Chapter 11

Zhu Yunwen looked at Su Qiao excitedly and shouted.

"Su Qing, how can you slander an innocent person out of thin air!"

"Imperial Grandfather, Yunwen absolutely has no thought of reducing the fiefs!"

Su Qiao snorted coldly, then said.

"Yes, the Crown Prince has no thought of reducing the fiefs, but what about the monarchs of his descendants? And the descendants of those descendants? To Your Majesty, they are all flesh and blood."

"But has Your Highness considered that after five generations the status drops, and even the five degrees of mourning are exceeded? If they are called relatives, are they truly relatives?"

"At that time, the nine frontier princes of our Great Ming will still hold military power and occupy the nine borders; does the Son of Heaven at that time not fear?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly slapped the imperial desk.

"Bold! No matter what, they are the closest kin of the imperial family; how can one sever the bond of kinship?!"

Su Qiao did not yield an inch.

He questioned in a harsh voice.

"Then I ask, after Your Majesty ascended the throne, did you confer titles upon the Zhu family of Jurong? As far as I know, there are still two hundred people of the Jurong Zhu family with imperial blood; I ask, why did Your Majesty not confer rewards?"

With these words spoken.

The entire court fell silent.

Was there any need to ask why they were not enfeoffed?

Emperor Xizu Yu, Zhu Chuyi, that is, Old Zhu's grandfather's generation, had already moved to Fengyang.

Old Zhu never even acknowledged those so-called "imperial relatives" in Zhu Family Alley.

At most, he only conferred rewards upon a few of his own ancestors.

Zhu Yuanzhang's brows furrowed tightly.

He gritted his teeth and said.

"Those are relatives so distant they cannot even be reached with a bamboo pole; why should we enfeoff them?"

Su Qiao immediately added another point.

"From our Great Ming's Dezu Xuan Emperor to the present, it has been only a little over one hundred and fifty years, spanning merely five generations!"

"Does it mean in Your Majesty's eyes."

"Does our Great Ming not even have the national fortune to last one hundred and fifty years, or five Son of Heavens?!"

11, Old Zhu: If only this matter wasn't about our Zhu family...

Arrogant!

These were the Thoughts within everyone present.

And Zhu Yuanzhang had long since stood frozen in place.

Only one hundred and fifty years.

His own family tree.

Old Zhu knew better than anyone.

It was merely one hundred and fifty years.

Let alone the monarchs of his descendants.

Did Old Zhu still consider those "Zhu family people" to be relatives?

Obviously not.

In Old Zhu's eyes, those people were at most a few relatives who "barely shared some blood."

Even Old Zhu's own several biological brothers were only enfeoffed as a single Commandery Prince.

After four or five generations passed.

Would the future monarchs of Great Ming still regard those nine frontier princes as their own relatives?

By that time, what the hell kind of relatives would they be?

If the fiefs are not reduced, it will inevitably lead to a fight to the death!

Su Qiao stood up abruptly and said.

"Therefore, I believe there is no need to wait for the sixth or seventh generation monarchs; once Your Majesty passes away, even if the Crown Prince himself has no intention of reducing the fiefs, there will inevitably be an act of reducing the fiefs."

With these words spoken.

It frightened Ru Taisu so much he could not stand steady.

Even Tang He, who had been watching the show from afar for a long time, could not sit still.

"Shut up! Pass... that thing, is it something a brat like you can say?"

As he spoke, Tang He desperately signaled Su Qiao with his eyes.

Signaling Su Qiao to withdraw immediately.

Tang He also knew.

In recent years, Old Zhu had killed far too many people.

The ministers in the court had almost been killed off by Old Zhu until the generation was cut off.

Tang He saw that Su Qiao was a promising talent.

Thus, he had the thought of saving Su Qiao.

It was just a pity.

Su Qiao seemed to have not seen Tang He's hint at all.

He stood aside on his own.

And Zhu Yuanzhang forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart.

He gritted his teeth and asked.

"Why?"

Looking at Zhu Yuanzhang's expression.

Su Qiao was also stunned.

Old Zhu, you have quite a temper!

You won't even chop me down?

Su Qiao raised his head and looked straight at Old Zhu, asking,

"The nine frontier vassal kings not only require support from the nine borders but also need grain and supplies transferred from the interior. Their military power stands above the Ministry of War. May I ask, Lord Qi and Lord Huang, can you two tolerate such usurpation of power by the vassal kings?"

"May I ask all the lords present, can you tolerate the vassal kings' power standing above the court?"

"At present, Your Majesty is still alive; the nine frontier vassal kings are of the younger generation and naturally dare not disobey their father's orders."

"Once Your Majesty passes away, even the Son of Heaven will be a nephew or son of the nine border kings. May I ask, who in the court will then dare to issue orders to the nine borders?!"

The court fell into solemn silence...

Such a question.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not even need to hear the courtiers' answers.

Let alone Zhu Yunwen.

Even the founding emperor himself is still alive.

Hu Wei dared to monopolize power and rule arbitrarily.

If I were no longer here, how could these civil officials bear to watch my sons hold supreme power alone?!"

Su Qiao took a deep breath.

His gaze upon Zhu Yuanzhang inevitably grew stern.

What shocked Old Zhu most was not these facts.

What shocked Old Zhu most was this:

The current Su Qiao had already insulted everyone in the entire court.

He spoke repeatedly of Your Majesty's passing and declared Zhu Yunwen unfit for great responsibility.

Finally, he delivered a final blow to the entire civil and military assembly, stating he would not stand idly by while the vassal kings monopolized power.

Has this young man truly grown tired of living?

Clearly, the answer in Old Zhu's heart was negative.

On the contrary, such people are most easily appreciated by emperors.

Because such people.

Do not form factions!