Chapter 181

At this moment, Zhu Houcong.

Had obviously fallen into a state of mental shutdown.

"You little brat! Is this how you speak to your ancestor?!"

Zhu Houcong stared fiercely at Zhu Di, his brows involuntarily tightening as he spoke in a low voice.

"Great-Grandfather, no one here knows you are the Chengzu Emperor."

"Your son does not know how you came, but you had best release him immediately."

Hearing Zhu Houcong's words in the chat group, Zhu Yuanzhang.

Was also involuntarily stunned.

And then unexpectedly burst out laughing.

"Fourth Brother, your descendants are filial enough; is that your spirit tablet being sacrificed to later? Hahaha."

Zhu Di's old face turned bright red with suppressed anger.

"You little brat, do you think you can defy me?"

Zhu Houcong sighed helplessly, then gathered his spirit and calm, immediately shouting loudly.

"Lu Bing! Xizhong! What are you staring at? Seize this beast immediately!"

Shouted at like this by Zhu Houcong.

Zhu Xizhong, who had originally been numb, suddenly snapped back to his senses.

Lu Bing, even more so, took a single leap and rushed straight out of the hall.

Roaring at the Han General officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard outside the hall.

"Are you all blind? Enter the hall immediately to protect the Emperor!"

A large contingent of the Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately began to surround Zhu Di.

Zhu Di glanced disdainfully at the surrounding Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The Han General officer closest to Zhu Di had not yet snapped back to his senses when he heard a crisp sound from his wrist, a "Crack!" sound came.

The embroidered spring knife in his hand instantly loosened.

And was directly snatched away by Zhu Di.

Immediately placed against Zhu Houcong's chest.

"Who dares to make a move!"

Zhu Di's gaze was like a torch; with merely a single look.

He actually shouted down the Embroidered Uniform Guard swarming from behind, halting them all in their tracks.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yuanzhang in the chat group watched with growing interest.

This was far more thrilling than listening to opera in the palace!

Zhu Qizhen's eyes widened, fearing to miss a single detail.

Yet Zhu Houcong paid not the slightest heed.

This is our own ancestor!

You wouldn't actually kill me, would you?!

If you kill me, who will serve as Emperor?

You, Zhu Di, cannot possibly watch the Great Ming state hang in the balance with your own eyes!

Zhu Houcong stared fiercely at the distant Lu Bing and growled.

"Do not worry about the Emperor; quickly advance and capture the thief!"

Seeing this.

Zhu Yuanzhang also involuntarily stroked his beard.

Although this child is a bit of a rascal.

His mind is truly fast.

Even I might not be able to remain so calm in such a situation!

Zhu Houcong not only saw at a glance that Zhu Di would not kill him, but even wanted to seize the opportunity to perform a display of his own bravery and decisiveness.

Just as Zhu Di was about to surrender himself.

A lazy voice suddenly came from behind the main hall.

"Stop."

Yan Song, the Grand Secretary and Head of the Grand Secretariat, looked in the direction of the voice.

He saw that on the dragon throne in the distant Fengtian Hall.

A young man, with a lazy expression, had his legs propped up on the imperial desk, gazing with a teasing look at the ministers before him.

And that person, eyeing Yan Song, asked somewhat teasingly.

"Yan Song?"

"You're doing quite well."

Hearing this voice.

Several old ministers from the Zhengde reign immediately had an expression of disbelief appear on their faces.

This voice, they would never forget in their entire lives.

That man.

Has returned!

At this moment, Zhu Houzhao turned his gaze to Yan Song, who stood at the head of the hundred officials.

So many ministers.

The only person Zhu Houzhao could remember was Yan Song.

Although much older, he could still be vaguely recognized.

Yan Song was a jinshi of the eighteenth year of Hongzhi.

That is, the jinshi of the very year Zhu Houzhao ascended the throne.

Second place in the second tier, meaning fifth in the world; appointed as a Compiler in the Hanlin Academy, serving for a long time in the Pavilion.

Yan Song's face was filled with disbelief.

He mechanically looked at Zhu Houcong behind him.

Then looked at Zhu Houzhao before him.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yuanzhang in the chat group also sensed something was amiss.

He hurriedly warned in the chat group:

"Boy, don't zone out! Quickly make him bow to you! This old thing won't react for a while; if he doesn't lead the bowing, you two will be at the mercy of that old Daoist Priest!"

Having been shouted at by Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Houzhao immediately grabbed a memorial within reach and threw it at Yan Song.

He roared loudly:

"Why are you standing there? Have you forgotten the rites between ruler and subject?!"

"Even Yang Tinghe back then was not as arrogant as you lot!"

He was, after all, an Emperor.

The moment Zhu Houzhao spoke these words,

Yan Song, nearly eighty years old, instantly went blank in the mind.

What followed was nothing but mechanical operation driven by subconsciousness.

One saw Yan Song mechanically get up, then cup his hands and bow, saying:

"Your old subject Yan Song, pays homage to Emperor Wu Zongyi!"

The several old ministers behind him were also left without a plan by Zhu Houzhao's roar.

Under the inertial influence of the "loyal to the monarch" ideology, they followed Yan Song and immediately prostrated themselves...

After prostrating themselves,

Yan Song suddenly realized what had happened.

His intestines were almost regretted green.

This is the Jiajing reign.

It is no longer the Zhengde reign.

With this one bow of his, where does that leave Zhu Houcong?

A new Son of Heaven brings a new set of ministers; with this one bow of his, wouldn't I become a traitorous minister?!