Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 136 Yes, it was me who betrayed you! [Seeking monthly votes]

"Big brother! Second brother! Something terrible has happened!"

Zhu Gaosui practically tumbled and crawled into the study of the Prince of Yan's mansion.

His face was deathly pale, his breathing was rapid, and even his official uniform as a junior officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard looked somewhat disheveled, completely unlike his usual amused demeanor.

Meanwhile, the brothers Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaoxu were discussing the contents of the secret letter sent by Zhu Di.

Although Zhu Di received the brothers' secret letter last time and quickly gave instructions, new instructions soon followed with Zhang Biao's imprisonment.

However, judging from the brothers' expressions, they had not reached a conclusion.

After all, the instructions Zhu Di gave this time were somewhat risky.

However, when Zhu Gaosui rushed in, the two brothers felt a sudden tightness in their chests, with a vague sense of foreboding.

"What's the panic?! Is the sky falling down?!"

Seeing his third brother's cowardly appearance, Zhu Gaoxu scolded him in dissatisfaction.

But Zhu Gaosui ignored him completely, his panicked eyes locking onto Zhu Gaochi, his voice trembling, even on the verge of tears, as he said, "Brother... things have completely changed at the Imperial Prison!"

"Is the sky really falling?"

Zhu Gaoxu was slightly surprised, then frowned and said, "Is that madman Zhang Biao up to his old tricks again?"

"What madman?! That's my brother Biao!"

Zhu Gaosui finally couldn't help but retort.

Zhu Gaochi put down the Buddhist prayer beads in his hand. His fat face showed little expression, but his eyes suddenly sharpened.

But then he said in a deep voice, "Third brother, speak slowly and clearly. What exactly happened?"

"Big brother..."

Zhu Gaosui calmed himself down and recounted the dramatic events that had transpired in the imperial prison.

Initially, Zhang Biao disobeyed the emperor's orders and refused to write a confession, which angered Jiang Huan. Instead of being punished, he was even given a beautiful tea set by Emperor Zhu.

Then, Zhang Biao complained that his original cell was too cold, and Jiang Huan actually moved him to a drier and warmer superior cell.

Then, the situation changed drastically.

Jiang Huan entered and left Zhang Biao's new cell several times with unusual tension. All the guards had been replaced with his most trusted confidants, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was suffocating.

"That place doesn't look like a prison at all now; it's more like... like it's been put on a pedestal!"

Zhu Gaosui's voice was filled with a sense of absurdity and fear: "Jiang Huan personally led men to guard outside, and no one was allowed to get close! Even I... I was almost transferred away!"

"I guess Jiang Huan only allowed me to stay on the outskirts because of my Prince Yan's residence, but he strictly forbade me from taking another step closer, and I was also forbidden from sending Zhang Biao anything!"

"What? The Emperor sent him a tea set? And changed his cell?"

Zhu Gaoxu was stunned and stood up abruptly:
"This madman, no... what kind of bewitching potion did Zhang Biao give the Emperor?! How could the Emperor treat him to this extent?"

"not only that!"

Zhu Gaosui quickly corrected him, "I also heard that the Emperor did not show up at the morning court session this day! All the memorials were left unpublished!"

"News has spread from the palace that the Emperor is alone in the Huagai Hall, refusing to see anyone. Even Jiang Huan, who went in, only stayed for less than a quarter of an hour before coming out, looking extremely pale!"

boom!
This news shocked Zhu Gaochi even more than Zhang Biao's treatment.

Old Zhu was known for his diligence in government affairs.

Unless he is too sick to get out of bed, he will never neglect state affairs.

Especially now, when undercurrents are surging in Yingtian Prefecture, the auditing scandal has not yet subsided, and new troubles have arisen.

An extremely ominous premonition, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly coiled around Zhu Gaochi's heart.

Thinking of the secret letter from Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi felt his mind in turmoil.

However, he, who is always composed, did not lose his composure because of this.

After a short while, he slowly stood up from his seat. His obese body seemed somewhat heavy. He paced back and forth in the study, his fingers unconsciously twisting the prayer beads, faster and faster.

"Something's wrong...something's very wrong..."

Zhu Gaochi muttered to himself, his brows furrowed tightly: "No matter how much trouble Zhang Biao causes, he's just a death row inmate now. Even if the audit goes too far, it's still just a matter of corruption. Even if he were to die for his country by 'abolishing Confucianism,' it wouldn't be enough to make my grandfather act so strangely! He's even neglecting state affairs..."

At this point, he abruptly stopped and looked at Zhu Gaosui with an extremely serious expression: "Third brother, are you sure Jiang Huan has strictly forbidden you from getting close again? Not even to bring him food?"

"Absolutely true!"

Zhu Gaosui nodded vigorously: "That attitude... it's like they're afraid I'll find out something, or... they're afraid I'll be silenced!"

"Silence them..."

Zhu Gaochi repeated these two words, his face growing increasingly grim: "In my opinion, Grandfather isn't protecting Zhang Biao... he's blocking Zhang Biao! Blocking a secret that Zhang Biao might reveal!"

"What kind of secret could make Grandfather so wary?"

Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but interject.

"That's right! Even I can't be near them!"

Zhu Gaosui chimed in, "Isn't it possible that no one involved can escape this?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gaochi glanced at his two younger brothers, his voice low and somewhat frightening: "Do you still remember... why Father made us stay in Yingtian Prefecture?"

"this….."

Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui were both taken aback.

But Zhu Gaoxu spoke first: "At the beginning, Father asked us to stay in Yingtian Prefecture to put Grandfather at ease. To put it bluntly, he wanted us to be hostages."

"But later, as Zhang Biao went mad, Father instructed us to use the chaos he created to restrain Grandfather, allowing Beiping to develop secretly..."

"That's right!"

Zhu Gaochi interrupted him, his eyes flashing with a wise yet uneasy light: "But, and I mean if, what if the secret Zhang Biao reveals is so enormous that it could shake the foundations of the nation, or even affect the vassal kings?"

Boom!

The entire study was struck dumb!

In an instant, the study fell into a deathly silence.

Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui's faces suddenly turned ashen.

Could this affect the vassal kings?! The Emperor has long harbored deep suspicions towards the vassal kings; if Zhang Biao had truly revealed some earth-shattering secret, or even just baseless accusations…

The first to be suspected are likely those powerful and ambitious vassal kings.

Their father, Zhu Di, was the first to be affected.

"Could it be... that madman Zhang Biao... has turned his anger on Father?!"

Zhu Gaoxu said with surprise and doubt, while his hand was already on the hilt of the knife.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Zhu Gaosui quickly denied it, saying, "Brother Biao would never repay kindness with enmity!"

"What 'biting the hand that feeds you'? He doesn't even know your true identity! Besides, do you think you can bribe him with a few good meals? If that were the case, Grandfather would have bribed him long ago! He's an insatiable wolf!"

"You're talking nonsense! Brother Biao isn't that kind of person!"

"okay!"

Seeing that the two brothers were about to quarrel because of Zhang Biao, Zhu Gaochi immediately displayed the authority of the eldest brother and stopped them. Then he frowned and explained, "My meaning is not necessarily directed at Father."

"So what does Big Brother mean?"

Zhu Gaosui pressed for an answer anxiously, while his confidence grew.

From the perspective of Zhang Biao's devoted fan, he naturally believed that Zhang Biao would not implicate the innocent. However, from the perspective of the third son of the Prince of Yan, he felt that given Zhang Biao's madness in wanting to escalate the matter, there was no reason why his father would not be implicated.

After all, even important figures like Li Jinglong and Guo Ying were implicated.

But Zhu Gaochi pondered and said, "Although in my opinion, Zhang Biao may not necessarily implicate Father, that secret must be enough to make Grandfather see everyone as an enemy!"

As he thought about it, he found it increasingly terrifying:
"The Emperor's absence from court today is no small matter! In Yingtian Prefecture... no, in the entire Ming Dynasty, something earth-shattering is likely to happen!"

"And the eye of the storm in this matter is right here in the Imperial Prison! Right in Zhang Biao's mouth!" "Then let's change Brother Biao's cell..."

Zhu Gaosui suddenly realized something, his voice trembling: "And... Jiang Huan moved me away, not letting me get close, wasn't that... wasn't that to protect me?"

"I'm afraid so!"

Zhu Gaochi nodded heavily, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Third brother, listen to me, from now on, forget that you are a junior officer in the Embroidered Uniform Guard! Forget your brother Biao! Stay as far away from the Imperial Prison as possible!"

"No matter what anyone asks you, just say you don't know! Jiang Huan and Zhang Biao are saving your life!"

After saying that, he took a deep breath and made a decision:

"What happened next is beyond our control, and even beyond our ability to find out! 'Whoever listens will die'—this is no joke!"

"Then what do we do?"

Zhu Gaoxu said impatiently, "Are we just going to wait like this?"

"Wait! We can only wait!"

Zhu Gaochi's tone was resolute: "And we must act even more submissive, more low-key, and more ignorant than usual! From today onwards, close the doors to visitors and claim illness to avoid going out! All of our people must lie low and cease all activities!"

"remember!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over his two younger brothers again, his expression more serious than ever before: "We are not planning for Father's future, but saving the entire Yan Prince's mansion! One wrong step and we will be doomed!"

"yes, Sir!"

Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui were both taken aback by the unprecedented solemnity and fear in their elder brother's eyes, and nodded heavily.

Zhu Gaochi walked to the window, looked at the gloomy and oppressive sky outside, and muttered to himself:

"Zhang Biao, Zhang Biao... what kind of stone did you throw out..."

"This water isn't just muddy... it's a colossal wave that could drown everyone..."

....
On the other side, in the back alley of the Ministry of Revenue.

The night was as dark as ink, and the air was thick with dampness and an invisible tension.

Shen Lang, Sun Gui, and Zhao Fengman moved along the wall like ghosts, their heartbeats sounding exceptionally clear in the silence.

After careful observation and probing, they finally found a breakthrough: Wang Yong, an old clerk working in the Ministry of Revenue's archives.

Although he had never joined Zhang Biao in demanding back wages, he was still a low-ranking official in Beijing.

His elderly mother was seriously ill and urgently needed money to buy medicine, but because of his weak character, he was often bullied and had his salary deducted by his superiors.

Through a series of indirect connections, Wu Naida secretly contacted Wang Laoli, offering him a large sum of money and hinting that he could help him resolve his family's difficulties.

Having exhausted all other options, the old official Wang, after a painful struggle, finally agreed, trembling.

The agreed-upon signal was that he would be on night duty tonight and would quietly open a side door in the northwest corner of the archives at 1:45 AM, a door that was not usually used.

Now, time is passing by, second by second.

It is almost midnight.

Shen Lang's palms were sweating profusely as he whispered, "This is it. Once we get the item, throw it out the east wall as planned. Fengman will be outside to catch it, and then we'll split up and leave!"

"it is good!"

Sun Gui nodded emphatically, his eyes fierce.

Zhao Fengman took a deep breath and silently retreated to a dark alley outside the east wall.

"Squeak——!"

A faint, almost inaudible sound suddenly rang out, and the side door was indeed pushed open a crack.

The old official's aged and terrified face flashed through the crack in the door.

Shen Lang and Sun Gui exchanged a glance, and without hesitation, they flashed inside like two shadows.

Soon, they arrived at the archives for the third time.

Inside the archives at night, the air was murky, filled with the smell of old paper and dust.

The enormous filing racks, like silent black behemoths, were densely packed together, with only a single lamp burning dimly at the far end of the corridor emitting a faint yellow light.

Old Clerk Wang was so frightened that he trembled all over, his voice shaking: "You...you two...hurry...I...I'll keep watch for you..."

Shen Lang nodded and handed Wang Laoli a small ingot of silver: "Thank you for your trouble. I'll thank you generously when it's all done."

Old Li clenched the silver, thanked him profusely, and retreated to the door to keep watch.

Using the dim light, Shen Lang and Sun Gui quickly located the number seven shelf in the Bing-class structure that Shen Lang remembered.

The two of them crouched down, held their breath, and carefully moved aside the stacks of old, dusty ledgers at the bottom.

really!

Sure enough, there were obvious signs of loosening on the edge of one of the floor tiles!
Uncontrollable joy erupted in both of their eyes at the same time. Sun Gui couldn't wait to insert his dagger into the gap and gently pry it open.

The floor tiles were lifted, revealing a small hidden compartment underneath.

Inside was something wrapped in oilcloth.

Shen Lang's heart raced as he carefully took out the package, which felt quite heavy.

He quickly untied the oilcloth, and then took out the chamber pot lamp from Sun Gui, and saw that inside were several bound account books.

"found it!"

Sun Gui lowered his voice, almost shouting with excitement.

Shen Lang was equally excited, clearly not expecting things to go so smoothly.

But he forced himself to calm down and quickly flipped through the pages in the dim light.

He was an expert at accounting; numbers and items had their own logic in his eyes.

However, the more he looked, the more his brows furrowed, and the joy on his face quickly faded, replaced by surprise and unease.

"wrong……"

Shen Lang muttered to himself, turning the pages faster: "These numbers... these transactions... on the surface there seems to be no problem, but upon closer inspection, the balance is too perfect..."

"It looks like it was deliberately staged to impress people... and the ink marks are way too fresh..."

At this point, he suddenly raised his head, his face turning deathly pale: "It's fake! It's a trap!"

"what?!"

Sun Gui was shocked, and almost dropped the chamber pot lamp he was holding: "What?! It's fake?!"

"We've fallen for their trap! Run!"

Shen Lang blew out Sun Gui's chamber pot lamp and told him to leave.

At this moment, a sudden change occurred.

"Clang-!"

The heavy doors of the archives were forcefully pushed open from the outside.

The torchlight surged in like a tidal wave, illuminating the entire warehouse as bright as day.

The blinding light made Shen Lang and Sun Gui instinctively close their eyes.

"Take it down—!"

A cold, smug voice rang out from the doorway.

Fu Youwen, Vice Minister of Revenue, Ru Chang, Minister of War, Zheng Ci, Minister of Works, and Zhai Shan, Vice Minister of Personnel, walked in slowly, surrounded by a large group of fierce-looking clerks.

Their faces wore mocking, sarcastic, and triumphant smiles of complete control.

"Wonderful! It's really wonderful!"

Meanwhile, the old clerk Wang, who had been keeping watch at the door, approached Fu Youwen with a fawning smile and confessed to Shen Lang and the other man, "That's right! I betrayed you!"

(End of this chapter)