Queen Sun

Chapter 22 Empress Xiao

The northern border was safe, except for some officers and soldiers stationed there, tens of thousands of troops triumphantly returned at the beginning of the fifth year of Zhenguan.

The next day, the emperor held a banquet in the Hall of Liangyi, and the emperor and his ministers drank and celebrated together. It was different from the solemnity when discussing court affairs. At this time, the atmosphere in the hall was relaxed and informal.Because of this, the unusual silence and worry of a person caught the emperor's attention.

Xiao Yu, an old official who had gone through the Wude and Zhenguan dynasties, although he was dismissed at the end of the ninth year of Wude, was completely different from Pei Ji who was exiled to Jingzhou in the third year of Zhenguan. Li Shimin still respected him very much, so , he signaled Zheng Ji beside him to go down and pour wine for him.

Realizing that her gaffe had attracted the emperor's attention, Xiao Yu hastily covered it up in a panic, and drank the full wine glass in one gulp.

Seeing this, the emperor was even more puzzled, and he suppressed his smile and asked, "What's wrong with Xiao Qing?"

After hearing this, Xiao Yu hurriedly got up to salute, and said respectfully, "I'm all right."

The surrounding atmosphere suddenly became dignified, and everyone looked at the monarch and his ministers for no reason.

At this time, Li Jing, the hero who pacified Northern Xinjiang, cupped his hands and replied for Xiao Yu: "Your Majesty, Mr. Xiao is probably thinking about his sister who has been separated for a long time, so he is a little restless."

As soon as this remark came out, everyone was shocked.Everyone knows that Xiao Yu is the son of Emperor Ming of the Later Liang Dynasty, and isn't her sister Empress Xiao, the empress of Emperor Yang of the previous dynasty?

It is said that the queen of the former dynasty was taken captive by Yu Wenhua and Dou Jiande successively after the country was broken, and then she was taken to Turkic by Princess Yicheng. Could it be that she came back with the army this time?But no matter what, things about the previous dynasty are always a bit taboo now. Thinking of this, many people's drunkenness has dissipated.

Unexpectedly, Li Shimin smiled openly: "Xiao Qing, there is no need to worry. At this time, Mrs. Xiao should have been taken to the palace by the queen. When the banquet here is over, I will accompany you to the Lizheng Hall. "

The expression on Xiao Yu's face was even more respectful, and he relaxed his heart and said: "Your Majesty has shown kindness to our brothers and sisters, and I am extremely grateful and grateful."

Li Shimin waved his hand with a smile, signaling the courtiers to continue having fun.

At this time, the solemn and peaceful atmosphere of the Lizheng Palace became a little fluctuating. When Ruoshui personally helped a woman who seemed to be over fifty years old and slowly walked into the inner room, the eyes of the maids standing on the side All looked curious or contemptuous.

It wasn't until Empress Xiao was slowly supported to sit firmly that Ruoshui walked around to the other side of the table and knelt down dignifiedly.

Seeing that Guangyue had already made a pot of tea, Ruoshui nodded slightly to her, and Guangyue bowed and retreated without making a sound.

Empress Xiao was a little surprised to see the empress of the Tang Dynasty pouring a cup of tea for herself, with a gentle demeanor and a smile on her face, but she had no sense of pride as a queen of a country at all.While thinking, she picked up the teacup and took a sip, then sighed involuntarily: "It's been a long time since I drank such clear tea, I really miss it."

Ruoshui's expression was startled, and he said comfortingly, "Madam Xiao has suffered, but from now on, please relax and take care of yourself."

"Empress, aren't you killing the old man by saying that?" Empress Xiao couldn't help being panicked when she heard the honorific address used by her eldest grandson.

Ruoshui shook his head when he heard the words: "Even though the Sui Dynasty no longer exists, in Ruoshui's eyes, you are still the queen, not to mention, as a junior, I will never call Mrs. Xiao this exaggerated."

Xiao Hou's hand holding the teacup trembled. For the first time, he looked carefully at the most noble woman in the world in front of him. There was a faint familiarity in her elegant brows that she had never forgotten. Only she can say this to herself so frankly.After a while, she murmured to herself, "It really is her daughter."

Ruoshui was quite emotional at the moment, the woman sitting opposite him was one of the only two queens in the Sui Dynasty. Compared with her mother-in-law, Queen Dugu, Empress Xiao's experience was far more difficult. The princess, after the subjugation of the country, married Yang Guang, who was still the king of Jin at that time.After Yang Guang succeeded to the throne, she also became a queen, but after only a few decades, she had to face the tragedy of the country being ruined and her family destroyed, her husband's death and her son's death, and the ensuing displacement.However, it is precisely because of this that this queen, who has been almost ignored by history books, has the courage and courage that Ruoshui admires, so that she can survive this troubled world firmly and return to her homeland in her lifetime.

The two were silent for a long time. Suddenly, Empress Xiao looked up and looked around, and said with emotion: "There is almost no change here, but it seems to be more simple."

Ruoshui gently put down the teacup, and said, "Madam Xiao, would you like to look around again? I discussed it with Your Majesty, and I think it's more appropriate to place you, Madam, in the Lizheng Hall."

The corner of Empress Xiao's mouth seemed to move slightly, wanting to say something, but in the end she just nodded silently.

The two walked outside together, the air at night was cold with a slight breeze.Empress Xiao pointed to a pavilion not far away and said: "In the past, whenever I had free time, I would sit there. It seems that all the restlessness and worries have slowly disappeared."

Ruoshui said with a smile: "It's cool at night, when the weather is warm during the day, Madam can do whatever she wants."

Empress Xiao also laughed: "I have never seen such a casual queen like you." After speaking, his tone suddenly changed, "Should Yang Rui be in this harem now?"

"Exactly, she is now a first-rank concubine, and speaking of it, Mrs. Xiao is still her aunt."

Empress Xiao smiled coldly: "I don't have a daughter like that who cries all day long."

Ruoshui was slightly taken aback: "Concubine Xian is weak-tempered, but she is still considered virtuous."

"When I was in Turkic, I heard that the current empress is tolerant and magnanimous. I didn't believe it at first, but today I really saw it." There was a touch of irony in the tone of Empress Xiao.

Ruoshui smiled indifferently: "The harem is also full of poor women, there is nothing to embarrass them, after all, they were all married by His Majesty."

A strange look appeared on Empress Xiao's face: "I thought you were the same as my mother-in-law, Empress Dugu, everything around you cannot escape your control."

"My father didn't have the experience of marrying his daughter into an official's family like Dugu Xin did." Ruoshui joked.

Empress Xiao couldn't help laughing, knowing that Ruoshui alluded to Yang Jian's guilt because her father had served under her father-in-law.

The surrounding atmosphere suddenly relaxed, and the restraint on Xiao Hou's face almost disappeared, she said kindly: "When necessary, we still have to use some means, which woman in the harem can make people worry of."

Ruoshui nodded: "Madam Xiao should call me Ruoshui, it sounds more kind."

Empress Xiao took a deep look at Ruoshui, then said casually, "Do you have a nickname called Guanyin Maid?"

Ruoshui asked in astonishment, "How did Madam know that?"

"Then you must have never heard that Queen Dugu personally took your nickname, right?"

Ruoshui was even more shocked. Although the eldest grandson's father, Changsun Sheng, was an important minister in the court under Emperor Wen, most of them were sent to Turkic foreign posts. No matter what, he probably wouldn't attract Empress Dugu's favor.

Empress Xiao took a few steps forward, with her back to Ruoshui, her tone was indifferent but with some strange sadness: "Except for the old people in the former court who are still alive, there should be few people who would know that Empress Dugu treats you so well. Your mother, Gao Ruyan, loves you almost like a mother and daughter. Although your grandfather Gao Jingde served as the governor of Yangzhou, Gao Ruyan was raised in the palace like a princess. She even planned to have your mother Betrothed to her most beloved son Jin Wang Yang Guang." At this point, she paused, turned around and looked at Ruoshui, "If your mother is still alive, she will definitely be tricked by fate, and she avoided it by herself." In the Yong'an Palace for a lifetime, her only daughter is going to be the mother of the world here."

"It is said that Dugu is cruel and merciless, but she really hurts your mother to the bone. Gao Ruyan just showed some reluctance, so she took advantage of Aizi to calm down Nan Chen, and married your mother. After Yang Guangda returned from victory, he found that his beloved had married into a woman, and he could hardly hold on to himself. Qiu is now the King of Jin. He has worked hard and worked every step of the way, and finally ascended to the position of the Ninth Five-Year Lord, but Yang Guang has never understood that every time he takes a step, he and your mother will gradually drift away, and there will be no possibility in this life. " At the end, there was deep sadness in her eyes, "He really didn't understand until his death that Gao Ruyan would rather marry Changsun Sheng who is more than [-] years older than him The reason for this is precisely to avoid this high palace wall."

Hearing the almost appalling secrets of the past, Ruoshui deeply felt a kind of helplessness and despair that she could empathize with, and she said in a desolate tone: "I rarely see my mother laughing heartily. After my father died, even more Not even a smile."

"You were born in the first year of Yuanshou in the previous dynasty. Empress Dugu had been sick for a long time at that time, but she still married you a nickname, and she still used her own name 'Galuo', which came from Buddhist scriptures. The next year, She passed away." Empress Xiao smiled lightly, "That's why I say you are really destined to be a queen."

Ruoshui had recovered from the shock at this time, shook his head gently and said, "The youngest daughter of the eldest grandson's family, the cousin of the Gao family, the daughter-in-law of the Li family, the princess of Qin, the concubine of the crown prince, and the current queen are all attached by others. Give me a title. Ma'am, to me, I am just Ruoshui, nothing more."

Empress Xiao looked at those clear and indifferent eyes, and sighed softly: "Your pride is deeply engraved in your blood, I was too worried." Involuntarily, she used the honorific title.

Evening breeze is blowing, no matter how many masters have been changed, the majestic palace still silently watches the scenes of the world, life and death.

(End of this chapter)