Huangming

Chapter 461 Plotting to Seize Property, the Prince is Beheaded

Inside the main hall of the General's Mansion.

Wang Wei stood by the window, his fists clenched, his gaze fixed on the north gate, filled with hostility. He was still plotting how to retrieve those documents.

at this time.

Light footsteps sounded outside the hall, and a servant entered with a bow, his voice tinged with caution:

"General, the brothers caught a man from the Prince of Dai's mansion outside the mansion. He said he had important business to discuss and claimed to be the chief clerk of the Prince of Dai's mansion."

"People from the Prince of Dai's residence?"

Wang Wei raised an eyebrow, his anger subsiding slightly, replaced by a hint of amusement.

He rebelled and broke into the city, and that old fox from the Prince of Dai's mansion actually dared to send people over. Did he want to plead for mercy or negotiate?
"Bring it in."

soon.

Two guards carried a middle-aged scholar in.

The scholar was dressed in the official robes of a chief clerk in the Prince's mansion. His hair was disheveled and the hem of his robe was stained with mud. He had obviously been dragged over roughly, but he still managed to maintain a semblance of official decorum on his face.

Wang Wei squinted and immediately recognized the person.

This is Dai Li, the chief secretary of the Prince of Dai's residence. In the past, when he went to the Prince of Dai's residence to deliver gifts, he had to bow and scrape to this man and act according to his mood.

"Chief Secretary Dai, how have you been?"

Wang Wei sat imposingly on the only intact armchair in the hall, his tone full of teasing.

He still remembered that last winter he sent two fine Liaodong fox pelts to the Prince of Dai, but Dai Li kept one of them and only sent one to the Prince of Dai, claiming that he was "saving the prince's money."

Looking at Dai Li's disheveled appearance now, I feel particularly relieved.

Dai Li was released by his personal guards, staggered to his feet, first rubbing his arm that was still sore from being gripped, then adopting the air of a chief secretary, he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Wang Wei, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction:

"General!"

Your soldiers are incredibly rude!
"I am the Chief Secretary of the Prince of Dai's Palace. How dare they lay a hand on me? If word gets out, won't we become a laughingstock?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Wei's lips curled into a forced smile, and his eyes instantly turned cold.

"What a joke? Chief Secretary Dai, don't you know whose territory you're on now?"

He leaned forward, his voice almost overflowing with murderous intent.

"This town is no longer the deputy commander-in-chief of the Ming Dynasty, but the master of this Datong Prefecture."

If you dare to act like a high-ranking official again, believe me, this town will let you leave this place rolling around!

Dai Li was startled by the fierce look in his eyes and instantly came to his senses.

The Wang Wei before them was no longer the military general who needed the protection of the Prince of Dai and had to flatter him.

He was a rebel, someone who dared to wield a sword against the imperial court. How could he possibly take the Prince of Dai's mansion seriously?
His previous dissatisfaction was instantly replaced by fear. He swallowed hard, quickly abandoned his haughty demeanor, and his tone became obsequious:
"Yes, yes, the General is right. I misspoke."

He composed himself, took a few steps closer, and lowered his voice:

"General, I have come here on the behalf of the Prince of Dai."

My king said that you and the Prince's Mansion have had many dealings in the past and have a certain degree of friendship. Now that you have started an uprising, my king does not wish to be your enemy. He only asks that you, for the sake of past friendship, not attack the Prince's Mansion. The Prince's Mansion is willing... willing to provide some provisions to help the General.

"forage?"

Wang Wei sneered inwardly.

The Prince Dai's Mansion had been operating in Datong for decades, amassing enough silver and land to fill mountains. How could a few cartloads of grain and fodder be enough to satisfy them?
He had long considered the Prince of Dai's mansion as his own.

The gold, silver, jewels, antiques, and paintings inside were enough for him to support tens of thousands of soldiers and sustain his resistance against the imperial court for a while.

But instead of immediately pointing it out, he put on a "warm" smile and softened his tone:
"I appreciate the King's kindness."

Indeed, the King of Dai has treated me well in the past. If I hadn't been driven to desperation, this town would not have wanted to make things difficult for the King.

He changed the subject, a calculating glint in his eyes.

"However, this uprising in our town is risking the extermination of nine generations of our families. Our 20,000 brothers are also waiting for food and clothing, and a few carts of grain may not be enough..."

"How about this: I would like to trouble Chief Secretary Dai to report back to Prince Dai and have the Prince's residence transfer 200,000 taels of silver from its private treasury as a 'settlement allowance' for the brothers. With this money, this town guarantees that no one will be allowed to harass Prince Dai's residence."

"Two hundred thousand taels?"

When Dai Li heard the number, he was stunned for a moment, but then he was actually pleased instead of angry.

He originally thought Wang Wei would ask for an exorbitant amount, demanding half of the Wang family's assets, but unexpectedly, he only asked for 200,000 taels.

In his view, the 200,000 taels of silver was nothing more than "protection money" for Wang Wei. Spending this money to protect the vast wealth of the Prince of Dai's mansion was simply worth it!

He nodded quickly, a fawning smile plastered on his face:
"Rest assured, Commander! I will return to the Prince's Palace immediately and report your intentions to the Prince of Dai. I am certain that the Prince will agree!"

Fearing that Wang Wei might change his mind, he added:

"His Majesty is most reasonable; he knows that the General needs money right now, and he will certainly not refuse!"

Wang Wei looked at him with an air of "getting a bargain," and his disdain grew stronger, but his words remained gentle:
"That's good. But Chief Secretary Dai also knows that there are still many refugees looting around the city. The town can restrain its own people, but it can't control those rioters."

If they were to offend the Prince of Dai's residence, things would be very difficult for this town.

The threat in those words couldn't be clearer.

If you arrive too late, or if the Prince of Dai dares to bargain, and the refugees "accidentally" rush into the Prince of Dai's residence, don't blame me for not warning you.

Dai Li's expression changed, and he quickly said:
"Rest assured, General! I will go immediately! I will persuade the Prince of Dai as quickly as possible, and deliver the silver to the General's residence before nightfall!"

As he spoke, he didn't bother to straighten his disheveled clothes. He cupped his hands in greeting to Wang Wei, turned around, and hurriedly ran out, his steps even faster than when he came, afraid that if he was a step too late, the "vagrants" would come knocking on his door.

Watching Dai Li's disheveled figure disappear outside the hall, Wang Wei's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a cold and ruthless expression.

He called out to the outside of the hall, "Wang Zhong!"

Wang Zhong, a personal guard, immediately entered from outside and bowed, saying:
"General, what are your orders?"

"Immediately gather five hundred elite troops, have them all change into civilian clothes, and have them lie in ambush in the alleys near the Prince of Dai's residence."

Wang Wei's voice was deep and resolute.

"The moment Dai Li and his men bring out the silver and the gates of the Prince's mansion open, rush in, subdue the Prince and his guards, and don't let a single one escape!"

Wang Zhong was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening, and a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes:
"Does the commander-in-chief intend to... take advantage of this opportunity to seize the Prince of Dai's residence?"

"Of course we have to take it!"

Wang Wei sneered.

"How much benefit has that old scoundrel taken from me over the years?"
The shops, land, fox pelts, medicinal herbs, and silver I gave him totaled no less than five hundred thousand taels of silver.

He recalled the days when he groveled before the King of Dai, and the hatred in his heart surged uncontrollably.

"Now that I've rebelled, why should I still talk about feelings with him?"
"Two hundred thousand taels of silver is the bait. Everything in the Prince of Dai's mansion, including that old scoundrel's life, is mine!"

He walked to the window, gazing in the direction of the Prince Dai's mansion, his eyes filled with greed and ruthlessness.

The Prince of Dai's mansion is like a treasure trove filled with gold and silver. As long as he takes it, even if he can't recover those documents, he will have enough money to recruit soldiers and horses to fight against Xiong Tingbi.

"Remember, be quick, and don't alert the refugees in the city."

"Yes!"

Wang Zhong bowed and accepted the order, then turned and quickly went out to gather his men.

now.

Inside the Chengyun Hall of the Prince Dai's Mansion, sandalwood incense burned brightly, but it couldn't suppress the panic in the air.

Zhu Naijun paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back.

He would occasionally look up at the outside of the hall, his brows furrowed.

Dai Li had been at the General's Office for an hour and had not yet returned. He was very anxious, feeling like he had a rabbit in his heart.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

Finally, Dai Li's voice came from outside the hall, sounding somewhat urgent.

Zhu Naijun turned around abruptly and strode to the palace gate. He saw Dai Li panting heavily, his official robe collar soaked in sweat and yellowed, and even his usually neatly combed beard was disheveled.

"So? What did that traitor Wang Wei say?"

Zhu Naijun grabbed Dai Li's arm, his voice filled with urgency.

"Is he going to seize the throne? Or is he going to kidnap me and take me to Zhang Tianlin?"

Dai Li, leaning against the palace door, caught his breath and, after catching his breath, smiled and said:

"Your Majesty, rest assured! Wang Wei, mindful of our past relationship, did not make any excessive demands, only asking for 200,000 taels of silver."

He said it was a "settlement allowance" for his men, and with this money, he guaranteed no one would harass the Prince's residence.

"Two hundred thousand taels?!"

Zhu Naijun reacted as if his hand had been burned, abruptly releasing Dai Li and taking two steps back.

His eyes widened, and his voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"Why doesn't he just rob me?! Two hundred thousand taels! He just opens his mouth and tries to run away, does he think my money grows on trees?"

He paced anxiously inside the hall, pointing outside and cursing:

"In his early years, he begged me to speak on his behalf before the Ministry of War, which saved his life countless times!"
Now they've turned against us, daring to demand two hundred thousand taels of silver—they're utterly ungrateful!

Dai Li stood aside, watching the Prince of Dai's distressed expression, and sighed inwardly.

He had long known that the Prince of Dai was stingy, but he never expected that even at the critical moment of life and death, he would still be haggling over such a small amount of money.

He stepped forward and whispered his advice:

"Your Majesty, now is not the time to be stingy with money!"

Wang Wei said that he could control his soldiers, but not the displaced people in the city. Those people were capable of anything; if they knew the Prince's mansion had silver, they would rush in and loot it. Then it wouldn't just be a matter of two hundred thousand taels of silver; even the King's safety would be in jeopardy!

Seeing that the Prince of Dai still hadn't come to his senses, Dai Li continued to comfort him:
"Furthermore, once Commander Xiong's army arrives and quells the rebellion, Your Majesty can petition the court, and this money might even be recovered from Wang Wei's estate. Wouldn't it be more worthwhile to get it back with interest?"

Zhu Naijun stopped in his tracks.

He gritted his teeth, his face twitched a few times, and finally gave in:

"Alright! Give him two hundred thousand taels! Once the court quells the rebellion, he'll have to pay it back with interest!"

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty, rest assured, with Xiong Tingbi here, we will definitely be able to get this money back."

Dai Li quickly agreed.

Now that things are settled, there's nothing more to say.

Zhu Naijun immediately issued an order for the guards of the Prince's Palace to move the silver from the back treasury.

Half an hour later, the vermilion gate of the Prince's mansion slowly opened, and more than ten guards carried out twenty camphor wood chests. The chests creaked under the weight of silver ingots, and the silver ingots leaking out from the cracks reflected the morning light, making people dizzy.

Dai Li stood at the door, looking towards the alley entrance, waiting for Wang Wei to send someone to pick him up.

Just then, a loud shout suddenly came from the alley entrance:
"Charge into the Prince's mansion! Don't let a single one escape!"

Dai Li's heart skipped a beat, and he turned his head sharply. He saw Wang Wei riding a black horse, carrying a long knife, rushing from the alley entrance.

The thousand-plus elite soldiers behind him, their spears and swords gleaming coldly, surged toward the palace like a tide.

It turned out that these people had been lying in ambush in the alley, just waiting for the Prince's Mansion to open!
"Wang Wei! How dare you!"

Dai Li was both shocked and furious, and pointed at Wang Wei, shouting.

"You promised you'd only take the money and wouldn't touch the Prince's mansion!"

Wang Wei reined in his horse, sneered, and pointed his long sword at Dai Li:

"Agree? This town has already rebelled; why would I keep my word?"

He waved his hand and roared:

"Take it!"

Two soldiers immediately rushed forward, grabbed Dai Li's arm, and pinned him to the ground.

Dai Li struggled to resist, but was held down firmly by the soldiers and could not move.

Upon seeing this, the guards in the Prince's mansion panicked.

Although they were carrying knives and spears, most of them were household servants who guarded the Prince's mansion on a daily basis, and they had never seen such a scene before.
Some guards were so frightened that they dropped their knives and ran away, while others tried to resist, but were pierced through the chest by Wang Wei's elite soldiers with a spear, their blood splattering on the vermilion gate of the palace, staining it red.

Zhu Naijun was waiting for news in Chengyun Hall when he heard shouts of battle outside. His heart tightened, and just as he was about to get up, two soldiers rushed in, their spears pointed at his chest.

"W-what do you want to do?"

Zhu Naijun was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he took a few steps back, bumping into the rosewood table behind him. The enamelware on the table fell to the ground with a "clatter" and shattered into pieces.

"Your Majesty, how have you been?"

Wang Wei walked in carrying a long sword.

He looked at Zhu Naijun's pale face and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

The old Prince Dai was quickly pinned to the ground by two guards, his black royal robe torn askew, and his gray hair disheveled and plastered to his face.

He looked very embarrassed.

He raised his head, his wrinkled face contorted with rage, his eyes bulging like copper bells, bloodshot and spitting fire.

"Wang Wei! You shameless scoundrel!"

"I've already given you silver! Two hundred thousand taels! A full two hundred thousand taels! Why do you still want to send troops? You lack martial virtue! You've broken your promise!"

Wang Wei stood in front of him, looking down at the trapped "fat pig".

Hearing the Prince of Dai's roar, he chuckled, slowly crouched down, and used the tip of his boot to lift the Prince's chin, his tone full of disdain:

"Martial virtue? Betrayal?"

He thought he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

“King of Dai, you’ve lived most of your life, don’t you know the saying ‘all's fair in war’?”
"Only a stupid pig like you would believe I only want two hundred thousand taels of silver."

"Think about it carefully. Over the years, the things I've given you: the silk shop in the south of the city, the fertile fields in the west of the city, and the batch of ginseng and sable furs transported from Liaodong... all added up, it's worth far more than 200,000 taels of silver."

Wang Wei's voice gradually turned cold, and the mockery in his eyes turned into suppressed anger.

"Don't you find it ridiculous to talk to me about gratitude and martial virtue now?"

The Prince of Dai was speechless for a moment, and his face instantly turned a deep liver color.

He wanted to refute it, but found that all those old stories were right in front of him, leaving him no way to deny them.

But he was still unwilling to give up and struggled to get up, but his personal guards held him down firmly, so he could only scream with his neck stiff:

"Without my efforts to mediate for you in the court all these years, and without the Prince's Mansion to support you, do you think you could have become the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Datong?"
You were already impeached by those censors!

Wang Wei, if you still remember even the slightest bit of kindness in protecting me, then release me!

In the future, I will certainly…

"Let you go?"

Wang Wei abruptly interrupted him, his eyes instantly filled with murderous intent, startling the Prince of Dai so much that he couldn't finish his sentence.

Wang Wei stood up and sneered, "Who do you think you are? You're just lucky to have been born into the Zhu family, and you're just a prince who only knows how to suck the people's blood and sweat!"

He stared down at the Prince of Dai, his tone full of disdain.

"Still dare to be arrogant in front of me? Believe me or not, I can make sure you die a horrible death right now!"

The Prince of Dai trembled with fear at the fierce look in his eyes, and his initial anger was gradually replaced by fear.

Before he could beg for mercy, Wang Wei had already turned around and shouted at his personal guards behind him:
"Guards! Ransack the Prince Dai's mansion! Transport all gold, silver, jewels, antiques, paintings, land deeds, and everything else to the General's headquarters! Leave nothing behind!"

"Yes!"

The guards responded in unison and rushed into the inner courtyard of the Prince Dai's mansion like hungry wolves.

Soon, the sounds of breaking objects, the cries of maids, and the muffled groans of guards being beaten down came from the mansion.

The Prince of Dai lay on the ground, listening to those familiar voices, his expression growing increasingly grim.

Everything he had was about to be lost.

An hour later, the wealth of the Xidai Royal Palace was finally settled.

The strategist Zhou Jingzhi, holding the account book, strode up to Wang Wei, his voice filled with barely suppressed shock:
"General! The inventory is complete! The Prince Dai's treasury contains four million taels of silver alone! There are also gold bricks, jade artifacts, calligraphy and paintings... all converted, it's worth at least two million taels!"

"Four million taels..."

Wang Wei looked at the numbers in the ledger, his pupils contracted slightly, and then a greedy smile appeared on his lips.

He turned to look at the Prince of Dai, who was being held captive to the side. The old prince was no longer as arrogant as before; he hung his head, like a deflated balloon.

Wang Wei walked up to him, squatted down, and gently tapped his cheek with his riding crop, his tone full of mockery:

“Prince of Dai, you’re having a really good time as a vassal king.”

Datong has been plagued by droughts and floods for the past few years, and the people are struggling to even afford food. Some families have even sold their children, while you have hidden away four million taels of silver.

Tell me, how much of the people's hard-earned money have you been sucking dry?

"That's my money! It belongs to the Zhu family! It has nothing to do with you!"

The Prince of Dai suddenly erupted, roaring as he tried to pounce on Wang Wei, but was firmly held down by his personal guards.

He looked at the boxes being carried away, his heart aching so much it felt like it was bleeding.

"That's the money I've saved my whole life! My money! Wang Wei, you can't steal it! You can't..."

"Rob?"

Wang Wei sneered, stood up, and waved to his personal guards.

"Kings who are corrupt and lawless and do not care about the lives of the people are a menace to be kept alive."

Guards, drag him out and skin him alive in public!
Let the people of Datong see what happens to the bloodthirsty vassal kings!

"what?!"

The Prince of Dai suddenly raised his head, his anger instantly swallowed by fear, and his white beard trembled.

He had lost all dignity as a prince, crawling over like a dog, clinging desperately to Wang Wei's trouser leg, his voice filled with pleading:
"Wang Wei! Spare me!"
I was wrong! I don't want that money anymore!
It's all yours! Everything's yours!

"Please release me, please release me!"

Wang Wei didn't even lift his eyelids, and kicked his hand away.

The Prince of Dai fell heavily to the ground, watching Wang Wei's retreating figure, and cried out in despair:

"Wang Wei! You will die a horrible death! The Ming Dynasty will not let you get away with this! Xiong Tingbi will not let you get away with this!"

The guards stepped forward, lifted the limp Prince Dai, and dragged him out of the mansion.

The cries of the Prince of Dai faded into the distance, gradually drowned out by the noise of the street.

Wang Wei stood in the courtyard, looking at the empty boxes all over the yard, and then at the gold and silver jewelry being carried away in the distance, his eyes showing no pity whatsoever.

In his view, the four million taels of silver was merely the first capital he had on his path to rebellion.

As for the life or death of the Prince of Dai, and those so-called "retributions," he didn't care at all.

History is written by the victors.

And he, Wang Wei, wanted to be the victor!
(End of this chapter)