Chapter 149: Who Takes the Fall?

After the initial shock and stunned silence, everyone snapped back to reality and hurriedly asked, "How did he die?"

Han Kuang in particular felt his heart sink straight to the bottom.

What was this all about? If he submitted the case files he had been reviewing, combined with Zou Yuanbiao's death, what would he look like?

The label of "cruel official" might well land on his head. This was truly disaster descending from the heavens!

The Embroidered Uniform Guard messenger lay prostrate on the ground, his face twisted in misery, and said hurriedly, "We don't know either. This morning Zou Yuanbiao was perfectly fine—eating and drinking normally. Just now when we went over, we found him already dead inside."

As he said this, he was on the verge of tears.

In truth, inside the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Imperial Prison, a death or two was nothing major. Not to mention the Imperial Prison—in prisons all across the realm, didn't people die every single year?

A death now wasn't itself a big deal, but it mattered who died, and it mattered when they died.

If he had died a few days ago, the matter would have been far smaller. But dying right at this critical point in the case review—how could that be explained?

"Let's go take a look." Han Kuang hurriedly ordered, and at the same time said to the clerk, "Seal all the case files. Without my order, no one is permitted to view them."

As he spoke, Han Kuang turned to look at Wei Zhongxian and Luo Sigong standing off to the side, and said in a stern tone, "You two—if your people dare touch those case files, you will bear the consequences."

Wei Zhongxian and Luo Sigong hastily waved their hands. At a time like this, only a fool would touch the case files.

Whoever touched the files would look guilty. Who would make such an error at a moment like this? If His Majesty found out, wouldn't everyone be done for?

So they simply said nothing and hurried off to look at the corpse.

The group rushed out of the main hall and headed straight for the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Imperial Prison.

When they arrived at the dark, cold Imperial Prison, nothing at the scene had been disturbed. Clearly no one dared to touch this matter—all the petty clerks were waiting for these great personages to arrive.

When they saw Han Kuang and the other two arrive, everyone immediately scattered to the sides.

Han Kuang, Wei Zhongxian, and Luo Sigong entered the prison and came to the cell, where the first thing they saw was Zou Yuanbiao lying there with his head tilted to one side.

Zou Yuanbiao's face was a lifeless waxy yellow—clearly he had been dead for some time.

The faces of Han Kuang and the other two instantly turned black as ash. This time, they would not be able to explain themselves.

"Investigate how he died." Wei Zhongxian flicked the horsetail whisk in his hand and said in a displeased tone.

Han Kuang and Luo Sigong naturally raised no objection.

Soon, people from both the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot arrived, and they examined Zou Yuanbiao's corpse in shifts. In the end, they reached a preliminary conclusion: Zou Yuanbiao had not died of poisoning, nor of external injury.

"Lord Zou's body bears no knife wounds, no signs of slit wrists, and no marks of a bitten tongue. Based on the current evidence, he likely suffered a sudden onset of some illness and died of it." The Eastern Depot's coroner said slowly.

"Gentlemen, Lord Zou was already past seventy, and his constitution was weak to begin with. After days of hardship in this cell, he probably couldn't hold on any longer." The coroner said with some difficulty, then stepped aside.

Luo Sigong glanced at the Embroidered Uniform Guard man, signaling him to speak as well.

At a time like this, he naturally couldn't shirk his duty, so the Embroidered Uniform Guard's corpse examiner also spoke up: "Indeed, it's because of this. I too suspect he died of illness. At such an advanced age, even a chill could prove fatal—let alone in a cell like this."

Hearing this, Luo Sigong waved his hand impatiently and cut him off directly.

A subordinate like this ought to be dragged out and beheaded. What did he mean by "a cell like this"?

What was wrong with the Embroidered Uniform Guard's cells? I'm trying to push the blame away, and you're pulling it into our arms? Can't you just say he died of a relapse of an old illness?

No brains—who recruited this man? Everyone involved will be severely punished later!

Wei Zhongxian and Luo Sigong both turned to Han Kuang, the meaning clear: it was his turn to step forward.

Han Kuang was furious at the both of them.

Now you remember me? What were you thinking just now? You only think of me at times like this—truly all in the same boat. Seeing the boat about to sink, you can't wait to push me overboard!

But Han Kuang also knew he couldn't dodge this. Still, being stared at by these two made him uncomfortable, so he opened his mouth and first jabbed at Wei Zhongxian: "This man was previously held in the Eastern Depot's prison. Did Eunuch Wei not notice anything? That shouldn't be the case, should it?"

Seeing the blame about to land on his head, Wei Zhongxian instinctively took a step back. I haven't said much all day—don't you dare pin this on me!

Wei Zhongxian waved his hand directly and said with a look of certainty, "When he was in my Eastern Depot, he was perfectly fine—eating and sleeping well. I am not the sort to mistreat people. Every day physicians came to see them and tend to their health—they were in tip-top shape."

Luo Sigong on the side was having none of it. So it's my fault now? Your Eastern Depot bungled the case—if you'd closed it earlier, none of this would have happened.

Now it drags in our Embroidered Uniform Guard. What did we do to deserve this? From the very start of this affair I haven't participated at all, and now you want to drag me in? You're dreaming!

Luo Sigong looked at Wei Zhongxian and said directly, "This has nothing to do with our Embroidered Uniform Guard. After these people came to us, we treated every one of them well every single day. If anything happened, it was from before."

Glancing at the two men, Han Kuang thought to himself, the two of you should just tear each other apart like dogs. After all, I'm only here to review the case—my responsibility certainly isn't great. But I can't fully extricate myself either, especially once my case files are submitted—then I'll definitely be standing at the center of the storm.

But there was no time for that now. The case files were already finished and reviewed; he couldn't very well go modify or destroy them at this point—that would make his crime truly enormous.

But the pressing matter now wasn't any of this. After letting these two tear at each other, he should head to the palace.

"Gentlemen, now is not the time for quarreling. Shouldn't we go to the palace and report this to His Majesty?"

The two exchanged a glance, then turned to look at Han Kuang with distinctly unfriendly expressions.

Now you play the good man—it was you stirring up trouble just a moment ago. But both men knew this wasn't the time to argue with Han Kuang. The first priority was to get to the palace and see His Majesty.

The three quickly reached a consensus and hurried to the palace.

At this time, in the Forbidden City, inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youxiao was listening to Chen Hong's report, and with a hint of hesitation on his face asked, "Did your people keep watch? How exactly did Zou Yuanbiao die?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, he was not murdered—it should have been a relapse of an old illness." Chen Hong said hurriedly.

Zhu Youxiao nodded, but he also knew this was useless. No matter how this matter was explained, it wouldn't help—no one would believe Zou Yuanbiao died of illness.

People would always believe there was something behind the matter, that it couldn't be simple, that there must be a conspiracy.

So explaining was useless, and clearing it up was impossible.

"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Han Kuang of the Grand Secretariat, Wei Zhongxian of the Eastern Depot, and Luo Sigong, Regional Military Commissioner of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, are outside requesting an audience." After hearing a young eunuch's report, Chen Hong hurried to Zhu Youxiao's side and spoke slowly.

Zhu Youxiao nodded lightly and said, "Let them in."

Their coming to him now was within his expectations. With such a major incident, they would naturally come to report to him first, then ask him what to do. None of them wanted to bear the responsibility, and none dared to make the decision themselves.

So in the end, this matter would still fall on his shoulders. Zhu Youxiao sighed inwardly—he was probably going to have the label of "fatuous ruler" slapped on him.

The charge of "persecuting loyal officials" would be pinned on him, and Zou Yuanbiao's death was just the beginning. Who knew what stories these people would spin about him. But there was no helping it—what had to be borne still had to be borne. Or should he let someone else take the fall?

Would Wei Zhongxian be suitable, or Luo Sigong? Or Han Kuang?

While Zhu Youxiao was mulling this over, the three men finally walked in from outside.

After they had performed their rites, Zhu Youxiao asked, "Three of my beloved ministers have come together—is there some matter?"

Han Kuang stepped forward; it was his turn to speak, as he was the chief examiner. So he recounted the entire affair in detail, including the results of the inspections by the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, with the preliminary conclusion being death by illness.

Nodding lightly, Zhu Youxiao frowned and asked, "How could such a thing happen?"

None of the three said a word—who the hell knew why such a thing had happened? Your Majesty, if you ask us to explain, we can't explain it either, so we might as well not speak at all.

Zhu Youxiao knew that none of these three goods wanted to take the blame; in plain terms, they wanted to tell the outside world that Zou Yuanbiao had died of illness. As for how outsiders might think or criticize, they didn't care—couldn't they just play the turtle pulling its head into its shell?

Curse all you want; I'll lie on the ground and not move—can't the matter still blow over?

As for the thinking of these three, Zhu Youxiao wanted to slap each of them—how could this matter be handled this way? This kind of operation simply wouldn't do.

Zhu Youxiao looked at Han Kuang and said, "The case will be suspended here for now. Compile the interrogation records and send them to the palace. Han Kuang, I appoint you as Chief Mourning Minister, with full authority over Zou Yuanbiao's funeral arrangements."

This was also a benefit the court gave to its ministers: if you died in office, the court would arrange for someone to handle your funeral—that person was the Chief Mourning Minister—and would also arrange for someone to notify your family so they could come to receive your remains.

Han Kuang's mouth was full of bitterness; being made to take this post might well get him cursed to death.

But with the matter at hand, he could not decline, so he could only bow and say, "Your servant obeys Your Majesty's decree."

After instructing Han Kuang, Zhu Youxiao turned his gaze to Luo Sigong and Wei Zhongxian. "The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot—this matter occurred on the ground of you two. Go and investigate it thoroughly for me. I set a deadline for solving the case; exceed it, and you will be severely punished."

The two exchanged a glance, then both performed the salute and said, "Your servants obey the decree."

No matter how the matter was ultimately handled, the posture had to be struck first; no matter how absurd the final result, the process had to be earnest—and it had to be earnest from top to bottom.

"Alright, you three go attend to your duties." Zhu Youxiao said.

Watching the three depart, Zhu Youxiao said to Chen Hong, "Go to the Zou residence and offer my condolences on my behalf. If they have any requests, ask them for me."

This kind of attitude still had to be maintained.