"Your Majesty, unrest has spread across the entire country. Everywhere people are saying that you are…"
The young eunuch's voice faltered before he could finish, his courage clearly insufficient to utter the final words.
Zhu Youjian's face darkened as he completed the sentence himself, his tone heavy with suppressed anger.
"They are calling me a foolish ruler."
The eunuch immediately lowered his head even further, not daring to respond, his entire posture shrinking as if he wished he could disappear on the spot.
Zhu Youjian let out a cold snort, his irritation growing more intense with every passing moment.
"Every single one of them is trying to force me to issue an order to attack Shenyang. They think they can pressure the Emperor and control the court through public opinion. Is that what this has come to? Then I will do the exact opposite. I refuse to issue that order."
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, because in his mind, this situation was nothing less than an open challenge to imperial authority.
Since when did a group of insignificant people gain the right to influence my decisions?
At that moment, the Grand Secretary He Fengsheng quietly entered the hall, his face already carrying a familiar smile before he had even fully stepped inside.
"Your Majesty, a new batch of factories has recently been established in the Beizhili region. As a result, our tax revenue has increased by this amount."
He respectfully handed over a report.
Zhu Youjian glanced at it, and his mood improved instantly, because the numbers were undeniably impressive, enough to momentarily wash away his frustration.
Although this new Grand Secretary might lack ability in other areas, his talent for generating revenue was something Zhu Youjian deeply appreciated, to the point that he felt rather satisfied with his own decision to appoint him.
After finishing his report, He Fengsheng prepared to leave immediately, as if he had no intention of lingering even a moment longer than necessary.
However, Zhu Youjian stopped him.
"Minister He, I have a question for you. What is your opinion regarding the matter of military action in Liaodong?"
The moment he heard this, He Fengsheng's body stiffened slightly, as if he had been struck by an invisible force.
During the previous debate between war and peace factions, he had deliberately avoided taking a stance, because maintaining neutrality was his greatest survival principle.
Now that unrest was spreading across the country and young scholars were causing trouble everywhere, this issue had become extremely sensitive, and for someone like him, speaking openly carried unnecessary risk.
Still, since the Emperor had asked directly, he had no choice but to respond.
Fortunately, he had already prepared the perfect answer long ago.
"This minister believes that Liaodong may be attacked, and it may also not be attacked."
Zhu Youjian raised an eyebrow slightly, intrigued.
"Oh? It may be attacked, and it may not be attacked? Explain yourself."
He Fengsheng nodded politely, maintaining his calm demeanor.
"It may be attacked because our army has just achieved victory, and its momentum is at its peak. Continuing the advance toward Shenyang at this moment would likely yield great results with relatively little effort."
He paused briefly before continuing in the same steady tone.
"It may also not be attacked because our army has just endured a difficult battle, and the soldiers must be exhausted. To force a tired army to continue advancing would carry significant risk. Allowing them time to rest and recover would also be a wise decision."
After speaking, he lowered his head slightly, as if his task were complete.
In truth, he had said everything and nothing at the same time.
Zhu Youjian, however, felt unexpectedly pleased, because while the explanation was vague, it provided him with something he had previously lacked, which was a reasonable excuse to oppose further military action.
Yes, the soldiers are exhausted. That is a perfectly valid justification.
He Fengsheng bowed and quickly withdrew, having successfully fulfilled his role without committing himself to anything substantial.
Zhu Youjian, on the other hand, now felt far more confident, as if he had finally armed himself with a solid argument.
Let them accuse me of delaying the war effort again. This time, I will have an answer for them.
The next morning, he sat upon the dragon throne with visible confidence, his posture steady and composed.
The civil and military officials entered the hall and took their positions in orderly rows on both sides.
Without hesitation, Zhu Youjian spoke first.
"Today, we will first discuss the matter of military action in Liaodong."
The moment he said this, the officials immediately understood what was happening, because it was obvious that the Emperor had been pushed to the limit by public criticism and now intended to defend his position.
In the past, he had forbidden anyone from mentioning Liaodong under threat of execution, which had silenced the entire court, but now that he had opened the topic himself, no one intended to remain quiet.
An official stepped forward without hesitation.
"Your Majesty, this is the best opportunity to reclaim Liaodong. There is no better moment than now."
"I agree."
"I also agree."
With Gao Qiqian dead, the peace faction had effectively disappeared, leaving the court dominated by those who supported war, and soon a flood of arguments filled the hall, each one emphasizing why immediate action was necessary.
Zhu Youjian had already anticipated this reaction, so he remained calm, allowing them to speak before finally letting out a cold laugh.
"You all speak with great confidence, yet you overlook a crucial matter. During the battle at Dalinghe, our soldiers fought bravely, shedding blood and sacrificing their lives, and even the supervising official Gao Qiqian died in battle. This alone proves how intense that battle was."
His tone grew firmer as he continued.
"And now, after such hardship, you would deny them even a moment of rest? You would force an exhausted army to continue advancing, placing them in even greater danger. Is that not equivalent to sending them to their deaths?"
The hall fell silent.
Zhu Youjian seized the moment.
"I will not allow such reckless disregard for the lives of our soldiers. The matter of advancing into Liaodong will be postponed."
The silence did not last long.
"Your Majesty, this cannot be done."
"Your Majesty, this is precisely the time to act."
"Your Majesty, we must not give the Manchu any opportunity to recover."
The officials began speaking again, their voices overlapping as they attempted to persuade him.
However, the more they spoke, the less Zhu Youjian wished to listen, because in his mind, yielding now would mean losing control.
He intended to be an emperor with independent judgment, not one led by the opinions of others.
At that moment, another official stepped forward with a different matter.
"Your Majesty, in Haizhou, a group of merchants has recently begun causing trouble. They openly accuse Your Majesty of being stubborn and inflexible, and they are demanding the lifting of the maritime ban."
The moment Zhu Youjian heard this, his anger flared once again.
Scholars across the land were already calling him a foolish ruler, and now even merchants had joined in, daring to make demands in such a manner.
In truth, he had already experienced the benefits of lifting the maritime ban in Shanghai, and if these merchants had presented their request through proper channels, he might have considered agreeing.
However, the fact that they chose to create unrest first made the situation unacceptable.
His expression turned cold.
"The maritime ban was established by the founding emperor. It is not something I created, yet these merchants dare to accuse me without reason. I have been lenient, and now they believe they can trample over me without consequence."
His voice sharpened.
"Order the Jinyiwei to arrest them immediately."
The official hesitated before speaking again.
"These merchants of Haizhou may not be so easy to deal with. In truth, their activities are not very different from those of pirates. Relying solely on the Jinyiwei may not be sufficient."
Zhu Youjian paused briefly, then quickly understood the implication.
These so-called merchants were nothing more than pirates operating under a different identity, switching roles depending on whether they were at sea or on land.
Now, they were simply trying to legitimize themselves.
If you want to legitimize yourselves, then do so properly. Why must you insult me first?
His anger intensified.
"Order the coastal commander Cao Wenzhao to eliminate these pirates."
Another official immediately stepped forward in objection.
"Your Majesty, Commander Cao Wenzhao has been actively engaged on the Jinzhou and Dalinghe frontlines after assisting the Ministry of War. The Guanning cavalry under his command are highly experienced in Liaodong operations. If he is reassigned now, the plan to counterattack in Liaodong will be severely affected."
Zhu Youjian's expression darkened further.
"I have already said that we will not proceed with the Liaodong campaign for now. The army must rest. Are you incapable of understanding this?"
The official hesitated but still spoke.
"Even so, sending them to suppress pirates would not count as rest either."
For a brief moment, the atmosphere became awkward.
However, such discomfort only existed for those in lower positions, because those in power always had a way to move past it.
Zhu Youjian's expression shifted instantly as he waved his hand dismissively.
"You speak nonsense. I find your words irritating. Guards, remove this man from the hall and forbid him from attending court for the next two months."
The order was given without hesitation, bringing the discussion to an abrupt end.