When Zhu Min’er heard these words, his hand trembled as he gripped Su Jin’s hand, releasing it as if burned.
Yet he still did not believe Zhu Zhaowei’s words.
He glanced at Su Jin—he had always thought her handsome, exceptionally clear-featured and refined, but he had never imagined she could be a woman.
He had read Su Jin’s writings and knew how, after the Zhaojue Temple incident, she had fought her way out of desperate straits step by step.
How could someone so brilliantly talented and unyieldingly resilient be a woman?
“You—what nonsense are you spouting?!” Zhu Min’er erupted in fury. He turned to look at Zhu Nanxian. “Imperial Brother, are you just going to let him slander Su—”
His words cut off halfway, for there was no surprise or anger on Zhu Nanxian’s face—only calm, silent acceptance.
Such an expression told him that Su Shiyu being a woman was the truth.
“Seventeenth Brother, your imperial brother has treated you with such affection—has he never mentioned to you the true reason why he has refused to take consorts all these years?” Zhu Zhaowei said with a smile, then clicked his tongue twice, as if somewhat concerned for them, and continued, “A woman wouldn’t be so bad—at worst, she’d be convicted of deceiving the sovereign. This prince recalls that in the twelfth year of Jingyuan, when the Central Secretariat was abolished, the then-Prime Minister Gao Chong was convicted of colluding with remnants of the previous dynasty—a crime of treason punishable by execution of nine generations. Later, when the investigation reached Prime Minister Xie, the charges were the same. Who can tell this prince why the granddaughter of this traitorous prime minister, who should have long been executed, now stands properly before this prince? She has risen all the way to the powerful position of Vice Minister of Justice—what are her intentions? And these two before me—one the Crown Prince, one the leader of all ministers—they knew this early on yet allowed it to continue. What of it? Have they been bewitched, or do they intend to commit treason alongside Su Shiyu?!”
“You’re lying!” Zhu Min’er roared angrily. “Though I was born late, I know that Prime Minister Xie retired in the third year of Jingyuan, and those charges later… they were actually… actually trumped up!”
“Trumped up?” Zhu Zhaowei laughed. “Seventeenth Brother, do you know whom you’re questioning with these words? Are you saying Father Emperor falsely killed Prime Minister Xie?”
As he spoke, he looked around. The Jinwu Guards and Capital Guards had been asked to leave by Zhu Nanxian earlier. In the palace courtyard, besides the several of them, there knelt four trembling palace maids.
Zhu Zhaowei smiled again. “By the way, where is Concubine Yu? Earlier this prince had her deliver a message to His Highness the Crown Prince—why is she nowhere to be seen?”
As Zhu Zhaowei said this, he stared at Zhu Nanxian.
He understood his thirteenth brother—born with a kind heart, he could never bear to harm innocent people.
However, at this moment, Zhu Nanxian met his gaze and said word by word: “In this palace, there is no longer anyone called Concubine Yu.”
Zhu Zhaowei’s expression froze.
Immediately after, Zhu Nanxian called out loudly: “Qin Sang!”
“Present!”
“Take these four palace maids away and execute them.”
“Yes!”
In mere moments, Qin Sang entered with three Jinwu Guards and dragged away the four palace maids who had just heard the earth-shattering secret that “Su Jin is Prime Minister Xie’s granddaughter.”
Zhu Nanxian looked at Zhu Zhaowei and said with extreme calmness: “Whom else do you wish to tell? This prince can kill them all.”
Zhu Nanxian understood that he could not let Zhu Zhaowei think he could act without fear simply because he held leverage over Su Jin—that would certainly put her at a disadvantage, put all of them at a disadvantage.
He needed to make it clear that this tactic was now useless.
Zhu Zhaowei’s expression turned extremely ugly. After a while, he sneered: “What is the meaning of this? If this prince tells the entire world about this matter, will you kill everyone in the world for this Su Shiyu?”
“No need,” Zhu Nanxian said. “This prince only needs to kill you.”
“Thirteenth Brother!” Zhu Qiyue said in a heavy voice. He paused, then continued, “I will not speak of Vice Minister Su’s background to anyone, but I absolutely will not allow you to kill Seventh Brother.”
At this moment, Liu Chaoming said: “Did Seventh Prince send Concubine Yu to Weiyang Palace and falsely claim that Consort Qi was in labor to lure Seventeenth Prince here just to watch His Highness the Crown Prince execute a few palace maids?”
Zhu Zhaowei said coldly: “What does Lord Liu mean by this?”
Liu Chaoming said: “You went to such great lengths simply to see whether this secret about A’yu of the Xie family could buy you a few more days of life, didn’t you?”
As he spoke, his eyes turned cold: “Does Seventh Prince not know? When negotiating a deal, one must also consider one’s capital. Someone who cannot even preserve his own life—what qualifications does he have to stand here and negotiate!”
Hearing these words, Zhu Zhaowei clenched his hand into a fist, rage blazing in his eyes.
Yet he could not say a word.
Because what Liu Chaoming said was true. His current situation was even worse than Zhu Nanxian’s in the Eastern Palace earlier this year—back then, Zhu Nanxian still had the Jinwu Guards, still had the Nanchang Army, still had Shen Qingyue and Su Shiyu running about for him, and was still the legitimate heir of the imperial family and rightful heir to the Eastern Palace. But what of himself now? The Fengyang Army was blocked in Anqing Prefecture by the Nanchang Army, all twelve divisions of the personal guards now answered to Zhu Nanxian alone, his former subordinate Zeng Youliang could not contend with Su Shiyu, and Du Zhen of the Ministry of Finance could not suppress Shen Qingyue, who was about to be promoted to Minister.
So Zhu Nanxian did not even bother to imprison him, allowing him to remain as Seventh Prince, still managing affairs at the Imperial Clan Court. After all, he could not escape, and when the time came to kill him, he would naturally be killed.
“Given your current circumstances, understanding why you’re still alive is far more important than attempting a desperate struggle,” Liu Chaoming looked at Zhu Zhaowei and continued casually. “After all, everyone in this palace has their own scales in their hearts. If your ambitions reach too high, why not try telling a few more people this secret about A’yu of the Xie family, and see whether the reason you’re alive can still protect you.”
After Liu Chaoming finished speaking, Zhu Nanxian looked calmly at Zhu Zhaowei. After a long moment, he said lightly: “Seventeenth Brother, let us go.”
Zhu Min’er said with half-understanding: “Imperial Brother, are we just letting him go like this today?”
But Zhu Nanxian did not answer. He turned and walked toward the palace exit.
The group walked from Yanhe Palace all the way to the front palace. When they were about to reach Fengtian Hall, Liu Chaoming stopped, turned to Zhu Nanxian and said: “After Shen Qingyue secures the military supplies for the Northwest, I hope Your Highness will eliminate this threat as soon as possible.”
Zhu Nanxian said: “This prince knows. When the time comes, this prince will act immediately.”
Liu Chaoming then bowed to him: “This subject still has matters to attend to and will return to the Imperial Censorate first.”
After Liu Chaoming had gone far, Zhu Nanxian glanced at Zhu Shiqi, who looked like he wanted to speak but hesitated. Without saying much, he only said to Su Jin: “Tonight I must discuss the military supplies and expenses for the Northwest campaign with Minister Gong and Shen Qingyue. You… if you feel uneasy, I will come to the Ministry of Justice to accompany you later.” He paused. “I’m only afraid it will be too late and will disturb your rest.”
Su Jin smiled faintly and said: “I have no concerns. The Ministry of Justice still has many matters to handle, and I have no time to dwell on these troubles Zhu Zhaowei has stirred up. Rather, Your Highness labors over state affairs and has not rested well for several days. Now the court must prioritize the military supplies and expenses for the Northwest as the foremost matter. After discussing matters with Qingyue tonight, retire early so you can be refreshed for tomorrow’s court deliberations and think through countermeasures.”
Zhu Nanxian nodded and headed toward Fengtian Hall with Zhu Min’er.
At this moment, dusk was gathering, yet the sunset was not brilliant. Overhead, a mass of clouds looked as if someone had taken a mortar and pestle and smeared them across the vault of heaven—a thin, vast expanse, blurred and indistinct, unable to gather rain yet blocking the sun and moon.
Su Jin stood there watching for a while. Feeling the wind suddenly rise around her, she headed to the Ministry of Justice.
The wind grew cooler—autumn was likely approaching. By nightfall, it had become a howling force, swirling throughout the entire imperial palace.
After Zhu Nanxian’s group left, Zhu Zhaowei did not immediately leave Yanhe Palace either. After all, wherever he went now, whatever he did, someone was watching—what difference did it make where he stayed?
He even deliberately found a hexagonal pavilion to rest, ordering someone to heat a pot of wine.
Zhu Qiyue also did not leave. He took the wine from the palace maid’s hands, and the two each turned over a cup and filled them. After thinking for a moment, he asked: “Seventh Brother, I didn’t quite understand Liu Yun’s words earlier.”
What did it mean—the reason why Seventh Brother was still alive?
Since there was a reason for being alive, why did they say this reason could not protect Seventh Brother?
Zhu Zhaowei turned the cup in his hand and said methodically: “What’s so difficult to understand about this? Back then, Father Emperor killed all the meritorious officials, leaving too few military generals at court. Zhu Nanxian has become Crown Prince and will soon inherit the throne. Among those who can now command the three armies, only you remain. The reason I’m still alive is because you’re willing to stake your life to protect me. Zhu Nanxian and Liu Yun are people who care about the realm—they put the greater good first in all matters. Unwilling to move against you, they naturally spare my life.”
Zhu Qiyue said: “If that’s the case, then I’ll go negotiate with them. As long as they let Seventh Brother return to Fengyang to live out his days in peace, whether they have me guard the Northwest or the South, even if I guard for a lifetime, even if I die there, I would be willing.”
Zhu Zhaowei smiled: “What do you have to negotiate with them? Liu Yun already made it clear—if I make any rash moves, the reason I’m alive will become the reason I die. They keep you to guard the borders and protect the common people. If they let me go back because of you, freeing me from the control of the capital, and I raise an army, causing disaster to the people within the realm—wouldn’t that be contrary to their original intentions?”
Zhu Qiyue said in bewilderment: “Then can’t Seventh Brother promise Thirteenth Brother and Liu Yun that you absolutely will not raise an army?”
“If I promise, will they believe me?” Zhu Zhaowei laughed. But he quickly withdrew this smile, his eyes showing fierceness: “Moreover, I will not promise. I have fought against the Eastern Palace my entire life—Zhu Minda died, and then came Zhu Nanxian. This has always been a fight to the death.”
“But,” Zhu Qiyue’s eyes dimmed, “if I go on campaign, who will protect Seventh Brother?”
His Adam’s apple moved up and down, and for a moment he looked extremely distressed and confused: “Why has it come to such strife? Eldest Brother is dead, Third Brother and Fourteenth Brother are ruined, and even Thirteenth Brother… is no longer the way he used to be.”
“Indeed,” Zhu Zhaowei glanced at Zhu Qiyue, paying no mind to his emotion. He smiled and said, “Now Thirteenth Brother also has Liu Yun’s assistance. I can never compete with him again. However—”
He drew out the final sound, his smile fading somewhat, yet it was genuine: “Earlier, I put together the signs from these past years and recent events, along with Su Shiyu’s background, and suddenly discovered something very, very, very, very interesting.”
“What?” Zhu Qiyue asked.
Zhu Zhaowei smiled faintly and placed the wine pot on the table with a thud: “Thirteenth Brother killed five people today to keep Su Shiyu’s secret. So tell me—as Left Censor-in-Chief, why would Liu Yun sit by and do nothing while His Highness the Crown Prince kills people in disregard of moral principles?”
Zhu Qiyue frowned: “Although Su Shiyu is a woman, her talent is exceptional and her intelligence remarkable. She has always been valued by Liu Yun. He also received Elder Meng’s request to look after her, so it’s natural for him to care for Su Shiyu.”
“No, that’s not it,” Zhu Zhaowei said. “When Su Shiyu fell into the water years ago and Zhu Minda wanted to kill her for bringing misfortune to the sovereign, Thirteenth Brother saved her, and Liu Yun also went. Later, when I set a trap at the Ma residence to ambush Thirteenth Brother, Thirteenth Brother went for Su Shiyu’s sake, and Liu Yun also went with the Embroidered Uniform Guard. On the day of Zhaojue Temple, Thirteenth Brother had already left for Nanchang, yet because he accompanied Su Shiyu to deliver a letter, he was delayed by two hours. That letter was sent by Liu Yun through Su Shiyu. Imagine if Su Shiyu had not gone to deliver that letter but had stayed in the palace with Shen Qingyue to consider the reasons for Qian Zhihuan’s retirement—with their abilities combined, they might have rushed to Zhaojue Temple, either rescuing Zhu Minda or dying with him.
“In the third month, when Thirteenth Brother fled the Eastern Palace and I sent people to hunt down Su Shiyu at Zeng Youliang’s residence, she only survived because Liu Yun rushed to save her. But given Liu Yun’s infallible methods and his power in the palace, don’t you find it strange that he put himself alone in danger that day? The agent I sent to Shu to investigate Su Shiyu’s background was killed by Thirteenth Brother, but Thirteenth Brother was leading the Nanchang Army on a forced march day and night—who told him the agent’s whereabouts? In this palace, who else has the ability to both discover my agent’s trail and accurately know Thirteenth Brother’s itinerary? Thirteenth Brother and Liu Yun never had deep ties—fundamentally, they are two completely opposite types of people. Why are these two now so united, one killing to establish authority and the other threatening with warnings, working together so seamlessly?”
Zhu Zhaowei paused here, then slowly smiled, then smiled again, as if both cautious and utterly certain: “I know now. I know what Liu Yun’s weakness is.”
“His thoughts run too deep, his actions have too many purposes, which is why I could never see through him as a person. His weakness is actually the same as Thirteenth Brother’s.”
“This weakness is enough to make both of them blind to the obvious.”
“I had planned to live a few more days, but it seems a perfect opportunity now presents itself. Since it’s a dead end anyway, this time, this prince will stake his very life to gamble with the two of them!”