As soon as Zhu Zhaowei entered the central courtyard, he saw Liu Chaoming and Su Jin simultaneously emerging from the duty office.
Without wasting words, he immediately ordered: “Take Minister Su away.”
Two Imperial Forest Guards behind him acknowledged the command and were about to step forward to apprehend him when Liu Chaoming raised his hand to block them, saying coldly: “May I ask Your Highness the Seventh Prince, for what reason do you presume to arrest someone in my Imperial Censorate?”
Zhu Zhaowei laughed once: “Does Lord Liu not know? Yesterday, Minister Su detained Imperial Forest Guard Commander Wu Yusheng at the Ministry of Justice without cause to write so-called testimony, leading to failures in palace security. The Thirteenth Prince Zhu Nanxian has gone missing, and this prince is precisely summoning Minister Su for questioning and accountability.”
“If Your Highness the Seventh Prince refers to the testimony Wu Yusheng submitted to the Ministry of Justice regarding the case of the late Crown Prince’s murder—” Liu Chaoming said, “this matter was jointly discussed by this official, Minister Su, and Minister Zhang of the Court of Judicial Review. The Ministry of Justice summoned witness Wu Yusheng by order, and the Three Judicial Offices jointly filed to retry the case.”
“Ridiculous!” Zhu Zhaowei said. “My elder brother’s murder was due to internal rebellion within the Imperial Forest Guard. The relevant criminals have long been executed. Even if the Three Judicial Offices wish to retry the case, they should have consulted with this prince before making such a decision. Acting so presumptuously—how can we know this isn’t Su Shiyu abusing his authority under the pretense of the Ministry of Justice investigating cases? Lord Liu, as Left Censor-in-Chief, you bear the responsibility of supervision and inspection. Are you trying to cover up Minister Su’s crimes?”
“This official has already stated that reopening this case was a joint decision of our Three Judicial Offices. If Your Highness the Seventh Prince finds it inappropriate, why not summon all Three Judicial Offices together for questioning.” Liu Chaoming paused, then suddenly smiled. “However, I wonder if Your Highness the Seventh Prince can find an appropriate person in the court and countryside to jointly interrogate us Three Judicial Offices?”
These words truly struck at Zhu Zhaowei’s sore spot.
Now the court had no monarch, and the Three Judicial Offices had become the highest criminal justice institutions.
In ordinary times, the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Imperial Censorate checking and balancing each other would be acceptable, but what was feared was them suddenly standing united like branches of the same tree. In such circumstances, unless Zhu Jingyuan or the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace exercised sovereign authority, no one could do anything to them.
Zhu Zhaowei was so angry his teeth itched.
Initially, he had exhausted his efforts trying to install his own people in the Ministry of Justice, never imagining that Su Jin would secretly outmaneuver him.
Later, when he saw that Su Shiyu had parted ways with Liu Yun since entering the Ministry of Justice, he had indeed breathed a sigh of relief. But he didn’t know what had happened yesterday—how after one night, before dawn even broke, these two had reconciled and were working in harmony again.
This wouldn’t do, Zhu Zhaowei thought. If he couldn’t break through the Three Judicial Offices, ascending to the throne would be truly difficult.
“The Three Judicial Offices retrying the case of the late Crown Prince’s murder is not unacceptable, but matters are matters—one thing at a time. This prince’s brothers, one missing and one poisoned, have connections that cannot be separated from Minister Su.” Zhu Zhaowei said. “What, this prince cannot even summon Minister Su for a conversation?”
As he spoke, he directly called out: “Imperial Forest Guard!”
“Present!”
“Never mind the Imperial Censorate, take Minister Su away!”
This was using force.
Liu Chaoming’s brow suddenly furrowed, fierce intent clearly visible in his eyes. However, before he could speak, another group of people suddenly arrived from outside the central courtyard.
It was actually Zuo Qian and his accompanying Golden Crow Guards.
“Your Highness the Seventh Prince, Lord Liu, Minister Su, this lowly general today received orders to guard the Six Ministries’ offices and the Imperial Censorate. Hearing there was a commotion here, I came especially to ask Your Highness and the two lords if there is anywhere this lowly general can be of use?”
Though his words included Su Jin and Liu Chaoming, he was staring at Zhu Zhaowei as he spoke, meaning “if you make a move, I’ll make a move.”
The rotation of the Imperial Guard units was typically one month training troops at the Northern Great Camp, one month guarding the palace.
Zhu Zhaowei finally understood—no wonder starting from February, Zuo Qian had been willingly dispatched away, leading the Golden Crow Guards to the Northern Great Camp.
Zhu Nanxian had probably calculated early on that he would leave in the third month, specifically ordering Zuo Qian to rotate back after he left to protect Su Shiyu.
It was truly admirable that his usually carefree thirteenth brother had now become so meticulous for the sake of Su Shiyu.
Forget it. Things had reached this point; today was not the best time to make a move.
When Zhu Zhaowei left the Imperial Censorate, much of the anger in his heart had dissipated.
After savoring Liu Yun’s final fierce glare in his mind, he suddenly understood something.
Initially discovering that Su Jin’s background was related to Qi Boyuan and Meng Liang, he had thought she was merely a descendant of some old acquaintance of those two veteran strategists. But today, seeing how Liu Yun would spare no cost to save Su Shiyu, he suddenly somewhat understood who this old acquaintance was—
He thought of the character “Xie.”
His footsteps paused, and Zhu Zhaowei coldly said: “Are the two characters Su Jin truly Su Shiyu’s real name?”
A close attendant beside him answered: “In reply to Your Highness the Seventh Prince, this humble one checked the household registration. This matter is absolutely true, and Minister Su’s household registration was properly registered from the day of birth.”
“That may not necessarily be true.” Zhu Zhaowei smiled.
With Chancellor Xie’s far-sighted wisdom, arranging multiple identities early on for his relatives and descendants would not be difficult.
The only regret was that Chancellor Xie had been deceased for over a decade. Only today did he think that Su Jin’s background might be related to this famous greatest scholar of the age.
“Send someone to catch up with the scouts in Shu. Have them focus particularly on investigating Xie Xu—investigate him to death. Anyone in Shu who had contact with Xie Xu back then, even if they only spoke one sentence, exchanged one glance—capture and interrogate them all one by one.”
As Zhu Zhaowei spoke, he looked toward the first ray of light breaking through the distant clouds and slowly smiled: “This prince has a premonition that this Su Shiyu’s true identity will be extremely interesting indeed.”
At the third quarter of the hour of the Rabbit, Shen Jun emerged from the Court of Imperial Clan and saw a tall, slender figure waiting for her outside Gongxuan Gate.
Zhu Yushen wore crimson armor, gentle warmth rising in his usually deep eyes.
Shen Jun had originally been somewhat apprehensive, fearing he would blame her for abandoning their young son to rush back to the capital for Shen Xi’s sake.
But upon seeing the faint smile at the corners of Zhu Yushen’s lips, she forgot this apprehension entirely. Her heart and eyes were filled only with the joy of reunion. Removing the red-tasseled spear from her back, she ran to him in two quick strides: “Fourth Brother, half a year without seeing each other—you and I should have a match!”
This was an old habit she had developed as a child chasing after him to practice martial arts. Though she clearly couldn’t beat him, she still loved to compete, hoping that by pursuing his interests this way, following him around, he would remember her a little more, and in his heart, she could be a little different from others.
Her peach-blossom eyes rippled like spring water as the weapon in her palm swept across like a swimming dragon.
Zhu Yushen neither dodged nor yielded, raising his arm to block precisely. The spear tip struck his iron bracer with a “clang.”
His wrist turned upward, grasping the spear shaft in a reverse grip and pulling it back. Shen Jun was drawn into his embrace.
“I’m about to depart for the campaign. Only tonight did I hear you’d returned, so I came to see you.” Zhu Yushen said softly, then released her and asked, “Have you already gone to see Qingyue?”
Shen Jun asked doubtfully: “How does Fourth Brother know?”
A barely perceptible smile graced Zhu Yushen’s lips as he glanced at the grass and mud on her boot tips: “After returning to the residence, have the servants help you wash your boots.”
Shen Jun followed his gaze downward, rubbed her boot tips against the ground, and laughed cheerfully: “Fourth Brother is still so thoughtful!”
She glanced at the sky, then said with particular helplessness: “It’s a pity that for Fourth Brother’s campaign this time, Third Sister cannot accompany you. Second Sister has passed away, Father has been exiled, and Qingyue nearly lost his life. Zhu Zhaowei and I are now irreconcilable enemies. I must remain in the capital to investigate all those who harmed my Shen household. I will make them all pay the price.”
Zhu Yushen looked at her silently. After a long while, he took her hand and said warmly: “Not accompanying is fine. Walk with me for a while—consider it a farewell.”
Shen Jun then happily said: “Alright.” She thought for a moment. “Fourth Brother, after the Thirteenth ascends the throne and he and I finish taking our revenge together, I’ll immediately return to Beiping. Please trouble Fourth Brother to look after Jun’er and Jin’er first.”
Zhu Yushen turned his face to glance at her, saying lightly: “Very well.”
When generals departed for campaigns, inner family members could not see them off.
Though Shen Jun also held the title of Xuanwu General, because she wasn’t wearing her general’s uniform, she was stopped by guards before reaching Xianchi Gate.
Outside Xianchi Gate, soldiers from all directions formed battle arrays, horns sounding repeatedly.
This campaign departing from the capital consisted of over ten thousand men. Together with Zhu Yushen’s forces in Beiping, there were altogether some two hundred thousand troops. Even so, to wage war against Northern Liang’s three hundred thousand soldiers was still extremely arduous.
Since the Great Sui dynasty’s founding, warfare with Northern Liang had been constant.
Before the eighth year of the Jingyuan era, Northern Liang had even occupied Beiping Prefecture and refused to withdraw. Later, Marquis Anding led troops on campaign and, though recapturing Beiping, Northern Liang had continued disturbing the borders without peace.
Until the fifteenth year of Jingyuan, ten years ago, when nineteen-year-old Zhu Yushen volunteered to command the forces and campaign in the northern frontier, defeating a larger force in one battle that made his name, he finally drove the Northern Liang army back beyond the northern border, thoroughly securing the Great Sui’s peace.
The clouds that had accumulated overnight didn’t bring rain. By the hour of the Dragon, they were actually broken through by ten thousand feet of spring light.
The farewell wine should be presented at the Ten-Li Pavilion outside the western city. In truth, not many officials came to see him off from within the palace.
Zhu Yushen had just finished leading his generals in offering sacrificial wine to the state and altars when he saw at one end of the long avenue a person wearing a crane rank badge, with a cool and aloof bearing, walking slowly toward them.
It was none other than Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Chaoming.
Drawing nearer, Liu Chaoming bowed to Zhu Yushen, saying in clear, light tones: “This official received orders to investigate a case and happened to be leaving through the Western Xianchi Gate. Thinking that Your Highness the Fourth Prince was departing for campaign today, I came over to see Your Highness off.”
Zhu Yushen extended his hand to help him up: “Lord Liu need not be so courteous.”
At this moment, someone in the crowd said: “Lord Liu is also here.”
Liu Chaoming looked in the direction of the voice and saw Zhu Yiheng emerge from the crowd. Drawing near, he laughed once and said in a voice only the three of them could hear: “What a coincidence—Lord Liu and I are traveling the same route together.”