Chapter 38: Zhu Di Receives News of the Emperor's Passing

As Yun Qi rode post-haste toward Qingzhou carrying the letters that Zhu Yunxuan had reviewed, the Prince of Yan’s residence in Beiping was in the midst of its own clandestine drama.

"Your Highness, I observed the stars last night and noticed the Ziwei star, the symbol of the Emperor, shrouded in dust and dimness; it portends a fall. You must prepare a strategy at once!"

Within the study of the Prince of Yan's residence, Yao Guangxiao, dressed in black monk’s robes, sat opposite Zhu Di, who wore a robe embroidered with coiled dragons. They were engaged in a game of Go. Yao Guangxiao placed a black stone on the board, speaking words that seemed entirely unrelated to the match.

At these words, Zhu Di’s expression shifted. A flicker of imperceptible joy flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly masked by a look of feigned anger.

*Clack.*

A white stone landed on the board as Zhu Di’s stern voice rang out. "What is the meaning of this, Master? Are you implying that the Emperor has passed away, or are you once again attempting to incite me to rebel and usurp the throne?"

"I have told you many times: I am a prince of the Ming Dynasty. Even if my eldest brother has passed, the empire should be inherited by his son. I would never harbor such intentions."

Yao Guangxiao’s hand paused for a moment before he regained his composure and smiled. "A man may have no intention of harming a tiger, but the tiger may surely harbor malice toward him, Your Highness."

"If my calculations are correct, His Majesty has surely passed or met with disaster by now. The person you speak of who would inherit the throne must be Zhu Yunwen, whom the Emperor often kept by his side. Do you truly believe this nephew of yours is a sagacious monarch? If you wait for him to secure his position and then move to strip the princes of their fiefs, how will you respond?"

It must be said that Yao Guangxiao’s words were highly seductive. In just a few sentences, he had once again stirred the dormant greed in Zhu Di’s eyes.

Yet, Zhu Di was no ordinary man. After a moment, he shook his head decisively. "Master, say no more. Even if the Emperor were truly gone, as his son, I could never violate his ancestral teachings."

*Clack.*

Another piece was played. "If my nephew truly intends to strip us of our fiefs, then I shall simply take Gaochi and the others back to the capital to live a quiet life."

*Tap.*

Just as the words left Zhu Di’s lips, a carrier pigeon landed on the windowsill nearby. Upon seeing the bird, Zhu Di’s eyes trembled. A glimmer of joy appeared once more, only to be buried again under a look of complexity.

Yao Guangxiao, seemingly seeing through everything, rose and walked to the window. He took the pigeon in his hands and gently removed the small bamboo tube from its leg. After glancing over the secret missive inside, a smile that he could no longer hide blossomed on his face.

He walked quickly back to the chessboard and placed the message upon it, whispering, "Your Highness, it is confirmed. His Majesty has indeed passed away."

*Crash.*

The chessboard was sent scattering across the floor. Zhu Di grabbed the missive in a flurry, his expression one of utter panic as he read it. But after a short while, his panic transformed into profound grief, and silent tears flowed from the corners of his eyes.

"Father... Father! How could you pass so suddenly? I have not yet fulfilled my promise to you to bring the northern grasslands under the rule of the Ming!"

"Father..."

Zhu Di’s weeping was sincere; there was no fabrication in the bond he felt for his father.

However, Yao Guangxiao spoke again at this moment: "Your Highness, please restrain your grief. Since His Majesty has passed, we must consider what comes next."

"Master, what do you mean?" Zhu Di looked up, his eyes bloodshot, a hint of murderous intent emerging—though it was unclear whether it was directed at the manipulative monk or someone else.

Yao Guangxiao ignored it, shaking his head with a faint smile. "Your Highness, do not play the fool. With the Emperor gone, as his son, you should return to the capital to pay your respects."

Zhu Di narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. After a moment, he looked at Yao Guangxiao again. "Master, if I return now, will I be in time?"

His fief was far away in Beiping; even at a gallop of eight hundred miles a day, it would take at least four days to reach Yingtian. In four days, the situation in the capital would surely have settled. Even if it hadn't, would his other brothers not realize this was an opportunity? Many of his brothers held fiefs much closer to Yingtian—the Prince of Zhou in Kaifeng, the Prince of Lu in Yanzhou, the Prince of Jin in Taiyuan, and the Prince of Qin in Xi’an were all significantly closer. Moreover, the Princes of Qin, Zhou, and Jin were all born of the Empress...

"Your Highness, human effort can achieve anything! Do not forget the Princess Consort..." Yao Guangxiao’s smile remained, as if he had accounted for everything.

The Princess Consort?

Zhu Di was stunned, then immediately understood. His only advantage over the other princes was his wife, Xu Miaoyun, the eldest daughter of the great general Xu Da. Although Xu Da was now deceased, his prestige among the military and the Huai-Xi nobility remained undiminished. Furthermore, his brothers-in-law, Xu Huizu and Xu Zengshou, also held significant influence in the army.

Zhu Di fell into deep contemplation, weighing whether to gamble on this move. To gamble meant that if he won, he would be the second emperor of the Ming Dynasty; if he lost, it would be the crime of treason, leading to the destruction of his home and family.

"Your Highness, do you remember what I once told you? Now is the moment to fulfill that promise. If you miss this chance, the 'white hat'—the symbol of the emperor—may not fall upon your head."

Yao Guangxiao, seeing Zhu Di’s hesitation, continued his persuasive prodding.

*The white hat...*

A spark of greed ignited in Zhu Di’s eyes. Gritting his teeth, he said, "In that case, Master, I ask you to accompany me on this journey."

"Hahaha! Your Highness is wise. This journey will surely realize the ambitions you hold in your heart!" Yao Guangxiao laughed aloud.

...

While Zhu Di was actively preparing in Beiping to head to the capital, many other princes who kept informants in the capital received the news of Zhu Yuanzhang’s passing through various channels. Many of them harbored the same thoughts as Zhu Di, while others decided to wait and observe the shifting tides.

What they did not know was that the news they received had been deliberately sent by Zhu Yunxuan. Had it not been for him, they would not have merely heard of the Emperor’s death; they would have also known that Zhu Yunxuan had risen suddenly to seize control of the court.

Zhu Yunxuan’s purpose in doing this was simple: before officially ascending the throne, he wanted to see clearly which princes were restless and which ones harbored no such designs.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yunxuan set down his vermilion brush and stood up to stretch. He called out toward the door, "Jiang Xun, Song Zhong!"

The two men entered quickly and bowed.

Zhu Yunxuan pondered for a moment before asking, "Have any reports come back from the underground networks in the various regions?"