Chapter 940 Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (End of Volume)
Reach the pinnacle.
Invincible.
A prosperous and glorious era.
What other words can describe the Tang Dynasty at this moment?
From the shores of the East China Sea to the westernmost reaches of the Pamir Mountains, there is no need to carry weapons.
Even ordinary people have enough food in their rice jars to survive the winter.
It is a border where there is no fighting and the surrounding areas are peaceful.
The emperor sits high in the imperial palace, but he always pays attention to every meal of the people.
When those prosperous times described in history books and those holy kings portrayed in history books suddenly appeared before everyone's eyes.
I see.
Living in the Zhenguan era, what else is there worth yearning for?
As a minister under the Emperor Zhenguan, what else is there to pursue?
How else can the foreigners within the four borders express their gratitude except for heartfelt gratitude and respect?
…
Tai Chi Hall.
Li Shimin's bedroom has changed from the past to be quite simple. When you walk into the room, you can smell a strong smell of medicine. Li's genetic disease tormented him so much that he could not take care of his affairs. He had to let Crown Prince Li Zhi govern the country.
Li Zhi carefully tasted the temperature of the bowl of Chinese medicine soup. When it was just right, he walked to the bedside. Concubine Xu Hui helped Li Shimin up and said, "Father, the medicine is here."
Li Shimin looked at his haggard son and said distressedly, "Zhi Nu, thank you for your hard work."
While feeding Li Shimin the medicine, Li Zhi whispered, "It is the son's duty to take care of his father. After his mother passed away, his father brought him and Jinyang to his side to raise them.
At that time, my father had to handle government affairs, govern the Tang Dynasty, and take care of us to sleep. It was very hard. Now my son is doing these things, but it is not as good as you."
Li Shimin was very touched. He stroked Li Zhi's head gently, his palm already very thin. "What a good child. He will surely become a benevolent and filial emperor in the future."
The biggest reason why Li Zhi was able to become the crown prince was that Li Tai was a ruthless person. Li Shimin was worried that after Li Tai came to power, he would liquidate Li Chengqian and Li Zhi and others, but the benevolent and filial Li Zhi would not do so.
Now it seems that my choice was indeed the right one.
In the next generation of the Tang Dynasty, there must never be another case of brothers killing each other.
After Li Shimin finished drinking the medicine and gradually fell asleep, Li Zhi said to Concubine Xu Hui in a gentle voice: "Concubine Xu, I have to go to attend government affairs. Please take care of my father to rest. If there is any need, I will be in the side hall where I used to be. Concubine Xu can send a palace maid to call me."
Concubine Xu Hui gently stroked Li Shimin and nodded slightly to indicate that she understood.
Li Zhi tiptoed out of the bedroom. When he walked out of the hall, he couldn't help but sniff the air twice. Compared with the bedroom filled with the smell of medicine, this air was very clear.
There is a common saying among the people that there will be no filial son by the bedside of a long-term patient.
But in the royal family, this is clearly not true.
The prince, who was always famous for his benevolence and filial piety, naturally took care of her by the bed without taking off his clothes.
This care lasted for two years.
Especially in the past year, Li Shimin's health has been getting worse and worse, and he has been bedridden almost all day long. When Li Zhi was not attending court, he always stayed by his father's bedside. Li Shimin was very moved. He even arranged a separate courtyard for Crown Prince Li Zhi in his own bedroom complex to prevent Li Zhi from being so tired.
Whether out of his own conscience or due to reality, Li Zhi would not allow his reputation for benevolence and filial piety to suffer the slightest damage.
For two whole years, he was only in the court and the bedroom.
He had never even been on an outing. Even when Luo Junzhuo and Princess Jinyang invited him and Li Shimin asked him to go and relax, he remained unmoved.
In the past two years, he hasn't even changed into a new piece of clothing. He has always worn plain clothes, and all those fancy clothes have been hidden away by him.
Anyone who has ever taken care of a patient knows how boring and tedious it is. Even a filial son like Li Zhi would feel tired from the tense nerves after a long time.
He yearned for the bright past, when he and Luo Junzhuo had been in the garden, reciting poems and composing essays with scholars, enjoying the lanterns during the Lantern Festival, and having fun boating. But now, he had weighed everything down in his heart.
Then, a person, a face, and the fire in the eyes that even a rainstorm could not drown flashed through his mind. In this gloomy palace, in this palace where countless people were becoming numb and declining, he would never forget that day.
And the gentleness, the fiery passion, and the infusion of courage.
…
Everyone is waiting for the final day to come.
Li Shimin, who was tortured in pain, hoped to get some medical treatment, and the best doctor in the world was Luo.
In Lingtian Pavilion.
Li Shimin's face was pale. The hereditary rheumatism of the Li family made his life worse than death. In his opinion, the only one who could save him from suffering was the imperial teacher Luo Su.
When Li Shimin walked into Lingtian Pavilion, Luo Su looked him over carefully.
Li Shimin felt uneasy, as if he was a man about to be judged. Then he saw Luo Su shaking his head slightly, and his heart kept sinking, like a person drowning in water.
“People are like this. They have to go through birth, aging, and illness in their entirety, and finally, death. In fact, death is nothing to be afraid of.
There are three times a person dies. The first death is the death of the body, which is often the most frightening, but in my opinion, it is actually nothing.
The most terrifying thing is that your name is obliterated and your existence no longer exists.
There was a commoner in Chang'an City named Wang Wu. A hundred years later, will Wang Wu still exist?
Thousands of years later, when future generations look back on this era, will they have a question: did a person named Wang Wu ever exist in the world?
No.
There won’t be this problem because Wang Wu doesn’t exist in everyone’s eyes.
Son of Heaven, look at the stars in the sky. They have been there for millions of years without birth or death. Your name is just like those ancient stars. Millions of years later, people are still calling you.
Be calm and welcome everyone's destined ending, let more light shine on your name, and thousands of years later, in the long river of history, you will be the brightest star. "
Li Shimin did not ask why Luo Su was able to be reborn.
Deep down in his heart, his image of Luo Su was vague, and everyone's image of Luo Su was vague.
There seems to be no disgust, no liking, and no many other emotions that many people should have towards another person.
Luo Su exists in this world, yet not here, just like the clouds in the sky, unfathomable.
…
Some people knew that His Majesty had been to Lingtian Pavilion once, and the palace was quiet for a while, and then there was news that the emperor's illness was getting worse.
The palace has never been a place where secrets can be kept, but Li Shimin himself did not have much intention of keeping his body secret.
The positions in the palace were also being adjusted, and it was under such circumstances that the palace maid Shi Luo Junwei was summoned into the palace.
Luo Junwei hadn't seen her uncle, the emperor, for a long time. The figure that appeared before her was somewhat different from what she remembered.
"His Majesty."
Luo Junwei bowed and saluted. Li Shimin sat up from the sickbed with the help of Concubine Xu Hui. He looked at the graceful Luo Junwei, with a trace of memories and joy in his eyes. "Weiwei, come forward and let your uncle take a good look at you."
Luo Junwei came forward upon hearing the voice. Li Shimin touched her head and seemed to have exhausted all his strength. He fell into Concubine Xu Hui's arms. With his pale and chapped lips, he slowly said, "Weiwei, you are a smart child. Do you know why I asked you to come here?"
Luo Junwei hesitated for a moment, "Your Majesty, are you planning to let Weiwei record the historical facts in this palace?"
Li Shimin coughed twice and then smiled at Concubine Xu Hui and said, "Concubine Xu, you see, this is my niece, she is as smart as my sister."
Then he said to Luo Junwei, "Weiwei, I am dying. I will soon pass away and go to see your grandfather and your parents. I will summon some ministers here and leave a will and some instructions. You will be asked to record them."
Luo Junwei's frail body paused, and her voice was slightly sobbing, "Long live uncle."
Li Shimin chuckled twice, then pointed to the right side of the bed and said, "I have had a few layers of quilts spread there. It should be very comfortable to sit on. You can record there for the next few days. You can see the whole bedroom."
Li Shimin's arrangements were very appropriate. Luo Junwei sat behind the desk, holding a pen and paper, took a deep breath, and waited to record the last words of a king.
…
Outside the palace, many people were waiting to be summoned by the emperor. At this critical moment, only those who were summoned by the emperor could occupy an important position in the subsequent situation, or even become regents.
Those ministers who were not summoned, or who did not have the opportunity to speak to the emperor, would be gradually excluded in the new dynasty.
This is politics!
Imperial decrees were issued from the palace and spread to the three provinces. Everyone outside knew that the emperor's health was really failing and he might die at any time.
Some of these imperial edicts, including orders of exile, were frightening, including that of Duke of Ying, Li Ji. When Li Ji received the order of exile, he was so frightened that he immediately left Chang'an without even looking back, as if some wild beast was going to tear him apart.
There were also many imperial edicts issued to kings and dukes. The content of the edicts was very simple, which meant that kings and dukes who were granted fiefs outside were not allowed to return to Chang'an for funerals. They could only burn some paper and cry three times in their own fiefdoms.
This imperial edict is enough to make people feel terrified. The kings are not allowed to return to Chang'an. Your Majesty must be worried about some conflict. Let's not mention the King of Qin, as he is too far away from Chang'an and it is difficult for him to come back. But the King of Yan is in Mobei, and he raided from Karakorum to Chang'an at an extremely fast speed. This imperial edict is mainly to guard against him.
As for the King of Qi, he simply cannot go back. If he goes by land, he has to cross mountains and rivers, and the Duke of Liao is blocking his way. As for going by sea, that is even more unrealistic. The Duke of Liao controls the navy. Under the current situation, the King of Qi can only move forward and cannot retreat a single step.
As for how strong the Principality of Liao is, you only need to know that Winter City has almost moved into Liaozhou City to guess. Although it may not be a match for the Kingdom of Qi in a field battle, it can defeat the Kingdom of Qi by defending the city.
The arrangements for the outer vassal states are only superficial after all. For such a large empire that focuses more on internal affairs than external affairs, the power of the Chang'an center is the most important.
At the last moments of his life, there was only one thing Li Shimin had to do, and that was to build a future ruling team and a team of generals who could lead troops for Li Zhi, so that his Zhenguan policy could continue while balancing the forces of all parties as much as possible.
Perhaps what is more surprising is that the first person he summoned was not his childhood friend Changsun Wuji, but the Duke of Yong, Luo Xuanling.
In the political situation of the Tang Dynasty, Luo Xuanling would sometimes not be very conspicuous because of his two elder brothers, Prince of Zhou Luo Xuanye and Prime Minister and Heavenly Official Luo Xuanchen.
But Luo Xuanye died early, and Luo Xuanchen also died in the 22nd year of Zhenguan. Only Luo Xuanling, who had been a close minister of Li Shimin since he started his official career and had saved Li Shimin's life, survived.
He has been responsible for protecting Li Shimin since the Tang Dynasty conquered the world. During the Zhenguan period, for more than 20 years, he has been serving in the positions of General of the Left and Right Qianniu Guards and General of the Left and Right Yulin Guards. These four guards were all imperial guards, and he has been in the imperial guards for more than 20 years. This trust is unique in the Tang Dynasty today.
When Li Shimin could not find a suitable person to go to Gaochang for the expedition, he was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Gaochang Road. Not to mention his title, Duke of Yong. Among many dukes, Yong is also an extremely honorable word.
Luo Xuanling walked into the hall and took a quick look. Li Shimin was lying on the sickbed. There was no one else, including the crown prince, Concubine Xu Hui, and his niece Jun Wei. He took two steps forward and knelt down in front of Li Shimin. "Your Majesty, I am late."
Li Shimin opened his eyes and smiled, "My Qingyu is here. Qingyu, I am dying. I called you here because I have something to tell you."
Luo Xuanling suppressed his grief and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, please speak. I will obey your will, even if it means going through mountains of swords and seas of fire."
"After I passed away, the Crown Prince succeeded to the throne. I have given him some things over the years, but he has a weak personality, so I am still a little worried. You have a calm personality. Although you are not good at speaking, you are very calm. I have been confident in you for many years, so I want to leave you to the Crown Prince."
After that, he said to Li Zhi: “Prince, what I am saying now, you must remember in the future that among the many ministers I have left for you, the Duke of Yong is different.
Remember the British public?
I demoted him and asked him to leave Chang'an. He must have felt extremely worried all day long. Li Ji is now the number one commander of the Tang Dynasty. I hope you can make use of him in the future, so I demoted him and asked you to show him some kindness.
But Duke Yong does not need to do so. He will be loyal to me and will obey your orders. Duke Yong is a noble person who knows when to advance and when to retreat. He has never been arrogant, never taken credit for himself, or had other bad habits. He is one of the most important ministers I have left for you. If you treat Duke Yong well in the future, you will be treating me with filial piety. "
Luo Xuanling had already prostrated himself on the ground after hearing this. As a person, to be praised so highly by another person, he should express gratitude. As a subject, to be praised so highly by the king, he should serve the king until his death. He choked up and said, "Your Majesty, I will do my best to assist the prince, protect our Tang Dynasty, and continue Your Majesty's Zhenguan policy."
Li Shimin left behind a group of veteran ministers to assist the crown prince on the one hand, and also to keep Li Zhi under control. As a politician, one of the things he worried about most was the end of his regime after his death. Luo Xuanling knew this, so he directly said here that he wanted to "continue the policies of Zhenguan."
Li Zhi and Luo Xuanling didn't communicate much, but he could see the character of Luo Junzhuo. Although the personalities of Luo's children were different, some were loyal, some were more flexible, and some were indifferent, but overall they were above the standard. He said solemnly: "Father, I know that the character of Duke Yong is precious. I often hear from Junzhuo and cousin Anle that Duke Yong will always be an important official of our Tang Dynasty."
After Li Zhi finished speaking, a palace maid walked in and reported, "Your Majesty, all the ministers are already waiting outside the palace."
Those who entered the palace this time were all ministers and officials of the third rank and above who remained in Chang'an, as well as prestigious clan relatives and noble dukes. Not all of these people could meet Li Shimin alone.
Most of them can only listen to the will.
Although there were many people in the hall, there was almost no extra sound. In such an occasion, most people were speechless, and they were either anxious or uneasy in their hearts.
"My Lords, His Majesty is about to announce the will. Please enter the palace."
There was a rustling sound of clothes rubbing against each other. The sound of people walking in the hall after taking off their shoes was not very loud. A group of people walked into the hall with tablets in their hands. The hall had already laid out cushions and supports. They knelt in the hall and looked up at the emperor. His pale and bloodless face said it all. His slightly gray complexion let everyone know that the emperor was really dying.
After the ministers entered the hall, they found that not only the crown prince was there, but Duke Yong was also there. They immediately realized that Duke Yong must have spoken to the emperor just now. They were secretly shocked, wondering what the emperor had said and what arrangements he had made for Duke Yong. They also felt a little envious of the level of trust Duke Yong enjoyed.
Li Shimin endured the pain and raised his voice slightly and said: "The prime ministers of the three provinces are here, so let's draft the edict.
The Crown Prince is a man of great virtue, both civil and military, benevolent and filial. A hundred years after I die, you will take the throne. I decree this."
It was an extremely simple edict of succession. As for how many modifiers to add in front of it, that was the job of the prime ministers of the three provinces. Soon, Changsun Wuji wrote the edict, and then took three identical edicts to Li Shimin. After reading them, he stamped them with the seals of the Son of Heaven, the Emperor and the prime ministers of the three provinces respectively. This was a qualified edict.
No one wasted any time. Once the edict was drafted, one of them was taken directly out of the palace and announced to the three provinces. Then, after the emperor's death, it was immediately announced to the world.
This is the imperial edict. Once confirmed in front of so many important ministers, it cannot be changed to prevent the occurrence of forgery.
After the will was written, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and Li Shimin's voice gradually became lower, "My lords, it seems that I have to go first.
But don't be sad, I have found a new emperor for you, a benevolent and filial emperor.
You should assist the new emperor just as you assisted me. You should dare to give advice when the emperor makes mistakes, but you should not be like Wei Zheng who forbade him to do anything.
well.
After all, there are very few people like me, so you should also pay attention to your own safety.
My Tang Dynasty is very prosperous, and I am very proud of it, but I know that this is not only my credit, but also the credit of you gentlemen. Without you, as well as the deceased Qingyang, Wei Zheng, Xuanling, Li Jing, and many others, there would be no current Zhenguan prosperity.
Let such a prosperous era continue, and never follow the old path of the Sui Dynasty. If such a prosperous era ends, how many people will be sad.
I will also shed tears in heaven."
The ministers never expected that the emperor would say these words at the last moment of his life. Many of them couldn't help but shed tears.
Zhang Sun Wuji even prostrated himself on the ground, sobbing and choking, "Your Majesty, we will do our utmost to assist the Crown Prince and ensure that the prosperous era of Zhenguan will never decline."
Li Shimin smiled and said, "Wuji, I still trust your ability. You are Zhinu's uncle, and he will rely on you in the future.
I appoint you and Duke Yong as regents, and from now on, Zhinu will be handed over to you two."
If he really is the regent, Changsun Wuji has actually been prepared for this all along. After all, in the current court, there is no one more suitable than himself.
As for the Duke of Yong.
One civil and one military, this is the way of balance. Duke Yong is a military general and is not good at government affairs. It is very likely that he will be like the Prince of Zhou in the past, serving as a mascot in the government hall, and the power of the government hall will still be his in the future.
While Changsun Wuji was thanking the emperor for the grace, he was thinking about all these in his mind. As for whether not having the military power would have any impact, he didn't care at all. He wanted the power of the Council of State in order to govern and to be able to do things. He had never thought of rebelling, so what was the point of wanting military power?
"You all should wait outside the palace first. Wuji, Suiliang, Qingyu, you stay for a while."
The emperor seemed to have something to say privately, and the others walked out of the bedroom with envy and sighs and waited outside.
"The prince is still immature. When you assist him in the future, you must be patient. You are all old guys now and will always be ahead of the prince. Don't be shy and teach him the skills of governing a country. He will have to walk on his own in the future."
Li Shimin spoke with a hint of joking, as if his illness had completely disappeared.
But the others in the hall couldn't laugh.
After a while, the three of them walked to the outer room. Facing the gazes of the ministers, Changsun Wuji sighed and said, "Your Majesty wants to talk to the Crown Prince. Let's wait first, in case there is anything else."
All the ministers were in awe of Changsun Wuji, who was sure to have great power in the new dynasty.
"Zhi Nu, although I have appointed Duke Yong and Duke Zhao as your regents, Li Ji is actually someone I have prepared for you. After you succeed to the throne, I will transfer him back to Chang'an.
Duke Yong is here to protect your throne, so you should not let him leave Chang'an to avoid danger to you. Duke Zhao is here to govern the country, and as for Li Ji, if there is a foreign enemy that is difficult to deal with, you should let Duke Ying Li Ji take action.
Remember that?"
At this moment, Li Zhi deeply understood what it meant that parents who love their children have long-term plans.
Li Shimin handed almost everything to him hand in hand, and was worried that something might happen to him, so he filled up all the bags.
"Father, I will remember this. I will not let you down."
…
Luo Junwei had tears in her eyes that she couldn't control. She suppressed her grief and walked out of the bedroom and came to the outer room. The hall was filled with countless officials kneeling.
Her voice was clear and a little hoarse, "His Majesty has ordered that all the gentlemen please return."
Another three days passed, Li Shimin was already unconscious, and a third-rank official entered the palace again. It was still Luo Junwei. She walked out of the palace with Crown Prince Li Zhi, weeping loudly.
"Your Majesty has passed away and returned to heaven!"
It was like a loud thunderclap, yet there was no sound.
"Gentlemen, enter the palace and bid farewell to His Majesty."
All the ministers who were kneeling on the ground stood up silently and then filed into the hall.
The inner hall was not particularly flashy, and the curtains were all plain. The emperor who had received the revelation from the King of Su lay there peacefully. He had once been supreme, but now he had no life at all.
This is death.
After a brief silence, there was a burst of wailing that echoed throughout the hall.
As the funeral bells rang, the entire imperial city was mourning the death of Li Shimin. No one could believe that the benevolent king had left them just like that.
Who can not be sad?
Li Shimin was an anomaly among kings. He killed countless people on the battlefield and even killed his own brother, but deep down in his heart, he was a passionate and kind person.
He holds a sharp sword, with bright blood dripping on the blade. His feet are stepping on a sea of corpses and bones, but his hands are clean. His heart is radiating infinite light. His eyes are kind and he looks at the world where people live and work in peace and contentment with a smile.
Light is before him and darkness is behind him.
…
"The late emperor passed away, and the whole country mourns. We, the ministers, think of the merits and virtues of the late emperor, which are unprecedented in history, far surpassing those of other emperors and kings, and are not worthy of praise. The posthumous title is Wen!
The late emperor left a will that he wanted to serve his ancestors with filial piety, so he was given the temple name: Taizong.
The deity in the Taimiao was surveyed and named Emperor Taizong Wen of the Tang Dynasty!
The King of Su had already received the revelation from heaven.
Oracle: Emperor Taizong died and was buried in Zhaoling Mausoleum! "
————
Emperor Taizong was intelligent and wise when he was young and powerful when he grew up. When Emperor Yang of Sui was a tyrant, he brought chaos and wreak havoc throughout the world. Emperor Taizong raised the flag and banners, personally took on the sword, braved the sharp arrows, and endured the wind and rain. He was born with a broad mind, so he took charge of enemies and started from a distant place. He entrusted him with government affairs and held him accountable for his achievements. He always followed his advice and achieved all his plans. He worked day and night for five years and conquered the world, establishing the Tang Dynasty. He was known for preserving the establishment, but in reality he was creating something new.
Taizong's talent surpassed that of the ancients. Although he was a king with great power and was gifted by nature, he did not look down on others and was always wary of mistakes. He accepted advice like a sage and exercised self-control like a god. This was something that the ancient sage kings could not achieve. Therefore, the prosperity of the Zhenguan period was unprecedented since the Xia Dynasty.
It is so true that a ruler who can govern well rarely appears in this world!
When Yu ruled the world, he passed the throne to sixteen kings, and Shaokang restored the country; when Tang ruled the world, he passed the throne to twenty-eight kings, and the most prosperous among them were called the Three Clans; when King Wu ruled the world, he passed the throne to forty-seven kings, and the only one who was prosperous was Kang Zhao; the Han Dynasty was prosperous, with Emperors Wen, Wu, Xiao and Xuan; the rest were not worthy of mention.
The historical records are complete, but during the Three Dynasties period of more than 1,600 years, only these few emperors have made outstanding achievements in later generations. This is truly rare!
How magnificent is the work of Emperor Taizong!
In eliminating the chaos of Sui, he was comparable to Tang and Wu; in governing the country, he was better than Kang and Zhao; in enjoying the prosperity of the country, his achievements surpassed those of Wen and Xuan; in terms of territory, he far exceeded that of Qin and Wu.
Only our Great Tang Emperor Taizong Wen has the virtue to rule the world and the merit to bring peace to the world for eternity! - "Book of Tang·Biography of Emperor Taizong"
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