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

Zhu Han dismounted, instructed his attendants not to announce his arrival, and quietly entered the primary school.

Confucius said: "Cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world." Before the child's voice had even faded, they were all startled to see a strange man standing outside the door.

The old man stared intently, then froze: "This...this isn't...the...Prince?"

Zhu Han laughed and said, "I am not a prince today, but a passing traveler. I would like to borrow a seat to listen to how you 'cultivate yourself and manage your family'."

The children looked at each other in bewilderment, and the old man quickly stood up and bowed: "This humble subject was unaware of Your Majesty's arrival and has failed to greet you properly."

Zhu Han waved for people to sit down, then walked to the last row and sat down casually.

"Continue speaking, don't let me cause any disturbance," he said calmly.

The gentleman hesitated for a moment, but Zhu Han smiled and tapped the bamboo slips on the table: "If you don't speak, then I will."

“I have something to tell you, listen to it.”

The children immediately perked up and sat up straight.

Zhu Han slowly began, “In the past, there was a man from Chu who was about to inherit the land. His father, unwilling to abandon his teachings, said: ‘If your plow is straight, the land will be level; if your heart is upright, your character will be upright.’ Do you understand?”

A child answered timidly, "Does it mean... one must have a righteous heart to farm?"

Zhu Han laughed: "Exactly. It applies not only to land, but also to doing things, being a person, and being an official. If the plow is off-center by an inch, the seedlings will grow crooked; if people's hearts are biased by a fraction, the country will fall by a foot."

The school was completely silent. After a moment, a boy asked, "Has the prince ever farmed?"

Zhu Han paused, then nodded earnestly: "I've planted them. I still remember the first time the plow went into the mud. It made my hands go numb, and mud splashed into my eyes. Every time I opened and closed my eyes, I saw the hardships of the people."

His gaze fell on the children's innocent faces, and he spoke slowly:

"You study today not for fame or fortune, but for this land, for the rice you eat, and for the people behind you."

“If you can remember this day, it will be more precious than winning the top three prizes.”

The old man's eyes reddened, and he bowed deeply, saying, "I have been teaching for decades, and only today do I realize that this saying is worth more than ten years of instruction."

Zhu Han helped him up and said with a smile, "Your school is too old, the pages of the books are torn, and the window paper is in disarray—Huang Qi."

"Here!" Huang Qi stepped forward.

“Instruct the Tongzhou County government to allocate fifty taels of silver to repair this place, send a thousand books, add two more clerks, and select two boys who are thirteen years old from here to recommend for trial study at the Imperial Academy. This is all so that they will not fail to live up to the four words ‘cultivate oneself and regulate one’s family’.”

The children cheered, and the old man prostrated himself on the ground and wept.

Three days later, the imperial examination for the Wenchang Hall commenced.

Outside the main hall, more than a thousand scholars lined up to enter. Among them were sons of noble families, as well as poor students in tattered clothes. Some even came from the snow and wind of the north, stepping into the hall with straw sandals still wet with mud.

Zhu Biao, dressed in court robes, personally took up his pen and posed questions in the hall. These were not formulaic essays, nor empty rhetoric.

Three policy questions:

1. "Spring frost damages the wheat, how can we protect the grain?"

Second: "How to resolve land rights disputes and win public support?"

Third: "If there is no education among the common people, how can we promote culture and education?"

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Every question was practical and to the point, avoiding empty talk and platitudes. The scholars were all engrossed in their writing, their eyes shining with determination.

In a side hall of the East Palace, Zhu Hanjing stood before his desk, and Huang Qi reported in a low voice: "The number of people who took the imperial examination this time has exceeded one thousand, and more than half of them are from poor families. Several junior scholars have given excellent answers."

Zhu Han did not move, but slowly turned around: "Pay attention to the names of these people, they are the true confidants of the Crown Prince."

Huang Qi accepted the order and left. Zhu Han stepped out of the side hall and looked at the long line of scholars outside the hall with a distant gaze.

After the Wenchang Hall examination, the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace posted a notice, without ranking the candidates or distinguishing between first and second place. Only thirty essays were selected and hung at the Zhaode Gate outside the Imperial City, and were called the "Collected Essays List".

Zhu Biao personally inscribed the first line of the plaque: "Those who discuss politics should not be concerned with social status, but only with gains and losses."

This move shocked the government and the public.

Among those thirty essays were those written by sons of prominent families, as well as those by impoverished scholars from humble backgrounds. Two of them were signed only with the words "a student from a village school," without even daring to write their names.

The court officials discussed it endlessly.

Minister of Rites Li Chengbing was the first to speak: "The Crown Prince's method of joint consultation not only allows him to listen to the wise men of the land, but also obtains the truth of the opinions of the masses, which is in line with the principles of law and classics."

Han Fu, the Vice Minister of War, placed great emphasis on the two military strategy topics, praising them highly: "Spring frost damaging the wheat is a common disaster, but the conflict between farmers and soldiers is a sign of a change in people's hearts. The strategy mentions the idea of ​​'not seizing farmland to build military farms,' which is a profound understanding of the integration of military and political affairs."

Among the essays, one titled "Education in the Village, Etiquette in the Teacher, and Books in the Person" was compiled by the Secretariat into the "Collection of Imperial Policy Questions," but it was signed "Li Weiming, a student from the western border of Tongzhou."

Upon learning of this name, Zhu Biao remained silent for a long time before issuing an order: "Summon Li Weiming to the Imperial Academy, grant him a place of study, and provide him with books and food every year." He also ordered: "Give his family three shi of white rice to alleviate their poverty."

When Zhu Han learned of this, he simply nodded: "He's selecting people, and he's also establishing his reputation."

Three days after the Crown Prince devised his plan, some civil officials had already secretly switched sides, and there were also whispers of change in the military staff.

Inside the Prince's mansion, Huang Qi entered the inner hall carrying a scroll of secret reports.

"Your Highness, Zhao Yi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, submitted a memorial to the Secretariat this morning, with the note that 'the Crown Prince's political style can continue the ancestral will.' This person is a former subordinate of the Prince of Yan."

Zhu Han raised an eyebrow slightly: "He finally moved."

"Zhao Yi had remained neutral in the previous dynasty for many years, and this move was clearly a statement of his position."

Zhu Han strolled slowly, his gaze falling on the loquat tree in the courtyard, which was in the midst of new blossoms, a mix of yellow and green.

"Zhu Biao's questioning was both a selection of virtuous men and a demonstration of power. If he cannot win over people like Zhao Yi, he will ultimately be nothing more than a 'son of a prince's household'."

Huang Qi asked, "Then, Your Highness, shall you act accordingly?"

“No rush.” Zhu Han turned around, his gaze steady. “Since I am here to assist him, I cannot take the lead. If he wants to establish his authority, I will step back.”

"If he loses power, I will save him; if he gains power, I will step down to protect him."

After saying that, he unfolded the scroll and read through the policy documents one by one. The titles of each document were familiar, but the signatures were unfamiliar.

“This person…” he pointed to one of the pages, “Lin Jun? A descendant of a minor family in Yangzhou? This scholarly air… is like the old family style of Gu Qingping before she entered the palace.”

“Lin Jun is indeed an old relative of the Gu family. He studied at the Gu family's private school when he was young,” Huang Qi replied.

Zhu Han narrowed his eyes: "Give this guy a try."

In the Eastern Palace Library, Zhu Biao personally summoned Lin Jun.

He was a young man dressed in a coarse blue robe, with clear features and a slender build.

He walked to the front of the pavilion, bowed three times and knelt down: "Your humble servant Lin Jun greets Your Highness."

Zhu Biao laughed and said, "In your policy, you said, 'Teachers should not be entrusted with official positions, rites should not be suspended by law, and books should not be confined to temples.' What is the meaning of this sentence?"

Lin Jun dared not raise his head, but answered decisively: "Teaching must enter the hearts of the people, etiquette must originate from the countryside, and books should not be hidden in the halls of gentry and temples, but should be returned to the people in the fields."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly: "Good courage and insight. Would you be willing to temporarily assist me in managing the school affairs?"

"I am willing to serve Your Highness with my writings."

Zhu Biao stood up and personally helped him up: "From today onwards, you will serve as the Assistant Director of the Eastern Palace Academy and concurrently as the Draft Director of the Advisory Hall. If you can truly establish a school in your hometown, I, Zhu Biao, will give you ten years of service."

Lin Jun kowtowed in gratitude, overwhelmed with emotion.

Gu Qingping stood outside the door and came over upon hearing the sound.

She watched Lin Jun's retreating figure and said softly, "This man once studied at my Gu family's school. Although his writing skills were poor, his ambitions were far-reaching."

Zhu Biao nodded: "He is the person we need." Gu Qingping looked at him, a gentle light flashing in her eyes: "You are becoming more and more like the Imperial Uncle."

Zhu Biao was taken aback, then smiled: "If I really became him, the world would probably have one more sword of unparalleled sharpness."

“But you are the hilt of the sword,” Gu Qingping said slowly. “He can wield it, but the one who holds the hilt is you.”

The two looked at each other and smiled. The warm light of the Eastern Palace lamps shone down, reflecting on the thousands of scrolls of documents on the desk.

Prince Jin, the fourth son of the emperor and Zhu Biao's nominal younger brother, is stationed in the northern garrison. In reality, he is the sharpest competitor.

"The Emperor has summoned the Crown Prince several times recently for meetings, which have lasted for five days."

Zhu Di toyed with an iris wood carving pen and sneered, "I returned from the border and reported twice, only to receive a single 'I know' in response."

Inside the study of the Prince of Yan's residence, his trusted confidant Zhang Yu stood to one side with his hands clasped in a gesture of respect: "Your Highness, the Crown Prince's power is now rising. This is not a border dispute, but a struggle for power in the court. If we do not seize this opportunity to stop it, any further action in the future will likely draw criticism from the entire nation."

Zhu Di swept his cold gaze across the room: "You think I don't know?"

"But if I show my talents again, my father will surely become suspicious."

“Instead…” he exhaled slowly, then suddenly said, one word at a time, “we should borrow the strength of others to break their momentum.”

Zhang Yu's eyes gleamed: "Your Highness is referring to... Wen Jin, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War?"

Zhu Di nodded: "He originally came from the royal family and was once a member of Wei Hong's faction. Although he was not involved in Wei Hong's case, he had many connections with former officials of the royal family. If we let him propose the military system, it will put the Crown Prince in a difficult position—why not?"

Zhang Yu pondered: "Although he is ambitious, he is also very cautious."

“Then give him a chance,” Zhu Di said softly. “Let him feel that he is the one who can balance the Prince’s Palace and the Crown Prince’s Palace.”

Zhang Yuxin understood immediately: "I will make the arrangements right away."

A few days later, a memorial was presented to the Emperor at the Ministry of War.

The memorial came from Wen Jin, and its main point was clear: "Please establish a Bureau of Censors to command the miscellaneous troops outside the Three Guards, in order to meet the needs of court discussions."

This memorial appears flawless on the surface, but in reality it subtly implies a desire to "reduce power."

Since the Three Guards were the Three Camps of Fenwu, which were directly under the control of the Crown Prince, Wen Jin's proposal to "bring miscellaneous troops under the command" would, if implemented, be equivalent to bypassing the Crown Prince and starting anew.

Furthermore, he divided military power in two, breaking its unified control.

On the day the memorial was presented, Zhu Yuanzhang did not utter a word, but only sent someone to summon Zhu Han to the palace.

"What do you think?"

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Zhu Yuanzhang pushed the memorial in front of Zhu Han.

Zhu Han didn't even look at it, only saying indifferently, "This person should be dismissed."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised an eyebrow: "Are you being unreasonable?"

"It's not that we don't talk about it, it's that we talk about it more thoroughly."

Zhu Han stood up and walked to the side. “Wen Jin’s move, on the surface, is to relieve the worries of the court, but in reality, it is to divide the Eastern Palace. Moreover, the timing, angle, and wording of the proposal are all very sophisticated, which means that there is a strategist behind him.”

"If no one had instigated them, how could they have dared to propose military reforms while the influence of the Ce Tang dynasty was still strong?"

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a long time, then suddenly said slowly, "You mean... someone is using the Ministry of War to test the Crown Prince?"

Zhu Han turned around, his gaze cold and stern: "Your Majesty might as well think about it, who benefits the most from this memorial? It's not Wen Jin. It's those who want the Crown Prince to return to the position of 'all talk and no action'."

"You mean Si'er?"

Zhu Han did not answer.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Palace, Zhu Biao had already learned of the Ministry of War's memorial.

Gu Qingping frowned: "This person is dividing his forces to discuss strategies, which is probably not aimed at your Eastern Palace alone, but rather at destroying your foundation."

Zhu Biao remained calm and said in a deep voice, "If he dares to make a accusation, I dare to defend myself."

"But if you personally submit the memorial, it will only make you appear to be in disarray."

Zhu Biao pondered for a long time, then suddenly ordered, "Please summon Lin Jun."

A moment later, Lin Jun arrived.

Zhu Biao picked up his pen without saying a word, only handing him a draft: "Can you revise it?"

Upon reading it, Lin Jun's expression grew even calmer: "Your Highness's strategy is not a rebuttal, but a countermeasure?"

“Exactly,” Zhu Biao said in a deep voice. “He said that the miscellaneous soldiers should be placed under the supervision of the military, so I proposed to establish a military register and set up files. Although it is called being placed under supervision, it is actually part of the system established by the Crown Prince’s laws.”

"If he dares to fight this time, it means he admits that he is beyond the control of foreign officials; if he retreats, then his military power has already been taken over by me."

Lin Jun cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Highness is wise."

Three days later, the Crown Prince submitted a memorial stating:
“An army cannot be governed without a system. If an inspection office is to be set up for miscellaneous soldiers, the registration system, the troop register, and the drill inspection should be discussed first before it can be implemented.”

When the courtiers heard the report, not one dared to voice any opposition.

The discussion between Wen Jin and others fell silent instantly. Even Zhu Di, upon hearing it, could only sneer: "This kid... he's one step ahead of me."

Inside the Prince's residence, Zhu Han looked at the Crown Prince's memorial, remained silent for a long time, and then smiled and said, "He has already begun to retaliate, not letting me get involved."

Huang Qi said, "If this move succeeds, the military system of the Crown Prince will be even more stable."

Zhu Han looked out the window: "Go and visit the Ministry of War."

"What to do?"

"Remove Wen Jin."

Huang Qi was taken aback: "Isn't it to expose him for longer?"

Zhu Han shook his head: "That's enough. He's already given himself away. Letting him stay any longer would be a mistake."

Huang Qi accepted the order and left.

Spring is gradually deepening in the capital. Magnolias along the imperial road are beginning to bloom, their white blossoms resembling snow, yet they cannot conceal the impending storm brewing within the palace.

Zhu Han stood by the window of the south tower of the Prince's Mansion, quietly listening to the wind blowing through the eaves and stirring the red gauze curtains of the corner tower, while Huang Qi's voice remained as steady as ever:

"The Crown Prince's proposal on the military register system has been recorded in the official annals. The Ministry of War followed suit, and the Left Vice Minister Wen Jin resigned the next day, claiming that he was old and frail. The Emperor did not say anything and let him go."

Zhu Han nodded: "He knows when to advance and when to retreat, so he can still save his life."

"Although the three strategies proposed by the Crown Prince are not particularly powerful, they are all carefully considered and progressively sound. There are already whispers in the court: 'The Prince should step down, and the Crown Prince should rise.'"

Zhu Han chuckled lightly: "Whether to retreat or not is not up to me, but up to him."

He paused, then slowly said, "Weapons are the backbone of power; words are the veins of power. Now that the backbone is stable, it is time to unblock the veins."

Huang Qi was slightly taken aback: "Your Highness means—the Ministry of Personnel?"

“No, the Ministry of Personnel is the flesh and blood, but the true vein lies in the Hanlin Academy.” Zhu Han turned and sat down, his eyes gleaming.

"His Majesty has always trusted the 'censors,' and the head of the censors is the Hanlin Academy. The Hanlin Academy is in charge of drafting imperial edicts, managing official documents, and commenting on politics. Although they do not hold power, they can still establish influence. If Zhu Biao wants to secure the reputation of the Crown Prince, he must gain the power to speak out."

“And you,” Zhu Han looked at him, “go to the Hanlin Academy for me and meet someone—Wang Ji.”

"Wang Ji? A former compiler in the Hanlin Academy who was later transferred to the Ministry of War as a councilor?" Huang Qi asked doubtfully.

“Indeed.” Zhu Han’s eyes were calm. “He is quick-witted and sharp-tongued, and back then he dared to directly confront the opinions of the veteran minister Wei Hong. If he hadn’t been transferred to the Ministry of War to suppress his brilliance, there would be few who could rival him among the Hanlin scholars today.” (End of this chapter)