The Duke of Shu Han began guarding Jingzhou in place of Guan Yu.

Chapter 266 Creating Auspicious Omens

February has arrived.

The chill has subsided slightly.

Having been bedridden all winter, Liu Bei suddenly felt inspired and forced himself to leave his tent to enjoy the spring scenery on the plateau.

How could anyone dare disobey the emperor's orders?

They could only let Liu Bei act recklessly while quickly informing Prime Minister Zhuge Liang.

When Zhuge Liang rushed over, Liu Bei was already sitting on a large rock covered with felt, facing east, gazing into the distance in a daze.

As for why it's east and not another direction...

That's because both Chang'an and Luoyang are located east of Wuzhangyuan.

"Your Majesty, it's windy here. Why don't you go back to the warm tent and have a cup of warm wine?"

"Yesterday, Yide sent ten cartloads of Xinfeng wine, which I was quite tempted to drink."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei slowly turned his head and joked:
"You are my right-hand man and the pillar of the nation, how can you flatter me like this?"

"If this junior, Mi Shishan, had said this, I would have agreed."

"You mustn't."

Zhuge Liang smiled and rolled up his robes, climbed onto the large rock, and sat down next to Liu Bei.

The emperor and his minister both looked eastward.

But the winter snow was about to melt, and the mountains were covered in white, like waxen elephants galloping across the plains.

Refreshing.

"In the past, Emperor Gaozu was forced into Hanzhong by Xiang Yu, but he pacified the Three Qin regions in just two months. In less than two years, he entered Luoyang and pacified the Three Rivers region. He was unstoppable and thus laid the foundation for competing with the Xiang family for the world."

"I have wasted half my life without a foothold. Fortunately, thanks to your wise planning, I was able to acquire a prefecture. After more than ten years of hard work, I was finally able to enter the pass and observe the Qin region."

"Compared to the great ambitions and strategies of our ancestor, I am truly an unworthy descendant!"

Upon hearing Liu Bei's sigh, Zhuge Liang shook his head slightly.

"Times have changed, circumstances are different, why should Your Majesty belittle yourself?"

"When Emperor Taizu returned to Qin, Xiang Yu fell into Zhang Liang's trap and had no intention of looking east. The Han army avoided the strong and attacked the weak, and was able to pacify the Three Qin in two months."

"Your Majesty is currently vying for supremacy with Cao Wei in Guanzhong and Luoyang. Both sides are giving it their all. If we must draw a comparison, it is more like the Battle of Pengcheng between Han and Chu."

"And after the great defeat at Pengcheng, didn't Emperor Taizu also strive for nearly three years before achieving victory at Gaixia?"

"If one has to blame someone, it is only because I lacked the brilliant strategies of Zhang Liang, which caused Your Majesty to waste more than ten years before finally entering the pass."

Liu Bei glanced back at Zhuge Liang and suddenly laughed to himself:
"You used to compare yourself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi, why are you so humble today?"

Zhuge Liang said without any shame:

"I am not being modest."

"Although Guan Zhong and Yue Yi were highly talented, their rulers lacked the wisdom to see things through to the end. As a result, the rulers after them did not maintain their integrity in their later years, and both the states of Qi and Yan lost their hegemony."

"Your Majesty remains as cautious as ever, and does not act rashly even when you are in the old capital. Even if I lack the talent and ability of the sages of the past, how could my reputation in later generations be inferior?"

Liu Bei finally burst out laughing, pointing at Zhuge Liang and saying:

"She's still trying to curry favor with the master!"

Zhuge Liang, who was unusually unrestrained today, stopped defending himself and burst into laughter.

Just then, a guard came to report that General Zhao Han and Governor of Yuzhou, Mi Wei, were requesting an audience.

Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang had already received the news and were not surprised.

Then, a huge and exquisite coffin was suddenly placed in front of the two of them.

Yes, a coffin.

A large wooden coffin of extraordinary size, adorned with a large amount of white jade, which can be described as luxurious.

And so, it was carried to Liu Bei in a very open and aboveboard manner.

It was placed before an old emperor whose days were numbered.

The attendants, officers, and palace servants were all terrified on the spot.

Only the soldiers responsible for carrying the coffin, probably having received instructions from Mi Wei, managed to maintain a semblance of composure.

thump.

The large coffin fell heavily.

Everyone present, except for Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang, remained seated as usual.

At the sound of that muffled thud, they all knelt down in panic, trembling.

After a moment, Liu Bei regained his senses and asked Mi Wei, who had finished his bowing, "..."

"What kind of auspicious omen are you presenting, sir?"

As soon as these words were spoken, some people immediately realized what was going on.

The tense atmosphere eased slightly.

But the coffin's design was too jarring, and no one dared to look up. Mi Wei, however, seemed oblivious to anything amiss, and solemnly introduced it:
"Your Majesty, this jade coffin comes from Ye County in Nanyang. It was commissioned by the Heavenly Emperor to welcome the Holy Lord to the world!"

"Oh?" Liu Bei was slightly taken aback.

He glanced at Zhuge Liang, only to see the latter wearing a thoughtful expression.

Looking back, it's quite interesting:
"Please come forward a little and explain to me in detail?"

Mi Wei stepped forward with delight.

But then he continued with an even louder voice:

"When I was in Ye County last year, I heard a legend about an immortal."

"It is said that during the reigns of Emperor Shizu and Emperor Xianzong, there was a man from Hedong named Wang Qiao who served as the magistrate of Ye County and was quite successful in governing the area."

"One day, a jade coffin suddenly appeared in front of his hall. Everyone tried to move it, but they could not shake it."

“Wang Qiao felt something in his heart and said that it was the Heavenly Emperor summoning him. So he bathed and changed his clothes and lay down in the jade coffin.”

"The next day, the jade coffin was buried in the east of the city. The tomb rose up naturally, and all the oxen in the county were sweating profusely and panting heavily."

"When the local people saw this, they realized that this person was a great sage destined by heaven, who had descended to earth to save the world. So they built a temple for him and worshipped him, which was called 'Ye Jun Temple'."

"When officials arrived in Ye County in later generations, they would first pay homage to the virtuous man in order to seek his protection."

Upon hearing this, even the slowest person would realize what was happening.

Mi Wei's actions today clearly indicate that he is trying to follow the path of the sages and the Mandate of Heaven.

It's still the same old trick of creating auspicious omens.

Its purpose, of course, was to mitigate the negative impact of the emperor's death as much as possible.

Perhaps this could even fulfill one of His Majesty's wishes?
Immediately, some people feigned surprise and marveled at the sight.

And as expected, Mi Wei immediately followed up with:

"On the eve of my departure, I was suddenly appeared in a dream by an immortal, who said that Your Majesty was originally a sage from ancient times who ascended to heaven and was ordered to descend to earth to save the Han dynasty."

"Now that the mortal realm is nearing its end, but the connection to the immortal realm has not been severed, the Heavenly Emperor has summoned me."

"When I woke up the next day, there was indeed this jade coffin in the hall!"

Hearing this, even though Liu Bei knew Mi Wei was acting, he still couldn't help but ask:
"Are you sure you mean it?"

That's obviously fake.

Mi Wei couldn't help but mutter a complaint to himself.

This wooden coffin was commissioned by the craftsmen on the way here.

Even the white jade decorations on it were spoils of war obtained by Guan Ping during his conquest of Lantian and Duling.

100% made in Guanzhong.

It has nothing to do with any Wuzhu coin from Ye County, Nanyang.

However, whether it's true or false is not important.

The important thing is——

"I dare not speak of celestial beings or divine objects."

"This coffin is quite extraordinary and cannot be opened by ordinary means. If Your Majesty does not believe it, please send someone to try."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei instinctively looked at Zhuge Liang beside him.

Without saying a word, the latter stepped forward and pushed open the coffin lid.

After three attempts to move it failed, he turned around and said with a serious expression:

"Your Majesty, there are indeed miraculous signs."

Afterwards, Liu Bei casually selected a few close attendants to step forward, and the result was the same for all of them.

So Liu Bei, in a serious tone, asked Mi Wei:
"Did the immortals impart the method to open it in a dream?"

Mi Weilang said in a loud voice:
"Have!"

"The immortal said that the day His Majesty returns to the old capital will be the day he ascends to immortality!"

Liu Bei chuckled to himself:

"Does that mean I can't die before entering Chang'an?"

The deer bowed silently, its silence speaking volumes.

Liu Bei looked at Zhuge Liang again.

The latter pondered for a few moments, then deliberately put on a stern face and questioned:

"This concerns the nation and its people; it is not something to be taken lightly."

“Mi Shishan, let me ask you this: why did the immortal not appear in His Majesty’s dream directly, but instead appeared in the dream of a mere subject like you?”

Why didn't the jade coffin descend directly to the temporary capital, but instead descended to Ye County, a thousand miles away?

(End of this chapter)