Chapter 66: Xue Guoyong Is Dead?

"Your Majesty, Censor Yang Lian of the Censorate requests an audience." Chen Hong walked to Zhu Youxiao's side and said softly.

For Chen Hong, who knew the full story of everything, what Yang Lian's arrival meant was something he understood very clearly in his heart.

Yang Lian really had come, which meant Yang Lian truly intended to protect Yao Zongwen and the others, which also meant Yang Lian had chosen to stand on the opposite side of His Majesty.

Of course, Chen Hong also didn't know what his master was thinking, nor did he know in his heart whether the master truly intended to punish Yao Zongwen and the others.

Compared to Chen Hong's cautiousness, Zhu Youxiao's expression showed not the slightest change, and he said directly: "Let him in!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Chen Hong acknowledged and then went out.

After leading Yang Lian in, Chen Hong waved for the other palace attendants to leave.

"Your subject Yang Lian pays respects to Your Majesty." Yang Lian respectfully performed the ritual salute toward Zhu Youxiao.

"No need for ceremony!" Zhu Youxiao said softly, while looking Yang Lian up and down, then asked with a smile: "Has the case of framing Xiong Tingbi reached a conclusion?"

"To answer Your Majesty, that case has indeed reached a conclusion." Yang Lian said directly: "These are your subject's court hearing records and routine memorial." As he spoke, Yang Lian raised the interrogation records and memorial up with both hands.

Chen Hong hurried over to Yang Lian's side and took the memorial and interrogation records, holding them in both hands as he walked up the steps to Zhu Youxiao's side, respectfully presenting the interrogation records and memorial to Zhu Youxiao.

Reaching out, he picked up Yang Lian's memorial; as for the interrogation records, Zhu Youxiao did not look at them first, because after every court hearing Wei Zhongxian would submit a copy of the hearing records. Although Wei Zhongxian and Yang Lian did not get along, he would not be foolish enough to falsify the hearing records.

What Zhu Youxiao wanted to read was Yang Lian's memorial, to see exactly what Yang Lian would say.

Flipping through Yang Lian's memorial, Zhu Youxiao's expression showed neither pleasure nor anger, as if nothing had moved him, but he already knew what was inside.

In this memorial, Yang Lian wrote very clearly that the case of Yao Zongwen and others framing Xiong Tingbi was entirely baseless, and was the fabrication of Wei Zhongxian. From beginning to end, this case had been manufactured by Wei Zhongxian. Yang Lian also impeached Wei Zhongxian at the end of the memorial, requesting that His Majesty severely punish Wei Zhongxian and investigate the case of Wei Zhongxian framing Yao Zongwen and the others.

Zhu Youxiao slowly closed the memorial, gently nodded, and said flatly: "Very well, I know."

Hearing these words, both Chen Hong and Yang Lian were startled.

That's it?

A single "I know," and then nothing more?

"Does my beloved minister Yang have anything else?"

At this moment Zhu Youxiao's voice sounded again, and he raised his head to look at Yang Lian, seeming somewhat puzzled.

Hearing this, Yang Lian's heart sank, and he quickly said: "To answer Your Majesty, your subject has nothing else."

Zhu Youxiao nodded, then said with a smile: "Since my beloved minister has nothing else, then withdraw for now!"

"Yes, your subject takes his leave." Yang Lian acknowledged, and without lingering, turned around very decisively and walked out, his expression growing grave.

His Majesty had not flared up, had not questioned — clearly this situation was somewhat beyond Yang Lian's expectations.

In Yang Lian's view, things seemed to have become very bad.

After Yang Lian left, Zhu Youxiao looked at Chen Hong and said softly: "Have the Grand Secretariat draft an edict, ordering Censor-in-Chief Zou Yuanbiao of the Censorate to thoroughly investigate the case of framing Xiong Tingbi, with a joint hearing by the Three Judicial Offices."

"Yes." Chen Hong, though confused in his heart, quickly acknowledged.

After Chen Hong left, Zhu Youxiao leaned back, lounging lazily against the daybed, his face expressionless, showing neither pleasure nor anger.

News of the Three Judicial Offices joint hearing spread quickly, and many people secretly rejoiced in their hearts — sure enough, His Majesty had not removed Yang Lian, nor punished him, but had instead employed Zou Yuanbiao.

In many people's view, this meant both that His Majesty believed Yang Lian's account, and also that His Majesty could not back down.

So many people began to surge forward, submitting memorials into the palace one after another, impeaching Wei Zhongxian.

Of course, Xiong Tingbi was not left out of this either, and vaguely some had already begun to link Xiong Tingbi and Wei Zhongxian together.

The Forbidden City, Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youxiao flipped through the memorial before him, smiled lightly, then tossed the memorial onto the table: "Sure enough, give them an inch and they take a mile!"

Some people — if you retreat, they won't necessarily think you're seeking peace, but rather that you're weak. They are more likely to hold the idea that "since you've retreated, then I'll advance another step."

"The greed of the human heart is truly endless!" Zhu Youxiao stood up, stretched, and after loosening his muscles and bones, said with a hint of self-mockery: "The Donglin Faction does have some sense of being a party — they want an emperor who serves as a memorial tablet."

Chen Hong, following behind Zhu Youxiao, dared not say a single word, his expression taut — he knew something was about to happen.

What kind of person was the master?

The Emperor of the Great Ming!

When the Emperor conceived such thoughts toward certain people, what would the result be?

Chen Hong certainly did not think his master was easy to get along with. Although the master was very young, perhaps those people had chosen to trip him up secretly precisely because they saw how young he was.

But Chen Hong knew how ruthless the master's hand could be — this one had never shied away from killing.

"Chen Hong, send someone to urge Luo Sigong — why hasn't that Chen Kedao arrived yet?" Zhu Youxiao said with a furrowed brow.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Chen Hong quickly acknowledged.

Soon Chen Hong returned.

But his face now wore an anxious expression, and he came straight to Zhu Youxiao's side, saying respectfully: "Your Majesty, a secret memorial has arrived from Liaodong — Xue Guoyong, the Governor of Liaodong, has passed away."

Zhu Youxiao was momentarily stunned. Xue Guoyong is dead?

How did he die?

A thought flashed through Zhu Youxiao's mind — it couldn't be that Xiong Tingbi had killed him, could it?

But thinking about it again, that seemed unlikely — did Xiong Tingbi have that much audacity?

"Your Majesty, this is the secret memorial from the eunuch overseeing Liaodong." Chen Hong hurriedly presented the secret memorial.

Zhu Youxiao took the secret memorial and glanced at it. It was written very clearly — Xue Guoyong had indeed died, but not killed by Xiong Tingbi; rather, he had died of illness on his own.

As for exactly what illness had claimed Xue Guoyong's life, it was not written very clearly — it only said he had caught a chill from wind-cold, and then died suddenly.

Handing the secret memorial back to Chen Hong, Zhu Youxiao let out a light laugh and said: "Have the Grand Secretariat send someone to Liaodong to handle Xue Guoyong's funeral arrangements."

This was the proper course — when a high court official died of illness at his post, the court was certainly obligated to send someone to handle the funeral, thereby displaying the emperor's benevolent and righteous character.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Chen Hong quickly acknowledged.

"Have the Grand Secretariat draft a list of candidates to succeed the Liaodong Governorship." Zhu Youxiao added another sentence after thinking for a moment.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Chen Hong bowed once more in acknowledgment, then quickly retreated with his body bent.

This matter had come far too suddenly.

Neither Zhu Youxiao nor the court ministers had anticipated this.

Everyone's attention shifted in an instant.