In Kunning Palace, Empress Zhou and Concubine Yuan sat opposite each other.

In recent days, the news that the thieves surrounded the capital has also entered the palace, and they have known it for a long time, but since today, the sound of cannons has been heard one after another, and Queen Zhou is very uneasy, so she specially called Concubine Tian and Concubine Yuan, and asked these two to talk to her.

I have to say that although Chongzhen has such and such shortcomings, there is one thing he does very well, even better than Pang Gang's guy, that is, he has a good grip on women.

At the beginning of his reign as the king of letters, he had only one daughter-in-law, that is, the current Empress Zhou, until he became the emperor, and the civil and military officials saw that the dignified emperor had only one wife, which was too unusual, how could this work? You only have one wife, and those of us who are courtiers are embarrassed to take concubines, so they trumpeted and found him two daughters-in-law, this is the later Concubine Yuan and Concubine Tian, Concubine Tian died of illness a year ago, and now the remaining daughters-in-law in the palace are only Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan.

Of course, the above is just a famous concubine, as for whether Chongzhen couldn't control his crotch at some point and made a mistake in his life style, no one knows, but in general, among the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen is a rare good comrade with a decent style.

If there are fewer daughters-in-law, there will be fewer disputes, this is a natural thing, there are no people, who are you fighting with? Therefore, the relationship between Zhou Hou and Concubine Yuan is quite good.

Looking at the dark and dreary sky outside, Queen Zhou sighed lightly and said to Concubine Yuan in front of her: "Sister Yuan, it's getting late, it seems that the emperor won't come, we have been sisters for so many years, it's rare to have a good chat together, how about we talk at night tonight?" ”

Concubine Yuan was miserable in her heart, as smart as she understood what Queen Zhou meant, and said that maybe Yanjing City would fall into the hands of the enemy, and tonight might be their last night, cherish it!

Although Concubine Yuan was very sad in her heart, she still forced a smile and said: "It's okay, according to what my sister said, my sister will disturb me for one night tonight." ”

The two of them tacitly glanced at each other, and were about to rest, when they heard the eunuch outside shouting: "The emperor has arrived!" ”

Empress Zhou and Concubine Yuan were not only taken aback when they heard this, but their hearts couldn't help but beat wildly, thinking: "My God, the emperor actually came over in the middle of the night, it must be a big deal!" "Queen Zhou hurriedly led Concubine Yuan, the palace maid and the eunuch to the courtyard to pick up the car, everything was in accordance with the etiquette in the queen's palace, but it seemed very hasty in a hurry.

Chongzhen was welcomed into the main hall of Kunning Palace, and after the three of them sat down one after another, no one spoke for a long time. Chongzhen couldn't sleep on his pillow, couldn't swallow, his face was already gray, his eye sockets were deep, and this thirty-two-year-old son of heaven had a few new gray hairs on his temples at the moment, which was very incommensurate with his age, and he looked very old-fashioned. Especially his pair of eyes that Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan are most familiar with, the eyes of Chongzhen have always been bright, no matter how erosive the state affairs are, those eyes are always full of fortitude. But now that compelling light is gone, not only is his expression dim, his white eyeballs are bloodshot, but he also looks dull and desperate.

When Empress Zhou saw the emperor's unusual expression, her heart was sour, and she didn't dare to take a closer look, she turned around and glanced at Concubine Yuan inadvertently. I saw that Concubine Yuan's big eyes were also secretly full of tears, and she quietly lowered her head. Empress Zhou couldn't help but ask herself in her heart: "Is the country really going to die?" She wanted to cry out loud, but she tried her best to endure it.

Looking at his two wives, Chongzhen felt that he still had a lot to say to Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan in his heart, but he couldn't say anything when the words came to his mouth. Empress Zhou is only thirty-one years old this year, and Concubine Yuan is thirty years old. But tonight, Chongzhen found that they had all become very haggard, as if they had aged ten years in a few days. He didn't dare to look at Queen Zhou more, the queen's sad look made him very heartbroken, and even hated himself for being sorry for the queen, which made the queen have an end today. In the past thirteen years, there have been many loving memories between him and Queen Zhou that he will never forget, Chongzhen Chongzhen lowered his head and sighed deeply, and stomped on the ground.

The sound of Chongzhen's stomping stomp startled Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan, and they were taken aback, they all looked up at the emperor, but they didn't see the emperor speak. Over the years, they have rarely seen the emperor lose his normalcy like this. Since they heard that the thieves surrounded the capital, they have already considered countless changes in their hearts, in case the city is ruined, one of them is the "mother of the country", and the other is the imperial concubine, and there is no reason to endure humiliation and survive, so they are also ready to die for the country at any time. Seeing that it was the emperor who suddenly came to Kunning Palace, he was so abnormal, and he guessed in his heart; Could it be that the emperor wants to tell her that the time for martyrdom has come? After waiting for another moment, Empress Zhou couldn't bear it anymore, and asked Chongzhen in a trembling voice:

"Your Majesty, if you have any instructions for your concubines, please give them!"

Chongzhen knew what the queen meant by asking this, but he still lowered his head and didn't speak, and slowly, Chongzhen's eyes turned red, and bean-sized tears fell to the ground one by one.

Seeing Chongzhen rarely shed tears in front of them, how did Empress Zhou and Concubine Yuan not know what was going on, and the two couldn't help crying anymore.

Empress Zhou whimpered and cried loudly, she said while crying: "Your Majesty, for more than ten years, the emperor has never listened to the words of his concubines, and there has always been a disaster today, why are you suffering!" Although the queen has already made up her mind that she should be martyred for the country, thinking that it is "justified", but when the matter comes, she still can't help but feel sad from her heart.

Chongzhen stopped crying, sighed and asked: "Zitong, so far, I won't hide it from you, the thieves besieged the city, and the city was broken only in the evening, as the mother of the country, but you can't fall into the hands of the enemy, I can't learn from Song Huizong and Song Qinzong, you all know what to do, right?" ”

Empress Zhou and Concubine Yuan have already burst into tears at this moment, how can they not know the fate of the second emperor of Huiqinzong in the Northern Song Dynasty, during the Northern Song Dynasty, after the second emperor of Huiqinzong was captured, the concubines and concubines of the harem were all taken away by the Jinren, and the concubines and daughters of the second emperor of Huiqinzong were bought and sold by the Jin people like cattle and horses, and the end can be called the most miserable in the thousands of years of Chinese dynasties.

Hearing this, Queen Zhou stopped her tears and said to Chongzhen: "The emperor can rest assured, the concubines and Concubine Yuan are born from the Zhu family, and they are also the ghosts of the Zhu family when they die, so naturally they will not embarrass you, so you can rest assured." ”

Speaking of this, Queen Zhou couldn't help but tremble, at this time she suddenly thought of her two sons, the crown prince Zhu Cihong and the king of Dingzhu Cijiong, and thought of her two daughters Princess Changping Zhu Yujiao and Princess Zhaoren, thinking of this, Queen Zhou trembled even more. At this time, Concubine Yuan quietly walked to Queen Zhou's side, so that she could support the queen at any time.

Before Chongzhen could speak, he heard the sound of a wooden bang beating the third watch from Dongchang Street. Every three times, an old eunuch was heard shouting in his hoarse voice: "The world ...... Taiping! "The eunuch who fought the watch went from north to south, passed the polarization gate, and then passed the Yongxiang gate, and gradually moved away.

Chongzhen sighed lightly: "It's been three watches, and when our husband and wife get together, there are not many left, Zitong, you can replace the prince and call them all." ”

Empress Zhou wept while instructing the palace maids to bring the prince and them all to Kunning Palace, and after a while, several of Chongzhen's children were taken to Kunning Palace by the palace maids, they were the crown prince Zhu Cihong, Dingwang Zhu Cijiong, Yongwang Zhu Cijiong, Kunxing princess Zhu Yujiao and Zhaoren princess Zhu Yudie (I really couldn't find out what her name was, so I gave her one).

Among Chongzhen's children, the crown prince Zhu Cihong is the largest, who is sixteen years old this year, followed by Princess Zhu Yujiao of Kunxing, who is fifteen years old this year, and the rest of the youngest Princess Zhaoren Zhu Yudie is only six years old.

Chongzhen's eyes slowly swept over the faces of his son, daughter and wife, with a loving look on his face, and said to several second daughters: "The thieves have been surrounded by the capital of Beijing, I and your mother have decided to die for the country, as the descendants of the Zhu family, you have enjoyed the people's support and glory and wealth for many years, and now it is time to be loyal to the Ming Dynasty, can you understand what I mean?" ”

As soon as Chongzhen's words were finished, Queen Zhou cried and said: "Your Majesty, since the two concubines have married into the Zhu family, they will naturally be changed to the Zhu family to observe the festival, but the prince is innocent, can you bear to let the Zhu family die?" ”

Chongzhen cried and said: "Zitong, can I bear it, but now that the thieves are besieging the city, we can't escape, rather than falling into the hands of the enemy and humiliating the reputation of the Zhu family, it is better to commit suicide to save the royal face!" ”

As soon as Chongzhen's words fell, the prince and the others all started crying, and the youngest Princess Zhaoren, Zhu Yudie, took Chongzhen's hand and cried and asked, "Father, why did you let Die'er commit suicide, did Die'er do something wrong?" Die'er will already be obedient in the future, and she will definitely listen to the words of her father and mother, and Die'er will never be naughty again! Father, don't let Butterfly kill herself, okay! ”

And the crown prince Zhu Cijiong and the princess of Kunxing Zhu Yujiao were older, but they just stood beside Queen Zhou and wept silently, and the rest of the Dingwang Zhu Cijiong, Yongwang Zhu Cijiong and Zhaoren Princess Zhu Yudie all cried together.

Listening to his daughter's innocent words, Chongzhen's heart was like a knife, he couldn't help standing up anymore, for fear that he would lose the face of the emperor and his father by crying in front of his children, he choked up and said: "Tonight, you are all here to accompany the queen mother, I will go out to see first." ”

After speaking, Chongzhen hurriedly walked out, followed by several palace maids and eunuchs, leaving only the crying children.

Coming out of Kunning Palace, Chongzhen strolled and walked, and unconsciously came to Chengqian Palace, Chengqian Palace was originally the residence of Concubine Tian, although Concubine Tian had died of illness, but Chongzhen still let people maintain the original appearance and characteristics of Chengqian Palace, most of the eunuchs and palace maids who originally waited for Concubine Tian were still kept, because Chongzhen sometimes came to see Concubine Tian's former residence, they cleaned everywhere as usual every day, watered flowers and weeds, and carefully raised parrots.

"Take over! Take over! …… Hooray! ”

Suddenly, a crisp and strange voice sounded, it turned out to be a white parrot hanging under the porch and screamed loudly, for some reason, this cute white parrot was very excited in the cage, and kept jumping around.

Chongzhen stood in front of this birdcage, stunned, this parrot was Concubine Tian's favorite pet before her death, Chongzhen looked at this parrot now, and it seemed that he and Concubine Tian had teased the parrot before.

Chongzhen walked into the main hall of Chengqian Palace, there is a picture hanging in front of the main hall, in this picture, a woman wearing the clothes of the Ming Dynasty harem, a delicate and timid woman jumped on the paper, this is after the death of Concubine Tian, Chongzhen asked a famous painter in the south of the Yangtze River to paint a "secluded pipa picture" for Concubine Tian, seeing this painting, Chongzhen seemed to see Concubine Tian alive in front of his eyes again, and was softly asking him for peace.

Chongzhen sighed lightly, walked into the Dongnuan Pavilion as Concubine Tian's bedroom, and looked at it with teary eyes, all the furnishings were still the same, as neat as when Concubine Tian was there. On the long case of the south window are the relics of Concubine Tian: the four treasures of the study room and a copy of Song Ta's "Luo Shen Fu". Goldfish bowls and Jiangnan bonsai are still on the few. On the wall hangs a guqin in a brocade bag and four banners of flowers, grass and insects painted by the concubine. Chongzhen walked into the room again, and the tables, chairs and bed furnishings were still the same as in previous years. Chongzhen sat down on the chair, looked at the bed with dull eyes, and many loving memories between husband and wife appeared in his heart, and then he seemed to see Concubine Tian, who was sick, sick and weak, leaning on the bed. She knew that she would die soon, her eyes were full of tears, and she knew that she had many words in her heart.

Chongzhen wiped away his tears and looked at the bed again, but it was only an empty bed. He nodded at the empty bed and whispered sadly, "Concubine, tonight is probably the last time I will come here to see your old home, but don't worry, it won't be long before I will go down to accompany you." ”

After Chongzhen finished speaking, he staggered towards the Fengxian Palace.

Fengxian Palace, located on the east side of the inner court of the Forbidden City, is the family temple of the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship their ancestors, which was built in the early Ming Dynasty, and enshrines the tablets of all the emperors of the Ming Dynasty.

After Chongzhen entered the Fengxian Palace, he first knelt three times and kowtowed nine times in front of the tablet of Emperor Taizu (Zhu Yuanzhang), and then knelt three times and kowtowed nine times in front of the god of Emperor Chengzu (Zhu Di), and then fell to the ground and cried bitterly, crying while intermittently saying:

"Two imperial ancestors, you have experienced a hundred battles, quelled the theft, expelled Hu Yuan, and have a great future. But when it comes to the grandson, it is immoral and incompetent, and the malpractices of the past dynasties since the fight against Zhengde have emerged one after another, although the children and grandchildren have tried their best to cheer up, aiming at Zhongxing, but unfortunately the national fortune is not good. The grandson has been struggling for thirteen years, although he has a heart, but he has no power to return to the sky, seeing that the city is about to be destroyed, the family is slaughtered, the mausoleum and the temple are burned by thieves, even if the grandson is determined to die, he is willing to die in the community, but he hates to see the two ancestors in the ground! In the hands of his grandson, he lost his ancestors, and the sin of unfilial piety was passed to the sky! ……”

Speaking of this, Chongzhen choked up and couldn't go on, so he had to touch his head to the ground and cry, the sound shook the hall, and the pain was even more moving, not only Chongzhen cried again, but even the many eunuchs and palace maids who knelt outside the hall with him couldn't cry.

Although those eunuchs and palace maids who often waited by the emperor's side had seen the emperor cry silently or whimpering because of difficult state affairs many times, it was the first time that he cried bitterly and poured out his heartfelt in front of many palace maids and eunuchs like tonight. Not only did they come from the idea of being loyal to the monarch, but they also felt the pain of the imminent death of the country, and they thought about the catastrophe in front of them, so they only cared about crying with the emperor on the ground, but no one persuaded the emperor.

Late at night, the moonlight is dim, the north wind is tight, the shadows of the trees are shaking, and the iron horses between the eaves are tinkling...... All this added to the atmosphere of sadness and despair in the Kunning Palace.

Slowly, the time has passed the fifth watch, the sky is gradually brightening, Chongzhen, who has already returned to Kunning Palace, once again looked at the few children nestled in his arms, Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan also sat next to Chongzhen.

I don't know if it is a change in history, at this time, Chongzhen did not send the prince and others to Zhou Kui to avoid disaster as in history, but ordered people to pile up firewood outside Kunning Palace, only to wait for the thieves to enter the palace and then light the fire [***], and the family went to see the ancestors and ancestors.

Seeing that there were eunuchs outside the palace constantly adding firewood outside, Chongzhen was very sad in his heart, he sat on a dragon chair in the middle of the main hall, and Empress Zhou and Concubine Yuan sat on the left and right, and the five children were there. After a night of ideological preparation and struggle, although his children did not think about it, they could be regarded as appointed, and they all looked at Chongzhen with blank eyes at this time.

Chongzhen also knew that his children were looking at him, and he also knew that these children in their prime did not want to die, but for the dignity of the Ming Dynasty, he had to do so, thinking of this, Chongzhen couldn't help but feel very ashamed of his children.

In a trance, Chongzhen felt that a ray of sunshine shone on his face, making the whole person feel warm, feeling the warm sunshine, Chongzhen thought, this may be the last sunshine he can enjoy.

Just as Chongzhen was pondering, a figure stumbled in, crying in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, what are you going to do?" Do you really want to abandon my people and go? ”

Chongzhen looked up and saw that it was Wang Chengen who came, Chongzhen said: "Big companion, are you also here to see me off for the last time?" ”

Wang Chengen cried bitterly: "Your Majesty, you are confused, things have not yet reached the time of despair, reinforcements are coming, we can't give up lightly!" ”

Chongzhen smiled bitterly: "Big companion, you don't have to comfort me, now Hong Chengchou is estimated to be unable to come, there are all thieves outside, where do we have hope." ”

Wang Chengen cried so much that tears and snot flowed out: "Your Majesty, our Daming is still saved, and there is still salvation, the slave maid has already sent a letter to people last night, and the reinforcements are about to arrive in the capital!" ”

"What? Reinforcements are about to arrive in the capital! ”

Listening to Wang Chengen's words, all the people in the hall were stunned......

(To be continued)