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

His previously calm expression suddenly turned flushed, his forehead became hot, and he fell unconscious. The imperial physicians rushed to his aid, all saying that the toxins in his body seemed to have relapsed.

When the news reached the imperial palace, Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and ordered all imperial physicians to remain in the palace day and night.

Upon hearing the news, Zhu Han rushed to the Eastern Palace.

Inside the bedchamber, Zhu Biao lay on the bed, his face ashen and his breathing faint.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood guard by the bedside, his eyes bloodshot.

"Brother Han," he said in a low voice, "why did Biao'er relapse? That old man claimed his antidote was foolproof?"

Zhu Han stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. I suspect that the Crown Prince's poison did not enter him suddenly, but was secretly added by someone."

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly looked up, his anger blazing: "Someone has poisoned me again?!"

"Indeed." Zhu Han bowed. "This matter concerns the safety of the Crown Prince. Your subject humbly requests that the entrance and exit of the Eastern Palace be temporarily sealed off, and no one shall be allowed to enter without authorization."

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment, then slammed his hand on the table: "Very well! I grant you full authority to handle this! If there is any rebellion—execute without mercy!"

Zhu Han cupped his hands and replied, "Your subject obeys."

The Tianji Camp quickly deployed its defenses and sealed off the gates of the East Palace.

Zhu Han led a thorough investigation of all those who had entered and exited the Crown Prince's bedchamber in the past three days: seventeen people in total, including imperial physicians, eunuchs, and palace maids. Each person was personally interrogated by Zhao Wu.

No abnormalities were found within one day.

As night fell, Li Wen hurriedly reported: "Your Highness, I have discovered something—the medicine the Crown Prince took yesterday is slightly different from the prescription registered with the Imperial Pharmacy."

Zhu Han's gaze sharpened: "The difference?"

“A medicinal guide,” Li Wen replied. “The imperial prescription states that it should be mixed with dried tangerine peel, but in reality, perilla was used.”

Zhu Han's expression turned cold: "Who switched them?"

"Zhang Qing, the eunuch in charge of medicine."

"Bring it up!"

A moment later, Zhang Qing was brought before the palace, his face ashen, and he knelt on both knees.

"Zhang Qing," Zhu Han asked in a deep voice, "why was the medicinal ingredient in the Crown Prince's decoction altered without authorization?"

Zhang Qing kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Highness, please forgive me! This servant did not mean it! That day, there wasn't enough dried tangerine peel, and this servant thought that perilla was mild and harmless, so I took the liberty of replacing it. I had absolutely no intention of harming anyone!"

Zhu Han sneered: "Although both dried tangerine peel and perilla are qi-regulating substances, one is cooling and the other is warming. The Crown Prince's detoxification is not yet stable. If a warming medicine enters his body, wouldn't that help the poison?"

Zhang Qing was covered in cold sweat and kept kowtowing: "This servant is foolish and deserves to die!"

Zhao Wu suddenly said, "Your Highness, there is a red mark on his neck."

Zhu Han narrowed his eyes and ordered someone to part Zhang Qing's hair. Sure enough, a faint red rope mark was wrapped around the back of his neck, as if he had been strangled.

Zhu Han asked coldly, "Where did this mark come from?"

Zhang Qing was terrified: "This servant...this servant was grabbed by the neck three days ago and forced to change the medicine! If I didn't comply, they would take my life!"

"who?"

"He...he calls himself the 'Crane Envoy'!"

A cold glint flashed in Zhu Han's eyes: "The envoy of the Flying Crane?"

Zhang Qing nodded repeatedly: "He wore a silver mask and had a white crane embroidered on his clothes. This servant doesn't recognize him, but I know he speaks with a Beijing accent."

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and then instructed Zhao Wu: "Thoroughly investigate those in the palace whose place of origin is from the west of the capital, especially those from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Inner Palace."

"Yes!"

Three days later, the clues indeed made a breakthrough.

Zhao Wu presented a roster: "Your Highness, there is a deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard named Li Quan, a native of Jingxi. In recent months, this man has frequently entered the inner palace, ostensibly for patrol, but has repeatedly entered the backyard of the Phoenix Palace at night."

Zhu Han's eyes turned cold: "Fengyi Palace...it's the Empress's residence again."

Li Wen whispered, "Your Highness, should we capture him immediately?"

Zhu Han shook his head: "No. If this person is truly the 'Crane Envoy,' he must have a master behind him. Making a move rashly will only scare away the real mastermind."

He ordered in a deep voice, "Set up an ambush in secret, and capture him at midnight three nights later. Make sure he is captured alive!"

Three nights later, the moon was dark and the wind was strong.

In the backyard of Fengyi Palace, the lamplight flickered. Li, dressed entirely in night clothes, scaled the wall and entered. A palace maid, who had been waiting for some time, handed him a small box.

"This is what Her Majesty ordered."

Li Quan took it and was about to leave when he suddenly felt a gust of wind behind him.

"Do it!"

At Zhao Wu's command, dozens of Tianji Camp guards rushed out from all directions, their blades flashing.

Li Quan reacted extremely quickly, drawing his short sword to parry. His movements were as swift as a swallow, and he injured two people in just a few moves before fleeing.

Zhu Han stood in the shadows, watching him leap onto the rooftop, and coldly shouted, "Release the arrows!"

A gust of wind blew through the air, and Li Quan was hit in the shoulder by an arrow, staggering and falling to the ground.

Zhao Wu stepped forward and pressed down on his shoulder.

Zhu Han walked over slowly, looking down at him: "Li Quan, your arrows are good, but unfortunately they can't kill anyone."

Blood trickled from the corner of Li Quan's mouth, but he smiled: "Your Highness has quite the methods."

“Speak,” Zhu Han said coldly, “who ordered you to infiltrate Fengyi Palace?”

Li Quan raised his head, a strange cold light flashing in his eyes: "Does Your Highness think that capturing me will break the deadlock?"

"If you won't speak, I will make you speak."

Li Quan scoffed, "If Your Highness really wants to know, go and see the ice well in the Imperial Kitchen."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly tilted his head back, gritted his teeth, and black blood flowed from the corner of his mouth—he had committed suicide.

Zhao Wu exclaimed in shock: "He took poison!"

Zhu Han's gaze was as deep as the ocean floor.

"The Imperial Kitchen... Ice Well."

The next morning, Zhu Han personally went to the imperial kitchen.

The ice well is located deep within the underground palace and was used to store ice and precious ingredients. The well cover is thick and heavy, and it is sealed all year round.

Zhu Han ordered the seal to be opened, and the wellhead was filled with a chilling aura.

Zhao Wu entered with a lantern and soon exclaimed in shock, "Your Highness! There's a corpse here!"

Beneath the ice at the bottom of the well, two frozen corpses—a man and a woman—were vaguely visible, their faces pale and bluish. Zhu Han stared intently, his heart pounding.

The woman was none other than Lü'e, the missing maid from Consort Shen's palace.

The man, with his clearly defined features, was none other than Gao Qing, the head chef of the imperial kitchen.

Zhu Han slowly exhaled, the cold air condensing into white mist between his lips.

"Finally... it surfaced."

He turned around, his eyes icy: "Issue the order—seal off the Imperial Kitchen, prohibit entry and exit. The Heavenly Secrets Battalion is to search the palace for the 'Flying Crane' mark with all its might. In this case, we must spare no effort, even if it means bloodshed."

Zhao Wu accepted the order and left.

The ice well in the underground palace of the imperial kitchen was sealed again, but the chill of that night seemed to still linger in Zhu Han's heart.

When Lü'e and Gao Qing's bodies were carried out, they were frozen solid, like jade.

After examining the bodies, the imperial physician reported that both men had died three days prior, both poisoned with an extremely potent toxicity, identical to the residual poison in the Crown Prince's body.

Zhao Wu's face turned ashen: "Your Highness, if these two are truly related to 'Flying Crane,' then someone is deliberately trying to silence them."

Zhu Han said in a deep voice, "It's not just to silence them, it's a warning."

"warn?"

Zhu Han nodded: "Lü'e was Consort Shen's most trusted person, while Gao Qing was in charge of the Imperial Kitchen. The fact that the two died on the same night shows that the person behind the scenes has realized that we are getting closer to the truth, and is using their deaths as a warning—'If you investigate further, you will die.'"

Zhao Wu said in a low voice, "Your Highness, should we postpone the investigation? The 'Flying Crane Society' is ruthless, and the palace may have already laid a trap."

Zhu Han smiled coldly: "No matter how dense the net is, it can't trap the hunter."

That night, Zhu Han returned to his residence alone, the moonlight cold and clear. In the lamplight of his study, he unfolded an old map—a general map of the imperial palace's internal affairs.

His fingertips moved slowly between the Phoenix Palace, the Imperial Kitchen, and the East Palace. Connecting the three points formed a strange arc.

"The medicine was taken from Fengyi Palace, poison was added by the Imperial Kitchen, and the Crown Prince was poisoned." He murmured to himself, "The Flying Crane's hand has never left this line."

He suddenly remembered—there was a secret passage between the Imperial Kitchen and the Phoenix Palace, a renovated section of the old palace ruins. This passage had been sealed off ten years ago, and now there were no maps or inscriptions, but if someone were to secretly reopen it…

Zhu Han suddenly stood up.

"Zhao Wu!"

Zhao Wu immediately came in.

"Summon men with torches and ropes—come with me to the imperial kitchen."

At midnight, the imperial kitchen was deserted, with only the mournful sound of the wind at the ice well.

Zhu Han and Zhao Wu, along with several Tianji Camp guards, infiltrated the underground palace. A narrow crack had been carved into the side wall of the ice well, as if someone had disturbed it.

"Open it up," Zhu Han ordered.

Several guards used iron pestles to pry open the stone wall, raising a cloud of dust.

Sure enough, a narrow, dark passage was revealed, deep and bottomless.

Zhao Wu lit a torch to illuminate the scene. The black stone was slippery, and there were faint carvings on the wall—those were flying crane patterns!

Zhu Han's gaze turned cold: "This secret passage... has long been reopened by them."

He led the way in. The passage twisted and turned, extending dozens of feet deep, until it ended at a hidden door. A copper ring was embedded in the door, faintly emanating an aura.

Zhao Wu whispered, "There's someone behind the door."

Zhu Han nodded and gestured. The guards, positioned on either side, lay in wait, and he suddenly pushed open the door—

Inside, candlelight flickered and incense smoke swirled. Several men dressed in black sat around a stone table, on which lay a map of the palace.

The leader wore a silver mask and had a white crane embroidered on his chest.

“It’s the ‘Crane Envoy’!” Zhao Wu whispered.

The man sneered, stood up, and drew his sword: "Your Highness is truly clever, managing to find this place."

Zhu Han said coldly, "A smart person shouldn't hide at the bottom of a well."

"Unfortunately, intelligent people... often die young."

Before he could finish speaking, several flashes of cold light came at the same time.

Zhu Han drew his sword to parry, the metal clashing and sparks flying. Zhao Wu led his guards forward, engaging the man in black in a fierce battle.

The passageway was narrow and filled with flashing blades. Zhu Han moved with incredible speed, piercing the throat of a man in black with his sword, blood splattering everywhere.

"Capture the 'Crane Envoy' alive!" he shouted.

The silver-masked man suddenly took a step back, then threw a black pellet with his backhand. Smoke billowed up, making people cough.

Zhao Wu covered his face and roared, "Watch out!"

When the smoke cleared, the silver-masked man was gone. Only a jade piece remained on the ground—still the same flying crane.

Zhu Han picked up the jade piece, his brows furrowed.

"This place is not just a hiding place."

He looked around and suddenly discovered a wooden box behind a stone wall. When he opened it, he found several account books inside.

Zhao Wu glanced at it and exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness, this is... the accounts for the palace's supplies, food, and medicine!"

Zhu Han took the book and flipped through it, his gaze growing colder and colder.

“The accounts of Fengyi Palace, the Imperial Kitchen, the Imperial Hospital… have all been tampered with.”

Zhao Wu said, "Isn't this just them controlling everything that comes and goes in the palace?"

“Exactly.” Zhu Han said in a low voice, “The Flying Crane Society is not just about poisoning, but has been laying the groundwork in the palace for many years, controlling supplies, entry and exit, and the allocation of eunuchs—if someone holds this power, they can control life and death.”

He coldly uttered two words: "Traitorous officials and traitors."

The following day, Zhu Han entered the palace to report.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat upright on his throne, his expression somber.

"Brother Han, did you break into the palace again last night?"

Zhu Han cupped his hands and said, "Your subject deserves the blame. However, what we obtained last night concerns the very foundation of the nation."

He presented the account books, and Zhu Yuanzhang glanced through them for a moment before his expression changed drastically.

"The Phoenix Palace, the Imperial Medical Academy, the Imperial Kitchen... all have people bribing outsiders?!"

Zhu Han said in a deep voice: "This was done by the 'Flying Crane Society.' This group has been hiding in the palace for more than ten years, using the Flying Crane as its seal to control the power of offerings and to collude with foreign forces. The Crown Prince's poisoning, the Consort's false accusation, and the deaths in the Imperial Kitchen were all orchestrated by them."

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the imperial desk: "Traitor! Issue an edict immediately—search the palace and capture the traitor!"

Zhu Han stood with his hand on his sword: "Your Majesty, you mustn't."

Zhu Yuanzhang roared, "Why not?!"

"The Flying Crane Society has deep roots; a hasty search of the palace would only alert the mastermind. Your Majesty, I humbly request a secret investigation to capture the ringleader!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze was sharp as a knife: "Do you have any doubts in your heart?"

Zhu Han slowly raised his head, his voice low: "Your Majesty, I suspect that someone is using the Empress's name to instruct the Flying Crane Society to act."

There was a dead silence in the hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes narrowed sharply: "Who are you talking about?"

Zhu Han bowed: "There is something unusual about Fengyi Palace. The medicine taken by the Crown Prince was handled by the palace, and the account books were also signed by the Empress's close attendants. Your Majesty, I dare not make a rash judgment, but this is by no means a coincidence."

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long time, then slowly tapped his fingers on the table.

"I understand. This matter—you are to investigate it thoroughly in secret. But if there is even the slightest misjudgment, you will bear the consequences."

Zhu Han cupped his hands and said, "Your subject accepts the decree."

Night, Zhu Han's residence.

Zhao Wu reported: "Your Highness, the Tianji Camp has discovered that after Li Quan entered the palace, he was often ordered by a palace maid named 'Zhao Ning,' who is the head of the Fengyi Palace."

Zhu Han said softly, "Zhaoning...it's Fengyi Palace again."

Li Wendao said: "It is said that she was not chosen by the Empress in her early years, but was recommended from the family of a former official of the Ministry of Rites. She was taciturn, but deeply trusted by the Empress."

Zhu Han pondered: "A former official of the Ministry of Rites... from Jingxi?"

Zhao Wu nodded.

Zhu Han's gaze suddenly turned cold: "So that's how it is. The roots of the Flying Crane Society were planted at the very beginning of the palace selection."

He stood up, his tone steady yet sharp: "Tomorrow night, capture Zhao Ning. If she remains silent, I will question her personally."

The following night, at Fengyi Palace.

Zhao Ning was organizing the case files when she suddenly felt a gust of wind and the candlelight flickering. When she looked up, Zhu Han was already standing outside the door.

"Zhaoning," Zhu Han said calmly, "I have something to ask you."

Zhao Ning's expression changed, and he knelt down to pay his respects: "Your Highness, what brings you here so late at night?"

"Ask someone," Zhu Han approached, his voice low. "Do you recognize 'Flying Crane'?"

Zhao Ning paused slightly, then said in a low voice, "I don't know what Your Highness means."

Zhu Han sneered: "Then how do you explain the ring on your hand?"

Zhao Ning was startled and instinctively covered her hand. Zhu Han reached out and pulled her up. Sure enough, there was a silver ring on her finger, with the familiar flying crane engraved on the inside.

Zhao Ning's face turned deathly pale.

“Zhao Ning,” Zhu Han’s voice was as cold as ice, “if you don’t speak now, you will have no chance to speak tomorrow.”

Zhao Ning trembled for a moment, then suddenly smiled bitterly: "Your Highness...so you knew all along."

"Say!"

Zhao Ning raised her head, a strange resolve flashing in her eyes: "'Flying Crane' is not a rebel. We are acting under orders to... protect the Ming Dynasty."

"Protect?" Zhu Han said coldly, "Poisoning the Crown Prince and murdering palace servants, is that what you call protecting?"

Zhao Ning's eyes suddenly turned fierce: "Your Highness knows too much. If you really want to find out, go and see the 'Phoenix Seal' in the back hall of Fengyi Palace. That is—the root of everything."

As soon as she finished speaking, she bit her fingertip, and a smear of blood fell on the ring. The silver ring suddenly turned black and emitted a faint wisp of blue smoke.

"Poison!" Zhao Wu exclaimed.

Zhao Ning fell to the ground, a smile playing on her lips: "Even if we die, someone else will take our place." (End of Chapter)