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

A commotion erupted in the hall. Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze was like a knife: "Where is Cai Yun?" "He has been executed," Zhu Han replied coldly.

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long time, then sighed, "The human heart is truly terrifying..."

That night, Zhu Biao summoned Zhu Han to the Eastern Palace. The candlelight flickered, the Crown Prince's face was pale, and he coughed incessantly, yet his smile was gentle.

"Uncle, if you continue to be so sharp, the people in the court will have no peace of mind."

Zhu Han offered him tea and said softly, "I am merely protecting the Ming Dynasty. My brother trusts me, and I cannot betray him."

Zhu Biao sighed, “I know you are selfless, but the world doesn’t understand. They fear your strength and your power. If you don’t restrain yourself, they will eventually force Father to make a decision.”

Zhu Han remained silent for a long while, then chuckled softly: "Nephew, rest assured, I know my place. If one day you ascend the throne, the Divine Machine Battalion will also belong to you."

On the shore of the South China Sea, the sun shines brightly, and the waves crash against the rocks on the shore, splashing up layers of white spray.

Zhu Han stood on the makeshift viewing platform, surrounded by civil and military officials with varying expressions, while in the distance stood neatly arranged soldiers of the Tianji Battalion and newly cast cannons.

"Your Highness, everything is ready." Xu Qian stepped forward quickly, knelt on one knee, and reported.

Zhu Han nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below the stage, and shouted loudly, "Today, let the world witness the power of the new cannons of my Great Ming! Fire!"

At his command, the gunners quickly lit the fuses, and in an instant, flames shot into the sky, and a deafening roar echoed along the coast of the South China Sea.

The shells streaked across the sky like meteors, whistling as they landed precisely on the distant firing range.

Amidst the flying dust, the bullseye was shattered to pieces, and the surrounding seawater was splashed several meters high.

"Excellent!" Zhu Han exclaimed, slapping the table in approval, his eyes filled with excitement and pride. The surrounding officials, seeing this, all looked on in amazement and began whispering amongst themselves.

"Your Highness, this cannon is incredibly powerful. If we can equip our army with a large number of them, how can we not destroy the foreign enemies!" a military officer said excitedly.

Zhu Han smiled slightly and said, "This is the beginning of military reform in our Great Ming Dynasty. More advanced weapons will surely emerge in the future. However, we still need to intensify the training of our soldiers and make them proficient in the use of the new artillery."

However, just as everyone was immersed in joy, several unidentified ships suddenly appeared on the distant sea and were rapidly heading towards the shore.

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

"Xu Qian, quickly find out the origins of those ships," Zhu Han ordered in a deep voice.

Xu Qian accepted the order and left. Not long after, he hurriedly returned, his expression grave. "Your Highness," he said, "those ships are flying Western flags. Judging from their direction, they seem to be heading towards this artillery trial."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han's eyes turned cold, and he said in a chilling voice, "Westerners? They've arrived just in time. Issue the order: the entire army is on high alert. Anyone who dares to make a move will be killed without mercy!"

Soon, the Western ships approached the shore, and a group of Westerners dressed in strange clothes and carrying weapons disembarked.

The leader was a tall, bearded man who swaggered up to Zhu Han and said in broken Central Plains dialect, "Your cannon tests here have disturbed our merchant ships. You must give us an explanation!"

Zhu Han sneered and said, "This is the territory of my Great Ming Dynasty. Our army is testing cannons here. How can you say it's a disturbance? On the contrary, you have trespassed without permission. What are you trying to do?"

Seeing Zhu Han's firm attitude, the Western man became enraged and brandished his longsword, shouting, "You barbarians, how dare you be so rude! If you don't hand over the cannon blueprints and compensate our country for its losses today, don't expect things to end peacefully!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers behind Zhu Han glared angrily and gripped their weapons tightly.

Zhu Han remained calm, his gaze fixed intently on the Western man, and slowly said, "With just your few dilapidated ships, you think you can run wild on my Ming territory? If you don't want blood to be spilled here, you'd better get back here!"

Seeing that Zhu Han remained unmoved, the Western man felt somewhat intimidated, but unwilling to give up, so he turned and gave a wink to his men behind him.

Upon receiving the order, the Westerners immediately dispersed and surrounded Zhu Han and his group.

"Your Highness, let us take action and teach these arrogant foreign devils a lesson!" a military officer couldn't help but volunteer.

Zhu Han raised his hand to stop them, and said coldly, "No need to rush, let's see what tricks they're trying to play first."

Just then, several larger Western warships appeared on the distant sea, their flags waving, clearly coming to reinforce.

Seeing this, the leading Western man became smug and laughed wildly, "You still have time to surrender now, otherwise, once our army arrives, you will all die without a burial place!"

Zhu Han watched the warships gradually approaching in the distance, secretly making plans in his mind.

"Your Highness, we can't wait any longer. If we let them land, the consequences will be unimaginable!" Xu Qian said anxiously.

Zhu Han pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up. He turned to the craftsman beside him and said, "Quickly bring over that long-range cannon for testing."

Upon receiving the order, the craftsmen quickly pushed a uniquely shaped cannon to the front of the battle.

Zhu Han personally adjusted the angle of the cannon, aimed it at the approaching Western warships in the distance, and then lit the fuse.

With a deafening roar, the cannonball shot towards the sea like lightning, exploding not far from a Western warship and sending up a huge splash.

The Westerners on the warship were terrified by the sudden attack and began to scream.

"Fire another shot!" Zhu Han shouted the order.

With another boom, the cannonball struck the warship precisely, blasting a large hole in its hull and allowing seawater to rush in. The warship began to list and gradually sank to the bottom of the sea.

Seeing this, the other Western warships all stopped and dared not advance rashly.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the Western man in the lead turned extremely ugly and gritted his teeth, saying, "You...you wait, our country will not let this go!" After saying that, he led his men to hastily board the remaining ships and fled in a sorry state.

Zhu Han watched the departing Western ships, snorted coldly, and said, "These clowns dare to be so presumptuous in front of my Great Ming!"

Just as Zhu Han had successfully repelled the Western provocateurs and was preparing to return to the capital, an urgent secret report made him extremely anxious.

The secret report stated that Crown Prince Zhu Biao's condition had suddenly worsened, and he had fallen into a coma and was in critical condition.

"Xu Qian, prepare a fast horse immediately, we must return to the capital at once!" Zhu Han ordered anxiously.

The group traveled day and night, finally returning to the capital several days later. Zhu Han, without taking a break, went straight to the Eastern Palace.

Inside the Eastern Palace, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was hard to breathe. The imperial physicians surrounded Zhu Biao's bedside, their faces grave, shaking their heads and sighing.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat by the bedside, holding Zhu Biao's hand, tears streaming down his face, murmuring, "Biao'er, you must hold on..."

Zhu Han walked quickly to the bedside and felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw Zhu Biao, whose face was as pale as paper and whose breath was weak.

He gently grasped Zhu Biao's other hand and whispered, "Nephew, your royal uncle is back. You must get better..."

At this moment, an old imperial physician stepped forward, knelt down before Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Han, and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince's condition is critical. Medicine is now ineffective, and I fear... I fear his days are numbered."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang flew into a rage. He stood up, kicked the old imperial physician to the ground, and roared, "You quacks! If you can't cure the Crown Prince, I will have your whole family executed!"

The old imperial physician trembled with fear and hurriedly kowtowed, begging for mercy: "Your Majesty, spare my life! We have done everything in our power, but... we are truly powerless..."

Seeing this, Zhu Han was also deeply saddened, but he still held back his tears and advised, "Brother, getting angry now will not help. The most urgent thing is to find a capable person. Perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope."

After listening to Zhu Han's words, Zhu Yuanzhang gradually calmed down and said in a deep voice, "Brother Han is absolutely right. You should immediately send people to find famous doctors everywhere. No matter the cost, you must save Biao'er!"

Zhu Han accepted the order and set off to search for renowned doctors.

However, several days passed, and despite the presence of many so-called famous doctors, Zhu Biao's condition showed no signs of improvement and instead became increasingly critical.

On this day, Zhu Han was in his study discussing the search for a renowned physician with several ministers when suddenly, a guard outside the door reported: "Your Highness, an old man outside the palace is requesting an audience, claiming he can cure the Crown Prince's illness."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly said, "Please come in quickly!"

A short while later, an elderly man with white hair, dressed in a simple Taoist robe, entered the study.

Zhu Han looked the old man up and down, noticing his extraordinary demeanor and the wisdom and mystery in his eyes, which made him feel more expectant.

"Old man, can you really cure the Crown Prince's illness?" Zhu Han asked eagerly.

The old man smiled slightly and said, "Your Highness, although I dare not say that I can definitely cure the Crown Prince, I am confident that I can give it a try. However, before I begin the treatment, I have one condition."

Zhu Han frowned and said, "What are your conditions? Please speak freely."

The old man slowly said, "My treatment must be conducted in a quiet and undisturbed environment, and no one may enter except for the assistant I designate. Furthermore, the treatment must not be interrupted no matter what happens during the treatment."

Zhu Han hesitated upon hearing this. The condition seemed simple, but it harbored hidden risks; if the old man had ill intentions, the consequences would be unimaginable. However, looking at Zhu Biao, who was lying on the sickbed on his deathbed, Zhu Han gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I agree. But if you dare to harbor even the slightest disloyalty, I will ensure you die a horrible death!"

The old man nodded slightly and said, "Your Highness, rest assured, since I have already agreed, I will do my utmost."

Subsequently, Zhu Han, following the old man's instructions, moved Zhu Biao to a quiet palace and arranged for an assistant designated by the old man to assist him.

The old man began to perform his medical skills. He took out some strange herbs and tools and began to perform various procedures on Zhu Biao's body.

Zhu Han and the others waited anxiously outside the hall.

Time passed second by second, but no news came from inside the hall.

Zhu Han paced back and forth outside the hall, his heart filled with anxiety and unease.

After an unknown amount of time, the palace doors finally opened slowly, and the old man walked out looking exhausted.

Zhu Han hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Old man, how is the Crown Prince?"

The old man breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince is out of danger, but he is still weak and needs to rest for a while."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han was overjoyed and quickly entered the hall.

Zhu Biao's complexion had regained some color, and his breathing gradually became steady. Zhu Han held Zhu Biao's hand, his eyes brimming with tears of emotion.

"Thank you so much for saving my life, old man!" Zhu Han turned around and bowed deeply to the old man.

The old man quickly helped Zhu Han up, saying, "Your Highness, there's no need to be so polite. I was merely doing my best. However, His Highness's critical illness this time is due to overwork and excessive worry. He needs to take good care of himself in the future and must not overwork himself again."

Zhu Han nodded and said, "Don't worry, old man, I will take good care of the Crown Prince. May I ask if you could stay in the palace and continue to help the Crown Prince with his health in the future?"

The old man hesitated for a moment, then said, "I was unwilling to stay in this mortal world for long, but out of consideration for His Highness the Crown Prince's benevolence, I will stay for a while longer."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han was overjoyed and thanked the old man again.

On this day, Zhu Yuanzhang was handling state affairs in the Fengtian Hall when suddenly a group of ministers knelt down in front of the hall and shouted, "Your Majesty, we have something to report!"

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and said, "What is it? Speak freely."

One minister spoke first: “Your Majesty, Prince Han’s power has grown increasingly strong in recent years. He not only controls the Tianji Camp but also interferes in many affairs of the court. Now that the Crown Prince is critically ill and the situation in the court is delicate, if Prince Han harbors ill intentions, it could lead to great chaos! I beg Your Majesty to investigate carefully and strip Prince Han of some of his power in order to ensure the stability of the court.”

Upon hearing this, the other ministers echoed, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely right! The Prince of Han's power is too great, which is detrimental to the court!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's face instantly darkened, and he said coldly, "Are you questioning my judgment? My brother Han has made great contributions to our Ming Dynasty and is loyal to the utmost. How could he harbor any ill intentions?"

The minister, however, remained unfazed and continued, “Your Majesty, loyalty cannot be measured by appearances alone. Now, Prince Han holds considerable military power and controls advanced weapon manufacturing methods. If he were to rebel, the consequences would be unimaginable! I urge Your Majesty to consider the overall situation and make a decision as soon as possible.”

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the dragon throne and roared, "Insolence! You ministers, instead of sharing the burdens of the country, you are here sowing discord. What are you trying to do?"

Just then, Zhu Han arrived after hearing the news.

He entered the Fengtian Hall, knelt on one knee before Zhu Yuanzhang, and said, "Your Majesty, I have heard that some people in the court are dissatisfied with me, so I have come to apologize."

Zhu Yuanzhang quickly got up, walked down the dragon steps, helped Zhu Han up, and said, "Brother Han, what crime have you committed? These officials have caused trouble for no reason, and I will deal with them myself."

Zhu Han shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, I know that too much power can easily arouse suspicion. But everything I have done is to assist Your Majesty and protect the Ming Dynasty. If Your Majesty feels that my power is too great, I am willing to relinquish some of it, only asking to continue to serve the Ming Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang was deeply moved and said, "Brother Han, why are you doing this? I trust you. You don't need to take these ministers' words to heart."

Zhu Han firmly replied, "Your Majesty, I am not acting rashly. The Crown Prince has just recovered from his illness, and the court needs stability. By relinquishing some power, I can both quell the doubts of the officials and put Your Majesty at ease. Why not do it?" (End of Chapter)