The emperor's summons was like a magic spell, driving countless people inside and outside the palace to follow suit.
Meng Chong, the chief imprint of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, stayed by the emperor's side, while the five eunuchs of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, Feng Bao, Chen Hong, Huang Mengyu, Zhang Hong, and Chen Ju, went their separate ways to invite the harem concubines, the prince, and the ministers of the cabinet to see him.
Feng Bao originally considered that the situation was urgent and wanted to take over the errand of inviting three assistant ministers to the cabinet, but then he thought about it. The cabinet was headed by Gao Gong, so he might not be able to talk to Zhang Juzheng if he went.
What's the difference? So he simply showed off his first words and said to the other four people: "It's urgent. Let's go to the imperial concubine. I, Feng, am the concubine's assistant. Let's go to the concubine's place."
None of the four had any objections. Chen Hong said: "In that case, I will go to the cabinet."
Huang Mengyu turned around and asked Zhang Hong: "Where is Mr. Zhang going?"
Zhang Hong said: "You decide first."
Huang Mengyu shook his head and said: "You have been in the palace longer than me, so you go first."
Zhang Hong was also a person who was close to the Crown Prince Zhu Yijun. After hearing this, he was secretly happy, but thinking that Chen Ju was also a person who was close to the Crown Prince, he couldn't help but hesitate a little and said: "I planned to go to Zhongcui Palace, but I don't know...
"
Huang Mengyu and Chen Ju looked at each other and said, "Very good. In that case, I'll go and invite the Queen."
Chen Ju raised his head and looked at the sky, then said: "The prince likes to discuss history with Gao Yude recently. I don't know whether he has returned to Zhongcui Palace or is still in Wenhua Palace. Since Mr. Zhang went to Zhongcui Palace, I will go to Wenhua Palace."
Let’s take a look at Hua Dian.”
Zhang Hong didn't expect that the two upstarts in the inner court were so easy to talk to. Not only was he a little surprised, but he also thought to himself: The emperor is critically ill and the prince will soon become emperor. At this time, instead of currying favor with the prince, the two of them went to invite the queen.
Going to the Wenhua Palace alone? The Queen has been out of favor for two years. The Emperor didn't even mention her just now. Even if he mentioned her, it was just the word "waiting" for "noble concubine, prince, etc.", which shows that it has no weight.
As for His Highness the Crown Prince, although he has really enjoyed discussing history with Gao Yude recently, at this moment, when His Highness the Crown Prince had lunch and went back to the imperial concubine to report on today’s studies, he was returning to the palace to rest. How could he be in the Wenhua Palace? Then?
The only place where Gao Yude is taking his lunch break is there is no point in going there!
Of course, Huang Mengyu and Chen Ju were going to be stupid, but Zhang Hong didn't care. Instead, he felt relieved and said politely: "Okay, okay, I'll excuse you two."
The five eunuchs who held pens each went to one place. Naturally, there was a distinction between near and far, so we had to talk from near to far.
The two closest places to the Qianqing Palace are the Yongning Palace of Concubine Li and the Zhongcui Palace of the Prince, and Feng Bao was the first to set off, so naturally he was the first to arrive.
When Feng Bao rushed to Yongning Palace, Concubine Li had just coaxed the three princesses to sleep. These three princesses were her three daughters: Zhu Yao'e, Zhu Yaoyuan, and Zhu Yaoyuan.
Long Qing had a total of seven daughters, but the eldest daughter and the second daughter unfortunately died in infancy, leaving five living daughters, and the three of them were the third princess, the fourth princess and the fifth princess, all born to Concubine Li.
This also shows that Concubine Li was favored and able to have children - Zhu Yijun, Zhu Yao'e, Zhu Yaonao, Zhu Yiyi, Zhu Yaoyuan. In just seven years, Concubine Li actually gave birth to five children! What's even more amazing is that in this era when the probability of early death is extremely high,
All five of her children survived in good health, which is simply a miracle.
Of course, with such a "miracle", it is not difficult to understand why Concubine Li was so grateful and guilty for her younger brother Li Wenjin who came from the palace to serve her in the inner court.
As for the reason why these three princesses don't have names yet, it's because princesses in the Ming Dynasty generally don't get canonization until they reach adulthood (Wufeng's note: they can be canonized after they die young), so now they can only be matched by ranking.
The reason why there are only three princesses around Concubine Li here is because besides Zhu Yijun, who is the prince and has already lived alone in Zhongcui Palace, Concubine Li's second son Zhu Yiliu was also favored when he was only two years old in the fourth year of Longqing. Mad Demon Long Qing was conferred the title of King Lu and already lived in another palace, so Concubine Li naturally did not bother to coax him to sleep.
When Feng Bao came, Concubine Li had just come out from the three princesses' place and was about to take a bath and start taking a lunch break. When Feng Bao said that the emperor was seriously ill, she hurriedly summoned her, the prince and others to Qianqing Palace, and she didn't bother to dress up anymore. Rong changed his face and ordered to go immediately.
After walking a few steps, he stopped again and asked the prince how it was over there.
Feng Bao was leaving in a hurry just now, and he didn't know who was going to invite the prince, but naturally he didn't dare to say it directly at this moment, so he said: "Zhongcui Palace is close, why don't the noble concubine go with the prince?"
As soon as Concubine Li heard what was right, she ordered Bai to drive to Zhongcui Palace, planning to pick up the prince and go with her.
As soon as I arrived at the gate of Zhongcui Palace, I met the prince's honor guard being assembled urgently, but the prince was already jumping around anxiously - there was nothing I could do about it. It was because the rules set by Zhu Yuanzhang were too rigid. There were so many rules in the harem, and besides Some emperors occasionally dared to make slight changes or expediency, while others, even princes, had to wait for the prescribed ceremonial guards to be put in place before they could travel.
Concubine Li's ceremonial guard came forward, and the prince hurriedly stepped forward to say hello. Then, his face turned pale and he said nervously: "Concubine, Zhang Hong said that the father's illness is serious again. Are you also going to visit the father?"
Seeing that her son's face was frightened and not fake, Concubine Li was happy and sad at the same time. She got off the sedan chair, hugged him, touched his head, resisted the urge to cry and comforted him: "Xu is that?" The imperial doctor was suspicious and startled, but it’s okay. We’ll find out after we go and see him. Your father is so blessed that everything will be fine... he’ll definitely be fine."
When Feng Bao saw Concubine Li hugging the prince, he coughed loudly and winked at Concubine Li.
This is the disadvantage of the prosperity of Neo-Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty. Even between the biological mother and the little prince who was only ten years old, there could not be such an overly intimate behavior.
Concubine Li was reminded by Feng Baoyi and immediately woke up. She quickly let go of the prince and said: "Jun'er, you are the prince. No matter what happens later, you must..." When she said this, she herself was stunned.
She wanted to say "you must be strong", but there was a problem. If the emperor really collapsed, wouldn't the prince be allowed to cry? The prince would have to be said to be extremely unfilial by the outside world.
But it would not work if the prince lost control of his emotions and burst into tears. Firstly, he was extremely sad about his body, and there were many cases of crying blindly in this era. Secondly, Concubine Li was worried that this would make the outer court look down on the prince, and think that the new king was weak. bully.
At this time, a familiar voice came: "What the imperial concubine said is absolutely true. I hope the prince will comfort the emperor and ask the emperor to rest quietly and recover as soon as possible."
"Highly pragmatic?" Concubine Li was startled for a moment, then nodded and said, "Well, you are right, this is exactly what I mean."
This voice obviously has a strong childlike feel. Since it's not Zhu Yijun, it can only be Gao Pragmatic, the prince's companion.
Gao pragmatic was originally helping the prince to scold the eunuchs to quickly arrange the ceremony. When the ceremony was completed, he stepped forward. He happened to find that Concubine Li was stunned by her words, so he spoke to help her make things right.
When Feng Bao saw Gao Pragmatic, his heart tightened unconsciously, and he subconsciously asked loudly: "Gao Yude, why aren't you in the Wenhua Hall at this time?"
Just as Gao Jingshi was about to answer, Zhu Yijun took a step ahead and frowned: "My dear friend, Jing Shi is my companion. Recently, my father has been unwell, and I deeply feel that I have not fulfilled my filial piety. These days, I often discuss with Jing Shi how the great sages of ancient times performed filial piety.
I hope it will be of some help. When Zhang Hong came just now, I was discussing the "Book of Filial Piety" with Pragmatic... Are you saying that I shouldn't bring him to Zhongcui Palace?"