Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 144 Catastrophic Change

After receiving a hint from Cao Huachun at the headquarters of the Imperial Household Department, Lu Wenzhao first went to the Xing family.

"Where is old man Xing?" Lu Wenzhao knocked on the door of Xing's house and asked the doorman without any greeting.

"Which government office are you from, sir?" The doorman asked cautiously when he saw that the visitor was wearing official uniform.

"Jinyiwei, Lu Wenzhao." Lu Wenzhao didn't want to say any more nonsense: "Go and call old man Xing."

"It's the master's superior." Hearing it was the Jinyiwei, the doorman quickly turned around without even closing the door. "Sir, wait a moment."

After a while, Xing Kuan came over with his food. "Captain Lu, how are you?"

"You haven't opened a shop for a long time, right?" Lu Wenzhao said with a smile.

"What do you think?" Xing Kuan held onto the door frame and looked around. Seeing that there was no one around, he sighed and said, "Although Eunuch Wang has given me the golden words and no one dares to cause trouble for me, I definitely can't stay in the East Factory anymore. I went to find my old boss, but he didn't want to offend anyone and only gave me salary without work. You are a centurion, but I am just a small flag. How can I support such a big family with a dry salary without any benefits?" Xing Kuan began to complain, and seemed to be talking endlessly.

"Stop! I'm here to give you work." Lu Wenzhao raised his hand to stop Xing Kuan from saliva.

"Hehe. I know." Xing Kuan raised the whip in his hand. "No one comes here for no reason. You are not here just to eat my lunch, are you?"

"You're talking too much nonsense." Lu Wenzhao cursed with a smile. "Come with me."

"Captain Lu, come in and have a drink. It's the middle of the day." Xing Kuan asked in confusion, "Is it urgent?"

"Urgent work, immediate work." Lu Wenzhao did not have lunch, but he had no intention of doing so now.

"Then I have to ask you one more thing, is this a private job or an official one?" Xing Kuan shrank his neck.

"Officials from the East Prison."

"Officials? Don't hand them over to the imperial prison." The East Office can squeeze some money out of the "criminals" before handing them over to the West Office, but it generally will not intercept the "criminal officials" of the North Pacification Office.

"Where do you get all that bullshit from? Are you going or not?"

"Of course I'm willing to go if you can get me paid." Xing Kuan held the door, looking like he was going to leave if you don't tell me. "But you have to tell me something."

Lu Wenzhao wasn't as powerful as Wang An. If Xing Kuan really didn't want to go, Lu Wenzhao couldn't do anything about it, so he could only lie and say, "I spent a lot of money on the Donglin Party's mission and caught a big fish. But no one in the East Office knows how to cook it, so I came to you, the cook."

"Big Fish, who is it?"

"Don't you fucking know the rules?" Lu Wenzhao frowned and cursed in a more serious tone, "Are you going to do it or not? If not, I'll find someone else."

"I'm not... Oh, forget it. Then let's talk about the price when we get there?" Xing Kuan said with a smile.

Lu Wenzhao nodded. "I'm not afraid of falling to my death."

------

The two men came to the East Prison and walked straight into the deepest cell.

"Open the door." Lu Wenzhao entered the cell and found Lu Jianxing inside. "That's perfect. Old Lu, bring the man to the torture chamber. Get ready to work."

"It's not easy to deal with someone of his age." Xing Kuan looked up and down at the old criminal in front of him who was older than him and shook his head.

"Don't talk nonsense. I only have two requirements: dig deep and survive." Lu Wenzhao said coldly: "Name your price."

Hearing this conversation, Sun Ruyou was shocked: He really went to ask for a criminal name.

"Twenty." Just as Xing Kuan was about to raise a high price, Lu Jianxing stood up and proudly showed Lu Wenzhao the wine jug in his hand. "Sir, no need, two more cups are enough."

"What are you talking about?" Lu Wenzhao finally noticed the alcohol smell that permeated the prison. "What's going on? Why are you drinking again?"

"Well, it's a wasted trip." While Lu Wenzhao was still confused, Xing Kuan understood it first.

"Lord Sun and I hit it off right away. I treated him to a drink and he told me stories." Lu Jianxing also knew Xing Kuan. "Old Xing, you can pack up and go home."

"I haven't even laid out my things yet. Why are you collecting them?" Xing Kuan looked at "Old Fish" who had finished cooking himself with a face full of resentment, and said regretfully, "Let's go back."

"Old man Xing, I don't have twenty taels, so take two taels." Xing Kuan didn't ask Lu Wenzhao for any errand fees, but Lu Wenzhao still understood the ways of the world.

"I just ran away once, how dare you?"

"You still want me to take you back." Lu Wenzhao threw the silver to Xing Kuan and waved his hand impatiently.

After Xing Kuan left the prison, Lu Wenzhao asked, "What did our Lord Sun confess?"

"Hmph." Sun Ruyou snorted. He had already explained it once and didn't want to repeat it a second time.

"Here it is." Lu Jianxing picked up several thick sheets of densely written paper from the kang. "Sir, this is a confession. It's quite revealing."

Lu Wenzhao took the confession and noticed Sun Ruyou's signature and handprint in the blank space on each page. "Sir Sun, you are truly sincere. I wanted to buy you a drink. But, alas!" The more Lu Wenzhao read, the higher his smile rose. But at the same time, the wrinkles on his brow grew thicker.

"Sir, let's report it quickly. With this, you will definitely be able to move to a higher level!" Lu Jianxing never mentioned himself.

If your superior who trusts you gets promoted, then your own promotion won’t be far behind.

"We need to think about this matter." Lu Wenzhao put away his confession and pulled Lu Jianxing to an empty cell in the distance.

"Sir, this case is very simple. It's the Donglin Party's conspiracy to force the emperor to abdicate. There are two masterminds, but only one is currently at the Northern Pacification Office." Lu Jianxing suggested, "Our Eastern Office has the power to investigate cases. Based on the confession, we can arrest the perpetrator."

"You mean to report the confession to the magistrate?" Unless Hai Zhentao himself was present, Lu Wenzhao would not call him Taishan.

"Yes. There are still many fish to catch in the pond. It's better to let the deputy official divide them than the deputy magistrate." Their rank was qualified to eat fish, but not to share them. Even if they found the fish, it was not their turn.

"It's not that easy." Lu Wenzhao sat on the empty kang and patted the seat next to him.

"Didn't you bring Mr. Xing here?" Lu Jianxing was puzzled.

"We can review it, but we still have to figure out what to do after the review," Lu Wenzhao said. "It's always better to hand it over to the higher-ups."

"Only when we hand it over to the higher-ups will we make mistakes." Lu Wenzhao shook his head and said, "I don't have the authority to hand it over directly."

"Sir, you are really powerful." Lu Jianxing was stunned, and then he suddenly realized: Captain Lu's connections had reached the palace.

"It was just luck." Lu Wenzhao trusted Lu Jianxing very much, but he didn't intend to tell him about Cao Huachun.

Lu Jianxing didn't ask any further questions. Instead, he just said, "Then what should we do?"

"I don't know." Lu Wenzhao suddenly felt very tired. "In the Donglin Party incident, the Jinyiwei alone is involved: the headquarters, the Northern Pacification Office, the Eastern Office, and the Experience Office." Lu Wenzhao muttered to himself as he thought:
"Who should this pot lid be handed over to? The Chief Guard retracted his outstretched hand. The Vice Magistrate wanted to go further, but we are not from the Northern Pacification Office. The Assistant Magistrate handed the case to me instead of the General Flag of the Sea, which shows that he doesn't want to get deeply involved in this matter." Lu Wenzhao stretched out his hand and wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

"Master Guard may not know what 'up there' means." Lu Jianxing reminded him tactfully with emphasis.

"I'll tell the Chief Guard what it means. What will he think of me? What will they think of me?" Lu Wenzhao glared at Lu Jianxing fiercely. "Damn it! Don't be so clever. You're keeping this to yourself. I didn't get any hints. We figured this out on our own. Do you hear me?" Lu Wenzhao pointed at the confession.

"I heard it." Lu Jianxing had no idea. "Then what should we do about this?"

Lu Wenzhao suddenly had an idea: "That's right! Isn't the interrogation still going on over there by Tian Tongzhi? Once Tian Tongzhi sends the results of the interrogation to the palace, the Chief Guard will naturally know what it means. Then, we can take this document to the Chief Guard or the Assistant Minister, and we'll be out of trouble!"

"We've got the signed confessions. This is the first achievement of 'First Landing,' sir!" Lu Jianxing said earnestly, "Once the Northern Pacification Division has a result, your contribution will be greatly reduced!"

"First merit, first merit, you have to be the first to be meritorious. There are so many big men up there, which one can I afford to offend?" Lu Wenzhao sighed, "How could I not know that it's better up there? But the ladder to go up has to be stepped on step by step. If you take big steps on tiptoe, you will fall down and die if you are not steady. We are lucky to be able to get through this safely."

"Okay, sir, you are right." Lu Jianxing just lowered his head and looked at Lu Wenzhao again: "Old man Xing! He knows that we have finished the trial here!"

"Go and bring him back! He is not allowed to leave the East Office until the Northern Pacification Office closes the case!"

------

The lunch break had just ended when the three Jesuits who were summoned to the palace could not wait to come to the Ministry of Rites in the heavy snow.

As the three of them entered the main hall, Minister of Rites Xu Guangqi stood up and greeted them cordially. "It's been a while. I hope everyone is well."

Xu Guangqi wanted to go to the Jesuit headquarters in person to tell them the good news, but just as he was looking for the documents he had prepared, the Jinyiwei broke into the Ministry of Rites and arrested Sun Ruyou, the Minister of Rites, who was working.

Immediately afterwards, Xu Guangqi rushed from the cabinet to the Ministry of Revenue. If he had not returned to the Ministry of Rites and received a reminder from his subordinates, he would have almost forgotten about the Jesuit matter.

"Paul!" Long Huamin and Guo Jujing stepped forward, attempting to exchange a few pleasantries with Xu Guangqi, while the younger Johann Adam Schall von Bell maintained a casual distance and saluted. "Greetings, Your Excellency."

"Haha!" Xu Guangqi took over the conversation from Tang Ruowang. "Young friend Tang really knows the rules. When we enter the palace later, don't call me by my Christian name in front of the emperor."

"Greetings, His Excellency." Guo Jujing changed his words before Long Huamin.

"Let's go." Xu Guangqi walked past the three of them and walked ahead. As he walked, he warned, "The Forbidden City is not like other places. The rules inside are extremely strict. You must follow me at all times. Don't look around, and don't run around."

"Without rules, there will be no order." Guo Jujing expressed his understanding.

"Very good." Xu Guangqi nodded. "Have you learned the etiquette of five bows and three kowtows?"

"I've learned it." After learning that he would also have the honor of entering the palace to meet the emperor, Johann Adam Schall von Bell has been practicing the relevant rituals according to the picture album.

"Very good." Xu Guangqi gave Tang Ruowang a deep look. Then, turning to Long Huamin and Guo Jujing, he said, "If you don't know how to do it, just follow my example. It doesn't matter if you're a little clumsy. In short, the grand ceremony must be performed. Otherwise, it will be seen as disloyalty. Even if the emperor doesn't say anything, the Imperial Household Department will have you expelled."

"I understand. Just follow the etiquette." Guo Jujing replied and Long Huamin nodded.

"One last thing. You must answer whatever the emperor asks. There are no secrets in front of the emperor, so don't remain silent. Of course, lying is not allowed. The crime of deceiving the emperor can result in expulsion at the very least and beheading at the worst. You must remember this. The emperor's attitude is the weather vane of the court. Once the emperor is angered, the Holy Church's missionary work in the Ming Dynasty will be over." Xu Guangqi emphasized.

"Okay." As they spoke, the group of four had already arrived at the foot of the imperial city.

Foreign envoys entering the court to meet the emperor usually passed through the Daming Gate, Chengtian Gate, and Wumen Gate before finally meeting him in the Huangji Hall. This involved a variety of elaborate formalities. However, this time, the document sent to the Ministry of Rites clearly stated that everything would be kept simple, with the audience to be held in the Southern Study of the Qianqing Palace.

Therefore, Xu Guangqi, who was overwhelmed by the Donglin Party's affairs, simply took the three people with him through Dong'anmen, Donghuamen, and into the Forbidden City.

This actually meant a bit of disrespect for the "Atlantic Country". If the North Korean envoys were treated like this, they would definitely protest, but these envoys obviously did not understand the twists and turns and were still whispering about the grandeur of the Forbidden City.

"Shut up, we're almost there." After passing through the Qianqing Gate, the South Study was not far away.

"Xu Guangqi, the Minister of Rites, brings three envoys from the Atlantic countries, Long Huamin, Guo Jujing, and Johann Adam Schall von Bell, to request an audience!" The eunuch's voice became even louder.

"Huh!" Xu Guangqi was always nervous before the emperor, but this time he was far more nervous than ever. Not only did he have to mediate the Jesuit missionary work in China, he also decided to use this meeting to inform the emperor of his impending leadership of the Donglin Party.

"Announce." As soon as the emperor's voice came, a eunuch wearing a bright red dragon robe shouted as he walked over to the four people who were kneeling at the bottom of the steps waiting to be announced.

The eunuch took a big step up the stairs and hurried to the door of the hall.

Xu Guangqi looked at the eunuch in astonishment, and the three Jesuits looked at each other in confusion.

"Who is this person?" Long Huamin asked in a low voice.

"This is eunuch Wei from the Western Factory," Xu Guangqi replied.

"Are we still going in?" Guo Jujing asked.

"Let's wait." Xu Guangqi felt a sense of foreboding. "The Western Depot is a confidential government office. Eunuch Wei is so anxious, something must have happened."

Wei Zhongxian saw that the palace door was slightly ajar, so he pushed it open and walked in, sliding onto his knees to the imperial desk. "Master! Something terrible has happened!"

"What are you doing so recklessly?" Wang An frowned and scolded, "Can't you see there's someone kneeling outside?"

Zhu Changluo waved his hand to stop Wang An and said in a deep voice, "Talk about business."

Wei Zhongxian kowtowed heavily, trying his best to suppress his excitement, and said in a trembling voice:
"Zou Yuanbiao is dead!"

(End of this chapter)