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

Chapter 336 Emperor Gaozu swore an oath that no one but Liu would be king, and your subject dares not break this oath.

Meanwhile, Liu Bei completed his coronation ceremony.

The official name of the dynasty was Han, and the reign title was Zhangwu.

Yuan Ying was made empress, Gan Mei was made a concubine, and Liu Shan was made crown prince.

All of the other sons were granted the title of king.

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

This was a day that everyone had been looking forward to for far too long.

Back when he pacified Jingzhou, Liu Bei was already constrained by his status as a vassal king, making it difficult to bestow fiefdoms upon others.

Then, during the campaigns to pacify Henan and the struggle for Guanzhong, Liu Bei explicitly told everyone to be patient for the time being.

Now, it's time for everyone to claim what they deserve.

The master of ceremonies announced loudly:

"Li Ziyu, step forward to receive your appointment!"

All eyes turned to Li Yi.

This person, who was the first meritorious official of Lingyan Pavilion, was naturally the first to receive an award.

Guan Yu stroked his beard and nodded, a rare look of approval appearing in his phoenix eyes.

His character was always one of arrogance towards superiors but not humiliation towards inferiors, and disdain for scholars and officials.

But Li Yi was the only exception; he genuinely admired Li Yi as a kind and honest elder.

Zhang Fei grinned, having admired this gentleman ever since the first day they met.

As he walked past Chen Deng, Chen Deng nodded to him.

As if to say:

"This honor today is well-deserved by my brothers."

"I will never forget the life-saving kindness of the fish sashimi and the recommendation from Guangling."

When he reached Lü Bu's side, the unruly Marquis Wen, unusually, put aside his arrogance and gave him a standard military salute.

He was not only related to Li Yi by marriage, but also relied heavily on Li Yi's recommendation after being defeated by Cao Cao in Puyang.

This allowed him to develop in Runan, where he successively fought for the country against Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao, making outstanding contributions.

Lu Bu's life was full of ups and downs, and he is now ranked as the tenth meritorious official in the Lingyan Pavilion of the Han Dynasty.

He can be considered a true loyal minister of the Han Dynasty!

All of this is inextricably linked to Li Yi.

Finally, Li Yi came to Liu Bei's side.

The emperor and his minister looked at each other, speechless.

Liu Bei smiled broadly and said:

"To be honest, sir, I never expected things to turn out this way since I started my career."

"This is all thanks to your efforts, sir!"

Li Yi, however, remained serious and respectfully returned the greeting with a bow.
"This is my duty."

The assembled officials and ministers watched the emperor and his minister in silence, their trust transcending mere friendship.

The conversation at this moment felt just like the first time we met.

Yes,

Perhaps in Liu Bei's heart, he still regarded Li Yi as his mentor, his friend, and his brother.

But in Li Yi's heart, Liu Bei's identity was irrelevant.

Before that, he was already His Majesty the Emperor, the Son of Heaven of the Han Dynasty...

Liu Bei's smile gradually faded, his expression turning serious, and he said loudly:

"Li Ziyu, come forward to receive your appointment!"

Li Yi stepped forward in response.

At this moment, a group of military generals, led by Zhang He, Xu Huang, Gan Ning, and Zhou Tai, all turned their attention to Li Yi.

Do you think the Prime Minister will ask His Majesty for the throne?

------

three days ago.

The list of meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion was just released not long ago.

Under the cover of night, five generals—Zhang He and Xu Huang from Hebei, Gan Ning and Zhou Tai from Huainan, and Jiang Qin—gathered in a secluded courtyard west of Luoyang City.

As the candlelight flickered, Zhang He unfolded a scroll of bamboo slips.

The petition, clearly written on it, urged Li Yi to relinquish the title of king.

"With Prime Minister Li's illustrious military achievements, he is more than qualified to be enfeoffed as a king of a different surname."

"But the oath made by Emperor Gaozu on the white horse..."

Xu Huang said in a deep voice.

"Hey! Oaths are dead, but people are alive."

"Didn't Emperor Gaozu say back then, 'No one but a meritorious official shall be made a marquis,' yet now marquises are everywhere?"

Gan Ning interrupted, "If anyone in our Great Han Dynasty has the ability to break this rule, it is only Prime Minister Li."

"Not bad!"

Zhou Tai slammed his fist on the table and stood up, saying, "Only if Prime Minister Li intervenes will there be a chance to resolve this matter."

"He is the most meritorious, as long as he is willing to take the lead."

"It's not impossible for us to sign a joint petition."

These two groups of people are located in the north and the south, respectively.

If two groups of people from different parts of the country can come together, it must be because they have the same goal and are driven by common interests.

Their direct superiors were all ranked among the top three in Lingyan Pavilion.

Imagine if their leaders could be crowned kings.

How much benefit will they gain as subordinates?
The cake is only so big, so if you want to get the biggest slice...

You have to act early and choose the sharpest knife.

The five men had finalized their plan, and the next day they went their separate ways to contact the generals of Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Bingzhou, and other factions.

Surprisingly, the generals from all factions unanimously expressed their agreement.

They never imagined that they would have the chance to meet a king of a different surname in the Han Dynasty.

But Li Yi's appearance gave them such a fantasy.

No one would resist the urge to shatter this illusion.

Because once this door is opened, it means that not only them, but also their descendants will have the opportunity to be made kings.

So you can see a group of military generals and strategists from various regions, with different interests and conflicts.

At this moment, they were able to demonstrate an extraordinary level of unity.

The world is full of goodwill, and the world is all good.

The temptation to become king was simply too great.

In the past, they wouldn't have dared to even think about it.

But rather,
In the third century AD, this group of people had the good fortune to witness the birth of the strongest carbon-based life form on Earth, the strongest political animal.

Li Yi was well-liked, as everyone knew.

But there are also people who don't like him.

Even those who dislike him have to admit that if anyone has the chance to break the oath of "no one but Liu can be king".

There was no one else but Li Yi.

His military achievements and political accomplishments far surpassed those of Guan Yu, who ranked second.

It is no exaggeration to say that the entire political structure and system of Qi Han was built by Li Yi.

As an Imperial engineer, there was no one more suitable than him.

People from all over the country did not genuinely want Li Yi to be made a king.

But they were happy to see the chain reaction that would follow after Li Yi was made a king.

This is a remarkable act that is unfriendly to the Liu family, but friendly to everyone else besides the Liu family.

Driven by enormous profits, senior officials from all sides signed their names on the joint list.

In just three days, the day before the investiture ceremony began.

A joint petition was secretly drafted, covered with the names of generals and high-ranking officials from various states.

On this day, Zhang He, Xu Huang, Gan Ning, and Jiang Qin visited the Prime Minister's residence together.

"The Prime Minister's military strategy is brilliant. In the Battle of Pengcheng, he decisively defeated Cao Wei's million-strong army."

"Even the most famous generals of antiquity, such as Han Xin and Bai Qi, might not have surpassed him!"

Upon meeting Li Yi, Jiang Qin immediately recounted Li Yi's achievements.

Xu Huang then added:

"What's even more remarkable is that the Prime Minister governed with benevolence and kindness, and the people of Hebei still remember the kindness of 'Li Gongtian' to this day."

"The name of Li Gongtan of Youzhou is known to every household, enabling the people of Youyan to be self-sufficient."

Gan Ning and Zhang He also took turns praising Li Yi's achievements to the skies.

Li Yi took a sip of tea, his expression calm and composed.

"Whether Li's actions were a merit or a demerit to the country is a matter for the nation to judge."

"You'll know tomorrow at the investiture ceremony. That's why you've all come to see me today."

"I suppose you're not here to recount my achievements?"

The group exchanged glances, and Zhang He spoke first, smiling ingratiatingly:
"Nothing can be hidden from the Prime Minister."

"This is a small token of our appreciation from our brothers in the army."

As he spoke, he took out a joint letter from his pocket.

Li Yi took the bamboo slip, his gaze sweeping over the familiar names—

Hebei faction, Huainan faction, Qingzhou faction, Xuzhou faction, Bingzhou faction...

It encompasses almost all factions under Liu Bei's command.

"Everyone felt that with the Prime Minister's outstanding achievements, he should be promoted to the rank of Prince."

Li Yi remained silent for a long time, his face as still as water.

The crowd looked at each other, then stood there quietly, waiting.

After a long pause, Li Yi slowly opened his mouth and sighed, saying:

"Is the allure of being crowned a king really that great for you?"

Everyone was taken aback, then they all cupped their hands in greeting:

"With our meager achievements, we would never dare to hope for such a feat even if we devoted our entire lives to it."

"But we all believe that His Majesty has always been fair in rewarding and punishing."

"With the Prime Minister's unparalleled achievements, if he cannot be promoted to the rank of Prince, it would be insufficient to demonstrate the laws and regulations of the country."

"Moreover, the ceremony of bestowing titles is precisely for rewarding meritorious officials."

"The Prime Minister's virtue is so great that even Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou could not match him."

"When Jin obtains this position..."

Li Yi remained silent for a long time before his gaze fell on Jiang Qin and Gan Ning.

"Does Chen Yuanlong know about this?"

"This was done spontaneously by us, and Chen Zhengnan was unaware of it."

Both of them were seasoned veterans in officialdom for over a decade; how could they possibly implicate Chen Deng?
In fact,
The leaders of the various factions were not involved in this matter.

But they all knew about it, and they all acquiesced to it.

Because if they succeed, they will have the opportunity to be crowned kings, if not now, at least someday in the future.

If they fail, they can protect themselves by pretending they know nothing about it.

Given this, the leaders of each battalion naturally understood the situation and tacitly allowed everyone to sign the joint document.

Without the approval of these bigwigs, how could their underlings dare to spontaneously come to the Prime Minister's residence to "force the emperor to abdicate"?

Behind all of this, there are people stirring things up.

"……hehe."

Li Yi showed no emotion on his face, but said gently:

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, but I am unworthy of it."

"However, this matter concerns the foundation of the nation, so please allow me to consider it carefully."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as this matter was of great importance.

If Li Yi suddenly refuses, they won't know whether to proceed or retreat.

Now that Li Yi is willing to consider it, there is still hope.

"Very well, it is late at night. Please take care of yourself, Your Excellency."

"I'll take my leave."

Everyone withdrew.

After the footsteps of the crowd disappeared outside the mansion gate, a figure in crimson robes emerged from behind the screen.

Yuan Ying walked out gracefully, the bright pearls on her earrings swaying gently with each step.

Are the children asleep?

Li Yi stood with his hands behind his back, looking out at the gate, and spoke first.

"...They've all gone to sleep."

"Does my husband really intend to grant them their wish?"

Yuan Ying gently buried her head in Li Yi's arms and asked softly.

Li Yi raised the corners of his lips slightly and asked in return:
"What does Madam think?"

Yuan Ying frowned and said in a deep voice:

"In my opinion, apart from the people of Hebei, no one truly wants to see you, my husband, made a king."

"They just want you to open this door so they can benefit from it."

"If my husband agrees, I fear it will cause trouble in the future."

"Oh?"

Li Yi raised an eyebrow, looking at Yuan Ying with some surprise.

"I never expected my wife to have such insight. I should really look at you in a new light."

"Hehe, it's all thanks to my husband's excellent teaching."

“I usually stay at home to take care of my husband and raise our children, and through what I see and hear, I have come to understand the principles.”

Li Yi nodded, impressed that the Skeleton King's daughter possessed such political awareness.

It seems that his family background is really good.

They can even turn a fool into a smart person.

"So what does my husband plan to do next?" Yuan Ying asked.

"Enter the palace and meet the emperor."

……

The night was as dark as ink, and only a few palace lanterns flickered in Luoyang Palace.

Liu Bei was reviewing memorials in a side hall when a servant suddenly came to report:
"The Prime Minister requests an audience."

"Xuan."

Liu Bei put down his brush and looked up at the palace gate.

Li Yi, dressed in a purple robe and jade belt, entered the hall with steady steps, holding a scroll of bamboo slips in his hand.

In the candlelight, his brows lacked the composure he displayed during the day, instead revealing a hint of solemnity.

"His Majesty."

Li Yi bowed respectfully, "It's so late, haven't you rested yet?"

Li Yi always handled official business strictly, speaking directly without wasting time.

But this time, he unusually came up first to catch up with old friends.

Liu Bei rubbed his temples, then smiled broadly and said:
"Sir, you haven't slept either, have you?"

"...Hehe, now that I am the Emperor of the Great Han, I can no longer be as lazy as before."

"There are many matters that require my approval, especially since the investiture ceremony is tomorrow."

"I have a headache right now because I need to reward many meritorious officials."

Li Yi raised an eyebrow and bowed, saying:
"Your Majesty, I have come specifically for this matter, as I have important matters to report."

With that, he presented the bamboo slips with both hands.

Liu Bei unfolded the bamboo slips to read them, his brow furrowed with displeasure.

But there was not much of a reaction.

After a long while, Liu Bei slowly closed the bamboo slip and remained silent for a moment.

He suddenly looked at Li Yi and asked with a half-smile:
"What is your opinion on this, sir?"

Without hesitation, Li Yi answered seriously:

"Back then, Emperor Gaozu made a white horse oath, vowing that no one but Liu would be king."

"Your subject dares not break this precedent."

Liu Bei held the bamboo slips and tapped them lightly on the table.

Suddenly he laughed:
"The generals in the army have jointly petitioned me to bestow upon you the title of king."

"I think it is reasonable for you to be granted the title of king based on your merits."

"Since it is what everyone hopes for, why should you decline, sir?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yi bowed again.

He looked up and stared directly at Liu Bei, and said:

"Your Majesty, it is just as I said."

Emperor Gaozu made a vow: "Anyone who is not of the Liu clan and becomes king shall be attacked by all under heaven."

"Your subject is of meager virtue and limited wisdom; how could I dare to break this oath for someone of such low character?"

"...Ziyu".

Liu Bei's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he stood up, facing Li Yi directly into his eyes.

"We have known each other for eighteen years. There are only the two of us here, and no one else around."

"I... no! I'm making this promise to you right here."

"Only if you wish, at tomorrow's investiture ceremony."

"I am willing to break my oath of brotherhood with the white horse for you, and even make an exception to bestow upon you the title of king!"

Their eyes met, and neither spoke.

Their eyes met directly, neither of them looking away.

Li Yi answered calmly and respectfully:

“If I am the first king of a different surname, there will surely be a second and a third in the future.”

"The country is now becoming more stable, but the world is not yet at peace."

"Setting this precedent will inevitably lead to disaster."

"I am thinking of the country and the nation, and I dare not be the first to do so."

call……

Liu Bei let out a long sigh.

His expression was unreadable.

A sense of relief? A sigh of regret?
Li Yi couldn't read it, but he knew—

The road ahead will be very, very difficult.

"...Ziyu, is this your answer?"

"Consistent."

"So what do you plan to do?"

Without saying a word, Li Yi walked to the stove in the corner of the hall, under Liu Bei's watchful gaze.

He threw the bamboo slips directly into the furnace.

Wisps of smoke rose, and flames quickly engulfed the densely packed signatures.

Zhang He, Xu Huang, Gan Ning, Jiang Qin...

One by one, names turned to ashes in the flames.

A sudden gust of wind arose outside the hall, swirling up ashes.

Looking at the scattered embers, Liu Bei sighed inwardly:
"Ziyu, Ziyu, I am so glad to have met you in this life..."

"We are a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times luckier than Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu!"

------

Do you think the Prime Minister will ask His Majesty for the throne?

The crowd whispered among themselves, all hoping that Li Yi would grant their request from the previous night.

Before Li Yi could speak, Liu Bei suddenly said:

"Just now, I appointed several of my sons as kings."

"But upon further reflection, I think, given your hard work, great achievements, and outstanding merits, it is not inappropriate for you not to be king!"

When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.

This!
Everyone, look at me, and I'll look at you.

At least two-thirds of the ministers in the hall participated in the joint petition to confer the title of king.

To everyone's surprise, Liu Bei actually struck first.

He took the initiative to offer to grant Li Yi the title of king.

Now, let's see how Li Yi reacts.

Li Yi bowed deeply and replied with composure:
"Four hundred years ago, Emperor Gaozu killed a white horse to form an alliance and made a pact with the Liu family."

"Anyone who is not of the Liu family but becomes king shall be attacked by all under heaven!"

"Although I have made some minor contributions, I believe that the laws of our ancestors should not be changed."

"Your subject dares not accept the throne."

When Li Yi refused, the others did not react much.

He declined three times; we'll have to see how things develop from here.

Liu Bei then said:

"Emperor Gaozu made a vow on a white horse to ensure the safety of the people."

"However, this is not the Han Dynasty of today, and Ziyu is not comparable to Han Xin or Zhang Liang."

"I do not wish to mistreat meritorious officials, and I am willing to restore the ancient practice and set a precedent."

"I hereby bestow upon you the title of King!"

Everyone held their breath, waiting to see how Li Yi would respond.

Li Yi refused again:

"For someone of a different surname to become king is a path to disaster."

"The country is not at peace now; this is not the time for pleasure."

“We should also strive together, rather than demand the throne at this moment.”

Finished!

Upon hearing this, everyone understood that the hope of being granted a royal title by someone of a different surname was dashed!

As expected, after asking twice more, Liu Bei finally confirmed by asking:
"Sir, do you truly not wish to accept this throne?"

"I dare not accept this."

"...Alright, since Ziyu insists on not accepting, then let's drop this matter."

The matter of bestowing titles upon those of different surnames came to an end with the coordinated performance of Liu Bei and his minister Li Yi.

Everyone here is a smart person; anyone could see that the two of them had clearly communicated beforehand.

That's why they would put on a special show for everyone at the investiture ceremony.

This move was intended to send a warning to everyone.

What is rightfully yours is yours; if I don't give it to you, you can't take it.

To put it bluntly, the White Horse Pledge was merely a political tool.

If the falling flowers have feelings, the flowing water also has feelings.

Liu Bei genuinely wanted to bestow the title of king upon Li Yi, and Li Yi also sincerely desired the throne.

What does a four-hundred-year-old oath mean?

Politics is a face game.

As long as Liu Bei gives an order, everyone will say that the political environment of four hundred years ago cannot represent today.

Different strategies should be adopted at different times.

Then the matter of granting a kingship to someone of a different surname would naturally fall into place.

The power of discourse is inherently in the hands of those in power; as long as they speak, that's enough.

Who has the right to criticize or judge?
But obviously,
Liu Bei didn't want to open this door, and Li Yi didn't want to be used as a pawn.

Therefore, the oath made on a white horse was the best political weapon for the emperor and his minister.

After Liu Bei and Li Yi's near-perfect performance.

This will bring at least three benefits.

First, Liu Bei's initiative to grant titles of kings to his meritorious officials demonstrated his generosity towards his subordinates.

This made his image as a benevolent and sage ruler even more deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people in the new dynasty.

Secondly, after Li Yi refused, the remaining people dared not mention the matter of being granted a kingship by someone of a different surname again.

After all, even the most meritorious official in the Lingyan Pavilion dared not accept the throne, so who among you dares to accept it?

No matter how great your achievements are, can they surpass those of Prime Minister Li?
Third, the issue of granting kingships to people of different surnames was essentially a political crisis.

Neither Liu Bei nor Li Yi could deal with the person behind this.

The names on the joint letter are merely representatives of the powerful figures behind the scenes.

At least two-thirds of the ministers in the country were involved in this matter.

If a real purge were to occur, let alone conquer the world, there would be no one left to govern it.

However, thanks to the combined efforts of Liu Bei and Li Yi, the political crisis was successfully resolved.

This allowed the incident to be resolved smoothly.

"Although Ziyu is unwilling to accept the throne, I cannot treat meritorious officials poorly."

"I am still willing to make an exception for you, and bestow upon you the title of duke or marquis."

Liu Bei's words conveyed two messages to the outside world.

First, he wanted to confer the title of Duke upon Li Yi.

Li Yi was already a county marquis, and there was no higher title he could attain.

Conferring titles of kings can easily lead to a series of historical problems, while conferring titles of dukes will have far fewer problems.

This is the only win-win solution that Liu Bei can think of at the moment.

He was able to appease his subordinates and not mistreat his meritorious officials.

This will also minimize potential historical problems in the future.

Secondly, Liu Bei deliberately emphasized that he wanted to break this precedent.

The implication is clear: they do not acknowledge that Cao Cao's title of Duke of Wei was legitimate.

This is a principle or stance.

At the same time, it also shows that Liu Bei valued his subordinates.

This time, Li Yi did not refuse.

He knew in his heart that his previous refusal to accept the throne had only disappointed his meritorious officials.

If he were to refuse the dukedom again, it would completely dishearten the meritorious officials.

Many of Liu Bei's subordinates were granted the title of county marquis.

Many people are finding it increasingly difficult to achieve higher positions.

You, Li Yi, can't just think about filling your own stomach and not leave any soup for your subordinates!
With a piercing gaze, Liu Bei, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, formally announced:
"I hereby bestow upon Li Yi the title of Duke Protector of the Nation!"

"He was bestowed with a crown and robes with nine tassels, a gold seal and a purple ribbon, and was granted the Nine Bestowments."

He was granted the right to enter the court without hastening his steps, to pay homage without using his name, and to wear a sword and shoes in the palace.

The hall erupted in another uproar.

Generally speaking, dukes are named according to the territory they are granted.

Liu Bei, however, broke with tradition once again, naming Duke Li Yi "Protector of the Nation".

The phrase "protecting the country" emphasizes "defending the Han dynasty," which aligns with the legitimacy of Liu Bei's regime.

Simultaneously,

As a military leader, Li Yi needed a distinguished title to balance the various factions.

Therefore, Li Yi's title of duke is also the most special.

The only ducal title not named after a region, but rather after a political allegory.

"Thank you!"

Li Yi bowed deeply in gratitude and thanked Liu Bei.

Liu Bei helped Li Yi to his feet.

Now that the title of Duke has been determined, the fiefdom and estate should naturally be determined as well.

As for which fiefdom to grant Li Yi, and how much of a fiefdom to bestow upon him?

Liu Bei looked into Li Yi's eyes and said solemnly:

"Back then, Zhang Zifang assisted Emperor Gaozu, strategizing and planning to establish the Han Dynasty."

When Emperor Gaozu was rewarding his meritorious officials, he said to Zhang Liang—

"Xu Jun may choose 30,000 households in Qi."

"I often say that you are my Zhang Liang, but you are more than just Zhang Liang."

"I will grant you the same promise as Emperor Gaozu did back then."

"You may also choose to occupy 30,000 households in Qi!"

When the Western Han Dynasty was established, everyone was granted the title of Marquis.

Only two people made Liu Bang stand up and speak on his behalf.

One of them was Zhang Liang.

Liu Bang's original words were, "I will choose 30,000 households in Qi."

It means that Zifang, you can choose any land in the State of Qi, and select 30,000 households to be your fief.

This is incredible.

It should be noted that the highest rank of marquis in ancient China was the Marquis of Ten Thousand Households.

But what Liu Bang promised Zhang Liang was not just an ordinary marquisate of ten thousand households, but a marquisate of thirty thousand households.

Liu Bang not only demanded 30,000 households, but also chose the Qi region himself.

The fact that Qi was the most fertile land at the time shows how well Liu Bang treated Zhang Liang.

But Liu Bei's promise at this moment was far more ambitious than that of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang back then.

Because Liu Bang allowed Zhang Liang to "choose his own fiefdom in Qi," which meant selecting a fiefdom within the territory of Qi.

But as everyone knows, Liu Bei was the King of Qi before he became emperor.

His fiefdom was the State of Qi.

That is,

Until the day before Liu Bei declared himself emperor, the State of Qi referred to the entire territory of the Han Dynasty within the area under Liu Bei's control!
The phrase "choose your own land in Qi" sounds even more bold and unrestrained when it comes from Liu Bei's mouth.

In addition to paying homage to Emperor Gaozu, Liu Bei also

He also wanted to emphasize to everyone that the entire Qi-Han empire was built by him and Li Yi together.

Therefore, among all the people, only Li Yi was qualified to "choose the land of Qi for himself".

This was also Liu Bei's way of expressing his guilt and making amends for not being able to grant Li Yi the title of king.

After all, Liu Bei knew in his heart that Li Yi's achievements were more than enough to qualify him to be a king.

But what makes a "king" a king is not the king himself, but the person who bestows the title of king.

For example, although Liu Feng was also a king, no one took him seriously.

Because Liu Feng had no real power.

But powerful regional officials like Li Yi and Chen Deng, who held real power, once they obtained the "throne,"

That would plant a huge hidden time bomb for the newly established Qi-Han regime.

It is people who achieve the "throne," not the "throne" that makes people.

Li Yi wielded too much power and had too many connections.

Once this door is opened, endless calamities will follow.

Li Yi served under Liu Bei for eighteen years simply to repay a single meal of kindness.

Always conscientious and dedicated, always thinking of the bigger picture, and constantly sacrificing himself.

Just like the Jiangnan campaign a few years ago, Liu Bei knew he was sacrificing Li Yi.

But Li Yi still went without hesitation.

Li Yi already possessed the merits and prestige to be granted the title of king, but he still considered the overall situation and voluntarily gave up the throne.

Since last night, Liu Bei has made up his mind.

He vowed that he would at least grant Li Yi the title of Duke the next day.

Moreover, it is an absolutely unique ducal title.

Even if there are real hidden dangers in the future, he would not hesitate to overthrow the Liu family's regime.

Without Li Yi, there would be no Liu Bei as he is today.

"Your Excellency is so fortunate, so fortunate!"

The crowd sighed inwardly, some with envy, others with jealousy.

Such extraordinary privilege is something they could never achieve even in their entire lives.

Li Yi replied calmly:

"Your Majesty just used the words of Emperor Gaozu to praise Zhang Liang to praise me, so I will use Zhang Liang's words to reply to Your Majesty."

"When I first rose from Xiapi, I met with the Emperor at Tan."

"Heaven has bestowed this upon Your Majesty, and Your Majesty has adopted my plan, which has fortunately been timely."

"I am content with being enfeoffed in Tan; I dare not accept 30,000 households."

The words Li Yi quoted were Zhang Liang's original reply to Liu Bang.

The only difference was that "Liu Di" was changed to "Tan Di".

Zhang Liang met Liu Bang in Xuzhou, and Li Yi also met Liu Bei in Xuzhou.

Zhang Liang was in Liu, while Li Yi was in Tan.

Zhang Liang meant that his meeting with His Majesty in Liu was the will of Heaven.

It was God who entrusted me to you.

You listened to all the suggestions I made.

And luckily, they all came true; it must have been God's will.

So I don't want anywhere else, I just want the place where we met back then—Liudi.

So you can just grant me the land of Liu, and I'll be the Marquis of Liu.

I dare not accept 30,000 households.

Therefore, Liu Bang granted Zhang Liang a fief of 10,000 households and gave him the land of Liu.

Therefore, the biography of Zhang Liang is also called "The Hereditary House of Marquis Liu".

This place holds special significance; it is where Zhang Liang and Liu Bang first met.

Zhang Liang wanted more than just a commemoration; he also wanted gratitude.

This demonstrates Zhang Liang's political wisdom.

He was able to resist temptation and choose to withdraw gracefully when faced with opportunities for gain.

And how could Li Yi be inferior to Zhang Liang?

The same problem, but a bigger temptation.

Li Yi still chose to decline the appointment.

I chose Tandi because that's where we first met.

You saved me from Cao Cao's army, and I am grateful for your life-saving grace, so I will serve you like a dog or a horse.

To commemorate this historic meeting, I will only visit Tan County.

I dare not claim the title of 30,000 households.

"...Ziyu, these are my true feelings."

When Liu Bei saw that Li Yi refused again, he felt even more guilty.

He genuinely wanted Li Yi to become the greatest meritorious official since the founding of the Han Dynasty.

Throughout the entire four hundred years of the Han Dynasty, no one ever held a fiefdom of up to 30,000 households.

Liu Bei sincerely hoped that Li Yi could become the first person.

We built this empire together, so you deserve half of it.

"Back then, Marquis Xiao He of Zan only had a fief of 15,000 households."

"Marquis Jiang, Zhou Bo, had no more than 8,100 households."

"Wei and Huo defeated the Xiongnu in the north and made unparalleled contributions, but their fiefdoms never exceeded 16,000 households."

"The world is not yet at peace, and the traitors of Wei and Wu are still rampant."

"With my meager achievements, I fear I may not be able to surpass Xiao He, Cao Shen, Zhou Bo, Wei Qing, and Huo Qubing."

"Therefore, I dare not accept the title of 30,000 households."

If the earlier exchange of refusing the title of king had left the people in the hall somewhat sighing, then...

Li Yi's actions at this moment were a slap in the face to everyone.

now,

Whether you like Li Yi or not, you all sincerely admire him.

To what extent does a person's state of mind and realm need to be cultivated?

How could he choose to refuse such an unparalleled honor as a fiefdom of 30,000 households?

It's easier said than done.

At least none of the people in the palace dared to say that they could resist the temptation of 30,000 households.

After all, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go down in history and be forever recorded in the annals of time.

If someone says he can resist temptation,
That's just because it didn't happen to him.

It's like someone asking you if you'd be willing to donate a million dollars.

You said you were willing.

What about 500,000?

willing.

What about 100,000?
willing.

What about the ten thousand yuan?
unwilling.

Because I really do have 10,000 yuan.

Li Yi's decision to refuse was naturally based on his own considerations.

As he himself said, the world is not yet at peace, yet he is about to receive a fief of 30,000 households, an unprecedented amount.

This is unreasonable.

He dared not surpass those predecessors.

Secondly, Li Yi could see that Liu Bei wanted to portray himself as the unique Duke of the Han Dynasty.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Chen Deng will also have the opportunity to be granted the title of Duke.

But it certainly won't reach the level of honor it deserves.

At most, Guan Yu would receive a fief of ten thousand households, and that would only decrease in the future.

He alone received 30,000 households' worth of benefits, more than all the others combined.

Wouldn't that make Li Yi the target of everyone's criticism?

Therefore, Li Yi resolutely refused to accept the 30,000 households.

Seeing Li Yi's resolute attitude, Liu Bei said:
“If you won’t accept 30,000 households, then accept 20,000 households.”

Twenty thousand households was a historic number, but Li Yi firmly declined the offer.

Despite Liu Bei's repeated attempts to persuade him, Li Yi remained unmoved.

Finally, Liu Bei said:

"Since you are unwilling to accept 30,000 households, nor 20,000 households, but only 10,000 households."

"Then I will grant you 19,999 households."

"This does not count as surpassing the 20,000 households of the fiefdom, or overtaking our predecessors."

"His Majesty!"

Li Yi was about to refuse when Liu Bei interrupted him.

"This is my final request!!"

Liu Bei waved his hand, his words almost pleading.

"Ziyu, I have always listened to your advice and followed your suggestions readily."

"Because I know that Li Ziyu never makes a mistake."

"You always see further and think more than I do."

"You have your reasons for refusing my good intentions."

"But this time, let me be willful just this once."

Li Yi remained silent.

After a short while, Li Yi bowed his head in gratitude.

Thus, the Qi-Han regime,

The hierarchical system of having the surname Liu as king and those of other surnames as dukes was formally established.

(End of this chapter)