Huangming

Chapter 290 A Terrifying Secret Report: A Trap to Fall For (Bonus Chapter for 1000 Monthly Tickets!)
When an emperor is enraged, blood can flow like rivers!

The atmosphere in the warm pavilion of Qianqing Palace instantly dropped to freezing point; even the candlelight seemed frozen, trembling and afraid to move.

Zhu Youxiao slammed the secret report down hard, the paper hitting the table with a crisp sound, startling the eunuchs in the hall into kneeling down in unison, their heads pressed against the gold bricks, holding their breath.

"The Wei Dynasty!"

He shouted sharply, his voice still burning with lingering anger.

Wei Chao, who was standing by his side, quickly crawled a few steps on his knees and took the secret report with both hands.

He glanced at it and his brows immediately furrowed.

The Prince of Fu dared to have such wicked thoughts at a time like this; he simply had a death wish.

Even he wouldn't dare to embezzle silver, how dare this Prince Fu?
"Send this to the Tenth Prince's residence and let Prince Fu take a good look at it himself!" The emperor's cold voice rang out at this moment.

Wei Chao's hands trembled slightly as he held the secret report. Having served the emperor for many years, he naturally knew the weight of these words.

Although Prince Fu is the current emperor's uncle, if he were to truly offend the emperor, no one could protect him.

He composed himself and cautiously raised his head: "Your Majesty, if... if Prince Fu reads the secret report and requests an audience, should I summon him or not?"

Zhu Youxiao's face was gloomy.

"Whether we see him or not depends on what he offers to atone for his sins!"

Wei Chao's back instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

He finally understood: the emperor didn't want to see Prince Fu at all; he clearly wanted to force the prince to bleed profusely.

The 1.5 million taels should have gone entirely into the imperial treasury. Now that Prince Fu has embezzled one-third of it, the emperor is demanding it back with interest. He'll probably have to add a "tribute" to appease him.

Zhu Youxiao gazed at the somber sky outside the window, his eyes brimming with barely concealed malice.

When Prince Fu was enfeoffed in Luoyang, how much fertile land and treasures did his father bestow upon him?

With the nation in dire straits and the soldiers in Liaodong struggling to even receive their pay, this old bastard dares to embezzle funds!
One and a half million taels of silver is enough to support an army of 50,000 for a year's war, but he dares to propose a "30/10 split" with the emperor?
That's all my money!

"Tell Prince Fu!"

Zhu Youxiao's voice was kept extremely low.

"If he can't produce something that satisfies me, he can forget about returning to Luoyang to be his local tyrant. The Tenth Prince's residence is spacious enough to keep him there until he figures things out!"

Wei Chao quickly kowtowed: "This servant understands! I will personally arrange for a trusted confidant to deliver it."

After Wei Chao left with the secret report, Zhu Youxiao slowly sat back on his throne.

After everyone left.

His complexion immediately returned to normal.

in fact
He already knew about Prince Fu's embezzlement.

The reason I put on an angry act is for show.

The 500,000 coins were just a pretext; what he really wanted was to open the wallets of Prince Fu and Prince Chu.

The battle in Liaodong needs to be fought, and the Beijing garrison needs to be expanded; neither of these can be done without money.

Since Zhu Changxun dared to reach out, he should be prepared to be uprooted.

The Ten Princes' Mansion is located next to the Donghua Gate of the Forbidden City. Compared with the majesty of the palace, it has a more leisurely feel, which is unique to the residences of the imperial family.

Li Zhong, a trusted eunuch of the Wei Dynasty, carried a secret report and ran all the way.

He knew this was urgent; the emperor's anger was still burning in the secret reports.

In less than half an hour, the vermilion gate of the Tenth Prince's Mansion came into view.

The guards at the gate, seeing that the people were from the palace and were carrying bright yellow envelopes, dared not be negligent in the slightest and quickly let them through.

Li Zhong ignored the scenery on both sides and walked straight through the covered corridor towards the residence of Prince Fu, Zhu Changxun.

At this time, five princes and grandsons lived in the Ten Princes' Mansion.

Besides the Prince of Fu and the Prince of Chu who were recalled to the capital, there were three other princes who had not yet taken up their fiefs: Prince Rui, Zhu Changhao, spent his days in seclusion practicing Taoism; Prince Gui, Zhu Changying, was obsessed with calligraphy and painting; and Prince Hui, Zhu Changrun, loved to engage in philosophical discussions with scholars.

Only the Prince Fu's mansion is bustling with activity every day, exuding a lively atmosphere that seems unwilling to be quiet.

"The palace eunuchs have arrived!"

At the steward's shout, the people from the Prince of Fu's mansion hurriedly came out to greet them.

Zhu Changxun had already received the news and was standing at the second gate. His body, weighing over 300 pounds, was wrapped in a brocade python robe, making him look like a moving mountain of flesh.

His face was covered with a wrinkled smile, and the fine lines at the corners of his eyes revealed his smugness.

Only three days after the King of Chu's one million taels of "gratitude silver" were sent into the imperial treasury, there was a commotion in the palace. It must be that His Majesty was very pleased and wanted to reward him with some treasures. He might even agree to let him return to Luoyang.

"Thank you for making this trip, sir. Please come inside!"

As Zhu Changxun spoke, he knelt down on the ground. When his plump knees bent, the jade belt around his waist made a soft "click" sound.

"Your subject, Prince Fu, Zhu Changxun, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty's arrival... oh no, I respectfully welcome Your Majesty's decree!"

As soon as he knelt down, his subordinates and servants followed suit, kneeling down in quick succession, filling the courtyard with a dense, dark mass of kneeling figures.

Zhu Changxun knelt on the ground, and after only a moment, he felt waves of tingling and numbness.

He waited patiently for a while, but still didn't hear the expected "By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees," so he slightly raised his head, his smile faltering, and his tone became somewhat tentative:

"The angels have worked hard. The sun has risen. If there is any decree, please announce it soon so that I may receive it and express my gratitude."

As soon as he finished speaking, the eunuch's face showed no smile at all; instead, a faint hint of sarcasm curled at the corner of his mouth.

Li Zhong took half a step forward, looking down at the Prince of Fu kneeling on the ground.

"Your Highness has misunderstood. I did not bring an imperial edict with me today."

"No...no imperial edict?"

The smile on Zhu Changxun's face vanished instantly, and his 300-pound body stiffened abruptly, as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over his head.

He then noticed that what the eunuch was holding was not a bright yellow imperial edict scroll, but a thin, bright yellow cowhide cover with the vermilion seal of the Embroidered Uniform Guard stamped on it.

That was the mark he feared most.

Li Zhong looked at Zhu Changxun's face, which suddenly changed color, and sneered inwardly. He slowly took out the secret report from his pocket, held it between two fingers, and handed it to Zhu Changxun: "His Majesty said that Your Highness should take a look at this. After reading it, you will naturally understand the White House's intentions."

"A secret report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Zhu Changxun's voice suddenly trembled, and when his fingertips touched the rough kraft paper, he withdrew his hand as if bitten by a poisonous snake.

Throughout his life, what he feared most was the secret agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Those people were omnipresent and knew exactly how much silver he had secretly hidden in Luoyang.

Upon seeing this envelope, a wave of unease washed over him, almost overwhelming him.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Chief Secretary Zhou Shiwen quickly gave a signal to the servants next to him. The servants quietly moved forward half a step, ready to support their prince at any time.

Zhu Changxun composed himself, gritted his teeth, and took the secret report. His fat fingers trembled as he untied the knot.

When the page filled with tiny characters was unfolded, his pupils suddenly contracted, as if he had been stabbed hard with a needle.

The inscription on the paper meticulously details his conspiracy with the King of Chu, including "one million five hundred thousand taels" and "embezzling five hundred thousand taels." It even records the exact words he said to the confidant sent by the King of Chu: "Your Majesty is young and easily fooled."

"Pfft~"

Zhu Changxun felt a rush of blood to his head, his vision blurred, and the secret report in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

His chest heaved violently, like a fat pig starving for air, and strange "hoarse" sounds came from his throat. His body, weighing over 300 pounds, swayed and looked like he was about to fall to the ground.

"Your Majesty!"

"Quickly, help the prince up!"

Several trusted confidants behind him reacted quickly, rushing forward and grabbing his arms to keep him from collapsing to the ground.

Zhou Shiwen hurriedly picked up the secret report, glanced at it quickly, and turned pale with fright. His hand trembled, and the report fell to the ground again.

Li Zhong stood aside, coldly watching this farce unfold.

Seeing that Zhu Changxun was being supported and hadn't fainted, he slowly spoke, his voice carrying a deliberate hint of a reminder:
"Your Highness, His Majesty has seen everything in this secret report. If you have anything you want to make amends for, you should prepare as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may not even have a chance to speak and will be stuck in the capital for the rest of your life, never to return to Luoyang."

Provoked by these words, Zhu Changxun finally snapped out of his shock.

He slumped in his confidant's arms, his fat face as white as paper, cold sweat dripping down his forehead like broken beads, soaking a large patch of his brocade python robe.

He then realized that his little bit of cleverness was utterly worthless in the emperor's eyes, and the so-called "one-third division" was nothing but a joke of walking into a trap.

"It's over... it's all over now..."

Zhu Changxun muttered to himself, his voice trembling with sobs. His body, which weighed over 300 pounds, was now as limp as a lump of mud, completely devoid of his usual domineering air.

Seeing the Prince of Fu's distraught appearance, Li Zhong knew his purpose had been achieved. He bowed slightly and said, "Your Highness, please continue reading. I must return to the palace to report." With that, he turned and left the Prince of Fu's residence with his entourage without looking back.

Zhu Changxun slumped to the ground, the secret report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard in his hand crumpled into a ball.

That chubby face, usually adorned with a greasy smile, now looked as if all the life had been drained from it, as white as if it had been covered in a layer of white powder. His lips were trembling, and even the fat on his double chin was shaking incessantly, making him look exactly like someone whose end was near.

"What...what kind of situation is this?!"

He slapped his thigh sharply.

The prince, who weighed over 300 pounds, was now like a wronged child, his voice trembling with tears.

"I just want to save more money for my retirement, is that wrong? There are many estates in Luoyang, but which one doesn't cost money? Those tenants are very difficult, collecting rent is a huge struggle..."

The scene of him and King Zhu Hua Kui of Chu in the secret room reappeared before his eyes.

At that moment, he patted his belly and, spittle flying, offered advice to the King of Chu: "His Majesty is young and impetuous, and is worried about the military pay for Liaodong. He will definitely be eyeing the wealth of your Chu vassal state. In my opinion, he will demand at least two million taels from you. But don't worry, with me here, I guarantee you'll only have to pay one million taels. It's just that there will be some greaseballs involved. Five hundred thousand taels isn't too much, is it?"

The King of Chu was deeply grateful and repeatedly said, "It's all up to Your Majesty's arrangement."

He thought he had done it perfectly. There were only the two of them in the secret room, and even the servants had been sent far away. How could the secret agents of the Embroidered Uniform Guard have overheard it?
The secret report even clearly stated that he was drinking Biluochun tea and that the King of Chu was eating Suzhou candied fruit, as if a pair of eyes were glued to the window!

"These secret police are truly omnipresent!"

Zhu Changxun felt dizzy and his vision blurred; he felt utterly hopeless.

How will His Majesty deal with him?
Strip him of his title?

Confinement?

Having lived a life of luxury, he had never experienced such a shock. Cold sweat streamed down his temples, and he was completely disoriented, as if his soul had almost left his body.

"Your Highness, do not panic!"

A slightly high-pitched voice suddenly rang out.

Zhao Shiyong, the candidate who failed to be elected, originally made a living as a staff member for Prince Fu. Seeing that the prince had lost his composure, he quickly stepped forward, still showing some calmness on his face.

"Since His Majesty only sent a secret report but did not send the Embroidered Uniform Guard to arrest anyone, nor did he issue an edict to punish them, what does this mean? It means that His Majesty still cherishes the relationship between uncle and nephew and is merely giving the prince a reminder!"

A glimmer of light finally appeared in Zhu Changxun's cloudy eyes. He suddenly grabbed Zhao Shiyong's wrist, his fat hand like an iron clamp: "You...you're telling the truth? His Majesty...he didn't intend to kill me?"

Zhou Shiwen, the Right Chief Secretary of the Prince of Fu's Mansion, who was standing next to him, also bowed and said, "Mr. Zhao is absolutely right."

He looked at the prince, who was like a lump of mud in front of him, and sighed inwardly.

"His Majesty's move clearly leaves room for maneuver for the Prince. If the Prince handles it properly, he may be able to quell His Majesty's anger."

Zhou Shiwen's fingertips trembled slightly, not from fear, but from anger.

He had served Prince Fu for many years and believed he had managed the Prince's residence in an orderly manner, but he never expected that Prince Fu would dare to do such a deceitful thing with Prince Chu behind his back.

The fact that they swallowed 500,000 taels of silver so blatantly is as if the word "greed" is etched onto their foreheads.

But now it's too late to say anything; he has to clean up the mess for the prince.

"Was...handled properly?"

Zhu Changxun looked at Zhou Shiwen, his voice carrying a last glimmer of hope: "What you say is true... but what will His Majesty want in return? Would it be alright to send back the 500,000 taels that were swallowed?"

Zhou Shiwen slowly shook his head. He lowered his voice and said, "Your Highness, at this point, 500,000 taels of silver is probably not enough to fill this hole. In my opinion, at least one million taels of silver will be needed to appease His Majesty."

"One...one million taels?"

Zhu Changxun sat up abruptly as if pricked by a needle. His eyes widened, and he made a strange "hoarse" sound in his throat. The fat on his face twitched.

"This...this is going to be the death of me! How much rent do my estates in Luoyang collect in a year? This million taels, is it going to drain my entire fortune?"

"Money can be earned back, but once you lose your life, you lose everything."

Zhou Shiwen's voice suddenly became louder, and his gaze went straight to Prince Fu.

"Has Your Highness forgotten the 'Succession Crisis' during the Wanli era? How many years did the late emperor fight with his court officials to protect you? But now His Majesty is the sovereign, and you are the subject. If things really come to a head, let alone returning to Luoyang, it's uncertain whether you can even keep your title!"

Zhao Shiyong, standing nearby, quickly chimed in, "The Chief Secretary is absolutely right! Your Highness, think about it. Luoyang has thousands of acres of fertile land and thousands of shops. As long as you can return to your fiefdom, are you afraid you won't be able to earn back that million taels in the future? But if you stay in the capital and His Majesty holds a grudge, what use is all that money?"

Zhu Changxun's face flushed red and then turned pale, his fat hands gripping the hem of his clothes tightly.

What he cared about most in his life was money; those gleaming silver ingots were more precious to him than his own sons.

But as she listened to their words, the reluctance in her heart was gradually suppressed by a deeper fear.

Yes, if you lose your life, who will spend the money?
"Where...where are we going to get one million taels?"

His voice trembled, like a deflated balloon.

Although the manor had a lot of silver stored in its coffers, it was all drained last time.

To suddenly come up with one million taels of silver is likely to shake up the foundation of our business.

Zhou Shiwen had already planned ahead and calmly said, "The Prince of Chu was originally supposed to contribute 1.5 million taels. Now we can let him take more, saying it's a 'supplementary gift of gratitude'; the rest can only be taken from the Prince's residence. It's not difficult to raise 500,000 taels from the Prince's antiques, calligraphy and paintings, gold and silver utensils, land deeds and shops."

"That damned King of Chu!" Zhu Changxun gritted his teeth, cursing the old man a thousand times in his heart.

If it weren't for the King of Chu, this whole thing wouldn't have happened.

But now that things have come to this, all we can do is fleece this "God of Wealth" one more time.

He sighed heavily, the breath squeezed out of his throat, hoarse like a broken bellows.

"That's enough...that's enough!"

Zhu Changxun slapped his thigh, his face filled with pain and regret.

"I'll go find the King of Chu right now! If he knows what's good for him, he'll obediently hand over the silver; if he refuses..."

He paused, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

"Then don't blame me for revealing all the details of his 'false king case' to His Majesty!"

Zhou Shiwen nodded secretly.

He at least looks somewhat like a prince.

He quickly bowed and said, "I will prepare the sedan chair immediately and have the accountant take inventory of the manor's property. I am ready to receive Your Highness's orders at any time."

Zhu Changxun waved his hand and struggled to stand up from the ground. His body, which weighed over 300 pounds, swayed and was quickly supported by his attendants.

He gazed in the direction of the palace, his eyes filled with fear and pleading.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on his wrinkled face, making him appear somewhat pitiful.

"I hope... I hope Your Majesty will spare me this time for the sake of the money."

He muttered to himself, his voice so low it was like a mosquito's hum.

Having spent my whole life being cunning and deceitful, I've never felt this way before, wishing I could slap myself twice.

If he had known it would turn out like this, he wouldn't have dared to touch even five taels of silver, let alone five hundred thousand taels!
The servants escorted Prince Fu out, their heavy footsteps echoing in the empty courtyard.

Zhou Shiwen watched his retreating figure, sighed softly, and turned to walk towards the accounting office.

I'm afraid I'll be wiping this ass until the wee hours of the morning.

Zhao Shiyong, who was standing still, lowered his head quietly, using his wide sleeves to cover the barely suppressed smile on his lips.

The smile was extremely faint, like a ripple on the surface of water, fleeting in an instant. But upon closer inspection, one could discover the smugness and coldness hidden within.

He had been a staff member in the Prince of Fu's mansion for many years, always putting on the appearance of a down-on-his-luck scholar.

He wore a faded blue cloth robe, spoke with a somewhat pedantic tone, and usually only helped Prince Fu organize poems, calligraphy, and paintings; no one paid any attention to this "Mr. Zhao."

But only he knew that hidden on his wrist beneath his sleeve was a special black iron token made by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, with the tiny character "密" (secret) engraved on it.

He was a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and even more so, a member of His Majesty's faction.

It was he who guided Prince Fu to embezzle the 500,000 taels of silver.

As for why, the reason is quite simple.

His Majesty had long been eyeing the wealth that Prince Fu had plundered in Luoyang, and also knew that Prince Chu possessed enormous riches, but had no way to make a move.

His "crow" is the key used to pry open this crack.

Prince Fu probably never imagined that all of this was just a trap set up for him by the palace.

only.
Prince Fu really fell into a trap!

He has no one to blame for the current situation.

I can only blame myself for being too bold and greedy.

(End of this chapter)