Chapter 7 Section VII

The sun washed white by the autumn rain hung high over Luoyang that day.People in Luoyang gathered on the Maoming Bridge one after another to watch the thick smoke and fire on the south bank of Luoshui River. It was the large number of weapons that Prince Xian hid privately in the stables that were burned. People whispered about the background or truth of this palace incident. They only heard that Prince Xian was betrayed by one of his male favourites. They also heard that Prince Xian's biological mother was the late Korean lady who was Tianhou's sister. In fact, the Luoyang palace wall concealed the emperor's home Far away, the people of Luoyang had never heard of Prince Xian's shocking work "The Ballad of Planting Melon", let alone that on the official road leading to Chang'an outside the city, Zhonglang of the Right Prison Gate escorted Linghu Zhitong. Prince Xian's family was sitting on the chariot, and Prince Xian was already on the way to be expelled.The former Donggong scholars finally felt ashamed, the prince Xima Liu Nayan was expelled to Zhenzhou, and the third-rank prince Zuo Shuzi Zhang Daan was demoted to Puzhou Governor. He kept the black yarn crown hat, and Prince Xian often mentioned Xue Yuanchao's name in his hasty life. He remembered that the East Palace raid was carried out under Xue Yuanchao's guidance. He remembered Xue Yuanchao's calm and calm expression. No shame, this made Prince Xian deeply feel the unfathomable depth of people's hearts. Every time Prince Xian recalled the scene of Xue Yuanchao walking to the stable, his heart still felt like a knife.As for the household slave Zhao Daosheng, Prince Xian was ashamed to mention his name again later. When the chariot of exile passed by Luoyang West Market, Prince Xian saw Zhao Daosheng's body hanging on a wooden pole through the curtain for public display. It seems that I have no chance to personally After peeling off his human skin, Prince Xian said to himself with a sad expression. He said that this lowly slave still looks like a peach blossom after he dies.Immediately afterwards, Prince Xian covered his mouth and retched, and amidst the sound of violent retching, Prince Xian bid farewell to Luoyang City forever.As guessed by the eunuchs who are familiar with court anecdotes, the Prince Xian incident implicated several royal family members who had close contacts with the East Palace. Li Ming, an accomplice in the conspiracy, was demoted to be the king of Lingling County and imprisoned in Qianzhou, the famous place of exile, while Li Wei was simply dismissed from his official position and expelled to Daozhou.The palace officials didn't think it was strange what happened to King Cao and King Jiang. It was unfortunate that King Cao and King Jiang were the kidnappers of Prince Xian, but which court incident would not sacrifice a few royal relatives?The reality in the imperial city is three feet of solid ice, the water under the ice is secretly turbulent, and the passers-by on the ice just pay attention to their own footsteps. No one has to delve into the motives and criminal evidence of Cao Wang and Jiang Wang's conspiracy with Prince Xian. No one is going to vindicate the injustice of Cao Wang and Jiang Wang. The palace officials said that we are only acting according to the order.

In the early winter of the first year of Kaiyao, the deposed former East Palace Prince Li Xian was welcomed in the thin mountains and dry waters of Bazhou.The deposed prince Xian came from the Daming Palace in Chang'an, from a palace nightmare that people in far away places had never heard of, so when Li Xian's thin and tall figure appeared on the streets of Bazhou, the people of Bazhou stood around and watched. Even if he was demoted to a common man, Li Xian's every move still exuded the elegance and elegance of an emperor. His three young sons were like three saplings nestling in front of and behind his father's knees. They don't know the color of the sky in Bazhou in the eyes of their father. For Li Xian, it is not the sky of the sun and the stars and the moon. It is a huge black net of disaster that once covered his heart. The compatriot brother Tai Zihong, now he has also become a puppet in the net, he has nowhere to escape.On the first night when he arrived in Bazhou, Xian's home for migrants could not sleep all night amidst the whistling wind and apes. The three youngest sons, Ren and Shouyi, have endured the hardships of sitting on behalf of their father. Xian has no intention of looking after himself. He finally said to Fang, "I am in Bazhou, and my heart is like dead wood and weeds. Death is not a pity."

Only later did Fang realize that the conversation under the candle that night was Xian's last words.Afterwards, Sanyuexian stayed in the cold house and read in bed, refusing to talk to anyone. Xian created a miracle of pretending to be deaf and dumb. Only his eyes radiated the light of aloofness and sadness as always. Fang understood that. A bit of aloofness is the innate blood of Xian, but that kind of sadness is the sadness of an ambitious warrior after he throws away his helmet and gun, so it is even more heartbreaking. Xianzhi's beloved Shouyi was once begged by his mother to recite his "The Ballad of Planting Melon", Xian just sighed, Shouyi hugged his father and began to cry, Xian then wiped away the tears for the youngest son, Pointing to the outdoors with one hand, he said that it is not appropriate to recite "The Ballad of Planting Melons" to kill the cold winter, and wait until next spring when the flowers bloom.This year's spring season does not belong to Li Xian's family who live in seclusion in Bazhou. Empress Wu, who is far away in Luoyang, the eastern capital. It is the first year of Guangzhai, the year when Emperor Gaozong passed away, and Xian's two brothers passed away like lanterns on the altar of the Zichen Palace. The fate of Zhongzong Li Zhe and Ruizong Li Dan changed, but the tragedy of Li Xian, who was deposed as a commoner, came to an end irrevocably.Qiu Shen, the envoy of Empress Wu, came to Bazhou suddenly when the spring was warm and the flowers were blooming. The black net hanging over Xian's head was suddenly tightened. Became a bubble.

Xian locked himself in a small room, and Qiu Shen had no intention of being in the same room with the common man Li Xian, so he was tainted with bad luck. Therefore, Qiu Shen's edict of the Queen of Heaven permeated Xian's ears through the wall. Li Xian, Tianhou would like to know if you have admitted the crime of forming a party with Li Ming and Li Wei for treason?The common man Li Xian was silent.Li Xian, why did you resist Tianhou's investigation with silence?Since you do not make a plea, I will report to the Queen of Heaven that you are guilty by default. The common man Li Xian was silent, he had been silent for more than three months.Li Xian, since he is guilty by default, do you have the wish to change his mind, repent and start a new life?From my point of view, you are still contemptuous and disrespectful to the Empress Dowager. Your intention of rebellion and rebellion is written on your face, body, and even your back. You sit and meditate like this every day, are you cursing the Empress Dowager?The common man Li Xian was silent. At this time, he began to walk back and forth in the small room, and his pale face could be seen shimmering in the darkness through the holes in the plank wall.Li Xian, the Heavenly Empress pardoned you for the death penalty, but you repay your favor, and you are always an enemy of the Heavenly Empress. The old crimes are still alive and new ones are added. Since this is the case, the Heavenly Empress will not be able to cherish the love between mother and child. Li Xian, if you are smart, you can do it yourself. Choose a dead end.The silent Li Xian turned his head suddenly at this time, his hoarse and weak voice sounded like thunder on the ground, making the God of Qiu on the other side of the wall thump, are you going to die now?Li Xian said, well, let's die now.

Blue Falls and Yellow Springs, it's all done once and for all. Well, die now.Li Xian said, I will let you go back to the palace as you wish.Qiu Shen heard Li Xian's father's voice as he unfastened his belt, and heard the rustling sound of white silk crossing the beams of the roof. Qiu Shen fell in front of the hole in the plank wall, patiently watching every step Li Xian took before hanging himself. , the white silk is easy to slip off, and a knot can be tied on the silk, Qiushen said to the hole, and finally he heard the sound of the hanged person kicking over the footstool, Qiushen dusted some dust on the purple robe, and turned to the entourage next to him. He clapped his hands and said, "It's all right now, and I'm ready to drive back to Beijing."The news of the deposed prince Li Xian hanging himself died was sent back to Luoyang Palace in March of the first year of Wenming. Empress Wu mourned the news of the death of her second son Xian. The courtiers present were silent on the sidelines, and no one dared to speak lightly of the pros and cons of Qiu Shen's trip to Bazhou.

A few days later, Li Xian's mourning ceremony was held at the Xianfu Gate on the south side of the palace city. All civil and military officials lined up on the left and right sides of the Xianfu Gate, comforting the spirit of the deceased with three low cries and three loud cries. The Prince Xian Yingwu's demeanor and uninhibited smile are blurred. The ceremony is just a ceremony. The deceased was not in the palace city of Luoyang. The deceased was hastily buried under the desolate loess of Bazhou. bounded.Empress Wu's love for her son was shown to the world after Li Xian's death. The common man was posthumously crowned King Yong, and his wife, family and children were taken back to Luoyang Palace, and Qiu Shen moved left to be the governor of Diezhou by mistakenly receiving the imperial edict. It is the ending of the well-known story of Prince Xian.Maybe it's a justifiable ending.

Diva Wu Zhao The Taishan Conferring Ceremony is the most glorious and best memory in Emperor Gaozong's career. As a companion who climbed the sacred mountain, Empress Wu knew the position of Taishan Conferring Zen in Gaozong's heart. Overlooking the vast land and listening to the singing of birds is the most vivid experience in the world of King's Landing, and it is also one of the most poetic dreams of Empress Wu in the night of Luoyang Palace. Therefore, when Emperor Gaozong wanted to go to Songshan to enshrine Zen again in the second year of Yongchun, Empress Wu showed understanding smile.It's time to enshrine Zen. Empress Wu counted the hasty years since Mount Tai was enshrined in Zen. Empress Wu said thoughtfully, the prosperity of the country and the people's peace and prosperity in the past fifteen years is the blessing and protection of Dongyue Shenshan. It will give Datang another fifteen years of peace and prosperity.But fifteen years later, Gaozong was already sick and weak.In the crisp autumn weather of October, the Son of Heaven imitated the ceremonies and processions he had performed when he enshrined Chan Taishan many years ago, and left Luoyang Palace mighty and mightily. Empress Wu, who was traveling with her, noticed that the appearance of the Son of Heaven on the dragon chariot was lifeless like a leaf falling in the wind. She was worried He said to Prince Zhe that the journey to Mount Song is not far away, I am afraid that your father's illness will not allow you to make the trip, so be prepared to stop and stay at any time on the way.

When he arrived at Fengtian Palace, Emperor Gaozong's condition worsened, he had a splitting headache and almost lost his sight.Empress Wu summoned Prince Zhe again and said that the Fengchan people seemed to be going back the same way, and they were going to issue an edict to postpone the Fengchan ceremony until the first month of next year.Empress Wu sighed a few times looking at the large oat fields after harvest outside Fengtian Palace. She said, what a beautiful weather, what a wonderful Fengchan season, but we have to prepare to go back to the palace. Prince Zhe was amazed at the foresight ability of the queen mother to predict the life of the emperor. All the worries of the queen mother were confirmed by the facts one by one. The artifact used by the queen mother to predict people and events.Emperor Gaozong really couldn't afford to be ill during the envoy of Zen.Imperial doctor Qin Minghe's bold and unique acupuncture and blood-repelling technique once restored Gaozong's eyesight.Qin Minghe accepted the hundred pieces of silk from Empress Wu with trepidation, but he felt doubts from the empress' calm eyes. The empress did not believe that a silver needle could save Gaozong's withering life. The empress did not believe it. The imperial doctor only trusts his own judgment.In any case, you must let the emperor's dragon body return to the palace safely.The imperial physicians remembered that the queen's order was tough but revealed extraordinary rationality. The queen said, I don't ask for a panacea to bring the dead back to life, but I want you to ensure that His Majesty the Son of Heaven returns to the palace alive.Qin Minghe and other four imperial physicians were later spared punishment because Gaozong did not die on the post road as people feared.Gaozong returned to Luoyang Palace, but Qin Minghe's spirit was of no help to Gaozong's terminally ill body.On December 22, amidst the howling north wind, the hearts of the people were floating, and the people gathered or ran on the street in front of the Luoyang Palace on ice and snow, in order to pray for the early recovery of the sick body of the emperor, and the dizzying chaos of the Tang Dynasty The year name was changed again, from the second year of Yongchun to the first year of Hongdao. What is even more disturbing is the unprecedented news that Emperor Gaozong will visit Zetianmen, the main gate of Luoyang Palace, to read the imperial edict of amnesty to the people of Luoyang.The people of Luoyang saw the weakened and swollen emperor appearing on the gate tower of Zetianmen. The voice of the emperor's proclamation was as thin as a gossamer, drowned in the pious cheers of the subjects, and the people could not clearly see the reflection of the emperor's face. They were glad to witness this moment of Emperor Longyi. No one could have foreseen that this festive winter day would be the day when the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty passed away.Five days later, when the Luoyang Palace announced the emperor's funeral to the world, people recalled the scene of Gaozong's death at Zetianmen and announced the amnesty edict. His royal manner.When Emperor Gaozong died, Tianhou held his hand tightly. Tears streamed down her face, her eyes were blurred and desolate. When the hands of the deceased gradually became cold, Tianhou let them go, and covered her hair and her whole face with a white gauze department.The Empress looked at Prince Zhe, Yin Wangdan, and the imperial physicians from behind the white gauze funeral decorations. She said, His Majesty the Son of Heaven finally left before me, why didn't you let me die for His Majesty the Son of Heaven?

Prince Zhe and Yin Wang supported the mourning mother. Their crying sounded pure and empty, which was different from the content of Tianhou's mourning.The demise of the Son of Heaven is like the wind blowing a candle. When the wind blows, the candle is exhausted, and none of us can keep him.Empress Wu finally told Prince Zhe in a hoarse voice, mourn and cherish yourself, you should be ready to ascend the throne.Empress Wu sat in front of Emperor Gaozong's coffin and kept watch for three days and nights, during which she never closed her eyes and rested. You don't understand the affairs of the family and the country, and neither do your brothers, so you can sit back and relax, but I have to think carefully beside the emperor's coffin. There are too many things to think about, how can I sleep with my eyes closed? sleep?Later, when the servant Pei Yan, who was entrusted by the emperor on his deathbed, came to Jin to persuade the Queen of Heaven, the Queen of Heaven suddenly let out a cry of grief. She said that since the Son of Heaven had gone, the country was already in turmoil, and the future of the Tang Dynasty depended on you servants like Pei Shizhong.Pei Yan, the servant, calmed the empress' anxiety with humble words. It is the emperor's decree that the empress of the Ming Dynasty will control the left and right, and this is also the guarantee for the eternal peace and prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. I firmly believe in this.Tianhou rested on the couch for a while after Pei Yan's resignation. Tianhou felt extremely tired. In the air of the mourning hall filled with green smoke and the fragrance of peace, Tianhou smelled all the wonderful and sad things about that fourteen-year-old girl in the distant era. The smell, the fragrance of red sandalwood and rouge and cocoa, the solitary quilt and clear tears and the lingering lingering of the phoenix, forty years in the palace are so long, everything is like a dream in spring and autumn.The exhausted Empress rested on the couch at the side of Emperor Gaozong's mourning hall, her pale cheeks were wet with tears while she seemed to be asleep.They were the tears of Wu Zhao, the Empress Dowager who was over fifty years old, not the tears of that talented martial artist in Yeting Palace forty years ago.