Chapter 9: Sisters

The palace maid named Dongqing was quite young, strikingly beautiful, and appeared very obedient. Upon receiving the summons, she promptly came before Lady Lü, ready to follow orders.

“Replace everyone over there, especially the eunuchs by his side—swap them out for our people,” Lady Lü instructed. “Keep a close watch on his every move. Before sunset each day, compile a detailed report of all his affairs and send it to me. If he plans anything unusual, report it immediately. Understood?”

She cast a cold glare at Dongqing, her eyes growing even colder, tinged with a faint murderous intent.

Zhu Yunrong’s boldness and demonstrated abilities had exceeded Lady Lü’s expectations. She believed he must have been hiding his true strength all along, his tactics so cunning that she had failed to detect them. The previous surveillance had clearly been insufficient.

Lady Lü was deeply afraid that Zhu Yunrong might be concealing something from her, so she resolved to intensify the watch on him, scrutinizing his every action.

The entire Eastern Palace answered to Lady Lü. She was determined to maintain complete control over Zhu Yunrong, absolutely forbidding him from doing anything unpredictable.

“I understand,” Dongqing lowered her head and replied.

“Also...” Lady Lü’s tone turned even icier and more indifferent. “They have a habit of using incense over there. Send some of the same incense that my father once brought in. It’s the same kind that Sister Chang used back then.”

Dongqing was slightly startled by this, but she quickly composed herself. Such matters were simply to be noted. “Yes!”

“Go,” Lady Lü waved her hand dismissively.

Only after seeing Dongqing leave to make arrangements did some of Lady Lü’s unease dissipate. The shock and threat posed by Zhu Yunrong had deeply unsettled her.

Looking at Zhu Yunwen trembling beside her, she sternly said, “What are you afraid of? Stop shaking and stand straight. Early tomorrow morning, go greet the Emperor. Remember, you’re no less than Zhu Yunrong.”

“I understand,” Zhu Yunwen responded obediently. Without Lady Lü’s guidance, he had little will of his own, especially in such crucial matters.

—

Lan Yu and the others left the palace and gathered at the residence of the Duke of Liangguo.

A group of military generals from Huai West sat silently in the hall, having been there for a long time, discussing two pressing matters: how to help Zhu Yunrong seize the succession, and how to survive under the butcher’s blade of Zhu the Butcher.

Earlier, Zhu Yunrong had revealed some inside information that served as a warning to them all. They all felt as though a slaughterer's knife hung precariously over their heads.

—

Despite their deliberations, the group of warriors could devise no plan and fell into silence.

“Feng Sheng, damn it! You’re the most educated among us. Give us a solution quickly!” Fu Youde, Duke of Yingguo, couldn’t hold back and nudged Feng Sheng, who sat beside him. Among them, Feng Sheng was the only one both brave and resourceful.

“In fact, these two issues can be regarded as one,” Feng Sheng hesitated but spoke up. “As long as we help the Third Imperial Grandson seize the succession, we won’t die. Both problems can be solved together.”

“That makes sense,” Chang Sheng acknowledged the importance of the succession to them. “The key is, how do we help the Third Imperial Grandson seize the throne?”

Feng Sheng glanced at Lan Yu and asked, “Duke of Liangguo, do you know why the Third Imperial Grandson just slapped you?”

“I was rude, disrespectful, and shouted at the court without distinction,” Lan Yu admitted, not fully realizing where he went wrong.

“That was a mistake,” Feng Sheng analyzed. “The Third Imperial Grandson must have been hiding his true ability before. He’s actually smarter than all of us. He hit you for your own good and his own. In fact, he saved you.”

“Damn it, can’t you just say it plainly?” Lan Yu was getting dizzy from Feng Sheng’s roundabout explanation—what was meant for his own good and for Zhu Yunrong, he couldn’t grasp it immediately. These military men were used to cursing openly and found nothing strange about it.

Feng Sheng was speechless.

“Simply put, if the Crown Prince were still alive, Duke of Liangguo, your arrogance would be self-damaging because the Crown Prince could keep you in check.”

“But now that the Crown Prince is gone, if you continue to be so arrogant, His Majesty might worry that neither the Second nor the Third Imperial Grandson can control you.”

“If you want to help the Third Imperial Grandson seize the throne, you must first change.”

“You’re too domineering. Interference by the imperial relatives in politics is the last thing His Majesty wishes to see.”

Hearing this, Lan Yu finally understood.

“It seems that’s the case.”

“I admit, I’ve been a bit overbearing,” Lan Yu said awkwardly but thick-skinned, “I’ll change immediately.”

This was a matter concerning the survival of their Huai West faction—they had to reform.

“What next?” asked Marquis Dingyuan, Wang Bi.

“Next, we do whatever the Third Imperial Grandson orders. No matter what happens, we obey him,” Feng Sheng said after some thought. “And that’s all. Don’t meddle in anything else.”

—

“That simple?” Marquis Jingchuan, Cao Zhen, was taken aback. “Duke of Yingguo, don’t lie to us. Seizing the succession isn’t that easy.”

Feng Sheng smiled helplessly. “It is that simple. Our main role is to support the Third Imperial Grandson. As for the succession itself, that’s his affair—we can’t interfere much. To put it plainly, His Majesty decides who to appoint. Can we change His Majesty’s mind? Of course not!”

“If the Third Imperial Grandson wants to become heir, he must prove himself.”

“We follow his plans and behave obediently. That’s enough. Never cross the line.”

“You don’t understand His Majesty. He wants to choose by himself, not have us choose for him.”

“And don’t forget the Duke of Liangguo.”

Feng Sheng looked at Lan Yu again. “That slap was a reminder from the Third Imperial Grandson—you must not be a hindrance to him.”

They all found this reasonable. Reflecting on Old Zhu’s personality, they nodded in agreement.

“I’ll change. I’ll change right now!” Lan Yu bit his teeth. “For the Third Imperial Grandson, I’ll do anything—even die without fear!”

He had resolved to give it his all.

After Feng Sheng’s conclusion, the Huai West generals dispersed to their duties or awaited Zhu Yunrong’s instructions.

—

Zhu Yunrong left the Qianqing Palace and, relying on memory, wandered this way and that until he finally returned to the Eastern Palace.

There was no other way—the Forbidden City was vast, and it was easy to get lost.

The Eastern Palace was now under Lady Lü’s control and was also called the Palace of Spring Harmony. Many plum trees grew in front of it. Entering through the Spring Harmony Gate and turning left led to the residence of Zhu Yunrong, his two elder sisters, and two younger sisters.

The location was not ideal, as the best quarters had long been occupied by the Crown Princess.

“Third Brother is back,” two palace maidens in court attire approached as Zhu Yunrong entered the courtyard.

Behind them were two girls just over ten years old.

The first two were Zhu Yunrong’s elder sisters: Princess Jiangdu Zhu Lingyue and Princess Yilun Zhu Lingyao.

The two younger girls were not Lady Chang’s biological daughters.

After Zhu Biao’s burial, all consorts except the Crown Princess had to accompany him in death. These two girls were daughters of other consorts but were surely despised by Lady Lü and thus assigned to live with Zhu Yunrong. Their names were Zhu Linghua and Zhu Lingxiu.

They were close only to Zhu Yunrong and accompanied him as he came out.