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

Zhu Biao said in a low voice, "Although what I did was presumptuous, I had no ulterior motives. My uncle secretly investigated the Nine Gates, burned the censor's files, and took the seal from the Eastern Palace. This was not loyalty but power."

"That's enough." Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand.

"Tomorrow, I will see the true edict. Whoever forges it will die."

The crown prince kowtowed and withdrew.

The candlelight inside the hall flickered, and Zhu Yuanzhang stroked the table for a long time.

The sound of wind picking up outside the window.

The next day, before dawn, the sky was gloomy.

Zhu Han awoke in his residence, and before he could even have his meal, he heard the palace bells ring thirty-six times—a summons for interrogation.

He put on his clothes, mounted his horse, and went straight into the palace gate.

Inside the Fengtian Hall, the Emperor and the Crown Prince were both present, with two imperial edicts placed on the table.

Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice: "Last night, the Imperial Household Department found two imperial edicts, one bearing the imperial seal and the other the seal of the Northern Envoy. The wording is contradictory—one orders the allocation of grain, the other orders the cessation of grain supply. I want to see which one is genuine and which one is fake."

Zhu Han stepped forward, and the Crown Prince also stepped forward.

Zhu Yuanzhang ordered his attendant to read the imperial edict.

The first edict reads:
"The northern garrison is not well-prepared; therefore, 3,000 dan of grain shall be transferred to pacify the border."

The second edict reads:
"With the northern garrison stable, grain requisitions are temporarily suspended, pending further instructions."

Zhu Yuanzhang coldly said, "Zhu Han, what is your defense?"

Zhu Han bowed his head: "The second edict is genuine. I am the one who altered the false edict to stop the chaos."

The crown prince laughed and asked, "Whose work is that that forgery?"

"Ye Zhong".

"Ye Zhong is dead, how can he defend himself?"

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his hand on the dragon table: "Enough! Someone—examine the ink."

The palace clerk placed the two edicts in front of the fire and illuminated them with medicinal liquid.

In an instant, the ink on the first edict turned blue, while the ink on the second edict turned black.

Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice: "The ink used in the Eastern Palace has always been blue, which is considered the most precious. Black ink... is not for imperial use."

A cold glint flashed in the prince's eyes.

"Father, you are wise."

Zhu Yuanzhang closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

"The Prince of Zhennan has been summoned to prison."

A gasp of surprise rippled through the area outside the hall.

Zhu Han did not move, but slowly kowtowed: "Your subject obeys the decree."

Hao stepped forward angrily, but was stopped by the imperial guards.

Deep within the imperial prison.

Zhu Han sat alone, water stains still visible on the wall. The chains rattled softly, and the air smelled damp and cold of rust.

The sound of footsteps came from far to near.

The door opens.

The one who entered was the Crown Prince.

"Uncle Wang."

Zhu Han looked up and gave a cold smile: "Your Highness isn't sleeping, so you're here to see me off?"

The crown prince sat opposite him, his voice low and deep: "If Uncle had stopped earlier, things wouldn't have come to this."

"Stop? You truly had no intention of accepting the Northern envoy's order?"

The Crown Prince said calmly, "Whether intentional or not, it's all for the greater good. My father is old, and the world will eventually belong to me. If you are willing to assist me, I will grant you the title of Zhennan without fail."

Zhu Han slowly stood up, the chains rattling.

"I will not assist the rebels."

The crown prince's eyes turned cold: "You think I'm afraid of being killed?"

Zhu Han sneered: "I'm afraid you'll live."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly swung the iron chain, the end of which concealed a sharp blade.

The prince was unable to dodge in time and his cheek was cut and bled.

The guards rushed in, their swords drawn.

The Crown Prince stopped him, wiping away the blood: "Spare his life. He will be executed at the Meridian Gate tomorrow, and you will be granted a reputation for loyalty."

He turned and left.

Zhu Han leaned against the wall and laughed, his laughter low and deep.

Amidst laughter, rain pattered against the iron windowpane, each drop like a sob.

At midnight, flames suddenly broke out at the palace gates.

Hao Duiying led his shadow guards in a surprise attack on the prison gate.

"unlock!"

Before the jailer could even shout, a short knife was already slit in his throat.

The prison door was wide open, and Zhu Han stood up, covered in blood.

"Your Highness, let's go!"

Zhu Han shook his head: "I'm not leaving."

"Your Majesty——"

"You can leave the person, but you can't leave the truth."

He raised his hand and stuffed a secret letter written in blood into Hao Duiying's hand.

"Give it to His Majesty. If I die, the true edict will be here."

Hao Duiying was taken aback, took the letter, gritted his teeth, bowed, and turned to disappear into the night.

Zhu Han leaned against the stone wall, gazing at the dark sky.

Outside the palace, the thunderous roar of iron cavalry could already be heard.

The capital's gates were closed, and all nine gates were sealed off. The sound of drums echoed from the city walls, a signal that the palace curfew was being tightened.

Hao Duiying reined in his horse, dismounted, and crept along the side wall of the city.

Torches flickered ahead, and a patrol of imperial guards was on duty. Hao Duiying lay prone in the shadows, holding his breath and remaining motionless.

After they had gone far away, he looked up at the city wall.

The bricks on the high wall were slippery.

He inserted the dagger into a crack in the brickwork and climbed the wall, wading through the rainwater. Blood flowed from his fingertips, but he dared not breathe.

Upon reaching the top, the firelight was almost upon them. Hao Duiying took out a small tube from his robes and fired a feathered arrow—the arrowhead was tied with tinder.

A flash of fire, and it plunged into the imperial moat outside the Fengtian Hall.

That was Zhu Han's old agreement—if the Prince of Zhennan's mansion needed to send an urgent message, the message would be "a fire falling into a ditch at night."

A moment later, the guards at the distant palace gate began to stir.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Hao Duiying leaped down the palace wall and sneaked into the inner city through the underground channel.

The rain was up to his chest, but he forced himself to keep going. Only when a sliver of candlelight appeared ahead did he finally catch his breath.

That's the outlet of the well outside the study.

Hao Duiying climbed out of the dark well, covered in mud.

Two eunuchs were on night watch at the door. He took out his Zhennan waist token and kicked the door open.

"An urgent report has arrived—I wish to see Your Majesty!"

The eunuch was terrified and tried to stop him, but was pushed down by the man's hand.

The lights were still on in the imperial study. Zhu Yuanzhang was still sitting at his desk, reviewing memorials. Hearing the noise, he frowned.

Who's making such a racket in the middle of the night?

Hao threw himself to the ground and presented the secret letter.

"Your Majesty—the Prince of Zhennan urgently reports!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze sharpened, and he opened the letter.

Bloodstains were everywhere, the paper was half-rotten, but the handwriting was as sharp as a knife:

"The true imperial edict from the Northern envoy is in the Crown Prince's hands. I have examined the original edict and found it to be a draft with a forged seal. I fear that chaos will break out, so I have stopped supplying provisions. By the time this letter arrives, I will already be dead."

Zhu Yuanzhang's fingers trembled. The candlelight flickered, reflecting the ashen color on his face.

"Guards—summon the Imperial Guards and appoint the Crown Prince!"

The eunuch was startled and rushed out.

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at the letter, remaining silent for a long time.

“Zhennan…if you deceive me, I will not forgive you. If you are truly loyal, I…will not allow anyone to harm you.”

He suddenly stood up.

"Prepare the carriage, to the Imperial Prison!"

At midnight, the iron lamps flickered in the imperial prison.

Zhu Han was half asleep, leaning against the wall, when he suddenly heard footsteps outside like a tidal wave. Before the chains were even unlocked, the iron gate had already been shattered by a single palm strike.

Zhu Yuanzhang himself went to prison, his face ashen.

"Brother Han!"

Zhu Han slowly stood up, his forehead stained with blood.

"His Majesty."

Zhu Yuanzhang threw the blood-stained letter in front of him.

"Did you really write this letter?"

"Yes."

"Is the Crown Prince's edict genuine or forged?"

Zhu Han nodded.

"The seal of the Northern Envoy is a forgery, and the ink was made by Ye Zhong. I wanted to keep the evidence, but he framed me first."

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze was dark, and after a long while, he said coldly, "If that is true, I have the means to investigate."

He turned and ordered, "Summon the eunuch Cheng Yi—bring the ink box into the palace."

Not long after, an elderly eunuch entered the prison carrying a lacquer box.

Zhu Yuanzhang opened it, and inside were three inksticks, one black, one blue, and one red.

"This is an imperial seal personally sealed by me. The Crown Prince shall not open it without my permission."

Zhu Yuanzhang placed blue ink over a fire to bake it, and the ink fragrance spread throughout the air.

"If Zhu Biao made it privately, the ink fragrance would be different."

He took out the fragment of the imperial edict, lit it near a fire, and his expression changed instantly.

"This ink is not from the palace."

Zhu Han said in a deep voice, "I said long ago that the order to send envoys to the north was not Your Majesty's decree."

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly exhaled.

"Let go."

The iron lock fell to the ground.

Zhu Han bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice: "Prince Zhennan, listen to my order—seal off the Eastern Palace, arrest Ye Zhong's accomplices, and thoroughly investigate the case of the Northern Envoy. If any forged edict is found, confiscate his property and execute him."

"The minister obeys the order."

The wind and rain rose again, and the palace lanterns could not dispel the shadows of the nine gates. That night, the Eastern Palace was surrounded by the Imperial Guards. Inside the Crown Prince's palace, the lights were still on, and he sat quietly before his couch, seemingly waiting for someone.

The door was suddenly kicked open. Zhu Han stood outside the door, raindrops dripping onto the bluestone ground.

"Your Highness."

The crown prince looked up, his expression calm.

"Uncle Wang actually managed to escape?"

"I beseech Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."

The Crown Prince chuckled: "It seems the blood-written letter was delivered after all."

"You knew all along?"

"of course."

The crown prince slowly rose and stood with his hands behind his back.

"Uncle, do you think you've won? You can save my father, but you can't save the world."

"What does your Highness mean by this?"

"The Northern Envoy was not created by me. That seal has been a tool of power since my ancestors. If it is abolished, the world will be without a ruler. My uncle wants to destroy the Shadow, but in reality he wants to seize the Heart."

Zhu Han said coldly, "You speak recklessly about the world, merely using your power to cover up your crimes."

The Crown Prince's smile remained unchanged: "Power is inherently a crime. You and I both know that His Majesty is most wary of powerful regional vassals. If Zhennan is secure, the Eastern Palace will be in danger. From the day we were born, we have been on each other's swords."

Zhu Han approached step by step.

"I only have one question—who drafted the edict for the Northern envoy?"

The crown prince remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Imperial decree."

"You're lying again!"

"Liar?" The Crown Prince sneered. "Uncle, do you really think I would dare to forge an imperial edict? The edict was indeed dictated by His Majesty, but it was not kept on file. You can't find it, but you can't destroy it either."

Zhu Han's heart skipped a beat.

"His Majesty personally ordered this? When?"

"In the third year of Hongning, when I made my northern tour, I was ordered to establish secret envoys to the north to prevent rebellions by regional military governors. This order was not abolished and is still effective today."

Zhu Han took a half step back, his gaze icy.

"So when you issue imperial edicts to requisition grain, it's also done by imperial decree?"

The Crown Prince nodded calmly: "As per the previous decree."

Thunder rumbled outside the hall.

Zhu Han suddenly turned around.

"If that's the case—I'll go see His Majesty again on your behalf."

The crown prince's expression shifted, and he was about to speak when a shout came from outside the door.

"By imperial decree—detain the Crown Prince!"

The imperial guards stormed in, their armor trembling. The crown prince was surrounded by more than ten men.

Zhu Han stood in the hall and said coldly, "Your Highness, you are going to the imperial prison. I hope you will defend yourself."

The prince sighed softly and looked up at the roof beams.

"Zhu Han, do you trust yourself? Can you find out who the 'Northern Envoy' is?"

He suddenly laughed.

"If the Northern envoy is in the Emperor's heart, who would dare to depose him?"

Zhu Han's expression hardened.

The next moment, the prince suddenly turned around and crashed into the stone pillar. Blood splattered everywhere.

The Imperial Guards gasped in surprise.

Zhu Han strode forward, his hands already stained with blood.

The prince lay prostrate on the ground, his face covered in blood, yet he still smiled.

"Uncle Wang...this world...does not belong to...the Qing."

The sound stopped.

Zhu Han slowly closed his eyes.

"Take it away."

The thunder and rain outside pounded against the eaves like the urgent beat of war drums.

The next morning, at the imperial court.

The officials knelt on the ground, their faces filled with fear and panic.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the throne, his expression stern.

“The Crown Prince has privately issued an edict to the Northern Envoy; his crime deserves execution.”

He paused, his gaze heavy.

"However, he was not plotting rebellion, but was misled by imperial decree. He was posthumously granted the title of Loyal and Fraternal Crown Prince and buried in the Eastern Mausoleum."

The courtiers all praised the emperor's wisdom.

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly spoke: "Brother Han, although the case of the Northern Envoy is closed, I have an order—"

"Your subject obeys the decree."

"Effective immediately, the title of Prince of Zhennan is abolished, and he is instead enfeoffed as Marquis of Nan'an. He shall no longer be allowed to command troops to garrison the area."

Zhu Han looked up, a glimmer of light fading from his eyes.

"The minister obeys the order."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice trembled slightly, but it could not conceal his majesty.

"You should rest now."

He turned and left his seat, his back heavy with sorrow.

Outside the hall, sunlight broke through the clouds.

Zhu Han stood up and looked at the vast Jinluan Palace.

Hao asked Ying in a low voice, "Your Highness... no, Your Highness, what shall we do from now on?"

Zhu Han slowly replied, "Whether the world is at peace or not is none of my concern. But the Northern envoy is not dead."

"Not dead?"

Zhu Han looked up at the golden dragon flag high above the Fengtian Hall.

"As long as the dragon remains, the shadow will not perish."

A breeze rises, and clothes flutter in the wind.

He turned and left.

The north wind whips up snow; winter has long since descended upon the capital. A new white banner is erected before the Fengtian Hall; since the death of Crown Prince Zhu Biao, the Eastern Palace is silent.

Although the court was not shaken, undercurrents were stirring.

After the death of his crown prince, Zhu Yuanzhang secluded himself in the palace and even the morning court sessions were changed to be conducted by the Secretariat.

The palace gates were closed during the day and opened at night, and rumors circulated among the common people and in the imperial court—some said the emperor was ill, some said he was building a new palace, and others whispered, "The northern envoy is still here."

In front of the Nan'an Marquis's mansion, fallen leaves piled up thickly.

Zhu Han no longer wore armor, but only plain clothes, and spent his days sitting quietly in his study.

Hao Duiying pushed open the door and entered, whispering:

"Your Highness, there is commotion in the palace again."

"explain."

"The Secretariat recently received a secret edict to transfer the military seal of the Northern Garrison."

Zhu Han frowned slightly: "The Northern Garrison's military tally? They just withdrew supplies, and now they want to mobilize troops again?"

"The secret edict was not clear, only saying 'reorganize the border defenses,' and the signature was... that of Zhao Yuan, the new chief steward of the Ministry of Internal Affairs."

“Zhao Yuan…” Zhu Han murmured, “He was originally a subordinate of the Crown Prince, and now he’s been promoted to chief steward?”

"It was precisely because the crown prince died that he was able to rise in rank."

Hao lowered his voice, "I have found that this person has entered the Qianqing Palace three times at night recently."

Zhu Han's eyes sharpened: "Entering the palace three times at night requires an imperial decree. It seems the Emperor's illness is not just empty talk."

He pondered for a moment and said, "Investigate Zhao Yuan's people, especially whether he is connected with the old faction of the Crown Prince."

Hao responded and left.

A night breeze swept through the curtains, causing the candlelight to flicker. Zhu Han wrote two words on the desk: "Shadows move."

That night, the palace lights were indeed still on.

Three days later, a summons was suddenly issued from the palace gates.

"By imperial decree, the Marquis of Nan'an is summoned to the palace for a meeting."

Zhu Han remained silent for a moment, then adjusted his hat and left the mansion.

Imperial guards stood in formation outside the Qianqing Palace. A eunuch approached and whispered, "His Majesty is slightly unwell and will discuss matters in a side hall."

Zhu Han followed them to Yonghe Hall. Inside, the curtains were half-drawn, and the candlelight was dim.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat leaning against the table, his face ashen, and the veins on his hands bulging.

"Brother Han."

"The minister is here."

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly spoke: "The matter of the Crown Prince is over. However, the court is unstable and the border regions are uneasy. I intend to reorganize the old troops in the Northern Garrison."

"Does His Majesty wish to mobilize troops?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

"But I fear there is discord within and outside the court. Is Zhao Yuan a suitable candidate?"

Zhu Han said in a low voice, "If Your Majesty trusts us, we can use us. If you have doubts, it's better not to use us."

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered: "You always say that."

He paused, his gaze suddenly turning cold.

Some say that you still secretly hold sway over the old Zhennan army.

Zhu Han bowed his head: "After I resigned my post, I handed over the military tally long ago. If there is any falsehood, I am willing to be executed."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him for a long time before slowly saying, "I believe you."

Zhu Han stood up and bowed.

"But the case of the Northern Envoy has not been resolved, and I cannot sleep at night. I established this position as a measure to prevent chaos. Now that the Crown Prince is dead, the Northern Envoy should be abolished, but I still see the imperial edict and seal as if they were my shadow every night."

Zhu Han looked up and said in a low voice, "As long as Your Majesty harbors a shadow in your heart, that shadow will never be extinguished."

Zhu Yuanzhang took a slow breath and suddenly smiled.

"You're getting old too."

"I don't dare."

"Go. I need to rest."

Zhu Han exited the palace gate.

As the wind and snow lashed his face, he turned around and saw candlelight flickering behind the curtain—in that instant, he felt that there was more than one light.

The following day, Hao Duiying hurriedly returned home.

"Your Highness, we've found it."

"explain."

"Zhao Yuan has been frequently meeting with one person recently—Li Ce."

Zhu Han suddenly looked up.

"Li Ce? That man who's already dead?" (End of Chapter)