Huangming

Chapter 61 The Emperor's Grace, How Could I Not Die for Him? (Please continue reading~)

The palace road is long and winding.

Sun Chengzong had walked this road many times, but this time, the journey was exceptionally arduous.

Sun Chengzong reminisced about his past.

He was intelligent from a young age, able to compose couplets at the age of six, and at sixteen, he took the imperial examination for children and became a doctoral student with the second-best score.

At the age of seventeen, he won first place in the imperial examination and was granted the privilege of receiving a stipend. However, for more than ten years afterward, he failed to make any progress in his studies.

In the twenty-first year of the Wanli reign, he participated in the selection examination for tribute students and was selected as a student of the Imperial Academy with an excellent score of fifth place.

During this period, Ye Xianggao served as the Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy, and Sun Chengzong became his student.

The following year, Sun Chengzong passed the provincial examination in Shuntian, but his official career was still full of twists and turns.

In the thirty-second year of the Wanli reign, Sun Chengzong, who was over forty years old, finally passed the provincial examination and ranked second in the palace examination. He was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, mainly responsible for compiling daily records, editing documents, and presiding over examinations.

However, he was unsuccessful in his official career because he refused to flatter his superiors and seniors. He also returned to his hometown twice due to factional strife.

This year, the Red Pill Case broke out, and the late Emperor suddenly passed away.

Sun Shenxing, the Vice Minister of Rites, and other members of the Donglin Party demanded that Fang Congzhe be severely punished, while Sun Chengzong disagreed and only requested that Li Kezhuo, the person directly involved, be punished.

Sun Shenxing was Sun Chengzong's mentor and believed that he had betrayed him. Fang Congzhe was also dissatisfied with Sun Chengzong.

He's the kind of person who pleases neither side.

Now that he has been summoned by the emperor, he feels that his future is bleak and the idea of ​​resigning and going into seclusion has arisen in his mind.

This rotten world, this broken government, is this a place for human beings to live?
Destroy it! Hurry up!
Sun Chengzong was lost in thought. Although the palace road was long, he soon arrived at the Qianqing Palace, entered the East Warm Pavilion, and saw the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty on the throne.

Perhaps because he had no desires, Sun Chengzong actually looked up at the throne, gazing at the Ming emperor who had stirred up the Ming court in less than ten months since his ascension to the throne.

The young emperor was dressed in a black robe with a dragon design, wearing a winged crown and a jade belt.

His eyebrows, like ink paintings, slanted upwards towards his temples; his eyes, with slightly upturned corners, held a clear, cold gaze as if containing frost; his nose, high and straight like a hanging gall bladder; and the dragon pattern on his shoulder rose and fell with his breath, like a dormant dragon about to break through the clouds.

"Minister Sun, is there something wrong with my attire?"

When the emperor on the throne spoke, Sun Chengzong immediately came to his senses and knelt down.

"Your Majesty, I, Sun Chengzong, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and concurrently a Reader-in-Waiting of the Hanlin Academy, respectfully wish Your Majesty good health!"

Then, he apologized, saying, "I was momentarily confused, and I beg Your Majesty to punish me for my disrespect."

"Since you appear dazed, I pardon you. Get up."

Sun Chengzong lowered his head, now truly daring not to raise his head and confront the emperor.

"Give me a seat."

The eunuchs brought over a huanghuali armchair.

Sun Chengzong was puzzled.

His Majesty summoned him here; is it not to interrogate him?
He had already prepared himself for the decision to retire into seclusion.

But something seems off about this atmosphere!
Sun Chengzong was dizzy and half-sitting on the armchair. He felt uneasy all over, like a student who had made a mistake and was facing his homeroom teacher.

"Why is Minister Sun kneeling at the Zuoshun Gate to remonstrate today?"

Why?

Sun Chengzong thought it over carefully, then gritted his teeth and said, “Your Majesty has been making heavy use of treacherous eunuchs, instigating numerous imperial prisons, and favoring petty men while distancing yourself from virtuous ministers. I, your humble servant, kneel outside the Zuoshun Gate to remonstrate with you, hoping that Your Majesty will realize your mistake and focus on the affairs of the state.”

Zhu Youxiao stared quietly at the tall, strong, and powerful minister in front of him, who had a beard as long as Guan Yu's.

After a moment, Zhu Youxiao finally spoke.

"You say I favor treacherous eunuchs, but who are these treacherous eunuchs?"

Having come this far, Sun Chengzong was ready to go all out.

Is it useful to get close to the emperor?
Useless.

During the Wanli reign, only ministers who formed cliques were able to achieve anything, while those who served the emperor alone often met a tragic end and accomplished nothing.

"Wei Chao, Wei Zhongxian, Wang Tiqian!"

Zhu Youxiao calmly asked, "What crimes have they committed?"

"The Wei dynasty is the head of the inner court, yet it deceives the emperor, abuses its power, and corrupts the moral order. It does not think about teaching His Majesty to be close to virtuous ministers and keep away from scoundrels. Zhongxian enjoys being flogged in court and treats cruel punishments as a game. He deceives the emperor and disrespects his ancestors, destroying the moral order. He slaughters loyal and good people and treats the lives of soldiers like dirt! Wang Tiqian is just a slave, yet he dares to insult court officials. His various rebellious acts are too numerous to list!"

Wei Chao, unable to hold back any longer, quickly knelt down. "Your Majesty, this servant is innocent."

Zhu Youxiao completely ignored Wei Chao, his eyes sharp and his tone gradually becoming more forceful.

"Who is the villain, and who is the wise minister?"

Sun Chengzong's forehead gradually broke out in sweat, and his hands, hidden in the sleeves of his court robe, clenched tightly, but his tone remained calm.

“A treacherous eunuch is a petty person; one who corrupts the court and stirs up factional strife is a petty person. One who is devoted to the country and even willing to die for it is a virtuous minister.”

Zhu Youxiao sarcastically remarked: "Are those who embezzle and pervert the law virtuous ministers? Are those who form cliques and suppress dissent virtuous ministers? Are those who engage in factionalism and pursue personal gain virtuous ministers? Are those who force the emperor to abdicate virtuous ministers?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Chengzong opened his mouth, but now he truly didn't know how to refute it.

To some extent, what His Majesty said is true.

"Are you the only loyal ministers, good ministers, and virtuous ministers?" Zhu Youxiao revealed the true face of Jiajing.

Sun Chengzong rose from the armchair and knelt down.

"Your Majesty, I am terrified, I am guilty!"

Zhu Youxiao composed himself and asked, "What crime have you committed?"

"Offending the emperor is a capital offense."

"I declare you innocent!"

Zhu Youxiao rose from his throne, walked down the steps, and helped Sun Chengzong to his feet.

"The guilty ones are those hypocrites outside Zuoshun Gate!"

Zhu Youxiao suddenly pointed his spear at the Donglin Party, his anger as fierce as thunder: "These people wear tall hats and wide belts, always claiming to be the epitome of integrity. Yet, the million taels of silver for the Liaodong army have been squandered on the pleasure boats of the Qinhuai River; the urgent calls for help from the border have only yielded these pedantic scholars' stinking articles! My dear minister, are you kneeling outside the Zuoshun Gate today out of your own will? You have only been held hostage by those villains, forced to kneel down, a figure as outstanding as you!"

"The entire court is full of beasts, engaged in factional strife instead of governing the country and serving the nation. The two capitals and thirteen provinces are like infants waiting to die of hunger and cold, like fish on a chopping board waiting to be slaughtered. Do they even know this?"

Sun Chengzong was helped up by the emperor and was deeply moved.

"I know you are a man of unyielding integrity, a former disciple of Lord Ye, who would rather offend the enemy than flatter them. You are a minister who quelled rebellion and governed the country. I have long heard of your military talent, so why have you been submerged in factional strife? Factional strife ruins the country, do you not know that?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Chengzong's tiger-like eyes filled with tears, and his bushy beard trembled.

"Your Majesty, minister."

"Is Minister Sun afraid of following in Xiong Tingbi's footsteps?"

The emperor's words struck a chord with Sun Chengzong.

Xiong Tingbi was talented and capable, but he had a fiery temper and repeatedly criticized officials for corruption. For example, he vehemently criticized Zhang Heming, the Minister of War, for being a mere figurehead and offending powerful figures in the court.

Furthermore, he was not good at political maneuvering. Xiong Tingbi focused on military affairs, ignored public opinion in the court, and did not form factions to protect himself.

The Donglin Party controlled free speech, while the Qi-Chu-Zhe Party manipulated the judiciary, leaving them isolated.

Now he has fallen to the point of being impeached by the entire court. If it weren't for the emperor protecting him, he would probably have been dismissed from his post as the Liaodong Military Commissioner long ago.

Moreover, even if he remained in the position of Liaodong Military Commissioner, impeachments against him would still come like snowflakes.

If there is even the slightest mistake, it will be magnified infinitely.

It's so hard to do anything you want!
"I have ambitions to realize them, but how can I do so if I do not form factions to protect myself?"

"If you wish to be remembered in history, why should I refuse? Why should I form factions?"

As he spoke, Zhu Youxiao thought about the saddest things in his life and his previous life, and two lines of tears immediately fell down his cheeks, instantly transforming into Liu Xuande.

"I ascended the throne at a young age, and both the inner and outer courts are out of control. Less than a month after my enthronement, officials knelt and remonstrated, forcing me to abdicate. The Jurchens are eyeing me covetously from the outside, and the four barbarian tribes are invading. Natural disasters are constant, and refugees are rising up everywhere, almost like a wildfire. Minister Sun, I am afraid!"

Zhu Youxiao put his arm around Sun Chengzong's shoulder, looked into Sun Chengzong's eyes with tears in his eyes, and stared straight into his soul.

"I fear that one day, refugees will breach the Forbidden City, and the centuries-old foundation of my Great Ming Dynasty will be destroyed in an instant; I fear that the Jurchens will breach the Shanhaiguan Pass, and the Chinese people will once again be enslaved by foreign races; do you have the ability to save the world, and dare to stand up for me and follow the example of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing?"

Sun Chengzong was deeply shaken.

Faced with his father's sincere words, accompanied by two lines of clear tears, Sun Chengzong felt like a complete bastard.

A wave of guilt, stemming from having read the classics, surged through my soul.

Sun Chengzong immediately prostrated himself on the ground, weeping blood, and almost shouted, "I was originally a commoner on the frontier, but Your Majesty rescued me from the mud. Even if I were to die a martyr's death, I will defend this mighty Great Wall for Your Majesty! If the Jurchens want to enter the pass, let any refugees who dare to live step over my old body first!"

(End of this chapter)