Ming Dynasty, the first day of September in the 48th year of Wanli, Yin Shi (3 o'clock to 5 o'clock in the morning), Qianqing Palace East Warm Pavilion. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

On the first day of August, Emperor Taichang Zhu Changluo, who had been emperor for just one month, closed his eyes unwillingly and was only 38 years old.

Since April this year, Zhu Changluo has not recovered from a cold, and after ascending to the pole, he has worked day and night to deal with various problems left over from his father Wanli's neglect of government, and the high-intensity work has overwhelmed the already weak body.

On the tenth day of the first month of August, he relied on the help of medicine to send 8 beauties sent by Zheng Guifei who was fortunate to Wanli for two consecutive days, and then Cui Wensheng, a half-hanger, used an excessive amount of Litong medicine - rhubarb in order to eliminate the drug residues in his body, so that he went out more than 40 times in one night, so that Zhu Changluo, who was already at the end of the crossbow, finally fell ill.

As of yesterday, Zhu Changluo had been unable to eat for several days. When I summoned the ministers yesterday, after using the "red pill" offered by Li Kezhuo of Honglu Temple, I had an appetite and urged another one, thinking that I could get better quickly, but something unfortunate still happened.

At this time, there was a cry in the Dongnuan Pavilion, except for Concubine Zheng Guifei, who had not yet had time to move out, the others were Zhu Changluo's concubines and children. Because he had just ascended the throne, the title of the harem had not yet had time to be decided, so they were all selected servants, namely West Li, East Li, Zhao, Fu, and Shao; There are five children, namely 15-year-old Zhu Youxiao, 10-year-old Zhu Youzhen, 9-year-old Zhu Huiyuan, 10-year-old Zhu Huiyan, and 9-year-old Zhu Huijing.

In Zhu Changluo's harem, West Li and East Li are both Li's, because when he was the prince, there was a difference in the location of the palace where he lived in Ciqing Palace, so as to distinguish it, his real name could not be examined, so he no longer drew snakes to add enough names. Among them, Xi Li is the oldest and most favored, so everyone is waiting for her to make an idea at this time.

Seeing her husband's slowly cold body, 36-year-old Xi Li couldn't make up her mind, and asked Zheng Guifei, who is currently the highest-ranking in the palace: "Niangniang, what do you think you should do now?" This...... Why am I so miserable? Woo..."

55-year-old Zheng Guifei, accustomed to seeing wind and rain, she couldn't see the woman in front of her behaving coyly, pulled Xi Li, who was still sobbing, to the side, looked at the sky outside the window and whispered: "Such a big thing, we women can't be the master, and we can't hide it, instead of making people criticize, it is better to take the initiative to summon the courtiers." On the ninth day of this month, the school brother was appointed by the emperor to be crowned the prince, and it is known both inside and outside. Now that the emperor has died, the new emperor is none other than him. How do you usually treat him, and are you sure that he will completely obey you? ”

Xi Li immediately understood what Concubine Zheng meant, quickly wiped away his tears, tidied up his appearance, and then said slowly: "Since Wang Cairen went in March last year, I have been raising him, not saying that I regard him as my own, but I have not been slacking off at all, and everything is close to him first." It's just that, according to Wang Yanghua's report next to me, he has often asked his close attendants who used to serve Wang Cairen to inquire about the past, and as for how much he heard, it is not clear, I am worried about ......"

Concubine Zheng didn't care about this, interrupted her words about to speak, and said: "Now is not the time to talk about these details, when the ministers come, they will definitely see him, you remember, you must not let the ministers take the school brother away." As long as she is not allowed out of the Qianqing Palace, the queen mother I want and the queen you want will be possible, and there is a lot to do with it, do you understand? ”

Xi Li nodded, she finally settled down, looking at the eldest son of the emperor who was sleepy and silent in front of the bed, the past was vivid, and she couldn't help but wonder if her adoptive mother's position in the heart of this 15-year-old boy was stable. The more she thought about it, the more she had no confidence, combined with Concubine Zheng's words, Xi Li called the two henchmen eunuchs who had been following him and said: "Jinzhong and Tian Zhao, you two will listen to my instructions later, and take a few people to help the emperor's eldest son to Xinuan Pavilion to take care of him." Remember, you can't let him go half a step without my permission, you know? ”

"Understood." Li Jinzhong, Tian Zhao replied in a low voice, and then each went to find a few people they trusted, waiting for Xi Li's order outside the Dongnuan Pavilion.

Looking around at the people with different shapes and behaviors looking at themselves, seeing that they only looked at their own horses, Xi Li couldn't help but feel a little stronger, according to the discussion with Zheng Guifei just now, she said to Zhu Youxiao, "Brother Xiao, you first take your younger brothers and sisters to Xinuan Pavilion with Li Jinzhong to rest for a while, we will take care of it here." When the emperor died, he had to wash and change into clean clothes, so as not to lose the royal face when the courtiers cried at dawn, and the women such as me did not know the general situation. ”

Seeing that Zhu Youxiao was still ignorant, Xi Li thought that he couldn't accept this fact, so he beckoned Li Jinzhong and Tian Zhao to come forward and help him take his children out of the vermilion gate, and also took away the Shao family, who was pregnant with Liujia.

Looking at the backs of the children, Xi Li sighed in his heart, pressed his thoughts, and called Wang An to him, "Wang An, as soon as the palace door opens, you will send someone to notify the cabinet minister, the British minister, and the ministers of the six ministries and six departments to enter the palace and cry." In addition, the person who informed the celebrant to wait at the palace gate was to be on standby, so that Duke Lu could inform the guards of the palace to step up patrols, and not to act rashly without a will; Instruct the East Factory to pay attention to the movements of the Jingshi, and respond immediately if there is an abnormality. ”

Wang An, the celebrant and eunuch, is a nearly 70-year-old eunuch who has followed Zhu Changluo for many years. He has always been uninterested in Xi Li, and after hearing this, he muttered in his heart, this celebrant is the emperor's secretarial department, can you command a person whose reputation has not been established? But he also knew that this was not the time to care, so he hurriedly went out and found a little eunuch to go to the noon gate to spread the word.

When Xi Li saw Wang An going out, he asked the women to bathe and change the clothes of the dead Zhu Changluo with the help of the palace maids and eunuchs, so that he, who had always paid attention to appearance, would summon the ministers for the last time, although he would never perceive it again.

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Outside the noon gate, everyone who was waiting to enter the palace to deal with government affairs had a solemn face, since they saw the emperor yesterday, everyone always had a feeling of unsteadyness. They are, Fang Congzhe, a scholar of the Cabinet University, Liu Yixian, a left waiter and a bachelor of the Ministry of Rites, Han Yi, a right waiter and a bachelor of the Ministry of Rites, and Zhang Weixian, a British public, Zhou Jiamo, a secretary of the Ministry of Officials, Li Ruhua, a secretary of the Ministry of Households, Sun Ruyou, a secretary of the Ministry of Rites, Huang Jiashan, a secretary of the Ministry of War, Huang Kezhang, a scholar of the Criminal Department, Zhang Wenda of the Imperial History of the Left Capital, Fan Jishi of the Ministry of Officials, Yang Lian of the Military Department, and Gu Yu of the Imperial History.

Yang Lian, 48 years old, is in the middle of the military department, and is a five-grade product. He is the youngest of the people, and since Zhu Changluo ascended to the pole, his advice has been adopted and is quite valued and trusted. The offices of the six departments are located in the corridors on both sides of the noon gate, and all the resolutions of the cabinet and the emperor's decree are checked by them and sent to the ministries for implementation and supervision. The military department where Yang Lian is located is connected to the military department and the governor's office of the five armies, and its position is quite important.

At midday, the sky has begun to white, the left door of the noon door opened on time, a eunuch with a lantern hurried over, saw that all the ministers were there, breathed a sigh of relief, stepped forward to everyone and said: "The emperor died, by the order of the prince of ceremonies, please enter the Qianqing Palace and cry." ”

Everyone blew up the pot at once, and pulled the messenger eunuch to ask for relevant details. The eunuch may not have experienced such a situation, and was pushed by more than a dozen old men, not knowing how to answer. Seeing this, Yang Lian hurriedly stopped everyone and said, "Everyone be quiet, let Master Fang speak first." ”

"This father-in-law, say it again, the old man is old, and he didn't hear it clearly just now." Fang Congzhe didn't hear it clearly, he didn't believe it at all.

The eunuch cleared his throat and repeated what he had just said. After Fang Congzhe heard this, he suddenly seemed to have all his strength drained. Over the years, he has been the only one in the cabinet, and others may think this is a good thing, but he knows that he is not a person inside and out. The courtiers complained that they didn't give Wanli advice, and Wanli complained that he was against him, and there were countless things big and small in the country, which made him extremely haggard. It's easy to wait for a monarch who doesn't escape, and he died so soon, I thought I would get through it, but now it seems that everything has come to naught.

Yang Lian saw the strange appearance of this old man who was almost 70 years old, so he hurriedly stepped forward to support him and said to everyone: "Don't make a noise, everyone hurry up and enter the palace, and then discuss the matter when the situation is discovered." The country cannot be without a king for a day, and the eldest son of the emperor must be invited to preside over the overall situation. ”

Everyone said yes, and hurriedly stepped forward to help Fang Congzhe and trotted towards the palace. On the way, Yang Lian thought of a possible situation and instructed the eunuch who came to deliver the message, "Is this father-in-law following the prince?" Don't know your name? ”

"Slave Shen Yin, I have been serving the emperor's eldest son for many years, I don't know what the adults command."

Yang Lian didn't know much about Ouchi, but since he was sent by Wang An, who had a good impression of the foreign dynasty, he should be credible, so he said: "I don't know if Gonggong Shen can find a dragon chariot for him to go outside the Qianqing Gate, and he may be able to use it later." ”

Although Shen Yin was not in the ceremonial supervisor, he often lived in the palace, so he naturally understood the responsibilities of each yamen, so he replied affirmatively: "This is no problem, the prince orders the slaves and maids, and everything is up to the adults." It's just that the person carrying the sedan chair lives outside the Xuanwu Gate, and I don't know if it's too late. ”

"There is Lao Shen's father-in-law."

"Your Excellency is polite, this is a matter for slaves and maids." Shen Yin is also an old man in the palace, so he naturally knows that the next step is the drama of changing the dynasty, so he doesn't dare to hold it up.

Shen Yin has been serving Zhu Youxiao for many years, and he has been waiting for this day, seeing that he is about to get out, he didn't dare to be careless, so he ran to the front of everyone and knelt down before leaving, and said, "The slave begs the lord and the lords, you must ensure the safety of His Royal Highness the eldest son." Then, without waiting for everyone to respond, he got up and handed the lantern to Yang Lian, relying on his familiarity with the palace, and staggered to the northeast with the faint light.

As high-ranking officials of the imperial court, everyone knew what Shen Yin was referring to, and they might not feel hurt about the death of Zhu Changluo, who had just ascended to the pole. They are more concerned about whether the power of the country they maintain can be smoothly transferred, and if they are not careful, they may shed blood.

So, the crowd did not stop, but stepped up their progress.