Huangming

Chapter 106 The Rich and Powerful Indulge in Deceit, Setting a Trap in the Jade Palace
As Zhang Zhiji emerged from the main hall of the Governor's Mansion, he was greeted by an old acquaintance.

"Oh ho! Isn't this the Marquis of Wuding?"

Zhang Zhiji's eyes lit up, and he immediately went up to greet them.

The visitor was none other than Marquis Guo Yinglin of Wuding. When Guo Yinglin saw that it was Zhang Zhiji, his face also showed a look of eagerness.

"So it's the young duke!"

"You've gotten involved in this mess too?" Zhang Zhiji asked meaningfully.

"Hey~ Even you've squeezed in, how could this be a bad job? I've found out everything. This trip to Kaifeng is just a short training exercise, which will be a valuable experience. When you come back, you'll be given an important position. This is such a great opportunity, how could I not get involved?"

After speaking, Guo Yinglin seemed to have thought of something and said warily, "Does the young duke want to keep this for himself? You won't share this windfall with us?"

Zhang Zhiji sneered inwardly:
Is it really possible for something to fall from the sky like a pie?
Be careful, or you might choke to death.

He didn't directly answer Guo Yinglin's question, but out of consideration for their shared experience of soliciting prostitutes, he seemingly casually remarked:
"I've heard that His Majesty heavily relies on the Qi Family Army and the White-Spear Soldiers. The brothers of the Four Guards Battalion have suffered terribly at the hands of these foreign troops. If we don't have the ability, even if His Majesty wanted to give us important positions, he wouldn't be able to."

Upon hearing this, Guo Yinglin's face immediately showed disdain.

"Pah!"

He first spat, then straightened his chest, raised his head, and looked down at people.

"What Qi Family Army and White Spear Soldiers? They're all country bumpkins and beggars from out of town. Our ancestors fought for the Ming Dynasty. The real masters are the ones from Beijing!"

Zhang Zhiji was almost amused by this guy.

"Good good!"

He gave him a thumbs up as if he were a fool.

"My lord, your words are absolutely true!"

After saying that, Zhang Zhiji put his arm around Guo Yinglin's shoulder and joked, "Hey sir, where are you going to have some fun today?"

"What? Didn't the young duke repent and reform? Why do you still want to collude with us?"

Zhang Zhiji smirked and said in a nonchalant tone, "I thought serving under His Majesty would lead to a bright future, but alas, I'm still a leopard that can't change its spots. I was kicked out by His Majesty. Sigh~ It's much more fun to be with my old buddies."

I'm not only afraid that my brother will suffer, but I'm also afraid that my brother will drive a Land Rover.

Upon seeing Zhang Zhiji abandon the light for the dark, Guo Yinglin immediately said generously, "Let's go to Zuixianlou today, brother, I'll order the most beautiful courtesan to make you happy!"

Zhang Zhiji was deeply moved.

"My lord, you are truly my dearest friend and family! Even my father has never been so kind to me!"

Guo Yinglin was quite pleased with Zhang Zhiji's praise: "We're all brothers, no need to be so polite. But you don't need to resent the old Duke. What man would choose a courtesan for his son?"

Zhang Zhiji muttered to himself: Helping the courtesan is a bit impossible, but becoming her ally is still possible.

After all, Zhang Zhiji had run into his father several times at Zuixianlou.

"we have a deal!"

Guo Yinglin, who had been stood up by Zhang Zhiji several times, said with a scrutinizing look, "If you dare to break your promise, then don't blame your brother for being ruthless."

Zhang Zhiji patted his chest and guaranteed, "Who would dare to disobey King Guo? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?"

Guo Yinglin was notorious in Beijing for his patronage of prostitutes and abuse of maids. He once caused the death of a female entertainer by abusing her, and managed to cover it up by bribing a eunuch.

He also colluded with agents of the Eastern Depot to extort "customary fees" from shops in the capital, earning him the nickname "Guo the King of Hell".

Guo Yinglin was very proud of his nickname, "Guo the King of Hell".

"Then let's trust our brother one more time."

Zhang Zhiji's eyes darted around, and he said with a smile, "It's no fun with just the two of us brothers. I heard that Marquis Yangwu and Marquis Funing are also on the list of the capital garrison heading south this time. Why don't we invite them to have some fun at Zuixianlou?"

Guo Yinglin immediately clapped his hands and laughed, saying, "That's exactly what I was thinking. There were four lords in the Spring and Autumn Period and four lords in the Warring States Period. My Beijing city also has four great masters. It would be a real pity if we didn't get together this time."

"Very well, so you are one of the Four Gentlemen of the Spring and Autumn Period? Your Excellency is indeed very learned!"

Guo Yinglin thought Zhang Zhiji was praising him, so he immediately laughed and patted his chest, saying, "I'll send someone right away to have those two scoundrels, Xue Lian and Zhu Guobi, come over."

The two people Guo Yinglin mentioned are both heavyweights:

Marquis Xue Lian of Yangwu often let his hounds and dogs abuse and kill farmers' livestock, led his servants to trample on farmland in Shunyi, and enjoyed forcibly taking women and having sex with them in front of their husbands. He was a pervert among perverts.

Marquis Zhu Guobi of Funing was known for his extravagant gambling and losing everything. He once lost his estate in the suburbs of Beijing in one night, forcing his mother to sell her jewelry to pay off the debt. He was truly the worst of the worst.

The 20,000 soldiers of the Beijing garrison who are now heading south to Kaifeng are mostly of the same caliber as these "hidden dragons and young phoenixes." To call them a rabble would be an understatement.

Zhang Zhiji was eager to infiltrate the enemy, both literally and physically. He immediately said, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go to Zuixianlou now!"

And this moment.

Forbidden City.

Located at the northernmost end of the central axis of the Forbidden City, bordered by the Shenwu Gate to the north and the Kunning Palace to the south, lies an Imperial Garden.

This place was an important site for emperors, empresses, and princes to enjoy sightseeing and offer sacrifices.

Today, Zhu Youxiao, along with a group of imperial relatives, is enjoying the snow scenery at Jiangxue Pavilion in the Imperial Garden.

Before Zhu Youxiao arrived, he actually had some expectations for the Imperial Garden.

I thought this royal garden would be beautiful, but I was greatly disappointed when I arrived.

Due to financial decline and lax management, parts of the Imperial Garden have fallen into disrepair.

For example, the Jinshui River, a winding waterway that runs through the Imperial Garden, symbolizes "a jade belt around the waist," but at this moment, silt has accumulated and the water flow is sluggish.

The Qin'an Hall displays auspicious bronze artifacts, but some of them are already damaged. Due to financial constraints in the inner treasury, they have not been repaired in time. Some flower gardens are overgrown and the variety of flowers has decreased, making the scenery unpleasant and quite disappointing.

It was just like a dilapidated amusement park from later times.

What a disappointment!
Even Zhu Huiti, the eighth princess who had been full of anticipation, was not very happy to see this scene.

Zhu Youxiao knew perfectly well that a eunuch must have embezzled the silver, but he would investigate the matter later.

Zhu Youxiao came out today not only to relax, but also for other purposes.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have summoned three of the Ten Princes' Palaces for an audience.

According to the regulations of the Ming Dynasty, when princes reached a certain age, they were required to go to their fiefdoms and could not reside in Beijing for an extended period.

However, there are exceptions.

For example.
The imperial court was short of money.

Indeed, it takes a huge amount of money for a prince to be enfeoffed, such as building a palace and being granted estates.

For example, the budget for Prince Rui's mansion in Hanzhong, owned by Zhu Changhao, was 200 million taels of silver, but the Ministry of Revenue could only allocate less than half of that amount.

The reason is simple: after the three great campaigns of the Wanli Emperor, the Ming Dynasty was now dirt poor.
The three princes' enfeoffment would cost several million taels of silver. Even though someone from the Ministry of Rites had already submitted a memorial requesting the three princes to enfeoff, Zhu Youxiao pretended not to see it.

He knew very well that many of the officials from the Ministry of Rites who submitted the memorials had probably received bribes from the three princes and were acting as intermediaries.

After all, the three kings living in the Tenth Prince's Mansion couldn't compare to being a local tyrant outside.

"The scenery of the Northland is magnificent, with thousands of miles of ice and snow!" Zhu Youxiao exclaimed as he climbed to a high place and looked at the snow scene.

Upon hearing this, Prince Rui, Zhu Changhao, immediately stepped forward to flatter him, saying, "Your Majesty's poetry and prose are even more outstanding than those of the scholars in the Hanlin Academy. I admire you to the extreme!"

Prince Hui, Zhu Changrun, and Prince Gui, Zhu Changying, fearing they might be too slow, said from the side, "We are also extremely impressed!"

Zhu Youxiao looked at the three princes, shook his head, and said, "They only exchanged a few words, why the need for such flattery? Don't you agree, Your Majesty?"

Zhu Youjian, the fifth prince who had been staying at Xuqin Palace for many years, was also dragged out by Zhu Youxiao.

These days, Zhu Youjian spends all his time studying with his master and often gets punished by his master's ruler.

Zhu Youxiao hoped that he wouldn't become foolish from studying too much and be deceived by those hypocritical Donglin Party members.

As a younger brother, if he were properly trained, he might become the thirteenth brother during the Yongzheng era, sharing some of the burdens of state affairs with him.

At the very least, after the country is established, I can do something for him.

After all, the historical Chongzhen Emperor was really quite foolish.

“My brother’s talent is certainly incomparable to those Confucian scholars. What my uncle and the others said is correct.”

Zhu Youjian had a very good relationship with his elder brother, the emperor.

The two shared similar experiences, and after Zhu Youxiao ascended the throne, he frequently bestowed gifts upon Xuqin Palace. The current Zhu Youjian is very dependent on his emperor brother.

Zhu Youxiao smiled and scolded, "You're so young, yet you already know how to flatter. Is this how your teacher taught you?"

Then, he turned to look at Zhu Changhao, the fifth son of Emperor Shenzong and Prince Rui, and said, "Logically speaking, Fifth Imperial Uncle should be going to his fiefdom by now."

Upon hearing this, Prince Rui, Zhu Changhao, became extremely excited.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I have heard that the Prince Rui's residence in Hanzhong has been almost completely repaired. I may depart immediately!"

Seeing how anxious this fellow was, Zhu Youxiao immediately said, "I have always kept the matter of the three imperial uncles' kingdoms in mind, but unfortunately the national treasury is empty and it is difficult to pay for the expenses of the imperial uncles' kingdoms. What should we do?"

The three men exchanged glances, and finally Prince Rui stepped forward with a stiff upper lip and said, "Your Majesty, we do not need to follow the rules like Prince Fu."

Principal Zhu sighed and said, "Following the regulations, we don't have the money!"

The emperor spread his hands and immediately began to act shamelessly.

Prince Hui, Zhu Changrun, grew anxious and instinctively asked, "Didn't Your Majesty confiscate so much wealth? What happened?"

However, he quickly realized he had misspoke and hurriedly shut up.

Zhu Youxiao immediately turned to look at Prince Hui.

"Does Sixth Imperial Uncle think that I am deliberately withholding money from your kingdom?"

Prince Hui had heard about the new emperor's methods at the Ten Princes' Palace, and when Zhu Youxiao asked him in a deep voice, he was so frightened that he knelt down.

"Your Majesty, I did not mean that. I misspoke just now. Please forgive me."

Prince Rui, Zhu Changhao, and Prince Gui, Zhu Changying, also tried to smooth things over, saying, "Your Majesty, Prince Hui didn't mean that."

Zhu Youxiao was not angry. Instead, he stepped forward to help Prince Hui up and said, "I know that Sixth Prince is simple-minded. How could I blame Sixth Prince?"

After helping the somewhat bewildered Zhu Changrun to his feet, Zhu Youxiao sighed, “Although I obtained a lot of money from confiscating property, the annual expenses in Liaodong are nearly ten million taels, and the reorganization of the Four Guards and the recruitment of new troops have cost several million taels. The silver obtained from confiscating property has already been spent, and we are even in debt.”

Zhu Youxiao looked at the three princes and said, "I have heard that the three of you imperial uncles are all kind-hearted. The country is in such a critical situation, do you still want to force me?"

Seeing that the three were too timid to speak, he did not dare to.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Zhu Youxiao said, "The vassal kings of the kingdoms are supposed to guard the four directions for me, not to exploit the people. Prince Fu has only been in office for a few years, yet he has already done so many despicable things. You should take a good look."

Wei Chao then presented the silk scroll detailing the crimes of the Prince of Fu. The three princes were shocked after reading it.

"Your Majesty, this."

Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and said, "The Prince of Fu's enfeoffment exceeded the regulations and also violated the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions' in his fiefdom. Such a prince must be punished by me!"

Upon hearing the words "punishment," the three kings fell even more silent.

"If any of you dare to do such a thing outside the town in the future, I will not pardon you. Do you all understand?"

The three kings were so frightened that they knelt on the ground and immediately said, "Your subjects understand."

After giving the big stick, Zhu Youxiao naturally had to give a few sweet dates in return.

"I will take care of the affairs of the kingdoms of my three imperial uncles within the next year or two, so you can rest assured."

The three kings, who had been terrified, were overjoyed upon hearing this good news. Their hearts were filled with immense joy, and they kowtowed repeatedly to express their gratitude.

"Your Majesty, we thank you for your great kindness."

"Get up." Zhu Youxiao glanced at the three princes.

"When I questioned Prince Fu, I actually wanted him to contribute some money to your country. But I was also worried that the princes who were stationed in their fiefdoms would think I was cruel and ungrateful. I am very concerned!"

Upon receiving the Emperor's promise, Prince Rui, Zhu Changhao, immediately said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, we will write to the princes to convey Your Majesty's intentions. It is entirely because Prince Fu has been too rampant and has reached the point where he must be punished. Moreover, Your Majesty is raising funds for our country. How can this be considered harsh and ungrateful? It is clearly showing concern for the imperial family and Your Majesty's boundless benevolence!"

Prince Hui, Zhu Changrun, and Prince Gui, Zhu Changying, also nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Fifth Brother is right. This is all His Majesty's love for his family. How can it be called harsh and ungrateful? We will naturally write to inform the princes of the inside story."

Upon seeing these three princes, Zhu Youxiao had the intention of stabilizing the princes in the outer garrisons.

After all, if they really did target Prince Fu, what would the other princes think?
The less trouble you have, the less trouble you'll have.

Once his foundation is solid, we can deal with things slowly.

"Good good!"

Zhu Youxiao looked moved and stepped forward to take the hands of the three princes, saying emotionally, "When the late Emperor was alive, he often said that the three of you were the pillars of the country and could assist me in governing the country. Now that I have seen you, it is indeed so."

Prince Rui felt the emperor's warmth and immediately said, "Your Majesty is the most diligent, wise, and benevolent ruler of our Great Ming Dynasty. We are naturally willing to die for Your Majesty!"

Prince Hui, Zhu Changrun, and Prince Gui, Zhu Changying, also had tears in their eyes and said, "Fifth Brother is right! We are willing to die for His Majesty!"

"With the assistance of my three imperial uncles, how can I worry about not governing the country well?"

After a heart-to-heart talk, Zhu Youxiao and the three princes truly achieved harmony between ruler and subject.

Everyone laughed and joked, just like a family.

However, the three kings were not stupid. They were afraid that the emperor would change his mind and grant them the kingdom or give them other jobs, so they quickly got up and took their leave.

After all, they have already achieved their goal for today.

Within one or two years, we will be able to establish a nation!

As for the conditions of the exchange: it's just the mere Prince Fu!

Third brother, just bear with it so that your younger brothers can have some fun outside the town.

Thus, the world where only Prince Fu was injured was achieved!
Zhu Youxiao watched the three princes' smug figures from Jiangxue Pavilion, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He agreed to the three kingdoms, but did not say he would definitely go to Hanzhong, Jingzhou, or Hengzhou.

How can the princes under my command go to the rear of the empire to enjoy their lives?
You are going to the most dangerous place.

Go and guard the frontier for me!
(End of this chapter)