Chapter 64: Aftermath

Zhu Xu, still bleary-eyed, lay sprawled across the table, yawning and muttering weakly: "Sister-in-law, why did you call me here so early in the morning? Your body hasn't recovered yet—you need to rest. His Majesty asked me to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't overwork yourself. Doing this puts me in a difficult spot..."

Empress Zhang's face was still somewhat pale, but her spirits were high. Watching his demeanor, she shook her head slightly and said: "Alright, once I've asked my questions, you can go back. Perk up a little."

"Fine."

Zhu Xu sat up abruptly, looking at Empress Zhang with renewed vigor, his eyes bright and piercing.

Pfft—

Not far away, Huan'er and several maidservants couldn't help but burst into laughter at Zhu Xu's antics.

Empress Zhang shot a glare at Huan'er and the others, then looked at Zhu Xu with feigned anger: "You're a prince, after all. Have a little dignity."

Zhu Xu nodded repeatedly, with an expression that said "hurry up and ask."

Empress Zhang couldn't help but smile as well, then shot Zhu Xu another glare and asked in a soft voice with a slightly odd look: "Did anything reach you yesterday?"

"Yesterday?"

Zhu Xu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly understood. He waved his small, fair hand with an air of authority: "Sister-in-law, rest assured. With His Majesty watching over me, who would dare make a move against me?"

Empress Zhang naturally knew Zhu Xu was talking nonsense, but seeing his condition, it seemed he hadn't been affected. She waved her hand as well and said: "That's good then. Put all those affairs of yours away for now. Once you're at your fief in the future, you can play however you like."

Zhu Xu looked at Empress Zhang, his expression unchanged, but his mind was churning. Given Empress Zhang's affection for him, she wouldn't summon him to say these things without reason.

Could it be that something had happened?

Zhu Xu's heart skipped a beat, but his face broke into a cheerful grin: "Got it."

Empress Zhang could tell at a glance that Zhu Xu hadn't taken her words to heart. She said with exasperation: "You—if you try to fool me again this time, it won't be so easy to leave the palace next time."

Zhu Xu grimaced. That was his Achilles' heel—if he got locked up in the palace, he'd die of boredom for sure.

"Alright, you may go. I'm tired as well."

Seeing Zhu Xu's expression, Empress Zhang knew she'd said enough, so she stood up and spoke.

Zhu Xu quickly rose, and with full respect, intoned: "I bid you farewell, sister-in-law. May you enjoy boundless blessings and peace."

Empress Zhang pursed her lips, a faint blush appearing on her pale face as she glared at him with feigned anger.

Zhu Xu immediately had a realization and said: "Ah, I forgot this is your residence, sister-in-law. Then your younger brother takes his leave." With that, he swaggered out of Kunning Palace, striding boldly with an exaggerated sway.

Huan'er supported Empress Zhang and said with a light smile: "Your Grace, Prince Hui is deliberately trying to amuse you."

Empress Zhang couldn't help but laugh as well, then coughed softly. Only after she felt comfortable did she slowly walk toward the inner chamber, saying with a gentle smile: "You—don't be fooled by him. That little monkey is full of tricks. If you're not careful, you'll fall right into his trap."

Huan'er supported Empress Zhang as they walked toward the inner room, speaking softly: "Your Grace, Prince Hui does have some cleverness, but isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"

Empress Zhang shook her head slightly and said: "You can't see it. Even though there are some things I can't see through either, the things he does are certainly beyond the pale."

"Surely not, Your Grace?" Huan'er's mouth fell open in surprise.

Empress Zhang smiled softly and sat down on the bed: "No need to worry. In a few years, once he's older, I'll find a way to seal up all those affairs of his and send him off to his fief, so I don't have to live in constant anxiety."

Huan'er pursed her lips, pulling back the blanket for Empress Zhang, and said with a soft laugh: "Your Grace truly cares for His Highness."

Empress Zhang shook her head helplessly and lay down on the bed.

After leaving Kunning Palace, the moment Zhu Xu returned to Jinghuan Palace, he summoned Cao Huachun and Cao Wenzhao.

"Yesterday—did anything unusual happen outside the palace?" Zhu Xu asked.

Cao Huachun and Cao Wenzhao exchanged a glance and said: "Reporting to Your Highness, things outside the palace are in chaos. What exactly are you referring to?"

Zhu Xu had no clear idea either, but Empress Zhang wouldn't have called him in over concern for his "enterprises" without reason. After thinking it over, he said: "Go investigate. See if any imperial relatives, nobles, or high ministers were affected."

Cao Wenzhao was taken aback and said: "Your Highness, that seems unlikely, doesn't it?" Although the Ming dynasty kept strict control over imperial relatives, they were also well protected. Ordinary people wouldn't dare touch them.

Zhu Xu pondered briefly, then said: "Go investigate. Tonight I'll visit my maternal uncle and ask him as well."

"Yes, Your Highness." The two acknowledged and each deployed their people to look into the matter.

Outside the palace, one could say there was widespread wailing and lamentation. Of course, this referred to the wealthy households; smaller families were rarely affected. But the Shuntian Prefecture was still organizing manpower to clean the streets and clear away the rubbish.

"Master, I've taken stock. We lost thirty thousand taels in silver bullion, and a hundred thousand taels in silver notes..."

This was a wealthy household.

"Manager, not counting the calligraphy, paintings, and antiques, just the silver alone—a hundred thousand taels have gone missing..."

This was an antique shop.

"Head manager, wuwu—the silver vault has been ransacked. Not a single copper coin remains..."

This was a long-established money house.

Voices like these were everywhere, as if everyone had been taking inventory since early morning.

At that mysterious inn.

"Manager Yang, we've suffered heavy losses this time."

"Indeed. The goods we purchased in the city were seized by the Ministry of Revenue, and most of the silver on our persons was confiscated as well."

"Even if the goods outside the city sell safely, we'll still have lost more than half this time."

"The court was too ruthless this time. Aren't they afraid public sentiment will boil over and become impossible to suppress?"

Yang Huaizhong looked at his partners, who were discussing the matter listlessly, and said coldly: "Have the losses been tallied?"

"Manager," the gatekeeper, still in his coarse cloth garments, stood behind him and said in a low voice: "Just that batch of goods alone cost us five hundred thousand taels. Adding the silver confiscated here and various valuables, it likely exceeds one million taels."

Yang Huaizhong frowned and said after a moment of deliberation: "I still have three hundred thousand taels on me. Once this matter blows over, let's see if we can redeem some of it. Then we'll split it evenly among everyone—consider it my compensation."

"Oh, how could we accept that?"

"Indeed, Brother Yang, we don't blame you."

"Brother Yang, we'll still have to rely on you in the future."

These people didn't mention the silver at all, but Yang Huaizhong felt somewhat disgusted. He waved his hand and went into his room.

At the antique shop not far away, Qiu Yuehou stood in the main hall with a pained expression on his face.

Fragments were everywhere. The entire antique shop looked as if it had been turned upside down, with not a single intact spot remaining.

"Those damned bastards!"

Qiu Yuehou's fat face trembled, his eyes bloodshot, and he cursed through gritted teeth.

That shop assistant also stood to one side, wearing the same mournful expression. Though many of the items were fakes, several were indeed genuine treasures, worth a fortune.

And Li Fugui, who had earlier dragged Wei Liangqing into the yamen, was now lying on a bed, looking at death's door.

Wei Liangqing stood at the entrance of the Huitong Trading Company, watching scene after scene, feeling he had never been so elated in his life—he wished he could throw back his head and roar at the sky!