Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 342 The final madness
"Gentlemen, drink this cup to the brim!"

Inside the main hall of the Prince of De's Mansion, dozens of palace lanterns illuminated the hall brightly.

Zhu Zaiyi sat high on the main seat, his python robe and jade belt shimmering in the candlelight.

Below the steps, two rows of sandalwood tables were laden with fresh seasonal fruits, and the wine in the silver pots had been served three times. The invited guests all rose to greet the guests.

High-ranking officials and nobles were all seated at the table.

The second prince raised his golden cup, his eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction, mainly to toast Wan Tang, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

This person also has another identity: he is a confidant and right-hand man of Xia Yan, the Second Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

As a student of the Imperial Academy, Zhu Zaiyu repeatedly invited his teacher Xia Yan to banquets at his residence. Xia Yan declined each time, but he could not remain silent in the end, so Wan Tang stepped in to appease him.

In Zhu Zaiyi's eyes, this was undoubtedly a manifestation of betting.

The other party is being very cautious; they are definitely observing the situation inside the palace.

But clearly, that old...father has already conceded and compromised.

As the eldest son, shouldn't he be the heir apparent, given the principle of primogeniture?
Therefore, while Zhu Zaiyi was frequently toasting Wan Tang and performing the etiquette of a student, he also arranged for several of his confidants to take advantage of their intoxication to loudly clamor and speak out about the importance of establishing the foundation of the nation.

Wan Tang was clearly flustered, wishing he could cover his ears. As soon as the banquet ended, he hurriedly took his leave.

"Ah!"

Zhu Zaiyi watched his retreating figure, standing with his hands behind his back and a smile on his lips.

His expression for a fleeting moment was strikingly similar to that of the Jiajing Emperor.

It's late!

When you come to the Prince's Mansion and hear these sounds, it's like you're on a boat!
Even Xia Yan, who is behind you, must stand on my side, otherwise it's only a matter of time before they fall into the water first or later.

This good mood lasted until late at night, when I went to bed.

Even with his eyes closed, Zhu Zai Rui's mouth was still crooked.

However, just as the third watch gong struck, a shrill scream suddenly came from the bedchamber.

Zhu Zaiyi rushed out suddenly, his inner robe soaked with cold sweat. The eunuchs and maids on either side greeted him, and the second prince shouted sternly, "You...you didn't...see anyone just now?"

"Your Highness, there is no one here!"

The servant answered blankly.

"Go inside! Go inside and look for him!"

The eunuchs and maids all entered the room, looked around, and came out to report.

"Really? But how come I saw it..."

"Ugh! It's a dream! A nightmare!"

Zhu Zaiyi muttered to himself, finally convincing himself to go back to sleep.

"No...someone...it's not a dream...it's not..."

"yes, Sir!"

"He came back to me!"

But the same screams rang out the very next night, this time even more piercing and indescribable.

Another day.

Changing the palace was useless.

Another day.

Adding more guards would be of no use.

Day after day.

The banquet came to a halt.

I dare not stay in the Prince's mansion.

Zhu Zaiyi was filled with anxiety and fear.

Finally, that night, he stared intently at the tent ceiling and clearly saw his elder brother Zhu Zaiji's face, blood streaming from his seven orifices—

That pale face hung above the bed curtains, its icy fingers pinching its own throat from afar.

"Someone...someone come here!"

A low, muffled sound echoed in the empty room.

The eunuchs and maids were slow to arrive; only the shadows of the trees outside the window swayed and were reflected on the gauze window, resembling human figures.

Zhu Zaiyi struggled to sit up, grabbed a vase from beside the bed, and smashed it. With a loud crash, the shadow twisted and expanded again...

"Brother...it wasn't me...it was Granny Du...you need to go find her..."

He was so frightened that he curled up in the corner of the bed, muttering to himself and sobbing uncontrollably, when suddenly he felt a chill on his ankle.

Looking down, I saw a pale hand reaching out from under the bed.

Zhu Zaiyi kicked and thrashed about frantically, but then he heard a familiar cough coming from under the bed, which seemed to be the sound of the Crown Prince's phlegm before his death.

"Ah—ah—!!"

When the officials of the Prince's mansion finally rushed into the room with their servants, they saw Zhu Zaiyi, disheveled and with his hair in disarray, frantically scratching the floor with shards of a vase, laughing idiotically and screaming, "Get out of my way! I am the future Crown Prince... Crown Prince! Ahhh!"

As everyone was horrified, the officials of the Prince's Palace suddenly thought of someone.

Consort Wu Hui.

She was Consort Wu, the one who bewitched Li Longji and framed the three brothers, including Crown Prince Li Ying, in the story of "Killing Three Sons in One Day".

After successfully framing the Crown Prince and others, Consort Wu Hui became paranoid, repeatedly seeing their ghosts at night, and eventually fell ill and never recovered.

The palace tried everything, from hiring sorcerers to perform rituals at night and reburying the three princes, to even using executed people as funerary offerings, but nothing worked.

On December 7th of the same year, Consort Wu Hui passed away at the age of thirty-nine.

People in ancient times believed in this.

Now, could it be...?

Did Zhu Zaiyi follow in the footsteps of Consort Wu Hui?
The crowd looked terrified and frightened, then snapped out of their daze and screamed, "Quick! Summon the imperial physician! The imperial physician!!"

……

"master!"

Several hours later, the eunuch hurried into the alchemy room and reported in a trembling voice: "According to the imperial physician's diagnosis, His Highness Prince De has phlegm clouding his mind and causing an imbalance of his five emotions, resulting in mental instability..."

Zhu Houcong sat cross-legged on the futon, raising his eyebrows slightly but not opening his eyes.

The man who murdered his brother deserved to die.

He doesn't have such a vicious son!
Of course, the so-called "following in the footsteps of Consort Wu Hui" was not a coincidence at all, but rather the work of Consort Yan.

Zhu Houcong had to admit that he had acted too hastily. Eliminating the problems of three princes at once was indeed a huge uproar that shook the court and the public, and it easily reminded the officials of the past events of the Tang Dynasty, bringing the unfavorable factors to the extreme.

That's how the "Memorial on Public Security" came about.

That's how the ministers united to fight against the imperial power.

So after calming down, Zhu Houcong, after much painful reflection, immediately changed his plans.

We must defeat them one by one.

You don't even need to lift a finger.

For example, there is the most suitable candidate to deal with the second prince.

Consort Yan!
Consort Yan and Consort Wang were both imprisoned in the Cold Palace. Instead of sharing a common hatred and helping each other, they remained at odds and were both holding their breath, waiting to see whose son would truly ascend to the throne.

As a result, the eldest son died young, while the second son is living a life of ease. Ironically, the former was "killed" by the latter. How could Consort Yan let him off the hook after she came out?

With the help of people arranged by the Directorate of Ceremonial, who impersonated the Crown Prince's ghost and drove the Second Prince insane, this is what a mother should do to avenge her son!

However, Zhu Houcong was not concerned about this place, but rather about the outer court: "Has the Hai family made any moves?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, both the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard have sent word that neither Vice Minister Hai nor Scholar Hai has shown any abnormalities..."

"Really no response?"

Zhu Houcong slowly opened his eyes.

During this period of time, he thought it over and over again and felt that the key to Haiyue's battle with him lay with the Second Prince.

Because Haiyue's younger brother, Hai Rui, was a lecturer in the Second Prince's palace.

Although according to the secret report, Hai Rui's education of this prince was aimed at cultivating him into a wise and virtuous prince. During this period, he often advised him to give up the struggle for the throne to avoid discord among his brothers. But who knows if he was two-faced and deliberately putting on an act?
But now that the Second Prince has fallen to such a state, the Hai brothers remain unmoved and even completely unaware, which is truly inexplicable.

"Haiyue, Haiyue, what exactly are you planning?"

……

Compared to Old Deng taking away both of his sons.

Haiyue is spending time with her two sons.

In the courtyard, ten-year-old Hai Zhongcheng was practicing calligraphy, and his skill was already evident in the turns and twists of his brushstrokes.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing on his youthful yet resolute brows and eyes—his demeanor and bearing were exactly like that of a young Haiyue.

"Hey!"

Six-year-old Hai Zhongyue suddenly darted out, raised his ink-stained little hand, and pressed a black paw print onto the calligraphy copybook his older brother had just finished writing.

Hai Zhongcheng, unfazed, reached out with one hand and grabbed his younger brother, causing the little rascal to scream in pain.

"This turning point is like a knife, already possessing three-tenths of its strength!"

"It's because you never listen in class. Even if you know the basics of using your strength to escape, you wouldn't be unable to break free from such a simple grappling technique."

Haiyue critiqued her eldest son's handwriting, then took her youngest son, whose face was flushed. Seeing him thrashing about in her palm like a live fish, she couldn't help but rub his head.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his wife, Zhu Yuying, leaning against a pillar in the corridor, a gentle smile on her lips.

"Master!"

After the children had run off playing, Zhu Yuying said softly, "Are we really not going to do anything? The Second Prince has been making frequent invitations lately, the court officials are also interested, and even the ladies of the nobility are talking about it..."

"There's no need to worry about those things."

Haiyue took his wife's hand and felt the cool sweat on her palm.

The faint cries of a peddler drifted from outside the courtyard wall, mingling with the laughter of children—a scene so ordinary yet so captivating.

Looking into his wife's worried eyes, he said calmly, "A storm is brewing; only by remaining calm and patient can we find peace!"

Haiyue's understanding of Jiajing comes from both her past and present lives.

This person never truly relinquishes power.

The current period of dormancy is merely a prelude to waiting for the right opportunity, a calculated move to gather evidence of the ministers' crimes.

As for the prince...

Whether it was the emperor's inherent stubbornness or his defense of imperial power, since the ministers were obstructing him from deposing his three sons, he insisted on going against the tide.

The second prince was destined to meet his doom.

Sure enough, the next morning, as soon as Haiyue arrived at the Ministry of Rites, she overheard whispers all around:
"Have you heard? His Highness Prince De has gone mad!"

"Hiss... Really?"

"The Prince's mansion is in complete chaos, and the whole city knows about it!"

The officials were mostly filled with sighs of regret.

Since the death of the Crown Prince, the Second Prince has opened his mansion wide and invited officials to banquets, and many of them have been his guests.

He intended to gain merit by supporting the emperor, but unexpected events suddenly occurred...

Compared to his elder brother, who at least served as the crown prince for three months, this one was far more miserable.

But if that's the case, does that mean the Third Prince has a chance?

"cough!"

A soft cough silenced the discussion.

As Haiyue entered, everyone bowed in unison: "Lord!"

"Avoid gossip, be careful with your words and actions, and focus on getting the job done."

"Yes!"

Faced with this superior, the subordinates all felt genuine awe and respect, and obeyed his orders with utmost deference.

Haiyue sat down at the table, her gaze fixed intently on the depths of the palace.

In just a few months, two princes were lost in succession, and the trouble all stemmed from the inner palace.

Was that person's desire ever satisfied?
Certainly not.

More importantly, misfortunes are never isolated events, but rather interconnected.

Once it starts, it's like a runaway horse, impossible to rein in.

Jiajing was perhaps curious about what he was planning.

The answer is actually very simple.

He wanted to witness it for himself.

The most intelligent yet most selfish emperor of the Ming Dynasty...

The final madness!

(End of this chapter)