Chapter 530: Qilin Pavilion (End)
There was heavy snow in Heluo, and no one was seen on the paths.
Above Yiluo, among thousands of mountains and rivers, all wild beasts disappeared, all birds were extinct, and from east to west, only the cold wind whistled past, rolling up layers of ice crystals between heaven and earth, like the roar of the wind god and the arrival of the snow god.
“Woo woo~~”
The desolate and sad sound of a horn suddenly rang out, instantly breaking the silence between He and Luo.
When Huo Guang left Chang'an, he had a premonition that he would not be able to return. However, the issue in Guandong was resolved so quickly and smoothly that he was relieved. However, he did not expect that this would be his fate in the end.
Luoyang.
Luo Qing stood here, feeling the comfort brought to him by this holy city of Zhuxia. This city was like the mother of the Luo family, continuously strengthening the foundation of the Luo family for thousands of years.
After the snow stopped falling, Huo Guang looked at the towering city not far away. In front of him were mountains surrounding him. The sacred waters of Yi and Luo were sparkling, and the slight waves reminded people of the legend of the River Map and Luo Shu, and the legendary Nine Cauldrons that were lost in the Luo River.
A sigh.
"Let's stop here."
Huo Guang said with a slight sigh.
Then he looked at Luo Qing and said, "Cousin, my brother is going to die."
Relatives have an innate blood connection and are naturally close, but it is equally important to visit each other. This is the case between Huo Guang and Luo Qing. The two have known each other for decades, one in the open and the other in the dark, and they have accomplished so many great things together and have a good relationship.
Huo Guang was about to die. Luo Qing felt a little sad and asked, "Do you have any last words?"
Huo Guang shook his head and said, "What last words can you leave?
Look at this beautiful mountain and river, the sacred land of Yi and Luo. It is enough for me to stabilize this majestic mountain and river of the Han Dynasty in my hands.
If I have anything to say, I would ask His Majesty to govern the country well, not to forget the difficulties of Emperor Xiaoxuan's revival, and to let my descendants not forget the loyalty of their ancestors. That is enough."
Huo Guang's several consecutive deaths were enough to make Luo Qing quite emotional. The Han Dynasty had been filled with a heroic spirit since its establishment, and the Luo family had deeply constrained the moral concepts of the emperor and the people of the world.
A social atmosphere that a real man should make achievements and work hard was formed among the literati and nobles of the Han Dynasty, which eventually led to the Jingnan Campaign and the emergence of ministers like Huo Guang who aspired to be King Luo Wen.
Every sip and every bite seems to be predestined by fate, but was the appearance of Huo Guang a coincidence?
Because people’s hearts are still warm!
It’s because the emperors of the Han Dynasty are still trusted!
Huo Guang died in Luoyang, and the Yulin Guards who accompanied him were all crying bitterly.
When Huo Guang dragged his sick body to Guandong, not only Liu She, but many people had a premonition that Huo Guang would probably never be able to return to Chang'an alive.
But when the news that "Grand Marshal General died of illness in Heluo" reached Chang'an, people still felt shocked.
That was Huo Guang, who had been in charge of the country's affairs for twelve years!
He died in silence and obscurity.
Liu She listened to the news in a daze, and suddenly felt a huge pressure on his shoulders.
So this is what it feels like to carry an empire?
Huo Guang's body was placed in a fine coffin in Luoyang and then transported to Chang'an. The Yulin Guards were all dressed in white.
The coffin carrying Huo Guang's body entered Guanzhong, with common people seeing it off along the way.
Then, ten miles outside Chang'an, he met the emperor and the high-ranking officials of the court who came to greet him.
This was not a triumphal procession, and the emperor should not have come to welcome him outside the city, but he came anyway.
Luo Qing stepped forward, bowed, and said in a serious voice: "Your Majesty, Guandong is generally stable, and the refugees have returned to their homes. There is no disaster that will overthrow the country."
"It is all thanks to you, my dear ministers, that I can sit in Chang'an and enjoy peace and prosperity in the world."
"Your Majesty, the general died of illness. Before he died, he asked me to tell you not to forget the difficulties that Emperor Xiaoxuan went through in restoring the country."
The emperor walked to the coffin, was silent for a few moments, and finally said softly: "I understand. Take the general back to Chang'an and bury him in peace as soon as possible. Don't let the trivialities of the world disturb the general's heroic spirit."
Huo Guang's coffin was carried all the way into Chang'an. Countless people were watching on both sides of the street, with white flags waving and banners fluttering everywhere.
The body was handed over to the Marquis of Bowang's Mansion for burial, and the emperor directly gave Huo Guang five sets of nine gifts as his burial objects. No one had any objections. Huo Guang was an excellent minister who assisted the country and took charge of government affairs. According to the custom of the Han Dynasty, he was buried with the nine gifts.
King Luo Wen had all the nine gifts, and except for the throne, he was no different from the emperor!
The court began to follow the process after the death of important ministers and princes, and countless two-character posthumous titles were submitted by the ministers, each with its own interpretation.
If a person's achievements are great and he has no obvious character flaws, there are many posthumous titles that would suit his character. Huo Guang had a somewhat stubborn character, so posthumous titles like Yi and Ren were obviously not suitable for him, but posthumous titles like Gangyi and the like are in line with his achievements.
There was a lot of noise at the court meeting, with the ministers arguing with each other over the posthumous title of Huo Guang. This was a document to be presented to the Emperor Su Wang, so it had to be perfect.
Liu She watched all this and listened carefully to the opinions. After a long time, he hammered hard on the bronze bell beside him, and the ministers stopped.
Liu She's voice was higher than ever before. After twenty-one years, he finally made a thunderous voice that an emperor should have.
"Those who have made contributions to the people are called Lie, those who have made great contributions are called Lie, and those who have helped the people are called Lie. I will posthumously honor the general as Wu Lie Hou. This is the will of me and the Queen Mother, and it will not be changed!"
The ministers responded, Liu She stood up and paced, then stopped and said in a loud voice: "I have been thinking, if loyal ministers are not praised for their meritorious service, who would be willing to perform their duties?
The towering mountains remain unchanged throughout the ages, the surging rivers never stop flowing, the sun, the moon and the stars are eternal in the starry sky, but human life is so short.
Carve a person's name on a stone tablet. The stone tablet will probably be something that lasts longer than the person.
Let's record the person's name in the history books; the glorious history will be passed down forever.
Marquis Wu Lie is enshrined in the temple of Emperor Xiaoxuan, and the emperor offers sacrifices to him every year. I then think of those ministers who have made great contributions but have not been enshrined in the Taimiao.
I will erect a tower and name it after the auspicious beast Qilin, in which I will hang the portraits of the late emperor and the loyal and upright ministers of my time, and call it the Qilin Pavilion of the Twelve Heroes of the Restoration!
The annual sacrifices are recorded in history books and passed on to future generations.
Qilin Pavilion, headed by Grand Marshal, General, Bowang Wulie Marquis Huo Guang! "
Liu She recalled that before Huo Guang left, he had told him that he would build the Qilin Pavilion with him when he came back. He didn't expect that now they were separated by the Yin and Yang, and Huo Guang would not be able to see the moment when he entered the Qilin Pavilion.
The emperor's powerful words echoed in the hall. All the ministers were stunned by the sudden news. The title of "Twelve Heroes of Kirin's Restoration" was truly amazing.
There were countless talented people throughout the thousand years of the Zhou Dynasty, but how many of them became famous in later generations?
The emperor built the Qilin Pavilion so that the achievements between the monarch and his subjects would be passed down to future generations forever. Huo Guang in particular would surely go down in history. If he could be listed together with Huo Guang as one of the Twelve Heroes of the Restoration, his name would also be remembered for thousands of years.
Especially Prime Minister Liu Xiang, who has experienced a lot in his life. He started from the Legalists and established his own school, and finally dealt the final blow to the Legalists in the Three Jins. He integrated Confucianism and Taoism, created his own criminal law, and finally worked his way to his current position step by step. He can be said to be the pinnacle of an official, and the only thing he can pursue is a good reputation after his death.
The emperor's list of names for the Qilin Pavilion was soon spread out from the Forbidden City. This was now the most concerning issue for all the families in Chang'an. Except for some undisputed people, all the families hoped to win a posthumous reputation for their elders or teachers.
Liu She began to think about this list when Huo Guang went to Guandong, and discussed it with the Empress Dowager for a long time. He was basically able to ensure that the list would convince the public, which was the most important thing. Liu She would never let anyone question the fairness and authority of this list.
The first in Qilin Pavilion, the Grand Marshal, the General, and the Marquis of Bowang, Huo!
"I served Emperor Xiaoxuan for twenty years. When the crown prince rebelled, Huo fought bravely and suppressed the rebellion, restoring our country. I assisted him for twelve years, and returned to power after my success. I also garrisoned Guandong, but was never able to return. Until today, I have not displayed my name on the Qilin Pavilion to show my honor and respect."
The second in Qilin Pavilion, the unrivaled Protector General of the Western Regions, Luo Shi!
"Born into a famous family, you inherited your father's ambition and pacified the Western Regions, making outstanding contributions. You obeyed the will of Heaven and pacified the Han Dynasty. You also led elite cavalry and killed the Di people. The martial arts of the previous emperor are outstanding and can be seen on the unparalleled sword. Your martial arts are fierce, and I admire them very much. Unfortunately, you are envied by Heaven and cannot see them, so you are ranked second."
Third in Qilin Pavilion, Prime Minister Liu Xiang, Marquis of Wancheng!
“…”
Fifth in Qilin Pavilion, Grand Minister of Agriculture and Imperial Academy Priest Luo Qing!
"Qing is from a famous family, with a distinguished reputation. I have taken on a great responsibility and have made great contributions. I am ranked fifth, fifth in the world."
…
The twelfth in Qilin Pavilion, the Chief Clan Leader Liu Chang!
The so-called Qilin Pavilion is based on achievements.
Liu She first commended the ministers who had made contributions to the previous emperor and his dynasty, and Luo Shi was a very special one among them.
He was not a minister during the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han, Liu Xun, but he led his army north to destroy the Huns and was the person with the highest military merit during the Yuanfeng period.
Emperor Xuan of Han's great cause and his achievements in both civil and military affairs cannot be ignored. Moreover, he is the uncle of Huo Guang and Luo Qing, so he must be included in the Qilin Pavilion.
As soon as the list of twelve people was released, scholars all over the world rushed to spread its praises, and all Liu She had thought and imagined had come true.
The Han Dynasty was in decline, Emperor Xiaoxuan revived the country and made great contributions to the ancestors. When a sage king appears in the world, he must have wise ministers.
Where are the ministers of the Restoration?
It’s in the Qilin Pavilion!
————
Emperor Xuan of Han, Liu Xun, and Emperor Cheng of Han, Liu She, together established a stable situation that lasted for decades. Looking around the world, this is actually rare.
The excellence of Emperor Xuan of Han has been mentioned many times in the previous chapters. Emperor Cheng of Han did not have the ability of his father, especially after the death of Huo Guang, his shortcomings were exposed, but he was still a qualified ruler who maintained the status quo.
My consistent view is that for a king who lacks ability, the contribution he can make by not reforming is far greater than by carrying out random reforms.
The Han Dynasty still maintained its prosperity, although many problems had already arisen within it!
This dynasty, which had once again prospered, began to decline, but fortunately no one stepped on the accelerator, and it slowly fell in the hands of Emperor Cheng of Han in a way that perfectly conformed to the law of cycles. - "The Rise and Fall of the Han Dynasty"
it's over
(End of this chapter)
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