In 115 BC, 32-year-old Wei Qing married Princess Pingyang, a 43-year-old widow from three marriages. On the wedding night, Princess Pingyang sat shyly on the bed and waited for Wei Qing. Who knows, Wei Qing's performance after coming in made Princess Pingyang cry with joy. Subsequently, Princess Pingyang shyly whispered something to Wei Qing, but Wei Qing was overjoyed.
What happened that night? It all started with Wei Qing's tragic childhood.
1. Bumpy life experience
Wei Qing's mother, Wei Yuan, is the wife of a man surnamed Yiwei and has been working as a maid in Pingyang Houfu. And there was a little official named Zheng Ji in the Pingyang Hou Mansion, who was a family man, and saw that Wei Yuan was quite attractive, so he had an affair with her and gave birth to an illegitimate son, Wei Qing. In fact, he was not called Wei Qing at first, but Zheng Qing, the third son of Zheng Ji.
Although the Zheng family is also a powerful family in the local area, Zheng Qing did not live the life of a rich young master with fine clothes and food after returning to the Zheng family with Zheng Ji, but suffered from the bullying of the Zheng family.
The wife of the Zheng family and her two sons treated Zheng Qing as a slave and often beat and scolded him.
Therefore, when he was a teenager, Zheng Qing really couldn't get used to the Zheng family's discrimination against him, so he returned to his mother Wei Yuan, changed his surname to Wei, and called Wei Qing. In order to make ends meet, his mother asked him for an errand as a manu in the house.
Although he was just a manu, what Wei Qing didn't expect was that he would meet the noble person in his life here, Princess Pingyang.
2. The riding slaves of Pingyang Houfu
Princess Pingyang is the half-sister of Emperor Liu Che of the Han Dynasty. Princess Pingyang was originally called Princess Yangxin before she got married, and she was married to Cao Shou, the great-grandson of the founding hero Cao Shen, and then everyone called her Princess Pingyang.
Princess Pingyang saw that Wei Qingmei had a heroic spirit, was alert, calm, and loyal, so she made him her personal slave, that is, a guard on horseback.
Princess Pingyang did not despise Wei Qing because of his humble background, and also deliberately cultivated him.
For Wei Qing, who has lacked love since childhood, the love of Princess Pingyang's eldest sister made Wei Qing feel the warmth that she had never felt before.
Princess Pingyang didn't expect that she would win the lifelong loyalty of an iron-blooded man, and also cultivate a pillar of the country for the Han, and she didn't expect that she and the little boy in front of her would form an indissoluble bond for a lifetime.
As he grew older, Wei Qing not only looked dignified, but also learned a skill, both wisdom and bravery, and gradually showed extraordinary talent and courage.
3. A blessing in disguise
And Wei Qing's talent was really brought into play, only after his sister Wei Zifu was favored by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and the reason why Wei Zifu was able to get Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was due to the arrangement of Princess Pingyang.
Wei Zifu is the maid of Princess Pingyang, once, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty came to Pingyang Hou's house to visit Princess Pingyang, at the banquet Princess Pingyang specially arranged for Wei Zifu to come out to sing and cheer up, Emperor Wu of Han took a fancy to Wei Zifu on the spot, and fortunately she was in the dressing room, and brought into the palace overnight.
However, at this time, Wei Qing's status did not change greatly because of Wei Zifu's entry into the palace, and he even almost lost his life because of Wei Zifu.
A year after Wei Zifu entered the palace, because he was favored by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and became pregnant, he attracted the jealousy of the queen, which led to Wei Qing being kidnapped and almost killed, but fortunately, Wei Qing's good friend helped him get out of the threat in time after getting the news.
However, what he didn't expect was that after this incident, Wei Qing was a blessing in disguise, because Emperor Wu of Han saw Wei Qing's loyalty and talent from it, so he decided to reuse him. Since then, Wei Qing began his military career, fought against the Huns, won seven battles and seven victories, and established immortal feats. He became the pillar of the Han Dynasty and shook the Quartet.
Fourth, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty gave marriage
However, during this period, Princess Binh Duong's fate has undergone a rollercoaster of earth-shaking changes.
Princess Pingyang's husband, Cao Shou, died of illness within a few years. Later, after others built a bridge on the front line, Princess Pingyang married Xiahou Po, the great-grandson of the founding hero Xiahou Ying.
However, this Xiahou Po is a gentleman, he has no ability, but he is very lustful, and he even fornicated with his father's concubine. After the matter was revealed, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty Long Yan was furious and said: Has this Xiahou eaten the gall of a bear's heart and a leopard, and dared to cuckold the princess. When Xiahou heard about it, he was so frightened that he hanged himself.
As a result, Princess Binh Duong became a widow again.
However, at this time, Princess Pingyang was only 43 years old, upright and prime, and it was naturally unwilling to remain widowed until she was old, so during her widowhood, she remembered Wei Qing, who had not seen her for many years, so she tentatively asked the people around her: Among the princes and ministers in Chang'an City, I don't know which one else can be my husband, and everyone unanimously said that the general Wei Qing is the preferred person.
However, although Princess Pingyang also likes Wei Qing in her heart, she feels that there is a huge obstacle between her and Wei Qing. On the one hand, the age difference between the two is so big, he is 43 years old, and Wei Qing is only 32 years old, is Wei Qing willing to marry a third-married widow who is more than ten years older than him?
Besides, there is a huge difference in the identities of the two, she is a princess, but Wei Qing was originally a riding slave in her own house, will marrying him lose royal face?
But the people around Princess Pingyang told her that Wei Qing is no longer what it used to be, he has meritorious service in conquering the Huns, not only worships General Sima, but also was named Marquis of Changping, not to mention that he also has a sister Wei Zifu who is already the queen, and what is particularly important is that the wife of the general Wei Qing also died of illness a few years ago and has never remarried, not to mention that the general has always been loyal to the princess.
The princess felt that it made sense, so she decided to try a stone throwing and ask for directions.
She told Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty what she meant through Wei Zifu, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and Princess Pingyang had a deep sister-brother relationship, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty naturally agreed, so he decided to marry Wei Qing and let Wei Qing marry Princess Pingyang.
Unexpectedly, when Wei Qing first heard the news, his face was embarrassed, and he said: I am from a humble background, but the princess is from a noble background and has a golden body, is this appropriate?
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty said: I have no opinion with the princess, what's inappropriate? Besides, you are already a person who worships the marquis, and you are also a well-known person.
When Wei Qing heard this, he was relieved, and he gladly accepted the order.
5. Wedding night
So, in 115 BC, 32-year-old Wei Qing officially married the 43-year-old Princess Pingyang.
On the wedding night, Princess Pingyang sat on the bed with anticipation, waiting for the arrival of Wei Qing, who she had not seen for many years. However, when Wei Qing stepped into the door, he fell to his knees with a thud, "Master!" Wei Qing shouted loudly.
When Princess Pingyang heard Wei Qing actually call her master, she chuckled and choked up: "You and I are now husband and wife, and you still call me master, and you are so angry with me, do you think I'm older than you and don't want to marry me?"
Wei Qing looked at her affectionately and said, "The princess will always be my gracious master in my heart. No matter how my identity changes, my loyalty and affection for the princess will never change. ”
Princess Pingyang was greatly moved in her heart after hearing this, and cried with joy, and then said softly shyly: You and I are married, and we will get along with each other day and night in the future, so we don't have to be so detained, let alone the wedding night. ”
Wei Qing was very happy to hear that the princess was so gentle and considerate, so the two hugged each other and fell asleep. Since then, the two have been respectful and affectionate.
After the death of Princess Pingyang, she was buried with Wei Qing in Maoling, and this inherited love also came to a perfect end.
Epilogue:
The love story of Wei Qing and Princess Pingyang has become a good story for later generations. They transcend the gap between identity and status, and interpret what true love is with sincere feelings.
Just like the poem: "I wish to have one heart, and my head will not be separated." Wei Qing and Princess Pingyang used their love to interpret the profound meaning of this poem. Their stories will forever be passed down in history, inspiring future generations to pursue sincere love and a better life.