Chunming

page views:1 Publication date:2023-06-11 19:10:01

In

1620, the first year of the Taichang reign, also known as the 48th year of the Wanli reign or the first year
of the Tianqi reign, the Ming Dynasty, after 14 reigns, welcomed its fifteenth ruler. He continued
the fine traditions of the murderous Zhu Yuanzhang, the war-mongering Zhu Houzhao, the immortality-obsessed Zhu Houcong, the wife-obsessed Zhu Jianshen, and the lazy Zhu Yijun, taking imperial rule to new heights. This new emperor, known as the "Carpentry Maniac" Zhu Youxiao
, was particularly adept at this during his seven-year reign . 　　He was also known as the Tianqi Emperor. 　　"Tianqi" comes from the *Zuo Zhuan*, meaning "Heaven opens [the way of the ruler]." However, before Heaven could open the way, the impatient officials created a "crowded court of officials." 　　The phrase "众正盈朝" refers to the political situation where Donglin Party officials, who had been reprimanded and suppressed during the Wanli era, were reinstated in the new dynasty , crushing the Zhejiang, Chu, and Qi parties. 　　However, before this period of stability could begin, the Ming Empire faced a serious illness. 　　On the 22nd day of the first month of 1621, the Ming dynasty officially changed its era name to Tianqi. Prior to this, the "Red Pill Case" occurred in the palace . 　　In August of the first year of the Taichang era (1620), Emperor Guangzong fell seriously ill. Cui Wensheng, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Pharmacy and the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, administered a laxative. After taking it, Guangzong's condition worsened, waking up thirty to forty times a day. Court officials accused Cui Wensheng of being ignorant of medicine and prescribing the medicine recklessly, while some suspected that it was instigated by Consort Zheng of Emperor Shenzong. On the 29th day of the eighth month, Guangzong's condition further deteriorated, and Li Kezhuo, the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, administered a "red pill." Guangzong died on the 1st day of the ninth month after taking it, causing widespread discussion both inside and outside the court . Censor Wang Anshun was the first to submit a memorial requesting that Li Kezhuo be severely punished. Following him, censors Zheng Zongzhou, Guo Ruchu, Feng Sanyuan, Jiao Yuanpu, Wei Yingjia and Hui Shiyang (both supervising secretaries), Cao Guang (Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices), Gao Panlong (Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices) , and Lü Weiqi (a minor official) successively submitted memorials requesting an investigation into the treacherous clique of Cui and Li. As a result, Cui Wensheng was exiled to Nanjing, and Li Kezhuo was exiled to the army. Later, Wei Zhongxian overturned the "Red Pill Case," Li Kezhuo was spared exile, and Cui Wensheng was appointed as the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner. Cui Wensheng was only arrested and imprisoned when Wei Zhongxian lost power. 　　After the Red Pill Case, Zhu Youxiao ascended the throne, and the Palace Transfer Case occurred. 　　On the first day of the ninth month of the first year of the Taichang reign (1620), Emperor Guangzong died, and his sixteen-year-old eldest son, Zhu Youxiao, was to be enthroned as the new emperor. At that time, Empress Li, Emperor Guangzong's concubine, still resided in the Qianqing Palace, while Zhu Youxiao resided in the Ciqing Palace. Consort Li colluded with the eunuch Wei Zhongxian , attempting to seize power by taking advantage of Zhu Youxiao's youth, and therefore refused to move out of the Qianqing Palace. On the second day of the ninth month, Yang Lian, the Supervising Secretary, was the first to launch an attack, submitting a memorial opposing Consort Li's continued residence in the Qianqing Palace; impeaching her for disrespecting the eldest prince and arguing that the eldest prince should not be entrusted to her. Censor Zuo Guangdou also submitted a memorial stating that the Qianqing Palace in the inner court, like the Huangji Hall in the outer court, was only for the emperor and empress to reside in, and that other concubines were not allowed to live there. He requested that Consort Li move to the Huiluan Palace within the Renshou Palace, a place for concubines to retire. Consort Li was furious upon receiving Zuo Guangdou's memorial and repeatedly sent messengers to summon him. Zuo Guangdou refused to meet with her. Consort Li grew even angrier and demanded that Zhu Youxiao discuss the matter. Zhu Youxiao agreed with Zuo Guangdou's words and urged him to choose an auspicious day to move the palace. After much effort by Yang, Zuo, and others, on the fifth day of the ninth month, Consort Li moved to the Huiluan Palace, and Crown Prince Zhu Youxiao returned to the Qianqing Palace. At that time, the palace was in turmoil. Censor Yang Lian, along with Grand Secretary Liu Yiju and Minister of Personnel Zhou Jiamo, made crucial decisions. Among the censors, only Zuo Guangdou actively assisted; the rest followed Yang Lian's instructions. Therefore , those who discussed the palace relocation at the time primarily referred to "Yang and Zuo." 　　At first glance, it seems that the Zhu family was corrupt, but upon closer examination, one can find subtle strangeness in both cases. The Zhu family's affairs were all subject to the whims of court officials, who not only directed the proceedings but also orchestrated a major event both in public and behind the scenes. 　　That was to hasten the ascension of the sixteen-year-old Zhu Youxiao to the throne. Zhu Youxiao had not studied before the age of fifteen , and his father, Zhu Luochang, was like him, only concerned with giving birth and not raising his son. Therefore, Zhu Youxiao had neither systematically studied the Four Books and Five Classics nor mastered the art of rulership. In terms of knowledge, insight, and the cultivation of imperial skills, Zhu Youxiao was far inferior to Zhu Houzhao, who only wanted to be a general. 　　Yet these upright ministers urged him to ascend the throne as soon as possible. 　　Their intentions were self-evident. 　　The Tianqi Dynasty, during the Little Ice Age, soon faced natural disasters, man-made calamities, and internal and external troubles. 　　As early as July 22, 1620, the Imperial Censor Yi Yingchang, the Circuit Intendant of Zhili, submitted a memorial strongly criticizing the current political situation, stating: "There are six things that are most worrying about the current state of the nation. Among them, the most dangerous are the following three: 　　First, the army of the country cannot be relied upon. Recruiting soldiers may not attract responses, and those who respond may desert; mobilizing troops may not result in their arrival, and those who arrive may desert ." Moreover, the army's pay was severely lacking. 　　Secondly, the food supply was unreliable. There was no year without drought or flood, no place without drought or flood. Huainan had 300,000 shi of grain , but lacked ships to transport it; Shandong levied 600,000 shi of grain, but had neither grain nor ships. 　　Thirdly, the hearts of the people could not be relied upon. Soldiers deserted everywhere, mutinies were frequent; famine was rampant, peasant uprisings were frequent, one after another, the region was unstable, and nothing could be relied upon. 　　Yi Yingchang's proposed solution was to "urgently reduce the burden on the people to alleviate their suffering, and widely employ benevolent and virtuous ministers to jointly govern. He also requested that the Crown Prince (Zhu Changluo) personally donate a year's worth of Liaodong military supplies." 　　However, the Crown Prince ignored this. 　　The reason for this was that Yi Yingchang's vision was far too short-sighted! 　　The difficulties facing the Tianqi Emperor were even more dangerous than these. 　　In the first year of the Tianqi reign (1621), a great fire in Hangzhou destroyed 6,100 homes; the Later Jin captured Shenyang and Liaoyang; She Chongming rebelled in Chongqing; the Yellow River breached its banks; Wang Huazhen of Liaodong advocated war, while Xiong Tingbi fell out with him, resulting in a disastrous defeat for the Ming army in Guangning. That year, Sun Ruyou was appointed to a high -ranking official post, Yuan Yingtai committed suicide, and Mao Wenlong retreated to Pi Island. As the saying goes, there are gains and losses. The Ming Dynasty lost much that year, but some gained greatly: Wei Zhongxian and Ke Baba, who brought down the eunuch Wang An. The two were intertwined , playing a crucial role in the political arena. 　　In the second year of the Tianqi reign (1622), bad news continued to pour in: Guangning fell; the Mongols invaded the Ordos region; earthquakes struck Yuncheng and Juye in Shandong; An Bangyan, the chieftain of Shuixi, rebelled; the White Lotus Rebellion, seven years in the making, only lasted a month; an earthquake struck Shaanxi; the Ming army suffered a defeat at Lu Guanghe, and so on. 　　Until the sixth year of the Tianqi reign, the Yellow River kept breaching its banks, Hangzhou and Nanjing were constantly engulfed in flames, North China was plagued by earthquakes, Shaanxi was plagued by locust plagues, the southwest was constantly insurgency, the south was constantly experiencing popular uprisings, the Portuguese were constantly harassing the region , the Mongols were constantly invading, and factional strife was constantly raging.

Meanwhile, our Emperor Tianqi, emulating Emperor Guangwu of Han, kept a low profile, acting as a carpenter-
emperor who did nothing but manage everything.

At the same time, in the southeast of the Ming Dynasty, a pirate with a fate as tortuous as Zhu Youxiao's had finally risen to power. He
was Zheng Zhilong, the father of Zheng Chenggong, the "Dragon King of the Sea," who had seized maritime supremacy over the Ming Dynasty.

On the sixth day of the fifth month of the sixth year of Tianqi's reign, Zhu Youxiao faced another major calamity in his imperial career.

Chapter One…Rebirth

"Stop! Stop or I'll shoot!"

The one shouting was Zhang Yan, a policewoman from the Criminal Investigation and Special Police Brigade of the Mingyuan City Public Security Bureau. She was 26 years old, with a charming appearance and
a slender figure.

At this moment, she was wearing high heels and a short dress, closely chasing after the criminal suspect ahead—
the perverted lecher who had recently caused chaos in the city.

The lecherous man was young and looked utterly dejected. He'd been chased by Zhang Yan all the way and was completely exhausted.
He reached a small hill, his legs gave way, and he stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud.

Zhang Yan reacted quickly, catching up in the blink of an eye. Her high heels stomped hard on the young man's
waist, causing him to scream in pain. Zhang Yan then used a cable tie to bind the lecherous man's thumbs behind his back and
turned him around.

"Huff...huff...huff..." the young man gasped for breath, his face pale.

Zhang Yan brushed aside the stray hairs covering his eyes, wanting to see what this shameless man looked like.
Suddenly, the young man's eyes widened, and he shouted, "Holy crap, a planet is hitting Earth!"

The policewoman ignored him, recognizing his handsome face and thinking he had the air of a beast in human form. Her
contempt only intensified. She was about to reach for her phone to report to the team when a deafening whooshing sound filled the air. Following
the young man's terrified gaze, she saw a meteor, emitting an eerie blue flame,
hurtling straight towards them. Zhang Yan instinctively kicked the young man, rolling to the side. A deafening
bang followed, and a searing pain shot through her body. Everything went black, and she knew nothing more.

Both of them had been incinerated by the eerie blue flames of the impact.

In August of the seventh year of the Tianqi reign (1628), Emperor Zhu Youxiao of the Ming Dynasty, accompanied by Ke Baba and Wei Zhongxian
, went boating in the Western Garden of the palace. After drinking wine north of the bridge, they changed to a smaller boat and, accompanied by two eunuchs, rowed on the lake
.

A sudden gust of wind blew, lifting a red silk cloth which draped over the three men.
Terrified, they jumped up, flailing their arms and legs, shouting in panic.

The attendants on both banks, seeing this, turned pale with fright and were about to find a boat to rescue the emperor when several large
waves surged in, capsizing the small boat and throwing all three men into the water. The large yellow dragon boat had already sailed far away. Hearing the cries, Ke
Yinyue, Wei Zhongxian, Wang Tigan, and others were extremely anxious. At that moment, a tall eunuch grabbed a long pole from the shore and
darted into the water like an arrow. After some effort, he finally managed to pull Zhu Youxiao onto the large boat.

Zhu Youxiao, who had been sweating profusely, was suddenly plunged into cold water. Startled and frightened, he fainted, his jaw
clenched and his face turning ashen. Back at the Qianqing Palace, he developed a high fever, his condition extremely critical.

This terrified Ke Baba and Wei Zhongxian. These two, in their quest for control of the inner court, had killed or
maimed several of Zhu Youxiao's children and concubines. They had originally planned to wait a few years for him to give birth to an heir, but Zhu Youxiao's
health was so weak; he was already on the verge of death after just a few sips of cold water.

Wu Yiru, the Imperial Physician, led six imperial physicians to the palace to diagnose the emperor. They all said that the emperor's internal heat was excessive and that with proper care
, he would eventually recover. Although Zhu Youxiao had a congenital kidney disease, with the expert care of the imperial physicians,
it should be possible to prolong his life for a few more years. However, Wei Zhongxian and Ke Baba had other plans. After dismissing the imperial physicians, they secretly began burning aphrodisiacs

in the west wing of the Qianqing Palace . 　　Having just escaped death, Emperor Xizong, upon smelling the fragrance, felt his internal heat still rising, his lust flaring uncontrollably. Overwhelmed by desire, he summoned his concubines daily. 　　After several days, as Zhu Youxiao's lustful affliction gradually subsided, his body was almost unrecognizable, and he fell seriously ill. 　　When the imperial physicians returned, Zhu Youxiao was already suffering from severe edema, nosebleeds, and incontinent hematuria; it was too late to save him. 　　At this time, the Imperial Secretary Huo Weihua presented a miraculous remedy. 　　It is unknown from which Taoist priest or itinerant doctor Huo Weihua obtained the secret recipe: Use high-quality glutinous rice, wash it thoroughly, and steam it in a wooden steamer. Place a long-necked, wide-mouthed empty silver bottle at the bottom of the steamer to collect the flowing "spiritual dew." Add rice while steaming, replacing it with fresh rice every now and then. After several replacements, the silver bottle is full of "spiritual dew." It is said that this " essence of rice" has the effect of prolonging life. 　　He claimed this medicine could cure Emperor Tianqi's serious illness and gave it a beautiful name: " Lingyinlu" (Spiritual Dew). 　　Zhu Youxiao experienced no discomfort after taking it, but the Lingyinlu only made him feel better for a day. His body became increasingly swollen , accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea, making it difficult to eat, and he had to stop taking this "miracle cure." 　　At this time, Wei Zhongxian, while agreeing to "invite" Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian, into the Forbidden City, ordered the eunuchs to strictly guard the Forbidden City and had palace singers dance day and night in the Qianqing Palace to pretend that Emperor Xizong had recovered. 　　While Zhu Youjian's newlywed wife, Princess Hu, fled to Hong Chengchou's residence, Wang Chengen, a traitor among the Thirteen Protectors, contacted Prince Fu, Zhu Changxun, Duke of Ying, Zhang Weixian, and civil and military officials to storm the Forbidden City and enter the Qianqing Palace. 　　Upon arriving at the Qianqing Palace, the numerous imperial nobles and key figures of the Ming Dynasty who had stormed the palace found Zhu Youxiao, swollen and disfigured, chatting casually with his close brother Zhu Youjian, attended by a group of imperial physicians, Wei Zhongxian, Madam Ke, and Empress Zhang Yan. 　　The scene was extremely strange and awkward. 　　The Emperor looked at his uncles and subordinates with bewilderment; Wei Zhongxian and Madam Ke wore secret smiles; Empress Zhang Yan wore a joyful expression; and Zhu Youjian looked constipated. 　　Wang Chengen, hiding among the Ming officials, felt a chill run down his spine. Wei Zhongxian had clearly stated that the emperor's life was hanging by a thread, yet now he only appeared tired and weak, his eyes still bright. He thought to himself, "It's over. " 　　Seeing the silence, Zhu Youxiao's face flashed with a strange expression, and he spoke, "Second Uncle, my beloved ministers, when shall I summon you to the palace?" 　　Everyone kept their eyes downcast, their thoughts of "serving the emperor" completely vanished.

His heart pounded.

Wei Zhongxian glanced at the dejected officials, scanning their faces and memorizing their features
. When he saw Wang Chengen trying to slip away, his heart skipped a beat, and a nameless anger surged to his head. He gritted his teeth and
said hatefully, "It was you!"

Several ruthless ideas surfaced in his mind.

The crowd hurriedly paid their respects, and a middle-aged man stepped forward from among them. This was Zhu Youxiao's second uncle, the Prince of Fu. Prince Fu,
Zhu Changxun, was over 40 years old and as fat as a pig. He held the highest position among the crowd and began to speak evasively, "Your Majesty,
I have heard that Your Majesty is unwell, and Prince Xin has been escorted to the palace. Fearing that the eunuch faction might seize power, I, as the Imperial Clan Court Master, risked my life
to enter the palace for the sake of our ancestors' country and the nation, but I did not expect to offend Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

Zhu Youxiao stared at the Prince of Fu, looking at his obese body, and felt a surge of anger. Emperor Wanli, his grandfather
, disliked his father, Crown Prince Zhu Changluo, and favored his other uncles. Furthermore, Zhu Changxun's mother, the current Empress Dowager,
repeatedly tried to change the heir apparent, placing Zhu Changxun on the throne, leading to deep resentment between the two families.

After thinking for a moment, he reprimanded, "Second Uncle, are you senile? You're spouting nonsense! When have I ever arrested
any brothers? What eunuch faction is there in the court? Your blatant lies will be punished by me for deceiving the emperor!"

Upon hearing this, Prince Fu was displeased and startled, but then realized that the emperor was truly muddle-headed, so easily
letting the palace intrusion go unpunished. He quickly prostrated himself on the ground, hurriedly saying, "I will obey Your Majesty's will."

Zhu Youxiao said, "Then I will punish you by making you reflect on your mistakes at home for a year, and this will not be repeated."

Prince Fu was overjoyed, pushing aside the golden mountain and embracing the golden pillar, saying, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."

Zhu Youxiao smiled, looking at the crowd standing there dumbfounded, his interest waning. He swept his sleeves, "Wei, write
down the names of the other ministers, and write a memorial tomorrow, explaining what happened tonight clearly. I am tired, you may leave
."

Wei Zhongxian nodded in agreement, revealing a sinister smile on the faces of the crowd, "Your Majesty is tired, you may all take your leave.
" He raised his hand, and several eunuchs carrying swords rushed out from both sides. After the crowd bowed and withdrew, they were taken away.

The journey was relatively peaceful; the eunuchs were merely escorting and did not overstep any boundaries.

When Prince Fu Zhu Changxun and the others left the Forbidden City, they still felt as if they were in a dream. Prince Fu dared not delay, went out the door, boarded
his family's oxcart, and fled as if his life depended on it.

Zhang Weixian was also completely bewildered, and was about to ask Hong Chengchou and Wang Chengen where they were, when he discovered that Wang Chengen and
the inner court guards who had opened the gates that evening had all vanished.

Seeing this, everyone knew things were going badly and scattered.

In the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youjian had just taken his leave and returned to the desolate palace where he had come from. He huddled in a corner, trembling,
with several eunuchs from the Imperial Horse Administration accompanying him.

After Wei Zhongxian and his companion, Madam Ke, had also left, Zhu Youxiao opened his eyes again, sat up, and glanced around the hall.
Seeing that everyone was gone, a cunning smile appeared on his face.

This startled Empress Zhang Yan, who was sitting beside him, and she exclaimed, "Your Majesty? You..."

Zhu Youxiao turned his head, looked at Zhang Yan, and then carefully examined the beauty before him. The beauty's features were exquisitely refined
, with large, watery eyes, cherry-like lips, and a slender neck. She wore a dark red palace dress that accentuated her graceful
figure and gave her a mature charm.

Empress Zhang Yan was also a legendary woman. Her courtesy name was Zu'e, and her nickname was Baozhu. She was
the daughter of Zhang Guoji, a scholar from Xiangfu County, Henan. She was naturally beautiful and had a graceful figure. Historical records describe Zhang Yan as "tall and graceful, with a face like Guanyin,
eyes like autumn waves, lips like cherries, a nose like a hanging gall, and white, fine teeth." She, along with Xia Ji, the most beautiful woman of the Spring and Autumn Period;
Zhen Shi, the empress of Emperor Wen of Wei; Li Zu'e, the empress of Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi; and Xiao Shi, the empress of Emperor Yang of Sui, are known as the Five
Great Beautiful Empresses of China.

"The empress has recently lost weight," Zhu Youxiao said with a lewd look on his face. He grabbed the empress's soft hand, finding it
as smooth as tender tofu, and couldn't put it down.

Zhang Yan was taken aback. She and Zhu Youxiao were a loving couple, and in the first few years of their marriage, they enjoyed intimacy. However, the Emperor
suffered from a hidden ailment—a congenital kidney disease—and in recent years, his fertility had declined.

Since her miscarriage in the third year of the Tianqi reign, she hadn't been with him. Why was he now showing
such eagerness , barely recovering from his illness

? Could it be that the effects of his previous sexual indulgence hadn't completely worn off?

Zhang Yan was the nominal head of the harem, and she was naturally aware of the Emperor's sexual affairs, but due to the influence of Madam Ke
and Wei Zhongxian, she had been powerless to prevent it. Now, seeing the Emperor about to repeat the same mistake, how could she dare let him risk his life again?

She quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I will depend on you for life. Recently, Your Majesty's health has been poor, and I have lost
my appetite and been unable to sleep. Seeing Your Majesty's health improve now fills me with joy. A little weight loss is nothing to worry about
."

Zhang Yan carefully chose her words, subtly emphasizing the Emperor's condition again, hoping that he would understand and
take care of himself.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Youxiao suddenly threw off the fur blanket covering him, stood up, and embraced Zhang Yan.
His smelly mouth, which hadn't been washed for many days, pressed heavily onto Zhang Yan's small mouth, kissing her for a long time with a soft "pop." After separating
, he ordered, "Guards, help the Empress change her clothes."

Several palace maids quickly came over and removed Zhang Yan's clothes one by one, taking off all her hair ornaments and jewelry
. Soon, Zhang Yan, dressed in snow-white, with her breasts folded and slender legs crossed, stood gracefully.

Zhu Youxiao reached out and pulled away Zhang Yan's slender hands, which were clasped around her chest,
revealing her two slightly drooping, pinkish-white breasts.

Zhang Yan trembled. The lewd light in Zhu Youxiao's eyes was terrifying, something she hadn't seen in years.
She felt a growing sense of unease about Zhu Youxiao's recent resurrection and sudden change in temperament.

URL 1:https://www.sexlove5.com/htmlBlog/36380.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=36380&aspx=1

Last access time:

Previous Page : The bright moon shines alone, my heart is without anchor (Northern and Southern Dynasties) 1-2

Next Page : Yuexin 1-2

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

Chunming

comment Open a new window to view comments