The Great Ming Prince of Qin’s Defiant Rise

April, in the third year of Hongwu.

The imperial procession had been traveling west for more than half a month. The convoy had set out from Yingtian Prefecture, passed through Luoyang and crossed Hangu Pass, with endless clouds of yellow dust trailing behind. Nineteen-year-old Zhu Shuang lifted the carriage curtain and gazed at the increasingly desolate scenery. His brow furrowed tighter with every mile.

He was the second son of the reigning emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang. At the start of the year, he had just been named Prince of Qin, with Xi'an as his fiefdom: Chang'an of old, former capital of the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties, and a strategic stronghold in all the land. His father had earnestly charged him in the imperial edict: “The people of the Guanzhong region have suffered greatly since the end of the Yuan. Go there and govern, bringing peace to the people.” Before he left, his eldest brother, Crown Prince Zhu Biao, had taken his hand and said, “Second Brother, Xi'an is the key to the western regions. Father has high hopes for you. Don't let him down.”

At the time, Zhu Shuang had been full of confidence. He had studied literature and martial arts since childhood, and believed his talents were equal to those of any of his brothers. Being appointed to govern a major fief was the perfect chance to fulfill his ambitions. As he traveled west, he imagined Chang'an a thousand times over: towering palaces, bustling streets, and the famed sight of eight rivers encircling the city. Even if it could not rival the splendor of the Han and Tang dynasties, it should still have the air of a powerful northwestern stronghold.

But the farther west he went, the heavier his heart grew.