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He arrived at the woman's residence with the imperial edict and his troops. Amid the woman's astonishment, he not only found her hidden items but also discovered a shocking secret.

That night, after putting the child to sleep, Yelü Xian returned to his quarters and felt a pang of guilt when he saw that Xiao Xuan had not yet returned to her room. It was so late; she was probably still reading the memorials submitted by the court officials, deep in thought.

"Your Majesty, Lord Yelü Xianshi requests an audience. He says he has urgent business to discuss with Your Majesty."

"Oh, I already know. Wasn't it the Empress who ordered her to investigate the matter in the women's quarters? Tell him that Her Majesty the Empress has already informed me. Tell him to investigate. If the women's quarters do indeed have a hidden armor, then deal with it according to Her Majesty the Empress's instructions."

"Yes!" the attendant replied and ran out of the room.

After a while, Yelü Xian had changed his clothes. Fearing that Xiao Xuan might have overexerted herself, he prepared to go to the study to call her back to the palace to rest. Just then, the attendant who had run out earlier ran back and said to him, "Your Majesty, Lord Xianshi said that he has something extremely urgent to discuss with Your Majesty and begs Your Majesty to see him."

Hmm? What could Xian Shi have to do that he's in such a hurry to see me? Isn't it something to do with the Empress? Yelü Xian thought for a moment and said, "Tell him to come to the study to see me and the Empress."

“Your Majesty, Lord Yelü Xianshi specifically instructed that this matter can only be discussed with Your Majesty alone. It is not the right time to tell the Empress.”

"Oh?" Yelü Xian felt a sense of doubt and said, "Summon him to the council hall."

"yes!"

Yelü Xian strode toward the council hall, pondering for a moment: Xian Shi has always been very good to the Empress. It can be said that he is the first to agree with and support any decisions that Yan Yan makes or says. What is it that he wants to talk to me about today that even Yan Yan has to avoid him?

With doubts in his heart, Yelü Xian sat in the council hall waiting for Xian Shi's arrival.

"Your subject Yelü Xianshi pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Rise!" Yelü Xian said to Xian Shi, "Xian Shi, what exactly do you want to tell me? Even the Empress must stay away."

Xian Shi took out a letter from his sleeve and said, "Your Majesty, please take a look at this letter."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Xian said to his attendant, "Bring it here."

The attendant presented the letter to Yelü Xian. Yelü Xian opened it, and upon reading it, he was furious and asked, "Where did you get this?"

"Your Majesty, I was ordered to search the Nüli residence. This letter was found in the cuff of a robe worn by the Nüli."

Yelü Xian frowned and asked, "Are you sure?"

"How dare I deceive Your Majesty?"

"Where is Nüli now?" Yelü Xian asked angrily.

"I have already imprisoned him and assigned people to keep a close watch on him," Xian Shi replied.

"Someone, prepare a carriage for me, I'm going to the prison!" Yelü Xian said, then added, "If the Empress asks, just say I went out for a stroll."

"Your Majesty, Gao Xun..." Xian Shi asked.

"Send someone to arrest him first, and then we'll make a decision after we've figured things out."

"yes!"

Yelü Xianshi relayed Yelü Xian's orders and then accompanied Yelü Xian all the way to the prison.

On the carriage, Yelü Xian asked Xiang Xianshi, "Xianshi, do you think they really have that kind of guts?"

"Your Majesty," Xian Shi said, looking at Yelü Xian's displeased face, "Nüli is greedy and reckless, while Gao Xun is extremely cunning, harbors ulterior motives, and enjoys currying favor with powerful figures. I believe this matter is probably true." He continued, "Does Your Majesty remember a few years ago? When Gao Xun was serving in Nanjing, he submitted a memorial advocating for rice cultivation. Your Majesty initially approved, but after Lin Xie Yelü Kun reminded him that this action must be motivated by ulterior motives. Nanjing is very close to Song territory; if Song troops were to attack, how could a large number of soldiers be mobilized to defend the city if rice were grown within its walls? Your Majesty did not approve his memorial and later promoted him to the position of Southern Privy Councilor. Afterwards, he poisoned a member of the Empress's family, the Imperial Son-in-Law Xiao Duoli. He has such audacity; I'm afraid this matter is also true."

"Alas!" Yelü Xian sighed, his face ashen. "How can I face the Empress now! If this is true, what will she think of me! This...this...this bunch of scoundrels, they're infuriating! I've treated them well, yet they dare to push their luck!"

As the two were talking, the carriage and guards arrived at the prison. Yelü Xian and Yelü Xianshi got out of the carriage and led everyone into the prison!

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Save Nüli!" Nüli shouted to Yelü Xian from a distance as he entered the prison.

Reaching the cell where Nüli was imprisoned, Yelü Xian pointed at her and cursed, "You scoundrel! How have I treated you? Yet you do such a thing! Tell me, what are you really thinking?"

Upon hearing this, Nüli knew that her scheme had been exposed. Her legs went weak and she knelt down in the prison, crying, "Your Majesty, Nüli was wrong, Nüli knows she was wrong, please forgive Nüli."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Xian trembled and stood there speechless for a long time.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty." Xian Shi knew that Yelü Xian was suffering from a chronic illness and was afraid that he would get angry and trigger an attack, so he quickly called out softly from the side.

Yelü Xian ordered a chair to be brought over, and slowly sat down, tears streaming down his face. He looked at Nüli and said, "Nüli, I know you're a brainless fool, but I don't believe you would conspire with Gao Xun, Xiao Haizhi, and Xiao Haili to murder the Emperor's father-in-law, Xiao Siwen. I didn't believe you would do such a thing, which is why I came here to find out the truth. I never expected that you were really involved in this matter!"

Although Nüli was cunning and pleasure-seeking, he was also a man of action. Hearing Yelü Xian's scolding, he knelt down in the prison and cried, "Your Majesty, it's all my fault for listening to Gao Xun's words and doing such a thing. Please forgive me this time."

Looking at Nüli, Yelü Xian said, "Nüli, you have been with me the longest, so why can't you understand my thoughts? Do you think I don't know the evil deeds you've committed outside? If it weren't for our long-standing relationship, I would have already beheaded you! Yet you are so foolish as to dare to collude with others to harm the Empress's own father! Tell me, why did you do this? What deep-seated hatred do you have for Xiao Siwen that makes you treat him like this?"

"Your Majesty, it's all my fault for being blinded by greed. I couldn't stand that Xiao Siwen held the highest position among the officials just because his daughter became Empress. I saw that he had no ability but was able to wield great power, so I was foolish enough to try to harm him. Your Majesty, please forgive me this time." Nüli cried as she desperately kowtowed in the prison cell.

Yelü Xian bit his lip and said, "Nüli, it's not that I don't cherish our past relationship, it's just that you were confused and forced me to do this!"

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty,” Nuli cried out, her heart sinking at Yelü Xian’s words. “Are you really going to kill Nuli? Nuli has been by Your Majesty’s side for so many years. Are you really going to kill Nuli?”

Empress of Khitan - Empress Dowager of Khitan Chapter 71: The Demise of the Kingdom

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:54:08 Word Count: 3174

"Today you can be dissatisfied with Xiao Siwen and conspire with others to harm him. One day, you will dare to plot against me. People can change. I didn't believe it. I always thought you had suffered a lot in the past, and even if you were greedy, it was just that you were more interested in pleasure. I never expected that you would dare to do such a thing behind my back. Where do you place me?"

After Yelü Xian finished speaking, Nüli collapsed to the ground. He understood that Yelü Xian's words meant he had no way out.

"Your Majesty, I know I cannot escape death. I only want to ask Your Majesty: if the person I murdered was not the Empress's biological father, would Your Majesty still kill me?"

Slowly rising from his chair, Yelü Xian did not answer Nüli. He turned around and said, "Xianshi, execute him!"

Upon hearing this, the woman cried out, "Your Majesty, do you want me dead right now?"

Yelü Xianshi was also shocked. Was His Majesty about to kill Nüli now?

With his back to the prison cell, Yelü Xian said, "I want to return to my palace, to return to the Empress's side. If I cannot give her an explanation, how can I face the Empress who works day and night for me, managing the court and handling state affairs, and painstakingly teaching the princes? How can I face the Empress who has been so devoted to me, Yelü Xian?" Taking a deep breath, Yelü Xian shouted, "Execute!"

Upon hearing this, Yelü Xianshi shouted to the guards behind him, "Execute!"

There were no shouts, no pleas for mercy; the entire prison was unusually quiet. The guards killed Nüli without any effort, because Nüli did not struggle or resist at all.

"Your Majesty, Nüli has been executed," Yelü Xianshi reported softly, looking at Nüli's head already separated from her body in the prison.

"This matter is entrusted to you. Whoever is involved, kill them all!" After saying this, Yelü Xian turned and walked out of the prison, saying as he went, "Return to the palace!"

Unexpectedly, Yelü Xian returned to the palace in a sullen mood. He never imagined that his trusted confidant of many years would die at his own hands.

Walking slowly to the palace gate, Yelü Xian wiped his moist eyes again, not wanting Xiao Xuan to notice anything amiss. The maids opened the door, and Yelü Xian stepped inside.

Xiao Xuan had already changed her clothes and was leaning against the bed, but she didn't rest. She was very sleepy, tired, and wanted to sleep, but she wanted to wait for him to come back before she could sleep.

Seeing the door open, he walked into the room and slowly approached her. Xiaoxuan sighed and said, "It's getting late, let's rest. I ordered people to arrest the woman just to scare him and remind him not to misbehave. Tomorrow I will teach him a lesson so he will remember it, and then I will let him go."

"Yan Yan, how did you know I was troubled by matters concerning the women?"

“When I came back just now and didn’t see you, I asked the servants. They said you went out for a walk. I was worried about your health, so I asked them if anyone was with you, and they said Xianshi was with you. I sent Xianshi to search Nüli’s residence today, and it’s so late, yet you two went out together, which I found strange. I also asked the guards at the palace gate which direction the carriage went, and it happened to pass by the prison. I guessed that the matter of Nüli secretly possessing armor must be true, and that Xianshi had imprisoned her. Your relationship with Nüli is quite special, so you must have been worried about him, which is why you went to the prison to see him. Alas, I never expected that my words would cause you so much trouble.”

Looking at Xiao Xuan, Yelü Xian's lips trembled slightly as he said, "Yan Yan, he has caused a huge disaster this time."

Xiao Xuan was taken aback, and looking at Yelü Xian's unnatural expression, she asked, "What great calamity?"

Yelü Xian looked at Xiao Xuan and mustered his courage to say, "He colluded with Gao Xun to instruct Xiao Haizhi and Xiao Haili to assassinate the Emperor's father-in-law."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Yelü Xian regretted it. Why did he have to tell her? So many years had passed, why did he still have to tell her? Why didn't he keep it from her and handle everything carefully? Now he was telling her all this and hurting her. What was Yelü Xian doing?

Old Man Xiao! His mind went blank, as if struck by a heavy blow. Xiao Xuan stood there dumbfounded, speechless and expressionless. All she knew was that a pair of hands were tightly holding her, as if afraid she would suddenly disappear.

Resting her head gently on his shoulder, Xiao Xuan said, "I'm really sleepy, I'm going to sleep. Let His Majesty handle this matter. So many years have passed, who would have thought that what happened back then would be so complicated? Your Majesty, I don't know what to say, I just want Your Majesty to give my father justice." After Xiao Xuan finished speaking, she turned to lie down on the bed, but Yelü Xian held her tightly.

"You are not allowed to call me Your Majesty! Call me Xian! Are you angry with me? Nüli is someone close to me. You must hate me, hate that I can't even manage the people around me, which is why this happened, right?"

Looking at him, Xiao Xuan's eyes had lost their vitality. Yelü Xian could tell that Xiao Xuan was desperately holding back something. He heard her say wearily, "I don't hate you. This has nothing to do with you, so why would I hate you? You didn't know they would do this, did you? If you had known, you would have stopped them! So, I don't hate you. You couldn't do anything about it, and you didn't want it to happen. I know that."

"Yan Yan," Yelü Xian said, holding Xiao Xuan tightly in his arms, "I have already ordered him to be killed. I had already beheaded Nü Li before I returned. I have instructed Xian Shi to investigate this matter again and to execute everyone involved. I will definitely give you an explanation."

Xiao Xuan smiled faintly, raised her hand and gently traced Yelü Xian's cheek with her fingers, and said, "You know what? Now I only have you and the children. Xian, my father is gone, and I have fewer and fewer relatives around me. I don't want to lose anyone else."

In the candlelit room, they lay down and talked about nothing in particular. Although Yelü Xian knew that Xiao Xuan's heart was not as calm as her face, he could only feel helpless in the face of his wife who was unwilling to talk about this matter.

With Nüli dead and Gao Xun executed, everyone connected to the affair was thoroughly investigated. Xian Shi seized this opportunity to severely punish those who conspired with Nüli and Gao Xun to plot treason and disrupt the court. The atmosphere in the court improved significantly, and the plot to murder the current Empress's father, Xiao Siwen, finally came to an end.

The following year, Yelü Xian changed the reign title to Qianheng. In that same year, another blow came crashing down on Xiaoxuan.

In the first month of the lunar calendar, Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, who ascended the throne amidst the "shadow of the candle and the sound of the axe," personally led an expedition against the Northern Han, dispatching Song general Pan Mei with 100,000 troops to besiege Jinyang City. Liu Jiyuan hurriedly sent his son Liu Rang to the Liao Kingdom as a hostage in exchange for reinforcements.

In March, the Liao reinforcements general Yelü Dilie was defeated and killed by the Song general Guo Jin at Shiling Pass. The Liao army suffered heavy losses and ceased its southward advance, leaving Jinyang City isolated and without support. In April, Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, personally went to Jinyang City to oversee the battle after passing through Zhenzhou and Longzhou.

In early May, under prolonged siege and isolation, Han Dynasty officials began to surrender one after another. On May 4th, after receiving an imperial edict personally written by Zhao Guangyi, promising Liu Jiyuan a life of wealth and honor, Liu Jiyuan submitted his surrender document to Zhao Guangyi. On May 6th, Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, led his generals and soldiers to the Liancheng Terrace north of Jinyang City to accept the surrender ceremony from the Han Dynasty emperor and his officials. Among these officials was a general, Liu Jiye, who was persuaded to surrender by the Han ruler Liu Jiyuan, his face streaked with tears.

From that day on, they bid farewell to Jinyang City, and the historically existing Jinyang City was destroyed in an instant. After Zhao Guangyi gave the order, Jinyang City was engulfed in flames. The old, young, sick and disabled in the city, who were unable to escape, were also swallowed up by the sea of fire and turned into ashes.

Xiao Xuan, who had just given birth to her third daughter, Yanshou, only learned of this matter after leaving the postpartum room. She immediately ordered people to search for the whereabouts of the Liu family. The report came back saying that neither the destroyed city of Jinyang nor the former Han officials who had surrendered to the Song Dynasty had anyone named Liu Jiye or Liu Yanyu.

Xiaoxuan was heartbroken. Deep in her heart, her seemingly broken friendship with Yanyu had come to an end.

Unbeknownst to her, after surrendering, the Liu family members had been granted their original surname by Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, and their surname had been changed from Liu to Yang. From that time on, there was no longer a person named Liu Jiye in history, but there was a person named Yang Ye, and the name Liu Yanyu no longer existed, because he had changed his name to Yang Yanyu.

Empress of Khitan - Empress Dowager of Khitan Chapter 72 Old Grudges

Updated: 2008-09-20 16:54:08 Word Count: 3273

In June of the first year of the Qianheng era, after conquering Han, Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, pressed his advantage and led his troops to attack Nanjing. Yelü Xian, who was out hunting, received an urgent report from Xiao Taogu: Nanjing was besieged and the first battle had ended in defeat.

Startled, Yelü Xian hurriedly asked what had happened, only to learn that Nanjing had been besieged by the Song army for several days.

The situation was urgent, and Yelü Xian hurriedly consulted with his ministers. Some of the ministers said, "Nanjing City was acquired for nothing anyway. The Song army is currently in high spirits and has a strong army. They have besieged Nanjing for so long. If we continue to fight pointlessly, it will only increase our casualties. We think it would be better to give up."