The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 651 Time to Counterattack
As night deepened, the imperial palace in the capital was shrouded in silence.

The flickering candlelight in the main hall illuminated Zhu Xiong Ying's pensive face.

Although the daytime court assembly had ended and Zhang Jing's conspiracy had been temporarily thwarted, Zhu Xiong Ying knew that the contest in the court was far from over.

Zhang Jing's forces are still secretly plotting, waiting for an opportunity to launch a counterattack.

"Your Highness, you have completely suppressed Zhang Jing's power at today's court assembly."

"Should we seize this opportunity to launch a counterattack and completely eliminate these hidden hostile forces?"

Li Jinglong stood to the side, his expression showing a hint of excitement.

He could see that Zhu Xiong Ying had already seized the initiative in the court, and Zhang Jingyi's faction could no longer easily provoke trouble.

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded slightly, his gaze remaining deep.

"Indeed, now is the perfect time for us to strike back."

"However, the counterattack should not be rushed."

He said this with utmost calmness and analysis in his tone.

“Zhang Jing and his group wield considerable power. If we act rashly, we may give them an opportunity to exploit us.”

"We must completely control their power and then destroy them in one fell swoop."

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong paused slightly, then asked, "Does Your Highness mean to appease them first and continue to secretly gather evidence?"

Zhu Xiong Ying's gaze swept coldly across the hall, and he slowly said, "Not bad."

“Zhang Jing and his ilk have been cultivating their influence in the court for many years, and their power base is complex and intertwined.”

"If we cannot obtain solid evidence, taking rash action will only cause turmoil in the government and even give them a chance to retaliate."

Although his voice was calm, every word he spoke conveyed utter coldness and decisiveness.

"The most important thing now is to stabilize the situation in the court and gradually weaken their power."

"At the same time, we need to secretly gather more evidence and then take action when the time is right."

Li Jinglong nodded, then asked, "Your Highness, what should our next move be?"

Zhu Xiong Ying's gaze sharpened slightly, and he slowly said, "First, we must continue to leverage the impact of the border victory to consolidate the support from the DPRK and the Central Government."

"Although the rumors spread by Zhang Jing and others have been debunked, they will continue to incite others in the shadows."

"We must ensure the trust and support of the officials in the court so that we can completely isolate Zhang Jingyi's faction."

He spoke with remarkable wisdom and composure.

"Secondly, we need to secretly investigate Zhang Jing's network of influence."

“Over the years, he has cultivated many cronies in the court. Some of these people are genuinely loyal, while others are merely people he has won over.”

"We need to find those wavering opportunists and get them to switch sides with us, thus weakening Zhang Jing's power."

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong immediately understood and said, "I understand. I will immediately arrange for people to secretly contact these people."

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded slightly, his eyes revealing unwavering determination and resolve.

"Zhang Jing has already shown a weakness this time."

"He thought he had the situation under control, but in fact we had already firmly gained the upper hand."

"This time, I will not give him any chance to fight back."

Although his voice was soft, the murderous intent emanating from it sent chills down one's spine.

Li Jinglong immediately accepted the order and quickly left.

Zhu Xiong Ying stood alone in the main hall, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

He knew that everything that followed was crucial.

This power struggle in the imperial court was not only about his future, but also about the future of the Ming Dynasty.

"Zhang Jing, you have been plotting in secret for many years, but you will eventually be unable to escape my counterattack."

He silently made a vow in his heart, his eyes shining with determination.

***
A few days later, the situation inside and outside the capital gradually stabilized.

Zhu Xiong Ying consolidated his position in the court by leveraging the impact of the border victory.

Although Zhang Jingyi's faction suffered a defeat at the court meeting, they did not stop their actions and continued to plot in secret.

In recent days, Zhang Jing's cronies have been active, trying to win over those wavering officials in the court.

"Your Highness, Zhang Jing and his group have been very active lately, and it seems they are secretly plotting some new conspiracy."

The confidant strode in, his expression showing some tension.

"According to our intelligence, Zhang Jing has secretly contacted many officials, especially some mid-level officials who hold real power." "They seem to be preparing an operation against His Highness."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xiong Ying frowned slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"As expected, Zhang Jing did not stop."

"Their influence has secretly formed a vast network, and if it is not dealt with in time, the consequences will be dire."

He spoke with remarkable calmness and analytical insight.

The trusted aide asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, what should we do next?"

Zhu Xiong Ying's gaze swept coldly across the hall. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Now is not the best time for them to take action."

"Although Zhang Jing and his group are plotting in secret, they do not have enough power to fight against me."

"What we need to do is continue to stabilize the political situation while secretly and gradually weakening their power."

Although his voice was calm, it conveyed an unparalleled decisiveness and ruthlessness.

"Pass down the order to continue strengthening surveillance of Zhang Jingyi's faction, especially those who have close ties with him."

"Once we have solid evidence, we will take immediate action to bring them all to justice."

The confidant immediately nodded in agreement and quickly left.

Zhu Xiong Ying stood still, her gaze coldly fixed on the distance ahead.

He knew that although Zhang Jingyi's faction was powerful, their actions were not stable.

If he can seize the opportunity and strike decisively, he can completely destroy their network.

"Zhang Jing, your end is not far off."

He silently made a vow in his heart, his eyes flashing with a cold, sharp light.

***
A few days later, Zhu Xiong Ying's plan began to unfold gradually.

Following Zhu Xiong Ying's instructions, Li Jinglong began contacting those wavering officials, attempting to persuade them to switch sides to Zhu Xiong Ying.

At the same time, Zhu Xiong Ying secretly intensified his surveillance of Zhang Jingyi's faction, gradually collecting evidence of their collusion.

"Your Highness, I have already contacted some officials."

"Most of them are afraid of Zhang Jing's power, but they are willing to stand on our side as long as we can ensure their safety."

Li Jinglong strode in, a hint of joy on his face.

“Especially some officials who hold real power are more concerned about their own future. As long as we give them some support, they are willing to cooperate with us.”

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded slightly, a hint of calm contemplation flashing in his eyes.

"That's right, these people are just opportunists, changing their stance with the wind."

“As long as we can offer them enough benefits, they will naturally be willing to betray Zhang Jing.”

He spoke with remarkable calmness and wisdom.

"However, we cannot rely entirely on these opportunists."

"The real victory requires obtaining the core evidence against Zhang Jingyi's faction and completely eradicating their power."

Li Jinglong nodded, then asked, "Your Highness, should we expedite our actions against Zhang Jing?"

Zhu Xiong Ying's gaze sharpened slightly, and he slowly said, "Indeed, the time is ripe."

"Zhang Jing's defeat in court this time will surely prompt him to intensify his actions."

"We cannot give him any more chances to fight back."

"Start immediately, beginning with his cronies, and gradually dismantle his network of influence."

Although his voice was calm, every word he spoke conveyed unparalleled decisiveness and resolve.

Li Jinglong immediately accepted the order and went to arrange manpower.

Zhu Xiong Ying stood in the main hall, his gaze coldly fixed on the distance.

He knew that every next step was crucial.

If this operation goes smoothly, he can completely seize control of the court and eradicate Zhang Jingyi's faction.

"Zhang Jing, you are destined to fail this time."

"Your conspiracy has come to an end."

He silently made a vow in his heart, his eyes shining with determination.

***
A few days later, the situation inside and outside the capital became tense again.

(End of this chapter)