A thousand years ago, it was an era of male superiority and inferiority, and women had to work a thousand times harder if they wanted to get ahead in the world. However, in the dark night of this era, a rare dazzling light pierced the sky, making the whole world light up. This radiant woman is Wu Zetian, the empress of the Tang Dynasty.
In the majestic Luoyang Palace, Wu Zetian listened to the government, and she became the most shining star of that era with her superior wisdom and incomparable determination. She is a woman, but she shows ambition to surpass that of men, and the story of her life is a wonderful melody that writes ancient history with passion.
Wu Zetian has the courage and wisdom that many women do not have, which makes her stand out in an era of male supremacy. She has the courage and wisdom that many women do not have, and that trick is her incomparable charm. What is it exactly?
In 628 AD, Wu Zetian, who was only sixteen years old, was elected to the harem and became the talented person of the then crown prince Li Zhi. Li Zhi was four years older than Wu Zetian and was a gentle and elegant young prince. His budding bookish atmosphere, and Wu Zetian's bright and moving demeanor, fell in love at first sight, which made a wonderful spark burst out between the two.
In this deep palace that is cold to the bone, Li Zhi's warm and sincere friendship made Wu Zetian feel the sunshine that he had not seen for a long time. She couldn't help but sprout a maternal tenderness, and took special care of this lost prince.
At first, Wu Zetian just regarded Li Zhi as a confidant he could rely on. She longs for care and recognition, and Li Zhi also needs the protection of maternal love. Such a need is especially valuable in the court where no one can get close to the living.
The two often have private meetings through palace walls, thresholds and door knockers. Li Zhi will confide in Wu Zetian and show his jerky poems;Wu Zetian will also unarm in front of Li Zhi, revealing the femininity and delicacy unique to women.
Over time, the spark of love gradually ignited in this friendship. Li Zhi would climb over the wall and enter Wu Zetian's bed in the dead of night, just to grind with her ears and temples;Wu Zetian would also ignore the palace rules, sneak out of his palace after dark, go to Li Zhi's study, and accompany him to study the classics and talk to him. There is even an intimacy between the two that transcends their identities.
In 649 AD, Li Zhi ascended the throne as emperor and was Gaozong. He summoned Wu Zetian into the palace as soon as possible, and was sympathetic and caring everywhere. The king who was shrewd in the court, when he returned to the inner court, he took off all his defenses and revealed his weakness and anxiety to Wu Zetian.
Gaozong, who had just ascended the throne, had a heavy responsibility on his shoulders, and he had to sit on that lonely and cold dragon chair, under pressure from all forces. At this moment, what he needs most is a confidant like Wu Zetian who is really good to him.
Wu Zetian did not fail in his mission, and with a gentle and considerate attitude, he became Gaozong's strongest backing. Her beauty, wisdom and connotation also made Gaozong inseparable from her. Between the two, they have long surpassed the relationship between monarchs and ministers, and have become friends who know each other and know each other.
In order to maintain the special relationship between the two, Gaozong also specially established the "Zhaorong School" and selected hundreds of beautiful and intelligent palace maids to follow him.
These Zhaorong palace ladies are all beautiful and talented, and they are for Gaozong and Wu Zetian to avoid harassment and have fun. They became the umbrella of the relationship between the two, so that Gaozong and Wu Zetian could continue to live without interference from the outside world.
In 655 AD, under the decision of Gaozong, Wu Zetian replaced Empress Wang and ascended to the throne. This is the honor she has always dreamed of, and it is also the highest reward for her many years of companionship. The identity of the empress did not change Wu Zetian's feelings for Gaozong. She was always concerned about this lonely middle-aged emperor, and was willing to stand behind him to support the entire court and even the court.
In order to repay Gaozong's kindness, Wu Zetian was diligent in government and loved the people, and he was particularly diligent and responsible when dealing with court affairs. She assisted Gaozong in formulating many policies to benefit the people, making the Tang Kingdom rich and peaceful, living and working in peace and contentment. These measures also made Gaozong see how correct the wise decision to choose Wu Zetian as the empress was in the first place.
The relationship between the two is even warmer, and they often linger in the palace. Gaozong's body has also become stronger and stronger in the past two years, and Wu Zetian's wonderful hand rejuvenation has contributed to it.
In 679 AD, Gaozong, who was plagued by wind, was gradually unable to deal with the major affairs of the court. Wu Zetian, whom he is committed to trusting, has naturally become his most solid support.
The two have shared joys and sorrows for 20 years, and Gaozong sees Wu Zetian as a relative. He knew her mind and trusted her judgment, so he did not hesitate to hand over the power to this virtuous heroine.
After the wise and martial Wu Zetian took over the power, he continued to implement the great blueprint of Gaozong during his lifetime. She chose to forbear, not to show off her outstanding political achievements in front of Gaozong, for fear that he would feel deceived. On the contrary, she would spend a lot of time with the sick Gaozong - reading, playing chess, and arguing about the Tao, so that Gaozong could feel the dignity of the master.
In 683 AD, Emperor Gaozong passed away. Before dying, he held Wu Zetian's hand and shed tears, expressing his lifelong attachment and reluctance to her.
As Gaozong's most trusted empress, Wu Zetian became the supervisor of the crown prince Li Zhe. Three years later, with the support of her ministers, she miraculously became the first female emperor.
Even though he was already at the top of the Forbidden City, Wu Zetian still remembered the alliance with Gaozong. She hid the utensils they had used and carefully protected them for the lonely nightsShe would also regularly pay homage to Gaozong's mausoleum, reminiscing about the tenderness and sweetness that could not be passed down with him.
Along the way, Wu Zetian gained not only power, but also a sincere affection that transcended the barrier of identity, and this sweet fruit made her more determined and satisfied on the last thorny road.
History is like a grand love story. When we admire Wu Zetian's extraordinary move to create a prosperous world, we must not forget the wisp of tenderness in her original heart - what cannot be seen clearly with secular eyes, the spiritual fit between Wu Zetian and Gaozong. This is the true love that surpasses the glory of imperial power, and it is the most moving and rare treasure in the world.
History is fascinating because of its myriad stories, and the women in power in it are vivid notes on the pages of history books. Two women, each holding political power, shaped different eras, however, because of the unique personalities of these two women and their choices as rulers, their stories are destined to be controversial by future generations.