After more than two years of intense construction, towards the end of the 19th year of Chongzhen's reign, the Imperial City of Nanjing finally took on a new look and regained its former Tianjia atmosphere. In addition to the grandeur and splendor of the imperial home, this imperial residence, which covers an area of more than 1,500 acres and can be called the largest palace in the world, also has some "relocations" from many famous Jinling gardens along the Qinhuai River. Come in elegance and comfort.
The renovated Imperial City of Nanjing was divided into two parts, the "Front Palace" and the "Harem Palace", with Qianqing Gate as the boundary. The front hall includes the three main halls of Fengtian, Huagai and Jinshen, as well as Wenhua, Wuying and Fengxian halls. In order to save the cost and time of repairs, and also because the southwest was still in war and chaos when the imperial city was being repaired, it was difficult to collect giant trees. So I only concentrated my efforts on building Fengtian Gate and Fengtian Hall.
These gates and halls are the faces of the front hall, and are also the places where the emperor goes to court and administers government affairs. In order to build the Fengtian Gate and Fengtian Hall into a magnificent building, Zhu Cixi even ordered people to use the finest wood obtained from the demolition of the Huagai and Jinshen halls (these two halls were in a semi-destroyed state and had to be demolished and rebuilt).
As for the Huagai, Jinshen, Wuying, Wenhua, and Fengxian halls, their repairs are rather sloppy and their appearance is acceptable.
To the north of Jinshen Hall and Fengxian Hall (the two halls are basically parallel), there is a Qianqing Gate and a high wall that divides the imperial city into two parts.
To the north of Qianqing Gate and Gaoqiang is the harem where Zhu Cixiang lived after he ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor. Compared with the carelessness of the "front palace", Zhu Cixiang spent a lot of thought on the construction of the "harem" of the Forbidden City. After all, after ascending to the throne, the "harem" is his real "little home". How can he not run it more comfortably?
But spending a lot of thought does not mean spending a lot of money!
Zhu Cixiang did not leave the repair and reconstruction project of the Forbidden City to the Ministry of Industry or the chamberlain, but directly contracted it to businessmen who specialized in building gardens for the homes of the rich and powerful. Let them build a harem for themselves according to the standards of Xipu and Dagongfang.
According to Zhu Cixiang's explanation, the harem in the Forbidden City was divided into four parts: Qianqing Palace, Kunning Palace, Rouyi Palace and Chunhe Palace.
Among them, Qianqing Palace and Kunning Palace respectively belong to the emperor and empress, and are relatively solemn. The Rouyi and Chunhe palaces are the residences of the concubines. They are completely modeled after the gardens of wealthy families in Nanjing. There are pavilions, pavilions, small bridges, ponds, rockeries, rocks, flowers, plants, and trees. They are all as elegant and comfortable as possible. .
Although the project was rushed and there were still many details that had not been completed, it was generally satisfactory, and the cost was within the range that Prince Zhu could accept - the renovation of the imperial city was a project that Zhu Cixiang personally took care of, so he was going to trick him. Money is not easy!
On the 15th day of the first lunar month of the 20th year of Chongzhen's reign, the newly renovated Forbidden City in Nanjing hosted an extraordinary imperial gathering.
The cleansing whip was sounded three times, and the smoke was lingering.
The Huanghuang Fengtian Hall has not held such a grand court meeting in an unknown number of days!
According to the rules set by Zhu Cixiang, an ordinary court meeting is a meeting between the two imperial palaces. It does not need to be held in Fengtian Hall, but can be held in Wenhua Hall or Wuying Hall. Anyway, not many ministers will participate. And it's not an early shift in the morning. There is usually a meeting in the morning and it ends before lunch. Some officials go to find food by themselves, and some accompany the crown prince to have lunch.
The Huanghuang Dynasty was said to be held on the first and fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, but Zhu Cixiang was never in Nanjing during this period. He was either out fighting or begging for food. Emperor Chongzhen was also a "sick man", and he even "sneered" when his son was there. "Court", without his son, he could only draw the bow, throw stone locks, row boats and live the life of a debauched emperor while recuperating...
Therefore, the Fengtian Palace (Fengtianmen) dynasty had not been held much in the entire 19th year of Chongzhen, but today, it was about to hold a dynasty where all officials gathered. The sky was still dark, and there were strings of sedans, carriages and horses outside the Meridian Gate, dotted with white lanterns, leading the neatly dressed ministers to walk into the Meridian Gate in groups, and then headed to Fengtian Hall.
The weather in Nanjing is still very cold in the first month of the year, the kind of coldness that can penetrate the bone marrow at the slightest bit of chill. Therefore, the court meeting was no longer held outside Fengtian Gate, but moved to the relatively warm Fengtian Hall.
In the Fengtian Hall of Nuo Da, many candles as thick as arms were lit at this time, and many heaters were placed, all of which were lit. However, because the hall was too large and there was draft everywhere, it was still dark and cold. Fortunately, most of the courtiers Zhu Cihong used were strong and could withstand the cold if they wore warm clothes!
And everyone’s hearts are warm...
Today's dynasty may be Emperor Chongzhen's last dynasty... If there is such a grand occasion, it should be Zhu Cixiang's enthronement ceremony!
When they thought that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince could finally ascend the throne, and that Emperor Chongzhen could finally start to take care of his old age as he wished, the ministers in the hall felt very excited!
Whether it is the heroes who followed Zhu Cihong in overcoming the difficulties or the princes who came to the court to attend the imperial meeting, they have now unanimously agreed that Zhu Cihong must be the emperor!
Of course, this matter is what everyone insists on. Since ancient times, the masters who have accepted the abdication of the throne have been forced. If others hadn't been crying and begging, who would be willing to become emperor in this way? Anyway, Zhu Cixiang was unwilling, so after learning that everyone was going to "force the palace" today, Zhu Cixiang hid in the Wenhua Palace (he had not yet moved into the harem) and could not come out...
At the same time, Emperor Chongzhen, another protagonist of today's great court meeting, has not yet appeared!
So...this scene is a bit embarrassing!
In Nuo Da's Fengtian Hall, the ministers gathered and prepared memorials to persuade them to enter. But the throne was empty.
The emperor who insisted on the Zen throne did not come!
The prince, who was determined not to take over, did not come either...
The ministers in the hall look at me and I look at you, but you don’t know what to say? Are you going to go to Wuying Palace to "force the palace"?
This is not good... Chongzhen still has to give up the throne himself!
If everyone wants to force it, that would be "usurping". If this precedent can be set, it is best not to set it. Otherwise, when Prince Zhu has a son and gets older, he will have to be wary of his son every day to seize class and power?
We are all very loyal, how can we not understand this truth?
Today’s Ming Dynasty is so loyal! There were so many that the entire Fengtian Palace could not fit in, and many loyal people could only stand outside and suffer from the cold...
...
"Your Majesty, it is already twenty years since Chongzhen. You ascended the throne in August of the seventh year of the Apocalypse. It will be almost twenty years this year... Haven't you had enough of the emperor's addiction?"
"Your Majesty, I entered the Xinwang Palace in the year of Tianqi. I have been with you for more than twenty years. To be honest, it was during the years when the Crown Prince was nurturing the army that you were able to spend your money happily and live like an emperor. ah!"
"Yes, the prince is filial. He built you Xuanhu Palace and Hot Spring Palace, and gave you Xipu as your palace. He also gave you one million taels of gold and silver every year..."
In the Wuying Hall, Queen Zhou, Concubine Wei (Wei Qinghui) and Concubine Wu (Wu Wanrong) were persuading Emperor Chongzhen!
Chongzhen was sitting on the edge of the bed. He was not wearing court clothes, just pajamas, his hair was disheveled, his eyes were red, and he said nothing.
He is only thirty-six years old! Now I have to become the emperor...
It makes me unhappy just thinking about it!
But it’s not enough not to give up the throne. The prince has done his best to be benevolent. He has prepared three palaces for his retirement. He chooses hundreds of beauties at a time. He is given a million taels of gold and silver every year for his squandering. He also collected a fortune for Chongzhen. Integer - Chongzhen has been there for twenty years!
This is all about toasting. If you don’t eat after toasting, you will have to drink wine as a penalty!
Are there many emperors who died in mysterious circumstances in the history of the Ming Dynasty? If you don't act like a good emperor, you will suffer a lot if you become a late emperor.
When he thought of his late emperor, Emperor Chongzhen sighed: "In ancient times, there were still twenty-year-old emperors (Tuo Bahong, Emperor Xianwen of the Northern Wei Dynasty). I am already thirty-six and have been the emperor for twenty years. What else can I do?" Satisfied? It’s time for the prince to take over... I want to see if he can bring a bright future to the Ming Dynasty!"
