Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

Before Zhu Cilang could finish speaking, Hou Fangyu had already gently placed the silver token down and abruptly left his seat.

The candlelight was cut off by his figure, and a shadow fell over him, making Zhu Cilang feel as if the surroundings suddenly became heavy.

Hou Fangyu looked at him with a deep gaze and said:

"The current emperor is young..."

He suddenly realized,

"—Yes, yes, just like your size."

Having said that, he suddenly walked around the table again, his voice low and deep.

"The emperor is young and ambitious, but the court has long suffered from deep-seated problems that cannot be solved in a short time."

He paused, gazing intently at Zhu Cilang, his expression grave.

"Young Master Zhu, do not let momentary victory cloud your long-term vision."

"The flames of war have not yet been extinguished on the borders, and the people are exhausted. Even with a strong foundation in the south, how can we turn the tide?"

The cold words pierced me like knives.

On the other side, Mao Xiang drank the remaining wine in one gulp, the wine entering his throat turning into a sigh.

He shook his head with a wry smile:

"Drowning one's sorrows in wine is not an option, for chaos is imminent and such pleasures may not last long! Today's joy may become tomorrow's tears."

Gu Yanwu frowned, clearly displeased:

"The gentlemen of Jinling, with their courtesans singing and reveling, show no concern for the nation's impending doom!"

"What I see and hear is utter apathy and debauchery; I shouldn't have come—"

Upon hearing this, Mao Xiang strode forward and grabbed Gu Yanwu's sleeve:

"Brother Ningren (Gu Yanwu's courtesy name), it's a rare treat to have us together today..."

Gu Yanwu jerked his arm away, his voice sharp and stern:

"Currently, factional strife is raging both inside and outside the court, the north of the Yangtze River is in dire straits, and the people are displaced."

"You people are here drinking and making merry, reciting poems and enjoying music. Do you really think the world is at peace?"

A sudden gust of wind blew outside the window, making the window paper rustle loudly.

Gu Yanwu continued:

"Gu dedicated his life to practical application of knowledge and advocated for real learning in order to save the nation and ensure its survival. Now, it all seems so ironic!"

Mao Xiang quickly grabbed Gu Yanwu's wrist:

"Brother Ning, please calm down."

"We are gathered here today to have a good talk. Although we will discuss the current situation, there is no need to ruin our harmony with a few words."

He paused briefly, a hint of helplessness showing between his brows.

"Great affairs of the nation cannot be resolved in a single day. Although we are concerned about the affairs of the country, we also need a moment to catch our breath."

Hou Fangyu leaned against the Xiangfei bamboo couch, a cold smile playing on his thin lips:

"Mr. Gu, why are you so indignant? Even if we have the ambition to restore the society, we cannot withstand the decline of the times."

He picked up a chilled bayberry, casually examining its amber-like color in the candlelight, and lightly spat it out.

"If a country falls, it falls!"

"The fall of a kingdom is merely a change of dynasty and emperor! The world is still the world, and the people are still the people. Why worry so much?"

His words astonished everyone present.

With a loud "smack," Gu Yanwu slammed his hand on the table, causing the cups and saucers to clang.

"Your argument is utterly flawed, sir! Have you not heard that there is a difference between the fall of a state and the fall of the world?"

His slightly pterygium-covered right eye shone brightly in the candlelight.

"Changing the surname and title is called the fall of a country."

"If benevolence and righteousness are not practiced, it will lead to the destruction of the world, with people even eating each other like beasts."

A change of dynasty only means the fall of a country, but if morality and ethics collapse and people resort to cannibalism, that's the fall of the entire world!

The deep, rumbling sound of the throat rolled on.

Therefore, one must know how to protect the world before one can protect the country.

"Those who protect the country are those who eat meat; those who protect the world, even the common people, have a responsibility."

Protecting the nation is the responsibility of officials who reap the rewards; but protecting the world is the responsibility of every ordinary person!

Zhu Cilang's fingers tightened around the wine glass; Gu Yanwu's words, "leading beasts to devour men," struck him like a hammer blow.

Those cold memories from later generations instantly came to life:

In the early Qing Dynasty, the land enclosure order was issued, and the Eight Banners cavalry trampled the fields of the Central Plains, driving Han Chinese farmers into manors as slaves.

The gentry of Jiangnan were stripped of their path to the imperial examinations due to the "lowly status" system. A young child lay beside his father's still-wet corpse, crying and begging for a bowl of wheat porridge...

Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang felt a churning in his stomach.

Gu Yanwu had just finished speaking.

Bian Yujing's fingertips trembled, and the music stopped abruptly, but beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead.

Zhu Cilang took out a plain handkerchief and handed it over:

"Miss Bian's zither music is clear and melodious, needing no external distractions. There is regret in the music, and meaning beyond the strings; those who understand will understand."

Bian Yujing accepted the white handkerchief, lowered her eyes, and spoke in a voice barely audible:

"Thank you, young master."

Zhu Cilang then raised his cup to Gu Yanwu:

"What a wonderful saying: 'Even a commoner has a responsibility to protect the nation!'"

He looked at the swirling liquid in the glass.

"If this argument were to be heard throughout the world, how could righteousness not be upheld?"

"This reminds me of the words of Wen Tianxiang from the late Song Dynasty: 'Since ancient times, who has ever escaped death? Let my loyal heart shine in history.'"

The night wind rustled the paper windows, causing the copper bells under the eaves to ring softly. Zhu Cilang continued:

"Are you all familiar with Yaishan during the Former Song Dynasty?"

"When 100,000 officials and their entourage sank into the sea with the jade, Prime Minister Lu was not carrying the young emperor on his back, but the robes and crown of China."

He downed the wine in one gulp, slamming the glass heavily on the table.

"Hearing Gu Gong's theory of 'the destruction of the world' today is like hearing the echo of Prime Minister Wen's 'Ode to Righteousness' from another era."

A barely perceptible sneer played on Hou Fangyu's lips as he glanced sideways at Zhu Cilang:

"Young master, you certainly know how to spout erudite knowledge!"

"But when Lu Xiufu carried the young emperor and jumped into the sea, the songs sung in the brothels of Lin'an were still decadent."

Having said that, he picked up a piece of fish, glanced at it casually,

In my opinion, the Qinhuai River is more resilient than the Qiantang River!

"Even if the world changes, the peach blossom fan in Lanxin Pavilion will still be dyed rouge."

A bayberry slipped from his fingers and fell into a silver dish with a "plop," splashing icy water that wet Zhu Cilang's sleeve.

Zhu Cilang chuckled softly, twisting his damp sleeve:

"Brother Hou is so carefree, saying changing emperors is like changing clothes!"

"This reminds me of a line by Wei Zhuang: 'The most heartless are the willows of Taicheng, still shrouded in mist along the ten-mile embankment.'"

"But if the world were truly transformed, would the willows and mists of the Qinhuai River still recognize our old friends?"

He suddenly picked up Hou Fangyu's wine pot and poured a full cup for himself and Hou Fangyu.

"Brother Hou, do you think that if things truly come to the point of 'leading beasts to devour men,' the wine on the pleasure boats of the Qinhuai River will still be so mellow?"

The moment he tilted his head back and drank it all, the copper bell under the eaves was torn apart by the gale and rang out a mournful, long note.

Hou Fangyu's hand, which was picking up food, paused slightly, and a smile appeared on his lips:

"Why should Young Master Zhu worry unnecessarily? You should know that the land of the Six Dynasties has never changed its color."

"Even if dynasties change, or the heavens and earth collapse, the Qinhuai River will still be filled with the sounds of revelry every night!"

In the flickering candlelight, Zhu Cilang suddenly understood this portrait of a group living a life of decadence and debauchery—

It turns out that at this moment, the literati and officials of Jiangnan had already split into two paths:

People like Hou Fangyu and Chen Zhenhui, despite their talent, were disheartened and could only turn to alcohol to escape the world, numb themselves, and sink into depravity.

Another path is like that of Gu Yanwu, who was heartbroken and ran around appealing for justice, remaining sober even when the whole world was drunk.

In the midst of this deathly silence, Chen Zhenhui, her eyes still blurry with drunkenness, propped herself up:

"What Chaozong said... is not wrong... Today's demise is nothing more than changing Zhu to Ai (referring to Aisin Gioro)."

"The common people still pay taxes and perform corvée labor... still live the same way they did before..."

His silver chopsticks slipped from his hand and crashed against the rim of the bowl with a clatter. Ignoring them, he grabbed the wine jug and began chugging.

"Gentlemen...gentlemen, can you hear this? The common children...all sing—"

He suddenly began to sing a folk song in a hoarse voice:

"The Zhu family sits at the bow, the Ai family rows the oars... Who cares who sits on the dragon throne, I... I'll still drink this... Qinhuai wine!"

The bottom of the cup slammed heavily onto the table.

"My drunken words were crude; I hope... I hope you will all forgive me!"