Chapter Ten: The Show Has Only Just Begun

The snow in Yingtian Prefecture had not yet completely melted, and the scent of gunpowder from the fireworks and firecrackers still lingered in the air.

Two massive crimson lanterns hung at the gates of the Marquis of Deqing’s estate. Their auspicious, festive glow illuminated the plaque inscribed with the words, "Surpassing All Heroes in Merit, Outshining Great Generals in Wisdom." The light shone upon the newly pasted spring couplets—black characters on red paper—and danced across the thick layer of red debris left by the firecrackers, a scene signifying a house overflowing with prosperity.

Typically, there are only two days in the year celebrated with such fervor: New Year’s Eve and the first day of the lunar year. Although the Marquis of Deqing was away at the imperial palace attending the Emperor’s banquet, the estate remained lively, filled with the joy of the holiday.

"This Emperor is truly changing too fast! He is utterly heartless!"

"He has completely forgotten who it was that conquered this world for him!"

Inside the main hall of the Marquis's estate, a banquet was laid out. A dozen of Liao Yongzhong’s nephews and kinsmen were eating and drinking. It was clear they had already had their fill, yet an abundance of dishes remained on the table. In style, variety, and quantity, the spread far exceeded the banquet Zhu Yuanzhang was hosting for his ministers at the Fengtian Hall that very evening.

"Indeed! Once he sat on the throne, he turned his back on everyone!" Liao Quan, the son of Liao Yongzhong, chimed in, his voice thick with indignation and resentment.

"Second Uncle has been harboring a grudge; I just hope nothing happens at the banquet tonight..." remarked a man who appeared slightly older than Liao Quan.

"Do not worry. Uncle is not a man without discretion. Besides, even if something were to happen, it wouldn't be of much consequence. Does the Emperor really dare to do anything to Uncle?" someone else added.

This sentiment was met with unanimous agreement.

As they spoke, a sudden commotion and shouting erupted. The main gate of the Marquis's estate was violently kicked open. The men, seven or eight parts intoxicated, were shocked before erupting into a fury. Who was so arrogant as to dare provoke the Marquis of Deqing? Were they seeking death?

They immediately called for the household servants to arm themselves and rushed toward the front to see who was courting disaster. Upon arriving, they were stunned to find that the intruders were members of the Imperial Guard Command.

"What is the meaning of this! How dare you trespass into the Marquis of Deqing’s estate!" Liao Quan struggled to steady his nerves as he led his men to confront them.

The atmosphere was tense, with blades drawn. The fierce household guards stood in a standoff against the Imperial Guard.

"By the Emperor's oral decree, we have come to confiscate the Marquis of Deqing’s estate!" Cao Xiu stepped forward from the crowd, looking coldly at Liao Quan and the others.

Confiscate... the estate?!

Though they had sensed that something was amiss, the word "confiscation" dealt a massive blow to the hearts of Liao Quan and the others.

How... how could it come to confiscation?! Zhu Yuanzhang was truly audacious!

Just then, someone rushed to Liao Quan’s side and pressed an object into his hands. Taking it, Liao Quan felt a surge of confidence. He held it high, his expression a mix of arrogance and sorrowful indignation. "The Emperor’s personally bestowed Iron Certificate of Immunity is here! Who dares to act recklessly?"

Cao Xiu glanced at the certificate. "Young Marquis, this is not an execution; it is a confiscation. That object is of no use here. Put it away for now. My brothers are merely following orders; do not make it difficult for us. If you refuse to comply now, things will only become more severe later." His tone softened slightly. "I will restrain my men and ensure they do not act out of turn."

Liao Quan held the certificate aloft, silent for a long moment, before finally stepping aside with reddened eyes. Seeing this, Cao Xiu cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, waved his hand, and the fully armed Imperial Guards filed inside. Soon, the sounds of furniture being overturned and cries of alarm echoed through the halls.

Cao Xiu retreated to the main hall, sitting firmly in a chair, choosing not to participate in the actual looting. He decided to turn a blind eye where appropriate. The people involved in this matter held positions that were simply too high. Beyond Liao Yongzhong himself, there were other formidable figures involved in the shadows. As a mere commander in the Imperial Guard, it was best not to meddle too deeply. Though he served the Emperor, he had to look out for himself. Turning a blind eye benefited everyone.

The Emperor would not notice. And even if he did, he wouldn't truly do anything to him. His mother had once done the Emperor a great kindness. If not for her providing grain to help the Emperor enter the Huangjue Temple as a monk, he would have starved to death long ago. The Emperor remembered that favor in his heart—a debt he could never fully repay in a lifetime.

Thinking of this, Cao Xiu felt a flicker of irritation. Both his mother and Liu Ying’s father had once aided the Emperor. Liu Ying’s father had given the Emperor a plot of land to bury his starved parents and relatives. Strictly speaking, that favor was surely not as great as his mother’s life-saving grace. Yet, the Emperor had appointed that fellow Liu Ying as the Left Commander, placing him above him, the Right Commander. Such treatment was far from fair!

...

Inside the Wuying Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the items being delivered throughout the night and took a deep breath. Even though he had seen the items confiscated from the Marquis’s estate in his previous life, his anger flared again. Damn it, the dragon bed Liao Yongzhong slept in was of better quality than the one he, the Emperor, used! And those bright yellow robes—the craftsmanship and materials were superior to his own!

This dog was more indulgent than he was!

Beyond these forbidden items, there were several large chests of letters. Zhu Yuanzhang did not need to open them to know their contents. They were mostly correspondences between Liao Yongzhong and his subordinates, filled with treasonous remarks. Every sort of outrageous thing had been said. In his previous life, reading them had made his blood boil.

Zhu Yuanzhang opened a chest, leafing through them casually, and soon found several letters that had been scorched. Indeed, Cao Xiu had long been in league with Hu Weiyong! He had moved up the confiscation of Liao Yongzhong’s estate by more than a month, specifically putting Cao Xiu in charge. Yet, Cao Xiu had still chosen to betray him!

He flipped through them lazily and shut the chest.

"Did any mishaps occur during the confiscation?"

Cao Xiu’s heart skipped a beat, but he replied with a steady expression, "Your Majesty, I watched over the entire process. There were no omissions; everything that was supposed to be brought back has been."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. "Good. I trust your work."

"Everything I have today is due to your promotion, Your Majesty. How could I not serve you with my life?"

Cao Xiu’s tightly wound heart finally settled. He was overthinking it. The Emperor trusted him implicitly; how could he possibly suspect him? That was just a routine inquiry. Besides, he hadn't truly done anything to betray the Emperor. He had merely closed his eyes to a few things...

...

In a small courtyard hidden in an alleyway, Hu Weiyong, the Right Chancellor of the Secretariat, blew out his candle and crawled into bed with a smile. The drama tonight had been truly satisfying! Liao Yongzhong was definitely a dead man. So what if Zhu Chongba was the Emperor? He still had to be the blade that did his bidding. Not only would Liao Yongzhong die, but Liu Bowen would follow soon after!

No matter how cunning Zhu Yuanzhang was, he was, at his core, a cowherd. When it came to playing mind games, he was far behind him! Even if Zhu Yuanzhang racked his brains, he would never imagine that his most trusted man, Cao Xiu, was working for him—that he would betray his Emperor!

The good show had only just begun; the best was yet to come!

With a smile on his face and a light heart, Hu Weiyong drifted off into a peaceful sleep.