Chapter 63: The Emperor Must Not Cry

"Wuwuwu…"

From the Palace of Earthly Tranquility came the Chongzhen Emperor's heartbroken wails. The Chongzhen Emperor had long since regained consciousness. The fall from the steps of the Gate of Imperial Supremacy had not hurt him badly — he had merely knocked a few lumps on his head against the white marble steps and briefly lost awareness. He had woken up just as Zhu Cilang came down to check on him.

But the Chongzhen Emperor was a quick-witted man. How could he let the Crown Prince discover that he had not actually fainted? If he were found out, he might well be killed on the spot! This was rebellion and usurpation!

So the Chongzhen Emperor lay stiff as a board, playing dead, all the way until he was carried into the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.

When Chongzhen was carried in, Empress Zhou and Noble Consort Yuan were both there, as were Prince Ding, Zhu Cijiong; Prince Yong, Zhu Cizhao; the not-yet-enfeoffed fifth prince, Zhu Cihuan; Princess Kunxing, Zhu Meichuo; and the six-year-old Princess Zhaoren, Zhu Shuchuo.

Empress Zhou and Noble Consort Yuan had already changed into coarse cloth garments, and the three princes and two princesses were likewise all disguised, every one of them in rough homespun. The youngest, Princess Zhaoren, Zhu Shuchuo, was still fussing and crying, complaining that the coarse clothes were ugly and demanding to change into something flowery.

When they saw Chongzhen carried in by the eunuchs, Empress Zhou, Noble Consort Yuan, and the children were all terrified and crowded around him. And Chongzhen, who was playing dead with his eyes narrowed, saw through the slits of his eyelids how his family was dressed — and was at once so furious he came back to life.

His wife and children had clearly long since made ready to flee at any moment!

Who had told them to do this? He, the Emperor, had issued no decree ordering preparations for flight! There was no need to ask — it had to be that rebellious, usurping son, Zhu Cilang.

Fine. Now not only did the treacherous ministers of the outer court all obey Zhu Cilang, but even the Chongzhen Emperor's own wife and children at home obeyed Zhu Cilang.

The Chongzhen Emperor had become a man utterly alone!

The Chongzhen Emperor was heartbroken! He was in no mood to lecture his wife and children. All that was left to him was to weep and wail.

It seemed his reign had truly come to an end. Not only could he not govern the realm, but even his own family no longer listened to him. What point was there in any of it? Thinking on it only made him sadder, and so he wept as though he would die of grief.

When Empress Zhou and Noble Consort Yuan saw Chongzhen suddenly "rise from the dead" and then weep as though his heart would break, they both thought he had gone mad or something of the sort, and hurriedly grabbed hold of Wang Cheng'en, who had brought Chongzhen back, to question him.

"Your Highnesses, it is terrible — His Highness the Thousand Years, he — he…"

"What has happened to Cilang?" Empress Zhou was frightened by the weeping Wang Cheng'en and thought Zhu Cilang had been struck while commanding the battle on the city wall. She pressed him urgently.

Before Wang Cheng'en could answer, the Chongzhen Emperor roared: "Rebellion! That unfilial son has rebelled… How could We have begotten such an unworthy son…"

"What? What… Cilang has rebelled?" Empress Zhou's face went deathly pale at these words. She looked at the Chongzhen Emperor and asked, "Then has he — has he already been, been… deposed by Your Majesty?"

"Deposed, my foot!" Chongzhen stamped his foot. "Every last court minister deserves death! Every man in the Capital Camps is a rebel! All of them have turned…"

Thank goodness… Empress Zhou let out a long breath of relief. Since everyone had turned, that meant Zhu Cilang's usurpation had succeeded. Then all was well — everyone would keep their lives.

Noble Consort Yuan also breathed easier, then asked timidly: "Could it be — could it be that Your Majesty's throne has been passed to the Crown Prince?"

She was just as afraid of death as Empress Zhou…

"Not yet!" Chongzhen said through gritted teeth, his voice full of hatred. "There are still loyal subjects and righteous men throughout the realm. How could they stand by and watch such an unfilial son carry out his usurpation?"

Empress Zhou muttered under her breath: "If there really were so many loyal subjects and righteous men, why have none of them come to lift the siege of the capital?"

"You—"

The Chongzhen Emperor was furious! Not only at his wife, but even more at all the loyal subjects and righteous men under heaven. This enlightened sovereign was on the verge of being beaten to death by the rebels — why did none of you rally to the throne?

Just as he was seething, a young eunuch rushed in flustered, said something to Wang Cheng'en, and then Wang Cheng'en announced loudly: "Imperial Father, the Crown Prince has arrived at the Palace of Earthly Tranquility…"

"What?" The Chongzhen Emperor forgot even his anger, leaving only fear. "Did he bring soldiers?"

"He did, he did — he brought the Eastern Palace guards!"

Of course Zhu Cilang would not come alone; otherwise Wang Cheng'en could have had the eunuchs seize him. So he came with his guards, and had not even removed his armor, and still wore his sword at his side. If there were an ambush in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, it would be a bloody fight!

"We — We…" The Chongzhen Emperor set his jaw. "We cannot let this unfilial son know We have awakened!"

With that he headed straight for the Empress's bedchamber, then lay stiff as a board on the bed, playing dead.

Zhu Cilang had in fact heard the Chongzhen Emperor's roar from outside the main gate of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. When he entered, he did not see Chongzhen, only Empress Zhou, Noble Consort Yuan, and his younger siblings, all changed into commoners' clothes.

Zhu Cilang first bowed to Empress Zhou and Noble Consort Yuan, then asked: "Where is Imperial Father?"

"Imperial Father has been angered by you and is still unconscious!" The speaker was a girl of fifteen or sixteen, dressed in coarse cloth, though it could not conceal her beauty and nobility. At that moment she was glaring at Zhu Cilang with a pair of lovely eyes.

This was Princess Kunxing, Zhu Meichuo. Zhu Cilang remembered her, then glanced at the beautiful girl's arm and asked: "Sister, is your arm all right?"

"My arm?" Zhu Meichuo was baffled. She swung her arms. "What could be wrong with it?"

It would have made your father cut it off! Zhu Cilang thought to himself: Without me as your brother, you would be the Reverend Nine Adversities by now — how pitiful!

"As long as you're all right!" Zhu Cilang smiled, then helped himself to a chair and sat down. "You all sit too… We're all family; no need to stand on ceremony."

Is that for you to say? Empress Zhou's fine brows furrowed deeply, but she did not take her son to task. She waved a hand and let everyone find their own seats.

"Imperial Mother, is Imperial Father all right?" Zhu Cilang asked.

"He is all right." Empress Zhou sighed. "How did it come to this?"

Zhu Cilang gave a bitter smile. "If it had not come to this, we could hardly have gotten away at all. Imperial Father wanted to personally lead the army to do battle with Li Zicheng — could that possibly work? If your son had not remonstrated by force… our whole family would be exterminated!"

He paused, then lowered his voice: "What of Empress Yi'an, Lady Ning, and Grandfather? Is everything ready?"

"Everything is ready. Lady Zhang and Lady Ning are together, and both have changed into commoners' clothes." Empress Zhou said, "It is only that your grandfather has too much money — there are not enough carts, and he wishes to borrow some from you."

"None to lend!" Zhu Cilang's answer was just two words. He paused, then said crossly: "We leave at the hour of zi on the twenty-first! If he wants to come, he can come. If he cannot bear to part with his money, he can stay!"

"We leave at the hour of zi on the twenty-first?"

"So soon?"

Empress Zhou and Noble Consort Yuan were both startled.

"Naturally." Zhu Cilang said, "Since we are leaving, the sooner the better… there must be no delay. Today is the nineteenth; there is a little more than a day until the hour of zi on the twenty-first. Those willing to go should have finished packing by then."

When fleeing for your life, the faster the better! This was also a lesson Zhu Cilang had learned in his later years in the financial world! When cutting your losses and liquidating a position, never hesitate or wait! Beijing right now was the trap of the century — one must decisively cut and get out, or the only road left was death.

Empress Zhou asked: "Where are we going?"

Zhu Cilang said: "We will split into two routes. One goes toward Tongzhou, the other toward Shunyi. The Tongzhou route turns south to the Tianjin garrison; the Shunyi route heads for Yongping to join up with Wu Sangui."

"How do we divide?" Empress Zhou asked.

Zhu Cilang said: "We, Imperial Father, Imperial Mother, Lady Zhang, and Lady Ning, along with my two imperial sisters, take one route. Noble Consort Yuan, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, and Fifth Brother take the other."

Empress Zhou glanced at Prince Ding, Zhu Cijiong. He was three years younger than Zhu Cilang, only thirteen this year, with a face as fair as polished jade, and he possessed a composure beyond his years. Upon hearing that he was to be separated from his father and mother, he showed little sign of panic.

"Cilang, your third brother is to be separated from us?" Empress Zhou looked reluctant.

Zhu Cilang smiled. "Merely a precaution… Third Brother is a son of the Empress. If anything should befall Us and Imperial Father, he could still bear the realm of the Great Ming. Therefore he cannot travel with us — he must flee separately. But Imperial Mother may rest assured: Third Brother, Fourth Brother, and Fifth Brother's route will be protected by the Palace Guard and the elite of the Capital Camps, and they will be moving toward Wu Sangui's main army."

He then turned to Wang Cheng'en and said: "Companion Wang, I must trouble you to travel with Prince Ding… We will also arrange for Zu Zepu to lead a detachment of cavalry to accompany you. If anything untoward happens, you and Zu Zepu are to escort Our three younger brothers and Noble Consort Yuan away first!"

"This old slave understands," Wang Cheng'en said, thumping his chest. "This old slave will stake his life to preserve the three princes and Her Highness the Noble Consort!"

Zhu Cilang smiled and nodded. "Good! It's all up to you now!"

(End of Chapter)