Chapter 1596: Duke Yu Departs Too

Wei Renpu's final memorial — to call it a memorial might be slightly inadequate. It was a thick stack, a full two fingers in thickness, wrapped in a cover of plain, antique paper, looking more like a book than a document.

Holding this memorial, Wei Renpu's hand trembled slightly as he gently stroked its surface, as if wiping away dust that did not exist. His fingers slid over the blank space where the title should be, his expression contemplative.

"Have someone bring in a brazier!" After a long moment, Wei Renpu raised his head and instructed Wei Xianxin.

Soon, two servants swiftly carried a brazier of charcoal fire through the door, and the empty hall gained a bit of warmth. The charcoal was piled high and burning vigorously, wisps of smoke rising as a single flame leaped upward, stubbornly contending with the winter wind.

The hour was still early, but the sky seemed dimmer against the backdrop of this flame. The firelight cast its glow upon Wei Renpu's face, revealing features marked by complex emotion.

With a long sigh, Wei Renpu raised his hand and cast the memorial into the brazier. Seeing this, Wei Xianxin's face filled with alarm. Without a moment's thought, he lunged forward and snatched the memorial back from the flames.

Ignoring his disheveled state, Wei Xianxin carefully examined the memorial for damage, then looked up at Wei Renpu: "Father, this is the work of your heart and mind! Why destroy it?"

"This work of my heart has already aroused His Majesty's suspicion. What use is keeping it?" Wei Renpu sighed.

Others might not know, but Wei Xianxin, who attended his aged father day and night, knew full well that this memorial contained not a single word of treason — it was merely a political treatise, a summary of Wei Renpu's career in office and governance.

Seeing Wei Renpu about to destroy the work of his own heart with his own hands, Wei Xianxin pleaded urgently: "Father, His Majesty already knows of this memorial. If you burn it now, how will you account for it later? Wouldn't that only invite more suspicion?"

Wei Xianxin had clearly only meant to dissuade his father in order to preserve this labor of love, but his words evidently gave Wei Renpu pause. A flicker of hesitation crossed the old man's face. After pondering a moment, he wearily waved his hand: "You're right. I was muddled!"

Seeing his father's attitude soften, Wei Xianxin breathed a sigh of relief. He stood up, holding the memorial, and asked: "Father, then this memorial?"

Glancing at him, Wei Renpu said: "Put it away! As you said, this thing will one day be presented to His Majesty by you on my behalf!"

"Yes!" As he answered, Wei Xianxin's voice was choked with emotion.

Seeing this, Wei Renpu let out a hearty laugh: "You needn't be like this. I am already old and riddled with illness, with one foot in the grave! Once I die, all matters will be settled. And don't worry — His Majesty's magnanimity far exceeds that of ordinary men. At the very least, he will take good care of you younger ones!"

Wei Renpu spoke calmly, but Wei Xianxin felt only desolation at his words. Before he knew it, his eyes had turned red.

In the end, Wei Renpu did pass away. He did not even live to see the thirteenth year of Kaibao through, dying quietly in the Duke of Yu's mansion on the twenty-third day of the twelfth month of that year.

Just as he had lived, Wei Renpu departed quietly and peacefully. In the months before his death, apart from one visit from Emperor Liu, no one else had disturbed him. Even those who came to inquire after his health with various motives were politely declined — gifts were accepted, return gifts given in exchange, and nothing more.

Thus, when news of Wei Renpu's death spread, it stirred waves within the court that had been calm for months. Officialdom is a place where the tea goes cold once the guest departs, and Wei Renpu was no exception. After a decade of silence, his actual influence on the court had faded to an extremely low level.

But things often work this way — while a person lives, few pay attention, some even forget him entirely. Yet after death, tributes and remembrances come flooding in.

The crowd coming to pay their respects nearly wore down the threshold of the Duke of Yu's mansion, and it proved that Wei Renpu's reputation, bursting forth one last time, had a considerable effect.

Those officials who had been promoted or favored by Wei Renpu all wore mournful expressions, their grief palpable. Several of his disciples even wailed loudly in the mourning hall, their voices hoarse and strained, appearing more sorrowful than even Wei Xianxin himself.

Many could not help but sigh — another of the twenty-four ministers of Qianyou was gone. Wei Renpu's passing felt like a farewell to an era. That magnificent, splendid age of old was indeed receding further and further from the people of today.

At the same time, it meant that the current Great Han belonged to the "latecomers," to the "young." And indeed, that was the truth — the nobles and officials who now held real power and authority in the Great Han's military and civil affairs would, ten years ago, have been "indistinguishable from the masses," and even if they had some renown, it was only just beginning to show.

Regardless of how the courtiers viewed it, Wei Renpu's death stirred exceptionally complex feelings in Emperor Liu. Over so many years, having witnessed the departure of so many old ministers and old friends, Emperor Liu had mostly felt sorrow, regret, and lamentation.

But toward Wei Renpu alone, there was an additional layer of complexity — a complexity that could be explained by guilt, and that guilt stemmed from baseless, inexplicable suspicion.

Searching his own heart, was a minister like Wei Renpu worth suspecting? Was there any need to suspect him? Of course, the answer in Emperor Liu's heart was certain...

It was only after Wei Renpu had passed away so desolately that Emperor Liu could settle his mind, offer a moment of mourning, express his regret, and console himself.

Outside, the winter cold was biting; inside, it was warm as spring. Emperor Liu, dressed in a solemn black jacket, stood calmly before a row of candle stands, holding a pair of snuffers in his hand, slowly trimming the candle flames.

Each snip removed a bit of wick, bringing down a wisp of flame, watching it extinguish into eternal silence, repeating the process over and over. Even when Crown Prince Liu Yang entered the hall and stood at his side to pay respects, the rhythm of his movements did not change in the slightest.

"Have you been to the Duke of Yu's mansion?" Emperor Liu asked as he continued his work, a hint of desolation in his voice.

Liu Yang's expression was also grave, his spirits low. The teacher with whom he shared the deepest bond was undoubtedly Li Fang, but when he had been made Crown Prince, Wei Renpu had been the Grand Tutor personally appointed by Emperor Liu, and there was the bond of instruction between them as well. In name, Wei Renpu was his teacher, and Liu Yang had grown up witnessing Wei Renpu's character and ability, holding him in great respect.

The Crown Prince's temperament was far gentler than Emperor Liu's, so with the man now gone, feelings of grief and mourning were only natural.

"Your son has obeyed Your Majesty's command and gone to the Duke of Yu's mansion to offer condolences on your behalf!" Liu Yang said in a low voice, his spirits low.

"It was quite lively, I imagine!" Emperor Liu remarked.

Liu Yang's expression stiffened slightly. The word "lively," coming from Emperor Liu's mouth at a time like this, seemed rather inappropriate. But Liu Yang dared not point this out, only responding: "Hearing that the Duke had passed from illness, the meritorious nobles, officials, and functionaries of the capital have been calling at the mansion to offer their condolences!"

"You are the Crown Prince, and also Daoji's student. For you to go in my place should be more than sufficient!" Emperor Liu murmured, as if asking Liu Yang, or perhaps himself.

Hearing this, Liu Yang hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Father, the Duke of Yu was a meritorious old minister and your old friend and confidant. Now that he has passed, why do you not leave the palace yourself and go to the Wei mansion to offer your condolences?"

Liu Yang was genuinely curious. In the past, when old ministers of Wei Renpu's standing passed away, Emperor Liu would personally go to pay his respects, to show how much he valued them.

"I'm afraid there are quite a few people in this court who are wondering the same thing, and will start making wild speculations!" Emperor Liu sighed, pointing at his own aged face with his free hand: "To be honest with you, I feel I have no face to show myself!"

Pausing for a moment, Emperor Liu added softly: "Besides, I have already bid farewell to Daoji!"

There was a hint of bleakness in Emperor Liu's tone, and Liu Yang fell silent upon hearing it.

After a while, Liu Yang brought up another matter: "While at the mansion offering condolences, your son heard something. Wei Xianxin spent only fifty strings of cash on the Duke's funeral arrangements. Many are saying that given the Duke's status, his funeral need not be overly grand, but it should not be so shabby either — there are those accusing Wei Xianxin of being unfilial!"

"This was likely Wei Daoji's own instruction. And Wei Xianxin is indeed of a frugal nature!" Emperor Liu sighed: "Though occupying a position of honor and wealth, he is content with simplicity. The Great Han court has never lacked such virtuous men — I find it deeply gratifying!"

Liu Yang: "The Duke of Yu's virtue and integrity are truly admirable!"

With a slight sigh, Emperor Liu said: "Regarding Wei Daoji's posthumous honors, I have already drafted the edict. You shall go and announce and carry it out!"

"Yes!"

The posthumous honors for Wei Renpu did not exceed the usual precedents. However, this time the edict was personally drafted by Emperor Liu himself, and his sincerity was genuine.

Seeming to think of something, Emperor Liu raised his left hand to point at the imperial desk: "The Wei mansion has submitted Daoji's final memorial. It contains quite a lot of material. You should take a look as well — some of the content should be useful to you!"

"Yes!" Liu Yang sensed something unusual. He clasped his hands in salute, walked to the imperial desk, picked up the memorial, and began reading it on the spot.

In Wei Renpu's final memorial, aside from the summary of his career and his discourse on the art of governance, the most critical — or rather, the most sensitive — portion concerned certain problems that existed in the Great Han at present. To put it plainly, it was pointing out gains and losses in Emperor Liu's governance.

Among the key points raised were Emperor Liu's policy of high-pressure assimilation toward the minority peoples, his relentless pursuit of the Khitan in Mobei, the overly hasty military reforms, the lingering troubles of forcibly relocating powerful clans and commoners, the penal labor camps, and so on...

One could say that each of these policies bore the unmistakable stamp of Emperor Liu's will, yet Wei Renpu had seen within them risks and hidden dangers, had seen the contradictions and crises lurking beneath the calm surface...

Liu Yang had evidently read this section as well — after all, it bore Emperor Liu's vermilion annotations. His expression grew solemn. He glanced at Emperor Liu's face, and though he could discern nothing, he still asked cautiously: "May I ask what instructions Father has regarding the Duke's memorial and his arguments?"

"What instructions could I have?" Emperor Liu finally turned around to face Liu Yang, his voice sounding somewhat weary: "Among the court's great ministers, few can match Wei Daoji in understanding of righteousness and far-sighted planning. What he said was not without basis. As for instructions — my instruction is that you study it carefully. If these problems truly become entrenched ills, then it will be up to you to correct them in the future.

I will not and do not wish to overturn my own policies and principles, but you are different. When you take charge, you may do as you see fit!"

Hearing Emperor Liu say this, Liu Yang's heart grew heavy and complicated. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but did not know where to begin.

Emperor Liu continued his reflections: "Clearly, though Wei Daoji remained in his mansion, he was constantly concerned with the great affairs of the court and the welfare of all under heaven. This final memorial is a great treatise.

I now understand why he was unwilling to discuss these matters with me face to face while he lived — he feared arousing my suspicion and displeasure. By leaving his words after death, I naturally cannot reproach him for it, nor betray this sincere and loyal heart of his.

It's a pity, though — in the end, he underestimated me. Have I truly become so stubborn and benighted that I cannot listen to what others say..."