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

"Qingping, thank you." He said softly, with a long-lost smile on his face, "I will, I will try my best to prove that my father's expectations are not in vain."

At this moment, Xiao Jinghong quietly appeared at the door, and he whispered, "Prince, the prince has something to say."

Zhu Biao and Gu Qingping stood up immediately, and Zhu Han walked into the study. He looked normal, but there was some deep meaning in his eyes.

"Uncle, you are here." Zhu Biao saluted respectfully.

Zhu Han nodded, walked to the desk and sat down, whispering: "Your Majesty's recent orders are not only a test of you, but also a test of our entire situation. Although Zhu Di's power has not been fully demonstrated, he has begun to lay out behind the scenes. Prince, not only must you find supporters in the court, you must also find some forces in the army that can help you consolidate your power."

Zhu Biao frowned slightly, feeling slightly uneasy. "Uncle, do you mean..."

Zhu Han said in a low voice, "I plan to use some means to weaken Zhu Di's supporters in the army one by one, so that the prince can also gain a firm foothold in the army."

Gu Qingping seemed a little worried, "Is this a bit risky?"

Zhu Han glanced at her and said calmly, "Qingping, if we don't make a bold decision, the situation will only become more chaotic. Zhu Biao's stability is not only the control of power, but also the dual game of the court and the army. If he can't really gain the support of the army, any step forward will be deadlocked."

Zhu Biao took a deep breath and finally nodded firmly: "Uncle, I understand. No matter what, I can't just sit there and wait for death. I must take action."

Zhu Han smiled slightly and softened his tone: "Very good."

That night, Zhu Han was in his study, holding a letter in his hand, which contained detailed information about the military mobilization in the DPRK.

"Xiao Jinghong, come here." Zhu Han called in a low voice.

A moment later, Xiao Jinghong walked into the study, holding a new document in his hand, with an upright posture and a solemn expression.

"Your Highness, do you have any instructions?" Xiao Jinghong asked as soon as he came in.

Zhu Han nodded slightly and motioned him to sit down. "What do you think of the contents of this letter?"

Xiao Jinghong looked down at the letter, then was silent for a moment, with a hint of deep thought in his eyes.

"The content of the letter involves several generals who have great influence in the army. These people have been loyal to Zhu Di for a long time, and there may be an undetected force behind them. If we do not weaken them, Zhu Di's power base will remain unbreakable."

Zhu Han's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness. "That's right. Therefore, we must quietly break their alliance step by step, make Zhu Di's military supporters lose cohesion, and weaken their power. We can't let these people continue to ride their horses forward behind our backs."

Xiao Jinghong nodded slightly, "So what does Your Majesty plan to do?"

Zhu Han paused and said in a deep voice: "First, I have to contact those who have not yet fully taken sides in the army. We cannot directly confront Zhu Di's confidants head-on, but we must use some subtle methods to make them feel the threat posed by Zhu Di. If we can make them suspicious, they will naturally distance themselves from Zhu Di."

"I understand." Xiao Jinghong replied respectfully, "Are you trying to take advantage of their anxiety and make them waver?"

"That's right." Zhu Han raised the corner of his mouth slightly. "We need to mobilize some generals to increase their loyalty to Zhu Biao. We can even use some resources in the court to gradually build up their dependence on Zhu Biao."

Xiao Jinghong was a little puzzled. "But most of these generals have established a deep relationship with Zhu Di. Even if they have doubts, it will probably take time for them to completely change their stance."

Zhu Han nodded. "Indeed, it takes time to change our stance, but we are not in a hurry. We must proceed quietly and not let Zhu Di know of our intentions. We must gradually make these generals realize that supporting the prince is not a betrayal of the Ming Dynasty, but is for the long-term interests of the country."

Zhu Han first contacted several relatively independent generals in Zhu Di's camp.

"General, the situation has been getting tense recently. Have you heard about the various discussions about the crown prince?" Zhu Han was talking to a general at a banquet. His tone was casual, but his words were full of deep meaning.

The general raised his wine glass, his expression slightly gloomy, and whispered: "I have heard a little, but the situation in the court is complicated. Although Zhu Biao is the crown prince, he does not seem to have complete control of the overall situation. Zhu Di's power is gradually growing, which makes people suspicious."

Zhu Han smiled and nodded gently, "That's right. And you also know that Zhu Biao is not incapable, but he doesn't have enough power behind him. If you can provide him with some help, the position of the crown prince may be more stable. If you support him, you will definitely get a better position in the future."

The general looked at him deeply, with some hesitation in his eyes, and finally said softly: "If that's the case, supporting the prince may be beneficial to the Ming Dynasty in the long run, but if the prince can't really hold on to his position in the future, what should I choose?"

Zhu Han was secretly delighted. This was exactly the reaction he hoped to hear. "I understand the general's concerns, but everything we do is for the future of Ming. Support the prince."

After several contacts, Zhu Han slowly discovered that the attitudes of these generals began to change subtly.

The previous lack of trust and suspicion towards Zhu Biao gradually turned into vigilance and reflection.

At the same time, Zhu Han used a series of means to gradually shift some important military resources to support Zhu Biao.

He even manipulated details such as troop movements and combat readiness drills to gradually increase the military resources Zhu Biao could mobilize.

Although these changes seemed subtle, they gradually consumed the strength of Zhu Di's camp and weakened Zhu Di's foundation in the military.

"Your Highness, do you really think these generals can stand on the side of the Crown Prince?" Xiao Jinghong asked in a low voice during a secret conversation.

Zhu Han's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness. "This struggle cannot rely on superficial support. We must make them feel their limitations in Zhu Di's camp. Only when their positions in the court and the army are threatened will they realize that supporting the prince is the wisest choice."

"Your Highness, it seems that our plan has begun to work." Xiao Jinghong said softly, with a hint of relief in his eyes.

"The prince's support in the army is gradually increasing, and Zhu Di's power is no longer as strong as before."

Zhu Han nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination. "This is just the beginning. Next, what we have to do is not only to weaken Zhu Di's military power, but also to make him realize that no matter how he manipulates, he can't change the situation."

That evening, Zhu Han sat alone in his study, the bamboo lamp in front of him dim but warm.

Xiao Jinghong walked into the study from outside, holding a secret letter that had just been delivered.

"Your Highness, this is news from the army." Xiao Jinghong placed the letter on the table and said softly.

"Open it." Zhu Han said calmly. Xiao Jinghong gently opened the envelope and quickly read the contents of the letter.

Then, his face turned serious: "Uncle, the letter mentioned that Zhu Di's supporters in the army are gathering secretly. Although they have not yet formed a scale, they have begun to contact each other closely and are ready to act at the critical moment."

Zhu Han frowned slightly, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

"It seems that we can no longer just wait passively."

Zhu Han said softly, "We must speed up the layout and not let Zhu Di have a chance to catch his breath."

Xiao Jinghong lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said: "Your Highness, how do you plan to deal with this matter? Although Zhu Biao has gradually taken control of some government affairs, if the situation in the army cannot be stabilized quickly, I am afraid that all previous efforts will be wasted."

Zhu Han stood up from the table, walked slowly to the window, and looked deeply at the palace wall in the distance.

"We must ensure that Zhu Biao not only has a say in the court, but also has sufficient support in the army. Otherwise, even if Zhu Di cannot directly resist in the court, he can still threaten the position of the prince through the army."

He turned around, his eyes gradually becoming firm, "I will use my influence to reorganize the situation in the army so that Zhu Biao can truly control the military power. And this process must be extremely secret, and Zhu Di must not be aware of our intentions."

Xiao Jinghong's eyes flashed with approval, "If this can be done, not only can the position of the crown prince be consolidated, but Zhu Biao can even gradually surpass Zhu Di and establish his own military foundation."

"That's right." Zhu Han responded calmly, "We must avoid direct confrontation with Zhu Di. Instead, we must use clever strategies to gradually weaken his power in the army and make him feel threatened. If he thinks he is powerless to fight anymore, he may give up the competition with the crown prince."

The next day, Zhu Han began his careful planning.

Zhu Han's plan was to gradually win them over to his side through contact with them, thereby strengthening the prince's support in the army.

"General." In a remote mountain villa, Zhu Han and a general named Zhang Jin were sitting at the desk.

"Your Highness, what is the matter that you want me to come here for?" Zhang Jin looked at Zhu Han with a little doubt, obviously he had not completely let down his guard.

Zhu Han smiled slightly, "General, don't worry too much. I asked you to come here today because I have something to discuss. As you know, the current situation is complicated. Although the prince has taken over some government affairs, he still lacks sufficient support. Zhu Di has many people with strong influence in the army behind him. If these people are not won over as soon as possible, they may become the biggest hidden danger for the prince in the future."

Zhang Jin's eyes flashed with a trace of thought, and he nodded gently, "You mean, if the prince cannot establish his own support in the army, he will be threatened?"

"That's right." Zhu Han's tone remained calm. "And I believe that if you, General, are willing to support the Crown Prince, you will be able to help him quickly gain a foothold. After all, the Crown Prince will need sufficient military support to take over the throne."

Zhang Jin looked at Zhu Han deeply, with a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

"But I still have a question in my mind: Can the prince really cope with future challenges? If he cannot successfully hold on to his throne, won't those of us who support him become the next target?"

Zhu Han smiled slightly, his eyes firm: "General, you don't have to worry. Although the prince's ability has not yet been fully demonstrated, he has enough wisdom to deal with this power struggle."

Zhang Jin was silent for a moment, and finally nodded, "In that case, I am willing to support the prince. If it can stabilize the Ming Dynasty, why should I be afraid of the difficulties ahead?"

Zhu Han nodded with satisfaction. "This is the answer I hope to hear. Whether the prince can succeed ultimately depends on whether he can get the support of the army. I believe that you, general, can provide the prince with enough strength."

A few days later, Zhu Han's layout gradually began to show results.

Through his contacts with several important generals, he not only stabilized their positions, but also successfully won over some people who were originally hesitant.

At the same time, Zhu Han began to increase the allocation of military resources, arranging the Prince's personal guards and some generals loyal to Zhu Biao to gradually take over those key military positions.

Through these measures, the prince's influence in the army gradually increased, while Zhu Di's power, especially his control over the army, began to weaken.

One night, Zhu Han and Xiao Jinghong met again. They sat in the study and reviewed the arrangements made in the past few days.

"Your Majesty, it seems that we have gradually changed the situation."

Xiao Jinghong whispered, "The prince's influence in the army is growing. Zhu Di's supporters are beginning to feel threatened and are gradually losing their cohesion."

Zhu Han nodded, a sharp look flashed in his eyes, "This is just the beginning. In the next period of time, we must speed up the pace and make Zhu Di completely lose the support of the army. If he does not have enough power, he will no longer be a threat to the prince."

Xiao Jinghong pondered for a moment and whispered, "Do we need to take other measures? After all, Zhu Di's influence in the court cannot be underestimated."

"Don't worry." Zhu Han's voice was steady and confident.

"Once the military power is completely weakened, Zhu Di's support in the court will also be shaken. We must speed up our pace at this time and let the prince take full control of the court and the army."

Zhu Han's eyes flashed with determination, "This struggle is destined to be a long war, but in the end, victory belongs to us."

On this day, just as night fell, light footsteps were heard at the door of the Prince's Mansion.

"Your Highness, news has arrived." Xiao Jinghong's voice was low, with a hint of urgency in his eyes.

Zhu Han reached out to take the letter, quickly scanned the contents of the letter, and frowned slightly. It was obvious that the contents of the letter were not simple.

"It seems that Zhu Di has already begun to plan in the army." Zhu Han whispered, with a hint of coldness in his eyes.

"He is not an easy opponent. If this situation is not dealt with quickly, it may pose a threat to the Crown Prince's position."

Xiao Jinghong nodded silently, "Zhu Di's power is growing. If we leave it alone, his supporters in the army will definitely counterattack at a critical moment. We can even rule out the possibility that he will use the army to directly challenge the position of the crown prince."

Zhu Han took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, "That's right. Father's cold eyes have always been a big obstacle for Zhu Biao. And Zhu Di's threat directly affects the future of the prince. We can't wait any longer, we must take action."

Xiao Jinghong took a step closer and asked in a low voice: "So, how does the prince plan to deal with this?" (End of this chapter)