Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 6: Conferring the Title
November is the time when the osmanthus flowers wither.

Li Zhi stood in front of the osmanthus forest outside Xunfeng Palace, looking at the withered flowers blown away by the wind, feeling a little melancholy in his heart.

Suddenly, a clear voice came from beside me.

"My old love is at Bailiang Tower, my new favorite is at Zhaoyang Palace. I leave the chariot as I please, weeping with affection under the round fan. One day, singing and dancing are honored, while in the past, poetry and books are despised. The love I have shown you is gone, and it is hard to recommend you again."

Li Zhi turned around and saw that Concubine Xu had come to his side without him noticing.

She did not look at Li Zhi, but stared at the osmanthus forest in front of her, her eyes full of sadness and melancholy.

Li Zhi savored the poem carefully and soon remembered that it seemed to be written by Xu Hui, the sister of Xu Jieyu.

Xu Hui was a concubine of Emperor Taizong of Tang.

The poem describes Ban Jieyu of the Han Dynasty. She was originally favored, but was later neglected by the emperor because the Zhao sisters entered the palace. She wrote a round fan song to express her sad feelings.

This poem by Xu Hui expresses both her sympathy for Ban Jieyu and her disappointment with the heartless emperor.

Since Li Zhi became Emperor Gaozong of Tang, almost everyone around him revolved around him, even Wu Meiniang tried her best to please him.

Only the woman beside him was the first one who did not make him the center and tried to maintain her independent personality in getting along with him.

To an emperor, this kind of person was not pleasing. However, Li Zhi found this kind of interaction more approachable and smiled, "Jieyu, do you miss your sister?"

Concubine Xu glanced at him sideways and said softly, "My sister has gone to serve the late emperor. She has finally gotten what she wanted. I only envy her."

Li Zhi secretly laughed. This talented woman just liked to talk in circles.

Concubine Xu was obviously complaining that her sister was able to know the late emperor and would be satisfied even if she died, but she herself could not be understood by the emperor and there was no meaning in her living.

Li Zhi coughed and said, "Can I ask you something?"

Concubine Xu said, "Please ask."

Li Zhi said, "The imperial concubine told me that she caused her illness on her own initiative in order to let me know that she had taken saffron."

Concubine Xu said softly, "Yes."

Li Zhi asked, "I want to know, was it Xiao who gave her this saffron?"

Concubine Xu shook her head: "No, it was Queen Wang who forced Sister Zheng to take it."

Li Zhi was surprised and said, "Wang? But the Imperial Concubine said she was seeking revenge against the Imperial Concubine Shu."

Concubine Xu said, "Although it was Queen Wang who gave you the saffron, it was Xiao who started it, so you're venting all your hatred on her."

Li Zhi's expression grew more serious. "What exactly is going on? Could you tell me in detail, Concubine?"

Concubine Xu nodded and said, "After everyone was named the Crown Prince, Queen Wang and the Xiao family began to fight openly and secretly. Sister Zheng had a good relationship with both of them, so she has been mediating."

"Later, Concubine Xiao Shufei and Queen Wang became pregnant at the same time. Not long after, Queen Wang suffered a miscarriage and was diagnosed by the imperial physician with having taken Persian grass. Do you remember?"

Some vague memories emerged in Li Zhi's mind.

Persian grass is a kind of flower and grass brought from Persia by Hu merchants. It is also known as willow grass. Not many people know about it. It can be used as medicine, but it is also poisonous. It can cause dizziness and can harm pregnant women if taken.

Haraji sent someone to investigate and found that it was a maidservant beside Queen Wang who added Persian grass powder into the pastries.

When the maid saw that the matter was exposed, she jumped into a well and committed suicide. Yuan Zhi was busy serving Li Shimin at the time and did not investigate further.

Concubine Xu continued, "Queen Wang naturally refused to give up. After investigating, she discovered that the maid had been secretly having an affair with Sister Zheng, and she assumed it was Sister Zheng who was responsible. A year later, when Sister Zheng was pregnant, she had someone put a large amount of saffron in her food, causing her pregnancy to fail."

Li Zhi pondered for a while, frowned and said, "How come I don't know about this?"

He only knew that Concubine Zheng had a miscarriage, but he didn't know that she had taken saffron.

Concubine Xu sighed, "Queen Wang later approached Sister Zheng and told her what happened a year ago. She ordered her not to make any statement, or she would expose the incident."

"Sister Zheng finally realized she was being plotted against. She secretly investigated and discovered it was Xiao who had harmed her. That despicable woman not only harmed Queen Wang but also framed Sister Zheng, killing two birds with one stone. Her heart is truly vicious!"

Li Zhi remained silent. No wonder Queen Wang and Concubine Zheng had no children.

Concubine Xu glanced at Li Zhi and said, "Everyone has always favored Xiao. Sister Zheng knows she can't take revenge, so she has to keep this to herself."

Li Zhi sighed and said, "Jieyu, how do you think this matter should be handled?"

Concubine Xu whispered, "Everyone can make their own decision. However, Sister Zheng is a pitiful person. I hope everyone will be lenient with her."

Li Zhi suddenly laughed and said, "It was you who persuaded the imperial concubine to confess to me, wasn't it?"

Concubine Xu was surprised: "How did you know?"

Li Zhi smiled and said, "Since the imperial concubine has made this plan, how could she change her mind so easily? No one present except you can persuade her to change her mind."

Concubine Xu lowered her head and said shyly, "Everyone guessed correctly." Li Zhi praised her, "You are intelligent, talented, and sensible. I will reward you. Fu Sheng, send a message to the Secretariat to have them draft an edict to confer the title of Concubine Xu Jin."

There were seven levels of imperial edicts in the Tang Dynasty: imperial edicts, decrees, imperial decrees, imperial edicts, imperial letters, and imperial edicts.

Among them, the book has the highest rank and is used to enthrone the empress dowager, queen, concubines and princes.

These decrees are called imperial edicts and must be stamped by two provinces to have legal effect.

In addition to the imperial edict, the emperor could also issue a secondary edict, which only needed to be stamped with the imperial seal and did not require the seals of the Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel. Its legal effect was not as strong as that of the imperial edict.

Chongrong was one of the nine concubines, and was also the concubine position once held by Xu Hui, Xu Jin's sister.

Seeing Li Zhi being so considerate, Xu Jin felt warm in his heart. He took a few steps back and bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward."

Li Zhi helped her up and said to Wang Fusheng, "Send another decree to move Xiao and Wang out of the palace and let them return home."

Wang Fusheng's face changed drastically. He stood there without moving, his mouth moving slightly.

Li Zhi asked, "Fu Sheng?"

Wang Fusheng knelt on the ground with a thud and said in a trembling voice, "Everyone, if Commoner Wang and Commoner Xiao leave the palace, I'm afraid they won't be tolerated by their families and will inevitably die."

Li Zhi knew that Wang Fusheng had once been Queen Wang's lover, so he pleaded for her. He said, "Then add a clause to the decree, asking the Wang and Xiao families to treat them well."

"But, but..."

Concubine Xu said sternly, "Wang Shijian, do you dare to disobey His Majesty's order?"

Wang Fusheng sighed and whispered, "I will go to the Secretariat to convey the order."

After Concubine Zheng took the medicine prepared by Meng Shen, her condition stabilized a lot. After Li Zhi chatted with her for a while, he left Xunfeng Palace and returned to Ganlu Palace.

There were several more imperial edicts on the imperial desk waiting for his approval.

Li Zhi flipped through it and found the two edicts he had just issued, with the seals of the Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel on them.

If Li Zhi had issued an edict to promote concubines before deposing Wang Liwu, the two provinces would not have approved it so quickly, and Chu Suiliang might have come to persuade him to revoke the order.

Now that Chu Suiliang has been demoted and Zhangsun Wuji is sick at home, his orders can be carried out smoothly in the two provinces.

Li Zhi wrote two "approved" characters on the two edicts, picked up the imperial seal, blew on it, and prepared to stamp it.

Just then, there was a noise and crying outside the door.

"I want to see my father, let me see my father!"

Li Zhi frowned and said, "Fu Sheng, go out and take a look."

Wang Fusheng agreed and left the hall, only to see Princess Yi Yang and Princess Gao An holding hands outside the hall and trying to force their way into the hall.

Xue Rengui stood in front of the two girls and said, "My two little princesses, His Majesty is reviewing the memorials. Please do not disturb him."

"You, you are so bold that you dare to block this princess!" Princess Yi Yang pointed at him fiercely.

"General Xue, let me handle this matter." Wang Fusheng glanced at Xue Rengui and said, "My two noble lords, please wait a moment. I will go in and report."

"No need!" A cold voice came from the corridor.

Wang Fusheng looked up and his heart tightened.

In the dark night, Empress Wu slowly walked over, surrounded by a group of palace maids holding lanterns.

Princess Yi Yang and Princess Gao An seemed a little afraid of her. Princess Gao An was originally crying, but suddenly she was so frightened that she dared not even breathe.

Empress Wu glanced at the palace maids behind the two princesses and said coldly, "How dare you! Instead of serving the princesses, you instigated them to come to His Majesty. Whose instructions did you receive?"

Several palace maids were so frightened that they fell to their knees and kowtowed for mercy.

Princess Yiyang bravely said, "Mother, it is we who want to see father. It has nothing to do with them."

Empress Wu didn't look at her, but only stared at the palace maids, and said coldly: "Why don't you take the princess away? Do you want to go to the Ye Ting Si?"

Several palace maids responded in unison, forcibly picked up the two princesses, and fled away regardless of their kicking and beating.

Wang Fusheng's face was extremely grim, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Your Highness, we haven't decided yet whether or not to meet the two princesses. I'm afraid it's inappropriate for you to make the decision on your own."

Empress Wu straightened her sleeves and said calmly, "I will explain to Your Majesty."

(End of this chapter)