Chapter 111: Joint Enforcement

A perfectly fine banquet, and no one could have expected this sudden turn of events.

If it had been yamen runners or constables who came in, that would have been manageable—everyone present had silver for smoothing things over, and they could pay their way out. But the ones who came in were a squad of secret police agents, and that was truly troublesome.

The current Emperor trusted the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, and whoever they set their sights on never came to a good end, no matter how high their office—let alone the people here.

No one dared say a word, and quite a few were already trying to slip away on the sly. Wu Wei even pushed aside the women clinging to him, no longer caring about their flirtations, as fine beads of sweat gradually seeped from his forehead.

After rising to his feet, Wu Wei's expression shifted. Seeing the agents with their blades half-drawn from their sheaths, he knew these were not people to be trifled with. He forcibly swallowed the harsh words that had been on the tip of his tongue, first sent someone to deliver a message, then came forward with a fawning smile and said:

"Sir, do you happen to know Eunuch Liu of the Directorate of the Imperial Horses within the palace? Your humble servant is not talented, but I do share some old acquaintance with Eunuch Liu. How about this—for Eunuch Liu's sake, could you show a little leniency?"

The squad leader had barely registered these words before tilting his head and thinking for a long while before recalling that the Directorate of the Imperial Horses did indeed seem to have a eunuch director surnamed Liu—and then he nearly burst out laughing on the spot.

This squad leader knew that Fang Zhenghua was most likely inside, so naturally he wanted to put on a good show. Immediately wearing an expression of utter indifference, he said boisterously:

"I only know His Excellency Director Fang. What the hell is this Eunuch Liu? Never heard of him!"

Fang Zhenghua, among the crowd, heard this and silently nodded. He took a careful look at the squad leader's appearance, planning to summon him for a few questions after returning.

Just then, the squad leader stepped forward a few paces, drew his saber fully from its sheath and waved it around at those nearby. "Men, this is the Director's order—not a single person here is to be let go. Verify everyone's identity; anyone with official rank, arrest them all and throw them into the Imperial Prison!"

Prefect Song's face turned anxious at these words—no wonder his eyelids had been twitching all day when he left home. He regretted not having heeded his wife's earnest advice, never imagining that something really would happen.

"This official still has official business to attend to, and cannot stay long. Cannot stay long."

Seeing Prefect Song and his party trying to flee, the squad leader immediately led his agents to surround them, saying cheerfully:

"Don't be in such a hurry to leave, Your Excellency the Prefect. Our Director said that the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Imperial Prison has long since prepared a place for you. Such a fine cell sitting empty—what a waste!"

The several yamen runners of the prefect's office each wore sabers as well, and normally in their localities they feared nothing under heaven—but at this moment they all turned cowardly in unison, not one daring to make a sound.

Suddenly, Wu Wei, who had been silent for a long while, let out a cold laugh and said to the squad leader with sinister menace:

"This official advises you to leave quickly, while you still can!"

"Do you know who tonight's banquet is for? Not for me, Wu Wei—it's for the biological nephew of the reigning Duke Chengguo! A relative of the imperial family! Can you afford to offend such a one? Hm?"

Before the squad leader could reply, a whole company of people came clattering through the doorway.

These people were led by a middle-aged man in the guise of a steward, armed with clubs, staves, sabers, and spears, with hostile expressions, and all wearing matching uniforms.

The squad leader, being a man of some experience, immediately understood that people from the Duke Chengguo's mansion had come to stick their oar in. His expression turned rather unpleasant—this small matter was growing bigger and bigger.

Fang Zhenghua, among the crowd, was also puzzled. Wu Wei was merely a lowly ninth-rank petty official—how could he have such great face as to even move the people of Duke Chengguo's mansion?

After the Duke Chengguo mansion's people entered, they immediately surrounded the inner depot's agents from the outside. The steward walked in slowly with his hands clasped behind his back, and sneered:

"The inner depot puts on quite the airs, daring to disturb even the young master's banquet!?"

The squad leader was only a minor figure in the inner depot, and now faced with such a grand show of force, he didn't know what to do for a moment. In desperation, Fang Zhenghua, after requesting instructions from the Chongzhen Emperor, had to come forward in person and say:

"So it's the steward of Duke Chengguo's mansion who has arrived. My apologies, my apologies. But this Director simply cannot understand—you're a steward, with no official rank to speak of. Mind the affairs of your own household and be done with it. Why come sticking your nose in here?"

Only now did the guests present realize that Fang Zhenghua had been right beside them all along, and they all became mute with shock, mouths hanging open, unable to utter a single word.

Tonight's banquet was certainly thrilling—big shots one after another.

Originally, the steward had heard that some squad leader from the inner depot had come to make trouble, and so had readily brought men to stand up for the household. But now that Fang Zhenghua was actually here in person, he too found himself hesitating.

This Director of the inner depot was a favored figure before the Chongzhen Emperor, attending upon him all day in the warm pavilion. It was entirely possible that the inner depot's arrival was truly at the Emperor's behest—and that would be a difficult matter indeed.

The people around murmured among themselves. The rumors said the Emperor relied on the secret police, and their fearsome reputation thundered through the capital. But Duke Chengguo's mansion was also a colossus among the nobility of merit. If these two houses clashed, it would be a fine chance to vent their own grievances and cut down the secret police's overbearing arrogance.

Fang Zhenghua and the steward each understood that the onlookers were only too happy to watch a good show, hoping desperately that the two sides would come to blows so they could slip away in the chaos. Both stood motionless, waiting for the other to speak first.

The agents and Duke Chengguo's men each held back in mutual wariness, neither willing to make the first move, creating a momentary stalemate—but even this scene did not last long.

"The Troops and Horses Office is conducting official business!"

"Embroidered Uniform Guard business—all unrelated persons, clear out at once!"

Another burst of footsteps sounded from outside the door. The Five Wards Troops and Horses Office and the Embroidered Uniform Guard had arrived upon hearing the news, and the small courtyard was suddenly packed with people. The Five Wards Troops and Horses Office was led by a constable captain, while the Embroidered Uniform Guard was led by a Squad Leader.

During the capital riots some days earlier, the Chongzhen Emperor had taken the opportunity to replace all five patrolling censors, keeping those commanders of the Troops and Horses Offices who were obedient and dismissing those who were not within a few days, and had newly installed secret police agents to preside over the offices.

So when the Troops and Horses Office runners came in, they moved directly to cluster around the agents. The Embroidered Uniform Guard Squad Leader likewise did not hesitate, coming straight to find Fang Zhenghua upon entering, waiting only for his orders.

Fang Zhenghua did not mince words either. He sneered for a moment, then waved his hand and said:

"This Director will take full responsibility for this matter! Never mind who they are—arrest every single person here, verify their identities, seal up the mansion, and send anyone with official rank to the Imperial Prison. If anything goes wrong, this Director will bear it!"

Upon hearing this, the secret police and Troops and Horses Office runners all found their backbone. They drew their sabers and spears and pressed forward, their ferocious expressions frightening everyone else into submission.

Damn it all—you won't listen when spoken to nicely, will you? You insist on playing big with me? Fine then, let's sweep you all up in one net and be done with it!

Compare backers? Whose backer is as solid as ours? Never mind that it's just a steward who came—even if Duke Chengguo himself showed up this time, it wouldn't do any good!

The secret police and runners quickly disarmed the Shuntian Prefecture yamen runners and the many servants of Duke Chengguo's mansion, then charged into the rooms and dragged out all manner of men and women, verifying each one's identity.

As for the things in this Wu mansion, naturally every single item was sealed with paper strips without exception, awaiting the arrival of follow-up personnel to verify and catalogue them for storage. Nothing could be wasted—everything would be used where it was needed in the future.

Wu Wei was dumbstruck at this sight, unable to utter even a single word. He had thought the inner depot wouldn't dare oppose Duke Chengguo's mansion, which was why he had brought out Zhu Zhen's name to intimidate them.

Who would have thought the man wasn't intimidated at all—instead, the inner depot, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Five Wards Troops and Horses Office had colluded together and jointly sealed up his residence!