Chapter 31: Crouching Dragon and Fledgling Phoenix

Empress Xu spoke in a tone that was calm and composed—not out of perfunctoriness or a desire to console, but from a place of profound self-assurance. Even if Zhu Laosi had not merely become Emperor, but had ascended to the heavens to become the Jade Emperor himself, he could not afford to disregard the Empress’s opinions.

In recent days, Xu Jingchang had begun to grasp the reality of the situation. Whether it was Qiu Fu or Zhu Neng, these men were all originally handpicked by Xu Da for his son-in-law; their roots lay firmly within the Xu family.

Xu Jingchang even pondered why some were so keen to incite Zhu Gaoxu to kill Xu Huizu. It was likely a case of kindness curdling into resentment, a desperate desire to eliminate the Xu family and put an end to this chapter once and for all.

In short, Empress Xu, much like Empress Ma before her, was an "original shareholder"—a figure whom no one could shake.

Realizing this, Xu Jingchang’s mind began to churn with new ideas.

"Aunt, the truth is, my visit today isn't just because I’m wary of the civil and military officials in court. There is another matter. I am doing this so that my eldest cousin and the others may live in peace, and for the long-term stability of the Great Ming Empire. Your nephew has truly had a difficult time."

Empress Xu smiled. "You may be young, but your foresight is quite far-reaching. Tell me then, how exactly is this for the sake of the empire?"

"Aunt, how do ordinary families manage their lives? Do they calculate exactly how much money they have before they go out to work in the market?"

Empress Xu frowned slightly. "I suppose not, do they?"

Xu Jingchang nodded. "Exactly. Everyone tries their best to earn more. The more one earns, the more one has, and the better one lives. Who wouldn't want a better life? Unless one has no other methods or suitable paths, and is forced to tighten their belt to scrape by—that is what is meant by 'measuring expenditure against income'."

"When applied to a nation, the issue is not about measuring expenditure against income, but about the failure to collect revenue. With the fiscal coffers drying up, the state cannot sustain itself. History books often attribute this to the extravagance of monarchs or the corruption of treacherous officials. But in reality, how much can one Emperor spend? Could one person truly drive a country to ruin? Unless it’s a prodigal disaster like Emperor Yang of Sui, I doubt anyone could manage it. The real problem is the growing powerlessness from top to bottom; the primary issue is the inability to collect taxes—the things that should be collected simply aren't."

"I won't even mention the benefits of commercial taxes; just having another source of revenue is a good thing. Walking on two legs is always steadier than walking on one. Under the brilliance of the Founding Emperor, relying solely on agricultural and salt taxes was sufficient. By His Majesty’s reign, with his martial prowess and diligent governance, he can create a golden age. But for the emperors who follow, that may not be the case. Leaving an extra path for our descendants—isn't that for the long-term benefit of the Great Ming?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Xu nodded vigorously, clearly in agreement. "You are right. In truth, His Majesty is far inferior to the Founding Emperor. Last time, he extorted Wang Qin from you, only to turn around and sell the man for 180,000 taels of silver. He is capable of anything for a bit of money these days."

Xu Jingchang was shocked. The only person capable of paying such a sum to buy Wang Qin’s life was Qiu Fu.

For days, Qiu Fu had been refusing all visitors. Although Xu Jingchang had suspected it, receiving confirmation from his aunt was a different matter. Zhu Di had used the worthless life of Wang Qin to force Qiu Fu to cough up the embezzled treasury funds, and then ordered him to reflect behind closed doors.

Xu Jingchang found it hard to judge the right or wrong of the situation, but he began to understand why Zhu Neng had been trying to curry favor with him... the waters of this court were deep indeed.

"Aunt, what of the Prince of Han? How is he faring?" Xu Jingchang asked casually.

Empress Xu sighed heavily. "It’s all because of your meddling. That error with the reign title led His Majesty to give him a full twenty lashes; he nearly lost his life."

"Twenty lashes? That can't be right. Second cousin seems quite sturdy to me."

Empress Xu stiffened. "I gave him twenty lashes as well."

Xu Jingchang was speechless. It was a "mixed doubles" match between husband and wife—the so-called "man and woman working together makes the beating less tiring." That Zhu Gaoxu was still alive was a testament to his iron-willed constitution.

Wait, only a few days later, he went off to deal with the Three Uriankhai Guards. He truly was a warrior who thrived in the heat of battle. If it had been him, he would likely have been queuing in the underworld for reincarnation by now.

Looking at it this way, everyone who had offended him had met a miserable end. His own track record was quite terrifying.

"Aunt, it might not be my place to say this, but I dare to suggest that since Second Cousin is your own son, and the Imperial family is a model for all under heaven, it is better to maintain harmony. Besides, I see that Second Cousin is merely a bit headstrong; his nature is not evil. We must simply ensure that no petty scoundrels take advantage of his arrogance."

Empress Xu smiled. "You certainly set great store by family ties, you little rascal. Are you putting on a show for me?"

Xu Jingchang replied honestly, "If it were anyone else, I wouldn't waste my breath. But Second Cousin is a Prince of the realm, a man of noble status, and I don't want him to harbor a grudge against me forever. If you, Aunt, could help resolve this, your nephew would be eternally grateful."

Empress Xu thought for a moment, then suddenly laughed. "My dear nephew, how about this? I shall tell the Prince of Han to act as your personal bodyguard. How does that sound?"

"It sounds terrible!" Xu Jingchang’s face paled in terror. "Aunt, you cannot do that! Given the current state of my relationship with the Prince of Han, if he loses his temper and cuts me down with a sword, you will have no nephew left."

Empress Xu frowned. "It won't come to that... besides, your uncle still has your cousin Xu Qin!"

Xu Jingchang’s eyes widened immediately. This aunt of his was not to be trusted!

Empress Xu laughed. "I’m only teasing. Actually, I have thought about what you said. But the Prince of Han grew up in the army; the men who live and die with him are the ones who have been by his side throughout the four years of the Jingnan Campaign. Those gathering around him now are only looking to profit from him and win the merit of 'following the dragon.' Honestly, as a mother, I find the child pitiable; he doesn't have a single true friend."

Tears welled in Empress Xu’s eyes. "As parents, one must hold the scale level. The eldest is benevolent and respectful, fit to inherit the throne. The second is brave and skilled in battle, also a good child, but he should not have been born into an imperial house... My nephew, if you can convince him to abandon his thoughts of seizing the throne and live a good life, your aunt would be grateful."

Xu Jingchang scratched his head. "Aunt, it’s not that I don't want to help, but I don't know how to persuade him. And more importantly, he may not listen to me. We loathe the sight of each other, and I truly fear he might take a stab at me when I'm not looking."

Empress Xu huffed, "You need not worry about that. I am still here; he wouldn't dare, even if he had the courage of a giant. Let it be settled then. You are implementing this tax reform, and it has caused quite an outcry. I will have the Prince of Han protect you. With him there, no one will dare to lay a hand on you. As for whether you two can reconcile or if he will give up his ambitions, we shall take it slowly; there is no need to rush. It is decided. You may withdraw; I still need to discuss the commercial tax with His Majesty."

Empress Xu gave Xu Jingchang no room for further argument, dismissing him immediately.

With a heart full of trepidation, Xu Jingchang returned to the Office of Transmission. To his surprise, Zhu Yong was waiting there. The lad had somehow acquired a gleaming suit of armor and a goose-quill saber, standing there with quite an imposing air.

"This subordinate greets the Transmission Commissioner."

His voice was resonant, and apart from his small stature, he was beyond reproach.

"By the way, can you beat the Prince of Han, Zhu Gaoxu?" Xu Jingchang asked casually.

"I can!" Zhu Yong replied immediately. "But there is a condition."

"What condition?"

"That we wait another five years."

"Five years?" Xu Jingchang’s eyes widened.

Zhu Yong said bluntly, "I am only thirteen now. In five years, I might be able to beat the Prince of Han to the ground."

Xu Jingchang was speechless. "I'm not even sure if I'll be alive in five years."

The next day, the Prince of Han, Zhu Gaoxu, truly arrived at the Office of Transmission with several guards in tow. He said nothing, simply standing behind Xu Jingchang. His face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. Zhu Yong saw this, and though he was much younger than Zhu Gaoxu, he resolutely stood on the other side of Xu Jingchang.

"With this pair of 'Crouching Dragon and Fledgling Phoenix,' I wouldn't say I'm sitting on a bed of comfort—I'm more likely to be losing sleep."

All morning, Xu Jingchang felt as though Zhu Gaoxu was waiting for the perfect moment to kill him.

Fortunately, in the afternoon, Zheng He arrived to inform Xu Jingchang that officials were impeaching him for violating ancestral laws, demanding he be executed by slicing for his treasonous crimes.

Upon hearing this, Xu Jingchang danced with excitement.

"Wonderful! Finally, someone is impeaching me! Hurry, to the palace!"

Xu Jingchang rushed into the palace, with Zhu Gaoxu following closely behind. Zhu Yong tried to follow, but as he was only a chiliarch, he lacked the qualifications to enter. He was left hopping mad and cursing, until the palace guards and eunuchs dragged him away to teach him proper etiquette.

Xu Jingchang and Zhu Gaoxu entered the main hall one after the other. Many officials had already arrived.

"The Founding Emperor allowed officials to carry local specialties without levying taxes. Yet, the Jubao Gate tax station insists on collection—what kind of logic is this?"

"His Majesty is filial; how can we keep a treacherous official who openly violates the ancestral laws?"

Facing the vicious glares, Xu Jingchang cried out in grievance.

"Your Majesty, I would never dare to violate the ancestral laws. I have carefully pondered the intentions of the Founding Emperor. Allowing officials to carry local specialties was because the country was in ruins at the start of the dynasty; bringing specialties into the capital enriched the markets and provided officials with additional income. It was a virtuous policy that benefited both the government and the people. I truly admire the wisdom of the Founding Emperor."

Xu Jingchang sighed, "In the present day, a portion of the funds collected at the Jubao Gate tax station is distributed to the officials in the capital to supplement their living expenses. How can this be called a violation of the Founding Emperor's ancestral laws?"