Chapter 52

At this moment, Wang Wang Wang Chengen also approached Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian with a grave expression and reported,

"Your Majesty, the officials have returned and are all clamoring to see Your Majesty."

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian rubbed the patch on his dragon robe, snorted coldly, and said,

"I know."

"Father-in-law, pay them no mind; let us continue our game of chess."

Zhou Kui, trembling all over, looked at Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian, dropped to his knees with a thud, and wailed,

"Your... Your Majesty, I... I admit defeat, I admit defeat!"

Instead, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian stared coldly at Zhou Kui and whispered in a low voice,

"Just because you admit defeat, you think you can stop playing?!"

"I am the Emperor!"

"If I say the game is not over, then this game is not over! Get up and make your move!"

In an instant, overwhelming imperial pressure crashed directly into their faces.

For the first time, genuine fear arose in Zhou Kui's heart toward this "son-in-law" before him.

In the end, Zhou Kui had no choice but to struggle painfully to his feet from the ground.

At this same moment, outside the Longzong Gate of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

The Grand Secretaries, the Five Military Commission commanders, and the ministers of the Six Ministries and Nine Courts had already gathered.

Wang Wang Wang Chengen stared fiercely at Hong Hong Chengchou and the others outside the gate, roaring angrily,

"The Son of Heaven is playing chess inside the palace; why are you making such a clamor?!"

At this moment, Hong Hong Chengchou's eyes were bloodshot as he stared fixedly at Wang Wang Wang Chengen and said sharply,

"We demand to impeach the Earl of Retainer, Zhou Kui; do you, eunuch, intend to emulate that Wei Eunuch?!"

Hong Hong Chengchou immediately slapped the label of "Wei Eunuch" onto Wang Wang Wang Chengen's head.

Ever since Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian purged the eunuch faction,

the accusation that "Wei Eunuch" blocked the channels of remonstrance had become the greatest political correctness in the court.

Once these words were spoken,

Wang Wang Wang Chengen instantly lost all ability to argue.

He could only allow Hong Hong Chengchou and the others to surge into the Palace of Heavenly Purity, where they saw the father-in-law and son-in-law playing chess in the hall...

54, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian: Wield this sword and kill me!

The moment the officials saw Zhou Kui,

they instantly lost all composure.

"Zhou Kui, you scoundrel! Where have you taken the boards for our coffins!"

"Your Majesty, this man Zhou Kui has deceived the officials; I submit a memorial requesting that Zhou Kui be executed immediately to serve as a warning to others!"

"..."

Amidst the officials' shouts of abuse, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian, with a gloomy expression, slowly raised his head.

From between his clenched teeth, he forcibly squeezed out two words:

"Presumptuous!"

The moment the words left his lips,

large groups of Embroidered Uniform Guards and Eastern Depot agents surged out from behind the hall, immediately surrounding the officials before them.

Seeing the bright, gleaming Embroidered Spring Swords in the hands of the Embroidered Uniform Guards,

the officials in the Palace of Heavenly Purity finally realized what they had done.

In an instant, the officials dropped to their knees in a mass.

"We officials deserve ten thousand deaths..."

Everyone knelt on the ground, daring not to raise their heads.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian casually tossed aside the chess piece in his hand, slowly rose to his feet, and stared at Hong Hong Chengchou, the leader of the officials, asking,

"Grand Secretary Hong, for what purpose did you lead the officials in storming the palace today?"

Beads of fine sweat inevitably seeped from Hong Hong Chengchou's forehead as he gritted his teeth and shouted loudly,

"I report to Your Majesty that days ago, your father-in-law Zhou Kui deceived the officials in the capital, falsely claiming there were business opportunities in the southeast yielding one percent monthly interest."

"We officials, suffering from years of unpaid salaries, fell for Zhou Kui's scheme."

"That was the money reserved for our coffins, our very means of survival!"

"We beg Your Majesty to seek justice for us!"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian casually glanced at Zhou Kui beside him and said,

"That is a matter concerning my father-in-law; why have you come here to make a scene?"

"Do you expect me to bear the reputation of being unfilial?!"

In the hearts of the entire court, it felt as though ten thousand horses were galloping wildly.

How could he speak as if this had nothing to do with him?

Where did the silver in the inner treasury come from?!

Upon hearing this, Hong Hong Chengchou immediately dropped to his knees and said sharply,

"We officials absolutely have no such intention! We merely beg Your Majesty to intervene and demand an explanation on our behalf!"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian, however, unexpectedly adopted the demeanor of a shameless ruffian.

Shrugging his shoulders, he said indifferently,

"In that case, cannot my father-in-law simply return the silver to you?"

As soon as Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian spoke these words.

Before Hong Hong Chengchou could open his mouth.

Zhou Kui, standing nearby, felt as if struck by lightning; in an instant, he collapsed to his knees on the ground.

With a face full of terror, he looked at Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian and stammered.

"Your Majesty, I, I... have no money left!"

You rascal, this is unfair!

You spent the silver.

Now you want me to pay it back.

Even if you sold me, I wouldn't be worth that much!

Even Hong Hong Chengchou, standing aside, could no longer bear to watch.

Gritting his teeth, he looked at Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian and shouted loudly.

"Your Majesty! We, your subjects..."

"That silver was all borrowed from relatives and friends after we shamelessly begged for it!"

"Since silver suddenly appeared in the Inner Treasury, I suspect the Imperial Father-in-Law may have colluded with the Inner Court. I beg Your Majesty to immediately issue an edict to recover these funds!"

"If not, we, your subjects, truly know not how to face the elders of our hometowns, nor do we know how to serve our Great Ming any longer!"

The dagger is revealed when the map is exhausted!

A look of ruthlessness suddenly surfaced on Hong Hong Chengchou's face.

At this moment, Hong Hong Chengchou no longer expected to recover everything.

Hong Hong Chengchou was too lazy to pretend anymore.

Whatever could be recovered, would be recovered.

Behind Hong Hong Chengchou, the hundred officials remained silent.

Every single one knelt down behind Hong Hong Chengchou.

This was their entire fortune.

If it were truly lost.

It would be more unbearable than death itself.

Hearing Hong Hong Chengchou's words, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian instead felt relieved.

Had this happened in the past.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian at this moment would likely have been at a complete loss.

Alas, that Taizu High Emperor from several hundred years ago had already arranged the following script for Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian.