Chapter 69: Receiving the Prisoner

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The fat man saw Zhu Xu toss the account books to the guards, his face changed, and he hurried after him, shouting, "Your Highness, Your Highness..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was pushed aside by the guards, who then began moving the things inside out.

Cold sweat poured down the fat man's face as he struggled and shouted wildly.

Before long, the fat man grew even more frantic, yelling as if he had gone mad.

"That one's not it, that one's not on the register."

"Stop moving things, it's past two hundred thousand taels!"

"Past five hundred thousand taels now — no more, you can't take any more..."

Despite the fat man's shouts, the dozens of imperial guards carried out large quantities of goods and silver bullion, loaded them onto the carts, and slowly drove out of the Ministry of War.

Minister of War Zhang Heming had already been taken into custody by Zhu Xu, and no one dared come out to stop them. And so, Zhu Xu brazenly made off with nearly half of the Ministry of War's plundered wealth.

It wasn't that he didn't want to take more — it was simply that he hadn't brought enough men today.

Zhu Xu leisurely took another stroll around the Ministry of War before leaving under the escort of his guards.

The moment his front foot crossed the threshold, the Ministry of War's great gate slammed shut with a thunderous boom behind him, like a frightened little white rabbit, still trembling in panic.

Zhu Xu curled his lip and said to the guards beside him, "Each of you give the gate one kick. Don't break it."

The guard was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Yes, Your Highness."

Thud!

The guards who had just shut the gate turned pale with fright, all worrying whether they had angered His Highness Prince Hui.

"Let's go — find a merchant house and store it all."

Zhu Xu climbed into his carriage and said with a refreshed, pleased air.

"Yes!" The guards around him answered with excitement, for with Prince Hui's permission, each of them had stuffed quite a bit into their own pockets.

The whole group bustled about with energy, escorting the carts and wagons — arriving with great fanfare, and leaving with even greater fanfare.

"My lord."

In the main hall of the Ministry of War, Sun Chengzong, dressed in elegant civilian robes, walked out, and the various people who had been hiding all emerged as well.

Sun Chengzong was the Imperial Tutor, Supreme Commander of Liaodong, and held the rank of Minister of War. Within the Ministry of War, his standing was higher than Zhang Heming's, and his colleagues trusted him far more.

A somewhat stout middle-aged man stepped forward, his expression hesitant as he said, "My lord, what game is His Highness Prince Hui playing?"

Within and without the Great Ming court, not only did ruler and minister distrust each other, but even between superiors and subordinates, peaceful coexistence was rare — power struggles and fights to the death were the norm. Zhu Xu had appeared out of nowhere and taken away Minister Zhang; this Vice Minister felt not joy but the stirrings of worry.

Sun Chengzong's expression, however, grew slightly grave, and he sighed: "You needn't worry. Minister Zhang likely won't be coming back this time, and as for me, I doubt I'll be staying long in Liaodong either."

Dong Hanru, the Vice Minister of War, was a man long seasoned in court storms. At these words he felt somewhat relieved, but after a moment's hesitation added, "Then... the Censorate — surely they won't let His Highness Prince Hui, Duke Zhang, and Her Majesty the Empress off easily this time?"

This time Sun Chengzong turned to look at Dong Hanru with a strange expression and said, "Don't you think this Prince Hui is anything but simple?"

Dong Hanru was startled. "Not simple — what does my lord mean?"

Sun Chengzong shook his head slightly, his expression hard to read as he said, "I don't know either. But this time, the Censorate and the Ministry of War are in for trouble."

Dong Hanru had no idea what Sun Chengzong was thinking; he only worried whether he himself might be dragged into it.

In truth, things were indeed as Sun Chengzong had predicted. According to history, even without Zhu Xu's appearance, Zhang Heming would have been toppled at this time, and Sun Chengzong, unable to withstand the impeachment, would have had no choice but to return to the capital to serve as Minister of War.

Meanwhile, Cao Wenzhao was escorting Zhang Heming in full public view, parading through the streets and markets, heading straight for the Ministry of Justice.

"Isn't that Minister Zhang of the Ministry of War?"

"Is he being thrown in prison?"

"What crime has he committed? Are those imperial guards escorting him?"

A crowd followed behind Cao Wenzhao, buzzing with discussion that never ceased.

Zhang Heming's face was incomparably grim, his teeth clenched in silent fury. Even if he escaped this calamity, he would have no face left to remain in the capital — and this made him hate Zhu Xu all the more bitterly.

"Hmph! Prince Hui barges into the Ministry of War and detains a minister of the court — even the Emperor and Empress cannot shield him from this!"

Zhang Heming, wearing his cangue, had walked the entire way with rage boiling in his heart. But since Zhu Xu wasn't there, he could only vent on a small fry like Cao Wenzhao.

Cao Wenzhao naturally paid him no mind. Soon they arrived before the Ministry of Justice's great gate, where he stopped and said, "Go up and knock. Tell them the Ministry of Justice is to receive the prisoner."

"Yes!"

A guard rushed forward and pounded on the gate — smack, smack, smack.

"Open up, open up! Receiving a prisoner!"

The guard knocked for a long while, but the Ministry of Justice seemed utterly empty — not a sound came from within.

The guard returned and reported to Cao Wenzhao, "Commander, no one answers."

Zhang Heming let out a cold laugh, craning his neck and saying, "Never mind the Ministry of Justice — even a Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat has no authority to throw me in prison. Do you really think the Ministry of Justice dares to receive me?"

No sooner had Zhang Heming finished speaking than a guard stood before the Ministry of Justice's gate and began walking back and forth, shouting.

"The criminal Zhang Heming secretly detained a Duke of the realm and plotted to frame Her Majesty the Empress! Witnesses and evidence are all in hand — this ministry is requested to receive the prisoner!"

"What? Minister Zhang is that audacious?"

"He even dared to detain a Duke, and plot against Her Majesty the Empress..."

"His nerve is truly too great..."

Zhang Heming's gaze turned dark and dreadful in an instant. No matter what happened now, his crimes would surely be confirmed in the eyes of the common folk.

His lifetime of clean reputation might well be severed here and now!

Cao Wenzhao stood there, watching the Ministry of Justice's prison the whole time. He was curious to see just how long the Ministry of Justice could hold out.

A full incense-stick's time passed before a man who looked like a Bureau Secretary came running from another direction. He walked up to Cao Wenzhao and said in a low voice, "Sir, might I have a word in private?"

Cao Wenzhao glanced at him, surmising he had slipped out through the back gate, and said with an indifferent expression, "Sir, if you have something to say, say it plainly."

The man looked around, hesitated for a moment, then said, "Commander, since there is solid evidence, the case ought to be transferred to the Court of Judicial Review. This no longer falls within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice."

Cao Wenzhao was taken aback — this was a reason he truly could not refute. But since Zhu Xu's intention was precisely to make a big scene, he pretended to ponder for a moment, then declared in a loud voice, "Since you put it that way, sir, I shall escort the prisoner to the Court of Judicial Review."

Everyone around heard this perfectly clearly. The man who looked like a Bureau Secretary's face twitched; he gave a bitter laugh and hurriedly withdrew.

"Let's go — to the Court of Judicial Review."

Cao Wenzhao waved his hand and led Zhang Heming toward the Court of Judicial Review.

Zhang Heming laughed in fury and said to Cao Wenzhao, "The Ministry of Justice dares not take the case — do you think the Court of Judicial Review will dare?"

Cao Wenzhao listened to his words and sneered inwardly. If the Ministry of Justice dared not take it, there was the Court of Judicial Review; if the Court of Judicial Review dared not take it, there was still the Embroidered Uniform Guard; and if even the Embroidered Uniform Guard dared not take it, then His Highness would have grounds to escort him directly into the palace and hand him over to His Majesty for disposition.

Zhu Xu sat in the carriage, pressing down on the valuables seized from the Ministry of Justice's prison. After circling the main street once, he headed straight for the Huitong Trading Company.

As carriage after carriage pulled up before the gates of the Huitong Trading Company, the surrounding shops' people appeared in various spots, their expressions odd and curious, gathering to watch.

Wei Liangqing had already come out to greet him. Looking at Zhu Xu descending from the carriage, his face was full of shock.

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End of Chapter

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