Zhu Di, the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 47 Zhu Di, the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty

During the Hongwu era, the air seemed frozen, utterly silent. "Rebellion! They've defied Heaven!!!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's roar shattered the deathly silence: "Where did this little beast get the audacity to treat our son, his own uncle, like this?"

"Bai'er has watched him grow up since he was a child, how dare he commit such a heinous act!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were bloodshot, and his whole body exuded a chilling murderous aura. He had amassed such a large fortune precisely so that his sons and grandsons could live a good life. He couldn't bring himself to kill his own sons, nor could he bring himself to kill Prince Qin, Prince Jin, or even other humanoid beings. He only reprimanded them. In Zhu Yuanzhang's heart, no one and nothing could compare to his sons.

But as soon as he closed his eyes, someone impatiently kicked the nest. Zhu Biao's expression was even more complicated, a mixture of disbelief, anger, and shock at being deceived. Could it be that the gentle and kind Zhu Yunwen had finally done such a thing? Could it be that Zhu Yunwen was just pretending all along? Who was teaching him to do this?

There was only one person, Madam Lü. "Eldest brother, where is that little beast Zhu Yunwen? Bring him here. We want to see what kind of little beast could do something so heartless."

"And bring Lady Lü along as well."

Zhu Yuanzhang had no time to wait for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate the Lü family's entanglement with the civil official group, or what other schemes the Lü family had plotted. Whether they were guilty or not, the Lü family was going to die!

In the thirtieth year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang had reached the twilight of his life, with less than a year left until the final stage of his life, as indicated by the celestial screen. At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang's brows were full of vicissitudes. His sons had already been summoned back by messengers after the celestial screen appeared. "Father, look! How is that little bastard Zhu Yunwen treating us?"

"Father, Fifth Brother only likes to read medical books and study medicine. He poses no threat to the imperial power whatsoever! Why won't you let him go?!"

"If Jianwen really becomes emperor, my son will have no chance of survival."

Prince Xiang, Zhu Bai, remained silent, kneeling on the ground without raising his head, silently expressing his attitude. Prince Jin, Zhu Lu, also remained silent, his gaze coldly fixed on Zhu Yunwen and Lady Lü beside him. "Father, your son wants to know something else."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand to interrupt Zhu Lu before he could finish speaking.

"We know what you're trying to say."

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was old and senile, his mind was still very sharp. His death was indeed full of doubts, but at his age, matters of life and death were far less important to him than the future lives of his sons.

"Grandpa, I would never do such a thing. I have been taught by you since I was a child that I will treat all my uncles and elders well in the future. Perhaps the heavens have made a mistake, and it is just a fabrication by later generations, like before?"

Zhu Yunwen never expected that before he even ascended the throne, Tianmu would expose all his secrets.

He had indeed promised Zhu Yuanzhang to treat the princes well, but that was just talk; in his heart, he naturally intended to reduce their power.

Zhu Yuanzhang ignored Zhu Chongwen and kept glancing back and forth between Prince Pu and Prince Yan, Zhu Di, who was standing beside him. Since Zhu Yunwen was incompetent, he could only choose from his sons. Logically speaking, Prince Yan, Zhu Di, was the best choice. However, Prince Jin was still alive. If he bypassed Prince Jin and established Prince Yan, it was hard to guarantee that Prince Jin would have his own thoughts.

Zhu Yuanzhang noticed his hesitation. He too had hoped for the throne to fall to him, but now the heavens had affirmed Zhu Di's abilities. Furthermore, Zhu Yuanzhang had recently felt unwell and was finding it increasingly difficult to handle military affairs. He then gave Zhu Yuanzhang a look. No one knows a son better than his father, and Zhu Yuanzhang immediately understood his father's meaning. Finally, he made his decision: "Issue the decree!"

"My fourth son, Zhu Di, is decisive and resolute, and kind and gentle from a young age, closely resembling me."

"He shall be established as the crown prince and shall rule as regent."

Zhu Di felt as if he had misheard. Had his father really skipped over his third brother and made him the crown prince?

Then he realized what was happening, and slammed his head heavily on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your trust and treat my brothers well in the future!!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. Besides knowing that Zhu Di was capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of governing the country, he also knew that Zhu Di was capable of keeping these princes in check.

As for the issue of reducing the power of the princes, Zhu Yuanzhang himself knew that he would definitely reduce their power. As long as their livelihood could be guaranteed in the end, that would be enough.

He then looked at Zhu Chongwen, who looked utterly dejected, and said, "I don't want to see him again, Twelfth Prince. Take some men and imprison Zhu Yunwen, never to be seen again!!"

"As for the Lü family, they are to be executed!!"

He didn't have many years left. After he died, how Zhu Di would deal with Zhu Yunwen was not something he needed to worry about.

His gaze then swept across the hall, especially landing on the civil officials inside. Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes hardened. "Guards, seize those three bastards, Qi Tai, Huang Zicheng, and Fang Xiaoru! Skin them alive, rip them out of their clothes, and exterminate their entire families!"

Those three idiots don't even understand how to reduce the power of the princes. They've wasted their time studying the Records of the Grand Historian. Reducing the power of the princes should be done slowly, gradually, in a planned and steady manner. How could they just come up and behead people like that? Isn't that just pure madness?

Ever since Emperor Jianwen forced Zhu Bai to commit suicide, all the other vassal kings have lost faith in Zhu Yunwen. They no longer pose a threat to him. Even Zhu Bai, who grew up with him, was forced to his death. How could I possibly have a good ending?

It must be said that most of Zhu Yuanzhang's sons were exceptionally cruel; only a handful were normal people.

In addition to targeting other princes, Emperor Jianwen also placed great emphasis on monitoring Zhu Di, transferring away the military forces under his control. In the end, only eight hundred guards remained in the Prince of Yan's residence, including the commander Zhang Yu and Zhu Neng.

Eight hundred men? So what if there were eight hundred men? I had eight hundred men during the Xuanwu Gate Incident too! Li Shimin wholeheartedly agreed with Zhu Di's actions. If you are oppressed and treated unfairly, you should immediately resist. He now felt that he was very similar to Zhu Di. I seem to remember there is a lake in Jiangning called Xuanwu Lake. Jiangning is Nanjing, which was called Jiangning during the Tang Dynasty. [Jianwen deliberately held Zhu Di's three sons hostage in Nanjing to restrain Zhu Di, thus holding Zhu Di's weakness in his grasp.]

To save his three sons and lull the court into a false sense of security, Zhu Di feigned madness in the pigsty, eating pig feed and running wildly in the streets. At the same time, he sent gifts to plead for his sons, saying that the Prince of Yan was seriously ill and would soon die, and that his sons should be allowed to return to Beijing to fulfill their filial duties.

This move truly lulled Jianwen and his court officials into a false sense of security, and they actually released Zhu Di's three sons back to Beiping.

No? Are you, Zhu Di, really that ruthless?

Feigning madness is one thing, it's understandable to lull the court into a false sense of security, but eating pig swill, how could you be so cruel to yourself!

You truly deserve to rule the world!

But you can't expect someone with the surname Zhu to eat pig swill, can you?