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

The next day, the crown prince entered the southern camp.

Zhu Biao, clad in silver armor, rode alone to the camp gate without a royal carriage.

Pang Shen, the commander of the Southern Camp, was originally a member of the imperial family. He was transferred to the capital in his early years and looked bewildered.

"Why was there no prior notice of Your Highness's arrival?"

"If all military and political matters are announced in advance, then what is the meaning of 'solemnity'?" Zhu Biao scanned the soldiers in the camp, his tone as cold as ice. "Your camp has recently added a hundred cavalrymen, why is their military register unclear?"

"This matter..." Pang Shen bowed, "was originally transferred from the Northern Camp and has not yet been filed."

Zhu Biao sneered: "If it's not filed, it's unregistered. Unregistered means chaotic, and chaotic means investigation."

Before he could finish speaking, several officials from the Eastern Palace entered behind him, holding official seals, and went straight into the camp.

Pang Shen's expression changed slightly, but he dared not stop him. He was not one of the King of Qi's men, but he could see clearly that the Crown Prince was not investigating today, but warning him.

The investigation revealed irregularities in the military register, indicating a lack of prior affiliation, impersonation, and the leakage of military equipment from the black market. Through meticulous tracing, the investigation uncovered a former general who had served under the King of Qi.

Zhu Biao did not utter a word, only leaving three sentences: "This person will be handed over to the Beijing Garrison for questioning, and his military register will be re-examined within three days."

Pang Shen knelt down and accepted the order.

At dusk, Zhu Biao returned to the palace.

Sun Tong, the head of the Imperial Horse Administration, accompanied them all the way and relayed the reports he heard: "The gates of Prince Qi's mansion are closed today and he will not see any guests. The princess has sent people into the West Market to collect herbs, and the guards at the gate have been replaced. Some of his former subordinates have urgently sent their families out of the capital, and they are all traveling at night."

Zhu Biao's expression remained unchanged, and his tone was calm: "Has the King of Qi said anything?"

"He did not speak, but sent a messenger to the King of Zhongshan, saying that things were tense lately and that he should not cross the water."

Zhu Biao smiled after hearing this.

"He's scared."

Zhu Han replied, “Afraid? He doesn’t dare to act because you have military power, but if you really take his life, Father Emperor might not stand by you.”

"Therefore I will not take his life, but only his courage." Zhu Biao took off his armor and stepped into the palace. "If his courage is gone, then there will be no more moves to be made."

At midnight, the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace was still brightly lit.

Zhu Biao stood in the corridor in front of the palace, holding a bamboo scroll, turning the pages one by one as night fell.

Suddenly, a palace attendant rushed in to report: "Your Highness, someone requests an audience."

"Who?"

“The King of Qi’s personal guard was named Xu Ling.”

A glint flashed in Zhu Biao's eyes, and he ordered, "Take him to the side hall."

A moment later, Xu Ling was brought in. His armor was disheveled, and his face was covered in dust. He knelt down and kowtowed three times: "Your subject has a secret message to offer to Your Highness!"

Zhu Biao sat behind the screen, his face not visible, only his words could be heard.

"explain."

"The king's confidant plots to relocate the palace guards—to transfer the left guard of the palace gate to the western camp and replace him with an old subordinate."

Zhu Biao chuckled softly: "To exchange my guard duty at the palace gates for my life."

Xu Ling knelt on the ground and whispered, "He doesn't know I'm here. I have old debts to pay. If Your Highness pardons me, I'm willing to reveal the list of all his spies in the capital."

Zhu Biao remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "You are a sacrificed pawn. But if a sacrificed pawn can be used to exchange for the enemy general, why shouldn't I use it?"

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Xu Ling got up and left, his back trembling. What he didn't see was that behind Zhu Biao, Zhu Han was leaning against the door.

"You really want to accept it?"

“I don’t need to believe him; I want King Qi to be afraid to believe him.”

Zhu Han nodded: "You've already put the situation under his control."

“If he makes a move next, it won’t just be about the palace gates.”

"What if he doesn't move?"

Zhu Biao said in a deep voice, "Then it's my turn to move."

Three days later, an imperial edict was suddenly issued, ordering Prince Qi, Zhu Gang, to temporarily avoid the commotion and recuperate in a villa in the suburbs.

The words were gentle, but the decree was irresistible. The old guard in the capital were dismissed, and the generals of the Prince's mansion were transferred to other posts.

Zhu Biao did not send out a single soldier, nor did he draw his sword.

But for the first time, the court officials truly realized that this crown prince was no longer just the master of the Eastern Palace, but the true wind direction of the entire capital.

He neither kills, nor gets angry, nor argues.

But he proceeded cautiously, never uttering a single sword strike, leaving his enemies with no moves to make.

In early June, as the first rays of dawn shone upon the Forbidden City, Zhu Yuanzhang sat before his dragon bed in the Imperial Study, reviewing the secret reports of the past three days.

He remained silent for a long time before finally looking up and saying:
"Summon Crown Prince Zhu Biao to see me."

At that moment, the entire palace was silent, as if even the wind had stopped.

North of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, in the Imperial Study.

As dawn broke and the thin mist had not yet dissipated, the eunuch Ma Shun hurriedly entered, holding a golden talisman in his hand, and knelt down.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived before the Emperor and is awaiting an audience."

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't lift his eyelids, his fingers slowly brushing over the jade book with dragon patterns on the table. After a moment of silence, he uttered a single word: "Summon."

As the palace gates slowly opened, Zhu Biao, dressed in a plain blue court robe, stepped into the hall, his posture upright and his expression serene.

In the main hall, only Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, with no eunuchs beside him, and only a censer of incense slowly rising.

"Your subject Zhu Biao pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Get up." Zhu Yuanzhang spoke in a low voice, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, sweeping over Zhu Biao's figure inch by inch, as if trying to see through every thought in his heart.

Zhu Biao rose with neither arrogance nor servility and stood quietly.

After a long silence, Zhu Yuanzhang finally said slowly, "You did a good job."

The tone was casual, as if it were merely praising a minor official for handling a document well, but to Zhu Biao, it was more nerve-wracking than an impending downpour.

"Father, please forgive me. I had no choice but to take action against the Southern Camp."

"I say you've done well, so I grant you permission to act on your own."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him, then abruptly changed the subject, "But you moved too cleverly, so cleverly that even I am afraid."

Zhu Biao remained calm and said, "Your subject dares not be clever, only seeks the right way."

“You are investigating the troops, yet you leave no trace; you are moving, yet you shed no blood; you have forced your brother to request to leave the capital, yet you have not uttered a single word. Even the Prince of Qi says he is ‘ill,’ and I feel heartbroken when I hear this.”

Zhu Yuanzhang said coldly, "Zhu Biao, your knife is too sharp; you just hide it in your sleeve so no one can see it."

Zhu Biao raised his head, his eyes calm: "If I do not hide it, I will not even leave a sleeve behind."

"Are you blaming me?"

"I wouldn't dare," he replied calmly.

"Your Majesty, I dare not blame you. I only know that if I cannot protect my people today, what I will not be able to protect tomorrow will be the palace gates, the capital, and even the whole country."

"Your brother is nothing more than a king."

"But his chess pieces are already at my table." Zhu Biao's words were not harsh, yet every sentence was clear.

"If I do not respond, it will be tantamount to handing over the Eastern Palace to someone else for control. At that time, without Father Emperor saying a word, all the officials will know that the Crown Prince is empty and powerless, and is just a figurehead."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him, speechless for a long time.

His eyes were as deep as an abyss. Zhu Biao had been afraid of those eyes since he was a child. Now that he was the Crown Prince, he still dared not look directly into them for too long.

Finally, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed softly, "You are just like your mother."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao's eyes flickered, but he dared not speak.

"Your mother is the same way. She appears gentle on the surface, but she's as stubborn as iron on the inside."

Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his hand, "If she were alive, she would definitely support you. It's a pity... I'm old now, and watching you all grow up, sometimes I don't know whether to be happy or afraid."

"Father..." Zhu Biao's voice was slightly hoarse, "Your subject has never dared to have any disloyal thoughts."

“I believe you,” Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly interrupted him. “If I didn’t believe you, it wouldn’t be today.” He leaned against the dragon bed, looking somewhat tired, yet still maintaining his imperial authority: “But you must remember, the Crown Prince is not Your Majesty’s shadow, but the future monarch. You can be ruthless, but you must be discreet; you can achieve great things, but you cannot lose the hearts of the people.”

Zhu Biao bowed and accepted the order.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes suddenly turned cold: "You took Xu Ling in?"

Zhu Biao hesitated for a moment, then answered, "Yes."

"Do you know that he is the head of the former subordinates of the King of Qi, and that half of the military strategies and plans are made by him?"

“That’s precisely why we should take him in.” Zhu Biao’s gaze was unwavering. “He abandoned his master and went to the Crown Prince’s palace. Everyone knows he betrayed his master, so no one will dare to trust him anymore. In my hands, he is just a pawn to be discarded, but in return, the King of Qi has no one else to rely on.”

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Zhu Biao for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

"Good, good, good. I am even more at ease knowing that you can scheme like this."

At this point in the conversation, a report suddenly came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, Princess Yunxi, His Majesty's granddaughter, requests an audience."

Zhu Biao was taken aback.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and asked, "Why is she here today?"

A moment later, a slender and petite figure stepped into the hall, wearing a light purple dress and a single white jade flower hairpin in her hair. Her demeanor was dignified, yet her eyes held a bright light.

"Grandfather, your son and grandson have come to see you."

Princess Yunxi was the daughter of Zhu Biao. At the age of thirteen, she was intelligent and gentle, and had been favored by Emperor Taizu since childhood. She knelt down and curtsied, her posture respectful.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at her with a broad smile: "Your father was just reprimanded by me today, and you're here to plead for him again?"

Yunxi blinked and whispered, "Father worries about the country day and night, and his children and grandchildren should naturally do their best to assist him. If Grandfather dislikes Father, then Yunxi will also be unhappy."

"You sharp-tongued girl!" Zhu Yuanzhang said with a laugh, "You're more like your grandmother."

Zhu Biao remained expressionless upon seeing his daughter's sudden arrival, but a slight unease stirred within him.

He knew that Yunxi was not one to seek the limelight, so her appearance this time was probably unusual.

Yunxi's eyes flickered, and she suddenly said, "Father, someone from the Qinghe Prince's residence came to see me last night."

Zhu Biao's expression changed slightly: "Who?"

“It’s—Luo Shi.” Yunxi said in a low voice, “She said she has a secret letter from Prince Qi, and she wants to exchange it for her son’s life.”

Zhu Biao's eyes sharpened.

Zhu Yuanzhang's brow twitched slightly as he stared at Zhu Biao: "You even dare to touch a prince's concubine?"

Zhu Biao raised his head, his expression cold: "I didn't move, she was scared."

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the jade book down on the table.

“Your Highness, you should sit as the ruler of all people, not the ruler of the cold palace.”

"Father——"

"That's enough." Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly waved his hand wearily.
"I will handle the matter concerning the Luo family. You have received her secret letter and have the cabinet review it. Cut off any loose ends that could cause unrest in the capital."

"Yes."

Zhu Yuanzhang closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, his gaze was as cold as ever.

"Step down, Your Highness. Remember my words: your hands may conceal a knife, but your heart must not harbor poison. You are a ruler, not an assassin."

Zhu Biao bowed and retreated, and Yunxi followed suit.

Afternoon, Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.

Zhu Han stood before the desk, holding a scroll, his expression grave: "The number of soldiers hidden in the capital exceeds the pre-registered number by 20%, and the roster of recruits is mostly fabricated; someone is deliberately covering it up."

Zhu Biao calmly sat down, took the booklet and flipped through it, his fingertip pausing on a line of text: "This person is originally from Beizhili, but is registered in the Southern Camp?"

"Yes." Zhu Han said in a deep voice, "More than thirty people belong to the Southern Guard, but have never been on duty. They are actually former subordinates of the Prince of Qi, and have forged attendance records."

Zhu Biao closed the booklet: "Transfer them to the Xuanfu training camp, and they shall depart within three days."

Zhu Han looked up: "Aren't you afraid of alerting the enemy?"

"The snake will only reveal itself when it is startled."

"But Father Emperor may not approve of you arbitrarily deploying the Imperial Guards."

“I won’t deploy the Imperial Guards; I’ll deploy the troops stationed in the Southern Camp,” Zhu Biao said calmly. “They were meant to be there anyway.”

Zhu Han looked at him and suddenly asked, "When do you plan to make a move against Zhu Gang?"

Zhu Biao tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, and after a moment, slowly said, "I won't move him. He'll move on his own."

"How did you know?"

Zhu Biao looked out the window: "Because he has no other choice."

Prince Qi's Mansion.

Zhu Gang stood behind the screen, listening to Xu Ling's betrayal, and remained silent for a long time.

He held a white porcelain teacup in his hand, but the tea had already gone cold.

"They all believe he betrayed his master?"

Qin Yan, who was attending him, whispered, "The Eastern Palace deliberately spread the news that Xu Ling had presented an old letter, and that the Prince of Qi was restless... Now everyone knows about this."

Zhu Gang scoffed and smashed the cup: "They would be more at ease if I were truly restless."

"Your Highness, would you like to—"

“I’m not doing anything.” Zhu Gang gritted his teeth. “The more critical the moment, the more I need to remain as steady as a mountain. Let them think I’m scared, that I’m hiding, that I’ve lost.”

Qin Yan hesitated: "Then Xu Ling..."

“Now that he’s in the game, he’s a pawn to be discarded. If he wants to live, let’s see if he can leave the Eastern Palace alive.”

Zhu Gang's gaze was as cold as a knife. "I have seventeen key points in the capital, and he is just one of them. If the Crown Prince trusts him, he will fall into my trap."

However, Zhu Biao did not believe it.

He did not use Xu Ling for any real work, but only used the image of "surrender" that Xu Ling had spread.

The real key is the East City Arsenal.

It was an old warehouse that few people knew about. It was guarded by the Left Army in its early years and later transferred to the Ministry of Works, but it was never truly abandoned.

Zhu Biao had long known that a batch of armor of unknown design was hidden there, but without concrete evidence, it was difficult to prosecute him.

Now, he ordered Zhu Han to lead a team to inventory the grain and fodder in the capital, but deliberately leaked the news that the Crown Prince's Palace would thoroughly investigate the armory and trace the origin of the weapons.

Three days after the news was released, the East City Armory indeed caught fire at night.

Zhu Biao climbed the city tower and looked into the distance. The smoke and light shot straight into the night, turning half the sky red like a raging fire.

Zhu Han said coldly from the side, "The fire started at a really good time."

"It's too coincidental to be an accident." Zhu Biao's eyes showed no anger, but rather a smile. "He's getting anxious."

"What's next?"

"Let the censors impeach me," Zhu Biao said calmly, "saying that I acted arbitrarily by inspecting the camps, coercing former officials, and undermining the succession."

"Are you crazy?" Zhu Han's expression changed drastically.

"I'm not crazy, I'm trying to provoke my father into making a move."

Zhu Biao stood with his hands behind his back on the city wall. "If my father hadn't made the final decision, everyone would have remained on the sidelines. But I can't wait any longer."

He turned and went downstairs, his clothes fluttering, without uttering a single word.

The following day, the Censorate indeed submitted a memorial accusing the Crown Prince of acting too drastically.

However, on the same day, the Grand Secretary also submitted a memorial stating that the Crown Prince's purge was well-founded and the measures were appropriate.

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a long time before finally writing: "The Crown Prince's actions were well-ordered and measured."

This was a clear choice of sides.

Zhu Gang angrily threw gold utensils in the palace and said in a deep, cold voice, "He is no longer neutral."

As night fell, the lights in the side hall of the East Palace remained lit.

Half a scroll of old military records lay open on the desk. Zhu Biao sat quietly behind it, his fingertips tapping the surface of the desk from time to time, producing a steady rhythm, as if he were keeping track of time, or perhaps deep in thought. (End of Chapter)