Chapter 20: How Dare You Curse Me to Be Without Heirs?

Chang Yuchun was of immense importance, both to the Great Ming and to Zhu Yuanzhang himself. He and Xu Da, one the foremost warrior of Ming, the other its finest marshal, were pillars of the dynasty. Old Zhu could not fathom the loss the court would suffer without Chang Yuchun; for a moment, he lost composure, his eyes reddening as he fixed a chilling gaze upon Zhang Yi.

“Father… Dad, please don’t frighten Brother Zhang!” Zhu Biao tugged at Zhu Yuanzhang’s sleeve, finally bringing the Emperor back to reason, though his mood remained unsettled, and his gaze still intimidating.

“Brother, forgive us. We’ve just arrived in the capital and are searching for those we might attach ourselves to. We’ve sent many gifts to the Chang family, too. Father simply cannot accept this so suddenly!” Zhu Biao smoothed things over for Zhu Yuanzhang, concocting an excuse.

Zhang Yi pondered. So this Uncle Huang’s concern stemmed from here—a merchant, after all, had spent heavily to ingratiate himself with the Chang family. If something happened to Chang Yuchun, anyone would find it hard to accept.

Strictly speaking, Zhu Biao’s words had holes; Zhang Yi sensed Zhu Yuanzhang was not truly afraid of Chang Mao. But he did not dwell on it, accepting Zhu Biao’s explanation.

Zhu Yuanzhang regained his composure and asked, “Did you see this in the Wordless Heavenly Book?”

“Yes.”

“Uncle Huang,” Zhang Yi said, “the Chang family is not worth your efforts. I believe it best to steer clear of them.”

Zhang Yi’s impression of Zhu Yuanzhang was favorable, especially since he was his father’s close friend. When Zhang Yi wanted to leave Mount Dragon and Tiger, Zhang Zhengchang had objected, but it was Uncle Huang who vouched for him, forcing his father to agree. Zhang Yi remembered this kindness and offered his warning in earnest.

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao exchanged a glance—what was this child hinting at? What could be so grave about the Chang family? Chang Yuchun was one of Zhu Yuanzhang’s most trusted generals, famed for his military exploits. Chang Yuchun’s eldest daughter was betrothed to Zhu Biao, destined to be the Crown Princess, and eventually Empress. The Chang family, in Ming, was bound to be a preeminent noble house—a first-class lineage. Yet Zhang Yi advised them to keep their distance?

“Did you see something?” Zhu Yuanzhang inquired sternly. Zhang Yi thought for a moment and decided to reveal a little. He had just entered into a “cooperation” with Zhu Yuanzhang—he needed to prove his ability to gain Uncle Huang’s trust, and he sincerely hoped Old Zhu would not become too involved with the Chang family; that path led to disaster. Chang Yuchun himself was unproblematic, but Chang Mao was an utter fool.

Because Chang Yuchun died young, Zhu Yuanzhang, out of affection and regard for him, conferred the title of Duke of Zheng upon the fifteen-year-old Chang Mao, despite his lack of military merit. His sister was Crown Princess, the future Empress. His uncle was Lan Yu, the leading general of Ming’s second generation. His father-in-law was Duke Song, Feng Sheng, who, being childless, would have treated Chang Mao as his own son, had Chang Mao been reliable. With such connections and so many protectors, even a pig ought to soar.

Yet Chang Mao, despite Zhu Yuanzhang’s efforts to polish his reputation and the support of so many, managed to ruin everything, one blunder after another—betraying Lan Yu, betraying Feng Sheng… In the end, even his father-in-law turned against him. Worse still, even if he were a pig, as long as he refrained from courting death, Zhu Yuanzhang would have ensured his prosperity for Chang Yuchun’s sake. But later, he became entangled in Li Shanchang’s treason case…

Zhang Yi shuddered at the mere thought. To call him Ming’s “A Dou” was an insult to A Dou himself! Chang Mao enjoyed his father’s lingering protection, but his days were numbered. If Uncle Huang truly forged ties with the Chang household, a single misstep would mean catastrophe for the entire family. Moreover, after Chang Yuchun’s death, with only Chang Mao left, they were not worth relying upon.

No, he must persuade Uncle Huang, Zhang Yi resolved. But how could he convince him of predictions about the future?

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang’s burning gaze, Zhang Yi had an idea. He nodded, “I happened to see certain matters concerning the Chang family in the Wordless Heavenly Book.”

With great seriousness, Zhang Yi took out paper and brush, and with his crooked handwriting, wrote Chang Yuchun’s name: “Chang Yuchun, lifespan forty…”

His first line sent chills down Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao’s spines. Chang Yuchun, Ming’s foremost warrior, was thirty-nine this year, meaning that in the future Zhang Yi had seen, he would live only one more year?

Zhu Yuanzhang’s expression grew uglier, his gaze toward Zhang Yi increasingly hostile. He seemed to see the shadow of Zhou Dian in Zhang Yi—the Daoist who had once followed him, whom he’d thrown into the river to feed the fish.

People crave foresight, but they wish to learn of fortune, not impending doom. Still, Zhu Yuanzhang was no ordinary man; he forced down his dislike and continued to read.

Zhang Yi refrained from describing Chang Yuchun’s fate further, instead writing of Chang Mao: “Eldest son Chang Mao, ennobled young, ambitious yet lacking talent, ultimately stripped of title and exiled, dying of illness…”

“Second son Chang Sheng, ennobled, later executed for treason…”

“Youngest son Chang Sen, dies young…”

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao watched as, with a few strokes, Zhang Yi laid bare the fates of the Chang family members, their hearts racing. If his words were true, the Chang family’s destiny was tragic indeed. Chang Yuchun had three sons and a daughter; Zhang Yi omitted the daughter’s fate, but the three children’s ends were all bleak—ruin and extinction.

Zhu Biao grew anxious, for Zhang Yi was still writing—the fourth was his betrothed, Chang Yuchun’s daughter!

“Chang Shi, eldest daughter of Chang Yuchun…” Zhang Yi hesitated, then wrote: “In the fourth year of Hongwu, becomes Crown Princess, bears two sons and two daughters, passes away in the eleventh year of Hongwu at twenty-four, all her children die young… Destined for Empress, but her fortune was thin, all vanished like smoke!”

Even Zhu Biao could not withstand it; his face turned ashen, and he stepped back several paces.

The anger Zhu Yuanzhang had suppressed flared up again. Zhang Yi’s words reminded him of Zhou Dian, the strange man who’d once followed him and whom he’d drowned for similar reasons.

Zhu Yuanzhang was about to speak when Zhu Biao gripped him tightly, unobtrusively shaking his head, urging the emperor not to lose control.

“Uncle Huang!” Zhang Yi finally noticed Old Zhu’s abnormal expression and set down his brush.

“If you cannot accept this, Uncle, then let it be as if I never wrote it.”

He had written these words to repay Uncle Huang’s kindness, but he understood that some truths were unbearable—such was human nature.

Zhu Yuanzhang saw Zhang Yi’s calm demeanor and remembered he was, after all, just a child. He wished to quell his anger, but could not. He could now empathize with Zhang Zhengchang’s frustration—Zhang Yi was an utter jinx, a bringer of misfortune.

He could bear learning the fate of the Chang family, but when it touched upon Chang Shi and Zhu Biao’s children, he was furious—for those would be the rightful heirs of the Zhu family. How dare he curse his own bloodline with extinction?