June, the tenth year of the Zhaowu reign of the Tang Dynasty.

When Chen Chuqing, the Prince of the West of the Tang Dynasty, was in his early childhood, he followed the decree of Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an and traveled westward from Chang'an to the capital of the Uyghur Khanate, Harabalqas, to "take up his fief." Duke Chang Yuchun of Wei accompanied him on the journey and stayed in the Western Regions to assist Prince Chen Chuqing until he came of age and was crowned.

The enfeoffment of Chen Chuqing, the Prince of the West, along with the relocation of the Tang Dynasty's capital to Chang'an, was seen by outsiders as a direct manifestation of the Tang Dynasty's "westward transfer of power," and also revealed Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an's determination to launch a western expedition.

On this day, outside the gates of the imperial city of Chang'an, Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, dressed in a bright yellow robe with a five-clawed golden dragon, gathered at Xuanwu Gate with his Imperial Concubine Yue Qiluo and civil and military officials to see off Chen Chuqing, the Western King of the Tang Dynasty, who was going to the Uyghur Khanate in the Western Regions, and his entourage led by Duke Chang Yuchun of Wei.

"Father, Mother, please take good care of yourselves!"

The young Prince Chen Chuqing of the West acted like a mature big child, kowtowing deeply to his father, Emperor Chen Huai'an, and his mother, Consort Yue Qiluo, and said with a carefree expression, "Your subject is leaving!"

After saying that, Chen Chuqing turned around and mounted his horse with a flourish. Then, he spurred the horse on its flank and rode out of Xuanwu Gate without looking back.

Only Emperor Zhaowu, Chen Huai'an, remained, stunned in the wind, and Imperial Noble Consort Yue Qiluo, standing beside him, her eyes brimming with tears, weeping like a pear blossom in the rain.

"That brat, ugh—"

Chen Huai'an watched his second brother, Chen Chuqing, ride away on horseback and shook his head helplessly.

Finally, his gaze fell upon Duke Chang Yuchun of Wei, and he said with a smile, "Duke Chang Yuchun of Wei, from this day forward, I entrust the child Chu Qing to you."

"I hope that, under the tutelage of the Duke of Wei, Chu Qing can quickly become a qualified vassal king and a capable statesman for our Great Tang Dynasty."

"Duke of Wei, I beg you!"

Upon hearing this, Chang Yuchun subconsciously took a step back, then bowed slightly and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect to Emperor Zhaowu, Chen Huai'an, saying, "Your Majesty and Your Highness, please rest assured, I will do my utmost to assist His Highness the Western King and ensure the peace of the Western Regions!"

Um!

Chen Huai'an nodded in satisfaction, personally led the horse for Duke Chang Yuchun of Wei, and said, "Duke Chang Yuchun of Wei, mount your horse!"

"My lord, I obey the order!"

Chang Yuchun didn't stand on ceremony. He took the reins from Chen Huai'an and nimbly mounted the horse.

As they parted, he didn't forget to bid farewell to the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine from horseback: "Your Majesty, Your Highness, take care—"

"Take care of yourself!"

"Duke of Wei, take care!"

Chen Huai'an and Yue Qiluo also wished Chang Yuchun well.

drive--

Soon, Chang Yuchun and his entourage also rode away.

The assembled officials and civil and military officers who came to see him off dispersed at Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an's command. Only Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, Imperial Noble Consort Yue Qiluo, and the Imperial Guards and Jinwu Guards standing like javelins at the city gate remained in the vast Xuanwu Gate of the Imperial City.

Chen Huai'an looked at Consort Yue Qiluo, who had been by his side for ten years, and asked with a smile, "Qiluo, do you harbor resentment towards me in your heart?"

"Chu Qing is still so young, how could I bear to send him alone to the Western Regions to stand on his own?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not!"

Yue Qiluo shook her head, forcing a smile that was more like a grimace on her still stunningly beautiful face, and said, "Chu Qing was born into an imperial family; this was his destiny."

"Whether I like it or not, Chu Qing will have to walk this path sooner or later to shoulder his responsibilities and obligations as the second prince of the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty."

After a pause, Yue Qiluo continued, "Furthermore, Chu Qing's journey to the Western Regions to assume his fiefdom and inherit the title left by his maternal grandfather is something that should make all members of the Yaomoluo family happy."

"I think that if Father Khan could know this in the afterlife, he would be happy for Chu Qing."

Um!

Chen Huai'an nodded, looking at Yue Qiluo whose eyes were still red. He swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue, but gently took Yue Qiluo's boneless hand, then turned around and led her step by step into the imperial city.

Compared to the pain of separation from her son that Imperial Noble Consort Yue Qiluo was enduring, Empress Liu Shujun's life seemed much happier and more fulfilling.

Although his son Chen Chuyan's daily studies became more demanding after he was named Crown Prince, and he was often summoned by his father Chen Huai'an to the Imperial Study after dinner to study and review memorials and handle government affairs, he spent significantly less time in and out of Kunning Palace.

However, at least Liu Shujun didn't have to suffer the pain of separation from her son. The distance between the main hall of the East Palace and the Kunning Palace wasn't very far, so she could see her son anytime she missed him.

In comparison, the kind-hearted Empress Liu Shujun felt that she owed her younger sister Yue Qiluo too much.

Therefore, whenever the Emperor went to Kunning Palace to spend the night, she would take the initiative to persuade Chen Huai'an to spend more time with Imperial Noble Consort Yue Qiluo at Fengyi Palace.

The sisters share a deep bond, like brothers.

Sometimes, even Chen Huai'an couldn't help but wonder if, had he really set a precedent in history and made the two of them empresses of the East and West Palaces, would they still be as close as sisters they are now?

Of course, this was just Chen Huai'an's idle daydreams.

After experiencing his younger brother Chen Longxiang's rebellion, he would never have considered setting a precedent in history by establishing an empress for the East and West Palaces.

He would never allow the tragedy of fratricide and infighting to be repeated once again in the court of the Tang Dynasty.

Oh, and something important happened recently.

Lu Jiang, the Marquis of Zhongyong, who succeeded as the deputy commander of the Longcheng Inner Guard, discovered some clues about the leaked contents of letters between Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an and Empress Dowager Xu Ruoyun when he was sorting out the archives of the Longcheng Inner Guard from ten years ago. In the archives related to the collusion between Marquis Wuyi Liu Ziyu and the remnants of the Turks to start a rebellion in the Youyun region.

Back then, when Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an was struggling with the decision of establishing an empress, he mentioned in his correspondence with Empress Dowager Xu Ruoyun the unprecedented matter of establishing empresses for the East and West Palaces.

As a result, the news reached the court officials the next day, and they used it to advise Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, putting him in an awkward position.

Afterwards, Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an ordered Luo Yucheng, the deputy commander of the Longcheng Inner Guard and Marquis of Wuping, to thoroughly investigate the matter.

However, Luo Yucheng was unable to find any clues about this matter.

However, when Lu Jiang saw the contents of the archives, he suddenly recalled the sensational "tea and horse smuggling case" that involved four provinces and eight prefectures of the Tang Dynasty.

At that time, Lu Jiang was on the orders of Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, carrying the imperial sword to inspect the whole country, intending to supervise the fairness and impartiality of the first imperial examination of the Tang Dynasty.

One of these things caught Lu Jiang's attention;

That is, the corrupt group led by Liu Ziyu, the Earl of Wuyi and the head of the military generals of Youyun, and Su Chen, the governor of Liangjiang and Lianghu, smuggled valuable goods back and forth between the Central Plains and the Western Regions. In the area of ​​the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, they used the official road of the court, which was 800 li long, and the post stations along the way.

Could it be that the person who secretly intercepted and leaked the contents of the correspondence between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager was none other than Liu Ziyu, the Earl of Wuyi, whose entire clan had been exterminated?

Next, Lu Jiang followed this lead and found what he was looking for.

Although many of the Youyun military officers and messengers at the official post stations involved in the case were beheaded for their involvement in Liu Ziyu's rebellion.

However, through extensive interviews and evidence collection, Lu Jiang finally verified the matter with a sworn brother of the Prince's steward. The person who intercepted the Emperor and Empress Dowager's correspondence, spied on its contents, and then widely disseminated it was none other than Liu Ziyu, the Earl of Wuyi.

His purpose in doing so was to force Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an to abandon his idea of ​​establishing empresses in the East and West Palaces, so that his sworn sister Liu Shujun could sit on the empress's throne, thus creating favorable conditions for him to be enfeoffed as a duke in the future enfeoffment ceremony.

When Lu Jiang reported the matter to Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, the latter simply threw the memorial into the brazier in the imperial study and burned it to ashes.

For Emperor Zhaowu, Chen Huai'an, the current situation is the best possible outcome.

Why bother digging up old grievances from ten years ago?

Let bygones be bygones!