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

Chapter 235 This is my ninja way! [Bonus Chapter 33 for Monthly Tickets]

Qingzhou, Qi Prince's Mansion, secret room.

The candlelight cast flickering light on Zhu Fu's face, which was contorted with rage and anxiety.

He paced restlessly in the luxuriously carpeted room like a caged beast, his heavy footsteps seeming to pierce the floorboards.

"Trash! It's all trash!"

He suddenly grabbed a beautiful jade paperweight from the table and smashed it on the ground, shattering the jade into pieces instantly.

"A mere censor, weak and powerless! Right under your noses, he actually escaped?! And even took his things with him?! What use are you to me?!"

Several trusted generals and guards knelt before him, all silent and trembling, their foreheads pressed to the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

"Your Majesty, calm down!"

The head of the guards said in a trembling voice, “That Zhao Fengman may look weak, but he is as cunning as a fox… We have sealed off the entire city and are searching house by house. He will not be able to escape!”

"Unable to escape even with wings?"

Zhu Fu abruptly stopped, bent down and grabbed the guard leader by the collar, his eyes filled with undisguised brutality and murderous intent:
"He's been flying for days and nights! Do you know what he took with him?! Huh?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he shoved the head guard away, trembling with anger.

"If that thing falls into Father's hands... I... I..."

He dared not think any further; a chill ran from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

He regretted it, regretting that he shouldn't have been so greedy, blinded by huge profits, and drawn into the quagmire of corruption in the canal transport industry, even tacitly condoning some more outrageous things.

Now, retribution has come.

"Your Highness—!"

Just then, a calm and steady voice rang out at the door of the secret room.

Zhu Fu turned around abruptly and saw the person who had come. His tense nerves seemed to relax a little, as if he had grasped a lifeline.

The man was about forty years old, with a thin face, three long tufts of beard, and dressed in a gray-blue scholar's robe. He had a gentle demeanor, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable.

He was Cheng Ping, the most trusted and trusted advisor of Prince Qi, Zhu Fu.

"Mr. Cheng! You've arrived!"

Zhu Fu hurriedly stepped forward, his tone filled with urgency and dependence:
"You know the situation? Zhao Fengman hasn't been found yet! Father must have already received the news! What should we do?!"

Cheng Ping first bowed respectfully, then glanced at the kneeling crowd on the ground and said calmly:
"You may all go down now. Continue the search, expand the search area, and do not overlook any suspicious areas."

"Yes, Mr. Cheng!"

As if granted a pardon, the crowd quickly withdrew, leaving only Zhu Fu and Cheng Ping in the secret room.

"Your Highness, please calm down."

Cheng Ping remained calm and gestured for Zhu Fu to sit down, then personally poured him a cup of hot tea: "Things may not be as bad as you think."

"This isn't bad?!"

Zhu Fu almost jumped up: "Doesn't the master know Father Emperor's temper?!"

"Your Highness, please hear me out first."

Cheng Ping's tone remained calm and composed, carrying a convincing power:

"Think carefully, who are the people on this canal transport route?"

Before Zhu Fu could answer, he counted on his fingers:
"His Highness the Prince of Qin, as the person in charge of disposing of stolen goods, takes the lion's share."

“His Highness Prince Jin was the key person in setting up this connection, and he received quite a lot.”

"His Highness Prince Zhou may seem innocent, but where does the money for his research on pharmacology and his collection of rare medicines and books from all over the world come from? Isn't it also from the Grand Canal transport route?"

After Cheng Ping finished speaking, he looked up at Zhu Fu, his gaze deep and unfathomable:

"Your Highness, you only received a small share of the profits on this line. Compared to the Prince of Qin and the Prince of Jin, what you received was not even a small portion, let alone the mastermind."

“Even if Your Majesty wants to investigate, the chief culprits are the Prince of Qin and the Prince of Jin. At most, you are an accomplice, and an accomplice who knows little about the matter.”

Zhu Fu was stunned, carefully considering Cheng Ping's words. The panic in his eyes lessened slightly, but his doubts remained:

"But...but weren't my second and third brothers already dealt with by Father?"

"That's because they were involved in the plot to murder the Crown Prince! They deserved it! They had absolutely no connection to the Grand Canal transport network!"

Cheng Ping smiled, picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and then continued:
"But that doesn't mean their guilt will be lessened just because they've already been punished by the Emperor!"

"Although the Emperor has dealt with the three vassal kings, their influence remains; at least within their fiefdoms, this network is still operating."

"you mean"

Zhu Fu pondered for a moment and said, "Should we shift the blame onto them? They're already burdened with debts anyway?"

"Yes and no!"

Cheng Ping shook his head and continued:

"Your Highness might want to think about this carefully: the Emperor has dealt with the three princes and issued the 'Abolition of the Princes' Salary System,' so why hasn't he touched the princes' residences?"

Zhu Fu looked completely bewildered: "Yeah, why?"

"Because His Majesty still cherishes the bond between father and son!"

Cheng Ping reminded him with a half-smile:

"Your Highness, please reconsider. If the Emperor were to take such a serious action against you over this trivial matter, wouldn't it make him appear cruel, heartless, and intolerant of his own children?"

"His Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition, and values ​​his reputation above all else. He would never do such a foolish thing!"

"After all, he has already dealt with three princes. Does he intend to treat all his sons the same way?"

"Does the Emperor really want to be all alone?"

"so."

He paused, lowering his voice even further, with a seductive quality:

"The most urgent task is to find Zhao Fengman. The key is not to kill him, but to find out how much he knows and what he has obtained."

"If he only hears some rumors and gets some insignificant scraps, that would be better."

A subtle smile appeared on Cheng Ping's lips:

“Your Highness, you can even ‘assist’ him in delivering this evidence to the Emperor.”

"At that time, the Emperor will see that it is just a trivial matter. At most, he will reprimand you for not managing your subordinates strictly, punish you by deducting your salary, reprimand you, or even give you a minor punishment as a warning and confine you for a while."

"In this way, we can both quell the storm and make the Emperor feel that you are honest, thus dispelling his suspicions."

"This……"

Zhu Fu's eyes flickered, clearly persuaded.

If this matter can be resolved at the lowest possible cost, that would naturally be the best course of action.

"Of course!"

Cheng Ping abruptly changed the subject, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:
"If Zhao Fengman is foolish enough to get his hands on something deadly... then don't blame us for being ruthless."

"But we still haven't found Zhao Fengman!" Zhu Fu said, somewhat frustrated.

Cheng Ping smiled slightly, his smile unfathomable: "Your Highness, rest assured! Although Zhao Fengman escaped, he has no travel permit and cannot escape Qingzhou."

"In my opinion, he's like a turtle in a jar; it's only a matter of time before he gets caught. The key is how we deal with it before he's found."

"How should we deal with this?" Zhu Fu couldn't help but ask anxiously.

"First of all, Your Highness must remain calm."

Cheng Ping said slowly, "You must remember that you are a prince, and you are connected to the emperor by blood."

"Unless there is irrefutable evidence presented directly to the Emperor, he will not easily do anything to you. If you panic now, it will only arouse suspicion."

Zhu Fu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down a bit: "What you say is true, sir."

"Secondly!"

A glint of light flashed in Cheng Ping's eyes: "We must be prepared for both possibilities."

"Firstly, of course, we must find Zhao Fengman as soon as possible. Our people are already working hard on this matter, so Your Highness need not worry too much."

"More importantly, the second point..."

He lowered his voice and leaned forward slightly:
"Your Highness, why do you think Zhao Fengman was able to escape so easily? We only invited him to the banquet, so why did he react so strongly?"

Zhu Fu's expression changed: "Does the gentleman mean... there's a traitor within the Prince's residence?"

"It may not be an inside job, but someone must have been negligent or taken advantage of."

Cheng Ping said meaningfully:

"This shows that Zhao Fengman is probably not the only one who is eyeing the prince and hoping to take this opportunity to bring him down."

He paused, then continued to persuade:

"Your Highness, over the years you have indeed done some extraordinary things for the sake of the Prince's estate and to stand out among the princes."

"But precisely because of this, you have also wielded considerable power, especially the 'Bi'an'..."

A hint of confidence flashed in Zhu Fu's eyes when the 'Bi'an' was mentioned.

That was the force he secretly built, a clandestine and efficient organization with its own intelligence network and operatives, dedicated to handling his shady dealings and serving as a crucial tool for his involvement in corruption within the grain transport system and even for larger schemes.

He always believed that this was a force entirely of his own, his sharpest claws and teeth, built up for him by Mr. Cheng.

"Sir, you mean... to use 'Bi'an'?"

Zhu Fu hesitated and said, "But the existence of 'Bi'an' is top secret..."

"Your Highness, this is a critical moment!"

Cheng Ping's tone became more forceful, carrying an undeniable determination:

"Hesitation will only lead to trouble! The existence of 'Bi'an' is precisely to protect the prince at crucial moments and help him achieve great things!"

"Now that Zhao Fengman has disappeared, the Emperor will surely be furious and will likely send others to investigate, such as... that mad dog Zhang Biao!"

Upon hearing the name 'Zhang Biao', Zhu Fu's eye twitched, clearly showing his extreme apprehension towards the name.

"We must get ahead and take control of the situation!"

Cheng Ping's voice had a hypnotic magic:
"Please authorize 'Bi'an' to fully intervene, Your Highness! On one hand, assist in the search for Zhao Fengman; he will definitely not escape 'Bi'an's' notice."

"On the other hand, we need to 'clean up' some potential hidden dangers in advance, such as... subordinates who know too much and are not loyal enough, or... clues that may be discovered."

He made a throat-slitting gesture, his eyes cold.

"This……"

Zhu Fu hesitated; mass annihilation would cause too much of a commotion.

"Your Highness! Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles!"

Cheng Ping took a step closer, his tone inflammatory:

"Think about it, if the imperial envoy sent by the Emperor were to die 'accidentally' in Qingzhou, or if the investigation were to run out of clues halfway through... what would the Emperor think?"

"Will he think that you, Prince Qi, have extraordinary abilities, or will he think that Qingzhou is too treacherous, since even the imperial envoy has been caught up in it, and thus hesitate to act against you?" "As long as you get through this hurdle and clear out all the evidence and those in the know, then there will be no way to prove anything. Even if the emperor has some suspicions, without concrete evidence, what can he do to you?"

"Moreover... Your Highness, don't forget, you are not fighting alone."

Cheng Ping's last sentence was quite meaningful.

Zhu Fu suddenly looked up at him.

Cheng Ping nodded slightly and said in a low voice:

"'Over there'... will also be assisting us in secret, and will never stand idly by while the prince is in dire straits."

"After all, if the prince falls, it won't do 'the other side' any good either."

The word "over there" that he mentioned instantly put Zhu Fu at ease.

He always believed that "the other side" was his ally in the alliance of feudal princes, a partner in jointly opposing the imperial court and seeking greater benefits.

Under Cheng Ping's progressively persuasive persuasion and seemingly comprehensive analysis, Zhu Fu's fear was gradually replaced by a ruthless determination to burn his bridges.

Yes, who am I, Zhu Fu?

He is the Prince of Qi, who runs rampant in Qingzhou and whom even his father, the Emperor, has repeatedly reprimanded but to no avail!

How can we be driven into a desperate situation by Zhao Fengman and Zhang Biao, who might come?

I have 'Bi'an', Mr. Cheng, and allies 'over there'!

"it is good!"

Zhu Fu slammed his hand on the table, his eyes flashing with a fierce light:

"As you say, sir! You have full authority over the 'Bi'an'! Search for them! Clean them up! Better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!"

"I'd like to see whose blade is sharper in this Qingzhou territory!"

Seeing Zhu Fu's incited tyranny and determination, Cheng Ping's lips curled into a barely perceptible, cold smile.

He bowed respectfully: "Your subject obeys."

“With the ‘Bi’an’ taking action, Your Highness can rest easy. No matter where Zhao Fengman is hiding, no matter whether Zhang Biao comes or not... this Qingzhou will only be their burial ground.”

"Everything is under control."

"Hahaha!"

Zhu Fu was successfully persuaded and burst into laughter: "To have Mr. Cheng is like Emperor Gaozu of Han having Marquis Xian of Chen!"

the other side.

After learning of Zhao Fengman's disappearance, Zhang Biao calmed down for a moment before pressing Lao Qian with a heavy heart, "Zhao Fengman disappeared in Qi?! Is the news accurate?!"

“It’s absolutely true! It was…it was a civilian who just came to deliver the news.”

Old Qian nodded solemnly and said:
"He said that the Prince of Qi hosted a banquet for Imperial Censor Zhao, after which Imperial Censor Zhao disappeared without a trace, and now the Prince of Qi's men are searching the entire city for him!"

"People?"

The shock and anger in Zhang Biao's eyes were quickly replaced by a layer of cold sharpness.

He stared intently at Lao Qian and pressed him for an answer:

"What kind of commoner? How does he know so much? Is it possible for an ordinary commoner to easily hear news of the Prince Qi's mansion searching for the imperial envoy, and even more accurately find us to report it?"

Old Qian was taken aback by the question. After thinking about it carefully, he realized something was amiss:
"The man was dressed plainly, spoke with a local accent, but his expression was definitely not as fearful as that of ordinary villagers, and he spoke clearly and logically."

"go with!"

Zhang Biao immediately gave the order, his tone resolute: "Go and find that 'commoner' who brought the news! I want to question him myself!"

"Yes!"

Old Qian didn't dare to delay and quickly turned and left.

Zhang Biao remained alone in the signing room, where the acrid air seemed even more stagnant.

He slowly sat back in his chair, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

Zhao Fengman...missing...Prince Qi Zhu Fu...searching for him...

A stranger brought news...

This sudden news was like a boulder thrown into the still lake of his mind, which was originally focused on Raozhouwei, stirring up a huge wave.

But after the waves subside, what remains is not panic, but a bone-chilling cold and a knowing, sneer.

Not long after, Old Qian returned, his face showing confusion and a hint of unease:
"My lord...it's strange, that person...has disappeared."

“I asked the brothers on duty outside, and they all said they didn’t notice when he left. It was like…like he disappeared into thin air.”

"Gone?"

Zhang Biao repeated it, a sarcastic yet knowing smile slowly curving his lips.

He leaned back in his chair and let out a cryptic chuckle:

"Heh...heh...good tactics, truly good tactics!"

Old Qian was still somewhat bewildered: "Sir, what do you mean?"

"I mean?"

Zhang Biao's voice was icy, carrying a weary and mocking tone of someone who had seen through the drama: "Our Hongwu Emperor has once again handed me a knife."

He looked up at Lao Qian, his gaze sharp as a knife, as if it could pierce through the palace walls and see the figure sitting on the dragon throne in the Hall of Literary Glory, deep in thought:

"How could an ordinary citizen know such secrets? And how could they accurately deliver the message to me and then disappear without a trace?"

"Besides our omnipotent emperor, who else has such ability and such thoughts?"

Old Qian gasped, instantly realizing what was happening: "Your Majesty... did His Majesty deliberately let us know? He wants you, sir, to investigate Prince Qi?"

"if not?"

Zhang Biao sneered repeatedly:

"Zhu Fu is his own son! Without solid evidence, would he, as the father, so easily lay a hand on his own flesh and blood?"

"If he acts ruthlessly without any evidence, what will his other sons think of him? Will they still feel safe protecting the country for him?"

"So, he needs a knife, a 'mad knife' like mine, to plunge in recklessly, to lift the lid off the Qi Prince's mansion, and to turn the filth inside upside down!"

"It's done. It was the emperor who was discerning and acted out of righteousness, even at the cost of family ties."

"No, or I might incur public wrath. That would be Zhang Biao's arrogance and insubordination, wantonly attacking the vassal king!"

"At that time, I will bear all the hatred and backlash alone!"

"He sat back and forth, holding the facade of filial piety in his left hand while using his right hand to manipulate me, and even had the audacity to say, 'Look at the serious things you've done, we haven't even let you die, you ungrateful wretch...'"

"Damn it, killing two birds with one stone! What a brilliant plan!"

The more he spoke, the colder his tone became, and the clearer his eyes became.

Are you angry? Of course I'm angry!
Li Mo was assassinated, and Zhao Fengman went missing; both were brothers he acknowledged!
There must be a shocking conspiracy behind this!

But more than anything, there was a disgusting feeling of being used as a pawn and manipulated at will, and a chilling sense of awe at Zhu Yuanzhang's deep, unfathomable imperial cunning and ruthless manipulation of everything.

Old Qian was terrified. He lowered his voice and said, "Then... sir, what should we do? Prince Qi's place is clearly a den of dragons and tigers!"

Zhang Biao remained silent for a moment, then gradually slowed down the pace of his tapping on the table.

He stood up again, walked to the window, and looked at the still somewhat chaotic Raozhou Guard outside with a deep gaze.

"Zhao Fengman... should not have fallen into Zhu Fu's hands yet."

He suddenly spoke, his tone analytical:

"Given Zhu Fu's understanding of his sons, if Zhao Fengman had truly been captured or even killed by Zhu Fu, he would never have let me know in such a roundabout way."

“He would directly ask Zhu Fu for the person, or use more drastic measures.”

"Because he knew that if the princes dared to openly kill the imperial envoy, Zhang Biao would definitely cause a huge uproar, and at that time the situation would be beyond his complete control."

"So, the most likely explanation is... Zhao Fengman ran away!"

A glint of light flashed in Zhang Biao's eyes:
"He sensed danger when the King of Qi invited him to the banquet, or perhaps he obtained something deadly, and then he found a way to escape!"

"Right now, he's probably hiding somewhere, and Zhu Fu is frantically searching for him!"

"Old Zhu 'leaked' this information to me for two reasons: first, he wanted to use me as a tool to stir up trouble in Qi and force Zhu Fu to reveal his weaknesses; second, he probably hoped that I could find Zhao Fengman and obtain the evidence he had!"

Having figured all this out, the mockery on Zhang Biao's face slowly faded, replaced by an expression that mixed with solemnity, determination, and a hint of mad calculation.

He originally wanted to investigate the corruption case involving the Grand Canal by taking a roundabout approach and starting with the loss of military equipment from the garrisons.

But now, Old Zhu has handed him the knife, and Prince Qi, Zhu Fu, is a sitting duck right in front of him.

Li Mo's blood, Zhao Fengman's perilous situation, and the feud between brothers.
Old Zhu's scheming, the ruthlessness of the mastermind behind the scenes.
All of this was like an invisible whip, lashing at him.

He took a deep breath, turned abruptly to look at Lao Qian, his eyes filled with a cold, resolute determination:

"Old Zhu wants to use me? Fine! I'll let him use me this time!"

"However, we won't follow his strategy!"

"Send the order!"

Zhang Biao's voice was resolute, carrying a wild, reckless energy:
"Keep digging deep in Raozhouwei! 'Water monkeys,' timber, Heifeng'ao—don't let a single line slip by! This is our foundation!"

"Furthermore, select a group of clever and daring brothers, carrying my token, and have you personally lead them to infiltrate Qingzhou!"

"You have two tasks: First, find Zhao Fengman at all costs and bring him out safely!"

"Secondly, keep a close watch on the Qi Prince's residence. I need to know Zhu Fu's every move, especially his interactions with strangers!"

"Isn't he searching for something? Let's play the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!"

Old Qian perked up and immediately accepted the order: "Yes, sir! I'll go prepare right away!"

"besides!"

Zhang Biao called out to him, a cold smile curving his lips:

"Try to 'inadvertently' release the information we've gathered about the possibility that military equipment might be flowing to unknown forces via the Grand Canal. It doesn't need to be too explicit, but it should be something that people can associate with the Qi region!"

"Since we're going to muddy the waters, let's make them even muddier!"

"I'd like to see whether King Qi's blade is faster or my net is denser!"

"Old Zhu wants to reap the benefits without lifting a finger? I'm going to stir up this whole mess and make sure no one gets out unscathed!"

At this moment, Zhang Biao was no longer the lone minister who only wanted to settle personal scores and use Zhu Yuanzhang for his own purposes.

The bloodshed and disappearance of his brothers, along with the emperor's scheming and coercion, pushed him to the forefront of the storm.

But he did not back down; he wanted to end this perilous game in his own way.

Because, to die together is his way of ninjutsu.

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(End of this chapter)