Chapter 8: Offering Advice

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  Still revising, first upload new version of chapter 8, and future updates will be at least three chapters per day, please rest assured.

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  It was Zhu Ciwen's first time attending such a banquet, and he looked forward to the imperial feast. As soon as dinner began, he sat up straight and waited eagerly.

  Chongzhen's voice had just faded away when soft music began to echo from the steps of the outer hall.

  When he came in, Zhu Ciwen had already seen that there were about a dozen people, holding various traditional musical instruments, wearing clean robes, waiting at the gate of the temple.

  The music sound came just right, neither too big nor too small, with a rhythm that was just right.

  It's not as unpleasant as I imagined. Listening to this slightly rhythmic music while eating actually helps stimulate appetite.

  The flavor of the imperial dish is ordinary. After all, it's a warm fire dish that can be eaten at any time, with a whole duck and goose, not stir-fried or seasoned with monosodium glutamate, so the flavor is quite common.

  But at this level of food and drink, Chongzhen was afraid that he could not enjoy it for a few more days. Once Guanzhong fell, the peasant army would come all the way to raid, Chongzhen had no choice but to reduce his meals and cancel his music, reducing his meals and canceling his music, until the day he hanged himself to death.

  Looking at Chongzhen sitting in the middle of the hall, eating his meal with a serious expression, Zhu Cixiang shook her head.

  Even when eating, Chongzhen was very serious and solemn. He was known for his "firmness" and had worn this mask for so long that he might have become accustomed to it himself.

  Pitiful, the white hair at his temples, the fine and dense wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and the occasional sighs that he couldn't help but let out... All these are enough to reveal that this mighty and revered figure before him is beset with worries and his mental state is far from the joyfulness he appears to be in.

  This is still a scene where the whole family gathers together, all of whom are their own people. Even so, Chongzhen was still worried and difficult to solve, and the situation had indeed deteriorated to an irretrievable point.

  He must still be waiting for Sun Chuanting's victory news, but even if he won, it would only be a temporary comfort. The Ming dynasty has come to this day, and it is really difficult to return!

  "How should I put it... " Zhu Ciwen thought with a complicated mind: "It's still his own doing. Many tragedies were caused by him himself."

  He was thinking here, and another eunuch came in, knelt down and saluted Chongzhen, saying: "Your Majesty, the two imperial concubines heard that there is a family banquet today, they are overjoyed, and specially sent servants to bring dishes, please Your Majesty to have an extra meal. The imperial concubine said that national affairs are important, but the dragon's body is even more important, please Your Majesty to take good care of yourself and protect the dragon's body."

  Another eunuch also knelt down and said something similar, although not exactly the same.

  There were also two elderly imperial concubines in the palace who cared about Chongzhen, and tonight's family banquet sent someone to deliver two food boxes to add dishes.

  There was also Tianqi Emperor's Empress Zhang, who was the one that the eunuch had spoken to earlier, and she too sent over a box of dishes.

  Chongzhen was a man of strict and firm character, with no high demands for material things. He himself ate simple meals, just a few dishes were enough, unlike the Wanli era when indulgence knew no bounds, and having over 100 dishes in one meal was common.

  The Empress Dowager in the palace pitied him for being too frugal and often sent people to deliver dishes.

  However, the woman in it usually finds her own amusement to dispel boredom, and really doesn't understand national affairs. Until now, she is still advising Chongzhen not to work too hard.

  Upon hearing this, Zhu Ciyan saw Chongzhen's face also reveal a self-mocking smile.

  Zhu Ciwen shook his head: Chongzhen probably knew himself that he wouldn't last a few more days of hard work.

  In front of him, the crown prince was so dissatisfied with himself, but Chongzhen didn't know at all. Looking at his relatives around him, he rarely raised his wine cup and said to everyone: "Come on, I'll drink a cup, you all eat more!"

  ……

  ……

  The family banquet ended in less than half an hour after eating.

  Chongzhen was not good at drinking, or it can be said that he had no intention of drinking. When Zhu Ciyan presented wine to him, Yong Wang and Ding Wang also went up one after another. Chongzhen only drank two more cups, but after finishing these few cups, he refused to drink again.

  The queen and Yuan Fei also had a cup each. The crown prince and the various kings were not yet of age, so everyone could only eat honestly.

  At this moment, a eunuch rushed in from outside, completely ignoring the crowd, and knelt down halfway in front of Chongzhen. He whispered two sentences, and then Chongzhen's face changed, he stood up and walked quickly towards the side hall.

  He suddenly looked like this, and the people in the hall all changed their faces. Everyone stopped holding cups and chopsticks, looking in the direction where Chongzhen left, frowning endlessly.

  "Could it be that there has been a change in the military situation ahead?"

  Zhou was of the highest status, and as a married couple, they had a good relationship, which is why she dared to ask herself this question.

  "Don't be alarmed," said Zhu Ciyan with a smile, getting up and pouring a cup of wine at Zhou Hou's table. "Calculating the time, Sun Chuanting and the rebels have just clashed, and it will take several days for the battle report to arrive."

  "Alas, may Buddha bless us." The queen's brow was furrowed with worry, her face pale, and she merely shook her head.

  These past ten or so years, except for the first two years which were relatively peaceful, the following decade was one bad news after another. Even with a strong will, I'm scared now.

  "Great, really great, haha, it's too good!"

  Before long, Chongzhen came out laughing all the way, although he was laughing with his face upturned, his tone was icy and frightening.

  Zhu Ci Yun's heart skipped a beat as he knew it must be his own affair that had been exposed.

  Indeed, Chongzhen "smiled" back to his throne, but did not sit down. His eyes were cold and gloomy, staring at Zhu Ciyan without letting go. This appearance of his was a precursor to a great outburst of anger!

  For over a decade, countless eunuchs, officials, scholars and generals have trembled with fear in front of Chongzhen's gaze, not daring to utter a single word!

  This is the majesty of an emperor, forged through a thousand hardships and refined since childhood as a prince, then as a close relative under one person, and later as the ruler of the kingdom for over ten years, wielding the power to decide life and death for all people. Such majesty and grandeur made even Zhu Ciyan, who had long been mentally prepared, break out in sweat on his palms and back!

  Those emperors who laugh loudly or glare with puffed up beards in movies and TV shows are not even worth a fart in front of real kings!

  "You've done a good deed... truly, you're my good son!" Chongzhen's anger was already uncontrollable, and with one punch, he struck the large case made of purple sandalwood, causing a loud crash. After that, Chongzhen's face turned iron-like, his eyes seemed to be spewing fire, and he stared at Zhu Ciyan, interrogating him: "What kind of nonsense did you say in the inner court? You're just a few years old, what do you know about state affairs? Hmm? I suppose with your understanding, you couldn't have come up with such absurd and treasonous words. Tell me, who was it? Which official, which minister, or which imperial relative whispered such nonsense to you?"

  Without waiting for Zhu Ciyan to answer, Chongzhen again pounded the imperial case and shouted: "Speak quickly, speak quickly! If you do not make a truthful report, I will certainly severely punish your crime and absolutely will not show leniency!"

  Such anger was often seen in the outer court, but in the inner court, Chongzhen controlled himself for his own image and did not want to disturb the inner court, so he rarely got angry in the inner court.

  Besides, he is the eldest of heaven and earth, and the third is him. Apart from heaven and ancestors, who can give him a lesson, make him suffer?

  It is said that the Crown Prince of Da Ming, his own good son, spoke loudly in front of hundreds of eunuchs and over a hundred military officers during an internal exercise, saying that the arrangements he had made earlier were not even worth a single coin!

  With Chongzhen's temperament, how could he tolerate such a thing?

  "Although I am unworthy as a son, I will not shift my own words onto others."

  When you are faced with a king's boundless rage, Zhu Ciyan has already calmed down.

  A tiger does not eat its own son, no matter how angry Chongzhen is, he cannot cut off his own head. On the other hand, Jian Nu was ruthless to himself, and as soon as he was caught, he was beheaded immediately, without any hesitation.

  If you don't work hard and take some risks now, when the time comes to be executed, it will be too late for regrets!

  Even if it's the worst result at this time, it would be just demoted to a commoner, and at best, I would be sent to Fengyang High Wall for imprisonment. I remember that Emperor Longwu is now being held in the high wall... It's nothing great to bask in the sun with Emperor Longwu and chat about the situation... Nothing big deal!

  Having this insight, Zhu Ciyan was unmoved and knelt down, banging his head against the golden brick floor with a loud thud, which really used force and made his forehead ache to death.

  This pain also brought out the tears that had been prepared for a long time. Lifting her head, she was already tearfully crying.

  "Your Majesty... what I said during the inner court meeting was my true and sincere words! Sun Chuanting rashly advanced with a small army to confront a powerful enemy, without heavy troops protecting the grain route. Your subject has been reading military books day and night recently, and such situations rarely end in victory."

  Zhu Youjian looked like this, Chongzhen saw him for the first time. Before, this son was not very clever, but he was not smart either. So Chongzhen had never taken him seriously. Unexpectedly, at this moment, he actually had such a demeanor. At that time, he couldn't help but be moved: "Huh? You're saying these are all your own ideas?"

  "Yes!" Zhu Ciyan bumped his head again... damn it hurts...... But the expression on his face became even more solemn: "Your Majesty, you have been working hard day and night, not a single day without attending court, not a single day without meeting with ministers. You are still in your prime, but your temples have already turned white. As your son, I am also a filial son, how can I not be worried? Now the national situation is getting worse by the day, it's not that Your Majesty doesn't care about governing the country or is lazy and neglecting politics. Just as Yue Fei once said: 'If you want peace in the world, civil officials must not love money, military officials must not fear death.' Today, there are many accumulated problems, it's not an exaggeration to say that civil officials are indulgent and military officials are arrogant! Although Your Majesty wants to eliminate these accumulated problems, can three hundred years of accumulated problems be solved in a short time? Now the Ming dynasty is like a person with a serious illness, absolutely cannot use strong medicine again, must slowly nurse back to health, absolutely cannot make any more rash moves! Therefore, I must speak out and request that Sun Chuanting and his troops immediately return to defend Tongguan, if Tongguan is not lost, then the Guanzhong region will be safe, and the rebels will have no way to advance north!"

  This lengthy and elaborate speech was actually a combination of Zhu Ciwen's observations over the past few days, combined with his own insights, half true and half false.

  The accumulated ills of the late Ming were indeed heavy, and it was not solely the responsibility of Chongzhen. Chongzhen simply responded with confusion and frequently issued confused orders.

  If there is someone he trusts who can help him strategically, it may also have unexpected effects.

  After finishing speaking, Zhu Ci's eyes were piercing and his fists were also tightly clenched, but he was looking at Chongzhen.

  If this king had listened to his advice, at least the Jia-Shen Incident in March next year would never have happened!

  After many years of hard work, there may be unexpected changes!