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

Chapter 60 This world shouldn't be like this! [Seeking monthly votes]

Jiang Huan's killings did not affect the commotion inside Zhu De's bedroom.

The room was already deathly silent after those two shouts of insults.

Zhang Biao was the only one looking at Lao Zhu with a face full of surprise.

Even Old Zhu looked at Zhang Biao in disbelief.

He never expected that he would end up swearing along with Zhang Biao.

How many years has it been?

It seems that I've rarely swore since I entered Yingtian Prefecture.

Because he was in a superior position, he had to maintain a dignified demeanor; this was what Song Lian told himself.

He also told himself that the emperor should use the title "朕" (zhen), but he just couldn't get used to it, so he kept the self-designation "咱" (zan).

But what's wrong with today?
This arrogant brat has led me astray!
"Hahaha!"

Before Old Zhu could react, Zhang Biao snapped out of his surprise and laughed loudly, "Old Zhu, you're just an ordinary person!"

"presumptuous!"

Old Zhu's face instantly darkened, and he said in a tone filled with shame, anger, and murderous intent, "Zhang Biao! We know you're tough and unafraid of death. We also admit that we did appreciate your talent. But don't think we really won't kill you."

"Ah!"

Zhang Biao sneered, "Then what are we waiting for? If you're going to kill me, then hurry up and do it! What kind of bullshit is this about treasuring talent? People like you are the kind who kick away the ladder after crossing it."

"Bastard!"

Before he could finish speaking, Old Zhu interrupted him angrily, his gaze like a poisoned knife, fixed on Zhang Biao's still handsome face: "Do you hate us that much!?"

“It’s not hatred, it’s not about refusing to associate with wolves and tigers!” Zhang Biao said calmly.

"you!

Old Zhu angrily pointed at Zhang Biao, then stared coldly at him until Zhang Biao felt uneasy. Only then did a cruel, unrefined, and utterly sneer appear on his lips.

"We wanted to kill you, we wanted to tear you to pieces and grind your bones to ashes, but we've changed our minds. We won't kill you. We'll let you live."

"Yo!"

Zhang Biao interrupted Zhu Yuanzhang, then said with a mocking expression, "Does Your Majesty intend to provide for me in my old age and see me to my death? Or do you want me to witness you indiscriminately killing innocent people? Or to witness how your 'Hongwu Prosperity' will starve to death the next Wang Zhong and drive the next Li Mo insane?"

"Stop spouting this nonsense!"

Old Zhu slammed his hand on the edge of the bed, the force not heavy, but carrying a fierce undertone:

"We're talking about Shen Lang, as well as Li Mo, Sun Gui, Zhao Fengman, and your good brothers who 'confessed their intentions' in front of us and the civil and military officials in the Fengtian Hall today!"

coming!

That shameless old beggar!
If open methods don't work, you'll resort to underhanded tactics, huh?!

Zhang Biao cursed inwardly, but outwardly pretended to be nonchalant and said:
"Oh? Them? What does Your Majesty wish to do? Treat them to a lavish meal? Or settle the unpaid salaries owed to them? That would be wonderful! I thank you on their behalf! There will be plenty of pork head meat from Wang Mazi's house!"

"Eating pig's head meat?"

Old Zhu seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, but his eyes were icy cold:

"Let's treat them to their last meal! We'll show them that following Zhang Biao's nonsense will cost them their heads! It will drag their wives, children, and elderly parents down with them to the underworld!"

boom!
Upon hearing this, Zhang Biao felt a surge of heat rush to his head.

All pretense and indifference crumble before this naked, utterly shameless threat.

When he first started the "Death Advice Training Class," his original intention was to use Shen Lang and the others to anger Old Zhu and send him to his death.

After all, in his eyes at the time, Shen Lang and the others were just a group of NPCs.

Even if they die because of me, they will still appear alive again when I travel back in time, they just won't remember me.

He admitted that his actions were indeed selfish.

But later.

On the night the "Training Course for Those Who Die in Remonstrance" began, he witnessed too much heartache and heard too many tales of suffering. Especially the story of the old Imperial Censor Wang who starved to death at home, and Li Mo's story of pawning his ancestral home to save his mother—it was then that he realized…
This is fucking NPC bullshit!

These are clearly a group of flesh-and-blood people, a group of oppressed and exploited people suffering at the bottom of society.

He didn't know when he changed his mindset.

Perhaps it was because he repeatedly failed in his attempts to die, or perhaps he simply didn't belong to this world.

But no matter what, the world shouldn't be like this.

He instigated these low-ranking officials in Beijing to demand their unpaid wages from Zhu Yuanzhang, not without the possibility that Zhu Yuanzhang might kill them.

But he still held a sliver of hope for Lao Zhu.

He felt that so many people in later generations praised Zhu Yuanzhang, saying how amazing he was, how he started with a bowl, and how he was the most legitimate to gain power.

Shouldn't such a 'wise leader' who rose from the bottom have a better understanding of the suffering of the lower classes?

Therefore, he resolutely chose to believe in Lao Zhu.

I believe he will consider his reputation and the bigger picture, and will not kill these lowly officials struggling to make a living for a few taels of silver.

But now he realizes he was wrong.

Big mistakes.

The real Lao Zhu was completely unexpected.

This is nothing short of a tiger or leopard that devours people without spitting out the bones.

How could he possibly sympathize with suffering?!
If he sympathizes with suffering, then where did his messy "livestock" policies come from?

If he sympathizes with the suffering, then his descendants, the Zhu family, who have harmed the people, should be severely punished!

If he sympathized with suffering, he would not be a bloodthirsty emperor!

Damn it! Feudal dynasties deserve to die!

As Old Zhu watched Zhang Biao's resolute will to die being replaced by immense shock, anger, and resentment, the cold smile on his lips deepened.

He knew that he had firmly bound this knife with the most vicious and effective shackles.

"What? You're too scared to die?"

Old Zhu's voice carried the mockery of a victor and the oppressive aura of an emperor.

"Hahaha--!"

Zhang Biao suddenly burst into a shrill, maniacal laugh.

He laughed so hard he almost fell over, tears welling up in his eyes, as if he too had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Zhu Chongba! Is this all you've got? Threatening me with other people's lives? You think too highly of me, Zhang Biao!"
Who am I, Zhang Biao? Orphaned at a young age, penniless, I have no other desire than to die!

As he spoke, he pointed to his own nose, spitting as he spoke: "You think I'm really some kind of brotherhood with them?! Bah! That's all just polite talk! We call each other brothers at the dinner table, but when disaster strikes, we all scatter!"

"They're making trouble for me because of their unpaid wages! They want to be able to afford pig's head meat! What kind of relationship do they have with me, Zhang Biao!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he approached Old Zhu again, his face full of extreme mockery and roguishness: "You want to chop them up, right? Their whole family, young and old? Fine! Chop them up! They'll starve to death anyway, the sooner they die, the sooner they're free!"

"You've slaughtered them all, so let the entire court and the world see what happens when you follow me, Zhang Biao! Let's show off your power as the Hongwu Emperor! You're the one who kills loyal ministers and generals, aren't you?!"

"you!"

Old Zhu was so angry that his face turned ashen; he seemed to have never expected Zhang Biao to turn the tables on him.

But then Zhang Biao said jokingly:

"What? You're still planning to invite me to witness an execution? Great! I've never seen a river of blood in my life! That's wonderful! I'd even like to offer the executioner a drink and tell him to slow down so I can order some takeout to go with my drinks!"

That bastard!

Absolutely shameless!
Old Zhu's facial muscles twitched violently.

An indescribable sense of absurdity and frustration arose spontaneously.

(End of this chapter)