The Forbidden City at the end of the Qing Dynasty was a place of power and intrigue, where every corner of the city held untold secrets.
The sudden death of Emperor Tongzhi added more shadows to this palace, which was already full of depression and suspicion.
Official records indicate that he died of smallpox, but in an era of rumors and conspiracy, the truth was far more complicated than that.
Some say that he was the victim of political machinations because his presence posed a threat to certain centers of power. Others speculate that his unruly life, frequent night outings and indulgences contributed to his early death.
In the Forbidden City of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Tongzhi, the young emperor who was only six years old, was strictly arranged by his mother, the Empress Dowager Cixi, every day.
The corridors of the palace echoed with the footsteps and muffled words of the eunuchs.
"Your Majesty, today's class has been arranged. ”A eunuch named Xiaofuzi reported to Emperor Tongzhi in a low voice. He was dressed in a dark court robe, and his eyes revealed loyalty and respect.
Emperor Tongzhi sat on the dragon chair with a dissatisfied expression on his face.
His eyes looked through the window at the sunny Imperial Garden outside, and his heart was full of longing.
"I want to go to the Imperial Garden for a while. ”His voice was childish and willful.
Xiaofuzi was slightly embarrassed, but still stuck to his original position.
"The Queen Mother instructed that studies should be the most important. ”He replied respectfully but firmly.
In this era of etiquette, the education of the royal family was regarded as a national priority, and any deviation was not allowed.
Emperor Tongzhi sighed unwillingly, and there was nowhere to vent his inner dissatisfaction.
He knew that as the emperor, he could not escape the control of the queen mother.
His gaze turned to the window again, and a faint hint of longing flashed in his eyes.
Just then, a eunuch hurried in and broke the silence of the room.
"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager Cixi has a decree, and she needs to go to the Chongwen Hall this afternoon to listen to the lectures of the scholars. ”
Emperor Tongzhi's brows were tightly locked, and the corners of his mouth barely pulled out a smile.
"I see, go ahead. ”His tone betrayed helplessness and resignation.
Xiaofuzi and another eunuch exited the room, leaving Emperor Tongzhi to sit alone in the large hall.
His gaze fell again on the Imperial Garden outside the window, where there was the freedom and happiness he longed for.
In the golden cage of the Forbidden City, Emperor Tongzhi's childhood was kidnapped by strict etiquette and heavy schoolwork.
He did not have the company of his peers, he did not have the carefree of childhood, only continuous learning and dealing with the government.
His heart was full of curiosity and yearning for the outside world, but as an emperor, he could not step out of this high wall.
With the passage of time, Emperor Tongzhi gradually grew up**.
He is no longer the little emperor who can only reluctantly accept the arrangement, but begins to have his own thoughts and opinions.
When he was 16 years old, a momentous event inspired his strong antipathy to the control of his mother, the Empress Dowager Cixi—the choice of the empress.
In the Qianqing Palace in the Forbidden City, the Empress Dowager Cixi was discussing state affairs with her ministers when Emperor Tongzhi suddenly walked in, his eyes flashing with dissatisfaction and anger. "Why can't I choose the concubine I like? ”He angrily questioned Cixi.
The Empress Dowager Cixi turned around, without the slightest concession in her eyes, and responded coldly:"Your Majesty, how can marriage be a child's play? Fucha is the right person. ”
"But I don't like her. ”Emperor Tongzhi's voice was resolute"I should have a choice. ”
"Your Majesty, your marriage is related to the stability of the country and the imperial court, and it is not something that your personal preferences can determine. ”Cixi's tone was resolute and expressionless.
A trace of struggle and helplessness flashed in Emperor Tongzhi's eyes"Is this the fate of being an emperor? ”
At this moment, Emperor Tongzhi deeply felt the powerlessness and constraints of being an emperor.
In his heart, the emperor should be supreme and can do whatever he wants, but the reality is that he can't even decide on his own marriage.
Cixi's decision was undoubtedly motivated by considerations for the stability of the Qing Dynasty, but for the young Tongzhi Emperor, it was a great suppression of his personal wishes.
After this dispute, Emperor Tongzhi became even more silent and withdrawn.
He began to alienate himself from the government and developed a deep dislike for studying and handling state affairs.
In his heart, all this was the bondage and control of his mother, the Empress Dowager Cixi.
He began to look for opportunities to escape it all, hoping to find a glimmer of freedom and joy as an ordinary person.
Within the deep palace of the Forbidden City of the Qing Dynasty, the life of Emperor Tongzhi was full of endless constraints and restrictions.
Empress Dowager Cixi's strict control over him made him gradually feel suffocated.
The young emperor began to seek escape, and he secretly planned to sneak out of the court and experience a different life in the outside world.
One night, Emperor Tongzhi put on civilian clothes and prepared to quietly leave the Forbidden City.
"Zaecheng, are you really sure it's okay? ”He nervously asked Jae-cheng beside him.
Zai Cheng replied with a smile"Don't worry, Your Majesty, the outside world is wonderful. ”
Although Emperor Tongzhi hesitated in his heart, he was driven by the curiosity and desire of the outside world.
He gently pushed open the palace door and took that step.
This is the first time he has really stepped out of the Forbidden City and gone to the unknown and full of ** outside world.
The outside world was so novel and fascinating to Emperor Tongzhi.
He saw the clear moonlight, the verandah with flowers and branches, and the singers who sang and danced.
All this was very different from what he experienced in the palace.
His eyes twinkled with novelty, and his heart beat with excitement.
In the escape of these nights, Emperor Tongzhi gradually indulged in the world of flowers outside the palace.
He began to frequently visit the major fireworks places in the capital, looking for excitement and happiness.
In these places, he can forget for a moment that he is the king of a kingdom and can leave behind all sorrows and constraints.
"Your Majesty, let's have another drink! ”A singer smiled and handed over a wine glass.
Emperor Tongzhi took the wine glass and said with a smile"Okay, let's indulge tonight. ”
On these nights, he sang and laughed with the singers and drank wine.
But over time, this lifestyle began to take a serious toll on his body.
He began to drink a lot of alcohol and often indulged in drunkenness.
"Your Majesty, your body is ......”Jaecheng reminded with concern.
"It's okay, I just want to be happy for a while. ”Emperor Tongzhi shook his head, as if he wanted to get rid of something.
However, long-term alcoholism and lewd pleasures took a heavy toll on his young body.
By the age of 19, his health had deteriorated dramatically.
In one of his illnesses, he felt weaker than ever.
"Jaecheng, I don't feel good. ”Emperor Tongzhi said in a trembling voice.
Zai Cheng's face was solemn, he knew that the emperor's body had reached its limit.
In that illness, Emperor Tongzhi finally died, and at the age of 19, the curtain of his life fell.
The sudden death of Emperor Tongzhi caused an uproar in the palace.
Around the cause of his death, the discussion in the court was surging like a tide.
"I heard that the emperor was murdered? ”One maid whispered to another maid in the night.
Her eyes flashed with fear and curiosity, and her voice was almost blown away by the night wind.
"Impossible, the emperor died of illness. ”Another maid replied, with a hint of affirmation in her voice.
She looked around to make sure no one heard the forbidden conversation.
"But I heard the eunuchs talking in private, saying that the emperor often did not return home at night, and his body was already weak. ”The first maid continued to whisper, her brows furrowed, as if trying to remember every detail.
"That can only be said to be caused by the emperor's indulgence. ”The second maid responded.
There was a hint of uneasiness in her voice"Over the years, the queen mother's control over the emperor has become more and more relaxed, and the emperor sings every night, and his body is naturally damaged. ”
But there are also rumors that the Empress Dowager Cixi was afraid that the emperor would seize power, so she ......”The first maid's voice grew lower and lower, and she seemed to be afraid that such a topic would bring her bad luck.
The two palace maids looked at each other, both with unspeakable fear and doubt in their eyes.
In the golden cage of the Forbidden City, it seems that the mystery will never be answered.
The death of Emperor Tongzhi is like a sealed secret, buried in the corner of the deep palace.
Emperor Tongzhi's life was full of contradictions and conflicts.
Growing up under the strict control of the Empress Dowager Cixi, his youth gradually passed in bondage and rebellion.
His desire for freedom and his powerlessness for power contrasted sharply in his short life.
As time passed, Emperor Tongzhi began to look for a way to escape, and he frequently slipped out of the court and indulged in the land of fireworks in the capital.
This lifestyle took a serious toll on his young body.
His body was getting weaker and weaker, but he didn't seem to care.
People in the palace have different speculations about his death, some say it was due to illness, some say it was **, and some say it was due to indulgence.
The death of Emperor Tongzhi has been a mystery in the history of the Qing Dynasty, and there have been several speculations and assumptions surrounding his death.
According to official records, he died of smallpox, but there are more stories and rumors circulating among the people, including politics and speculation that he contracted syphilis.
First of all, regarding the political **, the role of the Empress Dowager Cixi is highly controversial.
During the reign of Emperor Tongzhi, he tried to restore the emperor's real power, which undoubtedly brought challenges to the power of the Empress Dowager Cixi.
Against this backdrop, Empress Dowager Cixi may resort to extreme measures in order to assert her power, even if it is aimed at her relatives.
However, it is worth noting that the power of the Empress Dowager Cixi at that time was not monolithic, and there were still many political enemies in the court who were eyeing her.
Therefore, the possibility of a direct assassination operation against the Tongzhi Emperor is not undoubted.
On the other hand, speculation about syphilis, the private life of Emperor Tongzhi is also the focus of discussion.
It is said that under the influence of Prince Gong's son Zaicheng and Wang Qingqi of Hanlin Academy, Emperor Tongzhi secretly left the court many times and went to Fengyue places in the capital to seek pleasure.
His dying symptoms, such as hair loss and ulcering abscesses on his body, were similar to those of late syphilis.
However, based on the medical understanding of the syphilis onset cycle, this statement does not seem to fit in the timeline, as it usually takes a long time from syphilis infection to the outbreak of late symptoms.
Thus, after considering all these factors, the official claim that smallpox caused the death seems more credible. However, Emperor Tongzhi's indulgent lifestyle may have caused him to become physically weak and unable to fight the disease smallpox.
His lifestyle and intense political environment may have been factors in his early death.
In conclusion, the death of Emperor Tongzhi is still shrouded in mysteries that reflect the brutality of the deep palace intrigues and power struggles of the era in which he lived.
His life was full of tragedy, and although he was emperor, he never really held real power.