Chapter 51: The Liaodong Affair

Zhu Xu waited until evening but never received the little report from His Highness Prince Xin. Bored and listless, he returned to Jinghuan Palace.

The moment Zhu Xu entered, he called out to Yao Qingqing, who was not far away: "Sister Qingqing, make me something to eat, I'm hungry." He had eaten some pastries at Empress Zhang's place, but they hadn't done much to stave off his hunger.

Yao Qingqing quickly acknowledged the order and rose, heading toward the inner quarters.

"Your Highness."

Cao Wenzhao had also returned from outside the palace at this time, his expression somewhat odd as he said: "The people His Highness Prince Xin had arranged over there seem to have all withdrawn."

Zhu Xu had just settled into the reclining chair and picked up a book. Hearing this, he was taken aback and said: "They really withdrew?"

Cao Wenzhao said: "Yes, they truly withdrew. I sent people to make inquiries, and they heard that His Highness Prince Xin was quite angry, seemingly cursing in the palace with angry words like 'useless to the state' and 'idle eaters waiting for death' and such."

Zhu Xu blinked, figuring there were even harsher words that Cao Wenzhao hadn't dared to repeat.

He muttered inwardly — this was indeed Prince Xin's temperament. Once he formed a certain definition of someone, no amount of persuasion would change his mind. In history, after he became emperor, anyone who gave him that kind of impression came to no good end — even those who died in battle weren't spared.

Sun Chuanting was a case in point.

"Have someone keep watch on him, and be careful about it."

Zhu Xu still wasn't entirely at ease about Zhu Youjian. After thinking it over, he said this.

Cao Wenzhao also nodded. Other matters were manageable, but if the arms factory affair were ever exposed, it would be an absolute catastrophe — heaven falling and earth collapsing.

Cao Huachun seemed to suddenly think of something and hastily said: "Your Highness, I hear that Supreme Commander Sun of Liaodong is returning to the capital to report on his duties."

Sun Chengzong?

Zhu Xu's brow twitched slightly. This man was the most capable figure guarding Shanhai Pass, or rather, in all of Liaodong at present. But Liaodong had always been a place of trouble — no matter who was stationed there, memorials of impeachment were never lacking, and the matter touched on every aspect of affairs.

Zhu Xu lowered his head in thought. He had suppressed Wei Zhongxian; without his obstruction, and with Nurhaci gravely wounded and not recovering, could the situation have taken a turn for the better?

After pondering for a long while, Zhu Xu still had no clue, so he could only ask Cao Wenzhao: "Do you know what it's about?"

"It's said to be about the Liaodong levy," Cao Wenzhao said.

Zhu Xu nodded. Historically, this problem would plague the Great Ming all the way to the end of the Chongzhen era.

During this period, the Great Ming was in the midst of the Little Ice Age, with natural disasters including earthquakes, droughts, locust plagues, and so on. And as for the dynasty's exhaustion — besides external causes, there was the vast scholar-official class plus the imperial relatives by marriage. Not only did they pay not a single coin in taxes, they ceaselessly gnawed away at every shred of flesh and blood of the already storm-battered Great Ming. Thus, the empire's treasury revenues dwindled day by day, while the silver needed for military pay and disaster relief across the regions only grew.

Naturally, in the end, all of this was shifted onto the common people at the bottom. Officials oppressed the people until they rebelled — and so it went, in endless cycles.

Seeing Zhu Xu silent and pensive, Cao Wenzhao lowered his voice and asked: "Your Highness, would you like to meet with Supreme Commander Sun?" He could vaguely grasp the intent behind everything Zhu Xu did, which was why he asked.

Sun Chengzong commanded immense prestige — not only within the Donglin Faction, but in the court and among the common folk as well. Moreover, he was the imperial tutor of Emperor Zhu Youxiao, which naturally made him all the more exceptional.

By all rights, a man of such towering prestige shouldn't have been impeached. Yet precisely at this time, the Great Ming's court situation was bizarre and unpredictable — no one could guarantee that the next day wouldn't see them toppled by a crowd pushing down a crumbling wall, ending in a miserable fate.

Therefore, whether it was the Ministers and Vice Ministers of the Six Ministries, the heads of the Nine Courts, or the Grand Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat, all were filled with anxiety and dread.

This also created a situation of constant turnover at court. In the more than ten years of the Chongzhen reign, thirty-seven chief ministers were changed — which shows how severe it was.

Zhu Xu shook his head slightly and said: "No need. We're powerless in this matter right now anyway — better to focus on our own affairs." At present, he had neither power nor silver, so he could only quicken his pace and bide his time for the future.

Cao Wenzhao nodded as well. Zhu Xu's identity was rather sensitive, and many matters couldn't be handled openly.

He thought for a moment, then added: "Also, Your Highness, that maidservant — that Ai'er — how should she be dealt with?"

Zhu Xu lay in the chair, his gaze turning cold. That maidservant, so young yet so deep in scheming, absolutely could not remain in the palace! But she knew too many secrets, and letting her go outside was equally worrisome.

Zhu Xu tapped the table with his right hand, silently calculating. Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't like killing people.

Suddenly, an idea stirred in Zhu Xu's heart. He said: "Go buy the Cuifang Tower and hand it over to her to manage."

Cao Wenzhao was startled and said: "Your Highness, what do you mean by this?"

Zhu Xu narrowed his eyes, scheming inwardly but not revealing it, and said: "Have people keep an eye on her. Report back to me if anything comes up."

Cao Wenzhao understood in his heart, knowing that His Highness Prince Hui was probably plotting against someone again. He acknowledged the order and went out to make arrangements.

Zhu Xu lay on his side in the reclining chair, flipping through a book, but he couldn't focus on it at all. All sorts of chaotic thoughts churned in his mind. He tilted his head and, in a daze, actually drifted off to sleep.

Yao Qingqing finished preparing the meal and was just about to come out and call Zhu Xu when she saw he had already fallen asleep. She walked over quietly, set the book aside, and took out a woolen blanket to cover him. Then she sat down to the side, silently doing her needlework.

"Brother Wei! Brother Wei! Guess what I found!"

The moon hung high as Hou Guoxing barged in recklessly, running into the Wei residence and shouting loudly at Wei Liangqing in the study.

This was his old habit — he didn't pay Wei Liangqing much regard. A flicker of coldness passed through Wei Liangqing's eyes, but he immediately put on a beaming smile and asked with feigned excitement: "What did you find?"

Hou Guoxing dragged over a chair, sat down beside him, and said: "I found a great wealthy merchant from Datong. They say he's worth millions, and he's in the capital right now."

Wei Liangqing sneered inwardly. He had spent considerable time in the Embroidered Uniform Guard and had confiscated the property of no few high officials and great households — he'd seen plenty of fortunes worth millions. Why get excited over this?

Hou Guoxing seemed to read Wei Liangqing's thoughts, leaned in close, and said in a low voice: "My people also found out he has a warehouse outside the city. Do you know what he's shipping? Private salt, ironware, tea — all of it bound for Liaodong! I estimate it's worth at least a million taels of silver!"

Wei Liangqing's heart gave a sudden leap, and his eyes went wide as he said: "Are you telling the truth?"

Hou Guoxing nodded: "I went to see it myself. It's true."

Wei Liangqing stood up and paced back and forth behind the desk, his expression shifting rapidly.

Smuggling private salt, ironware, tea, porcelain, and such to the Jurchens was almost an open secret in the Great Ming. Though the Emperor strictly forbade it and the court issued repeated orders, those below had never ceased — because not only did high officials in the court secretly support these people, the border troops were involved as well!

This didn't start only now. In truth, it began at the very founding of the Great Ming, smuggling to the Mongols, and over several centuries shifted to the Jurchens. They had a very mature set of operating methods, touching every aspect of affairs, and had long since taken deep root.

Wei Liangqing's heart raced with excitement. If he could take down this man, then the principal of a million taels would be in hand. But these people had complicated connections and deep entanglements — one careless move and he might fail to catch the fox and only end up covered in its stench.

Hou Guoxing watched Wei Liangqing's expression, vaguely guessing what he was thinking, and probed: "Brother Wei, could it be that the benefactor doesn't want us to do this?"

'How could Her Ladyship the Empress possibly do such bandit work?'

But Wei Liangqing didn't say it outright. After pondering for a while, he said: "Here's what — you first have people watch that warehouse. This is the first task the benefactor has given us, and it absolutely cannot go wrong. I'll go meet him in person tomorrow."

Hearing this, Hou Guoxing could only nod and say: "Alright."

PS: Begging for collections and recommendations — if you're passing by, don't miss out~~~

Another P: I only realized today that no readers have ever tipped — the fan leaderboard is almost empty. How awkward~