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

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him sideways, with a hint of seriousness in his eyes: "You are right. This matter is not only about your own position as crown prince, but also about the stability of the entire court.

If the arrogance of Xu Wensheng's remaining forces is not completely eradicated, it will surely bring severe disaster to the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Biao nodded, he had realized the deeper meaning of his father's words.

"Father, if the forces behind Xu Wensheng are still there, should we try to eliminate them completely?" Zhu Biao asked with a hint of determination in his tone.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were deep and sharp: "No hurry. Xu Wensheng's problem is not as simple as you think.

He is no longer just a palace eunuch, but has colluded with some important officials in the court and even the underworld forces. If you act rashly, it may cause a series of chain reactions. "

Zhu Biao was silent for a while, but the doubts in his heart were still there.

Although he trusted his father's judgment, the situation was becoming increasingly tense. "Father, how should we respond?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth curled up slightly, as if he had already made a plan: "We need to lure the snake out of its hole. Through a false illusion, let Xu Wensheng mistakenly believe that he can control the situation again, and induce his forces to be exposed. Then, take the opportunity to completely eliminate it."

"Lure the snake out of its hole?" Zhu Biao was stunned, obviously not quite understanding what his father meant.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded gently: "You understand that the position of the crown prince is not just an honor, but more of a responsibility. You must be careful and cautious in every step.

If you don’t completely eliminate Xu Wensheng and his followers, not only will your position as crown prince be in jeopardy, but even the foundation of the entire Ming Dynasty will be shaken.”

Zhu Biao took a deep breath and finally nodded: "I understand, Father."

At this moment, Zhu Han suddenly appeared in front of the palace gate. Seeing Zhu Biao's serious expression, he walked forward and asked, "Your Highness, is there any new progress?"

Zhu Biao cast a complicated look at Zhu Han and whispered, "Father has decided not to act rashly. We need to give Xu Wensheng and his followers an illusion that they can control the government again."

Zhu Han smiled slightly, with a sharp light flashing in his eyes: “This is exactly the situation I have been looking forward to.

Xu Wensheng's people just want a chance to catch their breath. If we really let them think they have a sure win, then that will be the best time."

Zhu Biao looked at Zhu Han with some doubt: "But how can we ensure that they will fall into this trap?"

Zhu Han spoke slowly: "All this requires you to enter their sight. You must act as if nothing has happened and continue as usual, but be fully prepared in secret.

I will send someone to observe secretly, and once the opportunity comes, we will strike immediately."

Zhu Biao nodded and finally gained some confidence in this strategy.

If he wants to keep his position as the crown prince, in addition to the support of his father, he must rely more on Zhu Han's wisdom and strategy.

"Okay, uncle, I will act according to your arrangements." Zhu Biao said in a low voice with a firm look in his eyes.

Zhu Han nodded, his tone slightly calmer: "After you have made all the preparations, go to the East Factory again.

That is Xu Wensheng's lair. If we can find clues there, we will be able to understand the enemy's movements more clearly."

Zhu Biao was silent for a moment, and finally agreed: "I understand."

Late one night, Zhu Han received a secret report from Liu Ying: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has gone to the East Factory as planned. Xu Wensheng's former subordinates seem to have noticed it and are preparing to take action."

Zhu Han's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he quickly gave instructions: "Don't worry, continue to observe secretly and make sure everything is safe.

If they do make any move, we must catch them immediately.”

A few days later, Zhu Biao quietly entered the secret vault of the East Factory, which was once the symbol of Xu Wensheng's power, but now it has become the key to his and Zhu Han's plan.

The air around was oppressive, and the cold light flickered in the dim lights, as if telling the secrets of the past.

"Your Highness, you are finally here."

An old servant stepped forward quietly, his tone revealing a hint of anticipation, "Eunuch Xu once said before he died that if something serious happened, the secret vault would contain the final answer."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly, feeling a little nervous: "Take me to check it out."

The old slave led Zhu Biao deeper into the cave, carefully passing through numerous mechanisms, and finally stopped in front of a heavy iron door.

He gently pushed the door open, but the scene inside made Zhu Biao gasp.

On the wall in front of me, there were densely packed maps and strings of difficult-to-decipher text and symbols.

Every detail shows that these maps seem to record the secret direction of the entire Ming Dynasty. Xu Wensheng's plan is larger and more complicated than imagined.

Zhu Biao's heartbeat accelerated, knowing that he had touched the core of the game.

"These...are Xu Wensheng's plans?" Zhu Biao muttered to himself, his face pale.

The old servant bowed his head and said, "Yes, Your Highness. These are the instructions that Eunuch Xu once left behind. They involve the lifeblood of the palace, the martial arts world, and even the entire Ming Dynasty. If you can grasp the secrets, you can completely reverse the situation."

Zhu Biao clenched his fists, a trace of determination flashed in his eyes: "No matter what, I must reveal all this."

Night fell again, and outside the palace, a secret order was quietly delivered from the Xu Mansion to the place where the remaining members of the East Factory were.

At the same time, inside the palace, Zhu Han had read the entire text of the Golden Book, his expression as calm as a mountain.

"Your Highness." Zheng Yu entered again and whispered, "Su Huaiyuan sneaked into the residence of Left Censor-in-Chief Liang Bing tonight. The secret talk ended soon after, but I intercepted a message that seems to be related to Your Highness."

Zhu Han took the note, unfolded it and raised the corner of his mouth coldly.

['Zhu Han holds the Golden Book in his hand and intends to rebel. He meets with his old generals in the old East Factory.']

Zhu Han was silent for a moment, his eyes seemed to be frozen with frost: "Sure enough, they have begun to counterattack."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ying angrily said, "How dare they turn the tables! Your Majesty, why don't you submit the list to His Majesty immediately and let Taizu make the final decision!"

"No hurry." Zhu Han slowly crumpled the note.

"To capture, you must let go first. Since they want to use my name to set up a trap for treason, I will take advantage of the situation to set up a 'treason trap'. Let's see who is the real traitor."

"The prince is setting a trap?" Zheng Yu looked shocked.

Zhu Han nodded slowly, his eyes like knives: "I will pretend to gather the old subordinates and have a secret meeting at the East Factory under the moonlight - but I will let Taizu 'accidentally' know about this."

"Wouldn't His Majesty be furious?" Liu Ying asked nervously.

"That's why Taizu will investigate it himself. Once he is there, he will be able to see the truth with his own eyes."

Zhu Han's eyes were grim. "I don't believe that he can still doubt me when there is such overwhelming evidence."

Zheng Yu hesitated and asked, "But what if Xu Wensheng takes this opportunity to set an ambush..."

"Then ask him to surrender." Zhu Han smiled coldly, "I have already prepared a plan to kill him."

A few days later, turmoil broke out in the palace again.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly received a secret report: Zhu Han secretly summoned the remnants of his old subordinates, the East Factory, for a late night meeting, and was suspected of having ulterior motives.

Zhu Yuanzhang was furious, but did not show it. He personally summoned Crown Prince Zhu Biao for a secret discussion.

Zhu Biao looked normal, but his heart was in turmoil. He saw at a glance that this was a key step in the uncle's plan to "entice the emperor into the game." That night, Zhu Yuanzhang went to the old site of the East Factory in person with a small entourage.

The night was foggy and the lights were dim in the quiet alleys of Dongchang. Zhu Han appeared as expected, and several figures appeared behind him. They were all the "Iron-Blooded Three Riders" of the past.

As Zhu Yuanzhang was observing secretly, he suddenly heard Zhu Han say in a deep voice: "In the past, the reputation of the East Factory deterred treacherous people, but now it is being used for personal gain."

He spread out the golden book and named them: "Xu Wensheng, Su Huaiyuan, Liang Bing... these people used my name to collude with others and intended to disrupt the government."

As soon as the voice fell, Zhu Yuanzhang, who was hiding in the dark, could no longer hold back and shouted sternly: "Zhu Han - how dare you transfer the old subordinates without permission and speak nonsense about other officials, what do you want to do!"

Zhu Han knelt down calmly and held the golden book above his head.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. If I have said even a single lie, I will be punished by the thunder of heaven. But if what I have said is true, please read the Golden Book yourself and see the details clearly."

Zhu Yuanzhang had a grim look on his face as he took the golden book and flipped through it. When he saw what was listed on each page, his brows furrowed more and more.

Zhu Han raised his head, his eyes calm: "I set up this trap only to catch the real thief. If it is for your own selfish reasons, I am willing to die a thousand times."

After a long silence, Zhu Yuanzhang's anger gradually subsided and he slowly stood up.

"Come here, arrest Xu Wensheng and Su Huaiyuan, and interrogate them overnight! Hand Liang Bing over to the inner court for temporary detention, and the trial will be held tomorrow!"

The Jinyiwei arrived like a torrential rain, and the situation changed drastically overnight.

The next day, Xu Wensheng and others confessed their crimes in court, which also exposed many old cases.

Zhu Biao stood in the court with a sharp gaze. For the first time, he felt that the real key to victory or defeat in power struggles was not who spoke the loudest, but who could see far.

After Zhu Yuanzhang retired from court, he summoned Zhu Han alone.

He asked in a deep voice: "Have you ever thought that if I trusted the wrong person last night, you would have died without a burial place."

Zhu Han bowed his head and said, "I know that Your Majesty is very perceptive, so I dared to set up this dangerous situation."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him for a long time, and suddenly whispered: "You are more like me."

He sighed softly and turned his back: "Go, assist the prince, don't let me down."

Zhu Han knelt down slowly: "Your Majesty, I swear I will not fail your wise ruler's orders."

In the palace gardens in late autumn, the maple leaves are as red as fire, falling rustlingly as the night wind blows past.

Zhu Han, holding an ink bag, stood calmly outside the prince's bedroom.

"Your Highness, please come in quickly." The guard spoke in a low voice, but did not dare to be negligent.

Zhu Biao sat on the soft couch, staring deeply at Zhu Han's back outside the window, muttering to himself: "The emperor's uncle is finally back."

Zhu Han walked in lightly and bowed: "Your Highness, are you well?"

Zhu Biao raised his eyes and said, "It's very good, but the power of the rear party in the court is gradually rising."

He pointed to the memorial on the desk, "This was received last night. General Han was guilty of carelessness in losing Jingzhou. There are many objections in the court today."

Zhu Han took the memorial and read it carefully for a moment: "If the case of Han Taiwei is not resolved, it may become an excuse for the struggle between the parties in the future."

He turned and walked to the window, looking out at the palace garden: "What is your plan, Your Highness?"

Zhu Biao turned around and came to Zhu Han's side, sighing: "Although my brother said that he would neutralize the court officials, he dared not act rashly. If Han was forced into a desperate situation, he would be seen as helping the tyrant in the eyes of future generations.

Since I am the crown prince, I naturally need to protect my subordinates and consolidate my foundation. However, if the opponent takes advantage of the situation, I will be incapable of doing anything.”

Zhu Han pondered for a long time, and suddenly his eyes lit up: "Why not...win with wisdom?"

He added in a low voice, "Your Highness can invite General Han to a hunting trip in front of the emperor to test the wind and gather information about the court. During the hunting trip, Your Highness can go with General Han and have a close conversation, which will also show the Crown Prince's elegance."

Zhu Biao's eyes lit up: "This is a good plan. Taizu still likes the prince's kindness to the world. If Your Highness can show his protection during the hunt, why should you be afraid of the criticism of the queen's party?"

Zhu Han cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness is wise."

Soon, the cavalry was ready in front of the palace.

It was a dark night. Zhu Han walked shoulder to shoulder with Zhu Biao, and General Han and several of his confidants also followed.

The moon was bright high in the sky, dead branches were crushed by horse hooves, and the wind was whistling.

Along the way, Zhu Biao smiled and said, "Lord Han, His Highness specially invited me to this hunting trip. I want to take this opportunity to drink with you and listen to your talk about state affairs."

Han Taiwei bowed and said, "I appreciate your kindness, Your Highness. Although I am not strong enough, I am willing to discuss state affairs with the Crown Prince."

The two men rode forward, while Zhu Han secretly observed the surroundings. The guards were arranged in a strict formation, not missing a single sound.

Not far away, a minister came running up and bowed, "Your Highness, someone in the court spread the rumor that Han Taiwei was involved in the people's grievances. Your Highness, please return to the imperial court to deal with it as soon as possible."

Zhu Biao's expression was stern, but he responded with a calm smile: "Before going to the imperial court today, let's finish the hunt first. Let's discuss it in the palace and we will make a decision later."

General Han nodded, his face calm.

The setting sun gradually sinks and the pace of the returning horses slows down.

Zhu Biao rode back on his horse, but stopped in front of the palace gate. He looked up and said, "Who are you who spread the rumors? Why don't you show up!" As soon as his words fell, they were like thunder, shaking the air of those around him.

The maids and guards didn't dare to step forward.

Zhu Biao said sternly: "I am the crown prince, how can I allow you to use this to scare me?"

Suddenly, a clerk knelt down tremblingly.

He said with a sweat: "Your Highness, I am an incompetent person, I was ordered around by someone, I am terrified..."

He trembled and named a palace eunuch behind the scenes: "…This man's surname is Zhou. He has been quite powerful in recent years. He often passes messages to the court on behalf of certain concubines in the harem, and makes many arrangements to create rifts between the crown prince and Han Taiwei."

Zhu Han raised his eyebrows slightly, and then responded: "Since we have evidence, please order the palace to be closed and searched, interrogate the officials in Zhouguan, and eliminate this hidden danger."

Zhu Biao pondered: "Although this matter is serious, we must be cautious and not act rashly to avoid the slander of the party behind us."

He looked at the clerk: "Do you know who is behind this?"

The clerk whispered, "I don't know much, but I know that several people in the harem have secret talks with Zhou officials every night... But if we want to find out, we need to mobilize eunuchs to monitor."

Zhu Biao's eyes fixed, "Okay, I will let you cooperate with the emperor's uncle. Tomorrow at noon, close the palace and search, and catch them all in one fell swoop."

After a pause, he continued, "At the same time, I will also inform my brother Taizu of this matter, and make it clear that the prince's action was not personal, but for the sake of the court's integrity."

Zhu Han clapped his hands: "Your Highness, please take the overall situation into consideration and do this for the country. I am willing to serve you at any time."

At noon the next day, the square in front of the emperor was solemn. Zhu Biao cooperated with the accusation of the Censorate and announced that he would search the harem for secret talks today.

The eunuchs and palace ladies who had endured the prophecy for months gathered together, the palace gates were closed, and they were ready to go. (End of this chapter)