Chapter 421: Darkness Shrouds the Big Man
"Your Majesty! Treat my family well!"
The headless general, wearing tattered armor, was speaking with his head opening and closing in his hands. Fresh red blood was still gushing out of his mouth, like well water dug from the ground, gushing out as if it would never stop flowing.
"Your Majesty! I will serve you faithfully!"
The general was pierced by thousands of arrows and his armor was torn into pieces, but he still stood firm and did not fall down.
"Your Majesty, please open your eyes and look at us. It hurts."
The bodies of the soldiers were covered with burn wounds all over their bodies and faces, as if they had walked out of the magma of hell. Their faces were so hideous that anyone could feel the boundless pain they had experienced before their death.
"Your Majesty, do you remember us?
Do you still remember us!
Do you still remember us? "
Countless voices, like the roar of thunder, like the sound of gods descending from the sky, sounded in the ears, lingered in the mind, and then were thoroughly engraved in the mind, all the time, like huge bells and drums, hammering heavily.
"I remember!"
In the bedroom, the emperor woke up from his deep sleep, sat up suddenly, gasped for breath, his face was extremely pale, and cold sweat had completely soaked his entire body.
The slender and graceful beauty was awakened by the emperor, then hugged the emperor and whispered to comfort him: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty."
"I am incompetent!
I am incompetent!"
The emperor hugged the beauty and cried bitterly.
…
A cold wind blew through Chang'an, and white snowflakes fell in the city, soon covering every corner. The pure white snowflakes fell in the city, but they could not cover the mourning clothes that spread all over Chang'an.
The biting cold made people feel cold in their hearts. The depressing atmosphere enveloped Chang'an, Guanzhong and even the whole world. Faintly, countless cries of grief could be heard.
This was true for both prominent marquisates and ordinary families; no one could count how many families had hung up mourning clothes.
This is just Chang'an. Looking towards Guanzhong, every household is wearing mourning clothes.
Changle Palace.
In the emperor's bedroom, countless auspicious clouds are depicted, and on the pillars there are magical beasts everywhere, with phoenixes flying, unicorns offering blessings, and magical turtles presenting pearls, all showing a prosperous and auspicious scene.
However, the palace maids and eunuchs serving in the hall all hung their heads, and their footsteps fell silently. No one dared to make a sound. Only the burning oil lamps made crackling sounds from time to time, stretching the shadows of people coming and going to be long and erratic.
Emperor Liu Jin lay quietly on the bed with the curtains drawn. No one could see his face clearly. All they could see was a slender figure sitting cross-legged on the bed. Liu Jin lay on her legs. A few inaudible soft words gradually calmed Liu Jin's trembling body.
A dense but very light sound of footsteps was heard, and the eunuch tried his best to suppress his shrill voice and said, "Your Majesty, there is news from Zhaocheng that Lord Zhao is bedridden and cannot come to Chang'an."
Emperor Liu Jin, who had just calmed down, trembled again and kept saying, "My uncle left me, I lost the battle, my cousin left me, I lost the battle again, and now Duke Zhao is going to die.
Without the assistance of wise and capable ministers, I am left with only a mediocre monarch. Isn't this the cause of disaster?
Doesn’t this mean that God is not favoring the Han people?
How should I do it?
Queen, what do you think I should do? "
The queen could only hug the emperor tightly, but she didn't know what to say to comfort the emperor of the empire.
Now, fifteen years have passed since the death of Emperor Gaozong Xiaowu.
However, the situation in the country did not move forward as Liu Che had expected.
In the first five years of Liu Jin's accession to the throne, Wei Qing began to restore the country's treasury reserves in accordance with Liu Che's established national strategy to deal with possible rebellions and natural disasters.
In the fifth year, Wei Qing died due to a recurrence of an old injury. The court went through a brief period of painful adjustments. When the news reached the southwest, the barbarian natives who had been intermittently allied and sometimes rebelled rebelled again.
Emperor Liu Jin, who had completely grasped power, began to mobilize troops to the southwest according to previous preparations, and was determined to learn from his father and lead the entire war against the Southwestern Yi.
Liu Jin cannot be said to be an incompetent emperor, but his martial arts skills are really not that good.
He was sloppy in governing the country, barely following the rules of the previous emperor, but when it came to war, he looked back in panic, losing every time. He had no self-awareness and kept fighting, giving away his life, all the time saying, "I want to be a saintly king like the late emperor, and make the barbarians submit to me."
Thus, under Liu Jin's meticulous command, the imperial court suffered a huge defeat in its war against the Southwestern Yi.
In the endless uninhabited land of the Ten Thousand Mountains, in the countless forests, the Han army from the Central Plains encountered a hellish scene, an unknown epidemic, elusive barbarians, everything was so different from the Central Plains and the grasslands, even the most sophisticated armor became a burden, and more than 200,000 people were defeated in the uninhabited mountains and forests.
More than twenty marquises and princes died on the battlefield in the southwest.
Although such a heavy loss was tragic, it did not frighten the Han people. No matter whether it was the marquisates who died or the good family men who died in the battle, everyone was determined to fight back.
But the emperor was completely paralyzed, suffering from nightmares all day long, and dared not raise troops to fight again. Officials such as the prime minister who were more inclined to civil affairs also disagreed with fighting again, because the court had no money and the people's strength had been greatly depleted.
"Your Majesty, Lord Zhao has sent another letter."
The emperor suddenly woke up and said, "Hand over the letter quickly."
In Zhaocheng, Luo Wuji was bedridden. The general who was once invincible on the battlefield was now unable to even get out of bed.
What he found most difficult to accept was that he was not sick!
No matter how the doctors checked, there was nothing wrong with his body. Then he thought of his brother Huo Qubing. That proud young man was the same. Even medicine talismans could not cure him, because medicine talismans can only cure diseases, and he and Huo Qubing were facing fate.
What can be cured is the disease, what cannot be cured is life!
Luo Wuzhi recalled the letter he had sent to Chang'an and sighed slightly.
"Your Majesty, I have nothing to report to you.
The former emperor received the Mandate of Heaven, and thus achieved achievements comparable to those of a sage king. Is this something that every emperor can achieve?
Because of the trust of the late emperor, I was granted a marquisate with 8,000 households. I am grateful for the late emperor's kindness and want to repay you.
But human life is limited, and I am about to go ahead of you.
Before I die, I would like to give you some words of advice.
The position of the Son of Heaven is bestowed by God.
But the power of the emperor is obtained by the emperor himself.
Those who are good at hunting should not go fishing, those who are good at farming should not go herding, and those who are good at civil administration should not pursue military achievements. This is the principle of doing things.
Is there any life in this world without any merit?
Is there anything in this world that is impossible?
I guess not.
Follow your strengths, use them, and how can you not succeed?
Emperor Xiaowen did not fight with the Huns, and thus created the Xiaowen Reign. The previous emperor fought a great battle with the Huns, and thus created martial arts comparable to those of a sage king. This is the path to becoming a sage king.
It is commendable that you followed Emperor Xiaowen's example in governing the country, but it is not worth mentioning that you followed Emperor Xiaowu's example in conquering people.
The Southern Kingdom was defeated and your prestige has been damaged. If it continues to be damaged, it will touch your foundation. Can your position as the Son of Heaven still be stable?
I am worried about you!
I am worried about the country and society of the Han Dynasty!
Therefore, establishing the emperor's prestige is your most important task now.
The Southern Kingdom's army was defeated. I know you don't want to fight anymore, but you shouldn't let your ministers know, and you shouldn't let your ministers think you are afraid.
You must not let it be like it is now, where people all over the world say that you are afraid of the South like a tiger!
You are the Son of Heaven. If the Son of Heaven cannot cheer up, how can the indomitable spirit of the Chinese people be demonstrated?
But I also do not agree to fight again, because the imperial treasury has been emptied, and another fight will require increased taxes, which is a war of draining the pond to catch fish, and it is a gamble.
I have never heard of anyone winning by gambling for a long time.
You should let the people know that you dare to fight, and you should also let the people know that you do not want to add to the burden of the world. If you do this, your prestige will not be affected. "
After reading it, the emperor burst into tears.
I hope you all like this beginning of volume.
Sacrifice a seedling: The slogan is [The protagonist likes to eat dumplings made by his sister-in-law the most in his life]
(End of this chapter)
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