Chapter 679: The Nemesis of Heroes and Tyrants

With the new emperor ascending the throne, Li Qing, who had previously been acting as Minister of War, was promoted to Grand Guardian of the Crown Prince and then appointed Minister of War. In contrast, Zhao Qin was transferred to be Minister of Justice in Nanjing—a stark difference between the two positions. Although the crown prince had gone south to pay respects at the Xiaoling Mausoleum, and there were rumors that the emperor intended to move the capital back to Nanjing, this still did not ease Zhao Qin’s frustration. After all, even if the emperor returned, the ministers of the six ministries and five bureaus would surely follow him. By then, his position as Minister of Justice might have to be given to someone else. Yet currently, among the ministers in Nanjing, he had the longest tenure, so his words carried weight.

Yet who could have imagined that while sitting in his office, something strange would happen? Someone actually brought that long-elusive Tang Qian to the Ministry of Justice. At first, he feared someone was trying to claim credit for themselves. But after several elders from the Jinyiwei identified him, he had no doubts anymore. He immediately ordered Tang Qian to be imprisoned and sent word to Liu Guan. After handling this matter, he initially felt relieved, but the more he thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. In the end, he found the whole situation extremely odd.

“Lord Liu has returned!”
Zhao Qin had dealt with Liu Guan many times during his time in the capital and knew well his character. So when he saw Liu Guan enter with a cheerful expression, his heart skipped a beat. After they sat down and exchanged a few words, Liu Guan said he wanted to take Tang Qian back for interrogation. Being cautious, Zhao Qin did not agree readily but claimed he had already reported the matter to the crown prince. However, having just faced setbacks at Taiping Tower, Liu Guan was not willing to back down and resorted to the trump card of being an imperial envoy. Eventually, helpless, Zhao Qin had no choice but to release Tang Qian. Though he couldn’t stop what was happening, his cautious nature led him to instruct a few trusted subordinates to spread word among the noble families.

Zhang Yue, who had left Taiping Tower, was blocked by several scholars from Wuzhong. Seeing their pitiful looks, he assumed an airs of authority and scolded each of them. Only after he felt they were sincere did he order them to move to an inn near the Qianning Prince’s Mansion and avoid going out recklessly or taking any extreme actions. He gave them a few more instructions.

“Some time ago, when I accompanied my wife back to her hometown, I passed through Suzhou Prefecture and heard about those incidents. If Magistrate Luo is truly as you and the common people say, I will think of a way to deal with it. In short, as scholars, use your brains more and don’t risk your own futures as well as others’. Sometimes, being too hasty and impulsive is not a good thing.”

Seeing several people thanking him repeatedly before leaving together, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but smile. At that moment, Hu Qi, who had remained silent until then, stepped forward and sighed softly, “It seems I don’t need to go to Suzhou after all.” Zhang Yue turned to look at Niu Gan and Zhang Bu, who were following not far behind. Seeing that stubborn Niu Gan was talking to Zhang Bu as if he had completely forgotten his attempt to act heroically under Liu Guan’s nose that day, he shook his head and said, “No need to go. There’s no need to stir up more trouble—already the whole of Suzhou Prefecture is filled with anger. The common people have sharp eyes; they know very well who is honest and corrupt, capable or incompetent. It’s just that it’s truly remarkable that Magistrate Luo has won praise from both the common people and scholars.” Hu Qi nodded while listening, then suddenly asked in a low voice, “But I don’t understand why the young master wants to dissuade them. Scholars are the most valued by the imperial court. If they cause trouble, the Censorate will surely lose its reputation! Anyway, there aren’t many capable censors in the south. Wouldn’t it be better if they were all removed from top to bottom? With a new emperor on the throne, he must care greatly about the reputation of the scholarly community.” “If he cared so much about these intangible things, would he have almost beaten Li Shimian to death? Would he have almost killed Shu Zhongcheng? Would he have sent Liu Guan to investigate instead of simply killing Liu Jun at this time?” With three consecutive rhetorical questions, Zhang Yue left Hu Qi speechless. Then he sneered, “Reputation is a double-edged sword. If I were to incite Xu Zhen and the others to cause trouble today, I’d be handing Liu Guan an advantage. Having suffered a setback today, he will surely retaliate. He’ll definitely go back to interrogate Tang Qian and come up with more schemes. In that case, I also need to get in touch with those in the capital.” “The young master is right.” “Today it was Lord Yuan who was skillful, but he can’t always turn misfortune into fortune like this. You heard what I said before—those who stick to one path are more trustworthy than those who play both sides. No matter what motives the emperor has for using Liu Guan, he’s someone the emperor criticized when he was still the crown prince, so he certainly won’t trust him wholeheartedly. While I can’t impeach him, I still have my uncle in the capital, as well as my father-in-law and Grand Secretary Yang. Liu Guan can’t cover everything. By the way, since I’ve already told people that you’re a clerk recommended by Xiao Xia, you should follow me these days.”

In the afternoon, Zhang Yue led everyone back to the Yingtianfu government office. Immediately, a clerk approached and said that the prefect, Zhang Xu, had been searching for him for a long time and had even sent people to Yingtianfu Academy to look. So, he promptly sent Hu Qi and the others back to the office to wait, while he hurried off to see Zhang Xu. As soon as they met, this usually composed prefect of Yingtianfu stepped forward quickly.

“Where have you been, younger brother Zhang? You gave me such a hard time to find you! Just now, the Crown Prince issued an order. Besides the ministers from the five prefectures and six ministries in Nanjing, a few more officials are needed to accompany him during the sacrifice ceremony, and you and I are among them. Since the ceremony is in a few days, we must go to Chaotian Palace to learn the rituals and also fast there. For now, we have to leave the office affairs to others.”

This time, Zhu Zhanji came to Nanjing with many civil and military officials, so the delegation for the sacrifice at Xiaoling Mausoleum was already huge. Thus, Zhang Yue never expected such a problem to arise. Officials assigned to accompany the ceremony were usually civil officials of rank five or above and military officials of rank four or above. His own rank fit within that range, but in reality, the civil officials ordered to accompany Zhu Zhanji were either ministers from various departments or Hanlin scholars. Zhang Xu, as the official in charge of Yingtianfu, could be considered part of this group. What was he, a deputy prefect, doing there?

Unwilling though he was, since it was an order from the Crown Prince, there was no way to refuse. So Zhang Yue agreed. He sent someone home to prepare sacrificial robes and other items, then returned to his study to hastily write letters to Beijing. After finishing writing letters to Zhang Fu, Du Zhen, and Yang Shiqi, he handed them all to Hu Qi and instructed, “I don’t know how long I’ll be stuck at Chaotian Palace, and communication there is difficult. So, you need to make decisions on your own. If it’s urgent, consult the young mistress. If you still can’t decide, go see Lord Yuan. Don’t disturb him easily—he’s under close surveillance right now.”

Hu Qi nodded in response, putting away all the letters. Hearing the last sentence, he laughed and said, “Young master, you might have forgotten. Although Liu Guan is an imperial envoy, how could he miss such an important event as a mausoleum sacrifice? As the censor-in-chief of the Censorate, he must also stay at Chaotian Palace for ten or eight days. There are just his followers outside. With theMù family, Xu family, and others watching over things, nothing will go wrong.”

Only then did Zhang Yue remember this, and he couldn’t help but laugh. Nodding, he told Hu Qi to go handle the matters. He also called Niu Gan and Zhang Bu, instructing them not to follow him these days but to stay and guard the estate. By evening, Du Wan sent people to deliver the prepared luggage and clothes. Just as he was about to go to Chaotian Palace with Zhang Xu, Peng Shisan suddenly came looking for him.

“Something happened at the Prince of Qianning’s mansion.”
That short sentence stunned Zhang Yue. The previous three garrison commanders in Nanjing had been replaced by Mu Xin, the imperial son-in-law, along with two eunuchs, Zheng and Wang Jinghong. He had easily connected with both sides, making things even more convenient than when Duke Cheng Guo Zhu Yong and Marquis Xiangcheng Li Long were in charge. What could possibly go wrong now? Glancing at Zhang Xu, who was about to get on the carriage, he frowned.
“It was originally a family matter of the Mu family, but since it involved Princess Changning before, it has become a state affair. One of the concubines in that imperial son-in-law’s household went crazy for some reason and started spreading rumors that Mu Xin had abused the princess… Well, in a fit of anger, he beat her to death with a heavy board. By now, the news must have spread. Whether true or not, Mu Xin is likely to face serious consequences.”
This sudden turn of events greatly surprised Zhang Yue. But thinking of Mu Xin’s grand display when celebrating his youngest son’s birthday, he could only sigh deeply. Only the descendants of the founding heroes could afford to have concubines even after the princess died and still remain favored. Mu Xin’s father, Mu Ying, was the Prince of Qianning; his elder brother, Mu Sheng, was the Duke of Qian. As an imperial son-in-law, Mu Xin’s arrogance was deep-seated, so it wasn’t surprising that he would kill in a fit of rage.
Yet that concubine who caused the trouble was highly suspicious, and worse, at such a time!
With everything happening so suddenly, Zhang Yue didn’t have time to overthink. After a brief pause, he said to Peng Shisan, “Go back and explain everything in detail to Wan Mei. Tell her to keep a close eye on things and make decisions if anything happens. If the situation really gets out of control, have her write to my aunt… Well, forget it. Don’t bother them with this… If all else fails, try to get in touch with Eunuch Zheng!”
Peng Shisan also knew that this was the only option under these urgent circumstances. After discussing a few more points with Zhang Yue, he left in a hurry. With such a heavy concern on his mind, Zhang Yue was distracted as he got on the carriage. It wasn’t until Zhang Xu spoke that he snapped out of it. Having gotten along fairly well with Zhang Xu during his time in Nanjing, he decided not to hide anything and told him the whole story. With a wry smile, he shrugged and said, “I just can’t understand why everything has to pile up at once!”
“Such a thing happened at the Mu family’s mansion…”

Although most of the most trusted and powerful nobles had now gone to Beijing, Nanjing remained a hub of power. It was indeed difficult for Zhang Xu, the governor of Ying Tian Prefecture, to handle his duties; even after understanding the situation, he found it challenging. After much thought with no clear solution, he gave up further consideration and simply shook his head, saying, “This is a family matter of the Mu family. At most, it’s a matter concerning the emperor, after all, Princess Changning has been dead for many years. Such rumors have circulated before, but even the late emperor paid no attention to them, let alone the current emperor who will not neglect the Mu family because of this.”

Though his words were harsh, both men in the carriage knew they were true. Compared to princes, princesses had never been particularly important—after the emperor ascended the throne, Song Hu, the former Marquis of Xining, married the emperor’s own sister, Princess Ancheng, only to lose his title due to accusations, with Princess Ancheng unable even to intercede. The late Princess Yongping was demoted to a commoner with no one to plead for her. Princesses could be considered noble if so desired, or utterly insignificant otherwise.

It was said that the Chaotian Palace in Nanjing was originally built by King Fuchai of Wu. Through the Jin, Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, it was repaired again at the beginning of the Ming dynasty. It was the most famous Taoist temple in Jinling and had always served as a place for officials to practice rituals during major ceremonies or sacrifices. Now, Zhang Yue and Zhang Xu stopped their carriage in front of the grand east-facing gate and then walked inside.

On either side of the gate were stele pavilions—one bearing the inscription “Rebuilt by imperial order for Chaotian Palace,” and the other containing an inscription written by Emperor Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang. Therefore, the two immediately bowed in front of the steles upon entering. Since Zhang Yue had been stationed in the capital after being appointed to his position, he had only practiced rituals at Lingji Palace; this was his first time here. Zhang Xu, who knew the place well, explained everything along the way. As they walked further, they saw the prosperity of the temple complex—rows of buildings, palaces with double eaves and high roofs. In front was the Sanqing Hall, and behind was the Datongming Hall, with countless halls and buildings scattered around, adding to its majestic presence.

After passing the Ritual Practice Pavilion, Zhang Yue felt the view suddenly open up before him. Ahead lay a huge square hundreds of steps long, paved with bluestone, spacious enough to accommodate thousands of people. Thinking about having to practice rituals for the imperial tombs here for the next few days, he felt his lips twitch slightly and sighed inwardly.

“Lord Zhang, Lord Xiao Zhang.”

Hearing this call, Zhang Yue quickly turned around and saw a eunuch in his twenties or thirties, whose face seemed somewhat familiar. Seeing the man bowing with a smile, he immediately remembered that this was the attendant brought by Huang Run that day—the one suspected to be Cao Jixiang. Since Zhang Xu didn’t recognize him either, Zhang Yue merely nodded slightly.

“The rooms for both of you have been arranged, right in the same place. Since there are quite a few officials accompanying us on this pilgrimage to the ancestral tombs, we can only ask you to make do for now.” As he spoke, he waved for a servant to come over, then bowed and said, “Your luggage was delivered just now. Please let him lead Lord Zhang to rest first. The Crown Prince still wishes to see Lord Zhang Yue; please follow me.”

Zhang Xu had no objections to this arrangement. However, when he heard that the Crown Prince wanted to see Zhang Yue, he grew thoughtful. After exchanging a few words with Zhang Yue, he left first. Meanwhile, Zhang Yue followed the eunuch out through a side door and walked along a small path for a while before asking, “That day, Eunuch Huang mentioned that your name is Jixiang. You’re so young yet already working at the Crown Prince’s side—surely you must be capable.”

“Yes, I’m Cao Jixiang,” the eunuch replied, beaming with joy. He bent forward ahead of him, not noticing Zhang Yue’s expression, and continued, “I learned to read a few characters from one of the eunuchs, so Eunuch Huang chose me to work in the Eastern Palace. I’ve always heard the Crown Prince speak highly of you. I had only seen you from afar before; I never expected to have the chance to consult you often now.”

Zhang Yue observed him for a long time but couldn’t see any signs of the arrogance he would develop in the future, so he smiled slightly. Whether it’s heroes, villains, or cunning rulers, they all need opportunities to rise to power. If one wants to prevent problems from arising, it’s simpler to deal with them now. On the other hand, if he prevents heroes from becoming heroes and villains from becoming villains, wouldn’t he become their nemesis?