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

The night was deep and the dew was heavy; the palace was as silent as death.

The lights in the west study of the Prince's mansion were still on, and the candlelight made Zhu Han's eyes appear colder and deeper.

The "sponsor's notebook" lay open in front of him, almost every page worn rough from his frequent flipping, as if he were trying to pull an invisible enemy out of the ink stains.

“Uncle.” Zhu Biao pushed open the door and entered, carrying a stack of newly copied rosters in his arms. “All the work that the Gu family of the Imperial Clan Court has taken on for the past three years, the work for the Ministry of Works, the exchanges with the Imperial Academy, and the financial aid from the academies are all here. The more I look at it, the less it resembles a member of the Imperial Clan.”

"They are not royalty, they are merchants."

Zhu Han took the booklet and lightly tapped a line of numbers with his fingertip. "See? In three years, the amount of money the Gu family spent was almost equivalent to the annual expenditure of the three prefectures. They used the banner of the imperial family to do business. They weren't selling goods, they were selling 'hearts'."

Zhu Biao frowned: "You can sell 'heart'?"

“Of course,” Zhu Han said in a low voice, “'The heart' is the most expensive commodity. If you laugh, they sell shame; if you are angry, they peddle justice; if you are afraid, they promote the art of 'purifying the heart.' Wherever the human heart is moved, there is a path to money and power.”

As he spoke, he paused, pointing to the three characters "Gu Yingtai": "And the chief accountant for their 'Heart Prison' transaction was Gu Yingtai."

“Uncle, Gu Yingtai is the chief historian of the Imperial Clan Court, and the person in charge of clan affairs…”

Zhu Biao lowered his voice, "If we really take action against him, it might cause a stir among the imperial clan."

“So we can’t ‘move’.” Zhu Han looked out the window at the night sky. “We can only ‘wrap’ it.”

"A set?" Zhu Biao looked at him, his eyes gradually brightening.

"Now that the net has been spread throughout the city, let us weave an even finer one."

Zhu Han said, “The Gu family uses ‘laughter’ to start their net, and we will use ‘righteousness’ to cast our hook. Remember this—what those who sell hearts fear most is not the law or weapons, but the ‘fame’ they rely on for profit.”

"name?"

“Yes,” Zhu Han said slowly. “What the Gu family is selling is the name of ‘public opinion’ and the name of ‘the heart is the law of heaven.’ If we use the same name to trick them in return, they will have no choice but to show themselves.”

"Uncle means..."

“Make 'righteous board'.

"A 'Yi Ban'?" Zhu Biao was taken aback. "How is it different from a 'Ding Guang Ban'?"

“‘Fixed light board’ is to reflect one’s own heart, ‘righteousness board’ is to write one’s own words.”

Zhu Han's gaze was profound. "Those who write the inscription must write a sentence: 'Does what I do conform to the principles of Heaven? Does it conform to the will of the people?' If this sentence is true, they dare to write their names; if it is false, they cannot write it. If the Gu family wants to continue to do business with 'heart,' they must have someone write the words 'for the people'—and at that moment, their 'false names' will collide with the true principles of righteousness."

Zhu Biao suddenly realized: "Use 'righteousness' to break their 'hearts,' and let them fall into the pit they dug themselves."

“Exactly.” Zhu Han stood up, put his hands behind his back, and looked deep. “The next step is to start with Gu Qingling. She is the most active member of the Gu family outside. Cut this thread, and the net will be half loosened.”

Two days later, outside the "Junyi" office in the southern city.

The dust of the post road was blowing in our faces. An ordinary painted carriage was parked beside the bluestone post road. Gu Qingling, dressed in a light blue shirt, stepped out of the carriage with light steps.

Two maids followed behind her, carrying a box of documents and a box of silk.

The courier bowed: "Please, Lady Gu—"

"I'm only delivering the items, I won't go inside," Gu Qingling said softly. "Just hand the items over to Manager Cao."

"Lord Cao is not here this morning," the courier replied. "If you, Lady, are unable to wait long, you may have me pass on your message."

"Forwarding is inappropriate." Gu Qingling frowned. "This item must be delivered in person."

After saying that, she turned to leave.

Just then, a cavalryman in red armor galloped up, carrying a roll of yellow silk in his arms. He dismounted and presented it, saying, "Chief Cao has an urgent message. He requests that Lady Gu proceed to the Iron Workshop in the western suburbs to meet him immediately!"

Gu Qingling's eyes flashed.

She hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "Let's go."

Two maids followed her as she boarded the carriage and drove towards the western suburbs.

The ironworks in the western suburbs have been abandoned for a long time, and now only broken walls remain, with the sound of wind carrying the smell of rust through them.

Gu Qingling got out of the carriage, hesitating slightly: "Where is Chief Secretary Cao?"

"Lady Gu." A man in a blue robe slowly turned around; it was Zhu Han.

Gu Qingling's expression changed instantly, and she took a step back: "Your Highness?"

"Why panic?" Zhu Han's voice was calm as still water. "Three days ago you entered the North City Ironworks, yesterday you sent someone to write lyrics at the entertainment district, and today you delivered goods to Junyi Station—you've been doing things with your heart, haven't you?"

Gu Qingling tightened her grip on her sleeve: "This humble woman is acting under orders."

"On whose orders?" Zhu Han asked.

"Naturally, it was dispatched by the Imperial Clan Court."

"How could I not know about the affairs of the Imperial Clan Court?"

Zhu Han approached step by step, "Gu Qingling, your life is not in the Imperial Clan Court."

Gu Qingling's expression changed, and she suddenly turned to leave, but several guards blocked her way in an instant.

She was forced to stand beside the abandoned furnace, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

"Your Highness, please do not wrong me!"

Her voice trembled slightly, "What I did was merely copy documents and correspondence; I never had any selfish motives."

"If you had no selfish motives, why did the 'Fox Heart Picture' come from your hand? Why did the money for the folk rhyme pass through your hands? Why did you sign off on the payment for the timber?"

Zhu Han pressed on relentlessly, each word like a nail piercing Gu Qingling's heart.

Gu Qingling swayed, her face turning pale.

After a long silence, she suddenly gave a bitter smile: "Since Your Highness already knows, why press me for an answer?"

“Because I want to hear it from you yourself.” Zhu Han stared into her eyes. “Who told you to do it?”

Gu Qingling bit her lip and remained silent, her fingertips turning white.

After a moment, she suddenly looked up, a touch of desolation in her eyes: "Your Highness, do you know that the Gu family, although a member of the imperial clan, has no title or honor? For hundreds of years, all we have is the four words 'name in the genealogy.' Our clan members are not allowed to serve in government, participate in politics, or enter the court. Our lineage has long been forgotten in the shadow of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Han's brow twitched slightly: "So you use 'heart' as a weapon?"

"Because there is no other way."

Gu Qingling's voice suddenly turned sharp, "Officials gain fame through merit, and relatives of the emperor are ennobled through blood, but the Gu family alone has to be subservient to others even when copying family genealogies! If we want to return to the court, there is only one way—first, we must win the hearts of the people!"

At this moment, her eyes shone with a mad light: "If the hearts of the people are with me, even officials will bow down, the crown prince will give way, and Your Highness... will also have to consider it."

"Standardize your principles?" Zhu Han sneered. "Then you're way off. The human heart is fragile, easily swayed by the wind; you think you can hold onto it, but in reality, it will turn on you."

Gu Qingling suddenly laughed, her voice hoarse: "Your Highness, it's too late. The 'Prison of the Heart' has already taken shape, not in the streets, not on the boards, but in everyone's mouths, eyes, and laughter. You can dismantle the sheds, you can dismantle the boards, but you can't dismantle people's hearts!"

Zhu Han looked at her quietly, his eyes unwavering: "I can't break people's hearts, but I can break you."

"Take it down," he ordered.

Two bodyguards stepped forward and pinned Gu Qingling to the ground.

She struggled, still laughing: "What's the use of killing Gu Qingling? The Gu family's century-old grudge won't end here. It's 'heart' etched into my bones, Your Highness, you can't stop it—"

Zhu Han lowered his head, his voice almost whispering in her ear: "I won't block it. I'll just hold the knife and wait for it to come to me." That night, Gu Qingling was secretly taken to the Eastern Depot's dungeon. Zhu Han didn't use torture or interrogate her; he simply assigned people to guard her day and night, preventing her from having any contact with the outside world.

Three days later, Shao Ji, the official in charge of the Ministry of Works, suddenly submitted a letter requesting to resign, saying, "I am slightly unwell and unable to perform my duties."

On the same day, the manager of the North City Ironworks "disappeared," the manager of the South Gate Timber Shop "fled in the night," and a minor official of the Censorate "died suddenly from illness."

“Uncle,” Zhu Biao stood before the table, his face grave, “they are reeling in the wires.”

“Perfect.” Zhu Han’s eyes turned cold. “The faster the thread is pulled back, the more it will be exposed.”

"What's next?"

"Let's spread the word," Zhu Han said slowly. "Release the news that Gu Qingling is not dead, and then release a fake letter saying that she has confessed to 'the inside story of the Gu family,' and point out a 'conspiracy' that does not exist."

"pseudonym?"

“Yes.” Zhu Han’s gaze was sharp as a knife. “I want to see who goes to kill this dummy first.”

"Kill?" Zhu Biao's eyes widened. "Uncle means—"

"If they believe she confessed, they will be eager to silence her. The one who struck with that knife was Gu Yingtai's true backbone."

"Understood." Zhu Biao's eyes lit up. "This is a 'drawing the sword back into its sheath' strategy."

Sure enough, within five days, the fake letter was released, claiming that an unknown minor official in the capital had been robbed and killed. The robbers were described as secretive and ruthless.

Zhu Han found a torn secret letter in the corpse's sleeve, containing only a few words: "When the east wind blows, the northern iron will be the first to break."

"When the east wind blows... the northern railway will crumble first." Zhu Han repeated this to himself, then suddenly sneered, "Gu Yingtai, you finally couldn't hold back anymore."

"Uncle, is this the password?" Zhu Biao asked.

“Yes, it is also an order.” Zhu Han handed him the paper. “‘East Wind Moves’ refers to the front line of public opinion in the East Market; ‘North Iron Breaks First’—the North City Ironworks is the source of the Gu family’s iron. The webmaster is indicating: withdraw from the north.”

"They're going to hide back."

“Yes,” Zhu Han said. “So, it’s time for us to make our move.”

Who should we cut first?

"Shao Ji".

In the main hall of the Ministry of Justice, an autumn rain drizzled. Shao Ji, dressed in official robes, his face pale, was escorted into the hall, his hands and feet shackled.

He spotted Zhu Han sitting upright in the hall, and his expression changed drastically: "Your Highness! Your humble servant—"

"In the Ministry of Works' casting of plates, iron wire was hidden, and salt and wax were mixed with fire. Do you know the crime?"

"I was unaware of this!"

"Then who wrote the approval document you signed?"

Zhu Han said coldly, "If you really didn't know, why was this document directly handed to Gu Yingtai? Why did you and Gu Qingling meet in the eastern suburbs two months ago?!"

Shao Ji swayed, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly looked up to the sky and sighed, "It's the Gu family! It's the Gu family that ordered me to cast plates, store iron, and deliver materials! I was just following orders!"

"Obey?" Zhu Han sneered. "How much is your 'life' worth?"

"Your Highness, spare my life! I am willing to hand over the account books! I am willing to implicate all members of the Gu family!"

"Keep the ledgers, but don't save your life."

Zhu Han's voice was icy: "The Ming Dynasty will not kill those who are 'unaware,' but it will never keep officials who 'pretend to be unaware.'"

"Your Highness—!"

A flash of light, and blood splattered in front of the hall.

Shao Ji's head rolled down the steps, and blood trickled down the stone bricks into the rainwater outside the hall.

"Proclaim this to the world." Zhu Han rose, his voice as firm as iron, "Anyone who harms others with their 'heart' shall be punished with death!"

The news caused a stir in the capital.

The Gu family remained secluded, and the Imperial Clan Court remained dark for three days.

On the fifth night, Gu Yingtai personally entered the palace to plead guilty before the emperor: "My family members are unworthy and have gone astray. I beg for family punishment."

Zhu Yuanzhang sat upright on the dragon throne, his bamboo cane striking with a thunderous thud: "The Gu family, with its centuries-old bloodline, dares to use its 'heart' to disrupt the country! Gu Yingtai, do you know your crime?!"

"Your subject knows his crime!" Gu Yingtai prostrated himself on the ground, his forehead hitting the gold brick, blood spreading everywhere.

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "The Gu family has both merits and demerits. They shall be stripped of their clan status for three generations and barred from holding office. Gu Qingling shall be exiled to Liaodong. The rest shall await Your Highness's judgment."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Zhu Han bowed.

Gu Yingtai's hand trembled violently. He raised his head, his eyes like hooks, staring intently at Zhu Han.

The autumn rain continued for three days, and the roof tiles in the palace seemed to have been polished to a shine.

The blood from the "Gu Family Case" had barely dried when the court was thrown into turmoil once again.

A decree flew out from the Fengtian Hall and instantly spread throughout all the government offices in the capital.

"Three days later, a grand court session will be held to test the hearts of all officials. I wish to see the true nature of people's hearts."

These twelve characters are like a massive boulder thrown into a calm lake.

"Uncle." Zhu Biao pushed open the door and entered, his expression unusually solemn. "Does Father really intend to set up a 'test of the heart' for the Great Court?"

"Yes." Zhu Han didn't look up. "Your father is finally going to make his move."

“But this ‘test of the heart’…” Zhu Biao gritted his teeth, “This is not an assessment, it is a trial! Those officials with ulterior motives will be exposed, but even upright officials will be forced to lay bare their hearts. In this way, wouldn’t everyone be in danger?”

“Only when one is in danger can one see the truth,” Zhu Han said calmly. “What my brother wants is not only the hearts of the officials, but also the pulse of the court. He wants to see whether this ‘heart shed’ can truly be used by him.”

Zhu Biao remained silent for a long time before finally saying in a low voice, "Uncle, did you expect this all along?"

Zhu Han took a sip of tea, his gaze falling on the faint golden tiles at the corner of the palace in the distance: "When the 'heart' becomes a force, the imperial power will not stand idly by."

Three days later, the morning bell rang three times in front of the Fengtian Hall. Before dawn, all the officials were already lined up on the steps.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat upright on the dragon throne, wearing a black and gold dragon robe, his brows furrowed with a stern and imposing air.

He slowly tapped the ground with his bamboo cane, each tap striking the chests of the officials.

"My lords," his voice was like cold iron, "the case of the Gu family has shocked the court and the public. But what shocks me is not only the evil of the Gu family, but also the chaos in your hearts. Some people use the 'Heart Pavilion' to cause trouble, and some people use the 'Heart Mirror' as a knife—since that is the case, today I will use this 'heart' to test the 'loyalty' and 'treachery' of the world."

The hall was eerily quiet; even breathing seemed superfluous.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand, and a eunuch brought over a wooden platform. On the platform was a thin piece of wood about the size of a palm, which was the original "Dingguang Board" carved by Shen He.

Light slanted down from the roof, passing through the tiny hole and transforming into a sharp beam of light.

"Today, all officials will take turns stepping forward, touching this tablet, looking into its light, and each writing a phrase—'The direction of my heart'," Zhu Yuanzhang said slowly. "Whether the writing is genuine or fake, I will be able to distinguish them."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly tensed. (End of Chapter)