Chapter 3: Your Royal Highness, Will You Kill or Not?

"The Crown Prince is the foundation of the Great Ming."

"Only by naming me the Imperial Grandson can the prosperity of the Ming dynasty be guaranteed for generations to come."

"Zhu Yunwen is weak and incompetent; he is unfit to be Emperor and cannot hold the Ming empire together. Grandfather Emperor must not pass the throne to him."

Zhu Yunsheng’s plea for death was merely a pretext to disrupt the investiture; what he truly sought was the succession itself. Seeing Zhu Yunsheng publicly demand the position of heir left the others completely stunned. Even Zhu Yunwen, who had always enjoyed the favor of Zhu Yuanzhang and the support of the civil officials, would never dare to make such a demand. Desiring it in his heart was one thing, but speaking it aloud was quite another. Lan Yu and Chang Sheng, hearing this, felt nothing but intense anxiety. Who ever fought for the succession in such a manner?

"I, Qi Tai, impeach the Third Imperial Grandson."

Qi Tai, another of the "great minds" of the Jianwen era, seeing the tension in the main hall subside slightly, stepped forward and said, "The Third Imperial Grandson is rebellious, devoid of benevolence and filial piety, and has brazenly demanded the position of heir. I request that Your Majesty punish him severely."

"I second the motion!" Huang Zicheng was the first to echo.

"I second the motion!" Other civil officials who supported Zhu Yunwen followed suit one after another.

Zhu Yunwen finally felt less afraid. With Zhu Yuanzhang no longer dwelling on the deaths of Zhu Xiongying and the others, and with the support of so many civil officials, he felt the advantage was his and his position remained secure. *Zhu Yunsheng, what do you have to compete with me? Those brutes only know how to kill; they know nothing of the art of seizing the throne.*

"Yunwen, what are your thoughts on this?" Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to see what was truly on Zhu Yunwen’s mind.

Zhu Yunwen regained his composure, bowed, and said with refined courtesy, "Grandson believes that since Third Brother desires it, I should yield. I request that Grandfather Emperor name Third Brother as the heir."

"When Father was alive, he often told me that we brothers must live in harmony and affection."

"Firstly, I do not wish to become enemies with my Third Brother, nor do I wish to see brothers turn against one another."

"Secondly, just as Third Brother said, I am not suitable. I ask that Grandfather Emperor grant Third Brother his wish, and I also ask that you do not punish him; he is merely acting on impulse and has overthought the matter."

He was able to perfectly display what it meant to be a brotherly and filial son, embodying the harmony and affection between siblings. Grandfather Emperor loved to see benevolence, filial piety, and harmony among family; Zhu Yunwen was playing right into his preferences.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in appreciation upon hearing this. The gathered officials praised him profusely. Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai both thought, *The Second Imperial Grandson is truly masterful! This is what benevolence and filial piety look like; this is a qualified heir, the most suitable person to be the next Emperor of the Ming.*

Zhu Yunwen fit their Confucian ideals of benevolence, filial piety, and humility perfectly; they needed such an Emperor. Comparing him to Zhu Yunsheng, the gap was stark.

Zhu Yunsheng, noticing this, realized Zhu Yunwen was truly a master of pretense. "Grandfather Emperor," he said, "since Zhu Yunwen has self-awareness and is willing to yield, the position of heir rightfully belongs to me. I request that you name me the Imperial Grandson."

"You rebellious grandson, you truly have no sense of modesty." Zhu Yuanzhang was caught between laughter and anger, asking, "And if I do not name you?"

Zhu Yunsheng replied, "If you do not, then I beg for death."

Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, "And if I still do not agree, what then?" He wanted to see what other tricks his rebellious grandson had up his sleeve.

Zhu Yunsheng prepared to escalate the situation, aiming to analyze the dangers of installing Zhu Yunwen, undermine his advantages, and shake the old man's resolve. He sighed, "Grandfather Emperor has such a cruel heart, wanting me to see with my own eyes just how miserably my loved ones will die."

Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "You rebellious boy, what nonsense are you spouting now?"

"To put it politely, Zhu Yunwen is refined and graceful; in reality, he is weak and incompetent."

"Duke of Liang, Lan Yu, is arrogant and domineering, wielding immense prestige in the military. Like the Chang family, they are my maternal kin. Are they willing to submit to Zhu Yunwen?"

"While Father was alive, there were no concerns."

"But with Father gone, can Zhu Yunwen keep them in check?"

"If he cannot, will Grandfather Emperor have to kill them to maintain Zhu Yunwen’s position?"

Zhu Yunsheng’s words remained incredibly bold. He laid out these subtexts without the slightest hesitation. Below, Lan Yu and Chang Sheng felt their scalps tingle; they looked up in shock toward Zhu Yuanzhang. As they followed the logic of Zhu Yunsheng’s words, they realized it was not an impossibility. The Ming dynasty had not been founded long, and the military generals were still at the peak of their power. They would be more than willing to see Zhu Yunsheng ascend the throne, but if Zhu Yunwen were to take it, they would never submit. Thinking of "Butcher Zhu’s" personality, they realized he might very well sharpen his blade against them first.

Zhu Yuanzhang’s brow furrowed, regretting letting this rebellious grandson continue. He was about to stop him, but it was already too late.

"The wife of the Prince of Jin is the daughter of the Marquis of Yongping."

"The wife of the Prince of Yan is the eldest daughter of the Prince of Zhongshan."

"The wife of the Prince of Zhou is the daughter of the Duke of Song."

"The wife of the Prince of Chu is the daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan."

"Marriages between our Ming imperial clan and the nobility are common."

"Furthermore, the wife of the Prince of Shu is the daughter of the Duke of Liang."

"These dukes and marquises all hail from Huai-Xi, forming their own faction. They share the same interests, are linked by marriage to the vassal princes, possess complex ties, hold military power, and command prestige within the army."

"To maintain Zhu Yunwen’s position, Grandfather Emperor, will you kill them or not?"

As soon as Zhu Yunsheng finished speaking, Feng Sheng, Fu Youde, Wang Bi, and others simultaneously looked up toward Zhu Yuanzhang, their eyes filled with suspicion. Based on their understanding of the "Butcher," he would certainly kill them.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt the weight of their collective, questioning gazes. In all his years of power, this was the first time he felt such a chill running down his spine. He had indeed considered a future purge to pave the way for Zhu Yunwen. But that the mediocre Zhu Yunsheng could see this was one thing; to voice it here in the imperial court, exposing this bloody truth, was like roasting him, the old man, over a fire. The very generals who helped him conquer the world—all to be killed because they might threaten Zhu Yunwen’s position.

*When the birds are gone, the bow is put away; when the rabbits are caught, the hounds are cooked.* It chilled the heart!

Lan Yu and the others remained silent, staring intently at Zhu Yuanzhang. The pressure brought by so many generals keeping their peace was enough to make even the powerful and influential Zhu Yuanzhang feel uneasy.

Zhu Yunsheng continued, "Grandfather Emperor, I have had no mother since childhood. Later, I lost my grandmother and my eldest brother. Now, Father is also gone. Soon, my uncle and my great-uncle will be gone too. You might as well just grant me death now."

"I do not wish to see this tragedy unfold in the future."

Hearing this, Lan Yu and Chang Sheng felt a pang of sorrow. *This child is truly pitiful! The Butcher is cold-blooded and ruthless!*

Among the princes, Zhu Di, who had remained silent throughout, looked at Zhu Yunsheng with newfound respect, realizing this nephew was not simple, nor was he mediocre. *He must have been hiding his true self all along.* They all thought the same.

"Enough! Say no more!" Zhu Yuanzhang barked.

He feared that if this continued, that old brute Lan Yu might actually revolt. Yet, hearing Zhu Yunsheng speak of having no family left, he also felt a twinge of sorrow.

Zhu Yunsheng shook his head. "No, I haven’t finished. I still have my uncles." He cast his gaze toward the Prince of Qin and the others.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked coldly, "Are you saying I would even kill my own sons?" This rebellious grandson truly dared to say anything.

Zhu Yunsheng explained, "Even a tiger will not eat its own cubs. Of course, Grandfather Emperor would not kill my uncles, but Zhu Yunwen? That is not certain."