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

One day, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Zhu Han and Zhu Biao to the palace and said with a happy expression, "You two have worked hard these past few days. The policy of giving important positions to people from humble backgrounds has been implemented very smoothly, and the atmosphere in the court has also greatly improved. I have decided to reward you two handsomely."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao hurriedly knelt down to express their gratitude: "This is all due to the Emperor's (Father's) wise decision. We have only done our duty."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily and said, "You don't need to be modest. Come, tell me what reward you want?"

Zhu Han thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I have no other wish than that the Ming Dynasty will prosper and that the people will live in peace and happiness."

Zhu Biao also said, "Father, I only wish to share your burdens and do my part for the Ming Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang was even more pleased: "You two are truly my right and left arms. In that case, I will bestow upon each of you a gold token granting immunity from death, as a sign of my trust and high regard for you."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao knelt down again to express their gratitude: "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty (Father)."

That day, Zhu Han was discussing business development strategies with his advisors in the garden of the Prince's Mansion when the steward rushed over and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince has sent a secret letter saying that he has important matters to discuss and requests that you go to the East Palace immediately."

Zhu Han frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

He rose and said to his advisors, "Let's put today's matter aside for now and discuss it again when I return." After saying this, he hurriedly changed into civilian clothes, took a few trusted followers, and rode at full speed to the Eastern Palace.

Upon arriving at the East Palace, Zhu Biao was already waiting in the study.

Upon seeing Zhu Han arrive, he hurriedly stepped forward and said with a solemn expression, "Uncle, something terrible has happened! Recently, there has been an undercurrent in the court, and it seems that someone is secretly plotting a conspiracy to harm me."

Zhu Han's heart tightened, and he hurriedly asked, "Biao'er, please tell me in detail what exactly happened?"

Zhu Biao took a deep breath and said, "These past few days, I've noticed that some ministers' attitudes towards me have become quite subtle. On the surface, they are very respectful to me, but their eyes reveal a strange look. Moreover, my spies in the court reported that several ministers from powerful families were secretly meeting, seemingly discussing some important matter, and they even mentioned my name."

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and said, "Biao'er, this matter should not be underestimated. There must be a mastermind behind this. Have you thought about who it might be?"

Zhu Biao hesitated for a moment, then said, "After much thought, I think the most likely candidate is Prince Jin, Zhu Gang. He has always coveted the position of Crown Prince. He must have been dissatisfied when he saw that my policy of promoting talented people from humble backgrounds had won the support of the Emperor and many ministers in the court. Now that the situation in the court is gradually stabilizing, he may feel that the time is right and wants to take this opportunity to bring me down."

Zhu Han nodded slightly: "Biao'er is right. This Zhu Gang is ruthless and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. If it really was him, we must be careful. However, at present we are only speculating and have no solid evidence, so we must not alert him."

Zhu Biao said anxiously, "Uncle, what should we do? If we let their conspiracy succeed, I'm afraid I'll lose my position as crown prince."

A glint of wisdom flashed in Zhu Han's eyes as he said, "Biao'er, don't be hasty. We might as well turn the tables on them and set a trap to make them slip up on their own."

Zhu Biao's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "Uncle, what brilliant plan do you have?"

Zhu Han leaned closer to Zhu Biao and whispered, "We can deliberately propose a policy that is detrimental to the powerful families in court, provoking them to oppose it. The mastermind behind it will then take the opportunity to incite more ministers against us in order to advance the conspiracy. At that time, we can secretly observe and find out those ministers who are colluding with Zhu Gang."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao couldn't help but give a thumbs up: "Uncle, you're brilliant! In this way, we can not only expose the mastermind behind the scenes, but also let Father see the true colors of those ministers."

Zhu Han added, "However, this matter must be done discreetly, so that Zhu Gang does not find out. Moreover, when implementing this policy, we must be careful to strike a balance, so as to provoke opposition from the powerful families, but also to prevent them from feeling that we are deliberately targeting them."

Zhu Biao nodded and said, "Uncle, rest assured, I will act with caution."

A few days later, Zhu Biao proposed a policy in the imperial court to impose heavy taxes on some of the properties of powerful families.

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the court.

Several ministers from prominent families immediately stood up to oppose it, with Li Shanchang, the Minister of Personnel, being the most vehement.

Li Shanchang stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “Your Highness, this policy must not be implemented. The businesses of powerful clans are an important pillar of the Ming Dynasty’s economy. If heavy taxes are levied, it will inevitably lead to difficulties for them, which will in turn affect the economic stability of the Ming Dynasty. I urge Your Highness to reconsider.”

Other ministers echoed this sentiment, and soon, voices of opposition rose and fell throughout the court.

Zhu Biao was secretly delighted, but on the surface he pretended to be very troubled and said, "What the ministers say makes sense. However, the national treasury is empty now. If we do not levy heavy taxes, I am afraid it will be difficult to maintain the expenses of the court. I wonder if any of the ministers have a better solution?"

Just then, Zhu Gang suddenly stood up and sneered, "Your Highness, in my opinion, this policy of imposing heavy taxes is merely a temporary solution. If we want to solve the problem of the empty treasury, we need to start from other aspects."

Zhu Biao's heart tightened; he knew Zhu Gang had taken the bait. He feigned surprise and asked, "What brilliant idea does the Prince of Jin have?"

Zhu Gang smiled smugly and said, "I think we should reduce the official positions and salaries of those from poor families. They are already from humble backgrounds and do not need excessive treatment. In this way, we can save a lot of expenses and replenish the national treasury."

Upon hearing this, the ministers from humble backgrounds in the imperial court were immediately filled with righteous indignation.

An imperial censor from a humble background stepped forward and loudly retorted, "Prince Jin, you are mistaken! Scholars from humble backgrounds who have earned their official positions through their own efforts and served the court deserve the treatment they are entitled to. If their official positions and salaries are reduced, wouldn't that chill the hearts of all the poor scholars in the land?"

Zhu Gang's face darkened, and he said, "You, a lowly official from a humble background, dare to defy me! Guards, drag him out and give him twenty strokes of the cane!"

Just then, Zhu Han suddenly stood up and shouted, "Prince Jin, wait! How can you act so recklessly in the court! What this censor said makes sense. People from humble backgrounds have made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty and should not be treated so unfairly."

Zhu Gang was furious when he saw that it was Zhu Han, but he dared not show it.

He suppressed his anger and said, "Uncle, I am doing this for the sake of the court. If no measures are taken, the problem of the empty treasury will not be solved."

Zhu Han sneered, "The measures the Prince of Jin so-called are nothing more than suppressing the poor and currying favor with the powerful clans. You are secretly colluding with the ministers of these powerful clans, attempting to undermine His Highness the Crown Prince's policies. Your intentions are despicable!"

Zhu Gang's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly retorted, "Uncle, don't make false accusations! When have I ever secretly colluded with ministers from powerful families?"

Zhu Han smiled slightly and said, "Prince Jin, there's no need for you to make excuses. I have already obtained evidence of your secret meeting with Li Shanchang and others. You attempted to incite ministers against His Highness the Crown Prince's policies in order to overthrow the Crown Prince and seize his position, but unfortunately, your conspiracy has already been exposed by us."

Zhu Gang was shocked; he hadn't expected Zhu Han to have evidence against him.

But he was a seasoned veteran, and quickly regained his composure, saying, "Uncle, even if I met with Li Shanchang and others, it was merely to discuss state affairs; I had no other intentions. Don't frame me." Zhu Han had anticipated Zhu Gang's denial, and calmly took out a secret letter from his sleeve, handing it to Zhu Yuanzhang, saying, "Brother, this is a secret letter that our spies found in Zhu Gang's residence. It details his conspiracy with Li Shanchang and others to overthrow the Crown Prince. Please investigate thoroughly, Brother."

Zhu Yuanzhang took the secret letter, read it carefully, and his face turned very gloomy.

He glared at Zhu Gang and said, "Zhu Gang, how dare you commit such a treasonous act! Guards, take Zhu Gang to prison. I will deal with him after I have investigated the truth!"

When Zhu Gang realized that his scheme had been exposed, he collapsed to the ground.

As he was dragged away by the guards, he kept shouting, "Father, I'm innocent!"

Zhu Yuanzhang then looked at Li Shanchang and other ministers who had colluded with Zhu Gang, and said coldly, "As ministers of the court, you do not think of serving the court, but instead collude with the Prince of Jin to plot a rebellion. Your crimes are unforgivable! Guards, take them all to the prison and interrogate them severely!"

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Li Shanchang and the others knelt down and begged for mercy, but Zhu Yuanzhang remained unmoved.

Upon seeing this, the ministers in the court all fell silent, not daring to utter a sound.

After dealing with Zhu Gang and others, Zhu Yuanzhang kept Zhu Han and Zhu Biao behind.

He said with emotion, "Today's events are all thanks to you two, uncle and nephew. If you hadn't seen through Zhu Gang's conspiracy, I would have truly been kept in the dark."

Zhu Han hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, you flatter me. This is what I should do. However, after this incident, I'm afraid the court will be in a state of panic. Your Majesty needs to appease the ministers as soon as possible and stabilize the situation in the court."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said, "Zhu Han is absolutely right. I will handle this matter as soon as possible and restore the court to its former tranquility. Biao'er, you must also learn from this lesson and be more cautious in your actions in the future."

The air was filled with the fragrance of flowers, accompanied by the chirping of swallows. Zhu Biao rode slowly towards them on his green horse, its hooves making a crisp sound as they landed on the gravel path.

Zhu Han raised his head: "Biao'er, what do you mean by this?" Zhu Biao dismounted and bowed respectfully, but there was a worried look between his brows: "Yesterday, there was an undercurrent in the palace. Several important officials entered the palace in the middle of the night and held a secret meeting all night. They were then hastily dispersed by the guards. This morning, my nephew ordered the guards to search for them, but they found nothing. I'm afraid there is another trick in the dark."

Zhu Han lightly touched his lips and handed the teacup to Zhu Biao: "Drink this tea first, and I will go and investigate personally. Do not panic."

He smiled slightly, "Let's see today's sign-in task—'Visit the side hall of the East Palace and obtain clues.' Thank you for your hard work." Zhu Biao took the teacup and replied with a smile, "Thank you, Imperial Uncle."

The two walked side by side, heading deeper into the side hall.

Upon reaching the stone bridge, one sees the side hall, which had just been repaired yesterday, locked tightly, with red candles casting a dim light inside.

Zhu Han beckoned, ordering the craftsmen to unlock it. Everyone listened intently, and there seemed to be whispers inside the hall.

Pushing open the door, one sees flickering candlelight and several guards interrogating two clerks whose clothes are slightly disheveled.

Zhu Han stepped forward and said loudly, "Who dares to trespass into the side hall of the East Palace? This is a forbidden area. Quickly state your identity and the reason for your visit."

The head guard trembled as he reported, "Your Highness, the two clerks claimed they were ordered to retrieve some documents. Seeing the door unlocked, they entered without permission. The secret letter inside had vanished. They said, 'Your Highness has decreed this.'"

Upon seeing a prince from the Prince's residence approaching, one of the clerks hurriedly said, "Your Highness, we have no ill intentions. We only received a message from Zhu Gang's residence: 'Transmit the secret letter from us.' We dare not be negligent."

Zhu Han's expression changed, and his heart was suddenly filled with turmoil.

Just as he was about to ask for details, the clerk suddenly exclaimed, "Zhu Gang's treacherous intentions are obvious. He secretly passed around in the forest that day, saying, 'The Crown Prince's policies have reached their peak. We can use this opportunity to escape and wait for a chance to rise again.'"

Before he could finish speaking, a guard quickly covered his mouth and nose. Zhu Han, however, had already grasped the key point: "Take this person to the side hall and question him alone."

A moment later, Zhu Han moved to the center of the hall, and the candlelight shone on the clerk's terrified face.

He crouched down and said in a sinister voice, "Why reveal this now? If you tell the truth, you may not be implicated too deeply; if you have other secrets in mind, you will face certain death."

The clerk, drenched in sweat, finally broke down in tears: "We originally only wanted to retrieve the secret letter from Zhu Gang's residence, but after his confidants, Li Shanchang and others, met at night, they altered the Crown Prince's policy of heavy taxes into a 'cutting the burden on poor families' plan and presented it to the Emperor, causing the Crown Prince to lose face. If the secret letter falls into the Crown Prince's hands, he will find it difficult to speak, so we wanted to retrieve it. I was ordered to retrieve the document, but I was unaware of the truth. I beg Your Highness to investigate!"

Zhu Han was slightly annoyed, then suddenly raised his hand: "Go and invite the General and the Imperial Guards to come here and escort him to the yamen. After a thorough interrogation, we will discuss the punishment."

Turning to Zhu Biao, he said in a low voice, "Biao'er, did you hear that? Zhu Gang is indeed a master strategist. His previous plan was just a prelude. If we don't strike first today, we fear there will be a series of troubles to come."

Zhu Biao's expression was resolute: "With just your guidance, Imperial Uncle, I am willing to do my utmost." He looked up and asked, "Imperial Uncle, do you have a brilliant plan?"

Zhu Han lightly touched the corner of his lips, but did not rush to reply. He summoned two trusted confidants and said, "Come with me to the Zichen Palace to pay homage to my elder brother and explain this matter. At the same time, order the Imperial Guards to be on high alert outside to prevent Zhu Gang from spying. As for the inside agents, we can only take action after the secret agents report back."

Before Zhu Biao could ask any more questions, Zhu Han secretly considered the next move: first, feign weakness to lower the opponent's guard, and then gradually take control of the overall situation.

"The sign-in task - 'Visit the Zichen Palace and complete the remonstrance trigger' is ready."

He was secretly delighted as the system notification sounded softly, as if it had opened a door to foresight for him.

At noon, news broke in the palace that the day's court audience had been postponed.

Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the dragon throne and looked down at more than ten court officials: "Today, the Crown Prince has presented many matters. I need to discuss national affairs with you all. We cannot act rashly."

Seeing that the situation was still uncertain, Li Shanchang and the others lowered their heads and remained silent, secretly glancing around.

Zhu Gang's face was grim, but he dared not act rashly.

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao stood side by side at the side of the hall. Seeing their solemn expressions, Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and ordered Zhu Han to go inside to report on matters. (End of this chapter)