Chapter 26: The Command
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“Where is he?” Lan Yu roared.
“Outside the city, at the military camp,” Zhang Zhou replied.
He had actually hidden the man in the military camp. Was he trying to get the entire garrison killed?
Lan Yu grew even angrier. He almost wished he could crush Zhang Zhou to death with a single slap. Faced with this situation, what could they possibly do?
“Lan Yu, are you willing to surrender?” Zhu Yuntong called out in a clear voice.
“Liang Duke, he has no imperial edict!” Zhang Zhou hurriedly said.
“Shut up!”
Lan Yu kicked him again, sending his head crashing against the ground with a dull thud. Zhang Zhou did not dare say another word, and he had no idea what else they could do either.
Even without an imperial edict, anyone connected to Hu Weiyong would certainly be unable to escape today. But the people who had come to arrest them were led by Zhu Yuntong, and Lan Yu felt there was a deeper meaning behind it—one well worth considering.
Lan Yu was no brute. He was merely impulsive and somewhat overbearing. A true fool could never have risen to his position, nor would he have been suspected by Zhu Yuanzhang. He quickly recalled what Feng Sheng had once told him: he had to restrain every aspect of his temperament first, then obey Zhu Yuntong’s arrangements.
If Zhu Yuntong was to succeed in the succession struggle, and if the military commanders from Huai-xi were to survive, they all had to follow him. Otherwise, none of them would live.
After thinking for a while, Lan Yu looked at Zhu Yuntong again and raised both hands.
“I’m willing to go back with you.”
He chose to trust Feng Sheng, and even more so, he chose to trust Zhu Yuntong. From the moment Zhang Zhou had hidden Ye Sheng’s son, there was no turning back. Whether they lived or died now depended entirely on Zhu Yuntong’s arrangements.
“Take Lan Yu and Zhang Zhou away.”
“Seal the Liang Duke’s residence for now. No one is to enter or leave.”
“Have the Embroidered Uniform Guard send men to bring back Ye Sheng’s son.”
Zhu Yuntong issued his orders.
Lan Yu’s hands were quickly bound. Throughout the entire process, he offered no resistance. Zhang Zhou could no longer act arrogantly either, and allowed himself to be tied up without protest.
The Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately sent men out of the city to seize Ye Sheng’s son.
“Take them away!” Zhu Yuntong shouted.
In truth, his palms were still damp. He was certainly nervous.
It would have been impossible not to be.
What he feared most was that Lan Yu’s judgment might fail him at this moment. If he heard that there was no imperial edict and chose to resist, there would truly be no turning back. Lan Yu would have to die, and the Lan Yu purge would happen all over again.
But now, Lan Yu had surrendered without a struggle. As long as matters continued this way, there was still hope.
Outside the Liang Duke’s residence, besides the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a large crowd of civilians had gathered to watch.
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They had heard that the Liang Duke had been arrested and had come over in astonishment to see for themselves. Everyone knew that the Liang Duke was arrogant and tyrannical. He had adopted many foster sons, but none of them were decent men, and they had frequently bullied the common people.
Now that the Liang Duke had been arrested, the civilians almost wanted to cheer.
Among the crowd were also many people sent by various factions to gather information. What they most wanted to see was the Embroidered Uniform Guard clash with Lan Yu, leaving the ground drenched in blood. Unfortunately, no fight had broken out. Still, they quickly seized upon a new piece of news.
He was connected to Hu Weiyong!
Hu Weiyong was not someone one could casually be associated with. Once a connection was established, death was all but certain. They hurried back to report the news.
The people behind them only needed to hear the name Hu Weiyong to know that they could make use of the situation—to have Lan Yu killed and condemned to eternal damnation.
Just as Zhu Yuntong stepped out of the gate, another group arrived.
Chang Sheng, Xu Huizu, Fu Youde, Feng Sheng, Guo Ying… They were all military commanders from Huai-xi, each bringing men with them. They looked as though they intended to rescue Lan Yu. Clearly, with certain people deliberately spreading the news, the Huai-xi commanders already knew what had happened.
They were not the only ones. Lan Yu’s other foster sons also knew what had happened.
From the very beginning, this affair had been destined to become a major incident.
It would grow into something known throughout the entire capital.
Many people in the capital were watching Zhu Yuntong’s every move. But Zhu Yuntong was not afraid of that. What he feared was failing to handle the matter properly.
“Go back!” Lan Yu shouted. “All of you, go back! My affairs have nothing to do with you. Get out of here!”
Chang Sheng could not help stepping forward.
One was his uncle; the other was his nephew.
He was the last person who wanted matters to reach this point.
But Feng Sheng caught Chang Sheng by the hand and shook his head.
“Do not go over there, and do not act rashly. The Liang Duke is right. His affairs have nothing to do with us.”
“But…”
“No buts!” Feng Sheng shook his head. “We only need to watch. If we interfere as well, that is when this truly becomes a major incident.”
Once matters slipped beyond control, not only Lan Yu but all of them would die.
The consequences were unimaginable.
His Highness was not arresting them. He was saving them.
“Let’s go!”
Zhu Yuntong led the way. The Embroidered Uniform Guard escorted Lan Yu and Zhang Zhou away, while the Lan residence was sealed as well. No one was permitted to enter or leave.
Anyone who disobeyed the order would be put to death without exception.
Clatter, clatter, clatter…
Just then, the loud sound of marching footsteps rang out.
“This is bad! Soldiers are coming!”
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Someone among the watching civilians shouted.
The crowd had only just parted when a force of more than five hundred men appeared, composed of the foster sons and private troops of Lan Yu’s subordinates. They blocked the way before the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
They carried bows, crossbows, swords, spears, and other military weapons, their killing intent unmistakable. The fact that they had been able to appear here at all was due to Emperor Zhu deliberately turning a blind eye. Otherwise, they would not even have been able to enter the city.
“Liang Duke!”
The man at their head was also one of Lan Yu’s foster sons. His name was Li Liangping.
“Men, rescue the Liang Duke!” he shouted.
They had received word that Zhu Yuntong was going to arrest Lan Yu. There was no imperial edict, and Li Liangping had been the first to refuse to accept it. He had immediately brought troops back to save him.
“How dare you?” Zhu Yuntong shouted.
“Why wouldn’t I dare?” Li Liangping replied, his expression murderous. “The Liang Duke has rendered outstanding service and won countless victories. He is still a duke of the empire and has sacrificed so much for the Ming court. Yet you dare bring the Embroidered Uniform Guard to arrest a serving duke without even possessing an imperial edict. Do you know your crime? Release him at once!”
Lan Yu’s merits were indeed immense.
On the battlefield, he was undeniably formidable.
His foster sons and private troops obeyed Lan Yu alone. No matter what happened, they could not allow anything to happen to him.
“Outrageous!”
Before Zhu Yuntong could speak, Lan Yu shouted, “In His Highness’s presence, what right do you have to speak? Go back at once!”
“Liang Duke!”
Li Liangping refused to leave. He also knew that once he departed and Ye Sheng’s son was brought back, the charge of being remnants of Hu Weiyong’s faction would be confirmed.
He had to rescue Lan Yu.
Zhu Yuntong drew Jiang Huan’s saber and, with a single stroke, severed the ropes binding Lan Yu’s hands.
“You have no right to raise your voice before me. Go over there and bring him back.”
He was giving Lan Yu a direct command.
Throughout the entire Ming Empire, apart from Zhu Yuanzhang, only the late Crown Prince Zhu Biao had ever been able to command Lan Yu. Zhu Yuntong intended to become the third man with that authority.
Those words left Lan Yu no choice.
Did he accept Zhu Yuntong’s authority?
Of course he did.
If he refused again, there was only one road left for all of them: death. Just as Zhu Yuntong had said in the palace, they could all be killed.
Lan Yu said, “Very well.”
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