Chapter 520: Eight Steps Chasing the Cicada

Zhang Wei was hauled up from the ground by two Embroidered Uniform Guard officers, his expression extremely ugly.

He didn't think Chen Hong's words were anything good. By now, he had long lost all confidence in his heart and was scared to death. As for what he had said earlier, he wished he could slap himself a few times.

"Just now I heard you say you have all those close connections—someone's selling a courtyard in the capital, someone's selling a shop in the capital? I'm not getting any younger; it's time I made preparations. I received quite a few rewards when I was serving His Majesty before, so I really ought to acquire some family property."

As he spoke, Chen Hong sat down on a chair nearby, sizing up Zhang Wei up and down with a brilliant smile on his face. "Since you have such connections, why not introduce a few to me as well? We can be said to be exchanging what we have for what we lack. Since the prices are cheap, I can buy a bit more."

"You can reach all the way to the capital from Yangzhou. Aside from Yangzhou, do you have any property in places like Jiangnan? Or do you know anyone who wants to sell property? The price can be negotiated—as long as everyone's satisfied. Don't even talk about a five-courtyard compound; a three-courtyard one will do for me. I'm not picky."

"Besides, there are plenty of gardens in Jiangnan too. Getting me a garden would also work. 'One should grow old only in Jiangnan—with a hundred thousand strings of cash at one's waist, riding a crane down to Yangzhou.' I don't have a hundred thousand strings, but ten thousand I do have. So? With such long reach and so many matters under your control, can you manage it or not?"

After hearing this, Zhang Wei didn't know what to feel in his heart.

If Chen Hong really wanted to extort him—even if he stripped away every last bit of his wealth—Zhang Wei wouldn't be afraid.

As the saying goes, heaven gave me talents for a reason; even if a thousand in gold is scattered, it will return again. Of course, Li Bai's poem was about himself—with Li Bai's character and Li Bai's poetic genius, of course heaven gave him talents for a reason, and a thousand in gold scattered would return again.

On the one hand, Li Bai was mocking himself for not being given due recognition; on the other, he was saying that money gone is money gone—bold and unrestrained.

But applied to someone else, it might not hold. You don't have Li Bai's abilities.

But Zhang Wei wasn't afraid. Although he didn't have that ability, he had the merchants of Jiangnan behind him, especially the Han family.

This time he had done the Han family a great favor. What's more, he had helped them get connected to Chen Hong. They would definitely be willing to pay up—never mind several hundred thousand taels; even if it were over a million, so what?

However, if Chen Hong was being sarcastic, then things might be bad.

Zhang Wei stood off to the side without speaking, instead looking at Chen Hong with a pleading gaze, his face the very picture of deference.

Chen Hong didn't look at Zhang Wei at all. He turned his head toward Xu Xianchun at the door and said with a dark face and unpleasant tone: "You just have no good intentions. Enough. I won't quibble with you over this matter—this time it's a family affair of mine. But in this place called Jiangnan, I have no one by my side. You need to investigate this matter thoroughly for me.

"And one more thing—this must not leak out. If anyone wants to leak word of this, I think you should understand what to do?"

"Rest assured, Your Excellency, this subordinate understands." Xu Xianchun nodded with a smile and said: "Don't be angry, Your Excellency. After all, this is one of your own people. We'll investigate privately—he won't find out, right?"

"Don't talk nonsense." Chen Hong said with a frown.

If these words reached His Majesty's ears, what would His Majesty think of him?

"The man is in your hands. Investigate thoroughly, see exactly how much property he has. Speaking so grandly—this is the first time I've seen such a thing." Chen Hong took a slow sip of tea.

"Rest assured, Your Excellency, I guarantee a thorough investigation." Xu Xianchun said with a smile.

"There's one more matter I must ask Your Excellency's permission for. Investigating the residence of the garrison eunuch will likely offend some of the other eunuchs. Could Eunuch Chen send someone to accompany us? People like us aren't in a suitable position." Xu Xianchun asked tentatively.

Chen Hong glanced at Xu Xianchun and understood his meaning.

If he didn't send someone, Xu Xianchun would certainly report this matter to His Majesty, and might even investigate secretly—but he would absolutely never truly offend that many eunuchs, because that would be courting death.

This matter was getting more and more frightening, but Chen Hong wasn't afraid. What kind of person was he now?

Brush-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, His Majesty's personal attendant—there was no eunuch in the entire palace with a higher position than him. Wei Zhongxian, Wei Chao—none of them could compare to him.

As long as Chen Hong took the seat of seal-holder of the Directorate of Ceremonial, he would be the head of all eunuchs. So offending eunuchs was nothing he feared. No eunuch dared to challenge him—anyone who did would be killed outright.

Even Wei Zhongxian and Wei Chao wouldn't interfere in such matters. They were the ones on top and wouldn't allow those below to make noise.

In other words, if Xu Xianchun were told to offend the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he would dare to do it too.

Chen Hong said: "Chen Sheng, come here. You heard everything I and Lord Xu just said, didn't you?"

"Yes, godfather, I heard it all clearly." Chen Sheng said hurriedly.

Xu Xianchun turned his head to look and saw a young eunuch in his twenties.

Within the eunuch community, this counted as relatively young. Hearing how the two addressed each other, Xu Xianchun knew this was a godson Chen Hong had recently taken in.

Once a eunuch reached Chen Hong's position, he would basically start taking in godsoons. But such godsoons were more for the purpose of consolidating one's power and providing for one's old age—this was a common practice among eunuchs.

While in power, godsoons could help with work and consolidate authority. This was just like the master-disciple relationships among civil officials. Within the eunuch community, a godson betraying his godfather was also looked down upon and despised—this was the unspoken rule among eunuchs, because all eunuchs did it this way.

At the same time, the godfather would actively help his godson rise in rank. On the one hand, this was for the sake of their bond; on the other, he wanted to push his godson to a high position so that when he himself eventually fell from power, his godson could protect his safety and preserve his wealth and honor.

In this regard, eunuchs could be said to have an orderly tradition of succession.

But what Xu Xianchun focused on wasn't these matters—it was the young eunuch before him named Chen Sheng.

Given Chen Hong's current position in the palace, there were plenty of young eunuchs trying to curry favor with him, and even more who wanted to become his godson. For this Chen Sheng to stand out from the crowd showed that his methods were no ordinary thing.

"Alright, then you'll follow Lord Xu. Do you understand how to do things?" Chen Hong looked at Chen Sheng and asked directly.

"I understand. Rest assured, godfather." Chen Sheng nodded and said.

"Alright, then I'll leave this place to you two." Glancing at Xu Xianchun, Chen Hong then turned to look at Zhang Wei and said: "People are most afraid of lacking self-awareness—they die without even knowing how."

Having said this, Chen Hong let out a sigh, turned, and walked out.

Chen Sheng respectfully saw Chen Hong off.

After Chen Hong had left, Chen Sheng turned to look at Xu Xianchun, bowed respectfully, and said with a gentle smile on his face: "I ask Lord Xu to look after me."

"You're too kind, Eunuch." Xu Xianchun said, looking at Chen Sheng.

After the two exchanged greetings, Chen Sheng turned and walked to Zhang Wei, saying: "Lord Xu, since it's inconvenient for you, let me handle this matter. I'll give you an accounting shortly."

Xu Xianchun nodded and said: "Then I'll trouble Young Eunuch Chen."

Chen Sheng waved his hand toward the outside.

Four young and sturdy inner attendants walked in. They glanced at Chen Sheng, bowed, and said: "Greetings, Young Eunuch Chen."

"Go to the garrison eunuch's residence. Bring Zhang Wei's trusted men here, and grab a few more besides—about seven or eight people in total."

"Yes, Young Eunuch Chen." The several inner attendants acknowledged, turned, and walked out.

Chen Sheng turned to look at Xu Xianchun and said: "Could Lord Xu send a few men to follow along? My people aren't really skilled at this sort of thing—we don't want anyone slipping away halfway."

"Very well, Young Eunuch Chen." Xu Xianchun agreed readily, turned, and gave orders for men to follow.

Before long, the people were brought in—eight inner attendants in total, kneeling in a row outside.

These were all men who followed Zhang Wei, attending to him in daily life—some were trusted confidants, some were not.

Chen Sheng said to the people inside the room: "Bring Zhang Wei out."

Soon someone dragged Zhang Wei out.

At this moment, Zhang Wei's face was deathly pale. He knew that this time he was truly finished. He had no thought of resistance at all—there was simply no chance, nothing he could do.

Chen Sheng glanced at Zhang Wei, then said to several sturdy eunuchs, "Drag him down and break his legs first."

The moment he finished speaking, two eunuchs stepped forward, dragged Zhang Wei away, and pressed him directly onto a long bench stained with blood.

Then two more eunuchs came over, holding wide, thick boards, and began to strike him with a flurry of crackling blows.

First came the beating with boards, then the driving downward.

Watching this scene, Chen Sheng turned to Xu Xianchun beside him and said, "Does Lord Xu know what this technique is called?"

Xu Xianchun glanced at the two eunuchs wielding the boards and said with a smile, "Eight Steps Chasing the Cicada."

Hearing this, Chen Sheng broke into a smile and said, "Lord Xu truly has keen insight."

"Can they manage it?" Xu Xianchun continued watching the two eunuchs, then turned to Chen Sheng and asked, "From what I know, Eight Steps Chasing the Cicada is no easy skill to master. Ordinary men don't have such ability."

"No, they can't. Beating downward, eight blows can only break the leg into two pieces—reducing it to eight fragments is beyond them. Beating upward, they can only drive out some of the lungs; driving out the heart is beyond them." Chen Sheng said with some regret, "Otherwise, we could demonstrate it for more people to see."

Xu Xianchun nodded and said, "This skill is not yet refined! It evolved from Driving Out the Lungs—I never imagined no one could master it."

"Can't the men of the Embroidered Uniform Guard do it?" Chen Sheng asked with a smile.

"Our men's technique is too crude." Xu Xianchun shook his head helplessly and complained, "A bunch of rough hands—how could they handle such delicate work? When they strike, it's all... let's not even mention it."