Chapter 107 Chapter 107 The Storm is Coming (Part 4)...
After the morning court meeting, the high officials gathered in the Fengge Pavilion. As they were discussing matters in low voices, a clerk stopped at the palace entrance and announced in a loud voice, "My Lords, Your Majesty invites you to the Huagai Palace for a meeting."
Everyone dressed and went to the hall, taking off their shoes. For a moment, all they could hear was the clear tinkling of the jade beads on their waists and the slow, interlaced patter of their white socks on the wood.
Ji Zhao paused his writing, raised his head from the memorial, and said, "Sit down."
After everyone was seated, she spoke, "As I'm sure you all know, the Northern Qin envoys are now staying at the guesthouse, and the Taichang Yuan has sent someone to receive them. They have two purposes: one is to congratulate our Great Zhou on its peace and prosperity, and to pay tribute and pay homage. The other is to say that their new Khan has ascended the throne, and he wishes to marry the current emperor."
She glanced at the ministers and asked, "What do you think?"
Everyone looked at each other, each with their own thoughts.
In the minds of the civil officials, although the Great Zhou had narrowly escaped defeat over a decade earlier, who could guarantee victory in the next clash? If a royal son were to marry, using marriage as a bond, the two countries could be guaranteed peace for at least the next five years.
They really don't want to fight!
The military officers disagreed. They argued that peace couldn't be guaranteed by a marriage. If war broke out, the imperial minister would be nothing more than a hostage. If the Great Zhou were defeated, the imperial minister would likely be imprisoned. But if the Great Zhou prevailed, there would be no reason to recall the man who had already been married off.
It seems that no matter whether there is a war or not, this imperial minister is ultimately just a sacrificial chip.
"His Majesty."
The Taichang Yuan Taichang Duli bowed and said, "I believe this is a truly auspicious match. I have heard that the new Khan of Northern Qin emerged from among the imperial daughters through bloody battles, and is a master of both martial arts and horsemanship. The position of Prince Consort is currently vacant, and if the Emperor marries, he will become the principal Prince Consort, enjoying the power to command the harem and assist in government affairs, holding a highly respected position. This shows that the Emperor's marriage is by no means an injustice; it is truly a match made in heaven."
"I second the motion."
"I second the motion."
"I second the motion."
The voices of agreement flooded the palace like a tide.
Xie Qingyan remained silent.
In reality, she didn't approve of this marriage. How could the peace of a nation depend on a frail young man? However, there was a precedent of princes marrying foreigners in the previous dynasty, and the old system was so strong that she found it difficult to find a reason to argue with her colleagues.
Yuan Zhaoyun opportunely offered his advice, "Your Majesty, Northern Qin has paid tribute this time, bringing with it a generous betrothal gift and the offer of the position of consort, demonstrating their undeniable sincerity. The Great Zhou treasury has been severely depleted by the bandit suppression and the Battle of Pengcheng, and it can ill afford another major war. The marriage between the Emperor and the ministers will not only foster friendship between the two countries, but will also provide the people with an opportunity to recuperate."
Ji Zhao's gaze slowly swept over the courtiers. She had already made up her mind, needing no persuasion. Even if Bei Qin hadn't proposed, she considered Ji Lian a bargaining chip, ready to marry her off to a favored family to win over their hearts.
She stood up with her hands behind her back and looked towards the floating clouds in the sky outside the Huagai Palace. "I believe that since Ji Lian enjoys the honor of being an imperial minister, she should fulfill the responsibilities of an imperial minister."
"The Grand Master of Ceremonies."
"I am here."
"Reply to Northern Qin that Great Zhou wishes to establish friendly relations with Qin and Jin and strengthen their friendship forever. The Taichang Yuan will immediately prepare the dowry for the Emperor."
"Today's meeting is over. Please withdraw."
The rustling footsteps gradually faded away, and the Huagai Palace returned to silence.
After a while, there was a sudden sound of hurried footsteps and the voice of the pen-wielding servant who hurriedly stopped him, "Your Majesty, you are not allowed to enter the Huagai Palace without an imperial decree."
“Get out of the way!”
A cold shout broke through the air.
Xie Helan flicked his sleeves and sneered, "Hurry up and tell the emperor that I have something important to see."
The man holding the pen hesitated for a while, turned around and went into the hall. After a while, he came out and bowed to invite Xie Helan in.
When Ji Zhao issued the decree, he expected Xie Helan to be angry, but he did not expect him to come so quickly.
She raised her eyes to look at the person in front of her, her cheeks still flushed from her hurried steps, her breathing still unsteady, it was obvious that she had hurried over as soon as she got the news.
"Your Majesty, why did you order the Emperor to marry into the Northern Qin?"
Xie Helan could hardly contain his rage. Normally calm and composed, he seemed to be losing his composure. His eyes blazed with flames as he demanded, "Your Majesty, do you know the wedding customs of Northern Qin?"
Ji Zhao put down his pen and said calmly, "Thank you, please tell me in detail."
"The Northern Qin Xianbei practiced levirate marriage! If the wife died, her sister would inherit her husband. If the sister also died, the inheritance would pass to a relative within the clan. Men had no way to resist; only death could bring them relief!"
His neck flushed red, and his voice was like a broken silk. "Such a barbaric tribe, our Great Zhou is actually going to marry the noble Emperor to a rough and unruly warrior woman whom he has never met. Does Your Majesty have any pity for the Emperor?"
"I naturally know what Xie Qing said."
Ji Zhao changed the subject, clapping his knuckles on the table. "Since he was born into the Ji family of Luoyi and enjoyed all the splendor, he should do his part for the Great Zhou. How could he simply accept tribute without taking responsibility?"
She sipped her tea and said slowly, "I know that Xie Qing and Ji Lian are close friends and often visit each other. Xun'er also loves this uncle."
His eyes moved slightly, and the pen holder immediately held up the imperial edict and presented it to Xie Helan.
Ji Zhao said, "Why not have Xie Qing announce the decree on my behalf and oversee Ji Lian's wedding preparations? On the wedding day, you can also pin gold on her head and pray for her blessing in front of all the officials. That would be most appropriate."
With a snap, Xie Helan swung his sleeves without hesitation and overturned the imperial edict to the ground.
Everyone in the hall immediately knelt on the ground, with their foreheads pressed to their knees, trembling and not daring to look up.
"I refuse."
Xie Helan clenched his fists in his sleeves, "I will not announce this decree, let alone attend the wedding ceremony. Your Majesty is forcing Lianlang to live out his remaining life and die!"
Ji Zhao glanced at the imperial edict on the ground, his expression calm. "In the previous dynasty, Sima Yu married his youngest son to a foreigner. Thank you, sir, for your understanding. This custom of marriage alliances was not initiated by our Ji clan."
Xie Helan sneered, his expression contorted. "That Prince Mingzhu did marry out. But he married a 58-year-old dying Khan! After becoming a widow, he was taken advantage of by his daughter. After giving birth to a son and a daughter, he angered her and gave them to a younger sister. He went from being a royal husband to a concubine! Your Majesty, how cruel you are!"
Ji Zhao slammed the table in anger and stood up, demanding, "Xie Helan, human life is determined by fate! You have the leisure to pity the souls of those who died a hundred years ago. Why don't you think about how to persuade Ji Lian!"
She crossed the desk and glared at Xie Helan, "Why are you wasting your breath here talking to me? My will will never change. Ji Lian must marry!"
"I won't go! No matter what Your Majesty says, I won't go!"
"Good! Good! Good!"
Ji Zhao laughed in anger, his voice cold and gloomy: "Come here, please take your lord back to Penglai Palace. Without my order, you are not allowed to release your lord."
She pointed casually at someone in the hall and said indifferently, "You, pick up the imperial edict and quickly go to the Emperor's Mansion to announce it. Send a few more teams of Jinwu Guards to the mansion to protect it impenetrably. Tell them that there have been many thieves in the city recently, and ask the Emperor to stay at home and wait for his marriage."
This is a disguised form of house arrest.
Everyone replied in a trembling voice: "Yes."
Acting quickly, the envoy led a group of people to the Emperor's Mansion.
When Ji Lian heard someone singing the imperial edict outside, her knees suddenly went weak and she seemed to be about to fall down. Jiangzhu, who was beside her, quickly supported her and called out "Your Highness" with concern.
He turned a deaf ear to it, and his eyes were only focused on the bright yellow imperial edict in the hand of the pen holder.
It sounds ridiculous, but a thin piece of silk can simply determine a person's fate.
The envoy holding the pen bowed to Ji Lian, who then knelt down, unfolded the imperial edict, and read out its contents aloud.
"Ji Lian of the imperial Ji clan is intelligent, respectful, gentle, and humble. I admire her virtue and trustworthy character. Now that Great Zhou and Northern Qin have established friendly relations and wish to maintain lasting peace between our neighbors, I will marry her off to the court of the Northern Qin king as his wife. I decree this."
When Jiangzhu heard the imperial edict, she looked at Ji Lian's back in panic.
He only had a silent expression, like a pool of stagnant water, without a single ripple. His voice was also indifferent and traceless: "Your Highness Ji Lian, accept the order."
Is it possible to escape fate after all?
He clutched the imperial edict weakly, walked back to his bedroom with heavy steps, and sat in front of the bronze mirror.
The bright yellow silk was spread out, and he read it again, a sneer appeared at the corner of his lips, but the pain in his chest poured out like a waterfall, and he could no longer hold it back.
Tears continued to fall from the corners of her eyes, dripping onto the bright yellow imperial edict, wetting a corner of it.
Jiangzhu had watched the prince gradually develop feelings for Lord Xie along the way. Now, seeing him bow his head and weep silently, her heart ached. She leaned on Ji Lian's knees, raised her head and said in a trembling voice, "Should I write a letter to inform Lord Xie of my predicament?"
Ji Lian's eyes were blurred with tears, and her voice was hoarse. "She's out there promoting Tuduan. How do you expect me to ask her to help? Do you want her to stand resolutely between the Great Zhou and Northern Qin, and tear her apart just for me?"
He applied force with his knuckles, causing wrinkles on the imperial edict and tears to drip down.
He choked out a whisper, "How could I have put her in this situation? I can't be so selfish."
"Even if I did write a letter, I don't know where she is now. Where would you want me to send the letter? Maybe this is fate. The dream eventually became reality. She and I are..."
He wiped away the tears with his fingertips and uttered the last few words with difficulty: "After all, we are... not destined to be together."
Since the imperial edict was issued, everyone in Jiankang knew that half a month later, the imperial concubine Ji Lian would accompany the Northern Qin delegation to marry in another country.
The Emperor's residence was also strictly guarded. All food had to be tested for poison to prevent him from committing suicide. The bedroom and bed were also carefully searched, and no sharp objects were allowed to be left behind.
The embroiderers who came to measure the size of her wedding dress were all shocked when they saw Ji Lian. They saw that her face was pale, her eyes were empty, her lips were chapped, and she looked like she was still alive, but her soul had long since left her body.
When he reported back to Huagai Palace, he only said that Ji Lian often took out a few pieces of letter paper from the drawer of the dressing table, on which were drawn a few little foxes.
Ji Zhao didn't take it seriously when he heard this. He just ordered coldly, "Guard them strictly. Don't let any mistakes happen."
The fifteenth day passed by like a flash, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day when the well-known emperor was getting married.
The day before, the palace maid specially invited Ji Lian back to Posa Pavilion.
At dawn, wedding gowns, auspicious phoenix fans, and other items streamed in. He brushed them off with indifference. It was exactly the same as in his dream, only more ornate. He was seated before a bronze mirror, put on his makeup, and then, like in a dream, he was ushered to the front of the Taiji Hall. After Ji Zhao personally inserted a golden hairpin into his head and all the civil and military officials bowed in respect, he boarded the red-veiled chariot.
On both sides of the official road, people were shouting.
Ji Lian wept numbly, but her ears were filled with cheers and laughter. Everyone was celebrating that the Emperor Qing of the Great Zhou Dynasty would marry far away in Northern Qin and become the royal consort.
At that moment, a spring breeze blew up the red veil. A little girl riding on her mother's shoulders saw the tears on his face and called out in a clear voice, "Mother, I saw His Highness Di Qing crying. He was so sad. Maybe he doesn't really want to marry into Northern Qin?"
The sound carried on the wind, hitting her eardrums directly. Ji Lian looked in the direction of the sound, but saw the mother panicking and covering her daughter's mouth, pulling her away into the crowd, and she disappeared.
The chariot passed over Zhuque Bridge, went along Wuyi Lane, and passed Xie Garden.
At this moment, he finally understood why Xie Tingyu did not appear in his dream that night. It turned out that he had left Jiankang City long ago.
Oh my God, you are so cruel, you even took this into account?
He had already calculated that she would be traveling far away, that she would be unaware of it, and that when she returned, he would be deeply trapped in Bei Qin. From then on, they would be separated and would never meet again.
The thought was like being tortured by a blunt knife, cutting his heart again and again, each cut drawing blood, yet not fatal, forcing him to endure it.
He covered his face with his hands and sobbed in the chariot, tears and crying sounds constantly overflowing from the gauze curtain.
At the end of the crowd, Yuan Fuxue stood on a high building, looking through the window at the red gauze chariot with cold eyes as it drove out of Jiankang little by little until it disappeared.
Ji Lian suddenly turned around and saw the three words "Jiankang City" engraved on the city wall through the mist of tears. Her lips moved slightly and she squeezed out two words with a tight throat: "Tingyu..." The voice was very light and dissipated with the wind, leaving only tears in her eyes.
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The author has something to say: Today is actually the 7th day. One chapter is 3500 words, and if I write two chapters at 3500 words, that’s 7000 words.
I'm pre-collecting "Three Treasures in One Birth, But the Dragon is Born Proudly". Please collect it. After I finish writing this book, I will improve the copywriting and stalks in the column. Everyone, please take a look at my pre-collection! ! ! ! ! ! This author is really afraid that the next book will be the end.
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