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Capítulo 28

Empress of Khitan - Empress Dowager of Khitan Chapter 51: The Order

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:54:06 Word Count: 3401

Upon entering Yelü Xian's bedroom, one would find him rolling on the floor, clutching his head and crying out, "It hurts! It hurts!"

His attendants scrambled around him, trying to hold him down to prevent him from writhing in pain. Xiao Xuan walked towards Yelü Xian. Yelü Xian, who was clutching his head and crying out in pain, saw Xiao Xuan and immediately forgot his headache. He moved backward, one hand covering his head and the other supporting himself on the ground, and shouted to Xiao Xuan, "Yan Yan, you're not allowed to look! Yan Yan, get out of here! I won't allow you to see me like this!"

Yelü Xian yelled at Xiao Xuan, clutching his head as he shouted. His pained expression was clearly visible to Xiao Xuan. Xiao Xuan walked towards him, but before she reached him, she heard Yelü Xian shout, "Yan Yan, don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! I'll hurt you."

Standing in front of him, watching him clutch his head in agony, enduring the throbbing pain, Xiao Xuan's hatred for him slowly crumbled in that instant.

Suddenly Yelü Xian began to convulse, and his eyeballs rolled upwards. As Xiao Xuan watched the saliva slowly overflowing from his mouth, she seemed to remember something.

"Quickly, go find me a small bamboo clapper!" Xiao Xuan shouted to the others. Immediately, someone ran out of the room to find what the Empress wanted. Xiao Xuan looked at the flustered imperial physician in front of her and shouted, "Get out of my way!"

The imperial physicians didn't know what Xiaoxuan was going to do, but she was the Empress, and now that she had given the order, they dared not disobey.

Xiao Xuan walked to Yelü Xian's side, gently laid him down on the ground, and comforted him, "Don't be afraid, I'll help you." Then she quickly unbuttoned Yelü Xian's collar and turned his head to one side. Watching the saliva slowly drip from his mouth, Xiao Xuan felt no disgust or nausea. She was waiting for the bamboo stick she wanted; now, she only wanted to help this man get through the critical period.

"Thump, thump, thump," came a series of footsteps, and a servant ran in from outside the door with a small bamboo clapper in his hand.

"Get me a clean cloth and wrap the bamboo planks properly, quick!" Xiao Xuan shouted to the servant again.

The servant dared not delay, and hurriedly found another piece of cloth, wrapped the bamboo board, and handed it to Xiaoxuan.

Xiao Xuan carefully observed Yelü Xian, who was convulsing. She recalled her mother's casual conversation at the dinner table: "The most important thing when dealing with a patient experiencing convulsions is to place an obstruction in their mouth at the appropriate time to prevent them from biting their tongue during a seizure."

Looking closely at Yelü Xian on the ground, as his convulsions subsided and his body became rigid, Xiao Xuan decisively stuffed the small bamboo stick wrapped in cloth into Yelü Xian's mouth.

The imperial physicians watching from all sides exchanged bewildered glances, wondering what the young empress was doing. Meanwhile, some servants had already slipped out of the palace to inform the ministers.

The Empress has always been at odds with His Majesty. With the recent death of the Emperor's father-in-law, she must harbor resentment and attempt to harm His Majesty while he is ill. Upon hearing this, some people, fearing the news would spread too quickly, specially ordered someone to inform other ministers, and then they rushed to the palace to the Emperor's bedchamber.

Gao Xun, Nü Li, Yelü Xianshi, Yelü Xiuge, Yelü Xiezhen, Shi Fang and other ministers entered Yelü Xian's bedroom and saw Yelü Xian lying on the ground in front of Xiao Xuan, with a cloth-wrapped object in his mouth and his whole body stiff.

"Witch, what have you done to His Majesty?" the woman shouted, pointing at Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan widened her eyes and glared at the woman, shouting, "His Majesty is having an attack! You better behave yourself; there's no room for you to act recklessly here!" Looking at Yelü Xian's condition, Xiao Xuan could only guess that he might be suffering from epilepsy, but she wasn't a doctor. She had only heard her ever-talkative mother nag about this. Even though she had tried, she didn't know if it would work. In just two days, first Old Man Xiao was murdered, leaving her feeling utterly empty, soulless, and delirious. Now, with Yelü Xian's illness, her mind was in complete turmoil.

Did he always hide his illness from her? Thinking of what he had said to her a moment ago, Xiaoxuan felt a pang of sadness. And just at this critical moment, someone had the audacity to call her a witch while she was worrying about him. Xiaoxuan's anger erupted instantly.

Glancing at Yelü Xian on the ground, who was still not fully awake, Xiao Xuan stood up and pointed at Nü Li and the others, shouting, "You dare call yourself a subject? I hate that the whip I gave you that day wasn't strong enough. As a subject, how could you not even know if His Majesty was ill? You came into this room and, without even asking questions, dared to frame me. Who do you think you are! Nü Li, do you even respect me as the Empress?"

Xiao Xuan's angry roar left the scheming woman speechless. He had been caught off guard and outmaneuvered. He shouldn't have accused Xiao Xuan the moment he entered; now, faced with her counter-questioning, he wanted to defend himself, but found himself speechless. He had originally planned to take advantage of Xiao Siwen's death and the girl's isolation to teach her a lesson, but unexpectedly, he had stumbled again in front of her.

"Guards!" Xiao Xuan roared at the surrounding guards, "Tie up the woman and bring her to the court, give her ten lashes."

The guards inside the room heard Xiao Xuan give the order, but because the girl was Yelü Xian's favorite and she was young, none of them dared to make a move. Seeing this, Gao Xun couldn't help but sneer and said, "Girl, who do you think you are? You think you can just touch whoever you want?"

The guards ignored the Empress's orders, which delighted Nüli and Gao Xun, making them even more unrestrained. At this moment, Yelü Xian was still unconscious, and Gao Xun and Nüli looked at Xiao Xuan with a defiant look in their eyes.

"Men, seize Gao Xun and Nüli!" Tiyin Yelü Xiuge shouted to the guards outside the door.

Throughout the entire capital city, who didn't know Yelü Xiuge, who had been running on the battlefield since childhood? Moreover, Xiuge also held the position of Tiyin, specifically in charge of the internal affairs of the royal family. Upon hearing Xiuge's order, the guards standing outside the door immediately rushed in and pinned Gao Xun and Nüli to the ground.

Before Yelü Xiuge could speak, Yelü Xianshi pointed at the eunuchs in the bedroom and said, "Take them all down. How dare they disobey the Empress's decree! Take them all down and punish them."

"yes!"

Forced to kneel on the ground, Nüli and Gao Xun looked at Xiu Ge and angrily said, "Yelü Xiu Ge, what do you dare to do to us?"

“I, Xiu Ge, would not dare to do anything to you. I only have the king’s orders in my eyes! His Majesty is currently ill, so I should obey the Empress’s decree. Since the Empress has spoken, then I apologize to you two.”

"Men, take Gao Xun and Nvli outside the hall and give each of them ten lashes with a military rod," Xiu Ge ordered.

"Wait a minute," Yelü Xianshi said. "Her Majesty the Empress just said that each person should be given ten strokes of the rod. Not only did they refuse to accept the punishment, but they also hurled insults at Her Majesty the Empress. Give them double the beating! Also, take these guys who have no respect for Her Majesty the Empress with them. Give each of them twenty strokes of the rod."

Everything happened too fast. Before everyone could react, the actions and orders of Yelü Xiuge, the Grand Protector, General Ning, and meritorious official Yelü Xianshi had quietly reversed Xiao Xuan's awkward situation in the dormitory.

The Liao Dynasty recognized their military achievements. Although Gao Xun and Nüli were close confidants and favorites of Yelü Xian, they had few battlefield accomplishments. Unlike them, Yelü Xiuge, in his youth, had followed the former Northern Chancellor Xiao Gan in campaigns against the Wugu and Shiwei tribes, earning merit and fame throughout the Liao Dynasty. Yelü Xianshi was similar; his victory in the campaign against the Wuku tribe, for which he was rewarded with fine wine by the late King Yelü Jing, was a story that had long been talked about. Gao Xun and Nüli only knew that Yelü Xianshi harbored resentment towards them; they never expected that Yelü Xiuge would suddenly appear. Before they could fully recover, they were dragged out of the bedroom by guards. Their defiant shouts echoed outside the door: "Xiao Chuo, don't be too smug!"

Upon hearing this, Yelü Xiezhen frowned, turned, and walked out of the room, following the two men out of the hall. These two were too arrogant; he would personally supervise the guards as they finished their twenty lashes.

Xiao Xuan finally calmed down after seeing Gao Xun and Nv Li being dragged out of the house.

She had no idea how dire her situation had been. If she had lost, news of it would have diminished her standing among the court officials and the people of Liao, and her image and prestige as empress would have been questioned. It was truly thanks to Xiuge and Xianshi that she was able to defuse this power struggle.

"Yan Yan..." A faint voice called from beside her.

Xiao Xuan turned to look at Yelü Xian lying on the ground. Seeing that he had opened his eyes and taken the thing out of his mouth, she quickly bent down to help him up.

"No, you are pregnant, be careful of the baby. I will get up myself."

Ignoring Yelü Xian's words, Xiao Xuan helped him up.

Weakly leaning against Xiao Xuan, Yelü Xian rested his chin on her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry."

Xiao Xuan was stunned when he suddenly said such a thing to her.

Empress of Khitan - Chapter 52 Consort Shu

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:54:06 Word Count: 3530

"Yan Yan, help me sit down," Yelü Xian said.

Xiao Xuan helped him slowly walk to the desk and sit down. Standing beside him, she glanced at his weak state, then turned to leave.

His hand was held tightly. "Don't go!" His voice echoed in the room. Yelü Xian glanced at everyone in the room and asked Xiao Xuan, "Yan Yan, why did you put this thing in my mouth just now?" After speaking, he placed the small bamboo strip wrapped in cloth on the table.

“Your situation is very critical. When your whole body is convulsing, your jaw is clenched, and you are very likely to bite your tongue and cause danger.” With a sigh, Xiaoxuan continued, “Putting that thing in your mouth is just a temporary measure to prevent you from biting your tongue and hurting yourself. Loosening your collar is also to make it easier for you to breathe.”

After hearing Xiaoxuan's words, everyone in the room finally understood why she did what she did.

"Issue my decree: anyone who dares to defy the Empress shall be executed."

After Yelü Xian finished speaking, he raised his hand and touched the memorial on the table, asking, "Yan Yan, I heard from the young man that you asked someone to put this memorial here."

Xiao Xuan nodded and said, "If you have nothing else to do, take a look. An old man stood alone outside the palace walls, just to see you and present you with this letter of advice. I think it must contain something very important."

Yelü Xian nodded and said, "I understand." Then he waved to the other ministers and attendants in the room, ordering them to leave.

"Yan Yan, do you blame me?" Yelü Xian asked Xiao Xuan as everyone left the room.

Xiao Xuan simply looked at him, remaining silent. Yelü Xian hurriedly added, "I didn't know anyone would have the audacity to attempt to assassinate the Emperor's father-in-law. I have already ordered people to investigate immediately, and I will give you an explanation."

Seeing him panting and looking exhausted, Xiaoxuan said, "You're the father of the child in my belly. I don't want the child to be born without seeing its father. Your health is very important; you must remember that."

"Yan Yan, don't go, stay with me." Yelü Xian said, holding Xiao Xuan's hand. "Ever since you came back, you've ignored me. Enough, stop being angry with me. I want... to do whatever you want."

Seeing Yelü Xian's dark circles, Xiao Xuan said, "You must be tired. Let me help you go to sleep."

Yelü Xian said no more. With Xiao Xuan's help, he returned to bed and quietly fell asleep. She was finally willing to face him, acknowledge him, and care about him. Closing his eyes, he drifted into a sweet dream he hadn't experienced in many days.

This incident taught Gao Xun and Nuli a lesson: the women of the Xiao family were not to be trifled with. Not only did they gain nothing, they were also beaten. They had thought that Yelü Xian would stand up for them after learning of the incident, but Yelü Xian was even more ruthless: "From now on, anyone who dares to defy the Empress will be executed." This statement not only greatly enhanced the status of the seventeen-year-old Empress Xiao Chuo in the Liao Dynasty, but also reminded the officials of the proper attitude towards this young Empress.

From then on, Xiao Xuan, who was pregnant, often strolled among the flowers and on the grasslands, breathing in the fresh air. Looking at her increasingly prominent belly, her mood fluctuated more and more. Occasionally, the little one inside would suddenly move; according to Xiao Xuan, it was the little one stretching and doing Tai Chi in her belly. She was very excited by these unusual movements, and whenever the little one moved, she would grab Yelü Xian and shout, "He moved! He moved!" Seeing her excited face, Yelü Xian would always gently hug her, kiss her, and say loving words, "Look how happy you are."

In life, Yelü Xian, who cares for Xiao Xuan in every way, also puts his promises to Xiao Xuan into practice.

Six months later, he discovered that the assassins of Xiao Siwen were Xiao Haizhi and Xiao Haili, both members of the Empress's clan. He immediately ordered their execution and confiscated their property, which was then transferred to Xiao Siwen's household. Following this, he ordered the release of Xi Yin, who had been imprisoned, and restored his title. While investigating the murder of the Empress's father-in-law was part of his duties, releasing Xi Yin and restoring his title was purely out of consideration for Empress Xiao Xuan. Every minister in the court was well aware of this.

After beheading the two murderers and releasing Xiyin, the sisters' relationship gradually improved. As Xiaoxuan's belly grew bigger, Xiao Hunian and Xiao Yangan became even more frequent in their trips to the palace.

Those who had assumed that the death of Xiao Siwen, the powerful Prime Minister of the Northern Court and Prince of Wei, would severely damage the Xiao family and cause its decline, were surprised to find their predictions wrong. Far from declining, the Xiao family had become even more united. Now, everyone's attention was focused on Xiao Xuan, wondering whether the child in her womb was a boy or a girl.

They were guessing, and so was Consort Shu.

His Majesty's growing indifference towards her was not entirely his fault. Back when Xiao Chuo entered the palace, she had made a mistake in a muddled way. Her initial intention to visit her was good; she wanted to share the joy of her pregnancy. But when the imperial physician sent by His Majesty told her that she wasn't pregnant, but merely experiencing vomiting due to stomach upset, she felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. It was all her fault for being too rash and not considering the consequences before telling the newly arrived imperial concubine those things, making it seem as if she were lying and deliberately using her status to pressure her. Now, His Majesty was even more indifferent to her. Before, he would occasionally speak to her, but now, even when they met, they had nothing to say to each other. Fortunately, fate was kind to her; even with only occasional favors, she did indeed become pregnant. Having learned her lesson from the previous incident, even with the imperial physician's confirmation, she still didn't tell Yelü Xian that she, like Xiao Chuo, was also carrying his child.

Everything had changed; those beautiful days seemed increasingly distant. When she heard that Xiao Chuo had secretly run away from the palace, enraging the Emperor who led a large force in pursuit, she frowned. Xiao Chuo was incredibly audacious. When she heard that the Emperor, instead of punishing her, favored her even more, she was bewildered. Hearing that Xiao Chuo had been captured by the Song army and later returned on her own, she had secretly rejoiced, thinking she would lose the Emperor's favor. But instead, upon returning to the capital, she immediately became Empress.

What on earth is going on? Why is everything different from before? They're all women, all his lovers, so why are they so different?

She heard that since the assassination of the Prince of Wei, the Empress had received even more favor from the Emperor. It seemed that the Emperor wanted to make up for her loss of her father, and he was inseparable from her, spending every day with her. Eventually, it even got to the point that she, heavily pregnant, could listen to the officials' memorials alongside the Emperor in court and express her own opinions.

His Majesty has changed.

When did he begin to listen to women? When did he begin to trust women so much? No, not all women, just her, Xiao Chuo. The more Consort Shu listened, the more she understood that she could never stand under the same roof with that seventeen-year-old woman named Xiao Chuo. Now, recalling the first time she met her, the words Xiao Chuo uttered, "Let's keep to ourselves," seemed like a premonition, a warning, echoing in her ears. She had forgotten how long it had been since she had seen the man who would become her husband; everyone in the palace had almost forgotten her. She thought, she hoped, perhaps His Majesty desired Xiao Chuo to bear him a prince, which was why he was so cold towards her. She waited, counting the leaves on the leaves in the courtyard, waiting for her husband to return, hoping he would see her, now also pregnant.

There was still a sliver of hope. If Xiao Chuo gave birth to a girl, then she would have hope. Perhaps then, His Majesty would return to her side, awaiting the birth of their child. Then, she could use her gentleness to rekindle his former affection for her. This was her only hope; she wanted Xiao Chuo to give birth to a girl, and herself to give birth to a boy. Every morning and night, she prayed to the Bodhisattva, and after counting each leaf, she would also make a prayer.

I am also his wife, and I have his flesh and blood. I am not trying to take anything from you, Xiao Chuo. I just want him to remember that I am also his woman, and the child in my belly is also his flesh and blood.

On this cold day, a loud cry rang out from a corner of the palace, and a little girl was born into the world.

When Yelü Xian heard that Xiao Xuan and her daughter had given birth safely, he was so happy that he kept grinning like an idiot in the house. His little one, the life that shared his and her blood, had been born.

After much effort, he gave his child a name that was very representative of the Liao Dynasty, a time when Buddhism flourished: Guanyin Girl.

The Liao Dynasty revered Buddhism, and temples and pagodas were everywhere. Yelü Xian hoped that the light of the Bodhisattva would bring peace and longevity to their children.

"Guanyin Girl!" When Xiao Xuan, lying on the postpartum bed, heard this name, which was strange beyond belief, she laughed. The name he had given her child was funny, but she also felt it was very auspicious. Looking at her child not far away in the same room, she smiled. "Guanyin Girl, may Guanyin Bodhisattva bless you with happiness, peace, good fortune, and health."

Consort Shu felt she had won. When she heard that Xiao Xuan had given birth to a baby girl, she smiled, as if the Bodhisattva had appeared to her.

Everything was so unpredictable and unfathomable. A few days later, Consort Shu also gave birth to a baby girl. When the desolation of the room came into her view and the baby's cries echoed in her ears, she knew that she had lost; she had lost him forever.