Chapter 82 Yang Guifei (XII) Becomes Queen
It was late at night, and the candlelight cast two overlapping shadows on the window paper.
Ling sat at the table, his fingertips repeatedly stroking a secret letter, his brows slightly furrowed - Zhao Heng sent a message that although Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was seriously ill, he was still secretly contacting Li Linfu's old subordinates, hoping to use the name of a "palace banquet" to put him under house arrest and regain power.
"Jiaojiao," Ling looked up at Lin Jiaojiao, who was sitting beside the zither, his voice carrying a barely perceptible solemnity, "something will happen in the next few days. I need to stay in the East Palace to stabilize the situation. I can't let you stay in the villa any longer."
Lin Jiaojiao's fingertips paused on the strings, and the melody of "Ode to a Prosperous Era" came to an abrupt halt. She stood up, walked over to Ling, and shook his hand. "Is there a problem with His Majesty?"
"Yes," Ling nodded, a cold look flashing in his eyes. "He's still trying to make a final stand. While you're safe in the other courtyard, I'm afraid his people might use you as leverage to blackmail me. I think I'll send you back to Taizhen Temple tomorrow to stay for a few days. That's where His Majesty personally arranged for you to go. He won't expect you to go back there, so it's actually safer there."
Lin Jiaojiao's heart tightened, but she also understood that this was the safest solution at the moment. She looked at Ling and asked softly, "What about you? Are you in danger?"
"Don't worry," Ling stretched out his hands and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. "The Yulin Army and the Qianniu Guard are under my command, and most of the court officials support me. He can't cause any trouble. After I finish dealing with this matter, I will personally go to the temple to pick you up and take you back to the palace with the etiquette of an emperor."
He took out a red gold and green jade hairpin from his bosom and gently inserted it into Lin Jiaojiao's hair: "Take this with you as my wish. The Taoist nun in charge of the temple is trustworthy. If you need anything, you can ask her for help."
Lin Jiaojiao touched the hairpin in her hair, the pearls hanging on her cheeks, bringing a slight chill. She looked up at Ling, her eyes slightly red: "I'll wait for you, you must be safe."
"I will." Ling lowered his head and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "Tomorrow morning, Zhao Heng will personally take you to the temple. He won't alert anyone. Remember, stay calm in the temple and don't let anyone notice anything unusual. Wait for my news."
Before dawn the next day, Lin Jiaojiao changed into a plain skirt, boarded the carriage arranged by Zhao Heng, and quietly headed to Taizhen Temple.
As the carriage drove away from the courtyard, she lifted a corner of the curtain and saw Ling standing at the door. His figure was blurred in the morning mist, but he kept looking in the direction she left until he could no longer see him.
The nun in charge was a little surprised to see her return so suddenly, but she didn't ask any questions. She just quietly arranged for her to return to the original East Courtyard and said, "Madam, don't worry. I know what to do and won't let outsiders disturb you."
Lin Jiaojiao nodded and kept Ling's instructions in mind. In addition to copying scriptures and practicing the piano every day, she waited for news in the yard. The red gold hairpin in her hair became her only comfort.
Three days later, late at night, the sound of horse hooves suddenly rang out from the temple. Lin Jiaojiao was sitting by the window, lost in thought, when she saw the nun in charge approaching quickly, her face filled with excitement. "Madam, someone's coming from the palace! They say...the new emperor has ascended the throne, and they're coming to personally take you back to the palace!"
The bamboo shadows in Taizhen's view were still swaying, but there was an unusual solemnity in the morning mist.
Outside the palace gate, two rows of Yulin soldiers stood holding spears, and the bright yellow dragon flag spread out in the wind, with the embroidered five-clawed golden dragon shining brightly.
Lin Jiaojiao stood in front of the window in the east courtyard, her fingertips gently stroking the bronze mirror. The woman in the mirror was wearing a plain skirt, and her long hair was only tied up with a wooden hairpin, but it could not hide the brightness between her eyebrows: her eyebrows were like distant mountains with dark black, her eyes were like autumn water with ripples, her lips were red without any makeup, her skin was as clear as jade in the morning light, and even the loose hair hanging down from her temples added a bit of tenderness.
"Madam, someone from the palace said His Majesty has arrived outside the temple!" The little nun who brought the food ran in breathlessly, her voice filled with excitement, "It's His Majesty the new emperor! He's here to pick you up personally!"
Lin Jiaojiao's heart skipped a beat. She turned around and picked up the apricot-colored cloak that had been prepared long ago. It was sent by Ling a few days ago. It was embroidered with intricate lotus patterns, which made her skin look even whiter.
As she walked out of the courtyard gate, she saw the nun in charge approaching quickly, holding a brocade box in her hand, her eyes reddened. "Madam, this is the jewelry you changed out of when you first entered the temple. I have been keeping it for you. Now that His Majesty has come to pick you up personally, you have finally made it through."
In the brocade box, a red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin lay quietly, with pearls hanging down, still shining brightly.
Lin Jiaojiao took the hairpin and thanked him softly. Just as she inserted her fingertips into her hair, she heard the sound of horse hooves outside the temple, accompanied by the eunuch's clear singing: "Your Majesty has arrived——"
She looked up and saw Ling wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, a jade belt around his waist, and a Tongtian crown on his head, walking towards her step by step from the palace road.
The golden threads on the dragon robe flowed in the sunlight, making his posture more upright. The forbearance of the past faded from his brows, and was replaced by the majesty of an emperor. However, when he looked at her, his eyes instantly became as soft as water.
"Jiaojiao." Ling walked in front of her, his voice trembling slightly. He reached out and held her hand. His palm was warm, with the temperature of an emperor, but it was still the familiar touch in his memory.
Lin Jiaojiao looked at him, her eyes slightly warm. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Ling raise his hand and signal the eunuch behind him to present something - it was a bright red court dress for the queen, embroidered with a pattern of a flying phoenix, the wings outlined with gold thread were lifelike, and the lapels were decorated with pearls and gems, shining softly in the morning light.
"Put it on first." Ling's thumb gently stroked the back of her hand. "I will personally take you back to the palace and announce it to the world with the ceremony of a queen."
The Taoist nuns in the temple had already gathered in the corridor, watching this scene with amazement in their eyes. Lin Jiaojiao, wearing a red robe, looked even more stunning.
The red robe made her skin look whiter than snow, and the phoenix pattern spread around her body, as if a phoenix was really perched on her shoulder. The red gold hairpin in her hair swayed slightly with her movements, and the pearls hanging on her cheeks added a bit of agility.
When she lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings. The moment she raised her eyes to look at Ling, the affection in her eyes seemed to overflow, and even the wind seemed to stop for this picture.
"Your Majesty, seeing the queen like this, even the peonies in Chang'an would feel ashamed!" Gao Lishi at the side sighed with a smile, his tone full of respect. Emperor Xuanzong of Tang had "died of illness" in Xingqing Palace three days ago. Although he did not say it explicitly before his death, he tacitly acknowledged Ling's throne. Now, the court and the people have already wholeheartedly supported the new emperor.
Hearing this, Ling's lips curled up into a smile. He reached out and tightened Lin Jiaojiao's cloak, his tone doting, "My queen is naturally the best in the world." He turned to the commander of the Yulin Army and ordered, "Prepare the carriage and return to the palace."
The imperial carriage had already been waiting outside the temple. The bright yellow carriage was spacious and magnificent, with thick fox fur covering the interior and a heater in the corner.
Ling took Lin Jiaojiao's hand and walked into the carriage. As soon as he sat down, he took her in his arms and said, "I'm sorry for letting you stay in this temple for so long."
Lin Jiaojiao leaned in his arms, the scent of his ambergris lingering on her nose, her heart filled with peace. "I'm not wronged. As long as I can wait for you, no matter how long it takes, it's worth it." She looked up at Ling, her fingertips gently stroking his jaw, "His Majesty..."
"Your Majesty passed away of old age," Ling said calmly. "The imperial physician said he had no regrets before his death. I will bury him with imperial rites, which will be considered my filial piety."
He knew that Emperor Xuanzong's "death from illness" was the tacitly accepted outcome by the court and the people - the extravagant, suspicious and bloodthirsty emperor was no longer suitable to rule the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and the current stability was what the people really needed.
The carriage started slowly. Lin Jiaojiao lifted a corner of the curtain and watched the bamboo shadows of Taizhen Temple gradually disappear into the distance. She suddenly felt a little emotional.
She remembered the panic when she first entered the temple, the concentration when she improved the rice paper, and the connection between her consciousness and Zero in the middle of the night... Those difficult days became worthwhile the moment Zero reached out his hand.
When the imperial carriage entered Chang'an City, the streets were already crowded with people.
People stood on tiptoe to look, and when they saw Lin Jiaojiao in a red robe in the carriage, they exclaimed, "Is this the empress that the new emperor is going to enthrone? She's so beautiful!"
"I heard that this queen practiced Taoism in the temple before and even helped improve rice paper. She's a kind-hearted beauty!"
"Your Majesty and the Queen are truly a match made in heaven!"
Cheers rose one after another, and Lin Jiaojiao's cheeks flushed slightly. Ling held her hand and said softly: "Don't be afraid, I will let everyone know that you are my only queen."
After returning to the palace, Ling did not hold the enthronement ceremony immediately, but first took Lin Jiaojiao to the East Palace, which has now been renamed the "Central Palace".
The palace had already been decorated, and everywhere was filled with festive atmosphere: red silk was wrapped around the pillars, the word "囍" (囍) was pasted on the palace lanterns, and even the teacups on the table were paired in red gold.
"The coronation ceremony will be held in three days." Ling picked up a phoenix hairpin and gently inserted it into Lin Jiaojiao's hair. "I have asked someone to prepare it. When the time comes, I want the whole world to witness that you are my queen."
Lin Jiaojiao looked at herself in the mirror. The phoenix hairpin and step-shaking ornaments complemented each other beautifully. The red robe she wore made her look gorgeous yet elegant. She turned around and hugged Ling, her voice choking with sobs: "Ling, thank you."
"Silly girl," Ling Hui hugged her, "We should have shared this prosperity together."
Three days later, the enthronement ceremony was held as scheduled.
Inside the Taiji Hall, civil and military officials stood on both sides. Lin Jiaojiao, dressed in the queen's court dress, walked up the steps step by step under the guidance of Ling.
The eunuch master of ceremonies read the imperial edict aloud: "By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: The former Princess Lin of Shou was gentle and virtuous, possessing both virtue and beauty. When I was Prince Shou, we knew each other and shared a long and close relationship. Now that I have inherited the throne, I hereby confer the title of Empress upon you. I decree—"
Lin Jiaojiao knelt in gratitude, her voice clear and clear: "I receive your order and thank you for your grace." She looked up at Ling, only to see a smile in his eyes. He reached out and helped her up, then announced to all the officials with the airs of an emperor: "From now on, Empress Lin and I will rule the world together and share in peace."
All the officials knelt and bowed: "Long live the emperor! Long live the empress!"
After the ceremony, Ling held Lin Jiaojiao's hand and stood on the terrace of the Taiji Hall, overlooking the city of Chang'an.
As the sun sets, golden light shines on the glazed tiles of the palace and on them.
Lin Jiaojiao leaned against Ling, thinking about the days at Taizhen Temple and the difficulties they had gone through along the way. Suddenly, she felt that all her waiting had finally come to an end.
"Zero," she whispered, "We will never be separated again, right?"
Ling held her hand tightly, his eyes firm: "Never again, I will make this prosperous Tang Dynasty more and more prosperous, and I will also make you safe and happy forever."
The evening breeze blew by, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus, and the laughter of people came from afar.
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