Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 455 Ah Lang, Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!

On the way back to the princess's residence, Changsun Quan sat in the carriage and said to Changsun Wuji, "Brother, I think Lu Dongzan is not long for this world. It would be better to let him go back, so that he doesn't die in Chang'an."

Changsun Wuji glanced at him: "You really think he's about to die?"

Changsun Quan asked in surprise, "Isn't that right?"

Changsun Wuji said calmly, "If he was really going to die of illness, why didn't he get sick earlier or later, but instead waited until we came to see him?"

Changsun Quan's expression changed. "Could he be faking illness? That's impossible. Didn't that doctor also say he was suffering from acclimatization issues?"

Changsun Wuji slowly said, "Lu Dongzan is a learned and talented man who is well-versed in pharmacology. He has many ways to make himself show symptoms of acclimatization problems."

"But how could he possibly know when we would come to see him?"

Changsun Wuji's expression was solemn as he said, "This shows that he has deduced the change in the court's strategy from the limited intelligence available. He also guessed that I would go to him to ask for his opinion, so he took medicine in advance to make himself appear weak, so that I could persuade His Majesty to let him leave."

Changsun Quan felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.

He couldn't detect any flaws in Lu Dongzan's expression just now; the man's deep cunning was chilling.

Changsun Wuji said, "Do you remember when Qinling came to Chang'an at the end of last year?"

"remember."

Changsun Wuji said, "At that time, he presented a plan to deal with the Arabs. Although His Majesty did not agree, he allowed him to meet with Gar Tongtsen."

"You mean, Lu Dongzan devised this plan to feign illness after meeting with Qinling?"

Changsun Wuji nodded and said, "That's the only explanation. It's clear that Qinling must want to do something detrimental to the Tang Dynasty, which is why he wanted to get Lu Dongzan out of Chang'an as soon as possible so that he wouldn't have any worries about the future."

Changsun Quan took a deep breath, realizing that something big was about to happen in the Kunlun, Tibet, and India regions.

"Brother, now that you've seen through Lu Dongzan's feigned illness, Qinling shouldn't make any moves, right?"

Changsun Wuji shook his head: "Given the nature of this father and son, Qinling will take action regardless of whether Lu Dongzan can escape or not!"

"Should I submit a memorial to His Majesty?" Changsun Quan was startled.

Changsun Wuji waved his hand and said, "No rush. Under the current circumstances, many things are still unclear. Let's wait and see. We can't provide His Majesty with inaccurate information and cause him unnecessary trouble."

Changsun Quan nodded in agreement.

After returning to the princess's residence, Changsun Wuji teased Changsun Liang for a while, then had dinner at the princess's residence before returning home.

As soon as he entered the mansion, he saw the steward standing behind the door, his face a deep purplish-red.

"Changsun Fu, what's wrong?" Changsun Wuji asked, frowning.

The steward's eldest grandson Fu said with a wry smile, "My lord, Her Majesty the Empress has arrived and is waiting for you in the study."

Changsun Wuji's heart skipped a beat.

Last time, he helped Empress Wu come up with a plan that saved the life of Xu Jingzong's grandson, and the two barely managed to reach a reconciliation.

He knew Empress Wu's personality well. Although she had a vengeful side, she was principled and would never easily change her mind once she said something.

In recent days, he has not only not offended Empress Wu, but has also tried to curry favor with her through Wu Minzhi, so he does not think she will come looking for trouble.

With this thought in mind, he made up his mind, strode forward, and quickly arrived at the study.

Upon entering the room, he saw Empress Wu admiring his calligraphy at the table. Judging from her expression, she was indeed not there to interrogate him.

Changsun Wuji stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "This humble subject, Changsun Wuji, greets Your Majesty the Empress."

Wu Meiniang also bowed slightly in return, saying, "No need for such formalities, Imperial Brother-in-law." She then walked away from the main seat and sat down in a chair.

Changsun Wuji ordered tea to be served, but instead of taking a seat in the main seat, he ordered a chair to be brought to sit with Wu Meiniang.

After finishing her tea, Wu Meiniang glanced at Changsun Wuji and smiled, "It's been a year since we last met, and the Imperial Uncle's complexion is getting better and better."

"Thanks to the blessings of His Majesty and His Highness," Changsun Wuji said, bowing.

Wu Meiniang slowly said, "A few days ago, Minzhi mentioned something to me, saying that although there are many virtuous and talented people arranged by His Majesty around the Crown Prince, there are also quite a few treacherous people who are two-faced. This made me quite alarmed."

The so-called two-faced villains actually refer to the people planted by Wei Hongji, Yuwen Qiao, Zhou Daowu, and others around Li Hong.

They were all officials from aristocratic families.

These people were very low-key and were inconspicuous officials in the Eastern Palace. They did not show their faces in front of Li Hong and were usually cautious and dutiful, rarely having any contact with Wei Hongji and others.

Therefore, even Wu Zetian did not notice their presence.

However, as the leader of the original aristocratic faction, Changsun Wuji could not hide these people from his eyes.

In recent years, the relationship between the Changsun clan and these other families has deteriorated significantly. Moreover, Xiao Siye's death was inextricably linked to Changsun Wuji, and after these people investigated the matter thoroughly, they naturally harbored deep hatred for Changsun Wuji.

Because of Changsun Quan's existence, they dared not act rashly in the open, but they secretly made many small moves.

Changsun Wuji had once challenged the emperor and empress to arm-wrestling matches, so he would naturally not tolerate the bullying of these petty villains.

He had one of his inner guards inadvertently reveal the matter to Wu Minzhi.

Wu Minzhi naturally told Wu Meiniang.

In this way, they could both weaken their power with the help of Empress Wu and curry favor with her.

Sure enough, only a few days later, Wu Meiniang took the initiative to visit him.

Changsun Wuji slowly said, "His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the country. No loyal and upright person would allow someone with ill intentions to get close to the Crown Prince."

Wu Meiniang said happily, "The Imperial Uncle is indeed a loyal and patriotic man. I happen to have a troublesome matter recently and would like to ask the Imperial Uncle for advice."

"Your Majesty, please give your orders."

Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "Although I am a woman, I have heard quite a bit about important matters of the court these past few days. I heard that the court has recently won two great victories, and both victories are inseparable from a young hero!"

Changsun Wuji asked, "Is Your Highness referring to Zhao Chiman?"

Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "It is indeed this person. I heard that he was originally living in seclusion in Liangzhou. It was the Imperial Uncle who had a discerning eye and discovered him, which is why the court has gained another talented person and Your Majesty has gained another good general."

Changsun Wuji cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness flatters me. The war between Goguryeo and Japan was actually orchestrated by His Majesty. No matter which general took charge, they would have made great contributions. Zhao Chiman was just a bit luckier."

Wu Meiniang said, "You are too modest, Imperial Uncle. I came to see you this time because I wanted to ask for your discerning eye to see if there is one or two among the useless members of our Wu clan who can help His Majesty share his burdens."

Changsun Wuji immediately hesitated.

He was well aware of the complex relationships within the Wu clan.

Although there are many members of the Wu family, there are quite a few whom Empress Wu dislikes. If they are recommended inappropriately, it may displease her.

After pondering for a long time, Changsun Wuji slowly said, "There are many outstanding young people in the Wu clan, such as Wu Minzhi and Wu Yizong. With a little training, I believe they can all become pillars of the country in the future."

Wu Meiniang gazed at him and said, "In your opinion, can these two go to the battlefield? I don't expect them to achieve great feats like Zhao Chiman. I just hope they can win one or two battles."

Changsun Wuji was immediately at a loss and remained silent for a moment.

Seeing this, Wu Meiniang knew the answer. She slowly stood up and said, "You don't need to answer me now. Just let me know if you find any promising talents in my Wu family."

After saying this, he prepared his carriage and left the Changsun residence.

After boarding the imperial carriage to return to the palace, Wu Meiniang's smile vanished, and her expression turned grim.

She was a woman with high aspirations and a strong will throughout her life. Now she was the most honored woman in the Tang Dynasty, but her family was not doing well.

Among the Wu family members, she could only barely find Wu Minzhi and Wu Yizong worthy of her attention; the others were not worth mentioning.

Wu Zetian had initially harbored a sliver of hope that perhaps one of the Wu clan members had been misjudged by her, which was why she wanted to ask others. She herself had good judgment, so naturally she should ask someone with even better judgment than herself.

There aren't many people like that. In Wu Zetian's heart, there were only two: Li Zhi and Changsun Wuji.

Li Zhi couldn't ask, otherwise people would think he was seeking official positions for the Wu family's sons, so he could only ask Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji gave the same answer as her, which shows that most of the Wu family members were indeed mediocre and could not compare to the profound heritage of the great clans.

Since only Wu Minzhi and Wu Yizong were available, Wu Meiniang wanted to send them to the battlefield to become the next Zhao Chiman.

However, judging from Changsun Wuji's expression, neither of them were fit to be generals, which made Wu Meiniang give up her hopes.

Wu Zetian was a woman of strong character. She thought that since this generation was not up to par, she would cultivate the next generation.

At that time, a private school will be opened within the Wu clan, and virtuous and learned scholars will be invited to teach there. All Wu clan members listed in the genealogy can study there for free.

If this continues for decades, I don't believe that not a single talented person will emerge from the Wu family!
Furthermore, since Wu Minzhi and Wu Yizong are currently incompetent, they should be given more training.

They are young, and with more experience, they may well be tempered into fine talents.

Upon returning to the Lizheng Hall, Wu Meiniang asked those around her, "Is Your Majesty ready to return to the palace?"

The palace maid replied that there was no.

Wu Zetian frowned slightly, thinking that Li Zhi had gone to the Qinling Mountains that morning to inspect the restoration of the vegetation there.

It's already dark, and he still hasn't returned. Could something have happened in the Qinling Mountains?
Just as she was pondering, Lady He came to her side, handed her an official letter, and said, "Your Highness, Consort Zhu has brought a request for imperial decree."

Wu Meiniang took a look and found that it was Consort Zhu's request to select several Goguryeo maids from the music academy.

When Li Ji and others returned to the capital to surrender, they brought back a large number of Goguryeo female slaves.

These women came from various backgrounds, including palace maids, nobles, and even members of the Goguryeo royal family.

As is customary, the Inner Palace Bureau would select the most outstanding women from among these women and recruit them into the Bureau.

Among these new women are many outstanding talents, such as those who are proficient in singing and dancing, or those who are skilled in playing elegant music.

When the Inner Palace Bureau has sufficient staff, the concubines in the harem can send people to the Inner Palace Bureau to select women to take into their palace as maids.

For example, Consort Zheng liked to select women who were proficient in music, Consort Xu liked to select women who were educated, and Consort Liu would also select gentle and obedient palace maids.

Only concubines above the rank of Nine Concubines could send their own people to select their consorts, while those of lower rank needed to request permission from Wu Zetian.

Wu Zetian was always generous in such matters. Not only did she grant Consort Zhu's request, but she also issued a decree allowing Consort Yang and Consort Zheng to choose four palace maids as well.

He Shanggong received the imperial decree and went to receive it.

Yu Ping said softly, "Your Highness, I heard that the Goguryeo female slaves who entered the Inner Palace this time are very similar to our Tang women. They are gentle, well-educated, and many of them can speak Tang language."

Goguryeo was a semi-agricultural dynasty, and its women were more knowledgeable about etiquette than the female slaves of the Khitan and Turks.

Wu Meiniang suddenly realized, "No wonder Consort Zheng and the others were so enthusiastic this time."

Yu Ping said, "Should I also go and select a few people? Perhaps I can find a few who know how to play chess."

Wu Meiniang thought for a moment and said, "There are already enough people in the palace. Adding more will only cause trouble. Go and select a few gentle and clever people to send to Princess Xincheng's residence."

This is a way of returning the favor to Changsun Wuji.

Yu Ping whispered, "Yes."

Since Li Zhi had not returned, Wu Meiniang did not rest. Instead, she sat on the bed, cross-legged, and practiced health preservation techniques by making a strange gesture with her hands.

After an unknown amount of time, Wu Meiniang slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look. She saw that most of the candles in the hall had burned out.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Your Highness, the second watch drum has sounded, and it is approximately three-quarters past Hai hour," a palace servant replied.

"Have the princes and princesses all gone to sleep?"

"They have all gone to bed."

Has His Majesty returned to the palace?

"There's still no news from Zhang Shaojian."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zhang Duohai rushed in from outside and said, "Your Highness, His Majesty has returned to the palace and is heading towards Ganlu Hall."

Wu Zetian quickly ordered people to prepare some hot food in case she needed it. She got off the bed and began to dress and touch up her makeup.

Before long, a palace attendant came to report that the Emperor had passed through the Lizheng Gate, and Wu Meiniang led the crowd to the outside of the palace to greet him.

Before they knew it, a firelight flickered ahead, and four eunuchs led the way with lanterns, with Li Zhi following behind.

Wu Meiniang curtsied and said, "This concubine greets Your Majesty."

"No need for formalities." Li Zhi took Wu Meiniang's hand and led her into the palace.

As soon as he sat down on the couch, Li Zhi said, "Meiniang, do you have any food here? I ate vegetarian food for dinner and I wasn't very full."

Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "I have already ordered someone to prepare it. Your Majesty, please wait a moment."

Before long, a palace maid brought in a tray with four exquisite dishes, one meat and one vegetable.

Li Zhi smiled and said, "It smells delicious." He picked up his chopsticks and bowl and began to eat heartily.

Wu Meiniang rested her chin on one hand and sat beside him watching him eat. Seeing that he was not unhappy, she knew that nothing had happened in Qinling.

"Your Majesty just mentioned that you had a vegetarian meal tonight. You didn't go to a temple, did you?"

Li Zhi said, "Although I didn't go to the temple, I did meet a master."

Wu Zetian asked in surprise, "Master?"

"Meiniang, do you know Shi Daoxuan?"

Wu Zetian's face lit up with joy: "Of course I know. He is a highly respected monk who is on par with Master Xuanzang. Has Your Majesty met him?"

Li Zhi said, "He lives in seclusion in the Zhongnan Mountains, where he built a hut. I did not want to disturb his peaceful life, but I heard from Physician Zhang that he is good friends with Physician Sun, so I became an uninvited guest."

Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "Since His Majesty has stayed for a meal, he must have had a very pleasant conversation with him."

Li Zhi exclaimed, "Although this man is a monk, he is highly learned and insightful, especially regarding the affairs of the Western Regions. I have benefited greatly from my conversations with him!"

Wu Meiniang's heart stirred. From these words, she could tell that Li Zhi's thoughts had now shifted from Liaodong to the Western Regions.

Wu Meiniang knew something about the restoration of Tokharistan, and since the Inner Guard was in charge of this matter, Wu Minzhi had the opportunity to participate.

Half an hour later, Wu Meiniang and Li Zhi went to bed and settled down to sleep. During their sleep, Wu Meiniang deliberately mentioned Wu Minzhi.

Li Zhi said, "Minzhi also made a great contribution in persuading Quan Nansheng to submit this time. Don't worry, I will not forget his contribution."

Wu Meiniang said softly, "He only gained some credit by following Cheng Wuting, Your Majesty doesn't need to reward him. On the contrary, he has improved a lot through this experience. Even my mother said that it's fortunate that we let him go."

Li Zhi understood her meaning and said, "Recently, the Inner Court and the Anxi Protectorate have been planning the restoration of the Tokharistan Kingdom. Since that's the case, let Minzhi participate in this matter as a form of training."

Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "Then I will thank Your Majesty on his behalf."

The two quickly embraced and, after a passionate and intimate moment, fell asleep.

(End of this chapter)