HLnovel Chapter 98 The Political Economy of Ganye Temple
Chapter 98 The Political Economy of Ganye Temple
When Sizi opened her eyes, she saw purple waves covering the mountains and fields, seemingly surging all the way to her window.
She was startled and wondered to herself, "Could it be that I failed to become a Grand Master of Ceremonies or an Empress?" Just as she was pondering this, Qiu Rongmu entered the room and urged her to get up quickly.
"The sunlight is so bright and white, it's shining on your bottom, Xiao Si, why aren't you up yet?" Qiu Rongmu asked.
"Who are you?" Xiao Si asked in confusion.
She remembered the coded message she had to use: "Cui Dunli is Changsun Wuji's man."
"You actually figured it out, that's quite impressive. But don't tell me that, I still need to take care of my herbs, you should talk to Brother Zi'an."
Xiao Si looked around and thought to herself, "It seems that Qiu Rongmu, the transfer student, didn't successfully time travel. The familiar silly wooden brother is still standing in front of me..."
In the palace garden, Li Zhi was working for his father, the Emperor, while Wu Meiniang, his administrative secretary, stood by, intentionally maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far. Her head was slightly bowed, her gaze shifting, and a faint smile played on her lips.
Li Zhi thought of Si Zi's celebrity poster: (glancing at it slightly) "Wu Cai Ren is so dignified and beautiful, like an 'advertising star,' perhaps she's trying to leave a good impression on someone?"
Wu Meiniang: (Smiles slightly, but inwardly complains) "His Highness the Crown Prince is wise, how could Meiniang not be careful? However, there are indeed some things Meiniang doesn't understand—why are all the concubines trying their best to get into His Majesty's arms, while I, a mere concubine for over ten years, have never seen any favor?"
Li Zhi: (chuckles, his gaze lingering on Wu Meiniang before slowly withdrawing) "You are quite clever. Knowing you are not favored, you remain calm and composed, studying and working diligently every day without ever slacking off. Are you afraid of being too favored by the Emperor and causing others to be jealous, or do you have other intentions?"
Wu Meiniang: (Slightly lowering her head, a meaningful smile appearing on her lips) "Your Highness, Meiniang truly admires your insight. You are right, not everyone can bear jealousy. Rather than cautiously vying for favor, wouldn't it be wiser to act quietly and wait for the right moment?"
Li Zhi: (After a moment of contemplation, a barely perceptible hint of approval flashes in his eyes) "You are quite a clever person."
The soft glow of the afterglow and the evening sky gently spilled into Yonghui's little house, where Brother Zian was still sitting around the fireplace.
Si Zi spoke softly, "Brother Zi An, today I want to tell you the story of another uncle."
Zi'an said, "Oh? Didn't you dream that Qiu Rongmu became your classmate?"
"Don't interrupt! The bedtime story is about to begin~ Long, long ago, there was a woman named Empress Wang. Her uncle, Liu Shi, was a prominent figure who served as prime minister during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, who was also the elder brother of Zhi Nu."
However, as time went on, Empress Wang gradually lost the emperor's favor. In fact, she never truly enjoyed his favor; it was only because her brother was constrained by her family's power... So, her uncle, Liu Shi, also chose to resign. Empress Wang was deposed for murdering Consort Wu's young daughter.
"Oh? Is this the little princess we visited the other day?"
"That's right, but actually it was Consort Wu and Brother Zhinu who made the knot..."
"Oh?"
Let's start with Liu Shi. He was later exiled. Ultimately, to consolidate her power, Empress Wu ruthlessly eliminated all the ministers who opposed her, and Liu Shi was no exception. Brother, don't you think this story profoundly reveals the cruelty of power struggles? Sigh!
"Haha, indeed, alright, now it's my turn to tell you a story." Zi'an vividly described a scene:
The story begins on a moonlit night, with shadows everywhere and birch trees swaying in the breeze—
Li Zhi secretly passed through the long corridor and quietly arrived at Ganye Temple.
Wu Zetian was sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, holding a book on political economy in her hands, deep in thought.
Li Zhi: (chuckles softly, approaches her) "Meiniang, are you really practicing cultivation?"
Wu Meiniang: (Looking up at him with a playful smile) "Your Highness, oh no, Your Majesty, I didn't expect you to be so diligent, even coming to visit me in the middle of the night? Perhaps you want to hear me lecture you on 'political economy'?"
Li Zhi: (Coughs lightly, looking very serious) "I'd like to know, with all that busyness at the temple, how do you find the time to study this 'Political Economy'?"
Wu Meiniang: (With a calm expression but a hint of cunning in her eyes) "Your Majesty, high-level cultivation is not necessarily found in the palace. The 'political games' in this quiet temple are also a form of cultivation. The calmer you are, the clearer you can see."
Li Zhi: (Slightly taken aback, then smiled) "Indeed, your 'cultivation' is related to those things in the palace. You seem to see through everything in the palace. Not only are you Father's little secretary, but you are also my indispensable confidante."
……
a few years later.
Liu Shi stood before Consort Wu, his eyes resolute, yet somewhat lacking in confidence, for he was standing at the center of a storm.
Consort Wu sat upright on an exquisitely carved wooden chair, holding a silk handkerchief in her hand, waving it gently as if to brush away some worries from her heart.
In the courtyard, the autumn wind blows, and fallen leaves flutter like yellow butterflies. Loneliness, like a fever, is even more pronounced at night, and the darkness reflects the complex and unspeakable emotions in their eyes.
Consort Wu glanced at Liu Shi, sighed softly, and a helpless smile played on her lips:
"Liu Shi, tell me, your niece is really giving me a headache. Back when she was Empress, she was incredibly powerful and influential, and you were also very prominent. I tried my best to please you both, but now you've ended up like this. It's truly heartbreaking."
Liu Shi looked grave, pursed his lips, and looked away. "Your Highness, life is like a game of chess, unpredictable and ever-changing. My Liu family also has its own difficulties."
His words were filled with helplessness, as if to say, "How do you expect me to answer? Do you want me to kneel down and beg for mercy?"
Consort Wu gently shook the silk handkerchief in her hand, her brows slightly furrowed: "Your mistake was suggesting that Empress Wang adopt Li Zhong as the Crown Prince. Now it seems that this idea really harmed her."
A cold smile flashed in her eyes, seemingly with a hint of schadenfreude. "You mean well, but the throne of the crown prince is not something you can hold onto just because you want to."
Liu Shi coughed lightly and forced a smile, replying, "That's for the sake of the country. The throne can't be easily passed on to others. We have to think long-term." He thought about what he could do back then, and could only use this reason of "for the sake of the country" to get by.
Consort Wu snorted coldly: "For the sake of the country? You're quite the talker. But that won't work with me! Now that you've been demoted from the core group in Chang'an, are you still willing to accept it?" As she spoke, she lightly flicked her silk handkerchief, as if shaking off these shameful, self-righteous people.
Liu Shi smiled, his eyes resolute: "Regret? Your Highness, I, Liu Shi, have never regretted anything I have done in my life. No matter how turbulent the outside world may be, my conscience has never wavered." He put on a ridiculous act of self-consolation, as if he had never regretted anything.
Consort Wu glanced at him lightly: "You're quite the tough one, not at all like a timid person who's been wronged." She suddenly leaned back in her chair, looked up at Liu Shi, and a hint of tenderness flashed in her eyes. "But don't worry, I, Consort Wu, am about to become Empress Wu, and I won't let you suffer any more grievances. Just stay in Rongzhou for now, and I will find a way to get you back into the court."
Liu Shi lowered his head hesitantly and said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Consort Zhao, but I'm afraid I..." He paused, his words trailing off, looking somewhat troubled.
Consort Wu waved her hand and laughed, "It's alright, it's alright. Just do your best, and leave the rest to me. If you can do it, I guarantee you'll return to court in glory." She paused, then changed the subject, "However, don't treat me like a god, and don't expect me to find an unrelated emperor to be your puppet."
Liu Shi gave an awkward smile, instinctively feeling that he had fallen into a joke again: "Your Highness, you are teasing me. I am just a small official, how could I dare to use the Emperor as a puppet?" He smiled bitterly to himself, fearing that if this topic went too far, he would become a laughing stock again.
Seeing his appearance, Consort Wu couldn't help but laugh: "Don't worry, Liu Shi, I will definitely help you resolve this matter properly. Back then, you were full of brilliance, how could you fall like this!"
As she spoke, she patted Liu Shi's shoulder with a smile, "Don't be afraid. Life is unpredictable, but we can always turn danger into safety."
……