Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 46 A New Year in the Tang Dynasty

After the palace meeting, Wu Meiniang took out half of her belongings and ordered Jiang Shanggong to give them to the eunuchs and palace maids.

She did this every year, and Jiang Shang Gong was bribed by her in this way. She didn't ask any questions and went to handle the matter immediately.

Near noon, Zhang Duohai came hurriedly to report that the grand court meeting and banquet were over, and the emperor ordered that a banquet for the royal family be held in Qianqiu Hall in the evening.

Wu Meiniang asked, "Has the imperial edict for the transfer of officials and their wives been delivered to the Secretariat?"

Zhang Duohai said, "The emperor had already approved everything the night before, and the imperial edicts were sent to the Secretariat. Although they were read out on the fifth day of the first lunar month, the news had already leaked out."

Wu Meiniang asked, "Are there any changes to the titles of Mother and Lady Helan?"

Zhang Duohai said: "No. The old lady was canonized as the first-rank Daiguo Lady, and Madam Helan was canonized as the third-rank County Lady."

Wu Meiniang nodded and asked, "Where is Xu Jingzong?"

Zhang Duohai said: "Although he was not given a new position, he still retained his position as Minister of Rites."

Wu Meiniang hummed, walked to the chair and sat down, picked up a book and flipped through it, and asked casually: "Are there any other official changes?"

Zhang Duohai said, "Li Sikong was promoted to Shangshu You Pushe, Liu Rengui was promoted to Menxia Shilang, and Li Yifu and Liu Rengui were both appointed Tongzhongshu Menxia third rank."

Wu Meiniang nodded and said, "Liu Rengui is a member of the Qingliu faction and is nearly sixty years old. Your Majesty's appointment of him as Prime Minister must have a profound meaning."

Zhang Duohai whispered, "Your Highness, should we ask Minister Xu to reconcile with Liu Rengui and win him over?"

Wu Meiniang glanced at him and said, "I am already the queen. I can't act like before. Otherwise, I will be the next Wang Shi. Do you understand?"

Zhang Duohai said hurriedly: "I've made a note of it."

Wu Meiniang said: "Let's talk about the changes in other people's official positions."

Zhang Duohai said: "Xu Yushi was promoted to Minister of Personnel, Shangguan Yi was promoted to Vice Minister of the Secretariat, Pei Yan was promoted to Attendant, and Xue Yuanchao was promoted to Secretary of the Secretariat..."

After a pause, he smiled and said, "By the way, Wei Siqian, who impeached Chu Suiliang, was also recalled by the Sage to serve as the Minister of the Imperial Court."

Wu Meiniang nodded and thought to herself, "Most of these people are from the Qingliu faction. It seems that His Majesty intends to reuse the Qingliu faction and rectify the administration."

She instructed Zhang Duohai, "Send someone to warn Xu Jingzong, Li Yifu, and the others, saying that His Majesty is about to rectify the government and ask them to behave properly and fulfill their duties."

Zhang Dahai smiled and said, "Your Highness, they are all old foxes in the officialdom. They should know it without being reminded."

Wu Meiniang said calmly, "You don't understand. When a person reaches a high position of power, their mentality can easily change. It's better to remind them. Tell them that this is the last time I will help them, and ask them not to send anyone to look for me again in the future."

Zhang Duohai was shocked and gave the order.

Wu Meiniang came to the side hall, held her youngest son Li Xian in her arms, and played with him for a while.

At this time, a palace servant came in and whispered, "Your Highness, the two little princesses want to see you."

Wu Meiniang frowned slightly and asked, "Just the two of them?"

The palace maid said, "Yes."

Wu Meiniang said, "Let them in."

After a while, Princess Yi Yang came in holding Princess Gao An.

Princess Gao'an lowered her head, not daring to look at Empress Wu. Princess Yiyang, however, met Empress Wu's gaze, bowed, and said, "Greetings, mother."

Empress Wu said calmly, "Get up. What do you want from me?"

Princess Yiyang took out a small sheepskin felt hat from her bosom, the size of a palm, and whispered, "Mother, I made a small hat for my brother."

Wu Meiniang picked it up and took a look at it. She nodded slightly and said, "It's rare that you are so thoughtful."

Princess Yiyang said, "I will take my leave and not disturb you any more."

Wu Meiniang ordered, "Yuping, go get two of the fox furs offered as tribute in Yingzhou and send them to Xunfeng Palace and Penglai Palace."

The two princesses were too young to wear the ready-made fox fur cloaks, so Wu Meiniang directly gave them fox furs and asked the palace maids in the two palaces to sew cloaks specifically for them.

Princess Yi Yang bowed to Wu Meiniang again and said, "Thank you, mother." Then she took her sister's hand and left the palace.

After leaving the palace, Princess Gao An patted her chest and said with a smile: "Sister, you are really amazing. I didn't dare to speak to my mother, but you are not afraid at all."

Princess Yiyang snorted, "Who wouldn't be afraid? But if she saw that I was afraid, she would definitely be even more unhappy."

Princess Gao An asked curiously, "Why is that?"

Princess Yiyang asked, "Don't you get angry when those eunuchs and palace maids are afraid of us?"

Princess Gao An nodded her little head first, then raised it and said, "No, there are also eunuchs who are not afraid of me. But that's also true, he is not afraid of me, so I like to play with him."

Princess Yiyang said angrily, "You can't even explain what's right and what's wrong. How have you been spending the past month with Concubine Zheng?"

Princess Gao An giggled and said, "That's great. Auntie not only taught me how to play musical instruments, but also found a lot of fun things for me."

Princess Yiyang remained silent. Seeing this, Princess Gaoan hurriedly asked, "Sister, is Concubine Xu not treating you well?"

Princess Yiyang suddenly turned around and ordered the palace maids and eunuchs around her, "Stay away! Don't get so close!"

Despite her young age, she already possessed the dignity of a grown-up princess, so the attendants had to step back.

Princess Yiyang then said, "Mrs. Xu is very kind to me. She asked me to knit that little felt hat for my sixth brother."

Princess Gao An was surprised and asked, "Why doesn't she let the palace maids weave? They weave very well."

Princess Yiyang said, "I don't know either, but Aunt Xu said this was for my own good, and she specifically asked me to bring you along."

Princess Gao An nodded and said, "Mrs. Xu is so smart, what she says cannot be wrong."

Princess Yi Yang hummed, then suddenly stopped and stared at a small pond in a daze.

The weather was cold and the ponds were frozen.

Princess Gao An took her hand and said, "Sister, what's wrong with you?"

Princess Yiyang sighed, "I just thought of my mother."

Princess Gao An was stunned for a moment, then slowly lowered her head and whispered, "I don't know how Mother is doing. How about we go and ask Father to bring Mother back?"

Princess Yiyang said anxiously, "No."

Princess Gao An asked, "Why?"

Princess Yiyang shook her head and said, "Mrs. Xu said this matter is very complicated and we don't understand it. We can't ask father about it, otherwise he will be angry."

Princess Gao An grumbled, "They just love to say we don't understand and won't tell us anything."

Princess Yi Yang did not respond.

The two sisters walked forward and soon arrived at the South Sea Pond. Princess Gao An suddenly saw a person by the pond and said happily, "Sister, look, isn't that Aye?"

Aye was also a name for father in the Tang Dynasty, which was more intimate.

Princess Yi Yang smiled and said, "It's really father, come over quickly." She took her sister's hand and ran over.

Li Zhi was standing by the pool observing the ice.

He had been busy for most of the day and had a banquet in the evening, so he took advantage of the break to stretch his body in the harem.

Just as he was staring at the ice in a daze, two warm stoves came over from the left and right, each holding one of his arms. They were Princess Gao An and Princess Yi Yang.

"Father!" "Yeah yeah!" the two little princesses shouted.

Li Zhi smiled slightly and picked up the two of them separately. Fortunately, he has been much stronger recently. If it were before, he probably wouldn't be able to hold two people at the same time.

"It's so cold, why don't you two stay in the palace?"

Princess Gao An rushed to say, "Father, we were worried that my brother would be cold, so we just gave him a felt hat that I had sewn myself."

Li Zhi smiled and said, "You both know how to take care of your younger brother. That's good." He put the two men down and touched their heads.

Princess Yiyang glanced at the surface of the pond and said, "Father, are you fishing?"

Li Zhi smiled and said, "I'm just taking a look. It's cold by the pool. Let's go somewhere else."

Holding their hands, I walked with them and asked them how they were doing recently.

After answering a few words, Princess Gao An finally couldn't hold back any more and said, "Aye, I miss my mother. How is she doing recently?"

Li Zhi had heard from Wang Fusheng that the Xiao and Wang families had built Taoist temples at home for the two girls, and both girls had become Taoist nuns.

He was silent for a moment, then said, "Your mother lives a quiet life, well-fed and well-clothed, so there's nothing to worry about."

Princess Gao An begged, "Can we go see her?"

Li Zhi shook his head and said, "Not now, wait until you are older."

Princess Yiyang was afraid that her sister would make her father angry, so she quickly said, "Father, I am knitting gloves for you and will have them ready before the New Year."

Li Zhi patted her head and said with a smile, "You are really my little cotton-padded jacket."

Princess Yi Yang blinked, not quite understanding what this meant.

At this moment, Princess Gao An looked up at the sky and said happily, "Aye, sister, look, it's snowing!"

Li Zhi looked up and saw the hazy sky and snowflakes falling like pearls.

This was the first snow of the seventh year of Yonghui.

The new year of the Tang Dynasty is about to begin.

(End of this chapter)