The rear palace’s ground subsidence and the disappearance of the iron stele erected by Emperor Gaozhu, sinking into the foundation without a trace—this was Emperor Gaozhu in the netherworld unable to rest in peace, crying out injustice for his six sons!
Especially for Prince Xiang, whose entire family died.
Prince Xiang’s family refused to “confess their crimes and submit to punishment.” The entire family was confined to the prince’s mansion and committed suicide rather than be demoted to commoner status like other princes and spend their lives imprisoned in their ancestral home of Fengyang.
Prince Xiang Zhu Bai’s character was as proud and resilient as pine and cypress trees. As Emperor Gaozhu’s son, he had the capital for pride. He was both literary and martial: “He loved learning and read books until midnight every night.” In terms of martial prowess, “he enjoyed discussing military strategy, had extraordinary physical strength, and was skilled with bow, arrow, sword, and lance, riding horses as if flying.” Moreover, he was eloquent and welcomed talented people, building a Jingyuan Pavilion specifically to “recruit outstanding talents, engaging daily in scholarly debates, with aspirations of governing the country.”
Not only that, but his aesthetic sense was also transcendent—”whenever he encountered scenic mountains and waters, he would linger there all day.”
Furthermore, he believed in native Daoism, styling himself “Purple Void Master.”
Crucially, he believed in Daoism while knowing how to select its essence and discard its dregs, unlike his tenth brother Prince Lu Huang, who became a “deadly poison master” refining pills and taking drugs.
Finally, since establishing his fiefdom, he had never oppressed the people. On the contrary, he had led his princely mansion’s troops to quell rebellions in Changde and had once worked with Prince Chu Zhu Zhen to suppress rebellions in Guzhou.
Such an excellent Ming prince would absolutely be the perfect male lead character in Jinjiang Literature City five hundred years later—who wouldn’t love him? Who wouldn’t respect him?
Unfortunately, the Zhu family had finally produced a well-rounded Ming prince who excelled in moral, intellectual, and physical development, flourishing in both literary and military arts, with ideals, morality, culture, and discipline. But being too upright led to his downfall—he was burned to death just like that.
It should be known that it wasn’t just Prince Xiang who burned to death—his wife and children also perished in the flames. These were Emperor Jianwen’s legitimate aunt and cousins!
Reducing feudal power wasn’t the same as killing princes. In a feudal society that emphasized family blood relations and ethics, if Emperor Jianwen acted under the banner of killing princes, no one in court or among the people would support him.
Initially, when Duke Cao Li Jinlong went to arrest Prince Xiang, it was under the pretext that Prince Xiang had “privately printed treasure notes.” This terrible excuse was even more ridiculous than claiming that Prince Zhou, who only knew how to compile medical books, was plotting rebellion. This was because Ming treasure notes had long become worthless due to Emperor Gaozhu’s excessive printing. Private banks’ silver notes could circulate freely, but the court’s Ming treasure notes were refused by all merchants, making them no different from waste paper.
The current Ming treasure note factory’s notes served merely as imperial rewards—purely symbolic gestures representing imperial grace. No one would be foolish enough to use treasure notes to buy things.
Moreover, due to scarce printing, unable to maintain normal factory operations, they had switched to producing a daily necessity—yellow paper specifically for wiping one’s bottom. The treasure note factory’s toilet paper was cheap and abundant, making it hot merchandise in the market.
The “feudal reduction expert” Li Jinlong actually used the terrible excuse of “privately printing treasure notes”—it was almost like saying Prince Xiang was printing toilet paper. What was even more magical was that Emperor Jianwen, eager to reduce feudal power, actually agreed to this…
Prince Xiang being driven to suicide with his entire family caused waves both among the people and in court. Previously, when Prince Zhou was reduced, Princess Qingyang had spoken a word of advice based on her seniority and experience, only to be demoted to Princess of Qingcheng Commandery. Everyone saw that the new emperor’s first three fires would burn whoever touched them. Considering their own heads and wealth more important, no one dared advise further—no one wanted to be the bird that got shot down.
But silence didn’t mean submission. Accumulated grievances that couldn’t be relieved wouldn’t disappear on their own but would explode in other ways.
The rear palace’s ground subsidence and the disappearance of Taizu’s iron stele immediately became the breakthrough point. With Ji Gang and others fanning the flames, voices accusing Emperor Jianwen of violating Emperor Gaozhu’s dying wishes, treating imperial uncles and aunts too harshly, forcing innocent nephews to death, being neither kind nor filial, suddenly erupted like a geyser.
Look—even Emperor Gaozhu in the netherworld couldn’t stand it anymore, directly dragging the iron stele to the underworld as a warning, cautioning his grandson not to force his sons to death anymore.
Even someone as conscienceless as Prince Qin, Emperor Gaozhu couldn’t bear to kill. Now, the Zhu family had finally produced a good Ming prince who excelled in both literary and military arts, only to be driven by his grandson to commit suicide with his entire family.
The people of Prince Xiang’s fiefdom spontaneously brought offerings to worship at the burned ruins of the former Prince Xiang’s mansion. Court ministers also began speaking up for Prince Xiang—not daring to directly say Emperor Jianwen was neither kind nor filial, but instead accusing Duke Cao Li Jinlong of fabricating charges and forcing the prince to death.
After all, one must avoid criticizing the ruler. No one wanted to become the second unlucky Princess of Qingcheng Commandery.
During the grand court assembly, Duke Cao Li Jinlong became everyone’s target, nearly drowned by their spittle.
However, Li Jinlong understood clearly that he was taking the blame for Emperor Jianwen—otherwise, what use would the emperor have for him? The worse the scolding, the more he could gain Emperor Jianwen’s trust.
So Li Jinlong had recently cultivated the ability to dry his face after being spat upon, occasionally retorting, “Privately printing treasure notes—the evidence was conclusive. I led troops to demand he confess and submit to punishment. I didn’t intend to force him to suicide; he burned himself.”
The ministers: “Why didn’t you save him? Why did you stand by and watch?”
Li Jinlong: “The fire was enormous then. Anyone who went in would have burned to death. How could I possibly let my soldiers rush into the flames to die? If you’re so capable, you go ahead! Don’t stand there talking without feeling the pain!”
Emperor Jianwen quietly watched Li Jinlong debate against all the ministers. Finally, he said, “Refusing to confess and submit to punishment, refusing to listen to the court’s arrangements and be escorted to the capital for trial, he has placed me in an unrighteous position—this is disloyalty. The body, hair, and skin are received from one’s parents and should be cherished, yet he committed the unfilial act of suicide—this is unfiliality. My twelfth imperial uncle Zhu Bai was neither loyal nor filial. Even suicide cannot wash away his crimes. I bestow upon him the posthumous title ‘Li’ as a warning to others.”
Even the well-traveled ministers couldn’t help but be stunned: What was happening? With popular anger boiling over and court debates raging like fire, shouldn’t this be the time to appease and properly bury Prince Xiang’s family? How could he instead slap a dead man’s face and give him the derogatory posthumous title “Li”?
Killing someone only requires striking the head, yet Emperor Jianwen not only killed but also had to step on the corpse’s face—truly too ruthless.
Actually, Emperor Gaozhu was also ruthless, but Gaozhu was a generational hero who monopolized court power. At least he made no major errors in military and political orders—he could be called an emperor for the ages, naturally having the capital for arrogance.
But Emperor Jianwen, as a maintaining ruler, being so heartless toward his own blood relatives was truly chilling.
Emperor Jianwen had no choice. Given the current situation, he could only continue down this wrong path to the end. Apologizing was impossible—he would never apologize in this lifetime. He was the sovereign; the imperial uncles were subjects. Prince Li used the extreme method of suicide to resist imperial commands and even gained people’s sympathy. If he didn’t use this kind of thunderous method to suppress it, the feudal reduction that had just shown some results would suffer setbacks.
No—since he was reducing feudal power, he must do it in one go, reducing thoroughly. No one, nothing, could stop his steps in reducing feudal power.
As for popular resentment—what did that matter? Common people still cared about their three daily meals. Given time, they would forget. Just endure this period.
Prince Xiang became Prince Li. Half a month after this news spread, people who spontaneously went to worship at Prince Xiang’s mansion ruins discovered an iron stele had appeared on the burned wasteland, inscribed with “Inner ministers shall not interfere in government affairs. Those who do shall be executed.”
This was precisely the iron stele with the emperor’s personal imperial inscription that had disappeared in the palace’s ground subsidence.
People knelt and worshipped before the stele, crying out, “Emperor Gaozhu has manifested! Emperor Gao has manifested! Our king was wronged, moving heaven and earth. Heaven has sent divine signs. Treacherous ministers control the court, deceiving the sovereign and spreading slander, causing worthy kings to suffer injustice and be forced to suicide.”
When this news reached the capital, Emperor Jianwen summoned Hu Shanwei, “Court Lady Hu, the eunuch I sent to Jingzhou says the iron stele is identical to the one that sank into the foundation. Are you certain that stele sank in?”
Emperor Jianwen was somewhat frightened. If someone had done this deliberately, secretly moving a several-hundred-pound iron stele from the rear palace without anyone knowing, these stele transporters could potentially threaten his life and plot to usurp the throne!
Hu Shanwei had been waiting for this day for a long time.
Since this involved state secrets, there was no one else in the study. Hu Shanwei straightened her dress and knelt to confess, “Your Majesty, this subject is guilty.”
Emperor Jianwen looked at Hu Shanwei in disbelief, “It was you… you moved the iron stele out.”
Hu Shanwei cleanly admitted, “Yes, but also no. The iron stele has indeed sunk. The one at Prince Xiang’s mansion ruins is fake, deliberately aged.”
Emperor Jianwen took a deep breath and asked, “Who ordered this?”
Hu Shanwei said, “This subject… dares not say.”
Though claiming not to dare speak, Hu Shanwei raised her head, not avoiding Emperor Jianwen’s scrutinizing gaze: I’ll give you a look—figure it out yourself.
Emperor Jianwen’s first thought was the feudal princes, but judging from Hu Shanwei’s strange, pitying expression, he quickly changed his mind. If it were feudal princes, Hu Shanwei definitely wouldn’t be so calm.
Hu Shanwei encouraged him to think deeper, because conclusions reached through one’s own reasoning were far more credible than direct answers from others.
A second thought flashed through Emperor Jianwen’s mind, but it was too taboo, and he instinctively excluded it. However, Hu Shanwei nodded slightly toward him, her eyes full of compassion.
The second thought returned to his mind, took root, and grew wildly.
Emperor Jianwen’s voice trembled and became hoarse, “…It’s the Empress Dowager.”
Hu Shanwei said, “And Prince Heng. The Empress Dowager wants to become the second Wu Zetian, controlling power. She thinks she has leverage over this subject and wants this subject to cooperate with her and Prince Heng in a palace coup…”
The first step of the plan was to exploit Emperor Jianwen’s harsh methods of reducing feudal power, which had caused resentment among almost the entire imperial family. Though helpless against it, they would find opportunities to magnify conflicts, push imperial family grievances to the extreme, and make the imperial family consider replacing him with a new emperor who would treat the imperial family kindly and share wealth with other imperial clan members.
During this period, Prince Heng would, in the name of stabilizing the imperial family, show filial piety to princess aunts and befriend other feudal princes at the borders to win support. Generally speaking, Emperor Jianwen would play the villain while he played the hero.
The second step: next year would be the first year of Jianwen era, using the new reign title, granting general amnesty, releasing large numbers of old palace servants and marriage-seeking palace maids, showing the new emperor’s benevolence. Then Hu Shanwei would use the pretext of recruiting new people to secretly place large numbers of assassins secretly purchased and maintained by Prince Heng into the rear palace on standby.
The third step: The Empress Dowager would host a family banquet, inviting the emperor and empress, Prince Heng, and other family members for reunion. During the feast, the assassins would shout slogans about avenging Prince Xiang’s family who committed suicide, assassinate Emperor Jianwen and the two-year-old Crown Prince, then commit suicide themselves.
The fourth step: According to the succession rules in Emperor Gaozhu’s “Ancestral Instructions,” when a father dies, the son succeeds; if there’s no son, when an elder brother dies, the younger brother succeeds. The Empress Dowager would take charge of the overall situation, supporting her second son Prince Heng’s ascension. Since Prince Heng had good relations with the imperial family, and the princesses and feudal princes would gladly see the moderate Prince Heng ascend the throne, they would definitely fully support him.
Upon Prince Heng’s enthronement, he would immediately restore the title of Princess of Qingcheng Commandery back to Princess Qingyang, and restore the five imperial uncles who had been demoted to commoners and imprisoned in Fengyang—just restoring their titles and returning their princely mansions and property, but not restoring the military system of the princely mansions. Thus, Prince Heng would implement moderate feudal reduction policies to stabilize the court situation…
When West Long Street in the rear palace experienced ground subsidence, palace servants sweeping were the first to report to rear palace manager Hu Shanwei. Upon arriving at the scene, Hu Shanwei discovered the iron stele had coincidentally fallen into the large pit, bottomlessly deep. She then secretly advised the Empress Dowager and Prince Heng:
First, deploy trusted associates to create the narrative both in court and among the people that Emperor Gaozhu in the netherworld couldn’t rest in peace, using the celestial phenomenon of the iron stele sinking into the foundation as a warning, suggesting Emperor Jianwen lacked virtue and disrespected Gaozhu, stirring up resentment toward Emperor Jianwen.
If Emperor Jianwen used harsh methods to suppress this matter, then they would “deliver the finishing blow.”
They would cast an identical iron stele outside the palace and secretly place it at Prince Xiang’s mansion ruins, once again stirring up resentment among the people and imperial family, tarnishing Emperor Jianwen’s reputation. This would inevitably transform Emperor Jianwen from the widely supported heir to the throne into a target of universal condemnation—a new emperor whom even Emperor Gaozhu in the netherworld was extremely disappointed with and dissatisfied about.
Then Prince Heng would appear to show goodwill and provide comfort, gaining the imperial family’s favor. Thus, they would smoothly complete the first step of forcing the palace coup.
After hearing Hu Shanwei’s account, Emperor Jianwen experienced emotions of shock, disappointment, fear, and anger stabbing his heart like knives.
So the current mother-son harmony was all an illusion, meant to confuse and paralyze him. How could this happen? Why would this happen? For the first time in his life, he had disobeyed Emperor Gaozhu’s command and intercepted that pot of poisoned wine for his mother—why would his mother still want to put him to death?
Emperor Jianwen had feelings for his mother. He instinctively began denying, murmuring, “The Crown Prince… the Crown Prince is still so young, the Empress Dowager’s own grandson. How could she bear to harm a child who can’t even speak clearly?”
Hu Shanwei said, “Because if Your Majesty passes away and the two-year-old Crown Prince ascends the throne, Empress Ma would inevitably rule from behind the curtain, assisting the Crown Prince. The Grand Empress Dowager might sound high in status, but she would actually have less power than the Empress Dowager.”
Without a husband and without a crown prince, Empress Ma would just be a widow.
Emperor Jianwen still refused to believe the cruel reality, “What leverage does she actually have over you? To make you cooperate with the Empress Dowager and Prince Heng in forcing a palace coup!”
Hu Shanwei said, “Because the Empress Dowager told this subject that before Emperor Gaozhu passed away, he ordered Court Lady Fan to give her a pot of poisoned wine to eliminate future troubles. But Your Majesty intercepted this poisoned wine midway and told Court Lady Fan to keep it secret, which she agreed to do. However, Your Majesty worried that Court Lady Fan would reveal his act of defying imperial orders. If this became known to the world, especially to the feudal princes, it would definitely threaten Your Majesty’s throne. To eliminate this threat once and for all, Your Majesty pretended to agree to let Court Lady Fan leave the palace, created a shipwreck accident, and drowned her in the river. To silence witnesses, he also forced Palace Administrator Wang, who had delivered the wine, to write a suicide note and hang herself. This way, no one would know about Your Majesty’s evil deeds.”
Emperor Jianwen’s mind buzzed, his face alternating between pale and green. After a long while, he asked, “Do you believe the Empress Dowager’s words?”
Hu Shanwei first nodded, then shook her head, “This subject only believes half. Having served under Emperor Gaozhu for fifteen years, this subject knows Emperor Gaozhu’s character and methods—he either doesn’t act, or he acts decisively. When the Empress Dowager was still Crown Princess, she was ambitious, wanting to use her birthing grace to control Crown Prince Your Majesty. Emperor Gaozhu most opposed rear palace interference in politics. Since he ordered the entire rear palace to be martyred, the Crown Princess would also be taken along. It’s just that executing the Crown Princess lacked proper justification, so this matter needed to be conducted secretly.”
“Therefore, Emperor Gaozhu would definitely order Court Lady Fan to execute the Crown Princess. However, Emperor Gaozhu didn’t anticipate Your Majesty’s filial devotion and early preparations. Your Majesty, when this subject entered the palace, you were only three years old, an innocent child. This subject can be said to have watched you grow up. Your nature is pure and kind, intelligent and studious. Emperor Gaozhu considered you a maintaining ruler and thus made you Crown Prince. Your Majesty is a filial son. As a human child, though knowing mother had made great mistakes and angered grandfather, mother is still mother. Based on this subject’s understanding of Your Majesty, you definitely wouldn’t sit by and watch your mother die at just over forty, or you would feel guilty for life.”
“Therefore, though Your Majesty knew this was defying orders, you still intercepted the poisoned wine and persuaded Court Lady Fan to forget this matter. The giving of wine and intercepting of wine—these two events are true.”
“These two matters involve palace secrets and the legitimacy of Your Majesty’s throne. Those who touch upon them die. The Empress Dowager used this to threaten this subject, saying that once Your Majesty knew this subject was privy to this matter, Court Lady Fan’s fate would be this subject’s future.”
Hearing Hu Shanwei’s analysis, Emperor Jianwen’s shocked gaze gradually turned cold.
By this time, Mu Chun had personally confirmed the fact that Minister Bao had shelved the shipwreck case. Only the emperor could make Minister Bao, known as Bao Qingtian, back down.
Looking at Emperor Jianwen’s expression, Hu Shanwei became even more certain he was the culprit—at least Court Lady Fan was killed by people he sent.
Hu Shanwei quickly said, “This subject also has parents. This subject completely understands Your Majesty’s actions. If it were this subject, this subject would also choose to defy orders to save mother. This subject’s mother died in Chang Yuchun’s massacre of Suzhou City. When mother was being trampled underfoot by refugees for the sake of this subject and father, she still desperately called out not to mind her, for father to carry this subject and flee quickly. Mother-daughter affection runs thicker than blood—how could children sit by and watch their parents be killed?”
Hearing these words, Emperor Jianwen’s gaze warmed somewhat.
Hu Shanwei changed tack, continuing, “However, if Your Majesty killed to silence witnesses, sending people to hunt down Court Lady Fan and force Palace Administrator Wang to death, this subject would never believe. Your Majesty’s character is pure, kind, and generous, while the Empress Dowager is narrow-minded and vengeful. Years ago, merely because she felt this subject was driving a wedge between Your Majesty’s mother-son relationship, she spread rumors about this subject having an affair with Ji Gang. She could be said to repay grievances with grievances and revenge with revenge.”
“Therefore, the one who hunted down Court Lady Fan and forced Palace Administrator Wang to death was none other than the Empress Dowager herself. The Empress Dowager feared exposure of the execution order and, being power-hungry and unwilling to be merely an Empress Dowager enjoying her twilight years, she craved controlling power. Thus, she told lies mixed with half-truths to threaten this subject into cooperating with their palace coup.”
Emperor Jianwen’s gaze turned cold again, “So you submitted, thinking I would kill you?”
“No.” Hu Shanwei met Emperor Jianwen’s scrutinizing gaze directly without dodging, saying, “This subject has never doubted Your Majesty or submitted to the Empress Dowager’s intimidation. However, the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty are, after all, birth mother and son with deep affection. If this subject had recklessly gone to Your Majesty to complain, accusing the Empress Dowager and Prince Heng of palace coup ambitions, once this subject and the Empress Dowager confronted each other, as long as the Empress Dowager firmly denied it and instead accused this subject of being bought by feudal princes to deliberately slander her and drive wedges between Your Majesty’s mother-son and brotherly relationships.”
“Your Majesty, at that time, would you believe your birth mother the Empress Dowager, or would you believe this subject, an outsider?”
Emperor Jianwen’s lips moved wordlessly, ultimately unable to speak the insincere words “I would believe Court Lady Hu.”
He would definitely believe his own mother.
“Therefore…” Hu Shanwei said, “this subject devised this counter-espionage strategy. First pretend to submit, cooperate with them to complete the first step of the palace coup as a certificate of loyalty, making the Empress Dowager and Prince Heng trust this subject, then come to Your Majesty to reveal the truth. The location where Prince Heng secretly cast the iron stele and the list of assassins about to enter the palace are all in this subject’s hands. Thus, this subject has evidence to make Your Majesty believe in this subject’s loyal devotion. Even when confronting the Empress Dowager, this subject has the confidence of certain victory.”
After hearing this, Emperor Jianwen remained unsettled for a long time before finally saying, “Court Lady Hu’s meticulous thinking and survival skills in desperate situations truly make you a female Zhuge Liang. Rise.”
“Thank Your Majesty for your grace.” Hu Shanwei stood up, her knees aching from kneeling. “What should be done next? This subject awaits Your Majesty’s orders.”
Emperor Jianwen’s gaze frosted over, “Don’t let this matter leak. Continue contacting the Empress Dowager and Prince Heng, begin planning the second step to draw out their accomplices and minions. I want to catch the Empress Dowager’s faction and Prince Heng’s faction in one net.”