As time slowly passed, Zhu Ping’an’s hope in his heart grew larger and stronger.
Just as the hope was about to become a towering tree, a hurried and chaotic footsteps came from outside, along with a clamour.
“Bad news, big trouble, the master has been arrested by the Jinyiwei brought by the imperial envoy! Quick, quick, go report to the madam!”
“Why? Didn’t our master just command the great victory at Wangjiangjing? The imperial envoy doesn’t reward our master, but instead arrests our teacher?”
“The imperial envoy’s proclamation was a bit long, I didn’t remember it all, I only remember one sentence ‘Zhang Jing is deceitful and disloyal, order him to be sent to the capital for trial’!”
“What? Saying our master is deceitful and disloyal?! Heavens, are you blind? The master clearly won the battle, how did it become ‘deceitful and disloyal’?! Is there anyone more loyal than the master?”
“Bad news, the madam heard that the master was arrested by Jinyiwei, and she fainted at once. What should we do?”
“What do you mean what to do, hurry and call a doctor.”
Outside the room, it was chaotic, people were panic-stricken, wailing and crying, the noise and shouts turning into a mess.
Zhu Ping’an heard the clamour outside, the whole person slumped and stood stunned in place, that nearly towering tree of hope collapsed with a crash!
History still rolled forward along its ruts, Zhang Jing was still arrested and sent to the capital for trial, without any change.
Zhu Ping’an couldn’t help but sigh, slowly walked out of the room, looking at the chaotic scene outside, speechless and stifled.
Steward Wang’s face was pale, beads of sweat on his forehead falling like rain, his eyes full of fear and panic, chaotically directing the servants in the mansion, his words all jumbled, his voice trembling like his legs.
However, the servants and maids in the mansion were even worse than him, a group of people like headless flies buzzing around.
As soon as Steward Wang saw Zhu Ping’an, he immediately thought of last night when Zhu Ping’an repeatedly requested to see Zhang Jing, saying it concerned Zhang Jing’s life. At the time, he somewhat dismissed it, and the madam and the master and others also dismissed it, but now with this incident, he realised that Zhu Ping’an was not deliberately sensationalising to attract attention, but had truly foreseen the master’s fatal crisis, and came specially to save the master’s life.
Thinking of this, Steward Wang immediately acted as if he had seen a saviour, hurriedly running over in small steps towards Zhu Ping’an.
“Lord Zhu, Lord Zhu, last night Lord Zhu said it concerned our master’s life, it’s all our fault for being blind, not listening to your words, now we regret it deeply. Lord, you came yesterday to save our master, now you must be able to save our master, please, Lord Zhu, save our master.”
Steward Wang ran over, knelt down with a thud, kowtowing like pounding garlic, begging Zhu Ping’an to save Zhang Jing.
“It’s too late, the imperial envoy has arrived, the edict has been proclaimed, it’s beyond remedy, powerless to reverse. ” Zhu Ping’an shook his head, sighed and said.
“Lord Zhu, it’s all because we were blind, please Lord Zhu don’t hold it against us, save our master. Our master just commanded the great victory at Wangjiangjing, how could he be deceitful and disloyal?! Our master is wronged.”
Steward Wang knee-walked two steps, hugged Zhu Ping’an’s leg, bitterly pleading.
Zhu Ping’an squatted down, helped him up, shook his head and sighed, “Sorry, the edict has been issued, it’s already too late. If it was last night, before the imperial envoy arrived, there was still a glimmer of hope, but now, it’s beyond remedy.”
Indeed, if it was last night, there was still a chance, before the edict arrived, there was still a glimmer of hope.
But now, the edict has come down, whatever is said is too late!
If Zhang Jing was saved, there would only be one situation, the edict was wrong, Emperor Jiajing was wrong! Because it was Emperor Jiajing’s edict that said Zhang Jing was deceitful and disloyal!
How difficult that would be.
Moreover, historically it was indeed so, after Zhang Jing was arrested, two people pleaded for Zhang Jing, using quite tactful words, but the outcome was miserable.
Censor Li Yongjing and Wen Wangyun submitted a memorial saying, the royal army achieved a great victory, the Japanese pirates’ morale was seized, it’s not advisable to change commanders, please pardon Zhang Jing.
This was tactful enough, but Emperor Jiajing, under the instigation of the Yan Party, believed Li Yongjing and Wen Wangyun were in league with Zhang Jing to protect him, in great anger, Emperor Jiajing ordered the two to be given a court beating, still not satisfied, and then demoted them to commoners.
Zhang Jing was still imprisoned, still beheaded and displayed.
Hearing Zhu Ping’an say it was too late, beyond remedy, Steward Wang immediately slumped to the ground, wailing as if bereaved, “What should we do? Our master is wronged.”
“I know Lord Zhang is wronged, so I sought to see him last night, just didn’t expect. Didn’t expect the imperial envoy to come so fast, now whatever is said is too late. For now, first assist the madam to stabilise the rear courtyard, let Lord Zhang have no worries behind, focus on self-rescue. I’ll go to the front courtyard to see the situation, request the imperial envoy on the escort road, to take slight care of Lord Zhang.” Zhu Ping’an said slowly.
As he spoke, Zhu Ping’an helped up Steward Wang, using his identity as Zhejiang governor to calm the scene, assisting him to stabilise the headless fly-like servants and maids in the mansion.
Steward Wang went to the rear courtyard to assist Madam Zhang in stabilising the rear, Zhu Ping’an took leave to go to the front courtyard.
As said earlier, Zhu Ping’an went to see the situation, request the imperial envoy on the road escorting Lord Zhang to the capital, to take slight care of Zhang Jing.
Zhu Ping’an arrived at the front courtyard, the front courtyard had already been taken over by the factory guards, each standing with sabres, the atmosphere oppressive to the extreme.
Zhu Ping’an showed his token, only then was allowed in.
Two eunuchs were directing the factory guards to search Zhang Jing’s body, and verify his identity, searching while recording, preparing for escort.
“Alas, regret not listening to Zihou’s words, leading to today’s disaster.” Zhang Jing saw Zhu Ping’an, couldn’t help a long sigh, regretting deeply.
He now regretted, but he also knew, it was too late, the edict had been issued, wanting to overturn the case, difficult as ascending to heaven.
“I, Zhang Jing, dying is not regrettable, just pity the people of Jiangnan, the extermination of Japanese pirates had just started to improve, alas. ”
Zhang Jing said, couldn’t help a long sigh, his face full of regret.
“Two eunuchs, I am Zhejiang governor Zhu Ping’an, may I borrow a step to speak.” Zhu Ping’an stepped forward, reported his identity.
“What does Lord Zhu want to say, say it here, nothing that can’t be seen, Lord Zhu wouldn’t ask for bending the law for personal gain, right?” The two eunuchs smiled skin-deep, waved their hands.
Zhu Ping’an saw this, understood, the request probably difficult.
Sure enough, Zhu Ping’an cupped his hands and said the request, the two eunuchs hehe’d, smiled skin-deep and said, “Lord Zhu rest assured, the criminal named by the emperor, of course we will take good care of him.”
Then, Zhu Ping’an was politely escorted out by the two, on the grounds of imperial mission secrecy.
