Chapter 37: Enemies Are Fated to Meet

Before they knew it, the season had reached the sixth month, with a blazing sun hanging high in the sky. By the Taiye Pool in the Western Park of the imperial city, flowers were red and willows green, and cicadas on the willow trees chirped without pause—Beijing had officially entered the height of summer.

In the increasingly hot city of Beijing, many food lovers had gained a new destination: the Dezhuang Hot Pot, renowned throughout the capital.

Dezhuang Hot Pot not only had exquisite decor and good service, but its dishes were also of the finest quality. It was said that several signature dishes came from imperial recipes passed down from the palace, and that signature hot pot in particular—truly bursting with flavor!

Within a single month, Dezhuang Hot Pot's reputation had spread throughout the entire city of Beijing, and it had already opened three branch locations in the capital, even adding a new one in Tongzhou—a testament to how booming the business was.

At a newly opened Dezhuang Hot Pot on Qianmen Street, the most bustling thoroughfare of the outer city, countless distinguished guests arrived every day. This Dezhuang Hot Pot establishment had only two floors; the first floor was the main hall, with tables packed tightly one against another.

The second floor was more spacious, yet had fewer tables and chairs. Each table was separated from the next by about three or four meters, with a folding screen standing in between—the layout was quite refined.

Near the windows on the second floor, four people sat in a circle. They were happily eating hot pot, gazing out the window at an expanse of open water, mist rising from its surface—an extremely pleasant sight.

The environment here was good, with only one drawback: one could hear the voices of those conversing next door.

"Young Master, this dish is a bit spicy—please eat less of it." Wu Zhong said with concern.

"I say, Steward Wu, stop your nagging. Even eating can't shut your mouth." Zhu Cilang said between bites.

Xu Sheng and Li Tingbiao were also at the table. The two of them were very ill at ease, especially since the hot pot was spicy—they dared not eat too much, fearing they might lose composure before the prince.

Seeing the two acting this way, Zhu Cilang said with displeasure: "What are you two, acting like delicate young ladies? Be more manly, eat to your heart's content—I, the young master, will make sure you have your fill!"

Zhu Cilang had finally managed to carve out some time to invite a few trusted confidants to gather, treating this as a celebration banquet for the recent pacification of the people, while also checking on how the hot pot business was doing.

Just as the group was eating with great relish, conversation drifted over from the other side of the screen.

"The Eastern Palace actually lets officials sit at the same table as merchants—truly a breach of propriety."

"Brother Guang, have you heard? The Eastern Palace also had refugees block the gates of dozens of ministers' residences, and sent the Embroidered Uniform Guard to force donations."

"Heh heh, who hasn't heard? These past two weeks, it's spread all over the capital's official circles. Too bad His Majesty dotes on his own."

"Brother Guang, mind your words!"

Xu Sheng flew into a rage upon hearing this, springing to his feet with a start, ready to seize the offenders.

Zhu Cilang shook his head and reached out to restrain Xu Sheng. Ordinary commoners couldn't possibly see through such matters—there must be officials secretly spreading words unfavorable to him. He wanted to hear what else they had to say, and preferably they might mention someone of substance.

Li Tingbiao stared at the screen with furrowed brows, clenching his fists as well. He was a retainer of the Eastern Palace—for those next door to show disrespect to Zhu Cilang was to show disrespect to him.

At that moment, conversation drifted over from next door once more.

"That's not all—I hear the Eastern Palace also forced those wealthy merchants to contribute funds."

"As the heir apparent, extorting rich merchants and strong-arming officials into donations—truly a misfortune for the nation."

The person next door spoke these words with extreme contempt, and Zhu Cilang couldn't help but clench his fists upon hearing them.

"How dare you!!"

Xu Sheng bellowed in fury, the sound startling many people into looking toward their screen.

"Who the hell wants to die, disturbing my master's enjoyment of his soup?" A furious curse came from next door—it was the very person who had been discussing Zhu Cilang.

The one who had spoken had just scooped up a spoonful of hot pot broth to taste. The soup had entered his mouth but not yet been swallowed when Xu Sheng's booming voice gave him such a fright that he choked miserably, his throat burning with spiciness—he immediately flew into a rage.

Zhu Cilang looked at Xu Sheng, who was ready to request orders, and said calmly: "Go drag that speaker over here for me. Let me see who talks so arrogantly."

"Yes!" Xu Sheng acknowledged the order and immediately strode toward the next room.

"Who are you, you brute? What do you want?" A shrieking voice came from next door, like a young lady being violated.

"Do you know who I am? I am Guang Heng! My father is Guang Shiheng, a Supervising Secretary of the Bureau of Military Affairs in the current court. Even His Majesty gives him some face. You dare touch me—"

"Smack!!"

A resounding slap rang out. Guang Heng let out a miserable cry, clutching his face and wailing.

In a moment, Guang Heng and the other person were dragged over by Xu Sheng, one in each hand, hauled along like livestock.

Xu Sheng tossed the two onto the ground, then took his place beside Zhu Cilang.

These two were not old—around fifteen or sixteen years of age. But in the Ming Dynasty, that age was sufficient for marriage and children; the Chongzhen Emperor himself had wed at fifteen.

Zhu Cilang glanced at the two, then fixed his gaze on the youth named Guang Heng, saying with some surprise: "You mean to say your esteemed father is Supervising Secretary Guang Shiheng of the Bureau of Military Affairs?"

"Exactly!" Guang Heng, seeing the surprised expression on the young man before him, felt certain the fellow was afraid. He drew a folding fan from his jade belt, snapped it open with practiced flair, and even gave it a couple of ostentatious waves.

Zhu Cilang was indeed surprised. He hadn't expected to encounter Guang Shiheng's son here—that Guang Shiheng was the very man who had once rejected and returned the imperial edict appointing Zhu Cilang as Governor-General of the Capital Camps, and the same fool who in history had desperately tried to prevent the Crown Prince from going to Nanjing.

"Truly, enemies are destined to meet—heh heh heh!" Zhu Cilang laughed inwardly.

Guang Heng huffed indignantly and said with contempt: "Boy, your household slaves just struck us. If the lot of you kneel and beg for mercy, this young master might just spare you this once. But if you dare utter a single 'no,' none of you will walk out of here."

Seeing a dispute break out, the Chinese people's most ancient tradition instantly manifested—quite a few people gathered around to watch the excitement, while others narrowed their eyes with inscrutable expressions.

Although Guang Shiheng was only a seventh-rank Supervising Secretary, his power was considerable, and he was also a man of Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren—someone with connections. The people before them appeared composed and unruffled, hardly simple folk; perhaps they were young masters from one of the Seven Ministers' households.

But of the Seven Ministers, aside from Tang Shiji, the others all resided in the inner city, and these clearly weren't from the Tang household either. Whoever they were, a look would tell—that was the thought in many minds.

Most of the personnel of the Five Wards' Troops and Horses Office had been dispatched by Zhu Cilang to maintain order outside the city, so no one would be arriving anytime soon.

"Hahaha..."

Zhu Cilang laughed heartily and asked: "There are only two of you—how exactly do you plan to keep us from leaving?"

Zhu Cilang feared that revealing his identity would scare this fool to death, so he deliberately provoked him instead. Wu Zhong, Li Tingbiao, and Xu Sheng all wore faint smiles on their faces as they looked at Guang Heng, finding the fellow simply adorable in his stupidity.

Guang Heng looked at these people before him who didn't know their place, and rage surged in his heart. Pointing at the youth beside him, he declared loudly: "Do you know who this young master beside me is?"

The youth beside Guang Heng, seeing himself brought up, felt it was time to make his entrance. He leaped forward and proclaimed loudly: "I am Dong Mao, son of the Prefect of Shuntian! Boy, you had the wide road but chose to cross this young master instead—you've only yourself to blame for not recognizing a mountain when you see one."

The crowd watching the drama buzzed with astonishment—this youth was actually the son of the Prefect of Shuntian. The Prefect of Shuntian was the highest authority over the capital's public security and governance, capable of influencing, altering, or even completely overturning the decisions of numerous government offices through the Emperor. This was no ordinary figure whom common people dared offend; even the Seven Ministers of the court and imperial relatives had to show some deference.

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Author's note: While writing about the Taiye Pool today, I realized that in Chapter Eleven, the one about the Yongwei Camp, I made an error when mentioning the Beihai drill ground. Beijing's Beihai, Zhongnanhai, and other such places were collectively called the "Taiye Pool" during the Ming Dynasty.

The Manchu people liked to refer to rivers and lakes as "hai" (seas); this practice began during the Jin Dynasty, and the Yuan Dynasty continued the usage.

By the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, worried that Han Chinese were being barbarized by foreign influence, upheld the standard of "inheriting from the Zhou and Han above, and taking from the Tang and Song below," and carried out a large-scale, compulsory restoration of Han culture. It should have been around this time that the "hai" designation was abolished and changed to "Taiye Pool."

After all, during the Tang Dynasty, the capital Chang'an also had a Taiye Pool, and a very famous one at that. Unfortunately, after the Manchu Qing entered the pass, they once again adopted the "hai" naming convention, which has continued to this day.

In the Ming Dynasty, Qianmen Street was the most bustling thoroughfare of the outer city, while Qipan Street was the most bustling in the inner city. I got these somewhat confused earlier, but it has already been corrected—my apologies!