My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Zhu Yuanzhang also appeared to be insane.

Although he also killed meritorious officials, that was to pave the way for Zhu Yunwen later, and many of these officials were indeed inhuman.

They seized land, abducted women, and amassed wealth without restraint...

Wouldn't it be better to keep a capable and incorruptible official like Yu Qian?

Even if it's not reused now, it can be left for the next generation.

It would be such a waste to kill them!

But Zhu Qizhen is a good guy!

Kill them on the spot!!!

Such a useful minister is gone, and my reputation is ruined!

Zhu Yuanzhang grew angrier the more he thought about it, wishing he could grind his teeth to pieces.

"How could our Great Ming Dynasty produce such a beast!"

"He's ruined the reputation of our great Ming Dynasty!"

Chen Mo remained silent for a while.

"Actually, you can't say that the reputation of your Ming Dynasty was entirely ruined by him."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's face instantly turned ugly.

He looked at Chen Mo, his gaze as sharp as a knife.

"What do you mean by that?"

"From what you're saying, it sounds like there's more to come?"

Chen Mo nodded, pondered for a moment, and organized his thoughts before speaking.

"Not only do they exist, but they are practically overflowing with talented people."

"What?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di could naturally tell that Chen Mo was being sarcastic.

A wealth of talented individuals?

There's Zhu Qizhen, fine, but what about the others?

Thinking of this, Old Zhu glared fiercely at Zhu Di.

It's all that little rascal's fault!

What kind of monstrosities are these?!

Zhu Di shrank back, but was too embarrassed to refute.

After all, this was indeed the fault of his descendants.

He should take the blame!

Chen Mo gave a wry smile and started counting on his fingers.

"The fact that Zhu Qizhen killed meritorious officials and knocked on the door is indeed outrageous."

"However, when it comes to bizarre and performance art, the following individuals are just as impressive."

"For example, the Taoist emperor, Emperor Jiajing, Zhu Houcong."

Chen Mo looked at Zhu Di.

"This person was very diligent at first, but ever since he was almost strangled to death by several palace maids..."

"Why not just hide in the deep palace to refine elixirs and cultivate immortality, and not attend court for decades?"

Chen Mo recited the words with an air of smugness, mimicking the Jiajing Emperor from the TV series.

"Having cultivated a form resembling a crane, I sit beneath a thousand pines, carrying two volumes of scriptures. I come to inquire about the Way, but there is nothing more to say; the clouds are in the blue sky, and the water is in the bottle."

Zhu Yuanzhang: ...

Zhu Di: ...

Ah!

That feels really good!

But why am I getting angrier and angrier?

Chen Mo looked at the two of them and sighed.

"Because of this, almost all major court affairs were controlled by guessing memorials and powerful ministers like Yan Song."

"However, Jiajing was indeed intelligent. Even though he did not attend court for decades, he was still able to firmly control the government, manipulate a group of officials, and was a master of political intrigue. It was just that in the end, Hai Rui broke his defenses."

Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he started breathing heavily again.

He hasn't attended court for decades, and he's even practicing Taoism!

He felt it wasn't enough for him to attend court every day!

They wish they could give the officials two terms a day!

And then some people actually stopped attending court for decades?!

How could you dare to do that?

Such great talent, instead of using it to govern diligently and revitalize the Ming Dynasty, is it used for Taoist cultivation?!

If he were still alive, he would have made them taste what it meant to be taught a lesson by the Great Ancestor!

It's all that fourth brother's fault!

What bizarre things have been born!

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Di again, making Zhu Di look embarrassed.

"But speaking of him, there's something else, and it's related to you, Judy."

Chen Mo looked at Zhu Di.

Seeing the sympathetic look in Chen Mo's eyes, Zhu Di immediately felt a sense of unease and couldn't help but ask a question.

"What's wrong?"

"The Jiajing Emperor I just mentioned changed your temple name from 'Taizong' to 'Chengzu'."

Zhu Di: ? ? ?

Zhu Yuanzhang: ? ? ?

Zhu Biao: ? ? ?

"What?!"

Zhu Di suddenly jumped up from his chair, his dejection and dissatisfaction instantly replaced by extreme astonishment and unacceptable rage!

"Emperor Taizong?! That little bastard changed my name to Emperor Taizong?!"

"They even changed it to Emperor Chengzu?"

The temple name "Taizong" held extraordinary weight in Zhu Di's heart!

This means that he is the second-generation core of the lineage of his father Zhu Yuanzhang, and that his throne was legitimately and legally passed down from his father.

Although the process was somewhat tortuous, he at least inherited Zhu Yuanzhang's legacy.

This explains why he was so excited and serious when he met Li Shimin before.

Because he wanted to become Emperor Taizong of the Ming Dynasty, just like Li Shimin, the Emperor Taizong of Tang.

This is the point that he cared about most deep down and that he most hoped would be recognized by future generations—that he, Zhu Di, was the most orthodox successor and promoter of the great cause of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty!

It's a legitimate succession by right!

But now Chen Mo tells him that his posthumous title of Emperor Taizong has been changed to Emperor Chengzu.

Although the word "ancestor" sounds very respectful, such as "Taizu" or "Shizu," it often implies starting a new chapter or setting things afresh.

It generally refers to the founding emperor, such as Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and Zhao Kuangyin, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty.

Changing his title from Taizong to Chengzu is tantamount to making it clear that Zhu Di's empire was not inherited peacefully, but was rebuilt by himself!

Doesn't this blatantly tell others that Zhu Di seized the throne through treason?

"No?! What gives him the right?!"

Zhu Di was so angry that he trembled all over.

Chen Mo shrugged helplessly.

"To have his father enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and also to make his own imperial throne more legitimate."

"That's it? Just for this? You changed my Taizong Emperor's name?"

Zhu Di's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he was breathless.

"Damn it, are these my descendants? What kind of descendants are so disgraceful to their ancestors?"

"Doesn't that kid know how much I wanted the temple name Taizong? And he just changed it for me like this?"

Zhu Di rolled up his sleeves.

"Damn it! If I ever see him, I'll make him taste what Emperor Taizong's favor is all about!"

Seeing Zhu Di jumping up and down in a panic over the temple name, Zhu Yuanzhang, who was standing to the side, felt inexplicably... relieved, and even wanted to laugh.

He snorted coldly and added insult to injury with a sarcastic remark.

"Hmph, now you're getting anxious? I never thought our fourth son would one day enjoy the same posthumous title as us!"

"From now on, we'll address each other differently. You'll call me 'Father,' and I'll call you 'Emperor Chengzu,' how about that?"

Zhu Di was so speechless by his father's words that he almost fainted. His face turned red, but he couldn't refute them. He could only repeat them with a stiff neck and a frustrated expression.

"Father! You know me!"

"I never even considered that!"

"I am your son, Emperor Taizong of the Ming Dynasty. As for that damned Emperor Chengzu, I absolutely do not acknowledge him!"