In Kunning Palace, Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan sat opposite each other.
In recent days, the news that the intruders had surrounded the capital had also reached the palace. They had known about it for a long time, but starting from today during the day, they heard the sound of cannons one after another. Queen Zhou felt very uneasy, so she specially called
She asked Concubine Tian and Concubine Yuan to talk to her. After a day passed like this, their mood became more and more chaotic.
I have to say that although Chongzhen has shortcomings of one kind or another, there is one thing he does very well, even much better than Pang Gang, and that is that he controls women's sex very well.
When he became King Xin, he only had one daughter-in-law, who is now Empress Zhou. After he became emperor, the civil and military officials saw that the Ming Emperor only had one wife. This was outrageous. How could this be possible?
?You only have one wife, and we ministers are too embarrassed to take concubines, so we tried to find him two wives, who later became Concubine Yuan and Concubine Tian. Concubine Tian died of illness a year ago, and now
The only wives left in the palace were Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan.
Of course, the above mentioned are only the famous concubines. As for whether Chongzhen could not control his crotch at some point and made mistakes in his life style, no one knows, but generally speaking, in the history of the Ming Dynasty,
Among emperors, Chongzhen is a rare good comrade with a decent style.
With fewer wives, there will be fewer disputes. This is a natural thing. If there are no more wives, who will you fight with? Therefore, the relationship between Zhou Hou and Concubine Yuan is quite good.
Looking at the dark sky outside, Queen Zhou breathed a sigh of relief and said to Concubine Yuan in front of her: "Sister Yuan, it's getting late, and it seems that the emperor will not come over. We have been sisters for so many years, and it is rare for us to have a good chat together.
Let’s talk, how about we stay up all night and talk tonight?”
Concubine Yuan felt miserable in her heart, but as smart as she was, she understood what Queen Zhou meant. Tomorrow the city of Beijing might fall into the hands of the enemy. Tonight might be their last night, so cherish it!
Although Concubine Yuan felt very sad in her heart, she still forced a smile and said: "That's fine, as my sister said, I will only disturb you tonight."
The two looked at each other tacitly, and just as they were about to take a break, they heard the eunuch outside shouting: "The Emperor is here!"
After hearing this, Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan were not only surprised, but their hearts could not help but beat wildly. They thought: "Oh my God, the emperor came here late at night, something must be wrong!" Queen Zhou quickly led Concubine Yuan, the maids and the eunuchs.
When picking up the driver at the courtyard, everything was in accordance with the usual etiquette in the Queen's Palace, but it seemed very sloppy in the rush.
Chongzhen was welcomed into the main hall of Kunning Palace. After the three of them sat down one after another, no one spoke for a long time. Chongzhen had been restless these days and couldn't eat. His complexion looked gloomy. His eyes were sunken. This man was just thirty-two years old.
The 20-year-old Ming Tianzi now has a few new white hairs on his temples, which is not commensurate with his age. He looks very old-fashioned. Especially his pair of eyes that are most familiar to Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan. They were originally Chongzhen's eyes.
His eyes have always been bright and bright. No matter how corrupt the country's affairs are, those eyes are always full of perseverance. But now that compelling light is gone. Not only is his look dim, his white eyeballs are bloodshot, and he looks dull.
and despair.
When Empress Zhou saw the emperor's unusual expression, she felt sad and did not dare to take a closer look. She turned around and glanced at Concubine Yuan inadvertently. Concubine Yuan's big eyes were secretly filled with tears, and she lowered her head quietly. Zhou
The queen couldn't help but asked secretly in her heart: "Is the country really going to perish?" She was so painful that she wanted to cry loudly, but she tried her best to endure it.
Looking at his two wives, Chongzhen felt that he still had a lot to say about Empress Zhou and Concubine Yuan, but the words could not come out. Empress Zhou was only thirty-one years old this year, and Concubine Yuan was thirty.
Years old, they all had beautiful faces, their pretty faces were as peach blossoms without makeup. But tonight, Chongzhen found that they had all become very haggard, as if they had aged ten years in a few days. He did not dare to look at Zhou more.
The queen. The queen's sad look made him very heartbroken, and he even deeply regretted that he had failed the queen and caused the queen to end up like this. In the past thirteen years, there were many loving memories between him and the queen of Zhou that he would never forget. Chongzhen lowered his head deeply.
He sighed and stamped his foot on the ground.
The sound of Chongzhen stamping his feet startled Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan. They all looked up at the emperor, but they didn't see the emperor speaking. Over the years, they had rarely seen the emperor lose his normalcy like this. Ever since
Since they heard that bandits surrounded the capital, they have considered numerous changes in their minds. If the city is destroyed and the country is destroyed, as one of them is the "mother of the country" and the other is an imperial concubine, they have no reason to endure the humiliation and survive, so they are ready to
She was preparing to die for her country. Seeing that the emperor suddenly came to Kunning Palace with such an abnormal expression, she wondered in her heart: Could it be that the emperor wanted to tell her that the time to die for her country had come? After waiting for a while, Queen Zhou could no longer bear it and trembled to Chongzhen.
The voice asked:
"Your Majesty, if you have anything to say to my concubines, please do so!"
Chongzhen knew what the queen meant by asking this question, but he still lowered his head and said nothing. Slowly, Chongzhen's eye circles turned red, and big tears fell to the ground one by one.
Seeing Chongzhen shed tears in front of them, Empress Zhou and Concubine Yuan didn't know what had happened. They couldn't help crying anymore.
Queen Zhou sobbed and cried loudly. She cried and said: "Your Majesty, it has been more than ten years since I heard a word from my concubine, and this has led to today's disaster. Why are you suffering!" Although the Queen should treat herself
I had already made up my mind to die for my country and thought it was "just and right", but when things came to pass, I couldn't help but feel sad.
Chongzhen stopped crying, sighed deeply and asked: "Zitong, I won't hide it from you now. The thieves besieged the city and the city was broken only day and night. As the mother of the country, you cannot fall into this trap."
Opponents, I cannot imitate Song Huizong and Song Qinzong, you all know what to do, right?"
Empress Zhou and Concubine Yuan were already in tears at this moment. How could they not know the fate of Emperor Huiqinzong of the Northern Song Dynasty? During the Northern Song Dynasty, after Emperor Huiqinzong was captured, all the concubines and maidens in the harem were kidnapped by the Jinmen.
The concubines, maids, and daughters of Emperor Qinzong were all traded like cattle and horses by the Jinmen, and their end was the most miserable among the thousands-year-old Chinese dynasties.
Hearing this, Queen Zhou stopped her tears and said to Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, don't worry. I and Concubine Yuan are from the Zhu family in life, and they will also be the ghosts of the Zhu family in death. Naturally, they will not embarrass you. Don't worry."
.”
Speaking of this, Queen Zhou couldn't help but tremble all over. At this moment, she suddenly thought of her two sons, Prince Zhu Cixiang and Prince Ding Zhu Cijiong, and also thought of her two daughters, Princess Changping Zhu Yuluo and Princess Zhaoren. Thinking of this, Queen Zhou felt all over her body.
The trembling became even more severe. At this time, Concubine Yuan quietly walked to Queen Zhou so that she could help the Queen at any time.
Before Chongzhen could speak, he heard the sound of three wooden bangs coming from Dongchang Street. Every three knocks, he heard an old eunuch shouting in his hoarse voice: "The world... is at peace!"
"The eunuchs on watch went from north to south. They passed Jihua Gate and then Yongxiang Gate, gradually getting further away.
Chongzhen sighed softly and said: "It's already the third watch, and we don't have much time to get together as husband and wife. Zitong, please change someone and call the prince and others."
While Empress Zhou was crying, she ordered the maids to bring the prince and all of them to Kunning Palace. After a while, several of Chongzhen's children were brought to Kunning Palace by the maids. They were Prince Zhu Cihong, Prince Ding Zhu Cijiong, and Prince Yong Zhu Ci.
Zheng, Princess Zhu Auao of Kunxing and Princess Zhu Adie of Zhaoren (I really couldn’t find her name, so I gave it to myself).
Among Chongzhen's children, the oldest is Prince Zhu Cixiang, who is sixteen years old this year, followed by Princess Zhu Ainao of Kunxing. She is fifteen years old this year, and the youngest Princess Zhaoren, Zhu Adie, is only six years old. At this moment, the five children are surrounding their parents.
The people beside him looked at Chongzhen eagerly.
Chongzhen's eyes slowly swept over the faces of his son, daughter and wife, with a look of love on his face, and he said to the two daughters: "The thieves have surrounded the capital. Your mother and I are determined to die for our country. As Zhu
The descendants of our family have enjoyed the support and prosperity of the people for many years. Now it is time to be loyal to the Ming Dynasty. Do you understand what I mean?"
As soon as Chongzhen finished speaking, Empress Zhou burst into tears and said: "Your Majesty, since my concubine and I have married into the Zhu family, they will naturally guard the Zhu family. But how can the prince and the others be wronged? Do you have the heart to let the Zhu family have no heirs?"
"
Chongzhen cried and said: "Zitong, can I bear it? But now the bandits are sieging the city and we can't escape. Rather than falling into the enemy's hands and humiliating the Zhu family's reputation, it is better to commit suicide to save the royal face!"
As soon as Chongzhen finished speaking, the prince and others burst into tears. The youngest Princess Zhaoren, Zhu Yudie, held Chongzhen's hand and cried and asked: "Father, why did you let Dieer commit suicide? Is it Dieer?"
Did you do something wrong? Die'er will be obedient from now on, and she will definitely listen to her father and mother. Die'er will never be naughty again! Father, please don't let Die'er commit suicide!"
The Crown Prince Zhu Cihong and the Princess of Kunxing, Zhu Yuyao, were older and just stood beside Queen Zhou and wept silently. The remaining Prince Ding, Zhu Cijiong, Yongwang, and Princess Zhaoren, Zhu Yudie, all cried together.
Listening to his daughter's innocent words, Chongzhen's heart felt like a knife. He couldn't help but stand up. He was afraid that he would lose the face of the emperor and his father by crying in front of his children. He choked and said: "Tonight, you all
Please stay with your mother here, I will go out and take a look first."
After saying that, Chongzhen hurriedly walked out, followed by several palace maids and eunuchs, leaving only his children crying together.
Coming out of Kunning Palace, Chongzhen walked aimlessly and came to Chengqian Palace unknowingly. Chengqian Palace was originally the residence of Concubine Tian. Although Concubine Tian had died of illness, Chongzhen still kept the original appearance and characteristics of Chengqian Palace.
, most of the eunuchs and maids who originally served Concubine Tian are still there, because Chongzhen sometimes came to see Concubine Tian's old residence. As usual, they cleaned the place every day, watered the flowers, weeded the grass, and carefully raised the parrots.
"Pick up! Pick up!...Long live the ride!"
Suddenly, a crisp and strange sound rang out. It turned out to be a white parrot hanging on the corridor. It screamed loudly. I don’t know why. This lovely white parrot was very excited in the cage and kept jumping around.
go.
Chongzhen stood in front of the birdcage, speechless. This parrot was Concubine Tian's favorite pet during her lifetime. When Chongzhen looked at the parrot now, it seemed as if he and Concubine Tian were teasing the parrot before his eyes.
Chongzhen walked into the main hall of Chengqian Palace. There was a picture hanging in front of the main hall. In this picture, a delicate and timid woman dressed in the harem costumes of the Ming Dynasty appeared on the paper. This was Chongzhen's invitation after the death of Concubine Tian.
A famous painter from the south of the Yangtze River painted a picture of Concubine Tian, "Pipa Picture of the Silent Huang Pipa". Seeing this painting, Chongzhen seemed to see Concubine Tian reappearing in front of his eyes, greeting him softly.
Chongzhen sighed softly and walked into Dongnuan Pavilion, which was Concubine Tian's bedroom. He looked over it with tearful eyes. All the furnishings were still the same, as neat as when Concubine Tian was there. On the long table facing the south window were Concubine Tian's relics: Four Treasures of the Study.
And a Song rubbing of "Luo Shen Fu". The goldfish bowl and Jiangnan bonsai are still on the table. On the wall hangs a guqin in a brocade bag and four flowers, grass and insect banners painted by Hui Fei. Chongzhen walked into another room inside, with a table
The furnishings of the chair and bed remained the same as in previous years. Chongzhen sat down on the chair and looked at the bed with dull eyes. Many past memories of love between husband and wife emerged in his mind, and then he seemed to see the sick Concubine Tian, who was weak and leaning on the bed.
She knew that she would die soon, her eyes were filled with tears, and she clearly had a lot to say in her heart, but she stopped talking.
Chongzhen wiped away his tears and looked at the bed again, but there was only an empty bed. He nodded to the empty bed and whispered sadly: "My dear concubine, tonight is probably the last time I come here to see your old home.
But don’t worry, it won’t be long before I go down to accompany you.”
After Chongzhen finished speaking, he staggered towards Fengxian Hall.
Fengxian Hall. Located on the east side of the inner court of the Forbidden City, it was a family temple where the Ming and Qing royal families worshiped their ancestors. It was built in the early Ming Dynasty. The tablets of all emperors of the Ming Dynasty are enshrined here.
After Chongzhen entered the Fengxian Hall, he first knelt three times and kowtowed nine times in front of the memorial tablet of Emperor Taizu (Zhu Yuanzhang), and then knelt three times and kowtowed nine times in front of the shrine of Emperor Chengzu (Zhu Di). Then he fell to the ground and cried bitterly, crying intermittently.
To tell:
"Two imperial ancestors, you have gone through hundreds of battles, quelled the robbers, expelled Hu Yuan, and achieved great success. But when it came to being unworthy of your grandson, you were incompetent and morally incompetent. Since the establishment of Zhengde, bad policies have been repeated in the past dynasties. Although your descendants have tried their best to cheer up.
, aspires to revitalize the country, but unfortunately the fate of the country is changing day by day. Sun Tzu has been struggling hard for thirteen years. Although he is motivated, he is unable to save his life. The city is about to be destroyed, the country is destroyed, the family is massacred, and the mausoleum and ancestral temple are burned by thieves. Even if the unworthy grandson is
I have made up my mind to die, and am willing to die for the country, but I hate to see my two ancestors in the ground! I have lost my ancestors in the hands of my grandson, and the crime of unfilial piety reaches heaven!..."
At this point, Chongzhen choked up and couldn't speak anymore. He could only touch his head to the ground and cry loudly. The sound shook the hall, and the pain was even more touching. Not only did Chongzhen cry again, but also the many eunuchs and maids kneeling with him outside the hall.
They all burst into tears.
Although the eunuchs and maids who often serve the emperor have seen the emperor shed tears silently or sob and cry bitterly because of difficult national affairs many times, this is the first time tonight that he has cried bitterly and poured out his heart in front of many maids and eunuchs.
They were loyal to the emperor, deeply felt the pain of the impending country's subjugation, and thought about the catastrophe before their eyes, so they just followed the emperor and fell to the ground crying, and no one tried to persuade the emperor.
Late at night, the moonlight is dim, the north wind is strong, the shadows of the trees are swaying, and the iron horses are clanging on the eaves... all of this adds to the sadness and despair in Kunning Palace.
Slowly, the time has passed the fifth watch, and the sky is gradually getting brighter. Chongzhen, who has already returned to Kunning Palace, once again looked at his children nestled in his arms. Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan were also sitting in Chongzhen Palace.
next to.
I don’t know if it was a change in history. At this time, Chongzhen did not send the prince and others to Zhou Kui, the state leader, to avoid disaster as in history. Instead, he ordered people to pile firewood outside Kunning Palace, waiting for thieves and bandits.
They rushed into the palace and lit a fire, and the whole family went to meet their ancestors.
Seeing eunuchs adding firewood outside the palace, Chongzhen felt very miserable. He sat on a dragon chair in the middle of the hall, with Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan sitting on his left and right, and their five children were passing by.
After a night of mental preparation and struggle, although his children did not think about it, they were still appointed. At this time, they all looked at Chongzhen eagerly.
Chongzhen also knew that his children were looking at him. He also knew that these young children did not want to die, but he had to do this for the dignity of the Ming royal family. Thinking of this, Chongzhen couldn't help but feel very sad.
I am ashamed of my own children.
In a daze, Chongzhen felt a ray of sunshine shining on his face, making his whole body feel warm. Feeling the warm sunshine, Chongzhen thought to himself that this might be the last day of sunshine that he could enjoy.
Just as Chongzhen was meditating, a figure stumbled in and cried in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, what are you going to do? Do you really want to abandon my people, the Ming Dynasty?"
Chongzhen looked up and saw that it was Wang Chengen who was here. Chongzhen said: "Dad companion, are you also here to see me off on my last journey?"
Wang Chengen cried bitterly: "Your Majesty, you are confused. The situation has not reached despair yet, reinforcements are coming, we cannot give up easily!"
Chongzhen smiled bitterly and said: "Dad companion, you don't need to comfort me. Now Hong Chengchou probably won't be able to come. There are all thieves outside. How can we have any hope?"
Wang Chengen cried so much that tears and runny noses flowed out: "Your Majesty, our Ming Dynasty can still be rescued, there is still hope. I have sent a letter to people last night, and the reinforcements are about to arrive in the capital!"
"What? Reinforcements are about to arrive in the capital!"
After hearing Wang Chengen's words, everyone in the hall was stunned...
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