novelAbuy Chapter 52: The fog gradually clears, revealing the all-powerful noblewoman of Chang'an!
Chapter 52: The fog gradually clears, revealing the all-powerful noblewoman of Chang'an!
Under the cover of night, Chang'an lay prostrate on the south bank of the Wei River like a giant beast.
In the East Mansion, a courtyard covering hundreds of acres, the lights were on.
"Mother."
Xiu Chengzizhong looked anxiously at the old woman on the bed.
The old woman was dressed in fine clothes, and the years had etched deep and shallow lines on her face. Each wrinkle told a story, and her head was full of silver hair with a few strands of black and white mixed in. Her eyes were deep-set, and her cloudy old eyes shone with wisdom.
She is the half-sister of the current emperor, Xiu Cheng Jun Jin Su, who enjoys all the privileges of a princess, including a mansion, land, servants, and wealth. Jin Su's daughters have all married princes and become their consorts, and her only son, Xiu Cheng Zi Zhong, is quite flamboyant in Chang'an.
"What's the panic?"
"The sky won't fall down."
Having witnessed the vicissitudes of life, Jin Su rebuked him, his eyes revealing disappointment in Xiu Cheng Zizhong.
"Mother."
"Has Li Ling gone mad?"
"Huo Qubing only had one son left, whom His Majesty regarded as the successor to the Marquis of Champion."
"At present, the Crown Prince also wants to bring Huo Shan into the Bowang Garden for education."
"He's still clinging to this; he wants to die, so why drag us into it?"
Xiu Chengzizhong paced back and forth, his expression betraying his troubled state of mind.
"Li Ling is not insane; this posthumous child of the Li family is more lucid than anyone else."
Jin Su, leaning against the couch, glanced at Xiu Cheng Zizhong and said in a hoarse voice, "Huo Shan inherited the title of Marquis of Champion at the age of four, was appointed as a Chamberlain, and later served as the Commandant of the Imperial Carriage."
"The marquis with a fief of 17,600 households was second only to General Wei Qing."
"His Majesty took him into the palace to raise him personally, personally taught him archery skills, and even wanted to bring Huo Shan with him when he performed the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai."
"The honors His Majesty bestowed upon him are no less than those bestowed upon Huo Qubing."
"Many of the generals in the army were former subordinates of Huo Qubing, and those Xiongnu who surrendered worshipped him as their master."
"As long as Huo Shan lives, these people will support him."
"In the future, no reason will be needed; Huo Shan can wipe out the entire Li family with just a flick of his finger."
"Li Ling couldn't afford to gamble, and he dared not gamble."
"Oh, this..."
Xiu Chengzizhong clicked his tongue in amazement upon hearing this, then turned to look at Jin Su: "Mother."
"Are we just going to listen to Li Ling and attack Huo Shan like this?"
"But that's the Crown Prince's palace, heavily guarded by the Crown Prince's left and right guards, unlike before."
Their spies in the Crown Prince's palace had long been eliminated by the Crown Prince's orders, leaving them with no one to rely on. How could they possibly deal with Huo Shan?
Furthermore, Crown Prince Liu Ju has recently become a completely different person. He is no longer a gentle and refined gentleman, but more like a capricious tyrant who kills people and exterminates entire clans at the drop of a hat. Who wouldn't be afraid of him? A gentleman can be deceived by reason, while a madman runs rampant without restraint.
"What's your hurry?"
Jin Su frowned and said unhappily, "This matter is not limited to our family."
"If you hadn't joined them in bullying Huo Qubing back then, this terrible thing wouldn't have happened."
"Mother, I...we..."
Xiu Chengzizhong was filled with bitterness.
Back then, Huo Qubing was brought into the palace and enjoyed treatment that even the emperor's own nephew did not receive. Many people were extremely jealous, and he and Chen Zhao (the only son of Princess Longlu) led the bullying of the young Huo Qubing.
Who could have imagined that Huo Qubing would rise to prominence so quickly, becoming a marquis at the age of eighteen and achieving the title of Wolf-Dwelling Mountain at the age of 21, while all of them were severely punished.
After Huo Qubing was ennobled, the entire Chang'an was no longer a place where they could act with impunity. How could they tolerate that?
This is why so many people and forces were involved in plotting against Huo Qubing, leaving behind future troubles and leverage for what is now known as Huo Qubing.
"Alright."
Jin Su coldly rebuked, "Don't act like a child."
"Li Ling is a tough man, and he is right about some things. Since we've started, we should go all the way."
"Go to Princess Longlu's residence in person, meet your Aunt Longlu, and see what she has to say."
"promise."
Upon hearing this, Xiu Chengzizhong felt much more relaxed and hurriedly walked out of the mansion.
Princess Longlu's residence and Xiucheng Jun's residence were both located in the East District, only half a mile (500 meters) apart. Before long, Xiucheng Zizhong entered Princess Longlu's residence.
"Did your mother send you?"
A graceful and elegant woman looked at Xiu Chengzizhong sitting below her and asked a question.
Among Emperor Wu of Han's full sisters, Princess Longlu was the youngest. She married Chen Jiao, the son of Princess Guantao. During the mourning period, Chen Jiao had an affair, which crossed the line of the royal family, and he was forced to commit suicide.
Princess Longlu became a widow at a young age and did not choose to remarry. She devoted all her attention to her only son, Chen Zhao. To compensate his elder sister, Emperor Wu of Han enfeoffed Chen Zhao as Lord Zhaoping, with his fief located in Zhaoping County, and betrothed Princess Yi'an to him.
"Yes, Aunt."
Xiu Chengzi Zhong replied respectfully.
"What does your mother want to do?"
Princess Longlu played with the jade beads in her hand, looking completely indifferent.
"The Marquis of Champion is about to enter the Crown Prince's Palace, and Li Ling has sent a letter."
"My mother specially sent me to visit my aunt."
Xiu Chengzizhong kept his head down, not facing Princess Longlu directly.
"Sister Jin is really shrewd, handing over such a hot potato to me to deal with."
"No wonder His Majesty and the Empress Dowager both dote on her."
Princess Longlu had a gentle and refined appearance, and her every move exuded tranquility and elegance. Her eyes were like the brightest stars in the night sky, full of wisdom and insight. With a slight upturn of her lips, she uttered two sentences.
'Thump!'
Xiu Chengzizhong felt a chill run down his spine and dared not respond.
"As the year draws to a close, His Majesty will surely host a banquet in the palace to entertain imperial relatives, noble officials, and high-ranking ministers."
"As the aunt, I have selected a group of beautiful dancers to present to the Crown Prince."
"Go back and tell your mother that she is also an aunt, so surely she wouldn't be so stingy as to not even prepare a gift."
"When the time comes, don't let yourself be outdone by me."
Princess Longlu's eyelids twitched slightly, and her red lips parted again as she spoke.
"promise."
Xiu Chengzizhong secretly memorized these words, then left the princess's residence without stopping and returned home.
"Sister Longlu is still as quick-witted as ever."
"Go and order someone to recruit a group of cooks, and then send them all to the Crown Prince's palace."
Upon hearing Xiu Cheng Zi Zhong's words, Jin Su immediately made a decision.
"promise."
A strange light flashed in Xiu Chengzizhong's eyes, and he went down to make the arrangements.
PS: The Han Dynasty implemented a dual system of "King's Rank + Twenty Ranks of Nobility". The King's Rank was limited to members of the Liu clan (as stipulated in the White Horse Alliance) and was higher in status than all marquises. The Twenty Ranks of Nobility, from Gongshi to Chehou (later renamed "Marquis" to avoid the taboo of Emperor Wu of Han), was the main system of military merit and nobility.
The title of Marquis (or Marquis Che) is the highest rank among the twenty ranks of nobility. Marquises are entitled to receive a fief, but they do not have the power to govern a fiefdom.
The title "君" (Jun) is not a formal nobility title, but rather an honorary title, often bestowed upon women such as maternal relatives or wet nurses, or a very small number of meritorious officials. It does not grant fiefdoms or hereditary rights; it is merely an honorary title, sometimes accompanied by a fief.