Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 9: Acting in a way that loves the people but abuses them!
As soon as Guo Chong said this, the faces of the people who were originally talking and laughing suddenly froze, and Li Shanchang even shouted angrily:
"Minister Guo, stop talking nonsense."

"Our great Ming dynasty expelled the Tartars and restored the Chinese heritage. We are loved by the people. How could anyone write anti-Chinese articles during the imperial examination?"

Li Shanchang had a gloomy face.

Anti-literary, this is no small matter, especially at the critical juncture of the newly launched imperial examination. Your Majesty is somewhat displeased with scholars. If such a thing happens, I am afraid it will seriously affect the future imperial examinations.

How dare he not take it seriously?

Wu Gongda glanced at Guo Chong suspiciously. He knew Guo Chong's character. He knew that Guo Chong was a bit arrogant, but he would never make such a mistake.

Especially in front of so many people.

Moreover, this is the imperial examination, an opportunity for scholars all over the world to rise to fame overnight. Why spend so much time and energy just to write a dissenting article at this time?
Isn't this ridiculous?!
The smile on Zhu Biao's face disappeared instantly, replaced by a sullen look. He looked at Guo Chong coldly and asked in a deep voice, "Minister Guo, you said you reviewed a counter-article?"

"Really?"

Guo Chong knelt on the ground, his head almost touching the ground, and gritted his teeth and said, "Your Highness, I... I did see an anti-China article."

"I dare not lie."

There was dead silence.

If Guo Chong had not spoken so confidently, other officials would have thought that Guo Chong had just made a slip of the tongue. However, when Zhu Biao personally asked him about it, Guo Chong still did not change his words.

That means it's true.

There really were people who wrote anti-Chinese language on the imperial examination papers.

Li Shanchang felt his scalp tingling at this moment, and he quickly stood up and took the test paper from Guo Chong's desk. Wu Gongda and other officials looked at each other, and they could no longer sit still, so they stood up and looked over.

They really wanted to see what the anti-article said, but they didn't have the courage to do so.

I'm really afraid of being implicated.

Li Shanchang only took a quick look at it, and his face suddenly changed. He quickly closed the test paper, bowed to Zhu Biao and said, "Your Highness, the content of this test paper is indeed disrespectful. I think this person should be arrested immediately and his accomplices should be thoroughly investigated."

“Set as a warning to others.”

Zhu Biao's eyes sank slightly, and he didn't say anything. Instead, he reached out to take the test paper and read it word by word.

"Learning from the past can help us to govern."

"Zhu Ming actually doesn't love the people."

When he saw the words "Zhu Ming actually does not love the people", Zhu Biao sneered and said, "I thought it was some kind of anti-literary movement, but it turns out to be just a scholar's self-righteousness."

"Doesn't the Ming Dynasty love its people?"

"Your Majesty was born into a commoner family and suffered all kinds of hardships. You are extremely caring towards the lower classes. How can you say that you don't love the people?"

"Looking back at the past dynasties, has there ever been a time when the Ming Dynasty was so compassionate to the people? Has there ever been a time when the Ming Dynasty was so decisive for the people? Has there ever been a time when the Ming Dynasty hated corrupt officials so deeply?"

"The love of the people of the Ming Dynasty is rare throughout history. How can we allow such a villain to slander us?"

Zhu Biao snorted coldly.

He put the test paper in Li Shanchang's hands without covering it up, and asked Li Shanchang to read out the contents in front of all the examiners.

He will refute them one by one.

If it were any other content, he might have hesitated for a moment, fearing that it would be spread and cause adverse effects, but when it came to loving the people, he believed that no dynasty in history could compare to the Ming Dynasty.

He also deliberately read this anti-article to other ministers in order to prevent these people from making irresponsible comments in private and then spreading rumors to slander His Majesty's reputation.

If we really keep this anti-article secret, some of these civil officials and scholars might fabricate something else. Instead of doing that, it is better to read it out loud.

Completely put an end to these people's wild thoughts.

Nip rumors in the bud.

Li Shanchang was stunned for a moment, then he understood what Zhu Biao meant and secretly admired him.

If other people encountered such a thing, they would not even have time to cover it up. How many people would have the courage and magnanimity of Zhu Biao?

This kind of self-confidence is rare in the world. Li Shanchang cupped his hands, glanced at the officials beside him, and said seriously: "Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, it has indeed suffered a lot of criticism."

"There are also many scholars who are grateful to the Mongols and do not like the Ming Dynasty's policies, but how can these people slander the generosity of our dynasty towards the people?"

"Today, I will use this counter-article as an example to refute it vigorously."

Li Shanchang took a sip of tea, cleared his throat, and said solemnly: "This anti-article begins by saying that our Ming Dynasty will be destroyed by a peasant uprising."

"And they said that our dynasty did not love its people."

Li Shanchang didn't say much about the opening part and went straight to the main text.

"Speak of Fengyang, speak of Fengyang."

"Fengyang is a good place. Ever since Emperor Zhu came to power, there has been famine nine out of ten years. The emperor's grace is overwhelming all year round, but Zhu Ming actually doesn't care about the people."

"Since the founding of the country, Emperor Hongwu has been claiming to love the people, but in reality he abused them under the guise of loving them."

After reading this sentence, Li Shanchang frowned and felt a little panicked. This almost completely denied the current emperor's decision to rule for the people.

Wu Gongda raised his eyebrows and glanced at Guo Chong who was still kneeling on the ground. He couldn't help but take a few breaths of cold air in his heart, thinking, if this was what he had reviewed.

I'm afraid he's even more frightened than Guo Chong.

At this moment, except for Li Shanchang who was asked to recite the anti-China text, and Zhu Biao who was sitting on the main seat, all the other ministers in the hall knelt on the ground, staring at the ground, not daring to make any sound.

Zhu Biao's eyes were cold.

He did not say anything, but just raised his hand, signaling Li Shanchang to continue reading.

Li Shanchang's forehead was covered with sweat, but he did not reach out to wipe it off. He continued, "The Ming Dynasty rose from the peasant uprising, and it will also fall from the peasant uprising. This is clear from history."

"Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, floods have continued throughout the country, grain production has never increased, the military bases throughout the country have been on the verge of collapse, and the civilian population in the military bases has been seriously fleeing."

"At its core..."

"Yu Ming does not love the people."

Zhu Biao snorted coldly, but did not take it to heart. He knew clearly in his heart what his father had done. Heaven and earth can bear witness to it. How could a mere anti-article distort the truth?

He also wanted to let all officials know that his Zhu family's Ming Dynasty was legitimate!
It is still the most righteous in the world!

Li Shanchang continued: "Emperor Hongwu conquered the world from the right of Huai River, expelled the Tartar humiliation, and restored China. No one was more righteous than Emperor Han Ming."

"Emperor Hongwu was a man of wisdom and bravery, and he had the ambition to save the world and bring peace to the people. He took advantage of the times and was followed by heroes. He suppressed rebellions and destroyed the strong, and established his empire in 15 years."

"This feat is unprecedented in history."

"Because Emperor Hongwu was born into a common family, he understood the difficulties faced by the lower classes."

"He attached importance to farming and reduced taxes and labor service. In order to reduce the negative impact of famine on the people, he provided disaster relief many times and was widely loved by the people."

"So at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, social productivity also recovered and developed rapidly."

"In addition, the Hongwu Emperor advocated frugality and opposed extravagance and debauchery. He was very strict in disciplining officials, thus establishing a trend of frugality."

"The Hongwu Emperor's policy of recuperation and rest consolidated the Ming Dynasty's rule over the world, enriched the people's lives, and promoted rapid social development. This period of governance can be called the Hongwu Reign."

After listening to these long words of praise for His Majesty, all the officials, who had originally bowed their heads, could not help but raise their heads slightly.

Zhu Biao's expression relaxed a little and he smiled.

But when Guo Chong heard these words, he showed no joy at all, his face turned pale, and his head was completely pressed to the ground, with no intention of raising his head at all.

Li Shanchang also had no smile on his face, his lips trembling slightly. He glanced at Zhu Biao nervously, gritted his teeth and continued to read:

“But it’s all fake.”

　I will start to update three more times tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)