Chapter 18: The Embroidered Uniform Guard Takes Action

After Zhou Kui left the palace, he was also feeling uneasy: judging by her expression today, it seemed he had displeased his daughter—had he been too hasty?

But on further reflection, he figured it shouldn't matter much. After all, the Empress was his own flesh and blood—surely she wouldn't disown her own father.

That very night, while Zhou Kui was being intimate with his concubine in his room, the steward suddenly came to report that someone from the palace had come seeking an audience, saying only that they were from Kunning Palace without revealing their name.

Zhou Kui was overjoyed at the news. It seemed his thinking had been right—his good daughter still had her father in her heart. Hadn't she sent someone to apologize to him? This couldn't be delayed.

After several concubines helped him dress with resentful looks in their eyes, Zhou Kui hurried to the main hall and saw that the visitor was indeed Xiumei, a female official from Kunning Palace.

"Xiumei, lately the city has been full of Depot and Guard officers patrolling at night. It's inconvenient for you to be out and about—you must be careful, don't let anyone take advantage of you. What business brings you to see this Imperial Father-in-Law today?"

Though Zhou Kui was ecstatic inside, his face remained expressionless. Seeing him like this, Xiumei thought the Imperial Father-in-Law was still angry, so she took out a five-thousand-tael banknote from her inner garment and said cautiously:

"Imperial Father-in-Law, the Empress has—"

Zhou Kui seemed to smell the scent of money. His expression changed instantly as he snatched the banknote into his hands, then turned and said coldly:

"Alright, Zhou Fu, see the guest out!"

The steward Zhou Fu, hearing this, flashed a trace of disdain across his calm face, but he still complied.

Watching Zhou Kui's two completely different attitudes, Xiumei immediately understood that his angry look from before had all been put on deliberately. Looking at the steward Zhou Fu who came over to block her, she momentarily forgot the words she was about to say and stormed back to the palace in a huff.

Once Xiumei had walked out, Zhou Kui's face was full of wild joy. Clutching the five-thousand-tael banknote like a treasure, he looked up and ordered:

"Zhou Fu, take three thousand taels of silver from the accounts and donate it on my behalf tomorrow morning."

Hearing these words, Zhou Fu's mouth curved into a strange smile as he bowed and said:

"This servant obeys."

Early the next morning, the Chongzhen Emperor looked at the three thousand taels of silver delivered to the warm chamber and laughed in fury.

Everything that had happened yesterday had naturally already been reported to him in full detail by the Depot and Guard, but Wang Cheng'en's agents had truly uncovered something—they even knew exactly where Zhou Kui had hidden the two thousand taels of silver he had embezzled from Empress Zhou.

Wang Cheng'en's memorial described in exhaustive detail everything that had occurred in Zhou Mansion's main hall the night before, not missing a single detail—even vividly depicting Zhou Kui's expression when he spoke certain words.

Reading about such a story in a book of later generations was one thing; experiencing it oneself was quite another.

The current Chongzhen Emperor had now fully experienced what helplessness and desolation meant. Were it not for consideration of Empress Zhou's dignity, he would have already dealt Zhou Kui a heavy blow. Even now, the man still refused to take the olive branch and insisted on the hard way—he, the Emperor, had already done all he could.

"Fang Zhenghua!"

Fang Zhenghua, who had been standing respectfully at attention nearby, quickly stepped forward and bowed:

"This servant is here."

"Convey my decree—have Li Ruolian lead the Embroidered Uniform Guard of the Northern Bastille to seize and search Zhou Mansion!"

Fang Zhenghua was startled and said tremblingly:

"Your Majesty, how shall we explain this to the Empress..."

"Leave the Empress to me. You just pass the word along. Tell Li Ruolian that this time I want Zhou Kui's entire fortune investigated—let's see just how much silver this Imperial Father-in-Law has stashed away in his home!"

Sensing the Emperor's fury, Fang Zhenghua dared not ask further questions and personally ran out of the warm chamber to order Li Chun to relay the message.

Li Ruolian was at the Northern Bastille office when he suddenly received such an urgent imperial decree. Though puzzled, he dared not be negligent. He immediately set aside the matters he was handling and summoned several Guard Chiliarchs and the Provost Marshal to the main hall for consultation.

After roughly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, accompanied by a clatter of chaotic footsteps, several hundred Embroidered Uniform Guard officers suddenly rushed out of the Northern Bastille office.

The leading few of these Guard officers wore crimson flying-fish robes with embroidered spring sabers hanging at their waists, each with a ferocious, menacing look. The rest wore blue-green brocade robes or blue-green qilin robes with long sabers at their belts, personally led by Director Li Ruolian.

In addition, one Guard Execution Chiliarch and three Centurions were also deployed. The Northern Bastille suddenly dispatching so many men was a clear sign that the Emperor had issued a decree to arrest some criminal.

"The one leading seems to be Director Li?"

"That's right—appointed by His Majesty as Regional Military Commissioner. He's really risen to prominence now."

"His Majesty is wise. With Lord Li as Director, we are fortunate!"

"Lord Li is upright and just—whoever he's been ordered to arrest this time must be the worst of villains!"

The news spread like wildfire and soon reached every corner of the capital.

Given the Embroidered Uniform Guard's fearsome reputation, anyone on the streets who saw this procession—regardless of their status or thoughts—gave them a wide berth. The bolder ones merely pointed and whispered from a distance; no one dared gamble with their own life.

Wherever this troop of Guard officers went, chaos and panic followed.

Before long, Li Ruolian, leading the group, stopped before a residence with its gates tightly shut. Looking up at the two large characters reading "Zhou Mansion," he turned and gave a look.

"Thump, thump, thump—"

Execution Chiliarch Gao Wencai nodded and, under the gaze of countless onlookers, stepped forward, clenched his right hand into a fist, and pounded heavily on Zhou Mansion's gate.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is conducting official business—open the door at once, or we'll break it down!"

"If you don't open up, you'll be treated as imperial criminals and arrested along with the rest!"

By now, Zhou Mansion was in complete chaos. When Zhou Kui heard that the Chongzhen Emperor had decreed his arrest, he refused to believe it—until he heard the frantic knocking at the door, and only then did panic set in.

"What do we do, what do we do... Zhou Fu, go to the door and hold them off."

After all, outside the door were Embroidered Uniform Guard officers led by the imperially appointed Director Li Ruolian. The servants in the mansion were only there to earn a place to live and work—at a time like this, who would still listen to him?

But the steward Zhou Fu did not abandon him. He merely nodded and ran out of the main hall without a word.

Zhou Kui thought Zhou Fu had gone to hold off the Guard officers for him, and felt unspeakably moved. But who would have thought—Zhou Fu ran straight to the rear residence, found a concubine, and said frantically:

"Yingniang, the Emperor has sent the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Flee through the back gate now."

It turned out this steward had long been carrying on a secret affair with Zhou Kui's favorite concubine. Though it hadn't yet reached the point of a vast green pasture atop his head, a genuine green hat was certainly unavoidable.

The concubine called Yingniang had initially wanted to say something more sentimental, but upon hearing the words "Embroidered Uniform Guard," her face instantly turned pale. Gripping Zhou Fu's hand, she said earnestly:

"Fu ge, you must come find me!"

Zhou Fu gritted his teeth and pushed her out the back gate, saying:

"My name is Qi Yuan, not Zhou Fu. I will definitely come find you—wait for me at the old place!"

Paying no heed to the concubine pounding and shouting outside the gate, Qi Yuan hurried back to the outer courtyard. Just then, Northern Bastille Execution Chiliarch Gao Wencai kicked the door open and a flood of Embroidered Uniform Guard officers streamed in.

Qi Yuan knelt on one knee, presented his waist token, and said with clasped fists:

"This humble officer is Qi Yuan, listening recorder of the Eastern Depot's Xuke division. I pay my respects to Director!"