Chapter 162: Passing Away

Beside the octagonal pavilion lay a lake pond, its surface dense with withered lotus stems and roots. In spring and summer the view must have been lovely, but now only a scene of ruin and decay remained. The cold wind blew fiercely, its wailing sound somehow harsh to the ear. The hems of robes were blown up into the air, yet Liu Chengyou seemed not to notice.

At this moment, Liu Chengxun's smile was gentle, but the feeling he gave Liu Chengyou was completely different from usual—that frail, scholarly air was gone. The two brothers gazed at each other for a long while. Liu Chengyou shook his head and said, "What nonsense is Big Brother speaking?"

"My mind is perfectly clear—clearer than it has ever been." Liu Chengxun's smile receded somewhat, and he sighed. "Perhaps it is because a man knows when his end is near..."

His brow furrowed involuntarily. Liu Chengyou's face was expressionless as he continued to meet Liu Chengxun's gaze: "Father, mother, and your brothers all pray for your swift recovery. Why must Big Brother be so despondent?"

"I know my own body. The imperial physicians spoke obliquely, but I understand—no medicine or stone can save me now." Liu Chengxun said calmly, his voice low: "To depart first, leaving our parents to grieve, and never again to serve them at their knees in filial piety—that is a son's sin."

"But there is still you and Sanlang." Liu Chengxun's smile was restrained, yet his face was full of openness.

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou said nothing, still observing Liu Chengxun while guessing in his heart what the true purpose was in summoning him here.

"Cough, cough!" Stung by the cold wind, Liu Chengxun could not help but cough heavily several times. He picked up the wine cup from the table and was about to bring it to his lips. Seeing this, Liu Chengyou reached out and pressed his hand down directly: "Big Brother's health does not permit drinking."

With Liu Chengxun's strength at this point, he was naturally held fast by Liu Chengyou, unable to move. He gave up struggling altogether, shook his head, and looked at Liu Chengyou with clear eyes: "Erlang, come drink a few cups with me. This may be the last time we two brothers drink together."

At this moment, Liu Chengxun could be described entirely as free-spirited. Held by his gaze, Liu Chengyou slowly released his hand.

Seeing this, the smile at the corners of Liu Chengxun's mouth bloomed again. He personally poured a cup for Liu Chengyou and gestured to him. Liu Chengyou's face was wooden as he raised his cup in response.

"Cough, cough..." After taking a sip of wine, Liu Chengxun was clearly badly choked, his face flushed crimson—yet in his eyes there was not a trace of pain.

"Erlang should know that I rarely drank in the past. But since the Great Han was founded, I have come to enjoy this cup. Do you want to know why?" Liu Chengxun said as he picked up the wine pot.

Liu Chengyou snatched it away in one motion, poured for him, then filled his own cup. The sound of wine falling into the cup was very clear, and steam still rose from it. However, he showed no intention of answering Liu Chengxun.

He could tell that Liu Chengxun had called him here to pour out his heart...

"You are still the same!" Liu Chengxun took no offense. He took a sip of wine, the flush on his face deepening, and spoke to himself: "Drowning sorrow in wine. And where does the sorrow come from? From you, Erlang."

"Erlang, do you know—since the Great Han was founded, I have both admired and envied you..." Liu Chengxun spoke to Liu Chengyou face to face with an open heart: "I heard that you led armies abroad, winning brilliant military exploits, striking hard against the Khitan, your fame shaking the realm, all the troops in awe. In my heart, the feeling was truly hard to bear."

Saying this, Liu Chengxun laughed again—a bitter laugh, with a trace of shame: "An elder brother, actually harboring jealousy and hostility toward his own younger brother, and even wanting to suppress him!"

Hearing Liu Chengxun say this and seeing his look of remorse, Liu Chengyou's expression finally shifted slightly. These words made him feel somewhat ashamed of himself...

The corners of his mouth twitched. Liu Chengyou said a meaningless line: "Big Brother, you've had too much to drink."

Only two cups had gone down.

Pulling the fur robe tighter around himself, Liu Chengxun drank another cup of wine. His eyes grew somewhat hazy as he said softly: "Erlang, I actually know—you want to be Crown Prince."

Glancing at Liu Chengyou and seeing him holding his wine cup with no change in his expression, Liu Chengxun continued: "Don't laugh at me, but all along, I have regarded the position of heir as something already in my pocket. Until you, Erlang, rose from the ranks of the army."

"In truth, I do have self-awareness. Too frail and scholarly, too soft-hearted, hesitant in action—I am hardly a ruler for chaotic times. And this world today is a world of warriors. I had originally thought that the realm's collapse was due to the loss of men's hearts, and that by moving them with benevolence and virtue, gathering their hearts back, the realm could be pacified. But only now have I slowly come to understand—without military force to back it, how can benevolence and virtue enter men's hearts!"

"After entering the capital, when all petitioned to establish the Crown Prince, for a time I truly wanted to resign on my own initiative and yield the position of heir directly to you, Erlang." Liu Chengxun gradually grew animated in his speech and took another drink: "But in my heart there remained a sliver of hope—hope that we brothers could stand united and jointly guard the Great Han's rivers and mountains..."

"Haha! In truth, I simply could not bear to part with the position of Crown Prince—that is half a sovereign, the one who will one day inherit the Great Han's realm... cough, cough, cough..." As he spoke, Liu Chengxun coughed violently several times, coughing and laughing at once, his smile full of self-mockery at his own "hypocrisy."

"Watching your influence in the army grow day by day, someone advised me to make preparations early."

"Yang Bin?" Liu Chengyou finally spoke on his own initiative.

Hearing this, Liu Chengxun clutched his chest, his expression gradually calming. He thought for a moment, then with a serious face—yet evading the question—said to Liu Chengyou: "Erlang, although the Great Han has settled down, in truth it faces internal troubles and external threats. The southern states are divided and independent, to the north is the blood feud with the Khitan, the military governors of the various circuits harbor treacherous intentions, and the hearts of the people across the realm are far from attached to the Great Han. Of course, more importantly, in the court, the old ministers and veteran generals grow rampant, carried away with themselves, contending for power and profit, with corruption and hoarding becoming the fashion..."

Hearing Liu Chengxun say this, Liu Chengyou's expression softened somewhat. This elder brother of his—he could indeed see things clearly.

"The state is newly founded, its institutions just taking shape; everything must prioritize stabilizing the altars of state. But the ills that have already arisen, I believe, will sooner or later be eradicated through the efforts of Father and you." Liu Chengxun admonished Liu Chengyou in the tone of one settling his affairs before death: "Erlang, I observe that in your conduct you are overly cold and harsh, your temperament overly rigid, your methods overly forceful. In this chaotic age, harsh laws are certainly called for, but to rely on them exclusively is ultimately not a good thing. In governing in the future, shed less blood, harbor more benevolence and forgiveness. You must know that military strength is mighty only for a time; it is winning people through the Way of benevolence that brings the state lasting peace and order..."

Liu Chengxun's eyes grew increasingly hazy. Watching him actually lecture on the art of governing the state, Liu Chengyou felt something strange rise in his heart.

"Erlang, you must promise me one thing!" Suddenly, Liu Chengxun looked at Liu Chengyou with expectation.

"You... speak." A flicker of doubt passed through Liu Chengyou's eyes.

"In the future, spare Yang Bin's life!" Liu Chengxun said softly: "Yang Bin is a founding minister of the Great Han, skilled in civil administration, but he does not understand the greater picture, governs arbitrarily, and conflicts between you and him are bound to multiply beyond reconciliation. But in the end, he is only a civil official—absolutely no match for you. I only hope that when you purge these founding ministers and old retainers from the Great Han's court, you will have more patience and not be too ruthless. After all, they are the state's meritorious servants..."

"Big Brother is joking." Liu Chengyou said in a gentle voice.

"You must promise me!" Liu Chengxun grabbed Liu Chengyou's hand.

At this moment, Liu Chengxun's thoughts seemed somewhat disordered, yet his eyes were very bright. Gazed at with such expectation, Liu Chengyou nodded lightly.

Liu Chengxun's body relaxed. He raised a slightly trembling hand to take the wine cup and drained it in one gulp. His interest seemed to revive, and he looked at Liu Chengyou with keen curiosity: "Erlang, tell me the truth—have you ever thought of seizing the position of Crown Prince by force?"

Hearing this, a flash of astonishment flew through Liu Chengyou's eyes. He looked back at Liu Chengxun and answered very directly: "No!"

Liu Chengxun had been watching Liu Chengyou's expression all along. Hearing his answer, he chuckled: "I believe you!"

"Erlang, do you still remember back in Jinyang..."

After that, Liu Chengxun rambled on and on, speaking of old times that Liu Chengyou "did not remember," with deep feeling and sincere emotion, moving even Liu Chengyou somewhat. This continued until Liu Chengxun could no longer bear the cold.

When he left the Prince of Wei's residence, Liu Chengyou's heart was inexplicably heavy. In truth, those words of Liu Chengxun's had not affected him that much, but he could not help feeling a surge of emotion.

At the same time, he knew that Liu Chengxun would certainly not survive this winter.

On the twentieth day of the eleventh month of the twelfth year of Tianfu, at night, rain froze upon the trees. On this bleak, cold, rainy night, Liu Chengxun, Prince of Wei of the Great Han and Governor of Kaifeng, passed away.

Emperor Liu Zhiyuan grieved so deeply that he fainted. He suspended court for three days and ordered the entire Eastern Capital to be draped in white mourning, wearing hemp and mourning garments for Liu Chengxun. Because Liu Chengxun's virtue and wisdom were renowned throughout the world, the people of the Eastern Capital mourned him fondly.