dkrc Chapter 274 Empress Chenyuan Zhao
Chapter 274 Empress Chenyuan Zhao
This boy is named Sukhbaatar, the son of Queen Dowager Jo-yeon, who died tragically in the crossfire.
Much later, when Pei Yanli had gained his trust, the two sat on the rooftop watching the sea. Suhebalu confessed to Pei Yanli, "Sarilang found me and told me to go to the capital to find the Imperial Concubine. He said I wanted revenge and that the Imperial Concubine would definitely help me, but I don't want to!"
Pei Yanli was very surprised and asked, "Why?"
Sukhbaatar said, "You also think I'm despicable, don't you?"
His eyes held a smile, without any hint of inferiority. Pei Yanli paused, then shook his head. "I think you must have your reasons."
"It was my father's fault! He had already become the Great Khan, yet he didn't kill his ambitious younger brother, thus bringing about his own demise. This is the punishment he deserved."
Someone told me that I was born an individual, not anyone's property, and that I should be in charge of my own life. I don't need to bear any responsibilities or hatred from the previous generation that I don't want to bear. If I want revenge, I can take it. If I don't want revenge and just want to live a carefree life, no one can blame me!
I don't want revenge; it's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, and it would plunge Beisha into war. If Xuyu is truly wicked, Heaven will only send someone to punish him!
Pei Yanli grew suspicious. "What kind of person are you talking about?"
"She is very young, only a few years older than me, but she is a wise woman, a prophet, a goddess. She has shown me the right path, and I want to marry her in the future!" Sukhbaatar smiled longingly.
Pei Yanli guessed who it was. There was no one else in the world who could think like that. He thought to himself, "You're probably going to be disappointed. You may never see her again in your life."
Khan Xuyu was indeed punished. His back was injured by a shattered rock, and nine out of ten of the soldiers who had joined him in besieging Li Yuanke's army were killed or wounded. In the midst of the crushing defeat, the Wolf King only managed to escape by taking advantage of the terrain.
After his whereabouts were exposed, the Wolf King was like a stray dog, pursued by Li Yuanke's army. He was seriously injured and on the verge of death. If he hadn't been on his own territory in Beisha, where he had people coming to his aid, he would have died a thousand times over.
The wolf king fled all the way to the north of Crow Mountain, where heavy snow made travel difficult. With the approaching winter, which was also unfavorable for the soldiers of the Great Zhou, Li Yuanke finally announced the return of the army to the capital.
When Li Yuanke returned to Tianfei Pass from the grasslands and received Shen Shixi's letter, it was already November. Seeing the special crabapple-patterned paper she had given him, Li Yuanke's hands trembled slightly. The handwriting was extremely familiar: "Flowers are blooming along the path; you may return slowly!"
He couldn't help but chuckle, then cursed, "You bastard! Less than ten words!"
My eyes welled up with tears.
The wife of Qian Liu, the King of Wuyue during the Five Dynasties period, would return to Lin'an every spring to visit her family. The king sent her a letter saying, "The flowers are blooming on the roadside; you may return slowly."
It means that the flowers in the fields are in bloom, and you can enjoy them while slowly making your way home. On the surface, it is an encouragement for his wife to enjoy the flowers and take her time returning home, but in reality, it is a reminder that it is time for her to go home.
Li Yuanke was also eager to return home. He wasn't so anxious when he was chasing the wolf king in the desert, but now he really wished he could grow wings and fly back to the capital immediately.
Ling Meng returned and saw Li Yuanke staring blankly at a piece of floral stationery. She asked, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"
Li Yuanke put away the letter, stood up, and said, "I'm going back now. Oh, by the way, next spring I'm going to take a new bride. If things are peaceful here, you can return to the capital to attend the ceremony!"
"What are you trying to do?" Ling Meng asked anxiously, forgetting all about manners.
"I'm getting married! I'm going to have a grand wedding!" Li Yuanke was very satisfied with his performance; he wanted to give people a shock.
Ling Meng thought to herself, "You've already deposed one of your empresses, and you still want to have a grand wedding?"
"You didn't..." Ling Meng didn't finish her sentence, then asked, "You're going to marry Shen Shixi? You're getting married?"
Li Yuanke gazed in the direction of the capital, "Back then, I had no choice but to establish an empress and make her sister a concubine... In my entire life, I have never worn auspicious clothes, never bowed to heaven and earth with anyone, and never tied my hair together with anyone as husband and wife. I want to do the things that all men in the world do."
Ling Menghui didn't know what to say, and after a long while, he managed to stammer out, "Congratulations! However, I don't have much to offer as a gift, so please don't mind!"
Li Yuanke lost his composure and slapped him on the shoulder, saying, "It's good that you can attend the ceremony. I know you're poor, and Xi'er won't mind!"
He emerged from the tent looking radiant.
On the tenth day of the twelfth month, Li Yuanke arrived in the outskirts of the capital, where Shen Shixi led civil and military officials to greet him.
She stood on one side of the red carpet, dressed in the crown and robes of an imperial concubine. The golden phoenix on her head shone brightly in the morning glow. Compared to nine months ago, her radiant face had gained a sense of calm and maturity, and her peach blossom eyes flashed with a sharp light he had never seen before.
Upon seeing Li Yuanke, Shen Shixi couldn't help but take a step forward, but then abruptly stopped the car.
He's gotten darker, thinner, and more muscular!
Their eyes met. Li Yuanke did not dismount, but rode over, bent down, picked her up, and lifted her onto the horse, holding her tightly in his arms.
Shen Shixi hugged his neck, saying aggrievedly, "Why did it take you so long to come back!"
In that instant, Li Yuanke's heart burned with passion. He didn't say anything, but simply lowered his head and kissed her.
In full view of everyone, they kissed with great restraint, separating after a brief touch.
"All of you, rise!"
He pulled on the reins, turned around, and looked at all the court officials. "During my personal campaign, all of you assisted the Imperial Noble Consort with great effort!"
"Your Majesty has worked hard! Your Majesty is mighty! Long live the Emperor!" The ministers shouted in unison.
Even the onlookers on the periphery knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"
Li Yuanke personally led the expedition, and good news kept coming. His prestige reached its peak when he returned to the capital. With this achievement, his voice in the court would be no less than that of the late emperor.
The late emperor was also a skilled warrior. It is said that the late emperor's son played a crucial role in the Gaozu Emperor's ascension to the throne.
With a small force, Li Yuanke broke the strongest and most solid alliance between Xiling and Beisha in history, saving the Great Zhou from danger, killing the Xiling general, and chasing the Beisha Wolf King to the north of Crow Mountain. For the people of the Great Zhou, this was the most tangible achievement.
Everyone hoped that this young king would lead the Great Zhou Dynasty to prosperity and wealth.
"Minister of Rites, Director of the Imperial Observatory!" Li Yuanke shouted.
"Your subject is here!"
"Your subject... is here!"
The Director of the Imperial Observatory, who was affiliated with the Pei family, did not escape this calamity; instead, the Deputy Director stepped forward.
Li Yuanke turned his horse around to face the crowd:
"In my entire life, I have never married, nor have I ever bowed to heaven and earth or gone through a wedding ceremony with any woman."
Shen Shixi is virtuous and talented, honest and intelligent. I have known her since I was young. She assisted me when I was in humble circumstances and helped me in difficult times. She was of one mind with me and never abandoned me.
I ascended the throne thanks to the support of my ministers, and I have no worries about domestic affairs as I personally lead my campaigns! I wish to take her as my new wife, marry her as my principal wife, hold a grand wedding ceremony, establish her as my empress, and bestow upon her the title of Zhao.
"Work diligently with me, uphold the Mandate of Heaven, and reign supreme over all your people!"
She reigns over the world alongside me!
He lowered his head and said to Shen Shixi, "Xi'er, marry me!"
On the tenth day of the twelfth month of the eighth year of Yongxi, the emperor, in front of his subjects and thousands of people at the north gate of the capital, asked the empress for her hand in marriage.
She was eighteen years old at the time and is historically known as Empress Chenyuan Zhao.