latelenovela Chapter 114 Guardian No. 2
Chapter 114 Guardian No. 2
Anle Si, who was on her way back to Chang'an, continued to ask Brother Zi'an questions.
—Was the poetry of his ancestor Xu Xun particularly special? Could you give me a few examples? I'd like to see his creative style!
Zi'an (pointing to the distant Changbai Snow Mountain, casually saying):
That's a good question! Xu Xun's poems have a special charm. For example, in his poem "Bamboo Fan," there is a line: "A skilled craftsman in the fragrant forest, his ingenious thoughts take flight from the object; the bamboo strips resemble the wings of an autumn cicada, capturing the scene of Wang Shu."
Listen to this sentence; it's not just a description of the scenery, but you can also feel the flow of his thoughts.
Xiao Si (patted his ski pants and nodded in agreement):
Hmm, that's quite clever! Does he also use supernatural elements to express metaphysical ideas?
Zi'an (smiled and ruffled Xiao Si's hair):
Of course! Metaphysical poets often use landscapes to express their thoughts, just like the line—"The green pine embodies pure essence, and the autumn chrysanthemum sheds its fragrant petals."
Look, he uses pine trees in the mountains and chrysanthemums in autumn to symbolize nobility and purity, which is truly meaningful.
Xiao Si (looking up at the distant snow-capped mountains): Is it possible that he simply used nature as a canvas, but the readers incorporated philosophical ideas into it?
I feel that skiing and poetry have something in common; you have to find a balance! You need to find the right rhythm and balance to do your best! Only then can others analyze the difficulty level of your movements.
Zi'an (laughs heartily): That's right! Now that you mention it, I think this person is a bit like ice on the snow—slippery, rises quickly, and is dangerous; you can't stand firm and fall at any moment. We can say whatever we want, but we can't learn those underhanded methods to get promoted and make money, because fame and fortune are ultimately fleeting.
An Ding Si (laughs): Yes, yes, one must be steady when skiing and upright in character! My number one father, Li Shimin, is truly skilled at recognizing and employing people. The fact that he took a liking to Xu Jingzong proves that Xu Jingzong is quite talented.
During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Xu Jingzong also held important official positions, such as Minister of Rites and Chancellor. He was capable in government affairs and did not just flatter; he was able to get things done.
An Ding Si (taking a sip of the hot milk tea that Grandma had Xiao Lan bring): Brother Zi An, you know, even if Xu Jingzong is considered a treacherous minister, he can't be completely useless and only good at flattering, right? Otherwise, why would Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozong, the first and second emperors, still value him so much?!
Zi'an (brushing the snow off her boots): Oh dear, your question is telling us that we need to find the right perspective when looking at a problem! Xu Jingzong has his strengths. First, let's talk about his talent. His literary skills are truly remarkable. Otherwise, Emperor Taizong of Tang would not have allowed him to participate in the compilation of the national history and would have personally praised him for writing the imperial edict well.
An Ding Si (nodding): That's right. Writing the "True Records of Wude" and the "True Records of Zhenguan" is not something anyone can do. You need to be cultured and understand politics.
Zi'an: That's right! Also, although his methods and tactics were controversial during his many years in office, he was indeed very effective in promoting the improvement of certain legal systems. The affairs of state in the Tang Dynasty were complex, and many of his suggestions were spot-on!
An Ding Si (with rosy cheeks): So, he's not like the mediocre people in TV dramas who just know how to flatter; he's actually quite capable! What other good qualities does he have?
Zi'an: Another point is that he was particularly good at seizing opportunities. For example, during Emperor Gaozong's reign, he dared to support your mother, Wu Zetian, to become empress. This was a risky move. But once he made the right bet, he was able to ride the wave and expand his influence to the entire court. This kind of political acumen is truly remarkable.
An Ding Si (shaking his milk tea cup): Hmm, he's definitely pragmatic and has a good eye for political investments. Only someone like my uncle Changsun Wuji back then could rival him. Otherwise, he couldn't have gotten those powers just by being sweet-talking!
Zi'an (smiling like a child who has won an award):
"That's right! We can't just look at what sweet words Xu Jingzong says; we also have to see what he does!"
He served as a drafter in the Imperial Secretariat and Minister of Rites, constantly busy managing the nation's cultural affairs. Later, he was promoted to Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, specifically to teach the Crown Prince. He was practically a seasoned veteran in the cultural world, with an exceptionally strong sense of direction!
An Ding Si (sniffs, pretending to be deep in thought):
"So, Uncle Xu Jingzong is certainly talented, and he's also quite controversial, but to be honest, he's really got some skills. Just like a ski instructor, he stands high and sees far, leading his students down the slope one by one. It looks like there's nothing going on, but he actually has a firm grasp on the whole situation!"
Zi An (clapped her hands and laughed):
"Little Si, Little Anding, your summary is spot on! You need to be more comprehensive in your assessment of people! Your brain is like a universal remote control, it works no matter where you press! Alright, quickly sign me up to be a cultural advisor for Anding, your analysis could make history as exciting as a TV drama!"
Zi'an (following Granny Yang, protecting the An Ding Si back to Chang'an):
"Oh my, Xiao Si, your historical knowledge is even better than mine. You can actually sort out all this messy stuff!"
The matter of Princess Anding should not be dragged into the matter of Empress Wang—the princess announced that she had faked her death, which was more than a year earlier than Empress Wang's deposition. How can they be linked together so arbitrarily?
Moreover, if Empress Wang truly wanted to harm someone, she should have targeted Wu Zetian's eldest son, Li Hong, first. Killing a princess only a few months old? Unless she'd been out of her mind, who would believe that?
Anle Si (rubbing her hands, pouting, and smiling with adorable big eyes):
“Brother Zian, this matter is just like tearing dumpling skins between us, it’s quick and easy!”
Princess An Ding's faked death was purely to ensure that my little Anle Si could grow up happily, and it had nothing to do with Empress Wang!
Think about it, this clue doesn't connect anywhere; there's absolutely no trace of who did it!
(After saying that, he tapped the plate containing the pastries with his chopsticks, looking smug as if to say, "I have a solid argument.")
Li Ji, Xiao Si's uncle, came to visit Anle Si at her maternal grandmother's house. He leaned back in his chair, took a sip of hot tea, and leisurely began to speak:
"Oh my, Little Si, you've really got a life to live! Look at your status as An Ding Si, compared to when we faked our death in Jinyang back then, it's not just a hundred times, it's a thousand times better!"
Look at you now! You eat like it's New Year's, play more freely than a child in Chang'an walking their bird, and you can even swagger into the palace to see your "second parents"—Wu Zetian and Li Zhi—to play mahjong and drink tea. Tsk tsk, if this isn't happiness, what is? This is your "palace version of Disneyland" life!
When Uncle Pork Ribs saw the barefoot little Si he had known since he was 16, and how wonderful her life was now, he felt as if he had stewed a pot of square pieces of pork belly, rich but not greasy, fragrant but not dry!
As he spoke, he imprinted a flower on Xiao Si's head, but he was no longer the young general he once was; instead, he was a creepy uncle with a face full of wrinkles as he smiled.
"Come on, don't move! I'm going to stamp you with the 'Cutest Lucky Baby in Chang'an' seal!"
Uncle Tenderloin loves looking at your chubby little face, just like the day he recognized you as a baby!
By 653, the powerful nobility had consolidated their power to a considerable degree, making them difficult to shake.
Starting with the case of Chu Suiliang purchasing real estate, Li Zhi increasingly wanted to weaken the power of the noble group headed by Changsun Wuji.
He discovered that the only thing that could help him was this perfect strategy—to depose the king and install Wu.
Wu Zhaoyi demonstrated a high degree of initiative, willingly taking on the role of a tool, and showed remarkable ability and effectiveness in actual operation.
She and Li Zhi plotted together to build a new aristocratic group.
During the more than ten years that Wu Zetian served as Li Shimin's secretary, she gained a profound understanding of the art of imperial power and strategy.
She had mastered a unique skill, and Li Zhi doted on her, regarding Consort Wu as a confidante. He genuinely believed that only someone with such intelligence and emotional intelligence was worthy of the position of Empress, and could help him maintain and control a newly powerful group, thus resolving this damned sense of powerlessness and turning the tide!
Currently, this matter concerns the second guardian of the An Ding Si – still the Emperor and Empress.
An Ding Si (chewing on a candied hawthorn, her eyes sparkling):
"Brother Zian, do you know? In 653, that noble group really held its ground. My father, Li Zhi, was really frustrated. He wanted to weaken the old men who were his uncle, Sun Wuji, but it was no easy task."
Then he suddenly realized, wow, Consort Wu's thoughts and actions are both giants!
Once Empress Wang is deposed and Consort Wu is made the new Consort, the real game of "Dou Dizhu" (a card game) can begin.
As soon as Li Ji left, Zi An (paused, then followed An Le Si with an "I understand" expression):
"Wow, An Ding Si, I'm truly impressed that you can understand history so well even while sleeping and traveling through time!"
Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi went to great lengths to deal with that group of veteran nobles, and the key was that he discovered Consort Wu Zhaoyi as a 'top-tier' tool!
I reckon Consort Wu must be overjoyed. She gets to thrive in the palace and be Li Zhi's 'super-closest agent'! What a brilliant plan!
(He patted Xiao Si on the shoulder again, a 'veteran' expression on his face):
"And look, what did this end up like? The second parents of the An Ding Si, wow, this is definitely the 'most successful case' in history!"
In 655, An Ding Si said that after the pork tenderloin brother became the pork tenderloin uncle, he became much more cunning, but he still spoke up for Li Zhi. When all the ministers opposed making Wu Zetian empress, he said that the emperor's family affairs should not be asked of outsiders.
In fact, emperors did not have family affairs in the absolute sense.
Xu Jingzong seized the opportunity and, adhering to this new approach, began to buy out media coverage.
He said that even farmers who harvest too much wheat are thinking about changing wives, let alone an emperor who wants to change his empress. It's none of the business of outsiders.
In 655, the emperor first punished Chu Suiliang, demoting him to the position of Governor of Tanzhou.
In the same year, Empress Wang and Consort Xiao plotted and secretly poisoned each other, and were both demoted to commoners. Even the palace maids were now considered superior to them.
His mother and brothers were all exiled. Even those who had died were stripped of their titles.
In the same year, Li Zhi said that Wu Zetian was bestowed upon him by Emperor Taizong because she was originally a political secretary who handled matters and documents very well.
She was of equal standing with the emperor and could be made empress. A week after deposing Empress Wang, Wu Zetian was made the new empress.
Yes, An Ding Si saw everything; her second father and mother were still the emperor and empress.
An Dingsi (wearing a little dress, with a round face and a bright smile and dimples, hopping and skipping as she tells the story while waving a strawberry-scented aromatherapy fan):
"Oh my, this year of life in the palace was like an 'emperor's version of a wife-swapping show,' it was so exciting!"
Li Zhi, the Emperor, was quite the character; he changed empresses more readily than he changed socks!
Look at me, this 'cute little An Ding Si' watching from the side, I can't help but feel amused.
You know, Xu Shiji, the young and handsome pork tenderloin brother back then, has become a "pork tenderloin uncle" in the blink of an eye, and has gradually cultivated into a "clever old fox". He is so "witty" in speaking up for his father Li Zhi!
He said, "It's the Emperor's family matter; outsiders should mind their own business!"
When I heard that, I almost jumped up laughing. I wanted to say, "Uncle Pork Tenderloin, your logic is no different from that of a domineering little kid!"
However, I still like him. After all, he's good to me. He brings me lots of delicious food and fun things, like a big friend!
Then, Xu Jingzong started spouting nonsense, making the story of "the emperor changing empresses" sound as reasonable as "a peasant changing his wife," as if he had bought a return insurance policy for the matter of "changing the empress."
I wanted to give him a thumbs up: "Brother Xu, you really are a political expert. You can make such a reasonable point about changing wives! You've helped my mother out."
Next, Aye Lizhi really 'cut down with a swift stroke'!
The first thing I did was send my father, Chu Suiliang, the trusted minister entrusted by Emperor Taizong, to Tanzhou as the local governor. I miss him quite a bit.
Of course, I always drag Zian along to Changsha for fun, and I also get Uncle Chu to teach me calligraphy.
Later, he was banished to Guilin by the emperor. I also went there for tourism. The scenery there was extremely beautiful, and my calligraphy improved a lot.
But later on, I didn't dare to go there anymore, since that area was in Southeast Asia, specifically Vietnam.
There's a place with a name that sounds romantic, but is actually quite tragic, called Aizhou. It was there that Uncle Chu Suiliang sadly departed...
In 655, Empress Wang and Consort Xiao, the two powerful women, were deposed and reduced to commoners. Even palace maids were a rank higher than them, and they lived happier lives than even the old grandmothers in the village.
Li Zhi, on the other hand, is now playing the game of 'political promotion'.
He promoted his mother, Wu Zetian, from 'administrative secretary' to 'Empress', and I was also promoted to 'invisible princess'.
My mother's documents are written like those of a subject leader; she's practically transformed into a 'harem boss' in an instant.
My little one kept covering her mouth and laughing, thinking to herself, "Wow, Second Father and Mother are still firmly in charge. You two are still the most powerful in this palace!"
Honestly, as a cute little kid, I usually live at my maternal grandparents' house, and occasionally I'll run off to the palace to see my second-in-command and grandparents, play cards with them, drink tea, and chat with them~
"These days are so comfortable, like soaking in a soft bubble bath,"
(An Ding Si blinked her big, round eyes, looking innocent and cute, a mischievous little baby with pouty lips)
"Oh, my life is as sweet as candy! It's even more comfortable than that of an emperor or empress!"