Di Ming

Chapter 422 Oath-taking ceremony at Mount Dai, in accordance with the imperial decree to quell the rebellion!
Beijing, the Forbidden City.

On the same day that the Zhu family held their third-day-old ceremony, May 28th, Prince Xin, Zhu Changluo, was also about to leave Beijing and head south to his fiefdom.

Everything was done in such a rushed and careless manner.

Before dawn, the eunuchs sent by the Zheng family went to Jingyang Palace under the pretext of changing clothes, bathing, burning incense, and receiving the imperial edict, to monitor Prince Xin's every move.

Inside and outside Jingyang Palace, there were eunuchs and palace maids sent by the Zheng family, and the palace lanterns were as bright as day.

The leading eunuch was none other than Gao Cai.

The secluded and desolate Jingyang Palace, which resembled a prison, suddenly became lively on the last day after Prince Xin left.

The few personal servants of Consort Wang and her son were immediately detained and taken away; their fates remain unknown.

Immediately afterwards, Consort Wang and her son were forcibly separated. Consort Wang was not even properly dressed, still barefoot and with her hair down, when she was taken away by two female officials and locked up in a side hall, forbidden from having any contact with Zhu Changluo.

"Mother!" Prince Xin was extremely anxious when he saw his mother being forcibly locked in a side hall and not even being able to see her one last time before she left.

"My son!" Consort Wang cried out in anguish, "I will never see my son again! On this last day, let us say goodbye, mother and son..."

"What are you shouting for!" Gao Cai scolded Consort Wang Gong as if she were a servant. "Her Majesty and Grandfather have ordered that you and your son are not allowed to meet before Prince Xin's departure! This is to prevent you from further inciting Prince Xin!"

Consort Wang pleaded desperately, "Eunuch Gao! I beg you! Please tell the Emperor to let me see Prince Xin one last time. After this parting, my son and I will never see each other again..."

Gao Cai shouted sternly, "Are you going to defy the imperial decree?! If you dare to make another sound, I'll slap you! Come on, gag her!"

Even though Consort Wang was confined to the Cold Palace, she was not stripped of her title and was, in theory, Gao Cai's mistress. However, Gao Cai, in order to curry favor with Consort Zheng, completely disregarded Consort Wang and instead deliberately humiliated her even more.

In any case, Consort Wang wouldn't live much longer. Following Consort Zheng's hints, after Prince Xin was enfeoffed, he slowly tormented Consort Wang, then used her longing and worry for Prince Xin to make her depressed and ill, and she never recovered.

When Prince Xin hears the devastating news of his mother's death, he will surely be overcome with grief and become mentally unstable. If he is then deliberately weakened by beautiful women and fine wine, he will die of illness within a few years.

This method of death is not a sudden death; it is relatively discreet and will not cause a greater reaction from the court or the public. It will not anger the two empress dowagers in the palace, nor will it damage the emperor's reputation.

The Imperial Concubine's concerns are valid. Even though the Third Prince has been named Crown Prince, many officials and scholars do not accept him. In their hearts, Prince Xin should be the rightful Crown Prince. Therefore, as long as Prince Xin lives, the threat remains.

At this moment, seeing that her mouth was about to be gagged, Consort Wang struggled desperately and shouted, "I want to see the Empress Dowager! I want to see the Empress Dowager!"

She knew that only the two empress dowagers could let her see her son one last time. As for the emperor... he wished for his mother and son to die!
"Shut up! You bitch!" Gao Cai gritted his teeth, rolled up his sleeves, stepped forward, and slapped Consort Wang hard across the face.

"Slap! Slap!" Two heavy slaps caused Consort Wang to spit blood from her mouth and nose.

Consort Wang's originally dignified and beautiful face suddenly swelled up at a visible speed, and two clear handprints were shocking to behold.

This slap stunned Consort Wang, and even the palace servants who were controlling her were stunned.

She was, after all, the mother of the eldest prince and a concubine. The emperor and Consort Zheng could humiliate her, and the eunuchs and maids could mistreat her, but that was only because she was treated very poorly, placed under house arrest and monitored, and verbally humiliated. She was never beaten by the eunuchs.

Not to mention, he slapped her across the face.

Even the female official sent by Consort Zheng felt it was going too far.

When Zhu Changluo was brought to the main hall, he heard the sounds coming from the side hall and guessed that his mother had been slapped. He was immediately enraged.

"Get out of my way!" Prince Xin kicked the eunuch who was blocking his way over. "If you dare to stop me again, you'll die!"

He abruptly unbuckled his belt and slapped it across another eunuch's face, yelling, "Get out!"

He is already fifteen years old. Over the years, under the guidance of his teacher Zhu Yin, he has been strengthening his body every day and is no longer a weak boy.

The humiliation of his mother being beaten by the eunuch ignited an uncontrollable rage within him.

A group of eunuchs and palace maids couldn't stop him; he rushed into the side hall.

"Mother!" Zhu Changluo's eyes widened in horror when he saw his mother bleeding from her mouth and nose after being beaten.

"Prince Xin!" Gao Cai, who had just finished beating Consort Wang, shouted, "Are you going to disobey the imperial decree?! This is the will of your grandfather and the Imperial Concubine! Go back to the main hall to change and bathe! Prepare to express your gratitude and take your leave! Get out!"

At this moment, he disregarded Zhu Changluo even more. A prince about to be driven out of the capital would be like a caged bird in Jiujiang, unable to escape.

"Luo'er!" Consort Wang cried out to her son in a heart-wrenching voice, "Don't worry about me! We've already seen each other one last time. Quickly change your clothes and take a bath! Take good care of yourself!"

Zhu Changluo felt as if his heart was being torn apart; his face turned ashen, and he trembled with rage.

Father! I have no objection to you making the third prince the crown prince! You can choose whoever you want! I haven't argued, I haven't argued at all.

In recent years, I have listened to my husband's advice, read books, exercised, studied astronomy and mathematics, and served my mother daily. I have never thought about vying for the position of crown prince!

Now that I am about to leave the capital to take up my fief, I have not made a fuss or argued.

But why! Why! You won't even give my mother the last shred of dignity, not even a eunuch! You dare slap my mother! Are you trying to kill her on purpose!

You want me dead!
Zhu Yijun! What are you doing! You are not my father! You heartless and tyrannical ruler!
Suddenly, the kind, gentle, wise and composed face of the gentleman appeared in Zhu Changluo's mind, and his heart immediately calmed down, as if he had gained some kind of power.

He turned to look at Gao Cai, his gaze icy as he uttered two words: "Kneel down."

"What did you say?" Gao Cai was stunned.

Zhu Changluo, holding his belt, slowly approached Gao Cai. "I, the Prince of Xin of the Great Ming Dynasty, the eldest son of His Majesty, order you to kneel!"

"Your Majesty!"

"You..." Gao Cai's face was full of disbelief as she shrieked, "Prince Xin..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Changluo lashed his face with his belt. With a "smack," the jade belt buckle struck Gao Cai's face hard, leaving a bloody mark.

"Ah..." Gao Cai immediately covered his face and screamed.

"You dog slave!" Zhu Changluo gritted his teeth. "You lowly servant, how dare you slap the emperor's concubine and the mother of a prince! You're tired of living! Where are the ancestral rules?! Even in front of Father Emperor today, I will beat you to death!"

"According to regulations! A prince's rank is equal to that of a noble consort! Even if your master were to come in person, this manor would still stand on equal footing! Who do you think you are! If you don't kneel down and beg for forgiveness today, this manor will beat you to death! Kneel down!"

As he spoke, he pulled out his belt again.

"Ah!" Gao Cai screamed again, clutching his blood-soaked face. "You're defying the imperial decree! You're defying the imperial decree!"

Although he didn't kneel down, he didn't dare to fight back. Zhu Changluo was, after all, a prince. No matter how much his grandfather disliked him, he was still a prince. If he fought back, not to mention what would happen to Prince Xin, he himself would definitely be in trouble.

"Your Highness..." The surrounding eunuchs and palace servants all changed their expressions drastically, "Please, Your Highness, stop!"

Zhu Changluo pulled on Gao Cai's belt again, knocking his hat off, before looking around and coldly saying, "Kneel down before me, all of you!"

When everyone met the gaze of the young prince, they couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts, and had no choice but to kneel down together, forming a dense mass of kneeling people on the ground, leaving only Gao Cai standing there.

"You dog slave!" Zhu Changluo whipped Gao Cai hard, leaving the eunuch covered in blood and forced to kneel down and beg for mercy.

Prince Xin walked to his mother, helped the stunned Consort Wang Gong to her seat, and then turned to the crowd and said:
“If defending my mother is defying the imperial edict, so what? The imperial edict still contains ancestral rules! Even if my father comes, I, as his son, can ask His Majesty whether the ancestral rules are still valid. Even if my father orders me to die, I dare to speak out against him! A family with a son who speaks frankly will not perish!”

"I am a prince of the Great Ming Dynasty. If you dare to disrespect me, I will kill you. Do you expect me to pay with my life?"

At this moment, it was as if the man's figure was standing right in front of him, as if he were saying to him with a firm gaze and an approving expression: "Well done! Chang Luo, you did the right thing!"

Zhu Changluo stood taller, more confident, and spoke with greater ease:

"A country has its laws, and a family has its rules. The world is vast, but nothing is greater than the law and the principles of heaven and the hearts of men. You have been in the palace for many years, and if you still don't understand this principle, you will inevitably face retribution sooner or later. As the saying goes, what goes around comes around, and every sip and every bite is preordained. Don't go too far in your actions. Even if there is no way to forgive or have any compassion, you should still accumulate some good karma for yourself and leave yourself a way out."

The crowd knelt on the ground, looking at each other in disbelief. They could hardly believe that the boy before them, who was completely different from before, was the same eldest prince from before.

Even Gao Cai felt a chill in his heart. Although he was filled with hatred, he dared not utter a sound.

"Luo'er." Consort Wang was both happy and sad, and said with tears streaming down her face, "Mother knows your filial piety, and I am very happy. Now change your clothes and go to see the Emperor to express your gratitude. Don't be late and make your father angry."

At this moment, her heart was filled with worry for her son. Her son had whipped Gao Cai today to vent his anger; how could Gao Cai let it go? This man would surely return and exaggerate his actions before reporting to Consort Zheng, making Consort Zheng even more wary of her son. She feared…

But what could she do now that things had come to this? She could only watch helplessly as her son walked into perilous territory; even the most heartbroken cuckoo could not save him.

Your Majesty! Why are you treating my son and me like this! We don't want to fight, we just want to live.

A female official said, "His Majesty is extremely benevolent and filial, and we dare not be presumptuous. However, the time is almost up, and my grandfather is still waiting for His Majesty to take his leave and express his gratitude in the Qianqing Palace."

Previously, they directly addressed him as Prince Xin, but now they've changed it to "Your Majesty." They're indeed bullying the weak and fearing the strong.

"Mother Consort." Zhu Changlu knelt before Consort Wang, tears streaming down his face, "Your unfilial son... bids farewell to Mother Consort!"

He kowtowed deeply, saying, "I only wish that Mother Consort takes good care of herself and lives a long and healthy life!"

Consort Wang covered her face with her sleeve and wept, saying, "My son, go..."

Before he could finish speaking, he choked up and could no longer speak.

Zhu Changluo bid farewell to his mother for the last time, then bathed and changed clothes under surveillance before being taken to the Qianqing Palace as if under duress.

Consort Wang chased after them to the gate of Jingyang Palace, where she wailed and cried heartbreakingly.

Zhu Changluo turned back one last time and saw his mother weeping by the door. Her youthful face was full of reluctance and indignation. His lips were bleeding from being bitten, and his fists were clenched so tightly that his nails broke.

Mother!

...

By this time, it was already daylight.

Zhu Changluo wore the ceremonial robes of a prince with nine tassels, held a nine-inch jade tablet, and rode in a blue-curtained sedan chair, on which were placed gold books, gold seals, and iron certificates with cinnabar inscriptions.

He had never been so solemn in his entire life.

Zhu Changluo alighted from the sedan chair and stood on the platform of Qianqing Palace, gazing up at the majestic Qianqing Palace with a cold expression that belied his fifteen-year-old self.

Unlike Zhu Changxun, who paid his respects to his father twice a day, he rarely saw the emperor. He was generally not allowed to leave Jingyang Palace. Throughout the year, he could only see the emperor on a few special occasions such as the emperor's birthday and the winter solstice.

If he hadn't been leaving the capital to take up his fiefdom, and according to ancestral rules he had to take his leave of the emperor to express his gratitude, he wouldn't have seen the emperor even on this last day.

What Zhu Changluo didn't know was that after more than a decade of struggle over the succession, he still became the crown prince, but from then on, he and his mother were separated, and he could not see her again until her tragic death. As the crown prince, his life was precarious, and he remained a prisoner in the deep palace. He finally outlived his father, the emperor, only to die suddenly less than a month after ascending the throne.

His short life of just over thirty years was nothing but a complete tragedy.

And now? He was forced to take up his fiefdom at the young age of fifteen, something unprecedented since the founding of the nation.

"Summon the Prince to the palace to express his gratitude!" A sharp and high-pitched shout echoed through the Qianqing Palace in the early morning.

Zhu Changluo adjusted his official hat and followed the eunuch step by step up the steps into the grand, secluded, and magnificent main hall of the Qianqing Palace.

The emperor, dressed in ordinary clothes and wearing a black gauze winged crown, sat on the throne like a puppet with his obese body, flanked by eunuchs.

The atmosphere in the main hall was solemn and dignified, yet tinged with an indescribable eeriness.

In a daze, Zhu Changluo felt as if he had entered not the Qianqing Palace, but the Yama's Palace. And the person he was to pay homage to was not his father, but Yama, the King of Hell.

Zhu Changluo removed his crown and bowed deeply, saying, "Your subject, Prince Xin, Zhu Changluo, pays respects to Your Majesty the Emperor. Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Then stand up and bow again, repeating this three times.

Then, he presented the "Memorial of Apology and Thank You for Your Grace" written by the Ministry of Rites and had it delivered to the emperor by a palace attendant.

Emperor Wanli picked up the "Memorial of Resignation and Thanks for the Emperor's Grace" and casually tossed it aside. His plump face showed a hint of anger as he looked coldly at his eldest son.

"Prince Xin, why did you beat Gao Cai? Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner! Gao Cai was on his way to deliver an imperial edict, how dare you! Don't you even respect me? What are you trying to do? Huh?!"

Emperor Wanli rarely saw his eldest son. Over the years, he had barely spoken a few words to him. Today, his eldest son was leaving the capital to take up his fiefdom, and he would likely never see him again in this lifetime. Yet, on this last day of seeing him, Emperor Wanli began with questioning and reprimanding him.

The emperor felt somewhat guilty towards his eldest son. Although he had deposed his eldest son and established his younger son in his place, he knew that according to ancestral rules and etiquette, the position of crown prince should belong to his eldest son.

Today, his eldest son is leaving the capital to bid farewell to the emperor. He originally intended to say a few words of comfort and at least put on a show of filial piety.

Who would have thought that this unfilial son, harboring resentment, would beat Gao Cai and wreak havoc in Jingyang Palace, using this as an opportunity to vent his dissatisfaction.

If it weren't for Gao Cai and others reporting back, he would have thought his eldest son had always been very honest. Who knew that this son would become so unruly out of jealousy.

So when he saw Zhu Changluo, he was immediately filled with anger and began to scold him harshly.

Zhu Changluo was not surprised. He had long been deeply disillusioned with his father, who favored Lady Zheng, and no longer expected any fatherly love. Based on his father's heartlessness today, he already considered his biological father a stranger. Didn't his teacher say in the *Mencius*, "The ruler treats his subjects like weeds, and the subjects treat their ruler like enemies"? His teacher said that a true man clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment; shouldn't the same apply to fathers and sons?
"Your Majesty, I report," Prince Xin bowed respectfully, "Gao Cai, ostensibly conveying an imperial decree, is in fact committing treason and deceiving the emperor—a heinous crime! He dared to slap the Imperial Concubine and reprimand a prince, violating ancestral laws and national regulations, and tarnishing the Emperor's sacred reputation. Your Majesty is a wise ruler; how can you tolerate this vile man's evil deeds? I implore Your Majesty to execute this scoundrel…"

"Enough!" the emperor roared. "You've really grown up, daring to offer advice to me! What audacity! Is this what Zhu Yin taught you? Well done! A loyal teacher makes a filial son!"

"I know you're jealous of Chang Xun! Jealous that he's the Crown Prince! You harbor resentment!"

"You are so insolent! If it weren't for the fact that you are going to a vassal state and attracting attention both inside and outside the country, I could have exiled you to Fengyang and imprisoned you within high walls just for assaulting the imperial envoy!"

Zhu Changluo was furious, but fearing he would implicate his teacher, he could only swallow his anger and say, "Your subject has spoken rudely; please forgive me, Father Emperor. Your subject would never dare to harbor resentment..."

After saying that, he kowtowed repeatedly.

Seeing this, the emperor's anger subsided somewhat, but the more he looked at his eldest son, the more disgusted he felt. He was too lazy to pretend to be a loving father and son any longer, and said rather irritably:
"Considering that you are leaving the capital to take up your fief today, I will temporarily refrain from pursuing your crimes. Guards, bestow upon Prince Xin the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty,' the 'Regulations for the Prince's Residence,' the 'Records of City Prohibitions,' and the 'Regulations for Establishing Ties.'"

Immediately, Gao Huai personally carried a book box and placed it next to Zhu Changluo, saying with a forced smile, "Prince Xin, you should read these laws and regulations from time to time to avoid violating them."

The emperor said, “Once you arrive in Jiujiang to assume your fief, you must abide by the law, be law-abiding, and have no improper thoughts. Otherwise, even if you can be bound by ancestral family rules, you will not escape the law of the state. Do not say that I did not warn you.”

"You are my son. Although you are young, you are still the eldest son and must set an example for all the vassal kings in the land, do you understand?"

Prince Xin was furious. He kowtowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will follow your teachings. Thank you, Your Majesty..."

The Emperor patiently said, "Alright, Prince Xin, you may go now. The procession and luggage are all ready. You shall depart from the capital immediately. When you marry your princess, I will issue you an imperial edict."

"Fifteen years old to be enfeoffed may sound a bit early, but it's not exactly young either. I was already ruling the country when I was ten, and I managed to govern it very well. You are five years older than me back then, and you're only enfeoffed. What's wrong with that? Hmm, do you have any other requests?"

This question wasn't actually asking what Prince Xin wanted; it was just a routine question before sending a prince to his fief.

However, Zhu Changluo still clung to a sliver of hope, his voice choked with emotion as he said:
"Your son, having studied, has learned that when a prince of the Han Dynasty is enfeoffed, he may bring his mother with him to serve and fulfill his filial duties. Your son humbly begs Your Majesty's grace to allow your mother to accompany you to her fiefdom..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wanli angrily grabbed the pen holder from his desk and threw it at Zhu Changluo!
With a "thud," the pen holder hit Zhu Changluo, causing him to groan in pain and kowtow in fright.

"Insolence!" The emperor roared in the Qianqing Palace. "Our Ming Dynasty has its own ancestral laws! This is not the Han Dynasty! You are surnamed Zhu, not Liu! You have gone mad! How dare you be so arrogant and disrespectful!"

Zhu Changluo was extremely disappointed and almost cried. "Your subject... Your subject is guilty, Father..."

Wanli pointed his halberd at his eldest son and shouted sternly, "Just for your outrageous thoughts, I can strip you of your title and confine you to a commoner for life!"

Standing to the side, Zhang Jing suddenly said, "Grandpa, although Prince Xin is arrogant and disrespectful, he is still young and ignorant, and his actions are out of filial piety. Please don't upset the Emperor."

The emperor's expression softened slightly, and he shook his head with a cold laugh: "Filial piety? Should I issue an edict to praise him? Hmph, Zhu Yin taught him for several years, and he's turned him into this. He's truly a failure in his teaching. I will punish Zhu Yin for misleading the students!"

Zhu Changluo trembled slightly, then suddenly kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, Zhu Yin should indeed be punished. He always induced me to study mathematics, arithmetic, astronomy, and geography, but he never taught me the truly useful principles. I know he had his concerns, that he wanted to protect himself, but isn't that a sign of insincerity?"

Wanli snorted coldly, "No matter how badly Zhu Yin taught you, he is still your teacher, and it is not your place to criticize him behind his back! If he didn't teach you those things, did he teach you how to fight for power and govern the country? I don't think he taught you anything wrong, it's you who are not sincere."

Zhu Changluo secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a fearful expression, "Yes, yes, I was young and ignorant..."

The emperor then said, "Give me three cups of wine!"

Immediately, palace servants presented three golden goblets, each containing a cup of wine.

Zhu Changluo picked up the first cup and said, "This cup of wine is to wish Father Emperor a long and peaceful life." He then drank it all in one gulp.

Then he picked up the second cup, saying, "With this second cup of wine, may my Great Ming Dynasty be forever secure."

After finishing his drink, he picked up the third cup and said, "Your subject is going far away to serve Your Majesty, and cannot fulfill his filial duties. I humbly offer this cup as an apology..."

After drinking the three cups, the ceremony of expressing gratitude and bidding farewell to the emperor was considered complete.

The emperor waved his hand impatiently, swallowing back the word "get out," and said, "Let's go! Gao Huai, escort Prince Xin out of the palace!"

"As you command!" Gao Huai accepted the order, cupped his hands to Zhu Changluo, and said, "Please thank Your Majesty for your grace and take your leave!"

Zhu Changlu knelt and kowtowed three times and nine times again, shouting "Thank you, Father Emperor, for your great kindness," before stepping out of the Qianqing Palace.

According to custom, after leaving the palace, one should, accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Rites, go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices to the ancestors. However, the emperor decreed that this step of offering sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple be omitted. The purpose was to diminish Zhu Changluo's status.

To everyone's surprise, as soon as Zhu Changluo left the Qianqing Palace, he was greeted by a magnificent ceremonial carriage, which turned out to be the carriage of Crown Prince Zhu Changxun.

Before Zhu Changluo could move aside, a familiar voice rang out from beside the Crown Prince's carriage: "Prince Xin, how dare you offend His Highness the Crown Prince! Kneel down and beg for forgiveness!"

Zhu Changluo took a look and recognized him as Gao Cai, the treacherous villain he had previously beaten.

It turns out that after Gao Cai was beaten, he first went to the emperor to complain, and then went to find the crown prince Zhu Changxun. He then stirred up trouble in front of Zhu Changxun, urging him to take advantage of the opportunity to pay his respects at the Qianqing Palace to intercept Prince Xin on the way and humiliate him severely.

Influenced by his mother, Zhu Changxun already resented Zhu Changluo for competing with him for the crown prince position. He was afraid that Prince Xin would regain the crown prince position and wished that his half-brother would die immediately.

Hearing Gao Cai's provocation, Zhu Changluo became even more emboldened and immediately began to display his impressive princely regalia, determined to teach Zhu Changluo a lesson.

Just as Zhu Changluo was about to get out of the carriage, the Crown Prince stepped down from the golden chariot with a grin and said:

"Prince Xin, you have quite the airs, don't you respect me, the Crown Prince? I've already gotten out of the carriage, yet you're still sitting there?"

Although Zhu Changxun was only thirteen years old, under the influence of his mother and the eunuchs, he had no brotherly affection or respect; all he had was calculation of self-interest.

Gao Cai said fiercely, "Young master, Prince Xin is being arrogant, disrespectful, and presumptuous!"

Zhu Changluo swallowed his anger and got out of the carriage, kneeling down and saying, "Your subject, Prince Xin, Zhu Changluo, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"

Although both Prince Xin and Zhu Changxun were princes, the difference between them was enormous, essentially the difference between ruler and subject, as different as heaven and earth.

When a prince in the palace met the crown prince, he was required to perform four bows and three prostrations, but the crown prince only returned half a bow.

If they meet on the road, the prince must step aside and kneel down, and the crown prince can only stand up after his carriage has moved ten steps away.

Zhu Changxun walked up to Zhu Changluo, looked at the Prince of Xin kneeling before him, and a smug look, like a cat playing with a mouse, appeared on his youthful face as he laughed:
"Do you still remember the victory celebration banquet at the Wuying Hall a few years ago? Weren't you very imposing? You even put on airs as an elder brother and reprimanded me in public. After I told Mother, she said that you were bullying me and using my power to your advantage!"

"But now, I am the Crown Prince. I know you hate me, you are resentful, so you curse and insult me ​​behind my back, isn't that right?"

Zhu Changluo tried his best to suppress his anger and spoke as calmly as possible:
"Your Highness, you have misunderstood. Your humble servant would never dare to curse or insult me..."

Zhu Changxun suddenly raised his foot and kicked Prince Xin hard in the chest, knocking him to the ground, and cursed:

"Still dare to argue! You can't deny it! You lowly bastard! What right do you have to lecture me? Just because you were born two years earlier?! You scolded me at the victory banquet back then, and I'll take your life in the future!"

Gao Cai exclaimed excitedly, "Prince Xin! Did you hear that?! You've been so disrespectful to me, you won't be able to live in peace as a prince!"

Zhu Changluo had no choice but to get up and kneel properly, cupping his hands and saying, "Back then, I was ignorant. Besides, at that time, His Highness the Crown Prince had not yet been appointed Crown Prince, and was not yet my sovereign. That's why I dared to be so presumptuous..."

Zhu Changxun felt extremely pleased. He suddenly said to Gao Cai and his entourage in a playful tone:
"I've heard that Prince Xin and Consort Gong, mother and son, are under house arrest in Jingyang Palace, and that they've engaged in illicit activities? Is this true? Isn't this an act of debauchery within the palace...?"

Gao Cai and the others said with grins, "There's no smoke without fire, it's probably true. This is outrageous!"

This is a malicious rumor that was deliberately fabricated and has been circulating in the palace for some time.

Zhu Changluo's mind went blank for a moment. He stared at his third brother, his eyes suddenly turning blood red.

"I'll fight you to the death..." Zhu Changluo was so angry he was almost suffocating, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked as if he was about to be burned to dust by his rage!

But before he could leap up, he was held down firmly by several eunuchs.

"How dare you defy your superior?!" Zhu Changxun said sternly. "How dare you! Gao Cai, slap him in my place!"

"I will obey your orders, young master!" Gao Cai grinned with satisfaction, rolled up his sleeves, and began to strike Zhu Changluo repeatedly, "slap slap slap," causing him to bleed from his mouth and nose and see stars.

Just then, Zhang Jing rushed over, shouting, "Young Master! Young Master, please calm down!"

Zhu Changxun's face hardened. "What?!"

“Young Master…” The dignified Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs smiled obsequiously, “Prince Xin is taking up his fiefdom today. Many officials will see him after he leaves the palace. If he is beaten too severely, it will cause controversy in the court and among the people, which will be detrimental to Young Master’s reputation.”

Zhu Changxun thought about it and agreed. He then kicked Zhu Changluo and shouted:

"Get out of here! You lowly bastard! One day I'll make you and your son pay! Get out!"

Zhu Changluo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and nose, got up from the ground, limped to his sedan chair, and hid inside, coughing repeatedly.

Zhu Changxun laughed, "You dog-like thing, you dare to compete with me for the throne? You're courting death."

"go!"

After saying this, he boarded the golden carriage and rode away.

Seeing that the Crown Prince had left, Zhang Jing approached the sedan chair with its blue curtains and whispered, "Is Prince Xin alright?"

The young man in the sedan chair said, "Thank you, Lord Zhang, for rescuing me. May I ask why you helped me?"

Zhang Jing's voice was even lower, "Nothing more than Mr. Zhihu's ears."

“It’s sir…” Zhu Changluo’s nose tingled, and tears streamed down his face.

"Master Zhang, I have a favor to ask of you," Zhu Changluo said in a low voice.

Zhang Jing sighed softly, "Prince Xin is doing this for Consort Gong? I'm sorry, this servant cannot protect Consort Gong. It's not that I'm unwilling, but that I dare not..."

Zhu Changlu remained silent for a long time before saying softly, "I still have to thank Lord Zhang."

"You're welcome," Zhang Jing said. "Your Highness, please go now, I won't see you off."

Then, Prince Xin's blue-curtained sedan chair started moving again.

...

On that day, Prince Xin obtained official documents from the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, the Imperial Clan Court, and other government offices, went through the procedures, and left Beijing around noon.

As he left the city, many officials and scholars saw him off at the city gate, some even weeping loudly. Zhu Changluo alighted from his carriage, bowed to the crowd, and departed with tears in his eyes.

Even after the carriages departed, many officials and scholars remained kneeling and refused to rise.

On the day Prince Xin was to be enfeoffed, more than a hundred officials in the capital resigned, many of them heading south to escort him. When the news reached the palace, the emperor and Consort Zheng were both furious.

The emperor immediately issued an edict that all officials who resigned from their posts would be stripped of their official status and never be employed again!

The procession of over 1,300 men was dispatched by the Zheng family. It was less a formal enfeoffment for Prince Xin and more a procession being escorted south.

Leaving Beijing, Zhu Changluo gazed at the city walls, tears streaming down his face, his heart breaking.

Mother, your child is leaving.

From this day forward, we will be separated by vast distances, forever parted, as insignificant as mountains and rivers, never to meet again!
How I long to serve my mother, how I long to protect her, but from now on, I can only meet her in my dreams.

……

Half a month after Prince Xin left the capital to take up his fief, Ning Caiwei finally arrived at Daishan Island on June 14.

Four days after giving birth to her daughter, Ning Caiwei set off. She even brought her daughter with her to Daishan Island.

Xu Wei, who had been training troops in Daishan for a long time, finally met Ning Caiwei.

The mobile troops from Jingzhou Island, Dongning Island, and Jeju Island were all transferred to Daishan Island more than half a month ago!
The highest mobilization of the Eight Banners overseas included 20,000 elite troops participating in the expedition!

The remaining 10,000 troops were left to guard the four islands.

Ning Caiwei rested on Daishan Island for only two days before issuing a mobilization order on June 16th!
Early in the morning of June 16th, a large flag fluttered high above Daishan Island.

Embroidered on the banner were eight large characters: "In accordance with Heaven's will, we quell the rebellion!"

The 20,000-strong army, about to set off, is fully equipped and ready to go.

Ning Caiwei, Xu Wei, and Ding Liyang ordered a final military meeting before departure, and then swore an oath before setting off!

...

PS: Here's a long chapter of 8,000 words! Also, historically, in order to seize the throne, Consort Zheng sent people to spread rumors that Consort Wang and her son had engaged in illicit relations in Jingyang Palace; she was extremely malicious and would stop at nothing. The slanderous details in the book are not fabricated by the author.

(End of this chapter)