Volume 1, Chapter 7: The Greedy Huai-Xi Nobility

"My esteemed uncles and brothers, it is truly not my wish to summon you to the palace in such a manner. Only the urgency of the situation has forced me to resort to this desperate measure."

Zhu Quan, seemingly unperturbed by Lan Yu’s arrogance, bowed slightly to the group with a gentle and conciliatory tone. Upon hearing that it was not the Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang who had summoned them, but rather Zhu Quan who had forged an imperial decree, Lan Yu and the others glared at him with undisguised fury.

Before they could vent their rage, however, Zhu Quan stepped aside, revealing the dragon couch he had been obstructing.

"His Imperial Majesty has passed away!"

Boom!

The news struck Lan Yu and his companions like a lightning bolt from the heavens, leaving these men, who had navigated the slaughter of battlefields with ease, stunned and frozen in place. After a long moment, they regained their senses, staring at the dragon couch in utter disbelief.

Lan Yu, in particular, stepped forward, completely disregarding the protocols of rank and ritual, and peered directly at the figure of "Zhu Yuanzhang" lying upon the couch. The man Zhu Yuanzhang had chosen as a decoy was a death-row prisoner who bore a seven-to-eight-part resemblance to him, and with the help of the Imperial Guard’s meticulous makeup and disguise, how could Lan Yu possibly discern the truth?

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang lying perfectly still, his chest devoid of even the slightest rise and fall, Lan Yu’s spirit seemed to vanish. He collapsed to the floor, murmuring incessantly, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

Yet, beneath the sorrow on his face, a faint flicker of joy seemed to hide. This expression was captured by Zhu Yuanzhang from behind the wall; his majestic eyes narrowed instantly, a cold, lethal intent leaking from them.

Historically, the final and most devastating of the four great cases of the Hongwu era—the Case of Lan Yu, which would implicate so many and polarize public opinion on Zhu Yuanzhang—was due to erupt the very next month. It was clear that Zhu Yuanzhang had already harbored the intention to execute Lan Yu and his faction. Seeing this expression on Lan Yu’s face now only intensified his murderous resolve.

The other nobles, observing Lan Yu’s reaction, immediately grasped the situation. One by one, they fell to their knees, wailing—some crying out "Your Majesty," others "The Emperor." But on most of their faces, one could see the same expression as Lan Yu’s, and some could not even conceal their underlying greed.

It was as if the Emperor’s death had broken the shackles that bound them, signaling that from this day forward, they could act with impunity, emboldened by their status as the founding nobility. Fu Youde and Tang He, naturally witnessing these expressions, felt anxious for them while simultaneously cursing their lack of wit.

*It seems I cannot deal with this unfilial son today; I must wait until the morning audience tomorrow.*

Just as Zhu Yuanzhang contemplated this, Zhu Quan interrupted the wailing of Lan Yu and his men.

"My esteemed uncles and brothers! Please, cease your grief for a moment. Will you hear what I have to say?"

The wailing of the Huai-Xi generals ceased instantly, all eyes fixed upon Zhu Quan with a burning intensity. To them, it seemed, Zhu Quan had become a commodity—an asset to be hoarded and traded.

None of these nobles, who had fought their way through countless battlefields to survive, were fools. They understood perfectly well why Zhu Quan had forged an imperial decree to bring them to the palace in the dead of night. It was, of course, for that singular position of power.

As men holding immense military authority, they were the first targets for Zhu Quan’s solicitation. Only by securing their support could he hope to claim the throne and withstand the backlash from the court and the other princes. Thus, in that moment, the way the Huai-Xi nobles looked at Zhu Quan shifted.

They were weighing their options, calculating. They were considering how much they could gain by helping Zhu Quan ascend the throne—or, to put it more bluntly, they were waiting for him to name his price. As long as the price was right, who sat on the throne mattered little to them; they cared only for their own glory and the prosperity of their clans for generations to come.

Zhu Quan understood their motives perfectly. He knew that to secure his accession, he had to rely on this group of butchers; otherwise, even if he seized the throne by force, he would be dragged down by the other princes within days.

After only a moment’s hesitation, Zhu Quan bowed again to Lan Yu and the others, his attitude respectful and humble. "My esteemed uncles and brothers! You must surely understand why I have summoned you to the palace tonight. Since we are all men of understanding, there is no need for me to hide my intentions..."

His voice cut off abruptly. Zhu Quan turned sharply and pointed to the Imperial Seal resting upon the desk. "I intend to succeed my father. I beseech you, my uncles and brothers, to assist me. In the future, I shall surely reward you handsomely."

"Unfilial wretch! This unfilial wretch dares to use his status as a vassal prince to collude with my generals! He deserves to die!"

Hidden behind the wall, Zhu Yuanzhang was so enraged that he could barely contain himself, nearly rushing out to strike Zhu Quan down on the spot. Leaving aside the fact that it was his prerogative to decide the succession of the Ming Empire, even if he had truly died without a testament, in his heart, there was no way the throne would ever fall to someone like Zhu Quan.

Neither born of the Empress nor the eldest son, he possessed no qualifications for succession in any dynasty—let alone while Zhu Yuanzhang was still alive and well.

Fu Youde and Tang He also shook their heads slightly, feeling that Zhu Quan had completely lost his mind. How could an illegitimate prince ever hope to grasp the throne? Moreover, Zhu Quan was even younger than Zhu Yunwen; even if he succeeded, how could he manage the vast Ming Empire or suppress the proud and fierce generals led by Lan Yu?

In the end, it would only drag the great rivers and mountains they had fought for into the mire, or perhaps lead to their total destruction.

Setting aside the internal thoughts of the three men, they knew that no matter how much they wished to act, they were trapped in the secret chamber tonight, whether out of fear of Zhu Quan’s guards or the increasingly volatile Lan Yu and his faction. To leave now would only hasten the risk that the Emperor’s "death" might become a permanent reality, all to serve their own interests.

The Huai-Xi generals understood the implication of Zhu Quan’s words, yet such vague promises were clearly insufficient to satisfy them.

After exchanging glances, Lan Yu narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Zhu Quan before speaking: "Prince of Ning, all the world knows that the Emperor favors the son of the Crown Prince, Zhu Yunwen. There are even rumors in court that he is to be named the Imperial Grandson. Why should we support you, a mere vassal prince?"

This was a naked demand. The message was clear: give us benefits, for we do not work for free.

Zhu Shou, Marquis of Zhulu, chimed in even more directly as Lan Yu finished: "Indeed. If we are to perform the service of establishing a new emperor, why should we not support the Second Imperial Grandson, who has a far higher chance of success, rather than a vassal who is not even of the legitimate line?"