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

"I know." Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand, his palm trembling slightly. "But... they weren't the only ones who died."

Zhu Han looked up and met his gaze: "What does Your Majesty mean?"

"This morning, Pei Tang, the Minister of Revenue... hanged himself."

The hall was so quiet you could hear the candles weeping. Zhu Han's heart sank. Pei Tang—it was Guo Si's son-in-law, a lingering figure in the 'forged seal case'.

"He left a letter before he died, saying he was forced into it," Zhu Yuanzhang said in a low voice. "Guess who forced him?"

Zhu Han pondered for a moment: "If it's not the Shadow Bureau, it must be the Inner Court."

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered: "As expected, you see through things."

"Brother Han," Zhu Yuanzhang's tone suddenly softened, "do you know why I summoned you to the palace?"

"Your Majesty, please make it clear."

“Crown Prince—” he paused, his voice low and hoarse, “I wish to have him ascend the throne as soon as possible.”

Zhu Han's fingertips twitched slightly. "What do you mean by that, Your Majesty?"

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly rose, walked to the front of the hall, and said with his back to him: "This empire cannot be without a ruler for a single day. The Crown Prince is kind, but too gentle."

"Benevolent yet decisive," Zhu Han said firmly. "Your Highness possesses your virtues, but lacks experience."

"Experience?" Zhu Yuanzhang turned around, his eyes sharp. "What if experience requires the blood of the entire nation? Are you willing to sacrifice it?"

Zhu Han remained silent.

"Brother Han, I know you are loyal," Zhu Yuanzhang said in a low voice, "but a loyal minister who is too upright will become a source of trouble."

Zhu Han raised his eyes, his voice calm: "Your subject would rather be the root of trouble than the source of chaos."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled, a smile tinged with weariness: "You... you never understand 'power'."

“Your subject understands,” Zhu Han said. “Those who hold power will eventually collapse if they do not stand on the basis of reason.”

A muffled clap of thunder rolled past outside the hall, as if in response.

Zhu Yuanzhang turned around, his back overlapping with the golden shadow on the dragon table, and slowly said, "Brother Han, I want you to stay in the palace."

"Stay in the palace?"

"Temporarily assume command of the Imperial Guards and rectify the court."

Zhu Han's eyes flickered slightly: "Does Your Majesty trust me, or are you testing me?"

Zhu Yuanzhang turned around, his eyes deep: "Neither—it's about looking."

Night deepened, and the rain had just stopped. The distant sound of the palace bells carrying the night watchmen drifted in. Zhu Han stood in the backyard of the Qianqing Palace, staring at the unextinguished lamp, his expression as cold as ice.

Shen Lu rushed over and whispered, "Your Highness, the Ministry of Revenue's records were switched last night."

"Switching?"

"Yes, they forged the account books in an attempt to accuse your subordinates of embezzling 30,000 shi of grain."

Zhu Han's lips curled into a cold smile: "This show is going too fast."

"Your subordinate has locked the gates of the three offices and is waiting to report at dawn."

Zhu Han shook his head: "No. If we offer advice now, it will only be seen as 'covering up one's sins' in their eyes. Let's wait."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Wait for them to show themselves."

He slowly walked to the window, the moonlight shining on his face, the silvery light making his features appear cold and stern.

"Shen Lu, if something changes for me—"

"Your Majesty!"

"Don't rush." ​​Zhu Han's tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable force. "If I do not return, the Crown Prince will be the master."

Shen Lu gritted his teeth, knelt down and kowtowed heavily: "Your subordinate has remembered."

The following morning, a court assembly was held. Civil and military officials gathered in the Golden Hall, but the atmosphere was different from usual, subtly conveying a sense of oppression.

With the position of Minister of Revenue vacant, the newly appointed Vice Minister Chen Yuan submitted a memorial stating: "The other day, a fire broke out in the Chengtian granary, and it was discovered that 30,000 shi of silver grain had been lost, which is suspected to be related to the Chengtian Prince's private establishment of military farms."

The courtiers in the hall were in an uproar.

Zhu Han sneered: "What is the basis for Minister Chen's statement?"

"According to the Ministry of Revenue's account books," Chen Yuan said loudly, "the account books clearly state that the granary seals are under the control of the Prince's Palace."

Zhu Han smiled faintly: "Then may I ask—where is it printed?"

Chen Yuan paused. Zhu Han raised his hand, revealing the "True Seal" in his palm.

The hall fell silent instantly.

"This seal was retrieved from the palace archives last night," Zhu Han said coldly. "If your account books are genuine, this seal should be burned. If the seal is here, where did the account books come from?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened. "Chen Yuan," he said in a low voice, "do you know your crime?"

Chen Yuan's knees buckled, and he knelt down: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty was unaware. The account books were obtained by my orders!"

"Whose orders are you following?" Zhu Han asked coldly.

Chen Yuan looked up, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes: "...The Imperial Concubine's Seal."

The entire hall was deathly silent.

Zhu Yuanzhang was suddenly jolted, his face turning ashen. The Imperial Concubine Chen was dead, but her faction remained.

Zhu Han cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the Shadow Bureau has not been eradicated, and now it has infiltrated the inner palace."

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly closed his eyes, his voice hoarse: "Issue my decree—thoroughly investigate the inner court."

Night, the inner palace of Jinling. The palace maids were terrified, their faces drained of color. Brocade curtains fluttered, and incense burners shattered.

The imperial guards searched the Imperial Garden and suddenly heard the sound of clothes rustling amidst the faint fragrance.

"Halt!" A torch illuminated the area beneath the stone bridge, and a woman dressed in palace attire slowly emerged, holding a scroll of bamboo slips in her hand.

Zhu Han stepped forward: "Who is it?" The woman looked up and was revealed to be a palace maid—a former subordinate of Wu Zhen.

She smiled slightly: "Your Highness, you've finally come this far."

"Are you from the Shadow Division?"

"Yes and no." She lifted the bamboo scroll. "This scroll contains the real accounts you requested."

Zhu Han's gaze sharpened.

"Take it." The woman threw the bamboo slip away, but at that moment, she suddenly turned and crashed into a stone pillar, her blood splattering on the stone.

Zhu Han strode forward, but only heard her whisper, "The light... is... out..." Before she could finish speaking, she breathed her last.

Before dawn, Zhu Han stepped out of the garden. The east wind swept across the palace walls, dispersing the bloody atmosphere and causing the candlelight to flicker.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood on the palace steps, looking at him, his voice low and deep: "Have you found out?"

“We found it, but not completely.” Zhu Han sighed. “The root of the Shadow Division is not outside, nor in the court, but in— ‘Dragon Gate’.”

"Longmen?"

"The Dragon Gate Guards are in charge of the palace's passageways and the transmission of documents. Their power is small but pervasive. If there are any spies, they must be hiding among them."

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent. After a moment, he spoke: "How do you intend to investigate?"

"Tomorrow, under the guise of 'offering sacrifices at the granary,' we will thoroughly investigate Longmen."

Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled and said, "You and I are truly becoming more and more alike."

"I wouldn't dare to do what you do."

“You are more ruthless than I am,” Zhu Yuanzhang sighed. “But right now, what I need is precisely ruthlessness.”

The following morning, the Longmen Imperial Guards stood in formation. Zhu Han stood before the platform, clad in armor and holding a sword. "All those guarding the palace roads and delivering documents must have their seals and names verified."

A commotion arose from the crowd. Some dared not step forward, while others secretly retreated.

Zhao Desheng shouted, "Anyone who retreats even half a step will be arrested on the spot!"

In an instant, the sound of swords clashing rang out.

Zhu Han raised his hand, signaling for silence. "I'm not investigating people, but their hearts. If the heart is righteous, no shadow will be cast."

He descended the steps and entered the guardhouse. The wind lifted the hem of his coat, and dust danced in the sunlight.

One of the guards suddenly looked away. Zhu Han flicked his long sword, its cold light flashing like lightning.

"What's hidden in your sleeve?" The man trembled as he took out a seal—a counterfeit "Dragon Gate Token."

The hall was completely silent.

Zhu Han raised the seal and said coldly, "As long as this seal exists, you are all just shadows."

The guard cried out, "Your Highness, spare my life! I was only following orders to carve the seal!"

"Whose life?"

"...Minister Chen!"

Zhu Han's gaze was frosty: "Chen Yuan of the Ministry of Revenue?"

"Yes!"

Zhao Desheng roared, "He's already been tried, why are you still issuing orders?" "He said—the king's command can be overturned, the shadow will not die!"

These words sent a jolt through everyone present.

Zhu Han slowly closed his eyes: "Kill."

The blade flashed, blood fell. Outside the Dragon Gate, the wind howled, causing the flags to flutter wildly. Zhu Han looked up, gazing into the depths of the palace: "Shadow is not dead? Then I will extinguish the lamp."

Zhu Yuanzhang sat alone in the Qianqing Hall, stroking the "true seal" in his hand.

Footsteps came from outside the door. Zhu Han entered the hall, cupped his hands and said, "The Dragon Gate has been cleared, thirty-six counterfeit seals and twenty-four Shadow Division members have all been eliminated."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, but did not smile: "Do you know that if this lamp goes out, the shadow will be reborn?"

Zhu Han's gaze remained calm: "Therefore, I, your humble brother, will leave Ying with nowhere to rely on."

How can one be without support?

"The whole world is enlightened."

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with light and tears: "If it can really be so—the world will be fortunate indeed."

The wind outside the palace rose again, stirring the palace lanterns. The candle flames flickered, but ultimately did not go out.

Zhu Han smiled slightly: "Brother, the lamp is not out."

Zhu Yuanzhang murmured, "That's good then."

The wind in Nanjing is warmer than in previous years. Magnolias outside the palace walls are in full bloom, their petals falling into the pond and swirling gently with the waves.

Zhu Han stood in the long corridor outside the palace, his hand resting against the cold railing, gazing at a faint light on the distant horizon. That light, like a candle flame, seemed about to go out, yet stubbornly shone brightly.

Shen Lu stepped out from the shadows of the palace and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, the investigation at Longmen has been going on for three days, and there have been no further unusual developments in the palace."

Zhu Han said calmly, "Before the wind stops, not a single blade of grass will move."

Shen Lu was taken aback, then said in a low voice, "This subordinate understands."

A breeze blew from the treetops of the Imperial Garden, rustling across the palace roof tiles. The wind carried a faint scent of wood ash.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han suddenly asked, "Imperial kitchen... are we using charcoal tonight?"

Shen Lu was taken aback: "Yes."

"The palace's fire ban period is not over yet, how dare they?"

"They say the Crown Prince wants to eat at night."

Zhu Han looked up, his brow furrowing: "Crown Prince?"

The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace was brightly lit. Zhu Biao sat alone at his desk, which was piled high with folded scrolls. A young eunuch beside him held a bronze incense burner, the fire burning brightly inside.

As Zhu Han stepped into the hall, the aroma of charcoal immediately filled the air—but it was not the ambergris charcoal commonly used in the palace, but rather the mixed wood charcoal from the marketplace, with a pungent smell.

"Your Highness," Zhu Han said.

Zhu Biao looked up and smiled slightly: "Uncle. Palace affairs are piling up, and the night is cold. I've ordered people to keep warm."

Zhu Han took a few steps closer, reached out his hand near the fire, and gently shook it. Sparks flew, and a wisp of smoke rose straight up, then turned pale black.

"This charcoal is mixed with arsenic," Zhu Han said in a low voice.

Zhu Biao was taken aback: "Uncle—"

Zhu Han turned around and slammed his palm down, overturning the bronze furnace. Sparks flew everywhere, extinguishing instantly upon landing.

"This isn't about keeping warm, it's about taking your life."

Shen Lu, who was outside the door, had already barged in and shouted, "Arrest them!"

The young eunuch panicked and knelt down, begging for mercy: "I didn't know, I was just serving—serving—"

"On whose orders are you acting?" Zhu Han pressed.

"Yes, it was the Imperial Kitchen Supervisor... who said His Majesty has decreed that the Crown Prince should rest early and that the fire should be kept burning brightly."

Zhu Han's eyes turned icy. Zhu Biao, pale-faced, stood up: "Uncle, is it Father?"

Zhu Han raised his hand, suppressing his tone: "It might not be him."

He turned to Shen Lu: "Seal the gate of the Imperial Kitchen and investigate where the charcoal came from."

Half an hour later, Shen Lu reported back. "Your Highness, the charcoal was delivered from outside the palace. It was inspected by the 'Outer Procurement Bureau' when it entered the palace, and the receipt is stamped with... the 'Chengtian Gongfeng' seal."

Zhu Biao was stunned: "Chengtian?"

“Someone forged the Prince’s seal and smuggled poisonous charcoal into the palace from outside,” Zhu Han said slowly. “They are using my name.”

"Borrowing your name?"

"They wanted to make Zhu Yuanzhang believe that I was going to harm the crown prince."

Zhu Biao's expression changed drastically: "If Father Emperor believes..."

"That would mean killing me."

A deathly silence fell over the hall, broken only by the crackling of the flames.

Zhu Han suddenly chuckled: "That was a ruthless move of theirs."

He turned to Shen Lu and said, "Go, seal the palace gates immediately—check every piece of charcoal and every box. Anyone who dares to move will be executed."

Shen Lu accepted the order and left.

Zhu Biao stood still, his voice low: "Uncle, this time, I'm afraid you've been cornered."

"There's a shadow in the corner," Zhu Han said with a faint smile, "but there's also a light."

The next morning at court, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression was stern and his gaze was like frost.

"What happened at the Eastern Palace last night? The Heavenly Emperor offered charcoal poison, and the Crown Prince was in grave danger—Zhu Han, what do you have to say about that?"

The hall was deathly silent.

Zhu Han stepped forward, bowed, and replied: "Your subject is aware of the situation but was not involved in the production of the poisonous charcoal. The poisonous charcoal came from the Outer Procurement Office and was procured by a forged seal."

"A counterfeit seal?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. "I personally appointed the Outer Procurement Office. Do you dare say that I have a thief in my sights?"

"It is not that Your Majesty's eyes are hiding thieves, but that someone is hiding in the light."

"Insolence!" Zhu Yuanzhang roared, slamming his hand heavily on the table.

"If the Crown Prince hadn't ordered the eunuch to fetch fire early, wouldn't I have been sending you to your funeral this morning?!"

Zhu Han raised his head, his eyes calm. "If that's truly the case, then my death is enough. But before I die, I must designate one person—"

"Who?"

"Chen Yuan is not dead."

These words caused a stir throughout the hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stood up: "Nonsense! I personally examined Chen Yuan's remains!"

Zhu Han bowed slightly: "That corpse's head was severed by poison, and its face was destroyed by fire. If I didn't recognize its handwriting, how could I have made this statement?"

He took out a tattered letter from his sleeve. The ink on the letter was slightly blurred, but the handwriting was strong: "—There is a replacement at Longmen, and a new life under the lamp."

Zhu Yuanzhang took it, his expression changing drastically. "This handwriting..."

"It is indeed Chen Yuan."

The hall was eerily quiet.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked in a low voice, "Is he still in the palace?"

"Yes. It's in the procurement department."

That night, the palace gates were under martial law. Zhu Han led three hundred imperial guards straight to the Outer Supply Office. The rainy night was starless, and the wind howled as iron blades lashed against the roof tiles.

The lights in the Outer Procurement Office flickered. Zhu Han raised his hand to signal: "Capture the chief clerk alive, but do not alarm him."

The team infiltrated in three groups. Inside the room, a man was writing at his desk, his pen moving silently. The firelight illuminated his face—it was indeed Chen Yuan.

He was no longer the dashing figure he once was; his beard was disheveled, and his eyes were bloodshot.

Zhu Han stepped into the room: "Minister Chen, it's been a long time." Chen Yuan put down his pen and slowly raised his head.

"I knew it, only you could find me."

Why are you still alive?

“Because I shouldn’t have died.” Chen Yuan chuckled softly. “The one who died was the clerk who collected my salary. The Shadow Bureau protected me for three years, and now it’s time to pay the price.”

"Did you poison the coal?"

"Yes."

Why harm the Crown Prince?

Chen Yuan's smile gradually turned cold: "With the Crown Prince ascending the throne, who will remember me? I am merely offering a reminder—there is no true emperor, only shadows in the lamplight."

Zhu Han's gaze was sharp as a blade: "You're wrong. Shadow isn't something you're born with; it's something you're made."

Chen Yuan raised his pen, suddenly slashed his palm, smeared the blood on the table, and laughed, "Then you should also meet—the person who created the image."

A flash of blood appeared beneath his palm, and a wisp of smoke rose from the table—burnt charcoal. The flames exploded instantly, billowing thick smoke.

Zhu Han shouted, "Put out the fire! Spare your lives!" (End of Chapter)