Chapter 1404: Aunt, Do You Admit Your Guilt? (Please Subscribe)

"Jingzi, go outside and keep watch."

Zhu Hehao waved a hand at his concubine, sending her outside to stand guard for him.

Xu Jingzi glanced at Zhu Hehao with suspicion, then looked at Shimazu Nogi — something felt off! A nephew and his young aunt, a man and woman alone together in one room. And Zhu Hehao was hardly a proper prince; she and Ahai had both been coaxed into his bed by his sweet words! With no formal status at all, she had let him sleep with her again and again. The moment Shimazu Nogi arrived in Huafu, he had sent her to secretly extend an invitation — could there be something strange going on?

Xu Jingzi then recalled that this Shimazu Nogi, the consort of the King of Jiaqing, was not particularly virtuous either — she had heard that she too had gone straight to bed with the King of Jiaqing without holding a wedding ceremony. Truly shameless!

"Jingzi! What are you thinking about?" Seeing his concubine spacing out, Zhu Hehao said with a smile, "Hurry and keep watch outside. We have important matters to discuss with my aunt! Oh, and have Mulan bring some tea."

Important matters — what could they be? Xu Jingzi had no choice but to answer with a "Hai," pout her lips, and leave the study to brood alone outside.

"Aunt, please sit." Once Jingzi had gone, Zhu Hehao pointed to a chair opposite his desk and invited Shimazu Nogi to be seated, then sat down himself.

"Great King," Shimazu Nogi looked at Zhu Hehao and smiled faintly, "You asked me to come alone — surely there is something you wish to say that would be inconvenient to say in public?"

Zhu Hehao nodded with a smile and said, "There are indeed some things I need to discuss with you in private. Aunt, this visit to Huafu is about the Kingdom of Jiaqing joining the United States, is it not?"

Shimazu Nogi's expression shifted slightly. No one should have openly told the Tuhao King about this, should they? It seemed this Tuhao King had very wide-reaching ears and eyes!

"Yes!" Shimazu Nogi said with a smile. "The United States and the Kingdom of Jiaqing both benefit from union. With the eastward campaign against the Indians about to begin, only by merging the two countries into one can we work as one and be ever victorious!"

As she spoke, Nogi cast a faint, lingering glance at Zhu Hehao, then said in a voice so low it was barely audible: "Once Jiaqing joins the United States, the King of Jiaqing will be Your Majesty's subject, and I will be the wife of Your Majesty's subject. At that time, I will move to Huafu City to live, and I will have to rely on Your Majesty's care."

Zhu Hehao watched Shimazu quietly, waiting for her to finish, then said with a faint smile, "Aunt, you plan to come live in Huafu City? You won't be accompanying my fifth uncle to Xizhou to live?"

Go to Xizhou?

How did he know about that too? Shimazu Nogi was startled, and immediately thought of the Hoshina Masayuki siblings!

Zhu Hehao's face had already darkened, but his tone remained very gentle. "I know Jiaqing is barren and bitter, nothing like the humid, fertile south of Xizhou, and it cannot feed so many of you. But if you want Xizhou, you should have said so to me directly! Because I am the King of the United States, the eldest son of the Great Ming Son of Heaven! Only with my consent can you march troops into Xizhou and then obtain it!

Otherwise, even if you take Xizhou, sooner or later you will have to spit it back out! Aunt, do you understand what I am saying?"

Zhu Hehao spoke slowly, without much anger in his words — he was simply telling Shimazu Nogi a fact: everything in the United States, including the Kingdom of Jiaqing, was within his grasp.

Because behind him stood the firm support of the Great Ming Emperor!

Cold sweat broke out on Shimazu Nogi's forehead. She no longer dared remain seated, and hurriedly rose from her chair, then with a thud prostrated herself before Zhu Hehao's desk.

"Your Highness, I know my fault. I beg Your Highness to spare me!"

Zhu Hehao gave a cold laugh. "You know your fault? But is that your only fault?"

I have other faults? Shimazu Nogi racked her brains, but truly could not think of any.

Just then, Du Mulan came in carrying a tray with a teapot and cups. Seeing Shimazu Nogi sprawled on the floor, she was a little stunned — what was going on? Wasn't this Japanese woman the Great King's aunt? Did an aunt have to kowtow like this when meeting her nephew?

But she did not ask further. She set down the teapot and cups, poured a cup of hot tea for each of them, and turned to leave.

"Mulan!" Zhu Hehao stopped Du Mulan. "My aunt is going to commit seppuku. Stay and serve as her second!"

Seppuku? Second? What did that mean? Du Mulan was bewildered.

Shimazu Nogi, however, was terrified — she had long heard that this King of the United States was somewhat lecherous, so she had thought to use her looks to flirt with him a little. Even if she could not succeed, she could at least make the King of the United States take some interest in her. She had never imagined that the King of the United States would turn hostile at the drop of a hat, and after only a few words demand that she commit seppuku!

Seppuku meant death! What had she actually done wrong? Why did she have to die?

Zhu Hehao looked at Shimazu Nogi prostrate on the floor and said coldly, "Aunt, do you know why I want you to commit seppuku?"

Why? Shimazu Nogi could already hear the killing intent in Zhu Hehao's words — he was not joking; he was serious!

"Great King, though I have erred, my fault does not warrant death," Shimazu Nogi said through gritted teeth. "Even if I wished to start a war on my own and march south into Xizhou, it is not for Your Majesty to sentence me to death."

For a vassal king to launch a war on his own against a hostile great power was, of course, a grave crime!

But the King of the United States was not the suzerain of the King of Jiaqing, and had no authority to judge or pass sentence.

"Hmph!" Zhu Hehao sneered. "I always thought my fifth uncle was the foolish one, relying entirely on your cleverness to get by. I never expected that you, Aunt, are just as muddle-headed! Facing death, and you still don't know your crime!"

It wasn't about the attempted invasion of Xizhou? Shimazu Nogi's mind raced — she did not want to die! Still less did she want to die without understanding why. And although Zhu Hehao was the King of the United States, the eldest son of the Great Ming's mighty sovereign, he still could not execute the consort of a vassal king without cause!

So he must have a reason that would hold up! If that reason was not the Kingdom of Jiaqing trying to drag the United States into a war against New Spain, then it was Jiaqing's merger into the United States!

The moment Shimazu Nogi thought of this, her whole body began to tremble.

The purpose of Jiaqing joining the United States was not only to find a way out for Jiaqing's samurai lords, but also to dilute Zhu Hehao's voting power — originally Zhu Hehao held 30% of the votes in the United States parliamentary elections, but once Jiaqing joined, the parliamentary seats would increase to 115, and Jiaqing would take 15 of them, which would dilute Zhu Hehao's voting power down to around 26%.

Seeing Shimazu Nogi trembling, Zhu Hehao smiled. "Now you know where your fault lies, don't you? You joined the United States because you want to usurp power!

The fundamental laws by which your Kingdom of Jiaqing and my United States operate are not the same! The samurai of Jiaqing are all vassals of you and the King of Jiaqing. They owe their loyalty to you and the King of Jiaqing!

But in the United States, the Parliament is the foundation. The armies of the United States all take their orders from the Parliament. Are your and the King of Jiaqing's samurai armies armies that take orders from the Parliament? The two of you keep private soldiers while also trying to seize 15 seats in the Parliament — do you think I don't know what you're scheming? Shimazu Nogi, do you admit your guilt?"

To be honest, Shimazu Nogi did have some designs on the throne of the United States — for the past seven or eight years, the King of Jiaqing had been the only king of the Great Ming Celestial Dynasty on the New Continent!

So the officials and common people of the United States all greatly respected the King of Jiaqing, and at every festival many people would send congratulatory gifts to him. And Jiaqing noble titles sold very well in the United States.

"I admit my guilt. I should indeed commit seppuku to atone," Shimazu Nogi said, tears welling in her eyes and her voice trembling, "but I still beg Your Majesty to spare my life."

Zhu Hehao nodded and said, "Since you have admitted your guilt, then write a memorial of self-accusation and hand it to me! Mulan, prepare the ink for her!"

"Self-accusation?" Shimazu Nogi still did not understand. "To whom should I plead guilty?"

Zhu Hehao said, "To my Imperial Father, of course. After you finish writing the memorial, give it to me, then go back and think about how to make amends!"

Shimazu Nogi understood now — Zhu Hehao wanted to hold something over her! If this memorial reached the hands of the Great Ming Son of Heaven, even if she did not die, she would be deposed!

(End of Chapter)