Zhu Yuanzhang thought that what he said was the last word and Hu Weiyong should not be able to refute it.
However, Hu Weiyong slowly shook his head and said: "No, it's not like that. I am the prime minister, the head of the ministers, and my son is the son of the ministers. His life is different from that of ordinary people. What's more, he didn't kill people with his own hands or deal with his slaves.
Then a small amount of compensation will be enough."
Zhu Yuanzhang was dumbfounded: "According to what you said, he can do as much evil as he wants without worrying about being held accountable. Anyway, someone below will take the blame for him?"
"Is this what our prime minister thinks?" He said with deep disappointment, "This is what our prime minister actually thinks!"
"Let me ask the superior, if your son killed someone, would you let him pay for it with his life?" Hu Weiyong asked quietly.
"..." After one sentence, Zhu Yuanzhang fell into silence.
"Look, it's your turn, so there's no such thing as killing someone to pay for life." Hu Weiyong laughed sarcastically and said:
"This is human nature, you are in a high position! After nine deaths, you conquered the world, and finally became a noble, and your descendants will also become nobles. Why should you be bound by the law like ordinary people?"
"Tianhuang nobles must also be bound by the law..." Zhu Yuanzhang said slowly.
"No, the law is made by the officials to restrain the subjects. It would be stupid to keep it in a cocoon!" Hu Weiyong raised his voice and said: "From ancient times to the present, the emperor's family has the privilege of not being restricted by the law, so there is no need to rise to the top.
Sorry, just admit it openly!"
"Don't go off topic." Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and said, "Should the Tian family have special privileges? What does it have to do with you?"
"Of course it does matter. You didn't conquer the world by yourself. Nor can you survive alone!" Hu Weiyong said loudly: "When we conquered the world, everyone contributed, so why should we conquer the world?"
Only your family can enjoy the privileges, and everyone can just watch?"
"When you are in the world, you still have to rely on civil and military generals to rule the country and bring peace to the world. They are not slaves of your old Zhu family. They don't do it for promotion and wealth, and they don't do it to enjoy privileges. Why should they go through life and death for you and work like cattle and horses for you?"
"..." This was the first time that someone dared to speak so directly to Zhu Yuanzhang. He gave him a naked analysis of the interest relationships wrapped up in the monarch and his ministers.
Zhu Yuanzhang finally understood why emperors after the Han Dynasty mostly chose Confucian scholars instead of grammarians. These people were too realistic, too utilitarian, and unbearable.
After being silent for a while, he exhaled a long breath and said:
"Let me admit that I didn't have any great ambitions at that time. I joined the army and rebelled because I had no way to survive. Later, when I became big, I also wanted to win and become the emperor. It's all nonsense to say that I wanted to save the world." Zhu Yuanzhang said frankly:
"In the first few years when we became emperor, we were always confused and couldn't figure out why God made a cowherd boy become emperor. But we just couldn't stand those old brothers being arrogant and enclosing land.
, bully men, dominate women, and abuse the people."
"Every time someone complains to us, we feel itchy with hatred. We just wonder, what is the difference between this Ming Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty that killed my family?"
"I don't want my Ming Dynasty to turn into the Yuan Dynasty that I hate so much. In that case, I will have no face to see my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law, my sister, my sister, my brother, my nephew...
And Dahai and his brothers who died in battle. For them, no, absolutely not!"
Speaking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes became as firm as iron. "Since ancient times, there has been no precedent for a cowherd boy to become an emperor. Since God has set this precedent, I think he wants me to be a different emperor!"
"It's not that we don't want to share the world with scholar-officials, it's that we don't want to share the world with scholar-officials like you who are corrupt, pervert the law, and oppress the people. If the existence of privileges will eventually turn the Ming Dynasty into the Yuan Dynasty, then no one should have privileges!"
"We were negligent in the past, thank you for reminding us." As he spoke, he looked at Hu Weiyong and said word by word: "Let me put my words here today. If my son commits murder and arson in the future, we will not spare him."
!”
"Then why bother?" Hu Weiyong couldn't help but frown:
"Even if you can really kill your relatives for justice, then your children and grandchildren will become emperors? How can they be as inhumane as you?"
"We will set the ancestral precepts so that future generations will not violate them!" Zhu Yuanzhang said decisively: "Now you have nothing to say, right?"
"The emperor said so, I really have nothing to say." Hu Weiyong's entire rhetoric is based on the argument that the emperor's son kills people without repaying his life. Once such cruel words are said, no matter whether Boss Zhu can do what he said in the future, today's
He couldn't even get the upper hand in the conversation.
"However, I still don't believe that the emperor of your old Zhu family can be honest and obedient."
"We have passed down the empire to him. If he doesn't listen to us, he will not be able to become the emperor." Zhu Yuanzhang said coldly: "Since you are convinced, why don't you explain your accomplices? You are not a good person.
"As long as more people accompany you to death, you won't be lonely on the road to hell."
"Yes, that's what the emperor said." Hu Weiyong nodded and said seriously: "Then the guilty minister will be punished."
"speak."
"Didn't the guilty minister just say that all the nobles, civil servants, gentry, and the entire scholarly community, and those who have lost their privileges in the world are my accomplices?" Hu Weiyong laughed nervously and said: "Your Majesty, go and get me
Catch them all and kill them all, don’t let any of them go!”
"Extremely evil and stubborn!" Zhu Yuanzhang's face turned into a shoehorn, and he laughed angrily: "I take back what I said at the beginning, you are a great hero, and we will give you a man worthy of being a hero.
Way to die."
"What way to die?" Hu Weiyong asked with a smile.
"Don't you love to laugh? Then let me laugh you to death." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand: "I can still keep a whole body, so that you don't have to go to the Lord of Hell and complain that we don't treat the minister favorably. Take him down!"
"Hahaha, thank you, Your Majesty. I like this way of death very much." Hu Weiyong used all his strength to kowtow to Zhu Yuanzhang while carrying the 80 kilograms of shackles.
Then he stood up with the help of the knife-wielding fellow, turned around and said with a big smile: "I am waiting for the emperor under the Nine Springs. Then I will be as confident as I am now!"
"Don't worry, we will always be righteous!" Zhu Yuanzhang said solemnly: "Oh, by the way, there is something else I haven't told you."
"What's the matter?" Hu Weiyong asked.
"Forget it, let her tell you later." Zhu Yuanzhang felt that he couldn't say the words, so he changed the content and said:
"Starting from tomorrow, there will be no prime minister in the Ming Dynasty. You will become the last prime minister and will be infamy for thousands of years."
"Hahaha, it's not bad if you can't be famous for eternity, but be infamy for eternity." Hu Weiyong burst out laughing, then couldn't help but ask: "Then who will be in charge of Zhongshu Province?"
"There is no Zhongshu Province anymore. The power of Zhongshu is divided into six departments, and the six departments report directly to us." Zhu Yuanzhang said solemnly.
"Hahaha, the emperor will die from exhaustion!" Hu Weiyong laughed and said, "It seems that the time for us to meet again will be much earlier."
"Don't worry, we are in good health and will never die from exhaustion." Zhu Yuanzhang withdrew his gaze indifferently and continued to deal with his government affairs. Damn, he was indeed much busier than usual.
