Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 504: The Bells Ring Times, Sending the Emperor to Heaven (Part )
Li Chengqian knelt on the ground, watching the old and tired hands slide down helplessly.

His ears seemed to still echo with Li Shimin's gentle muttering: "Guanyinbi, Guanyinbi..."

The sound stopped suddenly.

Li Chengqian paused.

For a moment, there was a "boom" in my ears, as if countless voices were ringing, but then it seemed as if everything was completely silent.

He slowly raised his head and his eyes fell on Li Shimin, who was sitting on a soft cushion with his head completely lowered and his eyes completely closed.

His tears flowed uncontrollably.

He opened his mouth, but for some reason, the heart-wrenching grief was blocked by an inexplicable force and could not be uttered.

He was roaring silently.

Instead, the pain was sent back deep into my heart.

It's getting more and more heartbreaking.

Zhang Baozang, who was kneeling on one side, stood up gently, came to Li Shimin's side, and carefully placed his right hand on Li Shimin's neck.

He closed his eyes, turned around gently, then looked at Li Chengqian with a hint of hope in his eyes, and slowly shook his head.

Tears flowed even more frantically, and the grief in Li Chengqian's body finally burst out completely: "Father..."

It's like a dam has been breached.

After a burst of crying, I could no longer control myself.

"Father, father, father..." Li Chengqian pounded on the bed fiercely, shouting in pain: "Father!"

All the guards in the hall had already knelt down.

Everyone inside and outside the palace couldn't help crying out loudly, "Oh, the Emperor, the Emperor..."

The cries of grief echoed in the hall, and Shangguan Yi persisted in writing a few lines:
The first year of Yongwei, May Wuwu.

On the 23rd day, the Emperor Taishang passed away in the Wude Hall.

The emperor was so grief-stricken that he almost died.

……

I don’t know how long it took.

Zhang Sun Wuji struggled to stand up.

He was also extremely sad, with tears streaming down his face, and he didn't have time to wipe them away. He looked up at Zhang Ananda on the side and waved his hand.

Zhang Ananda, who was also crying bitterly, looked at Changsun Wuji twice before he reacted. He bowed to Changsun Wuji and turned to leave the Wude Hall.

Changsun Wuji staggered forward and came to the bed.

Looking at Li Shimin sitting there with no signs of life at all, Changsun Wuji almost couldn't help crying out loud again.

After sobbing for a few times, Changsun Wuji managed to calm down and turned to look at Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian, who was kneeling on the ground, pounded the bed in front of him again and again, shouting: "Father...Father..."

Zhang Sun Wuji trembled and lowered his body, then gently hugged Li Chengqian: "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian immediately hugged Zhangsun Wuji and burst into tears: "Uncle, father, father is gone, uncle, father, he only left me behind, uncle, father...how could he be so cruel..."

Zhang Sun Wuji gently patted Li Chengqian's shoulder and said softly, "Life has an end, destiny has a destination, the Emperor's destiny has already ended, so Heaven has called him back to the Nine Heavens.

This is destiny, and no one can reverse it."

Li Chengqian burst into tears, and finally, his sobs subsided.

Zhang Sun Wuji continued to advise, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has completely handed over the world to you. So, Your Majesty should not let the Emperor down. You should uphold the altars and the ancestral temples and support the entire world."

Li Chengqian sobbed softly twice and nodded slowly to Changsun Wuji. His grief was finally suppressed a little.

Wiping the tears from his face, Li Chengqian said to Zhangsun Wuji: "Uncle, please handle it according to the etiquette."

"I obey your order." Changsun Wuji bowed heavily. What he was waiting for was actually these words from the emperor.

From this moment on, Changsun Wuji was the retired emperor, no, the late emperor, and the minister in charge of the late emperor's funeral.

After letting go of Li Chengqian, Changsun Wuji walked to the door of Wude Hall with a heavy expression.

Facing the courtiers, Changsun Wuji nodded slightly, then raised his head and said loudly: "The Supreme Emperor has passed away, ring the Jingyun Bell!"

As soon as Changsun Wuji finished speaking, the bell rang from the bell tower on the east side of Chengtian Gate in the distance.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The bell rang forty-five times in a row.

When the bell rings, the emperor passes away.

"Oh, the late emperor!" Fang Xuanling knelt on the ground and burst into tears. "Oh, the late emperor, why did you leave? Why did you leave before me, the late emperor?"

"Oh, the late emperor!" At this moment, all the ministers inside and outside the Wude Hall finally no longer had to suppress their emotions and burst into tears.

Changsun Wuji raised his head slightly.

The sound of the Jingyun Bell echoed continuously in the palace.

After the bell rang forty-five times, heaven and earth suddenly became quiet.

At this moment, everyone inside and outside the palace, inside and outside Chang'an City, the entire Yongzhou, the entire Guanzhong, and even the entire world, had understood that Tiansheng Khan, the retired emperor Li Shimin, had passed away.

The next moment, countless bells rang throughout the city of Chang'an.

When the emperor passed away, the bells rang 30,000 times.

All the Taoist temples and monasteries in Chang'an City rang their bells at the same time.

Every temple and every Taoist temple has precise numerical requirements.

The total number of bells rung in all Taoist temples and monasteries should reach 30,000.

Thirty thousand bells sounded to send the retired emperor off to heaven.

Changsun Wuji finally couldn't control himself anymore, tears flowed uncontrollably, and he couldn't help crying softly.

Fortunately, after crying for a while, Changsun Wuji finally came to his senses.

Calming down, Changsun Wuji looked at the ministers who were wailing loudly, and said solemnly: "Send an order, order Xiangyi County Prince Li Shenfu, and Shen Duke Dou Dan to enter the palace immediately." "Yes!" Li Anyan on the side immediately bowed, then turned around and arranged for the Qianniu Guards to go quickly to pass the order.

Inside and outside the palace, the voices of the ministers subconsciously became softer.

Li Shenfu, Prince of Xiangyi, was the cousin of Emperor Gaozu. He was the most noble and oldest living member of the imperial clan of his generation, and the former Minister of the Imperial Clan Affairs Bureau.

Dou Dan, Duke of Shen, was the consort of Princess Xiangyang, the second daughter of Emperor Gaozu, a cousin of Empress Taimu of Emperor Gaozu, a childhood friend of the late emperor, a former general in the Palace of Prince Qin, and a former Minister of the Imperial Clan Affairs Department.

Although both of them are already old and their son is seriously ill, they must enter the palace at this time.

Although the emperor tacitly agreed to let Zhangsun Wuji serve as the minister in charge of funeral affairs, it was impossible for him to do everything by himself and he needed someone to assist him.

Li Shenfu and Dou Dan were both invited by Zhangsun Wuji to take charge.

Li Shenfu is the head of the royal family. With him in charge, none of the royal princes dare to act recklessly.

Dou Dan is the leader of all the princes-in-law. With him in charge, it is enough for all the princes-in-law and the families behind them to work for the stability of the world at this time.

Changsun Wuji turned sideways, looked at the ministers, and said, "The Minister of Rites, the Minister of Zongzheng Temple, and the Minister of Taichang Temple."

Li Xizhi, Li Baiyao and Zhao Yuankai all stood up and bowed.

"Let's discuss the funeral." Zhang Sun Wuji said the last sentence, almost suffocated by grief.

"Yes!" Li Xizhi, Li Baiyao and Zhao Yuankai all accepted the order.

Changsun Wuji looked to one side and said, "The Duke of Susong County."

"I'm here!" Zheng Rentai stood up from the side and bowed.

Changsun Wuji turned sideways and looked at the emperor in the hall.

Li Chengqian turned around with a sad face and nodded slightly.

Changsun Wuji looked back at Zheng Rentai and said, "You will go to the Ministry of War immediately and assist Duke Lu, Duke E, and Duke Guo in stabilizing the Sixteen Guards of Chang'an."

"I obey your order." Zheng Rentai immediately bowed, then turned around and strode away.

The ministers couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Compared to Li Anyan, they were more able to accept Zheng Rentai, a veteran of the battlefield and a former general of the Prince of Qin's Palace.

Changsun Wuji's expression calmed down and he continued, "General Li Anyan of the Left Thousand Oxen Guard, and the Governor of Yongzhou, Qiu Xinggong."

"I'm here." Li Anyan and Qiu Xinggong stood up at the same time and bowed.

"I order the two of you to immediately monitor the entire Chang'an and maintain public order." After a brief pause, Changsun Wuji said, "At this moment, any disturbance must be suppressed immediately."

"I obey your order." Li Anyan and Qiu Xinggong immediately bowed, then turned around and left quickly.

Changsun Wuji turned sideways and looked at the emperor outside the hall.

Li Chengqian did not look back. Although he was not crying, his eyes were still fixed on Li Shimin lying on the bed.

For a long time.

……

Two quarters of an hour later, Changsun Wuji brought Li Shenfu, Dou Dan, Li Xizhi, Li Baiyao and Zhao Yuankai into the hall.

Zhangsun Wuji was the first to bow and say, "Your Majesty, we are here to summon the late emperor's spirit and bathe him and change his clothes. Meanwhile, please change your clothes as well."

Li Chengqian slowly raised his head and looked at Li Shimin, who was wearing a red and yellow dragon-patterned casual robe, and tears couldn't help but flow down his face.

Turning sideways, he nodded slowly.

Zhang Ananda and Dou Zhijie immediately walked up from both sides and carefully helped Li Chengqian up.

Now everyone can see that the emperor is extremely sad about the death of the late emperor.

If it weren't for Changsun Wuji's advice, he would probably have continued to cry loudly.

However, even so, the grief in his heart left him with little energy to speak.

Zhang Ananda and Dou Zhijie helped Li Chengqian into the west side hall to change clothes, while Changsun Wuji took a step back.

Five eunuchs held the imperial robes and crown that the previous emperor had worn and walked to the sides of Li Shenfu, Dou Dan, Li Xizhi, Li Baiyao and Zhao Yuankai.

The five men each took the imperial robe and stood beside the bed with sad expressions.

Changsun Wuji stood behind the five people and shouted, "Lead the soul back, and guide it with your own voice. Return!"

"Erlang, Erlang, Erlang!" Li Shenfu's face was full of tears.

"Erlang, Erlang, Erlang!" Dou Dan shouted, his voice trembling.

"The Supreme Emperor, the Supreme Emperor, the Supreme Emperor." Li Xizhi, Li Baiyao and Zhao Yuankai shouted loudly in succession.

After three shouts, they threw the imperial robes and crowns in their hands down.

Five eunuchs immediately came up from behind and caught the imperial crown and robes the moment they fell on Li Shimin's body.

Li Shenfu, Dou Dan, Li Xizhi, Li Baiyao and Zhao Yuankai breathed a sigh of relief, then stepped aside sadly.

Changsun Wuji took a step forward, looked at Li Shimin deeply, and then turned sideways reluctantly.

Four eunuchs came in carrying a huge wooden barrel filled with boiling rice soup.

Li Shimin turned his head and looked to the side. Two eunuchs came forward and began to help Li Shimin take off his clothes. They picked up a piece of silk soaked in rice water and began to wipe his whole body.

At this moment, Changsun Wuji, Li Shenfu, Dou Dan and others stared at Li Shimin's body, and their bodies became serious in an instant.

Only after confirming that there was nothing wrong with Li Shimin's body did everyone relax and look sad.

Afterwards, everyone quieted down and watched the eunuch continue to wash Li Shimin's hair, wipe his body, and tidy up his face, and finally change him into the imperial robes.

……

In the West Hall, Li Chengqian had already changed into a set of raw hemp mourning clothes.

From head to toe, including crown, clothes, pants and boots.

Funeral rites: coffining, laying the body in state, posthumous title and temple name, mourning and offering sacrifices by officials, farewell and burial...

There is still much to do.

Li Chengqian closed his eyes slightly and took a calming breath. Finally, he opened his eyes, raised his head and spoke, "Issue an order that the Hundred Cavalry Division patrol all the Zhechong Prefectures throughout the country and order each Zhechong Commander to select his sons and send them to the Left and Right Qianniu Guards for training to protect the palace."

Zhang Ananda immediately bowed solemnly and said, "Yes!"

(End of this chapter)