Huangming

Chapter 60 The Power of Thunder, Blood Stains the Palace Gates

"We are innocent! We are innocent!"

Censors Fang Kezhuang, Liu Chongqing, and Xia Zhiling of the Censorate vehemently protested their innocence.

"Does this corrupt official still dare to make excuses?"

A shrill whistle pierced the sweltering heat, and before the censor could even raise his head, two strongmen grabbed his arms.

His Majesty has already given you opportunities; if you don't cherish them, don't blame the iron fist of the sovereign.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard acted swiftly; these censors were immediately pulled out of the line of officials kneeling in remonstrance and were flogged in court in front of all the civil and military officials.

The sound of the caning, with flesh and blood splattering everywhere, was accompanied by the stench of decay and blood. Fang Kezhuang and the others had their backs mangled and bloodied, with tattered cloths mixed with blood and foam sticking to the torture bench.

"Ahhhhh~"

The screams were endless.

Censor Liu Chongqing bit off half of his tongue, blood splattering onto the hem of Yang Lian's robe: "Eunuch, a scourge to the country!"

Before he could finish speaking, the strongman grabbed him by the arms and dragged him off the steps, leaving two dark red streaks of blood on the brick floor.

The censor's screams, mixed with Yang Lian's angry curses, echoed between the palace walls: "How dare this eunuch insult my scholars!"

Blood splattered onto the white marble railing. The Jiangxi Circuit Censor, who had once co-signed the impeachment of Fang Congzhe, was now pressing the brim of his official hat tightly against his eyebrows.

Under the iron-fisted suppression, some officials who came to seek their honest opinions became afraid.

Yang Lian banged his head on the ground and roared, "Gentlemen, have you not seen the blood splattered on the imperial steps during the Zhengde reign?!"

"The evil aura obscures the sun, but righteousness endures forever!" Han Kuang's shout was hoarse, but it couldn't drown out the sound of the imperial tablets falling to the ground.

In the shadows of Zuoshun Gate, twenty bodies wrapped in official robes were being dragged, leaving long trails of blood.

Outside the Zuoshun Gate, the kneeling officials, their faces ashen, remonstrated with the emperor. A censor from the Ministry of Revenue, crawling on his knees to retreat, was stopped by Han Kuang, who pressed his ceremonial tablet against his shoulder: "Have you all forgotten the oath of 'blood staining the imperial court, bones forming chimes'?!"

Does Your Majesty think that you can frighten them by using such methods?

beat!
Do you think you can kill us all?
Yang Lian, his eyes bloodshot, shouted, "That eunuch and his lackey dared to beat an official to death! Tomorrow, the historians will record the execution of his entire family!"

The way he acted was as if he was saying, "Come and beat me, beat me to death!"

Looking at the reactions of Han Kuang, Yang Lian, and the others, Wei Chao felt a slight fear in his heart, but he still wore a cold smile on his face.

Having already become the treacherous eunuch in the eyes of these censors, do you think they will let you off the hook if you back down now?
Wei Chao shouted, "His Majesty's decree: If you are truly subjects of my Great Ming, then do not jeopardize the affairs of the state. If you leave now, I will forgive your past transgressions. If you remain obstinate, do not say that I did not warn you!"

The emperor's edict was repeated verbatim.

However, this oral instruction, coupled with the bloodstains on the ground, was undoubtedly more convincing than the last one.

at last.

Someone couldn't hold on any longer.

The Donglin Party members, still intimidated by the imposing presence of Han Kuang and Yang Lian, dared not leave. However, the Qi, Chu, and Zhe Party officials who had come with them, carrying the impeachment documents, knew that their own hands were far from clean. If they did not leave now, they would likely be dismissed from their posts, flogged in court, and imprisoned.

One by one, people began to leave.

Seeing this, Han Kuang was practically ready to curse.

Why are you people from Qi, Chu, and Zhe factions kneeling and remonstrating with us?
That spineless coward is now trying to ruin things!

"Gentlemen, there is a righteous path in the world. We are doing righteous things. Would His Majesty help the wicked?"

Han Kuang looked around at everyone and said again, "We are people of good character and are not afraid of being beaten in court. His Majesty can frighten spineless cowards, but he cannot frighten us."

Zhou Jiamo chimed in, "We have all served as officials for decades, braving fire and water, working in the Six Ministries, and venturing out into the provinces and among the common people. We are tough and resilient men! Even if we are beaten to death in court or tortured to death in prison, we will still have a good reputation in the world. At that time, we will be remembered for generations and our names will be remembered for eternity. We will still have the reputation of being upright and virtuous officials!"

"Blood splattered on the imperial steps, bones echoing like chimes, righteousness will surely prevail over the world!"

These people are truly fearless!
Wang Tiqian became increasingly alarmed as he looked at the document, yet he felt little fear.

They attempted to force the emperor to abdicate.

A subject?
Traitors!
Qianqing Palace, East Warm Pavilion.

Wang Tiqian once again presented the list of those who had knelt and remonstrated outside Zuoshun Gate.

This is significantly fewer people than the previous list of 192.

Only 116 people remain.

Twenty of them had already been thrown into the imperial prison.

As for the others, they all fled in terror. "Your Majesty, should we deal with those officials who left?"

Among those who leave, there must be some who are not clean.

And there are many people like this.

"It doesn't matter."

Zhu Youxiao was not afraid of corrupt officials, but rather of honest officials.

If you are a corrupt official, then I have leverage over you. How dare these officials disobey my orders in the future?
On the contrary, those honest officials, relying on their clean background, can repeatedly disobey orders.

He was not favored by Zhu Youxiao.

Because if you follow the normal procedure, you simply can't control him.

This is why, within the system, leaders prefer to promote subordinates who are good at getting things done and who have something on them.

"What should be done with these officials who are still kneeling and remonstrating?"

Zhu Youxiao did not answer the question directly, but looked at the time and said, "Serve the meal."

Only when you are well-fed and watered can you fight those ministers.

Unlike Wanli, Zhu Youxiao would not feign death and give up when he couldn't defeat his ministers, thus only making himself miserable.

Not only will I not be angry, I'll make you all furious.

Wang Tiqian admired the emperor's character to the point of prostration.

Your Majesty is confident of victory; I fear that this remonstrance by an official kneeling before you will be of no use.

And
With so many officials being dismissed, most of the officials promoted by the emperor at this time were also in accordance with his will.

His Majesty's influence has gradually penetrated into the court.

Compared to when His Majesty had no foundation more than twenty days ago, His Majesty's words now carry considerable weight among the court officials.

After lunch, Zhu Youxiao took a nice nap. After noon, he got up from the daybed in the East Warm Pavilion.

At this moment, outside Zuoshun Gate, the autumn sun was blazing. Although not scorching, it still caused unbearable pain to the kneeling officials who had not eaten lunch or even much breakfast.

In preparation for today's kneeling remonstrance, everyone ate dry food this morning and dared not drink much water to avoid having to use the toilet.

Many people were already feeling dizzy and had chapped lips.

Zhi acridine~
The left-hand door was opened again.

Han Kuang, Yang Lian, and the others, who had been weakened by the autumn sun, immediately straightened their backs.

They wanted to see what other tricks their Emperor had up his sleeve!
Wang Tiqian led sixteen Imperial Guards to the assembled officials.

Many of the officials kneeling in remonstrance gasped in shock upon seeing the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

However, Wang Tiqian was not there to arrest people; he was there on behalf of the emperor to carry out a plan to destroy his heart.

"His Majesty's decree: Sun Chengzong, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and concurrently Academician of the Hanlin Academy, is hereby summoned to the palace for an audience with the Emperor!"

Sun Chengzong, who was kneeling on the ground, was stunned for a moment, his hands suddenly clenched tightly, and a look of confusion flashed in his eyes.

Han Kuang, Yang Lian, and the others all focused their attention on Sun Chengzong.

"Chizuru, we've been through thick and thin, let's not embarrass ourselves!"

"Yes, cheer up!"

"Let His Majesty know that the backbone of the Donglin Party is harder than gold and iron!"

The courtiers kneeling in remonstrance turned into sycophants, eager to incite Sun Chengzong to fight the emperor.

Sun Chengzong felt bitter, but he slowly got up. Because he had been kneeling for a long time, he stumbled and almost fell.

He bowed to the crowd, then followed Wang Tiqian into the deep passageway.

This is the journey.
My life is in danger, and my future is uncertain!

Sun Chengzong clenched his fist tightly in his sleeve, his fingernails digging into his palm, yet he felt no pain.

Is it really that difficult to do something practical for the Ming Dynasty?

(End of this chapter)