Chapter 860: Entering the Palace Again

It’s true that the King of Hell is easier to deal with than petty demons—a principle valid throughout history. But the King of Hell is human, and so are the petty demons. As long as one doesn’t hold a condescending attitude, dealing with them isn’t that difficult. Money can open doors, and connections can do the same. Thus, compared to those powerful figures who often look down on the eunuchs, the eunuchs in the palace, whether it was the former Lord Zhang or the current Vice Minister Zhang, always treated everyone with kindness and never looked down on them.

So when they saw Lu Feng being so humble, Zhang Yue didn’t show any arrogance. Instead, he smiled and said, “If you’re here to thank me, you’ve thanked the wrong person. It wasn’t me who saved you, nor was it me who reported this to your offices. But the people in the Intelligence Department are indeed resourceful—I’ll pass on your words to them. It’s easy for the Eastern Depot and the Imperial Guards to repay a favor—just say a few kind words during the time of merit recognition and share some benefits with them. Also, don’t forget about the person who first reported this. And if there are any issues with the Intelligence Department, you should give them some support.”

“It’s easy to offer support, but as for merit recognition… Ugh, the matter of the cotton armor was easy to investigate at first, but who would have thought that following the clues would lead to such a big mistake!” Lu Feng snapped his hand on the armrest in frustration. Then he suddenly remembered that this was the Ministry of War’s office, not the Eastern Depot where he held power. He felt embarrassed, smiled awkwardly, and sighed. “Whether or not we get to be recognized for our efforts, I won’t forget the merits of your subordinates. I can also arrange something for that person who first reported this. If anything goes wrong, I’ll have no choice but to ask you, Lord Zhang, for your help.”

Zhang Yue was taken aback. “Me?”

“It was someone from your Ministry of War’s Intelligence Department who brought to light the matter of the cotton armor out of kindness. It wasn’t part of their duties, so they deserve credit without blame. The Imperial Guards and the Eastern Depot cooperated well after learning about it—one raided the lairs of those corrupt officials at Tongji Granary, while the other intercepted goods destined for the capital. That should at least offset their faults. But following the clues further, there were already hints about Li Maoqing’s suicide. It turned out that Guo Cong, the eldest son of Marquis Wuding, had handed over information to someone with ulterior motives and also interceded on their behalf with the officials in the Military Recruitment Department. All they needed was to capture the person, but in the end, he still died!”

These things should not have been said in front of Zhang Yue, but right now Lu Feng is under too much pressure. Plus, he felt that Zhang Yue wasn’t an outsider, so he blurted it all out. Then he gripped the armrest tightly and sighed deeply: “The Jinyiwei currently has no commander; Fangling is in charge. I know he used to get along well with you, but later things cooled down between you. He seems like a decent person on the surface, but there’s one thing I must remind you of… he’s the Empress Dowager’s man!”
Ever since meeting Fangling at the Eastern Palace when he was dismissed, Zhang Yue had gradually distanced himself from him as advised. He only sent gifts when Fangling got married and had a child—nothing more. But seeing Fangling rise to prominence after Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne and even serve as a vanguard during the Han King’s rebellion, Zhang Yue understood fully the deeper meaning behind Fangling’s words back then. So, although Lu Feng spoke mysteriously, it was actually just something he already knew.
But at this moment, he naturally couldn’t reveal these things, so he had no choice but to show surprise. He quickly nodded and said with a wry smile, “I understand. Thank you, Eunuch Lu, for the reminder.”
Although Lu Feng owed Zhang Yue a lot, he didn’t want to keep accumulating debts. Hearing Zhang Yue’s thanks, he felt much relieved. After chatting casually for a while, he suddenly remembered their encounter at Dong’an Gate and laughed, “By the way, the Prince of Zheng, the Prince of Yue, and the Prince of Xiang have all arrived at Dong’an Gate and are about to enter the palace. Luckily, I got away quickly; otherwise, I really wouldn’t know how to handle it. But with Eunuch Fan and Eunuch Jin here, there’s no need to worry. Well, I’ll be leaving now.”
Zhang Yue sent him off with a smile on his face, but his heart was heavy. With the three princes entering the palace at this moment, claiming to visit the Empress Dowager, the reason was unclear. If his guess was correct, the seriously ill Empress Dowager couldn’t see anyone—how could Zhu Ning stop these powerful figures?
This was also a trouble caused by Zhu Zhanji and the Empress Dowager. They were all adult princes, yet they were all kept in the capital instead of being sent to their fiefdoms. Those imperial brothers had always remained in the shadows—why would they suddenly appear now, and in such large numbers… Surely someone must have incited them, turning this into a big deal, making it impossible to hide the truth!
If he were still in the palace, he might still find a way, but since he had left early, it wouldn’t be easy to go back in. That’s how things are in this world—when you’re trapped inside, you want to get out, but once you’re outside, you can’t get in, and there’s no excuse to try!

Despite his inner anxiety, if he, as an official in the Ministry of War, showed signs of urgency, the officers who were already full of speculation would surely conjecture even more. So, he simply entered the ceremonial gate at a calm pace. It wasn’t until he reached the inner gate and sat down in his office that he finally dropped the fake smile he had worn out of impatience all along.

Had Zhu Ning spoken in such veiled terms on purpose, or was it by orders? And Yang Shiqi, the top official in the cabinet, was still in the palace—did he know about this? If so, upon hearing that the three princes had entered the palace, would he try to stop them? Indeed, the sudden intrusion of the three princes must surely be due to some problem with Empress Dowager Zhang. Back when Emperor Zhu Gaochi passed away and Zhu Zhanji had not yet returned, she had even sealed off the Eastern Palace, forbidding all princes from leaving. How could she have overlooked the Prince of Shi’s palace this time?

As he pondered, he took out paper to write but found that the ink in the inkstone had long dried up, so he angrily threw down the pen.

“Come in…”

“Sir!”

Before Zhang Yue could finish speaking, a scribe called out from outside the door. After a moment’s hesitation, he ordered the man in. The curtain moved, and the scribe in his early thirties hurried in. “Sir, there’s a messenger from the imperial court in Danning, bringing a reply from the emperor in a secret letter.”

“Let him in quickly!”

The so-called secret letter was actually a confidential dispatch. To outsiders, among the current civil officials, only those in the cabinet and Jian Yi, Xia Yuanji, had previously had this privilege. Now, with the emperor leaving the capital, Zhang Yue had also been included. But years earlier, Zhang Yue’s notes had already appeared on Emperor Yongle’s desk; back then, the emperor merely read them without responding.

The messenger this time was a middle-aged man in his early forties, short in stature, with a purplish-red face that exuded a resolute air. After delivering the sealed box, he immediately stepped back outside to wait, not saying a word extra. Zhang Yue opened the box, verified the silver mark on the envelope, and then broke the seal with the seal ink.

Inside the envelope were only two thin sheets of paper. The letter began with the simple phrase, “I have read what came before.” Zhang Yue naturally wouldn’t misunderstand. Given how fast the messenger could travel, it would likely take four or five days for him to return—referring, of course, to the matter of raising noble youths from a young age. What followed was straightforward: the emperor mentioned Dongsheng, Kaiping, Xinghe, and Hami. Speaking in military terms, the emperor personally led a large army to patrol the borders. As the top official in the Ministry of War, Zhang Yue inevitably discussed matters related to his field. Only toward the end did he briefly touch on the fraud case in the Military Selection Bureau and mention another person.

Zhang Ben, the Minister of War, had already resigned repeatedly due to such incidents in the Military Selection Bureau under his direct supervision!

Zhang Yue didn’t have time to consider whether the emperor’s mention of this matter was an approval or a refusal, or whether it was meant to have him take some responsibility or simply imply that Zhang Ben was too old to be useful. All he knew was that this personally written letter from the emperor gave him at least an excuse to enter the palace. So, he quickly placed the letter back in the envelope and then called in the messenger.

“Go and have a bowl of Laba porridge to fill your stomach first, then come with me to the palace right away!”

Although messengers were usually quiet and composed, the man with a purplish-red face was shocked by Zhang Yue’s sudden request. Even so, after rushing along without changing horses, he was exhausted from the brief stop. He agreed without hesitation, washed his face and hands with the hot water brought by a servant, had a bowl of steaming Laba porridge, and left without even changing clothes. As he mounted the horse, his slow movement caused the saddle to rub against the raw skin between his thighs, making him frown.

Zhang Yue saw this but understood the danger and fatigue of traveling day and night. Yet he had no other choice and, not knowing the situation in Renshou Palace, simply nodded slightly and whipped his horse into a rapid ride. Although the Ministry of War was very close to the Left Gate of Chang’an, to save time, he took a detour along East Chang’an Street and stopped in front of the East An Gate in the time it took to drink tea.

Upon arrival, he noticed that the guards seemed distracted. So, after dismounting, he demanded the secret box from the messenger and said to the imperial guards who came forward, “This was sent by the emperor for me to take to the palace to see the Empress Dowager.”

Although the guards at Dong’anmen didn’t often see Zhang Yue and he didn’t have time to register, among such a large number of guards, there was naturally one or two who recognized him. So after a brief whispering, everyone from top to bottom knew who he was. Though it was awkward, when the messenger stepped forward and showed his pass, no one doubted him anymore, and someone quickly went inside to inform them.

Normally, waiting in front of the palace gate for a while wasn’t a problem, but at this moment, Zhang Yue suppressed his urge to pace and simply stood there, holding the reins, though he was extremely impatient. In the cold weather, wrapped in a heavy cloak and wearing leather boots, he still felt cold. Seeing the messenger standing straight with his face turning increasingly red, he called over a guard and said, “He’s just rushed back from Danning and came here right away. Get him a thick coat.”

With his words, the guards naturally didn’t dare neglect it, and soon someone brought a very thick robe for the messenger with the red face. If it weren’t for the fixed schedule for those on duty at Dong’anmen, they might even have brought a charcoal stove. After what seemed like an eternity, someone finally ran over, panting—it was Cao Jixiang.

“How did you come here suddenly?” Cao Jixiang was out of breath and looked rather disheveled, with footprints on the usually neat hem of his robe. After bowing, seeing Zhang Yue examining him repeatedly, his face turned red, and he whispered, “The three princes caused a ruckus in front of Renshou Palace. If it weren’t for Prince Xiang stopping Prince Zheng and Prince Yue, no one could have controlled the situation. On top of that, Marquis Wuding happened to be kneeling in front of Renshou Palace…”

It was indeed a mess!

Zhang Yue’s heart sank, and he then asked, “What about Grand Secretary Yang?”

“Both Grand Secretaries Yang have arrived, but Prince Zheng and Prince Yue are causing too much trouble,” Cao Jixiang said, still shaken by what he had seen. He was glad he held a low position and had been sent back to the Imperial Secretariat by Fan Hongjin Ying; otherwise, he wouldn’t have known that Zhang Yue was about to enter the palace. Glancing at Zhang Yue’s expression, he advised, “Sir, a female official came out from in front of Renshou Palace with the Empress Dowager’s orders to send the three princes back. When they didn’t show up today, she scolded them again. In anger, Prince Yue sent them away. Right now, the three princes are trying to break in. If it’s not urgent, it’s better for you to delay entering the palace!”

Zhang Yue was no stranger to the behavior of these imperial relatives. After pondering for a moment, he gently patted the secret box in his arms: “This is an imperial letter just delivered from Danning. Whatever it contains, I must show it to the Empress Dowager. There’s no need for further words—lead the way.”

Cao Jixiang wanted to persuade him further, but seeing Zhang Yue’s grim expression, he dared not say more and could only sigh. As the head of the Imperial Secretariat, he wasn’t particularly important within the institution, but outside, everyone showed him respect. Moreover, Zhang Yue was no ordinary person, so he easily allowed Cao Jixiang to leave. Since the purple-faced man’s token had already been used once, Zhang Yue naturally wouldn’t bring him back into the palace. After giving a few instructions, he sent the man back to the Ministry of War.

Cao Jixiang led the way, carrying the secret box, passing behind the Imperial Pharmacy and heading north along the western wall of Ciqing Palace, entering through Longsi Gate—this was the territory of Renshou Palace. When there was still a wall separating them from the main area, Zhang Yue heard a noisy commotion. The voices weren’t very loud, but the insults were vicious, infuriating him greatly.

“Don’t think just because I call you ‘aunt’ that you can act arrogantly! You’re just a prince or princess from a vassal state. The Empress Mother treats you like a pet, yet you act presumptuously, thinking you’re the master of Renshou Palace! Whether the Empress Mother sees me or not is up to her—she’s my real mother, what does it have to do with you?”

As they crossed the threshold with Cao Jixiang, Zhang Yue saw a large square in front of the main hall, where two men in green robes embroidered with golden dragons were desperately trying to stop someone dressed similarly. In front of them, Zhu Ning stood straight but pale, while Yang Shiqi and Yang Pu stood nearby, both with grim expressions. Fan Hongjin Ying stood behind Zhu Ning.

The Prince of Xiang, who was blocking the Prince of Yue, happened to turn and see Zhang Yue. He immediately loosened his grip, and now the Prince of Zheng could no longer hold back the Prince of Yue, who was dragged forward to Zhu Ning’s side. As the Prince of Yue rushed forward, raising his hand as if to strike, Fan Hongjin Ying stepped forward to block him. Zhu Ning’s eyes flashed with intensity, but she didn’t back down at all.

It was then that she suddenly noticed Zhang Yue entering behind Cao Jixiang. Immediately after, she saw Cao Jixiang, seemingly by accident, drop the box he was holding to the ground, producing a loud thud.