My father, during the Jiajing era, ensured that every household was clean and tidy.

Chapter 1 I am also in a dilemma

February of the thirty-second year of the Jiajing reign.

Wanshou Palace.

In the silence, someone spoke softly: "I heard that you were distracted during your wedding yesterday, and that you tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, talking to the princess all night long?"

The young man sat at the lower end of the table, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I was emotionally agitated yesterday and lost my composure for a moment."

"Yeah?"

Emperor Jiajing, who was sitting cross-legged on the couch, opened his eyes and looked at his son carefully.

Zhu Zaizhen remained calm and composed. He was not lying. After all, anyone who arrived in the Ming Dynasty overnight and gained a wife and the title of Prince Jing for nothing would be flustered.

Yes, Prince Jing, Zhu Zaizhen, is the fourth son of the current Jiajing Emperor.

to be frank.

When Zhu Zaizhen first learned of this identity, he was somewhat excited. It had nothing to do with any grand cause of saving the Ming Dynasty or making it stronger; it was simply driven by subconscious personal desires. As the saying goes—

He indulged in sensual pleasures and had three wives and four concubines.

The evil feudal dynasty, here comes the master!

However, once the excitement wore off, reality inevitably returned. Leaving aside the fact that princes in the Ming Dynasty could only have one wife and multiple concubines, let's just consider Zhu Zaizhen's status as a prince.

And this argument, this thought.

Then came the truly terrifying moment.

His emperor father, who was fond of Taoist practices, now had two sons: Zhu Zaizhen himself, the fourth son, was granted the title of Prince Jing, and his third brother, Zhu Zaiji, was granted the title of Prince Yu.

That's right, it's the Prince Yu who successfully ascended the throne in that famous TV series, with the support of virtuous and loyal ministers such as Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng!

of course.

There are discrepancies between film and television dramas and the current reality, and the biggest discrepancy is in Zhu Zaizhen himself.

When he watched that drama before, he always had a question: if the emperor only had one son, Prince Yu, then where did Yan's faction get the courage to go against Prince Yu? Going against the future crown prince, were they tired of living?

Now he understands.

Oh, so the emperor has more than one son, Prince Yu, but also Prince Jing, Zhu Zaizhen. It turns out the position of crown prince is still undecided, and the two are still vying for it!

It turns out that Yan Dang's courage came from within himself.

then.

Given the current situation, and combined with Zhu Zaizhen's rudimentary understanding of history, he quickly pieced together a truth: the notorious traitor Yan Song was my staunch supporter. The corrupt official Yan Shifan, who oversaw the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty and was ultimately executed and had his property confiscated, was my loyal ally.

Xu Jie, the leader of the Qingliu faction, is my greatest concern. Gao Gong, upright and incorruptible, sees me as his number one enemy. And Prince Yu, who ascended the throne smoothly in history, is a sword hanging over my head!

well.

The situation was one-sided, and everything seemed hopeless.

Everyone has a clear future.

...How could Zhu Zaizhen sleep under such circumstances? How could he possibly sleep?

Moreover, besides all of the above, Zhu Zaizhen's father, the Jiajing Emperor, who cultivated Taoism and developed a hundred thousand schemes, was an even more stressful figure!

Just like this very moment.

After scrutinizing Zhu Zaizhen for a while, the emperor straightened his Taoist robe and a smile appeared on his face. "Even when you see me, you're distracted. It's probably more than just a loss of composure. I'm quite curious, what has made my son so anxious?"

talking.

Emperor Jiajing tapped the armrest: "I want to hear the truth."

Zhu Zaizhen's heart skipped a beat, and he said carefully, "Your subject was just thinking that Father Emperor specifically instructed me and my elder brother to have our coming-of-age ceremony and wedding at the same time, and that our weddings after leaving the palace should be of the same standard. After all, my elder brother is older, and I am feeling a little apprehensive."

"Hmm, so what do you mean?"

"There is a distinction between elder and younger, so it would be better to elevate the status of the imperial elder brother, so that he does not have to be the same as your son in every way."

"I understand." The Jiajing Emperor gazed out of the hall, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Xu Jie had previously submitted a memorial, saying that Prince Yu, being older, should have his coming-of-age ceremony and marriage first, followed by you, so as to establish the proper order of seniority and the greater good. I remember, what was my reply at the time?"

"..."

After a brief silence, Zhu Zaizhen continued, "Father said that the two princes are of one body, so how can you wish to separate them?"

"Yes, that's how I replied." Jiajing looked at his son and said slowly, "Brotherly love and respect are good things, but can you refuse a gift from an elder? What, does Prince Jing not want to compete with your brother?"

Upon hearing this, the eunuchs standing on either side lowered their heads and fell silent. Huang Jin, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who was standing beside the throne, subtly waved his hand, and all the eunuchs immediately bowed and withdrew.

Only three people remained in the room.

Before his son could answer, the Jiajing Emperor chuckled and spoke again: "Whether to fight or not, is that up to you?"

Zhu Zaizhen instinctively replied: "Your subject's word is not final; Father Emperor's word is."

But Jiajing seemed to have guessed his answer, and with a wave of his sleeve, he said, "My word doesn't count! The officials in the court count, the fate of the Ming Dynasty counts, and they want you to fight for it..."

"I am in a difficult position as well."

There is also a standard answer to this question that can be given instinctively. Zhu Zaizhen, with a straight face, cupped his hands and said, "Your subject would not dare to put Father in a difficult position."

"That's good."

"Take what I give you." Jiajing slowly closed his eyes. "Go. You don't need to come see me unless it's absolutely necessary."

According to the court's etiquette, Prince Jing entered the palace to pay homage on the first day after his wedding, and the meeting ended hastily. Zhu Zaizhen left, leaving only the two of them in the room.

The main hall returned to silence.

After an unknown amount of time, the emperor, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly spoke up, "Has anyone said anything to Prince Jing?"

Huang Jin, who was standing to the side, bowed and said, "This servant did not hear anything."

"That's because he's confused, or he's too young. He doesn't understand that sometimes you have to fight."

"Prince Jing has just left the palace and still needs experience. In a few days, he will understand the master's good intentions."

"Yes," the emperor said indifferently, "the country, the court officials, and my two sons—I have to worry about everything."

Huang Jin lowered his head and stood silently. After a while, he heard his master instruct him, "Go and remind Prince Jing that whether he fights or not is not up to him."

"Yes……"

After leaving Wanshou Palace and Xiyuan Garden, Zhu Zaizhen got into his carriage and was finally alone. He no longer had to keep a straight face or suppress his emotions.

He was currently exhibiting a somewhat self-deceptive, almost shrewd, mentality, thinking: "The situation isn't too bad. At least we've tested the Emperor's intentions. As long as he doesn't favor the third son, there's still room for maneuver."

But then she thought: 'If the palace didn't favor Prince Yu, how did he rise to power? And how did I, in history, fall from grace?'

Could it be because of the downfall of the Yen Party?

Have I lost power?

Zhu Zaizhen's thoughts were in disarray. He truly regretted his past actions. If he could have memorized the "Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty" and watched fewer movies and read fewer novels, he wouldn't be in such a predicament now.

Ugh.

As he was thinking, suddenly, the horses neighed, the carriage stopped abruptly, and Zhu Zaizhen was jolted and stumbled. At the same time, a loud shout came from outside:

"Be careful!"

"Protect the Prince!"

Shouts, roars, and the sounds of knives being drawn and runners suddenly rose up. Women and children screamed and fled, while civilians retreated in panic. All that could be heard was chaos and noise.

Alarm bells rang in Zhu Zaizhen's mind, and an absurd thought popped into his head: 'In broad daylight, right under the emperor's nose, could someone really be trying to assassinate me!'

The carriage was cramped and he was unaware of the situation. Without hesitation, he first grabbed a decorative sword inside the carriage, then lifted the curtain and said in a deep voice:

"What happened?"