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In the spring of the thirty-first year of the Hongwu reign, Nanjing should have been a season of willows swaying along the Qinhuai River, but an invisible oppression shrouded the entire capital.

The red walls and yellow tiles of the Forbidden City appeared particularly solemn under the spring sunshine, and even the songs sung on the painted boats on the Qinhuai River sounded a bit more subdued than in previous years.

At dawn on March 15th, a swift horse broke through the morning mist, its hooves shattering the tranquility of the capital.

The courier on horseback, weary from his journey, held aloft an urgent military report and rushed straight to the main gate of the palace.

"Urgent message! The Prince of Jin... the Prince of Jin has passed away!"

The shout was like a thunderclap, instantly spreading throughout the court and the country.

The palace guards looked at each other in bewilderment, and passing officials stopped in shock. The news spread rapidly along the palace walls.

Inside the Hall of Diligent Governance, Zhu Yuanzhang was reviewing memorials.

Upon hearing the news, the vermilion brush in his hand slammed down on the memorial, splashing a blinding red stain, like fresh blood.

"What did you say?" The old emperor's voice trembled with disbelief, "The third son..."

The courier, kneeling on the ground, kowtowed and wept uncontrollably: "Your Majesty, please accept my condolences! His Highness Prince Jin suddenly fell seriously ill three days ago, and the imperial physicians were unable to save him... He has... He has passed away!"

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stood up, his wide dragon robe swaying slightly in the morning breeze.

He stumbled a step, barely managing to stand by supporting himself on the heavy imperial desk.

At this moment, the seventy-one-year-old emperor seemed to have all his strength drained away in an instant, and the fatigue from reviewing memorials until late at night for days finally erupted at this moment.

“Biao’er…Shuang’er…Gang’er…” He murmured the names of his three sons, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a pain as if it were blood.

In a daze, he seemed to have returned to that spring many years ago.

At that time, he was still the King of Wu, and Biao'er, Shuang'er, and Gang'er were all lively and adorable children, playing and laughing around him and Empress Ma...

"Father! Look at the bullseye I hit!" The young Zhu Biao held up his bow, his face full of pride.

"Brother cheated! I shot first!" Zhu Shuang shouted indignantly.

"Second brother is the one cheating! I saw it all!" Zhu Gang chimed in from the side...

Those joyful laughter and cheerful voices still echo in my ears, but now we are separated by death forever.

Empress Ma died young, and now her three sons have also passed away one after another.

Zhu Yuanzhang picked up the military report with trembling hands. It detailed the circumstances of the death of Prince Zhu Gang of Jin.

Just like the sudden death of Crown Prince Zhu Biao six years ago and the bizarre assassination of Prince Qin Zhu Shuang by palace servants three years ago, it was all so unexpected.

"It's happening again...it's happening again!" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly flew into a rage, sweeping all the memorials on the table to the ground. "Are you all going to leave me? Are you all going to make me, an old man with white hair, bury my young?"

The eunuchs and palace maids inside the hall were so frightened that they all knelt down, and no one dared to utter a sound.

The old eunuch Wang Jinghong mustered his courage and tried to step forward to clean up the mess, but was stopped by Zhu Yuanzhang's sharp gaze.

The old emperor was breathing heavily, his gaze sweeping over the map of the Ming Dynasty's territory hanging on the wall.

Of those places that were once marked with the fiefdoms of the sons, three have now become dull and lifeless.

"Biao'er...you were only thirty-seven when you left..." Zhu Yuanzhang's voice began to choke, "Shuang'er...was assassinated by three women...how absurd! And now even Gang'er..."

He suddenly clutched his chest, his face turned deathly pale, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Your Majesty!" Wang Jinghong exclaimed as he stepped forward.

Zhu Yuanzhang opened his mouth as if to say something, but a mouthful of blood gushed out, blooming into a glaring flower on his dragon robe, and he fell backward.

"Quickly summon the imperial physician! The Emperor has fainted!"

The entire palace was instantly thrown into chaos.

The imperial physicians rushed over, and the Crown Prince Zhu Yunwen also arrived at the Jinshen Hall upon hearing the news.

"Grandfather!" Zhu Yunwen knelt before the dragon bed, holding Zhu Yuanzhang's cold hand, tears streaming down his face.

After emergency treatment by the imperial physicians, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly regained consciousness.

He opened his cloudy eyes, looked at the imperial physicians and eunuchs kneeling all over the ground, and finally his gaze fell on Zhu Yunwen.

"Yunwen..." the old emperor said weakly, "You've come..."

"Grandfather, please take care of your health!" Zhu Yunwen sobbed uncontrollably. "If my three uncles were alive, they would certainly not want to see you like this."

Zhu Yuanzhang struggled to sit up, but found that he couldn't use his strength on one side of his body.

Imperial Physician Zhou Bin hurriedly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, you are suffering from a sudden attack of anger and need to rest."

"Rest in peace?" Zhu Yuanzhang gave a bitter laugh, his laughter tinged with sorrow. "My sons have all passed away before me. How can I rest in peace?"

He gestured for Zhu Yunwen to help him sit up, and his gaze swept over everyone in the hall: "You may all step back. I have a few words to say to the Crown Prince."

Once only the grandfather and grandson remained in the hall, Zhu Yuanzhang tightly grasped Zhu Yunwen's hand: "Yunwen, do you know why I am so heartbroken?"

Zhu Yunwen lowered his head and said, "Grandson knows that Grandfather misses his three uncles."

"That's not all." Zhu Yuanzhang sighed deeply, as if the sigh came from the depths of his soul. "Biao'er died suddenly, Shuang'er was assassinated, Gang'er died of illness... all of this is too coincidental. I am worried... worried that someone did this on purpose."

Zhu Yunwen looked up in shock, his young face filled with disbelief: "What does Grandfather mean?"

"I have no evidence yet." Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze deepened, like an unfathomable ancient well. "But remember, after you ascend the throne, you must be careful of your uncles. Especially... the Prince of Yan."

"Fourth Uncle?" Zhu Yunwen asked, puzzled. "Fourth Uncle has been guarding Beiping all this time, and he is extremely loyal to the court. In recent years, the remnants of the Northern Yuan have not dared to invade the border, all thanks to Fourth Uncle's defense..."

"Hmph! Loyalty?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, the sound particularly jarring in the empty hall. "Back then, I saw his disloyal intentions, but I didn't investigate further because he was my son. Now that your father and two uncles have passed away one after another, the Prince of Yan has become the eldest prince. He commands a large army and has been on the battlefield for many years. How could he willingly submit to you, his nephew?"

Zhu Yunwen was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "If Fourth Uncle really has ulterior motives, how should I deal with it?"

Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at his grandson's innocent face, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes: "Remember, a ruler must be decisive. If the evidence is conclusive, never be soft-hearted. The Ming Dynasty... cannot be destroyed in the hands of a prince."

He paused, his voice growing even lower: "I've been thinking about this repeatedly these past few days, and perhaps... my decision to enfeoff the princes was a mistake. Now they've become too powerful to control, and have become a hidden danger for you."

"Grandfather..." Zhu Yunwen hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand wearily: "Yunwen, your imperial grandfather is tired, you should go back now!"

"Yes! Grandfather, please take good care of yourself." Zhu Yunwen left the Jinshen Hall, looking back every few steps, his face full of worry and concern.

……

After Zhu Yunwen left, Zhu Yuanzhang, exhausted, slowly fell asleep.

However, he soon fell into a terrible dream: Su Ning, with a cold smile on his face, walked towards him step by step with a blood-dripping dagger, and bright red blood was still dripping from the dagger.

"Yunhu! What are you doing?" Zhu Yuanzhang shouted in the dream.

Su Ning's smile grew even more sinister: "Grandpa Emperor, you're so biased! What do I lack compared to Zhu Yunwen?"

"You wretched child! I'm not dead yet!"

"Then may Grandfather...rest in peace soon!"

"Ah, no……"

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly woke up from his nightmare, sat up in a cold sweat, panting heavily. His dragon robe was already soaked with cold sweat.

"Your Majesty, are you alright? Should we summon the imperial physician?" Wang Jinghong, who was waiting outside, rushed in upon hearing the commotion.

"Get out!" Zhu Yuanzhang roared in a fit of rage.

"Ah? Yes! Your Majesty." Wang Jinghong was so frightened that he quickly stepped back. "Wait!" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly called out to him, "Summon Liu Jiyuan, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, to see me."

"Yes! Your Majesty."

Half an hour later, Liu Jiyuan, the director of the Imperial Observatory, arrived at the Jinshen Hall with trepidation.

This elderly minister, well past sixty, keenly sensed the oppressive atmosphere in the hall.

“Minister Liu,” Zhu Yuanzhang said bluntly, “I order you to select a site next to the Xiaoling Mausoleum and build a secondary tomb.”

Liu Jiyuan's heart tightened: "I wonder which noble person His Majesty intends to build a tomb for?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze was sharp as a knife: "Prince of Wu, Zhu Yunwen."

Liu Jiyuan immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

Everyone knows that Prince Wu, Zhu Yunwen, is Zhu Yuanzhang's most special grandson. He is exceptionally capable but not favored by Zhu Yuanzhang. What's even stranger is that this Prince Wu seems to be surviving on century-old ginseng. If the supply of century-old ginseng is stopped...

"I want him to be buried with me," Zhu Yuanzhang said coldly. "Go and choose a suitable spot."

Liu Jiyuan accepted the order and withdrew, but his heart was in turmoil.

He understood the meaning behind the order: the emperor was going to harm his own grandson.

……

A few days later, Liu Jiyuan reported: "Your Majesty, after several days of surveying, I have found that there is no suitable burial site for His Highness Prince Wu near Xiaoling Mausoleum. Moreover, according to the calculations based on his birth chart and destiny, Prince Wu and Your Majesty are... incompatible."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned: "Incompatible?"

“Indeed.” Liu Jiyuan cautiously raised his head. “However, during my geomancy work, I accidentally discovered a new dragon vein in the north, located in the Changbai Mountains. But…”

"Just what?"

“This is the vein of a demonic dragon, extremely dangerous, and may harm the Ming Dynasty.” Liu Jiyuan lowered his voice. “Furthermore, given His Highness Prince Wu’s special destiny, if he were buried here, it would not only resolve the conflict with His Majesty, but also suppress the demonic dragon, perhaps allowing the Ming Dynasty to enjoy blessings for ten thousand years.”

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long time, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the imperial desk.

At that moment, he remembered Su Ning's well-behaved appearance when he was young, and he remembered his grandson lying in bed like a living dead due to poisoning.

A pang of guilt flashed through his mind, but it was quickly replaced by the emperor's suspicious nature.

“In that case,” Zhu Yuanzhang finally spoke, “we will do as you say. We will select a site in Changbai Mountain to build a tomb for the King of Wu.”

"Your subject obeys the decree." Liu Jiyuan bowed and withdrew.

After Liu Jiyuan left, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Song Zhong, the new commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard: "Song Zhong, strengthen the surveillance of the Prince of Wu. Report any disturbance immediately."

Song Zhong knelt on one knee: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have dispatched my most capable subordinates to monitor the Prince of Wu's residence day and night."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked out the window; the spring sunshine was just right, but it couldn't penetrate his cold heart.

In this spring filled with the scent of death, the old emperor's gaze passed over the palace walls, as if he could already see the trajectory of fate...

He was determined to leave his own mark on this path.

“The Demon Dragon Vein…” he murmured to himself, a complex light flashing in his eyes, “Perhaps this is fate! Yun Tong, you are indeed a demon dragon that cannot be accepted by the world.”

……

In April of the thirty-first year of the Hongwu reign, the Forbidden City was still very cold.

Seventy-one-year-old Zhu Yuanzhang walked alone on the bluestone path leading to the Fengxian Hall, each step appearing exceptionally heavy.

Looking at the sun in the sky, which had no warmth, he suddenly felt very irritable.

This once powerful emperor is now all white-haired, but his eyes remain as sharp as an eagle's.

Inside the Fengxian Hall, incense smoke wafted.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood before Empress Ma's memorial tablet for a long time before finally speaking slowly:
"My dear sister, I've been thinking a lot lately, if you were still alive, how would you judge my actions over the years..."

His voice echoed in the empty hall, carrying a rare hint of weariness.

“Biao’er is gone, and Shuang’er and Gang’er have also passed away one after another… Now, only a few of my sons remain by my side.” Zhu Yuanzhang gently stroked Empress Ma’s memorial tablet. “Especially the fourth prince, who has been managing Beiping very well these past years, with a wealth of elite troops and generals under his command…”

At this moment, footsteps were heard outside the hall, and the Crown Prince Zhu Yunwen came to request instructions, holding a memorial.

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately regained his former majesty and turned to look at the successor he had personally groomed.

"Grandfather," Zhu Yunwen bowed respectfully, "Mr. Fang Xiaoru, Mr. Qi Tai, and Mr. Huang Zicheng are waiting in the Wenhua Hall to explain the Zhou Li to their grandson."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Go! These three are ministers whom I have carefully selected to assist you in governing. You must heed their teachings well."

After Zhu Yunwen left, Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze became profound.

He walked slowly to the window, gazing in the direction of the Wenhua Hall, and murmured to himself:
"Fang Xiaoru was upright, Qi Tai was decisive, and Huang Zicheng was resourceful... The personalities of these three men destined them to push for the reduction of the power of the princes..."

A barely perceptible bitter smile appeared on the old emperor's lips.

At that moment, he recalled a conversation he had with Fang Xiaoru last year.

Inside the Jinshen Hall, Fang Xiaoru passionately declared: "Your Majesty, the Zhou dynasty's feudal system ultimately led to the vassal states becoming too powerful. The enfeoffment at the beginning of the Han dynasty resulted in the Rebellion of the Seven States. Now, these vassal kings hold military power and are acting arrogantly. If we do not restrain them soon, they may become a threat to future generations!"

At the time, Zhu Yuanzhang simply replied, "I have my own plans."

Looking back now, the old emperor felt a mix of emotions.

He was more aware than anyone of the danger of powerful princes becoming too powerful, especially the fact that Prince Yan, Zhu Di, had already exceeded the standards of an ordinary prince in his management of Beiping.

"But..." Zhu Yuanzhang murmured to himself, "If we don't reduce the power of the princes, how can Yunwen secure his throne? If we reduce their power too hastily, won't that force those sons to rebel?"

This conflicted feeling always lingered in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.

As a father, he did not want to see his sons kill each other; as an emperor, he had to consider the well-being of the country.

In the dead of night, in the Hall of Diligent Governance, Zhu Yuanzhang was alone, perusing the histories of the rise and fall of dynasties.

When he saw the records of Emperor Wu of Han implementing the Edict of Grace and weakening the power of the feudal lords, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

"The Edict of Grace..." The old emperor's fingers tapped lightly on the pages of the book, "If Yunwen could follow this method and proceed gradually, perhaps..."

But then he shook his head.

Given the personalities of Fang Xiaoru and others, and Zhu Yunwen's eagerness to establish his authority, it would be difficult for them to adopt such a gentle approach.

"Yunzhi, if you were to inherit the throne, how would you decide?" At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang, who was having a headache, thought of his even more amazing grandson.

At this moment, Wang Jin, the director of the Eastern Depot, quietly entered the hall: "Your Majesty, a secret report has arrived from Beiping."

Zhu Yuanzhang unfolded the secret report, which detailed the recent movements of the Prince of Yan...

Unauthorized military expansion, forging alliances with regional princes and Mongol tribes, and secretly manufacturing weapons...

Each one is shocking.

"Fourth brother, oh fourth brother," Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, "you have ultimately disappointed me."

He rose and walked to his desk, picked up his brush and wrote a secret edict: "From this day forward, closely monitor the movements of all the princes, especially the Prince of Yan. If there are any unusual movements, report them immediately."

After writing it down, he summoned Wang Jin and said, "You shall keep this secret edict yourself. After I pass away, hand it over to the Crown Prince."

"This servant obeys the decree." Wang Jin respectfully accepted the secret decree, a strange glint flashing in her eyes.

...(End of chapter)