Chapter 143: Raising the Blade Against a Censor

Zhu Cilang nodded inwardly upon hearing this, feeling that moving the capital south was the correct choice.

The court's control over the Jiangnan region was growing weaker by the day, and annual tax revenues were dwindling. If the capital were moved south, the court could firmly grasp Jiangnan, and Chongzhen would also have the chance to reshuffle the various power factions—breaking down the old order to build anew, and reshape the Great Ming.

Zhu Cilang could not understand why so many ministers would support something so detrimental to themselves. Could these all be hidden loyalists of the Great Ming?

"Moving south is tantamount to abandoning the Nine Borders and the northern territories! Such traitors are disrupting governance—Your Majesty, I beg you to execute them!"

"Abandoning the borders without cause—how can the spirits of the soldiers who died over decades on the Nine Borders find peace? How is this different from the spies of the slave rebels?"

"Your Majesty, I beg you to execute those who proposed moving south!"

The assembled ministers chimed in one after another, all opposing the move south. They pointed at that Censor from the Censorate and shouted angrily, their eyes blazing with fierce light, wishing they could swallow him whole. The censor's face turned deathly pale, and he involuntarily wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Once a person's interests are harmed, they become frenzied—even these literati who had spent years studying the books of the sages were no exception.

Wen Tiren had been watching Chongzhen's expression on the dragon throne the whole time. Seeing that the moment was right, he stepped forward from his rank and memorialized: "I propose that the Crown Prince go to Nanjing to serve as Regent!"

Wen Tiren's voice was not loud, but it struck like thunder, echoing through Huangji Hall. The hundred officials all started, staring at Wen Tiren with wide eyes—they could not understand what madness had seized the Chief Grand Secretary today.

Could Wen Tiren possibly have such good intentions? Zhu Cilang increasingly felt that things were not so simple.

Amid the low murmur of discussion, Left Chief Censor Tang Shiji suddenly stepped out of rank and said: "Nanjing has an imperial palace and offices for all the ministries. Having the Crown Prince go to Nanjing to serve as Regent—is this to make the Crown Prince emulate the story of Emperor Suzong of Tang proclaiming himself emperor at Lingwu?"

During the An Lushan Rebellion in the Tang dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong fled all the way to Sichuan with his entourage. Crown Prince Li Heng suggested leading troops to counterattack the rebels but was refused. On the day after the mutiny at Mawei Post where Yang Guifei was strangled, Emperor Xuanzong and Crown Prince Li Heng went their separate ways.

Later, Crown Prince Li Heng ascended the throne at Lingwu, and from afar honored Emperor Xuanzong, who was taking refuge in Sichuan, as Retired Emperor. Emperor Xuanzong's power was hollowed out, and he lived out his remaining years in solitude.

Tang Shiji was comparing Zhu Cilang to Emperor Suzong of Tang who had proclaimed himself emperor back then, and Chongzhen to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang—clearly words meant to stab at the heart. Historically, this had originally been Guang Shihong's line; who would have thought that after Guang Shihong was done away with, someone else would still voice such remarks.

The entire Huangji Hall fell silent in an instant. The officials stole glances at the Chongzhen Emperor on the throne, whose expression shifted between dark and uncertain.

Zhu Cilang's furious eyes shot like lightning as he stared at Tang Shiji and ground his teeth: "Tang Shiji!"

Tang Shiji had already thrown caution to the wind. He cared nothing for Zhu Cilang's rage, keeping his eyes fixed on Chongzhen's expression. He knew that as long as these words could stir the emperor, he would have won.

As for slandering the Crown Prince? That was a trivial matter. Censors of the Great Ming could say anything at all—even the emperor taking a wife could draw their meddling. Speaking words of precaution was a small affair at most, warranting no more than a reprimand or demotion.

Yang Tinglin stepped out of rank and memorialized: "The Crown Prince led troops to drive off the Jianzhou barbarians and asked for not a single reward, yet court officials still slander His Highness with accusations of treachery—what a tremendous irony!"

Tang Shiji retorted: "This great victory was entirely due to Your Majesty's boundless fortune, credited to the Grand Secretariat's strategic planning. The soldiers at the front merely did their duty, and the Crown Prince only served in a supervisory role at best—does he still presume to claim Heaven's merit?"

The Censors of the Censorate and members of the eunuch faction chimed in one after another, declaring outright that the Crown Prince was claiming Heaven's merit for himself.

"Shameless wretch!" Minister of Rites Jiang Fengyuan let out a furious snort, expressing his intense displeasure.

Officials of the Crown Prince's faction also joined in, cursing Tang Shiji and the eunuch faction as vile and shameless.

Tang Shiji's old face flushed red as he shouted loudly: "The Crown Prince holds twenty thousand elite troops, all stationed in the capital—if he seizes power, no one will be able to check him!"

Everyone's hearts trembled. Chongzhen's face was so dark it seemed ready to drip water, his right hand clenched tightly within his sleeve.

Zhu Cilang could no longer endure such slander. He roared in fury: "A mediocre minister frames me! I shall cut you down!" With that, he snatched the embroidered spring saber from a nearby Embroidered Uniform Guard and slashed at Tang Shiji.

This sudden turn left Tang Shiji stiff-faced and his scalp tingling. Forgetting all dignity, he turned and fled, hiding behind one of the dragon pillars in the hall.

Zhu Cilang's first slash missed him. Finding the embroidered spring saber rather heavy, he let the blade drag along the ground as he gave chase. A long white scratch was carved across the golden bricks of Huangji Hall.

The Crown Prince was publicly chasing down a Censor with a blade before everyone's eyes. The officials were horrified and scattered to avoid the murderous Zhu Cilang. The entire Huangji Hall descended into chaos, while the Embroidered Uniform Guards protecting the emperor quickly filled the marble steps to prevent any harm to His Majesty.

Tang Shiji dodged around the pillar to evade Zhu Cilang's slashes, utterly disheveled. Seeing that Zhu Cilang was still pursuing him, he fled out of Huangji Hall without a second word, and Zhu Cilang chased after him with his blade.

Chongzhen's hand trembled, his expression extremely ugly. Unable to hold back any longer, he suddenly bellowed: "Bring them both to Wenhua Hall!" With that, he flicked his sleeves and left.

The assembled ministers said nothing. Jiang Fengyuan, Yang Tinglin, and others let out long sighs—at least the emperor had not ordered the Crown Prince bound and brought back.

"The young are always hot-blooded." A faint, barely perceptible smile curled at the corner of Wen Tiren's mouth, and several heavyweights of the eunuch faction exchanged knowing smiles.

Zhu Cilang chased Tang Shiji with his blade all the way to the edge of the Golden Water Bridge, where he was finally stopped by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Tang Shiji's soul had nearly flown out of him. His whole body collapsed onto the Golden Water Bridge, face pale, teeth chattering uncontrollably, staring with terror-filled eyes at the fire-eyed Zhu Cilang. He instinctively shuffled backward and nearly fell off the bridge again—utterly pathetic.

The two knelt before Wenhua Hall, awaiting the Chongzhen Emperor's punishment. However, they were positioned a full thirty meters apart—likely because the Embroidered Uniform Guard feared the Crown Prince might pick up his blade and go after Tang Shiji again.

Afterwards, Tang Shiji was demoted several ranks in succession, reduced to Left Assistant Chief Censor, while Zhu Cilang was stripped of all military authority and confined to Zhongcui Palace.

Back in Zhongcui Palace, Zhu Cilang's anger had yet to subside. He swore he would definitely kill that damned Tang Shiji!

That very same day, the Chongzhen Emperor issued an edict deposing the Prince of Tang, Zhu Yujian, reducing him to commoner status and sending him to Fengyang, the Central Capital, to be confined behind high walls. His younger brother Zhu Yusha was enfeoffed as the new Prince of Tang.

This Prince of Tang was the very one who had raised troops to come to the capital's aid when the Qing army invaded. Imperial clansmen usurping the throne were mostly carried out under the banners of "coming to the aid of the sovereign" or "cleansing the side of the ruler"—Chongzhen's own ancestor, Emperor Chengzu of Ming, Zhu Di, had walked that very path.

Since the Jingnan Campaign, Emperor Chengzu of Ming had decreed that dragon sons and grandsons could not leave their fiefs without an imperial summons, nor could they lightly enter the capital. They were kept in their fiefs, fed and watered well, raised like pigs.

When Zhu Cilang learned of the Prince of Tang's affair, his heart gave a jolt. He felt he understood the Chongzhen Emperor less and less.

That evening, Chongzhen retired to Kunning Palace. Empress Zhou complained: "Tang Shiji, as Left Chief Censor, has read the books of the sages thoroughly, yet his character is so base. He bullied our son for his youth and actually drove the boy into a frenzy at such a tender age—"

"Enough! How do you know about affairs of the outer court?" Chongzhen pointed at Empress Zhou and shouted angrily. He had always detested interference in governance from the inner palace.

Startled by his outburst, Empress Zhou said in a trembling voice: "It was my sister-in-law who told me today."

Hearing that it was Empress Yi'an, Chongzhen said no more. He recalled the dying entrustment of his elder brother, the Tianqi Emperor: "The Empress has been with me for seven years, often offering upright counsel—I have benefited greatly. In the years to come she will be young and widowed, truly pitiable. Treat the Empress well."

Chongzhen had never dared forget the Tianqi Emperor's entrustment. Added to that, Empress Zhang had helped him ascend the throne, and Chongzhen held her in great respect.

After a sigh, Chongzhen said no more and left Kunning Palace.