Forty-eight years of Wanli.
The afterglow of dusk shines into the emperor's palace through the windowsills carved with dragons and phoenixes, adding a touch of twilight to the palace.
The bedroom was filled with the pungent smell of medicine, and even the curl of incense could not cover it up.
Emperor Wanli was lying on the bed, his eyes closed quietly, and the rise and fall of his chest was already very weak.
At fifty-six years old, his hair has grown on his temples and his face is covered with wrinkles. At this time, he has reached the end of his life.
Although he has lived in the palace for a long time and entrusted all important affairs of the court to the ministers, he is not completely at the helm. Many political affairs are at the helm of him. Relying on the cabinet, Jinyiwei and Dongchang, the emperor still rules this huge empire. .
However, in recent years, the empire's situation has become increasingly unfavorable.
As if to oppose the emperor, disasters in various parts of the Ming Dynasty became more frequent, the number of refugees doubled, and many officials were corrupt and oppressive, which led to the rise of civil rebellions in the Ming Dynasty.
Although the current combat power of the Ming army can still suppress them, it is like a gourd that suppresses one side and starts to rise again on the other side.
Emperor Wanli was extremely worried about this. He was not in good health to begin with, but he finally fell ill and was unable to support himself until now.
Eunuchs and imperial doctors gathered around him, as if this could preserve the emperor's last moments.
The sound of hurried footsteps came, and a beautiful woman in palace attire and a young man in rich attire quickly walked into the palace, followed by several officials. Except for a few elders and the new Duke Chen, they were only due to their official duties. Yan Chenhao was also in the palace. Seeing them, a eunuch approached the emperor's ear and whispered:
"Long live, your Majesty, Your Highness, and the ministers are here."
Hearing his voice, Wanli's eyes rolled twice, and then he raised his eyelids with some effort.
Seeing the sad faces of Empress Zheng and Prince Zhu Changxun, he smiled, raised his finger slightly and pointed at Zhu Changxun, and said softly:
"Come on……"
Zhu Changxun hurried forward and knelt down next to Wanli:
"Father..."
"I can't do it..." Wan Li stretched out his hand and put it on Zhu Changxun's head. He seemed to want to touch it, but he seemed to have no strength, so he just put it on it, and then said softly:
"After I leave, you will inherit the great treasure. You must remember what I say next."
"I have ordered the collection of mining taxes, which is actually a huge profit for the mining industry... However, although mining taxes have the benefit of enriching internal funds, they also have the disadvantage of increasing the burden on miners and the people, and the mine supervisors extort the local area... From now on, do not collect it. "
"The spices from Jiangsu and Zhejiang and the tribute pearls from Guangdong are all created because of my hobbies. They waste people and money, and there is no need to pay tribute in the future."
"I know that there are many lawbreakers and tax envoys and mine supervisors in various places, which have made people angry and resentful. I have protected them all before... and they have all been recalled. From now on, there will be no more overseas assignments."
"In the past few years, I was greedy for wealth. In order to replenish the national treasury and internal funds, I raised taxes among the people, which made the people unbearable and complained. It is my fault... These taxes have also been exempted."
"The riots in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Henan, the refugee rebellion in Huguang..." Wanli took a few breaths and then said:
"These are what I am worried about. You must also pay special attention. After taking the throne, you need to send troops to pacify them as soon as possible, behead their bandit leaders, and kill all the old bandits. You must not have any thoughts of mercy."
"Mongolia in the north has invaded the border from time to time, the restraints are unstable, and there are constant wars on the border, but these are all scabies diseases. The chaos in the interior is a serious concern for the imperial court, and it must be eliminated...especially as natural disasters have become more and more serious in recent years. Frequently, if the chaos is not calmed down with the power of thunder, disaster may occur..."
"Father, I remember this." Zhu Changxun nodded, his voice choked with sobs.
Zhu Yijun raised the corners of his mouth, showed a pleased smile, and continued:
"First Assistant Fang Congzhe, Shangshu Huang Kezuan, and Zhan Shifu Yan Chenhao, these are all worthy ministers you can trust. You can trust them and they will assist you wholeheartedly."
The volume of Wan Li's words became weaker and weaker, and finally only his slightly moving lips remained, and his voice was no longer audible.
"Father?" Zhu Changxun looked at Emperor Wanli who had closed his eyes and murmured with an expression of disbelief. Upon hearing this, the imperial doctor on the side rushed over and grabbed the emperor's wrist.
The pulse no longer beats.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
With the cry of the imperial doctor, it was as if the floodgates were opened, and the whole palace was suddenly filled with the sound of crying. The maids and eunuchs fell to the ground and cried one after another, and Zhu Changxun even grabbed the ground with his head, crying and bleeding, which made people hear. The audience shed tears and lamented the filial piety of His Royal Highness.
Empress Zheng did not cry like everyone else, but stood aside and cried silently.
Perhaps among all the people, her sadness was the most real. She had a deep relationship with Wanli. When the emperor passed away, she really cried for him.
In July of the forty-eighth month of Wanli, the Wanli Emperor Zhu Yijun, who had ruled the Ming Dynasty for forty-eight years, passed away. He was given the posthumous title Fan Tianhe, Daozhe Sudun, Jianguang Wenwen, Anren, Zhixiaoxian Emperor, and his temple name Shenzong.
Soon after, the posthumous edict was promulgated, and the crown prince Zhu Changxun succeeded to the throne. At the same time, he expressed repentance for some of his actions, such as staying in the harem for a long time, and promoted many officials. Yan Chenhao was promoted from Zhan Shifu to Zhan Shifu. After the incident, he was promoted directly to the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, while Huang Kezuan, the former Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, directly entered the cabinet.
In August, Prince Zhu Changxun officially ascended the throne and granted amnesty to the whole country.
The year number is:
"Wuxing".
…
Almost at the same time Zhu Yijun closed his eyes.
Ningbo Mansion, in a field.
The barefoot child was jumping on the field ridge, seeming to feel the growing darkness around him. He raised his head and looked at the darkening sky, suddenly opened his eyes wide, and shouted:
"Big father, big father, come and see, come and see!"
"The sun seems to be setting."
"But the moon has not risen yet."
"Did the Tengu eat the moon?"
The child made an innocent sound.
An old man walked up to him and looked at the sky with him. Then he knocked his grandson on the head with a hand as dry as a chicken claw and said with a smile:
"When you go to school, the teacher will teach you. This is not some Tengu eclipse. It's called weather changes. It's science."
"Sometimes when the weather is bad, it's like today."
"Look at the dark clouds covering the sky and covering the heavens and the earth."
"So, the sun and the moon sank together..."
"Then, will it still be dawn?"
the grandson asked innocently in a childish voice. He was a little worried. If the sun and moon never came out again, wouldn't they have to live in darkness forever?
The old man smiled and looked up at the sky:
"The sky will always light up, but at that time, it will be a new day..."
(End of chapter)
