In the Zichen Palace, Zhao Gong solemnly bowed his hand: "After returning to the heavens, Zhou Guogong and Zhao Guogong have already set off separately. ”

Empress Wu put aside the thin bamboo and gold pen in her hand, sighed lightly, and said, "Send someone to watch them more, don't let them have an accident." ”

"Whoa!" Zhao Gong immediately gave up his hand, and the moment he lowered his head, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Sansi has just entered Beijing." Empress Wu looked up at Zhao Gong and said, "Cousin, you help him a little more." ”

"Yes!" Zhao Gong breathed a sigh of relief.

"Their brothers, although the heir has some ability, he always does things improperly, and although he is honest, his ability is always insufficient." Empress Wu shook his head slightly, Wu Chengsi has been in the court for so many years, Empress Wu sees him very clearly, although Wu Sansi is in the place, Empress Wu also sees him very clearly.

"Gorou is cautious and meticulous by nature, and in comparison, it may be easier to survive in Chang'an than to inherit the heir." Zhao Gong bowed his head and arched his hand: "As for the rest, it depends on any position he has, and the minister still has some connections, which can help him adapt to the court as soon as possible." ”

"Hmm!" Empress Wu nodded with satisfaction and said, "This matter will be handled by my cousin." By the way, what has Peng Wang been doing lately? ”

"Accompany Princess Peng, King of Jinchang County, and Lord of Fuchang to play in Chang'an, and go to see off Zhou Guogong is Peng Wang Changshi Li Zhaode, and to send Zhao Guogong is King Peng to join the army Li Zhu." Zhao Gong arched his hand and sighed: "He didn't even go to the right guard much." ”

"He's a smart man." Empress Wu nodded slightly.

"Diva." Zhao Gong arched his hand, looked at Empress Wu and asked, "The minister wants to ask, I don't know if I can let the lord of Fuchang go to Fanzhou with King Peng?" ”

"Oh?" Empress Wu leaned forward slightly, looked at Zhao Gong with a smile and asked, "King Peng told you about this?" ”

"Nope." Zhao Gong shook his head and said, "King Peng seems to care about the Lord of Fuchang County more than the King of Jinchang County, and the minister was a little curious, so he asked casually. ”

"What does King Peng say?"

King Peng just smiled and didn't say much. Zhao Gong couldn't help but sigh lightly.

"King Peng is still sensible." Empress Wu looked sideways at Zhao Gong, her eyes narrowed slightly, and asked, "Cousin, you said this today, ......?"

"The queen of heaven, the minister thought, is it not to find an heir of the martial family and marry King Peng's mansion?" Zhao Gong raised his head cautiously and looked at Empress Wu.

"It's really for his sake, but he may not necessarily appreciate this matter." Zhao Wuhou thought for a moment and said: "Earlier, His Majesty also said that he was engaged to the lord of Fuchang, but King Peng did not agree with this matter, because the lord of Fuchang was still young, and he didn't want her to bear the matter of marriage at such a young age, and for his future husband, King Peng also thought a lot, I am afraid that there will be all kinds of tests......

Speaking of this, Empress Wu paused slightly, and then said: "Regarding this matter, in fact, Your Majesty also has thoughts in his heart, what is going on, it is too early to say. ”

Zhao Gong immediately understood that the marriage of the lord of Fuchang County, the emperor and Li Xuan would not let go easily.

"The lord of Fuchang can't do it, but the king of Jinchang can give it a try." Empress Wu smiled, then waved her hand and said: "Although King Peng doesn't pay attention to the King of Jinchang County, Princess Peng is the meat of his heart, and it is not so easy to convince them, and the King of Jinchang County is still too young, if there is a possibility in the future, my cousin will help more." ”

"Yes!" Zhao Gong bowed seriously.

"Okay, this palace is a little tired, you can retreat." Empress Wu waved her hand slightly, Zhao Gong didn't say anything, and retreated.

Empress Wu put the golden pen on the side, her eyes condensed, and after a long time, she sighed softly.

Standing up, Empress Wu walked towards the apse.

Countless palace maids inside and outside followed, and when they came to the front of Penglai Palace, Empress Wu saw Wang Fulai standing in front of the hall, and immediately reacted: "Your Majesty's pranayama is not over yet?" ”

"Back to the Queen of Heaven, there is about a quarter of an hour left, the Queen of Heaven ......" Wang Fulai was full of embarrassment, the emperor said who let him in, but the person who came was the Empress Wu, she didn't care how the emperor ordered it several times before, and walked in directly.

Seeing Wang Fulai's embarrassed face, Empress Wu smiled, waved her hand and said, "Forget it, the palace will go to the back garden for a walk." ”

"Thank you for your kindness." Wang Fulai breathed a long sigh of relief, and then hurriedly bowed down and said, "Congratulations to the Queen of Heaven." ”

"Hmm!" Empress Wu nodded, turned and headed towards the back garden.

……

In winter, everything withers.

In addition to a few evergreen plants and trees, there are only dead branches and fallen leaves left in the Imperial Garden, and there is also a frozen lake.

In the depths of the Imperial Garden, there is more snow and ice that has not been cleaned.

Empress Wu walked on the stone road casually, and couldn't help but recall the scene when she was a child, Li Xian, Li Xian, Li Dan, and Princess Taiping frolicking together.

The corners of Empress Wu's mouth raised a slight smile, and then she couldn't help but sigh lightly.

The old days are no longer coming.

Raising his eyes and glancing at the northeast direction, the current Li Xian has been imprisoned in the Forbidden Palace, Li Xian is handling the affairs of the East Palace quite properly, and Li Dan is cautious.

Only Taiping and Xue Shao play together as husband and wife every day.

I can't say when, Taiping will have his own children.

They're all grown up, but they're also all old.

A deep coldness flashed in Empress Wu's eyes.

What the emperor is doing these days, no one knows better than Empress Wu.

He is making arrangements for the future as soon as possible, and at the same time trying to prolong his life.

This situation is not unfamiliar to Empress Wu, and it was also the same during the time of Emperor Taizong.

Even in the emperor himself, ten years ago, there was once one.

The defeat of Dafeichuan was the biggest blow to the emperor, and after that, he was ill for several years.

Later, it slowly eased up, and I experienced some things in the middle.

Now it always feels like everything is coming into a cycle, only this time......

In the future, Empress Wu thought of Li Xian, smiled lightly, and then sighed, King Peng is really a smart person.

A "Book of Han" to see everything clearly.

Empress Wu herself felt that she did not have the same ambition as Empress Lu, but in fact, if you look carefully, even Empress Lu treats her son well.

And the change in Empress Lu later was also because Liu Ying suddenly died, which made everything out of control

Otherwise, Empress Lu is likely to leave a good reputation in history.

Now some officials in the court, why are they so opposed to her, is not that they are worried that she will one day follow Empress Lu.

And following the example of Empress Lu, it is not the royal family that is really unlucky, but the family.

Think about Li Xian, all the people around them are some children of the family, and the impact is on the interests of the emperor.

Li Xuan is much smarter, and he has shouted for so many years to revise the "Book of Han", but until now, he has not moved at all.

In fact, she used her threats to win over the children of the family, and at the same time used the children of the family to oppress her.

The right balance wrist is well played.

But it's just good, if it weren't for the emperor behind him, the Empress Wu would be able to pull off his skin at any time.

But then, Empress Wu shook her head, there was no need for her to target Li Xuan.

Li Xuan only stays in the court for less than a month every year, as for Li Xian, don't look at him now that he has countless people to help, the East Palace is stable, but it is all under the premise that she has not done anything.

If she really doesn't want to let go of power, Li Xian doesn't have the slightest chance.

However, Empress Wu has no intention of placing herself on the opposite side of the whole world, and if she wants to continue to hold power after the emperor's death, her methods need to be more ingenious.

As for Li Xian, it was her son after all, and compared to Li Dan, Li Xian was even weaker.

Empress Wu sighed lightly, she was older than the emperor, although she was much better than the emperor, but in fact, she was older after all, and she would be powerless many times.

People are old after all.

Maybe she will continue to be in power for a few years, and she will retire with peace of mind.

Perhaps, she should also learn from the emperor......

Empress Wu walked slowly in the garden, plum blossoms fell, and gradually disappeared.

……

On the long street, it is crowded.

Li Xuan rode on a tall horse, looking around vigilantly.

Behind him, more than a dozen black-clothed cavalrymen were also guarded, and in the middle of the crowd was a carriage.

The carriage slowly stopped in front of the Great Mercy and Grace Temple.

Li Xuan turned over and dismounted, and then got to the carriage.

The curtain of the car was opened, Xia'er, who was wearing a double bun and a big red jacket, had already thrown herself into Li Xuan's arms, and shouted with a grin: "Aya, Aya." ”

Li Xuan immediately hugged Xia'er, pasted her face, and said, "Be good." ”

"Oh!" Xia'er turned her head to look at the carriage, and at this time, Zhao'er also lifted the curtain and walked out, and was immediately hugged into Li Xuan's arms.

"Ayer." Zhao'er glanced at Li Xuan a little timidly, and then looked at Xia'er: "Sister." ”

"Humph!" Xia'er immediately raised her head happily, and at this time, a hand "snapped" on the back of Xia'er's head.

Immediately, Liu Jinyu scolded in a low voice: "Don't bully your brother." ”

"Oh!" Xia'er suddenly became depressed, Li Xuan took Xia'er and Zhao'er in her arms, took a step back, and Liu Jinyu had already gotten off the carriage.

At this time, the curtain of the car was lifted again, and Ouyang walked away with the support of the maid.

Glancing at the good grandson, Ouyang looked up at the entire Great Ci'en Temple, then sighed and said, "Let's go, let's go in." ”

"Yes!" Li Xuan and Liu Jinyu bowed their heads at the same time, and then accompanied Ouyang into the Great Ci'en Temple.

……

"Princess, princess, princess, please here." Monk Huinuma led Li Xuan and the others to the Rulai Hall in the apse.

Outside the gate of the temple, there are several old women in gorgeous clothes, accompanied by their children and grandchildren, waiting to offer incense in turn.

The courtyard was quiet, Li Xuan nodded slightly, and looked at the back of the Rulai Palace, he seemed to be able to hear the faint murmur of chanting from behind the hall.

Li Xuan immediately understood that this Rulai Hall was actually behind the Daxiong Treasure Palace.

It is no wonder that these old nobles of the great family can accept this ...... that is inferior to the Golden Buddha of the Daxiong Treasure Hall

Li Xuan stood in the hall, looking at the statue of the Buddha that was not inferior to the Golden Buddha of the Daxiong Treasure Hall, Li Xuan was shocked.

It turns out that in the Great Mercy and Grace Temple, there is not only one truly grand Nyolai Golden Buddha.

And that's not counting the one Li Xuan brought back from Tubo.

Hui Nuan led Liu Jinyu and Ouyang to take Xia'er and Zhao'er to kneel and worship, and a little novice led Li Xuan to the apse.

In the middle of the apse meditation room, the peeping monk is kneeling on the ground, chanting in a low voice.

Li Xuan's eyes were attracted by the portrait on the wall in front of the peeping monk, which was the portrait of Xuanzang's real person.

Li Xuan clasped his hands together, and then the real person bowed and said, "Master." ”

"Lord Wang." Monk Peeji didn't turn around, and continued to speak: "Did the prince ever know that in his early years, Song Guogong once let his three daughters convert to Buddhism, I don't know if the prince has this kind of wish?" ”

Daughter, converted to Buddhism, Li Xuan's eyes instantly became gloomy and sinister.

(End of chapter)