Preface:
The last imperial princess Wen Xiu, her life trajectory is full of drama. An ordinary woman married into the palace, should have been prosperous and wealthy, but she was tortured in court life. Until she plucked up the courage and chose to leave it all. Life is difficult, and her experience heralds the end of an era, and also depicts the rebellion and awakening of a woman.
A little emperor was born in Prince Alcohol's mansion
On a cold winter day in 1906, a beautiful young woman in Beijing's Forbidden City was giving birth in pain. She was Princess Jingyi, the wife of Prince Alcohol's mansion, and she was giving birth to their first child for Prince Alcohol Zaifeng. The baby fell to the ground, Imperial Concubine Jingyi was exhausted, and after the doctor announced that it was a boy, she passed out. This is the later last emperor Puyi.
This year, on the eve of the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the royal family was already stormy. And this inconspicuous baby became a totem carrying the end of an era under the arrangement of heaven. He will witness the fall and transition of this ancient empire.
Xiao Puyi's black eyes turned smartly, and the pacifier in her mouth clicked. He does not yet know the difficulties of life, but simply and instinctively pleases his mother. And Imperial Concubine Jingyi touched his soft palms and feet, and her heart was full of love and reluctance. She had a hunch that this little life in front of her was destined to experience extraordinary life waves.
At the age of 3, Puyi was carried into the Forbidden City. He looked curiously at this brilliant new environment, but did not yet understand that it meant a huge change in his destiny. The eunuchs and palace maids served him and called him "Master", which made him feel strange and new. Puyi also no longer saw his mother, and only received letters from her from time to time to accompany him to grow up.
In 1908, under the operation of the powerful ministers, Puyi officially inherited the throne and became the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty. A 3-year-old child took over the long-weakened empire. His childhood was spent in the envious knee years, but he was also destined to walk on thin ice and grow up in turmoil.
Xiao Puyi is introverted and shy, but she studies very hard. The eunuch Li Lianying never missed the opportunity to encourage Puyi to study the classics. "Your Majesty must study diligently in order to become a generation of Ming Monarchs." Li Lianying said. Pu Yi also gradually learned the words and deeds of being an "emperor" under the careful teaching of his teacher. He gradually realized the heavy responsibility on his shoulders, and his inner maturity far exceeded that of children of the same age.
A twist of fate Puyi is no longer an emperor
However, the good times did not last long, and the Xinhai Revolution broke out in 1911, and this revolution against feudal autocracy also directly impacted the legitimacy of the Qing dynasty's rule. On February 12, 1912, 6-year-old Puyi signed the "Preferential Conditions for Qingdang" with representative Lu Diliang, announcing his abdication.
The news of the fall of the Qing Dynasty caused a wail inside the Forbidden City. The eunuchs and palace ladies were heartbroken, they regarded the royal family as life, and for a while they felt that the future was uncertain. And Puyi is still a child, he looks at everyone's tears, although he is ignorant, he also understands that his fate has changed drastically.
He no longer has the power of the emperor, and can only lead a group of palace people to survive in this imperial city. The outside world was no longer what he was familiar with. Puyi still lives a life of being "supervised", but there is a faint feeling of emptiness and confusion in her heart. He began to think about his positioning, and gradually realized that the changes of this era were irreversible.
Feng Guanxia is a wife and a concubine
In 1921, when Puyi was 16 years old, according to royal tradition, the regent Zaifeng was ready to choose a concubine for his son Puyi to marry. Among the many candidates, the final ones were Wen Xiu and Wanrong. Wen Xiu's family is mediocre and he was selected by talent; Wanrong comes from a family of powerful families and has a noble bloodline. It is said that Puyi preferred Wen Xiu, who was quiet and restrained, but under the persuasion of Zaifeng and other eunuchs, he still married the two at the same time, Wen Xiu as Concubine Shu and Wan Rong as empress.
Wanrong has a good family since she was a child, she has a good upbringing and temperament, but she has also developed a little willful temperament. She likes to dress up, although she is not a stunning beauty, but she is also good at dressing and matching, full of femininity. Wanrong's father is the current Minister of Home Affairs, which has given Wanrong a proud and confident personality since she was a child.
She likes to socialize and is full of hope for the future life of the harem. Wen Xiu, on the other hand, has been from an ordinary family since childhood, she is restrained and quiet, and is good at poetry, calligraphy and painting. It is not so much that the embroidery has the appearance of the city, but that she has an outstanding temperament, and she is full of bookish and elegant manners. Wen Xiu is not good at words, but she is very intelligent, which allows her to stand out from many women and become Puyi's favorite.
In December 1922, the royal family held a grand wedding ceremony for Puyi and Empress Wanrong. The Manchu Dynasty came to congratulate the golden boy and jade girl. She is looking at the graceful beauty worthy of heavy makeup, nervously and excitedly welcoming her big wedding. And Wen Xiu, as a concubine, knelt down at the wedding to welcome the queen Wanrong. For a while, Wen Xiu was left aside, and Puyi and Wanrong became the perfect emperor and empress in people's eyes.
Open and Secret Struggles Wen Xiu's life is difficult
Wanrong is cheerful by nature and often pulls Puyi to watch movies and dance. She speaks English and can teach Puyi Western food and dance. The two often go in and out of various banquets, and it is very lively. Wanrong likes to dress up, and sometimes deliberately shows off her clothes and accessories in front of Wen Xiu.
And Wen Xiu has a restrained personality, happy to be quiet and not gorgeous, she will teach the palace girls to read, she is also immersed in reading and writing, and rarely participates in social activities. Wen Xiu is not good at verbal confrontation, and in the face of Wanrong's difficulties, she can often only swallow her anger. Wen Xiu longs for Puyi's care, but always misses it with Puyi. She felt lonely, and only poetry and song were endowed to pour out her heart.
The seemingly beautiful court life is a humiliation for Wen Xiu. She lives in seclusion, repeating her life day after day, while her mobile phone turns a deaf ear to the laughter coming from next door. Wen Xiu knew that he would live under the foil of grace until the end of his life. This sense of powerlessness tormented her all the time, making her cry in the dead of night.
Behind bars, he left in tears
In 1924, Puyi was driven out of the Forbidden City by warlords and came to live in Jingyuan in Tianjin with his two wives. Wanrong arranged the bedroom on the third floor, and Wen Xiu's bedroom was on the second floor, and the distance between Puyi and Wen Xiu became farther and farther. Wanrong still goes her own way and often goes out with Puyi for entertainment. And Wen Xiu lived in seclusion and lived a life of pure heart.
Life in Tianjin is far from the tranquility that Wen Xiu longs for. She still had to endure Wanrong's difficult blows, and she also saw Puyi's indifference to herself. Wen Xiu had fantasized about leaving this life of vain and snakes, but he was afraid to take this difficult step. Until that summer night, the sadness accumulated for many years finally broke the bank, and Wen Xiu decided to propose separation to Puyi.
One summer night in 1931, Wen Xiu finally couldn't bear it anymore, she quietly packed her luggage and left Jingyuan. A letter was left saying that if Puyi did not have sex with her twice a month, she would go to court to file for divorce. The letter revealed that she had never been favored by Puyi after entering the palace for many years, and was bullied by Wanrong. As an ordinary woman of flesh and blood, Wen Xiu also longs to be loved and a warm home.
Pu Yi was also deeply ashamed after reading it, so he agreed to give Wen Xiu a pension and announced that he would break away from her marriage. He understood Wen Xiu's bitterness, and also understood that she had to live for herself after all. When Wen Xiu left with red eyes, Puyi looked at her back from afar, and complicated sentimentality rose in her heart. They all became victims of history, but Wen Xiu chose another path.
Simple and happy, embroidered life is complete
The life of the embroidery who has regained his freedom calms down. She took back her name Fu Yufang and became an elementary school teacher in Peiping. Although the work is hard, she feels that this simple life is real and meaningful. Wen Xiu met a poor veteran, Liu Zhendong, and the two became a couple. Although life is tight, simple happiness makes Wen Xiu feel at ease.
The encounter with Liu Zhendong was a turning point in Wen Xiu's life. In her marriage to Puyi, she has always played a passive role. And with Liu Zhendong, Wen Xiu was finally able to take the initiative to love and choose. Even though Liu Zhendong is not rich, he has a sincere heart. Wen Xiu is very grateful to Liu Zhendong for his care and devotion to her.
In 1953, Wen Xiu died of illness at the age of 44, and Liu Zhendong did not marry again and has been waiting for Wen Xiu. Leaving the palace may be the most correct decision for Wen Xiu. In the simple years of the second half of his life, Wen Xiu tried to find his own happiness. Puyi and Wanrong gave her only gloom, while the sunshine of freedom, although short-lived, also warmed her unfinished life.
The last Princess Wen Xiu's life was bumpy, but she finally plucked up the courage and chose to leave the royal life she did not love. In a humble environment, she lived an ordinary life with love. In a short period of time, Wen Xiu tried to find her own happiness. Leaving the palace was probably the most correct decision for her.
Epilogue:
The last imperial princess Wen Xiu's life was bumpy, she was like a flat boat, swaying in the storm of troubled times. But she finally plucked up the courage and chose to leave the royal life she did not love. In a humble environment, Wen Xiu tries to obtain her own happiness. When she gave up the false palace life and embraced the freedom and ordinary daily life, it was perhaps the most satisfying state of her life.
An era ends, and Wen Xiu is like a bird trapped in a cage, finally breaking free from its shackles and spreading its wings and flying high. Her experience foreshadows historical changes and confirms the inner strength of an ordinary woman. In the face of adversity, Wen Xiu chose what life should be, which is the most precious reflection on that era.