Chapter 562: How Can I Have the Strength to Go to Prison Without Eating My Fill?

“Ziwei, Zihou—you two are truly heartless. Drinking here behind my back without inviting me? Hah, and now I’ve caught you red-handed.”

A playful, teasing voice drifted in from the doorway.

Moments later, a handsome young man stepped leisurely into the room, a folded fan resting elegantly in his hand. He wore a fitted white brocade robe embroidered with cloud patterns, the fine fabric flowing smoothly around his tall frame. His jet-black hair had been gathered neatly and fastened with a purple jade crownpin, while a piece of warm green jade hung from his waist, swaying lightly with each step.

There was laughter hidden in his eyes.

Graceful and refined, he looked every bit the picture of a noble gentleman—like a jade tree standing before the wind.

The moment they saw who it was, both Zhu Ping’an and Zhang Siwei rose with smiles to greet him.

The newcomer was none other than Wang Shizhen.

“Listening to Wensheng’s tone just now,” Zhu Ping’an said with a grin as he and Zhang Siwei welcomed him inside, “one would think some resentful wife had come to catch her husband cheating.”

The moment Wang Shizhen stepped through the door, his foot nearly slipped from beneath him.

He looked up at Zhu Ping’an with a helpless mixture of laughter and exasperation.

“Zihou… honestly, you are utterly destroying the dignity of scholars.”

“Hahaha!” Zhang Siwei burst into laughter. “Shouldn’t you be drinking wine and composing poetry at Minister Li’s residence? What made you willing to visit this humble place of mine instead?”

“My steward came to inform me that Zihou had returned,” Wang Shizhen replied as he sat down. “So I excused myself from Lord Li’s gathering and hurried back. I figured that if Zihou returned, he’d certainly be here with you, so I came straight over.”

In truth, because the Ministry of Justice had repeatedly sent urgent correspondence regarding the matter, Wang Shizhen had already estimated that Zhu Ping’an would soon return to the capital. Before leaving home earlier, he had specifically instructed his steward that the moment Zhu Ping’an appeared, he was to report it immediately at Lord Li Panlong’s residence.

Thus, almost the instant Zhu Ping’an left Wang Shizhen’s home, the steward had rushed off to deliver the message.

Which was why Wang Shizhen had returned so quickly.

Zhang Siwei ordered the servants to bring another pair of chopsticks and additional tableware. He also instructed the kitchen to prepare several more dishes.

Soon, the three men sat together around the study table.

The fragrance of wine mingled with the scent of ink and tea, while candlelight flickered softly across the room.

“Alright,” Zhang Siwei said after the initial pleasantries had passed, his expression gradually turning serious. “Let’s return to the important matter—Zihou’s memorial. Wensheng, you must have gathered quite a bit of information at Lord Li’s place in the Ministry of Justice. We should discuss it carefully and figure out what to do.”

Wang Shizhen nodded in agreement at once.

Then he looked directly at Zhu Ping’an with unusual seriousness.

“Zihou… do you have any idea how much commotion your memorial has caused?”

Again with this question…

Zhu Ping’an rubbed his nose helplessly.

“You’re still smiling?” Wang Shizhen stared at him in disbelief. “Do you know that the Zhao Daying you impeached—the very same Zhao Daying who falsely claimed military merit through murdering innocent civilians—was personally promoted to the rank of thousand-household commander after the Gengxu Crisis, with Yan Song’s approval?”

His tone grew sharper as he continued.

“Even when beating a dog, one must consider its owner. By impeaching Zhao Daying for killing innocents to fabricate military achievements, aren’t you effectively saying Yan Song was blind and fostered evil? You practically slapped Yan Song directly across the face. Where does that leave the old thief’s dignity?”

Wang Shizhen had never concealed his disgust toward Yan Song. Since only the three of them were present, he made no effort whatsoever to hide his contempt, openly calling him “the old thief.”

“I only learned about that connection afterward,” Zhu Ping’an answered honestly.

“You…” Wang Shizhen sighed heavily, nearly at a loss for words. “That old thief Yan Song treasures his reputation above all else, while his little thief of a son, Yan Shifan, worships wealth. I’ve heard Zhao Daying alone sent cart after cart of gifts to Yan Shifan.”

He leaned forward slightly.

“And right after your memorial impeaching Zhao Daying was submitted, two more memorials appeared directly attacking Yan Song himself.”

“One came from Zhao Jin, the regional inspecting censor of Yunnan and Guizhou. He accused Yan Song of monopolizing court power for personal gain, corrupting official administration, impoverishing the people, and draining the nation’s treasury. He requested Yan Song’s dismissal.”

“The second came from Zhou Mian, Acting Director of the Ministry of War’s Bureau of Military Appointments. He impeached Yan Song’s infant grandson, Yan Xiaozhong, exposing how the Yan faction falsely claimed military merit to secure court appointments for him as Imperial Guard Suppression Commissioner and Thousand-Household Commander.”

Wang Shizhen’s expression darkened.

“The very day Zhao Jin’s memorial arrived in the capital, he was arrested under charges of ‘deceiving Heaven and slandering the sovereign.’ He was thrown into the Imperial Prison, brutally tortured, flogged forty strokes, stripped of office, and reduced to commoner status.”

“As for Zhou Mian—same outcome. Arrested, imprisoned, stripped of rank.”

He paused before looking squarely at Zhu Ping’an.

“And now your memorial accuses Zhao Daying of falsely claiming military merit through slaughtering civilians…”

“But Zhao Daying’s so-called military accomplishments had already been recognized by Yan Song himself when he promoted him.”

Worry filled Wang Shizhen’s eyes.

He feared Zhu Ping’an might soon follow Zhao Jin and Zhou Mian straight into prison.

After all, among the three memorials, the first two authors had already been imprisoned and ruined.

How could he not worry?

True, Zhu Ping’an had not directly impeached Yan Song.

But in reality, the difference was negligible.

Since Zhao Daying’s promotion had come through Yan Song’s recognition, impeaching Zhao Daying was effectively the same as publicly humiliating Yan Song.

“Yan Song’s faction has spread throughout the entire court,” Zhang Siwei said heavily, deeply agreeing with Wang Shizhen. “Once a matter becomes tied to the Yan father-and-son pair, it becomes extraordinarily difficult to handle.”

Slurp…

Smack…

The strange noises suddenly interrupted the tense atmosphere.

The two men froze.

What was that sound?

Did livestock somehow wander into the room?

Turning their heads simultaneously, they discovered the source of the disturbance—

The very person they were desperately worrying about, Zhu Ping’an himself, was currently focused with utmost seriousness on demolishing a plate of sweet-and-sour fish.

Half the dish was already gone.

“Zihou… you can still eat at a time like this?!” Wang Shizhen’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. For a split second, he genuinely had the urge to grab Zhu Ping’an’s head and shove it directly into the plate.

Zhu Ping’an finally lifted his head from the fish, wiped his mouth calmly, and grinned.

“If I don’t eat my fill now, how will I have the strength to go to prison later?”

“You—!”

Wang Shizhen stared at him speechlessly, looking utterly frustrated, like a man watching an iron bar refuse to become steel no matter how much it was forged.

“Alright, alright.” Zhu Ping’an laughed softly. “The atmosphere was getting too tense, so I made a joke.”

His expression gradually turned sincere.

“Wensheng, Ziwei… thank you both for worrying about me.”

“As for the memorial, I already made arrangements long ago. Since I dared to submit it, naturally I prepared a complete strategy beforehand.”

“You arranged everything already?” Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen exchanged skeptical glances. “You’re just trying to reassure us.”

“Of course not.” Zhu Ping’an smiled calmly. “I prepared things before I ever submitted the memorial. Don’t worry. Since when have I ever done something without confidence in success?”

Then, with deliberate composure, he added:

“I’m still young. Even if I simply outlive Yan Song and his son, I’ll still win eventually. Why would I recklessly throw myself into danger?”

The two initially nodded instinctively at his confidence.

But moments later, they both shook their heads again with bitter smiles.

“Zihou, stop comforting us,” Zhang Siwei sighed. “When you submitted the memorial, you didn’t even know Zhao Daying’s connection to Yan Song.”

“I’m targeting the matter, not the person,” Zhu Ping’an replied with a faint smile.

“What happened differs fundamentally from the cases of Zhao Jin and Zhou Mian.”

“Lord Zhao accused Yan Song of numerous crimes, but lacked concrete evidence.”

“As for Lord Zhou, his impeachment was overly rash. Though Yan Xiaozhong was still an infant, Zhou Mian used the argument of hereditary privilege against him. Moreover, the appointment itself came through an imperial decree of grace. Since His Majesty is supremely wise, how could the Emperor possibly be mistaken?”

“But my case is different.”

“I impeached Zhao Daying for slaughtering innocent civilians and claiming false military merit.”

“That is an actual crime with evidence.”

“So relax.”

“How can we relax?” Zhang Siwei shook his head. “The Emperor will never admit fault. And if the Emperor won’t, how could Yan Song?”

Then he frowned deeply.

“And you still say Zhou Mian acted rashly? Zihou, you were rash as well.”

“Why did you choose this exact moment—while His Majesty is engaged in Daoist rites and rituals—to submit such a memorial?”

“After last year’s Gengxu Crisis, the wounds in the capital still haven’t healed. Yet your memorial tore those wounds open again.”

Wang Shizhen also looked toward Zhu Ping’an with confusion and curiosity, silently waiting for an explanation.

Faced with their questioning gazes, Zhu Ping’an slowly took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.

Then, without concealment, he began recounting everything from beginning to end.

As he described how he and Li Shu had accidentally wandered into the hands of roaming bandits, both Zhang Siwei and Wang Shizhen unconsciously tensed up despite Zhu Ping’an sitting safely before them now.

Even knowing the outcome already, they could still feel the danger of that moment.

Only when they heard how Zhu Ping’an cleverly used fine wine to defuse the crisis did the two finally exhale in relief.

But afterward—

When Zhu Ping’an spoke of the hunter risking his life on the frontier fighting Mongol raiders while, back in his hometown, Hundred-Household Commander Zhao Daying used soldiers to “borrow” the heads of his parents, wife, and children for military merit…

Both men clenched their fists tightly.

Their faces filled with fury.

Especially Wang Shizhen—

He slammed his palm heavily onto the table with a loud bang.

“This is outrageous!”

“Now I understand why you submitted the impeachment memorial!” Wang Shizhen’s voice trembled with rage. “For the sake of military rewards, that Zhao Daying didn’t even spare infants…”

“That beast has utterly lost all humanity!”

“He’s completely devoid of conscience!”

Zhang Siwei, meanwhile, sat in silence for a long while before finally letting out a long, exhausted sigh.

“When the nation prospers, the people suffer.”

“When the nation falls, the people suffer all the same…”