Ming Dynasty: Moral blackmail? I, Emperor Chongzhen, have no morals!

Chapter 103 First Encounter with Mao Ni, a native of Changzhou Prefecture, Southern Zhili.

A few days later, several eunuchs appeared on the desolate official road in Shanxi, galloping wildly on horseback.

These men were the eunuchs who were conveying the imperial decree to Prince Shen.

When they arrived at Prince Shen's residence, they found the place filled with a somber atmosphere, and they huddled together as if saying goodbye.

A few days ago, after the eunuch Gao Qiqian executed the steward of Prince Shen's mansion in the street, chaos broke out in the mansion, and Prince Shen was furious.

He wasn't angry because his steward had been killed, but because the steward had gone out without permission and clashed with the troops at the checkpoint. The emperor had no reason to punish him, but now this fool had actually handed the emperor a knife.

Although they were furious, there was nothing they could do; they could only hope that the emperor would reconsider his judgment.

These past few days, Prince Shen hasn't had a good night's sleep in his mansion. He keeps waking up in a fright from nightmares, dreaming that the emperor's decree has arrived and that the eunuchs from the Eastern Depot and the army are rushing into his mansion to arrest people and confiscate their property.

"Your Highness, the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree has arrived!" A eunuch who served Prince Shen in his personal quarters hurriedly ran into the inner courtyard and said in a broken voice.

Upon hearing this, Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, suddenly stood up, his arms trembling uncontrollably.

After a moment, he slowly walked with his leaden legs to Princess Liu and Consort Wang, and knelt down to touch the two boys and one girl at their feet.

He longed to see his son and daughter grow up, but now it seems that the chance is gone.

"If...if anything happens to me, may you all continue to live..." Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, said, choking back tears.

"Your Highness."

"father"

Two adults and three children were crying together.

After a while, Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, wiped away the tears of the group, looked around the room, and said despairingly, "Let's go."

He really wanted to end it all by dying, but he didn't dare. If he didn't die, the emperor might treat him the same way he treated the Jin and Dai princes, killing only him and exiling the others. If he really committed suicide to defy the emperor, he might be executed along with his entire family.

So, Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, felt like each day was an eternity. Now that the people from the Eastern Depot have arrived, it's a relief...

Prince Shen, accompanied by his queen, concubines, son, and daughter, and a group of servants from the royal palace, arrived at the main courtyard.

Prince Shen knelt at the front: "Your subject, Prince Shen Zhu Jionghong, kowtows to Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live ten thousand years."

"By imperial decree, Prince Shen, you have been used as a pawn. You are hereby ordered to conduct a self-investigation. If you require the cooperation of the Eastern Depot, simply give the order!" The slender voice of the Eastern Depot eunuch finished speaking and stepped forward to help Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, to his feet. "Your Highness, please rise. His Majesty has another letter to write."

As he spoke, the eunuch from the Eastern Depot handed the box containing the letter to Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong.

The emperor showed no intention of punishing Prince Shen, and the eunuchs of the Eastern Depot treated him with utmost respect. If it were an imperial edict to confiscate his property, Prince Shen would have already been taken away...

Upon hearing the eunuch's message, Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, stood frozen in place.

"Will Prince Shen conduct his own investigation first, or do you need our cooperation?" the eunuch from the Eastern Depot reminded him again.

Upon hearing the voice, Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, finally realized what was happening and quickly kowtowed in gratitude.

After standing up, he said, "I will trouble you to come with me, Your Excellency."

Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, was more than happy to see the Eastern Depot involved. He dared not investigate on his own, for if he killed several people and the clues were cut off, he would be in a real mess. Now that the emperor had not confiscated his property and had even reminded him that he was being used as a pawn, he was overjoyed.

It feels so good to be alive after such a disaster; even the air smells sweet.

Then, Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, regained his pre-incident authority: "Princess Consort Liu and Consort Wang, did this person report to you two before entering the residence?"

Although Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, was terrified and trembling with fear by Emperor Zhu Jian, he was still the absolute head of the Shen family, and no one dared to disobey him.

"We had no idea!" Liu and Wang said in unison.

Just as Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, was about to ask further questions, the Prince's Palace Seal Clerk, an official in charge of the Prince's Palace's seals and tokens, who was an eighth-rank official, squeezed to the front and bowed to Prince Shen, and then bowed to the eunuch of the Eastern Depot.

"Your Highness, I know that man. He was sent into the manor by the Left Chief Secretary. He came to me before to collect the imperial seal!"

Upon hearing this, Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, was furious. Was this Chief Secretary Zuo blind? What kind of person had he appointed? But he restrained himself and continued to ask, "Where is the Chief Secretary Zuo?"

"Your Highness, I am still observing mourning in my hometown," the Right Chief Secretary stepped forward and said.

The Chief Secretary of the Prince's Mansion is a fifth-rank official. This Right Chief Secretary was only dispatched to the Prince's Mansion by the imperial court two years ago. The reason was that the Left Chief Secretary was observing mourning for his parents, and the Right Chief Secretary was temporarily vacant, so a replacement was sent, while the Left Chief Secretary was allowed to return to observe mourning for his parents.

Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, knew about the Left Chief Secretary's mourning period, but he didn't know how long it had been.

"Go, bring him back."

"I'm afraid... I'm afraid we need an imperial decree?" the Right Chief Secretary said helplessly.

The princes did not have the authority to arrest officials of the fifth rank, because these were officials appointed by the imperial court.

Before he could finish speaking, the eunuch from the Eastern Depot offered Prince Shen a way out, saying, "Tell us where he is observing mourning, and we'll send someone over."

The Eastern Depot had the authority to arrest not only a fifth-rank chief secretary of a prince's mansion, but also a second-rank provincial governor. However, after the arrest, they needed to immediately report the news to the emperor, explaining the urgency of the situation and the reason for the arrest. Only after receiving the emperor's decree could they proceed with further action. Otherwise, the people in the Eastern Depot would lose their heads, because this was no longer the era of Wei Zhongxian.

"Southern Zhili, Changzhou Prefecture"

"What? Changzhou Prefecture?" the eunuch from the Eastern Depot asked in surprise.

Prince Shen is in Luzhou, Shanxi, while Changzhou Prefecture is in Jiangnan, a thousand miles away from Shanxi. It's impossible to bring him back in a short time.

"Yes."

"The Left Chief Secretary was dispatched by the imperial court and is probably a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) from a certain year," said Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, from the side.

Seeing this, the eunuch from the Eastern Depot whispered in Prince Shen's ear, "Your Highness, please have the others disperse."

Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, nodded. He was now completely obedient to the Eastern Depot; otherwise, these lackeys of the emperor would probably have reported him to the emperor. He quickly said, "Let's disperse for now."

Having said that, he gestured for him to come closer for tea: "Would you like to come to the main hall for some tea, Your Excellency?"

The eunuch from the Eastern Depot nodded slightly: "The Right Chief Secretary may also come along."

"Yes."

As the group entered the room, a pot of fine fragrant tea was immediately served. The eunuch from the Eastern Depot, seated at the head of the table on the right, took a sip of tea and slowly asked, "Does the Right Chief Secretary know the Left Chief Secretary?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, I do not know you, and I have never met you before," the Right Chief Secretary replied truthfully.

"Where are you from?"

"I am from Yulin, Shaanxi."

Sitting to the left of the main seat, Prince Shen muttered uncertainly to himself, "That steward seems to be from Changzhou Prefecture as well?"

Upon hearing Prince Shen's words, the eunuch from the Eastern Depot suddenly looked up, his face turning cold. If one of them were from Changzhou, it would be fine, since there are Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) everywhere. But if there were two, it would be a coincidence. One of them died, and the other was in mourning.

"Right Chief Secretary, go and find out where the dead man came from. We'll wait for you here."

"Yes."

After the Right Chief Secretary left, only Prince Shen, Zhu Jionghong, and the eunuch from the Eastern Depot remained in the room. Zhu Jionghong turned slightly to the side and whispered, "Does Your Excellency think there's something wrong with these two?"

The eunuch from the Eastern Depot shook his head: "We don't know, it's just a bit strange that Changzhou is such a place..."

'