Chapter 124: The Jailer’s Fatal Folly

[Page 1 of 3]

The officials of Zhejiang understood this. Therefore, after Zhu Hao left, they were all thrown into confusion, whispering and arguing among themselves. Just as the assembled officials were sinking into an atmosphere of panic, Right Provincial Administration Commissioner Li Shoujun cleared his throat and spoke.

“Gentlemen, please calm down. Be quiet for a moment. Lord Xiao has something to say!”

As he spoke, Li Shoujun turned toward Xiao Jingao. Xiao Jingao was startled at first, but then understood what Li Shoujun meant.

That morning, Zhu Hao had humiliated him in public, and his nephew, Zhang Dake, the Prefect of Hangzhou, had also suffered because of it. By now, Zhu Hao gave Xiao Jingao the distinct impression that Prince Xin had come to Zhejiang specifically to make trouble for him.

The thought kindled an unaccountable fury in Xiao Jingao’s heart. For a moment after Li Shoujun finished speaking, he remained dazed. Then he recovered himself and said, “Prince Xin has come with hostile intentions and overwhelming force. He claims to be investigating the Zhejiang provincial examination, but in truth he intends to purge all of us. If this continues, I fear that by the time Prince Xin leaves, barely one in ten of us will remain. We Zhejiang officials cannot simply sit here and await our doom!”

Upon hearing this, the officials of Zhejiang all turned toward Xiao Jingao and began speaking at once.

“What are we to do, then? Lord Xiao, you are our pillar. Whatever you say, we shall do! We absolutely cannot allow Prince Xin to act recklessly!”

“Exactly! Lord Xiao, you must stand up for us!”

“Lord Xiao, tell us what to do! Your servant will obey!”

…

Xiao Jingao looked at the noisy crowd, cleared his throat, and said, “Gentlemen, quiet down. Though Prince Xin is an imperial commissioner and a prince, he is still only one man. Once he is separated from us local officials, there is no way he can accomplish anything!”

The officials all turned toward Xiao Jingao and began flattering him again.

“Indeed! Lord Xiao is absolutely right!”

“Lord Xiao’s words are perfectly true!”

“Lord Xiao, simply tell your servant what to do!”

…

Listening to the officials’ clamorous flattery, Xiao Jingao frowned, displeased. Nevertheless, he patiently spoke once more.

“Everyone, be quiet. My proposal is this: from today onward, we shall receive Prince Xin’s orders—but shall not carry them out!”

The officials nodded one after another, then began speaking over each other again.

“We shall follow Lord Xiao!”

“Exactly! Lord Xiao is right!”

“Your servant will obey Lord Xiao’s command!”

[Page 1 of 3]

[Page 2 of 3]

…

Zhu Hao had no idea that after he left, the officials of Zhejiang, led by Xiao Jingao, had launched an all-out resistance against him. As a result, for a long time afterward, none of the matters he investigated made the slightest progress.

Zhu Hao returned to the imperial commissioner’s headquarters and took Qin Hui to the study. After closing the door, he said, “Qin Shun, you saw what happened today. Do you think it was merely an accident, or was someone deliberately behind it?”

Zhu Hao currently had no strategist at his side. Gong Sun Ce had already become Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, so the doubts in Zhu Hao’s mind could only be directed to Qin Hui.

Qin Hui pondered the question for a while before replying, “Your Highness, in this student’s view, all these incidents appear to have been deliberately arranged by someone targeting Your Highness. They do not seem accidental.”

Hearing this, Zhu Hao nodded.

“That is exactly what I was thinking. These Zhejiang officials clearly have a problem. Otherwise, why would they target me and do all these things?”

He paused, then continued, “Later, go secretly and contact those twenty-three friends of yours. I will have use for them in the future.”

After Zhu Hao finished speaking, an embarrassed expression appeared on Qin Hui’s face.

“Your Highness, I am afraid this student cannot do that at present.”

Zhu Hao assumed Qin Hui was deliberately making excuses and said, displeased, “I traveled thousands of miles to Zhejiang because of you twenty-four scholars. Yet now that I have come here, you are unwilling to do your part. What sort of reasoning is that?”

Seeing Zhu Hao’s displeasure, Qin Hui hurriedly explained, “Your Highness, you have misunderstood me. I am deeply grateful that Your Highness is willing to seek justice for me. How could I shirk your instructions? It is only that yesterday, when I first arrived in Zhejiang, I secretly tried to contact the other twenty-three scholars who had failed the examination. However, I could not reach them. After making inquiries from many sources, I learned that they had all been arrested and imprisoned by the prefect, who had forbidden anyone from visiting them. Thus, I truly have no way to contact them!”

Zhu Hao frowned slightly.

What swift action! I had only just arrived in Zhejiang, and every single one of the scholars who intended to lodge a complaint had already been arrested. This was clearly deliberate. Someone did not want me to uncover the truth.

With this thought in mind, Zhu Hao asked Qin Hui again, “Are you certain that the other twenty-three scholars who failed the examination were taken away by the prefect’s office?”

Qin Hui hurriedly nodded.

“Your Highness, I am certain.”

Zhu Hao nodded.

“Very well. In that case, I shall go with you to the prefectural prison right now.”

Without waiting for Qin Hui to react, he left the study first. Qin Hui quickly followed behind him.

Although Zhu Hao did not know where the Hangzhou prefectural prison was, Qin Hui knew Hangzhou as well as the palm of his hand. Under his guidance, Zhu Hao and his party soon arrived before the prison of the Hangzhou Prefecture.

Zhu Hao had not yet changed out of his princely robes, and some twenty guards accompanied him. Thus, the moment they arrived outside the prison, the guards stationed at the entrance spotted them. Unsure how to respond, one of the jailers hurried to report the matter to the prison warden. Upon hearing the news, the warden did not dare delay and immediately hurried out to investigate.

The warden approached Zhu Hao with his back bent and a fawning smile on his face.

“Th-this gentleman, may I ask what brings you here?”

Clearly, the warden did not know how to address Zhu Hao and could only call him “sir.”

Qin Hui looked at the warden, who had treated him coldly and scornfully the previous day, now bowing and scraping before Prince Xin. He felt a surge of satisfaction. Relying on Zhu Hao’s authority, he gave a cold snort and arrogantly said, “Have you gone blind? This is His Highness Prince Xin! Hurry and kneel before the prince!”

[Page 2 of 3]

[Page 3 of 3]

The warden was stunned. He had known only that Zhu Hao’s bearing marked him as an important person, but he had never imagined that this was the Prince Xin whose name had been spreading throughout Hangzhou in recent days.

The moment Qin Hui finished speaking, the warden hurriedly threw himself to the ground.

“This humble servant pays his respects to His Highness Prince Xin!”

Zhu Hao gave a slight nod.

“You are the warden here, are you not? Rise and answer me.”

The warden quickly got to his feet and nodded repeatedly.

“As Your Highness says, this humble servant is the warden of this prison. May this humble servant boldly ask what brings Your Highness here? Is there anything this humble servant can do for you?”

Seeing that the warden’s attitude was reasonably humble, Zhu Hao did not make things difficult for him. He glanced at Qin Hui, signaling that Qin Hui should speak to the warden.

Although Zhu Hao was generally approachable with those around him, that did not mean he failed to understand that there were times when a prince had to put on the airs of a prince. Moreover, before a bully who preyed on the weak and feared the strong, displaying an imposing manner made one seem inscrutable. Such people would become afraid, making it easier to achieve one’s objective.

Qin Hui fully understood Zhu Hao’s glance and stepped forward.

“His Highness has come to see the twenty-three scholars being held here!”

Zhu Hao calmly uttered two words to correct him.

“Take them.”

Qin Hui immediately understood and hurriedly amended his statement.

“Ah, yes. His Highness says that he is here to take away the twenty-three scholars being held here!”

Upon hearing this, the warden hurriedly said, “Th-that would require the prefect’s approval… Hm? Why are you here?”

Halfway through his sentence, the warden raised his head and stole a glance at Qin Hui. Only then did he realize that Qin Hui was the man who had come to visit the twenty-three scholars the previous day and whom he had driven away.

After recognizing Qin Hui, the warden secretly thought, If this man truly belongs to Prince Xin, he would never have obediently left yesterday. It seems their identities are fraudulent.

This suspicion caused the warden to begin doubting the identities of Zhu Hao and his entire party.

The moment doubt arose, he straightened his back and puffed out his chest. He was now utterly different from the obsequious man he had been moments earlier.

“What sort of people are you? How dare you impersonate a prince and make a fool of me? Do you take me for some pushover?”

Zhu Hao had only just arrived in Zhejiang, yet everything had gone against him. An unaccountable fury instantly rose within him. He gave a cold snort.

“Outrageous!”

The warden not only showed no fear, but instead grinned insolently at Zhu Hao.

“Hey, brother! I have to admit, you put on quite a convincing act just now. You nearly scared me to death! I almost believed you really were a prince. And tell me, which theater company did you rent that outfit from? It looks remarkably authentic. Maybe I’ll rent one myself sometime and enjoy pretending to be a prince. No, better yet, I’ll rent a dragon robe fit for an emperor and enjoy pretending to be the Son of Heaven!”

As he spoke, the warden reached toward Zhu Hao’s stone-blue, four-clawed round dragon robe, apparently intending to examine the fabric.

Seeing this, Zhu Hao thought with a silent sigh, The ignorant truly fear nothing. Since you are determined to throw your life away, I do not mind granting your wish.

As he entertained this thought, the warden’s hand was just about to seize the stone-blue, four-clawed round dragon robe.

Zhu Hao calmly uttered two more words.

“Seize him.”

[Page 3 of 3]