Chapter 148

The sky screen slowly unfolded again, and the loud voice resounded through all dynasties.

【She experienced six dynasties, assisted three emperors, did not hang the curtain but the court order was strict, did not interfere in politics but the world was peaceful.

She is the helmsman behind the prosperous age, the guardian in front of the young master.

Ming people praise her: Yao and Shun among women.】

【Today's inventory of the top ten virtuous empresses in history, second place—Great Ming. Empress Chengxiao Zhao. Zhang Shi】

The sky screen picture focused and fell into the Cining Palace.

An old woman dressed in dark green Di clothes and wearing a nine-dragon and four-phoenix crown sat on the phoenix chair.

Her face was kind, but her eyes were clear as a mirror, not angry but majestic.

The palace maids on the left and right stood with their heads down, and the sunlight outside the hall shone through the window lattice, casting mottled light and shadow on her.

【Character file, golden characters appear】

Name: Zhang Shi (Empress Chengxiao Zhao)

Identity: The first wife of Ming Renzong Zhu Gaochi, the biological mother of Ming Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji, and the grandmother of Ming Yingzong Zhu Qizhen

Title: Princess Consort, Crown Princess, Empress, Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager.

Evaluation: Yao and Shun among women, the Dinghai God Needle of the Renxuan Prosperity.

【Immediately, the sky screen began to narrate Zhang Shi's life.】

In the twenty-eighth year of Hongwu, Yan Prince Mansion in Beiping.

Eighteen-year-old Zhang Shi was selected as the Princess Consort of Yan Prince Zhu Gaochi.

She was born in Yongcheng, Henan, and her father Zhang Lin was just a small deputy commander of the army and horses, and her family background was not prominent.

On the day she entered the mansion, she saw her husband for the first time—the 19-year-old Yan Prince Consort Zhu Gaochi.

Zhu Gaochi was fat and slow in movement, and often appeared dull and clumsy in front of the heroic Yan Prince Zhu Di.

His two younger brothers, Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu and Zhao Prince Zhu Gaosui, were not very respectful to this elder brother.

"Are you Zhang Shi?"

Zhu Gaochi was a little cramped, rubbing his hands.

Zhang Shi bowed: "I am Zhang Shi, I have seen the Prince Consort."

She looked up and saw the gentleness and kindness that flashed in Zhu Gaochi's eyes.

At that moment, she knew that the rumors that the Prince Consort was "dull" were not the truth.

He was just not good at expressing himself, but his heart was softer than anyone else's.

Not long after the wedding, she became famous for her filial piety.

Every morning, she must go to Yan Prince and Xu Princess (Xu Miaoyun) to pay respects, regardless of wind or rain.

Xu Miaoyun liked this daughter-in-law very much and often held her hand and said: "Gaochi is kind, with you assisting, I am relieved."

In the first year of Jianwen, Yan Prince Zhu Di raised troops for "Jingnan".

Zhu Gaochi was ordered to stay in Beiping, and Zhang Shi accompanied him.

That was the most dangerous moment since the founding of the Great Ming.

Li Jinglong's 500,000-strong army surrounded the city, and Beiping was as dangerous as a pile of eggs.

Mother-in-law Xu Miaoyun put on armor and climbed the city wall, while Zhang Shi comforted the family members inside, dispatched food and grass, and took care of the wounded soldiers.

At the most difficult time, there was a shortage of food in the city, and Zhang Shi took the lead in reducing expenses, taking out the gold and silver jewelry from her dowry to exchange for food to help the people.

A servant woman didn't understand: "Princess Consort, this is your private money..."

Zhang Shi shook her head: "If the city is broken, what is the use of these? If we can hold Beiping, even if we exhaust everything, it is worth it."

She was pregnant (carrying Zhu Zhanji) and worked day and night.

Xu Miaoyun returned from patrolling the city and saw her still checking the accounts under the lamp, sighing: "Good child, go and rest, you are a person with a body."

Zhang Shi said: "Mother is defending the enemy on the front line, how can I sleep peacefully? Being able to share the worries for Mother is my blessing."

Xu Miaoyun held her hand, tears in her eyes: "Gaochi getting you is God's favor to my Yan Prince Mansion."

Jingnan succeeded, Zhu Di ascended the throne, and was the Yongle Emperor.

Zhu Gaochi was established as Crown Prince, and Zhang Shi was Crown Princess.

However, the struggle for the throne did not end.

Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu had great military exploits and was deeply loved by Zhu Di, and repeatedly had the heart to change the crown prince.

The Crown Prince's mansion was like walking on thin ice.

Zhang Shi knew her husband's situation and was even more cautious in her words and deeds.

She was filial to her parents-in-law, treated the palace people well, and managed the East Palace in an orderly manner.

More importantly, she gave birth to the eldest son Zhu Zhanji for Zhu Gaochi.

Zhu Zhanji was intelligent since childhood and was deeply loved by his grandfather Zhu Di.

The ninth year of Yongle.

Zhu Di returned from his personal expedition to the north of the desert, and ten-year-old Zhu Zhanji greeted him in the suburbs of Beijing.

Zhu Di saw that he was skilled in riding and shooting and responded appropriately, overjoyed, hugged him onto the horse's back, and said to those around him: "This is the peaceful emperor of the future!"

This sentence spread throughout the court and the public.

The momentum of the Han Prince party was frustrated.

When Zhang Shi learned of this, she had no joy, but called Zhu Zhanji to her front and warned him seriously: "Your grandfather's words are encouragement, not a fixed number."

"Your father is still in the position of crown prince like walking on the edge of an abyss, you must be even more cautious in your words and deeds, study hard and cultivate virtue, and must not have any arrogance."

Zhu Zhanji bowed: "I will remember mother's teachings."

She often pleaded for the Crown Prince in front of Zhu Di and Empress Xu.

She never praised her husband directly, but told her parents-in-law the summaries of the memorials reviewed by the Crown Prince every day and the measures to sympathize with the people as family gossip.

Empress Xu often sighed in front of Zhu Di: "Gaochi is kind, Zhang Shi is virtuous, Zhanji is intelligent. The position of crown prince should be as stable as Mount Tai."

Although Zhu Di did not say it clearly, his suspicion of the Crown Prince did indeed fade.

Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang plane.

In the Nanjing Palace, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the young Zhang Shi on the sky screen, then looked at Crown Prince Zhu Biao beside him, and grinned.

"Sister! Did you see? This is the daughter-in-law of the fourth child! My granddaughter-in-law!"

Zhu Yuanzhang slapped his thigh, triumphant.

"Look, how virtuous! During Jingnan, she helped guard Beiping; after becoming Crown Princess, she knew how to restrain her relatives and be filial to her parents-in-law. Good! Very good!"

Empress Ma also nodded with a smile: "This girl has clear eyes and acts with measure, she is someone who can take on big things."

Zhu Biao said warmly: "The fourth brother is lucky, Gaochi is lucky, Great Ming is lucky."

Young Yan Prince Zhu Di (not yet enfeoffed at this time) was on the side, looking at his future daughter-in-law on the sky screen, and then looking at his father, mother, and eldest brother, muttering in his heart:

Can I really be emperor in the future? That kid Gaochi... can be crown prince? My future daughter-in-law... is really not bad.

Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng plane.

Ying Zheng looked at the sky screen and nodded slightly: "Stable without fighting, prominent without showing. This woman deeply understands the wonder of 'doing nothing'."

"The crown prince's position is dangerous, she is not anxious or impatient, with filial piety and virtue, slowly planning, she has wisdom."

Li Si said: "What is even more rare is that she taught the imperial grandson to be humble. 'The peaceful emperor of the future' was originally a reassurance, but she let her grandson not be arrogant. This clarity, many ministers in the court cannot compare."

Han Gaozu Liu Bang plane.

Liu Bang learned to be obedient at this moment, stole a glance at Lv Zhi first, and seeing that Empress Lv was focusing on the sky screen, he whispered:

"This Zhu family, why are there so many virtuous empresses? Xu Miaoyun guarded Beiping, this Zhang Shi stabilized the East Palace. Tsk, why don't I have this luck..."

Lv Zhi glanced at him coldly: "Is Your Majesty complaining that I am not virtuous enough?"

Liu Bang shrank his neck: "How could it be! The Empress is the most virtuous! I meant... I meant that this Zhang Shi really has some of the style of the Empress back then!"

Lv Zhi snorted and ignored him, but thought to herself: This woman's methods are soft and hard, using filial piety to consolidate favor, using her son to stabilize her position, seemingly doing nothing, but actually using her heart everywhere, she is a powerful character.

Tang Taizong Li Shimin plane.

Li Shimin smiled at Empress Zhangsun: "Guanyinbi, what do you think of this woman?"

Empress Zhangsun pondered: "She is different from Wei Zifu. Empress Wei uses not fighting as fighting, while Zhang Shi uses stability as progress."

"The crown prince's position is dangerous, she doesn't fight, doesn't argue, just does her duty—filial piety to parents-in-law, teaching descendants, managing internal affairs, over time, people's hearts naturally return, this is great wisdom."

Li Shimin said: "What is even more rare is that she restrains her relatives, the interference of relatives in politics is a great disaster for all dynasties, she has such clarity, it is rare."

Three Kingdoms plane.

Cao Cao stroked his beard and smiled: "This woman has the style of a national scholar! The crown prince's position is dangerous, she doesn't play conspiracies, doesn't use tricks, just cultivates herself and manages her family, but this is the hardest to break."

Zhuge Liang in Chengdu, gently shook his feather fan: "Filial piety to serve the superior, virtue to manage the family, wisdom to teach the son."

"With such a person assisting the Ming Dynasty crown prince, even if there are a hundred storms, he can pass through safely. The national fortune of Great Ming depends a lot on this woman."