Insufficient balance
We had previously burst in, causing the eunuchs to scurry about in a flurry of panic, even the old emperor's face turned red with rage, his imperial dignity on full display, just as he was about to berate us, "You dare to..." But then his stomach betrayed him, and at the scent of the roasted lamb that had been brought in, it let out a thunderous protest, causing the soldier carrying the lamb to struggle not to laugh, his face twisted into a strange expression. I, however, couldn't contain myself and burst out laughing loudly, which caused everyone else to also lose their composure and erupt into laughter. This one bout of laughter managed to dispel all the sorrowful and tense atmosphere.
This famous Emperor Taizong of Tang savored a large roasted lamb chop, and then ate two large ceramic bowls of mutton porridge before finally calming down. I lowered my head to wait on him, while using the corner of my eye to steal glances at the group of beautiful women hiding behind the screen, who were eating with no utensils, their small mouths and slender waists making not a sound as they devoured two whole roasted lambs, leaving me in awe.
During this time, the old emperor also listened to Wei Zifu's report with his head still wrapped in gauze. The Emperor Xuanzong, who had recovered his spirits and energy after eating and drinking his fill, was a completely different person from the frail and sorrowful old man who had bid farewell to life in the rear garden earlier. This was the Tang Minghuang of historical records, known for being intelligent, decisive, multi-talented, especially knowledgeable about music, skilled in the eight-legged essay, with majestic demeanor and an extraordinary appearance.
Compared to my imagination of the heavenly court, he was quite different from the expected robust and majestic appearance with big ears. Instead, he looked rather slender and handsome, somewhat like a legendary Taoist practitioner. On the other hand, his crown prince Li Hen had a slightly plump but refined appearance, which still showed a bit of the elegance and poise of his youth.
That's the one who was so infatuated with Yang Guifei that he almost lost his empire, the number one person in the world. Apparently, he really loved Yang Guifei so much that I accidentally saw this generation's emperor possibly showing his true emotions for the only time, revealing a soft side. However, this might not be a good thing, as it's said that the more powerful the superior is, the more they dislike letting people see their weak side...
"So, Liang Qingping's merit in saving the emperor is evident, and he also saved the royal family. What reward do you want? I'll grant you two requests." Ah, I finally came back to my senses, and the crowd around me was in an uproar of surprise and admiration. This casual request was a great honor, and it was for two things! Even the beauties hiding behind the screen peeked out to take a look at who this person was. As our eyes met, I couldn't help but feel a thrill. If he had asked for just one thing, the emperor probably wouldn't have refused, but I quickly dismissed that idea. It didn't seem like the right time, and I wasn't even settled myself, let alone thinking of taking on someone else to support.
Moreover, these kings like to play deeply, what they say and what they hope in their hearts are not necessarily the same thing, it's better not to take them lightly. And at this time, everyone suddenly perked up their ears to listen to my plan.
"Just saving a little girl can offset one request, this princess really has weight, I wonder if it's the old emperor's XXXX"
I muttered to myself but didn't have too much expectation for the promise made by the emperor in distress. I had to learn from TV shows and said something about protecting the king and serving as a minister being a duty that doesn't require reward, then pushed back repeatedly and pretended to be reluctant, thinking for half a day before making two requests that were not important to myself.
One was to request amnesty for all the soldiers involved in the mutiny, which was unexpected by the emperor but exactly what he wanted. Since there were too many participants in the mutiny and it was impossible to investigate them one by one, it would be better to take this opportunity to step down and calm people's minds, which was immediately approved.
Another unexpected thing was that the wrongly accused Geshu Han, who had been said to have surrendered at Tong Pass, was rehabilitated and cleared of his name. The emperor was quite surprised, but after my repeated guarantees and Geshu Han's gracious treatment (heaven knows what he did there), the emperor hesitated for a moment and then showed some appreciation, seemingly leaving a good impression that this man was loyal and grateful. Finally, with deep meaning, he said: "You are indeed a different kind of person, very well, I grant your request."
In the end, although it met my requirements, there was also no harvest, and from the jewelry carried with me, I picked out a pair of golden flowers and gave them to the sword as a reward. Although the result was disappointing for everyone present, they also sighed in regret.
But the flower is a heavy gold with gemstone heart, and this sword is indeed exquisite workmanship, inlaid with gold and jade, even the tassels are purple silk with golden embroidery. When drawn out, it shines brightly, clearly visible to people, those who have seen it say it's a precious artifact. I also secretly found a few copper coins, and everything was indeed very useful. Hurriedly put it away, in the future when there's nothing to do, it can still be sold for a good price. It's not a bad harvest after all.
"Ge Shuhan... calm and brave, entered the Temple of Loyal Martyrs, was awarded the title of Zhongzheng, posthumously promoted to Taifu and Duke of Chengguo...". At the same time, the two imperial edicts were issued, and the response from top to bottom was strong, with cheers like thunder. The soldiers were moved to tears, not to mention the many sympathetic generals who also felt a sense of reverence for Ge Shuhan's actions. After all, not everyone can give up the temptation of fame, fortune, and power to plead for their former commander's innocence and clear his name.
It turns out that the last requirement was something I came up with when I was extremely bored, and as for Geshu Han, I had only heard of his name. However, it seems that my move was correct, and I have gained the respect of many generals (including former subordinates of General Geshu Han). In the future, commanding these soldiers will be much easier. Other officials who were lucky enough to survive the chaos also naturally followed suit, praising me profusely. Even the crown prince and others who might have instigated the rebellion expressed their gratitude towards me for resolving the crisis in a timely manner and saving the imperial family (because the rebellion eventually spiraled out of control, affecting not only the Yang family but also other officials and even members of the royal family, including princesses). They were very sincere and polite, with a hint of trying to win me over. Anyway, knowing that this guy would be the future emperor, I responded politely and graciously, becoming the most popular person for the time being.
It was only later that I realized I had done something very foolish. In fact, the news they had received earlier from the escaped general Wang Sili was about Geshu Han being captured and surrendering to An Lushan without a fight, which was not glorious at all. The rumor was that he had been made a minister, but it was hidden from public knowledge for fear of shaking the morale of the troops. Although this might have been an enemy strategy and had not been verified, my mistaken proposal gave the court an easier solution to accept, and by defaulting his death and posthumously promoting him, it wasn't necessarily a bad way to calm people's minds. At least in later days, it greatly reduced the impact of Geshu Han's betrayal on the overall situation.
