Chapter 43: Lan Yu’s Choice!
A clear and resonant voice cut through the clamorous noise of thousands bustling around, still distinctly audible.
Everyone’s movements abruptly halted.
Following the sound, they saw Lan Yu, bound tightly, now standing atop the carriage.
Wang Bi pulled his horse to a stop, murmuring, “Great General!”
Tears glimmered in his eyes.
“Wang Bi, what are you trying to do? Rebel?” Lan Yu shouted fiercely.
Wang Bi was momentarily stunned, then hurriedly replied, “Great General, I have come to rescue you!”
Though he was now the Marquis of Dingyuan and no longer under Lan Yu’s command, Wang Bi still instinctively regarded himself as a subordinate, addressing Lan Yu as “Great General.”
Lan Yu replied coldly, “Rescue me? You mean to harm me, don’t you?”
Those words struck Wang Bi dumb, unable to believe what he heard, staring blankly at Lan Yu.
Lan Yu’s gaze slowly swept over the many noble and military officers present.
“I, Lan Yu, have long sworn to serve His Highness the Prince of Wu with my life!”
“Today, His Highness the Prince of Wu has come to arrest me for a reason.”
“No matter how His Highness deals with me, I, Lan Yu, accept it willingly, without a single word of complaint.”
“You all must disperse at once and not obstruct the Embroidered Uniform Guard or interfere with His Highness the Prince of Wu’s investigation.”
“If anyone stubbornly refuses to listen and insists on blocking, then they are no longer my brothers.”
“From now on, I sever all ties with them, completely breaking bonds of loyalty and righteousness.”
“Disperse!”
With these words, the once fierce and hostile noble and military officers below suddenly lost their ferocity, their faces showing sorrow.
Fang Xiaoru stamped his foot in anger. “How can Lan Yu be so cowardly and timid? A coward, a coward, truly a coward!”
Just as both sides were about to fight to the death, with blood ready to flow like rivers, Lan Yu’s words abruptly stopped it, filling Fang Xiaoru with both anger and frustration.
“Do not listen to the Great General! He’s being coerced!” Zhu Gaozu, hiding in a corner with Zhu Gaochi, was eager to watch the spectacle but didn’t expect Lan Yu to step forward to stop it. He immediately shouted, “Can’t you see the Great General is still tied up? How can his words count under such circumstances?”
“Everyone, unite and first rescue the Great General!”
Upon hearing this, the noble and military officers led by Wang Bi suddenly woke from their daze, their faces changing once more.
Indeed!
The Great General was still in Zhu Yunxu’s hands. His words now might not be sincere!
They must rescue him first.
“Bullshit!” Lan Yu cursed loudly.
“When the Crown Prince was still alive, I reported your father, the King of Yan, for his wolfish ambitions.”
“I only regret that the Crown Prince was too merciful then, blindly trusting his own brother and ignoring my advice.”
“Now it seems that you and your father truly have wolfish ambitions, daring to disrupt the realm and the Ming dynasty to reap benefits!”
He gathered his strength and shouted, “Brothers, don’t you understand my character?”
“I, Lan Yu, am no coward afraid of death!”
“If it weren’t my own willing heart, who could threaten me?”
“How could I, Lan Yu, be cowed by him?”
“Don’t listen to this boy’s slander and division; return home quickly!”
“Or you’ll make a grave mistake you’ll regret too late!”
The officers who came to rescue Lan Yu all exchanged looks, hesitating.
What Lan Yu said was true.
Given his temperament, he would never be intimidated.
His stepping forward meant it was voluntary.
Finally, all eyes turned to Wang Bi, their leader.
“Great General, why must this be so painful?”
Wang Bi closed his eyes slowly, showing pain.
After a while, he dismounted and approached Lan Yu.
Clang! Clang! The armor on his body clattered.
He knelt, respectfully kowtowed three times, and clasped his hands, saying, “Great General, take care!”
“Enough with that,” Lan Yu said carelessly. “Though His Highness the Prince of Wu has arrested me, I have yet to be interrogated or convicted.”
“Whether loyal or traitor, heaven and earth know.”
“The Ming laws are strict; His Majesty and the Prince of Wu will judge fairly and not wrong a good man!”
“I, Lan Yu, stand upright and unafraid of slander.”
“You should return first; nothing will happen to me—I won’t die!”
Wang Bi gazed at him deeply, said nothing, clasped his hands, bowed again, and then turned to leave.
The nobles and military officers followed suit and withdrew.
In the corner, Zhu Gaochi tugged at Zhu Gaozu’s sleeve. “Let’s go!”
Zhu Gaozu was reluctant. “They haven’t even started fighting yet; we can’t leave now.”
“Come on!” Zhu Gaochi urged. “There won’t be a fight. Stop watching. If the Prince of Wu catches us, things will get serious.”
Having just caused such a scene, Zhu Gaochi was beginning to worry.
But Zhu Gaozu was fearless. “What’s there to fear? He’s the grandson of the Emperor, aren’t we too? What can he do to us?”
“Your reckless nature will be the death of you someday,” Zhu Gaochi lamented.
“What does he dare not do? Arrest us and beat us? So what?”
At this time, the two were still young and very close as brothers.
“If you don’t leave, I’m going first,” Zhu Gaochi said again. “Preserve yourself for the future. Besides, this play is just beginning; there’s more to watch.”
Zhu Gaozu paused. “Really? But they didn’t fight just now, no rivers of blood. I’m disappointed. What’s left to watch?”
Zhu Gaochi said, “Arresting Lan Yu is only the first step. What comes next—the trial, the conviction—that’s the real drama.”
“Wang Bi and the nobles and officers have only temporarily retreated; they won’t abandon rescuing Lan Yu.”
Zhu Gaozu’s eyes lit up. “Makes sense! I’ll wait for the show!”
The two brothers then followed the noble scions and soon disappeared down the long street.
Zhu Yunxu looked at them deeply.
Those two little rascals definitely needed a lesson.
It was also a good opportunity to use them to threaten Zhu Di.
If Zhu Di dared release them, he must be prepared for backlash.
As he thought this, ideas quickly formed in his mind.
Once the crowd dispersed, a faint smile appeared on Zhu Yunxu’s lips as he looked at Lan Yu stepping down from the carriage roof, his eyes flickering.
The swift resolution was all thanks to Lan Yu’s persuasion.
At this critical moment, fortunately, Lan Yu made the right choice.
Zhu Yunxu finally breathed easier.
The greatest risk today was how Lan Yu would react.
Even he had no certainty.
Old Zhu was testing him, and Zhu Yunxu was testing Lan Yu as well.
The Duke of Liang’s mansion was no ordinary family.
Wang Bi and the nobles and officers were not commoners.
If Lan Yu truly wanted to die, Zhu Yunxu would have no choice but to uphold righteousness even if it meant severing ties.
Even if it meant breaking his own wings!
With so many Embroidered Uniform Guards in Jinling City, he had no fear for his safety.
If Wang Bi really led an attack, it would be self-destruction.
But that would ruin his plan to rescue Lan Yu.
Thankfully, nothing dangerous happened, and Zhu Yunxu relaxed.
He then instructed Jiang Quan, “Let us also leave.”
Jiang Quan whispered, “Your Highness, should we take the two back to the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s prison or to the Ministry of Justice? The Embroidered Uniform Guard’s prison has been unused for years. If we’re to detain them, someone will need to prepare it in advance.”
Zhu Yunxu was startled. He suddenly recalled that five years ago, in the twentieth year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang decreed the Embroidered Uniform Guard destroy their torture instruments and transfer all prisoners to the Ministry of Justice.
Trials were handed over to the three judicial offices.
Simply put, although the Embroidered Uniform Guard still had the power to apprehend criminals, they had to send those captured to the Ministry of Justice.
Subsequent interrogations and trials were conducted by the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard were only the arresting rope and killing knife.
This was a reform Zhu Yuanzhang made after realizing the excessive power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard posed problems.
During the Ming Dynasty, the power and duties of the Embroidered Uniform Guard fluctuated frequently.
During Hongwu’s reign alone, there were multiple adjustments.
Their authority waxed and waned; their size and numbers constantly changed.
Zhu Yunxu frowned slightly.
Whether it was the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, or the Court of Judicial Review, all were controlled by civil officials.
Although these men might not be loyal to Zhu Yunwen, at least currently, Zhu Yunxu was not favored by these civil officials.
If given the chance, they might try to trap him.
If Lan Yu was handed over to them, issues might arise.
Thinking this, Zhu Yunxu glanced again at Lan Yu and Fu Ye, saying, “Tonight’s matter is my loyalty and filial duty to the Emperor. For now, bring them to my own residence.”
“At tomorrow’s court session, after petitioning the Emperor, we will proceed with interrogation and sentencing.”