The imperial encampment near the capital, in the early hours before dawn, was blanketed beneath heavy, lead-colored clouds. The Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi's declaration of ascension—filled with grief and resolve—had split the night sky like a thunderclap, shaking the heartstrings of every soldier present. No one could have predicted that the enthronement of a new emperor would occur so hastily, beside the late emperor's coffin, within a humble military tent.
Now, Zhu Gaochi stood clad in mourning robes, surrounded by senior ministers such as Yang Shiqi, Qian Yi, and Xia Yuanji, in the central command tent. Though not physically imposing, a newfound majesty radiated from his gaze, enough to awe all who knelt before him. Looking over the assembled generals, he solemnly announced Emperor Yongle's death and his own accession, under the Mandate of Heaven. This mixture of sorrow and imperial authority swiftly calmed the troops, transforming their initial shock into submission.
"Emperor Yongle has passed, the new sovereign has risen, and the army is now stabilized," Yang Shiqi quietly reported to Zhu Gaochi, his tone betraying a hint of exhaustion and a complicated assessment of this new monarch. Zhu Gaochi's swift, decisive actions had exceeded expectations—and much of that was thanks to Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji's "guidance."
Meanwhile, the mastermind behind all of this—Li Ming—remained in his own tent, appearing as nothing more than a sickly patient removed from the world. His pale face betrayed no emotion, but his mind was already calculating the next move. He knew Zhu Gaochi's enthronement was just the beginning; the true test was yet to come.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince—no, His Majesty—has taken full control of the army. All generals have pledged allegiance," Wang Zhen reported with a deep bow. His aged face bore a mixture of excitement and confusion. He had witnessed it all: how a once-timid heir had, in the span of a single night, become a resolute ruler. All of this seemed to have stemmed from a few whispered words from the bedridden Crown Grandson.
Li Ming gave a soft hum in acknowledgment, his gaze drifting to the tent ceiling as though he could see through the layers of fabric to the ever-shifting skies outside.
"Wang Zhen, deliver my message. Have the palace prepare to transport Father's coffin, along with the Crown Princess Zhang, to Nanjing."
Wang Zhen froze. "Your Highness… not back to the capital?"
Li Ming slowly closed his eyes, his voice calm as still water, yet carrying an undeniable chill: "Back to the capital? His Majesty is newly crowned—this is the most volatile time. Jinling is the birthplace of the Ming, steeped in the legacy of Heaven's Mandate. It is more stable than the capital. Besides, there are some… clowns that need a proper cleansing."
He didn't say more, but Wang Zhen was already trembling. Cleansing? Clearly, His Highness was referring to the restless princes and noble families in the capital. By sending the emperor's coffin and the future empress to Nanjing, he was, in effect, placing Zhu Gaochi under a veiled form of house arrest—preventing him from fully consolidating military and political power in the north. At the same time, it gave him the illusion of a "secure rear," so he could focus on eliminating the "traitors" in the capital.
This move killed multiple birds with one stone—insidious to the extreme.
Wang Zhen dared not question further. He bowed again and withdrew. His fear of the Crown Grandson had now surpassed mere reverence.
Lying alone in his tent, Li Ming knew that this arrangement would place tight boundaries around Zhu Gaochi. As emperor, Zhu Gaochi would be forced to cleanse the capital's tangled web of clans and courtiers—an exhausting process that would, in the end, pave the road for Li Ming himself.
Zhu Gaoxu, you fool, Li Ming sneered silently. Zhu Gaochi had now been thrown into the spotlight. Zhu Gaoxu, the greedy "fish," was sure to take the bait. Once Gaochi had cleared most of the obstacles and was drained of strength, then the true fisherman—Li Ming—would make his move.
As these thoughts spun through his mind, the sound of rapid footsteps and clashing weapons echoed from outside.
"Your Highness! Emergency military report!"
Wang Zhen returned, this time without his earlier excitement. His face was pale, and his hands trembled as he held out a dispatch scroll.
"What's got you so shaken?" Li Ming's voice remained weak, yet his presence exuded a quiet authority that brooked no dissent.
"It's the Oirats! The Oirats!" Wang Zhen stammered. "The Oirat Grand Councillor, Toghon, has led a force of a hundred thousand to the gates of Datong! The military report says… they're flying banners reading 'Avenge the Yongle Emperor'—but in truth, they're exploiting our mourning to plunder the frontier!"
A hundred thousand Oirat troops!
Li Ming's eyes turned sharp as blades. He had predicted Oirat activity in his "dream" specifically to push Zhu Gaochi to ascend quickly. But he hadn't expected them to act this fast—nor to brand their attack with the slogan of vengeance. This was shameless opportunism at its finest.
He immediately ordered Wang Zhen to retrieve the border map that Yang Shiqi had examined earlier. As his gaze fell upon the bright red characters he had circled the day before—"Datong"—a cold, cruel smile curved his lips.
"So, Toghon… you didn't disappoint me after all."
He knew the Oirat invasion was both a threat and an opportunity for Zhu Gaochi—a chance to further tighten his grip on the military. But for Li Ming, it was the perfect stage to showcase his own strategic genius and the true power of the Super Library he now possessed.
"Wang Zhen!" Li Ming's eyes suddenly flashed open, all signs of weakness vanished, replaced with radiant intensity. "Go at once and summon His Majesty. Tell him I have urgent military intelligence—concerning the very fate of Ming!"
Wang Zhen stared at the frail Crown Grandson, whose sudden aura seemed to chill the entire tent. He realized that a true bloodbath was about to begin.
And in that moment, deep in his heart, Li Ming felt a surge of excitement—and battlelust.
Oirat? This first challenger would serve as his stepping stone.
Zhu Gaoxu, you think you can benefit from the chaos? This chaos was crafted precisely for you.
As the new emperor of Ming had just taken the throne, the fires of war were already rising along the borders. Amid the looming storm, a true ruler—one who had seized the Mandate of Heaven—was silently pulling the entire realm into the abyss of his dark and fathomless gaze.