Chapter 15: Making Arrests

"This servant thanks Your Majesty for sparing my life—long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

Wei Zhongxian was overjoyed at the news. He hurriedly knelt and shouted loudly. The crowd of eunuchs outside the Imperial Study joined in the shouting, even louder than they had been in the Golden Throne Hall.

Zhu Youxiao watched them, and for the first time felt like a true emperor. His heart stirred with emotion. He waved his hand and said, "You may go and handle it with full confidence!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. This servant takes his leave!"

Wei Zhongxian retreated out of the palace backwards. As soon as he turned around, his eyes flashed with murderous intent, his killing aura boiling. After a few steps, he gritted his teeth and gave low-voiced orders to Li Yongzhen: "Order the Eastern Depot men to wait outside the palace. The moment they come out, seize them all!"

"Yes!" Li Yongzhen's face was grim. He led a group of eunuchs out with menacing strides.

Meanwhile, Zhou Jianzong and the others were still outside Jingyang Palace, clamoring to see the Emperor.

Kunning Palace.

Zhu Xu's small frame carried an enormous food box, huffing and puffing as he walked toward Empress Zhang.

As Empress Zhang and her maids watched in astonishment, he opened the food box and took out dish after dish, bowl after bowl, all the while saying, "Sister-in-law, I had the imperial kitchen make these. This one is black-bone chicken soup—best for replenishing blood, nourishing yin and beautifying the skin. It's especially good for the body."

"This one is pork bone soup—strengthens the body and bones, soothes the stomach and intestines, and prolongs life."

"This one is crucian carp soup. I heard it replenishes... uh, well, it's good for the body regardless."

Zhu Xu had originally wanted to say it replenishes milk, but he suspected that saying it out loud would get him beaten by Empress Zhang or Zhu Youxiao for quite a while.

Empress Zhang waited for Zhu Xu to finish, then couldn't help but smile. "I know you care about your sister-in-law, but you needn't bring so much at once. How could I possibly eat all this?"

Zhu Xu waved his hands repeatedly. "Sister-in-law, just drink it slowly. I asked the imperial chef—it only needs a little warming up, and the flavor won't be affected."

Empress Zhang was alone in the palace. Though the Emperor was still considerate toward her, he had his three palaces and six courtyards after all, and there was also that Madam Ke. Zhu Xu's concern for her was the only genuine thing, and it comforted her heart greatly.

"Huan'er, bring His Highness Prince Hui a set of chopsticks and a bowl too," Empress Zhang said, glancing at Huan'er, then turned to Zhu Xu. "Don't bother with all this in the future. Stay put in the palace. Stop doing whatever you've been doing lately—the court is in turmoil these days. Lie low for a while."

Zhu Xu nodded repeatedly. Tilting up his fair, clean face with a harmless, innocent grin, he said, "Sister-in-law, don't worry. It's not like I'm doing anything against heaven's laws. And besides, everything I do is in Brother Emperor's name. It's fine, it's fine."

"I know you mean well for the Emperor, but don't do it anymore for now." Empress Zhang chided with a smile. Seeing sweat on Zhu Xu's forehead, she took a handkerchief and walked over to wipe his head, then admonished again, "And don't go to the Imperial Study these days either. Stay put in Jinghuan Palace. If you get bored, come keep me company and chat."

"Alright!" Zhu Xu agreed. He took the chopsticks and bowl that Huan'er handed over, and diligently served Empress Zhang a bowl first before filling his own.

Empress Zhang watched Zhu Xu, pursing her lips in a smile, but her heart ached somewhat. She had been married to the Emperor for many years now, yet still had no child. Though Zhu Xu gave her some comfort, he was after all her brother-in-law, not a son.

Zhu Xu stayed to chat with Empress Zhang a while longer. Seeing that she was growing weary, he took his leave.

"Your Highness," Wu Rou, who had escorted Zhu Xu out, saw that no one was around and whispered by his side, "I have examined her. Her Majesty does indeed show signs of pregnancy."

Zhu Xu's heart settled. Walking along, he said, "This must be kept from everyone—especially that maidservant. Every single thing she sends over must be thoroughly inspected."

Wu Rou answered in a low voice, "Yes, Your Highness. Rest assured."

Zhu Xu left Kunning Palace, but instead of returning to his Jinghuan Palace, he headed toward Jingyang Palace.

A group of court dignitaries—some even holding second-rank offices—were neither crying nor making a fuss now. They all knelt outside Jingyang Palace, looking as though they would not relent until the Emperor appeared.

Zhu Xu stroked his chin, a strange look on his face as he muttered to himself, "Are they truly determined to remonstrate unto death, or have they learned that Eastern Depot agents are waiting outside the palace and don't dare go out?"

After watching for a while, Zhu Xu found a pavilion and sat down, shaking his head inwardly. These dignified gentlemen couldn't endure such hardship to begin with—and if they provoked the already enraged Zhu Youxiao, it wasn't impossible that he would simply send Eastern Depot agents into the palace to arrest them.

He waited until the sun was about to set, but Zhu Youxiao never appeared.

The gentlemen, who had been kneeling in perfect order, began to let out cries of pain. Some started pounding their lower backs with one hand, others shifted to half-kneeling and rubbed their legs, all while seemingly covertly holding their position at the gates of Jingyang Palace.

"Sigh," Zhu Xu glanced outside, shook his head slightly with a sigh, and stood up. He muttered, "I thought they might actually do something outrageous. As expected—a scholar is good for nothing."

Zhu Xu clasped his hands behind his back and practically skipped his way back.

He had already anticipated that his enraged imperial brother would soon send Wei Zhongxian with men to make arrests.

Having lost the support of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Wei Zhongxian could only borrow the tiger's might—but that would only further enrage the pure-stream officials. When that happened, given Zhu Youxiao's temperament, faced with the powerful backlash from the pure stream—especially the Donglin Faction—he would very likely retreat and shelve Wei Zhongxian for a period.

Sure enough, Zhu Xu hadn't walked far when Li Yongzhen led over a hundred Eastern Depot agents charging ferociously toward Zhou Jianzong and the others.

"Arrest them all—don't let a single one escape!" Li Yongzhen roared, his face twisted with malice. He had been frightened today. If he had been expelled from the palace, death would have been certain! The more anger, the more killing intent.

"How dare you, eunuch villain!" A Censor immediately stood up and roared. They were Censors—the most honored men in all the realm. Who would dare insult them with weapons?

"Ah—" Before he could finish, an agent kicked him to the ground.

The dignified Censors were instantly enraged. Zhou Jianzong's veins bulged as he roared furiously, "Eunuch villains, we'll fight you to the death!"

He moved to charge forward, but these men only knew how to write, not how to fight. Before the words even left his mouth, he was beaten to the ground.

"Eunuch villains! You dare to barge into the palace and arrest people! Where is the law of the land? Where is heavenly justice!"

The gentlemen were all filled with grief and indignation. Even beaten to the ground, they continued to cry out and denounce the treacherous villains.

Li Yongzhen watched the Censors and court officials—who were normally so exalted and looked down on them with contempt—now sprawled dizzily on the ground. A wave of satisfaction surged through his heart, followed by a surge of malice. He sneered at them, "Fine. Let's teach them a lesson first. Anyone who refuses to submit—beat them first!"

The gentlemen's shouting immediately died down by more than half. Only Zhou Jianzong continued to roar without pause: "You pack of mutilated eunuchs, how dare you lay hands on us! Even with an imperial decree, we are still high court officials—how can we suffer such humiliation! Until the treacherous villains are eliminated, the nation's troubles will never end. We swear to stand against you eunuch villains to the death!"

The Censors, whose spirit had been greatly dampened by the beating, suddenly swelled with renewed vigor and joined in the furious shouts.

Li Yongzhen's chest heaved violently with rage, his eyes dark and terrifying. He ground his teeth and said, "Throw them all into the Northern Provost Prison for rigorous interrogation!"