Chapter 167: Old Zhu: Zhang Biao, I Seem To Understand You A Little. Monthly Ticket Bonus Update 5
“Have you heard? The Emperor has decreed that drums for hearing petitions and voicing grievances have been set up outside the Meridian Gate! Anyone with a grievance can report it! Even the Shaanxi old case and matters of the Eastern Palace can be brought up!”
“Is that true? If you report it, will there be no repercussions?”
“The Emperor’s word is law! He even said there will be rewards for proven accusations! Damn it, that corrupt official ruined Wang Lao Wu’s family, now he has a chance!”
“Hush… Keep your voice down! Who knows if this is a trap? You might lose your life before you even get to file your complaint!”
“Exactly, let’s observe for a while and see if anyone dares to go!”
In tea houses and taverns, marketplaces and alleyways, countless eyes lit up, then filled with doubt and fear.
But undoubtedly, seeds of hatred or greed were sown, waiting for a chance to sprout.
Old Zhu’s move directly transformed the one-sided public opinion offensive of ‘petitioning the masses’ into a chaotic free-for-all of ‘mass accusations’ where truth and falsehood are indistinguishable, making all hidden enemies feel uneasy.
And one of the key figures being discussed, Wang Lao Wu, was at this moment making his final struggle.
He wore a patched old uniform, washed to a faded white, with one empty trouser leg swaying slightly in the cold wind.
One of his legs had been lost on the battlefield during the northern expedition many years ago.
At this moment, he leaned on a smoothly worn wooden stick, his body trembling slightly, not from the cold, but from extreme internal struggle and fear.
In his hand, he tightly clutched a small cloth bundle containing his last few copper coins and a crumpled certificate bearing the official seal of Shuntian Prefecture for receiving a pension.
Yesterday, armed with this, he went to see Liu Shuli, a clerk at Shuntian Prefecture, to collect his monthly pension, but was driven out by the latter on the grounds of ‘unclear accounts, requiring three days for review’.
He knew that Liu Shuli was looking down on him, an old and disabled man, intending to withhold this money, or at least delay it until he starved to death.
“Report… or not report?”
Wang Lao Wu’s heart was in turmoil.
If he reported and won, he might get back the money to survive.
If he reported and lost, or angered the officials, it might result in a beating, or even a silent disappearance.
He had seen too many similar incidents.
The surrounding discussions drifted into his ears.
“Can you really report? Won’t they trick us into going and then arrest us?”
“I heard there are rewards for winning a case!”
“Rewards? Is life more important or money more important? Those officials, are they easy to deal with?”
“Look, that old cripple seems like he’s going to go…”
Wang Lao Wu felt countless eyes on him, like needles.
He lowered his head, looking at his empty trouser leg, remembering the brothers who died on the battlefield, and thinking of his old wife and grandson waiting for food at home, a surge of anger mixed with despair and humiliation rushed to his head.
Damn it! I’ve already given one leg to the court! Am I still afraid of losing another life?!
He suddenly looked up, a desperate madness erupting in his cloudy eyes.
He hesitated no longer, and with his single leg and wooden stick, he forcefully pushed through the crowd, limping, yet with an extraordinary determination, he rushed towards the drum of voicing grievances.
The crowd automatically parted, creating a path, and everyone held their breath, their gaze focused on this old cripple.
Wang Lao Wu rushed to the drum, looking at the drumstick taller than himself. He gritted his teeth, threw away his stick, and with all his might, he lifted the heavy drumstick with both hands.
“Dong—!”
A dull yet penetrating drumbeat suddenly exploded.
It broke the morning silence, and seemed to strike the hearts of every onlooker.
As the drumbeat echoed, Wang Lao Wu seemed to be drained of strength, collapsing to the ground, gasping for breath, but his eyes were fixed on the eunuchs on duty.
The leading eunuch frowned and gestured.
A clerk stepped forward and asked coldly, “Who struck the drum? What is the accusation?”
Wang Lao Wu struggled to get up, knelt on the ground, raised the crumpled certificate high with both hands, and shouted in a hoarse but clear voice:
“Your Honor! This humble one is Wang Lao Wu, originally from Fengyang. I lost a leg in the northern expedition in the eighth year of Hongwu! I accuse Liu Neng, a clerk in the Ministry of Revenue at Shuntian Prefecture!”
“He embezzled my pension, cutting off my means of survival! I beg your Honor to do justice for me!”
His voice was choked with tears, yet carried an undeniable grief and indignation.
The scene fell silent.
Everyone pricked up their ears.
The clerk recorded it, expressionless.
The leading eunuch narrowed his eyes, appraised Wang Lao Wu, then looked at the certificate, and waved his hand, “Understood, wait aside.”
They did not immediately arrest him, nor did they scold him, merely told him to wait.
This caused the onlookers to stir.
What’s going on? Could this be real?!
The subsequent wait was long and agonizing.
Wang Lao Wu knelt on the cold ground, his single leg aching sharply, but he remained motionless, like a stone sculpture.
The crowd grew, and the discussions became louder.
About an hour passed, and just as some began to grow impatient, thinking there might be no follow-up—
“Dada-da-da—!”
A rapid and orderly sound of horses’ hooves approached from a distance.
A squadron of gleaming armored Imperial Guards, exuding a murderous aura, swept like a whirlwind to the outside of the Meridian Gate.
The squad leader reined in his horse, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire scene, finally resting on the kneeling Wang Lao Wu, then on the eunuchs on duty.
The eunuchs hurried forward and reported in low voices.
The squad leader nodded and sharply waved his hand, “Arrest him!”
About an hour later, Imperial Guards dragged a middle-aged man in official robes, with a ashen face and trembling body, to the outside of the Meridian Gate.
It was the Shuntian Prefecture clerk, Liu Neng.
“Liu Neng! You embezzled the pension of a disabled veteran, caught red-handed! Do you have anything to say?!” the squad leader sternly demanded.
Liu Neng was terrified out of his wits, his trousers immediately wetting, and he pleaded incoherently:
“My lord, spare me! I… I was just momentarily confused! The silver… the silver is still with me! I’ll return it! I’ll return it now!”
Woosh—!
The crowd exploded!
They actually arrested him! And the Imperial Guard personally intervened!?
Seeing Liu Neng arrested, Wang Lao Wu was so moved that tears streamed down his face, and he repeatedly kowtowed, “Thank you, Your Honor! Thank you, Your Honor!”
The squad leader, without even looking at Liu Neng, said directly to Wang Lao Wu:
“Veteran Wang Lao Wu, your accusation is true! The Emperor’s oral decree: those who embezzle pensions for the disabled will have their punishment doubled! Liu Neng, stripped of his clerk position, beaten eighty times with a military cudgel, and exiled three thousand li! His property will be confiscated!”
Having said that, he directly took out a bar of pure white silver from his robes, weighing ten taels, and threw it with a clatter in front of Wang Lao Wu:
“This is your reward! Take it!”
Ten taels of silver!
Enough for a common family’s expenses for a year!
In the sunlight, the silver gleamed alluringly, and burned the eyes of every onlooker.
Wang Lao Wu trembling, picked up the silver as if it were a priceless treasure, crying so hard he almost fainted.
Meanwhile, Liu Neng was already pinned to the ground, and the sheath of his Xiuchun Saber was used to beat him mercilessly, his screams echoing outside the Meridian Gate.
Silence!
A deathly silence!
Then, a thunderous uproar and incredulous gasps.
“He really got rewarded! Ten taels! Ten taels of snowflake silver!”
“Clerk Liu was really arrested! And will be exiled!”
“The Emperor… the Emperor is serious! He’s not fooling us!”
At this moment, all the observation, all the hesitation, all the fear, was shattered by the vivid, bloody reality before their eyes.
Someone, perhaps the first to react, rushed madly towards the drum of voicing grievances.
Then came the second, the third…
“Your Honor! I also want to report! I accuse Vice Minister Zhao of the Ministry of War, for abetting his household servants to forcibly buy my family’s fertile land!”
“Emperor! Your subject wishes to report the Battalion Commander of Tongzhou Garrison, he seized private land and beat my father to death!”
“Servant… this servant wishes to accuse the eunuch from the former Eastern Palace’s Bureau of Provisions, he… he withheld supplies and passed off inferior goods as superior!”
“Criminal… this criminal wishes to accuse Duke of Liang Lan Yu’s adopted son, they once plotted…”
Outside the Meridian Gate, it instantly descended into a chaotic frenzy.
Countless hands reached for the drumsticks, and countless voices cried out their grievances.
The scene was almost out of control.
Wang Lao Wu was helped aside by two kind passersby.
He tightly clutched the life-saving silver, watching the scene before him, like a breached flood, tears streaming from his cloudy eyes, he repeatedly murmured:
“The Emperor is wise… the Emperor is wise…”
This scene, like the most vivid drama, spread through Yingtian Prefecture at astonishing speed, through countless eyes and mouths.
The high officials of the Six Ministries, who were still sitting in their offices, had long lost their former composure.
They were all uneasy, as if sitting on pins and needles, their ears pricked high, catching any whisper from outside.
Especially those officials with unclean records, or those who had connections with Fu Youwen, Ru Chang, and others, their faces were ashen, cold sweat streaming down their faces.
They didn’t know if, in the next moment, Imperial Guards would storm in, holding a complaint from outside the Meridian Gate, and take them away.
“Lord Wang… have you heard? The old servant dismissed from Director Li’s household went to beat the drum of voicing grievances this morning…”
“Director Zhang seems… seems to have handled that batch of grain transport last year…”
“It’s over… it’s all over… this is even more terrifying than the Empty Seal Case of the thirteenth year of Hongwu!”
Whispers, sighs, and fearful breaths filled every corner.
An atmosphere of everyone being in danger spread rapidly through the officialdom like a plague.
Those who had joined in the clamor demanding Zhang Biao’s execution now wished they could sink into the earth, fearing being swept up in this ‘wave of accusations’.
Even those nobles who were usually arrogant and self-assured of their deep foundations could no longer sit still.
Old Zhu’s decree clearly encouraged ‘reporting’ indiscriminately.
Who knew how many old grudges those commoners below, or those fallen branches, or old servants, would dig up?
The household generals and advisors of those nobles hurried back and forth, discussing countermeasures in low voices, or urgently handling matters that might expose them.
“Quick! Reconfirm the land deed for that manor south of the city, don’t you remember how we acquired it?”
“Tell everyone below to keep their heads down! If anyone dares to cause trouble at this time, they’ll be dealt with by family law!”
“Those old retainers who know too much… send them away quickly!”
A silent purge and panic were quietly underway within the noble circles.
For the first time, they clearly felt that under imperial power, there were no truly safe havens.
Fear began to truly and deeply take root in the hearts of every official and noble with something to hide.
And hope and madness ignited the souls of countless long-oppressed people.
Old Zhu’s objective was achieved.
But only this one objective was achieved.
…
On the other side.
Compared to the clamorous drum of voicing grievances at the Meridian Gate, which was almost collapsing, another area not far away appeared exceptionally deserted and awkward.
The scholars, led by Fang Xiaoru, remained kneeling.
However, the tragic atmosphere of ‘pleading for the people and defending the orthodox tradition’ that they had before was completely shattered.
Their ears were no longer filled with the discussions and support of the pure stream, but with deafening cries of grievance, weeping, and the shouts of Imperial Guards arresting criminals.
The sights before them were no longer sympathetic or curious commoners, but a tide of various people rushing towards the drum of voicing grievances, and no one even spared a second glance at these kneeling scholars.
They seemed to have become a forgotten corner, an ill-timed, farcical play they had directed and starred in themselves.
A great sense of bewilderment and loss enveloped many scholars.
“Fang… Brother Fang…”
A young imperial student couldn’t help himself, his voice trembling with tears and confusion:
“Do… do we still need to kneel here? It seems… it seems no one cares about us anymore…”
“Yes, Brother Fang, look over there… the Emperor seems to be truly listening to the people’s grievances.”
Another scholar whispered, “For us to kneel like this, our request for ‘the execution of traitors’, is it… is it a bit…”
He couldn’t finish, but his meaning was clear.
Compared to the tangible grievances of the people before them, their ‘righteous cause’ of demanding the death of an executed prisoner seemed so empty and pale.
The Emperor, in the most brutal way, showed them.
What is the most urgent ‘public indignation’?!
The crowd began to stir, whispers grew louder, and many showed signs of retreat.
Their steadfast beliefs began to melt away under the immense impact of reality.
Just then, several official sedan chairs slowly approached and stopped before the scholars.
The curtains of the sedan chairs were lifted, and out stepped Grand Scholar Liu Sanwu, who had been ordered to persuade them, along with several old censors renowned for their integrity in the Censorate.
Liu Sanwu looked at the group of haggard young scholars with confused eyes, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound gentle and persuasive, “Esteemed brothers, please listen to this old man’s words.”
The scene gradually quieted down, all eyes focusing on these important court officials.
“The Emperor has added the drums for hearing petitions and voicing grievances, opening up avenues for speech, and listening to the people’s grievances. This is a benevolent act of the sagacious emperor to comfort the masses, and also a thunderous method to rectify the officialdom.”
Liu Sanwu said slowly.
He first affirmed the Emperor’s actions to preempt any criticism, then affirmed the ‘dying for a cause’ of these scholars, and then appeased their emotions:
“Your kneeling here to advise, your original intention is loyal to the sovereign and patriotic, and to worry about the court order. This intention, the Emperor knows, and I also know.”
Saying this, he changed the subject, his tone becoming extremely grave:
“However, the current situation is no longer just about Zhang Biao’s case. Countless grievances of the people await redress, and innumerable worms await eradication!”
“This is a matter of great importance concerning the foundation of the nation and the lives of millions of people!”
He pointed towards the clamoring crowd at the Meridian Gate: “The Emperor, burdened with state affairs, is exhausted. What benefit does your prolonged kneeling here bring to the nation? What good does it do for the livelihood of the people?”
“If, by fixating on the life and death of one individual, we delay the resolution of thousands of injustices, would that not be losing the greater for the lesser, and betraying the fundamental principle of our scholarly class: ‘the people are paramount’?”
“Lord Liu speaks wisely!”
An old Censor added: “The Emperor has already issued an imperial decree. Zhang Biao’s case will be justly decided and announced to the world soon.”
“If you disperse now, the Emperor, in his leniency towards your youthful fervor, will overlook this. However, if you persist, it will not only be unhelpful but may also incur the Emperor’s wrath, affecting yourselves and even your teachers!”
These words, a combination of soft and hard tactics, offered an exit while clearly stating the consequences.
Indeed, many scholars who were already wavering were moved.
They looked at the cold, kneeling protest on this side, then at the surging tide of grievances on the other, and the scales in their hearts tipped decisively.
“Students… students were foolish! Thank you, Lord Liu, and thank you, esteemed sirs, for your enlightenment!”
“We shall disperse now and no longer cause trouble for the court!”
“May the Emperor soon rectify the bureaucracy and bring peace to the people’s hearts!”
Gradually, scholars stood up, bowed to Liu Sanwu and the others, and then left with shame on their faces or a sense of relief.
The kneeling contingent visibly thinned by more than half.
Liu Sanwu felt a slight easing in his heart and turned his gaze to Fang Xiaoru, who remained kneeling in place, unmoved, and to the several dozen most steadfast scholars beside him.
Among them were even a few middle-aged men in scholarly robes, exuding an air of distinction.
They were representatives from the Confucius family in Qufu! As well as several Doctors and students from the Imperial Academy known for their stubborn temperaments and solid scholarship.
“Xizhi…”
Liu Sanwu approached Fang Xiaoru, his tone earnest: “The general trend has changed. Why cling to this so stubbornly? Returning for now and awaiting a better time would be the wise course of action!”
Fang Xiaoru slowly raised his head. His face was pale from hunger and exhaustion, but his eyes shone with a terrifying brilliance, burning with an almost fanatical flame.
“I appreciate your kind intentions, Lord Liu. My gratitude is deep.”
His voice was somewhat hoarse but exceptionally firm: “However, my actions are not for my own personal gain, nor are they solely for the life and death of one prisoner.”
He swept his gaze over the comrades who remained beside him and raised his voice slightly, with the resolute determination of a martyr:
“What I strive for is justice! It is the Orthodox Tradition of the Sage!”
“Zhang Biao’s arrogant words about ‘Dismissal of Confucianism’ are a direct assault on the very foundation of our Chinese civilization!”
“If this trend is not curbed, today Confucianism may be dismissed, and tomorrow the Moral Principles may be discarded! If this continues, the nation will cease to be a nation, and humanity will cease to be humane!”
A representative of the Confucius family also spoke solemnly: “Lord Liu, Mr. Fang’s words are indeed true. The Way of Confucianism is the cornerstone of the nation. We deeply admire the Emperor’s efforts to eradicate corruption and punish villains.”
“However, upholding the Orthodox Tradition and punishing corruption are not mutually exclusive; indeed, the former is more fundamental! If the Orthodox Tradition perishes, even with a clean bureaucracy, the nation will lose its soul!”
“Exactly! We are not here to oppose the Emperor!”
A Doctor from the Imperial Academy exclaimed with emotion:
“On the contrary, we are here to help the Emperor purge this demonic influence that confuses right and wrong and shakes the foundation of the nation!”
“If we retreat today, evildoers will become even more brazen tomorrow! Our heads may be severed, but this conviction cannot be taken!”
These pronouncements elevated their actions to the level of ‘defending the foundation of civilization,’ making them appear immensely noble and tragic.
Liu Sanwu and several old Censors felt their scalps tingle and their hearts sink.
At this critical juncture, they were still clinging to the ‘Orthodox Tradition’?
The Emperor was clearly preparing to use that ‘mad blade’ to cleanse the festering sores of the Great Ming Dynasty, who had time to discuss abstract ‘Orthodox Tradition’ with them?
But they knew that trying to reason with someone like Fang Xiaoru about practical matters was like talking to a brick wall.
Once he set his mind on something, not even nine oxen could pull him back.
Liu Sanwu sighed, knowing further persuasion was futile, and could only shake his head helplessly: “If that is the case… you… take care of yourselves.”
He turned, leading several equally helpless old Censors, and walked with heavy steps towards their official sedan chairs.
They could already anticipate the result of their return to report.
Behind them, Fang Xiaoru and the others straightened their backs again, kneeling even more rigidly, as if intending to resist the impact of the entire era’s tide with their frail bodies.
Their figures, outside the noisy Meridian Gate, appeared so solitary, yet so glaring.
…
Meanwhile, in the Huagai Hall.
Old Zhu was like a tireless ‘judgment machine.’
The dossiers on the imperial desk piled up and were cleared at an astonishing speed.
Jiang Huan and Yun Ming, like shuttles, delivered the latest summaries of complaints and investigation reports.
Old Zhu’s methods were simple and efficient:
【 This county magistrate embezzled river repair funds, evidence is conclusive? Execution by beheading, property confiscated, wife and daughters sent to the brothel district. 】
【 This garrison battalion commander defrauded payroll and abused soldiers? Flay and stuff, display head at the nine frontiers, to warn against future offenses. 】
【 Oh? This retired Vice Minister, who accompanied the Crown Prince to Shaanxi, privately possessed a hundred taels of gold? Suspicious, strict investigation is required! 】
【 The Investigator who accused Prince Qin of allowing his subordinates to seize military farmlands… detain him first, guard him well, and we’ll discuss it after I’ve seen the Second Prince… 】
After dealing with these, Old Zhu paused slightly, a complex glint of cold light flashing in his eyes.
Behind each ruling lay the bloody fall of heads and the ruin of families.
The Emperor’s will, through a series of cold decrees, transformed into a terrifying storm that swept through the entire bureaucratic and noble establishment.
He was not just investigating cases; he was conducting a thorough, indiscriminate ‘detoxification,’ using the most brutal methods to maintain his absolute control over the empire.
“Guards!”
Old Zhu rubbed his slightly aching brow and suddenly commanded:
“Tell Jiang Huan to strengthen surveillance over all crucial government offices, especially the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Justice. Record any attempt to destroy documents or transmit messages!”
“Also, relay an order to Song Zhong to reopen the investigation. Say that while processing the ‘ten thousand people’s complaints,’ I discovered many questionable points, and the previous conclusions might not be entirely accurate! Ensure he investigates meticulously! Especially the officials who accompanied the Crown Prince!”
“Furthermore!”
He paused, then said with a chilling tone: “Go tell Zhang Biao that I have shown my ‘sincerity.’ Now, it is time for him to show some ‘sincerity.'”
“Yes!”
As soon as Old Zhu finished speaking, someone immediately stepped forward to accept the order.
Old Zhu’s gaze then fell back on the summaries of complaints and investigation reports on his desk, and he murmured to himself:
“Is this the Great Ming Dynasty I have governed for thirty years? Why does it seem to be regressing the more I govern?”
At this moment, an unprecedented fatigue spread through his entire body.
However, just as he was about to fall into a state of bewilderment, another announcement came in: “Your Majesty, Hanlin Academy Scholar Liu Sanwu requests an audience!”
Old Zhu was slightly taken aback, then immediately invigorated, the previous bewilderment vanishing.
He said calmly and authoritatively: “Let him enter!”
Soon, Liu Sanwu entered respectfully, preparing to bow.
“No need for formalities, speak directly. How did the matter proceed?”
Old Zhu raised his hand to interrupt Liu Sanwu’s bow, his tone filled with absolute authority and unquestionable command.
“Reporting to Your Majesty,”
Liu Sanwu bowed his hands, reporting to Old Zhu in full the details of his persuasion, especially the almost stubborn reactions of Fang Xiaoru, the Confucius family representatives, and those unyielding scholars.
His words were cautious, striving to remain objective, but the lingering helplessness and worry on his brow could not escape Old Zhu’s eyes.
Old Zhu listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the rosewood armrest, producing a muffled ‘thud thud’ sound.
His face remained expressionless, showing neither anger at Fang Xiaoru and his group for ‘not knowing their place’ nor displeasure at Liu Sanwu’s incomplete task, as if listening to an irrelevant piece of gossip.
After Liu Sanwu finished, a deathly silence fell within the hall.
After a long pause, Old Zhu finally spoke, his voice terrifyingly calm, yet carrying a chilling clarity that saw through everything:
“People from the Confucius family are also involved? Heh, they certainly know how to pick their moment! Do they intend to tell the world that their Confucius family is the true inheritor of the Orthodox Tradition, and even this Emperor must look to them?”
Liu Sanwu’s heart tightened, and he quickly said: “Your Majesty, please do not be angry. The representative from the Confucius mansion merely…”
Old Zhu waved his hand, interrupting him: “I am not angry.”
He slightly raised his eyelids, his deep-set eyes flashing with sharp light, like a goshawk in the dark night:
“Fang Xiaoru is fighting for ‘justice’ and the ‘Orthodox Tradition of the Sage’? Well said!”
“In his eyes, is this Emperor also a part of his ‘Orthodox Tradition’ that needs correction?”
These words were a stab to the heart!
Liu Sanwu was so frightened he broke out in a cold sweat and dared not respond.
Old Zhu, however, seemed not to require his answer, continuing his monologue with a condescending analysis:
“Scholars, especially those like Fang Xiaoru, value their reputation more than their lives!”
“They are not afraid of death, but they fear dying without recognition, and they fear their ‘Way’ not being acknowledged.”
“If I were to arrest and kill them now, it would only fulfill their reputation for ‘loyalty and righteousness,’ allowing them to be remembered favorably in history, and would solidify my image as an incompetent or tyrannical ruler.”
“Then, the scholars of the world would criticize me relentlessly. Even if I killed everyone, I could not silence the public opinion. This transaction is not worthwhile.”
Liu Sanwu listened with a pounding heart; the Emperor had seen through Fang Xiaoru’s intentions completely.
“Then… what is Your Majesty’s intention?” Liu Sanwu asked cautiously.
Old Zhu’s lips curved into an extremely cold, even slightly mocking, smile:
“They want to kneel, don’t they? They want to display their integrity? Then let them kneel until they’ve had enough!”
“Issue a decree: Since Fang Xiaoru, the teachers and students of the Imperial Academy, and the esteemed members of the Confucius family are so concerned about state affairs and the Orthodox Tradition, I am greatly pleased!”
“I hereby grant them permission to kneel outside the Meridian Gate for quiet reflection, to observe the plight of the people, and to comprehend the Emperor’s heart. The Guanglu Temple shall provide them with water and thin porridge daily, as a gesture of my regard for scholars.”
Liu Sanwu was stunned.
This… this was a form of soft imprisonment and a test of endurance, wasn’t it?
Using time and physiological torment to wear down their resolve!
Moreover, placing them outside the Meridian Gate, a place of such clamor, forcing them to witness the people’s conditions and hear their grievances, was a form of psychological torture!
“Furthermore!”
Old Zhu’s voice remained calm, yet carried a chilling coldness:
“Tell Jiang Huan to keep a close watch on Fang Xiaoru and the others!”
“But do not interfere with their speech or interactions.”
“They want to connect, don’t they? They want to discuss court affairs? Let them talk! Record every word they speak and every person they meet!”
“I want to see who breaks first, them or the people behind them who might reveal themselves!”
Liu Sanwu instantly understood the Emperor’s deep intention.
This was a strategy to use Fang Xiaoru and his group as bait to hook larger fish hiding in the scholarly circles, possibly colluding with princes or other factions!
Or, at the very least, to ascertain the background and network of this ‘pure stream’ faction!
The Emperor’s manipulative tactics were ruthless!
He did not kill them, but would wear them down through the most humiliating means.
He did not silence them, but would make every word they spoke a future piece of evidence.
Seemingly lenient, but in reality, he had cast an invisible, even more terrifying net.
“And one more thing!”
Old Zhu seemed to recall something, his tone carrying a hint of profound meaning:
“Investigate which branch of the Confucius family sent representatives this time? Who advocated for their involvement in this matter?”
“Have there been any recent unusual changes in their landholdings or population registers in Qufu? Have the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Guard investigate them thoroughly!”
Liu Sanwu’s back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.
The Emperor did not even trust the descendants of Confucius and was using this opportunity to admonish or even investigate the Confucius mansion.
Such thoughts, such methods…
“Your subordinate… your subordinate obeys your decree!”
Liu Sanwu accepted the order with a trembling voice.
“Go.”
Old Zhu waved his hand and closed his eyes again, as if he had merely dealt with a trivial matter.
Liu Sanwu felt as if he had been granted a great pardon. He bowed and withdrew from the Main Hall. Only after walking a considerable distance did his legs feel weak, and he leaned against the palace walls, gasping for breath.
He looked up at the hazy sky, only one thought in his mind:
【 Fang Xiaoru, Fang Xiaoru, you believe you are upholding the Orthodox Tradition, but you do not realize you have already become a pawn in the Emperor’s chess game, your life and honor entirely at the Emperor’s whim! 】
【 This Emperor’s heart… is as deep as the sea! 】
And within the Huagai Hall, Old Zhu was alone, the tapping of his fingers resuming, steady in rhythm, yet carrying a cold indifference that controlled everything.
【 Fang Xiaoru, you want to be an upright official, a remonstrating official? I’ll give you that chance. 】
【 Let’s see if your backbone can be harder than my patience. 】
【 And the Confucius family… you have enjoyed centuries of honor, isn’t it time I saw if your foundations are truly clean? 】
His gaze once again fell outside the hall, as if penetrating the layers of palace walls, to see the two starkly different scenes outside the Meridian Gate.
On one side, the fervent ‘ten thousand people’s complaints,’ on the other, the solitary ‘scholars kneeling in quiet reflection.’
【 Dismissal of Confucianism. I think I’m starting to understand that scoundrel. 】
【 However, you are still too caught up in fantasy. 】
【 This Orthodox Tradition, I must still acknowledge. But this empire still belongs to the Zhu family. 】
“Your Majesty!”
Just as Old Zhu’s thoughts were in turmoil, Yun Ming rushed in:
“The carriages of Prince Jin, Prince Qin, and Prince Zhou have arrived at the post station thirty li outside the Capital City, and they have submitted their greetings and await an audience.”
【 They’re finally here? My good sons. 】
A cold glint flashed in Old Zhu’s eyes, disappearing in an instant.
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