Chapter 14

Although rumors that Gu Xiao's health was poor and he would not live much longer had already spread throughout Han long before this day.

But when this day truly arrived, the entire world was shaken to its core.

Gu Xiao was dead!

This reigning Grand Commandant, Marquis of Champion, leader of the Merit Faction, was gone!

When the news reached them.

Many felt a great weight lifted from their hearts, even those with no enmity or grievance toward the Gu clan.

There was no way around it—for all ministers of the Jianwu reign.

The two characters "Gu Xiao" were a boulder.

As long as he lived, no one could truly approach the Emperor.

With Gu Xiao now dead, the entire world's situation would inevitably shift.

Power structures would be reshuffled!

Luoyang.

Since that day's solar eclipse, the court had been suffused with an eerie atmosphere.

Because Liu Xiu had just decided to journey to Mount Taishan for the Fengshan ceremony.

At this critical moment, such an omen could not be ignored.

Yet they dared not speak of the Emperor, so they buried these thoughts deep within.

And Liu Xiu himself fell into self-doubt.

He had long favored the New Text school of Confucianism, though he did not fully believe in its apocryphal divinations.

But this event had profoundly shaken his spirit, leaving him hesitant and indecisive.

"Have I not done enough?"

This question lingered endlessly in his heart; no one's counsel could fully ease his unease.

And under these circumstances, news from Hebei finally arrived.

"Your Majesty…"

The messenger was Gu Cheng himself; he knelt before Liu Xiu, eyes red, voice choked, slowly reciting Gu Xiao's final words:

"My father passed away in his residence on the last day of the third month, Wu Shen."

Liu Xiu froze completely.

It was an expression he had never shown since ascending the throne.

In the court, the ministers' expressions changed instantly; all could not help but kneel down.

When Liu Xiu heard that Gu Xiao's last words had been to prevent him from harming his imperial body, his expression finally shifted slightly.

But before he could speak, his entire body lurched violently, then collapsed into unconsciousness.

"Your Majesty!!!"

In an instant, the court descended into chaos.

When Liu Xiu opened his eyes again, he lay in his imperial bedchamber.

Yin Lihua watched him closely beside him, while beside her stood Crown Prince Liu Zhuang.

"Your Majesty, you've awakened?"

Seeing Liu Xiu awake, Yin Lihua seized his hand at once, her face filled with worry, "How do you feel?"

She was about to instinctively summon the imperial physicians.

"I am unharmed!"

Liu Xiu shook his head directly, his expression strangely calm.

Yet Yin Lihua immediately sensed his unusual state; her worry deepened.

"Empress, do not worry…" Liu Xiu gripped her hand, whispering soothingly, then turned his head toward Liu Zhuang, "Zhuang."

"Father!" Liu Zhuang, equally worried, responded at once, "Your servant is here."

"Summon the ministers."

Liu Zhuang paused slightly—he seemed to realize something, his expression changed drastically, and he hurried out.

Not long after, the ministers entered slowly.

Each with different expressions.

Yet all carried a trace of unease in their eyes.

Liu Xiu paid no mind to what the ministers thought.

As the ministers entered the hall, he spoke as if he had long prepared it, his face calm as still water:

"Issue the edict."

"The Marquis of Champion has passed; I am heartbroken."

"From this day forward, suspend court for seven days to mourn."

"The Grand Commandant's lifetime of Merit shall serve as a model for all under heaven."

"Order the Imperial Academy's students to honor him."

"Since the Grand Commandant wished to be buried in Hebei, his wish shall not be altered; yet his Merit demands proper recognition to set right the world's perception."

"Order artisans to carve a statue of the Grand Commandant, in the manner of the former General Huo Guang; mobilize the Five Battalions of the Northern Army, chariots, and armored soldiers to escort him to his grave, to be buried beside the Imperial Mausoleum, with rites of ancestral worship in the Grand Temple."

"Let the Crown Prince lead the ministers in paying homage."

"Let the ministers deliberate on his posthumous title."

This string of edicts was earth-shattering!

In normal times, some ministers might have dared to advise against it, for certain arrangements were truly astonishing.

But at this moment, seeing Liu Xiu's expression, calm as an ancient well, everyone inexplicably felt a thread of fear and dared not speak.

Liu Xiu lay on the bed like this until, at last, his expression showed a slight change.

He sighed deeply and spoke again: "From today onward, the Fengshan ceremony must no longer be mentioned."

"The heavens have shifted, and we have lost our great Han pillar."

"It seems my merit is still shallow."

"From today onward, when you submit memorials or speak before me, you must no longer address me as 'Holy One.'"

At these words, all in attendance were stunned!

Every expression changed; no one had expected Liu Xiu to say such a thing.

Do not call him 'Holy One'?

This—

Liu Xiu paid no attention to the reactions of others.

Having spoken, he waved his hand, signaling everyone to withdraw.

The ministers withdrew, each with a different expression.

In the end, only Yin Lihua remained in the hall to attend to him.

Only then did Liu Xiu's face reveal intense grief; he held Yin Lihua's hand and said, voice trembling slightly: "Empress—"

"You say the Marquis of Guanjun has died—could this be Heaven's punishment upon me?"

"Your Majesty!"

Yin Lihua gripped Liu Xiu's hand tightly: "You rebuilt the Han, loved your people, your merit surpasses all ages."

"Life's length is predetermined."

"Even at his deathbed, the Marquis of Guanjun said you must not harm your imperial health over this."

"You must not blame yourself so harshly."

Liu Xiu gazed at her silently, saying nothing more.

This funeral ceremony truly cemented what it meant to be the "First Merit."

The ministers pondered long over Gu Xiao's posthumous title, but in the end, Liu Xiu settled on "Zhongwu" for him.

"Zhong" signifies loyalty in peril, unwavering in crisis.

"Wu" signifies quelling chaos and securing peace.

This posthumous title's honor was unprecedented among ministers.

No minister before had ever received such a title.

The only other to bear the title "Zhongwu" was King Yan of Shache—he was not a minister.

Especially after deliberate promotion.

The moral climate of the entire Han was even subtly altered; people across the land gradually began to regard this as their ideal.

With Gu Xiao's posthumous title finally settled, the matter was at last concluded.

To everyone's surprise, Liu Xiu did not promote Gu's descendants, nor did he show any intention of recalling them—he sent Gu Cheng back to Hebei.

Yet all understood this well.

He was leaving it for the Crown Prince.

Contrary to the ministers' expectations, Liu Xiu's health showed no serious decline.

Indeed, after this event, he became even more diligent in governance, more attentive to Han's strength.

Jianwu Twenty-seventh Year;

—Marquis of Langling, Zang, and Marquis of Yangxu, Ma Wu, submitted a memorial proposing to exploit the Xiongnu's division by launching a campaign to destroy them, to earn the "Merit Carved in Stone."

Liu Xiu rejected it, citing the need to rest the people.

He accepted only the submission of the Southern Xiongnu.

Jianwu Twenty-ninth Year;

—Sixteen kingdoms of the Western Regions, including Shanshan and Che Shi, again proposed sending their sons as hostages and tribute, requesting a Protector-General.

Liu Xiu also refused.

No one knew why Liu Xiu rejected these readily offered merits.

For an emperor—

These were all his merits, which would have earned him greater reverence from future generations.

But Liu Xiu truly refused them.

Moreover, Liu Xiu further refined Han's institutions.

He frequently raised matters such as "land measurement" and "liberation of slaves," weakened the Three Excellencies, and gradually shifted power to the Minister Tai.

He made the Minister Tai the political center, directly accountable to the Emperor.

He vigorously improved water conservancy, expanded enrollment at the Imperial Academy, and encouraged the establishment of private schools and other measures benefiting the people.

Precisely because of this, Han's strength increased day by day.

And under these circumstances, in Jianwu Thirtieth Year, the Fengshan ceremony was once again proposed.

Liu Xiu initially gave no opinion on it.

Only after waiting many days, seeing no celestial upheaval as before, and observing "auspicious omens" appear across the land, did he finally nod in agreement.

Gu Yi had been silently observing all of this.

He had become like a deity—his thought alone could carry him anywhere in the world to witness all, yet he could change nothing.

He had truly become a spectator.

In the unseen depths, he could only watch the world unfold.

During this time, Gu Yi even logged out of the game for a while to ask his family if there were any relics left behind by the Laozu.

Gu Yi held out hope for this matter.

After all, he had left behind so much.

But sadly, nothing remained.

Everything he had done seemed to have truly vanished into the two thousand years of history between them.

Hmm. But it wasn't entirely erased.

The Han Dynasty's Champion Marquis, the first minister in history to be posthumously honored with the title Zhongwu, that title had indeed been passed down.

But it was of no help now.

Clearly, the Gu family's influence was insufficient to counter the corrections of two thousand years.

After confirming this, Gu Yi devoted all his attention entirely to the game, focusing on the Gu family.

The current Gu family was no longer what it once was.

One must admit, Gu Kang's political acumen far exceeded Gu Yi's expectations.

He keenly perceived the Gu family's awkward position in Hebei and began taking action to change it.

Previously, the Gu family had always been seen as outsiders in Hebei.

The great Hebei clans viewed the Gu family with almost nothing but apprehension.

But this approach clearly no longer worked the moment Gu Xiao passed away.

———The Gu family needed to transform!

Otherwise, when the Gu family one day truly lost the Emperor's favor, it would be swallowed whole.

Gu Kang clearly saw this point.

So he outwardly displayed a stance utterly different from Gu Xiao's.

Simultaneously, through repeated court policies such as "freeing slaves" and "land survey," he swiftly identified several Hebei great clans.

He established connections with them, forming alliances.

He allowed their family members to enter the Gu family's private academy under supervision.

One must admit, this was indeed a remarkably astute strategy.

Although these were not clans renowned throughout the land, they still held considerable influence locally.

And while the Gu family had not yet fully lost its momentum.

These people were willing to attach themselves.

They all yearned to use the Gu family's reputation to secure official positions, but Gu Kang's attitude toward this was ambiguous.

He would select those truly talented among them.

But most received only hints.

In plain terms, it was just empty promises.

Gu Kang had truly become a man with extremely flexible moral boundaries, yet these people all fell for it.

Of course, Gu Kang did not abandon the Gu family's policies toward the common people.

Under this mutually reinforcing dynamic, within just a few years, even without Gu Xiao as the pillar, the Gu family not only did not decline but firmly established its footing.

Gu Yi watched all of this in stunned disbelief.

Is this the terrifying power of a political attribute nearly maxed out?

Forget replacing Gu Xiao.

Even if replaced by himself, a modern man, he doubted he could have achieved it.

After all, he had no experience with politics.

And what mattered most to Gu Yi was that Gu Kang had not betrayed his earlier efforts.

He had truly followed the direction Gu Yi had once hinted at.

He had managed to produce the curved-plow and the waterwheel.

Although still insufficient for widespread public application, having this starting point meant the future was promising!

When news arrived that Liu Xiu would perform the Fengshan ceremony on Mount Taishan, the Gu family was shaken.

After all, to people of this era, this was indeed a major event.

But Gu Yi knew that Liu Xiu was nearing his end.

After confirming the Gu family would face no short-term problems, he turned his attention to Liu Xiu.

He wanted to witness firsthand what such an emperor's Fengshan ceremony would look like.

——The Fengshan ceremony on Mount Taishan had ancient origins.

Legend says ancient emperors began performing Fengshan on Mount Taishan with Wu Huai Shi, followed by Fu Xi, Shen Nong, Yan Di, Huang Di, and others who all performed Fengshan on Mount Taishan.

Precisely because of this.

Mount Taishan held a profoundly sacred status in the hearts of people across the land.

Everyone believed Mount Taishan was the highest mountain under heaven, the best place to communicate with the heavenly gods.

And only a ruler presiding over a time of peace and prosperity had the qualifications to perform Fengshan.

Precisely because of this, Fengshan was among the highest honors an emperor could receive.

Liu Xiu's purpose for this Fengshan was simple.

He needed to prove to all under heaven that he was the emperor ordained by heaven!

And he needed this act to tell the world that the emperor was supreme and inviolable, to correct the lingering effects of Wang Mang's usurpation!

This ceremony was, without doubt, the most important ritual he had performed since restoring the Han.

Its scale was unprecedented.

In the thirty-second year of Jianwu, February;

——Liu Xiu led his ministers out of Luoyang toward Mount Taishan.

Upon arriving at Mount Taishan, they first built an altar of earth to the east at the mountain's base and performed the Feng ceremony.

They sealed the jade tablet recording his divine mandate, his pacification of chaos, and his revival of the Great Han within a jade casket, forming a square altar.

Then they ascended the peak to offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth.

Finally, they held the Chan ceremony to the south of Mount Taishan, worshipping the Earth Goddess.

After completing all these rites, Liu Xiu's prestige undoubtedly reached the peak of his life.

He seemed also to be affected by it, regaining the spirited vigor he had shown in his earlier years, breaking free from years of solemnity.

He publicly declared his grand ambition.

He intended to restore the entire Han Empire's strength to what it had been under Emperor Xiaowen.

Thereafter, he would pacify the Western Regions, subdue the Xiongnu, and establish an eternal foundation for the Great Han.

He proclaimed a new era name: "Zhongyuan."

It seemed he wished to use this as a starting point to elevate the entire Han Empire to the height he envisioned.

Yet he was destined never to fully realize his grand aspiration.

Time has always been the most impartial force in the world.

No matter one's status, none could escape the passage of years.

In the second year of Zhongyuan, Liu Xiu's health suddenly collapsed.

And this time, unlike before, it did not turn for the better.

His condition rapidly deteriorated; eventually, he fell into prolonged unconsciousness, rarely regaining awareness.

Everyone understood: this emperor who had rebuilt the Han had reached the end of his life.

On the Wu Xu day of February, second year of Zhongyuan;

——Liu Xiu passed away in the Front Hall of the Southern Palace.

His final edict stated: "I have done nothing beneficial for the people. All posthumous affairs shall follow the regulations of Emperor Xiaowen, and must be kept frugal.

Provincial Inspectors and officials of rank 2,000-dan shall not leave their respective cities; no envoys or postal messengers shall be sent to offer condolences."

Crown Prince Liu Zhuang ascended the throne.

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(End of Chapter)