Chapter Thirteen: Li Jinglong’s Conspiracy

"Young master, are you really going to accept the White Lotus Sect's invitation?" After seeing Wei Tonghe off, Liu Yuan asked with a worried look.

The White Lotus Sect was considered heretical in the Ming Dynasty. After Zhu Yuanzhang took the throne, he banned the sect entirely; anyone discovered could be executed first and reported later.

"Of course I’ll accept. Why wouldn’t I?" Zhu Yang replied. "Not only will I accept their invitation, I plan to infiltrate the upper echelons of the White Lotus Sect..."

"I get it! You want to go undercover, like a secret police agent!" Lü Jin chimed in from the side.

"Nonsense! Do you take me for someone so lacking in ambition?" Zhu Yang rolled his eyes impatiently. "If I’m going to infiltrate the White Lotus Sect, it’s to become the sect leader. Then the entire White Lotus Sect will be mine to command. Why would I fear rebellion in my own house?"

In truth, Zhu Yang had no real interest in being a sect leader. He simply wanted to use the White Lotus Sect to draw Zhu Di’s attention after the Jingnan Rebellion, so Zhu Di wouldn’t notice a large number of his own people had vanished and, in his ensuing fury, turn his vengeance on Zhu Yang.

"Wow, young master, you’re truly incredible!" Liu Yuan gazed at Zhu Yang with unabashed admiration.

"Is that so?" Zhu Yang looked at Liu Yuan with a half-smile. "Your flattery is decent, but that doesn’t mean you’ll escape punishment. Tell me, how do you explain being tailed?"

"I know! Since it didn’t result in serious consequences, it’s fifty strokes of the rod!" Lü Jin raised his hand, eager to answer.

"You..." Liu Yuan glared at Lü Jin, gritting his teeth. "No one would mistake you for a mute if you kept your mouth shut!"

"Heh, heh," Lü Jin replied smugly. "I’m an expert at taking a beating. How could I let this chance slip by?"

"Fine, if death is what you seek, let’s face it together." Liu Yuan turned to Lü Jin, saying, "I’ll report Lü Jin for spreading rumors!"

"Good point! I almost forgot about that!" Zhu Yang slapped his forehead, remembering the infuriating rumors circulating outside—rumors that had even gotten him blacklisted from the brothels. What a disgrace.

He’d originally hoped to emulate Liu Yong in the last years of the Hongwu reign, charming the brothel girls with his poetry so that not only would they swoon, but they might even pay him for his company.

Now, whether or not he could make them swoon was uncertain, but one thing was clear: not only would they not pay him, they might not even be willing to see him for free.

"You two, go find a bench in the courtyard and lie down. Today, I shall personally administer your punishment!" Zhu Yang, seething, grabbed a long rod. He was eager to vent his frustrations.

...

The courtyard echoed with cries of pain. Outside, Zhu Biao and Jiang Huan exchanged glances, then wordlessly headed toward the palace.

"Jiang, keep an eye on the White Lotus Sect in the capital, but don’t act against them just yet. Let Zhu Yang handle it—I’ll report everything to the emperor myself," Zhu Biao said, patting Jiang Huan on the shoulder for reassurance.

Today, eavesdropping by the wall, the biggest revelation was that Zhu Yang seemed to dislike the secret police, even holding them in some contempt. This left Jiang Huan feeling awkward, for Zhu Yang was the future emperor, and Jiang Huan was the head of the secret police.

If the future emperor already disdained a particular institution, it was certain that after his ascension, he would abolish it—much like the fate of the Ming Dynasty’s chancellorship.

"Work hard; there’s still time," Zhu Biao said softly. Though Zhu Yang might be dismissive now, Zhu Biao felt he would live for decades yet. As long as the secret police accomplished real achievements in that time, Zhu Yang might well change his mind.

"Yes!" Jiang Huan nodded, deeply moved. Only now did he truly understand what the phrase "a gentleman dies for one who truly knows him" meant.

...

In the Marquis of Cao’s mansion, Li Jinglong sat at the head of the hall, face clouded with anger.

"Have you found him yet?" Li Jinglong asked.

"No... no sir," the servants replied, trembling with fear.

"Useless! Get out there and find him. He must be found today. And keep a close watch on the examination hall—if any news comes out, report to me immediately!" Li Jinglong thundered.

"Yes, sir..." The servants scurried out, eager to be anywhere but before Li Jinglong.

"Hmph, you really are a rat—not only good at stealing, but at hiding too," Li Jinglong muttered, stroking the scepter in his hand.

The "rat" in question was none other than Zhu Yang, now busy thrashing his underlings.

Xu Miaojin had always been the woman Li Jinglong was determined to have.

After inheriting his title, Li Jinglong kept only four or five concubines in his household and never took a formal wife, waiting for the day he could marry Xu Miaojin and make her the most honored lady in the empire.

Finally, when Xu Miaojin reached marrying age, Zhu Yang appeared out of nowhere—not only painting her portrait at the Scholar’s Tower, but spreading rumors of their supposed affair all over the city.

Li Jinglong felt as if he wore a green hat for all to see.

What man could tolerate such humiliation?

Li Jinglong was furious. He wanted Zhu Yang dead.

His original plan had been to send a few thugs into the crowd on the day the examination results were announced—once Zhu Yang appeared, they would cripple him on the spot.

A crippled Zhu Yang would never become a successful scholar, for the court would not appoint a disabled man as a tribute scholar.

Disgraced and disabled, Zhu Yang would soon be forgotten, and Li Jinglong could dispose of him at his leisure.

But plans never keep pace with change. The rumors became too explosive, the gossip too rampant, and the crowd too unwieldy. When the gates of the examination hall opened, the thugs couldn’t even get close. They could only watch as Zhu Yang escaped, after which he vanished altogether.

As long as Zhu Yang lived, that humiliation remained.

Li Jinglong decided to implement his backup plan: find a way to use the imperial examination to drag Zhu Yang down.

As Zhu Yuanzhang’s grandson by marriage, Li Jinglong knew his imperial uncle tolerated no flaws. Should any arise, he would purge the entire chain to its roots.

The imperial examination was, in Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes, as precious as his own sight.

Li Jinglong soon found an opportunity. Through his connections, he learned that the students’ exam results were generally mediocre—only a few stood out, and among them was Zhu Yang.

He also discovered from his servants that the top scholar candidates had been distracted by a few odd questions posed by Zhu Yang, causing them to lose focus and perform below their usual standard.

Disrupting the scholars before the exam and profiting from his own deceitful words—Li Jinglong realized he had a powerful weapon, one that could have Zhu Yuanzhang execute Zhu Yang several times over.

So, while continuing the search for Zhu Yang, Li Jinglong began to focus on the date the results would be posted. On that day, he would have the censor impeach Zhu Yang, stir up public outrage, and wait for Zhu Yuanzhang to fly into a rage, order Zhu Yang’s execution, and perhaps even exterminate his entire clan.