When the first snow of Jianwen’s second year fell on the Great Ming rear palace, Empress Ma gave birth.
After losing his mother and brother, adding a new family member brought Emperor Jianwen immense comfort. Emperor Jianwen rarely suspended court for a day to wait outside the delivery room. From when Empress Ma showed signs of labor, Emperor Jianwen began fasting. The rear palace avoided slaughter and meat, and bows and arrows were hung at the main gate, awaiting the imperial heir’s birth.
Auspicious snow heralded a prosperous year—Emperor Jianwen felt this child would bring good fortune to the Great Ming.
Empress Ma didn’t disappoint, giving birth to a prince. With the Crown Prince from before, having two sons secured her position like the former Empress Ma—unshakeable by anyone.
Emperor Jianwen held the newborn, feeling the vitality unique to small infants. Combined with recent smooth reforms, he felt he was about to turn his fortunes around.
After reducing Jiangnan field taxes, Emperor Jianwen gained support from Jiangnan landlords, while opposition voices from other regions were deliberately filtered out by subordinate officials—this highlighted the benefits of the former Embroidered Uniform Guard. When they existed, Ancestral Emperor knew popular opinion like the palm of his hand—they were his ears and eyes.
Without the Embroidered Uniform Guard and no other intelligence organization established, officials seeking to please the new ruler blocked information channels. Emperor Jianwen couldn’t hear opposition voices, thinking he was right when actually he’d become deaf and blind.
Emperor Jianwen knew reducing taxes would enrich the people, benefiting commoners and raising his approval rating. But he only knew one aspect, not the other. Jiangnan had fertile land and convenient transportation, but land annexation was equally severe. Most farmers were tenants, with land ownership controlled by Jiangnan great landlords. Many court officials came from great landlord families, including Fang Xiaoru’s clan, whose family lands were so vast that collecting rent on horseback took a month to finish. So whether reducing taxes or eliminating Ministry of Personnel household registration barriers to allow southern officials into the Ministry, ultimately it all benefited southern officials while ordinary people gained little actual benefit.
Southern officials gained benefits in both political and financial arenas, naturally fully supporting both reforms. Emperor Jianwen heard only cheers and applause, while most people remained silent or their voices were suppressed by officials.
Regardless, Emperor Jianwen spent late Jianwen’s second year and early the following year amid newborn births, reform cheers, and successive northern expedition victories. Everything came too smoothly—he increasingly believed his judgment was correct.
Northern expedition Marshal Sheng Yong again took initiative, achieving great victory at Dongchang. The Yan army suffered crushing defeat, and Prince Yan nearly got captured alive. Fortunately, his subordinate general Zhang Yu fought bravely, charging into enemy formations to rescue Prince Yan while dying in battle himself.
When victory reports arrived, Emperor Jianwen rejoiced and specially presented victory reports at the Imperial Ancestral Temple to inform ancestors.
But while Temple offerings remained fresh, Prince Yan Zhu Di again convened an oath rally. Emulating Cao Cao cutting hair in ancient times, he removed and burned his robes on the spot, making solemn vows. Yan army morale soared as they quickly counterattacked, engaging Sheng Yong’s two hundred thousand southern troops with victories on both sides.
This time Prince Yan Zhu Di employed even more shameless, audacious tactics than Sheng Yong. During every attack, Prince Yan personally led from the front, accompanied by soldiers beating gongs, drums, and horns, loudly shouting “Prince Yan is here!” and Emperor Jianwen’s famous phrase “Do not let me bear the name of killing my uncle.”
During every retreat, Prince Yan also had soldiers withdraw first while he stayed to cover the rear, accompanied as usual by thunderous gongs and drums, shouting “My father is Ancestral Emperor!” and that phrase “Do not let me bear the name of killing my uncle.”
Prince Yan had turned this phrase into a death-exemption medallion. He clearly knew it meant they wanted him dead, not captured alive, yet deliberately misinterpreted it to make southern troops think Emperor Jianwen’s edict meant not to kill him—killing him would be defying imperial orders, punishable by death.
Not only that, every time Prince Yan charged into battle or covered retreats to protect Yan army withdrawal, he would ostentatiously broadcast this demonic BGM (background music) in brainwashing loops, letting all southern troops know he was there: I’m here, you dare not attack me, only I attack you, you cannot strike back—striking back means defying orders and losing your head.
For war, Prince Yan completely abandoned face, like Qiao Feng played by Felix Wong in the 1997 “Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,” who appeared like carrying a speaker playing Qiao Feng’s exclusive BGM. In his BGM, no one could defeat him.
Prince Yan was the same. In several clashes with Sheng Yong’s forces, whenever he appeared, horns preceded him, accompanied by “My father is Ancestral Emperor,” “Prince Yan is here,” and “Do not let me bear the name of killing my uncle”—like post-modern wellness rock mixed with rap. No matter how Prince Yan repeatedly charged through southern army formations, no southern soldiers dared strike back on the spot!
The most exaggerated instance was when Prince Yan led his BGM team forward to scout enemy positions—yes, after discovering this protective talisman worked well, Prince Yan simply took on all dangerous tasks himself, from scouting to charging to rear guard action, all personally handled.
During scouting, Prince Yan got too tired and fell asleep. When he woke, he and a dozen ceremonial soldiers playing BGM were surrounded by Sheng Yong’s hundred thousand southern troops.
Prince Yan, truly Ancestral Emperor’s son, calmly waved his hand. BGM played, and he actually swaggered through the hundred-thousand-strong southern army encirclement!
No one dared touch Prince Yan. Never mind arrows—they didn’t even dare pass gas, fearing the crime of “defying orders” and losing their heads.
Emperor Jianwen slapped his own face: Why can’t I control this mouth?
This shows how important speaking human language is. Ordinary people struggle to understand official language. Five hundred years later, a certain party proposed “Beat local tyrants, distribute land,” and a certain country’s presidential election saw a candidate with a distinctive local-supported-central hairstyle propose “Make [Country] Great Again”—both won support through concise, plain language.
Sheng Yong nearly vomited blood from anger. As commander, he naturally knew the real meaning of “Do not let me bear the name of killing my uncle,” but this hidden intent could only be understood, not spoken. In front of everyone, Sheng Yong dared not openly order arrows shot at Prince Yan!
After Prince Yan returned safely, he became even more unscrupulous. When armies clashed, wherever Prince Yan went, southern troops lowered flags and silenced drums, not daring to touch him. Only after knowing he’d left did they dare raise weapons to fight other Yan soldiers.
Last year Sheng Yong employed the audacious maneuver of hanging “Ancestral Emperor’s Sacred Tablet” above Jinan city walls, forcing Prince Yan not to fire cannons at his father’s tablet and retreat. Fighting poison with poison, defeating audacity with audacity.
Never expecting Prince Yan to have even fewer limits in audacious operations, using BGM tactics to turn defeat into victory, winning the great victory at Jiehe River while Sheng Yong suffered crushing defeat and had to retreat to Dezhou.
Southern army losses were severe—joy from recent victory got doused with cold water. The court plunged from celebration into panic. To appease anger, Emperor Jianwen had to again dismiss War Minister Qi Tai and Hanlin Academy Lecturer Huang Zicheng—because these two had recommended Sheng Yong as commander.
However, while officially dismissed, they actually left the capital with Emperor Jianwen’s edicts to recruit soldiers and gather provisions everywhere.
Yes, Emperor Jianwen wanted to reinforce Sheng Yong this time, letting southern armies quickly counterattack and achieve victory. But he discovered that after commanders Geng Bingwen, Li Jinglong, and Sheng Yong consecutively lost troops, he had no ready armies left to support southern forces.
With Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai gone, only Fang Xiaoru and others remained among testamentary ministers in the capital. Fang Xiaoru held greatest imperial favor and suggested to Emperor Jianwen: “Now Master Huang and Minister Qi are recruiting soldiers. Northern war situation is tense—we cannot wait for rice to cook! Better to first cease hostilities and negotiate, using delaying tactics.”
Emperor Jianwen shared this intention. Previously with absolute troop advantages they lost disastrously—now with drastically reduced forces, how could they fight? Simply negotiate!
Who knew that before Emperor Jianwen selected envoys, Prince Yan’s envoys had already reached the capital, ostentatiously proclaiming Prince Yan wanted negotiations!
Prince Yan was truly cunning, wanting to occupy moral high ground and prepare for future enthronement by creating propaganda offensives.
Prince Yan’s envoys claimed he only sought to purify the ruler’s side with absolutely no treasonous intent. As long as Fang Xiaoru, Huang Zicheng and others who destroyed ancestral institutions were handed over, Prince Yan would withdraw troops.
Facing Prince Yan envoys’ sky-high demands, Emperor Jianwen fell into passivity and could only counter-offer. With Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai out recruiting soldiers, Emperor Jianwen could only discuss countermeasures with Fang Xiaoru.
Fang Xiaoru responded generously and offered his head frankly: “Want this old minister’s head? No problem—take it freely. But first Prince Yan must personally come to the capital, lay down weapons, remove armor, then take this old minister’s head. For the Great Ming realm, this old minister’s life means nothing.”
Emperor Jianwen quickly said: “Absolutely not! Master Fang is a testamentary minister left by Ancestral Emperor—how can he be humiliated by Yan rebels? As long as we lure Prince Yan to the capital and capture him on the spot, Master Fang needn’t actually sacrifice his head. We’ll delay time while ordering southern troops to attack Yan forces from Liaodong—pincer attacks from both sides.”
Ruler and minister settled on counter-offers, having Grand Court of Judicial Review’s Junior Minister Xue convey them.
The “treacherous plan” discussed by ruler and minister was naturally written by Hu Shanwei on paper slips, sealed in wax pills, and smuggled out through chamber pots.
Seeing intelligence, Prince Yan laughed heartily: “Really taking me for a three-year-old child!” He ordered strengthened defense of Liaodong heartland. Southern troops had to abandon heartland surprise attacks.
Prince Yan’s envoys scolded the court for bad faith—ostensibly negotiating while secretly conducting shameless sneak attacks, cursing Fang Xiaoru as a treacherous minister misleading the sovereign.
Blushing furiously and unable to bear it anymore, Fang Xiaoru suggested to Emperor Jianwen: “Execute Prince Yan’s envoys as warning to others.”
Some ministers immediately suggested: “When armies battle, envoys aren’t executed—this is the rule.”
Fang Xiaoru coldly laughed: “You speak for Yan forces—are you Prince Yan’s spy? No wonder Prince Yan learned of our army’s Liaodong sneak attack—you spies leaked it!”
To protect his testamentary minister, Emperor Jianwen ordered Prince Yan’s envoys publicly executed.
Thus court-Prince Yan negotiations broke down. By executing envoys and breaking rules, the court again lost in public opinion.
Naturally, Emperor Jianwen couldn’t hear this—everyone around him said the execution was good.
With envoys executed, Prince Yan raged. Front-line top-secret intelligence reported that Huang Zicheng had recruited millions of shi in grain supplies to support Dezhou’s Sheng Yong army provisions, soon to be delivered.
Ji Gang secretly obtained six thousand southern army uniforms. Prince Yan ordered disguises as southern troops, successfully infiltrating to reach Pei County and burn southern army grain supplies. River fish and shrimp were cooked by flames. Huang Zicheng’s painstaking efforts were destroyed instantly.
In the capital, facing catastrophic news of intercepted grain supplies, Fang Xiaoru, repeatedly defeated yet fighting on, persevering after each defeat, offered another stratagem: have Emperor Jianwen write to Prince Yan’s heir Zhu Gaochi, promising the Prince Yan title if he’d submit to court and accuse his father Prince Yan Zhu Di as rebel, then grant him Beiping.
Also have Emperor Jianwen send someone Prince Yan could trust to leak to Prince Yan that his heir had already submitted to court.
Fang Xiaoru wanted Prince Yan and son to become enemies. This method had been used by Li Jinglong to sow discord between Prince Yan and his brother Prince Zhou and son. Back then Prince Zhou’s legitimate second son, jealous of his brother the heir, wrote letters reporting his own father and elder brother for treason, thus gaining Prince Zhou’s position. Caring only for personal wealth, he let all family members be demoted to commoners and confined in Fengyang.
Fang Xiaoru repeated old tricks, exploiting human nature’s dark side against Prince Yan: “…According to our army scout intelligence, Prince Yan’s heir Zhu Gaochi is obese and not good at warfare, always remaining in Beiping defending the city. Every time Prince Yan campaigns, he takes second son Zhu Gaoxu. Zhu Gaoxu fights bravely and once saved Prince Yan on battlefields. Prince Yan has repeatedly said publicly his second son most resembles him—clearly Prince Yan favors the second son. Wouldn’t Prince Yan’s heir be jealous and panicked?”
Emperor Jianwen hesitated momentarily: “What if Prince Yan’s heir doesn’t take the bait and refuses?”
Fang Xiaoru smiled: “As long as he opens and reads the letter, as long as Prince Yan knows the heir had contact with envoys Your Majesty sent, regardless of whether they believe it, a thorn will be planted in their hearts. With Prince Yan having his brother Prince Zhou as precedent, how can he not guard against his heir? With father-son estrangement, if Prince Yan’s heir guards Beiping while Prince Yan cannot attend to both ends, he’ll certainly fall into great chaos.”
Emperor Jianwen felt the stratagem feasible and immediately wrote a letter for envoys to deliver to Prince Yan’s heir in Beiping. The first step of the stratagem was complete, but the second step was difficult. After executing Prince Yan’s envoys last time, Prince Yan definitely wouldn’t trust him now. Whose words would he believe?
Emperor Jianwen thought left and right, thinking of one person—Princess Huaiqing.
Prince Yan’s brother Prince Zhou was raised by Princess Huaiqing’s mother Noble Consort Chengmu Sun, so they had good relations. Through love for the house extending to its crow, Prince Yan treated his sister Princess Huaiqing more warmly than other princesses. Prince Yan should believe Princess Huaiqing’s words.
So Emperor Jianwen summoned Princess Huaiqing, wanting her to write Prince Yan saying his heir had secretly submitted to court, warning Prince Yan to beware his own son to avoid repeating his brother’s mistakes.
Princess Huaiqing had long allied with Prince Yan. When Emperor Jianwen wanted her to sow discord between Prince Yan and his son, she appeared compliant, copying the letter Emperor Jianwen had prepared, affixing her private seal, and specially having trusted attendants travel thousands of li to deliver the letter to Prince Yan. Emperor Jianwen was very satisfied with Princess Huaiqing’s cooperation.
Princess Huaiqing said on surface this was what she should do, but secretly revealed Emperor Jianwen’s stratagem to warn Prince Yan.
Never repeat Fifth Brother Prince Zhou’s tragedy! Princess Huaiqing held even greater contempt for her nephew Emperor Jianwen. You killing each other, murdering your birth mother and brother was bad enough, but also wanting to incite other relatives to turn against each other—all your thoughts go toward crooked paths.
Beiping City.
Prince Yan’s heir Zhu Gaochi looked at the letter on his desk like a hot potato, reaching toward it several times only to immediately pull back.
He didn’t know what Emperor Jianwen’s personal letter contained. The court envoy delivering it was also vague. However, having been a hostage in the capital for nearly ten years, he’d developed a cautious, patient character.
Some said his character was too mild, but when you have a shameless father constantly pulling audacious maneuvers with self-provided BGM, a fierce mother who could lead ten thousand soldiers defending against three hundred thousand besieging troops, an impulsive hot-tempered younger brother, a “snake-fighting girl” wife, and even concubines from prominent Beijing families who were daughters of military households, with wives and concubines together climbing city walls, wielding weapons alongside mother-in-law to wildly hack attacking southern troops.
Each one was hard to offend. Only Zhu Gaochi’s character could maintain small comforts under such “surrounded by wolves.”
Zhu Gaochi wavered indecisively, finally calling his wife Crown Princess Zhang and concubine Guo to ask what to do.
Crown Princess Zhang: “When armies battle, envoys aren’t executed. The court first broke rules, killing our Prince Yan Mansion’s envoys—clearly the court is untrustworthy. Whatever this letter’s contents, it can’t be believed.”
Concubine Guo said: “Prince Yan Mansion’s master is father-in-law. If the court wants to negotiate again, this letter should go to father-in-law at the front lines. Why deliver it specifically to Beiping? And specifically to the Crown Prince by name? There must be deception.”
Zhu Gaochi slapped his round head: “You’re both right. If the name isn’t correct, the words won’t be smooth. I cannot decide—it must go to someone who can decide. Someone come—put this letter unopened in a box and send it with the court envoy to my father for his decision.”