The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 334 Following the will of Heaven and the people, Liu Xie abdicates; the Liu family line continues, Liu Bei ascends the throne.

"Alas, you have truly caused me great suffering!"

Upon hearing Liu Bei's words of sentiment, the ministers, led by Li Yi, were overjoyed.

"So His Majesty has already agreed?"

"Hey! The emperor is still alive, so please call me Your Majesty."

Liu Bei hurriedly stopped them, but seeing that he could not go against the will of the crowd, he finally sighed and raised his hand to signal everyone to stand up.

"Since you gentlemen have recommended me to succeed to the throne, I dare not refuse."

"However, there is one thing I must say first."

Everyone held their breath and listened intently.

Liu Bei solemnly said:
"When Emperor Gaozu entered Guanzhong, he established three laws: those who kill shall be put to death, and those who injure or steal shall be punished."

"Today, I should also follow the example of our ancestors and agree with you all on three rules."

Zhang Fei shouted loudly:

"As long as my brother is willing to become emperor, what difference does it make if we agree to three laws or even thirty?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Guan Yu tugged at Zhang Fei's sleeve, signaling him to be quiet.

Li Yi also looked at him, and Zhang Fei then retreated back into the crowd.

Liu Bei then held up three fingers and said:

"Firstly, the Han emperor and empress must not be harmed."

"All members of the royal family should be treated with great respect."

Secondly, former officials of the court must not be bullied.

Those who wish to stay may stay, and those who wish to leave may leave.

Thirdly, merchants and common people should not be plundered.

"Anyone who dares to disturb the peace will be dealt with according to military law!"

The crowd responded in unison, "We will obey the king's command!"

Liu Bei looked around and his gaze settled on Jian Yong:
"Xianhe, you must immediately ride back to Luoyang and explain this matter to the court officials."

Jian Yongzheng bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty, I shall depart immediately."

Liu Bei then instructed:

"Remember, you must first see the emperor and explain that this is not your own intention, but rather the will of the people that is difficult to defy."

Jian Yong nodded:
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

Having said that, he mounted his horse and rode away in a cloud of dust.

……

Luoyang, the Imperial Palace.

Wang Lang and Hua Xin entered together to meet the Emperor.

At this moment, Liu Xie was writing at his desk. When he saw the two people enter, he didn't even look up.

He simply said:

"You are here."

Wang Lang and Hua Xin exchanged a glance, both surprised and suspicious.

Hua Xin tentatively asked:

"Did His Majesty know we were coming?"

Liu Xie put down his pen, looked up at the two men, and smiled slightly.
“Ever since I left Linzi, I knew this day would come.”

He shook his head slightly. "It's just a little earlier than I expected."

Wang Lang's forehead was beaded with sweat, while Hua Xin composed herself and stepped forward:
"Since Your Majesty already knows, then let this old minister explain the matter."

He cleared his throat and said loudly:
"Now that the Han dynasty is in decline, Your Majesty and the King of Qi are both descendants of the Han dynasty and the descendants of Emperor Gaozu."

"Only by handing the throne over to the Prince of Qi can Your Majesty revive the Han Dynasty."

"Isn't this exactly what His Majesty wanted to see?"

Wang Lang quickly chimed in:

"Indeed, the trend is irreversible."

"Now the hearts of the people are with the King of Qi. Your Majesty must not make a mistake."

After listening quietly, Liu Xie suddenly asked:
"What would happen if I abdicated?"

Hua Xin quickly said:
"King Qi is benevolent and virtuous; he will surely treat Your Majesty well."

"It is also."

Wang Lang added from the side.

"King Qi will surely make a three-point agreement with his subordinates, clearly forbidding them from harming members of the royal family."

"Your Majesty can rest assured."

Liu Xie chuckled and was about to speak when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the hall.

Jian Yong hurriedly entered, knelt down, and reported:
"Your Majesty, the Prince of Qi was 'donned the dragon robe' by the generals in Pingjin, and everyone is urging the Prince of Qi to succeed to the throne."

"However, this was not King Qi's original intention, but rather the will of the people was difficult to defy..."

Liu Xie raised his hand to interrupt: "Minister Jian, there's no need for further words."

He stood up and straightened his clothes.

"It seems that all of this is fate."

Turning to the imperial desk, Liu Xie picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote on the silk that had already been laid out.

After writing, he took out the Imperial Seal of the State and stamped it down heavily.

"deliver an imperial order."

Liu Xie's voice was unusually calm.

"I command all civil and military officials to accompany me out of the city to welcome the new emperor."

After the imperial edict was issued, all the old Han officials who were still loyal to Liu Xie sighed and wept.

But as everyone knows, the trend is irreversible.

Everyone wiped away their tears and accompanied Liu Xie to the outskirts of Luoyang City.

Liu Xie, dressed in a ceremonial robe with twelve imperial symbols and wearing a crown that reached the heavens, led his civil and military officials in a line to await him.

Dust and smoke rose in the distance, and the sound of horses' hooves thundered; Liu Bei was about to arrive with his troops.

As the imperial carriage approached, Liu Bei saw the emperor's entourage in the distance, hurriedly dismounted, and quickly stepped forward.

Before he could even perform the proper rites, he first removed the dragon robe from his shoulder, presented it to Liu Xie with both hands, and prostrated himself on the ground, weeping:
"Your Majesty! I deserve to die ten thousand times! This is absolutely not my intention."

"In truth, the soldiers coerced us into complying, and we had no choice but to obey."

Liu Xie refused to accept the dragon robe, and instead reached out to help Liu Bei up.

Their eyes met; Liu Bei's eyes were filled with tears, while Liu Xie remained calm.

"King Qi."

Liu Xie said softly, "How can there be two emperors in the world?"

"And the King of Qi is clearly a more suitable candidate than I am."

He took a deep breath and sighed deeply:

"There is something that the King of Qi may not know."

“Last night, when the banquet ended, Prime Minister Li came to see me alone.”

"Although he did not mention this matter in detail, I had already guessed it at the time."

Ziyu?

Liu Bei glanced at Li Yi behind him, his eyes seeming to say, "Just how many things has the Prime Minister been hiding from me?"

Li Yi avoided Liu Bei's gaze and simply led the ministers to respectfully bow to the emperor.

“My dear minister, there’s no need to make things difficult for Prime Minister Li.”

Liu Xie frowned slightly and let out a sigh:
"Last night, Prime Minister Li said something to me that has benefited me greatly."

"Li Xiangyan said—"

"The Han dynasty may perish, but the world must not perish."

"But if there are heroes who can restore our land and save the people, then we should take the land and make ourselves the rulers of the people."

"The world does not belong to one person, but to all people."

"I am powerless to save the people of this world, but then I thought..."

"Rather than handing over the Han dynasty to outsiders, it would be better to entrust it to my imperial family."

"At least the Han dynasty will not perish in my hands."

Before Liu Bei could reply, Liu Xie had already taken the dragon robe and personally draped it over Liu Bei's shoulders.

His movements were steady, just as skillful as when he crowned Liu Bei as King of Qi in Chendu.

“Look up,” Liu Xie said.

Liu Bei subconsciously looked up and saw that Liu Xie's gaze was calm and without a trace of resentment.

Those eyes, which were once filled with fear and anxiety, are now crystal clear.

Liu Xie straightened Liu Bei's collar, then suddenly pressed down on his shoulder and whispered:

"This Han dynasty's empire... is now in your hands."

Before the words were even finished, all the officials behind him knelt down in unison:
"Your subjects pay homage to the new emperor! Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor!"

The sound shook the heavens and startled all the birds in the city.

Liu Bei stared blankly at Liu Xie, only to see the young "former emperor" take three steps back, straighten his clothes, and then—

He slowly knelt down.

"Your subject Liu Xie greets Your Majesty!"

The spring breeze swept through the two of them, swirling leaves in its wake. The gold threads on the dragon robe glittered in the sunlight, almost blinding them.

Just then, Liu Bei darted forward and firmly supported his arms with both hands:

"Your Majesty!"

He turned to his ministers, his voice booming:

"The abdication ceremony has not yet been held. The emperor is still the emperor, and Bei is still the king of Qi."

"This matter will be discussed later!"

The crowd looked at each other, but dared not disobey.

Liu Bei immediately ordered that all civil and military officials present be richly rewarded, and personally helped Liu Xie onto the palanquin, escorting him all the way back to the palace.

That night, the Qi Prince's mansion was brightly lit.

Liu Bei summoned his trusted advisors, including Li Yi, Pang Tong, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Chen Deng, to secretly discuss strategies for dealing with the aftermath.

"Everyone."

Liu Bei rubbed his temples. "Today's events were truly rushed."

"Although the emperor intends to abdicate, the proper rites cannot be disregarded. Moreover..."

He paused and lowered his voice.

"After all, Bei is seizing the legacy of his own clan. If he does not handle it properly, he may be condemned for all eternity."

Li Yi gently waved his feather fan:

"Your Majesty's concerns are very valid."

"In my opinion, we should follow the example of Yao and Shun and perform the three acts of yielding."

"The courtesy of yielding three times?"

Zhang Fei's eyes widened. "My brother has to give way three times."

"good."

Pang Tong, showing enthusiasm, spoke up:
"The first concession shows humility, the second reassures the people, and the third accepts the mandate of heaven."

"This is an ancient system, and it must not be abolished."

Li Yi nodded, then added:

"Not only that, but we also need to treat the former royal relatives well."

"Especially the current emperor."

Many people cannot understand why the State of Qi went to such lengths to protect its emperor during its struggle for supremacy with the State of Wei.

During this period, they dared not let anything happen to the emperor.

As the saying goes, politics is a game where face is the most important thing.

Whether in the novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" or in the old TV series about the Three Kingdoms.

When Cao Pi usurped the Han throne, he was extremely arrogant towards Liu Xie.

This is actually not realistic.

In real history, when Cao Pi usurped the Han throne, he directly told Liu Xie (Emperor Xie) upon Liu Xie's abdication:

"The world's treasures are for you and me to share."

This means that although Liu Xie abdicated, he could still share the country with Cao Wei.

After Liu Xie abdicated, he was enfeoffed as the Duke of Shanyang, with a fief of 10,000 households.

He is above all the feudal lords!
Not only that,

Liu Xie also enjoyed the privilege of not addressing others as a subject when presenting memorials and not bowing when receiving imperial edicts.

It also granted them privileges such as adhering to the Han calendar and clothing, and building Han ancestral temples to perform Han sacrifices within their fiefdoms.

In other words, within the political system of Cao Wei, Liu Xie and his descendants were, in theory, the most powerful people under the emperor for generations.

This is absolutely top-tier treatment.

You could certainly say that Cao Pi was just going through the motions, putting on a show, and trying to win people over.

But let's consider why Cao Pi insisted on going through the unnecessary formality of the abdication ceremony.

Because that's politics.

In ancient Chinese political thought, the world should belong to the virtuous.

The theory that Liu Han was immoral and Cao Wei was granted the Mandate of Heaven is the cornerstone of the legitimacy of the Cao Wei regime.

This was a theory accepted by most scholars at the time.

Therefore, the Cao family had to show great respect, at least on the surface, to all the emperors of the Han Dynasty, including Emperor Xian himself.

Later, when Emperor Xian of Han died, Cao Rui personally led all the civil and military officials in mourning.

He was buried with the rites due to an emperor.

His descendants can continue to enjoy his fiefdom of Shanyang.

Because the Cao family knew...
The better they treat the Liu family, the more it proves that they "received the throne" rather than "usurped it."

When modern people criticize the Sima family, it's mostly because of the Five Barbarian Invasions and the War of the Eight Princes.

However, in ancient times, the Sima family was most criticized for killing the emperor in the street.

Because the rulers of ancient times didn't care what sins the Sima family had committed against the world; after all, it was all in the past.

But your act of killing the emperor in the street directly threatened the rulers themselves and set a precedent for future generations.

This is what rulers of all dynasties found unacceptable and unsettling.

The Sima family was the first to break the rules and disrupt the political game of saving face.

From another perspective, it was precisely because the Sima family failed to play this game well that the Jin Dynasty became mediocre and ineffective.

Because they have lost the hearts of the people.

Therefore, Li Yi and other ministers of Qi did their best to protect the emperor during the war in the Central Plains.

To protect him from the ravages of war as much as possible.

Because if something happens to the emperor, whoever is the first to declare himself emperor will be the first to be criticized.

Even if you didn't do it, it doesn't stop people from making up stories about you.

Ah, it was you, Liu Bei, who "accidentally" killed the emperor. Otherwise, how could you have become emperor as soon as the emperor died?

Therefore, the abdication ceremony was a very important "formality".

It is not only necessary to demonstrate that the emperor abdicated willingly, but also to treat him well after his abdication.

This would better prove that Liu Bei's abdication was legitimate, rather than coercing the emperor to abdicate.

Only in this way can we silence the gossip of the world.

"How about we bestow upon him the title of Duke of Shanyang after the Emperor abdicates? What does Your Majesty think?"

Lu Su then spoke up to express his opinion.

"Yeah!"

Zhang Fei quickly chimed in agreement.

"Then the young emperor shall be granted the title of Duke of Shanyang, and shall be permitted to follow the Han calendar and use the imperial regalia."

"So, it can't be said that we've wronged him, can it?"

"No!"

Sun Qian suddenly interrupted, "Now that you have abdicated, how can you still use the ceremonial rites of an emperor? This is a path to chaos!"

The crowd continued arguing, but Liu Bei raised his hand to stop them.

In my opinion, it would be better to confer the title of king.

"We are all descendants of the Han Dynasty. If we rashly demote him to the rank of duke, we may lose the hearts of the people."

After saying that, he looked at Li Yi and asked:
"I wonder if the Prime Minister thinks this proposal is acceptable?"

Li Yi nodded. "That would be best."

“At first, treat them with the respect due to princes and nobles, and grant them a fief of ten thousand households. After the grand ceremony, we can gradually change the status quo.”

"In addition, an auspicious day should be selected as soon as possible."

"He built an altar in the southern suburbs of Luoyang to receive the abdication, in order to demonstrate the legitimacy of the lineage."

How to properly settle Liu Xie was the focus of discussion among the entire Qi state's leadership all night.

Although both were about saving face, Liu Bei chose to grant Liu Xie the title of King, rather than Cao Wei granting him the title of Duke.

On the one hand, the Cao Wei dynasty was a genuine change of dynasty, and it was inconvenient for the Liu family to continue ruling.

However, it also granted Liu Xie the highest level of treatment, surpassing that of other princes, so it was essentially no different from being granted the title of king.

However, when Liu Bei inherited the throne, he was still inheriting the "Han" dynasty's empire.

Therefore, there was no need to avoid that taboo, and Liu Xie could be directly granted the title of king.

Once the agreement was reached, Li Yi ordered Hua Xin to enter the palace again so that the emperor could begin preparing the abdication edict.

When Hua Xin met Liu Xie, Liu Xie immediately took out a pre-written imperial edict.

It was handed over to Hua Xin, who was to read it aloud in front of all the civil and military officials.

All the officials went up to the court and listened respectfully.

Hua Xin read aloud:

"I, with my meager virtue, have succeeded to this great foundation for twenty-two years."

"He cannot secure the ancestral temples above, nor can he save the common people below."

"Be vigilant day and night, as if walking on thin ice."

"The country is in chaos and the people are suffering. It is beyond my ability to lift them up."

“Cha Qi Wang Xuande is a descendant of the imperial family, with a holy and benevolent nature, whose achievements cover the world and whose virtue benefits all the people.”

"When Heaven's will is with you, the hearts of the people will turn to you."

"I believe that the Han dynasty will last a long time, and we must wait for a wise ruler."

"Therefore, he revered the way of Heaven and yielded the throne to the worthy."

"The abdication of the Tang and Yu dynasties is praised throughout the ages, and the dynastic peace of Zhou and Zhao will be remembered for ten thousand generations."

"Now that we are entrusting this sacred vessel to you, it is not only in accordance with Heaven and the people, but also to ensure the perpetuation of the Han dynasty's ancestral rites."

"King Qi, do not refuse. Quickly assume the throne to fulfill my wishes and appease the people's expectations!"

After the imperial edict was read aloud, Li Yi instructed Wang Lang to write a memorial on behalf of the king, in which he claimed to be of meager virtue.

Please do not seek a great sage to succeed to the throne.

After the memorial was completed, it was submitted to Liu Xie, who then reviewed it.

Feeling surprised and suspicious, he turned to his ministers and asked:
"The King of Qi is humble and cannot accept the abdication. What should be done?"

Hua Xinnai explained:
"When the King of Qi received the title of king, he declined it three times, but the emperor refused, and only then did he accept it."

"Your Majesty may issue another decree now, and the Prince of Qi will certainly comply."

Therefore, Liu Xie drafted another edict and sent Zhang Yin, an envoy from the Gao Temple, with imperial credentials to the Qi King's palace.

He read aloud: "Your Majesty, King Qi, submit a letter of humble deference."

"I have long believed that the Han dynasty has been in decline."

"Fortunately, King Qi was blessed with virtue and divine favor, and he displayed his divine prowess, eliminating the wicked and bringing peace and stability to China."

"The current king continues the legacy of his predecessors, his virtue shines brightly, his teachings spread throughout the four seas, and his benevolence spreads to the eight regions."

"The mandate of Heaven truly rests upon your own body."

“In the past, Emperor Shun had twenty great achievements, and Fangxun abdicated the throne to him.”

"Yu the Great had the achievement of dredging and channeling, but Emperor Chonghua abdicated the throne."

"The Han dynasty inherited the mandate of Yao, and had the duty to pass on the legacy of the sage. In addition, it followed the divine will and continued the bright mandate of Heaven."

"Zhang Yin, the Imperial Censor, is hereby appointed to present the Emperor's seal and ribbon. Your Majesty shall accept them!"

After Zhang Yin finished reading the imperial edict, she walked up to Liu Bei with a smile.

"Your Majesty, King Qi, you may now receive the imperial edict."

"I would like to congratulate you in advance."

After saying this, he bowed solemnly to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei accepted the invitation and expressed his gratitude. Li Yi, standing beside him, reminded him:

"Although there were two imperial edicts, I still fear that the world and future generations will not be able to change it."

"The king should compose another remark."

“Order Zhang Yin to bring back the imperial seal and ribbon, and then instruct Hua Xin to have the Han emperor build an altar, named the Abdication Altar.”

“On an auspicious day and time, all the officials, both high and low, were gathered at the altar.”

“If the emperor himself presents the imperial seal and ribbon and abdicates the throne to the king, then all doubts will be dispelled and public opinion will be put to rest.”

Liu Bei agreed and immediately ordered Zhang Yin to return the imperial seal and ribbon, while still writing a humble statement.

By the ninth day of the fourth month, a three-zhang-high platform had been erected in the southern suburbs of Luoyang.

Five-colored soil was used to build four sides, green flags fluttered, and yellow axes stood in rows.

Liu Xie, dressed in black robes and crimson skirts, wearing a twelve-tassel crown, slowly ascended the abdication platform.

The officials and common people on the stage knelt down in a dense, dark mass.

Liu Bei, dressed in the ceremonial robes of a feudal lord, stood below the platform.

Liu Xie took the imperial edict from the attendant and read it aloud:

"I have heard that the Mandate of Heaven is not constant, but only virtue is its guide."

"Now the divine weapon has changed hands and returned to the virtuous..."

After the lengthy imperial edict was read aloud, the Minister of Ceremonies presented the imperial seal.

Liu Xie held the imperial seal in both hands and stepped down from the high platform.

Upon reaching Liu Bei, he suddenly raised the imperial seal high above his head—

Then it was slowly handed over to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei raised the imperial seal high and shouted:
"The virtue of the Han dynasty has not been extinguished; the legacy of the Liu dynasty must continue!"

A glint flashed in Liu Xie's eyes.

He whispered a reminder to Liu Bei that it was time to climb the platform.

Liu Xie personally untied the emperor's sash and tied it around his waist, then took the Tongtian crown and put it on his head.

"Long live!"

The cheers from the audience suddenly erupted, like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing.

Liu Xie took three steps back and also bowed to Liu Bei.

Congratulations on the new emperor!

Liu Bei bent down to help him up, and as their eyes met, Liu Xie suddenly whispered:

"Never betray the land..."

The ceremony was completed, and the reception of the abbot was finished.

The new emperor Liu Bei summoned his ministers at the Deyang Palace.

"I have inherited the Han dynasty's legacy and dare not forget my roots."

Holding the jade seal passed down from Liu Xie, Liu Bei spoke in a deep voice.

"Now Liu Xie is hereby enfeoffed as the King of Shanyang, with Zhuolu City in Henan as his capital, and his fiefdom consisting of ten thousand households."

"The King of Shanyang was above the other princes, and when he presented memorials, he did not address them as his subject, nor did he bow when he received imperial edicts."

As soon as he finished speaking, the courtiers below stirred.

Such preferential treatment of the former emperor is truly rare.

Liu Bei continued speaking:

"He is permitted to follow the Han calendar in his fiefdom, and his clothing and attire shall conform to the Han system. He may also establish a Han temple for worship."

"As for the four princes who were previously granted the title of king by the King of Shanyang, they will be demoted to dukes."

After the court attendant finished reading the imperial edict, Liu Bei privately approached Liu Xie and said to him:
“King of Shanyang, you will always be a member of the Liu family, and you will always be a descendant of the Han dynasty.”

"This empire...in the end, still belongs to the Liu family."

The sound of a night watchman's drum came from outside the hall.

Liu Xie bowed deeply, then turned and left without replying.

At this moment, silence speaks louder than words; in a daze, he seemed to still be the young emperor who first entered Chendu back then.

Watching his departing figure, Liu Bei suddenly instructed Li Yi beside him:

"Ziyu, send Shuzhi with the White Feather Army to escort the King of Shanyang to Shanyang Kingdom safely."

"Here."

……

On the first day of the fifth lunar month, in Zhuolu City.

Liu Xie removed his princely robes and put on a plain white robe.

Fu Shou removed his jade crown and tied his hair with a blue cloth.

The figure reflected in the bronze mirror was no longer the trembling Han emperor, but rather a handsome scholar.

"happy!"

Liu Xie laughed loudly, tore open his clothes, and stepped barefoot onto the bluestone slab.

"Twenty-two years...twenty-two years of shackles..."

The laughter gradually turned into sobs, and Fu Shou embraced him from behind, her clothes soaked with tears.

"Kings……"

"Call me husband."

Liu Xie turned around and cupped her face in his hands.

"Now you are my queen, and I am yours..."

He paused, a smile appearing in his eyes, "The doctor from Shanyang."

The next morning, Chen Dao was inspecting the deployment of the White Feather Army when he suddenly saw Liu Xie approaching in plain clothes and straw sandals.

"General Chen."

Liu Xie handed over a scroll of bamboo slips.

"Please forward this to the Emperor."

"I wish to send an official to govern Shanyang State, but I only wish to be a leisurely person."

Chen Dao was taken aback upon hearing this:

"Your Majesty, this is..."

"Shh-"

Liu Xie raised his finger, "From today onwards, please call me Mr. Liu."

Chen Dao was speechless for a moment. Liu Xie actually took the initiative to request that Liu Bei send officials to take over the administration of Shanyang Kingdom.

In that case, Liu Xie's title of Prince of Shanyang would truly be nominal.

"Your Majesty, do you know what your actions mean?"

"I know, I know better than anyone what I'm doing?"

"……Ugh."

Upon hearing this, Chen Dao couldn't help but sigh.

He went from being the emperor to a commoner in an instant.

How much hardship must one endure along the way to achieve Liu Xie's detached mindset?
"His Majesty will agree."

Five days later, Liu Bei's edict was quickly sent back.

The king ordered the establishment of a prime minister and a military commander in the state of Shanyang, in accordance with his wishes.

In addition, three hundred volumes of books from the Imperial Medical Academy were bestowed upon Liu Xie and his wife for their free reading.

From then on, a thatched cottage appeared south of Zhuolu City.

Every morning at the first light of dawn, a man in white would go out to make house calls with a medicine box, accompanied by a woman who would roll up her sleeves and prepare medicine.

An old farmer coughed up blood for three days, but recovered after drinking this medicine.

A young child had a high fever and convulsions; he recovered immediately after acupuncture.

If someone asks for his name, he will simply say:

"The Liu family of Shanyang".

His footsteps reached every corner of Shanyang Kingdom, and he did not charge a penny to those who came to him for medical treatment.

The couple treated every patient free of charge.

One day, a couple rescued a child who had fallen into the Qi River.

As the woman wrung out her clothes, half of a jade pendant with a dragon pattern fell out of her bosom.

The child's father knelt down in shock:

"You...you could be..."

The man smiled and shook his head, then tossed the jade pendant into the water.

As the sun sets, ripples spread across the river, scattering golden light.

After being relieved of a heavy burden, he was finally able to live for himself.

……

Although the abdication ceremony had ended, the formal ceremony for the emperor's coronation had not yet taken place.

Only after becoming emperor could Liu Bei truly establish his own reign title.

The coronation ceremony is currently scheduled for July of this year.

Yuan Ying, who was visiting relatives in Hebei and staying at her sister's house, has also received the notification.

They were preparing to take Liu Shan (A Dou) back to Luoyang.

After all, when one ascends the throne, an empress and a crown prince are indispensable.

It was a summer night.

Luoyang South Palace, Qingliang Hall.

When Li Yi entered the palace under the moonlight, he saw Liu Bei playing with the Imperial Seal of the State by candlelight.

The flickering lamplight cast an indistinct glow on the new emperor's face.

"His Majesty."

Li Yi bowed respectfully.

Liu Bei did not raise his head, but asked calmly:
"Do you know why I summoned you here alone?"

"I don't know."

The imperial seal was placed on the table with a "click".

Liu Bei raised his eyes and said, "Don't be so modest. Is there anything in this world that you, Master Tian Shu, don't know?"

Li Yi stood with his hands in his sleeves:

"Recently, affairs have been numerous and complicated, including the imperial coronation ceremony, bestowing titles and rewards upon officials, and settling the Prince of Shanyang."

"Your Majesty, I truly do not know what you are referring to."

You think I know everything, but actually I really don't know which question you're asking about.

Since we don't know, let's make a guess.

Li Yi pondered for a moment, then analyzed:

"Right now, there is nothing more important than the coronation ceremony."

"Ah."

Liu Bei nodded, his tone calm.

"continue."

"Since the coronation ceremony is of no importance at present..."

Li Yi slowly approached and said, "Your Majesty has summoned me alone again, which must be related to the civil and military officials."

Liu Bei suddenly burst into laughter, the sound of which made the candlelight flicker.

He stood up and patted Li Yi on the shoulder.

"Ziyu, Ziyu, why do you, such a clever person, choose to be used by me?"

"I often think, if you were also willing to contend for supremacy over the world, you would be sitting in this position today—"

He slammed his finger heavily on the jade seal. "It's your turn!"

Thunder roared outside the palace, and a sudden summer rain began.

Li Yi dusted off his sleeves, which were wrinkled by the wind:

"I am lazy by nature, and what about the emperor's throne?"

He looked out at the rain curtain outside the eaves and thought, "This is truly the most arduous job in the world."

"Given my lazy nature, I am truly incapable of doing it."

"You? Lazy?"

Liu Bei scoffed, "If you're considered lazy, then everyone in the world is a lazy bum living a life of debauchery!"

"Alright, let's get back to business."

These past few days, I've seen Li Yi extremely busy with preparations for his coronation ceremony.

Liu Bei then played a little joke on him.

"I have summoned you here today to discuss the matter of rewarding meritorious officials."

Liu Bei got straight to the point: "The generals and soldiers who made great contributions during the previous war in the Central Plains have not yet been rewarded."

"At that time, I was just a feudal lord, and the rewards were limited."

Now that you have ascended to the throne, you should reward those who have made contributions.

"I think the civil and military officials under my command think the same way. When the day of my coronation ceremony comes, people will definitely be looking forward to it."

"If I treat my meritorious officials poorly, I fear I will lose the hearts of the people and allow the traitors of Wei and Wu to take advantage of the situation."

"But if the rewards are too great, I fear that after I pass away, A Dou will not be able to control those veterans."

"That's why I've summoned you here today to discuss this matter."

"Come up with a concrete solution."

If Liu Bei did not declare himself emperor, he would be unable to further reward his subordinates and would lose popular support.

If the rewards and honors bestowed upon him after he became emperor were too meager, it would also cause dissatisfaction among his old comrades who had helped him start the business.

However, with such generous rewards, he, as the founding emperor, was able to keep these veteran officials in check.

But will their future offspring be able to keep them in check?

"Ziyu is the person I trust most. Although I have summoned you here today to discuss state affairs."

"But more importantly, it's about catching up with old friends."

"Tonight there are no rulers and ministers, only Liu Bei and Li Yi."

Liu Bei began to play the emotional card.

He claimed he wanted to discuss with Li Yi how to reward meritorious officials.

But there is one reality that both sides are well aware of.

Among all the officials, Li Yi was undoubtedly the one who made the greatest contribution.

Back when he was pacifying Jiangnan, Li Yi, who was originally there to play a supporting role, had already made great contributions.

It overshadowed Zhuge Liang.

Meanwhile, the Jingzhou faction, which he had been supporting, proved to be disappointing, and during the Central Plains War, the death of Ma Su became a major setback.

This led to Zhuge Liang's demotion, leaving the Jingzhou faction leaderless, which was then exploited by the Hebei faction, who were supposed to play a supporting role.

Whether it was the Battle of Henan or the Battle of Guanzhong, the generals from Hebei were undoubtedly the most outstanding.

He stole the show among all the top students in the junior high school.

"His Majesty!"

Li Yi said solemnly:
"Although there are many meritorious officials in the country today, if the main principles are grasped, everything else will fall into place."

"As long as the meritorious officials are given their due place, the rest will be at peace."

Li Yi meant that although there were many meritorious officials in the country.

But once the most meritorious individuals are properly settled, the rest will be easier to deal with.

Because their rewards could not possibly exceed those of the most meritorious officials.

But how exactly is the person who made the greatest contribution defined?

Li Yi, as an undisputed hero who made the greatest contribution, naturally received no objection.

But what about later?

You can arrange Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

But what about the next step? How should we arrange them in order?
You say your contributions are greater than mine, then what proof do you have?

Reality is not a video game; you won't receive specific, quantifiable credits for every battle you fight.

And you said you had made meritorious contributions in battle.
People like Lü Bu, Tian Yu, and Qian Zhao diligently guarded the border, ensuring peace and security.

But how exactly should we count generals who didn't have the opportunity to make a name for themselves on the mainland?
Li Yi's solution was to rank the meritorious officials in detail.

Then, rewards are given based on the rankings.

This way, the awards will be given after a selection process, which will reduce the controversy.

Liu Bei agreed, and leaned forward, saying:
"I would like to hear the details."

Li Yi spoke with a flourish:

"Your subject requests that the Lingyan Pavilion be established."

What is the Lingyan Pavilion?

Li Yinai explained methodically:

"The term 'Lingyan' signifies transcending the mundane and soaring straight to the clouds, symbolizing extraordinary ambition and unparalleled status."

“‘Ge’ means a magnificent building, a place to store scriptures and classics, and to represent literary and military talents, as well as nobility and glory.”

Seeing that Liu Bei seemed to be deep in thought, Li Yi further explained:

“This pavilion should be built to the east of Taiji Palace, taking advantage of the auspicious omen of ‘purple aura coming from the east’.”

"Its momentum seems to reach the sky, and its shape resembles the Big Dipper."

"According to geomancy, it can gather royal energy and stabilize the nation's fortune."

"Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!"

Liu Bei clapped his hands and praised repeatedly, then asked:

"But what should be done in the pavilion?"

Li Yi's eyes shone brightly:

"Twenty-eight founding heroes were selected, and their portraits were displayed in the pavilion."

"Who are these twenty-eight people?"

Liu Bei's eyes sharpened, and he asked the most crucial question.

"Heh, this is the problem that Yi will have to worry about with His Majesty next."

A rare, helpless smile appeared on Li Yi's face.

……

(End of this chapter)