Chapter 739: Verbal Battles and Hidden Attacks
Despite being a marquis and a general in charge of military campaigns against barbarians, as the saying goes, even a mighty dragon cannot suppress the local snake. Under the combined pressure from the Three Departments and the eunuchs in charge of trade, Gu Xingzu could no longer resist. Angrily, he accepted Xiang Shaoyuan’s proposal and left the courtroom accompanied by others. With his departure, Li Zhifu, the only one left to handle the case, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Wiping his greasy forehead with a handkerchief, he slammed the gavel forcefully.
Xu Zhengping, kneeling below, watched as those figures left through the side door on the left side of the courtroom. His face had already been ashen, and upon hearing the loud slam of the gavel, he couldn’t help but tremble slightly before almost collapsing. It took him a long time to regain his composure. He thought to himself that his niece had at least become Gu Xingzu’s concubine, and even if that wasn’t the case, he still had some value.
Since Gu Xingzu had arrived, he surely wouldn’t ignore this matter, even for the huge sum of wealth he had entrusted to him. Given his crimes, he would undoubtedly be sentenced to have his property confiscated, which would cause great losses to Gu Xingzu.
After passing through the corridor, the Three Courts could be seen down the path. Zhang Qian took the lead, guiding Gu Xingzu ahead, with the four officials from the Three Departments following behind. Lu, the judge at the back, wore a worried expression. Among those in front were either high-ranking nobles or top eunuchs who couldn’t be ranked according to traditional hierarchy. The officials from the Three Departments were at least at the third rank, but what about him? Moreover, he had been the one to oversee the trial of those assassins. If responsibilities were shirked later, wouldn’t he be the one to bear the blame?
“Judge Lu.”
“Ah… Lord Zhang.” Lu instinctively raised his head and saw Zhang Yue walking a few steps behind him. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked cautiously, “Does Lord Zhang have any orders?”
“You just need to tell the truth about everything—no need to gloss over it,” Zhang Yue said calmly, glancing at Zhang Qian, who was leading Gu Xingzu into the Three Courts. “These decisions were made after discussions between Lord Zhang and our department, and they are also in accordance with the emperor’s will. It has nothing to do with you, so there’s no need for you to worry about being blamed.”
Seeing Zhang Yue nod, he stepped past him and caught up with Li Long, Yu Liang, and Xiang Shaoyuan ahead. Judge Lu felt his heart, which had been pounding just moments ago, suddenly drop back into his stomach. What he feared most was that when gods fought, mortals would suffer. He didn’t seek fame or success in this life, but he certainly didn’t want to be implicated and suffer demotion or exile. So, gathering his courage, he followed the others into the hall. When Gu Xingzu asked questions, he clearly recounted every detail of the interrogations over those days.
Since he was already there, Gu Xingzu naturally set aside all his concerns. After all, many of his uncles and aunts were still in Guizhou and Guangxi, with strong roots in the south. They were also filled with anger due to the imperial decisions. If they learned that a large sum of money managed by the family had gone wrong, their reaction would likely be even more intense than his.
Therefore, after hearing Judge Lu’s account, he said expressionlessly to Zhang Qian, “It’s quite coincidental that as soon as Eunuch Zhang arrived, those suspects like Qin Huaijin all died.”
“Coincidence? What coincidence is there? My lord is just trying to say that we forced them to die!” Zhang Qian sneered before directly exposing Gu Xingzu’s implied meaning. Seeing the other man’s expression darken, he added calmly, “One receives a salary from the emperor and must be loyal to him. Although Emperor Taizong once executed Huang Yanjiang and others first, and then Wang Guan, there are precedents for dealing with eunuchs. But after all, eunuchs are part of the palace. With Qin Huaijin causing such a mess and even trying to flee abroad, it would be a huge scandal if it became public. If we force such people to commit suicide, we can face the emperor without any guilt!”
As he spoke, he glanced at the officials in charge of the three departments on his left. Just as he was about to continue, Zhang Yue spoke up first: “Eunuch Zhang is right. As for those Li people, I also interrogated Qin Huaijin’s adopted son, Qin Yi. Those were just people he hired to create confusion. The so-called collusion with the Yao people is completely false. Since Emperor Taizu implemented the system of governing the Li people through tribal chiefs in Qiongzhou Prefecture, there have been hardly any major changes among the Li people there. Besides, with those tribal chiefs who only know how to exploit the common people, and just the small number of Li people in Qiongzhou Prefecture, who would believe they could cross the sea to rebel and take over Guangdong?”
As he spoke, Zhang Yue stood up, ignoring Gu Xingzu’s suddenly vicious gaze. He glanced around at everyone and said calmly, “The rebellions of the Yao tribes in Datengxia, Guangxi, are not the first time. Since the Hongwu era, there have been at least five or six such incidents. At their core, it’s because Han and barbarian peoples live together, and the Yao themselves are divided into tribes, harboring deep hatred toward the Han. Datengxia is mountainous; when the authorities suppress them, they hide in the mountains, and when the pressure eases, they come out to cause trouble, even claiming to take over the entire region of Guangxi. Does Marquis Zhenyuan really think they have such strength?”
“As for Qiongzhou Prefecture, during the Hongwu era, many Li tribal chiefs refused to submit to official control, leading to resistance and even rebellion. As a result, the court established a military garrison, eleven thousand-household units, twenty-two farming settlements, and twenty-two inspection stations. From banner troops to archers, there were nearly twenty thousand soldiers. During the Yongle era, local chiefs were appointed to pacify the Li people. By the eleventh year of Yongle, over thirty thousand Li households had submitted, and the court appointed nearly a thousand local officials. Since the Yongle era, any minor unrest in Qiongzhou Prefecture has mostly been the Li people rebelling against their local chiefs, with little impact on the overall situation. Moreover, there are at least two or three thousand Li tribal leaders in Qiongzhou Prefecture, yet these people have never united!”
Having been pushed back by Xiang Shaoyuan earlier, and now with Zhang Qian speaking so firmly and Zhang Yue denying any collusion between the Li and Yao, Gu Xingzu felt his anger nowhere to vent. His fists clenched so tightly they made cracking sounds. Seeing this, Yu Liang, who was also dissatisfied after his earlier outburst, immediately stopped protesting. Li Long tried several times to speak but ultimately held back. As for Lu, the official sitting at the end, he didn’t even dare breathe loudly, fearing trouble.
“Good, excellent! It seems my preemptive measures have turned out to be an overreaction!”
Gu Xingzu laughed bitterly in anger and stood up abruptly. “I’ve already sent the testimonies of Tan Gongwang and others by urgent courier to the capital. Such a serious matter surely requires a decision from the five prefectures and the Ministry of War. By then, I’d like to see what more you have to say! Commander Li, prepare a few rooms in your headquarters—I’ll stay there!”
Hearing this, even though Li Long’s face twisted in distress, he dared not refuse this seemingly reasonable request. He could only agree and rise to bid farewell with Gu Xingzu. Once they left, Yu Liang suddenly slapped his thigh and exclaimed, “If Marquis Zhenyuan stays at Commander Li’s place, won’t he be able to legitimately mobilize the entire military force of Guangdong? After all, he holds the title of General Conquering the Barbarians and is the commander-in-chief of both Guangdong and Guangxi!”
Seeing that everyone else was staring at him, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy. He immediately stood up, bowed, and said, “Originally, Inspector Wang was supposed to come with me today, but due to some matters, he was delayed. Judging by his personality, if he had really come, he would likely have clashed with Marquis Zhenyuan. Eunuch Zhang, Lord Zhang, as an inspector, I am certainly committed to handling the case properly. But as for the matter of the assassin earlier, I truly know nothing about it and can’t offer any help at the moment. So I’ll take my leave first.”
Yu Liang had already gained enough benefits, so his withdrawal at this moment made Zhang Qian frown deeply, while Zhang Yue also sneered inwardly. Seeing Judge Lu fidgeting restlessly, Zhang Yue simply allowed him to leave and handle the case together with Prefect Li. Since Xiang Shaoyuan also said he wanted to stay and see the outcome of the trial, he only took Zhang Qian with him and left through the back courtyard. Once in the carriage, he moved back and leaned against the backrest, about to speak, when he heard Zhang Qian speak first.
“Marquis Zhenyuan is someone who comes with ill intentions—those with good intentions don’t come! It’s also my fault. Tang Le from the Jinyiwei had already told me that the Xu family was backed by Marquis Zhenyuan, but I didn’t pay much attention, thinking that Guangxi and Guangdong were different places and that he wouldn’t come to Guangdong for no reason. I never expected him to actually do it. In my opinion, we should send someone at top speed to report to the emperor. These days aren’t like when noblemen dominated half of the court. After the matter involving the Prince of Han came to light, even a loyal and brave man like Duke Yingguo was cautious in his words and actions. What’s a Marquis Zhenyuan compared to that? The civil officials in the court won’t let him act recklessly; an imperial edict will surely order him to return soon!”
Zhang Yue had received an urgent document sent by Gu Xingzu the previous afternoon and learned some things about the Gu family from his father, Zhang Zhuo. Unexpectedly, Gu Xingzu arrived early that morning, leaving no time for him to discuss those matters with Zhang Qian. After repeating Zhang Zhuo’s words, he indeed saw Zhang Qian, who had seemed relaxed just moments ago, now look grim.
“Marquis Zhenyuan’s annual salary is 1,500 dan. Although most of his uncles and aunts hold military positions such as commanders, if you add up their salaries together, their total annual income is probably at most 2,500 dan. Unlike Duke Yingguo and others who have additional titles like the Three Dukes and Three Nobles, earning double salaries, he has to support dozens of people, along with slaves, vassals, and other dependents. Now that his base in Guizhou is lost, he can only rely on Guangzhou. It seems that what I thought was a minor matter is actually a matter that could ruin someone’s livelihood…”
In official circles, one can suppress or support others, engage in intrigues and struggles, but the worst thing to do is to cut off someone’s means of survival. At this point, a clear distinction between life and death must be made. Thus, although Zhang Qian was somewhat annoyed, wasn’t Zhang Yue feeling the same? Yet, after the initial frustration, he quickly pushed these chaotic emotions out of his mind.
“The Xu family smuggled people out of the country, raised grain prices during a time of crisis, and even privately brought in foreign merchants for barter trade—each of these are clear-cut crimes. Lord Zhenyuan first used the pretext of urgent military needs to force Guangdong to urgently supply military grain, then came here himself and left behind a so-called testimony from Qin Gongwang. This is outright coercion! It’s true that the Gu family is a family of meritorious officials and is currently in trouble, but since they resorted to such tactics, don’t expect me to back down even an inch.”
Seeing Zhang Yue speak like this, Zhang Qian couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. He thought that Gu Xingzu, having guarded the border for years, must have grown arrogant and accustomed to doing things his own way. Without even mentioning other things, when imperial officials inspected local areas, who wouldn’t try to maintain face? Yet Gu Xingzu boldly defied him without caring, and even adopted an unyielding attitude before leaving. Not to mention Zhang Yue, who was young and full of passion and had a just cause, so he refused to give in. Even Zhang Qian himself, having been pressured, surely felt angry at that moment.
“Enough, enough. I’ll take on this matter. Gu Xingzu isn’t stupid; he should know what’s at stake. Even though he’s in charge of Guangdong and Guangxi, he should understand that such a major matter cannot be decided by him alone without orders from above. By the way, Yuan Jie—your partner, the Right Governor—turns out to be a bachelor. Without any backing, he still dared to speak out bravely at such a time, showing great courage and a willingness to take responsibility! I was worried he might hold you back, but it seems he can share a lot of the burden for you!”
Zhang Yue knew Zhang Qian’s intention was to let Xiang Shaoyuan argue with Gu Xingzu while staying at a distance, intervening only when necessary. But thinking that Xiang Shaoyuan had needed help to leave the tribunal just moments ago, he shook his head and said, “Lord Xiang is indeed admirable, but his illness is already severe. This is a major matter, and I have no choice but to take responsibility.”
“You really are!” As they neared the Maritime Administration Office, Zhang Qian, knowing that Zhang Yue seemed gentle but was actually stubborn, sighed. “Anyway, I’ll order someone to rush this to the capital immediately. Maybe the emperor can help you. But Gu Xingzu is prepared, so we need to be wary of him resorting to extreme measures that could lead to mutual destruction and drag everyone down.”
At the entrance of the Municipal Maritime Office, Zhang Qian bid farewell and got into his own car. Zhang Yue simply closed his eyes to rest. The carriage jolted along the streets paved with stone slabs and mixed with dirt roads. When they arrived at the governor’s office, he couldn’t help but rub his shoulders vigorously. As soon as they entered the main gate, a messenger rushed over at top speed. After bowing, he hurriedly said, “Sir, Minister Xu asked me to inform you that a messenger from the capital arrived early this morning. It turned out to be from the British Embassy. Since you were here, Minister Xu had them taken to the back office.”
Since Guangdong was far away in the South China Sea, sending messages from Beijing was particularly inconvenient. Most unimportant messages were delivered by merchant firms that handled communications between the north and south—this had been the case until now. Hearing this, Zhang Yue knew it must be a messenger sent specially by the British Embassy. Learning that the governor’s affairs were already being handled by a group of advisors, he gave a few more instructions to the messenger before rushing to his own office in the back building.
“Third brother, it’s the son of the butler from the British Embassy.”
Fang Jing, who had been waiting at the entrance of the office upon hearing that Zhang Yue had returned, immediately came forward and walked with him inside, saying, “Uncle asked a few questions and originally planned to let him rest, but he said he was acting on orders from the British authorities and couldn’t delay. He endured his fatigue, drank some mung bean soup, and ate two snacks, then is waiting alone in the study. You should go quickly.”
Seeing Zhang Yue nod, Fang Jing quickened his pace but then stopped following, calling out from behind, “By the way, Xiao Rui and Xiao Li have already studied those documents thoroughly. What should we do next?”
Zhang Yue suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned to look at Fang Jing, and a smile appeared on his lips. “Since you’ve studied them well, it’s time to put them into practice. Starting tomorrow, go to the Guangzhou prefecture office and keep a close eye on that case for me.”