The Travelers of the Heavens

The last day of the ninth year of Zhongyuan (AD 388) in the Great Zhou Empire.

Concubine Yan raised the issue of promoting nobles to titles at their discretion at the court meeting in the Qinzheng Palace of Luoyi Imperial Palace.

"The Taifu's proposal is to benefit the country and the people." This was the answer given by Zhang Xiang, the Marquis of Huai'an, when he faced Concubine Yan's question.

"Very good, it seems that the Marquis of Huai'an agrees with my opinion." Concubine Yan nodded.

""Yes" Zhang Xiang responded

"Zhao Hou, do you think my discussion is in line with the regulations of the court and the interests of all officials?" Concubine Yan asked another noble

"What the Grand Tutor thinks is exactly what we think," Zhaohou Yushi Yingjiao replied.

The ministers now have no idea what Concubine Yan's purpose is in throwing out this proposal.

"Okay, please step back." Concubine Yan waved her hand.

""Yes." Yingjiao returned to his seat and sat down.

"If the ministers have no objections, then I will start to draw up the list of promotions. This list will be approved by the emperor when he meets with him on the fifth day of the first lunar month next year," said Concubine Yan.

"I sincerely obey Tai Fu Jun’s order," the ministers agreed.

"If you ministers have important matters, you can report them," Concubine Yan said.

"Taifu, a few days ago, rumors spread all over the capital of Luoyi, and some lawless people took the opportunity to cause trouble. At present, these people have been arrested and brought to justice. I would like to ask Taifu Jun to tell you how to deal with it." Tingwei handed over a memorandum.

""Okay." Concubine Yan motioned to a maid to take the memorial and bring it over.

"Pass on my order to kill all these villains as a warning to others." Concubine Yan looked at the writing and made her verdict.

"Tai Tu, there are more than 500 people in total, many of whom do not commit capital crimes," Ting Wei asked.

"Didn't you hear me? Kill them all!"Concubine Yan said in a stern tone.

""Yes." Ting Wei cupped his hands and responded. This sister is not very good. She misses the day when the grand master was in power again.

"You may think I am too cruel, but I only know that the country must not turn from rule to chaos, because once chaos breaks out, not only the people will suffer, but even you ministers and nobles will be implicated, so I have to severely punish these lawbreakers."Disciple" Yan Fei explained

"Taifu is diligent and caring for the people, we can all see it"The ministers quickly expressed their loyalty

"Okay, okay, is there anyone else who wants to perform?" Concubine Yan asked again

"Taifu, I have an unkind request, please grant me Taifu's permission." Sheyang Hou Cui Qi asked.

"Marquis Sheyang, please speak." Concubine Yan said

"I would like to invite the Grand Master En Zhun to visit the Grand Master," Cui Qi said.

"It is not suitable for the Grand Master to receive foreign ministers at the moment, and there are many concubines in the place where he is recuperating, so it is not convenient for Marquis Sheyang to go there." Concubine Yan flatly rejected Cui Qi's request.

""Yes." Cui Qi had no choice but to give up.

"Okay, if there is nothing important, please go back to the official office." After that, Concubine Yan turned around and left.

The officials also put their memorials in the wooden box at the entrance of the palace, and then dispersed one after another.

Imperial Palace, Changle Palace.

Empress Dowager Zhang is reprimanding seven girls. The seven girls entered the palace as concubines through the operation of the moon god at the beginning of the year. It has been almost a year, but no one has become pregnant yet, which makes the anxious Queen Mother very dissatisfied. She called these seven concubines today. Reprimanding.

The seven women knelt in a row and bowed their heads to listen to the lecture. Empress Dowager Zhang also threatened that if anyone did not serve well, she would be demoted as a slave and sent to the Clothing Bureau. The seven women were frightened and quickly begged for mercy.

In fact, there was no need to rush this matter at all. Emperor Zhou Ji Kai was not a particularly lecherous person, so Empress Dowager Zhang’s reprimand was destined to have no results.

Just as the Empress Dowager was lecturing, a palace maid reported that Ji Kai had arrived.

"The son pays homage to the queen mother." Ji Kai comes in to pay homage to the queen mother.

"My son, no courtesy, please sit down quickly," the Queen Mother responded.

"Mother, this is"Seeing his concubines kneeling in a row with tears on their faces, Ji Kai asked

"It has been nearly a year since they entered the palace, but none of them are pregnant. This shows that they have not taken care of my son well. Now I"

"Mother, they are my concubines, even if they make mistakes, they should be left to me to deal with, right?"

The Queen Mother was interrupted by Ji Kai mid-sentence.

"My son has not yet appointed a new queen, so I will naturally discipline these concubines in the harem for you," the Queen Mother said, her tone becoming sharper.

"Although what the Queen Mother said is reasonable, I have already grown up and have the ability to deal with the affairs of the harem." The mother and son, Queen Mother Zhang and Ji Kai, were actually in tit-for-tat confrontation.

"snort!"Finally, Ji Kai snorted coldly, got up and left.

"you.."Hey," the Queen Mother had no choice but to sigh. Why did the mother and son quarrel after meeting each other even if they couldn't say a few words? It turned out that this matter had something to do with the late Queen Li. When Ji Kai was still the Crown Prince, it was the age to select the Crown Princess, and Empress Dowager Zhang, who was still the queen at the time, hoped to let her niece marry Ji Kai. However, she was firmly resisted by Ji Kai once she proposed it, and even threatened to commit suicide. Unfortunately, the matter was dropped.

Ji Kai finally married She chose her favorite girl Li as the crown princess, but this Li's daughter was the daughter of a political enemy of the Zhang family. Naturally, Empress Zhang looked down on this daughter-in-law at that time. She made things difficult for the daughter-in-law who had just entered the house. Defending his wife will naturally lead to disagreements with his mother. The conflict between mother and son became increasingly acute.

A few years later, Ji Kai's father died, and he succeeded to the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, but when he wanted to appoint Li's daughter as queen , Empress Zhang, who had been promoted to the queen mother, openly opposed it on the grounds that Li had been married to Ji Kai for several years and had no children, so she was not qualified to be the queen. Empress Dowager Zhang also clamored to re-elect a new queen.

At that time, this matter was in the court It caused a lot of controversy, and the Moon God directly supported Ji Kai, and the matter was settled. A few years later, Queen Li finally became pregnant, but she died of dystocia and hemorrhage during labor, and the child was not saved.

But While discussing the details of the funeral, Empress Dowager Zhang came to trouble again, saying whether a queen who could not give birth to a child was worthy of such a grand funeral; the angry Ji Kai asked the Moon God to order all of Empress Dowager Zhang's natal family to be exterminated. The official position was revoked and the title was revoked.

Of course, in the end, Yueshen and Wang Yu persuaded both parties to exercise restraint, and the matter was resolved. However, the conflict between mother and son, Queen Mother Zhang and Ji Kai, was so irreconcilable that once Queen Mother Zhang fell ill. , Ji Kai knew about it but did not visit at all.

Back to the subject.

Ji Kai left with a flourish, and the Queen Mother also dismissed the seven concubines.

"Queen Mother, my uncle wants to see you." Just when Queen Mother Zhang was secretly feeling sad, another palace maid came to report her.

"Please invite him in," Queen Mother Zhang wiped her tears and ordered.

""I see the Queen Mother." Huai'an Marquis Zhang Xiang entered the palace and knelt on one knee to greet the Queen Mother.

"Why do my family members need so many gifts? Why don’t you come back and give me a seat?" the Queen Mother said.

"Yes, I would like to thank the Queen Mother." Zhang Xiang stood up and sat down.

""Sister, I have something to ask of you," Zhang Xiang said again.

"What's the matter? asked the Queen Mother

"It’s the same thing as last time," Zhang Xiang said.

"Last time? What happened?"The Queen Mother didn't remember much, she asked.

"It’s about my brother’s promotion to Duke"Zhang Xiang said

"But now that the Grand Master is seriously ill and has left the country, and the Grand Tutor has just taken charge of state affairs, who knows what kind of temper this Grand Tutor is, I think we should wait and see," said Empress Dowager Zhang

"During the morning session this morning, Imperial Concubine Yan suddenly proposed to promote the nobles to titles."Zhang Xiang told what happened to Chao Shang

"What did she mean? Is this a way to squeeze out the old subordinates of the former Grand Master?" The Queen Mother was shocked when she heard this.

"I don’t think it’s the case. In the months since Taifu took charge of the country in September, no nobles have been convicted." Zhang Xiang frowned.

"Before Concubine Yan came to power, she was the commander-in-chief of the Jixian Hall of the Five Fang Dafu, and she did shameful things. I think she is definitely not a kind person," said Empress Dowager Zhang

"Sister, I naturally know about this, but it seems to have nothing to do with my promotion to Duke," Zhang Xiang said.