Chapter 41

Chapter 41

## The True and False Heiresses 11

Zhu Yuanzhang: “…”

His face contorting, Zhu Yuanzhang struggled to argue, “How can you talk about money when your work is to bring prosperity to the people and benefit all living things? Your vision is too narrow!”

Mr. Cai sneered. “The realm belongs to your family, not mine. Why shouldn’t I talk about money? Do you think I have nothing better to do than invent work for myself, bring my own provisions to help you conquer the realm, and wish your descendants eternal rule for ten thousand generations? Food, firewood, oil, salt, clothing, shelter, and travel. Which of those costs nothing?! A man cannot fill his stomach on air!”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s face flushed crimson, the veins on his forehead bulging as he protested, “Benefiting all living things… How can benefiting all living things be sullied by talk of money? Such a vulgar thing…”

Then came a string of incomprehensible remarks about how “work elevates the soul” and how “working all year without a day off is a blessing.” Mr. Cai began to laugh scornfully. The emperors in the System’s space also roared with laughter, and the air everywhere filled with merriment.

Mr. Cai would never have spoken so sharply in the past. Yet meeting the King of Wu today, he sensed that times had changed and the man himself had changed considerably. That was why he had risked saying what he did.

Now, seeing the King of Wu merely startled and angry, without ordering his subordinates to drag Mr. Cai out and behead him, Mr. Cai’s estimation of him rose still higher. His tone softened as he advised, “The wars beneath Heaven are not yet over. With a vast army and supreme authority in your hands, the King of Wu can naturally decide all matters with a single word. But what of the future? Will you continue in the same fashion after uniting north and south and ascending the supreme throne? Will every one of your descendants possess your courage and resolve, enough to stand against every official in the realm and have all who defy them dragged out, flayed, and stuffed with straw?”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s heart shook violently. The anger between his brows vanished in an instant.

He knew the answer was no.

Across the Great Ming’s two hundred and seventy-six years, not a single emperor had surpassed him. Even his fourth son, Judy, revered by later generations as the Yongle Emperor, had only come infinitely close.

…Sorry, Fourth.

Father misspoke. Your name is Zhu Di.

The King of Wu’s silence amounted to concession and agreement, though he could never say so aloud.

Mr. Cai knew he had won him over. He straightened his robes, bowed solemnly, and said, “The King of Wu rose from the humblest station. Can you truly be ignorant of how common people and low-ranking clerks live? An official who embezzles more than sixty taels is flayed and stuffed with straw. Harsh laws and severe punishments may deter corrupt officials, but official salaries are meager, and every part of daily life costs money: clothing, food, shelter, travel, firewood, rice, oil, and salt. Social obligations cannot be avoided, nor can sickness. When a man has no money in his hands and no food in his belly, yet wields power, how can he not be tempted toward wrongdoing?”

He sighed. “Embezzling sixty taels gets a man flayed. Embezzling six hundred gets him flayed too. Either way, he faces the cruelest punishment and certain death if discovered. Why would he not steal more while he is at it?”

Zhu Yuanzhang listened in silence and did not speak for a long time. Mr. Cai did not press him, but waited quietly while he considered the matter.

After a long while, Zhu Yuanzhang finally said with hesitation, “The practice of burial sacrifice will end here. After my death, I will follow the example of the emperors of the previous dynasty. Women with children will be supported in the palace, while those without children will shave their heads and enter religious life. Their lives will be spared. As for official salaries, that matter will require careful deliberation by the men below…”

He lifted his eyelids and added listlessly, “You will take charge of it.”

Mr. Cai had offered counsel on three matters, and the King of Wu had accepted two. Delighted by the unexpected success, his voice brightened. After bowing in thanks, he asked tentatively, “Regarding my first proposal, the matter of flaying and stuffing men with straw and other cruel punishments…”

“Put that thought out of your mind. That law will never be abolished!” Zhu Yuanzhang snarled, his fierce eyes wide.

Mr. Cai: “…”

Very well.

Persuading this stingy, conservative miser to abandon burial sacrifice and raise official salaries was already more than Mr. Cai had expected. There was no need to force the issue of abolishing flaying, straw-stuffing, and other cruel punishments for now.

Troubled times demanded severe laws. A measure of terror might do the world some good.

With that thought, Mr. Cai said no more. He bowed again and readily submitted. “I shall obey the King of Wu’s command.”

Zhu Yuanzhang was pleased in the end to have won the allegiance of such an extraordinary talent. When the servants outside heard the conversation subside, one announced their presence and entered with fragrant tea.

With official business concluded, Mr. Cai inevitably remembered the main purpose of his journey to Huaizhou. He took a sip of tea, considered his words for a few moments, then said slowly, “Although I was elsewhere, I heard a great deal about the Deposed Heir’s troubles…”

Zhu Yuanzhang waved a hand, unwilling to hear more. “What you told him was bitter medicine, but sound counsel. That bastard has been bewitched and refuses to listen no matter what. What can either of us do about it? Enough. Let us speak no more of him!”

Mr. Cai had traveled a great distance to guide his disciple and believed he had fulfilled his duty as a teacher. Whether the Deposed Heir listened and whether he acted on that advice were his own affairs.

Good counsel could not save a ghost bent on death. If the Deposed Heir refused to turn back before striking the wall, Mr. Cai could do nothing for him.

Hearing Zhu Yuanzhang speak that way, Mr. Cai did not plead for his disciple. Instead, his brows drew together in suspicion. “I met with the Deposed Heir today. At the time, only teacher and disciple were in the room. How does the King of Wu know what I said to him?”

Zhu Yuanzhang: “…”

The crash came without warning.

The emperors in the System’s space gathered eagerly to watch Old Zhu’s humiliation. Liu Che laughed so hard he began to squeal like a pig. Zhu Yuanzhang choked on a mouthful of tea and coughed for ages without managing a single word.

Mr. Cai was exceedingly shrewd. After a moment’s thought, he sneered. “The King of Wu is not merely a famous general of our age. You are remarkably skilled at espionage as well!”

Exposed on the spot, Zhu Yuanzhang inevitably felt awkward. Then he reconsidered and declared with perfect righteousness, “A man with nothing to hide has nothing to fear. If you have done no wrong, why should you care that I know what you said? The sages taught us to harbor no guilt before Heaven and feel no shame before men. Is that not precisely what they meant?”
Mr. Cai frowned at him.

Zhu Yuanzhang stared back with righteous confidence.

Li Shimin clicked his tongue. “Oh? Not bad, Old Zhu. That is some impressive verbal footwork.”

Zhu Yuanzhang looked quite pleased with himself. “Until I square off and debate him properly, none of you will know who the greatest orator beneath Heaven truly is!”

Then they watched Mr. Cai nod, take a charcoal pencil and small notebook from his robe, and jot down several lines. “Low pay, crushing work, brutal punishments, no rest all year, and secret agents monitoring an official’s every move… King of Wu, being watched will not tear off a piece of my flesh. But it will cost you extra.”

“…” Zhu Yuanzhang: “?????”

Li Shimin said, “Now that you have debated him, we know. It is Mr. Cai.”

Zhu Yuanzhang: “…”

Li Shimin added, “The greatest orator beneath Heaven.”

Zhu Yuanzhang: “…”

…

The Deposed Heir watched Mr. Cai disappear into the distance. Upon returning alone to his study, he cast aside every concern for propriety, slid to the floor, and leaned against the wall without speaking for a long time.

He knew Mr. Cai was right.

But how could he abandon Lianfang?

He could not.

He truly could not!

The physician had said that Lianfang’s repeated injuries had left her constitution utterly depleted. As her husband, he could scarcely care for and protect her enough. How could he deliver the final blow himself?

But the situation before him…

The Deposed Heir calmed himself and temporarily put aside all that had happened to his wife. Instead, he considered the predicament he now faced, just as Mr. Cai had advised, weighing one by one how each problem should be handled.

At first, he merely sat slumped on the floor. Halfway through his deliberations, his eyes began to brighten and his spirits rose. He got to his feet and paced around the study, moving faster and faster until at last he struck his palms together and left the room brimming with confidence.

The bystander saw clearly while the man caught in the game remained blind. Had Mr. Cai not come today and shaken him awake, there was no telling how far down the wrong path he might have gone!

Newly invigorated, the Deposed Heir became calmer in expression. He first went to see Lady Tan and Ma Baozhu. Finding mother and daughter still unconscious, he gave several instructions to the servants attending them, then went to the former Hereditary Grandson’s room.

Ma Hualiang had been gagged, his hands bound behind his back. The attendants did not dare neglect him and had respectfully placed him on a couch, but in that position, even the Dragon Throne would likely have offered little comfort.

Ma Hualiang’s face was flushed crimson. When he saw his father, muffled sounds burst from his throat and he twisted violently several times, signaling that he should be untied at once.

The Deposed Heir dismissed the servants and repeatedly checked that no one remained outside. After closing the door, he personally untied the ropes around his eldest son’s wrists. Before Hualiang could act out, he came straight to the point. “Hualiang, do you want to live or die? Do you mean to drag our entire family to death with you?”

The words were as direct as they were sharp, a dagger driven straight through Ma Hualiang’s heart.

He stared in utter shock. Then he remembered what he had nearly done in a moment of rage. Cold sweat instantly spread across his back, and his face turned deathly pale.

Seeing that his son had not completely lost his senses, the Deposed Heir’s expression softened slightly. He sighed and laid a hand on Hualiang’s shoulder, explaining everything that had happened of late. “I have already lost your grandfather’s favor. I dare not descend any farther into the abyss, not for my sake, but for the four of us: your mother, you, Baozhu, and me. You have seen how powerful your second uncle has grown of late. I was once the heir, after all, and I am his elder full brother. If he gains the supreme position one day, how could he not fear me? How will our whole family survive then?”

Sorrow welled within him. Tears gathered faintly in his eyes. “Hualiang, do you understand my fears?”

Ma Hualiang’s expression dimmed, grief impossible to conceal. He looked up at his father, who had grown so much more haggard recently, and nodded through a choked sob.

“If you understand, your father can rest easier.”

The Deposed Heir looked at him with relief. Gripping his son’s shoulders firmly, he said in all seriousness, “But Hualiang, your grandfather has not named your second uncle as heir. I still have a chance to start anew. For the sake of our entire family, will you curb your temper and think of the future?”

Ma Hualiang felt the thrill of being entrusted with a grave responsibility. He drew a deep breath and nodded hard.

The Deposed Heir smiled in delight, stroked his head, and praised him. “Good boy.”

After leaving his eldest son, the Deposed Heir went to Lady Tan’s side and watched over her until late at night. As soon as she awoke, he hurriedly ordered the servants to bring the medicinal broth and food that had been kept warm over the stove. Sitting beside the bed, he fed her a little at a time.

Lady Tan forced herself to eat a few bites. Despite her weakness, her first thought was for her daughter, who had also been badly injured. “What about Baozhu? Is she all right? Has she awakened?”

The Deposed Heir’s hand paused. He set down the spoon and waved the surrounding servants away.

Seeing him act with such gravity, Lady Tan was suddenly seized by a terrible premonition. She swallowed with difficulty and asked cautiously, “Has something happened to Baozhu?”

“No.” The Deposed Heir tucked the covers around her. “The physician has examined Baozhu. He said she will recover after a period of quiet convalescence. She is still young, and with proper care and medicine, her teeth can grow back as well.”

Lady Tan breathed a sigh of relief and pressed a hand to her chest, half reassured and half petulant. “How could I not be frightened when you look so grim?”

Hesitation flickered in the Deposed Heir’s eyes, then quickly hardened into resolve. Taking his wife’s hand, he said gravely, “Lianfang, I am sending Baozhu to a convent. She will eat vegetarian meals, recite the scriptures, cultivate her character, and repent of her mistakes. Hualiang will go with her, so brother and sister can keep each other company.”

Lady Tan had never imagined her husband would say such a thing. After one stunned moment, she went deathly pale with alarm. “Have you lost your mind? Our Baozhu has never suffered hardship in her life. How can she be sent to a convent? And Hualiang too… Did the old man order you to do this?!”
At today’s banquet, the old man had repeated what Ma Baozhu had said in her room that day. Lady Tan now knew the walls had ears. Though fury surged within her, she kept her voice low for the moment and stared at her husband with urgent indignation. “Baozhu misspoke, and she was indeed at fault. But she has already been punished. Her little face was beaten bloody. Was that not enough? What will it take for the old man to let the matter rest? Does he mean to kill her? Our Baozhu is still a child!”

“Lianfang, calm down and listen to me!”

The Deposed Heir drew a deep breath and gripped her shoulders firmly. “The old man did not order me to send the children away. From beginning to end, apart from ordering Baozhu struck fifty times across the mouth, he has said nothing at all!”

“Do you remember what I told you before the New Year?”

Grief filled his eyes. Lowering his voice to the barest whisper, he said through clenched teeth, “Everyone around the old man knows his temper. If he is willing to scold you and teach you a lesson, he is still giving you the honor of his attention. When he no longer says a single word, it means he no longer regards you as a person at all! Would you dare wager the lives of all four of us to test how ruthless he can be? Would you?!”

Tears began gathering in Lady Tan’s eyes again. “Is… is it truly that serious?”

“Yes!” the Deposed Heir said emphatically. “Lianfang, for your sake, mine, our future, and the two children, you must listen to me. Do you understand?!”

Lady Tan nodded timidly.

“In a little while, I will order the attendants to pack for Hualiang and Baozhu. They will leave for the convent first thing tomorrow morning. They have made one mistake after another. Unless I deal with them severely, we will never get past the old man. Fortunately, they are both young. A year or eighteen months at the convent will do them no real harm. Hualiang is our only remaining son. This will also let him avoid the fighting in the northern campaign.”

The Deposed Heir’s heart ached as he spoke, and tears slipped from his eyes. He wiped them away and continued, “After the children leave tomorrow, send someone to the Tan Family with a message. Tell your two brothers to remain behind closed doors and study obediently at home. Lianfang, I will be perfectly blunt. I will post men outside their residence. If either dares step out, his legs will be broken on the spot and he will be dragged back inside!”

Lady Tan’s delicate brows drew together. She was about to object, but when she caught the look in her husband’s eyes, she did not dare speak. Aggrieved, she nodded instead.

The Deposed Heir patted his wife’s hand soothingly. “Once those two matters are settled, you and I will kneel before Father’s main residence and plead guilty together. We will beg his forgiveness for the many disobedient and unfilial acts we have committed of late.”

Lady Tan had recently learned firsthand how ruthless the old man could be. Filled with fear, she asked, “Will he give us a way out?”

“Whether he does is his decision. Whether we go is ours.”

The Deposed Heir continued, “Once that is done, you will visit Mr. Xu yourself and apologize. If once is not enough, go twice. If twice is not enough, go three times. I have made several overtures already, and his attitude has begun to soften. I doubt he will make matters difficult for you.”

Hearing how exhaustively he had planned everything, Lady Tan felt both pity and sorrow. She nodded obediently. “Very well. Since you mean to make a fresh start, I will not hold you back.”

The Deposed Heir’s gaze softened. He gently clasped her slender hand and, after a long moment, said, “I will end the marriage negotiations with the Xu Family and the Liu Clan. Mr. Cai was right. If I take a daughter of the Xu Family as a secondary consort now, everyone will know exactly what I am plotting. Would I not be trying to show off my paltry tricks before the old man?”

Lady Tan had listened to him for ages, but only now did sincere joy finally rise within her.

A smile had barely begun to form when the Deposed Heir continued, “Choose several maids in the residence to prepare for my bed and make them my concubines. The matrons and stewards will oversee our courtyard. As for you, Lianfang…”

Guilt flickered across his face. “To appease Father, you need not go to the convent with Baozhu and Hualiang, but it would be best if you no longer appeared in public. Remain in your room, recite the sutras, and worship the Buddha to show your repentance.”

The small spark of Lady Tan’s joy shattered like foam upon the water. It felt as though her heart broke with it.

Her chest ached, and her voice choked as she asked, “If you no longer intend to take a secondary consort, why must you still take concubines?”

The Deposed Heir wanted to explain, but the matter involved too many twists and turns, and Lady Tan might not understand even if he did.

In the end, he sighed, gently stroked his wife’s cheek, and said with helpless sorrow, “Be good. Do not ask.”

Lady Tan pressed her lips together. Despair suddenly welled in her heart. She asked no more, but lowered her lashes and wept in silence.

The sight pained the Deposed Heir. He wrapped his arms around her and murmured, “I will never forsake you. Trust me. No one will ever rise above you, much less above our son…” It sounded as though he were comforting Lady Tan and himself in equal measure.

Resting against his chest, Lady Tan caught the familiar scent of soapberry on her husband. It felt at once known and strange. She closed her eyes and let the tears stream down her face.

…

The Deposed Heir kept his word. At first light the next morning, he ordered Ma Hualiang and Ma Baozhu sent away. Lady Tan watched her two children reluctantly and wept enough to fill a vat, but even that failed to sway him.

The messenger to the Tan Family had already departed, and the men assigned by the Deposed Heir to watch Lady Tan’s brothers were in position. After the couple saw their two children off, they went to kneel before the King of Wu’s main residence and earnestly pleaded guilty to their father for their many recent acts of disobedience and filial misconduct.

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard his subordinates report that the Deposed Heir and his wife were kneeling outside to plead guilty, that they had sent those two unlucky children away that morning, and that they had even dispatched men to restrain the Tan brothers, he wondered whether the sun had risen in the west. He opened the window to check, only to find it hanging quite indisputably in the east.

His brows tightened for a moment, then relaxed. He dropped into a chair with commanding ease and ordered, “Bring them in.”