Chapter 149

The sky screen scene changed immediately.

Zhu Di passed away, Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne, and was Ming Renzong.

Zhang Shi was established as Empress.

However, this crown prince who had suffered for many years died suddenly after only ten months on the throne.

In the Qianqing Palace, 47-year-old Zhu Gaochi lay on the dragon couch, breathing his last.

Empress Zhang held his hand, tears streaming down her face.

"Your Majesty..." she choked and couldn't speak.

Zhu Gaochi opened his eyes, looked at his wife who had been with him for nearly thirty years, and said weakly:

"Empress... I... I have failed you."

"Not long after ascending the throne, I have to leave you... and Zhanji..."

"Your Majesty, don't say that."

Empress Zhang shook her head, "Your Majesty in these ten months, pardoned the old ministers of Jianwen, abolished harsh policies, and rested with the people... you are already a wise monarch, the people will remember Your Majesty."

Zhu Gaochi gasped: "After I leave... Zhanji ascends the throne, he is young and vigorous... you should remind him more."

"And Gaoxu... he will definitely not be convinced, I am afraid there will be changes... you, you must stabilize the court situation..."

Empress Zhang nodded heavily: "Your Majesty, don't worry, I know."

Zhu Gaochi looked at her, his eyes full of attachment and guilt, and finally, slowly closed his eyes.

"Your Majesty—!" Empress Zhang fell on the couch and cried.

However, the country cannot be without a monarch for a day.

She endured the grief, wiped away her tears, and summoned the cabinet ministers Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, Yang Pu, and the British Duke Zhang Fu.

"The late emperor died suddenly, the crown prince is supervising the country in Nanjing, and the Han Prince is watching from Le'an."

Empress Zhang's voice was hoarse, but exceptionally calm.

"The top priority is to keep the funeral secret and summon the crown prince back to Beijing to ascend the throne. This matter, let the British Duke and Minister Yang handle it, and it must be foolproof."

She looked at Yang Shiqi again: "Draft the edict, in the tone of the late emperor, ordering the crown prince to succeed to the throne immediately."

"In the edict, appease the Han Prince, increase his salary, give him treasures, and temporarily stabilize his heart."

The ministers took the order solemnly.

This empress who had just lost her husband showed amazing calmness and strategy in the face of drastic changes.

Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji rushed back to Beijing and successfully ascended the throne, and was Ming Xuanzong.

Honored his mother Zhang Shi as Empress Dowager.

This was the first Empress Dowager since the founding of the Great Ming.

Zhu Zhanji was 27 years old, in his prime, but respected his mother extremely.

Major military and national affairs must be reported to the Empress Dowager first.

"Mother, Han Prince Gaoxu really rebelled."

One day, Zhu Zhanji came to Cining Palace with a solemn face.

Empress Dowager Zhang was reading the memorial, put down the document in her hand when she heard this, and said calmly: "What does Your Majesty intend to do?"

Zhu Zhanji gritted his teeth: "Personal expedition! I want to personally quell the rebellion and let the world see what the end of rebellion is!"

Empress Dowager Zhang shook her head: "Your Majesty's personal expedition can naturally boost the morale of the army. But there are two things Your Majesty needs to do first."

"Please instruct me, Mother."

"First, announce to the world, when counting the crimes of the Han Prince, only mention his disobedience, not old grievances."

"He is your uncle and also a hero of Jingnan. Your Majesty should show the degree of a benevolent monarch and not let the world say that Your Majesty is mean."

"Second, order the Jinyiwei to closely monitor Zhao Prince Gaosui. Gaoxu rebelled, Gaosui may not have no heart, but wait for conclusive evidence before acting, and must not implicate the innocent because of one person's crime."

Zhu Zhanji suddenly realized: "I understand, Mother."

In the first year of Xuande, Zhu Zhanji personally led the expedition and quickly quelled the Han Prince's rebellion.

According to his mother's words, he did not kill the Han Prince, but deposed him as a commoner and imprisoned him in the Xi'an Gate.

For the Zhao Prince, he did not investigate deeply, but only reduced his guards.

The court and the public praised Xuanzong for his benevolence, but did not know that behind it was Empress Dowager Zhang's deep planning.

Although Empress Dowager Zhang participated in politics, she had a sense of proportion.

She never attended the court, did not meet foreign ministers (except for important ministers), and all opinions were conveyed only through the emperor or the Sili Jian.

What is even more rare is that she strictly restrained her relatives.

Her brother Zhang Chang, who reached the position of Left Commander of the Central Military Governor's Mansion, once entered the palace to visit and talked about a vacancy for an official, seemingly intending to seek an official position for his nephews.

Empress Dowager Zhang immediately darkened her face: "Is brother here today to talk about family affection, or to interfere in politics?"

Zhang Chang knelt down in a hurry: "I dare not! Just mentioned it casually..."

"Mentioned it casually?"

Empress Dowager Zhang said coldly, "The interference of relatives in politics is a great taboo of the country. My Zhang family has received the imperial favor to the extreme, and should be content and cautious."

"From now on, the nephews of the Zhang family are only allowed to study and practice martial arts, and are not allowed to seek official positions recklessly. If anyone dares to use my name to show off outside, don't blame me for not caring about the brother-sister relationship!"

Zhang Chang was sweating profusely and kowtowed repeatedly.

This matter spread, and the court and the public were solemn.

Since then, throughout Empress Dowager Zhang's life, no one in the Zhang family dared to interfere in court politics, becoming a model for the relatives of the Ming Dynasty.

She also often advised the emperor to cherish the people's strength.

The fifth year of Xuande.

Zhu Zhanji wanted to rebuild the three main halls of the Forbidden City, Empress Dowager Zhang dissuaded: "Although the three main halls are destroyed, the Fengtian Gate, Fengtian Hall, and Huangji Hall can still be used for morning meetings."

"Now the people have just caught their breath, it is not appropriate to start construction. Wait until the national treasury is full before repairing."

Zhu Zhanji followed, and postponed the construction of the hall.

The saved silver was used to reduce taxes and help disaster victims.

The tenth year of Xuande, the national strength of Great Ming reached its peak, historically known as the "Renxuan Prosperity".

The people were happy, the national treasury was full, and the four seas were submissive.

And behind this prosperous age, there was always an old woman silently steering the ship in the Cining Palace.

Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng rarely showed approval,

"Not attending the court but the court order is strict, not interfering in politics but the world is governed. This woman deeply understands the principle of 'governing a big country like cooking a small fish'. The restraint of relatives is especially good, and it can be a law for all ages."

Han Gaozu Liu Bang didn't dare to talk nonsense at this moment, only whispered to Xiao He:

"This Zhang Shi is too powerful. Tsk, if Empress Lv had half her clarity..."

Before he finished speaking, he felt a chill on his back.

Looking back, Lv Zhi was staring at him coldly.

Liu Bang hurriedly changed his words: "I meant... each has its own merits, each has its own merits!"

Tang Taizong Li Shimin sighed: "Yao and Shun among women, well-deserved."

"The emperor died suddenly, she could keep the funeral secret and stabilize the new monarch;

The Han Prince rebelled, she could advise benevolence and forgiveness;

Relatives interfered in politics, she could strictly restrain them.

What is even more rare is that she always stayed in the harem and never crossed the thunder pool. This concentration, I admire."

Empress Zhangsun sighed: "She has lost her husband, lost her son, and everyone close to her has left her one by one, her heart must be very uncomfortable."

Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang was already grinning from ear to ear.

"Bia'er! Did you see! This is the daughter-in-law of my Zhu family! Hahahaha!"

Zhu Yuanzhang danced, "Xu Miaoyun guarded Beiping, this Zhang Shi stabilized three dynasties! My Great Ming, produces virtuous empresses! This is the ancestral grave of my Zhu family smoking green smoke!"

Empress Ma also smiled,

"Chongba, keep your voice down. But this Zhang Shi really won glory for my Great Ming, the Renxuan Prosperity, she has half the credit."

Zhu Biao smiled and nodded, feeling proud that the fourth brother would have such a good daughter-in-law in the future.

Young Zhu Di secretly clenched his fists:

If I have such a daughter-in-law in the future, that kid Gaochi... is worthy of it.

Ming Chengzu Zhu Di plane.

Zhu Di looked at the gray-haired Empress Dowager Zhang on the sky screen, remembered her appearance in the Yan Prince Mansion when she was young, and his eyes were slightly wet.

"Miaoyun, the daughter-in-law you chose is even more outstanding than you and I thought."

He muttered, "Gaochi died after ten months on the throne, she could stabilize the overall situation;

Zhanji was young and vigorous, she could remind him at the right time;

Gaoxu rebelled, she could advise benevolence and forgiveness.

What is even more rare is that she always kept her duty and never crossed the thunder pool."

"My Great Ming having her is the protection of the ancestors."