Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 210 The Carpenter's Father and the Emperor's Envoy
When Zhu Changluo saw Zhang Shirui bow, he remembered the four words "behave according to etiquette". He stood up, bowed slightly in return, and said, "Greetings, Miss Zhang and Miss Ding. I apologize for my rudeness."

"Hello, Mr. Zhu." Zhang Shirui understood that the visitor was not going to give his full name.

Ding Baiying was a little skeptical. Besides Zhang Shirui, Lu Wenzhao was the only person she knew in Beijing. But despite her doubts, she still bowed and said, "Hello, Mr. Zhu."

"Excuse me, what is this gentleman's name?" Zhang Shirui looked at Wang An and asked.

"My surname is Wang." Wang An said with a smile.

"Hello, Mr. Wang." Zhang Shirui and Ding Baiying bowed.

"Greetings, Zhang Kundao and Miss Ding." Wang An returned the greeting.

"Please take a seat, gentlemen." It was not until Zhang Shirui waved her hand and invited the guests to take a seat, and she also sat in the seat opposite her, that the process of welcoming guests and asking their names was considered incomplete.

"Please sit down." Zhu Changluo nodded to Wang An, indicating that he didn't need to mind and just sit next to him.

"Yes." Wang An then sat down on the edge of the chair.

"Please forgive my poor eyesight. Mr. Zhu, Mr. Wang, have we met somewhere before?" Zhang Shirui asked.

"Miss Zhang is really forgetful. A few months ago, I met you two girls at a tavern nearby. I wanted to invite you two girls to drink at the same table with me, but you two girls left early for something. It's a pity that I can't make it." Zhu Changluo said with a smile.

"Oh! You're the carpenter's father. No wonder you know my last name." Ding Baiying suddenly realized. "You've changed so much, I almost didn't recognize you."

"I got sick. The doctor said it was due to the overpowering of my vital energy by the food. So the doctor advised me to control my appetite, increase exercise and control my weight. After persisting for a while, I finally lost weight." Zhu Changluo responded.

Zhang Shirui knew immediately that this doctor, Mr. Zhu, was quoting a line from the Song Dynasty scholar Zhu Zuo's "Classified Compilation of Zhu's Proven Medical Prescriptions: The Art of Nourishing the Nature": "When grain qi prevails over primordial qi, the person becomes fat but not long-lived; when primordial qi prevails over grain qi, the person becomes thin but long-lived." The art of nourishing the nature is to keep grain qi low, so that illness will not develop.

But she had no intention of showing off, so she didn't respond.

Ding Baiying didn't understand these things, but she was quite casual, so she praised sincerely: "He looks much more energetic than last time. Very good."

"May I ask what brings you two gentlemen to my humble home?" Zhang Shirui asked after the two men stopped talking.

"It is impolite not to reciprocate. The two young ladies bought my son's humble work at a price far exceeding the market price. I could not accept it calmly, so I came to pay a visit. Please accept the return gift." Zhu Changluo waved to Wang An, who immediately took out a gift list from his sleeve and handed it over.

Zhu Changluo picked up the gift list and walked over to Zhang Shirui, handing it over. "Please."

Gift-giving was a highly refined practice. Those of even modest status would not hold gifts in their hands; instead, they would have them carried or loaded onto carts. Unless there were no less privileged individuals to deliver the gifts, the recipient would simply receive a list, known as a "gift list." The recipient would then review the list and, if they accepted, hand it over to a servant for counting, leaving the recipient to their own devices. The phrase "accept all according to the list" simply meant accepting the entire amount listed.

There are acceptances and rejections. If the recipient finds a gift unusual, such as one that is excessive, presumptuous, or clearly transcends the relationship between the two families, they will refuse it. If the gift is refused, it will never enter the recipient's home.

Just like the tribute that Westerners brought to the emperor, the gift list arrived first and the ship entered later. If Zhu Changluo did not accept it, then the ship would not even be able to enter Beijing.

"Mr. Zhu, you're welcome." Zhang Shirui took the gift list and unfolded it. She found that it contained items such as colorful silks, jewelry, rouge, powder, and perfume. So she asked, "Is this something your wife has bought?"

"No. The housekeeper bought it. What's the problem?" Zhu Changluo asked. Like everything else, this was Wang An's idea. He simply said, "Prepare some suitable gifts," and then left everything else alone. He didn't even ask what Wang An had bought.

"No, I'm just asking." Zhang Shirui waved to the servant, signaling him to accept the gift. Generally speaking, a gift from a host in person would not be refused unless the recipient harbored ill intentions or the two families were on the verge of a falling out. While these gifts were a bit strange, as if they'd known in advance that the house had no male owner, they weren't out of line. If this wasn't the other person's first visit, Zhang Shirui would have considered it a thoughtful gesture.

Ding Baiying looked at Zhang Shirui and found that she had no intention of continuing to ask questions, so she spoke up, "Mr. Zhu, I would like to ask you a question."

"Miss Ding, please feel free to speak." Zhu Changluo nodded and gestured for invitation.

"How did you find this place? If I remember correctly, we didn't tell you where we lived yesterday." Ding Baiying glanced at Wang An. She remembered that when they met at the restaurant, this person was not Mr. Zhu's servant, but Mr. Zhu's "friend regardless of age difference." It was really strange that he took the gift list out of his sleeve pocket.

Zhu Changluo calmly took a sip of tea and said, "If the two girls won't tell me, I can check." Although they had disguised themselves, it didn't matter if they were recognized. It was just a matter of conversation, from sitting opposite each other to one sitting and the other standing and kneeling on the ground.

"You checked our background!" Ding Baiying narrowed her eyes and asked, "Can you tell me how you did it?" Although Ding Baiying had some good feelings for the man in front of her because of the gentle and elegant "Mr. Zhu" and the frank and polite "little carpenter", these good feelings were not enough to paralyze Ding Baiying's vigilance.

"I happen to have a few acquaintances with some power in the Imperial Guard. They told me that you and Miss Zhang both live across from Elder Liu." Zhu Changluo didn't shy away from Ding Baiying's gaze. "Not only that. I also know Miss Ding has a senior brother named Lu, also in the Imperial Guard. He was promoted to deputy captain last year. I wonder if he told you."

Ding Baiying was shocked: This makes sense. This person is not a juren at all. He and the old man next to him are both spies of the factory guards, and their ranks should not be low. He should not come here just to return the favor.
"You have acquaintances in the Imperial Guard, yet you dare to come to the Zhang Mansion? Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble?" Zhang Shirui was in a state of confusion, but she didn't think anything was wrong. She just wanted to get rid of this person so that her family's affairs would not affect others. "Since I'm here, I'm not afraid." Zhu Changluo asked, "Has the Zhang family committed any crime? You can tell me, maybe I can help you."

"Mr. Zhu, thank you for your kindness." Zhang Shirui brushed the hair that had fallen in front of her eyes behind her ear. "But it's best if you don't interfere in the affairs of the Zhang family. If you have nothing else to do, please leave." Zhang Shirui, uncharacteristically, rudely ordered the guest to leave.

When Wang An saw Zhang Shirui's attitude, his brows immediately frowned.

But Zhu Changluo didn't take it as an offense, nor did he show any intention of leaving. "Let me guess. Zhang Xianyong received the Emperor's decree, ordering him to come to the capital for work, but Zhang Xianyong feigned illness and remained in Nanjing. Ultimately, as fate would have it, the Zhang family's tried-and-true tactic for generations has angered the current Emperor. Miss Zhang, my guess is spot on."

Before he could finish his words, Zhang Shirui's expression changed. "How did you know?"

"It seems Miss Zhang's memory isn't very good. As I said earlier, I happen to have a few acquaintances in the Imperial Guard." Zhu Changluo examined Zhang Shirui intently. He noticed that the young nun's face wore a mixture of weariness and fear. However, Zhu Changluo still didn't feel much sympathy for her.

Although some nagging eunuchs and palace maids speculated that the extremely lustful emperor might have taken a fancy to the pitiful and beautiful Taoist nun, Zhu Changluo actually had no special impression of Zhang Shirui, seeing her only as an abstract symbol named "Zhang Xianyong's daughter." When Zhu Youxiao pleaded for Zhang Shirui, he even thought that Zhu Youxiao had taken a fancy to this "pitiful and beautiful Taoist nun."

Even though Zhang Shirui was wearing a Taoist robe, Zhu Changluo could still tell she was a distinguished and beautiful woman. It was normal for Zhu Youxiao to develop a liking for such a beautiful woman out of sympathy. After all, Zhu Youxiao was already fifteen years old, and it was time for him to develop a liking for women.

But no matter what he thought, he couldn't ask. In such matters, he could only rely on guessing and testing. Because if Zhu Youxiao's request for mercy was not out of affection, but simply out of sympathy, or for some other reason. Such a question would hurt people's self-esteem and have an extremely serious negative impact. Fifteen years old is adolescence, and thoughts and insights grow rapidly, but also extremely turbulent. But when it comes to "emotional projection", it is difficult for Zhu Changluo to guess Zhu Youxiao's true thoughts, because Wang's affairs have nothing to do with him.

So he laid out the Zhang family's situation in full and gave Zhu Youxiao the power to choose. If, after all this was laid out, Zhu Youxiao still wanted to let the Zhang family go, the answer would be clear.

Zhu Changluo had high hopes for Zhu Youxiao, but he wouldn't be disappointed, as this was human nature. And this wasn't unsolvable. To satisfy his needs, he simply needed to select a beautiful woman for Zhu Youxiao's concubine. Without a strong emotional connection, the problems caused by one beautiful woman could be solved by ten. All he had to do was keep the Zhang family alive until Zhu Youxiao forgot about Zhang Shirui.

But as things progressed, Zhu Changluo felt that the current situation was different from what he had expected. Zhu Youxiao clearly had some feelings for Zhang Shirui, but at the same time he did not object to the treatment of the Zhang family.

If Zhu Youxiao had been willing to speak frankly, the situation would have become clear. But how could he possibly have said that? Would he have said that he suspected his father, out of rage, was trying to kill Zhang Shirui the way he had killed his mother? Or would he have persuaded his father to abandon his pursuit of the Zhang family because of a woman's possible suicide, when his father had clearly stated that he had no intention of killing Zhang Shirui and was simply doing what an emperor should do?
In this case, how would we account for Lord Zou's death? And what about my father's entanglement and pain?
He couldn't speak, he could only swallow it.

------

"What exactly do you do?" Zhang Shirui clenched her fists, her nails digging slightly into her palms. "Did the emperor send you here?" Zhang Shirui asked.

"You can think so." Zhu Changluo put away the smile on his face and his tone became stern.

"In that case, I won't beat around the bush." ​​Zhang Shirui sat up straight, leaning on the armrest of her chair. She solemnly asked the "Emperor's envoy," "How does the Emperor intend to deal with the Zhang family?"

"The Zhang family is the Zhang family, and you are you. There's no need to lump the two together." Zhu Changluo said lightly.

"Why can't we generalize? Doesn't the emperor want to use the blood of the Zhang family to warn the world? Isn't it the same meaning to publicly flogging Director Cui in front of Chengtian Gate and beating all officials in court at Wumen Gate? I can be the one to shed this drop of blood." Zhang Shirui said.

"The emperor will not sentence you to death. This is against the rules." Wang An said.

"I can commit suicide and not cause trouble to the emperor. I only ask the emperor to forgive my father and brother." Zhang Shirui immediately responded.

"Miss." Ding Baiying looked at Zhang Shirui. There was no surprise in her eyes, only anxiety. But Ding Baiying couldn't say anything to comfort her. Such filial piety was normal for Ming people.

"Brother, I thought Zhang Yingjing was your brother. Well, that's not important." Zhu Changluo frowned slightly, but then relaxed again. "I don't think your death can redeem the Zhang family's sins."

"Is the Emperor so furious?" Zhang Shirui was surprised. The crime of deceiving the emperor could be serious or minor, the criteria for judging could be broad or narrow, and the severity of the punishment depended primarily on the Emperor's mood, not the law.

"Don't you know anything about the Zhang family?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"What's the matter?" Zhang Shirui was puzzled.

"Although we haven't conducted a detailed investigation yet, it is basically certain that the Zhang family of the Dragon and Tiger Sect is a broker in the southern officialdom." Zhu Changluo said as he observed Zhang Shirui's expression.

"Broker?" Zhang Shirui took a moment to react before saying, "You mean the Zhang family is secretly acting as a middleman for the southern officials? What middleman?"

"If you really don't know, then I can explain it to you briefly." Zhu Changluo said, "Let's not use official rhetoric. You are under house arrest in the Zhang Mansion in Beijing by the Jinyiwei. Zhang Xianyong and Zhang Yingjing are also under house arrest by the Jinyiwei. Lu Wenzhao, who is holding you, has a history with Miss Ding who is with you, but he still handles the matter impartially. No one is allowed to enter or leave the Zhang Mansion. Even the procurement of food and the pouring of night fragrance are not allowed to be done by people from your own mansion. But Tianfei Palace, where Zhang Xianyong and Zhang Yingjing are supposedly under house arrest, is so crowded. Is this house arrest? Your Zhang family is really powerful! Even the Nanjing Jinyiwei are willing to give you a break."

Zhu Changluo slammed the table and said angrily: "What middleman? Of course it's a middleman who connects money and power!"

(End of this chapter)