Sky Curtain: The Overlord Charges into Battle, Shocking Emperors of All Dynasties

Chapter 26 Li Shimin: Chang Le's engagement to her cousin is cancelled

"You don't love me anymore!!"

Her voice was shrill and full of grievances, making one's heart ache.

These words struck the hearts of everyone in the hall like a boulder.

Empress Dowager Dou held her most beloved granddaughter tightly in her arms. Chen Ajiao, in her arms, was covered in tears and couldn't stop crying. Empress Dowager Dou and Princess Guantao looked at Liu Che with unfriendly eyes.

The engagement between Liu Che and Chen Ajiao had just been arranged when this incident occurred.

Emperor Jing of Han, Liu Qi, understood that his son did not not love Chen Ajiao; he simply loved her for too short a time, and besides, the two were too similar.

Judging from the two people's behavior shown on the sky, both of them are strong and domineering.

As emperor, Liu Che was a proud and domineering ruler who could say, "If the enemy can go, so can I." How could he possibly bow his head? Chen Ajiao, on the other hand, was pampered by Empress Dowager Dou and Princess Guantao, two of the most powerful women in the Han Dynasty. She was spoiled and arrogant from a young age, and the two women had almost identical personalities. Chen Ajiao needed Liu Che to lower his head and coax her, but how could Liu Che, as an emperor, possibly lower his head? In addition, the lack of children was the biggest obstacle between them. It seemed that they needed to reconsider their marriage, otherwise, they would have a hard time getting past the Empress Dowager and the elder sister. "Empress Dowager, elder sister." Liu Qi protected the trembling Liu Che behind him. After all, he was still young, and the pressure from the gazes of the two most powerful women in the Han Dynasty was too great.

"Liu Che still had feelings for A Jiao. Tianmu also said that he doted on A Jiao exclusively."

Seeing that Empress Dowager Dou and Princess Guantao's expressions had softened slightly, Liu Qi continued, "Since these two children are not getting along, especially regarding their offspring, why don't we discuss their marriage again?"

"I will definitely find a good husband for Ajiao." Liu Qi patted his chest and assured the two of them that he would not change the crown prince, nor would he allow Liu Che to be harmed. It was not easy for the Han Dynasty to produce an emperor who could defeat the Xiongnu. Even if he had to fall out with his mother and elder sister, he would definitely protect Che'er's throne.

Princess Guantao grew anxious. She had only wanted to marry Ajiao to the Crown Prince, and she didn't care who the Crown Prince was. Just as she was about to speak up to advise her mother, Empress Dowager Dou slowly said, "That's fine too."

Empress Dowager Dou was not stupid. The heavens had already foretold that the two would not have a good ending. Liu Che would be a great ruler in the future. Not only would he be the emperor, but the ministers would also not agree to depose the crown prince. As for Guantao's petty thoughts, they were insignificant.

The emperors of the Han Dynasty all inherited Liu Bang's cold-heartedness and ruthlessness.

Follow-up comment: There is one exception. Liu Bingyi [whose lectures on Emperor Wu of Han on the Hundred Schools Forum described Emperor Wu as having a passionate but short-lived love, a deep love, and a heart as hard as stone when he no longer loved].

I want to complain to my past self; have you lived your whole life in the past? Where are the people who love me?

Even if she didn't become empress, she was still the granddaughter of Emperor Wen of Han, the niece of Emperor Jing of Han, and the cousin of Emperor Wu of Han.

Follow-up comment: So she wasn't sentenced to death and lived a good life.

It's very difficult for people who marry close relatives to have children, and even if they do, the children have a high chance of being mentally disabled. This is something that modern medical research has shown. I don't know why people in ancient times insisted on marrying close relatives.

Follow-up comment: It should be the integration of political resources, since they are from different circles. Follow-up comment: Otherwise, why would our laws prohibit marriage within three generations? In ancient times, there was also a prohibition against marriage between people with the same surname, which was also based on this consideration.

Follow-up comment: Yes, the child born could be mentally disabled, and more likely, die young. So, the chances of them being born healthy and surviving are extremely low!

These words on the sky shocked countless people in ancient times. Many of them married their cousins, and after marriage, they were infertile. Countless women suffered criticism and were pointed at by their own families. Ordinary people did not care whether you were a relative or not. If you could not have children, it was no good.

Even more striking are the women who, staring blankly at their mentally challenged sons, sit silently on the ground, thinking, "It wasn't my fault, it wasn't my fault! I'm not a jinx!"

Years of worries vanished in an instant. Overjoyed, the woman looked up to the sky and shouted, completely disregarding the opinions of those around her. She only knew that this was not her fault.

Li Shimin frowned. He and Guanyinbi had originally planned to marry their daughter, Princess Changle, Li Lizhi, to her cousin, Changsun Chong, to strengthen the family ties between them and Changsun Wuji. Now it seemed that it would be better to cancel the marriage.

But how should he bring it up? Just as Li Shimin was in a dilemma, Empress Zhangsun spoke up: "Brother, let's forget about Lizhi's marriage to her cousin."

Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji remained expressionless, but a sense of relief and secret joy arose in his heart.

If the two were to actually marry and end up like Empress Chen and Emperor Wu of Han, without an heir for more than a decade, the Changsun family would not necessarily be wiped out, but it would affect the relationship between the Changsun family and the imperial family, which would be undesirable.

Furthermore, Changsun Chong was not the emperor, and the Tang Dynasty strictly prohibited concubines. Even if Princess Changle allowed concubines, would Changsun Chong really dare to do so?

After hearing what Tianmu said, he was still thinking about how to refuse the matter, but he didn't know how to bring it up.

This was exactly what he wanted.

Nalan Xingde was deeply moved as he listened to Chen Ajiao's weeping lament on the sky.

He was well-read and naturally knew about Chen Ajiao's affair, but he was young when he was studying and only glanced at the matter without paying much attention to it.

Now, his cousin, with whom he has been in love for many years, has entered the palace. He is unwilling but helpless.

Chen Ajiao and Liu Che, his cousin and him, people, if only they could always be like when they first met.

Nalan Xingde was overwhelmed with emotion and thoughts. Moved by the events surrounding Empress Chen, he picked up his pen and wrote a poem.

"If life were only as beautiful as our first meeting, why would the autumn wind bring sorrow to the painted fan?"

"Old friends change easily, yet people say it's the old friends' hearts that are fickle."

"After the conversation at Lishan ended, half the night had passed; the night rain and the tinkling of bells brought no resentment."

"How could I compare to that heartless, richly dressed man, who once vowed to be like two birds flying wing to wing, branches intertwined?"

Nalan Xingde finished his last stroke and stood silently for a long time.

Actually, if you think about it from another perspective, Empress Chen's ending was already quite good; at least she didn't die, right?

[She was Emperor Wu of Han's beloved, a member of the royal family, had no children, posed no threat, so why kill her?]

Of all the women Emperor Wu of Han favored, only Empress Chen died a natural death; the rest were all killed by Emperor Wu.

[For example, the most famous example is Wei Zifu, who gave Emperor Wu of Han a lavish dowry. What was her final fate? She committed suicide.]

[Both Wei Qing and Huo Qubing had already passed away by then. Although Emperor Wu of Han had indeed shown them great favor, the affection gradually faded after their deaths.]

Moreover, Emperor Wu of Han was truly ruthless. He exterminated the entire family of Empress Wei Zifu's sister and brother-in-law, executed his two daughters as a result, and killed his son, Crown Prince Liu Ju, after his defeat in battle.

[It was because Emperor Wu of Han (Liu Che) suffered from swine fever. At that time, Emperor Wu was simply mentally ill. It would have been better if he had died a few years earlier.]

Postscript: In his later years, Liu Che was a vicious dragon entrenched over the Han Empire.

Ironically, Emperor Wu of Han deposed Empress Chen because of witchcraft, and also killed Crown Prince Liu Ju and his entire family because of witchcraft, as well as Empress Wei Zifu.

Follow-up comment: Moreover, he didn't even spare the crown prince's children, killing them all. No one is more ruthless or heartless than him.

Follow-up comment: The curse of Chen Ajiao in Changmen Palace, you, Wei Zifu, will not escape the same fate as me in the future!