Daming: I am the Crown Prince

Chapter 7: Meeting Emperor Xingzong of the Ming Dynasty
Zhu Yunhuan caused a big disturbance in the palace and showed his intention to seize the throne. As well as some subsequent events, they made many people unable to sleep well.

However, this matter will not become a big deal. People who should know will know, and people who should not know will definitely not know.

So for many people, they just keep working and living as if nothing happened. Not knowing some things also has its advantages, so you don't have to get involved in some troubles.

Zhu Yuanzhang got up early and went to the morning court before dawn. This was Zhu Yuanzhang's habit for many years. Especially after the death of Crown Prince Zhu Biao, all government affairs fell on Zhu Yuanzhang's head and needed him to handle them.

Even though Old Zhu was energetic and could be called an iron man, time was not forgiving and he was almost 70 years old. Coupled with the continuous blows, his mind was even more exhausted.

Zhan Hui did not make trouble in the court, because he was naturally worried that Zhu Yunhuan would bear grudges. However, Zhan Hui would choose to act after planning, and if he did not make a rash move without certainty, it would only make his situation more passive.

He decided to look for Huang Xi and Huang Zicheng, his companions in the Eastern Palace, after leaving court, as they could be of great help to him.

Huang Zicheng was the champion of the imperial examination in the 18th year of Hongwu, and the third place in the imperial examination. He was promoted from editor to editor and accompanied Zhan Hui to study in the East Palace. Although he had different political views and did not like Zhan Hui's style of doing things, Huang Zicheng practiced the teachings of Confucius and Mencius throughout his life and had the style of a scholar-official.

Zhan Hui was also certain that Huang Zicheng must have supported the Confucian-loving emperor's second grandson Zhu Yunwen, because Huang Zicheng's companion in the East Palace was not accompanying the former crown prince Zhu Biao, but lecturing to the emperor's grandson Zhu Yunwen.

Old Zhu presided over the morning court calmly and felt a little tired after the court session.

After returning to the side hall to rest for a while, Old Zhu asked, "How are the emperor's grandchildren?"

The eunuch Liu Shuangquan who was following Old Zhu quickly replied, "After breakfast, His Royal Highness the Second Grandson went to the main hall to study with the other grandsons."

The Great Hall was one of the places where the palace kept its books. It was also established to invite famous scholars to teach the crown prince and princes. This was where the kings studied, and there were also handsome men from the common people and the legitimate sons of the ministers who came to the hall to study with them.

There are many princes and grandchildren in the Dabentang now, which is also due to Zhu's vigorous energy. The youngest son, the 25th prince Zhu, is only five years old, and he is 33 years younger than Zhu Biao!

There are many imperial grandchildren studying in the Great Hall now. The Crown Prince Zhu Shangbing of Qin, the Crown Prince Zhu Jihui of Jin, the Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi of Yan, the Crown Prince Zhu Youdun of Zhou and others are all studying in the Great Hall.

Liu Shuangquan continued, "His Royal Highness the Third Grandson practiced swordplay after breakfast, and then went back to bed after taking a bath."

Old Zhu, who was squinting and rubbing his eyebrows, immediately opened his eyes, "Sleeping well? He doesn't want to go to study, and he wants to go back to sleep after getting up?"

Just take a nap!

Zhu was really angry. He hoped that his descendants would be promising and motivated, and studying was a must. Even his prince was taught by famous scholars when he was young, so he did not dare to slack off for a moment.

But that bastard Zhu Yunhuan said he wanted to seize the throne yesterday, but today he just slept in and didn't study. How can he compete with Yunwen, who is favored by many famous scholars?
Zhu Yunhuan slept almost until noon and got up only when he was hungry.

Zhu Yourong was very angry when he saw his brother, "You don't go to school, aren't you afraid that the emperor will blame you?"

"What is there to be afraid of?" Zhu Yunhuan said with a dead pig fearless look, "If he doesn't let me be the crown prince, I will enjoy the happiness in advance. If he lets me be the crown prince, I will take the time to relax. I'm afraid it will be difficult to have the opportunity to be so comfortable in the future."

Zhu Youling also advised, "Yunhuan, since you don't want the position of crown prince to fall to a family-born child, you should make progress."

"Motivated?" Zhu Yunhuan said with a smile, "Of course I am motivated, but I want to compete for the position of crown prince, not to take the examination for the title of scholar or the top scholar. I definitely cannot study better than Yunwen. I can't compete with him in terms of knowledge, that's not my forte."

Zhu Yourong and Zhu Youling looked at each other. They both knew that Zhu Yunhuan was not good at studying, and there was a huge difference between him and Zhu Yunwen.

But they were very worried, as they had no idea what their own brother could use to compete for the position of crown prince compared to Zhu Yunwen, who was very virtuous and studious.
After eating and drinking, Zhu Yunxun said, "Sisters, don't worry, I have my own ideas. If I didn't have a plan, I wouldn't have broken into the palace yesterday. If I broke into the palace, Yunwen and I would have completely torn our relationship apart."

Zhu Yourong and Zhu Youling understood this truth very well.

If they hadn't fallen out, Yun Hu would have played dumb and humbled himself, and Zhu Yunwen might not have done anything more extreme. But after what happened yesterday, if Yun Hu couldn't become the crown prince, his future would definitely be extremely difficult.

Seeing Zhu Yunhuan about to go out, Zhu Yourong asked, "Where are you going?"

"Go to Fengxian Temple." Zhu Yunhuan replied, "I'm going to burn incense."

Fengxian Hall is the family temple established by the emperor in the palace, which is very different from the Taimiao. Zhu Yourong said, "The father's body has not been buried yet, and that house-born child has been there all day to mourn, and the court officials have seen it. What's the point of you going to Fengxian Hall to offer sacrifices? Why don't you go to guard the spirit?"

Zhu Yunhuan said, "My father's body is still there, and I will naturally go to the vigil when it is time. I am not doing vigil and offering sacrifices for the sake of those court officials. I want peace of mind."

After saying this, Zhu Yunhuan went out. Rouyi Hall and Fengxian Hall were both on the west side of the imperial palace, and the two palaces were also close to each other.

The eunuchs and guards guarding the Fengxian Hall saw Zhu Yunhuan coming and naturally did not dare to stop him.

Looking at the tablets of Zhu's ancestors, Zhu Yunhuan felt a little guilty for a moment. So he burned incense one by one, and there were some things he had not expected.

Looking at Zhu Biao's tablet, Zhu Yunhuan sighed, "I can only guarantee that the emperor's bloodline will be your flesh and blood in the future, and I will not let anyone take down or change your tablet."

Zhu Yunhuan just looked at the tablets of Zhu Biao and Chang silently for a long time without saying anything.

After a long time, Zhu Yunhuan came back to his senses and kowtowed in accordance with the rules. "Your servant Zhu Yunhuan pays homage to the Emperor Xingzong of the Ming Dynasty."

Then he stood up and bowed again, "Your Highness, I, Zhu Yunhuan, pay my respects to the Empress Xiaokang of the Ming Dynasty."

"Emperor Xingzong?" A voice suddenly came from behind, giving Zhu Yunhuan a fright. "Empress Xiaokang?"

Zhu Yunhuan turned around hurriedly and saw the burly Old Zhu standing at the gate of the palace.

Zhu Yunhuan suddenly felt a little embarrassed and quickly stood up, "I was too talkative."

Old Zhu said angrily, "After your second brother finished his studies, he knelt in front of the coffin. The whole court saw it. But you are so good that you say bad things about your father in front of us. You kneel here later. It's true that you are filial, but who knows it except us?"

Zhu Yunhuan didn't care either, "I didn't do this for outsiders to see. Whether they know it or not, I don't care."

"You don't care, but everyone in the world does!" Old Zhu became even more angry. "You are our grandson. If you want to seize the throne, you must be kind, filial, and virtuous. Otherwise, how can those people support you?"

Zhu Yunhuan also understood that what Old Zhu said made sense, and some things were really done for outsiders to see. Some seemingly superficial things could also be extremely meaningful.

Zhu Yunwen's filial piety during the mourning period of Crown Prince Zhu Biao is regarded by many as an extremely excellent quality. Filial piety is an extremely excellent virtue in any era.

"Governing the world with filial piety" has always been the philosophy of the orthodox Han Dynasty.

Even the Ming Dynasty was no exception. Empress Ma's posthumous title was Empress Xiaoci. Zhu's future temple name could only be either Gaozu or Taizu, and his posthumous title would inevitably include "Xiao".

Seeing that Zhu Yunhuan didn't say anything, Old Zhu continued, "Get up early tomorrow, go to the main hall to study first, and then go to guard your father's spirit."

Zhu Yunhuan nodded, these things should indeed be done.

"We think that if Yunwen becomes the emperor, he will definitely be more lenient." Old Zhu said, "You know your father's temperament. Even if he is mean and cruel in his heart, he appears to be lenient and kind on the surface."

Zhu Yunhuan couldn't help but complain, "I'm afraid Yunwen hasn't even learned all the kindness and generosity that my father has on the surface. How can the emperor of the Ming Dynasty be an emperor who is kind and can be bullied and manipulated by civil officials?"

Old Zhu was a little angry, "Do you look down on Yunwen so much? No matter how bad he is, he is better at reading than you! He knows the principles in the books better than you!"

"Can you be a good emperor just because you are well-educated?" Zhu Yunhuan asked in return, "Then I will find a few pedantic scholars who are well-educated but cannot even support their families. How can they rule the world with their erudition?"

Old Zhu became even angrier because he used to talk back to the eldest brother when he was around.

Now, his grandson dared to contradict him. And he was a grandson who was not even the crown prince. How bold!

(End of this chapter)