The Ming Dynasty: The opening scene features Zhu Di angrily accusing him of illegitimate succession.

Yao Guangxiao was a very interesting person, and could basically be identified as a pure ambitionist.

Back in the Hongwu era, he used the phrase "Your subject presents the white hat to the king" to incite Zhu Di to start a rebellion, which can be said to be quite reckless.

However, it was precisely this staunch rebellion that earned him the trust of Zhu Di, and he often accompanied the Yongle Emperor, participating in decision-making on state affairs. He was known as the "Black-Robed Prime Minister" by his contemporaries.

Lin Yue looked up and saw Yao Guangxiao dressed in a coarse monk's robe, his eyebrows and eyes calm and indifferent, as if he were untouched by worldly affairs.

But the world's assessment of him has a second part: he wielded immense power, instigated wars, and bears eternal infamy.

Lin Yue glanced at Zhu Di, then at Yao Guangxiao in front of him, and decided to continue his tirade.

His expression changed drastically, and he took a step forward, pointing at Yao Guangxiao and shouting angrily, his voice like thunder echoing through the hall.

"You sinister and treacherous villain, clad in the robes of a monk, chanting Amitabha Buddha, yet harboring a heart of venom and a belly full of murderous schemes, you are truly a false monk unprecedented in history, a treacherous villain who wreaks havoc on the world!"

Yao Guangxiao's expression remained calm; he simply lowered his eyes and remained silent.

Lin Yue became even more impassioned, turned around and bowed to Zhu Di, speaking with righteous indignation.

"Your Majesty! This scoundrel deserves to die a thousand deaths!"

When Emperor Taizu was on the throne, the world enjoyed a brief period of peace, but he used the words "the king in a white hat" to bewitch His Majesty, intending to rebel against his father!

Such a person, so prone to scheming and changing his mind, is utterly untrustworthy.

Yao Guangxiao remained silent, while Zhu Di stood by without making a sound.

Lin Yue glared angrily and continued to berate Yao Guangxiao.

"This fiend speaks of kindness, yet acts with ruthlessness; he dwells in a Buddhist realm, yet harbors wickedness in his heart."

His Majesty ascended the throne, and he made great contributions, yet he was not greedy for titles and honors, nor did he covet glory and wealth. He was content to remain in the shadows and manipulate the world.

Those who are without desire or ambition are the greatest scourge of the world!

If we can incite the emperor to raise an army now, who knows if we won't incite the villains to rebel in the future?

If he succeeds in his grand plan, even if the people suffer and the country is destroyed, to him it is nothing more than a single move in a game of chess!

After achieving fame and success, Yao Guangxiao refused the mansions, beauties, gold and silver bestowed upon him by Zhu Di, and continued to live in the temple, wearing only monk's robes every day.

However, many ministers disliked him, often saying that his forbearance and ambition were the same as Sima Yi's.

Lin Yue stepped forward, bowed deeply, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Your Majesty! These people are treacherous and cunning, wreaking havoc on the world. They are a cancer on the nation and a scourge to the people!"

If we do not eliminate him today, he will surely become a major threat in the future. We earnestly request Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and execute this treacherous official to appease the people and restore order to the court!

If Your Majesty, mindful of my past merits, cannot bear to do so, then cut off my head, and let the blood of a loyal subject serve as a warning to future generations!

The hall was silent, the echoes of Lin Yue's angry rebuke lingering in the air.

Zhu Di and Yao Guangxiao exchanged a glance, then suddenly clapped their hands and laughed heartily.

"Oh, very well, let the blood of a loyal minister serve as a warning to future generations." Zhu Di's laughter subsided, and he looked intently at Lin Yue.

"Lin Yue, Lin Boyan, your words are sharp and unsparing, yet every word comes from the heart, and every sentence is for the sake of the Ming Dynasty. This kind of courage to speak out and remonstrate to the death, without any personal bias, is the kind of loyal minister our Ming Dynasty needs!"

Yao Guangxiao also nodded slowly, his monk's robe fluttering slightly, and cupped his hands to Zhu Di.

"Lin, the upright and incorruptible official, was willing to sacrifice his life for the country rather than offend 'treacherous officials.' Such integrity, which is not interested in power but only in justice, is rare in the world."

"Your Majesty's acquisition of such a capable minister is truly a blessing for the nation."

Hearing the two people praising him, Lin Yue stood there, completely bewildered.

Are you two turtles? He went on and on, how come you're not angry at all?

Even if we don't say he should be beheaded, he should at least be imprisoned. Now he's not even imprisoned, and he's just praising him. What does that mean?

Seeing Lin Yue's blank expression, Zhu Di's smile deepened, and he said loudly.

"I have something important to discuss with you today."

Recently, Li Zhigang, the Minister of Rites, submitted a memorial stating that a solar eclipse occurred at the beginning of the month, which was a warning from Heaven, requiring the Emperor to cultivate benevolence and extend grace to all barbarian tribes to appease Heaven's will.

In ancient times, solar eclipses were seen as "celestial anomalies," and were generally attributed to the monarch's lack of virtue or the failure of the government. However, by the Ming Dynasty, few people actually used this excuse to attack the emperor; it was mostly used to attack the Grand Secretary.

"Minister Li suggests," Zhu Di continued, "that envoys be immediately dispatched to confer the title of King of Joseon upon Yi Bang-won of Joseon and King of Annam upon Chen An of Annam, and also to confer the title of King upon the chieftain of the Oirat Mongols, so as to fulfill the Celestial Empire's benevolent intentions."

Lin Yue, what do you think? Should I issue this decree of investiture or not?

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue's expression showed even greater astonishment.

He was just a mere seventh-rank official. Did you, Emperor Yongle, really need to specifically summon him for a face-to-face discussion on state affairs?

But it doesn't matter anymore, I don't care about this or that, I'll just criticize.

He would always oppose anything Zhu Di wanted to implement.

"Absolutely not!" Lin Yue immediately objected.

"Your Majesty, the celestial signs are an alarm that should be addressed by reforming domestic affairs, not by indiscriminate bestowal of titles!"

Li Zhigang and other such pedantic scholars only know how to talk about pacifying distant lands and claim it's the will of Heaven, but they fail to see the hidden dangers lurking in the outer territories.

If Your Majesty follows their fallacious arguments, you may be plotted against by foreign vassals and destroy your own border defenses!

In my opinion, Annam and Korea should not be granted fiefdoms.

Zhu Di raised an eyebrow and pressed, "Oh? Explain in detail why Korea and Annam cannot be granted fiefdoms?"

"Li Bang-won of Joseon murdered his brother to seize the throne; his position was never legitimate!" Lin Yue declared emphatically.

"Since he came to power, he has reorganized the Imperial Guards and set up separate guards to consolidate his royal power. He has also strengthened the border defenses, built fast ships, trained the navy, and secretly communicated with the Jurchens on the border. Sending envoys to request titles was merely an attempt to use the name of the Ming Dynasty to consolidate the foundation of his usurpation."

"Today's investiture is tantamount to acknowledging his treasonous act. In the future, he will surely use the name of the Ming Dynasty to annex surrounding tribes and covet Liaodong. This is raising a tiger to cause future trouble, and is by no means a gesture of pacification towards distant lands!"

"The problems in Annam are even worse, with a subject usurping the throne, a crime deserving of death," Lin Yue said loudly and sarcastically to Zhu Di.

It was practically like pointing a finger at Zhu Di and saying that the reason he didn't bestow titles upon them was simply because, like the Yongle Emperor, he had usurped the throne.

"The king of Annam, Trần An, was already a puppet of the powerful minister Hồ Quý Đại, and the government was entirely in Hồ Quý Đại's hands, making the Trần royal family a mere figurehead."

Hu Jiyao harbored wolfish ambitions, treating the deposition and installation of monarchs as child's play, and carrying out a large-scale massacre of the Chen clan.

The most urgent task is to demote the usurper and return power to the King of Annam, rather than to carry out the investiture ceremony.

In the first year of the Yongle reign, Hu Jiyao had already seized real power in Annam, while Emperor Chen Shao had no real power. A year later, he was deposed by Hu Jiyao and established the Hu Dynasty.

"And what is your opinion on the Oirat?" Zhu Di asked.

Lin Yue thought for a moment and said, "Only the Oirat can be granted investiture."

The Gaiwala and the Northern Yuan Arughtai tribe had a long-standing feud, constantly fighting each other and being incompatible.

By bestowing titles upon Mahmud, the chieftain of the Oirat Mongols, the internal distrust and conflict with the Northern Yuan would be exacerbated, creating a system of checks and balances that would prevent them from focusing on the south. This was a sound strategy of using one barbarian force against another.

Lin Yue bowed respectfully, his tone firm.

"Your Majesty! Changes in the heavens are a natural phenomenon; there is no reason for Heaven to issue a warning."

Since the end of the Han Dynasty, the theory of the interaction between Heaven and man has long been rejected. Your Majesty should not be misled by the fallacies of pedantic scholars.

A ruler should govern officials strictly, strengthen border defenses, and reassure the people, rather than indiscriminately granting fiefs to unethical foreign vassals.

If Your Majesty insists on bestowing titles upon Korea and Annam, I am willing to die to remonstrate with you, and I will never allow the Ming Dynasty to suffer real disaster for empty honors!