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- Herausgeber: Mengchen Cultural Communication Group Co., Ltd
- Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
- Sprache: Englisch
From concubine to China's only female Emperor, Wu Zetian’s ruthless rise to power redefined ambition and empire. This book begins its plot when Wu Zetian was confined to Gan Ye Temple, only to be brought back to court by the new Emperor (Gaozong). She gradually realized her dream of becoming the most powerful woman in the palace through bloody struggles and bold strategies.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Empress Wu Zetian
Table of contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Notes
landmarks
Title page
Cover
Table of contents
Book start
Chapter 1
White snow covered the capital of the Great Tang.
The peaceful New Year's Eve faded away on the snowy ground, and dawn breaks. The solemn bell chimes of the Zichen Palace announced this extraordinary dawn in the history of the Tang Dynasty.
People who stayed up all night breathed a long sigh and opened the windows to let the cold wind blow away the carbon air in the room. Then, they lit red candles to celebrate the first New Year's Day of the new emperor's reign - however, the people of the Great Tang would never forget their former emperor. Emperor Taizong ruled for twenty-three years, turning turmoil into peace, and the people returned from exile to their homes. Since the Qin and Han dynasties, through the Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties, there has been a series of wars and no real peace and unity. However, Li Shimin (Taizong Emperor) created a grand unified nation. During the 23 years since he ascended the throne, the country flourished, and people thought he would live as long as his father did. Unexpectedly, after returning from the expedition to Goryeo (Koryo) in the 20th year of Zhen Guan era(646AD), Emperor Taizong was entangled by rheumatism and rapidly weakened. By the summer of the 23rd year of Zhen Guan era (649AD), he fell ill and never recovered. This heroic emperor only lived to the age of fifty-three, which caused everyone to mourn and lament.
However, people still welcomed the first New Year of the new emperor with tearful smiles because Li Chih, the new emperor, was the beloved son of Emperor Taizong. Due to their affection for the late emperor, people hoped for the best for the new emperor.
The morning bell of Zichen Palace rang three times, followed by the bells of all the palaces and temples in Luoyang, the grand sound shaking the city covered in white snow.
Inside the Gan Ye Temple (Royal Consecrated Temple), Wu Mei Niang (Charming lady) stood alone on the corridor, gazing at the dawn sky and sighing in welcome of the New Year.
She was disturbed by the grand bell, and the dawn made her confused. Her heart was depressed, as if it was pressed by a boulder between her chest and abdomen. The north wind was blowing, and the cold air invaded her body from the cuffs and collar, making her feel a little chilly. However, the biting cold could not make her sober.
It had been half a year - since the late emperor's death, she had been living as a nun in this eerie Gan Ye Temple. The lonely and dreary days were difficult to bear. Perhaps if she had not experienced the bustling life outside, or had not experienced the revelry and excitement of the imperial palace, she would have resigned herself to growing old in the Gan Ye Temple. But she was a woman with some experiences. She entered the palace in the 11th year of Zhen Guan era (637AD) and became a lady-in- waiting of the late emperor. It has been thirteen years since then. She remembered that the year she entered the Palace, she was only 14 years old, and now she was 26, and starting today was 27.
A woman's splendid years are limited, she sighed. The memories of the thirteen years in the palace slowly came back. After the late emperor's empress, Wen De, passed away, she was chosen to enter the Tang dynasty's court, serving an outstanding noble king in Chinese history. In her memory, this was a kind of glory. Although this wise emperor only cared about politics and military affairs and did not understand how to be gentle to women. But she still admired the late emperor, for she had learned a lot from him, both political knowledge and military skills. Sometimes they even talked about literature. She was proud in the palace because more than once the late emperor praised her intelligence and beauty during his lifetime.
She also remembered the day before her emperor's expedition to Goryeo, when he pulled her into his bed during a change of clothes.
"That was the only time in my thirteen years in the palace..." She cried out to the cold wind. "This is my entire life in the imperial palace!"
However, at this moment of resentment and disappointment, another figure appeared in her mind not just once. Indeed, in her past 26 years of life, she had been in contact with another man more than once, and this man was none other than Emperor Li Chih, who was then the Crown Prince.
Today was the first day of Emperor Li Chih's ascension to the throne and the establishment of his reign. However, his ascension has only fueled her hatred and disappointment - for half a year now, she has been expelled from the palace and become a nun at the Gan Ye Temple. According to court customs, this was a kind gesture towards her. If the previous empresses had remained in the palace, their lives would have been even more difficult. Nevertheless, her hatred and disappointment were not unfounded - during the past six months, she had not even seen Li Chih's face. When the late emperor was still alive, Li Chih had made a secret promise to her and they had sworn eternal love...
She and Li Chih first met in the spring of the twenty-first year of the Zhenguan era. Mei Niang was outside the Cuiwei Palace, gazing at the buds of a few flowers. Suddenly, she was embraced by someone. In her panic, she turned around and saw that it was the Crown Prince.
"Cairen [1] Wu," Prince Li Chih hugged her tightly, "I’ve been watching you for a few days. Among all the beauties around my father, you are the most beautiful."
"Please let go of your hand, Your Highness. The Emperor will punish you if he knows. Your Highness, I am serving the Emperor... "She pleaded anxiously."
"My father is ill, and besides, he wouldn't care about these matters. Good lady, let's go inside, follow me." The prince led her into the dressing room of the Cuiwei Palace.
This was the first time, and she was extremely nervous; however, the wise emperor didn't notice at all. Then, the second time came, and they were still in the dressing room of the Cuiwei Palace - the young prince kept speaking gentle words of love and making various vows.
But after Li Chih succeeded to the throne, she was abandoned like a worn-out shoe.
Abhorred, she suddenly whirled around, walked briskly back to the meditation room, and blew out a pair of red candles celebrating the new emperor's accession to the throne.
The candle went out, and the morning light flooded into the meditation abode like a tide. Her body was immersed in the pure white radiance of the snowy morning, and her life appeared strangely dim in this radiance, as if even her soul had turned pale.
Then she flung herself on the meditation bed and finally burst into tears.
After more than ten years in the Tang Palace, she learned perseverance and resilience from Emperor Taizong, never shedding a tear in the face of any difficulties or obstacles.
She remembered the former emperor saying, tears will not win people's sympathy, what tears bring is people's contempt.
However, she couldn't restrain herself at this moment. Living in Gan Ye Temple for a lifetime was not what she was willing to accept. In any case, she wanted to break free. She had no religious beliefs and she couldn't be calm and idle at all.
The bell rang several times and stopped, but when the sunlight shone on the snow, there was another bell ringing, and the sound of horse hooves was chaotic outside the Gan Ye Temple.
A vegetarian nun came in hopping, Mei Niang turned her head and asked what happened.
"The Emperor held a banquet for the courtiers in the Zichen Palace, and the newly selected Empress Wang also attended. Oh, the empress's gift of fasting has arrived and parked in front of the temple gate, how fast!"
The gift of fasting was to be welcomed, but when she thought that it was from the Empress of Li Chih, her heart grew cold; she waved her hand, indicating that she did not want to take.
Then, two vegetarian nuns came in and asked Wu Mei Niang to go and receive the imperial gift. She glanced at them disdainfully, suppressing her dissatisfaction and resentment. She got up from the meditation bed - thirteen years of palace education had taught her that certain superficial etiquette could not be neglected. Although she resented Li Chih's heartlessness and Empress Wang was her hidden rival, she reluctantly accepted the reality when she realized that a small act of impatience could disrupt a bigger plan. She went out and knelt down inside the gate of the Gan Ye Temple.
After a set of formulaic edicts were read out, she stood up in confusion, but at that moment, a hand grabbed her arm, and she looked up in surprise.
"Dokgoo Chi?" She was pleasantly surprised, "Why are you hear?" She asked anxiously, and smiled naturally - Dokgoo Chi was originally a eunuch in the Eastern Palace. When Li Chih was the Crown Prince, the personal items or gifts exchanged between him and Mei Niang were passed on by Dokgoo Chi."
"Good day, Cairen Wu!" Dokgoo smiled and with just these words, he gently pulled her inside until he entered the meditation room, then he took a white jade pendant out of his sleeve, held it with both hands, and handed it to her.
"Who? " she hesitantly took the jade pendant.
"Naturally, it is the Crown Prince, well, the present Emperor, I should say, "Dokgoo Chi said in a low voice, "His Majesty is sentimental about the past, and specially ordered me to supervise the gift of fasting and bring this jade pendant to you today, do you have any message to convey? Cairen Wu..."
"Me? What's the use for me?" she looked at the jade pendant. "A nun," she said, then smiled, "the Emperor's gift would make me sad. Please tell him, Dokgoo Chi, that in this lifetime, I have no more hopes sitting beside an oil lamp before the statue of Buddha. I wish the Emperor a lifetime of happiness..."
"The Emperor is always thinking of you," Dokgoo said softly, "In the past six months, General Changsun and Prime Minister Chu have been keeping such a close watch on the Emperor that His Majesty has no free time at all. Today, he officially ascended the throne. I think things will get better from now on. Cairen Wu, just wait. It won't be long. The Emperor thought of you today, which proves that His Majesty surely misses you more in ordinary days!"
"Well, thank you, I..." She turned around and took out a small bronze Buddha from beside the meditation couch. "This is what I hold when I sleep every day. Please present it to the emperor on my behalf. Dokgoo Chi, I have nothing to thank you for. In the future, if there comes a day..."
"Cairen Wu, I am nothing, take care of yourself, I must leave now."
Wu Mei Niang tightly grasped the jade pendant - this is the first message in half a year! Her dead hope was rekindled, and she saw the red candle that she had blown out.
"Light the candle!" She shouted loudly to the maid, "Long live the new emperor today..."
The Gan Ye Temple under the white snow revived with the flickering candlelight.
She believed that Li Chih would summon her into the palace. An emperor has the power to do so, and if the emperor truly loves a woman, the walls of the nunnery cannot confine his power.
So she smiled, believing that she would not die in the Temple, and she felt that life was meaningful in the palace, and her future would be more glorious than the present. She waited... Waiting for a glorious day to come.
The snow melted, spring arrived, and the willow trees in Luoyang were lush green. However, the Gan Ye Temple was still isolated from the court, and Dokgoo Chi didn’t come again.
Mei Niang patiently waited, paying attention to all the news from the palace, using this information to analyze the reasons why the emperor no longer sent messengers to inquire. She believed that there must be a reason why the emperor no longer sent Dokgoo Chi.
During every night with gorgeous spring breeze, she wasted her time in worrying.
Her life was completely isolated from the lives of the nuns and female Taoists in Luoyang. She knew that many noble nuns and female Taoists enjoyed themselves in the spring, and the princes of Luoyang frequently visited the nunnery and Taoist temples. However, she had no interest in pursuing these young men in Luoyang. She wanted to pursue the emperor, only the supreme power of the emperor could satisfy her. The young maids in the Gan Ye Temple looked at Mei Niang with strange eyes. They were afraid of Mei Niang's unpredictable changes and her stern face which was like autumn frost. They tried their best to endure, just like their master, not to provoke the frivolous young men in Luoyang.
With time passing, the Gan Ye Temple gradually faded from people's memory.
At the end of April in the first year of the Yonghui reign, spring was waning, and Mei Niang's heart was in a state of desolation. The front and back courtyards of the Gan Ye Temple were filled with fallen flowers. She had hoped to be as splendid as the spring flowers, but now she withered along with them.
On a sunny afternoon, she sat alone on a futon, practicing meditation and desire control. Suddenly, some mysterious sounds came into her ears from outside, making her unable to calm down. She collected herself and walked out of the Zen room.
The long corridor was quiet, and two vegetarian nuns were napping on the corridor. She walked into the backyard, stepping on fallen flowers, searching for the sound that made her tremble, and then she saw a person on the tree outside the backyard wall... ...
The man perching on the tree whistled rhythmically and made various gestures towards Mei Niang, which startled her. She was alone in the backyard, if he jumped in... This thought made her panic - it’s not like she didn’t need a man, however, she understood that as long as she took a wrong step, she would destroy her path back to the palace. Therefore, she felt that this was a dangerous moment. She thought about escaping, but as soon as she turned around, she immediately realized that she would be attacked if she tried to escape. So, she stood still and calmly watched the man on the tree.
The man made a funny face at her and gestured for her to open the door. She nodded slightly and gestured for him to come down. But as soon as the man climbed down the tree, she rushed inside and told the nuns who did rough work to bring a stick and follow her.
Her wit saved her from being attacked. However, the queer whistle of that stranger also disturbed her. From that day on, some fleeting feelings began to wander in her heart. Although spring had passed, she was still filled with springtime emotions.
It was another sunny afternoon, and she was directing the workers in the backyard to cut down the big tree beyond the door. Suddenly, something happened in the front when Mei Niang heard the noise and hurriedly took four maidservants to the scene.
The side door of Gan Ye Temple was open, and the gatekeeper desperately refused two men from entering. Mei Niang could see from a distance that one of the them was Dokgoo Chi.
"Make way, this is a lord from the inner court!" Mei Niang quickly stopped the nuns.
At this moment, another man came out from outside the door. He was wearing a cloak and covering his face, but she recognized him at a glance. He was the current emperor.
She quickly prostrated herself. Dokgoo Chi quickly stepped forward, blocking her, and said in a low voice,
"Don't make a sound, the emperor is on a secret visit..."
She hesitated for a moment, and finally bowed down again. Although the emperor did not want to make a fuss, she also did not want to receive a man with an ambiguous identity in her environment. She was a woman with an undetermined status. She needs to assert herself in order to make clear her relationship with the emperor. So she kneels down and loudly shouts "Long live the emperor".
The Emperor gently removed his robe and greedily looked at her. At this moment, she had already stood up, gazing at her former lover with affection and a hint of resentment. Immediately, she lowered her head and softly said,
"I had no idea, I didn't pick you up, it's a capital offense..."
The Emperor did not answer, gesturing for the two eunuchs who were accompanying him to close the door. Mei Niang also lightly stepped back and walked into the Zen room.
The paper window was closed, and Mei Niang sprinkled a handful of incense inside the stove. Then she spun around and rushed towards the Emperor of Tang like a raging wind and rain, kneeling at his feet.
"Mei Niang, Mei Niang! " the Emperor stroked her back, "I'm finally here!"
She rubbed her whole upper body on his knee and answered him with an intimacy that was almost like a sob. Then the young emperor, who visited the nunnery privately, felt as uncomfortable as if he were on fire, and he roughly picked her up and hugged her tightly. Then she exclaimed in a suffocating tone,
"Don't do this, don't do this, your majesty, you are the Emperor now, you can't ..." She struggled at the same time, and in her struggle, she cried out, "Ah Chih, don't ... "
The intimate name Ah Chih represents a past love. Now, no one in the country can call him that anymore, but Wu Mei Niang blurted it out. This is history! This is evidence left over from a secret meeting in history. The past has returned, and he is lost in memories, thinking of the first embrace, the first kiss... ...
"Mei Niang, I cannot come freely, I have been wanting to find you..."
"For such a long time, it makes one old to wait. " She turned her head and leaned her cheek against his jaw. Suddenly, she twisted her body and pressed her head against his chest. "Ah Chih, you shouldn't have come here. If someone finds out, it would be terrible!"
"Now, don't be afraid, I am the emperor..." Li Chih pulled her head hard, "no one can interfere with our actions! "
"I know, but the assistant minister will make trouble, and it's not good, for you, the virtue of an emperor..." Her voice was full of pain, and some grand words were accompanied by hungry actions. Hidden in her heart was a surging ambition. So, in the torment of ambition, she finally trembled and cried out, "Ah Chih, I am willing to die when I see you. I’ve been waiting for you for a year, such a long time..."
The hunger of a woman is like the urgent tune of a pipa (Chinese lute). Li Chih's breathing became rapid, and finally, like a hungry beast, he bent down, sniffed her, kissed her, and pulled at her clothes.
"No, no!" She uttered a heavy sound like a muffled thunder, but her body went limp, without any resistance left.
