Prince Jing, Zhu Zaiyun, had a small fingernail-sized red mole beneath his chin. It was strangely shaped, like a ball of flame. Because his chin was slightly elongated, it was hidden and not easily visible. Jiajing had seen it at birth and asked Shao Yuanjie, his most trusted Taoist priest at the time. Shao Yuanjie said it signified both great fortune and great misfortune.
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At this very moment,
With Xu Jue's words, everything became clear. The Prince was indeed very much like himself; on one hand, he was wise and decisive, always seeing the essence of matters at a glance. On the other hand, he was exceptionally resolute, very much like himself, and no one could make him bow his head.
Jiajing knew that the prince's involvement in the succession struggle, while true, had occurred when he was only sixteen or seventeen, with a few young followers. What real trouble could he have caused? He was merely worried about someone plotting behind the scenes, and if it escalated to affect the court, the prince would be sacrificed in vain. Confining him was actually for his own good, hoping he would study diligently. If he proved successful in the future, he would naturally be considered for the throne.
Later, as the situation in the capital grew increasingly complex, Jiajing worried that the prince might encounter problems if he remained in the capital. He then secretly arranged for his return to his princedom, but the imperial decree was never issued. According to custom, when Prince Yu became the "Crown Prince supervising the state," no other princes could remain in the capital. Therefore, it was equivalent to saying that only a few months prior did Prince Jing formally "return to his princedom."
Jiajing asked for more details. Xu Jue could find some but not others. Such matters between father and son were not known to outsiders, so Jiajing let it go and said calmly:
"Your work has been satisfactory… Assign more men to keep a close watch… This time, go to the Imperial Hospital and bring Li Shizhen along to examine Prince Jing's illness…"
At this point,
He hesitated, and Xu Jue naturally understood—
Prince Jing must have truly gone mad!
He immediately replied: