Ming Dynasty: A mere unruly commoner is rebelling against the heaven?

Chapter 7: Purge of the Imperial Palace!
"My lady, everything is packed, it's time to leave."

An old nanny who had served Zhou for more than forty years gently reminded Zhou in her ear.

Zhou came back to her senses, her face full of sorrow: "Madame Liu, did I really do something wrong?"

Nanny Liu lowered her head and said nothing.

It was not until that moment just now that Zhou finally reacted.

It turns out that this world has always belonged to the Zhu family.

All the power in her hands came from the emperor of the Zhu family.

Her son, Emperor Xianzong, respected her very much, so she had considerable power.

But when Emperor Xianzong passed away and the new emperor ascended the throne, she thought it was the best time to expand her power.

But what he didn't expect was that he lost everything with just one order from the new emperor.

"I have done something wrong, and I alone shall be punished. Death is not a pity."

"It's just that I have caused so much suffering to the Zhou family..."

Thinking of the heads of her two nephews Zhou Ping and Zhou Yi, Zhou was overwhelmed with grief and tears flowed down her face.

The heads of Zhou Ping and Zhou Yi already showed the emperor's attitude.

There was no longer any place for the Zhou family in the Ming Dynasty.

Aunt Liu was also somewhat moved: "My queen, please take care of yourself."

Zhou smiled bitterly and shook her head, then stood up and said, "Let's go to Qingning Palace."

Under the cover of night, a sedan chair set out from the Cining Palace, followed by forty or fifty palace maids and eunuchs.

Next to the team, dozens of Dongchang guards followed along the way.

It is protection and surveillance.

Blood flowed out from the hidden corners of the palace, spread to the road, and was quickly washed away by the rain.

Zhou listened to the screams coming from the palace from time to time and closed her eyes in pain.

Soon, the sedan chair arrived outside Qingning Palace.

"Pause."

The sedan stopped outside the door. Zhou leaned half of her body out of the sedan, turned around and took a last look at the palace with great nostalgia.

He sighed and said, "Let's go."

The sedan chair was slowly carried into Qingning Palace.

From this moment on, until Zhou's death in the 17th year of Hongzhi, she never stepped out of Qingning Palace again.

After Zhou's death, the Ming Emperor Zhu Youtang restored her previous title and posthumously named her the Empress Dowager Xiaosuzhenshunkangyiguangliefutianchengsheng.

She was buried with the ceremony of Imperial Noble Consort in Jinshan in the western suburbs and was not allowed to be buried with Emperor Yingzong!
……

Zhu Youtang stood under the eaves of the Qianqing Palace, watching the rain falling, and had no desire to sleep at all.

A lot of things happened tonight, making him feel very tired.

Especially regarding the punishment of Zhou, although Zhou interfered in politics and undermined the imperial power, she was Zhu Youtang's grandmother after all.

Thinking back to his childhood when he was favored by Zhou, Zhu Youtang felt uncomfortable.

At that time, Concubine Wan was the favorite in the harem, and she lived in fear of accidental death every day.

Only with Zhou and Empress Wu does he feel at ease.

Zhu Youtang pondered for a moment, and suddenly ordered: "Go to Renshou Palace."

The eunuch who was serving him nodded quickly: "Yes!"

After Zhu Youtang's dragon chariot stopped at Renshou Palace, a young eunuch immediately sang the greeting: "The emperor has arrived!"

The palace maids and eunuchs hurriedly knelt to greet him. Zhu Youtang stepped down from the dragon chariot and walked straight into the palace.

Inside the palace, Empress Wu, who had fallen asleep, had woken up.

When Empress Wu was about to salute Zhu Youtang, Zhu Youtang quickly stepped forward and grabbed her.

"Mother, you don't have to perform formalities when you see me from now on."

After Zhu Youtang's biological mother Ji passed away, Empress Wu took the six-year-old Zhu Youtang with her and raised him as her own son.

In his heart, Zhu Youtang had already regarded Empress Wu as his own mother. "How can this be possible?" Empress Wu smiled and adjusted Zhu Youtang's dragon robe.

"You are the ruler of a country now. Your every word and action represents the entire Ming Dynasty. How can you allow others to overstep their boundaries?"

Zhu Youtang held Empress Wu's hand tightly, feeling very excited.

"If everyone in the world thought like my mother, I would not have killed so many people today."

Empress Wu noticed that Zhu Youtang was feeling a little low and whispered to comfort him.

"Tian'er, there must be a reason why you must do this. You don't have to think too much about it."

Zhu Youtang: "Let's not talk about this anymore. I came here rashly tonight and disturbed my mother's rest."

Empress Wu waved her hand and said, "Actually, I woke up a long time ago. It was a bit noisy outside, so I couldn't sleep well."

Zhu Youtang's face immediately darkened: "Tell Huai En to keep quiet around Renshou Palace!"

"Here!"

Immediately, a young eunuch received the order and hurried out of the palace to convey it.

Empress Wu was thoughtful: "It seems that the palace is not peaceful tonight?"

"It's almost over, mother. The child came here this time because he has good news to tell you."

"Oh? What's the good news?"

Zhu Youtang smiled slightly at first, then said seriously: "The eunuch is listening to the decree!"

The eunuch from the Imperial Household Department who was accompanying him hurriedly took out pen and ink to prepare to record the imperial edict.

"Respect Madam Wu as the Empress Dowager. Before I appoint a queen, she will be in charge of the three palaces and six courtyards for me."

The eunuch of the Imperial Household Department knelt down and received the order: "Yes!"

Empress Dowager Wu was surprised and said, "Aijia, thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

After the surprise, Empress Dowager Wu asked again: "But Tang'er, the harem is in the hands of Empress Dowager Zhou, so doesn't it mean..."

Zhu Youtang said calmly: "Mrs. Zhou has been stripped of her title by me."

Empress Dowager Wu said no more. After a moment of silence, she smiled softly.

"Since Tang'er asked me to be in charge of the harem, I will help Tang'er start the selection."

"As the ruler of a country, how can the harem be empty?"

Zhu Youtang also smiled: "The selection of the concubines is entirely up to the Queen Mother."

"Haha, don't worry, Tang'er. I will definitely choose a group of beautiful concubines for you."

"There is no time to lose. I will start handling it tomorrow."

"All the beauties in the world belong to the royal family!"

"Hahaha, then I have to thank my mother."

In the Renshou Palace, Zhu Youtang and Empress Dowager Wu were chatting and laughing, and the atmosphere was relaxed and lively.

Outside the imperial palace, in the capital city, there was panic and every tree and grass seemed to be an enemy.

After coming out of the palace, Jinyiwei Commander Mou Bin immediately rushed to the Jinyiwei Yamen.

At this time, in the Northern Pacification Office of the Jinyiwei, Qinglong was chatting with several of his men.

They were all Mou Bin's trusted confidants trained by him when he was serving in the Imperial Guard.

"Second Master, His Majesty was really generous tonight. He even chopped off the heads of Wan Tong, Zhou Ping, and Zhou Yi. Is that really okay?"

Qinglong, as the leader of the four Dharma protectors, was called the Second Master after Mou Bin took charge of the Jinyiwei.

As for the uncle, it is naturally Mou Bin.

Qinglong also sighed: "Yes, Wantong, who was showing off in front of us this morning, has now ended up with his head chopped off."

"With Concubine Wan dead, I don't think the Wan family will be able to cause any trouble."

"But this Zhou family, I'm afraid..."

Before Qinglong could finish his words, he heard a loud shout coming from the door of the Northern Pacification Office.

"You guys, are you looking for death?!"

(End of this chapter)