Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 447 Big

Although he refused the abdication, preparations for his ascension to the throne were already underway.

Sima Xiuzhi, the prefect of Wuling, led the way by submitting a memorial urging the emperor to ascend the throne. This was followed by generals such as Liu Guangzhi, Wang Yuande, Tan Pingzhi, Meng Longfu, Hu Fan, Ding Wu, Zhu Lin, and Mao Xiuzhi, who were stationed in various regions.

Even Du Huidu of Jiaozhou and Sun Chu, the governor of Guangzhou, jointly submitted a memorial urging him to ascend the throne.

By the time the autumn harvest came, the whole world was talking about it, and the psychological groundwork had been laid.

By the end of the year, everything was in place, and Emperor Sima Dezong issued an edict of abdication: "When Heaven created chaos, it established officials to govern the land, thus shaping the three realms and administering all things... The Jin dynasty declined, and many troubles followed. By the time of the Yuan dynasty, calamities had accumulated, leading to the exchange of thrones, the changing of the imperial court, the exile of emperors, and the decline of ancestral sacrifices. Thus, the reign of Emperor Xuanyuan was forever lost. Although I am incompetent and ignorant of the great principles, I have long been aware of the rise and fall of dynasties. Considering the lofty principles of the four dynasties and the utmost expectations of Heaven and the people, I hereby abdicate in a separate palace, returning to the Han dynasty, following the precedent of Tang and Yu, to restore the orthodox lineage of China, and to cleanse the land of a hundred years of barbarian dust..."

This was not an ordinary abdication edict. It was written by Sima Dewen and included a review of the War of the Eight Princes and the Five Barbarian Invasions.

Since Jia Nanfeng's usurpation of power, the Sima family had been severely weakened by infighting. Later, during the Five Barbarian Invasions, they were massacred by the barbarians. After Sima Rui fled south, the family was controlled by powerful ministers.

The emperors of each generation were not very fertile, and many indulged in wine and women, took Wushi Powder, and died young.

Of Sima Rui's six sons, only Sima Xi and Sima Yu lived past fifty. Sima Xi was even falsely accused of treason by Huan Wen and exiled to Xin'an County.

Of Emperor Jianwen Sima Yu's seven sons, four died young, and of the remaining three, all except the eldest son Sima Daosheng met untimely deaths.

Emperor Xiaowu, Sima Yao, had two sons, one of whom was born with intellectual disabilities and could not take care of himself.

When Huan Xuan usurped the Jin throne, he exterminated the entire families of Sima Daozi, Sima Yuanxian, Sima Huizhi, and Sima Yunzhi, and even Sima Yuanxian's six-year-old son, Sima Yanzhang, was not spared.

When Liu Yu seized power, he exterminated the entire imperial clan, including Sima Zun, the Prince of Wuling.

There were also nine branches of the imperial clan, including Sima Shangzhi, whose entire family was exterminated, and Sima Chuzhi, who was exiled by Liu Yixing. More than 1,500 members of these nine branches of the imperial clan went south, and six or seven out of ten of them died of the plague halfway there.

Whether the remaining three or four out of ten will survive is still uncertain.

It wasn't that Liu Daogui was targeting them, but rather that these members of the imperial clan had been taking Five-Stone Powder for years and indulging in wine and women, which had long since drained their bodies. The south was full of snakes, insects, and wild beasts, and even the local barbarians couldn't find them, so they fled to Sichuan.

This is why many people in this era would rather be beheaded than be exiled.

Today, only two branches of the Sima family remain: Sima Dewen and Sima Xiuzhi.

These two happened to be the most obedient, so Liu Daogui didn't bother to harm them.

With this edict from Emperor Sima Dezong, the Sima family was essentially nailed to the pillar of historical shame and could no longer gain the support of the people.

Following the precedent set by the previous dynasty, Liu Daogui demoted Sima Dezong to Duke of Yunyang County and Sima Dewen to Duke of Jingyang County. Without imperial decree, they were not allowed to leave the city, but were permitted to worship their ancestors.

Yin Zhongwen advised, "This treatment is far inferior to that of the Han and Wei dynasties, and I'm afraid it will invite criticism."

"I have already been merciful enough by not exterminating the entire Sima clan. Should I continue to support them? From this day forward, all titles of nobility in the Jin Dynasty shall be abolished. No one shall be granted a title without military merit, and no one shall be called a general without fighting on the battlefield."

Liu Daogui completely blocked the door.

During the Jin Dynasty, a large number of generals and lieutenant generals held various titles, and the aristocratic families crowded out the career advancement channels for soldiers, resulting in a low combat effectiveness of the Jin army. They could only rely on the southward-migrant leaders and the private troops of aristocratic families.

The Northern Army was essentially composed of refugee armies and powerful clansmen from the Huai and Si regions.

The Jin dynasty was able to last for more than eighty years entirely due to the threat posed by the northern nomadic tribes, which forced various forces to remain united.

Now that the Han state has returned to Guanzhong and occupied most of the country, it is natural that it cannot continue the tradition of the Jin dynasty, and military power must be firmly in its hands.

The enthronement ceremony was complicated and busy.

Liu Daogui, dressed in a twelve-symbol imperial robe with black robes and crimson skirts, walked step by step towards the Taiji Hall, surrounded by thirty-six golden-armored tiger warriors and seventy-two swordsmen.

Beneath the red steps, twelve dragon banners, bright as fire, depict divine dragons with bared fangs and claws, carrying a round sun on their backs, exuding a primal sense of power and sacredness.

Following the dragon banner, various flags and banners fluttered in the wind like clouds.

Liu Daogui stepped onto the steps, took the jade seal from Sima Dewen, and raised it high.

"Long live your Majesty!"

The soldiers and officials present cheered.

As the voice faded, Liu Daogui surveyed the crowd below the steps. The soldiers' eyes were filled with fervor, as bright as the blazing sun. On a sudden impulse, he shouted, "The nation's name is Great Han, and the era name is Yuanwu!"

The Great One (大) signifies the unification of the divine cauldron, the unity of all things, and the ultimate source of all things in heaven and earth. Therefore, the Great One (大) is the model of Yao, encompassing heaven and earth and all things.

Both the Former Han and the Later Han were called "Han". Liu Daogui added the word "Great" before "Han" to both inherit the Han lineage and distinguish it from the two Han dynasties, further demonstrating Liu Daogui's determination to carry on the past and open up the future.

To emulate the Han Dynasty is to surpass it.

A scholar must be resolute and persevering, and a nation cannot be complacent and seek only partial peace; the task is arduous and the road is long.

As a monarch, one should have the courage and determination to surpass those of the past.

"Long live the Great Han! Long live our Emperor!"

The shouts grew louder and louder, seemingly shaking even the palaces within the imperial city.

"Your Majesty, I, Dao Gui, dare to use the black ox to proclaim to the Empress Dowager: The Jin dynasty, through cycles of decline and rebirth, has reached its zenith. Respectfully responding to Heaven's will, we hereby entrust our destiny to Dao Gui. Since the beginning of humankind, officials have been appointed to govern, selecting the virtuous and capable, without a fixed surname. During the reigns of Fang Xun and Chong Hua, none were willing to accept the throne. The rulers of Dang Tu and Dian Wu, though inclined to yield, all attained high positions through their exceptional talents and great achievements, thus greatly protecting the common people and bringing glory to their regions… Respectfully observing the auspicious day, I ascend the altar to receive the abdication, proclaiming to the Supreme God, thus answering the people's hearts and ensuring the eternal protection of our state. May the divine spirits accept this offering!"

After Liu Daogui finished reading the "Edict of Accession" with great intonation, he officially ascended the throne and became emperor.

He made his principal wife Cao Sifei empress, his son Liu Yixing crown prince, and Liu Yiwu the Prince of Lanling. His other sons had not yet made any merits and were still minors, so they were not granted titles for the time being.

His grandfather Liu Jing was posthumously honored as Emperor Xiaoxi, his father Liu Qiao as Emperor Xiaoren, his mother Xiao Wenshou as Empress Dowager Xiaoren, and his elder brother Liu Yu as King Wu of Song. He built the Grand Ancestral Temple of the Han Dynasty and the Grand Ancestral Temple of the State of Song. The State of Song was abolished, but the titles remained. Liu Yilong was made Duke of Song.

The other elder brother, Liu Daolian, has nothing to show for himself over the years. During his tenure as the prefect of Tangyi, he amassed wealth, favored sycophants, and even emptied the treasury.

Out of consideration for their brotherhood, Liu Daogui bestowed upon him the title of Duke of Changsha.

During the Han Dynasty, there was an edict of enfeoffment. However, under the Sima family, this edict only applied to officials. The Sima family's titles continued to be passed down, supporting a large number of incompetent people. When the country was in danger, none of them could step up, and instead, the War of the Eight Princes broke out.

However, it is also not feasible not to grant titles to members of the imperial clan, as a weak imperial clan would also affect the imperial power.

Following the example of the Han Dynasty, Liu Daogui also implemented the "Decree of Grace" for members of the imperial clan, with their titles decreasing with each generation.

It can both protect the imperial power and prevent the imperial clan from becoming too powerful and threatening the direct line.

Liu Mu was appointed Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, concurrently serving as Attendant-in-Ordinary, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Nanchang County.

Gao Xun was the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the Duke of Le'an County, a founding emperor of the People's Republic of China. Liu Huaizhen was the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the Duke of Dongguang County, a founding emperor of the People's Republic of China.

Feng Kai, Yin Zhongwen, Xu Xianzhi, Xiao Yuanzhi, Yuan Zun, Zhang Gang, and Yuan He were appointed as Ministers of Personnel, Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of War, and Ministry of Revenue, respectively, and were all granted the title of Viscount of the Founding State.

As for the military generals, the General of the Flying Cavalry was Liu Daogui's former title, and the General of the Chariots and Cavalry was Liu Yu's former title, so it is not appropriate to bestow titles upon the generals.

But Mao Dezhu and Wang Zhen'e made too many contributions.

The brothers Shen Tianzi and Shen Linzi, with over a thousand soldiers, defeated Yao Xing's tens of thousands of Qin troops, laying the foundation for a successful northern expedition to Guanzhong.

There were also Liu Guangzhi, who guarded Yanzhou and Xuzhou for more than a decade, Zhu Lin, who guarded the desolate region alone, and Wang Zhongde, Duan Hong, Fu Hongzhi, and others who fought bloody battles. All of them had outstanding military achievements and were extremely loyal.

He had too many famous generals under his command, and the traditional general titles were not enough to reward them.

After much discussion, Liu Daogui and Liu Muzhi decided to add the positions of Left and Right Generals based on the official titles of the Han and Wei dynasties.

Mao Dezhu and Wang Zhen'e were appointed as the Left and Right Generals of the Army, Shen Tianzi and Liu Guangzhi as the Left and Right Generals of the Garrison Army, Zhu Lin and Fu Hongzhi as the Left and Right Guards Generals, Wang Zhongde and Liu Zhong as the Left and Right Commanders of the Army, Zhu Lingshi and Duan Hong as the Left and Right Cavalry Generals, and Tan Pingzhi and Wang Yuande as the Left and Right Assistant Generals of the State.

The title of Zhenfu General was a second-rank official, and it existed as early as the Han and Wei dynasties. It was paired with the title of Founding Duke of a Commandery. When they went out, they held the imperial insignia to supervise and govern a region, and when they returned, they participated in the discussion of state affairs.

Mao Dezhu, Wang Zhen'e, and Shen Tianzi all rendered meritorious service in the destruction of a state, and Liu Guang was a pillar of strength in stabilizing the seas. These rewards were entirely deserved by them. These four men and...
The other generals on the left and right were all of the second rank, which was equivalent to a national general. Although they were one rank lower, they still enjoyed the same treatment as founding dukes.

These twelve people were the twelve founding dukes of the Han Dynasty.

The others, Shen Linzi, Zhu Chaoshi, Xiao Chengzhi, Meng Longfu, Ding Wu, Shen Qingzhi, Tan Daoji, Zhao Lunzhi, Hu Fan, Mao Xiuzhi, Meng Ganzhi, Liu Huaijing, and Liu Huaimo, were all given miscellaneous titles of general and were enfeoffed as Dukes of the Founding County.

Shen Linzi's military achievements were also considerable, but because his elder brother Shen Tianzi was already the third-ranked Left Garrison General, he could only be given the title of Founding County Duke.

These rewards were based entirely on military achievements and merits, without any favoritism. Even Liu Huaijing and Liu Huaimo, who were Liu Daogui's cousins, were only given miscellaneous titles of general.

There was also Liu Huaizhen, a loyal minister who had both military and political achievements, but because he was defeated by Changsun Fei, he lost his position and was tainted, so he didn't even get the title of general.

Anyway, it's easy to get appointed as a general. Either you have the merit of destroying a country, or you are a loyal minister like Liu Guangzhi, who has been in charge of a department for more than ten years and has worked hard without complaint.

(End of this chapter)