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

Chapter 209 Old Zhu, don't be angry, how about a bowl of pickled pepper beef noodles? [Seeking monthly votes]

Inside the Hall of Literary Glory, Old Zhu was suppressing his anger, waiting for Zhang Biao's arrival.

However, he waited and waited, but Zhang Biao still hadn't arrived. Instead, he heard hurried footsteps outside the hall, accompanied by suppressed gasps.

"what happened?!"

Old Zhu frowned slightly, feeling a sense of unease and a bad premonition.

A moment later, a junior officer from the Imperial Guard, his face ashen, practically scrambled in. Forgetting all etiquette, he knelt with a thud, his voice filled with utter terror:
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! Zhang Biao... he's outside Chengtian Gate... he..."

"What do you mean, 'he'?! Tell me!"

The bad feeling that Old Zhu had just suppressed rose again, and it was even stronger than before.

The flag bearer swallowed hard and reported with difficulty:

"Zhang Biao stood outside Chengtian Gate... recounting Your Majesty's early arduous struggles in establishing your dynasty, resisting the tyrannical Yuan dynasty, and punishing corrupt officials, which stirred the emotions of the people, who held Your Majesty in the highest esteem..."

Old Zhu's brows relaxed slightly, but his eyes remained sharp: "And then?"

"Then...then he suddenly changed the subject!"

Xiaoqi's voice was trembling with tears as she continued:

"In front of all the people and officials, he sternly questioned Your Majesty... Why are you now obstructing the Anti-Corruption Bureau's audit of the princes? Why are you reluctant to investigate the imperial treasury? Why are you suppressing the Anti-Corruption Bureau?"

Swish!
Old Zhu's face immediately darkened.

The little flag officer said in a trembling voice:
"He even used that 'Pearl, Jade, and White Jade Soup' as a comparison. He said that Your Majesty could share weal and woe with the soldiers back then, but now you don't even dare to let anyone see the account books... In the end... in the end he..."

"What happened to him in the end?!"

Old Zhu's voice was as cold as ice.

"He looked up to the sky and cried out in anguish, questioning Your Majesty in front of everyone..."

Xiao Qi was so frightened he almost fainted, but he still mustered his courage and used his last bit of strength to repeat the words that were enough to freeze the air in the entire hall:
He shouted... 'Your Majesty—! Tell me! Why did you rebel back then?!'

"'How come now that you're firmly seated on the throne, you've... become the very thing you hated most back then?!'"

boom--!
It was like a thousand thunderclaps exploding in Old Zhu's mind at the same time!
He suddenly stood up from the dragon throne, his body trembling slightly from extreme anger!

The color drained from her face instantly, followed by a terrifying flush!

How dare he?!

How dare he ask such a question?!

"Why rebel... to become the very thing you hate most..."

These words were like the most vicious curse, or a red-hot dagger, piercing with unparalleled precision into the deepest corner of Lao Zhu's heart, a corner he himself was unwilling to touch easily!
He rebelled because he could no longer survive, because the Yuan court was tyrannical and corrupt officials were rampant, and because he, Zhu Chongba, had suffered all kinds of hardships and seen enough of the injustice in the world!
He established the Ming Dynasty to sweep away all this filth and to create a bright and just world!
But now...

Zhang Biao, that madman, that ant, actually used his proudest history of starting out, his deepest pain and original intentions, to question him, to lash out at him, saying that he had become the very thing he hated most?!

This is not just simple arrogance; it is attacking the very soul of Zhu Yuanzhang, putting his life's struggles and beliefs on the fire, and fundamentally denying the legitimacy and justification of his rule!
"puff--!"

Overwhelmed by anger and frustration, Old Zhu felt a sweet taste in his throat and a surge of hot, metallic blood. But he clenched his teeth and swallowed the blood back down.

He cannot show weakness at this time, especially before Zhang Biao arrives!
His eyes were bloodshot, his gaze terrifying like that of a demon from hell, fixed on the direction where Zhang Biao was about to appear outside the hall. He forced out a hoarse, low voice through clenched teeth, a voice brimming with earth-shattering fury:
"Zhang Biao—!"

These two words seemed to be covered in blood and foam, filled with endless resentment and murderous intent.

He understood that Zhang Biao, this madman, not only wanted to force him to respond, but also wanted to nail him to the pillar of shame for 'forgetting his roots and becoming corrupt'.

"Very good! Very good!"

Old Zhu laughed in fury, his smile twisted and ferocious: "Today... we'll see what else this mouth of yours, which can talk the dead back to life, can spit out!"

After saying that, he turned around, picked up the sword, and roared at the Imperial Guard officer who was paralyzed with fear on the ground, "Get out! All of you, get out of here!"

He didn't want to see anyone right now; he wanted to bottle up all his anger and murderous intent, waiting for that damned madman to step through the palace gates—

He wanted to personally and completely end this scourge that had repeatedly challenged his bottom line and was now shaking the very foundation of his rule!

In an instant, the entire Huagai Hall was filled with murderous intent, and the air seemed to freeze solid.

"Your Majesty, Imperial Censor Zhang has arrived!"

A moment later, Yunming cautiously reported from outside the hall, not daring to even raise his head.

Old Zhu only said one thing: "Let him in!"

"Yes!"

Yunming bowed respectfully, then looked at Zhang Biao with a complicated expression.

Zhang Biao grinned, then performed a backflip, leaping into the hall's entrance, and said calmly:

"Eunuch Yun, don't be afraid, relax, quickly go and fetch the imperial physician."

Yunming trembled, and seemed to lower his head even further.

The moment Zhang Biao stepped into the Huagai Hall, a condensed and tangible killing intent poured down on him like ice water, making the hairs on his body stand on end!

On the dragon throne, Old Zhu was like a volcano that could erupt at any moment, his eyes bloodshot and veins bulging on his forehead.

He was seen gripping the sword in one hand and pressing the other on the desk, staring intently at Zhang Biao.

That look was no longer the majesty of an emperor, but the ferocity of a beast eyeing its prey, ready to pounce and tear it apart at any moment.

The entire hall was empty and deathly silent; even the eunuchs standing there held their breath, wishing they could shrink into a crack in the ground.

Anyone else, even a seasoned veteran, would likely have been terrified and begged for mercy on their knees under the terrifying pressure of an emperor's wrath that could cause millions to die.

However, Zhang Biao only paused slightly, then, as if he didn't feel the pressure that was almost crushing him, he continued to walk forward a few steps with his unique, somewhat lazy gait, stopping at a seemingly casual but actually delicate distance that the guards couldn't catch in time and that wasn't too close to Old Zhu.

Instead of immediately performing a grand salute like ordinary officials, he tilted his head slightly and looked Old Zhu, who was on the verge of exploding, up and down with a gaze that was a mixture of curiosity, inquiry, and even a hint of 'Why are you so angry?'

That look was like a needle, gently pricking Old Zhu's balloon, which had swelled to its limit.

"emperor."

Zhang Biao spoke, his voice calm, even carrying a hint of satisfied languor, as if he had just finished eating 'Crazy Thursday':
"You don't look too good. Did you overwork yourself reviewing memorials last night and not get enough rest?"

Old Zhu was taken aback by his completely unexpected opening remarks, and his pent-up anger and murderous intent faltered for a moment.

He anticipated various reactions from Zhang Biao, such as kneeling down to argue, crying bitterly, or even continuing to be arrogant and defiant, but he never expected that this madman would actually talk to him about facial expressions.

"or……"

Zhang Biao seemed oblivious to Old Zhu's increasingly dark expression, continuing to offer his suggestions with a tone so sincere it was impeccable:

"I know a good doctor who specializes in treating liver fire, insomnia, and excessive dreaming. Shall I... introduce him to you?"

"Zhang Biao!"

Old Zhu finally forced out a roar through clenched teeth, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping: "Tell me, how do you want to die?!"

boom!
The terrifying pressure pressed down as if it were a physical force!
Zhang Biao, however, seemed to be enjoying the breeze. He even raised his hand to pick at his ear, with an expression that said, "Please speak softly, I can hear you."

"If Your Majesty wants to kill me, you can kill me however you like—tear me apart, skin me alive, slowly slice me to death, grind my bones to dust, whatever makes you happy."

Zhang Biao shrugged, his expression innocent and honest: "As the saying goes, when the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die. But..."

He abruptly changed the subject, looking directly into Old Zhu's fiery eyes, his tone still calm but carrying a strange penetrating power: "Your Majesty killed me, and then what?"

"Then?"

Old Zhu laughed in fury: "Then the world will be at peace! There will be no more arrogant and rebellious people like you stirring up trouble!"

"is it?"

Zhang Biao also laughed, a laugh tinged with pity and mockery: "Your Majesty, do you truly not understand, or are you pretending not to understand?"

Having said that, he took a small half-step forward. This subtle movement instantly tensed the guards in the hall, their hands gripping the hilts of their swords. But Zhang Biao simply stood there, his voice echoing clearly in the empty hall:
"Were the questions I asked outside Chengtian Gate today just what I wanted to ask alone?"

"Didn't those common people who listened to my 'storytelling,' and those officials who stood silently outside the palace gates, have the same question in their hearts?"

"If the Emperor kills Zhang Biao, can he kill the 'Zhu Chongba' in the hearts of the people? Can he kill their expectations of the 'Hongwu Emperor who hated evil and shared weal and woe with the people'?"

With each question he asked, Old Zhu's expression grew increasingly grim.

"My death is simple."

Zhang Biao's tone carried an almost cruel calmness:

"But what I said and did outside the palace gates today will only spread throughout the land even faster because of my 'remonstrance to the death'! What will the people say then?"

He imitated the tone of the people he imagined, his voice carrying a dramatic flair:

"Look! That Imperial Censor Zhang was killed by the Emperor for merely speaking a few truths and asking a few questions!"

'The Emperor is feeling guilty! There's definitely something wrong with the imperial treasury! There's definitely something wrong with the vassal kings!'

'The Zhu Chongba of yesteryear is dead! The current Hongwu Emperor can no longer hear the truth.'

"shut up--!"

Old Zhu suddenly stood up from the dragon throne, sword in hand, walked to the desk, and said through gritted teeth, "Why should I explain my actions to others?!"

Zhang Biao: "."

Old Zhu: "."

The two looked at each other, both silent.

After a long pause, Zhang Biao frowned slightly, then stiffened his neck and said:
“Your Majesty makes absolute decisions and does not need to explain to anyone, but Your Majesty did not kill me, Zhang Biao, but the last vestige of hope that the people of the world held for the name ‘Hongwu’! You have personally confirmed my words, ‘Live the life you hate most’!”

"You may have felt good with that sword strike, but what will the historians say about you? What will posterity say about you? Will you be a foolish ruler who was angered by a sharp rebuke and killed those who spoke out against injustice?"

"Hahaha!"

Old Zhu suddenly threw his head back and laughed, then walked down the steps one by one, stopping five steps away from Zhang Biao, looking at Zhang Biao with disdain:

"Do you really think we care about the historian's pen? Or rather, how future generations will evaluate Zhu Yuanzhang?"

"Don't you care?" Zhang Biao retorted, "If you don't care, why are you getting so worked up?!"

"You can do whatever you want, kill whoever you want, and do whatever you want. There were plenty of incompetent and tyrannical rulers during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period and the Five Barbarian Invasions. It doesn't matter if you, Zhu Yuanzhang, are one more."

"By then, people might be defecating and urinating in front of your mausoleum. Anyway, you don't care. You're already dead. It's normal for your infamy, Zhu Yuanzhang, to last for ten thousand years."

"Shut up! We told you to shut up—!"

Enraged, Old Zhu drew his sword and leaped a few steps, the tip pointing directly at Zhang Biao's brow.

Zhang Biao, however, remained completely unfazed, even sporting a knowing smile: "You do care, don't you?"

"."

Old Zhu didn't reply, but just stared intently at Zhang Biao, his chest heaving violently, his hand gripping the sword trembling violently from excessive force.

He wished he could immediately, right now, personally tear this silver-tongued, utterly depraved madman in front of him to pieces!

But... the hand holding the sword felt as if it were entangled by countless invisible threads, so heavy that it couldn't pierce through.

Zhang Biao's words were like a cold mirror, forcing him to see the worst possible consequences.

He, Zhu Yuanzhang, might not care about the lives of one or two madmen, but he couldn't care about the historical evaluation, his reputation in later generations, or even more so... the 'Hongwu' brand that he relied on to establish his country!
That was the foundation that distinguished him from the tyranny of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty!
Killing Zhang Biao is admitting that he was afraid of those problems, admitting that he had changed, and personally shattering the 'sacred' image he had built up!
This price... he can't afford it!
"you you……"

Old Zhu pointed at Zhang Biao, his fingers trembling, his lips quivering, a mouthful of blood surging in his chest, but he couldn't spit it out or swallow it down, making his vision blur.

Looking at Zhang Biao's lazy, "I've seen through you all along" demeanor, he felt an unprecedented sense of powerlessness and rage intertwined, almost tearing him apart!
In the end, the overwhelming killing intent that could have crushed Zhang Biao ten thousand times was, under the weighing of reality and politics, forcibly and little by little, suppressed back into the deepest part of his heart by Old Zhu with immense willpower.

He can't be killed! At least, not just because Zhang Biao asked those questions!

"roll……"

Old Zhu let out a low growl from deep in his throat, like a wounded beast, his voice hoarse and weary, filled with endless resentment and frustration: "Get...out of here..."

Get out? Get out of here, you son of a bitch!

Zhang Biao rolled his eyes inwardly.

His purpose in "this life" is very clear.

He wants to use this life to solve the problems he couldn't solve in his "previous life".

Although the deathbed remonstrance in his "previous life" did change the world, it was far from enough for Zhang Biao, especially since he had a very clear understanding of Old Zhu's bottom line.

It's simply unrealistic to expect Lao Zhu to solve all the problems.

Therefore, he has to rely on himself.

He needs to have power on his own.

So, where does power come from? That goes without saying.

So instead of fleeing as if granted a pardon, he seemed not to understand, picked at his ears, looked around, and then plopped down on the cold gold brick floor of the Huagai Hall!
They also chose a 'feng shui treasure land' that wasn't too far from Old Zhu and happened to be right next to a golden dragon pillar.

"emperor!"

He looked up at the Hongwu Emperor on the dragon throne, who was on the verge of exploding with rage, his face filled with genuine bewilderment:

"I have just arrived, and I haven't even exchanged a few words or had a sip of tea. How can you send me away like this? This is not the way to treat a guest."

Old Zhu was so enraged by his shameless behavior that his vision blurred, and his finger trembled as he pointed at him:
"You...you bastard! Stand up! Get out!"

"Your Majesty, I am hungry."

Zhang Biao clutched his stomach, looking aggrieved, and said, "I haven't eaten or slept well for three days and three nights while writing that memorial, and I just talked so much outside the palace gates. My chest is practically sticking to my back."

"Your Huagai Hall should be no worse than the Fengtian Hall, right? Doesn't it provide meals?"

After saying that, without waiting for Old Zhu's response, he turned directly to Yunming, who was cowering in the corner in fear, and shouted:
"Eunuch Yun! Could you please go to the imperial kitchen and get me two bowls of clear soup noodles? Quickly! And remember to add plenty of vegetables!"

Yunming was almost in tears, thinking to himself that this guy was really good at causing trouble, so he looked at Old Zhu with pleading eyes.

Old Zhu's chest heaved violently, and his temples throbbed.

This piece of shit!

Last time I ordered takeout from Fengtian Hall! This time I ordered takeout from Huagai Hall!

They even ordered two bowls?!
Do they really think this is their cafeteria?

He instinctively wanted to roar "Get out!" again, but Zhang Biao's insightful and penetrating words were like an invisible shackle, tightly binding his impending killing intent.

He knew that Zhang Biao, despite his seemingly unrestrained and carefree nature, was actually a meticulous and shrewd man.

If he were to kill Zhang Biao over two bowls of noodles now, and word got out... I just don't want to imagine what that would look like.

Finally, Old Zhu managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth:
"Yunming! Go! Make him a bowl of clear soup noodles! Tell him to eat it and get the hell out of here right away!"

As he uttered those words, he felt as if his imperial dignity was being trampled into the ground.

"Yes Yes Yes……"

Yunming felt as if he had been granted a pardon and ran out in fear.

Zhang Biao nodded in satisfaction, and added a comment to Yun Ming's retreating figure:
"Eunuch Yun, remember to tell the cook to cook it softer. I have bad teeth and I like to eat soft food!"

Old Zhu: “…”

He felt his blood pressure spike another notch.

While waiting for the noodles, Zhang Biao didn't sit idle either.

He was like a curious child, looking around at the furnishings in the Hall of Literary Glory while making clicking noises with his tongue:
"Your Majesty, are these pillars covered in real gold? These floor tiles are so shiny, you can see your reflection in them... but they're a bit cold on your bottom."

"You live alone in such a big house, aren't you scared at night? At your age, are you still looking for someone to sleep with you?"

Old Zhu closed his eyes, forcing himself not to look at the bastard writhing on the ground, making comments, and silently chanted in his mind:
【I'm the emperor, I won't stoop to the level of a madman... I'll kick him out after he finishes his noodles...】

With great difficulty, Yunming carefully walked in carrying two steaming bowls of clear soup noodles.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Biao immediately perked up, got up, and took the bowl of noodles.

All I saw was clear broth and a few noodles, with a few scallions floating on top—it was indeed the clear broth noodles 'carefully' prepared by the imperial kitchen.

"Your Majesty, the noodles are here! Would you like a bowl too?"

Zhang Biao greeted them warmly.

"I'm not eating! You eat now! And then get out!"

Old Zhu didn't even bother to look at it.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony!"

Zhang Biao sat down cross-legged and placed the bowl of noodles on the ground.

Then, to the astonishment of Yunming and Lao Zhu, he rummaged around in the sleeve of his faded official robe and pulled out two packets of instant noodle seasoning!

"Hehe, luckily I brought my baby."

Zhang Biao chuckled, then poured all the powder and oil from the seasoning packet into his bowl of clear soup noodles.

Instantly, a rich and domineering aroma began to waft through the air, creating a stark contrast with the light broth from the imperial kitchen.

Old Zhu's nose twitched involuntarily.

Zhang Biao stirred the noodles a few times, then frowned as he looked at the uncovered bowl.

Immediately afterwards, his gaze swept over the imperial desk, his eyes lit up, he got up and walked over, and under the almost murderous gaze of Old Zhu, he very naturally picked up two unimportant memorials of greeting and slapped them onto the bowl of noodles!

"Simmering it for a while like this will make it more flavorful!"

Zhang Biao then gave a very serious explanation.

"Zhang Biao!"

Old Zhu finally snapped, abruptly raising the sword he had just put down, its cold light gleaming as he pointed it directly at Zhang Biao: "You dare to use a memorial... I will kill you today!"

Using a memorial to cover instant noodles?!
This is an extreme insult to imperial power and to Zhu Yuanzhang's life's work!
Zhang Biao looked at the sword tip, which was only inches from his nose. Far from being afraid, he sighed and said in a tone that said, "Look at you, so impatient again."
"Your Majesty, please calm down! Please calm down!"

"These two letters are nothing more than greetings from Jiangxi and Huguang. Their contents are all the same. What use are they except for wasting your time reviewing them? Use them to cover up the letter. Make the most of them and give them a chance to serve your purpose. Isn't that wonderful?"

He paused, and just before Old Zhu's sword tip trembled slightly and was about to thrust out, he suddenly lowered his voice, his tone becoming unusually serious:

"Your Majesty, instead of these two useless memorials of greeting, wouldn't you like to know... some new clues about the death of His Highness the Crown Prince?"

"Don't give me that! You have no idea what the truth is!"

Old Zhu directly exposed Zhang Biao's remarks, but unconsciously his anger was somewhat mitigated.

But then Zhang Biao laughed and said, "Although I don't know the truth, we can study it together! Don't you trust my brain?"

Old Zhu frowned deeply. He naturally trusted Zhang Biao's intelligence; this guy was as clever as a monkey—no, even a monkey couldn't be as cunning as him! So he held back and asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Your Majesty really won't eat? This bowl is pickled pepper beef flavored, my favorite!" Zhang Biao winked.

"I said! I'm not eating!"

Old Zhu's face was ashen as he coldly emphasized.

Zhang Biao shrugged and said helplessly, "Alright then, tell me first, what have you found out?"

Old Zhu gave Zhang Biao a deep look and uttered two words: "The Lü family."

"It really is related to her!"

Zhang Biao replied without any surprise.

Old Zhu's pupils suddenly contracted, and even the sword in his hand fell to the ground with a 'clatter'.

"What do you know?!"

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(End of this chapter)