Prince consorts who could survive through the Hongwu, Jianwen, and Yongle reigns were fortunate indeed – after all, the previous nine had all died unnatural deaths, with no survivors.

Hu Guan was a shrewd prince consort, most skilled at reading the political winds. During the Hongwu reign, following his father-in-law’s hints, he frantically impeached Jinyiwei Commander Mao Qiang, thereby earning a reputation for uprightness and virtue – a double gain of fame and profit.

During the Jianwen reign, when Li Jinglong led the second northern expedition, Hu Guan followed the commander north to demonstrate loyalty and attack the “Yan rebels.” Yet he dared not truly fight – without shooting a single arrow, he raised his hands in surrender. Prince Yan, seeking imperial family support at the time, treated his brother-in-law Hu Guan with exceptional courtesy, politely escorting him back to the capital. After that campaign, Li Jinglong became “Li the Runner,” frantically fleeing through Shandong, while Hu Guan emerged without even a scratch.

During the Yongle reign, when Prince Yan’s forces besieged the city, Hu Guan as prince consort was supposed to defend it. Seeing other garrison troops opening the gates to welcome Prince Yan, he too hastily rushed to open the gates.

When Prince Yan entered the palace and the situation was decided, he as an imperial family member immediately submitted a memorial saying the nation could not be without a ruler for a single day, requesting Prince Yan to ascend the throne. Reading the winds perfectly, he secured the merit of early support.

After Prince Yan’s enthronement, princesses of Nankang’s generation changed from being the emperor’s aunts to his sisters, so their titles could no longer be “Grand Princess” – they all became princesses. But regardless of how princess titles changed, prince consorts remained prince consorts.

When Emperor Yongle reestablished the Jinyiwei, former fugitive Ji Gang transformed into Jinyiwei Commander, which truly frightened Hu Guan for a while. After all, he had been the one to bring down Ji Gang’s former superior Mao Qiang, and had even tried to steal Mao Qiang’s corpse as a sacrificial offering, only to be intercepted midway by Princess Huaiqing’s consort Wang Ning. Hu Guan worried about Ji Gang’s revenge.

But later Hu Guan observed that to consolidate his position, Emperor Yongle treated the imperial family well. As long as they supported his rule and acknowledged his legitimate claim to the throne, he would not hold past grudges and would treat them kindly. Those previously wronged under Emperor Jianwen received compensation – for instance, Princess Qingyang had her title restored from Qingcheng County Princess. Emperor Yongle excelled at united front work, grasping main contradictions. He only executed two prince consorts who openly opposed him:

The first was Prince Consort Mei Yin, who refused to acknowledge Emperor Yongle’s legitimacy, so the emperor had to invite him to sleep with the fishes. The second was Geng Xuan, consort of Emperor Jianwen’s sister Princess Jiangdu. As Geng Bingwen, the only surviving general from the Hongwu reign and a trusted minister under Emperor Jianwen, faced complete family extermination, Geng Xuan naturally couldn’t escape either. Princess Jiangdu acknowledged the new ruler’s claim, so Emperor Yongle didn’t make things difficult for her, demoting her to Jiangdu County Princess but treating her generously.

Observing Emperor Yongle’s policies in secret, Hu Guan realized his safety was secured. He enthusiastically supported Emperor Yongle, and Ji Gang dared not touch him – his prince consort status was an excellent protective talisman. As long as he didn’t rebel, what could Ji Gang do to him?

Reassured, Hu Guan devoted himself wholeheartedly to pleasing Princess Nankang. When Nankang bore him a son, he eagerly named the child Hu Zhong to demonstrate loyalty to Emperor Yongle. How could the emperor not understand? He bestowed numerous gifts upon his little nephew.

Having secured a son and firmly grasped Princess Nankang, Hu Guan still felt uncomfortable – Female Official Jiang Quan at the princess’s mansion was truly an eyesore.

Reportedly, when Female Official Jiang first entered the palace, she personally witnessed Princess Nankang’s birth, establishing their bond. Afterward, Princess Nankang grew up shuttling between the palaces of four concubines – Noble Consort Li Xian, Noble Consort Sun Chengmu, Consort Li Shu, and Noble Consort Guo Duanjing – with people around her changing constantly. Only Jiang Quan remained by her side throughout. Princess Nankang was too dependent on Jiang Quan, almost obeying her every word.

But Hu Guan detested Jiang Quan. Two tigers cannot share one mountain. He hated Jiang Quan’s scrutinizing gaze, hated that she had delivered wine to death row prisoner Mao Qiang for his final journey, hated their different political stances, hated that Princess Nankang always consulted Jiang Quan first when matters arose, hated that whenever he clashed with Jiang Quan, Princess Nankang always urged him to “endure” and accommodate this undying old woman.

He knew the princess was his foundation for security and survival – his lifetime of wealth and glory depended on her. But with Jiang Quan present, she was like sand in his eyes, a pebble in his shoe, a rat dropping in his porridge – absolutely disgusting.

Yet Jiang Quan was in excellent health. At sixty, she could still chew fried broad beans, displaying an attitude of “I can live another five hundred years.” Hu Guan felt that even if he died, Jiang Quan would still be alive.

Hu Guan wanted to kill Jiang Quan, but besides Princess Nankang, she had other backing. The palace’s major female officials were all her old friends, Princess Huaiqing, currently most respected by Emperor Yongle, had an excellent relationship with Jiang Quan, not to mention Jinyiwei Commander Ji Gang’s respectful deference before her.

Jiang Quan’s network was too extensive. This undying old woman never stayed quietly at the princess’s mansion but tirelessly participated in various social activities, maintaining her connections.

Actually, Jiang Quan did this entirely to protect Nankang. Nankang was devoted to living behind closed doors with Hu Guan, lost in love and completely uninterested in court and political affairs outside. If Jiang Quan didn’t manage these relationships, who would care if something happened to Nankang?

If Jiang Quan died mysteriously, Hu Guan was confident he could fool Princess Nankang, but would others let it slide, especially Ji Gang who specialized in investigating imperial cases?

Since he couldn’t kill her, Hu Guan devised a plan to make Princess Nankang despise Jiang Quan and voluntarily distance herself. So Hu Guan got involved with a top courtesan from the Qinhuai River, staged a performance, secretly paid for her freedom, settled her in a residence, and deliberately carelessly exposed the strong scent of rouge to let Jiang Quan “take the bait.”

Jiang Quan indeed fell for it. After personally witnessing Hu Guan’s intimate relations with the courtesan, she brought Princess Nankang to catch them in adultery. But when they reached the residence, the courtesan and all servants had vanished. Hu Guan proactively invited Nankang to tour the residence, claiming it was a surprise he had secretly prepared for her birthday.

Princess Nankang loved red maples, and this courtyard was planted full of maple trees. Come autumn, when the maple leaves blazed like fire, what beautiful scenery that would be!

Despite Jiang Quan’s exhaustive search, she found no trace of the courtesan and lost all face. Princess Nankang reproached Jiang Quan for wrongly accusing Hu Guan, demanding she reflect and apologize to him.

Jiang Quan’s patience was limitless. On the surface, she and Hu Guan performed “bearing thorns to apologize” and “harmony between minister and general,” but secretly she waited for Ji Gang’s return to Beijing for autumn reckoning.

Jiang Quan harbored murderous intent toward Hu Guan, while Ji Gang had long wanted to kill him to avenge Mao Qiang. The two hit it off perfectly.

Ji Gang said: “Hu Guan is a prince consort who was first to pledge loyalty to His Majesty, urging the emperor’s enthronement with merit from following the dragon. He cannot be underestimated. To move against him, we must use strategy, not assassination or manufactured accidents, which would displease His Majesty.”

Princess Nankang was easy to fool – call it an accident, let her cry a bit, and she’d accept it. With her one-year-old son Hu Zhong to raise, she could eventually overcome grief. The problem was Emperor Yongle wouldn’t be fooled.

Jiang Quan bowed to Ji Gang: “If Director Ji has orders, just command me.”

Ji Gang quickly helped Jiang Quan sit: “No need to trouble Female Official Jiang. Just pretend you know nothing and carry on as usual. Leave everything to me. During this period, let’s not interact to avoid suspicion.”

Jiang Quan returned to Princess Nankang’s mansion while Ji Gang began setting traps for Hu Guan, using borrowed knife killing methods.

First, they had to find the courtesan who performed the charade. Ji Gang’s Jinyiwei secret agents spread throughout the realm, especially the countless brothels and pleasure quarters along the Qinhuai River. Through the courtesan’s indenture contract, they traced her origins as a Yangzhou “thin horse” sold to the Qinhuai River.

Yangzhou brothel keepers purchased beautiful girls, raising them from childhood as refined ladies with both beauty and talents, incomparable to common rouge and powder. Such establishments often had “techniques” dating back to the Song Dynasty, passing skills down through generations. All were registered with the Jinyiwei, so agents quickly found the “mother” who originally trained the courtesan.

Returning to one’s roots is human instinct. Having gained freedom and money, courtesans mostly choose to seek relatives and return home, finding honest men to marry.

Indeed, this courtesan who performed with Hu Guan followed suit, returning home to seek relatives only to find her parents dead and her family line extinct. However, a swarm of fly-like clan members wanted to devour this “fat meat.” Having seen the world in the capital, the courtesan hired bodyguards to break through their encirclement and was heading to major cities like Hangzhou to find an honest husband when the Jinyiwei caught her.

Under Ji Gang’s increasingly perfected methods, the courtesan confessed before dawn. Ji Gang promised her a way out.

Three days later, the courtesan went to the Imperial Clan Court to file charges, claiming Prince Consort Hu Guan had deceived her into infidelity and planned to silence her permanently!

According to the courtesan’s accusations, Hu Guan disguised his marital status, redeemed her from the brothel, promising her the position of legitimate wife. Who knew that after less than a month of loving intimacy, she discovered his true identity. She planned to kneel at Princess Nankang’s mansion, voluntarily becoming a slave to serve the princess, hoping the princess might allow her occasional meetings with the prince consort.

Hu Guan superficially agreed but secretly feared Princess Nankang’s fury upon discovering his infidelity. During a pleasure boat moon-viewing excursion, he pushed her into the Qinhuai River to silence her.

Fortunately, the courtesan knew how to swim and survived. Love turned to hatred, and after recovering, she came to the Imperial Clan Court to expose Prince Consort Hu Guan’s true nature, preventing Princess Nankang from being deceived by this unfaithful, ungrateful, wolf-hearted man. Now that Hu Guan dared attempt murder to silence her, who knew if someday he might use the same method against the princess.

Hu Guan protested his innocence, swearing to heaven that he was faithful to Princess Nankang, never unfaithful in his life – this prostitute was spouting nonsense.

Hu Guan truly hadn’t slept with the courtesan – everything was just performance to drive away Jiang Quan. Having experienced family downfall and complete extermination, he valued wealth and power above all, having no interest in women.

But the courtesan accurately pointed out his left little toe’s natural inward deformity and a soybean-sized black mole between his testicles!

Such private matters – who would know except intimate partners?

Like Jiang Quan the previous month, Hu Guan found himself unable to explain, only able to kneel begging Princess Nankang’s forgiveness, pleading she spare him for their son Hu Zhong’s sake.

Being cuckolded by a prostitute, sharing a husband with a whore – when had Princess Nankang ever suffered such humiliation? Though timid and weak, as a princess she wasn’t bound by traditional feminine virtues of obedience. Especially Hongwu reign princesses, with their supremely powerful father Emperor Gaozhu – which prince consort dared take concubines?

Visiting prostitutes was even more ridiculous. If Emperor Gaozhu were alive, he would have chopped up such a tasteless prince consort long ago.

With both testimony and evidence present, heart-dead from despair, Princess Nankang lost all face and departed weeping, supported by Jiang Quan.

Hu Guan was imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court, which reported the prince consort’s prostitute scandal to Emperor Yongle for imperial judgment.

Though Princess Nankang wasn’t as close to Emperor Yongle as Princess Huaiqing, she was still an important piece in the emperor’s strategy to stabilize the imperial clan. But she was his sister after all – did her husband’s prostitute visits bring honor to the emperor as her brother?

How could Emperor Yongle not be furious? Hu Guan’s actions disgraced Princess Nankang and clearly showed no respect for the emperor’s dignity!

Emperor Yongle first ordered the Jinyiwei to give Hu Guan twenty strokes, confining him in the Imperial Clan Court to await Princess Nankang’s decision.

Though Hu Guan was unfaithful to Princess Nankang, he had merit in supporting the Yongle reign. Moreover, officials visiting prostitutes merited at most dismissal, with the severest punishment being stripped of titles – not death.

Furthermore, Princess Nankang had previously been deeply devoted to Hu Guan and bore him a son. Hu Guan’s fate ultimately depended on Nankang’s wishes.

Returning home, Princess Nankang held her son, remembering Hu Guan’s good points, torn between love and hate. Seeing her granddaughter’s heartbreak, Jiang Quan felt even more pained, secretly thinking that given the princess’s soft nature and Hu Guan’s previous devoted efforts, she might relent and forgive him in a few days. What then?

Ji Gang sent a secret message through intermediaries telling Jiang Quan: this was just the beginning – she should remain calm, as the killing move was yet to come. Just stabilize Princess Nankang for ten days. Within ten days, absolutely don’t let the princess soften and go to the Imperial Clan Court demanding his release.

Jiang Quan complied. Princess Nankang softened the next day, discussing with Jiang Quan about rescuing him from the Imperial Clan Court.

Jiang Quan privately marveled at Ji Gang’s perfect calculations, advising Nankang: “Sigh, the prince consort was temporarily bewitched by that fox spirit, committing wrongs and betraying his vows to the princess. But first, Zhong’er is still young, and second, the prince consort has served the princess devotedly in daily life – I’ve seen this with my own eyes. We should give him a chance to reform.”

“But if people don’t learn lessons, how do we know they won’t repeat offenses? Moreover, he injured the princess’s dignity. We can’t just release him after two days’ confinement, letting others look down on the imperial family and embarrassing His Majesty. Better to let the prince consort cool off for ten days, making him reflect properly. After ten days, we can bring him home.”

Princess Nankang had depended on Jiang Quan since childhood and found this very reasonable, so she agreed.

Meanwhile, Ji Gang secretly encouraged censors to impeach Hu Guan for corrupting morals and poor character based on his prostitute visits. Impeaching officials was the censors’ responsibility anyway, with monthly quotas to meet. Impeaching others carried risks, but impeaching Hu Guan – this fallen noble’s son without backing who relied solely on the princess for advancement – carried extremely low risk.

Thus, when walls fall everyone pushes, when drums break everyone beats them. Memorials flew like snowflakes to Emperor Yongle’s desk. The emperor, busy with myriad state affairs and already overwhelmed, was further disturbed by family scandals. Furious, he sent Jinyiwei to give Hu Guan another twenty strokes to vent his anger.

After all, brothers-in-law beating brothers-in-law was nothing unusual – it was practically free. Even in civilian life, when brothers-in-law beat brothers-in-law for bullying their sisters, as long as no one died, authorities wouldn’t interfere. Onlookers would just watch the excitement, saying the beating was well-deserved, with no one sympathizing with the brother-in-law.

Like when Mu Chun’s uncle Feng Cheng beat the emperor’s adopted son, Marquis Xiping Mu Ying, into a pig’s head, even the hot-tempered Emperor Gaozhu said nothing.

While beating him, the Jinyiwei cursed, with others loudly reading the censors’ impeachment memorials – torturing both body and mind.

Initially, Hu Guan thought his previous efforts with Princess Nankang would ensure her forgiveness and his release. But waiting and waiting, seeing no princess but receiving beatings and piles of impeachment memorials instead.

Clearly, he had fallen from favor with the princess and lost credibility before the emperor. Both paths were blocked.

Hu Guan collapsed mentally and physically. The Hu family of Eastern River Marquis had all been beheaded and exterminated. At night he had nightmares, dreaming of that terrible execution ground where his second brother’s family, though innocent, were accused of treason by the Jinyiwei and led to execution, heads rolling one by one…

Hu Guan woke with a start. Slightly turning over, his buttocks, having received forty total strokes, hurt like ten thousand needle pricks.

Struggling until dawn, jailers brought new clothes and food boxes, changing his blood-stained old clothes. The table held all his favorite dishes.

Hu Guan was delighted: “These are from Princess Nankang’s mansion, right?”

But the jailer looked at him with pitying eyes, not answering his question, mumbling: “Eat up. Even ordinary death row prisoners get a farewell meal before beheading, let alone someone who was once a prince consort.”

These words seemed like casual sighs, but in this special situation, they meant Hu Guan must die. Eat and drink well, then hit the road.

Under this psychological suggestion, Hu Guan plummeted from clouds to hell again, falling into despair. Last night’s nightmare of family beheading wouldn’t leave him.

Hu Guan thought: “Body, hair, and skin are received from parents. I cannot be beheaded like my clan members. Better to end myself and keep my corpse intact.”

At least with Zhong’er alive, the Hu family line wouldn’t be extinct.

When the jailer came to collect bowls, he found Hu Guan had hanged himself from the beam with his belt.

News reached the Jinyiwei, and Ji Gang said indifferently: “Understood.”

Subsequently, Ji Gang entered an underground secret chamber where Mao Qiang’s portrait hung, with his memorial tablet placed on the altar.

Ji Gang lit three incense sticks, bowed three times in offering to Mao Qiang, then opened a ledger-like book on the altar. Every page was filled with names – over a hundred total.

Half the names were circled in red ink, quite conspicuous. Ji Gang flipped to the middle, stopped, picked up his red brush, and circled the name “Hu Guan,” addressing Mao Qiang’s portrait:

“Director Mao, you always said I had limitless beauty but limited wisdom, just a pretty face, mud that couldn’t stick to walls, wouldn’t become enlightened in a hundred years, and turned my elbow outward. If I weren’t working under you with your protection, I would have died a hundred times over.”

“Now I’ve finally become enlightened, learned to use schemes and tactics. My only goal is to avenge you. Every straw that crushed you, every snowflake that froze you to death – I won’t spare any of them. I’ve now completed half my objectives. Today’s departed is Hu Guan, whom I scared to death without dirtying my hands – he chose death himself. See, I have brains now, right?”