Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 124 Secret Society (Third Update)
Beizhen Fusi.

Wang Zuo returned to his office, dismissed his attendants early, sat down, and rubbed his temples.

Lu Bing approached and respectfully offered tea to the semi-master: "Sir, you were right to stop him just now. I was too rash..."

Wang Zuo glanced at his prized disciple, who was outstanding in both background and ability, and smiled: "Do you think I stopped you from finishing speaking because I was worried about Empress Dowager Zhang?"

Lu Bingqi said, "Isn't that right?"

"His Majesty is a wise ruler! As for that Empress Dowager Zhang, to be frank, relying on Emperor Xiaozong's favor, she has already sown too many seeds of disaster. There are too many people in the court and the public who hate her... If she has really done something, we, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, need not worry, we will investigate and deal with it!"

Wang Zuo spoke frankly.

Empress Dowager Zhang had been complacent for too many years and was no longer aware of her own limitations. Meanwhile, the current Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, at the young age of eighteen, had already seen through the core of power and the weakness of civil officials. He dared to beat the civil officials who cried and remonstrated at Zuoshun Gate to death or maim them. What could an old woman in the harem do, who was also suppressed by her birth mother, Empress Dowager Jiang?
Therefore, Wang Zuo was not worried at all about taking action against Empress Zhang and her maternal clan.

Lu Bingqi asked, "Then what are your concerns, sir..."

Wang Zuo asked, "In your opinion, what was the motive behind these thieves' crime?"

Lu Bing already had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on: "They certainly have a grudge against the Empress Dowager. Consort Jiang is gentle and unassuming, so it's more likely that she has a deep-seated hatred for the Zhang family!"

Wang Zuo asked, "Then why did they assassinate Empress Dowager Jiang?"

Seeing that no one was around, Lu Bing whispered, "An assassination can only kill one person, but this could wipe out the entire Zhang family. These scoundrels hate them to the bone!"

"What you say makes sense..."

Wang Zuo nodded slightly: "Have you ever considered that this method is something that ordinary enemies could use? Just sending that sandalwood bed to the princess's palace and having the illusion troupe Yunyin Society perform in the princess's residence—these two key points are something that ordinary assassins would find extremely difficult to achieve! Those desperate criminals might be able to take risks and break into the Shouning Marquis's residence to kill someone, but going to such lengths is not the style of a martial arts master!"

Lu Bing's expression turned serious: "Then who is behind this group of people?"

Wang Zuo suddenly fell silent. After a long while, he slowly said, "You've been following me for six years, haven't you?"

Lu Bing immediately replied, "I have been following you since I was fourteen years old. I am deeply grateful for your guidance and will never forget it!"

"It's been so long! You're a sentimental person, grateful for kindness, and you consider me your master. Since that's the case..."

Wang Zuo said with great emotion, "Then today I will give you one last lesson!"

Lu Bing was shocked: "Sir, what...why is this!"

Why is this so unlucky?

Wang Zuo continued, "Because this matter is indeed extremely dangerous, concerning our lives and property. Perhaps one day, we will suddenly die, with many different opinions and no consensus! But I still have to talk about this, because I see the current emperor's vigorous and diligent rule, which you will definitely need when you take over the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the future!"

"Please explain yourself, sir!"

Lu Bing held his breath and assumed a posture of listening intently.

Wang Zuo stood up, checked his surroundings again to make sure there were no eavesdroppers, then returned to his seat and said in a deep voice, "Do you believe anyone would dare to assassinate the emperor?"

Even though Lu Bingrao was somewhat prepared, his expression still changed drastically: "How is that possible?"

"How is it impossible?"

Wang Zuo said, "Throughout history, haven't there been countless examples of regicide? Right now, isn't that Mo Dengyong in Annam the one who killed the King of Annam?"

Lu Bing's eyes widened: "But that was during a time of national crisis and chaos, when our Great Ming Dynasty was at peace. How could any traitor dare to..."

"The price is just different!"

Wang Zuo said, "In times of war and chaos, assassinating the emperor is a way to seize power with minimal cost, yet it is a grand spectacle known to the world. In times of peace and prosperity, assassinating the emperor carries the risk of exterminating one's entire clan, so naturally, one would be extremely cautious and plot for a long time! Even if one were to use the pretext of medical expertise, claiming that the imperial physicians were not skilled enough, and cause His Majesty's death, would you consider that assassination?"

Lu Bing, recalling the causes of death of the previous emperors, looked furious: "Why did they do this?"

"In the end, it all boils down to four words: a struggle for power and profit!"

Wang Zuo cupped his hands towards the sky, his tone revealing genuine respect: "Our founding emperor came from a poor peasant background and naturally distrusted gentry and officials. He even regarded the prime minister as a usurper. He abolished the prime minister and established our Embroidered Uniform Guard, greatly strengthening imperial power. This broke the previous system of emperors and scholar-officials jointly ruling the country. How could those people accept that? When the founding emperor was in power, he had the power of life and death and showed no mercy to corrupt officials. He killed them until they trembled with fear, as if walking on thin ice. Unfortunately, subsequent emperors have never had such power!"

Lu Bing gritted his teeth and said, "So, it was that group of scholars who joined forces?" "A complete alliance is impossible."

Wang Zuo shook his head: "In our dynasty, there is a distinction between civil and military officials. Since the Tumu Crisis, the status of scholar-officials has risen even higher. Now, we military men can only survive by relying on their whims. But if you say that group of people are conspiring together, that's absolutely impossible! They come from all over the country, have different ideologies, and each of them is ambitious and believes that they are absolutely right. They fight fiercely! Ha! If one day, the scholar-officials really conspire together, then it won't just be regicide, but the emperor's position will be meaningless!"

Lu Bing was confused for a moment: "Then who is it?"

"Secret societies, partial alliances! Their harm is unparalleled!"

Wang Zuo sneered, "Everyone says that we, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, are a scourge to the people. I don't deny it. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has indeed done many evil deeds and has earned a bad reputation, which is well-deserved! But what have those hypocrites done? They spout the words of sages, benevolence, and morality, but what have they actually done? Look at the current land survey and census conducted by the court. Even in Beizhili, they can't be implemented. These people control the power to determine taxes, yet they themselves are exempt from taxes, annex land, and enslave the people, making the national treasury increasingly empty, while they still have a good reputation throughout the world!"

Why is that?

"Because the pen is in the hands of this group of people, not to mention the military secret police, even the chief minister Zhang, the second minister Gui, and the minister Fang are notorious among scholars, simply because they really want to assist His Majesty in governing the country diligently, which harms the interests of that group!"

Lu Bing had also left the capital and witnessed firsthand the hardships of people's lives in various places. He had also personally experienced the Guangdong Provincial Government's nepotism and exclusion of foreigners. Despite having conclusive evidence, they had to raise the issue high and then lower it lightly. He had already empathized with the situation.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was ruthless and ostentatious, while the gentry were deeply entrenched and poisonous!
Wang Zuo returned to the topic of regicide: "A direct assassination would terrify the world, causing countless officials to fall from grace and powerful families to be raided. They certainly wouldn't do that!"

"But if a quack doctor diagnoses the emperor and unfortunately prescribes the wrong medicine, and then the quack doctor is exiled, whose fault can be pinned?"

"If Emperor Wuzong were to die, it wouldn't simply be because he fell ill from drowning during his southern tour. Afterwards, he wanted to consult folk doctors for diagnosis, but the court officials opposed it for various reasons, insisting that the diagnosis be made by the Imperial Medical Academy. What were the motives behind this? Who can say for sure?"

"Of course, these things cannot be accomplished with just a few words. Based on my years of investigation by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I can be fairly certain that there is a secret society hidden in the shadows that has quietly accomplished too many things and erased too much evidence!"

Lu Bing's face twisted into a ferocious expression: "The mastermind is Yang Tinghe, isn't he? After Emperor Wuzong passed away, this man benefited the most. If it weren't for His Majesty's wisdom and might, he would have been sidelined!"

"Unfortunately, it isn't!"

Wang Zuo sighed: "If Yang Tinghe had profited the most, he would be the mastermind, and it would be much easier to investigate this secret society! But we've laid a tight net around Yang Tinghe and his son Yang Shen, and we can't find a single clue!"

Lu Bing was puzzled: "But the leader isn't Yang Tinghe. Isn't what this society is doing just to benefit others?"

Wang Zuo said, "I don't know. Perhaps maintaining the status quo is the best thing we can do, or perhaps there are many other hidden benefits! You must not underestimate this mysterious and terrifying secret society in the slightest!"

Lu Bing gritted his teeth and asked, "Since it's a society, does it have a name?"

"To my shame, I still haven't found it..."

Wang Zuo sighed, then said seriously, "But I am familiar with their style of doing things. I have a feeling that the incidents involving the Princess's Mansion and the Cloud Hidden Society are inextricably linked to this group!"

Lu Bing stood up and paced around a few times, then gritted his teeth and said, "I must report this matter to His Majesty, even if he doesn't believe me, I still have to tell him!"

Wang Zuo smiled and said, "Do you think His Majesty doesn't know?"

Lu Bing was startled: "Sir, you have already reported to His Majesty?"

"Of course! I reported it a long time ago! Even though I couldn't produce any direct evidence at the time, His Majesty believed me. That's what a wise ruler is like!"

Wang Zuo laughed and said, "Why do you think His Majesty has such high expectations for the new elites of the Great Rites Controversy, and why does he specifically promote and appoint officials from the exiled areas of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou? There are reasons behind this!"

During the Zuoshunmen Incident, Wang Zuo witnessed the eighteen-year-old Zhu Houcong kill the group of aggressive officials. He had admired the Taizu Emperor since childhood and was convinced that this young emperor could revive the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, he reported this secret, which concerned the lives of his entire family, to the emperor.

After that, Wang Zuo guided Lu Bing all the way without any obstacles, and he knew that the young emperor had accepted him.

They may not become absolute confidants, but they are still much closer than those foreign officials who are intertwined with each other.

This is enough.

Wang Zuo's eyes gleamed with anticipation: "Since the Tumu Crisis, the power of our Great Ming has been declining day by day. It is not easy to have such a wise and decisive emperor who can eliminate malpractices and bring peace to the world. How can we let him be harmed again by those treacherous villains who cannot see the light of day?"

"Understood! The Zhang family is just the surface in this case; the real key is to find the mastermind behind it all!"

Lu Bing nodded emphatically and said resolutely, "We must find this secret society and never allow them to harm His Majesty or shake the foundations of our Great Ming Dynasty!"

(End of this chapter)