Chapter 134

"As for the second prophecy, what does that have to do with us?"

Su Qiao could not help but smile upon hearing this.

"Your Majesty, the second prophecy speaks of 'dragons fighting in the wild, blood staining the black and yellow.' How is this interpreted?"

"Naturally, it is about your fourth son's two sons fighting over the succession; what does that have to do with us?"

"Then I dare ask Your Majesty: who gave the Yan Prince's second son the thought of seizing the succession?"

"It was the Jingnan Campaign!"

Su Qiao suddenly rose and said,

"I have long heard that the Commandery Prince of Gaoyang is fierce by nature, his character resembling the Yan Prince."

"If the Yan Prince is forced to rise in arms for the Jingnan Campaign, the Commandery Prince of Gaoyang will become the Yan Prince's right arm and left hand!"

"If the Commandery Prince of Gaoyang later harbors treacherous thoughts, it will surely be because he achieved unparalleled Great merit during the Jingnan Campaign, giving him the thought of seizing the succession!"

"This matter stems from Your Majesty establishing the Grandson as heir; how can one say it has nothing to do with Your Majesty?"

"If Your Majesty had directly established the Yan Prince as heir, the Commandery Prince of Gaoyang, knowing nothing of war and holding no troops, would he have the audacity to have dragons fight in the wild, staining the black and yellow with blood, even if he had the biggest courage in the world?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth opened and closed.

He could not utter a single word.

Zhu Di in the chat group also suddenly came to his senses.

He looked at Zhu Yuanzhang excitedly and said,

"That's right, Father!"

"My second son achieved Great merit in Jinan."

"He saved me from the chaos of the army several times; I had no choice but to reward him!"

"If you had directly passed the throne to me, would there have been so many troubles?"

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at Su Qiao's nose and immediately spoke sternly,

"Su Qiao, you are presumptuous!"

"You...!"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Su Qiao, his mouth opening and closing, yet he could not utter half a word.

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's excited expression,

Su Qiao could not help but steel his heart.

He immediately decided to add more fuel to the fire.

"Your Majesty, forgive my bluntness. If Your Majesty passes the throne to the Grandson, I can also cast a hexagram right now to interpret a prophecy for Your Majesty."

"As for this first prophecy, I assert that throughout the Yan Prince's life, he will surely work from dawn to dusk, daring not to be negligent for even a moment."

"The Central Plains have been in ruins for a hundred years; it is precisely the time when everything awaits restoration."

"I assert that under the Yan Prince's rule, it will surely be a golden age rarely seen in history!"

"Why?"

"Because the Yan Prince's claim to the throne is illegitimate!"

"The single matter of the Jingnan Campaign is enough to make the Yan Prince sink into hardship for his entire life."

"Therefore, the Yan Prince dares not be negligent!"

"He will live in torment for his entire life."

"The Yan Prince grew up skilled in archery and horsemanship, but since Your Majesty founded the state in Hongwu, the Yan Prince will surely do his utmost to make civil governance flourish, to manifest the glorious orthodoxy!"

"What he seeks is nothing more than Your Majesty's affirmation."

"I can assert that if Crown Prince Yiwen were still alive, the Yan Prince would absolutely have not the slightest thought of it."

"But Crown Prince Yiwen is no longer here."

"Your Majesty, do you think passing the throne to the Grandson is fair?"

As soon as the words fell,

the chat group immediately fell into a deathly silence.

Zhu Di had spent his entire life pursuing one thing.

That thing was not the welfare of the people, nor was it imperial hegemony.

What Zhu Di truly wanted

was simply Zhu Yuanzhang's affirmation.

Zhu Di's emotions in the chat group gradually sank.

For so many years,

discussing military merit,

Zhu Di was the eldest of all the princes!

Just because Zhu Yunwen was his nephew,

was the world to be passed to him?

On what grounds?

When I climbed over ice and lay in the snow on the battlefield, where was Zhu Yunwen?

When I risked my life and led the soldiers in bloody combat, where was Zhu Yunwen?

Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but recall the battle reports Zhu Di had submitted to the court over these past few months.

First following Fu Youde out beyond the border, then sending troops to Liaodong.

More than a dozen battles, big and small.

In every battle, Zhu Di truly fought with his life.

Thinking of this.

Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but sigh silently in his heart.

This child has truly done his utmost.

Yet Su Qiao's tone shifted.

"It is a pity that the Prince of Yan may not know: does not the Commandery Prince of Gaoyang also desire the Prince of Yan's affirmation?"

"Since ancient times, which Son of Heaven who rose from the saddle has truly wished to sit patiently in the palace and attend to the trivial matters of the common folk?"

"Do the domestic squabbles within the palace equal even half the righteous vengeance and joy of the battlefield?"

"I can assert that whatever the Commandery Prince of Gaoyang does in the future will not differ much from the Prince of Yan."

"If the Prince of Yan ventures beyond the Great Wall, the Commandery Prince of Gaoyang will likewise venture beyond the Great Wall."

"I can likewise assert that Your Highness the Prince of Yan will certainly make the same choice as Your Majesty."

"It will still be to establish the eldest son of the principal wife!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression gradually became solemn.

He stared coldly at Su Qiao and asked,

"Su Qiao, do you wish to hear what you yourself are saying?"

"Why is it that when the matter falls upon the Fourth, you no longer urge the Fourth to establish the Commandery Prince of Gaoyang?"

Su Qiao let out a cold snort on his own.

"Because the heir to the Prince of Yan still lives! Whereas Crown Prince Yiwen has already passed away!"

"Moreover, since ancient times, the foundation of the state is passed down according to the principal wife and the eldest!"

"Your Highness the Grandson-Prince is neither of the principal wife nor the eldest; how can he be established as the heir to the state?!"

The moment the words fell, Huang Zicheng in the Donggong immediately flew into a rage.

Pointing at Su Qiao, he shouted sternly,

"Su Qiao! How dare you!"

"The Consort of Crown Prince Yiwen is the principal consort of the Donggong, and Your Highness Zhu Yunwen is the eldest of all the imperial grandsons of the Donggong; who gave you the audacity to say Your Highness the Grandson-Prince is neither of the principal wife nor the eldest?"

Su Qiao, seeing Huang Zicheng who had already flown into a rage, could not help but sneer coldly,

"My Lord Huang, have you forgotten Consort Jingyi of Crown Prince Yiwen?"

The moment the words fell, the Lady Lü, hidden deep within the palace, immediately furrowed her brows!

The Lady Chang!

Su Qiao stared fiercely at Huang Zicheng and spoke loudly,

"Within the Donggong, according to the principal wife and the eldest, it is the Commandery Prince of Guangze who is the eldest son of the principal wife! How could it fall to Your Highness the Grandson-Prince?"

"Your Majesty has already issued an edict; thus the Grandson-Prince is the eldest son of the principal wife!"