On November 14, 1908, the Guangxu Emperor died, and the next day, Empress Dowager Cixi also died. The three-year-old Puyi succeeded to the throne as the heir of the Tongzhi Emperor and concurrently served as the Guangxu Emperor. After Puyi succeeded to the throne, the Guangxu Emperor's empress Yehenara was honored as empress, which made the widows of the Tongzhi Emperor very dissatisfied, which caused a storm. The central figure in this storm was the Tongzhi Emperor's concubine Yu.
Concubine Yu, daughter of the prefect Chongling, was born in 1857. In 1872, herschel was made a concubine. Before his death, Emperor Tongzhi was promoted to Concubine Yu, who was only eighteen years old.
Tongzhi Emperor Yiqing map.
According to historical records, Concubine Yu was "humble in nature and scrupulous in her devotion", and she was also astute and intelligent, read and knew history, and was quite talented, and she was deeply pleased by Empress Dowager Cixi. Although she was the widow of the former emperor, Concubine Yu had the favor of Cixi, and even the Yehenara clan, who was the Guangxu Empress at the time, had to "look up to her nose".
In 1908, when Cixi and Guangxu were critically ill, Yufei's feelings were complicated, on the one hand, she was worried that once the people who relied on the mountain were absent, her position in the harem would inevitably be affected. On the other hand, she also had a hint of joy: the new emperor naturally wanted to continue the imperial orthodoxy from the Tongzhi Emperor, so as the eldest of the widows of the former emperor, she was the natural mother and queen. Therefore, before Cixi could swallow her last breath, Concubine Yu had already begun to plan.
Empress Longyu.
When Puyi was first taken into the palace, Cixi said to Empress Guangxu: "I will hand over this child to you, and it is your responsibility to raise him and educate him." Concubine Yu on the side was very unhappy in her heart, and cried: "Since Emperor Si joined Muzong (Emperor Tongzhi) and served among the concubines of Emperor Xian, now only I am there, how can I be treated like a decoration?" Besides, in the early years of Guangxu, he issued an edict that the emperor had a son and should first inherit Muzong, had the empress dowager forgotten? ”
The empress dowager was silent for a long time, and there was no good reason to refute Concubine Yu, so she had to say: "What you said is very reasonable, and the Emperor will entrust you two, and you must protect each other and not have a quarrel with each other." Princess Yu's purpose was achieved, and she immediately bowed her head to Xie En, and said to the palace people around her: "Did you all hear what the empress dowager said just now?" "The multitude should claim to be.
Unfortunately, as soon as Cixi took a breath, everything changed. After Puyi ascended the throne, Empress Guangxu was honored as empress dowager, with the title of "Longyu", and the title of Concubine of Tongzhi was not mentioned.
Empress Dowager Cixi.
According to the etiquette system, the widow who first went to see the empress dowager must kneel on the ground and call her a slave. Princess Yu was very angry, and summoned Prince Yi of Qing to scold: "I have been dead for decades, and I did not follow Muzong to the underground, just for today." When the empress dowager died, she entrusted the emperor to me and the empress, and no one in the palace knew that now the empress did not respect me, where did she want to leave me? Yi Li and the regent Zaifeng planned a bit to make Concubine Yu an imperial concubine, but Princess Yu's dream of being an empress dowager was still shattered, and she still could not sit with Empress Dowager Longyu, and she was unhappy all day long.
Later, when Empress Dowager Cixi was serving in the Tomb of Anding, Concubine Yu accompanied her, and after the funeral, Concubine Yu refused to return to the palace, crying and making noise that she wanted to follow Empress Dowager Cixi underground. The regent Zaifeng sent Zaizhen and others to greet him, and Concubine Yu asked in a stern tone, "Is the emperor following Emperor Dezong (Emperor Guangxu) or succeeding Muzong?" Zai Zhen said, "Succeed Mu Zong." ”
Cixi and Guangxu painting.
Concubine Yu also asked, "Since I am the longest in succession to Muzong and Muzong," and since the emperor has already succeeded, why do I only take Empress Longyu as my mother and me as a slave?" Zai Zhen and the others were speechless, frightened and trembling, and only persuaded each other to ask Concubine Yu to return to the palace to consider the long term. Concubine Yu insisted unforgivingly: Instead of returning to the palace as a slave, it would be better to die with Empress Dowager Cixi.
Zai Zhen and the others had to return to Beijing, consult with Zai Feng, Yi Li and others, and finally promoted Concubine Yu to the title of Imperial Concubine, and was not called a slave before empress dowager. At this point, this storm can be considered to have subsided.
Through this storm, we also see the tragic fate of Concubine Yu as a harem widow. Eighteen years old- just in time, but became a living martyr of the deceased emperor. For more than forty years of loneliness, she competed for favor and fame, but she could not break the fate of being a slave all her life.
References: Hu Sijing's "National News", Xu Ke's "Qing Barnyard Banknotes and Palaces", "Qing Shilu Mu Zongyi Emperor Shilu , Volume 344"