Chapter 355 - 209 Prince Ning_2
Emperor Qianwen acceded to Zhu Xiangsheng’s wish, arranging for him to gain experience in the military, while also regarding him with more esteem than before. He felt that Zhu Xiangsheng was not afraid of hardships, was practical, and, lacking a prestigious background, would not hold overly ambitious desires. Such a person, once well cultivated, could indeed be an asset to the Crown Prince.
Crown Prince Zhu Xiangchang was pure and filial. His mother, Empress Yuan, died when he was three, and he was brought up personally by Emperor Qianwen. Despite trying many methods, perhaps due to his nature, the emperor failed to change the Crown Prince’s gentle and benevolent character.
If this eldest son could wholeheartedly assist the Crown Prince, then Emperor Qianwen would be much more at ease.
From then on, Emperor Qianwen treated Zhu Xiangsheng much better, even intentionally fostering a closer relationship between him and the Crown Prince, and at the age of twenty, conferred upon him the title of Prince Ning.
Zhu Xiangsheng was genuinely capable, adept at winning people’s hearts, and could endure hardships. Over ten years in the military, he established considerable prestige and had even led troops to fight on the frontier and pacified uprisings in Lingnan.
In the Great Qian Kingdom, only the founding emperor came from a military background, while none of the later generations of the Royal Family produced any real military officers (those who received honorary military posts were not counted). Zhu Xiangsheng was an exception.
When the Great Qian Kingdom went to war with Dajin Country, Duke Yueguo was appointed Marshal, and Prince Ning Zhu Xiangsheng was named the inspector general, leading an army of a hundred thousand to the front.
Half a year later, in a sudden decision to raise Crown Prince Zhu Xiangchang’s prestige and to toughen him up, Emperor Qianwen sent him to supervise the transportation of military provisions.
At that time, the war was at its most brutal. Upon receiving the news, Zhu Xiangsheng, fearing for the Crown Prince’s safety, hastened with his troops to meet him. On the night that the brothers joined forces, the provisions were burned, and the Crown Prince was shot dead with a secret arrow...