Chapter 336 Return to Beijing
Zhao Xiaofei was thinking, these grains that are more than four years old can be sold not only to Mongolia and Jianlu, but also to North Korea. Doesn't North Korea regard Jianlu as its suzerain?
Then let you and the Jianlu suffer together! I can not only make money but also kill the enemy without being seen. If there is too much food, I can sell some to Fusang. Anyway, as long as it is not eaten by the people of the Ming Dynasty, it will be fine.
Yan Yingyuan was very happy that part of the old grain had been transported to the vicinity of the capital. This time, more people could have food to eat. It also prevented the surrendered troops from mutinying because of the food shortage.
Zhao Xiaofei smiled at the thought, hoping that one day he could ride a horse to the grasslands and the Northeast. The Tartars on the ground were all poisoned by aflatoxin, and there was no need to waste time killing them. When they were called, everyone could just go up and give them a knife and the war would be over.
Zhao Xiaofei laughed as he thought about it. Li Sihong asked, "What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing! I just feel happy. I'll go back to Beijing soon. We northerners are more accustomed to living in the north." Zhao Xiaofei said.
After nearly a month of sailing, they finally arrived at Tongzhou Wharf.
There was no welcoming ceremony; everything was kept simple. But the scenery along the way was breathtaking. Even Zhaoren was too frightened to look outside. Every house hung white sails, and everyone wore mourning clothes. Even the most remote areas were dotted with graves.
Zhao Xiaofei felt that it was a bit like a horror movie. Even in the middle of summer, she didn't feel the heat.
It was not until they reached Shilibao that they learned that the Queen Mother had issued an edict requiring all people in the capital area to wear mourning clothes and every household to hang white sails, so that all the people would follow her in mourning the late emperor and the crown prince.
It turned out that Yan Yingyuan had been waiting here for a long time. He had prepared mourning clothes, hats and white sails for the emperor and all the ministers.
Moreover, no entertainment activities are allowed during the national mourning period, and you are not even allowed to sing on the street.
Zhao Xiaofei looked down at his bright red four-clawed dragon robe and took it off, changing into plain clothes.
Zhao Xiaofei called Yan Yingyuan and asked, "What's the situation in the capital now? How is the Queen Mother?"
"The tomb of the late emperor and the prince has been built, and the empress dowager even praised the prince for his efforts. The empress dowager has been extremely sad recently, and the imperial physician examined her and said she needs to rest. If she continues like this, I'm afraid she won't live long. And someone reported yesterday that the empress dowager has started coughing up blood." Yan Yingyuan said.
"Very good! You handled the affairs in the capital well. I will submit a memorial to the emperor later and ask him to promote you to a higher official position." Zhao Xiaofei said.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your cultivation!" Yan Yingyuan said with a salute.
Zhu Cijiong changed his clothes and prepared to enter the city with a large group of people.
The flags on the walls of Zhengyang Gate were all white, and a large number of people in plain clothes were kneeling on both sides.
Zhu Cijiong looked up, feeling as if he were in another world. He had rarely left the palace since childhood, and when he did, he found the world in chaos. Now, he was back, but all he saw was a gray and white world.
Because the capital was devastated by the fire of the Jianlu, there was a gray-black color everywhere. The white color matched with the people's clothes made the whole world look gray and gloomy, which made people feel bad.
When he arrived in front of the Meridian Gate, Zhu Cijiong found that even the walls of the Meridian Gate had been painted white.
Zhu Cijiong took the first step forward, and the officials of the Ministry of Rites shouted: "Play music!" The court musicians began to play.
Zhao Xiaofei had no idea what kind of music was being played, but it sounded rather sad. He thought to himself, "I'll play a few modern songs later. They'll definitely be a hit."
Civil and military officials followed behind and slowly entered the palace.
After entering the palace, I discovered that the three main halls at the front were gone. The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, and the Hall of Central Harmony were all gone. Many other palaces were gone, like the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Hall of Union and Peace. Only the Palace of Earthly Tranquility remained.
Zhao Xiaofei thought to himself: Is this still the Forbidden City I know? It's so empty! If I could catch Dorgon, I'd tear his tendons and skin him alive.
Zhu Cijiong clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on his hands were exposed. He had never imagined that the palace where he grew up would become like this.
At this time, Empress Dowager Zhou appeared at the gate of Kunning Palace, with Wang Erxi supporting her.
Zhao Xiaofei took one look at Empress Dowager Zhou's complexion and saw that she was indeed not in good health. Her face was yellow, her eyes were bloodshot, and she had dark circles under her eyes that could not be covered up even with powder.
Zhu Cijiong took a few quick steps, knelt before his mother, and said, "Mother, I wish you the best of luck and happiness!"
Empress Dowager Zhou opened her mouth and said in a hoarse voice, "Get up!"
Zhao Xiaofei, listening from behind, thought to himself, "Holy crap! Your voice has changed. How much of a shock has this put you through? How devastated are you?"
How could Zhao Xiaofei understand the pain of a mother losing her husband and son?
Empress Dowager Zhou had been deeply traumatized since returning to the capital. First, she saw the Crown Princess's corpse and cried herself to death. Then, she visited Concubine Tian's tomb. How could she bear to see her husband buried with the concubine she hated the most?
So Yan Yingyuan was called in and asked when Chongzhen’s tomb would be completed.
Yan Yingyuan said: "Three more days!"
So Empress Dowager Zhou ordered people to set up tents in front of Concubine Tian's tomb and waited for three days. She watched with her own eyes as the officials from the Ministry of Rites brought out Chongzhen's coffin before she stopped sleeping there.
When Queen Mother Zhou saw her husband's coffin, she burst into tears again, and her throat became like this as a result.
When Zhu Cijiong heard his mother's voice like this, tears suddenly fell.
Queen Mother Zhou looked at her son and said sternly, "Why are you crying? I'm not dead yet! You're the Son of Heaven, so don't cry! Stand up and announce the order!"
The decree Empress Dowager Zhou passed on meant that Zhu Cijiong should announce to the world that the Ming Dynasty had returned! Don't worry, life will get better and better. For those who surrendered to the rebels, I will pardon your crimes and give you land. Stay home and don't go out and play.
Zhu Cijiong stood up, turned around and said, "Deliver the order!"
The official from the Ministry of Rites unfolded the imperial edict and began to read it.
Zhao Xiaofei could only understand the general idea and thought to himself: Taizu is still the best! The imperial edict is all in plain language! For example, to deal with the Japanese pirates, if the Japanese pirates come, we will fight them with a knife!
Come to think of it, it's still Taizu's words that suit my taste the most. My own palace's documents are all written by Li Sihong. Sometimes I can't understand it. I feel like is that what I just said?
After the imperial edict was read, the court officials knelt three times and kowtowed nine times towards the three main halls to express their respect to the late emperor.
Then it was announced that the civil and military officials would go to the New Mausoleum the day after tomorrow to remember the late emperor and the crown prince. Everyone knelt again, causing Zhao Xiaofei to feel pain in his knees.
After everything was done, Zhao Xiaofei said goodbye to Zhu Cijiong and returned to his residence.
The Prince Consort's Mansion had long been gone. That was Dorgon's special instruction that it must be burned down completely.
It's still under reconstruction! Zhao Xiaofei took Princess Zhaoren and Li Sihong directly to Wei Zaode's residence.
As soon as he got off the car, Zhao Xiaofei saw Zhou Shuai standing outside the door to greet him.
The two exchanged a few pleasantries. Zhao Xiaofei felt a little uneasy, so he didn't say much this time. But he didn't express anything either.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw a man kneeling on the ground. His hair was disheveled and short. It had obviously been shaved, and there was a lot of gray hair. He trembled and said, "Your Majesty, I am your humble servant!"
Zhao Xiaofei widened his eyes and said, "It's you! You're still alive!"
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