Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 37 Hatred from the Prince
"Instead of patrolling, arresting, suppressing counter-revolutionaries and treason, you focus on cracking down on corruption and uncovering loopholes?" Zhu Changluo stroked his beard lightly, frowning as if thinking about something.

Zuo Guangdou was no fool. He quickly realized that Xu Guangqi was retreating in order to advance. Instead of arguing with the emperor over what was right and wrong, it would be better to take a step back and block the duties of the New West Factory. After all, the responsibility of cracking down on corruption and investigating leaks was enough for the East Factory cases. So, Zuo Guangdou added: "This memorial is very reasonable! Therefore, I, together with the governor of the East Factory Cui Wensheng (who has not been convicted and still holds the position), the Minister of Rites Xu Guangqi, and the Prime Minister Fang Congzhe, request the establishment of a new West Factory dedicated to cracking down on corruption!"

Zhu Changluo took a deep breath and let it out long. The sound of his breathing echoed clearly in the Qianqing Gate, where people listened to the sound of a pin drop. The ministers understood that the emperor had been persuaded by Zuo Guangdou and Xu Guangqi, and his mind was in a state of confusion and conflict.

The near-death silence lasted for nearly a quarter of an hour. Finally, Zhu Changluo frowned and stared at Xu Guangqi for a moment, then smiled after a few seconds. "Mr. Xu, your suggestion makes sense. I approve it. The specific regulations will be discussed with me by the Cabinet, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Justice, the Imperial Household Department, and you, Xu Guangqi."

"The cabinet obeys the order!" The chief minister Fang Congzhe stood up and bowed.

"The Ministry of Revenue obeys your orders!" Minister of Revenue Li Ruhua stepped out and bowed.

"The Ministry of Justice obeys your order!" Huang Kezun, the Minister of Justice, stepped out and bowed.

"The Imperial Household Department obeys your orders!" Wang An, the seal holder of the Imperial Household Department, stepped down from the throne, walked to Huang Kezan and bowed to receive the orders.

"Your servant Xu Guangqi obeys the order!" Xu Guangqi bowed and accepted the order in his personal capacity.

After the court was dismissed, Zhu Changluo stood up and walked towards the screen behind the dragon throne. As one foot passed through the screen, Zhu Changluo seemed to suddenly remember something and ordered, "Wang An, take that beast away and lock him up. Give him food and water, and don't make any trouble. There's a play waiting for him to play the clown role."

"As ordered."

After saying this, Zhu Changluo nodded and motioned for the eldest prince Zhu Youxiao and the fifth prince Zhu Youjian, who were sitting behind the screen, to follow him to class. From the first Qianqing Gate court meeting, the two princes would follow him every morning.

They did not express any opinions, but simply sat there quietly listening. Because the screen was made of silk, the officials could vaguely see the figures behind it.

This puzzled all the officials. It wasn't unusual for the crown prince to hold court behind a screen, and even if he were to sit at the emperor's side, the officials wouldn't be surprised. But it was strange for two princes to hold court together, because there could be two chairs behind the screen, but only one throne in front of it. No matter how long it was, it could only hold one seat.

Yet, no one objected. Even though the crown prince position remained vacant, the emperor had shown no intention of abandoning the eldest son in favor of the younger. Furthermore, the mothers of the two princes were not particularly favored during their lifetimes. There was no chance of a repeat of the situation during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, where a single concubine was favored and her son was made crown prince.

Shortly after Wang An took Cui Wensheng away, two eunuchs named Wei temporarily took over the job of serving the emperor as eunuchs in charge of the seal.

Wei Chao had originally been the eunuch in charge of the Qianqing Palace, concurrently handling duties at the Armory Bureau, a position of considerable stature. His promotion to the position of Third Eunuch in Charge of Writing was not entirely surprising, as Wei Chao had always been Wang An's confidant. He believed Wang An must have given him a hand when the Emperor wanted to add a new eunuch in charge of writing.

What truly surprised him was that his good friend Li Jinzhong had also been promoted. Li Jinzhong had been merely an attendant eunuch to the imperial concubine Li Zhulan. After his master Li Zhulan fell from favor, the fifty-year-old Li Jinzhong was almost certain of no further advancement. How could he possibly, at such a young age and so far away, possibly even enter the emperor's sight?

Yet, Li Jinzhong was unreasonably promoted, rising above Wei Chao to become the second-in-command. Furthermore, Wang An personally took Li Jinzhong to meet the emperor in person, even granting him a new surname and given a new name. Clearly, Wei Zhongxian's promotion was personally approved by the emperor. What a privilege! If only he could have a private audience with the emperor and hear his kind words. While Wei Chao was happy for his friend, he couldn't help but feel a little envious.

Wei Chao glanced at Wei Zhongxian, but was surprised to find that the eldest prince in front of Wei Zhongxian was casting hostile glances at Wei Zhongxian from time to time.

Zhu Youxiao followed his father. When he thought of the eunuch Wei who had been so flattering to him, he felt a ghost fire burning in his heart.

The guest nanny had disappeared. Zhu Youxiao asked around, but no one knew where she had gone. This was simply impossible! How could such a grown person disappear without a trace? The only answer was that someone had covered up the guest nanny's whereabouts.

Zhu Youxiao went to ask Wang An about this matter. Ever since he and Wang An had conspired to give the chair they had made to his father, and received his father's praise and embrace, Zhu Youxiao had developed a strong fondness for Wang An. He was certain Wang An would tell him about the guest nanny, unless it was his father who caused her disappearance. Therefore, he would definitely get an answer no matter what.

When Wang An asked him about this, he was surprised at first, then hesitated, but finally told him what he knew.

My father had ordered that Ke Yinyue be given a generous settlement and be expelled from the palace. The reasoning was that Zhu Youxiao was old and no longer needed a wet nurse who couldn't produce milk. In other words, in my father's eyes, it was unusual for Ke Yinyue to remain in the palace.

After knowing this, Zhu Youxiao didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His father had never cared about these things before, as if his son didn't exist. But now, in his father's eyes, he had grown up.

Zhu Youxiao actually had a small ulterior motive. Ever since his father apologized and began to mend their relationship, he had been planning to find an opportunity to insert the guest nanny into his father's harem. After all, his father was lustful, and the guest nanny was also very beautiful. If the two of them could get together, it would be considered a match made in heaven.

But now this idea was shattered forever because the person who carried out the emperor's will was called Wei Zhongxian. He received the emperor's order but killed the guest nurse and her son in an extremely cruel way.

As for why, Wang An said he didn't know, so Zhu Youxiao had no way to investigate further unless he arrested Wei Zhongxian and forced him to tell him.

"Wei Zhongxian." Zhu Changluo suddenly called out to Wei Zhongxian.

"I'm here." Wei Zhongxian took two steps at a time and quickly walked to Zhu Changluo with a flattering smile.

"Order the military headquarters of the five cities of East, West, South, North, and Central to blockade the capital."

"Take the people from the West Factory with you, and use the list given by Cui Wensheng to follow the map and bring all the East Factory personnel involved in the incident to me. Don't let any of them escape!" Zhu Changluo ordered.

"I obey your command!" Wei Zhongxian knelt down to receive the order. After Zhu Changluo had walked fifty steps, he stood up and turned around to head straight for Xi'an Gate.

(End of this chapter)