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

"Liang Wen has already met with the Crown Prince in secret today. Xu Gui's proposal on 'modification of the market and residential area laws' has already been put on Zhu Biao's desk and reviewed by him personally."

Shi Anzi whispered, "Your Highness means that the Crown Prince is setting a trap?"

“No.” Zhu Han looked at the lamplight reflecting off the paper, a cold glint in his eyes. “He’s going to skin him alive.”

"Whose skin will be peeled off?"

"Du Shiqing's."

On the day of the competition, the streets outside the East Palace were deserted as everyone flocked to see it.

Thirty-two people took to the stage to present their strategies, and the officials watched as if they were attending a court lecture, their eyes glued to the screen.

Liang Wen's voice was booming, Xu Gui's words were eloquent, and Han Zhao and Wang Qi also performed with composure and just the right amount of skill.

But when Zhu Biao uttered the final judgment, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.

"Liang Wen and Xu Gui are ranked first. The remaining thirty people are all observers and are not allowed to join the council of the Crown Prince."

Han Zhao and Wang Qi's faces were ashen.

Zhu Biao gently added, "Although the two men's writings are not perfect, their words are based on classical texts and their thoughts are clear, without any flowery or embellished language."

The remaining articles, though ornate, suffer from logical fallacies, evasive perspectives, attempts to cover up errors, or are simply pretentious and affected; they are not to my liking.

These words were almost a public humiliation.

Han Zhao stood frozen in place, while Wang Qi was drenched in cold sweat.

Upon hearing the news, Du Shiqing stayed indoors all night and fell ill.

After that day, Zhu Biao was finally known as a ruler with true talent and discernment.

At the end of the Imperial Street, at noon, the warm sun cast a thin ray of light, making the golden tiles and vermilion eaves shimmer.

Zhu Han was not wearing a royal robe today, but only a dark blue crane-patterned jacket with a jade tablet hidden in his sleeve. He walked leisurely alone to the south gate of the West Garden.

"Your Highness, a message from the Eastern Palace says that the Crown Prince is waiting for you at the Willow Pavilion in the Imperial Garden," the attendant Shi Anzi reported in a low voice.

Zhu Han nodded slightly: "He took the initiative."

Shi Anzi hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Zhu Han glanced at him and said indifferently, "Speak."

"I have heard that the Crown Prince recently summoned several senior lecturers from the Imperial Academy, seemingly intending to establish a 'Hall of Discussions with the Wise' to specifically accommodate senior Confucian scholars from the capital and to assist them in lecturing on the rites and political principles of the palace."

Zhu Hanwei raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly: "The Hall of Discussions..."

He kept walking, but his tone became clearer: "He has come to understand that talented people are easy to find, but experienced people are hard to come by."

"Go and see if he has 'gained' people this time, or if he has 'raised' a fire."

The Weeping Willow Pavilion is located in the southern corner of the Imperial Garden. The terrain is low-lying, with a pond on one side and several weeping willows planted on the other. In spring, tender buds first appear, and the branches droop to the ground.

Zhu Biao had been waiting in the pavilion for a long time, alone with no attendants or civil officials by his side, his expression solemn.

"Uncle Wang." He stepped forward and bowed deeply with his hands clasped.

"Oh? The Crown Prince is being so courteous today?"

Zhu Han raised an eyebrow and smiled, "I thought that after you won the competition, you would be so proud of yourself that you would sail away and ignore your old man."

Zhu Biao's expression remained unchanged as he respectfully replied, "That incident is nothing to mention. Uncle Wang should know that I was merely taking advantage of the situation."

"Whose influence are you relying on?"

"To borrow a phrase from Uncle Wang, 'peel off the skin'."

Zhu Han was taken aback, then smiled: "You remember it clearly."

Zhu Biao's gaze darkened slightly as he turned and walked towards the pavilion, his voice clear: "That day I thought Uncle Wang was testing me, but then I realized he was protecting me."

"Looking back now, it was not just a test, nor just protection, but a wake-up call to my still unsettled heart."

Zhu Han watched his retreating figure, a strange glint in his eyes, but ultimately just gave a low reply: "Mm."

A tea table had been set up in the pavilion, and two cups of warm tea were still steaming.

Zhu Biao sat down, picked up a cup and handed it to Zhu Han: "Uncle, if the world can be brought under my control, I would like to put your mind at ease first."

Zhu Han took the tea but didn't drink it. He said softly, "You can say these words today, but you may not remember them five years from now."

"But it doesn't matter if you can't remember, as long as you are in your position and the people remember you."

Zhu Biao's eyes flickered, and he said in a low voice, "I want to set up the 'Hall of Discussions for Worthy Men' not to make a name for myself in the Eastern Palace, but to establish a trend—to let the world know that the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty values ​​learning, reason, and practical governance, rather than just hiding in a high tower and listening to the wind and rain."

Zhu Han nodded slightly: "Then who do you plan to invite?"

Zhu Biao slowly uttered a few names: "Li Wenzhong, Chu Qice, Han Shi'ang... and Wang Yushi's teacher, Tang Heng."

Zhu Han chuckled upon hearing this: "They are all capable people, but among them, some are extremely stubborn, always arguing and unwilling to back down. Can you handle them?"

"If they speak ill of you and reprimand you in court, will you accept it or refute it?"

Zhu Biao answered without hesitation: "Yes."

"If they discuss it every three days and criticize it every two days, saying you are incapable and unfit to be a ruler, would you still accept it?"

Zhu Biao nodded: "If I cannot, then what they say is right; if I can, then I will use my actions to refute what they say. The council hall is not a court assembly, they are not officials, and I am not Zhu Yuanzhang. I am the crown prince, and if I can learn, then I should learn."

Zhu Han looked at him, then fell silent for a moment before slowly raising his hand and patting his back.

“Biao’er, if you had said this a few years earlier, I would have really thought you were a wise and experienced prince reincarnated.”

He laughed, "Fine, if you want to make this move, then make it. Don't be afraid of what people say about you; that's what you should listen to."

Zhu Biao gazed at his uncle for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Uncle, when will you teach me how to wield a sword?"

Zhu Han was taken aback: "You want a sword?"

“I study books, learn principles, and discuss politics, all for the purpose of governing people; but the talkative people of the world are not afraid of reason or respect for virtue, but only of power. If I become the crown prince in the future and do not carry a sword, who will believe in my power?”

"I want to practice swordsmanship, not to kill people."

A strange emotion flashed in Zhu Han's eyes: "You want a lot."

"If I don't ask for more, how will I get more in the future?"

The two gazed at each other as the wind rose, and willow catkins fluttered gently, like a silent vow before the night.

Seven days later, the Hall of Discussions was set up in the eastern part of the Imperial Academy and named the Hall of Inquiry into Antiquity.

Zhu Biao personally presided over the ceremony, drawing attention from the students of the Eastern Palace and the palace officials.

That night, scholars from all over the capital were discussing the matter, and Chu Qize exclaimed in surprise, "The Crown Prince has really come!"

"They've arrived." Li Wenzhong straightened his robes. "And they didn't bring any lecturers, only pens, paper, and mats."

Tang Heng snorted coldly: "This child... is more like a scholar than that Zhu Yuanzhang."

Inside the Prince's residence, Shi Anzi reported this news to the Prince.

Zhu Han looked at the new peach tree in the courtyard and murmured, "A tree will eventually blossom, I just hope the fruit won't ripen too early."

He instructed: "Prepare a batch of books and scrolls and send them to Wengutang. No need to sign them."

Shi Anzi asked, "Your Highness, are you also going to give a gift?"

"It's not a gift, it's seeds."

In a corner of Xuande Lane, Zhu Han sat quietly under the lamp, a book lying untouched on the table, his fingers lightly tapping a jade pen holder, his gaze fixed on the inky sky outside the window.

The spring breeze never ceased, and flowers bloomed in succession, but a faint shadow remained between his brows, seemingly impossible to dispel. "Your Highness," Shi Anzi said softly as he entered the house, "there's been some activity at the shops near Caishikou."

"Oh?" Zhu Han's eyes flickered.

"The man surnamed Lu has arrived. He used to work as an inspector at the Five Offices, but he made a mistake and left the capital in disgrace. This time, however, he has reappeared. He doesn't see his old friends or relatives, but just wanders around the shop for a while before heading to Xishiku overnight."

Zhu Han put down his writing brush and said calmly, "If any of the people from the Five Offices moves, then someone else will be moved."

“Yes.” Shi Anzi paused. “I have investigated. He met a herbal medicine shop owner in Xishiku. That shop owner used to work at the Chengnan Money Exchange and is now under the Du family’s control.”

Zhu Han pondered for a moment, then slowly stood up and walked to the window. "Has Du Shiqing not given up yet?"

"It seems he's started anew."

Zhu Han chuckled lightly, his voice as cold as a knife: "The more people think they still have cards to play, the faster they die."

He turned around, his robes fluttering slightly, and said, "Prepare the horses; let's go to Caishikou."

"Your Highness is going out tonight?" Shi Anzi asked, slightly surprised.

“Since he dares to operate at night, I will investigate thoroughly at night.”

Zhu Han smiled slightly, "You forgot, I love going out at night."

At Caishikou, the night lights were sparse and the people were few and far between. Only a few late-night food stalls were still open, and the air was filled with the aroma of pork bone soup, pickled bamboo shoots, and vegetables and tofu.

Zhu Han, dressed in a black robe and lacking any air of nobility, stood in front of an unnamed tavern, his gaze fixed on the curtain behind which hung half a piece of oilcloth.

"Is this a shop?"

“Exactly.” Shi Anzi nodded. “On the surface, it’s a wine shop, but there’s a hidden room in the back. I tried it the other day, pretending to be drunk. As soon as I was taken to the backyard, someone immediately asked me which side I was from.”

Zhu Han nodded, a smile playing on his lips, and stepped inside.

The dim lights hung low in the tavern, three wooden tables were set up, and five patrons were drinking, none of them exchanging a word, only focused on their drinks.

The innkeeper was a man in his fifties, with a slightly protruding belly and a ruddy face. When he saw Zhu Han and Shi Anzi enter, he paused for a moment, then cupped his hands and asked, "Would you like to have a meal, sir?"

Zhu Han raised an eyebrow: "Bring a pot of wine and a few plates of cold dishes."

The shopkeeper paused for a moment, then smiled and agreed.

A moment later, the wine was placed on the table. Zhu Han took a small sip, his eyes glancing at an old man in the corner.

I noticed that the man's right shoulder was slightly drooping, and his knuckles were covered with calluses, indicating that he was a clerk who had been holding a pen for many years. However, his face was sallow and his breathing was deep and restrained.

He suddenly put down his wine cup and asked, "What do you think of the atmosphere in the capital lately?"

The old man slightly lifted his eyelids and replied calmly, "Wherever the wind blows, people will gravitate towards it."

"Which side are you leaning on?"

The old man sneered, "These old bones of mine can only lean against the wall."

Zhu Han sighed softly, "What a sensible old man."

The old man's fingers stiffened, as if he was about to get up. Suddenly, Zhu Han raised his hand, and a gold medal leaped out and landed on the table. It gleamed with gold and was engraved with the words "Prince". Its aura was as imposing as a mountain.

"Prince Zhu...?" The old man's voice trembled.

"Sit down," Zhu Han said with a smile. "Let's have a chat tonight, so that you won't have lived in vain."

The old man slumped back down, cupped his hands and sighed, "If Your Highness asks me about my affair with Du Shiqing, I will tell you as much as I know, I only beg you to spare my life."

Zhu Han waved his hand: "Your life is not worth a single bargaining chip. But if you can explain yourself clearly, I can give you a new identity. There is a manor south of the city that needs an accountant."

The old man was startled, and a look of struggle appeared in his eyes. After a long while, he said in a low voice, "That shop was originally set up by Du Shiqing as a backup base. He originally had five people there. In recent months, he ordered me to recruit three more people. He wants to set up a 'Secret Strategy Bureau'."

"The Dark Strategy Bureau?" Zhu Han scoffed.

“Yes.” The old man bowed his head. “He said that if the open path is blocked, one must take the covert path; if one has no authority in the court, one should start from the marketplace, academies, and literary circles, cultivating one’s writing skills, setting up discourses, and establishing a system—using the name of scholars to do what one desires.”

"He wants to create a 'web of words'."

Zhu Han pursed his lips and remained silent for a long time.

"Where are those writers now?"

The old man confessed truthfully, and Zhu Han immediately ordered Shi Anzi to secretly send people to follow him and seal his mouths, so that they would not have another chance to spread the word.

"Return to the manor." He stood up, his lips cold.

"If he wants to write, I'll make him write until his hand breaks."

The next morning, in the lecture hall of the Eastern Palace, Zhu Biao was reading Li Wenzhong's "On the Power of Ritual".

Suddenly Liang Wen rushed in and whispered in his ear, "Uncle Wang went to the market tonight and has already taken action. The initial net of 'speakers' laid by the Du faction has been dismantled by seventy percent."

Zhu Biao was taken aback, then his expression became complicated.

He looked up at the window; the spring sunshine was bright and beautiful.

"Uncle Wang is acting on my behalf without informing me first," he murmured.

Liang Wen said in a low voice, "Unfortunately, I originally intended to petition the Crown Prince to establish 'laws for speaking out,' but now it seems I've come a step too late."

Zhu Biao chuckled: "It's not too late. My royal uncle broke the deadlock for me, now I'll clean up the mess."

He put down his book and instructed, "Summon all the teachers of the Ancient Hall. Tonight I wish to hold a class on 'Distinguishing the Meaning of Literature and Law.' From now on, all those who enter the school, participate in discussions, or give lectures must know this method."

Liang Wen bowed his head: "Your subject obeys the order."

On this day, Zhu Han leaned against the chaise longue in his study, holding a book in his left hand while fiddling with a chess piece in his right.

Shi Anzi stood quietly at the door, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke: "Your Highness, after the lecture today, the Crown Prince gave a speech to the public."

"What did you say?"

He said, "We study the Way not for mere theoretical study, but to understand the roots of the law and the essence of governance. If I were a ruler, I would wish that all court officials would have the right to speak, that the people would dare to question the government, and that all scholars would no longer be confined by the rigid rules of the eight-legged essay."

Zhu Han paused for a moment in his hand before gently placing the chess piece on the table.

"Who was he saying this for?"

Shi Anzi said in a deep voice, "I believe it was meant for him to hear."

Zhu Han nodded, a half-smile playing on his lips: "That's right. Only those who can speak for themselves have a solid foundation for their lives."

"Now that the Crown Prince's power is established, those scholars who used to suppress him are now trying to curry favor with him... On the other hand, Grand Secretary Pang from Taiping Gate submitted a request a few days ago, saying that he would like to borrow three chapters of the Commentary on the Book of Changes to enter the lecture hall."

"Is it Pang Heng?" Zhu Han narrowed his eyes. "That old fellow once lectured me on the Spring and Autumn Annals, but he's more cunning than a piece of yellow paper. Now he's willing to humble himself and teach; does he see that Zhu Biao really wants to take the scholar's path?"

"It could also be to protect his grandson's academic achievements."

"Ha." Zhu Han scoffed, "The Pang family has been in power for three generations, they know all too well which way the wind is blowing. His grandson is nothing but a flag, used when needed and discarded when replaced."

"Pass down the order: Pang Heng may be appointed as a guest lecturer at Wengutang, but he shall not be formally employed and shall not be allowed to interfere in politics."

Shi Anzi bowed: "Yes."

Zhu Han slowly stood up, his gaze deep as he looked out the window at the courtyard.

Beneath an old plum tree, spring buds have already sprouted.

“Biao’er’s tree is growing too fast. I need to prune some of the dead branches, otherwise the wind will blow it crooked.”

That evening, Zhu Biao personally welcomed Pang Heng to the East Palace. The banquet was simple, with a light fragrance of tea. Everything was kept simple.

"Student Zhu Biao respectfully welcomes Master Pang." (End of Chapter)