In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the phenomenon of eunuchs meddling in politics became more and more serious. The picture shows the colored eunuch statues in Ming Dynasty
After Emperor Chongzhen succeeded to the throne, he encountered a question about the title of Empress Zhang, Emperor Tianqi of the previous dynasty.According to the "father dies and sons succeed" system, the first emperor and empress are honored as empress dowagers by the new emperor; according to the "brother end brother and brother" system, the former emperor and empress are not empress dowagers, but empresses, and there are empresses in this dynasty. How to distinguish the names?The two emperors of the "Brothers and Brothers" in the Ming Dynasty: one is Emperor Jiajing, who honored Empress Xia, the former Zhengde Emperor, as "Empress Zhuangsu"; Empress Yi'an.This was a solemn and grand event at the time: "At Renwu, Empress Zhang of Shangxizong called Empress Yi'an, she still lived in Ciqing Palace, and issued an edict to the world." (Volume 1 of "Records of Ming Chongzhen") Emperor Guangxu was the only one who was a younger brother. Not long after he succeeded to the throne, the Tongzhi Emperor and Empress Arut died. By the time of Emperor Guangxu's wedding, this problem had long since disappeared.
After Emperor Chongzhen came to power, he put order out of chaos, punished the Hakka Wei Group, and arranged Wei Zhongxian to guard the imperial mausoleum in Fengyang, Anhui.Six days later, Wei Zhongxian hanged himself on the road.Both Wei Liangqing and Hakka were killed.Although Ke Wei died, Queen Zhang's misfortune did not end.The great eunuch Chen Derun is playing ghost tricks again.
Husband's death is terribly sad, and there are strange schemes.Emperor Tianqi died at the age of 23, and Queen Zhang was 21 years old this year.The young and beautiful Queen Zhang was actually coveted by the great eunuch Chen Derun—he wanted to be "opposite food" with Queen Zhang.What is "pair food"?The Ming Palace has no concubines, concubines, etc. for sons, and their thoughts are empty and their lives are lonely. Some of them take eunuchs as their companions, which are called "dual food", also known as "vegetable households".She (they) have the same property, like a family, love each other, and look like a couple.However, the status of the empress and the noble concubine is noble, and there is no "counter food" or "vegetable household".However, Emperor Tianqi was the only emperor who died before the age of 25 in the Ming Dynasty, and there were no young and widowed empresses before Emperor Tianqi.Empress Yi'an lived in Ciqing Palace. She was young and beautiful. Wei Zhongxian's remnant party and chief eunuch Chen Derun thought to himself: The empress is beautiful, so there must be many treasures. He said to Empress Zhang: "The empress was in her prime, the first emperor passed away, and she had no sons. Chen Derun, the palace supervisor, has an elegant character and a sincere temperament. Why doesn't the empress call him into the servant, so that he can be a vegetable household and rely on him?" When the queen woke up in the morning, the palace servants served her with toilet utensils, and Chen Derun made excuses to play until the queen's room.Empress Yi'an reported to Emperor Chongzhen and ordered Chen Derun to be demoted to Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum in Nanjing to grow vegetables.
In July of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen (1642), Empress Yi'an moved to Renshou Palace because the crown prince of Chongzhen Emperor changed Ciqing Palace to Duanben Palace.What is the end of Queen Yi'an's life?The fate of Empress Yi'an, like the downfall of the Ming Dynasty, has a tragic ending.
On March 18th in the seventeenth year of Chongzhen (1644), Li Zicheng's army captured the outer city of the capital.On the same day, Emperor Chongzhen ordered Queen Zhou to hang herself.Emperor Chongzhen sent palace officials to the Hall of Renshou where Empress Yi'an lived to force Empress Yi'an to commit suicide.Empress Yi'an didn't know the news outside the palace either.On the 19th, the sky was dark and the fire was seen.There are rumors in the palace that the inner city has fallen.The maids cried like thunder, and rushed out of the palace gate one after another.Empress Yi'an wanted to find a sword to kill herself, but she couldn't do it, so she hanged herself instead.At this time, several court ladies rescued the queen and attempted suicide.Empress Yi'an said: You are kind, but you misled me!Then, transfer to the side room.
Some court ladies and others ran away, some threw themselves into the river, some hanged themselves, and some were defiled.What happened to Empress Yi'an?There are different versions:
The sky suddenly changed, and the tragedy ended. "History of Ming Dynasty: Biography of Concubine" records: "Li Zicheng fell into the capital and then hanged himself." The ending given by the history of Ming Dynasty to Empress Yi'an is: she hanged herself and died.In October of the first year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1644), Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty ordered Yanjing to bury the coffin of Empress Yi'an and Emperor Tianqi in the Deling Tomb of the Ming Tombs.This is the record of official history.In addition, there are three stories about "The Biography of Empress Ming Yi'an", which was originally published in the third volume of "Ji Xiaolan's Collected Works", Hebei Education Press, 1991.
One said, Empress Yi'an fled to the people.According to legend, there was a palace concubine with a green gauze covering her head who walked out on foot and entered the mansion of Cheng Guogong Zhu Chunchen.According to legend, this concubine is Empress Yi'an.It is also said that there was an old palace official in the capital who lived among the people and hid a phoenix shoe of Empress Yi'an, which was only about two inches long.There is also a small portrait of Empress Yi'an, which was sold in the market. It is really a fairy.This palace lady is also Empress Yi'an.
Second, Empress Yi'an went west with Li Zicheng.When Li Zicheng withdrew from Beijing and went west, a person said: "I will go to Queen Tianqi first." This person was carried westward.When the news spread to the government and the public, the officials and people in the capital were shocked, and hated Empress Yi'an for her disobedience.The eunuch knew someone and said, "Hey, this is not Concubine Ren?" Later, he learned that this person was Concubine Ren of Emperor Tianqi, not Empress Yi'an.Everyone was puzzled and gradually explained.
Thirdly, Empress Yi'an hanged herself.At the beginning, when the capital was about to collapse, the eunuchs rushed out of the city to surrender and reported the number and roster of concubines and palace attendants.Li Zicheng's military advisor, Li Yan, a Juren from Henan, is very benevolent and righteous. When he saw Queen Zhang in the book, he exclaimed: "This fellow from my hometown has always been holy and virtuous. How can I be humiliated?" Queen Ann.Li Yan found the queen, ordered the maid to help the queen to sit on the palace, and left after nine obeisances.That night, Empress Yi'an was able to hang herself calmly and died at the age of thirty-eight.Li Yan heard the news, set up a coffin, set up a spiritual hall, and left crying.
Tomorrow, the life of Emperor Qi Yi'an and Empress Yi'an is not only a life of prosperity and wealth, but also a life of tragic ending.From the age of 15 to 38, as the empress and empress Yi'an, she naturally enjoyed all the glory and wealth, but she could not control her own destiny.Empress Yi'an was miserable in her childhood, lost her husband when she was young, suffered a change in her prime, and hanged herself to death. She spent a short life in a fate intertwined with joy and sorrow.
