Chapter Thirty-Four: A Shock to the Court and the Entire Nation!

After escorting Yang Shiqi from the dungeon of the Duke of the Founding State’s mansion back to the Prince of Wu’s residence and ensuring he was properly settled, Zhu Yunxu immediately headed to the headquarters of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Your subordinate pays respects to His Highness, the Prince of Wu."

Upon hearing that the Prince of Wu had arrived in person, Jiang Huan hurriedly led the officers of the Guard to receive him. Although Zhu Yunxu had slapped him across the face a few days prior—an incident that even led to a formal complaint before the Emperor and a three-month salary deduction—Jiang Huan showed not a trace of resentment on his face.

The other officials were deeply perplexed. They could not fathom why the Prince of Wu would suddenly appear at the Guard’s headquarters.

Zhu Yunxu cut straight to the point. "I have urgent business to attend to. I need to mobilize one thousand men from the Embroidered Uniform Guard to accompany me on an official matter. Is this feasible?"

The room fell into a stunned silence. The Embroidered Uniform Guard was the Emperor’s personal security force. While the Prince of Wu was a grandson of the Emperor and held a noble status, he held no official post within the imperial court. Why would he need to mobilize the Guard for his own affairs? Moreover, the scale of the request was unprecedented.

A commander stepped forward and asked, "May I ask Your Highness if you possess an imperial decree from His Majesty?"

Before Zhu Yunxu could answer, Jiang Huan bowed low. "His Majesty has already issued an edict to me: if His Highness the Prince of Wu comes to the Guard to request troops for official business, the Guard must comply with his orders without fail."

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Zhu Yunxu's mouth. Old Zhu had indeed made arrangements long ago. Had it not been for Yang Shiqi pointing it out, he would never have considered this possibility.

Hearing Jiang Huan's words, the other officers had no further objections. They clasped their hands in unison and bowed. "Please give your orders, Your Highness."

Zhu Yunxu immediately began selecting his men. Soon, a force of one thousand Embroidered Uniform Guard soldiers marched out of the camp in a grand procession.

It was sunset, and the people on the streets of Jinling were rushing home before the curfew. Seeing this spectacle, they were astonished and began whispering among themselves. The Embroidered Uniform Guard was more than just a secret police agency; it was a military unit, one of the five hundred and forty-seven garrisons of the Ming Dynasty. During the Hongwu era, when large-scale warfare occurred, part of the Guard would be dispatched to the front lines. Many among them were battle-hardened veterans.

However, the Guard was a unique unit. Those stationed in the capital were responsible for both defending the city and guarding the palace, while also possessing the authority to arrest both officials and commoners. Precisely because of this, they were rarely deployed in large numbers. Sending out a few dozen men for a mission was already considered significant. The last time hundreds or thousands of them had been mobilized in such a manner was during the Hu Weiyong case.

Back then, the organization was still known as the Yiluan Bureau. The Hu Weiyong case had shaken the entire court and resulted in a bloodbath. Today, with the Guard once again mobilizing with such fanfare, the people wondered: what on earth had happened?

As the commoners watched from the sidelines and whispered, the news spread like wildfire.

...

At the Mansion of the Prince of Xian, Zhu Yunwen was engaged in conversation with his tutors, Huang Zicheng and Fang Xiaoru, upon his return from the palace. He was immensely pleased with these two mentors. Both were men of profound learning, and Zhu Yunwen found their teachings deeply resonant. He saw them as men of vast knowledge and unique insight, and he was determined to learn from them well. He believed that when he eventually ascended the throne, he would entrust these two with the governance of the nation, ushering in an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity.

Zhu Yunwen was in an exceptionally good mood. "I never imagined my third brother wouldn't even enter the palace today to accompany our Imperial Grandfather in his studies or attend the lectures of the great scholars."

Zhu Yunwen beamed with delight. "With such reckless and impulsive behavior, how could our Imperial Grandfather not be angry? And he still thinks he can contend for the position of Crown Prince? Our Grandfather was visibly furious today; I suspect it will be very difficult for him to ever recover his standing in the Emperor's eyes."

Fang Xiaoru stroked his beard with a smile. "Though the boy has talent, his character is poor; he lacks stability. He is overly fond of pleasure and indulgence; he will never amount to anything. It is only a pity that the succession cannot be delayed indefinitely. If it were, his true colors—his laziness, his lack of discipline, and his impudence—would be fully exposed over time. Compared to Your Highness’s modesty, courtesy, and diligence, he is not even worth mentioning."

"I had thought he might at least pretend to be studious and ambitious for a while to win His Majesty's favor," Fang Xiaoru continued. "I never expected him to slack off after only a single day of study."

Huang Zicheng laughed. "Master Fang is absolutely right. Furthermore, our plan is already taking effect. Rumors are swirling throughout the capital. Once the time is ripe, we shall submit a memorial to impeach him—that will be the end of him."

"No rush, no rush," said Fang Xiaoru. "The evidence must be solid; we cannot afford any flaws."

"That goes without saying," Zhu Yunwen replied. "Please rest assured, my teachers; I will be meticulous. The evidence will be airtight, and no one will be able to overturn the case." He added, "Today, because he overslept, he beat his maid, Ling'er, to death. She was a gift from my Mother, the Consort. He killed her without even consulting my Mother—where is the filial piety in that? This is another piece of evidence, though we need not rush to report it; we shall save it for later."

Just then, someone rushed in frantically. "Reporting to Your Highness, something has happened outside."

Fang Xiaoru scolded him with dissatisfaction. "One must not be flustered in the face of events. What kind of decorum is this?" Having become Zhu Yunwen's tutor, he immediately assumed the airs of a master, disciplining the staff of the Prince of Xian’s mansion at will.

"The Master is right to chastise me," the man replied, not daring to argue.

Fang Xiaoru asked, "What has happened?"

"The Prince of Wu has mobilized a large number of troops from the Embroidered Uniform Guard—at least a thousand men. They marched out of the headquarters looking murderous, and no one knows what they are doing. The city is in an uproar."

"What?" Fang Xiaoru stood up abruptly. "Mobilizing such a large force of the Guard without authorization—what is he trying to do? Does that Commander Jiang Huan just let him act so willfully?"

Zhu Yunwen pressed further, "Do you know where he is headed?"

"My subordinates have quietly inquired, but even the men of the Guard do not know. The Prince of Wu did not say. However, judging by their direction, they are heading toward the district where the nobility and high-ranking officials reside."

Huang Zicheng’s face changed slightly. "This is not right! He may be the Prince of Wu, but by law, he cannot mobilize the Guard on his own. Even if he wanted to, the Guard would not obey him. Could His Majesty have issued a decree? But what could have happened that we know nothing about?"

Fang Xiaoru pondered aloud. "Something major must be unfolding. We shall divide into three paths: Your Highness, go to the palace immediately to investigate whether this is by the Emperor’s order. Brother Huang, go to the Eastern Palace and see Consort Lü; perhaps there will be news there. I will go and keep watch to see exactly what the Prince of Wu intends to do with such a large force."