Emperor Yongle had lived a life of military campaigns. As a young prince, he guarded Yan territory to protect his homeland; in middle age, he raised troops in the Jingnan Campaign to seize the throne; afterward, he governed diligently at home and used warfare as defense abroad. During his twenty-one-year reign, he personally led six military campaigns. In the end, he died on campaign rather than in a sickbed—a fitting death for him.
Yumu River was far in Mongolia. Upon learning of Emperor Yongle’s death, the first thing the Crown Prince did was send Imperial Grandson Zhu Zhanji away under the pretext of welcoming the emperor’s funeral carriage, also giving his eldest son a small seal:
“This was originally granted to me by the late emperor. Now I bestow it upon you. Should any matter require reporting, use this seal for identification.”
A deceased emperor was called the “late emperor” because the Ministry of Rites had not yet selected a posthumous title for Emperor Yongle—this was a temporary honorific used between death and the confirmation of his posthumous title.
This was the seal used by the Crown Prince when serving as regent.
Zhu Zhanji accepted the seal. The Crown Prince continued: “The northern journey is perilous. Besides guarding against Oirat harassment of the funeral carriage, you must also watch for remnant forces of Prince Han and Prince Zhao taking advantage of the chaos. Therefore, when you leave the city, take the twenty-eight thousand Youth Army with you for protection along the way.”
The twenty-eight thousand Youth Army had become formidable after the Japanese pirate wars, gaining military spirit and transforming from a miscellaneous force into a regular army. Three years ago, they had come to Beijing with the Imperial Grandson and had been patrolling the Forbidden City as part of the Imperial Guards’ Forward Guard—a military force not to be underestimated.
Zhu Zhanji hesitated: “The late emperor died during the northern campaign, taking six hundred thousand troops. Now the capital’s defenses are empty, and Prince Zhao remains in the capital, not yet having departed for his fief. Prince Zhao’s mansion alone has two guard units totaling nearly twenty thousand men. If something should happen… Father, please keep the Youth Army to protect the palace. Your son doesn’t need so many guards.”
These were Zhu Zhanji’s sincere words. In the current situation, as long as the Crown Prince ascended the throne smoothly, both the imperial family and the nation would transition peacefully, avoiding turmoil.
But the Crown Prince had been suppressed by his father for too long. With Emperor Yongle’s death, the imperial family had two potential heirs waiting to inherit the throne!
Prince Zhao had already been secretly “dealt with” by the Crown Prince. Although Prince Zhao had not yet departed for his fief, he was a prince while the Imperial Grandson was the heir apparent. For the Crown Prince, who posed the greater threat?
Of course, the Imperial Grandson.
Therefore, the Crown Prince was wary of the Imperial Grandson. At this crucial moment of inheriting the throne, he quickly sent both the Imperial Grandson and the Youth Army away from the capital.
Though the Crown Prince thought this way, he said: “Filial piety comes first. Welcoming the late emperor’s funeral carriage is urgent. I have already ordered Marquis Ningyang and Marquis Yangwu to lead three thousand cavalry back to Beijing for defense first. I’ve also sent Prince Consort Mu Xin to oversee the Southern Capital’s Rear Military Governor’s Office, with Marquis Xining Song Hu (also a prince consort) assisting Duke Weiguo in defending Nanjing. I have arranged everything properly. Don’t worry—focus on welcoming the late emperor.”
Actually, Duke Yingguo Zhang Fu was also with the campaign army. In terms of prestige and military prowess, how could these marquises and prince consorts compare to Duke Yingguo, the most outstanding military star of the Yongle era?
But the Crown Prince dared not summon Duke Yingguo to the capital, obviously fearing his old connections with Prince Han. Although Duke Yingguo Zhang Fu had already offered his youngest daughter to the Crown Prince as a consort to show loyalty, the Crown Prince still dared not trust him, preferring to settle for summoning Marquis Ningyang and Marquis Yangwu instead.
The Imperial Grandson understood these machinations clearly. Seeing the Crown Prince’s insistence and remembering the Crown Princess’s warning not to oppose his father, he said no more and accepted the order.
His father now was no longer the father of the past.
To his father, I, Prince Han, and Prince Zhao were all threats.
Before departure, the Imperial Grandson kissed his three-year-old daughter and instructed A’Lei: “Visit the Crown Princess daily for morning and evening attendance. Don’t say an extra word or take an extra step. If anyone tries to test you, ignore them. Simply mourn for the late emperor and wait for my return.”
With both the Imperial Grandson and Youth Army leaving, how could A’Lei not understand the Crown Prince’s intentions? She could only sigh that there was nothing new within the imperial family—later generations repeated what their predecessors had done. No matter how much they had hated such actions in the past, once they became the ones in power, they would unconsciously repeat them, even with greater intensity.
A’Lei sensed that difficult days were coming. When the Imperial Grandson became the new Crown Prince, all the hardships and difficulties the Eastern Palace had endured would likely have to be experienced all over again.
The two had lived like an immortal couple for six years, promising to share both sweet and bitter times. They had enjoyed six years of sweetness—now came the time for bitterness.
A’Lei prepared herself as if facing a great enemy: “I understand. Don’t worry about me. I’ll stabilize the Imperial Grandson’s palace. Take care of yourself out there.”
Zhu Zhanji then led the Youth Army out of the city by night, heading toward the northern desert.
Once the Imperial Grandson left, the Crown Prince began preparing for his enthronement.
On August 11th, civil and military officials in the capital collectively submitted memorials urging Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi to ascend the throne:
“Since ancient times, imperial lineages have been established by passing succession to the legitimate eldest son to strengthen the nation (affirming the Crown Prince’s impeccable birth)… We respectfully acknowledge that the late emperor was sagely, divine in both civil and military affairs, brilliant and magnanimous… Truly, His Highness the Crown Prince, as legitimate eldest son, is benevolent and wise… Having received the great authority of military command and regency, presiding over the great sacrifices honoring ancestors and heaven (affirming the Crown Prince’s excellent performance as regent)… The late emperor’s dying command was for Your Highness to ascend the great throne early (affirming the Crown Prince’s legitimate inheritance of the throne)…”
This memorial urging enthronement wasn’t actually for the Crown Prince to read, but to be published in court gazettes for all the realm to see, letting everyone know the Crown Prince’s succession was based on three great reasons: unique birth, capable governance, and legitimate inheritance.
According to protocol, the first urging must be refused due to grief over the father’s death.
Of course the Crown Prince wanted to ascend the throne, but proper form had to be observed.
The next day, civil and military officials submitted a second memorial urging enthronement. The Crown Prince still refused, citing grief.
On August 13th, Prince Zhao Zhu Gaosui in the capital submitted a separate memorial urging enthronement, delivered to the Eastern Palace along with the officials’ third memorial.
Prince Zhao’s separate submission was born of necessity.
Prince Zhao had been so thoroughly dealt with by his elder brother the Crown Prince that he had lost all temper. He would have to be insane to commit treason by poisoning or murdering his father, or to rebel using such clumsy methods as forging succession edicts!
He hadn’t done it.
However, Prince Zhao’s father-in-law was Duke Qianguo Mu Sheng, who had guarded the southwest for many years. Prince Zhao had been stationed in Beijing all these years, with foundations in both military and civil affairs and powerful influence. Naturally, Prince Zhao had thoughts of competing, but he dared not do things like patricide or fratricide—he had principles.
But the Crown Prince was wary of Prince Zhao. Having been made paranoid by Prince Han, he simply didn’t trust his third brother.
So the Crown Prince struck against Prince Zhao while Emperor Yongle was on his fifth campaign and he held regent authority, framing him for patricidal treason and completely uprooting Prince Zhao’s military and political influence in the capital, eliminating even his palace informants.
Then, using the same old trick, he knelt to beg Emperor Yongle to spare Prince Zhao, saying it was “all the fault of those below.”
The Crown Prince gained both reputation and benefit. From then on, Prince Zhao viewed the Crown Prince with new eyes—the timidity, cowardice, and womanish kindness were all pretense. His elder brother’s patient scheming surpassed what he and Prince Han could achieve combined.
Your elder brother will always be your elder brother. We two brothers together couldn’t outplay our elder brother.
Now their father was dead and their only protective umbrella had fallen. Looking again—oh my, even the Imperial Grandson and Youth Army had been sent away to the northern desert.
Even guarding against his own son! Prince Zhao immediately felt a sense of crisis, fearing the Crown Prince would settle scores after ascending the throne and cause trouble for his third brother. He quickly submitted a memorial urging his elder brother to ascend the throne, saying “the throne cannot remain vacant long, the people cannot be without a ruler,” expressing submission and no ulterior motives.
Besides this, Prince Zhao also sent word to his second brother Prince Han in Leting, Shandong, urging Prince Han to quickly submit a memorial supporting the Crown Prince’s succession to gain merit as an early supporter. In the future, both brothers would have to make their living under their elder brother—they needed to show proper awareness!
Prince Zhao had always looked up to Prince Han since childhood, considering his second brother wise, strategically brilliant, and martially superb. But when Prince Han received the letter, he immediately burned it as if he had never received it, only continuing to mourn in his palace without writing any memorial urging enthronement.
Having experienced the pain of losing his son, Prince Han remained proud by nature, thinking: “I kneel to heaven, earth, and parents—I won’t kneel to my elder brother. I simply refuse to submit a memorial. If you have the ability, go ahead and frame me for treason and kill me after you ascend the throne!”
Death would be cleaner, letting the world see your hypocrisy!
Since Prince Han refused to submit a memorial, the Crown Prince felt somewhat awkward. He had been waiting for his second brother’s response—once both brothers submitted memorials, he would agree to ascend the throne.
What now? How awkward.
The Crown Prince had no choice but to go through three requests and three refusals, saying: “When the nation suffers great mourning, the people of all corners mourn as if losing their father. How much more should father and son feel? I understand your loyalty, but please understand my grief and earnest requests. Your petition is not granted.”
On August 14th, ministers, famous scholars, and elderly citizens of the capital continued urging enthronement: “Those who govern the realm and nation show their filial piety by stabilizing the ancestral temples and strengthening the dynastic foundation as most important. Ignoring such weighty matters—the filial piety of sages surely is not like this.”
They said: “Governing the nation and realm well is the greatest filial piety—please ascend the throne quickly!”
This was already the fourth time—it couldn’t be refused again.
On August 15th, the Mid-Autumn Festival, Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne and granted general amnesty. He announced his father Emperor Yongle’s posthumous title as “Emperor Wen who Embodied Heaven, Expanded the Way, was Brilliant and Magnanimous in Fortune, Sacred in War, Divine in Achievement, Pure in Benevolence, and Ultimate in Filial Piety,” with temple name Taizong, to be buried with his wife Empress Renxiao in Changling (later, during Ming Shizong’s reign—the Jiajing Emperor who loved cultivating immortality and taking elixirs—the temple name was changed to Chengzu; later generations collectively called Emperor Yongle Ming Chengzu, but since this book doesn’t reach the Jiajing era, we only refer to Emperor Taizong).
At the same time, he announced next year’s era name—Hongxi, to be used starting from the first day of the first month next year. Currently it was still the twenty-first year of Yongle, so Zhu Gaochi became Emperor Hongxi.
Besides this, Emperor Hongxi also made his wife Zhang Shi the empress, elevated Good Lady Guo Shi to Imperial Noble Consort, made his legitimate eldest son Zhu Zhanji Crown Prince, his legitimate eldest daughter-in-law Hu Shi Crown Princess, and granted his three-year-old eldest granddaughter the title Princess Shunde.
Except for Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji, all sons were made princes and all daughters princesses—truly “when one person attains the Way, even chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.”
Additionally, Emperor Hongxi didn’t forget his siblings. Since they were all born from the same mother, Empress Renxiao, Emperor Hongxi magnanimously elevated all his sisters to Princess Imperial status and increased stipends for his two troublesome brothers.
At this time, Zhu Zhanji was still escorting Emperor Taizong’s funeral carriage toward the capital. Midway, he received the imperial edict of ennoblement—the Imperial Grandson had become Crown Prince.
Changling reopened, and Emperor Taizong’s coffin was carried into the tomb chamber, finally interred with Empress Renxiao.
After Emperor Taizong’s funeral concluded, Emperor Hongxi quickly sent Prince Zhao to his fief in Anyang, Henan, completely ending Prince Zhao’s ideas of remaining as a thorn in the capital’s side.
However, with Prince Han and Prince Zhao far away in their fiefs, Emperor Hongxi actually became more generous toward his two brothers, bestowing various rewards continuously. Everyone praised Emperor Hongxi’s magnanimity and benevolence, praising the brotherly harmony.
Having settled the “position” issue, Emperor Hongxi promptly issued new governmental policies—thirty-five articles in total.
Upon seeing the length of Emperor Hongxi’s enthronement edict, Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji and all the ministers felt dizzy—it was truly too long!
Emperor Jianwen’s enthronement edict contained eight new policies.
Emperor Taizong’s enthronement edict contained twenty-four new policies.
Emperor Hongxi produced a full thirty-five articles! The richness of content matched his massive physical proportions perfectly.
But upon reading the edict’s content, Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji maintained a calm expression while internally experiencing tremendous shock:
Of the thirty-five articles, fourteen completely contradicted Emperor Taizong’s proactive governance philosophy:
On the surface, stopping the treasure ships to the Western Ocean, gem collection from Yunnan, gold and pearl gathering from Jiaozhi, and horse procurement from Samarkand seemed intended to reduce imperial luxury expenses.
In reality, Zheng He’s voyages were to develop Ming’s official overseas trade; Yunnan wasn’t about gems, nor Jiaozhi about gold and pearls—both were about expanding southwestern territory and preventing Jiaozhi’s secession again. Going to Samarkand wasn’t for horses but for northwestern border security, using offense as defense.
Now, Emperor Hongxi was abandoning Ming’s overseas trade, abandoning the constantly rebellious Jiaozhi, and no longer launching military campaigns—changing national defense strategy from offense to defense!
Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji couldn’t calm down for a long time. He had followed Emperor Taizong on northern campaigns since childhood, receiving his grandfather’s direct guidance and being deeply influenced by Emperor Taizong. Whether the Western Ocean voyages, Jiaozhi campaigns, personal campaigns in the northern desert, capital relocation, or opening the Grand Canal—Zhu Zhanji agreed with all these actions.
He considered Emperor Taizong’s achievements sufficient to make him an eternal wise ruler and took him as an idol, hoping to become such a world-conquering sovereign himself.
He never expected that once his father ascended the throne, he would immediately destroy all of Emperor Taizong’s governance strategies.
Zhu Zhanji’s blood boiled—he wanted nothing more than to tear up the edict.
At this moment, a eunuch from Emperor Hongxi’s side came requesting an audience, saying there were matters to discuss with the Crown Prince.
In Qianqing Palace, Emperor Hongxi asked the Crown Prince: “What opinions do you have regarding my thirty-five-article enthronement edict? We are father and son—speak freely. You grew up at Emperor Taizong’s knee and deeply understand governance. Your opinions are very important to me.”
When arriving, Zhu Zhanji had been full of passion with much to say, ready to refute the thirty-five articles. Now, looking at his father on the dragon throne, he heard his mother Empress Zhang’s warning echoing in his ears: “In the future… you must always maintain consistent positions with the Crown Prince. He is your father.”
Zhu Zhanji thought: How did father endure twenty-one years? By maintaining consistent positions with Emperor Taizong regardless of any problems encountered, no matter his inner revulsion, no matter what hardships and difficulties he faced, never contradicting Emperor Taizong. Through this, he defeated his two accomplished brothers Prince Han and Prince Zhao, overcame imperial suspicion, and finally ascended the throne smoothly.
What I must do now is learn from father, walk the path he walked. Father felt his way across the river stone by stone—I need only follow in his footsteps.
Therefore, Zhu Zhanji swallowed all his opposition and said: “Your son believes all thirty-five articles show love for the people and practical governance, a strategy of rest and recuperation. Your Majesty is wise.”
“Very good.” Emperor Hongxi nodded. “Since that’s the case, Crown Prince, make a trip for me. Tell Eunuch Zheng He to go guard Nanjing. He’s getting old now and can’t withstand the ocean winds and waves. Beijing’s climate is dry and cold—he’s not suited to this place either. Let him return to Nanjing for peaceful retirement.”
Eunuch Zheng He was the chief seal-holding eunuch of the twenty-four supervisorates. Now with a new emperor came new ministers. No matter how talented Eunuch Zheng He was, Emperor Hongxi absolutely dared not keep Emperor Taizong’s loyal minister in the palace. This was a perfect excuse to send Zheng He away.
Such offensive tasks were left for the Crown Prince to handle.