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

"Come in."

The door slowly opened, and a figure stepped in. It was a young eunuch dressed in blue, holding a black lacquered box in his hands.

"Your Highness, I have been ordered by the Prince to deliver this item."

Zhu Biao was startled and asked urgently, "Where is the Imperial Uncle?"

"I was unaware of the situation, but I was ordered to deliver it quickly."

Zhu Biao took the box, opened it, and saw a small section of amethyst jade hairpin with the Zhu family crest engraved on the edge. He instantly understood—this was an emergency signal.

"Summon the imperial physician, summon Qin Chen, summon the Night Hawk Camp," Zhu Biao said in a deep voice. "I'm going to the West Garden."

"His Highness went out late at night..."

"Shut up." Zhu Biao flicked his sleeve, turned around, and went inside to change his clothes.

"My own uncle is trapped in the Mirror Gate, and you expect me to just sit and watch?"

At midnight, in the dense forest of the West Garden.

Zhu Biao, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, led the Night Hawk Battalion into the secret passage. Zhao Hu, having heard the news, returned to meet him.

"Your Highness, you mustn't—this place is dangerous..."

"If I don't come, how can the Imperial Uncle break the deadlock in peace?"

Zhao Hu, his face full of anxiety, still cupped his hands and said, "His Highness is right behind me; we must not act rashly."

"I remember I can also use a sword." Zhu Biao drew his sword from his waist and smiled. "You've forgotten?"

Zhao Hu hesitated for a moment, then had no choice but to agree.

Upon re-entering the underground palace, Zhu Han had already located Yu Tong's aura using the remaining scroll and set up a ten-layered soul-locking array at the deepest part of the mirror array. Leng Yu held the star chart, and Wei Rou laid out flame silk fire lines, turning the entire octagonal palace into a trapping array.

“He will surely reappear,” Zhu Han said in a deep voice. “And this time, he will not be allowed to hide.”

As they were speaking, the top of the star chart suddenly trembled, and a beam of blazing white light fell from the dome, descending with a deafening roar like divine punishment!
Yu Tong reappeared, draped in a Hundred Flames Cloak, holding a strange bone ruler in her hand, her face ghostly: "Zhu Han—you finally forced me."

“You’ve already gone mad.” Zhu Han looked at him. “In that case, there’s no use keeping you around.”

"Then come on!" Yu Tong roared, raising his bone ruler to break the Soul-Locking Array.

Leng Yu cried out, "Your Highness, the battle formation has been activated. Moving it will bring death; we cannot hold out for long!"

Zhu Han shouted: "Zhao Hu!"

"Here!" Zhao Hu rushed out from the shadows, his blade flashing like thunder.

Zhu Biao also drew his sword and appeared, joining Zhao Hu in a pincer attack.

Yu Tong was shocked: "You—Zhu Biao?"

"You want my blood as the key? Then I'll let you try it yourself!" Zhu Biao roared, his sword unleashing a storm of wind and thunder!
Several beams of light and shadow intertwined, and the array's flames soared into the sky. Within the Mirror Gate Palace, it was as if a star had fallen to earth, amidst countless layers of light and shadow!
Amidst the light and flames, Zhu Han walked slowly forward, the white silk in his hand transforming into a golden seal, and pressed a palm against Yu Tong's chest: "Mirror Break".

There was a bang.

The golden seal shattered, the mirror gate collapsed, and Yu Tong coughed up blood and flew backward, landing like a corpse.

There was silence.

Zhu Biao, panting, looked at Zhu Han: "Uncle... are you alright?"

Zhu Han laughed and said, "The day the Crown Prince draws his sword, the world will be at peace."

Zhu Biao was taken aback, his eyes reddening slightly.

Zhu Han rode a pure white steed, slowly galloping through the open forest path.

"Royal Uncle! You actually came!"

A hearty laugh came from ahead. Zhu Biao, dressed in brocade robes and silver armor, dismounted. His face showed no trace of the prince's majesty, only joy.

Zhu Han smiled and clasped his hands in greeting: "Your Highness is in good health, which is very gratifying. Since you personally invited me, how could I dare to be negligent?"

“You are the Imperial Uncle, not someone else.” Zhu Biao quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands and said in a low voice, “I’m really bored. My father made me stay in the palace to study military books and listen to court affairs, which is very restrictive every day. Now that I have half a day of leisure, I want to have a good hunt with you.”

Zhu Han raised an eyebrow: "Your Highness should know that while relaxation is good, one should not relax too much."

Zhu Biao laughed heartily: "You're just like my father."

The two rode side by side, heading deeper into the forest.

The guards followed at a distance, not daring to get close.

Zhu Biao suddenly softened his tone and asked, "Uncle, are you aware of what has been happening in the palace lately?"

"I know a little," Zhu Han said calmly. "The Crown Prince is seriously ill, and the Empress Dowager is worried; some court officials have submitted a memorial requesting the establishment of a young heir. What is your opinion?"

Zhu Biao's eyes dimmed: "My son is still young and frail. Father is also worried. But I am not afraid. I am the Crown Prince, and I should be able to shoulder this responsibility."

Zhu Han nodded, approval in his eyes. He patted the horse's mane and changed his tone: "If Your Highness truly wishes to shoulder great responsibilities, you must remember the meaning of what happened in the forest today."

"The meaning of the forest?"

"There is no law in the forest; only the strong are respected," Zhu Han said. "If we hunt beasts with only kindness, we will be devoured by tigers. But if we only have ruthlessness, we will lose our minds. The world of Ming is more dangerous than this forest."

Zhu Biao was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I've got it."

Before the two could exchange many words, a commotion suddenly broke out in the woods ahead. A striped tiger charged out, startling the horses and causing them to neigh. Before the attendants could react, the tiger pounced on Zhu Biao!

Without a second thought, Zhu Han drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and with a whoosh, the arrow shot out, striking the tiger squarely in the left eye! The tiger roared deafeningly and tumbled to the ground.

Before Zhu Biao could react, he felt his right arm being grabbed by a strong hand. It was Zhu Han who had rushed to catch him in the chaos and pulled him out of his jaws.

Dust billowed as they landed. Zhu Han, long sword in hand, stood protectively in front of Zhu Biao and said coldly, "Men, escort the Crown Prince back to camp!"

Guards swarmed over and protected the two. Zhu Biao glanced back at Zhu Han, his eyes now showing a strange respect.

That night, the tent was dimly lit. Zhu Han sat alone at his desk, a military report lying quietly in front of him.

A man lifted the curtain and entered. It was Zhou Heng, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who looked anxious: "Your Highness, a secret message has come from the South City Post Station. Xu Jingchang, the son of Duke Wei of the Palace, has been frequently in close contact with the Minister of War recently."

Zhu Han raised an eyebrow: "Han Mian, Minister of War?"

"Exactly. His words repeatedly mentioned the instability of the crown prince's position, which seems to indicate a hidden agenda."

Zhu Han chuckled softly, "The Xu family, as founding heroes, has not forgotten its roots. However, Xu Jingchang is only the second son in the family; how can he arbitrarily disrupt the family tradition?"

"Your Highness, is it necessary to..."

Zhu Han raised his hand to stop him: "Don't move. You just need to keep a close watch on the Xu family mansion in secret. If anyone leaves the city at night, you must report it immediately."

"Yes!"

Zhu Han stared at the roll of military reports for a long time, then suddenly whispered, "The Crown Prince needs to toughen up. How can he truly inherit the throne without facing challenges?"

The next day in the imperial court, Zhu Yuanzhang sat high on the golden throne, surrounded by his ministers. Zhu Biao stood with his hands at his sides, his face solemn.

Zhu Han entered the main hall, his robes fluttering, as composed as ever.

He didn't say much, but after Zhu Biao submitted his memorial, he nodded slightly, which seemed like silent approval, but was enough to shake all the officials.

After the meeting concluded that day, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Zhu Han to the Imperial Garden for a casual chat.

"Brother Han, I heard about your arrow today."

Zhu Han smiled and said, "Your Majesty need not praise me. It is the tiger that is too foolish and does not know the laws of the world."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily: "You're quite the talker! But what do you think of the Crown Prince?" Zhu Han replied solemnly: "Zhu Biao is not cowardly at heart, but he has been protected for too long and doesn't know what the sharp edge of power is. Yesterday's events have shocked him and given him some insight. Your Majesty, I am willing to accompany the Crown Prince on another journey to temper his will and spirit."

Zhu Yuanzhang suppressed his smile, gazing at the swaying spring flowers in the distance, remaining silent for a long while.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

A few days later, Zhu Biao accompanied Zhu Han out of the palace incognito to visit the West Market.

Wearing a straw hat and dressed simply, he mingled in the crowd and heard the people's true words for the first time:
"The Crown Prince? I only heard that he was very ill when he was young, and he rarely shows his face these days..."

"The court still relies on that prince; I heard that he saved someone from the jaws of a tiger that day, dying with a single arrow..."

Zhu Biao remained silent. As night fell, the two rested at a small tavern. Zhu Biao gazed at the sake in his cup and asked softly, "Uncle, they remember you, but not me. Is it because I wasn't good enough?"

Zhu Han slowly shook his head: "Whether you remember or not is not important. What is important is whether you are willing to change."

Zhu Biao looked at him and nodded: "I'm willing."

Zhu Han put down his wine cup: "Then let's start from tonight. After we go back, we'll replace the military books with 'The Art of War by Taigong,' and we'll replace the closed-door lectures in the palace with our personal visits to the training grounds—the crown prince isn't made by sitting, he's made by fighting."

Zhu Biao stood up solemnly: "Yes!"

Meanwhile, in a mansion somewhere outside the palace, candlelight flickered, and a shadow whispered:
"If Your Highness protects the Crown Prince so well, I fear we will never have another chance in the future."

Another voice said coldly, "What in this world can be protected for a lifetime? Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he will be our greatest threat."

The shadow chuckled: "Then let's pull out his teeth before he becomes a tiger."

In February in the capital, the snow melts and the ice thaws, and the streets and alleys warm up.

As the moon rose, outside the Forbidden City, the dim lights flickered in the wind, everything seemed ordinary, but undercurrents were surging.

"These roasted chestnuts... are somewhat similar to those sold at the city gate of Nanjing back in the day."

Zhu Han took the paper package, gently squeezed it, and the chestnut shell cracked open with a "snap." He smiled and muttered to himself, "Too bad, no Coke."

"You're saying strange things again." A light female voice came from not far away.

Zhu Han didn't turn around, but continued peeling chestnuts: "How did you know I was here?"

Light footsteps approached, and the newcomer was a woman dressed in plain clothes, her black hair tied up high, her face covered with a light veil, revealing only a pair of extremely clear eyes.

"If you don't want anyone to know, who can find you? But you insist on eating chestnuts in Jinyi Lane. If you say you don't want to attract attention, who will believe you?"

Zhu Han looked up at her, a faint smile on his face: "You're getting better and better at teasing people."

"If I don't tease you, how will you be willing to speak your mind?" The woman sat down next to him, her expression serene.

Her name was Xue Miaoyin, the daughter of the Vice Minister of Revenue. She was intelligent and quiet from a young age, but she did not like dressing up and often walked the streets in plain clothes.

When Zhu Han first met her, it was during a street disturbance. She stood in the way with her sword and saved an innocent man who had been falsely accused. Zhu Han remembered her from then on.

"The night is lovely, why don't I tell you a story?" Xue Miaoyin rested her chin on her hand and gazed at the moonlight in the distance.

What kind of story?

“A story of a prince.” She smiled. “He has dragon blood in his veins, but he does not dwell in the high halls of the court, nor does he envy the immortals in the clouds. He only wishes to protect those he wants to protect.”

Zhu Han chuckled: "Sounds like me."

“It was you all along,” Xue Miaoyin said softly, “but you just wouldn’t say it.”

Zhu Han handed her a peeled chestnut: "Aren't you afraid I might actually be an ambitious person? Zhu Biao's position as Crown Prince is still unstable; if I were to harbor any ill intentions..."

“If you had any ulterior motives, why would you be peeling chestnuts with me here?” She interrupted, taking the chestnuts. “Everything you’ve done is to protect Zhu Biao. You may not say it, but you’re paving the way for him at every turn.”

Zhu Han was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "You really do understand me."

“I know you better than you know yourself,” Xue Miaoyin said earnestly.

The clock tower on the street corner crackled to life, each chime deeper than the last.

Night had fallen, and the streets were becoming deserted. Xue Miaoyin rose and straightened her robes: "I should go back now; you still have to go to the palace tomorrow."

Zhu Han nodded: "Tomorrow I will take Zhu Biao to the Nanshan Archery Range to practice archery."

He was not good at riding or archery.

“I’m not teaching him to shoot tigers, but to be fearless.” Zhu Han’s eyes were calm. “If he doesn’t learn courage, the weight of the Ming Dynasty will be hard to bear.”

Xue Miaoyin looked at him: "And what about you? You're never afraid, yet you never say what you want."

Zhu Han turned his back to her and said softly, "What I want... you'll know sooner or later."

He said no more and walked away under the moonlight. Xue Miaoyin watched his departing figure and smiled slightly.

The next morning, at the Nanshan Archery Garden, the frost had not yet melted, and there was still a chill in the air.

Zhu Biao, dressed in a dark red brocade robe, stood before the target, holding a longbow, his forehead already slightly damp with sweat.

"Again!" Zhu Han shouted from behind him, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Unsteady, not strong enough in the shoulders."

Zhu Biao gritted his teeth, nocked an arrow, and his arm trembled slightly as he drew the bow. Finally, he released the arrow, but it missed the bullseye by a foot.

"I'm not from a military background, how could I do what you do!" Zhu Biao turned around, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Zhu Han frowned slightly, but was not angry. He simply said, "If I want you to be me, I will not teach you the bow."

"Then what exactly do you want me to learn?" Zhu Biao asked angrily. "I am not a tiger general, I am the crown prince. What I need to learn is the way of governing the country, not hunting tigers and chasing deer."

"Quite the opposite." Zhu Han stepped forward and snatched the longbow from his hand. "If you can't even hold this bow, how can you hold the hearts of the people?"

He said in a low and serious voice: "If you dare not face your officials directly, dare not meet their eyes, and dare not speak up for the people, then you are not the crown prince, but a puppet."

Zhu Biao was stunned. The imperial uncle before him had always been gentle and kind, but now he was as cold as iron, his words filled with heavy oppression.

“Zhu Biao, your father fought his whole life, stepping on mountains of corpses and seas of blood to establish this empire. He was able to pass the throne to you because he trusted you; but if you are unwilling to take on the responsibility, you will be letting him down.”

His words struck a chord. A vein throbbed on Zhu Biao's forehead. He suddenly clasped his hands in a deep bow and said, "I will never forget your teachings, Imperial Uncle."

Zhu Han remained calm and simply handed over the bow: "Try again. Stay calm."

This time, Zhu Biao took a deep breath and slowly drew his bow.

He was no longer anxious, no longer seeking a perfect shot, but instead focused his mind and released the arrow as if playing a game of chess.

"call out--"

The arrow landed within three inches of the bullseye; though it didn't hit the bullseye, it was still the best shot of the morning.

Zhu Han nodded slightly: "Okay."

Night fell in the Imperial Study. Zhu Yuanzhang, having reviewed memorials until past midnight, rubbed his temples and asked, "How is Biao'er today?"

Zhu Han calmly replied, "At first he was arrogant and impetuous, but later he gradually came to understand. He can still be improved."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, then suddenly smiled: "You seem to like him even more than I do as his father."

Zhu Han laughed and said, "My elder brother governs the world, while I, your younger brother, only govern one person. How can I be impatient?"

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Zhu Han for a moment and said, "I know your cunning and methods are extraordinary. But you have always protected Biao'er and never gone against your conscience."

Zhu Han calmly replied, "Because he is your son and also my nephew. My blood is all shed for the Zhu family."

Silence fell over the imperial study upon hearing this. After a long silence, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, his voice low and somber: (End of Chapter)