Chapter 152

In mid-air, the sky screen was full of rosy clouds, gradually displaying text.

【The first place in the list of virtuous empresses through the ages is about to be revealed...】

【She is the ultimate of virtue and the model for all mothers of the country in later generations.

With a woman's body, she supported the peace of the harem in the Zhenguan Prosperity;

With virtue and wisdom, she became the most solid backing for a generation of heroes.

Her achievements and influence have long transcended the palace and integrated into the bones and blood of a great era.】

【The first place in the top ten virtuous empresses in history—Great Tang. Wende Empress. Zhangsun Shi】

【The sky screen began to narrate the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty】

The picture flows, time goes back.

In the twentieth year of Kaihuang of Sui, in Chang'an City, a baby girl cried in the mansion of Right Xiaowei General Zhangsun Sheng.

This is Zhangsun Sheng's youngest daughter, named Wugou, with the nickname Guanyinbi.

She was born in a general's family, her father was a famous general of the Sui Dynasty, and her mother Gao Shi was from the Northern Qi royal family.

However, good times did not last long.

In the fifth year of Daye, Zhangsun Sheng passed away.

Eight-year-old Zhangsun Wugou and her brother Zhangsun Wuji were expelled from the house by their half-brother Zhangsun Anye and lived in the mansion of their uncle Gao Shilian.

In the backyard of Gao Mansion, young Zhangsun Wugou held a book and read quietly.

Her aunt saw that she was dressed simply but had a calm demeanor, and sighed: "Although this girl has experienced ups and downs, her demeanor is extraordinary, and she will definitely not be a thing in the pool in the future."

Gao Shilian agreed deeply, and cultivated this niece with all his heart, poetry, books, rites, music, history, and classics, teaching everything he had.

The ninth year of Daye.

Thirteen-year-old Zhangsun Wugou married Li Shimin, the second son of Tang State Duke Li Yuan, who was sixteen years old at the time.

On the wedding night, the red candles were high.

Li Shimin lifted the hijab and saw a clear, young, but calm face.

He was a little surprised—this orphan girl who was rumored to be living under someone else's roof had no cowardice in her eyes, only calmness.

"You... aren't you afraid of me?" young Li Shimin asked.

Zhangsun Wugou shook her head gently, her voice clear:

"The heroic spirit of Erlang, why should I be afraid? I only wish to join hands with Erlang, be of one heart, and never leave."

Li Shimin's heart moved, and he held her hand.

From then on, there was a hostess in the Qin Prince Mansion.

She not only managed internal affairs, but also stabilized the rear and comforted family members when Li Shimin was fighting in all directions.

Li Yuan raised troops in Jinyang, Li Shimin fought in all directions, she followed the army and moved around, never complaining of bitterness.

In the ninth year of Wude, Chang'an City was undercurrents.

Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Qi Prince Li Yuanji were pressing step by step, wanting to get rid of Qin Prince Li Shimin quickly.

Late at night on June 3rd, Qin Prince Mansion, lights were bright.

Li Shimin and his confidants Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Yuchi Jingde, etc., discussed until late at night.

Finally, the strategy of Xuanwu Gate was set for the next day.

Everyone dispersed, Li Shimin sat alone in the hall, his brows locked. This step was taken, success meant ruling the world, failure meant eternal damnation.

A pair of gentle hands pressed gently on his shoulders.

"Erlang,"

Zhangsun Wugou didn't know when she came behind him, her voice was soft but firm,

"Tomorrow's matter concerns the world, concerns your and my life and death. I am a woman, I cannot follow Erlang to the battlefield to kill the enemy. But—"

She walked in front of Li Shimin and looked directly into his eyes:

"Tomorrow at the Yin hour, I will personally go to the outside of Xuanwu Gate to comfort the soldiers. I want everyone to know that the Qin Prince Mansion is alive and dead with Erlang."

Li Shimin was shocked, holding her hand: "Guanyinbi, it's dangerous there..."

"Precisely because it's dangerous, I have to go even more."

Zhangsun Wugou's eyes were firm, "The soldiers are dying for Erlang, their wives and children are all watching."

"I am Erlang's wife, I am here, which is to tell them—if Qin Prince wins, he will not fail them; if Qin Prince loses, I will live and die with the families of the soldiers."

Li Shimin's eyes were hot, and he hugged this wife who had been with him for ten years tightly.

The next day, outside Xuanwu Gate.

The sky was not yet bright, and the murderous spirit was pervasive.

Eight hundred soldiers of the Qin Prince Mansion were armed and waiting for orders.

Suddenly, a plain carriage drove over, Zhangsun Wugou was dressed in plain clothes and walked off the carriage.

Behind her, the women of the Qin Prince Mansion and the families of the soldiers got off the carriage one after another.

They held hot soup and food in their hands and walked towards the soldiers who were about to die.

Zhangsun Wugou walked to the front of the army and bowed deeply to the eight hundred soldiers.

"Soldiers," her voice was exceptionally clear in the silence before dawn, "Today's matter concerns the stability of the world, concerns the life and death of the Qin Prince, and also concerns your own lives."

"I am a woman, I don't understand military and national affairs, I only know one thing—you are dying for the Qin Prince, which is dying for the people of the world."

"I am here, on behalf of the Qin Prince, on behalf of the people of the world who hope for peace, thank you all!"

She bowed again.

Eight hundred soldiers, with tears in their eyes, roared in unison: "Willing to die for the Qin Prince!"

The morale of the army condensed like iron at this moment.

At the Chen hour, the bloody battle at Xuanwu Gate.

Li Shimin shot and killed Li Jiancheng with an arrow, and Yuchi Jingde executed Li Yuanji.

A shocking change, settled the universe.

In July, Li Shimin ascended the throne and was Tang Taizong.

Established Zhangsun Wugou as Empress.

Qin Dynasty plane.

Ying Zheng looked at the scene of Zhangsun Wugou comforting the soldiers on the sky screen, was silent for a long time, and said slowly: "This woman has the style of a national scholar."

"The Xuanwu Gate change, how dangerous? She dared to go to the front of the army, with a woman's body, to gather the hearts of the soldiers. This courage is better than countless men."

Han Dynasty plane.

Liu Bang didn't dare to talk nonsense at this moment, but his eyes were wide, whispering: "This Li Shimin... is too lucky."

"Wife can be literary and martial, can stabilize the morale of the army, can manage the harem. Tsk, my Empress Lv..."

He stole a glance at Lv Zhi, and seeing that Empress Lv was focusing on the sky screen, and there was even appreciation in her eyes, he was relieved.

Lv Zhi was indeed appreciating.

She said softly: "This woman's wisdom is not in fighting, but in assisting. At Xuanwu Gate, she gathered the morale of the army, and after ascending the throne, she restrained her relatives and persuaded the monarch. Every step was just right. No wonder... she could rank first."

Liu Che hugged Wei Zifu, looked at the sky screen, and sighed:

"Zifu, look at this Empress Zhangsun, she is a bit like you, neither fighting nor grabbing, convincing people with virtue."

"You and I are husband and wife, and even more monarch and minister; while she and Li Shimin are husband and wife, and even more confidants."

Wei Zifu leaned in his arms and said softly: "Your Majesty, Empress Zhangsun is indeed admirable."

Liu Che shook his head: "You also have your good points. It's just this Zhangsun family... is indeed a model of virtuous empress through the ages."

Ming Dynasty plane.

Zhu Yuanzhang: "Empress Zhangsun is indeed virtuous, no wonder she can rank first on this list of virtuous empresses through the ages."

Empress Ma smiled without saying a word, but there was light in her eyes.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly thought of something, turned his head to look at Empress Ma:

"Sister, this is the first place, why are you not on the list yet?"

"No! It's not right! Xu Miaoyun is fourth, Wei Zifu is third, Zhang Shi is second, this Zhangsun Shi is first... Sister, you should also be on the list!"

Empress Ma smiled: "Chongba, what's the rush. The sky screen has its own arrangements."

Zhu Yuanzhang was unconvinced: "What arrangements? Where is my sister worse than them?"

"My sister followed me from Haozhou to Yingtian, how much bitterness have we eaten? Helped me stabilize the rear, taught children, which point is not as good as them? This sky screen is unfair!"

He shouted at the sky screen: "Hey! Immortal! Where is my sister Empress Ma? Why is she not on the list? Did you miss it!"

The sky screen did not respond.

Three Kingdoms time and space.

Cao Cao clapped his hands and laughed: "This woman should be the teacher of virtuous empresses through the ages! Stabilizing the army at Xuanwu Gate, persuading the monarch after ascending the throne, compiling "Women's Rules" to rectify the harem."

"What is even more rare is that she restrained her brother Zhangsun Wuji—that is the first hero of Lingyan Pavilion! Guo Jia, do you have this clarity?"

Guo Jia smiled: "I am not as good, this woman's wisdom is already like a monster, all her wisdom is used to assist the monarch, not to fight for power. If all women in the world were like this, why worry about not being governed?"

Zhuge Liang in Chengdu, stood up in respect: "Empress Wende, well-deserved."

"Looking at this sky screen, watching her life, it deeply fits the supreme way of 'the mean'—soft outside and hard inside, humble but not humble, wise but not exposed. She and Tang Taizong are models of imperial couples through the ages."