The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Imperial Ancestral Temple.

In front of the gate, a huge bronze furnace was filled with raging flames, the firelight soaring into the sky.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne behind the bronze furnace, his face stern. Zhu Biao stood beside him, his head bowed.

Below the steps, the noble ministers lined up, each holding an iron certificate granting them immunity from death.

Li Shanchang, the Duke of Han, stood at the very front, followed by Tang He, the Duke of Xinguo, Fu Youde, the Duke of Yinguo, and others.

Li Jinglong, holding his family's iron certificate of immunity from death, stood in the middle of the line. In front of him was Marquis Yongchang, Lan Yu, and behind him were Marquis Ji'an, Lu Zhongheng, Marquis Yan'an, Tang Shengzong, and other marquises.

"That bastard Ma Sandao!" Lan Yu gritted her teeth. "He screwed us all over."

Lu Zhongheng's forehead veins bulged: "I'm going to beat him to death. I'm telling you this now, Ma Sandao better not let me run into him again. If I do, I'll beat him up every time."

"Yes, let's kill him together." Tang Shengzong nodded vigorously.

Marquis Fei Ju of Pingliang said with a pained expression, "Old Ma was such a loyal and righteous man back then. He was always at the forefront of battles. How did he turn out like this after marrying a wife? He's betrayed us all. We must not let him get away with this."

"Men, they all become cowards once they get married," Lan Yu said bitterly.

Li Jinglong blinked: "Uncles and elders, is there really that much resentment?"

"Boy, don't you hate it?" Lan Yu glared angrily. "This is an ironclad immunity certificate, your father risked his life for it."

Li Jinglong's expression immediately changed: "Hate! Of course I hate it! I hate it so much I could grind my teeth!"

"Before my father died, he handed me this iron certificate, repeatedly telling me, 'Jiujiang, this is something our Li family earned with our lives. You must keep it safe; it's our family's foundation, our family's source of strength.' And what happened?"

"That coward Ma Sandao betrayed us all for his own petty squabbles! Don't let me run into him, or I'll kill him."

Everyone nodded in agreement, agreeing that although Li Jinglong was usually unreliable, he was indeed on their side in this matter.

Lan Yu praised, "Good lad, you have the same spirit as your father back then."

"Although I, Li Jiujiang, am young, I know what loyalty and righteousness are. Ma Sandao's actions are disloyal, treacherous, and he's a bastard, a beast, a monster!" Li Jinglong cursed.

Lu Zhongheng, who was standing next to him, nudged him with his elbow: "What's the use of cursing?"

"What's wrong? I haven't finished cursing yet. Uncle Lu, you're a bastard, a beast, a monster!" Li Jinglong said angrily.

"Look, Ma Sandao is here." Lu Zhongheng started rolling up his sleeves.

Not far away, Ma Sandao, who had been demoted to the Earl of Poyang, strode over, full of vigor.

He glanced around the crowd, spotted Li Jinglong, grinned, and strode towards him.

"Don't come any closer!" Li Jinglong shouted in his heart.

Ma Sandao walked over cheerfully and greeted him warmly, "Jiujiang!"

Li Jinglong was completely numb.

Old Ma, you really have no sense of perspective! Look around, they're sharpening their knives at you!

Damn it, please don't drag me into this.

"Old Ma, you're ungrateful!" he shouted immediately.

Ma Sandao was dumbfounded: "Jiujiang, what's going on? How have I been ungrateful? You helped me, and my wife said she'd like to invite you to her house for dinner."

"Is a meal worth this immunity certificate?" Li Jinglong asked anxiously.

Ma Sandao was even more bewildered: "Jiujiang, didn't you say this thing was just a piece of scrap metal? The right of interpretation belongs to His Majesty."

Li Jinglong almost jumped up and covered his mouth.

If he keeps talking, that idiot Ma Sandao will really expose himself completely.

No, I must clear myself of all charges immediately.

"My lords, if I had said such a thing, may I be struck dead by lightning or killed by a dog when I go out," he said, turning to the dukes and marquises.

Lan Yu paid no attention to him, clenched her fist and charged at Ma Sandao: "Ma Sandao, I'm going to beat you to death today."

"Yes! Kill him!" Lu Zhongheng rubbed his fists together, eager to fight.

Emperor Shengzong of Tang and Fei Ju also surrounded them, and a great battle was about to break out.

"Impulsiveness is the devil, uncles! His Majesty is watching from above. To make a move in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple is a great disrespect." Li Jinglong grabbed the bewildered Ma Sandao and pulled him back.

Lan Yu and Lu Zhongheng wanted to chase after them, but Li Shanchang stopped them, saying, "That's enough. What kind of behavior is this in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple?"

The dukes and marquises quieted down and returned to their seats.

Among all the nobles and dignitaries in the court, none dared to act rashly in front of this old prime minister.

"Old Ma, don't bother with them." Li Jinglong pulled Ma Sandao to the back of the group. "Stay away from them, it'll be safer."

Ma Sandao was deeply moved: "Jiujiang, you're truly loyal."

"That's right." Li Jinglong said without changing his expression or skipping a beat.

Li Shanchang watched their retreating figures and smiled, "That little thief from Jiujiang, swear it or not, they're all such thieves."

Tang He looked puzzled: "Old Prime Minister, what do you mean?"

"Lightning doesn't bite people, and dogs don't strike people." Li Shanchang shrugged.

Tang He realized what was happening and almost burst out laughing: "No wonder this little bastard can just spout off like that."

"Dingchen, did you know His Majesty would pull this stunt?" Li Shanchang said with a half-smile.

Tang He shrugged: "Old Prime Minister, I really don't know."

Li Shanchang smiled slightly: "Jiujiang has made a contribution this time, yet he doesn't take credit for it. This makes me look at him in a new light."

"Old Prime Minister, are you willing to hand over the iron certificate of immunity from death?" Tang He asked with a smile.

Li Shanchang shook his head: "This thing is actually a menace."

……

On the steps, the eunuch Wang Jinghong stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the group, and his voice fell:

"Li Shanchang, the Duke of Han, voluntarily handed over his iron certificate of immunity from death."

Li Shan strode towards the bronze furnace. When he arrived, he did not hesitate at all. With a flick of his wrist, the iron certificate of immunity from death fell into the raging fire.

"Duke Tang He of Xinguo voluntarily handed over his iron certificate of immunity from death."

Without hesitation, Tang He threw out the iron certificate granting him immunity from death.

Then, one by one, the dukes and marquises stepped forward and threw their iron certificates of immunity from death into the bronze furnace.

"Xu Da, the Duke of Wei, voluntarily handed over his iron certificate of immunity from death."

"Duke Feng Sheng of Song voluntarily handed over his iron certificate of immunity from death."

These two dukes were not in the capital, so their family members delivered the documents on their behalf.

The iron token was put into the furnace, and the flames surged once more.

"Marquis Yongchang, Lan Yu, voluntarily handed over the iron certificate of immunity from death."

"Marquis Lu Zhongheng of Ji'an voluntarily handed over the iron certificate of immunity from death."

"Marquis Tang Shengzong of Yan'an voluntarily handed over the iron certificate of immunity from death."

One after another, a row of dukes and marquises, though unwilling, all gave up their positions.

Finally, it was Li Jinglong's turn.

He glanced down at the iron certificate in his hand, then waved his hand dismissively: "Go!"

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, his eyes sharp as he looked at the flames rising from the tung oil furnace.

From now on, we can enforce the law impartially.

Those who deserve to be killed should be killed, and those who deserve to be beheaded should be beheaded.

"Father, it's time to return to the palace," Zhu Biao reminded him from the side.

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly shook his head: "No rush, let them all go back and summon Jiujiang."

"Hurry up, Mao Xiang, that kid must have run away." Zhu Biao looked up and saw Li Jinglong running in the lead, about to leave the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted: "A guilty conscience needs no accuser."