Chapter 130: Finale
In the winter of the fifth year of Yuanqi in Daye, an imperial edict shocked the court and the country.
Emperor Xiao Jin announced to the world that he had made Yun Zhao, daughter of the Yun clan, his empress. Every word in the imperial edict was earnest, praising her as "gentle and kind, well-behaved, respectful and prudent, deeply comforting to my heart." Anyone with a discerning eye could see that behind these few words lay the emperor's unwavering love for the past decade, a long wait that spanned palace walls and the flames of war.
The ceremony of enthroning the empress was extremely grand. That day, the streets of Chang'an were deserted, and the people poured into the streets, eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary empress.
Yun Zhao was wearing a dark blue phoenix robe embroidered with golden phoenix patterns and a nine-dragon and four-phoenix crown on her head. She walked up the white marble steps step by step, towards the emperor who had shared life and death with her.
Xiao Jin stood at the highest point, stretched out his hand towards her, his eyes burning, as if she was the only one he could see in the world.
When the ceremony was over, he held her hand and whispered in her ear, "A Zhao, this time, I can finally stand shoulder to shoulder with you openly."
Yun Zhao looked up and saw all the civil and military officials in the court kneeling on the ground, bells and drums ringing, but there was only her reflection in his eyes.
In the early spring of the following year, victory arrived from the border. Yun Chong'an led his troops in pursuit, finally driving the Oirat tribe out 200 miles from Xuanhua before the Spring Festival, thus recovering the territory lost for many years. By the time the news reached the capital, the palace was celebrating the Lantern Festival.
Xiao Jin took Yun Zhao's hand in public and said loudly: "The country has a good general, and I have a virtuous queen. This is the blessing of Daye."
He immediately issued an edict, promoting Yun Chong'an to the title of Duke of Zhenguo, a title he would inherit for generations. Yun Zhao smiled silently at the banquet, but tears glistened in her eyes. She recalled the worries and struggles she had experienced in the Xuanhua courtyard many years ago. Now, it seemed, she had embarked on a completely different fate.
However, Zhao Ze quietly left the capital before the imperial decree of reward was issued. He left only a letter for Yun Zhao, which contained only a few words: "The peach blossoms in Jinzhou are in bloom. When you have time, please come back and see them. Take care."
Yun Zhao tucked the letter away at the bottom of her dressing box, a mixture of emotions welling up in her heart. Later, she heard he had married the daughter of a teacher in Jinzhou and was living a peaceful and comfortable life. She sent him a generous gift, and the longing she had felt since her youth finally gave way to a blessing.
The deep love between the emperor and the empress became a legend in Daye.
Xiao Jin ignored the opposition and resolutely dismissed the harem. From then on, the six palaces were empty, with only the Empress Dowager.
In the sixth year of the Yuanqi reign, two years after the Emperor and Empress' wedding, Yun Zhao gave birth to the Emperor's eldest son. Xiao Jin wept with joy and named him Zichen, meaning "Purple air comes from the east, and the palace is forever peaceful."
In the delivery room that day, Xiao Jin, despite the ceremonial officer's dissuasion, insisted on staying by Yun Zhao's side. He held her hand, saying "thank you for your hard work" over and over again, his eyes full of tenderness.
Three years later, Yun Zhao gave birth to her eldest daughter, who was named Princess Chang'an, which means "long-term peace and stability." Three years later, her second son was born and named Ziyang.
With children around him and the government in good order, Daye ushered in an unprecedented period of prosperity.
Every spring, the emperor and empress would often bring their children to the Chang'an city wall to watch the lights of thousands of homes and the bustling world.
Xiao Jin once pointed at the prosperous capital and said to Yun Zhao, "This vast land is nothing compared to your alluring smile."
Yun Zhao laughed at him: "Your Majesty can now say these sweet words."
He said seriously: "It's not sweet talk, it's sincere."
Time flies, and twenty years have passed in a flash.
In the 25th year of Yuanqi, the 43-year-old Xiao Jin made a decision that shocked the court and the public - to abdicate the throne to the eldest son of the emperor, Xiao Zichen.
Zi Chen was nineteen years old at the time, and under the careful guidance of the Emperor and Empress, he had already shown the bearing of a wise ruler. At the abdication ceremony, Xiao Jin personally placed the crown on his son's head and whispered, "Father will leave this kingdom to you."
Zi Chen kowtowed solemnly: "I will definitely live up to the trust of my father, the emperor, and my mother, the empress."
After abdicating, Xiao Jin left the capital with Yun Zhao to travel the world, fulfilling his promise to "travel hand in hand across the world." On the day of his departure, the people of Chang'an lined the streets to see him off, many of them in tears.
Yun Zhao looked back and saw the new emperor and his brother and sister-in-law standing side by side on the city wall, waving goodbye to them.
She suddenly remembered the uneasiness she felt when she left Beijing many years ago, which was a world of difference from her current mood.
"Can't bear to leave?" Xiao Jin held her hand tightly.
Yun Zhao smiled and shook his head: "Wherever you are, it's home."
They journeyed south, witnessing the misty rain of Jiangnan; westward to Sichuan, experiencing the beauty of the Land of Abundance; and finally, a boat trip, spending six months by the shores of West Lake. Over these years, they traveled the landscape like an ordinary couple, free from the constraints of court etiquette and accompanied only by each other.
During this period, letters arrived from the capital. The new emperor was diligent and caring, and the government was in good order. Princess Chang'an married the top scholar, and the couple loved each other very much. Ziyang was named Prince Jing and assisted his brother in governing the country.
The only thing Xiao Jin was worried about was the Eighth Princess, Xiao Yao, who had married far away in southern Yunnan. She had been frail since childhood, but she had married the Prince of Zhennan to maintain peace on the border.
When Yun Zhao heard the news of her death in childbirth, he was silent for a long time and sat alone by the lake for the whole day.
When Xiao Jin found her, she whispered, "If we were in the capital, we might be able to save her."
Xiao Jin hugged her from behind: "Life and death are determined by fate, and it is not something you and I can control. Yao'er married far away for the country, it is for the greater good, and history books will remember her."
During the Mid-Autumn Festival that year, they stopped in southern Yunnan to pay their respects to the deceased princess. Amidst the misty mountains, the tombstone lay neatly adorned, surrounded by the camellias she had loved so much.
Duke Yun died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 85. Yun Zhao was enjoying freshly picked lychees in Lingnan when the news arrived.
She was stunned for a long moment, tears streaming down her face. Xiao Jin silently wiped her tears and arranged for the emperor to return to the capital immediately.
The funeral was held with great honor, and the new emperor personally carried the coffin to the burial.
Yun Zhao stood in front of his father's spirit, thinking of his youth and his father's teachings, and was overwhelmed with sadness.
Xiao Jin stayed by her side the entire time, whispering, "The Duke passed away peacefully. Before he died, he said you were the one he was most worried about. I told him I would spend the rest of my life protecting you."
Yun Zhao leaned on his shoulder, her tears soaking the dragon robe - even after abdicating, Xiao Jin was still used to wearing the casual clothes embroidered by her.
Prince Xiao Heng of Jin had a very close relationship with his princess. Although he had no children, he adopted several war orphans and taught them carefully.
When Xiao Jin was traveling to his fiefdom, he went to visit. Seeing the children in the palace laughing and running around, so happy, he couldn't help but sigh: "Brother Heng really understands life."
Xiao Heng smiled and said, "My royal brother and his wife are traveling freely around the world. They are the real wise men."
The two brothers drank together until late at night, and talked about their past experiences in the palace when they were young, both of them sighing.
Time flies, and it is the New Year again.
The white-haired Xiao Jin and Yun Zhao returned to the capital and temporarily lived in the palace at the repeated request of the new emperor.
On the night of the Lantern Festival, they climbed the city wall hand in hand, watching the lights of thousands of houses still on. Fireworks bloomed in the night sky, illuminating each other's no longer young faces.
"Do you remember that year when Xuanhua was in danger?" Xiao Jin suddenly asked, "You said at the time that I had implicated you."
Yun Zhao chuckled, "Why don't you remember? Your Majesty even blocked an arrow for me." She reached out and gently stroked the old wound on his shoulder. "It still hurts here when it rains, right?"
Xiao Jin held her hand: "But I have never regretted it."
The sound of New Year's bells echoed in the distance, echoing over Chang'an City. Xiao Jin turned his head and gazed at Yun Zhao, saying softly, "In this vast land, my greatest joy is that I have always been with you."
Yun Zhao smiled without saying anything, just holding his hand tighter.
The fireworks were still brilliant, just like the night forty years ago that changed their destiny. But this time, they no longer had suspicion and alienation, only the tacit understanding and peace of a lifetime together.
Historical records show that Emperor Yuan Xiao Jin and Empress Zhao Yun remained together for forty-two years, their love unwavering. After the emperor abdicated, the two traveled extensively, returning to Chang'an in their twilight years.
The new emperor was filial and respectful, serving her until her death. When Empress Zhao died at the age of seventy, the emperor was deeply grieved and died the following year, both buried together in Zhaoling Mausoleum. Their love story has been passed down through the ages, becoming a legend.
However, what history books have not recorded is that on every ordinary morning, the white-haired emperor would always draw eyebrows and put on makeup for the queen, just like when he was young; and the queen would also cook soup for him with her own hands, as if she was still the female official who guarded him in the deep palace.
The most touching legend in the world is nothing more than a pair of people who live their whole lives together, witnessing the prosperity of the country hand in hand, and finally growing old gently in the depths of time.
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