The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

Zhu Zhanjun took out a thick memorial from his sleeve and presented it with both hands: "Your Majesty, I have drafted a plan and would like to request Your Majesty's review. This plan is divided into three phases: The first phase is to build a Zhenlu Camp of 1,000 men within six months, equip them with breech-loading rifles, and complete actual combat training to test the new army's combat capabilities in real combat; the second phase is to expand the army to 10,000 men within one and a half years, while simultaneously building new-style firearms workshops in Xishan, Xuanfu, and Datong to train artisans in various towns; the third phase is to build a new army of 50,000 men within three years, while gradually replacing the old-style firearms units with new ones, achieving standardization of firearms throughout the army."

Zhu Di took the memorial, flipped through a few pages, and his brow gradually relaxed. He pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked a question no one had expected: "Prince Zhenbei, if I were to issue an edict now to hand over your breech-loading rifle technology to the Ministry of War, would you be willing to do so?"

All eyes in the hall were fixed on Zhu Zhanjun. Zhu Zhanjun remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "Your Majesty, I am unwilling."

These words immediately caused an uproar in the hall. Prince Qi, Zhu Fu, seized the opportunity: "Your Majesty, look! This is the true face of someone who monopolizes power! I urge Your Majesty to immediately abolish the monopoly of the Shenji Battalion, otherwise—"

"Your Majesty," Zhu Zhanjun interrupted Prince Qi, his tone calm yet authoritative, "I am unwilling, not out of personal motives. Rather, as I just mentioned, a new type of firearm requires seven stages from blueprints to mass production. Currently, the breech-loading rifled gun is only in the trial production stage and has not yet been finalized. If the technology is handed over now, and the various garrisons follow the blueprints blindly, they will only obtain semi-finished products. In that case, the guns produced will be defective, and on the battlefield, they will explode or jam, and it will be Your Majesty's soldiers who die."

He paused, then continued, "Your Majesty, I request three years. Within these three years, I will finalize the design of the new gun, establish a mass production workshop, train the first batch of instructors, and build a new army of 50,000. After three years, I am willing to hand over all the technology to the Ministry of War for management, and I myself will retire from the Shenji Battalion and become a leisurely prince, without any objection."

Zhu Di's gaze lingered on Zhu Zhanjun's face for a long time, seemingly judging the truthfulness of his words. Finally, Zhu Di slowly spoke: "Very well, I agree."

Zhu Zhanji immediately stepped forward: "Your Majesty, this—"

"Shut up," Zhu Di coldly interrupted him. "Imperial Grandson, I know what you're thinking. I'll make this clear today: within these three years, anyone who dares to touch the Shenji Battalion's firearms monopoly, anyone who dares to covet the Xishan workshops, don't blame me for being ruthless. But the Prince of Zhenbei also said that he will hand over the technology in three years. If he dares to go back on his word then, I will not let him off lightly either."

Zhu Zhanjun kowtowed deeply: "Your subject will respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree."

Zhu Di then turned to Ji Gang: "Minister Ji, keep a close eye on things for me. In the next three years, if anyone dares to lay a finger on the Xishan workshop, or steals the secret techniques of firearms, the Embroidered Uniform Guard can execute them first and report later."

Ji Gang bowed in agreement, but his gaze swept over Zhu Zhanji, Prince Qi, and the others without making a sound, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

A grand court assembly that should have decided the ownership of firearms was thus turned around by Zhu Zhanjun. On the surface, he made a compromise—handing over the technology in three years; in reality, he bought the most precious time—three years was enough to complete the mass production of breech-loading rifles and build a new army. By then, even if the technology were made public, the various garrisons would already be three years behind, while the Shenji Battalion's new army would have formed an unshakeable combat advantage.

However, this victory did not come without a price. When Zhu Zhanjun walked out of the Wuying Hall, his face was terribly pale. Yu Qian quickly supported him and whispered, "Your Highness, your injuries have not yet healed. You forced yourself to fire three more times just now, which may have aggravated your wounds."

Zhu Zhanjun shook his head slightly, but a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth: "It's alright. Winning this battle today is worth it. It's just that, Brother Yu Qian, these next three years will probably require us to fight tooth and nail for it."

Yu Qian remained silent for a moment, then nodded heavily.

....................

Seven days after the grand court assembly, Xiao Qiniang's situation in the Eastern Palace's workshop began to become delicate.

She had been working at the Craftsman's Bureau for over a month, posing as Hua Qiniang, the daughter of a carpenter. With her exceptional polishing skills, she quickly gained the trust of the old craftsman, Master Cao, and was appointed chief inspector of the central workshop's parts polishing area. This position allowed her access to the constantly moving blueprints and semi-finished parts, making it the perfect spot for her to secretly mark defects.

However, Qi Zhongming, the core advisor in charge of firearms records at the Crown Prince's Palace, seems to have begun to suspect her.

That afternoon, Xiao Qiniang was squatting by the pool in the polishing room, using fine sandpaper to polish the barrel of a Swift Thunder musket. Her movements were extremely skilled; the sandpaper moved back and forth in her palm, stopping after a few strokes to gently touch the texture of the barrel's inner wall with her fingertips, judging the evenness of the polishing. This kind of feel was accumulated over twenty years of experience with firearms; an ordinary craftsman would need at least ten years of practice to reach her level.

Just then, Qi Zhongming suddenly walked in. He was in his early forties, thin, and wearing a faded blue robe, looking like a poor old scholar. But Xiao Qiniang knew he was not as simple as he appeared—anyone who could sit in the core staff of the Eastern Palace Firearms Records must be a confidant of Zhu Zhanji.

"Hua Qiniang," Qi Zhongming's voice was gentle, yet carried an indescribable meaning, "Old Cao said your skills are excellent, so I came here specifically to see you."

Xiao Qiniang raised her head, a simple and honest smile typical of a worker on her face: "Lord Qi, you flatter me. I've only been a carpenter for a few years and have learned some tricks of polishing. How can I compare to the master craftsmen of the Eastern Palace?"

Qi Zhongming smiled, squatted down beside her, but his gaze fell on the barrel of the gun in her hand: "How long did you spend polishing the barrel of this Swift Thunder Gun?"

"It's been about half an hour, Lord Qi," Xiao Qiniang replied truthfully.

"Let me see," Qi Zhongming said, extending his hand.

Xiao Qiniang was slightly taken aback, but still handed over the gun barrel. Qi Zhongming took the gun barrel, examined it carefully for a moment, and suddenly said, "Hua Qiniang, the way you polished the gun barrel is very similar to someone else's."

Xiao Qiniang's heart skipped a beat, but her face remained calm: "Oh? I wonder which one Lord Qi is referring to? To be remembered by Lord Qi like this, he must be a formidable person."

"Xiao Mingyuan, the chief craftsman of firearms in the Shenji Battalion." Qi Zhongming looked straight at her. "His craftsmanship is the best I've ever seen in my life. Especially the way he polishes gun barrels. He first uses coarse sandpaper as a base, then fine sandpaper for fine polishing, and finally uses his fingers dipped in extremely fine iron filings to polish it. He can polish the inner wall of the gun barrel to the point where it looks like a mirror. The gun barrels he assembles last 30% longer than usual."

Xiao Qiniang's heart pounded even faster. Of course, she knew her father's technique; it was a family heirloom, difficult for outsiders to imitate. Although she had deliberately concealed some details of the technique, Qi Zhongming had dealt with Xiao Mingyuan many times, so it wasn't impossible for him to see through it.

"You flatter me, Lord Qi," she said with a forced smile, trying to remain calm. "How could I possibly compare to Master Xiao? Master Xiao grew up in the Shenji Camp and spent his whole life forging iron. I am just a carpenter's daughter from the countryside, with only some basic skills."

Qi Zhongming stared at her, his gaze scrutinizing her: "Of course I know you're not Xiao Mingyuan. But that Xiao Mingyuan has a daughter named Xiao Shi, who is said to be a firearms genius and worked as a testing craftsman in the Shenji Battalion for several years. A few months ago, she fell off a cliff and disappeared without a trace, neither alive nor dead, and the imperial court has yet to find her."

A chill ran through Xiao Qiniang's heart, but she knew she couldn't reveal any weakness at this moment. She lowered her head to gather the sandpaper in her hands, her voice carrying a hint of a country woman's timidity: "Lord Qi, I dare not speak carelessly about the people you mentioned. I only wish to work hard in the Eastern Palace and earn a living; I know nothing else."

Qi Zhongming was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "You don't need to be nervous, I was just saying. Now that you're working at the Eastern Palace, you're one of our people, and I'll naturally take care of you. But..."

His voice suddenly turned low: "I heard that before you entered the Eastern Palace, you stayed at an inn in western Beijing for three days. Across from that inn, there was a general store, and the shopkeeper had dealings with the Shenji Camp's secret guards."

Xiao Qiniang's hand trembled slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She raised her head, a puzzled expression on her face: "What inn or shop is Lord Qi referring to? When I came to the capital, I stayed at a carriage inn outside the city, but it was dirty and dilapidated, surrounded by ordinary farmers. There was no shop there. Lord Qi must be mistaken."

"Oh? Is that so?" Qi Zhongming smiled and didn't press further. He simply stood up, patted his robes, and said, "Work hard. The Crown Prince won't mistreat those with good skills. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to come to me."

After he finished speaking, he turned and left, leaving Xiao Qiniang standing alone in the same spot, her palms already covered in cold sweat.

Xiao Qiniang knew that Qi Zhongming was already suspicious. Although she hadn't left any direct evidence, a cunning man like Qi Zhongming only needed a seed of suspicion to investigate further. She had to complete the task Zhu Zhanjun had assigned her as soon as possible and find clues about the mole within Xishan who had leaked information; otherwise, if she were exposed, not only would her life be in danger, but it would also disrupt Zhu Zhanjun's entire plan.

That night, Xiao Qiniang returned to her lodgings early, citing feeling unwell. The Crown Prince had arranged for the craftsmen to live in a row of bungalows in the backyard of the Crafts Bureau. She was assigned a small room on the west side; although simple, it was quiet. After locking the doors and windows, she took out a tightly wrapped oilcloth package from under a loose blue brick under the bed.

Inside the oilcloth bundle was a hollow copper tube, the disguise tube Zhu Zhanjun had given her. Hidden inside were a set of miniature tools and several slips of paper with coded messages. By the dim light of the oil lamp, she unfolded one of the slips of paper, on which were written a few lines in tiny, neat characters:

"Zhou Shun of Xishan has rebelled. This man is a spy for the Eastern Palace, who stole seven maps and sent them to the Eastern Palace. Your task is to find evidence against him and investigate his superiors. Be careful."

After reading it, Xiao Qiniang burned the note to ashes over the oil lamp. Zhou Shun—she vaguely remembered him; he was an ordinary craftsman in the Xishan workshop, responsible for drilling holes in gun barrels. Before she entered the Eastern Palace, the Iron-Faced Man had mentioned to her that an internal investigation at Xishan had revealed that several craftsmen were behaving strangely, but no conclusive evidence had been found. Now it seemed the secret guards had identified Zhou Shun, but they still needed evidence to prove his connection to the Eastern Palace.

What she needs to do now is find the communication channel between Qi Zhongming and Zhou Shun. Since Zhou Shun is a spy for the Crown Prince, there must be a secret passage through which the intelligence he steals is transmitted to the Crown Prince. Finding this passage will allow her to expose everyone involved in the theft, and she can also use it to send false intelligence to the Crown Prince.

However, Qi Zhongming's probing today has shown that she is being watched. If she continues to operate within the Eastern Palace, she will likely be completely exposed very soon. She must walk a more cautious and covert path.

After much deliberation, Xiao Qiniang finally made a decision: she couldn't wait any longer. Since Qi Zhongming had already begun to suspect her, she might as well play along, complete the mission in a more aggressive way, and then withdraw as soon as possible.

She carefully hid the copper tube, blew out the oil lamp, and lay down on the hard bed, staring at the dark roof. A sudden surge of longing welled up in her heart—she missed her father, Xiao Mingyuan; she missed the core chamber of the Xishan workshop, filled with the smell of gunpowder and machine oil; she missed the taciturn man who always wore an iron mask; and she also remembered His Highness the Prince of Zhenbei, who had nearly lost his life at Yanmen Pass and bravely demonstrated the new gun at the grand court assembly.

She took a deep breath, suppressing all her weakness. She was Xiao Qiniang, the youngest female craftsman in the Shenji Battalion, and a core tester of breech-loading rifles. She had her mission: even if it meant death, she would deliver the intelligence back to Xishan.

.....................

On the tenth day of the fifth month, Ji Gang's carriage departed from the Northern Garrison and headed straight for the Western Hills. His carriage was always low-key, and today he even brought only four personal guards. Traveling swiftly, he arrived at the foot of the Western Hills in less than an hour.

Zhu Zhanjun and Yu Qian were already waiting in a secluded courtyard. This courtyard was the outer reception area of ​​Xishan Workshop. On the outside, it looked like an ordinary country courtyard, but inside, it was equipped with hidden guards and mechanisms, so that any suspicious person would be detected immediately if they approached.

Ji Gang stepped into the courtyard, removed his black cloak, revealing his face, which always carried a somewhat sinister smile. He cupped his hands in greeting to Zhu Zhanjun: "Your Highness, are your injuries any better?"

"Thank you for your concern, Commander Ji. I'm much better now." Zhu Zhanjun gestured for him to sit down and personally poured him a cup of tea. "Commander Ji, you must have come to Xishan on important business?"

Ji Gang did not answer immediately, but looked at Yu Qian and then at the surroundings. Zhu Zhanjun understood: "This area has been cleared, Commander Ji, please speak freely."

"Very well, then I will speak frankly." Ji Gang picked up his teacup but did not drink from it, instead simply holding it in his hand and playing with it. "The Crown Prince's side has already set its sights on the pawn that His Highness has planted."

Zhu Zhanjun frowned slightly: "Commander Ji, are you referring to Hua Qiniang?"

"Exactly." Ji Gang put down his teacup and took out a thin file from his robes. "Qin An, the chief clerk of the Eastern Palace, secretly reported to the eldest grandson of the Emperor this afternoon that a new female craftswoman has joined the Eastern Palace's workshop. Her skills are extremely refined, and her method of polishing gun barrels is very similar to that of Xiao Mingyuan, the chief firearms craftsman of the Shenji Camp. Although this woman claims to be a country carpenter, Qin An discovered that she stayed at an inn in western Beijing for three days before coming to the capital. The general store opposite that inn is an outer contact point for the Shenji Camp's secret guards."

Yu Qian's expression changed slightly: "This contact point is extremely well-hidden; no more than five people know about it. How did Qin An find it out?"

"Junior Supervisor Yu, don't forget that the Crown Prince has been cultivating this place for many years. They have spies in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and also in the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Works. Although that general store is well hidden, it will always leave traces if it's investigated." Ji Gang paused, his tone becoming serious. "Qin An has already suggested to Zhu Zhanji that they set a trap to test Hua Qiniang. As soon as she reveals even the slightest clue, they should take her down immediately. When I received the news, this plan had already begun to be put into action."

Zhu Zhanjun remained silent for a moment, then suddenly looked at Ji Gang: "Commander Ji, you brought this intelligence today not just to help me save people."

Ji Gang smiled, a meaningful smile: "Your Highness is indeed a clever man. This humble official does indeed have another request."

"Speaking."

"Your Highness mentioned at the court assembly that a new army of 50,000 firearms should be built within three years. In your opinion, how can the Embroidered Uniform Guard help with this goal?" Ji Gang's gaze sharpened. "Although I am only a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, its eyes and ears are all over the world. I can keep an eye on the generals of the nine border regions, the officials of the Ministry of Works, the staff of the princes' mansions, and even the movements within the Eastern Palace for Your Highness."

Zhu Zhanjun did not answer immediately, but instead picked up his teacup and took a sip, seemingly weighing something. Yu Qian spoke up from the side, "Commander Ji, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is the Emperor's personal guard, and they only obey His Majesty's orders. If Your Highness gets too close to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it may attract criticism."

"Your Excellency is right," Ji Gang nodded. "Therefore, I dare not ask Your Highness to cooperate openly with the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I only hope that if Your Highness has a conflict with the Crown Prince in the future, the Embroidered Uniform Guard can remain neutral and not take sides. In return, I will try my best to inform you in advance of any information that is unfavorable to Your Highness."

Zhu Zhanjun put down his teacup and looked directly at Ji Gang: "Commander Ji, why are you helping me? The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard has always been loyal only to the emperor, without forming factions or engaging in private activities. If His Majesty finds out about your actions today, he may doubt your loyalty."

Ji Gang remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, "Does Your Highness know that I served in the Divine Machine Battalion for three years when I was young?"

Zhu Zhanjun was slightly taken aback: "You?"

"Indeed," a rare, complex look flashed in Ji Gang's eyes. "In the twenty-sixth year of Hongwu, when I was still a centurion in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I followed the old commander of the Divine Machine Battalion, Lan Yu, on a northern expedition beyond the Great Wall. In that battle, Lan Yu used a musket formation to crush the ten-thousand-strong guard of the Tatar royal tent. Three thousand musketeers fired in unison, tearing the Tatars' iron armor to shreds like paper. From then on, I believed that the future of the Ming Dynasty lay in firearms, not in cavalry."

He paused, then continued, "Later, the Lan Yu case came to light, the old commander was executed, and the Shenji Battalion was temporarily disbanded. I was lucky enough to survive and rose all the way to the position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. But all these years, I have been waiting, waiting for someone who can truly take up the mantle of firearms. Until the news of the Battle of Hunshandake and the Battle of Yanmen Pass came, I knew that person had appeared."

Zhu Zhanjun remained silent, surprised that Ji Gang had such a past. The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was known in the court as a cruel official, and very few people knew about his past. But at this moment, Zhu Zhanjun could sense the sincerity in Ji Gang's words.

"Your Highness," Ji Gang rose and bowed solemnly to Zhu Zhanjun, "though I am not a perfect man and have done many shady things over the years, I am willing to vouch for Your Highness's assistance in this matter of firearms. Not for any other reason than for General Lan's words from back then: 'With firearms in hand, I have the world at my command.'"

Zhu Zhanjun stood up and took Ji Gang's arm, saying, "Commander Ji, you flatter me. Although I dare not form an alliance with you, I am naturally very grateful that the Embroidered Uniform Guard is willing to be lenient with me while remaining neutral."

Ji Gang straightened up, his face regaining its sinister smile: "Regarding Hua Qiniang, does Your Highness need my assistance?"

Zhu Zhanjun pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "No need. I will handle Hua Qiniang's matter myself. Commander Ji only needs to ensure that the Northern Garrison Command does not interfere."

"That's easy. I'll have the people over there keep their distance." Ji Gang nodded, turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "Your Highness, I have something else to tell you."

"Speaking."

"Besides Qin An, there's another person we need to keep an eye on at the Eastern Palace," Ji Gang's voice became extremely low. "An academician of the Imperial Medical Academy, surnamed Liu, named Liu Rusong. This person is someone the Eastern Palace planted in the Imperial Medical Academy. He's been inquiring about Your Highness's injuries these past few days. Your Highness must be careful."

Zhu Zhanjun's heart skipped a beat, and he clasped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for the reminder, Commander Ji."

Ji Gang nodded, lifted the curtain, and climbed into the carriage, quickly disappearing into the twilight.

Yu Qian walked to Zhu Zhanjun's side and whispered, "Your Highness, is Ji Gang's statement credible?"

"Half true, half false," Zhu Zhanjun said, gazing intently into the distance as the carriage departed. "He did want to help us, but he was mostly looking out for himself. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has made countless enemies in the court, and he needs to have a way out. If I succeed in the firearms reform, Ji Gang will have another powerful backer in the future. If I fail, he can also withdraw, merely standing in a neutral position for a while."

"About Hua Qiniang..."

"Send someone to inform her that the plan is being moved up." Zhu Zhanjun's voice suddenly became firm. "Xiao Qiniang has been in the Eastern Palace for too long; the risk of her staying any longer is too great. Have her complete her last task as soon as possible and then withdraw. I have already prepared a new identity and an escape route for her."

"Have her achieve her goal within three days, then evacuate."

Yu Qian nodded, but a hint of worry rose in his heart. Three days—would that be enough?

Deep within the Eastern Palace, Qi Zhongming sat at his desk, pen in hand, writing a secret letter. At the end of the letter, he wrote: "Hua Qiniang's behavior is suspicious; she is suspected of being a spy for the Divine Machine Camp. I suggest that she be dealt with as soon as possible."

He put the letter into an envelope, sealed it with sealing wax, and handed it to his personal servant: "Deliver this to Registrar Qin. Remember, there must be no delays on the way."

The servant took the letter and hurried away. Qi Zhongming gazed at the darkening sky outside the window, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"Prince Zhenbei, you think you can plant spies under my nose? You're seriously underestimating the Crown Prince's palace."