Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 124 I Want to Seize the Throne! I Am the Rightful Grandson of the Emperor! [Bonus Chapter 17 for Monthly Tickets]

Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night.

The news that Zhang Biao was executed by order of Emperor Zhu in the autumn for "slandering the sacred teachings" has not yet been digested.

The news that Li Jinglong and Guo Ying had been imprisoned by the imperial court once again caused an uproar in Yingtian Prefecture, which was already on the verge of a major crisis.

This caused a huge uproar not only among the Huaixi noble group led by Chang Sheng and Lan Yu, but also among the civil officials.

After all, Zhang Biao implicated not only Fu Youwen and a few other high-ranking officials from the Six Ministries, but also that group of self-proclaimed upright civil officials.

The Lü family, who had close ties with the civil service, naturally learned of this news as well.

At this moment, Ms. Lü was leisurely pruning the withered leaves of a pot of orchids.

Zhu Yunwen sat to the side, absentmindedly flipping through a book, his eyes frequently drifting towards the outside of the hall.

When her trusted palace maid quietly entered and whispered the news that Duke Cao, Li Jinglong, and Marquis Wuding, Guo Ying, had been imprisoned in the imperial prison and were being held in the same cell as Zhang Biao, Lady Lü paused slightly in her hand as she trimmed the flowers and leaves.

Then, a very subtle yet chilling smile appeared on his lips.

"Oh?"

She put down the silver scissors, picked up a silk handkerchief and gently wiped her fingertips, sighing calmly, "The Emperor is truly ruthless and decisive! Even the Duke of Cao and the Marquis of Wuding have been imprisoned?"

"Mother! Was Grandfather's action too cruel?"

Zhu Yunwen couldn't help but ask, "Even the Duke and the Marquis have been imprisoned, what will happen next?"

His concern was that the situation would spiral out of control and eventually backfire on him.

After all, Zhang Biao's on-site audit of that group of upright officials at Fengtian Hall Square had given him quite a shock.

Moreover, he knew that his and his mother's foundation lay in the civil service.

Lady Lü glanced indifferently at her somewhat panicked son, a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes, but it was quickly covered up by her feigned maternal love.

She said softly, "Wen'er, don't panic. His Majesty's actions are a testament to his wisdom."

As she spoke, she slowly rose, walked to the window, looked at the desolate courtyard outside, and said thoughtfully:
“Li Jinglong was greedy and insatiable, and Guo Ying was arrogant and complacent about his achievements.”

"The evidence against them has probably already piled up on the desks of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The Emperor didn't touch them before because of old friendships, or perhaps the time wasn't right. Now..."

She turned around, a calculating glint in her phoenix eyes:
"Now that Zhang Biao, this 'madman', has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, turning the court upside down, it has given the emperor the perfect excuse to cut through the mess and get rid of these useless rotten trees!"

"This is not only clearing away old problems, but also clearing obstacles and paving the way for your future ascension to the throne, my son."

Lü's tone was full of persuasion.

But he continued, "Think about it carefully. If these parasites and ruthless generals remain in the court, how will you manage them in the future? The Emperor is bearing the burden for you."

Zhu Yunwen listened in a daze, feeling that what his mother said made a lot of sense, but the unease in his heart had not yet dissipated.

"But Mother, won't such ruthless methods make the other nobles and ministers feel insecure, and instead..."

"On the contrary, what?"

Lady Lü chuckled lightly, interrupting him: "On the contrary, you've developed disloyal intentions?"

"No way! They wouldn't dare!"

Lady Lü said confidently, "His Majesty has long held sway over the court, and now he has demonstrated his ruthless methods through the Zhang Biao incident. Who would dare to step forward at this time?"

"No, not a single person dares! They will only become more trembling and subservient!"

After speaking, she walked over to Zhu Yunwen and gently patted his shoulder: "As for Yunwen's side, the fates of Li Jinglong and Guo Ying are the clearest warning to them!"

"If the Chang family has any sense of propriety, they should know what they should and shouldn't do now. If they don't..."

Lady Lü did not continue speaking, but the cold glint in her eyes said it all.

Zhu Yunwen seemed to have been persuaded by his mother and nodded, but a trace of fear of Old Zhu's unpredictable thoughts still lingered deep in his eyes.

Looking at her son, Madam Lü sighed inwardly, then said, "Alright, these matters will be decided by the Emperor. Your priority now is to focus on your studies, be filial to the Emperor, and show kindness and compassion. As for the rest, your mother is here."

After saying this, she gave a cold smile to herself.

The arrangements for Yun-hu and her brother to pay respects to Lady Chang have been made, and now, with the precedent of Li Jing-long and Guo Ying serving as a cautionary tale...
This game of chess is getting more and more interesting.

As for the civil service? They're just using each other! She's not worried.

On the other side, in Zhu Yunwen's sleeping quarters.

When the news reached Zhu Yunwen and his siblings, it brought a completely different, almost desperate fear.

The embroidery frame in Zhu Mingyue's hand fell to the ground with a 'thud,' her face instantly turned ashen, her lips trembled, and she couldn't utter a single word.

Zhu Mingyu suddenly stood up, her eyes filled with disbelief and terror.

"Duke of Cao, Marquis of Wuding"

Zhu Mingyue murmured the two names repeatedly, her fingertips feeling cold.

She clutched the hem of her clothes tightly, trying to draw a tiny bit of warmth from it, but it was all in vain.

But her voice trembled uncontrollably as she looked at Zhu Yunwen and asked, "Yunwen, is it true that this time, Grandfather will not let anyone go?"

She was gentle and cautious by nature, and at this moment she was thinking not only about her own safety, but also about the potential entanglement of her younger brother and the entire Chang family.

The sense of panic, like a building about to collapse, almost consumed her.

"What are you afraid of!"

Zhu Mingyu suddenly stood up. Although her face was a little pale, her bright eyes burned with an indomitable spirit, even carrying a hint of rebellion fueled by the immense pressure.
"They're the ones who are corrupt, and Grandfather made an example of them. What does that have to do with us?! Does Grandfather think he can arrest us all without even asking what happened?!"

She spoke with conviction, but her slightly trembling fingertips betrayed her inner nervousness.

And anger at being unable to control his own destiny, anger at the high and unpredictable imperial power. Zhu Yunwen, however, kept his head down and remained silent as a stone.

But if you look closely, you can see that his thin shoulders are trembling slightly.

This was not out of simple fear, but rather an extremely complex and intensely conflicting emotion surging within him.

The fates of Li Jinglong and Guo Ying serve as a cruel mirror, reflecting the ultimate destiny of all those who have lost power or become an eyesore.

This also includes him, the second son of the legitimate wife who was orphaned and spoiled by his concubine.

Zhang Biao's words before he was taken away, his heroic figure in Fengtian Hall Square, his auditing of the six ministries' nobles, and his courage to fight against injustice constantly inspired him.
Suddenly, he abruptly raised his head.

Those eyes, which were usually filled with timidity and confusion, were now bloodshot, gleaming with an almost insane, desperate light.

He stopped trembling and stared intently at his two older sisters. His voice was unusually hoarse and sharp due to excitement and suppression, but it carried an unprecedented sense of determination.

"Eldest sister! Second sister!"

The call startled Zhu Mingyue and Zhu Mingyu, who looked at him in surprise.

Zhu Yunwen suddenly stood up from the corner of the bed, and even staggered because the movement was so sudden.

But he quickly regained his balance, took a deep breath, and with all his might, almost roared out the earth-shattering words:

"I don't want to go on like this anymore!"

"I don't want to be a piece of trash that everyone looks down on and that could be slaughtered at any moment anymore!"

"I don't want my sorrow to truly become the sorrow of the Ming Dynasty!"

His voice echoed in the empty, cold palace, leaving Zhu Mingyue and Zhu Mingyu dumbfounded, almost unable to believe that this was their younger brother, Zhu Yunwen.

"You've seen what happened to Li Jinglong and Guo Ying!"

"Grandpa's sword is already raised! We can't dodge it."

"Mother Consort Lü will not let us escape!"

Zhu Yunwen's emotions completely erupted, and tears finally welled up in his eyes. However, these were no longer tears of grievance, but rather a burning liquid mixed with anger, fear, and resentment.

"The kind brother is right! Don't underestimate a young person's potential!"

"He's willing to risk his life to break through this barrier! What do we have to fear?!"

As he spoke, he abruptly raised his hand, pointing to the blurry outline deep within the palace, his voice trembling with sobs, yet declaring with unusual clarity:
I want to fight for it!

"That position originally belonged to my father! It belonged to my eldest brother! And it should be mine too!"

"Why should we give it to someone else?! Why should we eke out a living like rats in a gutter?!"

Finally, he almost hysterically shouted out his deepest desires and firmest resolve:
"I want to claim the throne! I am the rightful grandson of the emperor!"

"I still want to save that good guy!!"

"Boom——!"

These words struck Zhu Mingyue and Zhu Mingyu like a thunderbolt from the heavens.

"Yunheng! Are you crazy?!"

Zhu Mingyue was terrified and rushed forward to cover Zhu Yunwen's mouth, her voice trembling uncontrollably:
"Do you know what you're saying?! If this gets out, we'll all be dead without a burial place!!"

She was so frightened that her face turned pale and her body went cold. She felt that her younger brother had really been driven mad by Zhang Biao.

After the initial shock, Zhu Mingyu's beautiful eyes suddenly flashed with an intense excitement, even fanaticism.

"Well said! Yun-hu! You fucking said it well!!"

Instead of being afraid, Zhu Mingyu imitated Zhang Biao's behavior and excitedly kicked Zhu Yuntong in the buttocks.

Immediately afterwards, he shoved away Zhu Mingyue, who was trying to cover her younger brother's mouth, and slapped Zhu Yunwen's shoulder hard, his voice rising with excitement:
"That's more like it! That's my brother, Zhu Mingyu! It should have been like this a long time ago!"

"Why should all the good things be monopolized by that illegitimate son Zhu Yunwen and his smiling tiger mother?!"

The rebellious flame within her was completely ignited by her brother's earth-shattering declaration:
"We must fight! Count me in! Anyone who dares to stop us, I, the princess, will beat them to death!"

As for the 'good Samaritan'...
How could she be left out of something this exciting?!

"Mingyu! Why are you joining in this nonsense!"

Seeing her younger siblings instantly "joining in the wrongdoing," Zhu Mingyue was so anxious that tears streamed down her face, and she felt as if the sky was about to fall.

Zhu Yunwen struggled to break free from his eldest sister's grasp. Although tears still clung to his face, his body trembled slightly with excitement, and he felt a sharp pain in his buttocks from being kicked, his eyes shone with unusual brightness and determination.
"Big sister, we have no way out."

"If we fight, there might still be a glimmer of hope. If we don't fight, we'll end up like Li Jinglong and Guo Ying, or even worse off."

He paused, his voice lowering, yet carrying an undeniable power:
“This good man, he can’t die in vain. His words woke me up, and I can’t just stand by and watch him be killed by my grandfather.”

At this moment, Zhu Yunwen seemed to have been reborn.

The timid, dissolute good-for-nothing disappeared, replaced by a young man who, driven to the brink, finally unleashed all his courage and determination.

Despite the uncertainty of the future, the slim hope, and even what could be described as madness.

But he finally voiced the resentment that had been building up in his heart for more than a decade, and chose the most difficult path, which was also the one with the greatest chance of living a decent life.

Zhu Mingyue looked at the unprecedented light in her younger brother's eyes, listened to her sister's eager-to-stir-up rhetoric, and thought about the methods of the Lü mother and son, as well as the fates of Li Jinglong and Guo Ying.
Finally, she collapsed, powerless, tears streaming silently down her face.

She knew that this autumn, the Eastern Palace, or the Ming Dynasty, was destined to be anything but peaceful.

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(End of this chapter)