Chapter Eleven: The Ambush

  The north bank of the Luo River, the Temple of the Supreme Beginning.

  In the Taiji Temple, there is a Jiuzhou Pool with an area of over 10 hectares, and its water depth is more than one zhang. Birds fly and fish swim in it, while flowers and plants are planted around it. The pool winds its way forward, resembling the nine islands in the East Sea. On the islands, clear streams flow around, and bamboo and trees grow lushly.

  The Yao Guang Hall on the Jiuzhou Pool is magnificent and resplendent, with three layers of eaves, coiled dragon pillars, transparent flower-patterned windows, flying eaves and corners, vermilion and purple decorations, glazed tiles like fish scales, and a rainbow-colored bridge to the north. Every brick and tile, every blade of grass and tree, all show the ingenuity of the craftsmen, and can be called a masterpiece of divine craftsmanship.

  With a burst of hearty laughter, Wu Zetian walked out of the Jade Light Hall.

  At this time, the golden crow had sunk, and the moon was high in the sky. The two rows of palace lanterns illuminated the front of the hall as brightly as daylight, clearly revealing her face: Wu Hou's forehead was broad and her jaw was square, with long and narrow eyebrows and eyes, born with a round and smooth complexion. The open-chest brocade shirt and golden silk scarf wrapped around her shoulders and trailed on the ground, with a gentle beauty in her dignified demeanor.

  The Empress had the art of preserving her beauty, although she was over sixty years old and had children and grandchildren, but she still looked like a woman in her forties. At this moment, her white cheeks were flushed with two dimples, as if she had drunk too much wine and was slightly intoxicated, but her eyes were clear and bright, without a hint of dizziness.

  Wu Zetian stood on the steps, excitedly saying: "Call Shen Taizhen to adjust the bowl of sobering soup, and wait in the bedroom, I will go to the peony garden to hold a candle and take a stroll, to dispel some of the wine fumes."

  During the Han and Tang dynasties, the empress also referred to herself as "I", but Wu Zetian did so even earlier. When she was still a queen, co-ruling with Emperor Gaozong of Tang, she already referred to herself as "I". As soon as her orders were given, dozens or hundreds of lanterns in the peony garden outside the Jade Light Hall were lit up at once, and the twinkling lights harmonized with the water light and the starlight above. Two rows of palace maids held lanterns and led the way forward, while Empress Wu spread out her arms and slowly descended from the steps of the hall, stepping into the peony flower cluster.

  In front of the palace lanterns were held high, behind them feathered fans fluttered, twelve palace maidens, six in front and six behind, formed two rows, moving with light steps to follow closely, walking in the middle was Empress Wu's skirt hem lightly sweeping the ground, spreading out for more than three feet, as if the Queen Mother had descended to earth.

  Wu Zetian loved peonies, and Luoyang had many varieties of peonies, all of which were famous varieties. After careful cultivation by florists, many varieties could bloom in spring and autumn, and even in winter, they could be cultivated to bloom in warm greenhouses. Walking among them, the flowers were like brocade, fragrant and overflowing, making people feel carefree and joyful.

  Wu Zetian was in a good mood, drinking wine tonight, with all ministers composing poems and essays in harmony, even more delightful.

  Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer people in both the ruling and opposition parties who dare to oppose her.

  At the beginning of Guangzhaiyuan, there was a Xu Jingye who dared to rebel after eating bear heart and leopard gall. Although he was defeated by her troops in just two months, Xu Jingye led a few riders to break through the siege, wanting to cross the sea to the east and surrender to Goguryeo, but was killed by his mutinous subordinates who surrendered to her.

  Later, one after another, the royal princes of Li Tang's clan, such as Han Wang, Huo Wang, Jiangdu Wang, Lu Wang, Yue Wang, Guo Wang, Fanyang Wang, and Langya Wang, were forced to rebel by her. Within a few days, they were all eliminated by her who had been well-prepared.

  After the successive downfall of the imperial princes, her position became increasingly stable. Although there were still some ministers in the court who had ulterior motives, without the banner of the Li-Tang imperial princes, they could no longer create any trouble.

  Recently, there have been many auspicious signs and tributes to the imperial court. Today, a county magistrate from a certain region reported another auspicious sign, saying that in a local farmer's household, a rooster had laid an egg. Auspicious signs are emerging one after another, reflecting the people's aspirations. Empress Wu naturally felt extremely pleased.

  The empress walked slowly, accompanied by a young nobleman wearing a moon-white round-necked long gown and a soft-footed hat. The young nobleman had slender shoulders and waist, his figure was as slender as a new moon, his temperament was crystal clear like a piece of jade, warm, beautiful and elegant.

  If Wu Zetian was a blooming peony of wealth and nobility, the person by her side was a pure and elegant, white and beautiful lily in a secluded valley. At first glance, one could sense a faint scent of books wafting through the air. This person was none other than Shangguan Wan'er, who had gained Wu Zetian's trust and favor.

  Shangguan Wan'er supported Wu Zetian's arm with a vacant expression, saying in a soft voice: "The Grand Marshal of the New Ping Army, Xue Huaiyi, has submitted a memorial today, stating that he has discovered the whereabouts of the Turkic Khan Bone Chelu and is leading an army of 200,000 to pursue him."

  Wu Zetian smiled happily and said, "I originally intended to give this great achievement to Ah Shi, but unfortunately he arrived at the Zishi River last time, but the Turkic army fled without a fight. I hope that this time he can catch up with Guduolu and return with great merit."

  Shangguan Wan'er smiled and said: "Xue Shiyong is brave and strong, he will definitely not disappoint the Empress Dowager's expectations."

  Wu Zetian smiled slightly and asked: "Is there anything else?"

  Shangguan Wan'er said lightly: "There is another thing, after Xu Jingye was executed, his younger brother Xu Jingzhen has been in hiding and has not surrendered. Recently, he fled north to Dingzhou, wanting to surrender to the Turks, but was captured by the people of Dingzhou Prefecture, and is now being escorted to Luoyang. The prefecture of Dingzhou has already presented the interrogation records..."

  "Huh?"

  Wu Zetian gave her a glance, and Shangguan Wan'er stepped forward and said: "The Dingzhou government said that after capturing Xu Jingzhen, they interrogated him. Xu Jingzhen confessed that it was because of the secret support from Luozhou Sima Gongyey and Luoyang Ling Zhang Si Ming that he was able to escape to Dingzhou."

  Wu Zetian stopped in her tracks, a cold and stern killing intent spreading across her face: "Zhang Xingming! I trusted you with the position of Luoyang Prefect, but it seems you have been harboring second thoughts towards me! Fine! Fine! It's fine indeed! Since my benevolence cannot obtain your loyalty, then let us use knives and axes to extract your true heart!"

  Wu Zetian raised an eyebrow and said to Shangguan Wan'er, "Put Gongsun Chuo and Zhang Xingming in prison. After Xu Jingye is brought back, hand them over to Zhou Xing for interrogation. Xu Jingye has been in hiding for many years and has never surrendered. The people who secretly helped him must be more than just Gongsun Chuo and Zhang Xingming!"

  Shangguan Wanyou nodded in understanding and hastily replied: "Yes! Tomorrow morning, I'll let Zhou Xing know."

  Wu Zetian murmured a low "hmm" and continued walking forward, but her enthusiasm was no longer there.

  Outsiders only know that Wu Zetian is not inferior to men, but what they see is always just her overbearing side, and they don't know that she is still a woman after all, and women always have some emotional moments.

  At the time when she thought she had won the hearts of all, and no one dared to openly defy her, she suddenly discovered that Zhang Shiming, whom she trusted and reused, actually betrayed her. This woman, who held the entire sky in her hands, became visibly depressed.

  "This is someone I personally promoted, why must they also betray me? Is it just because I am a woman? Why can't women rule the world?"

  Wu Zetian let out a sigh of frustration, the vibrant flowers before her eyes, but she had no interest in looking at them anymore. Shangguan Wan'er saw that she was not in high spirits and softly advised: "Your Majesty is tired, why don't you rest early? Tomorrow's morning court still has state affairs to attend to."

  "Hmm!"

  Wu Zetian nodded and waved her sleeve: "Prepare the carriage, return to the palace."

  Just as Wu Zetian turned around, a sudden change occurred.

  The palace guards were scattered among the flowers, like mushrooms scattered on the prairie. Their positions seemed loose, but they had actually guarded all directions around Empress Wu. At this time, about ten zhang away from Empress Wu's left shoulder, a guard shouted and then disappeared into the flowers and grass.

  His cry was very high-pitched and short, as if a burst of sound had just erupted from his throat, but the sound had not yet formed, and the breath had not yet rushed out of his throat, so it was abruptly suppressed, making it seem exceptionally strange.

  Although the voice was strange, it wasn't loud, but because Wu Hou's mood was low and there was no one around who dared to speak loudly, the Peony Garden was unusually quiet. As a result, although they were ten zhang away, they still heard it.

  Wu Zetian slightly raised an eyebrow, looking towards the source of the sound, and again a short, strange, and unuttered voice was heard. This time they saw with their own eyes a soldier suddenly disappear into a clump of flowers and grasses. The position where this soldier stood was only eight zhang away from Wu Hou.

  Then, another exclamation, this time because the armored soldier was already on high alert, so the exclamation came out of his throat, only half a shout: "There..." before it abruptly stopped, this time only six zhang away from Wu Zetian.

  Shangguan Wanyou's tall and slender figure stood before the peony, its petals suddenly splitting to either side, as if a giant python as thick as a bucket was rapidly slithering in, causing the branches to split and the petals to flutter.

  Shangguan Wan'er was taken aback and shouted in a delicate voice: "Protect the Emperor!"

  Shangguan Wan'er let out a loud shout, and the well-trained armored soldiers closed in, surrounding Wu Zetian within a four-zhang radius, forming a wall of bronze and iron that seemed to have been forged in an instant.

  Pong!

  A cluster of flowers burst, a bowl-sized peony flower mixed with countless branches like a water pillar, surged up to two zhang high, and then turned into a sky-filled floral rain, fluttering down.

  In the midst of a sky filled with petals and blossoms, a pale blue figure emerged, rolling and leaping, then suddenly stopped, transformed into a flowing light, and darted towards a corner of the guard wall.

  The guards at that position had just closed in, and their lower plate was still unstable.

  "Cheers!"

  Although the guards from that angle had just closed in, the well-trained and highly skilled guards reacted extremely quickly, shouting in unison as four horizontal blades simultaneously slashed towards the pale blue figure.

  Horizontal single-edged broadsword with a thick back and thin blade, extremely sharp. The Japanese samurai sword of later generations was modeled after this sword. The horizontal swords used by the palace guards were all top-grade hundred-fold steel, sharp and shiny, cutting through anything hard.

  Four mouths of the knife, one slash on the head, one cut on the neck, one stab in the abdomen, and one sweep of the leg. The figure that rushed over would instantly rush into a web composed of steel knives, being strangled to pieces.

  Just as they were about to clash, the pale blue figure suddenly dropped down and plunged into the peony flower cluster with a "whoosh" sound. The four of them drew their swords, just as they were about to change their attack strategy, the figure leapt out from the flower cluster again, rolling and sweeping horizontally over the neatly trimmed peony flowers like a windmill, its body mere inches away from the topmost blossoms that stood upright.

  A pale blue figure rolled away, and one of the four guards who had been standing at the front just let out a loud cry, kneeling on one knee. His calf was pierced by the other's sword, and blood spurted out from two wounds in the front and back. The assassin moved too fast, and it wasn't until this moment that he realized, the blood gushing out, the sound only now escaping.

  Note: Wu Zetian was not called Wu Zetian at that time, in fact, she had never been called Wu Zetian. In historical records, she was initially only known as Wu Shi, without even a given name, or perhaps she did have one but it was not recorded. After becoming a concubine, Emperor Taizong of Tang gave her the name Mei, and she was called Wu Mei.

  After becoming the emperor, she invented a character that shines like the sun and moon: 曌, called Wu Zetian. At present, her real name should be called Wu Mei, and Wu Zetian is an alias taken from her honorific title "Zhen Tian Da Sheng Huang Di" by later generations. In this text, due to everyone's habit formed over time, she is referred to as Wu Zetian.