Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang participated in the Red Turban Rebellion in the early days, successfully overthrew the Yuan Dynasty after many years, and with the support of his brothers, he was proclaimed emperor, established the state name of Daming, and became a famous emperor in history. During his reign, Zhu Yuanzhang was diligent and thrifty, governed the government well, and built water conservancy in agriculture, making great contributions to agriculture and commerce, making the Ming Dynasty richer and stronger under his leadership.
As we all know, Zhu Yuanzhang has many sons and grandchildren, with a total of 26 sons, why did Zhu Yuanzhang choose Zhu Biao as the crown prince instead of Zhu Di, and how did Zhu Di stand out?
1. Zhu Biao was the eldest son of Zhu Yuanzhang's wife Empress Ma, and Zhu Yuanzhang respected his wife
Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang married Empress Xiaocigao ma shi when he was still in the Red Turban Army. Ma Shi was the adopted daughter of Guo Zixing, the leader of the Red Turban Army, and had repeatedly recommended Zhu Yuanzhang to Guo Zixing because he admired Zhu Yuanzhang's talents. Guo Zixing reused Zhu Yuanzhang through Ma's recommendation and married his beloved daughter to him, so Ma's was kind to Zhu Yuanzhang.
Ma's virtuous and virtuous, talented, and deep feelings with Zhu Yuanzhang after marriage, once accompanied Zhu Yuanzhang through a long period of time, shared happiness and hardships, and helped Zhu Yuanzhang to give advice, so Zhu Yuanzhang had great respect and love for Empress Ma. And Zhu Biao is the eldest son of Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, Zhu Yuanzhang also loves this eldest son, he believes that if he does not have the grace of Empress Ma, he cannot ascend to the throne, and because Zhu Biao is the eldest son of The Concubine, the position of prince is owned by the eldest son of the concubine according to the bloodline, so after ascending the throne, Zhu Biao was made the crown prince, and has always been very firm, and has no intention of appointing others as the prince.
Second, Zhu Biao has been kind and talented since childhood, and is deeply loved by Zhu Yuanzhang
Zhu Biao was the eldest son of Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, and was deeply loved by Zhu Yuanzhang from an early age. When Zhu Yuanzhang was still the King of Wu, he made Zhu Biao the son of the world, and placed high hopes on him, and also let him study with Song Lian and learn some moral scriptures. Song Lian was a famous politician, thinker, and writer in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, and his talent was very good, and he was called a "prodigy" by others because of his outstanding talent. And Zhu Biao was originally intelligent, and he studied with Song Lian, and his talent was comparable to Song Lian, so Zhu Yuanzhang liked him very much.
Zhu Biao, because he learned poetry and etiquette with Song Lian from childhood, was deeply infected by Confucian culture, had a kind and generous personality, and was very friendly in dealing with people, and when his brother Zhu Zhu and Zhu Di were at fault, he often patiently persuaded them, and helped them intercede and absolve them of their faults, so in the hearts of other princes, Zhu Biao was like a real big brother to them, did not hate Zhu Biao because of the imperial family's struggle for power, and was also very friendly to Zhu Biao.
For such a son whose talent and wisdom are combined, why doesn't Zhu Yuanzhang love it? Therefore, for Zhu Biao's position as crown prince, Zhu Yuanzhang has always been very clear and has never hesitated.
Third, in the Ming Dynasty at that time, there were many "princelings" who supported Zhu Biao, and Zhu Biao was the best candidate for the crown prince in the eyes of the ministers
In successive dynasties, ministers always had to distribute party members in the court, and the prosperous Ming Dynasty was no exception. In the Ming Dynasty at that time, the ministers were also very satisfied with Zhu Biao, the talented prince, and they supported Zhu Biao in the court and consolidated Zhu Biao's position as crown prince. The so-called one who wins the world must win the hearts of the people, and winning the hearts of the ministers is like winning the hearts of the people, and when ruling the world, it is even more like a fish, and Zhu Biao is like this.
Among these ministers, the left chancellor Li Shanchang and the right chancellor Xu Da were both princely young fu, Zhongshu Changyu Chun and prince Shaobao, as well as the right governor, Zhongshu left and right chancellor and other high-ranking ministers were very interested in the crown prince Zhu Biao, so Zhu Biao's background in the imperial court was very strong, plus Empress Ma supported Zhu Biao, and the ministers in the imperial court were also very supportive of Zhu Biao, so his position as prince would become more and more stable and not easy to shake.
Although Zhu Biao was made crown prince and deeply loved by the emperor, empress, prince and ministers, he did not ascend to the throne, and in the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu, Zhu Biao died of illness and was later given the title of "Prince Yiwen". Zhu Yuanzhang also died of overwork. Before his death, he swirled around the throne in the hands of some of Zhu Biao's imperial brothers, and finally fell into the hands of Zhu Biao's son Zhu Yunjiao, which was also a fulfillment of the desire of the emperor and some ministers at that time to want Zhu Biao to ascend to the throne.
In history, there are countless disputes between princes, and how many dynasties are like the Ming Dynasty, the princes are very harmonious, do not compete, even if there is the temptation of the throne, but because of the blood affection and end the dispute. It is said that the emperor is ruthless, but in the end he was forced to abandon his family affection on the throne or did the emperor have no emotion? But who can say this clearly!
References: "History of the Ming Dynasty", "Records of the Ming Dynasty", "Those Things of the Ming Dynasty"