Chapter 835 A Young Princess Arrives at the Palace

The sun was shining brightly.

Shangyang Palace, Ganlu Hall.

The emperor and his minister reunited.

This is the second time that Di Fuzi has entered the palace in recent days.

Three days ago, he also stood in this position, engaging in dialogue with the sage.

However, when Master Di interpreted the sage's dream, he took the opportunity to offer some advice, but the sage remained silent for a long time.

Having been summoned again today, Master Di had a vague sense of unease.

In addition, I heard some bad rumors last night.

Last night, it seems that the Emperor summoned the King of Wei and the King of Liang to the palace, but it is unknown what they discussed.

In addition, he discovered that behind the beaded curtain, there was an extra screen, and the sage was sitting behind the screen.

And he now has a beautiful female official serving him.

The beaded curtain obscured the female official's features, making it difficult for Master Di to discern her appearance. He could only vaguely make out that she wore a plum blossom-shaped makeup popular in the palace, with a touch of crimson between her brows.

In the past, when the emperor and his ministers answered questions, they were usually alone, and the sage rarely kept anyone by his side.

When the lady-in-waiting named Rongzhen was still alive, she was often seen staying by the emperor's side. The emperor was known for his favoritism towards this lady-in-waiting Rongzhen.

However, the female official currently serving the Sage is clearly a newcomer and is definitely not Lady Rongzhen.

Because they are taller.

Even Di Fuzi noticed that while serving the sage, the woman seemed to glance back at him from behind the beaded curtain, which showed a lack of manners.

However, Di Fuzi quickly withdrew his gaze.

Seeing that the sage had no intention of dismissing the woman beside him, he knelt down as usual.

They performed the entrance ceremony.

"Rise, Elder, and sit down."

"Your subject dares not."

"Elder Guo, please don't stand on ceremony. I called you here today to ask about the Donglin Buddha."

"The Donglin Buddha?"

"That's right. Last night, a rumor came that the collapse of the Four Directions Buddha Statue and the Heavenly Pivot was caused by the Donglin Buddha. It was a chain reaction and was closely related to the rebels in the Tiannan Jianghu."

Di Fuzi recalled the news of the King of Wei and the King of Liang visiting the palace last night, and he knew without a doubt that the two kings were busy making excuses.

He spoke sincerely, and clasped his hands in greeting:

"Your Majesty is wise! Those who committed this crime are naturally traitors. However, there are also incompetent people in the court who hold high positions, misjudge the situation, and appoint mediocre people, which led to this case."

"But the Donglin Buddha is in Xunyang City, and it was built under the supervision of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion."

"Your Majesty is busy with many affairs of state and may not know this. As far as this old minister knows, this is only a nominal position. The Prince of Xunyang has been recuperating in his residence for a long time and only grasps the general direction of the Donglin Buddha and supervises the officials below to carry it out. The Prince of Xunyang does not manage the specific affairs."

The Empress's voice rose slightly from behind the beaded curtain: "Oh? Then who will be in charge of the specific matters? Or rather, who should take responsibility this time?"

After a moment of silence, the chubby old man closed his eyes slightly and listed four names:

"Prefect Ouyang Lianghan, Lady Rongzhen, Deputy Supervisor Song Lin, and Commander Yi Qianqiu. According to what this old minister knows, the situation in Xunyang is mainly controlled by these four people. However, I do not know if there is any new information from His Majesty, nor do I know what the situation was like on the day the Donglin Buddha collapsed, or whether the power dynamic changed."

He paused here, as if remembering something, and casually said:

"However, I heard that on the day of the Donglin Buddha incident, Ouyang Lianghan was on leave at home celebrating his aunt's birthday and did not attend the victory celebration. It seems that he stayed in the city with the Prince that day, while the celebration at the Xunyang Grottoes was presided over by three other people..."

"From this perspective, he certainly bears some responsibility for dereliction of duty, but the main responsibility should not lie with him. The Sage should send someone to investigate thoroughly."

After speaking, Master Di lowered his head and waited silently.

After waiting for a while, the old woman in the dragon robe behind the beaded curtain did not speak.

Until a "ha" laugh echoed in the hall.

Di Fuzi's mind sank slightly.

From behind the beaded curtain above, came the slightly cold words of the old woman in the dragon robe:

"Ah, what a coincidence. I just received a memorial the other day, presented by Ouyang Lianghan, the governor of Jiangzhou. He said that a fierce battle took place at Xunyang Grottoes, with heavy casualties, and the rebels in Tiannan were barely repelled."

"However, Xunyang's military strength was reduced to less than one-tenth, with only the female historian Rongzhen, the commander Yi Qianqiu, and a dozen or so people surviving. Some rebels even attacked the Xunyang Prince's Mansion, setting it on fire and frightening the Xunyang Prince."

"Ouyang Lianghan submitted a memorial to personally apologize, saying that he was not capable enough to stop the rebels from destroying Buddhism, which went against the expectations of me and the officials of the Council of State Affairs. He requested to resign from his positions as Prefect of Jiangzhou and Academician of the Xiwen Academy, and asked me to decide his fate."

Master Di frowned slightly and remained silent for a long time.

Ouyang Rong's memorial, in which he stepped forward and took the blame, was beyond Ouyang Rong's expectations.

But... it makes sense.

Di Fuzi changed the subject, his tone becoming concerned:

"Your Majesty, is the Prince of Xunyang injured? His noble life is of utmost importance, and his safety is of paramount concern."

The old woman in the dragon robe remained unwavering, coldly stating:

"Let's get down to business first. Elder, tell me, should Ouyang Lianghan be punished? Ha, after the collapse of Tian Shu and the Buddha statue, there was complete silence below. Those involved were all making excuses and trying to evade responsibility. I was worried about not being able to catch him, and I hadn't even come to him yet. But he stepped forward on his own."

She smiled again:

"I don't know whether to laugh at his audacity or scold him for being stupid. What does the Grand Elder think? Hmm? How should we deal with him? Should we grant his wish? Otherwise, wouldn't we be letting down his loyal and devoted character?"

Di Fuzi immediately said:

"Your Majesty has always been impartial. You should send someone to investigate first before making a decision, so as to avoid any unspeakable difficulties and wrongly accusing a good minister."

"Alright, then let's investigate Liangchen. Let Liangchen investigate Liangchen. Let the Grand Elder select the people."

Di Fuzi suddenly bowed deeply:

“Your Majesty, this is inappropriate. This old minister should recuse himself. Ouyang Lianghan was recommended by this old minister, and other capable ministers should be sent to investigate. In addition, if Ouyang Lianghan has really made a mistake, this old minister also bears responsibility.”

"The elder statesman is a pillar of the nation. Even at this time, he does not forget to act impartially and actively avoids suspicion. The elder statesman is truly a pillar of the nation."

Even the most foolish person could sense something amiss from the emperor's tone and the atmosphere surrounding it.

But the old man did not back down; instead, he stepped forward, reiterated his stance, and pleaded earnestly:

"Your Majesty, regardless of the circumstances, this matter concerns Prince Xunyang. This old minister earnestly requests Your Majesty to bring Prince Xunyang back to the capital to recuperate. After all, he is your flesh and blood, and you must not let him be harmed."

Behind the beaded curtain, the old woman in the dragon robe remained motionless.

The slender, unfamiliar female official was gently massaging her legs, her head slightly bowed.

The hall was completely silent.

Master Di knelt down on the spot and kowtowed repeatedly:

"Emperor Taizong Wen braved wind and rain, personally facing arrows and stones, to finally pacify the empire and pass it on to his descendants. The late emperor entrusted his two sons to Your Majesty, but now Your Majesty intends to hand over the empire to someone of a different surname?"

"Your Majesty, this old minister observes that the people of the world still cherish the kindness of Emperor Taizong. If an heir is to be established, it must be either a descendant of Emperor Taizong or a blood relative of Emperor Gaozong."

The old woman fell silent.

The atmosphere inside the main hall was solemn.

The chubby old man pleaded earnestly, to the point that he wept uncontrollably.

It was quiet for a while.

The old woman in the dragon robe seemed to chuckle lightly, raised her hand to interrupt the female official in front of her as she massaged her legs, and gestured for her to lift the beaded curtain.

The plum blossom-shaped female official lowered her head, timidly rose, and lifted the beaded curtain.

The scene behind the curtain was revealed.

When Master Di noticed this, he was taken aback.

He glanced up quickly, his gaze not lingering on the old woman in the dragon robe or the unfamiliar female official, before his white hair immediately fell to the ground.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider."

"Think twice about what? Oh, you mean bring Li Xian back?"

"Yes! It concerns the imperial heir; this is a matter of utmost importance..."

Master Di stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

Because he caught a glimpse of the old woman in the dragon robe waving her hand behind the screen.

Two people emerged from behind the screen.

Are there other people here?

Master Di was startled. Because of his prostration, he did not immediately see the faces of the people behind the screen. He only caught a glimpse of their boots out of the corner of his eye.

The old woman in the dragon robe casually said:

"Doesn't the old man know who he is?"

Master Di raised his head, looking in surprise in the direction the Empress was pointing.

A middle-aged man and a young man walked out from behind the screen and stood with their hands at their sides in the hall.

Despite the fact that several years had passed, and despite the great changes that had taken place, and despite the fact that the southern climate and soil had made people prosperous and plump, Master Di recognized the father and son who looked so alike at first glance. They also bore a striking resemblance to the late Emperor Gaozong.

It was none other than Prince Li Xian of Xunyang and his heir, Li Dalang, who had been exiled for over twenty years.

The chubby old man's gaze fell on Li Xian's temples, which had a few gray hairs, and his eyes involuntarily became a little sore.

Empress Wei Zhao glanced at Master Di, whose eyes were gradually welling up with tears and who was stammering, and pointed at Li Xian in a calm tone:

"Here, I return the Crown Prince to the Elder Guo."

Seeing and hearing it all, even the seasoned courtier Di Fuzi, skilled in adapting to changing circumstances, was deeply shocked.

He looked around in disbelief, as if he thought he was dreaming.

Three breaths later, the chubby old man kowtowed and knelt down again.

This time, he kowtowed deeply, his tone filled with admiration and emotion:

"Your Majesty is wise! Wise! Wise!"

Wei Zhao narrowed his eyes, his expression a mixture of a half-smile and a silent enjoyment.

No one knows what this saint is thinking.

Even Di Fuzi, who had served her for many years or rather, had sparred with her for many years, couldn't guess what was behind her screen just moments before.

The Holy Heart is unfathomable; He bestows both kindness and severity, and all forms of grace are acts of divine favor.

Li Xian and Li Dalang exchanged a glance, then turned around and bowed to the old woman in the dragon robe.

What Master Di just said in the hall was something that the sage deliberately made them hear.

This display of imperial strategy is awe-inspiring.

Which subordinate could withstand such unpredictable leadership style, with its constant surprises and shocks?

Compared to the turmoil in Li Xian and Li Dalang's minds, Li Guo'er, who was serving the old woman in the dragon robe, seemed more calm and did not turn around.

It seemed that from the moment Master Di entered the hall, she had guessed that her grandmother intended to manipulate people's hearts during this audience.

Li Guo'er lowered her eyes slightly and stood obediently in front of Empress Wei Zhao.

As Master Li Xian and Master Di, former officials, recognized each other, the old woman in the dragon robe sitting at the head of the table held a luminous pearl in one hand and squinted as she examined it.

Some of them are so fond of them that they can't put them down.

The luminous pearl emitted a faint, hazy moonlight, like the moon in the sky.

Wei Zhao liked it more and more the more he looked at it.

Strength and power are sometimes interchangeable.

Immense power is just as fascinating as immense authority.

Wei Zhao lay lazily on the dragon bed, twirling the Mythical Cauldron Sword between two fingers. Suddenly, she turned to Li Guo'er, who was also increasingly pleasing to the eye and whose appearance resembled her younger self, and asked kindly:

"Girl, you said you dreamed about its name this morning, what's its name?"

The little princess, shaped like a plum blossom, looked delicate and lowered her eyes.

"Guo'er dares not read it."

"Why wouldn't I dare?"

“That word is homophonous with the name of the Holy Mother, which is a violation of etiquette.”

"I grant you permission to read."

"Guo'er isn't sure either, and isn't certain if this is its real name. But Guo'er feels that, whether it is right or wrong, it is only worthy of a woman as extraordinary as the Holy Grandmother, just like this cauldron sword, which only someone like the Holy Grandmother can possess."

"It's alright, I won't blame you for being right or wrong. Oh, what's your name?"

The little princess in plum blossom makeup, who had always been meek and submissive in front of the old woman in the dragon robe, actually took the old woman's hand with some boldness and wrote a word on her palm with her index finger.

【曌】

Wei Zhao raised an eyebrow with interest: "Bright above and empty below, that's interesting. I've never seen it before. Does it also sound like Zhao?"

"Um."

Li Guo'er smiled sweetly:

"Like the Holy Mother, the sun and moon shine in the sky, illuminating all people."

"Zhao...Zhao...Is the sun and moon shining brightly in the sky...?"

Wei Zhao's eyes were completely drawn to the luminous pearl, and all his attention was focused on it, so much so that he didn't even notice Li Guo'er's slender hand reaching out to him.

Her eyes were clear, and her voice was crisp:

"Grandmother, I read in a book that the [Emperor Wen] should have been born alongside Emperor Wen, and was often inspired by Emperor Taizong and Emperor Wen, composing poems upon contact. Some more fantastical books even say that these two emperors were both people with the vigor of the [Emperor Wen], and that they were the ones who ended the chaos of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The [Emperor Wen] was born in response to the times, and the land of China ushered in a long-awaited unification after three hundred years..."

Li Guo'er took a step closer, took the luminous pearl from the old woman in the dragon robe, held it in her palm with one hand, and slowly raised her hand.

Wei Zhao's gaze followed the rising of the luminous pearl, and he looked up slightly.

Li Guo'er boldly placed the luminous pearl flat in front of the largest gem on Emperor Wei Zhao's phoenix crown, aligning it with the gem, as if subtly indicating something.

"This sword, which seems to be called [Zhao], didn't react in our hands. After discussing it with her father, Guo'er felt that its powerful aura belonged to the Empress Dowager. Only someone with the same achievements and status as the Empress Dowager could be comparable to this sword and its true name."

"It was born of the right time, born in response to an empress like my grandmother. This time, it corresponds to the glorious era of China that my Holy Zhou Dynasty has created, an era that will be remembered in history!"

The little princess, shaped like a plum blossom, holds a tripod sword in her hands, her pretty face innocent and pure.

She tilted her head and said crisply:

"It is selective. Only the Empress Dowager is most worthy of it. If a suitable sword master cannot be found, the Empress Dowager may simply wear it on her crown, so that together with it, the sun and moon shine in the sky, illuminating all people!"

At the same time, the luminous pearl near the old woman's crown suddenly trembled slightly, with dazzling moonlight flowing over its body.

It's an alternative kind of "music upon touch"!

He is a person with a strong temper.

The old woman's previously cloudy eyes suddenly brightened.

"Very well! As you wish, I will wear it."

Inside the hall, one could see the grandmother and granddaughter getting along so well, and the luminous pearl between them that was performing a miracle.

Li Xian and Li Dalang couldn't help but exchange a glance.

Di Fuzi glanced sideways.

"Uh-huh!"

Li Guo'er returned the luminous pearl to her grandmother.

I looked around at the magnificent and solemn imperial palace.

She smiled radiantly.

...

The Holy Zhou Dynasty, the third year of Tianyou, the year of Jia Chen, summer.

The Empress Dowager realized this and that night sent the Grand Master of Ceremonies, Pei Xuantan, to welcome the Emperor and the Prince of Xunyang into the palace.

When the emperor arrived with the king, the empress dowager hid in the king's tent. The emperor knelt before her, summoned Di Zi, and spoke with him about the affairs of Xunyang.

Di Zidun pleaded earnestly, to the point that tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.

The Empress Dowager then sent the king out, pointed lightly behind the tent, and said to Di Zi, "I am returning your crown prince!"

Di Zi descended the steps to offer his congratulations, bowing deeply in admiration. He then hurriedly reported, "No one knows that the Crown Prince has returned to the palace. There are many rumors circulating, but what can we believe?"

The Empress Dowager agreed, so she lodged Wang Longmen and welcomed him back with great ceremony. The people, both inside and outside the country, were overjoyed.

Throughout the court and among the people, countless people celebrated with open arms.

—From *The New Annals of the Empress*

(End of this chapter)