ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST 2

"I want to observe it in person, what's actually going on."

Zhu Su's those words instantly provoked various reactions.

"You can't, Your Highness. That's too dangerous!" Chen Xinyi immediately shouted.

"I just do an observation, and won't get involved in the fighting. About the fighting, I leave it to the San Hu Wei." Then Zhu Su stepped towards the main gate.

"You are merely observing, yet you are visible there. That's exactly what they want! They will immediately shoot the arrows straight to you!"

"I will try to be unnoticeable." Zhu Su still stepped forward.

"Your Highness!..." Yet it was useless to prevent him. Zhu Su went up the stairs, and a few moments later he had been standing on the gate.

"Your Highness!..." The commanders twitched in surprise as finding Zhu Su had been standing near to them, observing the riot occurring so fiercely far below them. All of them soon bowed reverently. "Greetings to Your Highness!..."

"How is the condition today? Has the riot subsided?" Zhu Su asked.

"May we report, Your Highness, please forgive us... it doesn't abate, it even becomes worse!"

After all, no need for him to ask, he had found out by himself how terrible the riot was. The strong wind blowing against his face when he arrived at the top of the gate also brought the atrocious smell of gunpowder, and the stench of blood. Not far beside him, several injured soldiers were treated by the physicians. On the edge of the gate, the soldiers were busy shooting arrows and throwing stones at rioters who tried to climb up, sometimes they fired cannons.

This was not just an ordinary riot. This was a war.

"Don't go there, Your Highness! Too dangerous!" Wu Qi soon shouted as Zhu Su walked nearer to the front.

A flash of strange beam emanated from Zhu Su's eyes. It was difficult to explain what was inside his mind. "I want to see how many people Huan Shikang has got to fight against us..."

"It's too dangerous, Your Highness!"

An arrow flew straight to Zhu Su. He soon turned his look to a silhouette - the man he knew very well, who was the mastermind of this turmoil.

Huan Shikang also turned his gaze to Zhu Su.

"Die you, Zhou Wang!" He smiled in a sinister manner.

Wu Qi quickly caught the arrow before it hit Zhu Su. Meanwhile, Zhu Su stared at Huan Shikang, deeply and sharply.

"Rioter, how dare you harass here!" Temper rising up of a sudden, Zhu Su shouted loudly.

"Me? Rioter?" Huan Shikang widened his eyes, then laughed aloud. "It is you who make a riot in this land! You, the Ming imperial family, all are the usurper of people's happiness!"

"Such a group of deceivers, you are. Calling yourselves as Gods, claiming that you can do magical things and treat the sick, but on the other side disfigure the government. Many things you've made to attract people, and after the people fall into your deceit, you utilize them as your death squads! Rioters, just admit that you are from Bai Lian Jiao!"

"I am the disciple of Bai Lian Jiao?!" Huan Shikang's laughter grew louder. "It's your father who is the disciple of Bai Lian Jiao! But now he forbids the doctrine he once utilized for seizing power! You are very much the same as your father, pass the buck!"

"You?!" Unexpecting that Huan Shikang would instead defame him, Zhu Su was stupefied in surprise.

"And more. You say that I manipulate the people?! Then I just tell you that most basic logic - if the people don't respect us, nor did they hate you, then no matter how intense the provocation we launch, it won't be able to drive them to rebel against you! But, as you look it by yourself, there are so many people standing by our side?! Can you diminish them?! You can't, because it is the Mandate of Heaven! The people have realized that the government is unworthy, that I have been destined to be the next ruler of this country!"

"How dare you make such defamation! The Emperor has brought prosperity to this country, and so do I, have exerted my best effort to help people... and then you dare to say that the government is unworthy and the people are standing by your side?!..."

Zhu Su was cut off as he must avoid a stone thrown at him.

"My father died because of The Yellow River Flood, but the government didn't give any help, even though my father is very loyal to the country. The leaders of this country are so cruel!"

Zhu Su turned to the right side. His eyes widened in surprise. It was the shout from a little boy whose age was no older than ten.

"My father was dragged to do forced labor to build the new palace in Shuntian, he died due to working too hard!"

"So is my father! He fell sick due to the flood disaster, but the government doesn't care, they still force him to work!"

"So is my father! So is my father!"

"How many people have been enslaved arbitrarily by the government?! Hundreds already... or even more!"

"We don't need the leaders who can only gloat over our misfortune!" A man continued.

"Master Huan Shikang, Master Suo Junhuan, and Master De Ta are meritorious to the people, but the government instead torments them arbitrarily. Where is righteousness?! Why is The Good always being oppressed, and The Evil always lives happily?! We can't tolerate it anymore!" This time it was an old man yelling.

"We don't need despotic leaders! What we need are benevolent leaders!"

"It is our duty to make sure that Righteousness and Justice stands firmly on this land! To uphold the Mandate of Heaven!"

Zhu Su was likely hypnotized by the scene he was watching. His eyes went huge, his mouth opened wide but said nothing, he just stumbled even though his mind was shouting lots of sentences.

He really wanted to shout those words. That they had all been fooled by Huan Shikang's manipulation. That they had been fooled to die by being recruited as death squads. And more, the reality was actually far different from the slander they accused. The real of him had actually helped the people by reducing taxes and even gave donations for the poor...

Then, was this the retribution he got right now?

The people hated him so much?

Why did the people hate him so much?

Had he really failed to become a benevolent leader? He was a despot, who lived in lavishness, over the people's sufferings? Who did not care about the misery of his people and kept dwelling comfortably in his big palace?

As the result, he was deserved to be hated by the people?