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

Chapter 210 They insulted us and now they want money from us?! [Seeking monthly votes]

Old Zhu stood there, frozen in place, as if struck by a spell.

His bloodshot eyes were fixed on Zhang Biao, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly:

"You...what do you know?!"

Zhu Xiong Ying's death seemed to be the beginning of a nightmare, and also the root of his suspicions about the Lü family, and even the existence of a larger conspiracy behind it.

Given Lü's abilities and background, he simply did not believe that Lü could have orchestrated such a large-scale scheme.

Especially the 'chain scheme' targeting his eldest grandson, his sister, and his son.

There are many aspects to consider here, and it's almost impossible to detect anything amiss, so that even the emperor wouldn't easily discover the suspicious activity.

To be honest, it wasn't that he was too confident, but rather that it was too difficult.

Therefore, he did not take action against the Lü family immediately, and even instructed Jiang Huan not to conduct an open investigation, for fear that the other party would secretly destroy the clues.

After all, Madam Lü was right under his nose; it was only a matter of a word to deal with her.

If we take action against the Lü family, alerting those behind her and causing them to flee in advance, then all the truth will be covered up once again.

He will likely live in pain forever.

Seeing how Old Zhu's attention was instantly diverted, Zhang Biao chuckled inwardly, but nodded solemnly on the surface.

"To be honest, Your Majesty, I have not been idle these days, apart from fighting corruption."

"Combined with some...hearsay and my own speculation, I have discovered some intriguing clues."

As he spoke, he gestured towards Yunming with his lip, indicating that Yunming should put away Old Zhu's sword.

Yunming's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously looked at Old Zhu.

Old Zhu narrowed his eyes, seemingly hesitant, but in the end, his desire for the truth about his grandson's death outweighed his anger at Zhang Biao's absurd behavior.

He waved to Yunming, then stared at Zhang Biao with eyes still sharp as a hawk:

"Speak! If you utter even the slightest lie, we'll skin you alive!"

Zhang Biao smiled dismissively and began to combine some speculations from later generations with his own analysis, saying in a half-truthful tone:
"Your Majesty, as far as I know, Consort Lü was made Crown Princess in the sixteenth year of the Hongwu reign, while His Highness the Crown Prince died in the fifteenth year of the Hongwu reign. The time difference between the two is less than one year."

"This is very strange in itself."

"Of course, Consort Lü's motive for harming the eldest grandson of the emperor is also a point of suspicion."

"At that time, Zhu Yunwen was not yet valued by the Emperor and the Crown Prince. To say that her son could ascend the throne just because the eldest grandson of the Emperor died is simply absurd."

"After all, she can't predict the future."

"Moreover, the eldest grandson of the emperor has a younger brother. As a concubine, she couldn't possibly have known beforehand that she would be promoted to the rank of empress, could she? Could she have known beforehand that her son would be favored by the emperor and the crown prince, could she? Could she have known beforehand that her son would become the crown prince?"

"so."

He paused, then looked up at Old Zhu, a half-smile on his face, and said, "If she doesn't know anything, does that mean she's not a suspect?"

He guided Lao Zhu's thinking:

"Sometimes, when we look at a suspect, we don't look at all the evidence pointing to her, but rather at which pieces of evidence don't point to her!"

"The more innocent a suspect appears, the less innocent they often are. Especially those seemingly insignificant people right under our noses."

Instead of providing concrete evidence, Zhang Biao posed a series of leading questions, each of which struck at Lao Zhu's doubts.

However, just as Old Zhu was immersed in these startling speculations, his brow furrowed as he pondered deeply...

"Your Majesty, the noodles are ready!"

Zhang Biao suddenly interrupted his thoughts with a cheerful gesture, lifting the two memorials that served as lids.

In an instant, an even richer and more alluring fragrance, more domineering than before, swept through the entire Huagai Hall like an explosion.

It was a blend of rich meaty aroma, soy sauce fragrance, and an indescribable complex spice scent. The meticulously prepared dishes in the imperial kitchen paled in comparison to this aroma.

Old Zhu's stomach rumbled loudly, much to his dismay.

He hadn't eaten while waiting for Zhang Biao, and now, overwhelmed by this strange, unfamiliar aroma, his mouth instantly produced a large amount of saliva.

Zhang Biao pushed the bowl of noodles with 'pickled pepper beef' seasoning in front of Lao Zhu, picked up the bowl of 'braised beef' for himself, slurped it down, and let out a satisfied sigh:
"Ah! This is the taste! Your Majesty, won't you try it? It's a delicacy!"

Old Zhu looked at the bowl of noodles, which looked tempting and smelled delicious, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

He was extremely resistant to it.

This is utterly disgraceful! In the solemn Hall of Imperial Sacrifices, covered by memorials, they eat this kind of dubious stuff?!

But... it smelled so good!
His willpower was wavering.

He maintained his imperial dignity and angrily rebuked:
"You bastard! Who wants to eat this filthy stuff of dubious origin! Get it away!"

Zhang Biao shrugged, not forcing anything, and ate with slurping noises that sounded like torture to Old Zhu.

Finally, under the combined torment of the relentless aroma and Zhang Biao's extremely enjoyable eating habits, Old Zhu couldn't help but turn to look at Yun Ming.

When Yunming saw Old Zhu's gaze fall upon him, he immediately shuddered.

As the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, how could Zhu Yuanzhang possibly eat other people's food?

Even if someone were to eat it, a servant would first have to test it for poison.

But it's probably too late to find a servant to test the poison now, since he's already seen Old Zhu swallow several times.

So, without servants, who would test the poison?
What if this madman is trying to get close to the emperor and then poison him?
Thinking of this, Yunming also swallowed hard.

孽 孽!
Since there was no servant to test the poison, he was the only one left to do it!

"Your Majesty...this servant...would like...would like a sip of soup."

Yunming said to Lao Zhu with a hundred reluctances in his heart, his expression as if he had swallowed a fly.

Old Zhu then gave Yunming a look that said, "You're smart enough to know what's good for you."

"Alright, I'll give you a bite."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Yunming took the bowl of noodles with a bitter face.

Putting aside whether it's poisonous or not, Yunming had no idea what this soup noodles with some unknown substance would taste like.

What if it tastes bad?
If I tell the Emperor, will I offend this madman? But if I don't tell the Emperor, wouldn't that be a crime of deceiving the Emperor?

This is fucking difficult!
Although he was filled with fear, he had no choice but to eat. In the end, Yunming steeled himself, took a deep breath, and gulped down a large mouthful.

After taking that bite, Yunming's pupils dilated sharply.

An unprecedented, ultimate freshness, aroma, saltiness, and mellowness, mixed with an indescribable sense of satisfaction, exploded on his taste buds!

This tangy flavor... this taste is simply beyond the reach of the human world!
Almost instinctively, he wanted to take another sip, but Old Zhu snatched it away and hissed, "Get out of here!"

"How is it, Eunuch Yun? How does it taste?"

Zhang Biao stopped eating his noodles and looked at Yun Ming with a smile.

"It's so fragrant!"

Yunming nodded with lingering interest, then looked at Old Zhu with some trepidation: "Your Majesty, please try some too!"

It smells so good!

Old Zhu gave a strange twitch at the corner of his mouth, frowned, picked up his chopsticks, picked up a noodle, and took a bite.

It would have been better if I hadn't tried it, because once I did, my eyes lit up instantly.

He then shoveled another large mouthful into his mouth, his expression even more varied than Yunming's.

It smells good! It really smells good!
He didn't even care that it was hot; he ate faster and louder than Zhang Biao!
Forget imperial majesty, forget its dubious origins—at this moment, all of that was conquered by this bowl of 'pickled pepper beef noodles'!

Looking at Lao Zhu's 'starving ghost reincarnated' appearance, Zhang Biao slowly drank the last mouthful of instant noodle soup in his bowl, a smile of hidden merit and fame curling at the corner of his mouth.

【Done! 】

He knew that he had completely secured his place in the Huagai Palace today.

The tension between him and Lao Zhu was subtly eased by this bowl of noodles and the discussion about Zhu Xiong Ying's death.

Now, let's get down to business!

"Your Majesty, we've eaten the noodles and discussed the matter of the eldest grandson. Shouldn't we get down to business?"

Zhang Biao watched as Old Zhu finished the last sip of noodle soup, calmly stood up from the ground, and asked indifferently.

Old Zhu paused for a moment, then frowned and looked at Zhang Biao, saying in a deep voice, "What do you want to say?"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Zhang Biao bowed respectfully and said solemnly:
"I want to say that I am not inciting trouble, much less inciting public sentiment! I am preaching Your Majesty's virtues and spreading the law to benefit the people!"

Old Zhu instantly gripped the noodle bowl tightly, his anger turning into a mocking laugh:
"You slander the vassal kings and criticize the government, and you call that preaching the virtues of the emperor? You defame the monarch and disregard the law, and you call that promoting the law and benefiting the people?"

"emperor!"

Zhang Biao's voice suddenly rose eight octaves:

"What I have said is all to demonstrate His Majesty's wisdom in establishing the 'Anti-Corruption Bureau'! It is to let the people of the world know that His Majesty cares for the common people, hates corruption, and will enforce the law impartially and without leniency even when facing members of the imperial family and princes!"

"This is to praise the Emperor's benevolence and demonstrate the court's impartiality. How can it be considered criticism of the government?"

He paused, then continued to explain earnestly:
"As for the story content, some artistic embellishment was done to attract the public to listen and facilitate education."

"If the narrative is presented in a flat and dry manner, how can the common people understand the importance of fighting corruption, and how can they appreciate the Emperor's good intentions?"

"My heart is as clear as the sun and moon; it is all for the eternal stability of our Great Ming Dynasty and for Your Majesty's good reputation!"

His distorted and sophistical arguments, delivered with such grandiloquent and sincere words, almost made Old Zhu so angry that he vomited up his noodles.

"You! You are so presumptuous!"

Old Zhu pointed at Zhang Biao with trembling hands and roared:

"You're all smooth talkers! You're twisting the truth! Do you think we're three-year-old children, to be fooled by you?!"

"I dare not!"

Zhang Biao immediately lowered his body, but his tone remained straightforward:

"I am merely stating the facts. If Your Majesty deems my actions inappropriate, I will cease immediately, and may even accept punishment. However..."

He changed the subject, revealing a troubled expression:
"Now the people of the capital have all heard of the Emperor's wisdom in establishing the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and they are eagerly waiting for the Bureau to do something, to root out the corrupt officials, and to restore order to the world."

"If we stop abruptly at this point, the people may become suspicious and think that the emperor has changed his mind or encountered some kind of resistance."

His words, while seemingly gentle, were also a threat; the meaning was clear:

If you tell me to shut up now, the 'wise' image you've cultivated will collapse, and the people will think you're afraid and have backed down!

Old Zhu's chest heaved violently as he stared intently at Zhang Biao, wishing he could immediately summon the Imperial Guards to drag him out and chop him up.

But he can't.

Zhang Biao, that madman, has tied himself to public opinion in this shameless way. To touch him is to slap yourself in the face and admit that you are afraid of resistance.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Old Zhu said "good" three times in a row, each word sounding as if it were being ground out from between his teeth:
"You certainly have a silver tongue, and you're quite adept at using the people to your advantage!"

Zhang Biao raised his head, his face still bearing that expression of 'a loyal minister being wronged':

"I am devoted to the public good, as Heaven and Earth can attest! I have absolutely no intention of being self-respecting!"

Seeing his unyielding attitude, Old Zhu knew that it was no longer possible to suppress him with conventional methods when it came to storytelling.

He suppressed his murderous intent and changed the subject, which was also the core of his meeting today:

“We’ve read your ‘petition’.”

Old Zhu's voice returned to calm, but beneath that calm lay an even more dangerous undercurrent.

Zhang Biao perked up, knowing the main event was about to begin: "Please give your instructions, Your Majesty."

"Independent of the imperial court? Auditing the princes? Reviewing the imperial treasury?"

With each question Old Zhu asked, his tone grew colder:
"Zhang Biao, isn't your appetite a bit too big? Aren't you reaching too far?!"

The last sentence was already a thunderous rage.

"emperor!"

Zhang Biao showed no fear; instead, he straightened his back and looked directly at Old Zhu.

"My hand is not extended for my own benefit, but for the Emperor and for the Ming Dynasty!"

"The vassal kings are the bulwark of the country; however, if the bulwark is infested with termites, the foundation of the country will be shaken!"

"Auditing the princes is not about distrusting one's own flesh and blood, but about protecting one's own flesh and blood, and even more so, about protecting the country and the nation!"

"If we wait until it becomes too powerful to control and causes a major disaster, then it will be too late for the Emperor to regret it!"

"Your Majesty, I am willing to play the villain and sound the alarm!"

"As for the imperial treasury..."

Zhang Biao paused, his tone becoming even more earnest:

"The royal expenses are all paid with the hard-earned money of the people! Only by setting an example and being open and transparent can the emperor gain the trust of the officials and win the hearts of the people!"

"Auditing the imperial treasury is not about coveting the Emperor's private property, but about demonstrating the Emperor's integrity and selflessness to the world, silencing public opinion! This is a strategy of great gain with a small sacrifice, Your Majesty!"

He spoke with great passion, as if he were the loyal minister who wholeheartedly cared for Zhu Yuanzhang and devoted himself to the Ming Dynasty, while Zhu Yuanzhang became the 'tyrant' who did not understand his good intentions and hindered the anti-corruption cause.

Old Zhu was so enraged by his twisted logic that he trembled all over. He slammed down the bowl of noodles in his hand and roared:

"You scoundrel! You're just spouting nonsense! Auditing the treasury? We can see you're still up to no good, trying to steal our money!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Zhang Biao immediately protested his innocence, displaying masterful acting skills:

"If I wanted to be greedy, why would I go to such great lengths? My family owns only a dilapidated house, my salary is meager, and I have never married!"

"What I seek is nothing more than a bright and just world, a system that allows loyal and upright officials to realize their ambitions, and a system that leaves corrupt officials nowhere to hide!"

He finally revealed his true intentions and uttered the two most crucial words—system.

"system?"

Old Zhu looked stunned, then his eyes sharpened like knives: "What kind of system do you want to establish? A system that is above our 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty'?"

"I dare not!"

Zhang Biao immediately denied it, but the meaning behind his words remained unchanged:

"The Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty are the laws established by the Emperor for all ages. However, laws need to be practiced by people."

"In my opinion, the Anti-Corruption Bureau is a sharp sword for implementing the spirit of 'punishing corrupt officials' in the Ancestral Instructions!"

"Independent power is needed to avoid being hampered; clear laws are needed to ensure impartiality and fairness!"

"This is not a violation of the Ancestral Instructions, but rather a supplement to them, making them more practical and better able to safeguard the eternal foundation of our Great Ming Dynasty!"

He cleverly packaged his demands as a supplement and improvement to the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty," placing himself on the moral high ground of "upholding ancestral rules."

Old Zhu stared intently at Zhang Biao, as if trying to see right through him.

He had to admit that although this madman acted erratically and spoke outrageously, his meticulous thinking and profound understanding of human nature and the workings of power far surpassed that of ordinary people.

He can always find the most ingenious angle and the most high-sounding reason to promote his shocking ideas.

"What a brilliant 'complete'!"

Old Zhu sneered and stopped arguing with him.

He knew that he could never win an argument with this madman who could turn black into white on this issue.

He walked straight up to Zhang Biao, staring intently at him with a gaze so cold it was devoid of any warmth.
“Zhang Biao, we know exactly what you’re thinking and what you’re planning.”

"You want to set rules? You want us to give you authority? Fine."

Old Zhu's words caused a flicker of surprise and wariness to cross Zhang Biao's eyes.

"But not now."

Old Zhu changed the subject, his tone carrying an undeniable determination: "It's certainly not the kind of attention-seeking, self-serving approach you're using!"

"If Your Majesty feels that I am using the people to my advantage, I can find another way. As long as it benefits the world, I will die without regret!"

As he spoke, Zhang Biao pulled out a thick, neatly bound document from his sleeve and presented it with both hands:
"I know that I am not very talented and may have acted rashly. However, the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Bureau to eradicate corruption and replenish the national treasury is truly my way of serving my country!"

"This is the 'Draft Development Plan and Recent Audit Focus of the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Great Ming Dynasty,' which I have painstakingly prepared. I humbly request Your Majesty's review!"

He skipped the debate about "using the people to his advantage" and went straight to the specifics of "anti-corruption work," presenting a seemingly professional draft plan.

Old Zhu narrowed his eyes as he looked at the book.

He didn't answer immediately, but instead let out a cold laugh:

"Development plan? Your previous proposal was quite a 'masterpiece'! What, what new trick have you come up with to annoy us this time?"

"Your Majesty is so complimentary."

Zhang Biao, without batting an eye, replied: "My previous proposal was due to my lack of thorough consideration and was too far-fetched. This draft, however, is a lesson learned, taking into account the actual situation to ensure it is prudent and feasible, aiming to alleviate Your Majesty's burdens and rid the Ming Dynasty of its problems!"

He paused and added:

"In the draft, I have elaborated in detail on how the Anti-Corruption Bureau can start with areas where problems have been long-standing, where public resentment is high, and where evidence is relatively easy to obtain, without disturbing the princes or affecting the stability of the court!"

"For example, investigating the encroachment of military garrisons and settlements in various places, verifying the losses during the transport of grain, and auditing certain state-owned shops and government-run industries that competed with the people for profit."

The directions he listed were extremely tricky.

The encroachment on military settlements and garrisons involved both the military and local powerful families, an area that Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to rectify but was hesitant to address due to concerns about potential consequences.

The loss during the transport of grain was a major area of ​​corruption among officials in the Ministry of Revenue and local governments.

Auditing the imperial shops and state-run businesses directly touched upon the interests of the imperial family and the bureaucrats who depended on them.

These areas have serious problems and a lot of public resentment, but they are not directly aimed at the princes and Zhu Yuanzhang's private treasury, which makes them seem much 'milder'.

However, once an investigation is launched, it will inevitably have far-reaching consequences and will ultimately touch upon core interest groups.

Old Zhu was incredibly astute, and he instantly understood Zhang Biao's intentions.

He stared at the book, his eyes shifting unpredictably.

If Zhang Biao can really do as the draft says, starting with those thorny issues and opening a way for me to rectify official corruption and replenish the national treasury, why wouldn't I be happy to do it?

To be honest, this temptation was very real for Zhu Yuanzhang, who was currently feeling the financial pressure, the rampant loopholes in the bureaucratic system, and the growing power of the regional princes.

But Zhang Biao's unpredictability made him quite wary.

Therefore, risks and opportunities coexist.

Old Zhu was thus caught in a huge dilemma.

Silence fell once again in the hall, with only Old Zhu's heavy breathing and Zhang Biao's seemingly submissive yet subtly sharp stance.

After an unknown amount of time, Old Zhu slowly spoke, his voice hoarse with a hint of extreme suppression: "We will read your draft."

"However, we must remind you that no matter how much trouble you cause or how sharp your words are, your anti-corruption bureau must be put into practice!"

"We don't expect anything else. If you can verify even one case, it doesn't have to be a big one. Even if it's just a prince or a general, as long as the evidence is conclusive and the person is caught red-handed, we'll let your anti-corruption bureau be established legitimately!"

"otherwise!"

Old Zhu's eyes were like ice that had stood for millennia:
"You just stay here obediently in the official residence and write your 'story'! If you dare to step out of the official residence again, or dare to spread rumors outside the palace gates, don't blame us for being ruthless!"

Hearing this, Zhang Biao was secretly delighted.

What he wanted was for Lao Zhu to let him investigate the case, because only by investigating the case could he pull off something big.

Moreover, he can use the investigation to help veterans seek justice and realize his original intention to change the world, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone.

As for Lao Zhu's thoughts, he didn't care at all; he only did what he wanted to do.

However, having gone all the way, and having swindled Zhu Yuanzhang to the very end, how could he not have money after gaining power? So, Zhang Biao seized the opportunity to climb the social ladder:

"Your Majesty is wise! In addition, I have another request."

Old Zhu's eyelids twitched, a vague sense of foreboding creeping in, but he couldn't help but utter a single word:

"speak."

"Your Majesty, the Anti-Corruption Bureau is newly established and in dire need of development. I humbly request Your Majesty to temporarily allocate 50,000 taels of silver from the Imperial Treasury as start-up funds for personnel recruitment, data collection, and... to fulfill the previously promised reward for anonymous whistleblowers, in order to gain the trust of the people."

"???"

Old Zhu's forehead was full of question marks, and he couldn't help but feel furious.

Are you fucking crazy?! You insulted us, and now you want us to give you money?!

And he asked for 50,000 taels right off the bat!?
I only ate one bowl of your instant noodles!!

Asking for a monthly ticket~
(End of this chapter)