When Wang Ning's body was carried out from the clan prison, it had already been "dealt with". He looked very peaceful, but he had been in a long sleep and could not wake up. His two sons, Wang Zhenliang and Wang Zhenqing, fell to the ground and cried.
Both sons inherited Wang Ning's good looks, but Wang Ning and Huaiqing were both forward-looking and deliberately kept their sons away from battlefields and power struggles. They encouraged their two sons to study literature and concentrate on reading to gain knowledge. Therefore, neither of them knew martial arts and had no interest in power. With the encouragement of their parents, they pursued knowledge, especially the youngest son Wang Zhenqing, who had a talent for reading. At a young age, his poems and essays were unique and had the style of a great man.
The eldest daughter-in-law was also crying while holding her eldest grandson, but the eldest princess Huaiqing said nothing, without shedding a single tear. Next to her was an eunuch of Emperor Jianwen who explained, "… the doctors said that it was because of the hot weather. The prince consort was too delicate and could not stand the heat. We went to the prison with the imperial edict to pardon the prince consort for having an affair. The jailer opened the cell door to wake the prince consort, but he could not wake him up. That’s when he realized something was wrong. Alas, princess, please accept my condolences."
Princess Huaiqing had completed her mission. She went to negotiate and also delayed time, buying time for Sheng Yong to counterattack. As a result, Sheng Yong was defeated. Emperor Jianwen did not punish Sheng Yong, but went back on his word and killed Wang Ning. It was really like Zhang San was sick and Wang Wu was taking medicine. None of it made sense.
Princess Huaiqing looked like she understood the bigger picture. "The weather is too hot. I need to quickly arrange the funeral for my husband. After the funeral, I will go to the palace to receive the decree and express my gratitude."
The person is dead, but the crime is forgiven, which is also a grace. With Princess Huaiqing's arrogant character, she wanted to go to the palace and kill Emperor Jianwen to avenge her husband, but doing so would make Wang Ning take the blame for her in vain, and his son and grandson would be buried with him.
When you live under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.
Even though Princess Huaiqing was proud and never bowed her head, she could do nothing but hold back her grief when she saw her two sons and eldest grandson crying. She could only collect her husband's body and wait for Prince Yan to attack the capital before seeking revenge.
On the sixth day of June, the Yan army arrived in Zhenjiang, and the defending general and all the people in the city surrendered.
On the eighth day of June, the Yan army arrived at Longtan, which was only thirty kilometers away from the capital!
Battle reports came in frequently, and it was reported that wherever the Yan army went, the people and officials did not resist, but opened the city gates to welcome the King of Yan.
Emperor Jianwen watched helplessly as the map was covered with red flags representing the Yan army. "How could this happen? I reduced their taxes, so why did they fight to protect the capital? Zi Tong, why is this happening?"
Empress Ma brought food boxes and persuaded Emperor Jianwen to eat. He had not eaten for two meals. Every time the palace servants brought food, the emperor, who had no appetite, kicked it over. The country was about to perish, and he could not eat.
Empress Ma personally went into the kitchen and cooked a few light dishes. For the sake of his wife, Emperor Jianwen reluctantly ate a bowl of lotus seed soup. He was extremely hungry, and his eyes and steps were a little dizzy, but he still had no appetite.
Empress Ma drank porridge with pickled mustard tubers and ate with Emperor Jianwen. She still acted like a good wife and mother when she heard this. "The harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs. This is the legacy left by Emperor Gaozu. I am a woman and don't understand this."
In fact, Empress Ma was born in a small country gentry family. She knew what was going on. People in the south of the Yangtze River were good at doing all kinds of business, raising silkworms and weaving cloth, as well as growing tea and fishing. Most of the people in the south of the Yangtze River did not make a living from farming. Many of the fields in the south of the Yangtze River were imperial farms and official fields. The good fields stretching for hundreds of acres were all annexed by the big landlords. The generations who farmed the land were poor and barely made ends meet. The tax cuts only reduced the taxes of the rich, and the common people did not get much benefit.
However, Empress Ma did not say anything when Emperor Jianwen announced the tax cut. Firstly, Emperor Jianwen was stubborn and could only listen to Fang Xiaoru's advice. Huang Zicheng, who was also a minister of state and a top scholar in the imperial examination, was demoted to recruit soldiers outside. What was the use of Empress Ma's advice
Secondly, the tax reduction policy was after the Mid-Autumn Festival Chrysanthemum Terrace tragedy. Empress Ma was disappointed that Emperor Jianwen arranged her, who was pregnant, to be an important chess piece. Empress Ma was not unaware of her responsibilities and position. If her husband had discussed it with her, she might have agreed to cooperate, and if she had been prepared in advance, she would have reduced the risks to a minimum.
But her husband did not believe her. When the poisoned darts hit him at the critical moment of life and death, her husband only cared about hiding himself under the table. It was Hu Shanwei who forced her to hold him down, and she escaped death.
All those vows made to each other, such as "you are the only one in the harem", "you will be together for life", and "husband and wife will stick together through thick and thin", were shattered in an instant. At the critical moment of life and death, Empress Ma saw the true face of her husband. He was not a good emperor, a good son, a good brother, a good nephew, nor a good father or a good husband.
Once a woman stops loving you and stops loving you, why would she care whether your tax cuts are reasonable
Therefore, Empress Ma gave up and treated being an empress as her career. She punched in once a day at work and the company's profit or loss had nothing to do with her.
Emperor Jianwen was very disappointed with Empress Ma's answer. In his memory, his grandmother, Empress Xiaoci, was not ignorant. Empress Ma was always able to give various suggestions to Emperor Gaozu and share his grandfather's worries. His Empress Ma could only cook and had no appetite no matter how delicious the food was. If she could become an empress by cooking, why didn't he marry a cook
Emperor Jianwen ate the meal in a dull manner and put down his chopsticks. "Queen, please go back. The weather is so hot. Be careful not to get heatstroke if you cook. Just ask the imperial kitchen to send it. Queen, don't wash your hands and cook soup. Just take good care of Gui'er."
Zhu Wengui is the name of the second son.
Out of self-respect, Emperor Jianwen did not want to show his anxiety and frenzy about the collapse of his empire in front of his wife. After all, his wife was a person without any ideas and was almost useless except for giving birth.
After the pain of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Empress Ma's heart had become as strong as a solid wall of steel. She did not feel any pain from her husband's alienation and contempt. She fulfilled her duty of persuading people to eat and it was time to return to the palace.
When Empress Ma returned to Kunning Palace, Si Yan Haitang said, "Mrs. Hu is waiting inside, ready to have dinner with the Empress."
Ever since Wang Ning's sudden death and Prince of Yan's attack on Zhenjiang, Empress Ma had to have Hu Shanwei accompany her for three meals a day, including snacks, watermelons and other fruits. Empress Ma would eat everything first before giving it to Hu Shanwei.
Based on her understanding of her manic husband, she knew that when the empire was about to collapse, her husband would go crazy. He would get rid of Hu Shanwei, who knew that he had committed the scandal of killing his brother and mother. He would be ruined and would have nothing left. He must preserve his only reputation of being filial.
Empress Ma was worried that Emperor Jianwen had poisoned Hu Shanwei's food.
Hu Shanwei was very surprised and moved by Empress Ma's behavior. It was not easy for a girl who always regarded her husband as her heaven and followed the three obediences and four virtues to achieve this.
During the years that Hu Shanwei has been in the palace, the palace has always shown a cold and ruthless side, but from time to time it reveals a hint of warmth, as if looking for candy in a pile of glass. Other people's lives are ups and downs, but Hu Shanwei's life is glass candy, glass glass glass... knife glass candy.
This candy was so rare that after she took a bite, she would feel sweet for a long time, even for a lifetime. Just like the teachings and guidance of Empress Xiaoci, she felt sweet all her life. When she met Empress Ma, a relative of Empress Xiaoci, she saw the shadow of Empress Xiaoci in the second Empress Ma and could not help but protect her.
Hu Shanwei did not expect any reward from Empress Ma. After all, she was the one who was selected by her. She was born in a humble family and had no power. She had only learned Confucian classics, the Four Books for Women and other female norms, and her daily pastimes were writing poems and talking about the zither. She became the empress because of her surname and her somewhat similar appearance to Empress Xiaoci, which made Emperor Gaozu feel pity and affection.
Empress Ma, who had no power and no knowledge of politics, used this clumsy method to protect Hu Shanwei. Shen Qionglian also brought her accurate news: the large sea ship was ready and could set off at any time.
Hu Shanwei said, "I understand. We will definitely set off within two months."
Hu Shanwei estimated that the Jianwen dynasty would fall within two months.
Shen Qionglian was not optimistic about Hu Shanwei's future. "Will the emperor let you off for the Chrysanthemum Terrace incident? If you don't leave quickly, you'll be silenced."
Hu Shanwei snorted in his heart: It's still uncertain who will kill whom, but he said: "I have my own plan, it's not convenient to tell you at the moment, think about it carefully, in the Ming Palace, what is the final outcome of those who want to attack me?"
Total destruction.
Shen Qionglian thought about it and felt that it sounded a bit arrogant, but coming from Hu Shanwei's mouth, it seemed to make sense.
The Yan army was like a tireless dragon, attacking the capital. Emperor Jianwen did nothing but eat and go to the toilet or call his ministers to meetings.
Others were as anxious as ants on a hot pan, and knew nothing about anything - no one dared to suggest stopping the Yan army. The officials were all very smart. Once the throne was replaced, wouldn't there be a reckoning in the future
Moreover, Ji Gang had already ordered people to spread the policy of Prince of Yan throughout the city: as long as they welcomed him into the city, none of his past would be pursued and he would continue to serve as an official. He only wanted the heads of Fang Xiaoru, Huang Zicheng and a few other treacherous ministers.
So when Emperor Jianwen asked for strategies to save the country, the ministers basically chose to protect themselves.
Only Fang Xiaoru still insisted on expressing his own opinions. Although all his strategies ended in failure, Emperor Jianwen was still willing to listen to him.
Fang Xiaoru said: "Your Majesty, don't worry. The imperial guards in the capital now have a total of more than 200,000 troops, and the gunpowder factory has newly developed Portuguese cannons. In addition, the capital has sufficient food and grass, which is enough to hold out for a year while waiting for Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai to recruit soldiers to come back for rescue."
Fang Xiaoru was still reliable. Emperor Jianwen asked: "What if the two of them are late in recruiting soldiers?"
Fang Xiaoru said passionately, "If the reinforcements arrive too late and the Yan army breaks into the city gate, the king will die for the country. Of course, the emperor will be remembered in history, and even if the Yan thief ascends the throne, he will be infamous for thousands of years and be pointed at by thousands of people."
Fang Xiaoru dared to say anything and directly told Emperor Jianwen that the worst that could happen was "the emperor's death for the country." The ministers angrily accused Fang Xiaoru of being rude.
But Emperor Jianwen was tempted: once he got his hands on the imperial power, who would give it up? It was like a curse. Losing the imperial power was more terrible than death. It was better to die for the country and fight hard. Maybe once reinforcements arrived, the country could still be saved.
Emperor Jianwen was determined and not afraid. He asked Fang Xiaoru, "How many days will it take for the reinforcements to arrive?"
Fang Xiaoru said: "Huang Zicheng has already rushed to Yunnan. The troops under Mu Sheng, the Duke of Qian, plus the soldiers of the local chieftains in Yunnan, can raise at least 500,000 reinforcements."
There were 500,000 reinforcements, but the Yan army had less than 100,000.
Emperor Jianwen saw a faint candlelight in despair.
So Emperor Jianwen deployed the defense of the capital, stationing 200,000 troops at the thirteen gates of the capital, while continuing to send people to negotiate with the Prince of Yan.
On the ninth day of June, Emperor Jianwen sent Li Jinglong to negotiate with Prince of Yan. At this time, ordinary ministers no longer had the ability to negotiate with Prince of Yan. After all, Li Jinglong was Prince of Yan's nephew and would not be driven away by him.
Li Jinglong had long been persuaded by Ji Gang to surrender to Prince of Yan. During the negotiation, he winked at Prince of Yan frantically: Cousin, please call me quickly and I will open the door for you!
On the tenth day of June, Emperor Jianwen sent Prince Gu Zhu Tan and Prince An Zhu Ying to negotiate with his fourth brother. Prince Gu had voluntarily abandoned the city and fled back to the capital when Prince Yan raised an army to quell the rebellion, and had not resisted at all - because his own mother, Concubine Guo Hui, had endured it all her life, but was finally forced to be buried alive with Emperor Gaozu to clear the way for Emperor Jianwen to monopolize power. Prince Gu attributed his mother's death to Emperor Jianwen's throne and was eager for Jianwen to fall.
Prince An Zhu Ying married Xu Da's third daughter Xu. He was a brother and brother-in-law of Prince Yan. He hoped that his brother-in-law and fourth brother would ascend the throne as emperor as soon as possible.
Therefore, the result of sending these two vassal kings to negotiate can be imagined. There was still no result and it was impossible to stop the advance of the Prince of Yan.
Emperor Jianwen's strategy of delaying time failed, so he placed all his hopes on the 500,000 reinforcements from Mu Sheng, Duke of Qian.
Kunming, Yunnan.
Huang Zicheng came all the way to Yunnan to recruit soldiers with the handwritten letter of Emperor Jianwen. Mu Sheng had been away from the political center of the court for many years and didn't know that the court situation had changed so drastically. How could the Southern Expedition Army, with a total of more than one million people, be defeated by the Yan Army, which had only 100,000 people? Like a dog that had lost its home
What's going on
Facing Mu Sheng's questioning, Huang Zicheng felt his face flushed and coughed twice, "It's not that our army is incompetent, it's just that the Yan army is too cunning. Now the capital is in danger, the emperor summoned all the troops to come to the capital to defend the king and kill the Yan thieves."
Mu Sheng looked at the imperial edict with the seal of Emperor Jianwen, which did not seem to be a fake, and he could not disobey the order, so he said: "Master Huang, please be patient, I will gather the troops to the capital-"
“Second brother!”
In the middle of his words, the third brother Mu Ang came in and interrupted his brother, "Second brother, there is a chieftain secretly plotting a rebellion!"
Mu Sheng's wife, children and mother were left in the capital as hostages, and it was his third brother Mu Ang who governed Yunnan with him.
Mu Sheng hurried to the tent to listen to the secret report, but when he saw the person who tipped off the news, he was stunned, "Big... Big Brother, why are you here?"
The person who came was Mu Chun. The three half-brothers of the Mu family gathered together. In addition, Mu Chun also led a gentle and handsome little boy of about five years old.
Mu Chun faked his death five years ago and has been deified in Yunnan. His majesty remains. Mu Sheng quickly gave up the main seat to his elder brother.
Mu Chun sat in the main seat and took a fruit and gave it to the little boy next to him. The little boy held the fruit and ate it without any restraint.
Mu Sheng and Mu Ang looked at each other: Big brother is married and has children
As the boy gnawed on the fruit, Mu Chun said, "Huang Zicheng is here to recruit soldiers. Don't pay any attention to him. It's better to delay. First of all, Yunnan has just stabilized. Although the local chieftains have submitted to the Ming Dynasty, if there is no Ming army stationed there to form a deterrent, some of them will rebel sooner or later. Power comes from the barrel of a gun. Once you leave, the chieftains will rebel. They will first target the 2.5 million new immigrants who have been settled. The new immigrants only know how to farm and do business. They are unarmed. Once they lose their protection, the consequences will be disastrous. By then, my father and I will have wasted many years of hard work."
"The second one..." Mu Chun pointed at the little boy who was concentrating on eating fruit, "He is Zhu Zhanji, the eldest grandson of the Prince of Yan. He has been with me in Yunnan for two years."
Mu Sheng and Mu Ang dedicated their golden years of youth, youth, and middle age to Yunnan. Yunnan and the Mu family are connected by blood. Moreover, even though the emperor of Central Plains changed, the Mu family still worked for the Zhu family, and they did not really change their boss. In addition, Mu Chun had already paved the way for the Mu family and had established good relations with the first, second, and third generation emperors in the future. The choice of the Mu brothers can be imagined.
Mu Sheng and Mu Ang nodded almost at the same time and said, "Okay, we'll listen to Big Brother."
The last candle of Emperor Jianwen's hope was extinguished by Mu Chun's few casual words.
On June 13, the legendary 500,000 reinforcements of Mu Sheng had yet to arrive, and the Yan army was at the gates of the city, gathering outside the city of Jingcheng, preparing to attack the city.
It's true that things that should come don't come, and things that shouldn't come all come.
Imperial Palace, Fengtian Hall.
At the grand court meeting, Emperor Jianwen asked his ministers for their corresponding strategies, but they all became silent and did not say a word.
Emperor Jianwen had not slept all night, his eyes were red, and he pointed at one of the military officers, "Xu Zengshou, you once spread rumors in the capital, slandering my elder brother Xu Huizu, Duke of Wei, for favoring the Princess of Yan and his nephew, and lying about military intelligence, tricking me into recalling Xu Huizu who had just won a victory, so that the Yan thieves could turn defeat into victory."
"Now, I will give you one last chance. You just need to stand on the tower and ask the King of Yan to withdraw his troops. If he refuses, you will jump off the tower and die for your country."
Xu Zengshou stepped out and threw the ivory tablet in his hand. "I have been blessed by the kindness of my father, King Xu Da of Zhongshan. I have lived a life of wealth and splendor, and I have lived as I please, without being bound by worldly rules. Throughout history, there have not been many people like me who can live as freely as a wandering cloud or wild crane. I have no regrets in my death."
Xu Zengshou refused to persuade him to surrender and refused to frame his elder brother-in-law, the Prince of Yan. All the officials were shocked. They did not expect that the most dissolute man in the capital, who had never been surpassed, had such a character.
Emperor Jianwen was furious and immediately drew his sword to stab Xu Zengshou. Blood splattered from his neck and splashed onto the ivory tablet that had been broken into several pieces.
If there is a person who has always been innocent, accustomed to the world of fame and fortune in the capital, abandons his family and life in the midst of laughter and chat, has no joy in life and no regrets in death, is romantic in the Hongwu period, and also hopes to increase his lifespan (there is a note in the author's words), it's a pity that he does not live long and dies at the age of thirty.
Seeing Emperor Jianwen killing people indiscriminately, the ministers were so scared that they rushed out and ran away.
When Emperor Jianwen calmed down, he looked back and found that all the civil and military officials in the huge Fengtian Hall had fled, leaving only Fang Xiaoru.
Fang Xiaoru remained calm and composed, "I, an old minister, will die with the emperor for the country."
Emperor Jianwen threw the bloodstained sword aside and said, "It is because of my incompetent ministers that I have suffered the defeat today!"
After that, Emperor Jianwen ignored Fang Xiaoru and went to the harem. Emperor Jianwen hurriedly asked his trusted eunuch, "Is everything ready?"
The eunuch said tremblingly: "Hu Shanggong, the Empress holding the little prince, and the prince... all drank the poisoned wine given to them in Kunning Palace and have died."
Emperor Jianwen asked again: "Is the poisoned wine ready for me?"
The eunuch lowered his head: "It's ready."
When Emperor Jianwen entered Kunning Palace, he smelled a strong smell of strong liquor. He followed the smell and saw three half-rotten corpses on the Luohan couch! They were a woman, a boy, and an indistinguishable baby. The couch and the floor were all covered with strong liquor.
Emperor Jianwen realized that he had been tricked and turned around quickly. He saw Hu Shanwei standing at the door holding a torch and said, "I am here to see your Majesty off. Concubine Fan watched the river rise little by little, suffering from the double torture of despair and death, and drowned. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, let your Majesty have a taste of Concubine Fan's final moments."
After saying that, Hu Shanwei threw the torch, and in an instant, the room became a sea of fire.
Hu Shanwei closed the door and locked it, just like what Emperor Jianwen did to Concubine Fan.
Listening to the screams and the slamming of the door, Hu Shanwei showed no emotion or pity. All she could think of was the desperate scene of Lady Fan changing into her official robes and putting on makeup in front of the mirror before her death, wanting to die beautifully. She said, "I'm sorry, you don't have a ticket for that ship because you sank the ship yourself."
The author has something to say: Emperor Jianwen's life was like the "Grave Digging Song" in "Fan Deji's Poems", he dug his own grave and cut off his own escape route.
The part about Xu Zengshou saying "If there is a person" is from the Three Kingdoms musical "Diaochan" created by Zhang Dachun and Zhou Huajian. It is a elegy. It is a very nice modern musical, highly recommended.
The Jianwen Dynasty has ended, and there are still three dynasties left in Hu Shanwei's legend of being a palace lady for five dynasties. The Hongwu Dynasty was a time of great events, and the Jianwen Dynasty was a one-man show by Empress Ma. The next three dynasties can be called a Shura field of palace fighting, so stay tuned.
"Diaochan: If There Is a Person with Unrivaled Beauty"
Guan Yu:
If there is a person who has always been innocent
Unexpected chaos and dust
Even though there is no much emotion in the chaos
I had no choice but to abandon my family and devote myself to
All the tears left on the mountains and rivers
At that time
At that time
This love is deep and lasting
Watching him roar like a hero
It's nothing but life and death. How can you compare to a peerless beauty
Narrator:
Former general Guan Yu performs the sword under the moon
Where the sword passed, Diao Chan sacrificed herself
Breaking out on the mountain road
The father and son were captured by mistake
Guan Yu's head is placed in a wooden box
Send a fast horse to the prime minister overnight
The Star General Falls, the Martial Saint Passes Away
What joy is there in life? No regrets in death
Deep love without regrets, famous
Who can compare with Diao Chan in the Three Kingdoms
Everyone:
If there is a person
The fight seems fake but true
Crossing the mountain to pursue the world
Children's love is let go
It's laughable that his love and hate hurt his body
Don't let me be trapped by your hoof marks
Trapped my hoof marks
But who knew that the king and the tyrant would be scattered
Even though I have great achievements
Nothing but a passing cloud
How to be a beautiful woman
If there is a person
If there is a person