Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 172 It’s better to let the dirty government do the dirty work

The stove cart sent by the Shangshenjian followed the team all the time, so dinner was served quickly.

After the meal was served, Zhu Changluo immediately sent away all the palace maids and eunuchs.

"Eat it yourself." Li Qinfang wanted to serve the emperor a bowl of rice, but Zhu Changluo stopped her with a wave of his hand. "While you were waiting outside, I had already eaten in the Southern Study. No rush, take your time."

Li Qinfang still didn't eat, but reached for the wine jug and wine glass. In her memory, the emperor always drank at every meal.

The imperial wine enjoyed by the royal family was provided by the imperial winery, which specialized in brewing wine.

The Imperial Wine Room was a specialized department, separate from the Wine, Vinegar, and Noodles Department, one of the Eight Bureaus. However, both the fine brews provided by the Imperial Wine Room and the common drinks brewed by the Wine, Vinegar, and Noodles Department for the palace ladies were low-alcohol rice wine, primarily made from rice. The less common white wine, or shochu, was also made from rice wine lees, rather than sorghum.

Zhu Changluo thought Li Qinfang had a habit of drinking, so he didn't stop her. It wasn't until Li Qinfang placed a cup of yellow wine in front of him that Zhu Changluo shook his head and said, "No, I'm quitting."

Li Qinfang was actually reluctant to let the emperor drink, because Zhu Changluo was a poor drinker. But when he actually refused to drink, Li Qinfang was still shocked and widened her eyes.

"Why are you looking at me? Just eat your meal." Zhu Changluo smiled. He had seen this kind of surprise on the faces of Wang An, Zhu Youxiao, Li Zhulan and others more than once.

It is said that beauty is a feast for the eyes, and watching beauties chewing their food gracefully under the ambiguous candlelight is also a kind of enjoyment. Moreover, watching them eat can also allow Zhu Changluo to understand and appreciate the personalities of these palace concubines from a subtle perspective.

The Park sisters were reserved, avoiding his gaze. Mi Mengshang was charming, mastering the subtle details, stirring his desire with a casual glance. And Li Zhulan, a firebrand herself, would even pour a sip of millet wine and offer it mouth to mouth. As for Li Qinfang, she was like an old monk in meditation, methodically repeating the movements of serving food, chewing, and swallowing.

Zhu Changluo felt that her cheeks were a little red, but he didn't know if it was the shadow of the candlelight.

"Are you shy?" Zhu Changluo never beat around the bush when talking to the concubines in the harem.

Li Qinfang didn't beat around the bush. She blinked and replied, "Yes."

"Interesting." Zhu Changluo reached out and stroked her slightly red cheek. "Why?"

"Because the Emperor's eyes are different from before." Li Qinfang licked her dry lips and continued, "I entered the palace at the age of eleven and have been by the Emperor's side for twenty-two years. This is the first time I have seen the Emperor look at me with such eyes."

"What was it like before?" The flames reflected in Zhu Changluo's eyes wavered and danced a few times, disturbed by the breeze. "There's no one else here, just tell me straight. No matter what you say, I won't blame you."

"In that case, I would like to ask a question first. Please don't blame me, Your Majesty." Li Qinfang subconsciously used the extremely humble word "please".

"You ask." Zhu Changluo nodded.

"Why does the Emperor ask this question?"

Zhu Changluo was stunned and silent for a while before asking, "Why do you ask this question?"

"I believe that people only reflect on their past selves when they feel lost." Li Qinfang said without hesitation, "So I think the emperor is lost."

Zhu Changluo then realized that this seemingly taciturn woman in front of him was the most insightful of all the concubines he had ever met. "Then why do you think I was lost?" he asked again.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because the emperor has intentions." Li Qinfang did not avoid Zhu Changluo's gaze.

"Intentionally?" Zhu Changluo asked doubtfully, "What do you mean?"

"Those who have no care have no worries, while those who have care have sorrows. The emperor has the whole world in his heart. He is the most caring person in the world, but also the most sorrowful person in the world." Li Qinfang lives in seclusion in Jingyang, but her concern and understanding for Zhu Changluo are no less than those of other favored concubines.

If Li Zhulan was the first to experience Zhu Changluo's "bad" change, and Mi Mengshang, who headed the Western Factory Inspection Bureau, understood Zhu Changluo's decisiveness and cruelty the most deeply, then what Li Qinfang felt from afar was Zhu Changluo's diligence and kindness.

This was because the person who brought her the news was the fifth prince Zhu Youjian.

"It doesn't matter what the emperor was like before. At least, it doesn't matter to me." Li Qinfang mustered up the greatest courage of her life, leaned forward, gently hugged Zhu Changluo's head, and whispered softly in his ear: "I like the emperor as he is now. This is good, this is good."

------

The next day, in the main hall of the Jinyiwei Commandery.

Luo Sigong sat upright in his seat. He had just issued an arrest warrant for Zhao Nanxing.

"The day after the three judicial departments conclude their trials, arrest Zhao Nanxing." This had been decided long ago. But Luo Sigong knew very well that it was impossible to arrest only these people.

Just as Luo Sigong was lost in thought, staring at the screen wall in the courtyard, a man in casual clothes appeared in his sight. He regained his composure, focused his gaze, and immediately jumped up from his chair.

"Greetings, Wei Bingbi." Luo Sigong walked over to Wei Chao and bowed. This was the first time he had met the second-in-command of the Imperial Household Department outside the Southern Study.

"Greetings, Commander Luo." Wei Chao returned the greeting and then said, "Let's find a quiet place."

"Yes." Wei Chao's attire and intentions indicated that he had something to discuss that was not to be exposed. "Bring tea and charcoal!" He casually instructed the nearest captain, then led Wei Chao towards the backyard.

After the captain who had been arranging the charcoal on the stove left, they sat there for a while longer. But Wei Chao remained silent, drinking only tea. Luo Sigong's heart remained in suspense.

"The tea is good." Wei Chao said.

"As you like." A satisfied smile immediately broke out on Luo Sigong's old face, but his nerves remained tense. It wasn't until Wei Chao spoke his second sentence: "Sun Ruyou hasn't changed his confession. You've done a good job." Luo Sigong breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever the conversation might be, it was off to a good start. He immediately stood up, knelt down toward the Forbidden City, and kowtowed: "I, your humble servant, am grateful that Your Majesty has not abandoned me!"

Wei Chao was very satisfied with this submissive attitude. He nodded and asked, "Has Zhao Nanxing been arrested?"

"The mission has been sent out." Luo Sigong stood up and sat back in his original position.

"Who did you send?" Wei Chao asked.

"The task was assigned to the East Office. Hai Zhentao should let his son-in-law do it." As if to explain, Luo Sigong added: "He is following Sun Ruyou's case."

"Hand Zhao Nanxing over to the Pacification Office." Wei Chao ordered.

Luo Sigong was stunned when he heard this, but he didn't hesitate, nor did he ask any more questions. "Yes."

"I'm telling you this so you can have some idea of ​​what's going on." Wei Chao was silent for a moment, then continued, "Zhao Nanxing might end up doing dirty work, so it's better to let the dirty government do it."

"Want to kill him?" Luo Sigong was not surprised.

"Not necessarily." Wei Chao raised the fine tea Luo Sigong had offered him and took a sip. "Give him a chance first. See if he's willing to cooperate. If he is, we can have a smooth trial by the three judges, and handle the matter fairly and beautifully. But if he's unwilling to cooperate, then we can only let him commit suicide out of fear of punishment."

Wei Chao felt that there was no need to go to such lengths. The existing evidence all pointed to Zhao Nanxing as the mastermind behind the emperor's constant opposition, and he should simply be killed. However, the emperor, out of consideration for Mi Cairen's feelings, insisted on taking the risk and giving Zhao Nanxing such an opportunity. Wei Chao had no choice but to comply.

"Yes." Luo Sigong agreed and stopped talking, silently waiting for Wei Chao to explain how Zhao Nanxing should "cooperate".

"The confession should still be based on Sun Ruyou's, with the main content unchanged. No incriminations, no exaggerations, and no mention of any particular government office." Wei Chao paused. "However, some details can be included, seemingly based on subjective differences. For example, Zhao Nanxing can be allowed to throw mud at Zou Yuanbiao, claiming that he was the mastermind behind everything, while Zhao Nanxing himself was merely more active. After all, the dead can't talk, so it's fine to let Lord Zou shoulder more of the blame. Alas!" Wei Chao sighed. He still sympathized with Zou Yuanbiao.

"Of course, Zhao Nanxing can also portray Sun Ruyou as the mastermind. It doesn't matter. It's always been that way, and it's just the three of them who are pulling all the strings. As long as he cooperates, we can spare him from exile and protect his family. We can just strip him of his honors and allow him to return home to retire. But if he chooses to commit suicide out of fear of punishment, then we will exile all three of his clans."

"I understand." Luo Sigong nodded.

"Very good." Wei Chao put down his teacup and changed the subject. "There's something the palace wants to hear your opinion on first."

"I have no opinion. The palace's opinion is my opinion." Luo Sigong blurted out.

"Hahahaha." Wei Chao laughed a few times, and Luo Sigong laughed along.

"I still have to ask." Wei Chao stopped laughing and just looked at Luo Sigong with a smile. "What are you going to do with Tian Ergeng?"

Hearing this question, the smile on Luo Sigong's face froze immediately. You know, since the first year of Emperor Xianzong's Chenghua reign, when the seal of the Northern Pacification Division was minted, the Commanding General's Office had basically no say in the appointment and dismissal of personnel in the Northern Pacification Division.

The brutal political struggles of Emperor Shenzong's reign had invigorated Luo Sigong's mind. He immediately considered two possibilities. First, the palace, and even the emperor, had already trusted him due to his previous memorial and the assignment with Sun Ruyou, while Tian Ergeng's incompetence had also fueled discontent within the palace. Combined with these two factors, the palace might be willing to let him decide on Tian Ergeng's actions as a sign of trust and favor. Second, the opposite was true: the palace still distrusted him and was using this as a further test.

For him, the most important thing was never personal grudges. It was the palace's attitude towards him, and ultimately towards the Luo family. Eliminating Tian Ergeng would be ideal, but if the price he paid was a loss of trust in the palace, or even the emperor's belief that he was corrupt, then the gains would be worth the losses. On the other hand, if the palace was truly showing favor, but he hesitated, leading to the emperor's repeated judgment of "Lian Po is too old," the entire Luo family would likely be devastated.

Generally speaking, the best answer is, as I said just now, no opinion. But Wei Chao asked the question directly, clearly rejecting this answer and insisting on him giving an explanation.

Luo Sigong was caught in a dilemma, but silence was unacceptable. Suspicion without explanation, questions without answers, leaving people guessing—these were the privileges of those in a higher position. In this conversation, Luo Sigong was clearly the inferior.

Wei Chao was very patient and waited without urging him, which gave Luo Sigong time to think further: Judging from the current results and the emperor's questioning, the Northern Pacification Office had certainly done a bad thing by killing someone, but implicating others and attacking the Donglin Party was in line with the emperor's wishes.

Luo Sigong had an idea. He organized his words and put on a righteous expression. He said, "Tian Ergeng holds the seal of the Northern Pacification Office, so he naturally has the power to make decisions. Zou Yuanbiao's death was also due to suicide." After that, Luo Sigong raised his teacup and took a sip.

It sounded like Luo Sigong was defending Tian Ergeng, but in fact, from the wording to the pauses, he was inviting Wei Chao to ask questions.

Wei Chao was confused and asked, "You actually spoke for Tian Ergeng?" Wei Chao asked this because he knew very well that Tian Ergeng had slandered Luo Sigong for having an affair with the Donglin Party when he was quibbling, and the Western Factory had already released this news.

Luo Sigong understood the plan, but his expression remained unchanged, still looking righteous: "I didn't speak for him, that's a fact. Tian Ergeng sat in that position, and seeing the abnormal behavior of the head of the guard, he had reasonable suspicions, which was normal. Generally speaking, there was nothing wrong with Tian Ergeng's behavior, it's just that after the reasonable suspicion, his credit was snatched away by others." The last sentence was the killer move to say that Tian Ergeng was a waste and incompetent.

"So what do you mean?" Wei Chao asked, insisting that he express his opinion.

"So I suggest." Luo Sigong carefully chose his words, resolutely avoiding words that convey strong subjective opinions, such as "think," "should," and "meaning." "First, see if he can do Zhao Nanxing's job well. If he does well, the merits and demerits will offset each other. If not, the rules will remain the same."

Luo Sigong's answer was very positive and impartial, completely impartial and fair-minded. Whether it was grace or temptation, it could stand.

"Okay. That's it for now." Wei Chao nodded again, then pulled out a list. "The imperial edict will be sent to you later. It's up to you whether to conduct a trial or not; their confessions are useless anyway. Arrest according to the imperial edict and beat according to this list. The palace has only one request: Beat them painfully, but not to death. As for which government office you want to assign this job to, that's up to you."

"Yes." Luo Sigong put away the list but did not unfold it.

"I've finished my assignment." Wei Chao stood up. "I won't bother you any further."

Luo Sigong's whole body relaxed, and he subconsciously wanted to wipe away the fine beads of cold sweat on his forehead. But as soon as he raised his hand, he immediately felt that he shouldn't show his fear, so he waved towards the door and said, "I'll see you off."

"Thank you very much." Wei Chao accepted it calmly.

(End of this chapter)