Late Ming Dynasty: From the Defeated Soldiers at Daling River to Ascending the Throne

When Chen Feng woke up, it was still dark outside the window.

Meng Changgeng was fast asleep beside him, one arm slung over the blanket, snoring loudly.

Hao Dadao's sleeping posture was even more unsightly; his head was pressed against the wall, his mouth was open, and his snoring sounded like a saw.

Yan Guishan curled up in the corner of the kang (a heated brick bed), wrapped in a blanket, like a hedgehog that had shrunk back.

Chen Feng gently lifted the blanket, got dressed, and left the room.

The winters at the end of the Ming Dynasty were very cold, and the ground was covered with a layer of white frost.

He practiced two sets of military boxing in the courtyard, just to wake himself up for the morning exercise.

Just as he was practicing his boxing, the door to the main room opened, and Mei Xian came out of the room carrying a basin of water.

This morning she wore a light purple jacket and skirt, and changed her hairstyle from yesterday's Mingjiao crown (a hairstyle exclusive to courtesans in the Ming Dynasty) to a peach heart-shaped bun (a hairstyle for married women).

Mei Xian was indicating that she was already Chen Feng's concubine, but what she didn't know was that Chen Feng didn't understand these things.

When she saw Chen Feng practicing boxing, she was taken aback at first, then smiled slightly, "General, you're up very early."

Chen Feng stopped his stance and said, "Good morning, Miss Mei. Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"

Mei Xian felt a pang of disappointment when Chen Feng addressed her so formally, but she smiled and said, "I am now the general's woman, so it is only right that I rise early to serve the general."

As he spoke, he went to the well to fetch water.

Chen Feng walked over and took the basin of water from Mei Xian, and began to fetch water. "Miss Mei Xian, you don't need to do these rough jobs. You can let Hao Dadao and the others do these things in the future."

Mei Xian stood behind Chen Feng, clenched her fist, and said, "I heard that the general is going to the palace to meet the emperor today, so I have already instructed Chunlan to go to the kitchen and ask the monks in the temple to boil water."

She remained silent for a while, then said, "If the General doesn't mind, may I help the General with his washing and grooming?"

Chen Feng hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Half an hour later, it was already bright outside.

A bathtub and a charcoal brazier have already been prepared in the main room.

Chen Feng sat in the bathtub, the hot water washing over his shoulders, making him breathe a long sigh of comfort.

From the day he received the imperial decree, he never took a bath; bathing was a luxury in that era.

A hand reached out from behind his shoulder, startling Chen Feng so much he almost stood up. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it was Mei Xian holding a towel.

Chen Feng took the towel from Mei Xian and said, "I can do it myself."

Mei Xian stood behind Chen Feng, bit her lip, and whispered, "General... do you find me unworthy?"

Chen Feng paused in his wiping motion and turned to look at Mei Xian.

Mei Xian's brows were slightly furrowed, and she possessed a unique beauty amidst the rising steam.

"No, don't overthink it."

Chen Feng paused for a moment, then added, "I'm just a rough guy, I'm used to being alone."

Mei Xian brushed her temples, damp from the hot steam, a hint of grievance on her face. "I know, I was sent by Lord Tian, ​​so it's understandable that the General is wary."

Chen Feng did not respond.

Mei Xian continued, "I... am from Yangzhou. I was sold to a brothel as a child, where I learned music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and how to serve others. I was bought by the Tian family at sixteen and raised for two years before being sent to the general yesterday."

She paused, her voice lowering further: "Although I was born a 'skinny horse' (a euphemism for a concubine), I am still a virgin. The Tian family kept me as a concubine, intending to give me away. The only guest I have ever been with is the General."

Chen Feng lowered his head and didn't look at Mei Xian again.

Mei Xian took a deep breath. "This concubine is ignorant of matters of great importance between men, and I do not know what Lord Tian's intentions were in sending me here. But this concubine does know one thing..."

She looked up at Chen Feng, "From the moment I stepped through this door yesterday, I have been yours, General. No matter how you treat me in the future, whether you treat me like a servant or... or... I will have no complaints. I only ask that you... not distance yourself from me."

After saying that, Mei Xian stopped talking. Her eyes were slightly red, but she held back her tears.

The room fell silent, with only the steam from the bathtub gently wafting through the air.

Chen Feng sighed. He had no resistance to such a tearful offensive, especially since the other party was a beautiful woman.

He draped a towel over the edge of the tub and said softly, "Help me scrub my back."

A hint of joy finally appeared in Mei Xian's eyes. She nodded gently and said in a soft voice, "Yes, General."

After bathing, Mei Xian began to help Chen Feng change his clothes.

Since this was an audience with the emperor, Chen Feng took out the flying fish robe that had been bestowed upon him by the emperor.

When the flying fish suit was taken out and hung on the rack, Chen Feng couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

The flying fish robe is made of thick, dark red fabric, with flying fish patterns embroidered in gold thread running from the chest to the cuffs, and the workmanship is extremely exquisite.

The price of this outfit is so high that an average person probably couldn't afford it even with a lifetime's savings.

Mei Xian lowered her head and deftly tied his sash with her fingers, putting on the jade belt.

After fastening the jade belt, she stepped back, looked him up and down, and then stepped forward to straighten his clothes and smooth out the wrinkles on his cuffs.

"Alright," she said softly, "General, try on your official hat."

Chen Feng picked up the official hat from the table and put it on his head.

The moment the brim of his hat fell down, he looked at himself in the bronze mirror and was momentarily stunned.

The person in the mirror was dressed in a dark red flying fish robe, with a jade belt around his waist and a black gauze hat. His shoulders and back were straight, and his eyebrows and eyes were calm, revealing no emotion.

Chen Feng was already quite tall for his time, coupled with his habit of standing ramrod straight and his aloof demeanor.

Isn't he just like the male lead in a martial arts drama?

He recalled seeing the actual flying fish robe in a museum in his previous life. It was behind a glass case, with the lights shining brightly, and he just thought it was beautiful.

I never imagined that one day I would actually be wearing the real thing.

Mei Xian was also watching in a daze.

Suddenly, a "Yay!" came from the doorway.

The two turned their heads at the same time and saw that Chunlan, who had gone out to get breakfast, had returned.

Seeing that both of them were looking at her, Chunlan blushed, put down her plate, and walked away.

Chen Feng smiled and turned to Mei Xian, saying, "Thank you... Mei Xian."

Mei Xian smiled gently, "This is all I should do."

Just then, Chunlan came in to report that the people from the palace had arrived.

In the courtyard, two young eunuchs were already waiting.

The leader, a fair-skinned young woman in her early twenties, dressed in a blue round-necked robe, bowed respectfully upon seeing Chen Feng emerge and said, "General Chen, this servant is a concubine of the Qianqing Palace, surnamed Zhou, and has been ordered to escort you into the palace." (Concubine: full name Concubine, also known as Attendant)

Chen Feng took out a small silver ingot from his sleeve and handed it over, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, Eunuch Zhou."

Zhou accepted the silver with lightning speed, and it vanished as soon as she got it. Her smile grew even warmer: "General, you're too kind. Please wait a moment, General, I'll go get the horse."

Chen Feng nodded.

Just as Zhou was about to leave, she remembered something, took a step closer, and said, "General, if I may be so bold, you can carry two cakes with you on hand."

Chen Feng took out another silver ingot and handed it over, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, sir."

Consort Zhou's smile deepened as she accepted the silver, nodding repeatedly, "General, you are so kind! I will go fetch the horse right away."

He had just turned around when the door to the main room opened again.

Mei Xian came out carrying a food box, walked up to Zhou Yingying, and gave a deep curtsy. "Eunuch Zhou, you've worked hard. I've prepared some snacks for you to have a little something to eat on your way."

Zhou accepted the food box, and upon seeing Mei Xian's face, he paused for a moment, then quickly recovered, lowered his head, and smiled even more respectfully, "Thank you, Madam. Madam, rest assured, this servant will definitely escort General Shunshun and Dangdang into the palace."

Mei Xian smiled faintly and said nothing.

She walked up to Chen Feng, reached out to straighten his clothes, then looked up at him and said softly, "General, come back soon."

Chen Feng nodded and mounted his horse.

Zhou Ying led the horse out, and bowed again as she passed Mei Xian.

Mei Xian stood at the courtyard gate, watching them walk away.

It took about half an hour to walk from Longfu Temple to the Imperial City.

The streets gradually became lively, with breakfast vendors' stalls steaming and sedan chairs carrying officials on their way to court passing by.

Upon reaching Chengtian Gate, Zhou Yingying stopped and whispered, "General, we'll have to dismount soon. Please follow me and don't look around."

Chen Feng dismounted and followed him toward the palace gate.

The Imperial Guards at the gate checked Chen Feng's waist tag, glanced at him, and then made way for him.

Once inside Chengtian Gate, a bright and open space suddenly appeared before me.

Chen Feng paused for a moment.

He had visited the Forbidden City in his previous life, following a tour group along the central axis, entering through the Meridian Gate, passing through the Gate of Supreme Harmony, and seeing the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

There were people everywhere at that time, and the tour guide was holding up a small flag and shouting through a loudspeaker, "Everyone, follow along."

But now, the imperial road in front of us is completely empty.

The red walls on both sides are mottled, and in some places the paint has peeled off, revealing the grayish-white mortar underneath.

The bricks and stones on the ground were pitted and uneven, some with missing corners, some with cracks, and withered yellow grass growing in the cracks.

On the roof ridge in the distance, the glazed tiles were grayish, with several places clearly newly repaired, their colors varying in shade.

He followed Zhou Yingying forward, passing through door after door and hall after hall.

The palaces are still the same palaces, still magnificent, but they always exude an air of... decay.

Just like the Ming Dynasty, which was in turmoil.

Zhou led him to the side gate of Qianqing Palace, stopping him at a sheltered spot against the wall. She whispered, "General, please wait here. I must go in and report back; I'll come back to fetch you later."

Chen Feng nodded.

Zhou agreed and left.

Chen Feng stood at the base of the wall, waiting.

The sun slowly rises, moving from the east to its zenith, and then from its zenith to the west.

The shadow at the base of the wall went from long to short, and then from short to long again.

People came and went past him, including eunuchs, guards, and occasionally one or two officials in red robes.

Nobody looked at him, nobody paid him any attention, he just stood there.

After standing for an hour, my legs started to ache.

After standing for two hours, my stomach started growling.

He took out the cake that Mei Xian had given him, sighed deeply, and muttered to himself, "Thank you for reminding me, Eunuch Zhou."

He swallowed the flatbread with cold water and waited for more than an hour before the door finally opened.

Zhou Ying ran up to him and said in a shrill voice, "General Chen, the Emperor summons you to an audience."

Chen Feng straightened his clothes and followed him inside.

After entering the Qianqing Palace, we passed through one door after another, and were finally led to a warm pavilion.

Zhou agreed to lift the cotton curtain and whispered, "Go in."

Chen Feng took a deep breath, lowered his head, and walked inside.