Jinting Han people

On the day of Xinmao in the fifth month of the second year of Yongkang, inside Jinyong City.

Since May, Luoyang has experienced intermittent light and heavy rains; just a few days ago, the sky was clear and blue, and now it's drizzling again. The trees in the courtyard are growing ever more lush, their weight pressing down on the eaves. A bright young woman gazes at the raindrops dripping from the eaves, then hears footsteps outside the window. She turns to the middle-aged man beside her and says, "Do you understand my pain?"

Her eyes were as bright as stars, and her tone of voice was full of life; one could tell at a glance that she was a young woman with a strong yearning for life. Yet her words were so abrupt, as if she harbored great dissatisfaction with life.

This was truly a strange sight. After all, judging from the young woman's attire, she had fair skin with a rosy complexion, her cascading black hair styled into a graceful and elegant serpentine bun, and she wore a crimson gauze dress that hugged her waist, exuding a youthful and beautiful charm. Although not extremely luxurious, it was still the kind of clothing that only wealthy families could afford.

The person speaking to the young girl was a middle-aged man. He was rather stout, probably in his forties, and wore a loose, solemn black robe. His sideburns were meticulously groomed, yet they looked rather incongruous. This was probably because, compared to the girl, the middle-aged man's eyes were not only immature but also appeared bewildered, and he often revealed a childlike innocence, as if he had never been bullied.

The same was true at this moment. He seemed not to understand the girl's words and asked in return, "Acha, are you hungry?"

The girl was furious upon hearing this, but when she saw the man's innocent eyes, she was instantly defeated. She wanted to say something harsh to vent her dissatisfaction, but at this moment, she only sighed and slowly said, "I'm not hungry, I'm just emotionally exhausted."

"Tired? I don't know, I've always been clumsy..." The man looked confused, unsure of what to say. He realized he might have made a mistake, so he lowered his head and counted on his fingers.

Who could have imagined that this man, who could barely speak clearly, was actually the Emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty? And the young woman before him, who seemed so mismatched with him, was none other than his wife, Empress Yang Xianrong of the Great Jin Dynasty.

However, within the current Jinyong City, they are the deposed emperor and empress.

Looking at her husband, who couldn't even get into an argument, Yang Xianrong felt a sudden wave of helplessness. She couldn't help but ask herself, what happened? What had she done wrong to deserve this?

To the average person, marrying the emperor might be an unparalleled honor. But for a beautiful seventeen-year-old girl, marrying an old man who could barely take care of himself was undoubtedly a disaster.

Yang Xianrong, whose given name was Acha, came from the Yang clan of Taishan. Although when people talk about the famous families of the capital region, they will invariably mention the eight great families to which the Eight Founding Dukes belonged, there was another family that was equal in political status to the Eight Founding Dukes: the Yang clan of Taishan.

During the Xianning era, Emperor Wu of Jin organized a ceremony to recognize the merits of the founding heroes. The original plan was to bestow dukedoms upon nine individuals. The reason only eight were awarded the title is because one of them, of high moral character, declined the dukedom without seeking reward. This man was Yang Hu, the renowned general who had once rivaled Lu Kang and later orchestrated the strategy to destroy the state of Wu.

Because of Yang Hu's name, the Yang family, though not officially ducal, enjoyed a similar status. Furthermore, Yang Hu was known for his indifference to fame and fortune, his love of making friends, and his excellent reputation; he had connections throughout the court. This allowed the Yang family to maintain their neutrality throughout various political upheavals, adhering to Yang Hu's established strategy. Regardless of who gained or lost power, no one bothered the Yang family.

By now, three of the eight noble clans—the Jia, Pei, and Shi families—have lost power, but the Yang family remains completely unaffected, which speaks volumes.

In the sixteen years of her life prior to this, Xianrong had always been Yang's most beloved treasure.

This stems from a prophecy.

From the moment of her birth, Xianrong possessed bright eyes and a pure smile, making her exceptionally lovable. Her father and grandfather obtained a jade pendant for her, inscribed with the eight characters "Immortal Blessings and Dispelling Illness, Glory and Everlasting Prosperity," which had been personally blessed by the Celestial Master Zhang Zhaocheng. Moreover, Celestial Master Zhang had also calculated Yang Xianrong's birth chart and examined her face, solemnly telling Yang Xuanzhi, "Your daughter has the countenance of great nobility; her future husband will surely be the emperor!"

These words immediately caused a great uproar in the family. Although the Yang family was a top clan in the country, being able to form a marriage alliance with the imperial family was still an extremely honorable thing.

Therefore, all the elders in the clan cherished little Xianrong. Whatever Xianrong wanted, whether it flew in the air, swam in the water, or ran on the ground, as long as it wasn't like trying to catch the moon's reflection in the water, the family would do everything in their power to find it for her.

Once, when Xianrong was about five years old, she visited Zhang Hua's residence with her family. She heard Zhang Hua, then serving as the Grand Secretary, playing the zither. The music was melodious and beautiful, like flowing water, and Xianrong couldn't forget it. She told her family she wanted to hear it again, and her grandfather, Yang Jin, actually visited Zhang Hua and asked the Grand Secretary to come and play the piece for her again.

However, given the Yang family's upbringing, they were naturally not as utilitarian as the Jia family of Pingyang. Yang Jin did not unconditionally indulge her granddaughter; while ensuring her a happy childhood, she also placed great emphasis on her education.

Even things that are destined for you may not stay with you forever, and people without wisdom are prone to losing what they have gained.

Yang Jin firmly believed in Zhang Tianshi's prophecy, but precisely because of this, he knew how difficult it was to secure the position of Empress. Gaining the emperor's love was like trying to grasp clouds from the water. During the Former Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of Han adored Chen Ajiao, but in the blink of an eye, didn't he banish her to the cold palace and instead favor Wei Zifu, who came from a poor family?
Therefore, he arranged for renowned teachers to instruct his daughter early on, surpassing the standards set by his many brothers who had presented themselves to the emperor. Among them was even Wei Cunhua, the daughter of Situ Wei Shu, who was one of the four high priests of the Celestial Masters sect.

Wei Cunhua instructed Xiao Xianrong, saying, "Life is like a flower on a branch, its flourishing and decline are unpredictable and ever-changing. Ah Cha, you are destined for wealth and honor, but you must take it lightly, otherwise you will be burdened by it."

Xiao Xianrong, of course, did not understand this kind of wisdom gained from experiencing life's many trials. Her childhood was filled with everything, and she was loved by everyone. This happiness seemed to last forever, so what did it have to do with the impermanence of fortune? But her teacher's tranquility and composure left a deep impression on her, and she subconsciously tried to imitate it.

However, it must be said that Yang Jin's education was successful. When Xianrong turned fifteen and reached marriageable age, she not only blossomed into a graceful and beautiful young woman, but most importantly, she was intelligent and insightful, possessing knowledge that was difficult for most scholars to match, and also had a positive and cheerful heart.

This is not hard to understand, after all, Xianrong knew about the prophecy when she was young. Although Wei Cunhua often taught her, making her understand the principles of contentment, she naturally believed that fate would be just as generous to her in the future, since fate had been so generous to her.

She had read the *Book of Han* and the *Book of the Later Han*, and knew the stories of Emperor Xuan of Han's deep affection for his old sword and Emperor Guangwu's infatuation with Yin Lihua. Therefore, she also longed to know if, since she was to marry the future emperor, she too could find the same perfect love.

Xianrong initially thought she was going to marry Crown Prince Sima Yu, so she secretly sent people to inquire about Sima Yu's appearance and character. At that time, Sima Yu had just changed his name, and those who returned said that His Highness the Crown Prince had a masculine appearance and was kind to his family, so he was a good match.

Although it was a pity she wasn't the Crown Prince's first wife, Xianrong felt it was fine this way. She subtly hinted to her parents that she hoped to be married into the Eastern Palace as soon as possible. However, for some reason, her parents remained unmoved, behaving as usual. Xianrong didn't understand at first, but not long after, news spread that the Crown Prince had been deposed. The young woman then realized that a dramatic upheaval had occurred in Luoyang. For a woman, the most important thing in life was choosing a husband. Now that the Crown Prince, whom she had cared about, had lost power, what would become of her? Xianrong was somewhat lost, but remembering the prophecy, she remained generally optimistic about the future.

Four or five months later, she heard that her maternal grandfather, Sun Qi, was on good terms with the King of Zhao, and that the family seemed to be preparing to take a son as a concubine, with rumors circulating that she would be married off. The clever Xianrong thought: Could it be that she is to be married off to the King of Zhao's prince? Although the conditions are not as good as Sima Yu's, it is still acceptable.

The day arrived quickly. Madam Sun showed a look of pity that Xianrong had never seen before, and frowned as she said to Xianrong, "Acha, you're getting married!"

Xianrong was ready. She sat obediently in front of her mother, waiting silently for her mother's announcement and to face the fate she had long awaited.

Then, Xianrong heard something completely unexpected: "Acha, your grandfather and maternal grandfather have discussed it and decided to marry you to the current emperor. Starting next month, you will be the empress!"

Fate takes unexpected turns. In the past sixteen years of her life, Yang Xianrong never imagined that one day she would marry the mentally challenged Emperor Sima Zhong, who was over forty years old, and become the Empress of the Great Jin Dynasty.

Before her marriage, she heard her mother say, "What a pity, such a lovely child, actually married to the emperor."

The father said, "This is her fate; she can't escape it."

Who could have imagined? The prophecy came true, but in such a twisted and ridiculous way. Only then did Xianrong begin to understand her teacher's teachings. The gifts that fate bestows upon us are actually a cruel trick, always secretly taking away a price that we cannot accept.

On her wedding day, although everyone wore solemn expressions and dignified faces, the incongruous and superfluous attire made the scene comical. On this day, Xianrong wore a long, flowing crimson-green silk dress, a purple-gold veil, pale pink makeup, and peach-blossom eyebrows—she was breathtakingly beautiful. Yet, the more beautiful she was, the more tragic she appeared.

On their wedding night, Sima Zhong, exhausted from a long day of activity, didn't even touch Xian Rong before falling into a deep sleep on the couch. Xian Rong, however, didn't sleep a wink. She lit candles, illuminating the empty Taiji Hall, and before a few neatly trimmed azaleas, she finally shed her tears.

But once fate begins to play tricks, it won't end anytime soon.

Just a few months later, Xianrong was no longer the empress, but the deposed empress, and was placed under house arrest in Jinyong City along with her old husband.

Xianrong couldn't accept this cruel joke and cruel twist of fate, nor could anyone. But what could she do? Her parents had abandoned her as the price for the family's prosperity, her friends were all gone, and her elders had vanished. She had lost not only all her former affection but also the ability to even argue with her husband. No matter how much resentment Xianrong harbored towards fate, she couldn't vent it. She could only stare blankly at the palace walls of Jinyong City.

As a palace for house arrest, Jinyong City was not small, resembling some county towns. However, it was ultimately a prison for the imperial family, and its towering five-zhang-high walls gave it a strong sense of confinement. Not far to the east of the city stood the Hundred-Foot Tower, built during the Cao Wei period, which offered a commanding view of the entire Jinyong City. Every move made by anyone within the city could not escape the eyes of the Hundred-Foot Tower.

As a woman, Xianrong was particularly sensitive to such gazes. From childhood to adulthood, she had never been looked at with such frivolous eyes. She could only be forced to learn to endure it, put down her books, wash her hands, prepare soup, wash clothes, and do her makeup.

Time passed quietly, but her inner pride remained unchanged. After Xianrong became proficient in many aspects of life, she simply stopped going out and no longer asked for help from others. She closed the door herself, only having someone deliver some vegetables and millet to her every two weeks, living a life of seclusion to avoid the cold stares and ridicule of the soldiers.

"I will not admit defeat." Xianrong thought to herself, and she said the same thing to her husband: "From now on, even if no one likes me, I will still live happily."

That's what she said, but it was more like a simple attempt to cheer herself up, because the news was blocked by the garrison soldiers, and she was completely unaware of the changes in the outside world. Xianrong was confused about the future; she only had the simple fantasies of a young girl, fantasizing that this was just a trial, and that as long as she persevered, one day, the flowers would bloom and the moon would shine, all the suffering would pass, and then she would meet her destined hero, who would suddenly appear before her like a rainbow and save her from the sea of ​​suffering.

With such unrealistic fantasies, Xianrong successfully survived in Jinyong City for half a year. She seemed to have completely forgotten the past and the passage of time. But she still complained from time to time like a little girl, and Sima Zhong, who lived with her, could only respond with meekness.

During this time, there seemed to be a slight disturbance outside the courtyard, which made Yang Xianrong somewhat nervous, but the disturbance quickly subsided. Someone knocked on her door and said, "Your Highness, Your Majesty, Prince Zhao has abdicated. Please come out quickly!"

Yang Xianrong didn't believe it at all. She suspected that Sun Xiu was trying to lure her into opening the door so that he could use the charge of treason to kill the couple. So she replied directly, "We're fine here. We're not going out!"

The person outside the door was somewhat helpless. He repeated the words twice, and seeing that Xianrong did not believe him, he said, "Then Your Highness and His Majesty should wait a little longer. In a couple of days, the Prince of Chengdu and the Prince of Changshan will send people to invite you again."

Seeing the man outside speaking with such conviction, Xianrong couldn't help but feel skeptical. She returned to her room, looked at herself in the bronze mirror, loosened her hair, and gently combed it with a bamboo comb, wondering: Could it be that my ordeal is about to end? Has the trial passed?
When the time finally came for her to gain freedom, Xianrong broke free from her own illusion and returned to reality. Looking at her husband playing with the yellow dog beside her, she felt somewhat lost.

Two days later, at dawn, the sound of footsteps like a tide came from outside the courtyard, and then stopped outside the courtyard. Flags could be seen fluttering outside the courtyard. A palace maid said outside the courtyard: "Your Majesty, Your Highness, the two princes are outside the city. They have sent people to invite you two to the palace."

"Who will be sent?"

"The one who has arrived is Liu Xian, the former Commander of the Western Army, General Who Pacifies Bandits, Prefect of Changshan, and Heir Apparent of the Duke of Anle. He is a great hero who helped the emperor!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian addressed the people inside the courtyard, saying, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, we have prepared the imperial carriage, and all civil and military officials are waiting in front of the Duanmen Gate."

As soon as he finished speaking, the courtyard gate creaked open. Liu Xian raised his head and met the bright eyes of the young empress. He quickly knelt on one knee and bowed, saying softly, "Your Majesty and Your Highness have suffered because I am late in coming to your rescue."

Xianrong gazed at that rugged and handsome face, and for some reason, her heart suddenly fluttered. (End of Chapter)