Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 493 Baolin and Xie Yaohuan

Princess Honghua's expression softened slightly upon seeing Murong Zhong, and she beckoned him over.

“Zhong’er, you’ve suffered these past few days.” Princess Honghua reached out and stroked his cheek.

Murong Zhong knelt at his mother's knees, glanced at Murong Zhonglie, and saw that he was pale and looked embarrassed. Just as he was about to ask, he suddenly heard his mother say coldly, "Where is Murong Fu?"

Murong Zhonglie hurriedly said, "If the princess wishes to see him, I will immediately send someone to summon him to an audience."

Princess Honghua coldly said, "Such treacherous villains only offend my eyes. Just kill them."

Murong Zhonglie hesitated.

Princess Honghua glanced at him and sneered, "What, you're still reluctant to part with it?"

Murong Zhonglie sighed and ordered a guard, "Pass on my order to execute Murong Fu immediately."

The guard accepted the order and left.

"Princess, are you satisfied now?" Murong Zhonglie said in a low voice.

Princess Honghua snorted and said, "Satisfied with what? Back then, you asked Zhong'er to persuade you not to fight the Tang army, but you locked Zhong'er up. Now that you've lost the battle, you're asking me to go to Chang'an to plead for mercy. Murong Zhonglie, tell me yourself, what kind of thing have you done?"

Upon hearing this, Murong Zhong hurriedly asked, "Mother, is it over yet?"

Princess Honghua glanced at her husband and said coldly, "Let your father tell you."

Murong Zhonglie was furious after being rebuked by his wife, but he dared not retaliate. Instead, he vented his anger on his second son, Murong Zhi.

"You idiot, what are you still kneeling for? Explain yourself to your brother!"

Murong Zhi was no longer as smug as he had been that day, and he dejectedly recounted the situation.

Just five days ago, the Tuyuhun army amassed 200,000 men and attacked the Bailan Qiang.

As expected, the Tang army came to reinforce the troops within two days, without even bringing the Dongnu Qiang and Dangxiang Qiang.

Even so, the Tuyuhun general Murong Fu did not dare to be careless. He led his army to set up battle formation at the foot of Bailan Mountain, preparing to fight a major battle with the Tang army.

Ten thousand Tang soldiers faced off against two hundred thousand Tuyuhun soldiers.

What was expected to be a fierce battle turned into chaos before the fighting even began.

It turned out that Murong Zhonglie was a military idiot, and he had also appointed Murong Fu, who had absolutely no combat experience, to lead the troops.

Murong Fu thought that the more soldiers the better to deal with a powerful enemy like the Tang Dynasty, so he gathered all the Qiang tribes he had annexed at the foot of the mountain, set up a battle formation to fight against the Tang army, hoping to win by sheer numbers.

Before this battle, he did not tell the various Qiang tribes that he was going to fight the Tang people, and he was not sure whether the Tang army would really come to their aid.

This is a fatal mistake.

Over the years, the Qiang people's fear of the Tang people has become deeply ingrained.

Even the Tuyuhun main force was terrified at the sight of the Tang army, let alone the Tuyuhun people from the various tribes who had submitted to them, who simply did not have the courage to fight the Tang army.

Therefore, upon seeing the Tang army, the Tuyuhun main force was thrown into chaos.

Han Boyu naturally wouldn't let such an opportunity pass, and with one charge, he inflicted a crushing defeat on the Tuyuhun army.

As the Tang army pursued them, Qiang people surrendered one after another, and eventually most of them surrendered to the Tang army.

The remaining Tuyuhun army scattered and fled.

This outcome finally shattered Murong Zhonglie's dream, forcing him to seek out Princess Honghua and ask her to go to Chang'an to plead for his life.

Murong Zhong was also somewhat stunned after hearing this. He knew that Tuyuhun would lose, but he did not expect to lose so easily.

Princess Honghua had vented her anger, and seeing that her son had been released and Murong Zhonglie looked utterly dejected, she finally couldn't bear it and said, "Your Majesty, I can go to Chang'an, but I cannot keep your throne."

Murong Zhonglie knew that fighting with the Tang army had changed the nature of the conflict, and he said with a wry smile, "I don't have any extravagant hopes. I just hope to save my life."

Princess Honghua said, "Then you should come with me to the capital to apologize. Zhong'er can handle things here."

Murong Zhonglie hurriedly said, "Alright, I will issue the order immediately to reinstate Zhong'er as the heir apparent."

Murong Zhong said, "Father, I do not want the title of heir. Once this matter is over, I will accompany Mother to live in Chang'an."

Seeing that Princess Honghua did not object, Murong Zhonglie sighed and said, "Very well, do as you please. Anyway, Tuyuhun can't be saved. I'll stay with you in Chang'an then."

After reaching an agreement, Murong Zhonglie and Princess Honghua headed towards Chang'an early the next morning.

Before leaving, he instructed Murong Zhong that if the Tang army reached Tuyuhun, they should surrender directly without resistance.

The route from Tuyuhun to Chang'an takes the Hexi Corridor, which is much shorter than the Shu Road from Songzhou to Chang'an, and avoids detours.

The couple traveled day and night at breakneck speed, arriving in Chang'an in early April in just five days.

At this time, news of the victory in the Battle of Songzhou had not yet reached Chang'an, and the Eastern Queen had only been in the capital for less than a month.

In mid-March, Li Bin met with Empress Wu and told her about the situation of the Eastern Maiden.

After Wu Meiniang inquired carefully and confirmed that Dongnu Prefecture could not afford the high taxes, she agreed to mention the matter to the emperor and asked Li Bin to wait for news.

This wait lasted for more than half a month.

This was because negotiations between the Tang Dynasty and the Abbasid Caliphate were still ongoing.

This matter was far more important than the Qiang people's affairs, and Li Zhi's mind was entirely focused on it.

Upon seeing this, Wu Meiniang did not mention the Qiang people to Li Zhi.

After Princess Honghua arrived in the capital, she still sought help from Madam Yang, hoping to plead with Wu Zetian on her behalf.

Lady Yang then sent Wu Ruyi into the palace to tell Wu Meiniang about the situation.

Upon hearing that it was about the Qiang people again, Wu Meiniang decided to resolve the matter at once and immediately left the palace to meet with Princess Honghua.

Meanwhile, inside the Taiji Palace, news also came from the Honglu Temple that the negotiations with the Arabs were almost finalized.

In fact, in early March, Mu'awiyah sent a message to Ibn, saying that he could agree to the conditions of the Tang Dynasty to divide Tokharistan in two.

For the Abbasid Caliphate, all they need is a buffer zone with the Tang Dynasty, and it doesn't matter if that zone is small.

However, regarding how to divide Tokharistan, the envoys of both countries fought tooth and nail for every inch of land for their own interests, resulting in six rounds of negotiations that were still fraught with heated debate.

The main reason for the controversy is the unique geographical location of Ahuan City.

Ahuan City is located in the heart of Tuyuhun. If it were divided in half according to the Arabs' demands, Ahuan City would become a border city.

If the Western Tuyuhun were to launch a surprise attack on the Eastern Tuyuhun in the future, they could very well seize the capital in one fell swoop, which is naturally unacceptable.

However, according to the Tang Dynasty's division method, the Eastern Tuyuhun would occupy two-thirds and the Western Tuyuhun would occupy one-third, but the Arabs disagreed.

This is so unfair.

Finally, after the last round of negotiations, the division ratio between the Eastern and Western Tuyuhun was set at 6:4, with the Tang Dynasty taking a larger share.

Most of the Tang Dynasty's territory was in the north, posing no threat to the Abbasid Caliphate. Other areas were divided along a central axis, with Ahuan City still located on the border.

This was already the biggest concession the Abbasid Caliphate had made, and the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial had done their best, so Emperor Li Zhi did not press the matter further.

Last night, he issued an imperial edict to Shangguan Yi, ordering him to represent the Tang Dynasty in signing a ceasefire agreement with Ibn.

As for the problem of Ahuan City, the only solution was for Sissis to move the capital eastward.

This morning, after the agreement between the two countries was signed, Shangguan Yi entered the palace to report the matter to Li Zhi.

This also signifies the end of the war between the Tang Dynasty and the Arabs.

Li Zhi immediately issued another decree, summoning Xue Rengui and Pei Xingjian's army back to Anxi.

After this decree was issued, Li Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Over the past decade, he had successively resolved the three biggest problems: Tibet, Goguryeo, and the Abbasid Caliphate. Within a century, the Tang Dynasty would no longer face any hidden dangers.

He can finally relax a bit and enjoy a few more years of imperial bliss.

Thinking of this, Li Zhi stretched and yawned, then stepped out of Ganlu Palace and strolled through the Imperial Garden in the inner palace, feeling an indescribable sense of ease.

Recipe, Shining.

It was mid-spring, and in the imperial gardens, peonies, herbaceous peonies, wisteria, peach blossoms, and other precious flowers vied for attention, displaying their exquisite beauty.
As Li Zhi was walking through a peach orchard, he suddenly saw several beautiful palace maids carrying bamboo baskets, picking flowers. Their jade pendants jingled, and they laughed and chatted, just like the Seven Fairy Maidens picking peaches.

Li Zhi stepped forward and asked, "Why did you pick these beautiful peach blossoms?"

When the girls saw him, they were all startled and quickly came over to greet him.

A palace maid in a pink palace dress whispered, "Your Majesty, we are here on the orders of Consort He to pick peach leaves for Her Majesty the Empress to use for her bath tonight."

Seeing that she was tall and slender with a gentle, melodious voice, Li Zhi asked her to raise her head.

The palace maid slowly raised her head, revealing eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn waves, and a face flushed with shyness, making her beautiful and charming.

Li Zhi secretly praised her and asked with a smile, "Are you a palace servant from the Lizheng Hall? How come I've never seen you before?"

The palace maid clasped her hands together and said shyly, "I was originally a palace maid on duty in Luoyang Palace. This year, I was transferred from Luoyang Palace to Chang'an by Consort He to serve in the West Hall of Lizheng Hall."

Seeing her charming demeanor, Li Zhi felt a surge of desire. He stretched out two fingers, lifted her chin, and saw her gazing at him with eyes as clear as spring water. He stepped forward and kissed her, while his other hand grasped her slender waist.

Wang Fusheng rarely saw Li Zhi favoring palace women. Seeing this scene, he dared not be negligent. He ordered people to spread a red carpet on the ground and draw curtains around the area before stepping forward to remind Li Zhi.

Seeing that the bed curtains were already laid out, Li Zhi carried the palace maid into the curtained area, and the two rolled around together on the red carpet.

Wang Fusheng ordered everyone else to retreat, while he stood aside to keep watch.

More than an hour later, Li Zhi finally emerged from the tent.

Wang Fusheng hurriedly stepped forward to help him dress, and then tentatively asked Li Zhi what rank the palace servant should be given.

A woman who was favored by the emperor for the first time could usually be granted three ranks of concubine, from lowest to highest: Cai Nu, Yunu, and Baolin.

Of course, if the emperor is particularly pleased, she may be specially granted the title of "Talented Lady" or "Beauty Lady".

Li Zhi glanced at the palace maid who was dressing herself inside the tent and asked, "What's your name?"

The palace maid whispered, "This servant is Xie Yaohuan."

Li Zhi paused for a moment, vaguely feeling that the name was somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember it for a while, so he said, "Then let's make Feng Baolin."

Xie Yaohuan said happily, "This servant thanks Your Majesty."

After Li Zhi finished dressing, he took Xie Yaohuan's hand and headed towards the Lizheng Hall.

Xie Yaohuan was a palace maid serving Wu Zetian. Emperor Gaozong favored her, and normally Wu Zetian wouldn't have any objections, but it would still be good to give her a heads-up.

Xie Yaohuan was still immersed in the joy of rising to prominence, as if floating on clouds, until she passed through the Lizheng Gate and suddenly remembered something.

"Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress has left the palace today and is not in the palace," she said hurriedly.

Li Zhi asked, "Where did she go?"

Xie Yaohuan said, "Your Highness has gone to the Martial Academy."

Li Zhi nodded and asked, "Have you said when you will return?"

"This concubine does not know, but Your Majesty may ask Consort He." Xie Yaohuan had already subtly changed her self-reference.

Li Zhi did not ask He Shanggong, because as soon as he entered the Lizheng Hall's sleeping quarters, Princess Taiping ran in from the side hall and threw herself into Li Zhi's arms.

Li Zhi then asked his daughter directly.

From Princess Taiping, Li Zhi learned that Wu Meiniang had left instructions to return before dinner, so he played chess with Princess Taiping in the palace.

Before Wu Meiniang returned, an urgent report came from the Ministry of War, a victory report sent by Han Boyu.

After reading it, Li Zhi smiled slightly and instructed Wang Fusheng, "Have the Ministry of War draft an edict to commend Han Boyu."

Wang Fusheng acknowledged and left the main hall.

After the game of chess was finished, Wu Zetian finally returned.

Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi) asked Princess Taiping to go out and play for a while before telling Wu Meiniang about his affair with Xie Yaohuan.

After listening, Wu Meiniang glanced at Xie Yaohuan and said, "You are very lucky. You are the first palace maid to be favored by His Majesty in recent years."

Xie Yaohuan knelt on the ground and said softly, "If Her Majesty the Empress had not sent someone to transfer me to Chang'an, I would not have had the opportunity to serve Your Majesty."

Seeing that she had responded appropriately, Wu Meiniang nodded and said, "Rise." She then asked Li Zhi, "What rank does Your Majesty intend to bestow upon her?"

Li Zhi asked, "How is Baolin?"

Wu Meiniang said, "That's in accordance with the rules. Let her stay in my Lizheng Palace. That way, I'll have someone to talk to on a daily basis."

Li Zhi smiled and said, "That would be excellent."

Wu Meiniang waved her hand, ordering Xie Yaohuan to leave, and smiled at Li Zhi, saying, "Your Majesty, I have some good news to tell you."

Li Zhi asked, "What good news?"

Wu Meiniang said, "Songzhou won a great victory. Han Boyu led 10,000 Tang soldiers and defeated the Tuyuhun army of nearly 200,000."

Li Zhi asked in surprise, "Meiniang, where did you get this news?"

Seeing his expression, Wu Meiniang knew that he already knew about this matter. She smiled slightly and said, "I heard it from Princess Honghua."

"Princess Honghua? She's come to the capital?"

"Yes, Murong Zhonglie has also come; they have come to apologize with thorns on their backs."

Li Zhi chuckled and said, "They arrived quite quickly. What does the Empress think should be done with them?"

Wu Meiniang thought for a moment and said, "I think we can take this opportunity to change all forty-odd tributary prefectures of the Western Qiang into regular prefectures, with the prefectural governors appointed by the court. As for Murong Zhonglie, spare his life for the sake of the princess, so as to prevent the Tuyuhun people from causing trouble."

Li Zhi's original intention was to abolish these tributary prefectures. How to deal with Murong Zhonglie was secondary. Since Wu Meiniang pleaded for him, he waved his hand.

"Very well, so be it, Your Majesty."

Wu Meiniang then discussed with Li Zhi the tax standards for the various prefectures in the Western Qiang region.

She has rarely interfered in court affairs recently. Li Zhi was surprised to see her so concerned about this matter and asked her why.

Wu Meiniang then recounted her meeting with Li Binjiu half a month prior.

“I have sent people to investigate, and the production capacity of the various prefectures in the Western Qiang is indeed inferior to that of our Tang prefectures and counties. If the taxes are too high, it may force them to rebel.”

Li Zhi asked, "Then how much do you think is appropriate?"

"It can be consistent with the tax standards of the Kunlun-Tibet Protectorate."

After listening, Li Zhi fell into deep thought.

The people of the Tang Dynasty worked diligently in the fields, yet the imperial court levied heavy taxes on them. In contrast, the Tibetans and Qiang people, after being incorporated into the Tang Dynasty, only had to pay a small amount of tax. This was unfair to their own people.

However, if taxes were levied according to the standards of Zhengzhou in the Tang Dynasty, these Qiang people could not afford it, leaving them with no choice but to rebel.

Li Zhi thought of the tax system of later generations, and an idea came to him.

"Alright, let them conform to the standards of the Kun-Tsang Protectorate."

(End of this chapter)