Chapter 2: Prince, You Must Die

Under such pressure from the officials, feeling distressed, Zhu Youxu repeatedly said

"Those with the surname Chen, what exactly are you all plotting with the king's full approval?"

The chaotic scene in front of the ancestral hall caught Zhu Guoqiang's eye. Observing the behavior of his relatives, he could not help but touch his throat, which was somewhat sore from inhaling too much smoke and dust

Such a simple principle is not understood by anyone; one by one, they are truly raised like pigs.

Amidst the chaotic crowd, the voice of the middle-aged man dressed in a black royal robe can be heard; it seems that this fellow is indeed the King of De, the very "true self" of his father.

It is just that you all let the king be completely righteous, why don't you go and die first yourselves

Your Majesty, this matter is absolutely unacceptable. You are a descendant of the Great Emperor and a member of the royal family of our Ming Dynasty. How can we surrender to the Eastern barbarians? I implore Your Majesty to uphold righteousness!

Ladies and gentlemen, do not act in this manner, do not act in this manner, I have already made my decision...

Upon hearing his words, many of those kneeling in the courtyard had their eyes light up, as they all perceived a chance for survival in what he had said

That's all, that's all

Great King of Benevolence and Righteousness

Descendants are unfilial, descendants are unfilial

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Changgeng, the long-standing official of the Wangfu beside him, spoke repeatedly

Each and every one of them is a pig

Indeed, I see that each of you harbors ulterior motives. Are you not plotting under the guise of serving the great king? You are eager to flatter and serve as sycophants!

Your Highness

This is not the reasoning behind it

Fearing that these officials would disrupt the royal family's chance of survival, they immediately surrounded them and shouted at Chen Changgeng and the others

Staring at the medicinal wine in the bowl, Zhu Youxu repeatedly waved his hand and said

The eunuch standing by the door bowed slightly and spoke softly upon seeing the king emerge

Hey, Chen, you speak so nicely, but do you even realize you are a subject? Is there a minister who forces the sovereign to drink poison like this? Is this how a minister behaves?

Although he is not well-versed in the history of the Ming Dynasty, he has gained some understanding of this period thanks to an old fellow who animatedly spoke of "capturing 460,000 people and livestock." Even if he were to miraculously escape the city, it would not necessarily mean he could evade the massacre by the Qing army outside in this frigid weather.

The city has fallen

Continuously bowing towards the ancestral tablet, the sound of the bows echoed with a 'thud', and shocking bloodstains gradually appeared on the hard floor tiles. Listening to the sounds of kneeling coming from that direction, those outside could not help but wipe away their tears, and the courtyard was already filled with kneeling individuals.

Your Highness, the king has made up his mind. I implore you to hurry and escape with me while there is still a chance!

There is no opportunity at all

Please grant the king full righteousness

My lord, the old servant has already prepared the medicinal wine

If this group of people could be relied upon, even a sow could climb a tree

After holding out for a full sixty days, the city of Jinan has ultimately fallen

If you don't leave soon...

As the words of the long official fell, over a dozen local officials over there simultaneously held their tablets and bowed in greeting

Now that the city of Jinan has fallen, the Qing army will undoubtedly massacre the city. If Your Majesty were to intervene and offer the city in exchange for peace, would it not ensure the safety of their lives

Your Majesty, the city has fallen, and the traitors are advancing towards the royal city...

Oh, oh, it has broken... I can no longer hold on.

The Qing army entered the frontier, leaving a hundred thousand corpses behind

Among the relatives kneeling in the courtyard, someone immediately shouted loudly

Medicinal liquor

Since the city has fallen, Your Majesty, we, your subjects, would never dare to act recklessly; we shall certainly die with loyalty!

Before he finished speaking, he saw His Highness walk straight into the ancestral hall

For the sake of the Great Ming, for the sake of the world, Your Highness, you must die! Please, Your Majesty, for the righteousness of the Great Ming!

These two words caused Zhu Youxu's lips to tremble slightly, and his face instantly turned pale.

The general who came to report, despite being clad in armor, revealed his inner fear and unease through his pale complexion and stammering speech

Suddenly, a series of cannon sounds echoed from afar, causing Zhu Youzhu to tremble all over, and then he instructed those around him.

Zhu Youxu, kneeling before the ancestral tablet, was so overcome with emotion that he could hardly speak, especially when uttering the phrase "If I can preserve my frail body," his whole body trembled as if shaken by a sieve. In the end, he fixed his gaze on the ancestral tablet, his expression changing from time to time, and finally, he gritted his teeth and bowed his head.

Zhu Youxu found a reason for himself; it was not that he did not want to be fully righteous or did not want to sacrifice himself, but rather that he had to consider the people in the city... Yes, this king is for the common people...

Zhu Youshu, whose complexion was as pale as death, seemed to recall something. Before he could finish his words, he hurried towards the grand hall not far away. Pushing open the wooden door of the hall, he found that the hall was filled with memorial tablets, with the foremost tablet inscribed with the words "The spirit of the Great Emperor Gao, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, who opened the heavens, established the principles of governance, and embodied the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, martial prowess, and success."

The king does not hesitate to put himself in danger, solely to protect the lives of the citizens in the city, which is truly the utmost in benevolence and righteousness! The survival of the citizens in the city entirely depends on the king's noble actions

Swaying his body, Zhu Youshu walked out from the ancestral hall and looked at the dozens of people kneeling in the courtyard, all of whom were members of the De Fan clan, many of whom he did not recognize at all

Ladies and gentlemen, it is not that I am unwilling to serve the great Ming dynasty in its entirety, but rather that the city has already fallen. After the Eastern invaders breach the city, they will undoubtedly engage in widespread slaughter. My heart cannot bear to witness this; how can I sit idly by while the common people suffer at their hands? Therefore, it is for this reason that I wish to seek a way for the Eastern invaders to spare the people of Jinan

Chen Changeng, I see your face full of treachery, with hollow cheeks, resembling a treacherous minister! You must have no good intentions!

Chen Wudi's words made Zhu Guoqiang's heart tighten

Please grant the king full righteousness

To still be thinking of sacrificing the city to save one's life, one should consider whether those beasts would spare them when they slaughter the city

I, the prince, have enjoyed the sustenance provided by the people of Jinan for one hundred and seventy years. How could I bear to let the people of Jinan suffer this calamity again? Enough, enough, open the city gates, I shall go and plead with the Eastern invaders to cease the slaughter of my people in Jinan

Under the fallen nest, how can there be intact eggs

Hurry, hurry and tell the Young Master that I, I will go first...

Even in this seemingly safe little world, one can still feel the impact brought by the outside.

Seeing His Highness silent and unresponsive, Chen Wudi called out softly once more

Zhu Youxu in the courtyard looked anxiously at the columns of smoke

Indeed, what are you all thinking, daring to act against the king and forcing him to poison himself? You are mistreating the royal family, which is a great disrespect!

O ancestors, since the Yingzong conferred the title of Duke Dezhuang upon our forefather and established the fief in Jinan, it has been passed down through seven generations... Today, the traitorous Manchus have invaded Jinan. Although the unfilial descendants possess limited abilities... we must, we must not fail the High Emperor, nor fail... we do not dare to seek to preserve our insignificant lives at the cost of our duty...

Once again, a group of officials from the government bowed deeply and requested an audience.

The north wind howled, and large snowflakes danced through the sky, yet this snow was black and gray. Countless black smoke columns converged in the air, and when the snowflakes pressed down the black smoke to the ground, they transformed into black snow

Upon learning of the city's fall, the royal family of the Duke gathered here, congregating before the ancestral hall. They all appeared as if mourning their deceased parents, kneeling in the courtyard, bowing their heads in repentance.

In an instant, the area in front of the ancestral hall became chaotic. Upon hearing of a chance for survival, these idle members of the clan no longer appeared as mournful as before, as if they had lost their parents; they had only thought that they would surely die after the city fell. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, they were willing to seize it. Naturally, they were unwilling to see these officials shatter their hopes of survival

The city has fallen