A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

"Grand Tutor, after you arrive, how should we arrange things in the court?"

Liu Qi probed.

Wei Ping smiled inwardly, knowing that Emperor Jing was a cold-hearted ruler compared to Emperor Wen.

"After the old minister's death, Tao Qing may be appointed as prime minister, Chao Cuo as censor-in-chief, and Wei Wan as an official in the prime minister's office."

Tao Qing and Wei Wan were former officials of Emperor Wen, and Chao Cuo was a confidant of Emperor Jing. Neither of them had any connection with the Wei family.

"I favor Marquis Wei Qing of Anguo as chancellor. What does the Grand Tutor think?"

Emperor Jing of Han probed again.

"Your Majesty, Qing'er's aptitude is not as good as mine. It is already a blessing for the people of the world that he can serve as the Grand Minister of Agriculture. He has no experience to serve as the Prime Minister."

"Chao Cuo is a capable minister, and after gaining experience, he can take over Tao Qing's position."

Wei Ping said, clinging to his last breath.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty. My death at this time will prevent you from securing the court."

"I have failed the late Emperor's trust!"

After saying that, Wei Ping "passed away"!

The sadness in Emperor Jing's heart finally spread. He had been learning from Wei Ping since childhood. Emperor Wen was busy with official duties, and Empress Dou did not like him, so he could only seek warmth in the Marquis of Yan's residence.

It can be said that Emperor Jing of Han was raised and nurtured by Wei Ping.

After a long while, Emperor Jing of Han took out an imperial edict.

"This is an imperial edict left by the late emperor."

"The Marquis of Yan is hereby granted the title of King of Yan, posthumously honored as King Zhongwu, and buried with the rites due to a king!"

"The eldest son, Wei Qing, inherited the title of Marquis of Yan, with a fief of 20000 households."

The White Horse Alliance stipulated that no one but Liu could be king, but this did not include posthumous titles.

The custom in the Han Dynasty was to posthumously confer a higher title upon the deceased. Before his death, Wei Ping had already reached the pinnacle of his official position, holding the highest rank and noble title. The only higher title he could be bestowed was that of a king.

Wei Qing's contributions to the Han Dynasty also deserve this royal title.

The Book of Han, Biographies of Loyal and Martial Officials

The Prince of Yan rose from the ranks of the army. In the seventh year of the Han Dynasty, Modu Chanyu besieged Emperor Gaozu at Baideng with an army of 400,000, while the Han army numbered only 10,000 cavalry. The Prince of Yan bravely charged into the enemy lines, single-handedly rescuing the emperor. His battle robe was stained with blood, and he fought against overwhelming odds, ultimately lifting the siege.

In the eighth year of the Han Dynasty, 300,000 Hu cavalry returned to Yanmen Pass. The King of Yan, wielding his halberd, smashed through the pass, causing the city gates to collapse. He beheaded the Chanyu (Xiongnu chieftain) on the battlefield, and more than a dozen noble chieftains perished, their corpses strewn across the fields, terrifying the Xiongnu.

In the ninth year of the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu dispatched 600,000 cavalry to press south towards Yanmen Pass. The King of Yan led a surprise attack, bypassing the northern desert, burning the Xiongnu royal court, and slaughtering almost all of them. The Xiongnu, terrified, withdrew northward. The King of Yan had prepared an ambush at Daqingshan, setting up passes and deploying crossbows. When the Xiongnu arrived, arrows rained down like locusts, their iron cavalry trampling the enemy, leaving mountains of corpses. The Han army suffered only a hundred or so casualties, while the Xiongnu army was completely annihilated, their blood staining Daqingshan, the north wind howling mournfully.

In the tenth year of the Han Dynasty, the King of Yan cultivated a superior crop, yielding five shi and three dou per mu, the highest in the nine provinces. He also reinstated the method of alternating fields and furrows, altering the ridges and furrows, and regulating fallow periods, which doubled the soil's fertility. As a result, the yield per mu increased again, the granaries were full, and the people praised his virtue.

For decades as prime minister, he brought about a period of political harmony and national peace. At court, the government was efficient and the people were harmonious; the military was well-fortified and the territory secure. In the countryside, granaries were full and merchants flocked to the region; in academia, poetry and literature were passed down through generations, and rites and music flourished. He assisted Emperor Wen in ushering in a golden age, bringing peace to the realm and subjugation to all foreign lands. His virtues and achievements are recorded in history.

In the second year of Emperor Jing of Han's reign, the King of Yan died.

To risk one's life to serve one's superior is loyalty; to serve one's lord with utmost loyalty is loyalty; to be honest, upright, and just is loyalty; to yield to the virtuous with utmost sincerity is loyalty.

The strength and righteousness are called martial arts; the power and virtue are called martial arts; the ability to quell chaos and disorder is called martial arts; the ability to punish and subdue the people is called martial arts.

His posthumous title was King Zhongwu;

......

After the emperor and other ministers left, Wei Ping opened his eyes again, and his body returned to its most youthful peak.

With sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, his gaze was like lightning, and his whole being exuded the noble air of someone in a high position.

"Qing'er, Yu'er, I'm entrusting the Marquis's mansion to you from now on. I won't show myself again unless absolutely necessary."

"If you want to communicate with me, contact me through this."

Wei Ping handed two small gourds to Wei Qing and Wei Yu. These were formed by him using the power of the gourd world, and they could connect him to himself in the gourd world.

"Respectfully seeing off Father."

Wei Qing and Wei Yu both looked at Wei Ping, who had returned to his youth, with burning eyes. Immortality was truly a great miracle.

......

After Wei Ping's "death," the seven kings, including the King of Wu, were no longer restrained and began to recruit soldiers and horses on a large scale.

Emperor Jing of Han also began to expand the army and reorganize military equipment.

Weiyang Palace.

Emperor Jing of Han looked at the map of the Han Dynasty. There were a total of 22 vassal kings in the entire Han Dynasty. In addition to the 6 sons he had newly appointed, there were 16 other vassal kings.

It occupied 22 counties.

There were as many as seven vassal kings recruiting soldiers, their intention to rebel was obvious.

The seven vassal kings of Wu, Chu, Zhao, Jinan, Zichuan, Jiaoxi, and Jiaodong almost surrounded the entire Han Dynasty.

The southern states of Wu and Chu had 66 households and 294 million people, while Chu had 100 million households and 470 million people.

The Zhao state in the north had 51 households and 469 million people.

The four states of Qi in the east, namely Jinan, Zichuan, Jiaoxi, and Jiaodong, had a total of 53 households and 248 million people.

The total number is 1481 million.

Between the imperial court and the southern vassal kings lay the vacant Liang Kingdom, with 93 households and 441 million people.

Currently, the area directly under the jurisdiction of the imperial court only has 450 million households and 2109 million people.

If Liang Kingdom were to side with the Seven Kingdoms, then the Seven Kingdoms' strength would truly be no weaker than that of the imperial court!

We must win over Liang!

Emperor Jing of Han remembered that his mother, Empress Dowager Dou, had been mentioning the Prince of Liang to him recently, so he took the opportunity to bring the Prince of Liang into the palace.

Then they'll throw all the dirty water on King Zhongwu, and trick King Liang into believing that he'll hold off the states of Wu and Chu for the sake of the court. The court's army will first pacify the northern states, and then pacify the southern states.

Just as Emperor Jing of Han was about to "coincidentally" arrive at Changxin Palace, someone reported that the King of Zhao in the north and the Southern Xiongnu had been exchanging letters, and the Southern Xiongnu seemed to be making moves.

Emperor Jing of Han felt a chill in his heart. The Xiongnu were no pushovers; they were a race that once commanded 400,000 archers and were known for their ferocity and brutality.

"Summon Marquis Yan to the palace immediately."

Emperor Jing of Han said urgently.

In the Yanhou residence, Wei Qing also received news of unusual movements by the Southern Xiongnu. It should be noted that the Southern Xiongnu's fear of his father was deeply ingrained.

Many of the Southern Xiongnu had deep ties with his family, or rather, were his sycophants.

The message he received was sent by Xiutu King, the second-in-command of the Southern Xiongnu.

The moment the Southern Xiongnu King became involved with the Seven Kings, King Xiutu immediately sent word to him.

"Second brother, you will come with me to the palace."

Wei Qing said to Wei Yu.

"You might need to go to the Northern Xiongnu then, to remind them of the terror of the Wei family!"

Wei Qing said quietly.

Wei Yu grinned, revealing a row of front teeth, and his joints made popping sounds.

"Brother, don't worry. Those guys are like mice before a weasel when they see me. I've been longing for that kind of groveling and fawning attitude I had when the Xiongnu submitted to us!"