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

Han Shichang didn't laugh. He stared at the map, his eyes revealing a resolute and ruthless determination, and said in a low voice, "Since the Prince of Han's Mansion has entered the fray, let's see what happens—"

His tone was slow and cold, as if he were squeezing it out from between his teeth, "Who can hold out longer?"

In the study of the Prince of Han's mansion in Zhenjiang, Lu Chenzhou hurried in, his steps quick and forceful, his face showing a hint of tension.

"Your Highness." The voice carried a hint of urgency.

Zhu Han raised his head, his eyes calm and deep, as if they could see through everything. "Speak."

Lu Chenzhou said, "The Salt Gang's fleet has retreated back to Yangzhou."

Zhu Han nodded and said, "That's normal. They'll retreat when they see things are going badly."

Lu Chenzhou continued, "However, our people have learned something." Zhu
Han looked at him, a hint of curiosity in his eyes, and asked, "What is it?"

Lu Chenzhou said, "The Salt Gang is recruiting people."

Zhu Biao frowned and asked in confusion, "Summon someone?"

Lu Chenzhou nodded and said, "There are many, and they are all heading to the dock."

Zhu Biao immediately realized what was happening and said, "They're trying to seize the dock."

Zhu Han nodded slightly, and the room fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of the river flowing outside the window, as if telling of the impending storm.

A moment later, Zhu Han stood up and walked to the window.

He suddenly said, "Lu Chenzhou." "Here."

Lu Chenzhou clasped his hands in a fist salute and responded loudly.

Zhu Han said calmly, "Send out all the Shadow Guards."

Lu Chenzhou clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Yes."

Zhu Han continued, "Also, notify the Zhenjiang garrison that starting tonight, the lights at the dock must not be turned off."

Zhu Biao's eyes lit up, as if he understood Zhu Han's intention, and he said, "Uncle, you want to—"

Zhu Han said calmly, "Since they want to come, then let them come."

As night falls, the docks become even more bustling than during the day.

Someone couldn't help but mutter, "Why is it so bright tonight?"

A man next to him whispered, "I heard the Salt Gang is going to cause trouble. The Prince of Han's mansion has even sent out ships. What do you think?"

The man was immediately startled and said, "Really? The Salt Gang is too audacious, daring to cause trouble on the territory of the Prince of Han's Mansion."

As they spoke, a squad of soldiers walked across the dock, their steps neat and powerful, their eyes revealing vigilance and determination.

The study was dimly lit, and Zhu Han sat at the table with a map of Zhenjiang Port in front of him.

Zhu Biao stood to the side, a hint of worry in his eyes, and asked, "Uncle, will they make their move tonight?"

Zhu Han didn't answer immediately. He pointed to several places on the map and said, "There are six docks in total, but these three are the most important."

He pointed to three locations: Dongping Wharf, Nanping Wharf, and Daping Wharf, which was closest to the granary.

Zhu Biao glanced at them and said, "The grain ships are all at Daping Wharf."

Zhu Han nodded and said, "So if the Salt Gang makes a move, they will definitely seize this place first."

Zhu Biao frowned and asked, "Do we have enough troops?"

Zhu Han said calmly, "That's enough."

Zhu Biao asked, "How much?"

Zhu Han replied, "Three hundred."

Zhu Biao was taken aback and said, "Only three hundred?"

Zhu Han smiled and said, "The dock doesn't need too many soldiers."

He looked at Lu Chenzhou and asked, "Where are the Shadow Guards?"

Lu Chenzhou said, "They've already dispersed near the dock, in groups of twenty."

Zhu Biao then realized that the real culprit was not the soldiers, but the shadow guards.

Zhu Han slowly said, "The Salt Gang has many members, but they are scattered. As soon as they make a move, the Shadow Guards will move first."

Zhu Biao nodded and said, "Understood."

At this moment, a guard walked in and said, "Your Highness, news has come from the docks."

Zhu Han looked up and said, "Speak."

"A boat has docked on the river." Zhu Biao's expression changed, and he said, "They've arrived?"

Zhu Han stood up and said, "Let's go."

The river water gently lapped against the bank, making a "whoosh" sound.

Several inconspicuous boats quietly approached the shore, their hulls swaying slightly in the current.

A dozen or so men disembarked from the boat. They were all burly and their steps were steady and powerful. Their clothes were ordinary, but their waists were bulging, clearly indicating that they were hiding weapons.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a full beard and a long scar on his face that stretched from the corner of his eye to his chin, making him look particularly fierce.

He whispered, "Remember, take the granary entrance first, be quick, don't give them a chance to react."
The group nodded, and they quickly dispersed, disappearing into the shadows of the dock like ghosts.

In a teahouse not far away, two ordinary customers were drinking tea.

One of them said in a low voice, "They're here."

The other person nodded and tapped his fingers lightly three times on the table.

This was the Shadow Guard's signal. Almost simultaneously, more than a dozen pairs of eyes opened in the shadows around the dock, like cheetahs in the dark, keeping a close eye on the movements of the Salt Gang members.

The bearded middle-aged man led his men quickly toward the granary. Although the dock was bright at night, there were still shadows in the corners, which provided them with cover.

They moved quickly, like agile cheetahs, and were about to reach the granary door.

Suddenly, a voice came from the darkness ahead: "Stop."

The bearded middle-aged man suddenly stopped, a hint of wariness in his eyes.

At the entrance of the granary, a dozen or so people stood silently, dressed in black, as if they had suddenly emerged from the darkness.

They are shadow guards, like ghosts in the night, making them impossible to guard against.

The bearded middle-aged man's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Soldiers?"

One of the shadow guards said coldly, "The Prince of Han's residence." The bearded middle-aged man suddenly laughed and said, "Just this many people?"

After he finished speaking, he suddenly waved his hand and shouted, "Do it!"

A dozen or so Salt Gang thugs instantly drew their knives and rushed forward, their faces showing fierce expressions, like a pack of hungry wolves pouncing on their prey.

However, the next moment, a dark shadow flashed, and the Shadow Guard had already made his move.

One person moved with lightning speed, his short knife flashing like lightning.

Before the salt gang thug at the front could react, his wrist had been slashed open, blood gushing out instantly, and his weapon fell to the ground with a clang.

Another bodyguard rammed into the crowd, his knee striking like a hammer, and one of the thugs fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

In just a few breaths, the dozen or so Salt Gang thugs were in complete disarray. Their initial fierce demeanor vanished instantly, replaced by fear and panic. The bearded middle-aged man's face darkened. He hadn't expected the other side to be so ruthless; their plan seemed to have fallen into the enemy's trap from the very beginning.

He gritted his teeth and growled, "Charge out!"

But just then, a whistle suddenly sounded from the other side of the dock. The whistle was sharp and piercing, as if it were a call to death.

Immediately afterwards, a large number of soldiers rushed out, carrying torches. The torches instantly lit up the entire dock, illuminating the terrified faces of the salt gang members.

"Surround them!" "Don't let them escape!"

The soldiers shouted loudly, their voices echoing across the dock.

The members of the Salt Gang panicked. They looked around and found that their escape route was blocked, like wild beasts trapped in a desperate situation.

Some turned to flee, but were blocked by soldiers with their weapons, unable to advance even an inch. The bearded middle-aged man roared, "Charge!"

He led the charge towards the riverbank, his eyes revealing a resolute determination, as if he were ready to fight to the death.

But after taking only two steps, a dark shadow darted out from the side, like a ghost.

It was Lu Chenzhou. He was agile and nimble, and his blade flashed like a shooting star across the night sky.

The knife in the bearded middle-aged man's hand was knocked away, and his arm went numb, almost losing all feeling.

Lu Chenzhou said coldly, "Kneel down."

Lu Chenzhou stepped to the side, dodging his attack with ease, like a nimble dancer.

Then, he slammed his hand down on his shoulder with a heavy chop, and "crack!" the sound of bones breaking rang out, crisp and piercing.

The bearded middle-aged man screamed and fell to the ground, his face contorted in pain, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.

The battle ended quickly; in less than fifteen minutes, all the members of the Salt Gang had been captured.

Some of them lay on the ground, groaning in pain; others knelt on the ground, heads bowed, not daring to look at the people around them.

Half an hour later, more than a dozen Salt Gang thugs were kneeling in the courtyard of the Prince of Han's mansion. They all had wounds of varying degrees, and their clothes were stained with blood.

The bearded middle-aged man was brought to the front; his face had lost its previous ferocity, leaving only fear and despair.

Zhu Han sat in the chair, the light illuminating his face. His expression was calm and dignified, like an unshakeable mountain.

Zhu Biao stood to the side, a hint of anger in his eyes, and said, "Uncle, shall we interrogate him?"

Zhu Han glanced at the group and said calmly, "Let me ask you something."

Lu Chenzhou nodded, walked up to the bearded middle-aged man, his eyes cold and sharp, and asked, "Who sent you?"

The bearded middle-aged man sneered and said, "Kill me if you want, but don't expect to get any information out of me."

Lu Chenzhou didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly.

A moment later, the bearded middle-aged man suddenly laughed even harder, his laughter filled with mockery and disdain, and said, "Can you hold out tonight, can you hold out tomorrow night? There are so many docks in Jiangnan, how many can you defend?"

Zhu Biao frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

The bearded middle-aged man stared at Zhu Han and said, "Our Salt Gang has influence all over Jiangnan. If we want, any dock can become our target. No matter how powerful your Prince Han's Mansion is, it is impossible for you to guard all the docks at the same time."

The courtyard fell silent for a moment, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Zhu Biao's face darkened. He was right; there were too many wharves in Jiangnan, and it was impossible to defend them all.

If the Salt Gang attacks in a dispersed manner, they will indeed be put on the defensive.

But Zhu Han suddenly smiled, very calmly, as if everything was under his control.

“Who said I was going to guard it?” Zhu Han said, his voice calm and confident.

The bearded middle-aged man was taken aback, not understanding Zhu Han's meaning.

Zhu Han stood up and said slowly, "Starting tomorrow, all grain ships will only sail through Zhenjiang."

Zhu Han stood tall and straight, wearing a dark robe that fluttered in the night breeze.

He slowly turned around, his steps steady and powerful, and walked towards the study.

Zhu Biao followed closely behind, his eyes revealing a hint of worry and curiosity, and his pace quickened unconsciously.

When he reached the door of the study, Zhu Biao finally couldn't suppress his doubts, so he quickly stepped forward and softly called out, "Uncle."

Upon hearing the voice, Zhu Han stopped and slowly turned around, looking calmly at Zhu Biao, as if he had already expected that Zhu Biao would have something to say.

Zhu Biao frowned slightly, his face full of worry, and asked, "What if the Salt Gang still won't give up?"

He spoke calmly, as if everything was under his control, and slowly said, "They won't give up easily."

Zhenjiang Wharf was destined to be sleepless that night.

As the first light of dawn appeared in the east, and the sky was still barely bright, the river began to bustle with activity.

Huge grain ships slowly sailed from downstream, their masts standing tall like a dense forest; their sails, like clouds, fluttered gently in the breeze, as if they were clouds falling from the sky.

The boatmen stood at the bow, shouting at the top of their lungs; their voices were rough and loud, echoing across the river.

The sailors wielded long poles, pushing the boat forcefully to slowly approach the shore.

Each time the pole enters the water, it splashes up white water droplets that shimmer with a crystal-clear light in the morning sun.

The shore was already lined with a long line of carts, with oxcarts and horse-drawn carriages stretching as far as the eye could see.

The drivers, wrapped in coarse cloth, shivered in the cold wind, yawning constantly, their faces full of exhaustion, yet they dared not slack off in the slightest.

Soldiers, armed with knives and guns, stood in neat rows on both sides of the dock, maintaining order.

The swords and spears gleamed coldly in the morning light, sending chills down one's spine.

The dock manager stood on a high place and kept shouting, "Unload at Dongping Dock first!"

"Grain carts, move to the right!" "Slow down! Don't push!" His voice was hoarse but powerful, echoing throughout the dock.

The entire dock was bustling with activity, with people coming and going in a hurry.

People whispered among themselves: "I heard the salt gang caused trouble last night."

"They were captured by the Prince of Han's mansion."

"No wonder there are so many soldiers today."

Although the discussions were not loud, they spread quietly among the crowd, giving people a deeper understanding of the Salt Gang's audacity and the Prince Han's ruthless methods.

On the high platform above the dock, Zhu Biao stood quietly, watching the bustling scene before him.

His eyes revealed a hint of relief, but more so, worry.

He couldn't help but say, "Uncle, all these grain ships are gathered in Zhenjiang. Even if the Salt Gang wanted to make a move, there's nothing they can do."

Zhu Han stood to the side, the river breeze rustling his sleeves.

He continued to gaze at the river, his eyes deep and calm, and said softly, "They won't give up so quickly."

Zhu Biao frowned, a look of doubt on his face, and asked, "They arrested so many people last night, how dare they make another move?"

Zhu Han turned his head slightly, looked at Zhu Biao, and slowly said, "Those people last night were just testing us."

Zhu Biao was taken aback and asked, puzzled, "A test?"

Zhu Han nodded and patiently explained, "The Salt Gang is always cautious. They won't go all out unless they're confident. They're testing us, seeing our reaction and strength." (End of Chapter)