Chapter 210: Ants
"Mother~~"

Hearing the loud shouts outside the Ming Palace that were as loud as thunder and as powerful as an earthquake, the current Ming King, who was sitting on the throne in the Ming Palace's meeting hall, was startled and could not help but turn his gaze to his mother Fang Huiju, who was sitting on the Queen Mother's phoenix chair next to him.

"Don't panic, Wang'er! We are now ready for death. We are not afraid of death anymore. What else can we be afraid of?"

Queen Mother Fang Huimin comforted her son Prince Ming in this way.

Fang Huiju has experienced everything in her life, from being the legitimate daughter of the Fang family to being the Crown Princess, Queen, and Empress Dowager. Even if her legendary life were to end now, she would have nothing to regret.

In terms of rich personal experience and high achievements, Fang Huimin believes that she is naturally better than her step-mother-in-law Zhao Yushan.

But she has no regrets about herself, but Fang Huimin still needs to be more considerate of the people around her.

Twenty-five years ago, Zhu Chengwu was just missing, not dead.

Fearing the possible threat posed by Zhu Chengwu's reappearance, Fang Huimin had already made a contingency plan.

That is, she would take advantage of the fact that Zhao and Zhao Yushan were in a completely disadvantageous position, and make Zhao Yushan and Zhao accept her many conditions on the condition of saving Zhao.

At the same time, Zhao Qingya, the legitimate daughter of the Zhao family, became the unofficial lover of the late king Zhu Chengzhi, and Zhu Xiulan changed her identity, gave up her status as a princess, and became the concubine of Fang Huimin's nephew...

These made her feel much more uncomfortable than killing Zhao Yushan!
If possible, Fang Huimin understood that even if she was killed or committed suicide with Zhao Qingya and Zhu Xiulan, Zhao Yushan would not accept the conditions she proposed.

But the existence of Zhao made it impossible for Zhao Yushan to commit suicide along with Zhao Qingya and Zhu Xiulan, and Zhao Yushan could only accept her excessive conditions.

And just as Zhao Yushan expected, after everything was settled, she chose to commit suicide in Renshou Palace.

In this way, Fang Huimin has avenged Zhao Yushan for killing her brother Fang Xuedao!
Not only the revenge was recovered, but even the interest was recovered.

Moreover, the conditions that Zhao Yushan agreed to could also give the Fang family a glimmer of hope in a possible situation like today.

It can be said that Zhu Chengwu’s disappearance gave Fang Huimin and Zhu Chengzhi the opportunity to turn defeat into victory 25 years ago.

Fang Huimin and Zhu Chengzhi also seized this opportunity.

Among them, Fang Huimin, who was more intelligent, scheming and far-sighted, not only seized this opportunity, but also prepared some backup plans for future crises.

As for the Fang family, Fang Huiju believed that she had tried her best to protect it!
If she still can't save it even after doing this, Fang Huimin has no other options!

However, Fang Huiqi felt no guilt towards the Fang family!

But apart from herself and the Fang family, Fang Huiqi is not without other concerns.

Although Fang Huijue had rarely truly opened her heart in the past 25 years because she was worried about the threat posed by the reappearance of the disappeared Zhu Chengwu, which increased her own concerns and flaws.

But there are still two people whom Fang Huiqi cannot completely ignore no matter how closed her heart is!
They were Fang Huimin's two children - Prince Ming and his daughter Princess Yunluo.

In order to prevent the not-so-small possibility that Zhu Chengwu would reappear, Fang Huiju doted on his son Prince Ming and his daughter Princess Yunluo.

He tried his best to ensure that his son Prince Ming and his daughter Princess Yunluo would not die regretfully on the day Zhu Chengwu reappeared in the world and on the day they had no choice but to be killed.

It is precisely because of Fang Huigui's doting that Princess Yunluo, as a girl, appears to be so innocent and so unlike the princess of the Zhu family.

Of course, she could completely spoil her daughter, Princess Yunluo, but since her son, Prince Ming, was destined to succeed Prince Ming, Fang Huiju still taught him the education and scheming that the heir to the throne should receive.

After all, no matter how worried she was about the possible threat posed by Zhu Chengwu's reappearance, Fang Huimin couldn't completely give up before it became a reality.

If you completely give up on something before it happens, you will end up losing more than you gain!
Therefore, in the process of educating her son Mingwang, Fang Huimin was very loose in terms of restricting her son's personal interests and hobbies.

In other aspects, Fang Huimin still strictly required her son to meet the requirements of an heir to the throne.

Don't underestimate this bit of tolerance. Being able to have and maintain one's own interests and hobbies is already an extremely rare tolerance for the heirs to the throne of the royal Zhu family.

Her son, Prince Ming, was not as doted on as her daughter, Princess Yunluo. Now, in order to maintain her dignity as a king and to increase the possibility that Zhu Chengwu would let the Fang family and her daughter and son-in-law go, her young son had to face Zhu Chengwu's pressure with her, an old mother, and wait for her death after her daughter and son-in-law had left privately...

When Fang Huijue thought of this, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken and guilty!
But no matter how heartbroken or guilty she felt, Fang Huiqi had no other choice.

Because the current choice is the best choice after Fang Huiqi considered it from many perspectives.

Now, the only thing Fang Huiju can do is to pay more attention to and comfort her son so that he can bear less psychological pressure before his death.

"Don't worry, mother!"

After receiving Fang Huiqi's words of comfort, Ming Wang let out a breath, relieved his tense mood, and looked at his mother Fang Huiqi with eyes that became a little calmer.

Mother Fang Huiqi was right. Since he was not afraid of death, what else was there to be afraid of?
"You are rebels. You broke into the palace without permission. It seems like you are plotting a rebellion. Why don't you leave immediately to avoid bringing trouble to your family!"

Just as Fang Huiju and the mother and son Ming Wang were calmly but inevitably nervously waiting for Zhu Chengwu's arrival and the final outcome.

Outside the palace, a very familiar roar was heard.

The owner of that voice was none other than the Duke of Yan!

The current situation is that the enemy is extremely strong and I am extremely weak!

Moreover, under the intimidation of Zhu Chengwu's power, there are very few people who are still not afraid of death and stand on the side of Fang Huiju and Ming Wang.

Therefore, Fang Huiju and Ming Wang gathered them all around the court meeting hall.

Those who have no fighting ability are in the court meeting hall.

Those who are capable of fighting are outside the court hall.

Apart from the king and the queen mother who were not afraid of death and died with their royal dignity intact, the people below had to resist. Only in this way could they be rehabilitated and become truly wise rulers and loyal ministers after dozens or hundreds of years, when Zhu Chengwu's influence disappeared.

Among the resisters and defenders outside the palace, Zhu Chengyi, who was not only the patriarch of the royal family but also the Duke of Yan in the Ming Dynasty court, was undoubtedly the leader.

In terms of identity, strength, and stance, Duke Yan is the most suitable candidate to lead the resistance forces outside the palace.

Now that Duke Yan Zhu Chengyi suddenly heard such an angry rebuke, it was obvious who had arrived.

The young King Ming, who had prepared himself mentally, breathed a sigh of relief and waited for Zhu Chengwu, his uncle whom he had never met and who had competed with his father Zhu Chengzhi for the throne, to come in and announce his final fate.

"Chengyi, the situation is already decided. Why bother to resist? Surrender quickly and you can save your family!"

Just as Zhu Chengwu was sneering and showing disdain for the pretentiousness of the Duke of Yan in front of him, the voice of the Duke of Qi, who had already surrendered to him, sounded behind Zhu Chengwu.

However, Duke Qi's words of persuasion to surrender made Zhu Chengwu, who had just felt inexplicably uncomfortable because of Zhao Qingya's words, instantly unhappy, and he glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Uncle Xingcheng, Zhu Chengwu is nothing but a traitor. You should be the one who thinks clearly about the will of the first king! Don't help the tyrant and ruin the reputation of the Duke of Qi for hundreds of years!"

Facing the Duke of Qi's persuasion to surrender, the Duke of Yan, Zhu Chengyi, showed no intention of surrendering at all. Instead, he tried to persuade the Duke of Qi.

"The last king's will is the last king's will, reality is reality! Nephew Chengyi, surrender! Surrender now and your family will not be in trouble..."

Bang~~~~
A loud noise interrupted the confrontation and shouting between the Duke of Qi and the Duke of Yan, the two patriarchs of the Zhu family.

Everyone was shocked, wondering who was so unruly that they suddenly started fighting when two heavyweights were talking. As they turned their eyes, they found that Zhu Chengwu was standing in the position of Duke of Qi, and Duke of Qi was knocked down to the steps not far from his side by Zhu Chengwu's palm.

Fortunately, the Duke of Qi took a few steps forward because he wanted to speak to the Duke of Yan, and was just behind Zhu Chengwu.

Therefore, when Duke Qi was knocked from the side by Zhu Chengwu, there was no domino effect, which would have caused large-scale casualties among the people behind Zhu Chengwu!
He took a look at the place where Zhu Chengwu knocked him away with a palm, causing smoke and dust to fill the sky as the steps shattered.

Looking at Zhu Chengwu who was now standing in the original position of Duke Qi, everyone was shocked.

They didn't understand what Zhu Chengwu was doing and why he was the first to attack "his own people".

This situation was unbelievable to them!
"Duke of Qi, Zhu Xingcheng! You seem to have forgotten your position and identity. You are just a loser who is not strong enough and has to surrender to me, a dying ant! How dare you make a decision on my behalf and say that as long as Zhu Chengyi surrenders, you will let Zhu Chengyi's family go?"

Just when everyone was puzzled and puzzled, and even suspected that Zhu Chengwu was crazy and had hit the wrong person.

Zhu Chengwu, who was standing at the original position of the Duke of Qi, stretched out his right middle finger, pointed at the smoke and dust raised by the broken steps, and said in a questioning tone.

With Zhu Chengwu's strength, this little bit of smoke and dust was almost invisible and could not conceal the Duke of Qi's whereabouts and figure at all.

"Brother Wu~~"

At this moment, a figure with a sunken chest, a charred body, and blood oozing from the corners of his mouth suddenly walked out from the smoke and dust stirred up by the broken steps.

Zhu Chengwu still showed mercy, so that the Duke of Qi still has the ability to act.

Faced with Zhu Chengwu's questioning without any consideration for his fellow clan members, the Duke of Qi was ashamed and angry, but he had to suppress his dissatisfaction and explain to Zhu Chengwu.

Although Zhu Chengwu's words were extremely disrespectful to his fellow tribesmen, extremely naked and extremely humiliating, the meaning of Zhu Chengwu's words was correct!

The reason why Duke Qi surrendered to Zhu Chengwu was not because of any other reason, but simply because of Zhu Chengwu's unrivaled military force. With such military force at his disposal, even if Duke Qi was ashamed or dissatisfied, he could only suppress it in his heart.

Because the Duke of Qi doesn’t want to die yet!
As long as the Duke of Qi does not want to offend Zhu Chengwu and be killed on the spot by Zhu Chengwu, he will have to swallow his anger today.

Not only did he have to swallow it, he also had to find a way to actively explain it and eliminate Zhu Chengwu's anger.

This is the helplessness of being inferior to others!

"No need to explain. Zhu Xingcheng, you are the Grandmaster of the Zhu Clan. I can understand that you are on the side of the Zhu Clan members and want to protect them!"

However, the Duke of Qi suppressed the damage and barely regained the ability to move. After escaping from the smoke and dust, he was interrupted by Zhu Chengwu before he could even finish his explanation.

When Duke Qi was secretly worried after being interrupted, Zhu Chengwu's next words made him put his worries to rest.

"Brother Wu is a member of the Zhu family after all!" Duke Qi sighed in his heart.

"However, I can understand it, but I cannot forgive it! When my mother and sister ended up like this, you, Zhu Xingcheng, did not stop Zhu Chengzhi. What right do you have to stop me now?"

However, before the Duke of Qi could finish his sigh, Zhu Chengwu suddenly changed the subject and roared at him.

"Mother? Sister? Zhao Yushan, Zhu Xiumin and Zhu Xiulan? They..." Zhu Chengwu's roar finally made Duke Qi react, and he recalled the fate of Zhao Yushan and Zhu Xiulan.

The Duke of Qi finally understood why Zhu Chengwu was yelling at him so angrily at this moment, and also understood the real reason why Zhu Chengwu suddenly attacked him.

"Zhao Qingya~~" Duke Qi gritted his teeth in his heart.

The Duke of Qi blamed the humiliation he was suffering on Zhao Qingya, who had just stopped Zhu Chengwu outside the Ming Palace and had a private conversation with Zhu Chengwu for quite some time.

Although it was Zhu Chengwu who made the Duke of Qi embarrassed in public!

But the Duke of Qi still blamed all the sins on Zhao Qingya.

This is human nature!
Be submissive in front of the strong and strike hard in front of the weak!
"Zhu Xingcheng, as the price for not taking me seriously and making decisions for me, you will die today!"

Just when Duke Qi was thinking that he must find an opportunity to deal with Zhao Qingya after today, Zhu Chengwu's voice turned flat and he said so.

However, this plain voice was like a thunderclap, which frightened the Duke of Qi so much that he looked at Zhu Chengwu with wide eyes, as if he was wondering if he had heard it wrong.

Not only the Duke of Qi, but everyone present looked at Zhu Chengwu in shock, as if questioning whether they had heard it wrong.

But then, they looked at each other, and when they found that the person they were looking at had the same expression as theirs, they immediately understood that they had not heard wrong.

Zhu Chengwu’s words are exactly like this!

"Revenge, naked revenge, Marquis Fu'an is taking revenge on me/Duke Qi for standing idly by! Excuse, pure excuse, Marquis Fu'an wants to kill me/Duke Qi for such a 'little thing', this is simply a very poor excuse!"

The Duke of Qi and everyone present were shouting in their hearts, but except for the Duke of Qi, no one dared to express their thoughts aloud.

Zhu Chengwu even dared to find an excuse to kill Zhu Chengwu's elder from the same clan as him, the Duke of Qi, who was the patriarch of the royal Zhu family.

They are now interrupting and speaking up for the Duke of Qi. Isn't this like a birthday boy eating arsenic - seeking death?
Not only other people, but even the Duke of Qi himself, now did not dare to directly say that Zhu Chengwu was seeking revenge and that the reason Zhu Chengwu wanted to kill him was just an excuse.

The Duke of Qi, who was eager to survive, could only find other reasons to persuade Zhu Chengwu to change his mind without questioning him or causing him to be disgusted.

"Brother Wu, I~~~"

However, Duke Qi's mind was turning rapidly, and just when he had come up with a suitable reason and was about to tell it, he was interrupted again by Zhu Chengwu.

"Zhu Xingcheng, you surrendered to me on the surface, but in fact you are playing a double game with Duke Yan, trying to use the pressure of the public to force me to let go of certain people I don't want to let go...

As the price for plotting against me, Zhu Xingcheng, your Qiguogong lineage will be destroyed!"

Zhu Chengwu uttered cruel words again!

Zhu Chengwu's words this time shocked Duke Qi even more than his previous words!
Does Zhu Chengwu know what he is talking about?
As a member of the Zhu clan, Zhu Chengwu actually wanted to destroy the lineage of Duke Qi, who had been alongside the Ming Dynasty since its inception?
Is Zhu Chengwu crazy?

Just when the Duke of Qi was so shocked that he forgot to speak, Zhu Chengwu suddenly uttered the word "but".

This, however, gave Duke Qi a glimmer of hope.

"But, considering that you are my uncle and my relative, I can leave you a descendant!

You choose! Who of the Qiguogong lineage do you want to let live?

As for the others, they will all die!
You have thirty seconds to choose and tell me!"

But after Zhu Chengwu finished speaking, the glimmer of hope that had just risen in Duke Qi's heart was completely shattered in an instant.

"How cruel, how cruel! Marquis Fu'an actually humiliated and tortured his fellow clan elder, Duke Qi, in this way!"

There was clearly a hint of fear in the eyes of everyone present as they looked at Zhu Chengwu.

Some people were so frightened that they didn't even dare to look at Zhu Chengwu!
As soon as his eyes fell on Zhu Chengwu, he immediately looked away.

(End of this chapter)