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墨書 Inktalez
When hungry, people seek help; when full, they leave. In warmth, they approach; in cold, they abandon. This reflects the fickle nature of human relationships. Generally speaking, it describes how people in this world turn to others when they are poor and hungry, but once they are well-fed, they fly away. Those who become wealthy tend to flatter, while those who fall into poverty are despised. There is a prevalent tendency to favor the rich and powerful.
The Records of the Grand Historian also states that one knows true friendship in poverty and wealth; one sees the bonds of friendship between the noble and the lowly. There is a saying among the people: "When poor in a bustling city, no one cares; when rich in a remote mountain, distant relatives come."
Gao Lvxing is someone who relies on his power to bully others. He is usually arrogant and relies heavily on his father, Gao Shilian. However, with his father's sudden death, it feels like his support has collapsed. Even if he could inherit the title of Shen Guogong, how could he rise to a higher position again?
He was originally the Governor of Youzhou and married Princess Dongyang, holding the title of Duke of the Right Guard. After some military achievements in the Goguryeo war, he was transferred back to Chang'an and became the Minister of Revenue. With his father's glory, he was promoted to Silver Blue Grand Minister and was planning to climb even higher when his father unexpectedly passed away. How could he remain at ease?
Although he is reckless and aimless, he is fundamentally filial and harbors deep hatred for Xu Zhen. Unable to let go of his feelings for a time, he blamed his father's death on the poisoned oranges presented by Xu Zhen. He intended to go to the Eastern Palace and report this matter to the Sovereign through the Crown Prince.
Li Zhi was terrified upon hearing these words. If the oranges presented by Xu Zhen were indeed poisoned, then it would not be Gao Shilian who would be harmed but rather the current Sovereign!
Because those oranges were originally meant for the Sovereign; he merely passed them on to Gao Shilian!
This matter was serious, so Li Zhi did not dare act rashly. He quickly summoned Changsun Wuji and Murong Hanzhu to his residence. Murong Hanzhu snorted coldly and immediately countered.
"Your Highness, although Xu Zhen is gaining power day by day, we must not act hastily. Xu Zhen is a favored student of the Sovereign, nurtured personally by him. All her glory comes from the Sovereign's grace; how could she poison him? If we report this matter up, it may instead make the Sovereign think that someone is trying to frame Xu Zhen, which would only lead to her being favored even more!"
Changsun Wuji nodded repeatedly at these words. In just a moment, Murong Hanzhu grasped the pros and cons of the situation with remarkable insight and decisiveness—truly a talent for assisting kings!
Li Zhi felt enlightened yet fearful; had he not called upon these two strategists, he might have actually believed Gao Lvxing's words and accompanied him to Dali Temple!
With this in mind, Li Zhi considered sending Gao Lvxing away to avoid unnecessary gossip. However, Changsun Wuji spoke up: "Your Highness, while we cannot openly go to Dali Temple, we can do it this way..."
Upon hearing Changsun Wuji's suggestion, both Li Zhi and Murong Hanzhu were secretly astonished—indeed, experience brings wisdom!
Gao Lvxing quietly left the Eastern Palace just as quietly as he had arrived.
His father Gao Shilian was an uncle of Empress Wende Changsun and had greatly assisted the Sovereign during the Xuanwu Gate incident. He was granted titles such as Imperial Attendant and Duke of Yixing before serving as Minister of Personnel and being promoted to Duke of Xu. Later on, he was elevated to Shen Guogong and inherited the title of Shenzhou Governor. Not long after that, he was promoted again to Right Minister. Nineteen years later, when the Sovereign personally led an expedition against Goguryeo, Gao Shilian served as Crown Prince's Grand Tutor, assisting the Crown Prince in governing—truly a pillar of the nation.
Sovereign suddenly received the tragic news and was unable to contain his sorrow. He wished to personally visit Gao Mansion to mourn. Fang Xuanling received the news and hurriedly came to advise him, insisting that Sovereign had just recovered from a serious illness and should not be distressed. He firmly urged him to refrain from going, but Sovereign replied, "High Duke and I are not merely Ruler and Minister, but also old family friends. How can I hear of his death and not go to mourn? Do not speak further!"
After speaking, Sovereign led his attendants out of the Xing'an Gate, intending to go to Gao Mansion.
Changsun Wuji was at the mourning hall in Gao Mansion, and upon hearing that Sovereign intended to visit, he quickly stopped crying, went outside, and blocked the royal carriage, advising him against it.
"Your Majesty is currently taking elixirs and must follow the prescriptions; you cannot mourn. How can you disregard your own health for the sake of the people at the Ancestral Temple? Furthermore, my uncle had a dying wish; he deeply did not want his passing to cause you to come here."
Sovereign was unwilling to heed Changsun Wuji's advice and insisted on entering the mourning hall. With no other choice, Changsun Wuji lay down in the road, weeping as he continued to advise against it. Only then did Sovereign return to the Eastern Garden, facing south as he cried, tears flowing like rain.
As the coffin was carried out over the bridge, Sovereign ascended the northwest tower of the old city of Chang'an and gazed at the coffin from afar, breaking into loud sobs. The citizens and officials were moved by Sovereign's kindness, and all who heard could not help but shed tears.
Sovereign remembered Gao Shilian's loyalty and righteousness, posthumously granting him the title of Minister of Works and Governor of Bingzhou, with the posthumous name of Literature, and arranging for him to be buried at Zhaoling.
From that point on, Gao Lvxing shut himself away at home, refusing food as he mourned. His reputation for benevolence and filial piety spread throughout Chang'an, causing many to sigh in sympathy. Sovereign then ordered someone to convey a message saying: "The ancients established filial piety; one does not destroy oneself in mourning. Hearing that you have refused food is quite contrary to propriety; fortunately, do not let grief overwhelm you or harm your health."
As a result, he was promoted to Minister of Guards and further elevated to Grand Minister of Golden Purple, inheriting the title of Duke of Shen. Although Gao Lvxing expressed gratitude for these honors, he could hardly conceal his dissatisfaction and resentment.
When an official reported back that Sovereign was puzzled and did not understand why Gao Lvxing felt discontented, he ordered those close to him to investigate further.
After a few days, rumors began circulating in the streets claiming that Gao Shilian did not die from illness but rather from poisoning due to mistakenly eating toxic substances. The claims were so convincing that people could hardly dismiss them.
Upon receiving this news, Sovereign quickly dispatched several Thousand Cattle officials to investigate further in the streets. They discovered that it was said that Gao Shilian had been poisoned after eating oranges given by the Emperor!
While Li Shimin certainly did not believe that Xu Zhen would poison oranges, rumors were rampant. This was not good for Xu Zhen, who felt her health declining further. Those with ambitions in court were becoming restless. Concerned about this situation, Li Shimin began reconsidering his attitude towards Xu Zhen. If he were to leave this world, how could she support Li Zhi’s succession?
The reason Li Shimin had promoted Xu Zhen beyond her rank was to prevent old ministers from controlling Li Zhi. Now with the recent events surrounding Gao Shilian, there were those who sought to exploit this situation regarding Xu Zhen, which forced Li Shimin to remain vigilant.
Sure enough, at the Court Meeting of Seven Days Later, the Officials almost unanimously impeached Xu Zhen. Some even suggested that the Three Departments intervene to thoroughly investigate the matter and restore the truth to the people, so that the court would not be slandered and defamed.
There were those who were steadfast and upright, even openly accusing Xu Zhen of being a Zoroastrianism demon, not adhering to orthodoxy, but instead engaging in trickery. Li Shimin, who rarely attended Court Meetings, found himself in a difficult situation due to this matter, and naturally could not feel at ease. He summoned Xu Zhen to question her.
" Mr. Xu, do you have any thoughts on this matter?"
Xu Zhenxin sighed lightly. He was originally just a mediocre Wuhou in the streets. If it weren't for a chance encounter with Li Mingda, he wouldn't have endured hardships to achieve his current high position. He understood that being Emperor Li Shimin was no easy task and sympathized with His Majesty's difficulties.
At that moment, he almost blurted out that since everyone thought poorly of Xu Zhen, he might as well quit!
However, now the people were spreading rumors that he had offered poisoned oranges in an attempt to harm the Sovereign but accidentally caused Gao Shilian's death instead.
Xu Zhen held a very high reputation among the common people because she was originally an ignorant commoner from humble beginnings. Almost all aspiring individuals in society regarded her as an idol; her experiences had become legendary tales among the populace.
Anyone with discernment could see that there were hidden forces stirring up trouble behind this incident. Moreover, those who dared to involve the Sovereign must have grand ambitions; how could they be casually speculated upon?
In the past, Wei Zheng and other loyal ministers would frequently criticize Li Shimin openly in court. However, no one dared to act behind his back. Those with ulterior motives were decisively dealt with by Li Shimin.
But now, as Li Shimin's health deteriorated and he handed over state affairs to Crown Prince Li Zhi, he had no choice but to turn a blind eye to such undercurrents in order to ensure a smooth transfer of power.
Having thought through all this, Xu Zhen felt relieved. After hesitating for a moment, she slowly spoke: "Your Majesty, I am merely an inconsequential Wuhou from the streets, lacking great ambitions. I am content with my daily patrols and enjoying the beauty of young ladies in the neighborhood."
At this point, Xu Zhen couldn't help but smile bitterly. Gritting her teeth, she continued: "Yet fate has played its hand and granted me the opportunity to fight for my country. Over these past two years, I have experienced more than one hundred thirty battles of varying scales, risking my life and suffering thirty-two injuries. While others think I am merely a small person gaining fortune, who can truly understand my pain of struggling on the brink of life and death?"
Xu Zhen's words came from the heart; they were not accusations but felt like accusations nonetheless. The hearts of generals like Li Jue stirred; was this not their own voice?
The civil officials were all furious; was this not a rebuke against them for failing to empathize with the military officers who risked their lives on the battlefield only to face various forms of oppression upon returning to court?
Li Shimin also came from a military background and had spent much of his early life interacting with generals. He naturally understood that Xu Zhenzhi's words were not mere exaggerations. Remembering that Xu Zhen had shielded him with her life, he felt a tightness in his chest.
Xu Zhen did not want to complain too much; she made her point and then finally knelt in the court, saying, "I only wish to fight for the country, defend our home, and expand our territory. If there are those who cannot accept me, then I, Xu Zhen, will resign and return home!"
As soon as Xu Zhen spoke these words, the court erupted in an uproar!
The generals were mostly shocked and regretful, while the scholars secretly rejoiced. However, elders like Li Jue shook their heads in disappointment at Xu Zhen. After all, she was still young; everyone in the court struggled hard, and such sincerity would ultimately lead to a hasty end like Xiao Yu's.
Li Shimin did not expect Xu Zhen to make such a choice. If she could not withstand this small setback, how could she possibly stand on her own in the future and become a pillar for Li Zhi?
He originally intended to protect Xu Zhen, wanting to set an example so that the civil and military officials would let her off easily. However, he did not realize that Xu Zhen was straightforward and weary of the hidden intrigues; she directly threw down her challenge!
The Sovereign's expression fluctuated between anger and calmness. Xu Zhen knelt with her head bowed, while the ministers wore various expressions, each with their own thoughts. The court fell silent like a winter night, with no one daring to speak!
Just as Li Shimin hesitated, he saw Zhou Cang and Yin Zong among the ranks of generals near the palace gate step forward one by one, kneeling and collectively requesting to resign!
Xue Rengui, Xie Anting, Qin Guang, and Xue Dayi were different from Zhou Cang and Yin Zong; they were well-versed in the rules of officialdom and understood that the Sovereign despised factionalism. Zhou Cang and others were fiercely loyal to Xu Zhen, which would surely offend the Sovereign. However, it was already too late to stop them!
As expected, seeing this situation unfold before him, the previously hesitant Li Shimin became furious and shouted, "Do you wish to rebel? If you are so unworthy of trust, then get out of my sight!"
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