Chapter 4 When Will We Cut the Candle in the West Window Together? 5. Judo
On October 19, winter of the seventeenth year of Jianwu's reign, Emperor Jianwu deposed Empress Guo and made Consort Yin the Empress.
Regarding the treatment of the deposed empress, the emperor issued an edict: "She can no longer be worshipped and supported." Liu Xiu and Guo Shengtong officially dissolved their marriage relationship, expelled her name from the Liu clan ancestral temple, and her descendants were not allowed to worship her in the future.
After regaining her freedom, Guo Shengtong was moved out of the Ye Ting and settled in the Bei Palace.
Nangong, the imperial palace of Luoyang, and the palace to the north of Nangong were originally the residence of Marquis Wenxin, where Lü Buwei lived. Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang established his capital in Luoyang and renovated Nangong as the imperial palace. Although the capital was later moved to Chang'an, Nangong was still well preserved as a temporary palace. After more than 200 years, Nangong welcomed Emperor Gengshi Liu Xuan as the capital, and it was renovated again as usual. When Liu Xiu became emperor and moved into Nangong, although he lived a simple life, the palaces and pavilions were renovated every year.
However, the Beigong, which was left over from the same era as the Nangong, was not so lucky. Although the appearance of the halls and pavilions in the Beigong was still intact, the interior was mostly made of decayed wood, and it was even worse than some wealthy houses in Luoyang City. It was not an exaggeration to say that it was a cold palace, but the Beigong did not belong to the Yiting. When Guo Shengtong moved into the Beigong, she had nothing to do with the royal family in name.
According to folk custom, a divorced woman or a widowed woman can be supported by her eldest son, so according to common sense, the most appropriate place for Guo Shengtong to go after leaving the palace is to live with the eldest son Liu Qiang. But this is obviously impossible. The deposed Empress Guo Shengtong absolutely cannot live with Liu Qiang, the crown prince!
So Liu Xiu promoted Liu Fu to King of Zhongshan, and Guo Shengtong, as the mother of King of Zhongshan, was named Queen Mother of Zhongshan. The bestowal of this honorific title was almost a disguised irony. The day before, she was the queen who ruled the country, but today she became an irrelevant stranger and was honored as Queen Mother. From then on, her identity only represented the mother of King of Zhongshan Liu Fu, and she had no connection with Liu Xiu anymore.
For the rest of her life, her activities will be limited to the palace in the North Palace, which serves as the Zhongshan King's residence. Her movements will be monitored everywhere and she cannot leave the palace at will. Because Liu Fu is not yet an adult, although he is crowned as a king, he still stays in the Nangong Palace, and together with Guo Shengtong's other five children, he is under my care.
After Liu Fu was crowned king, Liu Xiu naturally promoted the other nine princes from dukes to princes. This result was a reshuffle after Liu Xiu abolished the prince system a few years ago. I believe that with the rise of Queen Yin, the power of the groups within the court will also undergo a major adjustment in the future.
Shanan was obviously not satisfied with the result, but she was reserved and never complained. She just kept a tense face and a cold look all day, which made the young palace maids feel as if they were facing a great enemy. It was not until sunset when the eunuchs were preparing dinner that she asked me something: "The Pepper Room has been cleared. What do you plan to do with the maids and eunuchs who are left in the Changqiu Palace?"
"Those who are unclear will be sent out of the palace and sent home. Those who are fine will remain on duty in Changqiu Palace."
"Yes. The eunuch just came to ask, when does Your Majesty plan to move to Changqiu Palace?"
"Leave it empty."
Shanan was stunned. I looked up and said calmly, "I don't plan to move. I've lived here for more than ten years. I'm used to it. Changqiu Palace will be empty for now. In fact... it doesn't matter where you live, right?"
"Then... should we renovate the palace and turn it into a pepper room?"
"No need. You've been with me for all this time, and have you ever seen me care about these things?"
"Yes. I will report to the eunuch immediately."
When I saw her about to go out, I suddenly called her: "Wait a minute."
Shanan turned around after hearing this. I stared at her without blinking until she lowered her head. “My Queen, do you have any other instructions?”
"Tomorrow the Emperor and I will return to Zhangling. You will stay in the palace to take care of the kings and princesses. You must not slack off for even a moment."
"promise."
"The Crown Prince's Palace has been set up in Taicang, and the Crown Prince has been ordered to move there. Your Majesty and I have discussed this, and when the Crown Prince's Consort gives birth to a son next year, the Crown Prince will have his coming-of-age ceremony and marry a Crown Princess. As for the King of Zhongshan and others, all expenses will remain the same and no reductions will be made... In addition, the King of Donghai, the King of Dongping, the King of Shanyang, and the King of Langye will each have an additional eunuch to taste food in their palaces."
Shanan's face flashed with a resentful look. Although it was only for a moment, I saw it clearly. I knew that she was complaining about my kindness to Guo Shengtong's children. I couldn't help but smile coldly and pretended to know nothing and continued, "I see that Princess Yuyang and Liu Shou are about the same age, so let them live together and tell the wet nurse to feed them together. No matter what little Liu Shou eats, Princess Yuyang will eat the same, regardless of whether they are legitimate or illegitimate. Do you understand what I mean?"
The voice was not loud, but Shanan's face changed slowly. After a while, she replied: "I will definitely do as the queen ordered, but... I think since there is no distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, then the distinction should be based on age. Whatever Princess Yuyang eats, the little princess can eat..."
I smiled slightly: "Now that you know it, do it with all your heart."
"promise."
Outside the door, a eunuch's voice reminded quietly: "Empress, His Majesty has arrived!"
I stood up to greet him. When I walked to the door, I saw Shanan's eyebrows were tightly knitted, as if she was thinking about something, so I sighed softly: "Shanan, being a queen is not that easy!"
Shanan looked at me in confusion, and I smiled. Across the corridor, Liu Xiu was walking towards me. I straightened my face and walked towards him quickly: "I pay my respects to your majesty!"
Before I could kneel down, Liu Xiu held my arm and pulled me into his arms: "It's cold, put on more clothes before going out next time."
The cold wind blew on my face. I squinted my eyes and looked at him carefully. His gentle smile was as precious as a gem: "It's not cold!"
"I just had a serious illness. Now that the weather is getting colder, I have to pay more attention to my health!"
"I know." I whispered, "Don't worry, I will be fine."
He hugged me tightly and took me into the hall. The hot air in the hall rushed towards me. I couldn't stand the stimulation for a moment and sneezed because of the itchy nose. He couldn't help laughing and said, "Look at you, you are still so stubborn." Then he asked Dai Ang to get a long banner to put on me.
I quickly moved away and turned to him with a firm look in my eyes: "I'm not trying to be brave. I'm already past the age of being brave and competitive. Now that I'm your queen, I will be more sensible in doing things in the future, don't worry..."
He hugged my shoulders with emotion: "I know you will be a good queen! The best queen!"
Although Liu Xiu stated in his edict that the removal of the empress would not bring good fortune to the country, and ordered the counties and states not to celebrate the birthday, on the third day after I took office as empress, he hurriedly took me straight to Zhangling.
The purpose of returning to Zhangling this time is very simple, to worship the ancestors of the Liu family and to pay homage to the temple. In the past ten years, I have only been to Zhangling's hometown with Liu Xiu a few times, but because of my limited status, I could not step into the gate of the ancestral temple to offer sacrifices every time.
The 46-year-old Emperor Jianwu changed into the rough short clothes used for farming in his hometown for the first time and went to the fields to tend the crops. Although it was winter, with the popularization of the two-year three-crop system, the fields were busy planting winter wheat in the hope of harvesting it in the summer of the following year. The promotion of winter wheat allowed the people to have a continuous supply of food during the lean period.
This was the first time I witnessed Liu Xiu doing farm work. Although he made his close ministers and eunuchs busy when sowing in the wheat field, which greatly reduced the fun of farming, I just stood on the ridge and watched him busy at work, and from time to time I exchanged ideas and experiences with some brave time went by, Liu Xiu's interest did not diminish with time, but became more excited.
"This wheat was planted a little late."
"Yes, yes, they should have been planted in late autumn. It's too late this year, but if we act quickly and plant them quickly, there shouldn't be any problem."
The news that the emperor had gone to the fields spread quickly throughout the villages as if it had wings. Soon, those familiar relatives in the past boldly came to visit him.
At that time, Liu Xuan recruited clan members in Caiyang to fight against Mang. All males joined the army, and some died, some were injured, and countless old, weak, women and children were left in Zhangling. Many of these people who stayed behind at that time were Liu Xiu's aunts, uncles, and aunts. Liu Xiu hosted a banquet for them, and he did not act like an emperor at all, but acted like a junior.
Since Liu Xiu was like this, I naturally would no longer be the queen. I immediately bowed to each of the elders according to the clan etiquette, which scared a lot of people.
Liu Xiu, who was smiling gently among the relatives, suddenly gave me a strong sense of familiarity, as if I had returned to the elegant young man who had moved my heart back then, and who was honest and simple in his attitude towards people, things and objects.
"Your Majesty, you don't know that Uncle Wen was very naughty when he was a child. He even pulled out the wheat ears from our field to play with, and ended up being chased by a dog..."
I bit my lip, wanting to laugh but not daring to laugh too loudly. I squinted at him and saw that he was smiling and looked nonchalant. I couldn't help but say, "Aunt calls my nephew Uncle Wen, so why are you being so formal with your niece-in-law?"
The old lady was over sixty years old, but her mind was not confused at all. She immediately took my hand and said with a smile: "I don't know what my niece's name is!"
"Old sister-in-law!" Someone nearby nudged her with his elbow, suppressing a smile, "How could you have forgotten such a famous woman? Uncle Wen made a great wish for her, and everyone in Nanyang County knows about it..."
As soon as she said this, everyone in the hall burst into laughter, and everyone's face was filled with a smile of understanding.
The old lady clapped her hands suddenly and laughed before she spoke: "Look at my memory! Yin Ji - Lihua! Yin Lihua! The Yin Lihua who deserves to be my wife!"
Her teasing was met with laughter. In such well-intentioned laughter, I blushed unconsciously. I turned my head and looked at him quietly. His eyes were as soft as the sea water, and he was also gazing at me with a smile. My heart was moved and my face became hotter. I felt tender and affectionate, sweet and shy in my heart, as if I had returned to my girlhood.
The old lady sighed, "When Uncle Wen was young, he was cautious in his words and deeds, honest in his dealings with others, never perfunctory, gentle and straightforward. I never thought he would become the emperor!"
Liu Xiu laughed and said, "When I became emperor, I also ruled the country with judo!"
I smiled at him, and the old lady sighed, "Girl, Uncle Wen is truly a good man worthy of entrusting your life to!"
I nodded and said sincerely: "Aunt is right. Yin Ji will be satisfied with marrying Uncle Wen in her life. He is not only my husband, but also the ruler of the world. I will assist him wholeheartedly and be a good wife!"
Everyone in the hall was moved and sighed. The old lady patted the back of my hand, and her eyes sparkled: "Uncle Wen is a wise ruler. Girl, you will be a wise queen!"
Liu Xiu and I lived the poor life of an ordinary couple. Sometimes, when I felt like it, I would cook for Liu Xiu myself. Although my cooking skills were not good, he never complained and always ate with gusto.
I stayed in Zhangling for more than a month, and it was not until the end of November that Yin Shi finally came to visit me. I had kept in touch with him over the years, but this was the first time that a brother and sister met. I didn't know why he always avoided me before, but this time, I met him in person and finally understood the reason.
After not seeing him for many years, Yin Shi's unique calm temperament has become more mature, like a cup of strong tea, which has only really revealed its mellow fragrance after being brewed several times. The man kneeling in front of me still has the same eyebrows and features, but there is a raised scar on the right cheek extending from the corner of the eye to the corner of the mouth, which hideously occupies that handsome face, making it impossible for me to avoid looking at it.
My heart ached, and I just shouted in a hoarse voice: "Brother..." He smiled at me, and the muscles on his face twitched, and the scar on his face also twisted and trembled.
"You finally got this position!"
He said it with ease, but I felt like there was something stuck in my throat. I endured it for a long time before I could suppress the bitterness a little: "The price is too high."
"You've done very well," he smiled, his eyes calm and without the sharp edge he had at the beginning, "don't blame yourself too much."
"Good fortune and bad fortune go hand in hand, brother, are some things really destined?"
"If you keep dwelling on the pain of losing your child, it won't be a blessing for anyone!"
His eyes were calm, with a hint of gentleness. Although the scar on his face was ugly and hideous, it did not make people feel scary. Instead, it quietly opened my depressed heart. Only when facing the Yin Shi would the taut strings in my heart completely relax.
"Actually, I'm not as good as you praise me to be..."
If I was really alert, I should have realized that there might be something else going on when Cheng Yu died. I still thought some things were too simple. Zhuang Guang reminded me that I should be careful of cornered people. Even he, an outsider, noticed it, but I was still confused.
Since Liu Xiu had a stroke and was in critical condition, I had set up defenses everywhere, both inside and outside the palace, and considered everything. But I still forgot that Guo Shengtong had been treating Wen Shu with affection after all these years of getting along. How could such a carefully arranged situation be ruined by an arrow without any aim?
"Now that you have become the queen, you will have a long way to go in the future. The future of the King of the East Sea still depends on your continued support!"
I said helplessly, "Brother, even though they are both deposed empresses, Guo Shengtong is not Huo Chengjun after all. No matter how much hatred I have in my heart, it is impossible for Guo to be uprooted like Huo did back then. After all, Huo Chengjun has no children, while Guo Shengtong has five sons and one daughter. Your Majesty governs the country with judo, and it is impossible for him to kill Wei Zifu along with one son and three daughters like Emperor Wu did back then. Guo Shengtong treats Your Majesty with affection, and Your Majesty is not a heartless person. I dare not imagine that he will do such an inhumane thing as killing his wife and children..."
Yin Shi smiled and said, "You are already a very good queen! I am very pleased that you have such an understanding. I thought I would have to spend a lot of time talking to you today, but I didn't expect that you have figured out the pros and cons by yourself!"
I was stunned and asked in surprise, "Could it be that Big Brother came here just to persuade me to let go of my worries?"
"Only when you are calm can you be peaceful, and only when you are peaceful can you look at the people and things around you rationally. As the queen in the future, you will have to weigh more pros and cons. If you are too obsessed with simple hatred and lose sight of the direction, you will end up hurting others and yourself! The prince's party is still here, and we need to support the King of Donghai to become the next crown prince. As the queen, you have a long way to go. You need to guard against arrogance and impatience and keep working hard!"
I could tell from his hidden meaning that he wanted to stay out of this matter, so I couldn't help but ask anxiously, "Brother, can't you help me out even now? You know how the Guo family's relatives are doing in the court, so why can't you help me out as well?"
Yin Shi smiled mysteriously and looked deep: "Well, it's about preparing for a rainy day. I just see farther than you. You will understand it in the future." After saying that, he did not stay any longer and got up to leave.
Looking at his back as he walked away, I was moved and couldn't help crying. It is said that there is no family affection in the royal family, but along the way, I have received the silent support of countless people, love, family affection, friendship, I am surrounded by all these emotions, so that I will never feel lonely.
There is still a long way to go. Although they cannot be by my side, I believe that they will always pay attention to me, support me, and protect me...
