Chapter 70: Deceiving the Heavens to Cross the Sea

In the fifth month, the heat was scorching and oppressive; there had been no rain for a long time, and a hot wind that burned the skin wandered everywhere through the streets of the capital.

The entire city of Beijing was like a giant oven, making people feel unbearably hot and restless.

Even in the Qianqing Palace where the Emperor resided, ice had to be fetched several times a day just to barely keep the heat at bay.

On this day, as black clouds shrouded the sky and the temperature had yet to cool down, Zhang Jing led a man with a face mask covering his features and slowly stepped into a small hall next to the Qianqing Palace.

It was none other than Liang Bangrui, whom the Emperor had specifically requested to see.

As it turned out, the day he heard the Emperor wanted to "inspect the goods" first, it had truly given him a fright.

Upon returning home, Zhang Jing held his forehead, leaned back in his bamboo rattan chair, and sighed, his face full of worry.

At this moment, the steward Wang Ning walked in; seeing his master troubled, he could not help but ask for the cause of the matter.

Zhang Jing poured it all out like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.

After finishing, Zhang Jing knit his brows and complained, "I don't know what kind of madness has seized the Emperor, to specifically request to see this Liang Bangrui. You tell me, he's just a consumptive ghost; once the Emperor sees him, won't the whole charade be exposed?"

Wang Ning pondered for a moment, his belly full of devious schemes beginning to work, and said, "Master, I think that aside from coughing quite severely, Liang Bangrui's appearance is still considered decent."

"If you bring him over tonight and then make excuses that he has caught a cold, the Emperor won't want to look closely, and the matter will pass."

"Good, this method is good." Zhang Jing immediately made the decision, his worries gone.

Walking into the main hall, the Emperor had not yet arrived. Zhang Jing took a deep breath, glanced at Liang Bangrui beside him, and threatened, "Young Master Liang, whether this succeeds or not depends entirely on your performance in a moment."

"Cough, cough... Eunuch, rest assured, I understand." It would have been better if Liang Bangrui hadn't spoken; as soon as he opened his mouth, he felt as if ants were crawling in his throat, and he couldn't help but want to cough.

Zhang Jing hurriedly patted Liang Bangrui's back hard, then took out a cough-suppressing pill and gave it to Liang Bangrui to swallow.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Before the two could continue speaking, a shrill voice broke the silence of the hall. The Wanli Emperor, dressed in casual robes and surrounded by Wei Qing and others, walked in.

Zhang Jing dared not be negligent; he grabbed Liang Bangrui, touched his forehead to the ground, and knelt with his backside stuck high in the air.

"Rise."

The Wanli Emperor sat down, waved a hand, and said casually.

The two thanked him and stood up. Zhang Jing gave a fawning smile, stepped forward to the Wanli Emperor, pointed at Liang Bangrui, and said, "Your Majesty, this is the Imperial Son-in-law, Liang Bangrui, Young Master Liang."

"This commoner... this commoner Liang Bangrui, pays respects to Your Majesty." Liang Bangrui shouted while suppressing a cough.

The Wanli Emperor took a rough glance and saw that his height and build were quite alright. But he was displeased that he had a white cloth hanging over his face, so he asked, "What is wrong with your face? Is there something you cannot show people?"

"Oh, Your Majesty, Young Master Liang has caught a cold, and this servant was afraid he would infect you, so I had him wear this veil." Before Liang Bangrui could speak, Zhang Jing spoke first.

The Wanli Emperor frowned slightly, nodded, and barely accepted this explanation.

"What does your family do for a living?"

"His family is in business," Zhang Jing said without hesitation.

"I asked him, not you. If you dare to interrupt again, be careful that I don't have you beaten." The Wanli Emperor glared fiercely at Zhang Jing, then suddenly turned his head to look at Liang Bangrui and urged, "Why don't you speak? I am asking you!"

"This commoner... my family makes a living through business." Because he had to hold back his cough, Liang Bangrui's face turned red with every word he spoke, and his voice trembled.

"Are you a stutterer? Why are you stammering?" The Wanli Emperor narrowed his eyes and pressed further.

Liang Bangrui was even more nervous from this scare. Zhang Jing, standing to the side, wanted to intervene, but the Wanli Emperor glared back at him and pointed at Liang Bangrui, saying, "I want him to answer, not you."

"This commoner... this commoner is seeing the Emperor for the first time, I am nervous, so I cannot speak. Cough, cough..."

"Take off the veil and let me see." "Your Majesty, you must not!" Zhang Jing's knees went weak and he knelt on the ground, begging, "If the cold he carries is passed to Your Majesty, this servant would be guilty of a crime that even a hundred deaths could not absolve."

"I told you to take it off, so do it," the Wanli Emperor urged coldly.

As he spoke, two eunuchs covered their mouths and noses and stepped forward, pulled Liang Bangrui a few steps away, and then removed his veil.

The Wanli Emperor squinted and saw that the man's features were regular; apart from being somewhat frail, the rest was quite suitable.

"Hmm, not bad." The Wanli Emperor nodded slightly, turned his head to look at Zhang Jing, and said, "You handled this errand well. Take him away, and you come with me; I still have some things to ask you."

As soon as these words fell, the tight string in Liang Bangrui's heart loosened.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough."

As the coughing started like a sudden storm, Zhang Jing hurriedly stood up, waved his hands at the two eunuchs, and said, "Quick, quick, take Young Master Liang away, lest he infect the Emperor with his cold."

The two eunuchs took Liang Bangrui and quickly walked out of the hall door.

Seeing that he had muddled through, Zhang Jing let out a long sigh, his fair forehead already covered in dense beads of sweat.

Turning around, he caught sight of the Emperor with a dark, gloomy face, staring at him fiercely.

"Zhang Jing, you have some nerve!"

Could it be that the Emperor had figured it out?

Zhang Jing felt a chill down his spine; his knees bent, and he knelt on the ground, begging for mercy, "Your servant... your servant is guilty. I should not have deceived the Emperor by choosing Liang Bangrui as the Imperial Son-in-law. I am guilty."

The Wanli Emperor waved his hand as if shooing a fly and pressed, "What kind of nonsense is that? I am asking you, for the three-hundred-thousand-tael wedding banquet, how much did you actually spend?"

"Ah?" Zhang Jing realized belatedly, blaming himself for speaking too quickly, and hurriedly tried to make amends, "Your servant is guilty. I should not have deceived the Emperor; I actually only spent... only spent one hundred and fifty thousand."

Very well, you dog, you really did hide a portion behind my back.

If it weren't for my brilliance and sharp eyes, I would have really been fooled by this dog, and he would have gained all that silver for nothing.

Thinking of this, the Wanli Emperor was filled with rage; when he spoke, his voice was as cold as frost.

"Where is the money?"

"At your servant's home."

"Tomorrow, hand the money over to my Inner Treasury; this matter will then be settled," the Wanli Emperor commanded sternly, waving his hand.

"Yes," Zhang Jing nodded and agreed.

At this moment, a sudden cold breeze blew, and he felt a chill rise up his spine.

"That is all, you may go."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhang Jing responded and left.

To the side, Wei Qing stared at Zhang Jing's departing back, a sharp glint flashing in his murky eyes.

He knew the Emperor's mind; the Emperor was quite reliant on Zhang Jing, a man who could rake in money for him and also help him fend off Feng Bao.

Therefore, he would not strike unless he was certain, but once he did, he would ensure Zhang Jing died without a burial ground.

If he exposed him now, the Emperor would likely only punish him with a reprimand at most. If he exposed him on the day of the Grand Wedding, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager would certainly not spare him!

(End of chapter)