Court Lady Fan’s quick compromise and change of stance relieved the Crown Prince. He really didn’t want to personally force the death of a veteran palace figure like Court Lady Fan before even ascending the throne.
This was the boldest thing he had ever done—the first and only time he had disobeyed Emperor Hongwu’s decree. After all, a son doesn’t despise his mother’s ugliness; even if mother had done wrong, she was still his mother.
He had prepared two plans. First, Court Lady Fan would compromise and acknowledge him as the new master, everyone pretending this incident never happened. Second, if Court Lady Fan stubbornly insisted on executing Emperor Hongwu’s posthumous decree, he would have no choice but to force Court Lady Fan to drink herself, then forge her handwriting, making it appear she died by suicide to follow her old master Emperor Hongwu.
The Crown Prince didn’t want to take the second path. After all, from birth until now, his hands had never truly been stained with blood. From an originally powerless illegitimate eldest son to Crown Prince, the early dark deeds were done by his mother Lady Lu to secure his position as heir. To consolidate his position for smooth ascension, Emperor Hongwu had conducted great purges in court and harem, removing all thorns for him and handing him a smooth power staff.
Fortunately, Emperor Hongwu had only given oral commands to maintain secrecy—with no evidence, the Crown Prince dared to intercept the poisoned wine messenger midway. Using both carrot and stick, he made the wine deliverer cooperate in lying to deceive Court Lady Fan.
Without solid evidence, there was room for behind-the-scenes manipulation. The Crown Prince only needed to drop subtle hints when he summoned Court Lady Fan, and she understood immediately, expressing willingness to submit.
As the saying goes, when the person leaves, the tea grows cold. Even if you’re an emperor with golden words worth nine cauldrons, once you lose power, your words become worthless—no, farts still have an aftertaste, but Emperor Hongwu wasn’t even cold yet and his words were already treated as nonexistent.
Court Lady Fan left the Crown Prince’s palace to handle Emperor Hongwu’s funeral. Though the matter was resolved, the Crown Prince felt no expected relief looking at the pot of poisoned wine on the table. He felt cold fear—at this moment, he finally understood why Grandpa Emperor cared so much about power and guarded against those militarily strong uncles. Once power was lost, he would become meaningless, his words unheeded. Who could bear such a fall?
In an instant, the Crown Prince understood principles that Emperor Hongwu had earnestly explained for years without him fully grasping. To be emperor, one must first firmly grasp imperial power. Imperial power was supreme and couldn’t be shared with anyone—otherwise, it couldn’t be called imperial power.
Understanding this, the Crown Prince was suddenly enlightened. He knew how to proceed in the future.
Emperor Hongwu’s funeral proceeded orderly. The Ministry of Rites established his posthumous title as “Qinming Qiyun Junde Chenggong Tongtian Daxiao High Emperor,” historically known as Ming Taizu. Simultaneously, Empress Xiaoci’s posthumous title became “Xiaoci Zhaoxian Zhiren Wende Chengtian Shunsheng High Empress.”
The realm couldn’t go one day without a ruler. At the same time, the new emperor’s coronation ceremony was also proceeding intensively.
A new ruler’s ascension was like a maiden’s wedding sedan—requiring repeated invitations, as if the bride were very reluctant to marry.
On the tenth day of the fifth month, civil and military officials in the capital, royalty, military and civilians, plus respected village elders all petitioned requesting the Crown Prince to ascend as emperor.
The Crown Prince refused, saying that as a grandson, he grieved daily for the late emperor’s death and thus declined the subjects’ request.
On the thirteenth day of the fifth month, ministers and people again “submitted petitions urging advancement.” The Crown Prince said: “The late emperor’s coffin remains in court, the mausoleum unfinished. Given the natural affection between grandfather and grandson, how could I bear it? The request is denied!” So he refused again.
On the thirteenth day of the fifth month, royal clan members, ministers, people, foreign envoys, and even famous monks and Taoists all “prostrated at the palace gates with memorials” requesting the Crown Prince’s succession.
According to established custom, it was “three requests, two refusals”—the third time couldn’t be refused again, or he might lose face.
So the Crown Prince submitted a memorial to the Ministry of Rites handling ceremonies, saying “I am in mourning and cannot bear to immediately succeed, yet princes, civil and military ministers, military and civilians, elders, and foreign envoys all share one heart, presenting memorials urging advancement, returning again after being declined. This is the realm’s great plan—I dare not disobey. The people’s loyal counsel cannot be permanently refused…”
Meaning: I grieve for grandfather’s death, but you all want me to be emperor. I yielded but you still insist, so I’ll reluctantly ascend!
In the thirty-first year of Hongwu, sixteenth day of the fifth month, Crown Prince Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne, received ministers’ homage, granted general amnesty, and issued an accession edict.
In his coronation edict, Zhu Yunwen announced the era name “Jianwen,” posthumously honored his father Crown Prince Yiwen Zhu Biao as “Emperor Xiaokang,” posthumously honored Crown Prince Yiwen’s wife, his legitimate mother Lady Chang as “Empress Xiaokang,” and made his birth mother Lady Lu the Holy Mother Empress Dowager, his wife Lady Ma as Empress. Thus the Ming Dynasty’s second motherly empress was also called Empress Ma.
He also invested his two-year-old legitimate eldest son Zhu Wenkui as Crown Prince.
Holy Mother Empress Dowager Lady Lu moved from the Eastern Palace into Cining Palace. Young Empress Ma also moved from the Crown Prince’s palace into Kunning Palace.
His other two concubines were each granted consort rank, living respectively in Yanxi Palace in the Eastern Six Palaces and Yikun Palace in the Western Six Palaces. Since all former consorts in the Eastern and Western Six Palaces had died, making room for newcomers with everything complete and requiring no renovation, these two concubines could literally move in with just their bags.
Having finally settled his small family, Emperor Jianwen met with several appointed ministers to discuss future governance policies. A eunuch reported: “The Empress Dowager requests Your Majesty’s presence in Cining Palace.”
His mother was summoning him. As new ruler, Emperor Jianwen naturally had to project the image of a filial son, so he postponed the meeting and went to Cining Palace.
Empress Dowager Lu hurriedly pulled Emperor Jianwen to a table set with all his favorite dishes. “Your Majesty is busy all day. I see you’ve lost considerable weight. The Empress is young and doesn’t know to care for you properly—truly, whoever births you loves you. I specially prepared your favorite foods. Come, eat more.”
After speaking, Empress Dowager Lu placed bamboo shoots before Emperor Jianwen with her chopsticks.
Emperor Jianwen loved bamboo and enjoyed eating bamboo-related foods like bamboo shoots and drinking bamboo leaf tea, earning the reputation of “cannot go one day without bamboo.”
Emperor Jianwen had thought it was some serious matter and was disappointed, wanting to laugh. “I appreciate the Empress Dowager’s intentions, but I’m very busy now, having summoned ministers to discuss state affairs.”
Empress Dowager Lu kept serving her son food. “Your Majesty’s health is important. It’s just one meal’s time—let the ministers wait. It’s nearly noon anyway, everyone needs to eat. I’ve already granted the ministers food so they won’t wait hungrily.”
Emperor Jianwen then began eating. To save time, he ate quickly while Empress Dowager Lu served him food and observed his expression. Seeing he seemed in good spirits, she seized the opportunity: “Now that I’ve become Empress Dowager, Your Majesty should also elevate the Lu family, your maternal grandfather’s family.”
At this, Emperor Jianwen’s chopsticks paused mid-air.
Having been confined in the Eastern Palace for three years and nearly executed with poisoned wine, Empress Dowager Lu had learned some lessons. Sensing something wrong, she quickly changed topics: “I don’t mean Your Majesty should grant the Lu family official positions. If they’re capable, fine—they can share Your Majesty’s burdens. If incapable, wouldn’t they add to Your Majesty’s troubles? I’m not so short-sighted. When family members came seeking positions, I sent them away on Your Majesty’s behalf to avoid putting you in a difficult position—but there’s one matter. I am Your Majesty’s mother, and I am also your grandfather’s daughter.”
“I’ve been in the deep palace for years, unable to fulfill filial duties to your grandfather. Now as Empress Dowager, I’m even less able to. Your grandfather has been cautious and careful his whole life—in his old age, he should enjoy some fortune from his grandson the Emperor. I’m just a woman with no abilities—mustn’t I rely on my son the Emperor for everything? I cannot leave the palace to fulfill filial duties, so I can only ask Your Majesty to help me with this. Looking at Empress Dowagers throughout dynasties, their families were all granted Duke of Grace titles—just honorary titles without real power, merely sounding prestigious. I don’t know if my father has this fortune.”
A dignified Empress Dowager of the realm, seeking a mere honorary title for her father with such sincerity—Empress Dowager Lu was nearly moved by her own performance.
Emperor Jianwen felt his mother’s request wasn’t excessive. Duke of Grace was just a powerless title that couldn’t be inherited—when grandfather died, the title would disappear too. Thinking that grandfather was an honest man who never caused trouble, plus Empress Dowager Lu’s tactful words seeking the title in the name of filial piety, which made sense both ethically and reasonably, Emperor Jianwen was about to agree. But considering he had just ascended with everything awaiting attention, granting grandfather the Duke of Grace title before accomplishing anything seemed too hasty.
Emperor Jianwen set down his chopsticks. “I understand what the Empress Dowager said. However, making grandfather Duke of Grace is both family and state business—I need to discuss it with ministers.”
Impatience spoils the broth. Empress Dowager Lu felt that making the Emperor’s grandfather Duke of Grace would also bring the Emperor great face—a simple gesture requiring only going through the motions with ministers. She smiled: “Naturally. Since ancient times, the harem cannot interfere in politics. Ultimately, Your Majesty must decide.”
Empress Dowager Lu’s kind, gentle appearance was truly a model of the three obediences and four virtues.
After lunch, Emperor Jianwen returned to summon two appointed ministers for a meeting: Hanlin Academy Scholar and Court of Imperial Sacrifices Minister Huang Zicheng, and Hanlin Academy Reader Fang Xiaoru.
Huang Zicheng was the first place winner in the metropolitan examination of the eighteenth year of Hongwu, a third-place finalist in the palace examination, with proper imperial examination credentials. He had once accompanied Emperor Xiaokang Zhu Biao to Yanzhou to handle Prince Lu Huang’s funeral affairs. The funeral was beautifully conducted, earning Emperor Hongwu’s regard and continuous promotion—thus he became an appointed minister.
Fang Xiaoru had no official degree and disdained taking imperial examinations, believing exam-oriented education corrupted human nature. But he was famous for having a formidable mentor who had also been Emperor Xiaokang’s teacher—Song Lian, one of early Ming’s three great masters of poetry and prose. Fang Xiaoru, relying on poetry, prose, and his teacher’s reputation, was highly esteemed by Jiangnan literati and thus also listed among appointed ministers.
One was officially recognized through imperial examinations as a third-place finalist; the other was like a public intellectual influencer with the most followers on social networks five hundred years later. Strong alliance—they were Emperor Jianwen’s core brain trust.
Today’s topic was reducing princely power.
Emperor Jianwen asked: Should princely power be reduced? Should the militarily strong imperial uncles be eliminated?
Huang Zicheng: Reduce.
Fang Xiaoru: Reduce.
Emperor Jianwen naturally also wanted reduction, or he wouldn’t have asked. So ruler and ministers quickly reached consensus: Reduce.
Emperor Jianwen asked again: “I have so many imperial uncles—who should we start with?”
Huang Zicheng said: “Target Yan first. As they say, ‘to catch bandits, first catch the king’—we should start with the strongest and eldest, Prince Yan.”
Prince Yan Zhu Di ranked fourth, but second brother Prince Qin Zhu Shang and third brother Prince Jin Zhu Gang were already dead, making the fourth son the eldest. Moreover, Prince Yan was strongest—otherwise, Emperor Hongwu wouldn’t have detained Prince Yan’s four sons in the capital.
But Fang Xiaoru had different opinions: “Don’t move against Prince Yan first. We should first cut Prince Yan’s wings, starting with Prince Zhou, then Prince Qi, Prince Xiang, Prince Dai, and other princes. Finally deal with Prince Yan.”
Prince Zhou Zhu Su was Prince Yan’s younger brother. Prince Dai Zhu Gui was a major northwestern prince with military power second only to Prince Yan, and also Prince Yan’s brother-in-law—Princess Dai Lady Xu was Duke Weiguo Xu Da’s second daughter.
Huang Zicheng opposed: “No, this abandons the root for the branches.”
Fang Xiaoru also opposed the other’s opinion: “Directly moving against Prince Yan is too eager for quick success.”
Huang Zicheng, with solid imperial examination credentials as a third-place finalist who rose from grassroots positions step by step under Emperor Hongwu’s deliberate cultivation, somewhat looked down on Fang Xiaoru, this type of “celebrity” who only knew empty talk: “Reducing princely power essentially means reducing Prince Yan’s power. We’ll have to act eventually—speed is essential in military affairs. Better to directly target Prince Yan than waste effort on the earlier princes.”
Fang Xiaoru, proud of his mentor Song Lian and respected by many scholars in poetry and prose, felt Huang Zicheng had become rigid from too much study and didn’t understand flexibility: “Prince Yan is talented and resembles Emperor Taizu. Beiping has strong military forces, brave and skilled in battle. Both Jin and Yuan dynasties rose from there. Once we directly target Prince Yan, he’ll desperately rebel, leading to widespread warfare and suffering. Can Minister Huang bear this responsibility?”
Was reducing princely power a dinner party? Huang Zicheng found this laughable. But Emperor Jianwen always respected Fang Xiaoru and appreciated his poetry and prose, so he still showed face: “Since we’ve decided to reduce princely power, we must prepare for war. Prince Yan won’t wait passively for death. What’s the use of cutting down his brother Prince Zhou or his brother-in-law Prince Dai? It won’t hurt Prince Yan’s foundation.”
Fang Xiaoru said: “The Art of War states: ‘In general, the method of employing troops is that keeping a country intact is superior to destroying it; keeping an army intact is superior to destroying it; keeping a battalion intact is superior to destroying it; keeping a company intact is superior to destroying it; keeping a squad intact is superior to destroying it. Therefore, winning a hundred battles is not the pinnacle of skill; subduing the enemy without fighting is the pinnacle of skill.’ If Prince Yan wants war, we can certainly fight, but the highest level of military strategy is subduing enemies without battle. By reducing Prince Zhou, Prince Dai, and other princes, we use this to intimidate Prince Yan—making an example to warn others, forcing him to abandon military power and actively surrender.”
Huang Zicheng was practical and most disliked Fang Xiaoru’s lofty rhetoric. Now somewhat irritated, he said: “Making an example to warn others? Killing chickens never scares monkeys. If Minister Fang doesn’t believe it, try killing a chicken for a monkey to see! If you want to kill the monkey, just kill the monkey—why kill chickens?”
How could Fang Xiaoru not hear the sarcasm? Immediately furious: “Minister Huang, we’re discussing state affairs—how can you talk about killing chickens? This insults scholarly dignity!”
Seeing the two appointed ministers about to quarrel, Emperor Jianwen quickly diverted fire: “I roughly understand both your thoughts. This matter is of great importance and needs discussion with other ministers at tomorrow’s grand court session. Now I have a question for both of you: should my maternal grandfather be made Duke of Grace?”
Huang Zicheng said: “There is precedent for granting Duke of Grace titles, but if the Empress Dowager’s family is honored, how can the Empress’s family be ignored? The Empress is mother of the nation, model for the realm. If the Lu family receives the Duke of Grace title, then the Empress’s father should be made Marquis of Grace. Please consider carefully, Your Majesty.”
Fang Xiaoru was more extreme, immediately opposing: “Neither should be granted! When Empress Xiaoci was alive, her Ma family wasn’t even granted an earl title. She told Emperor Hongwu he could bestow wealth on the Ma family but shouldn’t lightly grant official ranks or noble titles. Everyone praised Empress Xiaoci’s virtue in restraining relatives. Now in the harem, whether Empress Dowager or Empress, whose achievements and reputation can surpass Empress Xiaoci’s? Since this rule came down from Empress Xiaoci, it should be followed.”
Emperor Jianwen nodded repeatedly: “You both speak very correctly. This matter has wide implications—we’ll discuss it later when the realm is stable.”
Emperor Jianwen worked until midnight, then went to Kunning Palace to rest. He and Empress Ma were childhood sweethearts with deep affection. After marrying in the twenty-eighth year of Hongwu, they had their legitimate eldest son Zhu Wenkui the following year—now only two but already invested as Crown Prince.
Emperor Jianwen and Empress Ma had deep marital love, treating each other with mutual respect. He rarely touched his two concubines—married three years, both concubines remained childless. Empress Ma personally served Emperor Jianwen in changing clothes. Emperor Jianwen discussed the title matter with his wife: “…I’ve just ascended with unstable footing. When the realm is settled, I’ll certainly make father-in-law Marquis of Grace.”
Empress Ma was calm and serene, smiling: “It’s just an honorary title. I don’t care about such things. Moreover, when Empress Xiaoci was alive, she didn’t grant her family noble titles. What virtue and ability do I have to dare surpass Empress Xiaoci? That would truly be too much.”
As Empress Ma declined, Emperor Jianwen sighed: “But the Empress Dowager will probably be disappointed.”
Empress Ma shook out the bedding: “No matter. Tomorrow I’ll persuade the Empress Dowager—she’ll surely change her mind.”
Emperor Jianwen took Empress Ma’s hand: “Zitong is truly my virtuous wife, bearing me the Crown Prince and sharing my worries.”
Empress Ma pulled her husband onto the bed: “This is my duty. However, speaking of titles, Your Majesty has forgotten someone. In the harem, Beauty Zhang moved out of the Six Palaces with Princess Baoqing to Ninghe Hall. She’s the late emperor’s only surviving consort, Your Majesty’s elder. Your Majesty should give Beauty Zhang a title to show filial devotion.”
“Oh my, I nearly forgot!” Emperor Jianwen slapped his forehead. The next day he issued an edict making Beauty Zhang Grand Consort Zhang, treating her generously.
Hearing this news, Empress Dowager Lu in Cining Palace nearly exploded with rage. With her son at court, she vented at Empress Ma: “…What are your intentions? How do you incite Your Majesty to turn his elbow outward? Not honoring his proper grandfather, but instead honoring an outsider!”