Preface
Zhu Di, why did he become the emperor at the age of 42? How could he not give birth to a boy and a half girl when he had three thousand beauties in his harem?
The fourth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was originally a stable vassal king, but he usurped the throne in middle age and became a generation of Ming monarchs. After he succeeded to the throne, in order to consolidate his power, he took 3,000 concubines. But the strange thing is that none of these beauties gave birth to an heir for him throughout his life. What is the reason for this? What is the inner world of this king?
1. Zhu Di, who has no intention of winning the heir
In the winter of 1409, Zhu Di, who had been on the throne for 7 years, handled the recital in the Qinzheng Hall of the Forbidden City. His expression was solemn, and his brow furrowed. Since the army seized the throne in the spring of that year, Zhu Di has been working hard all day for national affairs, and he has not slept well for a long time.
Zhu Di was originally Zhu Yuanzhang's youngest son, and he had no intention of winning the heir. He has a gentle personality, kind and benevolent, and has a sense of responsibility from his ancestors. If it weren't for the Jianwen Emperor Zhu Yunwen's wanton reduction of the feudal domain after he ascended the throne, which harmed the interests of the feudal screen, Zhu Di would have wanted to be a stable feudal king all the time and enjoy the glory and wealth without worry.
In order to defend the screen, 40-year-old Zhu Di had to raise his spear. After three years of war, he finally conquered Nanjing in 1402 and ascended the throne. When he put on the dragon robe and was crowned emperor, his heart was extremely heavy. He understands that the burden on his shoulders is heavier than anyone else's. The safety of the entire country and the people, from now on, will all be on his shoulders.
On this winter day, Zhu Di was alone in the palace waving a book. His ink is powerful and clear, imposing like a rainbow, and his pen is sonorous and powerful, just like his character. However, there is endless fatigue and sorrow between the eyebrows. He couldn't remember how long it had been since he had spoken to his beloved wife and looked at his children.
Second, the truth about the three thousand beauties in the harem
In order to strengthen the stability of his imperial power and consolidate his rule, Zhu Di lavishly accepted the beauties of the harem after ascending the throne. It is said that his harem is prosperous, and there are as many as 3,000 beauties. However, the strange thing is that none of these beauties gave birth to a son and a half daughter for Zhu Di. Why is that?
We have to admit that part of the reason for Concubine Zhu Di is for political purposes. But to a greater extent, this is a helpless move on his part. You must know that in that era, the emperor married the children of his courtiers as concubines, which was an important means to strengthen the imperial power and stabilize the rule. As a competent monarch, Zhu Di could not help but do so.
However, for Zhu Di personally, this is a heavy burden. He is gentle by nature, and he hates the competition for favor and provocation in the harem. He would rather be with his childhood wife, Empress Xu, for the rest of his life. It's just that he understands that he is not only shouldering his personal destiny, but also the society. For the sake of the common people in the world, he had to endure the pain of marrying these concubines. This is his fate as a king, which is difficult to get rid of.
So, Zhu Di worked diligently during the day, supervising finance and disaster relief; At night, he snuggled up with Queen Xu. In order not to upset his beloved wife, he rarely interacted with his concubines. Let these three thousand beauties look through the autumn water in the deep palace.
On this day, Zhu Di summoned several Xinna's concubines in the Wenhua Palace. They are beautiful and beautiful in all countries. Seeing the emperor's majestic appearance, they all bowed vigorously, and their expressions were extremely humble and demure.
Zhu Di did not have the slightest joy in his heart. He didn't care about these concubines on weekdays, and he didn't have time to take care of their daily lives. Today's summons is just a routine matter. He hurriedly said a few words, and then left the beauties to leave, leaving them to look at each other in the temple.
3. The reason why wives and concubines have no children
According to historical records, except for Zhu Di's wife Empress Xu who gave birth to a son for him during the prince's period, none of the three thousand harem beauties gave birth to an heir for him. So, what is the reason for this?
The main aspects are as follows:
First of all, Zhu Di is diligent in politics and is busy dealing with government affairs every day, so he has no time to get along with his concubines. He alone needs to read tens of thousands of memorandaries, annotate countless official documents, meet with ministers from all walks of life, and sometimes have changes in the frontier that need to be dealt with in a timely manner. I was so busy all day that I couldn't even take care of eating.
Secondly, he has a simple temperament, does not like entertainment, and has no interest in the affairs of the harem, let alone looks down on the open and secret battles between concubines. He was an easy-going monarch who never put on a show, nor did he indulge in drunkenness and lust like other emperors.
Moreover, he had a very happy relationship with Empress Xu, who had already given birth to a son for him, and he didn't care much about the other concubines. After 30 years of marriage, they are still very affectionate. In addition to daily work, Zhu Di will also spend time to visit the queen and his son.
But the most important point is Zhu Di's spirit of dedication to the great cause of the country. We can't deny that a wise monarch will also have the seven emotions and six desires of normal people. But Zhu Di can transcend this. In his heart, the interests of the country and the world are far higher than personal desires. It is precisely because of such selfless dedication that he has achieved a generation of Mingjun.
Once, Empress Xu hinted to Zhu Di if she could reduce some concubines. Zhu Di was silent and couldn't reply for a long time. He was very self-reproachful and unbearable, but there was nothing he could do.
Fourth, Zhu Di's inner world
Through the previous analysis, we can probably sketch the inner world of this founding monarch:
Zhu Di is a person with a strong sense of responsibility. He inherited the blood of his ancestors and has the bloody nature of fighting for the country. He is also a benevolent person, he doesn't like power schemes, and he doesn't look down on open and secret battles in the court. He was a simple and upright man, a loyal husband. But he is also a big husband, and when necessary, he can give up his small family and small self for the sake of a righteous cause.
These qualities come from the environment in which he was raised. He was blessed by his father and lived a privileged life since he was a child. This allowed him to develop an optimistic personality. He also witnessed the hardships of his father's rule of the world, which made him set up a grand wish for the people. Life in the deep palace keeps him away from strife. The marriage with the queen honed his gentle and decisive personality. All kinds of encounters constitute Zhu Di's inner quality of being a king.
If we stand in Zhu Di's point of view, we may be able to understand his mental journey:
I was originally a scholar, and it was my expectation to be a stable vassal king. I was forced to embark on a fateful quest for the throne. It's ridiculous to say that I became the "rebel" character.
I'd rather read a book every day and drink tea and talk about it. It's better than dealing with government affairs all day long and dealing with ministers. Harem beauties, I don't care much either. All I want is peace in my family and country, and happiness with my wife and children.
I could have played the role of a hero and traveled in all directions. Now he is forced to play the role of a "traitorous male" and seize the throne. Who can understand my state of mind? I also had to play the role of a "tyrant" and marry three thousand beauties. This palace life is really annoying.
However, I can't retreat, the world is like a big boat. I must steer the wheel and lead them to the light......
It is this character and spirit that shaped this wise and martial founding king. It also allowed Zhu Di to lay a prosperous foundation for the Ming Dynasty in just 7 years of rule. And his fate of having no children in his life has also become a footnote to his dedication.
People say that Zhu Di has no children, which is called the will of heaven. In fact, the Tao is man-made, the people's hearts are desired, and the gods are also felt.
epilogue
How many heroes and heroes, how many exemplars. History is often unexpected, but it also makes sense. We should not only look at a person's mistakes and mistakes, but also look at a person's dedication and dedication throughout his life.
People like Zhu Di are the model of Lao Tzu's "for the world".
He may not be perfect, but his spirit is the truth of the ages.