Sitting high on the dragon throne, Zhu Yunying looked at the assembled officials in the court and calmly asked, "Today, many things have happened, but the matter of the Duke Yansheng is of utmost importance. Has there been a reply to this matter yet?"

Yang Jing immediately stepped forward, holding the memorial, and said, "Your Majesty, we have been ordered to thoroughly investigate this matter, and we now have some plans."

Wang Chengen immediately descended the imperial steps, took the memorial, and handed it to Zhu Yunying.

Zhu Yunying carefully read the memorial, but then looked at Kong Ne and said, "You are the Duke Yansheng, and are known as the head of the civil officials. However, your Kong clan has acted arrogantly and has no respect for the emperor or your father. For the sake of Confucius's reputation, you should resign. I will save you some face."

Although Kong Ne was trembling with fear, all he could do at this moment was wail miserably, "Your subject obeys the decree."

Just then, a member of the Censorate stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Duke Yansheng is a literary master of the nation. If he is dismissed in this way, it will be difficult to convince the people!"

Zhu Yunying smiled as he looked at the official from the Censorate. He wasn't sure whether this was helping him or the Confucius family. Their actions were truly laughable; they held Confucius in the highest esteem.

Naturally, the bloodline of Confucius was also highly valued. Of course, these people were acting out of their own interests; they hoped to align themselves with the views of the scholar-officials, as it concerned their own well-being.

Zhu Yunying looked at the unnamed official and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh? In your opinion, should I personally preside over the trial? Or, to be more straightforward, issue an imperial edict so that the whole world knows what good deeds the Kong family has done?"

The officials of the Censorate were getting anxious, but they still tried to hold on, saying, "Your Majesty, this matter concerns the bloodline of the Holy One, and cannot be taken lightly!"

Well, this isn't about Kong Ne's treatment; what this person cares about is the continuation of the Duke Yansheng's bloodline. For these people, it wouldn't be so bad to have someone else become the Duke Yansheng; at most, he'd just be a Duke Yansheng who could speak for the gentry.

Kong Ne was a representative of their interests, but whether the next Duke Yansheng could become a representative of the gentry was hard to say. For these people, they were not only officials of the Ming Dynasty, but also needed to consider the interests of their families.

Zhu Yunying chuckled and said sarcastically, "Very well, I will do as you say, and this matter will be tried in the Mingtang Hall. The Duke Yansheng and the members of the Kong clan will also be dealt with according to the law. Whether it is an insult to scholarship or a disgrace to the Sage's reputation, then so be it!"

Kong Ne was even more miserable, and when he wanted to say something more, Zhu Yunying wouldn't give him the chance.

Zhu Yunying, seemingly backing down, said again, "Kong Ne is unworthy of being a first-rank official, and this case also involves him. He should be temporarily dismissed from his post and sent to the Dali Temple for trial."

Suddenly, the civil and military officials in the court were filled with panic, especially the civil officials, who felt a sense of unease in an instant.

They originally intended to plead for leniency, hoping to "make a big problem into a small one, and a small problem into nothing." They hoped to give Kong Ne and the Kong clan a chance to "escape," but this matter now seems to have exceeded their expectations.

The emperor, seizing the opportunity, immediately opened a court hearing for the case, intending to thoroughly humiliate Confucius and the sage.

Even as officials continued to plead for leniency, Zhu Yunying remained resolute. This matter could not be glossed over; it had to be thoroughly investigated and treated as a major case!

Just then, a group of Imperial Guards rushed excitedly into the hall, shouting, "Your Majesty, a great victory! The General Who Subdues the Barbarians has been ordered to lead the expedition and has utterly defeated Ugchihashha of the Oirat tribe, killing three thousand and capturing one thousand! Ugchihashha has been beheaded!"

Zhu Yunying jumped up excitedly and urged urgently, "Quickly send the military report! Where is the messenger?!"

Wang Chengen hurriedly descended the imperial steps, and at the same time, the messenger of the Eastern Route Army outside the main hall was also hurriedly brought into the main hall.

Zhu Yunying was delighted upon seeing it; it was his brother-in-law, Xu Zengshou. This man was also one who would go down in history. Although he was originally Zhu Yunwen's trusted confidant, serving as a bodyguard and holding the high-ranking position of Left Commander-in-Chief of the Right Army, he secretly passed messages to the rebellious Zhu Di. When Zhu Di's army entered Jin Chuan Gate and the Jianwen Emperor was about to commit suicide by fire, Xu Zengshou was killed under the eaves of the Right Shun Gate.

Because Xu Zengshou's elder sister was Zhu Di's wife, he betrayed Zhu Yunwen and chose to secretly serve Zhu Di. Although he died, he became the first meritorious official to be posthumously granted a title after Zhu Di ascended the throne, and was granted the title of Duke of Dingguo, with his descendants inheriting the title.

This resulted in two Dukes from the Xu family, although Xu Huizu was under house arrest until his death. After all, Xu Huizu was always loyal to Zhu Yunwen and showed no mercy when it came to sending troops to attack the rebel Zhu Di.

Of course, those were historical events, and such things no longer exist. Because the one sitting on the dragon throne is Zhu Yunying, also known as Zhu Yunwen, the Prince of Xu, who could never have any connection to the dragon throne in his entire life.

"Your Majesty, the General Who Pacifies the Barbarians has decisively defeated the Tatar vanguard, with a battle formation of three thousand!"

Xu Zengshou was extremely excited. Although his elder brother had been training troops and occasionally led expeditions, those were only minor skirmishes. This was Xu Huizu's first time commanding a large army on his own, and it was a major battle.

Zhu Yunying looked at the military report and laughed heartily, "Good! Good! The General Who Subdues the Barbarians has rendered meritorious service! I await the General's further achievements!"

But then Zhu Yunying became worried and quickly asked, "How is Second Brother?"

Xu Zengshou was slightly saddened, but he immediately reported, "The Commander-in-Chief's troops fought valiantly and lured the enemy deep into their territory. Almost all of his troops were killed in battle! The Commander-in-Chief himself was hit by nine arrows and his body is crippled. I'm afraid he can no longer serve His Majesty!"

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