My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's smile disappear, the group felt a sense of foreboding.

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze swept across the area below.

"Do you think that by giving us so many names, we'll realize the labeling is wrong, that you're loyal ministers, and that we'll completely suppress the 'Academy of Sciences' according to your wishes, or even... go and 'admonish' or reprimand our crown prince?"

"We... dare not..."

Several people bowed their heads.

"Don't dare? We see you'd be more than brave!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice suddenly rose, like a muffled thunderclap in the hall.

"I appointed the Crown Prince to oversee the state so that he could learn how to handle political affairs! Disagreements are common in court! If you object, present your reasoning and explain the pros and cons—that's perfectly fine! Even if the argument escalates, it's all for the public good!"

"But what are you doing now?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his hand on the imperial desk, making the teacups vibrate loudly.

"They've been secretly conspiring, fabricating lists, and coming to us, trying to use the pretext of 'public opinion' and 'public anger' to put pressure on the Crown Prince and on us! Are they trying to force us to abdicate?! Huh?!"

"In the thirteenth year of the Hongwu reign, we abolished the Secretariat. Why?"

"I hate factionalism and cronyism, and I hate it when subordinates band together to deceive the emperor and manipulate the government!"

"It seems that only a few years have passed, and some people have already forgotten the pain of their past mistakes and are starting this same old tricks again!"

"The Crown Prince proposed a new idea that touched upon your old-fashioned notions of 'hierarchical order,' and you all rushed to band together, trying to nip this idea in the bud!"

"You're even making a list? What, are you trying to show us your numbers and make us think twice before taking action against you?"

"Or are you planning to wait until we're gone, then use this 'public opinion' to manipulate the new ruler?!"

Upon hearing this, the men turned pale, trembled like leaves, and knelt down on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! We would never have dared to harbor such thoughts! We were merely... merely reporting the truth!"

"Report the facts?"

Zhu Yuanzhang gave a cold laugh.

"Of the names you've submitted, how many truly argued their case forcefully in court? How many are those you've secretly colluded with, those you believe to be like-minded? And how many are relatives, fellow townsmen, or even those who took the imperial examinations with you, hoping to use this matter to demonstrate their loyalty to you? Hmm?!"

He stood up, his tall figure casting a huge shadow in the candlelight, enveloping the ministers below who were slumped like mud.

"This list is excellent. Thank you for marking out who in the court is only concerned with their own interests, who can't stand anything new, and who is always trying to band together to oppose the Emperor's decrees... You've marked them all for us!"

"Mao Xiang!"

Zhu Yuanzhang shouted in a deep voice.

"Your subject is here!"

From the shadows, Mao Xiang emerged as if from nowhere, like a ghost.

Zhu Yuanzhang threw away the piece of paper he had just written down.

"Just take them!"

When the officials heard "arrest them directly," they were terrified and cried out in anguish that they were innocent.

"Your Majesty! We are innocent! Our conscience is clear as day!"

"Yes!!! We are innocent!!!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at one of the officials who was crying foul, his eyes fixed on him as if he were looking at a clown.

"Injustice? Li Bin, tell me, where is your injustice?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was not loud, but it carried a mocking tone of complete control.

"Is it because you were not seen when you secretly met with the salt merchant in your home on the seventh day of last month and accepted the five thousand taels of 'writing fee'?"

Li Bin's pupils suddenly contracted.

Li Bin: ? ? ?

How did Your Majesty know?

"Or is it that you, during your leave of absence earlier this month, secretly conspired with your student, the current Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of Zhejiang, to use the pretext of land surveying to cover up the 800 mu of paddy fields you had illegally occupied in your hometown?"

Li Bin: ? ? ? ? ? ? ! !

In an instant, all the color drained from his face, his lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word. Only boundless fear spread from the depths of his pupils.

Your Majesty... How did you know?!

That secret room was a private residence he had carefully chosen, where no third party was present!

The conversation was conducted in a private room after everyone else had been dismissed!

How did he know all this so clearly?

Are you kidding me?

Zhu Yuanzhang stopped looking at him and turned his gaze to another minister who was crying out for justice.

The minister was not flustered by the exposure of Li Bin's affair; instead, he was disdainful of him.

If you're not careful in what you do, who can you blame if you get caught?

To engage in underhanded tactics under this person's wing, one must be extremely cautious!

Unlike myself...

It's absolutely impossible that I did it so secretly...

"Minister Fu, I seem to recall that this was a gift from your protégé, the judge of the Liaodong Regional Military Commission, a few days ago? Was it for his good-for-nothing son's job application in the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Department?"

His pupils also contracted, shrinking even smaller than Li Bin's.

Wait a moment???

How did Your Majesty know?

Old Zhu chuckled, his tone growing increasingly cold.

"Besides that, the hidden cellar under the rockery in the back garden of your three-courtyard house is well-maintained. The boxes of old ginseng from Liaodong, the celadon from Goryeo, and... oh, those paintings and calligraphy from the previous dynasty are also quite well preserved."

Upon hearing this, the man was struck dumb, his whole body trembled, and he suddenly looked up at Zhu Yuanzhang, his eyes filled with disbelief and despair as if he had seen a ghost.

The hidden cellar was his biggest secret; even his wife didn't fully know what was inside!

His Majesty knows exactly what's inside, who sent it, and why?!

Are you kidding me?

You're the emperor, not a god!

Even his wife doesn't know, how do you?

Are you closer to him than his wife?

"And you,"

Zhu Yuanzhang ignored him and shifted his gaze to another Ministry of War official who had been speaking eloquently.

"Minister Wang, do you really think your brother-in-law's affair at the Ordnance Bureau was flawless? The wrought iron mixed with sand, the rotten wood painted with varnish, the accounts of using inferior materials… do you want me to read them to you?"

"Tsk tsk... You dare to touch military equipment! You've got some nerve!!!"

Wang Shilang's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground, his crotch quickly becoming soaked, as he had lost control of his bladder in fright.

Zhu Yuanzhang then casually revealed the secrets of his ministers one by one.

Time, place, people, amount, details...

Some of the most trivial dealings, which they themselves had almost forgotten, were brought up by Zhu Yuanzhang as if they were his own treasures.

Everyone who hears this will be dumbfounded on the spot.

How the hell did he know so much?

Just like seeing it live?

Are you kidding me?

"Do you still feel wronged now?"

After asking the last question, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the people below and chuckled.

No one dared to answer.

"It seems I wasn't wronged."

Zhu Yuanzhang answered his own question and nodded.

"Mao Xiang, take down all those who were just called out, and those on the ground. Verify and collect evidence against them one by one as we instructed, and then punish them severely according to the Great Ming Code."

"Those who should have their property confiscated should have it confiscated, those who should be exiled should be exiled, and those who should be beheaded... there's no need to wait until autumn."

"As for the others on the list, but we didn't have time to go into detail earlier..."

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze swept over the paper covered with names.

"I'll give you three days to deal with them all at once."

"Those who merely parrot others' opinions without any concrete evidence... shall be dismissed from their posts and placed under observation in the capital, to be seen how they will behave."

"My lord, I obey your order!"

Mao Xiang's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"Drag it down."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand.

The Imperial Guards rushed in and dragged the ministers out.

The hall quickly returned to its empty and silent state, with only a faint smell of urine and an atmosphere of despair lingering in the air.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat alone behind his desk, gazing into the distance.

"Biao'er,"

"You do the work, Dad will handle the rest!!!"

He was talking to himself.

"The court should be much quieter for a while."

"At least, no one will dare to openly band together against you anymore."

"but,"

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze deepened.

"The stones have been moved, but the road is still under your feet."

"Can you truly forge a stronger and more prosperous Ming Dynasty using this path?"

Old Zhu sighed as he thought about the weapons he had bought.

I had only seen it on TV before, and no matter how impressive Chen Xiaozi's claims were, I had never experienced it firsthand.

But now... after going to the North and seeing so many things, Old Zhu has come to understand one thing.

"Science and technology revitalize the nation... I hope that your lamp will not only burn away these rotten pieces of wood, but also truly illuminate the future and unite people's hearts."

Old Zhu remained silent for a long time, then his gaze hardened once more.

"Someone, summon all the military officers in the capital! We have some good stuff to show them!!!"