Chongzhen Sunset Song

?one

"Fengyang Imperial Tomb... was destroyed!!"

"What! What did you say?!"

Chongzhen's eyes widened, he slapped the table, and stood up abruptly.

"Can you say that again!"

"Fengyang...Fengyang was attacked by Li Zicheng, all the officials were killed, the entire defenders were wiped out, the government office, imperial prison, private houses, and the entire Fengyang city were almost completely destroyed by the flames of war...Longxing Temple was burned down, and the imperial mausoleum was destroyed. The thieves dug it all up..." As he spoke, Wang Chengen's eyes turned red, and two tears welled up in his eyes, "It's gone...all gone...all gone..."

Like a bolt from the blue exploding in the sky above Qianqing Palace, before Wang Chengen could say a word, Chongzhen's head buzzed, and he couldn't hear any more words.His legs softened, and he sat slumped on the dragon chair, his eyes staring straight, as if his soul had been taken away, his whole face was gray and lifeless.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty!!" Xi Zhao first recovered from the shock, seeing that Chongzhen's situation was not right, she called out in panic while shaking Chongzhen's shoulders, and pinched Renzhong again.Wang Chengen was also frightened by Chongzhen's appearance, knelt and rubbed in front of the dragon case, tentatively called the emperor a few times, then turned around and called the little eunuch to get the imperial doctor quickly.But no matter how hard he tossed, Chongzhen didn't show any signs of returning to his senses, and just sat there blankly, motionless as if he had been sealed in an instant.

This frightened the palace people, all the eunuchs and maids surrounded him, some fanned the wind, some called, some took incense and dangled it under Chongzhen's nose, but it was completely useless.After being so hectic for about a quarter of an hour, Chongzhen suddenly took a deep breath, then slowly let it out, and finally closed his eyes.Only then did everyone heave a sigh of relief, and the setting sun pressed against their chests, only then did they realize that they were covered in cold sweat, and their underwear was completely soaked.

"Your Majesty, why don't you... go back to Xinuang Pavilion to rest..."

Xi Zhao calmed down and said softly, but saw Chong Zhen still closed his eyes and waved his hand a little. "You go back first." Xi Zhao understood, and then told the eunuch and maid in the room.The eunuchs and court ladies saluted, and left the South Study room one by one with lowered eyes.Wang Chengen had a sad face, and got up to leave.When he was about to go out, he hesitated for a moment, turned around, and actually told Xi Zhao earnestly, "You...you can really look after the emperor." After saying that, he sighed deeply, and left straight away.

"Dexiu..." Chongzhen murmured when everyone dispersed.

"Dexiu is here, Your Majesty." Xi Zhao quickly knelt down and responded.

"..." Chongzhen half opened his eyes, his lips moved, but he didn't speak out.

"Everyone is gone." Seeing this, Xi Zhao carefully added another sentence.

"...to change clothes."

"Changing clothes...?" Xi Zhao was puzzled.

"Changing clothes... leaving the palace."

two

Baozhu alley.

In the wing room in the backyard of Xu's family, the charcoal fire was flourishing.Three sticks of incense sticks were burning in front of the spirit tablet, emitting a faint fragrance faintly.Inside the room, Chongzhen was lying on the bed facing the wall, he didn't know if he was asleep or awake.Sunset didn't dare to be disturbed, so he added a few pieces of charcoal to the brazier, and sat aside, silently watching the gradually dimming sky outside the window.The ominous omen in the morning originally foreshadowed such a thing.When the Ming Dynasty was still there, the imperial mausoleum was dug up and the dragon's veins were severed.Not to mention Daming, since ancient times, the royal family has never suffered such a great humiliation. How can the young emperor bear it... Xi Zhao doesn't understand, how can a country that is already in chaos inside and outside There is still room to make things worse, the emperor has worked hard every day, and has never let down the country, why did he get such a reward in return.He looked at the emperor's back slightly undulating with his breathing behind the bed curtain, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of sadness in his heart.Although there are thousands of courtiers, the appointment and dispatch only depends on the emperor's words, but when the building is about to collapse, who can share even the slightest heartache for the emperor...

... the building will collapse?

The word that popped up inadvertently made Xi Zhao's heart tremble instantly.It turns out that the current situation is that the building is about to collapse... Daming... is it going to collapse and perish...?No... Impossible, impossible... Xi Zhao became inexplicably flustered, as if it was the first time she had faced this terrible premonition, and suddenly instinctive fear arose in her heart.No... no no... If you talk about the subjugation of the country, it should always be in the hands of the stupid kings. The emperor is so wise and diligent, how can he be compared with those stupid kings who have subjugated the country!The emperor must have a way, Daming will definitely not perish just like this, no, no, definitely not... After talking to himself in secret for a long time, Xi Zhao finally calmed down a little, and after thinking about it for a while, he didn't know what to do. I fell asleep and fell into a deep sleep.

This sleep, I don't know how long I slept, and when the sun opened my eyes again, the window paper was already white.The room was cold and dark, the charcoal fire might have been burnt out, Xi Zhao curled up subconsciously, only to feel that something was covering her body, she took a closer look, this warm and fluffy, it was not the emperor's ermine cloak!

Xi Zhao woke up suddenly, and hurriedly looked at the bed, but saw that the bed was already empty. "Your Majesty?!" Xi Zhao lifted the cloak all of a sudden and looked around.In a small room, every corner can be easily seen, but the emperor's figure can't be found no matter what.Xi Zhao jumped to his feet, and ominous assumptions flashed in his mind.Don't think about it!Xi Zhao patted his forehead, scattered those messy thoughts with a palm, and walked straight to the door with a mink cloak in one hand.

As soon as the door was opened, the big stone in Xizhao's heart immediately fell to the ground - Chongzhen was safe and well, standing beside the stone table in the middle of the yard, with his back to Xizhao, looking at something.Xi Zhao breathed out, collected his mind, stepped forward, and said softly:

"It's windy and cold in the morning, why is the emperor staying in the courtyard." Then he put on the mink fur cloak for Chongzhen, "Don't freeze your body to death, the emperor, let's go inside."

"Ah...huh?" Chongzhen was stunned for a moment, as if being forcibly pulled back from deep thought.He turned his head and saw that it was Xi Zhao who came, so his expression slowly relaxed.

"Your majesty, let's go in..." Before he finished speaking, the setting sun seemed to be frozen by the bitter air, and his whole body froze from head to toe.With his mouth half open, he stared blankly at Chongzhen's face, unable to utter a word for a long time—although the sky was not yet bright, and the morning light was dim, but the setting sun could clearly see that yesterday he was still full of black hair and handsome Your Majesty, overnight, his temples turned as white as snow, his eyes were deeply sunken, and there were faint crow's feet around the corners of his eyes.

"Your Majesty...you..." Xi Zhao trembled her lips, but before she could say a word, her tears fell down one after another like broken beads.The corners of Chongzhen's mouth twitched slightly, and Xu smiled, but Xizhao didn't notice it at all because her eyes were blocked by tears.

"You are... I haven't cried yet, why did you cry like this first?"

"Yes... yes..." Xi Zhao was sobbing, and answered vaguely, reaching out to wipe away her tears, but she couldn't hide the overwhelming sadness in her heart.why why? !With such an unbearable fate, why should it be the turn of the current emperor, why should it be the turn of the man in front of him!Don't say that this is the fate that the emperor's family has to bear. If this is the case, why do some people stay away from court for many years, and some enjoy themselves to the fullest, but they all have a peaceful life;It's not fair!

Thinking about it, Xizhao couldn't stop crying loudly.In a daze, he seemed to hear the emperor comforting himself, but he couldn't make out what he was saying.Don't cry, you can't cry anymore, the emperor is already heartbroken enough, how can I disturb the emperor so that he can't live in peace.He tried his best to hold back for a long while, at least he held back his emotions, sniffed his nose, and said the whole sentence:

"Emperor... Your Majesty... It's cold outside, let's go inside."

three

In the Xu family's backyard, Chongzhen remained silent and gloomy for two full days.It wasn't until the morning of the third day that he sighed softly and uttered the word "return to the palace".

It was overcast.I thought it was still early, but after locking the door of the backyard and looking at the sunset, I realized that the sunlight was weak and the thick cloud could not penetrate.This weather, I'm afraid it's going to snow again.Xizhao thought.

There are no pedestrians in Baozhu Hutong in the early morning. It is deserted like a valley without birdsong, lifeless.The air was filled with morning mist, and the skin soaked in the morning mist was stiff with cold.Chongzhen put on his cloak and hat, and was about to move forward, when he suddenly noticed something on the side of the road not far ahead.Although it was almost impossible to see clearly, but for some reason, Chongzhen's eyes were firmly held by the ball, and he couldn't move it away.

"Dexiu, what do you see over there?" Chongzhen asked.

Sunset looked intently.With the dim light of the sky, Xi Zhao vaguely felt that it seemed to be a person.

"Your Majesty, wait a moment, Dexiu goes over to have a look."

"Okay." Chongzhen responded, but stepped forward like a ghost, and walked past in front of Xizhao.

A few steps closer, there is indeed a person sitting behind a table; a few steps closer, the person turned his head and nodded to Chongzhen and Xizhao.Could it be...?Chongzhen was startled, and quickly stepped forward to take a look. Sure enough, this old man with a gray beard was the fortune teller who had read his palm when he came to Baozhu Alley a few years ago?

Xi Zhao also leaned forward, her eyes widened, and she took a deep breath.In the deserted alley, sitting alone on the side of the road as if waiting for them specially, the appearance of this fortune teller is always vaguely revealing a trace of indescribable weirdness.The fortune teller's lips moved slightly, and an old voice seemed to come faintly through the mist from a very far away place.

"Young master, can you tell your fortune?"

"Okay." Chongzhen did not hesitate at all, lowered his hat, sat on the square stool in front of the table, and directly spread his palms in front of the fortune teller.

After so many years, the memory of that fate should be as thin as paper, but Chongzhen's hand stretched out naturally, and the old man looked at it calmly, as if time hadn't passed since that moment.The old man inspected Chongzhen's palm, looked up and down his face, pondered for a while, and said: "It seems that your concern has not decreased but increased."

"Oh?" Chongzhen narrowed his eyes, noncommittal.

"The emperor... er, is there a way to solve my lord's worries?" Xi Zhao had no time to take care of the lingering strange feeling, and hurriedly interjected.

"Hehe... don't worry, little brother." The old man smiled slightly, and closed Chongzhen's palms, "Everyone has his own destiny, and his destiny is determined by the sky. The old man can only glimpse a few clues, and is unable to change his fate." Said Then, he turned to Chongzhen again, a trace of mystery suddenly flashed in his eyes, "But just now I was looking for the young master, and I occasionally got a glimpse of the future. The old man has sixteen characters, which may temporarily relieve your worries. I don't know if you have interest?"

Chongzhen's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "I implore senior to enlighten me."

The old man smiled again, stroked his beard, picked up a pen and wrote sixteen small characters neatly on a piece of thin paper that had been prepared long ago: A filial son is loyal and difficult to take on important tasks, and the king of hell with a white face can defend against enemies.

A filial son is loyal, and it is difficult to take on a heavy responsibility. Can a white-faced Hades defend against the enemy?

Xi Zhao silently recited these sixteen characters in her heart, with a puzzled expression on her face.At first glance, it seems that the words and phrases that seem to employ people can indeed solve the emperor's worries, but who is this loyal and filial son and the white-faced Hades referring to?Chongzhen looked confused, and seemed to be searching his memory for officials similar to these two sentences.After thinking for a while, Chongzhen finally stood up and bowed deeply to the old man.

"Thank you for your words of gold and jade, senior, I will definitely remember them in my heart. Farewell."

"Does the emperor know who these sixteen characters are referring to?" Xi Zhao couldn't help but asked in a low voice after leaving Baozhu Hutong.

"I don't know." Chongzhen walked slowly, his voice still unabated.

"Then..." The setting sun was unclear, but Chongzhen didn't intend to say anything further, as if what happened just now was not worth taking seriously, but he walked towards the red wall on the other side of the morning mist step by step with heavy steps.Just like this, the two sides were silent until they walked to the gate of the palace, and Chongzhen Fang said again:

"Dexiu, come out to the palace with me."

"Yes..." Xi Zhao replied suspiciously, "But isn't the emperor just going back to the palace...?"

"This time a long trip." Chongzhen said lightly.The red lacquered gate slowly opened in front of him, Chongzhen raised his foot, stepped over the high threshold, and walked into the arched passage, his deep words echoed weakly but solidly on the stone wall of the passage.

"Go to Fengyang. Apologize."