NOVEL WEB Chapter 127 - Zhu Hecheng Goes to Jail
Chapter 127: Zhu Hecheng Goes to Jail
Qiao An’s memorandum to the Emperor arrived seven days later. The Emperor was infuriated upon reading it, and immediately stripped off the official title of Xuzhou’s Prefecture Magistrate and ordered for him to enter the city the next day.
Xuzhou’s Prefecture Magistrate was sent into the city in a prison carriage and was promptly imprisoned in the jail of the Ministry of Justice. He did not refute the official statements from the housekeeper and servants of the Zhu Manor, and he confessed to all his crimes.
There was no point to refute anyway. Qiao An not only presented the official statements from the housekeeper of the Zhu Manor, but he also included the pieces of evidence that proved that they had been in contact all along. Attempting to repudiate his crimes would only result in more suffering for himself as all witnesses, and evidence had already surfaced.
The Emperor had ordered for a restraining order on the Zhu family ever since he received the memorandum, and had commanded that Zhu Hecheng shall not be allowed to leave the city.
Zhu Hecheng was sent to jail immediately, together with Xuzhou’s Prefecture Magistrate once he arrived. They would be interrogated at the same time.
The entire Zhu family went into chaos due to this unforeseen circumstance and went around frantically trying to save Zhu Hecheng’s life.
On the other hand, Zhu Hecheng appeared to be calm and composed. Being the patriarch of the Zhu family, he had been through turbulent times and was able to remain unruffled even when being thrown into jail, as if he was not worried about his life and death at all.
Su Jiu felt overwhelming satisfaction, knowing that Zhu Hecheng had deserved his punishment. Most importantly, the Zhu family’s assets within Xuzhou had all been confiscated and the grains in their dried goods store were being used for disaster relief. This helped to solve Qiao An’s problem with the shortage of food supply, and provided more than enough aid for the disaster.
Everything else became easier as the food shortage was solved. The citizens would be insane to continue fighting against the imperial court, especially since Hu Dapao had led his men to arrest a few of the leaders who created the conflict, as a warning to the others. Nobody else dared to go against them anymore.
Qiao An rounded up the doctors in the province to treat the citizens who had contracted the plague. Xuzhou’s condition improved day by day, as the plague slowly stabilized and was under control.
Su Jiu was overjoyed as she read Qiao An’s letter. She was extremely relieved and could not wait to share the good news with Ah Shu and Chang Huan.
Ji Yuxian walked in slowly and hugged Su Jiu from behind her, resting his chin on her shoulders and laughing softly. “What is my lady so happy about that she’s smiling incessantly?”
Su Jiu turned around while being in his embrace and showed him Qiao An’s letter. “The condition in Xuzhou has finally brightened up!”
Ji Yuxian skimmed through the contents in the letter and appeared pleased as well. He gave Su Jiu a kiss as he said, “Congratulations to my lady!”
Su Jiu asked, “Is Zhu Hecheng doomed this time?”
This man had attempted to keep the grains originally intended for disaster relief and tried to make a fortune by taking advantage of the country’s calamity. His death would not be regretted and his reputation would be shamed forever even after his death!
“A powerful person’s influence will linger even after his downfall. The Zhu family had been in business for generations in Shengjing City and had built up a strong network, so he would not die so easily!” Ji Yuxian’s eyes gleamed as he said flatly.
“I heard that the Emperor was enraged and several officials in the Ministry of Revenue were implicated, punished for not investigating the matter effectively. Don’t tell me that Zhu Hecheng, who’s a mere businessman, can defy the law?” Su Jiu frowned in confusion.
Ji Yuxian laughed softly. “Xuzhou’s Prefecture Magistrate is not the only person supporting him. There is bound to be another person who had to save Zhu Hecheng’s life to save his own!”
Su Jiu went into deep thought and remained silent.
Ji Yuxian lowered his head and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Don’t worry too much. The entire Zhu family was affected deeply by this incident even though we could not eradicate them. Zhu Hecheng is one step nearer to receiving his death penalty!”
Su Jiu nodded. “The most important thing is that Qiao An’s problem could be resolved!”
“That’s right!” A smile broke across Ji Yuxian’s face as he held onto Su Jiu’s waist and pulled her into his embrace lightly. His thin lips stayed close to her ear and emitted breaths of warm air as he spoke, “My lady has been worried about Qiao An’s matter for the past few days and had neglected me. You should be compensating me properly, now that the matter has been settled!”
Su Jiu felt her ear numbing as she blinked. “How do I compensate?”
“My lady,” the man said seductively, as his eyes remained half shut and his red lips sucked on her earlobe.
Su Jiu’s body went feeble as she collapsed onto the couch. Her delicate eyes contained mild embarrassment and bashfulness as she pushed against his chest and said softly, “I have just gotten back from the outdoors and am in a mess. I have to go shower first!”
“Let’s go together!” the man said in a deep, hoarse voice, his face ravishing. He did not get up even after he spoke and continued to deepen his kisses on her neck.
Su Jiu panted and rolled over to avoid his kisses. She turned his body around and nudged him out of the room. “Stop playing a fool, you go first!”
Ji Yuxian laughed and grabbed onto Su Jiu’s arms from behind him, and placed them over his shoulders. He gave a light tug and shifted her onto his back. “I shall carry my lady on my back!”
Su Jiu nudged herself up slightly as her legs curled around his waist, smiling tenderly as she said, “I shall not reject Young Master’s goodwill to be my slave!”
“Sure, it’s my pleasure to serve my lady!” Ji Yuxian turned his head around slightly to glance at her, and marched out of the room in steady footsteps.
The summer night was cooling, and the starry night sky was vast. The subtle fragrance from the Polia plants filled the air as the wind blew past, soothing one’s mind.
Su Jiu leaned her head onto the man’s broad shoulders. Her clean and fair face reflected the warm lights hanging above her head, and her eyes sparkled with joy and happiness.
Ji Yuxian walked very slowly as his arms supported the young woman’s legs steadily. His voice sounded gentle and affectionate like a gentle breeze. “I am willing to carry my lady forever, is my lady willing to stay on my back for eternity?”
Su Jiu looked up, and rested her chin on his shoulder as she spoke into his ear cheekily, “Will you become tired?”
Ji Yuxian felt a buzz reverberate through his body as he said hoarsely, “No.”
“Ji Yuxian…” Su Jiu murmured.
“Yes?” the man answered in a low voice and turned his head around slightly to look at her. The sparkling moonlight reflected in his wide eyes, and his loose, dark fringe fell and scattered around his forehead, amplifying his charm and charisma.
Su Jiu burrowed her head onto his shoulder and shut her eyes. “It’s so nice to have known you!”
“Why so?” the man said with a laugh.
“Other than the people from our Dragon Conqueror Gang, you are the person who treats me best!” Su Jiu replied earnestly.
“So my ranking falls behind the Dragon Conqueror Gang after all!” the man mockingly said, feigning disappointment.
Su Jiu pursed her lips and shifted her head closer to his ear as she called out softly, “My husband!”
The two words represented everything that Su Jiu wanted to express, without the need for further explanation.
Ji Yuxian curled his lips into a smile, as his eyes sparkled with glee. He paused momentarily in his footsteps and the next instant, proceeded to stride towards the bedroom at full speed. He tightened his grip around Su Jiu as if he wanted to fully embrace her and give her all the tenderness in the world.
…
A low profile horse carriage stopped outside the jail of the Ministry of Justice at night. A man got off the carriage and scanned around his environment before striding into the jail.
The attendant guarding the jail gate stepped forward in a hurry upon seeing the guest. “Greetings to you, Vice Minister Xie!”
The man who came to visit the jail late at night was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Xie Shiyun.
“Where is Zhu Hecheng’s cell? Lead me there as I have questions for him!” Xie Shiyun kept a low profile, dressing up in the most common kind of robe.
“Sure, I will lead you there right now, Vice Minister!”
The attendant nodded and bowed, as he hastily led Xie Shiyun to the right cell.
Both jails in the government office and the Ministry of Justice appeared equally eerie and damp. They were a place filled with horror and dread especially as they entered night time when the lights dimmed.
Zhu Hecheng covered himself with a blanket, as he laid on his bed in his cell.
The cell was substandard, as it contained only a bed with a layer of hay on top. Zhu Hecheng was used to sleeping with silk quilts and fur blankets, yet he still managed to sleep with ease in his cell!
“Zhu Hecheng, the Vice Minister is here. Quickly get up!” the attendant yelled into the cell.
His expression transformed into a grin the moment he turned around, and asked Xie Shiyun, “Would you like to transfer me to the jail room for interrogation?”
Xie Shiyun shook his head. “Open the cell door, I will interrogate him right here!”
“Noted!”
The attendant acknowledged his request and opened the cell door. He stepped aside and reached out his arm to invite Xie Shiyun into the cell politely.
Zhu Hecheng opened his eyes upon hearing the noise and smiled lightly as if he had expected the visit. He got up and said with a smile, “Greetings to you, Vice Minister Xie!”
His hair was unkempt and his clothes were ruffled, yet Zhu Hecheng appeared poised and calm as usual, even as he sat on the bench in such a rundown environment.
Xie Shiyun waved off the attendant and sat across Zhu Hecheng. He asked with a frown immediately, “Why were you so careless?”
Zhu Hecheng’s face turned grim. He had thought about it deeply during the two days that he was in jail, and reckoned that he must have been tricked by Ji Yuxian this time round.
He had come looking for himself to donate food supply without a heads up, and they were caught red-handed by the imperial envoys just as they were mixing the sand into the grains when they arrived at Xuzhou. How could it be such a coincidence? It must be the bodyguards who had leaked the information, but he was unclear as to why Ji Yuxian knew the imperial envoy, Qiao An?
Both of them must have had some kind of relationship to scheme a plan like this with such tacit agreement.
However, it is now too late to think about it!
Ji Yuxian had stirred away from trouble, and this matter would not implicate him at all. He also had no evidence to prove that Ji Yuxian was behind this.
He had reminded himself to be wary of Ji Yuxian the day he had offered to treat him, yet he still fell for his tricks!
He had thought that he was just being tricked to donate the food supply. Who would have thought that there was a bigger scheme behind it all?
“There is no longer a need to clarify the process, you should instead think about how to get me out of here, Vice Minister Xie!” Zhu Hecheng said.
Xie Shiyun laughed coldly. “The Emperor was enraged, and we had all been reprimanded during the meeting with him this morning. I am unable to even fend for myself, all the more I would not be able to help you!”
Zhu Hecheng did not appear to panic as he took a sip of tea and said schemingly, “Vice Minister Xie, even if you do not help me, the Minister will. My death will not do any good to the Minister and you, Vice Minister Xie!”
Xie Shiyun squinted his eyes dangerously as he looked at him with an icy gaze under the dim candlelight. “Are you trying to threaten us?”
“This is not considered threatening, but I will feel unjustified should I die. It will be nice to implicate another person to accompany me on the way to hell!” Zhu Hecheng spoke without hesitation and smiled.
Xie Shiyun turned pale as he stared at him blankly.
“Vice Minister Xie, you need not hope for my death, as I have already taken care of everything before I entered the jail. For example, I have prepared letters and statements of all the crimes to be sent to the Emperor should any mishap befall me. I would not be able to know who else will be implicated by then, and I couldn’t care less!”
Xie Shiyun’s facial expression turned grisly, and he spoke softly after a brief moment, “I will convey your words exactly to the Minister!”
“Thank you, Vice Minister Xie!” Zhu Hecheng smiled calmly.
Xie Shiyun got up and flicked his sleeve, before turning around to leave the cell.
Zhu Hecheng grinned as he finished his tea, and continued to sleep on his wooden bed.
Xie Shiyun came out from the jail of the Ministry of Justice and commanded the sedan bearer to send him to the Minister’s manor instead of going home.
Zhu Hecheng remained calm and composed in jail, but the Zhu Manor was in chaos.
Mrs. Zhu was worried about Zhu Hecheng suffering in jail and more importantly, whether the entire Zhu family would be implicated. The lives of women like her would not be spared, should the entire Zhu family be sentenced.
Zhu Zhi was not in the mood to look for Yu Fengjiao these few days, and laid in bed the whole day as he grew frustrated with Mrs. Zhu’s crying.
Mrs. Zhu entered Zhu Zhi’s bedroom on this day near noon and saw him still lying in bed. She flared up immediately as she felt that he was good for nothing. “Now that your father has landed in jail and the Zhu family is facing a great calamity, how do you still have the mood to be sleeping?”
Furrowing his brows, Zhu Zhi glanced at Mrs. Zhu and turned his body away from her. “Can I get Father out of jail by not sleeping? What can I do when he was the one who committed the crimes?”
Mrs. Zhu’s body shook with anger. “What nonsense are you saying right now?! Your father had done those things for our Zhu family, and now you are speaking so insensitively instead of trying to save your father! You… you are indeed an unfilial son!”
Zhu Zhi sat upright in the next instant and asked, “Why don’t you tell me what I should do then? You cannot expect me to round up my men and break into jail to rescue him right now!”
“Who is talking about breaking into jail? You should go out and get in touch with your father’s contacts and his previous colleagues in the imperial court, and see if they can help speak up for him. Even if they are not able to get him out of jail, at least they can let us know if your father is doing well or suffering in jail. The weather is getting colder every day, and the jail is full of frigidity and dampness. How can your father survive, especially if he was also tortured in jail!”
Mrs. Zhu felt more anxious and worried as she spoke, and proceeded to sob into her handkerchief.
Zhu Zhi grew impatient as he heard her crying. Annoyed, he stood up and said, “That’s enough, stop crying! Women like you are only capable of using tears. I will go out and find the relevant people right now!”
He strode out of the room immediately upon speaking, as he was afraid that Mrs. Zhu was going to start nagging again.
Zhu Zhi left the manor and could not think of who to look for on the spot. He ordered the sedan bearer to head to Chunhua brothel.
Chunhua Brothel was frequented by the wealthy and rich, so he might be able to meet someone who could save his father’s life.
Zhu Zhi felt at ease and less guilty as he thought about it that way!
Zhu Zhi felt better when he arrived at Chunhua Brothel, and the brothel-keeper welcomed him enthusiastically.
Zhu Zhi was about to look for Yu Fengjiao after he got upstairs when he looked up and suddenly caught an eye of a familiar face. The man seemed to be an imperial censor surnamed Jiang, who had been to the manor to play chess with Zhu Hecheng a couple of times.
It was indeed the right decision to visit Chunhua Brothel. Zhu Zhi felt elated and quickly stepped forward to greet, “Greetings to Master Jiang!”
Master Jiang appeared to be in his forties and had slit-like eyes, adding an air of meanness. He was hugging a woman and walking towards one of the rooms, and he felt awkward being recognized by someone else. He laughed half-heartedly as he replied, “Such a coincidence to meet the young Master of the Zhu family!”
Zhu Zhi looked upon Master Jiang as his savior and couldn’t care less if it was not an appropriate location to talk. He said straightforwardly, “Master Jiang, I have a favor to ask from you. Do you know about my father being sent to jail? Will you be able to save him since you have a good relationship with him?”
Master Jiang looked at the foolish man and suppressed the urge to kick him.
Even if he was not in close contact with Zhu Hecheng, it would be a danger trying to talk to him about this forbidden topic at such a place!
He was only a sixth-ranked official and certainly did not have the right to give his opinions about the case.
“Young Master Zhu, you must be mistaken. I am only an acquaintance to Shopkeeper Zhu and was not in a close relationship with him. I’m afraid I’m unable to help much about his case!” Master Jiang’s expression turned icy, as he turned around to leave with the woman in his embrace.
Still oblivious, Zhu Zhi quickly said, “Our Zhu family can offer Master Jiang however much silver you want if you are willing to help!”
Oh, my god!
Master Jiang felt infuriated as he hurriedly scanned the environment, and only relaxed slightly when he did not see anyone familiar. He said harshly in the next instant, “Young Master Zhu, what do you treat me as? Even if I had any contact with Shopkeeper Zhu, I would also not tolerate a person who tried to privately keep the grains meant for disaster relief and attempted to harm the citizens. Young Master Zhu, you have approached the wrong person, please feel free to look for someone else!”
He gave a flick with his sleeve and strode off quickly upon speaking.
Zhu Zhi stood there in a daze for a brief moment, before he spat furiously in the direction of Master Jiang’s back view. He chided, “You’re just a man who fawns on people with power and influence, and now you are acting all noble and righteous!”
Incandescent with fury and hatred, Zhu Zhi decided to look for Yu Fengjiao.
A man stepped out from the corner once Zhu Zhi left. He appeared to be in his twenties and looked prim and proper, except for his slightly drooping eyes which revealed a hint of evil.
He broke into a wide smile as he mumbled to himself in excitement, “This is a good opportunity to become rich!”
The man followed behind Zhu Zhi and quickly stopped him when he saw that he was about to enter Yu Fengjiao’s room. “Are you Young Master Zhu?”
Zhu Zhi turned around to look at him as he asked with displeasure, “Who are you?”
“Young Master Zhu, you need not find out who I am, but I can solve your troubles!” the man said with a chuckle.
Zhu Zhi checked him out with curiosity. “How do you know I am troubled?”
The man replied, “Young Master Zhu, aren’t you troubled with your father’s case?”
Startled, Zhu Zhi asked doubtfully, “You don’t look like an imperial official, so how are you going to help me?”
“I may not be an imperial official, but I know important people who can talk directly to the Emperor!” the man declared proudly.
“Is this for real?” Zhu Zhi asked immediately.
“Of course, I won’t bite off more than what I can chew!”
“Quickly come into the room, I am willing to discuss this in detail!” Zhu Zhi replied in utmost politeness within the next instant.
The man smiled as he stood upright, and swaggered into the room.
Yu Fengjiao saw that Zhu Zhi had brought a guest into the room, and retreated after serving them tea.
“May I ask what your name is, Young Master?” Zhu Zhi placed the cup of tea in front of the man and asked hastily.
“My last name is Zhao and my first name is Wenshuan. You may call me Shuan Zi, Young Master Zhu!” Zhao Wenshuan spoke frivolously as he scanned the room and frequently peeked at the direction where Yu Fengjiao was.
Zhu Zhi was originally a good-for-nothing rich man’s son, yet he appeared staid as he sat right beside Zhao Wenshuan.
“Brother Zhao said that you can help me with my father’s case, is that true?” Zhu Zhi could not help but ask directly.
Zhao Wenshuan’s eyes glinted as he broke into a wide grin. “I am just a commoner who is unable to help your father, but I know someone who can!”
“Oh? Who is that? Where is that person?” Zhu Zhi hurriedly leaned forward and asked.
Zhao Wenshuan raised his cup to take a sip of tea, and avoided his questions on purpose, smacking his lips.
Immediately understanding his intention, Zhu Zhi took out a silver ingot and placed it in front of Zhao Wenshuan. “I will reward you another time, as long as you can help my father!”
Zhao Wenshuan quickly pocketed the silver ingot and gave a hearty laugh. “Well, there is a nobleman who lives beside me and works as a eunuch in the palace. He serves the Emperor and his words have more impact than those of the ministers!”
Zhu Zhi was surprised by this information and continued asking unabashedly, “He must be residing in the palace if he works as a eunuch! How can I meet him?”
“He’s well-favored by the Emperor and is a high ranking eunuch. Of course, he can go back to his house! He will head back to his home twice or thrice every month. I figure he should be coming back tomorrow. I will wait for him at the entrance of his house and lead him to you once he arrives. Young Master Zhu, you may tell him about your father’s woes and let him convey the message to the Emperor. Wouldn’t that solve everything?”
Zhu Zhi’s knitted brows smoothed immediately upon hearing his words. He thought that not only did he solve his father’s problem, he had also managed to get acquainted with a high ranking eunuch in the palace. Brimming with excitement, he said, “I have indeed met my benefactor today! I am counting on you to help me, Brother Zhao!”
He called for the manservant standing outside the room and ordered several dishes and wine, as well as an additional woman to serve Zhao Wenshuan.
Zhao Wenshuan laughed and said, “We are not in a hurry to drink wine! It’s not too late to wait till your father is out of jail before we have a drink, but I have a matter to discuss clearly with you, Young Master Zhu.”
“Speak!” Zhu Zhi treated him as his savior and would be eager to meet his conditions.
“Even though the eunuch is my neighbor, you should be aware that many people look for him due to his position in the imperial palace. As such, many ministers go to his house to seek his help, you see.” Zhao Wenshuan gave a small laugh and did a money-counting gesture with his hand.
Zhu Zhu quickly replied with realization, “Our Zhu family has nothing but money, how much will you need?”
Overjoyed, Zhao Wenshuan held out a finger as his eyes twinkled. “At least this much!”
“Ten thousand pieces of silver? That is manageable, there is no problem giving ten thousand pieces of silver as long as the eunuch can help!” Zhu Zhi agreed immediately.
Zhao Wenshuan almost spat out his tea, as he had intended to say one thousand pieces of silver when he pointed out his finger. He was overwhelmed with elation as the amount had become tenfold. He quickly said, “Yes, yes, the matter will be easy to handle as long as there is silver! I will bring the eunuch to meet you tomorrow, Young Master Zhu!”
Both of them agreed as they enjoyed their food and wine, happily drinking with each other until the sky was almost dark.
They had agreed to meet at Chunhua Brothel at noon the next day.
Zhu Zhi felt extremely pleased and proud of himself. Zhu Hecheng had always chided him and said that he was a good-for-nothing, but now he had to depend on him to save himself.
Who would dare to look down on him once he got his father out of jail?
Zhu Zhi felt that he had made a sound decision by visiting Chunhua Brothel today. He did not spend the night, and instead hastily went to prepare the silver for the next day.
When he arrived back at the Zhu manor, Mrs. Zhu had only eaten a minute amount of food and was incessantly sighing with worry in the reception pavilion.
Inebriated, Zhu Zhi entered the room and collapsed onto a chair as he muttered, “Mother, I am back!”
Mrs. Zhu was infuriated as she noticed him reeking of alcohol and perfume. She scolded, “Your father is still suffering in jail, and our Zhu family is facing a catastrophe! How could you still have the mood to go drinking at a brothel?”
“You are so shortsighted!” Zhu Zhi’s face was bright red and his eyes were misty due to the alcohol. He slammed the arm of his chair and yelled, “Men can only solve issues over drinks! What do you know?!”
Mrs. Zhu’s face turned pale with anger. “What issue did you solve? What are you capable of?”
“I do not fancy those words! How am I not capable? Father has never given me a chance to prove myself, and now that he is in jail, the entire Zhu family has to rely on me. Also, I had already found the person who can save Father!”
Mrs. Zhu was stunned when she heard his last sentence. She dabbed her tears with her handkerchief and looked at him doubtfully. “Who did you find?”
“You don’t have to know, but I assure you that he’s reliable. Pass me ten thousand pieces of silver and I will be able to get Father out of jail quickly!” Zhu Zhi said confidently.
Mrs. Zhu saw that he spoke with assurance but she still had her qualms. “Who exactly is the person?”
“I cannot tell you right now. Just go get the silver pieces!”
“Don’t get deceived!” Mrs. Zhu did not have much faith in her son.
Zhu Zhi’s face turned grim immediately and said, “Why would I be deceived? If the person is unreliable, why would he need so much silver!”
He got up and left upon sneering, “You and Father both look down on me. I shall not care anymore if you still don’t trust me!”
“Zhi’er!” Mrs. Zhu exclaimed as she caught up with him. “Why are you so furious? I was just asking for more information! As long as you can save your father, I would wholeheartedly agree to give you one hundred thousand pieces of silver!”
Zhu Zhi broke into a smile in the next instant. “That is right! Don’t worry, Father will be back in a few days!”
During the morning meeting with the Emperor the next day, the Ministry of Justice submitted the official statements from Xuzhou’s Prefecture Chief. The Emperor was once again full of rage and requested a more in-depth investigation, to find out all the people involved in this crime of bribery. He was determined to punish all the relevant people for their crimes.
The ministers in the imperial court did not dare to utter a single word, as they looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes. Some of them gloated over others’ misery, while some appeared worried and uneasy.
After the morning meeting ended, the Minister of Revenue, Yu Xian, followed behind Prince Zhao, Xiao Jing, until they arrived somewhere where the crowd was sparse. He hurriedly called out, “Prince Zhao, please hang on for a moment!”
Xiao Jing turned around. “Minister Yu!”
Yu Xian scanned around their environment before saying in a low voice, “Your Highness, the matter is getting out of hand!”
Xiao Jing smiled nonchalantly and replied, “What is there to be afraid of? Xuzhou’s Prefecture Magistrate did not implicate you and me!”
“Yes, we need not worry about Xuzhou’s Prefecture Magistrate, but Your Highness must not forget that there is a Zhu Hecheng!” Yu Xian said softly.
Xuzhou’s Prefecture Magistrate was merely a scapegoat in the case of the food supply for disaster relief. All the profit earned naturally ended up in the hands of the leader of the food chain, which was Xiao Jing.
Xuzhou’s Prefecture Magistrate was clear about the benefits and disadvantages of this relationship. However, he would not be able to confess about the involvement of Yu Xian and Prince Zhao, as that would mean that more people will die!
Ruthlessness flashed across Xiao Jing’s eyes, as he stepped forward slowly and said coldly, “It is no big deal, I can find someone to ‘take care’ of Zhu Hecheng in jail and take away his ability to speak!”
“You cannot do that!” Yu Xian hastily said behind him, “Xie Shiyun approached me yesterday and informed me that Zhu Hecheng told him about the evidence he kept at home. We will not have any advantages should we drive him up the wall. Moreover, we have been working with Zhu Hecheng for many years, and he’s a real money-spinner. Your Highness will be requiring his source of money to win over the other ministers to run for the position of the Emperor.”
“How can I save him? Father will put his suspicion on me once I get involved!” Xiao Jing frowned and said.
“Your Highness need not act upon this personally! We have to make use of Xuzhou’s Prefecture Magistrate!” Yu Xian’s eyes gleamed as he looked at Xiao Jing schemingly.
Xiao Jing relented, “That seems to be the only way!”
Yu Xian nodded. “I will handle this personally!”
“Okay, remember not to leave any traces of evidence!”
“Noted!”
Zhu Zhi lugged ten thousand silver worth of cheques to Chunhua Brothel at noon.
He heard the door knocking as he sat down, and immediately rose to welcome the guest.
Zhao Wenshuan entered the room, while another slightly plump man followed behind. The man was dressed in an embroidered robe and had a fair, round face. He appeared to be in his forties and stood so upright that he almost would not be able to look at his toes if he lowered his head. He glanced at Zhu Zhi out of the corner of his eyes and walked into the room with his hands behind his back.
“This must be the person from the imperial palace!” Zhu Zhi quickly said with utmost politeness.
Zhao Wenshuan quickly introduced, “This is Eunuch Liu, the chief foreman that works closely with the Emperor! And this is the Young Master from the Zhu family!”
“I’ve heard a lot about you, Chief Liu!” Zhu Zhi said humbly.
Zhao Wenshuan pulled out a chair and invited Eunuch Liu to take a seat. He then served tea and water and treated him with much respect.
“Are you the one who is looking for me?” Eunuch Liu sat on the chair and helped himself to the tea.
“Yes, I am!” Zhu Zhi served tea to both of them and smiled modestly. “I have a small favor to ask from you. Please help to plead for my father’s life in front of the Emperor, Eunuch Liu!”
“I see.” Eunuch Liu stroked his chin and replied indifferently, “Shuan Zi has told me about the complications regarding your family’s case, and I have also heard about the Emperor nagging about this when I accompanied him at the royal study yesterday. This is easy! It is such a small issue, I’m sure the Emperor will release your father once I plead for him!”
Zhu Zhi was overcome with euphoria within the next instant and thanked him profusely, “Eunuch Liu, you are indeed incredible! I will count on Eunuch Liu if that’s the case!”
“That is no big deal! It’s just that, did Shuan Zi tell you about anything else?” Eunuch Liu smiled cunningly.
Zhao Wenshuan quickly replied with respect, “Yes, I told him!”
He made eyes at Zhu Zhi upon speaking.
Zhu Zhi understood what he meant, and quickly placed the ten thousand silver worth of cheques on the table. “I will trouble you and thank you with a gift again after this matter is settled, Eunuch Liu!”
Eunuch Liu stared greedily at the pile of money on the table, and hastily carried them in his arms. “You just wait, I will plead with the Emperor once I have the opportunity to, and save your father from jail. You can await my good news at home!”
“Sure, Eunuch Liu. I beg of you to quickly bring this up to the Emperor, as my father is weak, and I’m afraid that he will fall ill in the damp and cold jail.”
“What is the hurry?” Zhao Wenshuan interrupted Zhu Zhi’s words and said, “Eunuch Liu can only bring this up when the Emperor is in a good mood. You have not worked with the Emperor before, so don’t talk nonsense if you do not understand!”
“Yes, yes!” Zhu Zhi nodded and laughed.
After the three of them reached an agreement, Zhao Wenshuan and Eunuch Liu bade their goodbyes and left Chunhua Brothel.
Zhu Zhi was elated, as he thought that he had saved his father. He kissed and laughed with Yu Fengjiao in his arms, unable to wait for Zhu Hecheng to shower him with compliments the moment he released his father from jail.
On the other hand, Zhao Wenshuan and Eunuch Liu had exited from the door and turned into a quiet alley. Zhao Wenshuan immediately changed his facial expression and said, “Hurry and hand over the money!”
Eunuch Liu, who had appeared proud and arrogant the moment before when speaking to Zhu Zhi, got rid of his pretension and took out the cheques reluctantly. He placed the money onto Zhao Wenshuan’s hands as he said meekly, “We have agreed that thirty percent of this money is mine!”
“Don’t worry, I will not forget about your reward. You have acted so convincingly just now, that brat Zhu Zhi was convinced!” Zhao Wenshuan counted the cheques repeatedly and chortled, looking pleased.
“Of course. No matter what, I have indeed serviced in the imperial palace for some time!”
“You are so convincing in acting as the chief foreman in front of the Emperor! Alright, I shall go exchange these cheques for silver pieces, and we can head out for a drink later!” Zhao Wenshuan had obtained this windfall out of no reason and was extremely excited.
‘Eunuch Liu’ had indeed worked at the imperial palace for a short time, but was beaten up and evicted due to misconduct as he frequently committed crimes of theft and harassment to the palace maids.
He lived beside Zhao Wenshuan and remained unmarried since he was a eunuch, staying in his home and living his life idly.
The day before at Chunhua Brothel, Zhao Wenshuan had heard about Zhu Zhi panicking and looking for solutions to save his father. This prompted him to scheme his plan to let his neighbor disguise as the chief foreman in the imperial palace and con Zhu Zhi’s money.
He did not expect Zhu Zhi to be so gullible and hand up the money today without even investigating!
He exchanged part of the cheques for four thousand pieces of silver, handing over three thousand to Eunuch Liu and keeping one thousand for himself. He brought Eunuch Liu to Jingqin Restaurant and ordered several exquisite dishes and wine, and had a feast.
Both of them got drunk and only went home as night fell. Zhao Wenshuan ordered a few other dishes to take away and staggered his way home.
They stayed in an old alley in Dong Cheng district where the poor resided, which was pitch black once night time arrived.
Zhao Wenshuan bade goodbye to Eunuch Liu when he arrived at his doorstep. He pushed open the doors and entered the house before yelling, “I am back!”
Three earthen houses stood in the courtyard. Their doors and windows were old and broken, and the light within the rooms shone through the thin window shades.
A woman came out of the room and frowned upon seeing a drunk Zhao Wenshuan. “Brother, why are you drunk again?”
“I am happy, your brother is extremely happy today!” Zhao Wenshuan giggled and staggered towards the room.
He handed over the takeaways to the woman and said roughly, “Here, this is for you and Mother, go have some food!”
The woman stared at the dishes of meat in her hands, guessing that Zhao Wenshuan must have won some money at the gambling den and gone for drinks.
A wave of a pungent smell welcomed them as they entered the room. An old and tattered curtain hung at the door in the eastern wing, as a feeble light shone from within.
“Is Shuan Zi back?” an old and feeble voice sounded from behind the door curtain.
Zhao Wenshuan parted the curtains and smiled. “Mother, I am back!”
A heated brick bed stood at the north of the eastern wing, a rundown cabinet was placed across the door with several cups and bowls placed on top, and two wooden chairs with peeling paint could be found beside the window.
There was nothing else in the room, and the entire house looked bare and empty.
An old woman with grey hair and wrinkles on her sallow face laid on the brick bed, her eyes struggling to open as she asked her son who had just entered the room, “Did you go drinking again?”
Zhao Wenshuan sat on a chair and languidly leaned back as he responded hazily with a drooping head.
“You are no longer young and have to find a serious job. Your eldest and second sisters were married to a faraway place and could not take care of the family. Liu’er is our sole breadwinner now, and it was better when she was working in the Ji Manor as a maidservant, but she could only do ad hoc jobs now that she’s no longer working there. How could you not work as hard as Liu’er when you are a man?”
The old woman spoke ceaselessly and only paused to catch her breath.
The woman entered the room at that moment and placed the takeaway dishes that Zhao Wenshuan had brought home on the table. “Mother, Brother had bought us food. You have only eaten a bowl of watery porridge tonight, so come and eat some more!”
The woman was Zhao Liu’er who was discovered to have poisoned Su Jiu with Stone Flower Powder back at the Ji Manor.
She had many sisters in the family who had been married, and she now lived with her old-aged mother and an unmarried brother at home.
Zhao Wenshuan loafed and wandered about without a job every day, not earning any money. Yet he continued to visit the brothels, leaving it to Liu’er to take up sewing jobs and earn a minuscule income.
The old woman glanced at the dishes on the table and said heartachingly, “If we could exchange this amount of money for grains, we would be able to eat for ten days!”
Irritated by her nagging, Zhao Wenshuan cleared his mind after sipping on cold tea. He said impatiently, “All of you are used to being poor and don’t even dare to eat when there is good food! Our household will live differently from today onwards, as we have enough silver now to buy a big house tomorrow! Mother, you will be enjoying life!”
The old woman started to cough profusely on her bed. Liu’er glared at Zhao Wenshuan before saying, “You are talking nonsense now that you’re drunk!”
“I’m talking nonsense?” Zhao Wenshuan laughed coldly as he reached into his inner pocket, and took out a silver ingot before putting it on the table. He proceeded to take out another gold ingot and slammed it on the same table. Lastly, he took out the leftover silver from the one thousand pieces of silver used for the drinks and said proudly, “Why don’t you all take a look!”
Liu’er stared wide-eyed at the sparkling gold and silver ingots on the table. Amazed, she hurriedly asked, “How did you get so much money?”
Zhao Wenshuan was pleased with her reaction. “This was earned with your brother’s hard work! What do you think?”
Liu’er was aware of her brother’s capability, and instead of brimming with elation, she was awash with doubt. “Did you do something bad?”
“What are you talking about?” Zhao Wenshuan’s face turned grim. “You looked down on me when I did not earn money in the past, and you are doubting me now that I am earning money!”
Zhao Wenshuan snorted and pocketed all the money except for a silver ingot, which he threw to Liu’er. “Go spend this money and get more from me if you’ve finished it! We have more than enough money now and no longer need to suffer again!”
The old woman took the silver ingot and bit it. Her eyes glinted with glee and she said excitedly, “My son is so capable now!”
Zhao Wenshuan giggled and said, “I am going to bed now!”
He parted the curtains and left for the western wing upon speaking.
Liu’er felt uneasy as she looked at the silver ingot, but did not say anything as she watched the joyous expression on the old woman’s face. Her heart remained unsettled and disturbed.