元禮 Yuánlǐ

Prince Kang of Xu

Yuanli, Prince Kang of Xu, was respectful and cautious by nature and skilled at riding and archery. He was first made Prince of Zheng and at once appointed Prefect of Zhengzhou. Later his fief was changed to Prince of Xu and he was moved to Area Commander-in-chief of Xu Prefecture. As Prefect of Jiangzhou he won a name for good government, and was commended in a letter under the imperial seal, his actual fief raised to a thousand households. In the Yonghui era he was additionally made Grand Minister of Education and concurrently Prefect of Lu Prefecture. When he died he was posthumously made Grand Commandant and Grand Area Commander-in-chief of Ji Prefecture, and buried beside the Xian Mausoleum. Edit

He had three sons: Mao was made Prince of Huainan and the others were given the rank of duke. Edit

Mao was treacherous and mean and had no principles. Earlier, when Yuanli was ill, his concubine Zhao was beautiful, and Mao forced himself on her. Yuanli rebuked him severely, and Mao, resentful, sent away his attendants and his medicine and meals, saying, "Fifty years as a prince is enough; what does he need medicine for?" Yuanli died for lack of food, and Mao succeeded him. In the Shangyuan era the matter came out, and Mao was exiled to Zhen Prefecture, where he died. Edit

Early in Shenlong, Mao's son Cui was made heir. In the Kaiyuan era he was Supernumerary Chief Minister of the Court of the Imperial Clan. When he died, his son Yannian succeeded him. When the King of Ferghana came to court, Yannian intended to marry his daughter to him, and was impeached by the Right Chief Minister Li Linfu; he was demoted to Aide of Wen'an Commandery and ended as Marshal of Yuhang, and his fief was abolished. Early in Yongtai, Yannian's son-in-law, the Surveillance Commissioner of Qianzhong Zhao Guozhen, raised the matter at court, and an edict made Yannian's son Feng Prince by Succession. Edit