Imperial power, this supreme absolute authority, once acquired, becomes impossible to relinquish. The greatest fear is losing it. One would rather die than give it up.

If given another chance to travel back to the past, the current Emperor Jianwen would not stop that pot of poisoned wine.

Both mother and son were master actors. In the days that followed, Emperor Jianwen continued visiting Cining Palace whenever he had time, continuing the performance of maternal kindness and filial devotion. But he ordered Hu Shanwei to thoroughly investigate everyone around the two-year-old Crown Prince, dismissing from the palace any wet nurses who had husbands and children outside, because having attachments meant fatal weaknesses.

The unsuspecting Empress Ma rarely questioned her husband’s decisions: “Your Majesty, although the Crown Prince no longer nurses, he’s only two years old and very dependent on his three wet nurses. He needs them to coax him to nap. If they all suddenly disappear, I fear the Crown Prince will be heartbroken. At least keep one. Once the Crown Prince gradually adapts, we can dismiss her at year’s end.”

Look at that—both are mothers, yet what a difference! The Empress wholeheartedly considers her son, while my mother wants to kill me…

Emperor Jianwen said gently, “What use is growing up in women’s hands? Moreover, the Crown Prince isn’t an ordinary child—he’s the heir apparent and must be trained accordingly. What can wet nurses teach him? Better to select several virtuous and talented tutors for him, then choose boys around five years old from scholarly and noble families to enter the palace as his companions. Have teachers teach them a few characters daily—no need to learn writing yet, just recognition. Children learning together is better than letting him play with illiterate young eunuchs, which would corrupt his character.”

Empress Ma was a virtuous wife and loving mother. Thinking her husband made sense, she could only agree: “Then we’ll have the wet nurses leave while the Crown Prince naps, so he won’t see them directly. At such a young age, he shouldn’t have to endure the pain of separation.”

Emperor Jianwen put his arm around Empress Ma’s shoulder: “I understand. Court Lady Hu is familiar with the major families in the capital. You and she should select wives with appropriately-aged sons to enter the palace, having them bring their children along. Host banquets to entertain them, observe the children’s character and temperament, and keep suitable ones to study and play with the Crown Prince. Little boys prefer being with children their own age. In a few days, the Crown Prince will forget the wet nurses.”

Hearing this, Empress Ma knew her son would inevitably go through this phase sooner or later. Though reluctant, she could only let go.

Having persuaded Empress Ma, Emperor Jianwen instructed Hu Shanwei: “When selecting boys as study companions this time, you must ensure the grandson of the Lu family patriarch is chosen, along with heir-grandsons from major wealthy and noble families in the capital.”

Hearing this, Hu Shanwei immediately understood Emperor Jianwen’s intention. Though called study companions, they were actually disguised “hostages.” These boys of noble birth, carrying their families’ deep hopes, would eat, live, and play with the Crown Prince. If anyone tried to harm him, they’d have to consider the collateral damage and face the vengeful fury of the families behind these boys.

Emperor Jianwen currently had only one son and didn’t want him to have the slightest mishap.

“Yes,” Hu Shanwei agreed, then asked, “Should we keep hiding this from the Empress? If we told her, she could be on guard daily.”

Emperor Jianwen shook his head: “The Empress… is not the former Empress Xiaoci. Given her current capabilities, it’s better she doesn’t know. If the Empress slips up, we’d go from darkness to light and fall into passivity.”

Empress Ma was selected under Emperor Gaozhu’s new policy of “selecting from among the people, marrying into farming families”—a commoner empress. She had the virtues of the common class: gentle and virtuous, not causing trouble or seizing power, following her husband’s lead. But she also had the limitations of her class, lacking any political struggle experience. In the cruel game of power, her ability to assist her husband was extremely limited.

Empress Ma was personally selected by Hu Shanwei, so she naturally had to speak well of her: “No one is born knowing how to be an empress with ease. The Empress still needs experience. Not making mistakes at present is already very good. I believe after this incident, the Empress will quickly mature and stand alongside Your Majesty, withstanding the pressure.”

With an extremely controlling mother, Emperor Jianwen needed an obedient empress. Otherwise, caught between two fronts, even an iron man couldn’t bear it. Empress Ma had her own merits—one thing conquers another, like brine solidifying tofu. Empress Ma’s shortcomings weren’t problematic in Emperor Jianwen’s view.

Mentioning his wife brought some warmth to Emperor Jianwen’s cold eyes. He sighed: “As a husband, I should shield my wife and children from wind and rain. I privately wish the Empress could remain so serene forever—I’ll handle all the demons and monsters outside. Unfortunately, being in the imperial family, even I have moments of oversight. At such times, the Empress needs self-protection abilities. But recognizing reality inevitably brings harm. Sigh, I’m conflicted—hoping the Empress won’t mature so quickly, yet hoping she’ll mature soon. Just like the Crown Prince—I hope he’ll grow up quickly, yet hope he won’t grow up.”

The last sentence touched Hu Shanwei’s maternal instincts. Missing her daughter A’Lei, she couldn’t help saying, “Yes, all parents think similarly.”

After speaking, Hu Shanwei immediately regretted it, thinking she mustn’t reveal anything.

Fortunately, Emperor Jianwen’s attention was always on himself and didn’t notice. His expression turned cold again: “But some parents have no qualifications to be parents at all.”

Naturally referring to the Empress Dowager.

Emperor Jianwen suppressed the iron stele’s appearance at Prince Xiang’s mansion by declaring it supernatural trickery and alarmist talk, promising severe punishment for anyone spreading rumors to bewitch people.

Simultaneously, to divert “firepower,” Emperor Jianwen deliberately raised the question of whether the palace’s ground subsidence meant relocating the capital or choosing new feng shui treasured land to build another capital, having ministers discuss it.

With this two-pronged approach, the iron stele incident finally concluded, with resentment once again lying dormant, waiting for a more violent eruption.

During the following autumn and winter seasons, Hu Shanwei and Empress Ma hosted banquets to select study companions for the Crown Prince. Besides the Lu family’s legitimate grandson, they finally selected: Xu Xianzong, legitimate eldest grandson of Duke Weiguo Xu Huizu; Mu Xi, youngest son of Duke Qianguo Mu Sheng; Geng Jun, grandson of Marquis Changxing Geng Bingwen—Princess Jiangdu’s son. Princess Jiangdu was Emperor Jianwen’s full sister from the same mother who married the heir of Marquis Changxing in Hongwu 27, making Geng Jun the Crown Prince’s first cousin; and Li Xuan, legitimate grandson of Duke Cao Li Jinlong.

These four young companions represented the future of the capital’s four great families. Besides that, they were all relatives—all connected as cousins: Princess Jiangdu’s son Geng Jun was the Crown Prince’s first cousin; the late second wife of Duke Weiguo’s mansion, née Mu, was Duke Qianguo Mu Sheng’s sister; and Duke Qianguo’s grand lady née Geng was Marquis Changxing’s legitimate eldest daughter.

These connections formed a circle like kinship ties. Emperor Gaozhu was like Sun Wukong in “Journey to the West,” using his golden staff to draw a circle for the powerless Emperor Jianwen, like Tang Sanzang, binding the four great families together as a power ring. As long as this four-ring circle remained unbroken, it could preserve Emperor Jianwen’s throne.

Having finalized the companion list with Empress Ma, Hu Shanwei secretly marveled at Emperor Gaozhu’s far-sightedness. Every marriage he arranged had deep significance, preparing for the future four great trusted ministers. The four great families were deeply intertwined, with all benefits ultimately flowing to the Eastern Palace.

Actually, Emperor Gaozhu left five rings—the Guo family of Marquis Wuding fell out of favor because: first, they lacked successors and outstanding generals; second, because Miss Guo the Elder married Prince Ying, and Miss Guo the Second was elevated to Prince Yan’s mansion as the heir’s secondary consort, they repeatedly chose the wrong side and hedged their bets everywhere. Therefore, Emperor Jianwen disliked them, causing the Guo family’s decline and lack of employment. Five rings became four rings.

Emperor Jianwen so easily abandoned the Guo family, which had produced two marquises and one prince consort. Though the Guo family was far from its former glory, a centipede dies hard. The Guo family’s various relatives and old subordinate friends were scattered throughout the Ming army. Ji Gang seized this opportunity to secretly win over the Guo family.

Seeing Emperor Jianwen too lazy to even “rescue” their family, just discarding them like a rag, the Guo family felt displeased. Moreover, Miss Guo the Second served as secondary consort in Prince Yan’s mansion, where both the heir and his primary consort treated her very well. Though only a secondary consort, her status was transcendent—she addressed the primary consort Zhang as sister, enjoying quasi-equal wife status.

How did the Guo family rise to prominence?

By offering beautiful women! Years ago, the Guo family ancestor had keen eyes for heroes. Besides having two sons follow Emperor Gaozhu in conquering the realm, they also sent Noble Consort Duanjing née Guo to warm Zhu Yuanzhang’s bed, demonstrating loyalty. With both sons being capable fighters and having their sister’s connections as guarantee, Zhu Yuanzhang confidently used the Guo brothers, giving the Guo family their later prominent status.

The Guo family thought: the old master gambled once and won. When it’s our generation’s turn to place bets, why not learn from the old master and gamble again? Thus, through Ji Gang’s connections, the Guo family aligned with Prince Yan, becoming inside agents.

Emperor Gaozhu’s five rings for Emperor Jianwen immediately lost one ring.

Ah… four rings, you have one less ring than five rings!

Anyway, Emperor Jianwen felt it didn’t matter—four rings were sufficient.

Seeing Emperor Jianwen’s action, Mu Chun was greatly disappointed. This was self-destructing the Great Wall at a prodigal’s pace. Such an important military family as the Guo—since Emperor Gaozhu didn’t exterminate them entirely like the Chang and Feng families but left them as one of the capital’s rare old noble families, there must have been a reason. Otherwise, Emperor Gaozhu would have uprooted the Guo family long ago.

Such an important family should be firmly grasped and used for oneself, yet instead it was neglected, shelved, and allowed to be lured away by Prince Yan.

Originally, Mu Chun had been fence-sitting, thinking whoever became emperor would still be from the Zhu family, so he could just watch the tigers fight from the mountain. But now seeing Emperor Jianwen’s frequent blunders and complete unsuitability for rulership, even if he used his throne’s natural advantage to eliminate all imperial uncles, he still couldn’t sit firmly on the throne. Continuing to squander Emperor Gaozhu’s foundation this way, the Northern Yuan would eventually return, and the Central Plains would suffer disaster again.

At Xiaoling.

Under Princess Huaiqing’s arrangements, the couple Mu Chun and Hu Shanwei were able to meet.

Mu Chun shared his thoughts with his wife: “I used to think hedging bets was safest, but now there’s no need. You decided to avenge Court Lady Fan, playing both sides between the Empress Dowager and Emperor, which already puts you in opposition to the Emperor. Moreover, given how the Emperor first persuaded Court Lady Fan to abandon the poisoned wine, then afterward secretly assassinated her in the shipwreck, once the Emperor eliminates the Empress Dowager and Prince Heng’s forces, he’ll likely target you next—you’ll be the next Court Lady Fan.”

“You’re my wife. Whichever side you stand on, I stand on. You point somewhere, I strike there. You want revenge, I’ll hand you the knife. If enemies want to silence you, I’ll unite with the enemy’s enemies to save you. With this merit of supporting the dragon, we’ll secure peace for our family of three in the future.”

“We’re doing this to protect A’Lei’s lifelong peace. Otherwise, with a foolish ruler in the future, mountains and rivers shattered, people unable to make a living, Yunnan would also be in great chaos. Wouldn’t all my hard work in Yunnan be wasted? We’ll endure two more years, complete our mission, then return to reunite with A’Lei. Father-in-law is very good at caring for children—don’t worry. Currently, Kunming is safer than the capital.”

Hu Shanwei wanted revenge and to change the situation where female officials were always controlled by others and became cannon fodder. Mu Chun never forgot Yunnan—this fertile land he’d worked so hard to transform from wilderness, along with 2.5 million new immigrants, to which he’d devoted his entire youth.

The couple finally determined their future direction, maintaining consistency. But thinking of A’Lei made both feel heartbroken and guilty. Though Mu Chun verbally advised his wife to be at ease, he himself constantly worried about their daughter, only maintaining a relaxed attitude before his wife to prevent her from seeing his anxiety and worry.

Hu Shanwei also restrained herself from indulging in anxiety. Even though she dreamed of A’Lei at night and cried her pillow wet, before Mu Chun she always appeared calm and composed, never letting her husband see a single tear.

At this meeting, she actually wanted to persuade her husband to return to Kunming to accompany A’Lei. She was skilled at maneuvering in the fame and fortune arena with ease—even without her husband’s help, she could handle things independently. But before she could speak, Mu Chun first explained his plans. He didn’t want to continue hiding and living his small life when the Ming Dynasty faced chaos. He was a general who had participated in the Northern Expedition and Southern Campaign. Though retired for three years, his soldier’s passion remained uncoled.

From Hu Shanwei’s decision to investigate Court Lady Fan’s death in Yangzhou, to entering the palace to continue as Court Lady, to deciding to be a double agent using others’ strength against them, provoking internal strife between the Empress Dowager and Emperor Jianwen to avenge Court Lady Fan—whatever decisions Hu Shanwei made, Mu Chun never used moral blackmail about maternal duties to make her return home to care for their daughter.

Because Mu Chun knew that although Hu Shanwei had married him and borne a daughter, besides being a wife and mother, she was also herself. She had her own career and ideals, her own principles of repaying kindness with kindness and revenge with revenge.

Even in today’s world five hundred years later, a mother who chooses to temporarily leave home to complete career and mission would be accused of being “heartless,” “not caring for family,” “unfit to be a mother,” and other criticisms—let alone in this feudal era where women’s only duty was supporting husbands and raising children.

Hu Shanwei was moved by this. She and Mu Chun’s love originated from being kindred spirits who understood each other’s difficulties and could empathize. Just as Mu Chun “grew younger” after becoming a father, playing with A’Lei like a child, Hu Shanwei never stopped him but indulged him like she indulged A’Lei, because she knew Mu Chun was using A’Lei’s childhood to heal his own childhood regrets.

Therefore, Hu Shanwei swallowed the prepared words about Mu Chun returning home to care for A’Lei, saying instead: “Good. You go ahead and do what you want to do—don’t worry about me. We must both complete our tasks well, then return home together to accompany A’Lei. We’ll briefly be absent from her early years—I hope we won’t miss her childhood.”

Finding a kindred spirit in life, then marrying them—what more could one want? This was probably love’s most beautiful form.

Hu Shanwei said: “For you to pledge allegiance to Prince Yan, you need credentials to prove your value. Go tell Prince Yan that his mansion’s clerk Ge Cheng is Emperor Jianwen’s planted spy, frequently sending secret reports to the palace. I discovered this in the rear palace’s inner study.”

In winter, the companions entered the Eastern Palace to study with the Crown Prince.

Due to winter’s cold, especially Prince Yan’s location in the bitter northern lands, the troops Emperor Jianwen controlled were mostly southern armies unsuitable for winter warfare. Therefore, Emperor Jianwen temporarily suspended reducing the most feared Prince Yan due to weather, planning to act when the weather warmed.

Soon it was New Year’s Day again. The Ming officially entered the Jianwen era, formally launching the new reign title. This year was Jianwen Year One.

Emperor Jianwen announced a general amnesty and released a thousand palace servants. With departures came arrivals—including official slaves and newly selected palace maids and young eunuchs, about two hundred new people entered the rear palace, including the trusted assassins the Empress Dowager required Hu Shanwei to bring in.

Hu Shanwei acted according to plan, cooperating with Emperor Jianwen to gradually spread the net.

With spring’s warmth and blooming flowers, warmer weather arrived—time for Prince Yan’s mansion to go bankrupt.

Just as Emperor Jianwen and Duke Cao Li Jinlong were discussing what excuse to use for reducing Prince Yan, news came from distant Beiping that Prince Yan had suffered a stroke and was dying. His mouth and nose were crooked, he couldn’t speak, and he was already a useless person.

Princess Yan née Xu wrote a memorial with blood and tears, begging Emperor Jianwen to allow their four children to return to Beiping to see their father one last time. She also said the Emperor governed through filial piety, respectfully and dutifully serving the Empress Dowager as a model of filial sons worldwide, begging the Emperor to fulfill the four children’s filial duty.

Besides this, Princess Huaiqing and other imperial family members also entered the palace to plead for Princess Yan, asking Emperor Jianwen to let his nephews and nieces return to see Prince Yan one last time.

Prince Yan’s stroke happened precisely when the mansion clerk Ge Cheng was delivering documents. Prince Yan had just opened the documents to read carefully when he suddenly fell from his chair, his mouth and nose crooked, convulsing uncontrollably. Ge Cheng was so frightened he shouted for help.

Since Ge Cheng witnessed it personally, there was no suspicion. Even before Princess Yan memorialized the Emperor, he had already sent intelligence about Prince Yan’s stroke to the capital.

Emperor Jianwen was delighted—truly finding a pillow when sleepy! He hadn’t even acted yet, and Prince Yan had already fallen. Once Prince Yan died, what waves could the young Prince Yan heir and second son create?

Heaven was truly helping him!

However, Emperor Jianwen didn’t relax his vigilance. Before releasing the four people, he sent trusted officials—Beiping Provincial Administration Commissioner Zhang Bing and Beiping Guard Command Xie Gui, one civil and one military—to visit the stroke-stricken Prince Yan Zhu Di.

By now it was early summer, with people wearing only single garments, but Prince Yan wore a sable fur coat, with a brazier burning. He lay on a couch beside the brazier, constantly shivering and trembling: “Cold… cold…”

Beside him, Princess Yan née Xu used a handkerchief to wipe the crystal-clear drool flowing from Prince Yan’s twisted mouth corner: “My prince can no longer form sentences, only saying ‘cold.’ There’s no choice but to light braziers in summer. Daily relying on thousand-year ginseng from Goryeo to sustain life, barely holding on to see the four children before closing his eyes.”

Zhang Bing and Xie Gui reported to Emperor Jianwen: Prince Yan was truly finished.

Only then did Emperor Jianwen release his four cousins.

Jianwen Year One, seventh month, sixth day: the stroke-stricken Prince Yan Zhu Di, near death, miraculously recovered after seeing his four children. He declared treacherous ministers controlled the court, persecuting the imperial family, and raised troops to serve the king, historically known as the Jingnan Campaign!