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

Zhu Han smiled but did not answer: "Your Highness is older and has a keen eye. You need to train some people. In the current situation, even a wisp of wind can help you avoid the blade if you can understand it."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at him and said, "You're even better at talking than I am."

"Your Majesty, I dare not," Zhu Han said, bowing. "Your Majesty, I only wish to protect this nation and its people, and to clear away any remaining dust for His Highness."

"Dust?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. "What if one day, dust settles on the palace and mud splashes on the dragon robe?"

Zhu Han still smiled: "That's why I won't let the dust settle."

silence.

After drinking half a cup of tea, Zhu Yuanzhang asked in a low voice, "Do you think... the Crown Prince can really hold on?"

Zhu Han stood up, his expression solemn: "Your subject is willing to guarantee this with his own head."

"If the Crown Prince is unable to be supported, how will you explain this?"

"Then please, Your Majesty, cut off my head with your own hands."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him for a moment, then finally laughed out loud: "Good, good, you still have this courage... Go on, His Highness the Crown Prince needs someone to protect him."

As evening fell, Zhu Biao stood by the training ground behind the Taiji Hall, his cloak disheveled and his brows furrowed.

On the training ground, a group of personal guards were practicing the "Thirteen Returning Clouds Blades." The blades flashed like snow, and the formation was beginning to take shape as they shifted.

"Did you teach this?" Zhu Biao asked.

“No.” Zhu Han stepped out from the side and stood with his hands behind his back. “It’s a member of the Listening Wind Division who has been a folk镖师 (bodyguard/escort) since childhood. He has inherited martial arts skills, which he has modified a bit, but they are still useful.”

Zhu Biao turned to look at him: "You set up this 'Listening to the Wind' for my sake?"

"If it weren't for you, I would have gone to the mountains to plant plum trees long ago."

Zhu Han said, “You are the crown prince, yet you are more thoughtful and slower in dealing with matters than others. This is not a bad thing, but if everyone else is a step ahead of you, that will be your Achilles’ heel.”

Zhu Biao said in a low voice, "I understand what you mean."

Zhu Han looked at the people practicing their swordsmanship on the field: "Wei Rou discovered that there was a person in the Key Office who had arbitrarily transferred copper tokens three months ago. His name is Wang Tingyan, and he is the person in charge of the Empress's affairs."

Zhu Biao's expression changed slightly: "The Empress?"

"She was one of your mother's former associates."

Zhu Biao remained silent for a long time: "Mother... she shouldn't have gotten involved."

Zhu Han sighed, his voice calm: "You are ultimately too kind. But you must remember, this world is not won by kindness alone."

"If you really want to protect the Empress Dowager, your maternal clan, and the imperial grandson, you must be more ruthless than them."

Zhu Biao said, word by word, "I may not be ruthless, but the people around me must be ruthless."

Zhu Han laughed: "That's more like it."

After nightfall, the lights in the East Palace's secret chamber were lit again.

Yu Wen entered, carrying the scroll. Wei Rou stood silently outside the door behind him. Zhu Biao sat under the lamp, wearing a robe, and took the scroll, his expression slightly shifting.

"Shall we make our move tonight?"

Yu Wen nodded: "Wang Tingyan will meet someone at the side gate of Beiyuan at midnight. The secret file refers to him as 'Tongling'."

Zhu Biao's gaze was icy: "Tong Ling..."

Zhu Han walked into the hall: "So, Yu Tong did have a backup plan."

Zhu Biao looked at him: "Then let's get started. Tonight, we'll see who's the real deal."

Zhu Han nodded: "I'll arrange the personnel."

At midnight, several people, all dressed in plain clothes, appeared in the shadows of the pine trees along the palace walls, near the side gate of the North Garden.

Wang Tingyan, dressed in ordinary clothes, held a sealed brocade box in his hand, looking around uncertainly.

He whispered, "Is it 'Jiang Wu'?"

No one answered.

He called out again, "The order has arrived. If you do not respond, I will not hand it over."

Suddenly, a dark figure leaped down from the wall and, without a word, snatched the brocade box from his hand.

Wang Tingyan cried out in surprise, but was pulled into the bushes beside him by a gust of wind.

The next moment, more than ten figures rushed out of the darkness, sealing off the surroundings.

Wei Rou appeared first and coldly shouted, "Wang Tingyan, you have violated the law by privately giving palace tokens and colluding with outsiders!"

Wang Tingyan still tried to deny it, but Zhu Han grabbed him by the collar and threw him in front of the lamp: "You even dared to give away the 'Tongling' token, why don't you dare to admit it?"

Wang Tingyan's face was ashen, and his voice trembled as he said, "It's Yu Tong. He... he's not dead. He's in the capital. He wants my help to reopen the 'Mirror Gate'!"

"The Mirror Gate?" Zhu Biao appeared, his tone icy. "Is he trying to open the door to old cases, or the door to his heart?"

Wang Tingyan knelt on the ground, sobbing, "Your Highness, spare me—I'm just a minor official—everything was done under orders..."

Zhu Han said, "Since you have no ability to do great things, you also have the audacity to plot against the Crown Prince."

With a wave of his hand, Wei Rou led her men to take him away.

Zhu Biao stood outside the side gate, looking at the so-called "Tongling" token, and said in a deep voice, "If this continues, he really will climb over the palace walls."

Zhu Han chuckled softly, "Don't worry, he won't come to see you until the very last step."

“But we… can see him first.”

Zhu Biao looked at him, his gaze sharp as a sword: "You have a way?"

“Of course.” Zhu Han turned and left.

Zhu Han stood before the desk, the ink on the secret report spread out on it still wet. The flickering lights in the hall illuminated his calm yet sharp face.

After reporting on the events at Beiyuan, Wei Rou said in a low voice, "Wang Tingyan has been imprisoned in the Tingfeng Division dungeon, and no one has yet come to claim him."

Zhu Han remained calm: "Someone will come, but we're still deciding which face to use."

"Have we been able to uncover the truth behind Yu Tong's 'Mirror Gate'?"

“We can’t move too fast yet,” Zhu Han said calmly. “Since he dares to ring this old bell again, he’s not afraid of being heard. But the louder the bell rings, the closer his hiding place will be.”

At this moment, Yu Wen entered the secret chamber with a solemn expression: "Your Highness, there is an extra layer of patrols around Donghua Gate tonight. It was done spontaneously by the inner court, as if they had heard the news."

Zhu Han raised an eyebrow, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "They're getting anxious."

Yu Wen said in a low voice, "Should we have Tingfeng cause some trouble in the West Garden?"

"No rush, let's put it aside for now." Zhu Han smiled instead. "We'll only keep an eye on the Eastern Palace and not touch the outer court. Let's see who gets restless first."

Suddenly, the palace door opened slightly, and Zhu Biao entered, wearing a robe and a cloak, his expression cold and stern: "Uncle, I want to see him."

Without asking who it was, Zhu Han said directly, "No."

Zhu Biao stopped: "I need to know what he's after."

“You only need to know what he wants, not why he wants it.” Zhu Han said in a low voice, “If you see him now, you will fall into his trap. He is good at manipulating people’s hearts and likes to set up a scheme. Once you open your mouth, it will be difficult to stop.”

Zhu Biao remained silent for a long time: "Are you afraid of him too?"

“I’m not afraid, but I know that what he’s afraid of is not me, but you.” Zhu Han paused, “He’s afraid of you growing up, afraid that you’ll understand what the way of an emperor is.”

A glint of fire seemed to flash in Zhu Biao's eyes, but he remained silent.

As the night deepened, the sounds of the Imperial Guards exchanging watchmen faded into the distance, and the area around the Secret Pavilion was so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard.

A day later, an imperial edict was issued from the palace that the Crown Prince would inspect the Southern Garden in three days, select the newly trained imperial guards of the Eastern Palace, and review the martial arts training grounds. Although Zhu Biao did not summon the officials to accompany him, he specifically named Zhu Han to go with him.

After the news spread, although there was no outward ripple in the palace, it seemed as if undercurrents were stirring.

The Imperial Horse Administration, the Key Office, and the Imperial Household Department all increased their manpower, and even the Imperial Household Department urgently dispatched personnel to assist in the defense of Nanyuan. Ostensibly, it was to protect the Crown Prince's safety, but in reality, they were on high alert everywhere as if facing a major enemy.

Zhu Han simply smiled faintly and instructed Wei Rou, "Send another hundred men, but do not enter the South Garden. Hide them in the woods outside the garden, do not move them, and obey my orders."

"What if no one joins the game?" "We'll play ourselves."

Three days later, the trip to Nanyuan began as scheduled.

Zhu Biao, dressed in a dark blue cloak and with a sword at his waist, stood on a high platform in the training ground, his expression cold and stern. The new soldiers of the Eastern Palace were arrayed in front of him, all obeying the instructions of the Wind Division, moving like dragons and their blades flashing like lightning.

Zhu Han stood to the side and behind, dressed in plain clothes, not wearing royal robes, with his hands behind his back and a smile in his eyes.

At noon, Zhu Biao suddenly spoke in a deep voice: "Select one hundred men from the 'Cloud Step Battalion' to immediately demonstrate the 'Thirteen Forms of Returning Clouds' in a contest on the arena. The winner will be admitted to the close-combat guard battalion."

The moment the order was given, the entire room was stunned.

The eunuchs watching whispered among themselves, suggesting that the demonstration of the contest was a setup to lure people into making a move.

As expected, as the third match was drawing to a close, one person broke through the battle circle, wielding a dagger and attacking the referee, Instructor Tingfeng, with each move aimed at the throat.

Wei Rou immediately flipped forward and, in the blink of an eye, exchanged several blows, sending him flying with a single palm strike.

The dagger fell to the ground, revealing a scroll of paper hidden in its hilt.

Zhu Han stepped forward and unfolded the document, his expression slightly somber: "As expected, they've come to test the waters."

Zhu Biao asked in a low voice, "Who is it?"

"This man's surname is Ke. He was a former subordinate of Yu Tong and once served as a minor official in the Imperial Observatory. Three years ago, he was exiled to Longzhou, but he quietly returned to the capital."

Zhu Han looked into the distance, "This is just a hidden clue; he still has a real pawn hidden in his hand."

That night, in the Linshui Palace of Nanyuan, Zhu Biao stood by the window, wearing a robe, while the water in the pond outside the palace rippled.

"Uncle, is he playing this game to force me to make a move?"

"He wants you to lose the game whether you act or remain still."

Zhu Han leaned back in his chair, his eyes slightly cold. "If you make a move, it means the Crown Prince has struck first, inviting trouble upon himself; if you don't move, it means you're indecisive and have lost your destiny."

Zhu Biao asked in a deep voice, "Then how would you solve this?"

Zhu Han chuckled: "If you don't understand, he'll treat you as a pawn to be discarded; if you do understand, he'll know you're the one holding the pieces."

"And I, I only need to cleanse you."

Zhu Biao turned around, his eyes deep and unfathomable: "What if I don't want to rely on others anymore?"

Zhu Han stood up, his figure tall and imposing: "Then learn to kill a piece and shake up the whole game."

The two looked at each other for a long time before Zhu Biao said softly, "Uncle, let's do it again tonight."

Zhu Han smiled: "I'm listening to your first edict."

Late at night, in the woods outside Nanyuan, shadowy figures filled the darkness.

Zhu Han stood in front of the forest, behind him were a hundred elite soldiers from the Listening Wind Division, all dressed in black and masked, with quivers full of arrows.

"Who is the target?" Wei Rou asked in a low voice.

"On the east side of the forest, those pretending to be a hunting party are Yu Tong's old subordinates, the 'Well Camp.' Tonight, we need their leader—Ma Yin."

"What if he doesn't come out?"

“He will definitely come.” Zhu Han’s gaze was deep. “If he is truly loyal to Yu Tong, he will never let the ‘Tong Order’ fall into my hands and then not react.”

Before he finished speaking, soft footsteps echoed through the woods.

"coming."

Wei Rou raised her hand, and the archers drew their bows, ready to fire a hundred arrows.

As expected, Ma Yin appeared, followed by four people, all dressed in hunting clothes, who intended to walk around the forest, but were illuminated by a firelight in the shadows the next moment.

Zhu Han walked out slowly: "Chief Ma, how have you been?"

Ma Yin's expression changed drastically: "Why is Your Highness here?"

"Isn't the person you've come to see me?"

Zhu Han smiled, "You have followed Yu Tong for many years, and you are probably more loyal than Wang Tingyan. It's a pity that your master has abandoned you, but you still want to hold on to that dead end."

"I don't--"

“You do,” Zhu Han interrupted him. “You also want to use tonight’s hunt as an excuse to kidnap two officers from the Southern Garden and use that to disrupt my personal guard selection process.”

Ma Yin said in a deep voice, "Since you already know, why did you still ask me to leave the forest?"

"Because I want you to know that the sword of the Crown Prince is bright, not hidden."

Deep within the palace walls, the starlight was scattered and obscured by clouds.
After the battle at the side gate, the Eastern Palace fell silent once more, as if the wind had not yet risen and the rain had not yet come.

But Zhu Han knew that the "person who did not die" had already extended a second hand.

Deep in the Eastern Palace, in the depths of the secret chamber, candlelight flickered.

Zhu Han sat alone at his desk, in front of him an old scroll that had been open for many days. The scroll depicted the underground passages and hidden compartments of the palace, and at the bottom corner, three strokes of red ink circled two characters: "Mirror Gate".

"Have you thought about this?" Zhu Han said in a low voice, speaking to the person in the shadows.
"If this 'Mirror Gate' was truly set up by Yu Tong back then, then why is he using it now? Is it to escape? Or... to return?"

In the shadows, Wei Rou slowly appeared, her black clothes seeming to turn into a wisp of smoke under the light.

"I have investigated. The location of the Mirror Gate is not the East Palace, but... below the Imperial Garden."

Zhu Han's fingers paused.

"The Imperial Garden?" He raised an eyebrow. "Not the Sutra Repository, nor the Imperial Kitchen cellar? Why choose such an ordinary place for a stroll?"

"This place was once a corner of the Forbidden Garden thirty years ago, originally called 'Shiyintai' (Stone Hidden Terrace), but it was later demolished to make way for the construction of the Western Garden Imperial Pond. Now it seems to be of little use, but it is located just north of the central axis between the Qianqing Palace and the Kunning Palace, making it very secluded."

Zhu Han slowly leaned back in his chair and murmured, "If I were to hide here, choosing this place... wouldn't arouse suspicion."

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Take me there."

Wei Rou was taken aback: "Your Highness now?"

Zhu Han stood up, his long robe fluttering as he spoke, “The night is deep, perfect for stealth.”

In a corner of the Imperial Garden, the night breeze rustles through the shadows of the trees, scattering them like fine rain.

Zhu Han walked with light steps, as if he had been raised to walk at night since childhood.

He skillfully avoided the patrol routes and easily crossed the garden walls and waterside pavilions. Wei Rou led the way, and the two of them, one in front and one behind, quietly circled around to the northwest corner of the artificial hill.

"There's a hidden lock in the crevice of this rock; it needs to be activated with a copper talisman," Wei Rou said, taking out a pre-prepared semi-circular copper talisman and inserting it into the crevice.

With a click, a huge rock on one side of the artificial hill slowly slid away, revealing a dark stone staircase that seemed to lead to the underworld.

Zhu Han's eyes narrowed: "Have you investigated?"

"We haven't gone deep enough, for fear of alerting the enemy."

“You did the right thing.” Zhu Han nodded, then stepped into the secret passage.

The tunnel was damp and smelly. A tinderbox was lit, and the firelight reflected the mottled patterns on the wall, making them look like snakes sloughed off.

Before long, the view ahead suddenly opened up. It was a stone chamber sealed on all four sides, with a bronze mirror standing in the center, more than ten feet tall. The mirror surface had long been covered with dust and was almost invisible.

Zhu Han slowly approached, his fingertips brushing against the frame of the glasses, a cool sensation seeping into his palm.

"Is this the 'Mirror Gate'?" he whispered.

Wei Rou nodded: "Yes."

Zhu Han suddenly laughed: "Yu Tong, you're quite the hider... There's probably more than just people hiding behind this mirror door, isn't there?"

Just as he raised his hand to wipe the dust off the mirror, a cold wind suddenly swept over him from behind.

Zhu Han didn't move, but simply turned to the side, and a short blade slashed past his ear.

"Here they come." His tone was as calm as ever, and the next moment he struck the dark figure squarely in the chest with a backhand palm strike. (End of Chapter)