Chapter Forty-Five: The Strange Rise of Loyalty

Consort Liu, upon hearing these words, was filled with resolute determination. She bowed deeply to Zhu Changluo and declared, “I accept the decree, and thank Your Majesty for your boundless grace!”

What Zhu Changluo had said moments before were merely words spoken in anger, but now, hearing Consort Liu’s unwavering resolve, he was struck by both fury and panic. He shouted, “Consort Liu, what are you doing?”

With tears shimmering in her eyes, Consort Liu replied, “Youjian is far too young. I fear that when he is sent away, without his mother’s care, he will not adapt. I will go ahead and wait for him! Once more, Your Majesty, I bid you farewell. May you enjoy health and longevity! I am going now!”

As she spoke, Consort Liu made to dash herself against one of the massive pillars in the bedchamber. This truly shocked Zhu Changluo, who, disregarding his own pain, sat bolt upright in bed in terror and cried out, “Stop her for me!”

The palace maids and eunuchs, seeing Consort Liu in such distress, were all moved to pity, but without an imperial command, they dared not act, lest they face certain death for overstepping their bounds.

Now, hearing the emperor’s order, these kind-hearted maids and eunuchs quickly rushed forward to block Consort Liu’s path, preventing her from harming herself.

Seeing Consort Liu unharmed, Zhu Changluo let out a silent sigh of relief. His nerves stretched to the breaking point, he finally relaxed now that she was safe—so much so that, overcome by the emotional tumult, he fainted once again.

Now it was Consort Liu’s turn to be terrified. Forgetting all thoughts of death, she rushed to the bedside, calling out urgently for His Majesty. She immediately ordered the attendants to summon the imperial physicians without delay.

The physicians arrived promptly, examined Zhu Changluo thoroughly, and reassured Consort Liu that His Majesty was not gravely ill—he had merely fainted from overwhelming emotion. Still, they cautioned her to ensure that Zhu Changluo was not subjected to further shocks, for another fainting fit might endanger his life.

Consort Liu dismissed the physicians and, heeding their words, dared not weep or make a scene any longer. She could only brood in silence: her husband lay sick and feeble in bed, her son languished in the disciplinary prison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and only yesterday the two of them had been well. Now, all had changed. Unable to hold her grief at bay, Consort Liu’s tears flowed silently down her cheeks.

She kept vigil at Zhu Changluo’s side deep into the night. At last, he regained consciousness in the small hours. Not wishing to upset him further, Consort Liu quickly dried her tears with her sleeve and greeted him with a voice full of delight, “Your Majesty, you’re awake?” Though she managed a faint smile, the sorrow in her swollen eyes was undiminished.

Zhu Changluo saw all of this and sighed gently. “My beloved, I too am tormented by worry over Youjian. Yet as the Son of Heaven, I must safeguard the legacy of our ancestors—I cannot let it be destroyed in my hands. Do not worry. Give me a little more time. I will find a way that will bring peace to all.”

Tears glimmering in her eyes, Consort Liu nodded. “Your Majesty, I believe you. I will wait for you to find a way, and then our family of three can be safe and whole, never again to be parted.”

Hearing this, Zhu Changluo was moved to tears, his eyes reddening as he nodded.

---

Now, as for Zhu Hao, locked away in the disciplinary prison, even a minute in that place was unbearable. He’d thought his father’s anger would quickly subside and he’d be released, but three days passed with no word—not even a message from his father. In the oppressive silence, Zhu Hao gradually came to a realization: since the guards had not tortured him, his father must have given explicit orders. That meant his father did not truly wish to punish him. As for why he was not being let out, it could only be that his father had yet to devise a way to save him.

Zhu Hao’s guess as to his father’s inner thoughts was almost entirely correct. However, Zhu Changluo never imagined that Zhu Hao, upon entering the prison, would so quickly devise a plan to deal with the court officials.

Zhu Hao had thought his father might also come up with this idea; yet, as he gazed into the darkness of the cell, he mused, “Perhaps Father really hasn’t figured out what to do yet.” With that, Zhu Hao couldn’t help but sigh.

Though he had been confined for three days, Zhu Hao had lost all sense of time in that pitch-black place. He only knew he’d been there for a very long while. Thankfully, the warden, though stern, did not mistreat him, and meals were provided regularly. Zhu Hao’s life was not in danger.

On the morning of the third day of Zhu Hao’s confinement, Emperor Zhu Changluo had just sparred with his ministers in a fierce debate over the punishment for the Fifth Prince, Zhu Youjian, who had shot and killed the Minister of Works, Cui Shi, without imperial consent.

The ministers’ words were sharp as blades, their arguments steeped in history and precedent, all pressing for Zhu Changluo to sacrifice kinship for the sake of justice. This infuriated Zhu Changluo. Though he held ultimate authority, he was but one man, no match for the collective eloquence of the scholarly officials. In the end, driven to fury, Zhu Changluo stormed out and dismissed court for the day.

He had not expected that, upon returning to his quarters, a guard would step in to block his path. Already agitated by the court debate, Zhu Changluo was incensed—how dare a lowly palace guard bar his way? Barely restraining himself, he barked, “Who are you to impede the emperor? Do you have a death wish?” Though enraged, he held back from ordering the guard’s immediate execution, instead demanding an explanation.

The man fell to his knees. “Your Majesty, I am Hua Rong, captain of the Fifth Prince’s guard. I heard that His Highness was imprisoned for shooting the Minister of Works. I have come, as Your Majesty just said, to beg for death! Please, kill me to appease the officials’ wrath and release the Fifth Prince. He is but a child, after all. The Fifth Prince is your own flesh and blood!”

Zhu Changluo’s anger melted away as he listened. He reached out and helped Hua Rong to his feet. “Rise and speak. I cannot kill you.”

Hua Rong tried to kneel again, but with the emperor supporting his arm, he had no choice but to speak plainly. “Your Majesty, please reconsider. I—”

Before he could finish, Zhu Changluo interrupted. “Say no more. Listen to why I cannot kill you. When I first learned of this, my immediate thought was indeed to execute you, to calm the officials’ fury. But Youjian would not consent. In my anger, I threw him in prison, but still he would not agree. If I kill you now, when he is released, he will hate me. I would also ruin his reputation for loyalty and honor. I cannot do this! Besides, you only obeyed his orders. If I killed you, who would ever serve the imperial family again? Rest assured, I promise you, nothing will happen to Youjian. My son is the most precious in the world. I have steeled myself to send him to prison—this will not be for nothing! If those officials press me any further, I will fight them to the bitter end!”

Hearing this, Hua Rong wept with gratitude. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my life!”

Zhu Changluo helped him up again. “Do not thank me. If I had acted on my first impulse, you would have been long dead. Thank Youjian—it was his sense of loyalty and righteousness that saved you. As his captain, he must trust you greatly. When he is released, serve him well and keep him safe.”

Overwhelmed, Hua Rong bowed deeply toward the headquarters of the Northern Administrative Bureau. “Thank you, Your Highness. Truly, you are the most loyal and righteous man in the world!”

---

While Zhu Hao languished in the prison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, bored out of his mind, the system alert sounded abruptly:

“Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing Hua Rong’s hidden quest ‘Man of Loyalty’!”
“Hua Rong’s loyalty increases by 50 points!”

Zhu Hao was stunned by the system’s message. He thought to himself, “What is this system up to? Is it malfunctioning? How odd! This loyalty boost is bizarre. If it’s because I was thrown in prison that the loyalty increased, it’s coming rather late—I’ve been here a while already. And if it’s not because of that, then how did I complete the quest by doing nothing? And a 50-point loyalty boost at that! This is a critical hit!”

As Zhu Hao stood bewildered, the system chimed again:

“Hua Rong is filled with admiration for Emperor Zhu Changluo’s magnanimity!”
“Hua Rong’s loyalty to Zhu Changluo increases by 20 points!”

This only deepened Zhu Hao’s confusion. He cursed inwardly, “This damn system, always stirring things up! Why is Hua Rong’s loyalty increasing for my father now? What on earth is going on?”

He couldn’t fathom what his father had done to win Hua Rong’s admiration, but with Hua Rong’s loyalty to him now at 80 points—and with half a month still left—he could see the possibility of fulfilling the bonus requirement for maximum loyalty. The prospect of securing Hua Rong as his own filled Zhu Hao with excitement.

For the first time in three days, a smile appeared on Zhu Hao’s face. As for why Hua Rong’s loyalty had spiked so suddenly, Zhu Hao decided not to overthink it—after all, it was a good thing. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.

Yet, Hua Rong’s sudden 20-point boost in loyalty toward his father left Zhu Hao perplexed and slightly aggrieved. He thought, “I’ve been so guarded against my elder brother, but who would have thought that instead of being won over by him, Hua Rong would develop affection for my father after I was thrown in prison. Truly, you can guard against thieves by day and night, but it’s hardest to guard against those in your own household!”