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

Chapter 335 Establishing the Lingyan Pavilion and Selecting the Twenty-Eight Founding Heroes
The Lingyan Pavilion selected twenty-eight meritorious officials.

This activity seems simple; it just involves ranking the 28 people who made the most contributions.

But if you really and honestly rank people based solely on their pure merits, it's easy to run into trouble.

Li Yi, who deserves the greatest credit, is a good choice to be the first person in the Lingyan Pavilion.

There is no controversy surrounding this selection.

The second person is Guan Yu, which is almost undisputed.

Guan Yu was one of the earliest recruits, and also the number one military general and the number one in military achievements.

Both logically and emotionally, he should be second only to Li Yi.

But when it came to the third person, the controversy became quite significant.

Liu Bei was torn between giving the gift to Zhang Fei or Chen Deng.

Zhang Fei was his own brother, and since starting his business, he had made many outstanding achievements.

Moreover, the three brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei have never been apart.

Logically speaking, it would be very appropriate to give him the third person in Lingyan Pavilion.

However, Chen Deng was also among the first to join Liu Bei.

After all, strictly speaking, the period when Liu Bei truly began his career was during his time in Xuzhou.

Chen Deng, from a prominent family in Xuzhou, brought his own capital to the group.

He not only helped Liu Bei expand into Huainan, but also helped him resist Yuan Shu and the Sun family.

He made outstanding contributions in the subsequent Central Plains War and the Henan War.

In contrast, Zhang Fei almost never commanded any army group on his own.

Not to mention that Chen Deng was a high-ranking official in charge of developing Huainan.

The repair of the Hangou River and the Shaopi Irrigation Canal, as well as other water conservancy projects for land reclamation, were carried out with great success.

Whether it's military achievements or political accomplishments, they have something to show for it.

What makes you, Zhang Fei, think you can compete with others for third place?
Moreover, from another perspective,

The top three in Lingyan Pavilion,

Li Yi, Guan Yu, Chen Deng—weren't they all local leaders who could stand alone?

Li Yi was in charge of Hebei, Guan Yu was in charge of Qingzhou, and Chen Deng was in charge of Huainan.

These three plots of land are all prosperous areas, and it is only right and proper that they be given to these three people.

It's also Zhang Fei's own fault for being so useless.

Liu Bei did consider cultivating Zhang Fei.

He always used Zhao Hu as an example to encourage Zhang Fei, hoping that Zhang Fei could become a man of both literary and martial talents like Zhao Hu.

Even after Liu Bei became emperor, Zhang Fei still failed to become that kind of person, thus disappointing Liu Bei's high expectations for him.

"...I have already chosen this third person."

Seeing that Liu Bei had not written down his name on the third person's list for a long time, Li Yi took the initiative to hand over his own list.

Liu Bei took it, then sighed, as if to say, "Just as I thought."

The name "Chen Yuanlong" was prominently displayed on the list.

Lingyan Pavilion is not only a place to compare achievements, but also a place to compare interpersonal relationships in the workplace.

With Liu Bei supporting them, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were naturally unharmed.

As for the rest, it depends on whether they know how to behave.

Chen Deng and Li Yi were sworn brothers, bound by a bond that transcended life and death.

Li Yi couldn't possibly not choose him.

"……good."

Liu Bei took up his pen and wrote Chen Deng's name on the list.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Fei's name was written below Chen Deng's.

As for the fifth and sixth people, they were Lu Su and Xun You, respectively.

These two were also among the earliest Yuan dynasty followers.

However, Xun You belonged to the Hebei faction, while Lu Su was a confidant of Liu Bei.

Xun You should naturally be ranked after Lu Su.

The seventh person is Zhao Yun, the eighth person is Ma Chao, and the ninth person is Mi Zhu.

Among them, Mi Zhu mainly had the advantage of being a veteran.

As an early angel investor, he had to be among the top ten in Lingyange.

Fortunately, Mi Zhu was Li Yi's brother-in-law, not Liu Bei's.

Otherwise, Mi Zhu's rank would have to be raised.

After all, Mi Zhu in history held a higher position than Zhuge Liang.

In this world, since he was unable to form a marriage alliance with Liu Bei, he naturally couldn't advance too far ahead.

As for who should be the top ten goalkeeper, Liu Bei was also struggling with the question.

From an emotional perspective, Liu Bei wanted to help Qian Zhao.

This person is my childhood friend, and we have a good relationship.

However, rationally speaking, Qian Zhao's achievements were far less than those of many Hebei generals.

Choosing him would likely be difficult to convince the public.

"How about we give the tenth man to Lü Bu?"

Li Yi offered his own suggestions.

After all, Lü Bu had guarded Liaodong for many years and had previously achieved great military exploits, including a major victory over Goguryeo.

He also participated in the battles to destroy Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao.

Although he may not have been absolutely loyal to Liu Bei.

But he was, after all, a hero.

Moreover, Lü Bu is actually quite easy to appease.

If the last spot among the ten founding heroes were given to Lü Bu, Lü Bu would surely be so moved that he would kneel down before Liu Bei.

From a selfish perspective, Li Yi is now related to Lü Bu by marriage.

Moreover, Lu Bu had previously helped to put pressure on local powerful clans, thus offending a number of aristocratic families on Li Yi's behalf.

Li Yi had promised Lü Bu that he would take care of him in his old age.

Both logically and emotionally, Li Yi would try to get this spot from Liu Bei.

Fortunately, Liu Bei in this world really liked Lü Bu.

In particular, Lü Bu never betrayed him and even helped him achieve many military exploits.

Therefore, the last spot among the ten founding heroes was given to Lü Bu, and Liu Bei had no objection to this.

After the top ten are selected, the next round is the top twenty.

The eleventh person is Liu Ye.

Liu Ye was among the earliest members of Liu Bei's inner circle.

And he had accumulated many years of experience in the harsh and cold land of Liaodong.

When Li Yi persuaded Liu Ye to stay in Liaodong to monitor Lü Bu, he promised him that he would definitely be transferred back to the central government in the future.

Now Li Yi must also fulfill this promise.

The twelfth is Huang Zhong.

Although Huang Zhong was a general of the four directions, he was promoted beyond his rank.

Although he had the merit of being the first to charge into battle, he was not a general like Ma Chao or Lü Bu who could single-handedly govern a region.

Therefore, it is difficult to compete with them.

The thirteenth was Chen Dao.

The fourteenth person is Zang Ba.

The fifteenth person is Tian Yu.

The sixteenth person, Qian Zhao.

The seventeenth person is Xu Huang.

Although Xu Huang could be considered a founding member, he had joined Liu Bei very early on.

However, as we have said, the selection of meritorious officials in Lingyan Pavilion was not based solely on their achievements.

Otherwise, Mi Zhu wouldn't have been able to reach such a high altitude.

Political factors are also a very important reference point.

Who did Xu Huang serve before he joined Liu Bei?
That's the traitor Yang Feng!
As the saying goes, "You were a beautiful woman, but why did you become a thief?"

Xu Huang's political record is not clean enough, so it's difficult for him to rise to the top.

The eighteenth person is Zhang He.

The nineteenth person, Gao Lan.

Zhang He and Gao Lan were former generals of Yuan Shao, and theoretically, the relationship between the Yuan and Liu families was quite good.

However, since the two were originally surrendered generals, they could not charge too far ahead.

With the top nineteen selected, the goalkeeper for the final twenty naturally fell to Zhang Liao.

As mentioned earlier, although Zhang Liao had made many military achievements, his political record was very complicated.

He was originally Ding Yuan's subordinate.

Later, he was assigned to serve under He Jin, and then followed Dong Zhuo when Dong Zhuo took power.

Dong Zhuo's defeat and death were linked to Lü Bu.

In the end, he joined Liu Bei's camp on a "borrowed" basis and was given a formal position.

Given Zhang Liao's political resume, it would be difficult for him to compete with his colleagues.

The last eight people in Lingyan Pavilion.

The twenty-first person is Chen Qun.

Although Chen Qun was among the earliest followers, he refused to follow Liu Bei to Xuzhou to start a business when Liu Bei tried to persuade him to stay in Yuzhou to develop his career.

Loyalty is not absolute, it is absolutely disloyal.

This means that Chen Qun is unlikely to achieve a higher position.

Of course, historically, after Liu Bei lost Xuzhou, Chen Qun took the opportunity to become a subordinate of Lü Bu and Cao Cao.

However, in this world, since Liu Bei did not lose Xuzhou, Chen Qun was nominally always Liu Bei's subordinate.

Therefore, having a clean political record is enough to qualify one to be enshrined in the Lingyan Pavilion.

The twenty-second person is Xu Shu.

The twenty-third person is Pang Tong.

These two are considered rising stars.

However, due to his outstanding achievements in local government and the fact that he had not made any major mistakes.

Therefore, they were able to catch up with the ranking of Lingyan Pavilion.

If they had entered officialdom a few years later, the Lingyan Pavilion would already be overflowing.

The twenty-fourth person is Yuan Yin.

As the emperor's brother-in-law, Yuan Yin was not only related to Liu Bei, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, by marriage.

He was also related by marriage to Li Yi, the number one person in Lingyan Pavilion.

With this connection, it's impossible for him not to be on the list of Lingyan Pavilion members.

Fortunately, Yuan Yin had suppressed the Sun family in Danyang for many years, and he also temporarily joined the Hebei army's southern expeditionary force, thus gaining some military merit.

Therefore, he has made some achievements that he can be proud of.

Otherwise, it would put Liu Bei in a difficult position.

The twenty-fifth person was Zhang Xiu, and the twenty-sixth person was Jia Xu.

This grandfather-grandson duo has consistently delivered strong performances.

His greatest achievement was choosing to side with Cao Cao and Liu Bei during the great battle in Henan and Hebei.

This crucial alignment has created a favorable political environment for both of them.

In addition, he had previously rendered meritorious service in defeating Goguryeo and maintaining border stability, so he was able to be included on the list by a narrow margin.

As for the last two...

Liu Bei glanced at the four characters "Zhuge Kongming" on the list and couldn't help but sigh.

After hesitating for a moment, I crossed it out.

"...Kongming, why won't you listen to me?"

Liu Bei sighed inwardly.

Under his meticulous planning, Zhuge Liang should have become the leader of the Jingzhou faction and the number one military figure in Jiangnan.

Then, a balance of power between the North and South was formed with the Hebei faction.

As a result of this one wrong decision in appointing Ma Su, Jingzhou was left leaderless.

Only Huang Zhong made the list.

Now, the leadership of Jiangnan will undoubtedly fall to Chen Deng.

If Zhuge Liang hadn't made any mistakes, Liu Bei would have been able to rank him in the top ten without any problems.

Then, with Huang Zhong's cooperation, there is no doubt that Jingzhou can become the mainstay of Jiangnan.

Now look what happened, Chen Yuanlong and his Huainan generals have gotten away with it for nothing.

It wasn't that Liu Bei disliked Chen Deng.

Chen Deng and Li Yi were sworn brothers, even sharing sashimi together.

Imagine the top military meritorious person in Hebei joining forces with the top military meritorious person in Jiangnan.

Let alone Liu Shan succeeding to the throne in the future, even Liu Bei himself would be apprehensive.

Of course, given Li Yi's wisdom, he might have been able to avoid this situation from happening.

but……

Who can predict what will happen in the future?
"Your Majesty, there are only two more to choose from, it's time to select them as well."

"I believe that we can choose Gan Ning, Zhou Tai, or Xu Sheng and Gao Shun."

The last two, although they were ranked last, were still on the list.

Making it is an honor, so don't be upset about a low ranking.

But Liu Bei frowned as he looked at the list.

Of the four people recommended by Li Yi, three were Chen Deng's subordinates.

There was also Gao Shun, who was almost blindly loyal to Lü Bu, and not absolutely loyal to him.

“Xianhe has been with me for many years, and I cannot treat him poorly.”

"Let's give the twenty-seventh person to Xianhe."

After much deliberation, Liu Bei finally wrote down Jian Yong's name.

As for the last person, it was after Liu Bei wrote down his name.

Even Li Yi was slightly surprised—

Liu Yan.

Do you know who Liu Yan is?

Liu Yan was from Lu State in Yu Province. When Liu Bei was in Yu Province, he recruited Liu Yan as his aide.

Therefore, he was actually one of Liu Bei's earliest followers.

Because Liu Yan and Liu Bei shared the same clan and surname, and because Liu Yan was a man of great appearance and demeanor, and skilled in conversation and discussion, he was highly regarded by Liu Bei.

He often accompanied Liu Bei in social interactions as a guest.

So why is Liu Yan's presence so low?

The main reason is that although he was a junior official, he didn't achieve anything other than accompanying Liu Bei in social interactions.

They also have no notable achievements to show for it.

The two most famous things about Liu Yan in history.

One incident involved Liu Yan arguing with Wei Yan. Zhuge Liang, being protective of his son, made Liu Yan apologize to Wei Yan.

One incident involved Liu Yan spreading rumors about Liu Shan, the later ruler of the Southern Tang dynasty, which led to Liu Shan's execution.

However, it is undeniable that Liu Yan, like Mi Zhu, was someone with little merit but extremely high status.

In the memorial submitted jointly with Zhuge Liang to impeach Li Yan, Liu Yan was listed first.

This demonstrates Liu Yan's status at the time.

Strictly speaking, Liu Yan was one of the few members of Liu Bei's royal family who served as ministers.

However, it is possible that because his abilities were rather mediocre, there is no record in historical books of him making any great contributions.

It only says that he had a very good relationship with Liu Bei, and that Liu Bei treated him very well.

To put it nicely, she's a personal secretary; to put it bluntly...

"Since Your Majesty has no objections, I will publish the detailed list after I have prepared it."

After Liu Bei wrote down Liu Yan's name, Li Yi didn't say anything more.

It seems that Lao Liu still hopes to promote a few of his absolute confidants.

If Liu Yan hadn't been so lacking in achievements, Old Liu would probably have actually promoted him.

"...Goodness, it's already past midnight."

Liu Bei rubbed his temples and stretched wearily.

"Ziyu, you should also get some rest. The coronation ceremony will be held in five days."

"The ceremony cannot be held without you, the prime minister."

"...Hehe, this is my duty, and I am honored."

Li Yi personally saw Liu Bei off before returning to his room to rest.

That night, he only slept for two hours.

Then he got up early and began to oversee the construction of Lingyan Pavilion.

He then ordered his men to post the list of the twenty-eight founding heroes that he and Liu Bei had selected the previous night.

The officials who remained in Luoyang were naturally very interested in this list.

The Lingyan Pavilion appears to be a place to honor the twenty-eight founding heroes.

In reality, Mr. Liu's company is going public and he's preparing to distribute dividends to his shareholders.

Lingyange was among the group that received the most shares.

Of course, everyone wants to see if they can make the list.

"I wonder if my name will be on the list?"

"Pah! Who do you think you are? If you're someone important, it should be me."

"I risked my life alongside His Majesty, and I absolutely must enter the Lingyan Pavilion!"

"Quickly, quickly, publish the list."

"Don't push, don't step on my feet!"

The moment the waiter posted the notice.

At this moment, a group of high-ranking and powerful ministers disregarded etiquette and desperately pushed their way to the front.

Everyone wanted to see if their name was on the list.

"Everyone, please line up properly, don't push! Don't push!"

The staff maintaining order at the scene were on the verge of tears.

The reason they were chosen was simply because the ministers who squeezed in were all highly decorated and held great power.

He couldn't afford to offend any of them, yet he had no choice but to persuade them to stand properly to maintain order. "The first place, as expected, is Prime Minister Li!"

The top-ranked member's name, written at the very top, is so eye-catching.

Everyone's gaze then turned downwards.

At the same time, the staff member next to him also took the opportunity to introduce the topic.

The Twenty-Eight Meritorious Officials of Lingyan Pavilion.

The first one is Li Yi.

The second person is Guan Yu.

The third person is Chen Deng.

The fourth person is Zhang Fei.

The fifth person is Lu Su.

The sixth person is Xun You.

The seventh person is Zhao Yun.

The eighth person is Ma Chao.

The ninth person, Mi Zhu.

The tenth person is Lü Bu.

The eleventh person is Liu Ye.

The twelfth is Huang Zhong.

The thirteenth was Chen Dao.

The fourteenth person is Zang Ba.

The fifteenth person is Tian Yu.

The sixteenth person, Qian Zhao.

The seventeenth person is Xu Huang.

The eighteenth person is Zhang He.

The nineteenth person, Gao Lan.

The twentieth person is Zhang Liao.

The twenty-first person is Chen Qun.

The twenty-second person is Xu Shu.

The twenty-third person is Pang Tong.

The twenty-fourth person is Yuan Yin.

The twenty-fifth person is Zhang Xiu.

The twenty-sixth person is Jia Xu.

The twenty-seventh person was Jian Yong.

The twenty-eighth person is Liu Yan.

After the list was announced, the comments section immediately erupted in excitement.

"What merits or abilities does Liu Weishuo possess to be ranked among the twenty-eight seats in the Lingyan Pavilion?"

Wei Yan pointed at the list of successful candidates, his face flushed, filled with indignation.

"I originally thought that those on the list must be meritorious officials and veterans, and I would accept that."

"It's just that people like this get their nominations by flattering their superiors."

"Then I can also go."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Chu immediately mocked him:

"What are you going to do? You can't even get onto the kang (heated brick bed)?"

Ok?
Upon hearing this, Wei Yan blushed with rage and recognized Xu Chu.

He then drew his sword and shouted:

"Who are you to speak so disrespectfully to me?"

"So what if I speak rudely to you?"

Xu Chu was not afraid at all and was about to draw his sword to confront him.

Both were fierce and powerful generals.

Xu Chu was Liu Bei's bodyguard, and Wei Yan was Li Yi's man.

The two got into a fight, and no one around dared to step in and break it up.

"Cough cough cough..."

Just as the two were about to draw their swords, two soft coughs were heard from under the eaves.

Li Yi approached with his hands behind his back, his purple robe and jade belt gleaming in the morning sun, so bright it was hard to open one's eyes.

The courtyard, which had been bustling like a marketplace just moments before, fell completely silent.

"Gentlemen, you are all in high spirits."

"The meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion have just been selected, and you all want to test your skills with your hands?"

As he spoke, he walked up to Xu Chu and Wei Yan, his previously calm expression suddenly changing, and he shouted sternly:

"Put down your swords now!"

Xu Chu was the first to put his sword away.

Wei Yan glanced at Li Yi before slowly sheathing his sword.

Li Yi walked up to the notice and gently stroked the gold edge of it with his fingertips.

"His Majesty and I finalized this list around midnight last night."

He suddenly turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning.

“You all should have some insightful opinions.”

Everyone's foreheads were beaded with sweat, and they all lowered their heads in silence.

"certainly--"

Li Yi suddenly smiled like a spring breeze.

"If anyone has any objections..."

"A form may be submitted."

Why imitate those vulgar people and make a ruckus in the streets?

The implication is that this list was selected jointly by me, Li Yi, and Liu Bei.

If any of you have any objections, you are welcome to come to us privately.

Tell us where we "made the wrong choice".

At the back of the crowd, Liu Yan, a newly promoted meritorious official of the Lingyan Pavilion, was shrinking back, but Li Yi fixed his gaze on him.

"Liu, the official!"

"I heard you hosted a celebratory banquet at your residence yesterday?"

Liu Yan was so startled by Li Yi's sudden mention of his name that his legs went weak and he almost knelt down.

"Xiaguan...Xiaguan..."

"Congratulations."

Li Yi helped him up personally, saying, "It just so happens that the grand court session is the day after tomorrow, and His Majesty wants you to give a public speech about the Jiangxia naval battle."

He patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't let this Lingyan title go to waste."

Everyone fell silent, not daring to utter a sound.

"Our country is currently undergoing a change of regime, and it is a turbulent time."

"You should unite internally and stand together against external forces."

"We must not allow the traitors of Wei and Wu to have any opportunity to take advantage of us."

"Do you all understand?"

Li Yi's gaze swept around, taking in everyone.

Everyone cupped their hands in unison and replied loudly:
"I will heed Your Excellency's teachings!"

After Li Yi's reprimand, things proceeded peacefully for the next few days.

……

On the day of Jiazi in the seventh month of the seventeenth year of Jian'an, in the southern suburbs of Luoyang.

As dawn broke, seventy-two red flags fluttered in the wind.

Liu Bei, wearing a twelve-tassel crown, black robes and crimson skirts, and with the Tai'a sword at his waist, slowly ascended the abdication platform.

Below the stage, the highest officials, ministers, and generals stood solemnly, while the Imperial Guards stood like a forest of halberds.

Wang Lang stood on the altar and loudly read the sacrificial text:
"On the day of Jiazi in the seventh month of the seventeenth year of Jian'an, and the twelfth day of Dingsi, the Emperor prepared and dared to announce this to Heaven and Earth."

"The Han dynasty ruled the world, and its reign was boundless."

"The generals and soldiers believed that the Han ancestral rites had fallen into disrepair and that it was appropriate to continue them, so that Emperor Wu and Emperor Liang could personally carry out the punishment from Heaven."

“Being fearful that I am unworthy to be on the throne, I consulted the common people and even the rulers of remote and desolate places.”

"They all said: Heaven's mandate cannot be ignored, ancestral property cannot be left unclaimed for long, and the world cannot be without a master."

"The hope of the entire land lies in the presence of one person."

“Being terrified of the mandate of Heaven, and also fearing that the legacy of Gao and Guang will fall to the ground.”

"On an auspicious day, we will ascend the altar to offer sacrifices, receive the imperial seal and ribbon, and rule over all directions."

"May the gods bless the Han dynasty, and may peace and prosperity reign forever!"

After reading the eulogy, Li Yi led the officials to present the imperial seal.

Liu Shou accepted the gift, presented it to the altar, and repeatedly declined, saying:
"If the candidate lacks both talent and virtue, please select one with talent and virtue to serve."

Li Yi reported:

"Your Majesty has pacified the four seas and your merits are known throughout the world. Moreover, you are a descendant of the Han dynasty, so it is fitting that you ascend to the throne."

"Now that we have already offered sacrifices to the gods, why should we decline further?"

All the civil and military officials shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

After the formalities of declining, Liu Bei then spoke loudly in his deep voice:
"I have received the Mandate of Heaven and succeeded to the legitimate Han dynasty!"

"It is hereby announced—"

"The dynasty was named Han, and the reign title was Zhangwu!"

The Han Dynasty was associated with the element of fire.

The character 章 belongs to the fire element in the Five Elements theory, so using 章 implies continuing the fire virtue of the Han dynasty.

In addition, Zhang Tong means "to manifest".

It was hailed as a martial art that showcased his ability to unify the world.

With this, the Han Dynasty officially completed its three restorations.

Following Liu Bang and Liu Xiu, Liu Bei also founded a brand new Han Dynasty.

Historically known as Qi-Han or Ji-Han.

It was also known in later generations as the Third Empire of the Han Dynasty.

After the national title and era name were decided, the official in charge of rites announced loudly:
"bye--"

The people bowed their heads and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

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

After the coronation ceremony was completed, everyone moved to the Deyang Hall for the investiture ceremony.

This is something everyone has been eagerly anticipating.

Many people had previously made great contributions in battle, but Liu Bei only rewarded them with some gold and silver and added some fiefdoms before ending the matter.

Now that you've finally taken our company public, Mr. Liu, it's time to give us old brothers a share of the profits!

Inside Deyang Palace, everything was resplendent in gold and jade.

The master of ceremonies announced loudly:

"Establish Liu Shan as the Crown Prince!"

Eleven-year-old Liu Shan stepped forward to receive the imperial seal, his chubby face filled with solemnity.

Compared to his previous youthful and immature appearance, he now appeared quite well-mannered when he was conferred the title of Crown Prince.

Seeing A Dou's current appearance, Liu Bei also showed a fatherly smile of satisfaction.

It seems that A Dou has been well-educated in Hebei.

Yes, there are my father, my aunt, and my mother there.

There are also a bunch of older brothers and sisters, and younger brothers and sisters.

Growing up in such an environment is indeed better for him.

Staying in Xiapi, the time he, as the King of Qi, could spend with him was ultimately too little.

Ultimately, what children need most is companionship.

"Father."

When Liu Shan saw Liu Bei again, his eyes were filled with tears.

"A Dou, it's time to call him Father Emperor."

Yuan Ying gently hugged Liu Chan from behind and whispered a gentle reminder to him.

Upon seeing Yuan Ying, Liu Bei said in a deep voice:
"So you actually knew how to come back?"

Yuan Ying pouted and muttered somewhat aggrievedly:
As the saying goes, "A woman follows her husband wherever he goes, whether he's a chicken or a dog."

"Now that I am your wife, I should stay by your side."

lol~
A silvery laugh came from the right.

Looking in the direction of the sound, Yuan Ying walked towards them, arm in arm with Li Yi.

When her elder sister was crowned Empress, she brought her whole family to Luoyang to join in the festivities.

As the wife of the Prime Minister, she was naturally qualified to enter the Deyang Palace and witness the investiture ceremony.

"How can a husband and wife hold a grudge overnight? Your Majesty is now the ruler of all people."

"Do not worry about trivial matters."

Li Yi spoke up to offer words of comfort.

Yuan Ying also covered her mouth and laughed:
"~Oh right, sister is now the empress, congratulations!"

Yuan Ying blushed and thanked Li Yi and his wife.

"Mr. Ziyu, and Amei, thank you for taking care of me these past few days."

Dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, she calmly bowed in thanks and walked to Liu Bei's side.

Liu Bei said:

"I do not wish to see you, but only to see Li'er."

Yuan Ying looked into his eyes and asked:

"You don't want to see me? You really don't want to see me?"

Li Yi then spoke up to explain:
"Your Majesty may not know this, but when His Majesty ordered me to bring you here from Hebei..."

"He also specifically instructed that the Empress must come to Luoyang as well."

"really?"

Yuan Ying's eyes lit up, and she turned to look at Liu Bei.

"Ahem." Liu Bei coughed lightly. "I simply didn't want there to be no Empress at the investiture ceremony."

“Husband, look at them.”

Yuan Ying gently rested her head on Li Yi's shoulder, looking as if she had bumped into something.

Li Yi shrugged and shook Yuan Ying's head away.

"With so many people in the hall, mind your manners!"

"Showing off like that, what kind of behavior is this!"

After being shaken off, Yuan Ying pouted slightly and glared at Li Yi:
"I'll do it my way!"

He lunged forward again, insisting on leaning on Li Yi's shoulder.

"Stop fooling around."

Li Yi lowered his voice to grab her mischievous hand, but the lady instead lightly tickled his palm three times.

"On this joyous occasion, I'll indulge myself this once in a while."

"no!"

Li Yi resolutely refused, but did not push Yuan Ying away again.

At that moment, Liu Yong was also led over by Madam Gan.

Since both of Liu Yong and Liu Li, his two biological sons, had arrived, Liu Bei immediately instructed the master of ceremonies to announce their arrival.

"Liu Yong is enfeoffed as the King of Lu, and Liu Li as the King of Liang."

The two young princes expressed their gratitude in their childish voices.

At that moment, when the official in charge of rites announced, "Liu is hereby enfeoffed as the King of Yi," the entire court erupted in uproar.

It should be noted that Liu Feng was not Liu Bei's biological son.

He was merely an adopted son whom Liu Bei took in when he inspected Jingzhou.

"An adopted son can actually be made a king?"

Although no one said it aloud, Liu Bei could read the meaning from the faces of his officials.

"Brother, you are still too kind-hearted!"

Guan Yu narrowed his phoenix eyes, stroked his long beard, and sighed helplessly.

"I just hope it won't cause any trouble in the future."

He was a traditional person and certainly wouldn't really regard Liu Feng as Liu Bei's son.

Zhang Fei also said, "I had long seen that my brother treated this adopted son very well, but I never expected that he would be made a king."

"Second brother is right, elder brother is still too kind!"

Others dared not say a word, but the two uncles were quite outspoken.

Liu Feng was naturally flattered by being granted the title of king, but after the initial joy came endless pressure.

Liu Bei had anticipated this, so he went straight to Liu Feng and said seriously:

“Feng’er, among all the sons, you are the eldest.”

"Although you are not my biological son, after spending this time together..."

"In my observation, you are a general who dares to charge ahead on the battlefield."

"After the war, he was a kind man who cared for soldiers and sympathized with the people."

Do you know why I bestowed upon you the title of Prince Yi?

The Book of Songs says, "Like a bird with wings."

"As the elder brother, you should take good care of your younger brothers."

Liu Feng tearfully expressed his gratitude:

"Your Majesty's teachings are etched in my heart."

As Liu Bei turned to leave, he left behind one more sentence:

"Remember, if you don't want to be looked down upon by others, prove yourself with your actions."

After all the princes were enfeoffed as kings.

Next came the much-anticipated distribution of titles and honors to the meritorious officials.

……

(End of this chapter)