Chapter 28: The Eastern Palace Is Too Dangerous

"It is quite clear that this is a test from His Majesty for the Third Imperial Grandson, to see if he has the mettle to control Lan Yu and whether he can truly bring him to heel. Otherwise, the Third Imperial Grandson would not be qualified to lead the Embroidered Uniform Guard to make an arrest," Yao Guangxiao remarked.

Those who lacked insight were merely watching the spectacle. Those with vision, however, had already grasped the underlying purpose and intent of the entire affair. Yao Guangxiao, being one of the latter, added, "Whether Lan Yu lives or dies depends on the Third Imperial Grandson’s capabilities. But a grandson who dares to draw his sword and court death is clearly no weakling. It is just that... he is still too young."

Precisely because he was so young, it was not certain whether he could command the respect of men like Lan Yu.

"I, for one, hope that Lan Yu dies."

Zhu Di laughed, making no effort to mask his words; he spoke them plainly. When the Crown Prince Zhu Biao was still alive, Lan Yu had once accused Zhu Di of harboring treasonous ambitions, and the two had long been at odds. If Lan Yu were to die, Chang Sheng and the others would be left without a leader, and the "Butcher Zhu" would certainly not spare them.

Once that happened, with no capable generals left in the imperial court, it would be all too easy for him to make his move.

"We shall be returning to Beiping soon, shall we not?" Zhu Di sighed.

He knew well that there was no longer any hope of seizing the throne through conventional means; he could only achieve his goal through unconventional paths. If Lan Yu and his faction were eliminated, the unconventional opportunities available to him in the future would multiply. With his own ability to gallop across the northern steppes and command armies, returning to seize power would be a distinct possibility, especially with no formidable generals left in the capital to oppose him.

"Does Your Highness wish to return to drill your troops and prepare your military supplies?" Yao Guangxiao understood the implication in Zhu Di’s words immediately.

Since there was no opportunity to seize the throne here, it would be better to return as soon as possible to create one. Once back in Beiping, the possibilities would be endless.

Zhu Di shook his head and said, "Master, do not guess so wildly. I am merely worried that the Tatars in the north are stirring again. Winter is approaching, and they may well descend to raid our borders once more."

Yao Guangxiao smiled faintly, giving him a look that said, "I understand."

They would no longer interfere in the matter of Lan Yu, choosing instead to simply await the outcome.

***

"Your Majesty!" Jixiang walked into the Wuying Hall and bowed. "The Third Imperial Grandson has brought Lan Yu back."

Zhu Yuanzhang was satisfied with the result. "That old scoundrel Lan Yu is at least sensible enough not to make things difficult for Yun Tong. It seems the warnings Feng Sheng gave him the other day were taken to heart."

He was deeply concerned that men like Lan Yu possessed both military power and prestige. Aside from himself and the late Crown Prince, he feared no one else could keep them in check, which could eventually lead to the rise of an overly powerful faction of imperial in-laws. Most of the Huai-Xi generals were relatives of Zhu Yun Tong, and this clique of in-laws was indeed becoming too formidable.

"I am curious to see how Yun Tong intends to handle them."

Otherwise, Zhu Yuanzhang would have no choice but to execute them. No matter how difficult or unpleasant that might be, he had to find a way to remove them one by one before he passed on.

"Are there any unusual movements from the others?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

"Many are waiting to see how the Third Imperial Grandson performs," Jixiang replied quickly. "They have all dispatched men to scout outside the Duke of Liang’s residence, intending to report back the moment there is news. However, things are a bit different regarding the Second Imperial Grandson."

"How so?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

"He has been spreading word," Jixiang lowered his head. "The troop of soldiers that came to 'rescue' Lan Yu acted so swiftly precisely because of the Second Imperial Grandson’s instigation."

In truth, Zhu Yuanzhang had deliberately allowed Tang Da and his private soldiers to enter the city to increase the difficulty of the test for Zhu Yun Tong; otherwise, those hundreds of men would never have even neared the city gates. Since he intended to test him, he would not make it easy for Zhu Yun Tong to bring Lan Yu in.

"Yun Wen, as expected, could not sit idly by." Zhu Yuanzhang was not at all surprised.

Since he had set his sights on the throne, Zhu Yun Wen had to do something. All that talk of brotherly affection and harmony was merely superficial pretense.

Zhu Yuanzhang held a certain disdain for Zhu Yun Wen’s hypocrisy. He preferred Zhu Yun Tong; if he felt dissatisfied with Zhu Yun Wen, he would show it directly, rather than feigning brotherly love while plotting a backstab in the shadows.

"Bring the detailed report here. I shall read it myself," Zhu Yuanzhang ordered.

Jixiang, having prepared it in advance, handed over the most detailed account. After reading it, Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly.

"Not bad. Composed and calm. Had it been any other grandson, they might have lost their nerve when faced with Tang Da’s men. Yun Tong is sufficiently level-headed."

"Leave Lan Yu in the custody of the Imperial Guard for now. Do not interfere with anything else; we shall wait until tomorrow."

Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to see how Zhu Yun Tong would force Lan Yu and his lot to submit. After all, the name "Hu Weiyong" was practically a death warrant. He was curious to see how Lan Yu and the others would scramble to save their lives. He was quite looking forward to what tomorrow would bring.

His eldest grandson’s aptitude was indeed impressive; he had managed to remain fearless in the face of danger without any guidance. Unlike Zhu Yun Wen, who was surrounded by scholars and advisors yet still ended up in a complete mess.

***

After leaving Lan Yu with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhu Yun Tong used his token to re-enter the palace and return to his quarters. Only then did his heart settle.

Though he had appeared calm and unruffled, he had been deeply uneasy inside, especially when he saw Tang Da arrive with his soldiers. If a fight had broken out, lives would certainly have been lost, and the situation would have become impossible to resolve. Fortunately, it had not come to that, and Lan Yu had been willing to listen.

As a man from the modern era, he had never before witnessed such battle-hardened, murderous soldiers. The aura of Lan Yu’s adopted son and those fierce veterans had been truly chilling. Even with the Embroidered Uniform Guard present, he felt he could not rely on them.

"Tomorrow is the main stage for my performance," Zhu Yun Tong thought to himself.

With his sisters taken away by Consort Guo, the courtyard felt empty and rather lonely. He had no clear idea yet how he might manage to move out of the palace.

Seeing him return, Liu Liu instinctively reached for the incense to light the burner.

"No need," Zhu Yun Tong waved his hand to stop him.

Who could believe that the high-grade incense provided by Lady Lu was harmless? He had even considered whether his own body had already been poisoned. Perhaps not with a lethal dose, but certainly with something that accumulated toxins over time. Given that the deaths of Zhu Xiongying and Lady Chang were suspicious, Zhu Yun Tong was certain that if Lady Lu dared to go that far, she would not spare him. He had to do something—to wait until she could no longer control the situation, and then strike a fatal blow. If he did nothing, he would eventually die in silence, just as they had.

"I must move out!" Zhu Yun Tong concluded; the Eastern Palace was far too dangerous. However, he would have to wait until the Lan Yu affair was settled before considering how to make that happen.

Zhu Yuanzhang was not yet ready to move against Lady Lu, primarily due to a lack of evidence. After all these years, even if there had been evidence, it had long since been wiped away. Lady Lu still controlled the Eastern Palace, and he had to remain vigilant. Without proof, it was difficult for Zhu Yuanzhang to act against the Crown Princess—after all, she was the one he himself had personally chosen for his son.