Volume One, Chapter 18: Learning of the Jingnan Campaign, Zhu Yuanzhang Seeks to Change History

During this period, Zhu Xiongying remained hospitalized at the medical clinic, with Empress Ma caring for him there.

Upon learning that Xia Jingtian came from six hundred years in the future, Zhu Yuanzhang inquired about the events to come.

“Your Majesty Taizu, the time and space I come from differ greatly from this one. In my timeline, the Crown Prince passed away at the age of eight due to smallpox, and Empress Ma also succumbed to the disease,” Xia Jingtian explained.

Zhu Yuanzhang silently walked into the pavilion, sat down on a stone bench, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup of tea.

“Divine Doctor Xia, you have told me all this before. I thank you for saving my eldest grandson and my daughter. What I want to know is what happens after my death. How does Biao govern the Ming Dynasty?”

Zhu Yuanzhang had always regarded Zhu Biao as his rightful heir and wished to know what kind of emperor he would become.

Xia Jingtian pondered for a moment before responding, “Your Majesty, I speak of the events in my timeline. In this timeline, changes have already been observed: neither the Crown Prince nor the Empress have died; things are different here. In my timeline, however, in the 25th year of the Hongwu era—ten years later—the Crown Prince Zhu Biao died before ascending the throne.”

Zhu Yuanzhang, just as he lifted the tea cup to drink, heard that Zhu Biao would die in ten years and his expression immediately changed drastically.

“What! The eldest dies in ten years? That cannot be! Then who did we appoint as Crown Prince to succeed me?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked anxiously.

Having seen Zhu Yuanzhang many times, Xia Jingtian had always found him calm and composed. Yet upon hearing that the eldest son would die in another future, he was visibly unsettled.

“In my timeline, Your Majesty did not appoint any of your sons as Crown Prince but instead named your eldest grandson, Zhu Yunwen, as heir. He became emperor—the Jianwen Emperor,” Xia Jingtian replied.

“What! Zhu Yunwen as emperor? How could that be? With so many uncles around, there’s no way he could have a stable reign!” Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head in disbelief.

Xia Jingtian sighed, acknowledging that Zhu Yuanzhang had correctly anticipated the instability of Zhu Yunwen’s reign.

“You are right, Your Majesty. Zhu Yunwen reigned for only four years before Zhu Di launched the Jingnan Campaign, seized the throne, and became the Yongle Emperor,” Xia Jingtian said solemnly.

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned to hear that Zhu Yunwen ruled only four years before Zhu Di rebelled and took the throne.

“What is the Jingnan Campaign? The Fourth Prince seized the throne and became emperor? Among my sons, the Fourth Prince resembles my younger self the most—did he rebel?”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s expression was grave. To him, the Jingnan Campaign was nothing but rebellion—a usurpation of his nephew’s throne.

“In our timeline, Your Majesty, fearing treacherous ministers usurping power, you decreed that vassal princes had the right to suppress traitorous officials and raise armies to protect the emperor. The 'Ming Dynasty Ancestor’s Instructions' state: ‘When the court lacks loyal ministers and harbors traitors, troops shall be raised to eliminate them and cleanse the emperor’s side.’”

“Zhu Di used this as justification, accusing Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng of treachery, demanding their elimination.”

“The term ‘Jingnan’ means ‘pacifying disaster.’ During the Jingnan Campaign, Zhu Di’s slogan was ‘Cleanse the emperor’s side, pacify the country’s disaster.’ ‘Jing’ means to quell, sweep away, and eliminate. Thus, ‘Jingnan’ signifies suppressing turmoil, ending warfare, and clearing out treacherous ministers.”

“However, Your Majesty’s instructions also stipulated that the emperor must first summon the vassal princes before they could raise armies, and after successfully eliminating the traitors, they were to leave the capital within five days,” Xia Jingtian explained.

“From what I know of the Fourth Prince, he wouldn’t rebel lightly. After Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne, what did he do?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked eagerly.

Xia Jingtian admired how the founding emperor immediately grasped the crux of the matter.

“In my timeline, after Your Majesty’s passing, Zhu Yunwen ascended and shortly after, stripped Prince Zhou Zhu Su of his title, having him and his entire family escorted back to Yingtian, reduced to commoners and relocated to Yun, Dian, and Menghua.”

“The following year, he stripped three other princes—Qi, Xiang, and Dai—of their titles, also reducing them to commoners.”

“Prince Xiang Zhu Bo, unable to bear the humiliation, burned himself and his family alive to preserve their honor; Prince Qi Zhu Fu was placed under house arrest in Yingtian; Prince Dai Zhu Gui was confined to his fief in Datong. Two months later, Prince Min Zhu Fen was stripped of his title, reduced to commoner status, and relocated to Zhangzhou.”

“Next, he intended to strip Prince Yan Zhu Di, which prompted Zhu Di to launch the Jingnan Campaign,” Xia Jingtian detailed.

With a loud bang, Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his tea cup onto the ground, shattering it, then stood up in anger.

“Unbelievable! To strip vassals of their titles and force an uncle to death! No wonder the Fourth Prince rebelled—if it were me, I would have rebelled too! What happened to Yunwen? Did he get killed?”

Zhu Yuanzhang asked with concern.

“No. After Zhu Di led the Yan army into Yingtian Prefecture, Zhu Yunwen set himself on fire in the palace and died,” Xia Jingtian answered.

“Alas! I never imagined that our Ming Dynasty would be so turbulent, with the descendants of the Zhu family turning against each other for the throne,” Zhu Yuanzhang sighed deeply, looking as if he had aged a decade overnight.

“Your Majesty, I speak only of the timeline I come from. But in this timeline, it is different. I saved the Crown Prince Zhu Xiongying and Empress Ma. This has already caused a shift in history; my presence has altered the course of events here,” Xia Jingtian reminded him.

“You are right. Our eldest grandson and daughter are both alive—that itself is a sign of change. I will change history so the Jingnan Campaign never occurs. I will ensure that Biao inherits my throne and becomes emperor!” Zhu Yuanzhang declared with confidence.

Over the next half-month, Zhang Sanfeng came daily to teach Xia Jingtian the supreme martial arts of Wudang.

Xia Jingtian’s talent was extraordinary; he mastered all of Zhang Sanfeng’s techniques, only lacking experience.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao, assisted by the court scholars, handled state affairs more easily and took turns visiting Zhu Xiongying at the clinic.

After a month of treatment, all the pockmarks on Zhu Xiongying’s body vanished; he was lively and fully recovered.

“Thank you, Divine Doctor Xia, for saving Xiongying’s life. We have troubled you greatly during our stay at the clinic,” Empress Ma said regretfully. “It is unfortunate that once I return to the palace, I cannot use those electric appliances anymore, and Xiongying won’t be able to watch cartoons.”

“As long as the clinic’s doors remain open to the palace, you may come anytime. Anyone who falls ill can seek me out,” Xia Jingtian said gladly.

Empress Ma, accompanied by Zhu Xiongying, left the clinic in high spirits.

Xia Jingtian looked around the now quiet clinic and sighed, feeling that the past month had been truly fulfilling. He lay down and enjoyed a good sleep.

Knock, knock, knock!

Early the next morning, he was awakened by a knock on the door. Stretching, Xia Jingtian opened the back door of the clinic.

He saw a boy of about seventeen or eighteen, carrying a middle-aged man with a beard on his back—someone very familiar.

“Divine Doctor Xia, I am Zhu Xiongying. Please, save my father! Just now, he was still speaking, but now he’s not moving!” the boy pleaded anxiously.

Xia Jingtian was stunned. In just one night, how had the child turned into a youth? Looking more closely, he recognized the man on the boy’s back as Zhu Biao, now in middle age.

“Quick, place him on the examination bed!” Xia Jingtian ordered.

Zhu Xiongying hurriedly laid Zhu Biao on the bed.

After examination, Xia Jingtian found that Zhu Biao had no heartbeat or breath—he had died suddenly.