Chapter 359: King Zhao’s Testimony, the Emperor’s Chosen Entourage

Concerned about Zhu Di’s remark that he would arrive at Renshou Palace in three days, Zhang Yue got up early that day. After washing up and having breakfast, he was about to head to the palace when a young girl rushed over like the wind, saying someone from the palace had sent her. Full of doubt, he hurried over and found an old face.
“Lord Zhang, it’s our reunion again. I now hold the position of supervisor of the Eastern Depot, so I probably won’t be able to deliver messages anymore. This is likely the last time I come to convey a message.” Happy times lifted Lu Feng’s spirits—he was beaming with joy. After sizing Zhang Yue up, he reminded him, “The Emperor isn’t in Renshou Palace to see you today, so I’ve been sent to inform you. Don’t wear official robes; just put on something suitable for riding.”
Riding? Where was he going today?
Zhang Yue didn’t expect to get anything out of eunuch Lu Feng, so he spent time thinking about what to wear on the way back. While Lingxi and Hupo were busy searching through the trunk, he instructed, “Don’t just focus on silk and such. I remember making a sapphire-blue cloud-silk arrow sleeve for convenience when practicing martial arts with Old Peng. Find that, and also bring a pair of deerhide boots. Qiuhen, get me the long sword and bow I used for training.”
These words surprised the three girls, but seeing Zhang Yue’s calm demeanor, they assumed nothing serious had happened and proceeded to follow his instructions. Once Zhang Yue quickly put on the arrow sleeve, Qiuhen brought over the sword and bow, then couldn’t help asking, “Young master, aren’t you going to the palace to see the Emperor? This looks more like you’re going to war.”
“Better to be prepared,” Zhang Yue replied, slinging the sword around his waist and taking the zelkova wood bow. He smiled and said, “Don’t worry. The Emperor isn’t just in a whim to go hunting incognito; he might also want to check out the military camps. I need to be fully prepared. Otherwise, if he hands me a powerful bow that requires great strength to draw, it would be embarrassing if I can’t use it. Wait for me to return.”
Meanwhile, Lu Feng waited in Ruiqing Hall for Zhang Yue, who was late. After examining him from head to toe, his complaints turned into astonishment: “Lord Zhang, I didn’t say a word, yet how did you know the Emperor plans to leave the city for the military camps and hunt along the way?”

Zhang Yue smiled without answering. Such a minor incident was like a small splash on the water’s surface, disappearing in an instant. He followed Lu Feng around Beijing for a long time, taking a full twenty minutes to reach their destination. There, he found Zhu Di riding a tall horse, surrounded by thirty or forty strong men, with Yuan Fang clearly among them. He also saw two other familiar faces—his brother-in-law Meng Jun and his second uncle Zhang Fu! Next to Zhang Fu stood another tall, thin man in his early thirties, dressed in a brocade robe with rose-purple patterns of prosperity, covered in a sable fur coat, whose eyes kept scanning him.

When Zhang Yue stepped forward to pay his respects, Zhu Di waved his hand. “Since we’re all incognito, there’s no need for formalities. You’re quite sensible to have changed into such clothes. Did Lu Feng tell you this trip is for hunting?”

As soon as he spoke, the man in the brocade robe laughed and said, “Father, isn’t this just asking something you already know? They’ve gone to Qingzhou to kill people together and have handled affairs in the south as well. It’s only natural for Little Lu to give a reminder. Now that everyone’s here, shall we set off?”

“Zhao… Third Young Master, you’re wronging me!” Although Zhu Di seemed amused and not angry, Lu Feng refused to take the blame for leaking secrets and quickly explained, “My lord, when I went to deliver a message to Young Master Zhang, I only asked him to change into something suitable for riding; I didn’t say anything else. It was only when he came out in these clothes that I was so amazed I blurted it out…”

“Enough, enough. He’s always very clever. Do I not know him?” Zhu Di waved his whip irritably, then nodded at Zhang Yue. “It’s good that you’re prepared. You recognize the others; this is my third son. You can wait to pay your respects after we return. Third son, don’t pick on people for no reason. Now that everyone’s here, let’s go!”

Seeing that the tall, thin man wore a sable fur coat and had a somewhat similar appearance to Zhu Di, Zhang Yue had guessed he might be the Prince of Zhao. But while it was just a guess, he was surprised to notice the affectionate tone in Zhu Di’s voice when speaking to Zhu Gao Sui, which wasn’t like his usual manner. It wasn’t until everyone had spurred their horses and rushed off that he came to his senses and hurried after them. Along the way, he noticed burly men in plain clothes at key intersections, realizing that Yuan Fang, the commander of the Jinyiwei, had already made arrangements. After all, an emperor’s incognito trip wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

Winters in Beijing have always been cold, so since the twelfth lunar month, only prisoners conscripted from all over the country continued to work on construction sites, while craftsmen and other laborers took turns resting. Even the wealthy families transferred from the south to reinforce Beijing could not escape the conscription duties; every family had to send someone to work. Thus, as Zhang Yue rode out of the city, he saw many people working hard against the bitter cold by the city walls. Distracted, he didn’t notice that someone ahead had slowed down their horse to ride alongside him.

“My second brother once took in a family. The head of that family was a prisoner sentenced to death for a minor crime, forced to build city walls in the cold weather. He had to pay thousands of taels of silver to free them. Zhang Yue, I heard that this family has some connection to you. Is that true?”

Only then did Zhang Yue realize the person beside him was Prince Zhao, Zhu Gao Sui. Of the three princes, he had only met Crown Prince Zhu Gao Chi once. Though he hadn’t noticed anything unusual, based on what he knew of history, that prince was the kind who pretended to be weak while actually being cunning. As for Prince Han, Zhu Gao Xu, he had inherited only Zhu Di’s temper and irritability, not the emperor’s calm and insightful way of judging people. As for Zhu Gao Sui, whom he was meeting for the first time today, he certainly didn’t want any involvement with him.

Although he still remembered saying goodbye to that family of three at the Daxiangguo Temple and Meng Min’s kind act of helping them at that time, Zhang Yue understood better that those three had already entered the prince’s mansion. Once inside a noble household, the challenges grew even greater. Ignoring them might allow them to live peacefully; but if he got involved, their fate would be uncertain.

So he deliberately pretended to be confused: “Third Prince, please forgive me. What are you saying…?”

Zhu Gao Sui frowned slightly before saying cheerfully, “Nobles often forget things. It’s no wonder you don’t remember. That family is doing well now. Although the mother lost her son, my second brother happened to have a son of his own, so he took her as a wet nurse. As for that girl whose name was changed to Cui Mo, my second brother sent her to the fourth daughter of the Meng family. After all, Meng Xian has served me for so many years. Now that he has lost his wife and many of his servants are unreliable, I have to help him out.”

After saying this, Zhu Gao Sui laughed heartily, waved his whip, and chased after Zhu Di and his entourage who had already gone far ahead. Zhang Yue, filled with shock, stayed in place for a moment before fiercely whipping his horse’s flanks. Since Zhu Gao Sui could say such things right in Zhu Di’s face, he surely wasn’t afraid of Zhu Di reporting him. In fact, even Zhu Gao Xu, the King of Han with irrefutable evidence against him, couldn’t be dealt with—let alone Zhu Gao Sui, the King of Zhao, who had long reined in his nature and become extremely cunning.

What was even more concerning was Meng Xian, who still couldn’t let go. Didn’t this man know what it meant to seek his own death?

Since they said they were going hunting by the way, the group headed straight for the military camp. Upon arriving at the gate, Yuan Fang took out the Jinyiwei pass and went to negotiate personally. The guards at the gate were sensible and immediately went to inform Marquis Anyuan Liu Sheng. Soon, Liu Sheng, dressed in military attire, came out with a few attendants. When he saw Zhu Di surrounded by heavy guards, he was shocked and quickly rushed forward, but didn’t dare to bow rashly.

“What, do you also want to imitate Zhou Yafu’s Xiliu Camp?”

Liu Sheng was brave but careless, yet if he had been completely reckless, he wouldn’t have risen from a deputy commander of the left army to a marquis after the Jingnan Campaign. After giving a military salute, he said with a smile, “Not to mention the military camp—this whole world belongs to Your Majesty. Wherever you wish to go, there’s no place you can’t go. If you had told me earlier, I would have gathered everyone to train right away, so you could see how much progress our mighty Ming army has made!”

“Since you say so, you must have a solid plan,” Zhu Di said, no longer caring about hunting, his interest piqued. “Today, there are both scholars and warriors here. Since you’ve made such a claim, you should show us what kind of troops you’ve trained.”

“It’s not that I’ve trained certain troops, but rather that I’ve trained troops according to Your Majesty’s methods.” Liu Sheng glanced behind the emperor and barely spotted Zhang Yue, who could be considered a civil official. His gaze lingered several times on Zhang Yue’s silk sleeves with arrow patterns, filled with curiosity. But he quickly set those thoughts aside. “Your Majesty once said that the firearms in the Divine Machine Camp must be improved thoroughly, and their combat tactics also need careful study. I’ve been pushing the people in the Military Equipment Bureau to improve the muskets day after day. Recently, we’ve finally developed a few new models, and the training in the Divine Machine Camp has also improved significantly.”

Hearing these words, not only were the others all excited, but Zhang Yue too became curious. He certainly knew that at that time, the Ming Dynasty, under the rule of a war-loving emperor like Zhu Di, was unrelenting in its use of force—although it was considered aggressive, excessive retaliation in his view was even worse. He really wanted to know what special things or tactics the Divine Strategy Camp had. Yet, to his surprise, after glancing around, the emperor pointed at him and Yuan Fang. “Zhang Yue and Yuan Fang, take two Imperial Guards with me to the Divine Strategy Camp. The third brother, take the others hunting. At noon, I want to see what you’ve caught.”