Zhu Yunying wasn't idle at this time. Since he wanted to get things done and had chosen to fan the flames, it was quite simple: he needed to further amplify the current situation.

Only in this way can one better achieve their goals. Ultimately, this imperial examination was Zhu Yunying's pretext to attack certain people and certain events. As for the fact that one of his own faction members was wiped out, it didn't matter much.

Zhuo Jing is talented and seems loyal, but he is not someone who can be relied upon and is prone to failing at crucial moments.

Song Zhong handed over the invitation, which Zhu Yunying seemingly flipped through casually. Kneeling on the ground, Song Zhong dared not speak. He didn't know why His Majesty was targeting this batch of scholars, nor did he need to care. He just needed to focus on his own work; too much curiosity was a recipe for disaster.

This post mainly records names, mostly those of the scholars who caused trouble, and their actions. Clearly, these people are now causing a huge disturbance, making their actions widely known and discussed throughout the court and among the public.

However, never expect that the law will not punish the masses. Whether you are a scholar from the south or the north, and whatever your reason, if you choose to cause trouble, you must be prepared to pay the price.

Scholars were treated so well that during the Mongol Yuan dynasty, they were classified as "the lowest of the low" and dared not cause trouble. But under the rule of the Han Chinese in the Ming dynasty, they all tried and worked hard to climb to higher positions.

That's a bit presumptuous. Wanting to return to the literati paradise of the Song Dynasty is simply a pipe dream.

After Song Zhong left, Zhu Yunying asked, "Are there still people in the Embroidered Uniform Guard abusing their power for personal gain?"

Wang Chengen immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I suppose there are some. But they are extremely few, as I know."

It's about finding a balance. We need the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but we also need the high-speed rail. Although in principle the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot are one inside and one outside, they still need to check and balance each other. After all, the attributes of these two intelligence agencies are too special. Without certain checks and balances, they would be two monsters. The deformed state of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the past is a lesson from the past.

Zhu Yunying was in a good mood; it seemed these things were about to be 'completely accomplished'. Under these circumstances, Zhu Yunying needed to do some finishing touches to ensure that all the previous efforts were not in vain.

"Scholars, it really is true that a scholar's rebellion will never succeed in three years," Zhu Yunying said to himself with a hint of sarcasm. "If they had a little more ambition, I could have done something drastic. But now, I can only let them slowly boil like frogs in warm water."

See, this is probably the confidence that comes with an emperor holding absolute power. Despite the chaos outside, it has no impact on Zhu Yunying, who clearly doesn't take the matter seriously.

Old Zhu came to stroll around again, which made Zhu Yunying curious. "Grandpa, you've already abdicated, how come your grandson is still so well-informed?"

“We always have to keep something in reserve, so that if you cause any trouble, we can help you clean up the mess.” Old Zhu ignored Zhu Yunying’s complaints and said with a smile, “When we’re about to close our eyes, we’ll give you everything that’s due.”

Zhu Yunying chuckled and said, "Actually, Grandfather has only kept a few eyes and ears around. I just feel that although I may not amount to much, Grandfather can't always treat me like a child."

Old Zhu laughed heartily and looked at Zhu Yunying, saying, "That won't do. Even if you become emperor, you'll still be our grandson. Even if we're not blind now, even if we kick the bucket, we'll still be watching over you."

Well, this is a common thought among elders; in their eyes, children never grow up.

Let's get down to business. Zhu Yunying said, "Grandfather, go to the court tomorrow. In the next few days, I should take action. Those scholars need to be dealt with properly."

Old Zhu couldn't help but laugh, and said with great pride, "We conquered this land, and we thought of treating scholars well. My grandson, you've taken it all back, one by one! You truly are my grandson; those scholars can't outmaneuver you! Those people will have to work for the Zhu family!"

This guy is supposed to be the retired emperor of the Ming Dynasty, but if you didn't know better, you'd think he was some small landlord!