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

Chapter 197 Purge the Emperor's Corrupt Officials?! Old Zhu Postpones the Grand Court Assembly! [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Inside the Hall of Literary Glory, there was a deathly silence, broken only by Old Zhu's heavy breathing.

The spurting blood, like specks of red plum blossoms, splattered onto the dragon robe and the cold gold bricks, a shocking sight.

Jiang Huan and Yun Ming were terrified and turned pale. They wanted to step forward, but were forced back by Old Zhu's murderous gaze.

Old Zhu didn't wipe the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth.

He simply braced himself against the desk with his hands, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the excessive force, and trembling slightly.

[Auditing the princes...]

These four words were like a curse, or a red-hot branding iron, repeatedly burning and roaring in his mind.

It brought waves of tearing pain and bone-chilling fear.

He felt like a craftsman who had meticulously built a tower over countless years, proud of its stability, only to have a 'mad ant' he himself had placed in the foundation hollow out the base from the inside.

Regret! Unbearable regret!
These are all of Lao Zhu's emotions at this moment.

He couldn't help but ask himself.

Why did we pardon Zhang Biao in the first place?

Was it because of that blood-stained "Public Security Memorial"? Was it because of that piercing question about Yuei's death?

Or is it because deep down, there's that almost obsessive desire for the truth, and a hint of exploitation towards Zhang Biao's ability to see into the darkness—a feeling even we're unwilling to admit?

In fact, he always had a kind of 'pampering' for Zhang Biao that others couldn't understand.

They even once regarded Zhang Biao as the 'savior' of the Ming Dynasty.

But as Zhang Biao's various methods turned the Ming Dynasty upside down, he began to see Zhang Biao as a huge 'threat'.

For example, if Zhang Biao were to audit corrupt officials, given Zhu's hatred for them, would he get angry because Zhang Biao was auditing corrupt officials?

Under normal circumstances, he would not, and might even give Zhang Biao a more important position.

However, Zhang Biao's words and actions, even his unconventional methods, made him feel an indescribable provocation.

Even if he knew Zhang Biao might be right, he couldn't tolerate someone who was beyond his control.

You should know that his personality is that of an extreme fanatic.

Add to that his almost pathological suspicion.

Even a simple comment like "The weather is nice today" from Zhang Biao could trigger his sensitive and irritable nerves.

Not to mention the phrase 'auditing the princes'.

Is that madman really trying to force us to kill our son before he's satisfied?

That's our own son!

Old Zhu's hands, which were resting on the desk, were trembling slightly. He wished he could immediately issue an edict to tear Zhang Biao to pieces.

His son, who was enfeoffed in a foreign land and held considerable military power, was a powerful tool for him to "protect the imperial family and forever receive the Mandate of Heaven," but also a persistent worry in his heart.

He suppressed them and restricted them, yet he had no choice but to rely on them to guard the borders and consolidate his rule.

He was well aware of the potential danger of powerful regional princes becoming too influential. He was also hesitant, weighing the timing and methods of reducing their power.

But Zhang Biao used the most brutal, direct, and uncompromising method to publicly ignite the fuse of this powder keg in front of the whole world.

How will he investigate? What will he find out?

Countless terrifying images flashed through Old Zhu's mind in an instant:

Zhang Biao, armed with his twisted theories, barged into the mansion of a prince's son, checking accounts, questioning, and even... taking action?
Given that madman's style, he's absolutely capable of doing it!
and then?
Would those spoiled sons surrender so easily? Would they willingly allow themselves to be humiliated like this by a seventh-rank censor, someone they considered a 'mad dog'?
Resist!

There will inevitably be fierce resistance!

At best, they'll refuse to let you in; at worst, they'll resort to violence!
Even... some people might be driven to desperation and raise the banner of 'purging the emperor's inner circle'!

[Purge the court of corrupt officials... purge the court of corrupt officials...]

Old Zhu's pupils suddenly contracted; he thought of Chao Cuo from the Han Dynasty.

Does that madman want to be Chao Cuo?

Or is he trying to force the feudal lords to rebel?

If one vassal king makes a move, how will the other vassal kings react? Will they stand by and watch? Will they follow suit? Or will they be forced to unite due to suppression by the imperial court?

Internal strife!

This civil unrest is far larger in scale than any previous one!

Having just quelled small-scale rebellions across the country, the Ming Dynasty was about to be plunged into a bloody civil war that would engulf the entire empire and be personally orchestrated by the Zhu family.

The iron cavalry of the Northern Yuan will be watching from the sidelines, and what kind of storm will those powerful clans that he suppressed and the remnants of the civil official group that he purged take the opportunity to stir up?
At that time, war will break out everywhere, the country will be shattered, and the Ming Dynasty he has worked so hard to build and govern for more than 20 years will be in ruins.

kill him?

Will killing Zhang Biao now quell all this?

The slogan of 'auditing the princes' has been shouted out, and it's like water spilled—it can never be taken back.

If Zhang Biao is killed, what about his previous audits of the Six Ministries and nobles?
What do those officials who were lured by his high salary and swayed by his words think?
How would those forces that were already dissatisfied with the feudal lords view this?
Will those sons with ulterior motives think that their father, the emperor, wouldn't dare to touch them, and thus become even more unscrupulous?
not kill him?
Are we just going to stand by and watch this madman, using the title of 'Anti-Corruption Bureau' that he himself bestowed upon him, stir up trouble and drag the Ming Dynasty into the abyss?
dilemma!

A real dilemma!

Old Zhu slowly and with great difficulty raised his head and looked at the gloomy sky outside the hall.

It was as if countless wronged souls were weeping in the gloomy sky, or as if the foundation of the Ming Dynasty was crumbling... a groan of unbearable burden.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't utter a word.

At this moment, the once mighty Hongwu Emperor, the founding monarch known for his iron fist and ruthlessness, felt for the first time a profound sense of powerlessness and aging.

He eliminated countless meritorious officials and purged countless corrupt officials, believing that he had the world firmly in his grasp.

In the end, however, he was defeated by an insignificant, madman, by the ineradicable suspicion deep within his own heart, by his obsession with the truth, and by... that imperial mindset that attempted to balance everything but ultimately led to complete loss of control.

[Biao'er... Yu'ei... girl...]

What...what did we do wrong...?

A silent cry, filled with blood and tears, resounded deep within Old Zhu's heart.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he finally managed to call out, his throat parched, "Yunming!"

"This servant...this servant is here..."

Yunming quickly and cautiously responded.

Old Zhu didn't even glance at him, then said calmly, "The grand court assembly will be postponed by an hour... I'm a bit tired, so please have the officials wait in the side hall. Also..."

At this point, he turned to look at Jiang Huan:
"Take some men and tear down Zhang Biao's stall! Say that Zhang Biao's 'high-salary recruitment' does not comply with the court's personnel regulations, and even if it's an 'audit of the princes,' we still have to agree."

"At the same time, tell everyone watching that although we agree to Zhang Biao establishing the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Zhang Biao has no financial or personnel authority!"

"Let's ignore the rest for now. We'll settle accounts with him after the grand court assembly."

"Your subject (this servant)... obeys the decree!"

Jiang Huan and Yun Ming exchanged a glance, then spoke in unison before quickly leaving the main hall.

Old Zhu, who watched them leave, narrowed his eyes with a gloomy expression.

[Zhang Biao, we don't care what your purpose is. Once we establish the Crown Prince, everything will be settled...]

We know you support Yunheng, but we will not make him our heir. We will not allow you to use Yunheng to harm our sons...

He felt that Zhang Biao had instigated Zhu Yunwen's hatred towards his uncles.

The purpose is to force a choice between two options.

If he didn't touch those princes' sons himself, he would use Zhu Yunwen's hatred for Zhu Biao's death to get Zhu Yunwen to target those princes' uncles.

[That scoundrel! What a vicious heart!]

Old Zhu slammed his fist on the desk, his whole body radiating murderous intent.

Once we've uncovered the truth and no longer need you, we'll have you executed by slow slicing...

You just wait...

……

On the other side, outside Chengtian Gate.

When Zhang Biao shouted the words "Audit the Prince of the Feudal State," the room fell silent instantly.

The officials who had just been crowding in front of the stall, staring longingly at the high-paying jobs and roasted sweet potatoes, froze with desire and eagerness on their faces, their expressions turning deathly pale with terror.

The official, who was still holding half a sweet potato in his hand, dropped the golden sweet potato flesh to the ground with a 'plop' without even noticing.

He opened his mouth wide, like a fish out of water, and made a strange "hoarse" sound from his throat.

The seven or eight officials surrounding the stall seemed to have been whipped by an invisible lash, and they all took several steps back in unison.

It was as if that broken table, that job posting, and Zhang Biao, dressed in a theatrical vest behind the table, were the source of a plague that devoured people!
The area in front of Chengtianmen, which used to be as bustling as a vegetable market, is now as silent as a cemetery.

Just as everyone was utterly shocked by Zhang Biao's words and actions, a furious and righteous shout exploded like thunder:
"Zhang Biao! You arrogant scoundrel! How dare you spread heresy and disrupt the order of the court?!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a minister in a scarlet robe stepping out from the crowd. It was Yuan Tai, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

Since Zhan Hui, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, was imprisoned in the Imperial Prison by Zhu Yuanzhang and his fate was unknown, the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate became the highest-ranking official of the Censorate.

Moreover, this Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate named Yuan Tai was known for his uprightness and integrity, and even Emperor Zhu valued him highly.

Even on the matter of abolishing the system of stipends for princes, he was summoned for a private discussion.

However, at this moment, he was so angry that his beard was trembling, and he pointed at Zhang Biao's nose and cursed:
"Zhang Biao! How long are you going to keep this up?!"

"Don't you know what the vassal kings mean to the Ming Dynasty? How dare you presume to audit them?!"

Another vice minister from the Ministry of Rites seized the opportunity to launch an attack, sternly saying:
"Outside Chengtian Gate lies the site of the Grand Court Assembly, a place where the majesty of the imperial court is displayed!"

"You dare to set up a stall here and hawk your wares, engaging in the business of merchants? What kind of decorum is this?! It's an insult to civilization and a desecration of the imperial court!"

"And your so-called high salary!"

A physician from the Ministry of Revenue jumped out; he couldn't stand anyone being more generous with their pay than his ministry.

"This far exceeds the established regulations of the imperial court and is bewitching the people! This is usurpation! This is political chaos! What are you, Zhang Biao, trying to achieve?!"

With the bigwigs taking the lead, the officials who had been too intimidated to speak earlier seemed to have found their backbone and began to chime in:

"Yes! Lord Yuan is right! Auditing the princes is tantamount to shaking the foundations of the nation!"

"Setting up a stall here is no different from being a street ruffian, and it brings shame to the imperial court!"

"Zhang Biao, you must give the officials an explanation today!"

In an instant, a torrent of criticism swept over Zhang Biao like a storm. Officials who had just been tempted by the high salary and sweet potatoes quickly shrank back, distancing themselves from Zhang Biao for fear of being implicated.

Despite being condemned by everyone, Zhang Biao remained unconcerned, even picking at his ears and flicking off non-existent earwax.

He slowly stood up, dusted himself off, and a playful smile appeared on his face, as if to say, "Finally, you've arrived."

"My lords, please calm down."

He spoke lazily:

"The audit of the princes is for the sake of the Ming Dynasty's long-term stability and to prevent anyone from undermining the Ming Dynasty. How has it become a threat to the foundation of the country?"

"Do you gentlemen really think that the princes are... completely clean and without any problems?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tai and the others turned ashen with rage. How dare this scoundrel ask a question back?!
"Bright words!"

Yuan Tai roared, "Even if there are problems, the Imperial Clan Court and the Emperor himself will decide! How dare you make unwarranted criticisms and stir up trouble here! Guards! Seize this scoundrel!"

Yuan Tai was, after all, the current head of the Censorate, and he still held considerable prestige in the court.

At his command, several officials responsible for maintaining order at the court assembly looked troubled, but they still braced themselves and directed their subordinates to prepare to subdue Zhang Biao.

However, at that moment, a commotion suddenly broke out from the surrounding area.

From several different directions in Chengtianmen Square, a group of... 'beggars' with a style so bizarre it was astonishing.

The leader was Old Zhou, who had only one arm.

He held a broken bowl, swinging his empty sleeves with a powerful, swirling motion, like a martial arts performer on stage twirling his flowing sleeves, while simultaneously wailing in a strangely rhythmic, mournful tone:
"Please, sirs, have mercy!"

"Please have pity on me, I'm all armless, my kids are so hungry they've chewed half of the doorstep away!"

"Look at this! The sleeves are hollow; a northwest wind could easily blow in!"

He deliberately sidled up to the high-ranking officials dressed in purple and scarlet robes, his empty sleeves 'casually' sweeping over them, carrying a sour stench, while his eyes darted around them furtively, as if assessing the 'weight' of these magnanimous figures.

Next up was Old Li, who had a limp.

Instead of walking properly, he adopted an extremely contorted 'mysterious walk' that seemed about to fall apart at any moment, yet always managed to maintain his balance with remarkable ease.

He deliberately chose to step on places with gaps between bricks or small stones on the road, his body swaying left and right with each step, while his eyes scanned the crowd like a searchlight.

"Ouch! This ground is uneven, it's hurting my lame leg!"

He spotted a Ministry of Personnel official who had just returned from inquiring about information at Zhang Biao's stall, and stumbled towards him, his hands seemingly flailing wildly, yet he precisely grabbed the hem of the official's robe:

"Sir! Are you alright? Did you bump into something? The material of your robe is so fine, so smooth!"

The person in charge was pulled so hard he stumbled, feeling both ashamed and angry. He tried to pull away, but Old Li held him even tighter, muttering to himself:

“Sir, you seem to have a kind heart, so please give me a treat. I got this leg crippled back when I was fighting for the imperial court in the northern deserts…”

Then there's blind old Sun.

He didn't close his eyes, but instead squinted the eye that could still see into an almost invisible slit.

His other blind eye rolled back as he leaned on the jujube wood cane that Zhang Biao had modified, like a blind man finding his way, but he happened to walk towards the small circle of officials who were gathered together, talking in hushed tones and with solemn expressions.

He moved closer to someone, pretending to sunbathe and take a nap, but his ears were perked up like a rabbit's.

"Cough...cough..."

While coughing violently, as if he were coughing up his lungs, Old Qian weakly held out a chipped, broken bowl with strange symbols drawn on the bottom in charcoal.

He specifically sought out censors or Hanlin scholars who appeared refined and perhaps had a soft heart:

"Sir...sir, please have mercy and give me...please give me a copper coin to buy medicine..."

"Cough cough... This health problem is something I developed while I was in the army, and now... cough cough... I'm afraid I won't make it through this autumn..."

He coughed so earnestly that snot and tears were almost streaming down his face. His pitiful appearance made several young censors feel sorry for him.

These veterans fully demonstrated the essence of Zhang Biao's personally passed-down "Zhang's Guide to Survival for the Disabled and Crash Course in Performance Art".

Spinning falls, gradual falls, indiscriminate staged accidents, exploiting contempt, broken information transmission... all sorts of bizarre tricks and ingenious methods are used in turn.

The guards who had just stepped forward to restrain Zhang Biao were caught off guard by their interference and were left at a loss.

After all, we are comrades-in-arms, and we can't treat our comrades-in-arms so heartlessly, can we?

If this gets out, who knows how much people will gossip about it behind my back!
When Yuan Tai and the others saw that the guards had been stopped by the veterans, their faces turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"What kind of behavior is this! What kind of behavior is this!?"

An old scholar was so angry that his beard trembled, and he pointed at the group of 'demons and monsters,' unable to speak coherently.

"This...this must have been Zhang Biao's doing!"

A Ministry of War official was both shocked and furious: "What is he trying to do? Does he want to turn the Grand Court Assembly into a Beggars' Gathering?!"

"Hahaha! Look at that guy flicking his sleeves, he's doing it like a whirlwind!"

Some low-ranking military officers, bold enough to enjoy the spectacle, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Tsk tsk, this staged accident skill is amazing! More professional than those thugs arrested by the Five Cities Garrison!"

The officials were left speechless by the veterans' bizarre "begging" methods. They wanted to drive them away, but the veterans were disabled and their status was sensitive.

If they aren't driven away, the scene will be too unsightly.

The chaos escalated further.

Zhang Biao stood behind his tattered table, watching the grand spectacle of the 'Old Soldier Beggar Clan Displaying Supernatural Powers' that he had orchestrated, his smile almost reaching his ears.

Not content with the chaos already, he banged the gong again, adding fuel to the fire.

"Colleagues, you've all seen this, haven't you? This is the current state of our Ming Dynasty's wounded veterans! They shed blood and were wounded for their country, but now they have to rely on this little 'skill' to make a living!"

"Why? It's because the garrison system has collapsed, military households are suffering terribly, and their pensions are being embezzled at every level!"

"Our anti-corruption bureau not only audits the princes, but also clarifies the military farms and recovers the embezzled funds, so that these veterans who fought for the country can live with dignity!"

He cleverly shifted the blame for the veterans' absurd behavior to the shortcomings of the military garrison system, linking his own "recruitment farce" and the shocking "audit of the princes" with the blood and tears of the lower-level military households.

Now, not only the onlookers but even the officials who had previously scorned Zhang Biao began to have their doubts.

"Zhang Biao! Stop talking nonsense!"

Yuan Tai was so angry he gritted his teeth. Pointing at Zhang Biao, he cursed again, "You're inciting a disturbance! You're defying the laws of the court! Today I will impeach you before the Emperor!"

"Indeed! Imperial Censor Zhang has repeatedly caused trouble! His crimes are unforgivable and intolerable to Heaven!"

The physician from the Ministry of Revenue also scoffed, "He's still hoping we'll fall for his tricks! What kind of high-salary recruitment nonsense is this! Does he think we're all fools?"

"Hahaha! This Lord Zhang is just a monkey show! Does he really think anyone would be foolish enough to audit a vassal king with him?"

"Hey, have you guys forgotten? He used to have a few lackeys, but they ran away. Now he's found some beggars, thinking everyone will be fooled into following him to their deaths!"

Hearing these rebuttals, insults, and sarcasm, the atmosphere around them was turned upside down once again.

The once packed crowd of onlookers retreated like a tide, clearing a large area where only Zhang Biao and the wounded veteran stood out starkly.

However, just as the atmosphere became incredibly awkward, Zhang Biao slowly pulled out a... huge wooden box covered with red paper from under the table.

Five large characters were written on the box in even cruder handwriting:

[Anonymous Reporting Box]

There was also a line of smaller print next to it:
[A reward of ten catties of sweet potatoes and fifty taels of silver will be given for providing clues about illegal activities by princes and their associates, once verified! You will also receive priority access to an interview with the Anti-Corruption Bureau!]

Boom!

Upon seeing those five large characters and the line of smaller characters next to them, it was as if the surrounding area had been struck by lightning, and you could hear a pin drop.

"Cough cough!"

Zhang Biao cleared his throat, a sincere expression of 'I'm thinking of everyone' on his mind' appearing on his face, and patted the complaint box:
"Fellow colleagues! Do not be afraid! The fight against corruption is a long and arduous task, and it requires everyone's joint efforts!"

"I know that there are some things that everyone sees and is anxious about, but due to certain pressures, they dare not speak out, and cannot speak out!"

"Now, the opportunity has arrived!"

"You don't need to come to my anti-corruption bureau; you can still earn merit and money!"

He slammed his hand on the box, making a dull thud that startled everyone around him.

"See this box? The Ming Dynasty Anti-Corruption Bureau has set up a special 'Anonymous Whistleblower Box'! If you have any clues, write them down and put them in! Nobody will know!"

"Rest assured! This box will be personally guarded by me and presented directly to the Emperor! Absolutely confidential! Absolutely safe!"

"And you won't be shortchanged by a single penny in your salary!"

His gaze swept over the ashen-faced officials, his tone both seductive and laced with an undeniable threat:

"Think about it, among you, perhaps some of you have been oppressed by the officials of the Prince's Palace, perhaps some of your friends' land has been seized by trickery, or perhaps you simply can't stand certain people who hold positions without doing their jobs and enrich themselves at the expense of the country!"

"Now, there is an opportunity to vent my anger, rid the court of a scourge, receive a reward, and even... seize a promising future!"

"Think about that annual salary of five hundred taels! Think about the glory of serving the Emperor directly!"

His words, coupled with the glaringly obvious complaint box, instantly sent chills down Yuan Tai and the others' spines.

This madman... He not only wants to die himself, but he also wants to drag everyone down with him!

He's encouraging informing! He's inciting conflict between officials and the feudal lords!
Once this box is set up, everyone present today becomes a potential 'whistleblower'!
Even if they do nothing, if a prince is investigated in the future, who can say for sure whether there was a note they put in the box?

What will the princes think then? Will they think that everyone present today is Zhang Biao's 'accomplice'?
This is no longer a pit of fire, this is an abyss! It's a catastrophe that could wipe out nine generations of your family!
"Om-"

The crowd erupted in chaos, not pushing forward, but scattering backward in terror, as if the complaint box were a monstrous beast.

Some people didn't even bother to straighten their crooked official hats; they just wanted to get away from this place of trouble and from Zhang Biao, this jinx.

Outside Chengtian Gate, the solemn and dignified order completely collapsed, turning into chaos.

Zhang Biao sat back down behind his tattered table and tapped the gong in his hand.

"clang!"

"The Ming Dynasty's Anti-Corruption Bureau is auditing the princes, and anonymous whistleblowing is underway! Don't miss this opportunity!"

His voice, amidst the chaos and deathly silence, sounded exceptionally clear, and exceptionally... chilling.

The way all the officials looked at him was no longer that of a madman, but that of someone who was about to drag the entire Ming Dynasty bureaucracy, and even the entire Ming imperial family, into the center of a huge storm—a terrifying vortex!

This isn't a recruitment drive at all.
This is clearly a banner of rebellion... no, anti-corruption raised outside Chengtian Gate, in front of the emperor and his officials!

The first blow to this flag struck with unparalleled precision at the most sensitive and vulnerable nerve of the royal family.

That was so cool, it was breathtaking!

Please vote for me with your monthly tickets!

I had some things to do today, so I'm late with the update. Sorry.

(End of this chapter)