Chapter 31: Summon the Crown Prince

In an instant, Zhu Zaiji jerked his head up, his eyes filled with astonishment as he looked at Feng Bao.

Almost immediately, a dark shadow fell across his face.

Zhang Juzheng, seated nearby, also saw his expression darken instantly. Noticing the Crown Prince’s grim demeanor, Zhang Juzheng spoke in a hushed tone, "Your Highness."

Zhu Zaiji remained silent, stunned by the news of Zhu Wan’s suicide, though his heart was boiling with fury. Only days ago, after his persistent pleas to the Jiajing Emperor, he had finally received approval. The old Daoist monarch had permitted Lu Bing to send men south to personally guard and protect Zhu Wan. Yet, at this very moment, news had arrived that Zhu Wan had taken his own life.

It was likely that Lu Bing’s men had not even cleared Hebei yet.

They were too late.

A high-ranking official of the Great Ming, a governor overseeing two provinces, had simply perished by his own hand? Even if he had already been dismissed from his post and placed under house arrest, the gravity of the event remained.

Zhang Juzheng whispered another reminder, "Your Highness, the messengers from the West Garden have come. The Emperor is surely enraged by the news of the Censor’s suicide and has summoned the Crown Prince to discuss the matter before the throne."

He worried that the Crown Prince, who had already been inclined to lift the maritime trade ban, might be swayed by this tragedy. Although the Prince had not consulted him beforehand, ever since the Prince had encouraged him to submit a memorial advocating for the opening of the seas, Zhang Juzheng had identified Zhu Wan as the ideal man to execute such a policy. To think that such talent had been extinguished just like that—even Zhang Juzheng felt a ripple of distress.

Zhu Zaiji stood up, his eyes glinting with a murderous intent. "This is the reality of those southeastern coastal provinces, where the officials claim the common folk are merely destitute!"

With that, he cast a sharp look at Feng Bao.

Feng Bao trembled, quickly lowering his head. "Your Highness, the West Garden also said the Emperor is waiting; he wants you to arrive as quickly as possible."

Zhu Zaiji gave a curt nod and turned to Zhang Juzheng. "Master Zhang, you shall accompany me." While it was unlikely Zhang Juzheng would be granted an audience before the throne, the gesture of importance could not be omitted.

After saying this, Zhu Zaiji immediately strode out of the hall. Zhang Juzheng followed close behind.

...

West Garden.
Wanshou Palace, within the Wuyi Hall.

The dais was empty. The Jiajing Emperor stood before his imperial desk, gripping a report freshly delivered by the Jinyiwei. His face remained dark as ink, unable to shake the gloom.

Huang Jin watched the Emperor, who had been in a towering rage ever since receiving the news, having summoned the East Palace, the Cabinet, and the Six Ministries. Still suppressing his fury, Huang Jin carefully stepped forward with a bowl of medicinal soup.

"Your Majesty, please contain your wrath. The news has only just arrived; the details from the southeast remain unclear. Please, do not let this damage your health, or else the Censor’s death will truly have been in vain."

*Bang!*

The Jiajing Emperor slammed the secret report detailing Zhu Wan’s suicide onto the table.

"Rebellion!"
"They have turned against the heavens!"

The Emperor roared, his brow heavy with storm clouds, his long beard trembling uncontrollably. He pressed the report down on the table and turned his gaze toward the entrance. "The Crown Prince had warned me, but I did not pay enough attention at the time. I delayed for so long before sending men south to protect him, and to think... in the end, I was a step too late."

In that moment, a sliver of regret pierced the Emperor’s heart. Had he listened to the Crown Prince’s counsel immediately and sent help sooner, perhaps this would never have happened.

Haunted by these thoughts, the Emperor hurriedly asked, "Where is the Crown Prince?"
"Summon the Crown Prince!"
"Summon him at once!"

Huang Jin quickly replied, "Your Majesty, we have already sent men to fetch His Highness."

Even after responding, he bowed and backed out of the hall to personally check the progress. Just as Huang Jin stepped out of the Wuyi Hall, ready to send more men to urge the Prince on, he saw Zhu Zaiji arriving with Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao, flanked by his guards, Zhu Qi and Tao Zhongfu.

Seeing the Crown Prince, Huang Jin’s face brightened. He hurried forward, "Your Highness, please, enter the hall quickly. His Majesty has been asking for you."

As he spoke, Huang Jin’s eyes darted toward the new face, Zhang Juzheng, committing his appearance to memory.

Zhu Zaiji did not linger, following Huang Jin quickly into the hall. Upon entering the inner chamber, he bowed low, arms clasped in a formal salute. "This son pays respects to the Imperial Father..."

Before he could finish, the Emperor stepped forward, grabbing his son by the arm and pulling him inside.

"You were right."
"Zhu Wan has truly met his end."

Dragging his son to the imperial desk, the Emperor spoke with a grim face, handing over the Jinyiwei’s secret report. Zhu Zaiji carefully observed the old Daoist’s expression before taking the report to read.

After one glance, Zhu Zaiji said in a low, heavy voice, "Imperial Father, the death of the Censor must be suspicious!"

The Emperor sighed deeply. "You said it yourself that day—Zhu Wan was far away in the southeast and might be targeted. I only had Lu Bing send men south to protect him a few days ago, but we were too late. Now, the Jinyiwei brings this report of his suicide."

As he spoke, the Emperor’s gaze flickered incessantly. How Zhu Wan actually died was not the point. The point was that an official he had empowered to act with full authority had simply perished in the southeast. This was a direct strike at the Emperor’s own authority.

Zhu Zaiji gently placed the report back on the desk and bowed again. "Imperial Father, if the Censor truly took his own life, even if he were dismissed and awaiting investigation, his rank remained. The provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian should have sent urgent reports to the capital. Yet, there is only this secret report from the Jinyiwei. It is clear that those in the southeast are still calculating how to spin this tale."

The Emperor let out a cold snort, his eyes flashing with icy light. "Do they think I no longer dare to kill?"

The Daoist monarch before him was not the man he would become ten years later. This was the same man who, only last year, had publicly executed the former Grand Secretary, Xia Yan, in the market square.

But Zhu Zaiji spoke in a steady, profound tone: "Imperial Father’s words carry the weight of heaven; you hold the power of life and death. However, the affairs in Zhejiang and Fujian cannot be resolved by mere bloodshed. Please, Imperial Father, consider this carefully."

Killing one or two people was simple. An imperial decree could settle that. But could he kill everyone in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong involved in the smuggling trade? Even if he could, there were no sufficient troops to mobilize. One must not forget the constant reports of crisis coming from the Xuan-Da frontier.

The Emperor snorted again, suppressing his inner rage, and looked at his son. "I understand what you say, but this matter cannot be swept under the rug!"

Zhu Zaiji advised: "Imperial Father is wise. A high official of the court, a governor of the realm, having so easily reported his own death—this matter cannot be left unresolved, lest it embolden those who wish to defy you."

The Emperor looked solemn, silently observing his son. After a long moment, a voice squeezed from his throat.

"Next time you leave the palace, tell Zhu Xizhong’s son plainly: if he cannot train the soldiers in his camp into an elite force, I will not spare him!"

Once again, the desire to seize back military power stirred in the Emperor’s heart.

Zhu Zaiji felt a surge of relief and quickly bowed in obedience. Just then, Huang Jin rushed back in from the outside.

"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Yan, Grand Secretary Zhang, and Grand Secretary Lü have arrived outside the hall..."
"The Ministers of the Six Ministries and the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate have also arrived."

The Emperor looked toward the door, a trace of mockery appearing on his face.

"Summon them to the front hall."

Huang Jin bowed and turned to deliver the order. The Emperor looked at Zhu Zaiji: "Watch closely how these people comport themselves today."

Zhu Zaiji nodded in agreement, then followed closely behind the Emperor as they made their way to the front hall.