The Ming Dynasty: A bookstore sells the history of the Ming Dynasty, leaving Emperor Chongzhen bewil

Since the day he gave that strange guest a complete set of the History of Ming, Zhu Ziming had never seen that strange guest again.

Zhu Ziming's life did not change much.

Every day I run a bookstore, read books, research materials, and write novels.

Because it was the off-season, the bookstore had as few customers as ever, with only a few occasionally. However, Zhu Ziming didn't care much, since the bookstore was converted from his family's old house, so there was no rent and no financial pressure.

When there are few customers, he focuses on writing his novel. After finishing his novel, he can read books, daydream, or surf the internet, which is peaceful and fulfilling.

Of course, I sometimes feel lonely.

But after passing through the hustle and bustle, and growing weary of those days when time seemed to accelerate, you'll find that loneliness also has its own flavor. In solitude, you can rediscover the length of time, and you can calmly ponder all sorts of questions, interesting and mundane.

That day, the customer who cosplayed as the emperor came again, but today he did not wear a dragon robe. Instead, he wore an ordinary ancient-style garment, which was, of course, in contrast to his previous eye-catching dragon robe.

Zhu Ziming observed that although the clothes were the common style seen in period dramas, the quality was very good and they didn't feel cheap at all. Tsk tsk, the costumes made nowadays are really exquisite.

Welcome!

Zhu Ziming welcomed the other party as usual, and the other party smiled and nodded at Zhu Ziming.

This time, however, the other person did not go to the bookshelf, but continued to stand at the front desk, as if they wanted to chat with Zhu Ziming.

"I still don't know how to address you, sir?"

"Zhu Ziming".

"Oh? So you're also surnamed Zhu, sir?" Chongzhen was somewhat surprised to hear the name Zhu Ziming, but at the same time felt a sense of kinship.

Zhu Ziming frowned slightly: "What do you mean 'also surnamed Zhu'? Are you surnamed Zhu too?"

"what?"

Emperor Chongzhen paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, yes, my name is Zhu Zhen."

"Oh, it's you, Xiao Zhu!" Most of the bookstore's customers are students, so Zhu Ziming addressed him as he always did.

Little Zhu?

Upon hearing this title, Chongzhen's smile faltered slightly.

"What?" Zhu Ziming was older than him, and the other party looked to be only eighteen or nineteen years old. He was fair-skinned and clean-cut, so calling him "Little Zhu" was perfectly appropriate.

Emperor Chongzhen laughed and said, "It's alright, Little Zhu is fine, very fine..."

Zhu Ziming asked, "How's your reading of the History of Ming?"

Chongzhen replied, "I've seen most of it."

"You read it pretty quickly."

Although the History of Ming has many volumes and involves many figures, Zhu Ziming did not know that Emperor Chongzhen only read the part related to him, because he had already memorized the previous history, and he was the last of the Ming Dynasty's history.

However, Chongzhen didn't want to dwell on this matter any longer, and instead asked, "By the way, I came here to ask you, sir, what is your opinion of Yuan Chonghuan?"

"Yuan Chonghuan?"

Zhu Ziming was not surprised to hear the question, because when talking about the late Ming Dynasty, Yuan Chonghuan was definitely an unavoidable figure.

At the same time, Yuan Chonghuan was also an extremely complex figure.

The controversies surrounding him, whether he was a traitor or a hero, have been going on for centuries without any sign of abating. In the process of writing his novel about the late Ming Dynasty, Zhu Ziming also conducted some research on him.

However, he hadn't finished updating his novel today. He thought he should finish it first, otherwise, like last time, he wouldn't be able to have a pleasant conversation because he hadn't finished his work.

"Little Zhu, why don't you wait a bit? Let me finish what I'm doing first, and then I'll talk to you."

"it is good."

Since Zhu Ziming said so, Chongzhen didn't say anything more, but walked towards the bookshelf and went to find some books to read.

However, he couldn't understand many of the books on the bookshelf.

After wandering around for a while, he finally found his comfort zone: the classical literature section.

There were books like "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," "Journey to the West," "Water Margin," and "Jin Ping Mei," but these were all books he had read before. He picked up a book he hadn't read before, "Dream of the Red Chamber."

Surprisingly, it was quite good; he got engrossed in it immediately and watched with great interest.

After reading several chapters in one go, Zhu Ziming finished his work and brewed a pot of tea for him.

"Are you done with your work?"

"Um."

Zhu Ziming nodded, sat down opposite Chongzhen, and poured him a cup of hot tea. "Why are you talking about Yuan Chonghuan? Have you finished reading the biography of Yuan Chonghuan in the History of Ming?"

"I read it, but there are some parts I don't understand," Chongzhen replied truthfully.

"What don't you understand?"

Emperor Chongzhen thought for a moment and replied, "Many places."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Ziming laughed and said, "That's right, you don't understand it."

Emperor Chongzhen was even more confused. What did it mean that it was okay not to understand?

Zhu Ziming said: "The reason why Yuan Chonghuan has become a controversial figure for more than 300 years and is still being debated today is because of the records about him in the History of Ming."

Emperor Chongzhen frowned: "What exactly happened?"

Zhu Ziming said: "After the Jisi Incident, Yuan Chonghuan was condemned by thousands of people and attacked by the public. At that time, there were folk songs such as 'Kill Yuan Chonghuan, and half of the Tartars will leave' and 'Capture Yuan Chonghuan, and everyone will have a feast of peace.' He was considered a traitor. Later, after Yuan Chonghuan was executed by Chongzhen, his flesh and blood were even eaten by angry people, and his head was displayed on the nine borders."

"However, during the Qing Dynasty, Yuan Chonghuan's death was widely regarded as a miscarriage of justice, and voices of sympathy and affirmation gradually increased. Later, with the official publication of the History of Ming and Emperor Qianlong's imperial edict praising Yuan Chonghuan, Yuan Chonghuan regained high praise from the world and was even elevated to the level of a national hero, an influence that continues to this day."

"On one hand, he is a traitor, and on the other hand, he is a national hero. It's a complete reversal of the order of things, which is why Yuan Chonghuan has been a figure of endless debate for hundreds of years."

Emperor Chongzhen asked in surprise, "You mean the Manchus deliberately glorified Yuan Chonghuan? But why would they do that?"

Manchus?

This word is somewhat discordant.

But I understand, I'm a Ming dynasty fan!

Zhu Ziming didn't dwell on that and replied, "Remember what I said before? What's the first thing a new dynasty does after replacing the old one?"

Emperor Chongzhen shook his head; he truly couldn't remember.

Zhu Ziming answered for him: "The first thing the current regime does is to distort the history of the previous dynasty and smear its culture, so as to achieve the goal of the current regime conforming to the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people, thereby demonstrating the legitimacy of the current regime."

Emperor Chongzhen suddenly understood upon hearing this.

Suddenly, something occurred to him, and he looked astonished: "Are they elevating Yuan Chonghuan to belittle Emperor Chongzhen?"