Sky Curtain: The Overlord Charges into Battle, Shocking Emperors of All Dynasties

Chapter 46 Zhu Bai, Prince of Xiangli, pays homage to the Hongwu Emperor

This isn't right!

The middle-aged man on the sky was actually Zhu Di?

Many people remember that we previously mentioned Zhu Di as the wise ruler who created the Yongle Era. So why is his ascension to the throne so questionable, yet he's still so highly regarded by later generations? What exactly were his achievements that made so many emperors green with envy? Their own ascensions to the throne weren't exactly legitimate either; some even seized the throne from their nephews. They too wanted to be remembered in history and achieve lasting fame. Could Tianmu please continue discussing Zhu Di's actions so we can learn from his example?!

Zhao Kuangyin's eyes turned red with envy. Why was the Ming Dynasty so lucky? The founding emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, drove out the Tartars and recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, and was called the Emperor of All Time. But he himself was not called the Emperor of All Time. Zhao Kuangyin probably understood why he was not called the Emperor of All Time. It was simply because he had not recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, and he was also a little uneasy about the source of his throne.

Moreover, their descendants were also remarkable. Crown Prince Zhu Biao was exceptionally capable, and had he not died young, he would have undoubtedly been a wise and virtuous ruler—this is the assessment of later generations.

Even if the crown prince died young, there was still Zhu Di to protect him, who created the Yongle Era. There aren't many eras in history that can be named after a well-governed reign. Zhao Kuangyin felt that if his descendants could grant him the Kaibao Era after his death, he would be satisfied and grateful for the blessings of heaven.

From this perspective, the Ming Dynasty had Emperor Taizu, Emperor Taizong, and Emperor Chengzu, which means there were at least three wise rulers. No wonder it was the third longest-lived dynasty in history.

He always believed that the emperor who could create the Yongle era was a descendant of the founding emperor, so his temple name must be Taizong. There was a precedent for this; wasn't Emperor Taizong of Tang the same?

Images shifted across the sky, and a steady, deep voice rang out:

Today, I'll explain the only successful case of a feudal prince's rebellion in history—the Jingnan Campaign.

The words on the sky, though brief, revealed a great deal of information: the only successful case of a prince's rebellion in history.

King Liu of Wu stared intently at the sentence, which meant that his ultimate fate was failure.

Why didn't you say so sooner?!

Liu was furious and on the verge of tears. He had already raised an army, and now he was being told that he had failed. Wasn't that the end for him?

The panic in Liu Bi's eyes subsided. He was, after all, a king, and a desperate, all-or-nothing ruthlessness surged within him. Even if he ultimately failed, he would make Liu Qi pay the price. My poor child!

In the thirty-first year of the Hongwu reign (1389), Emperor Taizu of Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang, passed away at the Yingtian Palace at the age of seventy-one.

[Because Crown Prince Zhu Biao died young, his grandson Zhu Yunwen succeeded to the throne, becoming the Jianwen Emperor.]

After Emperor Jianwen ascended the throne, he was deeply worried about the powerful regional princes. Therefore, with the support of civil officials such as Qi Tai, Huang Zicheng, and Fang Xiaoru, he began to reduce the power of the princes.

This... Zhu Yuanzhang really did pass the throne to his grandson instead of his son, especially given Zhu Di's outstanding abilities.

They find it hard to believe that Zhu Yuanzhang, as the founding emperor, couldn't see Zhu Di's abilities. In this light, it seems that Zhu Yuanzhang truly doted on his crown prince Zhu Biao, while his other sons didn't seem like his own.

Liu Che couldn't help but shake his head. It was too hasty. Emperor Jianwen was too impatient. How could he reduce the power of the princes so soon after ascending the throne? At this time, the princes were still very powerful, and he only had the support of civil officials. Judging from Emperor Jianwen's reign title and the civil official group mentioned earlier, Liu Che understood that Zhu Yunwen relied only on the civil official group. As for military generals, Zhu Yunwen probably didn't value them much. Besides, reducing the power of the princes had to be done slowly. It was only after his father, Emperor Jing of Han, quelled the Rebellion of the Seven States and dismantled the powerful princes that he dared to adopt the "Decree of Grace" to reduce the power of the princes.

To dare to do this so soon after ascending the throne is simply because he thinks being emperor is too comfortable.

Among the princes, Zhu Di was the oldest and had extensive experience in the north, making him a powerful and influential figure. Zhu Chong and others, fearing Zhu Di's power and prestige, decided to first eliminate Zhu Di's allies and then take action against the other princes.

[First, Zhu Di's half-brother, Prince Zhou, was exiled to Yunnan. Less than a month later, Prince Dai was deposed and imprisoned in Sichuan. Then, Prince Min was imprisoned.]

Prince Zhou, Zhu, had no military power, but he loved reading medical books. He treated Zhu Yunwen the best before Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne, but Zhu Yunwen turned against him first.

There's a speculation online that the reason Zhou Wang was the first to be targeted was because he was a physician and knowledgeable in medical texts. Furthermore, the series of actions taken after Zhu Yuanzhang's death are also puzzling.

[Firstly, Zhu Yuanzhang died suddenly, and his body lay in state for only six days. Furthermore, during his burial, his coffin was carried out simultaneously from thirteen gates of Nanjing, and princes from other regions were not allowed to come to the capital for the funeral. All of these things inevitably lead one to speculate.]

Returning to the topic of Jianwen's reduction of the power of the princes, the most ruthless and chilling move among all members of the imperial clan was that of Zhu Bai, the Prince of Xiang.

Historical records state that Zhu Bai, the Prince of Xiang, was skilled in calligraphy, well-versed in classics and history, had no children, no maternal relatives, and no military power. He was a recognized wise ruler, yet he was falsely accused of treason by the Jianwen Emperor. Unable to bear the humiliation, Zhu Bai and his entire family committed suicide by burning themselves alive.

A scene flashed across the sky: an army surrounded the Xiang Prince's residence. Women wept around Prince Zhu Bai, while servants slumped to the ground, their faces filled with despair. Zhu Bai, dressed in the robes and crown of a prince, stood tall and upright, radiating righteousness. He laughed loudly, "I am a descendant of the Great Ancestor Emperor Gaozu! How can I be humiliated by prison guards?!"

He then personally set the Prince's mansion ablaze. The red flames surged upwards, opening their gaping maw to swallow the entire Xiang Prince's mansion. Black smoke billowed up, soaring straight into the clouds. In the first year of the Jianwen reign, Prince Zhu Bai of Xiang committed suicide by self-immolation, becoming known as the Xiang Li Prince.

The scene shifts again, revealing Zhu Di from the previous image on the sky. Now, he lies on his bed, his brow furrowed, repeatedly crying out, "Father, I'm not rebelling!"

He was obviously dreaming about Zhu Yuanzhang.

The image gradually blurred, and through the haze, Zhu Di was kneeling before Zhu Yuanzhang, his face filled with fear and trepidation. Zhu Yuanzhang's aged face couldn't suppress his anger, as if he were questioning Zhu Di about why he had rebelled. Suddenly, a black, clearly charred hand landed on Zhu Di's shoulder, black smoke rising from it. "Fourth brother, don't be afraid, your younger brother is here!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's angry gaze shifted to a black humanoid creature, its body emitting black smoke and flickering flames, standing beside Zhu Di. The creature emitted a faint aroma of charred meat, and although its face was obscured, it was clear that it was enduring immense pain as its muscles twitched.

Zhu Di also turned around. He didn't know which of his brothers this was, but he recognized him at a glance. His eyes were full of heartache and regret. He hated himself for not protecting this brother.

Zhu Yuanzhang demanded, his voice still tinged with anger at Zhu Di's usurpation, "Who are you?!"

The black, charcoal-like creature, enduring excruciating pain, knelt and bowed deeply, saying, "Your sinful subject, Prince Zhu Bai of Xiangli, pays his respects to the Hongwu Emperor!!!!"

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