Tang Dynasty Mingyue Song Dynasty Pass

Chapter 930 Su Chen Ascends the Throne
The following day, some important civil and military officials continued to visit Su Chen's residence, trying to persuade him to accept the abdication, but Su Chen still refused, though his words were no longer as forceful and resolute.

The ministers were well aware that this was a process, but they were happy to participate in it because those who came to persuade Su Chen to accept the throne were all veteran ministers like Han Xizai, who were among the people closest to Su Chen and were very enthusiastic.

The third time was during the morning court session, when ministers from Wu and former officials from Song knelt and begged Su Chen to accept the abdication. Su Chen hesitated for a moment and politely declined, worried that he was not capable enough to be a good emperor.

Seeing that Su Chen's tone had softened, the crowd guessed that the third refusal was the tipping point, so they all supported him. Su Chen becoming emperor was what everyone hoped for.

Su Chen could only say helplessly, "Since all the ministers and the people of the world recognize me, Su Chen, I am flattered and honored. Please allow me to consider it some more."

Seeing this, everyone knew that the next time would be the time for Su Chen to accept the abdication.

Yang Ling'er watched Su Chen finish speaking in the Golden Palace, smiled slightly, and knew that the next time would be the real time to prepare for the abdication and the transfer of power.

Three days later, a grand court procession had been set up outside the Golden Palace. Incense smoke curled from the mouths of bronze cranes and tortoises, banners fluttered in the wind, and civil and military officials stood solemnly according to their rank, utterly silent.

Inside the hall, Yang Ling'er, dressed in plain clothes and wearing a Liang crown, stood beneath the steps, holding a pre-prepared abdication proclamation. Her gaze swept over the assembled officials, finally settling on Su Chen, her voice clear and resonant:

"Since the founding of the Wu dynasty by Emperor Taizu, the dynasty has gone through many twists and turns. The throne was passed to me, but the land was in ruins, the north and south were not united, and the people were not at peace. Now, thanks to Prince Su Chen of Pingnan, in ten years, the Southern Han was subdued, Wu and Yue were annexed, and Bianliang was overthrown, so that the nine provinces were returned to the map. Heaven and the people have given their approval, and virtue and merit are matched. If I cling to power, it would be against the will of Heaven and a betrayal of the people. Now I wish to present the imperial seal and abdicate the throne to you, so as to preserve the country."

Having said this, she raised the imperial seal high with both hands and bowed three times. The more than three hundred civil and military officials in the hall knelt down in unison, shouting in unison, "Please, Prince Pingnan, obey the will of Heaven and the people, and ascend the throne soon!"

Su Chen appeared "reluctant," and slowly stepped forward under the watchful eyes of everyone. He first bowed deeply to Yang Ling'er, then turned around, his voice low but enough to silence the entire hall:
"I was originally a commoner, but I was entrusted with the trust of the King of Wu and given the task of conquering the country. I dared not fail to exert my utmost strength. Now that the victory has been achieved and I am to receive the abdication, I fear I will fail the expectations of the people. However, the will of the people is hard to defy, and the state is of utmost importance. Therefore, I... respectfully accept the mandate."

As soon as he finished speaking, bells and drums resounded throughout the hall. Four officials presented a robe embroidered with a gold dragon, while two eunuchs unfurled a yellow silk ribbon to help Su Chen remove his armor and don the robe. A jade belt wrapped around his waist, and a crown with twelve tassels swayed gently, highlighting his sculpted features. He held the imperial seal in his hand, its warm texture conveying the weighty significance of an entire empire.

Yang Ling'er took three steps back, bowed again, and shouted "Long live the Emperor!" The civil and military officials in the hall immediately touched their foreheads to the ground, and the sound of their shouts was like a tidal wave.
"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

As Su Chen watched the civil and military officials pay homage and shout "Long live the Emperor!", it seemed as if a surge of energy and karmic influence was bestowed upon him.

The weight of the nation's fate, the blessings of the land, the people's will, and the karma of the country's destiny all come rolling in, and Su Chen was able to subtly perceive that being an emperor was by no means a simple matter.

If one indulges in pleasure and only thinks of oneself, failing to govern the country well and causing the people to be displaced, impoverished, and starving to death, then the karma will be immense and will cling to the court and the emperor. This emperor will have a short lifespan, the court will decline, and his descendants will suffer the backlash of karma.

If Su Chen can govern well, create a prosperous era, and allow the people of the world to live peaceful and happy lives, then he will accumulate blessings and good fortune, prolong the dynasty's life, and bring blessings to his descendants.

"Gentlemen, rise!" Su Chen told the ministers to stand up and announced that the coronation ceremony would be held in seven days, followed by the appointment of officials.

Thus, the former ruler of Wu returned to his fiefdom, and a new monarch ascended the throne. The historian picked up his brush, dipped it in vermilion, and wrote two large lines at the beginning of the scroll—

"In the twelfth month of the fourth year of Wu Tong, King Su Chen of Pingnan received the abdication, established the state of Great Wu, and changed the era name to Chenfeng."

Since the generals and ministers of Wu had made great contributions in the war to unify the north and south, they were rewarded according to their merits. The officials of Song were also selected based on merit, which was equivalent to redistributing the interests of the court officials and forming a new political structure.

People like Han Xizai and Xu Xuan continued to be highly valued, as did Zhao Pu and Lu Duoxun. Although Su Chen had not been in contact with Song Dynasty officials for very long, the history books contained detailed records of these officials, and he knew very well who was capable and who was cunning.

After the investiture ceremony, officials from both the North and the South were appeased and rewarded, thus balancing the political power between the two regions.

Just as Su Chen was declaring himself emperor, war broke out in the north. The Liao army, eyeing the country with predatory intent, was poised to strike and advance southward. It seemed that the Liao Kingdom did not want to see the rise and prosperity of the new Wu Kingdom.

Beneath the central banner, Empress Xiao, clad in plain armor with red tassels, held a riding whip and coldly issued an order, pointing at the map of Hebei:

"The new emperor of the Southern Dynasty has just ascended the throne, and his footing is not yet firm. This is a golden opportunity. The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun were already in my grasp. Now I will push south for another three hundred miles, all the way to the Yellow River."

The iron cavalry under their command responded with a thunderous roar. Han Derang and Yelü Xiuge each led 30,000 light cavalry, divided into eastern and western routes, and broke through seven strongholds in one day and night. Urgent reports from various prefectures in Hebei Province flew into Bianjing like snowflakes. The former Song army commanders in the area were either dead or surrendered, and the flames of war spread all the way to Qizhou.

The Liao army's plan was shrewd:

If Wu's army hastily comes to the north to reinforce, we can use cavalry archery to blunt their advance; if we can defeat Wu's army, then Liao's army can drive straight in and occupy the Central Plains.

If Wu's army holds its ground and does not come out, then let your cavalry raid their supplies and force them into chaos; at worst, they will retreat to the grasslands, where their iron cavalry is as fast as the wind, and who can catch up with them?
Therefore, 100,000 Liao troops were dispatched to attack the northern border of Wu. An urgent report had already been delivered to Su Chen's desk by fast horse:

"The Liao cavalry, numbering 100,000, have already captured the three prefectures of Xiong, Mo, and Ding, and occupied Zhen Ding Prefecture. The Hebei defense line is on the verge of collapse!"

Several Grand Councilors were worried when they saw the urgent military situation. Wu had just been enthroned as emperor, and the attack by 100,000 Liao troops would cause unrest among the people and turmoil in the court.

However, Su Chen was not in a hurry. On the contrary, he felt that the arrival of the Liao army was just in time. At present, the Wu army had 400,000 elite troops, plus the surrendered Song army, totaling 600,000. If they did not fight, the consumption of these 600,000 troops would be huge. It would be better to continue to use them for combat, to guard against danger, and to fight the Liao army to wear each other down.

Secondly, Wu Jun is currently in high spirits and can have a good fight with Liao Jun. Once peace comes, the soldiers will become complacent and their fighting strength will decline day by day, making it difficult for them to defeat the swift and powerful grassland cavalry.

While our forces are at their strongest now, we must rout the Liao army and reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun in one fell swoop, keeping the Khitans at bay. Only in this way can we ensure long-term peace. We must also prepare defenses against the Jurchens in advance. The Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun are of paramount importance and must be reclaimed to secure a century of peace.

Su Chen felt that it was much more reliable for him, as the founding emperor, to finish the work himself than to leave it to his descendants. His descendants would all grow up in the palace and were not time travelers, so it would be difficult for them to achieve anything significant. He should take care of all the tasks of expanding the territory and ensuring long-term stability himself.