Chapter 18: The Heir to the Legacy!

“Unworthy descendants! Truly unworthy! How dare you tamper with my temple name, Taizong? With such actions, where do you place me… where do you place your emperor father?”
Zhu Di flared up in rage. He had paid dearly for the right to bear the temple name Taizong; even during his reign, he had issued secret orders time and again, pressing all sides to make ready for this.
The temple name Taizong was to show the world that his reign inherited the true mandate from the founding emperor!
Yet now, it was undone by his own descendants!
How could the Great Ancestor of Ming have foreseen this?
Just hearing this temple name made Zhu Di feel as though he sat on needles, as if a thousand ants were gnawing at his heart—he ached with fury, wishing he could leap across time and tear Jiajing apart. His anger was beyond words!
“Enough!”
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly. “At your age, you still lose your composure so easily. What does that look like?”
Old Zhu prided himself on tradition, strictly adhering to the rules of succession: transmit the throne to the legitimate son, not the concubine’s; to the eldest, not the youngest.
His descendants had broken the rules, raising Zhu Di to the same status as himself—though this displeased him, he kept it in check. After all, his great-grandson was present, and there would be ample opportunity to set things right personally in the future.
“Father’s rebuke is just.”
Zhu Di forced himself to swallow his anger. Suddenly, he paused, for he had always been keenly observant, and now he caught the two key phrases: “the Hongxi Emperor” and “the Prince of Han.”
For all his hesitation over the heir to the throne, Zhu Di leaned toward the Prince of Han, for Zhu Gaoxu was as bold and martial as himself. Besides, he disliked slavish adherence to tradition, and if inheritance did not favor the eldest legitimate son, would that not further legitimize Zhu Di’s own claim to the throne?
As for the Crown Prince, Zhu the Fat, in his youth he wheezed like an ox just walking, needed two attendants to help him move, was lame in one foot, and had a soft, yielding nature.
Fortunately, the Fatty was wise and capable, strong in governance—otherwise, Zhu Di would scarcely have allowed him to remain as Crown Prince Regent!
Though he favored the Prince of Han in his heart, he was truly fondest of his grandson Zhu Zhanji, and pinned all his hopes upon him!
For Zhu Di had once dreamed of Zhu Yuanzhang handing him a great jade gui, saying, “A grandson to inherit the world shall bring everlasting prosperity.” This, he took to mean that the founding emperor would personally pass the throne to Zhu Di’s grandson!
When Zhu Zhanji was born, Zhu Di found that he matched the description in his dream, especially the heroic spirit in his brows. Convinced it was a sign, his affection for the boy only deepened.
Zhu Zhanji was not only handsome and martial, but also gifted and eager to learn. From childhood, Zhu Di brought him to the battlefield, where he showed courage and swift judgment in every engagement.
This made Zhu Di see in him boundless potential and promise!
So Zhu Di poured his efforts into his grandson, inviting renowned scholars and ministers to teach him, and decreeing that Zhu Zhanji be instructed thoroughly in affairs of state.
He kept the boy close at all times, whether hunting, roaming, or riding to war in the north, taking every opportunity to teach him both by word and example.

Zhu Zhanji did not disappoint him; gradually he revealed the bearing of a mighty ruler.
Thus, to this day, Zhu Di had not removed the Fatty from his position as Crown Prince!
After a moment’s hesitation, Zhu Di still wished to confirm things for himself, so he probed, “Grandson, tell me, who is this Hongxi Emperor?”
Zhu Youjian nodded. “Ming Renzong, Zhu Gaochi, whose reign title was Hongxi.”
“Oh?”
Zhu Yuanzhang, sharp as ever, sensed something amiss and barked, “What’s this? Are you still reluctant to name Gaochi as Crown Prince?”
Being so traditional and so insistent on legitimate succession, Old Zhu was quite displeased. In the Hongwu reign, Zhu Gaochi was only four, but he was already a favorite of Zhu Yuanzhang—plump, cheerful, always smiling, the very image of the perfect grandson.
At just over two, Zhu Gaoxu was another matter. Though only just old enough to crawl, he was already unruly, often throwing heavy things at the servants, and, when deprived of any such objects, would cry without end.
The Embroidered Guard regularly reported on the princes; Old Zhu knew all about them.
“How could that be, Father? I greatly value tradition. Gaochi has long since been named Crown Prince and acts as regent. He has lived up to expectations and is quite skilled in statecraft,” Zhu Di explained.
“So you say, but the words ‘the heir is often ill, so you must steel yourself’—you didn’t say that to Gaoxu, that little rascal, did you?” Zhu Yuanzhang said coolly.
This little anecdote had been teased out of Zhu Youjian by Zhu Biao and promptly relayed to the old emperor.
Zhu Youjian was briefly stunned at this, then could only smile wryly and remain silent.
“Absolutely not! I’d be glad to face him and clear things up in person!”
All his wavering was gone now, and his heart was set. Without delay, he declared,
“Father, Grandson, please wait a moment.”
Zhu Di strode from the palace, his face grave. “Summon the Six Ministries. Call all civil and military officials to audience before the throne. Summon the Crown Prince, the Imperial Grandson, the Prince of Han, and the Prince of Zhao to present themselves at court!”
“As you command!”
The commander of the Embroidered Guard, Sai Hachi, stepped from the shadows and bowed to accept the order.
…
“What’s gotten into the old man? He just told us to get lost, and I’d only just reached my door, hadn’t even had a bite to eat, when he called us right back!”
Zhu Gaoxu, sporting a bushy beard, grumbled with great annoyance.

Even as he spoke, he dug into his sleeves and pulled out a few gold nuggets, handing them to the palace maids and eunuchs along the way, all of whom beamed with delight.
“Who knows? The old man’s always changing his mind—it’s not like this is the first time. Frankly, if he made you Crown Prince today, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Zhu Gaosui muttered. He’d just taken off his trousers and was about to mount his horse when he was called back as well.
“Really?”
Zhu Gaoxu’s eyes lit up, and the more he considered it, the more plausible it seemed. “Third Brother, do you think my words in court earlier moved the old man? Don’t worry—if Second Brother becomes emperor, this world will be ours!”
No wonder Zhu Di thought his second son took after him—just look at how he sold dreams! It was a family tradition, passed down through the generations.
Zhu Di painted him a glorious future, and he in turn spun one for his younger brother—no middleman’s cut!
“To the banks of the Onon River, sweep all before us—so bold! The old man must be utterly dazzled,” Zhu Gaosui said, happy to stroke his brother’s ego. A few more compliments never cost him anything.
Behind them, Zhu Zhanji, supporting the portly Zhu the Fat, sidled up with a forced smile. “Second Uncle, Third Uncle, what are you plotting? Bring your nephew in on it!”
“Oh, I was just saying, the moon’s awfully big tonight,” Zhu Gaoxu said quickly, looking up at the sky and ignoring his nephew.
“Yes, yes,”
Zhu Gaosui echoed gravely. The two slung their arms over each other’s shoulders and jogged away together.
Zhu Zhanji glanced up at the blinding sun and gave the two a look of utter bewilderment—had they gone mad in broad daylight?
He shook his head with a sigh. “What a fate I’ve drawn, stuck with these two uncles—words fail me.”
“Enough complaining, boy. Come over and help me out, will you?” Poor Zhu the Fat was the one who truly suffered. With no money for a sedan chair, he’d had to haul his two-hundred-pound frame ten kilometers back and forth on foot.
The only reason he’d run into the Princes of Han and Zhao was not because he moved quickly, but because he’d hardly left the palace before being summoned right back!
“Yes, Father, coming!” Zhu Zhanji hurried over and, supporting his father, slowly made their way along the palace road.
…