Chapter 3: Oddities
The object measures two feet and four inches in length, with a body that is as smooth as cream. It feels warm to the touch. Not to mention the exquisite craftsmanship and the preciousness of the seven treasures, this jade itself is an exceptionally rare item in the world
In the eyes of most people, Yonghe Palace is forever equated with the Cold Palace, and the Concubine Gong, who is even more neglected than the deposed consort, along with her son, whether alive or dead, hardly attracts anyone's attention
Therefore, in this harem, it is essential to possess beauty in order to continuously receive favor, but relying solely on beauty is utterly insufficient
Gui Zhi had a smile at the corners of her mouth, her steps were light and brisk, and she was so happy that she felt almost as if she could float away
Outside the main gate of the Chuxiu Palace, there are two guards on duty, one old and one young
To speak of it, the master of Yonghe Palace also originated from our palace. Tsk tsk... Looking at Gui Zhi's current mood, that master is likely to have bad luck again today
To truly establish oneself in the palace, one must either win the emperor's heart or rely on children
Because she wanted to establish herself as the Imperial Noble Consort, the Emperor had already quarreled with those ministers to an irreconcilable extent. Consort Zheng understood this very well; the ministers and officials loathed her for the matter of her elevation, so how could they possibly support her son to become the Crown Prince
Consort Zheng gently caressed the scepter, revealing a satisfied smile. With the Emperor's affection for her and his regard for their son, the throne was already within easy reach.
Is it good to be the emperor? ... Unfortunately ... ! ... Only thirty days !
Not a single compliment was finished, and Gui Zhi had always looked down on these dead eunuchs, too lazy to even acknowledge them. She snorted through her nostrils, wore a cold expression, and waved her handkerchief as she strode away.
In recent days, apart from focusing on health, Zhu Ming, who is now Zhu Changluo, has generally clarified his current background and origins.
Since the reign of Emperor Wanli, there have been several princesses, yet he has faced considerable difficulties in having sons
Little Yinzi pouted, her eyes glinting with a cold light. She looked around and saw no one, gathering her courage to spit in the direction of Gui Zhi.
Gui Zhi, convey my decree. For the grand ceremony of my promotion, all concubines must pay their respects according to the established rites. However, Concubine Gong disregards the hierarchy, relying on her son to indulge her, thus disturbing the order. She should have faced severe punishment. Considering the young age of the Crown Prince, I will show leniency and impose a penalty: she must kneel in the courtyard of Yonghe Palace every day at three quarters past noon, reciting the rules for women for two hours. This is to uphold the discipline of the palace and to serve as a warning to all concubines.
The servants and palace maids of the First Palace were so terrified that they knelt on the ground, trembling in fear. The main reason for their fright was that Consort Zheng was notoriously harsh with her subordinates. Any servant who made a mistake would face punishment, with minor offenses resulting in beating and severe ones leading to execution. Therefore, in the face of such a thunderous wrath, everyone present in the hall lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to breathe, fearing that a moment's carelessness would make them scapegoats.
As the color fades, the lover's affection diminishes
Zhu Changluo, the fourteenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty
At this moment, Zhu Changluo particularly wanted to look up to the sky and howl, "Heaven, can I send my regards to your mother..."
The news of the miraculous recovery of the Crown Prince Zhu Changluo, who had been declared critically ill, quickly spread throughout the palace and beyond
As a person from the Celestial Empire, the term "emperor" is not unfamiliar to me
The anxious Concubine Gong grabbed Little Zhu and said, "Luo'er, is something wrong again? Don't scare your mother..."
However, the only one in the entire palace who could receive the emperor's personally bestowed auspicious object is the Empress. Yet now, Zheng Guifei has unexpectedly obtained it, which naturally leaves much to ponder.
Ah, I say... be more alert! Don't waste your time on trivial matters; focus on your duties! When you're in the palace, you need to be cautious, not talkative. Look at Gui Zhi going in that direction; without asking, it's obviously Yonghe Palace.
After several days of recuperation, Zhu Ming felt much better; at the very least, he had regained some strength and no longer felt as weak and powerless as he did upon waking up.
The emperor and the emperor are both similar and different; they can be compared yet cannot be compared. This is the deepest realization of Zhu Ming at present
From a distance, I saw Gui Zhi with a stern expression, rushing out in a flurry. I quickly approached with a smile and said: "Aunt, you have worked hard on your duties, this is to..."
The crown prince goes without saying, born of a lowly mother; a child of a lowly birth is naturally a worthless one
Is there a thirty-day period? A red pill has been taken!
Since ancient times, women in the imperial harem have inevitably faced a singular fate; no matter how captivating their beauty, once their youth fades and their complexion changes, they ultimately find themselves at the mercy of a ruler's fickleness.
Li Degui's words are rather obscure, yet the sour undertone in what he says can be sensed from three miles away, overwhelming a crowd.
Little Yinzi awkwardly made a big fuss, while the old eunuch Li Degui laughed heartily beside him, curling his fingers like an orchid and saying: "Serves you right, let you, you little brat, show off your affection again, and you’ll end up with your nose in the dirt, won’t you? That Guizhi is one of our Empress's most favored attendants; do you think you, a little monkey, can aspire to her?"
Upon learning that Zhu Changluo was not only alive but that the news of his safety had been reversed, the face of Concubine Zheng instantly turned ashen. With a mournful clang, the priceless Seven-Treasure Ruyi was shattered into a thousand pieces, reduced to dust and fragments.
However, just because many people are indifferent to certain matters does not mean that no one cares about them
If there is a son, once he inherits the great treasure, as the biological mother, at the very least, she can end up as the Empress Dowager.
The Ming Dynasty had established rules: to designate the legitimate son over the eldest, to designate the eldest over the younger. This is an ironclad law, and even the Emperor Wanli would not dare to act arbitrarily.
"As you wish, as you wish, according to my heart's desire, please do not change at all." The more Zheng Guifei thought about it, the more beautiful it became, and the smile at the corners of her mouth almost reached her ears
It is no wonder that Zhu Changluo feels like spitting blood; when it comes to oddities, the few mentioned earlier are nothing compared to him, as he stands out as the most peculiar among the sixteen emperors throughout nearly three hundred years of Ming Dynasty history
After repeated confirmation, the super unlucky person at hetushu.com is indeed myself. It's hard to believe that Zhu Changluo suddenly feels like he wants to die... Could it be that I fell on a coal pile in my past life? How could I be this unlucky?
When this message reached the Shuxiu Palace, the newly elevated Noble Consort Zheng was playing with a jadeite ruyi, a treasure recently bestowed by the current Emperor Wanli.
What everyone sees is that since Concubine Zheng entered the palace, she has been favored immensely, and continues to be favored... Even the Empress Dowager Li, who usually speaks with authority in the harem, has inexplicably remained silent, which has greatly disappointed the other consorts who still held some hope in their hearts
The unfortunate emperor's life can be summed up in eight characters: universally despised and met with failure at every turn
For this message, some are joyful while others are sorrowful, and more people choose to remain indifferent
He stood there in a daze, his expression shifting, while on the other side, the frightened Concubine Gong, united in heart with her son, was taken aback. Anyone who saw a five-year-old child, with a wrinkled little face, alternating between red and white, his expression changing as if performing a face-changing act, mumbling incessantly without knowing what he was saying, would be alarmed.
Touching his own little arms and legs, classmate Zhu Ming smiled helplessly. The facts were laid bare before him; whether he liked it or not, from now on, in this world, there would only be Zhu Changluo, and no more Zhu Ming
There are thousands of women in the palace, and it is not difficult to gain the emperor's favor
It seems that I must continue to endure, as Zheng Guifei barely suppressed the raging anger burning within her.
If I do not become the Empress in a day, my Xun'er will not be the legitimate son of the Emperor, while that illegitimate child holds the title of Crown Prince, overshadowing my son! Thinking of the inexplicable ancestral rules of the Ming Dynasty, Consort Zheng clenched her teeth fiercely
Consider my grand Huaxia Celestial Empire, with a history spanning five thousand years and a territory extending eighty thousand miles. Figures such as Qin Shi Huang, Han Wu, Tang Zong, and Song Zu are all renowned emperors in Chinese history
The mood was so good that it was beyond measure, but this good mood did not last long. As her trusted maid, Gui Zhi, hurriedly entered the hall and whispered a few words in her ear, the expression on Consort Zheng's face grew increasingly dark.
Living in a semi-illiterate state since childhood, I only left the palace to study at the age of twelve. After decades of struggling against a group of ministers and the emperor, I finally succeeded through perseverance, and at the age of thirty-nine, I became emperor, albeit with many difficulties along the way
Even if there is a woman by one's side, it provides a sense of support within the palace, far better than being alone.
A scoundrel and a wretch! How can they still be alive at this point? Truly a calamity for a thousand years!
The one named Xiao Yinzi is a new arrival to the palace this year. She is clever and perceptive, adept at reading the room, and exceptionally skilled at flattery. Although her time here has been short, she has already gained considerable favor among both those inside and outside the palace
Zhu Changluo, this gentleman, is a representative of tragedy in the three hundred years of Ming Dynasty history. From birth to death, he is a figure of farce. From youth to young adulthood, it can be summed up in a simple phrase: no background, no favoritism, no status
What right does that woman have to compete with me! In what way is she superior to me? I have children, while she has not even a single one! At present, she is merely an empty queen in name only; one day, I will make her experience the taste of kneeling at my feet
Little Yin blinked her eyes, glancing at Li Degui before her, and felt a twinge of sympathy for the unfortunate Concubine Gong who was about to face misfortune
The concubines in the harem are all perplexed as to why Emperor Wanli favored Consort Zheng so much. In terms of background and family lineage, Consort Zheng is hardly noteworthy. When it comes to beauty and intelligence, there are many who surpass her. Unfortunately, many matters in the world cannot be explained solely by data.
Although the item is precious, it is not more valuable than the meaning it embodies. This scepter was personally bestowed by the Emperor Wanli during the grand ceremony of the imperial consort's elevation. In addition to symbolizing wealth, good fortune, longevity, and eternal spring, it carries a deeper significance.
However, I would like to ask at https://www.hetushu.com, who knew she looked down on people so much? We are all serving in the palace, and I refuse to believe that anyone is superior to another just because of a slight difference in rank.
God knows how much effort I have expended these days to eliminate that Zhu Changluo. It is infuriating that a life as worthless as grass, on the brink of death, somehow managed to survive!
As a first-class palace maid in the Shouxi Palace, Gui Zhi naturally understands what her master is thinking. She recalls that Concubine Gong, like herself, once served as a maid in the Shouxi Palace, and she feels that she is not even in the same league as her. However, fortune has smiled upon Concubine Gong, who is now a consort, while she remains a servant. Every time she thinks of this, Gui Zhi's jealousy towards Concubine Gong is no less than that towards Concubine Zheng.
... The fragrant plum blossoms are all servants; even if they climb onto the dragon bed, what does it matter? Even if they give birth to a prince, they are still servants. A servant remains a servant, and wearing the dragon robe does not make one a crown prince! ... Just look at this ...! ... This unfortunate day has come again, hasn't it? Kneeling under this blazing sun for two hours, even if one doesn't die, they will surely shed a layer of skin!
First, let me introduce Zhu Changluo. His great-grandfather was the Jiajing Emperor, who was devoted to Daoism and favored Yan Song. His grandfather was the Longqing Emperor, who lived in constant fear and ruled for six years before passing away. His father was the Wanli Emperor, who did not attend court for decades. One of his sons was the Tianqi Emperor, who preferred carpentry, and another son was the Chongzhen Emperor, who hanged himself on Coal Hill. Each of them is indeed quite extraordinary.
Initially, Noble Consort Zheng did not regard Concubine Gong and that illegitimate child with any importance. However, with the birth of the Third Prince, many officials from the previous dynasty had already submitted memorials requesting the establishment of the eldest son as the Crown Prince.
Apart from the crown prince Zhu Changluo, who was born after getting on the carriage and buying a ticket, there is also the current third prince Zhu Changxun, who is less than one month old and is the new son of Concubine Zheng.
Gently holding this auspicious scepter, Consort Zheng's thoughts drifted as she envisioned herself traversing the six palaces, wielding immense power and influence. At present, she had been further elevated to the rank of Imperial Noble Consort, holding a position equivalent to that of a secondary empress. In terms of titles among the consorts, she had already reached the pinnacle, and if she were to aspire for further advancement... there was only that one position left to hope for