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

Zhu Han raised his eyes and looked towards the Caohe River in the distance. The water was calm, and the willows on the banks drooped low.

"The wind," he said calmly, "the wind will carry it."

As night fell, the palace in Jinling was still brightly lit.

Zhu Biao sat in the study, with Shuntian's memorial spread out on the table.

Gu Qingping was grinding ink beside him, listening to him read aloud: "'The grain ships are safe, the old army has retreated,' do not write 'who said the retreat was due to,' do not write 'how the letter was delivered.'"

He looked up at her, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "This writing style seems to be the hand of Uncle Wang."

Gu Qingping chuckled softly, “The prince once said, ‘If the wind stops, the water will become clear.’”

Zhu Biao remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly: "Uncle Wang's strategy is like a shadow at every step. But if I only look at the shadow, how will I be able to stand on my own two feet in the future?"

Gu Qingping paused for a moment, then said, "If Your Highness truly wishes to be independent, you must first learn from him to 'keep a low profile'."

What does "not manifest" mean?

"The work is done in advance, but the credit is earned later."

Zhu Biao looked at her and slowly nodded.

The wind outside stirred the corner of the curtains, and the night was as gentle as water.

Zhu Han did not return that night.

Three days later, news came from the Northern Garrison: Pei Ce had bound himself and sent a letter home to the capital, offering to exchange his former camp for his crimes and return to guard the border.

Zhu Yuanzhang summoned his ministers to the Fengtian Hall and said with a smile, "Even the old generals know to regret, so there is no need to worry about the northern garrison."

The courtiers offered their congratulations, and their words all praised the Crown Prince's "meritorious influence."

Zhu Biao remained silent upon hearing this, only bowing his head in gratitude.

After the meeting in the hall, Zhu Yuanzhang kept him behind: "Biao'er, has your uncle spoken to you about the matter of Beizhen?"

Zhu Biao answered truthfully: "He did not say."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "It's good that he doesn't speak."

"What does Father mean?"

“Your uncle is a man of great character, his heart is like a scale, his actions like a mirror. If the mirror is too clear, it will make people uneasy.” Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked away. “Keeping him hidden in the shadows is also a form of protection.”

Zhu Biao replied, "I understand."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced back at him, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

"Go. If your uncle returns, ask him for me: 'How long will the waters remain calm regarding the Caohe River?'"

Zhu Biao's heart stirred slightly, and he bowed and withdrew.

Zhu Han sat down, wearing a robe, with a new account book on the table. Gu Qingping stood to the side holding a lamp.

"Have the warehouse accounts in Beizhen been sealed?" she asked.

"It's sealed." Zhu Han opened the ledger and lightly touched the string of tiny silver seals with his fingertips. "The half-flower of the Eastern Palace is now truly sealed."

"real?"

"All that is real is extremely fake," Zhu Han said calmly. "With the silver seal, the whole world knows that the Crown Prince has the right to inspect the granaries, but no one knows that the seal came from my own hands."

Gu Qingping lowered her eyes: "Your Highness, is this to protect him, or to imprison him?"

Zhu Han remained silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Those who protect are trapped, and those who are trapped protect. If you understand this saying, you will understand today's situation."

He closed the ledger and turned to look out the window. Moonlight, like water, spilled through the bamboo shadows.

"Yin Yan".

"exist."

"Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), prepare the boat. I intend to go to Nancao."

Gu Qingping was taken aback: "Southern grain transport? The southern grain harvest has just begun; perhaps we should wait for the northern garrison to conduct a thorough investigation—"

“No time to wait.” Zhu Han’s gaze was deep. “The wind has stopped in the north, but the south is not yet at peace. Someone is taking advantage of the night to tamper with accounts and alter the seal on the river. If that seal is replaced with a private one, the reputation of the Crown Prince will be ruined.”

Yin Yan's expression changed drastically: "But those private models..."

“It’s that old wooden mold,” Zhu Han said. “It was hidden away, and now someone wants to bring it back to life.”

Gu Qingping said softly, "Does Your Highness suspect...?"

"Shuntian Transport Office".

Zhu Han stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked away. "Beizhen is quiet, but they are uneasy. I must go there myself and see whose flowers they really want to print."

Nancao, the riverbank.

After days of rain, the embankment was muddy. Rows of grain ships were moored, their hatch seals still damp.

Zhu Han arrived by boat, not wearing royal robes, but only a blue shirt. Yin Yan accompanied him, while Gu Qingping waited on the boat at a distance.

A transport official approached, looking somewhat anxious: "The warehouse records here... were stolen last night."

"Theft?" Zhu Han asked in a very soft tone.

"Yes. The seals and ledgers are all missing. The door locks are intact, but the night watchmen said that someone took them out with the Crown Prince's seal."

Yin Yan's face darkened: "The seal of the Crown Prince?"

The official hurriedly explained, "No, it's not a real seal... it's just a paper seal."

Zhu Han smiled slightly: "Paper print?"

He turned and went ashore, stepping through the wet mud, and entered the warehouse.

The warehouse door was half-open, and wet footprints remained on the ground. Zhu Han bent down to look at them and then lightly wiped his hand away from the mud.

“New mud,” he said casually, “from this morning onwards.”

Yin Yan immediately ordered his subordinates to seal the gate and search the surrounding area.

A moment later, a minor official came with a bundle of damp cloth: "Your Highness, there is this in the abandoned well behind the granary."

Zhu Han took it. Inside the cloth was a wooden mold with a familiar pattern—it was the "half-flower old mold".

Gu Qingping came ashore and exclaimed upon seeing the scene: "We're back here again."

Zhu Han looked at the mold, his fingertips lightly tracing its surface, where damp mud had accumulated between the knife marks.

“Someone deliberately made it find,” he whispered.

Yin Yan asked, "Why?"

“Because if it reappears, it can be said that ‘the Crown Prince is using the old seal again.’” Zhu Han’s smile was extremely faint. “That would be a crime.”

Gu Qingping's heart sank: "Then what does Your Highness intend to do?"

"Print back the seal, settle the debt."

Zhu Han looked up, his gaze cold and clear. "Let them see what a true seal is."

He ordered someone to bring the silver seal and personally stamped the new "half-flower" seal.

As the silver light fell, the patterns beneath the wooden mold were completely concealed.

“From this point on,” Zhu Han said, “paper seals are fake, silver seals are genuine. Anything based on paper is fake.”

The warehouse clerk knelt and kowtowed: "Your Highness, if this matter is reported to the emperor, the Transport Commissioner—"

"I will not play it," Zhu Han interrupted. "I will only let them play it themselves."

Three days later, the Shuntian Transport Office submitted a memorial stating that it had discovered through self-examination that the old seals on the warehouse accounts were forged, admitting its dereliction of duty and requesting apology to the emperor.

Zhu Yuanzhang read the memorial and sneered, "Investigating oneself, how clean one claims to be."

Zhang Delin, who was beside him, advised, "Your Majesty, if this matter is investigated further, there may be connections involved."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand: "I will not investigate. I want to see who did the smearing."

Zhang Delin understood immediately and quickly retreated.

That night, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Zhu Han to the palace.

Only one lamp remained lit in the hall, casting a dim and intermittent light.

“Brother Han,” Zhu Yuanzhang said, “I can tell that you were behind the Southern Canal project.”

Zhu Han bowed: "I dare not deceive my brother."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him, remaining silent for a long time.

"You're too protective of your mark."

Zhu Han smiled and said, "If you, elder brother, let go, then I, your humble servant, will relent."

Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice, "We cannot release him."

Therefore, the younger brother cannot relax either.

The two stared at each other, and the air seemed to freeze into a thin line.

A moment later, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly sighed: "The world will eventually be handed over to him."

“I know, brother.”

"But what if he can't hold on?"

Zhu Han looked at the lamp, its light reflecting in his eyes like both water and fire.

"Then I'll let my brother help me."

A few days later, the wind in Nanjing shifted to the south.

As the Caohe River recedes, the willow branches droop low on the banks.

Gu Qingping stood alone on the embankment, holding the silver seal that Zhu Han had sealed in her hand.

Yin Yan came up from behind and bowed, saying, "His Highness has already set off north."

"Heading north?"

"They say it's a warehouse inspection. Actually..."

Before he finished speaking, Gu Qingping already understood.

Although Beizhen has been pacified, the border is not yet secure.

She looked up at the northern horizon, where the smoke and clouds were scattered.

"How long will he be gone?"

Yin Yan replied, "The prince said that if the wind turns back, he will return."

Gu Qingping lowered her head and stroked the silver seal. The north wind rose from beyond the Great Wall, carrying yellow sand all the way south, and the sky over Beizhen was gray and gloomy.

The sunlight fell on the banners, making them appear as if they were soaked in ink.

When Zhu Han arrived in Beizhen, it was nearly dusk.

Outside the post station, flags fluttered, and the guards stood in discipline.

The newly appointed envoy of the Shuntian Military Command bowed his head to greet him, his expression cautious: "Your Highness has come from afar. My humble abode is not prepared. Please forgive my inconvenience."

Zhu Han simply nodded slightly: "No need for formalities. My purpose in coming here is not for this humble abode, but for the granary."

The envoy's heart tightened, and he quickly led the way.

The granary in Beizhen is located on the north bank of the Caohe River. It was originally built by Wang Bin. The bricks and stones are thick and heavy, and the seal outside the gate still bears the ink from last autumn.

Yin Yan held up a lamp and shone it on the opening; it was sealed intact.

Zhu Han said, "Open."

When the seal was broken, the night wind rushed in, as cold as a knife.

As soon as the warehouse door was pushed open, a pungent smell of stale rice wafted out, mixed with a musty odor.

Yin Yan frowned: "The warehouse is damp."

Zhu Han ignored him and stepped inside. The firelight illuminated rows of neatly stacked grain piles.

"Check for plagiarism," he ordered.

The messenger hurriedly ordered his men to carry the measuring scales. The clinking of the scales echoed loudly, the sound reverberating deep within the granary.

In a short while, Yin Yan reported back: "The first ten measures are all sufficient."

Zhu Han reached out and scooped a pinch of rice from the nearest grain stack, rubbing it in his palm. His fingertips felt slightly damp.

“Dig three more layers down.”

The soldier responded and lifted the top layer of the sack, revealing a dark area underneath.

When the light shines on it, the darkness is just sand.

The envoy's face turned pale instantly: "This—this..."

Zhu Han said calmly, "The granary accounts are full, but the grain is empty. Where is the fullness?"

No one answered.

Zhu Han looked up at the shadows cast by the row of oil lamps.

"I ask you—who is the pawner of this warehouse?"

The messenger said in a trembling voice, "Three remaining soldiers of Pei Ce, a former subordinate of the Northern Garrison, are here to guard the granary."

"Where?"

"He was on duty yesterday, but he's not here this morning."

Yin Yan stepped forward: "Inspect the stables and the post road."

Zhu Han turned and walked out of the warehouse. It was already late at night, and the wind was whipping the flags.

He stood with his hands behind his back on the embankment, his gaze fixed on the dark mountain line to the north.

"They fled in such a hurry that they hadn't gone more than fifty miles."

Gu Qingping whispered behind him, "Your Highness, do you suspect they are still in Beizhen?"

"If they are truly robbing grain, they will flee far away; if it is just a feigned disturbance, they will observe closely."

Zhu Han sneered, "They're not leaving because they want to see how I investigate."

Gu Qingping remained silent.

The wind picked up, making the lights along the embankment sway precariously.

Zhu Han turned around and said, "There's no need to check the warehouses tomorrow. I need to see someone."

The following day at noon, at the Beizhen Post Station.

Zhu Han hosted a banquet, but did not invite civil officials; he only invited his former subordinates.

Three armored middle-aged officers stood in front of the hall; they were all former subordinates of Pei Ce.

"I ask you all," Zhu Han began, his tone calm, "is there any shortage of grain in the Northern Garrison?"

The three men exchanged a glance, and one of them clasped his hands in a fist and said, “Your Highness, the granaries are full. When the grain was transferred to the north in the spring, the officials in charge of transporting it changed the seals of a batch of grain, which was called ‘moisture prevention’.”

Who is the official in charge of transferring the case?

His surname is Wu, and his given name is Yunsheng.

Yin Yan immediately searched through the register and pointed to a line of small characters: "Wu Yunsheng - an official under the Shuntian Transport Office, currently serving in the Beizhen Granary."

Zhu Han's eyes darkened: "Summon him."

A moment later, a civil official dressed in a blue robe was brought into the hall. Upon seeing that it was Prince Ning, he immediately knelt down.

Zhu Han ignored him and asked only, "Why has the grain reserve been changed?"

Wu Yunsheng's voice trembled as he replied, "Your Highness, the old seal was damaged, and I have replaced it as per procedure..."

"Where's the example?"

Wu Yunsheng froze, his lips moved slightly, but he couldn't utter a word.

Zhu Han slowly raised his head, his gaze sharp as a knife: "The ink on this seal was made in Caonan. In the cold winter of Beizhen, the ink lines break and should not be connected."

Wu Yunsheng was startled.

Zhu Han sighed softly: "I hate people using fake ink the most."

With a wave of his hand, Yin Yan drew his sword. In a flash, the sealing wood on the table fell to the ground and split in two.

A layer of dark red paint was clearly visible through the crack.

Zhu Han picked up a piece of wood and said calmly, "This isn't for moisture protection, it's for covering blood."

The hall was deathly silent.

Wu Yunsheng knelt down with a thud: "I was instructed by Pei Ce's former subordinates to alter the warehouse accounts in order to redeem myself, but I did not expect Your Highness to come in person—I beg for mercy!"

"How many bushels of grain are you worth?" Zhu Han asked.

Wu Yunsheng cried, "My mistake was clinging to life for a moment—"

“Those who cling to life are innocent,” Zhu Han interrupted, “but those who cheat on their debts deserve to die.”

He raised his hand. Yin Yan stepped forward, and the knife fell. Blood splattered on the bricks and flowed into the gutters.

Zhu Han turned around, his sleeves untouched by a single speck of dust.

"Make three copies of this document: one to Shuntian, one to the Ministry of Revenue, and the last one to the Crown Prince's Palace."

"The seal?" Yin Yan asked.

"Signed under my own name".

"What about the Crown Prince's share?"

Zhu Han smiled and said, "Apply the seal of the Crown Prince."

Gu Qingping, standing to the side, whispered, "Your Highness, is this... an attempt to gain another credit for His Highness?"

“It’s not a merit,” Zhu Han said. “It’s a debt.”

His gaze was calm. "Only when accounts are incomplete can credibility be established; a reputation that is too high will eventually crumble."

A few days later, Zhu Han left Beizhen.

As the snow intensified, the horse's hooves left a deep trail in the snow.

Yin Yanqi, riding beside him, asked, "Your Highness, if this trip is reported, His Majesty will surely suspect that Your Highness has taken advantage of military provisions."

"If he has doubts, then let him have them," Zhu Han said calmly. "Only if he has doubts can His Highness prove his competence."

"What about...the Crown Princess?"

Zhu Han smiled and said, "The Gu family knows when to advance and retreat; they won't ask questions."

He had barely finished speaking when the cry of wild geese came from the horizon. The snow reflected on his profile, which remained as still as a stone.

Meanwhile, at the Eastern Palace in Jinling.

Gu Qingping received an urgent report from Beizhen and remained silent for a long time.

"The prince will affix his own seal, and the grain accounts will be under the name of the Crown Prince."

Zhu Biao put down the document, his expression complicated: "He made me 'owe' it, then made me 'repay' it, and now it's not over yet, and he's adding more."

Gu Qingping said softly, "The Prince never makes His Highness stop when he does things."

Zhu Biao said in a low voice, "But if I keep walking in his shadow, one day, if I take another half step, I will be on his path."

Gu Qingping looked up at him: "Your Highness, do you know why the Prince did not stay in Beizhen?"

"Why?"

"Because he knows that only without him can Beizhen truly be at peace."

Zhu Biao paused for a moment, then said after a long pause, "That's why he would rather be suspected than take charge again."

Gu Qingping smiled: "This is the prince's 'shadow.' The light is in front, and the shadow is behind; but if there is no light, the shadow will not be born."

Zhu Biao remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "I understand."

In late winter of the same year, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned his ministers.

With the case of Beizhen Granary solved, Wu Yunsheng was executed, and the grain in the granary was restored to normal.

Both the Ministry of Revenue and the Shuntian Office submitted memorials to the Crown Prince regarding "honest and impartial investigations," citing them as a model.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the throne, read the memorial, and said calmly, "Does this matter involve the Prince of Ning?"

The Minister of Rites replied, "No."

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "He cut it himself."

Zhang Delin, standing beside him, whispered, "Your Highness's actions are truly meaningful."

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly got up and walked to the window.

Outside, the snow fell silently, a vast expanse of white. (End of Chapter)