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

Upon hearing the shouts, Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard outside the door, led dozens of Embroidered Uniform Guards and rushed in.

But when they rushed into the main hall, they were all dumbfounded.

Who should we take?

Take Xu Da?

Take Chang Yuchun?

Queen Nama?

They wouldn't dare even if they had ten times the courage!

These six men have too much prestige in the army. If we really take them down today, the entire Ming Dynasty army will mutini tomorrow.

Mao Xiang and his men stood at the door, unsure whether to go in or back, in an extremely awkward situation.

Empress Ma turned her head and gave Mao Xiang a cold glance.

That one glance sent a shiver down Mao Xiang's spine, and he quickly hid the embroidered spring knife behind his back.

"Mao Xiang, you've grown bold, haven't you? Daring to draw your sword against me in the Hall of Supreme Harmony?"

Empress Ma's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a murderous aura.

Mao Xiang knelt on the ground with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger, this humble servant dares not, this humble servant dares not..."

When Zhu Yuanzhang saw that the Imperial Guards he had summoned were kneeling before Xu Da, he was furious.

He rushed over and kicked Mao Xiang in the shoulder: "You piece of trash! We told you to arrest her, why are you kneeling before her? We're the emperor!"

Mao Xiang was kicked to the ground and didn't dare to get up. He could only lie on the ground and pretend to be dead.

Your Majesty, you didn't always do this.

Others may not know, but do you think I don't?

You're afraid of your wife!

The situation in the main hall reached a complete standstill.

Zhu Yuanzhang could not command the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Xu Da and the other six were determined to plead for Zhu Muying's innocence, while Empress Ma remained silent, still holding the corpse.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao knelt on the ground.

Zhu Biao turned to look at Zhu Yuanzhang, tears streaming down his face: "Father, do you really not know whether my fifth brother was wronged or not? Go and look at the scars on his body, which one wasn't left for the Ming Dynasty? How could he possibly rebel!"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the crown prince, who was crying his eyes out, and at the corpse of the fifth prince on the ground, and his anger subsided a little.

But he couldn't save face!

How could the emperor, in front of his entire court, admit his mistake?

Admit he killed the wrong son?

How can he become emperor in the future?

How can we then rule the world?

"Biao'er, stop talking."

Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth, stubbornly insisting, "His rebellion is a foregone conclusion! We didn't kill the wrong person!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Da sneered, "Fine! Since Your Majesty says you haven't killed the wrong person, then we won't leave today. We'll kneel here with my sister-in-law and the fifth prince. If Your Majesty thinks we're also guilty, then just behead all six of us! Anyway, this Ming Dynasty is yours alone; you don't need our old bones!"

Chang Yuchun and the other four also shouted in unison, "Your Majesty, please grant us death!"

The six men knelt down, looking as if they were ready to "die together."

Zhu Yuanzhang was completely at a loss.

He looked at these six tough guys, so angry he was grinding his teeth, but there was nothing he could do.

He can't possibly kill all six of them, can he?

If we kill them all, who will fight the war?

Who will suppress the rebellion outside?

He stood there, unsure whether to leave or stay, feeling extremely awkward.

At that moment, he turned his gaze to Empress Ma.

He knew that only Empress Ma could break this deadlock.

If Empress Ma were to offer a word of advice, the matter could be resolved more gracefully.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood in the middle of the hall, looking at the six dukes and marquises kneeling on the ground, and then at the Imperial Guards and civil and military officials lying on the ground pretending to be dead. He couldn't vent the anger in his heart.

He finally understood that this head-on approach wouldn't work today.

These six old scoundrels were determined to protect Empress Ma and to make a scene over the death of the fifth prince.

If he continues to be stubborn, there will definitely be bloodshed in Fengtian Hall today, and we won't even know whose blood it will be.

Zhu Yuanzhang was a smart man. He rose from a beggar monk to become the emperor. What he understood best was how to assess the situation and act accordingly.

Since the hard approach doesn't work, we'll have to try the soft approach.

He needed to find a way to back down and stabilize the situation that was about to explode.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and turned his gaze back to Empress Ma.

Empress Ma remained in the same position, kneeling on the ground, holding Zhu Muying's head in her arms.

Her hair was disheveled, her phoenix crown had fallen to the side and shattered, and her magnificent phoenix robe was covered with patches of dark red blood.

She was like a clay Buddha without a soul, staring blankly at her son's face, motionless.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt a sudden pang in his heart when he saw Empress Ma like this.

He recalled that back in Haozhou City, Ma Xiuying had also been holding the sick, tall man like this, staying up all night.

They were poor at that time and couldn't afford medicine, so Ma Xiuying exchanged her own food rations for herbal medicine and fed it to them bite by bite.

Now that life is good, and she has become emperor and empress, her son has died in front of her, and she herself forced him to his death.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt a little uneasy, but he immediately reassured himself: We are doing this for the sake of the Ming Dynasty!

I am the emperor, and an emperor must be ruthless!

If the fifth brother doesn't die, the world will be in chaos!

We did nothing wrong!

He mentally prepared himself, then slowly began to walk towards Empress Ma.

He walked slowly, his boots making a soft rustling sound as they stepped on the gold bricks.

Everyone in the hall held their breath, all eyes fixed on him, wondering what this capricious Hongwu Emperor was about to do.

As Xu Da watched Zhu Yuanzhang approach, he instinctively took half a step forward, blocking Empress Ma's side, just like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at Xu Da and said irritably, "Get out of our way! We're talking to our own sister, do we need you getting in our way?"

Xu Da didn't move, but said with his neck stiff, "Your Majesty, my sister-in-law is currently overwhelmed with grief. If you say anything that would further upset her, we will absolutely not allow it."

"you……"

Zhu Yuanzhang was furious, but he held back his anger.

He bypassed Xu Da, walked directly to Empress Ma, and slowly squatted down.

Only when he got closer could he see the large hole in Zhu Muying's chest.

It was a bloody mess, and even the bones were vaguely visible.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eye twitched slightly, and he quickly looked away, turning his gaze to Empress Ma's face.

Empress Ma's face was dry, without a single tear, but its ashen color was more frightening than wailing.

Zhu Yuanzhang swallowed hard; his throat was dry and sore.

He reached out to pat Empress Ma on the shoulder, but stopped halfway through.

He didn't know how to start the conversation.

After holding it in for a long time, Zhu Yuanzhang finally managed to utter a sentence.

"Girl..."

He called out Empress Ma's childhood nickname in a very low voice, even with a hint of flattery, "Don't kneel on the ground and get cold, Fifth Prince... Fifth Prince is already gone."

Empress Ma didn't even lift her eyelids, as if she hadn't heard him speak, and continued to gently stroke Zhu Muying's hair.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt he was losing face.

With so many people watching, even the Emperor himself has lowered himself to call you "sister," and you haven't uttered a single word?

But he could only continue to endure it.

He leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "Sis, we know you're heartbroken. We watched Lao Wu grow up, and his death is painful for us too. But... but things have come to this point; the dead can't be brought back to life."

As Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, he pondered the words in his mind.

He had to make Empress Ma understand that this matter could not be allowed to continue.

"Sister, look at the chaos in the court! Xu Da and his ilk are stirring up trouble. If word gets out, what will people think of us? What will become of the Ming Dynasty's reputation?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's tone carried a hint of reproach, "We can investigate the matter of the fifth prince later. The most important thing now is to stabilize the situation."

Empress Ma remained silent, but tightened her grip on Zhu Muying's arms.

Zhu Yuanzhang reached out to help Ma Xiuying up.

But he forced himself to speak, leaning close to Empress Ma's ear and saying in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Xiuying, please, I'm begging you! Give us a way out. Fifth Prince is already dead. Even if you tear down this Fengtian Hall today, he won't come back to life. We still have to live our lives!"

"We still have to live our lives."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang himself felt a little uncomfortable.

Ma Xiuying forcefully shook off Zhu Yuanzhang's hand!

"Zhu Chongba! You killed my son! And you still want to live with me!"

"Pah! You're dreaming!"