Chapter 1075

He had won Wu Zhao's favor, and she could not help but smile broadly, saying,

"So Prince Fusu is also a kindred spirit—this is best of all.

Xue Huaiyi, go fetch two jars of the Jian Nan tribute wine from my private collection.

Later today, I shall drink to drunkenness with Prince Fusu and all the princes and ministers."

Upon hearing this, Xue Huaiyi bowed with a pained smile and accepted the order.

The Jian Nan tribute wine Wu Zhao spoke of was the finest essence of Jian Nan Shaochun.

This wine had been stored by her father for her when she was still a child.

He had hoped to open it at her wedding banquet to toast her happiness.

In total, only ten jars had been preserved.

While Wu Zetian lived, not a single jar was ever touched.

But after Wu Zhao impersonated her and became Empress of Tang, knowing of this rare wine, she no longer hesitated to use it.

Not only did she drink it herself from time to time, but on joyful occasions, she even distributed it to princes and ministers.

Among them, Di Ge Lao Di Renjie and Prince Yuan Chahatai had both been granted this rare wine.

Publicly, it was said that such wine existed only in heaven, rarely tasted on earth.

This stirred all the imperial clansmen to beg for a taste of this rare wine.

Fortunately, though Xue Huaiyi was not the Grand Eunuch, he was in charge of the Emperor's private wine cellar.

The imperial clansmen had long sought him out countless times for this very reason.

Yet he was but a eunuch—even favored, how could he dare to privately distribute imperial wine?

He could only keep making excuses, offending every single imperial clansman.

And yet, if that were all, it might have been bearable.

But the Empress frequently opened the wine cellar, so now less than five jars of this imperial wine remained.

Now, today, the Empress was in high spirits and opened the imperial cellar again, taking out two jars.

This left Xue Huaiyi in dire straits.

If the Empress later discovered the wine was gone, he would surely suffer the consequences.

Yet none in the Ming Tang cared for Xue Huaiyi's distress.

Upon hearing the Empress had produced such a rare wine, some who had heard of it drooled on the spot, exclaiming how blessed they were.

Fusu saw that even Zhang Jianzhi, fellow minister of the Luan Terrace, looked hungry for it.

He immediately understood: the Empress truly favored him, and was extraordinarily generous.

After bowing again to thank her for such grace, he followed Xue Huaiyi out of the Ming Tang.

After Fusu left, Di Renjie let the court officials discuss fine wine and beautiful women for a long while.

Then he cleared his throat, first bowed to the Empress on the Luan Terrace, and said,

"State Master, where is the Jin Guang Sect Master now?"

To welcome Fusu, not only had all Tang civil and military officials attended, but even Yuan Shoucheng, Tang's national protector, had been present in Chang'an.

The State Master Di Renjie referred to was none other than Yuan Shoucheng.

Hearing Di Renjie's question, Yuan Shoucheng pondered a moment, then replied,

"Since returning from the Wu Zhou world, the Jin Guang Sect Master has entered the Offering Secret Realm to recover from his injuries."

With Jin Guang's name appearing on the Celestial Roster, not only Tang's high officials but all under heaven now knew.

This Jin Guang Sect Master, a man like a celestial immortal, had incurred backlash while studying the supreme secret technique of Xuanxinzheng Sect—the Xuanxin Miaomiao Jue.

His cultivation realm had been damaged, and he bore serious internal injuries.

Hearing that Jin Guang was recovering in the Secret Realm, Di Renjie added,

"Your Majesty, I request that the Jin Guang Sect Master be summoned to court to meet with us."

"Granted!"

Wu Zhao knew Di Renjie's intent and immediately approved.

At once, Yuan Shoucheng accepted the order and departed for the Secret Realm to find Jin Guang.

After Yuan Shoucheng left, Di Renjie turned to Wu Zhao and asked,

"Your Majesty, what is your view on what Prince Fusu proposed today?"

Wu Zhao knew she could not remain silent.

She said,

"Prince Fusu's words hold some merit.

Yet I suspect the alliance between Great Qin and our Tang is not so simple.

Di Qing, during your negotiations with him, you must uncover the truth.

If it poses no harm to Tang, then allying with Great Qin is certainly acceptable."

"Your Majesty speaks wisely."

Zhang Jianzhi stepped forward and said,

"Great Qin, the foremost imperial dynasty of the world, has long borne the title 'Tiger-Wolf Qin.'

That Qin Huang Ying Zheng sent Prince Fusu himself to propose this alliance clearly hides ulterior motives—I too believe caution is best."

Su Dingfang now stepped forward and said,

"I believe Prince Fusu speaks truthfully.

Tang and Great Qin are both descendants of Huaxia.

It is Yuan and You Dongying who are wolf-hearted barbarians."

Though the Great Yuan was defeated by our Great Tang last time, in truth they have always been unwilling to accept it.

This minister, while at the border, has from time to time captured Great Yuan spies.

Some of them were heading to the Yin Moon Imperial Dynasty, seeking to obtain the aid of that power.

Others wished to infiltrate our Great Tang and find rebel forces.

In short, this old minister feels that Great Yuan will never accept defeat willingly.

The moment our Great Tang shows a weakness, they will surely pounce like wolves.

Not only will they want to retake the Hetao region, I fear they even mean to seize several northwestern prefectures."

"Could it be that Grand General Su has lost his nerve?"

What Su Dingfang said was, in itself, no problem at all.

But to those with ears to hear, it sounded as though he were afraid.

At this moment, a young royal-clan duke stepped right out of the ranks and challenged him.

861 Are you actually praising Your Majesty?

Hearing someone openly challenge Duke of Xing, the Great Tang's Army God Su Dingfang,

the ministers all looked and saw it was none other than one of the royal princes — Zhou Wang Wu Chengsi.

This Wu Chengsi was Wu Zetian's cousin.

Because Wu Zetian's father had died early, and the Empress Dowager grieved for her father, she enfeoffed her father as Zhou Wang.

But her father had no sons, and Wu Chengsi was the closest in blood to him.

The title of Zhou Wang was therefore inherited by Wu Chengsi.

His very name was changed directly to Wu Chengsi.

It can be said that throughout the Great Tang court and countryside, no one did not know the towering power of this Wu Chengsi.

His stepping out to challenge Su Dingfang now so enraged the Grand General — the invincible conqueror who had recovered the Hetao — that his face turned purple.

Wu Zhao could not help but knit her brows, yet she did not intervene.

After all, she was not truly the Great Tang Empress Wu Zetian; she did not wish to meddle in such power struggles.

Di Renjie saw that the Empress had said nothing, yet in his heart he worried that Su Dingfang, in his agitation, might let slip some indiscreet words.

He immediately stepped forward to smooth things over, saying,

"Grand General Su's words are those of one who prepares for rain before it falls, a seasoned and statesmanlike counsel — not the speech of a man who fears battle.

Your Highness Zhou Wang, please be understanding."

Di Renjie was the Empress's trusted minister; his protégés and former subordinates were spread throughout the court.

Even within the military, he had his own people.