Recaps

Zhu Yuntong challenged Zhu Yunwen’s succession and won Zhu Yuanzhang’s growing favor while protecting his sisters and gathering support. Zhu Yuanzhang gave him an Embroidered Guard command token, and Zhu Yuntong’s attempt to arrest Zhang Zhou brought him face-to-face with Lan Yu.

• Zhu Yuntong challenged Zhu Yunwen’s investiture before court, arguing that his claim was legitimate and warning that Zhu Yunwen might threaten the princes and generals.
• Zhu Yuanzhang dismissed the court without issuing an investiture edict, then heard Zhu Yuntong’s case and began to see him as a possible successor.
• Lü Shi plotted against Zhu Yuntong and reduced the food sent to his household, but Zhu Yuntong brought his hungry sisters before Zhu Yuanzhang and exposed her actions.
• Zhu Yuanzhang arranged for Consort Guo to care for the princesses and secretly ordered an investigation into the deaths of Chang Shi and Zhu Xiongying.
• Zhu Yuntong memorized the Four Books in one day, impressed Zhu Yuanzhang, and later earned praise for his words about valuing food and material goods.
• Zhu Yuntong grew suspicious of the incense Lü Shi had sent and shared a feast with Consort Guo and Liu Liu while considering how to win Lan Yu’s support.
• Zhu Yuanzhang gave Zhu Yuntong an Embroidered Guard command token, and Zhu Yuntong led the guards to the Duke of Liang’s Residence to arrest Lan Yu.
• Zhu Yuntong accused Zhang Zhou of sheltering Ye Sheng’s son, but Zhang Zhou resisted his order to summon Lan Yu until Lan Yu arrived and knocked Zhang Zhou to the ground.

Zhu Yuntong navigated Lan Yu’s arrest, earned authority in the army by executing Lan Yu’s adopted sons, and outmaneuvered Zhu Yunwen’s attempt to portray him as cruel. After discovering he had been poisoned, Zhu Yuntong pushed Zhu Yuanzhang to investigate and secured permission to move out of the Eastern Palace, though Lü Shi’s involvement remained uncertain.

• Zhu Yuntong arrested Lan Yu, but after Lan Yu’s followers blocked the escort, he released Lan Yu’s bonds and ordered him to bring them back into line.
• At a court hearing, Zhu Yuntong tested Lan Yu’s loyalty by ordering him to attack Zhu Yunwen, then pleaded with Zhu Yuanzhang to spare Lan Yu when officials accused him of treason.
• Zhu Yuanzhang kept Lan Yu alive but ordered Zhu Yuntong to kill Lan Yu’s adopted sons and win the Huai-Western Generals’ support, so Zhu Yuntong executed the sons and released Lan Yu.
• Zhu Yunwen and Qi Tai tried to cast Zhu Yuntong as cruel, but Zhu Yuntong’s poem impressed Zhu Yuanzhang and left Zhu Yunwen overshadowed.
• At the Imperial Medical Bureau, Xu Shu diagnosed Zhu Yuntong with lead and mercury poisoning, prompting Zhu Yuanzhang to seal the Eastern Palace and investigate its servants and the Imperial Food Service.
• Jiang Jue reported that Zhu Yuntong’s cook had poisoned him with blue gold and mercury, and Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the cook and others punished while sparing Liu Liu at Zhu Yuntong’s request.
• Xu Xingzu admitted responsibility for the poisoning and received a reduced punishment, while Zhu Yuntong continued to suspect Lü Shi and asked to leave the Eastern Palace.
• Zhu Yuanzhang ordered two houses beside the Imperial College prepared for Zhu Yuntong and Zhu Yunwen, while the evidence remained insufficient to determine whether Lü Shi was involved.