Chapter 116: One Step Further

Zhu Youxiao had not yet put down his carpentry work, but he was no longer as enthusiastic about it as before. A half-finished wooden carving lay at hand, yet he was patiently flipping through memorials on the other side. Meanwhile, Zhu Xu, standing at his side, also noticed Zhang Yanyao dressed in a bright red robe.

Zhu Xu narrowed his eyes slightly. Although the palace had been buzzing with rumors that Zhang Yanyao would be made an imperial consort, nothing had come of it so far.

Zhu Youxiao watched Zhu Xu enter, stretched his arms, and smiled, saying, "Royal brother, it's been a long time since you came to see me."

Zhu Xu chuckled, walked straight behind the imperial desk, examined the half-finished wooden carving, and said, "Royal brother, your craftsmanship has declined."

Zhang Yanyao gave Zhu Xu a slight bow and silently withdrew through the side door.

Zhu Youxiao nodded with a satisfied smile, then sighed to Zhu Xu, "Me? Where would I find the time? Look at these memorials—they grow more numerous by the day. Either they're impeaching this one or that one, or they're urging me to abolish this office and dismantle that one."

Zhu Xu glanced over and indeed saw a large stack of memorials from the Censorate, Supervising Secretaries, the circuit censors, and censors of various circuits, arranged in three rows—there were probably fifty or sixty still unread.

His eyes darted around, and he said, "Royal brother, for impeachment memorials like these, in my opinion, send those impeaching a particular office to that office, those impeaching Ministers or Vice Ministers to the Grand Secretariat, and those impeaching the Grand Secretariat—well, those come to you. That would lighten your burden considerably."

Zhu Youxiao laughed, stood up, and stretched his back, saying, "You're still too young to understand the nature of these people. If I truly let go and stopped managing as you suggest, they'd tear my court apart."

Zhu Xu nodded with a look of half-understanding, but inwardly he shook his head. Neither the Tianqi Emperor nor the later Chongzhen Emperor paid sufficient attention to the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. These two institutions had been created from the very beginning to suppress court officials, and now they were both essentially neglected.

Zhu Youxiao walked to the front of the table, loosening up his body, and said without turning his head, "I heard that last night Duke Zhang went to vouch for that merchant association you set up?"

Zhu Xu had no idea how much Zhu Youxiao actually knew about his affairs, but aside from firearms, he wasn't worried about anything else. He chuckled at the question and said, "It was arranged by my imperial sister-in-law. She couldn't stand them always bullying me either."

Zhu Youxiao laughed again, gazed outside with a faint sigh, and said, "You're still too young. If you were a bit older, you could help me with so many things."

Listening to Zhu Youxiao's words, Zhu Xu's heart jolted. Ever since Madam Ke's death, the relationship between Zhu Youxiao and himself had become rather delicate. Perhaps it was due to his own guilty conscience, but he always felt the two of them were no longer as close as before.

He thought for a moment, looked at Zhu Youxiao's back, and smiled, "Royal brother, isn't there still Brother Prince Xin? He can certainly help you with many things."

Zhu Youxiao turned around, glanced at Zhu Xu, and limped back over.

For some reason, Zhu Xu felt that his gaze carried a hint of profound meaning, yet he couldn't quite fathom it.

With the two of them having lost the shared topic of 'carpentry,' the atmosphere grew somewhat awkward. Zhu Xu didn't dare linger long and soon took his leave from the Imperial Study.

"Your Highness, did you mention moving out of the palace to His Majesty?" Cao Wenzhao walked alongside Zhu Xu, asking in a low voice as they went.

Zhu Xu shook his head. The conversation he'd just had with Zhu Youxiao had stirred a certain unease in his heart.

It felt as though Zhu Youxiao was scheming something against him.

Zhu Xu walked while pondering, then said, "Wei Zhongxian can't stay outside any longer. Notify Xiao Cao to have him transferred into the palace—he's not to take a single step outside! Also, inform Zhou Yingqiu to keep those people in line. Don't let them make any noise on my account—they should just quietly do whatever they're supposed to do."

Cao Wenzhao's heart jumped at the words, and he said, "Your Highness, could it be that His Majesty knows something?"

Zhu Xu waved his hand and said, "That's not it. I haven't reached the point where my royal brother would feel threatened by me. It's just that caution is the mother of safety."

Cao Wenzhao understood and mused, "Then, Your Highness, should our business operations also be slowed down a bit?"

"No slowing down!" Zhu Xu said firmly. "Earning silver and stockpiling grain are the two most important things we have right now. Nothing can be allowed to interfere with these two matters."

Cao Wenzhao nodded and accompanied Zhu Xu straight out of the palace.

"Change carriages." Inside the carriage, Zhu Xu spoke up.

Cao Wenzhao complied, and not long after the change, Zhu Xu said again, "Change once more."

Cao Wenzhao was taken aback and said, "Your Highness, there shouldn't be any problem now. Do we really need to be this cautious?"

Zhu Xu nodded and said, "Luo Sigong is different from others—we must be careful. Also, prepare more carriages, the inconspicuous kind."

Cao Wenzhao acknowledged the order and arranged another transfer before the two arrived at a nondescript little teahouse.

A young man with a fair, clear complexion—his skin startlingly pale—came out to greet them. He gave Zhu Xu a slight bow and said, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Hui. My master has been waiting inside for some time."

Zhu Xu studied the young man, vaguely feeling that something was off, but he nodded and strode inside.

"Your subordinate greets Your Highness Prince Hui." No sooner had Zhu Xu stepped into the private room than Luo Sigong came forward to greet him with a bow.

Zhu Xu looked at Luo Sigong, whose expression was aged and whose face bore an unhealthy flush, and said with a smile, "Commander Luo is too courteous. Please, have a seat."

Luo Sigong sat across from Zhu Xu, carefully studying him. It wasn't that he had never seen Zhu Xu before, but previously Zhu Xu had been nearly invisible—he had never paid him any attention.

Zhu Xu likewise studied Luo Sigong. Of this man, he knew far too much, and he was the one he was most wary of.

The two sized each other up, their eyes probing the other.

After a long moment, Luo Sigong gave a light smile and said, "Your Highness, is there anything you wish to ask this old man?"

Zhu Xu also smiled and said, "What does Your Excellency think this prince wishes to know?"

Luo Sigong thought for a moment and said, "For instance, where exactly is this grain transport case headed? Does Your Highness truly have that much confidence?"

Zhu Xu said with self-assurance, "No matter where it heads, this prince will always obtain what this prince wants."

Luo Sigong's gaze never left Zhu Xu's eyes as he said, "Does Your Highness know that today, the memorials impeaching Minister Zhao number no fewer than eighty, if not a hundred? By this old man's estimate, Minister Zhao probably won't last much longer before he resigns and returns to his hometown."

Zhu Xu, however, shook his head and said, "This prince is certain that Minister Zhao will not retire this year."

Luo Sigong saw a kind of indescribable confidence in Zhu Xu's eyes, furrowed his brow slightly, and said, "Your Highness, what exactly is it that you want?"

Zhu Xu likewise kept his eyes fixed on Luo Sigong. The two were like fighting cocks, neither willing to yield an inch. He smiled and said, "What does Your Excellency think this prince wants?"

Luo Sigong looked at Zhu Xu, his expression unchanged, and slowly spoke: "Your Highness, do you wish to take another step forward?"

The moment his words fell, both Cao Wenzhao, who had come with Zhu Xu, and the young man behind Luo Sigong changed expression dramatically, then fixed their burning gazes on Zhu Xu.

Zhu Xu was already a single-character prince. To take another step forward would mean the very position Zhu Youxiao now occupied.

Emperor!