Grandfather, will you kill them?

"The heir apparent is the foundation of Great Ming."

"Only by appointing me imperial grandson and heir can you ensure that Great Ming's realm endures for a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations."

"Zhu Yunwen is weak and incompetent. He is unfit to be emperor and cannot hold on to Great Ming's realm. Grandfather, you must not pass the throne to him."

Zhu Yuntong had come seeking death merely as a pretext to disrupt the investiture. Winning the succession was his true aim.

Seeing Zhu Yuntong openly demand the position of heir apparent left everyone at a loss once again.

Even Zhu Yunwen, who had always enjoyed Zhu Yuanzhang's favor and had the support of the court's civil officials, would never dare demand it outright. Wanting it in his heart was one thing; saying so aloud was quite another.

Lan Yu, Chang Sheng, and the others were beside themselves with anxiety.

Who fought for the succession like this?

"I, your subject Qi Tai, bring an accusation against the third imperial grandson."

Qi Tai, the other great genius of the Jianwen reign, saw that the atmosphere in the hall had grown less tense and stepped forward. "The third imperial grandson is treasonous, unbenevolent, and unfilial. He has openly demanded the position of heir apparent. I ask Your Majesty to punish him severely."

"I second the motion!"

Huang Zicheng was the first to voice his support.

"I second the motion!"

The other civil officials who supported Zhu Yunwen chimed in one after another.

Zhu Yunwen finally felt less afraid. Zhu Yuanzhang was no longer pursuing the matter of Zhu Xiongying and the others dying of illness, and so many civil officials supported him. The advantage is mine. My position is still secure.

Zhu Yuntong, what do you have to compete with me?

Those brutes know nothing but fighting and killing. They know nothing of winning the succession.

"Yunwen, what do you think?"

Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to see what was on Zhu Yunwen's mind.

Having regained his composure, Zhu Yunwen bowed with his hands clasped and said courteously, "Your grandson believes that, since my third brother wants it, I should yield to him. Grandfather, please appoint my third brother heir apparent."

"When Father was alive, he often told me that we brothers should live in harmony and love one another."

"First, I do not wish to become my third brother's enemy or see brothers turn against each other."

"Second, as my third brother said, I am unsuitable. Grandfather, please grant his wish, and please do not punish him. He was merely acting on impulse and overthinking things."

He even managed to demonstrate, with perfect timing, what it meant for an elder brother to be loving and a younger brother respectful, for brothers to live in harmony.

What Grandfather liked to see was benevolence, filial piety, and harmony among brothers and relatives. Zhu Yunwen catered to those tastes.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded approvingly at his words.

The ministers all voiced their admiration.

Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai both thought that the second imperial grandson had played this move brilliantly!

This was true benevolence and filial piety. This was a worthy heir apparent, the ideal candidate to become Great Ming's next emperor.

Zhu Yunwen fit their Confucian ideals of benevolence, filial piety, and humility perfectly. They needed an emperor like him.

Compared with Zhu Yuntong, the difference was plain to see.

Realizing just how good Zhu Yunwen was at putting on an act, Zhu Yuntong said, "Grandfather, since Zhu Yunwen knows his own limitations and is willing to yield, I have truly earned the position of heir apparent. Please appoint me imperial grandson and heir."

"You rebellious grandson! You certainly don't stand on ceremony."

Caught between laughter and exasperation, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "And if I refuse to appoint you?"

Zhu Yuntong said, "Then your grandson asks to die."

Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, "And if I refuse that too, what will you do?"

He wanted to see what other tricks this rebellious grandson had up his sleeve.

Zhu Yuntong was ready to turn up the pressure. He would lay out the dangers of appointing Zhu Yunwen, undermine his advantages, and shake old Zhu's resolve. He sighed. "Grandfather, how cruel you are. You want me to witness just how horribly my loved ones will die."

"What nonsense are you spouting now, you rebellious grandson?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

"To put it nicely, Zhu Yunwen is cultured and refined. In truth, he is simply weak and incompetent."

"The Duke of Liang, Lan Yu, is arrogant, overbearing, and a law unto himself. He commands great prestige in the army. Like the Chang Family, he is one of my maternal relatives. Would they willingly submit to Zhu Yunwen?"

"While Father was alive, there was nothing to worry about."

"Now that Father is gone, can Zhu Yunwen keep them in check?"

"If he cannot, will you kill them to secure Zhu Yunwen's position, Grandfather?"

Zhu Yuntong's words were as bold as ever.

Without the slightest restraint, he boldly spoke aloud what had only been implied.

Below him, Lan Yu and Chang Sheng felt their scalps prickle. They raised their heads in shock and looked toward Zhu Yuanzhang.

Following Zhu Yuntong's words to their deeper implications, they realized that it was entirely possible.

Great Ming had not been founded long, and its generals still possessed formidable military strength.

They would support Zhu Yuntong's accession with every fiber of their being, but they would never submit to Zhu Yunwen. Thinking again of Butcher Zhu's temperament, they realized he might start sharpening his blade for them at once.

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, regretting that he had let this rebellious grandson continue. He was about to stop him, but it was already too late.

"The Princess of Jin is the Marquis of Yongping's daughter."

"The Princess of Yan is the Prince of Zhongshan's eldest daughter."

"The Princess of Zhou is the Duke of Song's daughter."

"The Princess of Chu is the Marquis of Dingyuan's daughter."

"Marriages between our Great Ming imperial clan and the meritorious nobility are quite common."

"The Princess of Shu, in particular, is the Duke of Liang's daughter."

"These dukes and marquises all hail from Huaixi. They form their own faction and share the same interests. With marriage ties to the enfeoffed princes as well, the relationships behind them are complex. They hold military power and command prestige in the army."

"Grandfather, will you kill them to secure Zhu Yunwen's position?"

As soon as Zhu Yuntong finished, Feng Sheng, Fu Youde, Wang Bi, and the others all raised their heads to look at Zhu Yuanzhang, their eyes filled with doubt.

From what they knew of Butcher Zhu, he would certainly kill them.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt all those questioning gazes turn upon him.

In all his years in power, this was the first time he had felt such a prickling sensation, as though thorns were digging into his back.

Zhu Yuanzhang had indeed considered launching a great slaughter in the future to pave the way for Zhu Yunwen.

To think that the ever-mediocre Zhu Yuntong had seen this too. But seeing it was one thing. Saying it aloud in court, exposing this bloody truth-wasn't that putting old Zhu over the fire to roast?

The generals who had helped him conquer the realm would all have to die because they might threaten Zhu Yunwen's position.

Once the birds were gone, the bow was put away; once the hare was dead, the hounds were cooked.

It chilled the heart!

Lan Yu and the others said nothing, merely staring fixedly at Zhu Yuanzhang. The pressure of so many silent generals made even someone as powerful and exalted as Zhu Yuanzhang uneasy.

Zhu Yuntong continued, "Grandfather, I lost my mother when I was little. Then I lost Grandmother and my eldest brother. Now Father is gone too. Soon, my uncle and great-uncle will be gone as well. You might as well grant me death now."

"I do not want to witness that future tragedy."

At those words, Lan Yu and Chang Sheng felt an involuntary pang in their hearts.

What a pitiful child!

Butcher Zhu, you cold-blooded, heartless man!

Among the imperial princes, Zhu Di, who had remained silent all this time, now regarded Zhu Yuntong with newfound respect. This nephew was no simpleton, and certainly not mediocre or incompetent.

He must have been concealing his abilities before.

They all thought so.

"Enough! Stop talking."

Zhu Yuanzhang barked.

He feared that if this continued, that old brute Lan Yu would rebel. Still, hearing Zhu Yuntong speak of having no family left made his own heart ache a little.

Zhu Yuntong shook his head. "No, your grandson has not finished. My family also includes my uncles."

His gaze shifted toward Zhu Shuang and the others.

"Are you saying I would kill my own sons as well?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked coldly.

This rebellious grandson really dared to say anything.

Zhu Yuntong explained, "Even a vicious tiger does not devour its cubs. Of course you would not kill my uncles, Grandfather. But the same cannot necessarily be said of Zhu Yunwen."