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In August of the first year of the Jianwen reign, Nanjing was shrouded in a tense atmosphere, as if a storm was brewing.

That evening, the afterglow of the setting sun stained the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City blood red.

Emperor Jianwen, Zhu Yunwen, traveled with minimal entourage and once again entered the Prince of Wu's residence.

Unlike usual, he had an unyielding sorrow between his brows, and even his steps were heavier than usual.

"Yunwen, I have come today to consult you on important matters." Emperor Jianwen dismissed his attendants, and even Zhao Ling'er tactfully withdrew, leaving only the two brothers in the secret chamber.

Su Ning leaned back on the soft couch, his gaze sweeping over his elder brother's tightly furrowed brows, and he already guessed what was going on: "Is Your Majesty troubled by the matter of reducing the power of the princes?"

Emperor Jianwen sighed deeply, took out a secret memorial from his sleeve, and his fingertips trembled slightly: "Indeed! Qi Tai and his men have already drafted a detailed plan to weaken the princes, starting with the weaker princes such as the Prince of Zhou and the Prince of Dai, and finally dealing with the Prince of Yan. Heavy troops have also been deployed around Beiping..."

Su Ning took the secret report, quickly glanced through it, and couldn't help but frown: "Has Your Majesty considered what the consequences would be of such a hasty reduction of the power of the princes?"

"The consequences?" Emperor Jianwen stood up agitatedly, pacing back and forth in the room. "Yunwen, do you know how arrogant the regional princes are now? The Prince of Yan is privately amassing troops in Beiping, the Prince of Ning is forging alliances with the Mongols in Liaodong, and even a minor prince like the Prince of Gu dares to set up tax checkpoints! These are all cancers of the Ming Dynasty and must be eradicated!"

He walked to the window, looked north, and said in a low voice, "Moreover, this is my grandfather's last edict. Before he passed away, he specifically instructed me to... to treat the imperial family well, but not to allow the vassal kings to become too powerful."

Su Ning remained silent for a moment, the candlelight flickering on his pale face: "Brother, why do you think the founding emperor enfeoffed princes?"

Emperor Jianwen was taken aback: "Naturally, it is to guard the frontier and protect the imperial family."

"Then why are you now trying to reduce the power of the regional military governors?"

"Because...because the power of the vassal kings is too great, threatening the central government," Emperor Jianwen replied hesitantly.

“Since that’s the case,” Su Ning slowly sat up straight, his gaze sharp, “Brother, have you ever thought about why the founding emperor, during his thirty-one-year reign, knowing full well the threat posed by the vassal kings, never reduced their power? Was our grandfather not as intelligent as you?”

"This..." This question stunned Emperor Jianwen.

He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to answer.

“Because the Taizu Emperor knew that weakening the power of the princes was not something that could be done overnight.” Su Ning’s voice was soft, but every word struck Emperor Jianwen’s heart. “He spent thirty-one years building his authority, making all the princes both respect and fear him. And you, my brother…”

He didn't finish his sentence, but Emperor Jianwen already understood the meaning behind it.

"I know my prestige is insufficient." Emperor Jianwen slumped down, his fingers unconsciously stroking the teacup. "But that's precisely why we must reduce the power of the princes as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will be even more difficult to control them once the princes have more power."

“Your Majesty is mistaken,” Su Ning shook his head. “Precisely because their prestige is insufficient, we must not be too hasty. If we forcibly reduce their power, it will inevitably lead to rebellion.”

"Rebellion?" Emperor Jianwen sneered. "With the imperial army at our disposal, are we afraid they'll rebel?"

“If only one vassal king rebels, it is naturally not a cause for concern.” Su Ning’s gaze was profound. “But what if multiple vassal kings join forces? What if all the vassal kings in the land feel that their lives are insecure and unite together? Does Your Majesty still remember the Rebellion of the Seven States in the Western Han Dynasty? Emperor Jing of Han reduced the power of the vassal kings, which triggered a coalition of seven states and nearly shook the foundations of the country. Now, which of the vassal kings of our Great Ming Dynasty is not a veteran general who has fought on many battlefields? The Prince of Yan has been fighting against the Mongols for many years and has elite troops and strong generals under his command…”

"Enough!" Emperor Jianwen interrupted abruptly, a vein throbbing on his forehead. "Then, in your opinion, what should be done? Should we just let the vassal kings grow too powerful?"

Silence fell in the sealed room.

The flickering candlelight illuminated the solemn faces of the two brothers.

The sound of a night watchman's drum came from afar, exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

After a long silence, Su Ning slowly spoke: "Actually, there is a way to resolve the problem of the vassal kings without bloodshed."

"What method?" Emperor Jianwen leaned forward eagerly.

"Move the capital."

These two words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Emperor Jianwen's ears.

"What? Relocate... relocate the capital?"

“That’s right.” Su Ning stood up and walked to the map of the Ming Dynasty hanging on the wall. “Brother, do you still remember why Father went to Xi’an and Luoyang in the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu?”

Emperor Jianwen suddenly realized: "You mean... my grandfather and father were considering moving the capital before they died?"

“Exactly.” Su Ning’s finger traced across the map. “When Emperor Taizu discussed the capital with Liu Bowen, Li Shanchang and others, he said that Nanjing, being in the southeast, was not a long-term solution. It was only because the country had just been pacified and the north was not yet at peace that Nanjing was temporarily chosen as the capital.”

His finger stopped at the location of Beiping: "And this is the true foundation of an emperor. It controls the northern deserts, pacifies the Central Plains in the south, borders the Bohai Sea to the east, and connects to the Taihang Mountains in the west. If the capital were moved to Beiping..."

"The Prince of Yan and the Prince of Ning, among other vassal kings, will lose their foundation!" Emperor Jianwen suddenly realized, a gleam of excitement flashing in his eyes.

"That's not all," Su Ning continued, "By moving the capital to Beiping, the court can directly control the military power in the north. After all, the Ming Dynasty's strongest armies are all on the front lines in the north, and the various vassal kings will no longer have the capital to hold military power. Moreover, the relocation process will take ten or twenty years, which can be done gradually without causing drastic turmoil. During this period, we can implement the Edict of Grace, allowing the sons of the vassal kings to equally distribute their fiefdoms. In this way, as the fiefdoms are distributed generation after generation, the power of the vassal kings will naturally weaken..."

Emperor Jianwen paced back and forth in the room, clearly deeply moved by the proposal: "However... relocating the capital would be extremely costly, and there would inevitably be considerable opposition in the court. Qi Tai and his ilk have always advocated for a swift and decisive victory..."

“Therefore, Your Majesty needs to overcome all opposition,” Su Ning said solemnly. “We can start by establishing a secondary capital, gradually relocating the Six Ministries and building palaces. When the time is right, we can formally move the capital. In this way, we will not arouse the suspicion of the vassal kings, and we can proceed steadily.”

Emperor Jianwen grew increasingly excited as he listened, a glimmer of hope rekindling in his eyes: "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Yunwen, you truly are a genius! If you were to become emperor..."

"Your Majesty, be careful what you say!" Su Ning quickly stopped him. "Your Majesty, I only wish to recuperate in peace. You must not say such things again."

Emperor Jianwen looked intently at his younger brother for a long time before finally saying, "Very well! I will go back and discuss this with Qi Tai and the others. However..."

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Yunwen, this matter is of great importance. It must not be revealed to outsiders before I make a decision."

"Brother Chen understands."

After seeing Emperor Jianwen off, Zhao Ling'er entered the secret room and asked worriedly, "Your Highness, do you think the Emperor will adopt the proposal to move the capital?"

Looking in the direction where Emperor Jianwen had left, Su Ning sighed softly: "It's difficult. Qi Tai, Huang Zicheng, and others are eager for quick success and will definitely oppose it vehemently. As for Emperor Jianwen... he lacks the courage to overcome all opposition."

"Then why did you make this suggestion in the first place?"

“Because I want him to know that there are better options than radical measures to reduce the power of the princes.” Su Ning’s gaze deepened. “That way, when the Prince of Yan raises an army in the future, he will understand that the seeds of today’s disaster were sown long ago.”

Sure enough, three days later, Emperor Jianwen visited again, looking ashamed: "Yunwen, regarding the proposal to move the capital... Qi Tai and the others said it would be too costly, and there was a risk of unrest during the relocation period. Therefore..."

"So we still need to immediately reduce the power of the feudal lords?" Su Ning asked calmly.

Emperor Jianwen nodded helplessly: "However, I will have them slow down and start with a few minor vassal kings."

Watching Emperor Jianwen depart, Su Ning knew that the wheels of history would eventually continue rolling in the predetermined direction.

Outside the window, dark clouds obscured the moon; a storm was imminent.

……

In August of the first year of the Jianwen reign (1399), Beiping was shrouded in an unusually hot and humid summer, and even the cicadas seemed weak and listless.

Inside a secret chamber of the Prince of Yan's residence, Zhu Di and the monk Yao Guangxiao sat facing each other. Black and white pieces were intertwined on the chessboard, but no one paid any attention to the game.

“Your Highness,” Yao Guangxiao placed a piece on the board, his voice low, “the imperial decree has arrived, ordering the transfer of the three guards of the Prince’s Palace to the border to defend against the Northern Yuan invasion.”

Zhu Di's black chess piece landed on the board with a "thud," disrupting the game: "This is trying to weaken my power! Geng Bingwen's army is stationed in Zhengding, and Xie Gui and Zhang Xin control the nine gates of Beiping. They're trying to trap me in the city!"

He stood up and paced anxiously in the secret room: "That child Yunwen has been bewitched by those scholars and is determined to kill us uncles."

Yao Guangxiao twirled his prayer beads, his gaze deep: "Your Highness, the court's actions are intended to press forward step by step. First, they'll redeploy the guards, then seize military power, and finally..."

Before he could finish speaking, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Zhang Yu and Zhu Neng, the commanders of the Yanshan Guard, barged in without being notified. Both of them were covered in sweat and their armor was covered in dust.

"Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!" Zhang Yu knelt down and reported, his voice hoarse. "The imperial court has sent an envoy to confiscate the seals of the Prince's residence and to demote Your Highness to a commoner!"

Zhu Neng immediately added, "This humble general has received a secret report that Li Jinglong has already led his army from Nanjing and will arrive in Beiping soon. Your Highness, we cannot hesitate any longer!" Zhu Di's expression changed drastically, and he slammed his fist on the table: "Yunwen, you brat, you've gone too far!"

The cicadas chirping outside the window suddenly became shrill, as if adding to the tension of this crucial moment.

Yao Guangxiao slowly stood up and walked to Zhu Di: "Your Highness, do you still remember my prophecy from many years ago? The time for 'wearing the white hat' has come."

“‘White hat and king’…” Zhu Di muttered to himself, a resolute glint in his eyes. “Fine! Since the court is unjust, then don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

He turned to Zhang Yu and Zhu Neng, his voice firm: "Pass down the order, the entire army is on high alert. Also, send men to keep a close eye on Xie Gui and Zhang Xin's movements."

"As ordered!"

Late at night on the fifth day of the eighth lunar month, Beijing was suddenly struck by lightning and thunder, followed by torrential rain.

Large raindrops pounded on the glazed tiles of the Prince of Yan's mansion, making a deafening sound.

The council hall of the Prince's Mansion was brightly lit as Zhu Di summoned all his trusted generals to make final arrangements.

"Zhang Yu and Zhu Neng, you two will lead 800 elite soldiers to launch a surprise attack on the nine gates of Beiping under the cover of rain! Make sure to take control of all the gates before dawn."

"Master Daoyan, I trouble you to stay in the palace and oversee the overall situation."

"Qiu Fu, you must go to Da Ning immediately and persuade the Prince of Ning to send troops to help. Tell him that if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold; if I am defeated, he will be next!"

As orders were issued, the war machine of the Prince of Yan's mansion began to operate at full speed.

Zhang Yu stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, what about Xie Gui and Zhang Xin..."

Zhu Di sneered: "Since they refuse to submit, they can't blame us. Remember, to catch the thief, first catch the king."

……

Meanwhile, Emperor Jianwen was offering sacrifices to his ancestors at the Fengxian Hall in Nanjing.

In the flickering candlelight, he held incense and prayed devoutly: "May our ancestors bless us, so that this campaign to reduce the power of the princes may succeed smoothly, and that the Ming Dynasty may be forever secure..."

Qi Tai hurriedly entered the hall, his face beaming with joy: "Your Majesty, news has come from Beiping that the Prince of Yan has received the imperial decree and agreed to relinquish control of the guards."

Huang Zicheng also laughed and said, "It seems that the Prince of Yan is still sensible. Once the three guards of Yanshan are subdued, the great task of weakening the princes can be accomplished."

Emperor Jianwen breathed a sigh of relief: "Very good. Issue an edict to Xie Gui and Zhang Xin that after taking over the troops of the Prince of Yan's residence, they must not make things difficult for Fourth Uncle."

Fang Xiaoru looked worried: "Your Majesty, the Prince of Yan is a veteran of many battles and I'm afraid he won't give in so easily. We still need to be more vigilant."

However, what they were unaware of was that a tremendous change was taking place in Beiping at that time.

……

At dawn on the sixth day of the eighth lunar month, the torrential rain had just stopped.

Zhang Yu and Zhu Neng's elite guards have taken control of seven of the nine gates of Beiping.

Only Xie Gui and Zhang Xin, who were guarding Lizheng Gate and Wenming Gate, remained steadfast in their posts.

"Your Highness," Zhang Yu returned covered in blood and reported, "Xie Gui and Zhang Xin are unable to hold their position and are requesting reinforcements!"

Zhu Di personally donned his armor and mounted his horse: "Follow me!"

At the Lizheng Gate, Zhu Di reined in his horse and shouted: "Xie Gui and Zhang Xin! You two have received great favors from the country, why do you aid and abet the wicked and persecute the Emperor Taizu's own son?"

Xie Gui responded from the city wall: "Your Highness, I am merely acting under orders. As long as Your Highness hands over the seal, I guarantee Your Highness's safety!"

"Hahaha!" Zhu Di laughed loudly, looking up at the sky. "That brat Yunwen listened to slander and persecuted his own uncle. Today, I, Zhu Di, will purge the court of corrupt officials and quell the national crisis!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhu Neng led an elite team in a surprise attack from the flank, breaching the Lizheng Gate in one fell swoop.

Xie Gui and Zhang Xin fought valiantly but were ultimately defeated and captured alive.

On the seventh day of the eighth lunar month, the entire city of Beiping fell into the hands of the Yan army.

Zhu Di formally rallied his troops at the Prince of Yan's residence and issued the "Proclamation to Pacify the Rebellion":
"I, Zhu Di, the fourth son of Emperor Taizu Gao, the Prince of Yan, hereby declare to the world: There are treacherous ministers such as Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng who are misleading Your Majesty and persecuting members of the imperial family. Yunwen, being young, has been deceived by them, violating ancestral rules and harming his own flesh and blood. I, the Prince, have been ordered by Heaven to quell this rebellion, purge the court of these corrupt officials, and restore order to the dynasty..."

When the news reached Nanjing, Emperor Jianwen was both shocked and furious. He smashed a teacup during the morning court session, exclaiming, "Fourth Uncle... Fourth Uncle has indeed rebelled!"

Qi Tai hurriedly stepped forward: "Your Majesty need not worry. I recommend the veteran general Geng Bingwen to lead the northern expedition. He will surely capture the Yan rebels!"

Huang Zicheng also said, "That's right! General Geng is good at defending cities. As long as we fight steadily, the Prince of Yan will surely be defeated."

Fang Xiaoru, however, was deeply worried: "Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to stabilize the morale of the army and the people. Since the Prince of Yan has raised the banner of 'purging the court of corrupt officials,' we must win people over with virtue."

In September, Geng Bingwen led an army of 300,000 northwards and confronted the Yan army in Zhengding.

However, the veteran general adopted a defensive strategy, attempting to wear down the Yan army through a protracted war.

"That old fox Geng Bingwen!" Zhu Di said anxiously in his military tent. "He's holding firm and refusing to come out. Our army's supplies are running low, and a prolonged battle will surely lead to defeat!"

Yao Guangxiao smiled and said, "Your Highness need not worry. This humble monk observed the celestial phenomena last night and discovered a small path south of Zhengding City that can bypass the government troops and reach their rear..."

Zhu Di followed the plan and sent Zhang Yu with elite troops in a night raid, inflicting a great defeat on Geng Bingwen.

However, the veteran quickly regrouped and continued to adopt a defensive strategy.

When Emperor Jianwen learned of the war situation in Nanjing, he was extremely anxious.

On Qi Tai's advice, he made a last-minute change of commander, appointing Li Jinglong to replace Geng Bingwen.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Fang Xiaoru urged, "Li Jinglong is all talk and no action; he's no match for the Prince of Yan!"

But Emperor Jianwen insisted on his own way: "Li Jinglong is the descendant of a famous general and will surely achieve great things."

When this news reached Beiping, Zhu Di was overjoyed: "Li Jinglong? That纨绔子弟 (spoiled brat)? Yunwen (Zhu Di) is destroying his own Great Wall!"

As expected, after Li Jinglong took office, he changed Geng Bingwen's cautious strategy and launched a rash attack.

In the Battle of Zhengcunba, the Yan army defeated the government army, and Li Jinglong fled south in panic.

In the winter of the first year of the Jianwen reign, the flames of the Jingnan Campaign spread across the northern lands.

Far away in Nanjing, inside the Wu Prince's Palace, Su Ning listened to the battle report with a complicated expression.

Snowflakes fluttered outside the window, turning Nanjing into a pristine white landscape.

"Your Highness," Zhao Ling'er asked worriedly, "how long will this war last?"

“It doesn’t matter!” Su Ning said softly. “What matters is that this war will change the fate of the Ming Dynasty.”

He walked to the window and looked at the northern sky: "And we need to be prepared."

After a moment of silence, Su Ning turned to the old servant standing beside him and said, "Afu, start waking up our hidden agents. Soon it will be time for them to set things right."

Afu bowed and said, "Yes, Master. The new immigrants who have infiltrated Nanjing are ready and await Your Highness's order."

Su Ning's gaze was profound: "Remember, we must act at the crucial moment, both to preserve the vitality of the Ming Dynasty and to ensure my successful ascension to the throne. This Jingnan Campaign will be the opportunity for the Ming Dynasty to rise from the ashes."

...(End of chapter)