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

Chapter 217 Zhang Biao: I'm going to pull off something big! [Seeking monthly votes]

"Pa-ta-!"

Zhang Biao's chopsticks fell onto the table with a crisp sound.

The languidness and mockery on his face vanished instantly, replaced by utter shock and chilling disbelief.

He suddenly raised his head, his gaze like two sharp swords, staring intently at the one-armed old Zhou.

"What did you say?! Colluding with the enemy and aiding bandits? Supporting bandits to enhance your own power?!"

"Old Zhou, explain yourself clearly! Don't leave out a single word!"

Zhang Biao's voice was extremely low, yet carried an undeniable sternness.

The atmosphere inside the room suddenly became extremely tense.

Old Li, Old Sun, and Old Qian also put down their bowls and looked at Old Zhou with solemn expressions.

Old Zhou felt uneasy under Zhang Biao's gaze, but he knew the matter was of great importance and dared not conceal anything.

He took a deep breath and pieced together the chilling clues that the four of them had previously gleaned.

He recounted in great detail the details of the shipments of refined iron, saltpeter, grain, and cloth to the rebellious areas, the large quantities of weapons whose whereabouts were unknown, and how people in the court facilitated the write-off of these items.

He even took out the scrap paper Old Qian had used to smear away crucial information, pointed to the ink stain, and his voice trembled with lingering fear:

"Lord Zhang, it's not that we're cowardly, it's just that this matter... this matter is far too big!"

"We were so scared at the time... we didn't dare to think any further, let alone write it down..."

As Zhang Biao listened, his face grew increasingly grim, and his eyes grew colder.

He didn't interrupt Lao Zhou until Lao Zhou finished speaking, after which the room fell into a deathly silence.

The flickering light of the oil lamp illuminated Zhang Biao's ever-changing face.

His fingers tapped the table unconsciously, making soft "tap, tap" sounds.

[Collaborating with the enemy and capitalizing on bandits...supporting bandits to respect themselves...]

No wonder! No wonder rebellions in various places always seem to spring up like a gourd after being suppressed!

No wonder the border troops have suffered huge losses but seem to have achieved little!

So that's where the problem lies!

[Someone is constantly 'blood transfusing' the rebels, using the flesh and blood of the Ming Dynasty to fatten the enemy in order to maintain their own power and status!]

This is ten times, a hundred times, more vicious than mere corruption in the canal transport system!

A chilling anger rose from the depths of Zhang Biao's heart, but it was followed by a clarity that seemed to break through the clouds.

He had always believed that his opponents were merely creating obstacles and misleading the public regarding corruption in the canal transport system.

Now it seems that the other party's methods and schemes are far deeper and more ruthless than he imagined.

They not only want to protect their corrupt interests, but they are also likely using the canal network to carry out acts that bring chaos and destruction to the country.

Now, the other party has clearly realized that his investigation is getting closer to the core.

That's why they were so eager, even at the cost of exposing some of the vassal kings, to keep their attention firmly on the seemingly vast but actually peripheral battlefield of 'vassal kings' corruption in the grain transport system'.

If he really followed those "offered" clues and went to fight the King of Zhou, the King of Shu, the King of Qi, the King of Chu, and even the King of Yan.

Not only will it lead to endless wrangling and enormous resistance, wasting a lot of time and energy, but it will also give the real mastermind the opportunity to calmly cut off the clues, destroy the evidence, and even poison him and his people.

"What a brilliant move to sacrifice the pawn to save the king, and shift the blame eastward!"

Zhang Biao sneered, a dangerous glint in his eyes:
"They want to use me as a pawn to fight the vassal kings to the death, so they can hide in the back and watch the show, or even take the opportunity to clean house?"

As he spoke, he suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the small room. He didn't walk fast, but each step seemed to be on some kind of dangerous rhythm.

"Old Zhou, you did the right thing!"

He suddenly stopped, looked at the four veterans, and his eyes held an unprecedented solemnity and a hint of admiration:
"You really can't afford to take this kind of responsibility. The fact that you discovered it, endured it, and survived to tell me the news has already made a great contribution!"

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming resolute:

"But now that I know, this matter can't be left like this!"

"Colluding with the enemy and aiding bandits? Nurturing bandits to enhance their own power? This is using the blood of countless soldiers and civilians to fatten their own ambitions and power!"

Zhang Biao's voice regained its calm, but beneath that calm lay an impending thunderbolt:
"Some people don't want us to investigate the real mastermind behind the Grand Canal, so they've thrown out a bunch of messy accounts of the vassal kings, trying to trap us in it."

"Then... shall we still inspect the dock?" Mudfish asked timidly.

"Investigate! Why aren't you investigating?"

A strange smile curled at the corner of Zhang Biao's lips:

"Everyone thought that I, Zhang Biao, would follow these obviously trap clues and plunge headlong into the quagmire of the vassal kings, fight them to the death, and in the end either be killed by them or anger Old Zhu and beheaded..."

"Ha! I want to get my head chopped off by Old Zhu!"

"But to die with value, to fulfill their wishes? That's just wishful thinking on their part!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Biao slammed his hand on the table, his eyes flashing with a sharp light:

"I'm not going to play by their rules!"

"Openly, we still need to continue the investigation!"

"And the investigation must be carried out in a 'grand and spectacular' manner, so that everyone will think that I, Zhang Biao, am a stubborn and inflexible madman who insists on going against the princes!"

After saying that, he turned to look at Old Zhou, Old Li, and Mudfish, and quickly gave the order:

"Old Zhou, Old Li, you two take Mudfish and those reliable men you recruited earlier, and continue to raid the docks in a high-profile manner!"

"Investigate that fat Wang, investigate the 'Bi'an waist token,' investigate the Zhou Prince's Mansion, investigate the Qi Prince, the Chu Prince, the Shu Prince, and the Yan Prince!"

"The bigger the commotion, the better! Keep Song Zhonghe and all those eyes in the shadows firmly focused on the canal transport line!"

"Remember, when you're acting, you have to give it your all!"

"You can 'accidentally' discover some insignificant 'new clues,' or you can even deliberately 'bump into a wall' and act like you're in a complete mess!"

"The point is to make them feel that I, Zhang Biao, am still on their chessboard, playing according to their script!"

He's feigning weakness, deliberately pretending to be misled by the other side to lull them into a false sense of security.

"but!"

Zhang Biao abruptly changed the subject, his eyes sharp as knives: "Secretly, our investigation direction is about to change completely!"

He walked to the table, dipped his finger in the noodle soup, and drew two circles on the greasy surface.

"See? Now everyone's eyes, including the mastermind behind it all, are on the canal transport, this 'open line,' waiting to see how I fight those vassal kings until they're bloodied and bruised."

"Then let's do things differently!"

He pointed sharply at another circle: "Let's open a 'hidden line'! A line they'd never expect!"

"What hidden agenda?"

Old Zhou couldn't help but ask.

A glint flashed in Zhang Biao's eyes, and he said in a deep voice:

"Have you all forgotten why I set up this anti-corruption bureau, and why I asked Old Zhu for power and money?"

"One is to help you solve the problem of the garrison, and the other is to investigate the mastermind behind it all!"

"In my past life—oh wait, no, last time—he completely outmaneuvered me and my brothers, and almost killed Shen Lang and Sun Gui in the Ministry of Justice prison. This time, I'm going to kill him!"

"so!"

As he spoke, Zhang Biao looked around at the veterans and said, "We're going to do something unexpected and go to the audit station!"

"The Audit Guard?"

The veterans were all taken aback.

"Yes! It's the Audit Bureau!"

Zhang Biao turned his gaze to Lao Sun and Lao Qian, his tone grave: "Lao Sun, Lao Qian, you two, bring your most trusted brothers and come with me!"

"Let's pull off a big heist!"

"Let's start the investigation from the garrison that bullied Old Zhou's village!"

"The reasons are readily available: military households were illegally recruited, village chiefs were unjustly exiled, and garrison officers were rampant with corruption, encroaching on military farmland and exploiting soldiers!"

"These are real stories of blood and tears that happened to the lower-ranking military households. The evidence is relatively easy to obtain. The resistance seems to come from local garrison officers, but it won't immediately touch those real behemoths in the court!"

"But don't forget—"

Zhang Biao's voice was low, carrying a sharpness that pierced through the fog:

"Among the clues you discovered about 'colluding with the enemy and aiding bandits,' many of the weapons that were abnormally revoked by the Ministry of War and the supplies whose whereabouts are unknown were all smuggled out through the garrison system!"

"The garrison inspection station, seemingly resolving the grievances of military households, is actually going against the current by following the flow of supplies and weapons, to catch the real big fish!"

"Moreover, we are acting under the banner of 'speaking out for the people' and 'rectifying military discipline,' which is perfectly legitimate!"

"Even if someone wants to stop it, they'll have to consider public opinion!"

At this point, he looked at Lao Zhou: "Lao Zhou, your nephew was forcibly conscripted into the army, and the village chief was exiled. This is our best entry point!"

"The suffering you have endured and the blood you have shed are now the sharpest knives to stab those vermin!"

Old Zhou and the others were deeply moved. They hadn't expected that Zhang Biao could see such a profound insight from their almost desperate pleas for help.

Furthermore, they cleverly combined their personal grievances with the grand goal of rooting out corrupt elements within the state.

"Lord Zhang! We will listen to you!"

"Fuck you!"

"This time, we will definitely find those bastards who leech off soldiers!"

Zhang Biao looked at the veterans whose fighting spirit had been rekindled and nodded heavily:

"Alright! Without further ado, let's prepare immediately!"

"The performance on the surface must be convincing! The hidden knife must be sharpened to its finest point!"

"I want to see if those behind-the-scenes manipulators will still be able to sit still when we tear a hole in this garrison and track them down to their lair through the military supplies!"

His face broke into that familiar, signature smile, a blend of madness and wisdom.

Trying to play a diversionary tactic on me? I'll make you regret it!

[Old Zhu, and those rats hiding in the gutter, get ready for what's to come!]

This time, I'm going to cut off your supply lines!

On the other side, in the East Palace, a side hall.

The candlelight was soft, yet it could not dispel the faint gloom between Lady Lü's brows.

She sat upright on the embroidered stool, holding a scroll of "Admonitions for Women" in her hand, but her gaze was not on the book. Instead, it seemed to be looking through the window lattice towards that dilapidated little courtyard in the city.

Ever since Zhang Biao's memorial on public order was handed to Zhu Yunwen, she could clearly sense that Zhu Yunwen was no longer as close to and trusting of her and Zhu Yunwen as he had been before.

In particular, the fact that Old Zhu had recently begun to secretly investigate the events of the fifteenth year of the Hongwu reign made her feel even more uneasy.

She knew that Old Zhu was starting to suspect her.

She is suspected of being involved in Zhu Xiong Ying's death.

But she wasn't particularly afraid.

Because, in her view, that matter was done in an extremely secretive manner.

Moreover, she wasn't even a direct participant.

All possible clues had been wiped out or moved away by the real murderer, and she was confident that Lao Zhu would not be able to find any conclusive evidence.

After all, ten years have passed since this incident.

In ten years, even the landscape can change, let alone the evidence.

Without solid evidence, based solely on suspicion, it's impossible for Emperor Zhu to do anything to her, the widow of the crown prince and the mother of the emperor's grandson.

Therefore, what she needs is patience and time.

Once her son successfully ascends to the position of Crown Prince, everything will be settled.

"Mother."

Zhu Yunwen's voice came from outside the door, clear and bright like a young man's, but deliberately lowered, making him appear very respectful.

Madam Lü quickly suppressed her emotions and put on her usual gentle smile: "Wen'er is here, come in quickly."

Zhu Yunwen walked in.

He wore a simple Confucian robe, his figure was slightly thin, his face was delicate, his eyes were clear, and his demeanor carried a respect that was appropriate for his age, as well as a trace of 'benevolence' that had been deliberately cultivated.

He first bowed respectfully to Lady Lü before sitting down to the side.

"Have you finished your homework for today?" Madam Lü asked softly.

"Reporting to Mother, it's all done."

Zhu Yunwen replied respectfully, his tone calm: "To be honest, Mother, I just went to offer incense before Father's spirit tablet and recited the Classic of Filial Piety."

Madam Lü nodded in satisfaction: "Yes, filial piety is the foundation of human relations and should never be forgotten."

She paused, then asked seemingly casually, "I've heard that you've been frequently consulting with Scholar Huang Zicheng about the 'Literary Festival' lately?"

"Yes! Your Majesty, I believe this 'Literary Festival' is a grand event for Your Majesty to gather talented individuals!"

A flicker of eagerness flashed in Zhu Yunwen's eyes, but he quickly concealed it and said respectfully:
"Although I am not talented, I would like to learn more so that I may be able to understand the painstaking efforts of my imperial grandfather in governing the country."

Lady Lü looked at her son and sighed inwardly.

She knew perfectly well what her son was thinking.
The two attempts to establish a crown prince were both thwarted by that madman Zhang Biao, so Wen'er's hatred for Zhang Biao must have been immense.

But now the son has become smarter. He knows how to be patient and bury his hatred in his heart, outwardly appearing as a diligent, studious, benevolent, and virtuous grandson of the emperor.

This is a very good change.

"Yes, it's good that you have this intention."

Lady Lü spoke slowly, her voice lowered:

"Scholar Huang is very learned, and it is only right that you consult him more often. However, you should know that the current situation is delicate, and you need to be more careful in your words and deeds. Some things cannot be rushed."

Zhu Yunwen nodded obediently: "Mother's teachings are correct, I understand."

But then a hint of undisguised melancholy appeared on his face, and he said in a low voice:
"But... Mother, I feel that Grandfather seems... seems to have become much more distant from us lately."

“Every time I go to pay my respects, although my grandfather is concerned and asks about my well-being, I always feel that there is a distance between us. Why is that?”

This was his greatest source of confusion and unease.

He could feel that invisible barrier, which made him uneasy and made his dream of becoming the 'Crown Prince' even more elusive.

Lu's heart tightened suddenly, her smile remained unchanged, but her tone carried a subtle hint of perfunctoriness and evasion:
“Silly child, your grandfather is busy with many affairs of state, worrying about the entire Ming Dynasty. Naturally, he cannot be as close to his grandfather as an ordinary family member.”

"You just need to do your duty, study diligently, and be filial to your parents. Your grandfather will naturally take notice."

She couldn't tell her son that it was because his grandfather suspected his mother of killing his brother.

If these words are uttered, it will be a catastrophe.

Zhu Yunwen looked at his mother's evasive answer, and the melancholy in his eyes deepened.

He wasn't stupid; he could sense that his mother was hiding something from him, which made him even more uneasy.

Just then, a respectful announcement came from outside the hall:
"Your Highness, the Crown Princess, His Majesty has issued an imperial edict summoning Your Highness to the Hall of Literary Glory for an immediate audience!"

[The Hall of Imperial Canopy? My grandfather summons me?!]

Zhu Yunwen was stunned at first, then a huge wave of joy surged into his heart, almost destroying his long-maintained composure.

My grandfather hasn't summoned me for a private audience in a long time!

He instinctively tried to stand up, unable to suppress a smile.

"Wen'er!"

Lu gave a low shout, which, though not loud, carried an undeniable warning.

Zhu Yunwen shuddered and suddenly realized what was happening.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his overwhelming joy, and quickly adjusted his facial expression, restoring that respectful yet subtly affectionate look, as if his grandfather's summons was merely a routine inquiry.

He stood up, straightened his robes to ensure there was nothing improper about them, and then calmly responded to the people outside the hall:

"Sun Chen obeys the order and will proceed immediately."

After saying that, he turned to look at Madam Lü.

Lady Lü nodded slightly to him, her eyes filled with encouragement, yet also with a hint of reminder.

Zhu Yunwen nodded heavily and turned to walk out.

His steps remained steady, but the slightly quickened pace betrayed his inner excitement and anticipation.

Watching her son's departing figure, the gentle smile on Madam Lü's face gradually disappeared, replaced by a deep look.

Why did the Emperor suddenly summon Yunwen at this time?

Is this just ordinary exam-oriented knowledge?

Or...did they hear something? Are they planning to find a breakthrough through Yunwen?

[Or perhaps... it's related to Zhang Biao, who's currently in the spotlight, and the escalating canal transport scandal?]

She couldn't figure out what Lao Zhu was thinking, which made her feel uneasy.

But she believed that as long as Yunwen behaved well enough, was 'filial' enough, and was 'harmless' enough, he could overcome any test.

Moreover, Yunwen knew nothing about that matter, and the Emperor couldn't get any information out of him.

However, Zhang Biao, who was like a leech, and the Emperor's unfathomable suspicion were always the swords hanging over their heads.

We must finalize Wen'er's position as soon as possible...

Lu's eyes flickered, and a vague yet dangerous plan in her mind seemed to become clearer.

All of this is contingent on her son performing flawlessly during this unexpected summons.

And that madman Zhang Biao, stop causing trouble.

Please vote for me with your monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)