Chapter 324: Testing the Depths

Zhang Yixian, reading the implication in Li Ruolian's words, understood that although His Majesty was very angry and had instructed the Embroidered Uniform Guard to handle this case strictly, there was nevertheless a sense of raising it high only to set it down gently—an approach consistent with His Majesty's consistent style of caring deeply about face and not wishing to leave a bad reputation among the scholar-official class. And the desire to use this opportunity to implicate others was Li Ruolian's own initiative. While secretly breathing a sigh of relief, Zhang Yixian also threatened with both carrot and stick.

In the conventional thinking of Zhang Yixian and indeed the entire Ming officialdom, Li Ruolian's public clamor for mass implication was nothing more than an attempt to extort a huge fortune. His words, while hinting that if the implications grew too vast there was a risk of provoking unrest in Jiangnan, also emphasized his hope that the two imperial commissioners would handle the market-closing case impartially. This so-called impartial handling meant ending the market-closing case and not expanding it to the high levels of Nanjing, whereupon the officials and gentry of Nanjing would naturally offer generous rewards and would cooperate compliantly on the matter of commercial taxes.

Li Ruolian smiled faintly and further threatened: "Garrison Commander Zhang may not be aware that the case of inciting civil unrest in the four prefectures of Yangzhou and Suzhou is in essence not far removed from treason. Confessions, witnesses, and physical evidence are all in hand, and those implicated behind the scenes are numerous. If I merely add a few strokes to my memorial and submit several pieces of evidence, what do you think His Majesty will do upon receiving it? When the imperial decree arrives in Nanjing, I fear a great army will accompany it, and beneath sharp blades, heads will roll through the bustling streets of Nanjing! As for the unforeseeable disaster you speak of—heh heh—not to mention the thousand or more Embroidered Uniform Guard officers and stalwarts, I have brought three hundred mounted riders from the capital this time. Garrison Commander Zhang is an old hand from the palace—do you know what the most elite of our imperial guard look like? As for the Capital Camps cavalry escorting the Grand Coordinator—to put it bluntly, these two hundred horsemen alone could sweep across the entire Southern Metropolitan Region! And the Grand Coordinator and I share one thing in common: we place little value on fame or profit. I shall here, on behalf of the Grand Coordinator, thank the entirety of Nanjing for its good intentions—heh heh heh heh!"

Zhang Yixian snorted coldly upon hearing this and said no more, instead glancing at Zhao Zhilong seated below.

Zhao Zhilong, who had been pondering the meaning of Li Ruolian's words, did not notice the signal Zhang Yixian conveyed. The several people in the hall were all lost in thought, and the atmosphere momentarily turned rather cold and quiet.

What puzzled Zhao Zhilong was this: given Li Ruolian's rhetoric and tough attitude, if he truly wanted to conduct a great purge in Nanjing city, he could simply go and arrest people directly—why bother sitting here speaking all this nonsense to the two of them? Since when did the Embroidered Uniform Guard need to inform others or obtain outsiders' consent before seizing someone? Never.

Zhao Zhilong knew the methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard all too well. If they wanted to take you, never mind having evidence—even if there were none, they could manufacture it for you.

Li Ruolian had just said as much: this case was already very close to treason. If he added a few fabricated strokes to his memorial and then forged some evidence to send to the capital, even if the Emperor cared about his reputation, once treason was involved he would certainly unleash a bloody slaughter.

Thinking of this, Zhao Zhilong spoke up to break the oppressive silence in the hall. He rose and clasped his hands in salute to Li Banghua: "Venerable Meng'an, might I have a word in private?"

Li Banghua hesitated for a moment and was about to refuse, but considering the other's status, refusing outright would violate protocol. In the end he rose and followed Zhao Zhilong outside the hall.

"Venerable Meng'an, this Earl and Garrison Commander Zhang are hardly outsiders. Garrison Commander Zhang comes from within the palace—that goes without saying—and this Earl is likewise a meritorious noble whose fortunes rise and fall with the state, and will surely put His Majesty and the Great Ming first in all matters. However this matter is settled, the two of us will stand on the side of the two imperial commissioners. Precisely for this reason, this Earl wishes to hear a truthful word from Venerable Meng'an: in this affair, what exactly would satisfy the two of you?"

The two men came to one side outside the building. Seeing that apart from the guards on duty at the courtyard gate there was no one else within, Zhao Zhilong posed his question in an earnest tone.

Having witnessed the attitudes of Li Banghua and Li Ruolian just now, how could he fail to see that one was playing the good cop and the other the bad cop? Since the bad-cop role had been played to the full, now it was time for the good cop to take the stage.

Li Banghua paused briefly, then spoke in a deep voice: "Provost Li's words just now were perhaps somewhat excessive, but as this official understands it, the fact that this unrest in the four prefectures implicates certain high officials of the Nanjing ministries is indeed true. And Provost Li comes from the ranks of the Son of Heaven's personal guard, and is likewise an imperial commissioner alongside this official on this mission. If Provost Li insists on pursuing the implications and using this to earn merit, this official has no authority to restrain him—I can only watch how events unfold before saying anything further. As for what movements there might be in the capital, that is not yet known. According to Provost Li, he has already reported the situation here and his intentions to the palace, and an imperial decree may very well arrive in Nanjing soon!"

Li Banghua's meaning could not be clearer.

Li Ruolian indeed held evidence of wrongdoing by certain Nanjing officials, and he was not subject to the control of the outer court. If Li Ruolian wanted to curry favor with the throne by claiming merit, I had no right to stop him. Although I did not agree with his methods, I could only see what attitude Nanjing's upper and lower echelons took before deciding whether to mediate.

And whether the Emperor would approve of Li Ruolian's approach was still unknown—for now, one could only wait for word from the capital.

"In that case, this Earl and Garrison Commander Zhang shall take our leave. But Nanjing and its surrounding region have been the most prosperous and stable territory of the Great Ming for a century, and are the foundation of the court's grain and tax revenues. It truly cannot be allowed to fall into chaos. I earnestly hope Venerable Meng'an will put the greater good first—do not act rashly!"

Li Banghua slowly nodded. The two returned inside, exchanged a few pleasantries of no substance, and then Zhang Yixian and Zhao Zhilong took their leave and departed.

By this time, all the major intersections within Nanjing city had already been seized by Embroidered Uniform Guard officers. The three hundred mounted riders Li Ruolian had brought patrolled the main thoroughfares on horseback in units of thirty men each.

The pedestrians and merchants on the streets were startled by this unprecedented scene, and after the initial shock they all whispered among themselves, speculating about what great event had occurred.

When well-traveled scholars and merchants who recognized the warriors' attire informed others, everyone came to understand that these fully armed warriors were Embroidered Uniform Guard agents from the capital.

Fortunately, these patrolling and posted Embroidered Uniform Guard agents made no move to harass pedestrians or shops—they merely maintained vigilance in squads or units—so before long, the residents and merchants who had initially been afraid grew accustomed to the scene.

Meanwhile, within the major ministry and bureau offices of Nanjing's Six Ministries, chaos had erupted.

Because the figures of Embroidered Uniform Guard officers had already appeared outside some ministry offices, many officials with guilty consciences immediately grew fearful and anxious.

In the private office of the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Xu Wenyuan sat facing Lu Henian, the Bureau Director of the Ministry of Personnel's Bureau of Appointments. The sudden appearance of Embroidered Uniform Guard officers outside the office completely rattled Xu Wenyuan, who had already been uneasy, and Lu Henian, his closest associate, also turned pale, all trace of his usual arrogance vanished.

"Vice Minister, could it be that Garrison Commander Zhang and the Earl of Xincheng's mediation efforts failed? Does that Li Meng'an not even give face to the two of them? Otherwise why would the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Eastern Depot agents appear? Could Jiao Yunfeng and the others have implicated you and me? What are we to do! Alas!"

Lu Henian, sighing deeply, had completely lost his composure. His mind was filled only with the scene of himself being dragged into the Imperial Prison and screaming in agony under a hundred kinds of torture.

"Meicun, do not panic—this matter is not as dire as you imagine! If the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Eastern Depot wanted to seize us, they would have charged straight into the office long ago. Why would they loiter outside? Garrison Commander Zhang and the Earl of Xincheng must still be bargaining with Li Meng'an—the outcome may not be as disastrous as you fear!"

Xu Wenyuan's words were less a comfort to Lu Henian than to himself, though his analysis did hold some logic: if the Embroidered Uniform Guard wanted to arrest them, they would have swarmed in already—why wait outside?

Upon hearing this, Lu Henian's tension and fear eased somewhat, and a bit of color returned to his face.

"Vice Minister, but since they have come, they must be acting on superior orders—yet why do they keep waiting outside the office? What is the meaning of such unusual behavior?"

After a moment of silence, Lu Henian's worry ultimately did not subside, and he could not help asking.

"Meicun, we who have steeped ourselves in the books of the sages speak of maintaining composure in great affairs. You have been an official for many years—what great scene have you not witnessed? Why are you so unable to keep your calm? This official estimates that once Garrison Commander Zhang and the Earl of Xincheng return from Li Meng'an's place, the truth will naturally come to light! Wait for now!"

Xu Wenyuan replied in a somewhat impatient tone.

Lu Henian said no more, but inwardly he was pondering: if he really were seized by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, how could he shift as much of the blame as possible onto Xu Wenyuan to mitigate the punishment he himself would face.

Time passed slowly amid the anxiety of many. Near the hour of noon, Zhang Yixian sent word throughout the city that all officials of the fourth rank and above in the various ministries and courts were to proceed immediately to the office of the Garrison Commander eunuch for deliberation. Upon receiving the notice, Xu Wenyuan finally let out a great sigh of relief. He comforted Lu Henian with a few words, then immediately left his office, boarded his official sedan, and, followed all the way by several Embroidered Uniform Guard officers, arrived at the Garrison Commander eunuch's yamen.