People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1575 Empress Wu’s Tears

Light footsteps were heard at the side. Empress Wu looked up with an indifferent expression and saw Qiu Huan standing respectfully at one side.

Empress Wu nodded calmly and asked, "What's the situation?"

"Returning to the Heavenly Queen, the Peng Palace, the Dai Palace, and other palaces have all been surrounded."

After a short pause, Qiu Huan said, "It's easy for the other families. All food and drink are provided by the palace. Only the Peng Palace and the Dai Palace have stored food and water for half a year. It seems..."

"It seems like you've already anticipated this day, right?" Empress Wu still looked indifferent.

"The Prince of Dai's Palace took action yesterday. It seems that Princess Peng only made the preparations after she arrived today. On the contrary, the Prince of Peng's Palace seemed to have been prepared several months ago." Qiu Huan told Empress Wu all the findings of his investigation.

Empress Wu nodded slightly, looking thoughtful. After a long while, she said softly, "But he still went to the Western Regions."

Shangguan Wan'er and Qiu Huan looked up at the same time. After a moment of surprise, they both reacted quickly.

The person Empress Wu was referring to was Li Xuan.

Only Li Xuan went to the Western Regions recently.

"Wang Fulai died too early." Empress Wu couldn't help but shake her head, full of regret.

Shangguan Wan'er and Qiu Huan immediately understood that Wang Fulai's death had made too many people realize that something was wrong.

For example, Li Xuan, Liu Rengui, Li Yiyan, and even Pei Yan and Li Xian.

But some people were able to hide, such as Li Xuan and Li Yiyan. Li Xuan went to the Western Regions, while Li Yiyan resigned directly.

As for Liu Rengui, he could not go anywhere and could only stay in Chang'an.

This is especially true for Pei Yan and Li Xian, who had to face the pressure from Empress Wu.

But they never imagined that Empress Wu would eventually use a clumsy false accusation to frame Li Xian.

Moreover, if Empress Wu had not had Qiu Huan and Fan Yunxian by her side, it is possible that Li Xian’s preparation would have been successful.

At that time, the one who was forced to return to the harem and lost all her rights was Empress Wu.

"Perhaps he had seen through everything a long time ago, but he just chose to escape in the end." Empress Wu sighed softly, raised her head and looked outside the hall in front of her, and said softly: "He is smart enough. After Wang Fulai's death, he knew that this conflict was inevitable, so he made preparations in advance."

Empress Wu smiled bitterly and said, "There are only two possible outcomes to a conflict. If Sanlang wins, everything will be self-evident. But if I win, Sanlang will inevitably be imprisoned and deposed.

The Peng Palace had prepared food and water in advance, but no one expected that Sanlang would die."

Shangguan Wan'er and Qiu Huan lowered their heads at the same time.

Empress Wu suddenly felt indifferent. She said calmly, "Even I didn't expect Sanlang to die... Yes, how could Sanlang die?"

Empress Wu seemed to really not understand this problem. In her original plan, there was indeed no possibility that Li Xian would die.

But he just died.

Everything that happened in the hall today appeared clearly in Empress Wu's mind.

Suddenly, Empress Wu's gaze froze, and her eyes turned cold.

A figure appeared in Empress Wu's mind.

With a long sigh, Empress Wu suddenly relaxed. She turned sideways and looked at Shangguan Wan'er and said, "One month later, when Xue Shao and Zhao Gong leave for the Western Regions, please remind me to write a letter to Prince Peng. I believe that with the instructions in this letter, Prince Peng will be able to return home with peace of mind."

"Yes!" Shangguan Wan'er bowed solemnly, but she couldn't help but feel curious in her heart.

Judging from Empress Wu's current appearance, it is obvious that she has thought of a way to solve Li Xuan's problem.

But Shangguan Wan'er couldn't figure out what this method was.

After all, Zhongzong is dead, what else can be done?

Empress Wu retracted her gaze and looked down at the dozens of memorials on the imperial desk. She said seriously, "Prince Peng is no longer a threat, Duke Liao is no longer a threat, Duke Jiang is no longer a threat, the court will be in trouble, and the remaining problem, which is the biggest problem, is what needs to be solved as soon as possible."

Shangguan Wan'er nodded slightly in agreement.

Following Empress Wu, Shangguan Wan'er knew that whether it was the royal family or the central government officials, they had always been the Empress's biggest worry.

Anything that the Queen can reach, she can handle.

What really cannot be solved are those things that are difficult to reach.

Aristocratic family in the world.

Whenever there is a change in imperial power, it is always the time when the aristocratic families in the world try their best to seize the imperial power.

Every time the imperial power changes, the aristocratic families will become stronger and the imperial power will become weaker.

The change of imperial power is also turbulent, and the encroachment of imperial power by the aristocratic families in the world is also serious.

Time and time again, there will eventually come a day when imperial power will finally come to an end.

When Empress Wu was in power, she had to get things done. Consolidating the throne was only the first priority; suppressing the aristocratic families and promoting the wealthy was the second and most important step.

"Okay, you guys go. I have some government affairs to deal with..." Empress Wu had just said half of her words when suddenly a light sound of footsteps was heard in front of the hall.

A eunuch walked in carefully from outside and bowed respectfully at the door of the hall.

Empress Wu frowned and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Reporting to the Queen Mother." The eunuch bowed solemnly and said, "Your Highness the Princess, please see me."

Empress Wu was slightly startled, then she reacted and said with a smile: "I almost forgot about her. Let her come in."

"Yes!" The eunuch breathed a sigh of relief and then walked out quickly.

Empress Wu raised her head, looked at Shangguan Wan'er and Qiu Huan and said, "You all should go and get busy."

"Yes!" Shangguan Wan'er and Qiu Huan bowed at the same time, but then Qiu Huan said hesitantly: "Queen, should we just bring Princess Peng and Princess Dai into the palace together?"

Shangguan Wan'er immediately stopped and looked at Qiu Huan with deep eyes. Empress Wu waved her hand slightly and said, "No need. If there is no way to solve the problem of King Peng, then we must hold them tightly. But now that the problem of King Peng has been solved, there is no need to embarrass them. After all, the left prime minister and the Pei family are watching."

After a short pause, Empress Wu said, "It's okay not to make it difficult, but you have to keep an eye on their every move. I want to know who will go looking for them in the next period of time."

"Yes!" Qiu Huan bowed solemnly, then carefully left Qianyang Palace with Shangguan Wan'er.

……

Heavy footsteps were heard and Empress Wu looked up.

Princess Taiping walked into the Qianyang Palace with a blank expression on her face, and Empress Wu couldn't help but frown.

"Taiping." Empress Wu called out in a low voice. Princess Taiping was shocked all over and then she knelt down involuntarily in the hall.

Seeing Princess Taiping's distraught look, Empress Wu frowned and asked, "Taiping, what's wrong with you?"

Princess Taiping looked up blankly, her eyes full of pain.

After a long while, Princess Taiping finally murmured, "Mother!"

With a cry of "Wow", Princess Taiping suddenly burst into tears: "Mother, mother, my brother is dead, my brother is dead, mother, why did my brother die, why did my brother die, mother, mother..."

Empress Wu paused for a moment, then couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

Although Empress Wu was heartbroken when Li Xian died, so were Li Dan and Princess Taiping.

Especially Princess Taiping, as a woman, she was even weaker than Li Dan. How could she withstand such a sudden change?

Her brother, the emperor, died, and it was her mother who murdered him.

How could she accept it.

Looking at her daughter kneeling in the hall and crying loudly, Empress Wu stood up, walked in from the throne, then walked down the golden steps, walked calmly into the hall, and came to the front of Princess Taiping.

Empress Wu stroked Princess Taiping's forehead with a calm and slightly sentimental look, and said softly: "No one wants your brother to die, not even your mother. Originally, your mother wanted to let your brother live in another palace, and when he realized his mistakes, your mother would return power to him, but your mother could not have thought of that..."

Empress Wu's voice was filled with sorrow, and as she stood there, tears flowed uncontrollably from her eyes.

Li Xian is her son after all.

Princess Taiping was listening on the ground and crying even harder.

Empress Wu stood in the hall, looking out at the deep night of Luoyang, and said forcefully, "Taiping, don't worry. I will definitely give you an explanation for this matter, and also give myself an explanation."

Although Princess Taiping was crying bitterly, she was also subconsciously listening to every word Empress Wu said. While crying, she subconsciously looked up at Empress Wu.

Empress Wu narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth as she said, "Zhang Qianxu, your mother only asked him to send your brother to another palace, but he ended up killing your brother. It's all his fault. It's his fault."

Princess Taiping nodded vigorously.

Although she didn't know much about what happened today, she understood that it was General Zhang Qianxu, the imperial guard who was guarding the Xuanwu Gate, who led his troops to surround the harem.

Zhang Qianxu controlled the entire Daye Gate and Zhulong Gate, and later controlled the Qianyang Palace.

He was the only one among all the people who had soldiers.

And Li Xian did die at his hands in the end.

There was infinite resentment in Empress Wu's eyes.

It seemed that at this moment, she had completely forgotten that it was she who gave the order to kill Li Xian.

"Don't worry, Taiping. He is still useful to me. Just wait a moment. The shortest time is one month and the longest time is no more than three months. I will definitely use his head to sacrifice to your brother." Empress Wu's voice was extremely cold.

One month later, Xue Shao and Zhao Gong will set off for the Western Regions, and in about three months, they will arrive in the Western Regions.

"Yes!" Princess Taiping nodded heavily.

Empress Wu took a deep breath and said, "Also, the day after tomorrow, your brother will escort your father's coffin back to Chang'an. You don't have to go, but you can go back from the palace. You can come and go as you please while ensuring your safety."

Princess Taiping did not care about the fact that Empress Wu allowed her to travel freely, but she just didn't understand why she was not allowed to go back to Chang'an with Li Dan.

"When your brother returns to Chang'an this time, he will have to face the entire royal family and the Longxi clan. I don't want you to be involved in these storms." After a brief pause, Empress Wu said, "When your father is buried, I will take you to Qianling Mausoleum."

"Yes!" Princess Taiping nodded slightly.

There is still one month left before Emperor Gaozong is buried, exactly one month.

"Okay, you can go back now. Your husband will be promoted to General of the Left Army Guard, and you will be the Princess Taiping in the future."

Empress Wu looked at her daughter with pity. Taiping was the only one among her children who posed no threat to her.

"Mother, what about my sister-in-law?" Princess Taiping finally asked the real reason why she came to see Empress Wu.

At this time, Empress Wei, Concubine Gao, Zhengshi, Li Chongfu and others were all imprisoned in Zhuangjing Palace.

Empress Wu sighed and said, "In two months, I will let Gao leave the palace. I will keep Wei and Zheng in the palace. After three years, I will let them leave the palace. The same goes for Chongzhao and Chongfu. They will live their lives as the sons of the King of England."

Li Xian died after all, he died as an emperor, but Wei could no longer be the queen.

Fortunately, the Tang Dynasty already had a leader, Li Hong was filial to the emperor, and Li Hong's crown princess was the Princess of Dai.

Li Xian was Emperor Zhongzong, and his queen was Princess Ying.

Since Gao had no children, she would be allowed to remarry, and in this way, the relationship between Gao Kan and Li Xian would be dissolved.

There would be no more grudge between Gao Kan and Empress Wu.

Because Zheng was pregnant, she could only be the Prince of Ying's concubine, but she managed to survive.

They all survived.

Princess Taiping was completely relieved.

She couldn't help but look towards the direction of Chang'an. Where was Chongzhao?
(End of this chapter)