Palace Fighting: Naive Concubines' Ascent to Power-Chapter 623: Find the Culprit

Zhang Qing was aware that, although these military generals might look like brutes, anyone who reached the rank of attending court sessions in person was actually thick-skinned and black-hearted. They were extremely precise in their ruthlessness: they would beat someone until their body was covered in bruises — painful and humiliating, yet the injuries were minor enough to heal within ten days to half a month. Even if a complaint was filed, at most they would be detained for a few days — nothing more than a slight inconvenience.

Of course, they also knew whom they could afford to offend. This group of generals wouldn’t dare provoke Minister Fan, who was quite advanced in years; otherwise, if Minister Fan were to simply fall to the ground, they wouldn’t be able to endure the consequences.

Zhang Qing felt emotional, thinking that His Majesty had indeed worried a great deal over these military generals. While Xu Hu was reflecting behind closed doors, these generals didn’t idle around. Every day they sought out court officials who had reported against Xu Family’s father and daughter to provoke and cause trouble, which left His Majesty both amused and distressed and ultimately led to their imprisonment.

This measure was taken to protect them. At the time when Xue Ping’s influence was soaring, it kept them out of the limelight and also prevented them from stirring more trouble that could give their enemies a pretext. Moreover, it was to ensure the smooth execution of planned events.

Now the time had come to reap the rewards, and His Majesty had released them alongside Xu Hu on the same day, which had significant implications, though Zhang Qing had yet to discern exactly what those were...

While Zhang Qing was pondering, Xu Hu received compliments and responded very cordially with a few humble remarks.

Just then, he turned around and happened to see Chu Yuanzheng, in no particular hurry, finishing the prescription and handing it to the Xu Family’s servant.

The big man’s expression stiffened, his smile vanished, and after gritting his teeth, he abruptly leaned on a nearby servant, "Support this general back to bed, I need restorative peace!"

Since His Majesty had suggested "restorative peace," he would do just that, without a second word!

The Xu Family’s servants almost couldn’t support the big man.

Chu Yuanzheng packed up his medicine box leisurely and came out. Seeing this, he said, "There’s really no need to lie down. I saw that the Great General was excessively fiery just now, so I prescribed him medicine to cool down. He simply needs to focus and calm his mind on normal days. Restorative peace isn’t about lying down; it’s about staying quiet and avoiding visitors."

The implication was that there was no serious issue.

Chu Yuanzheng was an interesting person. Before entering, he had received instructions from Da Zhuang, and instantly understood the Emperor’s intentions. After he came in, since he hadn’t diagnosed any real illness, he spoke obliquely about Xu Hu’s irritable disposition — no one really understood, but it didn’t matter; he could speak as he pleased, as long as he accomplished what the Emperor wanted, thus the final remark, "avoid visitors."

There was really no need to prescribe any medicine, but seeing how Xu Hu scolded so fluently earlier, he just shook his head, feeling a physician’s parental heart couldn’t help but prescribe anyway.

After Chu Yuanzheng and Huang Zude left Canglan Court when circumstances had changed, some people had tried their best to contact them for information. They only shook their heads and sighed, staying silent, keeping their lips tighter than clamshells.

Chu Yuanzheng was highly skilled in medicine, usually easy to talk to, so many high officials and nobles wanted to engage him, but not all could afford him.

He was very knowledgeable about the Royal Family’s affairs and was only loyal to the Emperor. Whatever he was told to do, he did without questioning the reasons.

As for Huang Zude, it goes without saying. The Emperor was the god he worshipped. Whatever the Emperor instructed, he wouldn’t even discuss it with his own father.

With these matters settled, Zhang Qing, accompanied by Da Zhuang and others, greeted Xu Hu briefly, advising him to take care of his health before departing.

Once they left the Xu Mansion’s gate, they were startled to find that the group of military generals was still gathered outside the Xu Mansion, seemingly discussing what to do next, loudly and without any discretion. Curious passersby also stopped to listen.

Zhang Qing found it amusing and stood listening for a while.

They all scratched their heads and showed pained faces, complaining loudly for half the day.

One of them said, "Did you understand what the Old Imperial Doctor said?"

Everyone shook their heads, and someone said, "It seemed to be about debility, and also some heart disease, which sounded pretty serious."

Another chimed in, "Exactly, and there’s something wrong with his lungs too. The Great General has fallen ill and needs to be confined to bed."

Someone immediately began cursing angrily, "Damn it, Zhao Zhong, that scoundrel, and Xue Ping, that son of a turtle, are both up to no good, framing the Great General and Consort De. Thieves who dare to catch thieves, how outrageous..."

Injustice has its origins, debts have their debtors, damn it, if they can’t find Noble Consort Xue, then just go directly after her son Xue Ping; it’s all the same!

Once one person started cursing, the others followed suit, and soon there was a chorus of curses outside the Xu Mansion.

After cursing for a long while, someone more sensible lamented, "The Great General said, we can’t help much at the General’s Mansion."

Everyone nodded in agreement, "Exactly, we don’t know how to take care of people, might end up making things worse for the Great General."

"Then, we can’t help outside either!"

Someone shouted, "How can we not help, let’s go find the main culprits, vent some anger for the Great General. Who knows when His Majesty will decree to deal with them, better we take the lead!"

The group of military generals looked at one another, seeing the burning will to fight in each other’s eyes.

So, a group of them rushed out of the General’s Mansion, and along the way, they planned to gather more people. Some would go to Zhao Zhong’s mansion, others to Xue Ping’s mansion, and the rest to the mansions of the court officials who had accused the Great General, focusing mainly on Zhao and Xue. They agreed to only shout and not get physical, blocking their mansions and starting to curse.

From that day on, until Xue Ping pushed Zhao Zhong out as the scapegoat, this group of military generals guarded against Xue Ping and Zhao Zhong, taking turns shouting abuses. They even implemented a military shift system; when one got tired of yelling, another would take over, using the full array of their military skills in the shouting battle.

Xue Ping and Zhao Zhong could not even hide; whenever they went to court, some of these generals would accompany them, and when they left Yamen, the warriors would leave as well; no, these warriors were not as busy as the civil officials, they would escape early and wait for them outside Yamen, a persistent presence that made them inseparable in their movements.

At this time, these military generals were more idle than dogs, and with some being skilled scouts, Xue Ping and the others couldn’t hide at all.

This became a peculiar spectacle in the Capital; everywhere Xue Ping and Zhao Zhong went, they had people following and berating them the entire way.

Thus, the whole Capital knew that Xue Ping’s daughter plotted against the Imperial Heir and framed Consort De, and that Zhao Zhong was a lackey, stressing the Great General out so much that he was bedridden, unable to take care of himself, in a very pitiful state.

But that wasn’t all—outside the General’s Mansion, the spectators, having heard these warriors’ words, would pass the information. The word spread quickly: one told ten, ten told a hundred, and soon a new version circulated through the Capital, stating that the court was plagued by treacherous officials who had caused the Great General to become debilitated with heart disease and lung problems, nearly dying, his coffin ready, just waiting for his final breath.

As this story spread, the two versions merged into one, and the whole Capital came to know Zhao Zhong and Xue Ping as great traitors, daring not only to harm the Emperor’s bright and brave child but also causing the death of the Great General!

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