Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

Chapter 7: The Imperial Palace Purge!

"Empress Dowager, everything is packed. It's time to leave."

An old nanny, who had served the Zhou family for over forty years, gently reminded Zhou Shi.

Zhou Shi snapped back to reality, her face full of sorrow: "Granny Liu, have I really done something wrong?"

Granny Liu lowered her head and remained silent.

It wasn't until that very moment that Zhou Shi finally realized.

This world had always belonged to the Zhu family.

All the power she held came from the Zhu family's emperor.

Her son, Emperor Xianzong, had shown her great respect, which was why she had considerable power.

But when Xianzong passed away, she thought the new emperor's ascension was the perfect opportunity to expand her power.

However, she never expected that with a single decree from the new emperor, she would lose everything.

"I did wrong. I alone should be punished. Death would be a fitting end."

"But, I have brought disaster upon the Zhou family..."

Thinking of the heads of her two nephews, Zhou Ping and Zhou Yi, Zhou Shi was overcome with grief, and tears streamed down her face.

The heads of Zhou Ping and Zhou Yi had already made the emperor's attitude clear.

There was no place for the Zhou family in the Great Ming Dynasty anymore.

Granny Liu was also somewhat moved: "Empress Dowager, please take care of your health."

Zhou Shi shook her head with a bitter smile and stood up: "Let's go, to Qingning Palace."

Under the cover of night, a soft sedan chair departed from Cining Palace, followed by forty to fifty palace maids and eunuchs.

Alongside the procession, dozens of Eastern Depot agents accompanied them.

It was both protection and surveillance.

Blood flowed from the hidden corners of the palace, spreading onto the main road, only to be quickly washed away by the rain.

Hearing the screams coming from the palace from time to time, Zhou Shi painfully closed her eyes.

Soon, the sedan chair arrived outside Qingning Palace.

"Stop here."

The sedan chair stopped outside the gate. Zhou Shi leaned half her body out of the sedan chair, turning back to take one last, reluctant look at the palace.

She sighed deeply: "Let's go."

The sedan chair was slowly carried into Qingning Palace.

From that moment until her death in the seventeenth year of the Hongzhi era, Zhou Shi never stepped out of Qingning Palace again.

After Zhou Shi's death, the Ming Emperor Zhu Youtang restored her previous title and bestowed upon her the posthumous title of Empress Dowager Xiaosu Zhenshun Kangyi Guanglie Futian Chengsheng.

She was buried with the rites of an imperial concubine at Jinshan in the western suburbs, forbidden from being buried with Emperor Yingzong!

...

Zhu Youtang stood under the eaves of Qianqing Palace, watching the rain fall, unable to sleep.

Many things had happened tonight, making him feel very weary.

Especially regarding Zhou Shi's punishment, although Zhou Shi had interfered in palace affairs and hollowed out the imperial power, she was, after all, Zhu Youtang's own grandmother.

Recalling his childhood, being doted on by Zhou Shi, Zhu Youtang felt a tightness in his heart.

At that time, Consort Wan was monopolizing the emperor's favor in the harem, and he lived in constant fear of accidental death.

Only with Zhou Shi and the deposed Consort Wu did he feel safe.

Zhu Youtang pondered for a moment, then suddenly ordered: "Prepare the palanquin for Renshou Palace."

The little eunuch attending him quickly nodded: "Yes!"

Zhu Youtang's imperial palanquin stopped behind Renshou Palace, and a little eunuch immediately announced: "The Emperor has arrived!"

The palace maids and eunuchs quickly knelt to welcome him. Zhu Youtang stepped down from the palanquin and walked straight into the palace.

Inside the palace, the deposed Consort Wu, who had already fallen asleep, had awakened.

Seeing Zhu Youtang, Consort Wu was about to perform a salute when Zhu Youtang quickly stepped forward and stopped her.

"Mother, you don't need to salute when you see me in the future."

After Zhu Youtang's biological mother, Lady Ji, passed away, the deposed Consort Wu had taken the six-year-old Zhu Youtang by her side and raised him as her own son.

In his heart, Zhu Youtang had long regarded the deposed Consort Wu as his own mother.

"How can that be?" Consort Wu smiled and straightened the dragon robe on Zhu Youtang's body.

"You are now the ruler of a country. Every word and action represents the entire Great Ming. How can you allow others to overstep their bounds?"

Zhu Youtang held Consort Wu's hand tightly, his heart filled with emotion.

"If everyone in the world had thoughts like Mother, I wouldn't have had to carry out such a massacre tonight."

Consort Wu noticed that Zhu Youtang's emotions were somewhat low and comforted him softly.

"What Tang'er did must have been for a necessary reason. Tang'er doesn't need to overthink it."

Zhu Youtang: "Let's not talk about that. I came rashly tonight and disturbed Mother's rest."

Consort Wu waved her hand: "Actually, I was already awake. It's a bit noisy outside, making it hard to sleep."

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

"Yes!"

A little eunuch immediately received the order and quickly left the palace to deliver the message.

Consort Wu pondered: "It seems that the palace is not peaceful tonight?"

"It's almost over, Mother. I have good news to tell Mother on this visit."

"Oh? What good news?"

Zhu Youtang first smiled slightly, then said solemnly: "Directorate of Ceremonial, listen to the decree!"

The eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who was accompanying him, quickly took out his pen and ink to prepare to record the imperial decree.

"Respect Wu Shi as Empress Dowager. Before I establish an empress, she will manage the six palaces and three courtyards on my behalf."

The eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial immediately knelt to receive the decree: "Yes!"

Empress Dowager Wu looked surprised: "I, thank Your Majesty for your grace."

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

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

Empress Dowager Wu said no more, fell silent for a while, and then smiled softly.

"Since Tang'er wants me to manage the harem, then I will help Tang'er start the selection of consorts."

"How can the harem of the ruler of a country be empty?"

Zhu Youtang also smiled: "The matter of selecting consorts is entirely up to Mother."

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

"Time is of the essence, I will start working on it tomorrow."

"All the beauties of the world shall enter the imperial family!"

"Hahaha, then I must thank Mother."

In Renshou Palace, Zhu Youtang and Empress Dowager Wu talked and laughed, the atmosphere relaxed and lively.

Outside the imperial palace in the capital, however, the atmosphere was tense, with everyone on edge.

After coming out of the palace, Mu Bin, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, immediately went non-stop to the Embroidered Uniform Guard's yamen.

At this time, in the Northern Garrison Office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Qinglong was chatting with several of his subordinates.

They were all confidants whom Mu Bin had cultivated when he previously served in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Second Master, His Majesty really made a big move tonight, even beheading Wan Tong, Zhou Ping, and Zhou Yi. Is there really no problem?"

As the head of the Four Guardians, Qinglong was known as Second Master after Mu Bin took charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

As for the First Master, it was naturally Mu Bin.

Qinglong also felt somewhat emotional: "Yes, Wan Tong, who was still flaunting his power in front of us this morning, has now come to a head-rolling end."

"Consort Wan is dead, I don't think the Wan family can cause any trouble."

"It's just that Zhou Shi, I'm afraid..."

Before Qinglong could finish speaking, he heard a violent shout from the entrance of the Northern Garrison Office.

"You guys, are you courting death?!"