Shen Zhao relayed the information he had overheard at the Xiongnu post station in the early morning to Ying Chaoyun word for word.
Upon hearing this, Ying Chaoyun frowned deeply: "I never imagined that the Xiongnu would have such ambitions. Back then, when the Empress personally led the expedition, she expanded the territory three thousand li northward from the edge of the Great Wall."
Hundreds of thousands of Xiongnu cavalrymen perished under the swords of the Han army, and from then on, the Xiongnu submitted to the Han Dynasty. It was thought they would obediently fulfill their duty of paying tribute.
I never imagined that after all these years, such wolfish ambitions would still exist. They are truly ungrateful wolves that cannot be tamed by a pack of dogs.
Shen Zhao: "If you ask me, it's because the Empress of Longhan was too soft-hearted. Despite having the upper hand, she didn't finish off the Xiongnu in one fell swoop."
Instead, he listened to slanderous words from the court and adopted a policy of appeasement towards the Xiongnu tribes that had submitted to him.
The nomadic peoples of the grasslands have always revered martial virtue and are known for their vengeful nature.
The seeds of hatred for the Xiongnu were sown long before their feigned submission, as evidenced by the Empress's massacre of various tribes.
Moreover, to prevent the Xiongnu from becoming too powerful, the Empress would implement a population reduction policy in the Xiongnu Empire every ten years or so.
If this continues, this hatred will only be exploited and fueled by those with ulterior motives, and once an opportunity arises, a frenzied revenge will follow.
Ying Chaoyun was somewhat shocked: "You know so much about Empress Longhan?"
"Of the eight female emperors, aside from the demon queen of Qingqiu whose whereabouts are a mystery, which of the rest is anyone to be trifled with?"
Even the Jade Pool Empress, renowned for her benevolent healing abilities, could cause widespread devastation when angered.
Not to mention legendary figures like Empress Longhan, who ruled the Central Region for 2,700 years.
Such a distinguished reputation naturally makes people want to know about his life and experiences. I am but a commoner, and naturally I know a little about it as well.
He wouldn't tell Ying Chaoyun that in the original strategic plan of his previous life, the Longhan Heavenly Dynasty was the target of conquest, and Empress Song Yanran would naturally take it to heart.
He had already obtained all the information about Song Yanran's life from the very beginning of the plan.
"So what do you think of the Empress's character?"
"Decisive and ruthless, meticulous and thoughtful, she embodies all the qualities of an excellent emperor."
"Oh, it seems Fellow Daoist Chu has a very high opinion of the Empress."
"It's just a fact. But when you sit on the throne for a long time, you're bound to make some mistakes that seem outrageous to later generations. For example, this time the marriage selection incident was a huge blunder."
"You mean Di Feijing? Perhaps that's how it appears to outsiders."
But I think that no matter what, the Empress is still a woman.
Wanting to seek one's own happiness doesn't seem like such a terrible mistake.
"You're right. For emperors, regardless of gender, having a few favored concubines or male lovers isn't really a big deal."
After all, many emperors had three thousand concubines in their harems, even Wu Zetian, the first female emperor of the ancient dynasty,
They are not immune to emotions and desires, so if this matter only involves bringing a male concubine into the palace, then there is naturally no problem.
But if she loved the wrong person, then it can only be said that this empress was more naive than I thought.
"You're implying something, why don't you just say it clearly from the start?"
"This seems to have nothing to do with the original poster. I have shown enough sincerity and am just waiting for the original poster to send me the information I need."
Ying Chaoyun simply tossed a list at him: "This is the information you wanted."
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhao stood up and said, "In that case, I shall take my leave."
"Take care, and don't bother seeing me off."
After Shen Zhao left, Ying Chaoyun looked up at the magnificent landscape painting behind her and gradually fell into deep thought.
...
Only one day had passed in the Warm Fragrance Pavilion when Di Feijing, unable to bear the torment of not having wine and women, returned to the Warm Fragrance Pavilion to seek pleasure.
During the banquet, while drinking and chatting with a group of cronies, after several rounds of drinks, a young man named Karami said obsequiously, "Your Highness, in a few days it will be your wedding ceremony with Her Majesty the Empress."
The thought of you marrying the most beautiful woman in Central Continent fills us with envy. We offer our early congratulations on your marriage.
He thought these words would overjoy Di Fei, and that in his happiness he might even receive some mundane gifts as a reward.
Unexpectedly, Di Feijing snorted and said with a look of disdain, holding his wine glass, "What do you know? If you can't speak properly, then shut up."
Nakarami was rebuffed and immediately slunk back to his seat.
Long Aotian, who was closer to Di Feijing, whispered a reminder: "Your Highness, the wedding day is approaching. Aren't you afraid of displeasing His Majesty by coming to Nuanxiang Pavilion at this time?"
Di Feijing took a sip of wine and said, "Precisely because the wedding is approaching, I must indulge myself even more. Who knows if I will have such an opportunity again in the next life after the wedding?"
Long Aotian suddenly realized: "So that's what Your Highness is worried about? But even so, with such a beautiful woman like His Majesty by your side for life, how can these ordinary beauties compare?"
Di Fei exclaimed, "You don't understand. She's not an ordinary woman, but the Empress of the Dragon Han Dynasty. You know what an Empress is, right? Do you think being a royal husband is all that glamorous?"
Let me tell you, every day I spent with her was filled with anxiety, terrified that one wrong move would cost me my head and everything would be over.
Everyone fell silent, looking at Di Feijing with disbelief.
"How could that be? I've seen His Majesty grant the prince's every request, and he only has eyes for you. How could he possibly harm the prince? The prince must be overthinking things."
Long Aotian continued to persuade him.
"So you still don't understand anything, that's because... never mind, let's drink..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Di Fei realized he had misspoke and swallowed his words back.
Just then, the door to Nuanxiang Pavilion was suddenly kicked open.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
