20demayo Chapter 1047 A Gentleman's Promise is Light
Chapter 1047 A Gentleman's Promise is Light
The wedding procession sent by Emperor Yu of Liang was huge, with more than a thousand people, fluttering flags and bright armor, and had been stationed outside the capital for a long time.
The leading general held the golden scepter bestowed by the emperor in his hand, and behind him were elite cavalrymen lined up in formation, their iron armor reflecting the cold light; the accompanying ceremonial officials, eunuchs, and palace maids were all in gorgeous clothes, demonstrating the importance that Emperor Yu attached to this marriage.
The grand ceremony in which Anxia sent off the bride was actually three times more spectacular than the thousand-strong crowd that came from Liang State to welcome the bride.
The wedding procession stretched for miles, with both the civil and military classes showing their elegance and grace.
The military generals led the way with their iron cavalry, wearing dark armor and carrying swords and spears like a forest; the civil officials led the ceremonial music and guards of honor, and the great scholars in blue robes and wide belts recited "Feng Ming Ji" and "Tian Chao Li Dian" loudly, their voices shaking the sky, fully displaying the elegance and grace of the superior country.
At that time, Anxia sat upright in the carriage, listening to the loud voices outside, with the corners of her lips slightly raised.
This move was not only a show of affection and a way to make her look good, but also a way to build momentum for the two countries. The two powers joined forces and shook the world, and no one dared to invade again.
The retired emperor, the retired empress, Emperor Wenxuan and the young empress all escorted him to Changting, which was thirty miles away.
At this point, Emperor Wenxuan and the young queen's puppet mission was completed. The two quietly changed their clothes and disappeared into the wedding procession.
Shi Anxia held onto the golden and jade railings of the phoenix carriage and slowly descended, her twelve-piece skirt embroidered with gold and phoenixes spreading out like clouds.
Blue sky, white clouds and green grass.
The rituals and music never stopped.
Xiao Yunde helped Tang Chujun get down from the imperial carriage.
Tang Chujun had already rushed forward without caring about etiquette and hugged his daughter into his arms, "My Xia'er..."
The voice was broken in the wind, and the rouge-stained tears rolled down onto Shi Anxia's phoenix robe, blurring the peony embroidered with gold thread into a dark color.
She stroked her daughter's hair with trembling hands and her eyes turned red from crying.
After this separation, I don’t know when we will meet again.
This daughter is her guardian angel.
"Mother, you should be happy for me." Shi Anxia's lips showed a hint of tenderness.
Tang Chujun nodded, choking with sobs, "I'm happy, I'm happy! Xia'er... I just can't bear to leave you..."
No words can express the sadness of parting, but I cannot miss the auspicious time under the watchful eyes of all the officials.
Tang Chujun reluctantly retreated to Xiao Yunde's side, staring at his daughter's face without blinking, as if he wanted to engrave his daughter in his heart.
Xiao Yunde said, "Xia'er, bring a message to your husband for me. If Liang State needs anything, the North Wing will do its best to meet its needs."
When these words were spoken, the Liang envoys Wu Xianwen and Wang Yi who were standing nearby were greatly shocked.
As the saying goes, a gentleman's promise is as light as the five mountains. Moreover, the emperor holds the real power of the northern wing, so these words carry more weight.
But Xiao Yunde added, "What the Feather Emperor has paid for our Northern Wing is beyond measure."
Shi Anxia bowed deeply and thanked him dignifiedly. As the Queen of Liang, she thanked Beiyi for his promise.
Finally, Shi Anxia couldn't help but ask, "Is there something on your mind, father?" She had noticed that Xiao Yunde looked strange.
Xiao Yunde was silent for a moment before saying, "Xiao Zhi was washed away by the flood."
It turned out that on the second day after Emperor Wenxuan ascended the throne, Prince Guizheng Xiao Zhi set out for his fiefdom.
Escorting him were Long Jiang and the entire Xiying Guard.
It is protection, and of course it is also escort.
When passing through Qianzhou Jiangcheng, there was a flood.
Longjiang sent back an urgent report of 800 miles: Prince Guizheng had experience in disaster relief, and immediately organized the local officials to evacuate the people and rescue supplies. Prince Guizheng did not sleep for three days and three nights, and stayed in front of the embankment with the prefect of Qianzhou and others.
At that time, Prince Gui Zheng ordered the entire Xiying Guard to go out and rescue people, and there was no need to protect him.
Long Jiang repeatedly warned that Prince Gui Zheng must not go to the battlefield in person. As a result, when they returned, not only Prince Gui Zheng, but also the prefect of Lianqian Prefecture, as well as the co-prefect and the magistrate all went to the battlefield to rescue people.
Finally, the body of Tongzhi was found, but the prince Guizheng was nowhere to be found. Some people said that they saw the official holding a child up a tree, but he was washed away by the raging flood.
Now the entire Xiyingwei is still searching for people along the river for disaster relief.
Shi Anxia and the retired emperor looked at each other in silence, and each saw indescribable regret in each other's eyes.
The emperor they had chosen with their own hands!
Xiao Yunde said in a deep voice, "Xia'er, take the children with you to reunite with Yu Di's family. I'm here, don't worry."
Upon hearing this, Shi Anxia took a step back, her wide sleeves falling like clouds, and she bowed deeply.
"Your son... bids farewell to my father, the emperor, and my mother, the empress."
This bow is for the grace of giving birth and raising us, which is as heavy as a mountain.
I bow again, for the gratitude I have not yet given back to my parents;
The third bow is to say that from now on we will go our separate ways and wish you take care.
He kneeled three times and kowtowed nine times. Every time he bowed his head, the pearl on his forehead would lightly tap the ground, as if whispering to this hot land.
She loves this land and she loves the people here.
The ceremonial officer sang loudly, "Let's set off——"
The golden bells of the phoenix carriage trembled slightly in the wind. Shi Anxia took a last look at the retired emperor and retired empress standing side by side, and hot tears finally fell.
Xiao Yunde was in a hurry to return to the palace to handle government affairs. He said that Emperor Wenxuan and the young queen went to Baoguo Temple overnight to pray for the disaster in Jiangcheng.
All officials were not surprised, and after the rectification, even the Censorate was much cleaner. For a time, the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue were all busy with the disaster in Qianzhou.
About seven or eight days later, Anxia's wedding procession passed through Hengcheng, Qianzhou, which was only a hundred miles away from Jiangcheng.
She ordered them to rest in Hengcheng and summoned officials from Hengcheng and the accompanying officials from the North Wing to discuss matters overnight.
He ordered the accompanying generals to take people to Jiangcheng for disaster relief without delay.
Second, she borrowed people, grain, and supplies from local officials in Hengcheng for emergency relief. According to the law, the use of official warehouses requires the approval of the court, but the princess has the imperial gold order in her hand, so she can act at her own discretion.
The princess was so powerful that the officials worked more actively than usual.
That night, elite cavalry from the northern wing came rushing to the rescue, their horses’ hooves wrapped in cotton cloth, silently piercing the darkness.
The gates of the twelve granaries in Hengcheng were opened at the same time, and the laborers who were carrying the grain were more than during the day.
All the civil servants accompanying the princess went out with the order to mobilize civilian caravans.
The most amazing thing is that the elite cavalry from Liang State who came to welcome the bride also asked for orders to go and provide disaster relief.
On this day, an old friend came, it was Guizheng Prince Xiao Zhi.
He was lucky as he was washed across several rivers and finally got stuck in the crevice of a huge rock.
He stayed in the water for three days. When he was about to die, Long Jiang and Xi Yingwei finally found him under the guidance of the villagers.
He escaped death and felt like he was in another world.
During those three days, between life and death, he saw that dream again.
He was the emperor she had carefully chosen and welcomed back to the capital against all odds to revive the country.
He was not in love in the first half of his life, but in the second half of his life he restrained himself and was infatuated with Queen Dowager Hyejeong.
She had no love for him. If we must give a name to that friendship, it would be appropriate to call it "North Wing".
In his dream, Xiao Zhi seemed to have experienced a lifetime, a life completely different from his present life.
Empress Dowager Huizheng had high hopes for Emperor Zhaowu, just as the woman in front of her had the same hope for herself.
And he messed everything up.
Xiao Zhi smiled bitterly, "My sister went to Liang State to be the queen, I should have prepared a dowry for you."
Shi Anxia personally poured tea for him and handed it to him with both hands, "My royal brother, you are willing to sacrifice your life to help the people of Jiangcheng, which is the best dowry you have given me."