Chapter 9: Life and Death Struggle

  Zhu Gaoxu was never satisfied.

  It's also easy to understand that he is a talented and handsome man with excellent military skills. In comparison, his own brother is not only fat but also crippled, needing assistance just to walk, let alone ride a horse.

  He's basically a useless person.

  But it's precisely this kind of useless person who will become their own master in the future!

  Who made you born early?

  I'm not someone who hasn't made an effort, during the Jingnan campaign, I risked my life to fight for Father's empire, and have been through many life-or-death situations, but in the end, I was always deceived by Father. Although I did get a sentence "Encourage him, Crown Prince is often ill!"

  Those empty words were never spoken again.

  After doing so many things, there was no return at all. Zhu Gaoyu was very angry and the consequences were severe.

  He hated Zhu Gaochi even more than he hated his father Zhu Di, who did not keep his word.

  Wanting to be an emperor can only rely on oneself.

  By any means necessary, no matter what methods, I must seize the throne!

  Zhu Gaoxu did not know that he had actually wronged his own father.

  Zhu Di was an expert in the thick and black theory of the Ming Dynasty, with a very high level. Lying and denying were as normal as eating and drinking, but when it came to choosing the crown prince, he did not deceive people. He really wanted to establish Zhu Gaoxu.

  The father always liked his own son, Zhu Gaoyu was very much like himself, both were heroic, both were good at military affairs, both were clever and also both were rascals.

  Zhu Gaojie was quite different, this son was as fat as a pig, bloated and unbearable, he got sick when he was young and became lame ( possibly due to polio), he needed someone to support him when walking, he was practically half-crippled. Zhu Di really couldn't understand how such a wise and powerful person like himself could have such a son.

  Apart from appearance, Zhu Gaoxu was also the opposite of Zhu Di in terms of character. He was an honest man with a gentle temperament. Although he respected his father very much, he was extremely dissatisfied with his cruel treatment of Jianwen Emperor's ministers. Such a person would naturally not be liked by Zhu Di.

  Then Zhu Di began to seek opinions from the group of ministers, preparing to replace him. He first asked his own generals, and the answers were almost unanimous - establish Zhu Gaoxu.

  Martial General: It will be easier to get things done when our comrades take office in the future.

  He then asked Wen Chen again and got a uniform reply - Li Zhu Gao Chi.

  Wen Chen: Since ancient times, if a ruler does not establish a clear line of succession, the country will inevitably fall into great chaos.

  The usually astute Zhu Di was at a loss, so he summoned Xie Jin, and thus the famous conversation mentioned earlier took place. From then on, Zhu Di began to incline towards enthroning Zhu Gaochi.

  But after that, Zhu Di was swayed by the persuasion of Zhu Gaixi's faction and hesitated again, so the matter of establishing a crown prince was put on hold. Countless officials repeatedly advised him, but Zhu Di refused to establish a crown prince. The officials of Zhu Gaixi's faction were well aware that Zhu Di wanted to establish Zhu Gaixi as the crown prince. Therefore, Xie Jin, the first general of Zhu Gaixi's faction, began his second psychological warfare.

  Not long after, a minister painted a picture (most likely pre-arranged), in which an old tiger led a group of cubs, depicting a scene of fatherly affection. Zhu Di also came to view it personally, and at this moment, Xie Jin, who was standing beside him, suddenly stood up, took up the brush, and wrote a poem on the painting without hesitation:

  The tiger is the lord of all beasts, who dares to provoke its anger.

  Only the relationship between father and son, one step at a time, looking back.

  Too high! It's really too high!

  Jian Yun's poem is not particularly brilliant, but it is practical. Isn't the "hundred beasts" referring to the emperor? This poem is telling Zhu Di that you are the emperor, and everything belongs to you, but the relationship between father and son cannot be replaced or abandoned. Zhu Gaoxu is deeply favored by you, but you should not forget the relationship between you and Zhu Gaizhi either.

  Jie Yun's judgment was correct, Zhu Di stopped in his tracks, he was deeply moved.

  Yes, although Zhu Gaoxu is a half-crippled man and not as capable as Zhu Gaoyi, he is still my son, the one I personally raised with my own hands. He doesn't have any remarkable achievements, but he has always been a loyal and honest person, never making mistakes, so it's not right to be unfair to him.

  At that moment, Zhu Di made up his mind.

  He ordered that Zhu Gaojie be summoned immediately and formally invested as crown prince (the emperor, having sensed his intention, had already summoned the crown prince to return, and now he was formally established).

  From then on, Zhu Gaochi became the crown prince and he finally felt at ease. The ministers who supported him as the crown prince also finally felt at ease.

  This struggle for power seemed about to end in Zhu Gaochi's victory, but on the contrary, this struggle had just begun.

  Zhu Gaoxu's Conspiracy

  After Zhu Gaochi was appointed as the Crown Prince, he naturally had unlimited prospects, while Zhu Gaosui's misfortunes did not come singly; not only was he without hope of the throne, but he was also enfeoffed to Yunnan.

  At that time, Yunnan was very backward, and being sent there was undoubtedly a kind of exile. Zhu Gaoxu naturally did not want to go, but this was the emperor's order, and he couldn't just refuse to carry it out. After careful consideration, Zhu Gaoxu finally came up with a way to avoid going to Yunnan - by feigning illness.

  He found his father Zhu Di, repeatedly complaining that he had not committed any wrongdoing and why he should go to Yunnan. He repeatedly advised him, but refused to leave. Zhu Di was entangled by him and had no way out, plus he really liked this son, so he withdrew the order and let him follow himself to inspect the northern border (at that time, the capital had not yet been moved).

  During his time following Zhu Di on the border, Zhu Gaoxu performed well and deeply pleased Zhu Di. In his delight, Zhu Di allowed him to decide for himself where he would go.

  Zhu Gaosui and others were just waiting for this opportunity. He told Zhu Di that he would go nowhere, but stay in the capital (Nanjing).

  Zhu Di agreed to his request. From then on, Zhu Gaoxu took the capital as his base and began to plot against Zhu Gaochi.

  He widely recruited high-ranking officials in the court as his claws and teeth, gathering information everywhere to seize the opportunity to give the crown prince a fatal blow.

  Zhu Gaoxu was well-versed in the art of politics, and he knew that to overthrow the Crown Prince, he had to first eliminate the people around him. The most prominent target among the Crown Prince's party was Xie Jin, who became Zhu Gaoxu's primary target. Under Zhu Gaoxu's plan, coupled with Xie Jin's own failure to restrain himself, in 1407, Xie Jin was banished from the capital, dealing a heavy blow to the Crown Prince's party.

  Zhu Gaoxu's first attack achieved a complete victory.

  But getting rid of Jiǎn Yún was just a preparation for the next attack, because Zhu Gāoxī's real target was Zhu Gāoxǐ, who was protected by the Crown Prince Party.

  After careful planning, in 1412, Zhu Gaoxu launched a second attack.

  Zhu Gaoxu knew that many civil officials supported the crown prince, and it was impossible to eliminate the entire group of civil officials at once. Therefore, he came up with a new plan, spending a large amount of money to bribe many close attendants and guards around Zhu Di, and letting these people constantly speak ill of the crown prince. Since the seventh year of Yongle, as Zhu Di had to go out to fight against the Mongols, he often arranged for the crown prince to take charge of state affairs (acting on behalf of the emperor). In this situation, Zhu Gaoxu, who was skilled in politics, finally waited for a perfect opportunity to attack.

  Zhu Gaoxu was intelligent and had followed Zhu Di for many years, deeply understanding that his father, although very astute and skilled in intrigue, had a weakness - being overly suspicious.

  During the regency of the Crown Prince, it was exactly the moment when his weakness burst out, because the root of his suspicion lay in his greed for power. Although he had to hand over power to the Crown Prince due to going on an expedition, this was unavoidable. Zhu Gaoxu believed that all rumors about the Crown Prince's eagerness to ascend to the throne and seize power would trigger a time bomb in Zhu Di's heart.

  Zhu Gaoxu's strategy was correct, he accurately hit the vital point, and under the temptation of people around him, Zhu Di, who did not allow power to be lost, began to suspect the intentions of the usually honest crown prince.

  In the ninth month of the tenth year of Yongle (1412), Zhu Di returned to Beijing after his northern tour and suddenly attacked the Crown Prince, examining all the work he had done during his regency. He severely reprimanded the Crown Prince and arrested a large number of officials around him, changing many of the policies issued by the Crown Prince.

  Zhu Di's behavior of finding fault with the Crown Prince made the ministers very dissatisfied, and they all submitted memorials to the throne. The most strongly worded was that of Geng Tong, the Vice-Director of the Imperial Secretariat, who stated bluntly that the Crown Prince had done nothing wrong and should not be replaced (the Crown Prince has committed no great error or fault, and there is no need for a change).

  But Geng Tong, who was straightforward, would never have thought that his actions would fall into Zhu Di's trap.

  Geng Tong is indeed an incompetent official, he doesn't understand the political significance behind Zhu Di's actions. He wants to add insult to injury, what a ridiculous thing to do! The other party was originally here to stir up trouble, they just needed an excuse to come after him, what's the point of saying more!

  Zhu Dian was an old hand at borrowing topics to elaborate on, and he got inspiration from this, deciding to borrow something from Geng Tong to achieve his own purpose.

  This is exactly what Geng Tong's brain is like.

  Then, Zhu Di painstakingly performed a good show.

  He gathered the civil and military officials at the Meridian Gate, scanning them with a gloomy gaze, denouncing Geng Tong's crimes (as if there were any), and finally said sternly: A person like Geng Tong must be killed (Tong will definitely not be spared)!

  So murderous and intimidating, all the officials were frightened, but the ministers did not know that this play had just begun.

  After Geng Tong was executed, Zhu Di gathered his ministers for ideological education and finally revealed the ultimate purpose of this play:

  "The crown prince made a mistake, but it's just a small problem. Geng Tong spoke for the crown prince, actually he is sowing discord between us father and son. Such behavior absolutely cannot be forgiven, so I must kill him."

  Now the truth is finally revealed.

  Geng Tong simply said that the Crown Prince was not wrong, how could it be linked to alienating the father-son relationship? This hat is worn very unskillfully, but it also revealed Zhu Di's true intention.

  Zhuge Liang, Laozi is not dead yet, you'd better behave!

  The crown prince's position is precarious, the Crown Prince Party has been knocked down a batch, and Zhu Gaofei himself has also become disheartened after this blow. Since he was allowed to supervise the country, but not given the power to do things, doing things is not possible, nor is not doing things, isn't this just making fun of people?

  At this critical moment, a minister stood out and stabilized the prince's position with his wisdom.

  This is Yang Shiqi we mentioned before.

  Yang Shi-qi, although his learning is not as good as Xie Lin, his brain is much more agile than Xie Lin. Xie Lin also participated in political struggles, but he was really too tender and didn't know the principle of being a low-key official at all.

  He was originally a scholar, but he insisted on switching careers to become a politician. It's like being in a different profession is like being in a different mountain, and the level of difference is too great.

  Yang Shi-qi was quite different, this person we have introduced before, he is not from the imperial examination system, his career path is also very complicated, he has been a teacher, a small clerk in the education bureau, and an escaped prisoner (during which time he also worked as a part-time teacher)

  Different professions, complex social backgrounds, especially after he has been in society for over 20 years, can be considered as having run the streets, and it's estimated that he has seen a lot of underworld and white-collar thugs. According to today's floating population regulations, this person who has been floating for 20 years is absolutely a blind drifter, and it's estimated that he can also be considered as someone who has mixed with the Taoist gang.

  The imperial court is a small society, the emperor and his ministers are no different from the common people, they just eat better, dress better, but their character is more despicable, and the struggle is more intense. In this place, Yang Shiqi was like a fish in water, skillfully using the skills he learned in society, and what he learned best and used most was: when doing official business, one must be low-key.

  Although he made great efforts for the crown prince's succession, he never boasted about it. In July of the seventh year of Yongle (1409), the Crown Prince, in gratitude for his work and efforts, specially granted him a luxurious mansion in the prosperous area of the capital city. Anyone else would have eagerly accepted the key and prepared to move in, but Yang Shiqi refused.

  He declined the prince's kindness, saying his house was big enough and he didn't need such a grand mansion.

  No one in this world would dislike having more houses, and Yang Shiqi is no exception. The reason he refused was actually very simple: if he took that house, he would become Zhu Gaoyu's key target for attack. Weighing the pros and cons, he wisely rejected this windfall.

  Yang Shi-qi, although he did not accept the prince's gift, his loyalty to the prince was unmatched by others. It can be said that he became a member of the Prince's Party not entirely for opportunistic reasons, but largely because of his feelings towards the prince.

  From the second year of Yongle (1404), after Zhu Gaochi was appointed as the crown prince, Yang Shiqi was appointed as the Left Central Guard (official title) and became a subordinate of the crown prince. Although Zhu Gaochi did not have a majestic appearance, he was a truly kind-hearted and honest person who often dissuaded his father from cruel actions. His younger brother Zhu Gaosui repeatedly provoked him and plotted against him, but Zhu Gaochi tolerated it time and again, even helping this rascal of a younger brother to beg for mercy several times.

  These things left a deep impression on Yang Shi Qi, although he had been through the vicissitudes of life and was extremely cunning, his mother's teachings from childhood were still etched in his mind. Standing up for what is right had become an integral part of his character, and even though many years had passed, he hadn't changed - he was still the same Yang Shi Qi with a sense of justice in his heart.

  Although Zhu Gaochi in front of me is not in good shape and inconvenient, he is a person who can tolerate the world with benevolence. He will definitely become a good emperor in the future, I believe my judgment.

  With this belief, Yang Shiqi went through the twenty years of hardship with the Crown Prince, hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder.

  It's really laughable, possibly because Yang Shiqi was too low-key, even Zhu Di thought Yang Shiqi wasn't a member of the Crown Prince's party, and took him as a middle-of-the-road person, often inquiring about the Crown Prince's situation with him. After the incident in 1412, Zhu Di also had doubts about the Crown Prince, so he asked Yang Shiqi how the Crown Prince performed when he was regent.

  This looks like a very simple question, but it actually has a hidden danger.

  Yang Shiqi, who was extremely astute, sensed this as soon as he heard the question and immediately realized that the crucial moment that would decide the fate of the crown prince had arrived.

  He thought anxiously about the answer to the question.

  While Mr. Yang is still thinking, let's take a look at why this question is difficult to answer and yet very crucial.

  If the crown prince is very positive, diligent in his work, and gets along well with the masses (ministers), can handle state affairs independently, and has a high prestige, then the crown prince will definitely be finished.

  Your father is still around, now you're trying to win over the senior officials, act independently, and think about seizing power from him, making it impossible for your old man to live a good life.

  Since this answer is no good, then let's change to another answer:

  The crown prince usually actively participates in entertainment activities, does not care about government affairs, is estranged from senior officials, and has things to be handled by those below him, with no prestige.

  If you answer like this, the prince's ending will probably be - finished.

  This is again a very similar Catch-22 paradoxical logic.

  The sorrow of the crown prince lies in this, countless crown princes have been crippled by their own fathers since ancient times. The relationship between the first-in-command and the second-in-command has always been poorly handled. In feudal society, the emperor is the first-in-command, and the crown prince is the second-in-command, naturally unable to escape the constraints of this rule.

  If you work hard and enthusiastically, people say you are ambitious; if you slack off, they say you have no future.

  Doing too much is no good, doing too little is also no good, actually it's just telling you that disobeying me won't work.

  If you're allowed to work, you can't rest; if you're not allowed to work, you can't live a good life.

  What seems difficult to understand is what makes this farcical phenomenon recur?

  The answer is simple: power.

  Whoever takes away my rights, I will take his life! (Not even my son is an exception)

  Zhu Di clearly understood that he would eventually have to hand over power to the crown prince, and before that, the crown prince must have a certain ability to handle affairs. For the future of the empire, an incompetent waste could not become the successor, so the crown prince had to be given power and opportunities for exercise. But he also clearly understood that in order to die a good death, to die naturally without being dragged out and beheaded at the age of 70 or 80, he must tightly grasp the power in his own hands until the day he died!

  Sons are not trustworthy, wives are not trustworthy, and people all over the world are not trustworthy.

  This is the Emperor's sorrow.

  Now Mr. Yang Shiqi has finished his deliberation, let's take a look at his answer:

  During the regency, the crown prince worked hard to handle government affairs, was able to listen to reasonable opinions from his ministers, but would not casually agree with unreasonable opinions. He would also openly rebuke and criticize improper requests from close officials.

  That's the level, in Zhu Di's live Q&A session, Yang Shi Qi was able to come up with such a perfect diplomatic phrase within the allotted time, it's really not easy.

  He was diligent in his work, respectful of the virtuous and talented, able to get along with others without forming cliques, and kept a distance from high-ranking officials. Under Yang Shiqi's description, Zhu Gaoxu's image suddenly became radiant and impressive.

  Zhu Di was also very satisfied with this answer, and his face immediately changed from cloudy to sunny, becoming very calm. Of course, he didn't forget to praise Yang Shi Qi, saying that he was a responsible person.

  In this smokeless war, Zhu Di and Yang Shi Qi each showed off their skills. Zhu Di performed the Wudang Long Fist, soft on the outside but firm on the inside. Yang Shi Qi was a Taiji master, pushing left and blocking right, moving freely back and forth.

  From this perspective, they seem to be fellow disciples of the Wudang Sect.

  Thus, the controversy of the tenth year of Yongle (1412) came to an end. The Prince's party suffered a severe blow, and the prince was warned, his position also shaken, but thanks to the efforts of Yang Shiqi and others, the situation finally stabilized.

  But the road ahead of the crown prince is still very long, as long as Zhu Di does not die, he will continue to be attacked by Zhu Gaoxu until he ascends to the throne or dies midway.

  The fact is that another larger conspiracy is being plotted, and for the crown prince, this will also be the most severe test he has undergone in his 20 years as regent.

  Under Zhu Gaoxu's constant slandering, Zhu Di indeed had a view of the crown prince, but for the time being, he did not have the idea of replacing the crown prince. The emperor thought so, but the ministers below did not think so.

  Seeing Zhu Di scolding the Crown Prince, many officials who had originally relied on the Crown Prince to make a fortune changed their allegiance and became followers of Zhu Gaoxu, but Yang Shiqi never abandoned the Crown Prince. He continued to guard this person, guarding the Crown Prince who seemed destined to be deposed.

  After the waves have settled, you can see the gold.

  Not long after, a bigger storm is coming, and the prince and Yang Shiqi will face their real test.

  In the ninth month of the twelfth year of Yongle (1414), Zhu Di returned from his northern tour. At that time, the Crown Prince and his subordinate officials were ordered to stay in Nanjing to guard it. When they heard this news, they immediately sent someone to prepare to welcome him, but due to insufficient preparation, there was some delay in welcoming him, which made Zhu Di very unhappy.

  It's actually a small matter of sesame and green beans. Comrade Zhu Di often rides horses in and out of the desert by himself, and there are not many people accompanying him. Whether or not to have a welcoming ceremony is not something he cares about much. So although Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi was uneasy in his heart, he didn't think much of it either.

  However, later developments were far beyond Zhu Gaojie's expectations.

  Zhu Di flew into a rage, scolding Zhu Gaizhi severely, roughly meaning: I'm fighting hard outside for the foundation of your future empire, but you can't even do the basic job of welcoming me back properly. What's the use of having a useless thing like you?

  Zhu Gaogui was scolded and felt very wronged: It's just a bit late, do you have to make such a big deal out of it?

  Extremely, extremely so.

  What Zhu Gaoxu didn't know was that before this, his good brother Zhu Gaobei had been constantly probing his actions. Although nothing was found, the politician Mr. Zhu Gaobei never needed facts to frame someone. He kept fabricating all sorts of rumors about the Crown Prince's alleged misdeeds and secretly reported them to Zhu Di.

  Zhu Di did not believe it at first, but later he could not bear Zhu Gaoxu's years of rumors and the people around him who were bought by Zhu Gaoxu to speak ill of him, and he gradually began to suspect the crown prince again.

  The roof leaks and encounters continuous rain at night, I didn't expect to come back and encounter the delay of the prince's welcome ceremony. Although this is not a big deal, it became a fuse in Zhu Di's eyes. In Zhu Di's view, this was a manifestation of the prince's contempt for him.

  Not retired yet and already so lazy, what's going to happen in the future?!

  Under Zhu Gaoyu's instigation, things started to go downhill. The Crown Prince was severely reprimanded, and the main officials of the Crown Prince Party, such as Shangshu Jian Yi, Xueshi Huang Huai, and Yang Yu, were all arrested and thrown into prison.

  The darkest moment has finally arrived.

  Under Zhu Gaoxu's careful organization and provocation, Zhu Di's anger grew more and more fierce, and the Crown Prince Party was almost completely eliminated.

  Zhu Di had already made up his mind that the Crown Prince's party wanted him to die early and establish the Crown Prince Bo with a meritorious name. His disappointment with the Crown Prince also reached its peak. He no longer believed in the eunuchs who supported the Crown Prince, except for one person.

  Yang Shi Qi was an exception.

  It's strange to say, although Yang Shi Qi had always been by the crown prince's side, Zhu Di thought he was a fair and objective person. Two years later, Zhu Di summoned him again and asked him a question.

  It was also a matter of life and death, just like two years ago.

  Fearless Yang Shi Qi

  At that time, the political situation was extremely complicated. Because Zhu Di publicly criticized the Crown Prince and put many of his trusted followers in prison, many officials thought that the Crown Prince would not last long. Some defected, some retreated, and the Crown Prince Zhu Gaoxu was also isolated. Reality once again made him realize the cruelty and coldness of human relationships.

  The officials who had previously fawned on him were nowhere to be seen, fearing that they would be implicated in the prince's affairs and harm their own future. In this situation, Yang Shi Qi began his question-and-answer duel with Zhu Di.

  This time, Zhu Di did not beat around the bush and directly asked Yang Shi Qi whether the Crown Prince had a treacherous heart. If not, why did he violate etiquette and delay receiving him? (In Zhu Di's view, this was contempt for himself)

  Before this, someone had also advised Yang Shiqi to know the current situation, the crown prince was already hopeless, and he should make arrangements for himself early.

  Yang Shi Qi replied with his own answer to Zhu Di and also replied to these people's "suggestions".

  Yang Shi-qi replied: "The Crown Prince has always been respectful and filial to you, this matter is our fault as officials for not doing a good job in preparation, the blame lies with us officials, it has nothing to do with the Crown Prince." (The Crown Prince is filial, whatever delays there are, are the fault of us officials)

  After finishing speaking, he lifted his head and met Zhu Bi's sharp gaze fearlessly.

  Zhu Dian finally felt relieved. Since it was not the Crown Prince's intention and since the Crown Prince did not intentionally delay, he also put his mind at ease.

  Thus, Zhu Gaojie on the cliff was pulled back by Yang Shiqi.

  Yang Shi Qi's actions required courage, as the Crown Prince was in a precarious situation. By taking responsibility for the Crown Prince, he risked a great deal, knowing that Zhu Di would not go easy on them, the officials of the Eastern Palace. Those who had assisted the Crown Prince alongside him were already imprisoned, leaving only him temporarily spared. Yet, he took it upon himself to assume responsibility, preferring to go to prison rather than implicate the Crown Prince.

  Yang Shi Qi's actions told those who were wavering that not everyone can be bought and not everyone follows the trend.

  From the situation at that time, Zhu Gaoxu's crown prince status being removed was a matter of time. Continuing to follow him would not be wise and it would be easy to become an object of Zhu Gaoyi's attack, which is very dangerous.

  So we can say that Yang Shiqi, who insisted on supporting the crown prince in the midst of turmoil, was not an opportunist.

  Just like thirty years ago when he was in poverty but still selflessly helped that friend, thirty years later, he did something that made his mother proud again.

  Thirty years have passed, although he is now in a high position, with fine clothes and food, his actions have not betrayed his life creed.

  A poor man is not short of aspirations; adversity reveals true feelings.

  Yang Shi Qi ultimately paid the price for his fearless behavior, Zhu Gao Xian hated him to the bone and instructed the people he bribed to attack Yang Shi Qi (Shi Qi should not be pardoned alone), originally not intending to deal with him, Zhu Di could not resist the repeated instigation of those around him and had Yang Shi Qi thrown into prison.

  Zhu Gaoxu learned that Yang Shiqi was also about to be imprisoned, and he was extremely anxious. However, given his current situation, he could only protect himself and absolutely could not save Yang Shiqi.

  Yang Shi-qi, however, did not take it to heart and instead told the Crown Prince before his imprisonment: "Your Highness is kind-hearted and will surely become a great ruler in the future. I hope you will take good care of yourself and persevere no matter what situation you may encounter. You must never give up lightly."

  At this time, Zhu Gaoxu finally realized that the Yang Shiqi in front of him, who was about to enter prison but still worried about himself, was not only his subordinate, but also his friend and companion through thick and thin.

  The prince's position was preserved, but he had already become a real loner. Under Zhu Gaoxu's intimidating momentum, how long could he hold on?

  Zhu Gaoxu's mistake

  Zhu Gaoxu finally grasped the initiative for the first time, his conspiracy had achieved results, the crown prince suffered a severe blow, and the civil official group that helped the crown prince speak was also on its last breath. The situation was very good, and the future was very bright.

  But to get back on track, people have a major flaw - once they become complacent, they easily lose control, and Zhu Gaoyu is no exception.

  Victory in sight, Zhu Gaoyue found his idol in history books and has been living with it ever since.

  His idol was Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin. He often said to people: "I am so wise and powerful, don't I resemble Li Shimin?" (I am heroic, isn't it like the Qin king Li Shimin?)

  Such an eager and self-expressive language, looking at it today, is enough to make people feel the chill of the dog days. If Zhu Gaoxue were born in modern times, he would surely have made a big splash, taking some personal photos and pairing them with confident lines, and would have become famous overnight.

  Zhu Gaohui is not a flower enthusiast, and what he said has profound political implications.

  Everyone can understand the implied meaning, Li Shimin and Zhu Gaocuo are both second sons, Li Jiancheng corresponds to Zhu Gaoxu, both are princes, even their younger brothers have corresponding relationships, Li Yuanji corresponds to Zhu Gaogui, both are third sons.

  It is now clear that Li Shimin killed Li Jiancheng and became the emperor, while Zhu Gaoxu killed Zhu Gaozhi and ascended to the throne.

  Director Zhu Gaohui hopes to reenact a scene from hundreds of years ago.

  Let's not discuss whether Mr. Zhu Gaoyue has the same level as Li Shimin, since he insists on thinking so, there is no way, just go along with it, let him play Li Shimin first, from the cast of this play and the role, it seems to be very similar to the previous one.

  But Director Zhu Gaoxue also made a fatal mistake, he ignored the feelings of another big-name actor in this play and forced him to take on a role, which ultimately led to his failure.

  He was assigned to play one of the main characters in this play - Li Shimin's father, Li Yuan. The actor who played him was his own father, Zhu Di.

  It's also an unavoidable thing, to perform this play well and thoroughly, to make a breakthrough through layers of obstacles, defeat the great villain Zhu Gaogui, and achieve a grand finale where he becomes emperor, it is necessary to get the full support of the sponsor factory manager Zhu Di.

  Zhu Bi is not Li Yuan, in fact, he has nothing in common with Li Yuan, but he is very clear that in the previous scene, Li Yuan's ending after Li Shimin ascended to the throne was forced abdication. If Zhu Gaixian were to do it like Li Shimin did back then this time, his outcome would not exceed the script either.

  Zhu Dian is not a director, but he is a drama tyrant.

  Let me play Li Yuan, you little brat haven't woken up yet!

  The Counterattack of the Princelings

  Just as Zhu Di was increasingly disgusted with the ever-more arrogant Zhu Gaosui, the Crown Prince Party began its counterattack.

  At that time, Zhu Gaoxu actively asked Zhu Di to increase his own guard, which alerted Zhu Di. In May 1415, the 13th year of Yongle, Zhu Di decided to change Zhu Gaoxu's title and send him to Qingzhou. Although Qingzhou was not a bad place, Zhu Gaoxu refused to leave the capital for the sake of seizing power and began to be disobedient again.

  This time, Zhu Di didn't have the patience to play with Zhu Gaoxu anymore. He told Zhu Gaoxu straightforwardly: Since you've already been appointed, hurry up and take office. How can you always linger in the capital and not leave?

  Having received a fief, how can one always reside in the capital?

  Zhu Di's constant blows to the Crown Prince were nothing more than a warning not to rush for power, but this action gave Zhu Gaizhi the wrong signal, making him think that the throne was his for the taking, becoming increasingly arrogant and overbearing, ultimately angering Zhu Di.

  If you can lift someone up, you can also trample them down.

  The Princeling elites seized this opportunity and launched a fatal blow, and the person who completed this blow was Yang Shiqi.

  Due to their good behavior and positive attitude towards self-reform, Yang Shi Qi and Jian Yi were released without even entering the prison gate, and were once again entrusted with important tasks. But don't jump to the conclusion that Zhu Di is kind-hearted and compassionate just because of this - after all, their brother Yang Yu is still in prison reading books, and has been there for ten years.

  It can be seen that special pardons are also restricted by level.

  Yang Shi-qi, who escaped from prison, naturally would not reform himself and get along peacefully with Zhu Gaoxu. After a long period of observation and speculation about the situation, he seized the opportunity to launch an attack.

  It seems a bit unbelievable, like the previous two times, his attack was also completed in the form of Q&A dialogue.

  This conversation, apart from Zhu Di and Yang Shi Qi, also had Jian Yi present, but his performance was truly disappointing.

  Zhu Di asked: "I've recently heard many rumors about Han Wang (Zhu Gaoxu's title) behaving unlawfully, do you know about these things?"

  This remark was addressed to both Yang Shi-qi and Zhang Yi, but their reactions were vastly different.

  Although Ji Yi was loyal to the crown prince, he had also been intimidated. He deeply feared that this was another trap, and if he told the truth, he would suffer again, so he claimed that he did not know anything.

  Zhu Di turned to another person in disappointment - Yang Shi Qi, he stared at Yang Shi Qi, waiting for his reply.

  Yang Shi Qi had been waiting for this day for a long time.

  After experiencing so many twists and turns, the companions around him were either killed or ruined by Zhu Gaoxu. For his own beliefs, he endured for a long time. He had many opportunities to expose Zhu Gaoxu's evil deeds to Zhu Di, but as a political veteran, he was very aware that power struggles are like swordsmen competing, and only one strike can kill, because once the treasure sword is out of its scabbard, there is no room for retreat.

  Zhu Di has lost trust in Zhu Gaoxu, he has gradually seen the true face of this son, this is the best opportunity, and it must not be missed!

  Draw your sword!

  Yang Shi-qi replied calmly, "Myself and Jian Yi have been serving the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace all along. People think we are the Crown Prince's men (what a joke, aren't you one too?). They wouldn't tell us anything, so we don't know."

  That's strange, isn't this answer just like a non-answer?

  It's worth noting that the most ruthless way to mock someone since ancient times is to first praise them and then scold them, a technique Yang Shiqi has mastered. So don't worry, there's still a "but" coming up next.

  "However, the King of Han was twice summoned but refused to come to court and take his fief. Now that Your Majesty is planning to move the capital, he requests to stay in Nanjing. I hope Your Majesty will carefully consider his intentions."

  Your Majesty has thoroughly understood its meaning

  Carefully savoring it, Yang Shiqi's words are really vicious. They seem ordinary and unremarkable, but everywhere they reveal a murderous intent, wanting to drive Zhu Gaoyu to his death. Yang Shiqi's cunning is truly chilling.

  Yang Shi Qi finally drew out his treasured sword, at the right time, in the right place, against the right person, and made that one strike.

  One sword seals the throat.

  Zhu Di was shocked by Yang Shi Qi's words, Zhu Gao Xue had refused to leave several times before, now that the capital is to be moved, he insists on staying in Nanjing, what does he want to do?!

  Can't drag on anymore, let him roll away immediately!

  In the 15th year of Yongle (1417), in March, disregarding Zhu Gaoxu's repeated pleas, Zhu Di forcibly demoted him to Le'an State (now Guangrao, Shandong). Zhu Gaoxu was extremely dissatisfied but also helpless. He had come to realize that he would never ascend to the throne through legitimate means for the rest of his life.

  Zhu Di was indeed a far-sighted person. If we open the map and take a look, it seems that he had already anticipated that his son would not be honest in the future. When dividing the land, he had already made arrangements. Le'an State is close to Beijing but far from Nanjing. By transferring Zhu Gaoxu away from his old nest and placing him under the emperor's eyes, even if there will be a fight in the future, it can be resolved quickly with just one day's journey, which cannot be said to be a good move.

  At least in this regard, Zhu Di was more clever than his father.

  Thus, the struggle for the throne between the two princes came to a temporary end. The Crown Prince Party, after a long and arduous struggle, stabilized the crown prince's position and provided the necessary conditions for the appearance of the prosperous era of Emperor Renzong and Emperor Xuanzong.

  On the other hand, Zhu Gaoxu's years of plotting and scheming ultimately came to nothing, at least Zhu Di would never consider making him crown prince again. But this brother naturally wouldn't give up either, he completely shifted his conspiratorial activities underground and colluded with his accomplices to prepare for a comeback.

  But this time he did not intend to continue with peaceful evolution because in front of him there was only one road left - armed seizure of power.

  Although the policy has been set, Zhu Gaoyi still had a clear understanding of himself. His old man's battle was so fierce that he knew better than anyone else. As long as he was a mentally healthy person, he would absolutely not make any moves on his own father's head.

  Zhu Gaoyi decided to wait until the day when the opportunity was ripe.