The Ming Dynasty: The opening scene features Zhu Di angrily accusing him of illegitimate succession.

Lin returned to his residence.

His residence was in a narrow alley next to Sanshan Street. The courtyard wall was mottled, the wooden door creaked, and the house was small and dilapidated, with a desk taking up most of the space.

If it weren't for the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table, it would be almost indistinguishable from an ordinary farmer's home.

Lin Yue spread out the yellowed hemp paper, dipped his brush in ink, and began to write a memorial. This time, he wanted to attack Zhu Di's weakest point once again.

When Zhu Di raised an army as a prince, the most sensitive topic was definitely how to deal with the other princes. He certainly intended to reduce the power of the princes, but Lin Yue insisted on not allowing it.

"Emperor Taizu Gao's 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions' clearly stipulates that vassal kings should guard the borders to protect the ancestral temple and the state, which is as solid as a rock!"

Your Majesty suffered the calamity of Jianwen's reduction of the princes' power back then. The Prince of Xiang committed suicide by fire, the Prince of Zhou was imprisoned, and his relatives were scattered. How tragic it was!

Now that Your Majesty has been on the throne for a short time, you are already imitating Jianwen and want to reduce the military power of the princes of Qi and Min and seize their fiefdoms. We are all members of the imperial family and blood relatives. How can you bear to fight each other?

The lessons of the Jianwen Emperor's past are still fresh in our minds; why repeat the same mistakes?

"A wise ruler should prioritize kinship and adhere to ancestral rules!"

If Your Majesty deposes the princes today, your relatives will become disloyal tomorrow. People will surely say that Your Majesty "only allows yourself to quell the rebellion, but does not allow the princes to survive." The accusation of usurpation will not be cleared, and you will be branded as ungrateful!

If the imperial family all fears His Majesty, and no one is left to protect the capital, with the Mongols in the north eyeing the capital covetously and the barbarians in the south stirring up trouble, how can the Ming Dynasty remain secure?!

After writing a rapid scribbling, Lin Yue threw down his pen, looked at the pages full of powerful and insightful advice, and grinned with satisfaction.

With such sarcastic and ambiguous statements, openly and covertly implying that Zhu Di, a prince, rebelled and seized power, the memorials submitted without learning from past mistakes must have infuriated Zhu Di.

Emperor Yongle was determined to reduce the power of the princes, and since he so openly opposed it, he would probably be executed without hesitation.

......

The next day, before dawn, Lin Yue changed into the blue robe of a seventh-rank official and headed straight for the capital with his memorials in his pocket.

But they were stopped by guards halfway through their journey.

"Remonstrator Lin, His Majesty has decreed that you have been imprisoned for many days and are physically and mentally exhausted. He has been granted a half-month leave to recuperate and is exempt from attending court during this period."

Lin Yue was taken aback, then immediately became anxious: "I'm perfectly fine! Let me in quickly, I have important matters to report to His Majesty!"

As he spoke, he tried to barge inside.

The guards stepped forward to stop him, their tone respectful yet firm: "Lin, please calm down. His Majesty has strictly ordered you not to attend court."

"We are bound by our duties and dare not allow it to proceed."

Lin Yue struggled for a long time, but still couldn't break through the wall of burly men, each over 1.8 meters tall.

Damn it, that old dog Zhu Di, he actually blocked me when he couldn't win an argument, and used the holiday as an excuse to shut him up!

He wanted to go to court and give Zhu Di a good scolding, but he didn't expect that he couldn't even get into the palace.

"They won't let me in? I'll just have to go!"

Lin Yue clenched his fist and slammed it at the guard in front of him.

This guard was from the Imperial Guard, over eight feet tall, and his armor was rock hard. When Lin Yue punched him, he only winced in pain, while the guard remained completely unmoved.

"Lin Yue, don't be impulsive!" The guards shouted in unison, but their actions were swift and decisive. Two guards stepped forward instantly, firmly holding Lin Yue's arms and locking him in place.

Lin Yue struggled for a long time, unable to move, and could only kick his feet and curse, "Let me go! I have a memorial to submit. Can you take responsibility for delaying important national affairs?"

After cursing for a long time without any response, Lin Yue hardened his heart and resorted to his usual trick: "Fine! If you won't let me attend court and offer my advice, I'll smash my head against the palace gate and die right here, so the whole world can see how His Majesty blocks the channels of communication and forces loyal ministers to their deaths!"

Suddenly, Lin Yue twisted his body, like a caterpillar, and wriggled his head towards the white marble pillar next to him.

Of course, it was just for show; his hands were controlled by the guards, so his range of movement was actually limited.

The guards were indeed shocked, and a group of them hurriedly pulled him back.

"Lin Gejian, you mustn't!" "Stop Scholar Lin immediately!"

When the scene became chaotic, the guards' coordination fell apart.

Seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Lin Yue rammed his head into the guard's nose to break free of his restraints. Then, he bent over and squeezed through the guards, running towards the palace and heading straight for Fengtian Gate.

"Quickly, chase after him! Stop Lin Gejian!"

The guards reacted quickly and gave chase, the clanging of armor echoing along the palace road, drawing the attention of patrolling Imperial Guards and passing eunuchs.

Lin Yue took off running, the hem of his green robe fluttering in the wind.

Taking advantage of his light clothing and agile movements, he dodged left and right on the palace road, bypassing several eunuchs, and rushed towards Fengtian Gate.

The guards were indeed tall and strong, but wearing armor ultimately slowed their running speed, and they couldn't catch up with Lin Yue for a while.

As they drew closer to Fengtian Gate, the nearby guards noticed the unusual activity and launched a surprise attack, one of them sliding in and knocking Lin Yue down.

Lin Yue was thrown hard to the ground, his chest aching from the impact. Just as he tried to get up, he was surrounded by four or five guards and held down firmly once again.

This time, the guards learned their lesson. They not only held his arms down but also twisted them behind his back and pressed their knees against his back, rendering him unable to move.

"Let me go! I need to see His Majesty! I have important matters to report!" Lin Yue shouted at the top of his lungs, lying on the ground.

The regular meetings of the Ming Dynasty were usually held at Fengtian Gate. As the name suggests, Fengtian Gate was just a gate. Apart from the emperor himself, who had a roof over his head, all other officials had to stand in the square outside Fengtian Gate.

Lin Yue lay sprawled on the ground, his back aching from the guards' knees, yet he still screamed at the top of his lungs, "Your Majesty! I impeach you! I impeach Your Majesty for violating ancestral rules, arbitrarily reducing the power of the imperial princes, and plunging the Ming Dynasty into utter ruin!"

The officials in Fengtianmen Square were immediately in an uproar. Xia Yuanji, Jian Yi and others standing at the front of the line looked at each other in bewilderment, all thinking to themselves that Lin Yue was truly an oddball.

This is the first time I've ever seen someone who, after being pinned to the ground, still loudly impeaches the current emperor.

Inside Fengtian Gate, Zhu Di helplessly covered his forehead, listening to Lin Yue's extremely piercing shouts, and waved to Ji Gang, saying, "Bring him here."

Ji Gang accepted the order and quickly stepped forward to dismiss the guards.

Freed from his restraints, Lin Yue immediately rushed to the foot of the steps and began to rant and rave indignation.

"Your Majesty! I ask you, what exactly is the responsibility of the censors?!"

Lin Yue pulled out a crumpled memorial and slammed it on the ground with a loud thud.

He stared wide-eyed at Zhu Di in the distance, saying angrily, "When Emperor Taizu Gao first established the dynasty, he set up six departments of supervising officials and thirteen circuits of supervising censors, so that officials would dare to speak and the monarch would listen."

When Your Majesty ascended the throne, you proclaimed to the world that you would broaden the channels for public opinion and humbly accept advice, but how have you actually done it?!

As a Supervising Secretary, I have the duty to offer advice and remonstrance, yet Your Majesty, under the pretext of "recovering from injury," has refused me entry to the palace gates. Is this not the act of a foolish ruler who stifles free speech?

Zhu Di frowned and said in a deep voice, "I have granted you leave to recuperate in prison because of your suffering. How can this be considered as blocking the channels of communication?"

Lin Yue immediately used the fallacy of the slippery slope to forcefully refute: "Recuperation? Your Majesty is afraid that I will speak too much in court, afraid that I will expose your private intentions, so you use this high-sounding reason to shut me up!"

If officials don't attend court, how can there be any remonstrance? If the path to remonstrance is blocked, how can the court be enlightened?!

He took half a step forward, and his furious figure was reflected outside Fengtian Gate: "I have heard that King Li of Zhou was tyrannical and sent people to monitor slander. The people on the road looked at each other with their eyes, which eventually led to a national uprising and exile to Zhi."

The ancients wisely warned that preventing people from speaking out is more dangerous than preventing floods. If water is dammed up, it will burst and cause great harm. If people are resentful and try to suppress dissent, the country will perish quickly.

Your Majesty may silence me today, but tomorrow you will silence the entire nation!

At that time, the court will be filled with sycophants, His Majesty will be deceived in the deep palace, and treacherous officials will run rampant in the court and among the people. The Ming Dynasty will then repeat the mistakes of the Western Zhou Dynasty!