Chapter 901: Trust and Escort

Starting from early March, Zhu Taikan, the crown prince of the Lu Kingdom, and Zhu Youze, the king of the Xiangfu Kingdom, who had come to pay homage by imperial order, returned to their fiefdoms one after another. Soon after, the other imperial brothers also went to their respective territories. Although there were ten sons of Emperor Ren, one of them died before ascending the throne, followed by the death of the King of Teng. Add to this the young and sick King of Wei, the King of Liang who was imprisoned in the western palace, and the King of Yue who did not go to his fiefdom for the time being, leaving only four princes to go this time. The last to set off was King Zhanfan of Xiang.

Changsha was thousands of miles away from the capital, so on the day King Zhanfan of Xiang went to the palace to bid farewell, Empress Dowager Zhang shed tears, and even Zhu Zhanji felt sad. After all, they were brothers born of the same mother. Since childhood, he had never had a brother who could truly compete with him. Even after his father, Zhu Gaochi, ascended the throne and sent him to Nanjing to pay respects at the ancestral tombs, his position as crown prince never wavered. Especially since King Zhanfan loved reading and got along well with all his brothers, he wasn’t really reluctant to let this legitimate younger brother stay.

Yet Zhu Zhanfan was extremely stubborn on this matter. When the two brothers met alone, Zhu Zhanji mentioned the coldness in the north and the dampness in the south, but Zhu Zhanfan said nothing about these difficulties and instead solemnly requested to see the King of Liang. Since the King of Liang was already imprisoned in the western palace, it should have been impossible to allow such a request. But after much consideration, Zhu Zhanji still agreed to this single request and personally accompanied Zhu Zhanfan there. When Zhu Zhanfan came out with tears streaming down his face, even Zhu Zhanji felt a pang in his heart.

“It’s all his own fault. I have no other requests. I only ask Your Majesty, out of kinship, to spare him his life. After all, when we were young…”

Zhu Zhanfan paused and ultimately did not continue, only solemnly knelt down and bowed deeply. Zhu Zhanji neither agreed nor refused. He personally helped him up and escorted Zhu Zhanfan to Xi’an Gate before heading straight back to Renshou Palace to see Empress Dowager Zhang. Along the way, even though the weather had warmed up, he couldn’t help but pull his robe tighter around himself.

Back in Renshou Palace, Zhu Zhanji avoided mentioning his previous visit with Zhu Zhanfan to see the King of Liang, nor did he talk about the matter of sending the King of Yue to his fiefdom, which had been proposed by Yang Shiqi of the cabinet. Instead, he chatted casually with Empress Dowager Zhang. She seemed to have become an ordinary old woman, talking at length. Though melancholic, she also felt a sense of satisfaction. It wasn’t until Zhu Zhanji left that she finally stopped smiling and softly asked the maid beside her, “Where is Aning?”

Due to previous incidents, almost all the eunuchs and maids in the Renshou Palace had been thoroughly screened from top to bottom, and now only a few remained. This young maid had just been transferred from the Qianqing Palace. Hearing Empress Dowager Zhang’s question, she quickly knelt on one knee in front of the bed before whispering, “The newly appointed female officials have arrived and are listening to the princess’s instructions.”

Empress Dowager Zhang naturally knew about this. After those events, although the eunuchs were also being reorganized by the older ones like Fan Hong from top to bottom, it was the six bureaus and twenty-four departments of female officials who were most affected. According to Zhu Zhanji’s opinion, the female officials were already functionally non-existent, with no powers except those in the four departments in charge of imperial treasures; they might as well be completely abolished. But because she disagreed, a new system was established—each of the empress dowager’s and empress’s palaces would have two supervisors and two record-keepers, while the officials in the other palaces would be gradually phased out.

“If Ah Ning is done, ask her to come see me.”

When the lectures at the Hongwen Pavilion began, there was much discussion everywhere. Many usually quiet civil officials were inspired by this wave of activity and became passionate and enthusiastic. If glasses had existed at that time, who knows how many would have been broken. Yet Zhu Ning had “been ill” at home for a whole month. When she reappeared before people, she seemed fuller and her complexion was rosy. When a banquet was held to see off Prince Xiangfu, Zhu Youze, he was even surprised by her good health, not to mention the people in the palace.

After giving a few instructions to the four obviously unusually young female officials, seeing them all nod their heads like chicks pecking at grains, Zhu Ning didn’t bother to say more. She took a sip of tea to moisten her dry throat, then stood up. “Since you’ve been chosen for this position, I assume you’re all reliable and trustworthy. I won’t say much else. From now on, in handling matters, remember one thing: as female officials in the Renshou Palace, you are not allowed to interact with the inner court eunuchs. This is an absolute rule!”

This absolute rule didn’t exist just a short time ago, so the four female officials were stunned. It took them a while to realize what was being asked, after which they hurriedly nodded repeatedly. Zhu Ning knew they might not truly understand, but she didn’t want to explain further. She led a few maids outside. As soon as she stepped outside, she learned of Empress Dowager Zhang’s order and immediately rushed to the East Warm Pavilion.

During the month she spent “recovering” at home, she ate well, slept soundly, and had two children by her side, making life truly joyful. Now that she had suddenly returned to the palace, she felt somewhat unaccustomed. Thus, as she entered the East Warm Pavilion, she thought to herself that things were different from before—to avoid suspicion, it would be sufficient to visit the palace from time to time; staying there permanently would be inappropriate. Sitting down on the brocade bench, she naturally brought up this matter, only to find that Empress Dowager Zhang shook her head.

“I know what you’re thinking, but let’s not discuss it for now. Anning, tell me the truth—are there any complaints outside about the King of Yue remaining in the capital instead of going to his fief? Has the emperor said anything to you as well?”

Zhu Ning wasn’t expecting Empress Dowager Zhang to ask so directly. Her expression changed slightly. Just as she was about to brush it off nonchalantly, she noticed the empress dowager staring at her intently, which stirred her thoughts. After lowering her head and thinking for a moment, she slowly nodded. “Your Majesty is right. The emperor hasn’t said anything, but there are indeed some discussions in the court. After all, under the old Hongwu system, only the crown prince was allowed to stay in the capital while the princes went to their fiefs. It was during the Yongle era… that the rebellion of the commoners from the Han clan occurred. I understand that Your Majesty is concerned that the crown prince is still too young and might not be able to handle the situation if anything goes wrong. But rules are rules—if exceptions are made now, there will be more in the future.”

Seeing Empress Dowager Zhang close her eyes as if sighing softly, Zhu Ning thought for a while before adding, “The most important thing is that the emperor has held three meetings in the Hongwen Pavilion, with matters related to the princes being of top priority. If Your Majesty keeps the King of Yue here, the other princes might complain. If you’re unsure, perhaps you should send someone to consult Grand Secretary Yang.”

“No need.”

Empress Dowager Zhang waved her hand tiredly and fell silent for a long time. Zhu Ning’s meaning was clear—although the emperor hadn’t mentioned anything at all, and no one had brought this matter to her attention, since she could sense it, the day it would be formally discussed was likely not far off. Zhu Zhanji had grown up and preferred to make his own decisions, which was certainly important, but the matter of the princes was even more critical. Compared to familial bonds, Zhu Zhanji seemed more concerned about the realm itself.

That’s why he moved the imperial lectures from the Wenhua Hall to the Hongwen Pavilion—this undoubtedly showed that Zhu Zhanji wanted to make changes, not being constrained by his mother or those old ministers from previous dynasties… Indeed, was being a ruler who preserved the status quo too unappealing for him?

“I’ve thought about what you mentioned before. Indeed, although you’re not married, having stayed in the palace for so long, it’s easy to attract gossip. From now on, come to the palace once every three days, and remember to bring your children to see me often. But with my current condition, I still have to trouble you to help me select a few reliable people. Also, Fan Hong and Jin Ying are reorganizing the twenty-four internal departments. Though it’s a good thing, I can’t help but worry, so keep an eye on it.”

Zhu Ning had always tried to stay out of matters related to the imperial officials, but since Empress Dowager Zhang had asked her to do so, she had no choice but to agree. After all, just getting Empress Dowager Zhang’s approval was enough to satisfy her. Although Kaifeng was her hometown, her parents were no longer alive, and her siblings were distant—far less appealing than the capital. Here, she had her children, her close friends, and the magnificent scenery she never got tired of seeing. Naturally, she hoped to stay here. Perhaps one day she would grow tired, but not now. So she nodded gently. Seeing Empress Dowager Zhang look relieved, she shifted the topic and chatted a bit more.

Among the nine gates of the capital, Lizheng Gate, being the middle one of the three gates facing due south and directly facing the imperial palace, had always been of utmost importance. Its gate tower was even more grand. The tower was covered with gray tubular tiles edged with green glazed tiles, featuring a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. There were doors on all four sides both above and below, with corridors on both levels, making it much taller than the other eight gate towers. Moreover, just a few days ago, the Ministry of Works submitted a proposal to build arrow towers at Lizheng Gate, adding another contentious issue to the court debates.

Yet today, countless guards were stationed in front of this gate. From the official road outside to Lizheng Gate, then to Qipan Street and Sipailou inside, there were layers upon layers of fully armed soldiers—more than just one guard every three steps or one sentry every five. The Jinyiwei, known as the emperor’s personal troops and dressed in extremely dazzling brocade uniforms, intimidated onlookers. Still, some bold people came to watch from a distance. But the main streets below the gate had been completely closed, affecting even the commoners trying to enter through Chongwen Gate and Xuanwu Gate, who could only stand and watch from afar. But when that massive procession arrived, those who had been skeptical immediately realized what was happening.

The Prince of Jin had been brought to the capital!

After all, he was a prince of the imperial family, so it was impossible for him to ride in a prison cart with shackles. The carriage surrounding him still had the standard design of a prince’s carriage, though all the luxurious decorations had been removed, and the heavy curtains prevented any eavesdropping. Thus, the long line of mule carts following that carriage immediately piqued people’s curiosity. Some said they contained the family members of the Jin Prince’s household, others claimed they held the gold, silver, and treasures seized from the Jin Prince’s residence, and still others said they contained account books and letters… In short, there were all kinds of guesses. It wasn’t until the group entered the Lizheng Gate and headed down Qipan Street that Chongwen Gate and Xuanwu Gate began to reopen, and the chatter finally subsided for a while.

The news that Prince Jin, Zhu Jihong, had been taken to the capital also spread quickly to various government departments. Compared to the common people who could only guess the situation from the surface, officials received much more detailed information. When Zhang Yue heard that Zhu Jihui’s nephew, Zhu Meigui—the eldest legitimate son of the former deposed Jin Prince—was also coming, he frowned immediately and then asked the clerk who brought the news, “Besides the Prince of Pingyang, are there any other relatives of the Jin Prince’s family coming as well?”

“Reporting to you, sir, none.”

Zhang Yue sent the clerk away, thought for a moment, then got up and left the room. It wasn’t long before he arrived at the door of Right Vice Minister Xu Kuo. After coughing outside, he pulled back the thick curtain and entered. Sure enough, he saw Xu Kuo put down his pen and stand up. Although one was old and the other young and they had only been working together for a short time, Xu Kuo’s straightforwardness and Zhang Yue’s meticulousness led to a very smooth partnership, so all the formalities and pretenses typical of the bureaucracy were set aside.

After exchanging a few words, the two sat down in the front room, and Zhang Yue directly brought up the matter of the Jin Prince’s family. Xu Kuo had already heard from the clerk, so he stroked the few sparse hairs on his chin and said, “Logically, given such serious crimes committed by the Jin Prince’s family, they should have had their titles revoked. But since the Prince of Pingyang is coming along, he must be taking advantage of the emperor’s desire to punish them to clear his father’s name from the past injustices and to save the title of the Jin Prince’s family. You see, if it weren’t for the repeated false accusations by this family over the years, his father wouldn’t have lost his prince title for nothing… By the way, I once heard a rumor.”

Xu Kuo was already in his sixties. Though he couldn’t claim to know every detail of court affairs, he was well-versed in them. That’s why he spoke in such a low voice, prompting Zhang Yue to lean in naturally. Sure enough, after pondering for a moment, Xu Kuo began, “Many years ago, not long after the current ruler of Jin was appointed, the Queen of Jin suddenly died of a sudden illness. At that time, there was a rumor that she was poisoned and killed by the current ruler.”
To kill one’s own mother!
This crime shocked Zhang Yue greatly. It wasn’t uncommon for sons of concubines to inherit titles from their fathers, nor was it rare for them to treat their legitimate mothers poorly, but to dare poison and kill one’s own mother was unheard of. He looked at Xu Kuo with furrowed brows and asked, “If such a thing happened, why wasn’t it thoroughly investigated?”
“Emperor Taizong believed the current ruler’s accusations, stripped the title of King of Jin from the father of the Prince of Pingyang, and then reappointed him. If this man were truly as despicable as claimed, where would that leave Emperor Taizong? By the time of Emperor Renzong, the Prince of Pingyang and his son were repeatedly granted royal robes and titles, making them even more arrogant. But out of kinship, it was difficult to pursue them too harshly, until this incident occurred. It can be said that many vassal princes act recklessly in their regions. If we don’t establish strict rules now, it will surely lead to chaos. You should know that even today, although the guards of various princely households claim to have been reduced, many still engage in covert activities.”
Xu Kuo, being an expert in military matters and well-informed about these old affairs, couldn’t stop talking once he started, speaking to Zhang Yue for a full twenty minutes. After discussing for a while, Xu Kuo agreed to go back and persuade his acquaintances among the officials about the issue of the vassal princes, while Zhang Yue decided to meet with Zhang Fu again in the evening.
Just as he left Xu Kuo’s room, a scribe rushed over at top speed, out of breath, saying, “Sir, sir! There’s a disturbance in the streets. It seems the mule cart of Scholar Du was startled, and Lady Du was injured!”