Chapter 247: Doing Great Things but Being Cherished
After Princess Chenliu entered the Xuanguang Hall, the maids and female historians around her dispersed and distributed various small gifts to the palace servants in the Xuanguang Hall.
After receiving the rewards distributed by Princess Chenliu, these eunuchs and palace maids left the palace on their own accord.
These are also the result of hard work.
Before Liu Teng became so seriously ill, these eunuchs and palace servants naturally did not dare to accept bribes from Princess Chenliu.
However, Princess Chenliu was not discouraged. She spent money lavishly every time she entered the Xuanguang Hall.
When some people took it but were not reported, or when some people took it and were reported but nothing happened.
More and more eunuchs and palace maids began to accept rewards from Princess Chenliu.
They were also very "considerate" and were busy with other things when Princess Chenliu came to Xuanguang Hall.
And all this finally underwent a qualitative change as Liu Teng became seriously ill.
Liu Teng was seriously ill, and the eunuchs and palace maids who were exiled to Xuanguang Hall no longer took the order to monitor Empress Dowager Hu seriously, and even their attitude towards her improved.
Liu Teng's adopted sons were all busy vying for Liu Teng's favor, wanting to become the heir to his power.
However, none of Liu Teng's adopted sons were capable, and no one was qualified to inherit Liu Teng's power.
All they could divide was Liu Teng's position and property.
Those who were most loyal to Liu Teng began to have ideas, so Empress Dowager Hu naturally relaxed.
Moreover, once Liu Teng dies, the future situation may change.
Those clever eunuchs and palace maids have already started a new round of taking sides.
Princess Chenliu and Empress Dowager Hu came to the side hall. Guarding the side hall were several eunuchs and palace maids that Empress Dowager Hu had recently won over. Together with the maids brought by Princess Chenliu, they created a space for the two to talk safely.
"Royal sister-in-law."
Princess Chenliu held Empress Dowager Hu's hand and two tears came out of her eyes.
Smart and beautiful women are born actors. Princess Chenliu had great acting skills and she would cry every time she entered the palace. In the end, it was Empress Dowager Hu who comforted her.
"I'm fine, why are you crying?"
During the days when Empress Dowager Hu was imprisoned, she regained some of her former heroic spirit.
When Hu first entered the palace, her status was low.
Empress Dowager Hu's aunt was a famous nun who often came to the palace to explain Buddhism (serious Buddhism) to Emperor Xuanwu.
Hu's aunt often praised Hu's beauty in front of Emperor Xuanwu, and finally Hu was taken into the palace by Emperor Xuanwu.
At that time, the Northern Wei Dynasty still implemented the system of establishing a son and killing the mother, so the concubines in the palace were afraid of giving birth to sons, and instead prayed to have daughters.
Only Hu, who had just entered the palace, swore at night, "How can the emperor be without a son? Why would you fear death and allow the royal family to be childless?"
After she became pregnant, Mrs. Hu prayed to the Buddha again:
"As long as the baby is a boy, he will be the eldest son in the family, and I will not object to his death."
Later, Emperor Xuanwu appointed Yuan Xu as the crown prince and abolished the system of establishing a son and killing the mother, which led to Empress Dowager Hu's current glory.
After Duke Chenliu finished his performance, he said to Empress Dowager Hu:
"Yesterday, Master Bianji reported to me that Xi Kangsheng was willing to be loyal to the Queen Mother and Your Majesty."
Empress Dowager Hu couldn't help but be overjoyed.
The current Princess Chenliu is the channel for Empress Dowager Hu to contact the outside world.
The young Emperor Yuan Xu followed Yuan Ziyou's advice and during a visit to Empress Dowager Hu, he told her about his plan to win over Xi Kangsheng and his son.
Empress Dowager Hu also thought it was feasible, and she contacted Bian Ji through Princess Chenliu, and asked Bian Ji to secretly "enlighten" Xi Kangsheng at a Buddhist Dharma meeting.
Xi Kangsheng swore to the Buddha that he would protect the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, which meant he was siding with Empress Dowager Hu.
"Royal sister, why is Master Bianji willing to help?"
When Empress Dowager Hu was first imprisoned, Yuan Yi, who was a devout Buddhist, did not dare to kill Bian Ji because of his "mysterious" nature. He also allowed him to enter and leave the Xuanguang Hall and continue to explain Buddhism to Empress Dowager Hu.
Empress Dowager Hu tried to win over Bian Ji several times, but this monk was slippery and was not willing to work for her at all.
But unexpectedly, this time Princess Chenliu took action and actually persuaded Bian Ji to come forward and help contact Xi Kangsheng.
Princess Chenliu lowered her head and said:
"Sister-in-law, Master Bianji is willing to help this time because he once wanted to tell me that I have a connection with Buddha."
Empress Dowager Hu seemed to understand something. She took Princess Chenliu's hand and said:
"Royal sister, you?"
Princess Chenliu seemed to have made some "difficult" decision. She said:
"I have promised Master Bianji that I will devote myself to the Buddhist temple after this matter."
Empress Dowager Hu was so moved that she hugged Princess Chenliu and said:
"It's really hard for my royal sister."
Princess Chenliu wiped her tears and said:
"If I can do something for the Emperor's sister-in-law, what does this little hardship mean?"
Empress Dowager Hu continued:
"Xi Kangsheng is willing to help me, but what if the truth is revealed?"
Princess Chenliu looked down on Empress Dowager Hu even more.
Doing great things but cherishing one's life, this is what Cao Cao said about Yuan Shao. In Princess Chenliu's view, Empress Dowager Hu was just like that.
He always wants to use others to help him work hard, and then hide behind them to reap the biggest benefits.
Where in the world can there be such a good thing!
When launching a coup, you're already thinking about the possibility of failure before you even succeed.
It is no wonder that Empress Dowager Hu was imprisoned by such a crude coup by Yuan Yi and Liu Teng. The reason was that she was too incompetent.
Or perhaps the life of luxury over the years had completely made her lose the courage she had when she first entered the palace to give birth to a child for Emperor Xuanwu.
Princess Chenliu said:
"Don't worry, sister-in-law. Master Bianji used Buddhism to influence Xi Kangsheng this time, and did not reveal that it was the Queen Mother and Your Majesty's intention."
Empress Dowager Hu finally felt relieved, as she was also frightened.
Then Empress Dowager Hu said:
"Imperial sister, after the matter is completed, you can choose any Buddhist temple to practice. When you want to return to secular life, I will redeem you even if it means exhausting the national treasury."
In fact, sacrificing oneself in a Buddhist temple is very common in Luoyang.
In Luoyang, there was already a phenomenon where an elder in a family gave himself up in a Buddhist temple, and then the children of the family, in order to avoid being accused of being unfilial, raised money to redeem the elder from the temple.
In the eyes of these people who sacrificed themselves in Buddhist temples, their family members spending money to redeem them is accumulating merit for them.
Since it is about accumulating merit, then naturally the more money you redeem, the more merit you will accumulate.
Princess Chenliu took note of Empress Dowager Hu's promise, and after she left Xuanguang Hall, she took her maid to Taiji Hall for the banquet. Today was the Lantern Festival dinner, and Liu Teng also did not attend.
Prince Yuanyi of Jiangyang got drunk again and was supported by his attendants as he returned to the palace.
Xi Kangsheng, who had been claiming to be ill at home for a long time, appeared in public for the first time after the Xuanguang coup.
The old veteran had a rosy complexion and did not look like he had just recovered from a serious illness.
Princess Chenliu saw everything. Empress Dowager Hu and her son were evenly matched opponents against Yuan Yi and Liu Teng.
She had already set up the stage for both parties and was waiting for them to perform their comedy.
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"He Liuhun, I support you!"
Lou Zhaojun took Gao Huan's hand and said:
Gao Huan was moved.
Today, refugees fleeing famine have gathered outside Huaishuo City.
The garrison commander Yang Jun had no choice as there was no food left in the garrison. He could only send people to Pingcheng to request disaster relief. However, based on Yang Jun's understanding of the Wei court, even if the court agreed to provide disaster relief, it would not be possible to transport the relief to the six garrisons in the short term.
Yang Jun took the lead in donating some food and livestock, slaughtered them outside the city to help the victims, and called on the chiefs, military commanders and generals in the city to donate food as well.
When Gao Huan returned home, he stammered and proposed to his wife Lou Zhaojun that they donate the family's livestock to help the victims outside the city. Lou Zhaojun actually agreed without hesitation.
Lou Zhaojun was the granddaughter of Lou Ti, Marquis of Zhending in Pingcheng, and the daughter of Lou Neigan, the prime minister. Compared with Gao Huan, a poor boy, she was a true noble lady from a famous family.
In fact, the Lou family did not think much of Gao Huan, but because they loved their daughter so much, they still found a military post as an envoy for Gao Huan, and also gave Lou Zhaojun a generous dowry.
When Su Ze and Gao Huan first met, some of the horses Gao Huan sold were Lou Zhaojun's dowry.
After Gao Huan returned from Luoyang, he seemed like a different person. He was no longer as extravagant and playful as before, but spent more money than before!
Making friends with heroes, winning over subordinates, and communicating with superiors, all of these cost money.
The generous dowry that Lou Zhaojun brought was gradually running out.
Thanks to the fact that Gao Huan received some rewards in the last battle, and he is now the commander of the Huaishuo Army, the Lou family's brothers-in-law did not come to attack him.
Today Gao Huan proposed to his wife that they use the family’s livestock to provide disaster relief, and he was worried that his wife would refuse.
But I didn't expect that Lou Zhaojun would support me so much.
Gao Huan was moved, and Lou Zhaojun said:
"He Liuhun, when you came back from Luoyang last time, you said that there were changes in the world. Is this true?"
Gao Huan immediately said:
"Brother Su also said so, so of course it's the correct answer."
Lou Zhaojun interrupted him and said, "Brother Su, this matter of course depends on your opinion. What do you think?"
Gao Huan thought for a moment and said, "During the Yulin Rebellion, the Imperial Guards burned the Sikong residence and hit the Shangshutai with stones. The court did not punish them, but only executed the main culprit, and finally compromised with the Imperial Guards."
"From this moment on, I had a feeling that the world was changing."
Lou Zhaojun immediately said:
"Since the world has changed, what's the point of keeping these livestock?"
Gao Huan laughed loudly and said, "Money is nothing but a side issue. Even if you spend a fortune, you will get it back! It was I, He Liuhun, who underestimated my lady!"
Gao Huan suddenly looked at Lou Zhaojun seriously and said, "If I become your master in the future, I will never let you down!"
When Lou Zhaojun saw Gao Huan being so serious, she couldn't help but feel shaken.
Lou Zhaojun is a face-obsessed person.
In the historical timeline before Su Ze traveled through time, she disliked her own son Gao Yang because he was ugly and not as handsome as his father and brother.
Lou Zhaojun chose Gao Huan and married him because of his outstanding appearance.
However, there is also some heroism of a Hu woman in her character, and she stayed with Gao Huan even when he was at his lowest point.
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In February of the second year of Zhengguang, Liangzhou.
In the ancestral hall of the Yang family in Hanzhong, all branches of the Yang family gathered here to discuss matters.
Last year, the Liangzhou Provincial Governor's Office issued an order to register the population, but the Yang family only symbolically registered a few slaves, and the large number of slaves hidden in the family remained unregistered.
The county official posted notices and notified the people several times within the county. Even the final grace period was extended from the end of last year to the end of February. However, the Yang family, which owned the most slaves in the county, did not respond, and neither did the other small wealthy families.
Isn't it just registering the people as equals? Fu Shuyan also did this in Liangzhou.
Fu Shuyan defeated the attacks of Southern Liang many times and became famous locally. In the end, he could only compromise and coexist with the local nobles of Liangzhou, relying on recruiting Shudi and Shanyue people to balance the powerful families in Hanzhong.
What can a mere Su Ze do to a prestigious family like the Yang family?
Isn't it just because of good luck and the credit for winning a few battles that you really think you are a big shot?
What the Yang family is discussing here today is the issue of judicial power in several nearby counties.
Ever since Su Ze took away the clerk positions that had been held by the Yang family for a long time, the Yang family could no longer control the local area by controlling the judicial system, and a lot of troubles arose.
There were more and more lawsuits against the Yang family, and the inspectors appointed by the state government were not as polite as before. Although the Yang family won some cases, there were several cases where "troublemakers" sued the Yang family, and the Yang family finally lost the case.
One of the cases was about a local self-cultivating farmer in Liangzhou. After his land was occupied by the Yang family, he followed Yang Kan to join the army and fight.
The soldier fought bravely and made great contributions. After the war, he returned to his hometown and sued the Yang family for occupying his land.
This soldier had all the evidence. He had been rewarded for his meritorious service and held a military position, so naturally he was not afraid of the Yang family.
The lawsuit lasted for a long time, and in the end the Yang family lost the case.
In fact, the soldier did not take away much land, but for the Yang family, it was an ant hole on the hundred-mile long dike. If it was not dealt with as soon as possible, the dike would collapse because of this ant hole.
The wolf king in a wolf pack can possess all the female wolves in the pack, but he also has to deal with challenges from other male wolves.
Once the wolf king shows weakness, other challengers will rush in.
This is the ancestral lesson of families like the Yang family.
Just as the Yang family was preparing to deal with the soldier who sued them, someone suddenly rushed into the ancestral hall.
The head of the family, Yang Xu, was about 40 years old. In his early years, he sought an official position in Luoyang, but because his family background was too low, he returned to Hanzhong after a few years.
Yang Xu is a typical head of a small wealthy family. He is greedy and cunning. He uses cruel means to suppress challengers within the family. Outside the family, he uses even more brutal means to suppress all enemies who threaten the rule of the Yang family.
"Master! The county magistrate brought people to our farm and said he wanted to take back the extra land!"
Yang Xu stood up and asked, "The land in our family is all in good order! What reason does the county magistrate have to say that our Yang family occupies too much land?"
Everyone was also filled with indignation!
Ever since Su Ze entered Liangzhou, he has been granting land to the peasants, which has caused dissatisfaction among the Hanzhong nobles.
Now the government actually rushed in to seize the Yang family’s land, which was tantamount to shaking the foundations of all the Hanzhong nobles.
Yang Xu chuckled, this was Su Ze's own destruction!
He brought the backbone members of the clan to the fields and saw a square-faced clerk. He recognized this as Su Duan (a fair and selfless local clerk) who had been hanging around his home recently.
As expected, it was Su Ze who took action!
We have to make a big fuss today and let the Hanzhong gentry see the courage of the Yang family!
Yang Xu strode forward and met Su Duan.
(End of this chapter)