Chapter 138: The Cunning Japanese

Mao Wenlong in Liaodong certainly couldn't have imagined that he would inexplicably become a target of Zhu Xu's attention.

After meeting with Xiong Tingbi, Zhu Xu rode his carriage back to the palace.

Cao Wenzhao drove the carriage, asking in a low voice as they went: "Your Highness, will Lord Sun really listen to you and recommend Lord Xiong?"

Sitting in the carriage, Zhu Xu laughed: "I helped him get Xiong Tingbi released, and now I'm asking him to arrange a position for Xiong Tingbi—isn't that only natural?"

Cao Wenzhao mulled it over and couldn't see how it was natural at all. Changing the subject, he said: "Then, even if Lord Sun makes the recommendation, will the court and His Majesty really agree?"

Zhu Xu was quite confident on this point: "Since Xiong Tingbi was able to be released, then this time with Supreme Commander Sun recommending and vouching for him, neither His Majesty nor the Donglin Faction will block it."

Cao Wenzhao didn't quite understand the logic behind it, but since His Highness Prince Hui had said so, he believed it. He added: "Your Highness, the people sent by the Court of State Ceremonial are already waiting. Will Your Highness see them now?"

Zhu Xu tapped his fingers on his thigh and said: "No. In a moment, send them all back."

Cao Wenzhao knew Zhu Xu disliked the Court of State Ceremonial, and acknowledged with an "Yes."

Tong Shan was expelled from the palace. Standing before the palace gate, he frowned, his face dark.

The clerk beside him looked at him and said: "Sir, what should we do now? If His Highness doesn't know the ceremonial procedures and makes a mistake, it will disgrace our Great Ming!"

Tong Shan hadn't expected His Highness Prince Hui to be so unreasonable either. His face dark, he said: "This official will seek an audience once more. If Prince Hui still refuses to see me, then this official will go see His Majesty and request a change of reception personnel!"

Seeing Lord Tong angry, the clerk immediately dared not speak.

Tong Shan brought the clerk and entered the palace again to request an audience.

Zhu Xu had already made up his mind to give the Court of State Ceremonial a hard time, so naturally he paid him no heed.

Tong Shan truly did as he said—he really did request an audience with the Emperor.

Given his rank, this would normally have been impossible, but since it involved receiving the Joseon envoy, the palace eunuchs dared not be careless and immediately reported it to Zhu Youxiao in the Imperial Study.

After hearing this, Zhu Youxiao was taken aback for a moment, then asked Liu Shimin beside him: "What has Prince Hui been up to lately?"

Though Liu Shimin had stepped down as Director of the Eastern Depot, he was in name and in fact the chief steward of the imperial palace. Turning around, he said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Hui sent people to the Firearms Bureau and transferred ten large cannons, one hundred land mines, and one hundred matchlock muskets to outside the city."

A look of curiosity crossed Zhu Youxiao's face. After a pause, he laughed: "Inform that registrar of the Court of State Ceremonial that I am busy and have no time to see him. Tell him to figure it out himself."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Liu Shimin bowed slightly and turned to leave.

When Tong Shan heard that His Majesty would not grant an audience, his expression darkened a shade. Seeing the clerk's eager gaze, he gave a cold snort and said: "Let's go. Back to see our director. His Majesty won't see me, but he can't refuse to see our director!"

When the Chief of the Court of State Ceremonial learned that Zhu Xu had refused to see Tong Shan and His Majesty had also refused to see him, he rushed out of a brothel in a panic and hurried to the palace to request an audience with Zhu Youxiao.

The result was that Zhu Youxiao wouldn't see him, and trying to see Zhu Xu was equally impossible.

"Tell me, just what can you actually accomplish!"

The Chief of the Court of State Ceremonial pointed at Tong Shan's nose and shouted in front of the two Vice Directors.

The two Vice Directors' expressions were equally grim. If His Highness Prince Hui truly committed a breach of etiquette and disgraced the Great Ming, then the Emperor would surely punish them—not the seven-year-old Prince Hui!

Tong Shan bowed his head low. He had gone over every detail of his meeting with His Highness Prince Hui, yet he still couldn't figure out where he had gone wrong. Blaming this and that, in the end he still resented that His Highness Prince Hui was young and ignorant, willful and troublesome.

A Vice Director who had long been dissatisfied with Tong Shan stepped forward and said calmly: "Regardless of the circumstances, His Highness clearly doesn't like Tong Shan. Let's first dismiss Tong Shan from his post. Tomorrow morning, we'll wait at the palace gate early and speak with His Highness as we walk. As long as we avoid the major ceremonial procedures, simplifying the rest should be acceptable."

The other Vice Director was just about to object when the Chief of the Court of State Ceremonial spoke: "Let it be so. Tong Shan, go home and rest for a while first. None of you are to return home today—sleep at the office. Tomorrow at dawn we will all go wait for His Highness Prince Hui."

Having said this, he waved his hand and left.

The Vice Director who had kicked Tong Shan while he was down gave him a smug smile and walked off with his hands behind his back.

Tong Shan was still stunned. How had things turned out like this?

Early the next morning, Zhu Xu was woken up.

Yao Qingqing adjusted the elaborate prince's robes on Zhu Xu while speaking softly: "Your Highness, several officials from the Court of State Ceremonial have been waiting since early morning. If this continues, the officials entering the palace for court will all see them."

Zhu Xu nodded and laughed: "This time they should know that this young prince of ours isn't so easy to bully."

Yao Qingqing chuckled lightly and said: "Yes, before not one of them showed their face, and now all three have come."

After tidying himself up, Zhu Xu led Cao Wenzhao and a retinue of Embroidered Uniform Guard officers in resplendent, imposing uniforms out through the palace gate.

"This humble official pays respects to His Highness Prince Hui."

The three officials of the Court of State Ceremonial hurried forward to pay their respects the moment they saw Zhu Xu.

Zhu Xu saw that not far away, the Court of State Ceremonial had all their ceremonial props and personnel fully prepared. He went straight up to the open-top carriage drawn by four white horses and waved his hand: "Alright, let's go."

The three officials of the Court of State Ceremonial hastily acknowledged. Originally only one Vice Director was to accompany today, but after His Highness Prince Hui's earlier "antics," no one dared to be careless, and they all followed along.

Before long, the group arrived outside the East Gate. In the distance, they could see another group riding carriages slowly approaching from the opposite direction.

Zhu Xu sighed inwardly—this ceremonial business really was a killer.

Who knew how long this Joseon envoy had been waiting outside? If Zhu Xu hadn't shown up, they probably would have kept waiting indefinitely.

Soon, the group appeared not far from Zhu Xu's carriage. A middle-aged man in Joseon official robes, thin-faced and somewhat short, stepped down from his carriage and walked over quickly. At a short distance from Zhu Xu, he knelt on one knee and said: "Joseon's humble subject Jin Zhongshan kowtows before His Highness Prince Hui of the Great Ming!"

Zhu Xu sized him up and gave an almost imperceptible nod. He was indeed Japanese, but his Chinese was really quite good.

Seeing that Zhu Xu wasn't moving, the Court of State Ceremonial officials kept signaling him with their eyes, growing frantic.

Zhu Xu smiled slightly and made a gesture of raising someone up with his hand: "Lord Jin, please rise."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Jin Zhongshan stood up and looked up at Zhu Xu. His expression shifted slightly, then immediately took on an appearance of reverence.

Zhu Xu glanced at the three officials of the Court of State Ceremonial, then looked back at Jin Zhongshan. Projecting the full dignity of a Ming prince, he said with calm authority: "Lord Jin has traveled far and must be weary. Come, get on the carriage and enter the city together with this prince."

This violated protocol, and the Chief of the Court of State Ceremonial wanted to object but couldn't find a pretext.

Jin Zhongshan composed himself, and an expression of profound gratitude immediately appeared on his face. Raising his hand, he said: "Thank you, Your Highness Prince Hui." Having said this, he stepped up onto the carriage.

Zhu Xu smiled at Jin Zhongshan seated beside him, then announced in a loud voice: "Return to the city!"

Jin Zhongshan's expression did not change. Seated beside Zhu Xu, he appeared utterly deferential, yet he was secretly sizing up Zhu Xu as well.

This time he had come not only to present tribute but also to seek aid. The Jin were becoming increasingly aggressive toward Joseon, raiding from time to time and even penetrating deep into their territory on multiple occasions. Having gone through three great wars, Joseon's strength was already badly depleted, and they still had to guard against Japan to the north—they were utterly unable to cope.

After thinking it over again and again, the only solution was to once more seek aid from the Great Ming court.