Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

Chapter 11: Exterminate the Three Clans and Death by a Thousand Cuts!

"What's going on? How did Mou Bin become the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard seems to be arresting the Zhou family. The two being held at the front seem to be the Earl of Qingyun and the Earl of Changning..."

"Ah? But those are the Emperor's maternal uncles! Could this be His Majesty's decree?"

"Are you kidding me? How dare His Majesty do this?"

"Those two are the Empress Dowager Zhou's own younger brothers. If His Majesty dares to attack the Zhou family, isn't he afraid of being questioned by the Empress Dowager Zhou?"

"..."

Mou Bin strode confidently, passing through the ranks of civil and military officials on both sides, and came before Zhu Youcheng, holding an object above his head and kneeling in salute.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have been fortunate enough to fulfill my mission. All seventy-six members of the Zhou family are here!"

"This is the Zhou family's genealogy. Please examine it, Your Majesty!"

Whoa!

The entire court was in an uproar!

Seventy-six members of the Zhou family...

His Majesty is going to confiscate their property and exterminate their clan!

Zhang Yuan widened his eyes in shock, unable to believe everything before him.

"Your Majesty! The Zhou family has devoted themselves to the Ming Dynasty, contributing both effort and merit. Even if they have made mistakes, they don't deserve this!"

Some self-righteous officials stepped forward to plead for the Zhou family.

"Your Majesty, could there be some misunderstanding? As the Son of Heaven, Your Majesty should discern right from wrong and never listen to slander!"

"Please reconsider, Your Majesty, and do not act rashly!"

A large portion of the court officials were certain that with the Empress Dowager Zhou present, the Zhou family would not fall.

So they presented memorials one after another to plead for the Zhou family, hoping to leave a good impression on the Zhou brothers, Zhou Shou and Zhou Yu, before it was too late.

Not only the civil and military officials in the court, but even the Zhou brothers, who had already been reduced to prisoners, were unhurried and confident.

With their sister Zhou by their side, they were certain that Zhu Youcheng would not dare to do anything to them.

Zhu Youcheng ignored those who pleaded for the Zhou family and began to examine the Zhou family genealogy with great interest.

The Grand Secretaries and Ministers at the very front on the left side also looked at each other, hesitating in their hearts.

Minister of Revenue Ye Qi looked at Grand Secretary Wan An: "Grand Secretary Wan, this..."

Wan An remained silent with a stern face, as if he were an old monk in meditation.

Ye Qi then looked at the other two Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet, Liu Xu and Liu Ji, who were also looking at their noses and minds, as if they were uninvolved.

The three Grand Secretaries of Paper, truly deserving of the name!

Ye Qi cursed the three old foxes in his heart and then stood back, not wanting to wade into these troubled waters.

At this time, in the rear of the civil official ranks, two officials in their forties, in their prime, were talking to each other.

Li Dongyang, then a Bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, looked at his colleague, Xie Qian, who was also a Compiler of the Hanlin Academy.

"Brother Yuqiao, what do you think of this matter?"

Xie Qian quietly raised his head and glanced at Zhu Youcheng, then immediately lowered his head: "Brother Binzhi, I believe this matter will likely not end well."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Li Dongyang raised his eyebrows.

The two were both lecturers in the East Palace and had taught Zhu Youcheng when he was still the Crown Prince, so they were extremely familiar with Zhu Youcheng.

Xie Qian frowned, pondered carefully, and said: "His Majesty is too quiet today, and he gives me a feeling that he has everything under control."

"I have only felt this way before with Emperor Xianzong."

"I'm afraid His Majesty will not easily let this go."

Li Dongyang nodded: "I have that feeling too."

"I hope His Majesty can really be ruthless this time and not let the Inner Cabinet, the Imperial Harem, and the maternal relatives be so unscrupulous again."

"Binzhi, be careful what you say!"

Further ahead of the two, Liu Jian, then the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, had a glint in his eyes.

As the former Junior Preceptor of the Crown Prince's Palace, Liu Jian had been Zhu Youcheng's lecturer since Zhu Youcheng officially began his studies.

Liu Jian understood Zhu Youcheng very well, extremely benevolent and filial, but with a very weak personality.

Such a person might be a good person, but definitely not a good emperor.

The weak personality and filial piety made him have no say in front of the powerful Empress Dowager Zhou.

The lord is young and the mother is strong, this is definitely the development of the Imperial Harem interfering in politics and maternal relatives monopolizing power.

The fact was just as Liu Jian had expected, in the months after the new emperor ascended the throne.

The Empress Dowager Zhou, together with the Inner Cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial, had hollowed out Zhu Youcheng.

Liu Jian originally had to wait at least a few more years before Zhu Youcheng would regain his imperial power.

But unexpectedly, today the Embroidered Uniform Guard had actually brought the entire Zhou family, old and young, to the court!

What did this mean?

Liu Jian's heart was pounding.

A large group of people had already knelt below Zhu Youcheng, no less than thirty people.

Zhu Youcheng sat high on the dragon throne, flipping through the genealogy in his hand, ignoring the ministers below.

The originally agitated crowd, seeing Zhu Youcheng's still unhurried appearance, became flustered themselves.

The voices pleading for the Zhou family became smaller and smaller, and finally, the front of Fengtian Gate was once again so quiet that a pin could be heard dropping.

"Are you finished?"

"Are there any others who want to plead for the Zhou family? Stand up together."

After waiting for a while, seeing that no one was pleading for the Zhou family anymore, Zhu Youcheng put down the genealogy and looked at Mou Bin.

"Mou Bin, tell my beloved ministers about the crimes of the Zhou family."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Mou Bin then turned around, facing the civil and military officials, with a murderous tone.

"The Empress Dowager Zhou colluded with external and internal officials, wantonly placing trusted personnel into the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Eastern Depot, and the Five Chief Military Commissions, attempting to usurp imperial power, committing treason!"

"All those who plot rebellion, regardless of their role, will have their three clans exterminated and be executed by a thousand cuts!"

Mou Bin's words fell, and the civil and military officials were silent.

Everyone widened their eyes, unable to believe everything they heard.

The Empress Dowager Zhou has committed treason!

This... this is a crime punishable by the extermination of three clans!

Among the civil and military officials, the first to react were the Earl of Qingyun and the Earl of Changning, who were being held below the steps.

When Zhou Shou heard that his sister had been convicted, his entire body seemed to have had its muscles and bones extracted, and he collapsed weakly.

Zhou Yu's originally arrogant face instantly turned pale, and he began to tremble in fear.

"Your Majesty! This must be the slander of the little Mou Bin! Our Zhou family is loyal to Your Majesty, how could we possibly rebel!"

"Your Majesty! I am your maternal uncle, Your Majesty! Our Zhou family has no ulterior motives!"

"Your Majesty, this must be a frame-up, please investigate, Your Majesty! Please investigate!"

Zhou Shou and Zhou Yu finally felt fear at this time.

The matter of treason must not be confirmed, otherwise, even with their sister Zhou by their side, their heads would definitely not be saved.

Moreover, judging from Mou Bin's words just now, their sister Zhou herself was probably unable to protect herself.

Such a big blow was unacceptable to them.

How could the Zhou family fall?!

How could she fall?!

Without the protection of the Zhou family, and judging from His Majesty's appearance, he really intends to kill them!