Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 41 Empress Wu and Empress Zhangsun
The evening drum sounds and night falls.

The eunuch in charge of supervising the Changle Gate was about to close the palace gate when a carriage suddenly drove along the side street.

The eunuch in charge of the keys recognized the carriage as belonging to the Wu Mansion and greeted it with a broad smile. He bowed and said, "Madam Helan, it has been a while since I last saw you in the palace. I greet you."

It was Wu Shun who was sitting in the carriage. She smiled and said, "Empress Wang is well. I need to go to the palace. Please let him know."

All high-ranking eunuchs in the palace were called Siren. Siren Wang smiled and said, "Then please wait a moment. I will personally pass the message on for you."

Wu Shun felt extremely regretful because of the last lesson he had learned, which resulted in him losing his position as a First-Rank Lady. So this time, he didn't even dare to bring his daughter with him, let alone his son.

After a while, Wang Siren came back with Zhang Duohai.

Wu Shun followed Zhang Duohai into the palace and soon arrived at the Lizheng Hall.

Inside the palace, Wu Meiniang was busy preparing for the annual harem meeting. Tributes from all over the country had arrived, and many of them needed to be counted and distributed among the concubines and ladies-in-waiting.

When she saw Wu Shun coming, she thought she was begging for the imperial edict again, so she frowned and didn't look happy.

After Wu Shun performed the ceremony with great respect, he winked at Wu Meiniang.

Wu Meiniang waved her hand and ordered everyone to leave. She put down the booklet in her hand and said, "His Majesty is furious. I can't do anything about the imperial edict. You don't need to waste your breath."

Wu Shun sat down next to her and said with a bitter face, "Ah, my dear sister, the imperial edict is my own fault. How dare I bother you again? It's Xu Jingzong's business."

Wu Meiniang frowned: "What's wrong with him? Is he asking you to come here because he wants to become the prime minister?"

"Hey, the Prime Minister, he said he had angered the Saint. Now, I'm afraid he can't even keep his position as Minister of Rites."

Wu Meiniang raised her eyebrows and asked, "How did he displease His Majesty again?"

Wu Shun muttered, "It's not a big deal."

He told the story of Xu Jingzong's argument with Shangguan Yi over the return gifts from foreign envoys.

"In my opinion, Minister Xu did nothing wrong. Giving more return gifts would only show the respectability of our Tang Dynasty. But Shangguan Yi is just talking nonsense in front of Your Majesty."

Wu Meiniang glanced at her and said, "I don't even dare to interfere in important court affairs. What do you know?"

Wu Shun smiled and said, "I don't understand the affairs of the court, but Xu Jingzong has helped us a lot. You can't just leave him alone."

Wu Meiniang said calmly, "Judging from His Majesty's attitude, he probably won't pursue the matter. What else does he want me to say? I'm afraid this isn't his goal, is it?"

Wu Shun smiled and said, "I can't hide it from you. Xu Jingzong thinks that His Majesty may want to make important use of Liu Rengui and Shangguan Yi."

Wu Mei Niang said, "These two have real talents and knowledge, so why not use them?"

Wu Shun whispered, "Xu Jingzong also said that His Majesty Liu Rengui can use it without any problem, but Shangguan Yi..."

"What happened to Shangguan Yi?"

Wu Shun whispered, "Xu Jingzong said that Shangguan Yi once privately discussed with others that you interfered in state affairs when you were Zhaoyi, and that after you became empress, the harem would be in chaos and become a disaster."

A trace of anger flashed in Wu Meiniang's eyes, and she said coldly, "Is this true, or did Xu Jingzong make this up and want me to help him remove the stumbling block?"

Wu Shun was surprised and asked, "What stumbling block?"

Wu Meiniang said, "Recently, many people have been saying that Liu Rengui might become prime minister, and Xu Jingzong also wants to be prime minister. Liu Rengui is naturally a stumbling block to him."

Wu Shun thought for a moment and said, "So, Shangguan Yi's impeachment of Xu Jingzong was probably also directed by Liu Rengui?"

Wu Meiniang said, "It's possible. Liu Rengui has been a clerk for over ten years, and I'm afraid he's even more eager to become a prime minister than Xu Jingzong."

Wu Shun also understood at this time that Xu Jingzong came to the Wu Mansion for help, and actually wanted to deal with Liu Rengui instead of Shangguan Yi.

He did not mention Liu Rengui's name directly, but mentioned Shangguan Yi first to avoid being too obvious.

If Empress Wu really believed those words and thought that Shangguan Yi opposed her becoming empress, and that Shangguan Yi had a close relationship with Liu Rengui, Empress Wu would definitely not have allowed Liu Rengui to be appointed prime minister.

Thinking of this, Wu Shun sighed and said, "These old gentlemen have really deep thoughts."

Wu Meiniang said, "Officials without cunning minds would have been exiled to other prefectures and counties long ago."

Wu Shun hesitated for a moment and said, "Sister, no matter what, Xu Jingzong finally helped us and has always supported you. Isn't it better for him to be the prime minister than Liu Rengui?"

Wu Meiniang glanced at her and said, "You say that so easily. I am the queen, how can I easily interfere in the affairs of the previous dynasty?"

Wu Shun laughed and said, "You're trying to fool me again. When you were Zhaoyi, there was nothing you couldn't ask about. Didn't the Sage listen to you the most?"

Wu Meiniang was silent for a while, then said quietly, "It is precisely because I am the queen now that I cannot ask about it."

Wu Shun was shocked when he saw his sister's expression and put down his teacup.

She was used to relying on her sister, so she was too lazy to use her brain, but she was not stupid. From her sister's tone, she could tell that after she became the empress, the emperor had become wary of her and did not like her to participate in state affairs.

She sighed and said, "It's hard for you."

Wu Mei Niang said, "It's not that serious. Your Majesty simply doesn't like my interference in state affairs. His favor has not diminished."

Wu Shun hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Sister, if you want me to enter the palace to help you, how about we sisters follow the example of the Second Zhao?"

Wu Meiniang's face turned pale and she stared at Wu Shun with cold eyes.

The two Zhaos refer to Zhao Feiyan and Zhao Hede. The two sisters, one was a graceful dancer and the other was gentle and charming. They supported each other and were both favored by Emperor Cheng of Han.

Wu Shun smiled and said, "I just said it casually. I also want to help you. If you don't want to, then forget it."

Wu Meiniang said coldly, "Sister, you know my temper, and I can't hide your thoughts from you. I treat you well, and I hope you won't push your luck."

Wu Shun smiled bitterly and said, "We are biological sisters, why would it be like this? I won't mention it again."

Wu Meiniang said calmly, "Don't worry about Xu Jingzong's affairs anymore. Go back and serve your mother well and take good care of your son. Try not to get involved in other things."

Wu Shun replied "yes" and left angrily.

Wu Meiniang left the Lizheng Hall and went to a stone pavilion and sat alone, not saying a word.

The eunuchs and palace maids around her could see that the queen was in a bad mood, and they held their breath and spoke in silence, for fear of disturbing her thoughts.

Wu Meiniang was indeed in a bad mood, and Li Zhi discussed state affairs with her less and less frequently.

He thought that Princess Honghua's incident could reverse the situation, but it was in vain. After this incident, Li Zhi never discussed any court affairs with her again.

Even Zhang Da Hai went to the tiger circle incident, but she, the queen, was unable to go.

Wu Meiniang suddenly realized that no matter how hard she tried to please Li Zhi, she could not eliminate his defenses against her.

She even had a strange feeling that Li Zhi liked Wu Zhaoyi and not Empress Wu.

Is it because the Queen's power is too great, which makes him feel threatened? No, no matter how powerful the Queen is, how can she compete with the power of the monarch?

She thought for a long time and finally thought of another possibility.

As far as she knew, Li Zhi lost his mother when he was nine years old, so he had always longed for maternal love.

For this reason, he never cared about being older than him.

Perhaps in his heart, he had already regarded his mother, Empress Zhangsun, as the role model for an empress.

When someone else became the queen, he could not help but compare that person with his mother, Empress Zhangsun.

Queen Wang was like this, and so was she.

At this moment, Wu Meiniang was filled with jealousy towards Empress Changsun.

When she entered the palace, Empress Changsun had already died, and the two had no contact.

However, Emperor Taizong, who named her "Mei", always missed the deceased Empress Zhangsun and forgot about her as a living person.

Now the most important man to her is rejecting her because of Empress Changsun. How can she not be angry?

Wu Meiniang took a few breaths, then suddenly laughed at herself, thinking, "How foolish of me to get angry at a dead person!" She turned to her attendants and asked, "Has anyone among you ever followed Empress Wende?"

Concubine Jiang observed her expression and said cautiously, "Your Highness, I have served Empress Wende before."

Wu Meiniang smiled slightly and said, "That's great. Tell me about Empress Zhangsun."

Jiang Shanggong suddenly felt a chill on her back.

Many of Empress Wende's advantages were the opposite of Empress Wu's, especially her tolerance towards others and her refusal to interfere in state affairs. If she had said this, Empress Wu would have felt that she was mocking her.

Empress Wu frowned and said, "Why, can't you tell me?"

Jiang Shang Gong's thoughts raced, and she quickly said with a smile, "I was thinking, if you want to know about Empress Wende, you don't need to ask anyone, you can just read a book."

Empress Wu was moved and asked, "Is it the 'Rules for Women' that she wrote?"

Jiang Shang Gong smiled and said, "That's right."

Empress Wu pondered for a moment, then slowly stood up and said, "Go find a copy and place it on my desk."

He walked back towards Lizheng Hall with a brisk pace, and his mood seemed to have improved a little.

(End of this chapter)