Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 252 Shooting yourself in the foot

The southern tour group left the Liangxiang Imperial Palace on the outskirts of Beijing and, after a long and arduous journey of twelve days, arrived at the Zhaozhou Imperial Palace in Hebei.

Land travel is different from water travel, and long journeys are quite arduous. At first, Zhu Houcong looked around the roadside with great interest and would occasionally get off to take a look, showing a leisurely mood for sightseeing. But gradually he stayed in the jade carriage and stopped moving around.

Throughout the entire process, he never summoned Guo Xun.

It wasn't just exhaustion; it was because certain events had caused the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty to lose interest in summoning the other party.

For example, a clumsy imperial guard accidentally bumped into Guo Xun during a march. The guard stumbled and fell to the ground. The guards rushed over and hurriedly helped him up. It is said that the old Marquis turned pale at the time.

For example, the palace maids and eunuchs heard that an old nobleman, whose name they did not know, would recount old stories to those around him every day, saying things like, "When His Majesty first entered the capital, he had no relatives or friends. It was this old minister who took the lead in holding the whip and dropping the stirrups..." He would then pat his knee and sigh, "If it weren't for taking him in back then, the current Grand Secretary would have been beaten to death by the court officials outside the Zuoshun Gate long ago..."

Without a doubt, only Marquis Wuding could have said such a thing.

As a result, everyone finally concluded that Guo Xun was getting old.

And they're too old.

Thinking about it, it's not surprising. This old man is nearly sixty years old, which is quite advanced in age. It's just that his arrogant and domineering behavior in the capital a few years ago made people subconsciously overlook his age.

As a result, once the business became deserted, it never recovered and ended up in this sorry state.

That's not bad. In the past, many people suffered at his hands and dared not utter a sound. In just two or three years, it was not enough to quell their hatred. Now, seeing Guo Xun's miserable state, they were naturally overjoyed.

It's truly a cycle of karma; retribution is inevitable!
"Who! Who is trying to harm me, the Marquis!"

Inside the side courtyard of the Zhaozhou Palace, Guo Xun's knuckles were clenched until they turned blue, his back was straight as a pine tree, and his eyes were filled with a fierce light—there was no trace of his previous hunched and old appearance.
This idea was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. As soon as the news of the victory in Annam came back and that Jiaozhi had returned to the territory of the Ming Dynasty, Guo Xun knew that time was of the essence.

If no action is taken now, and the new elites occupy all the key positions in the military, I'm afraid there will be no chance of turning things around!
So he pretended for more than two months in the mansion until his close servants thought his performance was convincing enough to fool them. Only then did he start to work his way up and secure the opportunity to accompany the emperor on his southern tour.

The comeback went smoothly.

Although the stares from others made him uncomfortable, and he had to be obsequious to a junior like Yan Shifan, he did receive far less hostility.

Even ministers who had grudges against each other in the past would show some gentleness to an old and frail man on the surface.

Guo Xun was convinced that his plan had succeeded.

That was not the case.

Because he had offended too many people in the past, he couldn't be sure who was making things difficult for him, but he could clearly sense that someone had been targeting him in the past few days.

Whether it was the clumsy imperial guards deliberately bumping into him to embarrass him in public, or spreading rumors about him, their methods were all insidious.

Especially the latter.

It not only fully exploits the elderly's fondness for reminiscing, but also directly hits the nail on the head regarding His Majesty's sensitive spots.

To know the merits of honoring one's father in the grand ceremony, only Your Majesty's own reflection can show its significance; how can others be allowed to speak recklessly?

Once a subject speaks out, it becomes a threat to blackmail someone for their merits.

So even if Guo Xun is stupid, he would never say that to others.

But now the eunuchs and palace maids are speaking with such conviction that it's clear someone is deliberately spreading rumors.

This is slander! Slander!

Guo Xun paced rapidly around the room several times, his face growing increasingly ferocious, yet also revealing a sense of panic: "What do we do? What should we do now?"

He feigned old age to gain the emperor's sympathy and lower the enemy's guard, but now the enemy doesn't seem to be willing to let him go. The emperor thinks he is really old, so old that he doesn't even want to see him. Isn't he just shooting himself in the foot?
But at this crucial moment, one cannot suddenly become energetic.

Everyone would know that this Marquis Wuding was deceiving the emperor, and his crime was compounded!
"come out!"

Suddenly, Guo Xun stopped in his tracks and turned to look out the window.

A figure silently slipped in, dressed as an ordinary guard, but with the brim of his hat pulled down to reveal half his face. He bowed and said, "This humble servant greets Lord Guo!"

Guo Xun narrowed his eyes: "Who are you?"

"Your Excellency knows the answer, why ask further?"

The visitor said, "To make a long story short, it was the Embroidered Uniform Guard who wanted to prevent the Marquis from making a comeback. Those Imperial Guards were arranged by Wang Zuo. They had someone impersonate the Marquis, making boastful claims and showing off his achievements, which was overheard by a passing palace maid and then passed on to the Emperor!"

"Wang Zuo!!"

Guo Xun's eyes flashed with a fierce light as he coldly asked, "Do you have any way to salvage this?"

"No……"

The visitor said, "However, the master instructed me to obey the Marquis's orders. If the Marquis has any instructions, I am willing to do my best!"

Guo Xun scrutinized the other person: "You are able to see His Majesty?"

The visitor said, "You may approach. What does Your Excellency intend to do?"

Guo Xun asked, enunciating each word clearly: "Can you assassinate the king and protect him?"

The visitor shook his head: "Impossible!"

Guo Xun let out a sigh of relief, whether from disappointment or relief, and continued, "Can you catch Wang Zuo's men who spread rumors?" The man replied, "Those men dispersed after the deed was done. If Your Excellency wishes to find them, I can, but I'm afraid it won't work for them to testify, and it would be difficult to convince the Emperor!"

Guo Xun frowned, his sparse eyebrows furrowing: "Then what can you do?"

The visitor remained silent.

"That's fine!"

In the past, Guo Xun would have definitely beaten and kicked this subordinate, but now he no longer had the right to be arrogant. He gritted his teeth and said, "You can get close to Wang Zuo?"

The visitor replied, "Yes!"

Guo Xun said coldly, "Then can you take his life?"

The visitor paused, then raised his head and asked, "Has Lord Guo thought this through?"

"I have thought this through very clearly!"

Guo Xun clenched his fists: "The Embroidered Uniform Guard deserves the most credit for the humiliation of my defeat in the past. Wang Zuo's actions are nothing more than fear that I will rise again! Since we are now sworn enemies, I will take his head. The day the southern inspection team falls into chaos will be the day I regain control of the military!"

The visitor fell silent again.

"What? You don't dare?"

Guo Xun said coldly, "Don't forget, only when I regain power can your demands be fulfilled. If things continue like this, we will all be losers, and all our plans and efforts will be in vain!"

The visitor nodded: "The chief clerk has already given instructions, so the Marquis need not worry about us not doing our part. However, once this matter is done, there is no turning back. Has the Marquis thought it through?"

"I don't need you to lecture me!"

Guo Xun flung his sleeves and said, "This title of Marquis of Wuding was fought for by my father after enduring countless scornful looks. I've never had a good day since I was a child. I finally gained the ability to command the wind and rain, but now I'm going to die enduring scornful looks again? I'm not reconciled! Even if I'm shattered to pieces, I'll fight for a chance to make a comeback!"

"it is good!"

The newcomer clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Then please wait and see, Your Excellency!"

……

In the bedroom.

Zhu Houcong opened his eyes and slowly sat up in bed.

Consort Kang, née Du, was still fast asleep beside him, but Huang Jin, who was not far away, tiptoed forward and whispered, "Your Majesty?"

Zhu Houcong waved his hand, got out of bed, put on his robe, and walked out of the room.

As dusk settled and the chill deepened, the young emperor's hands and feet turned icy cold after just a few turns. Suddenly, he said, "Huang Jin, do you think I should start practicing Taoist health cultivation exercises again?"

Huang Jin's eyes flickered slightly: "Does Your Majesty miss the late Emperor?"

"Yes!"

Zhu Houcong looked nostalgic: "I still remember the days when my father taught me sacrificial rites when I was a child!"

The Jiajing Emperor revered Taoism. In addition to using Taoist meditation and breathing techniques to maintain his health in his early years due to poor health, the influence of his father, Prince Xingxian Zhu Youyuan, was also crucial.

The Prince of Xingxian had a Taoist name, "Chunyi Daoren". In the preface he wrote for his wife, Lady Jiang, titled "Women's Instructions", he also signed it "Written by Chunyi Daoren of the Great Ming Dynasty at Zhongzhengzhai".

This man, who attached great importance to sacrificial ceremonies, personally instructed the young Jiajing in the rituals of offering sacrifices and dancing. The young Jiajing was dignified in his demeanor during the sacrifices, which greatly impressed the Prince of Xingxian.

However, although King Xingxian was a devout follower of Taoism, he strongly disagreed with the practice of refining elixirs. He once wrote a poem that read, "The alchemy of elixirs is not accidental, the dragons and tigers in the cauldron are just a myth. I have now seen through the affairs of the immortals, and wealth and poverty are all left to Heaven." This poem is somewhat of a forward-looking version of the saying, "The gathering of three flowers at the top of the head is an illusion, and soaring through the clouds is not real."

Therefore, Shao Yuanjie, a Taoist priest favored by Emperor Jiajing in the early period of his reign, was skilled in sacrificial rites and mainly practiced prayer and incense burning, without involving the ingestion of elixirs. This was clearly a continuation of his father's influence.

However, Prince Xingxian died too young, and with the passing of Empress Dowager Jiang, Jiajing was no longer under the restraint of his parents. It was then that he began to become obsessed with taking elixirs and officially entered the stage of going astray.

Now, let alone going astray, he directly abandoned Taoism because of the stimulation from the Liyuan Society. However, when he returned to his hometown to pay homage to the tomb of Prince Xingxian, Zhu Houcong couldn't help but recall the days when his father taught him Taoist rituals when he was a child.

Huang Jin naturally put the emperor first: "If Your Majesty wishes to return to the Taoist path, this servant can summon Taoist Tao!"

"what?"

Zhu Houcong was taken aback at first, then realized: "Is it Tao Dianzhen, who made a contribution in the last arrest of the heretical cult?"

Regarding Tao Dianzhen's contributions, Haiyue, who was in charge of the arrest operation, reported the credits of all parties impartially. Tao Dianzhen was overjoyed, and Zhu Houcong also noted down the Taoist's name.

But even knowing that makes me uneasy, the thought that the other party is someone who catches thieves still bothers me.

Gone is that aloof and mysterious aura; they've become... Imperial Guards in Taoist robes?

Zhu Houcong, who had rekindled his interest in Taoism due to his longing for his deceased father, instantly lost interest and waved his hand dismissively: "Forget it! Let him guard me; there's no need to summon him!"

"Yes……"

Huang Jin didn't know why His Majesty had changed his attitude, but he didn't dare to speculate on the emperor's intentions. He was following closely behind when he suddenly tilted his head and asked, "What's that?"

Thick smoke and flames came into view, and Huang Jin's pupils contracted sharply. Without thinking, he spun around to protect the imperial carriage, his voice tearing through the night sky:
"The fire broke out! The fire broke out!!"

(End of this chapter)