Volume One, Chapter 15: Who Are You Prepared to Support?

“Your Highness Prince Ning, your words are mistaken. Prince Xiongying and Prince Yuntong are indeed the legitimate sons of the Crown Prince. However, Prince Yunwen’s mother was also the Crown Prince’s consort personally elevated by His Majesty. Therefore, Prince Yunwen should likewise be considered a legitimate heir of the Crown Prince’s bloodline.”

“Moreover, this matter was recognized by His Majesty while he was still alive. Had His Majesty not suddenly passed away, Prince Yunwen’s position as the Crown Prince’s eldest grandson would have been confirmed in recent times…”

Seeing Ren Hengtai momentarily at a loss for words, Chen Jing immediately took up the argument. As Minister of Rites, his voice carried considerable weight on such matters.

Zhan Hui, noticing Chen Jing’s intervention, though inwardly reluctant, nodded in agreement and said, “Your Highness Prince Ning, that is indeed the case! The rites must not be forsaken, for to do so risks the very stability of the empire. I implore you to consider carefully before proceeding.”

Though courteous, his words cleverly invoked the fate of the entire Ming dynasty to pressure Zhu Quan.

“Exactly, exactly! Ren Hengtai, Chen Jing, and Zhan Hui truly are the pillars of our realm—just listen to how they speak,” Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled behind the wall, his grin stretching almost to his ears.

Unable to restrain himself, he clapped his hands and cast a teasing glance toward the outside, saying, “Now let’s see what the rebellious son has to say in reply. These Confucian scholars may be tiresome, but their verbal skills are indeed formidable.”

Just as Zhu Yuanzhang prepared to enjoy the spectacle, he noticed that Zhu Quan, who should have been scratching his head in frustration, instead had a wider smile curling at the corners of his mouth, with faint traces of disdain flickering in his eyes.

“Oh? Is that so?”

“Precisely! Therefore, I ask Your Highness Prince Ning to withdraw from the palace and relinquish the position of the Crown Prince’s eldest grandson,” Ren Hengtai said angrily.

The old man looked upon Zhu Quan with increasing displeasure, thinking that since he admitted Zhu Yunwen’s legitimacy as the eldest son, he should promptly return to his own fiefdom.

Zhu Quan almost laughed at the old man’s expression but knew this was no time for mockery. He suppressed his smile and replied coldly, “Since Lady Lü was the officially elevated Crown Prince’s consort, if I, on behalf of the late Emperor, depose her now, does that mean Zhu Yunwen loses his status as the legitimate eldest son?”

“Nonsense! Insolent whelp, how dare you speak with such impudence and rebelliousness?” Ren Hengtai nearly rolled his eyes in fury.

Zhan Hui patted the old man’s back repeatedly and said bitterly, “Your Highness Prince Ning, regardless of whether you have the authority to represent His Majesty, the Crown Prince’s consort is your elder brother’s wife. Since ancient times, there has been no precedent for the younger to overthrow the elder, and the Crown Prince’s consort herself is without fault—how could she be deposed?”

“Hahaha! Excellent, truly excellent!” Zhu Quan laughed heartily. “It seems that vile woman has fooled everyone all these years.”

Suddenly, he composed himself and spoke with deliberate emphasis, “What if I say that Lady Lü has committed a heinous crime?”

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“Your Highness Prince Ning, if you insist on such slander and false accusation, then we have nothing further to say. But even if you were to kill a few of us today, we would never support you,” Chen Jing stood and saluted Zhu Quan with a look of noble sacrifice.

Zhan Hui and Ren Hengtai wore similar expressions, as if to say, “Kill us if you must, but don’t expect our support.”

Zhu Quan longed to have Deng Zhen drag these three away and behead them on the spot; these pedantic Confucian scholars were truly exasperating.

His gaze then fell upon Fu Youwen, who appeared indifferent and detached, which only made Zhu Quan laugh in spite of himself.

“Very well! Since these great scholars believe Lady Lü is blameless, today I shall present the evidence before you. Let’s see if you still have the face to persist in your stance.”

“Bring it in.”

Deng Zhen immediately hurried into the Qianqing Palace.

Taking from Deng Zhen a thick stack of papers densely covered with small characters, Zhu Quan flung them before Ren Hengtai and the others.

“This is what you asked for. That vile woman Lady Lü not only colluded with the imperial physician to harm my elder brother’s wife while she was weakened by childbirth, but later, in order to secure her son’s claim as the legitimate eldest, used smallpox to kill my eldest nephew…”

Ren Hengtai, Zhan Hui, and Chen Jing frowned skeptically, showing no intention of even glancing at the evidence.

They simply maintained their obstinate demeanor, resembling staunch nonviolent resisters. If placed in India, they would surely become revered saints.

Anticipating this, Zhu Quan snorted lightly and turned to Fu Youwen.

“Lord Fu, you were among the officials who accompanied my late elder brother on the inspection tour of Jiangnan. I ask you, when Prince Xiongying contracted smallpox, were there others in the group who also fell ill?”

Fu Youwen had intended to feign ignorance. With Fu Youde backing him, he was not afraid of Zhu Quan. Yet upon hearing the question, his pupils dilated instantaneously.

After a brief moment of thought, he stammered, “N-No! At that time, apart from Prince Xiongying, no one else in the inspection party showed any symptoms—not even the eunuchs and palace maids who attended him closely.”

Boom—

Upon hearing this, Zhan Hui and the others looked as if struck by lightning, turning around in disbelief.

But seeing no trace of falsehood on Fu Youwen’s face, they could no longer resist picking up the papers and examining them carefully.

---

In truth, the documents contained little more than testimonies.

They were statements from Lady Lü’s personal maids, eunuchs, and some personnel from the Imperial Medical Bureau, hastily obtained by Deng Zhen under Zhu Quan’s orders.

But even these were sufficient; with such testimony, Lady Lü’s guilt was undeniable.

“Master Ren, do you still believe that Zhu Yunwen has the legitimate claim to inherit the imperial throne?” Zhu Quan smiled once again.

Ren Hengtai said nothing, turning his face away; sometimes silence spoke volumes.

Zhan Hui and Chen Jing exchanged glances, then spoke in unison, “Your Highness Prince Ning, even if Prince Yunwen loses his claim due to these matters, why should we support you?”

“Not to mention the Crown Prince’s legitimate son Prince Yuntong, even Princes Qin, Jin, and Yan are all sons of His Majesty and the Empress. Surely the succession does not fall to you?”

This was a serious rebuke, clearly implying that even if they do not support Zhu Yunwen, they would not endorse Zhu Quan either. He had no rightful claim to aspire to the imperial throne.

Princes Qin, Jin, and Yan—Zhu Xun, Zhu Tan, and Zhu Di—were all legitimate sons, esteemed in both the military and the court. How could he compare to them?

It is said you do not strike a man’s face when beating him, but these words were indeed a slap in Zhu Quan’s face.

Yet the smile on Zhu Quan’s lips did not waver in the slightest; he maintained his calm and composed demeanor.

“Oh? Then I wonder which of your honors you intend to support—elder brother number two, three, or four?”

“According to your Confucian principles, I suppose you would back the second brother, correct?”

…