Chapter 109: Family

Kunning Palace was very close to Qianqing Palace. Chongzhen, accompanied by Wang Cheng'en, walked along the corridor between the two palaces for a short while before arriving at the side hall of Kunning Palace.

As they passed the side hall, a creaking sound came from within—the sound of the spinning wheel that Empress Zhou had placed there.

Empress Zhou was from Suzhou, from a poor family, and had learned to manage household affairs from a young age. Her father, Zhou Kui, supported the family with money earned from fortune-telling, and the family lived barely above the subsistence level.

Such a family environment fostered in Zhou a temperament that was reserved and strong-willed yet not lacking in gentleness.

When she was twelve, the family moved to the capital, where Zhou Kui continued to set up his fortune-telling stall in the bustling markets.

In the sixth year of Tianqi, when Prince Xin was selecting a consort, the seventeen-year-old Zhou was chosen by Empress Dowager Zhang Yan to become Princess Consort of Prince Xin; the following year, when Chongzhen ascended the throne, Zhou naturally became the Empress of the main palace.

Because Empress Zhou came from an ordinary background and had lived for a time in the prince's residence, she had never lost her commoner's nature. She knew the court's finances were strained and that her husband was worried about affairs of state. To save money for suppressing bandits and pacifying the people, she had always been frugal and self-disciplined—even when the sleeves of her undergarments wore through, she would not spend money on new clothes.

So Empress Zhou had purchased more than twenty spinning wheels and taught the palace maids to spin yarn and weave cloth in the side hall, to make clothes for the family.

Empress Zhou not only spun yarn and made clothes with her own hands, but also did the laundry and cooking herself.

In the seventh year of Tianqi, when Chongzhen had just entered the palace to ascend the throne, the situation within the palace was treacherous and unpredictable. Empress Dowager Zhang Yan had sternly warned Zhu Youjian, "Do not eat the food of the palace!"

At that time, Chongzhen had entered the palace carrying flatbreads. After ascending the throne, he still had to guard against Wei Zhongxian's people poisoning his food and drink—all his meals were personally cooked by Empress Zhou.

Chongzhen could not help but think that if it had been him, once in power he would also have done away with Wei Zhongxian! Not because Wei Zhongxian's power was too great, but because he was too dangerous!

When someone makes an emperor unable to eat or sleep in peace, if not you, then who would be done away with?

In truth, Wei Zhongxian might not have dared to poison him, but one must fear not the ten thousand but the one-in-ten-thousand. Strike first to gain the upper hand—otherwise, who knows what might happen in the future?

Reaching the door of the main hall, Chongzhen stepped inside. Before he had even reached the rear hall, he heard the voice of the Crown Prince, Zhu Cilang, coming from within.

"I just taught you, and you forget it in the blink of an eye! Kneel! Don't get up until you've recognized these characters!" This was Zhu Cilang speaking.

Another childish, milky voice followed: "Little Qinzi, you're so stupid! When the Crown Prince brother teaches me characters, I learn them in one try! You'd better learn quickly, or I won't let you eat!"

Chongzhen smiled and walked around the screen into the rear hall, saying, "When did Lang Ge'er become a little teacher?"

Zhu Meichuo, who was sitting on the ground, looked up and saw it was Chongzhen. She threw down the pinwheel in her hand, scrambled to her feet, and ran toward Chongzhen with a beaming smile, calling out, "Imperial Father! Imperial Father! Take me out of the palace to play!"

Chongzhen bent down and scooped her into his arms, laughing: "It's hot outside. When the weather turns cooler, Imperial Father will take you to pick fruit to eat!"

Zhu Meichuo affectionately wrapped both arms around Chongzhen's neck and said happily, "Good, good! Tomorrow it will be cool! Imperial Father, let's go tomorrow!"

Zhu Cilang came over and bowed, saying, "Your son pays respects to Imperial Father!"

Then he frowned at Zhu Meichuo in Chongzhen's arms and said, "Meichuo, get down! You haven't paid your respects to Imperial Father yet!"

Zhu Meichuo quickly struggled down from Chongzhen's arms, bent low in a bow, and said, "Meichuo pays respects to Imperial Father! Tomorrow when Meichuo picks fruit, she will give the first to Imperial Father and Imperial Mother!"

Chongzhen laughed heartily, took her little hand, and walked toward the brocade stool. After sitting down, he lifted her onto his lap, looked at the young eunuch kneeling before him, and asked with a smile, "Why did the Crown Prince punish you?"

This young eunuch was the one who had just gone to report and summon Chongzhen to the meal. His surname was Zhao, he was eleven years old, and he looked honest and simple.

Hearing the Emperor's question, the young eunuch kowtowed and said, "Reporting to His Majesty, just now the Crown Prince was teaching this servant to recognize characters—three characters in all, and this servant remembered them all. But when this servant saw the Princess playing with her pinwheel, this servant forgot the characters all at once!"

Chongzhen was immediately overcome with amusement. A child this age was exactly at the stage of wanting to play. The young eunuch had certainly remembered what Zhu Cilang taught him, but seeing Zhu Meichuo's fun pinwheel, he was instantly distracted, and when Zhu Cilang pressed him again, he forgot everything.

He smiled at the young eunuch and said, "What if I ask the teacher to let you off?"

A voice feigned displeasure: "Your Majesty, aren't you afraid of ruining the rules of study like this?"

Chongzhen turned to look and saw Empress Zhou, dressed in plain cloth, standing at the door of the rear hall. Beside her, a palace maid was holding a dish. Seeing the Emperor look over, the maid quickly bent her knees in a bow.

Zhu Meichuo quickly slipped down from Chongzhen's lap. Imperial Father liked her being close to him, but Imperial Mother valued propriety most of all—whenever she saw her clinging to Imperial Father and acting spoiled, she would scold her afterward.

Chongzhen rose with a smile and said, "Children—the rules cannot be broken, but one must also teach according to their nature! This five-spice pork rib is well made; the fragrance wafts over from several steps away, whetting one's appetite!"

Empress Zhou smiled and said, "Since His Majesty has spoken, Little Qinzi, get up! Go down and have your meal!"

Little Qinzi quickly kowtowed in thanks and withdrew.

After the palace maid set the dish on the low table and left, Chongzhen, Empress Zhou, and the children each washed their hands. The second son, Prince Ding Zhu Cihuan, also came into the hall, and the family ate together in harmony and joy.

Empress Zhou's Suzhou cooking was very authentic—though it was home-style fare, it was perfect in color, aroma, and taste. Chongzhen had a great appetite today and only stopped after eating two bowls of rice.

Empress Zhou watched her husband eating with relish, and a feeling of happiness welled up within her. Since he had taken up residence in Wuying Hall last year, her husband seemed to have changed a great deal.

His former impatient and irritable temperament had completely transformed. His words and deeds were more profound and steady, and his bearing was full of confidence. The brows that used to be perpetually furrowed were now increasingly relaxed, as if everything were under his control.

After rinsing his mouth, Chongzhen went to sit on the brocade stool. Empress Zhou followed and sat facing him.

Chongzhen joked, "The Empress's culinary skills grow ever more refined. If ever you and I were to end up among the common folk, the Empress's cooking could support the family by opening a restaurant, haha!"

Empress Zhou feigned displeasure: "If that day truly came, would Your Majesty and this humble wife even survive?"

Chongzhen looked at the children who had not yet finished eating and said solemnly, "Rest assured, Empress, I will not let that scene come to pass! If such a day ever came, it would be because I voluntarily went among the people to experience the pleasures of the marketplace—never because I lost the realm and was forced to do so!"

Empress Zhou picked up a peach from the fruit plate on the low table and handed it over, smiling: "The Eastern Palace just sent over fresh peaches. Your Majesty, do try one!"

Chongzhen took it, looked at Empress Zhou, and smiled: "Could it be that Noble Consort Tian has something she's too embarrassed to ask for herself, and so has entrusted you with the matter?"

Empress Zhou smiled: "Isn't it still that earlier incident of Duke Tian's dispute at the wine house! Noble Consort Tian fears Your Majesty's reprimand, so she asked me to mediate on her behalf!"

Chongzhen took a bite of the golden peach and praised, "This peach is delicious—sweet and juicy! Let the children eat more!"

Empress Zhou smiled: "Lang Ge'er has never cared for these things, but this time he took a whole basket and sent it outside the palace! I wonder—does Lang Ge'er have acquaintances outside the palace?"

Chongzhen knew it had been sent to Er Ya, and regarding this matter he had always let things take their natural course. So he smiled and said, "Lang Ge'er is growing up; don't bother with him! As for Duke Tian's matter, I have already ordered Luo Yangxing to handle it. The Empress may inform Noble Consort Tian that the ancestral laws cannot be abandoned. If Duke Tian still does not learn to restrain himself, disaster may well befall her!"

Empress Zhou sighed softly and frowned: "Duke Tian has indeed gone too far, relying on his status as a relative of the imperial family to act with reckless abandon! If Your Majesty can show mercy this time, let us hope he will henceforth show some restraint, so that Noble Consort Tian is not made to suffer further!"

Chongzhen smiled but did not respond.

Noble Consort Tian's father, Tian Hongyu, had originally been a Company Commander at the Yangzhou guard station. He was ordinarily idle and dissolute, associating with street ruffians, and had a poor reputation in the locality.

Later, when Noble Consort Tian was selected to enter the palace, Tian Hongyu rose through his daughter's position, leaping in one bound to become Vice Guard Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. In ordinary times he led a gang of thugs rampaging through the capital, relying on his status as an imperial relative to stir up trouble everywhere, and was frequently impeached by Censors.

This time, egged on by the thugs under his command, Tian Hongyu had set his sights on a wine house in the eastern part of the city that did excellent business. He wanted to acquire it at a low price—to run it for profit on one hand, to use the wine house to build connections on the other, and also to have it as a base for his own eating, drinking, and merrymaking.

This wine house had a clear annual profit of over ten thousand taels and had been in business for decades. Tian Hongyu offered five thousand taels and demanded they transfer it to him—naturally, the owner refused.

Tian Hongyu used the prestige of being an imperial relative and a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to intimidate the owner, and arranged for dozens of thugs with full-body tattoos to sit in the wine house's main hall. Several to a table, they would order a single small dish, then bring out their own liquor and start playing drinking games, filling the establishment with chaos and noise. This went on for days on end. Many regular customers no longer dared to come, and the wine house's business plummeted.

In desperation, the owner brought two thousand taels of silver to visit Tian Hongyu, begging him to lift his hand and let him off.

Having heard the wine house earned ten thousand in gold each year, Tian Hongyu was hardly willing to let such a fat morsel slip from his lips.

He accepted the silver and graciously declared the matter settled—but just a few days later, the gang of thugs came to cause trouble again as before. In a rage, the wine house owner reported the matter to the Censor of the City Patrol.

The Censor of the City Patrol, Li Jiaqi, had long heard of Tian Hongyu's various misdeeds and bore him deep ill will, having always wanted to find an opportunity to teach him a lesson. But he was hampered by the fact that many victims dared not file complaints—if the people do not accuse, the officials do not investigate. After all, he could hardly arrest and imprison Tian Hongyu merely on hearsay, could he?

Upon receiving the tavern owner's accusation, Li Jiaqi immediately sent men to arrest those thugs. After a round of beatings, the thugs used Tian Hongyu as their shield, fully expecting that his dual status as imperial relative and Embroidered Uniform Guard officer would make Li back off.

What they didn't know was that Censors were the sort who never thought a funeral too big to attend.

When encountering a matter that could both right wrongs for the people and earn unanimous praise from court officials, how could one easily let it go?

Without a second word, Li Jiaqi sent men with the summons for Tian Hongyu to appear for questioning—whether he had indeed instigated others to seize commoners' property.

How could Tian Hongyu be willing to appear for interrogation? If he went, how could he ever hold his head up again?

He didn't want to give up this money tree, but he couldn't control the Patrol Censor either, so he went into the palace to find Noble Consort Tian, asking his daughter to plead with the Emperor on his behalf.

With just one word from the Emperor, Li Jiaqi would have to release the men, and other officials in the government naturally wouldn't dare interfere either.

As long as these underlings made trouble for a few more days, the tavern, unable to operate normally, would have no choice but to transfer ownership to him.

Luo Yangxing had already reported this matter to Chongzhen, precisely because of Tian Hongyu's dual status.

Chongzhen truly despised this convenient father-in-law for such despicable conduct.

If you had come to me properly, wanting to do legitimate business to earn money, I could have given you a distribution territory for sea salt—you could sit at home and wait for the money to roll in. Why resort to such disgusting methods to seize others' property?

Now you've got Censors impeaching you and common folk cursing your name behind your back.

But Tian Hongyu hadn't gone too far—at least he hadn't killed anyone for money. He still had some bottom line.

If he had truly sent men to commit arson and murder, even the Emperor couldn't protect him.

After consideration, Chongzhen summoned Li Jiaqi and lavishly praised his insistence on fairness and justice in standing against the powerful. Then he spoke gently, saying his father-in-law was not a thoroughly evil man—perhaps he had been led astray by others before greed took hold. Let the matter end here, as if it had never happened—consider it a favor to me.

Li Jiaqi was naturally someone who knew how to read the room. Seeing the Emperor lower himself so much, he immediately took the opening. He said the matter must have been someone impersonating the Imperial Father-in-Law's name to commit evil deeds, and that upon returning he would surely judge the case fairly, punish the impersonator, and close the case. And so the matter was settled.

Chongzhen instructed Luo Yangxing to take this opportunity to launch a crackdown campaign in the capital, thoroughly cleansing the city of those foxes and rats who committed no great evils but never ceased their petty ones, so that the common people who had suffered could live more peacefully.

With the cooperation of Shuntian Prefecture, after half a month of rectification, the Embroidered Uniform Guard arrested over a thousand thugs and ruffians who guarded venues, protected properties, extorted honest citizens, and trafficked women and children—then sent them all to the coal mines at Mentougou for forced labor, with the length of their service determined by their daily conduct.

Chongzhen summoned Tian Hongyu and gave him a thorough scolding, sternly warning that if he didn't restrain himself from now on, he would be sent to the front lines to fight the roving bandits.

While badly frightened, Tian Hongyu also inwardly resented this convenient son-in-law for showing him no face at all. His own family didn't understand business, so he couldn't emulate Zhou Kui, who had used his imperial relative status to earn piles of silver through commerce.

Chongzhen knew what was on his mind. After all, they were relatives—after a slap, one should still offer a date. So he told him about the planned maritime trade venture, letting him invest money for shares and simply wait for dividends.

Tian Hongyu was overjoyed at this. Having spent many years in Yangzhou, he naturally knew the generous profits of maritime trade. Hearing that he only needed to invest money for shares and sit back waiting for dividends, he was naturally delighted.

So he happily took his leave of the Emperor and went home, forgetting to tell his daughter along the way that she no longer needed to plead for him.

This matter had only occurred a few days prior, and Empress Zhou and Noble Consort Tian were both still unaware—which was why Noble Consort Tian had just asked Empress Zhou to plead on her behalf.

Chongzhen briefly recounted the sequence of events, and only then did Empress Zhou relax. She would inform Noble Consort Tian when she next came to pay her respects.

The two chatted for a while longer. After a brief nap of half an hour, Chongzhen returned to Qianqing Palace with Wang Cheng'en.