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

Chapter 205 Filial Piety and Fatherly Love, Li Heng Ascends the Throne (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
East Palace.

Watching that departing figure, Crown Prince Li Heng trembled uncontrollably, his mind replaying the man's last words.

"History is clear: has there ever been an emperor who abandoned his country and fled?"

Will my father really abandon the country?
He dared not think too deeply about it, yet he was also secretly looking forward to tomorrow.

If that's the case, wouldn't this be a godsend opportunity?
Abandoning Luoyang—

This is essentially no different from abandoning the entire Guanzhong Plain and the very foundation of the Tang Dynasty.

Even if Li Longji still has time to fight back.

The people of Guanzhong will definitely resent this emperor, and it will be difficult to restore the former glory.

This is for sure.

Just as Gu Yi had predicted, Li Heng was also a very ambitious person.

No, perhaps it cannot be said to be the same.

Which person who has reached his position is without ambition?
Li Heng was just one of the masses.

Countless thoughts surged within him as Li Heng carefully considered his experiences over the years.

Although it is different from the original history.

But Li Heng's situation is also very difficult.

There's nothing we can do; since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, not a single crown prince has successfully succeeded to the throne.

Moreover, Li Longji also kept a very strict eye on his offspring. After all, he had relinquished all political power and naturally had to take care of his descendants.

This caused Li Heng to always walk on thin ice, fearing that he might make any mistakes.

He had thought about what would happen after he ascended the throne more than once.

But I never expected that the opportunity would come so suddenly.

Although his body was still trembling and he dared not fully express his thoughts, he had already made a decision in that short moment.

Time seemed to slow down.

As a powerful emperor, Li Longji's actions, though disliked by many, still wielded considerable influence.

Even when people hear that the emperor is going to personally lead an expedition, it can still have a huge impact.

Who doesn't want stability?
Especially for the people of the Tang Dynasty today.

Many of them are people who have lived from the time of Emperor Renzong (Li Hong) to the present day, and they have witnessed just how powerful the Tang Dynasty was in the past.

Including the grand occasion during the Kaiyuan era.

It all seems like it was just yesterday, and now that they've heard this news, they feel that the emperor may have finally come to his senses.

They are about to sweep across the land and restore peace.

That night, not only did court officials lose sleep, but countless students and common people tossed and turned, eagerly hoping that the supreme emperor could turn the tide and quell the rebellion.

However, deep within the palace, the atmosphere was entirely different.

The palace maids and eunuchs hurried along, preparing for a rushed trip.

Li Longji sat alone on the dragon throne, his expression numb, his gaze sweeping over everything in the hall with complex emotions. An indescribable feeling enveloped him, almost causing his mind to go blank.

"Your Majesty, what is this?" A gentle voice broke the silence.

Li Longji snapped out of his reverie and looked at the woman he was most infatuated with. He remained silent for a moment, then slowly rose, tightly grasped Yang Yuhuan's hand, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "Come with me."

"Go to Sichuan."

"Watch me recreate the world!"

Yang Yuhuan trembled.

Looking at the white-haired emperor before her, her lips twitched slightly, a thousand words swirling in her heart, yet she ultimately could not utter a sound.

Questioning?
Ask him if he has the courage to return to Luoyang today, having abandoned it.

How could she say such things?

She could only accept her fate and silently sat down beside Li Longji, watching everything numbly as always.

Time flies by.

For many, this night was destined to be a sleepless one.

Commander Chen Xuanli of the Imperial Guards had already received the news and was reorganizing his elite troops.

This included some of Li Longji's favorite close ministers, as well as members of the imperial clan; they were all on Li Longji's list.

He had to be quick.

If the world were to discover that he, the emperor, harbored thoughts of fleeing, then his status as emperor would truly become a joke.

By then, perhaps we won't even need to wait for the enemy to arrive.

This will cause unrest in Luoyang.

He had to seize the time to go to Tongguan to see Yang Guozhong, and then lead his nearly 100,000 troops to Shu.

This is what matters most.

At dawn, Li Heng, who had already received Li Longji's message, also came to see Li Longji.

"Father! Your son is willing to guard Luoyang in your stead!"

Li Heng knelt on the ground, his expression solemn, his gaze fixed firmly on Li Longji on the throne.

"My son?" Li Longji was suddenly stunned, looking at Li Heng in disbelief, his voice tinged with difficulty, "You really mean it?"

In his mind, staying in Luoyang was tantamount to waiting for death.

“Father!” Li Heng straightened his back, his voice clear and powerful, “Since the founding of our Great Tang Dynasty by Emperor Gaozu, when the emperor personally led the expedition, the crown prince had always been in charge of the country.”

"If I were to accompany Father Emperor to Shu, I fear that suspicion would arise throughout the court and the public, causing unnecessary turmoil."

He took a deep breath and spoke earnestly and resolutely: "Therefore, I must remain in Luoyang!"

"Your Majesty, I only wish that you arrive safely in Shu and restore order to the world!"

Li Heng's words echoed like metal striking the ground in the hall.

Li Longji stared blankly at his son kneeling below the steps, a surge of indescribable emotion welling up in his eyes.

Although Li Heng has been very obedient all these years as crown prince.

But this was the first time Li Longji had truly felt that Li Heng was so "filial".

He took a deep breath.

Suppressing his reluctance to part with his son in the face of death, he nodded earnestly: "My son, rest assured, one day I will reorganize the army and return to Luoyang."

"Then I will pass the throne to you."

"At that time, I will sit as the retired emperor and enjoy my old age in peace."

Perhaps it truly came from the heart.

At least at this moment, Li Longji's full head of white hair and bloodshot eyes made his words very touching.

But Li Heng simply lowered his head silently, unwilling to look at Li Longji again.

The next day, as dawn broke.

Countless people had already woken up and climbed to high places to look towards Tongguan, hoping to see if any smoke signals were rising from that direction.

This is a mature beacon alarm system, and it is not only used in border areas as most people believe.

Along important border defenses and transportation lines, beacon towers were set up at regular intervals. Once enemy activity was detected, smoke signals were lit during the day and fire signals were lit at night to relay military intelligence according to pre-arranged signals, which was much faster than using post horses.

As news of the great chaos gradually spread, this has now become a habit for the people of Luoyang.

People are watching this place closely almost all day long.

But this day was somewhat different. Countless people were still waiting at the city gates, eager to see the emperor set off on his expedition.

And at the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), Li Longji lived up to everyone's expectations.

The palace gates were wide open, and drums and music resounded!
"His Majesty has set out for war!" The shouts instantly swept through the crowd.

Perhaps to reassure the people, or perhaps to save face, Li Longji simplified many of the formalities, but at least on the surface he still made a show of personally leading the expedition. Among the imperial guards, Li Longji, dressed in gleaming armor, sat upright on a magnificent imperial carriage, slowly driving out of the palace gates under the strict protection of the Imperial Guards.

Sunlight shone on the armor, dazzling the golden light. The ceremonial guard was majestic, and the banners fluttered in the wind, bearing the inscriptions "Cleanse the World" and "Sweep Away the Ugly".

Even though there are still many criticisms of him around the world today.

But even at this moment, countless ministers felt that the wise and mighty emperor of yesteryear had returned.

Lee Hyung was also among them.

Under the watchful eyes of officials and the people, the father and son staged a grand drama of "entrusting the country," with Li Longji handing over the heavy responsibility of the nation to the crown prince and embarking on a distant expedition to quell the rebellion, despite his advanced age.

After the ceremony, Li Longji personally led his army away from the city amidst countless admiring glances.

Countless eyes were fixed on Li Longji's back.

Although ordinary people still cared that the emperor did not employ the Gu family, the banners fluttering in the wind that proclaimed "Clearing the World" and "Sweeping Away the Ugly" still gave them a sense of peace.

At least the emperor is still alive, and he's still fighting desperately.

This is enough to put many people's minds at ease.

However, no one noticed that the team's steps were hurried, lacking any of the composure of an elite force.

The dragon flag bearing the inscription "The Emperor Leads the Army" was still dazzling, but against this backdrop, it appeared particularly ridiculous.

On the city wall, Li Heng gazed at this scene. He stared intently at the departing banners, his breathing suddenly quickening, and he couldn't help but look towards the direction of the imperial palace.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the palace walls at that moment.

They had already landed on the dragon throne at the very top.

Gu Yi still hasn't let the Gu family show their faces. At this point, there's really no need for the Gu family to do anything anymore.

Lee Hyung himself was capable of handling all of this clearly.

He certainly wouldn't let Li Longji transfer the troops from Tongguan; this was his last line of defense, so he had to act quickly.

On that very day—

Li Heng then made no attempt to conceal his intentions and began to win over key officials.

Fortunately, Li Longji took all those so-called confidants with him on this trip. Now, the ministers left in the city, regardless of their abilities, are at least not loyal to Li Longji to the death.

Especially given that Li Longji had already made this decision.

No instruction is required.

Li Heng skillfully feigned a panicked and helpless demeanor. When the ministers anxiously inquired about the reasons, he adopted a victim-like posture and "distraught" revealed Li Longji's plan to abandon the country and flee to Shu.

Thus, he quietly completed his transformation—

From a filial son who "shared his father's burdens and voluntarily stayed behind,"

He transformed into a person of "utmost filial piety," willing to die in place of his father to fulfill his filial duty.

Both are named "filial piety".

The vast difference between them needs no further explanation.

The impact of this is self-evident.

—The court officials were furious!
"Abandoning the country and fleeing?!"

"Since the founding of our Great Tang Dynasty, has there ever been such a humiliating disgrace?!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The pillar of the nation, the reliance of the people! At this critical moment, instead of sitting in the central government and commanding the people to serve you, you actually intend to flee to Shu like a stray dog?!"

"."

"Where does this leave the ancestral land and its people?! Where does this leave the millions of people in Luoyang?! Where does this leave the glorious Tang Dynasty?!"

"One hundred thousand troops! There are still one hundred thousand troops at Tongguan! Instead of using these elite forces to keep the enemy out of the country, you want to drag them into Sichuan and become guard dogs guarding a corner of the country?!"

"Yang Guozhong! It must be that treacherous minister Yang Guozhong's evil scheme! Your Majesty... Your Majesty has become so muddle-headed!"

"This is not a personal campaign, but an utterly cowardly escape! We are handing over the fertile land of Guanzhong, the ancestral tombs, and hundreds of millions of people to the bandits to trample on!"

"History is clear and its pen is sharp as a knife! Your Majesty has abandoned the country today, and in the future, you will surely be condemned for eternity in the annals of history! How can we, who have served such a monarch, stand between heaven and earth!"

"."

Curses echoed throughout the main hall.

Perhaps it was because of loyalty, or because of the feeling of being abandoned, or because Li Longji had already left.

These people, without any restraint, vented their discontent in the palace.

Li Heng remained kneeling inside the hall, weeping silently.

He didn't interrupt the angry shouts of the courtiers, his face was a little pale, as if he was in a dilemma.

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze, and heavy breathing could be clearly heard.

After a brief outpouring of emotions, the ministers looked at each other, seeing only a deathly silence and overwhelming fear in each other's eyes.

Nobody wants to die.

No one wants to die without knowing the truth.

If Li Longji were to take everyone away, they would all surely die.

Even if one could escape like Li Longji, what good would it do?

Many of them have lived in Luoyang and Guanzhong for generations; how could they so easily give up everything?
To make them leave their homes and abandon everything they've built up over generations, to become rootless drifters in Sichuan?

This is more unbearable than death!

Dead end!

This is a suffocating deadly trap set by their former king!

In this despairing silence, as these people looked at each other, their gazes naturally fell on Li Heng.

The brief silence was finally broken.

"With the nation in turmoil, for the sake of the people and the continuation of the Tang Dynasty—this old minister, with tears in his eyes, humbly begs Your Highness the Crown Prince to immediately ascend the throne, inherit the great lineage, and turn the tide to save our Tang Dynasty!!!"

These words were like lighting the final fuse!

The courtiers in the hall seemed to have found the only way out, and they all knelt down instantly.

"A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day! We beseech Your Highness, in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people, to ascend the throne, rule over all, and sweep away all evil!"

"Your Majesty has abandoned the people like worn-out shoes; he is no longer the ruler of our Great Tang! Only His Highness the Crown Prince is benevolent, filial, wise, and virtuous, and is destined to inherit the Mandate of Heaven! We, your subjects, are willing to devote our lives to assisting the new emperor and restoring the capital!"

"The rebel army is about to arrive! The lives of millions in Luoyang depend on Your Highness! We beg Your Highness not to hesitate any longer, to ascend the throne swiftly, to command the armies of the realm to defend our land and protect our people! We will sacrifice our lives without hesitation!!!"

"."

Shouts rang out continuously.

As these words were spoken, the courtiers seemed to finally realize what was happening and involuntarily remembered something.

"Your Highness!" someone shouted immediately, "We implore Your Highness to ascend the throne immediately and appoint the Gu family to resist the rebels!!!"

Although nothing has changed.

But as soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the ministers suddenly softened considerably, no longer as tense as before.

Under this constant urging, Li Heng finally reacted and instinctively declined.

But now that things have come to this point—who can care what happens to him anymore?
Without any warning whatsoever.

Three days after Li Longji left the city, Li Heng ascended the throne with the support of his ministers. He then immediately sent envoys to chase after Li Longji and honored him as the Retired Emperor.

The reign title was changed to Zhide.
------

"In the fourteenth year of the Tianbao era, the Tubo invaded the border, and An Lushan plotted a rebellion in Fanyang. The sea pirates took advantage of the situation."

Amidst the chaos and turmoil of the realm, Emperor Xuanzong hastily fled to Shu, feigning a personal campaign.

Crown Prince Heng was appointed regent, and soon after, at the request of his ministers, he ascended the throne in Luoyang, honoring Emperor Xuanzong as the Supreme Emperor and changing the era name to Zhide.

—From the Annals of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty

(End of this chapter)