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

Zhu Han's gaze sharpened; Han Zhong still maintained ties with the old party in Yanhe.

He remained calm, waiting for the man to approach the box to examine it before suddenly appearing, grabbing his wrist and twisting it behind his back, and demanding in a low voice, "How did you contact Nan Si? Where is the item you requested three days ago hidden?"

Han Zhong turned around in shock and saw that it was Zhu Han. He immediately collapsed to his knees and said, "Your Highness, please forgive me! I was unaware that Your Excellency had been exiled! I was merely following orders to transfer goods and did not dare to pry into the details!"

"Nonsense!" Zhu Han snapped. "I'm asking you: were the 'musicians' sent to the Eastern Palace arranged beforehand?"

Han Zhong, the Great Khan, reported: "Your Highness, the musicians were brought to the palace two days ago. They are named 'Wanhe' and 'Churan,' and were recommended by the head of the West Market troupe. They are not actually from the inner court!"

Zhu Han said in a deep voice, "This scoundrel is indeed cunning, attempting to disrupt the ceremony of the Crown Prince's Palace with his tricks! — Guards, bind this scoundrel and send him to the Prince's residence!"

The attendants responded and led Han Zhong away.

Upon receiving the news, Zhu Biao immediately sealed off the side courtyard where the musicians lived.

Zhu Biao ordered his guards to surround the house, then went in personally and kicked open the door. Inside, two women were kneeling on the bed, trembling all over.

"Who are you? You pretend to be entertainers, but you are actually spies!" Zhu Biao questioned sternly.

"Your Highness, spare us!" one of them cried out. "We were originally courtesans from the West Market. We were summoned here at a high price, told only that we were to perform in the palace, and were not told anything else!"

Zhu Biao's gaze darkened as he scanned an object in the room, discovering a silk scroll hidden inside a folded harp.

He drew his sword and parted the satin layer, revealing several pages of paper with the words "The Minister of Rites Discusses the Reduction of the Crown Prince's Palace" written on them.

"As expected, they are trying to frame me!" Zhu Biao was furious. He turned around and ordered, "Tie him up and send him before the Emperor. Tell him about the deliberate framing."

The following morning, Zhu Yuanzhang sat on his throne, listened to the two reports, and coldly said, word by word:
"The weaving workshops and music halls are both under my very noses, yet some of their poison still lingers? Your Highness, Crown Prince, I order you to investigate thoroughly. When will you eradicate them completely?"

Zhu Han kowtowed solemnly: "Your Majesty, this matter has reached its final stage. If we do not rectify the troupe leaders of the West Market and the old officials of the Inner Court now, disaster will strike again in the future."

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the imperial desk: "Issue an order to seal off the West Market for three days. Order the Directorate of Ceremonial to investigate and compare the reports one by one! Order the Embroidered Uniform Guard to accompany the Crown Prince to thoroughly investigate the origins of the foreign entertainers and make sure to find their roots."

"Yes!" Zhu Biao and Zhu Han answered in unison, their eyes meeting as they stood up, both filled with fighting spirit.

The West Market was sealed off for three days, causing widespread panic among the locals.

Zhu Biao personally led the Embroidered Uniform Guard to conduct door-to-door checks, while Zhu Han led Qi Qian and Li Fengxing to conduct secret investigations deep within the city.

On the surface, the West Market appears to be an ordinary market, but in reality, it is a melting pot of all sorts of people, with all walks of life hiding there. Behind those troupe leaders, matchmakers, and itinerant performers, who knows how many complicated relationships are involved.

Zhu Han led the two into a seemingly ordinary teahouse. There weren't many people in the teahouse; a few old tables were set up, and a few old tea drinkers were chatting casually.

Zhu Han chose a corner to sit down, while Qi Qian and Li Fengxing stood behind him, seemingly casually but actually vigilantly observing their surroundings.

"Manager, bring me a pot of good tea," Zhu Han said softly, his voice not loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet teahouse.

A short, stout middle-aged man swaggered out from the back room, a fake smile plastered on his face: "Sir, you've come at the right time. My teahouse may be small, but it has good tea, top-grade Longjing. Would you like to try some?"

As he spoke, he picked up a rough pottery teapot and began to brew tea.

Zhu Han nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on the shopkeeper's face for a moment: "Shopkeeper, doing business in this West Market, you must know quite a few people, right?"

The shopkeeper's hand trembled, and a few drops of tea spilled out. He quickly wiped them with his sleeve and said with a forced smile, "Sir, you're too kind. It's a small business; how could I possibly know anyone? Just some neighbors."

Zhu Han's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile: "Really? But I've heard that there's a troupe leader in the West Market who has connections everywhere. Surely the shopkeeper knows him?"

The shopkeeper's face turned deathly pale instantly, and he almost dropped the teapot in his hand. He forced himself to remain calm and said, "Sir, what are you saying? I'm just a small teahouse owner, how could I possibly know any troupe leader?"

Zhu Han's eyes turned cold. He stood up, walked to the shopkeeper, and looked him straight in the eye: "Shopkeeper, you'd better think carefully before you answer. Deceiving me is a capital offense."

The shopkeeper knelt on the ground with a thud, trembling all over: "Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me! I do know the troupe leader of the West Market, but I really didn't do anything wrong!"

Zhu Han crouched down and said softly, "As long as you tell the truth, I won't make things difficult for you. Where is the troupe leader of the West Market now? What connection does he still have with the Yanhe old party?"

The shopkeeper swallowed hard and said, "Your Highness, the troupe leader of the West Market is usually unpredictable, but every few days he goes to an abandoned temple in the west of the city, saying he's going to worship some god. I think he might be meeting someone there."

As for his connections with the Yanhe old party, all I know is that he once received a sum of money, supposedly to arrange for two women to enter the palace. Beyond that, I truly know nothing.

Zhu Han stood up and gave Qi Qian and Li Fengxing a wink: "Take him back and keep a close watch on him. Don't let him escape." Then he turned to the shopkeeper and said, "If you behave yourself, I'll guarantee your life. If you dare to play tricks, hmph!"

The shopkeeper kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Highness, rest assured, I would never dare to play any tricks."

Zhu Han led Qi Qian and Li Fengxing away from the teahouse and headed straight for the abandoned temple in the west of the city.

The temple was dilapidated, its gate half-closed, overgrown with weeds, and filled with a gloomy atmosphere.

Zhu Han cautiously entered the temple, looking around, when he suddenly heard a deep voice coming from the backyard.

He gestured to Qi Qian and Li Fengxing to keep quiet, then quietly walked towards the backyard.

In a dilapidated house in the backyard, Zhu Han saw two figures talking through the crack in the door.

One of them was the troupe leader of Xishi, and the other was a person dressed in a black robe and wearing a bamboo hat, whose face could not be seen.

"How's it going?" the man in black asked in a low, hoarse, and sinister voice.

The troupe leader of the West Market quickly said, "Don't worry, sir. Those two women have successfully infiltrated the Eastern Palace. As long as we follow the plan, we will surely be able to leave the Crown Prince speechless."

The man in black sneered, "Hmph, Zhu Biao, daring to oppose us, this is his fate. However, you'd better be careful, neither Zhu Han nor Zhu Biao are easy to mess with."

The troupe leader of the West Market nodded and bowed: "Don't worry, sir. I'm always careful in my work and won't leave any evidence against me."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han could no longer contain his anger. He kicked open the door and shouted, "How dare you!"

The troupe leader of the West Market and the man in black were startled by this sudden turn of events. The troupe leader looked at Zhu Han in horror: "You...you are Zhu Han?"

Zhu Han said coldly, "That's right, it is I. You dared to collude with the Yanhe old faction and attempt to murder the Crown Prince. Today is your death day!"

The man in black robes suddenly let out a strange laugh: "Zhu Han, do you think you can catch us?" As he spoke, he pulled a dagger from his sleeve and lunged at Zhu Han.

Zhu Han dodged the attack by sidestepping, then kicked the man's wrist, sending the dagger clattering to the ground. Qi Qian and Li Fengxing immediately rushed forward, engaging the man in black robes and the troupe leader of the West Market in a fierce fight.

Zhu Han took the opportunity to carefully observe the man in black robes and found that he was very agile and obviously a trained fighter.

Moreover, although he was at a disadvantage, he did not panic at all. Instead, he would occasionally use some insidious tricks to try to break through.

"Qi Qian, Li Fengxing, be careful, this guy is not simple!" Zhu Han shouted a warning.

Just then, the man in black robes suddenly pulled out a black pill from his pocket, stuffed it into his mouth, and then with a burst of strength, broke free from Qi Qian and Li Fengxing's entanglement and ran towards the outside of the temple.

Zhu Han's heart tightened, and he shouted, "We can't let him get away! Chase him!"

The three immediately gave chase, but the man in black robes ran extremely fast and disappeared into the streets and alleys in the blink of an eye.

Zhu Han stopped and looked around, but couldn't see the man in black.

"Your Highness, what do we do now?" Qi Qian asked, panting heavily.

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and said, "The identity of this man in black robes is unknown, but he is definitely closely related to the Yanhe Old Party. We can't let him get away like this. Qi Qian, you go back to the palace immediately and tell the Crown Prince about the situation here, so that he can strengthen the defenses of the Eastern Palace. Li Fengxing, you take your men and continue searching in the West Market to see if you can find any clues about the man in black robes."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Qi Qian and Li Fengxing replied in unison, and then each went to carry out their orders.

Zhu Han continued searching for the man in black robes alone along the streets and alleys.

As he walked, he pondered the identity and purpose of the man in black.

Suddenly, he heard a soft footstep coming from behind him. His heart tightened, and he immediately turned around, only to see a man in black holding a long sword, thrusting it towards him.

Zhu Han dodged the sword with a sidestep, then quickly drew his own sword and engaged in fierce combat with the man in black.

The man in black was just as skilled as the man in black robes, and his sword moves were so fierce that Zhu Han was caught off guard.

"Who exactly are you? Why have you repeatedly tried to harm me and the Crown Prince?" Zhu Han asked loudly.

The man in black sneered, "Zhu Han, you don't need to know who I am. You just need to know that your Zhu family's rule won't last long!" As he spoke, his sword strikes became even more ruthless, aiming for Zhu Han's vital points.

Enraged, Zhu Han concentrated his energy and unleashed his swordsmanship, engaging in a thrilling duel with the man in black.

The two exchanged blows, their swords flashing, and for a time it was difficult to determine a winner.

Just as Zhu Han was starting to feel weak, he suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching from afar.

Immediately afterwards, a group of Imperial Guards rushed over and surrounded the man in black.

It turned out that Zhu Biao, upon learning the news, was worried about Zhu Han's safety and immediately led the Imperial Guards to provide support.

"Uncle, are you alright?" Zhu Biao asked anxiously.

Zhu Han, panting heavily, said, "I'm fine. This man in black is of unknown identity. We must catch him!"

The Imperial Guards swarmed forward and engaged in a fierce battle with the men in black.

Although the man in black was highly skilled, he was ultimately outnumbered and gradually began to falter.

Just as he was preparing to break through again, suddenly, a hidden arrow shot from a distance and hit him squarely in the back.

The man in black screamed and fell to the ground.

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao rushed forward to check, only to find that the man in black had already died.

Zhu Biao frowned and said, "Uncle, the man in black is dead, and the clues have gone cold again."

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and said, "Although the man in black is dead, he is definitely not the mastermind. We must continue to investigate and wipe out all the remnants of the Yanhe old party."

Zhu Biao nodded and said, "Uncle is right. I will return to the palace now and discuss with Father Emperor how to intensify the investigation."

The candlelight flickered in the study, illuminating the serious faces of everyone present.

The occasional hooting of owls outside the window added to the tense atmosphere.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar, followed by the high-pitched voice of a palace eunuch outside the door: "Your Highness, the Emperor urgently summons you to the palace!"

Zhu Han's heart skipped a beat. He quickly stood up, straightening his slightly wrinkled clothes as he said to his staff, "Wait here for me, I'll be right back."

After saying that, she followed the eunuch and walked quickly toward the palace.

Throughout the journey, he frowned, pondering to himself why his elder brother had summoned him so urgently.

Upon arriving at the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Han saw Zhu Yuanzhang sitting solemnly on the dragon throne, his already resolute face now appearing even more frosty.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao was also standing to the side, his expression equally serious, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, what is the urgent matter that you have summoned me to?" Zhu Han stepped forward, knelt on one knee, bowed, and asked.

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and said in a deep voice, "Brother Han, there have been some unsettling movements in the court recently. Several ministers have jointly submitted a memorial, saying that Biao'er is still too young and may not be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the crown prince, and they want me to appoint another crown prince!"

Zhu Han was startled, as if he had been punched hard. Someone in the court dared to openly challenge the position of Crown Prince; it was simply outrageous.

He suddenly raised his head and turned to look at Zhu Biao. He saw a trace of worry flash in Zhu Biao's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, and his eyes revealed a kind of determination and forbearance.

"Brother, such remarks are utterly absurd!"

Zhu Han said indignantly, his voice rising slightly with excitement, "His Highness the Crown Prince is benevolent, kind, intelligent, and studious. He has been learning the ways of governing the country from his elder brother since childhood, and now he manages the affairs of the Eastern Palace in an orderly manner. How can he be said to be incapable of shouldering heavy responsibilities? Those ministers who speak so recklessly must have ulterior motives!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes, and said, "I know that Biao'er is capable, but the person behind this is stirring up trouble. If we don't investigate and deal with him, it could cause great trouble. The court is in a state of panic right now. If this matter is not handled properly, it could lead to even greater turmoil."

Zhu Han pondered for a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he quickly thought of a solution. He said, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, this matter needs to be addressed from two aspects."

On the one hand, they secretly investigated the masterminds behind these ministers who jointly submitted the petition, to see who was stirring up trouble and what kind of forces were supporting them.
On the other hand, this opportunity also allows His Highness the Crown Prince to demonstrate his abilities in court, silencing the gossips and letting those with ulterior motives know that His Highness is capable of shouldering great responsibilities. (End of Chapter)