Chapter 165 Generation Change
After the prime minister acknowledged the edict of succession, some ceremonial steps had to be completed before Li Xian, the new emperor, could be considered settled. The country cannot be without a king for a day, and every day of delay will increase the uncertainty, so all ceremonies will be kept simple. The coronation ceremony and the ceremony of conferring the empress will be held tomorrow. The Ministry of Rites is busy making the ceremonial utensils and costumes for the coronation, and Li Huazhang is also busy mobilizing troops and inspecting the venue to ensure that tomorrow's ceremony will be held smoothly.
Li Huazhang worked in the palace until dark, and finally finished the general arrangement. Seeing that it was getting late, the guards advised: "Prince Yong, you must take care of yourself. We will take care of the rest, you should go back to your house and rest."
Li Huazhang hadn't slept for almost two days since he started planning the coronation. He knew that tomorrow was the main event, and he had to rest tonight so that he could focus on the coronation ceremony tomorrow. He didn't force himself, and after arranging his confidants to strengthen the defense, he rode out of the palace.
But Li Huazhang did not return to Prince Yong's Mansion. As soon as he left the palace, he went straight to the Duke Zhenguo's Mansion.
In the mansion of the Duke of Zhenguo, everyone saw Li Huazhang coming and hurried to greet him. If it were in the past, Li Huazhang would definitely go directly to Ming Huashang's courtyard, but now he is a foreign man and must have the awareness of a guest, so he followed the etiquette of host and guest and went to the front yard to visit the elder Duke of Zhenguo first.
When the Duke of Zhenguo saw Li Huazhang walking towards him, he felt as if he was in another world, and couldn't tell for a moment whether it was Li Huazhang or Crown Prince Zhang Huai. It was not until he heard a cold and firm greeting that seemed to carry a murderous aura that the Duke of Zhenguo realized that this was Li Huazhang, not the Crown Prince.
Duke Zhenguo looked at the young man in front of him and was suddenly filled with emotion. Li Huazhang's temperament and talent were very similar to those of the former Crown Prince Zhang Huai, but this was more because Duke Zhenguo had used Crown Prince Zhang Huai to demand Li Huazhang since he was young. After years of imitation, Li Huazhang had carved himself into the gentleman image that the world expected. But after cracking this layer of appearance, Li Huazhang's true core was actually more like the empress.
He is just as resolute, firm, and able to endure what ordinary people cannot endure. Once he sets his mind on something, he will persist until it is realized.
This is completely different from the kind-hearted Prince Zhang Huai. The boldness and madness in his bones are obviously given to him by his grandmother's half blood.
The Duke of Zhenguo sighed for a moment and asked, "How is the emperor?"
Li Huazhang fell silent, paused for a few seconds, and said, "The emperor is seriously ill and will move out of the palace to recuperate soon."
The Empress and the Li family were mortal enemies, but by blood, she was their closest relative. Not to mention Li Xian, even Princess Taiping and Prince Xiang did not dare to do anything to their mother. They were willing to use gold, silver, and jewelry to support the Empress and let her enjoy her old age, as long as she stopped participating in politics.
But for someone like the Queen, depriving her of her power would be tantamount to killing her.
Duke Zhenguo nodded. He did not ask about the situation in the palace or how the credit would be distributed in the future. He just asked, "Have you had your meal?"
Li Huazhang nodded subconsciously: "It has been used in the palace."
The Duke of Zhenguo asked him what he had eaten. After hearing that he had only eaten some cakes in the palace, he said, "How can that be considered a meal? There is already hot food prepared for you on the stove. Come on, eat first, then take a bath and have a good sleep."
Li Huazhang agreed and followed the Duke of Zhenguo to the restaurant. The scenery around him was familiar, and the people serving him were all familiar to him since he was a child. Li Huazhang's spirit, which had been tense all day, gradually relaxed. It was even more relaxing than sleeping.
There is no need to worry about what to do tomorrow, no need to constantly check whether some inconspicuous person is a traitor. When you return home, the most important thing is to eat and sleep.
Li Huazhang looked around, wanting to speak but stopping himself. Duke Zhenguo seemed to see what he was thinking and took the initiative to ask, "Do you want to ask about the eldest and second wives?"
Li Huazhang was embarrassed for a moment after being seen through, but soon admitted frankly: "Yes. Why don't you invite them to dinner?"
"No need." The Duke of Zhenguo said, "They didn't get much sleep last night, and they are catching up today. It's a rare opportunity to get rid of them. Bring some wine, and we two will have a good drink."
Li Huazhang looked at the large amount of fish and meat that was served and laughed dumbly. He asked the servant to take the wine away and replace it with tea, saying, "I remember that the lady doesn't allow you to drink alcohol. If you break the rules, I will have a hard time explaining to Shang Shang next time. Today, we will use tea instead of wine."
The Duke of Zhenguo was very dissatisfied and said loudly that he was in good health and drinking so little wine was not even an appetite. Li Huazhang ignored him and calmly but firmly asked the servants to remove all the wine altars.
After dinner, the Duke of Zhenguo said that the room had been cleaned up, so Li Huazhang would not have to run back and forth, so he could stay at the Duke's mansion tonight. Li Huazhang was indeed hesitant for a moment, but reason quickly overwhelmed his feelings. He would rather be Ming Huashang's fiancé than the Duke of Zhenguo's adopted son. Since they were already engaged, he had to follow the rules of etiquette.
Li Huazhang insisted, "Don't bother. Prince Yong's Mansion is not far from here. I'll just go back. Go to bed early, Duke. I'll come to pay my respects to you another day."
The Duke of Zhenguo knew that this child had a strong opinion since he was young. Once he made a decision, it would be difficult for others to change it. The Duke of Zhenguo simply did not say anything to persuade him to stay. He sighed and said, "Then be careful on the road. Go back and rest early, don't be too tired."
Li Huazhang agreed, and did not let the Duke of Zhenguo go out to see him off, and walked out of the mansion by himself. He walked in the familiar corridors and seemed to be a little slower than usual. The housekeeper immediately saw what the former Second Young Master was thinking, and said sympathetically: "Second Lady has slept all day, and it's time for her to get up and eat something. Otherwise, I will go and remind Second Lady?"
She was still sleeping... Li Huazhang didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but Ming Huashang was able to eat and sleep. He sighed and said, "No need. I'll go see her."
Li Huazhang changed direction naturally and walked towards Ming Huashang's courtyard. He was so skilled that he didn't even need the housekeeper to be polite. Jinbao and his maids were sitting under the window doing needlework. Suddenly they saw Prince Yong coming and stood up quickly: "Your Highness Prince Yong."
Li Huazhang raised his hand to stop them from saluting. He stopped at the door and silently looked into the room through the screen.
Behind the screen embroidered with flowers and birds, a faint arc was raised on the brocade quilt. She lay quietly facing inward, her hair scattered on the couch, like flowing clouds flying over the mountains, or like a sleeping crabapple tree in spring.
It was very rude for Prince Yong to visit a woman's room at night, but he stopped at the door after he came, without approaching or speaking, and it seemed that he could find nothing wrong. Jinbao didn't know what to do, and asked anxiously: "Prince Yong, should we wake up the lady?"
Li Huazhang watched quietly for a while, shook his head gently, and said in a low voice: "Let her sleep peacefully, I will come back another day."
He turned to leave, but paused at the door, took out a camellia from his sleeve, and said, "Today, when I was searching the palace, I accidentally saw a camellia. The other flowers were tightly closed, but this one was brave and bloomed early. It is not convenient to prepare gum glutinous rice dumplings for her on New Year's Eve this year, so I will give her a camellia to wish Shangshang another happy and healthy new year."
Ming Huashang woke up and felt hungry first, then she noticed a flower behind the screen. She rubbed her eyes and got up, her hair like a lion that had just rolled in the sand, and asked, "When did camellias appear in the mansion?"
Jinbao whispered, "My lady, Prince Yong was here just now. This is what Prince Yong left behind."
Ming Huashang responded. Her first reaction was that it was planted in the palace. She said that they couldn't keep camellia alive at home. Then she suddenly reacted: "Second brother is here?"
"Yes." Jinbao knew that his wife was in a daze again and still used the old name. She did not remind him and replied, "Prince Yong came to see my wife and then left. He also said that he did not prepare any gum glutinous rice dumplings for my wife on New Year's Eve, so he had to prepare a branch of camellia to wish my wife another year older."
Jixiang came in from outside with a cup of hot tea and said, "Thank goodness we know what kind of person Prince Yong is. If it were someone else, and he only gave a flower during the New Year, he would definitely think that the aunt was stingy and was deliberately perfunctory."
Ming Huashang asked the maid to bring the camellia. She held it in her hands, looking back and forth at the bright red flowers that were out of place in the winter, and said softly, "No, I just think it's better to send flowers."
Even when he was the most nervous and busy, he still remembered to buy her a New Year gift. This thought was more precious than any pearls and jade.
·
After leaving the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, Li Huazhang did not return to Prince Yong's Mansion immediately, but walked around the city a few times and went to a secluded place.
There were still fragments of firecrackers on the street, but the alley was quiet and deserted, as if it had been forgotten by the festival. Li Huazhang stopped in front of an inconspicuous wooden door and knocked slowly.
After the specific rhythm was finished, the door opened slightly, and the person inside saw Li Huazhang's face clearly, then opened the door and saluted: "Chief."
Li Huazhang nodded calmly and walked in silently. The wooden door behind him closed immediately. Inside the simple, ordinary courtyard wall, there were actually bows and arrows, guards, and sentries.
Li Huazhang walked inside and asked, "How is the person?"
"According to your order, we immediately gave him the sleeping pills after we caught him yesterday. We replenished them every two hours. In another quarter of an hour, it will be time to replenish the pills again."
"No need to make up for it." Li Huazhang said, "Keep a close eye on him and don't let him go out. Other than that, there's no need to do anything else."
The guard agreed. As he was talking, he had already walked to the door. Li Huazhang placed his palm on the door and calmly pushed it open.
The room was dimly lit, and a figure was lying on the couch, seemingly in a coma.
Li Huazhang bowed his hands in a pretentious manner, not feeling at all that he was facing an unconscious person, and spoke calmly: "Commander-in-Chief Han, I apologize for any offense. I hope you will forgive me."
The other party remained motionless. Li Huazhang did not care, he chose a place to sit down, and said calmly: "The emperor has decided to abdicate and will move to Shangyang Palace soon."
The room was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop, as if one was talking to the air. But Li Huazhang knew Han Jie could hear it.
韓颉教了他很多東西，所以李華章深知放這樣一個人在外，會給政變帶來多少變數。昨夜他起事時第一件事就是命精銳偷襲韓颉，将他和外界隔絕，等确定韓颉昏迷後，李華章才調兵圍宮。
李華章也知道，自己能偷襲得手，是以有意算無心，攻韓颉不備能控制他一時，必然控制不了他長久。但這已經夠了，只要能讓韓颉失去意識哪怕一天，就足夠。
李華章繼續說道：“我自知有負恩義，無意替自己開脫。但我覺得應當當面和你道謝，這些年，我從你身上學到了很多。我知道控制不住你，只要你想，不出三日就可以逃脫，但我還是想勸你，不要再召集玄枭衛。”
“有太多人死于酷吏、告密和私獄，這場沒有贏家的報複，該停止了。冤冤相報何時了，我願意先退一步，不再追究我父親的仇恨，讓太上皇在行宮安享晚年，也不再歸咎當年經手案件的人，只要你們放下權柄退隐民間，我絕不追查。但若你執意助太上皇奪權，我只能告訴你，我會不惜一切殺了你。”
李華章說完後等了一會，韓颉沒有反應，他也不強求，轉身往外走去。他走到門口時，身後傳來一句話：“婦人之仁。”
将女皇的心腹暗衛放回民間，不知什麽時候就會卷土重來，這不是婦人之仁，是什麽？
李華章并不意外，平靜道：“若每個人都不願意放下武器，那仇恨永遠不會停止。總有一個人要先退一步，那就我來吧。何況，像女子一樣通情達理、柔軟善良，是什麽壞事嗎？”
韓颉冷笑一聲，說：“我曾經說過，那一批人中，你、謝濟川、任遙各有各的突出之處，但真正最厲害的細作，是明華裳。萬萬沒想到，我栽在了自己的預言上。她為了你，竟然能做到這一步。”
提到明華裳，李華章的眼神柔和了許多，說：“是我幸運，遇到了她。”
韓颉輕嗤，說道：“你若是自己登基，我還能理解，但你費了這麽多力氣，不惜拉明華裳下水，最後竟是推叔叔做皇帝。我只能說，愚蠢。”
李華章何嘗不知道人心易變，但李顯是太子，只有以他的名義起兵才是最正當的。如果推李華章做皇帝，那相王為什麽不可以？這樣一來還未起事李家的心就散了，政變必敗。
而且從情感上，李華章也沒想過當皇帝。他要的從來都是替父兄平反，恢複大唐，還天下安寧，而不是皇位。朝中私下争議的李顯一脈和李賢一脈誰才是正統，李華章從未在意過。
“不管你信不信，我從未想過當皇帝。”李華章對韓颉說道，“不求盡如人意，但求無愧于心。這裏會有人負責你的一日三餐，你想留就留，想走就走，但不要去上陽宮找太上皇。朝臣百姓為江山姓李還是姓武已經擔驚受怕太久了，結束李武兩家無休止的內鬥，朝廷才有心力治理國家，造福百姓。就讓周武王朝和酷吏統治徹底過去吧，大唐的月亮，應當是明亮無垢的。”
韓颉不屑地嗤了聲，嘲弄問：“你憑什麽說，李家的月亮，就是最亮的？”
“我會證明給你看。”李華章沒有再停留，他拉開門，直面外面黑不見底、滴水成冰的寒冬，“十年後，大唐必然是一個安寧、和平，比貞觀年間更富庶的盛世。”
·
三月三，上巳。春日融融，玉蘭、海棠、桃花、梨花、杏花都開了，長安籠罩在深深淺淺的花霧中。今日要出城祓禊，明華裳、明雨霁一起去水邊踏青，連明妤也從婆家回來了。
明妤陪着明華裳姐妹游水，态度不可謂不殷勤。不只是明妤，水邊其他人家看到鎮國公府，尤其是看到明華裳，也紛紛上前搭話，話裏話外打聽明華裳和雍王的婚禮什麽時候舉行。
明華裳将這些變化看在眼裏，她不由想起過去那些年，在李華章還沒有恢複身份時，她出門赴宴可鮮少有人問津。這才不到一年，長安貴婦們對她的态度有如天上地下，不得不令人感嘆世事如戲。
明華裳很快就沒了興致，明雨霁也不想和一群自己不認識的人寒暄，她們挑了個避人的地方，坐下來歇息。
然而，別人能避，親戚卻是避不開的。明妤陪着她們姐妹坐下，不動聲色觀察着明華裳表情，問：“二妹妹，你和雍王的婚事，就在今年了吧？”
正月二十二，衆人沉浸在過年中，尚未從爆竹聲中回過神來，雍王、太平公主等人毫無預兆發動政變，迫使女皇退位，傳位于太子李顯。
因為發生在神龍年間，這場變故被稱為神龍政變。正月二十三女皇退位，二十四舉辦新帝登基大典。二月初二，新皇複國號為唐，改元景龍。
周武王朝正式成為歷史，再多峥嵘跌宕、波瀾壯闊，都化成書頁上的一粒塵埃，輕輕一掀便過去了。
長安的天比六月的雨還迅疾，飛快換了模樣。登基典禮只有一天準備，辦得十分倉促，但這種時候，根本沒有人挑剔細節。太子登基後，依次冊封太子妃韋氏為皇後，庶三子李重俊為太子，嫡幼女安樂郡主為安樂公主，同時，他還十分悲痛地追封死在丹鳳門之變的嫡長子李重潤為懿德太子，永泰郡主李仙蕙為永泰公主。
李顯為了彌補丹鳳門變故時自己無能為力，只能眼睜睜看着兒子被打死的痛苦，親自為懿德太子、永泰公主補辦了盛大的葬禮。
然而，無論舉辦多麽隆重的追封典禮，死去的兒女都不會再回來了。皇帝和韋後心裏的哀痛無人知曉，長安衆人都在津津樂道這場葬禮排場多大，花了多少錢。
除此之外，神龍政變中立了從龍之功的臣子，也是坊間熱議話題。這其中，雍王、太平公主、相王，無疑是最大功臣。
神龍政變不止翻轉了宮廷的天地，朝中也有許多人的天塌了。曾經小心謹慎、處處賠笑的李唐舊臣立刻神氣起來，而前一天的紅人們卻接連從天上掉下來，摔得粉身碎骨。
二張兄弟死在神龍政變當夜，他們的家族姻親也逃不了。張家被接連清算，所有財産抄入國庫不說，曾經犯過的事也一條條被翻出來，不少人背上人命官司，锒铛入獄，一命嗚呼。
盛極一時、一門二公的張家，就此覆滅。
巴結、依附魏王的人也沒落着好，在政變當天，魏王聽到太上皇禪位的消息後，氣急攻心，生生嘔出一口血，竟然就這樣氣死了。
魏王死了，魏王府樹倒猢狲散，他的兒子們被接連治罪，貶為庶人，最後，竟然只有永泰公主的驸馬武延基得以保全死後哀榮。
魏王府轟然倒塌，而梁王府卻分毫未損，梁王父子甚至還加官進爵了。這自然是安樂公主這個兒媳的功勞。
娶了一個好媳婦，全族男子都跟着受益，權勢的魅力，可見一斑。
葉落而知秋，有人愁就有人歡喜，鎮國公府便是“喜”的那家。明家一夜間多出許多舊交故友，大家都知道雍王在政變中功不可沒，等皇帝追憶完懿德太子後，必然會重賞雍王。雍王封號已至親王，封地占據長安龍脈，權力掌握京城內務，再往上封，那簡直是權傾朝野！
明華裳這個準雍王妃霎間成了天底下最符合女德、最孝順完美的女人，每個人都急着和她套近乎。明華裳實在被問煩了，皮笑肉不笑道：“不知道，聽宮裏安排。”
明妤察言觀色，馬上意識到明華裳不高興了。不過沒關系，她今日來意本也不是套話。她們都姓明是剪不斷割不掉的關系，只要和明華裳維持着姐妹情誼，她就能一輩子立于不敗之地。
明妤笑了笑，識趣地轉了話題，說起長安新出的布料來：“西市胡商新進了一種布料，聽說是用孔雀羽毛撚成線，織出來的裙子流光溢彩，燦若銀河，每個角度看顏色都不一樣。我僥幸得了半匹，二娘鐘靈毓秀，只有你才能穿出這種布料的神韻，等一會，我命人給你送來。”
“不必。”明華裳利落地拒絕，“穿衣不過為了禦寒蔽體，我愛美，穿四幅的裙子已然是罪過，怎麽能殘殺鳥雀生靈，只為了自己一衣之歡呢？這樣的裙子太貴重了，我穿不起，大姐還是留着自己穿吧。”
明妤被嗆了回來，臉色有些讪讪。她看到坐在一旁擺弄團扇的明雨霁，猛然發覺自己一心讨好明華裳，竟然疏忽了明雨霁。明妤趕緊說道：“瞧我這嘴，總是說不明白。我的意思是送給你們姐妹，至于你們想拿那匹布料做什麽，則看你們喜歡。”
明雨霁一聽，立刻道：“別。我不喜歡沾了殺孽的裙子，遠不如給我送錢實在。”
Ming Yu smiled apologetically, knowing in her heart that she would never give money to Ming Yuji. Was this a way to make friends or enemies? Ming Huashang couldn't give money here, so it seemed that she could only ask her mother-in-law to find a way to give it to the palace.
Mingyu hesitated for a moment between giving it to Princess Anle or the Eastern Palace, and finally decided to please the Eastern Palace. Princess Anle was just a daughter no matter how favored she was. She had already lived a life of great success. Could the Tang Dynasty have another female emperor?
It is better to please the future emperor, which is the long-term plan.
Mingyu was very sad when she thought of this. Some people are really born with good luck. Take the current crown prince Li Chongjun for example. He is just the third son of a concubine. He is neither the eldest nor the legitimate son. He was not worthy of the throne in his life. Who could have known that the emperor's eldest son, Crown Prince Yide, was beaten to death, and the second son, Li Chongfu, was thrown into the dust for informing on others. His two elder brothers died one after another, and the crown prince position fell on his head.
It's really a blessing from heaven. God is really blind.
Of course, the two with the best fortunes were the two in front of us. One was sent to the countryside, but became the savior of Prince Yong at birth, and only had to endure seventeen years of hardship before she could enjoy the rest of her life in glory and wealth; the other was even more bizarre, relying directly on the brother-sister relationship to become the Princess of Prince Yong.
Mingyu was lying when she said she wasn't jealous. If she had known that Erlang was a member of the royal family, she would have taken the initiative to ask about his well-being when he was in the mansion. Maybe she would be the Princess of Yong now. However, there is no such thing as knowing in advance. Mingyu could only suppress the unnecessary assumption and continue to manage her relationship with Ming Huashang: "You are right. I was negligent. I will throw away the cloth when I return."
Ming Huashang said coldly: "The feathers of those peacocks have even lost their lives. If we throw them away, wouldn't their deaths become a joke? It's better to return them to the shop. The merchant won't make any money, so he will naturally stop killing peacocks to make cloth."
Ming Yu readily agreed and joked, "Prince Yong has done a great service this time.
"You care so much about me, and my second sister will have endless wealth and glory in the future, why would she still care about the money for a skirt?"
"It's not about money." Ming Huashang said calmly, "Besides, what is the connection between these two things?"
Ming Yu smiled and said nothing more. Ming Yuji looked at these ladies with cold eyes and suddenly felt that they were no different from those women in the market.
They were all the same, flattering the powerful and bullying the weak, and fearing the strong. She had once thought that the nobles, who were pure and elegant, were no more than this.
Ming Yuji was too lazy to listen to what Ming Yu said next. The outside world was flocking to the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion, but Ming Yuji knew that Ming Huashang was not happy these days.
The outside world was waiting for the emperor to reward Prince Yong, Princess Taiping, Prince Xiang and the heroes of the Shenlong coup after he had handled the funeral of Prince Yide. But the delay was long enough to explain the problem.
When the birds are gone, the good bows are hidden; when the cunning rabbits are dead, the running dogs are cooked. The fate of meritorious officials is not always good.