When Wang Ning’s body was carried out from the Imperial Clan Court prison, it had already been “processed.” He looked peaceful on the outside, just sleeping eternally without waking. His two sons Wang Zhenliang and Wang Zhenqing fell to the ground weeping.
Both sons had inherited Wang Ning’s good looks, but Wang Ning and Huaiqing both had prescient vision, deliberately keeping their sons away from battlefields and power schemes, encouraging them to study literature and devote themselves to learning and understanding principles. Thus neither knew martial arts nor had interest in power, pursuing knowledge under their parents’ encouragement. Especially the younger son Wang Zhenqing had considerable talent for reading—at his young age, his poetry and prose had already formed their own style, faintly showing the bearing of a master.
The eldest daughter-in-law held the eldest grandson while crying. Only Princess Huaiqing said nothing, not shedding a single tear. A eunuch from Emperor Jianwen’s court explained nearby: “…The imperial physicians said it was due to the hot weather. The consort had a delicate constitution and couldn’t withstand the summer heat. This humble servant brought the imperial edict pardoning the consort’s collaboration with Yan to the prison. When the jailers opened the cell to wake the consort, they couldn’t rouse him no matter what, only then discovering something had happened. Sigh, Princess, please accept our condolences.”
Princess Huaiqing had completed her mission—she had gone to negotiate and delayed time, buying time for Sheng Yong’s counterattack. But Sheng Yong lost the battle. Emperor Jianwen didn’t punish Sheng Yong but instead went back on his word and had Wang Ning killed. It was truly like Zhang San getting sick while Wang Wu took medicine—all completely off-target.
Princess Huaiqing wore an expression of understanding righteousness: “The weather is too hot. I must quickly arrange the consort’s funeral. After burying him, I’ll enter the palace to receive the edict and express gratitude.”
The person was gone, but the crime was pardoned—this was also imperial grace. With Princess Huaiqing’s proud character, she would have liked nothing more than to enter the palace and kill Emperor Jianwen to avenge her husband, but doing so would make Wang Ning’s sacrifice meaningless, and her sons and grandsons would all be buried with her.
When under someone’s roof, one must bow one’s head.
No matter how proud Princess Huaiqing had been all her life, never bowing her head, looking at her two weeping sons and grandson, she was helpless. She could only forcibly suppress her grief, collect her husband’s body, and wait for Prince Yan to attack the capital before seeking revenge.
On the sixth day of the sixth month, the Yan army reached Zhenjiang. The defending general and all the city’s people surrendered.
On the eighth day of the sixth month, the Yan army reached Longtan, only thirty kilometers from the capital!
Battle reports came frequently, all showing that wherever the Yan army went, people and officials offered no resistance, all opening city gates to welcome Prince Yan.
Emperor Jianwen watched helplessly as the map was covered by red flags representing the Yan army: “How can this be? I reduced their taxes—why don’t they fight to protect the capital? Zitong, why is this?”
Empress Ma brought a food box to persuade Emperor Jianwen to eat. He hadn’t eaten for two meals already. Every time palace servants brought food, it was kicked over by the emperor who had no appetite. With the country about to fall, he couldn’t eat.
Empress Ma personally cooked several light dishes. For his wife’s sake, Emperor Jianwen reluctantly ate a bowl of lotus seed soup. Starved to the extreme, his eyes and steps were somewhat unsteady, but he still had no appetite.
Empress Ma drank clear porridge with pickled vegetables, eating alongside Emperor Jianwen. Hearing his words, she still maintained the appearance of a virtuous wife and good mother: “The harem must not interfere in politics—this is the ancestral instruction left by Emperor Gaozhu. This humble consort is just a woman and doesn’t understand these matters.”
Actually, Empress Ma came from a minor rural gentry family and knew what was happening. Jiangnan people were skilled at various businesses—silkworm raising, textile weaving, tea growing, and fishing. Most Jiangnan people’s livelihoods didn’t depend on farming. Much of Jiangnan’s farmland consisted of imperial estates and official fields. The good fields stretching for hundreds of acres were all monopolized by large landlords. Those who farmed were generations of poor tenant farmers barely scraping by. Tax reduction only reduced taxes for the wealthy—common people received little benefit.
However, when Emperor Jianwen announced tax reductions, Empress Ma hadn’t spoken up. First, Emperor Jianwen was obstinate and would only listen to Fang Xiaoru’s advice. Even Huang Zicheng, also a trusted minister and a former third-place imperial examination graduate, had been demoted to recruit soldiers outside. What use would Empress Ma’s counsel be?
Second, after the Mid-Autumn chrysanthemum terrace tragedy, Empress Ma was disappointed that Emperor Jianwen had arranged for her, six months pregnant, to be an important chess piece—Empress Ma wasn’t unaware of her responsibilities and position. If her husband had consulted and discussed with her, she might not have refused to cooperate, and being prepared in advance, she would have minimized risks.
But her husband didn’t trust her. When poisoned darts came flying at that life-or-death moment, her husband only cared about hiding under the desk himself. It was Hu Shanwei who forcibly pushed her down, helping her escape death.
All those sworn oaths—exclusively favoring you alone in the harem, one person for one lifetime with one partner, husband and wife weathering storms together—shattered in an instant. At that life-or-death moment, Empress Ma finally saw her husband’s true face. He wasn’t a good emperor, good son, good brother, good nephew, nor was he a good father or good husband.
Once a woman withdraws her feelings and stops loving, she truly stops loving. Why should she care whether tax reduction was reasonable?
Therefore, Empress Ma gave up hope, treating being empress as a profession—clocking in for another day’s work, with company profits and losses being none of her concern.
Emperor Jianwen was disappointed by Empress Ma’s answer. In his memory, Grandmother Empress Xiaoci wasn’t someone who knew nothing when asked. Empress Xiaoci Ma could always give Emperor Gaozhu various suggestions, sharing his worries. His Empress Ma only knew how to cook. No matter how delicious the food, he had no appetite. If cooking could make one an empress, why not marry a kitchen maid?
Emperor Jianwen ate his meal with no interest, put down his chopsticks: “Empress, go back. It’s so hot—be careful of heatstroke while cooking. Just have the imperial kitchen send food. The empress needn’t wash her hands to make soup—just take care of Gui’er.”
Zhu Wengui was their second son’s name.
Out of self-respect, Emperor Jianwen didn’t want to show his anxiety and agitation about the collapsing edifice before his wife. Besides, his wife had no opinions—except for childbearing, she was virtually useless.
After the Mid-Autumn pain, Empress Ma’s heart had been forged into an iron wall. Facing her husband’s distant contempt, Empress Ma felt no pain. She had fulfilled her duty of encouraging him to eat and should return to the palace.
Empress Ma returned to Kunning Palace. Siyan Haitang said: “Palace Supervisor Hu is waiting inside, preparing to dine with the empress.”
Since Wang Ning’s “sudden death” and Prince Yan’s advance to Zhenjiang, Empress Ma’s three daily meals, including snacks and fruits like watermelon, were all eaten with Hu Shanwei’s company. For anything that entered her mouth, Empress Ma ate first before bestowing it upon Hu Shanwei.
Based on her understanding of her manic husband, when the edifice collapsed, he would go mad and eliminate Hu Shanwei, who knew about his ugly deeds of killing his brother and mother. With the country about to fall and having nothing left, he would inevitably want to preserve his only reputation for filial piety.
Empress Ma worried Emperor Jianwen would poison Hu Shanwei’s food.
Hu Shanwei was quite surprised and moved by Empress Ma’s behavior. For a gentle woman who had always regarded her husband as heaven and followed the three obediences and four virtues, reaching this point was already quite remarkable.
During Hu Shanwei’s years in the palace, the imperial court always showed its cold, ruthless side, but occasionally revealed a trace of warmth—like searching for candy in a pile of glass. Others’ lives had ups and downs, but Hu Shanwei’s life was glass-candy-candy-glass-glass-glass…knife-glass-candy.
This candy was so rare that eating one piece could sweeten her for a long time, even a lifetime. Just like Empress Xiaoci’s teaching and guidance had sweetened her entire life. When meeting Empress Ma from Empress Xiaoci’s clan and seeing Empress Xiaoci’s shadow in this second Empress Ma, she couldn’t help but offer protection.
Hu Shanwei didn’t expect any repayment from Empress Ma. After all, she had personally selected this empress through the selection process—from humble origins with no family power, educated only in Confucian classics and “Four Books for Women” and other feminine norms, plus poetry and music for daily entertainment. She could become empress based on her surname and features somewhat resembling Empress Xiaoci, which moved Emperor Gaozhu to pity and transference of affection.
The powerless, politically naive Empress Ma used this clumsy method to protect Hu Shanwei. Shen Qionglian also brought her definite news: the ocean vessel was ready and could depart at any time.
Hu Shanwei said: “I understand. Within two months, we’ll definitely depart.”
Hu Shanwei estimated the Jianwen dynasty would fall within two months.
Shen Qionglian wasn’t optimistic about Hu Shanwei’s future: “Regarding the chrysanthemum terrace incident, will His Majesty let you go? If you don’t leave quickly, be careful of being silenced.”
Hu Shanwei thought coldly: Who silences whom remains to be seen. Aloud she said: “I have my own plans. It’s inconvenient to tell you now. Think carefully—in the Ming court, what was the final outcome of those who wanted to harm me?”
Total annihilation.
Shen Qionglian thought about it. It sounded somewhat arrogant, but coming from Hu Shanwei’s mouth, it seemed quite reasonable.
The Yan army was like a tireless dragon attacking toward the capital. Besides eating and using the toilet, Emperor Jianwen just summoned officials for meetings.
Others were anxious as ants on a hot pan, claiming ignorance of everything—no one dared propose strategies to intercept the Yan army. Officials were all very clever. Once the person on the dragon throne changed, wouldn’t they face reckoning?
Moreover, Ji Gang had long ordered people to spread Prince Yan’s policies throughout the city: as long as they welcomed him into the city, all past matters would not be pursued. Officials could keep their positions—he only wanted the heads of a few treacherous ministers like Fang Xiaoru and Huang Zicheng.
So facing Emperor Jianwen’s inquiries about strategies to save the country, officials basically chose to protect themselves wisely.
Only Fang Xiaoru still persisted in voicing his opinions. Although all his strategies had ended in failure, like a desperate patient trying any medicine, Emperor Jianwen was still willing to listen to him.
Fang Xiaoru said: “Your Majesty needn’t worry. Currently the capital has over two hundred thousand troops including Imperial Guards and garrison forces, plus new Folangji cannons developed by the gunpowder factory. The capital has sufficient grain supplies to withstand siege for a year, waiting for Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai to return with recruited reinforcements.”
Fang Xiaoru was still reliable. Emperor Jianwen asked: “What if their recruited troops arrive late?”
Fang Xiaoru spoke passionately: “If reinforcements are delayed and the Yan army breaches the gates, ‘the ruler dies for the state’—this is only natural. Your Majesty will surely be remembered in history, while the Yan bandits, even if they ascend the throne, will stink for ten thousand years, despised by all.”
Fang Xiaoru dared say anything, directly telling Emperor Jianwen that at worst he could “die for the state.” Officials angrily rebuked Fang Xiaoru for his impudence.
But Emperor Jianwen was moved: once touched by imperial power, who would give it up? It was like a curse—losing imperial power was more terrifying than death. Better to die for the state, fighting desperately. Perhaps when reinforcements arrived, the state could still be saved.
Having made his decision, Emperor Jianwen was no longer afraid and asked Fang Xiaoru: “How many days until reinforcements arrive?”
Fang Xiaoru said: “Huang Zicheng has rushed to Yunnan. With Duke Qianguo Mu Sheng’s troops plus soldiers from Yunnan’s various native chieftains, he can recruit at least five hundred thousand reinforcements.”
Five hundred thousand reinforcements versus fewer than one hundred thousand Yan troops.
In despair, Emperor Jianwen saw a faint glimmer of candlelight.
So Emperor Jianwen deployed capital defenses, stationing two hundred thousand defenders at the capital’s thirteen city gates, while continuing to send people to negotiate with Prince Yan.
On the ninth day of the sixth month, Emperor Jianwen sent Li Jinglong to negotiate with Prince Yan—at this time, ordinary ministers no longer had the ability to negotiate with Prince Yan. Li Jinglong was after all Prince Yan’s nephew and wouldn’t be driven away.
Li Jinglong had long been persuaded by Ji Gang to defect to Prince Yan. During negotiations, he frantically winked at Prince Yan: Uncle, hurry up and attack—I’ll open the gates for you!
On the tenth day of the sixth month, Emperor Jianwen sent Prince Gu Zhu Hong and Prince An Zhu Ying to negotiate with fourth brother. Prince Gu had actively abandoned his city and fled back to the capital when Prince Yan first launched the Jingnan Campaign, offering no resistance—because his birth mother Noble Consort Guo Hui had endured a lifetime only to be forced into martyrdom by Emperor Gaozhu to clear obstacles for Emperor Jianwen’s sole power. Prince Gu blamed his mother’s death on Emperor Jianwen’s throne and couldn’t wait for Jianwen to fall.
Prince An Zhu Ying had married Xu Da’s third daughter Lady Xu, making him both Prince Yan’s brother and brother-in-law. He hoped his brother-in-law and fourth brother would ascend the throne soon.
So the results of sending these two princes to negotiate were predictable—still no results, unable to stop Prince Yan’s military advance.
With his delaying tactics failing, Emperor Jianwen placed all hope in Duke Qianguo Mu Sheng’s five hundred thousand reinforcements.
Yunnan, Kunming.
Huang Zicheng carried Emperor Jianwen’s personal letter thousands of miles to Yunnan to recruit troops. Mu Sheng had been far from the political center for years and didn’t know the court situation had changed so dramatically. How could over a million southern troops combined not defeat only one hundred thousand Yan troops? Like homeless dogs?
What was going on?
Facing Mu Sheng’s questioning, Huang Zicheng felt his face burn. He coughed twice: “It’s not that our army is incompetent—the Yan army is truly too cunning. Now the capital is in emergency, and His Majesty has summoned troops from across the realm to come to the king’s aid and eliminate the Yan bandits.”
Mu Sheng looked at the imperial summons bearing Emperor Jianwen’s seal—it didn’t seem fake. He couldn’t defy imperial orders. Mu Sheng said: “Minister Huang, please remain calm. I’ll immediately summon troops for the capital—”
“Second brother!”
Halfway through his words, third brother Mu Ang entered and interrupted: “Second brother, some chieftains are secretly plotting rebellion!”
Mu Sheng’s wife, children, and mother were all kept in the capital as hostages. It had always been third brother Mu Ang governing Yunnan with him.
Mu Sheng quickly convened court to hear the secret report, but seeing the informant, he was stunned: “Eld…eldest brother, how did you get here?”
The person was none other than Mu Chun. The three Mu brothers of different mothers were gathered together. Besides this, Mu Chun was also leading a scholarly, handsome boy of about five years old.
Having faked his death for five years, Mu Chun had become legendary in Yunnan, his authority still present. Mu Sheng quickly yielded the main seat to his elder brother.
Mu Chun sat in the main position, casually took a fruit for the boy beside him. The boy held the fruit and gnawed it without any restraint.
Mu Sheng and Mu Ang exchanged glances: eldest brother had married and had children?
Accompanied by the boy’s fruit-crunching sounds, Mu Chun said: “Huang Zicheng has come to recruit troops—don’t pay attention to him. Delay is the priority. First, Yunnan has just stabilized. Although various chieftains have submitted to the Ming, without Ming troops stationed to provide deterrent force, some among them will eventually rebel. Political power grows out of gun barrels—if you leave, the chieftains will rebel and first target the 2.5 million new settlers already established. These new settlers only know farming and business—they’re defenseless. Once they lose protection, the consequences are unthinkable. Father’s and my years of effort would be destroyed.”
“As for the second point…” Mu Chun pointed to the boy seriously gnawing fruit: “He is Prince Yan’s legitimate eldest grandson Zhu Zhanji, who’s been with me in Yunnan for two years.”
Mu Sheng and Mu Ang had devoted their youth, young adulthood, and middle age to Yunnan. Yunnan and the Mu family bloodline were connected. Moreover, changing emperors in the Central Plains still meant working for the old Zhu family—it wasn’t truly changing bosses. Plus Mu Chun had long paved the way for the Mu family, maintaining good relationships with the future first, second, and third generation emperors. The Mu brothers’ choice was predictable.
Mu Sheng and Mu Ang almost simultaneously nodded: “Alright, we’ll listen to eldest brother.”
Emperor Jianwen’s last hope—the candlelight—was extinguished by Mu Chun’s casual few sentences.
On the thirteenth day of the sixth month, the legendary five hundred thousand reinforcements from Mu Sheng never arrived. The Yan army was at the city gates, assembling outside the outer city, preparing to attack.
Truly, what should come didn’t come, and what shouldn’t come all came.
Imperial Palace, Fengtian Hall.
Grand court assembly. Emperor Jianwen again asked officials for countermeasures. Officials collectively became mute, saying nothing.
Emperor Jianwen hadn’t slept all night, his eyes bloodshot. He pointed at one of the military officials: “Xu Zengshou, you once spread rumors in the capital, slandering your elder brother Duke Weiguo Xu Huizu for favoring Princess Yan and his nephews, falsely reporting military intelligence, tricking me into recalling Xu Huizu just after his victory, allowing the Yan bandits to turn defeat into victory.”
“Now I give you one last chance. As long as you stand on the city tower and demand Prince Yan withdraw his troops—if he doesn’t withdraw, you jump from the tower and die for the country.”
Xu Zengshou stepped forward and threw down his ivory tablet: “This humble minister, through the grace of father Duke Zhongshan Xu Da, has lived a life of wealth and honor, living as I pleased without worldly constraints. Throughout history, there aren’t many who could live as freely as floating clouds and wild cranes like this minister. I have no regrets in death.”
Xu Zengshou refused to persuade surrender, refusing to put his brother-in-law Prince Yan in an unrighteous position. All officials were shocked, never expecting the capital’s unsurpassed leading playboy to have such backbone.
Emperor Jianwen flew into rage, immediately drew his sword and stabbed Xu Zengshou. Instantly neck blood splattered, spilling on the ivory tablet already broken into pieces.
If there was one person who came with only innocence, accustomed to seeing the capital’s fame and fortune games, laughing while abandoning family and sacrificing life, finding joy in living and no regret in dying—the Hongwu era’s elegance could still be seen in Zengshou. Unfortunately, Zengshou lived not long, dying at thirty.
Seeing Emperor Jianwen begin mass killings, officials fled in swarms, running for their lives.
When Emperor Jianwen calmed down and looked back, in the vast Fengtian Hall, all civil and military officials had fled, leaving only Fang Xiaoru.
Fang Xiaoru remained calm: “This old minister will accompany Your Majesty in martyrdom.”
But Emperor Jianwen threw the blood-stained sword aside: “Incompetent ministers have misled me, resulting in today’s defeat!”
Having said this, Emperor Jianwen ignored Fang Xiaoru and headed toward the rear palace. Walking hurriedly, he asked a trusted eunuch: “Is everything prepared?”
The eunuch replied tremblingly: “Palace Supervisor Hu, Empress holding the young prince, and the crown prince have all… all drunk the poisoned wine bestowed upon them in Kunning Palace and have died.”
Emperor Jianwen asked again: “Is my poisoned wine ready?”
The eunuch lowered his head: “It’s prepared.”
Emperor Jianwen entered Kunning Palace but smelled thick liquor. Following the scent, he saw three half-rotted corpses on the arhat bed! A woman, a boy, and an indistinguishable baby’s body. Liquor was scattered on the bed and floor.
Emperor Jianwen realized he had fallen for a substitution scheme and quickly turned around, only to see Hu Shanwei holding a torch at the doorway: “This humble servant has come to see Your Majesty off one last time. Lady Fan watched the water rise bit by bit, suffering the double torment of despair and death, drowning alive. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth—let Your Majesty taste what Lady Fan experienced in her final moments.”
Having said this, Hu Shanwei threw the torch, and instantly the room became a sea of fire.
Hu Shanwei closed the door and locked it, just as Emperor Jianwen had done to Lady Fan years ago.
Listening to the screams inside and the frantic door-pounding sounds, Hu Shanwei showed no emotion or mercy. Her mind was filled with Lady Fan’s despair before death—putting on official robes, applying makeup in the mirror, determined to die beautifully. She said: “Sorry, you don’t have a ticket for that ship, because you personally scuttled that ship.”