Empress Xu and Hu Shanwei arranged their funeral arrangements. What she was most worried about was her children, the Crown Prince and the King of Han.
With Empress Xu's ability, she was able to teach her eldest and second sons well, but during the crucial ten years when the two children were growing from teenagers to young adults, Prince Yiwen Zhu Biao died suddenly. In order to consolidate the throne of the grandson Zhu Yunwen, who had no foundation, Emperor Gaozu kept the princes of the major vassal kings in the capital, ostensibly to educate his grandsons, but in fact as hostages.
Because the Prince of Yan's Mansion was too powerful, the second son Zhu Gaochi was also detained. As a result, Emperor Yongle and Empress Xu missed the most important ten years of their two sons' character transformation.
When they left, they were still young and ignorant boys. Emperor Yongle pretended to be crazy and about to die before he coaxed Emperor Jianwen to release the children. When they returned, they were no longer boys, but adults with wives and children. Their personalities had already been formed.
How easy is it to force it back
Empress Xu is leaving. Xu Zengshou, who played both father and mother to the Crown Prince and the King of Han during the ten years when they were missing their parents, and also served as their uncle, has been gone for five years. The strong adhesive between the two brothers is about to expire...
After hearing what Empress Xu said, Hu Shanwei felt as if a storm was about to come, even though it was a very hot summer day.
Seeing that Empress Xu was running out of energy, Hu Shanwei took his leave. Anyway, she would officially enter the palace the day after tomorrow, so it would not be too late to talk later if there was anything to say.
Cao Siyan sent her out, passed by the large shed where green peacocks were raised, and took A Lei away as well.
A clear laugh could be heard from a distance. A Lei came out with a young boy who was as thin and tall as a bamboo pole. "I'm going home with my sister. I'll play with you another day."
Zhu Zhanji still looked the same as before, with a small face the size of a palm, thin and pale. The pitiful little flesh on his face was not as much as the flesh on half of A Lei's face, and he looked like he was always hungry and malnourished.
Because there is not much flesh on his face, his nose bridge appears strong and his eye sockets appear deep. With this figure and appearance, if put in modern times, he would have the world-weary face and clothes rack that fashion pursues, and he would be a potential model.
However, in this era, Zhu Zhanji's appearance was not pleasing, far inferior to his mighty and majestic cousin Shuikeng. If he changed into patched clothes, smeared some dust on his face, held a broken bowl, and squatted on the street, it would be easy to arouse the sympathy of passers-by, and ten copper coins could be thrown to the broken bowl every day.
After all, he was a child she had raised for two years and had called her godmother. Hu Shanwei was overwhelmed with maternal love and could not help but go over and touch Zhu Zhanji's face carefully. He was still growing but not gaining weight. His height was almost the same as Hu Shanwei's, but his waist was thinner than A Lei's, and he had long arms and legs. He really looked more and more like a praying mantis.
Hu Shanwei said, "You seem to have lost some weight. Your Highness must be very tired studying in the palace every day."
More than just going to school
During the three years that Zhu Zhanji returned home, he was under pressure from all directions. He was naturally intelligent, so going to school was not difficult for him. With the help of a legendary figure like Mu Chun, he learned martial arts, so he had solid basic skills and riding and archery were not a problem for him.
Zhu Zhanji's pressure came from the complicated interpersonal relationships and interests of the royal family. First, his mother, the Crown Princess, gave birth to another son, Zhu Zhanyong, in the third year of Yongle. In the fourth year of Yongle, the East Palace concubine Li also gave birth to the second son, Zhu Zhanyin. In the same month, the Crown Princess gave birth to the third son, Zhu Zhanji.
The East Palace suddenly had five sons, three legitimate and two illegitimate. It was strange that there was not a single girl, only boys.
Prince of Han Zhu Gaoxu also had many wives and concubines, but he only had two legitimate sons. The concubines never even had a big belly. With such a good body, he lost in fertility to his elder brother, the crown prince, who was weak, fat and had difficulty in moving. It was really hard to accept this.
For the eldest grandson Zhu Zhanji, his four younger brothers were only a few years younger than him, and two of them were legitimate sons. His mother, the Crown Princess, naturally paid more attention to the two younger sons, and Zhu Zhanji, as the older brother, was under even greater pressure.
Zhu Zhanji did not return to the Eastern Palace until he was seven years old. He lacked parental love in his childhood, especially the days when he waited in Yunnan for his return home, which was almost hopeless. At such a young age, he was under pressure that even adults could not endure. He was already estranged from his family. In the beginning, because of his outstanding performance, he was favored by Emperor Yongle, and the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess paid more attention to him.
However, as a group of younger brothers came along, Zhu Zhanji received far less attention than before. The parent-child relationship that had just been repaired stagnated or even regressed, and Zhu Zhanji became more anxious and insecure than before in Yunnan.
Not only that, he also has to spend energy pretending to be calm and being a perfect grandson, son and elder brother.
Are you tired? I am exhausted.
Compared to now, those years in foster care in Kunming were like heaven. He will probably live his entire life by absorbing the nourishment of memories.
Day after day, year after year, under such pressure, it would be a miracle for Zhu Zhanji to gain an extra pound of weight.
Apart from that, he also had to help the Eastern Palace gain favor with Emperor Yongle - but at the same time he couldn't do it too obviously, as Zhu Zhanji's heart was about to turn into a hornet's nest, full of tricks.
Therefore, facing Hu Shanwei's cordial and intimate greetings, Zhu Zhanji thought again and again in his heart, weighing his words carefully: "I'm fine. The emperor and the prince are busy with all kinds of affairs, and they also have to worry about the queen's health. They are really hard. Hu Shanggong is back, and it will be very hard to lead the affairs of the harem in the future."
Hu Shanwei: No wonder I never gain weight. I have to think over and over again before I say a few words of greeting. I am really a worrier.
However, as soon as Zhu Zhanji started to speak, Hu Shanwei discovered that he had the same gap between his teeth as A Lei, and he finally looked a bit like a child.
A Lei looked at Zhu Zhanji, who suddenly became reserved, with some sympathy, "I'm going back with my sister. I'll come to see you again when I have the chance."
Zhu Zhanji wanted to send them home personally, but after calming down, he thought that if he came to Kunning Palace and didn't pay his respects to the Empress but just went to see the guests off, someone might accuse him of being unfilial.
With this in mind, Zhu Zhanji sent them out of Kunning Palace and then turned back to see the queen.
When Hu Shanwei and her sister hurried out of the palace and went home, the housekeeper presented them with two thick gift lists. These were housewarming gifts from their neighbors, namely, the Mu family of the Duke of Qian's Mansion and the Prince of Han's Mansion.
The King of Han had long had his eyes on the Taicang Garden mansion. He wanted to break down the walls between the two houses, demolish a street, enclose the main street, and build a garden for his own enjoyment, as well as to accommodate guests.
Just when the King of Han was looking for an opportunity to ask Emperor Yongle to give him this mansion, he heard from the eunuch in charge of the palace that the house had already been taken and the Emperor had given it to someone else:
"… Your Majesty, I saw with my own eyes that Eunuch Sanbao sent the person home. That day, the palace continuously sent items bestowed by the emperor to the mansion. This was a grand occasion that only a high-ranking official in the court could have."
The King of Han shook his head. "Impossible. I haven't heard of such a person in the court recently. Go find someone in the palace and find out who this person is."
The Hanwang Mansion on the right began to take action, and the Qianguo Mansion on the left also reacted very quickly.
As the Mu family has been resident in Yunnan for generations, the two adult men of the Mu family, Duke of Qian Mu Sheng and his younger brother Mu Ang, are both in Kunming. The only adult man, Fourth Master Mu Xin (the boy who ate boogers back then has grown up), was favored by Emperor Yongle in the first year of the Yongle reign and was married to Princess Changning. Mu Xin became a royal consort and moved out of the Mu Mansion and lived in the Royal Consort's Mansion.
Therefore, the Duke of Qian’s mansion is now full of old, weak women and children. The Duke of Qian’s wife, Geng, could not bear the blow of the execution of her family members in the Marquis of Changxing’s mansion, so she retired from the world and built a Buddhist temple near the ancestral hall, never leaving the house. Empress Xu also issued an imperial decree, pitying the old lady and exempting Geng from coming to the palace to pay homage during festivals.
Lady Cheng, the wife of the Duke of Qian (the one who was still a virgin three years after marrying into the family) had three sons and three daughters, all born to concubines. Among them, the ten-year-old eldest son Mu Bin had been named the Duke of Qian's Heir by Emperor Yongle.
Cheng had been married into a wealthy family for many years and had become accustomed to the long-term separation between husband and wife. To be honest, she no longer remembered what her husband looked like. She and her husband had had sex no less than five times, so it would be strange if she could get pregnant.
Mu Sheng in Yunnan was surrounded by many beautiful women. He liked beautiful women just like his biological father Mu Ying. He only had a concubine who was about to get pregnant. She was sent to the Qianguo Mansion in the capital to give birth, and his wife Cheng would take care of her. After the child was born, he would recognize his ancestors and be included in the family tree, becoming the branch of the Mu family. The child would stay in the capital to receive orthodox aristocratic education and would never return to Yunnan.
In this way, Cheng became the mother of six children. Her mother-in-law was devoted to Buddhism, her husband was guarding the border, her brother-in-law was a royal consort, and Princess Changning was easy-going and a very easy-going sister-in-law. After Cheng thought it through, she treated the wife of the Duke of Qian as a job, and everything became clear to her. As the wife of one of the only two old noble families in the capital, Cheng lived a free and easy life.
After hearing the housekeeper talk about the new neighbor's style, Cheng had to fulfill the duties of the wife of the Duke of Qian, and maintain good personal relationships and handle interpersonal relationships. She did not have connections in the palace like the King of Han, but everyone has their own magical powers, and the Duke of Qian, Cheng, also had her own channels of information.
Cheng said to the housekeeper, "Go to the Prince Consort's mansion immediately and tell my uncle about this matter. Ask him to help find out."
You have to figure out the target person before you can write a gift list. It won’t work if the list is too thin or too thick.
The son-in-law Mu Xin is Mu Ying's youngest son. He grew up in the palace and studied with the princes and grandchildren. He has outstanding looks and is good at making changes, otherwise he would not have been chosen as the son-in-law.
Mu Xin's biological mother died early, and his stepmother Geng was indifferent to him. He could be said to have been raised by his sister-in-law Cheng, so he respected his second sister-in-law very much. After getting married, he moved out of the Mu Mansion. His two brothers were stationed at the border all year round. He knew that there were no adult men in the Mu Mansion to set up a household, and his sister-in-law was a woman, so there were many inconveniences, so he was willing to lend a hand.
Cheng went to find Mu Xin, Mu Xin went to find Princess Changning, and Princess Changning entered the palace and unveiled the mysterious neighbor.
Upon inquiring, the neighbors were all shocked to find out that Hu Shanwei, the palace lady of two dynasties, was back again and wanted to serve for a third dynasty!
Moreover, the emperor allowed Concubine Hu to live outside and take care of her half sister, and to clock in and out of the palace every day like a minister. This was unheard of in the first two dynasties of the Ming Dynasty. The emperor set a precedent for Concubine Hu!
The wife of the Duke of Qian did not know that the famous Concubine Hu was actually her sister-in-law... She just felt that the matter was of great importance, so she went to the Buddhist temple to report to her mother-in-law, the wife of the Duke of Qian, Mrs. Geng.
On the day when her entire family was executed, Geng's hair turned completely white overnight. She meditated in the Buddhist temple, reciting scriptures silently, and had no reaction to her daughter-in-law's words.
Cheng said it again and waited for a while. Geng still didn't respond, so she didn't wait any longer and bowed and left.
Just as Cheng turned around and walked to the door, she heard her mother-in-law's deep voice, "The more gifts you give, the less blame you will get. No matter what happens, don't go against Concubine Hu. Those who go against her are basically dead."
Geng had experienced many vicissitudes of life, served three emperors and experienced countless political storms. She was mediocre in talent, neither kind nor bad, but she had always enjoyed wealth and status by luck. Even though her natal family had died out, she was able to firmly sit on the position of the Dowager Consort of the Duke of Qian. She was the only surviving Dowager Consort from a noble family in the capital. Who would have thought that such a person would make it to the end
Geng was not smart. She just saw too much as a bystander and passed on her experience to her daughter-in-law.
Cheng turned around and said, "Yes, daughter-in-law will remember it. Do you have any other instructions, mother-in-law?"
Geng was silent again. Cheng waited for a while, but there was no response. She went back to rewrite the gift list and sent it to Houli according to her mother-in-law's instructions.
Han Palace.
When Han Wang Zhu Gaoxu heard the news, he jumped up from his chair excitedly, "Well, it's great, my father is really good at coming up with unexpected moves."
"Your Highness, what does Concubine Hu's return to the capital have to do with us?" Princess Wei of Han was confused - she was also a girl selected under the new policy of "selecting beauties from the common people and marrying into the family of the farmers". She had an ordinary family background, average knowledge, and lacked experience, so she didn't understand why her husband was so excited.
Crown Princess Zhang was also a commoner princess, but the Eastern Palace had a "virtuous wife" like Guo Liangdi who came from one of the top wealthy families in the capital to help guide her. Crown Princess Zhang treated Guo Liangdi kindly and they were almost equals. In addition to sharing a husband, they also shared resources, so the Crown Princess had a higher political awareness than the Princess of Han.
The King of Han broke down the matter bit by bit and explained to his wife, "My mother is seriously ill and doesn't have much time left. My father is in his prime and will probably remarry and establish a successor. The Han Palace is already very aggrieved with the pressure of the Crown Prince, and with the pressure of a stepmother and a successor, the life of the Han Palace will be even more difficult. But my father suddenly recalled Concubine Hu, who had served in two dynasties, to take charge... I think my father doesn't plan to establish a successor. With Concubine Hu around, it doesn't matter whether there is a queen or not."
Princess Han was so excited that she rubbed her hands together. "What are we waiting for? Hurry up and write a gift list and send it to Houli. Consort Hu will be of great benefit to us."
As a result, two gift lists from neighbors were delivered to Hu's house almost at the same time.
It is a matter of reciprocity. When someone gives you a gift, you have to return the favor and also pass on a business card to arrange a date to visit your neighbor.
Living in a government office, food, oil and salt consume money, and social interactions consume energy. Hu Shanwei was used to living in the mountains and being accompanied by animals, and suddenly she felt tired of dealing with social events. It would be better for her to go to the palace and punch in to work, which she was familiar with at least.
The neighbors received Hu Shanwei's reply, but they didn't know what etiquette to use to welcome Hu Shanwei's return visit.
Hu Shanwei was a woman, and according to traditional etiquette, she should have been received by the wife of the Duke of Qian and the Princess of Han.
But Hu Shanwei was also an official, receiving a salary from the court. The Hanwang Mansion and the Qianguogong Mansion sent her a housewarming gift for her position as a Shang Gong. If it was an ordinary female household, these top wealthy and powerful families in the capital would not care at all. In this case, a man in an official position would have to come forward to receive Hu Shang Gong.
But Hu Shanggong is a woman...
Oh, what a headache.
The King of Han and his wife decided that they would receive Concubine Hu together, so that they could have the best of both worlds.
But the Mu Mansion couldn't do that. There was no man to support the family. Could it be that the ten-year-old Prince Mu Bin of the Duke of Qian should talk to an old fox like Hu Shang Gong? This was inappropriate.
The wife of the Duke of Qian still sent someone to invite the son-in-law Mu Xin. The Fourth Master Mu was just a brick and could be moved wherever he was needed.
The Han King and his wife were discussing where to entertain Hu Shang Gong, and they did not notice that their eldest son Zhu Zhanhe, who was punished to copy books, had already climbed over the courtyard wall and ran away. He ran to the door of Hu's house and shook the door knocker vigorously, "Open the door, open the door! I want to see Hu Shang Gong!"
The author has something to say: More than 20 years have passed, and those who are still alive today are actually the insignificant people back then. Writing about the lives of these people feels like participating in their lives. Sometimes I would stop typing, sigh for these people for a while, and then continue. Although they are not the protagonists, their lives are also very exciting.
It’s been a while since I’ve had a quiz with prizes. Since we mentioned Mu Xin and Guo Liangdi today, I’ll give a 100-point big red envelope question related to both of them.
There are two questions in total, each worth 100 points. It’s on a first-come, first-served basis. If you answer both questions in one go, you’ll get 200 points.
The stem of the question is complicated, but the question is simple, so don’t give up on answering (treatment)!
Read Guo Xuan’s epitaph and answer the following questions.
"The Tomb Inscription of the Late General Guo Gong, Commander-in-Chief of the Zhenshuo Army and Marquis of Wuding"
(Written by Jiayi Dafu, Right Vice-Chief Censor of the Supervisory Yuan, Luo Hengxin of Wuyang, written by Zhenyuan Hou, Yangzhou Gu Xingzu, and inscribed by Fengyang Muxin, the Imperial Horse Commander): On the 16th day of the seventh month of the 12th year of Zhengtong, General Guo, the General of Zhenshuo, and Marquis of Wuding, died of a sudden illness in the town of Xuanfu. The governor sent an envoy to report the death to the emperor. On the 19th day of the 19th month, the emperor mourned and withdrew from the court. All the civil and military officials in the court were horrified. On the next day, the emperor ordered the officials to escort the coffin back. On the first day of the ninth month, the coffin arrived at the Chaoyang Gate. The emperor ordered the Ministry of Rites to offer sacrifices according to the rituals and give gifts to his family. On the Bingwu day of the ninth month of that year, he was buried at the tomb of his late mother, Mrs. Xu, in Hongluo Mountain, Huairou County. The Ministry of Industry was still ordered to organize the funeral. At the beginning, when the duke died, his tomb was buried with Si Cong. He bowed his head in the form of a tribute and said in tears: "But the deacon knew his late father the best. He was so unfortunate that he dared to ask for the inscription on his tomb." I mourned the soldiers and went out to patrol the outside of the fortress, and the general army was here. If it was beneficial to others and benefited the border areas, we must discuss it to determine whether it is possible, and then implement it. The fortress is strictly guarded and the smoke and dust do not rise. Fang Qing's court appoints generals and gets people, and soldiers and civilians get their own places. How can I expect that the Duke will die suddenly? It's so sad. If I don't succeed, I will use clumsy words, which is the preface of snow tears. Said: The Guo family was a prominent family in Linhuai County, Fengyang. In the ancient Yuan Dynasty, there was great excitement in all directions. Our great-grandfather Emperor Gao followed the will of Heaven and the people, raised troops and reclaimed ditches and fields to save the people from destruction. At that time, the heroes and nobles were moved by the opportunity and all served with all their strength, assisting and advising. Your great-grandfather Xing and grandfather Ying were particularly resolute. Together they led powerful armies to conquer the east and the west, and to conquer the south and the north. After that, the evil spirits were eliminated, and the Chinese and the barbarians were conquered. In the year of Wushen of the Hongwu reign, the emperor ascended the throne in Nanjing and conferred titles based on merit: Xing was conferred the title of Marquis of Gongchang, and was posthumously awarded the title of Duke of Shan, and was posthumously named Xuanwu. Ying was conferred the title of Marquis of Wuding, and was posthumously named the Duke of Ying, and was posthumously named Weixiang. Your uncle Zhen married Princess Yongjia and was appointed as the commander of the imperial horses. Your father Ming was the treasurer of Liaofu, and later died in state affairs. Your mother, Xu, was actually the daughter of the uncle of Zhongshan King, the governor and co-governor. She lost her husband before she was 30, and vowed to educate her two sons until her death. The eldest was Cong, who was first appointed as a thousand-householder of the palace army guards, and then promoted to commander of the guards. The second was Gong, Xuanxuan, whose courtesy name was Zhenbai. In the 9th year of Yongle, he was appointed as the commander of the guards of the Han Palace as the son of Shixun, and then transferred to the commander of the guards of the Han Palace. In the autumn of the 22nd year of Jiachen, Emperor Renzong succeeded to the throne, and recalled him and promoted him to the deputy governor of the left army. In the 11th month of winter, he succeeded to the title of Marquis Wuding on his grandfather, and gave him an imperial edict, and posthumously conferred the title of Marquis Wuding on his father, his grandmother Yan was conferred the title of Lady of the Duke of Yingguo, his mother Xu was conferred the title of Lady Tai, and his late wife Deng and his second wife Mu were both conferred the title of Lady. In the 2nd year of Xuande, he was in charge of the affairs of the Zongrenfu, and was rewarded for compiling the Jade Book. In September of the third year, he led the Right Wing Army and accompanied Emperor Xuanzong on a border patrol. When they arrived at Huizhou, he was ordered to take charge of the main camp. In October, he sent captured ugly men and women, cattle and sheep back to the capital. Later, he was often ordered to hunt in the suburbs, and he was repeatedly ordered to stay in the capital and take charge of the general affairs of the five armies. He was highly regarded. Now the emperor has ascended the throne, and he has been appointed more and more. In August of the third year of Zhengtong, he was ordered to supervise the repair of the imperial mausoleum and the White Pagoda in Fengyang. After the mausoleums were completed, he returned to the capital. In November of the ninth year, he was given the seal of the general of Zhenshuo and appointed as the commander-in-chief to garrison Xuanfu. At that time, the border affairs were complicated and war was everywhere. The public worked day and night without daring to be idle, and discussed with the important officials of the garrison to prevent the invaders and protect the people. So he organized the army, refined the weapons, set up the watchtowers, and built the walls of Xuanfu and rebuilt the border fortresses of more than 200 li. The bandits fled far away upon hearing the news, and the northern desert was safe. The foreign barbarians came to pay tribute every year, and there were more than a thousand people and livestock. The Duke comforted the people and made them happy. In three years, he was able to win the hearts of the people and save the country. The country relied on him for growth, and the soldiers looked up to him like a kind father. Everyone inside and outside the country respected him. If he died suddenly, the officers and soldiers would feel like they had lost their loved ones. Isn't it a great pity? He died on October 5, 1668, the year of Yi Hai in the Hongwu reign. He was fifty-three years old. He first married Fang, the daughter of Weiyuan Bo Zheng. He married Deng, Wang, and Chen. He also married Mu, the daughter of the Duke of Qian. Son 5: Long and wise, unruly and unruly. After listening, hearing, sound, and listening, everyone knows how to learn etiquette well. One girl, still young. Woohoo! The prince, Qi Li, is a noble man with a warm and mellow temperament and a handsome appearance. He was young and solitary, able to learn on his own, good at calligraphy and writing, skilled in classics and history, and rich in strategy. He fulfills his filial piety by serving his mother, and he is especially devoted to his brothers, who are loyal to each other and become friends with them. The longer they stay with each other, the more respectful they become. Hengdian Rongshu praised his benevolence, caressed the soldiers, remembered their hunger and cold, and sympathized with their sufferings. He was captured as a border general, commanded a large number of troops, and went to the outside world. He was able to retreat modestly and regarded himself as a virtuous corporal. In order to control the Rong and Di, he only used troops that were always victorious and did not seek immediate results. Compared with famous generals in ancient times, such as Zhao Chongguo and Li Mu, I am not much inferior to them. If I were given more years, how could I measure his achievements? It is not possible now. I am deeply ashamed that my words are not enough to show your goodness. I will just give you a brief account of your merits to tell future generations. The inscription says:
The Guo family of Haoliang is the founding father of the country. With their good deeds, many people are famous in the world. But when you were born, you were brilliant and pure. You were honored at an early age and had outstanding talents.
The imperial family was a member of the imperial family, and his reputation was well known. He compiled the Imperial Records with great care and diligence. He commanded the army and led the army out of the border. He killed the ugly people and recited the frivolous