History of Chu: Chronicle of Emperor Xiaoren
...In the spring of the thirty-fourth year of Jianxi, Empress Dowager Yuzhang suffered a stroke. Emperor Xiaoren served her closely without taking off his clothes. He was like a real son to his wife, respected by all officials and admired by the people. Rain fell in the capital, and heaven also showed mercy. On the eighteenth day, God took pity on her filial piety. The Empress Dowager was well and healthy, just like an ordinary person. She and Emperor Xiaoren put aside their past grudges, and the love between mother and son was deep, which could not be surpassed by blood relatives.
Three days later, the empress dowager was able to walk and sit, and suddenly appeared in the court in front of all the officials. Emperor Dai posthumously named her adoptive mother, Concubine Jin, as empress, and moved her tomb to be buried together with the late emperor. Emperor Xiaoren was deeply moved and kowtowed to his stepmother three times.
Five days later, the empress dowager revealed the crimes of her youngest son, Prince Shou, accusing him of misconduct, disloyalty, disrespect, unfilial piety, corruption, dereliction of duty, and the killing of his nephew, among other unforgivable crimes. Emperor Xiaoren, out of consideration for their brotherly love, pardoned his death penalty and demoted him to a commoner. The men in his family were sent to the army and the women became nuns. Prince Shou bid farewell to his brother the emperor, severed his flesh from his mother, and they would never see each other again in this life or death.
A month later, the Empress Dowager issued an edict of self-repentance, listing her numerous crimes. Everyone who heard of it was shocked. Among them was that Dou had conspired with the previous emperor's crown prince to rebel, but had not yet been apprehended. After the edict was issued, the Empress Dowager requested to shave her head and become a nun, repenting of her sins. The emperor persuaded her for a long time, but she remained heartbroken and ill. After she recovered, the emperor built a nunnery in the palace and kept her company. The Dou family's dukedom was stripped, the men were beheaded, the women were exiled to Lingnan, and the children were enslaved. Of the Four Dukes of the Great Chu, only three remained...
Emperor Xiaoren faced many setbacks throughout his life, but he possessed a strong character and resolve. His civil and military achievements brought peace and unity to the world. His outstanding filial piety earned him widespread acclaim. His filial piety and righteousness served as a model for all future emperors, and his reputation spread throughout the land. Hence, his posthumous title of Xiaoren. (PS: Jianxi was the reign title.)
darkroom.
A porcelain vase with a human head and white hair.
Close your eyes, red candle, tears of blood.
…
Zhao Ying was completely convinced by Emperor Jianxi. Why was he the father and she the son?
In addition to the Dou family, all the officials had to accept the advice and beg him, Your Majesty, the government is more important than the relationship between you and your son. You must not show favoritism because of the Queen Mother... Your Majesty, I heard that the Queen Mother treated you badly and even treated you harshly when you were a child. You don't have to be so tolerant. You are the emperor... Your Majesty, the Queen Mother herself feels that she is wrong. Please give her a chance to atone for her sins... Your Majesty...
While Emperor Jianxi feigned illness, Zhao Ying attended to him, often hearing these ministers, who usually boasted of their virtues and well-rounded character, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, spew out such outrageous remarks. This was especially true of Taifu Yang, renowned for his filial piety and integrity, who went so far as to say, "The Son of Heaven is the Son of Heaven; he has no mother, and the womb is merely a temporary residence. Moreover, Your Majesty was not born by the Empress Dowager!"
As soon as the words fell, all the officials fell silent and fell into a strange silence.
Why?
Because it was unbelievable that Taifu Yang could say such a thing. This person's life experience was very complicated. His father was a gambler and his mother was partial to him. He was almost strangled to death by his mother when he was born. In the following years, he was exploited by his mother and had to subsidize the entire family. It was not easy for him to pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi. Just when Taifu Yang thought he had finally made it, his mother forced him to give up his fame and honor to his younger brother. She also let his younger brother into the house while he was away and insulted Taifu Yang's wife. Because his wife's family was prominent, his mother wanted to snatch this good marriage away from her and give it to her younger son.
Fortunately, Tutor Yang rushed home in time to avoid this tragedy.
So many things piled up together, wouldn't even the most good-tempered person have rebelled? Who knew that Taifu Yang would repay evil with kindness, still meticulously serving his mother and being filial to his father? His father was a gambler, and he had lost everything in the family, including Taifu Yang's wife's dowry. His children were emaciated and pale, and if his colleagues hadn't taken pity on them and occasionally called them in for a meal, they would have starved to death.
Yang Taifu's famous saying: I was born by my parents. Without them, there would be no me. It is reasonable for me to give them everything I have...
So what Taifu Yang said... really carries a lot of weight!
At this point, all members of the Empress Dowager's lineage withdrew from the stage of history.
It was late at night when Zhao Ying returned to Guangming Palace.
On the table, there were three pieces of paper: Xian, Shou, and Empress Dowager...
Zhao Ying picked up the paper with "Shou" and "Empress Dowager" written on it and burned it on the candlestick.
Why……
She remembered a song her mother sang when she was a child, called "Only the Queen Mother is Good in the World". She wanted to sing it to her father now. A child with her father is like a treasure.
After the burning was over, Zhao Ying went to find Shangguan Shu.
It’s been almost two months, Shangguan Shu’s injury should be healed, it’s time for him to leave!!
Bedroom.
Shangguan Shu saw Zhao Ying from afar, put down his book, and smiled faintly, "Ying'er, you're here..."
Zhao Ying nodded slightly, sat down, and waved away the palace maids.
Shangguan Shu saw this and asked, "Ying'er, do you have anything to say to me?"
Zhao Ying thought about it and decided to give him a sweet treat first. She coughed lightly and said, "I have already petitioned the Emperor to give some rewards to those brothers who died in the Black Mountain Stronghold."
Shangguan Shu's smile faded when he heard this, and his brows darkened. Those people were people he had lived with day and night, and how could he remain indifferent to their sudden tragic deaths?
Shangguan Shu looked at Zhao Ying deeply, "Ying'er, thank you."
Zhao Ying shook her head. "This is what I should do. They saved me, but lost their lives. I can reward them, but I can't repay their lives."
"You don't need to worry about it. I owe them my life. It has nothing to do with you."
Zhao Ying remained silent.
After a long silence, Zhao Ying spoke again, "From what I've heard from my father, it seems he wants to reinstate you..."
Shangguan Shu glanced at Zhao Ying lightly, his lips curled slightly, "No need for that. You're worried about me being in power, and I don't want you to be worried."
"In the past, I seized power for Huai'an, and today I give it up for you. If you can be at ease, I would rather be a lowly guard in your palace, protecting you and our child."
He looked at Zhao Ying deeply, his eyes filled with infinite tenderness, which made Zhao Ying feel a little uncomfortable.
Shangguan Shu continued to speak to himself, "I've just discovered recently that you don't like being forced. If I force you, it will only push you further away... Ying'er, I won't force you to forgive me, nor will I force you to be with me. As long as I can see you, and live with you as a friend, or as a brother or sister, I'll be content."
Be friends first, then call her sister, and finally call her little babe.
Shangguan Shu thought so in his heart.
Zhao Ying's eyes flickered. Shangguan Shu's understanding left her speechless. He also stirred some strange emotions in her heart, but she suppressed them and adopted a joking tone. "My palace doesn't lack guards," she raised an eyebrow, "but we lack eunuchs."
Shangguan Shu, however, was not angry. He stared at Zhao Ying and smiled playfully, "I am much more useful than a eunuch."
Zhao Ying sneered, "Where did you get that from?"
How shameless of him to say that he can serve others?
Yue'er had said before that the black porridge her father cooked was delicious. At first she thought it was black rice porridge, but when she asked carefully she found out it was vegetable porridge...
Zhao Ying was looking at him with disdain when Shangguan Shu said bluntly, "You know!"
Zhao Ying understood instantly, her face flushed with anger. She said, "How shameless!"
Shangguan Shu's arrogance subsided a little after she yelled at him. He lowered his head slightly and muttered softly, "A woman who says one thing but means another, you obviously like her too..."
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