Tang Dynasty woman

Chapter 53
After Xuanzong lingered in the palace for five or six days, he took Concubine Zhao Li back to the palace together. From then on, Xuanzong was not happy with Concubine Zhao Li every day, and he ate, sat and slept in Concubine Li Palace. .She accompanied the emperor to banquets every day, before the banquet, she sang and danced gracefully, which made Emperor Xuanzong even more distracted, and he had long forgotten about Concubine Wu Hui.

At the beginning, Concubine Wu Hui took advantage of Xuanzong's extreme favor to take advantage of the opportunity to plant a party for personal gain, so that one day her son Shouwang Li Mao would become the crown prince.At this time, Li Linfu, the treacherous prime minister who has been in the position for 19 years and has been famous for the first time, catered to his wishes everywhere. The emperor listened to him everything that Prime Minister Li said. foster father.

Li Linfu was originally a treacherous villain, good at flattering and even better at making troubles. He was fostered in the home of his uncle Jiang Jiao since he was a child. Later, Jiang Jiao was killed because he leaked the emperor's decree. So much so that they were all hunted down by the emperor's decree and imprisoned in the prison of the Ministry of punishment.Seeing that Concubine Wu Hui was in power, Li Linfu wanted to curry favor, but he didn't want Concubine Wu Hui to take the initiative to make friends, so they hit it off immediately, and with the addition of Gao Lishi, the three of them worked hand in hand.

Now when Concubine Wu Hui heard that Concubine Zhao Li was very fond of Xuanzong, she was so angry that she cried bitterly for four or five days.In the end, Concubine Wu Hui thought that if she wanted to control Concubine Zhao Zhuli, she still couldn't do without Li Linfu and Gao Lishi.

Sure enough, not long after, Li Linfu first said that everyone outside the palace rumored that Concubine Zhao Li was born in a prostitute family. For the sake of His Majesty's reputation, it is better to check it out.Also for the sake of reputation, Xuanzong didn't ask the Ministry of Criminal Justice to do it, but sent the most trusted Gao Lishi to investigate. Naturally, Gao Lishi quickly returned with the most favorable investigation results for Concubine Wu Hui.The emperor was furious, but he was reluctant to kill Concubine Zhao Li, so he ignored her for many days.Concubine Zhao Li saw that the emperor was not coming for a long time, so she also spent a lot of money to ask a Tang Dynasty literati like Xiangru to write a Tang Dynasty "Nagato Fu". After going, it is like a mud cow entering the sea.

It's been half a year, and the holy car hasn't come even once, full of resentment and heart-wrenching sadness, made Concubine Zhao Li fall ill in bed.At first she was still supporting the thin powder, leaning on the head of the bed, hoping to be lucky again.Unexpectedly, the more she hoped, the more she couldn't, and finally knew that she had also fallen out of favor, so she couldn't help crying day and night, until she spit out blood profusely, and the tears seemed to dry up, so she stopped crying for the king.After that, Concubine Zhao Li finally swallowed her breath after suffering from tuberculosis for a whole year.Before she died, there was not even a single person walking around. After she shouted long live three times, her breath was gone and her eyes were still open.

Gao Lishi nonchalantly told Xuanzong about Concubine Zhao Lifei's illness and death, and then buried her hastily and let it go.

3. Unjustly killing the prince and haunting the concubine Hui

Emperor Xuanzong, who has always been known for his flair, was also really fond of poetry and music. In order to cater to his wishes, Jing Zhaoyin recommended three Li brothers, Li Guinian, Li Henian, and Li Pengnian.The emperor summoned him to be an official, and Li Guinian's casual songs could make Xuanzong feel uncertain about his grief and joy: he suddenly felt his guts swelled, his eyebrows danced with joy, and he couldn't rely on himself.The colorful wind dance created by Li Pengnian is dazzling.From then on, Xuanzong often ordered the Li brothers to accompany him.Hundreds of court ladies were also selected for them to teach singing and dancing.The "Weizhou Song" made by Li Guinian taught the court ladies to sing in unison, which is audible.Emperor Xuanzong was happy to hear that, and often rewarded Li Guinian with gold and silk.

Li Guinian rose to the top in the capital, with buildings like clouds, richer than princes.He lives in Tongyuan County, and his house occupies an area of ​​ten miles.A green field hall was built with agarwood, which can accommodate thousands of guests, and it is magnificent and enviable.When Li Guinian was at his peak, he often entertained guests in the hall, and the princes of the court also rushed to make friends with him.Later, Li Guinian was living in the south of the Yangtze River, poor and poor, and there were people celebrating a banquet, so he had to go to join him and chat to earn some food and clothing.When some old acquaintances saw his miserable state, they all wept for him.Du Fu once presented a poem saying: "I often see it in King Qi's house, and I heard it several times before Cui Jiutang. It is the beautiful scenery in the south of the Yangtze River, and I meet you again when the flowers fall!"

After Xuanzong won the Li brothers, he often held banquets with his ministers in Wufeng Tower, singing and dancing well.On the night of the Lantern Festival in the first lunar month, Xuanzong watched the lanterns in Shangyang Palace.Mao Shunxin, a Shangfang craftsman, used his ingenuity and skills to construct more than 150 colorful buildings, with a height of [-] feet, most of which were inlaid with gold, jade, pearls and jade.Sitting downstairs, looking upstairs, there are lights of dragons, phoenixes, chileopards, all kinds of birds and beasts all over the floor.When the fire is lit, the dragon, phoenix, chi, and leopard will have all kinds of birds and beasts, circling, hopping, and dancing. There are thousands of strange things, which seem to be magical, not human.

Xuanzong was very happy to see it, and ordered all Neizhou counties within three hundred miles to teach singing and dancing, and come to add to the fun.Xuanzong came to watch in person, compared the advantages and disadvantages and rewarded and punished them.Local officials everywhere regarded singing, dancing, and music as the top political affairs. At that time, there were hundreds of musicians ordered by the guards of Henan County to play music in the car, and the musicians were dressed in beautiful clothes.He also ordered the soldiers to cover themselves with the skins of tigers, leopards, rhinoceros, and elephants, and lie down in the carriage. As soon as the music played, the beasts danced, ran, threw, turned, leaped and devoured them, just like the real situation.All the ministers looked at it with horror.

Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Xuanzong would visit the Qinzheng Building in person, giving banquets to all the officials, performing new songs and dances downstairs, and the monarchs and ministers laughing at each other.On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival in August of this year, the moonlight was like silver and the sky was cloudless.Xuanzong admired the moon in the building, sang and drank wine.He also ordered Jinwu sergeant to wear yellow box mail armor, march downstairs, teach Fang Dachenshan, car building and boat, walk rope at high altitude, fight swords and horns, and play horses and chickens.He also ordered hundreds of court ladies, decorated with pearls and emeralds and dressed in brocade, to come out of the embroidered curtain and beat thunder and drums to play "Broken Array Music", "Taiping Music" and "Shangyuan Music".He also led elephants and rhinos into the arena to worship and dance, and the movements were simple and syllable. Xuanzong laughed and laughed while watching.

When Xuanzong was having a banquet in the Qinzheng Building, a servant suddenly came to report in a panic: "Concubine Wu Hui went mad after encountering a ghost, and her condition is very critical. Please return to the palace." He added another ten points before, hurriedly dropped the wine glass, and hurried downstairs with the waiter.When I went to the palace, I saw that Concubine Wu Hui's dress was in disarray, her mouth and eyes were crooked, she was lying on the ground and kept begging for mercy, and white foam was dripping from the corner of her mouth, and her screaming voice gradually became lower.Xuanzong felt very pity in his heart, he used to hold Concubine Hui in his arms, summoned her repeatedly, and asked her about the reason of the illness.Concubine Wu Hui pointed in the air and said: "Prince Ying, King E and King Guang all came to demand the life of my concubine, Lord Long Live, save my concubine!"

The clever and upright Prince Li Ying originally satisfied Xuanzong very much. In addition, his two sons, the second King E and the third King King Sanguang, were also very beloved by Xuanzong. The born prince Shou Wang Li Mao is the fourth prince among the princes, so the three of them are serious obstacles for the fourth prince Shou Wang to become the prince.When Concubine Wu Hui finally defeated Concubine Zhao Li with great difficulty, Concubine Wu Hui, who was still worthy of favor, told Emperor Xuanzong day and night how Prince Ying formed a party for personal gain, how corrupt the law was.At the same time, he also found reasons to say that King E and King Guang were different, so that Xuanzong didn't want to see Prince Ying and King E and Guang for a long time.

Concubine Wu Hui's biological daughter Princess Xianyi's son-in-law Yang Hui became her right-hand man in this incident. According to Concubine Wu Hui's plan, Yang Hui started friendly exchanges with Prince Ying and the two kings E and Guang.Concubine Wu Hui first cried in front of Xuanzong about how Crown Prince Ying had slandered the emperor behind his back, and that the two kings, E and Guang, had conspired against each other.

Xuanzong once again believed the concubine's lies, and hurriedly summoned the prime minister Zhang Jiuling to enter the palace, suggesting that the prince and the two kings of Hubei and Guang should be abolished as commoners. , Everyone in the world knows! Your Majesty has enjoyed the country for a long time, and his descendants have multiplied. How can he abandon his three sons in one day? In the past, Duke Xian of the Jin Dynasty was slandered by the concubine, Shen was worried about death, and the country was in chaos! As for the crown prince, the capital is bleeding! Emperor Hui of Jin had a virtuous son, but Empress Jia slandered him, and even died! Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty abolished the crown prince’s bravery, and lost the world! Today the crown prince has no faults, and the two kings are also worthy. The way of father and son is nature! Although there is a mistake, it should be covered up! Your Majesty's pardon is respected!"

Xuanzong heard what Prime Minister Zhang said was reasonable, and the three prince brothers were able to escape this difficulty. But at this time, Li Linfu was in power, and jealousy could harm Zhongliang in vain. Soon Zhang Jiuling was shot down by him and dismissed from office.According to Concubine Wu Hui's wishes, Prime Minister Li, who was in control of power, praised the longevity king Li Hao for being brave and smart in front of Xuanzong, and then informed Xuanzong that Prince Li Ying, King E Li Yao, and King Guang Li Ju secretly made a promise to courtiers to rebel and usurp the throne. .

Xuanzong didn't believe it at all at first.So Yang Hui, the son-in-law who had always been friends with Crown Prince Ying and the two kings of E and Guang, went to summon them in person that day and told them that someone forced the palace, and asked the prince and the two kings to enter the palace with armor and swords to protect the emperor.The crown prince and the two kings had no doubts that Chi Dan loyally befriended their son-in-law Yang Hui, and completely regarded this as a great opportunity to reverse the rigid father-son relationship with Xuanzong, so they immediately put on their armor, helmet, and long sword, and hurriedly led the troops into the palace , walked to the gate of Xichun Palace, was stopped by the guards of the palace, and then the guards rushed into the palace to report, just happened to meet Concubine Wu Hui, who had already known the letter.

Concubine Wu Hui rushed to the Imperial Study Room and reported to Xuanzong that Crown Prince Ying conspired against the two kings E and Guang and forced the palace with swords. Now the palace guards are blocking the palace gate. Your Majesty, please avoid the chaos and leave the palace quickly!Xuanzong hurriedly got up in a panic to escape into the Ziguang Pavilion, and at the same time ordered Gao Lishi to lead the forbidden army in the palace to suppress the rebellion, and Gao Lishi easily made a great contribution.After a while, I saw a group of soldiers escorting the innocent Prince Li Ying and the two princes who didn't resist at all, and were captured obediently, and went straight to Your Excellency.

When Xuanzong saw that the three sons were indeed all armored and hung with swords, he was furious immediately, and he did not allow the prince to argue, so he ordered them to be detained.While urgently calling Li Linfu into the palace to discuss the abolition of the crown prince, Li Linfu naturally gave a satisfactory answer to Concubine Wu Hui, so Xuanzong immediately issued an edict to abolish the crown prince Li Ying, Li Yao, and Li Ju as ordinary people and put them in prison.Concubine Wu Hui bribed the eunuch in charge of the prison, cut off food, and starved to death the prince Li Ying, King E, and King Guang.

From then on, Concubine Wu Hui would see the prince and the two kings E and Guang standing in front of her miserablely every night in the dead of night, hissing for her life.Later, Concubine Wu Hui could always see ghosts no matter whether she was walking, sitting or lying down, regardless of the sky or daylight.She was terrified, she ate less, and slowly stood up.But in front of Xuanzong, he still insisted on selling favors, cheering up, applying powder and even makeup, and smiling lightly, in order to please the sacred heart and stabilize his favor.

Gradually, Concubine Wu Hui no longer had the good appetite she used to have because of her sleepless day and night. She is as skinny as a child, with dark and yellow skin, and blue and green complexion. She can no longer cheer up, even if a court lady puts powder on her to even out the fat, she has no strength to frown and smile again. The strong concubine Hui can no longer be a favor.

On the day when Xuanzong held a banquet in the Qinzheng Building, Concubine Wu Hui was dozing off on the bed. When she opened her eyes, she saw the dead prince Li Ying leading a group of little ghosts, rushing straight to the bed, raising the mace in his hand, and pointing at Concubine Wu Hui's body. Su Chest slammed hard, and Concubine Wu Hui was in pain, screamed, and then vomited more than a dozen mouthfuls of blood, rolled her eyes, and passed out.

When Emperor Xuanzong arrived, Concubine Wu Hui, who had been diagnosed and treated by the imperial doctor, had turned around and was kneeling on the ground begging for mercy from the three prince brothers who had died unjustly.Xuanzong thought it would be all right, but in the middle of the night, Concubine Wu Hui, who was too thin to even sit up, jumped off the bed, knelt down on the ground, and begged for mercy, saying that the crown prince should stop beating me with a mace Oh, I'm going to die of pain, I shouldn't frame you, I just don't want my son to be the prince in the future!Then her body rolled on the ground and dodged, her hair was loose, as if avoiding a beating.He clasped his hands to his chest, just crying out for pain.After a while, she saw her eyeballs were protruding, blood was flowing from her mouth, and she was crying like a ghost, so frightened that none of the maids dared to approach her.Nearly five o'clock, Concubine Wu Hui screamed hoarsely, and at dawn, she could no longer speak, but she tore off her clothes violently, revealing her snow-white chest, and then grabbed her hands fiercely. , until the blood was dripping, it was really embarrassing to see his pain.In this way, Concubine Wu Hui waited until the evening of the next day before swallowing this breath.

Although Xuanzong knew that Concubine Wu Hui had done something wrong, but thinking of the past love, he caressed the corpse and wept bitterly, and still ordered Gao Lishi to collect it properly.

(End of this chapter)