Chapter 132: A Blade Slices Off the Emperor’s Head
Zhu Qizhen wanted to resist.
He couldn’t resist.
He wanted to escape.
He couldn’t escape.
He could only watch, wide-eyed, as that gleaming blade directly descended.
Swish!
His neck was severed in one clean cut.
Fresh blood instantly gushed out.
His large head was directly chopped off and sent flying.
Then, with a thud, it landed at Peng Feng’s feet.
That large head was filled with unwillingness.
Before Zhu Qizhen died, he was still thinking, I am the emperor, I am the Son of Heaven, I am divinely appointed, you cannot kill me.
It was a pity.
Under Peng Feng’s blade, it didn’t matter if one was the Son of Heaven.
After Peng Feng killed the Son of Heaven.
He sat on the dragon throne.
He picked up the wine gourd he carried with him and took a leisurely drink.
At this time, there was no one else in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
After finishing the wine in the gourd, he picked up the yellow silk cloth beside him and wiped the blood off the Sun Devouring Blade.
Then, he called over a few trembling eunuchs and ordered them to spread the word, directly summoning the current group of ministers of the Great Ming into the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
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In an instant, the Hall of Supreme Harmony was packed full.
Among them was Yu Qian, Junior Protector Yu, who had been rescued a few days ago and had not died.
There was Wang Wen, the Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, who had not been executed a few days ago.
There were also Inner Cabinet Assistant Minister Chen Xun, Minister of Works Jiang Yuan, Minister of Justice Yu Shiyue, and others. If Peng Feng had not appeared, these people would also have been executed by Zhu Qizhen.
After these people came in, they saw Peng Feng sitting on the dragon throne, while Zhu Qizhen’s head was rolling to one side.
Although they knew that Peng Feng had come to kill the emperor.
Seeing the Son of Heaven’s head rolling like that.
They truly felt incomparably shocked.
Peng Feng smiled faintly: “I have already killed Zhu Qizhen, who do you think should be the next Son of Heaven?”
Yu Qian said: “Emperor Jingtai had no son, the original Crown Prince was Zhu Jianshen, so the one who should inherit the throne should be the original Crown Prince.”
The other ministers also nodded in agreement: “Indeed, the original Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen should inherit the throne.”
Zhu Jianshen was Zhu Qizhen’s son.
Now, the first legal heir of the Great Ming Dynasty was definitely Zhu Jianshen.
And in history, Zhu Jianshen was wise and benevolent in the early years of his reign.
In the early years of his reign, he restored Emperor Zhu Qiyu’s imperial title, overturned Yu Qian’s unjust case, and appointed virtuous ministers such as Shang Lu to govern the country. The social atmosphere was clear, and the court had many talented individuals. He reduced taxes and penalties, and the social economy gradually recovered.
In his later years, he heavily relied on Wang Zhi, Liang Fang, and others, and became negligent in government affairs. In his later years, he also favored magic, which led to treacherous officials gaining power, the Western Depot becoming tyrannical, the court becoming corrupt, and the people living in misery.
Of course, during his reign, he was extremely doting on Consort Wan, to the point that he almost had no heirs.
Overall evaluation.
He was an emperor above the average level.
The only problem was that he was Zhu Qizhen’s son.
Peng Feng thought for a moment, he was not afraid of Zhu Jianshen’s revenge.
His current strength was actually no longer at the Loose Immortal Realm.
When he woke up more than sixty years ago, he was at the Loose Immortal Realm, but now he had reached the unprecedented True Immortal Realm Second Level, stronger than those of the past like Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng, Emperor Wu of Han Liu Che, and Emperor Taizong of Tang Li Shimin.
Therefore, if Zhu Jianshen really wanted to take revenge on him, it would just be a matter of one blade.
It’s just that…
He had descendants, the Prince of Jin Residence.
What if, while he was sleeping, this emperor went crazy and wanted to take revenge on the Prince of Jin Residence?
Therefore, Zhu Jianshen still could not be the emperor.
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“He is Zhu Qizhen’s son, let’s change to another one.” Peng Feng said faintly.
The others did not dare to argue with Peng Feng, but Yu Qian dared.
Of course, Yu Qian was dissatisfied: “Legally, it is Crown Prince Zhu Jianshen who should be the emperor. Although Senior Peng is at the Loose Immortal Realm, and although you saved me, you cannot arbitrarily change the emperor.”
“I know that legally it is, but I just don’t agree.” Peng Feng flicked his finger and said: “I am not afraid of any emperor, they are just goods that can be killed with one blade. But I will fall into a deep sleep, and I don’t want to leave any trouble for my descendants. Therefore, Zhu Qizhen’s descendants cannot be the emperor. This is what I say!”
Yu Qian: “You! You! You! As long as I am here, it will be the Crown Prince who ascends the throne.”
“Therefore, you should not be here.” Peng Feng waved his hand, and a burst of energy struck Yu Qian, knocking him down: “I am too lazy to argue with you, this stubborn donkey, so let me put you in a coma for a while.”
After subduing Yu Qian, this loyal and upright minister.
Peng Feng looked at the remaining ministers and said: “Change to another emperor, who agrees, who opposes? Those who oppose, stand up.”
What else could the ministers below say, of course, they could only agree.
Then, after discussing it back and forth, they finally decided to have Zhu Jianyuan become the emperor.
Zhu Jianyuan was Zhu Zhanji’s grandson.
There was nothing wrong with him legally either.
If Zhu Qizhen’s sons could not be the emperor, then legally it should be him.
In the end, the candidate for the Son of Heaven was decided.
Zhu Jianyuan could also be considered to have had great luck, from a feudal prince, he suddenly ascended the throne, becoming the supreme ruler.
And then, it was about the issue of Zhu Qizhen’s temple name.
Regarding this point, Peng Feng was too lazy to argue: “Zhu Qizhen was such a person, unfilial, unbrotherly, unkind, and unjust, his vile deeds were well-known, and both gods and men were indignant. There is nothing good to say about his temple name. This person was cold, callous, and venomous, so let’s call him ‘Li’, Emperor Li of Ming.”
The remaining ministers carefully pondered it, and found that it seemed to make some sense. This word “Li” really did fit Zhu Qizhen.
But they still felt that it was a bit too much, as very few emperors had “Li” as their temple name.
In fact, there was a reason why Peng Feng would specify Emperor Li of Ming.
In the original history, Zhu Qizhen, this ruthless man, after killing his younger brother Zhu Qiyu, issued an edict accusing Zhu Qiyu of being “unfilial, unbrotherly, unkind, and unjust, his vile deeds were well-known, and both gods and men were indignant.” He also abolished his imperial title, gave him the posthumous title “Li”, calling him “Prince Li of Cheng.” This was a bad posthumous title, indicating that Zhu Qiyu was evil throughout his life. He was buried according to the rites for a prince in the Western Hills of Beijing. Zhu Qiyu thus became the only Ming Dynasty emperor after the relocation of the capital to Beijing who was not buried in the imperial mausoleum.
This was a cycle of karma.
After Peng Feng decided on Zhu Qizhen’s temple name and decided on the next emperor, he directly left the imperial palace.
Deposing and establishing emperors was very satisfying.
However, roaming freely in the human world, and achieving immortality was even more satisfying.
The power of the human world, for him, was really like floating clouds.
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After Peng Feng left the imperial palace.
He found a roadside tavern and had a couple of ounces of small wine.
Drinking wine after killing an emperor felt especially… flavorful.
After finishing the small wine.
Peng Feng felt a little bored.
Then, he decided to do one thing.
Kill Esen Taishi of the Oirat.
Anyway, he was idle.
Just casually go and kill an Oirat Taishi.
Thinking this way.
Peng Feng spent some silver and bought an old horse.
Riding the old horse.
Carrying his saber on his back.
Holding his wine gourd in his hand.
He slowly walked towards the regions outside the Great Wall.
“How many times does the setting sun glow red, who claims merit in the eternal rivers and mountains, the desolate autumn and spring sigh at the world, success is empty, failure is empty.”
