In the History of Ming, the carpenter Emperor Mingxizong's wet nurse (qiě) clan is described as a fierce woman: not only did she "eat" with Wei Zhongxian, but also together with Wei Zhongxian, she mutilated Mingxizong's concubines, and even Empress Zhang and her concubines dared to kill. For all this, Ming Xizong actually ignored it. Noshi said that this was because the Ming Xi Sect and the Ke clan had an abnormal relationship between men and women.
Wan Guifei, who was more than a decade older than Emperor Mingxianzong, was also described as a bad woman who wantonly mutilated Emperor Xianzong's concubines and princesses in the Biography of Ming Shi Houfei. However, according to the records of other historical materials, it was found that many of the contents of the "Biography of the Later Concubines of the Ming Dynasty" that slandered Wan Guifei were blindly made up. For example, in the History of Ming, it is said that the eunuch Zhang Min, who secretly saved Ji Shufei and Zhu Youfan, committed suicide by swallowing gold after Ji Shufei was violent in the eleventh year of Chenghua (1475). However, according to the "Tong'an County Chronicle" and "Kinmen Zhi" in Zhang Min's hometown, Zhang Min died of illness in the twenty-first year of Chenghua (1485).
Therefore, even if Ming Xizong really liked his own wet nurse Keshi, he could not believe that he would turn a blind eye to Keshi's cruelty to his son. And Wei Zhongxian was completely covered by the Ming Xi Sect, how could he harm his master? It didn't do him any good.
Today, let's see through historical materials, did Wei Zhongxian and Keshi kill the children of Emperor Mingxi?
<h1>01</h1>
According to the Biography of Ming Shi Hou Concubine, Empress Zhang, the wife of Emperor Mingxizong, was very upright, so she always disliked Keshi and Wei Zhongxian, and often counted the faults of Keshi and Wei Zhongxian in front of Mingxizong, and once wanted to kill Keshi. As a result, Keshi and Wei Zhongxian hated Empress Zhang, not only falsely accusing Empress Zhang of not being a daughter of her father Zhang Guoji, but also causing Empress Zhang's crown prince to survive for three years of the Apocalypse.
The temperament is solemn, and the number of mistakes of the emperor's preface Keshi and Wei Zhongxian. Taste the call of the guests, want to bring the law. Ke and Wei exchanged hatred, so they slandered the non-state ji women, and several confused the emperor to listen. Three years later, after the concubine, the guest and Wei exhausted the dissidents of the palace, and with their personal acceptance, they even damaged the Yuanzi.
- "Ming Shi Vol. 14 Liechuan No. 2 Andhou Concubine II"
Looking at this passage in "The Biography of Ming Shi Houfei" alone, is it that the sense of justice in my heart gushes out in an instant? Did he think that Keshi and Wei Zhongxian were so bad that they dared to conspire against the empress and the eldest son; Ming Xizong was also too much of a man, and his son was harmed by his mother and eunuchs, and he didn't care to ask, was he stupid as a carpenter?
As for why Empress Zhang's concubine did not survive, there is no record in the version of the Ming Xi Zong Shilu that is now seen, only that the baby was posthumously honored as "Prince Huaichong".
However, the matter of "slandering non-national women" reveals a lot of unreasonable places, which is worth saying.
According to the Records of Emperor Mingxi, the person who stabbed Emperor Mingxi to "Spread rumors that Empress Zhang was actually the daughter of the bandit Sun Er" was not Wei Zhongxian and Keshi, but Empress Zhang's father, Zhang Guoji himself.
The Governor of the Chinese Army took the Governor of Qidu with Zhang Guojiyan: The divine traitor Song Eighth Rank Constructed Wanping County Supervisor Qiang Kou Sun Er and the Demon Monks of Ci'en Temple formed an alliance, and called Sun Er the empress's father, and his wife Sui Shi the empress's mother. The evil castrated Liu Jin was a zhonggu si dangdang, falsely claimed the surname of Sun, was the brother of the empress, set up a bureau at the Ci'en Temple, spread rumors, encouraged the foolish people, and begged for strict justice.
- Records of the Ming Dynasty, Volume XI
After Emperor Mingxi heard about it, of course, he attached great importance to it and immediately ordered someone to thoroughly investigate this matter.
In September of the first year of the Apocalypse (1621), the Shangshu Huang Keyun (zuǎn) of the Punishment Department played a song on the matter of "Zhang Guoji accusing Song Ba and Sun Er", saying that it had been found that it was Yang Zhengchao, the shangyi prison official in the palace, and the eldest son of The Anle Neiguan Hou who falsely transmitted the "Yi Will" to Sun Er daoxi, so that people would think that Sun Er was the real abbot. The Punishment Department only captured Hou's eldest son and asked the emperor to assist Yang Zhengchao in the palace to be interrogated.
In the case of Song Basun Er, The Inner Yang Zhengchao was the Internal Official of the Shangyi Prison, and Hou's eldest son was an Internal Official of Anle, believing in Sun Er's false words, asking for a meeting, falsely propagating the will of the Publicity, and showing rewards for The Daoxi, except for hou's eldest son mentioned, begging Yang Zhengchao to strictly correct the law.
- Records of the Ming Dynasty, Volume XIV
Ke Mingxizong's reply was: Yang Zhengchao, this eunuch, has no such person in the palace.
In the end, only Song Ba and Sun Er were beheaded, while neither Yang Zhengchao nor Hou's eldest son were prosecuted.
Shang Order: The supervisor strictly investigated and stopped playing, and beheaded Song Viii and Sun Er. Zheng Chao hid and did not go to trial, and the eldest son also had to slip through the net.
Because this matter involved eunuchs in the palace, everyone could not help but feel that this must be related to Wei Zhongxian. It just so happened that Emperor Mingxi finally stopped pursuing it, and he was even more solid, this was to shield Wei Zhongxian and Keshi.
However, it is worth noting that the content reported by the Ministry of Punishment said that the two eunuchs falsely transmitted the "Yi Will", not the "Holy Will". The "Will of Yi" can only be issued by the empress and empress dowager, and is not under the control of the emperor. At that time, was it not Empress Zhang herself who could make "Yi Will" in the palace?
Is it possible that Wei Zhongxian and Keshi forged the "Yi Will"?
At that time, Emperor Mingxi had just ascended the throne, and Wei Zhongxian had just been reused, so there was no need to live with the new hostess at this time. Moreover, assuming that it was really Wei Zhongxian and Keshi who instructed the internal officials to give Sun Er the false "Yi Will", if Sun Er did not have a daughter at all, or had a daughter, but did not enter the palace to run, would he believe that his daughter would become empress?
This incident occurred in June of the first year of the Apocalypse (1621), and the time when Empress Zhang was crowned empress of the Middle Palace was on April 27, the first year of the Apocalypse (1621). In such a short period of time, people have not yet mixed, how did Keshi and Wei Zhongxian know that they and Empress Zhang were not the same people?
Ming Xizong was not a fool, and judging from his attitude towards his father-in-law Zhang Guoji later, the so-called rumor that "Empress Zhang is the second daughter of her grandson" is 80% true.
In the History of Ming, it is said that Empress Zhang's father, Zhang Guoji, "was "enthroned as a prince of Kangbo at the beginning of the Apocalypse", but it is recorded in the Records of Emperor Mingxi that Emperor Mingxi only named Zhang Guoji as "Tongzhi, the Governor of the Chinese Military Governor's Office". Later, in order to celebrate the smooth birth of the emperor's second son, Zhang Guoji was also named "Right Governor Commander".
In June of the sixth year of the Apocalypse (1626), Zhang Guoji, under the pretext of taking a leave of absence to return to his hometown to treat funerals, asked Emperor Mingxi to give him a knighthood so that he could return to his hometown and have face. However, Emperor Mingxizong, who was the son-in-law, still refused, saying that knighthood was a big deal, and it could not be casually said that he could be sealed.
In the whole apocalypse dynasty, Zhang Guoji was not knighted. It was not until the Chongzhen Emperor ascended the throne that Zhang Guoji was given the title of "Tai Kang Bo".
This is not to mention, it seems that Emperor Mingxi has not been very friendly to Empress Zhang's mother's family.
For example, in May of the second year of the Apocalypse (1622), Zhang Guoji's family member Zhang Gongchen broke the law, and the Punishment Department, seeing that he was a relative of Empress Zhang, specifically requested that he not be shackled and that his sentence be commuted. However, Emperor Mingxi did not care, and directly wanted to give Zhang Gongchen a shackle for three months, which meant that Zhang Gongchen would be sentenced to death.
First, Shangshu Wang Ji of the Punishment Department asked for exemptions for prisoners such as Zhang Gongchen. Gongchen Qi Qi Zhang Guoji family also. Shangfu Hot trial is in front, and the shackles are in the back, and the shackles are sent to the Fa For three months as usual, and the fasi are sent to discuss the crimes together.
- Records of the Ming Dynasty, Volume 22
The university scholar Ye pleaded with the emperor to the high chancellor, saying that Zhang Gongchen was a relative of the empress's family, and that he would not die of sin, and that he should be sent lightly shortly after Empress Zhang had just married the emperor, otherwise the empress's feelings would be discordant. Emperor Mingxi directly ignored it and held Jinyiwei accountable.
If Empress Zhang was really wronged by the incident before The Eighth Grandson of Song, and Emperor Mingxi deliberately did not investigate deeply in order to protect Keshi and Wei Zhongxian, then this time, Empress Zhang should be compensated, why did it increase the punishment for the Zhang family?
<h1>02</h1>
According to the Biography of Ming Shi Houfei, Empress Zhang became pregnant in the third year of the Apocalypse (1623), but unfortunately was miscarried by people arranged by Keshi and Wei Zhongxian.
This statement appeared in June of the fourth year of the Apocalypse (1624), when the left deputy capital Yushi Yang Lian impeached Wei Zhongxian. Yang Lian said that Empress Zhang was pregnant with a molded male fetus, but she did not survive in the end, and he believed that Wei Zhongxian and Keshi conspired together.
Zhonggong Youqing, who has become a man, in the inner court, when how to protect, is around the current rainbow of the auspicious, suddenly turned into the tragic of the flying star falling on the moon. It is rumored that Zhongxian and Lady Fengsheng are really plotting.
- Records of the Ming Dynasty, Volume 43
However, Yang Lian himself did not have sufficient personal and physical evidence, only saying that it was "rumors".
At the same time, in this recital, Zhang Yufei is also mentioned. Yang Lian said that Zhang Yufei was also pregnant, and Wei Zhongxian, because he felt that Yufei did not listen to him, deliberately framed Yufei as a fake pregnancy and forged a holy will to let her commit suicide.
Princess Yu was sealed with joy, and Chinese and foreign people were happy to tell each other. Zhongxian resisted and did not attach himself, told him to be selfish, pretended to be unhappy, and ordered him to commit suicide without seeing the emperor.
- Records of the Ming Dynasty, Volume 43
However, Yang Lian added another sentence later, saying that in ancient times, Emperor Yao was born after his mother was pregnant for 14 months, and Zhang Yufei and Emperor Yao's mother were in the same situation.
Xi Yao was born in The Fourteenth Month, if Princess Yu was happy that day, would An Zhi not be Yao's mother?
In this way, it is easy to understand, it turned out that Zhang Yufei was pregnant beyond the normal range, so it was determined that it was a false pregnancy, and Emperor Mingxi ordered her to be executed.
In the "Biography of Ming Shi Houfei", it is not said that Zhang Yufei was pregnant at that time, and moreover, she did not commit suicide, but was locked up in a cold palace, did not give food, and starved to death.
YuFei Zhangshi, Xi zongfei also. Sexual intensity. Guests and Wei Gong were aliens, secluded in other palaces, and their diet was absolutely forbidden. It rained, and the concubines slipped to death.
How did Emperor Ming Xizong respond to Yang Lian's accusations?
Emperor Mingxi reprimanded Yang Lian, saying that there was no evidence at all about the empress, the crown prince, and YuFei being victimized by Wei Zhongxian and Keshi, and that the matter of the inner palace would not be clear to him as emperor? Yang Lian, a foreign minister, could he know more than the emperor?
As for the matter of the imperial concubines and concubines in the palace, the palace pot is tight and the situation is not real, how can the foreign court know thoroughly? The inner words poison the middle palace, avoid the noble concubines and the crown prince, and rely on conjecture to end the disaster, is it to want to screen left and right, so that the decay is isolated from the top, is it loyal and loving?
First of all, it is not clear whether Emperor Xizong knew whether the crown prince was killed, but as to whether Wei Zhongxian had falsely transmitted the Holy Will, Ming Xizong certainly knew better than anyone. If Wei Zhongxian really fabricated the Holy Will and executed Concubine Yu without authorization, then Emperor Mingxi would certainly not let him go.
And Keshi, a good villain, is Ming Xizong's wet nurse, she is indeed very attentive to Ming Xizong, otherwise, she would not have received such preferential treatment from Ming Xizong. If it weren't for the status of master and servant, Emperor Mingxi would have wanted to make Keshi the empress dowager. Therefore, in this world, I am afraid that no one will want to see Ming Xizong give birth to a prince more than Keshi.
In fact, on October 22, the third year of the Apocalypse (1623), Princess Hui fan had a second son of the emperor, and for this reason, Emperor Mingxi specially promoted Fan to imperial concubine.
On October 22 of this year (the third year of the Apocalypse), the Crown Prince was born, and the Imperial Noble Concubine Fan Shi was born.
- Records of the Ming Dynasty , Volume 40
Not long after Yang Lian impeached Wei Zhongxian, on June 16, the fourth year of the Apocalypse (1624), the crown prince Zhu Ciyan died prematurely, and Emperor Mingxi specifically posthumously honored him as the "Prince of Mourning".
This can't always be said that "mourning the prince" is also harmed by Wei Zhongxian, people are being impeached by the ministers, at this time there is some action, is not it just bumped into the muzzle of the gun?
Then why can't those children of the Ming Xi Sect be supported?
<h1>03</h1>
The Records of Emperor Mingxi quotes the rebbe Liu Mao (mào) recorded in the Records of the Two Dynasties from the Letters, and Liu Mao says that he discovered the reason for the early death of the crown prince: he died in fright.
The minister inquired about the death of the crown prince yesterday, and the reason was slow and frightening.
- Records of the Ming Dynasty, Volume 44
According to Mào, babies get sick from fright in their womb and during the time they are born. It is not uncommon for folk babies to get this disease, but in the palace, whether it is a concubine or a baby, they are all dressed in fine clothes, how can they be frightened?
After analysis, Liu Mao concluded that it was the sound of cannons from the palace eunuchs' exercises that frightened the princes and empresses. Liu Mao explained that these ministers who went to the court every day were shocked when they heard the sound of gunshots coldly, not to mention those babies who were still in the womb or had just been born. And if the nursing mother is frightened, it will also affect the quality of the breast milk.
If you think twice, you will also do it internally. Every morning, the ministers tended to the attendants, and they heard the sound of the cannons, sharp as thunder, spreading in the corners of the sky, the roof tiles for the battle, the river for the waves, the ministers and other siblings were shaken, and the heavy gate was a hundred steps away, Shang'er was like this, the forbidden place of the palace was dense, between the elbows, the shock was more intense, and the sound was particularly sick.
Although the fundamental purpose of Liu Mao's remark was to get Ming Xizong to agree to stop the internal supervision exercises, the reason Liu Mao said seemed to sound very reasonable.
But how can babies die of fright so easily? There really is. Liu Ruoyu said in the "Zhi Zhongzhi" that at that time, cats were popular in the palace, and many of those little babies were scared to death by the cries of the mad cats.
When there are royal children and girls, there are many people who are screamed by cats, and who dares to speak up.
- "Zhongzhi Zhi , Volume XVI"
It is also mentioned in the "Zhi Zhongzhi" that another reason for the death of the crown prince and the empress dowager is because the nursing mother is afraid of the cold and burns "red charcoal" in the room, resulting in the infant suffocation and death.
If it has been raining for a long time, the sex is not over, and the fire is too hot, it can damage people, make you dizzy, comatose and vomiting, adults are okay, how can the prince and the baby girl be? And the salty wood in the palace made of flat walls, and there was a lack of earth, and where the nursing mother was afraid of the cold, the crown princess or the daughter was poisoned, and it repeatedly caused the death of the devil, and the good could be painful.
On the first day of October in the fifth year of the Apocalypse (1625), Concubine Rong gave birth to the third son of the Emperor. Unfortunately, in the sixth year of the Apocalypse (1626), the little prince died before he was 1 year old.
According to Liu Ruoyu's "Zhi Zhongzhi", the third son of the emperor died because of the shock felt on the day of the big explosion of Wang Gongchang, which affected the palace, and was frightened.
At the sixth day of the first month of May in the sixth year of the Apocalypse, wang Gongchang's change, the highest danger place in the Imperial Pole Hall was Yimu Xian, and the East Warm Pavilion where the Emperor of the Qianqing Palace was located shook the pane fan in two places, injuring the two internal officials, and the utensils of the room where the Imperial Concubine Ren Niangniang lived fell, and ren Niangniang gave birth to the third son of the Emperor on the first day of October in the fifth year of the Apocalypse, so he died after being frightened.
- "Zhongzhi Vol. 2"
On the sixth day of May in the sixth year of the Apocalypse (1626), a major explosion occurred at the Wang Gong Factory, where gunpowder was stored in the capital, causing very large casualties and affecting a large number of people and houses around.
Coincidentally, the second princess who was born on February 30, the fourth year of the Apocalypse (1624), was also frightened by the earthquake that day, and died soon after.
Princess Li Niangniang, the second princess was born on February 30, the fourth year of the Apocalypse, which was a great earthquake in the sun and the earth, followed by princess Xue.
- "Zhi Zhongzhi Vol. VIII"
No wonder Ming XiZong was so attached to his grandmother Keshi, raising a prince was really not an easy task, and Ming Xizong had to be so grateful to Keshi.
Assuming that Wei Zhongxian and Keshi really harmed the prince, then why did even the princess die prematurely? In ancient times, even small households also valued their heirs very seriously, so when the mother had difficulty giving birth, there would often be a situation of "protecting the child and not protecting the adult", which was really incomprehensible, Wei Zhongxian and Keshi had any reason to harm the little baby who did not understand anything.
<h1>Conclusion</h1>
In the eyes of the ministers, Keshi was only a servant, not as good as a high-ranking female official in the palace, but Emperor Mingxi really regarded her as a mother. When Emperor Mingxi ascended the throne, he was only 15 years old, and in the face of the new position of emperor, he was uneasy in his heart, and it was normal to hope that his trusted nurse would stay by his side.
Like Jia Lian's grandmother Zhao Mama in "Dream of the Red Chamber", she is also a subordinate in her identity, but Jia Lian has always had great respect for this wet nurse, and even Wang Xifeng does not dare to be sloppy with her. Not only did she scream one "mother" at a time, but when she ate, she also specially asked Ping'er to heat "ham stewed elbows" for Grandma Zhao, and also asked Grandma Zhao to taste the "Huiquan Wine" that Jia Lian brought back from the south. Wang Xifeng looked at Lady Xing, and she didn't have such a good smile.
I felt that those courtiers, who hated Ming Xizong's wet nurse Keshi, were mostly because she and Wei Zhongxian were close.
And Wei Zhongxian, just like Wang Zhi and Feng Bao before him, only because he was a eunuch, the courtiers looked down on him, not to mention that Wei Zhongxian was illiterate.
Even in the original manuscript of Yang Lian's impeachment of Wei Zhongxian, it was not said that Wei Zhongxian was illiterate, but only that his literary attainment was not very high.
Zhongxianyuan Ichiichi well rogue ear, middle-aged cleansing, yín into the mainland, not able to understand the literary science, since the scrivener ceremony also.
(Note: This article is original by [Headline @ Love SlimMing Fish], plagiarism is prohibited, and violators will be investigated!) ）