Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 693 - 633: Is Zhang San Going to Win People Over with Virtue?

Chapter 693: Chapter 633: Is Zhang San Going to Win People Over with Virtue?

"Spare your family? Kong Youde, I ask you, how can you have the face to say those words? However, I am a merciful sovereign, not a tyrant who arbitrarily kills another’s entire family."

"As long as you confess who was behind you slandering Zhang San, I will consider leaving a trace of descent for your Kong Family!"

At this moment, Kong Youde’s sweat and tears were mingling, making him appear quite embarrassed.

But at this life-and-death juncture, Kong Youde’s mind was clearer than it had ever been.

He had only been flirting with the Crown Prince during the Prince’s regency.

When he heard the news from the front lines that Emperor Kaihuang was injured, he knew that the heavens of the Great Sui were likely to change.

After all, on one hand, Emperor Kaihuang was not just an emperor of a nation, but also a Red Dust Immortal of the Imperial Path.

Though Emperor Kaihuang, as this Red Dust Immortal, had average combat abilities and not a high Realm, under the support of the Imperial Path, he should not be easily injured; and the fact that he was injured meant the injury must be serious.

Therefore, the matter of the Crown Prince succeeding the throne could essentially be put on the agenda.

On the other hand, Emperor Kaihuang was a wise ruler of his generation; he had his own ideas and great capability.

But the Crown Prince had not yet come of age. If the Crown Prince were to ascend to the throne, Confucianism would be able to call the wind and summon the rain in the court in the future.

Moreover, the Crown Prince had always had a poor relationship with Legalism. Perhaps they could even take the opportunity to eradicate Legalism!

Therefore, Kong Youde not only flirted with the Crown Prince but even took the initiative many times to deliver gifts, beauties, intelligence, and strategies.

Like this time, the plan to defame Zhang San through public opinion, resulting in Zhang San not receiving his due rewards, was devised by Kong Youde himself.

It’s just that now, Kong Youde knew that he was bound to die.

Would it benefit him to reveal the Crown Prince at this time? No.

On the contrary, if he offended the Crown Prince as well, it wouldn’t just be his family suffering in the future but the entire Confucianism.

Therefore, he had to shoulder everything by himself.

Only in this way was it the best solution.

"This lowly official deserves to die—this lowly official believed that Zhang San, a rash and crude man, if he were to perform great service and be titled and appointed as a minister, would surely lead our Great Sui into chaos in the future. That is why this lowly official resorted to such a despicable plan. Your Majesty, everything I did, I did for you, for the Great Sui!"

At that moment, Zhang San suddenly spoke up, "Emperor Kaihuang, although I feel that Minister Kong’s views are not consistent with mine, I believe his initial intentions were good..."

Upon hearing this, all the ministers in the court were taken aback.

What does this mean?

Could it be that Zhang San wants to win people over with virtue and make Confucianism submit in this manner?

But then again, this way of winning people over with virtue is strenuous when fooling the top echelon in Confucianism, but quite effective for fooling the fools at the middle and lower levels.

Even now, many of the Confucian officials kneeling on the ground had pale faces.

Not because the plot against Zhang San failed, but because they vaguely felt that the core technology of Confucianism had been stolen by Zhang San!

Zhang San continued, "However, so many Confucian officials slandering me together, is this a tacit agreement, or did Kong Youde find them? Surely it’s not factional favoritism."

As expected!

The kneeling Confucian officials knew, the people of Legalism were ruthless.

How could they possibly try to win people over with virtue!

This is clearly trying to make us die along with Kong Youde.

But the problem was, these officials wanted to rebut, but they just couldn’t find the words!

And at this time, whomever Emperor Kaihuang noticed was likely to be the first to die.

After all, with so many people kneeling here, Emperor Kaihuang couldn’t possibly kill them all, there might still be room for maneuver.

Kong Youde immediately explained, "Your Majesty’s insight is clear. These ministers have only been bewitched by the rumors that I previously spread. They are innocent; the guilt lies solely with this humble official. It has nothing to do with anyone else."

Zhang San immediately nodded and said, "That’s what I’m saying. It’s not possible that our soldiers are fighting bloody battles and winning at the front, while in the Capital, they can rest easy, even to the point where Confucianism, endorsed by Emperor Kaihuang, harbors worries about us receiving too much credit, and thus deliberately slanders us."

In that moment, Wen Chudao’s gaze towards the Confucian ministers grew much colder.

Kong Youde knew things had gone wrong!

What was originally just Confucianism targeting Legalism had now forcibly turned into Confucianism targeting the military generals.

There was indeed a struggle between the civil and military officials, but how could we alone withstand these men armed with weapons!

At this point, Kong Youde knew that not only was anything he said useless, but if Zhang San continued speaking like this, the Confucian side would only lose more people.

"Emperor Kaihuang, for all the thousands of mistakes, they are all my own. I only ask that when Your Majesty executes me, you could spare my family."

Zhang San snorted coldly.

"Just now, Minister Kong, you also admitted it: you were simply embezzling. So where’s the money you embezzled? Don’t tell me you’ve been keeping it for the state treasury without spending a dime!"

"The money you’ve spent, haven’t you enjoyed it? Hasn’t your family enjoyed it? If they’ve enjoyed the benefits brought by your embezzlement, why should they be especially forgiven when facing punishment? Didn’t they notice something wrong with you? Didn’t they ever think of reporting you to the Ministry of Personnel?"

Zhang San deliberately didn’t mention the Ministry of Punishment and directly referred to the Ministry of Personnel instead.

This frightened Jiang Huaiyuan, the Minister of Personnel, causing him to shudder.

Zhang San really was the kind who brought death to whoever he touched!

Now Jiang Huaiyuan was utterly clueless about Zhang San’s investigation.

At this moment, hearing Zhang San suddenly bring up the Ministry of Personnel, Jiang Huaiyuan was so scared that his hat almost fell off.

In his final struggle, Kong Youde said, "We Confucians value loyalty and filial piety, emphasizing kinship. And this kinship refers to being close to one’s own relatives. Reporting one’s relatives is an act of unfilial behavior!"

Zhang San coldly said, "Such a thing that runs counter to the laws of the state, you actually depict as filial piety? Is this how your Confucianism practices filial piety? That’s truly filial unto death!"

"However, after all, it’s not easy for the state to cultivate a Minister of Rites. In my opinion, we should still..."

Just when everyone thought Zhang San was going to win people over with virtue again, they heard him continue, "When carrying out the execution and eradication of the family, it is essential to make a public declaration clearly stating the Great Sui’s determination to punish corrupt officials, along with Minister of Rites Kong Youde’s personal misunderstanding of Confucian thought. My grievances are secondary; the primary concern is not to let the people think that favoritism towards relatives is actually filial piety! That is totally Demon Path!"

"Only by doing this can we rectify the customs of the people of Great Sui, and even more so rectify the backbone of the imperial court."

Hearing this, Wen Chudao was the first to stand up in agreement.

Then Shen Wei of the Ministry of Punishment naturally followed suit.

Jiang Huaiyuan, though he knew he should help the people on the Crown Prince’s side, realized he truly couldn’t assist this time and might as well take the opportunity to step on them to show his stance in front of Emperor Kaihuang.

As for the other key officials of the court, they naturally understood that Emperor Kaihuang was waiting in silence for something.

So, at this moment, everyone voted with their feet, even the Crown Prince had to reluctantly stand out in agreement.

By noon that day, dozens of Confucian ministers were dragged to the market square and beheaded.

It was said that on the day of the execution, people who wanted to watch the spectacle couldn’t even get close.

Because the best viewing spots had long been occupied by people from Legalism and Mohism.

It was even the first time in many years that Legalism and Mohism could sit together so amicably in a public place, even chatting and laughing with each other.