Chapter 116: Rebellion

June 26, Eastern Palace.

Zhu Biao stared at the secret report in his hand, his expression gloomy.

"July 15, the White Lotus Sect colludes with Jiangnan merchants to plot rebellion… Excellent, very good," he sneered.

At his side stood a lean, sturdy man, the chief spy Zhu Biao had covertly trained.

"Prince, should we arrest them early?" the man asked.

Zhu Biao shook his head and said, "No rush… If we act now we can only capture a few leaders; we can't eradicate the roots of the Jiangnan aristocratic families. When they move on July 15, we'll sweep them all in one net."

"But… they plan to poison King Wu…" the man worried.

A cold glint flashed in Zhu Biao's eyes as he said, "No need to worry about that. I, the king, have my own arrangements. Keep watching, and report any movement immediately."

"Understood!" the man retreated.

Zhu Biao sat alone in his study for a long while, then suddenly took up his brush and wrote a letter, calling his trusted eunuch, "Deliver it to Wu Wang Fu and hand it to King Wu personally."

"Yes."

……

Wu Wang Fu.

Zhu Yong read the letter, and a simple smile spread across his naive face.

"Big brother is indeed big brother; you've thought of everything."

He burned the letter and shouted outside the door, "Zhang Wu, Chen Heng!"

The two entered, "Prince, what orders?"

"From today onward, every food and drink in the kitchen must be overseen by you personally; anything delivered to the rear courtyard requires extra caution," Zhu Yong said.

"Understood!" Though puzzled, the two obeyed resolutely.

"Also, go fetch Hu Bo," Zhu Yong said after a moment's thought.

Hu Bo arrived quickly, respectfully looking at Zhu Yong and calling, "Prince."

"Hu Bo, is there a maid named Xiao Cui in the mansion?" Zhu Yong asked.

Hu Bo thought for a moment and replied, "Yes, she works in the kitchen; she's Steward Chen's distant niece, Prince. Does she have a problem?"

"Alright! Keep an eye on her covertly, but don't stir up trouble," Zhu Yong said.

"Your humble servant understands," Hu Bo's eyes flashed with resolve.

His life was saved by Empress Ma; anyone who intends to harm King Wu, he'll risk his life for them.

Having made these arrangements, Zhu Yong returned to the rear courtyard.

Guanyin Nu was soothing Huanhuan to sleep; seeing him enter, she whispered, "Prince, has something serious happened?"

"Nothing's wrong; someone wants to cause trouble, but big brother and I have already made arrangements. Huanhuan, dad won't let anyone hurt you or mother."

Zhu Yong sat at the bedside, looking at his daughter's sleeping little face, and said.

Guanyin Nu leaned on his shoulder and said, "I, your concubine, believe you, Prince."

The husband and wife sat quietly, the moonlight outside the window like water.

……

July 14, evening.

In the Wu Wang Fu kitchen, Xiao Cui carried a tray bearing a bowl of Ginseng Soup.

"Prince, it's time to drink the soup," she said softly.

Zhu Yong took the bowl, chuckling, "Alright."

He lifted it, about to drink, then asked, "Xiao Cui, how long have you been in the mansion?"

Xiao Cui's heart tightened, "Prince, three months."

He nodded, "Oh, three months… Who is Chen Wansan to you?" Zhu Yong asked suddenly.

Xiao Cui's face turned deathly pale, her hand trembled, and the tray fell to the ground.

"Prince… Prince…"

Zhu Yong set the bowl down, naively, "There's some medicine in this soup, right?"

Xiao Cui's legs gave out, she fell to her knees, kowtowing frantically, "Prince, spare me! It was… it was my uncle who forced me! He said if I refused, he'd kill my whole family…"

Zhu Yong looked at her, sighed, "Since you've done it, you must accept the corresponding punishment."

Xiao Cui was stunned, her whole body began shaking uncontrollably.

Then she kept kowtowing to Zhu Yong repeatedly.

"Stay right there!" Zhu Yong waved his hand.

Then two soldiers entered the room and dragged Xiao Cui away directly.

Zhu Yong lifted the bowl of Ginseng Soup and poured it into a flowerpot.

"What a waste, a fine bowl of soup," he muttered.

……

July 15, Ghost Festival.

Yingtian Fu indeed held a temple fair; the Qinhuai River banks were packed with crowds, lights blazing.

Around midnight, most people had returned home, and the streets grew increasingly quiet.

Outside East Hua Gate, a great fire suddenly ignited.

"The water's gone… the water's gone!" someone shouted.

Almost simultaneously, countless shadows surged from the darkness, brandishing Sword and Spear, rushing at the East Hua Gate guards.

"Kill!"

"Purge the court! Exterminate the demons!"

Shouts of killing shook the heavens.

The gate‑guard soldiers had long been prepared and immediately formed formations to meet the attack.

"Fire the arrows!" the gate commander bellowed.

Arrow Rain fell, and the White Lotus sect followers at the front collapsed in a heap.

But those behind were fierce and unafraid of death, continuing the charge.

From the West Hua Gate side, shouts of killing also came.

The household guards of the various protective estates, led by the White Lotus sect followers, launched a fierce assault on the city gate.

Inside the palace, Zhu Yuanzhang stood before Fengtian Hall, listening to the distant shouts of killing, his expression calm.

"Coming?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

Zhu Biao, standing at his side, nodded and replied, "It's coming, Father."

"How many…"

"Three thousand at East Hua Gate, two thousand at West Hua Gate, plus over a thousand household guards from the various protective estates, about six thousand in total."

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered coldly, "Six thousand people dare to attack the palace, truly courting death."

"Father, the second brother has already led the Longxiang Army into the city and will arrive soon," Zhu Biao said.

As he spoke, the sound of horse hooves came from afar, rolling like thunder from distant to near.

Zhu Yong rode at the forefront, wielding Double Hammers, with three thousand iron cavalry behind him.

"Longxiang Army is here! Rebels, meet your death!"

He shouted loudly and charged into the enemy formation.

The Double Hammers swung, and wherever they passed, men fell and horses toppled.

A White Lotus sect leader raised a knife to strike, Zhu Yong brought down a hammer, crushing both the man and his blade into mush.

"Wu Wang! It's Wu Wang!" someone shouted in terror.

"He isn't poisoned!" Chen Wansan saw from afar, his face pale.

The Taoist was also shocked, saying, "How could that be! That medicine…"

Before the words finished, Zhu Yong had already rushed to his front.

"Demonist, meet your death!"

A hammer fell, the Taoist raised his sword to block.

With a "clang", the sword snapped, the hammer fell, and the Taoist's brain matter burst.

Chen Wansan turned to run, was caught by Zhu Yong, a hammer struck his back, spitting blood as he fell.

The Longxiang Army's iron cavalry surged into the enemy formation, like tigers entering a flock of sheep.

Although the White Lotus followers and the various protective estate guards were numerous, they were no match for elite cavalry and quickly broke into disorder.

Half an hour later, the battle ended.

Outside East Hua Gate and West Hua Gate, corpses lay strewn everywhere.

Zhu Yong lifted the blood‑stained hammer and walked to Chen Wansan's side.

Chen Wansan, not yet dead, lay on the ground gasping.

"Why… why…" he stared at Zhu Yong.

Zhu Yong said naively, "You wanted to kill me, to kill my family, of course I had to fight back."

Chen Wansan gave a wry laugh, coughing blood, and said, "Wu Wang… you cut off our way of living… we can only fight for our lives…"

"A livelihood is earned by one's own effort, not by harming others. If you conduct honest trade, the court would not exterminate you, but colluding with the White Lotus to rebel is a dead end."

Zhu Yong said seriously.

Chen Wansan closed his eyes and breathed his last.

Zhu Yong sheathed the hammer and said to Zhang Wu, "Clear the battlefield and capture the living."

"Yes!"

……

July 16, morning court.

Inside Fengtian Hall, the atmosphere was solemn and murderous.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, his complexion iron‑blue.

"The Jiangnan salt merchant Chen Wansan, sugar merchant Zhou Dehai, the merchant Wang Yuanwai and six other families, colluded with the White Lotus to rebel; they were quelled last night. A total of 638 people are involved; how should they be dealt with, ministers, speak."

The officials fell silent as if chilled cicadas.

Rebellion is the great crime of exterminating the Nine Clans.

Zhu Biao stepped forward and said, "Imperial Father, I, your son, think that the chief evildoer should be beheaded, but the implicated should not be overly broad, Chen, Zhou,"

"Wang and the heads of the seven families who participated in the rebellion should be executed; their clan members, if uninvolved, may be exiled to the frontier; the remaining accomplices should be dealt with according to the law."

A civil official wanted to plead for mercy, but, seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's expression, dared not speak.

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a moment, then nodded and replied, "Approved, the Crown Prince is benevolent; proceed as you said."

"Thank you, Imperial Father." Zhu Biao bowed and replied.

Zhu Yuanzhang added, "For this pacification, Wu Wang has merit; reward him with ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand bolts of brocade."

Zhu Yong stepped forward and said, "Thank you, Father… Thank you, Imperial Father."

"Furthermore, the new Salt Method and new Sugar Method benefit the nation and the people; anyone who dares to criticize them thereafter will be treated as rebels!" Zhu Yuanzhang scanned the ministers.

"We will obey the decree!" the officials chorused.

After the court adjourned, Zhu Biao and Zhu Yong walked side by side out of Fengtian Hall.

"Elder brother, how did you know they would rebel?" Zhu Yong asked.

Zhu Biao smiled and said, "The Jiangnan aristocratic families are deeply intertwined; when their interests are harmed, they will harbor resentment. I have already sent people to keep an eye on them."

"That poisoning matter…"

"It was I who had someone tell Xiao Cui; if she truly has a conscience, she wouldn't poison, and if she did, you would have already been prepared." Zhu Biao said.

Zhu Yong suddenly realized and said, "So it was all arranged by elder brother."

"Second brother, the Salt Sugar Method you contributed has brought benefits to the common people and increased tax revenue for the court; that's a great achievement, but when it infringes on others' interests, there will be those who fight desperately.

In the future, such incidents will not be few." Zhu Biao patted his shoulder and said.

"I'm not afraid; with elder brother here, with father here, I'm afraid of nothing." Zhu Yong chuckled naively.

Zhu Biao smiled, "Right, as brothers together, we fear nothing."

The two walked out of the palace gate, and the sunlight was just right.

Yingtian Fu returned to calm, but undercurrents still surged.

In the summer of Hongwu Year Five, a foiled rebellion was suppressed, the Jiangnan aristocratic families were purged, and the new law's implementation faced no further obstacles.

And Great Ming's road ahead is still long.