Southern Ming: A boy soldier at the beginning, supporting the world

Chapter 301 Kong Sizhen

Bai Xiazi led Kong Tingxun and Kong Sizhen to break out of the city through Wenchang Gate. Manchurian soldiers, war horses, and young nobles, Bai Xiazi and his group soon attracted the attention of the Red Army and were intercepted and killed at every level.

After all the Manchu soldiers were killed, Kong Tingxun was also captured by the Red Army and secretly executed. Kong Sizhen took the opportunity to escape, but was caught by the Red Army in Shuangqiao area and sent to the General's Office in Guilin.

Historically, Li Dingguo led the Dashi Army to capture Guilin, beheaded Kong Youde, Bai Xiazi and others, and captured Kong Tingxun. Kong Sizhen escaped during the chaos and was later adopted by Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang of the Qing Dynasty. She was the only Han Chinese princess in the history of the Qing Dynasty. During the Three Feudatories Rebellion, Kong Sizhen "lived in Guangxi" and failed to stay out of the incident. She was detained by Wu Sangui and taken to Kunming. Dingnan Feudatories was leaderless and wavered during the Three Feudatories Rebellion.

On December 12, a carriage escorted Kong Sizhen through the Tiren Gate and into the General's Residence. Back in the old place, the houses and plants were the same as before, but the residence had changed hands. Kong Sizhen was used to going through the main gate of Duanli Gate, but now he had to go through the side gate, feeling resentful and panicked.

Through the curtains, Kong Sizhen clearly saw that order had been completely restored in the palace. All traces of the Dingnan Palace had been wiped out, and there were Red Army guards everywhere, and civil and military officials were everywhere in a hurry. They were all wearing Ming Dynasty clothes, which made Kong Sizhen, who was used to the Manchu short coat, feel very uncomfortable.

She had to remind herself that the palace had changed hands and she was no longer the high and mighty daughter of Dingnan. Being in the enemy camp, she had to be extremely careful and not offend the thieves. She also had to remember her identity at all times and would rather die than be contaminated by the thieves.

Unexpectedly, Kong Sizhen was sent to the rear palace. According to the Ming Dynasty royal palace regulations, the palace was divided into the front palace and the rear palace, each with five rooms, a seven-room hall in the middle, and sixty corridors around it.

When Kong Youde entered the Jingnan Palace, he made the back palace his wife, Bai's, and lived in the front palace. Kong Sizhen also lived in the back palace, paid respects to Bai every day, and was quite familiar with the structure of the back palace.

The carriage stopped, and Kong Sizhen felt very uneasy, her heart pounding. A Han maid opened the door, lowered her head slightly, and said, "Miss Kong, please get off."

Kong Sizhen looked up and saw a young Han woman in her thirties, dressed in plain clothes, without makeup, and with a solemn demeanor, obviously from a wealthy family. She felt relieved, stepped out of the carriage, and followed the beautiful woman into the back palace.

The rear palace was heavily guarded, with red soldiers guarding every gate. The young Han woman took Kong Sizhen into the west wing, which was elegant and clean. It was originally the residence of Kong Youde's favorite concubine Luo.

"Miss Kong, please sit down and have a rest." The young Han woman said gracefully.

There was no one else in the room. Kong Sizhen had been worried for days, but she felt relieved when she sat on the imperial concubine's couch and asked, "What's your name, madam?"

"I am Jin Ji, the concubine of Lord Qu. You can just call me Jin Ji."

"It's Mrs. Jin." Kong Sizhen pretended to be mature and felt relieved. Qu Shisi was a man of high character, so Jin Ji should not be a bad person.

"The front palace has been destroyed in the war. Miss Kong, please bear with it and temporarily live in the back palace."

Not long ago, Kong Youde set himself on fire, and also burned down the front palace.

In front of strangers, Kong Sizhen did not dare to say much, but just said carefully: "Thank you Madam Jin for your kindness. I am a defeated soldier, and I am lucky to have a house to shelter myself. I don't expect to live in the back palace."

Jin Ji smiled mysteriously and said, "Miss Kong, there is no need to feel sorry for yourself. There is a great fortune waiting for you. If you do it well, the remaining troops of Dingnan will be saved. They will all be grateful to you in the future."

After all, Kong Sizhen was not very experienced in the world and had been spoiled since childhood. She could not guess what Jin Ji meant and asked, "Madam Jin, what do you mean?"

Jin Ji avoided answering and asked instead: "Do you know how your father died?"

Thinking of Kong Youde, Kong Sizhen's tears flowed down. Although he was a traitor, he was the backbone of the Kong family and brought Kong Sizhen a noble status and a good life. Now that Kong Youde is dead and the Kong family is broken up, Kong Sizhen is like a floating duckweed, and no one knows where she will drift to.

"The Red Army broke into the city, but my father refused to surrender and set himself on fire." "No," Jin Ji sneered, "General Cen wanted to persuade your father to surrender, and sent Wang Yuncheng to the palace to negotiate. Your father wanted to surrender, and his trusted generals were also willing to surrender. But Bai Xiazi held your father hostage, first killed the general of Dingnan, and then forced your father to commit suicide. I believe Miss Kong knows the whole story very well."

Kong Sizhen had naturally heard about this incident, but Kong Youde, Bai Xiazi, Bai Shi and other people involved had all passed away, and the matter could no longer be explained.

Seeing that Kong Sizhen didn't say anything, Jin Ji asked, "Ms. Kong, what kind of person does the general think he is?"

Cen Danchu had a legendary life and made great military achievements. Even in the Manchu-occupied areas, his legend was still spreading. Which girl doesn't have spring in her heart? Kong Sizhen also admired Cen Danchu very much. At this moment, she was in the general's camp, and she said half sincerely and half against her will: "Great benevolence, great righteousness, great wisdom and great courage."

Jin Ji was delighted and accidentally revealed the truth, saying, "To be honest, the general is willing to pardon the Dingnan vassal army and protect the tens of thousands of relatives in Guilin. To show his sincerity, he is willing to take Miss Kong as his concubine, in accordance with the will of heaven and to protect the vassal army and relatives."

"Ah?" Kong Sizhen was shocked. As the only daughter of Kong Youde, Kong Sizhen had to obey the political marriage. As she got older, she was mentally prepared for this. However, Kong Youde was indirectly killed by Cen Danchu, and she was forced to marry the murderer of her father and become a concubine. Kong Sizhen was unwilling to accept this.

"When my parents were alive, I was promised marriage. I dare not tarnish the general's reputation."

Jin Ji came prepared and said, "But Sun Long's son Sun Yanling? I believe you already know that Sun Long died in Lipu. When Guilin was captured, Sun led his family to resist the heavenly army. The whole family died, and Sun Yanling's body was not found either."

"Ah?" Kong Sizhen became even more desperate as she could no longer rely on her husband's family.

Jin Ji was very much loved by Qu Shisi. She was also a learned lady. She advised: "Your father named your brother Tingxun, hoping that he would become a successful person like Kong Li. However, the Kong family in Qufu refused your father to enter the Confucius Temple and accused him of pretending to be a descendant of Confucius. Tingxun has become a laughing stock.

"Your father named her Sizhen, which also has a deeper meaning. Loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness are the four virtues. Your father was willing to be a lackey of the Qing Dynasty, but he was not in the most important position and did not have the four virtues, so he was despised by the world. He has repented, but he is being held hostage by Bai Xiazi, so he cannot easily turn back. He can only place his hope on her, hoping that she will be loyal, filial, benevolent and righteous, and continue her chastity for the Kong family. If she continues to be stubborn, it will go against your father's original intention."

This sophistry left Kong Sizhen speechless.

Seeing that the time was right, Jin Ji clapped her hands as a signal, and three women pushed the door open and came in.

Kong Sizhen looked carefully and found that the people who came were very familiar. They were the wives of Dingnan generals Lian Guoan, Ma Xiong, and Wang Yongnian, and they also brought gifts with them.

Xian Guoan, Ma Xiong, and Wang Yongnian were either in Pingle or in eastern Guangdong, with their troops outnumbered and powerless, unable to continue. Their families were in Guilin, held hostage by the Red Army, and they wished Kong Sizhen would marry Cen Danchu immediately to ensure the safety and wealth of the whole family.

Xian Guoan's wife was the highest-ranking one, and she smiled and nag, "Miss, we women are very happy to hear that she is going to marry the general, and we came here specially to congratulate her.

"Why is she crying? This is a great joy. In the past, we had no choice but to become Tartars. Now the general is willing to accept us, and the clouds have been cleared for Dingnan, and we have finally met a wise master.

"Look at the Red Army. They are truly a king's army. After conquering a city, they not only did not massacre the people, but also enforced strict military discipline. The families of the vassal troops who have not surrendered must be protected. If she marries the general, we women can benefit from it and our wealth and honor can be preserved. The soldiers will become Red Army soldiers and become Buddhas on the spot..."

Several women were prominent members of the military families. Their husbands were all generals of the Dingnan vassal state and were very close to Kong Youde. At present, the safety of their husbands and the wealth of the whole family depended on Kong Sizhen. These people had seen many storms and some were old friends from the Dongjiang Town period. They talked nonstop, using all their life skills.

Kong Sizhen couldn't get a word in, and at first she just listened passively, but in the end she was moved by their words. She was alone and helpless, like a floating duckweed in troubled times, and being able to marry Cen Danchu as a concubine was a blessing in disguise.

(End of this chapter)