The First Prince of the Ming Dynasty

In front of the leopard house.

Jiang Bin waited there until Qian Ning arrived, at which point he quickly went to greet him.

"My sworn brother..."

"If you have something to say, say it. If not, don't block the way." Qian Ning seemed very impatient.

Jiang Bin smiled and said, "My younger brother wants to ask you about something. It's really puzzling."

Qian Ning squinted at him, then chuckled, "Are you curious why I mentioned the matter of the Prince Ning's memorial to His Majesty? And why I arranged that whole thing beforehand, letting someone with supernatural abilities predict the secrets of heaven?"

"Yes," Jiang Bin said, "Why go to such lengths? Besides, what does it matter to us whether the Ning family has someone with great supernatural powers? To put it bluntly, the people in the Ning family... might have ambitions."

Prince Ning was very flamboyant in his actions, and even Jiang Bin noticed that something was amiss.

However, Jiang Bin does not yet have the authority to attack the Prince Ning's residence.

Qian Ning asked, "Aren't you planning for the future?"

"The future?" Jiang Bin asked in surprise. "Everything we have is given to us by His Majesty. If His Majesty is good, our future is bright. Why would we need to... worry about anything else?"

"That's why I say you're clueless."

Qian Ning waved his hand and said, "Nothing lasts forever, and imperial favor is the hardest thing to predict. Didn't we have that Eunuch Liu Jin before?"

Jiang Bin quickly said, "Brother, you can't say things like that carelessly."

"What did I say?" Qian Ning said with a sly smile. "His Majesty is also very eager to know what the future holds. If there really is someone who can predict the future and accurately predict what will happen, wouldn't it be good for you and me to summon that person?"

Jiang Bin thought for a moment, then tentatively asked, "You mean... to have this person say more things that are beneficial to us?"

"What else can I do? Do you think I want to get involved with the Ning family?" Qian Ning questioned with an unfriendly expression.

"No... You enjoy the Emperor's favor, how could you possibly become close to a vassal king?" Jiang Bin said with a forced smile.

"It's good to know, but I don't know if this Tang Yin is really capable," Qian Ning said. "If he is... bringing him in and using him for our own purposes is exactly what we need right now. Recently, send people to keep an eye on the mansions of those nobles and see which family really shows signs of illness."

Jiang Bin laughed and said, "Whether we treat them or not... just wait for them to die and verify the facts, right? What good would it do us to save them?"

Qian Ning said, "That's true. They're always so critical of us. Even if we were really going to die, we could just stand by and watch! His Majesty is right, we're just here to watch the show, nothing else concerns us!"

……

……

British Duchy.

Zhang Mao emerged from the inner hall and immediately summoned Zhang She, a staff member waiting outside, saying impatiently, "I'm receiving guests inside; why disturb me?"

Zhang She said, "The Xu family, the family of the Duke of Dingguo, has arrived."

"You want to see him as soon as his family comes?" Zhang Mao seemed very impatient.

As the foremost military hero of the Ming Dynasty, he now commands the Central Military Commission and oversees the Beijing Garrison, making him a figure of absolute power.

He looked down on all the people from the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.

Zhang She said helplessly, "I will come in person."

"Hey, what's he doing here?" Zhang Mao frowned. "Send the people from the back hall out the side door, don't let the Xu family see them... What did you tell him?"

"I only said you were practicing swordsmanship inside, I didn't mention receiving guests," Zhang She explained.

Zhang Mao looked himself over, then stretched out his hand and said, "What are you still standing there for? You need a sword to practice swordsmanship, right?"

Zhang She said, "You don't seem to be sweating at all."

"I'm old but still vigorous. It's just practicing swordsmanship. Why make such a fuss?" Zhang Mao said somewhat displeased. "These days, people come to me for favors without any regard for etiquette. They think they can get rid of me with just a few gifts? Do they think they can do what they're owed?"

Zhang She smiled and said, "Then I'll go and talk to him for you, and hope he'll be more sensible..."

"Yes, you have to cater to their tastes, no, you have to cater to mine." Zhang Mao said with a sinister smile, "This old man is indulging in youthful madness, loving beauty more than power."

"Understood, understood." Zhang She smiled broadly.

Zhang Mao was incredibly greedy and lustful throughout his life. He amassed a vast fortune and had over a dozen wives and concubines, not to mention the unnamed concubines, singers, dancers, and other women.

Having seized power, he was also very harsh on his subordinates, and exploitation was commonplace, which is why he had a bad reputation.

But because he was a veteran official of five dynasties, and also a famous "loyal minister" of the Ming Dynasty, such a background allowed him to do whatever he wanted.

……

……

Main hall.

Zhang Mao sat in the main seat, holding a teacup in his hand, and when facing Duke Dingguo Xu Guangzuo, he also had an arrogant attitude.

"Lord Zhang, there's a widespread rumor in the capital that a meritorious official will die of chest pain at the end of this month. Even the Leopard House is spreading rumors about it. It's really making people very nervous." Xu Guangzuo looked anxious, as if he was worried about himself.

Zhang Mao said, "You're a full twelve years younger than me! I'm not worried at all, yet you're so afraid of death?"

"Oh dear, that's not how it works. The key point is that this matter is described in great detail. I even consulted a famous doctor, who said that this chest pain disease can strike suddenly, and the person may die in less than an hour! It can occur without any warning."

Xu Guangzuo said with a mournful face, "As you know, my health hasn't been very good for years, which is why I haven't even been able to take up my post at the Governor's Office."

Zhang Mao said in a mocking tone, "You don't practice archery and horsemanship much, and now you're so nervous about a few rumors? Don't you think about it? How can anyone know the life and death of a person in this world in advance? What's the point? If he's so capable, why doesn't he predict the future of the world instead of just spouting nonsense here?"

Xu Guangzuo said, "I went and asked the people in the Leopard House. They said it was a rumor coming from the south, and it was related to the Ning family. Apparently, in response to this, the Ning family even sent some medicine to treat the illness."

"what?"

Zhang Mao put down his teacup, thought for a moment, and then sneered, "That's utter nonsense. I bet someone from some family is colluding with the Ning family to create the illusion of some kind of chest pain, and then find someone to help deliver medicine into the mansion. They'll claim to be curing someone who isn't sick, and they're working together to deceive the Emperor, right?"

"Is that so?" Xu Guangzuo was also surprised and began to think about the problem following Zhang Mao's line of thought.

Zhang Mao said, "The Ning family has been quite smug lately, sending gifts to many people in the capital. Didn't your household receive a single one?"

"This..." Xu Guangzuo did not want to admit that he had any relationship with the foreign king, nor would he answer this question directly.

Zhang Mao laughed and said, "If it wasn't what I said, then why didn't he deliver the medicine directly to the residences of the meritorious officials, but instead only gave it to His Majesty?"

Xu Guangzuo thought to himself, "Is it possible that they didn't send the medicine to our residence because they were afraid that we would take the medicine on the day we fell ill and keep it a secret from the outside world? They might be trying to establish their prestige, so they deliberately sent the medicine to the palace, waiting for sick people to come and ask for it?"

"Maybe there aren't that many medicines?" Xu Guangzuo tried to analyze.

"I refuse to believe it! What kind of medicine is so precious that even the Ning family can't gather enough? It's just a bluff!" Zhang Mao stood up and said, "Is there anything else? If not, please leave. I've been very busy lately..."

Upon hearing the other party's direct order to leave, Xu Guangzuo immediately stood up and said, "My lord, are you really not worried? You are an important minister in the court, and... you are not young either."

Zhang Mao retorted angrily, "I am still vigorous despite my old age. I can eat ten bowls of rice in one meal and have sex with ten men in one night... cough cough. I used to be able to make leaves and flowers fall when I practiced swordsmanship. Even my eyesight is still very good. Can you tell that I am old?"

Xu Guangzuo was surprised to hear this.

Is there really such a self-aggrandizing person?

"I'm just letting you know that if something really happens here on the 29th... remember to send someone to the Leopard House..."

"No need. If that's really the case, you should worry about yourself!" Zhang Mao coldly retorted. "Goodbye!"