Dahan first prince

Chapter 332 The whole country mourns for three days to sacrifice to the Grand Master!

In the 14th year of Han Dynasty, Yuanshuo in winter and October.

Almost at the same time as piles of bonfires were lit in Changle Palace, a late autumn rain made Chang'an, which was already shrouded in silence, even more desolate.

Today is Yuanshuo, the first year of the year, the Great Chaoyi, and the New Year;
Whether it is the common people, or the meritorious officials, officials and courtiers who participated in this first-year court meeting, they should all be celebrating the New Year.

However, the death of the prime minister and grand master Bing Hou Xiaohe heralded the complete farewell of an era for the Han Dynasty, and at the same time, the entire Chang'an was plunged into a wave of emotions called "sorrow".

Xiao He died, and it rained again, Liu Ying lost her character, and simply ordered: to simplify the grand court ceremony as much as possible, and remove all activities that need to be carried out outside the hall.

Therefore, it was supposed to start at the time of Mao, before dawn, and not end until noon. Instead, the courtiers and officials followed Liu Ying to the southern suburbs of Chang'an to worship the Taimiao, Gaomiao, and Sheji respectively;

After that, the planned procedures of plowing, thanking, and offering sacrifices to gods were all omitted, and the process of the grand court ceremony directly fast forwarded to the stage where the princes and ministers were in the Changxin Hall to conduct the Yuan Shuo Dynasty.

Even so, the first topic of the Yuan Shuo Dynasty still failed to go according to the original plan...
"I am very sorry for the death of the grand master."

"Written by Zongzheng and Fengchang, you Siqin came to Binghou's mansion to offer my condolences on my behalf;"

"Give the grand master a yellow sausage inscription, a golden jade garment, and all kinds of lamps and utensils, and Xu Taishi will be buried with the feudal rites."

"In addition, the censor will order Guanzhong on behalf of the prime minister: the whole country mourns!"

Hearing Liu Ying's words, all the courtiers and officials in the palace raised their heads in astonishment, but saw Lu Zhi silently nodded, and then took the conversation softly.

"Grand Master Xiao is the founding father of our Han Dynasty, and even the "First Marquis of the Han Dynasty" appointed by the Taizu Emperor Gao, who should be the first hero in the founding of the Han Dynasty."

"Before the grand master was alive, he was the emperor's teacher; he was the emperor's teacher, and he was the minister of my Liu family..."

As he said that, Lu Zhi nodded to Liu Ying sadly, and said again: "That is to say, if the emperor wants to mourn the whole country, Taifu Cao will order the world: the emperor died, and the emperor mourned so much that he ordered the whole country to mourn for three days." ;"

"During the national mourning period, all Han people are not allowed to marry, have fun, hold banquets, drink alcohol, or eat meat."

"Let's wait for the national funeral, everything will be the same..."

Seeing that the queen mother stood up and expressed her support for Liu Ying's "national funeral", all the courtiers had no choice but to bow in unison to express their acceptance.

After saluting, hundreds of people in the hall all lowered their heads, secretly envious of Xiao He's 'poster name'.

Not to mention the past few years, Empress Dowager Lu Zhi and Emperor Liu Ying expressed high praises of "Xiao He, Liu's retainers" in public on more than one occasion, and temporarily put aside Xiao He's praise for not being famous, not entering the court, and walking on the sword. Don't talk about three-piece suits;
Just the item of 'National Mourning' is enough to make Xiao He's personal honor reach its peak, and guarantee that 'no one will come after'!
——Except for today's Liu Ying, and the former emperor Liu Bang, who would dare to mourn the death of his subordinates? !
Which courtier can afford the national mourning that theoretically only applies to the death of the empress, emperor, empress dowager, and emperor?

Even if Liu Ying just gave Xiao He an extremely low-end version of the "three-day national mourning experience voucher", it can definitely be regarded as the pinnacle of honor for a courtier, and it has even gone far beyond the scope of honor that a foreign courtier can obtain!
As for the latecomers, don’t even think about the national mourning. There is a high probability that there will be no second person for the “head of the ancient three princes” like the Taishi; it’s better to think about how to fight for the people who won’t go to court, who won’t be praised, and who will go to the palace with swords A three-piece suit is more practical.

Especially when Liu Ying just said, "Zongzheng and Fengchang Yousi came to Binghou's mansion to express condolences on my behalf", which made everyone in the hall completely believe that before today, there was only one Xiao He; It is absolutely impossible to have a second foreign minister who can compare with Xiao He.

The reason is simple: according to the etiquette system, when a minister passes away, the only one who can come to express condolences for the emperor is Fengchang.

After all, as the lord of the world, the emperor naturally didn't have the reason to come to the door in person to mourn for the dead ministers;
But if you don't send someone to your door to show it, you will be somewhat 'suspicious of being mean and ungrateful'.

But this time it was different: in order to mourn Xiao He, Liu Ying sent Zong Zheng in addition to Feng Chang.

As we all know: Zongzheng, in theory, is Han Jiuqing, but in fact, he is the patriarch of the Liu clan, or acting patriarch (actually the patriarch is the emperor).
And Liu Ying sent Zongzheng and Fengchang to mourn Xiao He for her, which can only show one thing.

——In the past few years, the "Xiao He is a retainer" that the Empress Dowager Lu Zhi, the emperor Liu Ying, and their sons have been talking about all day is not just kidding!
"In this way..."

Thinking secretly, everyone turned their heads involuntarily, and searched for the unfamiliar figure among the crowd around them.

And on the imperial steps, seeing the courtiers and officials looking around so unabashedly, looking for the heir to Xiao He's political legacy: Xiao Lu, the son of Marquis Feng, Liu Ying couldn't help but feel a bit more bitterness in her heart.

"Hou Feng..."

"Bing Hou..."

"Why didn't you live a few more years?"

"Why is there no second Marquis Feng?"

Recalling last night, before Xiao He died, staring at him firmly, and said the phrase "After I die, the Xiao family will never set foot in Chang'an", Liu Ying felt a burst of endless reverence for Xiao He.

It can be said that the most common instinct of the Chinese nation is to bless the children and grandchildren and shelter the future generations;
Under this instinct, for the sake of the country and the nation, it is extremely rare to give up the privilege of "blessing the future generations".

It is true that Liu Ying, as the son of heaven, could not really drive all the people surnamed Xiao out of Chang'an, as Xiao He entrusted before his death, to the feudal kingdom far away in Kanto;
But at least in the future, when there is a vacancy for an important position in the court, Liu Ying doesn't need to rack her brains to think about how to veto a worthless person, but the resume says, "The eldest son of the old grand master and prime minister Bingwen Zhonghou Xiaohe, the current Bing Hou' backup candidate.

Of course, if one day in the future, the lineage of Marquis of Bing produces a hero who is worthy of a great position, Liu Ying will not hesitate to take the position of Jiuqing, or even Sangong, to use the virtuous to promote his ability.

But the memory of the previous life reminded Liu Ying repeatedly at this moment: After Xiao He's death, within three generations of the Fenghou family, there were no descendants worthy of reuse.

In the original history, it was not until more than a hundred years later that the seventh grandson of Xiao He, Xiao Wangzhi, served as Guang Luxun in the reign of Emperor Ping, and finally the Fenghou family, who had been away from the political center of the Han Dynasty for a long time, returned to the court of Chang'an once again. List······
"The death of the grand master, I mourned for the whole country for three days, and my son mourned for seven days. During these few days, all the lords should discuss together to determine the merits and demerits of the grand master's death. The conclusion is based on the coffin."

"Just wait for the grand master's funeral, and there will always be a division to cast the master card of the grand master's god."

"——The grand master has worked hard all his life, made outstanding achievements, devoted himself to my Han Zuo, and deserves to enjoy the high temple..."

As Liu Ying threw out another blockbuster, the courtiers and officials bowed their hands numbly, as if they were not surprised by Liu Ying's words.

——Compared with the three privileges of worshiping without being famous, entering the court, and walking on the sword, and the status of "Liu's retainer" and the glory of mourning the whole country, being worthy of the Taimiao seems to be the most honorable in this series of honors. An uncommon one.....
So far, the affairs of Xiao He's death have been properly arranged.

What follows is a topic that is bound to arise.

"His Majesty."

After a brief silence, seeing the origin of Neishi Wangling, he bowed to Liu Ying slightly.

At the moment Wang Lingzhan was born, everyone in Changxin Hall, including Emperor Liu Ying and Queen Mother Lu Zhi, had already anticipated what would happen next.

"I have heard that a country cannot be without a king for a day, and a family cannot be without a master for a day."

"Today the Grand Master passed away, His Majesty's sorrow, I dare not say anything wrong with the Grand Master;"

"However, when the grand master was still alive, he once served as the prime minister. Now the grand master is gone, and the dragons in the prime minister's mansion have no leader, and all kinds of government orders cannot be carried out smoothly..."

Saying these words with a solemn expression that did not surprise anyone, Wang Ling solemnly adjusted his crown and belt, and then bowed solemnly to Liu Ying and Lu Zhi on the imperial steps.

"Therefore, in the internal history of Anguo Houchen's mausoleum, ignorant dead worshiped a hundred times, in order to remonstrate with the Queen Mother and Your Majesty: among the courtiers and veterans, choose the best choice to succeed the prime minister, manage all affairs of the prime minister's house, and make the world safe... ··”

After saying that, Wang Ling slowly bent down, and gently pressed his forehead on the wooden floor.

For Wang Ling's 'proposal', Liu Ying was noncommittal.

As for Wang Lingkou's 'choose a suitable person to be the prime minister', Liu Ying didn't listen to a single word.

——Here, there is still a choice?
"What An Guohou said is true."

Secretly slandering, saying such a scene, she saw Liu Ying turned sideways to meet her mother Lu Zhi, and then turned her body again, looking at the officials and courtiers in the palace.

"Grand Master's death, my heart is very sad, but just as the internal history said: A country cannot be without a king for a day, a family cannot be without a master for a day, and a court cannot be without a minister for a day."

"However, following the Grand Master, as the prime minister's choice, when the Taizu Emperor Gao was still alive, he had ordered..."

After saying that, Liu Ying turned sideways, respectfully worshiped her mother Lu Zhi, and then retreated a little to the imperial couch.

Seeing Liu Ying's posture, Lu Zhi also nodded kindly to Liu Ying, and then got up from the imperial couch.

"When Emperor Taizu Gao was seriously ill and on the verge of death, I asked him about this at the side of the sick bed."

"At that time, the Marquis of Pingyang and Marquis of An were also standing beside him."

As he spoke, Lu Zhi did not forget to nod to Cao Can and Wang Ling respectively, and then continued: "I ask: After Xiao He, who can succeed Han Chan?"

"Emperor Taizu Gao replied: After the Marquis of Feng, the Marquis of Pingyang can succeed him as prime minister."

"After the Marquis of Pingyang, the Mausoleum of the Marquis of Anguo can be the chancellor, and the Marquis of Qu Ni, Chen Ping, can help him to hold the prime minister's mansion together."

"For this reason, when Emperor Gaozu was about to die, there was a last order: the Prime Minister Bing Hou Chen He is the Grand Master, the imperial historian Cao Can of Pingyang Marquis, and the Nei Shi Anguo Marquis Wangling, each is the Grand Tutor... ···”

With a tone of reminiscing about the past, he told the late emperor Liu Bang's arrangement of candidates for "the next few Han Chancellors", and Lu Zhi gently sat back on the imperial couch and nodded again to Liu Ying who was beside him.

I saw Liu Ying bowed in return, and then returned to the imperial couch, looking indifferently at the officials and courtiers in the hall.

"As for the position of prime minister, Emperor Taizu Gao had already issued an edict. As the son of Emperor Taizu Gao, I have no reason to disobey the emperor's father."

"It is Emperor Taizu Gao's intention, with the royal historian Pingyang Marquis Cao Canji as his prime minister, he wrote the internal history and government documents in Guanzhong to ask local counties."

"Within thirty days, if no one speaks of Cao Shen's ability and embarrassing the burden of the Han Prime Minister, then he will report this matter to the Queen Mother."

After saying that, Liu Ying also sat back on the imperial couch, imitating her mother's appearance, and assumed the posture of "sit firmly on the Diaoyutai".

As for Liu Ying's words just now, the courtiers and officials in the palace bowed their hands again without any surprise, expressing their acceptance.

If someone who didn't know the scene just now watched it, they might really think that Cao Shen was Xiao He's successor, maybe it was still in the 'consideration' stage.

But in fact, not to mention the Chang'an court, even the people near Chang'an have already heard about this matter.

——Nearly two years have passed since Cao Shen resigned from the position of Minister of Qi and returned to Chang'an as the imperial doctor.

In the past two years, Cao Shen's attention, almost not even a second, was focused on the work of the censor doctor's subordinate office.

The reason is very simple: Cao Shen returned to Chang'an not to be a royal doctor at all, but since the day he stepped down as Qi Xiang two years ago, he has already shouldered the task of 'preparing to take over Xiao He'.

After nearly two years of handover, even though Cao Shen has not officially become the prime minister, in fact, he is only one title and procedure short.

Therefore, Liu Ying's seemingly inexplicable remarks just now are actually just the inherent political procedures before the prime minister.

Including "announcing in Guanzhong for a month to see if anyone opposes Cao Shen's appointment as prime minister" is also a political gesture made out of consideration of "people cooking".

In short, it seems that on the surface, what Liu Ying said was to 'check whether Cao Shen can be the prime minister', but in fact, the political process of worshiping the prime minister has already started.

Cao Shen's official succession as prime minister is a certainty, and it will not be far away.

Xiao He's funeral arrangements were completed, and Cao Shen's succession as prime minister was finalized. The sun was approaching (9 o'clock), and the first topic in the original plan finally appeared in this year's grand court above the instrument.

"Pingyang Houchen, the imperial censor, will give a performance to His Majesty."

"It was Yuanshuo, the first year of the year. Your Majesty first offered sacrifices to the Taimiao and Gaomiao to show filial piety, and then he personally plowed the native land in Sheji to persuade the people of the world to farm."

"However, we should go to Weiyang's silkworm ceremony, but the bitter pepper house has no owner, so we can't make it..."

After saying that, Cao Can imitated Wang Ling's previous appearance, arranged his clothes solemnly, and then bowed solemnly on his knees.

"The minister heard: Farmers are the foundation of the country; sericulture is the supplement of the foundation."

"It is also said that if the people do not do farming, they will not have a full stomach; if women do not do sericulture, they will have no warm clothes..."

"So the censor Dafu Pingyang Hou Chen Shen, I have died a hundred times, please play the Queen Mother, Your Majesty:"

"——Only the ancestral temple and the country plan, we should choose the virtuous and virtuous to host the pepper house, so that the whole world can get the gift of silkworms, so that both farming and sericulture can be achieved, and the people will never suffer from not having enough food and not being warm... ··”

(End of this chapter)