Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 531 Scared to Death
Wang Xiaojie was delighted, thinking that the chief steward really knew how to hide a beauty in a golden house and had hidden the beauty in this snowy plateau.

I have to be nicer to Madam Zhuo in the future. When the time comes, she will say a few good words to me, and I will be successful.

Wang Xiaojie was essentially a reckless man, but he was more of a flatterer than the average reckless man. He knew that if he wanted to get ahead, besides having his own abilities, he also had to cling to powerful people. Only if he clinged to the right powerful people could he rise to prominence and become famous.

Su Dingfang was the first person he held onto and also received a certain amount of care and gained a position in the Longyou Army.

Historically, he later got in touch with Wu Zetian and became the first general of the Wu Zhou Dynasty. He was loyal to Wu Zetian.

Now Chen Qingsi undoubtedly has the thickest and strongest thighs he has ever encountered. He must hold on tightly so that he can have a good life in the future.

When Chen Qingsi saw Wang Xiaojie like this, he couldn't help laughing.

Wang Xiaojie's personality is not offensive...

"Then..." Wang Xiaojie hesitated for a moment and said, "When can I return to the court?"

Seeing that he had asked the most crucial question, Chen Qingsi said, "Don't you like being the King of the West Sea here?"

Wang Xiaojie thought for a moment and said, "My name is Wang Xiaojie, and I am from the Tang Dynasty. I am not from Tibet, and I am not called Mangsong Mangzan."

When the reckless man said this, his face was full of seriousness and pride.

Chen Qingsi suddenly thought of a joke from later generations: beggars in Chang'an City of the Tang Dynasty dared to laugh at the envoys from other countries for being unsophisticated and were proud of their identity as citizens of the Tang Dynasty.

Although this statement is exaggerated, it is very appropriate for Wang Xiaojie at this moment.

Chen Qingsi thought for a while and said, "The general has a heavy burden on his shoulders. The future of the entire Snowy Plateau depends on the general. I don't want to deceive the general. In the next three to five years, the general cannot leave Luoshe..."

Seeing Wang Xiaojie looking somewhat dejected, Chen Qingsi also comforted him, "General, don't worry too much. As long as the situation on the plateau is stable and Tubo has a suitable successor, you can fake your death and escape, and come to the court to be the real Wang Xiaojie. As long as you can bear it for the time being, I will urge you to return to the court as soon as possible as long as I am in the court."

Wang Xiaojie immediately said, "I believe the chief steward!"

He nodded firmly. This trust was not out of nothing, but out of gratitude hidden deep in his heart.

Su Dingfang's achievements are well known to everyone, but Su Dingfang is not as good at networking as Li Ji, and he is not good at interpersonal relationships.

This is also the reason why Zhang Wenguan dared to suppress the news of Su Dingfang's death. He knew that no one in the court would speak for him.

If it were Li Ji, Zhang Wenguan would not dare to do so even if he had a hundred times the courage.

But Su Dingfang shared the joys and sorrows with his soldiers, and was always grateful for his kindness and virtue.

In this respect, Li Ji cannot compare with Su Dingfang...

Chen Qingsi was an outsider who spoke up for Su Dingfang in the court at the cost of offending the prime minister. This did not cause much trouble in Chang'an, but it left a deep impression on the soldiers at the front line of the Longyou Army and in the hearts of those who had followed Su Dingfang.

This is the reason why Chen Qingsi is in charge of the troops here and Su Dingfang's former subordinates are unwilling to cooperate with him.

Although Wang Xiaojie wanted to curry favor with someone powerful, his respect for Su Dingfang was also heartfelt.

Everything Chen Qingsi did for Su Dingfang was enough to convince him.

After pacifying Wang Xiaojie, Chen Qingsi met with Jiazhalu Gong again.

Gacharogong's character is despicable, but the existence of such people is still necessary.

Chen Qingsi took great pains in Tibetan affairs, not because he really wanted Tibetans to do well, but because he wanted Tibetans to move towards the direction of the Tang Dynasty.

It will benefit the Tang Dynasty first, and then benefit Tubo.

The existence of Gacharogong can correct the incorrect route at the critical moment...

After receiving Chen Qingsi's promise, Jiazhalugong was beaming with joy and repeatedly expressed his willingness to follow the lead of the Celestial Empire.

Having made preparations both overtly and covertly, Chen Qingsi looked at the heavy snow outside and thought that the New Year was approaching and it was time for him to return to Beijing.
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December, the fifth year of Qianfeng.

It was snowing heavily in Chang'an.

The emperor and empress's bedrooms in the back garden of the imperial palace were as warm as spring.

Li Zhi looked at Empress Wu lying on her sickbed with a face full of grief and sadness.

At this moment, Empress Wu had completely changed her appearance. Her face was as pale as wax paper, and her jet-black hair had turned gray in just a few months. Her originally charming face was now full of wrinkles. She was completely different from who she was three months ago.

Empress Wu was only in her early forties. Although she had suffered a lot in her childhood, after entering the palace, she lived a comfortable life even though her status was not high, and this was even more so after she became the empress.

Even though she was the queen, Empress Wu knew that her appearance was her most basic weapon. She paid great attention to maintenance and still had her charm, especially her foxy eyes, which still exuded charm.

Now, she looks like a sixty-year-old woman, exuding the aura of death.

Imperial physician Su Jing carefully examined Empress Wu's pulse. He looked nervous and said to Li Zhi, whose eyes were slightly red, "Your Majesty, the Empress is terminally ill and cannot be cured by medicine."

Everyone knows that the emperor and empress have a deep love.

Empress Wu was forcibly promoted to the position of empress from the humble status of the previous emperor's concubine. She was also given the unprecedented privilege of participating in politics. The Wu family was even more prosperous, with one duke and two ladies...

Who would have thought that at this time when the emperor was favoring her, Empress Wu's health inexplicably deteriorated and went from bad to worse.

As for the reason, none of the imperial doctors could find it.

Now that Empress Wu was terminally ill, Su Jing was afraid that the emperor in front of him would be furious and bring disaster to his family.

Li Zhi choked up and said, "There are countless rare medicinal herbs in the palace, why can't they be used on the queen?"

Su Jing was an extremely skilled doctor, especially in herbal medicine. He presided over the compilation of the world's first pharmacopoeia officially promulgated by the country, "Tang Materia Medica".

"Your Majesty, the more precious the medicinal material, the more harmful it is to the body. Under certain circumstances, the right medicine will be effective. Her Majesty is now suffering from severe body damage. If you use strong medicine to attack, it will only backfire."

Li Zhi was in so much pain that he could not help himself. After a long while, he waved his hand weakly and asked Su Jing to go down. He said, "I know you have tried your best. Go down! I want to accompany the queen well. You all go down."

Su Jingru was amnestyed, thinking that the emperor had a deep affection for the queen. After everyone left, Li Zhi sat quietly on the edge of the bed, looking at Empress Wu who was only half dead, and sighed, then he said to himself: "The villain Li Yifu is really hateful, he has committed a heinous crime. I spared his death because of our past kindness. But he didn't know how to be grateful, and he learned despicable means from the barbarians to murder the crown prince of our dynasty. I have already executed him..."

Empress Wu opened her mouth weakly and said, "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong. I really know I was wrong."

Li Zhi looked distressed and continued, "Why did the Queen scare herself? I don't know where the thief Li Yifu learned this trick from, but he actually started with the fish. I have always been upright and honest, and I don't want to do such things. I thought of giving her a small punishment and a big warning, but I didn't expect the Queen to fall ill out of guilt. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place..."

When Empress Wu heard this, she was shocked and angry. Her eyes widened and she vomited blood, looking at Li Zhi with resentment.

This is really too vicious.

Empress Wu would rather hear that Li Zhi had cast a spell on her, or even given her a lethal poison, than have her do nothing at all.

Doesn’t this mean that I was frightened into this state?

I have to eat fish every day, and I am in a state of fear and waiting to die every day, and I have become the horrible person I am today.

The result is that you scare yourself?

My husband is so cruel!

Compared with his, all my methods are nothing.

Resentment, grief...

Empress Wu was already physically weak and emotionally traumatized, so she lost consciousness completely.

Li Zhi stayed for a moment, shook his head, and left slowly.

Historically, Li Zhi always oppressed Empress Wu until the last moment of his life, but in the end, Empress Wu had the last laugh.

In this life, due to Chen Qingsi's interference, Empress Wu was forced to join forces with Li Yifu, but she was not as lucky as in history.

Li Zhi walked out of the bedroom and was about to speak when he felt dizzy and fell to the ground.

Screams and panic followed...

After Li Zhi fell down, he was in a coma for two days and one night.

It was not until the night of the second day that Li Zhi woke up slowly...

In the dim candlelight, Li Zhi vaguely felt that there were two people beside him.

He groaned with effort, and his movements were very light, but they still woke up the two people next to him.

"Father!"

"Father!"

Two cries of surprise.

"It's the prince, Xian'er..."

Li Zhi recognized the two voices: Crown Prince Li Hong and Prince of Pei Li Xian.

"Father, Queen Mother, she, she..."

Li Xian had been overly spoiled by Empress Wu over the years and was the closest to his mother. When he learned that his mother had passed away, he was devastated.

"Okay!" Li Hong was equally sad, but Li Zhi looked like this, most likely because of the shock of his mother's death. He could not discuss the matter anymore, as this would make his father even more sad.

Li Zhi reached out and touched Li Xian's head. Compared to Li Hong, he really liked Li Xian more.

"Prince!"

Li Zhi shouted, "Go, call Minister Xu and Minister Pei."

Soon, Xu Jingzong and Pei Yan came to the imperial bed.

Li Zhi had Li Xian taken away, and said to Li Hong, Xu Jingzong, and Pei Yan, "I know the deadline is approaching, so I will summon Chen Aiqing back to the capital immediately. If I cannot wait for you, the crown prince can ascend the throne in front of the coffin. I will promote Chen Aiqing to the position of Shizhong to assist the crown prince. The two of you will assist Chen Aiqing and assist the new emperor together."

"His Majesty!"

Xu Jingzong burst into tears.

Pei Yan also had tears streaming down his face, but there was a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Prince!"

Li Zhi shouted.

"My son is here!"

Li Hong burst into tears.

Li Zhi said, "I know you are kind-hearted, but you must not retreat from the affairs of the Western Regions. If you retreat, you will lose everything. In the affairs of the Western Regions, everything should be put first with you, Mr. Chen. You must not ruin the overall situation because of your good intentions."

"Everyone, please leave and let me be alone."

The room fell into silence.

Li Zhi stared blankly at the roof. The situation today couldn't be worse.

But at this point, he was powerless to turn the situation around.

It’s not that I don’t have the ability, but that my body can’t support it anymore.

(End of this chapter)