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Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, several years have passed. An Lushan, with his remarkable military achievements on the border and the opportunities I secretly secured for him, rose step by step to become a powerful military governor. He became increasingly reckless, no longer content to be a pawn in my hands, and began to put his ambitions into action, frequently challenging the court's bottom line.
One day, while I was admiring the flowers in the imperial garden, I suddenly received a secret report from outside the palace. An Lushan had brazenly launched a rebellion under the pretext of purging the court, leading his army straight toward Chang'an.
After reading the report, my face turned pale, and the paper slipped weakly from my hands to the ground. Xie Aman noticed and hurriedly came forward to support me, anxiously asking, "Your Highness, what happened?"
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down, and slowly said, "An Lushan has rebelled."
"What?!" Xie Aman exclaimed, her face also turning ashen. "What should we do?"
I closed my eyes, and images of Li Longji's aged face and the turbulent state of the Tang Dynasty flashed through my mind. I knew this rebellion would be a catastrophe for the Tang Dynasty, and I had to make a choice.
I opened my eyes, filled with determination, and said to Xie Aman, "Send orders down; we must proceed to the Emperor's chamber!"
Although Xie Aman was worried, she immediately complied and turned to arrange for the carriage.
I gazed at the calm surface of the lake, feeling a deep bitterness within me. An Lushan, oh An Lushan, you have ultimately chosen this irreversible path, and I too will pay for my choice.
Taking a deep breath to steady my emotions, I stepped into the Emperor's chamber. Inside, sandalwood incense wafted through the air, and light silk curtains hung low. Li Longji reclined on the Dragon Couch with a scroll in hand, looking weary.
"Your Majesty," I called softly as I approached him and knelt in greeting.
Li Longji looked up upon seeing me and smiled faintly. "My beloved consort has arrived; please rise." He set aside his book and gestured for me to sit beside him.
I complied and took his slightly cold hand in mine, speaking gently. "Your Majesty, I have heard that An Lushan has rebelled?"
The smile on Li Longji's face gradually faded as he sighed deeply. "Yes, I truly did not expect him to be so audacious as to commit such treason!"
"Your Majesty, given the circumstances, our immediate priority is to quell this rebellion and ensure the stability of our Tang Dynasty," I said firmly as I looked into his eyes.
"I have already dispatched troops to suppress it; however..." Li Longji hesitated, worry etched on his face.
I understood his concerns; An Lushan held significant military power and occupied advantageous terrain. It would not be easy to quell the rebellion swiftly.
"Your Majesty, I have a plan that may help quell this rebellion," I whispered softly in his ear.
"Oh? What clever plan does my beloved consort have?" A glimmer of hope flickered in Li Longji's eyes as he pressed for details.
"The reason An Lushan dares to rebel is simply because he relies on his strong army, believing he can easily capture Chang'an and replace you," I paused before continuing. "The current strategy must be to stabilize him first before gradually addressing the situation."
"How can we stabilize the situation?" Li Longji asked with a furrowed brow.
"Issue a self-criticism edict," I said calmly, but my words were like a stone thrown into Li Longji's heart, stirring up waves of turmoil.
"What?!" Li Longji sat up straight, his face turning pale with anger. "I am the Son of Heaven; how can I bow to treacherous ministers and rebels?!"
I had anticipated this reaction and was not angered. I simply replied, "Your Majesty, please calm down. I do not mean for you to truly submit to An Lushan; I just want to stabilize him first and buy time for our army."
"But..." Li Longji wanted to say more, but I interrupted him.
"Your Majesty, think about it. An Lushan's army is pressing down on us, and the people of Chang'an are in a state of panic. If we continue fighting, it will only bring suffering to the common folk and empty the national treasury. Rather than that, it would be better to feign agreement to his demands, and when our military strength is restored, we can eliminate him in one fell swoop. Wouldn't that be better?" I urged earnestly.
Li Longji fell silent as he weighed the pros and cons. He knew I was right, but as a ruler, he found it difficult to lower his face and admit fault to a subordinate.
"Your Majesty, bitter medicine is good for disease, and honest advice is often hard to hear. You are a wise ruler and will surely prioritize the state and the people," I continued as I saw him wavering.
"Your Majesty, the Empress is also thinking of the Tang dynasty's future; you should agree," Xie Aman chimed in from the side.
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