Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 215 A mere feud for killing one's father is not worth mentioning! [Seeking monthly votes]

Inside the courtyard, Zhang Biao hadn't slept all night, repeatedly scrutinizing several hastily drawn clue diagrams under the oil lamp.

Hearing the noise, he immediately got up and opened the door. When he saw the two men, soaking wet and disheveled, especially Old Zhou with obvious injuries on his back, his face instantly darkened.

"what happened?!"

He pulled the two into the house and quickly closed the door, his voice filled with suppressed anger and concern.

With a mix of excitement and lingering fear after surviving the ordeal, Mudfish recounted his ordeal from the previous night in great detail, speaking at lightning speed.

Old Zhou then added his doubts about the waist tag and the scarred man's identity, as well as his concerns about the timing of the night patrol soldiers' appearance.

Zhang Biao listened quietly, his face expressionless, but his eyes grew colder and colder, as if they were covered with a layer of ice.

When he heard that Lao Zhou had taken a blow to protect the loach, he walked behind Lao Zhou, lifted his soaked clothes, and saw the shocking bruises and welts. His fists clenched tightly, and his knuckles turned white.

"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Zhou. And here's the loach."

Zhang Biao's voice was unusually calm, but those who knew him well knew that beneath that calm lay a volcano about to erupt.

He turned around, took out medicine for treating injuries from under the bed, applied it to Old Zhou, and then gave Old Zhou a painkiller to take.

"Lord Zhang, that waist token..." Old Zhou hurriedly reminded him after taking the medicine.

“Bi’an…guards the prison…”

Zhang Biao narrowed his eyes, his mind racing to search for relevant information.

Bi'an symbolizes justice and the ability to distinguish right from wrong, but it also represents punishment and imprisonment.

Is using the Bixie (a mythical beast) as a symbol of self-proclaimed impartiality, or does it imply a connection to criminal justice or oversight? Or is it a mark of some clandestine organization?
"And that scarred guy."

Zhang Biao looked at Mudfish: "Describe his appearance in detail, the more detailed the better."

Mudfish tried hard to recall and describe the scarred man's features.

As Zhang Biao listened, he quickly sketched on the paper with a charcoal pencil.

Although his drawing skills were average, he had an exceptional ability to capture distinctive features. In no time, a fierce-looking male portrait with a scar appeared on the paper.

"is it him?"

Zhang Biao handed the portrait to Mudfish and Old Zhou.

"So alike! So very alike! Especially that fierce look!"

The loach nodded repeatedly in admiration.

Old Zhou confirmed, "It's almost certainly true."

Zhang Biao stared at the portrait, his eyes cold.

This person is the key!
"The night patrol soldiers arrived at such a convenient time..."

Zhang Biao pondered for a moment, then a cold smile appeared on his lips: "It seems that our Vice Commissioner Song, or rather the Emperor behind him, is quite 'concerned' about our safety."

He instantly understood that Old Zhu was secretly helping them and monitoring their progress.

"Lord Zhang, what should we do next?"

Old Zhou asked, "Fatty Wang and that scarred man must be shocked. It seems unlikely that there will be any gains at the docks in the short term."

"It's good to be surprised!"

A fierce glint flashed in Zhang Biao's eyes: "The more they move, the more flaws they'll reveal! Let's put the docks aside for now; they've already gotten to the heart of this line!"

He stood up and paced around the small room:
"Now, we need to change our focus!"

"First, track down this 'Scarface' and the 'Bi'an Waist Talisman' with all our might! Old Sun, Old Qian!"

Blind Old Sun and injured Old Qian immediately straightened up.

"Use all your connections, both in the legitimate and underworld circles, to find out the background of this scarred man and that Bi'an waist token—what's its significance?"

"The focus is on the Beijing and Kaifeng areas!"

"understand!"

The two accepted the order.

"second!"

Zhang Biao looked at Lao Li: "Over there, intensify your 'harassment' of the person in charge of the Ministry of Revenue who lost the jade pendant, and see if you can pry more information about 'the higher-ups' and 'balancing the accounts' out of him."

"I suspect that the 'accounts' they're referring to are more than just the grain tribute!"

"Leave it to me!"

Old Li was eager to get started.

"third!"

Zhang Biao's gaze finally settled on the loach:
“Mudfish, you’ve done a great job, but you’ve also been exposed. You can’t go to the dock anymore. From today onwards, you’ll come with me and do odd jobs in my yard, and while you’re at it… learn something.”

The loach paused for a moment, then nodded excitedly, "Yes! Lord Zhang!"

After making the arrangements, Zhang Biao walked to the window, looking at the sky gradually turning white outside, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

Fatty Wang, Scarface, Bixie waist token, the mysterious "above", the "accounts" eager to be settled... these clues are like a gradually tightening net, pointing to an increasingly clear shadow.

Li Mo's blood was not shed in vain, and Lao Zhou and the others did not risk their lives for nothing.

"almost……"

Zhang Biao muttered to himself, his voice carrying a chilling killing intent: "We'll catch you soon."

He turned to the people inside and said, "Go and rest, get some rest. We'll be busy from now on!"

"it is good!"

The group responded and immediately went to rest.

Zhang Biao, who watched them leave, turned his attention back to the clues.

The deaths of Zhu Biao, Zhu Xiong Ying, and Empress Ma.

[The Person Behind the Lü Clan]

[The Zhou Prince's Mansion Grain Corruption Case: Li Mo Assassinated]

He repeatedly analyzed all the seemingly related yet unrelated things, pondering how many secrets were hidden behind them.

Although the most obvious winners and losers in history are Zhu Laosi and Zhu Yunwen, are there no dark turmoil hidden beneath the surface of history besides them?
Just because history books never write about conspiracies and intrigues doesn't mean there were no conspiracies and intrigues in history.
Obviously, this is impossible!

Therefore, through his experiences in his 'previous life,' Zhang Biao discovered a sobering truth: the world of the Ming Dynasty today cannot be viewed solely through the lens of the history of the successful and the unsuccessful.

He remembered his modern history teacher telling him something:

The world we see with our eyes is only a quarter of the world. The remaining three-quarters may never be seen in our lifetime.

Now, in the world of the Ming Dynasty, he seems to see the remaining three-quarters.

"It seems that this 'die-hard remonstrance' will require more help from others!"

Zhang Biao's lips curled up slightly: "How about we slaughter a few of Zhu Yuanzhang's princes and grandsons?"

Meanwhile, in Kaifeng, at the Zhou Prince's Palace.

In a secluded courtyard.

Although it was late spring, the courtyard seemed rather gloomy.

Zhu Youxun sat in his study, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table, his face appearing obscure in the flickering candlelight.

Opposite him sat a middle-aged scholar in a blue robe with a lean face, who was none other than 'Mr. Liu'—Liu Dianbu.

"Has the matter with Imperial Censor Li been resolved...?"

Zhu Youxun's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible tension.

Liu Dianbu bowed slightly, his tone calm: "Second Master, rest assured. The people who did it were out-of-town thugs; they don't know us at all."

"Shortly after the success, he was 'accidentally' discovered and was killed on the spot for 'resisting'. The trail ends here."

"As for you, Second Master, you were enjoying tea and discussing poetry with several literati at the villa in the west of the city that day. There are witnesses and evidence to prove it, and no one can trace it back to you."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxun's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, but the sinister look in his eyes did not disappear.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guards aren't pushovers; that old dog Jiang Huan has a very keen nose. They'll definitely investigate, and they'll investigate thoroughly!"

"Investigate if you want."

Liu Dianbu stroked his beard, his gaze calm to the point of being cold:

"It's nothing more than throwing out a few more insignificant scapegoats. As long as the secret of the 'Red Lead' pill is not exposed and the root of the canal transport is not cut off, we still have room to maneuver."

Upon hearing the mention of 'red lead' cinnabar, Zhu Youxun's pupils constricted sharply; this was the true source of his fear.

He suddenly looked at Liu Dianbu, his tone filled with barely suppressed anxiety and a hint of resentment:

"A turnaround? How can it be a turnaround?! What about Uncle Wang? I've written to him several times, but why have my letters gone unanswered? Is he... going to abandon me?!"

Liu Dianbu paused for a moment, avoiding Zhu Youxun's piercing gaze, and sighed:

"Second Master, things are too tense right now, and the Prince must be facing many inconveniences. Silence at this time may not be a bad thing; perhaps he is secretly plotting something..."

"Planning? I think he wants me to shoulder all the blame!"

Zhu Youxun abruptly interrupted him, his voice sharp with excitement:
"He was the one who approached me, promising to help me replace my brother and take control of the Zhou kingdom! Now that things have gone wrong, he wants to kick me aside? There's no such thing as a free lunch!"

A ferocious look of hatred flashed across his face.

His awe of that 'Uncle Wang' was rapidly being consumed by fear and a sense of betrayal.

Seeing Zhu Youxun's almost out-of-control state, Liu Dianbu cursed him as an idiot in his heart, but on the surface he had to reassure him:
"Second Master, please calm down! In the end, this whole thing is Zhang Biao's fault! If he hadn't stirred up trouble in the capital, created that anti-corruption bureau, and made the Emperor suspicious, how could Li Mo have clung to us like a cat smelling fish? How could Your Highness's grand plan have encountered such unexpected complications?"

He cleverly shifted the blame to Zhang Biao: "Moreover, your father was also killed by him, which is tantamount to a blood feud."

"Ah!"

Zhu Youxun chuckled, his tone carrying an almost cold-blooded indifference:
"Zhang Biao? What is he? Just a lucky madman. He harmed Uncle Wang? Hmph, Uncle Wang and he were just in a power struggle, the winner takes all, what grudge could there be?"

He paused, his eyes darting around, and uttered a sentence that sent a chill down Liu Dianbu's spine:

"As for my father? In the end, it's his own fault for misjudging people. What does it have to do with me? If he had passed the position of heir to me earlier, how could the Zhou Prince's Mansion have fallen to this state today?"

These words completely exposed Zhu Youxun's selfishness, cold-heartedness, and extremely inflated ambition. In his heart, his father's fate and the survival of the Prince's Mansion were far less important than his own desire for power.

Looking at the young man in front of him who was willing to do anything to climb the social ladder and who even showed no mercy to his own father, Liu Dianbu felt a chill in his heart, but he felt more of a desire to use him.

Such people are easier to control, and also easier to abandon at crucial moments.

Just as the two were harboring their own secrets and the atmosphere was delicate, a trusted servant hurriedly entered and whispered a few words in Liu Dianbu's ear.

Liu Dianbu's expression instantly turned serious. He waved for the servants to leave, turned to Zhu Youxun, and said in a deep voice:
"Second Master, we just received news that Zhang Biao in the capital... has started to mobilize the grain transport!"

"His men are doing everything they can to track down that fat Wang at the dock and our various networks!"

Zhu Youxun was initially startled, then a cold smile of 'I knew it' appeared on his face:

"That kid Li Mo really did pass the message out! Zhang Biao is here to avenge his brother and is using this as a lead to settle scores with us!"

"Second Master, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is definitely keeping an eye on us now. Should we temporarily back down and avoid their sharp edge at the docks?"

Liu Dianbu inquired, explaining that this was due to his caution as a strategist.

"Retreat? Avoid their sharp edge?"

Zhu Youxun seemed to have heard a joke. He stood up and paced around the study, his eyes flashing with a cunning and dangerous light.

"No! Hiding now would only make us look guilty!"

He abruptly stopped, a fierce glint in his eyes: "Zhang Biao wants to investigate, doesn't he? Let him investigate!"

"Does he think that the Zhou Prince's Mansion is the only one behind the Grand Canal transport?"

"We're just lowly underlings working for a few princes! Once he finds out the key information, someone will come after him! Isn't my royal grandfather ruthless and heartless?"

“The King of Qin, the King of Jin, and my father, and even my deceased uncle, the King of Lu, were not spared.”

"Then I'd like to see if he'll punish several vassal kings for the sake of that so-called 'truth'! Is he only satisfied when he forces all his children and grandchildren into rebellion?"

Having said that, he turned to look at Liu Dianbu and said meaningfully:
"Do you think my Uncle Wang shares this same mentality? He probably wants to muddy the waters, just like me?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Dianbu's pupils contracted, and he couldn't help but say with some admiration, "Second Master is wise!"

Zhu Youxun smiled noncommittally, then said casually:
"Mr. Liu, what do you think would happen if my 'kind and virtuous' elder brother was the mastermind behind all of this?"

Swish!
Liu Dianbu's expression suddenly changed, as if he had gained a new understanding of this 'Second Master'.

A sinister smile curled at the corner of Zhu Youxun's lips:

“He was jealous of my father’s favoritism towards me and resented that I might threaten his position as heir apparent, so he secretly colluded with outsiders to leak the elixir formula and frame my father!”

"Now that things might be exposed, they've sent assassins to kill the imperial censor, intending to silence him!"

"And I am just a pitiful younger brother who is ostracized, bullied, and may even be silenced by my older brother!"

"hiss--!"

Liu Dianbu couldn't help but gasp.

What a brilliant scheme to divert the trouble eastward!
Although this plan is risky, if executed properly, it can indeed greatly disrupt the investigation and may even drag the crown prince into the mess, clearing the way for Zhu Youxun to ascend to the throne!
"Second Master's plan... is brilliant!"

Liu Dianbu clapped his hands and gave a low thumbs up: "We can secretly 'help' the Embroidered Uniform Guard so that they 'accidentally' discover some 'evidence' pointing to the Crown Prince."

"For example, records of the Crown Prince's close relationship with certain alchemists, or the connection between some of his dubious properties and the Grand Canal... If done cleverly, it would be enough to draw the court's attention to the Crown Prince!"

"Yes! Just do it!"

Zhu Youxun's face showed excitement, as if he could already see his brother unable to defend himself and being imprisoned.

"Go and make the arrangements, and be quick!"

"We must completely pin this mudslinging on my good brother before Zhang Biao finds any substantial evidence!"

"Yes, Second Master!"

Liu Dianbu bowed and accepted the order, but a barely perceptible cold glint flashed in his eyes.

The two discussed the details in secret before Liu Dianbu quietly left.

Only Zhu Youxun remained in the study.

He walked to the window, looking at the deep night outside, his face a mixture of ambition, fear, and ruthlessness.

Brother... don't blame me for being heartless. Blame it on you for blocking my way!

[Zhang Biao...you want to avenge Li Mo? Then go play with my good older brother first!]

Uncle Wang...you want to abandon me? Not so easy! I'll show you that I, Zhu Youxun, am not so easily shaken off!

I have to say, we're not the same kind of people, we can't get along.

The strategy of that "Uncle Wang" coincided with Zhu Youxun's cunning.

But what Zhu Youxun didn't know was that his "Uncle Wang" was already taking action to abandon him.

Meanwhile, in Qingzhou City, the fiefdom of the King of Qi.

Censor Zhao Fengman, dressed in an inconspicuous gray cloth robe, moved like a ghost through the slippery bluestone alley.

The rain soaked his hair and clothes, clinging coldly to his skin, but he was oblivious, his heart filled only with a chilling coldness and the burning heat of his rapid thinking.

He clutched a few thin, yet incredibly heavy sheets of paper tightly to his chest.

He obtained those fragments of account books at great risk from a former minor official in the Grand Canal who had been driven to ruin by the Prince of Qi's household.

The document clearly records how the Chief Secretary of the Prince Qi's Mansion manipulated the grain transport gangs to falsely report losses and substitute inferior goods during the transport of grain in the Shandong section. They even secretly intercepted and resold some of the military grain that should have been transported to Liaodong, with the huge profits ultimately flowing into the private treasury of the Prince Qi's Mansion, rather than the Ministry of Revenue's treasury.

What alarmed him even more was that there was a blurry mark on the fragment that was extremely similar to the rust he had seen on the bottom of the 'iron box'.

This made him suspect that the corruption of Prince Qi, Zhu Fu, might not be an isolated incident, but rather part of a vast conspiracy...
However, just as he was trying to follow this lead and contact another key witness, danger suddenly descended.

This evening, the Prince of Qi's residence unexpectedly sent a chief clerk with an invitation, inviting him to a banquet at the residence with a beaming smile. The clerk said that His Highness Prince Qi admired the integrity of Imperial Censor Zhao and wished to consult him on local affairs in person.

Zhao Fengman made the judgment almost instantly: this was a trap.

Qi King Zhu Fu was known among the princes for his violent temper and insatiable greed. He was already dissatisfied with the censor who was causing him trouble. How could he suddenly admire his integrity?
This clearly shows that they realized his investigation was getting closer to the core and wanted to lure him into the palace, either to imprison him or to make him 'accidentally'!
Without the slightest hesitation, he politely accepted the invitation, indicating that he would attend the banquet after a short while.

Turning around, he immediately returned to the temporary government office and destroyed most of the documents that might implicate others as quickly as possible, keeping only the most crucial account fragments and a few key notes close to his body.

Then he changed into plain clothes and crawled out through a dog hole in the back wall of the government office that he had already figured out.

He had only been gone for less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn when guards from the Prince of Qi's residence barged into his office, claiming to "protect the censor's safety," but in reality, they wanted to take him into custody.

Upon discovering that the place was deserted, a city-wide manhunt was immediately launched.

"There he is! Grab him!"

A sharp shout came from the alley entrance, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps and the clanging of swords being drawn.

Several guards dressed in the uniforms of the Prince of Qi's residence spotted Zhao Fengman and pounced on him like hunting dogs.

Zhao Fengman's heart tightened, he cursed under his breath, and turned to run wildly into the depths of the alley.

He was far less familiar with the alleyways of Qingzhou City than his opponents, and could only rely on instinct and luck to navigate the maze-like alleys, dodging the pursuers who were getting closer and closer behind him.

The rain blurred my vision, and the cold air stung my lungs when I inhaled it.

He could hear his own heart pounding like a drum and his heavy breathing.

"We absolutely cannot get caught! We absolutely cannot let the evidence fall into their hands!"

This thought sustained him as he squeezed out the last bit of strength from his body.

He suddenly turned into a dead-end alley filled with clutter, seeing no way to escape.

The footsteps and sinister laughter of the pursuers could be heard at the alley entrance.

There is always a way out!

Zhao Fengman glanced around and noticed a dilapidated swill bucket, about half a person's height, in the corner, emitting a nauseating sour stench.

He gritted his teeth, disregarded everything else, lifted the lid and crawled in, holding his breath and curling his body tightly at the bottom of the filthy swill, leaving only his nostrils barely protruding above the water.

Almost the instant he hid, several guards rushed into the dead end.

"Damn it! Where is he? I clearly saw him run in!"

"Search! It's definitely hidden!"

"This lousy bucket... it stinks like hell!"

Footsteps echoed around the slop bucket, and someone even poked the bucket wall hard with a scabbard, making a dull sound.

Zhao Fengman's heart was in his throat. He gritted his teeth, feeling the filthy liquid soaking his body. The pungent smell almost made him faint.

Fortunately, the guards seemed to be deterred by the stench, or perhaps they thought that a dignified censor would not hide in such a place. After searching around with curses and grumbling without finding anything, they turned around and searched elsewhere.

As the footsteps faded into the distance, Zhao Fengman waited for a while longer. Once he was sure it was safe, he suddenly poked his head out of the swill bucket, greedily inhaling the cold air, coughing violently, and vomiting up the sewage he had inhaled.

He was soaking wet, covered in filth, and looked utterly wretched, but his eyes shone with an indomitable light, like those of a trapped wild beast.

He struggled to climb out of the bucket, leaned against the cold wall, and calmed his breathing and heartbeat.

We must leave Qingzhou City immediately!
Since the King of Qi has taken action, he will never let it go.

If you stay in the city, you'll be found sooner or later.

He discerned the direction, endured the stench and discomfort on his body, and, under the cover of night, made his way towards a spot on the city wall that he remembered as being in disrepair and possibly vulnerable.

He had to escape this den of thieves before the city gates were sealed off.

The evidence in his arms burned his chest.

[Prince Zhu Fu of Qi. Corruption in the Grand Canal transport system and that mysterious mark.]

Damn it! Even after leaving Beijing, we still have to hide and run away!

[Brother Biao, are you alright? And what about the brothers?]

Zhao Fengman gritted his teeth and struggled forward in the rainy night. Every step was fraught with danger, but his will was like steel being tempered, growing ever stronger.

He knew that what he had obtained this time was different from the 'iron box'; perhaps, a shocking case was about to be uncovered.

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(End of this chapter)