The first person Wu Zetian met was Xue Huaiyi. Xue Huaiyi, whose original name was Feng Xiaobao, was from Hubei (now Yuxian County, Shaanxi Province). He traveled around the world and developed a strong body, which was rugged but somewhat handsome.
The daughter of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty discovered this majestic warrior by chance. She immediately sent someone to summon him to the palace, bathed and changed his clothes in person, and kept him for a few days before dedicating him to Wu Zetian, who had been widowed for many years and was getting angry from loneliness. . Xiaobao was just over 30 years old. He was very good at sleeping and was favored by Zetian. In order to allow Feng Xiaobao to come and go in the harem in a reasonable manner, Wu Zetian accepted the princess's plan and turned Feng Xiaobao into a monk. He decorated the famous White Horse Temple in Luoyang, made him the host, and asked him to study Buddhist classics, which not only concealed his identity but also cultivated his temperament. , cultivate the ability to participate in politics. He also changed his name to Huaiyi and gave him the surname Xue, so that Princess Taiping's husband, Prince Consort Xue Shao, would treat him like an uncle.
Xue Huaiyi is not satisfied with being a full-time bed attendant. He is extremely smart about everything. In the fourth year of Chui Gong (688), Xue Huaiyi was ordered to supervise the construction of Mingtang and Tiantang, which cost tens of thousands of dollars. The buildings are majestic and gorgeous, which is eye-popping. Xue Huaiyi was promoted to the third rank of Zuowuwei General due to his meritorious service, and was granted the title of Duke of Liang. He also served as the general manager many times, commanding the army and conducting expeditions against the Turks. Taking advantage of the popular belief in Maitreya Buddha at that time, he compiled four volumes of the "Dayun Sutra" with monks such as Faming and dedicated it to Wu Zetian, saying that Wu Zetian was the descendant of Maitreya Buddha and should replace the Tang Dynasty as the emperor. This provided Wu Zetian with an ideological weapon to fight against the Confucian theory of male superiority and female inferiority, and helped him ascend to the throne legitimately.
Later, the imperial doctor Shen Nanmiao became Wu Zetian's new male favorite, and Xue Huaiyi was ignored. This made him so jealous that he burned down the Mingtang that he supervised and built at a cost of tens of millions. The ministers all demanded that Xue Huaiyi be severely punished, but Wu Zetian did not pursue the case. Xue Huaiyi became increasingly arrogant, and finally Wu Zetian ordered someone to assassinate him.
Later, the imperial doctor Shen Nanmiao became Wu Zetian's new male favorite, and Xue Huaiyi was ignored. This made him so jealous that he burned down the Mingtang that he supervised and built at a cost of tens of millions. The ministers all demanded that Xue Huaiyi be severely punished, but Wu Zetian did not pursue the case. Xue Huaiyi became increasingly arrogant, and finally Wu Zetian ordered someone to assassinate him.
In her later years, Wu Zetian benefited greatly from the careful service of her male favorites Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong brothers. She was very grateful for the dedication of the Zhang brothers. They were awarded senior officials and entrusted with state affairs, and became her most trusted people in her later years.
Brothers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were from Yifeng, Zhongshan (now Anguo, Hebei Province). Their grandfather Zhang Xingcheng served as prime minister in the late Zhenfeng period, and he was considered to be from a famous family. After Xue Huaiyi was killed, the imperial doctor Shen Nanmiao became the male favorite. However, Shen was already over middle age and could not meet Wu Zetian's requirements. Wu Zetian, who was in her 70s, fell into loneliness and boredom again. She was moody and had a bad temper, scolding the maids at every turn.
The daughter still understands her mother’s concerns. In the second year of Long Live Tongtian (697), Princess Taiping brought the beautiful young man Zhang Changzong to Wu Zetian. Zhang Changzong was smart and proficient in music. He performed a song on the spot and then embraced each other into the inner room. Wu Zetian was very satisfied with his stay. Half a month later, Zhang Changzong recommended his brother Zhang Yizhi to Wu Zetian, saying that his brother was more experienced in sleeping. Wu Zetian was indeed satisfied. From then on, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong were like princes. They accompanied Emperor Wu to court every day. After the Queen finished attending the political affairs, they would accompany the Queen in the harem. Under the almost doting favor of Emperor Zetian, the power of this pair of beautiful young men quickly expanded. The powerful officials in the court, such as Wu Chengsi, Wu Sansi, Wu Yizong, Zong Chuke, Zong Jinqing and others, rushed to show their favor.
Wu Zetian favored brother Zhang Changzong in his later years. Whenever she enjoyed the dreamlike intoxication, she would pity brother Zhang Changzong's widowed mother and wanted to find a suitable person for her.
As a result of Wu Zetian's search, she selected Li Jiongxiu, the minister of Fengge. Li Jiongxiu has been famous since he was a child. Both his grandfather and father served as governors, and he came from a noble family. However, his mother came from a poor background and did not even know her last name, but she was a rare beauty. When she was a maid in the Li family, she was favored by her master and gave birth to Li Jiongxiu. Possibly due to his mother's bloodline, Li Jiongxiu also has a handsome face and looks talented. He was quite talented in literature, liked to make friends, recited poems when he wanted to, and never hesitated to drink wine, but he never had sex because of drinking. He was known as the most elegant person in the contemporary era.
Emperor Zetian was very fond of Li Yunxiu, who had outstanding talents, character, and appearance. Therefore, he and his mother were occasionally called to the palace and given generous treatment. As a maid-born mother, Li Jongxiu felt very grateful to the emperor for enjoying such treatment. When he knew that the emperor was going to marry Zhang Changzong's mother, Azang, he was very troubled. He already had a wife and concubines, and the gift given to him was a young beauty. He might be a little excited, but he didn't want to violate the imperial edict and bring misfortune to his family and himself. What's more, considering the emperor's favor to his mother, he had to accept this order no matter what. Moreover, he was not completely disappointed: the mothers of the two beautiful boys who could make men's hearts flutter even when they looked at them must also be beauties with outstanding looks.
But after seeing Azang himself, Li Jongxiu couldn't help but become furious. Looking closely, the eyes and noses are somewhat similar to those of the two brothers, but it makes people wonder how such a mother could have given birth to Zhang Changzong with gold carvings and jade carvings. Although Azang is wearing luxurious clothes, she is just a middle-aged woman with no sense of beauty, like an old and decrepit woman in the market. Even if she is not good-looking, if she is graceful, well-educated and funny, she may be able to make Li Jiongxiu feel sympathy or some kind of sympathy, and she can live in harmony with her. However, because his son was favored by the emperor, Azang only wore gold and silver, and put on heavy makeup in a rustic manner on his wrinkled face. He was also afraid that Li Jongxiu, who had been rumored for a while, would look down on him. It makes people afraid to learn. Li Jongxiu showed extreme disgust and contempt when he first saw her. Azang saw this and was very unhappy. Despite this, due to the edict, he had to endure it and keep Azang at home. However, Li Jongxiu often used the excuse of being busy with government affairs to be physically and mentally exhausted, or inviting friends to his home, composing poems and drinking until midnight, or going home on the excuse that Visiting my mother, try my best not to be alone with Azang. Due to the mental pain, Li Jiongxiu became physically ill and lost weight day by day. Azang couldn't bear it and told the emperor the truth through his son, saying that Li Jiongxiu looked down on her and asked for a "divorce." In this way, Feng Jiong, a scholar, got rid of this displeased woman, but was moved to Yanzhou as the governor.