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

The two looked at each other. The air seemed to freeze.

Zhu Han slowly rose to his feet, his tone calm yet sharp: "Your Majesty—if even those who guard the imperial edict are to be killed, then who will dare to protect the Crown Prince in the future?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze suddenly turned as cold as a knife.

"Are you questioning me?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not." Zhu Han lowered his head, but still said, "Your Majesty, I am only worried that if someone were to use the method of issuing secret edicts again on the day the Crown Prince ascends the throne, the chaos in the world would not be limited to this."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him for a long time.

"Brother Han," he finally whispered, "what do you want?"

Zhu Han was silent for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, I wish you safety."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slowly.

"Alright. Then I'll give you a chance."

He took out a black lacquered token and tossed it onto the table.

"This is the 'Prison Suppression Order.' You may temporarily leave the capital to investigate the remaining members of the Flying Crane sect. If you can completely eradicate them within three months, I will pardon your previous crimes."

Zhu Han stared at the token and said in a deep voice, "In March... what if it's found that someone from the palace was behind this?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's lips twitched slightly, and he said calmly, "Then uproot them completely."

His tone was calm, yet colder than any kill order.

late at night.

Outside the Hall of Respect and Contemplation, the wind whistles.

Zhu Han put away the token and stood by the window. The moonlight, as white as frost, shone on his face.

“Zhao Wu,” he murmured, “I promise you, I will find out the truth about all this.”

He turned and put on his outer robe. A guard in black was already waiting outside the door.

"Your Highness, the remaining troops of the Heavenly Secrets Camp have gathered in the West Garden."

Zhu Han nodded: "Let's go."

He stepped out of the palace gate, and the night swallowed him up.

Meanwhile, the Phoenix Palace was in ruins.

A cold wind blew through the room. The fire was still burning, and the walls were covered with scorch marks.

Several eunuchs were cleaning up the remaining ashes. Suddenly, one of them exclaimed, "What is this?"

Beneath the ashes, a faint light shone.

It was a piece of jade dust, as fine as a grain of rice, yet it shimmered slightly red under the moonlight.

The chief steward was summoned, squatted down to examine the body closely, and looked terrified.

"This...isn't this a fragment of the Phoenix Seal? Why is it still—glowing?"

Just as he was about to reach out, a deep voice came from the shadows:

"Don't touch."

Everyone was startled and looked up.

A eunuch cloaked in black emerged from the shadows, his face obscured, revealing only a sinister smile.

"This thing is not an inanimate object."

He slowly bent down and put the jade shavings into his sleeve.

"As long as the Phoenix Seal remains, the Ming Dynasty will never be at peace."

After saying that, he turned and disappeared into the night.

Outside the west gate of the capital, the morning mist had not yet dissipated. The official road was quiet, and the distant sound of drums had just begun.

Zhu Han rode on his horse, wearing a blue robe, without the royal seal, only a dark "Prison Suppression Token" hanging at his waist. This token had no luster in the sunlight, yet seemed to contain hidden thunder.

He looked back, and the outline of the capital city was hidden in the thin mist, as if it were covered by an invisible barrier.

The death of Zhao Wu, the blood of Empress Pei, and the shattering of the Phoenix Seal all churned in his mind.

"My brother wants me to investigate the remnants of Feihe's lineage," he said in a low voice, "but what if what I find is...my brother himself?"

The sound of horses' hooves clattered. The remaining twenty-odd members of the Tianji Camp had all changed into civilian clothes.

The leader was Deputy Commander Lu Qian, with sharp features and a taciturn nature.

“Your Highness,” Lu Qian reported in a low voice, “according to our spies, the old lineage of Feihe has many hidden traces in the western part of the capital. Before Zhao Ning entered the palace, she was indeed recommended by a family of former officials, and that family—all of them died mysteriously.”

Zhu Han nodded slightly: "Let's go take a look."

In Yongning Township, west of Beijing, the snow has not yet melted.

The willow branches at the village entrance are withered, and a dilapidated house stands alone in the field. The vermilion "抄" (copy) character remaining on the wall has long been eroded by the wind, but it is still faintly discernible.

Lu Qian pushed open the door, and sawdust fell everywhere. The room had been sealed for many years, with some old books scattered in the corner.

Zhu Han picked up a book and flipped through it. The pages were already yellowed, but on the last page, he saw a faint mark—a crane with outstretched wings.

"As expected," Zhu Han said in a low voice.

Lu Qian stepped forward: "Your Highness, although this place has been uninhabited for a long time, someone has come here in the past month."

Zhu Han frowned: "Who?"

Lu Qian bent down and picked up a piece of candle wick: "Candles made in the palace are mixed with musk, which ordinary people cannot obtain."

Zhu Han's heart skipped a beat.

He looked around, his gaze landing on a crack in the wall behind the desk. He tapped it with his finger, and a soft sound was heard.

"organ."

There was a hidden compartment behind the wall.

Zhu Han took it out, and it was a bamboo slip with a broken seal. Only half a line of text remained on it—

On the day the Phoenix Seal was passed on, Flying Crane was appointed to guard the throne...

The latter half was scorched by fire.

Zhu Han stared at the line of words, his expression darkening: "Guardian? This isn't a term Zhao Ning mentioned."

Lu Qian asked in confusion, "Your Highness, what does 'guardian' mean?"

“The order to uphold the imperial edict.” Zhu Han said softly, “If the Phoenix Seal is a symbol of the late emperor’s secret edict, then the Flying Crane Society will take this as its order and swear to uphold the edict to the death. The words ‘uphold the order’ may mean that the messenger is still here.”

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly heard a soft sound outside the window.

Lu Qian drew his sword with a backhand motion.

"who is it--!"

Light footsteps came from outside the door, and a gray shadow flashed past.

Zhu Han coldly shouted, "Chase!"

The group hurried out. The path outside the courtyard meandered, dust billowing. Gray figures moved swiftly, as if familiar with the terrain.

Zhu Han rushed to the rear, drew his short bow, and shot an arrow like lightning.

"Whoosh-!"

The gray figure dodged, but was grazed on the shoulder, a flash of blood, and fell into the grass.

Lu Qian stepped forward and seized him, shouting, "Who goes there!"

The gray figure struggled, whispering, "Don't kill me! I am... I am an 'Inner Bureauman'—ordered to secretly investigate Feihe!"

Zhu Han stepped forward and asked in a cold voice, "The Inner Court? The Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

The man nodded, his face filled with fear: "The Grand Eunuch secretly ordered me to investigate the past affairs of Fengyi Palace, but—but last night all the Embroidered Uniform Guards were transferred! The people in charge have all been replaced!"

Zhu Han's brow furrowed.

"Changed? Who took over?"

"It was said to be an imperial edict, and we were told not to ask any questions. But... when I saw the seal on which the order was issued, it wasn't the seal of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but rather—the seal of the Imperial Eunuchs."

Zhu Han's heart skipped a beat: "The Inner Palace Supervisor? That's—the Emperor's personal guard eunuch!"

The man nodded, trembling.

Zhu Han slowly inhaled: "Your Majesty is starting to make your move."

Lu Qian raised his eyes: "Your Highness, if we are targeted, we may not be able to escape."

Zhu Han said in a deep voice, "The reason he gave me the prison order was not out of trust, but a trap. My brother wanted me to investigate so that he could use me to eliminate the remnants of the Flying Crane clan—and then eliminate me as well."

He turned to look at the distant mountains, his gaze as cold as ice.

"If that's the case, I'm determined to get to the bottom of it."

Three days later, south of Luoyang County.

Zhu Han and his group sneaked into an old temple. The temple was dilapidated, with broken tiles, but the altar was still clean. Among the incense ash, it was clear that someone had recently offered sacrifices.

Lu Qian found a secret passage behind the temple.

"Your Highness, there are people who frequently pass through this area."

Zhu Han nodded: "Go in."

The dark passage led to a secluded chamber. Dimly lit, an elderly man with white hair sat calmly behind a stone table.

"The prince has finally arrived."

Zhu Han was startled: "You know me?"

The old man smiled faintly: "Years ago, when the palace held a selection of concubines, I was a clerk in the Ministry of Rites, and it was I who recommended her to the Zhaoning Palace."

Zhu Han stepped forward: "You are—Feng Li?"

"Exactly."

Feng Li sighed softly, "Ten years have passed, and finally the Zhu family has arrived."

Zhu Han said coldly, "Since you know my identity, you must know why I'm here. Who exactly established the Flying Crane Society? Whose secret orders are they acting on?"

Feng Li slowly got up, walked to a stone cabinet, and took out a cloth bag.

"These are the belongings that Zhao Ning entrusted to someone to take away before her death."

Zhu Han took it, opened it, and found it to be a thin booklet. The booklet had only two characters written on it—【守诏】 (Shou Zhao).

Turning to the first page, one sees densely packed small characters:
"By order of Heaven, the phoenix seal is the witness. One who obeys Heaven is not the emperor, but the principle of Heaven. One who upholds the edict is not a subject of the emperor, but simply follows the mandate of Heaven."

Zhu Han was deeply moved upon reading this.

"This is not a decree, but rather like... an oath."

Feng Li nodded: "Indeed. At the beginning of his reign, the late emperor secretly established the 'Guardian of the Edict' to prevent his successors from interfering in politics. The Phoenix Seal was the overt, while the Guardian of the Edict was the covert. The Flying Crane Society is the secret continuation of the 'Guardian of the Edict'."

Zhu Han frowned: "Then why poison the Crown Prince?"

Feng Li's expression was complicated: "Because after the Phoenix Seal was introduced into the palace, the Empress lost her favor. She thought that the Crown Prince was favored and would abolish the old system, so she secretly used a drug to enhance his power. Among the Flying Cranes, some people were loyal to the Phoenix Seal but not to the Emperor's orders—and so chaos broke out."

Zhu Han sighed, "Upholding the imperial edict was originally an act of loyalty, but it has led to chaos."

Feng Li said in a deep voice: "Loyalty and rebellion depend solely on the Emperor's will."

Zhu Han looked up: "How many descendants of Feihe are there now?"

"Scattered in three places: one among former officials of the Ministry of Justice in the capital, one in the former archives of the Hanlin Academy, and one in..."

He suddenly paused.

Zhu Han asked alertly, "Where?"

Feng Li's gaze was deep: "...the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau."

Zhu Han's heart skipped a beat. The Imperial Clothing Bureau—the place where eunuchs were in charge of sewing imperial robes and where eunuchs served.

"As expected," he said in a low voice, "My brother ordered me to investigate Feihe, in order to eliminate the old faction of the Imperial Wardrobe."

Feng Li sighed slowly: "Your Highness, if you really want to save the Crown Prince, you must save yourself first."

"What do you mean?"

Feng Li's gaze was deep: "The Emperor has ordered you to leave the capital for three months, but in reality, there have already been transfers within the capital. Although the position of prison commander is prestigious, it can be revoked. If you return without achieving anything within three months—then the charge will be established."

Zhu Han remained silent for a long time, then suddenly looked up and asked, "Feng Li, are you willing to help me?"

Feng Li smiled bitterly: "I am but a wretched old official, and I have long since lost the will to live. I only hope that the blood of those who uphold the imperial edict will no longer be tainted as traitors."

Zhu Han nodded and rolled up the edict: "I will find out the truth and clear their name for loyalty."

Feng Li said in a low voice, "Your Highness, if you truly believe in the name of the imperial edict, you must remember—although the Phoenix Seal is broken, the bloodstains at its base are still wet. As long as the blood has not dried, the edict is not lost."

Zhu Han was slightly startled.

"You mean—the Phoenix Seal, there's still half left?"

Feng Li looked at him with a deep gaze: "The Phoenix Seal was originally a pair of seals, one yang and one yin of the Blood Jade. One half is broken, and the other half remains. That half of the yang seal is not in the Phoenix Palace."

"Where is that?"

Feng Li slowly began, “In the Imperial Study—His Majesty’s records.”

Zhu Han was shocked and almost cried out, "Brother... I should have known!"

Feng Li nodded: "The late emperor's secret edict has two copies, one overt and one covert. The one with the broken phoenix seal is overt, and the one hidden is covert. The mandate of heaven will return when yin and yang are in harmony—Your Highness, if you wish to protect the crown prince, you must make the two seals overlap."

Zhu Han stared at him intently and said in a deep voice, "I understand."

As dawn broke through the cracks in the temple gate, it shone on the stone altar, where dust motes floated in the light, like a silent clock.

Zhu Han stood silently for a long time, his fingertips still caressing the book "Guarding the Imperial Edict".

The handwriting trembled slightly, yet it conveyed a chilling determination.

He said softly to Feng Li, "I will take this book with me. You can leave it here. If anyone comes looking for it, just say that I have gone south."

Feng Li sighed, “Your Highness, the will of Heaven is beyond human control. If His Majesty has truly realized the existence of the Phoenix Seal—your journey will be like entering a cage with a tiger.”

Zhu Han remained expressionless, saying only, "If a tiger is to devour a person, it will eventually show its claws. Since I have been granted the 'Prison Commander' title, I will use the prison as my weapon."

He turned and left, his robes sweeping past the temple gate, raising dust once more.

At noon, at the Luoyang post station.

The sycamore trees in the courtyard are silent, with only the wind rustling through the bamboo shadows.

Lu Qian sent someone to investigate the various post stations and reported in a low voice: "Your Highness, what Feng Li said is true. A few days ago, a palace eunuch did leave the capital and was secretly escorted along the way, seemingly heading towards the Eastern Capital."

Zhu Han pondered, "If that eunuch carries the Phoenix Seal, he must be doing something extraordinary."

Lu Qian said, "I found out that the waist tag he used belongs to the 'Siyin' position in the Inner Palace Supervisory Office—his surname is He."

Zhu Han raised his eyebrows: "The surname He... could it be He Guang?" Lu Qian nodded: "That's right."

Zhu Han's gaze sharpened. He Guang was a former retainer of Zhu Yuanzhang, having held the Imperial Seal for over twenty years. If half of the Phoenix Seal truly belonged to him, His Majesty would surely know.

He said in a deep voice, "Prepare the horses, and head to the Eastern Capital immediately."

Lu Qian hesitated: "Your Highness, this trip without an imperial edict may arouse suspicion."

Zhu Han smiled faintly: "With the prison garrison commander in place, if I do nothing, it will only arouse suspicion."

A gust of wind arose. With a flick of his green robe, Zhu Han stepped out of the post station, the sound of his horse's hooves like a sudden downpour.

Evening, at the post station ten miles outside the Eastern Capital.

Few pedestrians were around, and the wild grass reached their knees. Zhu Han and Lu Qian, disguised as salt merchants, stayed overnight in a secluded house.

As night deepened, the sound of horses was heard outside the courtyard. Lu Qian lifted the curtain and looked out, whispering, "Your Highness, there is an imperial carriage parked at the post station ahead, decorated with golden cranes."

Zhu Han stood up, his gaze darkening: "The old flying crane pattern?"

"Exactly."

The two sneaked to the backyard under cover of night and hid in the bamboo grove outside the wall.

Beside the carriage, three eunuchs were talking in hushed tones.

One of them whispered, "Lord He will arrive at the Bianhe ferry at dawn tomorrow and meet with the officials from the Ministry of Justice. His Majesty has decreed that he be sent to the Western Capital Prison."

Another person lowered their voice: "What exactly is that jade box? Look at how Master He doesn't even dare to keep it by his side when he sleeps."

"Shh! That's a sacred object; you mustn't put it in your mouth."

Zhu Han and Lu Qian exchanged a glance. The jade box—it must contain half of the Phoenix Seal.

Suddenly, a withered branch broke off.

The three eunuchs turned around alertly: "Who?!"

Zhu Han suddenly leaped out, pressing down with his palm and instantly sealing the throat of the nearest person.

Lu Qian flashed forward and drew his sword, forcing Yu Er back.

Shadows darted about, short blades clashed, and blood splattered on the ground. In an instant, the courtyard fell silent.

Zhu Han pressed down on the injured eunuch and asked coldly, "Where is He Guang?"

The man's lips trembled: "In...in the car."

Zhu Han nodded: "Lead the way."

The carriage curtain was lifted, releasing a scent of musk mixed with the metallic tang of steel. He Guang sat hunched over his desk, his face ashen, a sharp weapon piercing his chest.

On the table was a jade box, still stained with fresh blood.

Lu Qian exclaimed in surprise, "Someone made the first move!"

Zhu Han's expression turned cold as his fingertips touched the jade box. The box was warm, and the seal remained intact.

“This person is no ordinary person,” he said in a deep voice. “He can kill He Guang but doesn’t take the Phoenix Seal. There’s only one purpose—to warn them.”

Lu Qian frowned: "Warning?"

"Tell me, the Phoenix Seal must not be touched."

Zhu Han gently opened the jade box, and half a piece of blood jade lay quietly inside, its red light resembling the subtle movement of blood vessels.

“The Phoenix Seal is half-hidden,” he murmured. “My imperial brother had indeed been hiding it all along.”

He put away the jade box and said, "We cannot stay here any longer. Burn the body and destroy all traces."

The firelight ignited in the night, illuminating his cold, stern face.

Lu Qian asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, where to next?"

Zhu Han looked north: "Back to the capital."

"Back to the capital?" Lu Qian asked in surprise. "His Majesty ordered the prince to conduct an investigation outside the capital for three months, and he has only been gone for less than ten days—" (End of Chapter)