Chapter 148: Old Zhu: You Did It, You Big Idiot! 【 Seeking Monthly Tickets 】
Imperial Prison, Torture Chamber.
The air here is always mixed with the stench of blood, decay, and a desperate fear.
Unlike the cold silence of Huagai Hall, this place echoes with suppressed groans and the metallic clash of torture implements.
Zhou Ji was stripped of his fine robes and tied securely to the rack like a pig being led to slaughter.
After being revived with cold water, he saw the terrifying torture instruments of various shapes and dark red luster around him, and the expressionless face of Jiang Huan. He was so scared he almost lost control of himself again, his cries of agony piercing the air.
“Lord Jiang! Grandpa Jiang! Spare me! I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!”
Zhou Ji spoke incoherently, trying to downplay the severity: “That medicine… I got it for fun… just to spice things up… I didn’t mean to hurt anyone…”
Jiang Huan remained silent, merely giving a signal to the executioner, an Imperial Guard Officer, beside him.
An Imperial Guard Officer picked up a small but exceptionally sharp hook knife, heated it over a brazier, and then slowly walked towards Zhou Ji.
“No… Don’t! I’ll talk! I really will!”
Zhou Ji was terrified and screamed, “That prescription… the prescription isn’t mine! It’s… I got it from someone else!”
“Who?”
Jiang Huan’s voice was chillingly cold, a single word.
“It’s… it’s…”
Zhou Ji’s eyes flickered, as if still weighing his options, or perhaps, harboring a deeper fear of revealing the source.
“Ah—!”
A piercing scream, unlike any human sound, suddenly erupted!
The red-hot hook knife did not pierce his body but instead gently and skillfully made a shallow but extremely painful cut on the softest part of his inner thigh.
This skill of precisely controlling pain was a specialty of the Imperial Prison.
“I’ll talk! It’s from the Prince Lu manor! It came from the late Prince Lu Huang’s manor!”
The intense pain and fear instantly broke down all of Zhou Ji’s psychological defenses, and he cried out like a popping bean: “Prince Lu Huang, in his pursuit of immortality before his death, was fond of alchemy. This is a formula concocted by an alchemist in his manor!”
“It is said to be refined by mixing the first menstrual blood of a virgin girl with cinnabar, musk, and other substances, named ‘Red Lead Immortal Pill.’ The original intention was to strengthen virility and prolong life… but the medicinal properties are potent, and ordinary people cannot withstand it…”
Jiang Huan’s brow furrowed.
Prince Lu Zhu Tan, the tenth son of the Emperor, was indeed known for his alchemy. He had died last year from consuming an elixir, and the Emperor, disgusted by his absurdity, posthumously honored him with the title ‘Huang’ (desolate).
He hadn’t expected that even after his death, such an immoral formula would spread.
“Continue! How did it fall into your hands?!” Jiang Huan demanded sternly.
“After Prince Lu Huang died, many things from his manor were dispersed…”
Zhou Ji’s voice was intermittent due to pain and fear: “This formula… first… first went to Xi’an Prefecture…”
“Xi’an Prefecture?”
Jiang Huan’s heart sank.
Xi’an Prefecture, that was Prince Qin Zhu Shuang’s fiefdom.
Could the old case of Xi’an Prefecture possibly be related to Prince Qin Zhu Shuang?!
Thinking of this, even the usually ruthless Jiang Huan felt his scalp tingle.
Then he heard Zhou Ji panting and say with fear in his eyes: “It was… it was a favored concubine from Prince Qin’s manor who somehow obtained this formula and secretly prepared and used it. The effect… the effect was astonishing.”
“Later, it quietly spread among the circles of noble sons… and then… and then…”
“And then what?!”
Jiang Huan roared.
Zhou Ji trembled all over and said shakily, “Later it reached Kaifeng Prefecture. Prince Zhou… he… he was skilled in medicine and somehow obtained this formula.”
“It is said that he found this formula too potent and vicious, so he modified it, reducing the toxicity of minerals and enhancing the effects of infatuation and hallucination. The medicinal properties became… became more hidden and prolonged, and harder to detect…”
“I… I spent a lot of money to get Prince Zhou’s improved formula…”
After speaking, Zhou Ji’s entire body seemed to collapse as if he had lost all his strength, slumped on the rack, only able to twitch and whimper unconsciously.
Jiang Huan stood in place, feeling a chill from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, his limbs ice-cold.
The lingering poison from Prince Lu Huang Zhu Tan’s alchemy!
Prince Qin Zhu Shuang’s favored concubine secretly spreading it!
Prince Zhou Zhu Su improving and disseminating it!
This trail actually involved three Princes!
Although Prince Qin Zhu Shuang and Prince Zhou Zhu Su might not have directly ordered it or used it in the imperial court, their side consorts, favored concubines, or their own actions objectively became the source of the spread of this lewd medicine!
If this news were reported… what would the Emperor’s reaction be?!
Jiang Huan could almost imagine the world-shattering, thunderous rage!
This was no longer just a scandal of the imperial harem, but a scandal of the imperial family!
It was the absurdity and degeneracy of the princes and imperial grandsons that ultimately bore poisonous fruit, rebounding upon the Emperor himself!
“Record it! Have him sign!”
Jiang Huan’s voice was extremely dry as he instructed the scribe.
He looked at Zhou Ji, whose face was ashen and who pressed his handprint onto the confession. He felt no relief, only boundless heaviness and fear.
He knew that this confession was a death warrant, not only for Zhou Ji and Zhou Dexing but also likely to trigger a massive earthquake affecting several Princes.
Emperor… can he bear such a truth?
Jiang Huan dared not think further. He picked up the still-wet, yet heavy as a thousand pounds, confession and, with heavy steps, walked back towards Huagai Hall, which resembled a volcano.
He knew that another storm was about to be completely ignited by this confession in his hands.
However, before that, he felt it necessary to go and see Zhang Biao.
To ask Zhang Biao if he had already known about these matters.
…
Not long after, Jiang Huan arrived at Room Jia Zi San where Zhang Biao was located.
“Clang!”
The cell door was opened by an Imperial Guard Officer.
Zhang Biao was still sitting on the bed, leisurely swirling a wine cup, as if he had long anticipated Jiang Huan’s arrival. A faint, mocking smile played on his lips.
“Commander Jiang, why such a grim expression?”
Zhang Biao spoke lazily, as if asking casually: “Was what that soft-boned Zhou Ji spat out too hot to handle?”
Jiang Huan was greatly shocked. He stared fixedly at Zhang Biao: “How do you know about Zhou Ji? How do you know he spat something out?”
He had clearly sealed off all information.
Zhang Biao smiled faintly and pointed to his ear:
“This Imperial Prison is a giant echo chamber. Screams, pleas, and the hurried footsteps of you Imperial Guards… after hearing them for a long time, you can piece together a story.”
“Moreover, Zhou Ji screamed so miserably, it was hard not to hear.”
After saying this, he paused, his gaze becoming deep. Looking at the faintly visible ink on the paper in Jiang Huan’s hand: “Seeing your discomposed appearance, what he spat out must be more than just some forbidden medicine to spice things up, right?”
“Did it… involve any Princes? Let me guess… Xi’an’s? Or Kaifeng’s? Or… both?”
“You!”
Jiang Huan’s pupils contracted sharply, his breathing suddenly quickening. The hand holding the confession trembled slightly.
Zhang Biao’s guess was terrifyingly accurate!
He was almost certain that Zhang Biao knew far more than he was letting on!
“You knew all along! Didn’t you?!”
Jiang Huan couldn’t help but step forward, his voice suppressed into a low growl: “You knew from the beginning that this medicine would involve Princes! That’s why you deliberately let Li Mo and the others leak the news, didn’t you?!”
“From the very start, your target wasn’t just Fu Youwen; you wanted to blow everything up! You wanted to drag the Princes down with you!”
Zhang Biao did not answer directly. He shifted into a more comfortable position and said leisurely: “Jiang Huan, you are a smart person, but sometimes you are too smart and overthink things.”
“I am just a death row inmate. What could I possibly know? I’m just making some reasonable deductions based on scattered clues.”
“The Ministry of Revenue’s bad accounts, Shaanxi’s deficit, the Crown Prince’s severe illness after his inspection… these seemingly unrelated matters, if linked by the word ‘profit,’ become very interesting.”
“Who could simultaneously interfere with the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, local governance, and even influence the Crown Prince’s itinerary without being detected?”
“Who needs vast sums of money but cannot openly withdraw it from the National Treasury?”
Zhang Biao’s gaze was like a cold probe, piercing Jiang Huan: “Prince Qin has been enfeoffed in Xi’an for many years. His foundation is deep, and his greed and brutality are well-known.”
“So, is it possible that he tampered with things in the Shaanxi region for the sake of accumulating wealth? Did the Crown Prince’s inspection, upon discovering irregularities, touch upon his interests?”
“Prince Zhou’s skill in medicine is known throughout the world. Is it possible that he was interested in certain ‘folk remedies’ or ‘secret medicines’? Or even ‘improved’ them?”
“And would these improved versions be used by some as tools to please superiors and build social networks?”
“Prince Lu Huang’s alchemical poisoning is a well-known matter.”
Zhang Biao shrugged, his tone with a chilling indifference: “You see, if you put these known pieces of information together like a jigsaw puzzle, without concrete evidence, you can form a general, unsettling outline.”
“I merely… presented this outline to Old Zhu in a rather provocative way.”
Saying this, Zhang Biao smiled and raised an eyebrow: “As for how much Old Zhu will choose to believe, and how far he will investigate, that is not for me to decide.”
“…”
Listening to Zhang Biao’s ‘reasonable’ yet soul-chilling deduction, Jiang Huan felt a chill down his spine.
Zhang Biao indeed provided no direct evidence, but the ‘mind map’ he offered was more lethal than any evidence.
It precisely exploited the Emperor’s suspicion, his suspicion of powerful officials and his sons.
“You… you are truly a monster!”
Jiang Huan gritted out the words through his teeth.
He finally understood.
Zhang Biao’s “audit” from the beginning was not for anti-corruption.
He intended to use his own life and his uninhibited mouth as the greatest bait and bomb, to ignite all the Emperor’s suspicions and fears, and drag the entire Great Ming hierarchy into a purgatory of self-purification!
“Monster?”
Zhang Biao sneered: “Compared to the methods you Imperial Guards use to fabricate charges and frame loyal officials, my deductions based on facts are practically as pure as a blank sheet of paper.”
After speaking, he dropped his smile, his gaze becoming sharp: “Jiang Huan, you will die investigating cases one day. But death should be meaningful, just like mine.”
Boom!
Hearing this, Jiang Huan was struck as if by lightning.
If the previous ‘mind map’ showed him Zhang Biao’s monstrous nature.
Then the last sentence directly penetrated his inner thoughts.
He absolutely dared not stay any longer.
This Zhang Biao was too terrifying.
In the end, Jiang Huan said nothing. He turned abruptly, tightly clutching the confession, and stumbled out of the prison cell.
…
When Jiang Huan arrived at Huagai Hall again, it was still deathly silent inside.
“Your Majesty!”
Jiang Huan called out cautiously.
Old Zhu sat motionlessly on the dragon throne. Without any unnecessary words, he calmly and indifferently uttered a single word: “Speak!”
“Yes!”
Jiang Huan prostrated himself, nearly touching his forehead to the ground, and, in a voice as steady as possible, yet with an almost imperceptible tremor, recounted Zhou Ji’s confession word for word.
He spoke from Prince Lu Huang Zhu Tan’s alchemical poison, to Prince Qin Zhu Shuang’s favored concubine secretly spreading it, and then to Prince Zhou Zhu Su’s ‘medical skill’ and ‘improvement’…
Finally, he even relayed Zhang Biao’s remarks, including the sentence that he would die, but it would be a death of value.
With every word he spoke, he could feel the pressure from the direction of the dragon throne intensifying, and the air in the hall growing more stagnant.
When he reached the part about “dying a death of value,” he could no longer continue and deeply kowtowed:
“Your subject… your subject deserves death a million times over! This is the word of the fugitive Zhou Ji alone, but he has signed it. May Your Majesty judge!”
He held up the confession, as if lifting a lightning bolt that could incinerate everything.
The anticipated earthquake and tidal wave did not immediately arrive.
On the dragon throne, there was a prolonged, suffocating silence.
Jiang Huan could even hear the sound of his own blood flowing.
After a long time, a very faint sigh came from above, as if he had aged ten years in an instant, or like a suppressed, broken sob.
“Heh heh heh… Good… truly my good sons… my good ministers…”
Old Zhu’s voice was hoarse, almost unrecognizable. It was no longer an angry roar, but a weariness and sorrow that penetrated to the bone, and a profound sense of absurdity from being repeatedly betrayed by those closest to him.
“One sought immortality and poisoned himself, yet left behind such filth to harm the world…”
“One guarded the border, yet couldn’t even control his own household, allowing such lewd medicine to spread…”
“One, well-read and skilled in medicine, instead of healing the sick, used it to improve such aphrodisiacs and stimulants…”
Old Zhu’s voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself, yet each word carried bloody hooks.
“I, Zhu Chongba… have swept across the world in my lifetime, expelling the Tartars and restoring China… I never expected that in my old age, my own home would be so rotten… Sons not acting like sons, ministers not acting like ministers…”
The profound disappointment and sorrow emanating from his voice made even Jiang Huan, the iron-hearted head of the Imperial Guard, feel an inexplicable pang of sadness and fear.
Suddenly, Old Zhu coughed violently, the sound breaking the silence in the hall as if he were about to cough up his internal organs.
Yun Ming, startled, rushed forward to help, but Old Zhu pushed him away with a hand.
He covered his mouth with his hand. After a violent cough, he opened his palm, revealing a startling pool of crimson.
“Your Majesty!”
Yun Ming cried out in alarm.
Old Zhu, however, seemed not to see the blood. He grasped the armrest of the dragon throne tightly with his other hand, his knuckles white, supporting his slightly trembling body.
His gaze fell again on the confession in Jiang Huan’s hand. The weariness and sorrow in his eyes quickly faded, replaced by a near-insane, ice-bound resolve.
The Emperor’s heartlessness, at this moment, completely overwhelmed the father’s pain.
“Jiang Huan.”
His voice returned to being cold, even colder than before, devoid of any human emotion.
“I am here!”
“This confession, along with all evidence confiscated from the Jiangxia Marquis Manor, is to be sealed! Classified as top secret! Anyone who dares to leak a single word will be executed by Lingchi, and their entire clan exterminated!”
“Yes!”
Jiang Huan’s heart tensed, knowing that this was intended to completely cover up the imperial family’s scandal.
“Zhou Dexing failed to discipline his son, abetted his son’s crimes, and colluded with the imperial court. His crime is akin to rebellion! He is to be given a white silk noose! His son, Zhou Ji, for his defilement of the imperial court and his heinous crimes, is to be executed by Lingchi! The Zhou family… will be exterminated! Their property confiscated!”
Cold judgments were uttered from Old Zhu’s mouth, without the slightest hesitation.
A meritorious official of yesteryear was, in an instant, facing the ruin of his entire family.
“Your subject obeys!”
Jiang Huan was not surprised. The Zhou family was destined to be the first sacrificial lamb crushed in this storm.
“As for the others…”
Old Zhu’s tone paused here, then slowly closed his eyes. When he reopened them, it was as if he had made a decision:
“For now, do not act. Do not alert the enemy. Continue to investigate. See if those rebellious sons have any connection to my Biao’er!”
“Your subject… obeys!”
Jiang Huan kowtowed again, his heart pounding.
The Emperor’s suspicion regarding the Crown Prince was indeed what he valued most, and for it, he would spare no effort.
“Go and do it.”
Old Zhu waved his hand, as if all his strength had been exhausted. He slumped back onto the dragon throne, closed his eyes, and looked at no one.
“Yes!”
Jiang Huan felt as if he had received a general amnesty. He carefully placed the fatal confession on a corner of the imperial desk and, bowing, quickly exited the Main Hall.
In the empty Huagai Hall, only Old Zhu remained.
The evening sun, filtering through the window lattice, illuminated his aged and weary face, but brought no warmth.
His gaze was hollow as he looked at the intricate caisson ceiling above. His eyes, once sharp and able to perceive everything, now held only boundless sorrow and a desolate, dead silence.
The absurdity of his sons, the betrayal of his ministers, the impurity of the harem, the suspicion surrounding the Crown Prince…
All of it pressed down on him like mountains, making it hard to breathe.
【 Biao’er… if your death is truly related to these sordid matters… if it’s truly because I failed to manage this family well, failed to manage these brothers and nephews… 】
The thought, “He killed Biao’er,” surfaced in Old Zhu’s mind.
This time, it was accompanied by deeper pain and self-reproach.
But immediately, this pain was covered by more intense anger and killing intent.
【 No! It’s their fault! These vermin! These rebellious sons! These bitches! 】
His fists clenched tightly again.
Zhang Biao’s mocking face seemed to reappear before his eyes.
【 You damn dog, are you satisfied? Is this what you wanted me to see?! 】
【 Die a death of value? Heh. You did it! You utter idiot! 】
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