Zhu Su was not the eldest of Zhu Yuanzhang's living sons; there was also his fourth son, Zhu Di.
However, Zhu Su is currently the eldest son within the Ming Dynasty. Even the fourth son, Zhu Di, is naturally listed in the imperial genealogy, but he does have his own base in Japan.
Even though he still had to submit to the Ming Dynasty, he was still a monarch or king with his own territory. Even if it was considered a barbaric land by some, his power was far greater than that of the vassal kings who once held sway over Beiping. He was now a local emperor, no longer 'subject to others'.
Because of Zhu Di's success, Zhu Su, the fifth prince, now holds the most prestigious position among the Ming Dynasty's princes. Even with the seemingly eccentric Zhu Yunwen, everyone knows that Zhu Su's status is actually far more valuable.
As the head of the Imperial Clan Court, Zhu Su had a serious expression and would not be lenient with his good-for-nothing younger brothers or nephews.
Sitting in the chair, Zhu Su's expression was serious. "Zhu Shangbing, do you know why I asked you to come here today?"
Zhu Shangbing, however, still had some confidence, so he smiled and said, "Fifth Uncle, I don't know."
"Do you know why your mother was forced to commit suicide back then?" Zhu Su asked directly, not one to tolerate Zhu Shangbing.
For a moment, Zhu Shangbing's expression turned sour. He was Zhu Shuang's eldest son, but not the eldest legitimate son, because Zhu Shuang's principal wife was a Mongol named Guanyinnu. Zhu Shangbing's mother was Zhu Shuang's second wife, and although she was the daughter of Deng Yu, she was still ordered to commit suicide by Zhu Shuang.
Zhu Su continued, "Originally, we didn't want to say much about my second brother's affairs. After my second brother passed away, why did Father only bestow the title of 'Min'?"
What is "min"? Simply put, it means someone who deserves to die and has poor moral character.
Despite his grief, Zhu Yuanzhang was also deeply pained by the actions of his second son. Therefore, when he gave his final verdict on Prince Qin, Zhu Shuang, he was relatively fair.
"Did you and the Prince of Jin have many complaints at the banquet?" Zhu Su asked directly, ignoring Zhu Shangbing's unpleasant expression. "Think it over before you answer me. Your sixth uncle and I are all here, and the Prince of Wu is also sitting here. Think it over before you speak. We need to write all of this down so that His Majesty can review it!"
Zhu Shangbing broke out in a cold sweat. He seemed to understand why he had been subjected to such a grand "trial" this time; this was what being interrogated meant.
Even though it seems relatively respectable—no shackles or chains, no officials escorting him—it's all just a trial, at most a dignified affair; he's not being treated as a criminal yet.
Seeing Zhu Shangbing with his head down, not daring to speak, Zhu Su continued, "There are some things we don't want to say too much about. Think it over before you reply. You know what you've done, and everyone else knows too. You're not stupid, and others aren't easily fooled."
It would be a lie to say that Zhu Shangbing wasn't afraid, even though he was a prince, the famous Prince of Qin.
However, Zhu Shangbing, who grew up in Yingtian Prefecture, knew better than anyone that although they were all grandsons of the Emperor, it was difficult for him and his brothers to even see their grandfather. On the other hand, their cousin could see the Emperor whenever he wanted, and the Emperor was even inseparable from his cousin. The cousin's status was something that none of them could match even if they were all together.
Like his father, he was the King of Qin, a man of great rank and prestige. But so what? His uncle was the Crown Prince, a Crown Prince with a secure position.
These princes and noblemen could only study in the main hall, where they were taught by seemingly more accomplished scholars and members of the Hanlin Academy. But their cousin was personally taught by his uncle and grandfather. If these princes or noblemen disliked studying, they might be punished. But their cousin could go to the main hall only a few times a month and be fine.
Most importantly, let alone his brothers of the same generation, even his grandfather's younger sons were frequently tested by the then-Crown Prince!
At most, the Crown Prince himself had given his brothers quite a few slaps. As for the Imperial Uncles, they were basically handed over to the Imperial Grandfather or the Crown Prince for punishment, since they were still of different generations.
At this moment, Zhu Yunwen also said, "Prince Qin, you are two years younger than me. As your elder brother, I should speak up. If it's just drunken ramblings and there's no treason involved, then it's just a reprimand. But if you dare to keep it a secret now, things will get complicated once we find out."
Zhu Shangbing looked miserable and pitifully said, "Brother Wu, even if we were the boldest, we wouldn't dare to rebel."
“If you dare not rebel, then behave yourself,” Zhu Su said directly. “Tell me, what did you say to the Prince of Jin?”
Zhu Shangbing naturally understood; it seemed that some complaints he had made with Zhu Jixi after drinking had come to the emperor's attention. However, the nature of their complaints could be considered serious, or they could be dismissed—it all depended on the emperor's perspective.
Zhu Shangbing thought for a moment and then said, "Fifth Uncle, Brother Jin and I were just talking nonsense after drinking. In our younger years, we were both in our fiefdoms. Although we didn't do any work in our fiefdoms, we felt more comfortable in our fiefdoms. Staying in Yingtian Prefecture was not as interesting as being in our fiefdoms."
Zhu Su also has a lot to say on this. He seems not to care much about being a prince, and even feels that this status sometimes restricts his freedom. But in reality, when he was enfeoffed in Kaifeng, he was much freer than when he was in Yingtian Prefecture.
Even though the princes of the Ming Dynasty did not have as much power as some of the princes of the Western Han Dynasty, they were still enfeoffed. Not to mention that the emperor was far away, no one in the local area could control them, so it was not a big deal for them to do bad things.
Unlike now, in Yingtian Prefecture, one is merely a "rich idler." Even members of the imperial family can work in banks, the Maritime Trade Office, and other similar places. However, everyone knows that those positions are relatively leisurely. It's practically impossible for members of the imperial family to achieve anything significant in officialdom; the emperor would never allow them to truly wield power.
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