SWDnovel Chapter 120 The Final Battle at the Forbidden City!
Chapter 120 The Final Battle at the Forbidden City!
Chapter 120 The Final Battle at the Forbidden City!
Upon hearing this name, Zhu Houzhao's expression clearly did not turn out well.
This reminded him of some unpleasant things.
Depend on!
He must take many concubines in his lifetime!
Have more sons!
We absolutely cannot allow the transfer of imperial power to happen to us!
Zhu Houzhao nodded expressionlessly: "Good name. Uncle Xingwang, please sit down."
"Um, Your Majesty, let me first offer you a toast."
Zhu Youhang suddenly felt a surge of pressure and cautiously raised the wine glass in his hand.
Zhu Houzhao, with a cold face, raised his wine cup and toasted Zhu Youhang from afar, then merely touched his lips to the cup.
Zhu Houzhao's attitude changed so drastically that Zhu Youhang was completely bewildered, not understanding what he had done to displease Zhu Houzhao.
He sat down anxiously and began to reflect on his behavior since arriving in the capital, trying to figure out what he had done to offend Zhu Houzhao.
At this moment, the other princes also began to raise their cups to toast Zhu Houzhao, and Zhu Houzhao raised his cup in response to each one.
When the banquet was halfway through, Prince Ning, Zhu Chenhao, gave the other princes a wink and stood up with his wine cup in hand.
"Your Majesty, I am grateful for your grace in allowing us, the vassal kings, to come to the capital for an audience. The gathering of vassal kings from all over the country in the capital is a grand event that is rare to see in a hundred years."
"If it weren't for Your Majesty's magnanimity in granting us permission to enter the capital, I might never have been able to reunite with so many brothers, sisters, and friends in my lifetime. This cup of wine is a toast to Your Majesty's divine grace!"
Zhu Houzhao sneered inwardly at Prince Ning's hypocritical act, picked up the wine cup beside him, and raised a toast to Prince Ning from afar.
"Uncle, you flatter me. If you wish, I can summon you to the capital every year."
"Just don't be unwilling to come when the time comes."
Prince Ning was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "If Your Majesty has such a wish, this humble subject will certainly not refuse!"
"Your Majesty, I respectfully wish you good health and lasting blessings."
After Zhu Houzhao and Prince Ning drank a cup of wine, Prince Ning did not sit back down. Instead, he held the wine cup and stared straight at Zhu Houzhao.
"Your Majesty, there is something I don't understand, and I have to keep it to myself. I dare to ask Your Majesty for clarification."
Zhu Houzhao's lips curled into a cold smile. Had the Prince of Ning finally given up?
"Speak."
Prince Ning took a deep breath, looked around at the assembled princes, and said, "Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has worked diligently to govern and reform corrupt practices, and should be considered a wise and virtuous ruler."
"However, recently, a court contingent has arrived in my fiefdom, claiming to be acting on His Majesty's orders to survey all the land under heaven, including the land of our fiefdom."
"I have also heard that Your Majesty intends to abolish the tax exemption rights of the regional princes."
"Your Majesty, is this true?"
Upon hearing this, all the princes present tacitly stopped their conversation and turned their attention to Zhu Houzhao.
Only a few princes, such as Prince Qing, Prince Jing, and Prince Min, kept their heads down quietly, not daring to look directly at Zhu Houzhao.
Under the watchful eyes of numerous vassal kings, Zhu Houzhao seemed to feel no pressure whatsoever, and casually smiled, "That's right, there is such a thing."
Zhu Houzhao's frank attitude left Prince Ning and others somewhat at a loss.
He originally thought that Zhu Houzhao, in front of all the princes, would have to be mindful of the impact to save face.
But to his surprise, Zhu Houzhao made no attempt to hide it and readily admitted it.
Zhu Houzhao's attitude immediately made the expressions of the various regional princes present tense.
The Prince of Tang suddenly stood up, frowned, and asked Zhu Houzhao with a serious expression, "Does Your Majesty's action mean that Your Majesty is about to take action to weaken the power of the regional princes?!"
The Tang Emperor's words resounded like a thunderclap throughout the entire Fengtian Hall.
The hearts of the regional princes jumped into their throats, and they all held their breath, waiting for Zhu Houzhao's response.
The phrase "reducing the power of the princes" is too sensitive, as it involves the vital interests of the thirty-two princes in the Fengtian Hall.
Zhu Chongwen, who last abdicated his throne due to the policy of reducing the power of the princes, remains missing to this day.
It was precisely because the consequences of Zhu Yunwen's reduction of the power of the princes were too severe that Emperor Taizong Zhu Di personally implemented a systematic large-scale reduction of the power of the princes after he ascended the throne.
However, from then on, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty never again carried out large-scale measures to weaken the power of the princes.
The next reduction of the power of the princes would not happen until the Jiajing era, when it was implemented by Emperor Shizong Zhu Houxi.
The princes of the realm had enjoyed peace for a long time, and they did not believe that Zhu Houzhao would dare to admit to them that he intended to reduce the power of the princes.
As long as Zhu Houzhao is unwilling to admit to them that he intends to reduce the power of the princes, then the plan to remeasure the land and strip them of their tax exemptions will not be able to proceed normally!
Just as everyone was waiting for Zhu Houzhao to give a negative response, Zhu Houzhao smiled slightly and nodded.
"That's right, I intend to reduce the power of the feudal lords. Do you have any objections?"
Zhu Houzhao's blunt words left all the princes present stunned.
They stared at Zhu Houzhao in disbelief, unable to believe that these words had come from his mouth.
Zhu Houzhao truly showed no regard for the feelings of the imperial clan, and directly targeted them!
"Your Majesty! Do you truly have no regard whatsoever for the sake of the imperial family?!"
"We are all your brothers and friends! Your Majesty's actions are tantamount to fratricide, chilling the hearts of all the vassal kings!"
The Tang Emperor was pale, his eyes were bloodshot, and his hands were clenched tightly as he argued vehemently with Zhu Houzhao.
The Prince of Zhou also stood up and sternly questioned Zhu Houzhao: "Your Majesty, we are all of the same blood, why are you so eager to harm us? Does Your Majesty intend to force us vassal kings to our deaths?!"
"Your Majesty, we, the vassal kings of the realm, will absolutely not agree to the reduction of the power of the vassal states!"
The princes in various regions were indignant, but Zhu Houzhao remained cold and unmoved.
"You vassal kings have been sucking the blood and sweat of my people for so many years, and I have already shown you the utmost benevolence by forgiving yourselves for this!"
"Since Prince Ning has brought this up himself, then I'll make it clear from the outset: anyone who dares to meddle in the land survey, anyone who deliberately defaults on taxes, don't blame me for disregarding even the last shred of kinship!"
"Anyone who obstructs this will have their fiefdom revoked and their state abolished upon discovery!"
Zhu Houzhao's words were powerful and resounding, causing the princes present to change color.
"No, Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, please reconsider! After all, we are Your Majesty's uncles; we share the same blood!"
"Your Majesty, please spare our lives and spare our lives!"
"————"
Zhu Houzhao's gaze swept over the crowd and landed on Zhu Wushi, who was sitting at the lower end of the table.
"Zhu Wushi, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
Everyone immediately turned their attention to Zhu Wushi.
He was the most powerful of the princes, and all the princes were eagerly awaiting Zhu Wushi's statement.
Zhu Wushi bowed to Zhu Houzhao and said, "Your Majesty, I will obey all your orders!"
Immediately, all the vassal kings present glared angrily at Zhu Wushi.
One of them was a traitor!
Just then, two figures landed on the roof of Fengtian Hall.
The two figures, dressed in white as snow, stood at opposite ends of the bright yellow glazed tiles, facing each other.
The full moon shone brightly in the sky, and the two men, swords in hand, gazed at each other.
Meanwhile, a large number of martial arts masters had infiltrated the palace, leaped onto the rooftops, and watched the two dueling in the Fengtian Hall.
These martial arts practitioners carefully prepared to evade the palace guards when entering the palace.
But soon they discovered that the palace guards were worse than they had expected, and entering the palace was like entering an empty place.
Then, they lowered their guard. Mu Daoren, Huo Xiu, Abbess Miejue, Lu Xiaofeng and others appeared one after another, looking solemnly at the decisive battle in Fengtian Hall.
-
The two men in the Fengtian Hall drew their swords, the bright blades reflecting the lonely moonlight and radiating intense fighting spirit.
"You've arrived."
"
"I am coming."
"I knew you would come."
"I absolutely had to come."
"In this battle today, neither of us needs to hold back."
Ye Gucheng looked at Ximen Chuixue and slowly said, "If a swordsman can die under the sword of a master, wouldn't that be without regret?"
Ximen Chuixue's expression was indifferent as he spoke calmly, "Yes, tonight, whichever of us dies by the other's sword will have no regrets."
The conversation between Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue could be clearly heard by everyone inside the Fengtian Hall.
Zhu Houzhao immediately narrowed his eyes, a chill flashing within them.
At the same moment, Zhu Wushi, Cao Zhengchun, Yu Huatian, Shen Lian and others also looked solemnly at the Fengtian Hall.
Zhu Houzhao sneered, "It seems they've arrived. Let's go out and meet them."
Zhu Houzhao was the first to walk out of Fengtian Hall, followed immediately by Zhu Wushi, Cao Zhengchun, Yu Huatian and others, who guarded him.
The princes inside the Fengtian Hall naturally heard the noise from the hall and, filled with surprise and doubt, followed Zhu Houzhao out of the Fengtian Hall.
Prince Zhu Junzhang of the South took a deep breath and followed behind Zhu Houzhao with a solemn expression.
He knew that right or wrong, success or failure, all depended on this one sword strike.
Ye Gucheng raised his sword: "If I am defeated, please accept my sword; my sword will be yours."
.
Ximen Chuixue also raised his sword: "If I am defeated, please accept my sword; my sword will be yours."
Ye Gucheng: "From now on, I will never be without my sword."
Ximen Chuixue: "Never part from my sword."
The atmosphere between the two sides was extremely tense, and a major battle was imminent.
"Clap clap clap!"
Suddenly, a round of applause came from below the hall.
Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue, who were on the Fengtian Hall, turned to look at the person below the hall.
Zhu Houzhao, dressed in a dragon robe, stood beneath the Fengtian Hall, surrounded by a crowd, and looked at them with a cold smile.
"Today I'll see who dares to challenge me to a duel at the Forbidden City!"