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innerpalaces · 4 months ago

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THE PRINCESS WEI YANG - 190 PART 2

CHAPTER 190: Princes Gathering

Madam Guo said calmly: "I heard that this Tao Yao girl is pregnant."

Surprise flashed across Li Wei Yang's face. Pregnant? Grand Prince Jin gave his pregnant concubine to someone else?

Madam Guo sneered and said, "I heard that Grand Prince Jin loved this concubine too much, so Princess Jin came to Empress Pei and complained."

So that's it... Li Wei Yang thought about it carefully for a moment and then understood. Empress Pei married her niece to Prince Jin, thus completely controlling him. It could even be said that she monitored him all the time and forced him to serve the Crown Prince. Grand Prince Jin obviously understood his situation very well. He clearly loved Tao Yao, but because of the princess's dissatisfaction, he gave her to the Grand Prince Qin. The most interesting thing is that they spoke so openly, obviously to let Empress Pei know. Obviously, Grand Prince Jin was giving a show of respect for the Pei family.

However, men always have three wives and four concubines. In Dali, even a prince consort would sometimes take concubines without any guilt. (t/n: The term 'prince consort' specifically refers to the husband of an imperial princess. So even if the wife greatly outranks her husband, the husband can still take concubines.) This is simply beyond reproach. However, the majestic Grand Prince Jin in Yuexi was so afraid of his own princess that he did not even dare to keep a pregnant dancer by his side. He actually gave her to Grand Prince Qin in front of so many people. This shows how powerful Empress Pei was.

"He does this without fear of others' ridicule." Madam Guo looked at Grand Prince Jin's face and sighed.

Ridicule? Is ridicule more important than life? Li Wei Yang raised her lips. Giving away a beloved concubine. This woman was even pregnant. In a sense, this was naturally because the Pei family was so powerful. On the other hand, Grand Prince Jin knew what the price would be for sending her away, but he still pretended as if nothing had happened. What is the difference between such a person and Tuoba Zhen back then? Li Wei Yang glanced at Grand Prince Jin again, but saw a hint of helplessness and sadness in those eyes.

No, they are clearly different. If it were Tuoba Zhen, he would definitely kill Tao Yao to please the princess and Empress Pei. A concubine and a child are nothing. As long as it's necessary, he is the kind of person who will not recognize his relatives. But Grand Prince Jin chose to give his beloved to someone else, which was an invisible protection for her and her child. Thinking of this, Li Wei Yang's eyes wandered between Grand Prince Jin and Grand Prince Qin. Grand Prince Qin accepted it so readily. Was it a planned play? It turns out that the imperial family in Yuexi is so complicated. If this is true, it will be a good show.

At this time, the Crown Prince stood up and said to Empress Pei: "Empress mother, I dedicate this glass of wine to you." Empress Pei drank the wine with a smile, and the other princes also stood up and toasted to the Empress. When Pei Baoer saw everyone paying tribute one by one, she stood up with a smile and said, "Your highnesses are all offering a toast. I shouldn't lose my etiquette." As she spoke, she raised her wine glass and offered it to Empress Pei from afar. Empress Pei smiled and gestured to her.

Pei Baoer was overjoyed and immediately left her seat. However, when she passed by Li Wei Yang's table, she accidentally tripped and the wine glass spilled over. Madam Guo exclaimed when she saw the wine spilling, before she could block it, she saw that Li Wei Yang's gorgeous brocade clothes suddenly got wet. Madam Guo's expression changed. She quickly wiped it with a handkerchief, and turned around and said: "Miss Pei, what do you mean? "

Pei Baoer looked like she was about to cry. She looked at Li Wei Yang apologetically and quickly explained: "Miss Guo, I didn't mean it. Are you okay?"

Madam Guo's voice was almost glacial: "Do you think she is okay?!" The banquet dress that she had carefully prepared was completely ruined. This is an extremely disrespectful thing. How could she be okay?! Madam Guo was very angry when she saw that her daughter's fine clothes were destroyed.

Pei Baoer glanced at Li Wei Yang with tears in her eyes, then at the others, and said: "I... I'm really sorry, but I didn't mean it..."

Seeing this scene, the Crown Prince smiled and said: "It's just a misunderstanding. Why should Madam Guo be angry?" His expression was very natural, as if he was mediating a dispute, but everyone knew that he and Pei Baoer were cousins and had a natural relationship. Extraordinarily, what he said sounded impartial, but it seemed to indicate to others that Madam Guo was making a mountain out of a molehill.

This incident was originally Pei Bao'er's fault. She didn't fall in the first place, but she deliberately wanted to embaress Li Wei Yang. Although every move in the palace must be graceful, her skirt is long and she must maintain proper posture when walking. It was very normal for her to accidentally step on her skirt, so she wished Li Weiyang would be angry. That way, she could have everyone stand on her side...

Tears quickly accumulated in Pei Baoer's eyes, and she said: "Your Highness, it's all my fault. You must not blame Madam Guo - she just feels sorry for her daughter."

This was said very appropriately and won the favor of many people at the moment. Grand Prince Zhou Yuan Qi was naturally very gentle, and was the most beautiful among all the princes. He was also the second son of Virtuous Consort Zhou, and a compatriot with Grand Prince Qin Yuan Hong. When he saw this scene, he couldn't help but sympathize with the beautiful Pei Baoer, and took the initiative to say: "Madam Guo, it's just a small matter. Don't embarrass Miss Pei."

No matter what kind of man he is, he has a tender heart and can't ignore weak women, especially Pei Baoer who is so beautiful. The men here were more or less moved. Only Yuan Lie sneered. In his eyes, Pei Baoer was like Li Chang Le back then, she was a true femme fatale. In his life, what he hates the most is this kind of woman... In other words, he doesn't like anyone who is not on good terms with Li Wei Yang. He said coldly: "Your Highness Grand Prince Zhou, if I ran in front of you now and fell down and spilled wine all over you, would you be happy? What's more, this is a matter between ladies, so don't say anything more. ."

When everyone heard this, they all revealed an expression of not knowing whether to laugh or cry. His Highness Prince Xu has such a venomous mouth. Does this mean that Prince Zhou is a sissy who goes to meddle in women's business? It was true that Grand Prince Zhou was beautiful and his personality was completely different from that of the strong Grand Prince Yuan Hong of Qin. He didn't look like he was born from the same mother at all. Many people said behind his back that he was too soft-hearted and nosy.

When Grand Prince Zhou heard this, his whole face immediately turned red: "Grand Prince Xu, I just couldn't stand it and said a few words. What do you mean?!"

Yuan Ying watched this scene silently, thinking that there were rumors outside that Grand Prince Xu fell in love with the Guo family's daughter at first sight. He still thought it was a rumor, because Grand Prince Xu definitely did not seem to be such a superficial person, not to mention that when it came to appearance, Guo Jia was indeed beautiful, but not enough to fall head-over-heels for her at first sight...

But Li Wei Yang has a beautiful appearance and a very calm personality. Coupled with the power of the Guo family, many people have long been eyeing her. However, they are waiting to see how the situation develops. Only Grand Prince Xu spoke without any scruples. This was too obvious, as if he was deliberately declaring to everyone that he liked Guo Jia.

This... is really amazing. Yuan Ying thought this in his heart, and an imperceptible smile appeared on his face.

Yuan Lie glanced at Grand Prince Zhou, with a smile, and his expression became more and more profound: "Oh? You can't stand it, so what's the point of just speaking? If His Highness Grand Prince Zhou really doesn't want Miss Pei to suffer, why not pay for it yourself? Will you compensate Miss Guo for this dress?"

Grand Prince Zhou couldn't get off the stage, so he glanced at his second brother Yuan Hong not far away, but he looked like he was blaming him for being troublesome, and was obviously not prepared to help him. Prince Zhou was even more infuriated, thinking that such a delicate woman like Pei Baoer was actually about to be bullied by the combined forces of the Guo Family and Grand Prince Xu. How can he stand idly by?

Pei Baoer quickly said: "No, I wet Miss Guo's clothes, it's better for me to compensate." It was just a skirt, but seeing Li Wei Yang's embarrassment, Pei Baoer felt it was worth it.

Grand Prince Zhou sneered and said: "It's just a skirt, what's it worth? Tomorrow I will order someone to send a hundred of them to the Guo Mansion."

Yuan Lie sighed and said: "For Miss Pei, His Highness the Grand Prince of Zhou has to spend all his wealth and property in compensation. This is really a deep love."

Grand Prince Zhou was confused by what he said. How could a piece of clothing be said to be worth a fortune? Next to him was Prince Kang, Yuan Song, who was born to Concubine Ge. He was the youngest amongst the princes and ranked ninth. Thus, he was favored by everyone. Upon hearing this, he started chuckling and took the initiative to say, "Sixth brother, Grand Prince Xu is joking with you!"

He had a lively temperament and was a bit naive, but these words are exactly what everyone is thinking. The Crown Prince frowned slightly. For some reason, he felt something was wrong. Because Grand Prince Xu Yuan Lie's personality is unpredictable, he can't figure out what the other party will do next, let alone take precautions in advance.

Yuan Lie smiled, and a hint of sarcasm flashed through his amber eyes, but he said in an ordinary tone: "Oh, doesn't Grand Prince Zhou know that what is hanging around Miss Guo's neck is an heirloom of the Guo family?"

Everyone's eyes suddenly turned to Li Wei Yang, and they saw a very beautiful necklace hanging around her neck. The necklace looked ordinary, but there was an emerald cabbage with green leaves and a white heart hanging down from it. On the heart of the white cabbage was a completely green caterpillar, and next to the green vegetable leaf was a bee. The color combination is just right and extremely unique. If you look closely, you will see that the color and shape are rare treasures.

Madam Guo was startled for a moment, but quickly understood what he meant and a hint of a cold smile appeared on her face. However, she was also very surprised. His Highness Prince Xu had helped the Guo family several times. What is he planning? Did he really fall in love with Jia'er?! Madam Guo suddenly felt a little uneasy in her heart. As a mother, she would look for a stable son-in-law for her daughter who she knew well. Yuan Lie had no contact with the Guo family before, and in terms of intimacy, he was definitely not as good as Yuan Ying. After all, she had watched Yuan Ying grow up with her own eyes, and he was not as mysterious as Yuan Lie.

At this time, a faint smile appeared on Yuan Lie's lips, and he said with evil intentions: "This jade cabbage has been passed down in the Guo family for hundreds of years. As of today, it is estimated to be worth ten thousand taels of gold. It was just bought by Miss Pei with a glass of wine. Just now, Miss Pei spilled a cup of wine on it, so the jade cabbage will definitely be damaged. His Imperial Highness the Grand Prince of Zhou is so generous, you'll surely compensate for this necklace."

Ten thousand taels of gold?! Grand Prince Zhou's face instantly became ugly, turning blue then white, then blue again. He struggled to ask, "Madam Guo, His Highness Prince Xu is joking, right?"

Madam Guo glanced at the jade cabbage stained with wine, sighed deliberately, and said: "This jade cabbage is a treasure that my Guo family has passed down for many years. It can protect the safety of the whole family. It will not be taken out easily and must be maintained in the best possible way, protected by an exquisite silk treasure box. If the ancestors of the past generations knew that it accidentally got contaminated with dirty things like wine, we really don't know what to do..."

In fact, Madam Guo has been wearing this jadeite cabbage around her neck. In order not to let Li Wei Yang be looked down upon, she specially put it on her. In the eyes of others, it's just a little wine stain, so what's the big deal, but the rich and powerful valued jade too much. Many people even pass down a piece of jade from their grandfather to their grandson and personally keep it close to their body, one to ward off evil spirits and the other to nourish the jade. Everyone knows, the spirituality of jade is the most important thing. The longer it is kept, the more useful it is. If it is contaminated by wine, how can it protect the Guo family? That's what Madam Guo meant.

Grand Prince Zhou's eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes and face seemed to be covered with a thick shadow.Finally he gave up and said: "This...how is this possible!" Could it be that he was going to fall into an unpredictable situation just to save the beauty as a hero? Well, he deeply regrets it now. It would have been better if he had not said more at that time.

Gracious Consort Guo looked up, and her lips curled. A hero must pay a price for saving a beauty, and Grand Prince Zhou obviously didn't realize who he had offended.

At this moment, Li Wei Yang, who had been silent, opened her mouth and said: "His Imperial Highness Grand Prince Xu made a mistake."

Everyone looked at Li Wei Yang, but Grand Prince Zhou breathed a sigh of relief. It's just a jade pendant, how could it be so expensive! What is the concept of ten thousand taels of gold? Do you really want him to spend all his money for a trivial matter?

Unexpectedly, there was a thin smile on Li Wei Yang's face. The smile should have been warm, but it contained a vague apology: "Your Highness, Grand Prince Zhou, I'm really sorry. Someone used to pay a hundred thousand gold to buy this piece of jade ..."

She looked calm and gentle, but she spoke very seriously, not like she was joking at all. That clearly means that this piece of jade is worth one hundred thousand taels of gold. If you want to stand up for Pei Baoer, just pay for it. But if Grand Prince Zhou retorted that he would not help, he would lose face.

If they hadn't heard it with their own ears, no one would have thought that the silent young lady of the Guo family was such a powerful person. She was obviously mocking Grand Prince of Zhou, but she had such a gentle face, a pleasant voice, and her expression was so serious that it made people laugh.

Yuan Ying burst out laughing, and then everyone else started laughing too. Prince Kang, Yuan Song, was young, and his smile was exaggerated. He almost disregarded imperial etiquette as he slapped the table as if he was clapping, and looked at Li Wei Yang with an expression full of novelty. In his opinion, it was rare to see such an interesting girl in this world who would dare to trip up His Imperial Highness Grand Prince Zhou in public.

Grand Prince Zhou's face was livid, his eyes were staring at Li Wei Yang, and he was speechless for a long time.

The expression on Pei Baoer's entire face changed. She looked at Grand Prince Xu and Madam Guo in shock. Finally, her eyes fell on Li Wei Yang, who was lying so seriously. Her heart became angry. These people had clearly joined forces! She immediately said: "It's all my fault, why do you blame His Highness Grand Prince Zhou so harshly..."

Li Wei Yang suddenly stood up, and Pei Baoer was startled, thinking that she was going to do something, and subconsciously took a step back. This time, she accidentally stepped on the hem of her skirt for real, and fell down to the ground in a very embarrassed manner. Li Wei Yang showed a surprised look and hurried over to help her: "What's wrong with Miss Pei?"

Her expression was very caring, and her movements seemed to be coming to pull Pei Baoer up, but in fact she stepped on Pei Baoer's foot and crushed it hard. Pei Baoer screamed, and Empress Pei said in a cold voice: "Making so much noise in a crowd. How unbecoming!" She was clearly displeased.

Just now, she was sitting and watching the show, but now she saw Pei Baoer suffering a loss and was speaking. How could anything be so easy in the world? Li Wei Yang smiled lightly and said: "Miss Pei, have you been injured?"

Pei Baoer was in severe pain on one of her feet, but she did not dare to speak out in public. After being helped up by the palace maid, she looked at Li Wei Yang with watery eyes: "Miss Guo, it's all my fault, I wet your clothes... "

Li Wei Yang smiled warmly and said: "A piece of clothing is really not worth anything, but the family heirloom jade is really precious. It is a pity that the jade's spiritual energy is ruined by this glass of wine. Since Miss Pei sincerely regrets... It is not difficult, I don't need you to pay any money. I heard that the Pei Mansion has an exquisite treasure box that has been passed down for many years. It has very strong Buddhist energy and is most suitable for nourishing jade——"

Pei Baoer's entire face had gone white without even a trace of blood. She just wanted to embaress Li Wei Yang and perform her usual trick in front of everyone. She had never failed to deal with those noble ladies in the past, but now, how could she be beaten down all of a sudden by Li Wei Yang! Now the other party has even taken a fancy to the treasure box in her home. That box has been passed down for many years. It's embedded with fifty of the most precious gems and one hundred and twenty mermaid tear pearls. This is not even the most extraordinary part. The most important thing is the box was also engraved with 25,000 words of Dharani scriptures. It was a treasure enshrined for generations. No one knew how long she had begged for it before her father agreed to give it to her as her dowry...

"You...you...I...can't..." Pei Baoer was stunned and almost speechless.

Yuan Ying's smile could hardly be concealed. This Wei Yang was even more ruthless than His Highness Prince Xu. The value of the exquisite treasure box was far greater than that of the jade cabbage. If Pei Baoer compensated, she would definitely suffer a terrible loss, but if she didn't compensate, she would ruin her reputation... No matter what she does, it's all wrong, and it's bad luck whether you offer compensation or not, ha, it's really vicious.

Li Wei Yang lowered her eyes and smiled slightly: "Is it possible that Miss Pei is reluctant to part with it? In this case, I have no choice. I wonder if I should go to Pei Mansion tomorrow to pick up the 100,000 taels of gold, or go to Prince Zhou's Mansion?"

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#the princess wei yang

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linjunjian · 5 months ago

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The Siege of Xuyi (451)

[Excerpt from WS074]

The barbarians launched an invasion into Xu and Yu. Tuoba Tao (408-452) led a mighty force of hundreds of thousands toward Pengcheng. Zang Zhi (400-454) was appointed General who Assists the State and Bearer of the Seal, with authority to appoint his deputies. Leading a contingent of ten thousand men, Zhi marched north to intercept the invaders. By the time he reached Xuyi, Tao had already crossed the Huai River. Hu Chongzhi, Chief Officer of the Palace Guards, was appointed marshal of Zhi’s headquarters. Mao Xizuo, the Crown Prince’s General of the Massed Crossbows and Chongzhi’s deputy, also received orders from Zhi. A high mountain stood east of Xuyi city, and fearing the barbarians would seize this strategic point, Zhi ordered Chongzhi and his forces to fortify the mountain while he established his own camp south of the city.

The barbarians soon launched an assault on Chongzhi and Chengzhi's camps. Despite their valiant resistance, Chongzhi and his men were overwhelmed, their forces scattered, and Chongzhi himself was killed. The barbarians then turned on Xizuo. Commanding elite troops from the northern quarters, Xizuo fought fiercely, while Banner Leader Li Guan rallied the soldiers, cutting down many enemies. Squad Leader Zhou Yinzhi and External Supervisor Yang Fangsheng led archers in a coordinated counterattack. As the enemy prepared to retreat, Xizuo was mortally wounded, causing his forces to fall into disarray. Zang Zhi, hesitant to engage in a rescue, allowed both camps to collapse, sealing the fate of his own forces.

[A short introduction of Chongzhi, Chengzhi and Xizuo.]

After the defeat of the three camps, Zhi's forces fled under the cover of night, abandoning their heavy equipment and armor. Only seven hundred men managed to retreat to Xuyi. Administrator Shen Pu had already fortified the city with three thousand well-prepared soldiers, a sight that greatly pleased Zhi, and together they mounted a defense. The barbarians, having marched south and now low on supplies, had been relying on local resources. After crossing the Huai River, they consumed the grain stored at the Pingyue and Shibie garrisons. However, both their men and horses were now starving and exhausted. Upon hearing that Xuyi had stored grain, they targeted the city as a critical supply point for their return north. Despite their victory over Chongzhi, their initial attack on the city failed due to its robust defenses. Frustrated, they moved further south.

In the early first month of the twenty-eighth year [of Yuanjia] (February 17 to March 17, 451), Tao launched a full-scale assault on Xuyi after returning north from Guangling. Tao demanded wine from Zhi, who sent him urine instead. Enraged, Tao ordered the construction of a siege wall overnight, opening an attack route towards the city's northeast. Using soil and stones from the eastern mountain, his forces filled in the path. Concerned that the defenders might escape via the waterways, the barbarians brought large ships and constructed a floating bridge at Mount Jun, effectively blocking the Huai River. In response, the defenders launched a counterattack from their ships, achieving a decisive victory. However, the following morning, the invaders returned, using square boats as rafts, each one protected by soldiers. Although the defenders attacked again, they were unable to stop the invaders from establishing the raft at Mount Jun, successfully cutting off both land and water routes.

Tao wrote to Zhi:

"The soldiers I’ve sent to fight are not from our own people. The northeast of the city is held by Dingling and Hu, while the south by the Di and Qiang from the Three Qin region. If the Dingling die, it will reduce the bandits in Changshan and Zhao Commandery; if the Hu die, it will reduce the bandits of Bing Province; and if the Di and Qiang die, it will reduce the bandits within the Passes. Should you kill the Dingling and Hu, it will only bring us advantage."

Zhi replied:

"I have read your letter and fully grasped your treacherous intentions. You rely on your four-legged beasts and have repeatedly trespassed the borders of the state. Your offenses are too numerous to recount in detail. Wang Xuanmo retreated east, and Liang Tan scattered to the west. Have you not heard the children's song that says: ‘The enemy's horses drink from the river, and Büri (Tao’s Xianbei name) will die in the year of Mao’? Though that time has not yet arrived, the two armies are already paving the way for your horses to reach the river. This is fate at work, beyond human control. I have received the mandate to annihilate you, and the time for your defeat is set at Baideng. My army has hardly begun its march, yet you are already rushing toward death. How could I possibly let you live to enjoy the spoils at the Sanggan River?

If you attack this city, even if I cannot kill you directly, you will die because of me. Should you be fortunate, you may fall at the hands of your own chaotic troops. Should you be unfortunate, you will be captured alive, bound to a donkey, and paraded to the marketplace. I have no desire for my own survival. If heaven and earth abandon their divine spirits, and I am ultimately overpowered by you, even being ground into powder, slaughtered, and torn apart would not suffice as repayment to my homeland.

Your intellect and strength cannot surpass Fu Jian! In recent years, you have rampaged because you have not yet drunk from the river, and the year of Mao has not yet come. When Hulan made his deep incursion into Pengcheng, it rained for a few days, and not a single horse returned—do you remember? Now the spring rains have begun, and the masses are gathering. Attack the city confidently and do not retreat. If you run short of food, inform me, and I will provide provisions from the granary to sustain you.

You have sent me a sword—do you intend for me to use it upon you? How bitter it is! Let everyone strive with all their might. There is no need for further words."

At that time, there was a children's song among the barbarians that says: "The chariot comes north like a pheasant shot through, unexpectedly the barbarians’ horses drink from the river. The barbarian lord returns north to die at Shiji, the barbarians seek to cross the river but heaven will not allow it." Zang Zhi responded, quoting this rhyme, which greatly angered Tao. In his fury, Tao had an iron bed made, fitted with iron spikes, and declared that when Zhi was captured, he would be made to sit on it.

Zhi also wrote to the barbarian troops: "To the various officials and commoners among the enemy: I have received a letter from Büri, which is attached separately. We are all citizens of the same calendar. Why should you bring such disaster upon yourselves? A true man should know how to turn misfortune into blessing. Now, I am writing to you in accordance with the court's regulations, as in the separate letter, for you to ponder." At that time, there was a reward offered for Tuoba Tao's head, promising the title of Marquis of the Open Country and a fief of ten thousand households, along with ten thousand bolts of cloth and silk.

The barbarians employed hook carts to tear down the city walls, but the defenders countered by securing the carts with ropes. Hundreds of soldiers pulled against them, preventing the carts from retreating. Under the cover of night, the defenders lowered men outside the city walls using wooden barrels to sever the hooks. The next day, the barbarians deployed battering rams against the walls. However, the city’s densely packed soil proved resilient, and each strike dislodged only a few liters of earth. The barbarians then resorted to scaling the walls, engaging in close combat. They took turns, climbing, falling, and then climbing again without retreat, leading to tens of thousands of casualties. The bodies of the fallen piled up to the height of the city walls. The Prince of Gaoliang (Tuoba Na) was shot and killed.

After thirty days of siege, over half of the invaders lay dead. Upon learning that Pengcheng had cut off their retreat and that the [Song] court had dispatched a navy into the Huai River—where many of his men were succumbing to disease—Tuoba Tao lifted the siege on the second day of the second month (March 19, 451) and fled.

In recognition of Zhi's achievements, the emperor honored him with several prestigious titles: Envoy with the Imperial Seal, Champion General, Commander of the Pacification of the Barbarians, Inspector of Yongzhou, and Marquis of the Open Country, overseeing military affairs in Yong, Liang, and the northern and southern Qin provinces. He was also granted five hundred households.

The next year, Emperor Taizu launched another northern campaign, ordering Zhi to lead his forces to Tong Pass. However, Zhi delayed, stationing his troops near the outskirts of the city and sending only Marshal Liu Yuanjing to garrison the border. His reluctance to advance on time stemmed from his longing for a favorite concubine. He abandoned the camp and returned to the city alone on horseback. Furthermore, he spent an enormous sum—six to seven million coins—from the treasury, yet the authorities chose not to hold him accountable.

#history #ancient china

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gizkasparadise · 5 years ago

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I’m living for your princess weiyoung posts, what do you think of the show so far? Not gonna lie, I had a major crush on li weiyoung the whole time I was watching it haha!

im on ep 33! some #thoughts in no particular order:

-im living for weiyoung and tuoba yu as sort of foils to each other? like they’re both cunning, and yu is sort of like what weiyoung would be with 30% more ruthless. i like that they’re parallel characters and that he has a crush on her brain + wants her because she can help him get TOTAL DOMINATION vs something more villain cliche like beauty

-um jun tao + bai zhi should be dating. that’s that on that

-i think tuoba jun is the most chill/cute/nice male lead i’ve seen in a cdrama and i live for his gentle slapping of people

-im so. tired. of the li family. everyone but minde and grandma get out and go away

-it’s really refreshing to see a female lead winning by cunning/shrewdness

-i love minde but i still havent warmed up on tuoba di. i normally like her actress but the character is super grating

-i live for every dramatic catch after weiyoung falls

-overall the show is pretty and i love the majority of the characters. there’s been some plots where im frustrated as hell but it’s been fun so far!

#princess weiyoung #cdrama #asks!#ty!#livhatesolives

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bookofjin · 5 years ago

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Were there any famous weapons during the period? I know Helian Bobo had a named sword, but I'd like to know if there were others

Well, here is what Tao Honging has to say about it in the Records of Swords and Blades, Old and New:

Liu Yuan of Former Zhao in the 2nd Year of Yuanxi [305 AD] made one blade, 3 chi 9 cun long, the writing said “Wipe out the Thieves” in the clerical script.

Shi Le of Former Zhao, in the 2nd Year of Jianping [331 AD] made one blade, using 500 metal and 10 000 labourers, from head to point 3 chi, 6 cun. The inscription said “Establish Peace” [jianping] in the clerical script.

At the time when Le was not yet honoured, he ploughed the earth and obtained one blade, the inscription said “Shi Clan's Splendour” in the seal script.

Shi Jilong [Hu] in the 14th Year of Jianwu [348 AD], made one blade, 5 chi long, the inscription said “August Emperor Shi Clan” in the clerical script.

Li Xiong of Later Shu in the 1st Year of Yanping [306 AD] made 500 blades, the text said “Mount the Horse” in the clerical script.

Zhang Shi of Former Liang made 500 blades, have none of the old blades, they are fully lost [?]. The writing said “Hegemon”.

Emperor Zhaocheng of Later Wei, Tuoba Jian, in the 1st Year of Jianguo [338 AD], at Chizhi City cast 10 stabbing blades, the metal were engraved with the letters Chizi.

Emperor Daowu, Gui, in the 1st Year of Dengguo [386 AD], at Song'e cast one sword, the inscription said “Zhen Mountain” in the clerical script.

Emperor Mingyuan, Si, in the 1st Year of Taichang [416 AD], made one sword, 4 chi long, the inscription on the back said “Taichang” [“Grand Ordinary”]. Arriving at the 1st Year of Zhenyuan [440 AD], there was a scholar of the Way that carried on Heaven' teachings and making plain. He had the Emperor make a sword, 3 chi, 6 cun long, in the clerical scrip. Following that changed the inaugural to Zhenjun [“True Lord”].

Emperor Xuanwu, Ke, in the 1st Year of Jingming [500 AD], at Bailu Mountain made one blade, the writing said “Bailu” [“White Deer] in the clerical script.

Fu Jian of Former Qin in the 4th Year of Ganlou [362 AD], made one blade, employing 5 000 labourers. The inscription said “Godly Skill” in the clerical script.

Murong Jun of Former Yan in the 1st Year of Yuanxi [352 AD], made 28 blades, the inscription said “28 Generals” in the clerical script.

Murong Chui of Later Yan in the 1st Year of Jianxing [386 AD], made 2 blades, 7 chi long, one male and one female, in the clerical script. If they were separated, they cried.

Yao Chang of Later Qin in the 1st Year of Jianchu [386 AD], made one blade the inscription said “Zhongshan” [“Middle Mountain”], 3 chi, 7 cun long, in the clerical script.

Qifu Guoren of Western Qin in the 3rd Year of Jianyi [387 AD], made one blade, the inscription said “Establishing Righteousness” [jianyi] in the clerical script.

Lü Guang of Later Liang in the 1st Year of Linjia [389 AD] made one blade, the inscription on the back said “Unicorn Excellence” [linjia], 3 chi, 6 cun long.

Tufa Wugu of Southern Liang in the 3rd Year of Taichu [397 AD], made one blade, narrow and small, 2 chi, 5 cun long, in a blue-green colour. The craftsman said: “At the time when it was made, [I] dreamt I saw one person wearing cinnabar-coloured clothes, who stated 'I am the Grand One God come to see you!' This blade when presented was certain to make a sound, later it fell into the possession of the Tujue Kaghan.

Murong Xuanming of Souther Liang in the 1st Year of Jianping [400 AD] made 4 blades, the writing said “Establish Peace” [jianping] in the clerical script.

Li Hao of Western Liang in the 1st Year of Yongjian [420 AD], made one pearl and gem blade, the inscription said “Hundred Victories” in the clerical script.

Juqu Mengxun of Northern Liang in the 3rd Year of Yong'an [403 AD], made 100 blades, the inscription said “Eternal Calm” [yong'an] in the clerical script.

Helian Bobo of Xia province in the 2nd Year of Longsheng [408 AD], made 5 blades, the back of the edge had a dragon-sparrow encircling, there was also gold inlaid to make the image of one dragon. 3 chi, 9 cun long, the inscription said:

“Sharp instrument of the past,

Wu and Chu's Zhanlu.

Great Xia's Dragon-Sparrow,

Best in fame and chief in divinity.

Can be cherishing distant,

Can be placating the near.

Like the wind scatters the grass,

Power to harness the Nine Wards.”

The King of Song, Liu Yu, crushed Chang'an, and obtained this blade. Later it entered Liang.

8 notes · View notes