The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Leaving the Jiaofangsi

Li Jinglong and Zhu Bai stood on the side of the street, both silent.

After a long while, Zhu Bai raised his head: "No, I must report this to my father. The Imperial Examination Hall is where scholars from all over the country strive to achieve their goals. If something goes wrong at the Imperial Examination Hall, it will be a disgrace to the Ming Dynasty. Scholars from all over the country will look down on the court."

Li Jinglong replied indifferently, "Hehe, the one in charge is the Marquis of Linchuan, your maternal grandfather."

Zhu Bai suddenly waved his hand: "Then I'll uphold justice and even kill my own family!"

Li Jinglong was speechless.

The Zhu family is all like this; when they get ruthless, they'll turn on their own family first.

"Don't worry about this, I'll handle it," he said in a deep voice.

Zhu Bai looked at him with suspicion: "You? What are you planning to do?"

"To tell you the truth," Li Jinglong leaned closer, "His Majesty has long suspected the Marquis of Linchuan and ordered me to investigate him secretly, so I'm the most suitable person to handle this matter."

Zhu Bai was stunned.

He stared at Li Jinglong for a while before he realized what was happening.

"No wonder, last time you came with me to my grandfather's house to ride horses, you kept asking all sorts of questions."

Li Jinglong looked miserable: "Your family has ruined me. Do you know how difficult this is for me?"

Zhu Bai snorted and said matter-of-factly, "What's so difficult about it? Just enforce the law impartially."

Li Jinglong rolled his eyes dramatically.

Enforcing the law impartially?

Is your father trying to uphold justice? No, he's using your grandfather's head as a warning to others, to make an example of him and take back all the imperial pardons from Huaixi Xungui.

At that time, rivers of blood will flow and heads will roll.

"Jiujiang," Zhu Bai said earnestly, "I'll help you."

Li Jinglong was startled and quickly waved his hands, "No, no, no, Zhu Twelve, please don't get involved. Just pretend you don't know anything about this."

If a prince were to be involved, wouldn't Old Zhu (Zhu Bajie) fly into a rage? That would cross Old Zhu's bottom line.

As the two were talking, a carriage stopped in front of them.

Li Jinglong looked up and saw the driver, and exclaimed in surprise: "The brave eunuch, Eunuch Wang?"

Wang Jinghong's eyes almost rolled to the sky.

He ignored Li Jinglong and bowed to Zhu Bai: "Your Highness Prince Xiang, His Majesty summons you to the palace immediately."

"Does Father know I've joined the Imperial Music Bureau?" Zhu Bai's expression changed drastically.

Wang Jinghong nodded.

Li Jinglong was also shocked: "No, the news spread so fast? The Embroidered Uniform Guard is like a surveillance camera!"

Zhu Bai didn't understand, and his face was full of worry as he urged, "Get in the car quickly."

Once inside the carriage, Wang Jinghong flicked the reins, and the carriage sped away.

Zhu Bai's face turned pale, wondering what he would do when he saw his father, the Emperor.

Li Jinglong, however, remained quite calm, greeting him with a smile, "Eunuch Wang, you can drive a carriage too?"

Wang Jinghong didn't even turn his head: "Yeah, our family also poops."

"Father-in-law, what triggered you today?" Li Jinglong asked, rubbing his forehead.

Wang Jinghong turned and glanced at him: "Young Duke, could you please stop calling me 'Brave Eunuch Wang' from now on?"

"Wasn't I just praising you?"

"Hehe, thank you so much."

Li Jinglong waved his hand magnanimously: "Alright, since you don't like it, we won't call you that anymore. Eunuch Wang, did His Majesty summon us to the palace because we joined the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau)?"

"Of course!" Wang Jinghong replied.

"Are there any other reasons?"

"I don't know about that, but you all need to be careful later. His Majesty heard that Prince Xiang went to the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment district), and has already ordered the rattan cane to be prepared."

Zhu Bai: "..."

"Li Jiujiang, it's all your fault."

"Your Highness, you can't say that. You came of your own volition. And you said you would take full responsibility."

Zhu Bai's lips twitched.

……

Soon.

The two entered the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on his throne, holding a rattan cane in his hand, his face ashen.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

The two obediently knelt down.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not allow them to get up.

"How dare you! At such a young age, you're already going to the brothel?"

"We issued an imperial edict! Officials are strictly forbidden from entering or leaving the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau), yet you went there brazenly? Huh?"

Zhu Bai mustered his courage and prepared to take on the responsibility alone.

The King of Heroes keeps his word.

"Your Majesty!" Li Jinglong interjected, "It's all my fault. I was on my way to investigate a case at the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) when I encountered Prince Xiang. Thinking that more people would be more helpful, I dragged him along. His Highness is innocent; it's all my fault."

Zhu Bai turned to look at him, unable to believe it.

When did Li Jiujiang become so loyal?

"Investigate a case? Investigate what case?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked coldly.

"Your father-in-law's case, huh?" Li Jinglong shrugged.

Zhu Yuanzhang's lips twitched, and he asked, "So what did you find out?"

Li Jinglong sighed, his face grave: "Your Majesty, this is a serious matter. Ma Sandao, he accepted bribes."

He then recounted in detail what had happened at the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution). He explained clearly how Ma Sandao had redeemed Xiao Cui, where the three thousand taels of silver came from, and how the Marquis of Linchuan had instructed him to purchase inferior materials for the imperial examinations to make a profit.

Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth in anger: "That Ma Sandao, what a disgrace! A dignified marquis, going to find a prostitute to be his wife?"

"Father!" Zhu Bai raised his head. "Ma Sandao is still loyal. He's just senile and has been bewitched by a woman."

Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted with a cold laugh: "He dares to cut corners at the examination hall? This is the first imperial examination in the Ming Dynasty since the exams were suspended. All the scholars in the country are watching."

"Is he trying to embarrass us in front of all the scholars in the country? If something happens at the examination hall, if a building collapses and kills someone, what will the world say about us?"

"Let's chop him down!"

Li Jinglong quickly said, "Your Majesty, please calm down! Please calm down!"

"Your Majesty, let's not alert them yet. Since this case is under my jurisdiction, leave it to me. I will investigate it thoroughly and make sure that those who should be arrested are arrested and those who should be executed are executed. No one will escape."

Zhu Bai raised his head: "Father, I request to handle this case together with Jiujiang."

"No way!" Li Jinglong blurted out.

Zhu Bai grew anxious and turned to glare at him: "Why not? You can investigate, why can't I?"

"Zhu Twelve, it's because you have no brains," Li Jinglong said confidently. "I'll handle the work that requires thinking."

"Li Jiujiang!" Zhu Bai roared, "You're asking for it!"

He rolled up his sleeves, clenched his fists, and was about to pounce on Li Jinglong.

"Stop!" Zhu Yuanzhang shouted coldly. "This case is to be handled by Jiujiang. Twelfth Prince, don't get involved."

Zhu Bai, his face full of defiance, declared: "Father! Your son can do it!"

"You're no good," Li Jinglong added, delivering another blow.

Zhu Bai's eyes were bloodshot: "Li Jiujiang, I'm going to beat you up today."

Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted, "Jiujiang, we'll remember your crime of bringing the prince to the brothel. Solve the case well and you can atone for it. If you don't, you'll be punished for both crimes. Alright, you may leave now."

Li Jinglong, head drooping, got up from the ground and walked dejectedly out of the hall.

Alas, His Majesty still loves his own son dearly.