Chinese New Year

Chapter 1378 The Symbol of the Old Era
After the Wang family members paid their respects and left, only the emperor and his minister remained in the bedroom.

"Yifu, you have made a great contribution to my gaining the throne. Now that things have come to this, is there anything you still wish to do?" Shao Xun asked softly as he sat down on the couch.

Wang Yan remained silent, his eyes fixed unfocused on the view outside the window.

During his time confined to bed, he thought about many things.

During the reign of Emperor Hui of Jin, he served as an official in the court, where he actively planned and was full of confidence.

After Emperor Hui of Jin died, Sima Yue was forced to go out to govern a remote region, and he became increasingly dependent on Sima Yue's cooperation in the court. That was truly the peak of his life.

The first time I heard the name Shao Xun was from Cao Fu. At the time, I didn't think much of it, but later the roles reversed, and I gradually lost ground.

Life is but a few decades long, like a dream, unpredictable and elusive, especially when you are in the midst of chaos.

If he could do it all over again, he would definitely—he would still choose to cooperate with Shao Quanzhong, because the others had even less scruples and no sense of rules.

This realization left him speechless. This was a chaotic world, and chaotic worlds have their own unique evaluation system.

He can't handle it, he's not capable of it, he's not qualified for it...

Seeing that Wang Yan remained silent, Shao Xun didn't take it to heart, and simply said, "Hu Tou is already on his way, and Jing Feng and Hui Feng will arrive tomorrow as well. Yi Fu, you—"

"Your Majesty," Wang Yan said softly.

“I’m here,” Shao Xun said.

"Your Majesty, you have devoted half your life to governing the country. What kind of world do you ultimately desire?" Wang Yan asked.

This question had troubled him for many years, but he only asked it now, which shows his character.

"The people live in peace and contentment, and the officials are each in their proper positions. That's all there is to it," Shao Xun said.

"If that's the case, Your Majesty, you've gone astray."

What I see is different from what you see.

Wang Yan fell silent again, his eyelids drooping, perhaps confused, or perhaps he was no longer able to think effectively.

Shao Xun sighed. "Old Wang, oh Old Wang, even on his deathbed he still has anger in his heart."

“Yifu, do you still remember when we first met? It seems to have been in the villa south of the city,” Shao Xun said.

Wang Yan raised his eyelids slightly.

In fact, even earlier, he and Hu Wuyanguo had seen the emperor working hard in the fields from afar, and at that time they knew that this boy had ambitions.

But so what? In chaotic times, who doesn't have some ambition?

“This world—” Wang Yan suddenly said.

Shao Xun looked at him.

"Without Your Majesty, it would probably have fallen into Liu Cong's hands, wouldn't it?" Wang Yan's voice was elusive, as if it came from the depths of hell.

Shao Xun sat upright, listening quietly to what followed.

“If Sima Yuanchao were still alive, he could still obtain some money, grain, and soldiers from other provinces. Now that he’s gone, with the warlords carving up their own territories, the Xiongnu will most likely conquer Luoyang.” Wang Yan sighed, “As a high-ranking official of the court, even if I am not executed, the Langya Wang clan will still be ashamed of me. My whereabouts will inevitably be recorded as unknown in their genealogy and clan records. Alas…”

Shao Xun didn't know what to say.

"Liu Cong was not a wise ruler either. Even if he gained control of the north, he might not be able to maintain it. After his death, Liu Yao, Shi Le, and others seized the opportunity to rise up and carry out endless killings. It is likely that another calamity will befall the people."

"Even if a victor is decided, the people will not have peace. Tuoba Yulu has plans to move south, and the Murong and Duan tribes of Xianbei are rampaging in Hebei. The only peaceful places in the world are Liangzhou and Jiangdong."

At this point, Wang Yan opened his cloudy eyes, looked at Shao Xun, and said, "Your Majesty has swept away the villains and restored our lost land. We are all indebted to you."

"It's nothing more than enduring each other for the sake of the country," Shao Xun said.

"Your Majesty's illustrious military achievements came first, followed by mutual forbearance for the sake of the country," Wang Yan said leisurely.

Shao Xun didn't say anything; that was the truth.

As the saying goes, a ruler chooses his ministers, and a minister chooses his ruler. When the world was plagued by frequent disasters and war, the people were living in constant fear and urgently sought a spokesperson. Shao Xun filled that void perfectly, first gaining the support of the officials left behind in Luoyang, and then uniting with the gentry of western Henan, gradually growing stronger.

This is the essence of his rise to power: the merging of warlords and aristocratic families. Now, he is gradually taking action against the aristocratic families, and their relationship is no longer as close as it once was.

Perhaps this is how it all ends for any emperor. But Shao Xun didn't believe it was entirely for consolidating the Shao family's imperial power; perhaps this made him feel better and made him more resolute in his actions.

There wasn't much to say between him and Wang Yan; their relationship had long been a sham. But at this point, many things from the past didn't matter anymore; all that remained were the glorious moments when they worked together to establish their empire.

"Yifu, don't overthink it," Shao Xun said. "I remember the Wang family's contributions and will certainly not mistreat their descendants."

Wang Yan closed his eyes, as if he had fallen asleep.

Shao Xun quietly got up and went to the outer room. Looking at the empty courtyard, his thoughts were racing.

The heyday of Jingu Garden has been over forty years, which seems like some kind of harbinger of its decline. And with the passing of Wang Yan, a symbolic figure of its golden age, the era of Jingu Garden has also come to an end.

Shao Xun suddenly understood Wang Yan's thoughts a little better.

Although he had long complied with his various laws and decrees, Wang Yan was still Wang Yan; he ultimately had his own ideas, but he simply didn't easily express them.

On his deathbed, he decided to be laid to rest in the Golden Valley Garden, which represented the "Taikang Prosperity," thus revealing his truest feelings.

If later generations criticize the Wei-Jin period for its "pure talk" (a term referring to intellectual discussions that led to the downfall of the state), Wang Yan will no longer be the primary target. Furthermore, because the north did not fall into the hands of the Hu people, there may not be many who vehemently condemn them.

Wang Yifu, you are already fortunate enough.

******
It's the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month; the Lunar New Year is just around the corner.

A swift horseman galloped into the Golden Valley Garden.

Just as the soldiers were about to step forward to intercept him, the commander Chang Long strode out and led Shao Yu inside.

"How is it?" Shao Yu asked anxiously, his face haggard and his eyebrows and beard covered in ice crystals. "It'll be in the next few days." Chang Long sighed, escorted Shao Yu to a place, and then bowed and left.

Shao Yu felt relieved; thankfully, he wouldn't miss seeing her one last time.

He quickened his pace, climbed the steps, and paused in surprise as he passed a certain spot.

He stared at that spot for a long time, then slowly reached out as if to touch something, but in the end there was nothing there.

His eyes were slightly red. He vaguely remembered that year when his father held a banquet in the garden. His grandmother complained about how much the soldiers could eat, while patting his back and urging him to talk to his father and let him know his talents.

His maternal grandmother loved teaching him the principles of life, business, and management from a young age. When he came to Jingu Garden for a nap in the summer, his maternal grandmother would personally drive away mosquitoes and flies for him.

He didn't want to talk about noble families, the Wang clan of Langya, or the saying that idle talk ruins the country. He only knew that his maternal grandparents were his relatives, relatives who cared about him.

After standing there for a long time, Shao Yu continued walking forward, looking back as he went, as if his grandmother was still standing under the tree watching him, her reproach mixed with affection.

He sighed softly and went outside the courtyard with his head down.

Upon seeing this, the Imperial Guard Commander Shao Zhen immediately stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Highness."

"Take me inside." Shao Yu unfastened his sword and tossed it to a soldier standing nearby.

Shao Zhen nodded and said, "Please come with me."

The two of them, one after the other, quickly arrived at the bedroom.

Shao Yu immediately spotted Wang Yan, who was fast asleep. His father and mother were not there; they had probably gone to rest. There was no one else in the room except for his fifth sister, Ya Ren, his ninth brother, Sang Yu, and Wang Xian and Wang Liang, whom he had played with in his childhood.

Shao Yu nodded to them and then sat down in front of the couch.

Shao Zhen left quietly.

Ya Ren glanced at his elder brother, then gently leaned close to Wang Yan's ear and whispered a few words.

As if by miracle, Wang Yan, who had been in a deep sleep, twitched his eyelids and slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze was initially somewhat scattered, then slowly focused, finally settling on Shao Yu.

“Tiger Head…” A smile appeared on Wang Yan’s face, a mixture of joy, relief, and immense satisfaction.

"Grandpa." Shao Yu gently grasped Wang Yan's withered hand, and unknowingly, a few tears quietly fell.

The others left at the opportune moment, leaving the two of them alone.

"You are now the ruler of a country, do not act like a child. I have never seen your father shed a tear in my entire life. If you had his temperament, what could you not accomplish?" Wang Yan wanted to raise his hand to wipe away his grandson's tears, but halfway there, he found that he could not do it.

Shao Yu leaned closer, gently took Wang Yan's hand, and placed it on his face.

"Alas, my grandson's handsome face has been roughened by the wind and sand." Wang Yan's face was already very thin, but his eyes were getting brighter and brighter.

Shao Yu felt increasingly distressed.

My maternal grandfather had been working tirelessly despite his illness all year, doing so much behind the scenes that he had almost exhausted all his remaining energy. His once tall and slender figure was now just bones. His only wish was probably to see me one last time before he died.

"Did you eat well in Liaodong?" Wang Yan asked softly.

“Okay,” Shao Yu replied.

Did you sleep well?

"Peace and stability."

"Is it cold?"

"not cold."

Wang Yan smiled and said, "That's good."

Shao Yu burst into tears.

"Your maternal grandmother left you some money," Wang Yan added. "After I'm gone, Meizi and the others might not survive. Take it with you, take it to Liaodong, and live a good life. And don't—"

At this point, Wang Yan's face showed a hint of struggle, but he finally sighed and said, "Don't blame your father. He's had a hard time too, and he's doing this for your own good."

After saying this, Wang Yan's eyes were filled with complex emotions, and a hint of confusion.

"Mm." Shao Yu wiped away his tears and nodded in response.

“You should learn from him in the future; perhaps that’s the only right way. We’re all probably going to be swept away by the winds and rains,” Wang Yan sighed softly.

"Okay," Shao Yu replied.

Wang Yan's gaze grew increasingly unfocused as he stared silently into the void, murmuring, "The bronze camel and the moonlit smoke still linger in my drunken eyes; the whisk's elegance fades into the cicada's song. Gone, all gone!"

“Grandpa…” Shao Yu called softly.

Wang Yan remained oblivious, continuing to murmur softly, "Indulging in old dreams is not because one cannot wake up, but because one is unwilling to wake up."

Shao Yu listened quietly, feeling inexplicably distressed.

Perhaps having fulfilled her wish to see her grandson, she was visited several times by Shao Xun, Wang Huifeng and her sister, Wang Xuan, and others in the following days, but she did not wake up.

On New Year's Eve, Shao Xun personally whispered in Wang Yan's ear that he had pardoned all of Wang's children and that their past sins had been wiped clean.

Wang Yan, who was in a deep sleep, twitched his eyelids, and a slight smile seemed to appear at the corner of his mouth.

That evening, Wang Yan passed away in his sleep, surrounded by his family.

The old era has come to an end.

(End of this chapter)