Chapter 26

Because emperors come and go like flowing water, while ministers stand firm like iron.

At worst, it's just beheading.

But offend all these civil officials, and if they don't dig up your ancestral graves, you're lucky they buried you deep!

25, why don't you just eat porridge for three years?

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang had already firmly believed from the bottom of his heart that Su Qiao was a loyal minister.

A truly great loyal minister.

A forthright minister!

A loyal minister who would commit suicide before his tomb after Zhu Yunwen lost the empire!

At this moment, Old Zhu's eyes shone brightly, showing not a trace of twilight decline.

Since ascending the throne, Zhu Yuanzhang had also been reading through the historical records of every dynasty.

Speaking of it, was there ever a dynasty that truly perished due to external enemies?

No!

Even the so-called disaster at Yamen Mountain was the consequence of your Wan Yan Gou executing Yue Fei!

The enemy lies not outside, but within.

The root of a nation's fall lies either with the monarch or with the court officials!

So first came the Empty Seal Case, then the Guo Huan Case, and finally the Hu Weiyong Case.

All to hope that the Great Ming could detoxify its interior!

But the poison of the Great Ming.

Has it truly been purged?!

No!

These civil and military officials standing on the dry shore.

Are they really so clean?

That is a delusion!

Su Qiao's few words.

Hit Zhu Yuanzhang right in the heart.

And at this moment, Su Qiao seemed as if he had been injected with chicken blood.

Staring fiercely at the crowd of ministers before him.

And the hundred officials before Su Qiao.

All stood silent, not making a sound.

During the last palace examination, although Su Qiao had already thrown out the outrageous theory of "looting the scholar-officials' homes first."

Ultimately, that was built upon Old Zhu's hypothesis.

Everyone merely took Su Qiao's words as nonsense.

Looting homes meant looting the homes of ministers of a fallen nation.

What does that have to do with us, the founding ministers?

But today is different.

You, Su Qiao, aren't holding back anymore?

We are unclean?

Is that something for a newcomer who just entered the court to say?!

Yet Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude had already defined Su Qiao's statement.

If the current ministers oppose Su Qiao's words, they are slapping Old Zhu in the face!

Huang Zicheng, originally standing among the court officials, keenly sensed the murderous intent in the court.

He immediately stepped forward to stand before Zhu Yuanzhang and shouted loudly,

"I humbly report to Your Majesty, I, Huang Zicheng, dare not agree with Su Qiao's proposal!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned by Huang Zicheng's step.

Normally, this Huang Zicheng wouldn't fart even if kicked three times, and he devoted his entire mind to Zhu Yunwen.

Old Zhu's expression gradually darkened.

Staring silently at Huang Zicheng, he asked,

"Does Lord Huang have a high opinion?"

Huang Zicheng lowered his head, gritting his teeth, and said,

"Your Majesty, if the court rots a little, the world will rot in patches; I agree with this statement."

"What I do not agree with is on what basis Su Qiao claims we are standing on the dry shore!"

"Since the founding of the Great Ming, the world has been peaceful, and scholars and literati everywhere have called this the Hongwu Golden Age."

"The Hongwu Golden Age is surely The merit of Your Majesty's tireless efforts."

"Yet we, your subjects, have not also worked together with one heart, laboring day and night to ensure the court's decrees are issued from above and followed below; even if we have no merit, surely we have endured hardship!"

"Does Su Qiao's statement not make us, your subjects, feel chilled to the heart! How will officials of the world conduct themselves in the future!"

"Therefore, today I dare to speak on behalf of all my colleagues! To vindicate the names of all court officials!"

Huang Zicheng's words rang out with strength and force.

As soon as his words ended, some ministers behind him even began to sob in agreement.

After speaking, Huang Zicheng did not forget to cast a contemptuous glance at Su Qiao.

Isn't this just a death memorial?

Isn't it just risking one's life with one's head tucked into the waistband of one's trousers?

You brat, trying to play this game with us? You're still too green!

As expected.

The moment Huang Zicheng spoke these words,

it was as if he had opened the floodgates for the entire court of scholar-officials.

"Your Majesty, this subject is forty-six years old, with temples already streaked with white. Today, Su Qiao has baselessly slandered this old subject, and I truly cannot bear it!"

"We have all rendered dog-and-horse service to the Hongwu Prosperous Age. We do not seek wealth and honor, but we cannot end up with such a notorious reputation!"

"I beg Your Majesty to immediately order the Embroidered Uniform Guard to search my home. If there is even one tael of silver in my house that does not belong to me, I will dash myself to death right here in this great hall!"

"..."

Su Qiao quietly observed the entire court of scholar-officials.

He could not help but sneer,

"My lords, the Hongwu Prosperous Age?"

"How dare you so shamelessly utter the term 'Prosperous Age'?!"

Huang Zicheng stared at Su Qiao in shock and shouted in anger,

"Su Qiao, you... you dare!"

"The granaries of our dynasty hold far more grain than the preceding Yuan. Even as wealthy as the two Song dynasties were, they could not match the fullness of our state's grain reserves. How can this not be called a Prosperous Age?!"

Su Qiao looked at Huang Zicheng with a puzzled expression and asked disdainfully,

"May I ask, my lord Huang?"

"Does the mere presence of stored grain in the state granaries mean it is a Prosperous Age?"

Hearing this, Huang Zicheng was momentarily speechless.

"If stored grain cannot be called a Prosperous Age, then what is a Prosperous Age?!"

Su Qiao cast a cold glance at Huang Zicheng and asked,

"May I ask, my lord Huang, how many years of sustenance can the grain in the Great Ming's state granaries provide for all the people of the realm today?"

Huang Zicheng patted his chest and shouted loudly,

"More than three years! How can this not be called a Prosperous Age?!"

Su Qiao then asked,

"What does 'more than three years' mean?"

"Does it mean they can eat their fill, or merely that they barely avoid starving to death?"

Hearing this, Huang Zicheng stared at Su Qiao with his eyes wide and his mouth agape.