Chapter 135: The Highest Achievement of a Civil Official

"Zi An, which marriageable princess of the Imperial Family do you think would be suitable to marry Changsun Chong?"

Having thought of it, Empress Changsun asked straight away.

If it were in the past, Li Lizhi would have felt her mood sink upon hearing that name.

But now she shows no reaction at all, only indulging in happiness.

Empress Changsun was about to briefly tell Chen Yan which marriageable princesses existed in the Imperial Family, when she heard Chen Yan say, "Her Majesty, Brother Changsun… must he marry a princess?"

"……Hmm?"

Empress Changsun didn't quite understand Chen Yan's meaning, but she explained, "Brother Chong is my own nephew; if he can become even more closely tied to the Imperial Family, it would naturally be a good thing."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

Chen Yan thought of Changsun Wuji's historical fate and couldn't help rubbing his forehead.

Damn, this question is hard to answer.

Changsun Wuji, as Empress Changsun's elder brother, was also Li Shimin's elder brother‑in‑law and childhood close friend, and played a pivotal role in the Xuanwu Gate Incident, possessing the Dragon's Merit.

He later became the foremost of the Twenty‑four Meritorious Officials of the Lingyan Pavilion.

Li Shimin also valued him, and before his death appointed him as Grand Minister of State to assist Crown Prince Li Zhi.

However, Changsun Wuji became reckless; when Li Zhi had just ascended the throne, he allied with veterans like Chu Suiliang to dominate the court.

Even when Li Zhi deposed Empress Wang and installed Wu Zetian, Changsun Wuji was the first to step forward and firmly oppose, causing Wu Zetian to harbor deep hatred for him.

As a result, when Wu Zetian rose to power, he was labeled a rebel.

At that time, Li Zhi was only thirty‑one and still on the throne.

When Wu Zetian acted, could he not have known?

No, Li Zhi certainly knew!

But he still allowed Wu Zetian to frame Changsun Wuji, maintaining a tacit approval.

As for why this happened, Chen Yan understood that Changsun Wuji was indeed a top minister, but he had a flaw: greed for power.

He thought that, as a royal uncle, he could rest easy, completely forgetting how ruthless the Imperial Family is and how Li Shimin rose to power.

Now to let Changsun Chong marry a princess—are we just waiting for the Changsun family to become powerful and later block Cheng Qian?

Chen Yan fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Her Majesty, do you know what the highest honor for a military official is?"

"Do I need to ask?" Empress Changsun replied, "Since the champion marquis of Emperor Wu of Han, the highest honor for a military official has naturally been Feng Lang Ju Xu!"

"And Feng Lang Ju Xu has become the goal all military officials pursue!"

When Li Lizhi heard Chen Yan's words, some nerve seemed to misfire in her brain, and she hurriedly said, "You can't possibly be thinking of going to war, can you?"

"You're a scholar; you can't go."

Chen Yan: "......"

He hesitated for a while before explaining, "I know my own weight and measure; rest assured, I will definitely not go to war."

"That's good!"

Li Lizhi patted her own chest, feeling relieved.

Chen Yan is the son of a military official; she truly feared that if Chen Yan's mind heated up, he would go after that so‑called Feng Lang Ju Xu.

Then she and Gao Yang would have nowhere to cry.

Empress Changsun saw this, smiled and shook her head, saying nothing.

After Li Lizhi's interruption, Chen Yan forgot the prepared excuse, and after a brief recollection said, "Her Majesty, do you know what the highest honor for a civil official is?"

"This......"

Empress Changsun hesitated.

If it's the highest honor for a military official, anyone who has read a little can answer.

But the highest honor for a civil official is truly hard to state.

Being listed among the Three Excellencies?

Grand Preceptor, Grand Tutor, Grand Guardian?

Or Zhuge Liang being enfeoffed as Marquis of Wuxiang, Sima Guang posthumously awarded the title Duke of Wen?

Or after Han Gaozu proclaimed himself emperor, Xiao He enjoying the ancestral temple as the "First Founding Meritorious Official"?

Empress Changsun fell into contemplation.

Chen Yan was not in a hurry, quietly waiting for her to think.

In fact, not only Empress Changsun, but Li Lizhi was also pondering.

The mother and daughter thought for a long while, yet still could not reach a conclusion.

Empress Changsun said, "This question really stumps me."

"The highest honor for a civil official is indeed hard to articulate."

Chen Yan said with a smile, "Her Majesty, if you think about it again, the answer is actually simple; someone in history has achieved it."

"Never mind." Empress Changsun glanced at him, "Instead of laboring over the answer for half a day, I'd rather ask you directly."

"After all, I'm just an empress; I have no taboos."

She paused, then curiously asked, "Why did you suddenly raise this question?"

"Could it be that you think you, or Brother Chong, could achieve the highest honor for a civil official in the future?"

"I can't, and Changsun Chong can't," Chen Yan first denied, then said seriously, "But the Duke of Qi can."

"Oh?" Empress Changsun became interested.

Changsun Wuji is her elder brother; hearing Chen Yan say he could achieve the highest civil honor in the future still made her quite pleased.

What followed was doubt.

Based on Chen Yan's previous behavior, she had thought he could attain the highest civil honor, so why does he now say he cannot?

Why is it Changsun Wuji, not Du Ruhui or Fang Xuanling?

While she was thinking, Li Lizhi suddenly shouted, "I know!"

Her action instantly attracted the gaze of Empress Changsun and Chen Yan.

Li Lizhi, flushed with excitement, said, "I know what the highest honor of a civil official is!"

"What is it?"

Chen Yan timely passed the turn to speak.

"The highest honor of a civil official is a title and posthumous name, enshrinement in the imperial ancestral temple, being recorded in history, and the reverence of the common people!"

Li Lizhi looked up proudly and said, "In life, granted three dukedoms; after death, posthumously titled 'Wenzheng', enshrined in the imperial ancestral temple, name recorded on bamboo and silk!"

"—This is the utmost favor for a civil official!"

"Am I right or not?!"

Li Lizhi looked at Chen Yan with a "I'm great, right?" expression.

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow and graciously gave a "well done" look.

Empress Changsun nodded thoughtfully, "Li Lizhi's words aren't without reason; if a civil official could achieve all these, it would indeed be called the highest honor of a civil official."

"Li Lizhi does speak reasonably," Chen Yan first nodded, then sighed:

"Unfortunately, it's still wrong."

Li Lizhi, dissatisfied, puffed her cheek and glared at him without any vigor.

Isn't that the look you gave earlier?

Are you treating her like a child?

Li Lizhi huffed and said, "Then you tell me, what is the highest honor of a civil official?"

"I just can't believe there's any honor higher than all these combined."

Empress Changsun appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly agreed with Li Lizhi's words.

In her view, indeed there was no achievement higher than all these combined.

Having said that, Chen Yan stopped teasing, "The highest honor and achievement of a civil official is hard to guess but simple to state; summed up in four characters, it is:"

"Then it is 'calling a deer a horse'!"

"......"