“Shouldn’t Your Majesty be well-dressed and well-fed?
Why is the food not as good as what we eat?”
"This... I'm afraid I have misunderstood Your Majesty! Your Majesty has lived a much more miserable life than the rest of us!"
…
Woohoo!
For a moment, all the scholars present started to cry. The people in the imperial kitchen kept serving them dishes, and finally a dish of fried pork with fungus was served!
"Meat! There is actually meat in this!"
One person said in shock.
"What's the surprise?
Your Majesty only eats meat once every half a month. If you eat the meat today, Your Majesty will not be able to eat a piece of meat for the next two to three months!"
The person in the imperial dining room said.
What!
Your Majesty saved the meat that he had eaten for two or three months for these literati to eat!
Woohoo!
For a time, the people here were crying even harder. Emperor Chongzhen was hiding behind, feeling so proud in his heart that a small trick could make people cry. After today, everyone in the world will know that he is very frugal!
In fact, before Lin Fan expelled the slaves and killed Li Zicheng, Emperor Chongzhen was a vegetarian every day, and sometimes he could only eat bran vegetables.
However, Emperor Chongzhen's food later returned to the previous standard. I didn't expect that he would move these people to this point by deliberately making these people vegetarian today!
"Your Majesty, after these people go out, they will definitely praise you greatly."
Wang Chengen said with a smile.
"Haha! I don't want these people to praise me, but I want them to block my mouth with their own mouths."
Emperor Chongzhen said with a smile.
After these people went out, they praised themselves fiercely. However, when news came out that they had all been dismissed from their honors, they would not say anything bad about the emperor.
As for who will take the blame then, that is not something Emperor Chongzhen needs to consider.
Two hours later, the group of scholars reluctantly left because it was the food given to them by Emperor Chongzhen, so all of them had eaten.
The next day, the news spread that His Majesty was poor and ate chaffy vegetables every day, and it only took two days for the news to spread throughout the Ming Dynasty.
"kindness?
what's the situation?
When that old guy from Chongzhen used to eat chaffy vegetables, no one told him about it, so how come he now eats chicken, duck and fish all the time, but some people tell him about it?"
Lin Fan said speechlessly.
"His Royal Highness, according to the information that I discovered yesterday, it seems that His Majesty met these people in the Wenhua Palace and invited them to a vegetarian banquet."
Song Xiaofeng said in a deep voice.
"Well! This actually happened. It seems that old guy is quite good at winning people's hearts."
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
Lin Fan just thought for a moment and thought about what Emperor Chongzhen did yesterday. Song Xiaofeng said again: "Your Highness, what should we do next?"
"Whatever you have to do, do it. No matter what, no one mentions the simplified Chinese characters anymore. However, the reputation of being a scholar must be abolished."
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
Song Xiaofeng originally thought that if this matter got too big and no one mentioned the simplified Chinese characters, Lin Fan would just let it go. After all, taking a step back is the best result.
Who would have thought that Lin Fan would not take a step back, but would still want to eliminate those people's reputations.
"Your Highness, after those people saw Your Majesty, Your Majesty beheaded all the officials of the Ministry of Rites in Nanjing City. It was even reported that the literati had committed suicide. If anyone dares to exceed their authority, they will be beheaded!"
Song Xiaofeng said in a deep voice.
"As long as the person who did this is fine, then it will be fine. Now go to the Ministry of Rites and ask them to issue a new proclamation as soon as possible, so that all scholars in the world will be deprived of their reputation!"
Lin Fan said in a deep voice.
Song Xiaofeng accepted the order and hurried to the Ministry of Rites. At this time, Xue Bingtian was leading the officials of the Ministry of Rites to discuss what to do next.
"Alas! I thought that the Ministry of Rites in Nanjing City could hold on for a few more days, but I didn't expect that after His Majesty learned about it, he directly issued an order to kill them all!"
"This matter is a bit big! The officials over there don't listen to His Majesty's orders very much. I'm worried that the matter will cause trouble in the capital!"
"Master Xue, you should discuss this matter with His Highness the Crown Prince. It would be best to ask His Highness the Crown Prince to send someone to carry out the death penalty for the officials of Nanjing City!"
"That's right! If the officials over there are alive, there is a possibility that this matter will be exposed. If we are found out, we will be the ones who die!"
…
Xue Bingtian frowned as he listened to what the people around him said. He was also worried that the matter would be exposed. After all, he was the Minister of Rites. If anything happened, he would be blamed on him.
Just when Xue Bingtian was in a dilemma, Song Xiaofeng came and told him that Lin Fan asked him to issue a proclamation now to rid the world of literati.
"This! If we do this, once things get serious, the entire Etiquette Department will suffer!"
Xue Bingtian said in a deep voice.
"Master Xue, His Highness the Crown Prince said that as long as the person who issued the message is okay, then it is okay. Just do whatever you are asked to do. His Highness the Crown Prince will be responsible for everything!"
Song Xiaofeng said in a deep voice.
Xue Bingtian was stunned after hearing this. The person who issued the proclamation was okay, that means it was okay. They were the ones who issued the proclamation. His Royal Highness wanted to protect them!
Since His Highness the Crown Prince is backing them, they don't have to be afraid of anything else!
"Yes! Please tell His Highness the Crown Prince, little brother, we will definitely handle this matter beautifully!"
After Xue Bingtian said this, he asked someone to prepare a statement.
The next day, messages from the Ministry of Rites were posted everywhere. This time, it was not 300 people who were punished, but all the literati!
"It's the Ministry of Rites over there in Nanjing City again!"
"Are they going crazy?
Your Majesty has ordered them to be beheaded, but they still dare to do this. They want to fight against His Majesty to the end!"
"Crazy! They are completely crazy!"
"Let's go to His Majesty now and let His Majesty make the decision for us!"
"Everyone, let me tell you that His Majesty has already ordered that all the people over there be beheaded. They still dare to do this. It is clear that they are not afraid of Your Majesty!"
"If we go to see His Majesty at this time, it will undoubtedly cause trouble for His Majesty. What we should do now is to go to Nanjing City and make the officials of the Ministry of Rites there obey the law!"
"Yes! We should unite and go to Nanjing City!"
For a time, all the literati and nobles headed towards the city of Nanjing.
At this time, in Nanjing City, the Ministry of Rites was surrounded by people!
"Hmph! You bastards, get out of here. How dare you deprive me of my honor? Who are you?"
"Brothers! Let's smash this Ministry of Etiquette, pull out all those people, and beat them to death!"
"Yes! These people who only know how to eat but not do anything should have been beaten to death long ago!"
The literati were indignant and resentful, and the people from the Ministry of Rites called in the garrison from the city, but they could not stop these people.