Emperor Xuande's methods of governing were so good that even strong women like Emperor Wu could only lie dormant while he was on the throne.
But he also has weaknesses.
Lustful!
Greedy!
Lust is simple, there are so many women in the emperor's harem, you can enjoy them as you please.
But his gluttony made his health worse and worse. Even though the medical officials tried hard to persuade him to avoid food and eat less, Emperor Xuande still went his own way.
He once said: "If I were asked to choose between taboos and early death, I would definitely choose to die early."
He also particularly likes to drink mutton soup, the richer the better. But the medical officer said that the mutton soup would not do any good to his condition, but it would do a lot of harm.
In life, there are two words: eat and drink. This sentence was vividly interpreted by Emperor Xuande.
In the middle and late period, Emperor Xuande became increasingly poor because he could not control his eating and sleeping. However, he brought his mother-in-law into the court, in the name of assisting Zuo, and achieved the so-called "Two Saints Coming to the Court"
In the later period of his imperial career, he spent almost all of his time in the harem. In the previous dynasty, Empress Wu listened behind the curtain and was an uncrowned king.
Later generations once said that if Emperor Xuande could control his desires, he would definitely be one of the few emperors in history.
The old chamberlain was beaten until his skin was torn. He groaned and said, "That day, both the emperor and the queen used mutton soup and praised it full of praise."
The emperor stood beside Yi Niang with his hands folded, as if he had seen that scene...
“Great soup!”
"Appreciate the cook!"
Two of the most distinguished people in the Tang Dynasty rejoiced over a bowl of soup.
Ordinary people feel that they are the happiest people in the world if they can eat a piece of mutton-flavored pork every few days.
The landlord's house can have mutton to eat every day, but it is tasteless.
For rich and powerful people, eating can no longer bring much pleasure to them.
As for the emperors, eating is more like a task for them. Eating and maintaining good health will give them the energy to fight with their ministers to grab more power...
When people live to the level of Emperor Xuande and Empress Wu, there are fewer and fewer things that can make them happy.
But boredom is extremely poisonous to humans, so smart people will find a hobby for themselves, which can also be said to be a pursuit.
Even if that hobby is boring and meaningless in the eyes of others, as long as you can trick yourself, make yourself happy and fulfilled, then this hobby is priceless.
Therefore, the emperor understood Emperor Xuande's pursuit of delicious food.
This is my hobby. Without delicious food, my mother would rather die!
"After dinner, Empress Wu forcibly took His Majesty for a walk for a quarter of an hour."
Emperor Xuande was not only greedy, but also lazy.
"After the walk, the emperor and empress will deal with the memorial together."
The old eunuch got a bowl of water, and the chamberlain brought it to his mouth. He drank greedily. After drinking, he sighed and said, "I have always remembered that familiar scene. Your Majesty sat on one side, and Empress Wu sat in front, holding a memorial and reciting."
After reciting, the two began to discuss. Occasionally there would be disputes, but Empress Wu always found a way to make His Majesty agree with her opinions."
That grandmother's skills are probably rare to see in a thousand years.
The emperor shook his head.
"But that night, the emperor and empress had a rare quarrel."
"It was just a minor matter. Someone was impeaching an official from Empress Wu's side..."
After the two saints came to court, Emperor Xuande tacitly allowed Empress Wu to recruit his own men.
"In the past, Empress Wu would definitely have used other methods to get His Majesty to nod, but that day, Empress Wu got angry at His Majesty, saying that Your Majesty only knew the results, but didn't know how difficult it was for her to deal with those ministers with ulterior motives...
"
It is so difficult for a woman to find a way out in a man's world.
The emperor couldn't help but think that in the eyes of his grandmother, Zhou Ning was probably a weak woman!
"His Majesty was so angry that he actually said that Empress Wu was ambitious..."
Tsk!
How is this like a husband and wife exposing each other's shortcomings?
When a couple quarrels, it's okay if they quarrel often and there won't be many conflicts. If the fight starts after a long time, the conflicts accumulated over these days will burst out all at once.
Out of control.
"The two sides were so quarreling that His Majesty actually threw the inkstone with his hands, almost hitting Empress Wu."
Is this a fight?
The emperor couldn't help being stunned.
"Empress Wu also threw away the writing brush, and the ink spread all over His Majesty's face."
emperor:"……"
"Both the emperor and the empress were furious, but then His Majesty covered his forehead and said he was dizzy, and so did Empress Wu. The two of them became even more angry... Someone suddenly said that he was poisoned!"
The emperor squinted his eyes and thought, what kind of poison is this?
"Someone immediately called for a medical officer. When the medical officer came, the emperor and the empress were rolling up their sleeves. His Majesty said that he wanted to divorce his wife and expel Empress Wu from the palace. Empress Wu cursed that your Majesty was a waste..."
"The medical officer checked for pulse in panic and was kicked. Fortunately, someone persuaded him and the emperor and empress sat down. But even so, they were still scolding each other."
"The medical officer checked the pulse, asked about the situation, and immediately said that it was poison! After the poison took effect, it aroused the heart fire..."
It arouses the fire in the heart, rather than making people manic!
The emperor thought about what kind of poison could achieve this effect.
"When the medical officer said this, the emperor was furious."
The old chamberlain smiled bitterly, "Logically, the person who should be in control of the kitchen at this moment, but Wang Mo said that the deposed prince often went to the kitchen for a while..."
"Yiniang." The emperor looked at Yiniang.
Yi Niang said: "The late emperor was filial, but Emperor Xuande was gluttonous. The late emperor was worried that he would be in bad shape due to eating, so he often went to the kitchen and worked with the cooks on new dishes. The emperor and the empress even praised the late emperor for his filial piety."
The emperor looked at the old chamberlain.
The old chamberlain shook his head, "As soon as Wang Mo opened his mouth, His Majesty angrily scolded such a filial son. Are you trying to poison Ye Niang?"
The emperor clenched his fists and lowered his eyes slightly.
"Empress Wu was also furious and said that the late emperor wanted to launch a palace coup."
At that time, the power of the Tang Dynasty seemed to be at its peak, but hidden problems were observed by many people.
The innovation of honoring the emperor offended many meat eaters, but it also gained support from a large number of people.
Those people in the court cheered and cheered for the emperor to be filial, but they were no match for the counterattacking forces.
The emperor thought of the Southern Zhou Dynasty's New Deal.
Sun Shi was so stubborn, and had Nian Xu behind him to support him, but in the end he still died, leaving only chicken feathers on the ground.
"Without any hesitation, His Majesty ordered... poisonous wine!"
…
"Go and kill that traitor!"
Emperor Xuande is showing his filial piety.
"Kill him!"
Empress Wu looked ferocious.
…
"Your Highness, someone from the palace is here. Bringing a jug of wine."
In the confinement, Emperor Xiaojing said calmly: "Has this day finally come? Gu, you have been waiting for a long time! Bring the child and let Yi Niang come too."
Mrs. Huang came with her child in her arms.
"Let this child go immediately."
The filial emperor said that he stretched out his hand, and Mrs. Huang handed over the swaddling clothes.
"Gu's life is pitiful, lamentable, and pathetic. Gu originally hoped that this child could have a peaceful life, but in Gu's heart, after all, there is some injustice. Yi Niang."
"Your Highness!"
"Take him away and give him to Yang Lue."
"yes!"
"Your Highness, I want to feed the child for the last time."
"That's all, hurry up!"
"yes!"
…
Yi Niang turned around, tears streaming down her face.
"Your Majesty!"
The emperor hugged her gently, patted her back, and said softly: "Don't worry, I will seek justice for him for all this."
The old waiter gasped, "Is there still water?"
"Give it to him!" He Lianyan said.
Someone went to get a bowl of water, and the old waiter drank it greedily, as if it was the last moment of his life, with thoughts in his eyes.
"Hey!" He sighed, "The emperor and the empress passed out immediately. The medical officer said not to disturb her."
At this moment, Emperor Xiaojing was facing the pot of poisonous wine.
He and Mr. Huang each had a drink.
Drink it all in one gulp.
"Continue!" The emperor let go of his hand. Yi Niang wiped away her tears and gritted her teeth and said, "He must be a fake emperor."
"Then someone discovered that the deposed prince's place of confinement was on fire, but the empress was in a coma, and no one could make the decision..."
Yi Niang said: "Even though he was imprisoned back then, the Emperor still allowed His Highness to have his own guards and attendants. In fact, it is another East Palace, but without subordinates."
"Later, someone knocked on the door and asked if there had been any changes in the palace. The night guard said that there had been no changes."
Unless someone is plotting rebellion, nothing can be said.
"Later, the chamberlain came back and said..."
The old chamberlain glanced at the emperor and said, "The deposed prince has drunk poisonous wine... and gone."
The emperor heard the choking sound and knew it was Han Shitou without turning around.
"Then someone came to report that someone was besieging the deposed prince's confinement place, and the deposed prince's guards... all died in the battle."
"Stone," said the emperor.
"My slave is here."
"Find out the identities of those guards and find their relatives. I can't let them chill underground!"
"yes!"
The old chamberlain gasped, "That night, there was no sleep in the palace. At dawn, the emperor and the empress woke up one after another with splitting headaches."
really!
The emperor thought to himself that this was indeed not a poison, but a drug that made people manic.
The purpose of that person's drugging was to make the emperor and empress mad...
But how could that person be so sure that after the empress became manic, she would attack the filial emperor?
The emperor's eyes became darker and darker.
"The medical officer diagnosed and treated her and said that the emperor and empress only need to rest for a while and there will be no future problems."
but!
Their beloved eldest son.
Gone!
"The emperor and empress gradually remembered what happened last night, and their expressions changed. Your Majesty asked the deposed prince what he was doing..."
The emperor was silent.
"Some people say that your Majesty ordered poisonous wine to be given last night. The deposed prince has already gone."
"His Majesty burst into tears immediately, and Empress Wu beat the eucalyptus table with tears streaming down her face..."
But what's the use?
The emperor thought coldly.
He thought of that Wang Mo.
"What about Wang Mo?"
"Your Majesty is indeed wise!" the old chamberlain sighed, "The Emperor and Empress immediately thought of the bowl of mutton soup, and immediately sent someone to call Wang Mo. But the person who left came back to report..."
The emperor turned around and walked out.
Yi Niang stared at the old eunuch, "Where is Wang Mo?"
The old chamberlain lowered his head and said, "He has committed suicide by hanging himself from the beam."
…
The emperor stood outside the palace, looking up at the cold crescent moon, and said to Han Shitou behind him: "The hole has been opened."
"Yes, I will pursue the case with Yi Niang..."
"I can't wait to know what happened back then, so hurry up!"