Chapter 27: When the Water Falls, the Rocks Emerge?

Hearing Wang Cheng'en say this, Empress Zhou let out a few light, carefree laughs and said:

"You know full well, Eunuch, that Xiumei has served me in the prince's manor since she was young. If I can't trust someone who's been with me all these years, then who in this palace can be trusted? In my view, there's no need for you to worry about this matter — it will all come to light in the end."

Wang Cheng'en was speechless inwardly — here they were with the fire already licking at their eyebrows, and the Empress could still manage to laugh.

Thinking back, that girl Xiumei had indeed worked in the prince's manor when the current Emperor was still Prince Xin. Wang Cheng'en knew her fairly well, and his question just now had been casual.

Seeing Empress Zhou so confident, Wang Cheng'en dropped the subject, only advising that she not tell the Chongzhen Emperor about this matter, lest it bring trouble upon herself.

Empress Zhou fell into thought at these words. Such a major matter could very likely play an important role in pushing forward the search for the true culprit. Moreover, the Chongzhen Emperor had established the depots and guards precisely because he no longer wished to be kept in the dark — how could she, as Empress, be the one to start such a precedent?

Wang Cheng'en said: "Empress, His Majesty was only just attacked, and he's on the edge of fury. Anything could happen. Let your servant investigate this matter first."

Empress Zhou also understood that, based on past experience, by this point the Emperor would usually have found some trivial matter to vent his anger on someone. The fact that no palace maid or eunuch had been punished so far was practically a miracle.

But after deliberating for some time, she finally said:

"I will tell the Emperor about this myself in a moment. My mind is made up — Eunuch, there's no need to dissuade me further."

"Empress... you..."

Empress Zhou's feelings for the Chongzhen Emperor had been growing day by day lately. One who has done no wrong need not fear the knocking of ghosts at the door. Recalling the Emperor's sleep-talking from a few days prior, she had nothing left to worry about. Without waiting for Wang Cheng'en to advise her further, she turned and headed back to Kunning Palace, determined to confess everything in full.

"Hmph, the behavior of petty men." When the Chongzhen Emperor heard this, it was indeed as Empress Zhou had expected — he did not fly into another rage. Instead, he appeared quite composed, gave a cold snort, and said to Wang Cheng'en:

"Send depot agents to the Wang family pawnshop to investigate. See if that batch of jewelry is still there. If these truly are palace items, find out immediately which household they've ended up in."

Wang Cheng'en didn't know who could have such great influence, and he still had some misgivings in his heart, afraid of dragging out some big fish that would be hard to handle. He immediately asked with some worry:

"Your Majesty, this Wang family is enormously wealthy in Huizhou. The family head, Wang Zhengxuan, is the head of the Huizhou merchants' guild. What if..."

"What do I care whether it's the Wang family or the Qian family, whether they're rich enough to rival a nation or the foremost of merchants? I already confiscated the Zhai family's property in Shanxi — do you think I'm afraid of confiscating one more?"

"Anyone connected to this assassination attempt on me — haul them all to the Eastern Depot prison and put them to torture. If you, as the Eastern Depot's Director, cower and dare not act, or if you're too afraid of this and that to get things done, then I'll find someone more capable to do the job. Understand!"

Chongzhen still seemed not to have vented all his anger. His expression changed the moment the assassination was mentioned, and his words were merciless, giving Wang Cheng'en a thorough dressing-down.

No matter how deep the waters of this capital ran, as Emperor he had no choice but to wade through them. If it came down to it, he would first confiscate the property of all the gentry and merchants under suspicion in the capital, execute the officials, then transfer Shi Kefa, Huang Daozhou, and the others up from Nanjing.

Although these Southern Ming types weren't much good at talking, when it came to corruption and personal integrity, they were still considerably better than these Donglin capital officials. At least they were loyal to the court and wouldn't conspire to do something as outrageous as an assassination!

In this world, people who want to be officials are everywhere, and people who want to get rich fill the streets. He didn't lack for these few. He refused to believe — the Great Ming had come this far, what was there to fear? Surely these fools wouldn't dare raise a revolt right in the capital.

It was still deep in the night. Wang Cheng'en was surprised by the Emperor's composure on the one hand, but after receiving that torrent of scolding, he also snapped to his senses. He left the palace with thunderous efficiency to deploy his men.

Before long, a squad of depot guards came clattering 'clatter-clatter' to the door of the Wang family pawnshop in the west of the city.

Due to the Chongzhen Emperor's decree of martial law in the capital, the pawnshop's doors were tightly shut. On this street, bustling during the day, there was not a single pedestrian now — only the occasional patrol of soldiers passing by.

The footsteps of this squad of depot guards were unusually disorderly, quite conspicuous as they walked down the street. They arrived at the door, and the leading Chiliarch of Torture, Li Youcheng, pounded on the gate with a 'thump thump'.

"Who's that out there? Don't you know there's martial law?" A yawning, extremely impatient voice came from inside, sounding like a middle-aged man.

"Open the door at once!"

"If you don't open up, we'll break in!"

The Eastern Depot's Director, Wang Cheng'en, had been thoroughly cursed out in the palace, and upon returning had naturally given Li Youcheng a piece of his mind. Li Youcheng, having become a drenched chicken for no reason, went and cursed out the section chiefs below him, who in turn cursed out their agents to vent — and so it went, layer by layer, all the way down to the bottom.

The depot agents, having been drenched in dog's blood from top to bottom for their incompetence, were all nursing fires in their hearts. After Li Youcheng pounded a few times with no response, he directly waved his hand to signal breaking down the door.

The agents behind him didn't hesitate, raising their boots and charging in.

Before long, a tremendous crash echoed through half the street. The agents, who had long since been sharpening their knives, filed in one after another. The sight made the shopkeeper, who had just thrown on his clothes and hurried out, tremble all over.

A crowd of grim-faced people came clattering in. The shopkeeper initially showed no fear at all, and shouted with a bluster that masked his cowardice:

"Who are you people... This is the Wang family pawnshop! Even Grand Secretary Wei, the current Second Grand Secretary, has a share in it! You'd better know who you're messing with!"

"Hahaha, Wei Zaode?" The Chiliarch of Torture Li Youcheng burst into loud laughter at these words, strode forward a few steps, and delivered a resounding 'smack' across the shopkeeper's face. Pulling out his waist token, he said viciously:

"Wei Zaode can't even protect himself right now — he's holed up in his mansion not daring to show his face. Look carefully — what is this?"

The shopkeeper let out a miserable 'aiyo' cry, spun around several times from the slap, his head swimming in dizziness. He barely managed to steady himself and focus his eyes, but when he looked up and saw the four large characters 'Eastern Depot' on the waist token, he immediately plopped down on the ground, his speech turning to stammers.

"E-E-E-E... the Eastern Depot!?"

"Search for me! Where are the people? Call them all out! If even one runs off, I'll seal this pawnshop of yours shut!"

"The Director has given his orders — whether it's the Wang family or the Qian family, anyone who dares oppose our Eastern Depot gets thrown in prison. Search!"

Li Youcheng smugly put away his waist token. To avoid catching another scolding from the Director, he couldn't be bothered with more idle talk and directly waved his hand to give the order. The agents lifted the curtain and filed into the inner rooms, and in an instant there was a great commotion of chickens flying and dogs jumping.

Li Youcheng sat grandly in the main hall, legs spread wide, and said:

"Come now, shopkeeper, let me ask you — a few days ago, did a female official come to pawn a pile of palace jewelry?"

"It was from the palace..." the shopkeeper answered instinctively, then felt it was inappropriate and hastily added:

"No, no, this humble one doesn't know. Not clear."

"Not clear?" Li Youcheng followed up with another resounding slap and said:

"You dare accept goods of unknown origin?"

The shopkeeper stood there looking wronged, while the men and women dragged out by the agents all lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to breathe too loudly. The Eastern Depot's agents had a fearsome reputation — the number of officials and scholars they'd arrested lately was considerable, and no one had heard of anyone being released.

As for what happened to those who were taken in, one didn't need to think to know.

If even scholars with official titles and officials were treated like this, then these people, who were after all still common folk, wouldn't dare make any move that drew attention — even if they were thrown straight into prison, no one would likely say a word of objection.

"Found it!"

Before long, a section chief walked out holding an account book. Li Youcheng took it and glanced at it, a grin spreading across his face. "Good, finally got you, you bastard."

With that, Li Youcheng turned and shouted:

"Report this matter to the Director immediately!"