2: Chapter 2 drags all the noble families of Huaixi into the mess.

General Lan Yu stood frozen in place, his lips trembling and his Adam's apple bobbing, unable to utter a word for a long time.

He had seen countless bloody scenes in his life and fought innumerable hard battles, yet the words spoken by the youth before him were more chilling than the clashing swords and shadows of the battlefield.

"Rebel or not?"

What the hell kind of talk was this? He, General Lan Yu, was the Duke of Liang of the Great Ming, a meritorious official who had helped the old Zhu family conquer the world! How could he rebel? On what grounds should he rebel?

General Lan Yu's heart raced. He wanted to curse Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong for being insane and kick him back to the palace, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard had indeed been investigating him diligently, his old acquaintances were avoiding him, and the Emperor had indeed stripped his trusted subordinates of their military power.

It wasn't that he hadn't thought about these things before, but every time, he subconsciously told himself that the Emperor was just knocking him down a peg and wouldn't really take his life.

After all, he, General Lan Yu, had rendered great service; if not for his merits, then for his hard work, and if not for his hard work, then at least they were somewhat related by blood...

But now, Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong had torn away that fig leaf, and the bloody truth was laid out before him: Zhu Yuanzhang truly intended to kill him!

It wasn't a warning, it wasn't a reprimand; it was a genuine intent to take his life and the lives of his entire family.

General Lan Yu felt a wave of fear, cold sweat soaking his back. He stared at Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong and discovered that there was not a hint of a joke on the young man's face; those eyes were dark and deep, seemingly calm but actually turbulent.

The night wind was biting. Staring at the fifteen-year-old youth before him, General Lan Yu's breathing grew heavier.

The two words "rebellion" turned in his mind, and even as bold and daring as he was, he felt his hands and feet go cold.

After a long while, he squeezed out a few words: "Bu... but..."

He had spent his life fighting battles, accustomed to living on the edge of a blade, and had always been decisive in handling matters. Yet, faced with the few words thrown out by this youth, the murderous Great General actually stuttered.

Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong sighed softly and stepped forward, reaching out to pat General Lan Yu's broad shoulder. The body of the Great Ming's premier warrior actually trembled imperceptibly from this tap.

"Rebellion?" Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong withdrew his hand, shaking his head faintly. "I naturally know that Great Uncle never had the intention to rebel. Not only do I know this, but the Old Master himself knows it too."

General Lan Yu's eyes widened, his old face full of shock: "Then... why?"

"Why?" Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong chuckled, looking at General Lan Yu with mockery: "Because in the Old Master's eyes, you, General Lan Yu, are nothing but a troublemaker!"

The insult was blunt and vulgar. General Lan Yu's old face flushed red, his eyes wide, and just as he was about to retort, he heard Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong continue: "Right now, with him personally keeping watch, you naturally wouldn't dare stir up any big waves. But what about after he passes away? Could Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen suppress you? By then, you would become like Erlang Shen, listening to orders but not heeding the summons!"

General Lan Yu clenched his fists, his nails digging into his flesh, and stiffened his neck to refute: "How could I... I, General Lan Yu, am loyal and devoted to the Great Ming! Even if Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen ascends the throne, this empire still belongs to the old Zhu family; could I really turn the world upside down? I have never thought of rebellion!"

"You don't want to rebel?" Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong stepped closer, looking straight into General Lan Yu's eyes. "Naive! You don't want to rebel, but can you guarantee your son doesn't? Or your grandson? What about those generals under your command who have lived and died with you and are accustomed to being arrogant?"

"I..." Before he could say the word "can", General Lan Yu stopped with his mouth wide open. It seemed that he really couldn't guarantee it...

"Great Uncle, you are well-versed in military strategy; have you never heard the story of the Yellow Robe being draped over one's shoulders?" Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong's tone suddenly rose. "When that time truly comes, you will hold heavy military power and dominate the court. Even if you don't want to rebel, your subordinates will drape that yellow robe on you! The Old Master spent his life in battle, rising from a beggar to an Emperor; he will absolutely not allow himself to leave even the slightest hidden danger!"

After Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong finished speaking, only the whistling wind remained in the courtyard.

General Lan Yu slumped onto the stone bench, his back hunched. The arrogance cultivated from years of warfare was completely drained away by these few words.

By now, how could he not understand? If Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen were to take the throne, he would certainly die!

After thinking for a long time, General Lan Yu rubbed his face, his rough palms making a rustling sound against his cheeks. He looked up, his bloodshot eyes staring at Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong, as if he had made a certain decision: "What... do you want to do?"

Upon hearing this, Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong thought it was about time, so he sat down opposite him, leisurely poured a cup of wine, and pushed it in front of General Lan Yu.

"Since Great Uncle has figured it out, let's speak plainly." Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong tapped his fingers lightly on the stone table. "The Old Master is not in the palace right now."

General Lan Yu had just picked up the wine cup when his hand shook, spilling more than half of the liquor. He lowered his voice: "The Emperor is not in the palace? Where did he go?"

"He took a few eunuchs and guards and went to the Xiaoling Mausoleum." Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong picked up his own wine cup and drank it in one gulp. "Whenever the Old Master wants to kill someone, he always likes to go before the Empress's spirit tablet to speak his heart... He won't be back for two or three days..."

General Lan Yu's tiger-like eyes narrowed slightly, having roughly guessed Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong's meaning. He swallowed and asked: "How many men... do you have under your command?"

"Not a single one." Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong answered decisively.

General Lan Yu nearly jumped up: "Not a single one? And you came to find me to rebel?!"

"I have you." Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong leaned forward. "You just said that you have eight hundred loyal death soldiers in the capital."

General Lan Yu waved his hands repeatedly, whispering urgently: "Eight hundred men? There are one hundred thousand troops in the three great camps of the capital! Fifty thousand in the Imperial Palace guards! You want to take the palace with eight hundred men? Isn't that just throwing your life away?!"

"The one hundred thousand troops are outside the city; without the military tally, they cannot be mobilized." Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong extended his fingers, analyzing the situation clearly. "Although there are fifty thousand Imperial guards in the Imperial city, since the Old Master is not there, we have plenty of room to maneuver... As long as we move fast enough to take the Fengtian Hall before the Old Master returns to the palace, and control Lady Lu and Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen, the overall situation will be mostly settled."

General Lan Yu shook his head repeatedly: "No! No! The risk is too great! We only have eight hundred men! Eight hundred against fifty thousand, there is zero chance of winning!"

Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong sneered: "Who says we only have eight hundred men?"

General Lan Yu was stunned. Didn't you just say you didn't have anyone?

"The Huaixi Nobility." Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong spat out these four words. "General Fu Youde, General Feng Sheng, General Wang Bi... among these old brothers who fought the world with you, are there no relatives or friends in the Imperial guards?"

"You mean, drag them into the water?" General Lan Yu clicked his tongue repeatedly. "But why would they listen to me and rebel?"

"Because they don't want to die!" Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong slammed the table and stood up, his momentum rising. "Do you think the Old Master is only killing you? Once you, General Lan Yu, fall, they will all be buried with you! The blade is already at their throats; either way, they are going to get cut, so they might as well make a big move! Tell me, will they do it or not?"