Chapter 388: Finalization of the Country's Name
The people miss me, the elders trust me, and the subordinates obey me. I dare not refuse!
This was the answer given by Qiao Yan.
Liu Yu heard it clearly. In these sixteen words of response, there was no fear of taking on such a heavy burden. Instead, there was a calmness in accepting the responsibilities one by one.
Everyone present could see clearly whether he dared not to accept it or just went with the flow.
But the fact that the transformation of imperial power ended in this way may be the best outcome for the Han Dynasty.
The people miss me——
If the people of Chang'an who were led and mobilized had not expressed their opinions today, Liu Yu might not have handed over the throne so quickly, and these former Han court officials would not have seen so clearly that the Han Dynasty they were still stubbornly guarding had already lost its popular status in the hearts of the people after years of struggle.
The Yanhan Dynasty has been passed down for 400 years, but those old problems have long replaced the sense of belonging brought by its former prosperity.
The interests being schemed by those in power have even turned these people, who are still struggling to survive, into symbols that can be manipulated at will.
Why can't they make a choice of their own after getting rid of their numb situation?
Qiao Yan was the result of their choice. She also clearly understood the principle that "water can carry a boat but can also capsize it", so she put the number one contributor who pushed her to the top of the list first.
The elders believe me——
This sentence from the elder was a response to Liu Yu.
The moment she addressed Liu Yu as "elder" instead of "Your Majesty", the relationship between the two had already changed in this transfer of power.
But perhaps this is exactly the meaning of the Han Dynasty being handed over to Qiao Yan in this way.
The title of "elder" meant that she would never make any inappropriate arrangements for Liu Yu's future. Even if she could no longer allow this former emperor to retain a high position in the officialdom of the new court, she would most likely give him a marquisate and let him live as an idler in the mountains, which would be considered a good ending for Liu Yu.
The word "信" also expresses approval for the handover of the Han Dynasty's heritage, and it can be regarded as the last bit of dignity left for the Han Dynasty.
Subordinates from me——
The peace of the states today is inseparable from the contributions of those who are loyal to her.
Most of them were not in Chang'an, but when she said this, Liu Yu, who was closest to her, had no doubt that when the news of Qiao Yan's succession to the throne was passed on to various states, she would be able to ensure that she was fully aware of the movements and choices of her subordinates, and thus ensure that there would be no unrest in the states under her command.
This hasty handover would never be an opportunity for the Yecheng court to take advantage of, but rather a great opportunity for those young generals and civil officials under her command to stand out from the turbulent current!
There were only sixteen words, but each one seemed so clear amid the surrounding voices, as if the future of this new dynasty also became clear.
The noise in the surroundings that had been settled down due to the handover between Qiao Yan and Liu Yu suddenly picked up again, but this time, the noise made by these people was no longer the petition full of uncertainty, nor was it the doubtful voice about Liu Xie's proposal to entrust the jade seal to the Grand Marshal, nor was it the voice of almost desperate gamble, but an excited celebration.
They might also know that the change in the position of the Son of Heaven could have such a development not only because they responded to Liu Xie's problem, but also because of many advantages that had already been established in all directions.
But when the new emperor was carried up by them and said the four words "the people miss me" at the very beginning, these voices, some high and some low, which seemed somewhat weak and existed independently under the sky, gathered into a force that could not be ignored!
Lu Zhi looked at the scene in front of him, and the sigh in his heart turned into being moved by seeing this scene.
Who wouldn’t feel moved by such a scene?
It's a pity that his students didn't get to see this scene.
But it seemed that, for him, stopping time at the moment when the Emperor of the Han Dynasty walked towards the Purple Palace with the Jade Seal in his hand was the best ending.
And his other student, at this moment, has already tightly grasped the imperial seal in his own hand, and has also completely grasped most of the power in the world in his hands.
When Qiao Xuan passed away in Luoyang City back then, did he ever think that the scene today would happen?
Would he have thought that his granddaughter would not only become the pillar of the Han Dynasty who took over from him to guard the border, but also the master of the world?
But perhaps, even though he was a pillar of the Han Dynasty, he would feel gratified when he saw the current situation.
At least the people of the world had hope of survival the moment they welcomed their Grand Marshal to the throne of the emperor.
I just hope that when she rules the world, she can still show this kind of loyalty.
Lu Zhi's eyes met Qiao Yan's for a moment. In the already dim sky, the street lights on Chang'an Road had been lit up one after another, clearly reflecting the look in her eyes.
There was a kind of calmness and composure in him that was not disturbed by external things. Although he was somewhat happy about the calls from the people of Chang'an for him to ascend the throne, he obviously did not lose his composure and indulge himself because of the current scene.
She knew exactly what she wanted and what the rules were that held her back.
With such self-discipline, even if she holds the sword to expand territory and spur the world, she will never let herself become a slave to power!
What he should do now is to witness her soaring into the sky with his own eyes, rather than making any random guesses about the future.
He immediately saw Qiao Yan holding the imperial seal in his hand and bowing to the jubilant crowd in front of him.
This ceremony is not to thank the Emperor of Han, but to thank all living beings in the world.
"I just arrived in Chang'an one day late!" After Cai Yong arrived in Chang'an, he almost wanted to slap himself in the face when he heard Lu Zhi explain to him what happened yesterday.
It's really not his fault that he was so excited.
What is one of his occupations? To compile history books!
He didn't need to explain the difference between first-hand information and second-hand information that he witnessed with his own eyes.
He actually missed such an important scene. He missed the scene where the two Han emperors passed the imperial seal and the throne respectively, and the people of Chang'an responded one after another. How could he have the chance to see it again!
Even if the Grand Historian had a complete record of this incident, Ren Hong would never allow any minor details to be missing in the record due to his respect for Qiao Yan. Cai Yong still felt that if he had known that the situation would happen today, he should have learned how to ride a horse during his years in Leping.
If he could have come on horseback as fast as Lu Zhi, he would not have missed this scene.
Lu Zhi thought for a moment and consoled him, "At least you didn't miss the coronation ceremony in half a month..."
This should be considered a blessing.
Cai Yong frowned unconsciously: "Half a month? Isn't it too fast?"
It is no wonder that Lu Zhi said that at least he did not miss the coronation ceremony. If it was at this time, at best the news of Qiao Yan's coronation could be spread to the borders of various states, but it was almost impossible to get these generals stationed in all directions to return to the court to attend the ceremony.
This will inevitably result in a significant decrease in the number of participants in the coronation ceremony.
"There are two reasons," Lu Zhi replied. "The first is that Yuan Benchu thought that Chang'an was too busy with internal strife to care about them, so he sent troops to attack Mengjin, Xiaopingjin and Hulao Pass. Even the troops at the Taihang Mountain Pass were ready to move, intending to find an opportunity to break through. Ye Shu meant that before fighting against foreign enemies, we must first stabilize the country. First, we should thoroughly finalize the title of the Son of Heaven and spread the news of the establishment of the new dynasty, so as to catch Yuan Benchu off guard."
"That's true," Cai Yong nodded. "For the soldiers on the front line, if this kind of battle is the first battle of the new dynasty, the military exploits they can achieve will surely bring them greater rewards, and they should fight even harder to kill the enemy in the hope of receiving rewards. What about the other option?"
Lu Zhi sighed, "Ye Shu said, even though the handover in Chang'an was particularly successful, not everyone in the world has this awareness, just like the four surnames of Hanyang who were killed by her in the process of pacifying Liangzhou and the four surnames of Wujun who were sent to Yizhou by her. Even if they are not strong enough, they will still jump out to express opposition."
"She doesn't mind the existence of such a person. It will help her sort out the forces in these four regions. However, it is a bit unlucky to cause such a bloody incident before ascending the throne. It is better to wait until after ascending the throne."
Half a month is just enough time for these people to receive the news and confirm their attitude. As for whether they will live or die afterwards, it depends on their own awareness.
But don't think that she can be considered a good-tempered and kind person just because she planned to confer the title of Duke of Anyi and Duke of Shanyang on Liu Yu and Liu Xie respectively so that they could have a good ending.
If the foundation of this dynasty requires blood to establish its authority, she doesn't mind adding a few more lines of achievements to her already brilliant record!
"In fact, what we need to prepare are various ritual objects, clothing, and other items. However, the spring plowing has not yet begun. There may still be a shortage of supplies in Chang'an, but there is definitely no shortage of manpower. There is still time."
Lu Zhi added: "Besides, Ye Shu also said that the world has not yet been unified. It will not be too late to hold a ceremony again after the Yecheng court is under our control."
Cai Yong smiled when he heard this, "In a few days, you won't be able to call me Ye Shu anymore."
He should be called Your Majesty.
This fire of sacrifice eventually replaced the flames of the Han Dynasty.
Cai Yong thought back to the time when he was in Leping, and his thoughts instantly jumped to the scene when Qiao Yan returned to Leping from Jinyang after the locust plague.
Perhaps this desire to plead for a name had already shown signs of being rewarded that year.
"Speaking of which," Cai Yong suddenly asked as if he had thought of something, "has the name of the country been decided?"
According to the rules, just as the Emperor of the Han Dynasty was the Son of Heaven with the identity of "King of Han", he inherited the word "Han". Qiao Yan should also use his fiefdom as the name of the country. However, the place Leping cannot be compared with Hanzhong after all, and neither Le nor Ping seems to be suitable as the name.
"If Leping County is the ancient Jin territory, should Jin be the country's name?"
Lu Zhi replied, "I don't know what Ye Shu thinks. She said that the word Jin is fine if it is used alone, but it is a little unlucky as the name of the country. I originally asked her if she was talking about the three families dividing Jin, but she said it was not because of this reason. Unfortunately, when I wanted to ask again, she didn't give any more reasons."
Qiao Yan couldn't say that she was considering the situation in later history.
Although the three-way confrontation at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty eventually ended with the unification of the world by the Jin Dynasty, this short-lived dynasty was almost forgotten as one of the great unified dynasties. It declined due to the subsequent Rebellion of the Eight Kings, which led to the subsequent invasion of the south by the barbarians and the Five Barbarians' Invasion of China.
After the migration of the elite to the south, the Eastern Jin Dynasty was unable to recover its former territory, and it was not until the Sui Dynasty that it was reunited.
It would be fine if this name was used at other times, but using this name in the dynasty that followed the Eastern Han Dynasty is really a bit subtle.
"If we take your hometown of Suiyang as an example, this place once belonged to the ancient Song State, and was later annexed by the Qi State, and finally became part of Qin. If we look at it this way, either Song or Qi can actually make sense."
When Qiao Yan was considering the name of the dynasty, he called out to Cai Zhaoji. When she was holding her chin with her hand and looking at the white paper in front of her, she heard Zhaoji say.
"Forget about Song, it's a bit unlucky."
Cai Zhaoji looked at Qiao Yan for a long while but didn't hear her give another answer. She realized that this was most likely another choice made by Qiao Yan based on her own preferences. It might be the same reason as why the word "Jin" could not be used.
But as someone who is about to become the emperor, it is not a problem for her to have such a secret.
She then heard Qiao Yan say, "In fact, there is a reason why Song and Qi are not within my consideration. Since the Qiao family has changed from the original Liangguo Qiao family to the Leping Qiao family here, why should I go back to visit these former residences?"
The Qiao family of Liang State had already drawn a line between themselves and her. When she became the Grand Marshal, these people had no chance of getting any relationship with her, and the same is true now!
After she ascended the throne, the only branch that could truly be called the royal family was the one she separated out.
Since she had conveyed this attitude of drawing a clear line several years ago, there was really no need to give them any expectations in terms of the country's name!
However, when it comes to the Qiao family of Liang State, Qiao Yan couldn't help but want to laugh.
Earlier, they conspired with Shouzhang Wang and sent the accusation against Cao Cao to Yecheng.
Not to mention that this little trick had been clearly seen by Yuan Shao's advisers at the time, the alliance between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao had become increasingly close due to Qiao Yan's intimidation, and the Qiao family of Liang State was in an awkward situation where they were neither here nor there.
They had offended Qiao Yan so much that they were thrown out of Tongguan. The people who were enemies of Qiao Yan did not regard them as his trusted subjects. Some even thought that this group of people were very poor in vision and ability, and it was not an exaggeration to say that they were surviving in the cracks.
At this time, if they heard the news that Qiao Yan ascended the throne in Chang'an, what would they think?
It's probably as exciting as Yuan Shao's reaction...
But Qiao Yan changed her mind and realized that she couldn't see the performance of either side with her own eyes. Instead of speculating here, she might as well continue to think about what name she should use for the country.
If we look at the naming of country names in China over the past five thousand years, in addition to naming after place names, there is also another way of naming after their meanings.
For example, the word "Yuan" in the Yuan Dynasty, one theory is that it has the same meaning as the opening sentence "Great is the Qian Yuan" in the Book of Changes.
Could she follow suit and come up with an answer?
It would be even better if this answer could continue the rules of the previous dynasty and avoid subtle words like Jin and Song.
Cai Zhaoji saw Qiao Yan pondering for a moment, and suddenly her eyes lit up.
Her previous hesitations did not affect her confidence when she picked up the pen to write.
The movement of the brush strokes was clearly similar to the way she wrote the inscription on Chang'an Xinlu that day.
But at that time it was named after the new road, and today, it is named after the dynasty that was born in her hands.
The moment the brush touched the paper, Cai Zhaoji saw clearly the words written by Qiao Yan on the paper.
That is the character "Yong".
Qiao Yan said, "In the past, Lord Lu taught me to read the Book of Documents. There is a sentence in the Book of Yao that I still remember clearly. It says that the people are bright and clear, and the nations are in harmony. The people are peaceful in times of change. Now that I have replaced the Han Dynasty, I must make this my goal, so that I can live up to this change of dynasty."
The people are enlightened and all nations are in harmony!
The moment Qiao Yan uttered these eight words, even though there were no people in Chang'an city cheering and responding in front of them, nor did they say it in a passionate slogan, Cai Zhaoji heard an indescribable excitement in it.
Qiao Yan continued, "Among the nine ancient states, the name Yongzhou no longer exists, but the ancient Yongzhou is located in Guanzhong. I was nominated by the people of Guanzhong, and the Han emperor abdicated and presented the seal in Chang'an. It is in accordance with the rules to use this as a title."
"If I have to explain, there are one or two reasons." Qiao Yan looked at the word "Yong" in front of him and continued, "When I broke off my relationship with the Qiao family of Liang State, I once told Liu Bo'an one thing. The word Qiao in the Qiao family of Liang State came from the fact that the Yellow Emperor was buried in Qiao Mountain. His descendants kept vigil for him and changed their surname to Qiao, which has been passed down to this day. Qiao Mountain is located on the Ziwu Ridge, which is the boundary between the ancient Yongzhou and the ancient Bingzhou. Taking Yong as the name can be regarded as not forgetting one's roots."
"In the past, there was a prophecy that said that the Zhou Dynasty, the descendants of the Yellow Emperor, would have a phoenix that would sing in Qi and soar in Yong. The so-called phoenix soaring in Yong is consistent with today's scene."
Back then in the Dingzhong Temple in Luoyang, General Xu Zi gave her the evaluation that "a young phoenix has a clear voice". But now, she has held great power and is about to ascend the throne. She is no longer the naive young phoenix, but a soaring phoenix flying in the sky!
Fengxiang in Yong is exactly what he wanted!
With these four reasons in front of us, this well-balanced character "Yong" on this plain white paper already vaguely bears the signs of political stability and social harmony, and has a sense of soaring into the sky.
Cai Zhaoji replied: "The country of Yongtianxia moved to the border of Zhou Dynasty, which is indeed a good word."
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Qiao Yan pick up the pen and write two more words under the word "Yong".
As she wrote, she said, "Since it comes from the saying that the people are enlightened and the nations are in harmony, then this era name should also have a beginning and an end."
"It is determined to be - Yuan Zhao."
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