Chapter 13: Liu Bang: Indeed, the Crown Prince Should Be Established

Regarding the death of Crown Prince Zhu Biao, Lu Xuan had initially planned to wait a while before informing Uncle Ji and Uncle Fang.

This was no trivial matter. According to historical records, Zhu Yuanzhang had great hopes for Zhu Biao. If he were to learn of this news suddenly, it was feared that in his fury he might even execute those responsible.

Unsure of Zhu Yuanzhang’s exact temperament, Lu Xuan pondered for a moment before murmuring, “This matter must not be recorded in letters sent to the capital just yet. Otherwise, I fear His Majesty will not only refuse to believe it but may also, in his wrath, kill us all.”

“That would be tantamount to cursing the current Crown Prince,” Liu Bang and Zhang Liang both ignored Lu Xuan’s words.

The two of them were already deeply shaken by the statement that “the Crown Prince had long since passed away.”

Especially Liu Bang, who clenched his fists tightly. His own Crown Prince, Liu Ying, was only nine years old.

Four years ago, he had established Liu Ying as Crown Prince.

Liu Ying was the eldest son of Empress Lü, who was the Empress, thus Liu Ying was, in the strictest sense, the legitimate eldest son of the Han dynasty. His feelings toward this Crown Prince were complicated—both fond and conflicted.

Liu Ying was kind and gentle, a true gentleman. Though only nine, he had already displayed a broad-minded and tolerant nature. He cared deeply for his brothers and respected the ministers, cultivating his innate kindness to the fullest and inspiring everyone around him.

In the past, Liu Bang had kicked Liu Ying off a carriage three times in his struggle to survive, yet the young Liu Ying bore no resentment or dissatisfaction toward him.

What Liu Bang valued most was Liu Ying’s outlook on governance, which mirrored his own beliefs. He agreed that the Han dynasty should “recover and nurture life,” through policies such as reducing taxes, encouraging production, rewarding childbirth, and relaxing restrictions on commerce.

In his eyes, Liu Ying was a competent ruler, one he liked very much.

But what troubled him was Liu Ying’s gentleness.

An emperor must be kind, but also ruthless.

Kind to the common people, ruthless to officials and nobles.

Having weathered many trials alongside Empress Lü for years, Liu Bang knew her strong, domineering, and cold nature well. If he were to pass away first, Liu Ying would never be able to control Lü Zhi. Moreover, in the current Han dynasty, the Empress’s power was nearly equal to the emperor’s.

He hoped Liu Ying would be more ruthless; in fact, he had already hinted at this privately.

Liu Ying was intelligent and understood this truth, but he simply could not be as hard-hearted as Liu Bang.

He both liked and disliked Liu Ying, yet if he had to choose one heir, his first choice would still be Liu Ying.

Though recently he favored Liu Ruyi, the six-year-old son of Consort Qi, who in Liu Bang’s eyes resembled himself most, the Central Plains, having just endured centuries of turmoil, could not afford a second emperor like him. The Han dynasty was better suited to a ruler like Liu Ying, who would foster stability and recovery.

Now Lu Xuan told him that Liu Ying would soon pass away?

Liu Bang’s heart trembled. If Liu Ying died early, whom should he choose as heir?

Was it not supposed to be Liu Ruyi? Why choose Liu Ying’s child, his own unborn imperial grandson?

“Lord Lu, I do not doubt the accuracy of historical records; I am merely wondering if you might have made a mistake?”

“If the Crown Prince dies young, the emperor should choose another son to stabilize the officials and the court. How could the infant imperial grandson ascend the throne?”

Liu Bang felt he would never make such a decision.

Lu Xuan smiled at this, “Then you underestimate the current Sovereign.”

“Since the dynasty is newly established, the system must be clear and follow the principle of primogeniture. The Crown Prince, as the emperor’s legitimate eldest son, naturally holds the first right of inheritance under the patriarchal system. When the Crown Prince dies young, tradition dictates that the throne should first be passed to the Crown Prince’s legitimate eldest son.”

“Though the Jianwen Emperor’s older brother died young, after Jianwen’s mother, Lady Lü, was elevated, he could still be considered a legitimate eldest son, meeting the criteria of primogeniture.”

“As a traditional ruler, His Majesty values maintaining the orthodox line of succession. Passing the throne to the imperial grandson preserves the legitimacy and stability of inheritance according to the system, preventing turmoil and disputes that would arise from breaking tradition. Moreover, the Crown Prince was deeply cherished by His Majesty, gentle and capable of governing, long regarded as the ideal heir.”

“The Crown Prince’s early death grieved the Sovereign deeply. To compensate for this loss, his love was transferred to the imperial grandson, who showed similar kind-hearted qualities to his father. The hope is that he will carry on the Crown Prince’s governing philosophy and safeguard the realm.”

Here, Lu Xuan lowered his voice, “What I say next must not be spoken aloud to avoid fatal consequences.”

“The reason the throne is passed to the imperial grandson is also due to the shortcomings of the other legitimate sons. The Empress’s second son was deposed for crimes and behaved badly; the third son was hot-tempered and unloved; the fourth son, though brave and skilled in battle, was too forceful. His Majesty feared that if he ascended, he might treat ministers and brothers harshly, causing internal royal strife and instability, which would be detrimental to the early dynasty’s need for peace and recovery.”

“If another prince were made emperor, it would break the primogeniture system, giving other princes grounds for improper ambitions. His Majesty knows well that the princes hold their own armies and power. Naming another prince emperor could provoke dissatisfaction and conflict among them, leading to division and strife within the royal family. Choosing the imperial grandson, however, can balance these powers and reduce direct conflicts among the princes.”

Lu Xuan explained at length.

Liu Bang’s emotions grew ever more complex. After hearing this, he finally understood.

Indeed.

If such a situation truly arose in the future, considering all aspects, he too would choose to pass the throne to the imperial grandson.

This appeared to be the least likely path to spark internal conflicts within the dynasty and among the princes.

But what he could not accept was that his own eldest son, Liu Ying, who bore the signs of a wise ruler, would die so prematurely.

Could Liu Ying’s illness be cured?

Since Lu Xuan had managed to find a cure for Lady Lü’s long-standing ailment, Liu Ying should also have a chance, right?

He was about to inquire about the cure but did not want to interrupt Lu Xuan’s narration, as he wished to learn more about the upcoming Jingnan Rebellion—what exactly was it? Which of his sons was bold enough to dare rebel?

“Lord Lu, please continue telling me about the Jingnan Rebellion.” Liu Bang stood and personally poured a cup of water for Lu Xuan, placing it before him respectfully.

Lu Xuan drank deeply, feeling somewhat parched after speaking so much. “Perhaps we should stop here for today. To be honest, I’m a bit tired after all this.”

“The Jingnan Rebellion is a far more complicated matter.”

Hearing this, Liu Bang had no choice but to relent. Since Lu Xuan was tired today, he took the opportunity to inquire briefly about Liu Ying’s condition before parting.

“Lord Lu, I want to ask—can the Crown Prince’s illness be cured?”