Chapter 501: Yangzhou Slim Horses

At this moment, Duke Wei's heart was already seething with hatred—why couldn't these people just talk more quietly? And why did they have to come to this place? Had they taken the wrong medicine?

Duke Wei stole a glance at Chen Hong and found that this old eunuch was also looking at him, and with such a sinister smile on his face.

This made Duke Wei gnash his teeth in fury.

What do you mean by looking at me like that?

You're still looking at me? Still looking?

Fine, look all you want—I just won't look at you.

Duke Wei turned his head away directly and began pondering what to do next.

The people over there had clearly finished their business and had truly started carousing, calling in many young women.

At that moment, Chen Hong stood up and said, "I think we've seen enough here. We can now go report to Your Majesty. Duke Wei, how about going together with me?"

Looking at Chen Hong's smug expression, Duke Wei wanted to retort: if I said I didn't want to go, would that even be allowed? Why ask such useless nonsense!

Duke Wei could only steel himself and force a smile, saying, "Of course. Eunuch Chen, after you."

"Oh no, no." Chen Hong hastily waved his hand and said, "I'm just a man without balls, serving at His Majesty's side. How could I dare break propriety? Your Grace is a pillar of the court, guarding Nanjing for the Great Ming for generations. Your Grace should go first."

Duke Wei glanced at Chen Hong and produced a very ugly smile.

He didn't know whether Chen Hong's words were deliberate or unintentional, but he felt that these seemingly complimentary words were filled with thick mockery.

This made Duke Wei quite displeased, but this was not the time to lose his temper.

The two left Room Tian No. 2 and quickly turned into Room Tian No. 3.

Seeing Duke Wei and the other man walk in, Zhu Youxiao smiled and said, "It seems matters are concluded. Come, tell me all about it."

Having said this, Zhu Youxiao set down his teacup and looked at the two with an expression of keen interest.

Chen Yu'er stood up at this moment and said, "Young master, this humble woman will take her leave now."

She was indeed a clever woman, knowing what she should hear and what she should not.

Zhu Youxiao did not make things difficult for Chen Yu'er either. He simply nodded and said, "Fine, you may go out first. After you leave, find Qian Laosan and have him make arrangements for you."

"When you leave later, come along with us. I'll need someone to attend to me these days. Arriving in Nanjing city, unfamiliar with the place and with no one close at hand—it would truly be a dampener. You seem decent enough, so stay by my side."

When Zhu Youxiao said this, his tone was very flat, but that was not the point.

The point was that while saying these words, Zhu Youxiao was not looking at Chen Yu'er—he was looking at Duke Wei.

The words carried a hidden meaning, which made Duke Wei feel as if he were sitting on a bed of needles.

Although the words were about her, there was no intention of asking her opinion at all. Chen Yu'er also knew she had no way to resist, so she obediently nodded and withdrew, closing the door behind her from the outside.

After Chen Yu'er left, Duke Wei lifted his robes and knelt on the ground. Without the slightest hesitation, he said directly, "Your Majesty, your subject is guilty!"

Hearing this, Zhu Youxiao was startled for a moment, then quickly stood up, walked before Duke Wei, and reached out to support him, asking, "What is the meaning of this, Duke? Please rise, please rise. At your advanced age, why go to such lengths?"

Having said this, Zhu Youxiao helped Duke Wei up and said, "Even if there were something—let alone nothing at all—I would not say a word about it. Your Grace need not do this."

After speaking, Zhu Youxiao looked at Chen Hong and said, "Has something implicated the Duke Wei mansion?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Chen Hong hastily answered from the side.

Although Duke Wei had been helped to a seat by Zhu Youxiao and comforted with words, Duke Wei knew full well in his heart that he could not extricate himself from this matter at all.

The Emperor's words—just listen and let them pass. Could you really take them at face value?

Whoever took them seriously would be a fool.

Duke Wei was clearly no fool. If His Majesty did not intend to deal with him, he would not have been summoned here. This was plainly meant to rap him on the knuckles.

Of course, if His Majesty truly wanted him dead, he would not have been summoned here either. To put it plainly: His Majesty wanted to discipline him, and discipline him harshly, to make him bleed heavily.

As for those comforting words, they were just meant to be heard and forgotten. Or perhaps to tell Duke Wei: you still have a way out, no need to fight to the death.

Of course, it could also be deliberate consolation, only to kill him later.

Regardless, Duke Wei could not escape involvement in this matter. He would just have to take the beating and accept the punishment. So Duke Wei adjusted his mindset and sat there waiting for Chen Hong to speak, since there was no avoiding it.

"Then let's hear it." Zhu Youxiao also sat back down and said, "Who were those people?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, they were several salt merchants from Yangzhou." Chen Hong said.

"Salt merchants?" Zhu Youxiao glanced at Chen Hong and set down his teacup with some hesitation, saying, "They deal in salt. How could they be implicated with the Duke Wei mansion? Even if the Duke Wei mansion also deals in salt, that's hardly a big deal."

"Duke Wei has rendered meritorious service to the court and to the imperial house. Not only is he a noble of merit, but also a noble by marriage. With such a large household and many mouths to feed, daily expenses are considerable—all of this, I can understand."

Having said this, Zhu Youxiao looked at Duke Wei again and said, "Your Grace need not be so concerned. This is nothing serious."

Zhu Youxiao's tone was casual, his attitude gentle—he had even brought up the noble-by-marriage connection.

Why noble by marriage?

Wasn't it because their family had once produced Empress Xu, the empress of Emperor Chengzu, Zhu Di?

Duke Wei instead felt as if he were sitting on needles and pins, finding not the slightest comfort. He felt terrible all over.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, these people did not speak of salt matters." Chen Hong glanced at Duke Wei and said.

"Didn't speak of salt matters?" Zhu Youxiao looked at Chen Hong with a strange expression and asked, "Aren't they salt merchants? Why wouldn't they talk about salt? Do they have other business then?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, they spoke of matters concerning people." Chen Hong said again, "Several of these men are behind-the-scenes managers of pleasure boats on the Qinhuai River, and among them is one steward of the Duke Wei mansion."

"Oh, I see!" Zhu Youxiao wore an expression of sudden realization, then turned to look at Duke Wei and asked, "So the Duke's mansion also has business on the Qinhuai River?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject is guilty!" Duke Wei hastily said.

Far from being angry, Zhu Youxiao instead sighed with a look of guilt and said, "It is not your fault—it is mine. It is my failure. For a house like the Duke Wei mansion, which has served the Great Ming loyally for generations, to have fallen into such poverty that it must rely on running brothels to make a living—this is the imperial house's failing."

"It is my fault. I never imagined that those below were living in such hardship! It is truly heartbreaking! Duke Wei, in recent years the state's finances have been strained, and I simply could not spare the attention."

"Your Majesty!"

Hearing these words, Duke Wei immediately prostrated himself on the ground, his body trembling as he kowtowed, striking his head against the floor again and again without stopping.

The Emperor's words—you could not take them at face value, and you could not even take them in reverse.

Were these good words?

These were words that killed a man's heart!

Duke Wei knew very well what kind of life these people led, and they all knew in their hearts how much they took from the state every year.

In order to appease people like them, the imperial house bestowed gifts at every festival and New Year, and all sorts of things from the palace had never been lacking.

Even when the Emperor's own circumstances were difficult, the gifts still came at every festival and New Year—one could say they were held in very high regard. Those with official grace received salaries, and their children had standing—if their lives counted as miserable, then what did the common folk endure?

Glancing at Duke Wei, who was prostrate on the ground, Zhu Youxiao's smile vanished this time as he said directly: "Duke Wei, stand up first, and obediently hear me out."

"I never said you were wrong. As for whether it's right or wrong, let's wait until Chen Hong has finished speaking."

Seeing Duke Wei still lying on the ground, Zhu Youxiao frowned and said: "What? Does my word carry no weight?"

Upon hearing this, Duke Wei hastily scrambled up from the ground, obediently stood to one side, and waited quietly.

He knew that His Majesty was truly angry this time—he was finished! He had no idea how his household would be dealt with.

Glancing at Chen Hong, Zhu Youxiao instructed: "Continue."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Chen Hong hastily acknowledged, then continued: "They actually came to discuss a batch of people, and said that because of Your Majesty's arrival, this was the last batch. Whenever Your Majesty departs, they will begin again."

"What people?" Zhu Youxiao narrowed his eyes and asked slowly.

"Girls bought from salt-making households." Chen Hong stole a glance at Zhu Youxiao and said slowly: "After buying these girls, they divided them into two groups. One group was selected and sent to Yangzhou, and the other was sent here. From their conversation, there are girls every year, and the numbers are considerable."

After hearing this, Zhu Youxiao said nothing for a long while.

The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy.

The so-called salt-making households were actually a class at the very bottom of the Great Ming—they were common folk who boiled salt, generation after generation doing the same work. Compared to hereditary military households, the salt-making households had it even worse.

Military household, military household—at least there's a 'military' in front.

But the salt-making households—they were even further down.

Zhu Youxiao glanced at Duke Wei and asked: "The ones sent to Yangzhou—those are the famous Yangzhou sing-song girls, aren't they?"

Upon hearing this, Duke Wei's body trembled, and he said fearfully: "In reply to Your Majesty, that is correct."

"Good, good." Zhu Youxiao nodded, his gaze instantly turning icy cold, yet a brilliant smile remained on his face as he said: "Well done!"

"Colluding with the salt merchants to exploit the salt-making households—taking their salt wasn't enough, embezzling the state's money wasn't enough, but you also had to take their people?"

"Do you go there every year to pick through them? See which family has a pretty girl, and if she catches your eye, take her away?"