hiː ɪnˈɪʃəli dᵻklˈaɪnd, stˈeɪɾɪŋ ðæt hɪz fˈɑːðɚ hæd ɐkˈɑːmplɪʃt mˈʌtʃ dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ˈɛmpɚɹɚ tˈeɪwuːz ɹˈeɪn ænd jˈɛt wʌz nˌɑːɾə pɹˈɪns, ænd hiː dɪdnˌɑːt dˈɛɹ tə tˈeɪk ɐ tˈaɪɾəl ɡɹˈeɪɾɚ ðɐn hɪz fˈɑːðɚz tʊ wˌɪtʃ ˈɛmpɚɹɚ wɛntʃˈɛŋ ɹɪˈæktᵻd baɪ kɹiːˈeɪɾɪŋ hɪz fˈɑːðɚɹ ɐ pɹˈɪns æz wˈɛl.
He initially declined, stating that his father had accomplished much during Emperor Taiwu's reign and yet was not a prince, and he did not dare to take a title greater than his father's -- to which Emperor Wencheng reacted by creating his father a prince as well.