How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 141 Uncle Fu, hurry up and come to Beijing to show your loyalty! (Five chapters in a row, please subscribe and stop waiting!)

In the West Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, the windows were perked up, and the morning heat of June had already seeped in.

Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, was not wearing a dragon robe, but rather a worn-out Taoist robe with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He sat at the head of a round table made of rosewood, with Empress Zhou to his right, Consort Yuan to his left, and Consort Tian opposite him.

The dishes on the table were not the dazzling imperial cuisine of the palace, but just a few: several blue-flowered bowls filled with hot dry noodles mixed with sesame paste and sprinkled with scallions and diced radishes; a plate of sliced ​​three-delicacy bean curd sheets, glistening with oil; a small basket of golden and crispy fried dough; and a bowl of sweet-smelling fermented rice wine.

Empress Zhou watched as Chongzhen skillfully picked up a fried dough stick and took a crunchy bite, and couldn't help but say gently, "Your Majesty, your appetite has been quite good these past few days. This folk food looks quite refreshing."

Chongzhen chewed the noodles, mumbled an "Mmm," and swallowed before saying, "I saw it in my dream and wanted to try it. For the people of Huguang, being able to eat this on ordinary days is considered a good thing." He then picked up a mouthful of oily noodles and said to the concubines, "Everyone, pick up your chopsticks. It will get greasy when it gets cold."

Consort Tian took a small bite of the bean curd skin and said with a smile, "This is the first time I've ever eaten this. The glutinous rice and filling are so fragrant."

Consort Yuan held a small bowl and sipped the rice syrup from the rice wine, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

Emperor Chongzhen ate quickly, but seemed a little distracted. After finishing the noodles in his bowl, he picked up a piece of stir-fried eggs with chives and chewed it slowly. Suddenly, he seemed to be talking to himself: "These chives, once you cut them, you can water them and they can grow back. But if the soil is exhausted and the roots rot, then there will be nothing left."

Empress Zhou gently replied, "What Your Majesty says is true. Everything has a foundation."

Just then, Wang Chengen, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, tiptoed in, carrying a yellow silk box. He whispered, "Your Majesty, a 600-li urgent dispatch from Henan has arrived, along with memorials from Prince Fu and Eunuch Wei."

The slight relief on Chongzhen's face vanished instantly. He put down his chopsticks, took the box, and waved to his concubines, "Enjoy your meal, I have state affairs to attend to."

Empress Zhou and the others quickly rose to take their leave. The warm pavilion was now left with only Emperor Chongzhen and a few of his personal eunuchs.

He opened the box and took out two memorials. He read Wei Zhongxian's first; he didn't know who had written it for him, as the handwriting was somewhat messy. It contained accusations that the Prince of Fu had "condoned the assassination attempt," that there was "conclusive physical evidence," and that "there must be a hidden story"—it all sounded very convincing…

Looking at Prince Fu's letter, the handwriting was crooked, and the whole page was filled with "wronged", "framed by eunuchs", and "begging Your Majesty for your wise judgment".

Emperor Chongzhen examined the inscription twice, tapping his finger on the words "dagger marked with the Prince of Fu's residence" and "murder to silence witnesses." His face remained expressionless, but his eyes turned cold.

"Wang Chengen".

"The servant is here."

"Issue the decree," Chongzhen's voice was flat and even, without any emotion. "At noon today, the Grand Council will hold an audience with the Privy Council in the Wenhua Hall. The Grand Secretary Huang Lijie, the Second Grand Secretary Shi Fenglai, the Grand Secretary Sun Chengzong, the Minister of War Wang Zaijin, the Minister of Justice Xue Zhen, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review Zhang Jiude, the Heir Apparent of the Duke of Yingguo Zhang Zhiji, the Minister of the Imperial Clan Court Li Chengming, and the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Tian Ergeng are here to see the Grand Council. There must be no mistakes."

"This servant obeys the decree." Wang Chengen bowed and withdrew, then hurried off to deliver the message.

Emperor Chongzhen sat alone at the table, staring blankly at the half-eaten bowl of burnt rice wine for a moment. Then, he picked up the bowl and drank it all in a few gulps.

At noon, the doors and windows of Wenhua Hall were tightly closed, and an ice basin was placed in the corner, wisps of white steam rising from it, which slightly dispelled the summer heat.

The several high-ranking officials who had been summoned stood at attention, their robes neatly in place, sweat beading on their foreheads. Emperor Chongzhen, already dressed in his regular court attire, sat calmly on his throne.

He didn't have the eunuch read the memorial; he spoke himself, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"Two memorials, one from Datong and one from Henan, both concerning the same matter." Chongzhen briefly recounted the contents of the two memorials, without any particular emotion, as if he were discussing someone else's affairs.

"...Now, Wei Zhongxian claims that Prince Fu's uncle killed someone to cover it up, and the evidence is irrefutable. Prince Fu's uncle, on the other hand, claims that Wei Zhongxian framed him, and that he's making baseless accusations." Chongzhen paused here, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the ministers. "Gentlemen, what do you all think about this?"

The hall was so quiet that you could hear the dripping sound of melting ice.

The ministers exchanged glances, their eyes conveying a meaning only they understood. The Emperor wasn't asking them to solve the case; he was clearly using it as a pretext for his own agenda. Prince Fu was incredibly wealthy, and the Emperor had recently been discussing fines for crimes and land redemption, and had even confiscated the mansions of Prince Dai and Duke Cheng. His intentions were as clear as day. But no one could voice them directly.

How can one remain an official after making things so clear?

Grand Secretary Huang Lijie stepped forward first, bowing deeply with a solemn expression: "Your Majesty, this matter... this matter concerns the reputation of the imperial clan and implicates court officials; it is appalling! If what Duke Wei reported is true, then Prince Fu... is indeed suspected of negligence or even leniency; if what Prince Fu said is true, then court officials framing a prince is an unforgivable crime! I believe that the most urgent task is to thoroughly investigate the truth to reassure the imperial clan and uphold the discipline of the court."

His words were measured and balanced, covering both possibilities, with the emphasis on a "thorough investigation." An investigation would definitely uncover something!
Minister of War Wang Zaijin frowned and replied, “Your Majesty, what Grand Secretary Huang said is quite right. However, Luoyang is a thousand miles away from the capital, and it is really difficult to make a clear judgment based solely on the memorials from both sides. The Prince of Fu is located in the heart of the Central Plains. If this matter is delayed for too long or handled improperly, it may lead to rumors, which would damage the majesty of the Emperor and would not be a good thing for the local area.”

He pointed out the key: local disputes cannot be allowed to fester; the situation must be controlled centrally. Only when it reaches the emperor's lips can it be properly enjoyed!
Second Grand Secretary Shi Fenglai immediately echoed, "Prince Benbing is experienced and shrewd in governing the country. I also believe that this matter is no small thing and must be decided by Your Majesty's own judgment and personal investigation to bring the truth to light." Grand Secretary Sun Chengzong, always cautious, pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, there are many suspicious aspects to this matter. Although Prince Dai was deposed, he was still a member of the imperial clan. His sudden death at Prince Fu's residence means that Prince Fu cannot escape blame. Although Eunuch Wei has physical evidence, his one-sided account should not be taken at face value. For the sake of fairness, I agree with the opinions of my colleagues and suggest that Prince Fu and Eunuch Wei come to the capital together. The three judicial departments, together with the Imperial Clan Court and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, should conduct a detailed investigation, and Your Majesty should make the final decision."

Sun Chengzong was, of course, "fair," but he didn't object to extorting money from Prince Fu—Prince Fu and the Donglin faction were never on good terms!

Moreover, his anti-slavery strategy was particularly expensive.
Minister of Justice Xue Zhen and Chief Justice Zhang Jiude also quickly expressed their support for concentrating witnesses and physical evidence in the capital for a fair trial by the imperial court.

The Duke of Yingguo's heir, Zhang Zhiji, who was known as "Zhang Xianzhong," put it more directly: "Your Majesty, what Mr. Sun said is right. Whether it's black or white, we'll find out by putting it out in the open. Let Prince Fu and Eunuch Wei come, and also summon everyone who was present at the time, including the guards of the Prince's mansion and the aggrieved parties from the Prince's mansion, so that we can confront them face to face. Wouldn't that be better than just talking nonsense here?"

Although Li Chengming, the official in charge of the Imperial Clan Court, was eager to show his loyalty, he spoke in a more palatable way: "Your Majesty, this matter concerns the dignity of the imperial relatives and princes, and it is indeed necessary to be cautious. Asking Prince Fu to come to the capital to plead his case is also a way to preserve the face of the imperial clan."

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Tian Ergeng, finally stated succinctly: "I second your opinion; we will leave everything to Your Majesty's decision."

Emperor Chongzhen listened, his fingers lightly tapping the imperial desk, his face revealing neither joy nor anger. This was the "discussion" he desired. Only after they had all spoken did he slowly open his mouth, his voice carrying a deep sorrow and helplessness at being betrayed by his loved ones.

“What you’ve said makes sense. We must investigate thoroughly and get to the bottom of this. We can’t wrong an innocent person, and we absolutely cannot let go of… anyone with ulterior motives.”

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone clearly showing displeasure, but directed at Wei Zhongxian: "This Wei Zhongxian is still so careless! No matter how guilty the Prince of Dai is, he is still my great-uncle, sent by my decree to be cared for by my uncle, the Prince of Fu! How could such a thing happen in the Prince's residence? He is just a eunuch sent by imperial decree, yet he failed to provide adequate protection, failed to investigate the case properly, and all he does is write memorials to complain! He has offended a member of the imperial family and should be punished!"

This accusation, while sounding like a rebuke of Wei Zhongxian, actually reaffirms the fact that "the Prince of Dai died in the Prince of Fu's mansion," and incidentally transforms Wei Zhongxian from the "plaintiff" into the "negligent party," reducing the confrontational nature of the incident and making it seem more like the handling of an internal dispute.

Then, Chongzhen sighed again, his tone softening, with a hint of protectiveness towards family ties: "As for Uncle Fu... I know him. Your kindness is known throughout the land, how could you do such an unrighteous and inhumane thing? It must be the negligence of those below, or... there is another hidden reason. It is my fault that my uncle has suffered this injustice."

He stood up, took two steps in front of the throne, turned around abruptly, swept his gaze over the crowd, and made his decision.

"Very well! Since you all agree that a face-to-face confrontation is the only way to clarify the matter, then let's proceed accordingly!"

He returned to his throne, sat down, and his voice regained its imperial majesty.

"Preach my will."

All the ministers bowed and listened.

"Prince Fu, Zhu Changxun, shall depart immediately for the capital to meet His Majesty and present his case in person. All ceremonial regalia shall be in accordance with the regulations for princes."

"Wei Zhongxian, suspend the escort of the Dai family to Fengyang and return to the capital immediately to assist in the investigation of the sudden death of the Ming traitor Dai."

"The Governor of Henan is hereby ordered to dispatch officials immediately to escort the Chief of the Imperial Guards and the Chief Attendant of the Prince of Fu's residence, along with the aggrieved wife and children, to the capital. There must be no delay!"

"This case will be handled by the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate, with the Imperial Clan Court and the Embroidered Uniform Guard assisting. Once all witnesses have arrived, we will conduct a thorough interrogation and report the facts to the Emperor!"

The intention was clear and decisive. Allowing Prince Fu to "appear before His Majesty and plead his case" instead of "being tried" was a gesture of respect; allowing Wei Zhongxian to "cooperate in the investigation" instead of "confront" was to obscure his role; and deploying the head of the guards, the head of the palace officials, and the family members of Prince Dai from Prince Fu's residence was to control all possible witnesses.

"We obey your decree," the crowd replied in unison.

Emperor Chongzhen seemed somewhat tired and waved his hand, saying, "Go and carry out your duties. The country is in a difficult situation, with unrest in the north and east. I do not wish for any more trouble to arise at home."

He paused, as if remembering something at the very last moment, and added a sentence, his voice not loud, but it struck everyone's hearts heavily.

"If all the relatives and nobles could understand the difficulties of the court, like the Duke of Cheng, who, despite his own misconduct, had his property confiscated, that would be considered... well, if all of them could be so righteous and proactive in serving the country, contributing to the war against the slaves, why would I need to worry about such trivial matters of money, or even damage the harmony between relatives?"

These words were even more blatant than before. "Voluntary service" was the price. They even mentioned Zhu Chunchen, whose home had just been raided, as an "example."

The ministers understood immediately, bowed even deeper, and slowly withdrew from the Wenhua Hall. Inside, only Emperor Chongzhen remained, along with the ice basin emitting wisps of cold air. He leaned back on his throne, closed his eyes, and his fingers continued to tap unconsciously on the armrest.

The performance at the Wenhua Hall has now completed its first half. The second half will begin once all the leading actors have arrived in Beijing.

(End of this chapter)