Chapter 116: Zhu Qizhen, the Reckless Man!

The scene was incredibly harmonious.

Emperor Chenghua, Zhu Jianshen, gazed with fervent eyes, a deep smile spreading across his face: "Auntie?"

Wan Zhen'er blinked, shyly lowering her head, not daring to speak.

Behind them, Consort Wan stood in a daze, the very last regret in her heart finally put to rest.

*I was born before you were; by the time you were born, I had already grown old.*

"Stop looking, just stop looking!" little Zhu Jianshen jumped out, pouting, and stepped between their gazes, his tone reeking of jealousy.

*Cough!*

Emperor Chenghua, Zhu Jianshen, withdrew his gaze and turned back to look apologetically at Consort Wan.

Consort Wan smiled gently, devoid of any jealousy; she knew that was herself in her youth.

"If it weren't for our great-grandson, we wouldn't have been able to watch such a spectacular drama in several lifetimes." Zhu Yuanzhang took the lead in spectating, watching from the front row with intense interest, clicking his tongue in wonder: "Great-grandson, looking at these two, it feels a bit like me and my Empress. Just by looking at them, you know this kid is definitely just like me—a tough guy with a stable position in the imperial household, the kind whose harem never catches fire."

Old Zhu muttered softly, "It’s just that this kid’s preference for older women is a bit too eccentric."

"Grand Progenitor, the harem of the Chenghua Emperor was far from 'not catching fire'; it was actually quite dramatic..." Zhu Youjian whispered in his ear, sighing inwardly.

Civil officials, in order to smear Emperor Xianzong, claimed he had strange tastes and loved older women... What nonsense! Xianzong loved young and beautiful ones too!

It was just that in the fifth year of Tianshun, the Cao Qin Rebellion and the hidden dangers left behind by the "Fortress Emperor" (Zhu Qizhen) meant that Xianzong’s reign began in total collapse. If it weren't for his innate brilliance, he would have surely become a puppet emperor.

In fact, when Cao Qin led five hundred men to attack the Forbidden City, it wasn't to stage a rebellion—how could five hundred men launch a coup? The very number makes the claim ridiculous. He was actually acting under the orders of the "Fortress Emperor" to rescue the throne, with the sole purpose of preventing the Sun family from seizing power.

The attempt failed. The price was the extermination of the clans of the "Fortress Emperor's" confidants: Cao Jixiang of the Directorate of Ceremonial and Cao Qin, who commanded the Three Thousand Camp.

Afterward, the Sun family handed out rewards for their "meritorious service." Sun Tang was promoted from Earl of Huaining to Marquis of Huaining; the Fortress Emperor’s eldest uncle, Sun Jizong, was granted the title of Grand Preceptor; and the Sun family’s other four brothers received various titles.

One woman and five sons from the Sun family held control over the Imperial City, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Imperial Guards, and the Twelve Regiment Camps. In an instant, they controlled the entire military force of the capital!

The official history didn't record this because the *Veritable Records of Yingzong* were compiled by that same eldest uncle, Sun Jizong. He scrubbed himself and his brothers from the record, leaving only Sun Tang.

After the Cao Qin Rebellion, the Fortress Emperor lost all power over the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the military. His confidants were all wiped out. The Sun family and her brothers controlled the palace, while the eldest uncle, Sun Jizong, controlled the army. The Fortress Emperor was completely sidelined, reduced to a puppet.

The *Veritable Records of Yingzong* note that once, when the Fortress Emperor refused to submit and tried to stir up trouble, the Sun family had him dragged to the Southern Palace for two months. The implication was clear: "Keep acting up, and we will send you back there for good." He finally quieted down, intimidated.

"How could I possibly be intimidated!" Zhu Qizhen scoffed.

"What's this?"

"Is this little Zhu-brat standing tall again?"

Without needing orders from the leaders, the Yongle Emperor’s little Zhu stood behind him, while the Xuande Emperor, Zhu Zhanji, stood expressionlessly in front of him.

"Dad, don't..."

The "Fortress Emperor" was suddenly caught in the middle, shrinking his neck in discomfort.

The two Zhu Zhanjis each grabbed an ancestral tablet from the table, both engraved with the character for "Virtue" (De). Because Zhu Yuanzhang had said he recently started believing in "winning people over with virtue," the Fourth Zhu had dutifully carved the character onto the tablets.

"Dad, don't be impulsive! I'm intimidated, I'm intimidated!" Zhu Qizhen said with a forced smile, speaking quickly.

The two Zhu Zhanjis let out a cold snort. Out of so many ancestors, this kid loved to seek attention the most!

Zhu Qizhen thought silently: *Just you remember, I never said who was intimidated!*

"Great-grandson, continue," Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at him and asked, turning back.

Zhu Youjian nodded.

In the sixth year of Tianshun, Empress Dowager Sun passed away. With the harem's restraint gone, imperial power returned to the Fortress Emperor. This kid was a reckless man who acted without thinking. Within a year of the Sun family's passing, he immediately initiated the "Jingcha" (capital inspection) and evaluations that had been abandoned during the Sun family's reign. He dismissed over 1,600 civil officials in one fell swoop and stood his ground against the Cabinet.

He then immediately levied mining taxes in the south and squeezed out a fortune in silk and currency. When the Ministry of Works suggested lowering the tax—since it was essentially taxing the civil officials' own businesses, meaning they were paying to work—the Fortress Emperor, being a reckless man with a hot temper from his newfound power, immediately threw the official in prison and exiled him, declaring, "Whoever dares to nag again will die!"

He defied everyone; no one could stop him. He was number two in the world, right after Heaven. He deeply offended the civil officials and the capital-holding class. Furthermore, since he didn't have control of the military—which was still in his uncles' hands—the Fortress Emperor began training troops in the Western Garden, imitating his great-grandfather, Zhu Di.

This offended his uncles who held military power. The eldest uncle and the Cabinet were terrified. "This won't do! This kid is a pure hothead; he’s this ruthless even without an army. If he actually gains control of the military, he’ll torment us to death!"

Especially the eldest uncle—after the Fortress Emperor inexplicably granted posthumous honors to his stepmother, Hu Shanxiang, as a blatant provocation toward his biological mother, the Sun family, the uncle felt that the entire Sun clan was about to be wiped out.

And so, the Fortress Emperor died suddenly in the first month. He was thirty-seven years old!

As I said before, the Imperial Palace is not a slum tenement. Once Empress Dowager Sun was gone, the Fortress Emperor’s uncles and the civil officials couldn't kill him. Only someone in the harem could.

Empress Qian couldn't have laid a hand on him; they were true lovers. But the Lady Zhou was the wildcard. Her status was unique; she only became a noble consort after giving birth to Xianzong. As the Fortress Emperor himself said, their relationship was purely physical—there was no love.

Moreover, the Fortress Emperor visibly loathed this Lady Zhou. Before he died, he left a final edict forbidding her from being buried with him—a profound insult in ancient times. It was the equivalent of pointing at her nose and cursing her.

During the year the Fortress Emperor spent "studying abroad" in Oirat, Empress Qian went blind in one eye. They say it was from crying. Fine, I believe that. But Empress Qian also became crippled in one leg—that couldn't have been from crying, could it? That was Lady Zhou’s doing.

With the Fortress Emperor’s power restored and Lady Zhou being sidelined, the most advantageous outcome for her was for him to die suddenly so her son could ascend the throne.

Therefore, the reality of the seventh year of Tianshun was that the Cabinet hoped he would die, the uncles hoped he would die, and Lady Zhou was waiting for her son to succeed him—she also hoped he would die.

The pitiful and reckless Yingzong had no one around him wishing him well, except for a blind and crippled Empress Qian.

And so, the Cabinet and the eldest uncle reached an understanding with Lady Zhou, and the "Assassin Zhou" immediately went to work, sending the Fortress Emperor away in the first month of the eighth year of Tianshun.

From the perspective of those who benefited, this is beyond doubt. Anyone with a clear eye could see that the risk for Lady Zhou was low and the profit was high.

In the end, everyone happily supported Zhu Jianshen’s ascension, and everyone was satisfied. The son ascended the throne, Lady Zhou was elevated to the Holy Mother Empress Dowager in control of the harem, and her brothers Zhou Shou and Zhou Yu were made Earls. Empress Dowager Zhou was very happy. The Sun family continued to control the Twelve Regiment Camps, their wealth and honor preserved; the eldest uncle was also very happy. The Cabinet officials were satisfied with having installed a puppet.

Everyone thought they had a stuttering, puppet boy-emperor—an easy card to play—never imagining he would turn out to be the ultimate trump card...

After Xianzong ascended, the only person he could trust and rely on in the entire Ming Dynasty was Auntie Wan. He dared not touch any other woman in the harem. They were definitely poisonous! He couldn't even approach the pretty ones. If he muttered anything in his sleep, he’d be finished.

So, he only kept close to Consort Wan. Both were masters among masters; together, they blasted the Sun family to pieces and turned the Cabinet into clay. Only his biological mother was someone he couldn't touch.

Zhu Youjian finished his story, having stirred up a fire, and silently shut his mouth.

The various emperors and crown princes had dark, grim faces.

"That wretched woman! I want to execute her, execute her!" Zhu Qizhen’s temper flared, his feet stomping as he shouted incessantly.

The Xuande Emperor, Zhu Zhanji, silently patted his back to help him calm down, uncharacteristically not spanking him.

Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes narrowed, a cold, bone-chilling murderous intent erupting in his voice: "What do you say, Jianshen boy? It looks to me like your harem is very dangerous."

He wanted to start killing! Harem members were not allowed to interfere in politics—his own Empress had set the standard by example—yet these little brats were all letting women ride over their heads?

Damn it, are they all trying to reach the heavens!?

Send them all to heaven then!!