Travel back in time and become Chongzhen, watch me turn the tide

At the entrance of the spacious and bright hall, sunlight poured down, illuminating the ground.

Huang Zongxi, Zhang Huangyan, Zheng Sen, Xia Wanchun, and the Four Young Masters of the Fushe Society stood there quietly, each one's face etched with unconcealed uneasiness. With the exception of Hou Fangyu, everyone else was having the opportunity to meet the Emperor for the first time in their lives. A wave of nervousness permeated their hearts, their eyes gleaming with unease. They exchanged glances from time to time, remaining silent, their minds speculating on the nature of the upcoming meeting.

Only Hou Fangyu knew that Emperor Chongzhen had already planned to summon these people, so although he did not dare to slack off in the slightest, he still looked a little calm.

"Lord Hou, His Majesty summons you to an audience!" Wang Chengen's sharp and penetrating voice came from the gate, breaking the slightly dull silence.

"Thank you, eunuch." Upon hearing the summons, Hou Fangyu hurriedly and respectfully bowed deeply in the direction of Wang Chengen. His words were filled with polite humility. He then quickly turned around, raised his hand to signal the others, and said softly, "Everyone, His Majesty has summoned us. Let us follow the eunuch into the audience."

When everyone heard this, they calmed down, carefully adjusted their clothes, and then followed Wang Chengen one by one, entering the solemn and dignified hall.

The hall was dimly lit, with only a few rays of sunlight filtering through the cracks in the high window lattices, casting a faint shadow. The sound of footsteps echoed throughout the empty hall, adding to the solemn atmosphere. However, when their gazes finally fell upon the figure on the brocade couch in the center, they were all stunned and frozen in place, as if under a spell, unable to move.

"Mr. Zhu, why are you here?" Xia Wanchun was young, simple-minded and outspoken. In this atmosphere full of astonishment, he was the first to suppress his inner doubts and blurted out the question. His slightly childish voice sounded particularly crisp and loud in this silent hall.

"Why can't I be here?" Chongzhen saw everyone coming in, and a warm smile suddenly spread across his face. That smile was like the warm sunshine on a spring day, dispelling some of the solemn atmosphere in the hall. He bowed slightly, and said jokingly in a light tone, his eyes revealing a hint of gentleness and kindness.

"You...you are His Majesty?" Huang Zongxi was the first to come back to his senses from the extreme shock, but his voice was still trembling slightly, and he spoke with a hint of disbelief.

"That's right!" Chongzhen said with a smile. He straightened his sitting posture, his expression showing a sense of majesty yet friendliness. "I have long heard of the illustrious reputation of you talented scholars, and have always wanted to meet you. It's just a pity that the situation is not convenient at the moment, and it is difficult to reveal my identity..."

"Hasn't the emperor come yet?" Wang Cheng'en frowned when he saw that everyone was so surprised that they had forgotten the etiquette. He raised his voice and spoke, and his words instantly brought everyone back to reality from their astonishment.

"Greetings to His Majesty, Long live the Emperor..." Everyone finally woke up from their dream and hurriedly knelt down to pay homage.

"No thanks, no thanks." Chongzhen smiled and waved his hand. His eyes revealed a hint of tolerance and kindness, and he said with a pleasant face, "Everyone, don't be so reserved. Let's talk freely like we did that day!"

"Your servants... dare not." Huang Zongxi and others looked at each other, and thinking of what they said that night, they all felt uneasy.

"I called you here so you can speak freely. No matter what you say today, I won't blame you." Chongzhen saw everyone's reserved expressions, but he smiled and spoke patiently. His eyes slowly swept across their faces, revealing a sincerity and expectation, hoping that everyone would put aside their concerns and be honest with him.

"Your Majesty, I wonder what we are talking about today?" Hou Fangyu could only bite the bullet and ask courageously.

"Oh, we only talked about half of the word 'people' that day. How about we continue this topic today?" Chongzhen leaned lightly on the brocade couch, looked at everyone calmly, and said slowly.

"Your Highness, we are all ears." Huang Zongxi said respectfully and modestly.

"Hey!" Seeing everyone so respectful, Chongzhen couldn't help but shake his head helplessly. He knew in his heart that hearing these people's true feelings again would be extremely difficult. After all, their identities were now clear, and under the pressure of the imperial power, how could they dare to speak freely as they did that night?

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Although the sigh was light, it also revealed a hint of loss.

"Well, I know it's not easy to hear your true feelings today, and I understand your concerns." Thinking of this, Chongzhen slowly said: "Then today I will throw out some ideas..."

"I wonder if you all still remember the explanation of the word 'people' given by the Jinling Evening News?" Chongzhen said after a moment of thought.

"I remember this." Huang Zongxi said, "It was said in the evening paper: The people your majesty is talking about do not simply refer to the common people, but a general term for scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans... All those who approve of and support the Ming Dynasty belong to the scope of the people; all those who are hostile to and destroy the Ming Dynasty are enemies of the people... This paragraph was written by Chaozong. I once asked him about it, but he did not explain it clearly. Since the people refer to scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, then it should be all the common people. Why do you say that those who support the Ming Dynasty belong to the scope of the people? If there are people among the pseudo-Shun and Manchu Qing who are loyal to the Ming Dynasty, are they also the people?" Huang Zongxi's voice was steady and powerful. As he spoke, he raised his head slightly and looked directly at Chongzhen, with a hint of doubt and inquiry in his eyes.

"Taichong's words hit the mark." Chongzhen laughed and said, "Zhaozong consulted me when he explained the people. They are the real people in my heart..."

His laughter echoed in the hall, sounding quite hearty, as if he was very satisfied with Huang Zongxi's question.

"Taichong once said that the world is the master and the emperor is the guest. I also believe so." Chongzhen pondered for a moment, and said solemnly: "The world of our Great Ming is not just the world of the Zhu family, but the world of the people. All those who agree and support our Great Ming Dynasty belong to the scope of the people. Whether they are officials, gentry, merchants, or common people, they are all people, part of this Great Ming, and the masters of the Great Ming! Those who oppose, are hostile to, and undermine our Great Ming Dynasty, even if they have prominent backgrounds, are our enemies and the targets of our struggle. Even if they are not our Great Ming citizens, but their hearts are with the Great Ming, they are also part of the people!"

Chongzhen's words plunged everyone into deep contemplation. Some bowed their heads in thought, others frowned slightly, their expressions varied, but all of them were pondering and considering these forward-thinking words in their hearts.

Chongzhen's remarks on the people were truly ahead of their time. These remarks reflected the philosophies of later generations, far beyond the reach of the public's current thinking. Furthermore, while Chongzhen came from a later era, Zhu Youjian was a serious science and engineering student with only a limited understanding of politics. His remarks were beyond his political capabilities.

Moreover, he said such words at this time because he was relying on his status as emperor. In addition, he was living in a chaotic world. Otherwise, those censors would have lined up long ago, waiting to impeach and teach Chongzhen a lesson.

"I...I have something I don't understand, but I don't know whether I should speak up or not." Huang Zongxi remained silent for a long time before finally summoning the courage to speak. His voice trembled slightly, revealing his inner nervousness and hesitation, but the resolute look in his eyes betrayed his determination to seek the truth.

"Tai Chong, feel free to ask!" Chongzhen looked at Huang Zongxi calmly and said in a firm tone, giving him full permission and encouragement.

"Then which is more important, the emperor or the people?" Huang Zongxi hesitated for a moment and asked cautiously. His eyes fixed on Chongzhen, revealing a hint of anticipation and trepidation as he awaited the emperor's response.

"The people are more important than the emperor!" Chongzhen said without hesitation and firmly.

"Your Majesty is so wise!" Upon hearing this, Huang Zongxi immediately knelt on the ground and praised loudly.

"Your Majesty is wise!" The others also knelt down with Huang Zongxi and shouted in unison.

"Please stand up quickly." Chongzhen said with a smile: "I have already said that the people are the most important, and you people are kneeling down to worship me. Isn't this a slap in my face?"

There was a hint of sarcasm in his words, trying to ease the slightly solemn atmosphere.

The crowd dared not respond to this statement. In their inherent belief, an emperor who valued the people and the country above himself was a wise ruler. This didn't mean the people were truly more important than the monarch; it was simply a result of centuries of deep-rooted feudal thinking. They still lowered their heads, not daring to overstep their bounds.

"Okay, let's end our discussion of the people today." Chongzhen waved his hand for everyone to stand up, then said with a smile, "I have another question for you. Currently, there are the Donglin Party, the Chu Party, the Qi Party, the Zhejiang Party, the Xuan Party, and the Kun Party in the court. Is there a party belonging to me?"

"This..." Everyone looked at each other in astonishment when they heard this.

The world belonged to the emperor, so how could he have any factions? Or rather, the emperor himself was the largest faction, but by this time everyone had become so accustomed to Chongzhen's shocking words that they were practically numb.

"If you don't speak, then it doesn't exist." Chongzhen smiled and said, "Then I will set a precedent today and establish a political party. I wonder if you, my dear ministers, are willing to join?"

There was an expectant smile on Chongzhen's face, and his eyes slowly swept across everyone's faces, as if waiting for their response.