Prologue, there are still four and a half days left
However, today is only March 14, and it has been just thirteen days since the fall of Ningwuguan. The invading army is advancing with unstoppable momentum, having successively captured the two key towns of Datong and Xuanhua, marching seven to eight hundred miles, and has reached the northern side of Badaling
Your Majesty, it is urgent. If we do not go to the Southern home soon, we may regret it later..." The speaker was a beautiful woman dressed in a light-colored, simple gown, with a natural complexion like jade, and faint crow's feet at the corners of her eyes. Her voice was somewhat hoarse, tinged with anxiety, suggesting that she was frightened by the aggressive intruders.
Returning to the matter at hand, today is March 14
This beautiful woman is none other than Empress Zhou, the legitimate wife of Emperor Chongzhen, and also the biological mother of Zhu Cilang, whose body is possessed by the soul of Zhu Yaofei. She spent the entire day in the Crown Prince's Duanben Palace, watching over the "long-sleeping" Zhu Cilang, listening to his nonsensical ramblings about how "the ancestors cannot do this." It was not until evening that she was summoned by Emperor Chongzhen to the Qianqing Palace to serve him.
Indeed, it is the 14th day of March in the 17th year of the Chongzhen era
Because just this afternoon, a report was sent from Juyong Pass, stating that the vanguard of the rebel troops has already reached the northern side of Badaling
Prince Zhu, who became an orphan, would fall into the hands of the rebel leader Li Zicheng and subsequently go missing after a fierce battle... It is speculated that he may have died in the chaos of war, been ordered to be killed by Dorgon, or perhaps became a monk in a certain place in Guangdong
Emperor Chongzhen remained silent, and it was unclear what he was thinking
Is it March 14 of the 17th year of the Chongzhen era
Upon hearing that her son had awakened, Empress Zhou, who had been seated, immediately rose and said to Chongzhen, "Your Majesty, I shall go and take a look"
Chongzhen asked: "What did you say? Did you let Divine Doctor Zeng take a look?"
Listening to his wife's words, Chongzhen sighed, feeling a chill in his neck, and said: "This matter has been discussed many times before, but no one has supported it, which is why it has been delayed until now. Now that the rebel forces have reached Juyong Pass, if we discuss moving south again, I fear that the soldiers at Juyong Pass will react just like those in Xuanda."
Xuanhua and Datong have tens of thousands of strong troops, and they also have solid cities to rely on, so it is certainly impossible for them to be annihilated by the rebel army in just over ten days. However, the rapid advance of the rebel army can only be explained by one reasonable interpretation
Indeed, it is the illustrious and majestic Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty, known for his wisdom and martial prowess, possessing a kind face yet a ruthless heart, who kills without hesitation and shows no mercy even to his own kin when it comes to deceiving others
Oh dear... Ancestor, you cannot do this!
In Nanjing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, above the tomb of the Great Emperor Gao, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, a long howl suddenly echoed into the night, seemingly out of nowhere
Emperor Chongzhen, who ascended the throne for seventeen years, wore the winged benevolence crown and was dressed in the narrow-sleeved, round-collared formal attire, seated on the dragon throne. Although the night was deep, Emperor Chongzhen felt no drowsiness whatsoever and did not dare to fall asleep
On the night of March 14 in the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty, there were still four and a half days until the time recorded in history when the Ming Dynasty fell
Upon receiving the report of the fall of Ningwu Pass, Emperor Chongzhen remained quite resolute. After all, Ningwu Pass is still over a thousand miles away from Beijing, and there are two major strongholds, Datong and Xuanhua, standing in the way. These are two of the key strongholds among the nine borders, with solid fortifications and a large garrison, making them far more secure than Ningwu Pass. If the rebel forces were to attack one by one, they would exhaust themselves before even reaching the gates of Beijing.
It is uncertain whether he has inherited the excellent genes of his ancestors or if his ancestors are truly blessing him, but in any case, the matters for which Zhu Yaofei seeks blessings are generally fulfilled with precision. This has cultivated in him the good habit of seeking his ancestors' blessings whenever he encounters significant events
Then he was deceived by his ancestor, and his soul was exchanged for a new body
What replaces it is a span of fifteen years of life memories, a rather unfortunate name, and a time window that evokes despair
Chun Ge'er is the childhood name of Prince Zhu Cilang. Zhu Cilang has always been in good health and has never fallen ill. However, today he unexpectedly fell into a deep sleep and could not be awakened, which greatly worried Emperor Chongzhen. Nevertheless, with the nation facing a crisis, he could not attend to this matter personally and instructed Empress Zhou to take care of him
With a creak
Zhu Yaofei opened his eyes once again, glanced around, and then, as if in self-torture, pinched his ear hard. Following that was a roar of anger
"Is this really Zhu Cilang? How is that possible..." Zhu Yaofei took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "But it definitely isn't a dream; perhaps I've gone mad? If I have gone mad, that would be terrible, as I still have a big business to attend to! If I haven't gone mad, then damn it, that would be even worse..."
Changed into the body of an ancient Ming dynasty figure qualified to renovate Zhu Yuanzhang's ancestral tomb ... ! ... This truly is a risky wish, and one must be cautious when making such requests!
Therefore, he no longer worships his ancestors at the ancestral hall in his hometown, but instead goes directly to the Ming Xiaoling in Nanjing to pay his respects
Did the ancestors send a dream? Nonsense! Emperor Chongzhen shook his head, saying, "How did this Divine Doctor Zeng become Divine Immortal Zeng?"
At that moment, the door of the East Warm Pavilion was suddenly pushed open, and a eunuch dressed in a red robe and wearing a cap, with a kind face and around fifty years of age, walked in quickly. Upon seeing Chongzhen, he bent down to pay his respects, displaying a hint of joy, and said: "Your Majesty, Li Jizhou from the Eastern Palace's Medicine Bureau has come to report that the young master has awakened"
Not long ago, Zhu Yaofei encountered a significant matter; if he succeeds, he will achieve complete financial freedom. However, if he mishandles it, he might end up being scrutinized by the Securities Regulatory Commission, and a lifetime ban from the securities market would be a mild consequence.
However, for General Zhu, known as "the pig that wants to fly" in the mixed financial circle, he has seen many bizarre incidents. Legendary stories such as "scallops worth hundreds of millions have disappeared" and "pigs worth tens of billions have starved to death" are not uncommon; there is hardly a year without a plethora of such revelations. Therefore, his capacity to endure and analyze strange events has long been honed.
"I asked Divine Doctor Zeng to take a look, and he said that Spring Ge'er is not ill," said Empress Zhou. "He is just unresponsive... Perhaps, perhaps it is an ancestral visitation in a dream."
The thirty-three-year-old Son of Heaven of the Ming Dynasty was completely taken aback
The door opened, and Zhu Yaofei turned to see a middle-aged man dressed in a blue robe, wearing a double-arched gauze hat, with a round, dough-like plump face, hurriedly walking in
... ...
Zhu Yaofei looked at the foolish eunuch and unexpectedly had the thought of joking. Suddenly, he smiled and said: "In four and a half days, the Ming Dynasty will be suspended from listing! Do you know what it means to be suspended from listing?"
It is said to be a matter of serving in bed, but in reality, it is the exhausted Emperor Chongzhen who needs the comfort of his lawful wife.
That means the imperial soldiers of the Ming Dynasty in the important town of Xuanda have already been taken by the bandits
The unfortunate name is Zhu Cilang, belonging to the youthful body occupied by the soul of Zhu Yaofei
At the beginning of March, the rebel army had just captured the Ningwu Pass in Daizhou, where the general Zhou Yujie, with only three thousand defending troops, managed to hold off the rebels for more than ten days
The chairman of "Daming Company," Emperor Chongzhen, the father of Prince Zhu, will commit suicide by hanging, and the mother of Prince Zhu, Empress Zhou, will also commit suicide to accompany him in death.
Qianqing Palace, Dongnuan Pavilion
In front of the brick wall of the Baoding at Ming Xiaoling, he bowed three times to his ancestors to seek their blessings, and he also made a grand vow—once he became prosperous, he would, within the limits permitted by the state, rebuild the ancestral tomb for his forebears
He is a certified Level 3 Chartered Financial Analyst! ... Moreover, he is a high-level talent who is particularly adept at pondering, analyzing, and boasting! ... Additionally, he is a descendant of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty!
As a financial mogul in the 21st century Shanghai financial circle, known by the nickname "Pig Must Fly," Director Zhu Yaofei has surprisingly been severely taken advantage of by an emperor of the Ming Dynasty who died several hundred years ago; this matter sounds rather bizarre
Oh, I have slept for a whole day and night..." Zhu Yaofei then realized that the room was dimly lit, and it was evidently already evening. He suddenly felt a shock, "Today is... is it the 10th of March?"
By the way, Your Highness, you keep calling me the ancestor; you must have dreamt of Emperor Gao, the founding emperor, didn't you
Since childhood, Zhu Yaofei has often bowed to his ancestors, praying for their blessings. It is only natural that powerful ancestors should bless their descendants to be equally remarkable, right? True greatness lies in everyone being exceptional together.
Chongzhen said to Empress Zhou: "Then there is no need to go, you are tired as well, rest early." Then he said to the old eunuch, "Wang Banban, go check on the young master, if there is anything, report back immediately."
In Zhu Yaofei's memory, this "dough-faced" individual was named Huang Dabo, nicknamed Dabo the Eunuch, and served as a companion eunuch to Zhu Cilang.
At this moment, within the imperial city of Beijing, in the palace of Duanben, a sudden exclamation was heard
It is still night... Zhu Yaofei glanced at the pitch-black door outside, then took a deep breath, "Not counting tonight, there are only four and a half days left!"
And now it is the time, seemingly the thirteenth day of the third month in the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty, though it is uncertain whether it is the fourteenth
In response to Your Majesty, Qiu Zhizhong stated that he has already had Doctor Zeng examine him, and the young master is not seriously ill; he is currently having his meal
"Four and a half days?" Huang Dabaos was puzzled, "What is left with only four and a half days?"
Chongzhen glanced at his wife and noticed her swollen eyes, realizing that she had quietly cried. A pang of sorrow filled his heart, and his own eyes began to moisten. Not wanting to shed tears in front of his wife, he changed the subject and asked, "Is Chun Ge'er feeling any better?"
Thus, everything that Zhu Yaofei, General Zhu, had struggled for half his life to achieve, along with his parents, friends, wife, and children, all vanished in an instant
The reason for his furious roar was that he had been deceived, thoroughly deceived! The person who deceived him was quite formidable, named Zhu Yuanzhang
As a descendant of Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Yaofei certainly knows that Zhu Cilang is the eldest son of Emperor Chongzhen, posthumously titled Prince Xianmin
Before being thoroughly deceived by his ancestors, Zhu Daren was quite proud of his "noble lineage". Born in the rural area of Sha County, Hunan (not in Changsha), Zhu Yaofei and his clan all considered themselves descendants of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty. In their ancestral hall, there has always been a tablet honoring the great emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
The man saw Zhu Yaofei had already sat up and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, "Your Highness, you have finally awakened. You have slept for quite a long time, almost a day and a night. We could not wake you no matter what... The Emperor and the Empress have been anxious and have summoned Imperial Physician Zeng to check on you several times... The Empress and Lady Zhang even came to see you in person, and they just left not long ago..."
In conclusion, none of them will have a good ending
Empress Zhou sighed and said, "If only it were true that our ancestors had sent a dream, then perhaps only the ancestors could help stabilize this world now."
If history does not change, in just four or five days, the Ming Dynasty, this "junk stock," will be delisted