During Emperor Xiaozhao's Reign
Emperor Xiaozhao was considered filially pious, and when once she became ill, he attended her for 40 days without resting. On another occasion, when she was suffering from unbearable chest pain, he inflicted pain on his own palms—then considered a way to transfer pain from her to him.
In 561, Emperor Xiaozhao, fearful of astrological signs that appear to indicate that the former Emperor Fei would return to the throne, put him to death. When soon thereafter, Emperor Xiaozhao had a riding accident and suffered a severe injury, Empress Dowager Lou attended to him, but as she did, she asked where the Prince of Ji'nan was. When Emperor Xiaozhao was unable to answer, she angrily stated, "Is it not that you killed him? You did not listen to me, and you deserve to die." She walked out without returning. He died soon thereafter, after issuing an edict passing the throne to Gao Dan, who then took the throne as Emperor Wucheng. Empress Dowager Lou continued to be empress dowager.
Read more about this topic: Empress Dowager Lou Zhaojun
Famous quotes containing the words emperor and/or reign:
“In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.”
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 2:1.
“Nature seemed to have adorned herself for our departure with a profusion of fringes and curls, mingled with the bright tints of flowers, reflected in the water. But we missed the white water-lily, which is the queen of river flowers, its reign being over for this season.... Many of this species inhabit our Concord water.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)