Chapter 960 The Crown Princess
Child's play.
This is how the officials in the palace felt.
The fate of the Tang Empire was overturned in just a few words between mother and son.
The hall was completely silent.
The prime ministers were dumbfounded.
Luo Junwei has a lot of free time.
Wu Zhao's face could not be seen clearly.
Li Dan's forehead was slightly sweaty, but he breathed a sigh of relief.
Luo Xuanyun stood up from the table and everyone looked at him.
His hair was completely white and his face was full of wrinkles. His strong body, which once allowed him to wield a lance, was now limp.
After the death of Luo Xuanling, Duke of Yong, Luo Xuanyun was the last person of the Luo family's Xuan generation alive. Excluding the outlier Luo Su, he was the truly long-lived ancestor of the entire family.
Politics is truly a game where only the living can win.
Luo Xuanyun, who once had nothing to do with the central power of the empire, has now become the pillar of the Tang Dynasty court.
Although he was old, Luo Xuanyun's eyes were as sharp as an eagle. Under the gaze of the ministers in the palace, he had a blank expression on his face. He bowed to the Empress and the Emperor on the throne, and then said in a chanting tone: "Your Majesty, it is a great merit for the Emperor to follow the example of the ancient sage kings to abdicate. I congratulate you on behalf of the Great Tang Dynasty and on behalf of your Majesty the Emperor."
When Luo Xuanyun said this, many people in the hall looked stern, and many ministers followed Luo Xuanyun and said in unison: "Your Majesty, we congratulate the Emperor."
Some people have excitement in their eyes, some people have joy in their eyes, and they can't wait to get started.
The Queen Mother and the Emperor had made a decision, and with the minister's words, the matter was settled. Now the only one who could change it was the Queen Mother Wu Zetian, and Li Dan could not change it either.
Li Dan reached out to take off the crown on his head and handed it to the eunuch beside him on a plate. Then two palace maids came up, took off his imperial robe, and put on the clothes of a prince.
Wu Zhao's expression softened a little. "Silang, you will continue to be the Prince of Xiang in the future. I will grant you 20,000 households of food and property. You can do what you like."
Li Dan knelt down and kowtowed, "Your Majesty, I thank you. It is all because of your unfilial behavior that I cannot satisfy you. I only hope that there is a handsome man in the clan who can make you happy."
With so much talk about the loving mother and filial son, some people can no longer hold back, Your Highness. The outdated emperor is still talking so much nonsense. Don’t block our bright future.
Those officials who favored Li Xian were already eager to push Li Xian to the throne of the Tang Dynasty.
As for reasons, there is no need to find new ones. A country cannot be without a king for a day. Isn’t this the best reason?
Li Dan used this reason to quickly ascend to the throne in the past, and now it is just a repeat of the past. However, they believe that King Wei Li Xian will never abdicate the throne like Li Dan did.
Li Xian's wife was from the Jingzhao Du clan, and now she was also ranked as a second-level prime minister, listed as the assistant minister of state affairs, "Your Majesty, the prince of Xiang has abdicated, and the Tang Dynasty has no ruler. Please ask Your Majesty to choose a new ruler for our Tang Dynasty so that the world will be respectful and obedient."
The high-pitched voice echoed throughout the hall.
Swish.
The old is replaced by the new, this is the reality. No one laments the demise of Li Dan, and the new emperor will be the one arriving at the scene now.
"Please ask Her Majesty the Queen to choose a new ruler!"
Dozens of people stood up and bowed loudly to Wu Zhao.
Most people didn't think too much about it. A new ruler would have to be appointed eventually, so they just mentioned it casually.
When Wu Zhao saw this, her eyes narrowed slightly behind her crown and she said calmly, "Who do you think I should appoint as the new emperor?"
Who should be appointed?
Since ancient times, when a king asked such a question, few ministers would answer. It was the duty of a minister to advise the king to appoint an heir, but it was difficult to say who to appoint, especially in a sensitive dynasty like the Tang Dynasty.
Although Wu Zetian suppressed the nobles, the suppression of the Wei family was not serious. Wei Xiang described it in a somewhat exaggerated way: "Your Majesty is divine and powerful. How dare I speak nonsense, but the new emperor must be chosen from your sons. Only in this way can he inherit your talent and inherit the Tang Dynasty's national cause and the country."
What a talented person.
Even officials who were on the opposite side of Wei Xiang could not help but sigh that he was really flexible and able to be so flattering in order to pave the way for Wei Wang Li Xian to the throne. He was a man who could accomplish great things.
How will the Queen react?
In fact, this is not a problem. As long as the Queen does not let her heart be blinded by greed, she will never hand over the throne to an outsider. As expected, there was a hint of smile in the Queen's voice, "Wei Qing is really a loyal minister."
Now it's safe.
Hearing the Queen Mother's praise, Prime Minister Wei could not help but smile and narrowed his eyes, looking at Wu Zhao expectantly, "Your Majesty, please announce it quickly and make Prince of Wei Li Xian the new crown prince and inherit the throne."
At this time, another deep voice was heard in the hall, and everyone came over following the voice. It was Luo Junzhuo, the general of the Left Vermillion Bird Guard, the commander of the consort of Princess Jinyang, and the Duke of Dai.
He was also a fierce general of the Luo family. He was highly trusted during the previous emperor's reign. During the years when the previous emperor was seriously ill, the only people who could enter the previous emperor's bedroom were Empress Wu Zetian, Princess Jinyang Li Mingda, Duke of Dai Luo Junzhuo and a few others.
The rest are all close relatives, and among the foreign officials there is only one, Duke of Dai, Luo Junzhuo. Of course, Duke of Dai is the late emperor's cousin and brother-in-law, so he is a real royal relative and cannot be considered an outsider.
As a representative figure among the in-laws and royal relatives, Luo Junzhuo's words carry great weight. After all, the emperor who just abdicated has to call him his cousin, and from the perspective of Princess Jinyang, she has to call him uncle, as he is an elder in the royal family.
Luo Junzhuo bowed and said with emotion: "Your Majesty, the abdication of His Royal Highness Prince Xiang is indeed in line with the style of ancient wise kings, but the change of ownership of the world's divine artifacts is not an ordinary thing.
We hastily chose His Royal Highness the Prince of Xiang as the king, but within a few years, His Royal Highness the Prince of Xiang voluntarily abdicated. This can only happen once and not twice.
Just now Prime Minister Wei said that a country cannot be without a ruler for a day. This is the truth. However, when I read the Records of the Grand Historian, Sima Qian said in the Biography of Empress Dowager Lü that "she was truly the only ruler of the Han Dynasty." Sima Qian regarded Empress Dowager Lü as the only ruler of the Han Dynasty, just as you now regard the Tang Dynasty as the ruler of the Tang Dynasty. This is recognized by the world.
In this case, there is no need for our Tang Dynasty to be too anxious to choose a monarch. With Her Majesty the Queen and her ministers working together, how could the country be in danger?
Your Majesty can carefully choose an heir from among your sons. Among the Queen Mother’s sons, there are only Prince Xiang, Prince Wei, and Prince Wei who is far away in Penglai.
At the beginning, Your Majesty the Queen Mother did not make the Prince of Wei the Crown Prince, but made the Prince of Xiang the Crown Prince. It must be because there was something about the Prince of Wei that displeased you.
"My humble servant..."
Before Luo Junzhuo could finish his words, a cold voice came from above, "The King of Wei is frivolous and cannot rule the world."
hiss.
As soon as Wu Zhao's voice fell, the whole hall was filled with the sound of people gasping for air, and almost everyone couldn't believe their ears.
The Queen’s words were too heavy.
This sentence has an allusion. It comes from the Annals of Emperor Xiaowen in the Book of Han. Liu Qi, the King Li of Jiujiang, who was then the crown prince, killed the crown prince of Jiaodong and the prince of Qi in a rage.
This eventually led to the crown prince being deposed and Emperor Xiaowu Liu Che becoming the new crown prince. At that time, Emperor Xiaowen of Han said that Liu Qi was not qualified to rule the world.
Now the Queen Mother used this sentence to describe Prince of Wei Li Xian, which was simply a direct sentence of political death for him.
Prime Minister Wei just stood there in a daze, unable to believe what he heard. Your Majesty, the Queen of Heaven, what are you talking about?
If you don’t give the throne to Prince Xiang or Prince Wei, who do you want to give it to?
Luo Junwei offered an assist at the right time. She and Wu Zhao always had such a tacit understanding in their cooperation. "Since Prince Xiang and Prince Wei are both unfit to rule, Your Majesty, do you want to recall Prince Wei and make him the crown prince, so that he can take charge of the country?"
King Wei?
When this title came out of Luo Junzhuo's mouth, almost everyone was in a trance for a moment, and then countless voices came together without any prior arrangement, "Your Majesty, you can't do that!"
The sound was so loud that it startled Wu Zetian, who was well prepared. The word "可" kept echoing in the hall. The ministers in the hall were also startled. They looked at each other, and then they all collected their minds and pretended that nothing had happened.
As for why they opposed Li Xian's return to Luoyang, the reason was very simple, it was actually a matter of interests.
Prince Wei Li Xian had been away from Luoyang for too long, and all of his old subordinates had long gone to Penglai, including his maternal relatives. In other words, Li Xian no longer had any roots in Luoyang.
This means that after he returned, none of the people standing in the court would be his old subordinates.
A new emperor appoints new ministers, and the ministers in the court do not want to become the ones who step down.
Logically speaking, even if the crown prince was replaced, this would not have happened. However, Li Xian was different. He was not an ordinary prince with a weak foundation. Instead, he was the master of a great kingdom and had a complete ruling team around him.
After he returned to Luoyang, if he was extreme, he could even replace the prime minister, the six ministers, and the twelve generals of the guards.
Who can withstand this?
It would be better to let Li Dan or Li Xian be the emperor.
The resistance Li Xian faced in returning to Luoyang was so great that it was hard for anyone to imagine. If Wu Zhao really planned to recall Li Xian, even she would have to fight with her.
Luo Junwei and Wu Zhao had some expectations for the situation before them. Of course, this scene was bigger than they had imagined.
Of course, neither of them would think of calling Li Xian back.
Speaking of this, it's just the classic broken window theory.
When Princess Taiping was made the Crown Princess, there must have been many people who opposed it. The mere question of how a woman could become an emperor was regarded as a guiding principle by many people.
But in this world, ideals are ultimately no match for interests. It’s not that Wu Zetian looked down on the ministers in the world. She was sure that if she could bring them greater benefits, many people would support her even if she wanted to be emperor.
If there were really so many loyal ministers in this world, the Sui Dynasty would not have been established, and there should not have been so many and frequent changes of dynasties during the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
Li Xian is the tool that lifts the roof.
At this time, it seemed that some ministers had reacted. A voice came from nowhere and said casually: "His Royal Highness Prince Xiang has abdicated. His Royal Highness Prince Wei cannot be the king. Only His Royal Highness Prince Wei can be the king. It is impossible..."
We can't not choose the Queen Mother's sons. Who dares to say that? The throne is not passed down among the direct descendants. Moreover, the remaining King of Chu and King of Song are the sons of the Queen Mother's enemies. How can we allow them to be emperors? As for other relatives, that's simply a joke.
Is King Wei really coming back?
When the prime ministers thought about confronting Empress Wu Zetian again, they suddenly felt desperate. They could not win against her at all. Empress Wu Zetian was an expert in political tactics and also held supreme power. She was naturally the winner.
Wei Xiang had an even more bitter face. If Prince Wei Li Xian wanted to come back, he would rather Prince Xiang Li Dan remained the emperor. At least Li Dan had a weaker and kinder character, not as strong as Li Xian.
Wu Zhao took in the expressions of the people below, and then said calmly: "I have a candidate, that is my daughter, Princess Taiping. She is virtuous and beautiful, with dragon eyes and phoenix neck, and her intelligence is similar to mine. She is truly a phoenix of the royal family. She should be the crown princess, inherit the imperial career, and flatter the ancestral temple. What do you think?"
quiet!
When people are extremely shocked, they are completely speechless.
When people react to extreme shock, they will burst into a huge noise.
"Your Majesty, no."
"How can a woman flatter the ancestral temple?"
"Since ancient times, no woman has ever become an emperor in the Central Plains."
These voices of opposition are not so impassioned. Instead, they seem like natural reactions under excessive stimulation. This is the most normal stress response and the true feelings. It is similar to the truth spoken after drinking, commonly known as speaking without thinking.
Luo Junwei once again offered assistance at the right time, "Your Majesty, I also think that you should recall His Royal Highness Prince Wei from Penglai."
The hall fell into silence again. Some people choked back their words after they had spoken halfway. If they were simply told that Princess Taiping was the Crown Princess, they would naturally be unwilling. But if they mentioned Li Xian, then Princess Taiping could accept it.
Besides, this world has been paved with such a long process that the resistance to establishing a crown princess is not that great.
Wu Zhao asked meaningfully, "What did you say just now?"
Wei Xiang was really quick to change his attitude. When he saw that Li Xian had no chance, he thought about it for a moment and immediately stepped forward and said loudly, "Your Majesty is a genius, unprecedented in history. Princess Taiping is talented and outstanding among all the scholars. She is the best choice to flatter the ancestral temple."
Wei Xiang's quick turn was surprising, but one couldn't help but want to curse when thinking about it. This old fox was really shrewd.
In political struggles, this is sometimes the case. The moderate person always gets unexpected benefits, especially when others are fighting fiercely. The late Emperor Li Zhi reached the pinnacle because of this.
The same is true for Princess Taiping now. Her greatest advantage is that she has good relations with Li Xian, Li Xian, and Li Dan. When she comes to power, she will definitely not purge the people of Li Xian and Li Dan, and there will not be any unpredictable consequences.
In a politically unstable situation, a person who does not make the situation worse will always stand out.
Wei Xiang figured this out in a short time, so he immediately jumped from Li Xian's camp to the Queen Mother's camp. Wu Zhao was very satisfied with Wei Xiang's understanding.
Either don't do something, or do it to the extreme. In the matter of Princess Taiping being appointed as the Crown Princess, the biggest beneficiary is the Luo family. The Luo family will definitely not say anything again. Prime Minister Wei is going to fight for himself and his family's wealth and glory. I would rather die than let my friends die. Who will stand on the same boat with you?
These thoughts came to him slowly, but in reality, they only took a moment. The well-read Wei Xiang had already prepared his speech, "Since ancient times, wise kings have created what their predecessors could not. Although it is rare for a woman to be an emperor in the Central Plains, it is not uncommon. Luo Yin Gong, the ancestor of the Luo family, is an example, and she is no different from a king.
As for the Western Regions, there is actually a precedent. The Zhao Dynasty once unified the Western Regions and was known as the King of Kings, that is, the emperor.
Zhao Yingluo of the Zhao royal family married the high priest of the temple, Luo Jialan, and gave birth to a son, named Zhao, who inherited the throne and became the second monarch of the Zhao Dynasty. This is a precedent that our Tang Dynasty can naturally follow.
Princess Taiping is a beautiful lady from the royal family, the legitimate daughter of the Empress, and of noble status, so she can naturally become the emperor. I think there is nothing wrong with that.”
After saying this, Prime Minister Wei stood in the hall somewhat complacently, looking at his colleagues with ferocity in his eyes. If anyone dared to refute him, he would let the other person know what cruelty was.
Those who are only concerned about their own interests will naturally not speak up, and those who really feel something is wrong don’t know how to speak up, such as Di Renjie.
He was a person who was promoted by Wu Zetian all the way. Last year, he served as the Minister of Justice. He handled hundreds of unjust cases in a year, and no one was dissatisfied. Due to this achievement, he was promoted to the position of Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi this year and was officially appointed as prime minister.
He was considered a relatively traditional Confucian scholar-official, but he was promoted by Wu Zetian all the way. He knew that Wu Zetian wanted Princess Taiping to be the Crown Princess, so he wanted to say something several times but finally stopped.
Princess Taiping was also a descendant of Emperor Taizong.
Forget it.
He thought so in his heart, and his thoughts largely represented the thoughts of many old ministers.
Underlying the logic of this idea is a rule that they have intentionally or unintentionally ignored, which is that Princess Taiping's husband is the son of the Luo family.
Although no one mentioned Luo Qianqiu at the scene, Luo Qianqiu's presence reduced a lot of resistance for Princess Taiping to become the Crown Princess. Even if he didn't say it actively, his status as a direct descendant of the Luo family was there, and he had natural prestige.
Especially since the Luo family has not had many offspring in recent years, people like Luo Xuanye who can have three children are extremely rare. Luo Qianqiu is the most outstanding offspring of his generation.
His mother, Luo Junwei, is the current head of the Luo family, and he is already the next generation head of the Luo family.
If Princess Taiping became the Crown Princess, it would be an unprecedented combination of the head of the Luo family and the king.
Everyone is curious about what sparks will come from this unprecedented combination.
As for the slight discomfort of the heroine in the world, with the assistance of the Luo family, that can basically be avoided.
The faces of the ministers in the hall gradually became strange. They looked at each other quietly, and when their eyes met, although no one spoke, they could understand what the other wanted to say.
If Princess Taiping really becomes the future emperor of the Tang Dynasty or even the emperor, then for the first time the world will welcome an emperor with royal blood.
This is something that the Zhou, Qin, Chu and Han dynasties had never achieved, but now it is about to happen in the Tang Dynasty.
Is this what the Queen wants to see?
Almost everyone began to imagine that this was the reason why the Queen Mother chose Princess Taiping.
Everyone in the world knows that the Queen Mother Wu Zhao worshipped the Su Wang. It was the Queen Mother who proposed “honoring the Emperor of Heaven and eliminating all sacrifices”, which shows her worship of the Su Wang and the Emperor of Heaven.
It is completely understandable that she wants the future Emperor of Tang to have King Su’s bloodline.
Moreover, if the three previous emperors Li Yuan, Li Shimin and Li Zhi knew about this, they would probably not only not blame Wu Zhao, but would also praise her for doing a good job.
Although Li has always told everyone that the Li family is the most powerful family in the world, deep down in their hearts they may not be so tough when facing the Luo family.
Wu Zhao herself probably could not have imagined that there would be such an unexpected surprise.
Most of the leaders of several factions in the court had no grudges against Princess Taiping, so they reluctantly admitted the matter.
When faced with two evils, choose the lesser one.
Politics is the art of compromise. The Queen Mother and Luo Junwei set up a plan step by step to force everyone into a corner. Li Xian and Taiping Luo family must choose one. This is actually no longer a multiple-choice question.
As several people spoke, sounds came one after another in the hall.
Wu Zhao was good at striking while the iron was hot, and she immediately said, "It is better to do it now than to wait for a day. Summon Princess Taiping and her husband Luo Qianqiu to the palace."
In the side hall of Tianshou Palace, Taiping and Luo Qianqiu had been waiting here for a long time, listening to the seemingly peaceful but actually loud fighting in the hall. When the summoned eunuch arrived, the two had already prepared everything.
Taiping was wearing an intricate and gorgeous robe, with four palace maids dragging her long skirt behind her. She was adorned all over with jewelry and had the most gorgeous makeup. Her look today could perhaps only be compared to the day of her wedding.
Luo Qianqiu was by her side.
The two of them walked in from the main door of the hall, and light and shadows swayed on the ground.
Everyone's eyes turned to the two of them.
The light seemed to dance in Taiping's temples.
She was wearing a loose robe, somewhat like a cloak, and a lady's dress underneath, with her slender waist tightly bound by a belt.
Luo Qianqiu was a man of great build. Even without armor or tight clothes, he still had a murderous aura when he looked around, making it difficult for people to look directly at him.
"Long live the Queen Mother."
The two joined hands and saluted Wu Zhao, and then Wu Zhao asked them to stand up and said with a smile: "You two were not in the palace just now, Taiping, just now the ministers suggested to me that you be made the crown princess, and I have agreed."
Princess Taiping pretended to be terrified and bowed, saying, "My daughter is terrified."
She was just frightened, but she didn't feel ashamed. Wu Zhao didn't like to make excuses. She liked to cut the Gordian knot and make decisions quickly.
"Don't be afraid. This is an honor and a responsibility. The future of the country rests on your shoulders. You must work hard to revive the country."
Wu Zetian had already begun to treat Princess Taiping with the attitude of treating the crown prince. After a few words of encouragement, she said directly: "Since all the prime ministers are here, I will issue an order to enthrone Taiping as the crown princess.
Weiwei, I read and you write. "
Luo Junwei took the pen and ink from the palace maid, and then spread it out. Wu Zhao paused for a moment, and then slowly said: "I heard that you, the ruler of the country, have inherited the legacy, so why don't you establish a successor, secure the country, and take care of the country and society, and follow the long-term principles.
When I look back on the past, I find that there were many difficulties. The importance of the country was not entrusted to a solid foundation, which resulted in many people being displaced. I feel deeply saddened by this.
Princess Taiping was sincere and respectful by nature, born with the knowledge of filial piety and brotherhood, and had a broad mind and a benevolent heart.
He studied the teacher's teachings, his words were elegant and classical, his actions were all polite, he did not think of violating benevolence, he checked the old rules and was qualified to succeed him.
I have always feared that the gods are not pleased, that there are many shortcomings in government governance, and that I have been deprived of this great legacy, and that peace and prosperity can prevail.
Now that the country is at peace and all things are going well, we should read the emperor's regulations, consult the ministers' advice, and look at the major plans from time to time. Nothing is more important than this.
Therefore, he was given the dagger and wine, and was given the position of Qing Palace. He was ordered to follow the emperor's will and serve the emperor for the rest of his life.
She should be canonized as the Crown Princess, and the officials should choose a day, prepare the ceremony and canonize her, and the person in charge will carry it out. "
This edict of appointing a crown prince was not unfamiliar to Wu Zhao. She had experienced the appointment of a crown prince more than once or twice in her life. Three of her children had become crown princes, and now there was another crown princess.
Writing this kind of edict is as simple as speaking in daily life, without any discomfort.
After Luo Junwei finished writing, she took out the Fengge Luantai seal and stamped it on. During the Zhenguan period, the seal represented the Zhengshitang seal. During the Li Zhi period, the power of the Zhongshu Menxia was strengthened, and the words on the seal became Zhongshu Menxia. Now it has become Fengge Luantai.
After Luo Junwei stamped the seal, she blew it dry gently and asked the eunuch to present three copies of the edict to Wu Zhao in the presence of everyone.
Boom!
The emperor's seal and the emperor's seal, which symbolize supreme power, were both placed on the edict.
Many people were in a trance. From this moment on, the Tang Dynasty had a crown princess, the first crown princess since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
The Tang Dynasty truly created history. I wonder how today's events will be recorded in history books thousands of years from now.
After completing this task, Wu Zhao suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. After completing this task, she actually felt that she had accomplished something. Of course, as she loved power, it was impossible for her to retire after achieving success.
There is just a sense of tiredness that comes from having temporarily accomplished a goal.
There is only one thing left.
Wu Zhao set her eyes on Luo Qianqiu. The princess’ husband was the imperial concubine’s son-in-law, but what about the crown princess’ husband?
The wife of the crown prince is the crown princess, but there has never been a peaceful situation since ancient times.
Luo Qianqiu felt the gaze from his mother-in-law, and Wu Zhao slowly said: "Today Taiping has been canonized as the Crown Princess and will be the ruler of the East Palace. I want to reward Luo Qianqiu and his mother.
Grant them glory to show their royal nobility.
deliver an imperial order.
Sikong, Tongfengge Luantai Pingzhangshi, and Minister of Personnel Luo Junwei.
He was promoted to Fengge Ling and was still in charge of the Ministry of Personnel.
Add the title of Prince Tai Shi.
Add Situ.
He was granted the title of Duke of Luo and a fief of 2,000 households.
Luo Qianqiu is the heir apparent of the Duke of Luo, and his rank is equal to that of a county duke."
This reward was quite generous, as it directly raised Luo Junwei's official position to the highest level. Many people wondered whether Wu Zhao had been prepared for it.
Luo Junwei was also given the title of Prince's Grand Tutor.
Although Dong Gong is now the Crown Princess, the effect is the same.
The most important thing is that the Queen Mother actually conferred the title of Duke of Luo on Luo Junwei.
This was something no one had expected. Everyone knew that this title was extremely unusual. Even Li Shimin did not give Luo Xuanye this title at the beginning.
Because even the Luo family didn't want this title to be granted casually.
And now, diva?
Everyone looked at Luo Junwei.
(End of this chapter)
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