Chapter 2 The first time the monarch and his ministers ascended the heights to announce the wedding date

In the third year of Jinglong (709 A.D.), it was September, and the first snow fell, and the cold air had already soaked the city of Chang'an thoroughly.The charcoal piled up in the two cities on weekdays has long since disappeared. Those who need to buy charcoal have to go to the morning market to buy back some charcoal. Members of the Miyagi royal family don't need to worry about this kind of carelessness, the heating things have already been prepared.As soon as the weather turned cold, charcoal was used to bake it in each hall, and a little agarwood root was added to make all corners of the hall warm and fragrant.

At this time, Shangguan Wan'er held the mirror and frowned, intending to go out of the palace to meet Princess Taiping. The face in the mirror is still gorgeous, but the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes tell Wan'er that she has entered middle age.More than forty years passed by in a flash, and Wan'er couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Shangguan Wan'er's life experience was quite miserable.Grandpa Shangguanyi was the prime minister of Gaozong Dynasty. Because of his ignorance, he suggested to Gaozong to abolish Wu Zetian's position as queen at that time, but was killed by Wu Zetian.When she grew up, Shangguan Wan'er was not only pretty, but also inherited her grandfather's literary talent and resourcefulness.The empress cherished her talent and let her be her personal female official, mainly in charge of Wen Han's affairs.

At the age of seventeen, Wan'er met the new crown prince Li Xian by the queen's side.The new crown prince is twenty-three years old, with a dignified appearance, and Wan'er is Huai Chun's age, so he can't help but fall in love with Li Xian, but in the deep palace and serving the Empress, no amount of thought is useless.At that time, she fantasized that the Empress Dowager was sick and the crown prince would succeed to the throne one day. At that time, with her talent, fame and beauty, she would surely get her wish. However, this wish soon came to naught. If the Empress wanted to become emperor, she had to remove the stumbling block of her son, so Li Xian was abolished, and Wan'er could only hide her thoughts deeply.

Seeing her face gradually fade, Wan'er became more and more sad.When Li Xian became the emperor, because Wan'er had made great achievements in the process of restoring him, his eyes were favored, and he was given the right to be the prime minister of Zhongshu to let him take charge of the imperial edict; At the beginning, I was lucky several times.However, Li Xian is much more vulgar than his elder brother Li Xian, he doesn't know how to appreciate Wan'er's talent and charm, he turns to fall in love with those young and beautiful concubines in the harem, and throws Wan'er aside.

The middle-aged Wan'er has long lost the innocence of a girl. After witnessing the bloody and cruel changes around her many times, she understands the benefits of power.However, as a helpless concubine in the palace, how can I ensure that I always have the evergreen tree of power? Recalling the past, Wan'er sighed again.Since the Empress came to power, the Li and Wu families fought each other, and disputes continued.When Li Xian became the emperor, he not only indulged Queen Webster's monopoly, but also was friendly to the Wu family represented by Wu Sansi. Wan'er quickly discovered the link between them. .At the beginning, Princess Taiping once presented her male favorite to the queen, Wan'er knew about it, so she wanted to follow suit.One day, Wan'er went to chat in Webster's harem, and unconsciously talked about the love between men and women. The conversation gradually entered Hong Kong, and Wan'er brought out the beauty of Wu Sansi with fiery words, which made Webster's heart flutter. , couldn't help saying: "It's not too late, you call Sansi into the palace." So everything came to fruition, Webster, Wan'er and Wu Sansi formed an alliance based on this relationship.

Emperor Li Xian was originally afraid of Webster, and now Webster has formed an alliance with Wan'er and Wu Sansi, and his position is unshakable.However, there was an unforeseen situation. In the third year of Shenlong, Prince Li Chongjun could not bear the oppression and insult of Webster and others, so he joined the army to rebel, first went to the Wuzhai to kill Wu Sansi and Wu Chongxun, and then broke into the palace to kill Wan'er. Hearing that the crown prince rebelled, Li Xian was so startled that he was at a loss, and said incoherently: "This... this is not bad! This... this... what should I do?" Wan'er has always had a plan, so she was quick to use her wits and offered a plan: "The Xuanwu gate tower is strong. Be careful, please wait for your Majesty to climb the tower quickly, firstly, you can temporarily avoid the fierce front, and secondly, you can bow down to announce urgent orders." A group of people went up to the Xuanwu gate tower together.The rebel army soon arrived at the door. Li Xian looked down from the building and heard the rebel general say: "Wu Sansi's promiscuous palace, your Majesty has never heard of it? I have ordered Sansi and his son to be punished by the prince's order, but the palace has not been cleared. I am here to kill the chief villain." Li Xian asked, "Who is the chief villain?" The traitor replied, "Shangguan Zhaorong, who seduced Sansi into the palace, is the chief villain. If your majesty can't bear to part with her, please hand her over as soon as possible, and the ministers will wait for you." Dispose of yourself."

After Li Xian heard this, he turned his head and looked at Wan'er. Wan'er saw a trace of indifference in Li Xian's eyes.She knew that if Li Xian thought that surrendering himself would preserve the throne, he would hand himself over to the rebels without hesitation.Under the crisis, Wan'er's cheeks turned red, with tears streaming down her cheeks, she suddenly knelt down and said: "I have nothing to seduce you to think twice, I beg your Majesty to learn from you. It is not a pity for my concubine to die, but I am afraid that the traitor will ask Wan'er first, and the next Empress Suo, I want to wait on Your Majesty again." Li Xian was slow to react at first, but after this agitation, he just stayed there and didn't speak.As a result, time was gained, and the thousand cavalry arrived quickly, finally killing the rebels.

Later, every time Wan'er recalled this incident, Wan'er felt afraid for a while.She thought to herself: "If I hadn't been vigilant, I'm afraid my head would have been separated." This incident shocked Wan'er a lot. She never thought that she would be regarded as a disorderly government by outsiders when she was flattering and dealing with the royal family and the Wu family. the culprit. Then, it's time to show kindness to the Li family.It is not necessary to come to see Princess Taiping in person today, but to inform the princess and consort to attend tomorrow's meeting at the Charity Pagoda. According to the usual practice, the government office of the court should notify the princess.

Wan'er left the palace by car, and soon arrived in front of Princess Taiping's mansion.She raised her legs and got out of the car, looked up at the golden plaque of "Princess Taiping's Mansion of Zhenguo" bestowed by the emperor, feeling a sense of awe in her heart. When the empress was in power, Princess Taiping always played the role of an obedient daughter. Although she had a hobby of raising male pets, she limited herself to her own entertainment and never stepped into the circle of power.The queen knew people very well throughout her life, and praised the princess many times for being decisive and resourceful, similar to herself.It seems that Princess Taiping is very aware of her mother's abilities and means, and she will never play tricks in front of her mother.However, during the Shenlong coup, Princess Taiping made a decisive move. She not only participated in the conspiracy before the coup, but also used her friendship with Wan'er to contact the palace maids and became the key figure in the success of the incident.So, the prince's attempted coup d'état, is there any figure of Princess Taiping among them?In this coup, Prince Li Chongjun acted hastily, behaved hesitantly, and was very immature, which seemed to be inconsistent with Princess Taiping's usual decisive style. However, the world is unpredictable, who can explain it clearly?Thinking of this, Wan'er couldn't help feeling tense.

Hearing that Shangguan Zhaorong entered the mansion, Princess Taiping hurriedly went to the courtyard to greet her with her son-in-law Wuyou. Seeing this, Wan'er hurriedly leaned forward and said, "Offend me, how dare my servant bother the princess to welcome you personally." Princess Taiping is about the same age as Wan'er, but when she reaches middle age, she looks more and more like her mother.Both mother and daughter were born with broad foreheads and chins, double eyelids and fair skin, showing an aura of wealth.Hearing that Wan'er was modest, the princess then said: "Zhao Rong is welcome, you and I have been friends for many years, this etiquette is necessary." In fact, Princess Taiping didn't mean it, Wan'er was only a female official in the palace at the time, it is true She has the status of a servant girl, but today is not what it used to be. Wan'er has become the emperor's elder brother's second-rank Zhaorong, and she is also in charge of imperial edicts.

The princess and his wife welcomed Wan'er into the middle hall and sat down.The son-in-law Wu Youji was very obedient, he greeted the servants to serve tea, and then walked into the back hall in a flash. Wan'er took a sip of the fragrant tea, and praised: "It is said that the princess is the best at maintaining health. This tea seems to be born in Hongzhou. It is called Xishan Bailu, and it is really a treasure in the capital." "As expected of Shangguan Zhaorong, he can even distinguish the tea produced in such a small place." "There are rumors in the capital that when it comes to tea, the princess mansion is the most recommended. The maid is a little puzzled. People say that the process of brewing tea is very complicated. How can tea be made in a short time?" Princess Taiping smiled slightly and said: "I'm an idler, so I have to spend more time on these trivial matters. I have specially set up a room as a tea house on the side of the middle hall. If Zhaorong is interested, please move around and have a look. ?” Wan'er heard the lingering sound in Princess Taiping's words, she hurriedly got up from her seat, and said: "Princess, I am very grateful for the convenience." They moved into the west door, and they were greeted with the fragrance of tea.Wan'er raised her eyes and saw that the room was very spacious and seemed to be spotless. There were several large vats and a row of cabinets standing under the west wall, and several maidservants in plain clothes stood on the other side. They were obviously the ones who completed the tea-making process. . Wan'er nodded while watching, her eyes fixed on the several large vats, and asked: "Princess, where is the water for drinking tea stored? Where is the good water in the vat?" Wan'er knew that good tea is expensive. People often don't drink the water in the capital, but transport it from other places by riding post. "This is zero water in the south of the Yangtze River." Wan'er nodded, knowing that this water is one of the best water for drinking tea. The two returned to their seats, and after going through this chat, they seemed to have drawn closer, and the scene became a little more lively. Princess Taiping asked: "Zhaorong is here, what can I teach you?" Seeing that Princess Taiping was always being very polite to her, Wan'er fluttered her beautiful eyelashes, smiled and said, "Princess, the servant girl came here to know that she will go to the banquet at the Temple of Mercy tomorrow. The Holy Majesty said that it has been a long time since I saw the princess. I miss you very much." "Brother Huang really said so?" "That's right, the Holy Majesty said that if the ordinary government office informs, the princess will definitely not be there, so I ordered my maidservant to make a special trip to urge her." Princess Taiping pondered for a moment, her voice suddenly became low, and she changed her title to Wan'er: "Wan'er, you and I have known each other for many years, you should know that I don't want to interfere in the affairs of the court. It's an eventful time, I just sit at home every day and don't talk to each other. Outsiders and villains talk too much in front of the emperor, and I stay behind closed doors, that's exactly what I mean." Wan'er understood what Princess Taiping was talking about: after the prince Zhongjun was murdered for rebellion, Wu Sansi's followers said to Li Xianzuo: "The Prime Minister of Anguo and Princess Taiping of Zhenguo also conspired with the prince to raise troops, please accept and pay." Prison." At that time, Li Xian felt that everything was like a war, and after hearing it, he felt that it was reasonable, and planned to send Xiao Zhizhong, the Minister of the Ministry of Officials and the Prime Minister of the Censor, to interrogate him.Xiao Zhizhong had a close relationship with Princess Taiping in private, and he immediately remonstrated: "Your Majesty is rich all over the world, can't you tolerate a younger brother and a younger sister? When King Xiang used to be the heir of the emperor, in order to give the world to His Majesty, he would not eat for days. Empress Yu Zetian, everyone in the world knows about this matter. Now someone wants to frame them, Your Majesty must investigate." After that, many ministers came to protect the Prime Minister and Princess Taiping, and Li Xian just put it aside.In those days, both Li Dan and Princess Taiping trembled and thanked guests behind closed doors to avoid disaster.Wan'er knew that when they were dealing with the Queen, Li Xian and Li Dan formed an alliance with Princess Taiping and they were in sync.Now that Li Xian became the emperor, he obeyed Queen Webster and Princess Anle, and joined forces with the Wu family represented by Wu Sansi. Li Dan and Princess Taiping had a subtle distance from the emperor's brother. Thinking of this, Wan'er said: "That's a servant who framed Luo Zhi. The Holy Majesty has insight into the details, so there is no need for the princess to worry too much." Princess Taiping shook her head and said nothing, the two smart women looked at each other, they both understood each other's intentions, so they stopped talking. Princess Taiping changed the subject again: "Tomorrow is the ninth day of September. After the banquet, there will definitely be another poem. It's time for you to criticize the world. Wan'er, you know I'm not good at poetry. It's really embarrassing to be in such a situation." Wan'er said earnestly: "Princess, the maidservant came here today because the Holy Majesty ordered him to urge him. The maid thought that the princess and the consort must be present at the meeting tomorrow, which is considered to be in accordance with the Majesty's edict. As for the post-meeting poem, At that time, the servant girl will report to the emperor, and the princess can leave early." "Okay, let's just say it like this, it's hard for Wan'er's whole heart. Will Xiang Wang also attend the meeting tomorrow?" Wan'er nodded and said: "Prince Xiang will definitely attend the meeting. Tomorrow, on the ninth day of September, the Holy Majesty, King Xiang and the princess will remember Empress Wende in front of the pagoda of Ci'en Temple. They should have different feelings." The Queen Wende mentioned by Wan'er is Empress Taizong's eldest grandson.When Tang Gaozong was the prince, he built the Ci'en Temple in memory of his mother, and Gaozong Yonghui built the Ci'en Temple Pagoda in the temple in the third year of Yonghui. Princess Taiping nodded in agreement.She is ice-snow and smart, and she already understands that Wan'er came here to inform her, and to fix it well.Back then when Wan'er was hanging out with Wu Sansi and Queen Wei, her power was in the hands of the government, and she would never condescend to visit the mansion at that time. But what is Wan'er's intention of coming here to fix it?Although Wu Sansi is dead, the real power structure in the court has not changed substantially. Emperor Li Xian is still under the influence of the queen and his daughter, and Wan'er is still favored. Could it be that she has a rift with Queen Wei now? On the ninth day of September, the Double Ninth Festival is a festival that is valued by the Tang people. It is said that wearing dogwood can ward off bad luck, so when the festival comes, people will put dogwood on their temples, or wear dogwood bags on their bodies or on the doors and windows of their homes. , at least two sticks of dogwood should be inserted in each.On that day, in the city of Chang'an, because cornel was planted everywhere, the whole city seemed to be submerged in a sea of ​​faint fragrance. In addition, climbing the heights and appreciating chrysanthemums have become important activities of the Double Ninth Festival. Since the Taizong Dynasty, it has become a rule for the emperor to call ministers and famous literati to visit together on this day, and then drink wine and compose poems.This is the case in the court and the middle school. On this day, lower-level officials and even students who are waiting for examinations often go on tours by themselves on this day, and drinking and composing poems has become a common practice. Although the cold came earlier this year, the green leaves on the trees did not turn yellow all of a sudden. Although they were withered, they were still green and yellow; on both sides of the Qujiang River, chrysanthemums were in full bloom. The gold belt is truly beautiful. Since the Ci'en Temple is located on the east bank of the Qujiang River, it will become the highest point in the surrounding area after its completion, creating a best spot for enjoying the scenery.Since Emperor Gaozong, Ci'en Temple has become the royal sightseeing spot for the three major festivals of Zhonghe, Shangsi and Chongyang.In addition, it was built by Emperor Gaozong in memory of his mother, the eldest grandson, Empress, so the Li family's visit here adds another layer of meaning. More than ten days before the arrival of the Double Ninth Festival, Guanglu Temple ordered its subordinate departments to get busy.They carefully selected precious chrysanthemums, first surrounded the sides of the road connecting Miyagi and Qujiang with flowerpots, and then selected different precious chrysanthemums in Ci'en Temple, forming different patterns according to different colors; The raw material of the food is selected by the Liangyin Department to select the first-class chrysanthemum, and the days are carefully calculated to make the chrysanthemum wine taste the best on the day of the Double Ninth Festival, in order to serve an exquisite banquet at that time. The picked dogwoods with morning dew are planted all over the inner and outer walls of the temple. The invited princes and ministers gathered in the Ci'en Temple on time before 2:00 p.m. According to the usual practice, the emperor and empress came from the sidewalk to enter the temple at noon. Li Dan, Prime Minister of Anguo, and Princess Taiping of Zhenguo entered the temple one after another. Their appearance attracted people's attention, and people nearby bowed and saluted one after another.The governor of Guanglu Temple hurriedly welcomed the two into the side hall to rest.They sat down in the hall, and the yamen servants offered melons, fruits and fragrant tea, and asked them to rest for a while before welcoming the emperor. Prime Minister Li Dan's face is calm, unsmiling, he loves reading and writing, and prefers the learning of Laozhuang and Zhuangzi, so as to cultivate himself and cultivate his character, and develop a calm personality. related to this character.Moreover, he went on a hunger strike to show his ambition, and then gave up the world to his third brother Li Xian. His deeds of "giving up the world for the second time" have become a good story and have a good reputation among Chinese people. The princess smiled and said: "Fourth brother, look at your dull face, probably recently you have refined another batch of golden pills, and it took a lot of effort." Li Dan knew that his younger sister was making fun of him. Although he had remained the same in response to the ever-changing situation in the recent dangerous situation, after all, he was still feeling a lot of depression in his heart. Hearing his younger sister's jokes, he suddenly felt relieved. He raised his eyes and said, "Well, you Start talking nonsense again, when did I practice alchemy?" "Brother, mentality is the only thing in alchemy. You are much better than those Taoist priests who eat and drink. You might as well go to Zhongnan Mountain to live in seclusion for half a year, concentrate on hard training, and guarantee your success." Li Dan smiled and said nothing. Princess Taiping changed the subject again: "Fourth Brother, now that Dalang and the others have been released as outsiders, don't you live a lonely life? You are bored in the mansion every day, and you don't even walk around here for a while, don't be bored." own." Li Dan was silent for a long time, then sighed and said: "Yue'er, I'm used to this kind of life. It's a good thing that they can temper their temperament after being let go. But now that they are getting older, I will think of them occasionally." Princess Taiping didn't know what to think of at this time, her smile stopped, but she was speechless. At this time, the governor of Guanglu Temple came in and said: "The King and Princess, the Holy Majesty and the Empress are coming soon." The two hurriedly got up and went out to meet them. Although Emperor Li Xian and Prime Minister Li Dan had the same body and similar appearance, the expressions on their faces were quite different.Li Xian didn't like reading since he was a child, and he didn't want to pay attention to anything, so his face always showed a careless expression, but his temper was still good, and there was a friendly look between his expressions. Li Xian entered the temple slowly, followed by Empress Wei, Wan'er, Princess Anle and the prince.After Li Xian accepted the worship from the officials, he laughed and said, "Well, the weather is good today, let's have a good time." Empress Wei, who was behind her, was very upset when she heard the words. She felt that these words violated the majesty of the emperor, her brows were frowned, and her face showed a serious expression. The ministers in front of them watched their words and expressions, and seeing that Empress Wei was a little unhappy, they suddenly felt uneasy.They knew that Empress Wei now had the majesty of the Empress Dowager Wu back then, the emperor obeyed her and gradually tended to surpass the emperor, so they dare not offend at all. According to the usual practice, due to the limited space on the pagoda of Ci'en Temple, the emperor led his ministers to climb the pagoda first, and other ministers and princes toured in order. After entering the pagoda, they wrote poems in the lobby, and finally the emperor gave a banquet. Prime Minister Li Dan and Princess Taiping were the first people to accompany Emperor Li Xian to climb the pagoda. They climbed up the steps and soon reached the top of the pagoda, where they could have a panoramic view of the Qujiang scenery.Li Xian was very interested today. He looked back at Li Dan and Princess Taiping and said, "Because I climbed the pagoda today, I found Empress Wende's "Women's Rules" in the palace last night, and I felt very kind in my heart. Thinking of Emperor Wen And Empress Wende, her words and deeds have indeed become a model for our children and grandchildren. We are also considered unlucky, and have no chance to see her face." Empress Changsun died young, and Wu Meiniang served Emperor Gaozong only after the death of Emperor Taizong. Of course, her children could not see their grandparents.Before her death, Empress Changsun compiled the beautiful stories of the women of the previous generation who abided by women's morality. The book was written in ten volumes, called "Women's Rules", and she wrote the preface herself.It's a pity that she didn't expect that her daughter-in-law and even grand-daughter-in-law were quite different from her personality. The daughter-in-law herself became the emperor and changed from Tang Dynasty to Zhou Dynasty. The granddaughter-in-law in front of her is not a good person. The prescribed routine. Li Dan reads a lot of history books, so of course he knows the deeds of his grandfather and grandmother in detail. He nodded and said: "Yes, we can have today, thanks to the foundation laid by them. Empress Wende was respectful and orderly throughout her life. "Ze", every time I read history to this point, I can't help feeling moved." Princess Taiping and Princess Anle didn't say a word when they heard the words. Princess Taiping knew in her heart, but Princess Anle didn't care at all, but Empress Wei who was beside her heard it a bit harshly, and interjected: "You two brothers are a little self-deprecating, Taizong Although the emperor is heroic, he has not lost his ambition. I heard from historians that Taizong's "Zhenguan Reign" had a good start, but it was not as prosperous as Gaozong's "Yonghui Reign." The two brothers hurriedly agreed with Queen Wei's words and nodded in agreement.Princess Taiping observed coldly, and suddenly found that Empress Wei's temper had been depressed for a while after Wu Sansi's death, and now it is back to the same state, and it is much stronger than before. Empress Wei said again: "Prince Xiang, Bao'er's wedding date is set on the tenth day of November, and the ceremonial officer will inform the minister later. I have discussed with the Holy Majesty, and I invite you to preside over the matter of 'blocking the car'." The so-called "barrier car" means that when the daughter goes out during the wedding, the mother's family will come forward several times to block the car to send her relatives to show their nostalgia. Li Dan nodded and said, "Your brother has also heard about it. This is a major event, and it's his duty." Li Xiandao: "Wu'er's marriage is a big event for my family, and it must be more lively. Fourth brother, I have asked the director to write about the administration of your sons at that time, and let them come back to assist you." Princess Taiping smiled at this time, stretched out her hand to pull Princess Anle closer to her, and said: "Our daughters of the Li family, you have always wanted to get out of the house as soon as possible. Bao'er, you have to ask the emperor and queen for a fortune." Big makeup, what do you want from your aunt? Tell me earlier, so I can prepare it for you." Princess Anle pouted and said, "Father is very stingy. I asked for Kunming Pond as a dowry that day, but Father refused to give it. Aunt Taiping, please help Bao'er." When everyone heard this, they couldn't help being shocked.Kunming Lake was built by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to train the navy for foreign wars. It was built in imitation of Dianchi Lake in Kunming. It is about ten miles from east to west and twelve miles from north to south. It is larger than Chang'an City. It takes nearly forty miles to walk around the coast.In the Tang Dynasty, in addition to training the navy, the pool also had the functions of supplying water to Chang'an and irrigating farmland. Moreover, the scenery here is excellent, making it a good place for Chang'an citizens to enjoy the countryside.Now that Princess An Le opened her mouth to ask Kunming Chi to be her private dowry, no one could have imagined that she would have such a big appetite. It is said that Princess Anle is the youngest daughter of the current Emperor Li Xian and Empress Webster, named Li Gu'er.When Empress Wei was pregnant with Princess Anle, Empress Dowager Wu kicked Li Xian off the throne, sent him to Fangzhou, and then became emperor herself.Li Xian's family was on the way to Fangzhou in misery. Wei Shi gave birth to a little daughter, but there was no quilt to wrap the child around.In March of the first year of the holy calendar, when Li Xian was recalled by the empress to Luoyang to be the crown prince again, the 15-year-old Li Gu'er had already grown into a beautiful and eloquent beauty. The world's number one sister-in-law".The queen appointed her own son as the prince. In order to appease Wu's natal family, she arranged for the prince's daughter to marry the grandchildren of Wu's family to strengthen their relationship. Princess Anle (then known as Princess Anle) married Wu Sansi's second son. Wu Chongxun. During Li Chongjun's coup, Wu Sansi and Wu Chongxun were killed in the house, and Princess Anle became a widow.As for the marriage discussed, it is actually that Princess Anle is about to marry Wu Yanxiu, Wu Chongxun's cousin.Just now Princess Anle was so presumptuous, it was the result of being favored by everyone. Princess Taiping didn't dare to say anything, Li Xianqi said to Ai Ai: "Well... well... I'll talk about this later, let's talk about the house first. Bao'er, I asked Zhao Luwen to build your new house. It cost a lot, so take all the money. I'm free." Li Xian, who has always been obedient to his daughter, rarely agrees vaguely like now. Everyone stopped talking about this topic, and then turned around and went down the tower.As for the poems of the couplet between the monarch and his ministers, it is naturally elegant and harmonious, so I won't show it for the time being. But it is said that Taihang lies across the east of Luzhou, and the terrain to the west is flat, rich in hemp, kudzu and other things.There are many workshops here, mainly producing some linen and kudzu rope, and there is also a large government-run workshop, which produces the world-renowned Lu silk.Due to its rich products and convenient trade, Luzhou is famous for its large number of merchants. Luzhou Mansion is less than a thousand steps to the east, and there is an imposing mansion.This is the mansion of Zhang Wei, the richest man in Luzhou. He monopolized the transportation business of the official procurement of Lu silk, and owns more than ten workshops. His business reaches the whole country. speed. Zhang Wei is very good at enjoying himself. His mansion imitates the specifications of the royal mansion, covering an area of ​​more than 50 hectares. The house is majestic and magnificent.In order to be arty, he collected books from all over the world to fill the bookstores, and built a music hall to attract musicians and singers to gather here. At this time, the figures in the concert hall were all assembled, and the drums and zithers were resounding.The musicians sit to the left, and the drummer stands in front of him leaning on the Jiegu. The open space in the center and to the right is the venue for dancers and singers. The drummer raises his mallet above his head, and the musicians behind him look at the drumstick.Then the drumsticks lightly fell on the drumhead, and the sound was like the muffled sound of people kicking stones at night on the opposite side of the river, or the sound of wind blowing pumice stones falling into the abyss in the mountain stream.After the sound, the whimpering sound of a hole flute joins in. Its sound is more sad under the empty moonlit night, and its follow-up sounds seem to have a sense of desolation.Afterwards, silk and wooden instruments such as qin, zi, zhu, ya, and ying were played in sequence, depicting a scene that seems both real and illusory: on a bright moonlit night, a sad man walks in the wilderness, with endless sorrow and sorrow. , and the leisurely companionship with the natural scenery.Whenever the music changes, Jiegu becomes the conductor of the advance and retreat of the instrument. A slender scholar walks in front of the stage, behind him are several dancers in light gauze. Suddenly, the music stopped, and a long crow became the reverberation of the audience.Wu cried three times in succession, and the scene came to a standstill. The drummer raised the drumsticks and lightly touched the drum surface again. This time the performance was mainly gold and stone instruments, and Zhong Qin played the court scene.Amidst the peaceful music, a beautiful woman appeared in a pink gauze dress, and sang with her red lips lightly: When Wu Qi was on the stage of Gusu, Xi Shi was drunk in the Wu Palace. The dances of Wu Ge and Chu are not over yet, and the green hills still hold half the sun. The golden pot of silver arrow leaks a lot of water, it looks like the autumn moon falling into the river waves. What is the joy of the east getting higher and higher? After the beauty sang, she slowly left, and the dancers also left.However, the music continued, and at the end, all the instruments stopped playing, and only the Jiegu began to exert force. The drum sound changed from slow to fast, as if entering a battle scene where thousands of troops lined up to kill. At this moment, the drummer was already sweating profusely, his face was solemn, and his whole body was moving.At the end, he let go of the hammer and stroked it on the drum, and the sound of the drum stopped abruptly. The middle-aged man who had been watching the music stood up, shouted "Hello", then walked to the drummer, bowed and said: "The king of Linzi opened Zhang Wei's eyes again today. This song was composed by the king of Linzi." Then I will personally direct and play it, and Concubine Zhao will sing it to assist it, it is really wonderful, and it makes my blood boil when I hear it." Zhang Wei is the owner of this house, and the drummer he faces is Li Longji, the third son of Prime Minister Li Dan, who was named King of Linzi, and was sent as Luzhou Biejia last year. Prince Li Chongjun attempted a coup d'état. Later, some people said that Prime Minister Li Dan was also involved. Li Xian and Empress Wei were dubious.Although he didn't deal with Xiangwang, he was worried about Xiangwang's vigorous sons. He felt that it would be easy to cause trouble if they were placed in the capital, so they were all released.Li Longji was sent to Luzhou not to drive, Luzhou was only counted as a lower state, and there were not many things. The governor took care of everything alone, and Li Longji was still the king of the county, so he had nothing to do after he came to Luzhou.Zhang Wei is a generous person who likes to make friends. Seeing the king of Jingcheng coming here, there is no reason not to make friends.Li Longji grew up in a claustrophobic palace with his father. Reading and studying music theory became his two major hobbies. Seeing that Zhang Wei's mansion had a large collection of books and a similar music and dancing venue, he hit it off and stayed together in Zhang Wei's mansion day and night.The governor of Luzhou also didn't want the county king to meddle too much in political affairs, so the two didn't disturb each other. The chanting beauty came over and handed over a brocade handkerchief for Li Longji to wipe off the sweat on his face.This beauty's name is Zhao Min, originally from Shandong, and she joined Zhang Wei's mansion as a singer with her father. When Li Longji was frustrated, he saw this girl's beauty, grace and grace, and she was good at singing and dancing, so he fell in love with her.Zhang Wei had a lot of experience, and seeing this situation, he let Zhao Min live in the other courtyard next to his house, and this place became the love nest of Li Longji and Zhao Min.The concubine of the county king originally needed to be conferred by the court, but now the Zhang family ignored this set of rules and called Zhao Min Zhao Concubine.Right now, Concubine Zhao's belly is already swollen, and she will give birth in a few months. Li Longji took the brocade handkerchief and wiped off his sweat, his flying eyes met Zhao Min's sweet eyes, and the two felt tenderness in their hearts.Li Longji turned to Zhang Wei again and said, "Haha, it's not easy for you to be able to hear the passion. It seems that after I entered the mansion, your sense of joy has improved a lot." Zhang Wei nodded and said: "That's that, that's the so-called Chi who is close to the Zhu, following the King of Linzi, I, a bastard, will definitely learn a lot of skills. King Linzi, let's go to the middle hall to have tea." On the way they walked, the cold air hit people. The terrain here is extremely cold, even much colder than Chang'an. Concubine Zhao is a considerate person. When she went out, she put her hat on Li Longji's head, afraid that he had just finished sweating profusely. Get cold again.While the three were talking, they entered the middle hall, and the maid immediately offered them fragrant tea.Li Longji drank one cup in one gulp, feeling very comfortable. Seeing Zhang Wei who is so courteous and flattering, Li Longji was very satisfied.Li Longji is twenty-five years old, with sharp eyebrows and big eyes. He usually likes to ride horses, fight and go outing, so his body looks strong and powerful; his mother lost his mother when he was young, and he has been confined in a deep palace for many years, making him deep and moody. He loves music and dance, and loves to recite poems and make fuss, which makes his face always exuberant and optimistic.Li Longji put the teacup on the table, and sighed: "The days go by so fast, and another day will pass in a blink of an eye. Brother Wei, I came to Luzhou thanks to meeting you, otherwise how can I endure such a time?" During the nearly one year of getting along with each other, Zhang Wei has become very talkative. Hearing this, Zhang Wei said with a smile: "The king of Linzi's words are wrong. Zhang Wei is a rough man, how can he offer the royal gold and jade? If the credit is due, it is the king of Linzi himself. Great blessings are equal to heaven, God knew you were coming to Luzhou, so he arranged for Concubine Zhao to come and wait. Zhang Wei has served as the king of Linzi for a long time, so maybe he can get some good luck because of it." Concubine Zhao smiled from the side. Li Longji sighed: "Auspicious? I am the king of Luotuo County, and now I have been demoted to a foreign post. Brother Wei, if you want to get some cheap from me, you are making a big mistake." Zhang Wei said solemnly: "Everyone in the world says that merchants only value money and silk, which is the most unjust. This statement is wrong. I was delighted to know the king of Linzi, and I had no other thoughts. The king of Linzi will eventually return to the capital in the future. Or take another visit, Zhang Wei is very satisfied." Zhang Wei's words are not false, the royal descendants seem to be beautiful, but they are actually extremely dangerous.At the beginning, Empress Zetian wantonly accused the Li family's clan of crimes and killed all the descendants of the Li family, which is a common practice. At this time, footsteps came from outside the door, and the two of them flashed in from the outside. They thought that the people inside and outside the house were very familiar with each other, and even the report was omitted. The two entered and bowed to Li Longji and said: "Your Highness, just now someone from the Governor's Mansion sent the edict sent by the post office in the capital, but it was specially delivered to Your Highness." Hearing this, Li Longji stretched out his hand to take the imperial edict.I saw that it was written: Due to Princess Anle's wedding and the subsequent New Year's ceremony, the king had to go to Beijing to observe the ceremony, and asked to return to the capital before the first ten days of November. After Li Longji finished reading, his expression was indifferent, and he didn't show any expression. Others didn't dare to ask questions when they saw this, and the room was silent for a moment.After a while, Li Longji raised his eyes to signal to the two of them, and said: "I see, you go out and send away the people from the Governor's Mansion." The two bowed and exited. These two people were also met by Li Longji when he came to Luzhou. One is Wang Maozhong and the other is Li Yide. They are both eighteen years old.Wang Maozhong was from Koryo. He was born in a humble family, but he was sensible and capable in handling affairs. Li Yide was born in a pariah and fled to Luzhou because he betrayed his master.Li Longji discovered these characteristics of them and admired them greatly, so he paid them to redeem them as his personal attendants. Li Longji seemed to relax a little at the moment, and said to the two: "Could it be that "Wu Yecry" brought a good omen? Brother Wei, Princess Anle is about to have a big wedding, the Holy Majesty asked us to go back to Beijing to watch the ceremony, Miner, you can also Follow me back to the capital." Zhang Wei was overjoyed, and clapped his hands and said, "Good news! King Linzi, we're going to get drunk tonight. Before you leave, I'll send you off with a gift." Entering Chang'an, she was certainly happy in her heart, but she was also a little apprehensive about the future. She knew that there was already a princess who was married by a Ming matchmaker above her, and there was also a concubine Liu. Li Longji shook his head and said: "Not necessarily! Since the prince's rebellion, the court situation has become more chaotic. If you are in the middle of the capital, it is more dangerous than outside the capital. The future is unpredictable." Although Luzhou is far away from the capital, Zhang Wei's business is well-connected all over the world, he has heard a lot about the affairs of the capital, and he is well aware of the chaotic personnel in the court, so he nodded his head deeply.They were silent for a moment, and Zhang Wei suddenly said: "The future is uncertain, it's better to know it. King Linzi, I know a man named Han Ningli, who is now a soldier guarding the mansion, and he is very proficient in yarrow. How about letting him do divination once?" Li Longji laughed and said: "When people are hopeless and confused, they have no choice but to seek this way. Forget it, we have nothing to do, so let him enter the mansion for divination in the evening, just for fun." Zhang Wei hurriedly arranged for someone to invite Han Ningli. In the evening, Han Ningli came as expected.This person has a short stature, coupled with bright eyes, he is quite elf-like. Whenever the people of the Tang Dynasty encountered major events, they used divination to inquire about good or bad luck.At that time, the imperial court set up the Taidi Department to specialize in the method of divination, mainly using two methods of tortoise divination and divination.The imperial court is like this, of course, it is also allowed to be used by the people, so this trend is very popular. Han Ningli was an ordinary sergeant, and gradually became famous for being good at divination. Later, even ordinary people were not accepted, and he specialized in divination for officials.In this way, you can respect your status, and secondly, people with official ranks are very grateful. Han Ningli was summoned by Zhang Wei today, and only after entering the mansion did he find out that the person who wanted to divination turned out to be the famous King of Linzi.李隆基原在京城，那里达官贵人太多，一直默默无闻，如今到了潞州，那是独一份的郡王身份。韩凝礼日常在官宦之家中穿行，虽未见过李隆基，然对李隆基的面貌和言行知之甚详，今日入府后看到张暐等人对李隆基的恭维模样，心中马上认定。他心如明镜，然此等方士之人惯会装模作样，仅淡淡向李隆基等人躬身行礼而已。 张暐也不说破李隆基身份，一边招呼韩凝礼坐下品茶，一面令婢女收拾几案。他们寒暄了数句，然后说一些潞州之事，张暐问道：“韩师，最近潞州多灵异之事，如紫云耸起，黄龙再现，羊头山北有童谣曰'羊头山北作朝堂'，如此异象，到底主凶主吉呢？” 韩凝礼沉吟片刻，然后道：“张员外所言，小人也听到一些。按说潞州为国家小州，此异象若无贵人应之，则为大逆不道。其实吉凶一道，关键在人，若无贵人，则潞州地面实在危殆；若有贵人，则潞州成为龙驭之地，亦未可知。” “如此，若有贵人，其在何处呢？” “张员外，小人法术浅陋，实在迷茫。若是李淳风、袁天纲在世，他们通灵天地或能解惑。然天机不可泄露，想他们心知亦不敢轻易示人。” “不错，我们凡夫俗子，有些事不知道最好。韩师，今日请你来，想请你为我的友人卜筮一回。”张暐边说边示意李隆基道，“此为我远方一友人，来此做客，不日又要远行，请你卜其此次行程吉凶。” 李隆基微微颔首，韩凝礼急忙立起，躬身道：“小人自当效劳，只怕小人智术短浅，由此扰了大人的兴致。” 张暐摇手道：“罢了，韩师，闲言少叙，请至案前卜之。” 韩凝礼点点头，移步到案前，然后取过身上挂着的一只布袋。既要卜筮，需用蓍草为具。按照卜筮规矩，先将四十九根蓍草排开后，将之分成两部分，由被占者从中取出一根后将剩余蓍草以四根一组数之，谓之一变，如此三变后称为一爻，每卦由六爻组成。韩凝礼从布袋中掏出占筮器物，李隆基惊异地发现，此人卜筮不用蓍草，却是吃饭用的筷子，其心中就掠过一丝不信任：用筷子来占筮，准吗？李隆基心里这样想，又思这是张暐的一番好意，姑妄为之吧。 韩凝礼将筷子顺势排开，然后从中分开，正要招呼李隆基前来取出一根的时候，忽然脸色大变，口内惊呼一声，眼神直直地盯着右前方。众人一惊，急忙移至案前观看。就见一排平躺的筷子中间，一筷未用人力，竟直直地竖立在那里。 卜筮之时，在场之人极为神圣，其间所发生的细微之事皆有寓意。如今筷子直直立起，这已经不是细微之事了。 李隆基张嘴欲问，却被张暐抢在前面：“韩师，这……这……主何征兆？此根筷子有何神力？怎么就站了起来？” 韩凝礼的神色阴晴不定，其屏着气凝视立筷片刻，方才缓缓道：“张员外，小人卜筮多年，如此征兆第一次出现。小人心间也是十分迷茫，这如何是好？”他微一凝神，说道，“这样吧，我再复排一次。”说完，他伸手将立筷按下去，然后将四十九根筷子抄起搓了一次，再复排开。 说也奇怪，右方又一筷立起。 韩凝礼再将立筷按下，再搓选之，又复排开，然右方又有一筷立起。 韩凝礼脸色大变，从提袋里拿出三炷香，然后跪而焚之，其口中念念有词，颜色之间恭谨万分。 过了一会儿，韩凝礼起身向李隆基、张暐拜道：“大人、张员外，今日卜筮无法继续下去。许是小人法力浅显，卦象示意小人不能再卜，小人告退了。” 李隆基到了此时一头雾水，其眼中满是疑虑，着急问道：“韩师，卦象如此，到底主何凶吉？” 韩凝礼再拜道：“此卦深不可测，恕下人不敢言说。” 张暐有些着急，斥道：“韩师，我为愚钝之人亦能看出，此卦若非大凶，即为大吉，你难道连吉凶何端都不能示意吗？” 韩凝礼沉吟不言，显是心中为难，看到张暐有些恼火的神情，知道不敢抑其势，遂踌躇道：“此天人之瑞，贵不可言。张员外，小人不敢泄露天机，恕小人告退了。”不待张暐回答，自己伸手收拾随身之物。 张暐面向李隆基笑道：“既为祥瑞之兆，那是不碍的。你且憩息片刻，我将韩师送出即回。”扭头唤韩凝礼道，“韩师，你执意要走，我送你出门。” “不敢，不敢，小人自走无妨。”韩凝礼边说边向李隆基躬身作别，然后转身向门外行去。 张暐将韩凝礼送至门首，伸手接过仆人手中的布包，里面沉甸甸的，显是装满了制钱，然后将布包交到韩凝礼的手中，说道：“嗯，你今天不错。” 韩凝礼躬身谢道：“举手之劳，何须员外致谢？员外如此重谢，小人心里实在不安。” 两人眼神相对，皆为满意之态，张暐道：“罢了，今日之事，不许对外人说起。” “小人谨记。” 张暐转身回屋。筷子悄然立起，实为韩凝礼之独门秘籍，这也是他不用蓍草改用筷子的原因。张暐这样蒙混李隆基亦为好意，使其出行无惧，一路顺心。 张暐回屋后看到正在那里默默思索的李隆基，心中窃喜，又为李隆基添上一把火，说道：“好叫临淄王得知，那韩凝礼出门时悄悄对我说，潞州近来纷出祥瑞之事，莫非就应在临淄王身上？如此来看，临淄王回京定有惊喜，可以放心前去。” 李隆基微微一笑道：“暐兄用心良苦，我心甚慰。只是韩凝礼毕竟层阶太浅，其所言语亦未可知。” 张暐沉吟片刻，说道：“不错，韩凝礼确实不足为凭。不过今日之事实在灵异，可找一些得道之人问询。对了，我与京城宝昌寺僧人普润相熟，其精于此道。临淄王若有兴致，我修书一封荐临淄王相识，你们可在京城相会深谈如何？” 李隆基此时已然生了浓厚的兴趣，遂说道：“宝昌寺僧人？僧人怎么也会修此法术？也罢，我左右无事，晤谈一番也是好的。暐兄，我回京城，你要多入京来看我呀。” “那是自然。”张暐躬身答道。 又过了多日，李隆基收拾停当，遂带领赵敏、王毛仲、李宜德等人返京。其行装甚丰，大多由张暐馈送，路上虽寒冷凛冽，然李隆基衣物厚实，又有美人在怀，其行程也颇有滋味。 安乐公主在金城坊的新居很快便建好了。自从得了皇帝的圣旨修建此宅，年龄已至六旬的赵履温深知此事重大，将司农寺的一切庶务交给两名少卿处理，自己日日待在这里临时搭就的棚子里专心建宅。他依当初唐高祖李渊为李世民建造的“天策上将府”图样，强拆民居，腾出好大一片空地；然后调来南方奇石与木材，召来天下能工巧匠，亲自监督，日夜施工。 赵履温如此卖力，缘于他明白讨好了安乐公主，就等于讨好了皇帝和皇后，那么自己的仕途会变为坦途。赵履温是诛杀张氏兄弟拥立李显当皇帝的功臣桓彦范的妻兄，桓彦范得势后当了宰相，就把赵履温从易州任上提拔到司农寺任司农少卿。此后武三思在李显与韦后的默许下打击功臣，桓彦范被贬，随即被杀。眼见自己的仕途变得风雨飘摇起来，赵履温心急如焚，欲另寻靠山终无机会，现在这个机会终于来了。 安乐公主那日闻听宅子已初具模样，遂要入宅观看。赵履温脸上马上堆出讪笑道：“新宅尚未建成，里面乱得很。请公主给下官一些时间，马上就好。公主金枝玉叶，不宜入宅观看，下官惧怕污了公主的脚面。” 安乐公主嘟起嘴道：“有车儿坐，如何能污了脚面？” 赵履温知道园内木石杂乱陈放，马儿无法在园内行走，心里不由得暗暗叫苦。他心念如此，口内不敢再讲，遂一迭声答应。他在前赴金城坊的路上，心里就有了计较。 一行人到了金城坊，赵履温唤人过来将公主所乘之车扶定，除去马儿，再唤数人挽起绣紫络带充当脚力。 安乐公主不解，问道：“为何舍马用人？” 赵履温急忙回答了原因，便撩起身上的紫袍，拿起一条绣紫络带套于脖项中，说道：“下官一面挽车行走，一面为公主介绍好景致。” 司农卿为三品官员，其充当脚力为公主拉车，估计是前无来者。安乐公主见状并不阻拦，反而觉得这老头儿实在殷勤，心中很满意，遂咯咯一笑道：“好呀，走吧。” 新宅虽初具模样，一样可以看出其金碧辉煌，巧夺天工，安乐公主沿途观看非常满意。当她听赵履温说为造此宅，已将太仓署里的钱货用尽，就扁扁嘴不以为然道：“天下之钱甚多，岂能因造一小宅子就用尽？回头我找父皇，让他再多收一些即可。” 出园后，安乐公主看到殷勤巴结的赵履温已然汗流浃背，遂灿然一笑，夸奖道：“赵司农，你很好。宅子建得不错，再加一把劲儿，父皇定会知道你的功劳。” 又累又热的赵履温闻听此言，犹如公主当场赏了自己一处大宅子，遂感激涕零地答道：“谢公主夸赞，下官不敢言功。能为公主效劳，下官三生有幸。” 数日后，赵履温为安乐公主挽车的事迹传遍京城，时人讥之为“猿马”。 赵履温闻听自己有了“猿马”的外号不以为然，心想你们没有替公主挽车的机会，何必眼红我呢？倨傲之态日盛。 而雍州刺史窦怀贞，此时心里也极不平静。 窦怀贞出身于当时显族窦家，年少时与同族的同龄人差异很大，其不慕豪奢，衣服俭素，好学不倦，此后世袭授官为清河县令，政声不错，政绩超卓，赢得了很好的声誉。正是因为如此，识人的女皇擢其为雍州刺史。雍州治所位于京城长安，需面对朝中达官贵人错综复杂的关系，寻常庸陋之人物难当此任。近日李显任其为安乐公主婚礼的礼会使，可见对其依然十分看重。 不过，窦怀贞虽初为官时有清名，然这些年来在京城目睹了权势场的风云变幻，已然悟出了若想官位牢固且能升迁必须依附权贵的道理。他现在看到赵履温的倨傲样儿不以为忤，心中反而忖道：谁让人家能够把握好当马的机会呢？眼下自己被皇帝任为礼会使，说不定也是一次好机会，说什么也要把握好了。 十一月十日那天，安乐公主的婚礼成为长安城里的唯一大事。礼会使窦怀贞使出浑身解数，竭尽全力要露一次脸儿。 自金城坊到宫城的街道上，早已张灯结彩。为了让爱女极尽荣耀，韦皇后将自己的重翟车交给窦怀贞作为女儿婚车。重翟车为皇后受册、从祀、飨庙时所乘，其仪仗仅次于皇帝玉辂之车排场。按照规制，新郎武延秀需从新宅出发，在傧相的陪同下前往宫城迎接新娘。 当武延秀乘车向宫城进发的时候，沿途观礼的人们惊奇地发现：傧相竟然是一溜儿知名的弘文学士！人们心里不禁暗自嘀咕：弘文学士为傧相，那么作为新郎的武延秀自然才高八斗了。然仅听说此人最善胡旋舞，什么时候弃舞从文了？ 车驾行至安福门，武延秀下车向上叩拜。这是婚礼的一个重要仪式，名为“拜阁”，即新郎要向岳父母参拜。城门楼上，赫然站立着皇帝李显与皇后韦氏。 李显夫妇二人脸含微笑，挥手放行。车驾行至承乾殿，礼会使窦怀贞带人入内去请新娘安乐公主。 然安乐公主迟迟不出来，这也是新娘的惯例，或为了显示娇贵，或为了表示与娘家人恋恋不舍，因而梳妆迟迟不毕。等了一会儿，武延秀顿了顿嗓子，拿出上官婉儿事先替他写好的催妆诗，大声念道：“安乐公主贵，出嫁王侯家，天母亲调粉，日兄怜赐花，催铺百子帐，待障七香书，借问妆成未，东方欲晓霞。” 武延秀大声读了二十余遍，安乐公主方才眼含泪水走出门外。是时，李显和韦氏也来到门前，韦氏又向安乐公主叮嘱良久，方才用红纱盖着安乐公主的头，众人簇拥其登车而去。 车驾再行至安福门时，就见相王李旦带领自己的五个儿子拦在那里，此为“障车”环节。相王李旦居前挥手拦阻，其五个儿子马上上前，或阻拦骑手，或挽车辂，显示娘家人留恋之意。 李隆基作为障车主力在那里上蹿下跳，脸上汗水直流，极尽努力。其心中所思却与笑颜不符：一个二茬的婚礼，何至于如此劳师兴众？ 他们拦阻再三，方才放行。 入夜，长安城里一片光亮。当初太平公主婚礼时，沿街燃放火烛，以致将街道两旁的树木都烤焦了。今日婚礼的灯火，尤甚于太平公主之时。 翌日，李显与韦后大会群臣于太极殿。为了庆贺女儿的婚礼，李显不惜血本，拿出数十万锦帛赐给群臣，又宣布大赦天下，全民大酺三日。安乐公主身着翠服款款而出，向父母叩拜两次，再向众大臣叩拜一次。 眼见公主下拜，众大臣不敢消受，急忙伏地叩拜还礼。 如此就给相王李旦和太平公主出了个难题，他们毕竟是安乐公主的长辈，说什么也不能如此还礼。 还是太平公主有急智，她令人取来两个木偶面具，起身向李显禀道：“皇兄生辰已近，太平与攸暨近日合练一木偶舞，容为皇兄助兴。” 于是，太平公主与武攸暨持木偶面具至殿中翩翩起舞，其舞姿轻灵，颇有韵味。舞罢，李显笑道：“不错，难为镇国公主一片心意了。”其言刚毕，群臣一片叫好声。 韦后心中也很满意，她知道，太平公主虽名为皇帝祝寿，其实是为祝贺女儿婚礼而舞，毕竟皇帝寿辰还有些许日子。想到这里，韦后嘴角漾起一丝笑意。 李隆基今日以亲王身份亦入太极殿，看到一向刚强骄傲的姑母如此委屈仰视，心中滋味一时难明。他在那里胡思乱想，忽然身后一指轻触其腰间，他顿时一个激灵，回过头来。