At the end of the Ming Dynasty, in the seventh year of the Apocalypse, Zhu Youxiao, who was only 23 years old, died by school. Before his death, he passed the throne to his younger brother Zhu Youzhen, the king of Xin, and at the same time asked him to treat his young queen Zhang Yan well. In the face of this sister-in-law of his own age and extraordinary beauty, how would Emperor Chongzhen, who was only 17 years old, treat her? In that era when the supremacy of monarchy, what kind of collision would occur between imperial power and human nature? Let us walk into history together and uncover this little-known story.
1. Zhang Yan's origin and entry into the palace
Zhang Yan was born in a scholarly family in Kaifeng Mansion, Henan. She has been brilliant since she was a child, not only in appearance, but also in talent. It is said that she was able to recite poems at the age of five, and by the age of ten she was already able to read the Four Books and the Five Classics by heart. Zhang Yan's father, Zhang Guoji, is a well-known local literati and has devoted a lot of effort to his daughter's education.
In the first year of the Apocalypse, 15-year-old Zhang Yan participated in the harem draft. Among the thousands of beauties, she stood out with her alluring appearance and erudite talent, and finally became the empress of the Emperor of the Apocalypse, Zhu Youxiao. The young empress was dignified and virtuous, and soon won the favor of the emperor. In the harem, she convinces people with virtue and gets along well with other concubines.
However, such calm days did not last long. At that time, the eunuch Wei Zhongxian was autocratic and corrupt. Although Zhang Yan is the queen, she cannot escape the trapping of Wei Zhongxian. Once, Wei Zhongxian sent someone to poison Zhang Yan's diet, causing her to almost miscarry. Another time, Wei Zhongxian framed Zhang Yan's father for rebellion, but fortunately, the emperor saw everything and saved his father-in-law's life.
In the face of a series of frame-ups, the smart Zhang Yan did not choose to retreat, but secretly helped the emperor to eradicate the traitors. She often uses the name of reading books, but in fact, she analyzes the situation in the DPRK and China for the emperor. Once, the emperor saw her reading "The Biography of Zhao Gao" and asked her what she was reading. Zhang Yan replied: "The concubine is watching the story of Qin II. The implication is to remind the emperor to be wary of the traitors around him and not to repeat the mistakes of Qin II.
It's a pity that the young Emperor of the Apocalypse couldn't resist Wei Zhongxian's intrigues in the end. In the seventh year of the Apocalypse, Zhu Youxiao, who was only 23 years old, died and passed the throne to his younger brother Zhu Youzhen before his death. The young King Xin succeeded to the throne as Emperor Chongzhen.
In this way, the originally noble queen became the imperial sister-in-law overnight. According to convention, the imperial sister-in-law is not allowed to live in the palace. However, Emperor Chongzhen read his brother's last wish and did not expel Zhang Yan from the palace, but respectfully called her "Empress Yi'an" and let her continue to live in the palace.
For this imperial sister-in-law who is about the same age as himself, Emperor Chongzhen is respectful. In his opinion, his sister-in-law is not only beautiful, but also wise, and is his most trusted advisor. Whenever the government was tricky, he would go to the imperial sister-in-law for advice. Zhang Yan also lived up to his trust, and often gave advice to Emperor Chongzhen to help him eradicate traitors and stabilize his power.
With Zhang Yan's assistance, Emperor Chongzhen's reign gradually got on the right track. He made great efforts, appointed virtuous ministers, and began to reverse the shortcomings of the previous dynasty. However, when the edifice is about to fall, no matter how wise the monarch is, he will not be able to recover. Soon, Li Zicheng led a peasant army into the capital, and the Ming Dynasty was destroyed.
In that turbulent era, it was rare for a weak woman to have such courage and talent. Although Zhang Yan is only an imperial sister-in-law, she has composed a legend with her extraordinary wisdom and courage. Her life is closely linked to the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty, and it is a microcosm of an era.
2. The married life of Zhang Yan and Ming Xizong
After Zhang Yan entered the palace, she soon won the favor of Ming Xizong with her beauty and talent. The Emperor favored the young empress and often called her to bed and bestowed upon her numerous treasures. With many concubines in the harem, it is not easy for Zhang Yan to be so favored by the emperor.
However, this sweetness did not last long. At that time, the eunuch Wei Zhongxian was autocratic and corrupt. Although Zhang Yan is the queen, she cannot escape the trapping of Wei Zhongxian. Wei Zhongxian colluded with the emperor's nurse Keshi and opposed Zhang Yan everywhere. Once, Wei Zhongxian sent someone to poison Zhang Yan's diet, causing her to almost have a miscarriage. Another time, Wei Zhongxian framed Zhang Yan's father for rebellion, but fortunately, the emperor saw everything and saved his father-in-law's life.
In the face of a series of frame-ups, the smart Zhang Yan did not choose to retreat, but secretly helped the emperor to eradicate the traitors. She often uses the name of reading books, but in fact, she analyzes the situation in the DPRK and China for the emperor. Once, the emperor saw her reading "The Biography of Zhao Gao" and asked her what she was reading. Zhang Yan replied: "The concubine is watching the story of Qin II. The implication is to remind the emperor to be wary of the traitors around him and not to repeat the mistakes of Qin II.
It's a pity that the young Ming Xizong couldn't resist Wei Zhongxian's intrigues in the end. Wei Zhongxian not only poisoned the harem concubines, but also manipulated the emperor's diet. Ming Xizong's body is getting worse day by day, and he is about to die.
Seeing that the general trend was gone, Zhang Yan decided to give it a go. She knew that the emperor had no children under his knees, and if he established an heir at this time, he would probably be controlled by Wei Zhongxian. So, she suggested to the emperor that it was better to pass on the throne to the emperor's brother Zhu Youzhen. Zhu Youzhen is young and promising, and he is the emperor's most trusted brother, and he will succeed him to protect the country.
Ming Xizong followed Zhang Yan's advice. On his deathbed, he passed the throne to Zhu Youzhen, and at the same time asked him to treat Zhang Yan well. In the seventh year of the Apocalypse, Ming Xizong, who was only 23 years old, died, and Zhu Youzhen succeeded him as Emperor Chongzhen.
In this way, the originally noble queen became the imperial sister-in-law overnight. According to convention, the imperial sister-in-law is not allowed to live in the palace. However, Emperor Chongzhen read his brother's last wish and did not expel Zhang Yan from the palace, but respectfully called her "Empress Yi'an" and let her continue to live in the palace.
For this imperial sister-in-law who is about the same age as himself, Emperor Chongzhen is respectful. In his opinion, his sister-in-law is not only beautiful, but also wise, and is his most trusted advisor. Whenever the government was tricky, he would go to the imperial sister-in-law for advice. Zhang Yan also lived up to his trust, and often gave advice to Emperor Chongzhen to help him eradicate traitors and stabilize his power.
With the assistance of Zhang Yan, Emperor Chongzhen made great efforts to govern the country, appointed virtuous ministers, and began to reverse the shortcomings of the previous dynasty. However, when the edifice is about to fall, no matter how wise the monarch is, he will not be able to recover. Soon, Li Zicheng led a peasant army into the capital, and the Ming Dynasty was destroyed.
In that turbulent era, although Zhang Yan was the queen, she was framed and threatened. She did not choose to protect herself, but stepped forward to solve problems for the emperor. With her extraordinary wisdom and courage, she composed a legend. Although she failed to save the Ming Dynasty in the end, she was able to navigate the roles of the emperor and the imperial sister-in-law, and won the admiration of the world.
The marriage between Zhang Yan and Ming Xizong seems to be prosperous and wealthy, but it is actually full of dangers. In this marriage, Zhang Yan showed extraordinary political talent and wisdom in life. She was not only a virtuous wife, but also a brilliant politician. Her life is destined to be closely linked to the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty.
3. The death of Ming Xizong and the succession to the throne
In the seventh year of the Apocalypse, Zhu Youxiao, who was only 23 years old, was seriously ill. He has been frail and sickly since he was a child, and his addiction to dogs and horses has made his health worse. Seeing that the deadline was approaching, Ming Xizong had to consider the issue of succession to the throne.
As is customary, the throne should pass to the eldest son. However, Ming Xizong had no heirs under his knees. Wei Zhongxian once sent people to drug the diet of the harem concubines, which made it difficult for them to have children. Even if several palace maids were pregnant, it was confirmed that it was a fake pregnancy arranged by Wei Zhongxian.
Empress Zhang Yan saw through Wei Zhongxian's conspiracy. She knew that if these unknown children were allowed to inherit the throne, the government would inevitably fall into the hands of Wei Zhongxian. For the sake of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Yan decided to strongly recommend the emperor's younger brother Zhu Youzhen to succeed him.
Zhu Youzhen is the younger brother of Ming Xizong and the king of letters. He was young and promising, and won the trust of the emperor. In Zhang Yan's opinion, instead of letting the throne fall into the hands of outsiders, it is better to pass it on to his younger brother who is connected by blood.
At first, Zhu Youzhen was reluctant to accept this burden. After all, he was only 17 years old and lacked experience in governing the country. But under Zhang Yan's persuasion, Zhu Youzhen finally agreed. He knew that if he didn't take over this burden, the Ming Dynasty would fall into the hands of traitors.
In August of the seventh year of the Apocalypse, Ming Xizong was seriously ill, and he summoned Zhu Youzhen to the bedside and personally decreed him as the emperor's younger brother. At the same time, Ming Xizong also instructed Zhu Youzhen to treat Zhang Yan well and not let her be harmed. Zhu Youzhen nodded solemnly and agreed.
Two days later, Ming Xizong died at the age of 23. Zhu Youzhen succeeded to the throne as Emperor Chongzhen. Zhang Yan, who is only 21 years old, has become an imperial sister-in-law from the mother of a country. According to convention, the imperial sister-in-law is not allowed to live in the palace. But Emperor Chongzhen remembered his brother's last wish, and did not drive Zhang Yan out of the palace, but respectfully called her "Empress Yi'an" and let her continue to live in the palace.
For this imperial sister-in-law who is about the same age as himself, Emperor Chongzhen is very respectful. Zhang Yan is not only beautiful, but also wise, and is the most trusted advisor of Emperor Chongzhen. Whenever the government was tricky, Emperor Chongzhen would go to ask the imperial sister-in-law for advice.
Zhang Yan also lived up to her trust and often gave advice to Emperor Chongzhen. She advised Emperor Chongzhen to beware of Wei Zhongxian, not to believe his words, and not to eat the food he sent at will. With Zhang Yan's assistance, Emperor Chongzhen began to eradicate Wei Zhongxian's henchmen and weaken the power of the eunuchs.
Wei Zhongxian saw that the general trend was gone, and knew that he could not escape death, so he hanged himself. The once invincible eunuch party also collapsed. Emperor Chongzhen finally stabilized his imperial power.
At Zhang Yan's suggestion, Emperor Chongzhen began to be close to virtuous ministers and far villains. He appointed many loyal people, such as Hong Chengchou and Yuan Chonghuan. With the assistance of these virtuous ministers, Emperor Chongzhen made great efforts to reverse, and began to reverse the shortcomings of the previous dynasty.
However, when the edifice is about to fall, no matter how wise the monarch is, he will not be able to recover. Soon, Li Zicheng led a peasant army into the capital, and the Ming Dynasty was destroyed. At the critical juncture, Emperor Chongzhen first gave the harem concubines to death to preserve their innocence.
When Emperor Chongzhen came to Zhang Yan's palace, he found that she had hanged herself. Zhang Yan is a strong and dignified woman who would rather commit suicide than fall into the hands of an enemy. She used her life to practice her loyalty to the first emperor.
Emperor Chongzhen stood for a long time and burst into tears. Although he failed to keep his brother's country, he kept his promise to his brother. At the last moment of his life, he did not fail this smart and beautiful imperial sister-in-law.
Soon, Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself in the coal mountain. The Ming Dynasty came to an end, and a glorious dynasty came to an end. Although Zhang Yan is only an imperial sister-in-law, she has composed a poignant legend with her extraordinary wisdom and courage. Her life is destined to be closely linked to the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty.
Fourth, the fall of the Ming Dynasty and the ending of Zhang Yan
In the seventh year of the Apocalypse, Ming Xizong died, and Emperor Chongzhen, who was only 17 years old, succeeded to the throne. In the face of internal and external troubles, Emperor Chongzhen, with the assistance of his sister-in-law Zhang Yan, made great efforts to make the country prosperous, appointed virtuous ministers, and began to reverse the shortcomings of the previous dynasty. However, when the edifice is about to fall, no matter how wise the monarch is, he will not be able to recover.
In March 1644, Li Zicheng led a peasant army into the capital, and the Ming Dynasty was in danger. Although Emperor Chongzhen struggled to resist, he was powerless to return to heaven after all. The people of the capital were in a panic, and there were cries and wails everywhere.
Seeing that the general trend had gone, Emperor Chongzhen began to think about the future. He knew that once the capital was breached, the harem concubines would not escape the fate of humiliation. In order to preserve the dignity of the royal family, Emperor Chongzhen made up his mind to cut off their lives with his own hands.
So, Emperor Chongzhen came to the harem and killed his queens, concubines and princesses one by one. It was a cruel and resolute decision, but in those days it seemed like the only option.
When Emperor Chongzhen came to Zhang Yan's palace, he found that she had hanged herself. Zhang Yan is a strong and dignified woman, she would rather commit suicide than fall into the hands of the enemy and be humiliated. She used her life to practice her loyalty to the first emperor.
Emperor Chongzhen stood for a long time and burst into tears. Although he failed to keep his brother's country, he kept his promise to his brother. At the last moment of his life, he did not fail this smart and beautiful imperial sister-in-law.
On April 25, Li Zicheng invaded the imperial city. Emperor Chongzhen knew that the general trend had gone, so he changed into a dragon robe, took the jade seal, and came to the foot of Coal Mountain. There, he hanged himself under an old locust tree, and the Ming Dynasty came to an end.
Although Zhang Yan is only an imperial sister-in-law, she has composed a poignant legend with her extraordinary wisdom and courage. Her life is destined to be closely linked to the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty.
In the history of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Yan was a special existence. Although she did not hold real power, she influenced the decision-making of two generations of emperors with the delicacy and wisdom unique to women. Her story also added a touch of color to that turbulent era.
Zhang Yan's ending is tragic. But her life is legendary. In her own way, she interprets what a good wife and sister-in-law are. Her story will forever be engraved in history.
After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Yan's family could not escape their fate. Her father, Zhang Guoji, died of illness during exile. Her younger brother was also nowhere to be found in the war. Zhang Yan's tragedy is also the epitome of countless remnants of the Ming Dynasty.
The wheels of history roll forward, dynasties change, personnel changes. But some people, some things, are forever engraved on the stele of time