allonlinenovel Chapter 63 Frequent Earthquakes in Jinzhou
Chapter 63 Frequent Earthquakes in Jinzhou
In the third year of Longshuo, Princess Xincheng suddenly passed away. Upon hearing the news, her brother Zhinu cried like a child who had lost his iPad.
In his grief, he ordered a thorough investigation of Wei Zhengju.
Wei Zhengju was so wronged that he didn't even have time to utter the word "wronged" before being sentenced to a very quick death.
Princess Shinjo's ghost has found Sizi and hopes she can help.
Seeing Wei Zhengju transform into a hurricane, filled with grievances, Xincheng was also in a state of turmoil, but unable to get close, he could only send a message to Sizi in a dream.
Upon waking, Sizi pondered her dream. She wondered if the year Xincheng appeared in her dream was 663, the year Wang Bo's brother was 13 years old.
It was in this year that Wang Bo returned to his hometown and wrote articles such as "Letter to the Prefect of Jiangzhou," actively seeking an opportunity to enter officialdom.
She remembered the old sage's words and decided to secretly do good deeds in order to try to return to the 80s.
After careful consideration, Si Zi decided to clear Wei Zhengju's name.
Hey, believe it or not, she actually did it!
Emperor Gaozong secretly issued an imperial edict, exonerating Wei Zhengju.
Thanks to Xiao Sizi's "exoneration technique," the truth has truly come to light!
Emperor Gaozong of Tang did not try to cover it up. As soon as he discovered that Wei Zhengju had been wronged, he exonerated him in a grand manner within the court and even issued an edict to give him a grand funeral, allowing him to rest in peace in Zhaoling with Princess Xincheng.
Xincheng never appeared in her dreams again. Xiao Si thought that the American hurricane should have dissipated, and only that should remain—"The summer wind, I will always remember, clearly saying you love me..."
Then, the story begins with the "rational" elder brother who ascended the throne in 650.
When Li Zhi first ascended the throne, it was truly a time shrouded in mystery.
The affairs of ordinary people are too numerous and complicated for him to see clearly at once.
We can only place our hopes on the willingness of all my beloved ministers to speak frankly and without reservation.
It's really hard to expect that! Which minister can be absolutely sincere? Who doesn't have some selfish motives? When speaking, who can help but think of themselves? Even if they don't think of themselves, they still have to consider the interests of their family.
However, Brother Zhinu was quite diligent. In addition to handling normal state affairs every day, he also summoned more than a dozen local governors to talk about the suffering of the people.
In this way, he finally heard some of the people's suffering. He always had this kind of energy to make a fortune in silence!
In 650, Li Hongtai of Luoyang was the first brave man to "take the plunge" and died a heroic death. Although he lost his life, he shook up Changsun Wuji's foundation and was considered a martyr who "did a big job" in the later overthrow of Changsun Wuji!
When Li Zhi was the crown prince, he truly obeyed his father and uncle, and basically ruled by doing nothing.
But the new empress suddenly seemed like a different person, and began to actively intervene in various ways, shedding the burden of "inaction" and catching everyone off guard.
Furthermore, Princess "Jia Sizi," who left the palace in the same year as Princess 650, certainly did not follow the example of other children who ran away from home.
It wasn't that she was bullied by Shinjo; rather, it was because Jiko felt she no longer belonged in the palace that she embarked on her adventure.
Ever since "Fake Rhinoceros" Jinyang left his magnificent home, Jinzhou has been frequently...
Moreover, the affected area is getting larger and larger, like an old wound that hasn't fully healed, only to be reopened with a new one!
This made the new emperor "rational" extremely anxious. He was very worried, feeling that these earthquakes, which represented his seal, must be some kind of bad omen.
He began to wonder if these earthquakes were related to the little girl who looked just like Jin Yang running away from the palace. He was filled with worry and unease.
In fact, last year, after a new emperor stepped onto the stage of history, a period of upheaval began.
That is, in June of 649 AD. But by August, the god who caused the earthquake seemed to feel that he had no presence, so he began to shake violently.
What's most ironic is that the earthquake happened precisely on the fiefdom of the new emperor Li Zhi, who was formerly the Prince of Jin. Everyone began to look at each other in bewilderment; it sounded like something was being divinely ordained.
For 650 years, the earthquakes have been relentless, occurring every two months. It sounds like the earthquakes are specifically targeting one location, which is quite a feat, like playing an "earthquake version of Jump Jump"!
It was April, and Jinzhou was still experiencing earthquakes. In June, it shook again.
Sizi was starting to worry about her brother Zhinu. In the Tang Dynasty, which believed in the interaction between Heaven and Man, earthquakes were considered natural disasters. Moreover, the fact that an earthquake specifically shook Zhinu's fiefdom of Jinzhou was like a humiliating spectacle by the emperor's brother, a disgrace that was utterly shameful.
Ancient rulers often could only shake their heads helplessly when faced with rise and fall, because natural disasters were more capricious than the power in their hands.
Thinking rationally, why didn't Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Shimin) choose a place with fewer earthquakes to enfeoff him back then?
The ministers gossiped amongst themselves, making Li Zhi feel a chill run down his spine and he was extremely displeased.
He had no choice but to preemptively strike, humbly saying to his ministers, "Have I not done a good enough job, causing the continuous earthquakes in Jinzhou? Have I failed in my governance? You must remind me in time, and I will correct my mistakes." Li Zhi was so frustrated that he could practically create a new universe out of his pent-up resentment.
This matter seemed a bit far-fetched, and everyone remained silent until the emperor realized that what he wanted to hear was not a statement of certainty.
The Chamberlain Zhang Xingcheng calmly explained: "Heaven is yang, and earth is yin. Earthquakes are not the emperor's business, but they can affect him. Heaven symbolizes the monarch, and earth symbolizes the ministers. When heaven moves, earth should remain stable. If the ministers are dishonest and have conspiracies, then there will be earthquakes."
The emperor thought it made sense, and his eyes lit up. He came up with a plan. Hehe, the "rational" brother decided to play along.
"Go on."
Attendant-in-Ordinary Zhang Xingcheng continued, “The land not only symbolizes subjects, but also women, possibly indicating that the emperor’s favorite concubines are interfering in politics. Why did an earthquake occur on Your Majesty’s fiefdom? Perhaps this is Heaven’s will, reminding Your Majesty that you are the Son of Heaven and should pay attention.”
Changsun Wuji, who was standing nearby, said unhappily, "The second half of the sentence makes some sense. After all, heaven is yang and earth is yin. According to this logic, the earthquake should be related to women. It may also be an auspicious sign. The new emperor's influence is so great that even the earth has to tremble."
The rational older brother thought: Heaven symbolizes the emperor, and earth symbolizes the subjects. If the emperor is a spinning top, then the earth should be as stable as a rock.
However, it's clear that the ministers may have been a bit unethical, engaging in many underhanded tactics, which caused unrest in Zhinu's fiefdom.
Little Sizi had someone tipping her off in the palace, and even a Ferghana horse was delivering messages to her. She laughed so hard her stomach hurt!
She even wrote a letter to her brother Zhinu, teasing him, "Brother, next time there's an earthquake, we should remind the Emperor to see if any of his favorite concubines have secretly installed a vibration mode under his throne!"