Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 380: Liu Han's demise, Chan and Yuan

Chapter 380: Liu Han's demise, Chan and Yuan

April, the second year of Jianxing.

The four states of Yu, Yi, Yang and Jing all reported auspicious signs. A yellow dragon was seen in Runan, Yuzhou, which appeared in the sky for five days before disappearing. A jade seal was found in Shu County, Yizhou, which was thrown onto a boat by a dragon in the river. A jade book was found in Han River in Jingzhou, which read: "The one who will replace the Han Dynasty will be Dangtu Gao". Jiahe was found in Yuzhang, Jingzhou, and the rice was as big as beans.

On the 11th day, Liu Xie dreamed of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang. Emperor Gaozu punished Liu Xie and said that the Zhou Dynasty lasted for 800 years, and Liu Han had been prosperous for 400 years. Today the world was in chaos, so he should imitate the saints and abdicate in order to rule the world.

On the twelfth day, Liu Xie reported to the Gao Temple and issued an edict to abdicate, and sent the Imperial Censor Xi Lüjie to present the imperial seal and edict to abdicate to Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu cried but refused to accept the edict, and submitted a memorial to humbly decline the throne.

On the 13th, Liu Xie sent a second imperial edict to Yuan Shu, saying that "the one who will replace the Han Dynasty is Tu Gao". Tu Gao called him Yuan and asked Yuan Shu to accept the throne. Yuan Shu refused and wrote a memorial saying that he had no merit.

On the 14th day, Liu Xie sent three edicts to Yuan Shu, saying that the Yuan surname came from Chen, and Chen was the descendant of Shun, and the earth inherited the fire, which was the next in line to respond to the destiny. Now the fire virtue of the Han Dynasty is declining, and the earth virtue should succeed it. Therefore, I am willing to follow the example of Yao abdicating to Shun and give the throne to Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu was ashamed and refused to accept it, saying that the bandits were rampant and he could not suppress them on behalf of the Han Dynasty.

On the 15th, Liu Xie sent edicts to all four sides, detailing Yuan Shu's achievements, such as raising troops to attack Dong, welcoming the emperor in Luoyi, and serving the emperor in Nanyang. He surrendered Liu Zhang on behalf of the Han Dynasty, drove out the bandits in Jiangzuo, and swept away the heroes in Jingbiao, which were all great contributions to the Han Dynasty. Yuan Shu could not refuse, so he accepted the edict and took the throne.

On the same day, an altar was built in Xiao Chang'an.

On the 24th, Liu Xie and Yuan Shu led all civil and military officials to Xiao Chang'an to perform the ceremony of abdication of the throne.

The round altar is built high, with three levels of steps.

The soldiers held halberds, their weapons were bright, their flags fluttered. The soldiers lined up at the foot of the altar, thousands of them were in a hustle and bustle.

Civil and military officials surrounded Yuan Shu in front of the altar, and then ceremonial music started playing, with loud and majestic sounds!

Yuan Shu stepped slowly onto the platform, and the crowd responded with loud shouts.

Liu Xie, holding the imperial seal in his hand, climbed up the stairs stupidly, while Huang Zhong, wearing dark armor, guarded him on both sides.

Liu Xie looked at Yuan Shu on the steps, his stunned expression suddenly changed, and he said to Huang Zhong: "Emperor Gaozu killed the white snake and started the uprising, and the Han Dynasty was revived for 400 years. You have been enjoying the Han salary for a long time, why do you do evil for the thief!"

Seeing that Liu Xie was trying to fool him, Huang Zhong sneered and said, "Since ancient times, there has always been a rise and fall, and there has always been prosperity and decline. How can there be a country that will not perish, or a family that will not fail? In the past, there were the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and now the Han Dynasty has been passed down for more than 400 years, and it has reached the end of its fate until your majesty. After your majesty abdicates, you will eat Chen Lu. If your majesty has the courage, I hope you will not eat Chen Lu in the future, but will abstain from hunger and be loyal!"

Chen State was a vassal state established in Huaiyang by the Western Zhou Dynasty. Its founding king was Gui Man, a descendant of Shun. However, Yuan Shu believed that the Yuan family had lived in the former land of Chen State for a long time and were descendants of Chen State, and their ancestry could be traced back to Shun. Therefore, Yuan Shu named the country "Chen" instead of Chu.

After being teased by Huang Zhong, Liu Xie was speechless and could only go up the stairs silently.

When he arrived at the altar, Yuan Shu was already waiting for Liu Xie. Seeing Liu Xie take the seat, he bowed slightly and said, "Thank you, Mr. Liu, for presenting the seal to me!"

Seeing Yuan Shu calling himself "I", Liu Xie said in a low voice: "Emperor Gaozu conquered Qin and destroyed Chu, succeeded Zhou and founded Han, and the dynasty has been passed down for four hundred years. You and your ancestors have received the grace of Han for a hundred years. Now I have no faults. Can you discuss abdication again?"

Yuan Shu smiled wryly and said, "Today is an auspicious day. I hope Mr. Liu will not make mistakes. If you hesitate or persist, don't blame me for being rude!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xie sighed, then handed the jade seal in his hand to Yuan Shu, and then the crown on his head.

After receiving the ceremony, the attendant came out with the imperial edict and read out: "The Han Dynasty has declined, and the world has lost its order. It has fallen to me, and the chaos has become dark. The heroes are rebellious and the world has turned upside down. It is thanks to the divine power of the King of Chu that he has saved the world from this disaster. Only by clearing the Yangtze and Han rivers can we protect our ancestral temples. I am not the only one who protects justice. I am really blessed by the nine ranks. Now I will inherit the destiny of Chen and replace Han with the virtue of the land. My destiny has an end. ... So I abdicate to the King of Chu."

The servants struck bells and chimes, and the clear sounds echoed throughout the altar.

When the ceremony was over, Yuan Shu wore a crown and received Liu Xie's rites of emperor. When the crowd saw that Yuan Shu was already the emperor, they all shouted "Long live the emperor".

After the congratulations, Yuan Shu raised his arm slightly, and said with a deep breath, "Pass on my decree, grant amnesty to the whole country, change Jianxing to Jianzhong, and name the country Chen. Posthumously honor our ancestor as Emperor Gaozu, and establish an ancestral temple in Runan. Nanyang County will be promoted to Nanyang Yin, and all officials will be enfeoffed according to the decree."

"As ordered!"

"Zhou Shang, Xi Lu, and Tai Chong, come forward and listen!"

"Long live!"

"Appoint Zhou Shang as Situ, Xi Lu as Sikong, Tai Chong as Taiwei, and the rest of the ministers will all be given titles and rewards. They will all be enthroned according to the imperial edict." Yuan Shu said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Long live!"

Cai Mao bowed and knelt before entering, cupping his hands and saying, "Your Majesty, there is no two suns in the sky, and no two rulers in a country. The Han Emperor has abdicated the throne, and it is only right that he should retreat to his vassal state. Mao requests an imperial decree to place the Liu family in the country."

"good!"

Yuan Shu remained calm and said, "Although the Han Dynasty has fallen, the virtue of the Han Dynasty still exists. In the past, the Zhou Dynasty destroyed the Shang Dynasty and granted Shunzi the title of king. Now the Chen Dynasty has replaced the Han Dynasty and granted Liu the title of Duke of Jiangxia. He enjoys a fief of 10,000 households and can go in and out like an emperor. He should not be treated harshly."

Seeing Yuan Shu treating him so well, Liu Xie was immediately grateful. He kowtowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness. I will never forget it for the rest of my life!"

Soon, Liu Xie, supported by his attendants, hobbled off the stage.

In the crowd, the old ministers of the Han Dynasty could not help but shed tears secretly when they saw Liu Xie's appearance, or they felt sad. The Han Dynasty, which had lasted for four hundred years, was finally heading towards destruction.

Seeing the performance of the people below the altar, Yuan Shu stroked his beard and smiled, and said to Yan Xiang beside him, "I know the stories of ancient saints and wise kings who abdicated today!"

Yan Xiang smiled bitterly, not knowing how to respond to Yuan Shu's teasing remarks.

Looking around at the people below the platform, Yuan Shu suddenly thought of Sun Jian and asked, "Where is Sun Jian now?"

"Your Majesty, Sun Jian fell ill when he arrived in Yufu. He was afraid that he would infect Your Majesty, so he stayed in Yufu to recuperate." Yan Xiang said.

"Call yourself sick and take a rest!"

Yuan Shu stroked his beard and thought, then said, "Let someone take the seal of the general to Sun Jian and ask him to come to Wancheng quickly, telling him that I have not seen you for a long time and I miss you very much." "Yes!"

"Your Majesty, we need to burn incense to inform the heaven, earth and the country to prove the orthodoxy!" the people around him reminded.

"good!"

Amid the cheers of the crowd, Yuan Shu offered sacrifices to the heavens in hopes of obtaining divine protection.

Not to mention that after Yuan Shu usurped the Han Dynasty and founded the country, he was busy conferring official titles. In order to make everyone submit, he sent envoys to Zhang Yu and Yuan Shao, trying to get them to stop fighting, and conferred Zhang Yu as the King of Zhao and Yuan Shao as the King of Wei. In order to make Cao Cao, Tao Shang, Liu Bei, Lu Bu and other princes surrender, he conferred titles on them all, which was a big deal.

A few days later, Sun Jian, who was recuperating from illness in Yu Fu, met Huang Huan, the envoy sent by Yuan Shu.

Huang Huan saw that Sun Jian was in high spirits and showed no signs of illness. He immediately became suspicious, but in order to fulfill his mission, he greeted him first and said, "General, on the 24th, the Han Emperor abdicated to Your Majesty. Now Your Majesty has ascended the throne and named the country 'Chen'. Your Majesty, in recognition of your merits, has appointed you as the Grand General."

Huang Huan took out the letter and handed it to Sun Jian, saying, "This is the letter written by your majesty. General, you can take a look first!"

Sun Jian glanced at the letter and said jokingly, "I thought Yuan Jun would name his country Chu, but he chose Chen. Now Chen is more pronounceable than Chu, but it should not live 800 years longer."

Huang Huan's expression changed, and he said, "You are a great general, how can you make fun of the country now?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Jian's face darkened and he scolded, "The country belongs to the Liu family, not the Yuan family. Yuan Shu and his four ancestors enjoyed the Han Dynasty's salary for more than a hundred years, but now they usurp the Han Dynasty and establish themselves as emperor. How is their behavior different from Wang Mang's!"

"what!"

Huang Huan was shocked. He didn't expect that Sun Jian, Yuan Shu's confidant, would curse Yuan Shu.

"You are a great general, how can you speak such nonsense?"

"Snapped!"

Sun Jian slammed the table and said in a deep voice: "Don't talk nonsense. I am the governor of Yizhou of Han, not the general of Chen. Yuan Shu usurped the throne and plotted to murder Your Majesty and your royal family. This is what is hated by both humans and gods."

Huang Huan was almost unable to react to Sun Jian's sudden anti-Yuan attitude. Facing Sun Jian's treasonous words, Huang Huan wiped the sweat from his head, not knowing how to respond.

After hesitating for a while, Huang Huan asked, "You are denouncing His Majesty. Are you planning a rebellion?"

"Don't forget that you are an old official of the Yuan family. If you rebel against Your Majesty, everyone will betray you. Besides, your family is in Wancheng. Do you want to abandon them now?"

"Ha ha!"

Sun Jian laughed and stood up, asking, "Mr. Yuan was a former official of the Liu family. Why did he betray the Liu family and establish himself as the emperor?"

"It is true that Yuan Shu is my former master, but I am also a minister of the Han Dynasty. Now that Yuan Shu has betrayed the Han Dynasty, I will fight against him for the Han Dynasty. I fight against him for the sake of justice. How can I be called a rebel?"

Sun Jian said in a stern tone, "The one who is rebelling now is not me, Sun Jian, but a commoner named Yuan Shu. I will lead my troops to defeat Yuan Shu and avenge the Han Dynasty."

Sun Jian had been preparing for a long time to rebel against Yuan. When Yu Fu claimed to be ill and did not go to Wancheng, he had already sent people to take his family out of Wancheng during the abdication ceremony. Now that he had no worries, how could Sun Jian be afraid of Yuan Shu? So he might as well raise his banner for the Han Dynasty against Yuan in front of the envoy.

Huang Huan was speechless. Seeing the soldiers around him staring at him with fear, he felt a chill on his back. Now he realized that compared with Sun Jian's rebellion, the more important thing was the danger to his life.

"Do you want to kill me now?" Huang Huan asked in a trembling voice.

"kill you?"

Sun Jian shook his head, handed the prepared letter to Huang Huan, and said with a smile: "Since you have come here to fish, it is not good to return empty-handed. I would like to trouble you to deliver the letter to Lord Yuan for me."

"letter!"

Huang Huan looked at the towel in his hand with a worried look on his face, fearing that Sun Jian had written something bad in it, and that Yuan Shu would implicate him after reading it.

As if he could see what the messenger was thinking, Sun Jian smiled and said, "This letter does not contain insults, but rather a recount of past events. Please submit it with peace of mind."

"Thank you, General!"

Fearing that Sun Jian would go back on his word, Huang Huan left in a hurry.

After Huang Huan left, Sun Jing entered the hall with his sword drawn, and said, "Brother, I have ordered a thousand men to garrison Zigui and block the Yangtze River."

"good!"

Sun Jian said: "Zigui, Baidi, and Yufu are the throats of Bashu. Laoyoutai, an important town along the river, is now firmly defended. Also, send a letter to all the counties in Jingzhou to fight against Yuan Shikai and see if anyone responds."

Sun Jing pondered and said, "I heard that Cao Cao controls Huainan and Liu Bei controls Jiaoling. Both of them regard Yuan Shu as an enemy. Since you are fighting against Yuan for the sake of justice, why don't you send an envoy to contact Cao and Liu to see if you can get their support."

"Youtai's words make sense!"

Sun Jian paced and thought, and said, "If I raise an army to rebel against Yuan and occupy Bashu, Yuan Shu will be furious. His territory covers three states, with a population of one million and more than 100,000 soldiers. Our army cannot defeat him. Therefore, if we can get Cao Cao and Liu Bei to respond, we can divide Yuan Shu's heavy troops."

"Besides, Bashu just surrendered, and the people are unstable. Now I am rebelling against Yuan, and I am afraid that the remnants of Liu's family will cause chaos. With Cao Cao and Liu Bei to contain Yuan Shu, I will be able to appease the people of Bashu."

Sun Jing said: "There are many talented people in Bashu. If you want to govern Bashu, you must rely on the locals. In the past, Liu Yan respected Dongzhou and suppressed the locals. You should take this as a lesson."

"good!"

(End of this chapter)

Tap the screen to use advanced tools Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.

You'll Also Like