Chapter 11 2. Relatives of the Ming Palace

Relatives of the Ming Palace, tells the story of the Zhou family of Ming Yingzong's relatives and the Liu family of Ming Sizong's relatives. Zhou's relatives.Concubine Zhou of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, father Zhou Neng, was born in Changping, Beijing.Concubine Zhou was born Xianzong Chenghua Emperor Zhu Jianshen.Yingzong restored, Zhou Neng made meritorious service, and awarded Jinyiwei Qianhu.Zhou Neng died, and his eldest son Zhou Shou succeeded him.Zhu Jianshen succeeded to the throne, and Zhou Shou was promoted to Tongzhi (cong Yipin), governor of Zuofu.In the third year of Chenghua (1467), he was named Bo.Zhou Shouyi was the younger brother of the empress dowager and the emperor's uncle, arrogant and greedy.

First, it is strictly forbidden for honorable relatives to beg for farmland, but Zhou Shou is the only one who is forbidden to beg for sixty-two hectares of Tongzhou farmland.The royal family allotted it to him. Second, Zhou Shou's family often robbed merchant ships and committed crimes. Third, Xie Jing, a principal who insisted on justice, believed that Zhou Shou's actions were inappropriate, so he was impeached by Shangshu and demoted to other places. Fourth, in the seventeenth year of Chenghua (1481), Zhou Shou was promoted to Marquis, and seven of his sons were awarded Jinyi officials on the same day.Emperor Chenghua died, Emperor Hongzhi was established, and Zhoushou Taibao was added, which made him even more arrogant.

Fifth, Zhou Shou received a lot of farmland, including 500 hectares in Baodi (today's Jin Baodi), and another 700 hectares. The ministry impeached Zhou Shou for his insatiable desire, and Emperor Hongzhi even promised it. Sixth, Zhou Shou competed with Zhang Yanling, the Marquis of Jianchang, for the land again. The slaves of the two families fought with each other, and the officials were dissatisfied and went to the chapter one after another.The Empress Dowager's second brother Chang Ning Bo Zhou Yu and Shou Ning Hou Zhang Heling gathered together to fight, and everyone was shocked.

Seventh, Zhou Shou interfered with the salt law many times and embezzled public interests, which made some officials feel bitter. Eighth, in the 16th year of Hongzhi (1503), Taifu was added, and his brothers were also named Hou Bo, and he was the third prince. It is said in history that "it has never happened before"! Until Emperor Wuzong Zhengde of the Ming Dynasty was established, he was passed down to serve as an official, and Zhou Shou's eight sons and nephews were being eliminated. Zhou Shou begged to stay and follow them.In the middle of Jiajing, Zhou Shou set up a business in Hexi to invite merchants, abused the citizens, and violated the national class. He was impeached by the patrol censor and stopped working for three months.The power of the Zhou family gradually weakened.

"History of the Ming Dynasty" commented: "The family of Xunqi occupied Guanjin, set up shops and robbed the interests of the people."All the ministers of honor and relatives, did not abide by the first edict, indulged their families, set up four thoroughfares, invited to intercept merchants, and there were places inside and outside the capital.During the Yongle period, there were 20 servants of princes and princes, and only 12 of the first rank. Today, there are hundreds of people with many honors and relatives.During the period, there were many rascals in the market, pretending to make money, and the profits went to the small group, full of grievances, which was not calculated. ("History of Ming Dynasty Biography of Foreign Relatives" Volume 300)

The Zhou family, a foreign relative, started from Emperor Yingzong Tianshun of the Ming Dynasty and went through the Chenghua, Hongzhi, Zhengde, and Jiajing dynasties. During the 70s and 80s, they relied on the royal family, received titles and promotions, robbed the people's interests, and did whatever they wanted, harming one party and damaging the fundamental interests of the royal family. The Liu family.Chongzhen Emperor's grandfather Liu's family, uncle and cousin Liu Wenbing, from Wanping (now Beijing).Wen Bing's grandmother, Xu, was the maternal grandmother of Emperor Chongzhen. She was seventy years old, and Emperor Chongzhen bestowed gold, silver, and silk.Emperor Chongzhen said to his servant: "Mrs. Tai (grandmother) is old, but she is still smart and good at food. Even if the Queen Mother is here, I don't know how to celebrate her life." Wept sadly.Later, Liu Wenbing was granted the title of Marquis of Xinle, and his younger brothers Wen Yao and Wen Zhao were also knighted.Du Shi, Liu Wenbing's mother, is the aunt of Emperor Chongzhen. She often said to Wenbing brothers: "My family has no merits and virtues. It is the Empress Dowager's fault. If you receive this great kindness, you should be loyal to the emperor." Du is friendly with Shen Zhanran, a student of Wanpingtai, Huang Nilu, a commoner, and Gong Yonggu, the captain-in-law.When Li Zicheng approached the capital, Liu Wenbing knew that the situation was not enough, sobbed generously, and said to Gong Yonggu and others: "This is the state affairs, and the public and I have received the state's favor, and we shall repay it with death."

On the first day of March in the seventeenth year of Chongzhen (1644), the capital was in an emergency, and Emperor Chongzhen ordered Wen and Wu Xun to guard the capital.Liu Jizu guarded the Dong'an Gate of the imperial city, Gong Yong, the captain-in-law, guarded the Chongwen Gate, and Liu Wenyao guarded the Yongding Gate.Judging from the guards of the three gates of the capital, Dong'an Gate in the imperial city, Chongwen Gate in the inner city, and Yongding Gate in the outer city, there was no one in the Ming Dynasty. On the 16th, Li Zicheng's army attacked Xizhimen, and the situation was urgent.Huang Nilu, a commoner, arrived in a hurry and said to Liu Wenbing: "The city is about to fall, and you should make your own plan." When Liu Wenbing's mother, Du Shi, heard this, she ordered the servant girl to find out the ropes, make seven or eight wraps, and hang them upstairs. , and ordered the male servant to pile up firewood downstairs, and sent the old servant to take the married daughter home, saying: "My mother and daughter will die here together." Considering that Mrs. Xu is too old to burn together, He discussed with Liu Wenbing and hid in Shen Zhanran's house.

On the 18th, Emperor Chongzhen sent an envoy to secretly summon Liu Wenbing and Gong Yonggu.Liu Wenbing went home and reported to his mother, "There is an imperial edict to summon the son, but the son can't serve the mother." The mother stroked Liu Wenbing's shoulder and said, "Since Mrs. Tai got what she got, I and Ruo's wife and sister will die!" So Liu Wenbing and Gong Yonggu had an audience Emperor Chongzhen.At this time, the outer city has fallen.Emperor Chongzhen said: "Second Minister's family, can you fight in the street?"Gong Yonggu said: "The ministers and others have already accumulated salaries, and they should close their doors and burn to death in order to repay the emperor." Emperor Chongzhen said: "My will is determined-I can't guard the country, but I can die." Liu Wenbing and Gong Yonggu wept with grief and vowed to die.They rushed to Chongwenmen.The peasant army swarmed up, and the two of them bowed and shot. They were outnumbered, and each galloped back to the first place.

On the 19th, Liu Wenzhao was serving his mother, Mrs. Du, for dinner. His family rushed in and said, "The city has fallen!" Wenzhao's bowl fell to the ground and looked directly at his mother.The mother got up and went upstairs, Wen Zhao and her two daughters followed, and Wen Bing's wife Wang also went upstairs.The whole family faced the portrait of Empress Dowager Xiaochun, and Liu's mother led the crowd to cry and worship, each hanging to death.The family burned the building, and everyone burned.When Liu Wenbing came back, the fire was so strong that he was not allowed to enter. When he arrived in the back garden, Shen Zhanran and Huang Nilu arrived and said, "Lieutenant Gongdu has burned the mansion and killed himself." Liu Wenbing said, "No." He stopped and said: "The emperor is not visible in the military uniform." Shen Zhanran took off his turban and put it on for Liu Wenbing, and Liu Wenbing threw himself into the well to die.When Liu Jizu returned, he also threw himself into a well to die.Liu Jizu's wife, Zuo Shi, saw the mansion was on fire, climbed to the building and set herself on fire, and her concubines, Dong Shi and Li Shi, also burned themselves to death.Seeing the burning of the mansion, Liu Wenyao cried loudly, "How can we do this now?" He found the place where Liu Wenbing died, and wrote on the wooden board beside the well, "Liu Wenyao, the governor of the left, and his brother Wen Bing died to serve the country", and he also threw himself into the well to die. Forty-two people died when the family closed their doors.

At the same time, Huianbo Zhang Qingzhen and his wife were burned to death together.Xincheng Hou Guoxing was also burned to death.Xuancheng Bowei Shichun had iron coupons in his arms, and his whole family threw themselves into a well to die. ("History of the Ming Dynasty Liu Wenbing Biography" Volume 300) Yang Guangbi, the son-in-law and lieutenant of the horse, was shot from left to right by Jiachi, and all his arrows were thrown into the observation platform to die in the well. Shen Zhanran was captured, and his body rotted to death.Mrs. Xu (grandmother of Emperor Chongzhen), who was hidden in Shen Zhanran's home by her descendants, was also a tragedy in the end.

The Liu family, a foreign relative, faced a national crisis. Although they could not lead troops to resist, they did serve the country with death.When Emperor Chongzhen hung Meishan to death, he should have felt a little bit of relief.