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

The crowd below stirred, and Lin Shicheng suddenly spoke up: "According to your statement, if the Crown Prince is without restraint, wouldn't he be able to discard people at will?"

"It is precisely because the Crown Prince has a sense of propriety that he needs his advisors to know when to advance and when to retreat, and his critics to speak frankly. If the Crown Prince lacks propriety, what use are the life and death of his advisors and critics?"

Jia Yongqing laughed out loud: "What a sharp tongue! You actually dared to answer like that."

Zhu Biao said expressionlessly, "Are you testing me?"

Cheng Qixuan replied, "I am merely trying to give Your Highness a clear picture. My words may be presumptuous, but I hope that Your Highness's resolve will be strengthened, that you will not be swayed by power, blinded by kinship, or deceived by fame."

Zhu Biao suddenly stood up and bowed.

“I accept your greeting,” he said.

"Cheng Qixuan is permitted to enter the Crown Prince's Inner Policy Bureau to serve as a lecturer, a questioner, and a judge."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Cheng Qixuan bowed deeply.

Zhu Han stood in the viewing hall, watching this scene, and slowly sat down.

In the dead of night, candlelight illuminated the walls of the Eastern Palace, and all was silent.

Cheng Qixuan's commentary shook the capital, not only because of his sharp words, but also because of the underlying political climate it revealed.

The Eastern Palace is undergoing changes.

Everyone knows that behind Cheng Qixuan is Prince Zhu Han.

Meanwhile, inside the Prince's residence, Zhu Han was not in his study or at his desk, but in the martial arts training ground.

“Hoo-ha!”

With a deep shout, the spear flashed with a cold light, Zhu Han's robe sleeves fluttered, his steps were as steady as a bell, and his body was as swift as a dragon.

After practicing dozens of moves, he paused with his spear, striking the ground with the butt of the spear, making a sound like a mountain.

Shen Zhen stood at the sidelines, his face showing slight unease.

"Your Highness, a secret report just arrived from our inside source... Prince Qi recently secretly summoned several former members of the Chongwen Academy."

Zhu Han didn't turn around: "What did they discuss?"

"It's still unclear. But those people from Chongwen Academy all have ambitions to serve the world, unlike ordinary people."

Zhu Han remained silent for a long while before asking, "What do you think of Prince Qi?"

Shen Zhen thought for a moment and replied, "I keep my thoughts hidden and don't show my strength. But..."

"But what?"

"But every time he remains silent, there must be something he's plotting behind the scenes."

Zhu Han sneered: "If you had the background of the Prince of Qi, I'd like to see if you would still be sitting here doing nothing."

"Does Your Highness mean—it can move?"

Zhu Han turned around and tossed the gun to Shen Zhen: "If he doesn't move, he doesn't deserve to be the ruler of the vassal states."

Shen Zhen took the gun, his arms trembling slightly.

Zhu Han slowly stepped out of the training ground, looked up at the sky and said: "If he really makes a move, I want to see who he wants to drag down first."

"Your Highness... what about the Crown Prince?"

Zhu Han stopped in his tracks: "The Crown Prince is going to make a move, but he must first let people know that he is moving steadily and correctly."

"My subordinate understands."

"Good that you understand." Zhu Han said calmly, "Tomorrow at midnight, take a few people to the old Chongwen Hall."

"Yes."

The following day, before the lecture even began at the East Palace platform, rumors started circulating.

"The King of Qi set up a literary discussion in his private office and invited his former ministers to discuss the state of the world."

"Zhang Mian and Qian Shouzhong, former members of Chongwen Hall, both took their seats."

Zhu Biao remained calm, fiddling with the knob of an inkstone on the table, and asked softly, "Chongwen Academy...who is in charge of it now?"

"According to regulations, it is the Court of Imperial Sacrifices that concurrently manages this."

"Who now controls the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?"

Jia Yongqing cupped his hands in greeting: "Liu Li."

“Liu Li…”

“He is the King of Qi’s teacher.” Lin Shicheng’s voice was unhurried, but carried a hint of coldness.

Zhu Biao finally nodded and said, "The Imperial Academy has informed the Crown Prince that he wishes to recruit three new academic officials, and the list will be compiled by the Chongwen Academy. I want to see who Liu Li will send."

Jia Yongqing cupped his hands in greeting and was about to get up to do it when he heard Zhu Biao say again, "No rush."

"Who is Your Highness?"

"Summon Cheng Qixuan to the palace."

A moment later, Cheng Qixuan entered the hall and bowed before speaking.

Zhu Biao looked at him, but his tone was somewhat ambiguous: "Have you ever heard the saying, 'Use your own spear to attack your own shield'?"

Cheng Qixuan stood up and replied, "I have heard."

"Then do you know what the King of Qi is doing now?"

"Borrow the old name and build a new situation."

"Then how should you deal with it?"

Cheng Qixuan said: "Use old strategies to create a new situation, and use new theories to suppress old reputations."

"How to do?"

“Three lectures were held in the Eastern Palace.”

What do you mean?

"Talk about the needs of the present, talk about the talents of the young, and talk about the changes in the world."

Zhu Biao squinted: "Are you trying to steal the limelight from the Prince of Qi?"

Cheng Qixuan cupped his hands and said, “If he dares to set up an altar, I dare to set up a banquet; if he dares to summon old officials, I dare to gather new talents. Since he borrows from the old, I will establish the new.”

"New talents...where do they come from?"

Cheng Qixuan said in a clear voice: "Your Highness treats people with integrity, and those with talent will naturally come to you."

Zhu Biao remained silent for a long time before saying, "I grant you permission to hold the 'Three Lectures.' You will speak for three days. If you fail to win people's hearts within three days, I will remove you from your position in the Strategy Bureau."

"I accept the decree."

On the day of the first lecture, Cheng Qixuan personally took to the stage. The lecture platform was not high, and there were not many seats below the stage, but dozens of scholars in blue robes were scattered among them.

Cheng Qixuan opened his mouth, and his first sentence was unexpected.

“In the past, under the Qin system, prefectures and counties governed people with laws. People were unaware of the laws and feared them, and feared them and avoided them. Today, the court system is complicated with numerous rules and regulations, and scholars are all outside the system of etiquette, only going through the surface.”

"We, as scholars, should not ask 'whether we can do it,' but rather 'why we should do it.'"

"Today's lecture will not discuss the classics or recite texts; it will only address one question—for whom do we study? For whom do we apply our knowledge?"

His words struck a chord with the doubts that had been nagging at countless students.

The second lecture will discuss "The righteousness of family and country, and the path of a gentleman".

The third lecture discusses that "the essence of a scholar lies not in taking pride in achieving official rank, but in being able to stand between heaven and earth without fear of power or disgrace to one's reputation."

After the three lectures, rumors began to circulate:

“Cheng Qixuan’s lectures directly addressed the hearts of scholars, unlike the empty talk about benevolence and righteousness of the past.”

"With the establishment of the Eastern Palace's Bureau of Strategy and the opening of the proper path for scholars, it is likely that the King of Qi will no longer be able to gather renowned figures alone."

"It seems the Crown Prince's Palace will soon be establishing a new school."

What shocked everyone the most was that in the afternoon of that day, Fu Hongdao, a former censor who had been demoted for "excessive words," suddenly entered the Eastern Palace with his official document in full view of everyone and knelt down below the lecture platform.

“I, Fu Hongdao, wish to enter the Eastern Palace as a lecturer.”

The Eastern Palace was in an uproar.

Cheng Qixuan simply helped him up and said, "When discussing matters in the Eastern Palace, there is no distinction between high and low, only practicality."

In the Prince's residence, Zhu Han sat quietly in his study, listening to Shen Zhen recount the whole story of the three lectures given by the Crown Prince, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"This Cheng Qixuan is even more radical than I thought."

Shen Zhen whispered, "Your Highness, he's moving too fast, could it be..."

"It's better to be fast." Zhu Han looked out the window. "If someone is fast, then someone else has to keep up. If it weren't for Cheng Qixuan, the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace would probably be stuck in the old ways for a while."

"Then...King Qi?" Zhu Han tapped his fingers three times on the table and said in a low voice, "King Qi will make a move. Soon."

"How should Your Highness respond?"

A glint of malice flashed in Zhu Han's eyes: "A response? No need."

"Your Highness, this is..."

“I’m just waiting,” Zhu Han said with a slight smile, “waiting for him to ask me—'Uncle Wang, are you willing to stand by my side?'”

“At that time, I told him—I have chosen my side regarding the Crown Prince.”

As midnight approached, Zhu Han was still awake.

He stood in the study, gazing at the faintly lit night outside the window.

The lamps hanging from the eaves swayed, casting dappled light and shadow on his deep-set eyes.

The matter of the three lectures held at the Eastern Palace today has already taken root.

But the game was only just begun, and the moves hadn't even started yet; he was more concerned about the second move.

“Shen Zhen,” he suddenly spoke, his voice as deep as a well.

"Any response from the people over there?"

Shen Zhen emerged from the shadows and bowed, saying, "The Prince of Qi's mansion is hosting a banquet tonight, named 'Reunion of Old Friends.' The guests are my former subordinates Zhang Mian and Qian Shouzhong, as well as another person—Liu Li."

"Old friends reuniting..." Zhu Han sneered.

“These people were excluded from the court back then because of the strict rules established by my imperial brother. Now that the Prince of Qi has summoned them back, he just wants to use the ‘grievances’ on these people to build his own power.”

"I believe that although the King of Qi did not say it outright, he has already set his sights on it."

"He made his move a while ago, he was just waiting for the right opportunity."

Zhu Han slowly walked to the table, his palm trembled slightly, and the scroll of paper unfolded, revealing a map showing the distribution of academies north of the Yangtze River.

"King Qi used the name of 'literary gathering' to reconnect with old friends, but in reality, he was trying to create a separate forum for scholars. Since he dared to hold private lectures, he must have wanted to establish a separate voice for scholars outside the court."

Shen Zhen hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Does Your Highness not intend to stop it?"

Zhu Han looked up, his expression calm: "Do not stop it."

Shen Zhen looked up at him.

"You've forgotten, we're here to support the Crown Prince. If the King of Qi doesn't create an enemy, how can the Crown Prince win the hearts of the people?"

Zhu Han raised his hand and rolled up the paper, but his eyes were not as sharp as usual, instead carrying a hint of amusement.

"Let him jump. The higher he jumps, the more exciting it will be. I'll give him a push over the Crown Prince's side."

The lectures at the Eastern Palace were held for several days, attracting a large number of young scholars from the court.

Zhu Biao stood in a corner of the lecture hall, looking at the crowd below, his expression clear and solemn.

Lin Shicheng whispered to him, "Your Highness, the reputation of your lectureship has gradually spread to the Imperial Academy, and some students from county schools are even willing to resign and join the Crown Prince's lectureship."

Zhu Biao nodded, but did not readily express his joy.

"Excitement is easy to start but hard to stop," he said calmly. "Have you noticed where all those lecturers have gone after these past few days?"

Lin Shicheng's expression changed, and he then whispered, "Your Highness suspects... someone secretly led the way?"

"It's not doubt, it's that I already know," Zhu Biao said slowly.

"Recently, Liu Li has been frequently summoning young scholars, either at the Prince of Qi's residence or in the side courtyard of the Hongwen Academy."

Lin Shicheng frowned immediately: "If that's the case, does the Prince of Qi intend to recruit these talented individuals for his own use?"

Zhu Biao looked at Cheng Qixuan, who was lecturing enthusiastically on the stage in the distance, and suddenly asked, "What do you think of Cheng Qixuan?"

"Upright and sharp, unconventional. Though sharp, he knows when to advance and when to retreat."

Zhu Biao nodded: "He's a capable person. Go and tell him to select ten lecturers within three days to serve in the Eastern Palace. I want these people not only to be able to speak, but also to be able to write, strategize, and discuss matters."

"Yes."

Zhu Biao's tone suddenly changed, and he chuckled softly, "As for the Prince of Qi..."

Seeing his expression, Lin Shicheng immediately understood: "Your Highness intends to..."

“Since he considers himself a scholar, I will add more ‘scholar’ to his title.”

"Does Your Highness mean—to send someone over?"

Zhu Biao nodded: "Cheng Qixuan has a few unruly students who are arrogant and love to 'reason'. Pick two of them and devise a plan to get them into the King of Qi's lecture hall."

"Won't this... be discovered?"

Zhu Biao smiled faintly: "They just see this as a contest, so we'll just go with the flow."

Two days later, in the study of the Prince of Qi's residence.

As soon as Zhang Mianfu began his lecture, dissenting voices arose in the hall.

A young scholar suddenly stood up and asked in a loud voice:
“Mr. Zhang, you said that ‘scholars should have a heart to save the world,’ but King Qi set up a private lecture hall. What good is this heart to save the world?”

Zhang Mian was taken aback, then said coldly, "My words about saving the world are the foundation of a scholar's character. King Qi's lecture was aimed at gathering wise men; how could it involve personal motives?"

The scholar declared loudly, "Gathering wise men is not about titles and positions. Setting up private lectures to avoid the proper path of the Crown Prince is tantamount to establishing a separate faction."

Zhang Mian's face darkened, and just as he was about to speak, another person stood up and said, "Today you set up a lecture hall, tomorrow an academy, and the day after that an examination—if you're not trying to compete with the imperial system, then what is it?"

The lecture hall erupted in uproar.

King Qi, who had been observing the lecture from a hidden spot in the inner hall, came out upon hearing the commotion. Seeing the chaos in the hall, he showed no anger, but slowly descended the platform and bowed to the two men, saying:

“What you two say is very insightful.”

The two men exchanged a glance, then clasped their hands in return, saying, "Your Highness is wise."

King Qi looked at them and suddenly said, "If you two are interested in politics, would you be willing to come to the palace to discuss strategies?"

The two men paused slightly, then smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. However, we are merely scholars. We wish to discuss philosophy with our fellow students in the lecture hall, and dare not presume to occupy the Prince's residence."

King Qi raised an eyebrow slightly, but his smile remained unchanged.

He certainly recognized that these two people had a certain background; they had come at an inopportune time, but also at the perfect moment.

"Shen Tai, escort the two of you out of the mansion."

The two took their leave, and Prince Qi returned to the inner hall. Behind him, Zhang Mian whispered, "Your Highness, those two people just now were probably released by the Crown Prince."

King Qi smiled without speaking, only stroking his beard and saying, "The more people spy on my lecture, the more it shows... their guilty conscience."

"But the lecture hall's momentum has now been disrupted—"

"It's better to cause some disturbance," King Qi said softly. "The greater the disturbance, the more likely we are to force that royal uncle out from behind the scenes."

Zhang Mian was taken aback.

“Zhu Han,” the Prince of Qi murmured, “If he truly wanted to protect the Crown Prince, why would he remain hidden in his residence and refuse to show himself?”

He stood up, put on a light fur coat, and his gaze was deep and thoughtful.

"I'm going to force him to show himself and fight."

At this moment, Zhu Han was sitting in the small hall of the Prince's Mansion, enjoying tea with an old man in purple robes.

"As expected, the King of Qi has made a move." Zhu Han smiled faintly.

The old man smiled and replied, "Your Highness's chess moves have indeed put him in a hurry."

Zhu Han put down his teacup, stood up, and walked slowly: "If he's not in a hurry, how can he be a worthy opponent?"

"But now that the conflict has escalated to the point of directly confronting the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi, isn't this too hasty?"

Zhu Han stopped and looked at the moon reflected in the pond outside the window: "No rush. The Crown Prince is gradually becoming able to walk his own path."

The old man asked, "When will the prince appear?"

Zhu Han said calmly, "It will be soon. Since he wants to force me to show myself, then I will show him that even with my old bones, I can still be the Crown Prince and stabilize the world once again."

The moonlight was cool, and the water was still.

As the bells and drums of the Hall of Supreme Harmony began to ring, before the dawn broke over the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the imperial city was still asleep in tranquility.

Inside the Prince's residence, Zhu Han, dressed in a dark-patterned blue robe, sat on a stone couch in the hall, listening to Shen Zhen report on the events that had occurred at the Prince's residence the previous night.

“King Qi did not rest last night and did not dismiss the crowd until the third watch. His attendants said that he did not show his emotions, but his subordinates found out that he had secretly sent people to investigate the origins of the two ‘troublemakers’.”

Zhu Han nodded slightly, tapping the table lightly with his fingertips: "It's time for him to make a move."

"But Your Highness, does Prince Qi truly intend to use this lecture to gain influence?"

Zhu Han's eyes flashed: "If I were him, I would do the same."

Shen Zhen frowned slightly: "But the Crown Prince's momentum is currently very strong; isn't he being far too impatient?" (End of Chapter)