King of Han Dynasty of Ming Dynasty

Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Facing Zhu Gaoxu's meaningful warning.

All the civil officials were filled with fear and trepidation.

However, for them at the moment, as long as they can leave the Hall of Supreme Harmony safely, as for what happens next, that is what happens next. The time window created during this period is enough for them to take some remedial measures, or to give them enough time to think carefully about the next response strategy.

No matter what the final result is, it will definitely be many times better than the current situation. After all, the probability of winning a prepared battle is many times greater than that of a battle without any preparation.

Although the current situation shows that it is extremely unfavorable for them, or even somewhat difficult to move forward, it does not mean that they really have no chance of turning the tables, or that they cannot find a way out, or a point to turn danger into safety.

to this end.

After listening to Zhu Gaoxu's earnest and affirmative words, the civil officials who had been worried and fearful just now all breathed a sigh of relief, and the nervous expressions on their faces disappeared.

At the same time, the civil officials did not dare to hesitate for a moment and bowed respectfully.

Afterwards, after receiving the promise from the Crown Prince, the civil officials could not wait any longer for Zhu Gaoxu's so-called promise. They all wished their parents could give them a few more legs, and turned around and strode towards the gate of the Hall of Supreme Harmony at a very fast speed.

this speed
It was as if someone was chasing them from behind with a knife. It was a rare "spectacle" that had never happened in all these years.

After the end of the dynasty.

The civil officials who fled one by one, as well as those who had just pretended to faint, all woke up after leaving the palace as if a medical miracle had occurred.

Seeing people waking up suddenly one after another, those who were supporting the ministers were not surprised by this. After all, they were all smart people. Who didn't know each other? How could they not know that the so-called fainting was a trick to find an excuse for each other.

However, although they woke up, none of the civil officials had a smile or a gentle and easygoing look on their faces. Instead, they were all worried and frowned. They secretly criticized and cursed the King of Han Zhu Gaoxu for not doing anything related to their affairs and trying to get rid of all of them.

Although in the end.
Due to their little tricks and the strong intervention of the Crown Prince, today's farce ended with a whimper, and Prince of Han Zhu Gaoxu stopped playing, and the two new policies and ropes that were tied around the heads of these civil officials were not completely tied.

But as I said just now, everyone in this field is smart.

Let’s not talk about the time after Zhu Gaoxu was ordered by the Crown Prince to stop. Looking at their eyes, anyone who was not a fool knew better than anyone that the current situation seemed to be over today and it seemed that the King of Han had admitted defeat.

But these are just superficial efforts.

Based on their personal understanding of Han Wang Zhu Gaoxu and his final warning look, there is no doubt that he absolutely cannot and will not choose to stop and turn a deaf ear to this issue.

Zhu Gaoxu did not succeed this time, but with today's experience, when he finds a suitable opportunity in the future, given Zhu Gaoxu's character, he will definitely bring up what was stopped today again, and then bring it up again and discuss it again.

It is absolutely impossible to give up easily without achieving the goal.

As they thought about it, the brows of all the civil officials became more and more furrowed with worry. At the same time, the worry and fear in their hearts were even greater than before. Everyone was worried.

That's it.

After a long while, the Minister of Works Song Li walked to the side of the Minister of Revenue Xia Yuanji with a worried look on his face, and said with a worried and anxious look:
"Xia Shangshu"

"Master Jin."

"This honor and preferential treatment is the motivation for all students in our Ming Dynasty to study hard and rigorously."

"Based on the current behavior, the Prince of Han is planning to take action against these honors and preferential national policies. If they are really passive."

"How should we, as seniors, face the students all over the world?"

"And you all know better than anyone else that if we really follow the two decrees issued by the King of Han, in the long run, the influence that our predecessors have worked so hard to win for us will disappear in our hands."

"The right of us scholars to speak in the court and government in the future will be greatly reduced. A hundred years from now, how will people in our area have the face to meet those seniors and ancestors in the afterlife?"

These words were said with such sincerity and heart, not just sentimentality, that they almost brought up a saint.

Hearing this, Jin Zhong's expression changed involuntarily, his pupils narrowed slightly, his expression became terrifyingly gloomy at this moment, and his eyes swept coldly around at his colleagues and colleagues who were hanging their heads and brows.

That's it.

After a long while, Jin Zhong withdrew his gaze from all around, and spoke coldly without any emotion:

"You still have the nerve to mention the so-called lack of face?"

"Don't you feel ashamed and embarrassed when you say such things?"

"Are you supposed to use the privileges and privileges that our ancestors and predecessors fought so hard for us in this way? Are the words and teachings of the saints supposed to teach you how to exploit the people, how to enrich yourself, and how to put profits into your own pockets?"

"If you want to say it's embarrassing, then you have no dignity at all."

"When you were doing those things, why didn't you think about the fact that you would not be able to face your ancestors, predecessors, and juniors a hundred years from now, as well as now."

"If we had realized this earlier, if we had thought this way earlier, would such a shameful thing have happened?"

"Will we, as individuals, be poked in the sore spots by the King of Han and become the fish on the chopping board of others, being slaughtered like today?"

“Why is this happening?”

"Can the King of Han really be blamed for this?"

"You have annexed land, committed corruption, and violated the laws of the Ming Dynasty. Which of these things were not done willingly by you? Is there any reason for this? Did the King of Han put a knife to your neck and force you to do this?" "Now that the truth has been revealed, I know how painful it is. I am thinking about my ancestors, predecessors, and juniors."

"What did you do early?"

"After the previous experience of the weapons workshop, the corruption case of the Metropolitan Investigation Bureau, and a series of subsequent cases, don't you understand that our King of Han is a down-to-earth person who values ​​practical learning and talent over classics, and is more pragmatic than anyone else?"

Does this need to be said?
There is absolutely no need to doubt it. Judging from the things that Prince of Han Zhu Gaoxu has done during this period of time, we are all smart people. Who can not see it?
Zhu Gaoxu did so many things and made so many preparations. Which one was not targeted at, or in other words, which ones were not directed at, those people or things in the court?

To be honest, when people thought about what Han Wang Zhu Gaoxu had done during this period of time, every civil official who left the Hall of Supreme Harmony could not help trembling and feeling terrified.

As they were thinking, all the ministers in the field, hearing Jin Zhong's questions directed at them one by one, fell silent and didn't know how to answer the question.

how to say?

As for their family and the aristocracy, it seems that they have been operating in this way for all this time, doing things and behaving in this way.

This is how they exploit the people and how they gain profits.

Otherwise, what is the purpose of these individuals taking exams to obtain official titles?
Isn’t it just for these privileges, isn’t it just for the benefits brought by these powers?
If these benefits are not there, what is the point of them becoming officials and taking imperial examinations?

However, knowing what it is, but how to do it depends on how each other understands it.

But everyone knew better than anyone else that since Jin Zhong dared to say such words, dared to say such words in the court, then let alone other things, he must have some other thoughts.

At least one thing can be proved, that is, since Jin Zhong has the confidence to say so about them and Han Wang Zhu Gaoxu, then it can be proved that Jin Zhong himself has absolutely no dirty things, otherwise, Jin Zhong would never say such words.

That's it.

After a long while, the ministers who had been scolded and fell silent gradually came back to their senses. They all looked at Jin Zhong with a guilty conscience and asked cautiously:
"Master Jin."

"Let's not talk about other things for now."

"As for the current issue, now that it has been laid out on the table, the fig leaf covering our faces has been torn off."

"Then everything we did in the past is no longer important."

"It's over now. What was supposed to happen has happened. No matter what we do to make amends, we can't cover up everything."

"But as for the current problem, how should we deal with it?"

"We will tell you everything that happened, and we will compile a book about the crimes and responsibilities of our families and nobles. We will report it to Your Majesty who is fighting in Mobei, and then we will voluntarily return the money and silver we have collected over the years."

"Your Majesty, can you please show some leniency for what has already happened?"

"Can we directly suppress and stop His Royal Highness the King of Han's prejudice against us and his intention to settle accounts with us one by one? Can we find a way out in this desperate situation?"

That's what I said.

If you actively admit your guilt and sins and give up all the money and land that violate the laws and regulations of the Ming Dynasty, can you get the forgiveness you deserve?

Regarding this answer.

To be honest, let alone people asking them now, given the current situation, Jin Zhong really doesn't have the confidence at all.

The truth is, Jin Zhong really had no idea how excessive the things these individuals had done were, how many people they had exploited, and how much silver that should have belonged to the imperial treasury they had embezzled.

Of course, the most important point is that Jin Zhong knows better than anyone else that as a person in a high position, who can really tolerate his subordinates or officials doing such disgusting things behind his back?

As for what happened, let alone what Zhu Di would feel. If Jin Zhong, as a superior, saw his subordinates disregarding the safety of the court, regardless of the court's wealth and prosperity, and doing everything for their own enjoyment, let alone whether Zhu Di could forgive them, based on the current situation and what he knew, he would not be able to truly accept it and pretend that nothing had happened.

After all, let’s not talk about these personal enjoyments. The most important point is that the consequences, public grievances and complaints caused by these personal enjoyments are all blamed on the emperor or those in high positions for the mistakes they made.

Is there any justice or law in such a matter?
As for the current situation, if it happened to anyone else, I'm afraid it would be difficult to let go and truly understand!
Even if it is for the sake of stabilizing the situation right now, we should just not cause trouble for these individuals.

But once the current events are over, or people can be found to replace these individuals, let alone Zhu Gaoxu, is it possible that Emperor Yongle Zhu Di can resist taking action against these individuals and systematically settle accounts with them?

Obviously it is unlikely!
Thinking of this, Jin Zhong, who was being questioned, couldn't help but feel a headache and distress. He didn't know how to answer the questions asked by these people.

But one thing has to be admitted, at least compared to drafting their own crimes and reporting them to Emperor Yongle, it is absolutely correct to wait for Prince of Han Zhu Gaoxu to settle accounts with them one by one, at least they can survive for a considerable amount of time.

to this end.

Even for current events, there is no absolute certainty and no absolutely definite answer.

As for the current situation, Jin Zhong had no choice but to bite the bullet and give corresponding replies to these people in the face of the eager looks and eyes that were cast upon him. He said in a deep voice:
"My colleagues."

"Regarding the question you raised."

"We can't give you a 100% answer, and we can't say who is good or who is bad."

"But in my humble opinion, if we have to choose between our superior and the current regent, Prince of Han, Zhu Gaoxu."

"We are more inclined to be in a higher position."

"Of course, the specific situation is up to you to weigh the pros and cons. After all, no one dares to give a 100% definite answer to the current situation." (End of this chapter)