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

"But Your Highness must also be careful. There are people in the court who covet the position of crown prince, especially Prince of Yan Zhu Di. He is both civil and military, and has a high reputation in the army. We must be more vigilant."

Zhu Han nodded, his eyes sharp: "Mr. Chen is right, Di'er is talented but ambitious. We need to act with caution, to show the prince's benevolence and wisdom, and to show majesty and decisiveness at critical moments to deter those who have evil intentions."

Zhu Biao frowned, and after thinking for a while, he said, "Uncle Prince Han, I have an idea. We can strengthen our ties with the Qingliu faction in the court, and secretly support some people with lofty ideals to form a force to support the prince. In this way, even if the Prince of Yan attacks, we will have a backer to rely on."

Zhu Han heard this and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes: "Biao'er, this plan is very good. It is both stable and aggressive. But remember, you must act cautiously and not act too hastily, so as not to alert the enemy."

During the discussion, a young Xiongnu representative was deeply attracted by the conversation about power and strategy, and couldn't help but interrupted, "Your Highness Zhu and Prince Han's wisdom is something we admire. Xiongnu also has its share of power struggles, but the complexity of the Ming Dynasty is something we have never seen. If we can learn from the wisdom of the Ming Dynasty, it may help us Xiongnu become more united."

In Zhu Biao's study in the East Palace, the discussion was still heated, and the topic had quietly turned to the deeper power layout and the delicate relationship within the family. Zhu Han, as Zhu Yuanzhang's younger brother, was known for his calmness and wisdom. At this moment, he was quietly listening to everyone's speeches, with deep thoughts in his eyes.

Zhu Han spoke slowly, his voice steady and powerful: "Your Highness is right. Cultural exchange is important, but political stability and the balance of power are also cornerstones that cannot be ignored. At present, our Ming Dynasty is in its heyday, but we must also guard against internal and external troubles."

He looked at Zhu Biao, his eyes full of concern: "Biao'er, as the crown prince, you have a heavy responsibility. You need to be both virtuous and talented, and have foresight and vision, so that you can stabilize the government, resist foreign enemies, and live up to the expectations of the people."

After hearing this, Zhu Biao's expression became more serious. He stood up and saluted respectfully to Zhu Han: "Uncle Han is right. Biao will definitely remember it. But the situation in the court is ever-changing, and Biao often feels incapable of handling it."

"Don't worry, Biao'er. With my help, I will surely help you overcome the difficulties. But remember, true power lies not only in status, but also in people's hearts. Only by learning to listen to the voices of court officials and understand their needs can you gather strength and consolidate your position as the crown prince."

At this time, Mr. Chen, an experienced aide, added: "Your Highness is right. The will of the people is the foundation of governing a country. But Your Highness must be careful. There are people in the court who are eyeing the position of crown prince, especially Prince of Yan Zhu Di. He is both civil and military, and has a high prestige in the army. We must be on guard."

Zhu Han nodded in agreement, with a sharp gleam in his eyes: "Mr. Chen is right. Although Di'er is talented, he is also ambitious. We need to act with caution. We must demonstrate the prince's benevolence and wisdom, and at the critical moment, we must show our majesty and decisiveness to suppress those who have evil intentions."

Zhu Biao frowned, thought for a moment and then proposed a plan: "Uncle Han Wang, I think we can strengthen our ties with the Qingliu faction in the court and secretly support some knowledgeable people to build up support for the prince. When facing the challenge of the King of Yan, we will also have something to rely on."

Hearing Zhu Han's words, his eyes showed a gleam of approval: "Biao'er's plan is really clever, both safe and enterprising. But you must remember to act carefully and not be impatient, so as not to alarm the other party."

During the discussion, a young representative of the Xiongnu culture was deeply attracted by the conversation about power and strategy, and couldn't help but interrupt: "Your Highness Zhu and Prince Han's wisdom is really admired by us. The Xiongnu also have power struggles, but the complexity of the Ming Dynasty is something we have never seen. If we can learn from the wisdom of the Ming Dynasty, it may help us Xiongnu to be more united."

Zhu Han smiled slightly and cast an approving look at the young representative: "Cultural exchange is not only a collision of art, but also a fusion of wisdom. I hope our two countries can take this opportunity to learn from each other in state governance and make progress together."

As the night deepened, the discussion in the study room gradually came to an end. Zhu Han and Zhu Biao walked out of the study room side by side, looking at the starry sky.

It was already dark, and only a few lights were flickering in the study of the East Palace, reflecting the resolute faces of Zhu Han and Zhu Biao. The two stood side by side in front of the window, looking at the twinkling stars in the night sky, each with their own thoughts in their hearts.

Zhu Han sighed and broke the silence: "Biao'er, in today's discussion, you have shown maturity and wisdom beyond your age. Your father is very pleased. But remember, the road to power is full of thorns. You need to be cautious at every step."

Zhu Biao's expression became more solemn when he heard this. He turned to look at Zhu Han, his eyes flashing with determination: "Uncle Han, Biao understands. However, facing the ambition of the King of Yan, we have to be on guard. Biao is willing to treat others with sincerity, but he is not afraid of any challenge."

Zhu Han nodded slightly, his eyes deep: "Biao'er, you have both kindness and determination, which are rare qualities. But to govern a country, kindness and determination are not enough, you also need strategy and skill."

He pondered for a moment and continued, "Although Prince Di'er of Yan has ambitions, he is not an easy target. We must not only guard against his open attacks, but also be careful of his hidden arrows. In the court, we must make friends with people who are kind, and at the same time, we must cultivate our own strength in case of emergency."

Zhu Biao listened carefully, with a hint of thought in his eyes. "Uncle Han is right. I have learned a lot. However, the situation in the court is complicated. It is not easy to find those truly reliable supporters."

Zhu Han smiled slightly, with a glimmer of wisdom in his eyes: "Biao'er, although human hearts are hard to predict, there are always some common principles. You can find supporters among those officials who are honest and upright and care about the people. At the same time, you should also pay attention to those gentry and scholars who have prestige and are popular among the people in the local area."

He paused, his tone more serious: "In addition, we must strengthen intelligence gathering and understand the movements of various factions in the DPRK. Only by knowing ourselves and the enemy can we win every battle."

Zhu Biao heard this, and a glimmer of enlightenment flashed in his eyes: "Uncle Han Wang, Biao understands. Biao will personally contact these officials and gentry, listen to their voices, and understand their needs."

Zhu Han nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, Biaoer. Remember, a true leader must not only be able to give orders, but also know how to listen and understand. Only in this way can you truly win people's hearts."

While the two were talking, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps outside the door. Then, a guard hurried in and reported nervously: "Your Highness, Your Highness Prince Han, there is an urgent secret letter delivered."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao looked at each other, and both saw solemnity in each other's eyes. Zhu Han waved his hand to signal the guard to present the secret letter, and then opened it and read it. After a moment, he frowned and handed the secret letter to Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao took the secret letter, glanced through it quickly, and his face suddenly changed: "This... How is this possible?"

Zhu Han said in a deep voice: "It seems that someone in the court can no longer hold back. This secret letter reveals that someone is plotting to create chaos in the court and intends to seize power."

Zhu Biao clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with anger and determination: "Uncle Han, we can't just sit there and watch. We must take action immediately to crush this conspiracy."

Zhu Han nodded, his eyes revealing determination: "Yes, we must take the initiative. Biao'er, you must immediately gather your trusted staff to discuss countermeasures. At the same time, I will also personally meet those people with ill intentions to see what they are planning." Zhu Biao heard this, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes: "Uncle Han, this matter is extremely dangerous, you must be careful."

Zhu Han smiled slightly and patted Zhu Biao on the shoulder: "Don't worry, I know what I am doing. You just need to guard the East Palace and stabilize the situation in the court. Remember, no matter what happens, you must stay calm and composed."

Zhu Biao nodded heavily: "Uncle Han, don't worry, Biaoer understands."

After that, the two men went their separate ways. Zhu Biao left in a hurry and called his staff to discuss countermeasures, while Zhu Han changed into casual clothes, quietly left the East Palace, and stepped into the night.

At the same time, in another corner of the capital, a conspiracy against the prince was quietly brewing. Some ill-intentioned court officials secretly colluded with local forces, attempting to take advantage of the chaotic situation in the court to launch a coup and overthrow the prince's position.

The night was as dark as ink, and the streets of the capital were sparsely populated, with only the sound of the night watchman's clapper occasionally breaking the silence. Zhu Han, dressed in casual clothes, walked steadily through the narrow alleys, his eyes as sharp as an eagle, as if he could penetrate the darkness and see through all the secrets.

He arrived in front of a seemingly ordinary house and knocked gently on the door. Not long after, the door slowly opened and a middle-aged man who looked like a housekeeper poked his head out. Seeing that it was Zhu Han, he quickly bowed and saluted: "Prince Han, you are visiting so late at night. I am sorry for not welcoming you in person. Please come in."

Zhu Han walked into the courtyard, and the housekeeper led him to the main hall. There was already a man waiting in the hall. The man was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had a sinister face. He was a powerful official in the court - Li Shilang.

"Prince Han came to visit so late at night, I wonder why?" Minister Li asked with a wry smile, a hint of wariness in his eyes.

Zhu Han smiled slightly, walked straight to the main seat and sat down, his eyes were sharp: "Lord Li, why do you ask when you already know the answer? The capital has been in turmoil recently. If I don't come, I'm afraid the sky in the court will change color."

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Minister Li's face changed slightly, but he regained his composure immediately: "Prince Han, you are too serious. Everything in the court is normal. Why is there a storm?"

Zhu Han smiled lightly, his tone carrying unquestionable majesty: "Lord Li, neither you nor I are stupid people. Some people in the court are secretly colluding with ill intentions. Do you think that I really don't know anything about it?"

Minister Li was silent for a moment, and finally took off his disguise and sneered, "Since Prince Han already knows, why bother talking nonsense here? Do you want to get a piece of the pie?"

Zhu Han's eyes shone, and his tone became cold: "Lord Li, you are wrong. I am not here to share the spoils, but to protect the stability of the Ming Dynasty, to assist the crown prince to ascend the throne, and to carry on the will of the late emperor."

Minister Li sneered even more: "Crown Prince? Humph, a brat who is still wet behind the ears, how can he inherit the throne? If Prince Han is interested, why don't we join forces and plan big things together? Why live under someone else's roof?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han slammed the table and shouted angrily, "How dare you! The Crown Prince was appointed by the previous emperor. He is both virtuous and talented. How can you, the scoundrels, make irresponsible comments? If you continue to be stubborn, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Minister Li was so frightened by this shout that he trembled all over, but then he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Why are you so angry, Prince Han? The world is ruled by the capable, and the crown prince is incompetent, so he should naturally give way to the capable."

Zhu Han sneered, stood up, and walked slowly to Minister Li, his eyes like a knife: "A capable person? Do you think you are that 'capable person'? Let me tell you, this world belongs to the Zhu family, and the prince is the eldest son of the Zhu family. If he can't succeed to the throne, who else can be qualified? If you dare to talk nonsense again, don't blame me for being rude!"

Minister Li's face turned pale, but he did not dare to easily provoke this powerful prince. He knew that although he had someone to support him, he still seemed too insignificant in front of Zhu Han.

When Zhu Han saw that Li Shilang stopped talking, he knew that his goal for today had been achieved. He turned around and was about to leave, but stopped and said coldly, "You'd better take care of yourself. Remember, this world cannot be obtained by conspiracy and trickery. If you really want to make a difference, you should fight for it uprightly, instead of playing tricks here."

After saying that, Zhu Han strode out of the house, leaving Minister Li standing there alone with a gloomy look on his face.

On the other hand, Zhu Biao also stayed awake all night in the East Palace. He summoned his trusted staff to discuss countermeasures urgently. The lights in the study were brightly lit, and the atmosphere was tense and solemn.

"Everyone, the situation in the court has reached a critical juncture. Some people want to take advantage of the chaos to rebel. We must make arrangements in advance to prevent any accidents." Zhu Biao's voice was firm and powerful.

Mr. Chen, an experienced staff member, said in a deep voice: "Your Highness is right. But our biggest enemy right now is not the rebels in the open, but the forces hiding in the dark. They may not directly participate in the rebellion, but they will deal a fatal blow at a critical moment."

Zhu Biao nodded in agreement: "Mr. Chen is right. We must strengthen our intelligence gathering to ensure that we are fully aware of every move in the court."

Another young aide, Li Mo, made a suggestion: "Your Highness, perhaps we can use this crisis to further consolidate the Crown Prince's position in the court. For example, we can take the initiative to expose the conspiracy of those traitors and let the court officials see the Crown Prince's wisdom and decisiveness."

Zhu Biao heard this and a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes: "Li Mo's plan is very good. But how to implement it specifically still needs careful planning. We can't alert the enemy, nor can we let the court officials see any flaws."

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment, and his eyes swept over every staff member present, finally landing on Mr. Chen: "Mr. Chen, you are experienced, how do you think we can strengthen intelligence collection without making a sound?"

Mr. Chen stroked his beard and said slowly, "Your Highness, intelligence gathering must be secretive and efficient. We can secretly send trusted people to infiltrate various forces in the court and become their eyes and ears. At the same time, we can also use some seemingly insignificant banquets, poetry gatherings and other occasions to secretly observe the dynamics of various parties and collect information."

Zhu Biao nodded, with a hint of approval in his eyes: "This is a great plan. But we need to be careful in choosing the right person, he must be a loyal and reliable person." (End of this chapter)