The harem of the Ming Dynasty was draped in white and mourning, and the surroundings were desolate. The summer flowers were red and the willows were green, and there was desolation everywhere.
On the second day after the emperor's death, the Ministry of Rites reported that according to the ancestral instructions, all the concubines were buried. Thirty-eight concubines, including Concubine Guo Hui, the biological mother of King Dai, and Concubine Ding, the biological mother of King Qi, were all buried.
Concubine Sun was inevitably unavoidable. Wang Zhi found in the corner of the ancestral injunctions that "a concubine should not be martyred as a rule", wrote to Zhu Yunwen, and discussed and argued with Zheng Zheng, the Minister of Rites, so Concubine Sun was spared.
Sacrificial burial is a cruel system in ancient China, in which people, objects or livestock are buried with the deceased to ensure the well-being of the soul of the deceased. Burial of living people was very popular in the earliest Yin, Shang and Zhou dynasties. Especially after the death of the king, everything he enjoyed during his lifetime, including beautiful wives, concubines and even servants, were sent to the tomb to accompany him. In the following dynasties of the Qin and Han dynasties, there were periods of decline and rise. During the Yuan Dynasty, Genghis Khan, Mengwu, etc. still had a large number of living sacrifices buried.
After the founding of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang continued this system, mainly to strictly control the harem to prevent the influence of foreign relatives, and the burial was designated for all concubines without involving ministers. Therefore, some later generations also joked about Ming Taizu, why bother to kill all the heroes during his lifetime? As long as the burial system is changed, how easy will it be for all ministers to be buried
Moreover, according to the moral values of the time, martyrdom was a glorious thing and brought blessings to the family. This cruel custom lasted for several generations in the early Ming Dynasty and was not abolished until Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Yunwen walked slowly towards Yuehua Palace. Along the way, there were sounds of crying from everywhere. The concubines were buried, and many of the personal maids who followed them were not spared. Most of the "volunteer" martyrs were involved, involving hundreds or thousands of people in the harem.
Zhu Yunwen frowned when he heard the bursts of crying, but the ancestral precepts and the palace system were such that there was nothing he could do but to comfort and treat the families of these concubines and maids kindly.
Entering the Yuehua Palace, the Empress Dowager, the original Sun Guifei, the Empress Dowager Lu, the Empress Ma Shuyi and the eldest princess Ning Guo were all there. The titles of several people were canonized just yesterday, and there was no suspense and no one objected.
When Ma Shuyi and Princess Ningguo saw Zhu Yunwen coming in, they knelt down to greet him. The Crown Princess and Queen Mother Lu also nodded slightly. Zhu Yunwen came up to meet him, sat aside and exchanged a few words.
At this time, Lu, as the Queen Mother, was already the head of the harem. She had been a widow for many years and now she had great power, which made her feel proud and proud. Seeing that Zhu Yunwen went to Yuehua Palace instead of Kunning Palace where he lived, he felt a little unhappy and asked lightly: "Why does your Majesty have time to come to the palace today?"
Zhu Yunwen respectfully replied: "I came here to pay my respects to the emperor's grandmother and queen mother."
The Empress Dowager and Madam Lu looked at each other, and Empress Dowager Lu couldn't help but said, "Your Majesty has been working hard for many days. I heard that you even went to the clan mansion yesterday despite your busy schedule?"
Zhu Yunwen ran quietly to see Lotus. Although he didn't deliberately hide it, he didn't expect that the Queen Mother would find out so soon. He couldn't help but be stunned, and then replied: "Yes. The child went to see Li Cairen."
Empress Dowager Lu snorted, and the eldest princess of Ningguo already said quickly: "She is no longer talented after committing a serious crime!" Ma Shuyi pulled the sleeve of the eldest princess of Ningguo, and Zhu Ruhua stopped talking.
Zhu Yunwen was stunned and looked at the Queen Mother.
The Queen Mother said coldly: "That's right. The Ai family has decided to depose her as a commoner. Such a heinous crime and taking advantage of her is really a blessing from God!"
Zhu Yunwen frowned and said: "Mother! The emperor's grandfather said she is a good child. This time, someone is obviously framed. It is a poisonous plan that kills two birds with one stone." Looking at the empress dowager: "The emperor's grandmother was at the scene, did you find anything?"
The Dowager Princess was lucky enough to escape being buried this time. She was grateful to Zhu Yunwen and Wang Zhi, and said warmly: "Your Majesty! The Ai family doesn't believe that Li Cairen would do such a thing." After a pause, he saw the Queen Mother staring at him, and then said : "But the cup of medicine was in her hand at the time, and the medicine was indeed poisonous."
Zhu Yunwen frowned and asked, "Who else was there when the emperor's grandmother went in?"
The Crown Princess thought back and replied: "When Ai Jia and Concubine Guo Hui arrived at Qianqing Palace, there were only four young eunuchs standing in the four corners, and there was no one in front of the couch. The four young eunuchs were locked up at that time, and Wang Zhi led the people It was interrogated the day before yesterday and nothing was found." Then he turned to the Queen Mother: "How is the Queen Mother sending someone to ask today?"
The Queen Mother's words also told Zhu Yunwen that the Queen Mother is now the head of the harem, and the Queen Mother will make the decision in the future.
Empress Dowager Lu said sternly: "There are such things as poisoning in the palace! But this is a big conspiracy! We must get to the bottom of it! We didn't ask anything today. The Ai family has asked Wang Zhi to find the families of these four young eunuchs. , tortured with their family members, if you don’t believe me, you can’t ask!” He turned to look at Zhu Yunwen and said, “Don’t protect the princess of Fanbang! There are both human and material evidence, how can she get away with it?”
Zhu Yunwen explained: "There was something wrong with Yining, and he should not have left the Qianqing Palace without permission. But at that time, the national master passed away..." There was a sudden movement in his heart. How could Lotus know about the national master's death? Although Fengtian Palace is not far from Qianqing Palace, she would not know it if no one called her specifically. Who is it that went out of its way to call her
The Queen Mother said: "She is a talented person in the East Palace. She should not be so close to the Imperial Master." Seeing Zhu Yunwen's disapproval, she couldn't help but get angry: "A woman should only be led by Zhenjing, but she is busy chanting sutras and composing poems. , someone from a foreign country, do you really think you are a talented woman?"
Zhu Yunwen shouted: "Queen Mother!"
Ma Shuyi smoothed things over: "Mother, what Li Cairen did is the holy will of Taizu, and it is also necessary to honor the emperor's grandfather."
The Crown Princess shrank back silently, and Princess Ningguo watched the three people arguing with excitement that could not be concealed in her eyes.
Empress Dowager Lu said with a cold face: "The Ai family has made up its mind, there is no need to say more."
Zhu Yunwen's face turned pale, he looked at the Queen Mother and said slowly: "Even if the Queen Mother demotes Li Cai to a commoner, the child will always treat her as his wife." He looked at the Queen and said, "Same as Shuyi."
The Queen Mother saw her son contradicting her so much, in front of so many people when she first took charge of the harem! He pointed at Zhu Yun and said angrily, "You!", speechless.
Ma Shuyi hurried to the Queen Mother's side and stroked her back. After a while, she saw that Lu was getting better. Ma Shuyi said softly: "Mother, Li Cairen is a princess of North Korea. Your Majesty is also thinking about the relationship between the two countries and the border of the Ming Dynasty. .Mother, don’t be angry.”
Empress Dowager Lu and Ma Shuyi, the daughter-in-law, had always had a deep relationship, and they were at loggerheads with the emperor. It just so happened that they came to a stop. She said slowly: "The Ai family doesn't know anything about diplomacy between the two countries. In matters concerning the harem, we only follow the palace rules and ancestral precepts." If you are not punished for such a serious crime, wouldn’t there be chaos in the future?”
Zhu Yunwen said no more and stood up to leave, feeling quite annoyed. I was so anxious and confused that I couldn't think of such a big reason, so I couldn't help but glance at Ma Shuyi. The queen didn't look at Zhu Yunwen, she just lowered her head and tapped the queen mother's back gently.
When Zhu Yunwen returned to Qianqing Palace, the scenery was still the same, but his grandfather was no longer there, and he couldn't help but feel a little sad again. Wang Zhi was waiting outside. When he saw him coming back, he stopped talking.
Zhu Yunwen stepped back and asked Wang Zhidao: "How did the father-in-law's investigation go?"
Wang Zhi said respectfully: "Your Majesty, the four young eunuchs of the Qianqing Palace have interrogated and interrogated again and again, but they really can't find anything. I guess that these four are indeed ignorant."
Zhu Yunwen nodded: "Where are the ones in Fengxian Hall?"
Wang Zhidao said: "Your Majesty is wise, and I have also thought of this. I locked up all the seventeen young eunuchs who were in Fengxian Hall at that time, and took them to the Zongren Mansion in the afternoon to identify them to Li Cairen."
Zhu Yunwen perked up: "Oh? How about it?"
Wang Zhi's expression remained unchanged: "Li Cairen looked at it several times and couldn't recognize which one it was." After a pause, he said: "First of all, the little eunuch who reported the news ran away after shouting through the door curtain. Secondly, Li Cairen was panicked when he heard the bad news about the imperial master." Zhu Yunwen frowned, thinking deeply. language.
Wang Zhi waited for a while, then took a step forward and said: "Your Majesty! This thief came well prepared and has a big conspiracy. If he stays in the palace, trouble will happen again. I'm afraid it will be dangerous to your Majesty and the Queen Mother."
Zhu Yunwen was shocked: "What do you mean?"
Wang Zhi said calmly: "I would rather kill a hundred by mistake than take this risk. A moment of kindness will put the harem in danger." Zhu Yunwen was kind-hearted by nature, and his lifelong ideal was to govern the country with benevolence, but he couldn't help but hesitate.
Wang Zhi advised: "Your Majesty! Think of the Crown Prince and King Yuan Huai! Young children are the easiest targets." Seeing the emperor's expression, he continued: "If something goes wrong, Li Cairen will know that it is because of her, and he will be troubled for the rest of his life." Guilty."
Zhu Yunwen pondered for a long time and finally said: "Let them bury the ancestor Taizu." The same thing is death, but switching from a death penalty to a reward for martyrdom is a compromise. Zhu Yunwen looked at Wang Zhi and added: "Don't tell Li Cairen."
Wang Zhi agreed: "Your Majesty is wise! If all evil is eliminated, there will be peace in the palace."
Really? Will there be peace in the future
Zhu Yunwen changed the topic and said: "I want to compile a "Record of Taizu" to record Taizu's great achievements in his life and his accompanying imperial grandfather for many years. Do you have any suggestions?"
Wang Zhi respectfully replied: "Your Majesty is wise! This move can not only commemorate the ancestors, but also alert future generations, and it can also demonstrate our civil and military loyalty through the hardships in the founding of the Ming Dynasty. It is really a multi-purpose achievement."
Zhu Yunwen was a little excited: "Yes, it would be better if all the civil servants and generals from the Taizu period were recorded. It can be compiled into another historical record."
Wang Zhi asked: "Does Your Majesty have a suitable historian?"
Zhu Yunwen pondered and said: "I hope this record will be concise and concise, with clear reasoning. The courtier recommended Yang Shiqi, a scholar from Jiangxi, saying that he is a talented compiler."
Wang Zhidao said: "This name is very interesting to my ears. Your Majesty might as well let him go to the Hanlin Academy first and let the officials conduct more assessments." The result was this name, and he later became one of the most famous virtuous prime ministers in the history of the Ming Dynasty. He lived through five dynasties and served in the cabinet for more than forty years. This is a story later. The Records of Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, compiled in three revisions and compiled for forty-eight years, records the deeds of the Hongwu and Jianwen dynasties of the Ming Dynasty, and has become the most important historical material for later generations to study the Ming Dynasty canons and historical figures.
Zhu Yunwen nodded: "Yes. In the compilation of "Records of Taizu", I still need to ask my companions to recall more about the life and deeds of the emperor's grandfather to enrich the historical materials."
Wang Zhi bowed and said: "Old minister, I will serve myself."
Wang Zhi walked out of Qianqing Palace, feeling the night breeze blowing on his face, giving him a slight chill. The towering palaces all around stood out in the night. Waves of crying sounds floated faintly, but when you listened carefully, there was no sound again. The branches of flowers and trees swayed, and for a moment there was a gloomy atmosphere. Wang Zhi suddenly felt a strong sense of ominousness in his mind, and he hurriedly waved his hand and hurried away.
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In June of the 31st year of Hongwu, the new emperor Zhu Yunwen officially ascended the throne and inherited the throne, becoming the second generation emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The enthronement edict said: "I have only been afraid all day and night, thinking about the reason why I restrained God, and with the great destiny of the emperor, I will always be lenient and fierce, and launch the policy of reform. The next year will be the first year of Jianwen. Amnesty will be granted to the world. Dewei and good governance, Government is to support the people, and we should abide by the words of the ancestors. This will lead to the prosperity of Yongzhao, and hundreds of ministers will show my love."
The imperial edict was announced to the world, and it was determined that the new title "Jianwen" would be adopted from the second year on, and he would be known as "Emperor Jianwen" in history. Because the temple name is Huizong, it is also called "Ming Huizong" or "Ming Hui Emperor".