In Peiping City, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, a group of Zhu family princes and nobles returned to their homes from the street carrying brooms and dustpans.
These nobles of the Ming Dynasty, who once had people to serve them when eating and drinking, now have to earn their porridge by working with their own hands.
Zhu Youjian, dressed in bunt attire, dragged heavy steps back to his residence.
When he left the palace, he was arranged to live in Prince Xin's Mansion as soon as he saw someone, and then moved from Prince Xin's Mansion to a separate small courtyard.
The yard is not big, and it is a little crowded for a family to live in it, but it lacks the sense of isolation and alienation in the palace and has more family affection and the warmth of an ordinary home.
"Your Majesty is back. I have made porridge and can eat it after washing my hands." Empress Zhou reached out and took the broom and dustpan from Zhu Youjian's hand and put them in a corner.
Zhu Youjian walked to the wooden basin nearby, put his hand into the water, and said while cleaning his hands: "In the future, don't call me your Majesty at home. I am just a king who has subjugated his country. I am ashamed of my ancestors. Being Your Majesty is just a source of laughter."
As he spoke, he sighed softly.
"Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty is still there and has not yet died. Now your Majesty is just trying to get rich. Sooner or later, your Majesty will revive the Ming Dynasty." Empress Zhou said with relief.
Hearing this, Chongzhen smiled mockingly.
Although the Ming Dynasty has not yet died, in his opinion, it has nothing to do with him, the former emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
As long as the ministers of the Ming Dynasty still had him as their king in their hearts, they would not have been silent for such a long time, allowing him, the king, to fall into the hands of the tiger-character banner and not be cared about.
There were still a few loyal ministers and good generals in the Southern Song Dynasty who wanted to rescue the two emperors in the Northern Expedition, but there was no one in the Ming Dynasty.
He had already lost his heart for the Ming Dynasty in Southern Capital. Even if it could survive for a hundred years like the Southern Song Dynasty, it would have nothing to do with him, the emperor who fell into the hands of Tiger Character Banner.
Queen Zhou thoughtfully brought a dry cloth to Zhu Youjian to wipe his hands, and then took out the wooden basin in which he had washed his hands and poured out the water.
After finishing all this work, Zhu Youjian sat on the table with Queen Zhou serving him.
Queen Zhou personally brought a bowl of porridge and a plate of pickles to Zhu Youjian.
"Your Majesty, let's have a meal!" Queen Zhou put a pair of chopsticks aside.
Zhu Youjian looked at the simple food on the table and said, "Have you eaten, Queen? Let's sit down and eat together! Now we are the only family left, and there are not so many rules."
Queen Zhou then pulled the two children to sit down at the table.
"Stop watching, let's eat together!" Zhu Youjian greeted, stretched out his chopsticks, picked up a piece of pickles, and put it into his son's porridge bowl.
"My dear father, I would like to thank you." Zhu Cixiang thanked him in a childish voice.
"Eat quickly!" Zhu Youjian touched Zhu Cixiang's head with his hand lovingly.
Because the daughter on the side was too young, Queen Zhou held her in her arms and used a wooden spoon to scoop out porridge one by one and feed her.
Soon, Zhu Youjian finished the porridge in the bowl in front of him.
When Queen Zhou saw it, she handed over the porridge in her bowl and said: "Your Majesty, I have some here, your Majesty, please drink it together!"
"I'm full. Queen, please drink!" Zhu Youjian waved his hand and refused.
Queen Zhou had been feeding her children porridge, but she hadn't moved a single chopstick. It wasn't like he hadn't noticed that if she drank the queen's porridge, wouldn't the queen be starving?
After all, he was also the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and he couldn't do such a thing as letting his own woman starve.
Queen Zhou was no longer modest, and drank the porridge in small sips.
After everyone had finished eating, Queen Zhou personally picked up the dishes on the table and took them outside to wash them.
"Queen, thank you for your hard work." Zhu Youjian came to the queen's side and said distressedly.
Queen Zhou turned around and said to Zhu Youjian with a smile: "This is what I should do. Your Majesty has had a hard day. Go back to your house and rest. It is enough to have my concubine here."
"I'll help you wash it together." After saying that, Zhu Youjian squatted down, took the bowl in Queen Zhou's hand into his own hand, and began to wash it with water.
Seeing this, Queen Zhou hesitated for a moment, gave up the idea of taking the bowl back from Zhu Youjian, and picked up another bowl to wash it.
"Today my concubine's father is here." Queen Zhou suddenly said.
Zhu Youjian, who was washing the dishes, paused with his arms, and soon returned to normal. He said, "Uncle Jiading hasn't come to the door for a while. I remember that the last time I came, I came to ask for help. This time, I got help from the Queen." What did you take here?"
Jiading Bo Zhou Kui, as a newly promoted relative of the Chongzhen Dynasty, was better than the inferior. However, he did not enjoy the good life for a few years. The Tiger Character Banner captured Peiping, and life became difficult for relatives like him.
He was used to a life of extravagance, and his family soon fell into ruin. Now he can only return to his old business, writing and telling fortunes on the streets, barely keeping his family from starving to death.
"No, this time my concubine's father didn't ask for anything. He just said a few words and wanted me to tell your majesty." Queen Zhou stopped moving her hands and looked at Zhu Youjian with hesitation in her eyes. .
Zhu Youjian was still washing the dishes and chopsticks with both hands, and asked smoothly: "What does Uncle Jiading want the queen to say to me?"
"I dare not say this." Queen Zhou lowered her head.
Seeing this, Zhu Youjian pretended to be relaxed and said: "I have fallen into the situation I am in now. Is there anything I can't say that I can't listen to? Just say it, I can bear it."
"I would like to apologize to Your Majesty on behalf of my father." Queen Zhou stood up and gave a solemn salute to Zhu Youjian.
At this time, Zhu Youjian also noticed something was wrong, and the action of rinsing the bowl in his hand slowed down.
He said: "The queen and I have been close to each other for so many years. Even if Jiadingbo said something treacherous, I will not really blame him for the queen's sake. The queen can say it now!"
"I would like to thank Your Majesty in advance." Empress Zhou gave another salute and then said, "My concubine's father hopes that Your Majesty, you, can give Nandu a decree!"
After saying that, Queen Zhou seemed to collapse, and she looked at Zhu Youjian nervously.
Zhu Youjian put down the bowls and chopsticks in his hands, stood up, looked at Queen Zhou in front of him, and said: "I have no contact with Nandu, so how can I give them an order? Could it be that Uncle Jiading has a way to contact Nandu? people?"
"Your Majesty, your Majesty's decree can be handed over directly to the Tiger-Character Banner, and the people of the Tiger-Character Banner can pass it on to the people of Nandu." Queen Zhou stuttered.
Hearing this, Zhu Youjian frowned and said, "What kind of decree does Uncle Jiading want me to write?"
"Fate, fate,"
Queen Zhou, who stammered two words, knelt down directly in front of Zhu Youjian and said, "I don't dare to say the next words."
