Preface
A tragic past of the collapse of a dynasty, a cruel picture of the emperor watching coldly, and a joys and sorrows of monarchy and human nature. Once upon a time, these ancient symbols carried too much scorching life and helpless tears. Today, that painful history is sealed in a dark corner, and it seems to have faded and blurred. But how can we forget? When the iron hooves of power trample on love and dignity, and when the scars of human nature are exposed, this painful history is really difficult to heal.
The change of Xining, overnight, an ancient civilization fell into the hands of other countries, and since then it has been wiped out. At the center of this tragedy are the two peerless heroes and heroines - Li Yu, the last emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and his beloved Empress Xiao Zhou.
A troubled marriage in the world, lingering because of suffering, and ending because of suffering.
How many people are moved by it, and how many people lament. Have you ever thought about what kind of human tragedy is hidden behind that legendary love?
When power and love meet, the consequences are often tragic.
The appearance of a spring palace diagram tore open the wounds of history and ignited the struggle between power and human nature. Now, we gaze at the dusty scroll, listen to the distant whimper in the wind, and realize the thousands of broken heartbreaks.
Is that really a beautiful love? Or is it just the pace of cruel power tricks? Is everything in this world black and white?
Let us walk into the long river of history and watch the splendor and pain of human nature, the arrogance and cruelty of power. Perhaps, we can find our own answer.
1. The Secret of Xining: The Fall of a Dynasty
Li Yu's life, whether it is Xiao Zhouhou or the rise and fall of the Southern Tang Dynasty, seems to have a great connection.
In 897 AD, Li Yu, who was only 9 years old, was canonized as a prince by his father, Emperor Li Yu. This was supposed to be the hope of the Southern Tang Kingdom, and the bloodline of the Son of Heaven was continued.
However, the good times were short-lived. In 907, Li Yu's father, Li Yu, unfortunately died. A minor emperor was suddenly promoted to the Ninth Five-Year Plan and became the new lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty. And the foundation of the Southern Tang Dynasty has also entered the abyss of decline.
At this time, the Southern Tang Kingdom was already in turmoil, with frequent internal and external troubles. The Khitan in the north is eyeing the tiger, and the Wuyue tiger and wolf in the south are around. What's even more terrifying is that a huge army is rising in the north, and they are the later Song Dynasty.
In the face of internal and external troubles, Li Yu, who is still a teenager, is really difficult to support the overall situation alone. After several failed conquests with the enemy, the Southern Tang Dynasty, which was both civilized and martial, was defeated and on the verge of collapse.
It was at this time that Han Xizai, the prime minister of the ruling and opposition forces, married the sixteen-year-old Xiao Zhou to Emperor Li Yu as a concubine.
This move is tantamount to a drop in the bucket. The momentum of destruction is already unstoppable.
Finally, in the third year of Tianshun (919), Song Taizu's army sent troops south and instantly broke through the city of Jinling. How is this almost different from when the Tang Dynasty fell?
Overnight, the Southern Tang Dynasty, which was once the most powerful country in the southeast, could only hope for a miracle in the last breath. However, once the door of this miracle is opened, all that awaits it is deeper sorrow and humiliation.
2. The variety show after Xiao Zhou serves the country: a fateful marriage that will meet in the storm
Xiao Zhou, who was only 17 years old, became Li Yu's concubine in a political marriage. Then it was destroyed along with the already crumbling Southern Tang Kingdom, and became a prisoner of the Song Dynasty. This seemingly bumpy road of fate was not originally destined.
Xiao Zhouhou's original name was Zhou Qiaofeng. Born in Yuyao, Zhejiang, a famous family in the middle of the road. His father, Zhou Xuzhi, is a well-known local musician, and Xiao Zhouhou has also inherited his father's business since childhood, learning to Xi singing and dancing and playing the piano, and attracting everyone with a variety of artistic means. She has loved poetry and songs since she was a child, is good at socializing and helping her elders, and is gentle and elegant but smart and quick-witted.
Zhou Qiaofeng, who is in his youth, is quite charming, and is famous for his talent for a while. During the study tour, she fell in love with Li Yuyuan, the prince of the Southern Tang Dynasty, at first sight, and the two concluded an elegant and beautiful marriage. The two of them, who complemented each other with poetry and music, originally lived in the extremely prosperous cultural prosperity of the Southern Tang Dynasty and lived extremely happily.
However, the good times were short-lived. After Li Yuyuan died early, she thought that this dull and happy day was destined to end. Unexpectedly, he was invited by the then prime minister Han Xi to marry the current emperor Li Yu and become the concubine of the palace, which made Zhou Qiaofeng once again caught in the whirlpool of power.
In fact, Han Xizai's intention was to hope that Zhou Qiaofeng would use her versatility and wisdom to help Nantang tide over the difficulties. Who knows, in the end, this trick was like a drop in the bucket, and in the end it failed to save the end of the Southern Tang Dynasty. However, Zhou Qiaofeng is patriotic, but he can only be at the mercy of others, causing boundless trouble and pain for himself and Li Yu.
Now this beautiful woman who has been hidden in the dust of history was once a generation of heroes who led the title? If it weren't for the fall of the Southern Tang Dynasty, she could have continued to unleash her talents in the music and literature she loved. However, the gears of fate turned, the smoke of war spread, and in the end, she and her imperial husband Li Yu still failed to escape the iron tongs of the Song army.
3. The Price of Humiliation: The Cold Eyes of Power and the Counterattack of Human Nature
The officials appointed by Song Taizu originally promised to give more favorable treatment to the remnants of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and Li Yu and his son also conceded three points to the Song Dynasty in order to protect themselves.
Who knew that after the usurper Song Taizong ascended the throne, his attitude was completely different. He made up his mind to let the remnants of the Southern Tang Dynasty taste all the humiliation, and rely on the comparison of honor and disgrace to show the strength and civilization of the Song Dynasty. Negative feelings toward his political opponents made his policies harsh and extreme.
For example, at a banquet, he smiled and asked several Southern Tang Dynasty ladies: "I wonder how these daughters of the former emperor are doing now?"
In the face of Song Taizong's ridicule, these princesses of the Southern Tang Dynasty from famous families hid their faces and cried.
And after Xiao Zhou, he was even more strictly guarded and imprisoned, just hoping to get pleasure from humiliating her.
"Big husband", why not go straight to the source of resentment, but take a few helpless women out of anger? Is this really a detached gentleman's act?
However, Song Taizong did not miss any opportunity to mock and humiliate the remnants of the Southern Tang Dynasty. He strictly controlled the whereabouts of Li Yu and Xiao Zhouhou, and sent people to monitor them at all times. Even daily life is subject to strict rules, and the slightest violation is punished severely.
Song Taizong even sent someone to raid the house of Li Yuan, the king of Wuxin, and confiscated all the gold and silver treasures inside. Let this once extremely famous prince be reduced to the appearance of a beggar in unclothed clothes. Li Gao had an arrogant personality and felt deeply humiliated, and finally died of a cerebral hemorrhage in anger. At the age of 27, he died young, and one of the imperial bloodlines of the Southern Tang Dynasty was cut off again.
After Li Yu learned of this, he was filled with grief and indignation, and cried and sang to express his sorrow, but he could only do helpless. Xiao Zhou was comforting on the side, but he was also in tears. In this life, the road ahead seems to have lost hope.
And Song Taizong was triumphant. He even continued to spread rumors that in the past, Emperor Taizu Li of the Southern Tang Dynasty had wanted to violate Song Taizong's mother, so now he has a grudge against the whole family. This distorted story has misled countless scholars and doctors and the common people and exaggerated it, causing Li Yu and Xiao Zhouhou to suffer great reputation loss and psychological torture.
Fourth, the tragic picture: the iron hoof of power and the trampling of love
However, Song Taizong's methods of humiliating Li Yu did not stop there.
On this day, Taizong called several court painters, ordered them to sneak into Li Yu's palace in the middle of the night, and ordered Li Yu to insult Xiao Zhouhou directly in front of the painter.
Li Yu's heart sank, and he refused to carry out this ridiculous order. Xiao Zhou didn't say a word. Her mournful eyes seemed to penetrate the painter and look farther away. The painters had no choice but to bow their heads and wait for Taizong's arrangement and disposal. No one dares to speculate.
Early the next morning, Song Taizong flew to the book and summoned the painter. The painter appeared in the court, and saw Taizong's face was pale, and his eyes were full of hideousness.
It turned out that after a night of torture, Taizong hated Li Yu's "ignorance of lifting" more and more. He is now going to design and participate in the creation of this painting himself.
Therefore, Taizong personally "instructed" and asked the painter to paint the picture of Xiao Zhouhou being insulted in front of him! All the details were arranged by Taizong to give him the greatest psychological satisfaction.
This is what later generations called "Xiling Xingxiao Zhou Hou Tu".
In the painting, Xiao Zhou is sad and desperate in his eyes. The composition and use of brushstrokes highlight the absolute control and trampling of the Southern Tang Dynasty by the Song Dynasty. This unbearable picture pierced Li Yu's heart like a sharp knife. How many times had he caught a glimpse of his wife's beautiful face, and how could such an unsightly sight not make him heartbroken?
Under the cloak of "civilization", it is really naked barbarism and pathology. After the painting was completed, it was carefully treasured by Taizong. And Li Yu and Xiao Zhouhou naturally have no way of knowing.
Taizong was proud of his bad taste and "great success". He even took out the painting from time to time for his own amusement, and he never got tired of it. As everyone knows, the appearance of this spring palace painting has become the most cruel witness after the fall of the Southern Tang Dynasty. It not only demonstrates the will of the Song Dynasty to ruthlessly trample, but also exposes the ugliness of power and human nature.
epilogue
Li Yu and Xiao Zhouhou could have lived a happy and happy life, and the love in this marriage could have bloomed with brilliant brilliance. However, the tragedy of history has not spared them a bit.
They could have lingered in music and poetry, and they could have been united forever in the love of the court. Now they are forced to endure humiliation and seek a glimmer of life in misery.
How many people in the deep palace have a bad fate. Xiao Zhou and his sister were forced to enter the palace, perhaps it is normal in history. But the special misfortune they encountered with the Southern Tang Dynasty made this poignant legend come true. Fate makes people, and she and Li Yu can only hide their faces and cry bitterly, supporting each other to overcome this absurd difficulty.