It was a long night.
In the end, Lady Qiqi still left. She had no choice but to leave. Even though she had a tough temperament, it was enough for her to barge into a brothel at night. If she dared to spend the night in such a place, no matter how favored she was, her father and grandfather would definitely lock her up in the ancestral hall for ruining the family's reputation.
However, she was overjoyed when she left because Shen Mu had promised to bring her along to Longxi.
Tin Aino naturally had to leave with Qiqi. She was the only one who could find a place to stay since the door was closed.
After Qiqi and Tin Aino left, Shen Mu and Yang Fan stayed in this quiet little building. Of course, Shen Mu did not dare to call in those girls.
In fact, if it were not for his generous compensation, the manager of the Drunken Spring Brothel would have chased them out a long time ago. Not only did Miss Qiqi's underlings beat up six thugs, broke a door, and broke three benches, there were even two customers who were doing business who were almost impotent after being frightened by them.
There was nothing interesting for the two men to do living in the same small building. But they did not sleep early. The manager of the Drunken Spring Brothel noticed that the lights were always on in the small building. They sat opposite each other in front of the window and chatted until very late. The manager took a nap and found that they had just turned off the lights when he woke up in the middle of the night.
The next morning, at dawn, a roar came from the pigsty on the west wall of Princess Taiping's residence, "Li Lingyue! How dare you humiliate me like this! I will kill you! I will kill you! "
Following this angry roar, the bell on the Gate of Heaven rang. The bell echoed throughout the city, and a new day had begun …
…
Not long after Fu Youyi submitted a petition to be promoted and Princess Taiping married Wu, more and more people submitted petitions to persuade the Empress to ascend to the throne. Officials of all levels, members of the royal family, representatives of the common people, monks and Daoists all put forward their petitions to urge the Empress to ascend to the throne.
After more than a month, they launched the second 'persuasion'. This time, there were also some chiefs of the Siyi who hurriedly sent envoys to pledge their loyalty to the Tang dynasty. However, Wu Zetian still rejected their requests.
Li Dan knew that his mother was waiting for him to express his stance.
The Emperor was still living in the Eastern Palace. There was no place for him in the Imperial Palace.
The Emperor did not have any ministers to discuss with, so he could only find his Empress and Concubine Dou De to discuss the matter of "persuading".
In the palace, the thirty-eight-year-old Emperor of the Tang dynasty said uneasily, "Mother's ascension to the throne is an irresistible trend. Mother is waiting, waiting for me to persuade her. If I don't persuade him, I'm afraid a great disaster will befall us. "
He pointed at the stack of memorials on his desk and said, "Look, I never see memorials from the ministers here, but today …"
Li Dan let out a soft sigh and said, "These are memorials submitted to me by Assistant Minister Zong Qinke of the Phoenix Pavilion, Great General of the Left Jade Seal Zhang Qianxun, Great General of the Left Golden Wu Qiu Shenji, Inner Custodian Cen Changqian, the newly promoted Fu Youyi, as well as Imperial Censor Lai Zixun."
Empress Liu asked, "What did they say?"
Li Dan said bitterly, "They want me … to abdicate the throne and give up the country!"
There was a moment of silence in the palace. After a long time, Concubine Dou De said faintly, "Everyone (Your Majesty), why don't you abdicate? It's boring to be an Emperor. If you don't take the initiative to persuade her, I'm afraid … "
Li Dan looked at Empress Liu again. Empress Liu was silent and only lowered her head slightly.
Li Dan suddenly covered her face and cried, "I … I'm ashamed to face my ancestors!"
"Everyone, be quiet! Don't let anyone hear! "
Empress Liu looked nervously at the door of the palace. Fortunately, the guards and the palace maids and eunuchs didn't seem to notice that their Emperor was crying helplessly like a woman.
Empress Liu turned her head to look outside and couldn't help but persuade with fear, "Everyone, the situation is like this. It's really not your fault. Your ancestors will forgive you. When the Emperor leaves the court and returns to Wucheng Hall, everyone … go to Mother and ask her to abdicate the throne and give up the country! "
Li Dan wiped her tears. Her eyes were red and she said woodenly, "Qiu Shenji said in his memorial that persuading me is a grand act. I should go to the Golden Hall and, in front of all the civil and military officials, abdicate the throne and give up the country to Mother in order to show my sincerity …"
Concubine Dou De held her wrist and said, "This … I'm afraid this is Mother's kind intention?"
Li Dan's eyes were dull and she didn't say a word.
Empress Liu thought for a moment and said sadly, "Then … everyone … let's go to the Golden Hall and persuade her!" When she said this, her eyes also turned red.
"Yes! You should go to the Golden Hall … "
Li Dan turned around stiffly like a puppet and laughed. She said faintly, "I've been an Emperor for eight years and the number of times I've gone to the Golden Hall can be counted with one hand. Let's just let it be … "
…
"The Empress arrives!"
"Wan 'er greets the Empress!"
Shanghai Wan 'er, who was sorting out the memorials in the Wucheng Hall, heard the shout outside and hurried out of the hall to welcome her.
"Yes!"
Wu Zetian's expression was not the same as usual. She wasn't in high spirits, nor was she angry because she encountered something unpleasant. Her eyes seemed to be drifting, as if she was here but her thoughts were elsewhere. Shanghai Wan 'er glanced at Xiao Man, who was fanning herself behind Wu Zetian. Xiao Man naturally knew the reason, but she couldn't explain it to her with her eyes. She could only give her a hint to tell her that it wasn't a bad thing. Shanghai Wan' er felt relieved.
Wu Zetian entered the Wucheng Hall and sat behind the imperial desk. She didn't ask about the memorials as usual, nor did she take a sip of her favorite fermented rice. After a long time, she came back to her senses and glanced at Shanghai Wan 'er. She said lightly, "This morning, Dan' er suddenly barged in."
Shanghai Wan 'er said calmly, "Oh? What was everyone talking about? "
Wu Zetian smiled and said with a strange expression, "Dan 'er said that he wants to abdicate the throne to the country and let me be the Emperor!"
Shanghai Wan 'er finally understood why Wu Zetian's expression was so strange today. She had painstakingly planned for so many years, and now she was finally wearing the imperial robe!
Shanghai Wan 'er took three steps back and bowed down. "Wan' er congratulates the Empress!"
"Haha, Wan 'er, you are also a woman. Do you think … I can be the Emperor?"
Wan 'er said to herself, "The Empress has been planning for so many years. Those who thought you couldn't be the Emperor have all been killed by you. Why are you still asking me now?"
Wan 'er said, "People born with extraordinary minds do extraordinary things. The Empress is an extraordinary person. Although she is a woman, why can't she be the Emperor? I believe that when the Empress ascends the throne, the people of the world will rejoice. "
Wu Zetian was silent for a moment, then chuckled. She looked at the memorials in front of her, which were obviously many times more numerous than before. She asked, "What are these memorials for?"
Wan 'er said, "Most of them are the civil and military officials and the people of the world who urged the Empress to accept."
Wu Zetian grunted and waved her hand. She said, "Leave them all here. I am a little tired and don't want to read anymore!"
…
The next morning, during Empress Wu's morning court, the Emperor of the Tang dynasty, Li Dan, appeared in front of her carriage again. His shoulders were covered with dew. It was unknown how long he had been waiting there.
Li Dan stopped the empress and once again knelt down to beg his mother to accept the abdication. Empress Wu once again refused. This scene was witnessed by the countless palace maids, eunuchs, and imperial bodyguards. Naturally, the scribe recorded this matter in his daily notes.
On the third day, hundreds of officials entered the palace. When Empress Wu was about to attend court, she was shocked to find that the twelve robes that Li Dan wore when he ascended the throne were neatly stacked on the dragon desk. On top of the robes were twelve crowns. The Emperor, Li Dan, was bareheaded and holding the abdication edict. He was one step ahead of all the other civil and military officials in the court, kneeling in the throne room. His words were sincere, and he begged his mother to accept his abdication.
The officials were only slightly surprised, but they quickly reacted. They all knelt down and respectfully asked the Empress to accept the abdication and ascend the throne.
Wu Zetian sat steadily on the dragon throne in the midst of the tsunami-like cheers. Only when the cheers completely quieted down did she slowly stand up. Her expression was very solemn and dignified. Everyone held their breath. They suddenly realized that the day they knew would come was today!
"This is what the Emperor means …"
Wu Zetian's melodious voice echoed in the golden palace. Everyone could hear that the usually calm Empress's voice was faintly trembling today. "This is what the officials mean …"
"This is what the people of the world mean too …"
"If I continue to reject the wishes of the Emperor, the officials, and the people, it will be a great disrespect to Haotian!"
"Therefore, at the request of the Emperor, the officials, and the people of the world, I accept the mandate of heaven and accept the abdication!"
"Long live! Long live! Long live! "
The sound of "long live" rippled out from the golden palace, like the morning bell above the gates of heaven, spreading its sound waves in all directions …
Wu Zetian stood behind the royal desk, looking down at her son and the officials who were kowtowing to her with the posture of a ruler. She had long accepted the worship of the entire world, but today's meaning was different.
In the past, she had been managing the household for her son!
Now, she was managing her own household!
She was the Emperor!
An unprecedented female Emperor!
…
The name of the Tang dynasty was changed to the Great Zhou. Three days later, Wu Zetian officially ascended the throne. Her reign was set as "Tian's Gift", and the founding emperor was given the honorific title of "Great Zhou Divine Emperor".
The emperor of the Tang dynasty, Li Dan, changed his mother's surname to Wu Dan, and became the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Wu Zetian wore a ceremonial robe and held a grand coronation ceremony in the Palace of Wanxiang. She offered sacrifices to the gods and accepted the worship of the officials. The Great Zhou Empire officially began, and she officially became the Great Zhou Divine Emperor.
Li Tang's imperial flag was lowered from the tall flagpole, and the red flag of the Wu Zhou Dynasty was raised. The divine capital Luoyang became the imperial capital of the Zhou Dynasty, and Chang 'an became the secondary capital. The memorial tablets of the ancestors of the Wu clan were invited into the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
From the Palace of Wanxiang to the Gate of Heaven, the white corridor was covered with a vermilion carpet, and guards of honor stood on both sides. On the long red carpet, Wu Zetian wore a 12-patterned imperial dragon robe and a 12-crowned crown. She walked alone on the long corridor.
She entered the palace at the age of 14 and became a talented person by the side of Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin. She became the Emperor at the age of 67, and became the first female Emperor in Chinese history!
How many storms and dangers, how many ups and downs, her thoughts were like the surging waters of the Yellow River, surging in her mind.
The Empress ascended the Gate of Heaven, and the cheers outside the gate were like a tsunami, rising and falling one after another!
The Great Zhou Divine Emperor stood on the Gate of Heaven, and his gaze swept over the people who were kowtowing to her, and looked into the distance.
It was near dusk, and the setting sun was like blood. The blood-colored sunset shone on the magnificent and towering palace walls, gorgeous and awe-inspiring, giving people a terrifying beauty.
Now, she was the master of this place!
Not the mistress, but the master. Now, she was the master of this palace, the master of the Tang dynasty!
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