Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

"Use stillness to control movement, and use the situation to control momentum." Xu Mu's eyes lit up slightly, "Draw the snake out of its hole and counterattack."

"How to lead it?" Zhu Biao frowned.

Xu Mu smiled but did not answer. He only said, "Tomorrow afternoon, Your Highness can arrange a flower viewing banquet in the East Palace and invite the princes and the sons of important officials to attend the banquet."

"Appreciating the flowers?" Zhu Biao was doubtful. "Is it too ostentatious to hold a banquet at this time?"

"It is precisely because of publicity that we can test out the flaws." Xu Mu smiled slightly, "The snake is hiding under the flowers."

The next day, a warm spring day, the East Palace was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns, and jade steps and flower banquets were set up, inviting all the princes to gather.

Zhu Di walked in wearing a brocade robe and looked around at everyone with a cold gaze, "The Crown Prince is in a good mood today."

"Isn't it a wonderful thing to enjoy it with brothers?" Zhu Biao greeted with a smile.

Zhu Yunhuan, Zhu Yunwen and others also took their seats one after another. There was toasting and the scent of flowers filled the air.

Zhu Han stood in the corridor, looking at the banquet and nodded slightly.

"Your Highness." Liu Zhen walked over quickly and whispered in his ear, "As you expected, Commander Xu's eldest son Xu Yunshang secretly contacted a captain of the Inner East Factory this morning."

Zhu Han's eyes turned colder. "Keep watching. If there is any unusual movement during the banquet, show no mercy."

Liu Zhen retreated.

Sure enough, not long after, a jar of fine wine was passed to Zhu Di's desk. Zhu Di smiled and raised his glass, "Brother Crown Prince, there is no musician playing music at the banquet today? It's a bit lonely."

Zhu Biao smiled, "If Third Brother wants to listen, I will invite him."

He waved his hand, and sure enough, a woman in white came in, carrying a zither. She had an elegant appearance and walked lightly.

She sat down to tune the strings, and suddenly a barely perceptible glance swept over Zhu Biao.

Zhu Han's eyes flashed, but he did not move, but slowly tightened his grip on the jade fan.

When the sound of the zither first started, it was as clear as a brook and seemed like a dream or fantasy.

The woman in white lowered her eyes and stroked the strings with her slender fingers. The sound seemed to carry a soft yet sharp aura.

Zhu Han stood at the side of the corridor, his eyes gleaming with a dark light. He did not move, but he had taken in every detail of the woman since she entered the hall.

She did not say much, but when she swept her eyes across the table, she only looked at Zhu Di for a moment, but when she turned to Zhu Biao, she stayed there for half a breath. This half a breath was enough to give Zhu Han a warning.

"This woman is no ordinary geisha." Zhu Han said softly, as if talking to himself, and slowly opened the jade fan in his hand. There was a black lotus painted on the bone surface with elegant patterns. Combined with his expression at the moment, it made people feel that a storm was about to come.

Zhu Biao noticed something strange and turned his head slightly to look at his uncle who was sitting at the side.

Zhu Han nodded calmly, then whispered to a servant beside him: "Go, let Xu Mu secretly find out the origin and background of that woman."

"Yes." The attendant retreated like a shadow.

Everyone at the banquet was still immersed in the music, not noticing anything unusual. Zhu Di held his wine glass, smiling, but he kept looking at the woman, his eyes seemed to be thoughtful.

Suddenly, the woman's hands trembled, and the originally continuous piano sound was interrupted for a beat, but she cleverly concealed it as a change of key.

Zhu Biao frowned slightly, and Zhu Han's eyes suddenly focused at that moment. He saw very clearly that the woman's eyes swept across Zhu Yunhuan at the moment she was distracted.

"Her target is not just the prince." Zhu Han said in a low voice, with a cold look in his eyes, "Perhaps, the real bait is herself."

At this moment, Xu Mu quietly appeared, walked around Zhu Han's side, and whispered for a while. After Zhu Han listened, his eyes were as deep as the night.

"I see." He smiled softly, but his eyes became colder. "Her name is Liu Yin, and she was on the list of people exiled from the Imperial Music Studio three years ago. Logically, she should have been exiled to Lingnan long ago, but she quietly returned to the capital and was summoned by the crown prince?"

Xu Mu nodded. "I found out that she was just registered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs this spring and is in charge of the piano art of the Eastern Palace Music Academy. The person who recommended her is the son of Zhou Qian, the Minister of Rites."

"Zhou Qian?" Zhu Han raised his eyebrows slightly. "This man is on good terms with the Xu family."

"That's right." Xu Mu whispered, "It has been confirmed that Xu Yunshang secretly contacted the Inner East Factory last night, and he met with Minister Zhou this morning."

Zhu Han's eyes were fixed for a moment, then he lightly closed his ribs, and an unpredictable curve appeared at the corners of his lips.

"It seems that this banquet...is really worth coming to."

Just as the sound of the piano was about to stop, Zhu Biao stood up, clapped his hands and said with a smile: "Wonderful, really wonderful." Although there was a smile in his eyes, there was an imperceptible curiosity.

"May I ask your name, young lady?" Zhu Biao asked in a gentle voice.

The woman put down her zither, stood up gently, and bowed: "My name is Liu Yin, I am an artist in the East Palace Music Academy, and I am here to greet Your Highness."

Zhu Di put down his wine glass and suddenly said with a smile: "Miss Liu Yin's song has a murderous aura, unlike the gentle tunes of ordinary women. It seems... for whom is it played?"

Liu Yin lowered her head slightly and said, "Your Highness, this piece of music is called Broken Mirror. I have been learning it since I was young. I have no other intentions."

A hint of coldness flashed in Zhu Di's eyes. "A broken mirror can be mended, or a broken mirror can be shattered without a trace. This makes sense."

Zhu Biao smiled calmly to cover up the subtle atmosphere in the room, "Thank you Miss Liu Yin, today's banquet is indeed worthwhile."

"I'll take my leave." The woman bowed again and slowly retreated, her steps still calm.

Zhu Han quietly instructed the people behind him: "Let Liu Zhen's men follow quietly and don't alarm them."

After the flower-viewing banquet, the guests gradually dispersed, except Zhu Di and Zhu Yunwen who stayed the longest.

Zhu Di casually mentioned that the crown prince had been favored by the emperor recently, with a hint of mockery and coldness in his words. Zhu Biao just smiled but did not answer. After everyone left, he stood alone in the corridor for a long time.

"Uncle." He finally spoke, and Zhu Han slowly walked out from the shadows of the trees.

"I'm here." Zhu Han stood beside him and they looked at the darkening sky together.

"That woman..." Zhu Biao said in a low voice, "I did order someone to arrange for the teaching studio last night. Her name was not originally on the list."

"Someone did something." Zhu Han said solemnly, "But they are not targeting you alone. Liu Yin is just the instigator. The Xu family, Zhou family, and even the eunuchs around you... may have been infiltrated."

Zhu Biao sighed: "So what do they want, me or the throne?"

Zhu Han lowered his eyes for a moment and said, "I want you because you have the title of successor. If you lose power, the throne will fall to someone else - and no matter who it falls to, it has something to do with them."

"Uncle... If my father doesn't pass on the throne to me..." Zhu Biao rarely revealed his true feelings.

"That doesn't mean you can retreat." Zhu Han's tone suddenly turned cold, "In this world, everything is not determined by the will of the emperor alone. You are the crown prince, you cannot be weak."

Zhu Biao was silent for a long time before asking, "What should I do next?"

Zhu Han looked back at him, his eyes like a deep pool.

"Luringing the snake out of its hole is just the beginning." He said slowly, "The next step is to build a net."

"net?"

"I will recall three people." Zhu Han's eyes narrowed. "One will help you plan, one will help you investigate, and one will protect you. All three are my secret agents, hiding among the people for many years. Now is the time to use them."

"The emperor's uncle has been prepared?" Zhu Biao seemed shocked but also somewhat relieved.

Zhu Han smiled, "If I had not been prepared, how could I have protected you until now?" As he finished speaking, a wisp of evening breeze blew past, and Zhu Biao's eyes seemed to be lit up. He finally understood that the depth of the emperor's uncle was far more than what he saw.

Three days later, in the secret garden of the Dongcheng Palace.

A thin middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back, his black robe fluttering in the wind.

His name is "Feng Jie", also known as "Yingke", and he was a famous person in the Jianghu for his ability to solve cases and make inferences. Now he is summoned back to Beijing by Zhu Han himself to serve as a spy in the Eastern Palace.

"Your Highness." Feng Jie bowed his head and saluted. "I have already found out Liu Yin's background. She was planted by the Xu family. The purpose was not to assassinate, but to collect the daily affairs and secret words of the Eastern Palace, and then send them out through Minister Zhou."

"What about her?" Zhu Biao asked.

"She is already under our control. We won't move her for now." Feng Jie looked calm. "If we keep her in the music school, we may be able to catch more fish."

"Very good." Zhu Biao nodded, turned to look at Zhu Han who was sitting on the couch beside him, fanning himself, and said, "Uncle, when will the third person join the game?"

Zhu Han hesitated for a moment, then slowly replied, "He has been in the palace for many years, just waiting for my words."

"Who?"

"The chief eunuch—Lin Hong."

Zhu Biao looked up suddenly, "Him?!"

"That's right." Zhu Han smiled faintly, "He is the chess piece I have planted deepest in the palace. He has been hidden for a long time and has been hidden firmly. Now, it's time to move."

The afternoon sun shines through the carved window lattices, casting patches of light on the floor tiles of the palace's flower hall.

Zhu Han was leaning against the table, dressed in black, with a calm expression, gently fiddling with a jade chess piece between his fingers.

Amid the aroma of tea, he seemed to be lost in some kind of contemplation, yet he was always clearly watching the chess game in his mind.

There were footsteps outside the door, steady yet swift.

"Come in."

The door curtain moved slightly, Feng Jie walked in, bowed, and whispered: "Liu Yin has returned to her position. She was invited to the Yishan Hall this afternoon to perform for the Crown Prince. However, she left the Jiaofang late last night and stayed at the south side door of the Shang Pharmacy for a quarter of an hour."

"Shang Pharmacy?" Zhu Han's eyebrows moved, and his eyes sparkled. "No one usually goes there. Why did she go there?"

"I guess someone was there to meet her. But the staff at Shang Pharmacy has not changed, and there is no unusual movement. Perhaps they are just passing through temporarily."

Zhu Han tapped the table lightly, "Does the prince know about this?"

Feng Jie shook his head, "I don't know."

Zhu Han put away the chess piece and looked at a withered flower on a branch in the distance. "No hurry. Let her continue to act. The more devoted she is, the clearer we can see."

Before he finished speaking, there were hurried footsteps outside the door. It was Liu Zhen.

"Your Highness, Lin Hong invites you. He said that there will be a banquet in the palace today. The emperor ordered the prince to attend the banquet. I hope Your Highness will also go."

Zhu Han's eyes twitched slightly, with a hint of teasing in his eyes, "Holding a banquet? What kind of banquet is it at this time of year? My brother seems to be in a very elegant mood today."

Liu Zhen added in a low voice: "This morning there was a rumor in the palace that the Crown Prince was planning to build more buildings in the Yishan Academy. Your Majesty was hesitant, so the banquet might be a test."

"Oh?" Zhu Han chuckled. "If someone hadn't deliberately provoked this, how could this have happened? My brother hasn't held a banquet for a long time, and he suddenly summoned me to sit at the same table with the prince. I guess someone must have whispered some funny words into his ear."

He waved his sleeves lightly, "In that case, let's go to the banquet."

In the evening, lights and decorations were already on outside the Qianqing Palace of the Imperial Palace. As was the custom in the palace, the banquet was not lavish, and the dishes all followed the inner court's festival system. However, today, three more seats were set up above the main seat.

When Zhu Han arrived, Zhu Yuanzhang was already sitting in the middle seat. Although he was over fifty years old, he was still vigorous and his eyes were full of power. Zhu Biao sat on the left, with a gentle expression and calm eyes. And on the right, Zhu Di was sitting.

When Zhu Han walked in, Zhu Yuanzhang looked up at him with a meaningful look in his eyes.

"My brother is late."

"I am guilty. I was a little late because I didn't have time to change into my court clothes in the mansion."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, turned his eyes, and said calmly: "You haven't been to the palace for a long time. Today, the court officials said that you have been sending secret envoys to the palace frequently. I would like to hear what you have been busy with recently."

Zhu Han's heart was moved, but he didn't show it. He walked to the table, sat down slowly, and said with a smile: "My brother, I am just suffering from old illnesses and I often take medicine to regulate my body. I have felt better recently, so I sent people out of the palace to collect some herbs and chatted with a few old friends. I have never been involved in politics."

"Not involved in politics?" Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, "Among your 'old friends', one is a doctor named Cao, and the other is an old friend of Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Rites. Do you think I have lost my ears and eyes?"

Zhu Han was not alarmed or panicked, and remained calm. "If your Royal Brother believes their rumors, I will apologize. If you believe me, those people should be investigated for why they care so much about the affairs of the Royal Palace."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flickered, and he turned to look at Zhu Biao, "Prince, what do you think?"

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment, then stood up and bowed, "Father, what you said is absolutely right. But I think that your uncle is always cautious and will never act rashly. If there is any unusual behavior, I will be the first to apologize."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at him with a half-smile, "You always protect him."

Zhu Biao bowed, "I dare not. I just understand the truth."

For a moment, the atmosphere at the table was subtle. Zhu Di held the chopsticks in his hand but did not move, his eyes wandering between the three people.

Zhu Han suddenly smiled, "If my royal brother is worried, you may send someone to stay in my house to monitor me day and night. I will never disobey your order."

"Hmph." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his sleeves. "Forget it. You are always so sharp-tongued. I am old and cannot bear to hear these."

Zhu Han lowered his head and smiled, but secretly remembered in his heart: This move was not a test by Zhu Yuanzhang, but someone deliberately put pressure on him and the prince at the same time in order to divide their trust.

Who could that person be?

Halfway through the night banquet, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly asked, "I heard the other day that the Yishan Academy was being expanded. What was the reason for the expansion?"

Zhu Biao stood up and said, "My father, the old hall of the academy is leaking, and there are not enough teachers. I want to expand the academy and recruit talented people so that the eunuchs, the emperor's grandchildren and disciples can have a place to live."

"Hmph, you have found your place?" Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with determination. "Which 'wise men' are you going to bring in? Where will they come from? Who will recommend them?"

"I will review it myself." Zhu Biao replied calmly, "If your father does not agree, I will give up this intention."

Zhu Han suddenly spoke up, "I have someone I can recommend."

Everyone looked at him.

"This man's name is Shen Fu. He was the first in the Ministry of Rites in the past. He resigned from his post to join a private school and has lived in seclusion in Beiyuan in recent years. If the prince wants to build a school, this man can be the chief assistant."

"Shen Fu?" Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes moved slightly. "I know this man. He was sharp-tongued and bluntly criticized my three strategies."

"That's why I can be the prince's teacher." Zhu Han smiled faintly, "Not everyone should be a minister who listens to your ears."

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "You have made very thoughtful arrangements for the prince."

Zhu Biao glanced at Zhu Han sideways, a hint of fluctuation flashed across his eyes.

Zhu Di, however, looked down, his wine undrinking, and his fists clenched slightly in his sleeves. (End of this chapter)