Zhu Di: My fourth son is a great emperor of all time?

Chapter 70: Finding Zhu Yunwen, Capturing Jianwen Alive, and Meeting Zhu Di
Zhu Zhanji?
Zhu Di then realized that the eldest son didn't necessarily have to kill the fourth son.

However, it is quite possible that his eldest grandson would want to kill his fourth son for the sake of the throne.

If the fourth son dies, the eldest son won't live long either, and Zhu Zhanji will be the one who benefits.

Zhu Zhanji finally couldn't hold back and burst into tears.

He just couldn't understand why the sky seemed to be targeting him.

Everything was exposed.

Zhu Zhanji felt he could no longer face anyone.

If it really is him.

He didn't know what to do next.

Looking at the disappointing Zhu Zhanji, Zhu Di sighed helplessly.

If it weren't for this canopy.

If his eldest grandson dared to kill his fourth son, he would not only be angry, but he would even admire his courage and decisiveness.

The fourth prince has now fully demonstrated a governing ability that surpasses that of anyone else.

He is the best heir to the throne.

Civil and military officials, the common people, and even the second son who had been calling for rebellion all agreed with the fourth son.

In this situation, if Zhu Zhanji still wanted to be emperor, he would have to kill Zhu Gaoshuo.

This is the best way, and the only way.

But unfortunately, there's a canopy over there now.

Previously, everyone knew that the fourth prince was a great emperor of all time, but they had not yet openly fought for the throne.

If Zhu Zhanji had already sent people to assassinate him, then that would be a completely different matter.

After calming down, Zhu Di guessed that Zhu Gaoshuo would not have any problems, after all, the fourth prince would eventually ascend the throne as emperor.

Now I just hope that this matter has nothing to do with Zhu Zhanji.

After all, he was his eldest grandson, and Zhu Di was unwilling to see him despised by the people.

In fact, the fourth prince's enemies were not only Zhu Zhanji.

Because of the reforms, the officials and powerful families were offended, and those people certainly wouldn't let it go easily.

[Because of an assassination attempt, Crown Prince Zhu Gaoshuo disappeared, casting a dark shadow over the Ming Dynasty as everyone searched for his whereabouts.]

Zhu Gaoshuo disappeared for a full half-month. During this time, Zhu Di searched the entire Ming Dynasty, but still found no trace of him.

Following the death of Prince Qi, a popular saying began to circulate that this was Heaven's punishment for Zhu Di, because he had seized the throne through rebellion. The saying concluded that as long as Zhu Di remained emperor, the Ming Dynasty was destined for instability, and for the people to live a good life, the Ming Dynasty had to restore its legitimate rule.

[Shortly afterward, an uprising broke out, with some people using the banner of the Jianwen Emperor to overthrow the Yongle Emperor.]

"Father, it's that little beast Jianwen!"

Zhu Gaoxu shouted loudly, his eyes filled with anger. If Zhu Di hated Zhu Yunwen the most, then he was definitely no less than Zhu Di.

He almost died at the hands of Zhu Yunwen back then.

Zhu Gaochi also breathed a sigh of relief.

Since this matter is related to Jianwen, it has nothing to do with their family.

However, Jianwen's willingness to show his face was quite unexpected.

But Zhu Gaochi soon came to understand.

After all, the fourth son's brilliance was too dazzling, and Jianwen must have been forced into this situation.

If Zhu Gaoshuo were to ascend the throne, who would still remember Jianwen?

The sudden rebellion of the remnants of the Jianwen Emperor instantly made Zhu Di realize that the person who assassinated his fourth son must have been Zhu Yunwen.

[Zhu Di was furious. Since it was Jianwen who had acted, Zhu Gaoshuo was likely in grave danger. Ignoring his grief and anger, Zhu Di was determined to avenge himself. He dispatched tens of thousands of soldiers to suppress the rebellion and capture Zhu Yunwen; he wanted that bastard dead!]

However, their search turned out to be fruitless; the remnants of Jianwen seemed to have completely grasped the movements of the Ming army and were hiding everywhere.

Just as Zhu Di was about to personally arrest Zhu Yunwen, Zhu Gaoshuo, who had been missing for a long time, suddenly reappeared!

"Hahaha, I knew the fourth brother wouldn't get into trouble!"

Zhu Di revealed a confident smile.

But in reality, even knowing the outcome, he was still very nervous.

He never expected that it would be that little rascal Jianwen who was behind it all.

All these years, I've been looking for him, but I just can't find him.

Unexpectedly, the eldest nephew later stepped forward on his own.

Is he afraid of the fourth brother?
Thinking of this, Zhu Di stroked his beard with satisfaction.

They could have survived by hiding peacefully, but now that they're jumping out, they're courting death.

Zhu Di understood perfectly well that now that the fourth prince had returned, Jianwen's conspiracy would certainly not succeed.

He was even already hoping that Zhu Gaoshuo would bring Jianwen back.

Zhu Di was very nervous, but what he said next filled him with both joy and indignation.

The reappearance of Zhu Gaoshuo brought joy to the entire Ming Dynasty. Zhu Di immediately ordered the news to be spread throughout the country, wanting to see what excuse the rebels would have left.

Many people were overjoyed that Zhu Gaoshuo had returned alive, including Zhu Gaochi.

Although he was still the crown prince at the time because of Zhu Gaoshuo's disappearance, he lived a life of immense anxiety, constantly fearing that the matter was related to his son. Now that he saw Zhu Gaoshuo return, he was finally relieved.

[Zhu Gaochi was willing to relinquish the position of Crown Prince, and the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao were completely convinced. Seeing the three brothers shake hands and make peace, Zhu Di was overjoyed.]

[But Zhu Gaoshuo's words immediately made Zhu Di and his son Zhu Gaochi burst into laughter, because he had discovered that the person behind the assassination was none other than Zhu Zhanji!]

Only then did everyone realize that Zhu Zhanji was nowhere to be seen; he had been captured by Zhu Gaoshuo long ago.

"That was really done by that grandson!"

Zhu Di was helpless; his worst fears had come true.

Even though the eldest son didn't make a move, Zhu Zhanji still chose to take action.

The family still couldn't escape the fate of killing each other.

This time, Zhu Di did not scold Zhu Zhanji.

Since this was caused by his initial praise of Zhu Zhanji as a "good grandson," he would personally make Zhu Zhanji completely give up the idea of ​​becoming emperor in the days to come.

The sky screen, after all, reveals things of the future.

If you want to change it, it is still possible.

And there's still so much time to make changes gradually.

[In fact, Zhu Gaoshuo had long suspected that someone was going to make a move against him. This action was intended to lure the enemy out, but he didn't expect to capture Zhu Zhanji. Zhu Gaoshuo was heartbroken, never expecting that Zhu Zhanji would send someone to kill him.]

Zhu Di was furious and ordered that Zhu Zhanji be handed over to Zhu Gaoshuo for disposal, regardless of his life or death.

Although he was Zhu Zhanji's eldest nephew, and despite Zhu Gaochi's earnest pleas, Zhu Gaoshuo was not soft-hearted and immediately sentenced Zhu Zhanji to immediate execution.

However, Zhu Gaoshuo still gave him a chance: if Zhu Zhanji confessed voluntarily, he could be included in the family genealogy and would not be punished for his crimes after his death.

[Zhu Zhanji told Zhu Di that he had reached a cooperation agreement with Jianwen to kill Zhu Gaoshuo, and that once he became emperor, he would hand over Jiaozhi to Zhu Yunwen.]

In Zhu Zhanji's view, keeping Jiaozhi (northern Vietnam) was of no use to the Ming Dynasty and would only burden the national treasury. Giving it to Zhu Yunwen wouldn't be a big deal; at worst, they could just send troops back later. But right now, he desperately wanted to become emperor!

Zhu Di was furious and demanded to find Jianwen, but at that moment Zhu Gaoshuo brought Jianwen out instead.

[Thus, Zhu Di saw his eldest nephew again after many years!]

(End of this chapter)