Chapter 214: Old Zhu: That Madman’s Blade Has Already Fallen! Seeking Monthly Tickets
The night was as black as ink, yet Zhang Biao’s dilapidated small courtyard was brightly lit.
The air was filled with the enticing aroma of instant noodles and a sense of taut excitement.
“The target is clear!”
Zhang Biao’s finger heavily pressed on the draft, indicating the area where the River Gang’s boats were docked:
“It’s this Kaifeng fatty with a mole on his lip, and behind him, the elusive ‘Mr. Liu’!”
“Old Zhou!”
He looked at the one-armed old soldier and said, “Have your brothers at the dock keep a close eye on this fatty!”
“Who he meets daily, where he goes, how much contraband he unloads, even how many times he goes to the latrine each day, record it all!”
“Also, most importantly, clearly identify his waist token!”
“Understood!”
Old Zhou waved his single arm, his eyes flashing with a leopard-like intensity.
“Old Li!”
Zhang Biao turned to the limping old soldier:
“Expand your ‘accident’ scope to all officials who might have dealings with grain transport or Henan matters, especially those from the Ministry of Revenue’s Henan bureau!”
“Find a way to extract more inside information about the ‘subsidy grain’ and ‘old for new’ exchanges! The director who lost the jade pendant is a breakthrough; find a way to ‘accidentally’ meet him a few more times!”
“Leave it to me!”
Old Li grinned, revealing a mouth full of yellow teeth.
“Old Sun, Old Qian!”
Zhang Biao looked at the blind and injured old soldiers:
“Your people should continue to gather intelligence in teahouses, taverns, and areas where military households gather, focusing on rumors about Prince Zhou’s ‘Mr. Liu’, the Henan Garrison Commander, and any connections between them!”
“Don’t let any detail slip!”
“Yes!”
The two responded in deep voices.
Zhang Biao surveyed everyone, his gaze sharp: “Remember, our manpower is limited, and the Emperor’s fifty thousand taels of silver must be spent wisely!”
“Bribe where necessary, buy off where possible! I don’t want hearsay; I want ironclad evidence that can shake the heavens!”
“Also, safety first!”
He emphasized, “Li Mo is a lesson learned! If you sense anything amiss, retreat immediately. Your life is paramount! Evidence can be found again, but a dead person is truly gone!”
“Rest assured, Censor Zhang!”
The old soldiers echoed in unison.
Having lived in the lower echelons for years, they understood the dangers involved and knew Zhang Biao considered them his own.
Meanwhile.
Inside Huagai Hall, the candlelight burned late.
Old Zhu looked at the latest secret report presented by Song Zhong, which detailed how Zhang Biao assigned tasks, emphasized evidence and safety, and the energized state of the old soldiers after receiving their orders.
“Hmph, he does have some method.”
Old Zhu snorted and tossed the report aside: “He knows to pursue leads and to cherish his life.”
He felt a sliver of approval for Zhang Biao’s decisive, goal-oriented approach.
Compared to those “incompetent officials” who only engaged in empty talk or formed factions for personal gain, Zhang Biao was at least getting things done, even if those “things” were driven by strong personal motives and a touch of madness.
“Your Majesty, with Zhang Biao’s investigation methods, he’ll likely find that ‘Fatty Wang’ and ‘Mr. Liu’ very soon.”
Song Zhong said in a low voice, “Once solid evidence is obtained…”
“Once solid evidence is obtained?”
Old Zhu interrupted him, a cold glint in his eyes: “Then we’ll see if Zhang Biao’s knife is sharp enough and obedient enough!”
He pondered for a moment and then instructed, “Have your men, while ensuring Zhang Biao’s safety, ‘appropriately’ facilitate his work.”
“For example, make it easier for his subordinates to access some less important files, or have patrolling soldiers ‘happen’ to pass by when his men encounter trouble.”
Song Zhong understood immediately: “This subordinate understands.”
He knew this meant allowing Zhang Biao to investigate the “right” people smoothly, but without letting him escape their control.
“Also!”
Old Zhu tapped the armrest of the dragon throne with his finger: “Regarding Zhu Youjian and that ‘Mr. Liu’, what progress have you made with your investigation?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, Zhu Youjian has been reclusive since Li Mo’s attack. However, his mansion has had close contact with several grain merchants around Kaifeng and a sub-leader of the River Gang.”
“That ‘Mr. Liu’ is named Liu Kan. He was once a registrar in Prince Zhou’s mansion and was skilled in mathematics. After Prince Zhou was imprisoned, he did not leave Kaifeng; instead, he became very close with Zhu Youjian, allegedly managing some of his secret accounts.”
“Our men are trying to get closer, but he is extremely cautious.”
“Keep a close watch!”
Old Zhu’s voice was chilling: “I want to know, besides this petty profit from grain transport, what else are they hiding!”
“Also, keep a tight watch on the eyes and ears of all the princes in the capital. See who reacts most strongly to Zhang Biao investigating the grain transport!”
“Yes!”
After Song Zhong retreated, Old Zhu looked alone at the deep night sky outside the hall.
【 That madman’s knife has already been swung.】
【 I want to see how much blood stains will splash and how many demons and monsters hiding in the dark will be forced out when this knife strikes.】
A few days later, the night was vast and dark.
At Shuiximen Dock, a fine rain was falling.
A sharp young man under the one-armed Old Zhou, named ‘Loach’, dressed in rags barely better than a beggar, huddled behind a pile of discarded ropes, his eyes fixed on a shadowy, abandoned cargo ship not far away.
This was the secret meeting point he had confirmed after following Fatty Wang for several days.
The sound of the rain masked many noises.
Loach saw Fatty Wang’s plump figure reappear, glance around, and then nimbly slip into the ship’s cabin.
Not long after, another figure, wearing a straw cape and a bamboo hat, also quietly boarded the ship.
Loach’s heart leaped into his throat.
He remembered Old Zhou’s instructions: “Clearly identify the waist token!”
Using the shadow of the cargo piles, he crawled forward like a real loach, silently approaching the ship’s railing.
Muffled conversation could be heard from the cabin, but it was unclear.
He risked peeking his head out, trying to see through the gaps in the broken porthole.
The candlelight flickered, and he saw the side profile of the straw-cloaked figure. A scar ran from his brow to the corner of his mouth, looking particularly ferocious.
More importantly, there was indeed a waist token hanging from the man’s waist!
Under the dim light, Loach squinted with all his might to identify it—
It didn’t seem to be of official design. The material looked like dark wood, and it was carved with a beast’s head. It was hard to see clearly; it looked like a Pixiu, or perhaps some deformed dragon cub.
Just then, Fatty Wang’s voice from inside the cabin suddenly rose: “They’re pressing hard on the other side! If we can’t settle the accounts from last time, both of us will lose our heads!”
The Scar-faced Man’s voice was hoarse: “What’s the rush! ‘Above’ has arrangements. What about the ‘new grain’ you were told to prepare?”
“It’s still in the warehouse. Damn it, the inspecting censors are like hounds, and the pressure is high lately…”
Loach was engrossed in listening when suddenly, a low growl came from behind him: “You little brat, trying to steal something?!”
A large hand suddenly grabbed his collar!
It was a night watchman from the dock!
It was clear they thought he was a petty thief trying to steal something.
Loach was terrified, struggling and shouting, “I-I didn’t steal anything!”
The commotion alerted the people in the cabin!
Fatty Wang and the Scar-faced Man rushed out of the cabin. Fatty Wang glared fiercely at the captured Loach and then warily scanned the surroundings: “Damn it, there’s an informant! Get rid of him!”
The Scar-faced Man was faster. Without a word, he produced a dagger and lunged straight for Loach’s chest.
His movements were brutal, clearly indicating someone accustomed to silencing others.
In that critical moment, as Loach was about to meet his end!
“Whoosh!”
A faint sound of air being cut!
A sharp piece of broken tile shot from the darkness on the side, striking the Scar-faced Man’s wrist precisely!
“Ah!”
The Scar-faced Man cried out in pain, and the dagger clattered to the ground.
It was One-armed Old Zhou!
He had been lurking in the deeper shadows all along, protecting Loach secretly.
He darted out like a leopard, and with a swing of his single arm, a sharpened iron rod lunged directly at Fatty Wang’s face!
“Ambush!”
Fatty Wang yelped in fright, his fat jiggling, and dodged clumsily backward.
Old Zhou didn’t linger; he grabbed the stunned Loach and roared, “Go!”
The two, using the darkness and the cover of the cargo piles, sprinted towards the docks.
“Chase them! Don’t let them escape!”
Fatty Wang roared in frustration. The Scar-faced Man, clutching his wrist with a venomous gaze, blew a sharp whistle!
Immediately, seven or eight figures emerged from the darkness of the dock, wielding clubs and short knives. They were clearly Fatty Wang’s hired thugs, moving to surround Old Zhou and Loach.
The rain intensified, and the dock was piled with miscellaneous items, making the paths slippery.
Old Zhou, with his single arm pulling Loach, was at a disadvantage and was about to be caught.
“Uncle Zhou, leave me! You go quickly!”
Loach cried, his voice choked with tears.
“Nonsense!”
Old Zhou cursed and said with resolute eyes, “Stay close!”
He suddenly pushed Loach towards a narrow alley piled with empty wooden boxes, then turned, leaning against the wall, his single arm gripping the iron rod. Facing the pursuing thugs, he intended to hold them off alone!
“Old man, you’re looking for death!”
The lead thug sneered and swung his knife.
Old Zhou’s eyes were cold. Instead of retreating, he advanced, dodged the blade, and with his single arm like a viper striking from its den, precisely stabbed the attacker under the arm.
The thug cried out in pain and immediately lost his combat ability.
But more people swarmed forward.
Clubs whistled, and knife light flashed.
Old Zhou, with only one arm, was quickly struck on the back by a dull club. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his movements slowed.
He was about to be hacked to death!
“Woo—”
Suddenly, the distant sound of uniformed soldiers’ footsteps and shouts came from further down the dock:
“Who’s there?! Gathering at night, trying to rebel?!”
It was the night patrol of the Five City Patrols!
And judging by the sound, there were quite a few of them, and they were approaching rapidly.
Fatty Wang and the Scar-faced Man’s expressions changed drastically.
“Damn it, why are they patrolling tonight?!” Fatty Wang exclaimed in surprise and anger.
“Withdraw!”
The Scar-faced Man made a swift decision, gave Old Zhou, who was stubbornly resisting, a fierce glare, and led the thugs to quickly disappear into the labyrinth of rain, night, and cargo.
Old Zhou leaned on the iron rod, breathing heavily. Seeing the approaching torchlight, a trace of doubt crossed his mind.
【 These night patrollers, arriving too coincidentally.】
However, he didn’t stop. He pulled Loach, who had peeked out from behind the wooden boxes, and said in a low voice, “Go quickly! Leave the dock!”
The two supported each other, staggering away into another dark alley.
At the same time.
In a hidden dark room, a figure almost indistinguishable from the shadows knelt silently.
“Prince… Your Highness! Urgent report from Yingtian Prefecture!”
His voice carried an uncontrollable fear and a sense of impending disaster.
From the depths of the darkness, the figure lounging lazily stirred slightly. The rhythm of his fingertips tapping the armrest did not change; he merely gave a faint “hmm,” indicating for him to continue.
The subordinate took a deep breath, suppressed his fear, and began to report:
“First, the Emperor seems to be suspicious of the harem. After the letter home, he ordered the imperial concubines to nominate the mistress of the six palaces. The empresses in the harem each have their own thoughts, and in the end, Consort Guo Hui was appointed by the Emperor as the mistress of the six palaces…”
The tapping of the armrest in the darkness paused for a brief moment, then resumed.
A very light chuckle, full of mockery, came from the darkness:
“Heh, appointing Consort Guo Hui? My good Imperial Father is indeed… sentimental.”
“However, he underestimates my Imperial Consort too much…”
“Does he think that by holding a ceremony to choose the mistress of the six palaces, my Imperial Consort will be tempted? Will she reveal herself?”
Saying this, his words carried a hint of disdain, then he snorted again: “The mistress of the six palaces will be my Imperial Consort’s sooner or later! It’s what we, the Zhu family, owe my mother and me!”
Upon hearing this, the subordinate fell silent, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
After a moment, the Prince’s voice was calm and indifferent: “Anything else?”
“Reporting… Reporting to Your Highness…”
The subordinate’s voice trembled as he said:
“The second matter, after Zhang Biao was released from restriction, he first met Li Jinglong, then visited Huagai Hall, and finally received the Emperor’s permission to establish an Anti-corruption Bureau.”
“However, it is perplexing that he is now recruiting subordinates for the Anti-corruption Bureau with high salaries outside the Gate of Heavenly Acceptance, with the highest salary being five hundred taels, which has caused quite a stir.”
“Then it became even stranger. Before what seemed to be a Grand Court Session to establish the Crown Prince, he gathered people outside the Gate of Heavenly Acceptance, publicly fanning public opinion! He declared his intention to audit the princes, establish an anonymous complaint box, and… also audit the Imperial Treasury!”
“Finally… finally, he shouted in public… ‘Your Majesty, why are you rebelling?!'”
“What?!”
In the darkness, the lazily reclining figure suddenly sat up straight.
The steady tapping also abruptly stopped.
Although his face could not be seen, the tension and anger that instantly emanated from him spread like a tangible force.
“Auditing the princes?! Anonymous complaint box?! And he dared to shout ‘Your Majesty, why are you rebelling’?! Is Zhang Biao… truly insane?!”
The Prince’s voice was filled with disbelief and shock, and a hint of apprehension that he himself did not detect.
“Also… the third matter…”
The subordinate’s voice became even more trembling:
“After Zhang Biao shouted that sentence, he was urgently summoned to the palace by the Emperor. Not long after, three imperial edicts were issued from the palace: first, to reconsider the salaries of all officials; second, to hold a ‘Literary Grand Ceremony’ to recruit scholars from all over the world; and third, to promote anonymous complaint boxes nationwide and thoroughly investigate corruption!”
Hearing this, the breathing in the darkness clearly deepened.
“Reconsidering salaries… stabilizing the court!”
“Literary Grand Ceremony… winning over scholars!”
“Anonymous complaint box… inciting a nationwide hunt for traitors!”
The Prince’s voice became cold and sharp: “Clever tactics! Truly clever tactics! Zhang Biao, to devise such a poisonous scheme!”
“No, this is not entirely Zhang Biao’s doing; it’s the Emperor! He is using Zhang Biao’s mouth to implement a clear and bright policy!”
He instantly understood Old Zhu’s intentions.
These three edicts almost brought the wave of public opinion stirred up by Zhang Biao under control.
Furthermore, they seized the opportunity to solidify the actions of the Anti-corruption Bureau, providing new ideas for stabilizing the empire.
Especially the anonymous complaint box, which was like a sharp sword hanging over the heads of all officials, particularly these princes.
“Is there anything else?!”
The Prince’s voice became extremely somber.
It was clear he had realized the unfavorable turn of events.
“There… there is one last thing…”
The subordinate’s voice was now tearful; he knew this piece of news was the most fatal:
“Investigating Censor Li Mo… was assassinated in Kaifeng! According to… according to the investigation, this matter may be related to Prince Zhou’s second son, Zhu Youjian!”
“And Zhu Youjian… had previously tried to secretly contact Your Highness multiple times, but we intercepted them according to your instructions…”
“Now that Li Mo has been assassinated, it’s likely that Zhu Youjian, cornered by Li Mo, resorted to this desperate measure! This subordinate fears… fears he might…”
The subordinate dared not say the rest.
“Bang!”
A muffled thud!
It sounded like a fist hitting the armrest.
The Prince in the darkness had completely lost his previous languor and composure.
“Zhu Youjian! This incompetent fool who can’t get things done but ruins them—!”
He almost roared, his voice filled with rage and a hint of panic.
Li Mo was Zhang Biao’s confidant, and he had set his sights on Zhu Youjian!
The connection between Zhu Youjian and himself, though hidden, was far from untraceable!
Zhu Youjian knew too much!
If Zhu Youjian fell into Jiang Huan’s or Zhang Biao’s hands and divulged what he knew… even without direct evidence, it would be enough for the suspicious Emperor to fix his gaze firmly upon him!
“Damn it! That fool Zhu Youjian deserves to die!”
The Prince gritted his teeth.
Before, he could remain seated, feeling that everything was under control.
But now, Zhang Biao’s madness, Old Zhu’s countermeasures, and especially the potential disaster brought about by the fool Zhu Youjian… all crises seemed to erupt at once, making him feel unprecedented pressure!
In the darkness, only his heavy, suppressed breathing could be heard. The previous calculations and composure had vanished, replaced by an impatience and dread as the chess game was about to spiral out of control.
He had to respond immediately!
After a while, he managed to suppress his churning emotions, his voice regaining its calm, but beneath that coldness lay a murderous intent ready to breach the dam:
“Listen!”
His speech was extremely fast, with unquestionable decisiveness:
“What could have driven Zhu Youjian to such desperation can be attributed to two things: one, the secret of the ‘Red Lead Immortal Pill’ being leaked, and two, the secret of ‘grain transport’.”
“If my Imperial Father sends people to investigate Li Mo’s assassination, they will definitely investigate these two matters.”
“The first matter, Zhu Youjian would never dare to leak, because if it were leaked, he would die a miserable death. Therefore, we don’t need to worry about this for now. The priority is the secret of ‘grain transport’.”
“As for ‘grain transport’, based on my understanding of my father, he will definitely assign this matter to Zhang Biao to investigate. Because only that madman Zhang Biao can uncover the problems in a short period of time…”
“Then… do we need to stop Zhang Biao?” the subordinate asked cautiously.
“Why should we stop him?”
The Prince smiled: “We are not the only ones involved in grain transport. In fact, we should even deliberately provide some clues to Zhang Biao, letting him thoroughly investigate the grain transport!”
“The deeper he investigates, the more enemies he makes, the more advantageous it will be for us! When he is torn apart by various forces and is overwhelmed, that will be our safest time!”
Hearing this, the subordinate instantly understood the Prince’s intention.
This was a plan to unleash a tiger on wolves and divert the floodwaters!
To draw Zhang Biao’s and the Emperor’s attention to other powerful and suspicious princes, buying time and space for their core network, and even borrowing a knife to kill, weakening potential rivals.
“As for Zhu Youjian…”
The Prince pondered for a moment and said, “If I’m not mistaken, that kid is probably under surveillance by the Imperial Guard now.”
“However,”
He changed his tone and continued:
“The Imperial Guard is not monolithic. We need to find a way to make that kid believe that his elder brother, Zhu Youdun, is secretly collecting evidence against him to protect himself, and might even shift all the blame for leaking the elixir formula, colluding with outsiders, and assassinating a censor onto him alone!”
“We want to make him fear, make him resent!”
“Then, we’ll help him, provide some ‘evidence’ pointing to his elder brother Zhu Youdun as the mastermind, and that Li Mo’s assassination was Zhu Youdun silencing a witness!”
“Make him find a way to deliver this ‘evidence’, or have it ‘accidentally’ discovered by the Imperial Guard at his residence!”
“At the same time, our inside sources in Prince Zhou’s mansion must cooperate, spreading rumors about the heir apparent being wary of his brother and wanting to eliminate him, creating the illusion of brothers fighting each other!”
The subordinate’s heart trembled; he had to admire the Prince’s wisdom.
This tactic of “transferring flowers and trees” and “replacing apricot with plum” was used masterfully.
It shifted all suspicion and anger to within Prince Zhou’s mansion, to the heir apparent Zhu Youdun.
This would draw the attention of the Imperial Guard and the imperial court to the internal struggles of Prince Zhou’s mansion, causing them to overlook the deeper connections that might exist behind Zhu Youjian.
“When the Imperial Guard’s investigation focuses successfully on Prince Zhou’s mansion, when Zhu Youjian believes he has succeeded and lets his guard down, when everyone’s attention is drawn to the drama of brothers killing each other…”
In the darkness, the Prince’s voice was like eternal ice:
“Make Zhu Youjian ‘commit suicide to atone for his crimes’!”
“The scene must be arranged to look like he couldn’t bear the pressure, or was driven to a dead end by his brother, leaving behind a ‘blood letter’ denouncing Zhu Youdun before taking his own life.”
“It must be clean, it must look real, so that this drama of brothers killing each other ends in the most tragic way!”
【 A good plan to leave no witnesses, killing two birds with one stone!】
The subordinate’s admiration for the Prince was boundless.
These two moves would not only eliminate Zhu Youjian, the most direct hidden danger, but also solidify the crimes within Prince Zhou’s mansion, and possibly even drag the heir apparent Zhu Youdun down with him, further ensuring that this lead would be completely severed within Prince Zhou’s mansion.
This was no longer passive defense, but active manipulation of the situation, guiding the opponent to follow the script he had set.
“Go and do it.”
The Prince said indifferently in the end, as if merely assigning a trivial task:
“Remember, we are not avoiding the storm; we are creating a bigger storm.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The subordinate was awestruck by the grand and sinister plan, his heart filled with reverence, and he left to carry out his orders.
In the darkness, he was once again alone.
He slowly leaned back in his chair, his fingertips resuming their rhythmic tapping on the armrest, a cold and self-satisfied curve gracing his lips.
【 Zhang Biao, aren’t you crazy? I’ll let you go crazy enough, let you bite at tougher bones!】
【 Imperial Father, don’t you want to investigate? I’ll give you a ‘truth’, a ‘truth’ of brothers killing each other and a prince’s mansion in turmoil!】
【 While you struggle in this muddier water I’ve stirred up, who will notice that the real fisherman has already cast his net?】
In his eyes, a profound light flickered, one that understood human nature and played with political maneuvering.
As if everything were within his control.
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