The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

Chapter 151 Shu Han (First Update, Please Subscribe)

"Lin'an?!"

The courtiers' attention was still focused on Qiao Zhou's death, even though he deserved it. But the fact that he died so tragically... and just recently, Qiao Zhou and his followers seemed invincible, a powerful force capable of overthrowing the Liu Han dynasty.

Liu Chen first killed He Sui, cutting off Qiao Zhou's arm, and then swiftly and decisively beheaded the leader, Qiao Zhou.

With the addition of a conversation between Liu Chen and Qiao Zhou, Qiao Zhou's faction fell apart.

The courtiers were aware that Liu Chen would make changes, but they all assumed he intended to further pursue Qiao Zhou and Huang Hao's faction, even if not to exterminate them completely, to kill some more to establish his authority. Unexpectedly, Liu Chen suddenly changed the subject, steering the discussion towards major policies.

It seems there's a plan to stop the fighting by resorting to force?

After things calmed down, some of the ministers seemed to be deep in thought, while others' eyes lit up.

Lin'an?

When Zhuge Liang was alive, the Han Dynasty was the only great Han Dynasty. The traitorous Cao Wei first destroyed Cao Wei, and then destroyed Eastern Wu.

There was no tripartite division of the Three Kingdoms.

This was the foundation of the Han Dynasty, and the Han Dynasty would surely shine brightly once again. However, this policy was ruined by Qiao Zhou and Huang Hao.

Liu Chen made renaming Chengdu as Lin'an the first thing he would do today...

"I second that proposal," said Dong Jue, the Grand General and veteran minister, who reacted quickly and bowed.

Secondly, Fan Jian, Zhuge Zhan, and others followed suit, with the entire court, including Huang Hao's faction and Qiao Zhou's faction, echoing the sentiment.

Liu Chen smiled and nodded, but then added, "It's just a matter of changing the name on the official documents; nothing else needs to be changed. For example, the characters on the Chengdu city gates will still read 'Chengdu.'"

The name Lin'an defined the political policy of the Han Dynasty, both now and in the future: the Han and the traitors could not coexist, and the imperial cause could not be confined to a corner of the country.

Liu Chen, seizing the opportunity, gripped the hilt of his sword, raised his head high, and addressed his ministers: "Emperor Xiaomin lost the ancestral temples and the state. My grandfather, Emperor Zhaolie, inherited the ancestral temples and the state, rebuilt the Han dynasty, and achieved great feats, possessing high virtue and benevolence. He is comparable to Shao Kang who restored the country and Guangwu who revived the dynasty, yet he still has no temple name. I think this is inappropriate. I wish to bestow upon Emperor Zhaolie the temple name Liezu. What do you all think?"

Or should we rebuild our faith?

Who replaced the Han dynasty? (The answer is: Gao of Dangtu.)

No.

The Han Dynasty must have been divided into three periods. Liu Bang's correct temple name and posthumous title were Emperor Gaozu of Han.

Liu Xiu's temple name and posthumous title were Emperor Guangwu of Han.

The posthumous title "Martial" goes without saying; it simply means being able to continue the legacy of one's ancestors and restore their legacy.

The standard for temple names is that the ancestors were meritorious and the lineage was virtuous.

Liu Xie lost his kingdom, and Liu Bei restored it.

Emperor Zhaolie made great contributions to the country and should be given the temple name Liezu.

"Your Majesty, I second that proposal." The assembled officials agreed once more. There's nothing to debate about Zhaolie's achievements; he deserved them.

Liu Chen nodded and said, "In the past, when the army was defeated at Yiling, the country was almost destroyed. Prime Minister Zhuge was virtuous and meritorious, like Yi Yin of the Shang Dynasty and the Duke of Zhou of the Zhou Dynasty. When the Prime Minister had just passed away, there were countless petitions to build a temple for him. Although the emperor later built a temple for Prime Minister Zhuge in Mianyang, I think it is not enough. I should build another temple for Prime Minister Zhuge in Chengdu and inscribe it as the Temple of the Marquis of Zhongwu."

Zhuge Zhan's expression changed, and he opened his mouth as if to decline, but after thinking for a moment, he said nothing more.

The ministers seconded the proposal again. Countless ministers wanted to build a temple for Zhuge Liang. Liu Shan had been conflicted and helpless before, but when the country was on the verge of collapse, he finally made a last-minute effort to build a temple for Zhuge Liang in Mianyang, Hanzhong.

Now, in one step, a temple has been erected in Chengdu.

This is what Zhuge Liang deserved, and it is also what the people wanted.

This is the right thing to do, why say more?

Liu Chen nodded again and said, "In the past, Emperor Zhaolie attacked Ba and Shu out of sheer necessity. Those who slander Zhaolie use this to attack him. When Zhaolie was alive, he once said that once the world was pacified, he would enfeoff Liu Zhang with a great state and treat him with the courtesy due to an honored guest. However, the Han Dynasty's territory is currently too small, consisting only of Ba and Shu, so it is not possible to enfeoff a great marquis. Moreover, Liu Zhang has already passed away. Liu Zhang has many descendants, and I believe that a virtuous person can be selected and enfeoffed with a marquisate of two thousand households. After returning to Luoyang, he can be enfeoffed with a marquisate of ten thousand households."

This is a historical issue and one of the root causes of the division of Sichuan and Chongqing. Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang did indeed say this and treated Liu Zhang well. However, Liu Zhang lived in Jingzhou, which was later acquired by Sun Quan, who then appointed Liu Zhang as the governor of Yizhou, and the matter was left unresolved.

Now that the nation is facing a crisis, we must unite all forces.

This matter could slightly salvage Liu Bei's reputation after seizing Yizhou and achieve the goal of unity.

The courtiers seconded the motion once again.

Liu Chen continued, "In the Battle of Jingzhou, Guan Yu flooded the seven armies, his might shaking the land. If Sun Quan hadn't launched a surprise attack on Jingzhou, the Han Dynasty would have been restored long ago. How could the country have fallen to this state? Furthermore, Guan Yu was a man of loyalty and righteousness. Cao Cao treated him very well, and after killing Yan Liang, he fled and returned to Liu Bei, his loyalty unparalleled throughout history. Although Guan Yu lost Jingzhou, he died for his country. I believe that posthumously naming Guan Yu 'Zhuangmiao' is inappropriate. I wish to change his posthumous title to 'Zhongzhuang'."

This is no longer a historical issue.

Zhuangmiao doesn't really need a forced interpretation; one word is good, and the other is bad. This is the appropriate, albeit somewhat controversial, conclusion about Guan Yu.

But now that Liu Chen wants to restore his family's reputation, a loyal minister like Guan Yu should naturally be honored. Furthermore, he also spoke out in defense of Guan Yu.

Although he knew that the mixed reputation of Guan Yu was appropriate in his final judgment, he couldn't accept it emotionally.

Based on the simple values ​​of ordinary people.

Guan Yu was known for his loyalty and righteousness; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the Marquis of Hanshou.

Guan Yu's fate has been sealed... This time, the ministers felt something was amiss, but after exchanging glances, they once again seconded the decision.

Liu Chen nodded again and said, "General Huo Jun, the former governor of Zitong, made great contributions to the state and was commended by Emperor Zhaolie. However, he has not yet been given a posthumous title, which I find inappropriate. I wish to bestow upon him the title of Marquis within the Passes and the posthumous title of Marquis Zhuang."

Huo Jun was very important; he was a meritorious official who had rendered great service to the country. However, there were many ministers like Huo Jun, none of whom received posthumous titles. For example, Li Hui, the maternal relative of Liu Chen. To single out Huo Jun is unfair to the other meritorious officials.

But Huo Jun had a good son. Giving Huo Jun a posthumous title was to honor a meritorious official of the Han Dynasty, enhance cohesion, and at the same time, to win over Huo Yi of the Southern Region.

Liu Chen, after all, seized the throne by force, while Huo Yi commanded the military power of the six southern commanderies. Normally, matters like posthumous titles should be discussed by the relevant officials before the emperor could choose a word; if the emperor disagreed, further discussion would follow.

Now that there was no time for such tedious work, Liu Chen directly bestowed upon him the posthumous title "Zhuang," a common honorific for military generals.

The courtiers seconded the motion once again, stating that everything Liu Chen had said so far had been about correcting past wrongs.

They are both doing the right thing. They have no reason to object.

Liu Chen then said, "Although Yang Xi, the former governor of Zitong, had some improper conduct, he was a loyal and righteous man, and he wrote a eulogy praising the virtues of Yuanxun. I find it very good. I order officials to make copies of the eulogy and distribute them to the prefectures and counties. I will select virtuous descendants of Yang Xi to serve as Gentlemen of the Palace, in recognition of their merits."

For a country, the historians and the events recorded in historical books are essentially a form of national propaganda.

Zhuge Liang could not have ignored this aspect; the state actually had historians.

As for why Chen Shou said in the Records of the Three Kingdoms that "the state did not establish a history office," we can only ponder that further.

Some of the ministers had heard of the praises given to the regents of the Shu Han dynasty, while others had not, but they all realized that Liu Chen was still engaging in state propaganda, and they seconded the motion once again.

Liu Chen took a deep breath, his expression solemn. He sighed again and said, "Huang Hao, a villain, has wreaked havoc on the court. The emperor was deceived, and now that he has learned the truth, he has fallen ill. The emperor and I have discussed issuing an edict of self-reproach."

The historical issues have been resolved.

The national propaganda campaign has begun.

The rebuilding of faith has begun.

But in the very end, let's bring out Liu Shan and whip his corpse.

Most of the blame can be shifted to Huang Hao, but shouldn't he bear some responsibility? Therefore, it was a mistake to appoint Huang Hao, and the emperor repented.

The edict of self-reproach was invented by Emperor Wu of Han. It was called the Luntai Edict of Self-Reproach, and it was a way for the emperor to admit that he was wrong.

At that time, the Han Dynasty was on the verge of collapse due to years of war. After Emperor Wu of Han realized his mistakes, he issued an edict of self-reproach and began to adjust the overall direction, laying the foundation for Huo Guang to take power later.

The emperor has repented, so the people will forgive him.

In addition, Liu Chen's state propaganda machine was operating at full capacity.

Those who are meant to be ancestors should be ancestors.

Those who are meant to ascend to the altar, should ascend to the altar.

Change what needs to be changed.

Adding to this, the head of Huang Hao, that great demon and traitor, and other such events and news spread to Sichuan, southern China, and Hanzhong.

Liu Chen believed that the people of Bashu would once again trust the Han Dynasty.

The power of our ancestors is truly great.

The power of justice is that strong.

Moreover, Liu Shan's edict of self-reproach also served as a severance of ties between Liu Shan and Liu Chen.

The old emperor, remorseful for his mistake in appointing Huang Hao, fell ill and went home to recuperate. Real power was then held by the crown prince and the prime minister.

It was Liu Shan's own doing.

Where the Han Dynasty would go from here on out was no longer Liu Shan's concern.

"I second that proposal." The ministers readily agreed once again.

Through this series of events, Liu Chen has already demonstrated his ambition and potential. He is a qualified crown prince and a qualified future emperor.

Who cares about an old emperor whose incompetence led to the decline of the country?

Liu Chen felt his legs were a little sore and numb. After adjusting his posture, he looked at the assembled officials again and said, "I've straightened them out a bit..."

.

"First, the Emperor's edict of self-reproach."

"Secondly, I request that Huang Hao be executed, and I submit this petition."

"Thirdly, I refute Qiao Zhou's heretical doctrines."

"Fourth, I request that Chengdu be renamed Lin'an. No, I request that the royal cause not be confined to a corner of the country. This is the same as Qiao Zhou's heretical doctrine. The Han Dynasty is the Han Dynasty, not a small country. It is a great and powerful country that will return its old capital."

"Fifth, I request that a temple name be established for Zhaolie (Liu Bei) and submit a memorial to the throne."

"Sixth, I hereby submit a petition requesting that a temple be built for Prime Minister Zhuge in Chengdu."

"Seventh, I hereby submit a memorial requesting that Guan Yu's posthumous title be changed and that Huo Jun's posthumous title be Zhuanghou."

"Eighth, I request that the ministers of Ji Han present a memorial."

"Ninth, I request that the descendants of Liu Zhang be granted official titles."

As Liu Chen recounted the events one by one, the courtiers gradually began to understand the implications.

It turns out the old emperor issued an edict of self-reproach.

All other matters were suggested by Liu Chen in a memorial, and only then did the old emperor agree to them.

All the bad things were done by the old emperor.

All the good things happen to Liu Chenqian.

But as I said before, the old emperor is no longer respected by anyone. And it's true, these are things that Liu Chen himself said and did in the main hall.

After Liu Chen finished sorting out the matter, he looked up at his ten white-haired guests and said, "When I was the King of Beidi, I had ten guests. I appointed them all as Gentlemen of the Palace. Once the number of guests is complete, I will send them to various prefectures with imperial credentials to announce these nine matters."

After a pause, Liu Chen said calmly, "The Imperial Censor Jiang Yu and the Vice Imperial Censor Liu Yang are incompetent and have been dismissed from their posts and sent home."

"The court needs the voice of righteousness. Yang Yong, the prime minister of the Northern Kingdom, is upright and highly respected. He can be appointed as the Grand Censor."

"Zhuge Zhan, the General of the Guards, was promoted to General of the Cavalry and given the additional title of Grand Marshal."

"Huang Chong, the Prince of Beidi, was appointed as a Chamberlain and concurrently served as the Chief Secretary to the Chancellor."

"Dong Jue, the Grand General Who Assists the State, was appointed as the Chief Secretary to the Chancellor."

"Fan Jian, the Attendant-in-Ordinary and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, was appointed as the Chief Clerk of the Chancellor. The three Chief Clerks jointly managed the affairs of the Chancellor's Office."

The Grand Censor is the head of the Censorate, responsible for supervising all officials; Yang Yong is suitable for the position.

The power of the prime minister has now been transferred to the prime minister's office. In the past, when Zhuge Liang was alive, the officials in the prime minister's office had real power, while the officials of the court were just wooden sculptures.

Zhuge Zhan thus lost power, but as the son of Chancellor Zhuge Liang, he enjoyed great prestige in the court and among the people.

Liu Chen then promoted him to General of the Cavalry, bestowed upon him the title of Grand Marshal, and made him the commander of a large banner. Later, when Liu Chen became emperor, he considered appointing Zhuge Zhan as Chancellor, albeit in a position without real power.

The feelings of ordinary people are simple and genuine.

It would be a wonderful thing if Zhuge Liang's son became prime minister again.

Since the power of the prime minister was transferred to the prime minister's office, and Liu Chen could not possibly act as both emperor and prime minister by himself, someone had to help him with the work.

Therefore, three chief clerks were appointed, who became the new prime ministers.

He was appointed to act as the Prime Minister's office manager.

Huang Chong is one of our own.

Fan Jian and Dong Jue were originally prime ministers, but they've changed their titles and continue to serve as prime ministers. Liu Chen just figured it out.

These two old men are like withered trees that have been rejuvenated, as if they have become ten years younger, and they clearly still want to shine and contribute.

That's good.

Whether old or young, as long as they are honest, capable, and willing to serve the country.

Liu Chen can use it.

Wise men, fools, civil officials, and military generals.

Great virtue and great talent.

A panoramic view of the heroes.

Recreate the Han Dynasty.

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