If Zhu Zijin had still been considered fortunate up to this point, then the rest of his life could only be described by the two words: utterly miserable.
After Zhu Su died, Zhu Youdun inherited the title of Prince Zhou. He still had no sons, so he became devoted to raising his nephews.
Zhu Zihou and Zhu Zifang, for instance, had both been sent to Prince Zhou's Mansion at a very young age. The excuse was that they were showing filial piety before their grandfather in place of their fathers, allowing the late Prince Zhou to enjoy the happiness of a family.
But Zhu Su died of illness when Zhu Zihou was three and Zhu Zifang was four. From then on, it was the new Prince Zhou, Zhu Youdun, who raised them.
Once his father died, Zhu Youxian felt he could strut again. Every few days, he submitted reports accusing Zhu Youdun of plotting rebellion.
Zhu Youdun could only keep defending himself.
After several consecutive years, Zhu Youdun still had no children, and Zhu Youxian's thinking took a new turn. He stopped accusing Zhu Youdun of rebellion and instead began fighting for custody and legal claim over Zhu Zijin.
He threw tantrums and rolled on the ground, crying and making a scene before the Emperor, then crying and making a scene among the imperial clan. In short, he had only one demand: Zhu Zijin was his son, he could not bear to part with him, and Prince Zhou had to return his son!
Zhu Youxian made such a tremendous fuss that, after holding out for several years, Zhu Youdun could no longer endure him and returned Zhu Zijin.
Zhu Zijin had been twelve at the time.
Naturally, Zhu Youxian had not fought for Zhu Zijin because he loved his son so dearly. It was because Zhu Youdun had no sons. If Zhu Youdun died, then Zhu Youxian, the second legitimate son of the late Prince Zhou, would be first in line to inherit.
If Zhu Zijin remained Zhu Youdun's heir, what would be left for him?
Yet Zhu Youdun had a temper too. Like his father, he deeply disliked this younger brother. He would rather give the title to his younger brothers born of concubines than to this full brother of his.
After Zhu Zijin was taken away, Zhu Youdun focused on raising the nephews in his residence and grew especially close to his fourth younger brother, Zhu Youjue.
When Zhu Youxian saw this, he could not stand it. He resorted to false accusations again, claiming that Zhu Youjue was closely associated with Prince Han Zhu Gaoxu.
The ruler at the time had been the late Emperor Xuanzong. Xuanzong did not possess his father's good temper. After determining that it was a false accusation, he uncovered quite a few illegal acts committed by this Uncle and decisively stripped him of his status, reducing him to a commoner and confining him in Beijing.
Zhu Zijin had already changed from Prince Zhou's heir to Zhu Youxian's eldest son, so he was naturally implicated as well. He too was reduced to a commoner and confined in Beijing.
It was called confinement, but in truth, they were penned up on a tract of land enclosed by the Imperial Clan Court—a village in the outskirts.
Aside from imperial clansmen who had committed crimes, the only people there were stewards, tenant farmers, and the like who worked on Imperial Manors.
They received no subsidies from the Imperial Court and had their freedom restricted, so they could only farm the land. Thus, although Zhu Zijin was only five or six years older than his two cousins, he looked more than ten years older than them at this point.
It was clear enough just how bitterly he had suffered all these years.
After Pan Yun finished reviewing the important records concerning Prince Zhou from the spacetime of her previous life, she immediately spotted the discrepancy.
In the spacetime of her previous life, Zhu Youdun had died in the Fourth Year of Zhengtong, while here, it was the Seventh Year of Zhengtong.
In her previous life's spacetime, Zhu Youdun had never taken Zhu Zijin back before his death. Thus, after he died, his fourth younger brother Zhu Youjue inherited the title of Prince Zhou. It was not until During the Jingtai Era that the Emperor Jingtai released Zhu Zijin and sent him back to Kaifeng.
Now that was interesting. Pan Yun raised her head to look toward the sickbed.
Tao Ji had already returned after finishing the prescription and was now discussing the principles of preserving health with Prince Zhou.
The late Prince Zhou had been a great medical authority. Though Prince Zhou had not inherited his father's mantle, he still possessed related knowledge.
Especially over the past few years, when he had repeatedly fallen gravely ill and wandered along death's edge, he had developed his own insights into preserving health. Thus, he and Tao Ji were having quite an agreeable conversation.
Just as they were speaking happily, the Prince's Household Administrator finally arrived.
Prince Zhou beckoned to him. "Yuansong, I need you to draft a memorial."
Zhao Yuansong immediately stepped forward to receive his orders.
Prince Zhou caught his breath and said, "I wish to request the investiture of an Heir of Prince Zhou and a Grandson of Prince Zhou. Write it for me."
Zhao Yuansong hurriedly agreed.
Princess Consort Gong immediately said, "Quickly, prepare brush, ink, paper, and inkstone."
The maid by her side promptly obeyed. Before long, she brought up the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Zhao Yuansong ground the ink and, following Prince Zhou's wishes, drafted a request to establish his heir Zhu Zijin as Heir of Prince Zhou and his heir's son Zhu Tongqie as Grandson of Prince Zhou.
The memorial had only just been completed. Zhao Yuansong was about to affix the seal when hurried footsteps sounded outside. The curtain was abruptly flung open, and everyone could not help turning to look.
A cold-eyed middle-aged man strode in. "Big Brother—"
His gaze swept over Pan Yun, Xuan Miao, and Tao Ji's faces, lingering especially on Tao Ji. He stepped forward and asked, "I heard Qie'er has been found?"
Prince Zhou's eyes were gentle as he nodded. "He has been found."
Zhu Zihou and Zhu Zifang stepped forward and called, "Father." Zhu Youjue waved a hand, his gaze falling on the child in Zhu Zijin's arms. Frowning, he asked, "Who found this child? How was he found? Has it been thoroughly investigated? Over the past half year, we turned the entire Central Plains upside down and still could not find him..."
Because Zhu Youjue interrupted, the memorial stalled at the step of sealing it.
Pan Yun swept her gaze over everyone's expressions and clicked her tongue inwardly. There were now four Princes Zhou in this room, yet the most anxious ones were the current Princess Zhou and those around her...
Princess Zhou, Consort Gong, wished she could step forward, press down the seal herself, and immediately have someone send the memorial to the Capital City.
Perhaps sensing his old wife's agitation, Prince Zhou gently patted her hand with his withered one and gave her a faint smile before continuing to deal with Zhu Youjue. "The child is blessed. He encountered three Daoist priests, who saw that he was of extraordinary birth and brought him back."
"So all those rumors are groundless nonsense." Prince Zhou's face flushed red. "I do not bring misfortune upon my sons. Now, not only do I have a son, I have a grandson as well!"
He said to the Prince's Household Administrator, Zhao Yuansong, "Affix the seal. Send someone to deliver the memorial before the Emperor at once. I can still live a while longer. I want to see them established as Heir and Grandson of Prince Zhou."
With a bang, Zhao Yuansong stamped the seal. Rising to his feet with solemnity, he said, "My lord, this official will personally go to Beijing to see the Emperor and urge the Imperial Clan Court to register the heir under your and Princess Consort's names once again."
"Good, good." Prince Zhou's eyes shone brightly. "Set out at once. Bring more money to clear the way, and have them register it sooner, so my son's heart may be at ease."
Holding the child, Zhu Zijin knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face. "Father..."
"Why are you crying? How can a true man shed tears so easily? How will you protect your mother, wife, and children like that?" Prince Zhou admonished him. "In the future, everyone in the Prince's Mansion will depend on you. You must be stronger."
Zhu Zijin tearfully agreed.
Zhu Youjue had not expected the Household Administrator to act so quickly, nor his elder brother's will to be so resolute. For a moment, he fell silent.
His gaze landed on the child, and he said with unreadable meaning, "This child truly is fortunate. In that regard, he greatly resembles Second Brother. Second Brother had extraordinarily good fortune from childhood. No matter what trouble he caused, he could always turn danger into safety."
Consort Gong's face darkened. "What kind of words are those, fourth brother? Zhu Youxian has been reduced to a commoner. What sort of luck is that?"
She took the child from Zhu Zijin's arms and gently patted him. "Our Qie'er is nothing like him. Such splendid fortune clearly comes from resembling the Prince. My lord, look—isn't he the very image of you in those eyes?"
Prince Zhou smiled and nodded. "Yes, they are exactly like my eyes."
"Congratulations, Prince Zhou. Congratulations, Princess Consort." Xuan Miao smiled faintly. "The Prince's Mansion has received a double blessing. With such joyous fortune, if Prince Zhou can strictly follow the doctor's instructions and carefully recuperate, his illness will certainly be cured. Princess Consort, too, may enjoy both good fortune and long life."
Prince Zhou murmured, "Both good fortune and long life... I accept the Daoist master's auspicious words. Attendants, reward them again!"
Consort Gong's eyes reddened as she listened, and she hugged the child tightly.
Zhu Youjue, meanwhile, had a stomach full of anger with nowhere to vent it, leaving his chest aching as though blocked by a boulder.
The princely title had already been his prize sitting snugly in his pocket. Who could have expected his elder brother to suddenly remember Zhu Zijin and even request his release?
Zhu Youjue made one final attempt. "Big brother, second brother is still alive. If he learns that Zijin has become Heir again, then..."
Prince Zhou waved a hand unconcernedly. "I am nearly dead. How many years can he have left? He was stripped of rank for committing crimes, unlike our Zijin. It was not easy for him to get out."
Consort Gong nodded again and again.
Once Zhao Yuansong saw that they had finished speaking and confirmed Prince Zhou's intentions, he withdrew to gather guards for the journey to Beijing.
At a time like this, he did not dare be careless.
If he had never doubted Prince of Xiangfu Zhu Youjue before, then from the moment Zhu Tongqie was abducted, he no longer trusted Prince of Xiangfu at all.
This memorial determined who would possess the title of Prince Zhou. He did not dare allow anything to happen halfway through.
Prince Zhou was in very poor health. Early that morning, the residence physician had already reached a conclusion: it might only be a matter of these next two days.
He had to deliver the memorial to the Capital City as quickly as possible. Before this, the Imperial Court and Prince Zhou's Mansion had already reached an understanding: after Prince Zhou passed away, the title would be inherited by Prince of Xiangfu.
Even though Prince Zhou had taken back his heir half a year ago, the ownership of the title had never been formally determined. By rights, it should have passed to the heir, but Zhu Zijin was still registered under Zhu Youxian's name, and the Imperial Clan Court had not yet changed the records.
The reason it had never been changed was that Zhu Tongqie had been abducted and disappeared not long after arriving in Kaifeng Prefecture.
Some said Prince Zhou was born to bring misfortune upon his sons. Some said Zhu Zijin's fate harmed both his parents. Others said Prince Zhou and the line of the late Prince of Runan obstructed one another.
Zhu Zijin and his son belonged to the line of the late Prince of Runan. They and Prince Zhou ought never to see one another again in this lifetime if they wished to live in peace. Otherwise, once they met, one of them would surely be harmed.
This time, Zhu Tongqie had been harmed. Next time, it might be Prince Zhou.
Prince Zhou... somewhat believed it.
This Prince Zhou was good in every way, except that he was somewhat superstitious.
Thus, for half a year, because of these rumors, he had never clearly confirmed Zhu Zijin's status as his heir.
Yet he could not bear to drive the child away.
After all, he had raised Zhu Zijin with his own hands. Seeing how bitterly the boy had suffered, how could Prince Zhou bear to send him back to Beijing to be confined?
Moreover, after Zhu Zijin arrived in Kaifeng, he had fulfilled his filial duties to the utmost. He handled everything at Prince Zhou's side: feeding him medicine, feeding him meals, even bathing and changing his clothes. Every day, he carried him out into the courtyard to bask in the sun...
The servants could have done all these things, of course, but they were not as attentive.
And Prince Zhou had been ill for a long time. Though the servants attending him did not dare say anything, they could not help becoming impatient. Their movements were no longer so gentle or considerate.
Yet Zhu Zijin cared for him as if he were a child.
Whenever Zhu Zijin cared for him, Prince Zhou continually recalled the days when he had cared for the little Zhu Zijin.
Zhu Zijin had not even been a month old when he was brought to the couple. Prince Zhou had become a father for the first time then, and he and Consort Gong had raised him in a flurry of clumsy hands, nurturing him bit by bit until he was twelve...
Because he remembered those things, and because of Zhu Zijin's filial devotion, even with his superstition, he had delayed again and again in refusing to drive him away.
Superstition was good. If one could believe in the claim that they obstructed one another, then naturally one could also believe that they fulfilled one another.
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