Chapter 42: The Imperial Grandson Is Worse Than Pig’s Head Meat! Seeking Monthly Tickets
The morning dew still held the chill of the night.
But the moment the palace gates opened, the mansion stewards and guards of the Prince Yan’s Mansion, along with Zhu Di, left Yingtian Prefecture without delay.
This drew a sigh of disbelief from many familiar officers and soldiers.
However, for Zhang Biao, this was still an uncertain matter.
Because he was currently “seeing off” the numerous low-ranking capital officials he had trained all night, who were still full of energy.
“My esteemed colleagues!”
“Three thousand years of history are nothing more than fame and fortune. Ninety thousand *li* of enlightenment lead to poetry, wine, and the countryside!”
Speaking of which, Zhang Biao raised his wine bowl.
Shen Lang and other low-ranking capital officials also raised their wine bowls. They were all shining, with faces full of excitement, as if listening to a sacred decree.
Then, Zhang Biao continued with a resounding voice:
“Heroes under heaven are as numerous as carp crossing a river, all with the ambition to head east to the sea.”
“Throughout history, how many heroes and valiant figures have flashed by like shooting stars, vanishing into dust in the long river of time!”
“Though we are but fish eyes, even if we cannot leap through the Dragon Gate, we must ride the wind and waves, and swim against the current!”
Boom!
Hearing these words, the low-ranking capital officials felt as if they had been injected with ten pounds of chicken blood, their faces flushing with excitement.
“Excellent! Censor Zhang speaks excellently!”
“Censor Zhang is awesome—!!”
“That’s right! We will defy heaven itself!!”
However, Zhang Biao had not yet finished speaking.
He swept his gaze over each of the low-ranking capital officials with piercing eyes and then said with a deep tone:
“In court today, you are all heroes. I, Zhang Biao, though I cannot walk with you, my heart is always with you.”
“Come! Drink this bowl of wine, and go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to reclaim everything that belongs to you!”
“Cheers—!”
The low-ranking capital officials raised their bowls and drank together, their spirits soaring.
“Brother Shen!”
Zhang Biao put down his bowl and turned to look at Shen Lang.
Shen Lang immediately stood tall and chest out: “Brother Biao, please speak!”
“Remember, you are not trying to prove how extraordinary you are, but to tell the Emperor that unpaid salaries must be repaid!”
“If you don’t get paid, then even if the sky falls, it has nothing to do with you, understand?”
“Understood!”
Zhang Biao slammed his bowl down with a ‘snap’: “When all you heroes return from demanding your salaries, tonight, I’m treating! We’ll eat five servings of pig’s head meat!!”
“Roar—!”
The low-ranking capital officials were incredibly excited. They also followed Zhang Biao’s action, throwing down their wine bowls and heading straight for the Gate of Heavenly Acceptance.
In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a familiar scene unfolded. Old Zhu sat on the dragon throne, his expression unreadable.
The entire Hall of Supreme Harmony, after Zhu Biao’s death, was almost devoid of its oppressive atmosphere, replaced by an immense solemnity.
If Zhang Biao were here, he would surely have noticed the unusual nature of today’s proceedings.
But after Old Zhu scanned the civil and military officials below the steps, he saw the Director of Ceremonial step forward at the appropriate time: “If there is anything to report, report it now. If not, the court is dismissed—”
“Your subject has a memorial to present!”
Liu Sanwu, as Old Zhu had anticipated, was the first to step forward, holding his tablet:
“I report to Your Majesty, the Crown Prince was benevolent and wise. Heaven did not grant him more years, which is truly a national tragedy. However, the nation cannot be without a successor for a day. With the successor position vacant, the people’s hearts are restless, which is not a blessing for the state;
I, Liu Sanwu, Hanlin Academy Scholar, dare to weep and implore Your Majesty, for the sake of the empire and for the sake of all the people, to quickly establish the imperial lineage and enfeoff the Imperial Grandson, thereby securing peace for the realm!”
Boom!
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall seemed struck by lightning.
Almost all eyes focused on Old Zhu’s dragon throne.
One had to know that Old Zhu had just dealt with Lu Ping and Qi Tai for presumptuously discussing the Crown Prince. Was this Liu Sanwu insane? He dared to step forward and propose establishing a successor? He must not want to live!
Just as the officials held their breath, awaiting Old Zhu’s thunderous wrath, Old Zhu on the dragon throne’s face gradually turned grim, like the calm before a storm. His gaze, sharp as a knife, pierced directly at Liu Sanwu.
An invisible imperial pressure suddenly descended.
“Liu Sanwu!”
Old Zhu’s voice was not loud, but it resounded like muffled thunder in everyone’s hearts, carrying a bone-chilling coldness:
“How many times have I told you? The Crown Prince’s body is barely cold, and this matter can be discussed later. Why do you bring it up again today? What are your intentions?!”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials again, and coldly asked: “Are you suggesting this court is not chaotic enough? Or do you think I am senile?!”
“Your subject deserves death ten thousand times!”
The officials immediately knelt and agreed, as if performing a customary play.
However, Liu Sanwu seemed oblivious to the danger, bowing his forehead to the ground:
“Your Majesty, please suppress your anger! My intentions are sincere, with no other agenda! I only worry for the nation and the state as if they were burning, Your Majesty!”
“Sincerity? Worry?”
Old Zhu sneered, his laughter making one’s scalp tingle: “A fine ‘worry for the state as if burning,’ today I shall burn you.”
A killing intent flashed in his eyes.
At this critical juncture.
“Your Majesty—!”
A mournful and resolute roar interrupted Old Zhu.
Mei Yin, the Imperial Son-in-Law, suddenly raised his head, with a look of despair and indignation as if he had burned all his bridges:
“What Scholar Liu says is from the bottom of his heart, every word is like blood. This is not a plea from one person, but the heartfelt voice of all loyal officials and the people of the realm! The vacant successor position is the source of chaos. Today, I will stake my head to bravely advise, imploring Your Majesty to quickly establish the Imperial Grandson—!”
Upon these words, the entire hall erupted in an uproar.
“You!”
Old Zhu abruptly stood up, pointing a finger at Mei Yin, trembling with anger, his face turning ashen, his fury about to erupt.
The hall fell into a deathly silence, the air seeming to congeal into ice.
No one dared to breathe.
Everyone seemed stunned by the theatrical performance between Old Zhu, Liu Sanwu, and Mei Yin.
And just at this moment of extreme tension, when Old Zhu’s killing intent was about to explode, and everyone’s hearts were in their mouths.
Old Zhu’s fury, however, receded like a tide, carrying with it deep helplessness and fatigue, and a hint of ‘compromise.’ He waved his hand with a hoarse voice: “Enough, enough.”
“Mei Yin and Liu Sanwu say that I should establish the Imperial Grandson.”
Old Zhu paused, adopting a demeanor that was both moved by loyalty and compelled to listen, and posed the carefully crafted question: “My esteemed officials, who do you think would be suitable to establish?”
Here it comes!
Now is the moment!
Liu Sanwu was overjoyed.
Mei Yin’s taut nerves also suddenly relaxed.
Among the civil and military officials, a few trusted old ministers exchanged glances, preparing to immediately agree.
Just as this ‘double act’ was about to conclude perfectly, and Zhu Yunwen’s name was about to be uttered.
A loud, full, and energetic voice, almost explosive, with the lingering aftertaste of lard and Shao Daozi liquor, like a thunderclap out of nowhere, suddenly erupted from the Jiangxi Circuit Censorate team:
“Your Majesty! Your subject has a memorial to present!”
Boom!
This voice instantly tore through the deliberately created atmosphere of the ‘double act.’
Shen Lang stepped forward, his face ruddy, his eyes bright, holding aloft a oil-stained, corner-curled Purple Blood and Tears Salary Demand Record, and said with an unstoppable momentum:
“I report to Your Majesty! I, Shen Lang, Censor of the Jiangxi Circuit Censorate, lodge a blood and tears accusation that the Ministry of Revenue’s granary has been withholding the salaries of capital officials! This is an outrage against Heaven and man!”
Woosh!
Everyone in the hall, including Liu Sanwu, Mei Yin, and Old Zhu, had a blank mind!
And Shen Lang’s mouth moved like a Gatling gun, giving them no time to react: “Your Majesty! You ask us who we think should be established?!”
His voice suddenly rose, filled with the grief and indignation of a low-ranking official who had seen through the truth, and he pointed his finger at the Purple Blood and Tears Salary Demand Record:
“Your Majesty, we can’t even survive anymore! How would we know these things? We only know that if we don’t get paid soon, we won’t even be able to afford pig’s head meat! The price of pig’s head meat has gone up recently, Your Majesty!!”
“I second the motion! I, Zhao Fengman, Censor of the Henan Circuit!”
Another thunderclap suddenly sounded.
Zhao Fengman stepped forward, his face ruddy, holding aloft a greasy account book: “The Ministry of Revenue has owed me my salary for eight months and twenty-three days! I fainted outside the mansion of a corrupt official and was mocked by his household staff. This is an insult to the court, an insult to Your Majesty!!”
“I second the motion! Wu Nai Da of the Ministry of Personnel, salary owed for seven months and ten days, my concubine ran off with the steamed bun vendor!!”
“I second the motion! Sun Gui of the Ministry of War, salary owed for nine months and three days. My armor has rusted, and I don’t even have money to buy oil to polish it. If the Northern Yuan comes, I can only go to battle with rusty armor and curse them!!”
“I second the motion! Li Mo of the Hanlin Academy, salary owed for eight months and fifteen days. My ink sticks are almost worn down, and I’ve been surviving solely on Brother Biao’s pig’s head meat broth!!”
“Your Majesty! We second the motion—!!”
Shen Lang’s memorial quickly triggered a chain reaction, instantly igniting the entire hall.
Old Zhu, Liu Sanwu, Mei Yin, and the trusted old ministers who were prepared to support the enfeoffment of Zhu Yunwen as Imperial Grandson were utterly dumbfounded.
Why were they so proficient?
Wasn’t it said that he was the popular choice?!
Why, in their eyes, was establishing the Imperial Grandson less important than pig’s head meat?!
Let’s go!! Seeking follow-up reads! Seeking monthly tickets, seeking recommendation tickets!!
