Chapter 119: The Cabinet: This Is What You Call Professional!
Fengtian Gate.
The ministers kowtowed three times before the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
As usual, Emperor Chenghua, Zhu Jianshen, watched them finish their bows without uttering a word, then patted his backside and left.
Well, well, well!
No crown prince, he leaves right after court; with a crown prince, he still leaves right after court—does he not regard anyone here as human?
This is intolerable!
On the very day they helped Empress Dowager Zhou secure the crown prince,
Shang Lu, together with the ministers, submitted a memorial petition, requesting the establishment of a crown prince!
“What does Aunt Wan think?”
At this moment, though Emperor Chenghua was somewhat wary, he hadn’t quite grasped the rules, after all, he had been crown prince himself for eighteen years, and his father was still alive.
So he eagerly went to Zhaode Palace to discuss with the two Wan Zhen’ers.
“The young lord has entered Renshou Palace; it seems the Grand Secretariat believes the young lord is already their man and thus wishes to establish the crown prince,” Consort Wan mused for a moment.
Emperor Chenghua pondered deeply, his gaze coldly fixed on the memorial petition, sneering:
“Once the crown prince is established, in the coming days he will likely make a move against me. The Grand Secretariat only strengthens its alliance with the main consorts to dominate the harem; wasn’t the late emperor undone by just such a scheme?”
“Your Majesty, please be cautious,” Wan Zhen’er said timidly.
“Hmph, it’s all minor matters,” Emperor Chenghua laughed spiritedly, a look of confident wisdom upon his face.
Consort Wan smiled amusedly at him, then gently said, “Let’s do as the inspector suggests. I’ll first take control of those few individuals.”
“Very well, Aunt, thank you for your trouble.”
Emperor Chenghua nodded, then shamelessly lingered in Zhaode Palace for two more hours before reluctantly departing.
Soon,
The Office of Ceremonial Affairs conveyed the news from the Grand Secretariat: the establishment of the crown prince had been approved!
Three days later.
Fengtian Gate.
During the morning court session.
As per custom, after seeing the ministers kowtow, Emperor Chenghua could leave.
Just then, palace guards suddenly erupted into noisy commotion!
“What’s happening outside?”
“I do not know, Your Majesty,” a servant replied.
Even prepared mentally, Emperor Chenghua couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine.
Prepared to use all thirty-six stratagems, fleeing was his best option!
He attempted a whirlwind escape around the pillars—
Suddenly, a pair of hands settled on his shoulders. Turning around, he saw the eunuch Huai’en smiling as he pressed down on him.
“Impertinent! You audacious dog eunuch, do you want your entire clan exterminated?” Emperor Chenghua shouted, startled and furious.
“Your Majesty, forgive me. According to court protocol, you may not leave before the session is dismissed without cause!” Huai’en appeared flustered, yet held him firmly.
Emperor Chenghua gave up struggling, turned sideways, eyes icy and penetrating.
Huai’en, the chief eunuch of the Office of Ceremonial Affairs, bowed humbly.
Collusion between inner and outer factions had become this severe!?
---
Emperor Chenghua’s expression was indifferent, but he sneered inwardly.
Stir it all up, go ahead!
Soon,
The disturbance subsided.
Clearly, the assassin’s skill was mediocre, leaving Emperor Xianzong unimpressed.
“What’s the cause outside?” Emperor Chenghua asked calmly.
“Your Majesty, a large black cat attacked people but has been repelled!” the palace guard replied anxiously.
“Insulting the sovereign? Such insolence deserves death by flogging in the courtyard,” Emperor Chenghua shook his head lightly.
What?
The Grand Secretariat officials were dumbfounded.
Even Huai’en, who held him, was stunned, instinctively withdrawing his hands.
Since when had the emperor become so brave?
And how did he know the palace guard was lying?
“No, Your Majesty...” the guard, terrified, was dragged away, trying to speak.
Suddenly,
Countless heavy gazes bore down on him, choking his words entirely.
“Bring the person up here,” Zhu Jianshen said softly, paying no heed to the fuss.
Who was this person?
The emperor seemed no longer hesitant?
Led by Shang Lu, the ministers frowned collectively, exchanging glances before realizing the significance.
Not long after,
A scruffy man with the appearance of a wandering sorcerer was brought in, calm and composed.
More than half the civil officials in the court frowned, puzzled why the emperor would summon a social drifter to the audience hall.
Only a few high-ranking officials involved in the matter showed signs of nervousness, though seeing the man's serene expression eased their worries.
See that?
This is professionalism!
Kneeling down with a thud,
“I, commoner Li Zilong, pay respects to Your Majesty!”
Li Zilong immediately knelt, banging his head on the ground.
The ministers and officials exchanged question marks.
Their anxiety eased, then was utterly crushed.
“How did you manage to infiltrate the imperial inner palace?” Zhu Jianshen asked nonchalantly.
Li Zilong lowered his head respectfully, rattling off:
“I deserve death ten thousand times over. Someone gave me a sum of money to bribe palace eunuchs, the Embroidered Uniform Guard officers, and eunuchs from the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau. With forged imperial seals, I was able to come and go freely. These days, I have been observing Wan Sui Mountain daily...”
In a small world,
Wan Sui Mountain?
Zhu Youjian blinked—wasn’t that Jingshan, where Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself?
---
It was the highest point in the palace; going there could only mean searching for Emperor Xianzong’s whereabouts, to strike at the right moment!
Everyone in the hall understood this clearly.
“Impudent!”
“Bold!”
The ministers, angry and shocked, clasped their hands and said in unison:
“Your Majesty, please thoroughly investigate this case. No involved party must be spared!”
Civil officials were not a monolith; factions abounded. With the emperor about to fall, they remained unaware. When the time came to divide spoils, wouldn’t they suffer great losses?
Secret dealings without informing them?
Fine, then no good shall come of it!
When interests are at stake, these people are ruthless—harsh to others, even harsher to their own!
“Continue. Who were bribed?” Zhu Jianshen glanced sideways, ignoring those scoundrels, waving his hand to command.
“Wei Han, eunuch of the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau! I was entrusted to deal with him,” Li Zilong bowed.
The civil officials breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
Wei Han was a fuse—they reckoned it must have already blown.
Before the thought finished,
Two Embroidered Uniform Guards dragged a disheveled and lost-looking Wei Han into the hall.
“Kneeling to Your Majesty! May Your Majesty be well!” Wei Han’s voice trembled sharply as he knelt, arms shaking uncontrollably.
Consort Wan—who was she? A mere woman who had suppressed the entire harem for over twenty years, protecting Emperor Xianzong’s safety all that time. She was a master with top-tier skills!
Wei Han had been tormented so much in recent days, nearly confessing to childhood mischief—peeping on Widow Li bathing back home!
It was truly a living hell.
“Speak. You will be recorded in the official records,” Zhu Jianshen nodded, pointing to someone.
The chief eunuch of the Imperial Stables, Wang Zhi!
“As you command!”
Wang Zhi’s cold eyes revealed that a mere sixteen or seventeen-year-old rising to chief eunuch of the Imperial Stables was no ordinary person!
To him, the phrase “recorded in the official records” was simple—draw out the book of life and death and make the marks.
Historically, the shocking assassination attempt by the villain Li Zilong on the emperor resulted in only fourteen beheadings, an astonishingly low number orchestrated by the Grand Secretariat.
Cao Qin’s five hundred men storming the palace to rescue the emperor had led to thousands of deaths.
Only fourteen executions meant the vast majority were hidden away; many members of the Empress Dowager’s faction and the Grand Secretariat remained within the palace.
Wei Han listed over forty names, and following this trail, more than a thousand people were implicated!
“Conduct a thorough investigation!”
Wang Zhi held command of the Imperial Stables; all palace troops answered to him. At the emperor’s order,
Heads rolled continuously:
Forty-seven sentenced to death by severe punishment,
One hundred fifty-six flogged to death,
Five hundred eighty-two imprisoned,
Over seven hundred banished to Lingnan!
Most of the Grand Secretariat’s palace staff were purged!
...