Chapter 5: Staying for spiritual practice and forgetting to return 2. Prince
In April, Zang Gong captured Yuanwu City according to the strategy proposed by King Xian of Donghai, beheaded Shan Chen and Fu Zhen, and then returned to the court. According to his merits, Zang Gong was promoted to the position of City Gate Captain.
On the other side, at the southernmost part of the Jiangshan map, Ma Yuan pursued the remnants of Zheng Ce all the way to Jufeng, until the entire Lingnan area was pacified and a complete victory was achieved.
The good news reached the capital at the end of April in the leap year. Liu Xiu took advantage of the good mood and promoted his uncle Liu Liang's legitimate son Liu Xu, and his nephews Liu Zhang and Liu Xing from dukes to kings.
As midsummer approached, Liu Qiang became increasingly anxious and uneasy. When he went to the West Palace to pay his respects, he was often absent-minded and full of worries. Zhi Yun's advice had a great influence on him. In the end, he proposed to the emperor to give up the position of crown prince and be willing to serve as a vassal king. Liu Xiu refused at first, and the matter was delayed for several months.
"I want to change Liu Yang's name." Liu Xiu, who was sitting on the bed reviewing memorials, suddenly gave me a very strange suggestion.
"Why?" You've been using the child's name for fifteen or sixteen years, why would you suddenly want to change it?
"Last month, when I celebrated Yang'er's birthday, I was thinking... When the child was born on an unlucky day, the character 'Yang' was originally meant to ward off evil. This name is not good. When the child inherits the throne in the future, people will inevitably gossip about him. So, take this opportunity to change his name."
I was about to scoff at his words, but he said it in a serious tone, which made me put away my disdain: "Do you really want to change the name?"
He nodded: "It's better to change it."
I thought about it and suddenly asked, "Will the historians avoid the emperor's name because of this?"
He was stunned for a moment, probably not expecting me to bring up such a strange topic, and couldn't help but laugh and said, "That's what I said."
I nodded, and the corners of my mouth curled up involuntarily: "I've made up my mind, let Yang'er change his name to 'Zhuang'!"
"Zhuang?!" He was surprised and surprised, but understood everything in an instant and couldn't help laughing. "He is indeed a naughty boy. How long are you going to fight with him? He is really like a child..."
I glanced at him and couldn't help laughing: "Doesn't he like to change his name? Doesn't he like to be a solitary crane in the countryside, fishing, and not caring about worldly affairs? Naturally, he doesn't care about being famous! Isn't this also fulfilling his wish? This time, let him change his surname as well!"
Liu Xiu looked at me tenderly: "Do you still want to use this to force him out?"
I sighed deeply: "It's just wishful thinking. I think... he will probably never leave Fuchun Mountain again."
Liu Xiu nodded sadly, and we both felt the same way, so we couldn't help sighing. I leaned into his arms and prayed sincerely: "I hope that you will be safe and happy in the future , and have no more worries!"
"I hope..."
On June 26, the 19th year of Jianwu, Emperor Jianwu issued an edict saying: "According to the meaning of the Spring and Autumn Annals, the son is ennobled. Yang, the Prince of Donghai, is the son of the Queen and should inherit the throne. The Crown Prince Qiang is respectful, modest and willing to serve as a vassal state. The father-son relationship is long-lost. Qiang should be made the Prince of Donghai, Yang should be made the Crown Prince, and his name should be changed to Zhuang."
Liu Qiang moved into the North Palace with his wife and daughter, not far from the palace where his mother Guo Shengtong lived. Liu Qiang strictly followed the filial piety and came to the palace to greet me every five days, rain or shine.
"Are the mother and son safe?"
"There is nothing wrong with the King of Donghai and the Queen Mother of Zhongshan interacting with each other!"
It was pouring rain , and the rolling thunder made my heart explode. For a long time, I looked at the dark and thick clouds and sighed: "It's better to be cautious about some things. When can my brother come to the capital?"
Yin Xing's face was as gloomy as the bad weather outside: "The imperial edict has been issued, so we naturally dare not neglect it. We will arrive in Luoyang in a few days."
"What? Are you still blaming me for being nosy?"
"I dare not."
"You are my brothers. If even you don't help me, what can we do? Big brother should have rested enough at home for so many years. This time, let's bring Yin to the capital as well." I saw that his face was calm, but there was a kind of hidden worry between his brows. I couldn't help but feel angry and amused. "It's just that I let big brother be the Praetorian Guards, in charge of the capital's security, and let you be the Weiwei, in charge of the palace security. This is not an important official position. Why did you two scare like this? My intention is just to let you protect the crown prince and don't let some people with ulterior motives take advantage of it. Naturally, you don't have to interfere in the affairs of the court..."
"As the Crown Prince's uncle, we should do our best!"
Yin Xing's attitude towards court affairs, interpersonal relationships and other aspects was actually more cautious than Guo Kuang in the past. He never gave anyone a handle or gossip about him, so much so that Liu Xiu often praised him.
Yin Shi went to the capital to take up his post first, and soon Yin came to Luoyang with his family. I met Liu Ji and a group of Yin's nieces in the side hall of the West Palace. Many of these nieces were new to me. They were all under ten years old. Although they were small, they were all beautiful. When Liu Ji greeted me, she pointed to a shy little girl and said, "Does the queen think this child looks familiar?"
The girl sat in the corner with her head lowered shyly. Liu Ji dragged her out, pushed her in front of me, and held her chin so that her face was clearly visible to me.
She had an oval face, double eyelids, heroic eyebrows, a high nose bridge, rosy cheeks, full lips, and sharp features. To be honest, she was not the most beautiful among the many girls, but her appearance made my heart beat fast.
“Who is this…?”
"She is the daughter of my second brother's concubine Amber. Her maiden name is Su He. She is nine years old this year..."
"Su He?" I couldn't help but laugh. "I remember having such a child, but I didn't expect that he has grown up so much!"
I reached out my hand and pulled her closer. Su He was a little shy, but she opened her eyes with curiosity, and she would glance at me secretly from time to time.
"Look at this child's eyes and eyebrows. She is so pretty. Look at her mouth. The shape and expression... When I saw her, I felt that she was..."
I smiled slightly and nonchalantly replied, "Yes, she is worthy of being a girl from our Yin family!"
Liu Ji cleared her throat, and her smile was a little ambiguous: "The Queen's several princes are also very good-looking, with delicate features, especially the Crown Prince..."
I interrupted without leaving any trace: "Is Big Brother in good health? I saw that his voice was a little hoarse the day before yesterday. Is he better today? If the medicine doesn't help, I will ask the imperial physician Ling Cheng to go to the mansion to take a look!"
Liu Ji's high spirits were abruptly interrupted by me. Her face flushed and she shook her head in embarrassment: "No... It's okay. Thank you, Queen, for your concern. My husband... He is fine now."
"After all, you are getting older and are not as good as you were when you were young. You should pay more attention to rest. Of course, you still need your sister-in-law to remind you from time to time... Your family has just moved to the capital, and you must have a lot of things waiting for your sister-in-law to take care of. I won't delay you. The girls in our family, even if they are not related to the emperor, will definitely be praised by everyone when they go out. They are definitely not inferior to others."
Liu Ji wanted to say something but stopped herself, and finally could only lead her nieces to say goodbye. I asked the eunuch to see them out, and after they left the palace gate, Shanan came out from behind the compartment.
"Actually, what Madam said makes sense. Why doesn't the Queen consider strengthening the relationship?"
I didn't say anything, just looked at her and smiled. After a moment, she turned her eyes away because of my weird gaze and shrugged as if she was uncomfortable.
"The meaning of kinship... has its pros and cons." I didn't want to explain any more, so I changed the subject. "Just now, I heard Liu Ji mention that she saw Princess Huyang's painted carriage at the palace gate when she entered the palace. How come it's been so long and she hasn't come to chat with me?"
"I asked someone to inquire about it. I'm afraid he went to His Majesty's place."
"Recently, I heard that Princess Huyang's housekeeper has been bullying people in the capital, causing widespread complaints. An official's wife came to the palace and brought the news to me. You also know that she is the emperor's biological sister. His Majesty has always been affectionate to his family. Now there are only one sister and one sister left of his brothers and sisters, so he is even more compassionate to them. Last year, his brother-in-law passed away again. You saw the rewards he gave to the Li family and Princess Ningping. Princess Huyang lost her husband early in her life and has been a widow ever since. Even if she is spoiled, the emperor will not have the heart to blame her too much. The emperor's family affairs are family affairs in a small way, and state affairs in a big way. In terms of the state system, I am the queen, but in terms of family etiquette, I am still Princess Huyang's sister-in-law. It is not convenient for me to interfere too much. It is better for them to solve their own problems."
Shanan nodded and said, "Yes, if the queen imposes any restrictions on Princess Huyang, she will definitely feel resentful."
The master and servant were chatting about these trivial matters when suddenly a eunuch led the eunuch Dai Ang in hurriedly. Dai Ang had served the emperor for many years, and as he grew older, he became more clever and more stable, and it was not common to see him in such a panic.
I asked Shannan to give him a seat, but he was sweating profusely and said, "Your Majesty, you should go to the front hall to make peace. If the quarrel continues, what will happen?"
I was moved, and I guessed that what he said was most likely related to Liu Huang, so I ignored his anxiety and pretended to be silly and asked: "Zi Yu, I heard that His Majesty has decided to let the counselor Huan Rong teach the prince the Book of Songs, and the left general Zhong Xing to teach the prince and other kings the Spring and Autumn Annals. I wonder what kind of knowledge Huan Rong and Zhong Xing have, tell me!"
Sweat soaked the brim of his Qiaoshi crown. He raised his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his temples and said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, I will report this later. But Princess Huyang is currently with His Majesty..."
I looked away, pretending to stay out of it. Dai Ang became more anxious, kneeling down and saying, "We can only count on the Queen to mediate this matter. I don't think the Queen can bear to see His Majesty angry. If he gets sick from anger..."
When he brought up Liu Xiu, my hardened heart softened immediately. I couldn't help but sigh, "What on earth is going on here?"
"Yes, it's like this... This matter is all the fault of Luoyang Ling Dong Xuan! When the princess went out early this morning, she passed by Wanshou Pavilion outside Xiamen. Dong Xuan led his men to forcibly intercept the princess's carriage, and his attitude was extremely arrogant and rude. Not only did he stop the carriage, he also drew a line on the ground with a sword, abused the princess, and even... killed a household steward who was accompanying the princess... The princess was humiliated and went to the palace to tell His Majesty..."
I jumped up from the couch, and Dai Ang was so frightened that he covered his mouth and stared at me blankly.
"Sanan!"
"The servant is here."
"I'm sleepy. Go light a censer. I'll take a nap first..."
Dai Ang was horrified, and hurriedly knelt down to me, shouting: "I am wrong! I am telling the truth! It was Princess Huyang's housekeeper who killed someone in the street in broad daylight, and then hid in the princess's mansion. In order to catch the thief, Dong Xuan did not dare to enter the princess's mansion, so he waited outside the Xia Gate... So, this is..."
I was stunned and stood still. It took more than a minute for me to recover. "You said there was a quarrel in the front hall. Who was quarreling with whom?"
"It's... it's that Dong Xuan... His Majesty was very angry after hearing the princess's crying, so he summoned Dong Xuan and prepared to beat him to death. But Dong Xuan refused to admit his fault... and the situation is getting out of control..."
I let out a low sigh, but my heart was bubbling like boiling water. If it were in the past, I might have rushed out, but now I had to calm down and think it over.
It's not that I don't want to uphold justice. According to the law, the murderer must pay with his life. Dong Xuan should not be punished, but should be praised. However, the person he offended was Liu Xiu's sister, my eldest sister-in-law. Liu Huang treated me well. If I go against her on this, it would be unacceptable.
Just as he was feeling embarrassed, Dai Ang called out softly, with a very pleading attitude.
I turned to Shanan and smiled bitterly: "Look, is it easy to be the queen?"
When I rushed to the front hall, more than half an hour had passed since Dong Xuan was summoned to the palace. I thought that the most intense climax of the argument had long passed and I only needed to go through the motions when I went in. However, who would have expected that as soon as I stepped over the threshold, I witnessed a thrilling scene.
A black shadow flashed before my eyes and was heading for the main beam at the door. I subconsciously rushed over and grabbed the man's legs, but I was only able to stop him, but I still couldn't stop the powerful force. I only heard a loud bang, and a piece of rammed earth fell from the roof, choking me and making me cough.
"Lihua!" Liu Xiu called out behind me. I calmed down and saw an old man with white hair and beard lying in front of me. I guess he hit his head on the doorpost. Not only was his hat crooked, but his forehead was also covered in blood.
I cried out "Ouch!", and Liu Xiu had already taken my arm and pulled me away. Two eunuchs quickly helped the old man up. Although his forehead was bruised, I was lucky that I held his feet and slowed down the impact. He was still conscious, and said in a cold voice, "Your Majesty is a saintly man, but if you allow slaves to kill people, how can you rule the world? I don't need to be beaten, please commit suicide!"
As he spoke, he pushed aside the two eunuchs, straightened his back, and looked righteous. I never expected that things would develop into such a tragic situation. Looking back, Liu Xiu's face also changed, and his face turned pale. Liu Huang was so angry that he trembled all over. He was supported by his maid, and his lips and he couldn't speak.
"Your Majesty!" I called out softly, forcing myself into this not-so-harmonious atmosphere, and said with a smile, "What are you doing? Lord Dong, don't take everything too seriously! Princess Huyang is the emperor's sister after all, is it considered rude of you to bump into the princess? Why not apologize to the princess and kowtow to her? The princess is magnanimous, how could she bother with the pillar of the country?"
Liu Xiu and I were of the same mind. After hearing this, he immediately said in unison: "The Queen is right. I did not mean to stop you from performing your duties. It's just that you did not distinguish between superiors and inferiors and offended the princess, so we had this dispute today. You apologize to the princess and let's put this matter behind us!"
Unexpectedly, Dong Xuan snorted and didn't even look at Liu Huang. Liu Xiu and I were immediately embarrassed, not knowing whether to advance or retreat. Dai Ang quickly gestured to the two eunuchs to hold Dong Xuan's neck and force him to the ground.
Dong Xuan knelt on the ground, supporting himself with his palms, but he refused to lower his head. The eunuch was so anxious that he was sweating profusely but there was nothing he could do. He just glared angrily, with a stiff neck, and vowed not to lower his head.
Liu Huang was so angry that he shouted at Liu Xiu: "Uncle Wen, when you were a commoner, my elder brother hid fugitives in our house, and officials didn't even dare to look down at the gate. Now that you are the emperor, can't you even control a small county magistrate?"
Liu Xiu listened, but instead of getting angry, he smiled, spread his hands to his sister, and said half-jokingly and half-seriously: "The emperor is different from the white-clothed man!"
I secretly pulled his sleeve and motioned him to look at Dong Xuan. The old man, who was nearly 70 years old, was still fighting tenaciously with the eunuchs. His orange peel face was full of stubbornness and toughness. I couldn't help but cheer in my heart, but I also felt sad for his character of not being able to take shortcuts. Such a person, even if he is a good official, may always force himself into desperate situations and suffer losses because he doesn't know the interpersonal skills in the officialdom.
"He is such a stubborn guy!" Liu Xiu cursed with a smile, and waved his sleeves, "Strong order is issued--"
Once these words were spoken, it was considered a great pardon for Dong Xuan.
Seeing Liu Huang's face twitching and her mouth opening to shout, I hurriedly laughed out loud, grabbed Liu Huang's hand and pulled her aside: "Has the prince visited your house recently? This child talks about his aunt all day long..." While changing the subject, I put my left hand behind my back and gestured repeatedly for Dong Xuan to leave.
I didn't know if Dong Xuanming didn't understand my intention, but fortunately the two eunuchs were not stupid. They lifted Dong Xuan up from the ground and walked out quickly.
Liu Huang was stumped by my eloquent words and tried to bring up the matter of Dong Xuan to Liu Xiu several times, but I always found a topic to circumvent it. Liu Xiu and I cooperated perfectly, and Liu Huang was so confused that he finally left the hall obediently with his servants.
As soon as she left, I collapsed on the couch, my shoulders slumped, looking listless and exhausted. Liu Xiu walked behind me and squeezed my sore shoulders: "Fortunately... I finally got both sides settled!"
I turned around and smiled at him, feeling a sense of empathy: "Strong Order! What a strong order! How are you going to reward this strong order?"
Liu Xiu smiled and said, "Today's incident really wronged him." After thinking for a while, he called Dai Ang and said, "Draft an imperial edict for me to reward Luoyang Magistrate Dong Xuan with 300,000 coins!"
"Yes!" Dai Ang responded and went to the next room to draft the edict.
Fortunately, the matter was not a big deal and was finally resolved. I was relieved and was about to speak when Liu Xiu behind me suddenly said, "Look, is it easy to be an emperor?" The tone of his words was exactly the same as the complaints I had made to Shannan. I was stunned and laughed uncontrollably with my face covered, my shoulders shaking.
