Chapter 196: Ordered to Die

The Princess's grand wedding had already passed. To let the newlywed couple Zhu Meichuo and Zhang Huangyan properly bond, the Chongzhen Emperor specially approved a five-day leave, allowing Zhang Huangyan not to attend the Winter Warm Pavilion for political discussions during those five days.

In truth, Zhang Huangyan had been worried that the Princess might be hideously ugly — a dinosaur. But when he actually saw her, he was stunned by her otherworldly beauty, feeling she was a celestial maiden descended to earth, and that he had landed himself a tremendous bargain.

According to the report submitted every other day by the Embroidered Uniform Guard agents lurking in the Princess's mansion, Zhang Huangyan and Zhu Meichuo's nights of passion were not limited to a single round — they did not rise until the sun was high in the sky the next day, and went to bed early again that evening, with several rounds of intimacy.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard spies also reported to the Chongzhen Emperor what Zhang Huangyan said on the second day when he brought Zhu Meichuo to the Zhang residence to meet his parents, saying that Changping Princess was:

"Golden branches and lustrous hair, jade substance bearing hidden grace; a celestial maiden meeting virtue's radiance in the imperial house, welcoming the lord of Huan into the Emperor's daughter."

At this, the Chongzhen Emperor was completely at ease about the marriage. Seeing how the lad had been bragging to everyone these past few days, swaggering with pride, he should also understand that he himself had landed a great bargain this time.

At dawn on the tenth day of the sixth month of the eighteenth year of Chongzhen, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, the Chongzhen Emperor set down the military dispatch in his hands concerning the resurgence of war in the northwest, sighed, and prepared to head to Huangji Hall for the morning court session.

What needed to be discussed today was not just the renewed fighting in the northwest — there were plenty of schemes to work out against those Donglin partisans.

Before he had even walked out of the Winter Warm Pavilion, the Chongzhen Emperor heard footsteps outside. Xu Ji, the steward of the Princess's mansion, came running in panic, kowtowed, and said: "Terrible news, Your Majesty! The Imperial Son-in-law has been assassinated and gravely wounded!"

"Who dares to assassinate my son-in-law? Have they eaten a bear's heart and a leopard's gall?!" The Chongzhen Emperor was greatly shocked. Could it be that those Donglin partisans, failing to assassinate him, had turned to assassinating his daughter and son-in-law instead?

The Chongzhen Emperor took this matter quite seriously. He immediately set aside his plans to go to Huangji Hall, and on one hand ordered eunuchs to go to the Imperial Academy of Medicine to have Wu Youke personally attend to the treatment; on the other hand, he questioned Xu Ji in detail about the whole affair.

After learning the full story, the Chongzhen Emperor breathed a sigh of relief. So it was the mischief wrought by the former Imperial Son-in-law.

In reality, this was also an unintentional fault. In his later life, the Chongzhen Emperor had seen many love stories about Zhou Shixian and Zhu Meichuo, and had been thoroughly disgusted by them at the time.

Historically, this fellow surnamed Zhou was not the daring, love-and-hate character from the television dramas — he had surrendered to the Tartar Qing early on to preserve his own safety. He was just a pretty-faced pretty boy who only knew how to sweet-talk women, the type who could do nothing right and leave nothing uneaten, and who always thought himself invincible and superior to everyone else. In reality, like his predecessor, he had been led astray by those Donglin monkeys.

The Chongzhen Emperor truly had not expected this fellow to have the courage to assassinate Zhang Huangyan. And Zhang Huangyan, perhaps because he found the Princess beautiful and virtuous and had grown too cocky, had actually been gravely wounded by such a petty character through a moment of carelessness?

Speaking of it, the former Imperial Son-in-law Zhou Shixian was quite pitiable himself.

Having grown up as childhood sweethearts with Zhu Meichuo, Zhou Shixian had long regarded the Princess as his own. The Chongzhen Emperor and Empress Zhou had never said anything about it, and originally the position of Imperial Son-in-law was indeed settled on him — it was only temporarily shelved because that bastard Li Zicheng was pressing at the borders with a massive army.

This time, with Li Zicheng driven off, Zhou Shixian had thought the marriage to Changping Princess should resume. But not long ago, news suddenly came that the Emperor had betrothed the Princess to someone else, without even consulting him. Zhou Shixian was immediately furious.

Had this happened to anyone else in the past, they would likely have gone to argue with the Empress and Emperor without fear of death. But Zhou Shixian was different — having heard that the Chongzhen Emperor was a violent man, he was both angry and afraid.

In the end, fear outweighed anger, and he stayed at home hesitating day after day, not daring to enter the palace.

Only after hearing that the new Imperial Son-in-law was an unknown nobody surnamed Zhang, whose family background was not even as distinguished as his own, did Zhou Shixian finally muster the courage to enter the palace to seek an audience with the Empress.

But halfway there, upon seeing Zhang Huangyan — whose complexion was somewhat sallow and who could hardly be called handsome or dashing — Zhou Shixian became even more puzzled. This fellow was just a poor nobody; in what way was he superior to himself?

After learning the full story, the Chongzhen Emperor's expression darkened, and he asked: "Zhou Shixian's father is a member of the Donglin Faction, isn't he?"

"To answer Your Majesty, it is indeed the Right Mid-Supervisor Zhou Deguang. This man studied under the former Chief Grand Secretary Han Kuang." Wang Dehua nodded and said respectfully: "Your Majesty's meaning is..."

"Assassinating the current Imperial Son-in-law is a grave crime that absolutely cannot be tolerated." Rising, the Chongzhen Emperor walked toward Huangji Hall without turning his head: "Transmit my decree: first throw Zhou Shixian and Han Kuang into the Imperial Prison for severe interrogation under torture. From noon tomorrow, order the Eastern Depot, the Inner Depot, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to execute the nine generations of the Zhou clan, confiscate their property, as a warning to others."

"Your servant obeys the decree!" Wang Dehua shouted loudly, watching the Chongzhen Emperor's retreating back.

After this incident, the Chongzhen Emperor arrived at Huangji Hall for the morning court with a very grim expression.

Zhou Shixian's father being a diehard Donglin partisan meant that the Zhou family must have some connection to the Donglin Faction. Zhou Shixian was also a minor Donglin member — who knew whether this assassination was orchestrated by the Donglin partisans in collusion?

Reflecting on it, having Zhang Huangyan replace Zhou Shixian had truly been the right decision.

Looking at the Donglin partisans below who kept their heads lowered in silence, the Chongzhen Emperor snorted and asked: "Do you all know why I just ordered the arrest of the Right Mid-Supervisor Han Kuang?"

"To answer Your Majesty, we do not know—" the assembled ministers feigned ignorance.

"Fine, you don't know, then I'll tell you." This answer was unsurprising. The Chongzhen Emperor continued in a deep voice: "I have thrown him into the Imperial Prison, and starting at noon tomorrow, I will order the Eastern Depot, the Western Depot, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to execute the nine generations of the Zhou family. Do any of you have anything to say?"

The assembled ministers immediately began whispering among themselves. Normally at court sessions the Emperor arrived earlier than everyone, but today all the ministers had gathered without seeing the Emperor's shadow — they knew some great event must have occurred.

"Your Majesty, what crime has Lord Zhou committed?" At this moment, Censor Chen Hong stepped forward and asked in a loud voice.

True to his name, this Chen Hong had a booming voice. Had the Chongzhen Emperor not known that he had surrendered to the Tartar Qing in history, he might have mistaken him for a loyal minister who gave frank remonstrance. He paid him no heed and said flatly:

"Zhou Deguang indulged his son Zhou Shixian in assassinating the current Imperial Son-in-law — is that not a crime?"

"May I ask Your Majesty, is there evidence?" Chen Hong was unmoved and pressed forward with another question.

Seeing the Chongzhen Emperor remain silent, the ministers gradually grew bolder. Supervising Secretary of the Bureau of Military Affairs Zhao Xuejing stepped forward and memorialized: "Your Majesty, executing the nine generations — does that not kill more than a hundred people? The crime of executing nine generations implicates a vast number of people and absolutely cannot be decided lightly. If there is no evidence of guilt, please withdraw the order!"

Censor Chen Hong exchanged a glance with one among the assembled ministers, then immediately shouted:

"Please, Your Majesty, withdraw the order and think thrice before acting!"

The assembled ministers followed in shouting: "Please think thrice before acting, Your Majesty!"

The Chongzhen Emperor looked at the ministers who were unanimous in their opinion and laughed coldly without stopping. He rose, stared directly at Chen Hong, and asked: "I ask you — this realm, is it the realm of you ministers, or is it the realm of my Zhu family?"

Chen Hong had not expected the Chongzhen Emperor to ask such a question. His eyes darted about, not knowing how to answer, and only after a long while did he say: "To answer Your Majesty, it is the Zhu family's realm."

"Good. Since it is my Zhu family's realm, if I am determined to kill you, do you have anything to say?" The Chongzhen Emperor laughed once and continued.

"Your servant is innocent — why would Your Majesty kill me?" Censor Chen Hong of the Censorate was greatly alarmed and protested in a strong voice.

Supervising Secretary of the Bureau of Military Affairs Zhao Xuejing also shouted: "Censor Chen is innocent!"

"The Censor is innocent — Your Majesty must not act rashly!"

"I am the Emperor of this Great Ming. Do I need a reason to kill any one of you?" Seeing the ministers growing agitated, the Chongzhen Emperor gradually calmed down. Patting the armrest of the dragon throne, he said coldly:

"The Directorate of Ceremonial shall draft the decree: Censor Chen Hong of the Censorate and Supervising Secretary Zhao Xuejing of the Bureau of Military Affairs have offended the Imperial countenance — their crime warrants death. Order the execution of both their nine generations. The Western Depot, Eastern Depot, Inner Depot, Ministry of Justice, and Court of Judicial Review shall jointly confiscate their property — not a single person may escape."

"Also, that Han Kuang has already retired and returned home, hasn't he."

The Chongzhen Emperor looked at Chen Hong and the other man, who had collapsed limp on the floor, unable to speak another word. Seeing that none of the assembled ministers dared make a sound after his question, he laughed coldly and added: "Don't think that just because you stay silent, I have no way to deal with you. Wang Cheng'en, after court concludes today, send executioners from the Eastern Depot to Puzhou, and bestow upon Han Kuang white silk and a precious sword. I am merciful at heart — I permit him to choose one of the two."