Since ancient times, the imperial palace has been like the emperor's home, and his concubines generally lived in the harem. However, there are exceptions to everything, and in Chinese history, there was an emperor who did the work of the Golden House, and this person was Ming Xuanzong, who secretly raised one of his concubines outside the palace, and did not crown this concubine as a concubine until his death. But what no one expected was that it was such a woman who eventually became the empress dowager.
The protagonist of the story is surnamed Wu and is Zhu Qiyu's mother. Wu was originally a Dan disciple, this person came from a humble origin, and in his early years he was only a maid in the palace of Zhu Gaoxun, the king of Han. Zhu Gaoxun was Zhu Di's second son and Zhu Di's favorite son, and even had the opportunity to ascend to the throne. But unfortunately, in the end, he did not get his wish and could only become a clan king.
Zhu Gaoxun was naturally unhappy, so he rebelled, but unfortunately, he failed, and the women in the palace suffered because of it. It was at this time that Emperor Xuanzong met Wu and was impressed by the beauty and intelligence of the other party. In order not to let the Wu clan enter the palace slaves, Ming Xuanzong found a house in the immediate vicinity of the palace and let the Wu clan live in it.
In the third year of Xuande, Wu gave birth to a child for Emperor Xuanzong of Ming, and this person was Zhu Qiyu. Empress Ming Xuanzong was a sinister person who might even attack the concubines and princes of the harem, so in order to protect Wu and Zhu Qiyu, Ming Xuanzong did not announce this matter.
Ten years after Xuande, Ming Xuanzong suddenly fell ill and there was no cure. Therefore, before Emperor Xuanzong of Ming died, he took wu into the palace and made him a concubine, and then handed over Wu and Zhu Qiyu to Empress Zhang. After all this was done properly, Ming Xuanzong died in peace.
Empress Zhang was a virtuous person, and she made Zhu Qiyu the King of Qi and built a mansion for him. Originally, all this was proceeding smoothly, and Zhu Qiyu could also live a life without controversy. But what no one expected was that Ming Yingzong was an unreliable person, and he had to personally conquer the Mongol Wala, and eventually became a prisoner. The country could not be without a monarch for a day, and Emperor Mingyingzong had no heirs, so Zhu Qiyu became the next emperor, and Wu also became the empress dowager.
However, the good days did not last long, Zhu Qiyu suddenly fell seriously ill in the eighth year of Jingtai, and Ming Yingzong became emperor again with the help of the overseer Cao Jixiang and the general Shi Heng. Later, Zhu Qiyu was deposed as the King of Qi and imprisoned in Xiyuan, and two days later the news of his death came out. After Zhu Qiyu's death, Wu's title of empress dowager was also stripped away, and she became a "Concubine Xuanmiao" and lived a miserable old age. Four years later, Wu died, and Emperor Mingying gave her only the title of Concubine Rongsixian.
Reference: History of the Ming Dynasty