Chapter 46: Killing to Test the Blade, White Rainbow Piercing the Sky

One hour later.

Zhang Juzheng walked out of the Huangji Hall with a complex expression.

This conversation was his first deep interaction with the young Emperor, and at the same time, the first time they viewed each other as chess players and political allies.

After witnessing the Emperor's words and deeds firsthand.

Zhang Juzheng finally understood why Gao Yi was so captivated by this sage ruler.

This sage ruler was truly high-spirited, with the spirit of a hero.

Let alone Gao Yi, even he could not help but be moved.

But... being moved did not mean he believed the Emperor's nonsense.

He had drifted in the officialdom for many years and had long passed the age of bowing down just because his heart was touched.

What was said was not important; what was important was what chips the Emperor would bring out to persuade him to settle this turmoil in the court situation together.

Fortunately, the Emperor did not have the naivety that should belong to his age at all, and made very generous concessions as soon as he spoke.

Chief Grand Secretary, Group Grand Secretary, Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Justice, Imperial Tutor—he promised them as if they were worthless, far exceeding his psychological expectations.

Of course, it was not without a price—on the issue of dealing with Gao Gong, the two had a huge disagreement.

The Emperor hinted that he wanted to kill Gao Gong.

This attitude was something Zhang Juzheng absolutely could not accept.

For the reigning Chief Grand Secretary to be executed according to the law was too shocking.

If this were truly done, the Emperor's authority would be displayed, but the court situation would be in turmoil again.

Even if Zhang Juzheng suspected this was a chip used to coerce him, he had to remonstrate.

Seeing that the Emperor's determination was set, Zhang Juzheng could only make concessions to exchange for Gao Gong's life.

Whether the Emperor had been waiting for him or it was a temporary idea, the Emperor actually had the intention to reorganize the Beijing Garrison!

It was hard to say whether it was a win-win or mutual compromise; in short, after the two ground back and forth for a while, they finally reached a consensus.

The promise Zhang Juzheng made for this was to re-employ Gu Huan.

But the Emperor did not promise not to kill Gao Gong, only saying he would give Gao Gong a chance—he wanted to see if Gao Gong was wholeheartedly for the country or had usurping intentions.

Zhang Juzheng sighed when he thought of the chance the Emperor spoke of.

This was no chance; it was clearly to squeeze out the last bit of use from Gao Gong's old bones, and also to force Gao Gong to bow his head and thank him.

At that time, as long as Gao Gong did not want to bear the crime of usurpation, he would have no other choice.

Selling someone out and still wanting them to be grateful—he suspected the Emperor had secretly read the history of Emperor Wen of Han.

Zhang Juzheng felt pity for the Emperor's lack of benevolence, while simultaneously unable to suppress a feeling of intense admiration.

In this contradictory state of mind, Zhang Juzheng found Lu Diaoyang at the Ministry of Rites.

This Minister of Rites, under Gao Gong's solicitation, still stood firmly on his side; naturally, his trust had to be added to by one point.

The two stood by the pond outside the Ministry of Rites, hands behind their backs.

Zhang Juzheng went straight to the point: "He Qing, according to the system, His Majesty will preside over affairs at the Xuanzhi Gate tomorrow, and the hundred officials will perform the rites of consolation."

"At that time, you come forward and ask His Majesty to announce the amnesty and rewards."

Amnesty and rewards meant a general amnesty for the world, as well as rewarding imperial relatives; having the Ministry of Rites come forward was most appropriate.

Lu Diaoyang was stunned. Zhang Juzheng usually called the Emperor "the Emperor" all the time; why did he call him "His Majesty" today?

He looked at Zhang Juzheng strangely: "Is there any change in the matter of amnesty and rewards?"

The general amnesty and rewards had long been finalized; the Xuanzhi Gate was just going through the motions.

But since Zhang Juzheng said so, it would certainly not be that simple.

"His Majesty will bestow grace on the nobles and reward the hundred officials at that time."

Zhang Juzheng said, then turned to look at Lu Diaoyang, his eyes full of gratification: "He Qing, you are the one everyone expects."

Lu Diaoyang repeated suspiciously: "The one everyone expects?"

Zhang Juzheng nodded and smiled: "You are entering the cabinet."

Lu Diaoyang: "Ah... ah?"

Zhang Juzheng's eyes were unfathomable: "Don't be nervous; not only you, but all meritorious officials will be rewarded, with the Senior Grand Secretary being the most."

Night fell.

The night curtain hung low, covering the thousands of lights in Beijing, each with its own schemes.

Among them, the most eye-catching, if not the brightest, were the lights in front of Gao Gong's mansion.

Reflecting the endless stream of guests, reflecting the exchanges under the tables, and also reflecting Gao Gong's current state of "boiling oil on a raging fire."

Under this lantern.

Chen Hong walked out swaggeringly.

This great eunuch, who came from the Prince Yu's mansion and had served as the Seal-Holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, was now truly in high spirits.

Not to mention sweeping away the gloom of being suppressed by Feng Bao, power over the court was also right before his eyes.

The two most powerful people in the court—the Empress Dowager of the main palace and the Senior Grand Secretary of the cabinet—were both his backers!

Thanks to this, more and more people in the inner court were showing favor and loyalty to him.

Even court officials were secretly sending him signals.

Such splendor was truly a wonderful thing in life!

Just wait for the Emperor to offer sacrifices to heaven and confer supreme titles on the two palaces, and Empress Dowager Chen would be able to walk out of Ciqing Palace and issue orders openly. He, Chen Hong, would be one of the most powerful people in the Great Ming Dynasty!

At that time, he would be even more glorious than when he was the Seal-Holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial!

The Eastern Depot! The Imperial Horse Directorate! The Inner Treasury! They would all be in his pocket!

He would also be able to act on behalf of Empress Dowager Chen and coordinate government affairs with the outer court!

If he could persuade Empress Dowager Chen to let him control the Emperor.

He, Chen Hong, would truly be able to walk sideways!

He still remembered Feng Bao's punch in the Directorate of Ceremonial; in a few days, he would personally kill this thief!

Thinking this way, Chen Hong passed through a dim street alley, and for no reason, his heart suddenly tightened.

The instinct from years of fighting immediately made him alert!

He immediately turned his head, intending to order the two eunuchs following him to retreat and leave this alley.

But, as soon as he turned his head, he saw a scene that made his eyes split with rage—two black shadows stood behind the accompanying eunuchs, covering their mouths and taking them down.

Chen Hong's first reaction was to roar and run for his life.

Before he could act, his vision went black, and he immediately fell to the ground, slowly losing consciousness, seeing only a few pairs of Embroidered Uniform Guard boots stepping into the puddle in front of him.

"Thousand Commander Chen has good skills!"

Jiang Keqian squatted down, gave Chen Hong a hand-chop, and praised him.

"Brother Jiang, don't mock me." Chen Mingyan received the praise, only smiling bitterly, and brought up the main business: "How to deal with this person?"

He called him brother, trying to get close.

As the two were talking, a Battalion Commander behind them heard this and immediately leaned in: "Commander Jiang, Thousand Commander Chen, I am best at interrogation!"

Jiang Keqian and Chen Mingyan looked at each other with strange expressions.

The former looked at the latter and asked: "Does Thousand Commander Chen want to interrogate?"

Chen Mingyan hesitated: "I'm afraid, it cannot be interrogated?"

Jiang Keqian nodded and looked at the Battalion Commander: "Did you hear! Thousand Commander Chen said don't interrogate, drown him."

The Battalion Commander nodded and bowed in acknowledgment.

He immediately squatted down, took out a stack of coarse cloth, pressed it on Chen Hong's face, and took out a bottle of wine, pouring it straight into his mouth.

Chen Hong seemed to be waking up.

The Battalion Commander looked ferocious, pressing down hard, letting Chen Hong scratch with his hands and kick with his feet, but it was to no avail.

Finally, it slowly returned to calm.

After confirming separately, the few dragged the corpse to the riverbank and kicked it into the river with one foot.

A great eunuch thus drowned in the river, drunk and accidentally slipping.

Insignificant.

Feng Bao had just come out of the Cining Palace when he was stopped by Zhang Jing.

He looked at this godson of Zhang Hong with vigilance and suspicion.

Zhang Jing was very respectful: "Seal-Holding Eunuch Feng, His Majesty invites you over."

Hearing this title, a flash of gloom crossed Feng Bao's eyes.

The eunuch behind him was very sensible and immediately scolded: "You thing without rank or grade, how dare you call the official title of the Old Ancestor directly!"

After being scolded and stared at expressionlessly by Feng Bao, Zhang Jing did not lose his composure and still performed the full rites.

Leaning closer, he said softly: "His Majesty said, it is about Gao Gong..."

Feng Bao's eyes flashed.

Currently, Gao Gong was powerful and had forced him into a corner.

The Eastern Depot was lost, and the Directorate of Ceremonial had no sound; it could be said his arms had been cut off.

He could no longer treat the Emperor like a child as he had in the past.

He had even considered whether to turn and hug the Emperor's thigh, then join forces with Zhang Juzheng to deal with Gao Gong.

Now that the Emperor was summoning him privately, could it be that he had thought of the same thing?

Thinking of this, he nodded and ordered Zhang Jing: "Lead the way."

Zhang Jing led the way respectfully, occasionally speaking of the Emperor's private hatred for Gao Gong.

Feng Bao assumed the Emperor intended to use him, forcing Zhang Hong to use this method to show there was no hostility.

The group soon arrived at the Qianqing Palace.

Zhang Hong was already waiting.

Seeing them arrive, he hurriedly welcomed them.

He reminded: "Seal-Holding Eunuch Feng, His Majesty only said he wanted to see you alone."

Feng Bao naturally came to Qianqing Palace often; this was indeed the rule.

He did not entangle, nodded, let the two eunuchs stay outside, and then followed Zhang Hong into the Qianqing Palace.

As soon as Feng Bao's back disappeared, Zhang Jing signaled with his eyes.

The people beside him received the message and acted together, immediately knocking out the two people Feng Bao brought.

Zhang Jing walked closer and kicked them fiercely, not feeling satisfied: "Old Ancestor! Dog-legged Old Ancestor!"

After saying this, he waved his hand: "Drag them away and bury them."

Feng Bao walked inside for a distance, and inexplicably, some strange noises reached his ears.

He looked around suspiciously.

Zhang Hong said at the right time: "Seal-Holding Eunuch Feng, His Majesty is waiting inside; this servant will send you here."

Feng Bao's attention was recalled, and he had to temporarily suppress the feeling he had just had.

After thanking him, he turned and entered the hall.

Although he was weak now, he still held the position of Seal-Holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

The Emperor likely valued this status, which was why he summoned him—the two were naturally on the same side in dealing with the big picture of Gao Gong.

Feng Bao thought about his attitude later.

After being stripped of his position in the Eastern Depot and being suppressed by Gao Gong, he naturally knew that he had missed the last opportunity to hold power.

If Gao Gong won, he would likely be in danger of his life.

But even if Gao Gong lost, he, Feng Bao, would never return to his previous glory.

Thinking of this, Feng Bao sighed—he had to lean toward the Emperor.

Besides resisting Gao Gong, it was also because the current young Emperor was simply too precocious!

Unless the Empress Dowager and the outer court simultaneously and tacitly did not want the Emperor to hold power, they could suppress the young Emperor.

But now Empress Dowager Chen supported Gao Gong, and Empress Dowager Li increasingly trusted the young Emperor.

He, Feng Bao, had no room to maneuver.

Once the thought was set, Feng Bao rubbed his face, making himself appear more submissive.

The moment he stepped into the hall door, he was about to sing a long string of compliments to show his attitude.

As a result, before he could act, two people in flying-fish robes immediately pinned him to the ground!

Feng Bao was terrified!

He was about to shout for help, but a ball of hemp cloth was stuffed into his mouth, making him unable to speak.

His arms were firmly clamped by two large hands on the left and right, dragging his whole body like a dead dog, lifting half his body up.

Only then did Feng Bao see the two people on his left and right.

These were clearly Embroidered Uniform Guards!

How could this be!

How could the Embroidered Uniform Guards attack him, the Seal-Holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, in the Qianqing Palace!

Could it be that Zhu Xizhong had also defected to Gao Gong? Were they going to control both him and the Emperor in this Qianqing Palace!?

Or was it that Empress Dowager Chen had already entered the Qianqing Palace, was raising the Emperor, and was just waiting to preside over the court!?

"Wu... wu..."

Feng Bao struggled incessantly, his mouth making muffled sounds.

Suddenly, the two Embroidered Uniform Guards threw him to the ground and stepped on his head with their feet.

"Your Majesty, the person is brought."

Hearing this movement.

Feng Bao widened his eyes in disbelief.

He suddenly realized what he had encountered!

Feng Bao was stepped on and unable to move, but he struggled to raise his head, wanting to confirm his conjecture.

Suddenly, a pair of slightly thin lower limbs walked in front of him and slowly squatted down.

What entered Feng Bao's eyes was clearly the Emperor's face!

Feng Bao closed his eyes abruptly.

He finally understood why Zhu Xizhong recommended Li Jin that day and took his Eastern Depot.

He had thought the father-in-law had bribed Zhu Xizhong.

It turned out... it was the Emperor! He had actually gained control of the Embroidered Uniform Guards without a sound!

Zhu Yijun just wanted to speak, to let the Embroidered Uniform Guards take the hemp cloth out of Feng Bao's mouth, to have a victor's mockery in this posture.

But suddenly, he felt listless.

He wasn't really here to fight for power and profit; killing a eunuch was nothing to be proud of.

Only if he could achieve something one day would he have the face to say some heartfelt words.

Thinking of this.

The scolding of Feng Bao for bullying his master as a slave, the disdain for Feng Bao deceiving Empress Dowager Li, and the reprimand for Feng Bao colluding with the outer court were all swallowed back.

At his lips, it turned into one sentence: "Give Feng Daban a red pill as a reward."

As soon as the words fell.

Feng Bao immediately struggled violently; the Emperor actually wanted to kill him!

He was prepared to be a slave, to swear loyalty!

How could he kill him! He was still useful!

Feng Bao made muffled sounds, begging for mercy, and blinked desperately, indicating he was willing to be a dog for the Emperor!

Zhu Yijun glanced at Feng Bao strangely.

Suddenly, he understood.

He smiled: "Feng Daban, no need to threaten me; I will naturally coax my Mother well."

Having said this, he turned around and stopped looking at him.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard stuffed a red pill into Feng Bao's mouth, and before long, he had no breath left.

One of them reached out and closed Feng Bao's unwilling eyes, dragging the person out.

Feng Bao was not the focus of tonight; he was just a side dish.

For things done in passing, Zhu Yijun did not take them to heart.

His mind was now entirely on Ciqing Palace.

There was still an hour until midnight, and he waited quietly.

From time to time, Embroidered Uniform Guards came in and out, reporting the latest progress to him.

From the news of Chen Hong's execution from Jiang Keqian, to Li Jin confirming that the Eastern Depot had completed a certain degree of cleaning.

From the peace in every hall and pavilion, to the guards at every gate occasionally stopping eunuchs who wanted to go out.

Until, Zhu Xixiao's voice sounded in the hall again: "Your Majesty, Chen Hong, Feng Bao, Chen Suan, and their subordinates have all been executed."

"Every palace gate is locked, and not a single person has slipped out."

"The surroundings of Ciqing Palace have been completely cleared."

He rarely wore a python robe bestowed by the late Emperor when he was conferred as the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor.

It looked solemn and murderous; truly a great Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards!

Zhu Yijun turned around and nodded expressionlessly: "Let's go, follow me to Ciqing Palace to request my Mother's edict."

He gestured to the edict already drafted on the table.

Having said this, he stepped out and walked straight toward the outside of the hall.

With wide sleeves and a long robe, he seemed to bring a gust of wind as he walked, causing the candlelight to flicker.

Zhu Xixiao knelt and acknowledged, looking up slightly, only to see the Emperor's shadow behind him seeming to overlap, flickering and drifting, shadowy and indistinct.

With the Emperor's steps, it was as if something indescribable was struggling to emerge.

Zhu Xixiao's mind wavered, and he hurriedly looked away, not daring to look more, stood up, picked up the edict on the table, and followed quickly.

The moment he walked out of the Wenhua Hall.

Zhu Xixiao looked up abruptly.

In the sky, to the northeast, a pale energy, distinct like a white rainbow, rose into the sky, piercing the night.

——

On the day of Jisi in the sixth month of the sixth year of Longqing, at night, there was a pale energy, seen in the northeast, distinct like a white rainbow, gradually dissipating after a long time. — "Veritable Records of Ming Shenzong"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 47 =====