"Your Majesty, the court officials are kneeling outside Huangji Gate, begging Your Majesty to rescind your decree!" the young eunuch said.
"How dare they! Kneeling at the palace gates to threaten His Majesty!" Luo Yangxing thundered, his eyes wide with fury.
Wang Cheng'en looked toward the emperor and saw him frowning, lost in thought. He lowered his head and asked the young eunuch, "How many? Who are they?"
"Grand... Grand Secretary Fan, Prefect Liu, and... and Lecturer Huang..." The young eunuch stammered as he recalled the figures outside Huangji Gate, naming those he remembered one by one.
The Thousand-Step Corridor was also known as the Six Offices Corridor. As its name suggested, it housed the offices where the six ministries conducted their business. After court adjourned, the officials did not go home, but came here to continue working.
Sun Chuanting's appointment had passed through the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel, so the other four ministries naturally learned of it soon afterward. Then word reached Shuntian Prefecture, the Hanlin Academy, the Court of Judicial Review, the Censorate, the Office of Transmission, and the other offices.
Thus, led by Grand Secretary Fan Fucui, a group of ministers pleading on Lu Xiangsheng's behalf knelt outside Huangji Gate.
"If they have questions, they can ask. If they have objections, they can raise them. What is this business of kneeling at the palace gates at the drop of a hat?" Zhu Youjian muttered, his face stern.
Wang Cheng'en raised a hand to wipe away his sweat, inwardly grumbling, Isn't it because they know how stubborn Your Majesty is? Whether they ask questions or raise objections, as if Your Majesty would ever listen!
His Majesty was growing more unyielding by the day. Once he made a decision, no one could talk him out of it!
"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Fan and Lecturer Huang are getting on in years, and the weather is cold. If they keep kneeling like this, I fear their bodies won't bear it..." Wang Cheng'en approached Zhu Youjian and gently urged him.
"I'm not the one who told them to kneel. They can leave whenever they wish!" Zhu Youjian said in puzzlement. "What? Must I go and invite them?"
"Your Majesty knows that is not what this servant meant." Wang Cheng'en chose his words carefully. "If Your Majesty speaks to them properly, they will surely understand your earnest intentions."
Like Luo Yangxing, Wang Cheng'en knew from the orders just given that the emperor would do nothing to Lu Xiangsheng. But the court officials did not know that; they thought he meant to have Lu Xiangsheng killed.
"They want me to understand their earnest intentions, but who will understand mine? Why am I doing this? Isn't it so that our Great Ming's blessings and reign may endure?" Zhu Youjian said this without blushing or missing a heartbeat. After all, he really was acting for Great Ming's future. These men were simply too foolish to understand his heart!
But everyone was mortal, after all, and no one could read his mind to discover his true purpose. At that thought, Zhu Youjian gave a quiet snort, then asked the young eunuch, "Among those kneeling, is there a Hanlin Academy compiler named Chen Zhiguo?"
"This servant remembers... I... I think there is..."
Zhu Youjian nodded. Chen Zhiguo was colluding with the Fan Family of Shanxi. Since he was now kneeling outside Huangji Gate, he had naturally already passed the news along.
"Wang, my old companion, is right." Zhu Youjian rose, walked over to Luo Yangxing, and said slowly, "They are all pillars of the court. At their age, if anything happened to them, I would feel uneasy too."
The others in the hall listened silently to the emperor. From the sound of it, he intended to soothe them and send them home!
"Find them somewhere to stay where the wind cannot reach them and they won't catch a chill. Minister Luo, go convey my wishes. Those who find the cold unbearable and wish to go home will face no consequences. Those who insist on continuing to kneel can kneel in my Imperial Prison!"
Wang Cheng'en froze at the emperor's words.
The Imperial Prison again!
Can the Imperial Prison hold so many people?
What has gotten into His Majesty?
"Of course, they are my pillars of state. Minister Luo, you must not treat them poorly. Escort them inside properly and provide them with good food and drink. No torture. Consider it a holiday I've granted them. Also, record who keeps kneeling and who listens to advice and goes home. Draw up a list for me."
His Majesty really does whatever he pleases!
The thought flashed through Luo Yangxing's mind, but he accepted the order without hesitation. Looking up and seeing that the emperor had no further instructions, he hurriedly took his leave and went out to Huangji Gate to arrest them.
The kneeling young eunuch was drenched in cold sweat. From His Majesty's words, he seemed to be in a terrible mood. Did that mean his own offense of barging into the hall was unforgivable too? Was he going to die today?
The imperial palace was enormous. Countless eunuchs and palace maids made mistakes every day, and the methods of punishment came in endless varieties.
Listening to his heart pounding like a war drum, the young eunuch prepared for the worst.
Yet a long while passed without him hearing the emperor speak. Trembling, he looked up, only to meet the emperor's gaze. In a panic, he hastily knocked his forehead to the floor again.
"Why are you still here? Is there something else?"
At the sound of the emperor's commanding voice, the young eunuch jerked his head up, confusion showing in his eyes.
Did I hear wrong? Or has His Majesty already ordered my punishment, and I failed to hear it?
"Wang Cheng'en, choose the servants attending me with more care. Don't let dull-witted fools like this offend my eyes again!" Zhu Youjian cast Wang Cheng'en a sidelong glance. Before he had even finished speaking, he lowered his head again, picked up a memorial, and resumed reviewing it.
"Yes, yes, this servant obeys." Wang Cheng'en hurriedly gave the young eunuch another kick and hissed, "Thank His Majesty for his grace and withdraw!"
Only then did the young eunuch understand. He hastily kowtowed and cried, "Thank you for pardoning my offense, Your Majesty! Thank you for pardoning my offense!" Then he rose, keeping his body stooped, and slowly backed out.
Seeing that the emperor had lowered his head to deal with the memorials again, Wang Cheng'en instructed the palace maids in the hall to attend him carefully, then stepped outside himself.
"You reckless little brat! Have all the rules you learned for serving here ended up in a dog's belly?" As soon as Wang Cheng'en left the hall, he stepped forward, twisted the young eunuch's ear, and scolded him.
"Master, master, it hurts! It hurts!" The young eunuch clutched his ear and hopped about, crying out under his breath.
Wang Cheng'en released him and glanced back into the hall. "His Majesty is merciful and let you off today. Be more careful next time. There's a whole line of people waiting to serve at His Majesty's side!"
"Jiadong understands. I'll never dare do it again!" The young eunuch rubbed his ear, which had been pinched red, and his eyes slowly reddened too. "Master, I thought I was going to die today. His Majesty didn't kill me or punish me. From now on, I'll be sure to do my duties properly!"
"I haven't even scolded you, and now you're crying." Wang Cheng'en sighed after saying this. "Enough. If His Majesty sees you crying here, you really will be punished. Hurry along!"
The young eunuch answered, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and turned to leave.
Zhu Youjian continued reviewing memorials, vaguely feeling as though he had returned to his school days, with an endless mountain of homework.
Finish today's, and there was tomorrow's. Finish tomorrow's, and there was the day after's.
There was no end to it...
When Zhu Youjian finally raised his head, rubbing his stiff, aching neck, he discovered with a start that lamps and candles had already been lit in the hall, while outside it was pitch-black.
"So soon..." Zhu Youjian turned to Wang Cheng'en and ordered, "Have the meal served!"
"Your Majesty... the empress..." Wang Cheng'en did not know whether the emperor had decided against going to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility or had simply forgotten, so he could only offer a tactful reminder.
Only upon hearing the word "empress" did Zhu Youjian suddenly remember what had happened that morning.
"Right, I forgot." Zhu Youjian hurriedly rose, but stopped abruptly upon reaching the hall entrance. "Doesn't the Imperial Treasury have incense? I remember seeing something called 'Acacia Incense' in the ledger. Have someone fetch a box."
The empress had sent over her jewelry. Although Zhu Youjian would not actually use the possessions of the inner palace to reward his soldiers, he still had to show his appreciation.
Besides, this was his first time meeting the empress. He ought not to arrive empty-handed.
When given a peach, return a precious jewel. That had always been Zhu Youjian's guiding principle.
Soon, a box of Acacia Incense arrived from the Imperial Treasury. Zhu Youjian had Wang Cheng'en carry it and set off toward the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
"Your Majesty, the imperial palanquin..." In such bitter cold, how could His Majesty walk there himself?
Zhu Youjian did not want to sit in a palanquin again. He had been sitting all day, and his backside ached. Besides, there really was little difference between the speed of a palanquin and his own walking pace. He might as well take a few steps and stretch his muscles.
Seeing that the emperor did not stop, Wang Cheng'en could only have the imperial palanquin bearers follow behind, in case His Majesty suddenly tired of walking and wanted to ride.
Zhu Youjian did not change his mind. He walked all the way to the entrance of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.
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