Chapter Nine: The Scapegoated Princess Consort Is Sentenced to Death (9)

“No matter what, this matter is certainly not something we can decide on our own. What we can do now is to hasten to report this to His Majesty. Or better yet, quickly escort Prince Lu back to the capital.”

“Of course, before that, we might try to invite some renowned monks or Taoist priests nearby to the prince’s residence. If they can resolve Prince Lu’s condition, that would be ideal. But if they cannot, then we may have no choice but to resort to one of the two options I mentioned earlier.”

Given the current situation, there were hardly any options left. Dong Huaide could only face reality and straightforwardly outline the three paths he had in mind. Naturally, the best case was that the monks or priests could solve the problem. The other options all carried risks.

“Sigh, good fortune never comes our way, but misfortune always falls upon us. This is not something to be glad about. If we report back to His Majesty and he does not believe us, thinking we’re fabricating nonsense, our heads will roll immediately. If he does believe us, the outcome won’t be any better—he may vent his anger and our heads will still roll. As for directly sending Prince Lu back, while we don’t have to worry about His Majesty’s disbelief, if His Majesty sees the prince’s condition and, in a fit of rage, punishes us or orders us silenced for secrecy, our lives will still be at risk. This truly is a matter of life and death, a game of near-impossible survival!”

It was no wonder that the imperial messenger eunuch Zhang Huai was so pessimistic at this moment—he knew all too well the emperor’s ruthless nature and was painfully aware of his own lowly status. Their fates rested entirely on the whim of a powerful man.

Hearing this, the other three imperial messenger eunuchs immediately showed expressions of despair. They felt doomed; the more they listened, the more dangerous it seemed. It was as if their heads were only temporarily in their possession, ready to be taken away at any moment.

“Don’t be too pessimistic,” Dong Huaide continued, trying to soothe them with calm assurance. “Reporting the news back to the capital or sending Prince Lu back are just last-resort options. Perhaps the famous monks or priests here can solve the problem, and in that case, everything will be fine.”

“Even if the monks and priests fail, His Majesty’s main concern will be how to save Prince Lu, not you. There’s no need to worry unnecessarily.”

Once Zhang Huai and the others’ emotions seemed to ease somewhat, or at least their fear lessened, Dong Huaide arranged for them to stay in the servants’ quarters next to the Palace of Longevity. They had originally been living near the Phoenix Soaring Palace, which was quite far from here. Now, at least, they were close to Prince Lu.

If anything happened, it would be easier to be informed or summoned.

After dismissing the maid who helped settle the eunuchs into their quarters, Zhang Huai quickly glanced around to ensure no one was eavesdropping or watching. Only then did he close the door and pull the other three imperial messenger eunuchs aside quietly.

“We have to leave, and we have to leave now…”

The three looked confused.

Seeing their innocent eyes, Zhang Huai felt deeply frustrated but hastened to explain in a low voice:

“You fools, that man named Dong clearly has ill intentions. He wants to make us bear the emperor’s wrath so he can escape unscathed. Do you really think he cares about us?”

“What does Prince Lu’s matter have to do with us? We’re imperial messenger eunuchs. No one said that if Prince Lu had trouble, we must be the ones to report it or escort him back. Remember, Dong is the chief steward of the prince’s residence; he can’t escape responsibility. The safest way for us is to return to the capital immediately, riding hard without stopping, to complete our mission before the news of Prince Lu’s trouble reaches the city. Then, we will just be ordinary eunuchs who have finished their task and returned to our posts. We won’t even know about Prince Lu’s situation. This matter will have nothing to do with us. The emperor might not even know of our involvement!”

“That’s right! As long as we return to the capital in time to hand over the mission, even Steward Dong won’t have a reason to drag us into this mess. Our superiors certainly won’t implicate us either. He’s just trying to trick us!”

Having laid it out plainly like this, even the three who had been dull-witted could understand. Realizing this, their spirits lifted considerably, except for Zhang Huai, who remained cautious. It felt as if the sword hanging over their heads had been lifted. Thank goodness, their lives were still intact.

“What are you so excited about? The real problem now is how we get out. It’s obvious the prince’s residence is under lockdown. They probably allow entry but no exit. Damn it, we should have left as soon as we confirmed the death of Prince Lu’s wife instead of lingering here. Now, that Dong has us staying so close, it’s clearly to keep an eye on us, fearing we might escape. Has any of you been inside the prince’s residence? Do you know any way out? Or do you have anyone inside the residence who’s trustworthy—or even someone greedy enough to take money and risk their life? We might still be able to scrape together some silver.”

Though Zhang Huai wanted to shout in frustration, he forced himself to stay calm and lowered his voice as he asked. He hadn’t expected this situation at all and naturally had no preparation—no knowledge of the residence layout or escape routes. Without any of that, escaping would be nearly impossible. Now, all hope rested on the other three, whether they knew anything or had trusted contacts.

“Brother Zhang, we’re just like you—this is our first time here. How could we possibly know anyone inside the prince’s residence? And besides, can’t we just firmly demand to leave immediately? After all, we’re representatives of His Majesty delivering an imperial edict. They can’t just imprison us.”

“Yeah, why don’t we just force our way out?”

“It’s not that simple. They can’t imprison us forever, but holding us for a few days is no problem. Then they can take us along with Prince Lu to the capital. The effect would be the same.”

Zhang Huai was truly helpless. If it were really that easy, he wouldn’t have bothered to pretend and flatter Dong earlier. He could have just turned his back and left.

Dong Huaide did not expect to rely on them fully or have them completely exonerated. He simply wanted these imperial messenger eunuchs to take the front line—to bear the emperor’s initial fury. Even though there might still be a risk of death later, at least it wouldn’t be too brutal, nor would their families be implicated.

In short, when their lord was in trouble, none of these people could guarantee they would walk away unscathed.

Previously, when Prince Huai Zhu Ming died of illness, his wife, two concubines, and nearly all the women and eunuchs serving at the Huai Prince’s residence were buried alive with him. Even his personal guards and chief steward were sacrificed. The imperial physician Zhu, who treated the prince, was spared burial but his entire family was executed—none survived.

He didn’t even qualify for burial with the prince.

This was deemed a result of medical negligence and punished by extermination of his clan.

Of course, this was also related to the fact that Prince Huai Zhu Ming left no heir. Had he had a son, the personal guards and chief steward might have survived, since they could serve the heir. Those who bore sons might have survived as well.

But with the prince’s line ending, the residence was no longer needed.

Naturally, everyone was buried alive.

With this grim precedent, who could guarantee their own survival if the prince they served fell into trouble? This was precisely why Zhang Huai and the others were desperate to distance themselves from the affair.