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

In the morning, several powerful officials from the palace's internal affairs department were secretly summoned to the prince's residence, where Zhu Han and Zhu Biao held a meeting. The atmosphere was tense and depressing.

"Today, I have decided to launch an emergency strategy." Zhu Biao sat in front of the long desk with a calm expression. "From the intelligence I learned yesterday, Zhao Mian is not only backed by the power of the East Factory, but also secretly supported by several important officials. If we don't thoroughly expose their ugly deeds, it will not only be difficult to get rid of Zhao Mian, but also the corrupt forces in the entire court will not be eradicated in one fell swoop."

Zhu Han nodded slightly, his expression grim, "Prince, have you decided?"

"I have decided." Zhu Biao said in a low voice, "But to eliminate these hidden enemies, we must rely on external forces. Today's event will be personally presided over by me, and I will take this opportunity to expose these hidden forces to the sun."

"How are you going to proceed?" Zhu Han asked.

Zhu Biao was silent for a moment. "I will use some clever words in the court to stir up conflicts between Zhao Mian and the East Factory and force them to reveal themselves. And while they are busy protecting themselves, I will quietly send out spies to target those key ministers."

Zhu Han's eyes flashed with approval, "You have really grown up. If you can do this, you may be able to completely change the situation in the court."

On that day, Crown Prince Zhu Biao walked into the court with a certain calmness and decisiveness.

His face was serious, his eyes were full of determination, he stood in the hall, facing a group of ministers, his voice was as loud as a bell: "My fellow ministers, today's court meeting concerns the foundation of our Ming Dynasty. Zhao Mian and the East Factory are colluding. If we don't get rid of them today, their conspiracy will further infiltrate and eventually ruin our Ming Dynasty."

Zhao Mian's face instantly turned livid. He whispered, "Your Highness, you are exaggerating. How can you accuse someone of collusion without evidence?"

Zhu Biao looked straight at Zhao Mian with sharp eyes, "Evidence? Of course we have it." As he spoke, he waved his hand, and the guards behind him immediately handed over a stack of secret letters.

These secret letters were searched from Zhao Mian's mansion. The contents of the letters were detailed, revealing Zhao Mian's secret transactions with the East Factory, Shanxi merchants and foreign enemies.

There was silence in the hall. All the ministers' eyes were focused on Zhao Mian. Some were shocked, some tried to hide their nervousness, and the smile on Zhao Mian's face suddenly disappeared.

"Prince, although Zhao Mian's words are harsh, this matter concerns the foundation of the Ming Dynasty."

An important official suddenly stood up, frowning, "You are presenting these evidences now, can you guarantee their authenticity? If it is just empty talk, I am afraid that our dynasty will be in a difficult situation to resolve."

Zhu Biao's eyes were sharp as swords, "These evidences were brought back by the Shenji Camp and have been verified many times. How can we allow others to question them!"

Then, he turned his head sharply and looked at Zhao Mian, "Zhao Mian, you can no longer escape from your crimes. Today is the day you will be punished for your crimes."

A flash of fear flashed across Zhao Mian's eyes, but he immediately forced himself to remain calm and whispered, "Prince, if you can give me a chance, I will tell you the truth."

"The truth?" Zhu Biao sneered, "Do you think there will be another chance?"

"Your Majesty!" Suddenly, Zhao Mian turned around and knelt down to Zhu Yuanzhang. "Your Majesty, you are the ruler of the Ming Dynasty. I am willing to uncover all the shady dealings. Please give me a chance."

There was not much expression in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, he just said slowly: "You have said all this, it seems that you don't want to defend yourself anymore."

"Father!" Zhu Biao's voice suddenly rose. "Everything he said is enough to prove that he has betrayed the Ming Dynasty. From today on, he will have no place to stay."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhao Mian kneeling on the ground and sighed softly, "Since this is the case, I will follow the order of the Crown Prince and thoroughly investigate this matter. I will never forgive him."

As soon as these words came out, Zhao Mian finally fell into despair, and the other ministers in the court were also completely shocked and thought-provoking. The situation in the entire court changed dramatically in an instant.

Zhu Biao looked at Zhao Mian's back with cold eyes, thinking to himself: "This is the first step. Next, we have to clean up the other forces lurking in the court and completely eliminate all obstacles."

Zhu Han stood beside him, his eyes as sharp as a knife, "Biao'er, you have taken a crucial step in today's battle, but you must not relax at all. What you are facing is not just Zhao Mian, but the entire huge dark force."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly, having already made up his mind. "It's time to expose these hidden enemies."

As night fell, every corridor in the palace was shrouded in heavy lights. In the quiet atmosphere, the figures of Zhu Biao and Zhu Han looked particularly lonely.

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, all the fights and disturbances seemed to have ended, but in the hearts of the two emperors' sons, another more secret contest had just begun.

"My father's attitude is very clear." Zhu Biao's voice was low and his face was expressionless. "He no longer interferes, but he is still observing secretly. If I really do as he said and act rashly, I am afraid I will face an unpredictable counterattack."

Zhu Han stood quietly beside him, his eyes deep. "You can't wait any longer, Biao'er. Every moment of hesitation is an opportunity for the enemy. Zhao Mian has been exposed in the court, but you know that the real danger does not end there."

Zhu Biao nodded, and the pressure between his brows gradually became apparent. "You are right, Zhao Mian is just a chess piece, a chess piece that I must remove. And the power behind it has been lurking for too long and has long been deeply rooted in the court."

Zhu Han turned slowly, his eyes as sharp as a knife. "This force has already infiltrated the six ministries, the East Factory, and even every corner of the court. If we can't completely eliminate it, it will become the foundation for their restoration at some point in the future."

Zhu Biao's eyes became sharp, "Then how should we act?"

"Prince, what you need now is not only to kill Zhao Mian, but to completely destroy this force hidden in the darkness. If you are determined to fundamentally change the structure of the court, you must expose all the forces that support Zhao Mian and the East Factory to the sun, leaving them no way out."

Zhu Biao took a deep breath and frowned, "Then how can I find the real masterminds behind these seemingly peaceful appearances?"

Zhu Han smiled slightly, with a glimmer of wisdom in his eyes. "What you need to do is to make those hidden enemies start to lose their composure and create a big enough disturbance to force them to reveal their flaws."

Zhu Biao leaned forward slightly, staring at the map in front of him, as if he had seen the thread of this game. "If they really react, how can we get closer to their core?"

Zhu Han looked out the window, the moonlight shining down, reflecting on his stern face. "You need to use the officials of the six ministries and the East Factory to create a crisis in government affairs. By pretending to be an imperial order, publicly investigate those officials who have colluded with Zhao Mian and provoke their internal fighting. At the same time, send your confidants to secretly control the situation and gradually tighten their defenses."

Zhu Biao's eyes gradually became firm, "In this way, we can sow the seeds of division among them?"

Zhu Han nodded, "Yes. As long as they start to doubt each other and guard against each other, we can find the right time to defeat them one by one." "Then let's get started." Zhu Biao's tone was no longer hesitant, "I won't wait any longer, I must push this battle to a climax as soon as possible."

Zhu Han smiled slightly, "You are no longer the hesitant boy. In this case, I will lay this net for you. In the next few days, all you have to do is sit firmly on this chessboard and wait and see what happens."

A few days later, an unprecedented disturbance occurred in the court. Crown Prince Zhu Biao suddenly proposed to re-examine the corrupt officials in the six ministries, especially those who had had contact with Zhao Mian.

This proposal shocked the entire court, and many people began to secretly wonder whether the prince's move was as simple as it seemed.

That night, Zhu Biao met with several powerful officials in his own palace to discuss how to advance the matter.

"Your Highness, can this reorganization really be approved by His Majesty?"

An elderly minister had a flash of worry in his eyes and asked in a low voice, "If this action causes dissatisfaction in the court, it may lead to more conflicts."

Zhu Biao sat at the desk, his tone firm: "We are not trying to please anyone, but for the future of the Ming Dynasty. Although my father did not speak, his eyes still stayed on me. I must act. Only by completely eliminating these hidden forces can we bring true stability to the country."

The ministers lowered their heads one after another. Although some of them still had doubts in their hearts, seeing the prince's resolute attitude, they dared not say anything more.

"Then we will act according to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's plan." Another minister nodded in response.

Zhu Biao looked up at Zhu Han, a trace of gratitude flashing in his eyes. "Uncle, your plan has laid a solid foundation for me. Next, I just need to do as you said and gradually bring this situation under our control."

Zhu Han smiled slightly, but his eyes were full of depth. "Remember, Prince, this turmoil in the court is not just a simple reorganization. This is a contest with undercurrents. If you are not careful, I am afraid that these hidden enemies will take the opportunity to counterattack."

"I understand." Zhu Biao replied in a low voice, his tone calm.

At the same time, Zhu Han began to push the situation forward behind the scenes in a more covert way.

He began to meet secretly with several ministers who secretly supported Zhu Biao to plan how to further increase the pressure on corrupt officials in the court.

"These officials have begun to panic," a minister whispered. "They have begun to doubt each other, and some have even begun to guard against the people around them."

Zhu Han nodded slightly, a sneer on his face. "This is exactly what we need. As long as the trust between them begins to collapse, things will become much easier."

"Your Highness, the Emperor has begun to care about this matter." Gu Qingping finally found Zhu Biao in person one night, with a bit of nervousness on her face, "He hopes that you can seize the opportunity and not be too impatient."

Zhu Biao gently held her hand, his tone gentle but firm: "I no longer hesitate, Qingping. Father's eyes are always on me, I can't wait any longer."

Gu Qingping looked at him, with complex emotions flashing in her eyes. "Your Highness, although this situation is temporarily under control, it is not just a fight for you alone. You have the support of your father, but there are many more people waiting for your every step."

Zhu Biao lowered his head and sighed deeply, "I know. Moreover, I must be more careful with every step I take. If I fail, the future of the entire Ming Dynasty will be plunged into endless darkness."

"You won't fail." Gu Qingping comforted softly, her eyes full of determination and support.

At this moment, Zhu Han finally got the key information that another force behind Zhao Mian - the traitor in the East Factory - had begun to move quietly, trying to counterattack with the help of certain forces in the court.

They prepared to launch a counterattack in the next court session in an attempt to regain control of the situation.

"Biao'er, what we need next is a decisive battle." Zhu Han said solemnly, "The enemy's trump card has been revealed, and they can no longer hide. This struggle is destined to reach its final climax."

Zhu Biao stared at Zhu Han with blazing eyes, "I understand. We will destroy them in one fell swoop."

"Crown Prince, your father summoned you today." Gu Qingping said softly, and walked slowly into the bedroom with a look of concern in her eyes, "He seems to be more concerned about the rectification of the six ministries."

Zhu Biao did not turn around, still looking out the window, "Father's concern is not a good thing, especially when this storm is about to come."

Gu Qingping sighed softly, "Once you've made up your mind, you must go ahead. If you hesitate, you might be pinned down by the enemy."

"I know." Zhu Biao turned slowly, his eyes deep and his tone firm, "But the further I go on this road, the more uneasy I feel. Father has always been the pillar of my court, but now I am not sure if he really understands the depth of this struggle."

Gu Qingping stood beside him, gently holding his hand, her eyes gentle but with a hint of worry.

"Your Highness, no matter what the emperor's intentions are, they will not change the decision you have made. The chaos in the court is now unavoidable. You must put the overall situation first."

Zhu Biao looked at her deeply, with a barely perceptible hesitation in his eyes.

But soon, he regained his composure, "I will not retreat. But the problem is, the enemy's strength is not on the surface. Zhao Mian and Dongchang are just the lead characters. The deeper power is always hidden in the dark."

Gu Qingping was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Your Highness, you know, if this continues, the enemy will definitely use this as a breakthrough point to strike back at the court, and may even cause greater turmoil. Are you sure you are ready to face everything?"

"My father has not made a clear statement, so I have no way out." Zhu Biao's eyes became firm, "Now that I have made up my mind, I will not hesitate any longer. If I fall, it will inevitably bring endless disasters to the people of this land."

At the same time, Zhu Han was discussing the next action plan with several core advisers in the Crown Prince's Mansion. The atmosphere in the meeting room was extremely tense, and everyone looked solemn.

Zhu Han stood in front of the desk, flipping through the intelligence with an expressionless face. After a long moment of deep thought, he finally spoke: "This struggle is not only about clearing up Zhao Mian and the East Factory, but also about completely destroying the corrupt forces deep in the court. If we want to completely uproot this poisonous tree, we must expose it completely." (End of this chapter)