Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

The room fell silent instantly, with only the wisps of smoke rising straight from the incense burner.

Zhu Cilang stood by the window, gazing at the shimmering waves of the Qinhuai River below.

On the porch outside the door, a series of light footsteps approached from afar and stopped in front of the door.

A brief silence fell, as if even the air itself had frozen for a moment.

The beaded curtain was gently lifted by a slender, white hand.

Bian Yujing walked in.

She wore a moon-white silk dress with a matching sash around her slender waist, and her face was aloof and cold.

Just as Zhu Cilang was about to speak, he saw that figure in moonlight suddenly kneel down.

Bian Yujing performed a grand salute by touching her forehead with her hand:

"This humble woman, Bian Yujing, pays her respects to Your Majesty."

Zhu Cilang raised his wrist slightly to stop her from kneeling.

"Please rise, Miss Bian. I am traveling light this time simply to escape the hustle and bustle. There is no need for you to be so formal."

Bian Yujing straightened up, but her head remained lowered, and she dared not look up.

Zhu Cilang turned and walked to the window, raising his hand to push open the carved window sash:

"Tonight, let us not concern ourselves with court affairs, but simply be listeners of the zither on the Qinhuai River."

"I, Zhu, am here. I will face the young lady with my bare sleeves and play the zither and flute in harmony."

Bian Yujing, however, kept her head down and eyes lowered, not daring to look directly at him.

"Your Majesty's kindness in saving my life in Huai'an is something I will never forget! However, I was ignorant of Your Majesty's countenance at the time and spoke recklessly, making disrespectful remarks. I humbly beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

Zhu Cilang turned around and looked at Bian Yujing:

"Miss Bian was quick-witted and outspoken that day, her words like knives, directly piercing the ills of the times! I must thank you for your integrity and courage!"

Bian Yujing, however, could not hide her unease:

"Your Majesty's arrival here so late at night has filled me with trepidation. I do not know..."

She unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt, the rest of her words stuck in her throat.

Zhu Cilang pointed his finger towards the courtyard below the steps:

"Miss Bian, look at these bamboo shadows swaying on the steps, the ink stains mottled. Doesn't it bear some resemblance to when we first met in Huai'an Prefecture?"

"I remember back then, the young lady dared to directly rebuke Liu Zhen for killing innocent people and angrily expose the corrupt officials who held their positions."

"Now they've fallen into the trap of empty rituals like five bows and three kowtows!"

Before he finished speaking, the clear sound of wooden clogs clattering on the floor suddenly came from outside the corridor.

The sound of chanting drifted in through the curtains:

"Her delicate eyebrows are not painted with willow branches from Zhangtai, but her fair hands are drawn with orchids from Chu..."

The light and shadow on the door frame dimmed.

A man in a blue robe leaned against it, tapping the bamboo fan in his palm. His eyebrows and eyes were bright and clear, and a smile was on his lips.

Before he even stepped inside the threshold, his voice was already ringing out:

"Miss Yujing, all the scholars of Jinling have been waiting for a long time, but we are missing only you, the 'gentleman of the zither'!"

Before the sarcasm in his voice had faded, his gaze suddenly shifted to Zhu Cilang inside the room.

A fleeting look of doubt crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by a warmer smile. He cupped his hands and said:

"And this young master is...?"

Zhu Cilang remained calm and returned the greeting:

"My name is Zhu Kunyao. I have come to visit Miss Bian today. I hope you will forgive me for disturbing you."

A knowing glint flashed in the man's eyes, and his smile grew even warmer:

"So it's Young Master Zhu. I've long admired Miss Yujing's reputation. It's indeed a visit from a refined gentleman."

He stepped inside, the hem of his robe brushing against the threshold.

"My name is Mao Xiang. I was having a small gathering with some friends today when I heard that Miss Yujing's zither playing was unparalleled, so I came to invite her."

His speech was fluent, and his gaze subtly swept over Zhu Cilang.

"It's truly a stroke of luck to meet Young Master Zhu. Would Young Master Zhu do me the honor of sharing a cup of sake with me?"

Zhu Cilang's heart skipped a beat; it turned out that this person was none other than Mao Xiang, who was famous throughout Jiangnan.

My gaze swept over the person in front of me. His figure was as slender as a bamboo, and when he smiled, the corners of his eyes were slightly raised. He certainly had the dashing and elegant demeanor of a scholar.

He smiled calmly:

"Since you have invited me, Young Master Mao, I will gladly accept. However, I am truly not very skilled in poetry and prose."

Mao Xiang waved his wide sleeves lightly and responded loudly:

"Young Master Zhu is overthinking it!"

"Today is just a small gathering, for the sake of tranquility and elegance, without being bound by poetry or literature."

"The true joy lies in the music and the wine, in following one's heart and nature. Young Master Zhu, with your distinguished bearing, it is already a rare privilege to share this meal with you!"

Zhu Cilang's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly:

"Young Master Mao is very magnanimous; I, Zhu, have been overthinking things. In that case, I will continue to trouble you."

Upon hearing this, Bian Yujing's face turned deathly pale.

She took a quick half-step forward, her sleeve fluttering as if to stop the two of them, her voice urgent:

"It's inconvenient today, let's meet another day..."

Her brows furrowed, and her gaze darted rapidly between Zhu Cilang and Mao Xiang.

"Young Master Zhu has just arrived and has not yet rested. Now that he has brought friends to invite us, I am afraid it will be inconvenient."

"How about I prepare tea and wine another day and invite you two to have a chat, so that I can fulfill my duty as the host?"

Mao Xiang smiled and chatted, seemingly unaware of her strangeness, her wrist naturally slipping into Zhu Cilang's arm.

He turned his head and smiled at Bian Yujing:

"Why is Miss Yujing so reserved today?"

"In the past, you loved to gather with learned gentlemen, enjoying the music and wine—how delightful it was!"

"Why are you declining today?"

Before Bian Yujing could speak again, Zhu Cilang was half-pulled out of the room by Mao Xiang.

Bian Yujing hesitated, her outstretched hand suddenly stopping in mid-air. Her face showed anxiety that almost brought her to tears, yet she was helpless.

The lattice door was pushed open, and a mixture of pine smoke and the smell of alcohol rushed out.

An exquisite teapot gently boils on a small red clay stove, while a wine pot reflects the candlelight.

The image of the three scholars sitting around laughing and talking suddenly froze.

Mao Xiang led Zhu Cilang inside, and figures stood up one after another.

Gu Yanwu, Chen Zhenhui, Hou Fangyu—the names were announced in turn.

Zhu Cilang was secretly surprised; it turned out that these were all famous scholars from Jiangnan!

His gaze couldn't help but fall on the thinker Gu Yanwu.

At this time, Gu Yanwu was in his thirties, with a thin face, a clear left eye like a cold star, but a gray eye covering his right eye.

Gu Yanwu suffered from smallpox in his childhood, which caused his right eye to become cloudy, but the sharpness in his eyes only made it more profound. When he spoke, his squinting right eye seemed to be able to see through people's hearts, causing everyone to avoid looking directly at him.

When he was young, everyone thought he looked strange. However, when Gu Yanwu grew up, he became a renowned scholar.

Gu Yanwu's eyes, which were originally "strange", have become a symbol of wisdom.

As soon as Zhu Cilang sat down, a white jade wine cup was presented to him—the latecomer would be punished with a drink.

He did not refuse and drank it all in one gulp. The spicy liquor rolled down his throat, and cheers erupted from the room.

Bian Yujing then followed in, silently sat down at the zither table, and gently plucked the strings. The melodious music, like flowing water, made the atmosphere at the table even more elegant.

Mao Xiang held his wine cup, a thoughtful expression on his face, and said softly:

Where were we in our conversation?

Chen Zhenhui let out a short sigh, her voice low and deep:

"Just now, Chaozong (Hou Fangyu's courtesy name) mentioned the changes in celestial phenomena..."

He glanced at Hou Fangyu, who was fiddling with the candle flame using a silver pick.

Chen Zhenhui continued:

"He observed the stars at night; the imperial star was dim and without light, and a red aura coiled around it like a snake. The Big Dipper trembled, and a shooting star... plummeted straight to the southeast."

He subconsciously tugged at his sleeve.

"Chaozong asserted: The imperial star is dimming, the mandate of heaven has passed, and the reign of the Jiangnan dynasty will likely last no more than a year!"

"Zheng—!"

The music from Bian Yujing's fingertips suddenly stopped!

Her face was pale, her fingers pressed on the vibrating strings, but she was frozen in place.

The entire room fell silent instantly.

Mao Xiang turned his gaze to Bian Yujing, a slight smile playing on his lips:

"Why does Miss Yujing seem so uneasy ever since Young Master Zhu arrived?"

"But when one's mind is distracted, the music inevitably becomes disordered."

Everyone laughed upon hearing this, but Bian Yujing remained silent with her head lowered.

At this moment, Zhu Cilang finally understood why Bian Yujing had repeatedly tried to dissuade him.

She already knew that these outrageous remarks would be discussed at the gathering.

He understood Bian Yujing's deeper meaning, but he wasn't offended. On the contrary, he quite liked the atmosphere of sincere interaction.

He laughed loudly, breaking the silence:

"The young lady of Yujing used the sudden silence of her zither strings to express her disagreement with the theory that the dynasty would only last one year."

He suddenly twisted his wrist, causing the wine cup to fall onto the sandalwood table, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

"While there is some truth to the ancient theories of celestial phenomena, human determination can indeed overcome the forces of nature."

"The emperor's star was dim, perhaps due to the turbulent times, but the Jiangnan region had a deep foundation and the people's hearts were with him. The emperor personally led the expedition and recaptured Dezhou."

He paused briefly,

"How can one conclude that the dynasty is doomed based on a single celestial phenomenon?"