Emperor Wanli was infuriated by Ye Xiaotian's words. His face contorted into a sinister expression, "Ye Xiaotian, your life is in Zhen's hands, yet you still dare to speak such nonsense! Don't tell me … you dare to rebel? "
"If Your Majesty wants to kill this official, this official's head will be separated from his body. This official is already dead, so how can I rebel?"
Ye Xiaotian calmly explained, then changed the topic, "However, Your Majesty should remember that the people this official brought out of the mountains have not received enough education. In their hearts, there is no imperial court or Your Majesty. As for this official, they are only grateful for the help this official has given them, so they will obey this official's orders, not because this official is the Premier of Tongren Province. So, if this official dies, this official can be sure that they will rise up in revolt for this official! "
Emperor Wanli faced the sky and laughed, "For you? Just because you want to have a woman that you shouldn't have and foolishly die, they will not hesitate to declare war against Zhen for you? Throwing an egg against a stone? "
Ye Xiaotian stared at Emperor Wanli, his voice powerful and resonant, "Yes! So, if Your Majesty asks if this official wants wealth, power, or a woman, this official can tell Your Majesty that this official wants both! If Your Majesty starts a war for a woman, even if this war can be extinguished in an instant, Your Majesty will still be reviled by the entire world. But if this official does not hesitate to throw an egg against a stone for a woman, not a single subordinate will raise any objections! Moreover … "
Ye Xiaotian proudly puffed out his chest, "Moreover, this official will receive the praise of the entire world! Because not every man can be as manly as this official, willing to become the enemy of the world for a woman! "
Ye Xiaotian steadily took a step forward, the iron shackles under his feet clanging. Ye Xiaotian solemnly said, "Is Your Majesty willing to help this official?"
Emperor Wanli felt as if he was struck by lightning. He slowly took two steps back and weakly sat down on the dragon throne. Different people have different fates! If he did the same thing, he would be an incapable ruler, but if others did it, they would be heroes.
He did not doubt Ye Xiaotian's words. He believed that once things reached this point, Ye Xiaotian's words would definitely come true.
Regarding Ye Xiaotian's words that once he died, his subordinates would rise up in revolt, Wanli also did not doubt this. In reality, it was not only Ye Xiaotian, if most of the Qian Prefecture's tribe leaders rose up in revolt, the natives would obey their orders.
The fear that the ignorant people had for the Chieftains far exceeded their fear for the imperial court. If not, why would the imperial court adopt the policy of appeasing and pacifying the Chieftains of Qian? In any case, the people had the imperial court in their hearts. They only needed to send troops to take over and set up officials. The Chieftains would not have people following them.
At this moment, Wan Li suddenly felt a strong sense of bitterness and bitterness. He was envious of Ye Xiaotian. He was the Emperor, but he couldn't live as carefree and unfettered as Ye Xiaotian. He really wanted to switch places with Ye Xiaotian so that he could live a good life for himself.
At this moment, Wanli's heart was filled with endless exhaustion, bitterness, helplessness, emptiness, and … disgust. Disgust at himself, disgust at his identity as the Emperor! … … Suddenly, Wanli's heart was filled with endless exhaustion, bitterness, helplessness, emptiness, and … disgust at himself, disgust at his identity as the Emperor!
… …
"I am the daughter of Guiyang's Red Maple Lake's Chieftain Xia. My mother received the imperial decree and I went to the capital with my mother to express our gratitude. Until now, we have not received the Emperor's decree allowing us to return to our hometown, but I have never thought much about it …"
With tears streaming down her face, Xia Yingying recounted to Shaanxi's Supervising Imperial Censor Li Boxian, "That day, my mother did not come out of the palace. A eunuch came and said that my mother was seriously ill. I drove into the palace because I was worried about my mother's illness …"
On the day that Xia Yingying drove into the palace, Imperial Censor Li happened to be a witness. Third Lady even gave him a 'flying man'. Of course, this incident was still fresh in his memory. Now that he heard Xia Yingying's story and compared it to Xia Yingying's, he knew that what Xia Yingying said was true.
For a moment, the loyal and upright Imperial Censor Li's face turned red from embarrassment. This Imperial Censor Li, other than his tireless pursuit of fame, really had nothing to criticize about him. He was a very loyal and upright person. As an official of the Emperor, when the Emperor did such an undignified thing, even he felt ashamed.
Xia Yingying continued, "That day, Brother Xiaotian suddenly appeared in the capital. He said that he had received an imperial decree to lead the mountain people out of the mountains, but he was ostracized by the chieftains from all directions. Later, they even sent assassins to assassinate Brother Xiaotian.
Brother Xiaotian was forced to retaliate and killed the bad chieftain who wanted to harm him. Lord Futai felt that this matter was of great importance, so he sent him to the capital to be personally judged by the Emperor. Coincidentally, the Emperor sent a State General called Shu to my house to propose marriage, but Brother Xiaotian flatly refused.
Originally, Brother Xiaotian said that he was forced to retaliate, and that it was those bad chieftains who disregarded the Imperial Court first, so the Imperial Court would not punish him severely. He told me to be at ease. Who would have thought that the next day after Brother Xiaotian rejected the Emperor's matchmaker, a group of palace guards came and captured Brother Xiaotian … "
Xia Yingying's eyes were brimming with tears as she spoke. Even though Imperial Censor Li had always been upright, he still had the urge to raise his hand to wipe away her tears. Xia Yingying took out a marriage certificate with a red brocade cover from her sleeve and handed it to Li Boxian, saying, "Troublemaking official, look, this is the marriage certificate between me and Brother Xiaotian!"
Li Boxian hurriedly took it and flipped through it. Xia Yingying continued, "Even though I came from the southwest border and do not understand etiquette as well as the women of the Central Plains, I understand the principle that a woman cannot serve two husbands. Since I have already been betrothed to the Ye family, how can I marry the Zhu family?
I also know that as long as I agree to follow the Emperor, Brother Xiaotian will be safe and sound. But I would rather die with Brother Xiaotian than do something that would ruin my own reputation and integrity. Today, I, Xia Yingying, have come to the palace gates to prove my loyalty with my death! "
As Xia Yingying said this, she took out a dagger from her sleeve like she was performing a magic trick and pointed the tip of the dagger at her own heart. She sadly said, "Since the Emperor wants to kill me, Brother Xiaotian will definitely die. Why don't I go first and wait for Brother Xiaotian on the road to the Yellow Springs, becoming a ghost couple together!"
Li Boxian was reading the marriage certificate. When he saw that the matchmaker was actually the Mongolian Third Lady, his face turned even redder. The Emperor's face had been thrown to the grasslands, really … As the saying goes, 'When the master is humiliated, the officials die. When the master worries, the officials work hard. What if the master seeks humiliation?' He would be humiliated along with them.
Li Boxian was thinking about this angrily when he suddenly saw Xia Yingying take out a dagger and point it at her heart. Li Boxian's scare was not a small matter. If Xia Yingying really died, even if he bitterly remonstrated and the Emperor repented, this matter could not be salvaged.
Li Boxian grabbed Xia Yingying's wrist and cried out in fear, "Miss cannot die, you absolutely cannot die! This official will make the decision for you and will definitely ensure your husband's safety. You must not commit suicide! "
Yingying was not a scheming girl, nor was she intelligent or scheming. But what she said this time was ninety-nine percent true. In addition, she had some skills that she had learned from playing tricks on her grandfather, uncles, and brothers. That half-truth, half-lie performance had actually fooled Imperial Censor Li into believing her words without a doubt.
In line with the belief that he was responsible for the Emperor, he absolutely could not let Yingying die. Once Yingying died, the Son of Heaven, in order to abduct a commoner's daughter, killed another person's husband and forced another person's woman to death, his reputation would be ruined. As the Imperial Censor involved, it would be a serious dereliction of duty.
Li Boxian tightly grabbed Yingying's wrist and pulled the dagger away from her heart. He sternly said, "Miss need not despair and sorrow. With Li Li here, he will definitely ensure the safety of your husband and wife!"
Yingying sobbed, "The Heavens and Earth are big, but the Emperor is the greatest. Can you really help me?"
"Yes!"
Li Boxian resolutely replied. Holding Yingying's wrist, he said, "The Imperial Censor is not far away. Miss, please follow me!"
At this time, Li Boxian did not care about letting his colleagues know and participate in this matter. He was the initiator and it was destined that he would be the one to go down in history. There was no need to be afraid of his colleagues finding out. With one more person, the momentum would be stronger. Only by combining the strength of all the Imperial Censors could they stop the Emperor from going further and further down the path of evil!
Li Boxian pulled Xia Yingying away in a hurry, forgetting that there was still the Shandong Imperial Censor, Liu Huanyi, who was anxiously staring at him. Imperial Censor Liu had been watching from afar. He saw that the woman dressed as a bride-to-be was sometimes agitated and sometimes lowered her head. Sometimes Imperial Censor Li's face was full of anger, and sometimes his face was red to the ears. Liu Hengyi was so anxious that he scratched his ears and cheeks.
Now that he saw that the bride-to-be had actually taken out a dagger, Imperial Censor Liu did not know what was going on and was even more anxious. However, as an upright official, Imperial Censor Liu still had his principles. This' business' had obviously been 'accepted' by Imperial Censor Li. How could he have the cheek to rush up and snatch the 'commission'?
Seeing Li Boxian pulling Xia Yingying away in a hurry, Imperial Censor Liu could only helplessly chase after them. He wanted to chase after them, but he could not get around the barrier of his pride. They were both Imperial Censors, but he was almost sixty years old. Li Boxian was only a junior in front of him. How could he have the cheek to chase after him?
Just as Imperial Censor Liu was hesitating, someone suddenly chuckled and said, "Old Taoist, what are you looking at here for?"
Imperial Censor Liu turned his head and saw that it was someone he knew! The Right Advisor of the Office of Transmission was Tenghui. Speaking of which, the two of them were imperial scholars of the same year, so they were naturally familiar with each other. However, their paths had developed differently. Dang Tenghui was now the Right Minister of the Office of Transmission and was already a fourth-ranked official, while he was still a seventh-ranked official. However, in terms of power and status, he might even be superior to Dang Tenghui.
Fourth-ranked official? There were at least a few hundred officials in the entire Great Ming Dynasty, but there were only a hundred and sixteen imperial censors in the entire country. They were all special officials with real power but little power — Imperial Censors of Purity.
Therefore, even though Dang Tenghui was an old peer, he still had to respectfully address Imperial Censor Liu as' Old Taoist '. This' Old Taoist 'was not referring to his family, but to the Imperial Censor Liu. Because the Great Ming Dynasty's supervisory system divided the country into thirteen provinces, each province had its own Imperial Censor, so he was addressed as' Taoist '.
How could Liu Hengyi say that he was envious of Imperial Censor Li's good 'business'? He hurriedly laughed and said, "It's nothing, it's nothing. Why is Old Dang so free?"
Dang Tenghui smiled and said, "There are a few important memorials, so it's better for me to personally deliver them to the palace." As Dang Tenghui said this, he stroked his beard and looked at Xia Yingying in the distance, where only a red silhouette could be seen. He sighed and said, "This young lady is really something. She actually had the courage to wear a wedding dress in front of the palace!"
Hearing this, Imperial Censor Liu hurriedly asked, "Why? Does Old Dang know why this young lady appeared at the Meridian Gate in wedding dress?"
Dang Tenghui said, "I know a thing or two. This young lady …" Dang Tenghui picked out what he could say and told Imperial Censor Liu. He cupped his hands and said, "I still have to enter the palace, so I can't chat any longer. I will invite Old Taoist to my residence for a drink another day."
Dang Tenghui finished speaking and walked towards the palace. Liu Hengyi looked at his back and mumbled to himself, "I see, I see!"
He finally understood why Li Boxian was so agitated just now. An Imperial Censor was an official who existed to gain reputation. However, to be able to gain a big boss like the Emperor and have the opportunity to be the main attacker, such an opportunity was hard to come by.
He had been an Imperial Censor his whole life and was about to retire and return to his hometown. However, he had never had such a good opportunity. Face, reputation, reputation, face. Imperial Censor Liu's heart was in a dilemma. After a fierce struggle, he stomped his foot heavily.
"I did not get this information from you. Why can't I be the first to impeach him?" Imperial Censor Liu pulled up his robe and fiercely tucked it into his waist. He then strode in big strides towards the Zuoshun Gate.
