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

Crown Prince Zhu Biao clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with determination: "Uncle Han, we can no longer sit and wait for death. We must take the initiative to break Zhu Di's conspiracy."

Zhu Han put away the secret letter, and with a sharp gaze, he scanned the ministers present, and said in a deep voice: "Zhu Di is using the Jinyiwei to exert pressure in order to shake the government. We must not let his conspiracy succeed. My Lords, do you have any good ideas to break this situation?"

An old minister hesitated for a moment and slowly spoke: "Your Highness, Your Highness Prince Han, the Jinyiwei is extremely powerful and acts in secret. If we confront them directly, it may not be effective. Why don't we take a roundabout approach and divide and disintegrate their power."

Another middle-aged minister nodded in agreement: "I think we can start from within the Jinyiwei, find those Jinyiwei who are just and dissatisfied with Zhu Di's actions, contact them secretly, and win their support or neutrality."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao frowned, thought for a moment and said, "Although this plan is brilliant, it is extremely difficult to implement and requires extreme caution. We need to send someone who is absolutely reliable and carry it out in secret."

Zhu Han nodded slightly and turned his gaze to a young and alert minister: "Lord Li, you are well-known for your wisdom, so I will leave this matter to you. Please be careful and make sure everything goes well."

Lord Li accepted the order with a firm look on his face: "I will do my best to live up to the trust of Your Highness and Prince Han."

At this time, an old general who had been fighting against Zhu Di for a long time stood up, with a bit of disdain in his voice: "Zhu Di thinks he can do whatever he wants by relying on the Jinyiwei? Humph, don't forget that the Ming Dynasty is still your majesty's. We can write to your majesty, tell you the evil deeds of Zhu Di, and ask your majesty to punish him severely."

Zhu Han nodded in agreement, but then added: "It is of course important to submit a petition, but we also need to prepare sufficient evidence to make it irrefutable for His Majesty. At the same time, we need to strengthen the connection with the upright people in the court to form a force that cannot be ignored."

A trace of determination flashed in the eyes of Crown Prince Zhu Biao: "Uncle Han is absolutely right. Not only should we submit a petition, but we should also publicly question Zhu Di at the court meeting, leaving him no place to hide."

During the discussion, an attendant hurried into the meeting room and reported nervously: "Your Highness, Your Highness Prince Han, there is urgent news from outside. Zhu Di sent Jinyiwei to surround the residences of several adults, intending to take them away by force."

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the meeting room. Zhu Han stood up suddenly, with a cold look in his eyes: "How dare Zhu Di be so arrogant! Send down the order quickly, mobilize the imperial guards, and make sure to protect the safety of the adults, no mistakes!"

Upon hearing this, Crown Prince Zhu Biao looked solemn and said in a deep voice: "Uncle Han, this matter cannot be delayed. We must act immediately to prevent the situation from getting worse."

Zhu Han nodded, and quickly turned around and ordered the attendant beside him: "Immediately send a message to the commander of the Imperial Guards, and order him to lead the elite soldiers and generals to lift the Jinyiwei's siege on the adults in the shortest possible time and ensure the safety of the adults."

The attendant received the order and hurried off to carry it out.

The atmosphere in the conference hall was tense and solemn. The ministers looked at each other, feeling both anger at Zhu Di's atrocities and worry about the impending conflict.

Zhu Han looked around at everyone, his voice firm and powerful: "My Lords, what Zhu Di did is a blatant provocation to the laws of the Ming Dynasty. We must not only rescue you who are surrounded, but also take this opportunity to thoroughly expose Zhu Di's conspiracy and restore order in the court."

An old minister stood up and said, "Your Highness Prince Han is right, but Zhu Di is powerful. We need to be cautious and not act rashly."

Zhu Han nodded in agreement: "What the old man said makes sense. We need to make a careful plan to rescue the besieged ministers while avoiding unnecessary conflicts, so as not to bring greater turmoil to the court."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao pondered for a moment and suggested, "Why don't we split our troops into two groups? One group will be led by the elite imperial guards to rescue the besieged ministers, and the other group will be led by Uncle Han himself to meet with the emperor, report Zhu Di's crimes one by one, and ask for his judgment."

Zhu Han heard this, and a trace of praise flashed in his eyes: "Your Highness, this plan is very good. It has two prongs. It can not only quickly rescue the besieged ministers, but also let my father know the truth and make a fair judgment."

While everyone was discussing, a general of the Imperial Guards hurried into the meeting room, knelt on one knee and reported: "Your Highness Prince Han and Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Imperial Guards have been assembled and are ready to set out to rescue the besieged ministers at any time."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han stood up and said to the commander of the Imperial Guards, "Okay, you will lead the Imperial Guards there immediately. Be sure to act carefully to ensure the safety of the adults. At the same time, send a message to the garrisons along the way to provide you with all the necessary assistance."

The commander of the imperial guards took the order and left. The atmosphere in the meeting hall eased a little. Zhu Han turned to the crown prince Zhu Biao and said, "Your Highness, we will go to the palace immediately to meet our father and present Zhu Di's crimes one by one."

Zhu Han said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, we must be fully prepared and ensure that every piece of evidence presented is irrefutable."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao nodded, his tone firm: "Uncle Han is right. We not only need solid evidence, but also a proper strategy to avoid angering our father."

After discussing for a while, the two decided that Zhu Han would meet the emperor first, present preliminary evidence and test the emperor's attitude, and then Crown Prince Zhu Biao would respond further based on the emperor's reaction.

Zhu Han entered the palace, knelt down and saluted, then slowly presented the secret memorial in his hand: "Your Majesty, I have something important to report. I have collected some solid evidence about what Zhu Di and his followers did."

The emperor took the secret letter and frowned slightly. He did not start reading it immediately, but asked calmly: "Prince Han, do you know that Zhu Di is my biological son? Have you thought about the consequences of your actions?"

Zhu Han replied calmly: "Your Majesty, I know that Zhu Di is of royal blood, but the laws of the country cannot be abolished. Everything I do is for the sake of the Ming Dynasty."

The emperor pondered for a moment, with a hint of displeasure in his tone: "Although Zhu Di made a mistake, I know my limits. Prince Han does not need to be too hasty."

Zhu Han did not back down and continued, "Your Majesty is wise, but Zhu Di's behavior has seriously damaged the government. If it is not stopped in time, it may cause great trouble. I implore Your Majesty to be more careful and restore the court to a clean and clear state."

After hearing this, the emperor's face became even more solemn. He slowly unfolded the secret letter and read it carefully. As he read deeper, the emperor's face became more gloomy.

Zhu Han took the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, Zhu Di used the Jinyiwei to control the government and suppress dissidents. If such behavior is not severely punished, how can the people be convinced? I implore Your Majesty to put the overall situation first and not harm the country because of personal feelings."

The emperor put down the secret letter and looked at Zhu Han sharply: "Prince Han, do you know that once you say this, the consequences will be unpredictable?"

Zhu Han was not afraid and answered frankly: "I know that if I say this, I will offend Zhu Di and his followers, but I also know that if I don't say it, I will be ashamed of your majesty and the Ming Dynasty." The emperor was silent for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he slowly said: "I have remembered what Prince Han said. This matter is of great importance and I need to consider it carefully. You can leave now. When I make a decision, I will call you to come."

Zhu Han knew that the emperor was not completely on his side when he heard this, but he also saw the emperor's hesitation and wavering. He bowed and slowly left the palace, with a plan for the next step in mind.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao was anxiously waiting outside the palace. When he saw Zhu Han coming out, he hurried forward and said, "Uncle Han, what did the emperor say?"

Zhu Han looked at the anxious face of Crown Prince Zhu Biao, patted his shoulder gently, and said in a deep voice: "Don't worry, Your Highness. His Majesty has read the secret memorial and has his own plans. At this moment, we need to wait for the opportunity and strengthen our defenses to prevent Zhu Di from making any further moves."

Zhu Biao frowned and asked worriedly, "Uncle Han, are we just going to sit back and watch Zhu Di do whatever he wants?"

Zhu Han shook his head, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes: "Your Highness, what Zhu Di did has violated the majesty of heaven. How can we let him go unpunished? However, we need to win with wisdom at this moment and must not act rashly."

As they were talking, a guard came running over and reported nervously, "Your Highness Prince Han, Your Highness the Crown Prince, Zhu Di has led the Jinyiwei to leave the besieged minister's mansion, but before leaving, he left a harsh message, saying that this matter will never be let go."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han sneered, "Good job Zhu Di, he is quite courageous. However, if he thinks he can scare us like this, he is totally wrong."

Zhu Biao clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with determination: "Uncle Han, we must not let him succeed. How should we deal with it next?"

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness, what we need to do next is, first, continue to collect evidence of Zhu Di's illegal behavior, second, strengthen the unity of the upright people in the court, and third, prepare to deal with Zhu Di's possible counterattack. At the same time, I will personally meet with several old ministers to win their support."

Zhu Biao nodded, his eyes sparkling with admiration: "Uncle Han is a man of foresight, and I admire him. But, Uncle Han, you should also be more careful, Zhu Di is cunning and may not be good for you."

Zhu Han smiled slightly and patted Zhu Biao on the shoulder: "Don't worry, Your Highness. Prince Han will act carefully. But you, Your Highness, need to be more stable and not get angry easily, so as not to fall into Zhu Di's trap."

After saying this, Zhu Han turned around and was about to leave, but suddenly stopped and turned back to Zhu Biao and said, "Your Highness, there is one more thing you need to pay attention to. Zhu Di has a deep foundation in the court, and it is inevitable that some people will be deceived by him. Your Highness must distinguish right from wrong and do not let villains take advantage of you."

Zhu Biao nodded heavily, his eyes full of determination: "Uncle Han, don't worry, Biao'er has made a note of it. I will be careful and will not let the villain succeed."

Zhu Han then left with peace of mind and went to the residences of several respected old ministers to seek their support.

As night fell, deep in the palace, Zhu Yuanzhang sat alone on the dragon throne, playing with a jade seal in his hand, his brows furrowed. At this time, a eunuch walked in quietly and reported in a low voice: "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness Prince Han wants to see you."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, signaling the eunuch to come and see him. Soon, Zhu Han entered the hall, bowed, and said bluntly: "Your Majesty, I came here today to ask Your Majesty to solve my doubts."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyes to look at Zhu Han, his eyes revealing a bit of complexity: "Brother Han, if you have any doubts, just speak up."

Zhu Han took a deep breath and said slowly, "Your Majesty, I dare to ask you, what do you think of Zhu Di's actions? Do you really want to let him do whatever he wants and ignore the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened when he heard this, but he immediately regained his composure: "Brother Han, you are wrong. How could I ignore the country? But Zhu Di is my own son, how can I easily decide his life or death?"

Zhu Han knelt on the ground and said firmly, "Your Majesty, family affection is important, but the law of the country cannot be abolished. What Zhu Di did has endangered the government. If he is not severely punished, how can we convince the people? I beg Your Majesty to put the overall situation first and not let personal feelings blind your eyes."

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a long time, and finally spoke slowly: "I already know what you said, brother Han. This matter is of great importance, and I need to think twice before acting. You can leave, and I will let you know when I make a decision."

Zhu Han knew that Zhu Yuanzhang had already made up his mind, but was unable to make a decision due to the father-son relationship. So he did not force it, bowed, and left the hall.

The next morning, Zhu Han and Zhu Biao met again in the East Palace to discuss countermeasures. Zhu Biao looked worried, obviously still worried about what happened last night.

Seeing this, Zhu Han comforted him softly, "Don't worry, Your Highness. His Majesty has his own plans. We just need to wait for the right opportunity and strengthen our defenses to prevent any unexpected events."

Zhu Biao nodded, but then asked worriedly: "Uncle Han, what if the emperor finally thinks of the father-son relationship and gives Zhu Di a break?"

Zhu Han pondered for a moment, a trace of determination flashed in his eyes: "If this is true, I can only lead the ministers to write a letter in my personal name, requesting Your Majesty to severely punish Zhu Di and rectify the government. How can the Ming Dynasty allow its country to be misled by one's personal feelings?"

Zhu Biao finally couldn't bear the worry in his heart and spoke again: "Uncle Prince Han, father...if he really shows leniency to Zhu Di out of consideration for the father-son relationship, then wouldn't all our efforts these days be in vain?" There was a slight tremor in his voice, and he was obviously very uneasy about the possible outcome.

Zhu Han put down his teacup, looked at Zhu Biao firmly, and said in a steady and powerful tone: "Your Highness, the emperor's heart is hard to predict, but Your Highness must know that the Ming Dynasty is not the country of one person, but the country of all people. Your Majesty has been wise all his life, and he will definitely be able to distinguish right from wrong, and will not ignore the interests of the country because of personal feelings."

Zhu Biao's brows relaxed slightly when he heard this, but then they furrowed again: "Uncle Han's words make sense, but people's hearts are complicated. If my father is really deceived by Zhu Di, what should we do?"

Zhu Han stood up, walked to the window, looked at the morning light outside, and said slowly: "Your Highness, if that day really comes, I, Zhu Han, am willing to pledge my life to defend the government and never let people like Zhu Di cause chaos in the government. But before that, we need to be fully prepared to prevent any unexpected events."

Zhu Biao also stood up and walked to Zhu Han's side, his eyes flashing with determination: "Uncle Han, Biao is willing to fight alongside you. No matter how difficult the road ahead is, Biao will never back down."

At this time, an attendant hurried in and reported nervously: "Your Highness Prince Han, Your Highness the Crown Prince, someone from the palace has sent a message saying that His Majesty urgently summoned Your Highness Prince Han to the palace for an audience, and it seems that there is something important to discuss." (End of this chapter)