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

After that night, the East Palace forum quietly changed.

Every five days, Lu Wenzhao would select an excerpt from his lecture and have it recited in sections by students at the end of the Bamboo Grove Lectures. It would not talk about long-term strategies or government affairs, but only about his thoughts and feelings.

“Benevolent government does not lie in the decrees, but in the heart of those who govern.”

"To be a ruler, one must first understand how to be a human being; and to be a human being, one must first live up to one's heart."

Zhu Han stood on a small pavilion in the distance, his clothes fluttering in the wind, looking at the small group of people who were listening. In the bamboo forest, there seemed to be an imperceptible light, slowly extending in the night.

He whispered to himself: "In a few years, perhaps the future Li Shanchang or Liu Bowen will be hidden under this podium."

Gu Qingping, who was standing beside him, heard this and chuckled, "Will they remember you as the founder?"

Zhu Han's eyes were as calm as water: "They don't have to remember me. They just need to remember that there was a group of people who talked about reason and sincerity in the bamboo forest. That's enough."

The moon was slanting slightly as midnight approached. The inner courtyard of the East Palace fell into silence, with only the occasional breeze blowing through the branches of the flowers and trees, making the wind chimes in the corners of the house ring softly, like whispers in a dream.

Zhu Han stood alone on the moon platform of the side hall of the East Palace, wearing a thin black robe and standing with his hands behind his back.

He looked calm, looking at the pale moonlight sinking deeply onto the bluestone, as if he was waiting for something, or thinking about something.

"You really haven't slept yet."

A soft female voice sounded behind him, with some anger in it.

Gu Qingping came walking on the moon, without a hairpin, just tied it casually behind her neck with a velvet ribbon, her sleeves lightly rolled up, and her steps were silent.

Zhu Han looked back, a faint smile in his eyes: "I remember you said that you don't like dew at night because it will disturb your dreams."

"But some people disturbed it more than the dew."

Gu Qingping slowly approached and stood beside him, lowering her eyes and speaking calmly, "You haven't slept for the past few nights, just wandering outside. Is it for the prince, or for yourself?"

Zhu Han smiled without saying anything, only casting his gaze towards the distant palace wall. The moonlight sprinkled between the bricks, showing a little bit of silver.

"I remember you often said in Yingtian that dreams are the most unrestrained thing in the human heart." Gu Qingping looked at him sideways, "But you seem to have not dreamed for a long time."

Zhu Han slowly turned around, stared at her, and said in a low voice like the night wind: "I don't even dare to dream now. Once I get emotional in a dream, I will be upset when I wake up."

Gu Qingping was stunned for a moment, then laughed softly: "Your words today are lighter than the wind last night, and they actually have some truth in them."

Zhu Han frowned slightly, raised his hand and gently held her fingertips: "Qingping, if I want to protect the prince in this life, I can't be willful. You in my dreams, I can hold you tightly; you outside of dreams, I can only watch from afar."

Gu Qingping didn't say anything, just let him hold her. The wind blew in gusts, and her skirt and his robe were entangled, like two shadows chasing each other but not daring to touch.

At this time, there were subtle footsteps coming from under the platform. Wang Zhen came quickly in his nightgown and bowed, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince just ordered someone to go to Chunyu Zhai to summon Taoist Wen Qing. I don't know what it is for."

Zhu Han's eyebrows twitched, his eyes narrowed slightly: "Ye Zhao Wen Qing? Why did he suddenly think of him?"

Gu Qingping whispered, "Taoist Wenqing is not an ordinary Taoist priest. He was very famous when he gave lectures in Luoyang. The prince had been following him since he was young. Later, he was banned from entering the capital, so he retreated to Chunyuzhai. Now he is suddenly called..."

"I'm afraid you're confused." Zhu Han whispered, turned around and walked down the platform, "Prepare the car, I want to see the prince."

Inside Chunyu Zhai, the incense was not yet burning brightly. The only incense burner was burning slowly, and the smoke was curling up and floating between the curtains, as if it was surrounded by clouds and mist.

Zhu Biao stood in front of the desk with his hands behind his back, looking deep in thought. His plain clothes looked even more elegant in the fragrance.

On the table in front of him was a slightly yellowed scripture with elegant handwriting, obviously an old item.

Soon, Taoist Wen Qing walked into the hall, wearing a gray robe, with a white beard like silk, a whisk in hand, and steady steps. He bowed slightly and said, "I am Wen Qing, I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhu Biao turned around slowly, his eyes calm, "Master, I haven't seen you for many years. How are you?"

Taoist Wen Qing smiled and brushed his beard: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is more dignified, while I am a little older."

Zhu Biao asked him to sit on the futon, poured tea for him personally, and said, "I disturbed you tonight because I have not solved a problem and I am uneasy."

Taoist Wen Qing took the tea and smiled: "Are you confused by state affairs? Or are human hearts hard to predict?"

Zhu Biao stared at him for a long time before he asked in a low voice: "If you have a wish in your heart, but the world is full of obstacles, how can you fulfill your wish?"

Taoist Wen Qing's eyes moved, as if he sensed something profound.

He put down the teacup and said in a steady tone: "A king, in a high position, should show the world that his wishes are not for himself, but for the people. If his true wish is not fulfilled, he should sacrifice himself for the public."

"But in my heart, I have a wish and someone."

Zhu Biao's tone suddenly changed, bringing out a bit of unprecedented frankness from the young man.

He lowered his head and said, "I know that as the crown prince, I cannot have private feelings or act rashly. But there is one person who is always by my side. He speaks to me without desire or demand, but to me, he is like the shadow of the moon by the pond, close at hand but unattainable."

Taoist Wen Qing remained silent and listened to him quietly.

"Her name is Ruan Yinxue." Zhu Biao said softly, "I shouldn't have remembered her so deeply. But she never came to see the emperor, never entered the inner courtyard, never asked for favor, and only said one sentence: 'I wish to follow the prince in a dream, and never ask to wake up.'"

Taoist Wen Qing was silent for a long time, and finally sighed: "If you are a person in a dream, it is better to keep the heart of the dream."

Before he finished speaking, a hurried voice came from outside the door: "Your Highness, the prince is here."

Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment, but before he could respond, Zhu Han had already walked into the hall.

He glanced around the hall and saw Taoist Wen Qing standing nearby and Zhu Biao standing in front of a lamp. His expression was the same as usual, but he could not hide the confusion between his brows.

"Your Highness, if you summoned the Taoist priest at night just for something in your dream, there is no need for that."

Zhu Han's voice was calm, but clearly alert, "The people outside the dream are all waiting for you to wake up."

Zhu Biao smiled bitterly, stepped forward and whispered, "Has the emperor's uncle ever been obsessed with a dream?"

Zhu Han was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

"You can have a dream, but you shouldn't keep it for too long."

He walked closer to Zhu Biao and whispered, "If you really care about that girl, you might as well ask her: Would you rather be with her in your dreams, or would you rather be with her after you wake up?"

Zhu Biao's eyes moved, as if he understood something.

Taoist Wen Qing stood up and bowed: "I cannot stay any longer. This dinner tonight has shown you the Crown Prince's intentions. I hope Your Highness will think carefully about this."

He walked away with a duster, and there was no sound at all amid the lingering smoke, as if a shadow passed through a dream and had never been there.

Zhu Biao remained silent for a long time until Zhu Han patted him on the shoulder and said, "Go meet her. Love hidden in dreams will eventually wake you up."

At the end of the night, Ruan Yinxue stood at the foot of the stone steps, wearing a plain white skirt and a green satin belt around her waist, looking at the moonlight falling into the shadows of the locust trees in the courtyard, as if in a daze.

She heard Zhu Biao's footsteps not moving, and only asked, "Why are you here?"

Zhu Biao stood behind her and said softly, "I have something to ask you."

"If you only ask about love, don't speak."

"No." Zhu Biao took a step closer and said softly, "I just want to ask you, if I were not the prince, but just an ordinary man, would you be willing to follow me in the martial arts world for two or three years? If I eventually become the monarch, would you be willing to be a quiet orchid in my palace?" Ruan Yinxue was silent for a long time, then suddenly turned around and smiled softly, "Orchids are not fragrant, they grow alone in secluded places. If you really want me to be like an orchid in the palace, I will be here."

Zhu Biao glanced at her and said softly, "Okay."

This "OK" is like moonlight flowing into the lake of the heart, without causing a ripple, but will be unforgettable for a lifetime.

The sun has not yet risen and the front yard of the East Palace is still shrouded in twilight. Dewdrops condense on the green bamboos, and the breeze sounds like music.

Zhu Han sat on a stone couch in the courtyard, his clothes clean and simple, a pot of tea on the table, the aroma of tea lingering. The morning air was slightly chilly, and the light and shadow falling on his temples were particularly soft.

"Uncle Huang got up so early today?"

Zhu Biao's voice came from the courtyard gate, accompanied by brisk footsteps, slowly approaching.

He changed into his regular clothes, a moon-white brocade robe that made him look elegant and tall. His expression was no longer as heavy as before, and he looked rare and calm.

Zhu Han raised his eyes to look at him and said with a smile: "You too? You haven't slept all night, yet you can still smile like this."

Zhu Biao walked over and sat down opposite him, pouring himself a cup of tea. "I dreamed of my mother last night. She was beside the stone couch where I often sat when I was a child, calling me back to eat. But I stood there, not daring to get close."

Zhu Han's eyes moved when he heard this, and his expression froze. He picked up the teacup and said slowly, "You don't dare to come closer because you are still not relieved. You know that you are no longer a child, and you can no longer be the Ah Biao who follows behind your mother."

Zhu Biao smiled faintly: "But sometimes I still wish I was just a child. After becoming the crown prince, every step is like walking on thin ice. If I walk too fast, I am afraid it will break. If I walk too slowly, I am afraid I will fall behind."

Zhu Han sighed softly: "As a prince, this is how it should be."

Zhu Biao suddenly raised his head and looked at Zhu Han intently: "Uncle, why are you always clearer than me?"

Zhu Han was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and chuckled: "It's not that I am clear-headed, but I stand farther away and see more than you. You are in the game, you can only see the branches and leaves; I am outside the game, so I can see its roots."

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Uncle, are you willing to stay out of the game forever?"

Zhu Han's smile paused for a moment: "I have thought about intervening, but every time I want to join the game, I will think of your mother - she once asked me to say something."

"What?"

"She said that Ah Biao will sit on that chair in the future, and if someone helps him, it doesn't have to be too much, just a little help will be enough." Zhu Han's eyes were calm, "I promised her that even if I don't join the game, I will clear the way for you."

Zhu Biao was speechless for a moment, with a look of sadness in his eyes. He silently picked up the teacup, raised his head and drank it all in one gulp.

"Uncle," he said slowly, "If one day, what I want in my heart is not in line with the wishes of my father, whose side will you stand on?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han gently put down the teacup and looked directly at Zhu Biao.

"I'm on your side."

Zhu Han said this very lightly, but it was like a heavy hammer, hitting Zhu Biao's heart.

"But father is your brother." Zhu Biao's voice trembled slightly.

"And you are my lifelong dream." Zhu Han's expression did not change, and his tone was clear, "I am in the Ming Dynasty not for wealth or power, but only for you to be able to walk steadily and go further than anyone else."

Zhu Biao lowered his head and said nothing. For a moment, the only sounds in the courtyard were the wind and the rustling of bamboo leaves.

After a while, he raised his head, with a firmness he had never seen before in his eyes: "Then uncle, how can we go further?"

Zhu Han stood up and looked at the rising sun in the east: "Start with yourself. The position of crown prince is not a barrier, nor is it a constraint. If you don't want to be controlled by fate, you must first understand people's hearts and then control the situation."

Zhu Biao also stood up, his expression becoming calm: "I understand."

Zhu Han turned his head to look at him and smiled, "What do you understand?"

Zhu Biao said firmly: "I want to be more than just a prince. I want to be someone who can walk on his own even without support."

Zhu Han nodded gently, his brows full of relief: "Very good."

He paused for a moment and asked again: "What do you lack most now?"

Zhu Biao thought for a moment: "One is vision, the other is means."

"You are speaking frankly." Zhu Han smiled. "I can show you the vision and teach you the methods. But you must learn one thing first."

"What's the matter?"

"Use people." Zhu Han answered straightforwardly, "If you are going to be a monarch, you can't do everything yourself. You have to use people in the right place and feel at ease."

Zhu Biao nodded gently: "Uncle, can you teach me?"

Zhu Han smiled and patted his shoulder: "Since you've opened your mouth, I'll teach you naturally."

As they were talking, a young eunuch's voice came from the palace gate in the distance: "In front of the palace gate, there is a sorcerer who claims to be able to predict the fate of the country and the emperor's star, and he insists on asking for an audience."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao looked at each other, both feeling a little surprised.

"Warlock?" Zhu Han raised his eyebrows. "These days, even people from Jianghu want to come to Beijing to try their luck."

Zhu Biao suddenly became interested and said with a smile: "Why not see what he has done?"

Zhu Han also smiled: "Since you are curious, it's up to you."

The two walked out side by side and soon arrived at the front hall of Zhu Han Palace.

The sorcerer had been brought in. He was wearing a gray robe and a torn scarf on his head. His face was thin, but his eyes were bright and lively.

As soon as he saw Zhu Han and Zhu Biao enter the room, he immediately prostrated himself on the ground: "I am called 'Qian Lingzi', I came here to observe the aura, just to see the real dragon of the world."

Zhu Biao couldn't help but laugh: "How do you know who the 'real dragon' is?"

Qian Lingzi raised his head and pointed at Zhu Biao: "The fate of the crown prince is just beginning to show the imperial aura, but the destiny is not yet determined, and the stars are changing. The destiny of the Ming Dynasty is now at the intersection of two stars, and it needs an auxiliary star to lead it to rise."

Zhu Biao's expression changed slightly and he turned to Zhu Han.

Zhu Han smiled faintly: "You are talking so mysteriously, why don't you just tell me who I am?"

Qian Lingzi looked at Zhu Han carefully, and suddenly bowed solemnly: "Your Excellency's noble aura is hidden and not revealed, which is the appearance of an auxiliary star - not taking away its brilliance, not covering its light, it is the destiny of supporting the dragon."

Zhu Han raised his eyebrows: "That's quite tactful."

Zhu Biao asked, "Why did you come to see me?"

Qian Lingzi whispered, "I am not here just for the art of divination, but I have a son who is extremely intelligent. I would like to present his wisdom to the East Palace and ask for a place to use his talents."

Zhu Han smiled and said, "Are you recommending yourself as a disciple?"

Qian Lingzi bowed and said, "May I ask Your Highness the Crown Prince, is there anyone in the court who dares to sacrifice his own interests to make plans? Although my student comes from a poor family, he is extremely talented and is willing to make plans for the Crown Prince thousands of miles away."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao suddenly became serious and asked: "Who is your disciple? What is his name?" (End of this chapter)