Empress Dowager Cixi's husband, The Xianfeng Emperor, was the fourth son of the Daoguang Emperor, born on the ninth day of June in the 10th year of Daoguang, but died in Rehe at the age of only 31.
This probably had something to do with the Xianfeng Emperor's natural health. The Xianfeng Emperor was a complete premature baby, born without full term, and the nursery rhyme of "Lame Dragon Disease Phoenix" was once popular in Beijing, that is, the Xianfeng Emperor had a leg disability, and the empress was also frail and sickly.
When the Xianfeng Emperor was in power at a young age, he was also a promising monarch with great vigor, but the times were uneven, and the Qing Dynasty was far behind the Western powers after the Industrial Revolution at this time, with strong enemies on the outside, peasant uprisings on the inside, and the mountains and rivers were still crumbling.
In the third year of Xianfeng, the army of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom once approached the city of Beijing, and the Xianfeng Emperor fled with his concubine and minister, Emperor Canghuang, and when he arrived at Rehe, the Xianfeng Emperor, who had been forced to the extreme by reality, completely degenerated, and used amusement to play to consume his sorrows, did not approve the folds, and did not go to the court.
The Xianfeng Emperor lived a life of debauchery and indulgence without moderation, which was also one of the reasons for his short life. The Xianfeng Emperor had many concubines, but he was not satisfied with this, and he searched for beautiful women all over the country, hiding in the summer resort all day to drink and have fun, and was promiscuous.
In the late Xianfeng period, even standing unsteadily, often weak legs, but also suffered from vomiting, according to modern medical judgments, probably got tuberculosis.
In the tenth year of Xianfeng, the Anglo-French coalition army invaded Beijing, and the Xianfeng Emperor fled again, this time, never returning to Beijing. At this time, he had no intention of government and state affairs, leaving a group of ministers to discuss indemnity and peace.
In the eleventh year of Xianfeng, the Xianfeng Emperor fell ill again, and after full medical treatment, he got a little better, but he still drank alcohol and indulged in lust, and his body was extremely empty.
In July of the following year, the Xianfeng Emperor, who had been in trouble and play all his life, died in Rehe at the age of 31.