【Forty years of Hengjing, the fall of June 24th. 】
[The old man with white hair and a red-bottomed dragon-patterned robe sat on a wicker chair in front of the Qianqing Palace, bathing in the warm sunshine, making his final stop and linger. 】
[You are the fourth prince of Emperor Taizong and the fourth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Hengjing. 】
[When you were young, you were the most unpopular prince of King Yan. After King Yan came to the throne, you were the most unpopular prince of Emperor Yongle. 】
[He is such a most unfavored prince. From King Qi, to the crown prince, to the emperor Hengjing, he fought through all the wind and rain, conquering Jiaozhi in the south, leaving Liaodong in the north, opening up territory, establishing national prestige, and possessing both civil and military talents. And the measure is broad, the talents are appointed, and each one is suitable for his own use. The outstanding people are happy to use them, down to the soldiers, they return to their hearts. 】
[After taking the throne, he practiced frugality, floods and droughts came to an end in the morning and evening, and there was no obstruction. The ability to know people well and assign them well, to be insightful both externally and internally, and to have a powerful strategy is unprecedented in ancient and modern times. 】
[In his forty years of reign, he never slacked off for a few days. From year to year, he paid tribute to more than a hundred countries in the Ming Dynasty, covering an area as far away as the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty. 】
[In the thirteenth year of Yongle, he marched eastward and destroyed the Korean Dynasty. 】
[In the fourteenth year of Yongle, he campaigned eastward and destroyed the Japanese state. 】
[In the first year of Hengjing, the Southern Expedition destroyed twenty large and small kingdoms in the southwest, and the great Luo Kingdom was destroyed. 】
[In the third year of Hengjing, the Tatar tribe and the Oara tribe were destroyed. 】
[In the tenth year of Hengjing, Timur’s empire was destroyed. 】
[In the eleventh year of Hengjing, the Golden Horde Khanate was destroyed. 】
[In the fifteenth year of Hengjing, the Ottoman Empire was destroyed. 】
[In the 20th year of Hengjing, the Kingdom of Poland was destroyed. 】
[In the twenty-first year of Hengjing, the Holy Roman Empire was destroyed. 】
【……】
[Ten years as a prince, forty years as an emperor, fifty years in power, and you have achieved great success and fame. Your civil and military skills are unprecedented. You have completed all the achievements that an emperor should do. Now you just want to have a good sleep. 】
[You raised your hand slightly and said in a low voice: "Xuan, Prince Zhu Zhanyi, Duke of Yu State Shen Qingyu, Yu Qian, the Grand Scholar of Huagaidian, Minister of Household Affairs and Minister of War, and Zhang Muzhi, Commander of the Jinyi Guards."]
Zhu Di's eyes were moved, and he sighed: "After all, I still haven't survived the years. Who can be the enemy of time?"
How could he not see that Emperor Hengjing was already on his deathbed and might pass away at any time?
For example, Emperor Hongwu, Emperor Yongle, and Emperor Hengjing were all heroes of their time, emperors who were accomplished in both civil and military affairs. Emperor Hengjing was even more so, and no one could surpass him throughout the ages.
Even so, he will one day be on the verge of death.
It is difficult to be a wise king, and it is even more difficult to be a wise king with a long life.
Because he not only has to be the enemy of time, but also the enemy of himself.
In the long years, it was difficult for him to maintain his original intention and dedicate everything he had to the Ming Dynasty wholeheartedly. He would be arrogant because of his achievements, slack off because of fatigue, and even fall from the Ming Dynasty's peak. For the faint king.
The most typical example is Tang Xuanzong.
In the thousands of years before Emperor Hengjing, the only empire that had reached the top of the world was the Tang Dynasty, and the man at the top of the world was Tang Xuanzong Li Longji.
During the first half of his life, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and Li Longji worked hard to achieve great success. He used up almost all his advantages to bring the Tang Dynasty to its peak.
After Wu Zetian's death, the power of the government slowly fell into the hands of Queen Wei and Princess Anle. Empress Wei first killed Tang Zhongzong Li Xian, and then she became even more ambitious and wanted to imitate Wu Zetian and become the second female emperor.
The young Li Longji, together with his aunt Princess Taiping, and his younger brothers easily hacked to death the Queen Mother Wei and Princess Anle, and then made his own father Li Dan the emperor.
Li Dan became emperor twice, and he knew very well that he was a little mascot. Within a few years of being emperor, he passed the throne to Li Longji, but he was lying there comfortably.
After ascending the throne, Li Longji realized that Princess Taiping, who had been with him in the coup, wanted to rebel, so he took the initiative and killed Princess Taiping and her party members. He successfully took over the imperial power that the emperor should have, and changed his reign name to Kaiyuan.
The year name of Kaiyuan comes from the "Book of Han·Li Xun Biography": Two hundred years have passed since the rise of the Han Dynasty. During the Kaiyuan period, the emperor descended from heaven to the right of Feicai, and the Han Dynasty regained its destiny.
Using "Kaiyuan" as the year name shows that Li Longji, who was at the peak of the Spring and Autumn Period, was ambitious and wanted to create his own prosperous age, a prosperous age that surpassed all prosperous ages.
And he did it successfully.
Under Li Longji's unremitting efforts, the Tang Dynasty reached its peak of economic, military, cultural, and political prosperity, and the small town still contained thousands of families. The rice is dripping with fat and the corn is white, and both the public and private warehouses are abundant.
If Li Longji died suddenly at this time, he would be an emperor through the ages comparable to Emperor Qin and Emperor Wu of Han.
It's a pity that he is so alive.
Everyone said that Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, appointed Li Linfu and Yang Guozhong to frame Zhongliang in his later years. In fact, the same was true for those famous Kaiyuan prime ministers.
During his lifetime, Yao Chong framed his political opponents and ostracized Zhang Shuo. Before his death, he asked his sons to give him gifts after his death to save his life. Zhang Shuo and Zhang Jiazhen fought with each other. Yu Wenrong spared no effort to eliminate Zhang Shuo. In the end, he got away with it because he excluded Li Yi. Du Xian and Li Yuanhong attacked each other, Xiao Hao and Pei Guangting refused to deal with them, and wanted to manipulate Han Xiu to monopolize power.
The butt determines the head, and they are all the same.
In his early years, Li Longji could control all ministers, so these ministers were loyal ministers. In his later years, he was unable to control his ministers, so these ministers were treacherous ministers.
As he grew older, Tang Xuanzong Li Longji's judgment began to decline, his energy was far less than when he was young, and his thinking gradually became slower. Because he created the prosperous Kaiyuan era, he became arrogant and began to settle for pleasure.
In the end, it caused a disaster.
During the Anshi Rebellion, Li Longji lost everything. The Tang Empire prospered and declined, and he was also in danger of losing his fortune in the later years, turning from an emperor through the ages into a coward.
And Zhu Gaojie, who has been in Hengjing for 40 years, has reached almost the same age as Tang Xuanzong Li Longji during the Anshi Rebellion. At this time, can he still maintain his sanity, maintain his own condition, and force his aging body to deal with the things behind him? Finished?
This last moment is the most important moment in the lives of most emperors. A little carelessness may cause earth-shaking and ruin all previous efforts.
[You have already felt that the little time you have left is passing quickly. You must speed up your actions and complete everything you should do in the last time. 】
[Under the emperor's final order, Crown Prince Zhu Zhanyi, Duke Shen Qingyu of the State of Yu, Commander Zhang Muzhi of the Jinyi Guards, and Chief Assistant of the Cabinet Yu Qian rushed to the palace to see you. 】
[They know very well that you are about to issue a posthumous edict at this time, and everyone is a little uneasy, not knowing what kind of situation they will face. 】
[After the four people gathered in Qianqing Palace, you took a look around, closed your eyes lightly, and fell into thinking. 】
[Prince Zhu Zhanji is your appointed heir. After decades of training and observation, no matter from any aspect, both countries are the only ones who can provoke the Ming Dynasty today. 】
[The Duke of Yu State, Shen Qingyu, was born in the Jinyi Guards, and then led his troops to the west several times. The Holy Roman Empire was destroyed by him. After Zhang Fu and Su Wen, he was the only remaining general in the empire. 】
[Zhang Muzhi, the commander of the Jinyiwei, is the darkest person in the empire. He bears all the dark sides of the Ming Dynasty. He is both a law enforcer and the biggest spy leader of the Ming Dynasty. He is silent in the darkness, his hands are stained with blood, and he is deeply scheming. Unfathomable. 】
[The chief minister of the cabinet, Yu Qian, is now in his twilight years. He has a head full of white hair, but he still maintains the heroic spirit of a boy. He is your most powerful arm. After Xia Yuanji, Yang Rong, and Su Wu, Yu Qian became the fourth prime minister of the Hengjing Dynasty. 】
[These four people are the people who will take over the power of the empire after your death. 】
[After a long time, you opened your eyes and asked: "What will you do after I die?"]
[Hearing this, Shen Qingyu knelt down without hesitation and said loudly: "My dear Shen Qingyu, even if I die thousands of times, I will never let you down. I vow to support the new emperor with all my strength, to rectify the world, and to make our great Ming Dynasty go smoothly." inherited!"】
[Zhu Zhanji bowed and said: "Following the prosperous age of Hengjing, we will create peace for all ages!"]
[Yu Qian cupped his hands and said: "I, Yu Qian, only serve the country, the country, and the country. From the emperor to the people, Yu Qian swears to protect them to the death!"]
[The last person to speak was Zhang Muzhi, who said calmly: "Anyone who disobeys the new emperor will be killed by all the officials!"]
[After listening to the words of the four people, you thought for a long time, slowly raised your hand, and slowly said one word in a weak voice: "Kill!"]
[Before anyone could react, all the doors of Qianqing Palace were opened, and hundreds of swordsmen and axemen swarmed in, surrounding Duke Yu Shen Qingyu. 】
[Shen Qingyu was horrified: "Your Majesty, I have absolutely no two intentions. Shen Qingyu has served Your Majesty for fifty years, why would Your Majesty do this!"]
[In your eyes, there is not the slightest bit of intolerance towards your old minister, the old minister who helped you conquer the world, but only indifference. 】
[Hundreds of swordsmen and axemen swarmed up, pushed Shen Qingyu to the ground, and swung their blades mercilessly, splattering blood all over the ground. 】
[Before she died, Shen Qingyu stretched out her arm and pointed at you sitting on the throne, seeming a little unwilling and a little confused. However, he was soon killed by an axe. 】
[Zhu Zhanji, Yu Qian, and Zhang Muzhi, faced with this cruel and bloody scene, did not retreat at all. They are all people who have experienced ups and downs, so they naturally understand what this means. 】
[In a moment, Shen Qingyu had turned into a puddle of meat, and the swordsman and axe-hand also exited the palace, and then the eunuch who was cleaning the floor came in. 】
[You closed your eyes, sighed, and was speechless for a long time. 】
[Shen Qingyu, the pillar of the country, came from a difficult background, but climbed to the top step by step by his own means. He can endure what ordinary people cannot endure, like the weeds in the cracks of the rocks on the edge of the cliff, surviving in the cracks, even in the wind and rain , even the strong wind could not make him succumb. 】
[He can climb to the top of the mountain just by seizing the slightest opportunity. 】
[In terms of leading troops, he is not as good as Zhang Fu and Su Wen, in terms of talent, he is not as good as Yu Qian and Su Wu, but it is just such a person who led the Ming army to capture the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, and then pointed his sword at France and became the Ming Dynasty The most powerful general in the dynasty today. 】
[Shen Qingyu is a rare capable minister, so you must get rid of this person before you die. 】
[The era of the Ming Dynasty's expansion of territory is over. The sun will always shine on the land of the Ming Dynasty, reaching Moscow in the north, Losos in the south, the Alps in the west, and the Ussuri River in the east. 】
[And there is no need for generals like Shen Qingyu who are good at opening up and expanding territories to exist. 】
[After France surrendered, you recalled Shen Qingyu from the Far West and took back the hundreds of thousands of troops controlled by Shen Qingyu. You wanted to give Shen Qingyu a way to live in peace in his old age. 】
[Shen Qingyu has got everything he wants, fame, achievements, wealth... His name will be written in the history of the Ming Dynasty. If he can put down his enthusiasm for power at this time and enjoy his life in Beijing with peace of mind, Then the Shen family he established will also be an extremely prominent family of heroes. 】
[You are not willing to kill the heroes. Xia Yuanji, Yang Rong, Zhang Fu, Su Wen, Su Wu, Lu Chaoyang... all those who follow you have a perfect ending. However, after Shen Qingyu climbed to the top of the mountain, she was greedy The scenery on the mountain makes me reluctant to go down. 】
[Since Su Wen and Su Wu retired, Shen Qingyu has guessed that the emperor's remaining time is running out. On the surface, he remains calm, but secretly he is contacting his old ministries, buying off officials in the capital, and seeking power and usurping the throne. His ambition is clear. exuberant. 】
[Even so, you still gave Shen Qingyu another chance. 】
[Today you summoned the ministers. With Shen Qingyu's intelligence, it is not difficult to guess that you are going to leave a legacy and arrange ministers for the prince to assist the country. 】
[And his wisest choice would be to refuse to come, to show that he is in his old age and no longer has any desire for power. He should be aware of his threat. Among the few remaining court elders, he is the only one who poses the greatest threat to the prince. 】
[Although Zhang Muzhi is ruthless, he is loyal to the Zhu family. Although Yu Qian is old, he has never slacked off. He only has the country and the people in his heart. 】
[Shen Qingyu came to see him today because he wanted to test whether the emperor really couldn't bear it and was about to die, so that he could plan for himself. 】
[You have already seen through Shen Qingyu's thoughts, so you have already arranged the manpower to kill Shen Qingyu on the spot as long as you give the order! 】
[And you did indeed do this. After seeing your weak expression, Shen Qingyu's eyes flashed with ecstasy and greed. Although he quickly hid it, you still observed it. 】
[For Shen Qingyu, the three words "Emperor Hengjing" are like a mountain peak pressing on him, making him breathless. As long as you are alive, he will not dare to raise his head. 】
[Now, the mountain pressing on his back is finally about to collapse. Even a person who is good at forbearing has a flaw for a moment. 】
[This also makes you determined to kill Shen Qingyu. 】
[The general can be deposed, but the country cannot be destroyed! 】
[On your deathbed, you also maintained the rationality and wisdom that an emperor should have. 】
[You are not Chai Rong, you will never leave Zhao Kuangyin for your prince! 】
[After killing Shen Qingyu, you breathed a long sigh of relief, your vision went dark, and you almost fainted on the spot. Fortunately, you managed to persevere in the end. 】
[You know, if you close your eyes again, you will never be able to open them again. 】
