Chapter 144: Empress Zhang's Hint

This matter of finding a tutor had been raised more than once long ago—Empress Zhang alone had brought it up no fewer than a dozen times, and Zhu Xu had dodged it every time with a masterful sidestep.

This was the first time Zhu Youxiao had raised it so solemnly. Zhu Xu rolled his eyes and asked, "Who does Fifth Brother have in mind?"

Zhu Youxiao sat back on the dragon throne and smiled. "A Hanlin Bachelor, Junior Compiler of the Hanlin Academy—Jiang Yueguang."

Zhu Xu had a vague impression of the name but couldn't quite place it. He tested the waters: "Brother, it's the end of the year now, and there's so much going on. Why don't we talk about it after the New Year?"

Zhu Youxiao opened his mouth to say that a little brat like you doesn't have anything going on, but quickly swallowed the words. He looked at Zhu Xu and smiled. "Fine then. There are quite a few ceremonies around mid-year, so be prepared. As for Prince Xin's side, I'll speak to him."

Zhu Xu quickly said, "Thank you, Brother."

Zhu Youxiao flipped open a memorial, frowned slightly, and set it aside without even looking at it.

Zhu Xu mulled it over, then rose and walked to Zhu Youxiao's side. "Brother, I heard you're planning to have Xiong Tingbi replace Mao Wenlong?"

Zhu Youxiao flipped through memorials casually, distracted. "Mm. Mao Wenlong is too outrageous—inside and out, everyone is dissatisfied with him."

Zhu Xu was about to speak when he caught sight of the memorial in Zhu Youxiao's hand—it was an impeachment of Wei Zhongxian. Zhu Youxiao only glanced at it before tossing it aside, looking thoroughly impatient.

Zhu Xu's brow twitched. He had originally wanted to ask how much silver the court could allocate to Xiong Tingbi. He paused thoughtfully, then said, "Brother, I won't disturb you any longer. Your younger brother takes his leave."

Zhu Youxiao tossed the memorial in his hand aside and looked up at Zhu Xu's retreating back, his expression somewhat strange.

As Zhu Xu crossed the threshold, Zhu Youxiao seemed to mutter to himself, "Tell me, does Prince Hui truly have the talent of Gan Luo?"

"Your servant believes that even if he doesn't hit the mark, he's not far off." From the side door, Sun Chengzong walked out in plain clothes, smiling.

Zhu Youxiao's expression shifted as if he wanted to laugh, but suddenly his left leg twitched. The corner of his face spasmed, and he sighed. "It's just that he's still a bit young—not enough to command the respect of others."

Sun Chengzong bowed slightly. "Your Majesty is in the prime of life; ten years or eight can be waited out. Besides, for some matters, being young makes things easier to handle."

Zhu Youxiao was silent for a while at this, then said, "For Xiong Tingbi, I'll give him one million taels of silver and one hundred thousand shi of grain. I hope he can truly pin down the Jin and reduce the pressure on Ning-Jin."

Sun Chengzong nodded, then immediately thought of the contents of Zhu Xu's letter. "Yuan Keli in Shandong also needs attention."

Zhu Youxiao held this teacher of his in the utmost respect, but upon hearing the words, his brow furrowed deeply.

Mao Wenlong had been strongly recommended by Yuan Keli. With this replacement of Mao Wenlong, the voices impeaching Yuan Keli had also risen greatly.

Sun Chengzong could also see the pressure Zhu Youxiao was under. His expression darkening as he thought, he said, "Your Majesty, you could temporarily shelve the matter of Yuan Keli—neither manage it nor ask after it."

Zhu Youxiao was noncommittal. Yuan Keli was one mountain peak of the Donglin Faction. As a peak, he had people and power, and by the same token, his opponents also had people and power. Given the temperament of the pure-stream faction, being impeached repeatedly was no different from being humiliated—they would insist on resigning. If Yuan Keli insisted on resigning, with the court adding fuel to the fire, even as Emperor, what could he do?

Zhu Xu came out of the Imperial Study, his expression strange.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Cao Wenzhao followed behind Zhu Xu and asked in a low voice, watching his expression.

Zhu Xu walked while lost in thought. If it were merely for the sake of so-called tutelage—finding a teacher—Zhu Youxiao would have no need to seek him out specially. It wasn't any urgent matter either, and what's more, Empress Zhang had just given birth, and the year's end was imminent.

No matter how he looked at it, this matter felt off.

Zhu Xu carefully recalled every detail of entering the Imperial Study. The more he thought, the stranger it seemed—permeated with something uncanny.

He had long had a vague feeling that Zhu Youxiao was deliberately designing things around him, but to this day he still couldn't see through it.

Suddenly, Zhu Xu remembered the attitude with which Zhu Youxiao had looked at the memorials. He turned to look at Cao Huachun. "What has Wei Zhongxian been up to lately?"

Cao Huachun paused, then said, "Your Highness, nothing in particular. It's just that I hear his methods of amassing wealth have become rather unscrupulous, stirring up discontent in many places."

Zhu Xu nodded. "Keep a close watch on him for me. The closer to year's end, the more likely something will happen."

Zhu Xu's worry was not without reason. The Minister of Justice, Wang Ji, had been forced to resign, and the position still sat vacant. Add to that the vacant positions of the Chu faction, and there was bound to be another fierce struggle.

After waiting quietly in Jinghuan Palace for three days, Empress Zhang was finally well enough to receive visitors. Zhu Xu rushed over at the first opportunity.

Empress Zhang lay on the bed. By the window sat a small rocking cradle, with a tiny infant lying peacefully inside. Empress Zhang gently rocked it with one hand, a smile at the corner of her lips, her face radiating maternal glory.

Zhu Xu also leaned over the edge of the cradle, his heart full of joy. This little princess had managed to survive, and Empress Zhang had come through without much trouble—a result that pleased everyone.

Zhu Xu looked at the little princess, whose face was still a bit wrinkled, and reached out a finger to gently poke her. He smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, has Brother given my big niece a name yet?"

Empress Zhang smoothed the bedding and smiled. "His Majesty has already named her—Meijin."

Zhu Xu found the Zhu family's naming conventions utterly beyond commentary. The two characters Empress Zhang had spoken, he couldn't find any corresponding meaning for at all. He thought for a moment, then said, "Then... does she have a childhood name?"

Empress Zhang was taken aback. "Childhood name?"

Seeing this, Zhu Xu grew interested. "Yes! Like Mantou, or Baozi, something like that..."

The corner of Empress Zhang's mouth twitched, and her tone turned unfriendly. "If you have nothing to do, get the hell out!"

Zhu Xu chuckled, rocking the small cradle, thinking to himself that when the little one grew up and others called her Princess, he'd follow behind calling her Baozi—it would certainly be very amusing.

Just thinking about it, the picture was beautiful!

After a while, Empress Zhang shifted her body and waved to Huan'er, who stood outside. Huan'er bowed slightly and withdrew all the maidservants.

Empress Zhang glanced at her daughter again, then said, "Lord Sun returned to the capital not long ago."

Zhu Xu's head snapped up, then his face broke into an innocent smile. "Lord Sun truly is meritorious and hardworking—at such an advanced age, still running back and forth."

Empress Zhang sighed softly. "You... Prince Xin is right. I need to find you a teacher."

Zhu Xu looked at Empress Zhang, his expression shifting. Empress Zhang never brought up serious matters without reason. Was she hinting at something this time? He was naturally extremely clever, and his mind began to churn.

Could it be that Empress Zhang had also seen something in the Xiong Tingbi matter?

Seeing Zhu Xu silent, Empress Zhang gently rocked the cradle again. "I hear that Yang Dahong, Left Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, is quite good. After the New Year, I'll arrange it for you."

Yang Dahong was Yang Lian's courtesy name.

Zhu Xu's expression grew even stranger. Empress Zhang arranging things so directly—what exactly was she hinting at?

Empress Zhang watched Zhu Xu's expression, her brow lightly furrowing. "Enough. Don't cause me any more trouble before the New Year. Things like the Xiong Tingbi matter—you're not to touch them again."

A chill ran down Zhu Xu's spine, and he struggled to keep his face composed.