Daming: Internship also counts as work experience

Chapter 114 The King of Han is possessed

Who is Hou Tai? How could Zhu Gaoxu not know him? If other officials came to see him, he would simply refuse to see them. But Hou Tai... this person who served Zhu Zhanji closely, it is said that he has recently gained more power, and even the imperial estates have been handed over to him to manage.

Zhu Gaoxu pondered for a moment and said, "Let him come again tomorrow."

Qian Xun wanted to talk about reducing the number of guards, but Zhu Gaoxu said impatiently, "You go and discuss it. Deal with those few people first."

Qian Xun was inwardly distressed, but he could only go to Zhu Heng and Wang Bin to discuss the matter.

Hou Tai knew he wouldn't see the King of Han this time. He knew the King of Han well. Even if he came tomorrow, he might not see him. He would make the King of Han wait a few more hours and make a few more trips. That would make the King of Han feel more at ease.

If this prince had been able to consider even half the world in his heart, instead of only focusing on the throne, perhaps Emperor Taizong would have changed his mind.

Hou Tai recalled some old stories and left the palace with a sigh.

……

Jia Chuan was having a real headache about how to arrange the rooms for these officials and who should be in the center position.
He could only ask Liu Mian quietly, and Liu Mian said, "You only need to take good care of Imperial Censor Gu and Hou Tai. As for Zeng Xiang and me... you don't need to worry about us."

Upon hearing this, Jia Chuan felt that it was as if he hadn't said anything at all. If it weren't for Gao Yunduo and Dong Yuanyuan, it would be fine. There would definitely be enough rooms in the house to accommodate these people. But men and women are different. Gao Yunduo and Dong Yuanyuan have always shared a courtyard, and now there's also Yu Yan.

Seeing Jia Chuan's troubled expression, Liu Mian said in a low voice, "You don't need to worry about this. Just ask Wu Bing to arrange it."

"Commander Liu also knows about Wu Bing?" Jia Chuan was a little surprised.

"Of course I knew, but I haven't known it for long."

Jia Chuan hurriedly asked in a low voice, "After this mission is completed, will Wu Bing be transferred to the Embroidered Uniform Guard? What position will he be given? To be honest, without him, I wouldn't have been able to do anything on this trip."

Liu Mian smiled, glanced at Gu Zuo and Zeng Xiang who were also whispering, and said to Jia Chuan in a low voice, "He wants the credit for being ennobled."

Jia Chuan nodded with a knowing look and said, "I'll go find him and, before he becomes a marquis, I'll order him around a bit more and get him to make the arrangements in advance."

Liu Mian smiled and shook his head.

Jia Chuan passed on what he considered a thorny issue to Wu Bing, instructing him to take his men back first, leaving Gao Yuntian and Chen Mo behind. He reasoned that having so many high-ranking officials traveling with them would be more effective than having a reclusive master escort them.

Jia Chuan thought Wu Bing would be in the same predicament as him, but to his surprise, Wu Bing nodded and said, "I'll make the arrangements right away."

Jia Chuan stopped Wu Bing and asked, "What about Duo Duo and Yuan Yuan?"

Wu Bing asked with a smile, "Have you forgotten that I own most of all houses in Le'an? With these few Buddhas around, I think the Prince of Han won't do anything rash. I'm not afraid of anything he says. Even without you here, we can fight more freely. The Gao family girl is recovering well. The Prince of Han's mansion doesn't know how many people I have under my command. Without a sure chance of winning, we can only let the court know that Le'an is indeed not peaceful, which is not good for the Prince of Han."

Jia Chuan thought about it and agreed. Remembering Liu Mian's words—that this man before him would one day be ennobled—he quickly bowed deeply and said with utmost sincerity, "Thank you for your trouble!"

Wu Bing was taken aback for a moment and asked, "When did you learn manners?"

Jia Chuan said seriously, "I used to be busy, but now that I have some free time, I'll be polite."

Wu Bing waved his hand and left with his men.

Jia Chuan stood there watching their backs and thought that Zhu Zhanji probably felt the weight of his father's love, and this feeling fell on Wu Bing. Wu Bing was a big fat man, so Zhu Zhanji would naturally not treat him badly. Wu Bing would live a carefree life as a marquis from now on. If he kept a low profile, his family would not have to worry about food and drink for three generations.

Jia Chuan squinted, thinking of Zhu Qizhen. Was he not even born yet? Should he put some effort into cultivating him, hoping he could one day become a marquis...? Who was by Zhu Qizhen's side in the historical records? Wang Zhen!
Jia Chuan shuddered. Forget it, I should just focus on the task at hand. Thinking too much is pointless.

……

Lin Wei sincerely hoped that these people would go back and rest. He needed to take his medicine and take a break, but Hou Tai said he would wait for him when he left. If the Prince of Han kept him there, even two or three hours wouldn't be too much.

Lin Wei shifted his position, but before he could ask if he wanted to stay for dinner, he saw Hao Wen peeking in from the doorway and waving at him.

Hao Wen received the news from the gatehouse of the Prince's mansion. He saw Qian Xun rushing out and wanted to go up and ask the Prince about the situation and if there was anything he could do. However, Qian Xun left in a hurry and didn't even look at him. When Qian Xun returned, he brought someone with him. Only then did Hao Wen start to inquire, and then he was so frightened that his legs wouldn't obey him.

Let alone the imperial censor from the capital, even if it were just Zeng Xiang, the Shandong provincial governor, he and Lin Wei would have greeted him outside the city gate. But he stayed in the gatehouse of the Prince's Mansion for more than two hours without going to greet him or being at the yamen. How can this be explained?
Hao Wen hurriedly returned to the prefectural government office, thinking he should first talk to Lin Wei and ask him to cover for him. So he peeked out from the door and greeted Lin Wei, just as Jia Chuan saw him and said with a smile, "Prefect Hao is back? Is the Prince of Han feeling any better?"

Just from this question, Hao Wen almost fell to the ground. He mustered his courage, his face pale, and stepped over the threshold with trepidation. Jia Chuan then introduced him: "This is Hao Wen, the Assistant Prefect of Le'an Prefecture. He is a good comrade. I have said before that if the Prince of Han were surrounded by people like him, I would not have needed to make this trip."

Gu Zuo's gaze immediately turned sharply to Hao Wen.

Hao Wen received the message and was so frightened that he almost knelt down. He barely managed to stand up, bowed tremblingly, and said in a trembling voice, "Judge Jia is the best joker. I am not familiar with the Prince of Han."

With a stern face, Gu Zuo beckoned to Hao Wen and said, "Come here and have a chat with me."

……

Hou Tai returned quickly, and the group rode in a carriage slowly toward Jia Chuan's residence.

After Lin Wei saw these people off, he was carried back to the inner courtyard by the servants. Hao Wen was already in the prison cell. He sat on the haystack, staring blankly, as if he had not yet recovered from the shock. He was still wondering: How did I end up sitting here?
Gu Zuo was efficient and his temperament suited Jia Chuan well. Jia Chuan tried to exchange a few pleasantries with Gu Zuo several times, but Gu Zuo ignored him, so Jia Chuan gave up.

On the way back, Jia Chuan was summoned to the carriage by Hou Tai again.

Jia Chuan was quite adept at dealing with eunuchs and handled it with ease.

The carriage moved slowly forward. Hou Tai looked at Jia Chuan with a kind expression and said, "When I was about to leave the capital..."

Jia Chuan raised his hand to interrupt Hou Tai and said very seriously, "I don't care whether you refer to yourself as a servant in front of others, but I don't have that rule in front of me! Hai Shou and I both address each other by our names, and we'll do the same."

After saying that, Jia Chuan patted Hou Tai's hand. Hou Tai smiled and said, "Alright! Hai Shou told me that you are clever... So I won't stand on ceremony with you. The Emperor has ordered me to have a private conversation with you."

"Should I listen while... kneeling?" Jia Chuan asked, sitting up straight.

Hou Tai waved his hand and said, "Just listen to what I'm saying. The Emperor said you act too recklessly, always risking your life. The Emperor is very angry. You have to do the job, but you can't risk your life right away. There will be other jobs for you in the future. You are not married and have no children yet. If you risk your life like this, and the Emperor asks who gets the credit?"

Jia Chuan smiled sheepishly and remained silent, but he was secretly overjoyed. Could this be considered an unintentional act? Of course, it was all thanks to the Prince of Han, who had inadvertently left such a good impression on Zhu Zhanji.

"His Majesty knows you are eager to make a name for yourself and are trying your best to do a good job, but preserving your life is the most important thing."

"Okay, I'll be more careful in the future," Jia Chuan said with a smile.

Hou Tai nodded in satisfaction and said, "The Emperor had not received the people from the estate before we left the capital. We only found out yesterday. Originally, the Emperor's idea was to wait. We came here for the Emperor's decree and to give the Prince of Han a chance. The Emperor also hopes that the Prince of Han can figure it out himself."

Judging from Hou Tai's words, is he really going to give the Prince of Han a chance? Is he really giving the Prince of Han a chance?
When Jia Chuan thought of Zhu Zhanji's expression that rainy night, it didn't seem like he wanted to make peace with his second uncle. He was only able to take drastic measures after forcing Zhu Gaoxu to rebel.

Jia Chuan felt that Zhu Zhanji harbored a deep-seated hatred for Zhu Gaoxu.

When Jia Chuan had discussed this idea with Liu Mian before, he hadn't realized it yet, but now it had somehow popped into his head.

Hou Tai looked at Jia Chuan, who seemed to be deep in thought, and said:
"Don't think too much. Take a few days off. Zeng Xiang will leave once the grain is transported away. I need to see the Prince of Han. He probably won't see me so soon. Liu Mian and Gu Zuo will both be staying for a while. Disbanding the guards isn't easy. Gu Zuo will investigate officials at all levels and verify the authenticity of the evidence you submitted. This is all for show. It won't be completed in a short time. If we stay in Le'an, even if the Prince of Han is reckless, he won't take action against you at this time."

Jia Chuan thought for a moment and asked, "Brother Hou, could I ask you for a favor?"

Hou Tai was stunned by the cry of "Brother Hou".

“You must know that I came from the Huangluling Patrol Office, and you must also know what happened in Huangluling back then. Forty lives were lost in Huangluling at the hands of King Zhao. I think, Brother Hou, can you help me think of a way? I want to go to Zhangde.”

"Zhangde? Zhao Wang's fiefdom? You want to see Zhao Wang? You want to..." Hou Tai paused in surprise.

Jia Chuan hurriedly said, "Don't overthink it. Even the Emperor doesn't intend to hold a grudge against Prince Zhao. What can I do? What would I dare to do? I just want to take Prince Zhao on a trip during the New Year..."

"Ok?"

"It's about taking him to Huangluling for a while, and then making sure he's safely returned to the Zhangde Prince's Mansion. Brother Hou, can you help me figure out how to get the Emperor to agree?"

Hou Tai pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and said, "Let me think about it."

……

The news that all the officials had moved into Jia Chuan's residence reached the Prince's mansion during dinner and spread throughout the streets and alleys.

Zhu Gaoxu leaned against the bed, his face still looking sickly. He had only eaten some porridge for dinner, but the others were still hungry. These people hadn't had a proper rest since Jia Chuan arrived in Le'an, and their complexions weren't much better than Zhu Gaoxu's.

Wang Bin sighed and said, "Your Highness, you must be patient! They moved into Jia Chuan's residence on purpose to provoke you, and it's also a show for the people of Le'an. Your Highness must remain calm."

"Where they live is none of my business, as long as they leave as soon as possible." Zhu Gaoxu said without even opening his eyes.

“But it’s Liu Mian who’s coming,” Wei Da said in a low voice.

"Then let him take the number of people he has, and transport the grain as well. What else? Oh, officials, tomorrow have all the subordinate officials report to the prefectural government office and have a good chat with the imperial inspector. Is the tunnel under the blacksmith's shop blocked?"

Wang Bin didn't expect that the Prince of Han would suddenly see the light and agree to do things according to the rules so readily. He had already spent some time persuading him before dinner that the Prince of Han would not agree. Food was not the problem; the main issue was the reduction of guards. They had been busy recruiting soldiers for several months, but the amount they would receive from this reduction was only a fraction of what they had earned. How could the Prince of Han give up so easily?

However, when the Prince of Han heard that these people were staying at Jia Chuan's house, he changed his mind and asked about how to deal with the tunnel. Wang Bin breathed a sigh of relief, thinking: The Prince of Han still cares about the overall situation and knows that the most important thing right now is to deal with the secret passage under the blacksmith's shop.

Zhu Heng knew that the King of Han was asking him this question, so he quickly said, "The door to the secret passage is impossible to open, so it cannot be blocked under the blacksmith's shop. However, I have ordered people to seal the door and build a hidden compartment. Now you can't find the door from the blacksmith's shop."

Zhu Gaoxu opened his eyes and looked at Zhu Heng, asking, "Can't you find it either?"

"I know where it is, of course it is..."

"You think you know where the secret door is? That's like taking off your pants to fart..."

"Your Highness, please don't be angry. Let me finish. Even if Jia Chuan brings his men to find the original location of the secret door, they still won't be able to open it. This is the best way to prove that he framed you. Can court officials really come into the Prince's residence to investigate? Even if they come, they won't find it..."

Wei Da hurriedly said, "Simply blocking the entrance to the secret passage won't work. As long as we drain the river, the water in the tunnel will naturally decrease. Then we'll know where to pump water into the tunnel entrance, and we can enter the tunnel..."

"Yes, but is draining the river so easy? It requires both building a dam and a dragon-bone waterwheel... I reckon it will freeze in the next few days, making it even more difficult. To go to such lengths to find this secret passage is a waste of manpower and resources. If the officials in the court were to submit a few memorials, the person in the capital would also have a headache."

Mei Qing hurriedly said, "We can only wait until the river freezes over. If we want to drain the river, we'll have to wait until next spring."

Zhu Heng nodded with satisfaction and said, "There is already a thin layer of ice tonight. It will freeze solid in a few days. If it snows again, even if the court sends people to investigate, they can only watch helplessly. I've calculated that the imperial decree will arrive first, and then the investigators will arrive. Even at the fastest, it will take five or six days, which is enough."

Wang Bin breathed a sigh of relief and said, "If that's the case, Your Highness can try to negotiate with them and reduce the number of layoffs..."

"No need, just follow the rules and get them to leave as soon as possible," Zhu Gaoxu said with a stern face.

Wang Bin was puzzled. He was worried that these officials would delay the operation of the hidden tunnel, but now that he was no longer worried, why was he in such a hurry to let them leave?
Zhu Gaochi provided the answer: "If they don't leave, how can I kill Jia Chuan?"

Wang Bin gasped; the prince was possessed.

……

(End of this chapter)