Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Emperor’s Midnight Summons

Deep in the night, within the Imperial Palace.

The sky was clear with sparse stars. The Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di, dressed in grey-white cotton robes cinched with a golden cord, lay on his side atop a small daybed. Draped in a golden-hued dragon quilt, he was reviewing memorials. Piles of documents surrounded the daybed, stacked so high they nearly threatened to submerge the Emperor himself.

Nearby, a group of ministers huddled around tables, working through various administrative tasks. Though it was late, none dared to leave; they forced themselves to stay alert, struggling to keep pace with their hardworking sovereign, the Yongle Emperor.

The Emperor scanned a memorial, his mood souring with every line. While the work was handled competently, it was precisely that competence that fueled his irritation.

*Thwack.* The Emperor slammed the folder shut and tossed it onto the floor.

Xiao Biti, the eunuch in attendance, hurried over with soft, practiced steps. He bent down to retrieve the memorial, placing it onto the stack of documents already reviewed by the Emperor.

The Emperor’s face was dark with fury. He opened another memorial, read only a glance, and slammed it shut once more.

*Thwack.* The sound echoed as the folder was tossed carelessly onto the daybed.

"Where is the Crown Prince? Bring him to me at once!" The Yongle Emperor rose from his daybed, bellowing in rage.

Xiao Biti hurried to the Emperor’s side, staring in astonishment at the sudden outburst.

"Your Majesty, it is deep into the night. His Highness the Crown Prince is not in the palace," Xiao Biti said, inwardly exasperated. You refuse to sleep and are making everyone suffer, and now you want the Crown Prince? Where am I supposed to find him at this hour? Am I to go to the Crown Prince’s mansion and drag him here?

"Go bring the Crown Prince to me." Xiao Biti’s suspicion was confirmed; the Emperor, in his foul mood, simply wanted to see his plump son.

"As you command." With no other choice, Xiao Biti bowed respectfully, preparing to rouse the Crown Prince.

"And bring the Prince of Han as well!" As Xiao Biti turned to leave, the Emperor’s deep, resonant voice rang out again.

"As you command." Xiao Biti paused, turned back to bow, and accepted the further order.

He hurried out, treading lightly as he passed the ministers, not wanting to disturb those who were already working overtime through the night.

***

Emerging from the palace gates, Xiao Biti looked up at the clear moon and sighed in resignation. He led a group of eunuchs out into the night.

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhanhe, having just finished his nocturnal activities with two beautiful maids, was feeling restless. He was contemplating checking on his giant crocodile to see how close it was to the port when he heard a commotion outside.

He sat up, straining to listen, but the noise was too jumbled to decipher.

*Knock, knock, knock.* "Young Master, it is me, Xiao Xizi."

Zhu Zhanhe rose immediately, pulling on a robe from the wardrobe. The two maids were fast asleep, completely undisturbed by the knocking.

"Enter," Zhu Zhanhe commanded after donning his grey robe.

"Young Master!" Xiao Xizi entered and bowed respectfully.

"What is happening out there?" Zhu Zhanhe was in a foul mood, his desires unfulfilled and his sleep interrupted. His voice was thick with irritation.

"Young Master, Eunuch Xiao Biti from the palace has arrived. He says the Prince must enter the palace immediately!" Sensing the oppressive atmosphere and his master’s foul mood, Xiao Xizi spoke with a trembling voice, bowing low to explain.

"What? Enter the palace now?" Zhu Zhanhe was startled. A summons at this hour was rarely a good sign. He did not notice Xiao Xizi’s distress.

"Help me dress." Without hesitation, he ordered Xiao Xizi to assist him.

As he dressed, Zhu Zhanhe’s brow remained furrowed, his mind racing through potential reasons for the summons. The air in the room felt heavy.

Xiao Xizi, though terrified by the atmosphere, worked with frantic efficiency to groom his master and dress him.

When Zhu Zhanhe reached the main hall, the Prince of Han and the Princess were already there.

"Father, Mother, Eunuch Yi (Xiao Biti)," Zhu Zhanhe greeted them.

"Young Master of Han." Xiao Biti was stunned by the sight of the robust, imposing young man. He had not seen him in some time, and Zhu Zhanhe had grown into a figure whose presence held a dignity reminiscent of the Yongle Emperor himself.

"He'er, why are you here? My father has summoned me; I will go, you stay here with your mother," the Prince of Han, Zhu Gaoxu, said. Though he was puzzled and wary of his father’s midnight summons, he remained unruffled, offering words of comfort to his wife and son.

Princess Wei said nothing, focusing intently on smoothing her husband’s robes, checking everything from his collar and belt to his jade pendant.

"Your Highness, please do not worry. The Emperor has also summoned the Crown Prince. It is likely just to discuss matters regarding the military campaign," Xiao Biti said, sensing the Princess’s anxiety. He had already been to the Crown Prince’s mansion, and the Prince was already on his way.

"That is good, that is good." Hearing that the Crown Prince was involved, Princess Wei breathed a sigh of relief. The Crown Prince was a benevolent man; with him present, her husband’s life would at least be secure.

"Let us go." The Prince of Han, feigning indifference, patted his wife’s hand and gave his son a reassuring look before heading out.

"Princess, Young Master, the Emperor is waiting. I must take my leave," Xiao Biti said, hurrying after the Prince.

"He'er...!" Watching her husband depart, Princess Wei finally broke down, tears welling in her eyes. She knew her husband had done much to seize the throne; if something went wrong, what would become of their family? What would become of her son?

"My Lady, the Prince will surely be fine," the attendant Xiu'er comforted her.

"Mother, do not worry. Father will be fine; my Uncle is there," Zhu Zhanhe said, comforting his mother.

"How can I not worry? It is all for that position—what is so good about it? Nothing good comes from a midnight summons like this!" Princess Wei lamented.

"Mother, my grandfather will not do anything extreme. He abhors the slaughter of his own kin. With my uncle there, the worst-case scenario is merely that my father will be stripped of his military power and sent back to his fiefdom," Zhu Zhanhe reasoned. He recalled the history; the Prince of Han would not meet his end until the Xuande era. There was no danger tonight.

"Returning to the fiefdom would be good... yes, that would be good," Princess Wei murmured to herself.

Seeing his mother’s distress, Zhu Zhanhe decided not to return to sleep, choosing instead to stay and wait for his father’s return.