silence!

There was silence in Wuying Hall.

The chamberlains and eunuchs had low eyebrows and did not dare to listen to a word, but Wei Zhongxian and Wang Tiqian had the saddest faces. They were right next to Zhu Youxiao and Zhang Haogu, and they couldn't even run away.

Zhu Youxiao looked at Zhang Haogu opposite, his expression unchanged: "Answer me, Master.

Zhang Haogu bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the new army naturally belongs to your Majesty."

"The original intention of my ministers in training the new army for Your Majesty is to train a strong army that is loyal to Your Majesty and loyal to the imperial court."

"Therefore, the new army belongs to His Majesty and the imperial court."

Zhu Youxiao leaned back and smiled: "So, I and the imperial court are not the same thing?"

Zhang Haogu said: "Your Majesty, the court naturally respects you, but the court must also follow rules and regulations when doing things, especially those involving

As for military and state affairs; the only major state affairs are sacrifice and military affairs. Why is your majesty hiding such an important matter from your ministers?"

Zhu Youxiao's expression changed, he sat up straight and looked at Zhang Haogu and laughed angrily: "Hide it from Master?"

"Oh, this word of concealment is really used very well."

"Do I have to discuss everything in this world with Master?"

"In the five years since the Apocalypse, I have entrusted all military and state affairs to Master. Is it because I no longer trust Master?"

"But what is the result of my trust in Master? The new army doesn't even obey my will!"

"In this world, is it mine or whose?"

"I am the emperor!"

Zhang Haogu straightened up and replied firmly: "Your Majesty naturally does not need to discuss everything with your ministers. In the whole world, your Majesty is the only one who can dominate and bring blessings."

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and the world belongs to Your Majesty, but this world belongs to all the people in the world!"

"The imperial court belongs to your majesty, but the imperial court also serves the people of the world. As a member of the imperial court, I naturally cannot sit back and watch your majesty do this."

Zhu Youxiao nodded, with a look of astonishment on his face: "Ah, I understand. In the final analysis, in Master's opinion, I am not as important as the rest of the world."

With that said, Zhu Youxiao pointed outside the palace, and then pointed at himself: "Then I ask Master, when the people rebelled, did Master stand with the rebellious people, or did he stand with me?"

Zhang Haogu took a deep breath and asked helplessly: "Your Majesty, what is disobedience to the people and what is obedience to the people?" Zhu Youxiao pointed to the southwest and drank:

"Aren't the 500,000 people who rebelled in Ershu a mob? A rebel against the people?"

Zhang Haogu did not hesitate and said loudly: "If the so-called obedient people have to endure exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, allow themselves to be oppressed by corrupt officials, be ordered around by lawless powerful people, have no control over their lives, are confused, and work all day long, they cannot even meet the needs of one person in the family." , even if the family is destroyed, the wife and children are scattered, they still have to sell themselves into slavery to the powerful and gentry to use up the last bit of their blood and sweat."

"I would rather hope that there are no such obedient people in the Ming Dynasty, and there are no such obedient people in the world."

Zhu Youxiao's voice suddenly rose, and he leaned forward to look at Zhang Haogu: "So, it's my fault? It's my fault.

Do you owe the people?"

Zhang Haogu sighed and said: "Your Majesty! The people's requirements are very simple. They have enough to eat, a house to shelter from the wind and rain, family reunions, and a change of clothes for the children during the New Year and festivals, so that the children can be safe. Grow up and have a family."

"Isn't the purpose of the imperial court's existence just to fulfill the wishes of all people in the world?"

"The fault of Sichuan and Sichuan is not your Majesty's fault. It is the fault of the King of Shu and the corrupt officials of Sichuan and Sichuan. Why should your Majesty let them pass it by?"

Zhu Youxiao also regained his composure at this time, leaned back again, and said in a playful voice: "I am the emperor, the world belongs to me, all the people are my subjects, and the officials are also my ministers."

"If they make a mistake, it means that I have made a mistake. If the ministers make a mistake, it is the king's fault. I am right in saying this.

Right?" Zhang Haogu shook his head: "My lord, I don't mean that."

"But that's what you all think."

Zhu Youxiao said coldly.

"They say the world belongs to me, it belongs to me, but what I can really do is

What does the Lord have? All people have demands and officials have demands.

Please, merchants, gentry, powerful students, who have no selfish motives and no demands? If I don’t follow their wishes, I will be a coward and tyrant.

Okay, so what’s the difference between me and a puppet?”

After saying that, Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but stand up, pointed at Zhang Haogu and said with a smile: "If I can't meet Master's requirements, I'm afraid Master will

You all think that I am an ignorant and ignorant king, right?"

As soon as these words came out, Wang Tiqian and Wei Zhongxian knelt down on the ground. The servants and eunuchs in the outer palace were trembling even more and did not dare to speak out.

Zhang Haogu's heart trembled: "Your Majesty! Justice is in the heart of the people. What your Majesty has done is seen by all the people in the world, including the scholars and merchants, and even other countries. No one can deny your majesty's achievements. "

Zhu Youxiao waved his sleeves and turned his back to look at the map of the Ming Dynasty behind him: "Whatever they say, whether they are a coward or a tyrant, I don't care."

"I know what the cause of the incident in the southwest is, but this matter cannot be spread. This matter is related to the dignity of the royal family and the face of the court. I cannot allow this kind of news to spread. So, master, do you understand?"

Zhang Haogu nodded and tried to maintain his calmness: "This is why Your Majesty kept it secret from me."

Zhu Youxiao's voice had a hint of coldness: "That's right! I am the emperor, and I hold the power of the world, taking life and death. Since all the people in the world are my subjects, they must naturally serve me."

"Not to mention what I have done over the years, but now, I need tens of thousands of lives to maintain the majesty of the royal family and the court. The majesty of the court cannot be lost, and the face of the royal family cannot be lost. The lives of tens of thousands of people are enough to shock the world. , As for the others, I will not kill them, but will only send them to join the army in Liaodong, where they will serve in front of the army. When I conquer Liaodong, I will naturally let them go back.

Now that I have revealed the reason to Master, does Master have anything else to say?"

Zhang Haogu was stunned for a moment, and finally said: "My lord, I have nothing to say. I congratulate your majesty, and I would like to congratulate your majesty."

Zhu Youxiao turned around and looked at Zhang Haogu: "Master, what do you want to congratulate me for?"

Zhang Haogu leaned over and said, "Of course His Majesty He has understood that destiny is selfish and the emperor is still alone."

Zhu Youxiao narrowed his eyes slightly: "Master, is there anything else you can teach me?"

Zhang Haogu shook his head: "I have nothing more to teach Your Majesty."

Zhu Youxiao nodded and then sat on the dragon chair: "Then, regarding the Sichuan-Sichuan matter, please ask Master to send an official letter from the cabinet to the counter-rebellion army, instructing them to handle it quickly according to the angel's order."

Zhang Haogu smiled: "Your Majesty, I still say what I said, the world belongs to your Majesty and also belongs to the people of the world.

The destiny of heaven is selfish. Your Majesty holds great power and can kill anyone, but I do not have to obey the imperial edict."

Zhu Youxiao's expression finally changed. He stared at Zhang Haogu, looking at the chief assistant of the Ming Dynasty in front of him who was wearing a python suit and a seven-beam black sand crown. His voice gradually became cold: "So, Master is planning to Are you going to rebel against me for the sake of the tens of thousands of people in the southwest?"

Zhang Haogu bowed and said: "I will not disobey Your Majesty, but I cannot ignore the lives of tens of thousands of people."

Zhu Youxiao was a little puzzled: "What I did was wrong? What did I do wrong? Why should I ask Master to teach me?"

Zhang Haogu shook his head and said slowly: "Your Majesty is certainly not wrong. Everything your Majesty does is in line with the way to be a king. It can even be said that what your Majesty has learned is a collection of the achievements of emperors throughout the past and present. Your Majesty is naturally right."

"Then why didn't Master obey the imperial edict?"

Zhu Youxiao asked again.

Zhang Haogu smiled: "From His Majesty's point of view, it is naturally right. Even for the court, Your Majesty is right, but for those tens of thousands of innocent people, Your Majesty is wrong."

Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but ask: "How can this royal face and the majesty of the court be inferior to tens of thousands of common people?"

Zhang Haogu said: "When your Majesty asked this question, your Majesty has already put the royal family and the court in opposition to the people of the world. Your Majesty, the people of the world and the royal court, everyone can decide for themselves what is more important."

"oh"

Zhu Youxiao nodded suddenly, "I understand, I understand."

"In the final analysis, I still don't understand Master well enough."

"Master, in your eyes, those rebellious mobs are more important than me, right?"

Zhang Haogu sighed again: "Your Majesty, how innocent are the people of Sichuan and Shu? They have been oppressed and bullied by the king of Shu and corrupt officials. They endured the separation of their wives, the destruction of their families, and the death of people in their families.

The roots and bark of the grass and trees in Chengdu Prefecture were all eaten up, but they never thought of rebelling."

"If the King of Shu hadn't continued to oppress harshly and the people were desperate, why would they rebel?"

"Even if they rebelled, they did not attack other people, let alone attack the imperial county. They even just surrounded Chengdu Mansion, as long as the King of Shu gave them an explanation."

"Even if you are rebelling, you are so cautious, fearful, and respectful. Don't you think, Your Majesty, that the people of Sichuan and Sichuan are too pitiful?"

"What's more, it is the King of Shu and the corrupt officials in Sichuan and Shu who have forced the people to rebel. They have violated the majesty of the court and the laws of the country. They should be punished according to the law.

Furthermore, it is the fault of the minister, the chief minister of the cabinet, and not His Majesty."

"If you want to make a mistake, it should be due to my negligence."

"What's more, His Majesty announced in his previous decree that the people should be released to absolve them of their crimes, and then issued a secret decree to execute the people. The entire imperial court is majestic. Don't you think that your Majesty has both sides?"

Zhu Youxiao looked at Zhang Haogu: "Master is still as bold as ever."

Zhang Haogu said respectfully: "Is there anything I dare not do in front of His Majesty?

What did you say?"

"I can't just watch tens of thousands of people die in such a confused way, let alone watch those hungry and trembling people walking to Liaodong to die."

"There are new troops to fight the war, so why bother using these innocent people on the front line? Even if they are just used as laborers, how many people will survive after a war?"

"This matter is different from what I believe. Naturally, I cannot just sit back and watch."

Zhu Youxiao praised: "Master's philosophy is indeed noble. The New Party and Datong Academy have always followed Master's philosophy, right? What is the so-called world harmony?"

Zhang Haogu said: "This is the ideal of ministers, and everything they do is for the world."
To be continued...