The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 486 May Your Life Be Long and Prosperous (Part Two)

Taiyuan, Jinyang Palace.

The once solemn and majestic palace complex is now shrouded in a deathly silence of white. Inside the funeral palace, huge white curtains hang from the ceiling, making the already empty halls appear even more eerie.

In the center of the hall, a heavy nanmu coffin lay quietly, while palace servants prostrated themselves on either side, weeping and wailing. Their suppressed sobs echoed endlessly in the empty hall, adding to the desolation.

Empress Dowager Cao, dressed in plain white, sat on an embroidered stool beside the coffin. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she had long since run out of tears, leaving only a numbness.

Consort Liu's sobs came intermittently as she repeatedly stroked the carved edges of the coffin.

It was only a year before both generations of Jin kings died. The two women who died were left with the pain of losing their husbands and sons. They wept day and night, and there were no tears left to shed. It was as if their souls had been ripped away with the passing of their beloved sons, leaving only empty shells.

The rising smoke from the incense burning in the hall, along with the weeping and wailing of the palace servants and the sobbing of Consort Liu, only added to the oppressive atmosphere.

In the main hall next to the mourning hall, although there was no deathly silence, the atmosphere was even more oppressive. The mourning hall was filled with the pain of losing a son, while this main hall was a place of impending doom for the nation and the peril of the state—the two were incomparable.

Li Kening, the so-called garrison commander of Taiyuan, sat in the main seat. His once prosperous face was now sallow and swollen, with large beads of sweat constantly rolling down his forehead and soaking his collar.

Your Highness, Zheng Yu, the Hanlin Academician of the Liang Dynasty, dressed in a scarlet robe, was escorted by four night watchmen standing at attention with their swords drawn. He proudly took out a scroll of bright yellow silk from his sleeve and unfolded it with both hands.

"My lord, the King of Qin, decrees that Prince Li Cunxu of Jin, relying on his bravery and strength, repeatedly defied the king's orders and usurped the throne, ultimately leading to his death and the decline of his kingdom. This was truly his own fault. However, considering his military exploits and his status as a hero of his time, his body should be returned with proper respect and allowed to be buried in his native Taiyuan. His transgressions will not implicate his wife and children."

"Now that the northern frontier is pacified, the various prefectures of Yunwei and the various tribes of Yinshan have submitted to the rule of Heaven and the people. The situation in Hedong is like a pile of eggs hanging by a thread, and its destruction is imminent. I hereby order the garrison commander of Taiyuan and all officials and generals of the prefectures of Hedong to open the city gates and surrender within ten days. All civil and military officials shall bind themselves, leave the city, and kneel to welcome the royal army!"

"When the royal army enters the city, it will not kill the surrendered soldiers, nor plunder the people. The women and relatives of the Jin royal family will be safe and the court will make arrangements for them. If they do not surrender by the deadline, or dare to resist stubbornly, destroy the treasury, or slaughter the common people, then on the day the city falls, everything will be destroyed!"

Ignoring the weeping or terrified gazes on either side, he stood with only four night scouts by his side, yet he calmly and steadily closed the bright yellow silk scroll and tucked it into the wide sleeves of his scarlet robe. He then swept his gaze over the pale-faced civil and military officials with shifty eyes, finally settling on the nominal head of the matter, the so-called Grand Uncle Li Kening.

"I hope you will not say that my lord did not warn you!"

Li Kening's body swayed slightly involuntarily, but he gritted his teeth, stood up, forced a smile, and gestured, saying, "Scholar Zheng has come a long way and is tired. We have already received the King of Qin's decree. However, this matter concerns the lives of millions of soldiers and civilians in Hedong, and is of great importance. Please allow us... to discuss this carefully. Scholar, you must be tired from your journey. Please go to the post station to rest first. We will make proper arrangements for all your needs."

Zheng Yu did not press the matter too far, but simply nodded slightly: "Since the garrison commander has said so, then I will await good news."

After speaking, he stopped looking at anyone in the hall, flicked his scarlet robe, and turned to leave. The four night watchmen who had been standing guard with their hands on their swords calmly walked out of the hall, led only by two panicked eunuchs.
Li Kening watched as a mere scholar from Bianjing acted so arrogantly in the Jinyang Palace, but his facial muscles twitched slightly before he slumped back into his seat, pinching his brow.

It should be noted that even his wife, who has always been strong and arrogant and aspires to be the queen consort of the Prince of Jin, has recently become extremely frightened. She has even been advising Li Kening not to accept the title of Taiyuan garrison commander anymore and to simply feign illness and ignore state affairs.

Li Kening put aside these distracting thoughts and looked around. He saw that the civil and military officials on his left and right were either silent like clay or wooden sculptures, or their eyes were darting around and they dared not meet his gaze, or they simply lowered their heads and stared intently at the ground, as if there were some extraordinary things on it.

This was indeed to be expected. Most of Jin's notable ministers had either died in the northern deserts, been captured by Xiao Yan, or were stationed elsewhere to defend strategic locations. The once formidable Thirteen Protectors of the Tongwen Academy, who commanded respect throughout Hedong, were almost entirely wiped out. In such a vast court, who could possibly make decisions?

Although Li Kening had always been at odds with Zhang Chengye, Guo Chongtao, and others, he had no choice but to look on with hope. Unfortunately, Zhang Chengye looked sickly and was panting with his eyes closed; Guo Chongtao had a solemn expression and was deep in thought with his head down. And with no one to share his burdens, Li Kening had no choice but to look to his two adopted sons.

His adopted sons, Li Cunhao and Li Cunshi, were both shameless and had no psychological burden. When they saw Li Kening looking at them, Li Cunhao immediately jumped out.

"Gentlemen, the tide has turned. The Prince of Jin has annihilated his elite troops in one battle and lost the three prefectures of Yun, Ying, and Wei. All the tribes of Yinshan have surrendered to Liang. The Prince of Qin's army is now stationed in Yunshuo and Yanmen, watching with predatory eyes, and could be at the gates of Taiyuan at any moment. I have heard some people say these past few days that they want to resist? Gentlemen, in the current situation, what can we resist with? Are we going to use the lives of the old, weak, women, and children in this city to fill the gap? It would be mutual destruction! It would be mutual destruction!"

Li Cunshi, standing beside him, immediately chimed in: "Gentlemen, do not make a mistake. The King of Qin is willing to send back the King of Jin's body and bury him according to royal rites. Isn't that enough sincerity? This is an immense favor, a way out for us. If we wait another ten days, we won't even have the chance to surrender. While we still have a chance, we must surrender. Only then can His Majesty be buried with royal rites, our lives be saved, and the entire city's inhabitants be spared slaughter. This is the only way out! The only way!"

Li Kening's eyelids twitched violently. He had only intended to have his adopted son throw out a brick to start a discussion among the people. He never expected that the two of them would start with a naked surrender rhetoric. Wouldn't this make the officials think that he had instructed them to do so?

The courtiers inside the hall immediately buzzed with discussion, but just as the murmurs began, a loud shout suddenly rang out.

"Shut up! You are utterly shameless!"

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to him, where Zhang Chengye, still recovering from a serious illness, forcefully shook off the two eunuchs who were supporting him, stood up from his chair, and pointed at Li Cunhao and the other man.

"You all enjoy the bounty of Jin and receive the favor of the King. When the late King was alive, he treated you like his own sons and nephews. The Prince of Jin, in his prime, also treated you like his own brothers. Now, the Prince of Jin's body is not yet cold, and his coffin is still in the palace. Instead of wearing mourning clothes and guarding the Prince of Jin's tomb to be loyal, instead of preparing the army and fighting for the late King's legacy to the last... how dare you... how dare you openly advocate kneeling before the Liang dynasty before this coffin?!"

He gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently: "What only way out? You're all just looking for a fig leaf to cover yourselves for your own heads and for that little bit of wealth and future. Where is the spirit of the Shatuo men? Where is loyalty, righteousness, and shame?! You have failed the late king's favor in promoting you, and failed the great trust the king placed in you! It's easy to kneel down, but it's hard to straighten up again!"

This scathing rebuke instantly caused many officials in the hall who still possessed a sense of shame to swallow their unspoken words, leaving them deeply embarrassed. The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly tense, and suppressed gasps could even be heard from some individuals.

Li Cunhao's face turned red and then blue from the scolding. Zhang Chengye usually held immense prestige, and Li Cunhao dared not offend him. But at this moment, he couldn't care less about such things and immediately retorted angrily, "Supervisor Zhang, you keep talking about loyalty and righteousness, yet you accuse us of betraying our lord and seeking survival. Fine, then let me ask you..."

He stared intently at Zhang Chengye, then suddenly straightened his back: "You, Zhang Chengye, have always prided yourself on being a Tang subject, loyal to the Emperor of Tang. But who is the Prince of Qin? He is the eldest son of Emperor Zhaozong, the rightful Crown Prince of Tang. Now, His Highness the Prince of Qin has pacified the northern frontier and is about to unify the world, restoring the Tang dynasty you have always longed for. We submit to the Prince of Qin, pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince, and return to the legitimate Tang dynasty. How is this betrayal? How is this kneeling before a traitor?! This is clearly abandoning darkness for light, returning to the rightful order. Do you, Zhang Chengye, intend to defy the Crown Prince of Tang, to defy the legitimate Tang dynasty you have served your entire life?!"

This probing question immediately drew everyone's attention to Zhang Chengye, even leaving Li Kening momentarily bewildered.

Li Cunhao was confident that his sharp words would silence the eunuch Zhang Chengye, but to his surprise, the latter not only did not stop, but also laughed loudly. He first looked at the ground, then squinted at the head of the palace.

"In my lifetime, I have served four monarchs..."

Zhang Chengye slowly raised his fingers and started to break them apart one by one. "Emperor Xizong, Emperor Zhaozong, the late king, Your Highness... If we're talking about loyalty, when the court was in chaos and the prime minister ordered the emperor to issue an edict to execute the eunuchs who were supervising the various garrisons, I relied on the protection of the late king to survive. I have no right to say that word anymore. But you are even less worthy to say the word 'loyalty'!"

After saying this, he glanced at Li Cunhao, but there was not much disdain in his eyes, only calmness: "Indeed, Xiao Yan is of the bloodline of Emperor Zhaozong and is the Crown Prince Li Zuo. He is determined to end the warlord era, clean up the officialdom, and give the people a chance to recuperate. I have seen his achievements and his ambitions, and I am not entirely unmoved."

These words startled Li Cunhao and many others in the hall.

Before they could react, Zhang Chengye sneered again: "However, is loyalty and righteousness something that can be changed based on who has more power or more merit?! I served the late king and was entrusted with the care of his son many times. I have watched Your Majesty grow up and have assisted you ever since. This loyalty between ruler and subject, this trust in entrustment, has long been ingrained in my bones. Jin is my final resting place!"

He pressed his finger heavily on his chest, his gaze towards Li Cunhao clearly conveying a sense of looking down upon him.

"A loyal minister does not serve two masters, and a virtuous woman does not remarry; this is the foundation of one's character. Even if Xiao Yan possesses extraordinary talent and is a wise and benevolent ruler whose glory shines through the ages, he still has his own subjects to serve him, not my, Zhang Chengye's! I have spent half my life as the military supervisor of Hedong, and I will die a lonely soul in Hedong. To ask me to betray the late king's entrustment and the king's trust, and instead serve under Xiao Yan, even if he holds the title of crown prince and has the merit to restore the world—"

Zhang Chengye took a deep breath, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, pointed at the steps, and calmly said, "Unless I die today, my blood spills on these steps and my soul departs before the spirit."

These words caused not only the officials in the hall who had been favored by Li Keyong and Li Cunxu for many years, but even Li Kening felt ashamed and indignant. Although Li Cunhao and Li Cunxu were shameless, they dared not refute Zhang Chengye's words, lest they be infamous for eternity, while this man would be remembered for his good name.

At this moment, Li Kening could no longer pretend to be oblivious and could only helplessly say, "Lord Zhang, why must it be like this? Why must it be like this? If the King and Cunxu... His Majesty were alive, he would not want to see you harming yourself like this..."

Just then, Guo Chongtao stepped out from behind the crowd. He was pale-faced, but he simply bowed deeply to Zhang Chengye.

"If Lord Zhang cannot be called loyal, then who in the world can be? But Lord Zhang, the current situation is not merely a matter of a subject's integrity, but also the survival of a million soldiers and civilians in Hedong. Taiyuan, a fortified city, may be held for a time. But where will our provisions come from? Where are our reinforcements? Morale has collapsed, and the hearts of the people are scattered. The King of Qin's voice shakes the world, and his proclamation is clear and powerful. The so-called wrath of the Son of Heaven will cause a million corpses and rivers of blood. I fear that if we exceed our deadline, the King of Qin's words, 'wherever his army points, everything will be destroyed,' are not mere empty threats."

Guo Chongtao sighed deeply, then looked at Zhang Chengye, who was equally dejected, and said:
"Lord Zhang, you have remained loyal to the King, and history will surely remember your steadfast heart. But when Taiyuan falls, what will become of the women, children, and the elderly throughout the city, the tens of thousands of loyal men inside and outside the Jinyang Palace, and the King's coffin awaiting burial? Are we to have them all perish for this 'loyalty' that has reached a dead end? Lord Zhang, please reconsider..."

Li Cunhao and the other man were delighted to see Guo Chongtao actually speaking up to advise Zhang Chengye, and were about to respond immediately.

But just then, the palace doors were pushed open again, and everyone in the hall looked in one direction. They saw Empress Dowager Cao, supported by two palace maids, slowly entering the main hall. Her presence, dressed in plain white, made Li Kening uneasy once more. He couldn't help but rise to offer some advice, fearing that his sister-in-law would once again try to control the court for her son's sake.

Seeing Empress Dowager Cao's pale face, Li Kening hesitated for a moment after standing up, but ultimately remained silent. He simply stepped down from the main seat. However, Empress Dowager Cao did not walk to the main seat. Instead, she stopped below the steps and slowly scanned the people in the hall, finally settling on Li Kening and Zhang Chengye.

"Uncle, gentlemen. I am but a widow, and should not be involved in politics."

Her voice was soft, yet it compelled everyone to listen attentively.

"However, the affairs of the state have come to this point, concerning the survival of all the people in the city, and the reputation of my son Cunxu after his death. The fact that the King of Qin is willing to send Cunxu's body back and bury him according to royal rites... is indeed a rare promise in this chaotic world. I... accept this sincerity."

"The Empress Dowager is wise!" Li Cunhao, Li Cunshi and others could hardly contain their joy. Their faces flushed instantly, and if it weren't for the solemn occasion, they would have cheered out loud.

Empress Dowager Cao ignored their reactions, as if they were invisible: "However, sincerity is not goodwill. I am fully aware of the words of Zheng Yu, the envoy from Bianliang. If we do not surrender within the deadline, the three armies will march together and besiege the city. The King of Qin is not negotiating with us; this is an ultimatum. To fight or to surrender? It concerns the survival of the nation and the lives of countless people. This choice carries an immense burden and will bring unimaginable infamy; it is no ordinary decision."

She paused for a moment, then slowly glanced at the officials who had bowed their heads and shrugged their shoulders, avoiding her gaze, before finally looking at Li Kening again.

"Uncle Wang bears the responsibility of staying behind, and he has no choice but to shoulder it. However, if Uncle Wang and the other gentlemen... are unwilling, or dare not, to bear the eternal infamy of betraying their lord and surrendering territory..."

Empress Dowager Cao sighed deeply, a sigh that seemed to drain all the air in the hall, and also to extinguish the last shred of dignity belonging to the Shatuo royal family in Jinyang Palace. She surveyed the land that had once belonged to her husband and son, and said in a low voice, "Then it is I, this widow who has lost her husband and son, who will sign this surrender document. I will bear all the infamy and all the blame."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the hall looked up and then fell silent.

Li Cunhao and Li Cunshi were overjoyed and almost knelt down on the spot, repeatedly shouting "The Empress Dowager is wise!" and "The Empress Dowager is merciful!" The officials behind them, who had already wavered, also showed expressions of relief, secretly rejoicing that someone had finally taken the blame for this overwhelming infamy.

Of course, many people also had complex and unspeakable expressions on their faces. Although since the An Lushan Rebellion, the principles of propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame had long been trampled underfoot by the gradually collapsing world, and military men never cared about these things, it was natural to feel ashamed to see Empress Dowager Cao, a woman who had just lost her son, trying to hold on to this situation.

Many dared not look at the figure in white mourning clothes, lowering their heads and shrugging their shoulders, unsure whether it was grief or shame. A few veteran officials, who, like Zhang Chengye, had received the same great favor from the Jin court, wept uncontrollably, covering their faces with their sleeves and emitting suppressed sobs.

The moment Empress Dowager Cao finished speaking, Li Kening's face turned deathly pale, then flushed crimson, as if he had been slapped hard in public. He rushed to Empress Dowager Cao and, disregarding etiquette, knelt down with a thud, his voice becoming incoherent with extreme embarrassment and shame.

"Sister-in-law, this is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable! The responsibility of staying behind lies with me, and I should bear the blame and infamy. How can I allow you, a mere woman, to suffer such eternal condemnation?! I... I will immediately summon the civil and military officials to discuss... discuss..."

He spoke urgently, yet he himself didn't know what he wanted to discuss. His eyes darted around frantically, as if searching for support. At this moment, Li Cunhao and the others stopped meeting his gaze. Since someone was willing to bear the blame, why bother with any more trouble?

However, everyone's gaze, including Li Kening's after he realized what was happening, instinctively turned to Zhang Chengye, who stood before the assembled officials, refusing to back down.

The military supervisor from Hedong had his eyes closed, but tears streamed down his face.

After a long silence, he bowed deeply in the direction of Empress Dowager Cao, saying, "Your Majesty, you have the people of Hedong in your heart and cannot bear to see them suffer. This old minister is ashamed to be inferior to you..."

That exclamation of "I am ashamed to admit my inferiority" seemed to drain all of Zhang Chengye's strength. He straightened up, slowly scanning the faces in the hall—whether joyful, sorrowful, or numb—and finally looked straight north, as if he saw the young man who was about to rule this land.

"Just now, this old minister threatened me with death and pressured me with my reputation. This was due to my deep-seated obsession and recklessness. I disregarded the overall situation and was out of touch with reality... King Qin's ambition and actions truly demonstrate the qualities of a wise ruler. This is a blessing for Hedong and a boon for the entire world."

"Gentlemen..." His gaze swept across the hall one last time, "If you are willing to surrender, then surrender."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Chengye seemed to have used up his last bit of strength, his body suddenly went limp, but he still managed to wave his hand to signal Li Kening and Guo Chongtao who were coming forward not to come closer. Then he walked out of the hall alone, glanced at the sky, and then walked down the steps and disappeared from everyone's sight, as if he had been completely swallowed up by the twilight that symbolized the end of the old era.

Inside the hall, only a deathly silence remained, along with the inescapable grief of a fallen kingdom.

"A letter of surrender is proposed...to hand over the household registers and maps to the King of Qin...and surrender."

------

In Bianliang, a thousand miles away, it was the height of summer, but deep within the Qin Prince's Mansion, the many courtyards isolated it from the scorching heat of the outside world, exuding a cool breeze and maintaining a pleasant tranquility.

The Empress sat on a large couch. Her pregnancy, nearing its end, made her movements quite difficult, but her phoenix eyes remained sharp as they fell upon a report presented by the Tian Ce Mansion in her hand.

Guangmutian stood by her side, gently fanning her, but his eyes would occasionally sweep over the empress's tired profile and the mountain of documents on her desk with concern.

The Empress carefully read the report, then picked up her pen and wrote an instruction: "The first priority in taking over Hedong is to pacify the people. A capable official should be dispatched with sufficient funds, grain, and medicine, which will be allocated to Xiangzhou by the Ministry of Revenue. After Feng Dao inspects and accepts the supplies, the official should immediately advance westward. Relieve the wounded and comfort the refugees, and ensure that the people of Hedong are at peace and that no unrest occurs."

In the past month, news of the great victory in the northern frontier, the execution of Li Cunxu, and the surrender of Yunshuo had spread throughout Bianliang. The whole city was in an uproar, and the people were jubilant. Shouts of "Long live the King of Qin" never ceased. A huge halo of victory enveloped this mighty city in the Central Plains, and everyone was eagerly anticipating the day when the world would be unified.

With a soft rustling of the beaded curtain, Qianwu entered carrying a stack of new memorials. Ji Ruxue followed behind her, her movements also slightly hampered, but she too carried a stack of memorials. Together with Qianwu, they gently placed the memorials on the large table in front of the Empress.

"Your Highness, today there are another thirty-seven petitions urging Your Majesty to ascend the throne. Governors, prefects, generals, county officials, and even many surviving members of the Zhu clan from Henan, Hebei, Guanzhong, and Shu... have all jointly submitted this petition. They say that the Mandate of Heaven has been bestowed upon Your Majesty, the imperial regalia should be yours, and the people are eagerly awaiting your ascension. They earnestly request Your Majesty to follow the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people, to ascend the throne as soon as possible, and to establish order in the world."

The Empress shifted her gaze from the memorials, casually picked up the top one, unfolded it, and glanced at it, raising an eyebrow slightly. It was a petition urging Zhu Wen's elder brother, Prince Guang, Zhu Quanyu, to ascend the throne.

"...The Northern Barbarians have surrendered, Yunshuo has submitted, the imperial regalia has found its rightful owner, and the Mandate of Heaven rests on Tang. A century of turmoil has left the people in dire straits, weeping blood as they yearn for a true ruler. The Prince of Qin has swept across the land, rescuing the drowning and extinguishing the burning; his achievements surpass those of past sages, his virtue extends throughout the world. The Zhu family should follow the will of Heaven and the people, abdicate the throne early, and fulfill the Prince of Qin's mandate to establish a stable and prosperous nation, ushering in an era of lasting peace. We, your humble servants, risk our lives to submit this memorial, humbly requesting Your Highness's consideration..."

The Empress couldn't help but chuckle. Zhu Quanyu was no different from Zhu Wen; both were farm laborers in their early years with little education. Moreover, on the eve of Zhu Wen's usurpation of the Tang Dynasty, Zhu Quanyu had angrily denounced Zhu Wen's ingratitude at a palace banquet, predicting that the usurpation would lead to the extermination of his clan. Later, Zhu Wen displeased her and sent her back to her hometown in Dangshan to live in seclusion. Therefore, it was even less likely that Zhu Quanyu would get involved in such matters. Clearly, someone had written this on his behalf, vainly hoping to bring peace to the Zhu family.

Then she picked up several more. The memorial from Prince Luo Shaowei of Ye was respectfully worded, full of praise for the emperor; the joint memorial from the Liu brothers of Nanping was filled with an eagerness to "see the light after the clouds" and "wholeheartedly submit"; the Xu family father and son from Shu…

There were even several memorials forwarded by Zhao Siwen, which were pledges of allegiance from several newly annexed Yinshan tribe leaders, bearing their blood-red fingerprints. The writing was rough, but they compared Xiao Yan to the "sun shining on the grassland" and pleaded with the "Great Emperor" to ascend the throne as soon as possible.

Scrolling down further, one finds memorials from various prefectural governors, local officials, and even some small warlords such as Gao Jixing of Jingnan, Li Renfu of Dingnan, and Han Xun of Shuofang. Some are straightforward, while others are subtle, but all of them urge the Prince of Qin to ascend the throne.

"Your Majesty's intention is that 'the will of the people is the will of Heaven.' He wishes to postpone proclaiming himself emperor to stabilize the hearts of the former Liang people, appease the concerns of the surrendered officials in the Central Plains, and focus on implementing new policies to eliminate long-standing abuses..."

The Empress's voice was very soft, as if she were talking to herself, or perhaps explaining to Ji Ruxue and Qianwu:

"However, these people always believe that Your Majesty's change of the throne, to restore the Tang dynasty and destroy the Zhu dynasty, and to establish your own dynasty, is the most important thing in the world. Your Majesty often says that the so-called emperor or Son of Heaven is nothing more than the highest military governor in the world. This is a deeply ingrained idea from two hundred years of regional separatism... They only show their obedience before the sword falls on them. Now, urging Your Majesty to ascend the throne as soon as possible is certainly because the general situation is clear, but it is also to take advantage of this opportunity to persuade Your Majesty to ascend the throne, to establish the relationship between ruler and subject as soon as possible, and to hope that the new dynasty will make more concessions to preserve their old power and interests..."

It is said that although the legal system of the Tang Dynasty was interrupted only eight years after Emperor Zhaozong died in Luoyang, the system of military governors holding military power, finances, and personnel, which was in effect like an independent kingdom, had lasted for exactly two hundred years.

The central authority was weakened, and the idea that "the emperor was nothing more than the biggest military commander" was deeply ingrained in people's minds. This situation was far from being comparable to the one in which the emperors of the Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties continuously used force to weaken the power of the vassal states, and it was not until the Song dynasty that the situation was completely reversed.

But the Empress only sighed slightly, tapping her fingertip on the pile of memorials: "However, the momentum of this urging to ascend the throne is surging like a tidal wave, and has become a prairie fire. It cannot be stopped by human power, nor can it be resolved by delay."

Ji Ruxue silently served a cup of ginseng tea at just the right temperature. The Empress accepted the cup but did not drink it. Instead, she looked at the mountain of petitions urging her to ascend the throne on her desk and decisively said, "The northern border has just been pacified, and everything needs to be done. We should not let such noise disturb Your Majesty's mind. However, this is a matter of great importance, concerning the foundation of the country, and cannot be decided by me. Send these to Hedong immediately for Your Majesty to review and decide upon."

Yang Yantian, who was standing to the side, hurriedly bowed and said, "Yes, sir." He then stepped forward and carefully gathered up the thick stack of memorials that contained the thoughts and ambitions of countless people. He then turned and quickly left.

(End of this chapter)