Everyone knows that Jingtai Emperor Zhu Qiyu was successfully "seized" by his brother Ming Yingzong Zhu Qizhen, but they don't know that there is a little-known story behind this. When Zhu Qizhen returned to the throne, there was still a concubine in Zhu Qiyu's harem who was about to give birth! How will this unborn prince affect the power struggle between the two brothers? How will Zhu Qizhen respond to this potential threat? A secret contest about the change of imperial power has begun. Is it the flesh and blood affection that prevails, or is the emperor's mental trick superior? Where will this infant prince go?
In the first month of the first year of Tianshun (1457), an earth-shattering accident quietly occurred in the capital. This year, the Ming Dynasty staged a power drama of brothers, which is the famous "change of seizing the door" in history.
If you want to talk about the reason for this change of seizure, you have to start from a few years ago. In the fourteenth year of orthodoxy (1449), Zhu Qizhen of Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty personally conquered Wara, but the army was defeated in Tumubao and he was captured. This frightened the whole court, and quickly put Yingzong's younger brother Zhu Qiyu on the throne for Emperor Jingtai.
After Zhu Qiyu came to power, although he barely stabilized the situation, he was always uneasy in his heart. After all, his brother is still alive, what if he comes back one day? Sure enough, in the fifteenth year of orthodoxy (1450), Zhu Qizhen was released. Zhu Qiyu was apprehensive for a while, but he still stubbornly placed his brother in Nangong and continued to be the emperor himself.
But the good times didn't last long, and at the end of the seventh year of Jingtai (1456), Zhu Qiyu fell seriously ill. The ministers of the DPRK and China saw that this was terrible, if the emperor died, what should we do? You must know that Zhu Qiyu's son Zhu Jianji just died, and now there is no successor!
At this juncture, several important ministers of the court, Shi Heng, Xu Youzhen, Cao Jixiang and others made small calculations. They thought that instead of waiting for the chaos in the court after Zhu Qiyu's death, it would be better to take the opportunity to invite Zhu Qizhen out to restore the throne, so that the situation could be stabilized, and maybe the new emperor could be reused!
So, on the first day of the first month of the first year of Tianshun, these ministers quietly opened the gate of Nangong with the forbidden army and took Zhu Qizhen out. As soon as Zhu Qizhen came out, he immediately resumed his identity as the emperor, and Zhu Qiyu suddenly became a prisoner. All this came so suddenly that before Zhu Qiyu could react, he was already under house arrest.
After the restoration of Zhu Qizhen, he immediately began to carry out drastic reforms. He first abolished Zhu Qiyu's reign name "Jingtai" and replaced it with "Tianshun" to show the atmosphere of the new dynasty. Then, he began to liquidate those ministers who had supported Zhu Qiyu, and for a while the people in the government and the opposition were panicked.
However, Zhu Qizhen knew in his heart that in order to truly consolidate his rule, he had to get rid of the biggest threat - his younger brother Zhu Qiyu, who was under house arrest. However, just when he was about to start, an unexpected news came: Zhu Qiyu's concubine, Li Xi'er, was actually pregnant and was about to give birth!
This news was like a bombshell, exploding in Zhu Qizhen's heart. He knew that if the child was born safely, it would be a big problem. If someone rebelled under the banner of this child, then his throne would be in jeopardy.
Zhu Qizhen was in a dilemma. He could neither blatantly kill an unborn baby nor sit idly by while this potential threat existed. While he was hesitating, the ministers of the court and the central government also began to move, some advocated getting rid of the child, and some suggested that the net should be opened.
In this way, amid the speculation and undercurrent surging from the government and the opposition, Li Xier's due date is getting closer and closer. Zhu Qizhen knew that he had to make a decision as soon as possible. This decision is not only related to the fate of an unborn baby, but also to the future direction of the entire Ming Dynasty.
Faced with this thorny problem, how will Zhu Qizhen deal with it? What will happen to this soon-to-be-born prince? A secret contest about the change of imperial power is being fiercely staged in Zhu Qizhen's heart.
In February of the first year of Tianshun (1457), on a cold night, the silence of the night was broken by a burst of painful moans in the Nangong. Zhu Qiyu's concubine Li Xi'er is experiencing the torment of childbirth. This baby that is about to be born is not only Zhu Qiyu's bloodline, but also a turning point in the fate of the entire Ming Dynasty.
The news of the birth soon reached Zhu Qizhen's ears. At this time, Zhu Qizhen was reviewing the chapter in the imperial study, and when he heard the news, he immediately put down the pen in his hand and convened several confidants to discuss countermeasures.
The ministers of the court and China had different views on the soon-to-be-born prince. Some ministers believe that this child is Zhu Qiyu's bloodline and should be treated well to show Zhu Qizhen's benevolence; Some ministers also suggested that this child may become a hidden danger of political turmoil in the future, and suggested that he be disposed of secretly. After listening to the advice of the ministers, Zhu Qizhen fell into deep thought for a while.
Just when the court was talking, the cry of a baby came from the South Palace. This ill-fated prince finally fell to the ground. Li Xi'er looked at the baby in her arms, happy and worried. She knew that the birth of this child could be both the beginning of a new life and the beginning of a catastrophe.
After Zhu Qizhen learned the news of the birth of the prince, he immediately sent the imperial doctor into the palace to treat the baby. After careful examination, the imperial doctors reported to Zhu Qizhen: "The prince was born with clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes, and a good face, which is a rare dragon species. This news made Zhu Qizhen even more entangled.
In order to ensure that the news was not leaked, Zhu Qizhen ordered that Nangong be strictly guarded, and no one was allowed to enter or leave without permission. At the same time, he also sent his henchmen and eunuchs to monitor Li Xi'er's mother and son day and night. This newborn baby didn't know that he had become the focus of attention of the court.
Just when Zhu Qizhen was hesitating, another shocking news came from the DPRK: Zhu Qiyu, who was under house arrest, was emotional when he learned the news of the birth of his son, and his condition deteriorated sharply. After Zhu Qizhen heard the news, he immediately sent the imperial doctor to diagnose and treat him, but it was too late. On February 23 of the first year of Tianshun, Zhu Qiyu died in Nangong at the age of 29.
Zhu Qiyu's sudden death caused an uproar in the court. Some people say that this is providential, and some people secretly discuss whether someone secretly did it. But in any case, Zhu Qiyu's death made the situation of the newborn prince more delicate.
Zhu Qizhen showed great grief after learning the news of his brother's death. He ordered the whole country to mourn and personally held a grand funeral for Zhu Qiyu. At the funeral, Zhu Qizhen was extremely sad and even cried several times. This scene was seen by many ministers, and they praised Zhu Qizhen's benevolence.
However, after the funeral, Zhu Qizhen still had to face that thorny question: what to do with this newborn nephew? The existence of this baby is undoubtedly a potential threat to Zhu Qizhen's rule. But if it is to attack an innocent baby, I am afraid that it will cause criticism from the government and the opposition.
After careful consideration, Zhu Qizhen finally made an unexpected decision. He announced that he would personally raise this nephew and gave him the name Zhu Jianwei. As soon as this decision came out, it immediately aroused discussion among the government and the opposition. Some people believe that this is a sign of Zhu Qizhen's benevolence, while others suspect that it is a strategy adopted by Zhu Qizhen to monitor potential threats.
In any case, Zhu Jianwei's fate seems to have been settled for the time being. Zhu Qizhen ordered Li Xi'er's mother and son to be moved from Nangong to a remote palace in the palace and taken care of by a special person. At the same time, he also sent several respected eunuchs and palace maids to take charge of Zhu Jianwei's daily life.
But what kind of calculations are hidden behind this seemingly benevolent decision? What is Zhu Qizhen's true attitude towards this nephew? How will this newborn prince affect the future direction of the Ming Dynasty? Over time, the answers to these questions will gradually emerge.
As time passed, Zhu Jianwei slowly grew up in the palace. Zhu Qizhen ostensibly cares about this nephew, but in fact puts him under close surveillance. Zhu Jianwei's every move was under Zhu Qizhen's control, and even his education was arranged by Zhu Qizhen himself.
In the third year of Tianshun (1459), Zhu Jianwei had just turned two years old. This year, Zhu Qizhen ordered to choose a master for Zhu Jianwei. After careful consideration, he chose Li Xian, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites at that time, as Zhu Jianwei's enlightenment teacher. Li Xian was a famous scholar at that time, proficient in classics and history, and an upright person. Zhu Qizhen chose Li Xian, on the one hand, to give Zhu Jianwei a good educational environment, and on the other hand, to borrow Li Xian's hand to secretly observe Zhu Jianwei's talent and character.
After Li Xian received the emperor's order, he would go to Zhu Jianwei's dormitory every day to teach. He started from the most basic literacy, and gradually taught Zhu Jianwei's "Three Character Classic" and "Hundred Family Names" and other enlightenment readings. Although Zhu Jianwei is young, he is talented and intelligent, and his learning progress is very fast. Li Xian was often amazed by Zhu Jianwei's memory and comprehension ability, and he also reported Zhu Jianwei's learning situation to Zhu Qizhen many times in private.
However, Zhu Jianwei's ingenuity did not bring him more freedom. On the contrary, Zhu Qizhen's monitoring of him has become more strict. Zhu Qizhen sent more eunuchs and palace maids to monitor Zhu Jianwei's every move, and even his diet and daily life had to be strictly checked.
In the fifth year of Tianshun (1461), Zhu Jianwei was four years old. This year, Zhu Qizhen suddenly ordered Zhu Jianwei to move from the original dormitory to the more remote Cining Palace. Cining Palace is located in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City, far away from the central point, and is rarely visited on weekdays. Zhu Qizhen's decision aroused the misgivings of some ministers of the DPRK and China. Some people believe that Zhu Qizhen wants to further isolate Zhu Jianwei and cut off his contact with the outside world.
Despite the changes in his living environment, Zhu Jianwei's learning has not been interrupted. Li Xian continued to go to Cining Palace every day to teach Zhu Jianwei. In addition to classics and history, Li Xian also taught Zhu Jianwei poetry and songs. Zhu Jianwei is particularly interested in poetry, and he can often remember it, which has attracted Li Xian's praise again and again.
In the sixth year of Tianshun (1462), Zhu Jianwei was five years old. This year, Zhu Qizhen suddenly ordered to choose a concubine for Zhu Jianwei. This decision came as a surprise to both the government and the opposition. Some people believe that Zhu Qizhen wants to further control Zhu Jianwei's life in this way. Some people also speculate that this may be a temptation arranged by Zhu Qizhen for Zhu Jianwei.
The process of choosing a concubine is very strict. Zhu Qizhen personally ordered that the woman who chose the concubine must be from a famous family, have good conduct, and have a beautiful appearance. After layers of screening, Wang Shi, the daughter of Wang Hua, the head of the household department, was finally selected as Zhu Jianwei's future concubine. Wang is two years older than Zhu Jianwei, born smart and clever, and won Zhu Qizhen's appreciation.
After Wang entered the palace, he was arranged to live with Zhu Jianwei in Cining Palace. Zhu Qizhen also specially arranged for some elderly palace maids to teach the etiquette of the Wang family's palace. Although Zhu Jianwei and Wang were still young, the two quickly became good friends. Wang often accompanied Zhu Jianwei to study and study, and the two often played together.
However, just when Zhu Jianwei's life seemed to be peaceful, there was an undercurrent surging in the court. Some ministers began to discuss privately, thinking that Zhu Qizhen's attitude towards Zhu Jianwei was too lenient. They were worried that if Zhu Jianwei continued to grow like this, he might become a hidden danger to the imperial court in the future.
These discussions quickly reached Zhu Qizhen's ears. Zhu Qizhen did not express his position on this, but his attitude towards Zhu Jianwei quietly changed. He began to reduce the number of times he saw Zhu Jianwei, and at the same time limited Zhu's range of activities.
In the seventh year of Tianshun (1463), Zhu Jianwei was six years old. This year, Zhu Qizhen suddenly ordered Li Xian to strengthen Zhu Jianwei's education. In addition to the original classics of scripture and history, Zhu Qizhen also asked Li Xian to teach Zhu Jianwei some political knowledge. This decision has left many people baffled. Some people believe that Zhu Qizhen wants to train Zhu Jianwei to become a qualified member of the royal family. Some people also speculate that this may be another temptation by Zhu Qizhen to Zhu Jianwei.
In any case, Zhu's life has become more hectic because of this decision. In addition to his original studies, he also had to receive more political education. Li Xian began to teach him some basic political theories and historical cases, which gave Zhu Jianwei a preliminary understanding of the government.
In this way, in all kinds of speculations and discussions between the government and the opposition, Zhu Jianwei grew up day by day. His fate always seems to be in the hands of Zhu Qizhen. And Zhu Qizhen's true attitude towards this nephew has also become an eternal mystery. With the passage of time, the existence of Zhu Jianwei gradually became an important factor affecting the political situation of the Ming Dynasty.
In the first year of Chenghua (1465), Zhu Jianwei was eight years old. In this year, a major event happened in the imperial court: Zhu Qizhen suddenly ordered Zhu Jianwei to be moved from Cining Palace to Nanjing. This decision was like a thunderbolt, causing a huge shock in both the government and the opposition.
Zhu Qizhen claimed to the outside world that this was to let Zhu Jianwei learn from the experience of governing the local government. However, anyone with a discerning eye can see that this is actually a disguised exile. Zhu Qizhen sent a large escort team to send Zhu Jianwei to Nanjing along with his mother Li Xi'er and his future concubine Wang.
On the eve of departure, Zhu Qizhen summoned Zhu Jianwei. This was the first time in many years that Zhu Qizhen had summoned this nephew alone. According to the recollection of the eunuchs present at the time, Zhu Qizhen said something like this to Zhu Jianwei: "Although you are young, you must also understand that as a royal family, you have a great responsibility. When I go to Nanjing, I must be cautious in my words and deeds, and I must not disappoint my expectations. Zhu Jianwei knelt down to accept the order, saying that he would definitely live up to the high expectations of the emperor's uncle.
Zhu Jianwei and his entourage left Beijing City in a mighty way and went south along the Grand Canal. On the way, Zhu Jianwei was strictly protected and was not allowed to come into contact with any outsiders. Even at the stop station, the entire station was emptied first, and then Zhu Jianwei and his party were allowed to move in.
After a long journey of nearly a month, Zhu Jianwei and his entourage finally arrived in Nanjing. Nanjing, as the companion capital of the Ming Dynasty, is not as prosperous as Beijing, but it is also a magnificent city. Zhu Jianwei was placed in a remote palace in the Nanjing Imperial Palace.
However, Zhu Jianwei's life in Nanjing was not as comfortable as he imagined. The eunuchs sent by Zhu Qizhen strictly controlled all of Zhu Jianwei's activities. Zhu Jianwei's daily routine, the people he meets, and the content he learns all go through strict scrutiny. Even his diet and daily life are supervised by a special person.
In the third year of Chenghua (1467), Zhu Jianwei was ten years old. This year, Zhu Qizhen suddenly ordered to choose a new teacher for Zhu Jianwei. After careful consideration, Zhu Qizhen selected Yang Shiqi, a waiter in the Ministry of Rites who was serving in Nanjing at the time, as Zhu Jianwei's new teacher. Yang Shiqi was a famous scholar at that time, good at poetry and writing, and upright.
After Yang Shiqi received the emperor's order, he began to teach in Zhu Jianwei's dormitory every day. He not only taught Zhu Jianwei classics and historical classics, but also paid special attention to cultivating Zhu Jianwei's poetry and writing ability. Under the guidance of Yang Shiqi, Zhu Jianwei's literary literacy has improved day by day, and he has even created some poems of considerable level.
However, just when Zhu Jianwei's studies were booming, there was another shocking news from the imperial court. In the fifth year of Chenghua (1469), Zhu Qizhen suddenly ordered Zhu Jianwei's mother Li Xi'er and future concubine Wang Shi to be sent back to Beijing. This decision made Zhu Jianwei suddenly lose his closest person.
After Li Xi'er and Wang were sent back to Beijing, Zhu Jianwei's situation became more isolated. In addition to attending classes with Yang Shiqi every day, he can only be alone in the palace. The eunuchs sent by Zhu Qizhen monitored Zhu Jianwei's every move more closely, and even the content of his conversation with Yang Shiqi had to be recorded and reported in detail.
In the seventh year of Chenghua (1471), Zhu Jianwei was fourteen years old. This year, Zhu Qizhen ordered Yang Shiqi again to strengthen Zhu Jianwei's political education. In addition to the original classics of scripture and history, Zhu Qizhen also asked Yang Shiqi to teach Zhu Jianwei some specific knowledge of government affairs. This decision has left many people baffled. Some people believe that Zhu Qizhen wants to train Zhu Jianwei to become a qualified member of the royal family. Some people also speculate that this may be another temptation by Zhu Qizhen to Zhu Jianwei.
In any case, Zhu's life has become more hectic because of this decision. In addition to his original studies, he also had to receive more political education. Yang Shiqi began to teach him some specific government knowledge, such as taxation, military affairs, diplomacy and other aspects. Zhu Jianwei showed great interest in these new knowledge, and often put forward some unique insights, which surprised Yang Shiqi.
However, just when Zhu Jianwei's study entered a new stage, a shocking news came from the imperial court again. In the ninth year of Chenghua (1473), Zhu Qizhen suddenly ordered Zhu Jianwei to be transferred from Nanjing back to Beijing. This decision has once again aroused speculation and discussion among the government and the opposition. Some people believe that this may be a signal that Zhu Qizhen is ready to reuse Zhu Jianwei. There are also concerns that this could mean that Mr. Zhu is about to face greater danger.
In this way, amid everyone's speculation and discussion, Zhu Jianwei once again embarked on the journey back to Beijing. His fate seems to have fallen into the fog of the unknown once again. And Zhu Qizhen's true attitude towards this nephew has also become an eternal mystery. With Zhu Jianwei's return to Beijing, the political situation of the Ming Dynasty seems to usher in new variables.
In the winter of the ninth year of Chenghua (1473), Zhu Jianwei returned to Beijing under the order of Zhu Qizhen. This trip back to Beijing is completely different from the scene when I left eight years ago. When he left Beijing, Zhu Jianwei was still an ignorant child, but now he is a young man. However, the fate that awaits him remains murky.
After Zhu Jianwei returned to Beijing, Zhu Qizhen did not immediately summon him. Instead, Zhu Qizhen ordered Zhu Jianwei to be placed in a remote palace in Xiyuan. This decision has left many people baffled. Some people speculate that Zhu Qizhen may want to further observe Zhu Jianwei's performance. Some people also believe that this may be a test for Zhu Qizhen to Zhu Jianwei.
During his days in Xiyuan, Zhu Jianwei's life was strictly controlled. His daily range of activities was limited to the palace and he was not allowed to go out at will. The eunuchs sent by Zhu Qizhen monitored Zhu Jianwei's every move day and night, and even his diet and daily life had to be strictly checked.
However, under this kind of close surveillance, Zhu Jianwei showed amazing talent. With limited resources, he wrote a large number of poems and articles. These works are not only brilliant, but also contain profound philosophies of life. Some of the works even spread outside the palace, arousing the admiration of the literati.
In the spring of the tenth year of Chenghua (1474), Zhu Qizhen finally summoned Zhu Jianwei. This was the first time Zhu Jianwei met Zhu Qizhen after returning to Beijing. According to the recollections of the eunuchs present at the time, Zhu Qizhen seemed to be very satisfied with Zhu Jianwei's performance. Zhu Qizhen inquired about Zhu Jianwei's study in Nanjing, and especially praised Zhu Jianwei's poetic talent.
After this summons, Zhu Jianwei's situation seems to have improved. Zhu Qizhen ordered that Zhu Jianwei be allowed to move freely in the West Garden. At the same time, Zhu Qizhen also sent several learned Confucian ministers to discuss knowledge with Zhu Jianwei on a regular basis. These changes have led many to believe that Zhu Qizhen may be beginning to reconsider Zhu Jianwei's position.
However, the good times were short-lived. In the summer of the eleventh year of Chenghua (1475), a political turmoil suddenly broke out in the imperial court. Someone secretly reported to Zhu Qizhen, saying that Zhu Jianwei secretly colluded with some ministers and plotted against him. Although this accusation lacks conclusive evidence, it still arouses Zhu Qizhen's vigilance.
Zhu Qizhen immediately ordered Zhu Jianwei to be placed under house arrest in a small courtyard in Xiyuan. At the same time, Zhu Qizhen also sent Jinyiwei to secretly investigate the matter. In the months that followed, the court was enveloped in an aura of slaughter. Many ministers who had contact with Zhu Jianwei were implicated to varying degrees.
Just when everyone thought that Zhu Jianwei would not escape his doom, the situation took an unexpected turn. In the spring of the twelfth year of Chenghua (1476), the results of Jinyiwei's investigation were released. The investigation showed that the secret report accusing Zhu Jianwei was complete nonsense and a pure false accusation. When Zhu Qizhen learned the truth, he immediately ordered the release of Zhu Jianwei and severely punished those who were falsely accused.
After this incident, Zhu Jianwei's situation seems to have improved significantly. Zhu Qizhen not only restored Zhu Jianwei's freedom, but also gave him a large amount of gold and silver treasures as compensation. More importantly, Zhu Qizhen began to involve Zhu Jianwei in some court affairs, which was seen by many as a signal that Zhu Qizhen intended to cultivate Zhu Jianwei.
However, just when Zhu Jianwei's future seemed bright, fate played a joke on him again. In the winter of the thirteenth year of Chenghua (1477), Zhu Jianwei suddenly fell seriously ill. The imperial doctors tried their best, but they were never able to find the cause. Zhu Jianwei's condition deteriorated day by day, and he eventually died.
Zhu Jianwei's sudden death caused a huge shock in the government and the opposition. Some suspect that it was a deliberate murder, while others believe that it was just a matter of fate. Zhu Qizhen was very saddened by Zhu Jianwei's death, he ordered a grand funeral for Zhu Jianwei, and personally wrote a memorial for Zhu Jianwei.
Zhu Jianwei's life is like a drama of ups and downs. He was surveilled, exiled, placed under house arrest, and regained his trust through many twists and turns, only to die suddenly at a time when his future was bright. His fate seems to have always been shrouded in a layer of fog. And Zhu Qizhen's true attitude towards this nephew has also become a mystery that can never be solved.
Zhu Jianwei's death drew an end to this period of history of the Ming Dynasty. However, his presence has left an indelible mark on history. His poetic works, his political encounters, and his short and tortuous life have all become important materials for future generations to study this period of history.