The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 51

Zhu Youtang hurried to Renshou Palace.

But seeing that the Empress Dowager Zhou was sitting on the edge of the bed in a daze, like a helpless old woman, when she saw Zhu Youtang, she held her grandson's hand without waiting for Zhu Youtang to salute.

At this moment, the old lady's mind seemed to settle down.

"Emperor, are you alright?"

When the Empress Dowager heard that there was a fire, she was not in a hurry, but cared about the emperor's safety first.

This made Zhu Youtang both moved and blamed himself.

Zhu Youtang said with a sad face: "Grandmother, it's your grandson who surprised you."

"The Ai family is relieved to see you. It's good that you are fine." The Empress Dowager Zhou neither complained, nor complained, nor even asked to what extent the fire in Qingning Palace was burned.

He intends to give Zhu Youtang a step down.

Zhu Youtang helped the Empress Dowager Zhou to lie down, but the Empress Dowager Zhou kept holding his hand and refused to let go, which made Zhu Youtang feel that the imperial grandmother was still frightened, but she just refused to tell him to put pressure on him.

"Grandmother, let your grandson stay by your side and watch you fall asleep."

"Okay, the emperor is really a filial child. The Ai family, and the former emperor, did not misunderstand you."

Dai Yi, who followed in, moved a chair to the side of the bed, Zhu Youtang sat on it, and grandparents and grandchildren held hands.

Regardless of his own distress, the emperor stayed by the bed.

The Empress Dowager Zhou settled down, closed her eyes, and opened her eyes to look at Zhu Youtang from time to time, with a kind and peaceful look on her face, and she fell asleep after a long time.

Zhu Youtang also did not leave for a long time. He wanted to keep vigil in Renshou Palace.

……

……

After Zhu Youtang winked, Dai Yi and Xiao Jing withdrew from the hall.

Xiao Jing seemed a little more nervous. He, the governor of the East Factory, was responsible for the failure to put out the fire. When he left Renshou Palace, he looked at Dai Yi for help.

"Ke Gong, don't take that fire too seriously. Didn't you hear what the Empress Dowager said? As long as you are fine."

There seems to be a deep meaning in Dai Yi's words.

Xiao Jingdao: "That Zhang Gongsheng gave an early warning. There is no one in the hall, so it should be no accident. But if the hall is burned down..."

Dai Yi put his hands on Xiao Jing's shoulders and reminded: "We are all there at our age, so don't force yourself if you can't do it. The key point is that there should be no more fires in the other palaces. Be careful tonight."

Hearing this, Xiao Jing understood.

It doesn't really matter whether the fire in Qingning Palace can be saved or not. Anyway, now we all know it's a fire from heaven, so should we put out the fire early to reduce Li Guang's guilt?
This fire was warned by Zhang Zhou, it cannot be avoided, if another fire breaks out in other places, then Xiao Jing may really die for his crime.

"Understood, understood, I will do it now."

Xiao Jing also learned to be smart at this time, and hurriedly led people to the direction of Qianqing Palace.

……

……

East Palace, inside Duanben Palace.

Zhu Houzhao yawned and rubbed his eyes, and shouted, "The chamber pot!"

A chamber pot was handed over and held.

Zhu Houzhao was about to get up at night.

Suddenly shivered, as if it was too cold, and then shrank back into the bed.

"Hiss... so cold?"

When he opened his eyes, he was instantly startled.

But he saw a group of people standing beside his bed, including Liu Jin, Gao Feng, Gu Dayong, Qiu Ju, Luo Xiang and others.

It took a long time for Zhu Houzhao to recover from his bewilderment: "It's dark, why are you standing here? Are you queuing to pee?"

Liu Jin, who was standing at the front, had a mournful face, and probably felt that he was very useless tonight, so he said cautiously: "His Royal Highness, tonight all the palaces are under fire prevention, and all the braziers in the halls have been moved out. I am afraid that you will be cold, so I have to wait a few minutes. Invite a few people to come, so that if there are many people...it will be popular and warmer."

The heating of the Ming Dynasty Palace basically relies on smokeless red charcoal stoves, and there are also side halls that use the "centipede road" based on the kang principle. During the Yongle period, the foundations of the main halls were not touched.

Even in the Qing Dynasty, warm pavilions were added around Qianqing Palace and Kunning Palace.

From the Ming Dynasty to the Hongzhi period, there were no such advanced gadgets.

It’s okay not to be reminded, but once reminded, Zhu Houzhao scolded: “Damn, are you going to freeze to death? Bring the brazier in.”

Liu Jin said: "His Royal Highness, just stick to it for one night. The fire at Qingning Palace has already burned several palaces, and the fire is continuous..."

Zhu Houzhao was taken aback by these words.

Zhu Houzhao pondered for a while, then propped his head and said, "Qingning Palace is on fire? Why does this sound so familiar?"

Gao Feng reminded: "Prince, have you forgotten? It was Zhang Jieyuan who warned His Majesty. Prince, you also said that His Majesty will chop off his head."

"Is it really on fire?"

Zhu Houzhao's small eyes were shining, and he didn't seem to care about the cold at this moment, he jumped out of the bed, jumped to the ground with bare feet, and was about to run to the door.

Liu Jin hurried over to pull: "Little ancestor, what are you going to do?"

"I want to go out to watch the fun!"

It's okay if you don't know about this kind of thing, but if you know, you can lose Zhu Houzhao's share?
The joint efforts of several people can be regarded as blocking Zhu Houzhao.

"Step aside!"

Zhu Houzhao was annoyed.

Gao Feng and others quickly took the clothes and put them on Zhu Houzhao. Several people hugged Zhu Houzhao and put on Zhu Houzhao's boots. Can run out of the palace.

Zhu Houzhao looked in the direction of Qingning Palace, with a look of disappointment: "Where is the fire?"

Liu Jin said: "It's been almost two hours since the fire started, and it's almost dawn. If it doesn't go out, I'm afraid it will burn over next time, right?"

Zhu Houzhao sniffed it hard with his nose, nodded: "It really smells like smoke. Oh, that Zhang Zhou is not simple, can this be what he said? Will someone help him set the fire?"

It was Gu Dayong who said helplessly: "No, many people saw it. It was a flash of lightning that caught fire."

"Tianlei? It's wonderful! Tell me about it."

"Your Highness, don't you want a chamber pot?"

"Yes, I'm suffocating to death, let me piss this soak first, and you can tell your own things, it doesn't matter."

"His Royal Highness, you should rest early. Someone will explain this matter to you after the results come out tomorrow."

"You've also learned how to wow me? Believe it or not, I put you..."

"Prince, don't be impatient. The fire has just been extinguished. The servants know too little. After you wake up, the servants will ask for more information and will tell you in detail."

……

……

The sky is bright.

Zhu Youtang stayed in Renshou Palace for half the night, and finally came from there. Accompanied by Dai Yi, Xiao Jing, and Chen Kuan, three eunuchs who were in charge of ceremonies, Ning Jin, the eunuch of the imperial horse, and Zhang Yong, the eunuch of the imperial eunuch, Go outside the Qingning Palace fire scene to inspect.

At this time, the scene of the fire in Qingning Palace was still relatively chaotic.

Jin Yiwei and the eunuch were cleaning up the mess, all kinds of firefighting equipment, as well as half-burned furniture, metal utensils, jewelry and jewellery... while the maid was still doing some cleaning.

There were ruins everywhere after being burned by the fire, and smoke was still rising in some places, and there was a pungent smell in the air, which made Zhu Youtang unable to bear to look forward.

"Cough cough." Zhu Youtang coughed.

"Your Majesty, the body of the dragon is the most important thing." Dai Yi said with a concerned look on his face.

Zhu Youtang said with emotion: "This is God's warning to me. If the Empress Dowager is still in the palace, I can't be rescued... Then I will really become a sinner of Ming Dynasty. How will the history books evaluate me as an unfilial king? Wouldn't it be comparable to Shang Zhou and Sui Yang?"

The emperor felt sorry for himself there.

The surrounding eunuchs listened to the words, and felt uncomfortable.

Although they disagree with the emperor's words...that is, even if the Queen Mother Zhou was inside, they would still be able to rescue them in time after the fire broke out.

"Thinking of the Empress Dowager, the old man, who is clearly full of fear, but still wants to comfort me, I feel ashamed."

Chen Kuan reminded: "Your Majesty, when the morning court is approaching, all the officials estimate that they are about to enter the palace now."

Zhu Youtang waved his hands and said: "Today, let's stop for a day. There is a reason for the incident, whoever tells them, I believe they can understand me."

"Yes."

Chen Kuan also felt that the emperor's state was not suitable for going to court at all.

Besides, if such a diligent and self-restraining emperor wants to stop for a day just because of the fire in the Qingning Palace, and the ministers keep chattering, then the ministers will be a little ignorant.

Dai Yi said again: "Your Majesty, now that the fire is under control, shouldn't it be time to call Zhang Jieyuan into the palace... Ask me in detail?"

Several eunuchs pricked up their ears.

No one seemed to deliberately mention Zhang Zhou and Li Guang during the fire that night, but now that the fire is out and the sky is dawning, it is time to talk about something serious, to discuss what caused it. fire.

Even if it is Tianhuo, there should be a reason for it, right?
As for the fire, we, as palace people, deeply regret it.

But we are looking forward to what will happen after the fire.

Zhu Youtang said: "Yes, thanks to Bingkuan, if it weren't for him... the consequences would be unimaginable! He saved the little princess and the empress dowager... I don't know how to reward him, and I treated him earlier... Alas! Dai Yi, go and summon Zhang Zhou for me... I'm in a trance now, you can go there in two hours, let me take it easy... the number of days..."

At this moment, a childish voice came from a distance, and the voice seemed very excited: "Father, my son is late! Is it on fire? Hurry up and put out the fire! Wow...it's so spectacular."

(End of this chapter)