Daming: I am the Crown Prince

Chapter 59: Legitimate and Concubine

Everyone was confused when they were suddenly summoned.

However, he soon realized that Zhu Chong and others were not the protagonists, but Zhu Yunhuan and Zhu Yunwen.

Outside the Fengtian Hall, several people were summoned as soon as they asked for a meeting.

This was just a regular court session, so there was no need to wear court robes or crown robes. Zhu Chong and the others knelt down and kowtowed in a proper manner.

Old Zhu also spoke directly, saying, "I asked you to come here because the court officials are arguing."

Zhu Chong and others listened patiently, they understood some things in their hearts. But now they could only take one step at a time, as the princes were not allowed to attend court normally, let alone discuss state affairs.

Old Zhu looked at his two grandsons and asked, "Yun Wen, when were you born?"

Zhu Yunwen answered honestly, "Your Majesty, I was born in the tenth year of Hongwu."

Old Zhu looked at Zhu Yunhuan again and asked, "What about you?"

Zhu Yunhuan also answered directly, "Sun Chen was born in the eleventh year of Hongwu."

There is only a one-year age difference. But don’t just say a one-year age difference. Even if there is a one-month or ten-minute difference, there should be respect for elders and younger ones.

Old Zhu continued to ask, "Yun Wen, who is your biological mother? Who is your stepmother?"

Zhu Yunwen's face turned pale instantly. His biggest advantage before was that he was one year older than Zhu Yunhuan, and his reputation had always been better than Zhu Yunhuan's.

But his biggest disadvantage is naturally his background.

Even though his mother is now the Crown Princess, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was made clear after birth.

In the patriarchal system, children born to concubines are called legal mothers by their legal wife. In the era when the concept of legal and illegitimate children was very strict, only legal wife was considered mother, and biological mother could only be called aunt.

At this time, Old Zhu could only be cruel and asked, "Let me ask you, who is your mother?"

Zhu Yunwen gritted his teeth, his mind completely lost, "Sun Chen's mother is Crown Princess Jingyi."

Old Zhu then looked at Zhu Yunhuan and asked, "Ten days from now, the Crown Prince will be buried, and the tomb of Crown Princess Jingyi should be moved first. Minister of Rites Zhang Zhi doesn't know who should preside over the sacrifice, but the Minister of Personnel thinks that Yunwen should preside over the sacrifice. What do you think?"

Zhu Yunhuan glanced at Zhang Zhi and said, "Your Majesty, I think that people who are causing chaos in the court and disrupting the patriarchal system of the world are harboring evil intentions and should be executed!"

Zhang Zhi immediately knelt down and shouted, "Your Majesty, I am innocent!"

"Unfair?" Zhu Yunhuan pressed on, asking, "Who am I? I ask you, who am I?"

Zhang Zhi trembled and dared not answer. He crawled on the ground and did not dare to say a word.

Zhu Yunhuan snorted coldly and said, "I will immediately have someone investigate your clan. If it is found that someone in your clan mistreats his clan members, how can you stand in the court with dignity? You don't even distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children. Are the children born to your second wife or concubine also legitimate?"

Zhang Zhi shuddered and dared not answer. Other civil and military officials were also trembling in their hearts.

Zhu Yunxun sneered and said, "If we find out that someone in your clan has seized the property of those legitimate sons you mentioned, let's see whether your clan is stubborn or my sword is sharper!"

Many people became even more panicked, while others were thankful that they were not involved in this incident.

For example, the censor Ye Xixian had some friendship with Lu Ben, but whether out of fear of the emperor or out of understanding of the patriarchal system, he did not dare to stand out.

Even though someone from the East Palace came to see him before, he was just pretending to be confused.

Zhang Zhi was filled with panic and sadness. His reputation was completely ruined and he could no longer stay in the officialdom.

Because if what happened in the court today gets out, all the scholars in the world will scold him. That royal grandson is really too bad, deliberately exaggerating, blurring, and even vulgarizing some things.

But this is useful!
Now everyone understands that the Minister of Rites believes that a concubine's son can become a legitimate son as long as his biological mother becomes the legal wife. In this way, after favoring a concubine and killing his wife, the so-called legitimate and illegitimate sons can be decided at will.

If this really happens, the concubine's children and illegitimate children will be happy and can directly seize the family property.

But scholars all over the world will definitely curse this Minister of Rites for bringing chaos to the world!

Zhang Zhi wanted to cry but had no tears. He didn't mean it that way. It was the grandson who misinterpreted it deliberately! With no way out, Zhan Hui knew that it was pitch black in front of him, so he could only move forward. "Your Majesty, the third grandson of the emperor misunderstood the intention of the Minister of Rites. I believe that there is no private matter in the royal family."

"What a saying that the royal family has no private affairs!" Zhu Yunhuan shouted angrily, "How can you not know that the superiors should follow the example of the subordinates? Do you know that 'the King of Chu likes thin waists, and many people in the palace starved to death'? Grandfather Huang reorganized China and rectified the Han Dynasty's orthodoxy. You, the important officials of the court, do not understand the etiquette and laws, and do not follow the clan system. How dare you stand in the court!"

The thirteen-year-old Zhu Yunhuan was furious and denounced the important officials of the court.

The fourteen-year-old Zhu Yunwen knelt on the ground, his face pale and he had not yet come to his senses.

Old Zhu suddenly spoke up and said, "Prince Qin, you are the clan leader, in charge of the clan register. Tell me, who should preside over the sacrifice for your sister-in-law?"

Zhu Chong replied without thinking, "Your Majesty, I think your Majesty's sister-in-law still has a legitimate son, so it is natural that Yunhuan should preside over the sacrifice. Yunwen should accompany you in the sacrifice."

Zhu Yunwen shuddered, this second uncle was so murderous!
The chief priest, that means his status is determined. He is also required to accompany the priest, this is to let the whole world know his origin, to let the whole world know that even if he is one year older, he is just a "bastard" in front of Zhu Yunhuan, the dandy!
Old Zhu looked at the staggering Zhu Yunwen and sighed slightly, "Then Yunwen will be the main sacrificer and Yunwen will be the accompanying sacrificer."

Zhu Yunhuan naturally accepted the order, "Sun Chen obeys your order."

Zhu Yunwen also mechanically replied, "Sun Chen obeys your order."

"The Crown Prince's funeral will be held in ten days." Old Zhu continued, and Zhu Yunwen raised a last bit of hope. "All matters must be handled according to the etiquette. The royal family, relatives, and government offices must not slack off."

The little hope that Zhu Yunwen had just ignited was completely shattered because of Old Zhu's words.

"The Crown Prince's legitimate son is still alive, and he will preside over the ritual of offering sacrifices and sending off the steamed buns."

Chang Sheng and others were extremely excited. If it weren't for the wrong occasion, they would have wanted to jump up.

Zhan Hui's body swayed slightly, and he knew that he had no chance of survival.

Zhu Yunwen's body softened. He originally thought that he could still fight for it. He felt that he still had hope. As long as he could reverse the decline of the past few days, relying on his reputation and filial piety accumulated over the past ten years, he would definitely be able to win the position of the crown prince.

But at this moment, this hope was completely shattered.

The chief priest, this is not just the chief priest, this is to clarify who the legitimate son of Crown Prince Zhu Biao is.

A few days ago, the princes all expressed their support for the establishment of a crown prince, which naturally meant that the position of crown prince could only be reserved for the legitimate son of Crown Prince Zhu Biao.

Old Zhu then looked at Zhang Zhi and said, "You are the Minister of Rites, but you don't know etiquette. If it weren't for your merits, I would have to kill you! Submit your resignation and get out!"

The third-rank Minister of Rites left the scene in such a dismal manner. He did not retire or retire to old age, but was dismissed from office.

Old Zhu glanced at Zhu Yunwen, and then said directly, "Dismiss the court!"

Zhu Yunwen left the Fengtian Hall like a puppet, and his pursuit of more than ten years suddenly came to nothing.

Not only did he have no chance of getting the supreme position, he asked himself that if it were him, he would definitely not leave Zhu Yunhuan a chance to survive after he succeeded. So now, Zhu Yunhuan would definitely not leave him a chance to survive!
The emperor's grandfather was so partial that he had to let the whole world know the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children in the court. Not only did he want to show off for that dude in front of all the civil and military officials, but he also wanted the royal family to express their views directly!
Looking at the staggering body of his adopted brother, Zhu Yunhuan sighed.

I will bear the consequences of your actions.

In order to survive, I have no choice but to fight.

What's more, it's not just about survival. Who wouldn't be tempted by creating history and the supreme throne?

Zhu Yuanzhang's determination caught everyone off guard. Originally, everyone had just heard that the emperor seemed to have started paying attention to the third grandson, and thought that there was a new candidate for the crown prince.

Everyone is still speculating on the cause of death of Marquis Jiang Xia, preparing various rituals and allusions for the crown prince's funeral, and considering how to fight for Zhu Yunhuan or Zhu Yunwen.

But just this one regular court session, an ordinary morning court session, was enough to decide who was legitimate and who would be the crown prince.

No one expected what Emperor Zhu would do.

Even Zhu Yunhuan was a little slow to react. Although Zhu had said it was settled before, he was still ready to argue in the court and make a good performance. He also made various plans in his mind.

But now, it has been decided.

A single word can decide the outcome. This is the control power of the founding emperor!
　Thanks to Feitianmaigao for giving 2000 Qidian coins

　　
　
(End of this chapter)