Chapter One Hundred and Thirty: Calling Someone to Account

Zhu Hao heard the agonizing shriek from the shadows and felt a sudden chill in his heart. Disregarding the need for concealment, he prepared to rush into the Cheng residence to investigate. Just as he reached the gates, he heard the person who had let out the cry roar in fury, "You cut-throats! I’ll fight you to the death! Give me back my Sanjin’s life!" Zhu Hao recognized the voice immediately; it belonged to Cheng Baiwan, the wealthiest man in Zhejiang, whom he had met once before.

Hearing Cheng Baiwan’s roar, Zhu Hao was struck by a grim thought: "Cheng Sanjin must be dead."

Driven by this realization, Zhu Hao grew even more urgent. His pace quickened instinctively as he prepared to enter the residence to uncover the truth. However, just as he set one foot inside the gates, Qin Hui, who was trailing him, caught his arm. "Your Highness," Qin Hui whispered, "judging by the situation inside, Cheng Sanjin is likely dead. Even if you enter, it will be to no avail. In my view, given the complexity of this situation, it would be best for you not to show yourself. Once you are spotted, it will be difficult to explain yourself to the officials of Zhejiang! I suggest we quietly return to your temporary residence and rest. Let the Embroidered Uniform Guard handle this; by tomorrow morning, everything will surely be clear."

Zhu Hao pondered Qin Hui’s words and realized there was merit to them. He turned back toward his residence, yet he spent the night tossing and turning, unable to sleep. With Cheng Sanjin dead, he had lost his final lead to unravel the cheating scandal in the Zhejiang provincial examinations. Trying to expose the truth now would be harder than ever.

The other twenty-three scholars were still missing, and Cheng Sanjin was dead. Zhu Hao struggled to find a way to prove the corruption. Furthermore, he was deeply suspicious of the timing. Why would Cheng Sanjin die exactly when Zhu Hao had ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to search his home? It felt far too coincidental, like a carefully laid trap.

Zhu Hao mused, "Even if it is a trap, I moved the Embroidered Uniform Guard in secret. There is no way word could have leaked out. So, where did things go wrong?"

Unable to find an answer, Zhu Hao eventually drifted into a light, restless sleep as dawn approached. At the first cockcrow, he sat up and began to wash. He did not want to linger in bed, knowing that the Zhejiang officials would soon arrive to demand an explanation. He had spoken of searching the Cheng residence, and that very night, the guard had raided it, followed by the mysterious death of Cheng Sanjin. Even Zhu Hao found it hard to believe his own innocence.

He knew he had indeed dispatched the guard, but he genuinely did not know how Cheng Sanjin had died. He was desperate to find out the truth.

As soon as he finished washing, the first delegation arrived—Zhang Dake, the Prefect of Hangzhou, whom Zhu Hao had already impeached. Since the imperial court had yet to rule on the impeachment, Zhang Dake still held his post.

Zhu Hao did not meet him immediately, leaving the Prefect waiting in the main hall. Only after finishing his breakfast did Zhu Hao enter. Seeing the impatient look on Zhang Dake’s face, Zhu Hao realized the man had not come of his own volition but was likely being pushed by others.

Upon seeing Zhu Hao, Zhang Dake hurriedly stood and bowed. "Your humble servant, Hangzhou Prefect Zhang Dake, pays respects to Your Highness!"

Zhu Hao walked slowly to his seat. After sitting down, he said calmly, "Not drinking today, Prefect Zhang? Stand up and speak. What is your business here?"

As the saying goes, one should not strike a man in the face or expose his shortcomings. Zhu Hao had immediately touched upon Zhang Dake’s embarrassment, causing the man to flush crimson. Zhang Dake stammered an explanation, "I behaved improperly before Your Highness while under the influence the other day. I have come specifically to offer my apologies."

Zhu Hao gave a faint scoff and chided coldly, "Prefect Zhang, you are a dignified fourth-rank official of the court. Your lack of decorum before me is a minor matter, but if you were to behave so disgracefully before the common people, how could you ever serve as their 'parent-official'?"

Zhu Hao’s tone softened slightly as he continued, "I will not hold your actions against you, but the Ministry of Personnel will re-evaluate your performance to see if you are still fit for this position. Regardless of your future rank, remember this: while in office, you must bring prosperity to the people. Only then can you truly deserve the title of 'parent-official'."

"I shall keep your teachings in mind, Your Highness!" Zhang Dake replied hastily.

Zhu Hao nodded. "Very well. There is nothing else; you may leave."

Zhang Dake, feeling as if he had been granted a reprieve, quickly said, "This servant takes his leave! This servant takes his leave!"

He had already reached the doorway when he remembered the purpose of his visit. Caught between staying and leaving, he hesitated. Observing his behavior, and still wanting to know the truth about Cheng Sanjin, Zhu Hao asked, "Why haven't you left? Is there something else?"

Relieved to be prompted, Zhang Dake quickly said, "Your Highness, a murder occurred in Hangzhou city yesterday. The top scholar of this year's list, Cheng Sanjin, hanged himself! The Embroidered Uniform Guard was present at the time. This matter..."

Zhang Dake wanted to ask if the Guard’s presence had anything to do with Zhu Hao, but having heard what he needed, Zhu Hao cut him off, feigning surprise. "He committed suicide?" He sighed and said, "I am aware. You may go."

Zhang Dake had not gotten his answer, but he had essentially fulfilled his task. Unwilling to spend another moment in Zhu Hao's presence, he bowed and left without looking back.

Watching him go, Zhu Hao shook his head. "A mere clown, not worth the effort."

Less than half an hour after Zhang Dake left, Gao Yuan, the Surveillance Commissioner of the Judicial Commission, was announced. Unlike the easily rattled Zhang Dake, Gao Yuan was far more difficult to deal with. He had no reservations and asked bluntly, "Your Highness, was the search of the Cheng residence last night ordered by you?"

Zhu Hao feigned astonishment. "Oh? The Embroidered Uniform Guard searched the Cheng residence? I was unaware of this. You must know that although I am the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, my sole focus is on resolving the examination scandal so I may report back to the capital. How could I have the energy to interfere with the local operations of the Guard?"

Gao Yuan did not relent. "Your Highness, please spare me the feigned ignorance. Prefect Zhang was just here, and I crossed paths with him. He said he told you everything. Even if the Guard wasn't sent by you, how could you be unaware of such a matter?"

Zhu Hao’s expression darkened. "Prefect Zhang came here only to apologize for his drunken behavior the other day. Before leaving, he mentioned that the top scholar, Cheng Sanjin, had hanged himself and that the Guard was present. He said nothing else. How would I know that the Guard had searched the residence?"

Realizing his mistake, Gao Yuan internally cursed Zhang Dake for being utterly incompetent.

Though Gao Yuan realized he had misstepped, Zhu Hao did not let the opportunity pass. He stood up abruptly and shouted, "Regarding your previous remarks, Commissioner Gao, I must ask: what do you mean by this? Are you questioning me? Who gave you that authority? Even if I had committed a fault, it is not for a commissioner like you to judge! Mind your language and your attitude. Since you are so fond of mentioning the Embroidered Uniform Guard, would you like me to hand you over to them so they can charge you with showing contempt for an imperial envoy?"

Zhu Hao’s rebuke broke Gao Yuan into a cold sweat. In his zeal to force an admission of interference in local judicial matters, he had forgotten Zhu Hao’s status as a Prince and an Imperial Envoy. Terrified, he knelt and bowed. "Your Highness, please forgive me! My tone was overly agitated, but it was out of concern for you. I only hope you do not commit the error of interfering in local judicial affairs. Please, in light of my good intentions, show mercy!"

Zhu Hao silently cursed, "Good intentions? If you had good intentions, there wouldn't be a single bad person in the world! Don't try to play the innocent wolf in front of me."

While he reviled Gao Yuan, Zhu Hao knew he could not do much to him over such a minor incident. Gao Yuan was, after all, a provincial commissioner. The local branch of the Embroidered Uniform Guard simply lacked the authority to move against such a high-ranking official.