Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 472: Descendants of Liao Li (Special thanks to book friend 2022…7873 for two monthly tickets!)

Chai Zong reprimanded:
"Yang Ye, you are really stubborn!

Now the Liao land has long been part of the territory of our Great Zhou, and the Liao people are our subjects. Why should we still be so fussy about past wars?
Didn't I also marry the Liao princess as Consort Shu? If everyone is like you, holding a grudge against the past, then wouldn't I have to be on guard against Consort Shu all the time?
Moreover, a country is founded on trust. Since I have issued an edict to invite a nationwide "martial arts competition to recruit a bride", how can I not abide by trust?"

Yang Ye hesitated for a moment, then bowed and said:
"If your majesty has an order, I will obey it!
It's just that once a daughter is married off, like water spilled, from now on, everything between me and Yelu Gun will have nothing to do with me and my family. I hope Your Majesty will understand clearly."

Chai Zongxun understood the reason and laughed:

"Lord Yang, are you afraid that the incident with Li Jiqian will happen again in my Great Zhou? Are you disassociating yourself from me so early?"

Yang Ye sighed and said:

"Girls should not be kept at home when they grow up. There are so many talented young Han people, but she chose to fall for a Liao man! Does she still take her father seriously?
I will never associate with a daughter like this again!"

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:
"Don't worry, my dear. I have already abolished the 'collective responsibility system' in the law. If something happens in the future, your family will never be implicated."

Chai Zongxun turned his eyes to Yelu Gun who was standing respectfully in the hall and shouted:

"Yelü Gun, you are a descendant of the Liao royal family. The Liao Dynasty was vast in the past and had more than 200 vassal states. Do you have the desire to restore your country?!"

Yelu Gun was shocked and immediately knelt down on the ground and said:

"Your Majesty, since the Liao land was annexed by the Great Zhou, Your Majesty has been benevolent and has benefited the people. The people are all living a good life, and the scholars have all found a way to advance. Everyone is grateful to Your Majesty's Great Zhou. How could there still be people who want to restore the Liao Kingdom?

Your Majesty has pardoned my uncle's sins and conferred him the title of marquis. My entire family is grateful for Your Majesty's grace.

I am only loyal to Your Majesty and have no intention of rebelling against the Liao Kingdom!"

Chai Zongxun nodded and said:
"That's good.

I will never allow another Li Jiqian to appear in my Great Zhou. Such a person is arrogant, conceited, vicious and cruel. He harms the country and the people for his own selfish interests!

Since you two are the winners of the "Martial Arts Contest to Win a Marriage" and are chosen by the Yang sisters, I will grant you the right to marry and grant you the status of military scholars!"

Yelu Gun and Duan Suguang were overjoyed. As military men, their ultimate goal was to pass the imperial examination and become a general to lead troops in battles and establish achievements. What's more, they could marry the "virtuous and brave" Yang sisters. The two of them quickly bowed deeply to express their gratitude.

Chai Zongxun asked a few questions about the people's livelihood and judicial affairs in Liao and Dali. After hearing what the two said, they all looked fine, so he asked Yang Ye and the two to leave.

Seeing that it was almost the hour of You, Chai Zongxun stood up and went to Baoci Hall to have dinner with Empress Dowager Fu and the two empresses and sixteen concubines.

While chatting after the meal, Chai Zongxun talked about his trip to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth after the New Year, and Yang Ye's family's "martial arts competition to win a wife".

Chai Zongxun said:

"My mother has endured hardships, shown great care and love, and protected me throughout my life. Her contribution is immeasurable!
Now that our Great Zhou Empire has eliminated its powerful enemies, the world is at peace, and the people are living in happiness and prosperity, I have responded to the request of my subjects and decided to take the royal family to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth after the spring.

This "Ceremony of Zen" will be presided over by the Queen Mother and the two Queens. "

Empress Dowager Fu declined, saying, "Your Majesty, there has never been a precedent in history for an empress dowager to follow an emperor in performing Fengshan. Your mother has always been quiet and inactive, and all state affairs depend on Your Majesty. How dare Your Mother perform Fengshan together with him?"
"My mother is old, and Your Majesty is in the prime of life. You can take the concubines Zhen'er, Chaolu, the crown prince, the prince of Song, and other princes, as well as the cabinet and the six ministries, to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to the gods."

Chai Zongxun advised:
"Although my mother did not make decisions at court, she kept quiet and did nothing, and she sorted out the harem, allowing me to concentrate on governing the country, which led to the "Kaixi prosperous era" today.

As the saying goes, "Great beauty is beyond words, great sound is inaudible, great image is invisible." If the Queen Mother does not go with me to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth and to demonstrate my achievements, this great event will not be perfect."

Empress Dowager Fu thought that there was no precedent in history for an empress dowager to follow the emperor in the Fengshan ceremony, and she was also afraid that she would leave a reputation of a woman with power like Wu Zetian in the history books, so she could not help but hesitate.

At the beginning of Emperor Gaozong of Tang's reign, he inherited the "Zhenguan Governance". The emperor and his ministers worked together, and the Tang Dynasty became more prosperous. Later generations praised it as the "Yonghui Governance".

The emergence of the prosperous era of "Yonghui Reign" provided strong support for Emperor Gaozong of Tang to offer sacrifices to the gods on Mount Tai. For Emperor Gaozong of Tang, this was not only a chance to fulfill his father's unfinished wish, but also a great opportunity to glorify and deify himself.

However, Wu Zetian, who had fought and won many battles in the harem - competing for favor with Queen Wang, Concubine Xiao Shufei, and other concubines, and in political struggles with senior officials such as Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang, also keenly realized the importance of the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai in further enhancing her power and status.

Thus, an invisible contest slowly began with the help of the Fengshan discussion.

In July of the first year of the Linde reign (664 AD), Emperor Gaozong issued an edict, deciding to hold a Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai in the first month of the third year of the Linde reign (666 AD).

According to the previous "fengshan" ritual system, "for fengsi, Gaozu and Taizong were paired together; for shanshe, Empress Taimu and Empress Wende were paired together. In both cases, ministers were appointed as the second and final offerings."

Wu Zetian realized that she, as the empress, had no right to participate, so she submitted a petition to personally offer sacrifices to the gods of the earth and presented it to Emperor Gaozong for his review.

Wu Zetian believed that the "Chan" ceremony was performed with the empresses of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong; but when the ceremony was performed, it was always organized by some big men such as ministers and officials.

Does this conform to the ancient sage's teaching that "men and women should not touch each other"? In the past, emperors performed Fengshan only to seek immortality and gain fame.

The ritual system they established does not need to be rigidly adhered to, but should keep pace with the times and be flexible. The Fengshan ceremony in the Tang Dynasty was not for personal glory, but to "promote the beauty of the Emperor Shenzong" and "attribute to the virtues of the ancestors."

In short, it was to thank the ancestors for their merits. As the queen and the daughter-in-law of the Li family, Wu Zetian should have participated in the Fengshan ceremony.

After reading it, Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty agreed with it deeply, so he changed the "Fengshan" ritual system, with the empress as the second offering and the kings, ministers and concubines as the final offering.

After Wu Zetian ascended the throne, since all the subsequent Li Tang emperors were her descendants, Wu Zetian was highly regarded in history throughout the Tang Dynasty.

However, after the Tang Dynasty was destroyed by Zhu Wen, Wu Zetian's reputation changed immediately and she gradually became a representative figure of women who brought disaster to the country.

The "Linde Fengshan" was even accused of being the beginning of Wu Zetian's ambition being revealed and her attempt to encroach on imperial power.

Because of this bad reputation, Empress Dowager Fu, who had never been involved in state affairs, did not want to go to Mount Tai with Chai Zongxun to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth.

Fu Zhenzhen and Diwu Chaolu both persuaded Empress Dowager Fu to go with them.

As Empress Dowager Fu's niece, Fu Zhenzhen naturally understood her thoughts best and said:

"Mother, Your Majesty is truly filial. Moreover, I, the concubines, princes and princesses will be going with you. And considering Your Majesty's unprecedented achievements, how could anyone say that Your Majesty has the intention to interfere in government affairs?"

(End of this chapter)