Emperor Yongle's words "catch the big and let go of the small" gave the emotionally broken prince a reassurance.
The Crown Prince was not sure whether he would be deposed by his father in the future, but he was sure that he would not lose his position as the Lord of the Eastern Palace because of his lame leg or physical disability.
That's enough.
Among the princes of every dynasty, who had an easier life
Zhu Gaochi comforted himself, saying that compared to those cannon fodder princes who were beaten to death on the beach by the waves, I am already very lucky. My father is relatively tolerant. If it were any other emperor, he would have been deposed long ago.
Emperor Yongle comforted his son and went back to work. The prince was fully revived and said to his son Zhu Zhanji: "Help me up and call the scholars of Youchunfang. I want to study and can't lie in bed anymore."
Zhu Zhanji hesitated, "Father, your feet..."
Once he met the scholars and limped to Youchunfang, the prince's lameness would certainly not be concealed, and the gag order issued by Concubine Hu would automatically become invalid.
Zhu Gaochi said: "I use my brain to think, not my feet. Now that things have come to this, everyone will know it sooner or later. You are hiding it as if I am guilty. I am sick. I have done nothing wrong in my morals and government affairs. What is there to be ashamed of?"
Zhu Gaochi laughed at himself, "Just because I'm crippled, does that mean I'm not the crown prince? I'm fat, but do I have to eat their rice? I'm lame, but do I have to use their crutches? As long as my father can accept it, it doesn't matter what other people think or say - as long as I'm not afraid of death, I can let them say whatever they want."
Zhu Gaochi came to terms with it and suddenly felt relaxed, as if the nearly 300 pounds of fat had become nothing but air.
At this moment, in Zhu Zhanji's view, the 300-pound fat man on the bed was radiating light. He had never admired his father as much as he did now. He half squatted down and put on shoes and socks for his father.
Zhu Gaochi's left foot was swollen, and it was difficult to put it in. Zhu Zhanji helped him walk two steps, "Father, how do you feel?"
"It hurts a little when I walk, but I don't feel it when I sit down." After just a few movements, the tip of the prince's nose was slightly sweaty. "I can't always need someone to support me. Give me a cane and I'll try to walk by myself."
Zhu Zhanji handed his father a trekking stick, and the prince limped around on the stick. The trekking stick was about as thick as Zhu Zhanji's arm, but in the prince's hand, it was like a toothpick, swaying back and forth, as if it would be broken at any time.
The only thing that can support the prince now is the iron crutch, but the crutch is too heavy and the prince cannot lift it.
Zhu Zhanji was terrified and ordered the eunuch beside him, "Ask Lady Hu to select a few strong eunuchs to come here."
Even the palace maids can’t help but support the prince, and they might even be crushed by him.
The prince practiced for a few rounds and decided to give up. It was indeed unrealistic for him with his body size, and it was tiring and unsafe. Fortunately, Hu Shanwei soon arrived with four tall and strong eunuchs. These four were also palace guards who knew martial arts and had ordinary looks - they could not be too handsome, otherwise the prince's appearance would be ruined by weight and would look even more mediocre.
In addition to people, Hu Shanwei also brought shoes and socks made by the Shangfu Bureau. "I have asked the imperial physician, and he said that the prince's sick feet should be well taken care of. The shoes and socks should be soft and looser than the ones he wore before. The soles should also be soft. They cannot be made of wood, and they cannot be too thin. This is a sole made of wear-resistant linen and leather woven and glued together. Please give it a try, prince."
The prince sat down, and the eunuch who had just arrived squatted down to change the prince's shoes and socks - the prince was fat, so let alone putting on his own shoes, even wiping his butt had to be done by the palace servants because he couldn't reach it.
The new shoes and socks were soft enough that the feet seemed to be surrounded by clouds. The sole of the left foot was thicker than the right, which slightly balanced out the bumpy walk of the prince.
"I feel much better." Zhu Gaochi took a few steps and said to Hu Shanwei, "Thank you for your concern, Hu Shanggong."
Zhu Gaochi was easy-going and a well-educated person.
Hu Shanwei was impressed by the prince's determination and said, "This is my humble servant's responsibility."
The doctor said that the prince's foot could not heal, and it would be a blessing if it could stay like this and not get worse. The prince would have to live with his foot for the rest of his life, and he was obese... and there was no telling what would happen in the future.
Concubine Zhang had just calmed down and returned to the right path, thinking that she could live a peaceful life. However, before she could enjoy a few days of peace, the prince became lame, which became a bigger variable.
Everyone was worried about the prince, but he was the only one who remained calm and composed. He summoned the scholars of the Right Spring Office to a meeting. When Xie Jin and other scholars saw the prince limping into the room with two tall and strong eunuchs supporting him, they were immediately shocked.
"What happened, Your Highness?"
"Is your Highness okay?"
"Your Highness suddenly summoned me. Is there something important going on?"
The prince sat firmly and said to the eunuch beside him, "Take off my shoes for me."
When the scholars saw the prince's diseased left foot with their own eyes, the hall, which had been noisy just a moment ago, immediately became quiet.
The prince said, "My left foot is sick and there is no cure. I cannot walk well. I will limp like this from now on and need someone to support me. Tomorrow at the grand court meeting, the ministers will see that my leg is lame. If nothing unexpected happens, in a few days, someone will ask to depose me as the crown prince on the grounds that I am ill-behaved. You scholars should be calm and stay calm."
Grand Secretary Xie Jin was the first to react, "What did the emperor say about this?"
Other people’s attitudes don’t matter; the emperor’s thoughts are the most important.
The prince said, "As a prince, you should convince others with virtue and reason. There has never been a prince who convinced others with force. I summoned all the scholars today to let them know my determination. Illness cannot defeat me, and the same goes for rumors. I am bloated and lame, but I have been trying to be a good prince. I need the guidance and teachings of the Right Spring Palace scholars to help me be a good prince."
There was once a prince who was used to conquering people by force and successfully ascended the throne. However, in order to show off his strength, he lifted a tripod. As a result, the tripod hit his foot and caused an infection. A few months later, he died. This man was called Ying Dang, a Qin king during the Warring States Period.
It can be seen that the prince relies on wisdom, not strength.
The prince expressed his determination in public, and all the scholars were moved by his strong will despite his disability, and said, "We will die for this mission and fulfill our mission."
Once selected into the Right Spring Office of the Eastern Palace, one is absolutely a dictator. Everyone gets on board with their tickets, and there is no way back. They can only board the prince's broken boat that is swaying in the wind and rain. If the prince's boat capsizes, no one will survive.
The Crown Prince had his bottom line covered with the scholars of the Youchunfang and returned to the East Palace. Prince of Han Zhu Gaoxu came to visit his eldest brother.
The King of Han actually went to the palace to verify the situation because Ji Gang revealed the news that the prince had fainted. Of course, he could not reveal Ji Gang's trump card. He used the excuse of missing his mother to go to the coffin in Rouyi Hall to pay homage and copy scriptures before "stopping by" to see his elder brother.
The prince limped to greet his younger brother. The King of Han took a look and realized that Ji Gang was not deceiving him. There was indeed something wrong with the prince!
Zhu Gaoxu was overjoyed in his heart, but he looked worried. He hurried over to help the prince sit down, "Brother, what's wrong with you?"
The prince wiped the sweat from his head and told the doctor the diagnosis, "… This foot will definitely not heal, but fortunately it won't be life-threatening. It will just be some physical pain in the future. Don't worry, second brother. I can handle it."
After hearing this, the King of Han was a little confused: the left foot cannot be healed, and it will remain like this in the future. Doesn't this mean that he has a lame leg and is disabled
Looking through history books, has there ever been a lame man serving as crown prince
This has never happened before.
Even a fool can be a crown prince and inherit the throne, such as Sima Zhong, the Emperor Hui of Jin Dynasty who said "Why don't you eat meat porridge?" But a cripple cannot, which is a disgrace to the country.
The King of Han felt that his good fortune was coming, so he half-knelt beside the prince, hugged the prince's sick foot and cried, "Brother, I am really heartbroken. If the pain can be transferred, I am willing to bear your sick foot and give you my good leg."
There is no need for the sick foot, just give me the East Palace.
The King of Han cried so hard that the Crown Prince tried to comfort him, "It's not that serious, really. You see, I'm fine now. Except for my legs and feet not working properly, everything is normal. I even had an extra bowl of rice at noon today."
The prince could even joke with the King of Han, "I have always been quiet and don't like to move. I don't like to go out. I can stay in the study all day. I never stand when I can sit, and never sit when I can lie down. I like to take a sedan chair or a carriage when I go out, and I don't want to walk. Later, I got fat, so I had to stop using the sedan chair. I walked in the palace, which was really tiring. Now that my leg is lame, it doesn't matter. I can take a sedan chair wherever I go, and my father won't scold me for being lazy anymore."
After hearing this, the King of Han highlighted the last sentence: Not scolding the prince for being lazy. Does this mean that he has given up on the lame prince and wants to depose him, so he doesn't make any more demands
No matter what, a lame prince is good news for the King of Han. How could the great Ming Dynasty, the most powerful country, want a lame man as its prince? The royal family is not without other legitimate sons, such as me, who is wise, brave and good at fighting.
Prince: Brother, you think too much...
The King of Han cried happily this time, and he felt even happier in his heart. He felt that the seemingly calm Crown Prince was just pretending to be strong. No matter how well Concubine Hu kept it secret, it would be exposed as soon as you attended the morning court. It's normal for you to limp once or twice, but if you limp all the time, let's see how you explain it to the ministers.
However, the prince did not intend to conceal his physical disability, and at the court meeting the next day, the prince limped to court with the support of two eunuchs.
In the entire Fengtian Hall, only the emperor and the crown prince could sit down and discuss state affairs. The crown prince's seat was at the lower left of Emperor Yongle.
According to the rules, all civil and military officials stood in their respective positions first, waiting for the emperor to arrive, and the crown prince Zhu Gaochi followed behind his father. After the emperor and the crown prince sat down, all the officials, including the King of Han and the King of Zhao, performed the great ceremony of monarch and subject to the Yongle Emperor and the crown prince on the throne.
Today the crown prince was staggering like a penguin, his posture was so strange that all the ministers were stunned and forgot to salute for a moment. Xie Jin and other officials from the Right Spring Office of the Eastern Palace knew what was going on and showed admiration.
Xie Jin saw the awkward situation and took the lead in saluting, "Long live the emperor."
Xie Jin was also the head of the Cabinet Secretariat. Although he was a second-rank official, below the first-rank ministers of the six ministries, as the emperor's closest minister, he was somewhat of a weather vane in the court. His command was responded to by hundreds of officials, and all the officials woke up and joined the salute team.
"Stand up." Emperor Yongle waved his hand and ignored the strange vision of the Penguin Prince, as if it was not a big deal.
The prince was as steady as a rock. Facing countless strange looks, he looked them in the face calmly and without panic.
The ministers were still in shock and decided to wait and see. Seeing the prince's calm appearance, they thought he might have just sprained his ankle accidentally.
The King of Han felt deep hatred when he saw the leader Jie Jin coming out to rescue them.
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Ji Gang watched coldly as the King of Han was plotting to kill Jie Jin, knowing that the plan to kill someone with a borrowed knife had been completed, and the next step was to find the right opportunity.
After the grand court meeting, all the ministers talked about the prince's lame leg, and some even went to the Imperial Medical Bureau to inquire about the news. The imperial physician, with the tacit approval of Emperor Yongle, did not hide the news and said that the prince had a foot disease and would be a lame man from now on.
The news of the crown prince's lameness caused a huge uproar, and memorials requesting the dethronement of the prince arrived on Emperor Yongle's desk like snowflakes.
According to convention, all memorials, except those on military and national affairs, were first sent to the cabinet for screening. At most, half of the memorials in a day were about deposing the crown prince, with the reason being that the crown prince was incompetent and affected the image of the Ming Dynasty.
Xie Jin sent the outline of the memorial to Emperor Yongle, who flipped through it and found that most of those calling for the abdication of the crown prince were military generals, but some civil officials also joined in.
Most of the military generals were great contributors to the Jingnan Campaign, such as Duke Qiu Fu of Qi. There was also Duke Ying of Ying, Zhang Fu, who became the most popular military general in the Yongle Dynasty because of the Annan Campaign. He also wrote to Emperor Yongle. Although he did not explicitly say "depose the crown prince", he asked about the crown prince's health in a caring tone, and said that an unstable crown prince would shake the morale of the army, implying that a reliable crown prince should be replaced.
Emperor Yongle was not surprised by this situation. It was the same as before when the master of the Eastern Palace had not yet been decided and the generals supported Prince of Han Zhu Gaoxu to be the crown prince. These people had formed a deep fighting friendship with the Prince of Han during the Jingnan Campaign and had a clear position.
These people said that since ancient times, there has never been a prince with disabilities. Emperor Yongle scoffed at this: Since ancient times, there has never been a prince who became an emperor? Why don't I become an emperor? People with ability can be exceptions.
Emperor Yongle wrote down the names of these people, turned to the end, and stopped. These two people were beyond his expectations: one was his second daughter, Princess Yongping.
The third daughter, Princess Ancheng, married Song Hu, the son of Xining Marquis.
The two princesses wrote to their father together, with similar contents. They said that since the eldest brother, the crown prince, was in poor health, they should not force him and let him rest well and not work so hard.
The implication is that the crown prince should be deposed, and the eldest brother should be made a leisurely prince. The eldest brother has a lame leg and is exhausted.
The two daughters clearly stood on the side of the King of Han. If the eldest brother "rested", who would be the crown prince? Of course, it would be the King of Han, Zhu Gaoxu.
Emperor Yongle could understand that the soldiers in the Jingnan Campaign supported the King of Han. After all, he also won the empire on horseback. He knew that when fighting side by side, he was giving his life to the other side. The loyalty and trustworthiness generated by this were precious. It can be said that the King of Han won the respect and support of these soldiers with his real ability.
But what about the two princesses
Unknowingly, the King of Han has expanded his power from military generals to the royal family
This made Emperor Yongle fearful of the King of Han.
Originally, Emperor Yongle wanted to use the crown prince's lame leg to test the outside world's reaction, let things ferment, and see clearly everyone's position. However, within a few days, both princesses submitted petitions. If he continued to let it go, it might backfire and cause a rift between the ministers and the royal family.
The emperor still has to use thundering means to make his position clear and prevent those people from thinking of deposing the prince.
Emperor Yongle immediately summoned Princess Yongping and Princess Ancheng to the palace. He did not see his two daughters or teach them a lesson. Instead, he asked his two daughters to go to the coffin in Rouyi Hall and copy the "Inner Training" written by Empress Renxiao ten times.
You should always give some face to your own children and let them know the limits.
As for the petitions submitted by the ministers, Emperor Yongle dealt with them in a simple and rough manner. All those who petitioned to depose the crown prince were fined half a year's salary, and he made a speech at the grand court meeting:
"… The quality of a crown prince is not determined by appearance, but by his inner virtue and ability. The crown prince is kind-hearted, diligent, and filial to his parents. When Queen Renxiao was ill, the crown prince sought medical treatment without any slackness. Although the crown prince has a disability, his merits outweigh his shortcomings. If anyone else demands the removal of the crown prince on the grounds of his poor behavior, he will first receive fifty strokes of the cane."
Under the thundering measures of Emperor Yongle, the court and the country finally calmed down. People knew that although the prince was swaying like a tumbler all day long and looked like he would fall down at any time, his position was actually very stable.
The prince turned a disaster into a blessing, although his leg was lame, his position in the East Palace was more secure than ever. Every time he went to court, he was supported by two eunuchs and sat on the throne limping, which was a rare sight in the Ming Dynasty.
The author has something to say: Han Wang: Overturn the table, the prince brother won again! Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution~
Thanks to the little angel who irrigated [nutrient solution]:
13208909 20 bottles; Talking to Myself, Tan Sang, Who Got Jianjia, Tang Mianmian, Zhile, and Prince Civet Cat 10 bottles; Sailing Far Away 6 bottles; I Am a Strong Man, Super Cute, Yuki 5 bottles; Don't Fail the Summer 2 bottles; Cut Long Hair, Timmy, Xiaoxiao, Biubiubiu, Na Tiao Xiao Xiaoyu, Xixi Chasing Books 1 bottle;
Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!