Preface
The Empress, a beauty that has been praised through the ages, her appearance can attract six emperors to snatch it wildly, which makes people want to get a glimpse of her amazing beauty. What's even more shocking is that when she was over sixty years old, she was actually taken back to the palace by Li Shimin, what kind of peerless elegance is this intoxicating?
This article will delve into the legendary life of Empress Xiao, revealing the mysterious charm of her beauty and why the six emperors went crazy for it. Through the tracing of history, we will restore the style and story of Empress Xiao, and deeply analyze her unique position in the court.
Journey through time, we will experience the glamorous beauty of this beauty and her breathtaking life, and explore how she left a brilliant mark in history. Through in-depth interpretation, we may be able to understand the beautiful legend of Empress Xiao more comprehensively, as well as the chaotic emotions between her and the six emperors.
1. The origin of a commoner princess
One day in 582, an uninvited guest came to the palace of the Xiliang king. Her name is Xiao, and she is a commoner princess in Xiliang, to be precise, she was born without connection with the royal family. Her father, Xiao Yue, because he believed that his daughter was "Kefu's life", gave her away when she was only a few months old.
Xiao Yue is a superstitious person, and he firmly believes that his daughter is a "Kefu life" that will bring bad luck. When he first picked up Xiao Shi, he had a premonition that she would bring disaster to the palace. Sure enough, as soon as he gave his daughter to the king of Dongping to raise, the king of Dongping and his wife both died suddenly. Xiao Yue was frightened into a cold sweat and no longer dared to take his daughter back to the palace.
In the end, it was Xiao's uncle Zhang Ke who couldn't bear it and took the baby girl to raise at home. Although Zhang Ke was a relative of the emperor, he was only a remote vassal king with a poor family. The Xiao family lived with the Zhang family and was called as a servant.
She inherited the royal surname Xiao, but lived a life as a commoner at the lowest level. Zhang Ke loved his daughter like his life, and despite the difficulties, he still tried his best to cultivate Xiao's talent and medical skills. No one would have thought that this ordinary girl would one day become attached to the royal family.
Second, the period of the crown princess
In the Sui Dynasty, a large country in the east, the crown prince Yang Guang was choosing a concubine. After some fortune telling, the results of all the famous princesses were unsatisfactory, which made Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian and the empress have nothing to do. One day, someone suggested that he set his sights on this little-known commoner princess, 15-year-old Shaw. Unexpectedly, her divination results were good, and Yang Guang happily welcomed her into the palace.
When Yang Guang first saw Xiao, he was shocked. She has thick eyebrows and big eyes, jade skin and snow skin, bright and moving, gentle and knowledgeable, she is simply the woman in his dreams. The two hit it off, and Yang Guang treated her like a wife.
Unlike other concubines, Xiao did not flatter and curry, but helped Yang Guang make friends with important ministers in the court and seek power for him. With her medical skills, she went in and out of the mansions of the powerful to collect information and make contacts. Yang Guang also trusts and relies on her very much, and the two have become a de facto husband and wife.
This relationship planted the foundation for the future. At the same time, the competition for the heir to the throne continued. Yang Guang was sent to the frontier many times and drifted away. However, just when he was about to give up hope, there was great news in the royal family - the crown princess was pregnant! Yang Jian and the empress immediately summoned Yang Guang back to Beijing, and soon he was made the crown prince. And Concubine Xiao, with the support of Yang Guang and the ministers, became the crown princess.
3. A short period of prosperity
In 618, Yang Guang ascended the throne as emperor and was Emperor Yang of Sui. During this period, he gained unprecedented power, as well as a beautiful and intelligent queen who could sing peace with him - Empress Xiao.
Empress Xiao was not only diligent and pragmatic, but also often advised Emperor Yang to govern the country. She analyzes people's hearts and minds, and always reminds Yang Guang to guard against microaggressions and put an end to traitors. However, Yang Guang was obsessed with his own ambitions and ignored her advice.
Seeing that the Sui Dynasty was difficult to return, Empress Xiao was helpless. She and Yang Guang live in this deceitful political marriage, and both of them secretly know it, but they can only continue to play the role of husband and wife.
However, the good times were short-lived. Only 8 years later, Yu Wenhua staged a coup d'état and killed Emperor Yang. At this time, the 51-year-old Empress Xiao not only lost her husband, but also was forced to be subject to Yu Wenhua. In the face of her extraordinary beauty, this usurper was infatuated with mediocrity and possessed her.
Fourth, reduced to a slave
Empress Xiao could have committed suicide with the rest of Yang Guang's clan members, but she still had a young imperial grandson to take care of. Because of this, she can only temporarily succumb to Yu Wenhua and. However, she knew in her heart that this was only an expedient measure, and she would never be willing to be defiled by this tyrant for the rest of her life.
Sure enough, Heaven made it beautiful, and Dou Jiande quickly quelled Yu Wenhua's rebellion and killed him. However, his infatuation with Empress Xiao has not diminished at all - he has become interested in taking Empress Xiao as his concubine. For the safety of the emperor and grandson, Empress Xiao could only swallow her anger.
What she didn't expect was that the Eastern Turkic army quickly killed in front of Dou Jiande and demanded to get Empress Xiao, otherwise they would attack in a big way. In desperation, Queen Xiao was once again thrown to others. She understands that in troubled times, her appearance is not only a bargaining chip to save her life, but also a source of disaster. This time, however, she became a slave of the Turks and lived like an animal.
V. Shigefu Homeland
In the days of the Eastern Turks, Empress Xiao did not give up. She secretly contacted the remnants of the Sui Dynasty and supported her grandson Yang Zhengdao in his seizure of power. Living in the steppe, she learned to mount and shoot, and she was also familiar with the Turkic language. Sometimes she misses the days when she was served by the palace maids, but she also understands that only when she is strong can she decide the future of herself and the emperor's grandson.
Finally, in 630, she waited for a savior. Tang Taizong destroyed the Turks and welcomed her back to Chang'an. So far, the queen, who has experienced ups and downs, has finally returned to her homeland. She was courteous to Tang Taizong and was often consulted about the situation of the Sui Dynasty that year. It's a pity that she is 63 years old at this time, and she is no longer beautiful.
epilogue
In the years when she returned to Chang'an, Empress Xiao lived a leisurely and peaceful life. She is no longer seen as a tool for power trading, but is respected. She returned to her old business and benefited the party with her medical skills. She did not die until she was 80 years old. Before dying, she asked Tang Taizong to bury her in Yang Guang's mausoleum. After a lifetime of drifting, she finally returned to her original destination - the beloved husband of her life.
The bumpy fate of Queen Xiao's life is due to her extraordinary appearance to a certain extent. But behind this red face and trouble, it is not that she is calculating, but that the giant wheel of history willfully runs over her pale life. Just as she never chose her birth, she was powerless to control her outcome. Her legendary life is nothing more than a common sad portrayal of women in troubled times.