In contrast to other nations, where disputes over the imperial throne were constant, the succession of the Wei throne was remarkably smooth.
This was due to Wei's strict system of imperial succession.
Typically, Wei monarchs would establish a Crown Prince while still in good health, thus avoiding the national internal strife often caused by succession disputes, as seen in Yan and Zhao.
Furthermore, with a highly developed civil official system internally, Wei Crown Princes, upon their establishment, would have their own太子府 (Crown Prince's Mansion) set up early on, with departments like the 詹师府 (Grand Tutor's Office) and 幼军 (Young Army) serving the Crown Prince.
The officials in these departments were all chosen from the important ministers of the court. These individuals would naturally become the Crown Prince's inner circle, allowing the Crown Prince to legitimately engage in court affairs.
Under such a system, not only was the potential for imperial succession disputes to disrupt state affairs avoided, but it also allowed the Crown Prince to accumulate practical experience in governance from an early age, ensuring they would not be overwhelmed when inheriting the throne.
It was under these circumstances that Wei monarchs were mostly above average, contributing to Wei's prosperous national strength.
The treatment of royal princes, other than the Crown Prince, was considerably less favorable. While they naturally lived in luxury and were free from worry, their education typically focused on the literary classics of various schools of thought, and their tutors were usually chosen from the highly learned scholars of the Hanlin Academy. However, they had very little contact with practical matters of governance.
It was not until the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Wei that his sons were enfeoffed as vassal kings, tasked with managing the military and political affairs of their respective territories.
This imposed higher standards of military and political aptitude on the other princes.
Consequently, later princes generally studied alongside the Crown Prince.
However, as the power of the vassal kings gradually weakened, the Wei court's attitude towards them shifted, leading to a less assiduous approach in the cultivation of princes compared to the initial period.
Lin Fan, the second son of Emperor Wei, was the second son of Emperor Zhaozong of Wei. As Emperor Zhaozong had only these two sons, he doted on them both.
Although Crown Prince Lin Mo also enjoyed the emperor's favor, having been designated as the Crown Prince from early on, he bore the heavy responsibility of inheriting Wei. Zhaozong invested considerable effort in his eldest son, which led to him appearing somewhat strict in daily life.
However, Lin Mo was highly self-disciplined, exceptionally intelligent, diligent in his studies, and deeply cared for Lin Fan. Even after Zhaozong's demise, he did not allow Lin Fan to take up his post as a vassal king, keeping him in the capital.
In contrast, Lin Fan was extremely mischievous in his youth, fond of playing pranks, and was known as "Little Demon" both inside and outside the palace. Academically, he showed little promise, but he favored martial arts, swords, spears, and cudgels.
Emperor Zhaozong was very lenient with his younger son, not deliberately hindering him. Instead, he found prominent generals from the army to teach Lin Fan martial arts.
In his early years, Lin Fan was often described as incorrigible, indulging in pleasure and neglecting his studies, leading the Grand Academicians teaching in the palace to complain privately.
However, as he was still young and had no particular talent for governance that would place him on the list of imperial heirs, no one paid him much mind. Little did anyone expect Lin Fan to become the pillar of Wei.