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

Chapter 183 Zhang Biao: I'm rich! I'm rich! [Bonus Chapter 16 for Monthly Tickets]

When Lao Zhu woke up again, it was the afternoon of the day after he had fainted.

He lay on the dragon bed, his face ashen, his eyes sunken, as if all his energy had been drained overnight.

The Hall of Literary Glory was filled with a strong smell of medicine, and Yunming and several imperial physicians were carefully attending to him.

"Your Majesty, you're awake!"

Yunming exclaimed in surprise.

Old Zhu waved his hand to indicate that he was alright, his voice hoarse and dry: "Where is Jiang Huan?"

"Commander Jiang has been waiting outside."

"Tell him to come in."

Jiang Huan strode in, knelt before the bed, and gave a detailed report on the situation from when Old Zhu fainted until this morning:
"Your Majesty, the riots around the execution ground have been suppressed. The Five Cities Garrison and the Embroidered Uniform Guard joined forces to disperse most of the gathered people and arrest dozens of those who led the attack and incited the disturbances."

"At present, order has been restored on the surface in Yingtian Prefecture, but among the common people, there is much talk, and sayings such as 'snow in June' and 'Zhang Qingtian' cannot be stopped."

He paused, his voice even lower:
"I have already dispatched more secret agents to monitor teahouses, taverns, and key city gates to prevent the spread of rumors."

"However... this matter has too great an impact, and it may be difficult to completely contain it. If it gets to the local areas..."

Old Zhu listened with his eyes closed, his face expressionless, but the knuckles of his hand resting on the brocade quilt were slightly white from the force he was exerting.

He knew that once the hearts of the people were lost, it was difficult to regain them.

Zhang Biao's life and this strange snowstorm created a bottomless chasm between him and the people.

"Preach my will."

Old Zhu spoke slowly, his voice weary, yet still commanding:

"First, the arrested people were thoroughly investigated, the ringleaders were severely punished, and those who were coerced were given a lesson and then dispersed."

"We must stop arresting and killing people indiscriminately; stability must be the top priority."

"Second, send an urgent message to Feng Sheng, Fu Youde, and Ye Sheng, instructing them to keep a close watch on the fiefdoms of the Kings of Qin, Jin, and Zhou!"

"Not a single soldier shall move rashly. All government affairs shall continue as before. Anyone who makes any unusual moves, regardless of who they are, shall be executed first and reported later!"

"Tell them that securing their fiefdom is a great achievement!"

"Sir, obey the order!"

Jiang Huan accepted the order, thinking that at least the emperor hadn't made a more drastic decision in his rage.

"besides!"

Old Zhu opened his eyes and looked sharply at Jiang Huan: "Go and call those five brats, Shen Lang, Sun Gui, Li Mo, Wu Naida, and Zhao Fengman, here."

It seems the Emperor still won't let Zhang Biao's accomplices off the hook!

Jiang Huan sighed inwardly, but dared not say a word, and quickly replied, "Yes!"

About half an hour later, Shen Lang and his group of five were brought into the Huagai Hall.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you, Your Majesty!"

They had clearly moved on from Zhang Biao's death, but when facing Old Zhu, they displayed a newfound humility and composure.

Old Zhu leaned back on the couch, scrutinizing them carefully, as if trying to find any trace of pretense on their faces.

"Did Zhang Biao give you anything before he died? Or did he say anything special to you?"

Old Zhu's voice was not loud, but it carried a tremendous sense of oppression: "Especially... about our eldest grandson, Zhu Xiong Ying."

[The eldest grandson of the emperor, Zhu Xiong Ying?]

Shen Lang and the other four were all taken aback.

It should be noted that the de facto eldest grandson of the Ming Dynasty is Zhu Yunwen.

Even though he was still addressed as the second grandson of the emperor, it was common knowledge that Zhu Yuanzhang intended to make Zhu Yunwen the crown prince.

Therefore, when they heard Old Zhu mention the eldest grandson of the emperor, Zhu Xiong Ying, they were first surprised, and then shook their heads blankly.

However, since Lao Zhu had asked, they couldn't very well not answer.

Shen Lang, speaking in a hoarse voice, was the first to answer: "Your Majesty, Brother Biao... no, Zhang Biao, he has never mentioned His Highness the Crown Prince to us."

"He only taught us how to ask for back pay and how to check accounts, and he taught us... that some things are more important than living."

"We know nothing about other matters, such as the death of the Crown Prince, corruption in Shaanxi, or even the affairs of His Highness the Crown Prince's eldest grandson. As for the iron box, it was all an accidental discovery..."

"We wanted to follow Zhang Biao and do something meaningful, but unfortunately..."

At this point, his voice choked with emotion, and he could no longer speak.

Sun Gui, standing to the side, added with red eyes:

"Your Majesty, if Brother Biao really had any backup plans, he would never have told us!"

"He definitely knew you would ask us, and telling us would only harm us!"

Li Mo, Wu Naida, and Zhao Fengman all shook their heads, their expressions seemingly genuine.

Old Zhu stared intently at them, remaining silent for a long time.

He had to admit that Zhang Biao, that madman, although he acted erratically, genuinely cared for his five subordinates.

Given Zhang Biao's shrewdness and ruthlessness, there's no way he would tell Shen Lang and the others the real, fatal clues; that would be tantamount to pushing them into a fire pit.

It seems they really don't know!

Old Zhu sighed inwardly, a huge sense of powerlessness surging up once again.

Zhang Biao was like a slippery eel; even when he was dead, he couldn't catch his tail.

He waved his hand dismissively: "Fine. You five, listen up."

Shen Lang and his four companions immediately bowed.

“Zhang Biao is dead, and you all followed his orders. We’re giving you a chance to redeem yourselves.”

"Shen Lang, you are hereby appointed as the Censor of Shaanxi and sent to the fiefdom of the King of Qin."

“Sun Gui, you are hereby appointed as the Censor of Shanxi and sent to the fiefdom of the Prince of Jin.”

"Li Mo, you are hereby appointed as the Censor of Henan and sent to the fiefdom of the King of Zhou."

"Wu Naida, you are hereby appointed as the Censor of Beiping and sent to the fiefdom of the Prince of Yan."

"Zhao Fengman, you are hereby appointed as the Censor of Shandong and sent to the fiefdom of the King of Qi."

Upon hearing this, all five were stunned and looked up in disbelief.

They never expected the emperor to voluntarily allow them to leave the capital.

It should be noted that one of Zhang Biao's dying arrangements was for them to leave the capital and go as far away as possible.

In particular, one should avoid associating with nobles and dignitaries such as Fu Youde, Feng Sheng, and Lan Yu.

Now, not only has the Emperor not sought revenge, but he has also taken the initiative to let them leave the capital. Could it be that... Brother Biao really has a backup plan?
Thinking of this, the five of them looked at each other in bewilderment.

Old Zhu took in their expressions and said coldly:
"Don't be surprised. If Zhang Biao really has a backup plan, it must be related to the turmoil he has stirred up."

"Since you were once his helpers, you'd better keep a close eye on things when you go to these places!"

"If there's any disturbance, report it to us directly! Maybe... we can expose some demons and monsters lurking in the shadows!"

What he said was half true and half false.

This was both to use their potential 'sensitivity' as bait and spies, and to transfer them away from the capital, a place of trouble, so that they would not be used by others or cause further trouble.

Shen Lang and his four companions looked at each other, and finally kowtowed in unison:
"Your humble servants...accept the decree and express our gratitude!"

There's nothing they can do; they're not Zhang Biao after all.

Since Zhang Biao had secured a chance for them to live, they naturally couldn't let him down.

Furthermore, Zhang Biao's dying words were already etched into their very bones.

If you're going to die, die meaningfully.

"Go now, take up your post immediately, without delay."

After dismissing Shen Lang and his four companions, Old Zhu remained silent for a moment before saying to Yun Ming, "Summon Yu Xin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and Huang Zicheng, Academician of the Hanlin Academy."

Yu Xin and Huang Zicheng arrived soon.

Yu Xin was holding a thick ledger in his hands.

He gave a detailed report on the stipends of the royal family in recent years, especially the enormous expenditures on rice and rewards for several border princes, which were staggering and had become a heavy burden on the national treasury.

As Old Zhu listened, his face grew increasingly gloomy, and he couldn't help but recall Zhang Biao's incisive words in "Memorial on Public Security": "To raise a child without teaching him is the father's fault."

He gritted his teeth suddenly, as if he had made up his mind.

"deliver an imperial order!"

Old Zhu's voice carried a resolute tone, like a warrior cutting off his own arm.
"Apart from the nine great border kings, all other vassal kings, except for the regular salaries and necessary rewards for their guards, soldiers, and officials, shall have their extra expenses such as brocade, precious objects, and palace maids abolished! They shall be required to raise these expenses themselves within their fiefdoms!"

Yu Xin was startled: "Your Majesty, this...this might displease the princes..."

"dissatisfied?"

Old Zhu snorted coldly:
"Tell them! We're only giving them a year. After a year, if they can't support their wives, children, and elderly parents on their own, they shouldn't be princes anymore! They should go back to Fengyang and farm!"

"But there is one condition: anyone who dares to use their power to exploit the people and compete with them for profit will have their royal title revoked immediately, without any leniency!"

He paused, then added a shocking imperial decree:

"A further decree is issued: from this day forward, members of the imperial clan may enter officialdom through legitimate channels such as the imperial examinations and military merit, or engage in industries such as industry and commerce under the supervision of local officials!"

"Our descendants cannot all be useless people who only know how to eat rice!"

Yu Xin was stunned; this was a major event that could shake the ancestral system.

But he dared not refute it and quickly wrote it down.

"besides!"

Old Zhu rubbed his temples wearily: "Remove Liu Sanwu from all his posts and allow him to... retire to his hometown."

Liu Sanwu's reputation was completely ruined after this execution.

Keeping him around would only exacerbate the conflict; sending him back to his hometown would at least fulfill the last vestige of the relationship between ruler and subject.

"at last!"

Old Zhu turned his gaze to Huang Zicheng, a Hanlin scholar who had been standing uneasily in the corner: "Minister Huang."

Huang Zicheng quickly stepped forward: "Your subject is here."

"You, draft a 'self-reproach edict' for us."

Old Zhu's voice lowered, carrying an indescribable complexity of emotions:

"It is written that I... misjudged people, resulting in a wrongful imprisonment, and strange omens appeared in the sky as a warning to me... I am deeply ashamed..."

Saying these words seemed to drain the last of his strength.

He slowly closed his eyes, no longer looking at anyone.

An edict of self-reproach!
The emperor admitted his mistake to the people!

What a difficult choice this was for the headstrong and arrogant Zhu Yuanzhang!

But he had no choice.

In order to quell public discontent, to stabilize the situation, and also for... that possible 'divine will' that may exist in the dark.

Huang Zicheng was shocked and immediately knelt down: "Your subject... obeys the decree!"

Each imperial edict issued from the Hall of Literary Glory was like a stone thrown into water, bound to stir up new and unknown waves in the turbulent Ming Dynasty.

Old Zhu is cleaning up the mess left by Zhang Biao in his own way, and is also trying to salvage the already crumbling public sentiment and national destiny.

But is it too late for all of this?
"Biao'er...Xiongying..."

Old Zhu stared blankly at the palace ceiling, letting out a barely audible whisper, as if weeping blood:

"Father, being the emperor... must be so tiring..."

“Tell your father… what is the truth… what is it…” “The future of the Ming Dynasty… how should we proceed…”

no respond.

Only the howling wind and snow outside the palace sounded like a funeral dirge.

[Zhang Biao! After this is over, it's goodbye forever.]

A sense of desolation, of a hero's demise and utter loneliness, has never been so clearly felt in my heart.

He eliminated everyone he believed would threaten the Zhu family's rule.

Ultimately, however, he may have personally pushed this empire into an even more dangerous abyss.

The madman who ignited all of this and then mocked him mercilessly escaped his control in the most tragic and heart-wrenching way, leaving him alone with endless trouble and torment.

Inside the Hall of Literary Glory, the flickering candlelight stretched the shadow of the Hongwu Emperor, who had suddenly hunched over, into a very long, long silhouette.

On the other side, the modern world.

Zhang Biao's consciousness floated in the darkness, just as he had expected. There was no intense pain, only a detached, hazy feeling.

The next second, the familiar feel of the hard bed came through, and the air filled my nostrils with the unique smell of a rental apartment, a mixture of dust and a hint of mildew.

Zhang Biao suddenly opened his eyes, gasping for breath, his heart still pounding from the words he had just spoken before his execution.

"Whew...Whew...Exciting! That was fucking exciting! Thank goodness Old Zhu's decree arrived in time! Otherwise, Jiang Huan would have forcibly detained me!"

He touched his neck with lingering fear, making sure his head was still there and there was no cut on his neck, before he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

[Finally back!]

Although the process was thrilling and I almost messed up, the result... well, the goal was achieved.

I wonder what Old Zhu's expression will be when he sees his own "Memorial on Public Security"... Will he faint from anger again?

[Tsk tsk, the world is so beautiful, yet you're so irritable. That's not good, not good at all...]

After a moment of reflection, Zhang Biao habitually raised his left arm, wanting to see how long his 'death plea' would earn him.

A pure white countdown timer comes into view: [1440:00:00]

"this?!"

Zhang Biao's eyes widened instantly, and his jaw almost dropped to the ground.

"One four hundred... divided by twenty-four... sixty days?! Holy crap! Sixty days!"

He sprang out of bed with a somersault, almost hitting the low ceiling in his excitement:

"Two months! A whole two months of vacation! Isn't that just like summer vacation?!"

This is the longest vacation he has taken since gaining the ability to travel through time.

Previously, it would take a maximum of seven days, but this time it has increased several times over.

He forced himself to calm down and think back carefully.

How long did you stay in the Ming Dynasty this time?

From being forced to stay by Emperor Zhu during his "death plea" at court, to being imprisoned, to demanding back pay, to auditing the Six Ministries, and finally experiencing the mystery surrounding the death of Crown Prince Zhu Biao...

[In total, it took about four months...]

"Four months... in exchange for sixty days of vacation... that's roughly a two-to-one ratio?"

Zhang Biao stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "So it's not a random refresh! The longer you stay, the longer your vacation is!?"

He couldn't help but jump up, stomp his feet, wave his arms, and shout loudly, "Awesome! That's fucking awesome!"

He used to think it was all about luck, but he never imagined there was a pattern to it.

From this perspective, there's a lot more room for maneuver in the future.

However, before his excitement had subsided, his gaze fell on his right arm.

The previous "0kg" label has disappeared, replaced by a clear "50kg".

"50 kilograms?"

Zhang Biao was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed: "He can really bring things back?! And he can bring back 50 kilograms of things?!"

Countless images flashed through his mind in an instant:

[Gold, jewelry, antiques, porcelain... just bring back some of the best things from the Ming Dynasty, and you'll instantly reach the pinnacle of life!]

Forget rented apartments and sauerkraut fish, goodbye to it all! He wants to live in a mansion, drive a sports car, and frequent nightclubs with young models!

However, when he subconsciously looked around...

The cramped rented room remained cramped. Apart from the hard bed he had just jumped onto, a paint-chipped wardrobe, and a rickety computer desk, there was nothing else.

There wasn't a single copper coin on the ground, let alone any gold or antiques.

"Where are my things? Where are my 'burial goods'?!"

Zhang Biao was stunned.

He searched the bed, under the bed, and in the drawers and cabinets, but couldn't find a single hair.

"Could it be... that [50kg] refers to the maximum weight I can bring back on my next journey?"

He scratched his head, his earlier excitement suddenly dampened, and he couldn't help but feel disappointed.
"What's the use? It's like water from afar, it can't quench immediate thirst! I'm already so poor I'm eating dirt!"

The thought of his current predicament instantly vanished from his earlier display of heroic spirit and boundless ambition on the guillotine.

"Gululu——"

My stomach growled again, much to my dismay.

He sighed, took out his phone with several cracks on the screen, and skillfully opened the food delivery app.

Looking at the pitiful balance in my account and the monthly bills to be paid, and then at the time, it was only Wednesday, not even Crazy Thursday yet. My finger hesitated for a long time on the KFC set meal, but in the end I couldn't bear to order it.

"Sigh, Old Zhu, after fighting with you for months, I still have to worry about a few dollars for takeout when I get back..."

He was sighing as he prepared to order the 'jet package'.

"Bang bang bang!"

A loud, rough knocking suddenly rang out, accompanied by a shrill, harsh female voice: "Zhang Biao! Open the door! I know you're in there! Don't play dead!"

She's a landlady!

Zhang Biao's heart skipped a beat, but he steeled himself and went to open the door.

Outside the door stood a middle-aged woman with a plump figure, curly hair, wearing pajamas, and holding a toothpick in her mouth—his landlady.

With her hands on her hips and spitting as she spoke, she yelled, "Zhang Biao! You're three days late on your rent this month! When are you going to pay it?! If you don't pay, I'm fired!"

Zhang Biao forced a fawning smile: "Aunt Wang, please give me two more days, just two more days! I'll hand it in as soon as I find a job!"

"Grace period? I've already given you three days' grace!"

Landlady Aunt Wang scoffed, "Enough nonsense! If you don't pay today, you're moving out tonight!"

"I can move, but can you refund my deposit?"

Zhang Biao tried to win it over.

"deposit?"

Aunt Wang felt as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world:
"You've breached the lease and are behind on rent, and you still want your deposit back? I'm already being lenient by not demanding compensation! If you keep arguing, I'll have someone come and clear your things out right now!"

After saying that, she glared at Zhang Biao, then swayed her fat body and walked away, cursing.

"boom--!"

Zhang Biao slammed the door shut, seething with anger.

"Damn it! I pointed my finger at the emperor and cursed him in the Ming Dynasty court, and now I have to put up with your rudeness, you landlady!"

Frustrated, he slammed his fist against the wall, causing the wall to crumble and dust to fall.

But anger is anger, reality is reality.

Even if he's crazy in the Ming Dynasty, he'll have to admit defeat when he comes back.

There are only a few hundred yuan left in the card, which won't last more than a few days.

He glanced at the gray sky outside the window, wondering who he could borrow money from.

I scrolled through my contacts, but the few friends I was on good terms with were either new to work or struggling, so I just couldn't bring myself to ask.

The reason he ended up like this is because during his internship, his bald supervisor tried to sexually harass a female classmate in his group. He couldn't stand it and, fueled by alcohol, beat up the supervisor.

Later, fearing things would escalate, the supervisor secretly gave him a sum of "hush money" and told him to get lost.

However, after only a few months of peace, he was dismissed by the company on the trumped-up charge of 'stealing office supplies'.

After that, he faced setbacks everywhere he looked for a job, and his savings were almost gone. He almost took his own life... until he accidentally gained the ability to travel between the two worlds.

"Ugh……"

Zhang Biao sighed, walked to the window, and looked down at the bustling crowd that had nothing to do with him, feeling a pang of sadness.

My gaze inadvertently swept over the "50kg" mark on my right arm again, and the more I looked at it, the angrier I became.

"This useless ability is completely worthless!"

"I have to go back and suffer all over again before I can bring anything back?! By then, I'll probably be starving to death on the streets and sleeping under bridges!"

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He couldn't help but raise his hand and punch the virtual [50kg] mark in a fit of anger.

Just as his fist landed—

A sudden change occurred!

The void in front of him rippled like water, and something fell out without warning!

"Fuck!"

Zhang Biao was startled and hurriedly caught it.

It feels heavy and cool to the touch, and has exquisite patterns.

He looked closely and was completely stunned.

This... isn't this the jade belt that Li Jinglong threw onto the guillotine?!

He even complained that he'd deformed it...

Could it be... that I'm wrong?

It's not that I'm going to travel back in time, but that I've already brought back 50kg of stuff?!
Thinking of this, he suddenly looked at his right arm again.

The number on the "50kg" label flickered and quickly changed to "48kg".

Zhang Biao's eyes widened instantly, becoming bigger than copper bells, and his mouth opened wide enough to fit an egg.

After a brief silence, a near-voice-breaking roar suddenly exploded in the cramped rented room:
"Holy shit—!"

"I'm rich! I'm really rich!!"

He gripped the cool, smooth, and obviously valuable jade belt tightly, trembling with excitement and almost jumping up on the spot.

It turns out that the 50kg limit isn't for the next time! It's the maximum total weight I've already brought back this time!
Moreover... he can retrieve the items he brought back from that mysterious 'storage space' by 'hammering' the mark.

Li Jinglong's jade belt weighed at most one or two kilograms, so after taking it, his allowance became [48kg].

What's left in the remaining 48kg allowance?!

A light, comparable to a searchlight, suddenly burst forth in Zhang Biao's eyes.

Without hesitation, he raised his fist again, filled with excitement and anticipation, and slammed it down hard on the "48kg" mark on his right arm.

"DaMing Online! Give me some gold coins—!"

……

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(End of this chapter)