Chapter 1639: Gloating Over Others' Misfortune

At the Palace City Office, the ornate carriage slowly came to a halt. The attendants had just set up the stepping stool when Wang Shouzhong, having heard the news, hurried over and attentively helped Zhang Dejun alight from the carriage.

Though his own bones were still hale, Zhang Dejun felt gratified by this kind of attentive service from his adopted son, and did not refuse it, letting himself be supported as he stepped down.

Clearly, Zhang Dejun had something weighing on his mind. His expression was somewhat complex — a face full of deep thought, yet giving one a feeling of neither quite joy nor quite worry.

As a long-serving adopted son and subordinate of Zhang Dejun, Wang Shouzhong naturally could detect Zhang Dejun's unusual state. Supporting him as they walked toward the office, he asked cautiously, "Father, His Majesty summoned you this time — has something happened?"

At the question, Zhang Dejun turned his head to glance at him and chuckled lightly: "You're quite sharp! It's nothing major — I was questioned by His Majesty and thoroughly scolded!"

Wang Shouzhong was startled and greatly puzzled at this. Observing Zhang Dejun's calm expression, he asked gravely, "Why? Could it still be about the Hexi case?"

Zhang Dejun shook his head: "In the Hexi matter, the Wude Office takes the lead, and the Palace City Office assists. If the task is done well, we share the credit; if it's done poorly, it's hardly our fault either!"

"Then why?" Wang Shouzhong appeared very concerned.

Zhang Dejun's wealth and position came from Emperor Liu, while their own glory came from Zhang Dejun. When he heard that his adoptive father had been scolded by the Emperor, he naturally could not help but be nervous. Over so many years, Zhang Dejun had rarely been rebuked by the Emperor, and whenever that happened, it was absolutely a major problem.

What Wang Shouzhong was thinking at this moment was just one thing — may they never fall out of favor, or else what would people like them do...

"Let's talk once we're inside!" Seeing that Wang Shouzhong was even more nervous than himself, Zhang Dejun smiled and pointed forward.

Returning to the office, they went straight into the hall where Zhang Dejun handled official business. A servant brought clean water, and Wang Shouzhong personally wrung out a towel and handed it to Zhang Dejun, then fetched a cup of tea and presented it respectfully with both hands.

Seeing Wang Shouzhong's diligent manner, unchanged for ten years, as if seeing the way he had once served Emperor Liu, Zhang Dejun sighed with emotion: "By rank, you are a fifth-rank official of the court, yet you attend to me all day like a servant — you've been put upon!"

To this, Wang Shouzhong naturally made a sincere speech, expressing his intent to fulfill filial piety. Between this adoptive father and son, though wealth and glory were clearly the bond that connected them, they insisted on putting on a show of deep father-son affection.

Zhang Dejun smiled and returned to the earlier topic: "When His Majesty's heavenly wrath descended, I was certainly fearful. However, what pleases me is that that wretch Wang Yinwu is not far from death. Even if he keeps his head, he won't be able to oppose us in the future!"

Hearing Zhang Dejun say this, Wang Shouzhong was slightly surprised, and a smile appeared on his "honest" face as he sought instruction: "If that's so, then this is a piece of good fortune — joy descending from heaven! But please, Father, enlighten me on the reasons."

Observing his surroundings, Zhang Dejun lowered his voice and said with a smile: "The matter of Wang Yinwu colluding with Lu Duoxun has come to light and become known to His Majesty. Tell me, how could His Majesty not fly into a dragon's rage? How could that villain last long!"

Wang Shouzhong understood, but soon his brows knitted: "So that's it! However, there were signs of this long ago. The relationship between those two was hardly a secret in the court; His Majesty must have known of it already."

"That's because you don't know how deep the collusion between those two runs!" Zhang Dejun clicked his tongue in lament.

"How did this matter suddenly reach the Emperor's ears? We received not a whisper of wind beforehand!" Wang Shouzhong said in confusion.

At this mention, Zhang Dejun's face showed a hint of regret as he said: "It was that fellow Wang Yinwu himself who voluntarily went to the palace and confessed the matter to His Majesty! A pity — if someone had reported and exposed him, his head would likely have already rolled! I saw it long ago: a man like Wang Yinwu, who forms deep friendships with great ministers, even if he puts on the air of a gentleman's friendship, is courting disaster.

When Jinjie returned from the northwest back then, he once said that Lu Duoxun and Wang Yinwu had been in cahoots in Hexi — the root of this calamity was planted long ago.

To have feared that man so much before — I overrated him. Would a clever man do something that violates such a taboo?"

Seeing Zhang Dejun in good spirits, Wang Shouzhong also smiled along and said: "Father is truly wise. That Wang Yinwu has always opposed us; now he has brought disaster upon himself — it is heaven's punishment!"

Zhang Dejun shook his head, his smile gradually receding, still wearing the look of one who had missed an opportunity: "Regarding the matter of Wang Yinwu and Lu Duoxun, I had originally thought we could let it brew a while longer. The longer it dragged on, the more severe the situation when it erupted — enough to bring about his destruction.

However, something went wrong with that fellow — he actually exposed it to His Majesty himself. This has taken from our hands a sharp blade to use against him!"

"Why did His Majesty rebuke you?" Wang Shouzhong's mind raced with thoughts, and he could not help asking.

Zhang Dejun sighed: "Naturally he rebuked me — asking whether I knew of this matter and why I did not report it. If Lu and Wang colluded so deeply and the Palace City Office was completely unaware, that would be a dereliction of duty!"

"How did you respond? His Majesty wouldn't really take his anger out on you, would he!" Wang Shouzhong asked with concern.

Zhang Dejun smiled faintly: "His Majesty's anger is his anger; I have my own way of handling it. Naturally I couldn't say I was completely unaware. I only told His Majesty that the evidence in my hands was insufficient — matters of catching wind and chasing shadows, if rashly reported, might be mistaken for slanderous attacks. With such misgivings in my heart, I dared not speak up. And the enmity between me and Wang Yinwu is a matter of open record..."

"Will His Majesty accept such an explanation?"

Zhang Dejun raised an eyebrow slightly and said: "At any rate, it's just giving His Majesty an explanation! If His Majesty has ten parts of anger now, I suspect nine of them are directed at Wang Yinwu and Lu Duoxun. The remaining one part, I can still bear!"

"Then Wang Yinwu, he..."

"This is what I find most puzzling. His Majesty neither kills him nor throws him in prison — he even let him return to the Wude Office to take charge, as if nothing had happened at all!" Zhang Dejun furrowed his brow.

However, his brow soon relaxed, and he chuckled lightly: "That doesn't matter either. His Majesty has already ordered me to truthfully report all the intelligence I've gathered on the dealings between Lu and Wang. Additionally, he wants us to strengthen surveillance on Wang Yinwu and the Wude Office! You understand what this means, don't you?"

Wang Shouzhong said with elation: "This Wang Yinwu has completely lost the Emperor's favor. His Majesty, I suspect, is about to reorganize the Wude Office once again!"

"Not only that — I think Lu Duoxun will have a hard time getting through this one either. There will be another storm rising in the court!" Zhang Dejun said with feeling.

"At this time, we must mobilize fully, strengthening our monitoring of public sentiment in the Eastern Capital and the court — no relaxation whatsoever!" Zhang Dejun's tone turned stern: "Pass the word down — tell the men below to stay quiet and well-behaved these days. If His Majesty turns his spear at us, whoever stirs up trouble, I'll stir up trouble for them!"

This suddenly harsh tone startled Wang Shouzhong, his heart trembling. He quickly said, "I understand, son will notify everyone immediately!"

Nodding, Zhang Dejun asked again: "The Hexi matter must not be relaxed after all. His Majesty has that matter on his mind, so I must achieve some results!"

"Yes!" Wang Shouzhong said: "Fourth Brother Jinjie has already personally rushed to the northwest. He understands the situation there well, and has been handling northwestern and northern affairs these years. With him on the case, I trust he won't disappoint you, Father!"

"Let us hope so!" Zhang Dejun nodded.

His gaze shifted, fixing on Wang Shouzhong: "I know there is some discord among you brothers. In ordinary times, that's one thing, but in official matters, you must cooperate fully and get the job done properly!"

Slightly startled, Wang Shouzhong dared not show any other attitude, only assuring: "I understand!"

Among his four adopted sons, Zhang Dejun naturally favored Wang Shouzhong and Wang Shouyi the most. The reason was simple — their surname was Wang. And Zhang Dejun's original surname was also Wang; he had only changed it to Zhang because he was adopted by his foster father. However, ever since his foster father had died of old age, he had been contemplating restoring his original surname.

Though Zhang Dejun was a eunuch, he still thought about continuing the family line — especially someone like him, a great eunuch with status, power, and seniority. To this day, aside from the affairs of Emperor Liu that he always kept in mind, there was only the matter of family succession.

Giving this adopted son a deep look, Zhang Dejun waved his hand and instructed: "Go! Organize the case files and evidence connected to Wang Yinwu. I want to present them to His Majesty personally!"

"Yes!" Wang Shouzhong, sticking out his rear, retreated from the room slowly and respectfully, and even remembered to gently close the door behind him.

After Wang Shouzhong had withdrawn, Zhang Dejun's expression gradually darkened. In his heart, he was not as relaxed as he appeared on the surface — Emperor Liu's interrogation was no easy matter.

What truly worried Zhang Dejun was the fear that the fire at the Wude Office would spread to burn his Palace City Office as well. Though he had always longed to topple Wang Yinwu, the reality of the situation also made him clearly understand that the Palace City Office could never stand alone as the sole power.

He wanted to deal with the Wude Office only to suppress them, and he dared not go too far in his actions. He himself practiced balancing within the Palace City Office and among his adopted sons — how could he not know Emperor Liu's methods of playing balance?

Of course, what Zhang Dejun worried about most was himself. Wang Yinwu's violation of a great taboo gave him a feeling of panic as well. In the matter of privately befriending great ministers, he was not entirely clean either — he just had not dared to go too deep in his dealings...

That referred to Zhao Pu.