Chapter 189: Disciplining the Household Slaves (Begging for First-Order Subscriptions)

In Fengyang, the Central Capital, there was a place called the "High Wall"—the place where the Ming dynasty imprisoned its errant dragon sons and grandsons, and the only prison of its kind in all of history.

When the Manchu Qing casually threw offending princes into the Clan Court for confinement, that was still considered lenient—at least they were given a courtyard house to live in. But this High Wall of the Ming was outright imprisonment.

The High Wall was less than a kilometer from the imperial palace where Zhu Cilang resided. On this day, Zhu Cilang led his entourage there, accompanied by Li Tingbiao, Xu Sheng, Wu Zhong, Qiu Zhizhong, and others.

Currently imprisoned in the High Wall was a deposed prince—Tang Wang Zhu Yujian, who in the ninth year of Chongzhen, when the Qing troops invaded through the passes, had privately recruited soldiers and led troops northward, only to be intercepted and turned back halfway.

The name "High Wall" was no empty title. From afar, Zhu Cilang could see the majestic structure several stories tall. Once inside, he found it pitch black—fortunately, the further in he went, the more candlelight there was.

The eunuch managing the High Wall was greatly startled by the Crown Prince's arrival and hurried forward to pay his respects: "This servant Shi Yingzhao pays homage to His Highness the Crown Prince, may you live ten thousand years!"

Zhu Cilang nodded and said flatly, "Take me to see Tang Wang."

Shi Yingzhao reminded him, "Your Highness, the one in the High Wall has already had his princely title stripped by Your Majesty—he is but a commoner now."

Zhu Cilang glanced at him and said, "Lead the way!"

Shi Yingzhao's heart fluttered with unease as he hastily replied, "Yes!"

The cell holding Zhu Yujian was opened, yet no figure could be seen inside—only a large square box.

"Where is Tang Wang?" Zhu Cilang asked with a frown.

"He's in there," Shi Yingzhao said, pointing at the large square box.

Everyone looked over. On the lid of the box were four holes, through which a person's hands and feet could faintly be seen locked in the four openings.

Zhu Cilang gestured, and Xu Sheng opened the large box. There was Tang Wang Zhu Yujian, limbs bound, hanging head-down, his mouth not sealed, yet his face was flushed and he uttered not a single word.

Li Tingbiao gave a faint smile and said, "The High Wall truly breeds talent—I never imagined someone would use this kind of shackle-box torture on a person!"

Zhu Cilang said in a deep voice, "Release him!"

Xu Sheng lowered Zhu Yujian and untied his bindings, then brought him before Zhu Cilang, saying, "This is His Highness the Crown Prince."

"This commoner pays respects to Your Highness!" Zhu Yujian said, bowing deeply.

Zhu Yujian was a full three or four generations senior to Zhu Cilang, and Zhu Cilang found it hard to address him: "Great-"

Zhu Yujian quickly said, "Your Highness must not address this guilty subject in such a manner. This guilty subject has already been stripped to a commoner and cannot bear such an address from Your Highness."

Zhu Cilang said helplessly, "Who subjected you to such cruel torture?"

Zhu Yujian pointed at Shi Yingzhao and said, "This eunuch covets wealth. Seeing me fallen, he tried to extort me. When I refused, he tortured me day and night."

Shi Yingzhao immediately knelt and said, "This servant admits his crime—please, Your Highness the Crown Prince, forgive me."

Zhu Cilang glared at him and said, "Even if Tang Wang has had his princely title stripped, he is still of imperial blood. What are you to dare use torture on him?"

Zhu Cilang said coldly and sternly, "Since you love wealth so much, I shall grant you some. Someone, go to the inner treasury and bring thirty thousand taels of silver!"

"Yes!" Xu Sheng accepted the order and left.

Before long, Xu Sheng returned with several guards, hauling several cartloads of silver.

Zhu Cilang glanced at Shi Yingzhao, who was collapsed on the ground, and said coldly to the young eunuch beside him, Qiu Zhizhong, "Qiu Zhizhong, bury him in silver!"

"Yes!" The young eunuch Qiu Zhizhong was startled, but after accepting the order, he began carrying ingots one by one from the cart and piling them onto the eunuch Shi Yingzhao.

Shi Yingzhao's face turned pale with terror as he lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to move a muscle, letting Qiu Zhizhong pile silver onto him.

By the time Qiu Zhizhong had carried over eight thousand taels, he was drenched in sweat. Xu Sheng wanted to have a few guards go up and help.

Zhu Cilang stopped him and said in an icy voice, "Let him carry it himself!"

Hearing this, Qiu Zhizhong's hands trembled, and an ingot weighing over a hundred taels fell to the ground with a thud. He hastily picked it up again.

Seeing that no one spoke, Qiu Zhizhong resumed burying the silver from the cart onto Shi Yingzhao. Listening to Shi Yingzhao's miserable cries under the weight, the more he piled, the more terrified he became. He occasionally glanced at the Crown Prince, only to see his face dark and gloomy as he watched him.

Cold sweat dripped from Qiu Zhizhong's forehead like rain. Finally, he collapsed to his knees with a thud and said tearfully, "Your Highness, this servant admits his crime—please, Your Highness, forgive me!"

Zhu Cilang said coldly, "What crime have you committed?"

Qiu Zhizhong said with a sobbing voice, "This servant accepted ceremonial money given by officials of the prefectures and counties along the way."

Wu Zhong's heart jolted—he never imagined that Qiu Zhizhong, who had cared for the Crown Prince alongside him since childhood, would have taken bribes.

Zhu Cilang continued, "How much did you take in total?"

Qiu Zhizhong said in a trembling voice, "Thirty thousand taels in total."

Zhu Cilang took down a short whip from the wall and viciously lashed the kneeling Qiu Zhizhong, cursing as he struck: "Making you greedy! Making you steal with those hands!"

Zhu Cilang struck harder and harder, until Qiu Zhizhong's skin was split open and bleeding, yet he dared not cry out in pain.

Everyone watched in shock. This Qiu Zhizhong was the Crown Prince's companion eunuch—they never expected the Crown Prince to be so severe with his own people.

Wu Zhong, Xu Sheng, Li Tingbiao, and the others all felt their hearts tighten. None of them were fools—the Crown Prince was disciplining Qiu Zhizhong, but at the same time, he was disciplining them.

Zhu Cilang lashed out more than thirty times before his arm grew sore. One of the lashes struck Qiu Zhizhong directly across the face, sending him staggering and leaving a long bloody mark on his cheek—a sight that was frightening to behold.

Zhu Cilang threw down the whip, caught his breath, and said, "This High Wall has not only held imperial relatives—it has also held the emperor's household slaves. Take Wei Zhongxian, for example: back then, my father the Emperor sentenced him here to spend his remaining days in the High Wall. Pity he never made it—he died on the road!"

Zhu Cilang pointed at Qiu Zhizhong and said, "I intended to have you spend the rest of your life in the High Wall. Fortunately, you were still honest—today I'll let you off. If you're ever greedy again, no one will be able to save you!"

Qiu Zhizhong dared not wipe the blood from his face, only prostrating himself and weeping loudly, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy!"

Zhu Cilang turned to leave, but seeing the eunuch Shi Yingzhao still buried beneath the silver, moaning feebly in his half-dead state, he said coldly, "Keep burying!"

With that, he gave a cold snort and left the High Wall.

Wu Zhong stepped forward to help Qiu Zhizhong up and whispered a few words of comfort, while Li Tingbiao and Xu Sheng followed closely behind Zhu Cilang as they left the High Wall.

Zhu Yujian watched the departing Crown Prince, feeling somewhat disgruntled—so he hadn't come all this way to see him? Just to handle his own household affairs?

At the same time, his heart was filled with emotion—this Crown Prince, young as he was, was not to be underestimated. He was extremely skilled at managing his subordinates.

Zhu Yujian glanced at Shi Yingzhao, who was gasping for breath beneath over ten thousand taels of silver, sighed, and muttered to himself, "I'd best just stay here quietly. Without an imperial edict, no one can save me. At least the Crown Prince came by—that counts as some consideration."

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