I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 214 The Ambition of the Western Xia Empress

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"What do you think of this place? Among us, is there any one who has the qualities to be an empress?"

Upon hearing Yelü Nanxian's words, Xiao Sese and the three Khitan princesses were all stunned!
Although they didn't say it aloud, the four women were all thinking the same thing: 'You really dare to dream! How could we possibly become empresses?!'

Xiao Sese was sent by Yelü Yanxi to avenge Zhao Yu. If Zhao Yu hadn't been lusting after her beauty, she would be dead by now, let alone an empress!

The three Khitan princesses, ostensibly sent for political marriages, were in reality playthings used by Yelü Yanxi to apologize to Zhao Yu, along with the Liao royal family and noblewomen who accompanied them in their dowries.

The key point is that all the empresses of Han Chinese dynasties were Han Chinese.

Empresses of the Han Dynasty mostly came from Han Chinese aristocratic families or official families; there were absolutely no cases of non-Han people serving as empresses.

The empresses of the Tang Dynasty came from diverse backgrounds. Some, like Empress Zhangsun, came from Han Chinese aristocratic families such as the Guanzhong region, while others, like Wu Zetian, came from non-traditional Han Chinese families. However, one thing is certain: there was never a non-Han Chinese empress. Although the Tang Dynasty had a high degree of ethnic integration, with many non-Han people serving in the court or marrying into the royal family, the position of empress was never held by a non-Han person.

During the Song Dynasty, empresses were mostly from Han Chinese scholar-official families, in order to maintain stability and cultural continuity within the ruling class. There were no cases of non-Han women becoming empresses.

Without the four women needing to answer, just by looking at their expressions, Yelü Nanxian knew she was overthinking things; they had absolutely no hope of becoming empress.

Yelü Nanxian was not disappointed, because she didn't really want the four women to become empress; she just wanted to see if any of them were potential rivals.

Of course, Yelü Nanxian would never tell the four women this truth. She looked at the three Khitan princesses with a lie and said, "All three of you are pregnant. Even if you give birth to the Song emperor's son, you will not have the chance to become empresses."

Yelü Nanxian had heard that Zhao Yu was a womanizer and that he had many children, but in her opinion, Zhao Yu was at most like Yelü Yanxi, with five or six sons and five or six daughters.

If Zhao Yu was indeed in this situation, the three Khitan princesses who were clearly pregnant were able to give birth to sons for him. Given their already high status, even if they didn't become empresses, they shouldn't have been completely without any status, right?
Upon hearing this, the three Khitan princesses all could only manage a wry smile.

Yelü Beixian bluntly stated, "The Emperor has no shortage of offspring. Even if we were to give birth to princes, we would only be promoted three ranks at most."

Yelü Wuluduo said, "Giving birth to only one son is not enough for us to be promoted to the rank of the Third Concubine."

Yelü Nanxian frowned and asked, "What do you mean by saying that the Song emperor doesn't lack princes?"

Yelü Nujin said, "It means exactly what it says. The Emperor has many sons, with nearly forty princes, and there are also more than twenty pregnant concubines like us. How could we lack princes?"

Yelü Beixian further pointed out: "It is not only the three of us who are pregnant here, but Consort Xiao is also pregnant."

'Xiao Jieyu?!'

After a moment's thought, Yelü Nanxian realized that Yelü Beixian was referring to Xiao Sese.

To be honest, Yelü Nanxian was quite surprised.

What surprised her was that Xiao Sese was also pregnant.

Although Xiao Sese was not yet showing her pregnancy, it was only a matter of time before a man could impregnate a woman. Xiao Sese had been in the Zhao Song Dynasty for half a year, so it was quite normal for her to be pregnant with Zhao Yu's child.

What really surprised her was that Xiao Sese was one of Yelü Yanxi's four concubines in the Liao Kingdom, but under Zhao Yu, she didn't even become a concubine. That was just too unreasonable.
However, Yelü Nanxian reconsidered. Zhao Yu had snatched Xiao Sese from Yelü Yanxi; if he were to grant her a position of honor, it would draw everyone's attention to the matter and constantly remind Yelü Yanxi of his grudge over the stolen wife, which would not be conducive to peaceful coexistence between the Song and Liao dynasties. There was a chance that Yelü Yanxi might act impulsively and tear up the treaty, stirring up trouble, which would benefit neither country.

'At that time, it was understandable that the Song emperor did not grant Consort Wen a higher rank.'

Yelü Nanxian's attention quickly shifted from Xiao Sese's change in status to the fact that Zhao Yu already had nearly forty sons. She frowned and asked, "Why does the Song emperor have so many princes?"

How were Xiao Sese and the others supposed to answer that?

It is said that Zhao Yu was extremely fond of women and couldn't be happy without them, and that he was constantly sowing seeds.

It is said that Zhao Yu was in particularly good health and could easily impregnate women.
Or is it that Zhao Yu never favored one or a few women exclusively, but rather preferred to treat them all equally?
Finally, Yelü Beixian flattered Zhao Yu, saying, "Your Majesty is naturally gifted with divine martial prowess and is as vigorous as a dragon and as fierce as a tiger. Naturally, your offspring will flourish. This is a sign that the Mandate of Heaven has been bestowed upon you."

Yelü Nanxian knew her younger sister well and knew that Yelü Beixian was the kind of woman who was "a courtesan who did not know the sorrow of a fallen country." Now, seeing Yelü Beixian constantly referring to "the Emperor" and praising Zhao Yu's bravery without batting an eye, she immediately realized that Yelü Beixian was not trustworthy and might betray her.

Yelü Nanxian glanced at Xiao Sese, Yelü Wuluduo, and Yelü Nuojin without making a sound.

Only Xiao Sese remained relatively calm. When Yelü Wuluduo and Yelü Nujin spoke of Zhao Yu, they behaved exactly like Yelü Beixian, appearing completely captivated by Zhao Yu.

'Even if those three don't betray me, they'll still find it difficult to achieve anything significant.'

I fear only Consort Wen can lend me a helping hand.

With this in mind, Yelü Nanxian began to only inquire about the survival strategies in Zhao Yu's harem and some daily trivial matters from the four women. As for their thoughts on vying for favor and planning their future, Yelü Nanxian temporarily set them aside.

As it was getting dark, Yelü Nanxian saw Xiao Sese and the other three women off.

As they parted, Yelü Nanxian glanced at Xiao Sese without leaving a trace.

Seeing Yelü Nanxian's meaningful look, Xiao Sese said nothing.

However, after parting ways with the three Khitan princesses, Xiao Sese turned back.

It's the same room as before. Only now there are two people instead of five.

After the two were seated, Yelü Nanxian said, "If it weren't for Consort Wen's intervention, how could I have become the Empress of Western Xia?"

Xiao Sese said slowly, "So, are you thanking me, or hating me?"

Thinking that she had just married into the Western Xia and become empress when the Western Xia was destroyed, Yelü Nanxian couldn't help but feel a bitter smile. Her smile contained endless complex emotions, as if she was helpless about her past fate, or as if she was expressing unspeakable feelings about the desolation before her.

Gently shaking her head, Yelü Nanxian said to Xiao Sese, "I thank you. In the past, you devoted yourself wholeheartedly to the cause of our Great Liao Dynasty and also wished to fulfill my wishes. However, the ways of Heaven are unpredictable, and fate plays tricks on people. The downfall of Western Xia was truly beyond human control. Moreover, even Sun Bin, a master strategist, made a mistake at Maling; Zhuge Liang, a wise man, could not save the Han Dynasty from collapse. Such rise and fall, honor and disgrace, cannot be determined solely by the wisdom of one person. Furthermore, the general situation of the world is like a surging river, full of unpredictable changes. Even those with extraordinary talents cannot fully comprehend the secrets of Heaven, let alone two women like you and me?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Sese gently stroked the delicate teacup in her hand, as if the warm touch could soothe the turbulent waves in her heart.

After a long pause, Xiao Sese finally said, "Princess, you are mistaken. The Liao emperor was not a good ruler. He indulged in hunting and was addicted to wine and women. Corrupt officials held sway in the court. When the Song Dynasty was rising, he still acted like a sparrow in a hall, failing to actively ally with the Western Xia to protect our Liao Dynasty. Now the Western Xia is gone, and our Liao Dynasty has been defeated. We have ceded territory, paid reparations, and made peace through marriage to temporarily preserve our state. However, our state is declining day by day. Today's situation is not due to the will of Heaven, but rather to human calamity."

Yelü Nanxian also knew that Xiao Sese's two poems, "Satirical Admonition" and "Ode to History," satirized Yelü Yanxi's neglect of state affairs, but instead, she was disliked by Yelü Yanxi, who then sent her, who was still pregnant, to Zhao Yu to vent his anger. Such deep-seated hatred could not be easily resolved.

Yelü Nanxian's eyes darted around, and she sowed discord, saying, "I remember when I left the Liao Kingdom, you were pregnant with His Majesty's child... this child..."

When the Hu people raided the grasslands and captured a pregnant woman, their usual practice was to deliberately cause her to fall from her horse and miscarry. Yelü Nanxian thought that Xiao Sese had also had such an experience and wanted to use this to incite Xiao Sese's hatred.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Sese said, "She gave birth. It's a girl. I named her Yu Liyan."

'Uh……'

Yelü Nanxian was speechless for a moment. She was genuinely surprised that Zhao Yu had managed to keep Yelü Yanxi's child alive.

After a moment of silence, Yelü Nanxian then spoke frankly and earnestly:

"A dog guarding a humble door will never abandon its master; a child living in a lowly alley will never hate its mother. In the past, the Book of Songs said, 'The mulberry and the catalpa trees must be treated with utmost respect.' The kindness of one's homeland and the kinship of blood can never be changed, even after the vicissitudes of life."

"Although Your Majesty may occasionally make mistakes and your policies may be flawed, how can you forget the importance of the ancestral temples and the state, and the longing for the mountains, rivers and homeland, because of a minor flaw in your virtue?"

"In the past, Guan Zhong, imprisoned in Lu, longed for Qi; Wu Zixu, fled to Wu, yearned for Chu. Even in hardship, they still cherished their homeland. Now, look at us, we grow up eating the millet of the Liao Dynasty, we grow strong by the wind and frost of the North, our bodies are nurtured by felt tents and yurts, and our souls are forged by the sounds of the Hu and Qiang flutes. Even if the government's policies are flawed and the borders are rife with war, we should emulate Jingwei's determination to fill the sea with stones and admire the cuckoo's tearful return home."

"In the past, Duke Yi of Wei lost his kingdom because of his love for cranes, yet his subjects still risked their lives to protect him; King Huai of Chu misled the state because of slander, yet Qu Yuan still threw himself into the river to prove his loyalty. The importance of the nation and its people cannot be determined by the rise and fall of a single moment. We should be loyal to our country and exert all our strength to turn the crisis into an opportunity. If we harbor resentment because of the ruler's mistakes and abandon the legacy of our ancestors like worn-out shoes, how are we any different from ungrateful traitors?"

"The Great Liao is the land of our roots, not the country of Your Majesty alone. Although we are women, we should also strive for our homeland and protect our land. This is not blind loyalty, but the heart of a child, which will never change for thousands of years."

Xiao Sese listened to this and remained silent for a long time before saying, "Even if we have such a heart, how easy is it? Now the Liao Dynasty has lost half of its territory, and the trend of the Song Dynasty's unification is unstoppable. You and I are women, trapped in this nine-layered palace, merely playthings of His Majesty the Song Emperor. How can we possibly influence the overall situation and save the Liao Dynasty from its dire straits?"

After speaking, Xiao Seshe's gaze passed through the window lattice and was cast towards the deep and distant night sky, as if he wanted to turn the helplessness and sorrow in his heart into nothingness beyond the stars.

Seeing that Xiao Sese still harbored feelings for the Liao Kingdom, Yelü Nanxian smiled slightly and said, "You all just said that in this harem, Han women make up only half of the women. The other women are either Liao people, Western Xia people, or Tibetans and people from various small countries in the Western Regions. Western Xia, Tibetans, and the various countries in the Western Regions are all vassal states of our Great Liao. If we can make them obey our every command, even if we cannot rival Empress Zheng, we can still make the Song Emperor not underestimate us. When our princes and princesses grow up, we can arrange marriages with foreign powers. Why should we worry about not being able to influence the politics of the Great Song Dynasty?"

There were some things Yelü Nanxian didn't tell Xiao Sese.

She was not only a princess of the Liao Dynasty, but also the empress of the Western Xia Dynasty, making her the natural leader of the non-Han women in Zhao Yu's harem.

She felt that becoming empress was somewhat of a pipe dream, after all, there was no precedent for a non-Han woman to become empress in Han Chinese dynasties, and the obstacles she would face if she wanted to become Zhao Yu's empress would certainly not be small.

However, if she could truly control half of Zhao Yu's concubines, she would not only be able to wield considerable influence in Zhao Yu's harem, but if the sons they bore for Zhao Yu were to be given important positions in the future, and the daughters they bore for Zhao Yu were to marry into high-ranking and noble families in the Zhao Song Dynasty, then she would have a political power that could not be underestimated in the Zhao Song Dynasty.

By then, under her influence, the Liao Kingdom might receive even more protection.

It must be said that Yelü Nanxian was not just ambitious; her ideas did have some basis.

However, Xiao Sese shook his head: "This place is not only full of beauties, but also full of people with outstanding political talents. There are many hidden talents. Not to mention Empress Zheng, whose character is as deep as a pool and as firm as a mountain, and whose heart is as empty as a valley with pearls hidden in it. She serves the ancestral temple with filial piety, harmonizes the six palaces with sincerity, and manages the inner palace with wisdom. Moreover, she is favored by His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty. Your plan will surely fail."

Yelü Nanxian frowned slightly: "Is Empress Zheng that formidable?"

Xiao Sese said, "She is virtuous and upright, and exceptionally talented. In the harem, her influence is like a towering mountain, and her majesty is self-evident. Moreover, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty is well aware of the dangers of favored concubines destroying wives throughout history. Anyone who covets the Empress's position and dares to overstep the bounds, regardless of rank or favor, will be rejected once discovered. Our fate as concubines depends on the Emperor's whims. How can those who do not receive His favor remain here for long? Therefore, all the ladies of the six palaces know that the Empress's position is protected by the Emperor himself, and none dare to offend her in the slightest. They must only be respectful and cautious."

Hearing Xiao Sese say this, Yelü Nanxian couldn't help but feel a little jealous that Zheng Xiansu was so lucky to receive such deep favor and protection from Zhao Yu; on the other hand, having been empress for more than half a year herself, she empathized with him and her goodwill towards Zhao Yu increased greatly.

Yelü Nanxian was well aware that because she was a Hu (non-Han) person, even if Zheng Xiansu's position as empress was not so secure, it would not be her turn.

Therefore, Yelü Nanxian said, "Not becoming empress will not hinder our plans."

Unexpectedly, Xiao Sese still shook her head: "As I have said, there are many extraordinary women in this harem, including the Zheng sisters, the daughter of the prime minister, the daughter of a general, and the five concubines."

At this point, Xiao Sese poured cold water on Yelü Nanxian again: "Even if you wanted to make the women of my Great Liao obey your orders, it would be impossible, because they already have masters."

Yelü Nanxian frowned and asked, "Who is she?"

Xiao Sese replied, "Xiao Puxian..."

……

(End of this chapter)