Chongzhen Sunset Song

?one

That night, a long-lost family banquet was held in Qianqing Palace.Even though it was a banquet, there were no singing and dancing, only Empress Zhou, Concubine Yuan, Concubine Tian, ​​and Empress Yi'an, the widow of Emperor Tianqi, brought a few children and had a family meal with Chongzhen.Chongzhen has four sons and one daughter, the oldest is only eleven or twelve years old, and the youngest is only three years old. They are all innocent and innocent.Although there were no songs and dances to add to the fun, there were children playing and laughing, but it was not a lively event.Chongzhen was in a good mood, with happy eyes and a happy face, drinking and laughing with his concubines, it was unprecedented in these years; and seeing Chongzhen in such a good mood, the princes and concubines were naturally all overjoyed and smiling.The prince Zhu Cihong was the oldest and knew more about etiquette than his siblings, so he toasted Chongzhen to congratulate him.And Concubine Tian was clever, so she sent the three-year-old Zhu Cihuan to come up to toast with a wine glass. The child congratulated the emperor in a childish voice, and his naive and cute appearance made everyone laugh.Xizhao served at the banquet, and being in this joyous atmosphere, I couldn't help but be filled with red and warm joy in my heart, and my face was radiant when it was reflected.

By the time the family banquet was over, it was almost Haishi.Xizhao sent Empress Zhou and others out respectfully, and when she turned her head, she saw Chongzhen resting on the table with one hand, his eyes half closed, as if drunk.Xizhao walked up to Chongzhen and tilted his head to take a closer look, but then Chongzhen half-opened his eyes, not knowing whether he was awake or not asleep.

"Your Majesty, Empress Zhou and the concubines have already retired." Xi Zhao said softly, "If your Majesty is tired, you can rest at Qianqing Palace tonight."

"It's okay." Chongzhen exhaled and stood up. "Get up and drive back to the Hall of Martial Heroes."

After a day of scorching sun, the night fell at this time, and only a little coolness of the night appeared.Chongzhen walked out of the main hall of Qianqing Palace, stretched his waist slightly, and after the breeze passed, he felt a little bit less drunk.

"Your Majesty, the dragon chariot is ready." Xi Zhao came back from the outside and said standing under the white marble steps.

Chongzhen looked at the night in the distance. "I won't take the chariot today, you can walk back with me."

"Yes."

Fifteen has passed, and the round full moon is like a shy girl, quietly hiding half of her beautiful face.The moonlight is calm and gentle, floating in the palace after the feast is over, quiet and serene, with a little bit of sober tiredness after the joy has cooled down.The imperial palace shrouded in night is like a deep ocean, silently concealing all the prosperity of the day, leaving only a deep silence, which makes people unable to see clearly and comprehend.

"I suddenly feel...all this is so unreal." Walking between the two red walls of the West Road, Chongzhen said slowly.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, this is God's reward for His Majesty's hard work over the years, how can it be untrue." Before Chongzhen explained what he said, Xi Zhao already understood the meaning of Chongzhen's words, and said with relief.

"But look at this imperial palace," Chongzhen raised his hand and pointed slightly, "the bricks, stones, vegetation, pavilions and palaces are no different from yesterday and the day before yesterday. And yesterday's horrific battle was both victorious today. How can you believe that.”

Xizhao smiled and turned the tulle lantern in his hand, causing the light to flicker faintly. "If we say that this imperial palace has been the same since Chengzu's construction, it should be the same day by day. If the emperor uses this as evidence, then there shouldn't be so many intractable incidents in the Ming Dynasty. Your majesty, please relax. Heart, after this, everything will go smoothly in Daming, and the whole country will prosper."

"The whole country is prosperous..." Chongzhen muttered, looking at the dark end of the road ahead, "Do you think Daming can really prosper again...?"

"That's natural. With the emperor here, the villain has never doubted this." Xi Zhao looked at Chongzhen's gray temples, and spoke very firmly.Although these words were intended to comfort the emperor's depressed mood for many days, the confidence in Xi Zhao's heart was not weaker than what he said.

But Chongzhen didn't answer, still paced slowly, thoughtful.A gust of evening wind was blowing gently, playing with Chongzhen's blue-gray clothes, and gently swaying the gauze lantern in Xizhao's hand.The palace wall of the Hall of Benevolence and Wisdom has quietly receded behind the two of them, and the Hall of Martial Heroes is not far ahead.Xi Zhao had a thought, thought for a while, and said:

"Your Majesty, the villain has an unfeeling request, I don't know..."

"But it doesn't matter."

"Yes." Xi Zhao made up his mind and said, "Since the Fengyang incident, the emperor has lived in the Wuying Hall for a long time. With the double happiness coming to the door, the Ming Dynasty has shown signs of peace. The emperor might as well go back to live in the Qianqing Palace and withdraw the punishment for him. Just punish..."

The Hall of Martial Arts hidden in the night, showing a trace of mystery dyed by the moonlight, gradually emerged from the darkness.Chongzhen lowered his head halfway, and was silent for a moment before slowly answering: "I once said in the Edict of Guilt that I would avoid living in the Wuying Hall until the day of Kou's peace. The king of the country, how can he break his promise." Chongzhen said indifferently, there was no sadness or joy in his words, "Besides, it's just Tsing Yi to avoid living, so you should understand what trouble I have."

"Yes... the villain also knows that the emperor doesn't care about those ostentatious things, but it is the emperor's sin to hide in Tsing Yi after all... The villain just thinks that the leader of the disaster has been captured now, and he doesn't want to see the emperor and blame himself down."

"Hey~ It's okay." Chongzhen waved his hand and smiled slightly, "Don't worry too much, the troubles of bandits will never end, if I move back to live in Qianqing Palace, I won't feel at ease. Since you said that Daming can prosper smoothly, then The day when I can go back to the Qing Palace with peace of mind, isn't it not too far away?"

"Yes." Hearing the emperor's words, Xizhao was certain in her heart, she smiled, arched her hands, and answered crisply, never mentioning the matter of persuading the emperor to return to the Qing Palace.

two

Soon after, Lu Xiangsheng led the Tianxiong Army back to the capital, and within a few days, Sun Chuanting's Shaanxi Army also escorted Gao Yingxiang back in triumph.For a time, flags fluttered inside and outside the capital, salutes were fired, and the government and the public were shrouded in the joy of victory.

"The two lovers rescued the capital in times of crisis, and healed the country's suffering for many years. They have worked hard and lived up to everyone's expectations. I am very relieved that the Ming Dynasty has such a heroic and fierce general."

In the main hall of Wuying Hall, Chongzhen sat upright and said loudly.There were two people standing under the seat, one of them was pale and thin, with elegant demeanor, this man was Lu Xiangsheng, governor of the five provinces.The other man was about forty years old, more than eight feet tall, with a dark complexion, a hulking back, and a beard. He looked very mighty.This person is the governor of Shanxi, who captured Gao Yingxiang alive, Sun Chuanting, the censor of the capital of Youqin.Chongzhen looked at the two, with a little smile in his eyes, paused and said:

"This time, the two lovers made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty. They promoted Sun Chuanting to be the right deputy capital censor, and enjoyed the third-rank salary. .”

"Thank you, Your Majesty Long!" Lu and Sun responded in unison.Chongzhen nodded, and after a few words of praise, he ordered the two to retreat.

It was August, and the heat had not receded, but the shrubs in the courtyard of the Wuying Temple were still verdant and green.After Lu and Sun bowed to the emperor and bid farewell, they left the main hall, walked around the bushes, and went to the side door together.The Wuying Hall is located in a corner of the imperial palace, its shape is not comparable to that of the Qianqing Palace, and the side door is also low and narrow, so it is difficult for two people to pass through side by side.I saw that when Lu and Sun came to the side door, they turned sideways at the same time, let them stand by the door, and waited for the other party to go first.

"Master Lu, please."

"Master Sun please first."

Sun Chuanting was stunned for a moment, stared at him, waved his hands and said, "Hey~ Mr. Lu's official position is higher than that of the lower officials. How can we let Mr. Lu make way. Mr. Lu will invite you first."

But Lu Xiangsheng did not move, arched his hands, and said with a slight smile: "Master Sun, you are welcome. Lu and Mr. Sun have their own duties, and they both serve the Ming Dynasty. How can there be any difference between them? Mr. Sun is much older than Mr. Lu." , This time, it has relieved the imperial court of a serious problem that has been a headache for many years, so how can Lu be arrogant and disrespectful by relying on the vain words of official etiquette."

Hearing this, Sun Chuanting stretched out his hand to stroke his full cheeks, and burst out laughing, blushing all over his face: "Sun Mou didn't care about those empty words, but most people are obsessed with it, so Sun Mou has to pay attention to it." "Speaking, his expression became serious again, "Although this is the first time I have met Mr. Lu, Mr. Sun has heard about Mr. Lu's achievements and character, and he admires him very much. Although he is serving the court, Mr. Sun How can the benefits of this battle compare to Master Lu's illustrious military exploits over the years? But since it's meaningless, it's not interesting to give way in this side door, so Sun would rather obey his orders than be respectful, and go ahead."

After finishing speaking, Sun Chuanting cupped his hands proudly, took a step forward, and stepped out of the threshold. Lu Xiangsheng also stepped out of the side door. The two talked and laughed loudly all the way, and left the Hall of Martial Arts.

three

"Sir, you are back."

In the evening, in the camp where the Tianxiong Army was stationed outside the capital, before Lu Xiangsheng got off his horse, a young man rushed forward from the door and held the reins for Lu Xiangsheng.This man was about twenty years old, not tall, and ordinary in appearance, but his eyes were quick, his movements were light, and he looked intelligent.He held the reins and stabilized the horse for Lu Xiangsheng. As soon as Lu Xiangsheng got off the horse, he handed over the reins to the soldiers who raised the horses, and walked with Lu Xiangsheng to the camp of the Chinese army.

"Lu Kai, are you waiting for me at the door?" Lu Xiangsheng asked as he walked.

"It's all right." Mimi, the attendant named Yang Lukai, replied with a smile, "I have sorted out all the files on my lord's table, and I have nothing to do. Seeing that my lord has not returned, I waited at the gate of the camp." My lord is back."

"If you have nothing to do, read and write, and you will have a better future in the future." Lu Xiangsheng twitched his lips and joked, "I have been with me for so many years, and I only know some big characters, how many baskets can I know? "

Yang Lukai chuckled and scratched his head embarrassedly. "A villain can't compare to an adult in both civil and military skills. When a villain sees the crooked characters, his brain hurts like hell." Then he smiled mischievously, put aside the topic and asked: "My lord has an audience with Your Majesty today, Your Majesty You must have praised your lord well, right?"

Lu Xiangsheng smiled and waved his hands.

"Does Your Majesty give Your Excellency any official rewards?" Yang Lukai said, lifting the curtain of the Chinese military tent for Lu Xiangsheng.

"I'm already the governor of the five provinces, so I don't have any officials to give me." Lu Xiang ascended into the tent, hung his whip on the post, and untied his official uniform from his waist with both hands, "This time, His Majesty ordered me to concurrently serve as Governor Xuanda , to lead the war in the Northwest Central Plains is already a mighty grace of the emperor."

"This is not a reward. My lord is already busy governing the five provinces of the Central Plains. Adding Xuanda, how can this be unbearable." Yang Lukai frowned slightly, took the official uniform that Lu Xiangsheng took off, folded it and put it on a wooden hanger .

"Cannibalism is a matter of being loyal to others, not to mention being loyal to the country. This is a matter of one's own duty, so how can you be too busy." Lu Xiangsheng stepped back from the crown, and said seriously.

Yang Lukai stuck out his tongue, and said again: "Did Your Majesty say that we would pay more for our Tianxiong Army?"

Hearing this, Lu Xiangsheng lowered his eyelids and shook his head.

"No pay increase?" Yang Lukai opened his eyes wide, "Then our lieutenant soldiers..."

"Hey, don't complain." Lu Xiangsheng interrupted Yang Lukai with a wave of his hand, and sat down behind the table, "I heard that the national treasury is empty, and it is difficult to pay the military salary for those who have been fighting for years, so it doesn't matter if you don't increase it."

Yang Lukai seemed to want to say something, rolled his eyes, swallowed his words again, took out the tea set from the small cabinet next to him and poured tea for Lu Xiangsheng, and put it on the table and put it firmly.

"Your Excellency said the day before yesterday that you had something to say to the Holy Majesty, but did you say it all?"

"Going with Mr. Sun today, there is no chance, let's wait for the next time." Lu Xiangsheng took out a ledger-like book from a stack of files, flipped through it, and said, "Go and tell the army, and we will leave for Datong today. This time King Qin, all the officers and soldiers of the army have made meritorious service, and when they arrive in Datong and settle down, they will be rewarded according to their merits, and reward everyone for their hard work, so that the soldiers can rest assured."

"Don't worry, everyone." Yang Lukai frowned, and smiled again, "How often have the words of the adults been broken? With the words of the adults, everyone must be full of energy when driving. The villain will pass the order." Said Then, he saluted Lu Xiangsheng and ran out of the Chinese military tent.