The incident occurred on West Street, and the Crown Prince was arrested by officers from the West City Command. Naturally, he was detained in the inner prison of the West City Command.
The Crown Prince and his eunuch were brought out of their cell to face the West City Censor.
The Five Cities Command was responsible for arrests, while the Five Cities Censors were in charge of interrogations, as per their respective duties.
“Are you the miscreants who committed indecent acts at the Treasure Pavilion, resulting in three deaths and over a dozen injuries due to the ensuing stampede?” The West City Censor, a middle-aged man with an elongated face, was quite troubled, feeling that this case would be difficult to handle.
The indecent behavior of these two could be classified as a violation of public morals, but the resulting casualties made it much more complicated to judge.
Fortunately, the Ministry of Justice would ultimately handle it. After the initial interrogation, the case would be transferred there.
For the Five Cities Censors, it was standard procedure to transfer difficult cases to the Ministry of Justice after preliminary questioning.
“How dare you call our master a miscreant!” the eunuch angrily rebuked.
The eunuch’s characteristic high-pitched voice startled the West City Censor. He immediately glanced at the eunuch and, seeing the pale, beardless face of the speaker, his heart sank.
This was not good. This appeared to be a palace eunuch!
In the Great Zhou Dynasty, only the royal family employed eunuchs, specifically either in the palace or in princely mansions…
If the man before him was a prince, that would be someone he absolutely couldn’t afford to offend. And if he was from the palace— the West City Censor shuddered.
That would be beyond mere offense.
“Gag them!” The West City Censor, no longer concerned with interrogation, made a swift decision to prevent the eunuch from revealing their identities. Inwardly, he cursed the West City Command’s officers.
These fools were going to be the death of him, arresting people without proper investigation.
Thank goodness for the Ministry of Justice!
Before the Crown Prince could react, he was efficiently gagged and sent to the Ministry of Justice.
“Why are they still gagged?” A Ministry official asked, puzzled.
The officer in charge of the transfer pointed to his head. “These two aren’t quite right up here. If we don’t gag them, they spout nonsense…”
The Ministry official nodded in understanding and glanced at the case file. “Indeed, they must be mentally unsound. Of all places to misbehave, they chose the Treasure Pavilion, such a crowded place—”
As he spoke, the official suddenly felt something was amiss.
People who could afford to misbehave at the Treasure Pavilion must be wealthy, right?
If they were wealthy, then it wasn’t a matter of being mentally unsound. The young masters of Beijing would do anything for a thrill.
Based on experience, these two might well be of significant status—
“Ungag them.”
The Crown Prince’s mouth was finally freed, and he gasped for air.
“Who are you?”
If they were from prominent families, this could be an opportunity to extract some silver. Surely, these two wouldn’t want their elders to know about their shameful acts.
As for the casualties at the Treasure Pavilion, that was simple enough—just make them pay more in compensation.
Can’t afford it? Well, then their families would have to be notified to pay the ransom.
The Ministry official had thought it through quite thoroughly.
If it were a murder case, of course, it couldn’t be handled so casually. But today’s casualties were accidental, leaving much room for discretion.
Faced with the official’s question, the Crown Prince was momentarily at a loss.
His previous two attempts to reveal his identity had been silenced. What if they gagged him again this time?
The first time he was gagged, he was sent to the City Command office. The second time, he was sent to the Ministry of Justice. If he were gagged again, wouldn’t he end up before his father, the Emperor?
At this thought, the Crown Prince’s vision darkened.
“Why aren’t you speaking? Who exactly are you? Speak up!”
Panicked by the questioning, the Crown Prince turned to look at his eunuch, then lunged forward and yanked down the eunuch’s trousers.
The eunuch was stunned, as was the Ministry official.
Upon seeing the eunuch’s smooth lower body, the official snapped to attention, his face immediately turning grim.
The Crown Prince heaved a sigh of relief. “You see? He’s a eunuch!”
“And you are—”
“I am the Crown Prince.”
The Ministry official collapsed on the spot.
The Crown Prince’s heart leaped with joy.
Did they believe him now?
“Release me at once, and I’ll forgive your crime of disrespect—”
Before the Crown Prince could finish, the official covered his face and ran away.
The Crown Prince was bewildered. He turned to the eunuch, “Where did he go?”
The eunuch, pale-faced and swaying, replied, “Could he have gone to report to his superiors?”
For once, the eunuch, whom the Crown Prince considered extremely stupid, had guessed correctly.
Upon hearing his subordinate’s report, the Vice Minister of Justice’s voice changed, “The arrested person claims to be the Crown Prince?”
The subordinate nodded vigorously, “This official has confirmed that the other person is indeed a castrated eunuch.”
The Vice Minister’s first instinct was to flee, but considering the stampede casualties at the Treasure Pavilion, if the arrested person truly was the Crown Prince, it would eventually come to light. Evading responsibility would lead to later accountability. So, he abandoned the idea of fleeing and anxiously tugged at his beard.
“Sir, what should we do?”
“Well, let’s report this to the Minister first.”
The Minister of Justice was slightly more composed than his Vice Minister. He steeled himself to take a look, but his scalp immediately prickled.
It was the Crown Prince!
The Crown Prince spotted the Minister of Justice and called out, “Minister Gao, release me at once!”
The Minister of Justice didn’t even know how he managed to walk up to the Crown Prince. “This humble servant greets Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, the Minister of Justice recognized him!
“No need for formalities. Quickly, have these people release me. I’m already late returning to the palace today.”
The Minister of Justice, slightly hunched, replied, “Your Highness has been wronged. This servant will escort you out immediately.”
The Crown Prince’s heart finally settled.
Recently, he had been returning to the Imperial City from the Ministry of Revenue around this time. If he went back now, it would be as if nothing had happened.
The Crown Prince left the Ministry of Justice and headed straight for the Ministry of Revenue. He then hurriedly escaped back to the Imperial Palace with the secret guards he had left at the Ministry of Revenue.
What the Crown Prince didn’t know was that as soon as he left the Ministry of Justice, the Minister immediately went to see Emperor Jingming.
With matters having escalated to this point, the Minister of Justice was powerless to cover for the Crown Prince. Reporting to the Emperor promptly was the wisest course of action.
Emperor Jingming had just inquired about the Crown Prince’s recent performance. He naturally didn’t believe a word of the officials’ praise for the Crown Prince, but the fact that the Crown Prince could dutifully attend the ministries to observe governance was satisfying enough.
There was no help for it. His only legitimate son was just this mediocre. It wasn’t as if he could stuff him back and give birth again.
Theoretically, the Crown Prince’s education had never been neglected. He had been taught and guided by the greatest scholars of the age. How had he still turned out this way?
Emperor Jingming was deeply perplexed, wondering if perhaps his expectations were too high.
Never mind. If the Crown Prince could just behave himself and be a decent person, he should be able to manage as a ruler who maintains the status quo.
Just as he had consoled himself, Emperor Jingming’s eyelid began to twitch.
His previously calm expression suddenly changed, with only one thought in his mind: Oh no, another mishap. What could it be this time?