"You, the Chu family, are of a distinguished family, blessed with virtues of the world, well-read, respectful and modest. You are virtuous and gentle, knowledgeable about the past and present, kind-hearted, virtuous, peaceful and harmonious, and have a set of rules for progress. I hereby give you this simile, and confer the title of Grand Imperial Consort on you, to assist in government and supervise the country, and to bring you eternal happiness in the future."
A solemn voice echoed under the clear sky and broad daylight. A golden phoenix crown made of real gold was placed upright on the square platform of the ancestral temple in front. Phoenix seal, red brush, jade seal and other items were placed on it one by one. That was the golden and jade authority that the world admired. As long as one took a step forward and held it in the palm of one's hand, no one in this world would be able to hurt her easily.
She stood on the high Fengyou Terrace, with thousands of kneeling figures below. In those upward gazes, there was jealousy, resentment, fear, hesitation, confusion, and a hint of earnest expectation, but there was nothing that made her feel warm.
The jade steps under my feet were so cold, and the sunlight in the sky was also icy cold.
The Minister of Rites knelt in front of her, holding a golden seal in his hand. The 70-year-old minister lowered his head, his old knees trembling slightly.
The wind whistled past and flocks of eagles flew across the sky. She raised her head and looked at the towering city gate of Tangjing, the vermilion iron walls, and the tall city towers. The ancient city that had withstood thousands of years of wind and rain seemed to be looking at her, waiting for this historic moment.
As long as she takes it, as long as she takes it, a quarter of the world will be in her hands.
At that moment, she suddenly saw those eyes again, cold yet hot. He wrote with clear and sharp strokes: Remember to wait for me!
Remember! wait for me!
The crowning trumpets suddenly sounded in unison, like thousands of rhinos roaring at the same time.
Outside the northern city of Tangjing, a war horse stood alone at the end of a bridge. The withered autumn grass swayed in the wind. The rising sun cast thousands of golden rays of light on the wasteland.
He was dressed in a purple robe, with his hair tied up in a jade-green bun. He had clear brows and a handsome face. His eyes were like a deep lake, without a trace of ripples.
A gust of wind blew by, and the fine wind slowly blew into a string of bells hanging around the neck, and with a whooshing sound, a small and melodious sound was raised.
"Remember, I'm waiting for you."
I'm waiting for you...I'm waiting for you...
The rising sun breaks through the clouds, with thousands of rays of light suddenly appearing, everything looks new and beautiful!
Boom! A loud noise suddenly came from the South City Gate, and even the Imperial Ancestral Temple was shaken for a moment.
A vast expanse of yellow dust surged in from the southern sky, almost covering the rising sun. The horn of the imperial army sounded, and the post horses rushed to the ancestral temple altar. The soldiers on horseback shouted in panic: "Prince Jing'an's troops are at the gates of the city! General Xu Su has defected to the enemy! Prince Jing'an's troops are at the gates of the city! General Xu Su has defected to the enemy!"
In an instant, the whole city was in a panic and everyone's face turned pale. Sun Di, standing in the stage, his face turned pale in an instant.
The Minister of Rites fell to the ground, and the phoenix seal in his hand fell on the white marble steps, emitting a dazzling golden light.
Chu Qiao walked down step by step and stood in front of Sun Di. Sun Di raised his head and looked at her steadily. His eyes were like a deep cold pond, filled with unspeakable coldness, yet inexplicable fear.
"Lord Sun." Chu Qiao took out a piece of letter paper, on which were densely written the names of high-ranking officials in the court.
"This is a list of the Kyoto ministers who have been secretly communicating with Prince Jing'an and other rebellious officials during this period. Please deal with them immediately."
As soon as Chu Qiao finished speaking, several ministers in the room turned pale. Sun Di took it blankly and looked at her in confusion, as if it was not until this moment that he truly saw the woman in front of him.
"I will soon lead my army out to fight against Prince Jing'an. The safety of the city and the emperor is in your hands."
"The garrison troops in the capital are only 150,000, but the enemy's number is..."
Chu Qiao interrupted him and said, "We still have General Xu."
"General Xu is not..."
"This is not the first time that General Xu has done something like this."
Sun Di was stunned for a moment. He stared blankly at Chu Qiao tearing off her magnificent auspicious attire, revealing a silver-white body armor underneath. She also took off all the pearls and jade on her head, wrapped her three thousand black hair with a green headscarf, and then got on a warhorse brought by He Xiao, and galloped away with the Xiuli Army soldiers.
The 150,000 defenders inside and outside the imperial city were already on full alert. The girl was dressed in military uniform, and her face no longer had that silent and cold look. Instead, she radiated brilliance like a phoenix reborn from the ashes. She walked with a sword in hand, stood at the foot of the city with her head held high, and shouted coldly: "Open the city gate!"
At that moment, she was like the first ray of light when the world was created, so beautiful that it made people want to cry.
Sun Di watched the towering city gate slowly open. Thousands of horse hooves raised up thousands of dim clouds of dust and thundered towards the battlefield ten miles away.
The world is a furnace, all things are firewood, troubled times create heroes, and she is the sword that everyone covets.
The cold wind kept passing by her ears, and she once again remembered what Li Ce said in her ear before he died: "After I die, there will be chaos in the court and the country. The Zhan brothers and sisters are just paper tigers, and the royal family members are the real wolves. Sun Di is a radical person. If there is any unusual movement, you will use his trick against him. Take the ring I gave you and go to Handan River. Xu Su will obey your orders after seeing it, and Tie You's wolf army will also obey your command. If you can take the opportunity to eliminate the spies of the princes in the court and the country, it will be a two-birds-with-one-stone. As for Zhuge Si, don't think he is very smart at ordinary times. Once it comes to you, he will suddenly become an idiot. You don't have to remind him at that time, just let him lead the troops to rob the bride, and I, Bian Tang, will also die fewer people, and by the way, it will be good to annoy him. Qiao Qiao, you have been bound in your life. If my death once again holds you back, I will not be able to close my eyes in peace even if I live in the underworld.
"You, please don't let me down."
…
Chu Qiao felt sore at the corners of her eyes, she pursed her lips and slapped the horse's buttocks. I saw that the two armies had already clashed in the wilderness. Xu Su led the troops, dressed in armor like a god of war in the prosperous times, holding a big sword in his hand, and a big flag behind him: Kill the rebels and punish the treacherous ministers.
"Kill--" The Wolf Army issued a deafening cry. The sky and the earth turned dark yellow. The first turmoil after Emperor Yongjun of the Tang Dynasty ascended the throne finally unfolded.
On the eighth day of the tenth month in the first year of Yongjun, the king pretended to ascend the throne and induced Jing'an, Duanqing, Grand Duke Huayang and others to rise up in arms, and sent 180,000 troops to Handan Pass. Troops gathered along the way, including Deputy General Fang Huaihai of the Shennan Jinji Camp, General Tian Rujia of the Dianxi West Army, Deputy Commander Liu Mubai of Xizhao, Lieutenant General Zhu Jiong of Huaicheng, and General Xu Su of Handanshui who successively joined their ranks. The military force expanded to more than 400,000, and they marched forward with unstoppable force all the way to the capital. Upon hearing the news, the king took off his ceremonial clothes, put on his armor, opened the Nanchang Gate, and led his troops to meet the enemy.
When Fang Huaihai, Tian Rujia, Liu Mubai, Zhu Jiong, Xu Su and others saw the king's flag, they immediately raised the banner of punishing traitors and turned against the bandits. The king controlled the bow and drew his arrows, and led his army in a fight, killing more than 30,000 enemies, and the rest all surrendered. King Jing'an Zhou Yun died at the age of fifty-seven at the sword of General Xu.
Two days later, the queen hung the phoenix seal on the palace gate, and on the pretext that she did not dare to abuse power as a woman, she knelt before the Taimiao and begged the late emperor to revoke his decision. On the second day, Emperor Yongjun arrived. Feeling grateful for the king's kindness to Li Tang, he approved her request, removed her title of Grand Imperial Noble Consort, granted her the first-class hereditary title of king of the Tang Dynasty, and gave her a jade book, a golden treasure, a first-class dragon robe, and a beautiful title.
——"Book of Tang·Biography of King Xiu Li·Volume 127"
In front of the palace gate, Chu Qiao, wearing a white cloak, stood quietly in the shadow of the palace gate. It was getting dark and birds were flying at dusk. She was shrouded in the faint red glow of the setting sun. She looked quiet and peaceful, without any of the fierceness and sharpness of a warrior on the battlefield.
As soon as Sun Di's carriage left the palace, he saw Chu Qiao and stopped immediately. He slowly got out of the car, not knowing where to start for a moment. After thinking for a long time and watching her chatting and laughing freely, he finally bowed his head and said, "Master Chu."
"The Xiuli Army has settled down in Bian Tang and has children. They are no longer my private army. I entrust them to Lord Sun. I am no longer the commander of the Xiuli Army. Do not mention the title of Lord again." Chu Qiao said lightly, her voice very gentle.
Sun Di, who had seen how powerful she was, no longer dared to look down on her. He nodded and said, "Your Excellency is right."
Chu Qiao smiled faintly and said, "The several adults who openly opposed my enthronement that day should be released. Your Majesty ascended the throne at a young age, and it is a good time to win people's hearts. I will not issue this edict on behalf of Your Majesty. After I leave, Lord Sun must not forget the loyal ministers in the Shangliyuan prison."
Sun Di replied: "I will remember your teachings."
"Sir Sun, what you just heard was spoken to you by the Tang Dynasty's Queen Xiu Li. Now, I, Chu Qiao, have a few more words to say to you."
Sun Di was stunned for a moment, then slowly raised his head. He saw the beautiful face of the woman, with a hint of indescribable brilliance on her face. He nodded involuntarily, "Please speak."
"You also know that the road to becoming an emperor will never allow for softness. So whether I am the empress of the Tang Dynasty or the prince of the Tang Dynasty, it will not have any influence on the political tendencies of Yanbei and Daxia. Once the time is ripe, a war is inevitable, and the process of unification will never be eliminated because of someone's personal relationship. Although all the resistance forces in Bian Tang have been eliminated, you still cannot be careless. The war between Daxia and Yanbei is inevitable. What the future trend of the world will be, you and I cannot speculate, we can only do our best to reverse the situation, protect Li Ce's bloodline, and the eternal foundation of the Tang Dynasty."
Sun Di looked at Chu Qiao, frowning slightly, and asked in a deep voice: "Master Chu, I have plotted against you so much, why did you still give me the important task of supervising the country?"
Chu Qiao smiled and said calmly: "There are three reasons: First, Tie You is in charge of the Wolf Army and the Capital Army, and General Xu Su is in charge of the troops outside the capital. They are all loyal subjects. You are just a civil servant. Even if you have the power to assist in the administration, you have no ability to mobilize troops, let alone the identity of a royal family member. You want to rebel, but you have no real status and no military power to support you, so you will not succeed."
The setting sun shone on Chu Qiao's face, as if she was covered with a layer of red satin and gold gauze. She continued: "Second, Tangjing has just experienced several wars, and the people need to recuperate. King Luo and King Jing'an have fallen one after another, and the royal family is prestige. You are not popular, and you cannot stir up a civil uprising. You lack the opportunity and public opinion to usurp power.
"As for the third one," Chu Qiao smiled slightly, her eyes shining brightly, as cunning as a fox, she said with a smile, "I believe you."
Sun Di's heart stopped beating suddenly. He looked at Chu Qiao, seeming to not believe his ears.
"I believe in you, and Li Ce believes in you too. Although you act eccentrically and radically, you are the most loyal minister to the Tang Dynasty and the Li family. Before he died, Li Ce said that you were the first choice for regent, and I agree with him."
She took out two letters from her bosom and handed them to Sun Di, saying, "These are handwritten letters from Zhao Che, the Seventh Prince of Daxia, and Zhuge Yue, the Prince of Qinghai, expressing their willingness to form an alliance with the Tang Dynasty. Your political status will be absolutely supported by both forces. You don't have to worry about the threats from domestic public opinion. I will also fully support you and believe that you will be able to raise the emperor well."
Sun Di's fingers trembled slightly as he slowly took the two letters, feeling that they were as heavy as mountains. He suddenly knelt in front of Chu Qiao and said in a deep voice: "Don't worry, my lord. Sun Di will swear to be loyal to Li Tang until death. If anything goes wrong in the Tang Dynasty, I am willing to die to apologize."
"Master Sun, please don't do this." Chu Qiao helped him up, looked at him sincerely, and said in a deep voice, "You are Li Ce's friend, and you are my friend. If he believes in you, I will believe in you."
The setting sun was as red as blood, the prairie was as hard as iron. Sun Di stood on the towering city wall, watching Chu Qiao leave the city under the escort of He Xiao, Ping An and others. A long shadow stretched across the golden wasteland. The beautiful girl rode her horse and whipped the horse, like an eagle flying out of its cage. Her white robe fluttered in the wind like a pair of huge wings.
That is an eagle, no one can cut her wings. No one can force her to stay except herself.
At this moment, Sun Di suddenly understood the stubbornness of his best friend over the years. The existence of such a person in this world really adds color to the world.
He raised his head and took a deep breath. He seemed to see his best friend's nonchalant smile again. He leaned close to his ear with a lewd look on his face and said with a grin, "Guess if the skin on Miss Hu's third daughter is white?"
The autumn wind is blowing and everything is withering. It is a bleak time, but also a season of harvest.