Chapter Summaries

Zhu Yuntong disrupted Zhu Yunwen’s investiture by demanding that Zhu Yuanzhang kill him, then challenged the choice of heir by asserting his own legitimate birth and raising suspicions about his mother’s and eldest brother’s deaths. The court was left shaken as Zhu Yuanzhang considered the accusations and Zhu Yunwen feared they would ruin him.

• Zhu Yuntong stormed into the hall with a sword and begged Zhu Yuanzhang to grant him death before Zhu Yunwen’s investiture.
• Chang Sheng tried to lower Zhu Yuntong’s sword, while Zhu Yuanzhang questioned Lan Yu and the Huaixi officials about whether they had put him up to it.
• Zhu Yuntong declared that appointing Zhu Yunwen would lead to his death, and Huang Zicheng called for him to be punished for treason and insulting his elder brother.
• Zhu Yuntong argued that his mother, Chang Shi, had been Zhu Biao’s principal wife and that he was the legitimate son, while Zhu Yunwen was born to Lü Shi.
• Zhu Yuntong asked Zhu Yuanzhang to consider how Zhu Biao would have felt if passed over for his younger brother, prompting Zhu Yuanzhang to ask Zhu Yunwen about his intentions.
• Zhu Yuntong questioned the circumstances of Chang Shi’s death in childbirth and Xiongying’s unexplained illness, suggesting Zhu Yunwen had benefited from both deaths and leaving him terrified.

Zhu Yuntong turned Lan Yu’s challenge to Zhu Yuanzhang into a display of authority, then pressed his claim to become the imperial heir. The chapter ended with Zhu Yuntong asking Zhu Yuanzhang to appoint him instead of Zhu Yunwen.

• Zhu Yuntong accused Zhu Yunwen and Lü Shi of being behind Chang Shi and Zhu Xiongying’s deaths, but Zhu Yuanzhang ordered guards to take him away.
• Lan Yu challenged Zhu Yuanzhang to investigate the deaths, and Zhu Yuntong slapped him, reprimanded him, and made him kneel.
• Zhu Yuanzhang recognized Zhu Yuntong’s attempt to prove he could control Lan Yu and said the investigation had found no wrongdoing by Lü Shi.
• Zhu Yuntong refused to leave and demanded that Zhu Yuanzhang either sentence him to death or refrain from appointing Zhu Yunwen.
• Zhu Yuntong asked Zhu Yuanzhang to appoint him as imperial grandson and heir, arguing that his claim came through the legitimate line.

Zhu Yuntong challenged Zhu Yunwen’s claim to the succession and warned that his rule could lead Zhu Yuanzhang to purge powerful generals and relatives. He left Zhu Yuanzhang facing the possibility that Zhu Yunwen might threaten even the imperial princes.

• Zhu Yuntong demanded that Zhu Yuanzhang appoint him heir apparent, prompting Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng to accuse him of treason and support Zhu Yunwen.
• Zhu Yunwen offered to yield the succession to Zhu Yuntong and asked Zhu Yuanzhang not to punish him, winning the court’s approval.
• Zhu Yuntong insisted that he deserved the position and warned that Zhu Yunwen might be unable to control Lan Yu, Chang Sheng, and other powerful generals.
• Zhu Yuntong reminded the court that many generals and nobles were bound to the imperial family by marriage, and asked whether Zhu Yuanzhang would kill them to secure Zhu Yunwen’s rule.
• Zhu Yuntong lamented that he had already lost much of his family and suggested his uncles might also be in danger under Zhu Yunwen, while Zhu Yuanzhang ordered him to stop.

At court, Zhu Yuntong warned that Zhu Yunwen would eventually threaten his imperial uncles and the meritorious nobles, causing them to turn against Zhu Yunwen’s investiture. Zhu Yuanzhang ended the session without naming an heir and left still weighing Zhu Yunwen against Zhu Yuntong.

• Zhu Yuntong asked Zhu Shuang whether he had ever wanted to become heir, then argued that Zhu Yunwen would see the powerful vassal princes as threats and might kill them.
• Zhu Shuang, Zhu Gang, Zhu Di, and the other princes grew alarmed, while Zhu Yunwen knelt and offered to give up the heir position in favor of Zhu Yuntong.
• Lan Yu and the military officers, joined by the princes, demanded that Zhu Yuanzhang kill them rather than let Zhu Yunwen do so; Zhu Yuntong also urged his grandfather to kill him first.
• Zhu Yuanzhang silenced the court, denied that he intended to kill them, forbade anyone from discussing the matter, and dismissed the court without issuing the investiture edict.
• Zhu Yuanzhang took Zhu Yuntong with him and continued to hesitate over whether Zhu Yunwen or Zhu Yuntong should become heir, leaving Zhu Yunwen dismayed.

Zhu Yuntong derailed Zhu Yunwen’s investiture and began preparing to compete for the succession, while Zhu Yuanzhang took him to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to question him. The chapter left Zhu Yuanzhang moved by Zhu Yuntong’s appeal to family bonds and asking who had taught him.

• Zhu Yuntong apologized for wounding the guards and asked Zhu Yuanzhang to send them for treatment.
• Lan Yu led the military generals away to discuss how to support Zhu Yuntong, while Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai reassured Zhu Yunwen that the civil officials would back him.
• Zhu Yunwen returned to Lü Shi in distress, and she insisted she could keep Zhu Yuntong under control while maintaining that he had no proof of their wrongdoing.
• Zhu Yuntong followed Zhu Yuanzhang to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and admitted he feared being beaten but believed his grandfather would not kill him.
• Zhu Yuntong reminded Zhu Yuanzhang of the family he had lost during the end of the Yuan dynasty, softening his anger.
• Zhu Yuanzhang asked whether Lan Yu or Feng Sheng had taught Zhu Yuntong.

Zhu Yuntong convinced Zhu Yuanzhang that he had the insight and resolve to contend for the succession, and Zhu Yuanzhang invited him to sit beside him. Lü Shi arrived expecting to find Zhu Yuntong punished, but was shocked to see the two sharing a couch.

• Zhu Yuntong denied that anyone had coached him and told Zhu Yuanzhang he planned to contend for the succession if Zhu Yunwen became heir.
• Zhu Yuntong criticized Zhu Yunwen as weak and warned that civil officials would control the court if he became emperor.
• Zhu Yuntong said he would use Lan Yu and the generals without depending on them, and that he wanted to save them from being executed.
• Zhu Yuanzhang praised Zhu Yuntong's words, invited him to sit beside him, and asked how he would win the succession.
• Lü Shi entered expecting Zhu Yuntong to have been punished and was stunned to see him seated beside Zhu Yuanzhang.

Lü Shi pleaded for Zhu Yuanzhang to revoke the decree favoring Zhu Yunwen, while Zhu Yuntong saw through her performance. Zhu Yuntong then argued that he could control Lan Yu and the Huai-Western Generals, giving Zhu Yuanzhang a reason to consider him for the succession.

• Lü Shi apologized for Zhu Yuntong's behavior and asked Zhu Yuanzhang to choose Zhu Yuntong over Zhu Yunwen.
• Zhu Yuanzhang sent Lü Shi back to comfort Zhu Yunwen, and Lü Shi left with her anger hidden.
• Zhu Yuntong called Lü Shi's plea a convincing act, and Zhu Yuanzhang asked how he would earn the heir's position.
• Zhu Yuntong said he had saved Lan Yu so he could use him and prove he could keep the Huai-Western Generals in check.
• Zhu Yuanzhang praised Zhu Yuntong's argument and saw him as a possible successor who resembled himself.

Zhu Yuntong convinced Zhu Yuanzhang that he could control the Huai-Western Generals and protect the princes, causing Zhu Yuanzhang to reconsider Zhu Yunwen as heir. In the Eastern Palace, Lü Shi resolved to arrange Zhu Yuntong’s gradual death while urging Zhu Yunwen to improve his performance.

• Zhu Yuntong told Zhu Yuanzhang he could command Lan Yu and the Huai-Western Generals and keep his imperial uncles in check.
• Zhu Yuanzhang praised Zhu Yuntong’s foresight but refused to appoint him heir immediately, though his preference for Zhu Yunwen weakened.
• Zhu Yuntong left the Palace of Heavenly Purity to reassure his two elder sisters, while Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and compared him favorably with Zhu Yunwen.
• Zhu Yunwen returned to the Eastern Palace and tried to read, but he remained anxious about Zhu Yuntong’s growing favor with Zhu Yuanzhang.
• Lü Shi told Zhu Yunwen that Zhu Yuanzhang had changed his mind and ordered him to perform better.
• Lü Shi summoned Dongqing and planned to have Zhu Yuntong die gradually, intending to secure the throne for Zhu Yunwen.

Lü Shi tightened her surveillance of Zhu Yuntong while Feng Sheng advised the Huai-West generals to support him without overstepping. Zhu Yuntong returned to the Eastern Palace and reunited with his sisters.

• Lü Shi ordered Dongqing to replace Zhu Yuntong’s attendants, report on his actions, and send him incense once used by Sister Chang.
• Lü Shi told Zhu Yunwen to visit his imperial grandfather and reminded him that he was no worse than Zhu Yuntong.
• Feng Sheng advised the Huai-West generals that Lan Yu should curb his arrogance and that they should follow Zhu Yuntong’s orders without interfering in the succession decision.
• Lan Yu agreed to change his conduct, and the generals ended their discussion to await Zhu Yuntong’s instructions.
• Zhu Yuntong returned to the Eastern Palace and was greeted by Zhu Lingyue, Zhu Lingyi, Zhu Linghua, and Zhu Lingxiu.

After Zhu Yuntong thwarted Zhu Yunwen’s investiture, he found Lü Shi had replaced the servants in his courtyard and was keeping his sisters on meager meals. He resolved to get them out of her control, but the chapter ended when Zhu Lingxiu announced that three of their uncles had arrived.

• Zhu Lingyue and Zhu Lingyi welcomed Zhu Yuntong back and celebrated his success in stopping Zhu Yunwen’s investiture.
• Zhu Yuntong reassured Zhu Linghua and Zhu Lingxiu that he would protect them and give them a better future.
• Zhu Yuntong discovered that Lü Shi had replaced the courtyard servants and sent Liu Liu to watch him.
• Zhu Yuntong learned that his sisters were still being given meager mourning-period meals and promised they would eat their fill by the next day.
• Zhu Yuntong planned his succession bid and how to win over Lan Yu, then Zhu Lingxiu told him that Second Uncle, Third Uncle, and Fourth Uncle had arrived.

Zhu Yuntong asked his three uncles to support his claim to the succession, invoking their affection for his parents and their own lack of prospects. Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang agreed, while Zhu Di publicly pledged support despite privately viewing Zhu Yuntong as a rival.

• Lü Shi urged Zhu Yunwen to visit his uncles and explain that Zhu Yuntong had slandered him, but Zhu Yunwen feared facing them.
• Zhu Shuang, Zhu Gang, and Zhu Di arrived to see Zhu Yuntong, and Zhu Shuang remarked that Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to favor him.
• Zhu Yuntong asked his uncles to support his bid for the succession and reminded them how Zhu Biao and Crown Princess Chang Shi had treated them.
• Zhu Yuntong pointed out that Zhu Yuanzhang had already ended their hopes of succeeding him, citing Zhu Shuang's Mongolian Woman as part of that plan.
• Zhu Gang and Zhu Shuang pledged to support Zhu Yuntong, and Zhu Di did so as well, though he privately considered his nephew a serious rival.

Zhu Yuntong secured Second Uncle Zhu Shuang and Third Uncle Zhu Gang’s support while warning them not to trust Fourth Uncle Zhu Di. After Zhu Yunwen failed to win his uncles over, Zhu Yuntong faced worsening food restrictions in the Eastern Palace and went to Zhu Yunwen’s quarters.

• Zhu Yuntong privately warned Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang that Zhu Di’s pledge of support might be insincere, and Zhu Gang and Zhu Shuang voiced their distrust of him.
• Zhu Yunwen arrived to explain himself, but Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang ignored him and left with Zhu Di; Zhu Yunwen shouted at Zhu Yuntong and ran off to complain to Lü Shi.
• Zhu Linghua worried that Zhu Yunwen would retaliate, and Zhu Yuntong reassured her that he would protect the family and planned to put more pressure on Lü Shi.
• At dinner, Zhu Yuntong and his sisters found their portions had been reduced again, and Zhu Lingyue suspected the meal was retaliation for their treatment of Zhu Yunwen.
• Zhu Yuntong told Liu Liu to follow him and went to Zhu Yunwen’s quarters, where Zhu Yunjian blocked his way and said Zhu Yunwen had forbidden him to enter.

Zhu Yuntong tricked Zhu Yunjian into leaving the room and took the lavish dinner meant for Lü Shi’s household. He shared it with his sisters and resolved to stop enduring their mistreatment, planning to seek food elsewhere the next morning.

• Zhu Yuntong distracted Zhu Yunjian with a paper airplane and slipped past him into the room where dinner had been delivered.
• Zhu Yuntong ordered Liu Liu to pack up the food and carried it away despite Dongqing’s objections.
• Zhu Yunjian realized Zhu Yuntong had taken his dinner and began crying, prompting Lü Shi to order another meal and reduce the food sent to Zhu Yuntong’s household.
• Zhu Yuntong shared the meal with Zhu Lingyue, Zhu Lingyi, Zhu Linghua, and Zhu Lingxiu, and told his sisters he would no longer hide his abilities or endure their treatment.
• Zhu Yuntong asked his sisters to wake him before Imperial Grandfather’s morning court so he could find food for them.

Zhu Yuntong brought his four sisters to see Zhu Yuanzhang, where their hunger exposed how poorly they had been fed in the Eastern Palace. Zhu Yuanzhang invited them to breakfast and summoned the cook to investigate, just as Zhu Yunwen arrived for an audience.

• Zhu Yuntong took his four sisters to the Palace of Heavenly Purity before court, while Zhu Yunwen hurried there after learning he had gone first.
• Zhu Yuntong and his sisters paid their respects to Zhu Yuanzhang, who noticed how thin the girls were.
• Zhu Lingyue confirmed that she and her sisters did not get enough to eat, and Zhu Yuntong described their meager meals.
• Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Xu Xingzu and invited the children to share breakfast, while Zhu Yuntong made sure his sisters ate their fill.
• Jixiang announced that Zhu Yunwen was requesting an audience, and Zhu Yuanzhang ordered that he be brought in.

Zhu Yunwen arrived at Zhu Yuanzhang’s breakfast and grew alarmed when he saw Zhu Yuntong and the princesses eating at the table. Xu Xingzu admitted that Lü Shi had ordered their meals reduced, leaving Zhu Yuanzhang furious and Zhu Yunwen fearing his mother’s carefully built image had crumbled.

• Zhu Yunwen entered the Palace of Heavenly Purity and saw Zhu Yuntong and the princesses eating breakfast with Zhu Yuanzhang.
• Zhu Yuanzhang questioned the hungry Zhu Yunwen and summoned Xu Xingzu to explain the food served in Zhu Yuntong’s quarters.
• Xu Xingzu admitted that Lü Shi had ordered the Imperial Food Service to reduce Zhu Yuntong and the others’ meals, and that he had allowed his subordinates to carry it out.
• Zhu Yuanzhang learned that the meals had been cut twice in one day and angrily rebuked Xu Xingzu.
• Zhu Linghua told Zhu Yuanzhang she had eaten all his food, and Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Xu Xingzu to bring more breakfast.

Zhu Yuanzhang confronted Zhu Yunwen over Lü Shi’s mistreatment of Zhu Yuntong and his sisters, then refused Zhu Yuntong’s request to leave the Eastern Palace. The chapter ended with Jixiang hurrying to summon Consort Guo.

• Zhu Yunwen admitted that he knew about Lü Shi’s actions and tried to excuse his silence as filial duty, but Zhu Yuanzhang dismissed him in disappointment.
• Zhu Yunwen left the Palace of Heavenly Purity blaming Zhu Yuntong and vowing revenge in his thoughts.
• Xu Xingzu brought breakfast, apologized to Zhu Yuanzhang, and resolved to stop obeying Lü Shi.
• Zhu Lingyue reassured Zhu Yuanzhang, while Zhu Linghua offered him buns, prompting him to apologize for neglecting the children.
• Zhu Yuntong asked to move out of the Eastern Palace, but Zhu Yuanzhang refused and ordered Jixiang to summon Guo Hui.

Zhu Yuanzhang entrusted Zhu Lingyue and her sisters to Consort Guo and ordered Lü Shi punished, while sending Zhu Yuntong to class. He then arranged to test Zhu Yuntong, place spies in the Eastern Palace, and secretly investigate whether Lü Shi had been involved in the deaths of Zhu Biao’s wife and Xiongying.

• Consort Guo arrived at the Palace of Heavenly Purity, where Zhu Yuanzhang told her about Lü Shi’s actions and asked her to care for Zhu Lingyue and her sisters and punish Lü Shi.
• Zhu Yuntong asked Consort Guo to look after his sisters, and Zhu Lingyue and the others left with her.
• Zhu Yuanzhang sent Zhu Yuntong to Great Ben Hall for class and said he would summon him again that afternoon.
• Jiang Jue delivered intelligence from the Duke of Liang’s Residence, and Zhu Yuanzhang ordered arrangements concerning Ye Sheng’s surviving son and the placement of the Embroidered Guard in the Eastern Palace.
• Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Jixiang to recruit eunuch informants in the Eastern Palace and secretly investigate whether Lü Shi had been involved in the deaths of Zhu Biao’s wife and Xiongying, keeping the investigation from Zhu Yuntong.

After Zhu Yuntong’s challenge in court, Consort Guo took Zhu Lingyue and her sisters into her care and had Lü Shi beaten on Zhu Yuanzhang’s orders. Zhu Yuntong then arrived at the Great Ben Hall and found his imperial uncles welcoming him, before a stern voice called for silence.

• Consort Guo brought Zhu Lingyue and her sisters away from the Eastern Palace and ordered Lü Shi to receive ten strokes of the rod.
• After the beating, Lü Shi urged Zhu Yunwen to seek counsel from Huang Zicheng and insisted they had not lost the succession struggle.
• Zhu Yuntong searched the palace and found the Great Ben Hall, where Zhu Gui and Zhu Yang greeted him warmly.
• Other imperial uncles gathered around Zhu Yuntong, but a stern voice suddenly ordered everyone to be silent.

Fang Xiaoru targeted Zhu Yuntong with accusations and an impossible memorization task while Zhu Yunwen and his advisers planned to restore his standing through study. Zhu Yuntong calmly claimed he had already memorized the Four Books and invited Fang Xiaoru to test him.

• Zhu Gui identified Fang Xiaoru to Zhu Yuntong as a teacher who had disciplined the princes with a ruler.
• Fang Xiaoru accused Zhu Yuntong of disrespect, treason, and insulting Zhu Yunwen, then ordered him to memorize the Four Books in one day.
• Fang Xiaoru, Huang Zicheng, and Qi Tai advised Zhu Yunwen to study to regain the emperor’s favor and reassure the civil officials and vassal princes.
• Zhu Yuntong waited without studying while Zhu Gui and the other princes worried that Fang Xiaoru was making trouble for him.
• Fang Xiaoru asked how Zhu Yuntong’s memorization was going, and Zhu Yuntong claimed he had memorized the Four Books and challenged him to test any passage.

Zhu Yuntong stunned Fang Xiaoru and Zhu Yunwen by reciting all four Confucian classics, then joined Zhu Yuanzhang to review memorials. He discovered a report implicating Lan Yu’s adopted son Zhang Zhou in sheltering remnants of Hu Weiyong’s faction.

• At Fang Xiaoru’s challenge, Zhu Yuntong flawlessly recited the Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Analects, and Mencius, leaving Fang Xiaoru and Zhu Yunwen shaken.
• Zhu Yunwen resented Zhu Yuntong’s success and resolved to take back the glory he believed was his.
• A young eunuch summoned Zhu Yuntong to the Hall of Martial Valor, where Zhu Yuanzhang praised his hidden talent and dismissed concern for Zhu Yunwen’s reaction.
• Zhu Yuanzhang asked Zhu Yuntong to help read memorials, and Zhu Yuntong recommended executing officials accused of corruption in Shandong.
• While Zhu Yuanzhang was away, Zhu Yuntong found Jiang Jue’s memorial accusing Zhang Zhou of secretly sheltering remnants of Hu Weiyong’s faction.