Coercion and Inducement

The Prince's Residence guards were locked up nearby. Seeing Sun Xin hanging there in such misery, they began kicking their cell doors in fury.

Pan Yun turned back and swept them with a cold glance. Wu Zhihong stepped forward and barked, "What are you making such a racket for? Whether you are guilty or not, you will know soon enough. I am but a humble County Magistrate—without absolute certainty, would I dare lock up and interrogate the Prince's Household Administrator and his guards?"

One guard said, "Whether we are guilty or innocent, a mere County Magistrate like you has no right to interrogate us! Above us is Prince Lu, and Prince Lu is under the Imperial Clan Court's jurisdiction. What qualifications do you, a mere County Magistrate, have to interrogate us?"

Wu Zhihong sneered. "What happens within my jurisdiction naturally falls under my authority. During the Hongwu era, even if the Grand Ancestor High Emperor committed an offense in a county, he would still be subject to the County Magistrate's authority. Much less a lowly guard like you?"

"You—His Grand Ancestor High Emperor was broad-minded and magnanimous..."

"Could Prince Lu be greater than the Grand Ancestor High Emperor, that he could bypass the Founding Emperor?"

The guard had no reply.

Wu Zhihong said, "If you ask me, Prince Lu and his Heir have broken the law and violated discipline partly because of the likes of you. With the Household Administrator and guards so contemptuous of law and so overbearing, even if Prince Lu and the Heir were willing to humbly accept advice, what good counsel could they possibly receive?"

The guards were left red-faced by Wu Zhihong's words. They wished they could shake Sun Xin awake. They were martial men, clumsy with words, and could not refute Wu Zhihong. They