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

Zhu Han's gaze seemed particularly profound under the candlelight. He paced slowly, as if thinking about a more far-reaching plan.

"Prince Han," a trusted aide broke the silence, his tone a little worried, "Now that Zhu Di has become alert, our actions will undoubtedly become more difficult. But especially at this time, we must not lose our composure."

Zhu Han nodded and said in a deep voice: "You are right. We cannot be bound by the current predicament. Although Zhu Di is cunning, he is not invulnerable. We need to find his weak spot and strike it with one blow."

Another aide took over the conversation and suggested, "Your Highness, perhaps we can start with Zhu Di's family and relatives. Although he has many followers in the court, his family may not be united. If we can stir up internal conflicts, we may be able to win a turnaround for us."

Zhu Han's eyes sparkled when he heard this, and he praised, "This is a brilliant plan! No matter how cautious Zhu Di is, he can't guarantee that his family members won't be tempted by profit. You should start investigating immediately and make sure to find clues that can be used."

"Yes, Your Highness!" The aide accepted the order and prepared to leave.

At this time, Zhu Han stopped him again and added: "Also, strengthen the connection with other vassal kings. Although they are independent, if they can join forces to fight against Zhu Di at a critical moment, it will undoubtedly greatly increase our chances of winning."

"I understand. I will do it immediately." The aide bowed again and left in a hurry.

The study room regained its calm, but the air was filled with a tense and determined atmosphere. Zhu Han knew that every step forward would be extremely difficult, but he also understood that for the future of the Ming Dynasty and for Zhu Biao's smooth succession, he had to move forward without hesitation.

A few days later, the staff member in charge of contacting the clean-minded people hurried back, with a tired but hard-to-conceal excitement on his face: "Your Highness, I have lived up to your trust and obtained important clues about Zhu Di from several clean-minded people!"

Zhu Han was excited when he heard this: "Tell me quickly, what is the clue?"

The aide lowered his voice and reported in detail the news he had received from the upright people. It turned out that Zhu Di had secretly colluded with some local tyrants and attempted to expand his sphere of influence through illegal means. These actions not only violated the laws of the court, but also harmed the interests of the people.

After hearing this, Zhu Han's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness: "How dare Zhu Di be so bold! How can he tolerate such behavior!"

Zhu Han clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with anger and determination. He turned to his trusted staff and said, "Everyone, we must use this card in our hands just right, so that we can severely injure Zhu Di, but not give him the slightest chance to fight back."

An experienced staff member stepped forward and said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, in my humble opinion, we can first secretly investigate the specific evidence of Zhu Di's collusion with local tyrants, and make sure that every clue is ironclad. At the same time, we can use the influence of the upright people in the court to build momentum and guide public opinion, so that Zhu Di's evil deeds will become the focus of discussion in the court and the public."

Another aide added: "In addition, the prince can secretly contact the people and local officials who were oppressed by Zhu Di, collect their testimonies, and form a civilian force that cannot be ignored. At a critical moment, this force may become the last straw that breaks Zhu Di's back."

Zhu Han nodded, his eyes more determined: "Okay, I will follow your plan. Remember, every step we take must be careful and thorough, without any mistakes. At the same time, strengthen communication with other princes, win their support, and jointly fight against Zhu Di."

An aide worriedly said, "Your Highness, Zhu Di has been running the business for many years and has a deep foundation. If we act rashly, we might fall into his trap."

Zhu Han smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "Don't worry, I know what I am doing. This time, we will not only strike a blow to Zhu Di's power, but also destroy his reputation. I plan to publicly expose all his crimes in the court, and at the same time unite with the upright people and other righteous officials to impeach him together."

Another staff member nodded and said, "This is a great plan! But Your Majesty, you still need to pay attention to your safety. I'm afraid Zhu Di will do something extreme if he gets desperate."

Zhu Han nodded slightly, his eyes revealing an unquestionable firmness: "I will take precautions to ensure safety, but more importantly, we must let the world see that justice will eventually triumph over evil. Everyone, from now on, every step we take must be steady and powerful."

He turned to the staff member who raised the concern, and his tone was gentle but powerful: "Your concerns are not unreasonable. Zhu Di is cunning, but we are not fighting alone. The upright people, the righteous courtiers, and even the suffering people are our solid backing. We must use all these resources to weave a net that will leave Zhu Di nowhere to hide."

At this time, another staff member interrupted and said, "Your Highness is right, but we need to be more meticulous in the specific operation. For example, how to use the influence of the upright people to create momentum is crucial."

Zhu Han nodded in agreement: "Indeed, although the Qingliu scholars have no real power, their voice should not be underestimated. I plan to personally visit several respected Qingliu leaders and have in-depth conversations with them to let them understand our intentions and win their support. At the same time, we can write articles and spread them widely among the scholars through their hands to expose Zhu Di's crimes."

The staff member in charge of intelligence work took over the topic: "Your Highness, we have also made new progress in intelligence gathering. We have already identified several local tyrants who have close ties with Zhu Di, and are preparing to send people to infiltrate them to collect more substantial evidence."

Zhu Han nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, intelligence is the cornerstone of the operation, we must ensure that every clue is accurate. At the same time, we must protect our spies and not let their sacrifice go to waste."

At this point, Zhu Han's eyes suddenly became deep: "Also, we can't ignore Zhu Di's spies in the court. Since he can bribe so many officials, it means that his intelligence network is also quite developed. We must try to destroy his intelligence system and make him blind and deaf."

A young staff member suggested eagerly: "Your Highness, perhaps we can use a counter-espionage strategy. Pretend to leak some false information to Zhu Di, so that he will make a wrong judgment based on this wrong information, and thus fall into a passive position."

Zhu Han heard this and a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes: "This is a great plan! However, you must be extremely cautious in implementing it and not reveal any clues. You must plan carefully to ensure that there are no mistakes."

The discussion continued, and the atmosphere in the study became more and more heated. Each staff member actively expressed his own views and put forward various strategies and suggestions. Zhu Han listened patiently, nodding or making additional comments from time to time, showing the demeanor of an outstanding leader. "In addition," Zhu Han changed the subject and looked at the staff member in charge of contacting the vassal kings, "How is the communication with other vassal kings going? Are they willing to stand on our side?"

The aide replied respectfully: "Your Highness, most of the princes are wary of Zhu Di's ambitions. They are willing to remain neutral, but will provide necessary support at critical moments. However, there are a few princes who have close relations with Zhu Di, and we need to be extra careful."

Zhu Han pondered for a moment, his eyes flashing with determination: "Whether neutral or hostile, we must be prepared for both situations. On the one hand, we will continue to strengthen our ties with the neutral princes and win their trust and support; on the other hand, we must also secretly monitor those princes who have close relations with Zhu Di to prevent them from stabbing us in the back."

"Your Highness," the intelligence staff spoke again, with a cautious tone, "We have sent several teams of spies to infiltrate Zhu Di's sphere of influence, but how to ensure their safety and obtain key intelligence without being discovered is still a big problem."

Zhu Han pondered for a moment, his eyes deep: "Safety is indeed the top priority. I suggest that we establish an emergency communication mechanism. Once the scouts are in danger, they can quickly transmit signals and dispatch elite teams for rescue."

"In addition," another staff member added, "we should also strengthen the training of spies to improve their concealment and adaptability, and ensure that they can remain calm and complete their mission even in the most dangerous situations."

Zhu Han nodded in agreement: "That's right. As for the training, I'll leave it to you. Remember, every spy is our precious asset, and their safety is of paramount importance."

At this time, the staff member in charge of contacting the clean stream interrupted and said, "Your Highness, regarding the support of the clean stream, I have made preliminary contacts with several leaders. They all expressed their willingness to speak out for justice, but the specific action plan needs further discussion."

Zhu Han smiled slightly, with a hint of approval in his eyes: "Very good, the support of the upright people is very important to us. You need to continue to communicate with them in depth and win their full support. At the same time, we can consider organizing some public debates or rallies to let more people know the true face of Zhu Di."

"But Your Majesty," a younger aide asked with some concern, "isn't such a public event too risky and likely to expose our plan?"

Zhu Han shook his head and said firmly: "Risks are inevitable, but a just cause is worth taking. As long as we make careful arrangements and take precautions, we can minimize the risks. More importantly, we must let the world see that we are not plotting a conspiracy, but fighting for the future of Ming Dynasty."

Seeing everyone's thoughtful expressions, Zhu Han continued, "Moreover, such activities can also inspire the people's sense of justice and form a social force that cannot be ignored. No matter how cunning Zhu Di is, he cannot resist the will of the people."

The staff member in charge of liaison with other princes also spoke up at this time: "Your Highness, regarding the support of the princes, I have contacted several neutral princes, and they expressed their willingness to provide assistance at the critical moment. But for those princes who have close relations with Zhu Di, we do need to be more cautious."

Zhu Han nodded to show his understanding: "Caution is a must. For those princes who have close ties with Zhu Di, we can adopt a strategy of division and disintegration. On the one hand, continue to collect evidence of their illegal activities; on the other hand, try to gradually alienate them from Zhu Di through the exchange of interests or emotional offensive."

"Remember," Zhu Han said in a more serious tone, "our goal is to unite all forces that can be united to fight against Zhu Di. In this process, any means are not the ends, but the means to achieve the ends."

In the study, the candlelight flickered, illuminating everyone's focused and determined faces. Zhu Han looked around and saw that everyone was ready, so he spoke slowly, his voice steady and powerful: "Everyone, we have already made the arrangements so far, and we must proceed with caution at every step, without making the slightest mistake. Next, I would like to hear everyone's specific opinions on the next action."

The staff member in charge of intelligence spoke first: "Your Majesty, regarding the safety of the spies, I have followed your instructions to develop an emergency contact mechanism and strengthen their covert training. At the same time, I suggest adding secret sentries in key areas to enable timely detection and response to possible threats."

Zhu Han nodded in approval: "Very good, intelligence work is our eyes and ears, we must ensure that nothing goes wrong. You need to continue to strengthen your efforts in this regard."

Then, the staff member in charge of contacting the upright people took over the conversation: "Regarding the support of the upright people, I have had in-depth conversations with many leaders. They all expressed indignation at Zhu Di's behavior and were willing to speak out in public. I propose that we can organize a large-scale gathering of literati and invite upright people from inside and outside the court to gather together to denounce Zhu Di's evil deeds."

An older staff member frowned upon hearing this and said worriedly: "Although this move can increase momentum, it may also arouse Zhu Di's vigilance and even cause unnecessary conflict."

The staff responsible for contacting other princes also put forward their own views at this time: "Regarding the support of the princes, I have reached a tacit understanding with many neutral princes, and they are willing to provide support at critical moments. But as the prince said, for those princes who have close relations with Zhu Di, we need to adopt a more clever strategy."

He paused and continued, "I suggest that we take advantage of their local conflicts of interest and secretly create conflicts so that they are too busy to care about Zhu Di's affairs. At the same time, we can also look for possible opposition voices within them and support and utilize them."

Zhu Han heard this and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes: "This is a great plan. Divide and disintegrate them and defeat them one by one. You need to continue to investigate in depth and look for every opportunity that can be used."

Suddenly, a young aide stood up, his voice a little excited: "Your Highness, I think we can also use the power of public opinion. We can write some ballads and operas that expose Zhu Di's evil deeds and spread them widely among the people. This will not only arouse the anger and sense of justice of the people, but also make Zhu Di's crimes untraceable."

Zhu Han heard this, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "This is a great plan! The power of public opinion cannot be underestimated. You need to immediately prepare relevant materials and contact opera troupes and storytellers from all over the country to ensure that these works can be spread quickly."

Zhu Han nodded slightly and turned his gaze to the other staff members: "Everyone, do you have any other suggestions?"

A middle-aged staff member stood up calmly, his eyes revealing wisdom and determination: "Your Highness, I think we should not only attack Zhu Di from the outside, but also try to shake his internal situation. As far as I know, there are many talented people in Zhu Di's mansion, but not all of them are loyal to him. We may be able to contact those who are dissatisfied with him through secret channels and disintegrate his power from within." (End of this chapter)