Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 77 Xiao's Consort
After the rain, the sky cleared up, the sky was blue, and the air was filled with the faint fragrance of grass and trees.

Chang Sun Chong pushed open the door and entered the study, saying to Chang Sun Wuji, "Father, I have asked the Prime Minister and Han Xiang to leave."

Changsun Wuji had already taken a bath and changed into a loose silk robe. He was sitting behind the desk reading a book. He raised his head when he heard this.

"Well, you should go and rest too."

Chang Sun Chong was unwilling to leave. He was filled with doubts and asked, "Father, are you really planning to become a scholar?"

Changsun Wuji looked up at him and said, "At this point, is it still up to me to make a choice?"

Chang Sun Chong asked, "Why did you try to dissuade Han Xiang and Lai Xiang from resigning just now?"

Zhang Sun Wuji said calmly, "The three of us prime ministers resigned at the same time? What would that mean to others? Are we protesting to His Majesty?"

"But without you, His Majesty wouldn't keep them."

Changsun Wuji waved his hand and said, "No. Your Majesty currently values ​​stability in the government. My presence has already caused enough of a stir. Your Majesty will not make matters worse."

Chang Sun Chong took a few steps closer and whispered, "Father, are you really planning to stay home and write books instead of visiting visitors?"

Changsun Wuji was silent for a moment, then said, "This is the only way for now."

Chang Sun Chong's eyes lit up and he said, "You must have a trick up your sleeve, right?"

Zhang Sun Wuji glanced at him and said, "Don't worry, just wait and see. Without my control, those noble families will no longer behave themselves."

Chang Sun Chong nodded repeatedly and said, "Father, can I stay in Chang'an?"

Zhang Sun Wuji thought for a moment and said, "You can stay, but you can no longer serve as the Palace Supervisor. This was originally a position that Princess Shang got. Now that the princess has passed away, you should have retired long ago."

Chang Sun Chong said, "Then my son will ask for permission tomorrow to return to the position of Junior Minister of the Imperial Clan."

Changsun Wuji nodded.

Just then, the housekeeper came to report that someone had brought a gift.

Chang Sun Chong came to the door and asked, "What is the gift, and who gave it to you?"

The housekeeper said, "My dear, it is a jade Guanyin, placed in a brocade box. I wonder who left it outside the back door."

As he spoke, he took out a brocade box from his sleeve, took out the Guanyin inside and handed it over.

Chang Sun Chong picked it up and took a look. He found that the Guanyin was slightly larger than his palm, with fine workmanship, and was made of top-quality jadeite.

"Chong'er, bring it here for me to see."

Changsun Chong responded, took the Jade Guanyin back to the house and handed it to Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji held it in his hand and looked at it for a while, then he snorted and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

Chang Sun Chong hurriedly asked, "Father, do you know who gave you this jade?"

Changsun Wuji said, "Before Your Majesty enthroned Wu, she asked her mother, Madam Yang, to give me a generous gift in order to gain my support. Among them was a similar jade Guanyin."

Chang Sun Chong was shocked.

Zhang Sun Wuji narrowed his eyes and said, "I intentionally humiliated her at the time. I accepted the jade but didn't support her, so she has always held a grudge against me."

Chang Sun Chong snorted and said, "The Wu family must have known that you were going to retire, so they sent someone to send Guanyin to scare us!"

Changsun Wuji said calmly, "Put this Guanyin statue on the antique shelf in your room."

Chang Sun Chong was shocked and asked, "Why is this? My son feels terrified every time he sees this thing."

Changsun Wuji glanced at him and said, "You're right to feel scared. This is a good reminder for you to use your brain more before you act next time."

Chang Sun Chong smiled bitterly and said, "Son, I understand."

At the court meeting the next day, Changsun Wuji requested to retire on the grounds of serious illness. Li Zhi pretended to try to keep him, but Changsun Wuji refused. Only then did Li Zhi agree.

There was an immediate sensation in the government and the country.

Since the first year of Yonghui, Zhangsun Wuji, with the help of Chu Suiliang, has been in control of the government for five years.

Now he suddenly resigned from his post. The low-ranking officials were unaware of the situation and were filled with panic, fearing that a hurricane was about to arise in the court and sweep them up.

High-ranking officials were all guessing that the emperor was finally going to take action against the aristocratic factions.

Regardless of whether the emperor really had this intention, now that the towering tree of Changsun Wuji has fallen, all the noble families that were sheltered under the tree are exposed to the sun.

A strong sense of crisis brought the aristocratic families together again.

That afternoon, just after Chang Sun Chong left the government office, he received an invitation. Several leaders of the aristocratic factions gathered at the Jingzhao Wei family mansion and invited him to visit.

After reading it, Chang Sun Chong sneered secretly, thinking, "As my father suspected, they are starting to get restless." He strode towards the Wei family mansion. After arriving at the Wei mansion, the doorman had already received instructions and led Chang Sun Chong directly to the study in the back hall.

Chang Sunchong pushed the door open and took a quick look.

Wei Hongji, the head of the Wei family, Xiao Rui, the head of the Xiao family, and Yuwen Qiao, the head of the Yuwen family, were all waiting in the house.

Wei Hongji walked over quickly, closed the door first, and said with a smile, "Please sit down, Prince Consort."

Zhang Sun Chong put his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Where's Du Chong? Why didn't he come?"

Wei Hongji said, "Brother Du's behavior this time was too unruly. We are all watching, so we will naturally not invite him again."

Chang Sun Chong snorted and said, "If you have anything to say, please say it directly."

Wei Hongji and Xiao Rui exchanged a glance, smiled slightly, and said, "Prince Consort, now that the Grand Marshal has retired, the Aristocratic Family faction is leaderless. We all support you as the new leader of the Aristocratic Family faction."

Chang Sun Chong sneered, "You guys elected my father as the leader, letting him lead the way and protect you from the wind and rain, while you hid in the back and reaped the benefits. That was a pretty good life, wasn't it?"

Xiao Rui frowned and said, "Brother Changsun, you can't say that. Without our support, the Grand Marshal wouldn't have been able to control the court for so many years."

Like Changsun Chong, he was also a son-in-law, and married the eldest daughter of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Princess Xiangcheng.

It's a pity that Princess Xiangcheng, like Princess Changle, was beautiful but unlucky, so the two princes-in-law sympathized with each other and had a good personal relationship.

Chang Sun Chong glanced at Xiao Rui and said, "Brother Xiao, I don't understand what you're saying. My father was a minister appointed by the late emperor as regent. How can he control the court if he just said a few more words?"

Then he changed the subject: "Besides, it was my father who became the regent first, and then you came over to me. It wasn't because of your help that my father became the regent. Don't get this relationship wrong."

Xiao Rui sighed, "It seems that Brother Changsun doesn't intend to be our leader anymore?"

Chang Sun Chong held up two fingers and said, "First, I'm different from my father. I won't be your leader just for the sake of the overall situation."

He lowered a finger and said, "Secondly, I am not your father. I cannot protect you from the wind and rain. You should choose another big tree."

Yuwen Qiao said in a deep voice: "If Prince Changsun rejects us now, don't blame us for standing idly by when Empress Wu wants to deal with the Grand Marshal in the future."

His tone was low and his voice was sharp, like that of a military general.

Chang Sun Chong glanced at him and said coldly, "If the Wu family really wants to deal with my father, will you help?"

Yuwen Qiao sneered, turned his head away and said nothing.

Wei Hongji sighed, "Well, since Prince Consort Changsun is unwilling to show up, we won't force him. We just hope that we can still look after each other in the future."

Chang Sun Chong said, "Wei Hongji, stop pretending to be nice in front of me. You've been getting pretty close to Wei Siqian lately, haven't you?"

Wei Siqian impeached Chu Suiliang and became enemies with him.

In order not to affect the relationship between the Wei family and Chu Suiliang, Wei Hongji expelled Wei Siqian from the family tree.

Wei Hongji said calmly, "The aristocratic families are in a difficult situation right now, but he has been favored by the Saint. I also want to persuade him to use this influence to contribute more to everyone."

Chang Sun Chong smiled and said, "So that's how it is. I think he's quite good. You can choose him as the leader. Chang Sun, take your leave!"

Turn around and stride away.

Xiao Rui and Yuwen Qiao both looked unhappy and did not go out to see him off. Only Wei Hongji still saw him off to the door.

When Wei Hongji came back, Yuwen Qiao sneered coldly.

"I told you that Chang Sun Chong is no match for his father. It's useless to look for him, but you just don't believe me."

Wei Hongji said: "After all, Changsun Chong is Changsun Wuji's son. If anything happens to him, Changsun Wuji will not sit idly by."

Xiao Rui said, "You underestimate Changsun Chong too much. Even though he is not as good as Changsun Wuji, he is not stupid enough to let us use him."

Wei Hongji suddenly turned his gaze towards him.

Xiao Rui's eyes glared, and he said, "Wei Shaoqing, you don't want us, the Jiangnan nobles, to come to the front, do you?"

Wei Hongji smiled and said, "Prince Consort Xiao, you're worrying too much. I just heard that the Saint has been very fond of the two little princesses recently. They are both princesses of your Xiao family."

Xiao Rui frowned and said, "Even my cousin can't see them now, so it's even more impossible for me to influence them. You're thinking too far ahead."

Wei Hongji laughed and said, "Prince Consort Xiao, have you forgotten that the Cold Food Festival is in two days. His Majesty will pay homage to the Zhaoling Mausoleum, and my cousin has already arrived in Beijing."

Xiao Rui's eyes lit up and he asked, "Are you talking about Concubine Wei?"

Wei Hongji smiled and nodded.

(End of this chapter)