Chapter 27: The Longest-Lived Consort

This Western Li was in fact the historical Consort Li, known as Consort Kang of Li, and unlike Consort Zhuang of Li, she was extremely favored.

Back then, when his cheap father, the Taichang Emperor, had just ascended the throne, he wanted to enshrine Western Li as Noble Consort. The enshrinement ceremony was approaching, but Emperor Guangzong suddenly died, so it never came to pass.

This Western Li's ambitions were considerable—the Relocation Case was her doing, and she wanted to rule behind a curtain, but the ministers stopped her, and she failed.

At the same time, Western Li was also the ruthless and merciless one.

The Tianqi Emperor's birth mother was Lady Wang, a talent, whose status in the Crown Prince's household was second only to the Crown Princess, née Guo.

After Guo died of illness, Lady Wang rose in status through her son, becoming the woman of the highest actual standing in the Crown Prince's household.

But Western Li, presuming on her favor, utterly disregarded Lady Wang and constantly bullied her.

In the forty-seventh year of Wanli, Western Li flew into a rage for some unknown reason and actually beat Lady Wang to death.

In fact, Zhu Youxiao could guess part of it—she wanted to hold the son of Lady Wang in her own hands, because he was very likely the future Crown Prince.

Although Western Li had also borne a son, the child died at the age of five. She did not want great power to fall into other hands, so killing Lady Wang and holding the imperial prince in her grip was naturally a very safe move.

Things went exactly as Western Li had planned—she obtained the right to raise Zhu Youxiao, the son of Lady Wang, securing for herself an important piece of political capital.

The Chongzhen Emperor, Zhu Youjian, had also been handed to Western Li for raising after his birth mother, Lady Liu, was condemned to death by his father.

Western Li wanted to be made Empress, but her cheap father died too quickly—there was no time for anything.

By the time the Tianqi Emperor ascended the throne, Western Li had stirred up another Relocation Case. Unlike Eastern Li, this Western Li had a very good relationship with Madam Ke.

This Western Li's methods were sharp—she spread rumors that the Tianqi Emperor abused his foster mother, driving her to throw herself and her daughter into a well in suicide.

Censor Jia Jichun submitted a memorial accusing the Donglin Faction of excessive interference in inner-court affairs and was met with a storm of denunciation.

The Tianqi Emperor issued an edict exposing how Western Li had beaten his own mother, Lady Wang, to death and abused him, and stripped Jia Jichun of his post.

The Tianqi Emperor doted on Madam Ke largely because she filled his need for a mother—his birth mother had died very early, and his foster mother treated him poorly, so the only person he could confide in was Madam Ke.

The Chongzhen Emperor felt the same way toward his foster mother, Consort Zhuang of Li, which is why he unhesitatingly killed Madam Ke and Wei Zhongxian. It was just that Consort Zhuang of Li died early and could not hold on for another two years.

Every sip and every peck is repaid in kind—there is no such thing as coincidence in this world.

Zhu Youxiao naturally would not let the harem fall into such chaos again. He decisively killed Madam Ke, and next he would kill this Western Li, Consort Kang of Li.

Historically, this Consort Kang of Li lived a very long life.

In the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, the Ming dynasty fell. The Chongzhen Emperor's Empress Zhou, the Tianqi Emperor's Empress Zhang, and many eunuchs and palace maids in the palace all committed suicide to die for their country.

But given Consort Kang of Li's character, she naturally did not have such lofty integrity—she was captured by Li Zicheng, and later fell into the hands of the Qing court.

She and some other surviving Ming consorts who had fled were all supported at Qing government expense, and she passed away on the eighteenth day of the fifth month in the thirteenth year of Kangxi, having lived to at least eighty-some years of age.

Western Li, Consort Kang of Li, was one of the longest-lived consorts in China's two thousand years of feudal history.

At that point, fifty-four years had passed since the Relocation Case, and a full thirty years since the fall of the Ming dynasty.

Her husband's house—the Zhu Ming dynasty—had long since turned to ashes. Her only daughter had long since died of illness, and her son-in-law, grandsons, and granddaughters had all taken their own lives, the entire family gone.

Recalling this Western Li, Consort Kang of Li, Zhu Youxiao let out a light sigh. He had to admit—this one was quite a talent too!

Consort Dowager Zhuang moving into Ciqing Palace was naturally news that could not be hidden, but the outer court truly had no way to concern itself with such matters, because they were already at their wits' end.

The reason was simple: Li Ruzhen had been thrown into the Eastern Depot's prison, and matters were becoming increasingly unmanageable. When the Donglin Faction members received this news, countless party members instantly panicked.

That evening, these people once again gathered at the residence of Sun Shenxing, Minister of Rites, to discuss countermeasures.

Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou were both present, and the Donglin elder Gao Panlong was there too—everyone's expressions were far from pleasant.

"Matters have reached a point of imminent crisis," Gao Panlong spoke first.

Among those present, Gao Panlong had the most senior standing.

When the Donglin Faction was founded, Gu Xiancheng, together with Gu Yuncheng, Gao Panlong, An Xifan, Liu Yuanzhen, Qian Yiben, Xue Fujiao, and Ye Maocai (known at the time as the Eight Gentlemen of Donglin), initiated the Donglin Assembly and formulated the Donglin Compact, stipulating that a grand assembly be held once or twice a year and a small assembly once a month.

Gao Panlong was among them. Gao Panlong passed the jinshi examination in the seventeenth year of Wanli. Later, when his father died, he returned home to observe mourning, and in the twentieth year of Wanli he was appointed a Messenger in the Office of Transmission.

In the twenty-second year of Wanli, Gao Panlong submitted a memorial impeaching Chief Grand Secretary Wang Xijue and was demoted to Constable of Jieyang, Guangdong.

In the twenty-third year of Wanli, Gao Panlong resigned from office and returned home, where he and the Gu brothers rebuilt the Donglin Academy and lectured at home for over twenty years.

It could be said that the Donglin Academy was a gathering of frustrated men. How did they become frustrated? They were a group of people who wanted to trade on reputation to win advancement.

To put it plainly, they impeached those in high positions of great power in exchange for their own futures. Once demoted, they simply went home.

Within the Donglin Faction were countless officials who had been driven out of court during Zhang Juzheng's reforms. The redundant officials eliminated by Zhang Juzheng's assessment law amounted to roughly three-tenths of all officials, and these people were never to be reappointed. At the time, Zhang Juzheng's power was great, so those who had been cut banded together.

Tracing back to the roots, one could find that these Donglin Faction men were all frustrated individuals, and at the same time a group of useless officials.

Having lectured for over twenty years, forging connections everywhere, with disciples and former subordinates—how vast was the Donglin Faction's power?

They were deeply versed in every officialdom trick. It could be said they were undefeated in the arena of court politics.

With such seniority, although Gao Panlong's official post was only Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments, his standing was very high. Later, Gao Panlong would successively hold the posts of Vice Minister of the Court of Sacrificial Worship, Right Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Chief Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

An official who had never had local governing experience—even if he was a court heavyweight, having lectured at home for over twenty years, could such a person do well as a high court official?

When the Donglin Faction came to power, they spoiled the atmosphere. Those who worked steadily at their posts could not get promoted; shooting off one's mouth was what mattered. That was how Yuan Chonghuan's bold boast of pacifying Liaodong in five years came about.

That was in the second year of Tianqi. Yuan Chonghuan went to the capital to have an audience with Zhu Youxiao, and Censor Hou Xun exceptionally promoted Yuan Chonghuan to serve in the Ministry of War.

Not long after, Guangning fell to the Later Jin army, so the court deliberated that someone should be sent to guard Shanhai Pass.

Upon learning of this, Yuan Chonghuan immediately went alone beyond the pass to survey the terrain.

After returning to court, Yuan Chonghuan submitted a statement saying: "As long as I am given sufficient troops, money, and grain, I alone can guard Shanhai Pass."

A civil official who had passed the jinshi examination, who had never fought a battle or led troops, went out for a stroll and directly became a Military Defense Commissioner, commanding the troops beyond the pass.

If such Donglin Faction members did not ruin things, then no one would.