Chapter Eighty: The Crown Prince’s Predicament

The reason Zhu Hao was so confident was because he clearly remembered that after Fang Congzhe finished drafting the imperial edict, he had specifically asked Zhu Hao for the confession. If the handwriting on that confession was never to appear again, then Fang Congzhe would not have been so cautious in asking for it at the time. Zhu Hao could still recall Fang Congzhe’s nervous demeanor, which was far too genuine to be an act.

Unconsciously, Zhu Hao had already returned to his own chamber. Just as he entered, Wei Xiaobao burst in and reported, “Your Highness, the Crown Prince has been found! But…”

Seeing Wei Xiaobao’s hesitant expression, Zhu Hao’s impatience flared. With a cold snort, he said, “Speak plainly! What’s with all this stammering? Hurry up and tell me—what’s happened to my royal brother?”

Wei Xiaobao, cowed by his master’s anger, dared not hesitate further. He immediately replied, “The Crown Prince is in Lady Li’s palace. I tried to bring His Highness to see you, but Lady Li absolutely refused to let him go. I dared not defy her, being a mere servant, so I returned at once to report to Your Highness!”

Listening to Wei Xiaobao, Zhu Hao thought to himself, “Lady Li? The palace transfer case? Damn, how could I have forgotten about this? Trouble upon trouble, as if a leaky roof must always meet the pouring rain. Why can’t things ever go smoothly? I’ve calculated everything—except the most crucial point!”

He forced himself to calm down, steadying his nerves bit by bit. Once a measure of composure returned, he said to Wei Xiaobao, “Go to Xie Gang and relay my order: he is to immediately take the Imperial Guards and surround Lady Li’s quarters. Use whatever means necessary—bring my royal brother out to me!”

By “whatever means necessary,” Zhu Hao meant nothing less than using force to bring Zhu Youxiao out.

Wei Xiaobao understood perfectly and nodded repeatedly. “As you command, Your Highness! I’ll go to Commander Xie at once!” After bowing, he withdrew from the chamber.

Once Wei Xiaobao had gone, Zhu Hao thought gloomily, “That old witch, Consort Dowager Zheng, implied at the Gate of Supreme Harmony that my elder brother was under her control. But now it seems he’s in Lady Li’s hands. Isn’t Lady Li supposed to be Empress Guo’s person? Or could she be a double agent? If so, this is getting very complicated…”

His thoughts in turmoil, Zhu Hao found himself at a loss for what to do. All he could do was pace back and forth in his chamber, waiting for news from Xie Gang.

Time dragged on as Zhu Hao paced, minute after minute. Unbeknownst to him, Wei Xiaobao had already been gone for more than half an hour. The wait wore on Zhu Hao’s patience.

At last, unable to stand it, he strode out of his quarters, intending to seek news from the Imperial Guards himself. He had only taken a few steps outside when he spotted Xie Gang and Wei Xiaobao approaching in a dejected state, dust on their faces. Zhu Hao looked closely—his royal brother was nowhere to be seen. Anger surged within him. “Those two incompetents! Did they not understand my orders? Why didn’t they simply take him by force? To return empty-handed—useless, utterly useless!”

Yet this thought vanished completely after Xie Gang delivered his report, for the situation was such that even if Zhu Hao had gone himself, he would be equally powerless.

With a face full of grievance, Xie Gang reported, “Your Highness, I have failed! I could not bring the Crown Prince back. I intended to rush in and seize him, but Lady Li threatened that if I dared, she would set fire to the palace and take the Crown Prince to the late emperor herself! I feared she might truly harm him, so I dared not act rashly and have come to seek your decision.”

Hearing this, Zhu Hao thought darkly, “Decision? What decision can I make? If that old woman really burns my brother alive, it would be a disaster of epic proportions! Not only would my own future be in jeopardy, the entire Ming dynasty might be thrown into chaos! These harem women are more ruthless and cunning than any man—there’s nothing they wouldn’t do, not even threatening the heir’s life!”

He could only sigh inwardly at this impasse and instructed Xie Gang, “Return to your post with the Imperial Guards. Seal the palace so tightly not even a fly can get in or out. I’ll notify you if I need anything further.”

Xie Gang saluted at once. “As you command, Your Highness! I guarantee not even a fly will make it through the palace gates!”

With a nod from Zhu Hao, Xie Gang departed. Zhu Hao turned to Wei Xiaobao. “You may go as well. I’ll call on you if I have need. Right now, I wish to be alone.”

Wei Xiaobao bowed and withdrew.

Zhu Hao wandered through the desolate palace. The early autumn wind chilled him, making him shiver involuntarily. He wandered aimlessly along the palace corridors, lost in thought.

He did not know how far he had walked when suddenly he clenched his fists tightly, as if making a great decision. In a firm voice he declared, “There’s nothing else for it.”

He set off at a run toward Kunning Palace, the one place he least wished to set foot in. The humiliation he had suffered there in the past always made his skin crawl the moment he approached.

But with matters as they were, he had no choice but to seek out Empress Guo. Zhu Hao had long known that many difficulties could be resolved simply by enlisting the empress’s help, yet he had always been reluctant to face this woman, whose love had driven her to the brink of madness.

With five thousand Imperial Guards at his command, Zhu Hao moved unhindered through the palace. No one dared stop him as he approached Kunning Palace.

He pushed open the palace doors. Spring Peach, the empress’s personal maid, looked at him in terror and stammered, “Your Highness the Fifth Prince, what are you doing here? This is Her Majesty’s bedchamber! The late emperor has only just passed—”

Zhu Hao had no patience for her chatter. He shoved her aside with a cold snort. “Out of my way! This is none of your concern. I’m here to see your mistress.”

Before he finished speaking, Empress Guo’s voice rang out behind Spring Peach, dripping with sarcasm. “Well, well, I wondered which brazen scoundrel would dare force his way into my chambers while the late emperor’s body is barely cold. So it’s the Fifth Prince, plotting his coup. Have you come to send me to join the late emperor?”

Though she had first been placed under house arrest in Kunning Palace by Consort Dowager Zheng, and was now unable to leave thanks to Zhu Hao’s control of the palace guards, Empress Guo, as one of the most powerful women in the harem, still had her ways of learning what was happening outside. Seeing Zhu Hao, remembering how she had treated him before and considering his actions outside the palace, she naturally assumed he had come to take her life, and her words reflected this.

Zhu Hao was unmoved by her mockery. He immediately fell to his knees. “Your son pays his respects to Your Majesty, the Empress!” He did not wait for her response before rising to his feet.

Empress Guo was taken aback by this. If he meant to kill her, why bother with such ceremony? Yet she remained unconvinced, and said coldly, “Is that bow meant to send me to my grave? Spare yourself the trouble! Once I’m dead, the realm will be yours. Only… I hope for the sake of brotherly love, you’ll be kind to Youxiao. That poor child has suffered much these years…”

This was the first time Zhu Hao had heard the empress express any concern for his elder brother, and he was unexpectedly moved. He decided to be frank. “Your Majesty, I have not come to harm you—I have come to propose an alliance.”

Empress Guo’s surprise deepened. “An alliance? You already control the palace and are the late emperor’s son. The empire is within your grasp. What could you possibly need from me?”

Zhu Hao understood that the empress had misunderstood his motive in sealing the palace. Time was short; he had no patience for word games. He explained at once, “Your Majesty, you misunderstand me. I have never harbored treasonous thoughts. On the contrary, like you, I wish only for my royal brother to ascend the throne and inherit the realm. I sealed the palace to foil Consort Dowager Zheng’s schemes. I have come to seek your aid—let us work together to see my brother crowned emperor!”

Empress Guo saw the seriousness in Zhu Hao’s expression; he did not seem to be lying. Yet she remained half-doubtful, her gaze flickering as she weighed her options. At last, she drew a deep breath, as if resolving herself, and said, “I can work with you. You may use my influence. But you must tell me—why are you giving the throne to your brother when you could take it for yourself? Don’t speak to me of ancestral teachings and the order of seniority—I won’t believe such nonsense.”

Zhu Hao also drew a deep breath, spreading his hands. “If I said I had no desire for the throne, I doubt Your Majesty would believe me, would you?”