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

Chapter 863: The Crown Prince understands the people's sentiments and the problem of spring ploughing

His Majesty knew that this matter was related to the stability of the court and the reputation of the royal family. So, after a moment of silence, he slowly said: "I will make my own decision on this matter. Zhu Han, although you are loyal, you must also consider the overall situation. Zhu Di, you must also understand that if this matter is not handled properly, the impact on the court will be disastrous. I will give you three days to prepare your evidence and arguments, and come to see me again after three days."

"Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask of you." Zhu Han suddenly spoke in a firm voice, "This matter concerns the stability of the court and the reputation of the royal family. I ask Your Majesty not to let the crown prince get involved in this matter, so as to avoid being mistakenly believed that the crown prince and I are fighting for power. I am willing to take the responsibility of investigating this matter alone."

Upon hearing this, His Majesty nodded slightly to show his agreement.

Zhu Han had been unable to sleep or eat for the past three days. He had turned the entire study in the mansion upside down, looking for even a trace of evidence that could implicate Zhu Di. However, time was like running water, quietly slipping through his fingers, and in the blink of an eye, the three-day deadline given by His Majesty had arrived.

He stood outside the imperial study, holding those thin documents tightly in his hands, feeling mixed emotions.

These so-called "evidences" are not sufficient to prove that Zhu Di had a direct relationship with the incident, let alone bring him to justice.

"Your Majesty, I, Zhu Han, request to see you." There was a hint of fatigue and helplessness in his voice.

Upon hearing this, His Majesty gently raised his hand and motioned him to come in. Zhu Han walked into the imperial study, knelt on the ground, and presented the document in his hand.

"Your Majesty, I have tried my best to investigate, but..." He choked up a little, "but I have not been able to find conclusive evidence to prove that the Fourth Prince is directly related to this matter."

His Majesty took the document and read it carefully, frowning. He understood the importance of this matter to the stability of the court. However, without solid evidence, he could not easily take action against Zhu Di.

"Zhu Han, please stand up." His Majesty's voice was deep and powerful. "I already know your loyalty, but this matter is of great importance and cannot be based on mere speculation and suspicion. Although you have not found conclusive evidence, I have seen your efforts and dedication."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han felt unwilling, but he had no choice but to obey the order and stood up.

"Zhu Han, I understand your loyalty. But if this matter continues to be investigated, I am afraid it will cause turmoil in the court and the country. If the civil and military officials are dissatisfied with this, the impact on the court will be unimaginable." There was a hint of helplessness and worry in His Majesty's voice.

Zhu Han was shocked when he heard this. He understood His Majesty's concerns, but he also knew that if this matter was not handled properly, it would be a huge blow to the prestige and stability of the court.

The matter was dropped. His Majesty pondered for a moment, his eyes moving between Zhu Han and Zhu Di, and finally spoke slowly, his voice full of majesty and kindness: "Prince Zhu Biao, as the crown prince, you shoulder the future of the country. Although I was unable to directly reveal the truth this time, your determination and responsibility are all seen by me. To compensate you for your hard work, I have decided to reward you with a thousand taels of gold, a hundred pieces of silk, and a manor outside the capital as a reward."

Zhu Biao was unwilling to accept the decision, but as the crown prince, he had to consider the overall situation. He bowed and said sincerely, "I thank you for your grace. However, I am not asking for a reward, but only hope to restore order and live up to the expectations of you and the people. Although this matter has come to an end for the time being, I will continue to work hard and live up to your teachings."

Hearing this, His Majesty's eyes flashed with satisfaction and relief: "Good! I am very pleased that Biao'er has such a heart. Although the reward is small, it is also my heartfelt gift. I hope you can be more diligent in the future, share my worries, and work for the benefit of the people."

Zhu Han stood aside and witnessed all this, with mixed feelings in his heart. His Majesty's move was both a compensation to the prince and a protection for Zhu Di.

But he also understood that as a subject, he must respect His Majesty's decision and continue to perform his duties.

He stepped forward, bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. Although Zhu Han failed to complete his mission, he will definitely learn from this and act more cautiously in the future to serve the court."

His Majesty nodded and looked at Zhu Han gently: "Zhu Han, I have always known your loyalty and ability. Although this matter did not go as you wish, I have seen your efforts and dedication. I hope you can continue to assist the prince in the future and contribute to the prosperity and stability of the court together."

While Zhu Han was intensively investigating the Zhao Xuan incident, Zhu Biao never slacked off. Moving the capital was related to the future of the country and was a heavy responsibility. Every morning, when the first ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds and illuminated the Forbidden City, Zhu Biao had already started his busy day.

Zhu Biao, wearing court robes, sat in the study of the East Palace, with his desk piled with documents and drawings about the capital relocation project. He carefully reviewed each report while silently calculating the progress of the project and possible problems. Whenever he encountered a problem, he would immediately summon officials from the Ministry of Works to discuss countermeasures, striving to make every detail perfect.

"Minister Li, why is the construction progress of this section of the city wall so slow?" Zhu Biao frowned and looked sharply at the Minister of Works, Lord Li.

Upon hearing this, Lord Li hurriedly stepped forward, bowed, and explained, "Your Highness, this section of the city wall is in a dangerous location with complex geology. In addition, it has been raining continuously in recent days, making construction extremely difficult. I have already dispatched more craftsmen and materials to provide support, and I believe we will be able to catch up with the progress in a few days."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly, but his tone was still serious: "Minister Li, the relocation of the capital is a serious matter and cannot be sloppy. You must personally supervise the work and ensure that the project is completed on time and with quality."

"I obey your command!" Lord Li quickly agreed, and he felt even more respect for Zhu Biao's rigor and seriousness.

Zhu Biao not only devoted a lot of effort to the capital relocation project, but also always cared about the welfare of the people. After dealing with the heavy government affairs every day, he would always take time out to visit the people in plain clothes and understand their real living conditions.

One evening, Zhu Biao was dressed in casual clothes and strolled in an old street in the capital. On both sides of the street, there were all kinds of small vendors and busy residents, with a strong atmosphere of life. He stopped and sat down in front of a simple tea stall and chatted with the stall owner.

"Uncle, how is your business lately?" Zhu Biao asked in a gentle tone with a smile on his face.

The old man at the tea stall looked up. Although he didn't recognize this extraordinary young man, he was happy to talk to him because of his sincere attitude. "Well, thanks to you, I'm not too bad. It's just that the taxes are a bit high. Most of the money I earn has to be paid, and the rest is barely enough to make ends meet."

Zhu Biao frowned when he heard this, and took note of it in his heart. Although taxes are an important source of national finances, excessive burdens will indeed make people's lives difficult. He asked softly, "Has the court introduced any tax reduction or exemption policies recently?" The old man at the tea stall shook his head and sighed, "I heard that the cost of moving the capital is huge, and tax reduction or exemption may be even more difficult."

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment and comforted him: "Don't worry, old man, I will convey this matter to my father and see if there can be some adjustments to reduce everyone's burden."

Upon hearing this, the old man at the tea stall had a glimmer of surprise in his eyes: "That's great, Your Highness the Crown Prince really cares about the people!"

After leaving the tea stall, Zhu Biao visited several households and asked about their living conditions and needs. Every time he went to a place, he listened patiently and took detailed notes. His sincerity and care deeply touched the people.

As night fell, Zhu Biao returned to the East Palace and immediately summoned the Minister of Revenue and several trusted advisers to report what he had seen and heard today. He said in a firm tone: "Although moving the capital is a major event, the lives of the people are more fundamental. We cannot only focus on the grand blueprint of the country and ignore the land under our feet and the people on this land."

The Minister of Revenue showed his embarrassment: "Your Highness, the cost of moving the capital is indeed huge. If we reduce taxes, I am afraid it will be difficult to support the finances."

Zhu Biao nodded to show his understanding, but he changed the subject: "Because of this, we must be more careful and find a good solution that can both ensure the smooth relocation of the capital and reduce the burden on the people. For example, we can start with redundant officials and redundant expenses, streamline the organization and improve efficiency; at the same time, encourage private capital to participate in the relocation of the capital and form a good situation of cooperation between the government and the people."

Upon hearing this, the counselors nodded in agreement and the discussion became heated. Zhu Biao felt very pleased watching this scene.

One day, Zhu Biao went on another incognito visit and came to a farmland outside Beijing. It was the spring ploughing season, and the fields were busy. He walked into the fields and had a cordial conversation with the farmers who were working.

"Fellow villagers, is the spring ploughing going smoothly this year?" Zhu Biao asked with concern.

An old farmer stopped his hoe, wiped his sweat, and said with a smile: "Thanks to His Royal Highness, there has been enough rain this year, and the seeds are fully prepared. The spring ploughing is going smoothly."

"That's good," Zhu Biao nodded, then changed the subject, "But I also heard that the people in some places encountered considerable difficulties in spring ploughing due to the lack of farm tools and oxen."

The old farmer's face darkened when he heard this, and he sighed, "Yes, we farmers depend on the weather for our livelihood. In a year like this, we don't have the right tools to use, and we are really worried."

Zhu Biao was moved and took note of the problem. After returning to the East Palace, he immediately summoned officials from the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue and other relevant departments to discuss how to help farmers who were in trouble.

"We can allocate some funds from the national treasury to purchase agricultural tools and oxen and distribute them to farmers in need," Zhu Biao proposed. "At the same time, we can encourage craftsmen to innovate agricultural tools and improve agricultural production efficiency."

Officials nodded in agreement, believing that this was a practical and effective approach. As a result, a policy aimed at helping farmers solve their spring ploughing problems was quickly introduced and effectively implemented.

When Zhu Han learned about Zhu Biao's measures to help farmers solve spring ploughing problems, he couldn't help but feel admiration for him. So he decided to go to the farmers' homes in person to understand the implementation of the policy and see if he could provide further help.

One morning, Zhu Han traveled light with a few followers and set off for the outskirts of Beijing. After several hours of bumpy ride, they finally arrived at the farmland. At this time, the sun was shining brightly, and the farmers were busy working in the fields, their faces filled with hope and expectation.

Zhu Han approached a farmer who was working on the field and politely asked about the implementation of the policy. "Brother, I am an official sent by the imperial court. I would like to know whether the farm tools and oxen recently distributed by the imperial court have arrived and whether they are of any substantial help to your spring ploughing."

The farmer looked up and saw an amiable old man. He put down his hoe, wiped his sweat, and said gratefully: "Oh, you must be the official sent by the court! Thank you so much! Those farm tools and oxen came just in time and solved our big problem. Now the spring plowing is progressing much faster, and we feel more at ease."

Zhu Han felt relieved when he heard this, but he was not satisfied. "Are there any other areas that you think need improvement or help?" he asked.

The farmer thought about it and said a little embarrassedly: "Actually, we old farmers don't have any other skills except farming. Sometimes we encounter pests and diseases, and we don't know how to prevent and control them. We watch the crops being damaged and feel very anxious."

Zhu Han frowned after hearing this, and had an idea in mind. "This issue is very important. I will report it to the court immediately and try to send some experts who understand farming to give you guidance. At the same time, we will also increase the publicity of pest control so that everyone can master some basic knowledge of prevention and control."

When the farmer heard this, his eyes lit up immediately and he thanked him repeatedly: "That's great! Thank you, sir, and thank the court!"

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao walked side by side on the path in the field, the soil under their feet exuding the unique fragrance of soil, surrounded by green rice fields and busy farmers. The sunlight shone through the sparse clouds and sprinkled on them, adding a bit of warmth and authenticity to this field research.

Zhu Han was the first to break the silence. His voice was gentle but powerful: "Biao'er, today we are going to the fields in person to listen to the voices of those who truly work on this land and understand their real needs."

Zhu Biao nodded in agreement, his eyes revealing his deep concern for the lives of the people: "Uncle, what you said is absolutely right. Moving the capital is certainly important, but the livelihood of the people is the fundamental thing we cannot ignore. Only by understanding their sufferings can we better seek welfare for them."

The two approached a group of farmers who were bending over to plant rice seedlings. Zhu Han stopped and walked towards an experienced old farmer with a smile: "Excuse me, fellow, we are officials sent by the court. We would like to hear your views on the court's policies and the practical difficulties you encounter in farming."

The old farmer straightened up and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. When he saw that it was a high-ranking official from the court, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he showed a simple smile: "Oh, it's the official from the court. Please sit down, please sit down." He pointed to a stone on the ridge of the field, motioning for the two to sit down and rest.

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao were not polite either. They sat on the rocks and sat in a circle with the old farmer and the surrounding farmers and began a cordial conversation.