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

Zhu Di repeatedly told himself to control his anger, but he was still easily provoked by Lin Yue.

He slammed his hand on the chair and roared.

"Insolence! How can I be compared to King Li of Zhou?"

"Why not? What difference does it make!" Lin Yue met Zhu Di's furious gaze without yielding an inch. "King Li of Zhou silenced the people for his own selfish reasons."

Your Majesty's attempt to silence me is also for your own selfish reasons.

Your Majesty repeatedly expresses your admiration for Emperor Taizong of Tang, but how did Emperor Taizong treat Wei Zheng?

Wei Zheng openly contradicted the emperor in court, repeatedly offending him. Emperor Taizong not only did not punish him, but instead praised him as a mirror, saying that only through such actions could the prosperous reign of Zhenguan have been achieved!

Lin Yue pointed at Zhu Di: "The reason why the Heavenly Khan Li Shimin could tolerate Wei Zheng's advice is because he knew that honest advice, though unpleasant to hear, is beneficial to one's actions."

Your Majesty cannot tolerate my advice because you have a guilty conscience and fear that all the civil and military officials will ruin the affairs of the nation for your own selfish reasons!

How dare Your Majesty compare yourself to Emperor Taizong of Tang in such a manner?

Lin Yue held the memorial high and said loudly, "I have brought this memorial today not to ask for Your Majesty's permission, but to make Your Majesty understand!"

A nation prospers when its voice is heard; a nation perishes when its voice is suppressed!

If Your Majesty truly wishes to be a sage ruler, then you should broaden the channels for advice and restore the right of officials to offer remonstrance, so that the people of the world may know that Your Majesty is willing to listen to the truth and accept wise counsel!

Lin Yue stared intently at Zhu Di, his face showing disdain: "If Your Majesty is unwilling, then kill me here at Fengtian Gate, and let my blood serve as a warning to the world."

Officials of the Ming Dynasty would rather die than be silenced dogs!

Fengtian Gate fell silent once more, and Chen Ying, the Left Censor-in-Chief, looked helpless.

Are you kidding me? It's just that His Majesty doesn't want to see you in court right now. Is it really necessary to make such a fuss? You're just a mere seventh-rank official. Even he, a second-rank official, sometimes doesn't get to see His Majesty.

As the de facto leader of the censors, he didn't know whether he should step forward now.

Lin Yue held the memorial in his hand, his expression arrogant, with no fear in his eyes.

Zhu Di was furious, but quickly calmed down.

People grow, and for someone as talented as Zhu Di, growth was even more rapid.

Lin Yue dared to punch him in the imperial prison, so what's wrong with him saying a few words at Fengtian Gate? It's no big deal.

If we're going to use Lin Yue for political grandstanding, then let's go all the way with the grandstanding.

Zhu Di sat upright on the dragon throne and asked softly, "Secretary Lin, what important matter could have caused you to break into the palace and cause such a ruckus in the court?"

"Your subject naturally has important matters to report!" Lin Yue suddenly pulled open the memorial, but he used too much force and tore it apart.

A few scattered laughs rang out at the scene, and even Zhu Di inside the Fengtian Gate Hall chuckled twice.

Lin Yue felt somewhat embarrassed under the watchful eyes of everyone.

Didn't the Ming Dynasty popularize paper and printing? How come the quality is so worrying? Could it be that the paper he bought wasn't good enough?

"Ahem." After clearing his throat twice, Lin Yue got straight to the point.

"Your Majesty has only been on the throne for a few months, yet you are in a hurry to strip the Qi and Min princes of their military power and take back their guards. I believe this is highly inappropriate."

The Ming Ancestral Instructions of Emperor Taizu Gaozu clearly stipulate that "the enfeoffment of princes is for the protection of the ancestral temple and the state," and that each prince should be guarded by at least three thousand and at most nineteen thousand armored soldiers. This is an ancestral system!

Lin Yue's voice was impassioned, and he launched another personal attack on Zhu Di.

"Your Majesty suffered the calamity of Jianwen's reduction of the princes' power back then. The Prince of Xiang committed suicide by fire, the Prince of Zhou was imprisoned, and the imperial relatives were displaced. You once denounced Jianwen as 'ungrateful and heartless,' but now you are imitating his actions, and even going so far as to go worse!"

Emperor Jianwen's reduction of the power of the princes had a legitimate reason, but Your Majesty's reduction of the power of the princes is based solely on suspicion. Have you forgotten the foundation of the nation established by Emperor Taizu?

Lin Yue's words were resounding and powerful, instantly stirring up the officials in Fengtianmen Square.

Holding the memorial in his hand, he swept his gaze across the imperial steps and declared in a resounding voice, "The 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions' of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty clearly stipulates that 'vassal kings are enfeoffed to protect the ancestral temple and the state.' This is the foundation upon which the Ming Dynasty was founded!"

Zhu Di pondered for a moment, then was pleased rather than angry, for he had found a loophole in Lin Yue's words.

That bastard Lin Yue comes to spew insults every day, this time he's going to retaliate fiercely.

"Nonsense!" Zhu Di retorted loudly.

"During his four-year reign, Jianwen deposed and imprisoned five princes: Zhou, Qi, Dai, Min, and Xiang. Some were imprisoned, others died, and the blood of his relatives flowed like rivers!"

Upon ascending the throne after the Jingnan Rebellion, my first edict was to restore the former titles of the princes.

King Su of Zhou returned to his fiefdom in Kaifeng, King Fu of Qi returned to his post in Qingzhou, King Pian of Min was reinstated in Yunnan, and King Gui of Dai returned to Datong.

You keep saying I disregard kinship, but where is your evidence? In what way have I wronged my relatives?!

At this point, Zhu Di's gaze swept over the assembled officials, his words resounding with conviction and sincerity.

"I have personally experienced the suffering of Jianwen, how could I repeat his mistakes?"

In the first month of the first year of the Yongle reign, I held a banquet for the princes in the Huagai Hall, bestowing upon them countless amounts of gold and silk, and granting them an annual stipend of ten thousand shi (a unit of grain). This shows how much I value my relatives.

Lin Yue realized he was in trouble. He had been so focused on remembering the historical fact that Zhu Di later reduced the power of the princes that he had forgotten that it was now the first year of the Yongle reign.

At this time, Zhu Di had just ascended the throne and was trying to win over the princes and consolidate his power. He had not formally begun to reduce the power of the princes; at most, he was just quietly taking control of the military.

This was pure target practice, and they just walked right into the line of fire!

But with his arrow already on the bowstring, how could he admit defeat?

Lin Yue's eyes darted around, and he immediately retorted sharply, "Your Majesty talks about restoring the titles of your relatives, but doesn't he have any intention of weakening their power?!"

Your decision to withdraw the Prince of Ning's guards and restrict the Prince of Qi's military power is ostensibly for prevention, but in reality, it stems from suspicion!

"If you don't strip them of their power today, you might do so tomorrow! The founding emperor's edict clearly stipulated that the princes' command of troops was of paramount importance, yet you have secretly usurped their power. Isn't this a violation of the system established by the founding emperor?"

He raised his hand and pointed directly at Zhu Di, saying sternly, "Your Majesty is afraid that the princes will follow your example and start a rebellion, and that the imperial relatives will hold military power and threaten the imperial authority."

If the matter of reducing the power of the princes is not resolved in a day, the Ming imperial family will not have peace in a day, and the Ming dynasty may be in danger of collapse!

Your Majesty, I vehemently oppose the reduction of the power of the princes. I urge Your Majesty to swear an oath never to strip the princes of their power, to uphold ancestral traditions, and to secure peace for the realm through kinship!

"Whoosh!"

These words caused an uproar among the officials in Fengtianmen Square.

Some whispered among themselves, some looked fearful, and some secretly observed Zhu Di's expression.

Who exactly is Lin Yue's subordinate? It's one thing for him to criticize His Majesty before, everyone was happy to see it.

But how could he oppose the reduction of the power of the princes? Was he no longer a civil official? His stance as a civil official was too skewed.

Zhu Di's face contorted with turmoil, his expression turning ugly as he was silenced by Lin Yue's "heart-piercing" remarks.

It's not that he can't refute it, but how can he refute it?

After all, he really had the intention to weaken the power of the princes; even if he didn't do it now, he would find an opportunity to do it later.

Faced with Lin Yue's aggressive questioning, Zhu Di could only remain silent.

Minister of Rites Li Zhigang strode out of the court ranks, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, Lin Jijian's words are utterly wrong!"

Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has been extremely kind and righteous to his relatives.

The princes were persecuted by Jianwen in the past, but Your Majesty has exonerated them, restored their titles and fiefs, and bestowed upon them land and stipends. This is an immense grace!

As for reclaiming some military power, this was merely to regulate the guard system and nip problems in the bud, and was by no means a reduction of the power of the regional military governors!

Li Zhigang paused, looked up at Zhu Di, and said, "The princes of the northern frontier guard the border, enduring wind and dew."

His Majesty's compassion for his relatives is evident in his intention to relocate the princes to fertile lands, allowing them to escape the flames of war and enjoy peace. What a profound expression of kinship!

Lin, the censor, is making baseless accusations and recklessly criticizing His Majesty. This is utterly baseless and misleading!

After speaking, Li Zhigang bowed to Zhu Di and said, "Your Majesty, I beseech you to investigate thoroughly and punish Lin Yue for his crime of sowing discord within the imperial family, so as to rectify the atmosphere of the court!"