Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 119 Liu's Abandonment, the Chaotic Era Begins

—Yan Han!
These two simple words convey so much.

Sure enough, compared to everything the Gu family members had done before.

This resurgence of the Han people, including the subsequent ethnic integration, is something that cannot be completely reversed.

Kyushu has changed.

It's not just the Gu family.

In that instant, many thoughts arose in Gu Yi's mind.

While changing the family, it can also benefit the entire nation.

This was also one of Gu Yi's ideas.

It now seems that as long as the Gu family is strong enough, everything is possible!

He took a deep breath.

He immediately stopped thinking about it, put aside all his thoughts, picked up the game console, and focused his eyes on the screen.

next moment--

The images on the game console gradually solidified before his eyes.

A jumble of memories poured forth from the depths of my being.

Compared to his previous exits from the game, Gu Yi's exit time this time was much longer.

The world has changed dramatically since the game was first released.

Gu Yi tried his best to absorb all these memories and silently sorted out everything that had happened over the years in his mind.

—The Han Dynasty has completely changed.

After taking power, Liu Jun immediately revealed his ambition.

He wanted to further expand the territory of the Han Dynasty.

The problem is that the Han Dynasty has not yet fully absorbed even the northern frontier and Lingnan, and sending troops to expand again will only affect the internal balance.

Faced with this situation, the group of people Gu Ye had left behind for him would naturally offer their advice.

But human nature is fickle.

Liu Jun is actually quite shrewd.

He immediately initiated a series of political actions in response to these ministers' advice.

He promoted those who supported him and ignored those who offered advice.

An emperor with real power cannot be stopped by these ministers.

Facing the Gu family, who had withdrawn from the core of the court, and the emperor, who held real power.

For these court officials, this was an easy choice to make.

Even those who were once upright ministers could not stop this overwhelming trend.

The internal balance of the Han Dynasty was instantly destroyed under these circumstances.

Indeed, there was no internal turmoil during the first military expedition.

The foundation laid by the reigns of Liu Shan and Liu Chen is still there, enough for Liu Jun to cause trouble this time.

But despite his first defeat, Liu Jun's ambition to conquer remained undiminished.

Recruiting soldiers continuously.

They even increased taxes on trade between the four regions and conscripted soldiers from the barbarian tribes.

Finally, the barbarians from all directions gradually developed resentment. Even though some tribes did not rebel, the Han Dynasty gradually loosened its control over them after this incident.

The key is--

Liu Jun's antics didn't stop there.

He also tampered with the imperial examination system, the core system of the Han Dynasty.

And most importantly, with the shift in the political climate at court, those skilled in flattery gradually emerged.

Liu Jun really liked these people.

The influence of the imperial court will eventually cause changes in all directions.

Under these circumstances, the golden age of the Han Dynasty finally came to an end.

Fortunately, the foundation laid by the previous reigns of Liu Shan and Liu Chen was too solid, and they had done too many favors for the people, which prevented greater chaos from arising.

But the Great Han also encountered a major problem.

Fortunately, Liu Jun's son, Liu Cheng, was a capable ruler who could restore the dynasty.

After taking over the mess left by Liu Jun, he worked hard to restore the country's strength and quell the growing unrest among the barbarians.

He employed all the methods Gu Ye had used back then.

He bestowed favors and exerted pressure, restoring various national policies of the previous dynasty and rectifying the administration and bureaucracy.

Through various means, he managed to stabilize the increasingly weakened state of the Han Dynasty, and can be called a restorer of the dynasty.

If he had lived as long as Liu Shan, perhaps the Han Dynasty would have become great again.

But the problem lies here—

Liu Cheng died young!

Liu Cheng died of illness in Luoyang at the young age of thirty-six after reigning for less than ten years.

It was as if it were the will of Heaven.

The glorious path of the Han Dynasty had long since come to an end with the death of Liu Chen.

It was precisely because Liu Cheng died young that the crown prince who succeeded him was so young.

He had considered entrusting his son to Lady Gu.

Liu Cheng was completely different from Liu Jun. He was not the kind of emperor who clung to absolute power, and he did so more than once after ascending the throne.

At such a critical juncture, the Gu family members would naturally not stand idly by and watch the situation become increasingly uncertain due to the young ruler.

The problem is that this generation of Gu family members are not like Gu Kang, Gu Xi, and Gu Chen, who can make all decisions unilaterally.

As time went by, the Gu family's influence in the imperial court was no longer what it once was.

Although the Gu family still has influence among the people.

This gave the Gu family members a natural protective shield, but in this situation, a lack of talent meant that it was impossible to resolve all the hidden dangers.

Throughout the entirety of history—

How many ministers could successfully manage the entire power transition and maintain stability in the court afterwards?
This generation of Gu family members ultimately could not control everything as well as their ancestors had in the past.

Although the situation was still stable when he was in court.

But since his death.

The collapse of the Han Dynasty was like an arrow released from a bow, and it could never be reversed.

Powerful ministers hold power, while the emperor is mediocre.

The Han Dynasty eventually reached a crucial period that every dynasty had to face as time went by.

If a genius capable of turning the tide could emerge, this situation might be reversed.

However, the emperors who succeeded to the Han dynasty were never able to match the abilities of emperors like Liu Bei and Liu Chen.

And now—

With the successive occurrence of natural disasters in various places, this has become a foregone conclusion.

Even though these natural disasters are nowhere near comparable to the previous ones that could spread throughout the entire Kyushu.

But for the Han Dynasty today...

This natural disaster was also extremely deadly.

The deterioration of the system led to the gradual escape of the control of the court from the barbarian tribes in various regions who had not yet integrated into the Han Dynasty. Human ambition continued to grow under this situation.

More than two hundred years later, the great chaos is about to set foot on this land again.

only--

This period of chaos is fundamentally different from previous ones.

Gu Yi carefully processed these memories, his expression remaining completely unchanged.

How could there be an everlasting dynasty in this world?
The Han Dynasty was destined to decline sooner or later.

The wheels of history will surely keep turning forward amidst these periods of great turmoil.

He exhaled softly, his gaze gradually falling. With a thought, Gu Yi's gaze pierced through the layers of clouds and landed on the giant deer.

The Gu family has now reached its thirteenth generation.

Gu Yi looked at the attributes of these people.

It's still quite average.

Even the most outstanding person's highest attribute is only seventy points.

In fact, Gu Yi had a feeling that there must be some adjustments being made in this process.

As the Gu family's business grew, so did their business.

Everything is no longer the same as it was back then.

The original course of history was constantly suppressing the Gu family, trying to force history back onto its original path.

If Gu Yi doesn't interfere.

History will inevitably proceed along its predetermined path, and the Gu family will continue to decline over time until it reaches its final state.

Although it wasn't bad, it was clearly not enough for Gu Yi.

However, even though he had already figured this out, Gu Yi was not in a hurry to make a move.

He still has quite a few achievement points left, and he has the choice whether to take control personally or not. He needs to see what the personalities of this generation of Gu family members are like.

Within Julu County, everything remained unchanged.

As a current pilgrimage site in Kyushu, although the people's hearts are in turmoil, it has not yet reached the point where it can affect Julu.

However, Gu Yi still noticed the difference through the details.

The smiles of the people of Julu have become fewer.

This is naturally related to the overall policies of the Han Dynasty. The Gu family was able to protect the stability of Julu, but it was not enough to improve the lives of everyone.

This has brought about such changes in the people of Julu.

obviously--

The current Han Dynasty is nearing its end.

Because of the mediocrity of the family members, after Gu Jin, who was entrusted with the care of Liu Cheng, the Gu family completely faded out of the core of the court, with only some of its members serving as officials in various prefectures and counties.

However, as the situation in the Han Dynasty became increasingly unfavorable, the Gu family was eventually affected.

Regardless of the expectations of the people;

Or perhaps it's the dwindling number of loyal ministers in the court who are hoping the Gu family will step forward at this crucial moment.

However, Gu Xuan, the current head of the Gu family, remained remarkably calm.

He did not send any of his family members.

The reason is also quite simple; it's not just because the family members lack talent.

This is also because the current Emperor Liu Chang of the Han Dynasty is an extremely autocratic person, and he has an extremely strong desire to control power.

Even though the Gu family has faded from the court for so many years.

He was equally wary of the Gu family.

Gu Xuan saw this point, so he never left Julu from beginning to end. He only submitted memorials to the emperor to express his expectations of the world, but how could such actions have any effect?
Liu Chang remained autocratic and disregarded the people's sentiments.

Upon hearing of the unrest in Lingnan, he immediately conceived the idea of ​​personally leading an expedition there.

Lingnan has always been a highly sought-after region.

Ever since the trade routes that Gu Ye had set up were completely opened up.

The wealth that Lingnan could bring was tempting to everyone. Although Lingnan gradually lost its constraints as the Han Dynasty weakened, this trade route never stopped.

Whether for the people of Lingnan or for the Han people;
This trade route is crucial.

But precisely because of this, as local powers have grown stronger, these enormous interests have still caused disputes.

In addition, taxes continue to rise.

This immediately reignited the rebellious spirits of the Yue people, who had not yet fully integrated into the Han Dynasty.

This is why Liu Chang developed the desire to lead an expedition to the south.

The problem is that he currently has no offspring, and the national conditions of the Han Dynasty do not support such a costly expedition.

The courtiers discussed this extensively.

However, Liu Chang still made the decision unilaterally and ordered the conscription of soldiers from all over the country.

This incident acted as a fuse, causing the already desperate man to waver even further.

Inside Gu Mansion.

The Gu family members were also discussing this matter.

They were all too aware of the current predicament of the Han Dynasty. If this battle were to break out, victory might be acceptable, but defeat would only hasten the collapse of the Han Dynasty.

This time is different from the past.

Both for public and private reasons, the Gu family must do something to meet the expectations of the people.

This is something the Gu family has to bear; it's unavoidable.

“Elder brother, our ancestor has repeatedly stated that there is no dynasty that lasts forever. Our Gu family should keep the fate of the nation in mind.”

"The world is in turmoil today."

"If Your Majesty insists on going to war, it will surely cause turmoil. Even if you win a great victory for the Han Dynasty, it will be of no use. But if you win a great defeat, the world will be at peace."

"For over a hundred years, my Gu family has not dared to lay a finger on the imperial court in Luoyang."

"Elder brother, why not submit a memorial as usual? Why go to Luoyang in person?"

Looking at Gu Xuan in the main seat, all the Gu family members had expressions of confusion on their faces.

As the Gu family has not appeared in the core of the temple for many years.

The connection between the Gu family members and the Liu imperial family became increasingly weak, which was also related to the emperor's growing indifference towards the Gu family.

Today, the concept of serving the family and the nation has been deeply ingrained in the hearts of every member of the Gu family.

It was no longer dominated by a single dynasty.

Upon hearing this, the disciples nodded in agreement. Although their talents were all quite ordinary, they could still see that.

How could I forget the sacred words of my ancestors?

Gu Xuan sighed deeply and shook his head, saying, "But it is precisely because of this that the Gu family must make one last attempt."

"The people of the world have longed for the return of the Gu family to the imperial court for many years."

“If we let this happen and do nothing, we will only tarnish the wisdom of our ancestors.”

"I have to go at least once, no matter what."

"Whether we succeed or fail at that time, it will no longer be of any concern to the Gu family. Even if the Han Dynasty eventually collapses, the Gu family will have done right by the Liu family and it will be considered a last stand for the people of the world."

Gu Xuan's expression grew increasingly serious.

Upon hearing this, the Gu family members also understood his thoughts, and their expressions became complicated.

Prestige did indeed provide the Gu family with significant protection.

But this also imposed constraints on the Gu family.

Everything in the world has a cause and an effect. The Gu family enjoyed the benefits of prestige, but they also had to bear the price that came with gaining that prestige.

"After I leave, the affairs of the clan must not be disrupted."

“I have recently sent word to all clansmen, informing them that the clan must make full preparations to deal with any possible turmoil.”

"Although we do not possess the talents of our ancestors, we must still protect the entire clan."

"Before leaving."

"I will lead the people to worship our ancestors and ask for their blessings. You should all prepare yourselves."

Gu Xuan explained everything carefully, then waved his hand to let everyone leave.

The group left with complicated expressions.

Watching everyone's retreating figures, Gu Xuan couldn't help but sigh helplessly, a trace of sorrow flashing in his eyes.

Living in an era where chaos could erupt at any moment.

For capable people, this is definitely a fortunate thing, as there are far too many opportunities to establish merit in this turbulent world.

But for those of average talent, it is a painful thing.

As the current head of the Gu family, Gu Xuan had to be constantly vigilant to prevent any problems from arising within the family. Gu Yi had been observing all of this, and his heart was also slightly stirred.

Perhaps it is indeed because the Gu family has gradually faded into obscurity.

Although the talents of this generation of family members are quite ordinary, each of them seems to have a decent personality and is not impatient.

Even if you know you are not good enough.

But they are also doing their best to deal with whatever might happen.

This is definitely a good thing for the long-term development of a family.

Actually, he could understand the choice Gu Xuan made.

This is indeed something the Gu family needs to face.

As for the fact that the Han emperor's lineage was gradually becoming estranged from the Gu family, he was not surprised at all.

Not everyone is a normal person; there are far too many examples of this among emperors throughout history.

The rights we are born with can influence so many things.

They had not experienced the chaos of war; they had not understood the suffering of the people.

Given the continued decline in the Gu family's influence, this is all too normal.

Gu Yi did not choose to make a direct move.

Although he could also sense that the Han Dynasty was already experiencing the feeling of the end of a feudal dynasty.

But it will probably take some time before real change occurs.

Although by then the thirteenth generation of the Gu family might be in their prime.

But if we're talking about those who can truly influence history, we probably won't have to wait until the fourteenth generation.

At least for now, he doesn't need to rush.

Moreover, for him, the forward movement of history is not a bad thing; Gu Yi cannot extend the life of the Han Dynasty forever.

This will put unimaginable pressure on the Gu family, as can be seen from the characteristics of these generations of descendants.

The Gu family today is not a family lacking in members; all of their many offspring have such ordinary attributes.

This shows just how much pressure the Gu family was under.

Moreover, for the Nine Provinces, continuing the Han Dynasty would not be a good thing.

If this were the case, the resilience and perseverance of the Chinese nation would be completely erased.

The saying "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?" will likely gradually become just a legend.

For Gu, now is not the best time to make a move.

Time flies by.

As Gu Xuan announced his decision to go to Luoyang to offer advice during the sacrificial ceremony, the entire Julu region was almost instantly set ablaze.

—More than a hundred years have passed.

The current head of the Gu family will eventually have to travel to Luoyang to meet the emperor again.

How could such a thing not excite the people?
Even though so much time has passed, the idea that "a prosperous era will come when the Gu family members emerge" has long been deeply rooted in people's hearts due to the influence of generations.

People all over the world have been looking forward to this moment for a long time.

Upon hearing this news, he couldn't help but burst into tears.

And then there was the surging tide of people.

Gu Xuan's expression was indeed very calm. He simply looked at the statues of the Gu family ancestors, paid his respects earnestly, and silently prayed in his heart that they could protect the Gu family.

The news continued to spread.

Compared to the relatively calm state of Julu, the reactions of people in other regions to this matter will only be greater.

It was no secret that Liu Chang wanted to launch a southern expedition.

Gu Xuan's decision to go to Luoyang at this time gave countless people a glimmer of hope.

Along the way, people from all directions knelt and bowed before Gu Xuan's carriage.

Gu Xuan rushed to Luoyang at this time.

For so many ordinary people, he was like a savior.

Everyone prayed that he could stop the emperor's desire to conquer and allow a golden age to return to this land.

But how is this possible?
Those pleading words, tinged with sobs, only made Gu Xuan more silent.

The rise and fall of the nation brings suffering to the people.

For ordinary people...

In such times, it was already a rare and prosperous era if they could eat their fill without fear of hunger.

Luoyang.

—For the entire Han Dynasty.

For Gu Xuan, the head of the Gu family, returning to Luoyang after more than a hundred years is also a major event.

In the present Han Dynasty, the Gu family was different from other families.

The Marquis of Champion's Mansion still stands; the position of Grand Tutor remains vacant.

Even though the emperors of these generations gradually neglected the Gu family.

However, Liu Bei's old saying, "The Liu family's tripod should be engraved with the name of the Gu family," guaranteed the Gu family's bottom line.

This is an indisputable fact.

But Liu Chang was still unable to control his rage after hearing about this.

"With the Gu family in power, the people are vying to offer sacrifices?"

"What do they take me for?"

"Am I perhaps a foolish ruler like Emperor Jingping or Emperor Huanling?"

Liu Chang was furious, his eyes filled with murderous intent, and he vented his anger in front of his confidants.

He was genuinely angry.

It wasn't just because of his dissatisfaction with the Gu family, but also because he felt that the world was looking down on him as emperor.

The war hasn't even started yet.
Doesn't this person's behavior imply that he's bound to lose?
This was absolutely an insult to Liu Chang!
Upon seeing this, all the ministers immediately knelt down.

Their expressions were equally unpleasant.

If the Gu family were to return to the capital, their status would certainly be affected; this is an indisputable fact.

Seeing Liu Chang's fury.

Immediately someone spoke up.

"Your Majesty, you are unaware of the fact that many ministers in the court also want the Gu family to rule the court, hoping to use the Gu family to persuade you to cease hostilities and adopt their strategy of pacifying the rebellion for your own benefit."

"That's right! If they hadn't informed us, how could the Gu family have arrived in Luoyang so quickly?"

"."

Court infighting has always been a constant feature of every feudal dynasty, and these people naturally seize every opportunity.

Some people even followed Liu Chang's lead and directed their criticism at the Gu family.

"Your Majesty, the Gu family has always held a noble position in our Han Dynasty since the founding of the nation by Emperor Zhaowu."

"Next year, Zhaolie and Jingxiang will both be accompanied by meritorious service."

"I have nothing to say."

"But now the Gu family has faded from the court for many years, what merits have they made for our Great Han?"

"The merits of our ancestors can indeed ensure that the Gu family continues to be prominent."

"But how can that be a reason for the Gu family to restrain His Majesty? His Majesty is a sage ruler; how can he be treated like this?"

These resounding words instantly froze the atmosphere in the hall.

It was precisely because of the Gu family's continued decline.

—After many years, someone finally brought the flames of war to the Gu family in the imperial court.

They must never allow the Gu family to return to the court.

Given the nature of the Gu family, their return to the imperial court would surely mean the death of those who supported Liu Chang's southern expedition!
Sure enough, the anger on Liu Chang's face intensified.

He wished he could just abolish the Gu family.

This was to destroy the people's expectations of the Gu family and make them all submit to him as emperor.

But Liu Bei's ancestral teachings calmed him down a bit.

But given Liu Chang's personality, how could he possibly give up?
He remained silent for a moment, and then an uncontrollable thought immediately arose in his mind—to keep Gu Xuan out of Luoyang.

And it is becoming increasingly difficult to suppress.

With Liu Bei's ancestral teachings in place, Liu Chang indeed had no way to target Gu Xuan.

Even if Liu Chang was arrogant, he would not dare to bear the infamy of disrespecting ancestral teachings, which was the influence of the Han Dynasty over hundreds of years.

But he could have someone block Gu Xuan.

As long as he doesn't see Gu Xuan, no matter how much the court is in turmoil, he can completely suppress this matter!
Liu Chang didn't think about it for long at all before making a decision and immediately voiced his idea.

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes immediately lit up.

Did they manage to stop the Gu family outside the city?
With Liu Chang's support, this shouldn't be a difficult task for them.
The setting sun, like blood, spilled its light onto the chiwen (mythical beast) ornaments atop Luoyang city walls.

Looking at this magnificent city, Gu Xuan's expression was extremely complicated.

For many members of the Gu family...

Luoyang.

They have always been pursuing their ideal place, and countless people have dreamed of representing their entire family to return to Luoyang.

The same applies to Gu Xuan.

Although he has come now, unfortunately, it is not what I had imagined.

As the carriage drew ever closer to Luoyang, the waiting party, who had been arranged to greet it, immediately came forward.

"Greetings, Lord Gu. His Majesty was overjoyed to learn of Lord Gu's return to court and has already prepared a welcoming ceremony for him."

The attendant had a big smile on his face, but he was only followed by a few guards.

Gu Xuan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

I only glanced at it a few times and didn't pay much attention to it.

Gu Shi didn't care about formal welcoming ceremonies.

He never imagined that his visit to Luoyang would be met with the same warm welcome as before.

After saying a few casual words, Gu Xuan immediately prepared to enter the city.

But just then——

The attendant in charge of welcoming him immediately stopped Gu Xuan and said with a smile, "Please don't be in a hurry, Lord Gu. Pingcheng Gate is currently under repair. Please come with me to Xia Gate to enter the city."

"His Majesty had already arranged for people to wait there, and the people of Luoyang are also waiting for Lord Gu."

He always had a smile on his face.

But at that very moment, Gu Xuan's expression froze.

Xiamen!
This is the city gate used for imperial funerals; it is not used lightly.

But now it's used to welcome him!

The common people may not see the connection, but how could he not realize that this was a deliberate insult?

He was about to get angry almost immediately.

As far as Gu Xuan is concerned.

He himself doesn't care.

But this time, he came on behalf of the Gu family.

There can be no etiquette, no special treatment.

However, as the current head of the Gu family, he absolutely could not tolerate the Gu family being insulted in this way.

This is Gu Xuan's bottom line!
He did not move.

But this move played right into the hands of those people.

They certainly wouldn't use force against the Gu family; they could only use overt and covert methods to make Gu Xuan back down.

This was just the beginning; they would use many more methods to subtly mock the Gu family later on.

If he hadn't heard the pleas of the people along the way, Gu Xuan would have turned around and left without any hesitation.

The name of the Gu family is the glory and pride of every member of the Gu family!
We must never be insulted in any way!

But for the sake of the people, he was willing to try again.

He made it clear that he did not need to be received and could simply enter the city gate.

But the court official persisted, even drawing upon the hopes of the people of Luoyang.

Upon hearing this, Gu Xuan said nothing more and went straight back to the carriage.

He did not leave immediately.

For the sake of the people, he was willing to make one last attempt.

But Liu Chang also acted decisively.

He sealed off all city gates except for the Xia Gate, and suppressed all the criticism in the court and the rumors among the people.

A full seven days.

Gu Xuan waited for seven whole days.

This was the first time the Gu family had received such treatment since they rose to power; they couldn't even get through the gates of Luoyang, let alone see the emperor.

In the end, he only left behind the memorial he had already written.

They immediately retraced their steps.

With Gu Xuan's departure, the last glimmer of hope for the Great Han seemed to have been extinguished.

Especially as the news gradually spread.

At this moment, the turmoil in people's hearts reached its peak.

Rumors such as "Liu abandoned his family, but Heaven never tires of him" gradually spread in all directions.

There is only one final trigger left before the world descends into chaos.

But Liu Chang remained completely unconcerned.

As soon as Gu Xuan left, he dealt with the ministers in the court who did not support his southern expedition and launched the expedition despite the opinions of the people.

He could neither hear the cries of the people nor see the exhaustion of the Han Dynasty.

Regarding this war.

He was extremely confident and firmly believed that this was the starting point for his glorious empire.

His name will shine throughout history.

In later generations, he can be compared to Emperor Zhaowu, the Zhongzu Emperor.

But the southern expedition was destined to be extremely difficult.

Although it is much easier to travel to Lingnan now than when Gu Ye was on his southern expedition.

However, there are still differences when a large army goes on an expedition.

Most importantly, the conscripted soldiers were also devoid of any will to fight, so what if they were led by the emperor?
As life became increasingly difficult, the favors and kindness of the Han Dynasty had long since been exhausted.

Not to mention the social unrest caused by rumors from all sides.

In the sixth year of the Qianwu reign, Liu Chang personally led an army of 100,000 to conquer Lingnan, but was defeated by Longbian.

The emperor died;

His posthumous title was "Li" (戾).
------

In the third month of spring in the sixth year, the emperor personally led an expedition to Lingnan.

Initially, the barbarians of Jiaozhi rebelled, but the emperor ignored all advice and refused to allow the Gu family to leave Luoyang. He then personally led 100,000 troops south to suppress the rebellion.

Shi Cilong was preparing for battle when a summer malaria outbreak occurred, and the soldiers fell ill with disease. The barbarian leader, holding a strategic position, laid an ambush and unleashed an elephant cavalry charge into the camp. The royal army was routed, and arrows struck the imperial tent. The imperial guards fought valiantly but could not withstand the attack. The emperor's red steed was startled and fell into a swamp. He suffered seven wounds and died at the age of twenty-nine.

When the news of the calamity reached Luoyang, the court and the public were shocked.

With no heir, the princes coveted the throne, and the governors and ministers of the prefectures and counties each harbored their own ambitions.

The Prince of Yuzhang ruled from Jiangzuo, and the Prince of Bohai usurped the throne in Youji, thus the empire fell apart.

The Grand Master of Ceremonies discussed posthumous titles, stating that "unrepentant of past transgressions is called 'Li' (戾), and tyrannical and heartless is also called 'Li' (戾)." Following the established rules for posthumous titles, the posthumous title of Emperor Li was bestowed upon him.

—From the Annals of Emperor Li in the Book of Yan Han

(End of this chapter)