Chapter 25: Did You Hide Her?

Zhu Yuntong did not recognize the man who had dared to shout his name; he had never seen him before. He was likely some minor noble or one of Lan Yu’s many foster sons. That such a person would dare to address an Imperial Grandson by his given name served as clear evidence to Zhu Yuntong of how arrogant, insolent, and utterly insufferable Lan Yu’s entourage and the scions of the nobility had become through sheer force of habit. At times, Zhu Yuntong reflected that men like Lan Yu truly deserved their end; no emperor would ever tolerate such people.

Following Zhu Yuntong’s command, the Embroidered Uniform Guard moved forward to seize the man.

"What are you doing? Let me go!"

The man who had been shouting so arrogantly struggled, but he was no match for the guards, who pinned him firmly to the ground. Zhu Yuntong strode forward, snatched a sword from one of the guards, and struck the man across the face with the heavy scabbard.

*Thwack.*

A sharp sound rang out. The man’s mouth filled with blood instantly, teeth flew out, and he began to howl in agony.

"I am a grandson of the Great Ming Emperor. Who are you?"

Zhu Yuntong said in a cold, detached voice, "Is my name something you are permitted to utter? You lack respect for the hierarchy and have committed an act of insubordination. Drag him away."

The man was stunned, but he was quickly hauled off by the guards.

"Where is Lan Yu?" Zhu Yuntong demanded.

"Your Highness, the Third Imperial Grandson, what is the meaning of this?"

Another man emerged in a hurry. Behind him stood a group of guards from the Lan household. They were all veterans of the battlefield—men who had seen blood and taken lives. As soon as they appeared, their presence chilled the air with a palpable killing intent. Though there were only a few dozen of them, their aura eclipsed that of the entire detachment of Embroidered Uniform Guards. These men were seasoned soldiers who obeyed only Lan Yu; had he ordered them to storm the Imperial Palace, they would have done so without hesitation.

"Your subordinate, Zhang Zhou, greets Your Highness," the man said.

"Zhang Zhou?" Zhu Yuntong recalled the memorial he had read. It was this very man who had been harboring the son of Ye Sheng, a remnant of the Hu Weiyong faction. He was also one of Lan Yu’s foster sons.

"Tell Lan Yu to come out," Zhu Yuntong said, wasting no time on pleasantries.

Zhang Zhou stepped in his path. "The Duke of Liang is your maternal great-uncle, Your Highness. Why must you be so unfilial?"

Zhu Yuntong replied, "Today, I come in my capacity as an Imperial Grandson, not as a relative. There is no need for you to attempt to build rapport with me. Lan Yu has harbored the son of Hu Weiyong’s accomplice, Ye Sheng. I am here to bring him to justice. Inform Lan Yu at once to come out and see me."

At these words, Zhang Zhou’s expression shifted slightly. How did they know about this? In the Great Ming, the name Hu Weiyong was a taboo; to touch it was to invite death. Zhang Zhou had thought his actions were executed with absolute secrecy, yet he never imagined that Zhu Yuntong would arrive with the Embroidered Uniform Guard so quickly.

"Your Highness, do you have any evidence?" Zhang Zhou quickly regained his composure, challenging him. "The Duke of Liang is a Duke of the realm with glorious military achievements. To arrest him, you need more than just words; you need an Imperial Decree. You cannot simply seize him because you wish to."

Zhu Yuntong had expected this resistance. He said coldly, "You are not worthy to see the evidence. As for an Imperial Decree, I have none. I act to relieve my Imperial Grandfather’s burdens—that is filial piety. I come to arrest Lan Yu—that is the pursuit of justice over family ties. Men, go in and seize Lan Yu."

"No Imperial Decree?" Zhang Zhou’s eyes brightened. If there was no decree, then everything was negotiable. If Zhu Yuntong had arrived with one, Zhang Zhou would not have dared to move, but without it, the situation was not for the Imperial Grandson to dictate. To attempt to arrest a Duke of the realm without a decree? Even an Imperial Grandson could not do such a thing. Only the Crown Prince could, but the Crown Prince was gone, and Zhu Yuntong was not the Crown Prince.

"Stop!" Zhang Zhou shouted. "Your Highness, you have no authority to arrest the Duke of Liang without an Imperial Decree. If you do not withdraw, do not blame me for being discourteous."

With that, he took a step forward. The dozens of battle-hardened soldiers behind him followed suit. A freezing, murderous intent intertwined and pressed down upon the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Though the guards were highly skilled, they were no match for these veterans of the battlefield, and they were momentarily held at bay.

"Your Highness, what should we do?" Jiang Xun asked.

If they were ordered to fight their way in, the Embroidered Uniform Guards would not shrink from the task, and they were confident they could succeed. However, this was the residence of the Duke of Liang. Without a decree, even with the Emperor’s tacit approval, they could not simply barge in. If a battle broke out, the consequences would be dire.

"Kill anyone who resists!" Zhu Yuntong had already steeled himself. This was a trial he had to pass. Only in this way could he hope to save Lan Yu’s life and win the recognition of his Imperial Grandfather. Otherwise, everything would belong to Zhu Yunwen, and they would be left with nothing—their future would be grim, and there was no turning back.

"Charge!" Jiang Xun waved his hand. The front line of the Embroidered Uniform Guards raised their crossbows, while those behind them drew their blades, preparing to storm the compound.

Zhang Zhou frowned as he realized these tactics would not intimidate Zhu Yuntong. But reminding himself that there was no decree, he feared nothing. At worst, it would just be a fight. They had killed their way through battlefields and seen death many times over; they were not afraid of the Embroidered Uniform Guards. As for what would happen after the blood was shed, with the Duke of Liang on their side, surely everything would be fine.

Just as the tension reached a breaking point, a thunderous roar cut through the standoff.

"Stop!"

Lan Yu strode out. He was about to bark "Zhu Yuntong," but recalling the difference in their status—and the slap he had received days prior—he changed his tone: "May I ask what brings Your Highness here?"

Zhu Yuntong stated, "Lan Yu, you have harbored the son of the traitor Ye Sheng. I have come to bring you to justice. I advise you to surrender quietly and avoid futile resistance."

"Ye Sheng’s son?" Lan Yu’s brows arched. He looked at his foster son, Zhang Zhou, and asked, "Did you hide him?"

Ye Sheng and Lan Yu were related by marriage. However, anyone associated with Hu Weiyong was doomed. When Ye Sheng was executed, Lan Yu had no way to save him, so he had stayed out of it. He had not personally hidden Ye Sheng’s son, but that mattered little; if anyone in his household had done so, he could not escape the fallout.

"Lord Duke, I did not," Zhang Zhou replied, shaking his head.

*Bang!*

Lan Yu kicked him to the ground and roared, "I want the truth! Did you hide him?"

"I... I..." Zhang Zhou did not fear Zhu Yuntong, but he feared Lan Yu. He might ignore orders from the Imperial Grandson, but if Lan Yu told him to kill the Emperor, he would not hesitate.

"The Duke of Liang is related to the Marquis of Ningjing, Ye Sheng, by marriage. I have long been acquainted with Ye Sheng’s son," Zhang Zhou admitted, bowing his head.

That was as good as a confession.

"You damn fool!" Lan Yu kicked him again. How could he have dared to harbor an accomplice of Hu Weiyong? Even Lan Yu himself would not dare to do such a thing. To touch that was to court death. It would even implicate Zhu Yuntong. Never assume that the Embroidered Uniform Guard remained ignorant of such things.

Zhang Zhou said nothing more, merely kneeling on the floor with his head bowed.