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

“The water’s already muddy,” he said. “How will we know what’s underneath if we don’t turn it over?”

After the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief left, it was already dark.

One by one, the lamps in the inner palace were lit, casting long, thin shadows on the palace walls, creating a silent and elongated effect.

Zhu Han stood by the window, no longer looking at the account books, but waiting quietly.

He wasn't waiting for a person.

It's a reaction.

Sure enough, less than an hour later, there was some commotion outside.

First, a eunuch hurried over and whispered outside the door, "Your Highness, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War is outside requesting an audience."

Zhu Han raised an eyebrow.

"What did he say?"

"I heard that Your Highness is investigating old accounts, so I came to explain a few things to avoid any misunderstanding."

Zhu Han chuckled.

"The old situation?" He turned around. "Please invite him in."

When the doctor entered, he was very respectful and his bow was very steady, clearly indicating that he had practiced it beforehand.

"This humble official greets Prince Han."

"No need for formalities." Zhu Han gestured for him to sit down. "You came quickly."

The physician forced a smile: "The inner court has witnessed Your Highness's summons of the censor. I thought that if there was anything I could explain, I would not dare not come."

"Oh?" Zhu Han picked up his teacup. "Then tell me."

The doctor cleared his throat and deliberately slowed his tone: "Last autumn, when the river was being repaired, the Ministry of War did temporarily borrow stones for military training exercises. Those eighty-odd stones may have been the result of a mishap when the accounts were being reconciled after the allocation."

His words were very well-reasoned.

They both acknowledged that "something had been done" and pushed the issue to "remediation."

Zhu Han did not immediately refute after listening.

He simply asked, "Where will that batch of stones be used?"

The doctor was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "The training ground, the exact location... I need to check the records at my department."

"Check the files?" Zhu Han nodded. "Then let's check."

Lang felt a sense of relief.

But Zhu Han continued, "Perfect timing, I also want to see who gave the order for that exercise."

Upon hearing this, the doctor's smile froze on his face.

"Your Highness, at that time military affairs were very complicated, and most of the transfer orders were handled by the deputy director—"

Zhu Han raised his hand, interrupting him.

“You don’t need to rush to explain.” His tone remained gentle. “I didn’t say it was definitely a problem with the Ministry of War.”

The doctor quickly replied, "Yes, yes, I was overthinking it."

Zhu Han looked at him and suddenly asked, "Do you know why I invited the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief?"

The doctor was taken aback: "This humble official... dares not speculate."

“Because he’s not afraid of offending people,” Zhu Han said. “And I’m not afraid either.”

These words were spoken softly, yet they instantly chilled the air in the room.

The physician immediately stood up and bowed again: "If Your Highness has nothing else to say, I shall take my leave."

“Go ahead.” Zhu Han nodded.

As soon as the person left, the smile on Zhu Han's face faded.

“The second one,” he whispered.

Those who truly can't sit still have already started moving forward on their own.

As the night deepened, another secret document was delivered to Zhu Han's desk.

It's not a folded document.

It is a supplementary record from the old archives of the Imperial Clan Court regarding the warehouse clerk who "died of illness on the way."

Zhu Han unfolded it and examined it closely.

Cause of death: sudden illness.

Time: Zi Chu (11 PM - 1 AM).

Location: Side room of the post station.

Accompanying persons: None.

"None?" Zhu Han tapped the paper lightly with his fingertip.

A warehouse official responsible for transporting stones died of illness en route, but "no one accompanied him."

He closed the file, looked up, and said, "Someone come here."

The eunuch entered in response.

"Pass on my verbal order." Zhu Han's tone was calm but left no room for doubt. "Order the Shuntian Prefecture to reinvestigate this case first thing tomorrow morning."

The eunuch was startled: "Your Highness, is this... an attempt to reopen an old case?"

Zhu Han glanced at him.

“It’s not about reopening old cases,” he said. “It’s about finishing investigating the cases that weren’t investigated.”

The eunuch dared not ask any further questions and immediately accepted the order.

Before dawn, there was a knock on the gates of Shuntian Prefecture.

It's not drumming.

It's a waist tag from the inner court.

The prefectural magistrate hurried out wearing his outer robe, and upon seeing the jade tablet, his heart sank.

"A decree from Prince Han." The eunuch unfolded a short line of text: "Reinvestigate the case of the granary official who died of illness during the river repairs last autumn, immediately."

The prefectural magistrate dared not ask any further questions and simply replied with a single word: "Yes."

Before dawn, the old case files were unearthed from the bottom layer.

As dawn broke, the first chain was already in place.

The deputy who was in charge of escorting the stones was brought into the main hall of Shuntian Prefecture.

Before he could even kneel properly, sweat was already streaming down his temples.

“Sir,” he said, his voice trembling, “I… I’m just a lackey, I know nothing.”

The prefectural magistrate did not immediately conduct an investigation.

He glanced at the eunuch sitting on the side of the hall—he was from the Prince of Han's mansion.

Where were you last night?

"The little one is at home, resting at home."

Is there anyone who can testify?

"Yes, yes, my wife—"

"Your wife went back to her parents' home last night."

The man suddenly looked up.

The prefectural magistrate pushed a sheet of paper in front of him: "This is an old file from the post station. Do you recognize this name?"

The man's face turned pale the moment he saw the name.

"I...I recognize it."

"Then take a look at this one."

The prefectural magistrate pushed another one over.

It is a record of expenditure of silver, not in the public account, but in the private account.

The amount wasn't large, but it was just enough to shut one person up.

The hall was eerily quiet.

The deputy's throat moved, and he finally knelt down.

"Yes, someone told me to," he said, his voice barely audible. "They said that night, the granary clerk should rest alone and not have anyone follow him..."

"Who told you?"

The man closed his eyes.

“Local warehouse… in charge.”

When the news reached the inner court, Zhu Han was having breakfast.

The eunuch lowered his voice and reported the results of the interrogation by the Shuntian Prefecture without omitting a single word.

Zhu Han listened without stopping his chopsticks.

"The head of a local granary?" he said. "His official rank isn't high, but his ambition is."

He put down his chopsticks and rinsed his mouth.

"Pass on the message to Shuntian Prefecture."

The eunuch immediately bowed and said, "Your Highness, what are your orders?"

“Don’t kill him yet,” Zhu Han said. “I want him to speak, to say something more useful.”

"Yes."

Meanwhile, a storm was brewing in the imperial court.

The news that the local granary manager had been taken away seemed to have been deliberately leaked, and within half a day, it had spread to almost all six ministries.

Some people are starting to panic.

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War requested an audience once again.

This time, he didn't beat around the bush.

“Your Highness,” he bowed deeply as he entered, “if this matter is investigated further, it may have far-reaching implications.”

Zhu Han sat behind his desk, flipping through a report, without even looking up.

"Is it my fault that this has affected so many people?"

"Your Highness is wise, that's not what I meant." Sweat beaded on the physician's forehead. "It's just... the court is unstable, and if too many people are implicated, things could change."

Zhu Han finally looked up at him.

That glance was very quiet.

Do you know why I am Prince Han?

The doctor was taken aback.

“It’s not because my surname is Zhu,” Zhu Han said slowly. “It’s because the late emperor gave me this position so that I could overturn things when necessary and cut things off when necessary.”

He stood up and walked over to the doctor.

“You’re afraid of variables,” Zhu Han said, “but the place you’re standing right now is itself on the edge of variables.”

The doctor's lips moved, but he ultimately didn't utter a single word.

Zhu Han turned around.

“Go back and tell your people.” He spoke softly, but each word was clear, “I gave them a chance to stop when they were patching the first seal.”

“Now—” He paused.

"It's my turn to go inside the warehouse."

The moment the Western Treasury was opened, a large number of people gathered in the inner court, a rare occurrence.

It wasn't a summons, yet everyone was present.

The Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Water Conservancy Bureau each sent a principal official; the Ministry of War sent a cautious vice minister; and the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief stood at the very end, yet was the most composed person in the entire room.

Zhu Han stood at the very front of the gate.

He was dressed in the prince's everyday clothes today, without a sword or any other adornments. Yet, everyone's eyes were unconsciously drawn to him.

"Check the seal," Zhu Han said.

The eunuch in charge of sealing the treasury stepped forward and checked the seals in front of everyone. Both the old and new seals were present, and neither was missing.

"The seal is correct."

"open."

The sound of the door being pushed open was heavy.

The smell of dust and grime wafted over, a mixture of wood, paper, and iron locks.

Several eunuchs responsible for moving the items entered the storeroom and carried out the ledger boxes one by one, arranging them under the corridor by year and item.

Zhu Han did not turn the page immediately.

He just stood there, looking at the boxes.

"Which box contains the accounts from last autumn's repairs?" he asked.

A clerk from the Ministry of Works stepped forward instinctively: "Your Highness, it's in the third box."

"Open."

The lock on the box fell to the ground.

The ledgers were taken out and laid out on the table in order.

Zhu Han casually flipped through a book, his eyes moving very quickly, but he stopped on the third page.

"Who handled this page," he said.

The official in charge of the Ministry of Works twitched, but still replied, "The local granaries record it first, and then the Ministry of Works reviews it."

Who was responsible for the review?

The person gave a name.

Zhu Han nodded and turned the page.

"And what about this page?"

This time, no one answered immediately.

Zhu Han raised his eyes and looked at the Vice Minister of War standing to the side.

"You tell me."

The Vice Minister of War was clearly taken aback, but dared not refuse, so he had to step forward and take a closer look.

"This page... is a record from when the Ministry of War reassigned and replenished troops."

"Replenish," Zhu Han repeated.

He extended his finger and lightly touched a line on the ledger page.

"Eighty-eight stones will be used to replenish the area."

“But when I checked the local granary register yesterday,” Zhu Han said calmly, “these eighty-eight pieces had already been ‘accepted and approved’ much earlier.”

The air suddenly tightened.

The Right Vice Censor-in-Chief stepped forward, his voice clear: "In other words, the same batch of stone materials went through the process twice, recorded in two separate ledgers."

No one objected.

Because it cannot be refuted.

Zhu Han closed the ledger.

“That’s what I meant,” he said casually. “Just air it out in the sun, and the musty smell will come out.”

He turned his head and looked at the Vice Minister of War.

"You said yesterday that transfer orders are mostly handled by the deputy signatory," Zhu Han asked. "So who was the deputy signatory this time?"

The Vice Minister of War's Adam's apple bobbed.

"Yes... the former deputy director."

"Ex?" Zhu Han smiled slightly. "What a coincidence."

He gestured to the eunuch.

"Bring the person up."

Soon, an official who was nearly fifty years old was brought to the corridor.

Not a current official.

Instead, it was that deputy director who, three months ago, resigned citing "ill health" as the reason.

The man's legs went weak the moment he saw Zhu Han.

"Prince Han..." he managed a weak bow, his voice trembling.

Zhu Han looked at him.

"You've retired at the right time," he said.

The man dared not raise his head: "This humble official is merely... old—"

“An elderly person shouldn’t remember so clearly,” Zhu Han interrupted him. “Eighty-eight stones, remember?”

The man remained silent.

Zhu Han didn't urge him.

He simply turned to the crowd and said, "You all think this matter is complicated and involves many people."

"But to me, it's very simple."

He turned around and looked at the former deputy director.

“You signed twice,” Zhu Han said. “Once for the local warehouse inspection; once for the Ministry of War’s replenishment.”

"All you need to do now is tell me—"

Zhu Han's voice was very steady.

"Whom did you sign for both times?"

The man finally couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed to his knees.

"Your Highness..." His voice was hoarse beyond belief, "...it wasn't just me."

Zhu Han nodded.

"I know."

He looked at the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief.

"Did you write it down?"

"I've noted it down."

"That's good."

Zhu Han raised his eyes and his gaze swept over everyone present.

“Those of you who are here today are lucky,” he said. “Because I’ve given you a chance—to stand up and see clearly, and to sit down and think things through.”

He turned and left.

early morning.

The atmosphere inside the hall was noticeably different from usual.

At this hour, the ministers would usually exchange a few words in hushed tones, waiting to be summoned; but today, though their positions were already set, almost no one spoke. Their gazes, more or less, were all fixed on that one spot to the side of the hall.

Prince Han, Zhu Han.

He stood firmly, his expression unchanged, as if the recent raids, arrests, and reopening of old cases had never happened.

Until half of the meeting had been held.

The Minister of War stepped forward.

At that moment, almost everyone in the hall held their breath.

"Your subject has something to report."

Zhu Han raised his eyes slightly, but did not move.

The Minister of War spoke slowly but forcefully: “The recent reopening of the Western Treasury has affected various ministries, causing unrest among the people. I believe that although this move is intended to eliminate old abuses, it may disrupt the fundamentals of military and political affairs.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a very slight commotion arose in the hall.

This is the first time—

Someone in the imperial court was pointing directly at Prince Han.

There was no immediate response from the emperor's throne.

Zhu Han had already come out.

"Minister of War." He performed a flawless court salute. "You accuse me of disrupting military and political affairs?"

The Minister of War was taken aback, not expecting him to speak so directly, but still said in a deep voice, "I dare not presume to speak ill of Your Highness, but this matter involves old grievances and should be investigated by the Six Ministries themselves, not—"

“Instead of me interfering,” Zhu Han continued.

"Yes," the Minister of War replied.

Zhu Han nodded.

"Then I'll ask you something."

He turned to face his ministers.

"Are the accounts clear regarding the stones used for the river channel repairs last autumn?"

No one answered.

Zhu Han then asked, "When the Ministry of War allocates military supplies, are the accounts only processed once?"

Still, no one answered.

He then looked at the Minister of War again.

"You just said that the six ministries conducted their own investigations," Zhu Han said calmly. "But what I see is that each of the six ministries keeps its own accounts, and each account is protecting the other."

"If I don't get involved, who will?"

The Minister of War's expression changed slightly: "Your Highness, what is this—"

“It’s my duty,” Zhu Han interrupted him.

This single sentence, though not heavy, caused a sudden silence to fall over the hall.

Zhu Han raised his hand and took out a folded document from his sleeve.

“The Shuntian Prefecture reopened the old case yesterday,” he said. “They found that a warehouse clerk died of illness on the way, and there were no accompanying persons in the accounts, indicating that he was deliberately isolated.”

He handed over the document.

"Find another local warehouse manager and cover up their private accounts." (End of Chapter)