Disco de doble caja

Capítulo 47

"Longxu, today your mother will teach you how to handle state affairs," Xiaoxuan said, then looked at Womuda and said, "Guards, drag Womuda out and execute him!"

"ah!"

"What!"

An uproar erupted among the courtiers.

Empress of the Khitan - Empress Dowager of the Khitan Chapter 87 Succession to the Throne (Part 2)

Updated: 2008-09-23 16:28:40 Word Count: 1542

The veteran ministers, including Xiuge, Han Derang, Xiezhen, Shi, and Yelü Sha, all looked at the once very gentle empress. How could she be so cruel today? Could it be that His Majesty's death had provoked this empress who used to handle state affairs with great composure?

Womuda was dragged out of the hall by his arms by the guards. He looked at Xiaoxuan and shouted, "Why are you killing me?" "Wait!" Xiaoxuan ordered. With this order, the guards who were dragging Womuda out stopped.

"Why should I kill you? How dare you ask me that!" Xiao Xuan glared at Womuda with eyes burning with rage, and said, "Fine, I'll make sure you die knowing why. What day is it today? Is the military situation so urgent that you can't even wait for the new emperor to ascend the throne? Interrupting the enthronement ceremony in front of all the officials, are you deliberately trying to embarrass the young emperor? Don't forget, I—Xiao Chuo—am not dead yet. I'll tell you right now how to speak to your new emperor. Drag him out and execute him!"

"Xiao Chuo, you wait, one day you'll end up like me. Xiao Chuo, Emperor Tianzan is dead, let's see who will support you now." Xiao Chuo's voice faded into the distance until it could no longer be heard.

Xiao Xuan stood upright in the main hall, without swaying an inch.

"Xian is dead, and you despicable people want to bully my son and me! I'll show you that you have no regard for my son, and I'll show you that you have no regard for me! If you dare to bully my child, I will kill you!" After the resentful shouts gradually faded away, Xiao Xuan looked around at the assembled officials and ordered the master of ceremonies, "Begin the enthronement ceremony."

The master of ceremonies nodded, then shouted to announce the start of the ceremony.

Xiao Xuan stepped behind Longxu, watching the enthronement ceremony proceed smoothly with unwavering eyes and a solemn expression. Only after the courtiers shouted "Long live the Emperor!" three times did Xiao Xuan's brows gradually relax.

Looking at the prostrate officials, Xiao Xuan said, "According to Emperor Tianzan's will, Longxu will succeed to the throne. Longxu is young, and I will assist the young emperor and jointly govern the country, as instructed by Emperor Tianzan." After the officials shouted "Long live the Empress Dowager!" again, Xiao Xuan's mood plummeted from the excitement of Longxu's ascension to the throne to rock bottom upon hearing the title of Empress Dowager.

Empress Dowager? So this title carries such a tragic connotation.

"Court adjourned!"

At a command, and as the officials walked down from the court, Xiao Xuan took Long Xu's hand and walked out from the back hall.

"Remember your mother's words: to become a great emperor like your father, you must never shed tears in front of your subjects."

“Mother, Longxu will remember this.”

"Longxu, I know it's been hard on you."

“Mother, Longxu just wants to do something for you. Longxu doesn’t want to see you faint again. I want you to be happy and joyful like before.”

Looking at Longxu's little face, Xiaoxuan gritted her teeth, put on a smile, and said, "Mother is fine, she's just been very tired these past few days, she'll be better in a few days."

Upon hearing this, Longxu frowned slightly and nodded.

Holding his hand, Xiao Xuan walked with him towards the back courtyard. From afar, they saw Guanyin, Longqing, and the other children standing in the courtyard, looking in their direction.

Xiao Xuan quickly walked a few steps to the children and asked, "What are you all doing here? Didn't you go play?"

"We want to see our mother. We're afraid that she'll end up like our father, lying down and never talking to us again."

The childish voice echoed in her ears, and Xiaoxuan held back the tears in her eyes.

"Your Majesty, Yelü Xiuge, Yelü Xiezhen, and Han Derang request an audience," a eunuch rushed over and said.

Upon hearing this, Longxu walked over, took Changshou's hand, and said, "Mother has something to do, I'm leaving now. Come play with your brother." After saying that, he, his younger brother and sister waved goodbye to Xiaoxuan and left the courtyard.

"Summon them!" After thinking for a moment, Xiao Xuan said, "I'll wait for them in my study. Tell them to come to see me one by one."

Entering the study and sitting at her desk, Xiaoxuan felt a pang of loss. They say a man is a woman's pillar of support, but now, her own pillar of support was gone. What awaited her? What awaited her children? Could she truly shoulder the burden of the world he had left behind? And these ministers—now that Xian was dead, what were their true feelings and motives in treating her and the children?

She was lost in thought, her eyes fixed on the study doorway, until Yelü Xiezhen entered, knelt down, and announced, "Your subject Yelü Xiezhen greets the Empress Dowager." "Rise, sit!"

Empress of the Khitan - Empress Dowager of the Khitan Chapter 88 Empress Dowager (Part 1)

Updated: 2008-09-23 16:29:03 Word Count: 1420

Xie Zhen stood up, sat down on a chair to the side, and looked at Xiao Xuan, saying, "Empress Dowager, I am unworthy. Before Emperor Tianzan passed away, he repeatedly instructed me to take good care of the Empress Dowager and His Majesty. I have come here specifically to ask what instructions the Empress Dowager may give."

Did he give those instructions? Did he ask his men to take care of me and the children before he left? Hyun, come back!

"What virtue or ability do I possess to govern this empire?" Before Xiao Xuan could finish speaking, Yelü Xiezhen knelt again and said, "Empress Dowager, why do you say such things? The things you have done for our Great Liao are evident to all, both the Liao and its people. How can you utter such damaging words?" He then looked up at Xiao Xuan, his face flushed, and said, "I am deeply grateful for your grace in betrothing my nephew to me. I have no way to repay your kindness. I hope you will not treat me as an outsider and will not hesitate to give me any orders."

"Get up quickly," Xiao Xuan said to Xie Zhen. She had always cherished his martial arts and talent, and thus taken care of him in every way. She hadn't expected that he would come to her aid now, when she was all alone. A warm current surged through her cold heart. "Xie Zhen, I know your loyalty. Go back and await my arrangements."

"Yes!" Yelü Xiezhen said, and left the study.

Looking at the empty study, Xiaoxuan wondered who would come in later. Would it be Brother Xiu or Han Derang? Recalling her past with Han Derang, she sighed. She hoped it would be Brother Xiu. Facing Han Derang, she always felt a heavy pressure.

Footsteps sounded, and Han Derang entered from outside the door.

Xiao Xuan lowered her head and saw him kneel down and say, "Your subject, Han Derang, pays respects to the Empress Dowager."

"Rise."

After calming herself down, Xiao Xuan looked up at Han Derang and said, "Lord Han, is there anything you want to say?" She had to learn to face everything before her. She couldn't run away because of what had happened in the past. Now the children needed her and needed her to give them a stable living environment.

"I've come to convey a message that Emperor Tianzan left for the Empress Dowager," Han Derang said, looking at Xiao Xuan, who was pretending to be strong in front of him. "Emperor Tianzan said that he loves you, and no matter what you do after his death, he will not blame you."

Xian! Why did he say that? What did he mean by saying that?

A layer of mist rose in Xiaoxuan's eyes, and her emotions, which had just calmed down, became tangled up again.

Lowering her head, her hand resting on the table, and fighting back tears, Xiao Xuan said, "I understand. You may go back now."

Unexpectedly, she treated him so coldly. Han Derang felt a little disappointed, and a trace of loneliness flashed in his eyes. He said in a low voice, "Your subject takes his leave."

As he turned and walked out of the study, Xiaoxuan slammed her fist on the desk. Why? Why? Xian, why did you say that? Was that your exact words, or Han Derang's?

"What's wrong?" A deep voice sounded in her ear. Xiao Xuan looked up and saw Xiu Ge, who had come in at some point. Seeing her clenched fists and closed eyes, as if she was enduring something, Xiu Ge couldn't help but ask. Opening her eyes and staring at Xiu Ge, Xiao Xuan wanted to cry.

“Here!” Hugh said, pointing to his chest.

Walking up to him and leaning against him, Xiaoxuan finally burst into tears. She knew that the man before her would never harm her; from the moment he appeared before her, he had been helping her. He knew what she wanted to say and what she wanted to do; he had always been like this, willing to give her a place where she could be free.

Hugh was overjoyed to see her crying freely in his arms. She trusted him so much; she wouldn't cry in front of others, but she would cry on his chest; she wouldn't say funny things in front of others, but she would only tease him when she was with him.

She once told herself that Liu Yanyu was her best friend and confidant in the Han Dynasty, while he was her best friend and confidant in the Liao Dynasty. But he didn't want that. He didn't want her to only see him as a friend or confidant. He wanted to walk with her on the grassland, stand under the setting sun, and watch the morning mist rise and the evening glow disappear.

Empress of the Khitan - Empress Dowager of the Khitan Chapter 88 Empress Dowager (Part 2)

Updated: 2008-09-23 16:29:22 Word Count: 1485

Suddenly, he saw her cover her face with her hands, stopping her loud crying and turning into soft sobs. Hugh couldn't help but say, "I've taken a shower, why aren't you lying here crying?"

Hearing his words, Xiao Xuan wanted to laugh, but she couldn't. She looked at Brother Xiu with her red and swollen eyes and said, "I'm pregnant."

Hearing him say "I" instead of "I, the Emperor," Xiu felt a surge of emotion. He wanted to make her laugh and cheer her up, but looking at her face, he couldn't think of anything to say. After a moment's thought, Xiu looked at Xiao Xuan and asked, "Are you sure?"

Xiao Xuan nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again, and said, "He doesn't know yet. I was planning to tell him when he came back from this hunting trip, to give him a surprise."

Smiling at Xiaoxuan, Xiu said, "Then why are you crying? This is a good thing. If Emperor Tianzan's spirit in heaven knew, he would be overjoyed." Looking at Xiu's smile, one felt a sense of peace. Xiaoxuan whispered, "But the country is in turmoil right now. If I give birth at this time, and those with ulterior motives find out, they will surely take advantage of His Majesty's youth."

"What are you afraid of? Don't you still have me?" Brother Xiu looked at Xiao Xuan and said, "I, Brother Xiu, am not a person who makes empty promises. You know my abilities. Leave the things that make you uneasy to me."

Looking gratefully at Brother Xiu, Xiao Xuan nodded to him and said, "How can I thank you? How about this, I'll give you..."

"Empress Dowager, Brother Xiu has other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first." After saying this, Brother Xiu turned and left. Watching him quickly walk out of the study, as if he were afraid of something, Xiao Xuan's face, which had been shrouded in gloom for many days, finally showed a slight smile.

After resting quietly in the study for a while, Xiaoxuan got up and walked towards the children's living quarters.

From afar, she spotted a figure she knew all too well, playing with the children. The children's faces were radiant with sunshine, the gloom of the past few days gone.

It was him, Han Derang.

Xiao Xuan felt a surge of emotions. She stood there, staring blankly at Han Derang playing with the children in the courtyard under the sky, her vision slowly blurring. It was Xian, it was Xian playing with the children, he was back.

After an unknown amount of time, Longxu saw her, called out "Mother," and ran to her first. Watching the children run towards her one by one, Xiaoxuan squatted down and wiped the sweat from their faces.

"Did you have fun?" Xiaoxuan asked Longqing, who was panting.

Longqing nodded and said, "Mother, could you let Lord Han come and play with us more often? Lord Han is very powerful; no one else can match him. Longqing wants to play with him."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xuan looked at Han Derang, who was staring blankly at her and the children, and said nothing. The little ones, who had been cheerful just moments before, immediately became serious, and their chattering fell silent.

"You can play with Lord Han, but Mother has conditions: you must do well in your studies before Mother will allow Lord Han to come and play with you." Not wanting to see the children disappointed, Xiao Xuan said these words.

"oh!"

"Oh!" the children exclaimed excitedly.

At night, Xiaoxuan sat by the bed, unable to sleep all night.

The nobles and various tribes scattered throughout and beyond the Liao territory all held their own armies and were poised for rebellion at any moment. How could she possibly alleviate the current perilous situation? Touching her lower abdomen, Xiao Xuan thought to herself: Child, you really shouldn't have come at this time! During this period, the Liao court officials were all watching the young Empress Dowager's every move.

The scene of her ordering the execution of Womuda at the young emperor's enthronement ceremony was deeply etched in the minds of the court officials. Her domineering and authoritarian style in court made the ministers feel that this empress dowager was no longer the gentle and kind empress she once was.

They waited, waiting to see what her next move would be. Meanwhile, Han Derang privately requested to see Xiao Xuan several times, presenting her with several memorials. Listening to Han Derang read these memorials, Xiao Xuan felt both grateful and guilty towards him. Grateful for his good intentions, but guilty for his feelings for Xiao Chuo.

In his memorial, Han Derang pointed out in detail the instability of the current situation and his methods of dealing with it, which made Xiao Xuan, who was not prepared for this, feel much more at ease.