Panlong's Imperial Path

Panlong Rules of the Realm tells the story of the transition from the reign of the Zhengde Emperor to that of the Jiajing Emperor. After Zhu Houzhao’s death, Prince of Xing Zhu Houcong received the imperial edict and set off for the capital. At just fifteen, he traveled in a prisoner’s cart, sustained by Panlong cuisine, and narrowly escaped an assassin along the way. In the capital, Yang Tinghe tried to block him, but Zhu Houcong argued his case and entered the Fengtian Hall. After ascending the throne, Zhu Houcong clashed repeatedly with Yang Tinghe at court. Yang Tinghe cut the stipends of the vassal princes, but Zhu Houcong countered by investigating corruption and thwarting the schemes of Yang’s allies. Zhu Houcong’s wish to honor his birth father sparked controversy, but he insisted on building his father’s mausoleum. His marriage and choice of empress attracted great attention, and palace rivalries soon followed. Under the pressures of court life and consumed by a desire for immortality, Zhu Houcong turned increasingly to Daoism, and Daoist priests gained influence over the government. He also took steps to govern the country: officialdom was put in order, tax reforms eased the burden on the people, and border defenses were strengthened. But fate had other plans. After the crown prince died young, Zhu Houcong grew distant from his sons because of the saying that “two dragons must not meet.” Crown Prince Zhu Zaihe fell ill and died after leaving the palace to attend lectures, while Zhu Zaihou and the other princes grew up neglected. Zhu Houcong died in the forty-fifth year of the Jiajing reign, and Zhu Zaihou succeeded him, determined to reform and usher in a new chapter for the Ming Dynasty. This work vividly portrays the complexity of that turbulent period and the characters’ shifting fortunes, joys, and sorrows.