Chapter 19: Black Humor

Within the Eastern Depot, the sounds of agonizing screams were relentless.

Outside the walls of the Depot, however, the hearts of men were in turmoil. Many officials began to succumb to panic, particularly those who had maintained clandestine dealings with Tian Ergeng. Now that Tian had been thrown into the dungeon, if his resolve proved weak and he uttered things best left unsaid, they would be the next to face ruin.

Following the conclusion of the morning court session, several individuals attempted various means to gather intelligence on Tian Ergeng or to smuggle a message to him, hoping to keep him composed. Yet, none succeeded. Under the iron-fisted command of Wei Zhongxian, the entire Eastern Depot had become a fortress where one could enter but never leave, and not a single shred of news leaked out. Consequently, these men could only pace their own mansions in frantic anxiety. Rescuing Tian Ergeng was, for now, an impossibility; without the Emperor’s express decree, no one could pull him from that prison.

The uncertainty of how the Emperor intended to dispose of Tian weighed heavily on them. Should the Emperor decide to follow the thread of this investigation to uproot the entire network, they would be forced to unite and launch a massive counterattack. The Emperor had ascended the throne but recently; while his methods were thunderous, his foundation remained unsteady, leaving them a sliver of hope. At the very worst, they could abandon everything, flee back to their ancestral homes, and after greasing the right palms, still live out their lives as wealthy gentlemen. It was merely a pity to lose the fortune they had spent years clawing together in the capital.

At this thought, many even began to wish for Tian Ergeng to drop dead in his cell. In such a scenario, while the Emperor would likely gradually consolidate control over the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they would at least retain a chance at survival.

Of course, the human heart is complex. While one faction in the capital was gripped by fear, another was filled with anticipation. When a whale falls, a multitude of creatures thrive. If Tian Ergeng were to fall, many positions would be vacated—an opportunity for many. Among them were the younger, impoverished scholars and doctors of the Imperial Academy and the Hanlin Academy. These men lacked the means or the cunning to amass wealth, and their families had no savings to sustain the difficult life in the capital.

To make matters worse, the imperial salary was rarely paid on time. At this rate, merely surviving the coming winter had become an imminent crisis. It was, in a sense, laughable. After decades of diligent study, finally earning the titles of provincial graduate or presented scholar, only to end up frozen or starved to death while holding office—what a piece of dark irony that was. Thus, for this group, the news of the Emperor’s move to eradicate the Embroidered Uniform Guard was the most heartening thing they had ever heard. They sincerely hoped for the situation to escalate and for imperial power to be further centralized. Concentration of power would inevitably necessitate the purging of prominent old ministers. Even if they did not get the chance to rise in their stead, a purge would at least fill the empty treasury, and those months of back pay might finally reach their pockets. They were truly desperate—they were starving!

As these various forces intertwined, the seemingly calm capital of the Great Ming began to churn with hidden undercurrents.

...

While the hearts of those outside the imperial city were divided, the atmosphere within the Palace of Heavenly Purity was equally complex. Since the departure of the eunuch known as Little Hong, Wang Cheng'en had stood respectfully to the side, while Cao Huachun tentatively inquired of Zhu Youjian, "Your Majesty, the corruption of Tian Ergeng could not possibly have been the work of one man alone. Is it not a pity to kill him so easily? Should we not take this opportunity to interrogate him and extract the names of his accomplices?"

Before the words had even faded, Wei Zhongxian interjected with a note of urgency: "Your Majesty, doing so would likely incite widespread unrest..."

His urgency was not without cause. Open spears are easy to dodge, but hidden arrows are hard to guard against. As someone who had lived through it, Wei Zhongxian knew all too well the blood-soaked reality behind that proverb. Much like two years prior, when despite all his precautions, he had failed to prevent the late Emperor from falling into the water, he knew the dangers. The suggestion from his peer, Cao Huachun, held some merit, but the man was ultimately too young.

Zhu Youjian shook his head, dismissing Cao’s proposal. "There is no need."

Zhu Youjian understood how to boil the frog in lukewarm water—how to eliminate those who hindered the Empire’s progress without causing upheaval. Upon seeing Wei Zhongxian successfully refute him, Cao Huachun cast a calm, unreadable glance at him.

This subtle movement did not escape the eyes of Zhu Youjian. From the perspective of stability, even if subordinates were loyal, excessive unity among them was, in truth, not a good thing for imperial authority. However, this applied only to ordinary emperors. Zhu Youjian’s goal was to build a great empire, and such unnecessary internal friction could not be permitted.

Zhu Youjian spoke with blunt directness to Cao Huachun: "I am aware of the private animosity between you and Wei Zhongxian. However, from this day forward, place the greater good above all else. There shall be no more conflict arising from past grievances."

Wei Zhongxian looked at Cao Huachun with a blank expression, thinking to himself that while he had indeed offended many people in his time, when had he ever crossed paths with this young man? He could not even recall ever meeting him, knowing only that he was a relic from the Emperor’s days in the Prince’s residence.

Seeing this, Cao Huachun replied with a hint of helplessness, "My adoptive father, the eunuch Wang An, died at the hands of Eunuch Wei. I was implicated in that affair and sent to Nanjing to await punishment." He added quickly, "But these are matters of the past. In the future, I shall work alongside Eunuch Wei to serve Your Majesty with all my strength."

At the mention of Wang An, Wei Zhongxian finally recalled the situation. Wang An had been the head of the Directorate of Ceremonial at the time. Wei had fought to oust him to secure his own position, and naturally, Wang An’s loyalists had been purged from the capital. Since the Emperor had spoken, neither could afford to dwell on the old grudge.

Cao Huachun and Wei Zhongxian hurried to kneel before Zhu Youjian, bowing their heads and exchanging words of reconciliation. While the bitterness in their hearts would not vanish overnight, they would at least refrain from deliberate provocation under the current circumstances.

Zhu Youjian then looked at the kneeling Wei Zhongxian and said, "During this period, many will use the affair of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to impeach you. But do not worry; I will not let those who serve me with loyalty feel abandoned."

At these words, a warmth spread through the hearts of those present. For Wei Zhongxian, however, the sentiment carried a deeper meaning. The fact that the Emperor had chosen to send Little Hong rather than have him handle the matter personally was now, in Wei’s eyes, proof of the Emperor’s favor. The Emperor was clearly helping him deflect pressure; otherwise, the impeachment memorials from the court officials would have been directed entirely at him.

Moved, Wei Zhongxian kowtowed and shouted, "I am humbled by Your Majesty’s grace. Henceforth, I shall serve Your Majesty with even greater devotion, even unto death!"