Chapter 98: The Eastern Depot Makes Arrests

This Yu Maoheng had now gained the Emperor's favor, and would likely be given an important post in the days to come.

There was naturally no harm in building a good relationship with such a man.

Chen Hong was sizing up Yu Maoheng, and Yu Maoheng was sizing up Chen Hong in return.

For Yu Maoheng, his tenure at the Censorate had been anything but comfortable. Who would want to be sidelined and pushed around here?

He was an official who wanted to accomplish things, and right now serving at the Censorate was simply a waste of time.

Rather than being squeezed out and wasting his days here, he would rather go to the provinces and get more done.

The only problem was that he had no one in court to speak for him, so he had no way of getting transferred.

Originally, Yu Maoheng had thought he would be moved soon enough, because wherever he was stationed, the Donglin Faction was sure to seize control.

His own position as Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief had long since been eyed by others.

He was even willing to trade his current office for a post where he could actually get things done.

Everything had been planned out — who could have imagined that something like this would happen now?

This affair had little to do with him; he intended to stay out of it and wait until the dust settled.

His thinking was that once things calmed down, he could seek an out-of-capital appointment and serve as a local official.

The waters in the capital ran too deep, and the next few years were likely to be turbulent. Best to extricate himself as soon as possible.

Who would have thought that at this very moment, Chen Hong, His Majesty's personal eunuch, would come calling? Clearly nothing good was in store.

Chen Hong was sizing up Yu Maoheng.

Yu Maoheng was sizing up Chen Hong in return.

He tried to read something from the expression of His Majesty's personal eunuch.

Unfortunately, Chen Hong simply kept smiling genially, and he could discern nothing at all.

"Greetings, Eunuch Chen." Chen Hong clasped his hands toward him, and Yu Maoheng dared not be negligent — he hurriedly returned the salute with a smile.

At such a sensitive time as this, Yu Maoheng was genuinely afraid that Chen Hong might slander him before His Majesty.

If that happened, he might well end up in a very miserable state.

Chen Hong hurriedly clasped his hands in return and said: "Master Yu need not stand on ceremony. This servant has come today because His Majesty wishes to summon you. Please make your preparations and accompany me into the palace. Do not delay too long — His Majesty is waiting."

Yu Maoheng was taken aback. His Majesty wished to summon him?

A wave of bitterness rose in his heart.

Why would His Majesty summon him at a time like this?

He had been trying his best to dodge all this messy business, and now, unexpectedly, he was about to be dragged right into it.

His position was far too sensitive. Once he got pulled in, it would be difficult to extricate himself again.

But Yu Maoheng also knew that this was a summons from His Majesty — how could one possibly refuse?

Without a moment's hesitation, Yu Maoheng said directly: "Kindly wait a moment, Eunuch. I will make arrangements and then accompany you into the palace."

Chen Hong nodded with a smile. "Very well, this servant will wait here for Master Yu."

Yu Maoheng did not take long to prepare — he did not dare to delay.

Because he knew that if His Majesty was waiting for him, there must be a matter at hand. Though he was reluctant to see His Majesty right now, there was no help for it.

Yu Maoheng had even considered deliberately dawdling a bit, letting His Majesty use that as a pretext to demote him.

But he abandoned the idea soon after, because he knew it was far too naive a thought.

When His Majesty wants to use you, do you have any room to hide?

Acting that way would only anger His Majesty, with no benefit whatsoever.

You want to be demoted? In the end, you would most likely not be demoted at all — you would be killed instead.

Yu Maoheng and Chen Hong left the Censorate.

But the matter was far from over — indeed, it stirred up an uproar throughout the Censorate.

His Majesty was summoning Yu Maoheng.

Everyone knew that things were likely coming to a head.

The opponents were laughing inwardly at this moment.

Once Yu Maoheng was given an important post by His Majesty and rose to power, that would be the opportunity for those who opposed him.

The Donglin partisans, meanwhile, were grief-stricken as if mourning their own parents, trembling in constant dread. Could the bigwigs really be in trouble now?

This doubt did not last long. Shortly after Yu Maoheng left, an even more shocking piece of news arrived.

The long-dormant Eastern Depot finally made its move — dispatching four groups of men, each setting out to make arrests.

Among them, Wei Zhongxian, the Director of the Eastern Depot, personally led a squad straight to the residence of Zou Yuanbiao, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

The other three groups headed respectively to the residence of Yang Lian, the residence of Yuan Yingtai, Governor of Liaodong, and the residence of Wang Huazhen, Governor of Guangning.

One must understand that all four of these men were high-ranking court officials. For the Eastern Depot to move against all four at once showed just how massive and stunning this operation was.

For the Donglin partisans at the Censorate, it was as if doomsday had arrived.

His Majesty had just sent his personal eunuch to summon Yu Maoheng, and now the Eastern Depot was making arrests all over the place. Clearly, the Donglin Faction was finished.

At Zou Yuanbiao's residence, quite a crowd had already gathered.

The onlookers naturally dared not approach the Eastern Depot agents guarding the gate, but that did not mean they were not watching — they merely kept their distance.

The Eastern Depot agents had long since cordoned off the entire residence. A carriage, escorted by a crowd of men, came to a quiet stop before the main gate.

An agent set down the mounting stool and gently lifted the carriage curtain.

Wei Zhongxian stepped down from the carriage with an expressionless face.

For this operation, with the Eastern Depot arresting people on four fronts, Wei Zhongxian need not have come out personally — but he insisted on doing so.

He wanted to see with his own eyes Zou Yuanbiao's wretched appearance as he was reduced to a prisoner, and at the same time let everyone know that offending him brought nothing but ruin.

Stepping on the stool and descending with the support of his subordinates, Wei Zhongxian glanced at the residence with its closed gates and said expressionlessly: "Why haven't they moved in yet?"

Wei Zhongxian's trusted subordinate Sun Yunhe hurried forward and said respectfully, "This humble officer awaits your command, Your Excellency."

Glancing at Sun Yunhe, Wei Zhongxian nodded approvingly — the man knew how to handle things.

He said expressionlessly, "Enough. Since they won't open the door, then break it down for me. If anyone resists, execute them on the spot!"

This time Wei Zhongxian was not afraid of making a big scene — he had come to establish his authority.

Sun Yunhe understood Wei Zhongxian's intent perfectly upon hearing his words.

What did he mean, "they won't open the door"? His side hadn't even knocked in the first place, and the eunuch didn't want him to knock either — he simply wanted him to smash down the gates of Zou Yuanbiao's residence.

Sun Yunhe naturally dared not defy Wei Zhongxian's orders, nor did he dare harbor the slightest doubt.

Waving his hand, Sun Yunhe said to the men beside him, "Break the door down."

Though they lacked the battering rams used in sieges, the Eastern Depot had come prepared.

Six or seven men embraced a thick wooden log together, retreated a few steps, then suddenly accelerated and charged straight into the gates of Zou Yuanbiao's residence.

Bang!

After the tremendous crash, the gates of Zou Yuanbiao's residence were deformed by the impact, yet they still did not give way.

The men retreated again, then surged forward once more with renewed speed, the log slamming viciously into the door.

With a thunderous boom, the gates were knocked flat inward.

In an instant, dust filled the air.