Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 158: The Imperial Household Department Dislikes People Who Don’t Follow the Rules
Lu Wenzhao was shocked when he heard this: Change your confession! Who is the palace trying to protect?

"I will modify it according to your instructions. I will do it perfectly!" He quickly gathered his thoughts and fumbled to move his butt back to the original stool.

"Talking takes time. Ask someone to serve tea to Captain Lu." Wang An's voice was still as calm and peaceful as ever.

"Yes, godfather." Cao Huachun stood up and cast a subtle look at Lu Wenzhao.

"Thank you, eunuch, for the tea." Lu Wenzhao's eyes immediately lit up, and he quickly stood up and saluted, as if he was afraid of getting the stool too warm.

"Sit and talk."

"Yes."

After Lu Wenzhao sat down again, Wang An remained silent. Only after the eunuch who brought the tea came and went did he ask, "What is written in the confession, and who are implicated?"

"Three things. The first one is the case of General Xiong of Liaodong. Sun Ruyou said that the attacks on General Xiong by Yang, Feng and Gu were premeditated. In addition to the assistant minister Sun Ruyou himself who provided the confession, there were also Liu Ge Lao and Han Ge Lao of the cabinet, Xu Bu Tang of the Ministry of Rites, Zhou Bu Tang of the Ministry of Personnel, as well as Zou Yuanbiao who has died and Zhao Nanxing who refused the official appointment. These people should be the top leaders of the Donglin Party." Lu Wenzhao picked up the teacup and drank a gulp of the tea without caring whether it was hot or not.

"Go on." Wang An didn't react much.

The memorial that Luo Sigong used to induce the arrest operation was the case of the Donglin Party conspiring with Yang, Feng, and Gu to falsely accuse Xiong Tingbi, but in the final analysis, the role of this case was just to provide a safety net.

"Yes," Lu Wenzhao continued. "The remaining two incidents are both related to the court meeting, and the people involved are roughly the same. But Xu Butang is not involved."

"Who is the mastermind?" Wang An's expression changed slightly, but Lu Wenzhao didn't dare to look directly at Wang An, so he didn't notice.

"If we only talk about defying the emperor's will and opposing the reform, then except for the two cabinet ministers Liu and Han who remained silent and Zhou Butang's ambiguous attitude, the other three were very active." Lu Wenzhao spoke slowly and paused after each sentence to make it easier for Wang An to ask questions at any time.

"Sun Ruyou didn't remove himself?"

"No." Lu Wenzhao shook his head. "According to Lu Jianxing, who obtained this confession, Lord Sun even emphasized his own active role."

Wang An didn't comment on this and then asked, "What about what happened on the 11th?"

Lu Wenzhao replied, "To answer your question, Master Seal Holder. According to the confession, the events of that day were still conspired and agreed upon by the six people besides Xu Butang. However, the only ones who actively participated in the discussion were Zhao Nanxing and Zou Yuanbiao. The others didn't say much."

"Sun Ruyou has managed to clear himself this time. He is really good at avoiding the important issues." Cao Huachun commented with disdain.

"What did they discuss?" Wang An stroked his chin and began to think.

"It's stated in the confession," Lu Wenzhao licked his dry lips. "Zou Yuanbiao had actually always been opposed. Only the man named Zhao Nanxing persisted, saying he would force the emperor to make concessions at the court meeting." At this point, the nature and severity of the case completely changed.

"No! Zou Yuanbiao must be among the main culprits here! He can't object!"

"I understand." Lu Wenzhao's heart was filled with awe: convicting Zou Yuanbiao. Does the palace want to protect Tian Tongzhi of the Northern Pacification Division? What about Lord Luo?
"What about the others? The Pacification Office arrested so many people but failed to get any of them out?" Wang An asked.

"In reply to the Lord Seal-holder, the confession only mentions these people and events. It does not involve other arrested persons." Lu Wenzhao did not speculate or comment, but simply stated the facts.

"It's okay if there's nothing. I have what I need anyway." Wang An suddenly put away the smile on his face. "The confession has been changed like this. Come closer and listen carefully."

"Yes!" Lu Wenzhao stood up and knelt in front of the table.

"The facts of the case are unimportant. Remove Liu Yirong, Han Yu, Xu Guangqi, and Zhou Jiamo from the case. The Emperor still needs them, so they're innocent. From beginning to end, the only people who conspired to disrupt the government were Zou Yuanbiao, Zhao Nanxing, and Sun Ruyou." Wang Ansi pondered for a moment before continuing, "Zou Yuanbiao and Zhao Nanxing must be the masterminds, but Sun Ruyou can be excused and even pardoned. Take this to him and have him change his statement!"

After that, Wang An smiled and asked, "Do you need someone to help you?"

"Don't worry, Master Seal-holder, I will definitely complete it!" Lu Wenzhao kowtowed.

"Very good, go ahead." Wang An promised. "Chun'er, give Captain Lu a ride."

"Okay, godfather." Cao Huachun stood up, bowed to Wang An first, and then gestured to Lu Wenzhao.

After exiting the side hall and passing the main hall, they arrived at the entrance to the Imperial Household Department. However, Cao Huachun didn't immediately turn back. Instead, he took the lead and crossed the threshold. "If Captain Lu doesn't mind, let me take you to the palace gate."

"It's my honor!" Lu Wenzhao immediately acted flattered.

After exiting the Imperial Household Department, turn west and head north through the Huangwa East Gate to reach Bei'an Gate, the gateway to the Imperial City. Lu Wenzhao knew the way and didn't need anyone to escort him. Cao Huachun had clearly followed him out because he had something to say.

Sure enough, Cao Huachun did not take Lu Wenzhao to turn west, but went east towards the wine, vinegar and noodle bureau.

"Captain Lu, do you still remember the tea you drank a few days ago?" Cao Huachun asked suddenly without any reason.

"Remember." Lu Wenzhao felt an ominous premonition in his heart.

"You should drink your tea slowly. You're too impatient." As Cao Huachun walked along, the eunuchs and palace maids knelt along the way. However, when they passed the Wine, Vinegar and Noodle Bureau and headed north across the Yuhe Stone Bridge to the open space next to the Gunpowder Bureau, there was no one else around them.

"Admiral Cao, I..." Hearing this, Lu Wenzhao was stunned for a moment, his heart beat irregularly and cold sweat began to seep out of his forehead.

"Don't be nervous. It's not wrong for young people to want to make progress." Cao Huachun chuckled and then asked, "How did you know that the Western Factory was keeping an eye on the Jinyiwei?"

Lu Wenzhao's face changed several times, and finally he said: "I guessed it. Someone was killed in the Pacification Office, and the Commandery didn't know about it, but the Western Factory knew about it. This can only be a pre-emptive move." He did not point out Hai Zhentao, but took all the responsibility on himself.

"Then how did you find this needle?" Cao Huachun continued to ask.

"I didn't find the needle. I just told the news to a brother who likes to talk nonsense, and asked him to brag to others in an exaggerated way. He usually talks nonsense, and his familiar brothers will just take it as a joke, but the needle buried by the Western Factory will not be laughed at, especially now." Lu Wenzhao replied.

"Hmm," Cao Huachun nodded. This was essentially the same as what he had heard from Wang Chengen. "By bypassing the Eastern Office and the Commandery and passing the news to the Western Depot in this way, it's quite clever. And on the surface, it doesn't seem to break the rules."

Cao Huachun paused. "But have you ever thought about this? The people you've bypassed may not tell you about this rule, or may tell you about a different rule. Hai Zhentao, your father-in-law, might not say anything, but Luo Sigong can find any excuse to transfer you out of town, preventing you from returning to Beijing for the rest of your life. That's also a rule." Cao Huachun continued to smile, but to Lu Wenzhao, it was a cold smile.

"Please, Admiral Cao, save me!" Lu Wenzhao knelt. "I've already saved you. You were brought here by the Western Factory for questioning. All you have to do is 'angrily' eliminate the brother who helped you spread the news, and you'll be cleared of all charges," Cao Huachun suggested. "He always loves to talk nonsense, doesn't he? Find a pretext to send him out of town, then quietly kill him on the way and say it was a bandit's doing."

"Admiral! I can't do this." Lu Wenzhao took a deep breath of cold air and exhaled it warmly. "If he made a mistake, then I'll deal with him as I see fit. But I assigned him this mission. If he does something like this, I'll have nightmares for the rest of my life!"

Cao Huachun smiled and looked down at Lu Wenzhao's eyes. He was silent for a long time, but he couldn't find even the slightest sign of hesitation in him. "Captain Lu, you are still capable of great things." Cao Huachun suppressed his smile. "Get up."

"Admiral Cao?" Lu Wenzhao wiped the cold sweat that was almost frozen on his forehead.

"The cabinet just announced Zou Nangao's death yesterday, and you had someone spread the news that same day." Cao Huachun raised his hands, stretched, and yawned, clearly relaxed. "When did you get this confession?"

"It was the day I came to the Imperial Household Department to visit you. After receiving your suggestion, I wanted to dig out some information, and even asked Xing Kuan to help with the interrogation. I didn't expect that Sun Ruyou had already confessed." Lu Wenzhao replied.

"Confessing without being asked? Humph! What a spineless person!" Cao Huachun sneered, not knowing whether it was directed at Sun Ruyou or Lu Wenzhao. "Did you think of circumventing your superiors at that time?"

"No, how could I dare. Because the case was complicated and there was a struggle among the higher-ups, I didn't even dare to fight for the first credit at that time. I just wanted to do something to add icing on the cake after the Northern Pacification Office found out the clues." Lu Wenzhao shook his head violently.

"It seems you finally understood what I meant by that cup of tea." Cao Huachun's impression of Lu Wenzhao improved. "Why did you dare to do that later?"

"Zou Yuanbiao died because the Northern Pacification Office didn't find out anything during the investigation," Lu Wenzhao replied.

"So you guessed the Western Factory had planted a hidden needle, and you wanted to take advantage of it? And you want to claim some credit for it." Cao Huachun thought for a moment. "...to claim the credit for being the first to land?" Although the Jinyiwei were actually spies, they were still a military organization in name only, so many of their terms were the same as those used by the military.

"Yes." Lu Wenzhao did not argue any further.

"Taking advantage of the situation is a good idea." Cao Huachun nodded, then changed the subject. "But rules are rules. Tian Ergeng dared to do things behind Luo Sigong's back, not because he broke the rules, but because he had a bigger rule on his head. And you only have your own cleverness, which is not enough."

"The emperor sets the rules, and the Imperial Household Department is the one responsible for enforcing and upholding them. In other words, the Imperial Household Department doesn't like people who break the rules. Don't do that again," Cao Huachun warned. "It's too early for you to report this directly to the palace."

"Yes. I'm grateful for your advice." Lu Wenzhao bowed deeply.

"You are a teachable young man." Cao Huachun patted Lu Wenzhao on the shoulder. "Don't let the news of your visit to the Imperial Household Department spread. Once you have revised the materials, submit them to the higher authorities according to the rules."

"Thank you, Admiral Cao!" Lu Wenzhao lifted his robe, knelt down, and kowtowed again.

"Don't just thank me, thank yourself too." Cao Huachun turned and left. "Let's go. I'll see you out."

------

"Master Sun, please eat something. Didn't we get along well recently?" In the East Office Prison, Lu Jianxing was holding a bowl and smiling apologetically, persuading Sun Ruyou to eat.

"You lied to me! Zou Erzhan has no idea what to do." Sun Ruyou was still angry.

"Oh, I'm just doing this to make you suffer less." Lu Jianxing continued to smile apologetically.

"Hmph! Do I have to thank you?" Sun Ruyou retorted sarcastically.

"That's not necessary. Just eat, drink, and sleep on time." Lu Jianxing was incredibly thick-skinned, unfazed by Sun Ruyou's provocation. He kept a fawning smile on his face. "I felt so warm the moment I saw you. I wish my father could live to your age. Why bother getting upset by getting angry with me? So, I apologize. I lied to you. I'm a jerk. Is that okay? If you're still not happy, just slap me twice."

Bang! Whoosh!
The gate to the East Office Prison was opened, and sunlight and cold wind rushed in. The warm sun shone in a corner, while only the cold wind blew along the corridor all the way to the end.

"Captain, Lord Sun doesn't want to eat anymore." Seeing Lu Wenzhao coming, Lu Jianxing hurried over, took out the key and opened the lock.

"Hunger strike?" Lu Wenzhao walked in and locked the door again.

"."Sun Ruyou did not answer.

"Sir Sun, I would like to ask you for a favor." Lu Wenzhao squatted beside Sun Ruyou.

"."Sun Ruyou still didn't answer.

"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as your consent." Lu Wenzhao didn't care and said directly, "I want you to change your confession."

"Sir?" Lu Jianxing looked horrified.

"Don't worry, it's the instruction from above, it's okay." Lu Wenzhao didn't look at Lu Jianxing, but just waved at him.

"Who's up there?" Sun Ruyou responded.

"Don't ask questions that you shouldn't ask. You just need to know that this will only benefit you." Lu Wenzhao wanted to fake a smile, but he couldn't.

"You want me to make a false confession?"

"This is called a reasonable modification based on facts." Lu Wenzhao denied.

"Facts are facts, there's no need to change them!" Sun Ruyou turned his head away.

"Don't be so quick to say no. Let's listen to the content first." Lu Wenzhao spoke to himself. "You are friends with Elder Liu, Elder Han, Minister Zhou, and Minister Xu, right?"

“.” He stopped talking again.

"You're friends with them, so naturally you don't want them to be implicated. Your superiors have given you permission to remove these people," Lu Wenzhao said in a tone full of temptation. "As long as you agree to one small condition."

"What conditions?" Sun Ruyou was surprised that the Jinyiwei would actually recruit people from outside. "Let me be the mastermind and take on all this responsibility?"

"No, you can also land safely and go back to enjoy your old age."

(End of this chapter)