Know all about the secrets of the harem

Chapter 28
Two years later, the king of Wusun drove to the west, and his grandson Cen Yang succeeded to the throne.There is a strange custom in the Wusun Kingdom. In addition to inheriting all the property of the predecessor, the new king also inherits all his wives and concubines.In the eyes of the etiquette Western Han Dynasty, this custom was incest, and Liu Xijun firmly refused.She wrote to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to complain: "My majestic princess of the Han Dynasty, it is really absurd to do something worse than a beast that damages the image of the country. I also ask His Majesty to recall me and live a normal life." Gu Quan Emperor Wu of the Han said in a perfunctory way: "For the sake of the country's peace, you should stay well. I will take you back when the Xiongnu is defeated in the future. Don't be restless." Liu Xijun saw that Emperor Wu of Han didn't care about himself. He sighed and wiped his tears to remarry the new king, Cen Yang.This "disgraceful" marriage barely lasted for a few years, and Liu Xijun gave birth to a daughter for Cen Yang, who died in a foreign land due to postpartum disorders.

It is a pity that Liu Xijun, as a poet, has too few works handed down from generation to generation.And her death is a sad tragedy.Liu Xijun's death can be summed up in three points: first, the match between young and old ruined her youth.It is said that the Wusun king who married Liu Xijun was an old man, and the two could not communicate emotionally, and their married life was even more pitiful.The second point is that the intrigue all day caused her huge psychological pressure.Liu Xijun and King Wusun belonged to a political marriage. When they arrived in Wusun Kingdom, they had no blessings.The third point is that the change of identity made him feel depressed.Marry grandpa first, then grandson.Calling grandson first and then husband, this absurd change is a great shame to Liu Xijun, who pays attention to ethics.As long as you are a normal person, there is no mood that is not depressed.After Liu Xijun's death, what kind of reaction Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty made is not recorded in the history books.However, the three historical firsts created by Liu Xijun made her famous forever, which can be regarded as a blessing in disguise.The first item is that Liu Xijun is the first princess of the Han family whose marriage was recorded in the annals of history by historians, and is also the No. 1 marriage success.In the second item, Liu Xijun is known as one of the founders of Chinese pipa for playing a strange instrument and singing her original composition "Song of Sadness".Duan Anjie of the Tang Dynasty clearly pointed out in "Yuefu Miscellaneous Records": "The pipa was first made by Princess Wusun..." It can be said that the craftsmanship of the pipa comes from the hands of craftsmen, but Liu Xijun is the designer of its musical principles. and reviewers.The third item is that Chinese poetry before the Han Dynasty was mostly "poetry expressing ambition", but the emergence of "Sorrowful Song" invented the poetic concept of "poetry expressing emotion", which pushed Chinese poetry a step forward.It can be seen that Liu Xijun is also the founder of Chinese lyric poetry.

After the death of Liu Xijun, the Han Dynasty sent the granddaughter of Liu Wu of Chu, Jieyou, to marry Jun Xumi, and continued to maintain the alliance between the two countries.

In the first two years of Emperor Xuan (72 BC), the Huns were angry with Wusun and pro-Han, and sent troops to attack.Wusun sent envoys to the Han Dynasty for help, and the Han Dynasty sent 15 troops to attack the Xiongnu in five ways.Wusun Kunmi personally led 5 cavalry from the western Turks, forming a joint attack, and the Xiongnu were driven away.Since then, the power of the Xiongnu has declined, and the north of the Han Dynasty has gained peace and tranquility.As the founder and implementer of the Han-Ukrainian alliance, Liu Xijun's painstaking efforts and achievements have finally borne the fruits of victory.

According to the records of "Hanshu", there are still several people whose names can be tested for the married women in the Western Han Dynasty, but Liu Xijun is No.1 who really succeeded.During the time of Emperor Wen, Liu Wengzhu, the daughter of the patriarch, was sent as the Xiongnu Chanyu Yanshi (like the queen of the Han Dynasty). Due to the betrayal of the Han envoy Zhongxing, this marriage failed.72 years after Liu Xijun married Wusun, in the first year of Jingning (33 BC), Emperor Han Yuan granted the Hun Shanyu Huhanxie the marriage of the palace queen Zhaojun.At that time, the Xiongnu had been divided for a long time, and the king's power was shrinking day by day. Hu Hanxie humbly resigned and begged for marriage, and insisted on the courtesy of his son-in-law to serve the Han.In short, as far as historical facts are concerned, Wang Zhaojun's departure and marriage is actually the aftermath and legacy of Liu Xijun's career. Comparable.Therefore, when people miss Wang Zhaojun, they should never forget the name and achievements of her forerunner Liu Xijun.

Wang Zhaojun: Wild Geese Falling to the North

It seems that all the beauties are unlucky, and it seems that the shocking appearance was born in a commoner's family, which seems to be the beginning of misfortune.Zhaojun got married and ruined a weak woman's life, in exchange for the peace of the Central Plains.The beauty is still the same, but separated by the sky full of yellow sand.The sound of geese hooting is your sadness.I miss the beautiful mountains and rivers of my hometown, but I can't return to the place where you came like a migratory bird.When the beauty is covered by yellow sand, only the sound of the pipa remains the same.That is your resentment, and it is also my sadness.

The Separation and Reunion of the Great Han and the Huns
Before Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu had always maintained a peaceful relationship, and there were basically no major wars.As a result, the economy of the Han Dynasty was restored, and in a peaceful environment, the excellent situation of "Government of Wen and Jing" was achieved.

This situation changed after Emperor Wu of the Han came to the throne.

After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty succeeded to the throne, in the sixth year of Jianyuan (135 BC), at the suggestion of some ministers, he made a peace with the Xiongnu, and then entered a state of war.Until the death of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty for nearly 50 years, the Han Dynasty never made peace with the Huns.

Since Wei Qing and Huo Qubing defeated the Xiongnu, the Xiongnu asked the Han for peace many times. As Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, who had already won a major victory over the Xiongnu, at this time, if he used military force as the backing and peace as a bridge, the Han and Xiongnu would definitely appear. This new peaceful situation is beneficial to both parties.

However, Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty did not have the sincerity to make peace with the Huns at all, but proposed additional conditions to the Huns that the Huns were unwilling to accept: "That is, if you want to make peace, use Prince Shanyu as a pledge to the Han." The old covenant. The old covenant, the Han often sent the Lord Weng to give Zenxu food and quality to make peace, and the Xiongnu would no longer disturb the border. Now I want to go against the ancients, and make my prince a hostage, and there are not many." It can be seen that the Han Dynasty made a request to the Xiongnu. It is inappropriate to deal with relatives.

The subsequent war with the Huns had a lot to do with this inappropriate handling.As a result, although the Han Dynasty was victorious, it was also exhausted, causing the people to fall into disaster, the treasury was empty, and the economy was difficult to recover for a long time.

During the period of Emperor Zhao and Emperor Xuan, the Han Dynasty was still strong, and of course there was no act of marriage.At this time, civil strife broke out in the Xiongnu, and they were divided into five tribes, attacking and killing each other.

In this civil strife, Hu Hanxie Shanyu and Zhizhi Shanyu fought fiercely, and finally Zhizhi Shanyu defeated Huhanxie Shanyu and occupied a vast area of ​​Mobei.Hu Hanxie Shanyu's situation is very difficult.At this time, King Zuo Yizhizi persuaded him to "become a minister and serve the Han Dynasty, and seek help from the Han Dynasty".But Hu Hanxie's other subordinates resolutely opposed it. They believed: "The ministers serve in the Han, and the humiliation comes first, and they are laughed at by all countries! Why do they grow back to the barbarians!" King Zuo Yizhizi strongly opposed all opinions and insisted "The Han Dynasty will survive today, and the Han Dynasty will perish if nothing happens." Hu Hanxie Shanyu deeply agreed with this point, so he sent his son Youxian King Zhu Louqutang to worship in the Han Dynasty in the first year of Ganlu (53 BC).Two years later, Hu Hanxie personally went to Chang'an to meet Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty, and the Han Dynasty "favored him with special ceremonies.

Zhizhi Shanyu, who was still in Mobei, saw that the Han Dynasty sent troops to help Hu Hanxie, so he broke with the Han Dynasty, did not come to worship, and developed westward. In the third year of Jianzhao (36 years ago), he was killed by Gan Yanshou and Chen Tang.In this way, the hostile forces between the Xiongnu and Han were finally eliminated.

Zhizhi was killed, and Hu Hanxie was overjoyed and frightened. He wrote to the Han Dynasty, expressing his willingness to meet Emperor Han Yuan.In the first year of Jingning (33 years ago), Hu Hanxie arrived in Chang'an for the third time, and the Han Dynasty "gifted him the same gift as before, and added clothes, brocade and silk fabrics, all of which were twice as long as Huanglong's."During his stay in Chang'an, Hu Hanxie "said he wanted to take a Han daughter and become the son-in-law of the Han family".Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty then ordered Wang Zhaojun to go out of the fortress and marry him.

It was at this time that Emperor Han Yuan changed the year name to "Jingning" in an attempt to obtain long-term peace.At this time, Han and Hungary have been in a state of war for more than 100 years, and the people have paid too much pain and price for this.Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty sent Wang Zhaojun out of the fortress to make peace, which continued the history of peace between Han and Xiong, and entered the era of peace between the north and the south, and between Han and Xiong, and the people no longer had to bear the suffering of war.

In the past, when the Western Han made marriages with the Xiongnu and various Hans in the Western Regions, they all pretended to be princesses to marry Fan Wang, but Wang Zhaojun took on the task of making marriages as a civilian girl. Sympathy and concern have become a major event known to everyone, and literati and inkmen often describe, chant, and praise her, making Wang Zhaojun's deeds widely spread.

In addition to classics such as "Hanshu", "Qin Cao", "Xijing Miscellaneous Notes", "Yuefu Ancient Titles and Explanations", which have detailed records of Wang Zhaojun's deeds, there are 503 poems written for Wang Zhaojun by poets and poets of all dynasties. In addition, there are countless novels, plays, etc.

Zhaojun enters the palace and commits a villain

Wang Zhaojun, whose first name is Qiang, whose courtesy name is Zhaojun, and whose baby name is Haoyue, is a Han nationality, one of the "Four Great Beauties" in ancient China, and a court lady during the Yuan Dynasty.Wang Zhaojun was born in the famous Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, a place called Zigui, where the river is rushing, roaring day and night, with cliffs and jagged rocks on both sides.During the Warring States Period, there was a famous person here, that is Qu Yuan.When Wang Zhaojun was born, it was in the glorious and prosperous age of the Han Dynasty, and the people had plenty of food and clothing, but Zigui was relatively remote. Wang Zhaojun's father, with two sons and a daughter, and his wife, cultivated a few pitifully small hillsides and planted some miscellaneous grains. To make ends meet, they still live a hard life with barely enough food and clothing.Sometimes it is necessary to subsidize the household for the boats going up the river.

Although life is hard, the whole family is happy and peaceful, and more importantly, they can always maintain the traditions of their ancestors, and they have not forgotten that they were also respected Shili family.Wang Zhaojun has an elder brother named Wang Xin, and a younger brother named Wang Sa. It is not her turn to do hard work. In addition to following her mother to learn female celebrities, she also read and practiced calligraphy under the supervision of her father. Although she grew up in a remote village, But she has the demeanor of a lady.

In the first year of Emperor Jianzhao of the Han Yuan Dynasty, he issued an edict to recruit beautiful women from all over the world to supplement the harem. Wang Zhaojun was 28 years old, like an orchid in an empty valley, so he was naturally selected for the palace.

Thousands of beauties were selected from all over the country, and the emperor could not meet them one by one. First, the painter Mao Yanshou painted a portrait and presented it to the imperial audience.Those who came from wealthy families, or had relatives and friends in the capital to support them, used all kinds of channels to bribe painters, but Wang Zhaojun's family background was poor, and he was so self-confident that he was unable to bribe, and he didn't bother to deceive the emperor.This made Mao Yanshou feel very uncomfortable, not only painted her very mediocre, but also got a huge black mole on her cheek.When Emperor Han Yuan saw Wang Zhaojun's portrait, he was disgusted and thought she was an unreal woman. Therefore, five years later, she was still a court lady waiting to be edicted.

Five years is not a short period of time, and it is a little longer than the time it takes to study a university undergraduate now.In addition to some light work in the palace, Wang Zhaojun has too much spare time to read and write, sing and dance, study rhythm and painting, constantly enrich and hone himself.However, when I dream back at midnight, I can't help but feel desolate and lonely. The beautiful years are disappearing inch by inch.

It is the late autumn season when the fallen leaves are lost and the autumn insects are moaning.Thinking of the river water in Xiling Gorge, and the time when the family reunited happily for five days, I feel so sad.Take the pipa casually.While playing and humming, what I can't sing is nostalgia:
One watch, the most heartbroken, my parents love me like a treasure, hard to find at home and happy world; now everything is there, pearls are new, lambs and wine can't be enjoyed, remembering my homeland is full of tears.In the second watch, think carefully, bear to leave your family and think for three thousand miles, who do you rely on when your parents are old?There is no news from the palace, and I miss Zhaojun day and night, day and night, and my mind is uncertain, and I only hope to go to Beijing to see the court.In the middle of the night, it's midnight.Evening and moonlit nights are full of sorrow and sorrow, and the tent is lonely and sleepless; lovesickness is endless, life-threatening marriages are cut off, spring, summer, autumn and winter people are wasted, and infatuation is also pitiful.In the fourth watch, suffering, misery, tearful, concubine's life is bitter and heartbroken; I hate Mao Yanshou, the paintbrush deceives the king, I was lucky to be a phoenix when I was not called, and I suffered desolation in the cold palace.In the fifth watch, dreams are hard to come true.The inner courtyard of the deep palace is deserted and deserted, a good night is thrown away all night, parents fantasize about their daughter, and the daughter also misses her relatives a lot. Fate is so helpless, and I sigh that life is fixed.

This is the famous "Five Watches of Lament".Full of resentment, infinite sentimentality, mixed with strong nostalgia and a little bit of longing.Wang Zhaojun passed the long night and the day after day without a sound, depressed, "sighing that life has a certainty".However, the fact is that fate is always impermanent.

The willows are dark and the flowers are bright, and the Huns

In the first year of Emperor Jingning of the Han and Yuan Dynasties, Shanyu Huhanxie, the Hun of the South, came to make a pilgrimage, and Wang Zhaojun's fate changed unexpectedly.The relationship between the Xiongnu and the Han Dynasty was good and bad. This year, the Xiongnu had civil strife and was divided into two branches. The Shanyu led the Northern Xiongnu, and the Huhanxie Shanyu led the Southern Xiongnu.Taking advantage of this opportunity, Gan Yanshou, the guardian of the Western Regions of the Han Dynasty, defeated the Northern Huns and executed the Shanyu. The Southern Huns, Hu Hanxie Shanyu, was overjoyed and fearful, and quickly wrote a letter requesting to come to Chang'an for a pilgrimage as a vassal. .

Hu Hanxie came to Chang'an with a large number of furs and horses as tribute, and he was very respectful to Emperor Han Yuan.Emperor Han Yuan was very happy, and arranged a large banquet to entertain this "distinguished guest" who came from afar. During the banquet, Han Xie made a request of "willing to be the son-in-law of the heavenly dynasty".Emperor Hanyuan was happy to detain Hu Hanxie in this way, and was even happier. He was so happy that he decided to let him meet the beauties of the harem before marrying the princess, so as to scare him. The beauties come to drink wine.

The clever girl immediately realized the importance of this matter, and this was a good opportunity to attract the emperor's attention.Now or never.One by one put on heavy makeup and light makeup, hoping to win the emperor's favor.The ladies of the court filed in one after another, and they were really gorgeous, charming and graceful, colorful sleeves were coming and going on the table, and the fragrance was wafting in the banquet.Never had the King of the Xiongnu seen such a colorful scene, he couldn't help but be fascinated and forget himself.Suddenly he saw a beautiful woman who stood out like a little red in the green bushes, and he was shocked by her beauty.The clever Hu Hanxie immediately proposed to Emperor Han Yuan: "I am willing to be the son-in-law of the heavenly dynasty. I don't have to insist on a princess, just choose one of these beauties."

Emperor Han Yuan thought to himself: Originally, he had to look for a clan princess, but now he had to choose among the maids waiting for edict, wouldn't it save a lot of trouble.So he replied casually: "Whoever you like, you will be the one." Hu Hanxie was so happy, he shouted: "It's her!" Emperor Han Yuan looked down his hand, but It is a gift to see a peerless beauty.In front of Emperor Han Yuan, the court lady waiting for an edict, with cloudy hair and misty temples, is radiant, with two black eyebrows frowning slightly, revealing a trace of resentment, so beautiful!But the emperor's golden words, can't go back on his word.

The banquet was over, and Hu Hanxie returned to the post house in high spirits.He was about to choose auspicious occasions to marry the beauty of the Han Palace, but the Emperor Han Yuan returned to the harem in dismay. He found the album of maids waiting to be ordered, and turned to Wang Zhaojun's portrait. He saw that the portrait was very different from himself. There was no mole!In an instant, Emperor Han Yuan turned his remorse for losing Wang Zhaojun into anger at Mao Yanshou, the painter, and immediately sent his order to investigate thoroughly, only to realize that it was Mao Yanshou who failed to extort bribes, and deliberately painted Wang Zhaojun's beautiful face into clay sculptures and wood carvings. A mediocre woman beheaded Mao Yanshou for the crime of deceiving the emperor. Later generations have their own comments on this matter.

It has been heard that the master of the Han Dynasty beheaded the painter, so why should the painter decide Yan Yan?
There are many flowery girls in the palace, but you don't know if you don't marry Shan Yujun.

It means that although Mao Yanshou was doing something wrong, Emperor Han Yuan was too confused.Just as Wang Anshi said: "It's still the same with the ears and eyes, and Wanli'an can control the barbarians." In any case, the feelings of guilt, remorse, pity and unwillingness to part with Wang Zhaojun surged in the heart of Emperor Han Yuan, and he wanted to keep him. As the king of a country, how can it be trifling to make promises in public?Emperor Yuan could only reluctantly give up.

Escorted by officials from the Han Dynasty and the Xiongnu, Wang Zhaojun set off for the Huns. The helpless Emperor Hanyuan prepared a very rich dowry for Wang Zhaojun: [-] pieces of silk, [-] pieces of gold, and gold and jade. and other valuables.In addition, Zhaojun also brought many grains, fruits, and vegetable seeds that the Huns did not have, as well as medicinal materials and silkworm eggs, as well as a large number of medicines, tree planting, engineering technology, and calendar books.

On the day of departure, Wang Zhaojun dressed up in military attire, with a heroic air in his charming, bid farewell to the emperor towards Weiyang Palace. With a strange emotion, he took a last look at Chang'an, and mounted his horse with a pipa in his arms.A team composed of the Huns and the guards sent by the imperial court passed through Chang'an Avenue mightily. Shanyu, the old Hun, all sighed for it.

Wang Zhaojun married Hu Hanxie thousands of miles away, crossed the Yellow River, and crossed the mountains.Along the way, the yellow sand filled the sky, and seeing the wild geese flying far away, Wang Zhaojun missed his hometown and relatives even more, and played the strings with emotion. The song "Exiting the Fortress" was full of Wang Zhaojun's infinite sadness, strong nostalgia and hope for the future. Dazed and tearful.The wild geese in the sky heard the sound of the zither and saw the peerless face of Wang Zhaojun on the horse, but they forgot to fly their wings and fell on the flat sand.From then on, Wang Zhaojun had the swan song of "Pingsha Luoyan", and Zhaojun also had the reputation of "Luoyan".

Ning Huyan's family, shining through the ages
Wang Zhaojun arrived in the Xiongnu in the early summer of the second year, and received a grand welcome from the Huns. In the tents, there were lights and festoons, and there was joy. Queen).Hu Hanxie Shanyu did not "only know how to bend bows and shoot big eagles", on the contrary, he was a genuinely mild-mannered man with a somewhat chivalrous heart.

Old couples and young wives, accommodating in every possible way to win her favor.However, Hu Jia mourned, galloping horses galloped, drank fishy food and ate mutton, and lived in a foreign land, making Wang Zhaojun always yearn for his homeland.The so-called: When the Han envoys returned to the court to send messages, when will the gold redeem the eyebrows?If the king asks about the color of his concubine, it is not as good as when he was in the palace.

(End of this chapter)