The new year had arrived. This year, Wu Zetian, who liked to change her era name, had already decided on a new era name: Dragon God.
This era name was thought up and decided by Wu Zetian on her sickbed. Wu Zetian had always believed that changing her name could change her fate. Perhaps she hoped that this new era name would improve her health, so that she could still soar like a dragon and soar above the Nine Heavens.
However, her health did not improve. After the Imperial Physician treated her, he firmly opposed her participation in the series of New Year's celebrations. After Er Zhang fully understood the situation from the Imperial Physician, he had no choice but to join the ranks of persuasion. The stubborn Wu Zetian could only give in to her two little lovers and give up the opportunity to participate in the New Year's celebrations.
While Wu Zetian was still conscious, Er Zhang, who had not come up with a good plan, tried to ask Wu Zetian for a plan and expressed their deep concern. However, Wu Zetian did not care. She firmly believed that her health would recover. She did not think that she was beyond cure.
At the same time, Wu Zetian was very confident in the future structure of the Wu Family controlling the military and the Li Family controlling the politics of the Wu Zhou Empire. She did not believe that the Wu Family and the Li Family would unite against her. As long as the Wu Family and the Li Family did not unite, the political system she designed would be absolutely stable. The Wu Family and the Li Family would keep each other in check. Who would dare to harm Er Zhang?
However, things are hard to predict, and people's hearts are hard to predict. Her careful arrangements and precautions, along with her old age and her excessive indulgence of Er Zhang, have become full of loopholes, unable to withstand a single blow. The Wu and Li families that seemed impossible to unite, because of Er Zhang's sudden appearance, have broken the balance between them, they have already joined hands to plot against her, the supreme Emperor.
Due to her health, Wu Zetian canceled or did not participate in a large number of celebrations. However, she did not want to cancel the ceremony of the officials paying respects to the Emperor on the first day of the New Year. She did not want to avoid attending. She knew that after not attending court for so long, the officials' hearts were already wavering. If she did not even attend such an important ceremony, her control over the court would further shrink.
However, with her current physical condition, even if she just sat on the throne and didn't say a word, it would still be difficult for her to continue paying her respects for an entire day. Thus, Wu Zetian thought about it again and again and changed the requirement for all the civil and military officials in the capital, as well as the members of the imperial family, as well as those who had performed meritorious deeds, to those who were at least of the fifth rank. Then, she changed it to those who were of the third rank.
Even so, she didn't last until the officials finished paying their respects. She was forced to return to the palace to rest, sweating profusely. As a result, her accepting hundreds of officials to pay their respects did not achieve any effect at all. Instead, it had the opposite effect. The officials became more and more worried about the Emperor's health. Discussing the Emperor's funeral had become an open topic.
Under these circumstances, Wu Zetian, who was the focus of countless people and stared at by countless eyes, did two more things. They aroused the vigilance of Zhang Jianzhi and the others who were actively planning for a military remonstrance, prompting them to immediately launch a military remonstrance.
Perhaps it was the instinctive reaction of an Emperor in a critical condition, or perhaps Wu Zetian had truly discovered something, but after the fifteenth day of the first month, Wu Zetian suddenly issued an edict ordering the Thousand Ox Guards to participate in the palace defense. Because it was inconvenient to mobilize them during the New Year, after repeated persuasion from Zhang Jianzhi, Cui Xuanhui, and the others, she finally decided to postpone it until after the first month.
The other matter was that she received the Prime Minister Yang Zaisi while she was sick. No one knew what they discussed, but after half a day, Yang Zaisi finally left the Emperor's palace.
Now, Zhang Changzong was the commander of the Thousand Ox Guards and could legitimately command this army. Yang Zaisi had always flattered Zhang Changzong and thought of himself as his disciple. Perhaps Wu Zetian's actions were because she heard Zhang Changzong's worries and confession and wanted to give them a layer of protection. However, for the Wu and Li parties who were secretly plotting something big, their hearts trembled.
Thus, Zhang Jianzhi, who "seized every minute", resolutely decided to immediately carry out a military remonstrance.
However, they also needed to make all kinds of preparations. Therefore, from the moment they received the news on the 16th of the first month and decided to carry out the military remonstrance, they had to prepare intensely for five days. Each day felt like a year before they finally started to carry out the plan.
…
On the twenty-second day of the first month, it snowed heavily.
In the first month, state affairs were relatively relaxed. The Prime Ministers were all advanced in age, so they took turns to be on night duty at the Political Affairs Hall. This day was the day when Zhang Jianzhi and Cui Xuanhui, the two Prime Ministers, took turns on duty.
In the afternoon, the snow was boundless, and it was getting heavier.
Zhang Jianzhi walked to the veranda and looked at the fine jade garden. He raised his hands and stretched his body. Zhang Jianzhi was stretching his body when Cui Xuanhui also walked out from his duty room. As soon as he saw Zhang Jianzhi, he smiled and said, "General Meng, you are so free."
Zhang Jianzhi chuckled and said, "In the first month, government affairs are not busy, but I still have to sit this shift. I haven't dealt with anything this morning, and I'm so bored that my old bones are itching."
Cui Xuanhui said, "General Meng, why not play chess to pass the time?"
Zhang Jianzhi stroked his beard and thought for a moment. He nodded and said, "Sure." He then strode to Cui Xuanhui's duty room.
As soon as the two of them entered the room, the two eunuchs guarding the hall closed the door and led them around the main hall where government affairs were handled. They turned into the room at the back where the Prime Minister rested. As the two of them walked in, the relaxed expressions on their faces unknowingly became grave and stern. There was no longer the slightest hint of a smile.
The four of them stood still in the bedroom. Cui Xuanhui made a hand signal to the two eunuchs. The two eunuchs pushed open the back window. Outside the window, it was also snowing heavily. There were two people standing in the snow. Their heads and shoulders were covered in a thick layer of snow. Only from the color of their robes, one could tell that they were also eunuchs in the palace.
As soon as the window was opened, the four eunuchs inside and outside moved. They set up footstools and helped the two old Prime Ministers out of the window. Then they draped two cloaks that had been prepared in advance over their bodies, covering their heads, faces, and bodies.
"My two sirs, please come this way!"
One of the eunuchs outside the window said in a low voice and hurriedly led Zhang Jianzhi and Cui Xuanhui away. The eunuchs who remained outside the window was very tall. With a solemn expression, he ordered the two eunuchs inside the room, "The two of you go back and guard the front hall. Don't let anyone discover that the two sirs have left!"
The two eunuchs responded and closed the window. The tall eunuchs raised his head and looked at the gray sky. The snow on his head rustled and fell. He did not speak, only pursed his lips, and then left in large strides. Looking at his appearance, it was Gao Lishi.
Snow fell silently.
Guards draped in oilcloth hoods stood ramrod straight under the Black Tortoise Gate. The wind was erratic under the gate. The snowflakes drilled straight into the gate, causing the guards to squint their eyes.
Maqiao had "recovered" from his illness. Holding the hilt of his knife, he nervously paced back and forth in the gate. Sometimes, he walked into the gloomy gate, where even his figure could not be seen clearly. Sometimes, he walked out again. The snow reflected his ashen face. It was not from the cold, but from nervousness.
At this moment, he still felt like he was dreaming. Back then, he was just a ruffian who lived his days in a muddle-headed manner. Even when he heard the bell to open the gate, he was half asleep and had his eyes closed. It was this little commoner who could take on such an important mission and participate in the military remonstrance that would decide the fate of the country.
In the distance, in the misty snow, a light carriage sped over. Seeing that the official banner was that of the Right Imperial Guard General Li Duozuo, Maqiao's eyes narrowed. The carriage he had been waiting for had finally arrived. Maqiao immediately waved his hand and said, "Open the gate and let them in!"
This was a matter of great importance. Right now, only he, the commander, knew about the military remonstrance. The soldiers under his command were still clueless, so Maqiao was especially nervous, so much so that his voice had slightly changed tone. Fortunately, the soldiers did not suspect anything. Once they heard the general's order, the guards immediately rushed forward, removed the bolts, and opened the heavy palace gates.
At this time, the Great General of the Left Featherwood Guard, Wu Youyi, was wearing a cloak and with a few guards, slowly strolled along the palace walls to the top of the Black Tortoise Gate. Seeing the carriage coming from below the city, Wu Youyi couldn't help but cry out in surprise. Although this was the Northern Palace Gate, it was rare to see a carriage in the palace. Wu Youyi's heart was filled with suspicions. Because of the endless snow on the city walls, and because of his old age, his eyesight was limited, he wanted to go down the city walls to investigate.
"Tell them to stop for a moment!"
Wu Youyi pointed to the bottom of the city and ordered the guards. He was about to go down the city.
"Great General! Great General Wu! "
Suddenly, a shout came from behind. Wu Youyi turned his head and saw the loyal general Yang Fan quickly running out of the gate tower.
"Hahaha, Great General, you are still patrolling the city after working so hard."
Wu Youyi pointed to the bottom of the city and asked, "Whose carriage is that?"
Yang Fan glanced down at the city and said nonchalantly, "Oh! That is Great General Li Duozuo's carriage. "
Wu Youyi snorted, "This old man, what an imposing manner. Why is he riding a carriage?"
According to the customs of the Tang Dynasty, civil and military officials all rode horses. Only a very small number of people who were too old and unable to move would ride carriages or carriages to court, such as Zhang Jianzhi.
Yang Fan smiled, "Great General Li fought in the Northwest in the past, lying on the ice and lying in the snow. He got a pair of old cold legs. During the winter, his legs would act up and he would not be able to endure it. That's right, Great General, just now, Great General Wu of the Jin Wu Guards sent a letter, inviting Great General to come over. This general was about to send someone to find Great General and coincidentally ran into him. "
While they were talking, because Wu Youyi did not give any further instructions, the guard who was about to go down the city wall and order the carriage to stop also stopped. The city gate opened wide and the carriage left the city, following the empty northern city corridor and leaving only two deep and long ruts in the snow.
Wu Youyi heard Yang Fan's words and couldn't help but frown, thinking, "Why is Wu Yizong looking for me?"
Wu Youyi and Wu Yizong were both princes and great generals. Wu Youyi was very dissatisfied that Wu Yizong did not take the initiative to visit and instead sent someone to deliver a letter. However, his temperament was not as domineering as Wu Yizong and he did not want to damage their friendship over such a small matter. Frowning, he still decided to go.
Wu Youyi ordered his subordinates to bring the horses. After waiting for half an hour, the guards brought the horses from the stables. Wu Youyi led a group of personal guards down the city walls, mounted the horses, and left the palace. Yang Fan stood on the city walls and looked down. Maqiao happened to raise his head from below the city walls. Their gazes met, sharp as a sword in the snow.
Yang Fan nodded to Maqiao and turned to walk to the other side of the city walls. On the white imperial road outside the city walls, he saw Wu Youyi and a group of guards galloping away.
Yang Fan stood motionless on the city walls. In a moment, his head, shoulders, and body were covered in a thick layer of snow, making him look like a snowman. But he still did not move. It was as if he was not watching Wu Youyi leave, but waiting for someone to come …
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