Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 183 The Two Princes' Spears Point Directly at Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji

Upon hearing Prince Zhao's words, the princes who were still kneeling narrowed their eyes, a bad premonition creeping into their hearts. Could there be doubt about the late emperor's cause of death?!
Instantly, everyone's eyes were focused on Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji.

"But the coffin of the late emperor had already been transported back to Beijing!"

Today, in this grand hall, before this mourning hall, we are all descendants of the Zhu family.

"The Emperor cannot die without a reason, without even an explanation!" Prince Zhao spoke again, and his words were very heavy, extremely heavy!
Because he suspected there were doubts about the late emperor's death! Or rather, he wanted to know how the late emperor died, and whether the current crown prince, Zhu Zhanji, had killed him!

These words caused even the usually composed Emperor Hongxi to tense up. Although Crown Prince Zhu Zhan appeared calm, his heart was filled with indignation and murderous intent, which made his face contorted with rage.

"Now, they've produced another fake imperial edict. How can the people of the world submit to this?!" Prince Zhao, reclining on the soft couch, loudly proclaimed once more that the edict was fake!
At this point, Prince Zhao stepped forward, holding up the imperial edict, and continued his performance, following up on what the third prince had said.

"As everyone just heard, the late emperor mentioned two things in this will."

"The first thing is that the late emperor made our elder brother the emperor!" Prince Han said, pointing to Emperor Hongxi standing to the side.

"The second thing is to pardon the orphans of the Jingnan Rebellion!"

Some of you have fought alongside the late emperor for a long time, and some of you know him very well!
"Have you ever seen the late Emperor as the kind of person who goes back on his word and tarnishes his own reputation?!" The Prince of Han slapped his face repeatedly, his face flushed with anger and his eyes blazing with fury. He was referring to the Yongle Emperor's straightforward temperament.

Prince Han struck a chord with many. They knew perfectly well that the late emperor was an extremely opinionated, or rather, stubborn, man; how could he possibly pardon the orphans of the Jingnan Rebellion? Wouldn't that be tantamount to admitting that the Jingnan Rebellion was a mistake?!
Although everyone had their doubts, they remained calm and watched the spectacle without anyone showing any intention of stepping forward.

"Let me tell you why!"
"It's because our Crown Prince's concubine is an orphan who escaped the Jingnan Rebellion!" The Prince of Han, his face full of indignation, pointed at the kneeling Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji with the imperial edict in his hand and revealed another shocking piece of news.

Upon hearing this news, the gazes of many princes once again turned to Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji with surprise and doubt.

"Outrageous! Colluding with Jianwen's former subordinates to usurp the throne!"
My Zhu family has produced a descendant like you.

"Let the whole world punish him!" The Prince of Han pointed at Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji again and roared loudly, so angry that he was jumping up and down.

To Zhu Zhanhe, who was watching the spectacle with an air of serious interest, the Prince of Han was indeed showing genuine emotion. However, the Prince of Han's true emotion was anger at not being able to ascend the throne!
Regardless of what others thought, Zhu Zhanji considered his two uncles' words to be nothing but slander.

"The late emperor's edict was personally drafted by Grand Secretary Yang Shiqi before his death!" Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji stared intently at the Prince of Han, the murderous intent in his eyes revealing his true feelings.

"The late emperor never said he wanted to depose or install the crown prince!" Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji added. Upon hearing this, the previously calm Hongxi Emperor's heart skipped a beat, and he was reminded once again of the late emperor's previous intention to install the second son as crown prince.

However, Emperor Hongxi's expression immediately hardened again.

"The establishment of a nation is based on the eldest son and the legitimate heir! It is none of your business to interfere!" Zhu Zhanji glared angrily at the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao, reiterating the legitimacy of the throne.

"The late emperor feared that you had troops in your hands and would cause chaos throughout the land!"

"Lord Yang Shiqi can testify to this!" Zhu Zhanji stared intently at the two princes, his words resolute.

"Shut up! Don't say another word!" Emperor Hongxi could see that his son had fallen into the trap set by his second and third sons, and he immediately tried to stop him, but it was too late.

"Well said!" Prince Zhao rose directly from the cushion, went to Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji, and praised the prince loudly with a smile.

"I knew it! You'd definitely use Yang Shiqi as a scapegoat!" Prince Zhao approached Zhu Zhanji with a smile, pointing at his nephew with a mocking look in his eyes.

"Boy, have you forgotten? Your second uncle and I also have ears!" Prince Zhao slowly leaned down and whispered in Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji's ear. Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhanji trembled violently. Seeing that his son was about to give in, Emperor Hongxi had no choice but to intervene personally.

"Second brother, third brother, let's discuss this matter after the national mourning period." Seeing that his son was struggling, Emperor Hongxi did not want to escalate the situation, so he once again acted as a peacemaker and stepped in to mediate.

"No need, neither of us intends to go back alive today!" The Prince of Han raised his head, his face showing a heroic expression of facing death.

However, the words of the Prince of Han reminded the many princes present of the sword-wielding guards who had been loitering around the mourning hall these past few days! They couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts!
"Today, before the late emperor's coffin, in front of Father, elder brother, if you want to kill or torture me, just do it!" The Prince of Han proudly raised his head, indicating that he was not afraid of death. "Come at me, I just want justice."

"This... sigh! Second brother! How can this be reasonable?" Emperor Hongxi looked helpless. Both of his younger brothers were shameless, and his own son was constantly dragging him down. This situation was really difficult.

"We two will return to our residence to await our fate!" The Prince of Han said with a resolute expression. To everyone's horror, he tore up the late emperor's edict that had just been read aloud with a ripping sound, throwing the pieces away as he tore them.

As he passed in front of the Crown Prince, still holding a fragment of the imperial edict, the Prince of Han threw it directly at the Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji's face.

This scene shocked everyone present!

Prince Zhao, who was standing next to Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji, took off his mourning cap and threw it to the ground in front of the prince.

On the other side, the Prince of Han, who had turned to leave, also ripped off his mourning cap and threw it behind him. The cap landed squarely in front of Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji.

Immediately, Prince Zhao followed in Prince Han's footsteps, snorted coldly, and flung his sleeves as he left.

This scene clearly tells everyone that the two brothers are targeting Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji!
With the departure of the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao, only the gloomy-faced Emperor Hongxi and the Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji, his teeth clenched, eyes bloodshot, and murderous intent exposed, remained. When had he ever suffered such humiliation?!
"Cough, cough, cough, cough," Emperor Hongxi coughed painfully, looking at his two younger brothers' backs as they angrily left the mourning hall.

Seeing his father and third uncle finish their performance and storm off, Zhu Zhanhe instinctively turned to look at his mother. He saw that his mother, Madam Wei, looked panicked, tears welling up in her eyes, on the verge of crying.

Then, Zhu Zhanhe turned his head and glanced at his third aunt kneeling beside his mother. As expected, his third aunt also had the same look of fear and unease on her face.

"The reading of the late emperor's edict is complete!"
Your Highnesses, the second and third princes have lost their minds due to excessive grief, making us a laughingstock on your behalf.

"I'm here on their behalf to apologize to everyone!" Emperor Hongxi coughed for a while, then stood up, leaning on the offering table. After catching his breath, he slowly spoke, and finally bowed to everyone.

At this moment, Emperor Hongxi was still acting as an elder brother, telling everyone not to mind his two younger brothers' recklessness and ignorance. His kind and loving nature was on full display!
"Your Majesty is joking. Second Brother and Third Brother are overwhelmed with grief, that's why they are like this. Your Majesty, please don't be sad!" Finally, it was the King of Chu, who had been kneeling behind the King of Han and the King of Zhao, who spoke up.

"The King of Chu is right."

"The King of Chu is right!"

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health!"

……

"I will obey Your Majesty's decree!"

Finally, the princes present looked around and then bowed to Emperor Hongxi to express their understanding.

"Father!" Only Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji, his eyes red and his face filled with disbelief, looked at his weak and frail father, Emperor Hongxi, his gums bleeding from biting them!

He couldn't understand why his father, the Hongxi Emperor, was so weak! So weak and pedantic!
(End of this chapter)