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

"His Highness asked, how can one distinguish between full and half?" She raised her eyes slightly. "He wants a law."

"The law is in the lamp," Zhu Han laughed. "If the wick is too coarse, the oil will be murky; if the wick is fine, the fire will be steady. Half-burnt is fine, full-burnt is coarse. Remember this saying, and it will be applicable everywhere."

Gu Qingping responded, then said, "There's one more thing."

There's a paper mill in the north of the city; it was searched last night, presumably to hide the wooden molds for printing. The owner is missing.

Who were the people searching?

"Their armor was made very neatly, making them look neither like officials nor bandits. The laborers in the neighborhood said they spoke with a northern accent."

"The hand from the North Road has reached back in again."

Zhu Han put down his cup. "No rush. Let them work on it for a while. The wooden mold won't be usable anyway."

"why?"

"The half-flower design has been changed. From today onwards, the half-flower design for the Crown Prince's Palace will only be printed on a thin silver stamp, not on paper. The silver stamp has weight, while the paper does not. If you want to take it, take the silver stamp; if you can't take it, you can't take it."

Gu Qingping was slightly taken aback, then chuckled: "The prince moved the flowers from paper to silver, making them too heavy to move."

Zhu Han laughed, "If you can't move it, you'll start yelling."

"Who are you calling for?" she asked.

"Say it to them." He stood up, hands behind his back, by the railing. In the distance, the lamp of the East Palace shone under the blue sky, small and steady.

Yin Yan swept in through the courtyard gate, lowering his voice: "Your Highness, the accountant from Longjing Lane requests an audience."

"please."

When the accountant came in, he was holding a paper package in his hands, and there was a thin layer of sweat on his forehead: "I've come to return something."

"What?" Gu Qingping took it and opened it.

Inside is a piece of hardwood—a half-flowered old mold.

There are deep and shallow knife marks in the wood grain, and the knife marks suddenly stop at the last stroke, as if someone has grasped a hand.

The accountant swallowed hard. "This is what that man left behind. Last night, the paper mill was searched, and he came to the back room, wanting me to hide the mold in cloth. I didn't dare to take it, and told him, 'Cloth can cover the spring breeze, but it can't cover the print.' He cursed at me and ran away."

Where did he run to?

"North Gate".

Zhu Han and Gu Qingping exchanged a glance.

Zhu Han said, "Your statement 'the seal cannot be concealed' is well said. Go back, the back hall will remain open as usual, and the cloth will continue to be sold. If anyone asks, just say 'the Crown Prince does not recognize the full bloom.'"

The accountant felt a weight lifted from his heart. He took two steps back and asked, "I have another question—will the Crown Prince still be able to print half-flower seals in the future?"

"Print it." Zhu Han's smile faded even more. "But I won't print it for you to see."

The accountant paused for a moment, then retreated with the wooden mold in his arms, his steps more steady than when he had come in.

In April in Nanjing, the wind blows from the south, and ripples appear on the river's surface.

The spring tide rose to the dock, piling up like a soft wall.

Zhu Han stood on the embankment, watching the water gradually turn golden as the setting sun shone.

Yin Yan reported in a low voice behind him: "Wang Bin has been sent to Beizhen. The new envoy of Shuntian Transport Commission will take office in half a month. The soldiers along the river are being re-inspected, and grain ships are leaving the port in batches."

Zhu Han responded, his eyes unchanged, and said calmly, "When the wind stops and the water is clear, it should be like this."

“But…” Yin Yan paused, “there are some rumors in the north. Some say that Wang Bin may not be really sick, while others say that the commander of the Northern Garrison has submitted a memorial requesting that the Crown Prince oversee the transport of goods, as a way to test the power of the Eastern Palace.”

"Let's try." Zhu Han smiled. "Trying is always better than fighting."

The next day, at the Eastern Palace.

The door to the study was half-open, and Zhu Biao was copying something on the desk.

He wrote very slowly, his brushstrokes deliberate and forceful. Gu Qingping ground the ink beside him, the ink fragrance lingering faintly.

“Uncle Wang said that I will not go no matter who invites me,” Zhu Biao said. “He told me to stay quiet.”

Gu Qingping smiled: "Your Highness's ability to remain calm is a sign of progress."

“But they are not quiet.” Zhu Biao put down his pen and looked up. “Yesterday, the Imperial Censor Liu Cun submitted a memorial outside the palace, saying that I have been living in the Eastern Palace for a long time and have not paid attention to the people’s suffering. He requested permission to lead a patrol along the river. Although Father Emperor did not grant the request, he smiled.”

How's your smile?

Zhu Biao shook his head: "I can't see through it."

Gu Qingping carefully folded the handkerchief and said in a low voice, "Then let the prince see it."

Evening, Prince Ning's Mansion.

Zhu Han was playing the zither in the courtyard. The music was extremely soft, almost imperceptible, blending with the sound of the wind.

When Gu Qingping arrived, he did not look up, but only said, "I know about Liu Cunzhi's memorial."

"Your Highness is worried."

"What's there to worry about?" Zhu Han said calmly. "He only took it as a sign of doubt in Father's smile. In fact, that smile was a sign of waiting."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Wait for the Crown Prince to speak up himself."

Zhu Han raised his hand and plucked the string, and the sound abruptly stopped.

He slowly rose to his feet: "If the Crown Prince really goes to Beizhen, he will fall into someone else's trap. If the Crown Prince refuses to move, he will appear cowardly. Therefore, he will make a trip, but not go far."

Gu Qingping pondered for a moment: "Does Your Highness mean—to patrol the river under the guise of 'symbolism'?"

“Yes.” Zhu Han nodded. “Patrol three miles, and stay overnight.”

The palace gates were opened wide the next morning.

The Eastern Palace issued a proclamation: The Crown Prince will inspect the river mouth and comfort the river troops.

The officials all thought he was going to go to Beizhen in person and secretly speculated about it.

Zhu Yuanzhang simply nodded: "Go."

So the people of the city lined the streets to see them off.

The prince traveled by boat to the river mouth. The area was no more than three miles in length, where the spring waters were slightly high and the grass on the embankment was newly green.

Zhu Biao climbed the embankment, with Gu Qingping following behind, and only a few guards behind them.

Zhu Han did not appear, but had already ordered people to set up a small pavilion. Inside the pavilion was a stone table with an old account book on it—the very "Floating Light Book" that he had kept all those years ago.

Zhu Biao pushed open the booklet and saw two lines of small print faintly visible beneath the blank space on the first page:

"There is wind on the river, and the wind cannot distinguish north from south."
"Those on the shore know the depth of the water only when they are on the shore."

He looked at it for a long time.

As night falls, the water lanterns at the river mouth rise one by one and float downstream.

Soldiers stood guard on the bank, spears in hand, while the people watched from afar. Zhu Biao slowly rose, cupped his hands in greeting to the crowd, and said:

"I'm here just to see—if the river is safe, the people are safe. If this river is clear, my heart will be at peace."

As he finished speaking, a gentle breeze swept by, and the lamplight flickered.

Gu Qingping, standing to the side, said in a low voice, "Your Highness's words are enough."

He laughed: "Did Uncle tell me to say this?"

“No,” she shook her head, “it was written in your heart long ago by the prince.”

Three days later, news came from the northern garrison: the Crown Prince had "returned after patrolling the river for three miles," without disturbing military affairs, and the morale of the army remained high. Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang slapped the table and laughed, "This child is very steady."

After the censor Liu Cun lost power, the Ministry of War reported that "the grain transport to the north is going smoothly," and the Crown Prince's prestige rose again.

Upon receiving the report, Zhu Han simply said, "The noise is too loud; it cannot last long."

Gu Qingping handed over the tea: "Then what should we do?"

“Let’s add another loss,” Zhu Han said.

"Losing money?"

"Profits breed resentment, and losses can only build a reputation." Zhu Han smiled faintly, "Let the Crown Prince make a mistake."

Gu Qingping was stunned: "What's wrong with it?"

"From the warehouse."

Ten days later, the routine inspection of the capital's granaries was conducted.

An error was discovered in the grain accounts, revealing a shortfall of 5,000 strings of cash.

The Ministry of Revenue submitted a memorial overnight, criticizing the Crown Prince for neglecting to conduct proper audits.

Upon receiving the news, Zhu Biao's expression changed slightly. Gu Qingping asked in a low voice, "Was it the Prince's doing?" Zhu Biao slowly nodded, "He made me owe him this."

What good is it to owe?

"Only by owing can you repay. Only by repaying can you gain people's trust."

Summer arrives early in Jinling. The May wind carries moisture, and a thin mist shimmers on the glazed tiles of the palaces.

The paulownia trees outside the Prince Ning's Mansion have sprouted new leaves, the cicadas have not yet started singing, but there is a hint of dryness in the air.

Zhu Han woke up in the afternoon and heard the rustling of bamboo outside the courtyard.

He got up, put on his clothes, and was about to push open the door when Yin Yan rushed in, cupped his fists, and said, "Your Highness, an urgent report has come from the Northern Garrison."

Zhu Han remained expressionless: "Read."

Yin Yan unfolded the letter, his voice low and urgent: "Although Wang Bin, the garrison commander of Beizhen, has returned to his hometown due to illness, some of his former subordinates have gathered on the north bank of the Caohe River. The Shuntian Provincial Transport Commissioner has submitted a report stating that 'military supplies have been robbed,' suspecting a rebellion."

Zhu Han took the letter, glanced at it, and said indifferently, "The letter was written in too much of a hurry."

"Your Highness means...?"

"If it were truly chaotic, there would have been two or three beliefs by now. The fact that there is only one belief now indicates that someone wants us to 'believe' that it is chaotic."

Zhu Han folded the letter neatly and threw it into the copper basin. A flash of fire and the letter's ashes floated up.

Gu Qingping entered upon hearing the sound and whispered, "His Highness has heard of this matter and is filled with worry. He asked what the Prince intends to do."

“He shouldn’t worry.” Zhu Han walked with his hands behind his back. “The grain accounts of Beizhen are still under the name of the Crown Prince. If there is a real robbery of grain, it will damage the reputation of the Crown Prince; if it is a false report, it will break the credibility of Beizhen. This situation is not about grain, but about credibility.”

"So, what are your plans, Your Highness?"

"Let them open the letters themselves."

The following morning, news suddenly spread through Nanjing: the second memorial from the Shuntian Transport Commissioner arrived, stating that "the rebels in the northern town have all retreated," suggesting that the previous letter may have been incorrect.

The officials were all amazed, but Zhu Yuanzhang simply said, "Let's see first, then we'll discuss it."

In the study of the Eastern Palace, Zhu Biao was discussing this matter with Gu Qingping.

“Uncle Wang did not return last night,” Zhu Biao said. “He should have known about this change long ago.”

Gu Qingping smiled: "Your Highness, please don't be anxious. If he doesn't return, we will wait. The water in Beizhen is not yet clear, and the Prince will not act rashly."

Zhu Biao stroked the table and pondered, "If the grain supply line to Beizhen is truly robbed, what should I do?"

“If it’s true,” Gu Qingping said gently, “you can send someone to investigate; if it’s false, then let the ‘true’ person come to you.”

Zhu Biao was taken aback, then sighed, "I am of the same lineage as Uncle Wang, yet we must also learn this kind of method."

“It’s not the law, it’s the power.” She said softly, “The prince often said that when power becomes the wind, it cannot be met, but only borrowed.”

That night, at the Prince Ning's residence.

A scout dressed in black knelt before the hall, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Highness, we have discovered that the person who 'robbed the grain' is actually Pei Ce, a former general of the Northern Garrison. The robbery was a ruse; his real intention was to intimidate. This man fled to Shuntian at night, claiming that he wished to meet the Crown Prince and request that the Northern Garrison be established as a 'hereditary fiefdom'."

Zhu Han's eyes darkened: "A hereditary fiefdom?"

Yin Yan said in a low voice, "They want to make Beizhen their hereditary property."

Gu Qingping's expression changed slightly: "If Your Highness and the Emperor hear these words, they will both be uneasy."

“That’s exactly right.” Zhu Han said calmly, “Beizhen has been relying on its border achievements and has been training troops for years. This time, it’s using the grain raid as a test. If we don’t take this opportunity to deal with them, they will become a future problem.”

"Does Your Highness wish to go in person?" Gu Qingping asked.

“If I go, things will truly descend into chaos.” Zhu Han shook his head. “This matter requires Your Highness’s intervention.”

"Your Highness?" Yin Yan exclaimed in surprise, "If the Crown Prince makes a move, he will surely be suspected of forming a vassal state."

“So we need him to take half a step,” Zhu Han said. “Move to the river, then stop at the shore—both to show loyalty and to avoid the enemy’s advance. I will be the shadow of that ‘half a step.’”

Gu Qingping asked softly, "How do we make a shadow?"

Zhu Han turned around, took out a letter, and handed it to Yin Yan: "Deliver it outside Shuntian City at dawn tomorrow—the letter contains an order: 'The Crown Prince sends a message to check the grain, not the soldiers.' If Pei Ce is smart, he will back down. If he does not back down, it will be considered rebellion."

Yin Yan accepted the order.

Zhu Han then instructed, "Remember, the envelope should be signed 'Eastern Palace,' and the seal should be 'Half Flower.'"

The night was as dark as ink, but a faint light still shimmered on the surface of the Caohe River in the eastern suburbs of Nanjing.

The light wasn't moonlight, but the lamps worn by the patrolling soldiers. A gentle breeze stirred, and the lamplight's reflection flickered intermittently on the water's surface.

Zhu Han stood at the embankment, watching the cargo ships moor one by one in the distance.

The sound of the oars tapping the gunwale was extremely soft, as if deliberately masking all noise.

Yin Yanli stood behind him and said, "Your Highness, the letter has been sent."

"Is there any response from Shuntian?"

"No letter was received, but the sound of horses' hooves could be heard from north to south, passing by the pier around midnight."

Zhu Han pondered for a moment, then turned to look at Gu Qingping: "If Pei Ce wants to see the Crown Prince, he should have already set off tonight."

“If he really comes,” Gu Qingping said in a low voice, “how should the Crown Prince’s Palace receive him?”

“It’s better to meet him than to receive him,” Zhu Han said calmly. “I want him to meet me, but I can’t actually meet him.”

Gu Qingping was slightly taken aback, then understood.

Zhu Han walked to the water's edge with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the north bank of the Caohe River in the distance.

The area was shrouded in darkness, with occasional flashes of light; it was the old site of the former Beizhen camp.

“What they are waiting for is not a word from the Crown Prince,” Zhu Han said slowly, “but whether the Eastern Palace dares to speak. I will let him dare, and I will let him speak.”

Gu Qingping said softly, "Won't the seal on that letter... 'Half Flower' make people notice anything unusual?"

“It’s better if they can see it.” Zhu Han smiled faintly. “If it’s truly imprinted on a silver seal, what the world sees is merely a ‘shadow.’ If the shadow is real, they will believe in the light.”

After saying that, he turned and left the embankment, his figure swallowed up by the night.

The following morning, a document from the Eastern Palace was sent out from the Jinling Palace.

The text states: "The grain accounts in the Northern Garrison were incorrect, but it was not a military matter. The Crown Prince sent people to inspect the granaries and comfort the grain transport troops."

These few words, once they reached outside Shuntian City, had already acquired several layers of interpretation.

The phrase "inspect the granary but not the soldiers" is like a knife, or a scale.

Pei Ce remained silent for a long time after hearing this. A lieutenant beside him tentatively asked, "General Pei, does this... mean we should disperse?"

Pei Ce looked up at the sky, where the gray morning mist shrouded the Caohe River. "If it doesn't dissipate, when the Crown Prince starts checking the grain and the accounts are cleared, we'll become robbers."

The deputy general's expression changed slightly: "But if we disband, the roots of the old Northern Garrison will be gone."

Pei Ce sneered: "Roots? Who holds the roots? Wang Bin is dead, and all that's left in Beizhen is a piece of merit. Merit can't buy grain, and it can't buy life."

Before he finished speaking, a bugle call suddenly sounded from the opposite bank of the river. It wasn't a military horn, but rather the canal transport commissioner's order to count the boats.

"Open the granary and inspect the grain—" the voice echoed from afar.

Pei Ce was startled and immediately mounted his horse, issuing the order: "All former troops retreat to a distance of thirty li, abandon the ships, and take the flags with them."

The lieutenant asked, "Abandon ship?"

“The ship belongs to the Crown Prince.” Pei Ce’s gaze was icy. “To keep even one of them is a crime.”

In the afternoon, a breeze began to rise on the north bank of the Caohe River.

Yin Yan rode his horse to the embankment and saw the dust and smoke of the retreating old army in the distance. He turned back and reported to Zhu Han: "Pei Ce has retreated."

Zhu Han was standing under a willow tree at the mouth of the embankment, his robes fluttering in the wind.

He remained silent, only reaching out to take the letter Gu Qingping handed him.

That was an urgent report from the Shuntian Transport Office.

"The grain ships were undamaged, and the warehouse accounts were accurate. Pei Ce's old camp withdrew on its own, and the morale of the army was restored."

After reading it, Zhu Han gently shook the letter between his fingers and smiled, "It's been completely withdrawn."

Yin Yan still had doubts: "Your Highness, he retreated too quickly. Could he have another plan?"

"All plans are in people's hearts; retreat is the true strategy."

Zhu Han folded the letter neatly, put his hands behind his back, and walked away. "If he really wanted to plot something, he wouldn't have retreated so neatly."

Gu Qingping asked, "Does His Highness wish to know about this matter?"

“He should know,” Zhu Han said, “but he shouldn’t know it from Gu.”

Yin Yan was taken aback: "Then who should deliver the message?" (End of this chapter)