Chapter 343: The Grand Secretariat

Shen Shiyu did not argue with Hong Chengchou upon hearing this.

He knew that no matter what happened within the city, only his master's status could mediate and suppress it; moreover, this matter most likely had not deteriorated to the point of armed conflict — Hong Chengchou's instructions were merely preparations for the worst-case scenario.

He clasped his fists and bowed to Hong Chengchou, bidding him to take care, then immediately spurred his horse and galloped back along the road he had come, with Wu Jin following.

At Hong Chengchou's command, his personal battalion surrounded him and raced toward the nearby city of Jinzhou.

Since the enemy threat had only recently been lifted, there were almost no travelers or merchants on the official road. The two-hundred-man cavalry unit galloped along the fairly wide road for less than a quarter of an hour before reaching the south gate of Jinzhou.

Upon receiving the news sent by Zu Yong — that Zu Zehong and Wu Sangui had been beaten and were seeking revenge with weapons in hand — Zu Zerun was startled but did not take it too seriously.

He knew Zu Zehong was reckless and arrogant by nature; this time, using the excuse of drink to pick a fight and ending up beaten soundly due to inferior skill was only to be expected — but if actual weapons were drawn, that would be bad.

Zu Zerun excused himself to his elders and left the room, walking unhurriedly toward the front courtyard.

Unexpectedly, before he even reached the fourth courtyard, Zu Zesheng came rushing over from the front in great haste.

"Elder Brother! Something terrible! A fight has broken out up front! Third Brother and Changbo are both seriously wounded, Fifth Brother and Zeyuan have minor injuries! Many of the household guards on both sides are dead or wounded! All the other brothers have rushed over to help! The two sides have already fought their way outside the mansion — if this continues, it will be hard to bring to a close!"

"What? How did it come to this?! Go quickly and inform Father! Remember, do not let Aunt know!"

The news Zu Zesheng brought made Zu Zerun's face turn pale with shock.

What he had thought was a trivial matter had actually escalated into mutual slaughter, and important figures on both sides were wounded — even if this were ultimately suppressed, the Zu and Wu families would have completely fallen out.

The spacious street outside Zu Dashou's mansion had now become a battlefield stained with blood. After Zu Zeqing and other Zu family members joined in, what had been a small-scale clash finally escalated into a full-scale battle between the Zu and Wu families.

Although Zu Zeyuan and Zu Kefa had now appeared one after another, exposing the claim that the two had been killed by Wu Sangui as false, most of the Zu family members' pent-up rage was ignited by the dead and wounded scattered across the ground and the blood staining the street. At their command, the household guards and retainers of each branch joined the ranks besieging the Wu family.

And as the number of dead and wounded grew, both sides fought with genuine fury, escalating from the initial close-quarters combat into an all-directional engagement involving ranged weapons such as bows and crossbows.

Although Zu Zepu was straining to prevent the conflict from escalating further, the blood-maddened Zu family members would no longer listen to him — even the household guards and retainers ignored his orders. Watching companions who had been boasting and joking with them moments ago turn into cold corpses in the blink of an eye, killed by so-called family, this fury and the immense contrast drove everyone past reason. Only one thought remained in each person's heart: revenge — avenge your brothers.

Of the hundred-plus household guards Wu Sangui had brought, more than half were dead or wounded. He himself had been struck in the right shoulder by a stray arrow and lost his ability to fight. Wu Kui, after having his wounds hastily bandaged with the help of others, was commanding the remaining fifty-plus men in a desperate struggle, trying to fight their way out of the city so their young master could escape with his life.

But the current situation was extremely unfavorable for them.

The reason was that when Wu Sangui charged out of the mansion, most of the household guards and retainers waiting outside the Zu mansion had been mingled together in small groups. By the time everyone reacted, the two sides had already descended into melee combat.

In the chaos, Wu Sangui, protected by several household guards, leaped onto his warhorse. Then, under Wu Kui's command, the others either covered the rear or fought desperately forward, trying to cut open a bloody path so their young master could escape.

In the extreme confusion, Wu Sangui suffered several more wounds, and from excessive blood loss his body was already swaying precariously.

"Old Eight, you hold them off with your men! I'll go check the rear!"

Seeing the situation growing ever more critical — his own men rapidly dwindling in number, while the young master had only advanced a few dozen paces, his warhorse unable to gallop on the crowded street — Wu Kui knew that only by quickly cutting down those blocking the rear could his young master have any chance of escape.

With no other choice, he decisively issued the order to Wu Laoba beside him.

"Go quickly! Take care of the family's old and young for me!"

Wu Laoba, in his thirties, hacked off the arm of a Zu family guard before him with one stroke of his blade, shouting back without turning his head.

He knew that covering the rear meant leaving his life here today, but the kindness the young master had shown his family over the years was worth dying for.

Wu Kui had no time to think further. He turned and ran toward the rear, blade in hand.

With the command pennants of the Jiliao Supreme Commander clearing the way, and the false military orders Wu Jin had fabricated when leaving the city earlier, the gate captain dared not obstruct the arriving personal battalion cavalry. The small cavalry force Hong Chengchou had brought entered the city without hindrance.

Not long after Hong Chengchou entered the city, just as Wu Sangui seemed about to die within Jinzhou, Zu Dashou's appearance brought this brief but bloody battle to an abrupt halt. When Hong Chengchou arrived at the scene, the Zu family was already cleaning up and rescuing the wounded, and the gravely injured Wu Sangui had been carried into the mansion for treatment.

After meeting with Zu Dashou, whose face was livid, Hong Chengchou knew he had no heart to discuss anything else.

After expressing sympathy over such an unfortunate incident occurring in Jinzhou, Hong Chengchou went to the rear residence to visit the unconscious Wu Sangui. Seeing this young talent he had favored wrapped in thick layers of gauze, Hong Chengchou's heart was filled with mixed feelings of joy and concern.

The sudden eruption of such a major incident in Jinzhou was a lose-lose situation for both the Zu and Wu families. The most pressing matter now was to see what benefits the court could extract from the opportunity.

After taking his leave of the agitated Zu Dashou, Hong Chengchou went to Governor Fang Yizao's office to rest and have tea. Once the general course of the incident had been investigated, Hong Chengchou left Jinzhou under the protection of his personal battalion and returned to Songshan, dispatching fast horsemen to rush the news to the capital.

Upon receiving the first urgent report sent by Hong Chengchou, Zhu Youjian immediately left the Sun residence, boarded his carriage, and prepared to return to the palace.

Seeing that the sky was gradually darkening, and considering that summoning senior ministers to the palace for discussion at this hour — if it went too late and the palace gates were locked, the ministers would be unable to leave the palace city, which would be a tremendous taboo and would cause a great laughingstock if it got out —

Zhu Youjian pondered for a moment, then ordered the several senior officials of the Ministry of War and Shuntian Prefect Chen Qiyu to convene at the Wenyuan Pavilion on the eastern side inside the Meridian Gate.

That was the famous office of the Grand Secretariat, located in the outer city of the Forbidden City, accessible to anyone bearing a waist token.

He had originally wanted Sun Chuanting to participate in the discussion as well, but considering that today was the birthday celebration of Sun's mother — if guests arrived and the host was absent, it would greatly dampen the festive atmosphere — he ultimately abandoned the idea.

Hong Chengchou's urgent report did not reveal anything of great significance, and Zhu Youjian did not think anything major could have erupted in western Liaodong at this time. It was better to first convene the relevant personnel for discussion, and wait until the detailed memorial from beyond the passes arrived before deciding.

According to the Great Ming's traditional practice, Grand Secretaries took turns on night duty to handle urgent matters from various regions — a rule that had been preserved since the Grand Secretariat's founding.

Tonight, the one on duty at the Wenyuan Pavilion was none other than Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren.

Old Wen, having just finished his dinner, was strolling in the small courtyard to aid digestion, while a dozen or so clerks from the two offices chatted or busied themselves in their respective workrooms.

Suddenly, a dozen or so Embroidered Uniform Guard officers burst silently into the courtyard, swiftly inspecting all the workrooms. Then a tall, burly man strode out of the courtyard gate under Wen Tiren's astonished and indignant gaze. Before Wen Tiren could voice his objection, Zhu Youjian, dressed in plain robes, stepped into the courtyard with his hands clasped behind his back in the last glimmer of light before darkness fell.

"Your Majesty?! At this hour, why has Your Majesty come here in plain clothes like this? Such a frivolous act — this old minister truly cannot commend it! If Your Majesty has no other business, please return to the palace at once!"

After his initial astonishment, Wen Tiren did not ask why Zhu Youjian had suddenly come to the Grand Secretariat at this hour, but instead, after bowing, expressed his displeasure in a manner most uncharacteristic of him.

It was not unreasonable for Old Wen to be somewhat angry.

The Great Ming's domestic governance and external situation were currently in a flourishing and improving season; the Emperor had placed great trust in him, and he had not yet had his fill of these good days — yet the Emperor had suddenly gone out in plain clothes, and what was more, with night already fallen he had not returned to the palace city but had quietly slipped into the outer city instead. If any mishap were to occur, what would become of the increasingly improving situation?