Married to the Sui Emperor at the age of 13, made empress at the age of 39, married to the Sixth Emperor in his lifetime? How legendary is Empress Xiao's life?
When it comes to Empress Xiao, everyone may be most impressed by the beautiful Xiao Meiniang in the TV series "Sui and Tang Dynasty".
In the play, her appearance is charming and beautiful, and the city government is extremely deep. Seducing Yang Guang, seducing Li Shimin, hooking up with Li Mi, stirring up dissension in Wagang, and finally dying at the hands of Wang Bodang.
The role of Xiao Meiniang is actually a creative character in the novels and TV series of "Sui and Tang Dynasties". It is based on the sui and Tang dynasties' canonical history, wild history, folklore and popular novels.
"Sui and Tang Dynasty Yanyi" is a long-form Novel with the dual nature of heroic legend and historical interpretation created by the literary scholar Chu Renyu in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, with a total of 20 volumes and 100 times. The overall structure of the book is based on history, with character events as the weft, and the "marriage between the two generations" of Emperor Sui, Zhu Gui'er, Emperor Tang Ming, and Yang Yuhuan as the framework, telling the legendary history of more than 170 years from the beginning of Emperor Wen of Sui's military campaign to the death of Emperor Tang Ming.
In the novel version, her life went through several twists and turns, from Chen Shubao, the lord of southern Chen, to Yang Guang, the Sui Emperor, and then after Yang Guang's assassination, she circulated to Yu Wenhua, Dou Jiande, Turks, etc., and finally was welcomed back by Li Shimin, married six times in her life, and finally married Li Shimin.
However, the historical Empress Xiao did live in several regimes, but did not remarry.
The historical Empress Xiao was a descendant of Emperor Xiao Yan of Liangwu, the daughter of Emperor Xiaoming of Western Liang, and her mother was Empress Zhang, a proper royal noblewoman.
Empress Xiao was born beautiful, gentle and intelligent, knowledgeable and proficient in medical skills, and quite knowledgeable about Zhan hou, but from an early age, due to her unlucky date of birth, she was raised in the poor family of her uncle's family, until Emperor Wen of Sui and his wife chose concubines for Yang Guang, the king of Jin at the time, and was taken back to the palace. She was only 13 years old when she married Yang Guang, and Yang Guang was only 11 years old.
Empress Xiao, who married Yang Guang, was deeply favored by The Sui Emperor Yang Jian and her husband, and gave birth to three sons and a daughter for Yang Guang.
Moreover, she has always been resourceful and intelligent, and has always advised Yang Guang and made great contributions to Yang Guang's succession.
After the Sui Emperor ascended the throne, Empress Xiao was 39 years old, but she still had the charm and was deeply loved and respected, but in the face of the Sui Emperor's failure to govern, it was also fruitless many times.
Empress Xiao, played by Liu Xiaoqing in the TV series "Sui and Tang Heroes", has a dignified and elegant, gentle and virtuous image that is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Although he is middle-aged, he still has charm and has attracted the hearts of heroes in the world. This version of Empress Xiao is also closer to history.
The Sui Emperor fainted, and the Sui Dynasty was initially established, which attracted everyone to rebel.
Yu Wenhua and launched the Jiangdu Rebellion, and the Sui Emperor was hanged and killed by the rebels. Empress Xiao then led her young grandson and the daughters of the imperial family to the places of Yuwen and Dou Jiande, from which to circulate, and then followed Empress Xiao's sister-in-law, Princess Yicheng, to the Eastern Turks.
It was not until the fourth year of Zhenguan, after Li Jing attacked the Eastern Turks, that Li Shimin welcomed Empress Xiao back to Chang'an and lived in Xingdaoli.
At this time, Empress Xiao was already 64 years old, Li Shimin was only 33 years old, and Empress Xiao's daughter married Li Shimin is indeed recorded in historical records, and li Shimin also gave birth to two sons, Li Ke the Prince of Wu and Yin the Prince of Shu. Therefore, the theory that Empress Xiao finally married Li Shimin is even more untenable.
After Empress Xiao's death, Li Shimin buried Yangzhou with the Sui Emperor as empress. In 2013, the joint tombs of the Sui Emperor and Xiao Hou in Yangzhou were excavated, and the crown of Xiao Hou was discovered. The houguan is different from the empress's crown and is of the emperor level, which shows Li Shimin's respect for Empress Xiao.
Empress Xiao's life is uncertain, through ups and downs, can be said to be a legendary woman in history, after the adaptation of novels and TV series, but also added a touch of magic to her life.