Chapter Ten Misentry

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  Yingyingcao was founded and only achieved some results in the surrounding areas of Kaifeng. Zhu Yinglong urgently needed to know about the eunuchs' party and the imperial court's every move in the capital at the first time. At first, he didn't think it through and took Zhou Huanan out of the capital. After careful consideration, Zhu Yinglong decided to let Zhou Huanan enter the capital again, responsible for the preparation work of Yingying in the capital.

  Zhu Yinglong had high hopes for Zhou Huanan, and Zhou Huanan did not disappoint him. Not long after arriving in the capital, he sent a message to Zhu Yinglong, saying that the eunuch party was now unscrupulous in Beijing, and many officials were forced to resign. There were signs that the eunuch party seemed to be targeting the Donglin Party again. This news matched Zhu Yinglong's memory of history very well. The four records compiled by the eunuch party's running dogs, "Donglin Pointing Record", "Tianjian Record", and "Tongzhi Record", all pointed directly at the Donglin Party. Moreover, in March of next year, the eunuch party's cavalry would be dispatched to capture the Donglin Party members, and many people would die under their butcher knives. These people were mostly loyal ministers, famous scholars, and Confucianists who Wei Zhongxian wanted to kill. From Zhu Yinglong's perspective, he was happy to see these old reactionaries being killed, as it would eliminate future obstacles to his reforms. However, not all of them deserved to die, as they had made significant contributions in certain areas. Therefore, Zhu Yinglong selected a dozen or so people he wanted to save and handed them over to Xiong Zhaoqun to rescue, with the condition that they must not leave any traces, and could only act after the eunuch party's cavalry arrived. It was best to create the illusion of self-destruction, without giving the eunuch party any reason to suspect. Moreover, he also gave a gag order, and this matter was known only to the two of them, not even Xiong Tingyi was allowed to know half a word.

  From Chen Jiuzuo, who had been a governor for less than a year, Zhu Yinglong finally understood why so many people wanted to be officials and become corrupt officials. Three years of being a clean official, ten million Snowflake Silver, this is absolutely not an exaggeration. Facing this pile of gold, silver, and jewels that resembled a small mountain, Zhu Yinglong felt a speechless sorrow. The ancient saying "thousands of miles to hold office only for wealth" succinctly summarized the true purpose of most people in holding office.

  "Your Highness, the newly appointed Kaifeng Prefecture Magistrate He Tengjiao requests an audience!" Just as Zhu Yinglong ordered someone to carry these gold, silver and jewels into the treasury, Wang Chengen hastily ran over to report.

  He Tengjiao, also known as Yun Cong, was born when the villagers suddenly saw "a pair of golden carp flying into the He mansion and disappearing in an instant." Everyone thought that Tengjiao was a divine fish transformed from a well, and his legend was extraordinary. Even Zhu Yinglong, who didn't believe it at first, now had some doubts. After all, he himself was an example of someone hard to believe in. Zhu Yinglong had read the Ming history books and knew that He Tengjiao was a talented person, not only excelling in domestic politics but also having military prowess. This time, the eunuch party had done him a great favor by sending this talent directly to his doorstep. What reason was there to refuse? Overjoyed, he hastily ordered Wang Chengen: "Quickly invite him to the guest hall for tea, and tell him that I will arrive immediately."

  Shi Kefa was seriously injured, so Wang Chengen took over Shi Kefa's preparations for the birthday celebrations of the Prince of Xin, and he was extremely busy. He responded with a "yes" and then rushed out to spread the word.

  "The newly appointed prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture, He Tengjiao, pays his respects to Your Highness, Prince Xian!" As soon as He Tengjiao saw a young man with elegant attire and a smiling face walking in, he knew that this person was the one who had recently driven out the former prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture and was now the most powerful figure in Kaifeng Prefecture - the younger brother of the current emperor, Prince Xian of the Ming Dynasty. Although the common people were grateful to Prince Xian for driving out Chen Jiuyou, He Tengjiao knew some inside information, so he didn't think that this so-called "hero" was all that great. Therefore, when meeting him, he followed the formalities of the Ming Dynasty's etiquette without showing any personal feelings, and even with a hint of disdain.

  "Mr. He, please, no need to be polite, take a seat!" Zhu Yinglong saw that He Tengjiao was only in his thirties, but his temples already showed some white hair, and with one glance at his dignified demeanor, he couldn't help but secretly praise him as a truly upright and good official who worked for the country and its people. His heart grew even more respectful towards He Tengjiao, and naturally, he no longer paid attention to that hint of disdain or contempt that He seemed to have towards him.

  Zhu Yinglong said, "He Tengjiao has just taken office in Kaifeng Prefecture and hurriedly came to see me, the vassal king. Could something big have happened? But thinking again, how could that be possible? If anything big had happened in the imperial court, Anying would have already informed me." So he asked, "He Tengjiao, you've just taken office and suddenly come to see me today. What's the matter?"

  "I heard that the king accepted 500,000 taels of gold, silver and jewels from former governor Chen Jiu, but didn't pursue his son for the crime of forcibly taking the king's concubine?" He Tengjiao asked without any reserve.

  Zhu Yinglong's face suddenly changed color, but seeing that the other was a clean official and a talented person, he didn't make a scene on the spot, but the smile on his face disappeared in an instant, and he said coldly: "Lord He, this case has already been settled, I don't want to mention it again."

  "King Xing, do you know that among the five million taels of gold, silver and jewels, three million taels are the silver stolen by Chen Jiu from the national treasury?" He Tingjiao suddenly stood up and asked excitedly.

  Zhu Yinglong was shocked, and a huge wave surged in his heart. If things went wrong, Chen Jiuzuo might turn the tables on him, saying that he had used this as an excuse to coerce him into embezzling silver from the national treasury, with He Da-ren, known for his "integrity", as witness. In one fell swoop, he would be caught off guard and become a scapegoat if he colluded with others. The responsibility for the loss of 300,000 taels of silver from the national treasury would fall on his head. What a sinister plot! This plan was unlikely to have come from Chen Jiuzuo's hands; it was probably Cui Chengxiu's idea. Indeed, Wei Zhongxian had high regard for this little eunuch king!

  He Tengjiao looked at Zhu Yinglong, seemingly unaware of anything, secretly regretting whether he was a bit rash, speaking somewhat without knowing the weight of his words, after all, the other party was a prince!

  "What adult, what person told you that former Chen adult will send the thirty million two silver in the treasury to this king?" Zhu Yinglong asked.

  He Tengjiao thought for a moment and then said: "It was your subordinate's Push Official who told your subordinate."

  Zhu Yinglong stood up and said to He Dengjia: "I would like to have a detailed discussion with Lord He in the study, I wonder if Lord He is willing?"

  He Tengjiao hesitated for a moment, thinking to himself that he was also an official appointed by the imperial court. Although you are a noble prince, you cannot do anything to me. He nodded in agreement and said: "The prince's orders, this humble official will naturally follow."

  Upon entering the study, Zhu Yinglong also had Xu Yingyuan leave and then said to He Tengjiao: "What Lord He said is correct. I, the king, only released Chen Jiuzi's son after receiving around 500,000 taels of gold, silver, and jewels from him. However, unexpectedly, among them were 300,000 taels of white silver that turned out to be official silver from the imperial treasury. Can you believe me, Lord He?"

  He Tengjiao looked at Zhu Yinglong in surprise, he thought that even if Zhu Yinglong had tacitly agreed, he would not admit to taking Chen Jiubao's money. Unexpectedly, Zhu Yinglong immediately admitted to taking the money and said: "Your Highness' words, this official naturally believes!"

  "Believe it or not, you and I are now bound together like two grasshoppers on a string!" said Zhu Yinglong.

  "Your Highness, I don't understand this!" He Tengjiao frowned and said.

  Zhu Yinglong was also in a difficult position, and some things were not the time to tell He Tengjiao yet. All he could say was: "These 300,000 taels of silver, I absolutely cannot return to you."

  "What do you mean by this, Your Highness?" He Tengjiao had no idea about the situation between Zhu Yinglong and the Eunuch Party. When he heard Zhu Yinglong say that he wouldn't give him the money, he thought to himself: "What can I use to fill the gap of 300,000 taels?" As an honest official with a declining family fortune, he had no extra money on hand. He had come today specifically to ask for money, and if he couldn't get the 300,000 taels of silver, he would be in trouble. Losing his official position was a small matter, but there were many people at home relying on him for support. The worst part was that his lifelong reputation would be ruined from then on.

  "I'm telling you a heartfelt truth, I want to return these 300,000 taels of silver to you. If I do this, I'll be in danger. This matter isn't as simple as Lord He imagines it to be. If Lord He believes me, then when he returns, don't ask anything and don't say anything. In the future, I will give him an explanation myself." Zhu Yinglong said seriously.

  He Tengjiao looked at Zhu Yinglong with great solemnity, his face also showing sincerity. He was not foolish and vaguely guessed that this had something to do with the power struggle in the imperial court, which was not something a small official like himself could get involved in. However, these 300,000 taels of silver were national funds, but now they had been embezzled by a vassal king. He was wholeheartedly for the country and the people, and absolutely could not tolerate such a thing from happening. He insisted: "Your Highness, if you can confess honestly, I will be very impressed. However, these 300,000 taels of silver are national treasury funds, and it is my duty to retrieve them. Please return them in full, otherwise, if the imperial court investigates, I will lose my official position, and your crime will be serious."

  Although Zhu Yinglong greatly admired He Tengjiao's persistent spirit, he himself wanted to give him the 300,000 taels of silver. Now that he couldn't give it to him, if he did, all his previous efforts would have been in vain. Zhu Yinglong deliberately disguised himself as a greedy and pleasure-loving person to deceive Wei Zhongxian, making him let his guard down against him, and even using Wei's hands to make things convenient for himself.

  "This king knows, Mr. He doesn't need to say it, please go back." Zhu Yinglong knew that unless he explained the whole story, he couldn't make He Tengjiao believe him. But people's hearts are hard to fathom, and history is after all history. If something unexpected happened in between, wouldn't it be letting himself die without a place to bury his body? So he steeled himself and gave He Tengjiao the order to leave.

  He Tengjiao left in a huff, Zhu Yinglong gazed at He Tengjiao's back, sighing long and hard. This misunderstanding was probably deep-seated. A good talent like that had been pushed out by Cui Chengxiu's small trick. It made Zhu Yinglong feel disheartened and also aware of his own inadequacy. Things often only considered the first half, neglecting the second half. If he had known earlier that 30 million taels of silver among the 50 million were official silver, he would not have accepted it. It was also because the other party was too cunning, the silver they gave him did not have any official seal, all were private silver ingots from Baotong Silver Bank. Unwary, he fell into Cui Chengxiu's trap.

  "Why doesn't the king just give the 300,000 taels of silver to Lord He?" Xu Yingyuan cautiously suggested, seeing that his master's mood had turned extremely sour after meeting with He Dengjia.

  Zhu Yinglong looked up at Xu Yingyuan, his gaze making Xu's heart feel like it was going to jump out of his chest. He had never seen such a cold and piercing stare from his master before, as if he was about to be torn apart. After a moment, Zhu Yinglong's expression slightly eased, "This matter isn't as simple as you said, that's all. I don't need your service here anymore, go help Wang Chengen with his work."

  Eunuchs intervening in politics, this is exactly what Zhu Yinglong thought of just now. The corruption and downfall of the Ming Dynasty are closely related to eunuchs. Although Wang Chengen and Xu Yingyuan are very loyal to him now, it's hard to guarantee that they will remain so if he really becomes emperor in the future. They rely on their favor and become arrogant, who knows whether they will become another Wei Zhongxian? He himself also can't guarantee that he can persist until the end. Tang Minghuang is an example of this, although he has nothing to do with eunuchs, but the problem lies in the harem. This eunuch system should be abolished!

  Zhu Yinglong was afraid of being robbed and almost raped on the street, which left a shadow in Tian Shuying's heart. Not only did she stop working at the Glass Workshop, but she also took time out every day to accompany her, relax herself, and let go of her worries. The matter with He Tengjiao was giving Zhu Yinglong a headache, so he decided to go to the inner courtyard to keep Tian Shuying company, while also clearing his own mind. Listening to the talented Tian Shuying play the piano was indeed one of life's great pleasures.

  "Ying'er, is that you? Open the door!" Zhu Yinglong arrived at Tian Shuying's room and heard a voice inside, thinking she was in the room. The door was slightly ajar, but he still knocked first.

  Strange, after Zhu Yinglong knocked on the door, there was suddenly not a single sound in the room. He thought to himself, what is this girl doing? Anyway, the door wasn't locked, and she was his own wife, so he didn't think it was a big deal to enter, and he simply pushed open the door and walked in quietly.

  The room was filled with mist, all of which came from behind the screen and spread out, hot and steaming. Ah, it turned out that this little girl was taking a bath. I said why she didn't come to open the door for herself. With a flicker of her eyes, she thought, tease this little girl.

  Zhu Ying Long walked stealthily, and indeed, he saw a perfect figure with its back to him walking in the direction he was heading, appearing before his eyes. The hair was scattered on one side of the water bucket, and the outline couldn't be seen clearly under the smoke. On such a cold winter day, she was taking a bath with her upper body exposed outside, wouldn't she be afraid of the cold?

  Zhu Yinglong felt a pang in his heart, took a step forward and wrapped the motionless beauty in his arms. He didn't even look at her appearance, who else could be taking a bath in this room? Lowering his head, he kissed her, and the beauty in his arms changed from initial stiffness and tension to passionate response, letting Zhu Yinglong take the sweetness from her mouth, almost melting him completely. If not for fear of her catching a chill, this kiss would probably last until the end of time.

  "Huh, something's not right. Just as Zhu Yinglong was about to end the kiss, he felt a sense of unease. If it were Tian Shuying, she would have heard her own voice and known that she had arrived, and wouldn't just be sitting in the water bucket like that. Moreover, the two of them had done everything else together except for that last thing, and kissing was something they were familiar with, so why did it feel so awkward today? And the taste of the kiss was also somewhat different from usual. In a panic, they separated and looked at each other, and Zhu Yinglong was immediately stunned - the girl he had kissed wasn't Tian Shuying at all, but rather a Doukou girl who looked very similar to her, with eyebrows and eyes that were beyond compare."

  Zhu Yinglong immediately recognized the blushing girl he had kissed, and she was Tian Shulan, Tian Shuying's younger sister. According to legend, Tian Shuying's younger sister was brought into the palace by her older sister and caught the eye of Zhu Youjian, who favored her for a time before abandoning her, leaving her to die in solitude within the palace walls. Both sisters met with unfortunate ends. As for how Tian Shulan ended up in her sister's chambers, bathing no less, Zhu Yinglong was suddenly overcome with embarrassment, realizing he had kissed his younger aunt and seemingly reacted to it.

  "Sister-in-law Wang Ye, I like you!" Tian Shulan said in a soft voice, words that struck Zhu Yinglong like thunder.

  Zhu Yinglong was completely stunned, having met less than three times, his sister-in-law actually liked her brother-in-law so much, such a thing he had also encountered, it was too unbelievable, Zhu Yinglong's tongue was tied, he didn't know what to say.

  The water temperature in the bucket was dropping, but Zhu Yinglong felt that the surrounding air temperature was getting higher and higher, making him feel uncomfortable all over. He hastily put the seductive body in his arms into the water and said: "Shulan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." He ran out quickly, fortunately there was no one outside.

  At dinner time, Zhu Yinglong kept stealing glances at Tian Shuying's face without realizing it, and found that there was no unexpected change in her expression, as if nothing had happened.

  Hiding from his wife and having an affair with his sister-in-law, Zhu Yinglong was greatly shocked by this idea of his own, but that's nothing, his sister-in-law is so beautiful, her brother-in-law must have such thoughts unless he's not a man, thinking and doing are two different things.

  Zhu Yinglong, Zhu Yinglong, what are you not satisfied with? You have three beautiful, virtuous and capable wives, yet you're still not content. How can you have such a filthy mind? You're really not human!

  Two sisters marrying one man in this time and space is a very common thing, what's shameful or dirty about it? This isn't your original time and space, this is ancient times, the Ming dynasty. Men having three wives and four concubines is a normal occurrence, let alone you who will become emperor in the future. As long as you don't establish three palaces with six courtyards and seventy-two consorts, it's fine. If you like each other, just be together. Must you make those girls suffer their whole lives? They all say they like you!

  Forget it, let's just go with the flow. It's not the time for romance yet, we're still living in crisis mode. For now, developing our own strength should be the top priority.