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

"Go and fetch it," the Crown Prince said in a deep voice. Two eunuchs trotted out of the hall.

In a short while, two items were brought over: one was a scorched wax print sample that had been salvaged from the East Warehouse the previous night, and the other was a rubbing of the Phoenix Seal from the Inner Warehouse.

With trembling hands, Lin Yuan placed the imprint onto the mold, then spread out the rubbing and compared it with a fine mirror.

Everyone in the hall held their breath to a minimum, and the sound of rain was like thousands of drumbeats hitting the eaves.

After about half a cup of tea's time, Lin Yuan straightened up, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he were about to choke. After a long while, he uttered four words: "Unlike Tuoying."

Different—not the same. A sense of relief washed over the room, followed by a deeper wave of questions.

If it differs from the original rubbing, it means that the one used last night was not the original Phoenix Seal. Can it be matched with the mold?
“With the mold—” The prince looked at him, his gaze dark.

Lin Yuan closed his eyes, as if bowing to someone: "Match the mold."

Shouts rose from inside the hall, a mixture of alarm and relief.

Some people nearly burst out laughing, but managed to hold it back. The crown prince pressed his palm on the table, his knuckles turning white.

Gu Qingping remained motionless, only slightly lowering her eyelids.

"So, the phoenix seal from last night was a replica," the crown prince said, his voice calm and even.

"Yes." Lin Yuan bowed his head.

"Who issued the order to copy it?" Zhu Han pressed, his voice sharp as a blade.

Lin Yuan gritted his teeth and finally uttered two words: "Chinese Envoy".

Which room?

Lin Yuan looked at Gu Qingping, then at the Crown Prince, and said in a trembling voice, "Not the Eastern Palace. It is... the Empress's Palace."

The wind image on the roof of the palace was extracted, creating a vacuum in an instant.

No one dared to look directly in that direction—at the Queen.

She did not attend court, yet her name hung like a sword over everyone's heads. The Crown Prince blinked slightly, his eyelashes trembling in the wind.

"Where is the evidence?" the crown prince asked.

"The Imperial Seal Bureau recorded that all imitations required an official document, with the 'Imperial Title' appended at the end. Everything was destroyed in the fire, except for the register of names..."

Before Lin Yuan could finish speaking, a sharp whistle suddenly pierced the air outside the hall, like a sharp arrow cutting through the sky.

The next instant, with a "plop," blood bloomed on the shoulder of Li Qian, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and blossomed into a flattened peony.

"Assassins!" the guards shouted in unison, drawing their swords and spears.

Li Qian staggered two steps, clutching his wound, his face ashen and lips pale, yet as if using all his remaining strength, he lunged towards the center of the hall, holding the scroll of confession aloft with both hands, and cried out hoarsely, "Your Majesty—your Majesty has been ordered to give a false confession! The seal of the Imperial Advisor is from—"

The second arrow arrived, striking the Adam's apple. The sound was cut short.

The confession fell onto the steps of the palace, and rain and wind swept into the hall. The vermilion raindrops soaked into the paper, making it look like a page of blood.

"Stop them!" The imperial guards outside the palace swarmed out, their bowstrings snapping. Several dark figures staggered through the rain, some falling, some leaping, before dissipating in an instant.

Blood streamed down the steps in lines, and the red rain washed each line even redder.

The crown prince clenched and unclenched his fists, then gave a few instructions in a low voice, and the eunuchs busied themselves carrying the body.

Gu Qingping remained motionless, staring at the roll of paper soaked by the rain, her eyes seemingly frosted over.

Zhu Han took a step forward, bent down to pick up the confession, the paper already half-dissolved.

He carefully stretched out the melted characters inch by inch, revealing a few remaining strokes: "Phoenix... Seal... Move... South..."

He raised his head and looked straight at the east couch: "Your Highness, the witnesses are in blood, and the confessions are in the rain. Moving south—'moving' means relocation; 'south' refers to Jinling. Moving the imperial seal south is not something the Eastern Palace can do."

The Crown Prince remained silent for a long time. Even the rain outside the palace seemed to slow down. He finally said, "Summon—the Empress."

However, the order came too late: the emperor was unwell and it was inconvenient for the harem to see him.

Just as the eunuch who had returned was panting heavily on the ground, another commotion erupted outside the palace.

The Grand Princess arrived in a palanquin, bursting into the palace amidst the wind and rain. She was the Empress Dowager's elder sister, and in her youth, she had served as regent alongside the current emperor, sharing half the prestige of the empire.

Her robe was soaked, but she ignored it, raised her hand, and tossed down a piece of yellow silk.

"Stop announcing it. Last night's 'Phoenix Seal Relocation to the South' was something I petitioned for years, concerning border defense funds, and His Majesty approved it."

She raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping sharply over them. "This memorial is sealed in the 'Records of Border Defense,' the imperial brush is here, the supervisor's seal is here. Does anyone dare to ask if it is 'treason'?"

The hall was completely silent.

She walked to the table and tapped the mold with her finger: "You dare to use such a crude thing as leverage? The True Phoenix Seal was sealed in the Southern Treasury three months ago and entered into the military supplies account of the Empress's brother, Prince Ping. The words are clear. Whose seal was it? It was the seal of the two words 'the world' that you keep talking about."

Each word was like a sharp spear, hammering into everyone's heart. The Crown Prince looked up: "Aunt—"

"Your Highness," the Grand Princess looked at him, "Back then, when your father and I recovered the western border, the border army was cut off from food and weapons for three years and almost suffered a complete rout. Now, the southern border is about to rise up, and Nanjing needs money, iron, and grain. Where will the imperial treasury come from? As the Crown Prince, don't you know this?"

The prince closed his eyes, his fingers slowly stroking the table as if caressing a piece of cold jade.

He said in a low voice, "Aunt, it's acceptable to prepare for the border defenses, but it's unacceptable to secretly move funds from the imperial treasury. If the rules are broken, what will the empire rely on?"

The Grand Princess's gaze was like a knife. She suddenly turned to Zhu Han: "Prince Jing'an, you've been investigating diligently. If you really want 'evidence,' I'll give you evidence." She reached out, and a eunuch presented another sealed scroll. "This is a copy of the March's 'Border Defense Record.' It bears the imperial inscription, the supervisor's seal, and the Empress's 'Phoenix Seal' at the end. The Phoenix Seal has been moved south, ostensibly for border defense, but in reality, it's for 'preparing for war.' I've approved it. Do you want to take this scroll to court to question me?"

Zhu Han took it; his fingertips were icy cold.

The ink marks on the yellow silk were steady, and the imperial brushstrokes for the character "可" (ke) were powerful and penetrating.

The seal's circular pattern resembles a mountain, while the phoenix seal's vermilion mark is slightly off-center, yet it possesses a subtle pattern—unlike the cracks found on the casting. Blood rain falls on the yellow silk, yet the ink does not dissolve, and the vermilion does not scatter.

“If this is true,” he said, “what the Imperial Treasury did last night was a cover-up, not a plot; the one who forged the phoenix seal intended to smear the Crown Prince’s palace and fight against Prince Jing’an, using this as an excuse to draw his sword against…who?”

The Grand Princess said calmly, "Your Highness, the Empress, and Prince Ping—let's see who panics first."

These words were like a thunderbolt, tearing a crack through the veils covering the faces of everyone in the hall.

Gu Qingping raised her eyes, a glint of ice flashing deep in her pupils.

"I have one more question," the Grand Princess turned and stared at Lin Yuan, "whose 'imperial edict' was used by the Imperial Seal Bureau to forge the phoenix seal?"

Lin Yuan's knees buckled, and he knelt down, his forehead hitting the wet bricks: "Reporting to the Princess Tai--Reporting to the Princess, she is the envoy of the 'Deshou Bureau,' named Han Su."

The people in the hall were in an uproar. The Deshou Bureau was the Empress Dowager's residence, and Han Su was an elderly man who served the Empress Dowager closely.

The Grand Princess's face gradually turned cold: "What a fine 'person of mine'!"

She turned to look at the Crown Prince: "Are you still able to sit still?"

The prince slowly rose, a few drops of red rain splashed on his robes, as if they had been touched by someone's fingertips.

He looked at Zhu Han: "Uncle Wang, do you dare to come with me to Deshou?"

"dare."

“Very good.” He clenched his fist, his voice low and steady. “In front of the Empress Dowager and the Empress, we will get to the bottom of this.”

Gu Qingping suddenly spoke, her voice very soft: "Your Highness, it's not advisable to move tonight." "Why?"

“The bloodshed hasn’t stopped.” She raised her hand and pointed out from under the eaves. “The Deshou Bureau is in the northwest, and the wind is coming from that direction. If we move now, we will definitely be blocked on the way. What’s worse is that the Empress Dowager trusts Han Su the most. If Your Highness goes straight in, your first words will be labeled as ‘forcing the emperor to abdicate.’”

The crown prince's gaze met hers for a fleeting moment.

She did not dodge, but simply took off the jade hairpin and placed it on the table: "May I go to Deshou and ask a question?"

"You?" The crown prince frowned.

"Me." She smiled faintly. "The Empress Dowager has always treated me well. I dare not ask for more, but asking a question is not overstepping my bounds."

The Grand Princess gave her a cold look, neither agreeing nor refusing, and turned to look at the rain.

Zhu Han suddenly said, "No." He shook his head, "De Shou is rife with hidden schemes tonight. Han Suruo is truly the 'thread,' and someone is already looking to kill her. It would be unwise for the Crown Princess to put herself in such danger."

He paused, then suddenly pushed the wooden box onto the table. "Why not—use the rain to announce it?"

"What do you mean?" the crown prince asked.

“Red rain clings to silk. Anyone who touched the cinnabar in the East Granary last night will leave a mark in the rain today. Guards and eunuchs outside the palace who have heavy red marks on their sleeves or deep red marks on their feet are likely to be entering or leaving the granary or the secret passages of the inner treasury.”

Zhu Han finished speaking, his gaze steady. "Open the palace doors and let the rain in. Everyone stand after the rain. Let it be revealed to Heaven. 'Whoever holds the cinnabar in their hand' will stay. The rest of you, step down."

After a moment of silence, the Grand Princess suddenly laughed, a short and cold laugh: "Very well. I'll use the law of heaven to enforce the king's authority. Open the door."

"Open the door!" the crown prince commanded, raising his hand.

The heavy doors creaked open, and wind and rain poured straight into the hall. Red rain formed a curtain outside the eaves, and a thin layer of red immediately rose on the blue bricks inside the hall.

The eunuchs, guards, and officials of various departments, following orders, stood in neat rows on the steps after the rain.

Rainwater slid down their shoulders and sleeves, leaving marks of varying intensity on the hems of their clothes.

Some people turn red instantly, some remain white with their clothes blank, and some deliberately roll up their collars, yet the rain still seeps in from the back of their necks, staining them pink.

"The Censorate," the Crown Prince said, "take your places and record names, departments, and shades of ink."

The official from the Censorate took notes, quickly skimming the surface before returning to several places and squatting down to examine the shoes.

In the rain, several minor officials in the inner treasury trembled as if their legs were being shaken.

By the time the last person had crossed the rain, the clerks' shoes were already mottled and deep red.

The eunuch on the far right tried to shrink back, but was pressed down by a guard. Looking down, the tips of his shoes were red as if he had just stepped in blood.

"Bring him down," the Grand Princess said, pointing.

Those who were pinned down turned ashen-faced and dared not utter a word.

Suddenly, a young man burst into tears, knelt down with a thud, and kowtowed repeatedly: "I'm innocent! I was just ordered to move the boxes. Eunuch Han said—it's an order from the Empress Dowager's quarters, who dares to disobey!"

"Is Han Su here?" the Crown Prince asked coldly.

No one dared to answer. An old eunuch choked up and prostrated himself on the ground: "Your Highness, Eunuch Han was still taking attendance in the Imperial Treasury at Chenshi (7-9 AM), but he disappeared in the afternoon."

Zhu Han raised an eyebrow—as expected.

The moment the thread is revealed, the hand is already there. Who will strike first? The Empress Dowager? The Empress? Or the hand hidden behind the scenes?
“De Shou cannot enter,” Gu Qingping said softly. “If Han Su is dead, De Shou will surely prove his innocence by now. If Your Highness enters, it will be like walking into a trap. We should first seal the inner treasury, seal the seal office, and seal the granary to uphold the law. De Shou—we will ask him again tomorrow.”

The prince's palm veins bulged, and he finally exhaled slowly: "Very well. Seal the three offices. Hand Han Su over to the Censorate for arrest."

"We obey Your Majesty's command!" The Censorate stepped forward, their voices crisp and clear.

The moment the order was given, the rain suddenly doubled in intensity.

Red water cascades down the steps, as if there were an invisible river outside the palace.

Thunder roared, striking the roof of the palace. Zhu Han looked up, the rain stinging his forehead, chilling him so much that it felt like his eyes had been washed.

He suddenly recalled Zhao Chengsheng's words in the fire: "The new ruler's world." At the time, he only felt it was eerie, but now, thinking about it, it was like a needle being stuck in his heart, pricking him with every heartbeat.

"Uncle," the Crown Prince suddenly spoke, "I ask you—if it truly is an account of 'border defense,' will you still investigate?"

"Investigate." Zhu Han did not hesitate. "Investigate who, under the guise of 'border defense,' intercepted silver from the imperial treasury, silenced witnesses, reprinted documents, and used others as pawns. Border defense is not wrong; the mistake lies in using the 'border' to seize 'internal' resources and using 'public' for 'private' purposes."

The Crown Prince looked at him, a momentary weariness melting in his eyes in the rain, revealing a sharp edge: "You and I have come this far, there is no turning back. Whoever sells the chess pieces, he must show himself." As he spoke, he turned and bowed to the Grand Princess, "Aunt, I trouble you—to keep the Empress Dowager in check."

The Grand Princess glanced at him sideways: "You certainly know how to order me around. Go. Remember—everyone has a 'phoenix seal' in their heart. If you dare to stamp it, the world will recognize you; if you don't dare, the world will recognize someone else."

As she finished speaking, she flicked her sleeve, and the rain seemed to be parted by the wind from her sleeve.

As the night deepened and the rain gradually subsided, the red hues dispersed into the soil.

The wells, ditches, and cracks in the rocks in the city all retained a light layer of rouge color.

In the Jing'an Prince's Mansion, the candles in the main hall were still burning. A young boy, draped in wet clothes, stood by the window, listening to the sound of paper being turned inside.

He handed over a small cloth bag: "Your Highness, news has come from the side gate. 'Old Man in the Raincoat' appeared at 'Wushi Temple' in the northern suburbs. Someone delivered a small box to him in the middle of the night. He took it and left, heading northwest."

"The Northwest?" Zhu Han looked up. "The Deshou area?"

“Further west,” the boy said, “is the Chongzhen Temple.”

"The Daoist sect?" Zhu Han tapped the corner of the table lightly, the shadow between his brows deepening. "Outside the Daoist sect, who dares to accept the Imperial Treasury's token?"

The boy hesitated for a moment before finally uttering the name: "King Qi—he has recently been frequently visiting Chongzhen Temple to listen to sutras."

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The boy looked up and saw that the light in the prince's eyes had suddenly changed, as if he were sharpening the edges of all the fragments at once.

"The new ruler's world..." Zhu
Han slowly tightened his fingers, his knuckles making a very soft sound on the wooden table. "Is it him?"

A breeze rustled through the pear trees outside the window, their leaves still glistening with undried red raindrops.

Zhu Han glanced at it, then suddenly handed the wooden box to the boy: "Keep it safe. Tomorrow at dawn, before entering the palace, we'll go to Chongzhen Temple first."

"Your Highness, Deshou—"

“De Shou, don’t rush,” Zhu Han said. “The real mastermind is not De Shou. If Han Su is alive, he can lead the way; if he is dead, he will be a severed rope. The other end of the rope is in the temple.”

He paused for a moment, then added, "Tell the Night Guards that we will not disperse tonight. The Censorate will set up a trap in the West Market, and we must snatch 'Old Man in the Raincoat' from them."

The boy's eyes lit up, he whispered his agreement, and turned to leave.

The door creaked open, and night poured in, carrying the damp, fishy smell of rain-soaked earth and cinnabar.

The light flickered, then settled.

Zhu Han stood alone under the lamp, then suddenly reached out and pressed down on the stitches of a map on the table.

The needle pierced a thin line between Jinling and the capital—the arc of the canal. He pressed for a long time, until his fingertips went numb, before withdrawing his hand.

"A glimpse of the Phoenix Seal True Lord appears; the secret edict is a scheme within a scheme." (End of Chapter)