History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Hanchun Gate was not close to Baichi Tower. Yuan Hui waited for his subordinates to report back, so he continued to send people over. It was only half an hour later that he realized something was wrong.

None of the people sent to gather information have returned!
Oh no! Could it be that the rumors of Zhao Zhi's unparalleled martial arts skills were just boasting? Could it be that the foolish woman was killed by the rebels and that Han Chun Gate has already been breached?

The winter wind grew colder and colder, and Yuan Hui and Lu Chang were already frozen to the bone. Sniffling, they roared in fury, "You lot, go and find out more information! Now get going!"

The Tiger Warriors he assigned this time were scouts from the watchtower's personnel. They refused, saying, "We cannot obey our superiors. There are rules in the Hundred-Foot Tower that each floor must have at least eight Tiger Warriors on each floor."

"Achoo!" Lu Chang sneezed, and his pores opened up instantly, making him feel even colder!

He suggested, "Minister Yuan, how about... you or I go down?"

Yuan Hui immediately reprimanded, "Are you confused? Zhao Zhi ordered us to guard the Hundred-Foot Tower. Either of us leaving would be a violation of military orders!"

He pulled Lu Chang aside and threatened him in a cold voice: "I know you want to leave here, but let me warn you, if Zhao Zhi loses, that's fine, you can make up any reason to leave Baichi Tower, but if she wipes out the rebel army attacking Jinyong City, then you're just asking for death!"

Lu Chang shivered from the cold and pleaded, "Then I'll stay here while you go and find out what's going on? It's still a long night, and there's nowhere to shelter from the wind. If we keep waiting like this, we'll freeze to death before Zhao Zhi even returns!"

Suddenly, a cool sensation landed on their faces and hands. They looked up, tears welling up in their eyes—it was snowing!
Because Lu Chang was in white robes, whatever decisions they made, Yuan Hui would have to bear the responsibility. Seeing the snow falling, Yuan Hui could only instruct Lu Chang to be alert and scout the surroundings. He quickly descended the watchtower, filled with anger and resentment, only to find not a single horse in sight!
When he arrived at Hanchun Gate and found out what had happened, he was so angry he almost vomited blood. That damned Zhao Zhi had already wiped out the rebels and returned to the palace.

Yuan Hui looked back at the Hundred-Foot Tower. No, if he went back to inform Lu Chang, it would take a lot of time, and then all the credit would be divided up by Zhao Zhi and her confidants.

Yuan Hui rushed back to the palace, but poor Lu Chang waited for him for half the night. He pretended to faint before the soldiers carried him down from the hundred-foot tower.

The conversation is divided into two parts.

Grand Commandant Yuan Xi was captured alive by Li Chong at the Chengming City Gate, and along with his advisors and guards such as Yin Longhu and Liu Xiaogou, they were all taken to the Hualin Pavilion in the North Palace Garden.

Yuan Xi, disheveled and utterly wretched, was forced to kneel before Emperor Yuan Ke by Zhao Zhi, who twisted his arm behind his back.

Those who succeed are the leaders, and those who fail are the followers. Yuan Xi resigned himself to his fate and bowed his head, pleading, "Your Majesty, I was forced to rebel by Yin Longhu. I misjudged people and was used by the traitor. Your Majesty, I am willing to relinquish my military power and become a commoner. I only ask that my family's lives be spared."

Yuan Ke sighed: "Second Uncle, are you still not telling the truth? You were forced to rebel by Yin Longhu, but who forced your eldest son, Yuan Tong, to flee to Hanoi County?"

Yuan Xi looked even more frightened, hesitating whether to admit it or deny it to the bitter end.

The guard Yu Deng said disdainfully, "Yuanxi, you think that recommending Lu Xiu as the governor of Hanoi is a prudent move, but His Majesty is wise and has long since discovered your treacherous intentions. That's why he turned the tables on you and saw how many henchmen you have hidden in various prefectures and counties!"

The trial that followed was much easier. The next morning, the emperor summoned his officials to the East Hall of the Taiji Hall for the first time to hear their opinions and issue edicts.

Sikong Yuanxiang was filled with anxiety day and night, and his mother, Consort Gao, was even more fearful, afraid that her son would be the next prince to be suspected by the emperor. Even in the dead of winter, Consort Gao would lead her servants to distribute porridge at various city gates, praying for good fortune and blessings for her family.

In mid-December, the governor of Hanoi sent the heads of Nguyen Thong and his wife to the capital by express courier. However, this did not negate the fact that he was also an accomplice of Nguyen Hei, and the imperial edict ordering him to be brought to the capital for interrogation arrived in Hanoi as he delivered Nguyen Thong's head. With Nguyen Hei's downfall, his fiefdom and family fortune were distributed as rewards to officials who had rendered meritorious service.

Li Chong and Zhao Zhi deserve the most credit; let's focus on Zhao Zhi, without mentioning anyone else.

The emperor granted Zhao Zhi the official title of "Sanqi Changshi" (散骑常侍), a third-rank official. Since high-ranking officials and ministers must have a noble title to hold such a position, Zhao Zhi was also granted the title of Earl of Baishui County, with the number of households receiving his stipend being one-quarter of the total number of households in the county. At the same time, Zhao Zhi was also granted the title of General Zhen Dong (镇东将军), a second-rank official.

As the tide rises, so does every boat. Before the new year, Wei Yao was transferred to the Secretariat and appointed as a "Secretary of the Secretariat" and concurrently as a Secretary of the Secretariat, where he was responsible for reading memorials to the emperor in the East Hall.

Yuan Mao was transferred to the Censorate and appointed as the "Clerk of Law and Justice," responsible for impeaching officials.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, the Emperor had already decided to assume personal rule on the first day of the new year. Drafts of edicts from the Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel piled up on several desks, and Wei Yao's lips were burning from reading them. She couldn't rest even at night, as she needed to carefully review the memorials and edicts she would read the next day. She was assigned to a small room in a corner of the Taiji Hall, where she was not allowed to see Yuan Mao, let alone send letters or messages.

At midnight, the bells of the inner palace temple and Yaoguang Temple rang. Wei Yao got up and moved around, swinging her arms as she walked slightly in her office. There were two other palace maids serving her with writing brushes and ink in the office. These two young palace maids were Xie Yi and Pei Shen, palace students selected from the Xi official's office.

After the bell rang, the three washed their faces with cold water to shake off their drowsiness and then continued to bury themselves in their documents. The memorials that Wei Yao was currently reading were all suggestions on how to punish Yuan Xi's cronies.

How will His Majesty deal with Yuan Xi? When will he deal with him? Wei Yao guessed it should be in the next day or two, because His Majesty will definitely grant a general amnesty after assuming personal rule. Yuan Xi has wolfish ambitions and must not be pardoned.

East Hall.

The emperor was reviewing memorials by candlelight, and wrinkles appeared between his brows.

Footsteps sounded, and Zhao Zhi, dressed in the chill of the night, entered the palace and reported, "Yuanxi knew his sins were grave, and just now he ate a few dates in Hualin Garden before committing suicide."

The emperor's hand, holding the pen, paused, his eyes reddening. After a few moments, he instructed Zhao Zhi: "Tell Prince Pengcheng in private to take good care of Yuanxi's children, especially the women. Although they have been stripped of their imperial lineage, they should still have what commoners are entitled to."

"Your Majesty understands. I will go to Yuanxi's residence immediately to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the chaos and undermining Your Majesty's magnanimity."

Yuanxi's family members were all imprisoned in the mansion in the west of the city. Zhao Zhi arrived just in time. The maids in the mansion were being dragged into the shadows by the soldiers. The maids' mouths were gagged with cloth, and their miserable cries could not be heard far.

When the master of the house is guilty, it is always the women who suffer the most!

Zhao Zhi kicked one of the assailants to the ground, swung her knife and chopped off his arm at the shoulder, shouting, "I don't care whose subordinates you are! Those who stole money from this manor, return to your original positions before dawn! Those who stole people, send them back to their original rooms before dawn! At daybreak, I will count the number of people. For every servant missing, I will cut you down to make up the number. If any of the guilty servants are crippled or injured, don't blame me for breaking your hands and feet!"

In the shadows, some military officers hid, fearing Zhao Zhi would see them; others cursed, resenting Zhao Zhi for meddling. "Yuan Xi has fallen. His Majesty will never rely on her as before. Just wait, once she falls out of favor, we'll show her what true misery is!"

Zhao Zhi brought over a stool and sat in the courtyard waiting for dawn, completely unconcerned about the curses of those rats. (End of Chapter)