If Zhou Yanru thought this way, then the gentry were naturally even angrier.
"How dare you, a mere child, speak such arrogant words?"
Someone pointed at the soldiers outside the prison cell and started cursing.
"If the Ming Dynasty doesn't rely on scholars like us, then what can it rely on? Those soldiers?"
Some people even planned to investigate Zheng Chenggong's background.
"Who is your tutor? How could they teach you such things? They are simply misleading and corrupting your students!"
Upon hearing this, Zheng Chenggong's expression darkened considerably.
"How dare you speak of Mr. Gao like that!"
The gentry exchanged glances and sneered, "What Master Gao? There's no great scholar with the surname Gao in our Great Ming Dynasty!"
"I think this is some down-on-his-luck scholar who came out of nowhere to corrupt children!"
Zheng Chenggong was furious. He raised his little finger and pointed at the gentry, his mouth agape for a long time.
But he couldn't say anything.
Although he did learn a lot from Gao Qingyun, he just couldn't swear.
No matter how much you have in your mind, if you get angry or anxious at this moment, you forget it all.
If Zhang Xianzhong were here, he would probably turn around and hurl a few curses at him.
Although Zheng Chenggong came from a family of pirates...
But by the time he was born, Zheng Yiguan had already transformed from an ordinary pirate into the Pirate King.
Zheng Chenggong was raised entirely like a rich young master, and he really didn't know how to swear.
Seeing that Zheng Chenggong was speechless, Zhou Yanru walked out with a smile.
“Hehe, you’re all wrong,” he said to the gentry.
"This young master Zheng, the Master Gao he mentioned, is the Master Gao who serves His Majesty."
These gentry were extremely well-informed and naturally knew who this Master Gao was.
Many people frowned.
"Is that the Master Gao who bewitched the emperor?"
"Hmph, no wonder this child is spouting nonsense; he's really been corrupted by others!"
These people didn't treat Gao Qingyun well.
Old Master Wang sneered:
"As the ancients said, a great teacher produces great students. No wonder a freak like Master Gao can only teach foolish disciples!"
“You guys…” Zheng Chenggong’s face turned completely red.
However, Zhou Yanru smiled at him and said, "Little Zheng, don't be angry."
"These people are all wrong."
Old Master Wang frowned: "What? Lord Zhou, are you going to speak up for that Master Gao too?"
He even became somewhat excited.
"Heh, you traitor to Donglin, you have no shame."
"That's fine, it'll give me the perfect opportunity to refute you completely."
The old man had already prepared a speech in his mind to refute Zheng Chenggong's previous statement.
We also need to properly discuss the importance of the gentry.
This time, it was Zhou Yanru's turn to sneer.
"How dare I interfere in Master Gao's affairs?"
There's no need to argue about this.
"Guards!" he shouted to the soldiers behind him, "Go to the Ministry of Justice in Jinling and bring them instruments of torture! Give them the severe punishment!"
“Master Gao is a figure respected even by His Majesty. These criminals dare to make irresponsible accusations against him, which is a grave offense of disrespect.”
"As long as you don't kill anyone, it's nothing!"
Upon hearing this, Old Master Wang was dumbfounded.
"What did you say?"
Zhou Yanru said calmly, "You old codger, it seems that not only is your brain not working properly, but your ears aren't working properly either."
"I said I'm going to subject you to severe torture."
"Do you understand now?"
Grandpa Wang's hearing was fine, of course; he just felt that something was wrong with how things were going.
Logically speaking, even if Zhou Yanru was angry, he should have had a proper debate with him.
This is what normal development should be like, right?
We are all scholars; gentlemen use words, not fists!
However, he forgot that Zhou Yanru had been severely punished by Wei Zhongxian and had witnessed the ugly behavior of the Donglin Party.
He knew better than anyone that no matter how stubborn these local gentry were, they couldn't outmaneuver the instruments of torture.
Arguing with them is a waste of time.
However, Zhou Yanru was worried that Zheng Chenggong would be unhappy.
"This child is young and probably doesn't understand these principles yet."
"Only children argue about right and wrong; in the adult world, it's all about who has the bigger fist."
He quickly lowered his head, wanting to say a few words of advice to Zheng Chenggong.
But when he looked down, he found Zheng Chenggong's eyes were full of excitement.
"Lord Zhou, you did the right thing!"
"Mr. Gao told me earlier that the weapon of criticism cannot replace the criticism of weapons."
"These bastards deserve to be severely tortured!"
Zhou Yanru's expression froze, his eyelids twitched a few times, and he thought to himself:
"What does Master Gao usually teach them?"
"However, there is some truth to what you've said."
He shook his head slightly and didn't think about it any further.
Since Zheng Chenggong's side didn't object, he didn't bother to say anything more.
Zhou Yanru led Zheng Chenggong outside and waited for him outside the prison.
Before long, the sounds of gentry crying and wailing could be heard from the prison cells.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Chenggong smiled with satisfaction.
At this point, he gradually calmed down.
"Hmph, I was so angry with them just now!"
"Actually, Mr. Gao had already told us what they were saying before, so it's really too easy to refute them."
"How come I didn't think of that just now?"
He scratched his head.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Yanru smiled inwardly.
He patted Zheng Chenggong's head and casually said:
"It's because you're too young and inexperienced."
"Did Master Gao ever tell you that preparation is the key to success, and lack of preparation leads to failure?"
"If you've never experienced arguing or debating with someone before, you naturally won't remember what you've learned when you first encounter it."
"When you get older and argue with people more often, you'll get used to it and naturally won't do it anymore."
Zheng Chenggong nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
At this moment, two Imperial Guards walked out of the prison cell.
Just now, when the soldiers went to the Ministry of Justice to get the instruments of torture, the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Nanjing also heard about this matter and immediately sent people to help.
When it comes to torture in the Ming Dynasty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard dares to claim to be number one, and only the Eastern Depot would disagree.
But after Wei Zhongxian's downfall, the Eastern Depot was already half dead.
Then the Embroidered Uniform Guard would naturally be the obvious choice.
The Imperial Guard said, "Lord Zhou, those gentry are all talk and no action, but they're incredibly spineless."
"We only used one or two of our eighteen skills, and they all cried out for mercy, and some even fainted."
"If this fight continues, I'm afraid it could lead to someone dying, you see..."
He glanced tentatively at Zhou Yanru.
“Lord Zhou, although a few people die in this prison, it’s not a big deal.”
"But if too many people die, I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain."
"Or... do you really intend to massacre them?"
Zhou Yanru shook his head.
"That's not necessary."
Although he no longer had any feelings or even sympathy for these gentry.
But he also knew that gentry were not only found in Jiangnan, but were everywhere.
If we start a massacre of the gentry in Jiangnan now, the gentry in other places will surely feel a sense of shared fate.
In recent years, the Ming Dynasty has been plagued by natural disasters and man-made calamities, and it has had to rely on these gentry to keep things afloat for the time being.
If things escalate too much and all the gentry rebel, that would be disastrous.
Zhou Yanru's eyes darted around, and he said with a smile:
"A slight punishment will suffice."
"I'll go in right away and see what they have to say!"
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