Chapter 1 The death of Emperor Hongzhi
Zhu Houzhao opened his eyes again and looked at the roof. It was still a wooden caisson with carved patterns and gold, as if he was in a palace. He couldn't help but think to himself: "Have I really traveled through time?"
Immediately afterwards, Zhu Houzhao felt a severe headache, and then countless information gurgled out of his mind like running water.
Are you Zhu Houzhao, the current crown prince of the Ming Dynasty?
The current emperor is Zhu Youtang, Emperor Hongzhi of the Ming Dynasty? Did he faint suddenly because he heard the news of his father's death?
"Prince, are you awake?"
At this time, a eunuch with a white face and a tile hat ran over and asked with surprise on his face, but the tears in his eyes couldn't stop flowing down: "I'm so worried about you. Prince, if you have anything, At any rate, the sky of our Ming Dynasty has collapsed.”
"Are you Liu Jin?"
Zhu Houzhao asked based on his memory.
Liu Jin nodded and replied calmly: "My servant is Liu Jin. Prince, what's wrong with you? You can't even recognize me. Could it be that you have lost your soul?"
"No, I was just overly sad. My father passed away. I, I, have to go. I have to see my father for the last time. Please take me to Qianqing Palace quickly."
Zhu Houzhao did not expect that he could travel back to the Ming Dynasty and get a new life before dying. This was a very lucky thing for him, so he chose to accept his current identity, not to mention that he was still a prince. He is not a commoner, which can be said to be a very good time travel identity.
Therefore, Zhu Houzhao quickly assumed the identity of Prince Zhu Houzhao, and quickly ordered Liu Jin to take him to Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Houzhao changed into plain mourning clothes under the service of the palace maid, and was led by Liu Jin and other eight personal eunuchs to the Qianqing Palace.
At this time, the Qianqing Palace was shrouded in dark clouds, and there were cries. Even Liu Jin next to Zhu Houzhao wiped away tears: "Your Majesty was generous to others, always kind, and very compassionate to us slaves. Now he has passed away like this. It’s really surprising.”
Zhu Houzhao glanced at Liu Jin. He knew that Liu Jin was the eunuch who later became the most powerful eunuch.
Through Liu Jin's performance now, compared with several other eunuchs who did not react, Zhu Houzhao had to admit that Liu Jin was indeed much cunning and smarter. He knew that the prince himself had a deep relationship with his father, so he first acted more sad than himself, To gain your own favor.
After all, it stands to reason that as the prince's personal eunuch, the only way to take charge of the inner court and become a great eunuch is to wait for the emperor's death and the prince's accession to the throne. Therefore, Liu Jin should be happy.
Liu Jin can act, and Zhu Houzhao can also act. In order not to be seen as a time traveler, he has to act sad. After all, the emperor who died now is his father.
Therefore, Zhu Houzhao also squeezed out a few tears and choked up: "Stop crying, let's go see our father as soon as possible."
When the other seven eunuchs saw Zhu Houzhao praising Liu Jin, they all started to shed tears.
Zhu Houzhao secretly smiled, thinking that the other seven eunuchs were not simple, they knew how to observe words and emotions.
Zhu Houzhao knew that these seven eunuchs plus Liu Jin were called the "Eight Tigers" in later generations, and were denounced as eunuchs who brought trouble to the court. Liu Jin was the most blackmailed among them, but no matter what, they are still themselves now. These were the cronies around the prince, so Zhu Houzhao never thought about what to do with them.
As soon as he entered the main hall of Qianqing Palace, Zhu Houzhao saw that white curtains had been covered with old and outdated halls.
Emperor Hongzhi, the leader of the Ming Dynasty’s resurgence, is gone!
Emperor Zhengde, that is, his imperial career officially kicked off. certainly.
Zhu Houzhao knew that he couldn't show excitement yet. After all, his father, the prince, had just passed away, so he had to appear sad.
Emperor Hongzhi lived a frugal life. The Qianqing Palace was the emperor's palace, but now it seems a bit dilapidated and not repaired. There are not many palace maids in the main hall, but most of them have sad faces. Among them is Queen Zhang who is kneeling on the right side of Zi Palace. Tears were falling down one by one like pearls, as if they couldn't stop.
"Mother!"
As soon as Zhu Houzhao appeared, the queen hurriedly took Zhu Houzhao into her arms, hugged Zhu Houzhao tightly like a protective cub, pressed her cold cheek against Zhu Houzhao's face, and sobbed violently.
Zhu Houzhao could only let Queen Zhang hold him like this obediently, thinking that maybe Queen Zhang was so excited after seeing her husband die and now her son became her only support.
But because of this, Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but think of the tragic fate of Queen Zhang in history.
It can be said that Queen Zhang was very happy in the first half of her life. She was married to the Ming Emperor, and the Ming Emperor only loved her throughout his life and never married a concubine. Her son had been the crown prince since he was two years old. In ancient times, he fought countless fights to the death. Compared with the imperial concubines, they are not unhappy.
But such a happy woman will have to experience the tragic fate of losing her husband in middle age and losing her son in old age from now on.
When Zhu Houzhao thought of Empress Zhang, he couldn't help but think of himself now. He thought of the fact that he, the Zhengde Emperor, died young at the end of the year. But as a child who liked history, he remembered that many emperors of the Ming Dynasty were short-lived ghosts who died abnormally. , and the same seems to be true for him, the Zhengde Emperor, who died of lung disease after falling into the water.
The same way Emperor Tianqi died later.
Although the way Emperor Taichang died was to indulge in lust, it is a bit far-fetched to think about.
Zhu Houzhao didn't know how stupid Emperor Taichang was to accept the woman sent by Concubine Zheng, and play with it without risking his life.
And from a physiological point of view, wouldn’t Emperor Taichang have a sage moment after having sex with a woman for the first time? Where is the feedback regulation of hormones? Didn't he touch a woman when he was the prince? How could he become so horny and thirsty after becoming the emperor that he would start to indulge in lust even before Emperor Daxing was buried? Aren't you afraid of being criticized by the officials?
When Zhu Houzhao thought of this, he couldn't help but think of the current Emperor Hongzhi who also died young.
According to Zhu Houzhao's knowledge, Emperor Hongzhi suddenly suffered from wind-heat disease, that is, heat stroke, eight days ago. However, the imperial doctor prescribed heat medicine without examining him. Moreover, Emperor Hongzhi, who understood medical science, took the medicine without objection, and he took the medicine without any objection. The queen died suddenly.
Heat stroke may lead to death, but it is not a serious illness and the possibility of death is very small. Moreover, Emperor Hongzhi kept himself in good health throughout his life and did not indulge in sexual pleasures. How could he not even be able to withstand a heat stroke and a cold?
Zhu Houzhao didn't know how incompetent the imperial doctors in this era were to make an emperor suddenly die of heatstroke.
Therefore, Zhu Houzhao had reason to believe that Emperor Hongzhi might have been framed and died!
But although Zhu Houzhao is the prince, he lives in Duanmu Palace and does not participate in the government affairs of the inner court. He left the court to study six years ago. He is also quite promiscuous and does not leave home every day. It is understandable that he does not know the secrets here, not to mention I am still too young to notice this, but it is impossible for the eunuchs of Qianqing Palace and cabinet ministers not to notice it, right?
Zhu Houzhao believed that if Emperor Hongzhi was killed, several senior eunuchs and senior officials in the inner court and cabinet were likely to be involved in the matter!
Recommend the author's new book "The Great Disaster of the Ming Dynasty" which is absolutely enjoyable
(End of chapter)