Chapter 256 Extra Chapter 1: The Little Things About Yongzheng's Underground Palace (Forum Style)
Title: [Hot] The Yongzheng Emperor's underground palace is finally open to the public; what accompanied him in his 300-year slumber is truly astounding!
Just today, just now, an official announcement was released that the underground palace of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty has finally completed its initial development after 16 months of work with the support of new technology. It is now being prepared for exhibition and reservations can be made starting today!
1L
It's probably just a way to attract attention. Which emperor's tomb didn't contain his empress and beloved concubines? What's so suspenseful about that?
2L
Same as above, if he's not the empress, is he his own son?
3L
Haha, you upstairs really understand Emperor Yongzheng. After all, he chose his son's tomb to be located within the surrounding area next to himself. Who can say that this wasn't a unique form of companionship?
4L
Put down a stool; you never know, there might be some gossip to hear.
5L
One more comment, but it's probably just for attracting attention, since the most noteworthy things about Yongzheng have already been recorded in history books.
6L
History books? There's a lot to say about that. After all, it's rare to find a royal father and son who can get both official and unofficial histories to agree on the same story.
7L
The above is not rigorous and not entirely consistent. Official history might find unofficial history too conservative. After all, no emperor throughout history has ever left a will just to name his eldest son's child, and even reserved it for the day the child was born to issue the decree. If I were Emperor Changhe, I would have hugged the memorial and cried for my father on the spot.
8L
I know! It's the most famous imperial edict from the Qing Dynasty! It's still on display in a museum. And you know what? It takes up a lot of space just to praise the crown prince. It's so poignant that an emperor writes about his regrets in his edict. It's so moving that it makes your eyes water.
9L
From another perspective, Emperor Yongzheng was a diligent ruler who wrote millions of words of imperial edicts. How could a short imperial edict possibly express all the words he left for his beloved son? It would be more accurate to say that he was too ill to hold a pen and could only express his thoughts and feelings in the most concise language.
10L
Wow! What the person upstairs said is really possible! Judging from the date on the will, it was two days before Yongzheng died. At that time, he already knew that he would not be able to accompany his son or see his grandson anymore. Waaah, please stop hurting me!
11L
Tears streaming down my face +1
12L
Big Orange and Orange Baby are the best in the world!
13L
In such a father-son relationship that is unprecedented and unparalleled, even Yongzheng's three marriages seem rather dull.
14L
Actually, there's not much to delve into about his three empresses. The first two are barely mentioned in historical records. The first empress, who was posthumously honored during his time as a prince, died young. The second empress, who was deposed, seems to have committed some serious crime and died suddenly from illness, leaving the historical records vague.
The most records are for Empress Xiaocixian, the birth mother of Emperor Changhe. However, by following the timeline, we can see that Lady Lü's status rose because she gave birth to Emperor Changhe and Princess Jinghua.
15L
That's for sure. Raising the banner, having a tutor, bestowing official titles on the bride's family, and marrying a princess are all proof that Yongzheng was putting on a show for his son.
16L
Just wondering, I'm interested in oranges and orange babies but don't know much about them. Are there any other exhibits or historical materials in the museum that I could learn more about?
17L
There's a pair of fresh eyes here. Capture him and make him write a review after watching!
18L
Hey upstairs, let's switch places. I've been there so many times I'm practically memorizing the route, and I want to experience the same novelty of going for the first time.
19L
To give a serious answer, yes, there are quite a few.
The exhibition hall displays a portion of the memorials with imperial annotations, allowing you to see how ministers typically submitted memorials to Emperor Yongzheng. Whether it was official business or a greeting, they would always mention the Crown Prince. If it weren't for Yongzheng's instruction to follow this example, the Crown Prince would have been eliminated countless times by that petty emperor.
20L
Continuing from the previous post, according to available historical records, this is indeed the case. At some important junctures (the conferment of the title of Prince Rui, the establishment of the Crown Prince, and the grand wedding), numerous officials submitted congratulatory memorials. In fact, when Emperor Changhe was getting married, Emperor Yongzheng was seriously ill. Fearing that he would delay his son's important event, historical records clearly state that he ordered all officials to submit congratulatory memorials to the Crown Prince.
Another unofficial historical account claims that the more words a memorial wrote praising the Crown Prince, the better the writing and the more sincere the attitude, the more imperial comments it would receive. Some even claimed to have been promoted based on their flattering writing skills. The veracity of this claim remains to be verified. However, I feel it was something that Yinzhen (the future Yongzheng Emperor) would certainly have done.
21L
My goodness! He was worried that his ministers, being seriously ill, wouldn't dare congratulate the Crown Prince on his happy occasion. So he personally ordered everyone to offer their congratulations, and even more so, to do so with eloquent words. What genuine human kindness! I'll bow down in respect first.
22L
Yes, Yinzhen was an absolute son-obsessed emperor. You can tell just by looking at his most famous painting, "Yongzheng Enjoying the Fun with His Son." He didn't have time to take his son out to play, so he had people imagine and paint it. He painted one painting a year from when Hongzhao was one year old to when he was sixteen, and each painting depicted a different identity. He can be called the number one cosplayer of the Qing Dynasty.
23L
Wow, so Emperor Changhe was really lucky! With such a father protecting him and being so capable himself, wouldn't he be living the dream?
24L
Yes and no. There's a saying: the more you gain, the more painful it is to lose. Look at how much favored Hongzhao was for the first sixteen years of his reign. Yet, he was the only emperor in the entire history of the Qing Dynasty who never held a formal birthday banquet during his reign.
The next birthday banquet after he turned sixteen was the one held after he abdicated at the age of fifty, which was at Yongrui's insistence.
25L
I've gradually learned to treat my birthday as just another ordinary day. But there was a time when I also looked forward to that day immensely.
26L
Good heavens, you've crossed the line, 25th floor! We're just online friends, you're overstepping your bounds.
27L
According to unofficial historical records, the "Yongzheng Enjoying the Fun with His Son" painting was delivered to Hongzhao as a congratulatory gift after Yinzhen had already passed away. So, do you think that after that day, every year on his birthday, he would look forward to such a surprise and feel the familiar presence of his deceased father through these things?
28L
That's going too far! Why are they still chasing and killing us?!
29L
It's hard to say whether Yinzhen or Hongzhao suffered more from the loss of their child. But it's true that the living always endure a longer and more prolonged period of pain.
30L
Yes, so the first decree issued by Emperor Changhe upon ascending the throne was to order people to write books and biographies. Everyone, from high-ranking officials to common scholars, was required to write poems and essays praising Emperor Shizong's achievements and character. He also hoped that the world would remember this emperor who was so diligent in his duties that his health collapsed.
31L
It must be said that the development of poetry in the Qing Dynasty was absolutely due to the contributions of Emperor Yongzheng and his son Emperor Changhe, who wrote poems frequently. Even with their prolific output, some masterpieces still emerged.
32L OP, wait a minute! I haven't seen this for a while, how come there are so many comments? Is this the power of the top father and son in the royal family?
33L
Catching a poster
34L
The original poster is here! Stop keeping us in suspense and answer this question quickly, or we'll report you, drive traffic, and shut down the thread!
35L
Report +1
36L
Report +10086
37L Don't worry, the big news is coming soon.
The guesses in this thread (38L) are spot on. The official sources wouldn't be so idle as to make a fuss about Yongzheng's empresses and concubines. It is indeed related to Hongzhao, and even more closely than the previous discoveries.
39L
Still close? Hongzhao only moved to Yuqing Palace two days before his wedding. Before that, Yinzhen had been delaying the construction of Yuqing Palace. The father and son lived together in Yangxin Hall for more than ten years. Now, unless you tell me that Hongzhao's real body is actually in Yongzheng's underground palace, I will not say a word.
40L
Indeed, the historical records are only vague, yet they are already quite shocking. To make them even more detailed, forgive my lack of imagination, but please reveal the secret, OP.
41L
Haha, comment #39 is right, but it's impossible for that to happen. It's absurd that Emperor Changhe wouldn't sleep in his own Yuling Mausoleum, but instead dug up his father's Tailing Mausoleum and put himself inside.
42L OP, wait, wait, we've gone off-topic.
The original poster (43L) obviously couldn't have appeared in the Tai Mausoleum on his own. But everyone's direction is correct; there was indeed something beside Hongzhao that accompanied Yinzhen in his slumber in the underground palace for over three hundred years.
44L
What were those things around Hongzhao? Imperial seal? Or clothing?
45L
Oh my god, I think I have a terrifying guess! Everyone knows that in every portrait of Emperor Changhe, the painter would highlight his braid. When he was a child, there were two bells at the end of his hair, and when he grew up, they were replaced with two jade buckles. But in every portrait after Emperor Yongzheng's death, only one jade buckle can be seen.
Some people previously speculated that it symbolized adulthood, hence the removal of one piece. However, based on the original poster's statement, I feel there's nothing more representative than a jade buckle.
46L
Microscopists, please accept my bow! This observation is just too meticulous!
47L
So, is that really what you said, OP? If so, I'm going to cry.
48L
If that's true, I can't even imagine what Hongzhao must have felt back then. The little button my dad personally put on my birthday, I also personally took off and placed in my dad's coffin. Oh my god—
49L
If you look at it from another angle, if people really do linger in the mortal world after death, imagine Yinzhen watching his son, filled with grief, guarding his body, tearfully removing the beautiful ornaments he had personally worn, and murmuring "Son, I miss you so much" when no one's around. He probably felt an urge to jump back in and be brought back to life on the spot.
50L
A father who loves his son is a good father;
The son misses his father; the son is good.
The elixir of immortality has not appeared; the elixir of immortality has gone bad!
51L
In truth, Yinzhen's life can be considered complete. Even if all the TV dramas and novels were fictionalized, they couldn't create a mother who loved him. He was fortunate to have this son, who allowed him to experience love and being loved. Moreover, compared to Ma Zi and Ma Bao, Da Ju Bao's relationship was quite stable and without suspicion. So, this ending is not unsatisfactory.
52L Original Poster
The person on the 45th floor is clever. Archaeologists found two personal burial items in Emperor Yongzheng's golden coffin, one of which was a jade buckle from Hongzhao's hair. Because it was so representative, it was identified almost without hesitation.
This jade buckle will also be featured as a special exhibit in the soon-to-open new exhibition hall. Those interested can make an appointment to see it in person.
53L
Wow, really, I have to say this father and son are the pinnacle of history, no one can surpass them.
54L
Wait a minute, the poster mentioned two personal items that were buried with the deceased. One is a jade buckle, what is the other?
55L
I guess it must be something like Empress Xiaocixian's jewelry; one for the wife and one for the son, so that the family of three would be complete.
56L
It could also be something bestowed upon Yongzheng by Emperor Kangxi or Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, something of great significance, so it would be understandable for him to keep it with him.
The original poster (57L) is no longer keeping you in suspense; please read on.
【picture】
58L
Holy crap, is this really an insider? They even have firsthand photos leaked of things that weren't even on display.
59L
A restored piece of calligraphy, which looks like running script, but the strokes are too square and immature. Did Emperor Yongzheng take it with him as one of the only two burial objects? Don't be ridiculous.
60L
That's true. As an emperor, he possesses the wealth of the entire world. What famous paintings and calligraphies can't he obtain? There's no need for him to bring this.
61L
Famous paintings and calligraphy are easy to obtain, but meaningful ones are rare.
62L
What does post #61 mean? If I remember correctly... wasn't Emperor Changhe the best calligrapher of running script? Don't tell me this was written by Emperor Changhe himself; the handwriting doesn't look like it. Both father and son deserve the title of calligraphers.
63L
However, this picture is a bit blurry. It looks like my son when he first started practicing calligraphy. Children's hands are small and they don't know how to use their strength. They can't control the brushstrokes well, so it looks immature to an expert.
64L
That means... it's very likely that this was written by Hongzhao himself, when he was a child. Yinzhen not only kept it all this time, but also carried it with him when he left. Waaah, he must have loved it too much.
The original poster (65L) answered correctly!
The Yongzheng Emperor's underground palace is well-preserved and has not leaked water, but due to the long time that has passed, some degree of decay is inevitable. The only part of this calligraphy that has not been repaired is the signature. This is a congratulatory message written by the Changhe Emperor Hongzhao to his father shortly after he learned to write.
"The crane is slender, the pine evergreen; its spirit shines as brightly as the autumn moon."
It had been hanging in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for a long time, but before his death, Emperor Yinzhen specifically requested that this calligraphy be buried with him.
66L
My goodness, so he only took these two things with him to be buried with him. One was a blessing from Hongzhao when he was a child and had just learned to write, and the other was Hongzhao's longing for him when he was a young boy and was made crown prince.
What kind of peerless greatsword is this?
67L
Indeed, the most genuine human bonds are the most profound and real. In that instant, I seemed to understand the significance of archaeology.
The historical records already show an intimate relationship; Yongzheng's favoritism towards Hongzhao is almost etched into every page, and Hongzhao's longing for his father every year thereafter is also truly recorded.
68L
But as these things were unearthed, it suddenly dawned on me that historical records are limited. They truly lived more than 300 years ago, and the genuine affection between them during the 16 years they spent together day and night must have been far greater than what was recorded and what we can imagine.
69L
I need a tutorial on how to be born into a good family! I also want a dad like that.
70L
What good is having a father like that? Emperor Yongzheng had nine children: seven sons and two daughters. Apart from Hongzhao and Princess Jinghua, he didn't really pay much attention to the other children.
The eldest and second princes, who died young, were posthumously honored only after Hongzhao ascended the throne. The third prince had children but remained bald. The fourth prince was even worse off, as he was adopted out. Even the sixth and seventh princes, who shared the same mother as Hongzhao, didn't receive much record.
71L
So in short, you not only need to have a father like Emperor Yongzheng, but you also need to be Emperor Hongzhao to experience exclusive favoritism.
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