Chapter 884: Brothers After All

Since the reign of Renxuan, officials of the Ming Dynasty had finally been granted occasional leave in addition to the already scarce holidays each year. These holidays mostly fell around major festivals such as the Winter Solstice and the Lantern Festival, especially the latter, which was a rare occasion when the curfew was lifted. With the Lantern Festival bringing another lift of the curfew and lanterns lit throughout the city, coupled with additional leave, the officials, who had been busy all year, were naturally overjoyed. After all, at that time, these officials had not yet developed the habit of relying entirely on aides and advisors. From the Grand Secretariat to various ministries and local governments, while there were helpers, it was rare for officials to depend solely on them—so leave was naturally the most delightful thing.

As a result, officials could be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys, riding tall horses and luxurious carriages to visit others. Princes from other regions arriving in the capital needed to establish relationships and exchange information with those already there; noble officials formed their own networks through marriages and long-standing friendships; high-ranking officials also had their own circles of connections. Even if they had no superiors to visit, they still had to win over subordinates who came to see them. Even newly appointed civil servants had peers and fellow townspeople they needed to maintain relationships with… In short, throughout the entire first month of the year, anyone would find that there were so many relatives and old acquaintances they rarely saw on ordinary days.

On the evening of the 14th day of the first month, the usually quiet capital was bustling. The Lantern Festival fair was held as usual outside Dong’an Gate, and almost every family with some means hung lanterns. Even if people didn’t go to see the lanterns, it was either because they were celebrating family reunions or having guests over. There were indeed some deserted homes, but in the alley facing Dong’an Gate, only one residence—Prince Liang’s mansion—was truly deserted.

Yet even at Prince Liang’s mansion, several people stood in front of the door. The man at the head wore a thick coat over his bulky outer garment, but even so, his short stature and thinness were evident. Despite being so small, if not stopped by those around him, he would have rushed straight at the door, causing trouble for the guards. After a long standoff, sudden horseback noises broke the tension.

“What’s going on?”

The guards finally saw the group approaching. Hearing the leader’s shout, the chief guard immediately recognized him and hurriedly exclaimed, “Eunuch Wang! It’s Prince Wei…”

Wang Jin, who was riding on horseback, also saw the Prince of Wei at the same time and hurriedly jumped off. Seeing the Prince of Wei break free from the grasp of his attendants and rush toward him, he quickly crouched down and knelt, extending his hands in anticipation. Sure enough, after just a few steps, the Prince of Wei fell into his arms.

“Your Majesty… Your Majesty…”

“Your Highness, it’s me, Wang Jin,” Wang Jin said carefully as he helped the Prince of Wei up before standing straight again. “It’s so cold outside, and I heard your illness isn’t fully recovered yet. Why did you come out? If the Emperor finds out, he’ll be extremely worried! Look, the wind is getting stronger, and your clothes aren’t even tied properly!”

As he talked, Wang Jin carefully tied up the straps of the Prince of Wei’s robe. Noticing the Prince’s unnatural expression and the unmistakable worry on his face, he realized that the youngest imperial brother must have already suspected something. Although the Emperor had seemed calm these days, how could he not understand that the Emperor couldn’t remain calm after figuring out everything that had happened in the capital? So, he resolved not to let the elder and younger brothers of the imperial family meet and tried to soothe the Prince with gentle words. Yet, this usual effective tactic failed this time—the Prince of Wei said nothing and kept shaking his head stubbornly.

Before long, the sound of horse hooves came from the end of the alley to the west. Wang Jin sensed trouble, but when he saw the Prince of Wei dash past him, he immediately reached out and caught him. But the Prince of Wei was no longer as calm as before; he struggled violently, almost trying to bite someone, by the time the group stopped.

Seeing Fang Ling, the commander of the Jinyiwei, dismount from his horse to approach, Zhu Zhanji suddenly ordered him to stop, then pulled the reins and got off his horse as well. By the time he stepped forward, Wang Jin had already released the Prince of Wei. The Prince took advantage of this to run up, but stopped three or four steps away, knelt down abruptly, said nothing, and simply lay face down on the ground. Seeing the Prince of Wei kneel, the others, though still unable to see the newcomer’s face clearly, also knelt down.

Since Prince Wei was the youngest among his siblings and had been weak and sickly from birth, although Zhu Zhanji didn’t have time to spend much time with his other brothers, he always felt pity for this younger brother, always bringing him some delicious food and fun things. When Emperor Renzong, Zhu Gaochi, passed away and Concubine Guo was buried with him, Zhu Zhanji felt even more compassion for the frequently ill Prince Wei. Most of the time, he kept Prince Wei in the palace for upbringing. While other princes were already discussing being assigned to different regions, Zhu Zhanji clearly stated that Prince Wei should stay by his side.

Looking at the small figure curled up on the ground, Zhu Zhanji took a deep breath and stepped forward to pull him up forcefully. Realizing that Prince Wei was resisting with all his might, he angrily shouted, “Get up!”

After all, Prince Wei was still young, and he had spent more time with his elder brother than with his father. Even though Prince Liang was his biological elder brother, his authority couldn’t compare to Zhu Zhanji’s. So, frightened by this, most of his courage vanished, and he was pulled up involuntarily. The next moment, he felt someone wipe his face hard with a silk handkerchief. Though the force caused pain and tears streamed down from his eyes, he felt much better inside.

“A real man shouldn’t act like a woman, crying over nothing! What’s the point of that?” Zhu Zhanji tossed the handkerchief aside and said, “Didn’t the imperial physicians say you’re still sick? Why did you come out in such cold weather? Do you want to fall seriously ill? Don’t forget how many medicines you’ve taken since childhood. Do you still need me to coax you into taking them at your age?”

Prince Wei had always been timid and afraid of pain. After being scolded like this, he lowered his head even further. After a while, he stammered, “Elder brother, I just wanted to see Ninth Brother. I’m afraid…”

Prince Wei didn’t continue, but Zhu Zhanji understood perfectly. If it were just for some trivial matter, his affectionate younger brother would surely be granted his wish. But since their mother was still sick in Renshou Palace, and it was uncertain whether she would recover, after looking at Prince Wei for a while, Zhu Zhanji said slowly, “Go back. If you really want Ninth Brother to be fine, then go back!”

For Prince Wei Zhu Zhanlian, who had never once been rebuked by Zhu Zhanji, these words were undoubtedly a devastating blow. He staggered back several steps before managing to steady himself. His already pale face took on a sickly glow under the light of the torches. After standing there for a while, he nodded mechanically before turning and walking toward his own mansion. A few eunuchs who had just chased out of Prince Wei’s mansion hurried after him, inwardly groaning in frustration.

“Rest well. Once you’re recovered, I’ll allow you to see your ninth brother!”

Prince Wei, who had been walking unsteadily, turned around at these words. Even though Zhu Zhanji ignored him and continued straight toward the gate of Prince Liang’s mansion, he paid no attention and just stared fixedly at that back. Only when everyone had gone inside and he could no longer see anything did he pull his gaze away. Two eunuchs stepped forward to support him, and he eagerly said, “Go back and have the imperial physician come to check my pulse. Have him prescribe medicine—the best medicine. I’ll take it no matter how bitter it is!”

The eunuchs dared not disobey and immediately agreed. As they left as well, the entire alley fell silent. Although the mansions of Prince Xiang, Prince Yue, and Prince Zheng were right next door, these places, usually filled with music and celebration, were eerily quiet during this festive season, as if devoid of life. Only from the princess’s mansion at the end of the alley could faint cries of children be heard from time to time. As for the noise from the lantern market further away, it seemed to come from another world.

Wang Jin carefully guided Zhu Zhanji inside, glancing around frequently. Although Fangling claimed that everyone inside and outside had been replaced—almost all by elite soldiers drawn from the Jinyiwei and Dongchang—Wang Jin still remained cautious. It wasn’t until they reached the entrance of the main hall that he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Unexpectedly, the emperor shook him off.

“Replace the people in Prince Wei’s mansion later. First, the outer courtyards, and then select new attendants. To let such a frail prince escape from his mansion—what a good-for-nothing!” After giving these instructions, Zhu Zhanji headed straight for the main gate. After climbing a few steps, he stopped again. “You don’t need to follow. Wait outside!”

“Your Majesty!” Worried, Wang Jin hurried after him a few steps. “Even if you don’t want me to follow, perhaps we should ask Commander Fang…”

“I’ve said it before—no one is allowed in! I’ve even been to battlefields; how could I fear an unarmed Prince Liang? Besides, surely there’s someone watching in the room?” With those harsh words, Zhu Zhanji pushed the door open and entered without looking back.

Though not as grand as the main halls of a proper royal palace, the layout of this residence was still on par with that of dukes and marquises. Standing in the spacious main hall, Zhu Zhanji glanced around and immediately noticed that all the furniture in the room was somewhat unusual. Sure enough, when he pushed a chair, he found that it was nailed directly to the floor. Entering the eastern side room, he saw Prince Liang sitting motionless on the bed. There were lanterns in the room, but they were placed so high that they were unreachable, and even the sheets and bedding on the bed seemed specially made. When he saw Prince Liang staring at him blankly, he frowned immediately, not even noticing the two strong eunuchs standing in the corner, and stepped forward straightaway.

Prince Liang’s pupils contracted slightly as he finally recognized the person blocking his light. He tilted his head and studied Zhu Zhanji for a long time before saying indifferently, “I knew the emperor had returned long ago, but I didn’t expect it to take so long for you to come here. I have nothing to say. I admit all the charges; do as you please with me.”

“Do as I please? Are you telling me that now?” Zhu Zhanji sneered, suddenly grabbing Prince Liang by the collar and pulling him to his feet. “Apart from Prince Wei, among these younger brothers, when have I ever treated you unfairly? Over the years, before you were sent to your fiefs, Prince Zheng, Prince Yue, Prince Xiang, Prince Jing, and Prince Huai each received 50,000 taels per year, but you got 100,000 taels! During festivals, I always thought of you and your tenth brother first when giving out gifts, yet this is how you repay me!”

Zhu Zhanji’s voice grew louder. Prince Liang was stunned and didn’t say a word in defense. Only after he was thrown back on the bed did he quietly straighten his wrinkled clothes without lifting his head, saying, “I know I’ve disappointed the emperor, but some things can’t be simply set aside. Whenever I think of my mother killing herself or Eighth Brother dying under mysterious circumstances, it feels like there’s a fire burning in my chest. As I said, it was all me who did these things. Let the emperor deal with me as he sees fit.”

“Did you do all this? Did you kill Guo Cong? Did you also kill Li Maoqing?” Seeing the Prince of Liang suddenly lift his head with a drastic change in expression, Zhu Zhanji grew even more convinced that the Jinyiwei’s report about this matter was not nonsense. He spoke in a stricter tone, “I just saw my tenth brother—he was crying bitterly. Even if you don’t think about yourself, you should at least consider him!”
The Prince of Liang finally regained his composure from extreme shock. He immediately buried his face in his hands and shook his head vigorously. “I don’t know about Li Maoqing, but I didn’t kill my cousin!”
At the time the emperor visited the Prince of Liang’s residence, the Zhang Yue brothers were admiring the moon in the back garden of the Marquis of Yangwu’s estate. The Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th of August has always been a good time to enjoy the moon, but since the Lantern Festival also falls on the 15th, people’s attention is focused on lanterns and fireworks, with few paying attention to the moon in the sky—especially since it was only the 14th day of the first month.
Just then, the clouds in the sky dispersed, revealing a full, round moon. The brothers gathered in a thatched pavilion behind, each wrapped in thick coats. Seeing Zhang Jiu shivering from the cold, Zhang Fu immediately handed him a hand warmer. After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Jiu accepted it upon seeing the sincerity on his brother’s face, who they rarely interacted with, and thanked him.
At that moment, Zhang Yue asked Zhang Qi, “Second brother, do you really want to be sent on a remote assignment?”
“That’s right. Staying trapped in the capital is utterly boring. I can’t take it anymore and plan to volunteer to go to Liaodong!”
Seeing Zhang Jiu frown deeply while Zhang Bi and Zhang Fu remained silent, he naturally turned to Zhang Yue. “Third brother now oversees the Ministry of War, while I’m still in the capital guard force. There are too many gossips. As a military officer, unlike the noble scholars like the fourth brother, where would it be inconvenient for me to go? It’s better to be a commander outside than to just waste time in the capital.”