Chapter 131: Court of State Ceremonial

In the imperial study, besides Zhu Youxiao, there were only a group of eunuchs and Wei Zhongxian.

Wei Zhongxian knelt on the ground without making a sound, and the other close attendants were all as silent as cicadas in winter, shrinking their necks, wishing they could be invisible.

After a long while, Wei Zhongxian felt that Zhu Youxiao had more or less calmed down, so he raised his head and said comfortingly, "Your Majesty, from now on this servant will intercept these memorials and not let them anger you. This servant will also send dedicated personnel to audit the tax supervisors, adding at least five hundred thousand taels to the privy purse for you every year."

Zhu Youxiao leaned against the dragon throne, looking at Wei Zhongxian. His expression had not improved much. He snorted coldly and said, "Come see me only after you've actually done what you said!"

Wei Zhongxian was overjoyed inside—this was as good as receiving an imperial edict—but his face showed fear and trepidation as he said, "Rest assured, Your Majesty, this servant will never let you down!"

Zhu Youxiao was still furious beyond measure and waved his hand, saying, "Get out!"

Wei Zhongxian hastily knelt again and said, "This servant takes his leave." With that, he rose and retreated out.

As soon as Wei Zhongxian left, Zhu Youxiao frowned, lifted one leg onto the dragon throne, and said to his close attendants, "Quickly summon the imperial physician—my leg hurts again!"

"Yes, Your Majesty." A close attendant rushed out of the imperial study, heading straight for the Imperial Academy of Medicine.

Zhu Youxiao rolled up his trousers. The white cloth wrapped around the wound was already stained with alternating black and red, soaked through.

His brows were tightly furrowed, and his face twitched from time to time.

Before long, the imperial physician arrived and carefully cleaned Zhu Youxiao's wound, changing it to fresh gauze. Only then did he say, "Your Majesty, your servant has cleaned the wound for you and removed most of the toxin. As long as Your Majesty is careful from now on, it should fully recover before the end of the year."

Zhu Youxiao nodded lightly. His mind was still on Ye Xianggao's earlier defiance, and his chest felt as if a great stone were pressing on it, aching dully. Once bandaged, he rose and said expressionlessly, "Prepare the carriage for Xian'an Palace."

The close attendants immediately knew what the Emperor intended to do and hurriedly made arrangements.

As soon as Zhu Xu returned to the palace, news of such a spectacular scene in the imperial study naturally reached his ears.

By all rights, he should have found this scene amusing, but in reality he could only shake his head helplessly. The court of the late Ming was just this strange—courtiers took pride in defying the Emperor. Not only would nothing happen to them, but it would actually become a powerful stepping stone for promotion.

Therefore, flogging at court either killed or crippled a man, or else, in most cases, brought him both fame and fortune.

At the dining table, Zhu Xu sat across from Yao Qingqing, with Cao Huachun standing behind him. After listening to his report, Zhu Xu said while picking up food with his chopsticks, "By the way, what illness does my imperial brother actually have? Have you found out?"

Cao Huachun hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, the Imperial Academy of Medicine is keeping tight-lipped about it, but an apprentice who prepares medicines once inadvertently mentioned that His Majesty seems to have been poisoned by snake venom."

"Snake venom?" Zhu Xu was briefly surprised, then immediately felt relieved. Since it hadn't been fatal at the outset and there was no great commotion in the palace, it clearly wasn't life-threatening.

Yao Qingqing sat across from Zhu Xu, seeming to want to speak but holding back.

Zhu Xu pretended not to notice and ate with gusto.

The weather at the end of the ninth month was still sweltering. After finishing his meal, Zhu Xu turned and went into the study. There was ice here to cool things down. He sat in a chair, flipping through a book while lost in thought.

Chen Liangxun's memorial this time had not only failed but had successfully provoked Zhu Youxiao's anger in front of Wei Zhongxian and Ye Xianggao. Given the temperament of these censors, this matter would not stop here—if anything, an even fiercer attack was brewing.

As Zhu Xu thought about this, he couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth, chuckling strangely to himself and muttering, "Wei Zhongxian, Wei Zhongxian, will you, just as in history, cheat-code your way into slaughtering the Donglin Faction until they're utterly routed..."

Yao Qingqing finished clearing away the dishes and quietly walked into Zhu Xu's study. She stood at the door, looking at Zhu Xu with a somewhat "bashful" expression.

Zhu Xu wet his finger with his lips, seemingly not noticing her at all, and quietly turned the pages of his book.

Yao Qingqing hesitated for a moment, then still walked in and said softly, "Your Highness..."

"I spoke to him. He agreed to take you as a concubine after the new year." Zhu Xu sat motionless, but his mouth spoke rapidly.

Yao Qingqing was stunned for a moment, then suddenly covered her mouth, tears nearly falling. She knelt and said, "This humble slave thanks Your Highness for your kindness!"

Zhu Xu waved his hand with an unchanged expression and said, "No need to thank me—it was all agreed upon from the start."

Yao Qingqing's emotions were somewhat out of control. She bowed again and said, "This humble slave is still deeply grateful to Your Highness. This humble slave takes her leave."

Yao Qingqing covered her mouth and ran out, faint sounds of sobbing trailing behind her.

Zhu Xu watched her retreating figure and chuckled softly, then sighed, "Lovers finally united, tsk tsk, how wonderful..."

As he mused thus, his thoughts unconsciously drifted to the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai. Every one of them was deeply passionate and true to their feelings, yet none of them came to a good end.

A few days later, in Kunning Palace, Zhu Youxiao held a banquet to entertain Zhu Xu and Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian.

Zhu Youxiao sat in the seat of honor with Empress Zhang accompanying him, while Zhu Xu and Zhu Youjian sat separately on either side.

Zhu Youxiao looked at Zhu Xu and the others and said with a smile, "We brothers all live in this palace, but this is the first time we've gathered together to eat like this, isn't it?"

Zhu Xu played the part of an honest, well-mannered child, sitting up straight, eyes watching his nose and nose watching his heart.

Zhu Youjian glanced at Zhu Xu and said, "Imperial Brother is right. We should visit each other more often in the future."

Empress Zhang secretly kicked Zhu Xu under the table. Zhu Xu turned to look at her, then turned his head back toward Zhu Youjian.

Whether it was psychological or not, he always felt that this Fifth Brother was becoming increasingly mean-faced—sharp at the cheekbones, sharp at the lips, sharp at the corners of the eyes, even his head seemed sharp.

Zhu Xu also knew that Zhu Youxiao was watching him, waiting for him to speak, so he said flatly, "Fifth Imperial Brother is right, but being too close isn't good either."

Empress Zhang caught the flavor in Zhu Xu's words and glanced at Zhu Youjian.

Zhu Youjian's expression cooled by a degree. After all, he was still a boy of fifteen or sixteen. He frowned slightly and responded without changing his demeanor, "Sixth Brother, you're still young. We're all afraid you might go astray."

Zhu Youxiao, however, picked up his chopsticks and waved them between the two, saying with a smile, "Alright, we're all brothers of the same family. Today let's just eat and chat about household matters."

Zhu Xu nodded with an "mm hm," but grew more vigilant inside. This Fifth Brother had probably truly set his sights on him. At the same time, however, he was puzzled—what exactly was Zhu Youxiao's attitude? Was he muddying the waters to help him out of a tight spot?

Zhu Youjian also said no more, merely bowing slightly toward Zhu Youxiao.

Zhu Xu played the good boy, Zhu Youjian was taciturn, and at the table it was mostly Zhu Youxiao and Empress Zhang, the husband and wife, trading words back and forth.

When they were sated with food and drink, Zhu Youxiao finally looked at Zhu Xu and Zhu Youjian and said, "Annam recently invaded our borders and was driven back. A delegation will come to the capital to sue for peace. I want you, Fifth Brother, to receive them. I've already issued the decree to the Court of State Ceremonial."

Zhu Youjian naturally understood Zhu Youxiao's purpose immediately. He stood up and said, "Your subject-brother accepts the decree."

Zhu Youxiao smiled slightly, then looked at Zhu Xu and said, "As for Joseon, they're also sending a tributary delegation next month. Sixth Brother, you go receive them."

Zhu Xu was taken aback, not expecting to be given a task as well. He had no choice but to rise as well, raising his hands and bowing, "Your subject-brother accepts the decree."

——

One more chapter to come.