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

He was dressed in a white brocade robe, covered by a silver soft armor. He had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and a handsome face. However, at this moment, his brows were furrowed, clearly indicating that he was worried about the danger that was about to come.

Zhu Han lowered his head slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "At least thirty cavalry, plus infantry."

His voice was deep and powerful, as if carrying a reassuring strength.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a troop of cavalry charged into the courtyard from the main gate of the manor like a black whirlwind.

The leader was dressed in a black cloak that fluttered in the night wind. A long sword hung at his waist, its blade gleaming with a chilling light. His gaze was sinister, like a venomous snake lurking in the darkness.

He reined in the horse, and the horse reared up on its forelegs, letting out a neigh.

He surveyed the courtyard, and when he saw the carriages and scattered grain sacks in front of the granary, his face immediately darkened, like the sky before a storm.

"How dare you break into my manor at night!"

His voice was deep, yet carried a fierce edge, like a roar from hell.

Zhu Han slowly stepped forward, his posture as upright as a pine tree, blocking the way for the crowd.

He looked directly at the cloaked man and said without fear, "You are the owner of this manor?"

The man let out a cold laugh, a laugh as chilling as the cry of an owl.

"Since you dare to barge in, don't you know who I am?"

Zhu Han remained calm, a slight smirk playing on his lips, and said indifferently, "I don't need to know your names. I already have the evidence that you are hoarding grain and disrupting the market."

The man's expression changed, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and coldly said, "Attack! Leave no one alive!"

Before the words were even finished, the cavalrymen had already drawn their swords and charged forward. The flashing blades were like lightning slicing through the night sky, exuding a chilling aura.

Zhu Han's eyes turned cold, sharp as ice, and he shouted, "Fight!"

In an instant, the manor courtyard erupted into chaos, a fierce battle breaking out.

Shouts of battle, the clash of swords, and the clashing of hooves mingled together, creating a bloody war song.

Zhu Biao charged out first, his figure agile as a cheetah, his longsword flashing as he clashed head-on with two cavalrymen.

With a flash of sword light, like a shooting star, a cavalryman was immediately cut down from his horse, his blood splattering and staining the ground red.

Seeing his companion killed, the other man roared in anger and swung his knife fiercely.

Zhu Biao dodged to the side, the blade whistling past his clothes. He swung his sword backhand, piercing the other man's shoulder like a viper spitting its tongue.

The man screamed and nearly fell off his horse.

At the same time, Zhu Han had already rushed into the crowd.

His dagger flashed in his hand, his movements incredibly fast, like a ghost.

Just as a cavalryman raised his sword to strike, Zhu Han flashed and appeared beside the enemy like a phantom, his dagger piercing the enemy's armpit.

The cavalryman groaned, his body stiffened, and he fell off his horse.

Chaos erupted in the courtyard as the manor guards and Zhu Han's men clashed.

The torches swayed precariously, casting long shadows of the crowd, while the sounds of clashing swords and sparks flew everywhere.

At the entrance to the warehouse, the boatman was sweating profusely with anxiety. He kept rubbing his hands together, his eyes fixed on the progress of loading the carts, and he shouted, "Hurry! Load two more carts!"

Just then, a man dressed in coarse cloth ran up from the corner of the wall, panting, and said, "There are more than a dozen people coming around from the east side!"

The boatman gritted his teeth, a resolute glint in his eyes, and said, "Hold on!" He picked up a long stick and led a few men to meet the enemy.

He brandished his long staff, creating a whooshing sound, and engaged in fierce combat with the enemy.

On the other side, Zhu Han was already facing off against the cloaked man.

The man leaped off his horse, landed firmly on his feet, and drew his long sword.

The blade gleamed coldly, as if it could slice through the air.

"Your skills are exceptional, but unfortunately you will die here tonight."

The man spoke coldly, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Zhu Han smiled faintly, a smile as gentle as a spring breeze, yet carrying an undeniable confidence, and said, "It's too early to say."

The man suddenly drew his knife, the blade flashing like an arc, aimed straight at Zhu Han.

The sword strike was fierce, like a tiger descending a mountain, carrying a powerful aura.

Zhu Han shifted his feet, his body moving like a nimble fish, dodging to the side while simultaneously thrusting his dagger back.

The dagger shot towards the man's throat like a bolt of lightning.

The two exchanged several blows in an instant, their movements as fast as lightning, dazzling the onlookers.

The man's swordsmanship was fierce, each strike accompanied by a whistling sound, clearly indicating that he was a veteran of many battles.

Zhu Han was even faster; his movements were like a ghost, and each strike of his dagger was precise and ruthless, aimed directly at the man's vital points.

After a few exchanges, the man suddenly took a step back and said coldly, "Archer!"

Several archers immediately appeared on the wall, holding powerful bows, nocking arrows, and with cold eyes.

The bowstrings twanged in unison, like a death knell, and a rain of arrows fell instantly.

Zhu Han's expression changed, and he shouted, "Scatter!"

Arrows rained down like locusts. Several of his men were unable to dodge in time and were hit by arrows, falling down with screams.

Zhu Biao grabbed the person next to him and dragged him to the back of the carriage, shouting, "Use grain sacks as a shield!"

The crowd reacted quickly and piled up the grain sacks to use as cover.

The arrows struck the grain sacks with a dull thud.

Zhu Han glanced at the wall, a resolute glint in his eyes, and said, "We must deal with the archers first."

He quickly said to Zhu Biao, "Biao'er, you guard the granary, I'll go to the wall."

Zhu Biao nodded, his eyes full of trust, and said, "Uncle, be careful."

Zhu Han suddenly rushed out of his cover, and arrows immediately shot towards him.

He moved with incredible speed, tumbling and leaping in the courtyard like an agile ape, reaching the wall in just a few steps.

With a light tap of his toes, he leaped onto the top of the wall.

The archers on the wall were shocked; they hadn't expected Zhu Han to be able to rush up so quickly.

Zhu Han was already close, and the dagger flashed like lightning.

An archer's throat was slit, blood gushing out. He clutched his throat with both hands, his eyes wide open, and fell straight down.

Just as the other person tried to back away, Zhu Han kicked him off the wall.

The man let out a scream in mid-air and crashed heavily to the ground.

The remaining archers panicked, frantically nocking their arrows, but it was too late.

In no time, Zhu Han had dealt with them all.

The rain of arrows in the courtyard suddenly stopped, and Zhu Biao seized the opportunity to lead his men in a counterattack.

He wielded a longsword like a fierce lion, swinging it repeatedly to force back several guards.

The clash of swords was constant, and the shouts of battle shook the heavens and the earth.

The cloaked man's face grew increasingly grim; the veins on his forehead bulged like earthworms.
Suddenly a whistle blew, its sharp, piercing sound like the cry of an owl.

More people suddenly poured out of the backyard of the manor, at least fifty people.

They charged forward, armed with various weapons and shouting, like a tidal wave.

Zhu Biao's expression changed slightly, and he shouted loudly, "Uncle, there are too many people."

Zhu Han jumped down from the wall, his gaze calm and resolute, like a rock in a cold pool, and said, "Hold them off."

After saying that, he quickly looked at the boatman and asked loudly, "Is the grain cart ready?"

The boatman shouted, "One more cartload is needed!"

Zhu Han nodded and said, "Quickly!"

The fighting in the courtyard intensified, with Zhu Biao leading a dozen men to block the warehouse.

They stood back to back, forming a small defensive circle, with flashes of swords constantly passing them. One of the guards seized the opportunity to launch a sneak attack on Zhu Biao from the side, but Zhu Biao reacted swiftly, dodging to the side and simultaneously thrusting his sword forward, striking the guard squarely in the chest.

The guard screamed and fell to the ground.

Zhu Han suddenly noticed something: the guards seemed to be deliberately protecting a certain direction.

His gaze swept across the area and he saw a detached small building in the backyard of the manor.

The small building was brightly lit, making it stand out in the darkness.

A dozen guards stood at the entrance, holding long guns and watching their surroundings warily.

Zhu Han narrowed his eyes, pondering to himself, and said, "There's something else there." He whispered to Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao was taken aback and asked, "What?"

"Something important." After saying that, Zhu Han rushed out of the crowd and headed straight for the small building.

The guards immediately stopped him, drawing their swords and blades like a large net to envelop him.

Zhu Han moved like the wind, darting freely among the swords and blades.

The daggers stabbed repeatedly, like venomous snakes spitting their tongues, and in a matter of moments, the two men fell to the ground.

The remaining guards roared and surrounded them, brandishing their weapons and shouting.

Zhu Han quickly took a step back and grabbed the torch from the ground.

The torches whistled in the night wind, their flames roaring.

He threw it into the pile of firewood next to him, and flames instantly rose up, like a fire dragon, illuminating the entire area in front of the small building.

The guards panicked and were forced to retreat by the flames.

Zhu Han seized the opportunity to rush into the small building. The interior was lavishly furnished, with several iron boxes on the tables.

The iron box exuded a mysterious aura, as if it concealed countless secrets.

Zhu Han quickly pried open the iron box, inside which were neatly stacked silver ingots.

The silver ingots shimmered brilliantly under the lamplight, dazzling the eye.

There was also a stack of sealed letters lying quietly next to the silver ingots.

Zhu Han opened the letter, his gaze sharpening.

The letter detailed the arrangements for the grain transaction, including not only prices and transportation routes, but also marked several secret grain warehouses.

He felt a surge of joy; this was undoubtedly important evidence that could expose the crimes of these people.

He quickly put all the letters away, and just then, he heard footsteps outside the door.

The footsteps were heavy and rapid, like the sound of war drums.

The cloaked man rushed in with his men. When he saw the opened box, his face immediately turned extremely ugly, as white as a sheet of paper.

"You're asking for death!" he roared, like a tiger howling, and suddenly swung his knife.

The blade, carrying a powerful force, slashed towards Zhu Han.

Zhu Han met him head-on, and the two engaged in another fierce battle.

Sparks flew as the blades clashed, like fireworks exploding.

The man's sword strikes were fierce and powerful, each strike carrying a frenzied momentum, as if he wanted to cleave Zhu Han in two.

Zhu Han, however, maintained the upper hand throughout. His movements were agile and unpredictable, and his dagger, like a nimble sprite, constantly attacked the man's weaknesses.

Suddenly, Zhu Han flashed and appeared beside the man like a ghost.

The dagger slid along the blade, making a sharp sound. The next instant, the dagger was already against the man's throat.

The man froze, his body trembling slightly, his eyes filled with fear and resentment.

Zhu Han said coldly, "Tell them to stop."

The man gritted his teeth, refusing to give in.

Zhu Han applied slight pressure with the dagger, and blood immediately seeped out.

The man felt a sharp pain in his throat. He knew Zhu Han wasn't joking, and finally shouted, "Stop!"

The courtyard gradually quieted down, with the two sides facing each other in a tense and oppressive atmosphere.

Zhu Biao walked in. He saw the prisoner in Zhu Han's hands, breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "Uncle."

Zhu Han nodded and asked, "How are the grain carts?"

The boatman came running, panting, and said, "It's all loaded."

Zhu Han said, "Retreat immediately."

Everyone sprang into action, and grain carts drove out of the manor one after another.

The guards dared not stop them; they watched Zhu Han and the others leave, their eyes filled with anger and helplessness.

The cloaked man was forced onto the carriage, his body slumped inside, his eyes vacant, as if he had lost his soul.

The convoy quickly left the manor, and in the darkness, the convoy headed towards Zhenjiang City along the mountain road.

The sounds of horses' hooves and wheels echoed in the silent night sky, like a victory anthem.

Halfway there, Zhu Biao finally breathed a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Uncle, we've had quite a haul this time."

Zhu Han nodded and said, "That's not all." He took out the stack of letters and handed them to Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao took a look, and his expression gradually became serious.

He looked at the contents of the letter, his brow furrowed, and said, "There are still so many granaries."

Zhu Han said, "This is just one place near Zhenjiang."

"Their food supply is far more than this."

Zhu Biao was silent for a moment, then asked, "So what do we do next?"

Zhu Han looked at the lights of Zhenjiang City in the distance, which, like twinkling stars, illuminated his path.

He said firmly, "Let's go back to the city first."

"Lock him up properly."

"We'll deal with them slowly."

Zhu Han, mounted on his horse, turned his head slightly and gazed intently at the mountains and forests outside the city in the night.

The forest was shrouded in shadows in the darkness, like a mysterious mist, concealing countless secrets and dangers.

He carefully confirmed that no one was following him before he felt relieved. He lowered his head and whispered to Zhu Biao beside him, "Go directly to the Crown Prince's residence."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of fatigue and tension.

The procession quickly passed through several quiet streets.

The carriage sped along the quiet streets and finally stopped at the back gate of the Crown Prince's residence.

Gu Qingping had already received the news. She was dressed in a plain-colored coat and stood quietly under the porch.

Her expression was slightly tense, and her eyes revealed a hint of worry and anticipation.

When she saw Zhu Biao alight from the carriage unharmed, her tense nerves finally relaxed, she breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly stepped forward to greet him, saying softly, "Your Highness."

After dismounting, Zhu Biao smiled gently and said, "I'm sorry to have worried you."

Gu Qingping smiled slightly, a smile as warm and touching as a flower in spring.

She glanced at the grain carts behind her, then looked at Zhu Han, bowed slightly, and said, "Greetings, Imperial Uncle."

Zhu Han waved his hand and said with a smile, "It's late, no need for formalities."

He turned to look at the boatmen and the others, his expression turning serious, and said, "All grain carts must be delivered to the warehouse in the backyard, and no one is allowed to approach."

The boatman clasped his hands in a fist and replied loudly, "Yes!"

In the study, several iron boxes sat on the desk. (End of Chapter)