Chapter 53

Hong Hong Chengchou said this.

Instead, it saved Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian the trouble!

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian rose slowly, his face expressionless, and walked to the weapon rack behind him.

He drew the personal sword once used by Zhu Di during his campaign in Mobei.

With a loud clang, he threw it down before Hong Hong Chengchou.

Then Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian stared fixedly at Hong Hong Chengchou and shouted loudly,

"Take this sword and kill your Emperor!"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's words crashed against the officials like a physical blow.

Gazing at the long boots embroidered with golden dragons before them,

these courtiers felt for the first time what true imperial pressure really was.

It was a sensation unseen for decades.

At that moment, Zhang Zhang Fengyi, the Minister of Revenue, suddenly recalled Seeing Seeing Jiajing fifty years prior, when the old emperor was on his deathbed!

Zhang Zhang Fengyi himself had passed the imperial examinations in the forty-fifth year of Seeing Seeing Jiajing's reign.

In a daze, Zhang Zhang Fengyi seemed to see that man again.

Or rather,

the Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian standing before him now clearly possessed an imperial aura that subtly surpassed even that man!

Since Seeing Seeing Jiajing, no Son of Heaven of the Great Ming had ever been like Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian was today!

The entire Qianqing Palace instantly fell into dead silence.

Everyone exchanged glances, none daring to raise their heads.

Hong Hong Chengchou even kowtowed until his forehead touched the ground.

"This subject dares not!"

Truth be told, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian desperately wished Hong Hong Chengchou would actually pick up that sword and stab him to death.

Let whoever wanted this mess deal with it.

Seeing Hong Hong Chengchou remain silent,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian shifted his gaze to the crowd behind Hong Hong Chengchou and shouted sternly,

"Whoever holds a grudge against the Imperial Father-in-Law, stand up, take this sword, and kill your Emperor!"

"Tell future generations that the Great Ming perished because ruler and subjects fought over profit!"

"Let posterity see just how much ambition the ruler and subjects of my Chongzhen reign possessed!"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian could not guarantee anything else,

but if any official took up the sword and killed him,

the heavy label of causing the nation's ruin and the family's destruction would instantly be pinned squarely on every civil and military official in the court.

As for himself, he would instead gain the sympathy of future generations.

"Fifty-five, Hong Hong Chengchou, reassigned to Liaodong!"

Inside the Qianqing Palace,

both civil and military ministers were plunged once again into dead silence.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian took a deep breath, sat back on the Dragon Throne, and sighed,

"As for why Your Majesties are curious about the source of the silver in the Inner Treasury,

I can tell you now.

This silver was borrowed by me from the common people!

Since this silver was borrowed, once the Great Ming has pacified all internal and external rebellions and peace returns to the world, I will repay every coin of this sum to the common people!"

As soon as these words were spoken, several censor officials standing behind immediately erupted in outrage.

"With Your Majesty's status as the Son of Heaven, how can you deign to borrow money from the commoners to quell rebellion!"

"The Great Ming possesses the wealth of the four seas; we beg Your Majesty to return the silver to the people. With Your Majesty's heroic prowess as the Son of Heaven, why would you need such trivial wealth from the folk!"

Before their voices had even faded,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian could not help but snort coldly and say,

"Nonsense!"

"Hong Taiji has already attacked the capital, yet you tell me this money is not needed?"

"Wang Wang Wang Chengen!"

Wang Wang Wang Chengen, standing in the distance, trembled upon hearing this, then immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said,

"This slave is present!"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian shouted sternly,

"Drag this person out of Wumen and beat him to death with a staff!"

The entire court of civil and military officials stared in shock, while the few censor officials nearby immediately cried out loudly,

"Your Majesty, according to the ancestral teachings of our dynasty's Taizu, the Great Ming does not execute censor officials; Lord Wu merely..."

Before those officials speaking on behalf of the censor could finish their sentences,

Hong Hong Chengchou detected the hidden meaning in Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's words.

He immediately seized upon Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's remark and shouted loudly,

"Did Your Majesty just say that once the world is pacified, you will repay the money to the common people?"

As soon as these words were spoken,

the entire court of civil and military officials instantly came to their senses.

At a time like this, why bother worrying whether that fool lives or dies!

It matters not whether Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian is issuing blank notes.

At least this sum of silver has not been thrown into the water!

Not reneging on the debt is far better than letting relations sour so completely that Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian simply defaults on the entire amount!

In an instant, the Duke of Britain, Zhang Zhang Zhiji, immediately raised his voice and declared,

"Grand Secretary Hong, His Majesty is brilliant and martial; how could He break faith with the people?"

"Indeed, Grand Secretary Hong worries excessively. With the realm pacified and the four seas at peace, how could the Son of Heaven begrudge such trifling profits?"

One flattering cap after another was immediately placed upon Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's head.

The censor being dragged away by the eunuchs immediately flew into a rage.

Damn it!

I was speaking up for you lot just now!

"Hong Hong Chengchou! You old rascal actually dared to deceive me!"

"That is our... click!"

Before the censor could finish speaking,

the two members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard holding him immediately acted with swift eyes and quick hands, yanking the censor's jaw until it dislocated.

"Wu wu wu!"

Hearing the officials' flattery, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian slowly rose to his feet and said expressionlessly,

"Since I have decided to borrow this sum of silver,

I have never intended to renege on this debt!

As long as the Great Ming still stands, I will acknowledge this debt and I will surely repay it!"

Upon hearing these words, Hong Hong Chengchou immediately understood the profound meaning behind Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Youjian's statement.

If the Great Ming remains,

the money will naturally be repaid.

But if the Great Ming falls,

their burial funds will all be buried alongside the Great Ming!

In an instant,

Hong Hong Chengchou was immediately drenched in cold sweat.

This move was too vicious.

And too clever.