Chapter 17

After making some discreet inquiries.

Zhu Yunwen only then learned that Zhu Yuanzhang had gone to the imperial prison.

At this thought, Zhu Yunwen was instantly seized with panic, and hurriedly summoned his two dog-faced strategists.

— Huang Zicheng and Watching Qi Tai.

The two men, upon hearing of this matter, were also extraordinarily tense.

"Gentlemen, do you have a plan?"

"Do you also feel that Imperial Grandfather has set his heart on making Fourth Uncle the heir?"

Although Huang Zicheng and Watching Qi Tai were a bit dim.

They still knew a thing or two.

If Old Zhu truly had even the slightest thought of killing Su Qiao.

Su Qiao would have been done for long ago.

Why wait until now.

After a long silence, Huang Zicheng stared at Zhu Yunwen and said

"Your Highness, this minister believes that the pressing matter is for Your Highness to go to the imperial prison in person."

Zhu Yunwen looked at Huang Zicheng in puzzlement and asked

"Mr. Huang, what would Yunwen go to the imperial prison for?"

Huang Zicheng immediately smiled an inscrutable smile and said

"So long as Your Highness goes to the imperial prison."

"The rest of the matter, this minister can plan on Your Highness's behalf."

"If this man can be won over, that would naturally be for the best; if not."

"So long as this man shows even the slightest hint of contempt toward Your Highness in his words, this minister can pin on him the charge of plotting to assassinate the Emperor!"

"Not only that, but we can also sling mud at the Prince of Yan, and when the time comes, we'll make sure that Prince of Yan can't wash the filth off!"

Zhu Yunwen's eyes lit up at once upon hearing this.

"If that is so, then I ask the two gentlemen to come with Yunwen!"

Having said this, Zhu Yunwen bowed deeply to the two men before him.

Huang Zicheng and Watching Qi Tai were clearly very susceptible to this sort of treatment.

Seeing Zhu Yunwen perform the courtesy of a student toward them, the two men immediately beamed and returned the courtesy, and together with Zhu Yunwen headed off in the direction of the imperial prison.

……

……

Meanwhile, Zhu Yuanzhang.

After hurrying back to Qianqing Palace, he suddenly seemed to recall something.

He slapped his own forehead, hurriedly opened the chat group, and sent a message to Chongzhen.

Taizu Gao Emperor:

"You little brat, stop playing dead. What's the situation on your end now?"

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"Thank you for your concern, Imperial Grandfather. The Tartars have already retreated, and your son is preparing to summon the imperial clansmen to the capital."

Taizu Gao Emperor:

"Go to the Ministry of Personnel right now and pull the file on a man for me."

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"Please give your orders, Imperial Grandfather."

Taizu Gao Emperor:

"This man's surname is Su, given name Qiao. A jinshi of the Xinwei class in the twenty-fourth year of Hongwu. The exact ranking may differ between my side and yours. How is this man evaluated in the later historical records? Did he ever cause trouble?"

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"I haven't actually heard of this man, but rest assured, Imperial Grandfather — I'll go look into it right now!"

Watching Chongzhen's message.

Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but snort coldly.

"You little whelp, at least you're of some use!"

Before long, Chongzhen had pulled Su Qiao's life record from the Ministry of Personnel and sent a message to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"Imperial Grandfather, I've found it."

"Su Qiao, a native of Hedong Circuit, orphaned from childhood. In the third year of Hongwu, when Zhongshan Wuning King Xu Da launched his northern campaign, he was rescued from amid the rebel army. As a military household, his records are therefore incomplete."

"In the twenty-fourth year of Hongwu, he was granted the status of tongjinshi in the Xinwei class, ranked eightieth in the third tier."

"In September of the same year, he was posted out to serve as County Magistrate of Huating County in Songjiang Prefecture."

"Because of his naturally upright disposition, he repeatedly spoke bluntly to his superiors, and was shelved in Huating without being employed."

"In the thirty-second year of Hongwu — ah, no, that's wrong — in the first year of Jianwen, the Prince of Yan raised his army."

"Su Qiao submitted a memorial requesting to take the field; the Emperor did not permit it."

"In December of the same year, Su Qiao submitted a memorial requesting the execution of Li Jinglong, Huang Zicheng, and Watching Qi Tai, and stated outright that the three of them had brought ruin to the state."

"The Emperor was greatly enraged, stripped him of his official rank, reduced him to a commoner, and barred him forever from reappointment."

"In the fourth year of Jianwen, the Yan army entered the capital. The commoner Su Qiao took his own life before the Xiaoling Mausoleum in loyalty to the state. He had no sons."

17, Su Qiao: My apologies, Your Highness!

When he saw the resume of Su Qiao sent by Chongzhen.

Zhu Yuanzhang instantly burst into tears of old age.

"A loyal minister, a loyal minister!"

"What virtue or merit do I possess that, at this age, I could recruit such a talent!"

At least, judging from this resume.

Su Qiao's loyalty is beyond doubt.

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately sent a message to Chongzhen.

Emperor Taizu Gao:

"Don't just talk about his life; how was this man's administrative record in Huating County, Songjiang Prefecture?"

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"Great-Grandfather, the Great Ming has ancestral laws; a seventh-rank County Magistrate does not have records that detailed."

"I can only find some information from local gazetteers."

"Regarding Su Qiao's own governance, the Ministry of Personnel's archives say little, merely recording that Su Qiao repeatedly disregarded his superiors."

"But interestingly, during the ten years Su Qiao served as County Magistrate of Huating."

"The Prefect of Songjiang Prefecture was promoted every year, the reason always being 'skillful in governing the people'."

"However, the local gazetteers record that the other counties in Songjiang Prefecture all suffered several disasters, while only Huating County had no disasters or calamities; people from the surrounding areas all entered Huating to avoid disaster..."

Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but let out a cold snort.

Emperor Taizu Gao:

"Does this need thinking?!"

"It must be that those damn superiors embezzled Su Qiao's achievements and pulled some 'Zhang on Li's head' trick."

"They, one by one, were indeed promoted."

"Letting a loyal minister of our Great Ming lie idle in Huating County for ten years!"

"By the way, how are Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai doing?"

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"Great-Grandfather, do you really want to know?"

Emperor Taizu Gao:

"Speak; I can take it!"

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"In the first year of Jianwen, Huang Zicheng, Qi Tai, and Fang Xiaoru submitted a memorial to Emperor Jianwen to implement new policies."