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

"Fifth Brother...you're not dead...you're still alive..."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was not loud, and even a little hoarse, but it sounded particularly clear in the clamor that had temporarily subsided because of Zhu Muying's appearance.

His fingers trembled slightly in the wind and snow as he pointed at the figure being tightly embraced by Empress Ma, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

There was shock, there was doubt, but more than anything, there was overwhelming anger at being fooled and having one's authority challenged!

He's not dead!

That unfilial son, he's still alive!

Zhu Yuanzhang's mind was racing.

He watched as Zhu Muying crashed into his golden knife and died, her blood splattering everywhere.

He watched as the imperial physicians cautiously approached to check his breathing, and one by one they knelt on the ground and said, "His Highness the Prince of Ying... has passed away."

To ensure everything went perfectly, he even ordered Jiang Huan and Mao Xiang to "get rid of" all the imperial physicians!

How could any of this be fake?

Is it...

Was this all a setup from the very beginning?

A grand scheme targeting him, the emperor?!

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

He wasn't happy about Zhu Muying's resurrection, but rather furious that he might have been kept in the dark!

Who is he?

He was Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty!

He fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and spent his whole life playing mind games and scheming against all the heroes and valiant men in the world. When did it become someone else's turn to scheme against him?

She was still outsmarted by her own son!

"Good...good...he's really our good son!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that he laughed instead, his chest heaving violently.

His face, contorted with rage, now held an even stronger murderous aura than before.

Below the city gate, Zhu Muying calmed down the agitated Empress Ma and handed her over to Zhu Biao, who had rushed over.

"Elder brother, take good care of Mother."

His voice was calm; the tense scene before him, with 500,000 troops besieging the city, had nothing to do with him.

Zhu Biao looked at his fifth brother, who had "come back to life," and his feelings were too complicated to describe.

He had so many questions to ask, but now was clearly not the time.

He could only nod heavily and help the still sobbing Empress Ma to the side.

Zhu Muying then slowly turned around and faced Zhu Yuanzhang on the city wall again.

He raised his head and calmly met his father's fiery eyes.

The father and son stood atop the city wall, like a high and mighty deity; the other stood in the middle of the long street, like a banished immortal detached from the world.

The wind and snow howled between them, but they could not take away the tense atmosphere of blood ties that had long been like fire and water.

"Father,"

Zhu Muying spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly carrying throughout the room, "It seems you do not wish for your son to still be alive."

His words, spoken casually, were like a knife, piercing Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

"You bastard!"

Zhu Yuanzhang finally lost his temper and burst into a tirade, "Are you trying to pull a fast one on us? Are you trying to make a fool of us, your mother, the entire court, and everyone in the world?!"

His voice boomed like thunder above Chengtian Gate.

The four armies outside the city, which had been somewhat agitated by Zhu Muying's appearance, fell silent again upon hearing the emperor's roar, and a chilling atmosphere once more permeated the air.

The fierce tiger banners of the Tiger Guards, the eagle banners of the Eagle Guards, and the giant whale banners of the Longjiang Navy fluttered in the wind and snow, ready to obey the emperor's orders at any moment and crush the entire city of Nanjing into dust.

Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath of the cold air, forcing himself to calm down.

He told himself, "What's the panic?"

So what if Zhu Muying didn't die?

Even if this is a setup, so what?

Now, the 500,000-strong army inside and outside Jinling City is under my control!

Xu Da, Lan Yu, and the others in the city were terrified by the Beijing garrison and the sudden appearance of these four large armies, and were now sitting ducks.

And what about Zhu Muying?

No matter how skilled he is or how prestigious he is, he is now just one person with his eighteen personal guards.

One person with eighteen riders, could they possibly turn the world upside down?

With this in mind, Zhu Yuanzhang felt completely at ease.

He straightened his back again, and the aura of a founding emperor returned to him once more.

He looked at Zhu Muying below the city walls, his eyes turning cold and cruel, as if he were looking at a dead man who was no longer a threat.

"Fifth brother, we have to admit, you are very smart, smarter than your eldest brother, smarter than all our sons."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice became slow and deep, carrying a condescending, judgmental tone.

"Three months ago, when we summoned you back to the capital under the pretext of our wedding, you already sensed something was wrong, so you found a substitute in advance and pulled a fast one on us."

"You let that stand-in go to jail for you, die for you, while you hide in the shadows, watching us be betrayed and abandoned by everyone because of your 'wrongful killing of meritorious officials,' watching your mother be heartbroken for you, and watching Xu Da and the others be enraged for your sake."

"Then, you'll jump out at the most crucial moment, acting as a savior who's 'risen from the dead,' to clean up this mess and win over everyone's hearts, right? Perhaps you were plotting a rebellion three months ago, and sending your double into prison was just a delaying tactic!"

With each word Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, the faces of the people below the city gate paled a little more.

Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and others, in particular, were deeply shocked by the emperor's words.

They weren't fools; the moment Zhu Muying appeared, they vaguely sensed that things weren't simple.

But they could never have imagined that the scheme behind it was so deep and so terrifying!

If that's the case, then what are these people?

Was he a pawn used as a tool by His Majesty the King?

Zhu Muying neither admitted nor denied it.

He simply listened quietly, his handsome face remaining calm and composed.

The story Zhu Yuanzhang told was someone else's story.

His nonchalant demeanor further enraged Zhu Yuanzhang.

"You think you've got everything planned? You think you've got this in the bag?"

Zhu Yuanzhang let out a cold laugh, and he opened his arms as if to embrace the whole world.

"Open your eyes and look!"

"Look outside the city! To the east, there's our Tiger Guard! To the west, our Eagle Guard! To the south, our Dragon River Navy! And to the north, those Northern Frontier troops you once led, now obey our orders!"

"An army of 500,000! They've completely surrounded Nanjing!"

"Look around the city again. Xu Da's tens of thousands of Beijing garrison troops are completely surrounded by our men and can't move!"

"Now, tell me, what do you have to fight us with?"

"You, and those eighteen cavalrymen behind you?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was full of mockery and disdain.

He admitted that he was initially taken aback by Zhu Muying's appearance.

But now, he has completely figured it out.

Faced with absolute power, any conspiracy or trickery is nothing but a paper tiger!

Today, whether Zhu Muying is human or ghost, he must die!

And they must die knowing exactly what happened!

He wanted to show the world the consequences of challenging his authority as Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang!

As Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking, the four armies outside the city let out a deafening shout. The sound of weapons striking shields merged into a torrent of steel, making the entire city of Nanjing buzz.

The terrifying pressure made everyone on the street feel suffocated.

The people, who had just been overjoyed by Zhu Muying's appearance, were now pulled back to reality by this cruel truth. Their faces turned pale, and they dared not utter a sound.

Xu Da, Lan Yu, and the others felt their hearts sink to the bottom.

Yes, the emperor is right.

They are now like fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.

Even if His Majesty the King returns, what can he change?

Could he possibly break through the encirclement of an army of 500,000 with just eighteen men?

In an instant, the newly ignited flame of hope was doused with cold water and almost extinguished.

The entire situation was once again under Zhu Yuanzhang's control.

He looked at the still upright figure below the city, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

There was admiration, there was regret, but in the end, all of it was replaced by a cold killing intent.

"Fifth brother,"

He spoke slowly, his tone carrying an undeniable air of charity, "Considering you are still our son, and considering how many tears your mother shed for you, we'll give you one last chance."

"Now, let those so-called 'rebels' behind you retreat on their own, and let their commander enter Jinling City to meet his death."

"Then you, bind your own hands and come back to the palace with us. We can give you a dignified death, allowing you to enter the Zhu family's ancestral temple, so you won't become a lonely ghost."

"This is the last act of mercy we, as your father, will show you."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice echoed in the wind and snow, each word like a heavy hammer blow to everyone's heart.

Everyone looked at Zhu Muying.

They wanted to know what choice the resurrected Prince Ying of the Ming Dynasty would make in the face of such a certain death and the emperor's "final" act of mercy.

Is it better to die with dignity, or...?

Just then, Zhu Muying smiled.

He looked at the majestic emperor on the city wall, a meaningful smile appearing on his lips.

"Father,"

He spoke, his voice still calm, yet tinged with a hint of sarcasm, "Do you think you've already won?"

Zhu Muying's voice was not loud, but in this tense atmosphere, it was like a needle, precisely piercing through the absolute power that Zhu Yuanzhang had just established.

Zhu Yuanzhang's brows furrowed suddenly.

He didn't like Zhu Muying's gaze; it was too calm, so calm that it made him uneasy.

This is not the look a person in dire straits should have!

"What's wrong?"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, attempting to overwhelm his opponent with even greater force, "At this point, you still want to be stubborn? Do you think we're negotiating with you?"

He took a step forward, placed his hand on the crenellations of the city wall, and leaned forward slightly, an invisible pressure pressing down on Zhu Muying.

"Let me tell you, today, in Jinling City, we call the shots! Your life, Xu Da's life, the lives of all the people in this city—all rest in our hands!"

"We're giving you a chance out of consideration for our father-son relationship. If you don't cherish it, don't blame us for being ruthless and wiping you, along with this city, from the map of the Ming Dynasty!"

These words were spoken with a menacing tone, without any attempt to conceal their intent.

The civil officials on the city wall were terrified.

When Zhu Muying suddenly appeared, they thought the situation was about to turn around, and they all started making their own plans again.

But now that I look at it, something's not right!

The emperor had an army of 500,000, which surrounded the entire city of Nanjing like an iron barrel.

Where is His Majesty the King?

Only eighteen people!

Is this still a choice?

Even a fool knows which side to stand on!

"Your Majesty is wise!"

A sharp voice suddenly rang out, breaking the brief standoff.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Right Chancellor Hu Weiyong scrambling up to Zhu Yuanzhang from behind, his face full of fawning smiles.

"Your Majesty, you are truly a man of great talent and strategy, with plans that leave no room for error!"

As Hu Weiyong spoke, he bowed deeply to Zhu Yuanzhang, his posture as respectful as could be.

"I was just deceived by these rebellious ministers, and I was even worried for Your Majesty. Now it seems that I was foolish! It turns out that everything was under Your Majesty's control!"

He spoke these words with great emotion, as if he had just "suddenly come to his senses."

"Your Majesty, you see, with just a little trick, you've lured out all these treacherous officials with ill intentions. What talk of empresses interfering in politics, what talk of meritorious officials being arrogant, what talk of popular support—before Your Majesty's thunderous methods, they're all just chickens and dogs, utterly vulnerable!"

"This is the true bearing of a great ruler! Unprecedented and unparalleled! Your subject is utterly in awe!"

Hu Weiyong's flattery was so loud and clear that it left the surrounding officials speechless.

That's incredibly shameless!

Weren't you the first one to advise the emperor to issue an edict of self-reproach?

They're changing faster than anyone else now!

However, it must be said that Hu Weiyong's words also served as a reminder to all the civil officials present.

Yes, the situation is clear now!

With overwhelming military power, the emperor was certain of victory.

Although His Majesty the King has been brought back to life, he is ultimately outnumbered and powerless, and cannot cause any significant trouble.

If you choose the wrong side at this point, it won't just be a matter of losing your job; it could mean losing your head and having your whole family wiped out!

Having figured this out, the civil officials who had just been paralyzed with fear suddenly became energetic and full of vitality.

"Prime Minister Hu is right! His Majesty is wise!"

The Imperial Censor Wang, who had previously advised Zhu Yuanzhang, now wore a righteous and stern expression, glaring angrily at Xu Da and the others below the city.

"Xu Da! Lan Yu! You are pillars of the nation, deeply favored by the Emperor, yet instead of serving your country and sharing His Majesty's burdens, you have conspired with vassal kings to plot rebellion! You deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

"And you troublemakers!"

He then pointed at the people on the long street, "His Majesty provides you with food and clothing, yet instead of being grateful, you have been misled by treacherous people, gathering here to cause trouble and disrupt His Majesty's presence. Do you know your crimes?!"

In an instant, the wind direction on the city wall completely changed.

The civil officials who had been silent just moments before now all stood behind Zhu Yuanzhang, each one passionately criticizing him, proclaiming themselves his most loyal and trusted advisors.

"Your Majesty, I believe that we must not show any leniency towards these treacherous officials! We should use swift and decisive measures to execute them all, as a warning to others!"

"Yes! They must be severely punished! Only by exterminating their entire clan can the majesty of the laws of our Great Ming Dynasty be truly upheld!"

"We beseech Your Majesty to issue an edict ordering the army outside the city to immediately enter and quell the rebellion!"

The calls for "commission" and the praises combined to push Zhu Yuanzhang's imperial majesty to a new peak.

Zhu Yuanzhang listened to these words and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

This is exactly the effect he wanted.

He wanted everyone to see clearly who the true master of the Ming Dynasty was!

He turned his head and his gaze fell on Li Shanchang, who had remained silent throughout.

"Li Shanchang, what do you think?"

Li Shanchang raised his head, his cloudy old eyes glancing at the still calm young man below the city wall, and then at the smug Zhu Yuanzhang.

He slowly bowed, his voice old and heavy.

"Your Majesty... is a great ruler destined by Heaven."

He didn't offer any extra praise, but that one sentence carried more weight than a hundred sentences from Hu Weiyong and his ilk.

Because he was Li Shanchang, the head of all officials, and the Left Chancellor of the Ming Dynasty.

His statement represented the entire civil service group's complete defection to the emperor.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily, his laughter filled with joy.

He turned around and looked at Zhu Muying below the city walls again, his eyes filled with the pity of a victor.

"Fifth brother, did you see that?"

"This is the will of the people! This is the general trend!"

"Your mother is blinded by familial affection. Xu Da and his men are infatuated with so-called brotherhood. And these common people are even more foolish, blindly following the crowd."

"Only them,"

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed to the group of impassioned civil officials behind him, "They know best who truly calls the shots in this empire!"

"Now, what else do you have to say?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked down at him as if he were a moth trapped in a spider web, destined to be devoured no matter how much it struggled.

Below the city gate, Xu Da, Lan Yu, and the others listened to the shameless clamor of the civil officials on the gate and saw their smug faces. They were so angry that their eyes turned red and their teeth were almost ground to powder.

"These spineless intellectuals! Opportunists! Scoundrels!"

Lan Yu had the most fiery temper. He clenched his fists, wishing he could rush up to the city wall right now and tear Hu Weiyong's mouth apart.

"Alright, Lan Yu."

Xu Da held him down, "What's the use of saying all this now that things have come to this?"

His voice was filled with bitterness and helplessness.

He looked at the brother on the city wall, the one he had once risked his life to serve, who now seemed so unfamiliar and so cold.

He glanced again at the boy he treated like his own son, who was not far away.

One is you, my lord.

One is righteousness.

Now, the ruler demands the death of his subject, and righteousness demands his rebellion.

Xu Da, who spent his life on the battlefield, ultimately found himself in a predicament where he could neither be loyal nor righteous.

He felt an unprecedented fatigue.

Perhaps, dying here today would be a relief.

Just when everyone thought the situation was settled and Zhu Muying was doomed.