Huangming

Chapter 194: Night meeting in the government office, allowing the enemy to leap over the bridge

The night was deep, and Beijing was shrouded in tranquility.

Beside Taipingcang Hutong in Xicheng District, a magnificent Duke's Mansion stands quietly.

It is bordered by the Imperial City Wall to the east, Taipingcang Hutong to the south, Xisi Archway North to the west, and Qunli Hutong to the north. The vermilion gate is adorned with an imperial plaque, highlighting the noble status of the mansion's owner.

It was the British Duchy that shared the fate of the nation.

In the pitch-black night, amidst the utter silence of the Duke of England's mansion, a jarring "creak" suddenly rang out as the vermilion gates slowly opened, appearing particularly abrupt in the tranquil night.

It was already curfew time, and the streets of the capital should have been deserted. However, at this moment, Zhang Zhiji, the heir of the Duke of Yingguo, dressed in armor, quietly returned to his residence with two guards.

The three walked hurriedly, their armor making a faint metallic clanging sound as they moved, clearly indicating they had just returned from some hidden place.

Zhang Zhiji stepped into the mansion, his eyes scanning his surroundings warily. He lowered his voice and said to the gatekeeper, Master Qin, "Master Qin, don't let my father know about tonight's events."

The doorman, Uncle Qin, was an elderly man in his sixties. Upon hearing this, his expression turned somewhat strange.

"Minor Duke"

Just as the gatekeeper, Uncle Qin, was about to respond, he heard a cold snort from inside the duty room, and the sound of a teacup being slammed heavily onto the table was particularly clear.

Duke Zhang Weixian of England lifted the curtain and stepped out, staring sharply at Zhang Zhiji, and demanded, "Where have you been gallivanting off to this time?"

Zhang Zhiji froze, not expecting his father to be waiting for him at the gatehouse. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Son... I just went to meet some friends. I didn't go to places like the Jiaofangsi or Zuixianlou."

He just went to see Luo Yangxing, not to go out for drinks and pleasure.

Zhang Weixian sneered, his gaze sweeping over the armor on his body, then glancing at the two guards behind him with their heads bowed. His tone was chilling: "Wearing armor during curfew, returning home in the middle of the night, and you still dare to say you're not causing trouble? Do you think the Five Cities Garrison is just for show, or that the elders are all senile?"

Cold sweat beaded on Zhang Zhiji's forehead. He was about to defend himself when he heard his father continue in a cold voice, "Go to the ancestral hall and kneel down. I'll settle accounts with you!"

Old Master Qin shrank back, not daring to breathe, hoping that the young master would accept his punishment quickly, lest the fire at the city gates cause innocent bystanders to suffer.

Zhang Zhiji pursed his lips, muttering to himself: What's wrong with the old man today? Why is he so irritable?

Although he dared not openly contradict him, he still carried a bit of a roguish air and said in a drawn-out tone, "Kneeling in the ancestral hall is fine, but I still have to go to work tomorrow. If I miss my job because of being tired, I will not bear the blame."

Although he verbally apologized, his eyes darted around, clearly not genuinely admitting his mistake, but rather as if he were testing his father's limits.

"You traitor!"

Zhang Weixian roared and reached out to grab Zhang Zhiji's ear.

But the boy was very slippery. He ducked down and slipped under his father's arm like an eel, taking three steps at a time and darting into the mansion.

"Heh heh! You want me to kneel in the ancestral hall? No way!"

Zhang Zhiji's voice drifted from afar, carrying a hint of smugness, before disappearing into the depths of the corridor in the blink of an eye, leaving only the Duke of England standing there, his beard trembling with anger.

After a while.

Inside the British Duke's ancestral hall, the flickering candlelight illuminated the ancestral tablets of past generations.

Zhang Zhiji knelt on the prayer mat, his left eye socket bruised and his right cheek slightly swollen, clearly from the loving instruction he had just received from Zhang Weixian.

He grimaced and rubbed his wound, muttering under his breath, "That old man really hit hard..."

Looking up at the ancestral tablets, the flickering candlelight made those cold and solemn names seem to be staring at him, which made his heart tighten. He quickly lowered his head and dared not be presumptuous anymore.

Seeing that his rebellious son had finally stopped causing trouble, Zhang Weixian showed a hint of smugness on his face.

"Hmph! As long as your father lives, you dragon must coil up, and you tiger must lie low!"

Zhang Zhiji outwardly remained submissive, daring not to utter another word of dissent, but inwardly he thought to himself, "Old Deng, just wait until you kick the bucket, and I'll see how I rip the roof off this Duke's mansion!"

It took about 15 minutes.

Zhang Zhiji knelt on the blue brick floor of the ancestral hall, his knees feeling slightly numb.

He glanced at his father's face, and seeing that the anger between Zhang Weixian's brows had eased slightly, he finally mustered up his courage and spoke:
"Father, I was just going to discuss some things with Luo Yangxing, why are you so angry?"

He deliberately emphasized the three characters "Luo Yangxing" to imply that he was not going to brothels.

As he spoke, he rubbed his bruised eyes with feigned grievance, looking just like a filial son who had suffered a great injustice.

"Hey~"

Do you think your father is deliberately making things difficult for you?

Zhang Weixian sighed and told them about the emperor's plan to reorganize the Beijing garrison.

"Today, during the meeting in the East Warm Pavilion, His Majesty has decided to thoroughly investigate the embezzlement of funds in the Beijing Garrison and rewrite the troop registers. Anyone who falsely reports the number of soldiers will have their commanding officer dismissed and their ill-gotten gains confiscated; anyone who falsely reports more than ten will be executed on the spot! Furthermore, a Military Inspection Bureau will be established outside of the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions to be specifically responsible for investigating military affairs."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhiji's previously playful expression suddenly froze, and he exclaimed, "Wouldn't this cut off the source of wealth for the nobility? The six hundred personal guards nominally under the name of the Duke of Cheng's mansion will be the first to be affected!"

"It's not just the Duke of Cheng's mansion!"

"His Majesty has even overturned the old practice of paying salaries without working, which was tacitly approved during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, and has publicly declared that he would rather have 30,000 soldiers who can fight than 100,000 parasites who are just eating salaries without working."

He spoke in an imitation of the emperor's tone, even mimicking the cold glint in his eyes perfectly.

The flickering candlelight in the ancestral hall reflected the ever-changing moods on Zhang Zhiji's face.

He suddenly grabbed his father's sleeve and said, "Father! Our household also has more than three hundred nominal employees. Over the years, we've relied on this money to support servants and buy armor. If they really investigate..."

"Now you know you're afraid?"

Zhang Weixian shook off his son's hand and pointed at the ancestral tablet, shouting angrily.

"I told you to tone it down! Did you really think that just because you have His Majesty's favor, you can act recklessly?"

Zhang Zhiji thought to himself, "No wonder my father was so angry today; he was worried about my safety."

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, yet he felt no pain whatsoever.

"Father, your son knows he was wrong."

Zhang Zhiji spoke in a low voice, his tone no longer carrying the flippancy of the past.

Seeing his son's rare serious expression, Zhang Weixian felt a surge of relief, but it was quickly replaced by worry.

"Now that you've come to your senses, you should know the current situation—the flames of war are about to ignite in Liaodong, and undercurrents are surging in the capital. This reorganization of the Beijing Garrison is likely not just about reducing the number of nominal positions. If we encounter any stubborn resistance, we fear that the bloody massacre that occurred during the reorganization of the Beijing Garrison will be repeated, staining even the ditches of Taipingcang Hutong with blood."

Zhang Weixian paused slightly, a cold glint appearing in his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "The situation in the capital has been turbulent lately. You must be careful when entering and leaving the residence. I will increase the number of elite guards accompanying you. As for places of trouble such as the Jiaofangsi and Zuixianlou, do not set foot there again!"

Zhang Zhiji lowered his head and lowered his eyes, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the cloud patterns on the edge of his armor, before finally solemnly replying, "Your son will remember."

The British Duke's family's century-long wealth and status depended entirely on the Emperor's whim.

Now that His Majesty intends to use swift and decisive measures to reorganize the capital garrison, it is tantamount to cutting into the lifeblood of the nobles.

Those fictitious military pay accrued over generations have long been the lifeblood of each family's private army and armor.

If it were to break now, the entire capital's grand mansions would likely be shaken to their core.

Zhang Zhiji was somewhat worried. What if His Majesty's reorganization of the Beijing Garrison caused a major upheaval?
He looked up at his father and voiced his concerns: "The deep-seated problems within the capital garrison are like a malignant tumor, and the noble families in various prefectures are deeply entrenched. If Your Majesty's swift and decisive actions force them to act rashly, and if this leads to a mutiny, or even endangers Your Majesty's life, what should we do?"

Zhang Weixian slammed his knuckles heavily on the offering table in the ancestral hall, causing the candlelight to flicker violently: "Do you think His Majesty is such a reckless person?"

He pulled a scroll of secret reports from his sleeve and tossed it in front of his son. "The Embroidered Uniform Guard's agents have thoroughly investigated every household, and the Eastern Depot's spies have even recorded how much silver the cook in the Duke of Cheng's mansion stole!"

Zhang Zhiji stared at the scarlet red annotations on the secret report, his Adam's apple bobbing as cold sweat soaked through his undergarments.

"Although the capital garrison was in disarray during Emperor Shenzong's reign, the nine border garrisons still retained some fighting spirit. Look at them now!"

He pointed north, his voice chilling: "The night scouts of Xuanda dare to kill innocent people and claim credit, and the cavalry of Liaozhen can't even be equipped with stirrups—if we don't take action now, when the Jurchens break through the pass, are we going to have His Majesty personally carry a musket up the city wall?"

After Zhang Weixian finished speaking, Zhang Zhiji fell silent.

"His Majesty has a far-sighted vision! You have a lot to learn, young man."

How could Zhang Weixian not know what the emperor was thinking?
Reorganizing the Beijing Garrison is definitely a good thing for the Ming Dynasty.

It was only a bad thing for these nobles who were receiving salaries without working.

Zhang Weixian frowned and said:

"Even so, if a noble family were to rebel and cause trouble, His Majesty would find it difficult to control the situation, wouldn't he?"

Zhang Weixian stared sharply at his son and said, "That's why His Majesty started by targeting us ducal mansions, forcing us to take the lead in reducing fictitious quotas and returning embezzled funds. If even the Duke of Ying's mansion obediently accepts the punishment, will anyone else dare to cause trouble?" The Duke of Ying's mansion is favored by the emperor, and at this time, it must also fight for the emperor.

Zhang Zhiji smiled bitterly and said, "Father means that our household not only has to admit defeat, but also has to set an example for His Majesty?"

Zhang Weixian nodded slowly: "That's right. Tomorrow you will go to the Ministry of War in person. Not only will you return the money, but you will also publicly apologize and show that the Duke of Ying's mansion has no ulterior motives."

Zhang Zhiji gritted his teeth and finally understood his father's deeper meaning—His Majesty was reorganizing the Beijing Garrison, and if the Duke of Ying's mansion wanted to survive, it had to be the first to bow down; otherwise, what awaited them would probably be more than just a fine.

He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Son understands. I will take care of it first thing tomorrow morning."

Zhang Weixian patted his shoulder, his tone unusually gentle: "Remember, this world ultimately belongs to His Majesty. The reason our Zhang family has been able to stand strong until now is not because we covet that little bit of silver, but because we know how to assess the situation."

From the day Emperor Taichang passed away, the Duke of Ying's mansion could only fight for His Majesty.

With the subsequent reorganization of the Beijing garrison, he had no other choice.

"Our Duke's Mansion naturally depends on His Majesty to have wealth and power, but..."

He suddenly looked up at his father, his voice tinged with urgency: "Father, the noble families behind those officers and soldiers in the capital garrison are not just from one family. What if they are pushed to the limit and take risks, committing the heinous crime of regicide?"

A cold glint flashed in Zhang Weixian's eyes, and he suddenly lowered his voice, saying, "Do you think His Majesty is unprepared?"

He pointed in the direction of the imperial city.

"Commander Luo Sigong of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had long ago secretly laid out surveillance, and the agents of the Eastern Depot were keeping a close watch on every residence day and night. Moreover—"

He paused meaningfully.

"The three thousand newly formed Imperial Horse Stable troops are all loyal and brave men personally selected by His Majesty."

His Majesty has many thoughts on his mind!
If he can't control the inner court, how dare he thoroughly reorganize the Beijing Garrison?

"Now I can rest assured."

Zhang Zhiji's eyes flickered as he looked at the somewhat dejected Zhang Weixian and said with a smile, "I think you don't need to be troubled, Father. Our Duke of Ying's mansion has long been bound to His Majesty, sharing both honor and disgrace. This reorganization of the Beijing Garrison is not necessarily a bad opportunity!"

"During the time my son has been in charge of the Noble Camp, he has thoroughly investigated the affairs of each family. The three hundred suits of armor hidden in Tongzhou by the Duke of Cheng's mansion, and the usurious loans embezzled from military funds by the Duke of Ding's mansion—each and every one of these is readily available incriminating evidence."

Amidst the crackling of the candlelight, he clenched his fist tightly: "If there are any fools who dare to rebel, His Majesty can use this opportunity to purge them! Those hereditary titles should have been replaced with fresh blood long ago."

After hearing what his son said, Zhang Weixian's eyes lit up.

"You're right. Both thunder and rain are acts of imperial favor."

"It's just three hundred taels of silver, how can it compare to the imperial edict and iron certificate bestowed by His Majesty? As long as His Majesty's favor remains, let alone these meager sums—even if His Majesty were to cut off a piece of flesh from the Duke of Cheng's mansion to subsidize us, it would only be a matter of His Majesty's word!"

Superficial benefits are not as good as divine grace.

His Majesty ordered him to charge into battle, so he had no choice but to charge!

The first year of the Tianqi reign.

March 4th.

As dawn broke, in the Qianqing Palace's sleeping quarters, the eunuchs serving outside the palace knelt on the ground, offering the emperor his second wake-up call.

"As dawn approaches, may Your Majesty be well."

A moment later, the emperor's languid voice finally came from the bedchamber.

"I am well! Come in."

Zhu Youxiao, draped in a plain gauze robe, leaned against the dragon bed, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the intertwined dragon and phoenix patterns on the brocade quilt.

The memory of Yu Xiunu's breathless, alluring embrace from last night was still vivid in his mind; the trembling he felt when her snow-white, lotus-root-like arm clung to him still made his throat tighten at the thought.

"Ah"

The young emperor suddenly chuckled and gently rubbed his temples with his knuckles.

No wonder most of the short-lived emperors in history died in this world of pleasure.

The beauties of the six palaces are all soul-stirring and bone-corroding knives. If they do not know how to restrain themselves, they may be able to hollow out this flesh and blood body even more than the Jurchens of Liaodong.

Zhu Youxiao lightly touched the corner of his lips with his fingertips. The concubine Yu, who had received the emperor's favor last night, had already been quietly carried away by the palace servants.

The young girl, who had just experienced the pleasures of love, finally broke down in tears and begged for mercy after half an hour of his conquest. At this moment, she probably needed the help of palace maids to even take a step.

She's still too hot-tempered.

While the emperor was still savoring the moment, the palace servants quietly pushed open the palace doors and filed in, heads bowed and eyes lowered.

The head maid held a gilded bronze basin, from which warm steam rose; behind her, two eunuchs held up dragon-carved trays, one containing a bright yellow robe and the other containing salt and willow branches.

After everyone knelt and paid their respects, the head palace maid said softly, "This servant will help His Majesty wash his face."

Zhu Youxiao spread his arms and let the palace maids remove his outer garment.

The morning light shone through the window lattice, revealing several barely visible light red scratches on his shoulder blades, traces still visible from his passionate encounter with the maid last night.

Upon seeing this, a young eunuch's hand trembled, nearly spilling the perfume, and he was glared at fiercely by the head maid.

Halfway through changing his clothes, he suddenly heard footsteps outside the palace.

Wei Chao knelt outside the curtain and reported: "Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Li Ruhua of the Eastern Pavilion, Minister of Revenue Li Changgeng, and Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Luo Sigong are already waiting in the Nine Ministers' Office."

Zhu Youxiao's gaze sharpened, and he paused in the action of the palace maid tying his jade belt.

"Summon Luo Sigong first."

"I obey your orders!"

Wei Chao immediately left.

soon.

Changing and washing up are all done.

Zhu Youxiao stepped into the East Warm Pavilion. At this moment, it was still dark, and a wisp of purple mist rose from the east, indicating that it would not be long before dawn.

Huang Hua, the head of the Imperial Kitchen, had been waiting for a long time. Upon seeing the emperor arrive, he immediately bowed and then personally served him breakfast.

Zhu Youxiao sat down, his gaze sweeping over the food on the table: a bowl of steaming bird's nest porridge, several plates of delicate side dishes, and a bowl of deer blood soup, clearly prepared especially for him.

He picked up the silver spoon and slowly scooped a spoonful of porridge. Before he could even take a bite, hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Luo Sigong, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, strode into the hall, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your subject Luo Sigong pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Zhu Youxiao raised his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Minister Luo, what secret report do you have today?"

Luo Sigong raised his head slightly and lowered his voice, saying, "Last night, after the Duke of Yingguo's son, Zhang Zhiji, returned to his residence, the Duke of Yingguo, Zhang Weixian, personally waited for him at the gatehouse. The father and son talked privately until late at night, and the topic involved the reorganization of the Beijing Garrison."

A hint of amusement flashed in Zhu Youxiao's eyes: "Oh? What did you talk about?"

Luo Sigong continued, "The Duke of England's government has decided to return the embezzled money today and publicly apologize to show its loyalty."

The emperor chuckled softly, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table: "Zhang Weixian is indeed shrewd and calculating, knowing my intentions."

Luo Sigong hesitated for a moment, then said, "However, I have also learned that the noble families of the Duke of Cheng and the Duke of Ding are secretly colluding and seem to have ulterior motives."

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice lowered further: "According to another secret report, the Duke of Cheng's mansion has invited twelve noble families, including the Duke of Ding's and the Marquis of Wu'an, under the pretext of appreciating flowers and reciting poetry. They will all gather at the Duke of Cheng's mansion in three days. I wonder what they intend to do."

Zhu Youxiao's eyes turned cold, and a sneer appeared on his face: "Enjoying flowers and reciting poems? These nobles, instead of serving their country, indulge in pleasure? Hmph! I'd like to see if they dare to make a move."

Luo Sigong said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, should I send more men to keep a close eye on these companies?"

The emperor shook his head slightly, his tone chilling: "No need to alert them. Let them jump; the higher they jump, the harder they'll fall."

Luo Sigong understood immediately and bowed his head, replying, "Your subject understands."

Zhu Youxiao picked up the silver spoon again, scooped up a spoonful of deer blood soup, and looked into a deep pool: "Minister Luo, I want every corner of these noble mansions to be covered with eyes. Their whispers during banquets, their secret talks in bed, even the time they change clothes—everything, no matter how small, must be recorded."

We've raised tens of thousands of Imperial Guards; now's the time to put them to use!
Luo Sigong solemnly clasped his hands in obeisance: "Your subject obeys the decree!"

After Luo Sigong bowed and withdrew, Zhu Youxiao picked up a celadon cup and took a sip of deer blood soup, his eyes flashing with a cold light.

The edict to reorganize the Beijing garrison was already in effect, and Zhu Youxiao would not hesitate to let those parasites who were exploiting the military pay show their teeth if they dared to do so.

Whose world is this, really?
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(End of this chapter)