"Xia Yunyi..." Emperor Chongzhen whispered the name several times.
Xia Yunyi was one of the Six Gentlemen of the Ji Society and one of its founders. He had a son named Xia Wanchun. By the age of nine, Xia Wanchun was already skilled in poetry and prose, earning the reputation of a child prodigy. In history, when the Manchus breached the passes, both father and son had enlisted in the army to resist the Qing forces. That year, Xia Wanchun was only fifteen.
After their defeat, Xia Yunyi refused the Manchu summons to surrender and committed suicide for his country. His manner of death was extraordinary: he ordered his brothers, son, and wives to stand on the bank and watch as he walked alone into the middle of a pond. The water was shallow, reaching only to his waist. He calmly bade farewell to his family before submerging his head into the water to choke himself to death. Xia Yunyi chose this tragic, heroic path to remain loyal to the Great Ming Dynasty.
Chapter 643