Chapter 698: Zhaocheng
In the fifth month of summer in the fifth year of Jian'an, Luo Zhang sent the letter, and the date they agreed to meet was September 13th.
The princes of the world were either on their way or, like Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, had already arrived in Zhaogong State in early August.
Outside Zhaocheng.
Now that autumn has arrived, the sky is high. Above the blue sky, there are patches of azure blue and no clouds.
This was the first time Yuan and Cao met since they swore an oath of blood.
Yuan Shao walked out of the carriage. He had a majestic appearance and was wearing a solemn wide robe with big sleeves, which made him look even more elegant. Behind him were several carriages and escorting knights.
Although Cao Cao was not good-looking, he had a heroic spirit. The two men, who had once competed for the bride together, were silent for a moment when they met at this moment.
Cao Cao was filled with infinite emotion. He rode forward and clasped his fists, saying, "Benchu, how are you?"
Yuan Shao looked at Cao Cao and the people behind him, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he also clasped his fists and said, "Meng De, how are you? Isn't Hongnong King Liu Xie here?"
Cao Cao did not expect Yuan Shao to ask such a sharp question right away. His eyes suddenly flashed with a sharpness, and he said coldly: "Benchu, how can you call your Majesty by his name? This is extremely disrespectful!"
Seeing Cao Cao's expression, Yuan Shao sneered, but his voice was chilling, and he rode towards Zhaocheng, "Liu Xie?
When I defeat you, I will kill Liu Xie and let the world see that a false emperor is a false emperor. "
As the two were talking, a group of knights came galloping from the west. When the dust settled, a large flag with the word "Lu" on it hoisted high appeared.
Bingzhou Mu Lu Bu has arrived!
Yuan Shao smiled, stepped forward, and said loudly: "Fengxian!"
Lü Bu reined in his galloping horse. He was still wearing the same imposing and shining armor and cloak, riding on the divine horse with great majesty. When he saw Yuan Shao, he clasped his fists and laughed loudly, "Mr. Benchu, I haven't seen you for a year. Are you doing well?"
After some chatting and greeting, the two of them gathered together and headed towards the city.
A trace of fear flashed across Cao Cao's face. His advisers had said more than once that if they wanted to compete with Yuan Shao, Bingzhou occupied by Lu Bu was the key.
In front of Zhaocheng, Luo Shu welcomed the three people into the city. Lu Bu looked left and right and was very curious about the city.
Yuan Shao was familiar with Luo Shu, so he stepped forward to talk to him and whispered, "Sir, I'm going to pay a visit to Lord Zhao this time. I wonder if the queen is here?
As a minister of the Emperor Xiaomin, it would be disrespectful not to bow to the Empress."
Upon hearing this, Luo Shu looked at Yuan Shao meaningfully.
If the throne is passed on to his son, the former queen will naturally be the queen mother, but if the throne is passed on to his younger brother, the former queen will naturally not be the queen mother.
After Cao Cao welcomed Liu Xie back, the first thing he did was to hold a memorial service for Emperor Xiaomin, and the second thing he did was to give Queen Tang a title, Queen Anping.
But now Yuan Shao does not use this honorific title, nor does he use the common title of Empress Dowager, which is very subtle.
However, Luo Shu didn't care about the twists and turns, and said softly: "Father has invited Queen Tang to come, we can go to pay our respects together later."
Since Tang Ji came to Zhaocheng, she has been living in the inner city. Her life is simple but fulfilling. She follows Luo's daughter to learn various knowledge every day.
One day, she walked along the inner city street towards the courtyard where she lived. When she got closer, she found that Luo Jin was waiting at the door, with several pretty girls beside him.
She hadn't seen Luo Jin for a few days, and she was delighted. She quickly lifted her skirt and trotted forward. She stopped in front of Luo Jin, her chest rising and falling slightly, and she asked with a gasp, "Ah Jin, Ah Xuan, are you waiting for me?"
Luo Jin looked at Tang Ji's fair and pretty face with a slight blush and smiled, "Xi'er, the princes came to Zhao to pay a visit to you. Grandfather asked us to take you there."
Tang Ji had been studying with the high priest, so she naturally knew that Duke Zhao had invited the princes to come to Zhao, but she didn't expect it to happen so soon.
Moreover, those people were coming to pay a visit to her, which made her a little nervous. In Zhaocheng, she had long forgotten her identity as the Queen of the Han Dynasty.
After all, that identity brought her nothing but negative emotions such as blood, killing, fear, cruelty, etc. What she saw and heard when she was young woke her up from nightmares countless times.
Luo Kong's daughter Luo Xuan smiled and said, "Sister Xier, go take a shower and change your clothes. I will personally do your makeup for you."
Tang Ji regarded Luo Kong as her father, so she had a very good relationship with Luo Kong's daughter, just like real sisters.
Tang Ji was stunned. The memories filled with blood, fire and killing began to hit her mind again. Her slightly thin body began to tremble slightly, and her pretty face, which was originally slightly rosy, turned pale in an instant.
Luo Jin frowned slightly, then reached out and held Tang Ji's hand. The warm hand brought Tang Ji back to her senses. She looked at Luo Jin, and heard Luo Jin's gentle smile and comforting voice: "Xi'er, don't be afraid. Do you remember what I said to you on the full moon night last time?"
Of course Tang Ji remembered that Luo Jin said that the queen's identity carried responsibilities, and only after fulfilling these responsibilities could she become a free person. Now that these princes have come to Zhaocheng, she has to go to meet them. This is the queen's responsibility.
Tang Ji nodded, then walked into the courtyard with Luo Xuan, and then went to the bathroom in the back room, while Luo Jin waited in the front hall.
After an unknown amount of time, Luo Xuan came out with an excited look on her face, knelt down beside Luo Jin, and said with a low laugh, "Brother, my future sister-in-law is absolutely beautiful, especially today. Just watch."
Facing Luo Xuan's teasing, Luo Jin didn't care. That was just the kind of person he was. He would remain calm even when faced with a huge crisis. He was always composed and composed.
Tang Ji walked out from the side. She was wearing complicated and gorgeous palace dress, and even had a skirt that dragged on the ground. It was a gorgeous dress that belonged only to the queen. Luo family had expected this day to come a long time ago. This dress was made by Luo family's best tailor. She had exquisite hair accessories on her head, and the ends of her hair were spread out, with gold and jade decorations between the hairpins.
This was Tang Ji whom Luo Jin had never seen before. There was a golden ornament between her brows. She looked like the queens who walked out of the ancient scrolls engraved in Chang'an and Luoyang, gorgeous and dignified, awe-inspiring and inviolable. She was born very beautiful, and at this moment, Tang Ji was not inferior to any other woman in the world.
Luo Jin raised his hand and put it down again, then stood up and walked in front of Tang Ji. He was very tall, and Tang Ji had to tilt her head slightly to see his face.
Luo Jin looked down, and there was still a hint of nervousness visible on her face. Luo Jin smiled and said, "Very beautiful, very dignified. Such a queen of the Han Dynasty is worthy of the princes to come and pay homage.
Your Majesty, the carriage has arrived. I will hold your skirt for you. Please come this way."
Luo Jin's words relieved Tang Ji's nervousness.
Outside Tang Ji's courtyard, a brave warrior drove a carriage and stopped outside, waiting for Tang Ji, Luo Jin and others.
For the Luo family, the guests who can enter the inner city are all old friends with whom they have known each other for many years, such as the Marquis of Anyang in the past. People like Yuan Shao and Cao Cao would never be able to enter the inner city.
Between the outer city and the inner city of Zhaocheng, there is a palace specially used to receive guests of higher status.
Just as not everyone is qualified to meet the emperor, the same is true for the audience with Duke Zhao and the empress. Yuan Shao and the three princes naturally have no problem entering, but their entourage is naturally not allowed to enter. Only the ministers around them can enter with them.
Everyone was kneeling in the hall, with rows of brave warriors wearing armor and holding swords behind them. Even Lu Bu was drinking tea quietly, and then he and Yuan Shao whispered to belittle Gongsun Zan, their defeated general.
Luo Shu was sitting on the left and chatting with a few people. Without waiting for long, Luo Zhang, the high priest, Luo Jin, Tang Ji and others came in.
Yuan Shao and Tang Ji have not seen each other for more than four years. Thinking back then, Luo Kong had entrusted him to send Queen Tang to Zhaocheng. Seeing them again now, it felt like a lifetime ago.
After everyone was seated, Yuan Shao and the other two stood up and dressed, then respectfully saluted Tang Ji and said, "Your Majesty, Yuan Shao and Lu Bu respectfully greet Her Majesty the Queen and wish Her Majesty long life and happiness."
"Your Majesty, Empress Anping, is well and I wish you everlasting health and happiness."
Tang Ji's body was almost motionless, like a statue, she opened her mouth slightly and said solemnly: "Greetings to you, Lord Yuan, Lord Cao, and General Lu."
With this bow, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and Lu Bu all acknowledged their identities as Han subjects, but the Han in each party was different.
The three men bowed to Luo Zhang again and said, "Foreign ministers ask about the great public security."
Duke Zhao was considered one of the Two Kings and Three Ke, and his political status was quite high, just like the Two Kings and Three Ke in the Zhou Dynasty who were one level higher in rank than the princes of the Ji clan.
After Luo Zhang returned the gift, Tang Ji looked at Yuan Shao. She naturally still remembered Yuan Shao.
Five years ago, before she entered Zhaocheng, there were not many men who were kind to her in her limited life. Apart from her relatives and the father-like Wushuang Hou Luokong, and Liu Bian, the only person she was grateful to was Yuan Shao.
The memories of escaping from Luoyang made Tang Ji unable to help but ask, "Mr. Yuan, how have you been these years?"
Yuan Shao did not expect Tang Ji to say such a tender and affectionate word. He originally wanted to make a sarcastic remark to Liu Xie, but when the words came to his lips, they turned into something else, "Your Majesty, thanks to your concern, I have been well these years.
Now that I see Her Majesty the Queen is safe and sound in Zhaocheng, I feel relieved. I have not let down the trust placed in me by the Marquis Wushuang Zhongwu.
It's a pity that I didn't personally kill Li Jue, Guo Si and other Xiliang generals to avenge the Wushuang Zhongwu Marquis."
There was a sense of regret in Yuan Shao's words, as if he was talking about something that had already passed away.
Cao Cao felt very uncomfortable when he heard this, especially when Yuan Shao specifically mentioned Li Jue and Guo Si, which felt like he was referring to Liu Xie.
But in Cao Cao's view, although Liu Xie was appointed by Dong Zhuo.
But Liu Xie is the only orthodox royal family member, and the others are several generations apart in blood relationship. In an era of hereditary rule, blood relationship is everything. Why should others compare with Liu Xie?
Although Cao Cao had other thoughts in his mind, he believed that there was no problem at all in making Liu Xie the emperor.
Yuan Shao was clearly a traitor who disrespected the imperial court, but he claimed to be a loyal minister and often used this incident to mock Cao Cao, which made Cao Cao feel very aggrieved.
Cao Cao got excited and said, "Your Majesty, Queen Anping.
Your Majesty misses you very much, and often thinks of Emperor Xiaomin and your care for him. I only sigh that I cannot fulfill my filial piety to you, so I ask you to..."
"cough!"
Suddenly, a violent cough interrupted Cao Cao's words. Xi Zhicai, who was standing behind Cao Cao, blushed and bowed, "I have been disrespectful. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Cao Cao suddenly reacted and felt a chill. He was careless!
Yuan Shao only mentioned Wushuang Hou and Zhongwu Hou Luo Kong, but did not mention Emperor Xiaomin, after all, they have passed away.
Queen Tang will marry into the Luo family in the future. Let the past be the past. Why should we always be confined to the past?
Yuan Shao is so scheming!
Cao Cao took a deep breath and stopped talking. He returned to his seat and became more wary of Yuan Shao.
If Yuan Shao knew what Cao Cao was thinking, he would definitely feel wronged, because this had nothing to do with him.
Tang Ji didn't care too much about it. Her mind was not on this and she didn't miss Liu Xie at all.
When Yuan Shao and others were paying homage to Queen Tang in the main hall, everyone in the side hall surrounded Yuan Shao's wife.
Because there was a small banquet after the audience, which was a welcome banquet.
So those who were not qualified to enter the main hall waited in the side hall, the men in one room and the women in another.
One of the main purposes of Yuan Shao's coming to Zhaocheng was to bring Zhen Mi to the stage. It would be more appropriate to entrust this task to Madam Liu. As it turned out, this was very simple.
As soon as Zhen Mi appeared in the side hall, she attracted the attention of almost all the female relatives, even beautiful women like Cai Yan and Diao Chan were attracted.
Although she is still a little immature, unlike Diao Chan and Cai Yan who have fully explored their charm, she is already incredibly beautiful even at this moment.
This was the first time in more than twenty years that Diao Chan had seen a woman who could match her in beauty.
The high priest felt a familiar feeling from Zhen Mi. She was the high priest of Luo clan and the person closest to King Su and the goddess of Luo Ji Lingjun in the entire Luo clan except Luo Zhang.
So she came to Madam Liu and asked with a smile: "Madam, how are you? I am the high priest of the Luo family, and this is the young lady of your family."
Madam Liu had been able to sit firmly on the throne of Yuan Shao's wife for so many years, so she was naturally a smart person. She and Yuan Shao were of the same kind. She might be a little arrogant towards other families, but she was humble to the Luo family from the bottom of her heart. When she heard the high priest introduce himself, she smiled and said, "This is the daughter of Wuji Zhen family, and also the daughter of my husband and me."
The high priest understood that this was her adopted daughter, but it didn't matter, an adopted daughter was still a daughter. She lowered her head and smiled at Zhen Mi and asked, "Little girl, what's your name?"
"My name is Zhen Mi, Mi as in Concubine Mi."
Mi Fei, according to legend, was the daughter of the ancient emperor Fuxi and the earliest god of the Luo River.
Is this God's will?
The high priest looked at Zhen Mi carefully, and the more he looked, the more surprised he became. After a long time, he slowly said, "Your appearance is really invaluable!"
————
Empress Tang was from a noble family of Yingchuan. Her ancestors were among the Three Dukes, and her father was promoted to the rank of Two Thousand Stone. Her family was prominent, so Emperor Lingdi promoted her and married her to Crown Prince Bian, and made her Crown Princess. When Emperor Lingdi died, Tang Ji, as the wife of Emperor Xiaomin of Han, became the empress, and held the empress seal, ranking second in position. After Xiaomin's death, Emperor Sheng elevated her to the title of Empress Anping, and she later entered Zhaocheng. Duke Zhao took pity on her poverty and arranged for her to marry Prince Jin of the Luo family. The name Xi was recorded in the genealogy of the Luo family. When Prince Jin became the ruler of Zhao, she was called Madam Tang in the world. All subsequent events are not recorded in this history.
The historian said: "The Empress became a commoner's wife again. This has never happened in the past three dynasties. However, many people praised her beauty and there were no rumors. This also shows that Luo Shi had high hopes." - "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Records of Empresses"
(End of this chapter)
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