Volume One, Chapter Seven: Morning Court (Part Two)

Page (1/3)

“Also, Your Highness, I am curious—how is it that with your official salary, you can frequently hold poetry gatherings and drink parties? And why do you have a concubine whom you redeemed from the brothel for a thousand taels of silver?”

As Zhu Xuan questioned each word, Liu Sanwu and the others sensed something amiss. They fell silent, betraying their comrades by omission.

Meanwhile, the elderly scholar was nearly losing his balance under the relentless interrogation.

After all, a prince uncovering one’s secrets so swiftly and covertly was truly chilling upon reflection.

“You... you...”

The old man’s eyes blazed with fury as he shakily pointed at Zhu Xuan, clearly ‘delighted’ in a twisted way.

“You say that embezzling and accepting bribes is unworthy of my father the emperor’s favor? Isn’t that being ungrateful? Betraying imperial grace?”

“Ungrateful scholars, isn’t that right?”

“Furthermore, I recall that the elder has in his home a plaque bestowed by the previous emperor, do you not?”

“Quite well preserved, too~”

“Hm? Speak up!” Zhu Xuan’s tone grew colder with each word, and his final shout frightened the scholar so deeply he collapsed to the floor.

“Don’t be like that. Didn’t you want to curse me, you scoundrel? Why are you on the ground then?”

“Hurry up and stand, lest I gain a reputation for having an unfilial son when I leave the palace again. Gentlemen, what do you say?”

Zhu Xuan looked at those ‘pillars of the state’ with a half-smile.

“Enough, I won’t play games with you. Truly boring.”

Then Zhu Xuan pulled from his bosom the memorial Qin Yi had given him that morning and coldly addressed the ministers:

“Don’t doubt it. This memorial contains all the evidence of your greed, bribery, abuse of power, and scheming. You have betrayed the emperor’s trust—does this not amount to ingratitude?”

“I am cursing you, learned men! So what? Who dares to stand and tell me they are upright and pure? I will bow and apologize to them myself. Who dares?”

“Why are you all silent? How many of you scholars have not betrayed the people and the emperor? How many have not betrayed Confucius in your books? How many still hold the pride of a true literati?”

“Scholars, ha! Truly shameless. I am glad for Confucius—among his teachings, you have learned hypocrisy, greed, and power-mongering. Truly impressive.”

Page (2/3)

Zhu Xuan sneered mockingly.

“May I ask, gentlemen, are you satisfied with my explanation?”

Having said that, he ignored the sour-faced scholars, turning to report to Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao:

“Father, elder brother, this is the evidence uncovered yesterday against this group of scholars. Some are deeply guilty. I ask you to punish them severely.”

Zhu Xuan handed the memorial to Zhu Yuanzhang.

“Heh, truly a worthy son. Look at the misdeeds you’ve committed! You plague-ridden pests, scholars? My son scolds you rightly!”

Zhu Biao looked helplessly at his father’s angry rebuke of the court officials but refrained from intervening. As the Prince of Qin, he could speak freely, but as emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang had to be more cautious; after all, the Ming dynasty still needed scholars to govern.

“Father, please be careful with your words. Now is the time to determine punishment.”

“What is there to discuss? For minor crimes, reduce salaries, demote positions. Those who oppress the people and embezzle shall be executed with their entire clans exterminated, skinned alive and buried with weeds. Let all see what scholars truly are!” Zhu Yuanzhang declared fiercely.

“Father!”

Zhu Biao was distressed by his father’s ruthless resolve.

“Enough. We’ll discuss this later. Court is dismissed.”

Zhu Yuanzhang waved off Zhu Biao and left.

‘Better to leave quickly, or Biao will try to persuade me to punish only three clans. It’s that bunch of sour scholars who’ve spoiled my good son. Nine clans exterminated is good—it keeps the family together and earns merit. Why can’t Biao understand this?’

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the crown prince poised to pursue him and silently complained as he quickened his pace to escape.

Unbeknownst to them,

Hu Weiyong, standing in the chancellor’s seat, watched the proceedings quietly, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, the officials whispered nervously amongst themselves to conceal their inner fear.

Because today’s events reminded them of a familiar presence—the once-dismantled agency known as the Supervisory Department.

~

Page (3/3)

At breakfast in the Kunning Palace, Zhu Xuan trailed behind excitedly, dining with Empress Ma, Old Zhu, and the crown prince.

“You went a bit too far this morning, Second Brother,” Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Xuan’s nonchalant demeanor.

“Even if you bring evidence, those plague-ridden vermin won’t let you off.”

Zhu Xuan munched on pickles, casually brushing it off: “At most, I just got a few scoldings. No big deal.”

“Second Brother, did Father’s spanking yesterday help? Does it still hurt?”

Empress Ma fed Zhu Xuan some pickles, her tone full of concern.

“Heh, sister, you don’t know—this rebellious son didn’t get spanked at all yesterday. He ran away. And then at court, he rambled nonsense about spankings and kneeling at ancestral halls—not a single truth.”

Zhu Yuanzhang added offhandedly, criticizing Zhu Xuan.

“Slap!” Empress Ma smacked Zhu Yuanzhang’s arm the moment he started berating their second son.

“Cough!” Zhu Yuanzhang, sipping porridge, nearly choked. “Sister, what was that for?”

“Do you still have to ask? Second Brother did nothing wrong. Why call him rebellious?”

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang awkwardly nodded, thinking to himself, I was just speaking offhand, and now she’s scolding me like an empress dowager.

Zhu Biao, suppressing a smile at Old Zhu’s antics, praised Zhu Xuan to their mother.

“Hahaha, Mother, Second Brother was truly impressive at court today. You didn’t see it—he sarcastically tore into those civil officials. They were almost shamed to death. Our Second Brother has grown up!”

“Yes, he has grown,” Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, then grew serious and said to Zhu Xuan:

“Second Brother, come help your father and elder brother with some work—either at the Ministry of Revenue or the Ministry of War. Though I am emperor, you probably won’t enjoy an easy life. The realm remains unstable.”

“Elder Brother’s Eastern Palace isn’t bad either,” Zhu Biao added casually, sipping his porridge.