Chapter 194: Censor Zhang, Please Conduct Yourself Properly! 【 Requesting Double Monthly Tickets 】
Inside Huagai Hall, candlelight flickered.
Old Zhu closed his eyes and leaned against the dragon throne, listening to Jiang Huan’s report.
Upon hearing, “Several injured and disabled old soldiers entered Zhang Biao’s official residence,” his bloodshot eyes slowly opened, a barely perceptible sharpness flashing within them.
“What kind of people are they? What is their business?”
Old Zhu’s voice carried a hint of weary hoarseness.
Jiang Huan lowered his head and replied:
“Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been verified. They are all retired old soldiers, injured and disabled from earlier years. Several of them received favors from Zhang Biao during the previous ‘salary demands’.”
“According to external surveillance, they seem to be complaining to Zhang Biao about the hardships of military registration, the flaws of the garrison system, and… the collusion between local officials and the army, forced conscription, and even the encroachment of imperial princes on military land and their harboring of private troops.”
Old Zhu’s brow furrowed instantly, his fingers tapping the armrest unconsciously.
【 Military registration… garrison system… imperial princes… 】
These words pierced his mind like needles.
He had always prided himself on the garrison system he designed, considering it a sound method for raising an army without burdening the common people.
However, Zhang Biao’s previous ‘audit’ had torn open a crack, and now the crying of these old soldiers laid the bloody reality before him.
【 Could it be… that my garrison system has truly rotted to the core? 】
A wave of frustration and a subtle unease surged into his heart.
That madman Zhang Biao was like a magnet, always attracting those dissatisfied with the status quo, and always finding the most painful spots to strike.
“Keep an eye on them.”
Old Zhu’s voice was ice-cold: “See what new tricks Zhang Biao is up to. Also, investigate those old soldiers and their backgrounds to see if they are clean.”
“Yes!”
Jiang Huan received the order. After a slight hesitation, he added, “Your Majesty, should we… warn Zhang Biao?”
“No need.”
Old Zhu waved his hand, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: “Let him jump. I want to see what other tricks he can pull.”
“Furthermore, the Grand Court Session is imminent. Secure the Capital City for us, especially the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Heavenly Acceptance. Deploy double… no, triple the manpower! We must not allow anyone, at any time, to disrupt the Grand Court Session!”
His tone was somber, with an undeniable decisiveness.
Establishing the Crown Prince was the foundation of the nation; no further mistakes could be made.
“Your subordinate understands!”
Jiang Huan felt the weight of the Emperor’s words and his heart grew solemn. He immediately bowed and withdrew to make arrangements.
The empty main hall was once again left with only Zhu Yuanzhang.
The news brought by Jiang Huan was like a massive stone dropped into his already turbulent heart.
Zhang Biao’s contact with Li Jinglong, his request for an official post, the establishment of the Great Ming Anti-Corruption Bureau, his contact with old soldiers, and his discussion of the flaws in military registration and the garrison system all gave him a sense of oppressive foreboding, like the wind before the storm.
【 That day… why did it precisely target… the life of His Highness the Imperial Grandson?! 】
This question, like a curse, echoed in Old Zhu’s mind again after Jiang Huan’s departure.
【 Back then… the fifteenth year of Hongwu… Xiong Ying… 】
Unconsciously, Old Zhu’s memories surged like a tide.
In this year, the 《 Empty Seal Case 》 erupted. He was enraged by the officials’ deception and resolved to purge the court with the most brutal methods. All those involved were to be executed without mercy.
However, his most hoped-for Crown Prince, Zhu Biao, opposed him fiercely for the first and only time.
He still remembered to this day how his Biao’er knelt in the hall, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles, his voice choked but firm as he pleaded for those so-called ‘capable and upright officials.’
And himself? In his rage, he only felt that the Crown Prince was weak and unfit to shoulder responsibility. He even threw a sword before him in front of all the officials, roaring:
“You kill them! You kill them for us!”
The father and son had an unprecedentedly fierce conflict, and their relationship plummeted to an ice-cold point.
In the end, it was ‘sister’ who called her father and son to her bedside and, with tears, advised them, which temporarily eased the tense atmosphere.
But from then on, Biao’er became increasingly silent, until one day, Biao’er suddenly found him and said he had something weighing on his mind and wanted to go out for a while to relax.
He was still angry at the time, thinking it would be good for him to see the suffering of the common people, so he agreed.
【 Thinking back now… 】
Old Zhu’s brow was tightly knit, his fingertips unconsciously digging into the dragon patterns on the imperial desk.
【 At that time, Biao’er said he wanted to bring Xiong Ying along, saying it would be good for his grandson to gain some experience… I didn’t think much of it, only feeling that despite the discord between grandfather, father, and son, the blood connection was always there… 】
【 But why did Biao’er suddenly say he wanted to go out and relax? 】
This detail, previously overlooked by him, now pierced his mind like a venomous thorn.
【 Wait! 】
【 Why did only Biao’er and Xiong Ying go on the tour back then, and not Consort Lü, Yunwen’s mother, who was the Crown Prince’s favored concubine? 】
【 By normal logic, when the Crown Prince goes on tour, especially with his eldest grandson, his secondary consort should have shown some consideration, or at least requested to accompany them to care for them, right? 】
【 But in my memory, Consort Lü did not accompany them on the tour… 】
Thinking of this, Old Zhu felt his blood run cold.
A terrifying thought, one that made his soul tremble, gripped his throat like a ghostly hand reaching out from the darkness.
【 Could it be… that Xiong Ying’s death is related to Consort Lü?! 】
【 Did someone… exploit the conflict between us and Biao’er, exploit Biao’er’s absence from the capital, and meticulously plan all of this?! 】
【 And Consort Lü… what role did she play in this? Why wasn’t she there then? Was she aware? Or… a participant?! 】
“Yun Ming!”
Old Zhu suddenly looked up, his voice hoarse and distorted with extreme anger and fear.
Yun Ming, who had been standing like a shadow in the corner, trembled in fear at the Emperor’s unprecedentedly uncomposed state and quickly stepped forward to respond:
“Your… Your Majesty? This servant is here!”
Old Zhu stared at him intently, his bloodshot eyes churning with immense waves and predatory coldness. He gritted out the order word by word:
“Go! For us, investigate all the records of the Eastern Palace from the fifteenth year of Hongwu, before and after the Crown Prince’s tour, especially regarding Consort Lü! Investigate them thoroughly!”
“Hurry—!”
The last two words were almost roared by Old Zhu, shaking the entire Huagai Hall.
“Yes! Yes! This servant will go now! Will go now!”
Yun Ming’s face turned pale with fear. He scrambled out of the hall as if pursued by a vengeful spirit.
In the empty hall, Old Zhu seemed to have been drained of all strength. He staggered back two steps and sank heavily onto the dragon throne.
He panted heavily, veins bulging on his forehead, his eyes filled with disbelief, chilling cold, and the heart-wrenching pain of betrayal by a loved one.
If… if his guess was true…
Then all these years, he had elevated a poisonous woman, responsible for the death of his eldest grandson and possibly even the Crown Prince’s death, to be the principal consort of the Eastern Palace?!
And planned to make her son the Imperial Grandson?!
“Urgh—!”
An uncontrollable roar, like that of a wounded beast, erupted from the depths of Old Zhu’s throat.
He slammed his fist onto the hard imperial desk, his hand instantly splitting open, bleeding profusely.
【 Zhang Biao! You scoundrel! I shouldn’t have pardoned you! 】
【 It’s all your fault! You’ve messed everything up for me! You truly deserve to die! 】
Extreme anger churned like a monstrous wave in his chest. After an unknown period, Old Zhu gradually calmed down.
The problem now facing him was whether to proceed with the Grand Court Session. Simply put, was he still going to establish Zhu Yunwen?
He now suspected Consort Lü. Logically, he should wait until things were clarified before establishing a Crown Prince.
However, the current situation was that establishing Zhu Yunwen was no longer just a matter of succession, but also of maintaining stability and calming the hearts of the people.
The successor position had been vacant for a long time, the nation was unstable, and he needed to give the world an explanation…
【 Moreover, that rascal Zhang Biao… is he causing trouble before the succession ceremony with other intentions? 】
【 Does he not want us to establish Yunwen? Is he exploiting our suspicion? 】
Thinking of this, Old Zhu’s gaze sharpened.
【 That child Yunwen, although he has his little schemes, he wouldn’t go so far as to murder his brother… 】
After much deliberation, Old Zhu finally made up his mind. The Grand Court Session would proceed as scheduled.
On the other side, outside Zhang Biao’s official residence.
Two Imperial Guards, under orders to monitor, pressed their ears tightly against the wall, their brows furrowed.
“What are they doing inside?”
Guard Jia looked bewildered:
“One moment they’re crying their eyes out, the next they’re giggling foolishly, and there’s even the sound of pots and pans banging?”
“It sounds… like they’re chanting scriptures?”
Guard Yi vigorously dug into his ear: “It also sounds like they’re singing opera? Has Zhang Biao completely lost his mind?”
They naturally did not know that what was happening inside was codenamed ‘Sweet Potato Operation,’ a performance art of unimaginable style and peculiarity—
《 Zhang’s Survival Guide for the Disabled and Crash Course in Performance Art 》
“Everyone, be energetic!”
Zhang Biao knocked on the door panel, and charcoal dust ‘pfft’ went falling down:
“Today I will teach you how to elevate the art of begging to a level, a skill, and gain… extra income!”
The Imperial Guard Jia outside frowned and said softly to his companion Yi:
“Begging? Has Zhang Biao gone mad with poverty? He’s started teaching old soldiers how to beg?”
“Did the old soldiers complain to him, and he couldn’t do anything?”
Imperial Guard Yi sneered, “I thought he was more capable than this!”
In reality, they were not unaware of the corrupt accounts of the garrison system that the old soldiers spoke of.
But knowing it was one thing; whether they could do anything about it was another.
Inside the room, Old Zhou, hearing Zhang Biao’s words, couldn’t help but mutter softly:
“Oh my, begging can be done in such a way?”
His voice was not loud, but it was enough for the Imperial Guards outside to hear.
Zhang Biao put on an expression of ‘a promising student’ and then pointed to Old Zhou’s empty sleeve, exclaiming:
“Old Zhou! This arm of yours is your golden signboard!”
“From now on, don’t just extend your bowl; swing your sleeve, swing it rhythmically, like the water sleeves in opera! While swinging, shout: ‘Have pity on me, a man without an arm! My children at home are starving and gnawing on bricks!’
“The key is to glance at the wheels of the carriages of those officials! See how many seedlings they’ve trampled!”
After speaking, he quickly wrote a sentence on the door panel:
【 Observe fallen official documents, listen for anything you shouldn’t hear. 】
Old Zhou understood and nodded. He then tried to swing his empty sleeve a couple of times, nearly falling over, and said with a wry smile:
“Zhang… Master Zhang, when I swing it, it looks like… like I’m having a seizure…”
Zhang Biao immediately wiped away the words on the door panel and said earnestly:
“That’s the effect we want! The more abnormal you look, the more you’ve grasped the essence!”
Then, he pointed to Old Li’s lame leg:
“Old Li! Your leg can’t be lame for nothing! When you beg from now on, don’t stand properly; walk like this—”
As he spoke, he imitated Old Li’s limping gait, but each step was cleverly placed on the cracks between the floor tiles or small stones. His body swayed, and his eyes darted around a virtual street:
“See? You need to observe the environment and the people around you. Spot a wealthy household and fall in front of them. They’ll feel bad if they don’t give you something to eat.”
As he spoke, he squatted down and quickly drew a simple street map on a worn mat at his feet, marking a few spots and writing:
【 Granary, Prince’s Mansion side gate, Storeroom 】
Old Li, being close, saw it clearly.
He silently picked up a small piece of charcoal, drew a cross on the other corner of the mat, and then an ear symbol, before looking at Zhang Biao.
Zhang Biao nodded slightly and took over the conversation loudly:
“Exactly! Old Li has good comprehension! This is how you beg so you don’t starve!”
As soon as the words fell, he immediately drew a large cross, followed by a small figure covering its ear, meaning:
【 Use your disability to make them less wary. 】
Old Li immediately understood and then walked a few steps in the room, his posture twisted like a pretzel, and couldn’t help but chuckle: “Censor Zhang, hehe, you truly are a talented person.”
“Likewise, we are all talented people!”
Zhang Biao waved his hand casually, then looked at Old Sun and said with a smile:
“Old Sun! Your eyes are a treasure!”
“Don’t close them from now on; keep them half-squinted, leaving a gap! Go to the eaves of teahouses and restaurants, pretend to be basking in the sun and dozing! Keep your ears pricked!”
“If you hear words like ‘mistress,’ ‘gossip,’ or ‘gambling,’ jot them down in your little notebook!”
“If you’re ever hungry, go ask them for some meal expenses!”
“If you’re discovered and someone asks what you’re listening to, just say: ‘I’m blind, just listening to the sounds to pass the time!'”
He said with a laugh, walking up to Old Sun. Ostensibly teaching, he quickly slipped a small note into the patch of Old Sun’s worn cotton coat.
The note contained brief information he had written in advance about the regular haunts and conversational habits of several key officials.
Old Sun tried his best to squint his blind eye, while his other eye quickly scanned the small note Zhang Biao had slipped him, then crumpled it into a ball and put it in his mouth.
The Imperial Guard Jia outside couldn’t help but sneer:
“What the hell is he teaching? A group of cripples begging can still do it with flair?”
Imperial Guard Yi also cursed softly, “Damn it, he’s only teaching them low-class tricks!”
Although they complained constantly outside the wall, it didn’t stop them from listening with great interest.
Inside the room, after quickly instructing the old soldiers on their ‘specialties,’ Zhang Biao wrote another line on the door panel:
《 On How to Fall and Stage Accidents Correctly 》
“Next, advanced techniques!”
After writing, Zhang Biao cleared his throat:
“I’ll teach you how to fall naturally, fall realistically, fall with skill, fall with style!”
Then, he drew several crooked Q-version figures on the door panel.
“Look! This is a normal fall, a face-plant, no technical skill involved!”
“What we want is an artistic fall!”
“Old Zhou, with your severed arm, your center of gravity is unstable, making you suitable for a spinning fall!”
Old Zhou looked dumbfounded and couldn’t help but scratch his head: “What’s a spinning fall? I don’t understand.”
“Simple! This is very simple!”
Zhang Biao demonstrated and explained:
“Watch, as you fall, your empty sleeve should spread out like a flag, covering as large an area as possible, ideally entangling the target’s leg!”
“Ah? It can be like that?”
Old Zhou looked at Zhang Biao’s flamboyant falling posture, bewildered and intrigued.
Zhang Biao then turned his gaze to Old Li, smiling and saying, “Old Li, with your lame leg, you’re suited for a gradual fall!”
“?”
A small black question mark slowly appeared on Old Li’s forehead. He couldn’t help but cup his hands and say, “Please, Master Zhang, enlighten me!”
“Certainly!”
Zhang Biao sprang up from the ground and, under the curious gazes of the old soldiers, demonstrated again:
“It’s like this: first, you wobble him three times, then groan twice to attract attention, then slowly fall to the ground. When you fall, intentionally extend the lame leg further to trip him!”
“If he doesn’t give you food, shout loudly, ‘There’s no justice! Someone is bullying injured old soldiers! Everyone, come and see!'”
Old Li: “.”
The other old soldiers: “.”
They looked at each other, thinking that Censor Zhang was truly a divine person.
However, Zhang Biao’s demonstration was not yet over.
He then looked at Old Sun, patting his shoulder and saying:
“Old Sun, you have the biggest advantage! You’re suited for indiscriminate staging of accidents!”
Old Sun was confused: “How do I have the biggest advantage?”
Zhang Biao: “You’re blind!”
Old Sun: “.”
Zhang Biao: “No, don’t misunderstand. What I mean is, since you’re blind, spot those wearing official boots and just bump into them!”
“Then grope around, hug their waist, and shout:”
“‘My apologies, Sir Official! I’m blind! Are you alright? Is your belt real jade? It feels so smooth!'”
“Yes, like this, apologize while touching, touch his waist token, his money bag, anything you can touch!”
Zhang Biao demonstrated as he spoke, personally hugging Old Sun’s waist and groping him, muttering:
“Oh, this fabric, is it Shu brocade? Sir Official, you are truly wealthy!”
His demeanor was extremely lewd.
Old Sun was so creeped out that goosebumps rose all over him. He pushed him away with all his might, his face red, wanting to curse but not daring to speak loudly:
“Zhang… Master Zhang! Please… please have some self-respect.”
Old Zhou, Old Li, and Old Qian beside them were shaking with suppressed laughter, their shoulders trembling. Old Sun’s aged face was wrinkled like a chrysanthemum.
Zhang Biao was unconcerned, slapped his thigh:
“Don’t laugh, that’s the effect we want! Make them disgusted, make them despise you!”
“The more they despise you, the less they’ll bother with your begging! Anyway, everyone remember, be shameless, and you won’t starve!”
As the words fell, he quickly wrote four large characters: 【 Utilize contempt. 】
Then he wiped them away with a laugh.
The two Imperial Guards outside the wall felt a chill run down their spines.
“Damn it, is Zhang Biao crazy? Teaching old soldiers to act like hooligans?”
“I think so, just learning disgusting tricks.”
Inside the room, after teaching the old soldiers ‘accident-staging techniques,’ Zhang Biao wrote another line on the door panel:
《 On How to Use Junk for Encrypted Information Transmission 》
“Finally, the grand finale!”
Zhang Biao mysteriously dragged out a tattered sack from the corner, which clinked and clanked.
“I’ll teach you how to use these broken items to transmit ‘begging intelligence’!”
He first took out a chipped, broken bowl from the sack:
“Watch closely! For important messages, like where a wealthy family is giving out porridge, write it on the bottom of the bowl with charcoal! When you give it away, place the bowl opening upwards, with two copper coins inside. Who would think there’s something hidden at the bottom of a broken bowl?”
Next, he picked up a tattered coat full of patches:
“Behind each patch on this coat, you can hide a piece of paper! Darker colored patches for important intelligence, like the imperial court opening granaries and distributing grain!”
“Lighter colored ones for general news! Like if there’s a bowl of white rice that a dog hasn’t finished eating, wearing it is like a mobile intelligence station!”
Then, he took out a smoothly polished date wood walking stick:
“Old Sun, the dragon head of your walking stick can be unscrewed; it’s hollow inside! In critical moments, stuff paper strips in here!”
Zhang Biao described the functions of various broken items with great flourish, as if each piece of junk were a remarkable spy gadget.
He even had Old Zhou tie a complex knot in his empty sleeve, calling it ‘Morse sleeve code.’
Outside the wall, the two Imperial Guards rubbed their aching foreheads, looking bewildered and disgusted.
“Damn it, this… is Zhang Biao really crazy? Teaching them begging and staging accidents?”
“Who knows… write it down and report it to Lord Jiang exactly as is. Say Zhang Biao’s behavior is bizarre, possibly mentally deranged, and he’s gathering people to teach… uh… teaching depraved begging techniques.”
They never imagined that these seemingly absurd and comical ‘begging techniques,’ ‘accident-staging methods,’ and ‘junk utilization methods’ hid an extremely cunning counter-surveillance and intelligence transmission system targeting their Imperial Guard monitoring system, exploiting human weaknesses and blind spots in thinking.
Zhang Biao looked at the old soldiers whose eyes gleamed with a little ‘wickedness,’ clapped his hands, lowered his voice, but concluded with unusual seriousness:
“Remember, the core of intelligence work is: safety first, no matter the means!”
“Here! Graduation gift!”
He handed each of them a Snickers bar, his favorite:
“Eat this, and you’ll have the strength! We not only need to report them, but we also need to see those villains suffer one by one!”
The old soldiers silently accepted the Snickers bars. Though they didn’t know what this thing was, they respectfully bowed to Zhang Biao and left the room.
After seeing them off, Zhang Biao looked at the written words and then at the figures outside the window. He scooped up a ladle of water and splashed it directly onto them.
As the water washed away the writing, a few words vaguely remained.
【 Survive. 】
Please give me double monthly tickets~
