In the 28th year of Hongwu (1395), he was established as Yan Shizi. He is quiet by nature, teaches by example and likes reading. In his childhood, he received a formal education in martial arts and Confucianism.
Zhu Gaochi's grandfather Zhu Yuanzhang is very concerned about the growth of his grandson. On one occasion, Zhu Yuanzhang sent him and his cousin to inspect the army at dawn, and he came back the latest. The emperor asked him why. He explained that it was too cold in the morning, and I didn't start the inspection until the soldiers had finished breakfast, so I came back late. On another occasion, Zhu Yuanzhang asked him to review several official memorials. He only reported to the emperor about the national economy and people's livelihood, but deliberately ignored those who made small mistakes. Grandfather thought he ignored them, and he replied that small mistakes should not be taken care of. Because of his elegance and kindness, he won the love of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. However, because Zhu Gaochi likes quiet and is tired of moving, his body is very fat, and he is not convenient to move. He always needs two attendants to help him move, and he always stumbles. Therefore, for Zhu Di, the Ming emperor who was addicted to martial arts all his life, he didn't like this son. Although he learned archery to a certain extent, on the whole, he rarely showed the qualification of martial arts. On the contrary, to the great delight of his teachers, he devoted himself more to classics and literature-in fact, this may be the main reason for his weak constitution and poor health.
After a difficult period, Judy ordered his eldest son, Zhu Gaochi, to stay in Beijing. He united his men and successfully blocked the 500,000-strong army of Li Jinglong, the general of Jianwen Emperor, with an army of 10,000 people, and saved Beijing. This battle is of great significance to the whole south of Beijing, and it is also the most dazzling stroke of Zhu Gaochi in the south of Beijing. During this period, Emperor Wen Jian wrote a letter to Zhu Gaochi, promising to make him king in order to win Zhu Gaochi's obedience to the imperial court. Zhu Gaochi didn't read the letter after receiving it, but sent it to his father Judy intact, which failed his double agent. See: Director Zhu Gaochi.
In June of the 4th year of Wen Jian (1402), Judy, the prince of Yan, led an army south and successfully invaded Nanjing, replacing Emperor Wen and changing to Yongle, hoping to become the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty. In May of the second year of Yongle (1404), Prince Zhu Gaochi was appointed as the Crown Prince. Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, Yang Pu, Huang Huai and others were appointed as friends of his officials and teachers. Since then, as a prince, Zhu Gaochi stayed in Nanjing all the year round to supervise the country in handling some daily affairs. His performance during the period of supervising the country won the respect of his officials and teachers and friends (mostly Hanlin bachelor), thus gaining valuable practical administrative experience. They all established a deep friendship with him and held important administrative positions after he ascended the throne. This laid a good foundation for his short-term administration after he ascended the throne, and it was also the main footnote of his historical reputation of triumphant progress. Judy didn't like his eldest son, and Zhu Gaochi stayed in the battle of Jingnan, so his second brother Zhu stepped onto the front desk. Zhu and Zhu are quite similar, both brave men. They have high prestige among military commanders. He rescued Judy from danger many times in the battle. Judy may have made a wish: "work hard. Your brother is in poor health and has many diseases." . After listening to this, Zhu's enthusiasm was even higher, and he made great contributions to the whole Jingnan neutrality.
After Jing Nan succeeded, Judy succeeded to the throne, but she really hesitated on the issue of establishing a prince. Because of his kindness and elegance, Zhu Gaochi won the support of civil servants. He was the prince personally chosen by Zhu Yuanzhang, Mao, and the legitimate heir to the throne. In feudal society, this is very important; And Zhu's character is also quite like brave and handsome, and he has made great contributions in the predicament. In addition, Judy made a personal wish to pass the throne to him. Personally, he hopes to establish Zhu. He thinks that Zhu Gaochi is too soft-hearted and will be intimidated in the future.
But in the end, Judy made Zhu Gaochi the prince, because the cabinet system of Ming Dynasty and the feudal system of Han nationality restricted the emperor to some extent. Moreover, when Zhu Gaochi was a prince, there was really no big mistake, so he went to abolish his name. It is very important that Zhu Gaochi's eldest son, Zhu Zhanji Minhui, has an abnormal personality and is deeply loved by Judy. Famous civil servants once persuaded by "good grandchildren" and finally made up their minds to make the eldest son a prince and the second son Zhu a king of Han.
However, Zhu did not give in like this. He refused to go to San Francisco and stayed in Beijing to wait for an opportunity to act. First, he slandered Lu Bu's first hero, Jie Jin, and was killed a few years later. He also made Cheng Zu suspicious of the prince, ordered Hu Meng, assistant minister of rites, to spy on the prince's behavior and told him: "People often say that the prince has lost his virtue. You can go to the capital to observe more. If there is anything wrong, come and report it quickly. " Judy was prejudiced against Zhu Gaochi, but Hu Meng was impressed by the prince's honesty. "Only when the Crown Prince is sincere and respectful, and the seven things are carried out in secret, will they be suspected." Gao Xu privately raised many warriors, but fortunately, he persuaded Queen Xu to cut off some of Zhu's guards, and in the fifteenth year of Yongle (14 17), he was forced to take security again. Zhu's plot to seize the warehouse came to an end for the time being. Who knows, Cheng was killed on the way. Zhu Gaosui, the third son of Emperor Zhao, conspired to kill his father during Chengzu's illness, and then he acceded to the throne. Fortunately, someone tipped them off, and the disaster didn't come. Later, because Zhu Gaochi interceded for Zhu Gaosui, Judy finally didn't pursue it. In the 22nd year of Yongle (1424), on July 18th, 65-year-old Judy died on her way back to Beijing during the Northern Expedition. In order to avoid Zhu He taking the opportunity to make trouble, the British public servant and cabinet minister kept his mouth shut. The lacquerware in the general's house melted into a big coffin, and Judy's body was put into the coffin, and she still ate and paid her respects as usual every day, but the curtain of the emperor's car was gone. Yang Rong and eunuch Hai Shou were sent to Beijing to report secretly, and Zhu Gaochi immediately sent his son Zhu Zhanji out of Beijing to welcome the funeral. Due to the careful arrangement of ministers, there was no rebellion in the end and the regime was able to transition smoothly.
It was not until August 25th, the 22nd year of Yongle (1424), that Zhu Gaochi learned of Judy's death. He immediately consulted with Zhou Yi, the official department minister, Yang Shiqi and Yang Rong. He ordered to strengthen public security in Beijing and sent Wang Gui, the eunuch, to Nanjing as a guard. The next day, he released former home secretary Xia Yuanji; In April of the same year, Xia was imprisoned for opposing the third expedition to Mongolia. On September 7, he officially ascended the throne, issued an Amnesty order, and designated the following year as the first year of Hongxi. On the same day, I listened to Xia Yuanji's advice, canceled Zheng He's scheduled voyage at sea, canceled the tea-horse trade at the border, and stopped the mission sent to Yunnan to purchase gold and pearls from Jiaotoe (Annan). He reappointed Xia Yuanji and another demoted official, Wu Zhong, as the Minister of Housing and Industry respectively. With these actions, Zhu Gaochi began to cancel or adjust his father's administrative policies.
After Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne, he began a series of reforms. First, the old ministers of Jianwen Emperor and the families of officials exiled to Yongle Border were pardoned, and they were allowed to return to their original places, which rehabilitated many unjust cases (such as the "Ten Family" tragedy of Wen Jian loyal minister Fang Xiaoru, and the unjust cases of Jie Jin Yongle Dynasty were rehabilitated during this period), restored the official titles of some ministers, and eased the contradictions within the ruling group.
Finally, one month before his death, Zhu Gaochi took the most drastic measures to reverse his father's policy of moving the capital to Nanjing. It is said that this move was strongly demanded by Xia Yuanji and other senior court officials as part of the strategy of transferring resources from the northern border. Since Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne, there has obviously been this idea; At this time, he has set up Nanjing garrison and sent his trusted generals and eunuchs to command. Zhu Gaochi is not interested in Judy's Northern Expedition, nor does he like Peiping. In addition, he worked as a supervisor in Nanjing, so he is familiar with the situation in Nanjing and feels more comfortable there. In addition, he is also concerned about the cost of maintaining the northern capital, which not only greatly increases the burden on the southeast, but also makes it difficult for various government departments to cope.
On April 16th, the first year of Hongxi (1425), all government departments in Beijing were designated as the conduct. Half a month later, he sent Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji to Nanjing to pay a visit to Zhu Yuanzhang's mausoleum, and stayed there in charge. Although there are reports of earthquakes in Nanjing, it is imperative for the emperor to return and the court to move south. However, Zhu Gaochi was already dead before this operation was carried out. Besides, his successor, Zhu Zhanji (Emperor Xuande), did not participate in this plan, and Zhu Zhanji was closer to the Yongle Emperor, so he did not hate the policy of favoring the north. Beijing is still the capital, and Nanjing has become the auxiliary capital. Zhu Gaochi was proficient in astrology, and suddenly he saw the change of the stars overnight. He called Yi Sai, Yang Shiqi and others and said, "Fate is over." So he sighed and said, "Twenty years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, I was disturbed by those evil rumors, and my heart was in danger." We are the same. Rely on the emperor's father Ren Ming to be saved. After I die, who can know my three hearts? " When he spoke, he left tears, and so did Yi Sai and Yang Shiqi.
May 29th, the first year of Hongxi (1425). Zhu Gaochi died suddenly in the Qin 'an Hall in the palace (this Qin 'an Hall is not in the imperial garden) at the age of 47. After his death, he was honored as a celestial body, pure and sincere to Dehong, Wen Wu Qin, Zhang Shengda and Xiao Zhao, with the hall number Renzong.
Zhu Gaochi's funeral was extremely brief, but seven concubines died for him.