I Contend with Zhu Di for the World

Author: AmaoZhao

Chapter 1: A Notorious Reputation

In the thirty-first year of the Hongwu reign (1398), Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Great Ming, died of an illness at the age of seventy-one. His posthumous title was 'He Who Opened the Sky to Show the Way, Began the Era, Established the Great Principles, Was Most Saintly, Divinely Benevolent, Virtuous, and Heroic in Military Achievements, the Great Emperor Who Achieved Success,' his temple name was Taizu, and he was buried at the Xiaoling Mausoleum. The throne was passed to his grandson, Zhu Yunwen.

In the fifth month, Zhu Yunwen ascended to the imperial throne. The following year, he changed the era name to Jianwen.

After Zhu Yunwen took the throne, he vigorously pursued a policy of stripping down the princely domains. Under various charges, he successively deposed the Prince of Zhou, the Prince of Dai, and the Prince Qi, thereby shrouding the entire Great Ming in the terror of the suppression of the princely domains.

In the first ten days of the fifth month of the first year of Jianwen (1399), the weather in the Capital was becoming increasingly warm day by day.

As noon approached, a young man of seventeen or eighteen was seated on a wine pavilion near the Qinhuai River.

The man had a sturdy, tall physique, reddish skin, and a fierce countenance. If one looked only at his appearance, he resembled a tough, unruly, and violent bully.

He was seated in a spot facing the street and next to a window, from which he could gaze across the distance to the Qinhuai River. It was a time when all things spring back to life; flowers bloomed and willows drooped, filling the view with pleasing spring scenery.

However, his attention did not seem to be on the distant Qinhuai River. He rested his chin on one hand, quietly watching the alley on the eastern side, with an expression of anticipation, as if waiting for something.

"Young Master," stood behind him a boy even younger than he was, calling out to him in a low voice.

This boy had pale skin, delicate features, and smooth, tender flesh, a complete contrast to the young master's ruggedness.

"Hm." The young master acknowledged with a sound but did not move.

"It's not early in the day. We might as well go back." The boy's voice was soft and fine, like a woman's.

A look of reluctance appeared on the young master's face. After a thought, he lifted the cup of tea on the table and drank it all in one go, setting it down heavily. "Let's go. Back we go."

But the moment he stood up, he saw two figures appear from the alley on the eastern side.

The one leading was a young lady, followed behind by someone who looked like a maidservant.

"She's out." The young master was overjoyed and quickly ran down the stairs. The boy behind him hurriedly followed.

The young master ran so fast that he caught up with the two in an instant.

Then, he deliberately walked quickly forward and slammed hard into the young lady.

"Ah!" The maidservant in front, caught off guard, and the impact was forceful, causing her slender body to twist halfway around.

Before she could react, it felt as though someone gently pulled at her waist.

"Thud." The young lady's body fell heavily into the young master's arms.

An intense masculine aura instantly enveloped her, nearly making her hold her breath and faint.

A feeling unlike anything she had ever experienced surged into her heart.

When she realized something was wrong and opened her eyes, she found herself being tightly held in the embrace of a stranger of tall stature.

In a flash, the young lady's face turned crimson. She almost wished to close her eyes and just faint, as it was too humiliating.

This was on the main street, and moreover, by the banks of the Qinhuai River; there were no doubt many pairs of eyes looking their way from the surroundings.

"Miss, are you hurt?"

She didn't even have time to react before her ears heard a soft voice. The young man was speaking extremely close, almost putting his mouth right against her ear.

The strong exhalation from the man's breath left the young lady's mind blank; she did not dare to move.

"Lecherous fellow, let go at once!" The maidservant beside her reacted first, shouting in a mix of anger and panic.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." The tall young man hurriedly straightened the girl's body.

"Miss, let's go quickly." Seeing that the young lady was dazed, the maidservant knew her mistress had been frightened stiff and quickly pulled her away.

But a flash of a figure in front of them appeared; the young man dodged to block their path.

"May I ask for the young lady's name and where her family resides?" The tall man continued to maintain an air of cultured refinement as he asked, but unfortunately, his appearance was really far from resembling a scholar.

Hearing this, the young lady felt both ashamed and angry. She carefully raised her head to look at the man. Seeing his rugged body, her whole body trembled and she shrank back half a step.

The man's eyes lit up, and he subconsciously swallowed.

This young lady was no more than fourteen or fifteen, but her firm and shaking breasts were truly stunning.

"You... you lecherous fellow, move aside—" The maidservant was furious and exasperated. The other was being too shameless; it was broad daylight, and he was harassing an innocent girl on the street.

The man chuckled. "They say a lovely and gentle maiden is the choice of a gentleman. You, girl, don't understand romance. You should move aside. I, the young master, and your mistress have struck up a connection at first sight—"

The maidservant and the young lady were so shocked by such shameless words that they simply froze.

Under the clear blue sky, right under the emperor's shadow, she had truly not expected that there would be such a bold, lustful scoundrel in the Capital.

Just at that moment, the maidservant's eyes lit up, and she waved towards behind the man: "Constable brothers—"

However, several armed soldiers carrying blades were quickly approaching from the distance.

But these men were not constables. They wore black hats decorated with goose feathers and were clad in black brocade uniforms; they were clearly the Jinyiwei from the Imperial Court.

"Greeting the young Gao." The several members of the Jinyiwei ran over and, before reaching this young Gao, first gave a salute.

Then the leading Flag General lowered his head and whispered, "Please, Young Gao, don't cause trouble. We're having a difficult time too."

"Are you in cahoots with him?" The maidservant put her hands on her hips, pointing at the Jinyiwei. "Didn't you see this lecherous fellow bullying my mistress?"

One of the Jinyiwei gave them a look: "If there's no trouble, you two had better leave quickly."

Unexpectedly, the maidservant refused to back down. "Do you want to cover for him? Do you know who our mistress is?"

The Jinyiwei paused in surprise. Who are you?

At this point, the young lady's face changed slightly. She gently tugged the maidservant, signaling her not to say anything, and that they should just leave.

"Miss, we can't just let it go. We can't let off such a lecherous fellow this way." The maidservant got herself worked up: "Our master is Lord Huang, the Minister of the Imperial Sacrificial Court and Academician of the Hanlin."

"Huang Zicheng?" The young Gao's face changed slightly. "You are the daughter of Huang Zicheng?"

Damn it, the Flag General of the Jinyiwei also cursed in his heart. How could it be so coincidental?

In the Great Ming Empire today, who did not know that Lord Huang was the current emperor's tutor, and at the moment, his favorite under the imperial canopy, a great figure with only one man above him and ten thousand below?

"She is Huang Zicheng's daughter? Bad. Let's go fast." The young Gao let out a startled cry and, in panic, turned and ran away.

"Don't run! Catch them!" The maidservant pointed at the young Gao's retreating figure, stomping her feet on the spot.

Watching the young Gao and the boy disappear from sight in the blink of an eye, she angrily pointed at the Jinyiwei: "Why didn't you arrest him?"

The Flag General smiled bitterly: "The two young ladies, that is the Prince Gaoyang, the second son of the Prince of Yan."

"So that's him?" Huang Ying, the daughter of Huang Zicheng, was also dumbfounded.

At this moment, many passersby around were gathering to watch. Hearing that it was the Prince of Yan's second son, the Prince Gaoyang, the crowd erupted in an uproar.

"So, one of the Three Villains of the Capital?"

"Tsk! A wretch who bullies men and oppresses women."

"A scoundrel. Who knows how many girls he has ruined."

"The Imperial Court officials protect one another and turn a blind eye to it."

The common people around were all cursing and shouting. It turned out that Zhu Gaoxu, the Prince Gaoyang, had already become notorious in the Capital long ago.

The several Jinyiwei looked at one another, their expressions quite grim.

Suddenly, someone nearby gasped: "The Prince Gaoyang is back!"

The crowd looked up and saw that Zhu Gaoxu had unexpectedly returned from where he had gone.

A sharp shriek burst out across the scene. The commoners who had been gathering instantly scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing in all directions as if they had seen an evil ghost.

The young lady Huang Ying and the maidservant beside her stared blankly again.

"Miss Huang, Gaoxu has true feelings for you. For heaven's sake, do not report this to your father. Gaoxu truly likes you—" Zhu Gaoxu turned his head and shouted from a distance in their direction. Then he put his hand to his mouth, flicked his wrist in a showy, strange pose, and turned to run away again.

Leaving the Jinyiwei, Huang Ying, her maidservant, and the others staring at one another, at a loss.

Chapter 2: You Are the Worst

Zhu Gaoxu, accompanied by his personal eunuch Zhong Xian, hurried south along the Qinhuai River to the area south of the imperial city. The cynical expression he had worn earlier had vanished from his face; instead, he appeared perfectly calm, as if deep in thought.

Zhong Xian did not dare to say a word. He quietly followed behind, but would occasionally steal glances at Zhu Gaoxu.

As his personal eunuch, Zhong Xian had noticed that since the Prince of Gaoyang entered the capital last month, he seemed to have become a different person.

As they walked, Zhu Gaoxu suddenly stopped dead in his tracks ahead.

Zhong Xian nearly collided with him and hastily stopped as well.

"Zhong Xian."

"Your Highness, I am here, your servant."

"Go to my fourth uncle's residence. Invite him to see me and tell him His Highness has an urgent matter that requires his attention."

"Yes." Without thinking, Zhong Xian turned around and hurried away.

Zhu Gaoxu walked back alone. Before long, he reached the outside of a courtyard. The place was somewhat secluded, and a squad of armored soldiers was guarding the gate.

Seeing him, the guards quickly opened the door and bowed respectfully.

He had not taken a few steps inside when he saw a large, fat man sitting in the courtyard, staring blankly outside the gate, looking as though he desperately wanted to get out.

This fat man was none other than Zhu Gaoxu's eldest brother, Zhu Gaochi, the Crown Prince of Yan.

Standing behind Zhu Gaochi was a boy of fifteen or sixteen; it was their third brother, Zhu Gaogui.

Seeing Zhu Gaoxu return, joy lit up Zhu Gaogui's face: "Second Brother is back."

"Second Brother, why have you run out again?" Zhu Gaochi started with a reproachful tone. "The situation outside is unclear and unstable; every official at the Imperial Court is watching us. Can you not just stay at home obediently?—"

He launched into a long sermon. Zhu Gaoxu did not interrupt; he simply listened quietly. When his brother finished, he gave a self-deprecating chuckle: "Big Brother makes a good point. Gaoxu understands for the future."

Without any further response, he walked directly toward his own room.

"Ai." Zhu Gaochi shook his head in resignation. He tried to stand up, but his legs were somewhat weak, and his plump body swayed slightly.

Zhu Gaogui hurried forward to support him, finally helping him to his feet.

The youngest of the three brothers, Zhu Gaogui had the most lively eyes. He looked at Zhu Gaoxu's retreating figure and laughed: "Big Brother, don't be angry. Second Brother has been restraining himself much more lately; he is back quite early today."

Zhu Gaochi looked at his third brother approvingly: "If Gaoxu were as sensible as you, I would rest easy."

Zhu Gaogui adopted the posture of a very well-behaved child and listened with deference.

It was not even half a shichen (about an hour) before Xu Zengshou arrived.

Xu Zengshou was their fourth uncle; he was a brother of the Prince Consort of Yan, the mother of the three Zhu brothers.

Following Zhong Xian into Zhu Gaoxu's room, Xu Zengshou saw Zhu Gaoxu writing calligraphy with a brush.

Xu Zengshou was a bit puzzled. Emperor Taizu had never liked Zhu Gaoxu in life, because when the latter was studying in Nanjing, he had no talent and was incredibly naughty. How had he suddenly started learning calligraphy?

He looked up at Zhong Xian, who quickly withdrew to close the door for them.

"Did Gaoxu ask me to come teach you calligraphy?" Xu Zengshou was not much older than Zhu Gaoxu, and since they both enjoyed worldly pleasures, they got along extremely well. His tone was not that of an elder, and he teased him the moment they met.

Zhu Gaoxu looked serious, slowly writing stroke by stroke. As he wrote, he said slowly: "In history, many famous figures have been versatile. But sometimes, when everyone learns so many things, it is not necessarily for a practical use; it might be so that at a critical moment, one can—put on airs."

Xu Zengshou did not know what "put on airs" meant, but judging from the literal understanding of what Zhu Gaoxu had just said, he could roughly guess what he meant.

"Gaoxu, you seem a bit off lately." Xu Zengshou gave a hearty laugh and sat down with great ease in a chair beside the desk: "Well, say it. Where do you want to go play tonight? Fourth Uncle treats you."

He assumed Zhu Gaoxu wanted to go out with him for fun again that evening.

Zhu Gaoxu put down his brush, took a rag from the side to wipe his hands, and then slowly placed the rag down.

The whole movement was smooth and rhythmic, and it looked very refined.

The onlooker Xu Zengshou shook his head, almost thinking he was seeing things.

Zhu Gaoxu, renowned for his rudeness, ferocity, and propensity for fighting, surprisingly looked elegant.

Done, Xu Zengshou thought. Gaoxu has been locked up for too long; the person has been locked until he is stupid.

"Fourth Uncle, come look at these characters and see how well I write?" Zhu Gaoxu laughed.

Xu Zengshou rolled his eyes but reluctantly stood up, walked over, and took a peek.

"Walk as the Supreme Strategy."

Those four characters were written on the paper.

To be honest, the characters were a complete mess. Xu Zengshou felt he could write more legibly with his feet than Zhu Gaoxu was doing with his hand.

"Not bad, not bad," Xu Zengshou praised with a straight face. "Dragon flying and phoenix dancing; the brush power is exquisite—"

Suddenly, his expression became serious, and he stared intently at the characters.

After looking at them for a few moments, he raised his head: "How do we walk?"

Zhu Gaoxu looked at him without revealing his true feelings: "Fourth Uncle, who do you think is most trusted by His Majesty the Emperor today?"

"Naturally Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai."

These two were considered the core inner circle of the Jianwen Emperor at the Imperial Court; whenever important matters arose, they were invariably consulted.

"Of the two, who is most trusted?"

"Huang Zicheng," Xu Zengshou said.

It was not that Xu Zengshou was particularly clever; everyone in the world knew these things.

"Fourth Uncle, don't you think Huang Zicheng likes to butt heads with Qi Tai?"

"Whatever Qi Tai opposes, Huang Zicheng supports, and whatever Qi Tai supports, Huang Zicheng opposes."

"Is that so?" Xu Zengshou scratched his head. He had not really paid attention to that point.

Huang Zicheng probably wanted to prove that he was superior to Qi Tai, or perhaps prove that he was the Emperor Jianwen's favorite minister above all others, so he liked to oppose Qi Tai.

"Please go back and persuade our eldest uncle. Have our eldest uncle find Qi Tai and ask him to speak a few good words for our brothers before His Majesty, so that we can be allowed to leave."

"..." Xu Zengshou looked completely lost.

After a while, he asked curiously: "Will that help if I say it like that?"

Zhu Gaoxu said slowly, "Our eldest uncle despises me completely; you certainly cannot say it that directly."

Xu Zengshou laughed with a "ha," a look of *you are a smart one* flashing in his eyes.

"You go find your Auntie Great Uncle, sneakily find her, and say this—"

Zhu Gaoxu whispered a series of words into his ear.

A joy slowly appeared on Xu Zengshou's face. He clapped his hands: "Clever, so clever!"

After calling it clever several times, Xu Zengshou looked at Zhu Gaoxu with a puzzled expression.

"Gaozhu, do you have a master behind you? With your head, you could never have thought of this."

"Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed," said Zhu Gaozhu, adopting an air of profound mystery.

"I'll wait for the result. I'm going to try it. Haha." Xu Zengshou laughed heartily and turned to leave in long strides.

Before long after Xu Zengshou left, Zhu Gaoxu was still in his room packing things when he heard Zhu Gaogui's voice from outside.

Then Zhu Gaogui came in, still looking like that good child: "Second Brother, don't be angry. Big Brother spoke all that just because he cares about you. Among our three brothers, you are the bravest and most resolute, Second Brother. In the capital, we all have to rely on you."

Zhu Gaoxu looked up and studied his well-behaved little brother. After a moment's thought, he suddenly scolded: "Hmph. He thinks because he is the eldest brother, he can just scold me. Third Brother, it is you and I who have been closest since we were little."

"Second Brother." Zhu Gaogui was so moved that tears were nearly squeezed from his eyes as he frantically nodded to Zhu Gaoxu.

Zhu Gaozhu looked at him with an appearance of being deeply moved, but in his heart, he was cursing: you piece of dog, you are the worst.

Chapter 3: That Good-for-Nothing Son

As soon as Xu Zengshou left that courtyard, his brows knotted together.

Rumors circulated in the jianghu that he and Xu Huizu were not born of the same mother, though no one knew if it was true or false.

Yet everyone could see that Xu Zengshou and Xu Huizu interacted very rarely.

Had it not been for the matter of Zhu Gaoxu, Xu Zengshou would have refused to visit the Residence of the Duke of Wei on his own volition, no matter how hard they tried.

But to help his nieces and nephews escape the Capital as soon as possible, Xu Zengshou decided to push through his reluctance and visit the Residence of the Duke of Wei.

However, choosing the right time to visit the Residence of the Duke of Wei required careful planning.

Besides succeeding to the noble rank of Duke of Wei, Xu Huizu initially took charge of the Left Military Metropolis and received a monthly salary of twenty shi of grain. Later, he took charge of the Central Metropolitan Marshal's Office.

In peaceful times, this position was essentially a sinecure. Furthermore, after the Emperor Jianwen ascended the throne, Xu Huizu was viewed with suspicion because his sister was the Prince Consort of Yan; he was ignored and essentially sidelined.

In the first month of the first year of Jianwen (1399), Emperor Jianwen issued an edict to revise the Veritable Records of the Great Emperor Gao, appointing Xu Huizu as supervising editor.

This was yet another low-ranking sinecure with little real power.

Many historical scholars claim that in the early Jianwen period, the Emperor trusted Xu Huizu deeply. If he really trusted him, why would he have only used Xu Huizu when things were at a desperate last resort?

If Jianwen had trusted and employed Xu Huizu sooner, Zhu Di might not have succeeded at all.

Nowadays in the Capital, Xu Huizu usually visited the Marshal's Office in the morning and went to oversee the book revision in the afternoon.

Xu Zengshou calculated the time carefully and waited until Xu Huizu left for the afternoon to immediately arrive at the Residence of the Duke of Wei.

The servants of the ducal residence, of course, recognized Xu Zengshou.

"Fourth Master," the servant greeted him.

"Is my big brother at home?" Xu Zengshou asked loudly.

"Master has gone out."

"Oh." Xu Zengshou made a move to leave, but after thinking for a moment, he turned back. "Is my sister-in-law home?"

"..." The servant hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.

"Then let me see her sister-in-law." Without waiting for the servant's reply, he strode directly inside.

The servant had no choice but to follow him.

Xu Zengshou stayed for less than fifteen minutes before slipping out furtively.

Before leaving, he called the servant at the gate and quietly slipped a silver ingot into his hand.

"Fourth Master, you can't," the servant said, startled.

Xu Zengshou merely chuckled, then turned and left.

It had not been long since Xu Zengshou departed when Xu Huizu returned to the residence.

The servant at the gate saw Xu Huizu and opened his mouth as if to speak but stopped himself.

Knowing what kind of man Xu Huizu was, he immediately asked, "What is it?"

"The Fourth Master came just now," the servant whispered. "He first asked if Master was in, then asked if the Lady was in."

"He gave me a silver ingot when he left."

Saying so, he produced the silver.

Xu Huizu nodded with satisfaction. "If it's a gift from the Fourth Master, keep it."

Then, looking thoughtful, he walked into the residence.

After he returned home, he kept silent and pretended not to know about the matter.

That night, just before bed, Lady Li suddenly spoke up. "Has my lord received any letters from Beiping lately?"

Xu Huizu gave no indication of his thoughts. "I haven't received any. Is there a matter in Beiping?"

"I heard your sister is in poor health lately. Perhaps she is thinking so hard of her sons that she has taken to her sickbed."

"Zhu Gaochi troubled his mother by sending someone to ask us if any letters from Beiping had arrived."

The three brothers of Zhu Gaochi were effectively under house arrest. Letters from Beiping necessarily passed through the palace, so they could not reach their hands directly.

Hearing this, Xu Huizu's expression changed slightly. He gave a cold snort. "Who was sent to ask? Was it Xu Zengshou?"

Lady Li's expression flickered. She gritted her teeth. "Gaochi is not well, but he is your nephew. You are on good terms with Grand Minister Qi, and he is the Emperor's..."

"That good-for-nothing son!" Xu Huizu suddenly flew into a rage, startling Lady Li.

"If no letter was received, how did Gaochi know? Among my three nephews, only Zhu Gaoxu is a rascal of low character. Emperor Gaozu did not like him even in his lifetime. Now that he has just entered the Capital, he is already thinking of returning to Beiping. Do you think I don't know that this is surely Zhu Gaoxu's shoddy trick... Fine, tomorrow I will go find Grand Minister Qi myself."

The more Xu Huizu thought about it, the angrier he became. Early the next morning, just as Qi Tai, the Minister of War, was leaving for the court, he was blocked at the gate by Xu Huizu.

"What's the matter, Duke of Wei?" Qi Tai was baffled.

"I'll say a few words and go," Xu Huizu said. "Since the Imperial Court intends to reduce the power of the princes, we absolutely cannot let the Prince of Yan's Crown Prince or his brothers escape. Especially that Prince Gaoyang. He was famous for his bravery even as a youth. He could bear a tripod on his shoulders and was ferocious and fierce. He can be called the fiercest general under the Prince of Yan. Moreover, he is cunning, a rogue, and low-bred. To achieve his ends, he will do anything."

"..." Qi Tai looked at him in disbelief.

Having finished his speech, Xu Huizu turned and left.

Watching his retreating figure, Qi Tai still found it hard to believe. The Duke of Wei and the Prince of Yan were in-laws; the Prince Consort of Yan was his sister. How could he say such things? Was this some kind of probe?

At the morning court at Fengtian Gate, Zhu Yunwen summoned his trusted ministers, Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai, to the Wuying Hall for a meeting, as was his usual practice.

The young Zhu Yunwen sat in the place of honor, wearing a yellow everyday robe.

When Qi Tai arrived, he noticed that Huang Zicheng was already there. Although they had both left Fengtian Gate at the same time to report for court, Huang Zicheng must have taken two steps to everyone else's one to catch up with the Emperor and rush inside first.

Zhu Yunwen respected his two trusted aides, so he usually allowed them to sit during meetings.

Qi Tai performed the proper kowtow salute first: "I greet the Emperor."

"Rise, Minister Qi. Please sit down," said Emperor Zhu Yunwen in a pleasant voice.

His voice was not deep and lacked much of the imperial dignity, but it was very pleasant and clear.

Qi Tai carefully got up and took his seat.

After ensuring Qi Tai was settled, Zhu Yunwen spoke slowly. "The Prince of Yan's Crown Prince has submitted a memorial. The Prince Consort of Yan is seriously ill, and he and Prince Gaoyang and others miss their mother and wish to return to Beiping. Do you two have any objections?"

Qi Tai looked up and glanced at Huang Zicheng, who was also looking at him. Usually, on all matters, Huang Zicheng was eager to speak first. Today, for some reason, he had not jumped in.

Qi Tai thought for a moment. "The Imperial Court's troops are currently heading to Jingzhou. In this humble minister's view, we should wait until the Jingzhou matter is settled before seeing how the Prince of Yan reacts."

The prefecture of Jingzhou was the fief of the Prince of Xiang, Zhu Bai. After Emperor Zhu Yunwen decided to reduce the power of the princes, he first deposed the Prince of Zhou, the Prince of Dai, and the Prince Qi among others on various charges. The Prince of Zhou was a same-mother brother of Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan, and was considered a wing of the Prince of Yan's power. Next, someone accused the Prince of Xiang, Zhu Bai, of plotting rebellion, forging Paper Currency, and killing people on his own authority. After convening the court ministers to discuss, Zhu Yunwen decided to dispatch troops. They would hide weapons in carts filled with firewood, disguise them as a merchant caravan, and once they arrived in Jingzhou, they would prepare to surround Zhu Bai's residence to arrest him.

At this point, the troops heading to Jingzhou were still on the road. Qi Tai's point was that they should deal with the Prince of Xiang first, then handle the Prince of Yan's issue. In practice, this meant keeping Zhu Gaochi and his brothers from leaving for the time being.

Sure enough, the moment he finished speaking, Huang Zicheng said, "Last time, the Prince of Yan performed a memorial sacrifice to the late Emperor across the river, which already put the Imperial Court at a disadvantage. Then the Prince of Yan proactively sent his Crown Prince to the Capital to worship the Emperor Taizu, fulfilling his duty of filial piety on their behalf. Now that a family matter has arisen, the Imperial Court does not allow them to go home. It is said that of all virtues, filial piety is the foremost. If this gets out, how will the people of the world view the Imperial Court, and how will they view the Emperor?"

The young Zhu Yunwen's eyes glinted slightly; he felt that Huang Zicheng made sense.

Zhu Yunwen himself was extremely filial. When Crown Prince Zhu Biao was ill, Zhu Yunwen carefully tended to him and did not leave his side day or night. When Zhu Biao died of illness, Zhu Yunwen lost weight during the mourning period from excessive grief, to the point that even Zhu Yuanzhang praised his benevolence and filial piety.

The key issue was that when Zhu Di had wanted to enter the Capital to worship Emperor Taizu, the Imperial Court had forbidden it. Zhu Di then performed the sacrifice across the river at the north bank of the Changhe River, north of the Capital, and followed up by proactively sending his three sons to the Capital.

At the time, when the news of Zhu Di's sacrifice across the river spread, the provinces all said that Zhu Di was filial and the Imperial Court was ungenerous. Zhu Yunwen, of course, knew that calling the Imperial Court ungenerous meant calling the Emperor himself ungenerous.

"What grounds do I have to not let them leave the Capital?" Zhu Yunwen sighed.

"Since they came for the memorial day of Emperor Gaozu, and the time has not yet arrived, how can they leave the Capital?" Qi Tai quickly interjected.

Zhu Yuanzhang had died in the sixth month, so there was still about a month left until the memorial day.

Huang Zicheng was furious inside. Another month keeping that fool Zhu Gaoxu in the Capital, and his daughter would never be able to get married! That day, Huang Zicheng strongly advocated allowing the family to leave the Capital, while Qi Tai firmly opposed it.

Chapter 4: A Reasonable Excuse (Please Collect, Invest, and Recommend)

Zhu Yunwen was caught between two options, unable to make a choice, though in his heart he actually leaned toward Huang Zicheng.

In the end, Qi Tai suggested that they summon Xu Huizu into the palace to ask about the matter concerning his sister.

Huang Zicheng immediately retorted, "Then we can also summon Xu Zengshou and Prince Consort Wang Ning."

In the afternoon, Xu Huizu, Xu Zengshou, and Wang Ning received imperial summons separately and entered the palace.

When the three of them met in front of Wuying Hall, they all froze for a moment.

Xu Huizu had originally no intention of acknowledging Xu Zengshou, but after a moment's thought, he said with a solemn tone, "The realm of the Great Ming has just been stabilized, and the common people need peace and prosperity. Fourth Brother, you must not let private affairs disrupt public duty. The stability of the court is the most important matter."

Xu Zengshou and Wang Ning exchanged a glance, and Xu Zengshou quickly replied in a pleasant tone, "Big Brother is right."

Looking at the expression on his face when he spoke, Xu Huizu knew that Xu Zengshou was not speaking from the heart. He was just about to offer more advice when a shout rang out.

"The Duke of Wei, Xu Huizu, is summoned to pay court."

Unable to say anything else to his brother, Xu Huizu quickly adjusted his robes and cap and strode briskly inside.

Inside, the procedure was the same as always. He bowed first, and the young emperor told him to be without formality.

However, he was not granted a seat. This was a stark contrast to the treatment given to the confidants Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng.

Xu Huizu obediently stood to the side.

Zhu Yunwen, waiting until Xu Huizu had taken his position, asked, "How is the health of the Prince Consort of Yan, the Duke of Wei's sister?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Xu Huizu replied, "Your Majesty, my eldest sister, the Prince Consort of Yan, is in excellent health."

"..." The several people in the room looked at one another in surprise.

Qi Tai said, "It is reported that the Prince Consort of Yan is unwell. The Crown Prince of Yan has submitted a memorial requesting to return to Beiping. The Duke of Wei is unaware?"

Xu Huizu called out loudly, "Where did Vice Minister Qi hear that from?"

The emperor, Zhu Yunwen, said, "This morning, it was a memorial sent from the Crown Prince of Yan's residence."

At that time, the palace gates had not yet opened, but the Jinyiwei had already escorted it to the wall outside and then hauled it up into the palace with a basket.

"Your Majesty," Xu Huizu said in a grave voice, "In my humble opinion, this is surely a trick by Prince Gaoyang."

Everyone present was stunned for a moment.

Zhu Yunwen quickly asked, "Why does the Duke of Wei say such a thing?"

Xu Huizu, forgetting that Xu Zengshou and Wang Ning were still outside, thought to himself that he must not allow Zhu Gaoxu's conspiracy to succeed.

"When Prince Gaoyang was young, he studied in the capital alongside the Crown Prince of Qin, Zhu Shangbing, the Crown Prince of Jin, Zhu Jixuan, the Crown Prince of Zhou, Zhu Youchun, and the elder princes of the four fiefs. However, his nature is cunning and unyielding. He is frivolous in his words and actions with Zhu Jikuan of the Jin household and Zhu Youlan of the Zhou household. The late emperor did not favor them, and to this day, they are known in the capital as the Three Vices."

"The name of the Three Vices resounds through the capital. Upon hearing it, children stop crying and women flee. It is truly offensive to both gods and men, and brings shame to the imperial house."

"Among the Three Vices, Prince Gaoyang is the worst. Not only is he vigorous and strong, skilled in archery and horseback riding, but he is also a scoundrel. He will not be loyal to Your Majesty in the future, and he will also betray his father. He is certain to become a great threat one day."

Zhu Yunwen, along with the others, had not expected Xu Huizu to speak so disparagingly of Zhu Gaoxu.

After all, in terms of blood relations, they were still relatives. And the Imperial Court had always kept a wary eye on Xu Huizu.

Qi Tai recalled the words Xu Huizu had blocked him with at the door in the early hours of the morning and thought, it seemed Xu Huizu was set on supporting the reduction of the feudal lords.

Although the Xu family were relatives of the Prince of Yan, their welfare and misfortune depended on the Imperial Court and the Emperor. Xu Huizu was a shrewd man and should know when to advance and when to retreat.

Zhu Yunwen's voice rose again at this moment: "The Duke of Wei is loyal to the Imperial Court. I understand."

Hearing Xu Huizu's words, Zhu Yunwen knew that Xu Huizu was declaring his loyalty.

But he was not yet certain if the loyalty was genuine, and he did not dare make a judgment right now. He waved his hand, signaling that Xu Huizu could withdraw.

Xu Huizu had no choice but to bow: "Your subject takes his leave first."

As he walked out of Wuying Hall and saw Xu Zengshou and Wang Ning still waiting outside, he could not help but sigh deeply in his heart.

Both Xu Zengshou and Wang Ning supported the Prince of Yan. For some reason the emperor had summoned these two men in as well. If Qi Tai had not received Huang Zicheng's support, the young emperor could easily be moved by Gaoxu's 'filial piety.'

If the emperor really did release the tiger back to the mountains, the peaceful realm would surely be thrown into turmoil again. No matter what, this old man must prevent this matter. He was filled with urgency, especially after hearing that the Crown Prince of Yan had submitted a memorial to leave the capital.

"Big Brother, what did the Emperor ask?" At this moment, Xu Zengshou pretended to step forward and ask.

"Hmph." Xu Huizu gave a cold sneer and swept out with a wave of his sleeve.

Xu Zengshou had not wanted to speak with him in the first place. Being given such a cold face, his expression was extremely grim.

Wang Ning laughed coldly, "Your big brother sure has a temper."

Xu Zengshou did not affirm or deny it.

Inside Wuying Hall.

Qi Tai said, "If what the Duke of Wei said is true, it is certainly a trick by Prince Gaoyang. His urgent desire to leave the capital likely harbors ill intent. We must be on guard."

Huang Zicheng immediately said, "The Duke of Wei is a relative by marriage of the Prince of Yan. Why would he speak so disparagingly of Prince Gaoyang?"

"Why?" Qi Tai asked him in return.

"How should I know?" Huang Zicheng said, keeping his expression neutral. "The Duke of Wei does not mention Zhu Gaochi or Zhu Gaogui, but specifically chooses to talk about Zhu Gaoxu."

Huang Zicheng's implication was that the Duke of Wei and Zhu Gaoxu likely had a personal grudge.

The young Zhu Yunwen thought for a moment, then quickly ordered for Xu Zengshou to be summoned for an audience.

He asked Xu Zengshou another question: Which of his nephews did the Duke of Wei favor the most?

After a moment's thought, Xu Zengshou replied, "I do not know which one he favors the most, but I know for certain that he hates Prince Gaoyang, Zhu Gaoxu, the most."

The three in the hall found this strange. Why?

Xu Zengshou explained, "My Big Brother has a beloved horse. It was a tribute from a vassal state to the late emperor, who then bestowed it upon him. My Big Brother treasured it as his life."

"However, Prince Gaoyang won it in a wager. When my Big Brother refused to hand it over afterward, the two of them got into a quarrel."

"So the Duke of Wei is like that?" Qi Tai had not expected that the Duke of Wei would be so attached to a single horse, and that he would cheat even after losing a wager.

Thinking of how the Duke of Wei had just described Prince Gaoyang as a scoundrel, the three of them looked at one another again in astonishment.

Thinking it over in this light, the Duke of Wei's intense dislike for Prince Gaoyang did seem to have a reason.

After Xu Zengshou had left, Emperor Zhu Yunwen summoned Wang Ning.

Wang Ning's son, Wang Zhenliang, was close friends with Zhu Gaoxu.

Wang Ning's relationship with the Prince of Yan was also very solid.

This time, Zhu Yunwen asked Wang Ning directly: The Crown Prince of Yan and others want to leave the capital. As the Prince Consort, do you think they should be allowed to pass?

Without a moment's hesitation, Wang Ning replied firmly, "If there is no reasonable excuse, they must not be let go."

----

Zhu Gaoxu stood in the courtyard, quietly watching the sky.

In history, his three brothers had also left safely. It seemed the later scholars and experts had not really figured out the specific reason.

But it was already the fifth month. The Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, would likely decide to raise troops in the seventh month. There had been no news from the capital, and Zhu Gaoxu was afraid that if he did not leave soon, it would be too late.

Since he, as a modern person, had been able to travel through time to the ancient world, even the slightest change could trigger a butterfly effect.

So he had to do something.

After thinking it over carefully again, he realized he had done everything he could. If his opponent were just Zhu Yunwen, there would be no problem at all.

But he certainly could not fool some particularly shrewd people, like his maternal uncle, Xu Huizu.

He absolutely must not overstep and ruin things. Zhu Gaoxu thought to himself silently.

"Bang!" Suddenly, the gate of his courtyard was pushed open heavily.

Zhong Xian came running over in three strides and said in a panic, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince has come looking for you. He seems... very angry."

Chapter 5: Life Is a Play, Dependent Entirely on Acting Skill

Between his courtyard and the Crown Prince's was one division. Usually, the Crown Prince, being too fat, rarely came over, so why was he personally visiting this time?

Before Zhong Xian had finished speaking, Zhu Gaoxu heard his third brother Zhu Gaogui's loud voice; he could not tell if the man was speaking that loudly on purpose.

"Brother, don't be angry. Second Brother is only doing this for our sake, so he resorted to a desperate measure."

Zhu Gaochi, because of his fatness, panted heavily even while walking, and his speech was halting: "On a grand scale, this is a crime of insulting the sovereign; on a smaller scale—it's a curse against our mother. He actually did such a thing behind my back. It's simply beyond reason—"

Zhu Gaoxu's expression changed slightly. He was not close to the Crown Prince, but Zhu Gaogui was. He had asked Zhu Gaogui to sneak into the Crown Prince's room to steal the seal and then submit a memorial in the Crown Prince's name.

If Zhu Gaogui did not say anything, how would the Crown Prince know? This Gaogui was indeed scoundrel.

Before long, the courtyard gate was pushed open by Zhu Gaogui.

Zhu Gaogui's expression looked as if he were about to cry: "Second Brother, I was careless and let it slip. Quickly kneel down and apologize to Eldest Brother, and tell him you did it thinking of our brothers."

Zhu Gaoxu immediately put on an expression of shame and anger: "It's all my fault. Eldest Brother, please don't put our third brother in a difficult spot."

Zhu Gaogui wore a look of great emotion.

"Gaoxu." The Crown Prince, Zhu Gaochi, almost pounded his chest and stamped his feet, hating Zhu Gaoxu for being so spineless.

"You were always naughty, and I could put up with that. Uncle advised you time and again, but you wouldn't listen; I never complained about you either. But this time, why did you do something like this?"

"This is not only a grave crime of insulting the sovereign, it's a curse against our dear mother."

Zhu Gaochi was the kind of person who kept to his proper role. If Zhu Gaoxu had asked him to do this, he would never have done it, even if he died.

Now that he heard Zhu Gaoxu had secretly, behind his back, written a memorial in his name, Zhu Gaochi was terrified, frightened, and angry.

Because if the matter succeeded, the credit would go to Zhu Gaoxu; if it failed, he would be made to bear the blame.

"Since it has come to this, saying more is of no use. If Eldest Brother wants to scold or punish me, Gaoxu will accept it." Zhu Gaoxu looked helpless, letting out a long sigh as he lowered his head.

"You—" Zhu Gaochi was so angry that his chubby face twitched.

As the eldest brother, he was like a father, and he decided to give Zhu Gaoxu a good lesson.

Just at that moment.

"Crown Prince, Crown Prince, an imperial eunuch is here to deliver the decree." Zhu Gaochi's personal guard Tan Hai rushed in from outside.

Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaogui's faces instantly changed drastically. Zhu Gaochi looked at Zhu Gaoxu with a pale face, wanting to say something but finding himself unable to speak.

"Don't panic, Eldest Brother. Maybe they are letting us go? Come, let's go check."

Zhu Gaochi, of course, did not believe it, but now saying anything was useless. Everyone quickly hurried to the front courtyard.

On the way, Zhu Gaochi was already thinking: if the Emperor were to punish him, should he confess?

As the eldest son, he actually wanted to show some sense of responsibility, but then he felt it wasn't worth it—there was no need to bear the blame for Gaoxu's mistake.

Because he cared deeply about his image before his father, and Zhu Di did not like him. If Zhu Di were to find out, he would likely blame him for cursing his mother, which would be unfilial treason, wouldn't it?

In fact, Zhu Gaoxu had only mentioned that the Empress was seriously ill, but in Zhu Gaochi's view, this was a grave crime of cursing his mother.

Zhu Gaogui, on the way, kept using the corner of his eye to glance at Eldest Brother, then at Second Brother; in his heart, he was actually quite pleased.

The less his two older brothers got along, the happier he, as the youngest, naturally would be.

The three brothers, each harboring their own thoughts, soon reached the front courtyard.

The front courtyard was already crowded with many people, and there was a squad of armored soldiers stationed on either side of the gate.

Three eunuchs were waiting for them.

Seeing the group approach, they did not bow or call out to them. The one in the middle stepped forward and shouted in a shrill voice: "His Majesty's Verdict—Gaochi, Gaoxu, Gaogui, receive the decree!"

The three brothers, with their men, quickly moved to the south to face the north, then knelt down.

The eunuch stood to the north: "Since ancient times, of the hundred virtues, filial piety is the first. When a mother is seriously ill, a son must be distressed. In the human relationships between heaven, earth, and people, nothing exceeds this. Our Great Ming founded its nation on benevolence and filial piety, and its rites govern the eight directions—"

It was not easy for the eunuch to memorize so much. After speaking a great deal, he finally made it clear that the three of them could return home.

Before the eunuch had finished speaking, Zhu Gaochi's face was already bright red; one could not tell if it was from excitement or happiness.

Zhu Gaogui was even more visibly excited, his eyes constantly glancing at Zhu Gaoxu, for he knew that his Second Brother had bet correctly.

He did not understand why, in his heart, he both hoped Zhu Gaoxu would win his bet so that they could go back, and did not want Zhu Gaoxu to lose it.

"It is so decreed—" As the eunuch finished the last word, Zhu Gaoxu was just about to rise.

"Wuuuuh" A sudden sound of sobbing came from beside him.

He turned his head in surprise.

The Crown Prince, Zhu Gaochi, had collapsed on the ground, his weeping so intense he could barely keep it together.

"Crown Prince." The eunuch was startled and quickly moved to help him up, having also noticed that the Crown Prince was very heavy and likely to have trouble standing up.

The Crown Prince wept: "His Majesty is gracious and benevolent. My brothers and I are forever grateful and loyal. Please ask your servant to report to the Emperor that I, Gaochi, will never forget this kindness. Wuuuuh."

Zhu Gaogui quickly helped him up with the eunuch, and took the chance to rub his own eyes too. Gaogui's eyes were also red, and he was incredibly excited: "We can go back to visit the Empress! Thanks to His Majesty's great grace. Wuuuuh."

The two brothers cried at will; Zhu Gaoxu watched them dumbfounded, his face full of frustration.

Just as he stood there, he noticed the eunuch glancing at him with the corner of his eye. It seemed the eunuch also found Zhu Gaoxu's lack of emotional reaction to be utterly brutal, rude, and devoid of human decency.

"Please rise, Crown Prince. When the Imperial Master came, he already said that we are all family."

Zhu Gaochi's heavy body took a long time to get up. He turned and called out to someone. Tan Hai immediately stepped forward and handed over a few ingots of silver and some sheets of Paper Currency.

The Great Ming was currently using Paper Currency, but it would become increasingly creditless in the future, so official dealings relied more on silver.

Zhu Gaochi took the silver and stuffed it into the eunuch's hand. The eunuch pretended to refuse a few times, then readily accepted it, and his gaze toward the Crown Prince became even softer: "Your servant still must report to the Imperial Master. The Crown Prince and the others may make some arrangements."

"See the official out, please," the Crown Prince quickly said.

He would certainly not do it himself; Tan Hai and Zhong Xian hurried to step forward.

The eunuch nodded to them with a smile. From beginning to end, he had not looked at Zhu Gaoxu once, which surely gave Zhu Gaoxu a very poor impression.

After Tan Hai and Zhong Xian returned, the Crown Prince did not mention the earlier matter of confronting the culprit.

"Everyone get ready. We are returning to Beiping tomorrow."

Everyone cheered in unison.

Tomorrow? What kind of joke was that? Zhu Gaoxu said, "We leave now. Right now. The sooner the better; delay invites change."

Zhu Yunwen, the Emperor Jianwen, was indecisive, with soft ears; he could change his mind at any moment.

The Crown Prince seemed to find some sense in it and hesitated for a moment.

But Zhu Gaogui, the third brother, also expressed displeasure: "Second Brother, don't be in such a hurry. We should at least pay respects to some elders and bid them farewell."

"..." Zhu Gaoxu almost wanted to slap him. Did you think we were on a tour? This is now a matter of escaping with our lives.

In history, Zhu Di's situation erupted in June, and he immediately started his rebellion in early July. As of May, the three brothers were still in the capital. It was clear that Zhu Di had long made his preparations; even if the three sons did not go back, he might still have started his rebellion. Once the blade was at his neck, Zhu Di was ready to rebel at any time.

"Gaoxu, look at Gaogui; he is more sensible than you," the Crown Prince criticized Zhu Gaoxu again, then instructed Tan Hai to prepare horses. The three brothers were to pay a visit to Uncle Xu Huizu to say their goodbyes.

What? Zhu Gaoxu was completely without words.

But he did not say anything more. Turning, he signaled to Zhong Xian to come in with him.

Zhu Gaoxu vaguely remembered that in history, after Xu Huizu learned that the three of them had fled, he had sent men to pursue and arrest them, completely disregarding Zhu Yunwen's decree. Therefore, Zhu Gaoxu had to leave immediately; as for whether his two brothers would go or not, that was none of his business.

He did not intend to manage these two either. If the Crown Prince were kept in the capital, it might actually turn out to be a good thing for him.