The earth is moist and hot, cicadas are chirping, and on both sides of the long street of Vermilion Bird, locust trees and elm trees cast thick shade on the ground.
A new sun rises in the east, with brilliant rays of light. The morning light shines down. The rumbling sound of street drums echoes from the Tianjie gatehouse, echoing far away. The bells and drums from gatehouses in all directions follow suit, forming a majestic wave that shakes the heavens and the earth.
However, today, what is louder than the sound of drums is the noisy voices of people.
Zhuque Street was crowded with people.
The news of Princess Wen Zhao's return to the capital set the whole Chang'an in an uproar.
The common people poured out of their homes and ran madly to the square: the sons and ladies of the wealthy families, the officials and clerks, the young men from Wuling who once admired the princess's beauty, the common people who had received the princess's favor, men, women, old and young, no one was willing to lag behind, so they changed into their brightest clothes and crowded the long street.
"Is Princess Wen Zhao riding a horse or a carriage? Can she see us?"
"I heard that the prince consort is the monarch of a country outside the territory called Wangting. Did the prince consort come back with the princess?"
"I heard that the prince consort was a monk before! He was a Buddhist!"
"The prince consort has a handsome face and looks like a fallen immortal. He and the princess are made for each other!"
Amid the noisy discussions, the sound of hunting wind came from the end of the long street.
Everyone was extremely excited. They clung to the shoulders of the people in front of them and stood on tiptoe to look around.
The morning light was hazy and a gray shadow emerged from the mist.
The first thing that caught their eyes was the flags fluttering in the wind, murderous black, chilling white, with densely written words on them. The soldiers carrying the flags were wearing light armor and white robes, with solemn faces.
Everyone was stunned.
This is not the flag of the royal court, nor is it the flag of the Western Army.
They were soul-guiding banners with the names of the deceased written on them. The banners had long ribbons attached to them, which were also filled with words.
The teams were lined up one after another, one after another, and the sound of their flags and banners echoed throughout the heavens and earth.
What followed was the sound of horses and carriages, and large carriages followed the flag team into the gatehouse.
When everyone saw clearly what the wooden signs on the cart said, the chatter in the crowd suddenly stopped.
A solemn atmosphere hung over the square.
Yang Qian and Yang Nianxiang were dressed in armor, holding talismans and imperial documents in their hands, walking beside the carriage with heavy steps, their handsome eyebrows and eyes looking cold and solemn.
Beside and behind them, large carts carrying ashes and tablets were slowly moving along the long street.
Some of these tablets were written by Yang Qian himself. They have different identities and experiences. Some are his clansmen, some are ordinary people who once knelt at his feet and asked him whether his ten thousand word letter had been delivered to Chang'an, some are comrades and friends who fought side by side with him, and more are strangers who have never met him before.
They have a common wish, to recover lost territory and return to their homeland.
For this reason, some of them had been waiting anxiously for decades, some tried every means to support the Western Army, and some took up arms, fought desperately, and died under the enemy's long sword.
Princess Wen Zhao erected a plaque to record their names. Today, the princess brought them back. They will be sent to their ancestral hometown for burial and their souls will return to their hometown.
There was silence on both sides of the avenue.
No one dared to make a sound to disturb the deceased. With tears in their eyes, they stared quietly at the tablets on the carriage.
At this moment, what was walking before their eyes were not carriages carrying spirit tablets and ashes, but tens of thousands of common people who had been captured and driven away from their homes in the war, who had suffered untold hardships and were longing to return to their roots after death. They were tens of millions of heroic souls who had risked their lives and shed their blood for the return of their people.
Among them were old people, children, men, women, poor farmers and young and energetic sons of noble families. They were no different from the common people in Chang'an. They were forced to cut off ties with their homeland and wandered around. They made countless pilgrimages to the east, begging the king to recover their lost territories and allow them to return home.
Soul, come back.
Come back, wandering souls.
Come back, young men who sacrificed their lives to resist oppression and lead their people back to the east.
You are back home.
Look, the Western Regions have been pacified, the Helang River is open, and you have finally returned to your hometown, where your souls have been haunting and dreaming, and your dead souls have finally been comforted.
From now on, from the vast and prosperous Central Plains to the bitter and cold snowy plateau, there will be no more wars and killings. Farmers will carry hoes to plow the fields, merchants will travel east and west in carts loaded with silk and jewelry, and herdsmen will drive herds of cattle and sheep to graze leisurely on the vast grasslands. Han people, Hu people, northerners, southerners, Buddhists, Taoists, Zoroastrians, and Manicheans will all live in harmony and create a prosperous era together.
Your children and grandchildren can live a stable life. They will no longer be like you, living in fear of their own death, separated from their wives and children, and wandering throughout their lives.
A long wind blew, and the flags flew high, and the ribbons fluttered in the wind.
The ghosts seemed to appear vividly before the eyes of the people. They walked arm in arm on the crowded Suzaku Street, laughing, sighing, and sighing.
People stared at them in silence.
I would rather be a dog in a peaceful time than a person who causes trouble in the world!
On the top of the city wall, Li De, wearing a Tongtian crown and a formal dress, stood under the flag and looked at the convoy with flags flying in the distance.
The people were in tears. The square, which had been noisy just now, was now as quiet as still water. The only sounds were the wheels of horse-drawn carriages passing through the long street and the sound of flags being fluttered in the spring breeze.
Li De's face was solemn.
The attendants behind him looked at each other in bewilderment: they all thought that the Western Army commanders would definitely escort Princess Wen Zhao into the city, so that they could show off the strength of the Western Army in front of Li De and take the opportunity to make things difficult for him. They did not expect that the first people to enter the city would be the landless people and the sacrificed soldiers. There was no trace of Princess Wen Zhao.
In this situation, nothing else matters. Who would dare to risk arousing public anger by testing whether the Western Army is solid?
Beside the stage under the city wall, civil and military officials looked at the approaching carriages with shocked expressions and remained silent for a long time.
The young officials couldn't help but feel their noses sore and their blood boiling in their chests, and they were full of passion.
The elderly officials exchanged glances quietly and sighed silently.
They still remembered the day when the princess was married, she was dressed in gorgeous clothes, left Chang'an in a carriage, and the people lined the streets to weep and see her off.
At that time, they all thought that the princess would never come back and would soon die in the war-torn tribes.
After a few years, the princess returned to Chang'an with maps of dozens of states and her followers.
Kaige sang Qingpingqu on horseback, but it was not the time when Zhaojun went to the frontier.
Li De glanced at the officials below the stage and took in everyone's expressions.
The attendant wiped his sweat and whispered, "Your Majesty, the princess is very popular..."
Li De looked calm.
Because of this, he has to be more wary of Li Yaoying. She has popular support, soldiers and horses, a rebellious brother, and will marry King Tanmo. Moreover, she is Li Xuanzhen's weakness.
The officials of the Ministry of Rites responded quickly and immediately sent out the newly-appointed Jinshi with outstanding literary talent to write several impassioned eulogies on the spot to pay tribute to the deceased.
Li De instructed his attendants to issue an imperial edict to comfort the various states in the Western Regions.
Yang Qian and the generals of Hexi thanked the emperor for his grace on behalf of the people who had lost their land.
The people in the square all burst into tears.
…
Yao Ying rode at the end of the procession. The officials from the Ministry of Rites came out to greet her and repeatedly asked her to ride in a beautifully decorated carriage into the city. She shook her head and said, "I am here to escort the deceased back to his hometown. There is no need to show up in person."
The officials were a little surprised. It was good to sing and drink in the daytime, and it was good to return home with youth as a companion. The ceremony of returning to the city was so grand. The princess had to appear in front of everyone to win people's hearts. She had suffered so much in the Western Regions. Was she willing to miss this opportunity to be in the limelight?
Yao Ying turned her horse and passed right among them.
She promised the old men and the dead soldiers that she would send them back home, and she kept her promise.
Today’s protagonist is the deceased.
At the gatehouse, after the ceremonial officer announced Yao Ying's title, all the young officials in the court raised their heads with nervous anticipation. A few anxious ones even ignored etiquette and stretched their necks to look.
Countless eyes turned to look at Yao Ying.
In the crowd, Zheng Jing looked at the long street, recalled the scene when they first met, and smiled slightly.
Hunting with flags and accompanied by his personal guards and followers, Yao Ying rode a horse, with a silk sash tied around his head and wearing a brocade gown with narrow sleeves and a lapel. He looked heroic and dashing. He galloped to the steps, dismounted neatly, and walked up the steps in the face of the gazes of the civil and military officials. He first took the incense handed over by Yang Qian, and then bowed from afar towards the altar, with a spirited look and a dignified demeanor.
Frightened by her presence, everyone stood still and no one dared to approach her to greet her.
The officials in the court looked at her in a daze, and when they met the cold gaze of the guards beside her, they suddenly remembered that the current Princess Wen Zhao was no longer the Seventh Princess who was at the mercy of others. She was in charge of the Western Army and managed the Western Regions. Even the emperor could not interfere with her decisions.
Everyone exchanged glances. It was rumored that Li Zhongqian had secretly returned to the capital with the intention of assassinating Princess Wen Zhao, but was captured on the spot. He was Princess Wen Zhao's biological brother, and they had a deep brotherly love. No wonder Li De did not issue an edict to kill him without mercy. Only by keeping Li Zhongqian would Princess Wen Zhao behave herself.
After the ceremony, a banquet was held in the palace to welcome the Western Army generals.
Yang Qian looked around and couldn't help asking, "Why don't you see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"
The official replied, "The Crown Prince is leading troops outside and has not yet returned to the capital."
Yao Ying sat on Li De's left. She did not watch the singing and dancing. She picked up her wine cup, took a few steps forward, and said directly: "Your Majesty, where is my brother? Is he alive or dead?"
Li De smiled. After several years, she was still straightforward and never played coy with him. She was still loyal and willing to take risks for Li Zhongqian.
He did not disclose the identity of the assassin and could execute him secretly at any time. She could not find a way to force him to release the assassin. She knew that Chang'an was a trap and had no choice but to fall into it.
"You have been away from the Central Plains for a long time. If you stay a few more days, you will naturally be able to see your brother."
Yao Ying said calmly: "As long as Li Zhongqian is okay, I can stay. You have to let me see him first."
Li De gestured to the eunuch beside him.
The eunuch retreated and came back a moment later holding a sword. He waved the engraved part of the hilt towards Yao Ying.
"Li Zhongqian is still alive."
Just now.
Yao Ying recognized Li Zhongqian's sword, lowered her eyes, drank the remaining wine in the cup, and returned to her seat. Young officials kept coming and lingering around her seat, wanting to talk to her, but seeing that she looked worried, they did not dare to be rude and retreated.
Only a few officials with accents that were obviously different from everyone else came up to Yao Ying, toasted her, and introduced themselves in a very respectful manner: "Princess, we are from Southern Chu."
They reported their respective official positions, all of which were ministers of Southern Chu. After Southern Chu surrendered, they were sent to Chang'an.
Yao Ying became alert and glanced at Li De, thinking that he was going to reveal her background on the spot.
Li De seemed not to notice those surrendered officials from Southern Chu. He stood up and spoke to Yang Qian and others in a stern yet friendly manner. Several young generals blushed, unable to hide their excitement.
Yao Ying didn't say much to those Nan Chu officials. She said she was drunk and left early.
Li De did not stop her, but sent someone to give her Li Zhongqian's sword, saying: "The princess is now of noble status, and Duke Wei is the princess's brother. The emperor will not do anything to Duke Wei, but the princess must be careful in what she says and does, so as not to cause trouble and harm Duke Wei."
Yaoying understood Li De's hint, and she closed the door and refused visitors. She rejected all invitations sent to her for conversations, tea, incense burning, and flower viewing. She stayed in the inn every day, never leaving the front door or going through the back door.
Li De sent people to monitor Yao Ying. After several days of observation, he confirmed that Tanmarajiva was not with her. There was no royal guard by her side, and there was no trace of royal people near Chang'an. He continued to send people to investigate and report back immediately if they found any movements of royal people.
Only after he confirmed that Yao Ying had not arranged any contact in private did he send her a letter: If you want to see Li Zhongqian, go to Ci'en Temple first. Attached to the letter was a dew bag that Li Zhongqian often wore, and the beasts on it were embroidered by Yao Ying herself.
Yao Ying took Xie Qing to Ci'en Temple. After burning incense and worshipping Buddha, she had a few words with the abbot and received the second instruction. Then they left the temple and headed straight for the palace outside the city.
Li De actually imprisoned Li Zhongqian in the imperial palace.
She followed the eunuch through the winding corridors and into the narrow secret passage. She pushed open the door, and the man in the corner raised his head and brushed his messy hair away from his face.
"Brother!"
Yao Ying was extremely anxious, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, ran over quickly, raised her hand to hit him, "You..."
She looked at the man for a moment, her expression froze and cold sweat broke out on her back.
The man's features resembled Li Zhongqian somewhat.
But he is not Li Zhongqian.
Xie Qing frowned and immediately drew his sword. Yao Ying stood up, quickly left the secret passage, raised her head and looked around.
All exits were guarded by the Jinwu Guards, and there were shadows of people on the walls, and some were lying in ambush.
Yao Ying held Xie Qing's hand and asked calmly, "Where is the emperor?"
The eunuch smiled and led her to the Buddhist temple. The Jinwu Guards followed her closely, holding long swords.
The cold light of the knife reflected on her face, but she remained calm and signaled Xie Qing to put down the knife with her eyes.
There was a Buddha statue in the temple, with the fragrance of sandalwood and the incense candles burning. Li De was sitting cross-legged in front of the Buddha statue, leaning against a hidden bag, with a scarf wrapped around his head. His face was pale and he looked old.
Yao Ying walked into the Buddhist temple. "Your Majesty, are you going to all this trouble just to trap me? If something happens to me in Chang'an, the pacified Western Regions will be in turmoil again. Your Majesty can't kill me, so what's the point of trapping me?"
Li De's eyes fell on her face. "If I don't trap you, how can I lure out Li Zhongqian?"
Yao Ying smiled sarcastically.
The assassination of Qu Jiangchi was arranged by Li De. He knew her weakness and made people think that Li Zhongqian was the assassin in public, luring her to the capital, and then using her as bait to lure out Li Zhongqian and use Li Zhongqian to threaten her.
"How can Your Majesty be sure that I will fall into your trap?"
Li De looked at the half-rolled Xiang bamboo curtain and said, "Since I angered Li Zhongqian and returned to Beijing, every step of your reaction was within my expectations. I cut off your contact with Li Zhongqian and deliberately spread the news. You couldn't find him, but you were eager to save him. You came anyway even though you knew it was a trap."
"Where is my brother?" Yaoying walked to the Buddha statue and threw a piece of incense cake into the beast-head copper incense burner. "How did you get his sword?"
"When Li Zhongqian returned to Gaochang, my people followed him. He was very cautious this time. My people followed him all the way to Jingzhao Prefecture. When we were about to close in on him, he escaped. However, we got his sword and personal belongings and trapped him in the town. He had been hiding for many days, so it was time for him to show up."
Although the Jinwu Guards could not catch Li Zhongqian, they blocked him in the city, so he could neither send nor receive any messages. After Yaoying entered the city, Li De ordered people to take away and interrogate all those who approached her residence, citing her noble status, but still could not find any news about Li Zhongqian. Li De was surprised that Li Zhongqian could remain so patient.
Now that he has lured Yao Ying into the Li Palace and released the news, no matter where Li Zhongqian is hiding, he will show up sooner or later.
From the moment Li Zhongqian decided to return to the Central Plains, the brother and sister would fall into his trap - Li Zhongqian must return to Chang'an, he could not tolerate them continuing to grow stronger, and he would not let them live in peace as long as he was in power.
Between father and son, ruler and subject, it's a life or death situation. There is no other way.
Yao Ying sat cross-legged opposite Li De.
Li De looked at her and said, "Aren't you afraid that I will kill you?"
"Everyone in the entire Chang'an city knows that I have come to the Li Palace. If the emperor kills me like this, how can I explain to the Western Army? The emperor can put me under house arrest, but he dare not kill me." Yao Ying said, looking at the lush banana bushes in the courtyard.
Li De raised the corner of his lips and signaled his servant to serve tea.
In fact, he admired Yaoying very much. She was very aware of the current affairs, knew what she relied on, and was flexible. Unfortunately, she was the same as Xie Wuliang at heart. People like her had too many ties.
Unlike him, who is heartless and has no scruples.
Yao Ying hadn't tasted Chang'an tea for a long time. Smelling the familiar tea fragrance, she said, "Your Majesty, if I take my brother back to Gaochang and never set foot in Chang'an again in this life, will Your Majesty let us go?"
Li De said: "Letting the tiger go back to the mountains will bring endless troubles."
Yaoying raised her eyes.
The Jinwu Guards knelt outside the corridor and said, "Your Majesty, the news has been released. The inner city is under strict security. The Western Army is under our strict surveillance. All palace gates are guarded by the Imperial Guards. Within five days, no one except the Imperial Guards can leave the palace without permission."
"Five days is enough." Li De nodded and glanced at Yao Ying. "Chang'an has become a dead city. No one can get close to the palace, except for a crazy person like Li Zhongqian who doesn't care about his life. Wait for him. You will be able to see him by tomorrow night at the latest."
Yao Ying remained silent.
The heat faded away, night fell, the evening breeze blew on the big banana leaves, bringing coolness, the moonlight flowed, and everything was silent.
Xie Qing was taken away, and Yao Ying sat in front of the Buddha statue, closing her eyes in deep thought.
In the silence, there was a sudden burst of panic shouting, and figures swayed all around. Guards in black rushed out from every corner of the deserted courtyard. Their footsteps were like sudden raindrops, passing through the corridor and surrounding the Buddhist hall.
Yaoying opened her eyes.
Several lanterns came closer and closer. Li De, wearing a cloak, stood at the door with a pale face. "Li Zhongqian will come to rescue you tonight. Come with me."
Yao Ying sneered, stood up and followed him.
The pavilions and towers of the Li Palace were already shrouded in rumbling black smoke. Flames were rising everywhere, scorching the cool moonlit night. People were shouting and horses were neighing everywhere, and the sounds of footsteps, scolding, and rebukes merged into one. The air was filled with smoke from the burning fire.
The guards came running from different directions to report: "Your Majesty, there is a group of troops in the south!"
"There are also enemies attacking from the north!"
“There’s one in the east, too!”
Arrows rained down from the sky.
Li De didn't even frown as he gave orders calmly, leading Yao Ying to the highest drum tower and ordering the guards to light fires in the courtyard to illuminate the drum tower.
The burning torches engulfed the night, and in the thick black smoke, several teams rushed towards the palace from three directions, but were intercepted and strangled by the imperial guards who had been prepared.
Li De looked around, listening to the intermittent shouts of killing in the night wind: "They are all Han people, why didn't the Wang court come to rescue you?"
Yao Ying stared at the cold light of silver armor flashing from time to time in the dark night, with a hint of mockery in her eyes: "Your Majesty, do you think the royal court will intervene?"
Li De really thought so, and he sent people to guard the important roads leading into the capital to guard against people from the royal court. As long as one person from the royal court showed up at the palace tonight, he would seize the opportunity to question Tanmarajiva and Li Yaoying for colluding with each other and harboring evil intentions.
"Your Majesty, you are overly concerned. There is no need to involve the royal court in the matter between you and me, so as not to undermine the alliance between the two countries."
Yao Ying's tone was indifferent.
Li De was silent for a while: "Yang Qian didn't come either, and the generals of the Western Army are all in a state of paralysis. Aren't you surprised at all?"
Yao Ying smiled and said, "I guess when I left the palace, His Majesty told the Western Army about my life story?"
Not only did he want to lure Li Zhongqian out, he also wanted to frame Wang Ting and wipe out the generals in the Qing Western Army who were loyal to her in one fell swoop.
Li De nodded: "You are not my biological daughter, the Western Army will still respect you, but you are from Southern Chu, and there are still remnants of Southern Chu hiding in the mountains, refusing to surrender. Now that the world is unified, the noble families in Hexi want to return to the court and restore their former glory. They don't want to associate with the remnants of Southern Chu. Your identity is no longer suitable to be their leader."
"Qiniang, the world is like this, don't overestimate people's hearts."
Yao Ying sneered.
The fire was burning fiercely.
The author has something to say: Soul-guiding banners are probably a custom that was formed after the Song Dynasty. The description of soul-guiding banners in the article refers to folk custom data. Different places and ethnic groups have different customs and colors. This article refers to one of them.
Kaige sang the song of peace on horseback, but it was not the time when Zhaojun went to the frontier. Quoted from "Four Poems of the Imperial Court" (No. 1)