjing.

They no longer rode in sedan chairs, nor were they surrounded by servants.

The heads of each household, or their eldest sons and grandsons, personally or with the help of their strong servants, carried heavy, locked wooden chests step by step toward the imperial palace.

The boxes no longer contained rare treasures for smoothing things over, but irrefutable evidence that could cost their entire clan their lives—their own land deeds, land deeds, secret contracts signed with various temples, secret accounts of hidden taxes over the years, and boxes filled with real gold and silver to "make up for the deficit."

They humbly placed these boxes in front of the palace gate, where the clerks of the Embroidered Uniform Guard counted and cataloged them one by one.

Then, all the men in the family removed their official hats and brocade robes, and put on plain white linen clothes like prisoners, kneeling on the cold, dark street.

The sounds of wailing, kowtowing, and the muffled thud of foreheads hitting the ground mingled together.

Tears streaming down their faces, utterly disheveled, they surrendered themselves, hoping to exchange their family's centuries-old wealth and their now-vanished dignity for a chance to survive from that ruthless emperor.

Jinling, the capital of the Southern Dynasties, which had enjoyed comfort and extravagance, fell silent on this day, and the powerful and wealthy bowed down!

……

dusk.

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed Nanjing in a warm and tranquil halo, like melting gold.

The Qinhuai River still meanders like a jade belt, and the pavilions and terraces in the distance are still painted beams and flying eaves.

Zhu Youjian stood with his hands behind his back on the top floor of the Medicine Buddha Pagoda, the highest point of the temple, looking down from the railing.

Beneath his feet lay the blood and sins that had not yet been cleansed.

But in his eyes was the future of this city, and the future of the entire Ming Dynasty.

The evening breeze rustled the hem of his dark robe.

Li Ruolian and Zuo Liangyu appeared silently a few steps behind him. What they held in their hands were no longer ordinary files, but several secret ledgers wrapped in black cloth, which had been found in the deepest part of Liaofan's meditation room.

Zuo Liangyu stepped forward, presenting the account book, his voice trembling slightly with excitement:
"Your Majesty, this was found in the hidden compartment of the Buddhist shrine in Chan Monk Liaofan's room. It contains detailed records of all the 'land donations' between officials and nobles and Jiming Temple over the past ten years, as well as the breakdown of profits for every large sum of incense money. The people involved range from the ministers and vice ministers of the Six Ministries in Nanjing to the magistrates of local prefectures and counties, covering the entire provinces of Southern Zhili and Zhejiang!"

Li Ruolian then presented several other books, her expression growing increasingly solemn:
"Your Majesty, this batch is even more important. It contains the correspondence and accounts between Liao Fan and officials in the capital. It even includes the names of Grand Secretaries and the Directorate of Ceremonial."

This evidence alone is enough to turn the Ming Dynasty court upside down.

However, Zhu Youjian did not immediately take over these account books that could determine the life, death, honor, and disgrace of countless people.

He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at Nanjing under the setting sun, and said calmly:
"Li Ruolian, this is only the first chime."

The emperor's voice was calm, yet carried an air of authority, as if he were stating a predetermined future.

"I want this bell to ring out from Nanjing and resound throughout the two capitals and thirteen provinces."

(End of this chapter)