Chapter Seventeen: Father, Why Is Grandfather Troubling Uncle?

Watching his father, whose mind was already somewhat clouded by emotion, Zhu Zhanhe felt a deep sense of unease. He decided to ease his father’s tension a little, hoping to bring him back to clarity.

“Father, are you saying that just now Grandfather took away all the memorials submitted during Uncle’s regency?” Zhu Zhanhe set down the snack he was holding, leisurely sipped a cup of tea, then approached his father. Gently taking his father’s hand, he helped him sit down and asked softly.

“Of course! He took every single one! I saw it with my own eyes! At that time, your uncle even assured me that the Emperor would never doubt him. No sooner had he spoken than the little eunuch came with an imperial edict, immediately confiscated everything, and placed him under house arrest. You should have seen your uncle’s face—it turned ashen on the spot, and his legs nearly gave way,” Prince Han Zhu Gaozhu said firmly. His eyebrows twitched as he spoke animatedly, unable to hide his excitement.

“Father, why would Grandfather take all the memorials from Uncle’s regency period?” Zhu Zhanhe poured a cup of tea for his father and handed it to him, continuing in a gentle tone.

Prince Han took the tea and drank deeply, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

“That’s obvious. It means your Grandfather no longer trusts your uncle! He’s looking for faults!” After drinking the tea, Prince Han was in good spirits. Seeing his son not opposing him over his own ambitions for power, a satisfied smile appeared on his face. He looked seriously at his son and patiently explained.

“You all may leave now!” Zhu Zhanhe glanced at his father and then at his equally pleased mother. Feeling somewhat helpless, he shook his head and called out to the many attendants, maids, and guards nearby, instructing them to leave.

“Hmm?” After his order, the attendants all hesitated, looking at one another with no one moving. Dissatisfied, Zhu Zhanhe frowned. What? Am I the heir apparent and yet can’t even manage you servants? Telling you to leave is ineffective?

He then furrowed his brows deeply and swept his gaze critically over everyone present. Even Prince Han felt an oppressive aura descend, as if the very air had thinned, making it hard to breathe. The others around him were even more affected.

With a clatter, objects fell and maids and eunuchs dropped to their knees like quail, heads bowed low, not daring to look up. The overwhelming pressure felt like a fierce beast watching them closely, ready to tear them apart at the slightest movement.

“Leave now,” Zhu Zhanhe’s voice rang out again through the silence. It was as if a heavenly sound had dispelled the tension, making the maids and eunuchs feel as if everything just moments ago was a mere illusion.

Without hesitation, all the servants rose silently and left swiftly, their steps light and purposeful, no trace of the earlier hesitation.

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“Zhanhe? You—” Princess Wei looked at her son in shock. She had never seen him so imposing and filled with authority. She had witnessed the wrath of the Yongle Emperor, her father-in-law, but nothing compared to this overwhelming presence her son just displayed.

“Mother, I’m fine. I was just talking to Father. Listen and see if what I said makes sense,” Zhu Zhanhe replied with a bright smile, instantly easing the atmosphere. Prince Han, standing nearby, felt the air around him lighten.

“What do you want to say?” Prince Han Zhu Gaozhu was still shaken by his son’s earlier display. Now regaining composure, his gaze toward his son was filled with a complex mix of contemplation, joy, and gravity. He tried to reach for his tea but grasped at empty air, then resignedly stroked his beard.

“Father, let’s return to our Yunnan fief,” Zhu Zhanhe said earnestly, kneeling before Prince Han.

“What? Why? Grandfather has already started investigating eldest uncle—that’s my chance! And yours too!” Prince Han was distressed over two things: first, his son’s dedication to scholarly Daoist studies; second, his constant desire to return to their fief. Now, looking at his beloved son with confusion and frustration, he couldn’t understand why his son insisted on leaving despite the chance to become Crown Prince and ultimately Emperor.

“Father, on the battlefield, you command with strategy spanning thousands of miles. But in the matter of the crown prince’s seat, you’ve lost your way. From the start, you were doomed to fail! Don’t you realize?” Zhu Zhanhe looked at his father with a mix of frustration and disappointment, speaking truths that Prince Han could barely accept.

“You’re talking nonsense! Grandfather promised me!” Prince Han snapped, standing up and shouting at his son.

“And what exactly did Grandfather say?” Zhu Zhanhe smiled bitterly, standing calmly to ask.

“He said: ‘The heir apparent is ill; you must encourage him.’ Grandfather said this to me personally. He gave me his word!” Prince Han hesitated at first but soon fixed his gaze toward the palace, resolute.

Prince Han’s words shocked Princess Wei, who quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief, staring at her husband in stunned disbelief.

“Father, you said Grandfather took all the memorials from eldest uncle’s regency to examine them thoroughly, looking for faults. Does that mean he no longer trusts eldest uncle?” Zhu Zhanhe calmly asked his father, who was steadfast as if a fanatic.

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“That’s no lie. I saw it with my own eyes!” Prince Han spoke with certainty.

“Father, have you ever wondered why Grandfather is looking for faults with eldest uncle? Why he distrusts him?” Zhu Zhanhe came back to his father’s side and helped him sit down, continuing his questioning.

“Hmm??” Prince Han frowned, puzzled by his son’s line of thought.

“Father, have you thought about what kind of person needs others to find fault with him?” Zhu Zhanhe paused, then continued.

“It’s because my eldest uncle has no real problems that Grandfather is trying to find trouble! If eldest uncle had issues, Grandfather wouldn’t need to search so hard—any excuse would suffice to deal with him directly!

Because eldest uncle is without fault, Grandfather had to seize all the memorials, hoping to find even the smallest mistake to hold him accountable. Do you understand, Father? It’s precisely because there are no problems that he needs to look for them!” Zhu Zhanhe’s voice rose with emotion, startling Prince Han, who had never considered the matter from this perspective.

“Father, do you know why Grandfather is hunting for eldest uncle’s faults?” Zhu Zhanhe exhaled deeply to steady himself, then looked at his father with a questioning expression.

“Let me tell you,” he said, stepping closer to Prince Han with solemn seriousness.

“Father, Grandfather is trying to suppress eldest uncle, using his authority to bolster his own; he distrusts him because eldest uncle’s influence in court is immense and frightening. Eldest uncle commands the largest faction in the entire government—no one else comes close, not even Grandfather,” Zhu Zhanhe said, words that left Prince Han shocked, fearful, and bewildered. But he wasn’t finished yet—today, he intended to wake his father fully to the truth.