After the death of Empress Bigfoot, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor who has always been known for his ruthlessness, did not re-establish the empress. What is the reason for this? Is it the reluctance and longing for the deceased loved ones, or is it based on some realistic political considerations? Let's break it down.
Zhu Yuanzhang's extraordinary relationship with Queen Ma
On July 18, 1332, Empress Ma was born in the family of Xinfengli in Minzi Township, Suzhou. Her father, Ma Gong, and mother, Guo, were both commoners. Queen Ma lost her parents at an early age and was raised by Ma Gong's friend Guo Zixing.
At that time, the Yuan Dynasty had already entered the Central Plains, internal and external troubles continued, and peasant uprisings broke out repeatedly. Guo Zixing, a wealthy family in Dingyuan County, stood up during the chaos at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, called himself "Marshal", and called on the villagers to rebel against the rule of the Mongols.
The indissoluble bond between Zhu Yuanzhang and Queen Ma also began. Zhu Yuanzhang, who was only twenty-five years old, was originally a monk in southern Anhui, and was summoned by Fa Xiaotanghe to defect to Guo Zixing's armed forces. With his extraordinary wisdom and bravery, Zhu Yuanzhang soon won Guo Zixing's appreciation. In order to envelop this capable minister, Guo Zixing married his adopted daughter Ma Shi Xu to Zhu Yuanzhang.
The marriage between Zhu Yuanzhang and Queen Ma can be described as a coincidence. However, it was this marriage that allowed Queen Ma to have the honor to get acquainted with the future founding emperor, and to share his weal and woe and go through a period of eventful years hand in hand.
The Battle of Haozhou was an important turning point in Zhu Yuanzhang's career. At that time, Guo Zixing and several other marshals were on par in strength, and internal contradictions were continuous. In the face of the foreign Red Turban Army, Zhu Yuanzhang knew the current affairs as Junjie, and led 24 personal soldiers to leave Haozhou alone and start a new journey.
In this difficult period, Queen Ma always accompanies Zhu Yuanzhang, taking the lead and enduring hardships. It is precisely with Queen Ma's careful care that Zhu Yuanzhang has no worries and moves forward. The two then fought side by side, and finally laid the foundation in Huaixi, laying the foundation for the later seizure of the world.
Queen Ma is not only a virtuous wife, but also a woman with both talents and virtues. When Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang fought fiercely, Queen Ma personally organized the harem to sew clothes and shoes for Wu soldiers every day. When Zhu Yuanzhang's nephew Li Wenzhong was slandered, Queen Ma stepped forward to avoid civil strife. It can be described as "a good wife of the family, a good face of the Jewish country".
From being born in cloth to the founding emperor, Empress Ma accompanied Zhu Yuanzhang through the most important period of his life. It is with the help of Queen Ma that Zhu Yuanzhang can finally dominate the world and establish the unification of the Ming Dynasty. As a loving couple, the two have gone through too many difficulties and twists and turns hand in hand, and have condensed too many deep feelings.
How did Lao Zhu face the death of the long-term companion Xian Neizhu
In August of the fifteenth year of Hongwu (1382), Empress Ma passed away. At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang was over half a hundred years old, and it was when the blueprint for unification was gradually unfolding. The death of Queen Ma undoubtedly dealt him a heavy blow.
During the Hongwu period, Queen Ma has always been Zhu Yuanzhang's closest confidant. As the founder of the country, Queen Ma never interfered in the government during Zhu Yuanzhang's reign, but she knew everything about the internal affairs of the harem. Every time Zhu Yuanzhang returned to the harem after dealing with the government affairs, Queen Ma had already arranged the internal affairs properly, and Zhu Yuanzhang felt very relaxed. After the death of Queen Ma, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "When the queen is here, how can I be so troublesome?" ＂
As a generation of virtuous queens, Queen Ma not only manages the harem properly, but also often pays attention to the living conditions of the people in the world. Once Zhu Yuanzhang returned to the harem, Queen Ma asked him: "Are the people of the world safe?" Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to prevaricate in the past, but was reprimanded by Queen Ma: "Your Majesty is the father of the world, and the concubine is the mother of the world." All the people of the world are children. Whether it's safe or not, don't you know? Zhu Yuanzhang could only be persuaded by these righteous words.
It is worth mentioning that Queen Ma did not blindly praise Zhu Yuanzhang's exploits. When she ascended the throne and sealed her relatives, Queen Ma bluntly said that she only needed to reward her, and she didn't need to be an official. It was this humble attitude that established the atmosphere of putting an end to foreign relatives interfering in politics at the beginning of the founding of the Ming Dynasty.
Before Queen Ma died, Zhu Yuanzhang wept and was in pain: "Why do you have an old body? Queen Ma was still as calm as ever, and said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Death and life, life and death." However, Your Majesty should be cautious to the end, diligent in political affairs, so that the children and grandchildren are virtuous, the subjects will have a place, and the concubines will still be blind even if they die. These words are undoubtedly the greatest encouragement and expectation for Zhu Yuanzhang.
After the death of Queen Ma, Zhu Yuanzhang was very sad. "Ming Taizu Record" recorded: "Shang was sad and unafraid, saying: 'When the queen is here, how can I be so troubled? When he was there, he didn't bother with internal affairs. It is very comfortable to be calm, so it is very mournful. It can be seen that Queen Ma is not only a confidant and lover for Zhu Yuanzhang, but also an important pillar and support in his career. Losing this virtuous helper, Lao Zhu was shocked and helpless.
Interestingly, even many years after Queen Ma's death, Zhu Yuanzhang's affection for her is still extremely strong. According to history, whenever there is a major event or celebration, Zhu Yuanzhang must first burn incense in the bedroom to worship the spiritual seat of Queen Ma. He even missed Queen Ma's chaste behavior of "not entertaining people with sound" when he was fortunate to be in other palaces. This kind of nostalgia and attachment to the deceased lover is really moving.
Avoid harem strife and hinder imperial rule
After the death of Queen Ma, even if Zhu Yuanzhang misses it with all his heart, he should set up a new queen to correct the discipline of the harem. But at that time, there were many concubines in the palace, and it was really a dilemma which one should be appointed as the new queen.
Among them, the most promising person may be Zhang Shuren, the biological mother of Princess Changshun. Zhang Shuren is Zhu Yuanzhang's first wife, and her status is naturally the highest. However, Zhang Shuren lost her husband at an early age, and was later accepted as a concubine by Zhu Yuanzhang, and her personality was withdrawn and reticent, so she was afraid that she would not be able to handle the heavy harem affairs.
Another hopeful person is Zhu Di's biological mother Ma. Although the Ma family is only Zhu Yuanzhang's side room, he gave birth to his eldest son, and his status is naturally not low. But Ma has a fierce temperament, and if he becomes the queen, he will inevitably be arrogant and provoked.
Other concubines, such as Zhu Gaoxu's biological mother Shen and Zhu Gaomin's biological mother Cheng, also have their own advantages and disadvantages, and they cannot be traded. Zhu Yuanzhang saw that the situation in the palace was complicated, and he couldn't help but make difficulties.
At that time, the crown prince Zhu Biao was in his hands, and the appointment of a new queen would undoubtedly affect Zhu Biao's inheritance. Zhu Biao's biological mother Zhang died early, and Zhu Yuanzhang removed Zhang from the queen's position at an early age. Once the new queen has other heirs, it will inevitably weaken Zhu Biao's status as the eldest son.
On the other hand, Zhu Biao has been favored by the Zhang family since he was a child, and his personality is arrogant and domineering. He once pampered one of Zhang's nieces, but was severely punished by Zhu Yuanzhang. It can be seen that Zhu Biao could not avoid the scourge of the harem coup. Once the new queen and Zhu Biao are intrigued, the consequences are unimaginable.
Even if Zhu Yuanzhang does not think about establishing a new queen, he must take into account Zhu Yunwen's identity as the eldest grandson. Zhu Yunwen is Zhu Biao's eldest son, and if the new queen has other children, it will inevitably weaken Zhu Yunwen's future inheritance power.
From the perspective of maintaining the stability of the dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang was more inclined to avoid the scourge of political disputes in the harem. The Song and Yuan dynasties of the previous dynasty were in turmoil several times due to the power struggle in the harem, and the royal heirs were also seen frequently, and Zhu Yuanzhang certainly did not replicate this regrettable history.
To sum up, Zhu Yuanzhang's reluctance to set up a new queen is more out of realistic trade-offs, in addition to his unswerving thoughts about Queen Ma until her death. He hopes that the great cause of reunification will continue and not be hindered by the rights and wrongs of the harem. As the founder of the country, Zhu Yuanzhang should be cautious and take precautions.
The crown prince and eldest grandson whose biological mother is not around
In the eighteenth year of Hongwu (1385), when Zhu Yuanzhang was in power, he intended to train Zhu Biao to inherit the unification. However, Zhu Biao's matrilineal status has always been flawed. His biological mother Zhang died early, and was once removed from the position of queen during Zhu Yuanzhang's reign. This made Zhu Biao lack the protection of the maternal line, and he inevitably faced many obstacles on the road to succession.
In fact, why Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to remove the position of Empress Zhang back then, there is no clear record in the history books. It is said that it was because Zhang had given birth to a son who died young, and Zhu Yuanzhang was suspicious. It is also said that Zhang's personality is lonely and stubborn, and it is difficult to control the harem. In short, Zhu Yuanzhang seems to have a lot of dissatisfaction with Zhang.
Later, although Zhu Yuanzhang appointed his eldest son Zhu Biao as the crown prince, Zhu Yuanzhang was still wary of Zhu Biao. In the fourteenth year of Hongwu (1381), Zhu Biao actually colluded with his biological mother for fornication. Zhu Yuanzhang was furious when he found out, so he sent the niece to the distance, and Zhu Biao was severely punished for public display. This incident is enough to show that Zhu Biao is not the exact descendant of Zhu Yuanzhang.
Although Zhu Biao is the crown prince, his maternal status is questionable. Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang recommended Zhu Biao's eldest son Zhu Yunwen as his eldest grandson, hoping that he could inherit the throne smoothly in the future. However, Zhu Yunwen's biological mother Zhao was from a humble background, and it was also difficult to gain the full recognition of the royal family.
Interestingly, Zhu Yuanzhang's evaluation of the two daughters-in-law is completely different. He praised Zhu Yunwen's biological mother Zhao as a "virtuous woman", but ridiculed Zhu Biao's wife Ma as "a good and demonic fool". It can be seen that Zhu Yuanzhang favors the eldest grandson Zhu Yunwen and his family.
In addition, Zhu Yunwen himself is humble and virtuous, and Zhu Yuanzhang attaches great importance to him. It is reported that Zhu Yunwen has been knowledgeable since he was a child, so Zhu Yuanzhang often summoned Zhu Yunwen to interrogate him. Before his death, Zhu Yuanzhang instructed Zhu Yunwen to "abide by the program and don't make it chaotic." It can be seen that Zhu Yunwen still needs Zhu Yuanzhang's personal operation if he wants to succeed to the throne smoothly.
Faced with the dilemma of the prince's maternal lineage, Zhu Yuanzhang took some effective measures to ensure Zhu Yunwen's succession of power. The first is to depose Zhu Biao, cut off the crown prince, and instead support Zhu Yunwen as the prince. The second is to crown the crown princess Zhao as the queen mother, highlighting her maternal status. In the end, Zhu Yunwen's three sons were canonized as county kings to prevent future troubles.
Zhu Yuanzhang's defense of Zhu Yunwen's power in this way was aimed at ensuring that the foundation of the founding of the Ming Dynasty could be extended to the greatest extent. The failure to re-establish a new empress is precisely to avoid a new matrilineal power confrontation. It can be seen that Zhu Yuanzhang in all these layouts is out of the overall consideration of maintaining the unity of the dynasty.
Lao Zhu's feelings: Queen Ma's merits are immeasurable
Although the political reality forced Zhu Yuanzhang to fail to re-establish the prince, the remembrance and nostalgia for Queen Ma never stopped. In Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, Queen Ma is a virtuous helper with immeasurable merits.
In the first year of Hongwu (1368), Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne and became the founding emperor. Before that, Queen Ma had already done something to help the world. According to history, when Zhu Yuanzhang attacked Zhenjiang, Queen Ma risked her life to personally go into battle to rescue the wounded. The straw mat she made is called the "Queen Horse Mat", which shows her hard and simple life style.
Another deed that Zhu Yuanzhang still remembers is that Queen Ma personally organized a large-scale sewing and weaving activity. It was during the fierce battle between Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang in Wudi, and Queen Ma angrily advocated that the harem should work together to sew military uniforms to solve the urgent need. Under the call of Queen Ma, the concubines in the palace worked day and night, and in just a few months, tens of thousands of military uniforms and military shoes were sewn, which solved the worries of military supplies.
In addition, Queen Ma is also a benevolent philanthropist. In the tenth year of Hongwu (1377), there was a serious flood in the Huguang area, and Queen Ma immediately sent out relief gold and silver after hearing the news, and rescued countless victims. Later, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered the construction of Jiangling Yongji Cang, which was influenced by Queen Ma.
In addition to doing good deeds to help the world, Queen Ma and Zhu Yuanzhang worked hand in hand to make meritorious contributions to the founding of the country. According to history, Queen Ma once visited the battlefield to investigate the situation in the fierce battle, and always accompanied Zhu Yuanzhang, exhorting Zhu Yuanzhang to "not have two hearts". It is with the help of Queen Ma that Zhu Yuanzhang can fight steadily and seize the Central Plains step by step.
What's even more touching is that Queen Ma often worries about the livelihood of the soldiers in the army. Under the auspices of Queen Ma, the inner court was not only responsible for sewing military uniforms and shoes, but also taking care of the daily life of the soldiers. This kind of compassionate measure has undoubtedly greatly encouraged the morale of the military.
And when Zhu Yuanzhang was in the most difficult siege of Haozhou, Queen Ma resolutely followed left and right. At that time, Guo Zixing's army was gradually weakening, and Zhu Yuanzhang had to start a new business alone. Queen Ma was pregnant at the time, and Zhu Yuanzhang persuaded her to stay for the time being, but Queen Ma insisted on following her husband to share weal and woe. It is with Queen Ma's determination that Zhu Yuanzhang can open up a new journey without worries.
After the death of Queen Ma, Zhu Yuanzhang will never forget her merits. On the one hand, he ordered someone to write an article to record the great achievements of Queen Ma, and on the other hand, he personally presided over a series of grand send-off ceremonies. What's even more touching is that Zhu Yuanzhang carefully preserved the utensils used by Queen Ma during her lifetime, and regularly burned incense and sacrificed.
Among them, the most cherished is the hat sewn by the Queen of Horses herself. This is the last relic left by Zhu Yuanzhang when he became a monk, and it is also the thing that Queen Ma and Zhu Yuanzhang missed when they worked together. Later, when Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne and became emperor, he placed this hat on the side of the dragon chair to commemorate it.
In addition, Zhu Yuanzhang even ordered someone to specially compile the book "Queen Ma's Record", which recorded in detail the virtues and deeds of Queen Ma's life. In the preface of the book, Zhu Yuanzhang wrote: "To give the young and poor sincere orphans, with the power of the queen, they can be supported." It shows that Queen Ma is not only a confidant and lover for Zhu Yuanzhang, but also an important contributor to the expansion of the territory. It is with the help of Queen Ma that Zhu Yuanzhang can finally wear gold and purple and dominate the Central Plains.