I was to be executed by Zhu Yuanzhang, and Empress Ma smashed Zhu Yuanzhang's jade seal.

Chapter 35 The woman who accompanied him from a beggar to the emperor at the age of 95 is furious.

"Squeak—"

A long, grating scraping sound came from outside the hall.

The two heavy vermilion doors of the Fengtian Hall, which required more than a dozen eunuchs to push, were suddenly pushed open from the outside.

A ray of light shone in through the crack in the door.

It illuminated a corner of the dim and desolate hall.

Everyone's crying paused for a moment, as if by instinct.

They looked blankly toward the entrance of the palace.

"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"

The blinding sunlight, like a sharp sword, cleaved through the oppressive darkness inside the Fengtian Hall.

A figure, backlit, appeared in everyone's sight.

It was the figure of a woman.

She was wearing a crimson phoenix robe, which was only worn at the highest national celebrations such as sacrificial rites to heaven and investiture ceremonies.

The phoenix robe is embroidered with the finest gold thread, featuring nine lifelike, menacing five-clawed golden dragons and twelve colorful phoenixes soaring high in various poses.

Every line shimmers with dazzling light, showcasing the owner's supreme status.

On her head was a crown with nine dragons and four phoenixes.

The hundreds of pearls from the East China Sea and gemstones from the Western Regions embedded in the crown refracted a cold yet resolute brilliance under the sunlight.

This extremely luxurious outfit should have been one of elegance and grace, befitting an empress.

But when she wore it, it exuded a terrifying killing intent that could freeze a person to the bone.

She walked step by step from the light into the darkness.

With each step she took, the temperature in the entire Fengtian Hall dropped several degrees.

Every single official in the court was completely dumbfounded.

Only one thought remained in their minds.

Your Majesty the Empress!

It's the Empress!

The empress dowager was forbidden from interfering in politics; this was an ironclad rule established at the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, this is the Fengtian Hall!

It was the place where the emperor handled state affairs and decided the fate of the country!

Why is the Empress here?!

Moreover, it was done in such a manner that it was almost like... going to war!

Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene, and they all knelt on the ground, not daring to even breathe.

They instinctively made way for her.

That road leads from the palace gate all the way down to the steps of the imperial palace.

That road had just been stained red with Zhu Muying's blood.

Empress Ma, lifting her heavy skirt, stepped into the still-wet bloodstains, one step at a time.

Her face was expressionless.

That face, which was always gentle and kind with a smile, was now as cold as ice that would never melt.

Her gaze was like a sharp knife, scraping across everyone in the hall.

Those whose gaze swept over them, whether high-ranking prime ministers or generals wielding military power, all subconsciously lowered their heads even further.

They felt that in front of this Empress, they were like lambs to the slaughter, unable to even muster the slightest thought of resistance.

This is the true Empress Dowager of the Ming Dynasty!

The woman who accompanied Emperor Hongwu through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, step by step, to jointly create this glorious Ming Dynasty!

Her imposing presence was second to none!

Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Li Wenzhong, Tang He, Deng Yu, Lan Yu...

These six men were arguably the most outstanding military generals of the Ming Dynasty and Zhu Yuanzhang's most trusted brothers.

They were just moments ago immersed in immense grief and self-blame.

But the moment they saw Empress Ma appear, the lost ships found the lighthouse.

The homeless lone wolf found its leader.

The six people exchanged glances.

They didn't say a word, but they saw the same thing in each other's eyes.

That is……

Resolutely.

The next moment, all six people stood up from the ground simultaneously.

They straightened their own blood-stained court robes and walked heavily to stand behind Empress Ma.

They didn't speak, they just stood there quietly in a row.

Like six silent mountains.

Like six drawn swords.

They demonstrated their stance through their actions.

From this moment on, they were no longer merely the emperor's subjects.

They are, moreover, the Empress's support!

This scene terrified all the civil officials present.

crazy!

They've all gone mad!

First, the Crown Prince and the other princes openly confronted the Emperor in the Fengtian Hall over the sake of a Prince of Ying.

Now, even the Empress herself has come to the front court, and the six most capable generals of the Ming Dynasty have stood directly behind her!

This……

What are they trying to do?

A mutiny?!

Everyone's heart was in their throat.

They felt that today, the Fengtian Hall was likely to be awash in blood.

……

Zhu Biao.

He rushed over like a madman, scrambling and stumbling, and pulled Zhu Muying into his arms.

"Fifth brother! Fifth brother, wake up! Look at me! I'm the eldest brother!"

Zhu Biao's voice trembled violently, and tears streamed down his face like broken beads, dripping onto Zhu Muying's increasingly pale face.

He reached out, trying to stop the bleeding wound, but the blood just wouldn't stop, gushing out from between his fingers, warm, slippery, with the sensation of life slipping away.

"Imperial Physician! Imperial Physician!"

Zhu Biao raised his head and roared desperately at the terrified civil and military officials in the hall, "Quickly summon the imperial physician! Are you all dead?!"

But no one moved.

It's not that they don't want to move, it's that they dare not move.

Who would dare to save someone the emperor wants killed?

"Father..."

Zhu Di and Zhu Su also realized what was happening, their faces turning pale as they scrambled over to get to the front of the group.

When they saw the hideous wound on Zhu Muying's chest and his eyes slowly losing focus, everyone's minds went blank.

"Fifth Brother!"

Cries and screams rose and fell.

They couldn't understand how things had turned out this way.

Just moments before, they were standing together, fighting against their father's wrath.

The next moment, their brother was already...

It's already...

Even the two tough men, Xu Da and Chang Yuchun, couldn't hold back any longer.

Xu Da looked at the young man being held in Zhu Biao's arms, whose life force was rapidly fading away, and felt a sudden dizziness and his vision went black.

Those were his juniors, children he had watched grow up!

He remembered how, when the child was little, he loved to follow him around, calling him "Uncle Xu" in his childish voice.

He recalled the boy's first time on the battlefield, how nervous he was that he could barely hold his knife, yet he still gritted his teeth and charged to the front.

He remembered that every time the child returned from the northern frontier, he would bring him the finest mare's milk wine, and said with a smile, "Uncle Xu, this is a gift from your nephew!"

Scene after scene, like a tide, surged into my heart.

Xu Da's eyes reddened.

Two streams of hot tears slid down his weathered face.

"Mu Ying..."

His lips trembled, and he let out a low growl like a wounded beast.

Chang Yuchun knelt down with a "plop," this fierce general who killed without batting an eye on the battlefield, now cried like a child.

"My prince! My lord!"

His cries were filled with regret and self-blame.

He hates himself!

I hate myself for being so useless!

Why didn't you dare to stand up just now!

Why didn't you dare to take that blow for His Highness!

They were military generals; they should have died on the battlefield, not like cowards, kneeling here and watching helplessly as the people they were willing to protect with their lives died before their eyes!

The entire Fengtian Hall was in complete chaos.

Cries and shouts mingled together.

Only Zhu Yuanzhang remained standing there, motionless, like a petrified statue.

He looked at Zhu Muying, who was being held in Zhu Biao's arms, at the wound on his chest that he had inflicted himself, and at the blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

A chilling coldness shot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

he……

He killed...

He killed his son...

Do not!

He didn't kill him!

He crashed into it himself!

He asked for it!

Correct!

He asked for it!

He's a rebellious son!

He's plotting a rebellion!