Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

"absurd!"

Zhu Cilang abruptly rose from his seat, the chair scraping against the ground with a screeching sound.

He strode towards the carved dragon and golden pillar in the hall, then abruptly turned back.

Shi Kefa's probing words at Yanziji a few days ago are still fresh in our minds, yet now malicious rumors are already rampant.

A chill ran up my spine, even though it was still light in the morning, my clothes were already soaked with cold sweat.

Once such rumors spread, they are difficult to stop.

In mild cases, it may shake the foundation; in severe cases, it may endanger the very foundation of the nation.

Zhu Cilang was filled with anxiety, but he forced himself to calm down.

Han Zanzhou stood to one side, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

Huang Degong suddenly clasped his hands in a fist salute:

"Your Highness, please grant me three hours to bring those filthy scoundrels to the imperial prison."

"If you find beheading too quick, this humble general has eighteen kinds of weapons to serve you!"

"No!"

Zhu Cilang abruptly interrupted Huang Degong.

He took a deep breath, his gaze suddenly becoming sharp and clear, and he made a decision in an instant.

He immediately made arrangements:

"General Huang, immediately take the golden tally and mobilize two battalions of imperial guards to lock the Taiping, Chaoyang, and Jinchuan gates. The outer city gates shall remain open and closed as usual, and no panic shall be caused."

After speaking, he turned to look at Han Zanzhou:

"Han Banban, immediately summon the officials of the three judicial departments and the uncle of Prince Fu, and hold a court meeting in the Wuying Hall at the beginning of the 9:00 AM. There must be no mistakes."

Prince Fu, Zhu Yousong, has resigned from his position as regent, and the power of regent naturally returns to the Crown Prince.

Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, it has been common for the crown prince to oversee the country, and he is required to attend court and govern during his regency.

Today, Zhu Cilang attended court for the first time as regent.

Unexpectedly, rumors suddenly arose, like dark clouds obscuring the sun.

He knew all too well that a severe test lay before him...

......

Wuying Hall.

As dawn broke, the light pierced through the tall palace gates and spilled onto the golden brick floor, casting a solemn golden hue.

The entire court, dressed in court attire, stood in order, each with a different expression.

Below the steps, on the east side, in front of the second seat under the green canopy, a gilded bronze crane exhales wisps of incense smoke.

The sixteen-year-old Crown Prince Zhu Cilang, dressed in a red robe embroidered with a coiled dragon, sat upright in the center.

The regent cannot overstep the throne; the rule of being the second seat, seven steps away from the throne, applies.

This ensured that the authority of the regent was unassailable, while also upholding the strictest separation between the emperor and his subjects within the Forbidden City.

With the court ceremony in place, Han Zanzhou, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, stood upright and performed the rites in accordance with the proper etiquette.

This former military supervisor eunuch of Luzhou Prefecture was reinstated by Zhu Cilang and promoted to this position.

The lingering echo of the morning bell at the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM) still reverberates among the beams and pillars.

As soon as the Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Court of State Ceremonies announced, "Officials with matters to report should do so immediately," a figure in green broke through the ranks below the steps:

"I am willing to die to remonstrate!"

The imperial censor in his green robe was like a drawn sword, slicing through the ranks of civil officials.

Zhu Cilang's pupils contracted slightly—the one who stepped forward was Shen Chenquan, the Censor-in-Chief.

Shen Chenquan knelt on the steps, and as he rose, his voice suddenly rose, each word like a knife:

"There are rumors circulating in the streets that His Highness is not of true imperial blood, and that the Earl of Jingnan and others are like Cao Cao and Wang Mang."

"If we do not prove ourselves with swift and decisive action, won't the four garrisons north of the Yangtze River, upon hearing this rumor, follow An Lushan's example and purge the emperor's inner circle?"

The words had barely left his mouth when Han Zanzhou nearly snapped the whisk in his hand; on the other side, Huang Degong's armor plates clanged as he glared angrily.

Shen Chenquan's words became increasingly heated.

"I pledge my life as collateral. If my identity is verified, I will commit suicide to atone for my offense. If there is even the slightest discrepancy—"

He suddenly raised his head and looked directly at the person seated in the green tent.

"Your Highness, please immediately retire to Zhongshan to guard the imperial tombs!"

These words shocked the entire hall!

He retired to Zhongshan to guard the imperial tombs!

Zhu Cilang was deeply shaken!

This is tantamount to saying that if one cannot prove their identity, they must automatically give up all inheritance rights, which is equivalent to being deposed.

At this moment, Han Zanzhou and Huang Degong have been accused of being accomplices, and their words are hard to convince the public. How easy is it for them to prove their innocence?

"I second that proposal!"

Another figure in cyan stepped out from the crowd.

The reputation of Censor Huang Shu resounded throughout the palace:

"Back in the Tianqi reign, the case of the clubbing incident was even tried jointly by the three judicial departments!"

"Today's case of spreading rumors points directly to the Crown Prince's Palace. If Your Highness dares not testify in court, wouldn't that confirm the rumors circulating in the streets about 'a cat stealing the cauldron'?"

The courtiers were in uproar!

Whispers drifted across the gold bricks, and countless eyes darted between the Crown Prince and the Imperial Censor with suspicion and uncertainty.

Huang Shu, however, with his beard and hair bristling, spoke with a booming voice that echoed throughout the palace:

"Your Majesty, I must ask! Since the tragic news from Coal Hill arrived on March 19th, have any of the late Emperor's close attendants testified that Your Highness fled?"

"Your Majesty, I must ask! During the three ambushes on the journey south, why was the Crown Prince the only one unharmed? And I must ask even more—"

He turned abruptly, pointing his finger directly at Huang Degong, and questioned him sharply.

"Is the Earl of Jingnan secretly mobilizing two battalions of imperial guards to imitate Wang Mang and lock the palace gates?!"

A hoarse, desperate cry that pierced the dome of the sky.

"With the spirit of our late Emperor Taizu above, how can we allow Zhao Gao to call a deer a horse!"

"If we do not lay bare our hearts and souls to prove our innocence today, the banner of pacifying the rebellion will be raised atop Nanjing tomorrow."

"I second that proposal!"

"I second that proposal!"

......

Seven figures in blue (censors) stepped forward one after another, loudly echoing their sentiments.

Those voices of agreement struck Zhu Cilang's heart like heavy hammer blows.

He couldn't help but sigh, having only ever seen records of "the censors shaking the court" in ancient books.

Having experienced it firsthand today, I now realize that the Censorate's Inspectorate, wielding the power to report rumors, can wield such power when it launches an attack.

The Censorate was the highest supervisory agency of the Ming Dynasty, responsible for investigating officials, clarifying grievances, and supervising various circuits. It had thirteen circuit censors under it, who were responsible for investigating the affairs of officials in various regions.

Today, its intimidating power was fully displayed in the imperial court.

"Ke Dao" is a collective term for the six censors and the thirteen circuit censors, also known as "speech officials," and is the core of the Ming Dynasty's supervisory system.

In the imperial court, the ministers whispered among themselves.

A host of important officials, including Shi Kefa, Minister of War; Gao Hongtu, Minister of Revenue; and Ma Shiying, Minister of Rites, were present.

At this moment, everyone lowered their eyes and remained silent as mountains.

"You pedantic scholars! How could you know the dangers of war! My troop deployments are all for the protection of the palace..."

Huang Degong could no longer contain himself; his heavy armor trembled violently, and his voice boomed like thunder. His imposing aura almost engulfed the censors opposite him.

"Cheng——!"

The sound of jade belts coming from the direction of the green tent abruptly cut off Huang Degong's words.

Zhu Cilang slowly rose, his gaze sweeping over the group of kneeling censors below the steps:

"What a fine 'rumored report'! Of the thirteen censors of the Censorate, nine are here in the Wuying Hall."

He slowly walked down to the next seat, and when he was three steps away from Shen Chenquan...

The rising sun pierced through the palace gate, and the five-clawed golden dragon's scales shimmered with dazzling golden light.

"Imperial Censor Shen,"

The young regent's gaze, looking down upon the emperor, seemed to pierce through the censor's hat.

"How do you expect me to prove myself?"

Shen Chenquan gripped the tablet (a writing tablet held by ministers during court sessions) tightly, his breathing heavy, yet his neck remained stiff.

"Your Majesty, I only know that it was stated in the Hongwu Ancestral Edict!"

"All cases involving doubts about the bloodline of the imperial family shall be jointly investigated and examined by the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review."

"If we cannot present the imperial genealogy and the golden register in court today, and examine them clearly in front of all the civil and military officials, then..."

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty would rather shed your blood on these imperial palace walls and golden bricks to atone for your sins!"

Imperial genealogy and golden register!

Zhu Cilang's heart sank; this item was indeed irrefutable proof of his status as a member of the imperial family.

However, when the capital fell, he fled in haste and was unable to take this item with him. It was lost along with the imperial edict and the golden seal.

He suppressed his turbulent emotions:

"The capital has fallen, the late emperor has perished, his body is barely cold!"

"Instead of working together to save the nation from peril, you are here in the Wuying Hall, using baseless rumors from the streets to stage a coup and depose the emperor?"

He suddenly turned around, flicking his sleeves, and faced the six ministers directly:

"You officials, who eat the emperor's food, now want to be clay sculptures in the imperial court?"

"Could it be that we really want to disturb the Xiaoling Mausoleum and make Emperor Taizu Gao lift the coffin to recognize his relatives?"

Shen Chenquan hung his head in dejection.

Whispers in the court intensified, and the gold bricks reflected the countless swaying winged official hats.

Prince Fu, Zhu Yousong, slid his Adam's apple three inches between the collar of his scarlet robe, but ultimately uttered not a single word.