Chapter 131 - Trigger
Nianzu was writing a poem when Eunuch Chung came to him. "Your highness, Landlord Ma is here to meet you," Eunuch Chung announced. Nianzu put the brush down and asked Chung to bring Ma Bojing in. Eunuch Chung bowed his head and walked out. After some time, he came to the room with Ma Bojing.
Ma Bojing greeted Nianzu who was told to take a seat. Pulling a chair out for himself, Ma Bojing sat on it. "Chung, send tea for us," Nianzu ordered, and then looked at Ma Bojing.
"Landlord Ma, something urgent came up yesterday, so I could not meet you. Thank you for coming today," Nianzu politely said. Ma Bojing told Nianzu not to thank him, "I was called, so I needed to come."
After a while, a maidservant came there with a tray in her hand. She served them the tea and left from there. Nianzu picked the cup and sipped the tea. Ma Bojing too picked the cup and drank the tea. Nianzu looked at Eunuch Chung and showed him a pouch full of gold coins.
Nianzu put it on the table in the center. "I think it is more than enough money to pay the debts of the peasant whose daughter was going to be an Entertainer in your house." Prince Nianzu had a stern expression on his face seeing that Ma Bojing gulped in fear.
"I think his h-highness is misunderstanding me. She was supposed to be a washer in my house to pay the debts of her family," Ma Bojing asserted.
"Landlord Ma, I do not like lies. I would like to see the land records and also the amount of interest you ask from those peasants who ask for loans from you," Nianzu proclaimed. Ma Bojing got scared upon hearing that.
"I want your cooperation in this. If there will be any illegal extortion of money from the subjects, then your punishment will be decided accordingly," Nianzu pronounced.
"Your highness," Ma Bojing came to his knees. "Please forgive me. I accept that I put enormous interest on the borrowers. I-I will amend those interests. Please don't punish me, your highness. I plead with you." Ma Bojing bowed down such that his forehead touched the ground.
"If I will forgive you, then it will be an injustice to those who fell into your trap because of their illiteracy. I cannot show mercy to you. You have to be present in Court tomorrow. This is the Royal order," Nianzu announced, and then looked at Eunuch Chung. "Please send Landlord Ma to his house." Nianzu handed a scroll to Chung in which the Royal order was written.
Ma Bojing stood up from the ground, bowed his head, and left from there with Eunuch Chung. Just then Lei Wanxi entered the study room with Hu Jingguo and greeted the Fourth Prince.
"Brother, you called Ma Bojing?" Lei Wanxi queried as he came towards the table and gestured to Hu Jingguo to take a seat.
"Yes. Yesterday I could not meet him. Why are you two here?" Nianzu asked.
"Ex-Prime Minister is going to be hanged soon. But he told an important thing to Sister Lili. The Empress is after Hu Jingguo," Lei Wanxi told Nianzu who was bewildered upon hearing that.
"So? Now, we have to send Hu Jingguo safely to Juyan," Nianzu proclaimed. Lei Wanxi clicked the tongue from the roof of his mouth.
"Brother, General Wang said that sending Brother Hu back to Juyan will be risky. Even if we tighten the security, there is still a threat to Brother Hu's life. That's why I came up with the best solution. I know the Crown Prince will not agree to it if I tell this to him but he will never refuse the advice of Brother Nianzu," Lei Wanxi asserted, keeping a smile on his lips.
"What solution have you come up with?" Nianzu asked Lei Wanxi.
Lei Wanxi smiled. "Brother, if Brother Hu will go to the Southern Province with Brother Sheng and Sister Lili, then he will be safe. Moreover, Hu Jingguo is good in medicine so that's the other reason that he shall go with the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess," Lei Wanxi pronounced.
"The Crown Prince will never agree to this. If he has given the task to General Wang then he will surely come up with a solution," Nianzu stated.
"But, Prince Nianzu, if I go with the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess that will be better. The journey is long. What if one of them gets sick? Furthermore, I am good at warfare so I can protect them in the journey," Hu Jingguo affirmed.
Nianzu gave a tiny smile to Hu Jingguo. "Do you not know that the Crown Prince doesn't like your presence around the Crown Princess? He does not like the fact that you are a friend of the Crown Princess," Nianzu truthfully told Hu Jingguo.
"That's why Brother Hu Jingguo must go with them. Brother Sheng will then start getting affectionate to the Crown Princess. Please, Brother, help in this," stated Lei Wanxi.
"The Crown Prince is short-tempered. If Hu Jingguo goes with them, then I am telling you he will not hesitate in killing him," Nianzu deduced, and told Lei Wanxi to let General Wang handle this.
"The Crown Prince will never lay a finger on me because of the Crown Princess. The Crown Prince even asked me what kind of man the Crown Princess desires? I shall go with them. Please Prince Nianzu, help me with this.
What if I am attacked while going to Juyan? If I go with them and die, then at least I do not have any regrets. That day I felt bad when the Crown Prince did not behave properly with my friend. I want their relationship to turn good and also I want the Crown Prince to cherish my friend. I will truly be a help to the Crown Prince," Hu Jingguo tried to make Nianzu understand.
After giving it a thought, Prince Nianzu agreed with Hu Jingguo and Lei Wanxi. "I will talk with the Crown Prince. Still, I warn you not to trigger the Crown Prince too much," Nianzu advised. Hu Jingguo nodded and thanked the Fourth Prince.