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

After hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, with awe in their eyes.

Li Ying asked in a low voice: "Your Highness, if the prince really solves these problems, how should we deal with it?"

Zhu Di stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the capital in the night. He spoke in a low but firm voice, "He can't solve it. The people under him have limited abilities, and the complexity of local affairs is far beyond his imagination. As long as we push him a little, his plan will fail miserably. By then, the people of the capital will naturally know that he, the crown prince, is not as capable as they imagined."

The room was silent, with only the sound of the flickering candlelight echoing in the air.

After a moment, Zhu Di turned around and said slowly: "Remember, this game is not about how we attack, but how to take advantage of his every mistake. The more anxious he is, the more chances we have."

Everyone answered in unison: "We understand!"

In Tongzhou, Chen Qing, a scholar sent down, stood in front of the county government office with a look of hesitation on his face. He had just received a mission to assist the local government in rectifying the granary, but he was greeted by the indifferent county magistrate.

"Master Chen, right?" The county magistrate looked at him coldly. "We will naturally carry out the orders from the capital, but we are busy with affairs here, so I am afraid we don't have time to take care of Master Chen."

Chen Qing bowed and saluted, saying respectfully: "Your Excellency is too kind. I am here only to assist, not to cause any trouble."

The county magistrate snorted disapprovingly: "If that's the case, then please do as you please, Mr. Chen."

Chen Qing's heart sank, and he thought to himself, "Could it be true, as the rumors say, that these local officials are dissatisfied with the prince?"

At the same time, Liu Tingsong, a scholar in the southern suburbs, encountered even bigger troubles.

He was ordered to count the land in the countryside, but was coldly rejected by the local gentry: "Sir Liu, this land issue is a local matter, why bother you to personally inquire about it? Could it be that the prince in the capital doesn't trust us?"

Liu Tingsong suppressed his anger and said gently: "Mr. Country Gentleman, you have misunderstood. I am just doing my job."

The gentleman sneered and said, "Public affairs are public affairs, but if we really want to count them, I'm afraid it will disturb people's livelihood."

Liu Tingsong knew that the other party was making things difficult for him, but he did not back down and continued to persuade him patiently: "If we don't count clearly, how can we ensure that the tax is fair? If you really care about the people, please help me complete this matter."

A few days later, Zhu Biao received a series of urgent reports from the local areas. The contents varied, but all mentioned some resistance. He called his men together to discuss, his face solemn: "It seems that the fourth brother is really not idle."

Zhu Han sat aside and said calmly: "Biao'er, these people are your touchstones. If they can't even handle these small troubles, it means they are not worth much use."

Zhu Biao sat aside with a solemn expression, his hands clenched into fists, and his forehead was covered with sweat. He had just received an urgent report from the local area, and his heart was in a complicated state of mind.

"Uncle, I have tried my best to select talented people and send them to handle local affairs, but why do we still encounter so much resistance?" Zhu Biao's voice was suppressed and his eyes were full of confusion and anxiety.

Zhu Han did not answer immediately, but slowly pushed a cup of tea in front of Zhu Biao: "Biao'er, drink some tea and calm down. You have to understand that this is not because you hired the wrong people, but the inevitable twists and turns in the game of chess."

Zhu Biao picked up the teacup but did not drink it. His eyes were still fixed on the map. "Uncle, my fourth brother is indeed good at scheming. He uses local gentry to create trouble, obviously trying to weaken the prestige of the court. If these scholars fail, it will not only damage the reputation, but also leave the people with the impression that the court is incompetent."

Zhu Han smiled slightly, but his tone was full of meaning: "You are right, but have you ever thought that these setbacks may also be opportunities?"

Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment, then turned his gaze to Zhu Han: "Opportunity?"

Zhu Han put down the teacup and sat up straight. "Biao'er, you carefully selected these scholars. Although they lack experience, they are talented. The current trouble is a test for them and also an opportunity for you to prove yourself. If you can make them stand out in the face of difficulties, your reputation will only rise to a higher level."

Zhu Biao seemed to be thinking about something, and asked softly, "What does the emperor's uncle mean to do is to let the local gentry be embarrassed and not intervene?"

Zhu Han shook his head, his tone firmer: "Of course not. Your intervention must be timely and precise. Give the scholars the opportunity to solve the problem themselves, but at the critical moment, you must give them enough support and protection. In this way, they can exercise their abilities and feel your reliance and trust."

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment and nodded: "Uncle, what you said is very true. I understand. I will formulate corresponding countermeasures for each urgent report."

Zhu Han smiled, his eyes full of encouragement: "Very good. However, this is not enough. You have to take the initiative and use these troubles to reverse the fourth brother's plan and let him know that you are not an opponent who can be easily manipulated."

Zhu Biao's brows relaxed. He looked at Zhu Han with more confidence in his eyes: "Uncle, you are right. We can't always respond passively. In this game of chess, I have to take the initiative to make my own moves."

The next day, Zhu Biao sent a special envoy to Tongzhou with a handwritten letter. After receiving the letter, Chen Qing stood in the back hall of the county government office with a complicated expression. He held the letter tightly in his hand and glanced at the handwriting on it.

"Chen Qing, although local affairs are difficult, as long as you always keep the people in mind, you will eventually be able to resolve the difficulties. I am in the capital and will always pay attention to your efforts. If necessary, you can report to me at any time." - Zhu Biao

The county magistrate sat aside, glancing at Chen Qing with a sneer on his face, "Master Chen, is the prince's handwritten letter here to support you?"

Chen Qing raised his head and looked directly at the county magistrate, his eyes revealing a firmness: "Sir, I am not here to compete with you for power. His Royal Highness's intention is for us to work together to govern Tongzhou. The people's granaries are related to their life and death, so please help me."

The county magistrate snorted coldly, saying, "Humph, you sound nice, but this granary issue involves a lot of people. If you're not careful, you'll offend a lot of people. Do you really have the guts to do that?"

Chen Qing was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly: "Sir, I don't have much courage, but I have a belief - that is, the people's food and clothing are more important than my career."

The county magistrate froze at this. He stared at Chen Qing for a long time, and finally stood up slowly, with a hint of hesitation in his tone: "Since you said so, I will accompany you on this trip. However, you must be prepared to bear the consequences." Chen Qing bowed, his eyes full of gratitude: "Thank you for your support, sir."

At the same time, Liu Tingsong in the southern suburbs also received Zhu Biao's secret letter. He stood by the ridge of the field, looking at the land under his feet, thinking about the words in the letter: "The people are the foundation, and we must treat them with sincerity and convince them with reason in everything."

The gentleman who had made things difficult for him before appeared again, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone: "Master Liu, you haven't given up yet? I'm afraid this land issue is not that easy, right?"

Liu Tingsong raised his head and smiled indifferently: "Sir, if I really give up, it would be a shame to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's trust. Today, I have specially prepared some tea and snacks and invited the gentry to discuss this matter together. If you are willing, please do me the honor of meeting with me."

The gentleman was a little surprised and asked with narrowed eyes, "Aren't you afraid that I will pick on you again?"

Liu Tingsong chuckled and said, "If what you said makes sense, I will accept it with an open mind. If there is anything wrong, please give me your advice."

These words moved the gentleman a little, and he finally nodded: "Okay, then I will go and see what tricks you, Lord Liu, can come up with."

Zhu Di stood in the backyard of his mansion, looking at the crescent moon in the sky with a deep gaze. His confidant Li Ying stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, I heard that the prince has sent people to the local area to support those scholars. Although his actions are quick, they may not be able to completely save the situation."

Zhu Di sneered: "Humph, the more anxious he is to stabilize the situation, the more flaws he will reveal. Local affairs are complicated, and these scholars have unstable foundations. With just a little provocation, they will lose their composure."

Li Ying agreed, "Your Highness is right. However, according to my observation, those scholars seem to be a bit tricky, they are not completely in trouble."

Zhu Di turned around, his eyes flashing: "Then continue to increase your efforts. I want to make Zhu Biao understand that the situation in this world is not something he can easily control."

The morning sun shone on the red-painted gate of Tongzhou County Government Office. Chen Qing stood in the back hall, with a pile of granary account books on the table in front of him. He looked at the records carefully, and his brows gradually furrowed.

County Magistrate Liu Zhongwen sat on the other side of the hall, looking impatient. He took a sip of tea and snorted, "Sir Chen, you have come all the way from the capital, and you must have worked hard. Why don't you take a rest? This granary issue will be handled by our county."

Chen Qing raised his head, his eyes clear and firm: "Master Liu, I appreciate your kindness, but the granary accounts are closely related to the livelihood of the people, and we cannot be careless. Now the accounts are not clear, and the granary is suffering from serious losses. If we don't rectify it immediately, I'm afraid it will affect the people's autumn grain."

Liu Zhongwen put down his teacup and said with a bit of sarcasm: "Mr. Chen has just arrived in the area, so he may not know the difficulties in Tongzhou. The gentry here are intertwined and the granary problem is not solved overnight. If you want to rectify it, you can, but this county advises you not to force yourself to do it."

Chen Qing's heart sank, but his face remained calm. He smiled slightly, cupped his hands and said, "Master Liu is right. I know this matter is of great importance, so I hope to work with you. After all, the granary problem cannot be solved by me alone."

Liu Zhongwen looked at him, frowned slightly, but ultimately said nothing more.

Chen Qing brought several yamen runners and the accountant to the largest granary in Tongzhou. There were several worn-out sacks of linen piled up at the entrance of the granary, and a faint smell of mold was floating in the air. Chen Qing picked up a bag, opened it and checked, and found that the grain inside was indeed moldy.

The accountant at the side quickly explained: "Master Chen, these are just old grains. They are not circulated on weekdays. You don't have to worry."

Chen Qing shook his head, his face solemn: "Not in circulation? If it is a disaster year, how can we not worry about these grains to help the people? And the amount of old grain is not mentioned in the account, why is this batch of grain here?"

The accountant hesitated and couldn't explain clearly.

Chen Qing turned around and looked at the several yamen runners who were accompanying him, and said firmly: "Seal the warehouse! From today on, no one is allowed to enter or leave without permission. All grain must be counted and registered one by one, and there must be no omissions!"

As soon as these words came out, the gentry representatives who were accompanying him were all unhappy. One of the gentry, who was overweight, stood up and sneered, "Sir Chen, you are going too far, aren't you? We, the gentry of Tongzhou, have put in a lot of effort to keep the granary running. How can you issue a closure order to us just because of a small problem?"

Chen Qing smiled slightly, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant tone: "I am deeply grateful for your hard work. But this granary is related to the lives of the people in Tongzhou, and any problem cannot be ignored. If there is nothing wrong, I will naturally explain it to the court and give you justice."

The gentleman's face turned ugly, he snorted coldly and said no more.

After several days of thorough investigation, Chen Qing discovered that there was a significant discrepancy between the grain data in the account book and the actual inventory. To prevent further problems, Chen Qing summoned several major gentry to the county government for discussion.

In the meeting hall, the gentry sat down with doubts on their faces. Chen Qing held a sorted account and said straight to the point: "Everyone, I have checked the granary accounts in the past few days and found many problems. The whereabouts of some grains are unknown, and the old grains have not been cleared in time. If these problems are not solved as soon as possible, I am afraid that the people will be affected."

An elderly gentleman stroked his beard and said slowly, "Sir Chen, you are young and energetic, and you do your job conscientiously. We all admire you. But the granary problem is complicated and may not be solved in a few days."

Chen Qing walked to the front of the hall and said in a sonorous tone: "Everyone, the granary is indeed complicated, but solving the problem requires a start. I have proposed a detailed rectification plan, please take a look. If there are any shortcomings, please give me more advice."

As soon as he finished speaking, a gentleman stood up and flipped through the plan, saying in surprise: "This... this plan is indeed detailed and thorough, even considering how to allocate old grain and clear inventory. Lord Chen is really thoughtful."

Another gentleman nodded: "In that case, we will cooperate with Lord Chen and thoroughly reorganize the granary."

Chen Qing breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you all for your help. As long as everyone works together, Tongzhou's granary will be able to return to normal."

As planned, Liu Tingsong invited the main gentry in the southern suburbs to attend a land discussion meeting. In the meeting room, more than a dozen gentry sat around the long table, looking at Liu Tingsong with either caution or confusion.

Liu Tingsong smiled and bowed, "My fellow countrymen, I have just arrived in the southern suburbs and I am not familiar with many things. Please give me your guidance."

A thin country gentleman snorted coldly, his tone full of provocation: "Lord Liu has just arrived, and he wants to check the land. Isn't this a bit inhumane?" (End of this chapter)