Little Zhu then spoke up, "Your Majesty, Father is still kneeling..."
"Then you should kneel down too. After all, you are the Crown Prince of our Great Ming Dynasty." Old Zhu laughed, his smile full of kindness. "The Crown Prince is filial, but your father is incompetent, which has caused you to suffer as well."
The officials dared not raise their heads, but Zhu Yunying did. He raised his head from his knees and saw the old Zhu's smiling face. At that moment, Zhu Yunying understood that what the young Zhu had just said wasn't something the old Zhu had taught him; it was the young Zhu's own heartfelt opinion.
Not only was Old Zhu happy, but Little Zhu was happy too. Even a naughty child eventually grows up, which is clearly a good thing.
Old Zhu glanced at Little Zhu and smiled. Then, looking at Little Zhu who had taken a few steps and knelt to the side, his eyes were filled with undisguised doting, which made Little Zhu's heart ache.
"Shuangquan, get the Crown Prince a soft cushion," Old Zhu said at this moment. "The Crown Prince has done nothing wrong and shouldn't be kneeling. As for the others, kneel down obediently. You people can only kneel and listen to my reprimand!"
Alright, at this point, it's best not to say or think about anything. Just kneel here obediently and listen to the instructions. That's the most correct attitude.
Zhu sat on the dragon throne, his physique appearing majestic once more. "I was originally a commoner, but bandits and traitors rose up, and warlords vied for power, seizing control of prefectures and counties. I was chosen by my subordinates to raise an army to quell the rebellion and take the empire from the hands of these warlords."
Zhu Yunying looked up at Old Zhu, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration. Even though Zhu Yunying knew Old Zhu's background and experiences all too well, and had heard many of his stories more than once or twice, he still made no attempt to hide his admiration for Old Zhu.
Especially after becoming emperor and controlling the vast land, Zhu Yunying understood even more how difficult it was to be an emperor. Not only was conquering the country difficult, but governing it was even more difficult.
Old Zhu also saw Little Zhu, and merely glared at his beloved grandson's expression. Although he undoubtedly doted on his great-grandson the most now, it didn't mean Old Zhu didn't care about his precious grandson.
"Although I have abdicated, I still know about the affairs of the court and the world," Old Zhu said slowly. "Why did we abolish Mongol clothing, establish separate examinations for the North and South, and move the capital to Beiping? With the decline of China, have you all forgotten that you are Han Chinese?"
At this point, the civil and military officials dared not raise their heads, but could only plead guilty, "Your subjects deserve ten thousand deaths!"
Old Zhu snorted coldly and said, "Are you afraid to raise an army because you can't afford the pay, or because you're afraid of losing soldiers and generals?! You're all calculating trivial matters, spouting righteousness while doing the most unrighteous things!"
After saying this, Old Zhu flicked his sleeves and angrily rebuked, "If you ask me, why don't we, the Great Ming, just give up the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun and follow the Southern Song's example of clinging to a corner of the country, waiting for foreign tribes to ravage us! You talk about benevolence and morality, but you don't even understand such basic principles. You've read so many books, but they've all gone to waste!"
Old Zhu was very angry, but the show was over. "Your Highness, help me back."
Little Zhu immediately got up and helped Old Zhu slowly walk down the imperial steps. The old man and the young man left Fengtian Hall just like that.
Although Zhu Yuanzhang had left, all the civil and military officials still felt breathless, and many were drenched in sweat.
Now that Old Zhu has left, Young Zhu can finally stand up and speak with more confidence. Perhaps in some people's eyes, this might mean the emperor is furious, since he has just been severely reprimanded and is certainly in a bad mood.
Zhu Yunying glanced at the kneeling, respectful civil and military officials and said slowly, "As for reason, we don't need to explain any reasoning to you now. I think you all understand."
"You should all know the state of the nation's finances and provisions," Zhu Yunying said coldly, his voice now carrying a greater air of authority. "Remember this well: our Great Ming Dynasty is not only about pursuing the fleeing enemy and expelling the Tartars, but also about upholding the legitimate Han Chinese lineage!"
The Ming Dynasty must send troops now. The attitude of the two emperors has been made clear without any attempt to conceal it. Anyone who has other thoughts at this point will only be digging their own grave.
At this point, if someone dares to oppose sending troops, it's hard to say whether they can maintain their position in the court. But one thing is certain: they will inevitably become a traitor!
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