The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the Somersault Cloud, Old Zhu was so envious he cried!

Zhu Yuanzhang squinted at Hu Weiyong kneeling on the ground, but said nothing.

The hall was eerily quiet.

Suddenly, Zhu Yuanzhang spoke.

"Hu Weiyong, do you know why we're specifically asking you among so many people in the hall?"

Upon hearing this, Hu Weiyong's initial smugness vanished instantly.

Instead, a tremendous panic surged from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.

What does Your Majesty mean by those words?

He lowered his head abruptly, his forehead pressed tightly against the gold brick, his voice trembling: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty's will is unfathomable, and I... Your Majesty is foolish and truly do not know."

Zhu Yuanzhang gave a cold laugh.

Then, he stretched out his hand to the side.

Mao Xiang, who was standing nearby, was prepared. He stepped forward, holding a memorial in both hands, and respectfully handed it over.

This memorial was written by Wang Defa after staying up all night.

The document above contains numerous pieces of evidence detailing how Qian Youde, the magistrate of Qingshui County, colluded with three major local families to oppress the people, seize land, and drive people to their deaths.

Especially the Hu family.

Because the Hu family killed Wang Defa's only son, Wang Defa wrote about the Hu family with red eyes, wishing he could expose all the bad things the Hu family's ancestors had done for eighteen generations.

As a result, the Hu family in the memorial to the throne became extremely arrogant and domineering in Qingshui County, bullying men and women and committing all kinds of evil deeds. They were even more like mountain kings than mountain kings.

Moreover, it specifically mentions that the head of the Hu family, Hu Wan, is said to be the cousin of Hu Weiyong, the current Right Chancellor.

Anyway, that's what Hu Wan shouted last night.

Everyone in the court knew that Hu Weiyong was currently making great strides in the court, his power was growing daily, and he was beginning to show signs of becoming the head of all officials.

Zhu Yuanzhang was just looking for an opportunity to give him a warning.

Unexpectedly, the knife was handed directly to him.

He wouldn't let this opportunity slip by.

Zhu Yuanzhang took the memorial, didn't even look at it, and threw it in front of Hu Weiyong with a thud.

The memorial slid a few times on the gold bricks and came to rest in front of Hu Weiyong's knees.

"Come on, look at what your good cousin has done!"

Hu Weiyong's heart skipped a beat.

Cousin?

What cousin?

Doesn't he know he's related to Hu Weiyong? What cousin is this?

Since the emperor had said so, he dared not delay and quickly reached out his trembling hand to pick up the memorial from the ground.

I opened it and took a look.

Hu Weiyong was so angry after just a quick glance that he almost wanted to vomit blood.

What is all this stuff?!

Qingshui County? The Hu family? Oppressing the people? Seizing farmland?

He'd never even heard of it!

But as you look further down, Hu Weiyong's face turns deathly pale.

The memorial clearly states: Hu Wan led men to break into the Sixth Prince's residence last night, intending to murder him!

Hu Weiyong's vision went black immediately, and he almost fainted on the spot from fright.

Murdering the prince?!

This is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!

Even more damning, the memorial also stated that Hu Wan publicly shouted that he was Hu Weiyong's cousin and openly threatened Xu Da's daughter!

Hu Weiyong's hands began to tremble violently.

The memorial slipped from his hand with a "clatter" and fell to the ground.

In his heart, he wished he could tear that bastard Hu Wan to pieces right then and there!

Fuck your grandma!

If you want to die, then go ahead and die! Don't fucking drag me into this!!

Zhu Yuanzhang looked down at him, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"I didn't expect this," he said slowly, his voice not loud, but it pierced Hu Weiyong's ears like an ice pick, "your Hu family is so powerful."

"Bullying men and women, forcibly seizing the land of ordinary people... we can tolerate all of that."

"Yet you dared to lay a hand on a prince!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice suddenly rose, and he slammed his hand on the dragon table, making the teacups clang loudly.

"We just want to ask you—is this the Zhu family's territory, or your Hu family's territory?!"

Hu Weiyong was so frightened he almost lost his soul.

His face turned deathly pale in an instant, completely devoid of color.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, I'm innocent!!" He kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead slamming heavily against the gold bricks, drawing blood quickly. "Your Majesty, I'm innocent!"

"This man named Hu Wan... I... I don't know him at all!"

"I swear on my life that I have absolutely no connection with the Hu family! This must be a deliberate frame-up, an attempt to use the Hu family's name to slander me, Your Majesty!"

As Hu Weiyong kowtowed, he roared furiously in his heart.

Admit it? Admit my ass!

This is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!

Don't tell me Hu Wan isn't his cousin.

Even if it were his own father, he would have to say he didn't know him!

At a time like this, anyone who admits it is an idiot!

Zhu Yuanzhang knew, of course, that the Hu family had absolutely no connection with Hu Weiyong.

Otherwise, do you think Hu Weiyong would still have time to cry foul here?

He had already dragged them out, skinned them, and stuffed them with straw!

Old Zhu just wanted to find an excuse to give Hu Weiyong a warning.

"We know you're innocent," Zhu Yuanzhang said slowly. "Otherwise, do you think you'd still be standing here talking to us?"

Hu Weiyong trembled and kowtowed heavily: "Your Majesty is wise!"

But he was far from at ease.

The Emperor said he knew he was innocent, but his tone... why does it sound so chilling?

Zhu Yuanzhang ignored him, slowly stood up, and glanced at all the civil and military officials.

That look in his eyes was so cold it could freeze you to death.

"Listen up, all of you!" he suddenly declared, his voice echoing like thunder throughout the hall. "A severe drought has struck the north! Starving people are everywhere! In some places, people are even resorting to cannibalism!"

"This—is this what you meant by favorable weather and a peaceful and prosperous life for the people?!"

"ah?!"

All the civil and military officials knelt on the ground, their heads bowed low, not daring to even breathe loudly.

"We've raised you bunch of bastards just so you can fool us like this?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at the assembled officials, his fingers trembling, "You all eat the government's salaries, live in grand mansions, drink wine and women! The common people outside are starving to death, do you even know that?!"

"You know what?!"

The hall was deathly silent, save for Zhu Yuanzhang's heavy breathing.

The officials knelt on the ground, their heads bowed lower than each other, as if they wanted to bury their faces in the cracks between the gold bricks.

They feared that the emperor might vent his anger on them if he displeased them.

Zhu Yuanzhang was even angrier when he saw the timid and cowardly bunch below him.

They're all so good at bragging, but when something really goes wrong, not one of them steps up to take responsibility!

He wished he could drag all those corrupt officials out and behead them in one go!

But no.

He still needs these people to work for him and manage this vast world for him.

Cut them all down? That would be satisfying.

But who will do this job?

Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.

After working on it for so long, it's almost done.

It's time to get down to business.

"Alright, all of you, raise your heads!" he said in a deep voice. "Today, we have three things to announce."

The officials cautiously raised their heads, each one straining to hear a single word.

"First," Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze slowly fell on Wang Guangyang, "the north is suffering from a severe drought, and the people are almost starving to death. You, the Left Prime Minister, know nothing about it?"

Wang Guangyang froze.

"Effective today, you are dismissed from your position as Left Chancellor!"

"Ah?!" Wang Guangyang exclaimed in surprise, his whole body as if his soul had been ripped out, leaving him completely ashen.

But he also knew that the emperor had only dismissed him from his post and hadn't dragged him out to be beheaded, which was already quite kind of him.

He gave a bitter laugh and kowtowed heavily: "Your subject... thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't look at him and continued, "The second thing—we're preparing to establish a new institution."

"This agency only answers to us. It's dedicated to monitoring all officials. Anyone who dares to embezzle or break the law, anyone who dares to deceive their superiors, will be arrested and imprisoned!"

"This organization is called—the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

"The Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard will be Mao Xiang!"

Mao Xiang stepped forward and knelt on one knee: "Your subject obeys the decree!"

The faces of all the civil and military officials changed.

Embroidered Uniform Guard?

Only obeying the emperor? And specifically monitoring all officials?

How...how am I supposed to live from now on?!