Chapter 25: Zhu Di’s Proposal!

"Zhu Di has come to see me?"

Zhu Yunxuan felt a stir in his heart and quickly said, "Invite him in at once!"

He then stood up himself to go and welcome his guest. After all, Zhu Di was his uncle, and in this era that placed such high value on ritual and propriety, one still had to show sufficient respect. At the very least, the outward appearance of courtesy had to be maintained.

"Your nephew pays his respects to the Fourth Uncle!"

As soon as he saw Zhu Di, Zhu Yunxuan greeted him with great enthusiasm.

Zhu Di took his hand and said, "Why must you be so formal, Xuan'er?"

"You have been invested as the Prince of Wu, and I should have come to offer my congratulations sooner. However, I have been tied up with some mundane affairs these past few days and only found the time today."

"Coming here late at night has disturbed your peace; I hope you do not blame your Fourth Uncle for it!"

Zhu Yunxuan laughed. "What are you saying, Fourth Uncle? I am accustomed to sleeping late anyway. Since you have come, it is the perfect time for us to have a proper talk."

He noticed that two people were following behind Zhu Di.

One was a monk wearing black kasaya robes, with triangular eyes and a very distinct appearance.

Zhu Yunxuan’s heart skipped a beat. He guessed that this was likely the legendary "Black-Clad Prime Minister" of history, Yao Guangxiao, so he said, "Is this Master Daoyan? I have long admired your great name; it is like thunder to my ears!"

"Amitabha, that is indeed this poor monk." Yao Guangxiao pressed his palms together in a bow and lowered his head slightly. "I did not expect that Your Highness, having lived deep in the palace, would have heard of this poor monk’s name. I am truly humbled."

At this time, Yao Guangxiao was not yet famous. Except for Zhu Di, who valued him highly, very few people outside knew who he was. Yao Guangxiao was deeply surprised that Zhu Yunxuan could name his religious title so readily.

Zhu Yunxuan’s gaze shifted to the other man.

That person was dressed in very ordinary attire—a simple green robe with long sleeves—and had a plain appearance. Yet, when he saw Zhu Yunxuan, his face was filled with such disbelief that it was as if he had seen a ghost.

"And who is this?" Zhu Yunxuan asked with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the man snapped out of his extreme shock. Before Zhu Di could speak, he preempted him, saying, "I am but a commoner, my humble name is not worth mentioning."

He was unwilling to even state his name?

Zhu Yunxuan looked at him deeply but did not press further. He led Zhu Di into the room and they sat down. A maid served tea, and they exchanged some small talk.

Zhu Di said, "I have lived in the north for many years and have become unaccustomed to the climate of the south."

"It is damp and unbearable. I only wish to return to Beiping sooner to lead my soldiers to the front lines to fight the Tatars; that would be far more comfortable."

"But the Emperor has not issued a decree, and I dare not make decisions on my own or leave the capital without permission."

"Xuan'er, do you know what his Majesty is thinking? Why won't he let us brothers return to our respective fiefs sooner?"

Zhu Di had returned to pay his respects after the death of his eldest brother, Zhu Biao. Now that the funeral rites were long over, normally, as vassal kings, they should have returned. Yet, the old Emperor kept delaying his word. With the succession still undecided, the lingering of the vassal kings in the capital had sparked countless rumors.

"Fourth Uncle, you jest," Zhu Yunxuan said, shaking his head. "The Emperor’s heart is unfathomable. If even you, Fourth Uncle, do not know, how could I, as his grandson, possibly know?"

He lifted his head and once again looked at the man in the green robe beside Zhu Di. That man had been staring at him the whole time. The direct gaze felt somewhat rude and made him uncomfortable. Moreover, the expression of surprise and shock on the man’s face was growing more intense. Faintly, there even seemed to be a trace of fear and terror.

Zhu Yunxuan asked with a smile, "Why does this gentleman keep staring at me?"

The man in the green robe started, then quickly stood up, bowed deeply, and said sternly, "Your Highness the Prince of Wu is majestic, like a celestial being!"

"This is the first time I have seen someone with such grace and demeanor as the Prince of Wu. I was so filled with admiration that I could not help but look a few more times. It was quite rude; I hope Your Highness will not take offense."

"It is of no consequence!"

Zhu Yunxuan smiled faintly. He felt that this person’s identity was unusual, but he could not recall who it might be. Besides Yao Guangxiao, what other eccentric figures were by Zhu Di’s side?

"Xuan'er, you are deeply favored by the Emperor, unlike me." Zhu Di’s tone was extremely sincere. "I came today because I wanted to speak to you from the heart."

Zhu Yunxuan said solemnly, "Please speak freely, Fourth Uncle."

Zhu Di looked at the eunuchs and palace maids serving them. Zhu Yunxuan waved his hand, signaling them all to withdraw. Only four people remained in the room.

Zhu Di said, "These two are people I trust absolutely."

Zhu Yunxuan nodded gently.

Zhu Di lowered his voice and said, "To be honest, since returning to the capital, the Emperor summoned me for a secret discussion, mentioning your great-uncle, the Duke of Liang, Lan Yu."

"Although he did not say it explicitly, the meaning behind his words was roughly the same as what you said in the court that day."

The old Emperor was going to move against Lan Yu?

Zhu Yunxuan was startled. He did not doubt Zhu Di’s words. Lan Yu had led troops for many years and held immense prestige in the military. If the old Emperor truly intended to move against him, he would certainly make preparations in advance. Zhu Di was also a high-ranking commander who led troops; it was normal for the Emperor to consult him and give hints. Furthermore, Zhu Di had no reason to deceive him about such a matter.

"Thank you for informing me, Fourth Uncle," Zhu Yunxuan said. "Whether it is rain, dew, or thunder, all is the Emperor's grace. How the Emperor chooses to act is not something I can stop. Besides, Great-Uncle... he..."

He sighed softly. Lan Yu’s arrogance and lack of restraint had indeed gone too far. The old Emperor had tolerated him for a very long time.

"Xuan'er, you are someone who dared to publicly demand the throne from the Emperor in court!" Zhu Di laughed. "No one believes there is anything you wouldn't dare to do."

Zhu Yunxuan shook his head with a bitter smile. That day in court, he had been forced into a corner and had to seek survival in the jaws of death. He certainly couldn't be like that all the time.

"Fourth Uncle also heard that the Commander of the Jinyiwei, Jiang Huan, was recently docked three months' salary by His Majesty." Zhu Di stared at him with burning eyes. "If I am not mistaken, this matter should have something to do with you, right?"

Zhu Yunxuan pondered, "It is true that I went to report him, which is why Jiang Huan was punished."

"Fourth Uncle must offer a word of warning: unless absolutely necessary, it is best not to get too close to the people of the Jinyiwei."

His words were cryptic, seemingly implying something. Zhu Yunxuan couldn't help but frown slightly. Suddenly, a thought struck him. If Jiang Huan’s testing of him had really been arranged by the old Emperor, it seemed far too obvious.

The only highlight was the attempt to catch him off guard right after a house raid and execution, when his mind would be in turmoil. This could indeed increase the probability of eliciting a true inner reaction, but it was far from enough. Yet, later, the old Emperor only docked Jiang Huan’s salary for three months, which was almost a direct admission that Jiang Huan had acted on imperial orders to test him. He hadn't hidden it at all!

But why would the old Emperor do this? Besides making his grandson feel that his grandfather did not trust him, what benefit was there for the old Emperor? This was not normal! The old Emperor’s schemes could not be so simple! If not for Zhu Di’s reminder, he would have felt something was wrong but never would have delved deeper, keeping his doubts buried in his heart.

Sure enough, when it came to playing these sinister games and political struggles, he was still lacking!

At this moment, Zhu Di stood up and said, "It is late, so I shall not disturb you further. I will take my leave."

Zhu Yunxuan also stood up. "I will see you out, Fourth Uncle."

As they walked to the gate of the manor, Zhu Di suddenly lowered his voice again. "Xuan'er, if you wish to contend for the throne, your Fourth Uncle is willing to lend you a hand."

"From now on, I will serve you faithfully!"

Zhu Yunxuan was shocked and looked at Zhu Di from the side, only to see that the other man was also looking at him. He couldn't help but laugh. "Fourth Uncle, you really know how to joke. Could it be that you aren't tempted by the throne at all?"

Zhu Di’s expression was sincere as he shook his head. "The Emperor intends to pass the throne to the eldest brother's son. What is there for us brothers to fight over?"

"Moreover, what you said in court that day was absolutely correct."

"I have the second and third brothers above me; the throne could never fall to me, the fourth son."

"The future Emperor of the Great Ming must be chosen between you and Yunwen. The second and third brothers might still have a chance to contest it, but it is impossible for me."

"It would be better to pledge my loyalty to you now. When you ascend the throne in the future, you might be able to look after someone like me who guards the borderlands."

His words were filled with genuine-sounding emotion and earnestness. However, Zhu Yunxuan felt a chill crawl up his back. If he didn't know history and that Zhu Di was definitely not someone content to live under others, he might have actually believed him.

Were all the people in the imperial family such masterful actors?

"Xuan'er, trust me!" Zhu Di said. "What your Fourth Uncle told you today is top secret. If I were not truly pledging to you, I would never have spoken so easily."

Zhu Yunxuan looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Fourth Uncle, you are too kind. I naturally trust you."

"Then, in your opinion, Fourth Uncle, what should I do next?"

He posed the question.

"Fully cooperate with the Emperor to eradicate Lan Yu!" A flash of sharp light flickered in Zhu Di’s eyes. "Do not think that because he is your great-uncle, you should rely on his help to contend for the position of crown prince."

"You should understand clearly: it is precisely because of this relationship with him that the Emperor is unwilling to name you as the Imperial Grandson."

"If not for this, as the legitimate son of the eldest brother, you would be the rightful heir to the throne."

"As soon as Lan Yu dies, there will be no more obstacles to naming you the crown prince."

Zhu Yunxuan’s expression changed slightly, not expecting Zhu Di to say these words.

Zhu Di continued, "The Emperor sent Jiang Huan to test you precisely because of your special relationship with Lan Yu."

"Once Lan Yu dies, the Emperor’s suspicions will naturally vanish, and the struggle for the throne will be settled."

"You should think carefully about the implications of this and make a decision soon!"