Chapter 138

【Two, Merit for a thousand years, benefiting the people.】

【For the people: Her style of thrift continued through the reigns of Guangwu and Ming, palace expenses were reduced, indirectly reducing the pressure of taxes, allowing the people's livelihood after the war to breathe.】

【For the court: Using "not competing to compete" to turn the harem into a quiet place, relatives of the empress Yin Shi and Yin Xing, although in high positions, were cautious and law-abiding, and did not become a disaster of monopoly. Ministers saw the harem was stable and focused more on state affairs.】

【For the national fortune: Her way of being an empress of "quietly holding benevolence and thickness" became a model for the harem in the early Eastern Han, opening the precedent of "virtuous empress not interfering in politics but correcting the foundation of the country."】

The celestial screen summarized her long-term influence, especially "opening the precedent of virtuous empress not interfering in politics but correcting the foundation of the country," raising her status to the level of a model.

"Opening the precedent... model for later generations..." Li Shimin agreed deeply.

"The political situation in the early Eastern Han was relatively stable; the 'quietly holding benevolence and thickness' model set by Empress Yin cannot be ignored. Her influence is indeed for a thousand years."

"Allowing the people's livelihood after the war to breathe..." Ying Zheng valued the actual effect.

The country has experienced great chaos, and the first priority is to rest and recover.

The empress taking the lead in thrift, reducing palace expenses, indirectly benefiting the people—this is pragmatic virtue.

"Relatives of the empress in high positions but law-abiding..." Liu Che was especially moved by this point.

Yin Shi and Yin Xing were both in high positions, but they could abide by their duties and not become a disaster; this certainly had their own quality, but the empress's restraint and model role were absolutely key.

"Ministers saw the harem was stable and focused more on state affairs..."

Zhu Yuanzhang chewed on these words, "That's the truth! If the emperor's family is jumping up and down all day, can the ministers still focus on doing things? They must be thinking about standing in line and engaging in internal strife."

"This Empress Yin kept the family quiet, and the ministers naturally put their minds on the right things. This merit is not small!"

【Three, Celestial Screen General Evaluation, the pivot lies in virtue.】

【Yin Lihua's virtue is not in using wisdom to assist in politics, but in using virtue to establish a model.】

【Chaotic times need fierceness to stabilize the tripod, and prosperous times need soft virtue to guard success.】

【She used the stillness of one person to control the movement of the harem; used the thrift of one person to suppress the extravagance of the world.】

【Making Guangwu able to devote his whole heart to the court, and Emperor Ming able to get the correct source from the model.】

【This is called—'Not competing and no one in the world can compete with it, not showing and the brilliance shines through the ages by itself.'】

The final summary raised Yin Lihua's virtuous virtue to the height of philosophy and governance.

"The pivot lies in virtue," "soft virtue to guard success," "not competing and no one in the world can compete with it"—these evaluations can be called supreme.

"What a great 'not competing and no one in the world can compete with it'!"

Li Shimin applauded, "These words say everything about the essence of Empress Yin's life. Her virtuous virtue has already merged into the national fortune of the Eastern Han, like quiet water flowing deep, nourishing the two dynasties."

"Getting such an empress, how fortunate is Guangwu, how fortunate are the people of the Eastern Han!"

Liu Che was also completely convinced: "Establishing a model with virtue, moisturizing things silently. Compared to talent, virtue is more fundamental and also more rare."

"Empress Yin's virtue lies in the purity and depth of her foundation, so she can have a far-reaching influence. I... have been taught."

He looked at Wei Zifu, his gaze even softer.

Wei Zifu also looked back with gentle and firm eyes.

Ying Zheng was silent for a long time, and slowly said: "Virtue can transform people, stillness can control movement."

"This woman's virtue lies in the purity of her essence and the conformity of her actions to the way of Heaven. Not deliberate, not forced, but the merit is achieved by itself. This is supreme virtue."

Zhu Yuanzhang said to Empress Ma: "Sister, listen, this evaluation is so high! 'Not showing and the brilliance shines through the ages by itself', this is what I should learn."

"Don't always think about showing off, doing big things; do your duty well, cultivate your virtue well, and what should be there will naturally be there, and your reputation will naturally be good."

Empress Ma smiled: "What Chongba says is true, your servant will keep it in mind."

【The celestial screen specially bestows the following rewards:

Reward 1: Twenty years of added lifespan.

Yin Lihua held Liu Xiu's hand and said softly: "Your servant has experienced life and death with Your Majesty, why enjoy longevity alone?"

The celestial screen's light split, and ten years of lifespan were transferred into Liu Xiu's body.

The emperor and empress shone together, and clouds and mist swirled over Luoyang City.

Reward 2: Grain production nationwide tripled.

Wheat ears in the fields hung with gold, and the sound of weaving machines was endless.

The people of the Central Plains were surprised to see the granaries overflowing and silk and cloth full of warehouses, and they all bowed toward the north.

Reward 3: National plague decreased by ten percent.

The celestial screen sprinkled clear light, and the plague dissipated.

For the next hundred years in the Eastern Han, there was no major plague.

Folk singing: "Empress Yin's virtue transforms, Heaven descends with peace!"】

"Twenty years of added lifespan! Divided ten years with Emperor Guangwu?!"

This reward came out, especially Yin Lihua's act of taking the initiative to divide her lifespan, making ten thousand dynasties shake, and countless people were moved by it.

"Dividing lifespan... shining together..."

Li Shimin held Empress Zhangsun's hand, unable to help but exert force, his eyes full of emotion and being moved.

"Getting such a wife, what more can a husband ask for? Empress Yin's move is not just about longevity, but also about the heart, the embodiment of the vow to live and die with the monarch and never leave or abandon. Guanyinbi, I..."

Empress Zhangsun's eyes were full of tears, holding Li Shimin's hand back, and said softly: "Er-lang, your servant understands; if this were the case, your servant would also be willing."

Liu Che was also deeply moved and looked at Wei Zifu.

Wei Zifu said softly: "Your Majesty, if possible, your servant would also be willing."

Liu Che felt a warm current surging in his heart.

"Plague extinct for a hundred years?!"

Ying Zheng stood up suddenly, his eyes full of unbelievable shock and longing.

He knew the destructive power of plague on a country; this reward was simply like a miracle!

He stared at the celestial screen, as if he wanted to see through it.

"What virtue does the Yin clan have... to actually move the heart of Heaven to this extent?!"

He felt a kind of awe for the power of "virtue" that transcended rationality for the first time.

"Production tripled, plague decreased by ten percent... this, this is simply..."

Zhu Yuanzhang was also stunned, and then felt incomparable envy,

"If this reward could be given to our Great Ming, I could let the common people eat their fill every meal and never be afraid of getting sick again!"

"National plague decreased by ten percent... no major plague for a hundred years..."

Liu Che was also surging with emotions; he had seen plague and knew how terrible it was.

If there was such divine protection, the Han army's conquest would have no worries, and the people would live and work in peace.

This reward, for a country, had an immeasurable value!

Eastern Han, during the Jianwu era.

In the Southern Palace of Luoyang, Liu Xiu and Yin Lihua stood side by side on the high platform, looking up at the celestial screen.

When he saw Yin Lihua ranked sixth on the Virtuous Empress List and her virtuous merits were detailed, Liu Xiu held Yin Lihua's hand tightly, his eyes full of incomparable pride, gratification, and deep love and respect.

"Lihua, did you see? You are ranked sixth on the Virtuous Empress List through the ages!"

Liu Xiu's voice was excited, "Experiencing life and death with you is my fortune. Getting you as my empress, stabilizing the inner palace, constraining the relatives of the empress, treating Qiang'er kindly, persuading me to be thrifty... every single one is your merit! This cause of restoration has half of your credit!"

Yin Lihua leaned against Liu Xiu's side, looking at the bits and pieces of the past and future on the celestial screen.

He looked at his husband's excited expression, his eyes filled with tears, his heart full of warmth and peace,

"Your Majesty is over-praising. Your servant is just doing her duty as a wife and empress."

"Being able to accompany Your Majesty and see the world return to stability and the people gradually get a respite is enough for your servant's heart. The name of virtuous empress is truly not worthy."

When the rewards were announced, especially the "twenty years of added lifespan," Yin Lihua almost didn't hesitate at all, held Liu Xiu's hand, and said softly: "Your servant has experienced life and death with Your Majesty, why enjoy longevity alone?"

Before the words fell, the celestial screen's light had split, and ten years of lifespan were transferred into Liu Xiu's body.

The emperor and empress were surrounded by a faint halo, as if they were a few years younger, and their spirits were even more vigorous.

"Lihua! You..."

Liu Xiu felt the surging vitality in his body, and seeing his beloved wife divide her lifespan to him, he was moved beyond measure and held Yin Lihua tightly in his arms.

"What virtue do I have to get such a wife! Getting such a wife!"

Immediately, the visions of grain production doubling and plague decreasing began to appear, and Luoyang City was cheering, and the people bowed toward the palace direction, shouting long live, and remembering the empress's virtuous virtue.

Liu Xiu and Yin Lihua held hands, faced the celestial screen, bowed solemnly, and said in unison:

"Liu Xiu and Lihua, thank the Immortal Gu for his grace. May we use this virtue to benefit the people forever."

The sound spread to the four fields and merged with the cheers of ten thousand people.

The sixth place on the Virtuous Empress List, Empress Guanglie Yin Lihua, with her extremely soft and quiet, extremely benevolent and virtuous "not competing" virtue, moisturized the parched mountains and rivers at the turn of the two Han dynasties, blessed the people of the Eastern Han for a hundred years, won the highest evaluation and generous gift of the celestial screen, and also won the heartfelt respect of ten thousand dynasties.

The ranking has passed half, what kind of stunning empresses will the top five be?