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

Chapter 37: Execute Them All!

Zhu You樘 coldly watched Ma Wensheng plead his innocence, the icy gaze sending chills down Ma Wensheng's spine.

After howling a couple of times, Ma Wensheng timidly shut his mouth.

Zhu You樘 stared at Ma Wensheng and retorted, "You say I've wronged you, but do you know what grave crimes you've committed?!"

Ma Wensheng was in a state of confusion, tentatively replying, "Your subject… your subject concealed military intelligence without authorization and left the capital without permission…"

"These crimes alone are enough for me to chop off your head!"

Zhu You樘 interrupted Ma Wensheng, his anger unappeased.

"Moreover, your crimes are not limited to these!"

"Huai En, read!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Huai En understood Zhu You樘's meaning, turned around, and looked at Ma Wensheng with hatred.

"Minister of War Ma Wensheng, concealed military intelligence, left the capital without authorization, and appointed treacherous officials, his three clans shall be exterminated!"

"Commander-in-chief of Datong, Qiu Yue, colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, bribed the Tatar Little Prince with 260,000 taels of silver, allowed the Tatar Little Prince to enter the pass, and massacred thousands of people in Xuanfu, his nine clans shall be exterminated!"

"What?!"

Ma Wensheng was shocked, completely unaware of this information.

Suddenly, Ma Wensheng looked at Qiu Yue beside him.

"Qiu Yue! What exactly is going on?!"

"Didn't you say that the Tatar Little Prince accepted your bribe and agreed to retreat back to the grasslands?"

"How could the Tartars have entered the pass?!"

Qiu Yue moved his lips, his face ashen, his eyes darting around, not daring to look at Ma Wensheng.

Huai En sneered, "The conditions General Qiu offered the Tatar Little Prince, besides silver, also included opening Datong Prefecture to allow the Tartars to enter the pass."

Ma Wensheng really didn't know about Qiu Yue letting the Tartars into the pass.

Otherwise, he definitely wouldn't have let Qiu Yue guard Datong Prefecture.

The plan Qiu Yue initially told him only included bribing the Tatar Little Prince with silver to get him to agree to retreat.

And Ma Wensheng had always believed that Qiu Yue had succeeded, that the Tartars had agreed to retreat back to the grasslands.

Who knew that Qiu Yue's success meant successfully protecting Datong Prefecture, but also allowing the Tartars to successfully enter the pass and lose Xuanfu!

Upon hearing this, Ma Wensheng's eyes widened, his heart raced, and he was filled with furious rage.

"Qiu Yue!!!"

"You've ruined my reputation for eternity!!!"

"Qiu Yue, you little bastard, I want to eat you alive!!!"

Ma Wensheng lunged at Qiu Yue, opening his mouth to bite his face!

"Ahhhhh!!!"

Qiu Yue let out a miserable scream, desperately trying to break free from Ma Wensheng's tearing bite.

Because both of their legs were crippled and their hands were in shackles, their fight resembled two wriggling maggots, neither able to break free.

Zhu You樘 waved his hand in disgust, and two锦衣卫 immediately stepped forward and forcefully separated Ma Wensheng and Qiu Yue.

After being separated, Ma Wensheng's mouth was covered in blood, and he spat out a piece of flesh.

Qiu Yue's face was covered in blood, with half of his face missing.

Zhu You樘 ignored the two dogs fighting each other and turned to look at the other officials.

He pointed his finger at these corrupt officials, his words filled with anger!

"The remaining one hundred and sixty-nine officials are all those who submitted their resignations when I wanted to reopen the West Depot."

"You want to resign, I approve!"

"But you committed all kinds of evil deeds while in office, embezzling large amounts of silver and land, and now you want to resign and walk away after the incident."

"Hmph, how can I let you off so easily?!"

"I had the West Depot investigate your backgrounds, and good heavens! Once they investigated, you were all finished!"

"One hundred and sixty-nine officials, none wronged, all corrupt officials!"

"No wonder you desperately tried to stop me from reopening the West Depot at the time, and even gave such high-sounding reasons, such as the West Depot being brutal and investigating crimes without evidence!"

"So you were afraid that the West Depot would expose your misdeeds and let the people of the world know that my court is full of corrupt officials, is that right?!"

Faced with Zhu You樘's angry scolding, none of the officials dared to utter a word.

Zhu You樘 scanned the court and stood with his hands behind his back: "My court is not a place where you can come and go as you please."

"From now on, any official who tries to force my hand with their resignation, I will approve!"

"But I will investigate your assets. If you can withstand the investigation, you can naturally return home to enjoy your retirement."

"If you cannot withstand the investigation, then I will confiscate your property and behead you, there will be no exceptions."

"Do you understand?!"

The civil and military officials below immediately knelt and kowtowed: "Your subjects understand, Your Majesty is wise!"

Although they shouted "Your Majesty is wise," the civil and military officials were all pale and crestfallen.

How many people in this court are not afraid of being investigated by the West Depot?

Zhu You樘's move was simply grasping their lifeline.

Seeing that no one objected, Zhu You樘 nodded in satisfaction and pronounced the fate of these one hundred and sixty-nine corrupt officials.

"These one hundred and seventy-nine officials shall all be executed!"

Although the civil and military officials present were mentally prepared.

Hearing Zhu You樘 actually execute one hundred and seventy-nine officials in one breath, they couldn't help but be shocked.

Adding Ma Wensheng, whose three clans were to be exterminated, and Qiu Yue, whose nine clans were to be exterminated…

That meant executing one hundred and eighty-one officials in one breath!

A gasp of air sounded in Fengtian Hall Square, and the officials unconsciously deepened their breathing.

The officials kneeling below were even more frightened, trembling and unable to say a word.

Some with weak courage were either so frightened that their bodies went limp and they collapsed on the spot.

Or they were directly frightened into rolling their eyes and fainting.

At this moment, an old voice suddenly rang out in the silent Fengtian Hall Square.

"Your Majesty! You cannot kill them!"

"Your Majesty, have mercy! These are one hundred and eighty-one officials, you cannot kill them all!"

"Civil and military officials are the main force in governing the Great Ming. If so many officials are killed, it will harm the foundation of the Great Ming!"

The civil and military officials in the field were all shocked, and secretly sighed at this person's commendable courage.

Many people boldly turned around, wanting to see which official had such great courage to openly advise Zhu You樘 not to kill officials.

After seeing the person's appearance, they suddenly understood.

So it was him, no wonder he had such extraordinary courage.

Liu Jian was also overjoyed and secretly turned around, and sure enough, he saw the person he had been longing for.

Liu Jian was excited, he had finally waited for one of his most important colleagues in the court in the future.

Zhu You樘 stood on the steps, calmly looking at the old figure wearing a scarlet official robe, trying to run towards him.

Huai En leaned close to Zhu You樘's ear and whispered, "Your Majesty, this is the newly appointed Minister of Personnel, Wang Shu."

"He has been serving in Southern Zhili, and Your Majesty only recently transferred him back to the capital."

Zhu You樘 smiled coldly after hearing this.

Good!

The Minister of Personnel I promoted wants to stop my order on his first court appearance.

Is this the style of the Three Gentlemen of Hongzhi?

Ma Wensheng, one of the Three Gentlemen of Hongzhi, is now kneeling below, and I have ordered the extermination of his three clans.

How long can you, Wang Shu, one of the Three Gentlemen of Hongzhi, last?