Chapter 39: Funeral at Lingtai
The last burst of clarity before death may have given the old man a clear enough mind.
He was not naive enough to think that the Qiao Yan in front of him was still the little granddaughter he knew.
He sacrificed one of his sons in maintaining law and order in Luoyang.
The other son also did not receive any help in officialdom, as if he did not have a father who was one of the Three Dukes. He just followed the routine of accumulating political achievements to get promoted.
But this does not mean that Qiao Xuan knows nothing about the situation of his son and granddaughter.
It was he who gave his granddaughter Qiao Yan the name "Yan".
During the few times that Qiao Yan lived in Luoyang, she was just a mute child.
At that time, Qiao Xuan had imagined what the child would become in the future, and was also worried about her frail and sickly condition.
Later, Qiao Yu was transferred to be the mayor of the city, and Qiao Yan never came here again, but Qiao Xuan and his son always maintained correspondence.
His son was not as decisive as he was, and he did not have those extraordinary means. It was already the best he could do for him to reach the position of Silver Seal and Green Ribbon. As for his granddaughter, although she was well-versed in poetry and literature, she was not an outstanding talent.
Of course, he didn't think there was anything to regret. After all, everyone has their own destiny, and being able to live a stable life in Yanzhou is also a way of survival.
It was precisely because of this understanding that when Qiao Xuan learned about what Qiao Yan had done and the title of marquis he had received, his first reaction after waking up was not that he felt this was indeed a great thing that would bring honor to the Qiao family, but an indescribable feeling of clarity that could probably be called "as expected."
This is a change that cannot be explained by the so-called "being given a mission in a time of crisis" or "heroes emerge from hardships".
A person's way of doing things is mostly influenced by his past education and the environment he lives in.
With this understanding, he naturally didn't believe that this Qiao Yan was the same Qiao Yan.
It is important to know that his little granddaughter had not shown any political sensitivity before, so how could she show such a sophisticated level in the mediation among all parties at this time?
Qiao Xuan was not afraid of thinking of things worse.
It is hard to say whether he has been prepared for the possibility of receiving extremely bad news as his condition worsened in the past few months.
The news of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, along with the once-panic atmosphere in Luoyang City, had also reached his ears. It is true that it is possible that Qiao Yu was delayed on the road.
But when he estimated the time when Qiao Yu set out from Rencheng State, it was hard not to think that he was probably not going back to stabilize the situation in Rencheng State, and it was difficult for him to arrive as soon as possible as he wrote in his earlier letter.
It was because he had some accidents on the road.
What kind of situation would force Qiao Yan to fight for a way out among the Yellow Turban rebels?
Perhaps there is only one explanation, that is, Qiao Yu is no longer in this world.
But in this special situation today when he stood up and suddenly felt strong in his hands and feet, Qiao Xuan knew that his time was up, so why should he do those things that wasted time.
At this time, he didn't have to mourn and cry for the death of his son.
There is no need to wonder whether his previous attempt to secure a future for his descendants by his performance in front of Liu Hong has become unnecessary.
There is no need to delve into who has replaced his granddaughter.
When he pushed open the door and was in the sunlight as if he hadn't seen it for a long time, he saw the child named Qiao Yan squatting beside his vegetable patch.
What you see is the green new sprouts in the fields, a scene of vitality in sight.
She suppressed the Yellow Turbans, fought Zhang Jiao, commanded the troops in Quzhou, and made strategic plans in Luoyang. If we ignore those factors that might restrict her, she seems to have grown up to be a pillar figure among the loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty.
The alert look on her face after he subconsciously said this made him more certain that her previous success was not accidental.
Because she actually has a sharp mind.
Then why should Qiao Xuan let her bear the stigma of "grandfather suspecting her of being an evil spirit" at this time?
Qiao Yan's guard only lasted for a moment, and she heard Qiao Xuan say, "You haven't answered my question yet. Can being a county marquis be the same as growing vegetables?"
She met Qiao Xuan's clear and tolerant eyes. In this tacit gaze, she already understood the other party's attitude.
This old man has no children and now he just wants to entrust his hope to someone else.
Obviously, she had no feelings of admiration for the other party, but for some reason she felt quite sad at this moment.
"Governing a country is like cooking a small fish. Governing a county is the same. Practice makes perfect. It takes a process of trial and error." Qiao Yan replied carefully. "Beginners should not use high heat or heavy oil, so as not to burn their hands with boiling oil. Isn't that what I am doing now?"
She pointed to the vegetable patch in front of her. "Mustard is easy to grow. It doesn't take much farming knowledge to keep it alive. Even if it gets planted badly, it won't cause any damage. Before planting the vegetables, I've done my best to plow the land, turn the soil, and fertilize the field. I've inquired about what mustard needs to grow, and I think the probability of success is very high. Next time, I can try to expand the scale and increase production and quality."
"It is the same with farming and with being a county marquis."
When Qiao Xuan heard her say this, a smile appeared on his face, which looked a little numb due to his long-term illness.
She was right. Just like growing vegetables was something unfamiliar to her, being a county marquis and treating the county as a country was also something unfamiliar to her.
But mustard seedlings are easy to grow, and the loss will not be great if sufficient preparation is made. So when she arrives in a county, why can't she start small and then become proficient with practice?
For someone who can have a clear understanding of the positions of all parties after arriving in Luoyang, this kind of learning is obviously not a difficult task.
The look Qiao Xuan gave her was more tender and caring than that of an elder.
His time is running out, and since she has such a great character and means, why can't he give her a little more help?
From the positions where Cheng Li and the old servant of the Qiao family were standing, they could not hear the specific content of the conversation between the grandfather and grandson. They could only roughly hear that most of the conversation was done by Qiao Xuan and Qiao Yan.
The old man who could speak continuously at first gradually became a little intermittent in his voice. In the fragments carried by the wind, he seemed to mention the name of Suiyang, then Hanyang, then turned to Wuyuan border, and then Luoyang...
The old servant had been unusually taciturn ever since Qiao Yan and the others moved in, but now he suddenly spoke. "This... this is Mr. Qiao's path to promotion."
Cheng Li turned to look at him after hearing this, and saw the old servant, who was not young anymore, wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeves.
The old servant had obviously realized that Qiao Xuan's request was a sign of someone's dying wish.
And for a famous official who had served as one of the three highest officials in the country and was both civil and military, what could be more valuable than everything he had experienced in the past?
Even when he was still serving as the Gongcao of Suiyang County, he investigated the charges against Chen Guoxiang Yang Chang, but his methods were clumsy due to his youth and vigor.
But now, allowing the person concerned to look at the matter from a more mature standpoint and analyzing his psychology at that time is undoubtedly a very valuable experience.
This is not something he would talk about with ordinary people.
And now, he and his budding granddaughter sat in the yard, facing a patch of newly green vegetable patches, condensing all the words he wanted to entrust into this plain narrative.
As the sun was about to set, Qiao Xuan's voice gradually became as thin as a mosquito's.
Qiao Yan moved closer to him and finally heard him ask, "Can you promise me something?"
Because Qiao Yan was close to him, he was able to grab her hand.
It also brought his face closer to Qiao Yan.
On this sickly face, an aura as sharp as a knife flowed in his eyes, but then turned into an almost earnest look.
"Can you agree to my request... If the Han people don't let Qiao Yan down, Qiao Yan won't let the Han people down either."
Qiao Yan was speechless for a moment, then immediately held his hand, which was gradually losing its temperature, and said, "I agree."
After receiving this reply, Qiao Xuan felt weak in his five fingers.
Now he really couldn't hold on any longer.
When he was seriously ill, since he had no factions in this simple courtyard, few people came to visit him except Liu Hong who came specifically to decide on a reward for Qiao Yan. On the day when he was about to die, he was particularly low-key.
Only Qiao Yan stayed by his bedside for another night.
After the last moments of lucidity faded from his body, she and the servants moved him back to the bed in the house.
Perhaps it was because of Qiao Yan's promise, or perhaps it was because, when his spirit was distracted again, he heard Qiao Yan slowly read out in his ears what she had learned from the experience he had previously mentioned. The satisfaction of the continuation of this heritage made his expression become particularly peaceful when he left.
He vaguely recalled the evaluation he had given to a junior he had high hopes for many years ago, which was "The world is about to fall into chaos, and only a man of destiny can save it."
But perhaps, this child who replaced his granddaughter was also such a genius.
It’s a pity that he can’t see this scene of peace in the world.
When dawn broke, he lay on the hospital bed and stopped breathing.
This was the sixth day of the sixth month in the seventh year of Guanghe.
As Liu Hong had promised Qiao Yan before, Qiao Xuan would be buried with the ceremony of a Grand Marshal, and Liang Hu, Cai Yong and others would be invited to write an epitaph for him.
He was stingy in making money to a certain extent, but that didn't mean he would break his promise.
Especially since Qiao Yan had indeed shown a performance that he should take seriously and might even be entrusted with important tasks in the future, this made him even less likely to cut corners on such matters.
After learning that the money Qiao Xuan had accumulated over his years as an official was not enough to hold the most dignified memorial ceremony, and that he had to ask Qiao Yan to pay for it from the thank-you gifts given to her by the wealthy families of Yanzhou, he also had someone send a generous gift.
To be precise, this is not just a generous gift.
Liu Hong granted permission to have the Imperial Censor preside over the funeral ceremonies. After the funeral ceremonies were completed, the five armies of the Northern Army, light chariots, and soldiers were sent to escort the funeral.
Of course, it was impossible for this funeral procession to take Qiao Xuan all the way to Leping County where he would be buried.
However, according to the Eastern Han Dynasty's belief that Mangshan was a Feng Shui treasure land for eternal rest, there was no problem in escorting Qiao Xuan's coffin from Luoyang to the north and passing through the territory of Mangshan.
Of course, these escorting guards have not had the opportunity to appear for the time being, because the memorial service will last at least ten days.
This memorial service will surely be quite grand.
Unlike the peacefulness of the courtyard when Qiao Xuan died, after his passing, there must have been thousands of people coming to pay their respects.
He was a strong-willed man with a straightforward temperament, but he was not completely inflexible. When he was still alive, his former colleagues all knew what his temper was like, so they simply sent him letters of greeting to avoid bringing gifts and causing him displeasure.
But now the person has passed away, it’s time to visit him.
In addition, according to the customs of the Eastern Han Dynasty, former officials were required to attend the funeral of their boss.
Even though Qiao Xuan lived to be 74, 25 years older than the average age of 49 in the Han Dynasty, and many of his former officials died before him, such as Chen Qiu, who was recommended by Qiao Xuan as the Minister of Justice when he was one of the Three Dukes, who died in the second year of Guanghe, it still cannot change one fact -
Qiao Xuan held too many positions during his tenure, and he never avoided talented people regardless of whether they had political conflicts with himself, which led to a considerable number of people being recommended by him.
At least this small courtyard in Yanxili obviously cannot accommodate so many people.
Therefore, the Grand Historian Ma Lun immediately proposed to use Lingtai as the venue for holding the memorial ceremony.
In her memorial to Liu Hong, she wrote: "Qiao Gongyi is of high moral character, broad-minded and tolerant. He should be sent off with heavy gifts to show the emperor's virtue. This is the way for the ruler and his subjects to get along. Mingtang is used for sacrifices by royal family members, with Lingtai on its side. It reaches Tianyun above and overlooks Luoshui below, which is just right for it. There are many places in the capital that can be used for condolences and sacrifices, but they require mutual approval. There are many human factors involved, so I hope Your Majesty will be prudent. 】
The meaning of Ma Lun's memorial was very clear. Qiao Xuan's residence in Luoyang City was too simple. Due to his reputation for being virtuous, high-minded, loving and tolerant, it was not suitable to hold a funeral ceremony in this overly cramped place.
Is there any venue in Luoyang that can accommodate this number of people? Of course there are.
For example, Yuan can rent out such a venue.
But once such lending occurs, there will be a favor transaction involved.
Instead of doing this, it would be better to let Liu Hong lend the place of Lingtai by order of the emperor.
Opposite Lingtai is Mingtang, which was responsible for the sacrificial ceremonies of the Han Dynasty. It was equivalent to being at the side of the emperor. Given Qiao Xuan's reputation when he was in a high position, if it were recorded in later generations, it would have been a good reputation of harmony between the emperor and his subjects.
What a good suggestion!
If Liu Hong had not paid much attention to this Grand Historian who was promoted by accident before, then now, after she made this suggestion from the standpoint of the Han Dynasty, Liu Hong could not help but have some clear understanding of her.
This is indeed a woman of great ability and vision.
After the decision was approved, Qiao Xuan's body was sent from Yanxili to Lingtai overnight.
This was also the first time that Qiao Yan met this female official who was conferred the title of nobility almost at the same time as her.
Mullen is not young anymore, he has even turned sixty this year.
But she was from the Fufeng Ma family, and the environment she grew up in could be described as pampered, which laid a superior foundation for her. After she married Yuan Wei and took care of Yuan's household affairs, she did not slack off in taking care of her body.
When Qiao Yan saw her, he saw this elder who looked dignified and well-read. Her silver hair was neatly groomed, and her face had a reassuring calmness, without any signs of old age or shakiness.
Being suddenly promoted from the position of mistress of the mansion to the position of Grand Historian apparently did not make her panic.
In her early years, she followed her father Ma Rong to study astronomy and calendar, and deduced astrological calculation data together with her father's disciples. After she came to the Yuan family, although she had to be bothered by miscellaneous matters, she also took the opportunity to read a more extensive collection of books.
When this unexpected but appropriate authority was handed to her, she ignored Yuan Wei's anger after being scolded in court, and immediately packed up her things and took up her post.
Although she did not know what prompted Liu Hong to make such a decision before she got this position - in short, this was an "imperial edict" that made Yuan Wei very angry but unable to refute it. However, after gaining a foothold as the Grand Historian in this month, with Ma Lun's intelligence, he would not fail to see the power game in this turbulent water.
Fortunately, for her, it seemed to be a good thing that she didn't have to be confined to the backyard when she was already feeling a little exhausted.
This injected a touch of vitality into her invisibly.
And when she met Qiao Yan, after a few short conversations with her, she also understood why Liu Hong was so stubborn in wanting to confer a title of marquis on her.
It was night when she arrived.
Ma Lun and the officials under the Grand Historian came with lanterns in hand, and at a glance they saw the little girl in mourning clothes walking in front of the coffin.
The other person bowed to her and addressed her as "Grand Historian". In the candlelight and moonlight, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes, but there was also a sense of grandeur.
This extraordinary demeanor made Ma Lun compare it with the young talents she had seen in Luoyang over the past few decades, and she didn't think anyone could surpass her at this age.
"Come with me." Ma Lun raised his hand and pointed towards the spiritual platform.
The Lingtai, which was recorded in the Records of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, was more than 50 feet high. Today it is still about 60 feet high, which is about 14 meters high.
The Lingtai that appeared in Qiao Yan's sight was an astronomical observation institution, but because its astronomical laws were closely related to the rule of the Han Dynasty, its architectural style was more like a building that carried out sacrificial functions.
The circular corridor on the lower level sets off the upper platform, which has an even more mysterious and solemn atmosphere at night.
Qiao Yan followed Ma Lun up to the high platform and saw two distinct rows of government offices on the platform.
Therefore, this place will temporarily serve as the funeral place for Qiao Xuan. The five rooms on the left are used as a place to place the body and for guests to rest, while the other five rooms are still the office of the Grand Historian.
"I'm sorry for bothering you these past few days, and I'd also like to thank the Grand Historian for finding a place for my grandfather to mourn."
After Qiao Xuan's coffin was placed in place, Qiao Yan thanked Ma Lun again.
Ma Lun helped her up and replied, "Mr. Qiao is a pillar of the Han Dynasty. His coffin cannot be neglected. The sun, moon and Big Dipper can be seen on the platform, which also records the prosperity of the Han Dynasty. It is in line with Mr. Qiao's talent and virtue."
After finishing her polite words, she straightened her face and said, "However, since I am the Grand Historian, I must tell Lord Qiao in advance that these five rooms are the backup places of the Grand Historian's Office. You can use them, but the other five rooms contain hourly records of astronomical phenomena in recent years, as well as some important astronomical observation instruments. Please ask Lord Qiao for permission before entering."
This is a matter of principle that she would not violate no matter how much she admired Qiao Yan's style and demeanor.
Of course, Qiao Yan would not feel offended by her extremely cautious advice.
She nodded and replied, "It should be so. I heard that when Zhang Pingzi was the Grand Historian, the seismometer he made was also placed here. It is a precision instrument and its storage has its own rules."
After hearing what Qiao Yan said, Ma Lun had a better impression of her.
The Zhang Pingzi mentioned by Qiao Yan is Zhang Heng.
When Empress Dowager Deng Sui was in power, she brought Zhang Heng to the capital by official carriage, and first appointed him as a doctor and later as a grand astronomer. The armillary sphere was a product of this period.
Then there was the seismometer.
Although the seismometer would not react to the longitudinal waves caused by the vibration of the chariot and horses, and only earthquakes would cause the golden toad to spit out balls, after taking over Lingtai, Ma Lun discovered from Zhang Heng's records that the operation of the seismometer actually relied on the loose foundation of Lingtai to transmit the vibration. The final location was also determined by Zhang Heng after several years of observation, and it could not be moved under normal circumstances.
Since Qiao Yan had some understanding of this, it saved her a lot of trouble.
Seeing that she acted cautiously, Ma Lun couldn't help but soften his tone: "If Lord Qiao is interested in this, it's okay to watch from afar."
Qiao Yan shook his head, "Let's finish welcoming and seeing off the guests first."
Ma Lun wanted to say something to comfort the child whose parents and grandfather had both passed away, but she suddenly said, "There is one more thing that Yan would like to tell the Grand Historian."
She looked up and said, "In the past, when Empress Dowager Hexi selected talented people, Zhang Pingzi deduced the theory of Lingxian here, and the two instruments of the earth and the celestial body were placed in their positions. Yan was not in the capital before, and he had long wanted to see Lingtai. Today is the fate. And I am even more happy to see Madam Ma as the Grand Historian. But my grandfather has just passed away, so Yan should not look happy. I hope the Grand Historian will forgive me."
Ma Lun was startled when he heard this.
Empress Dowager Hexi?
Why did she suddenly talk about this?
But Ma Lun thought again and felt that there was nothing wrong with what Qiao Yan said.
Yes, if it were not for Empress Dowager Hexi, Lingtai would have been just an astronomical platform during the reign of Emperor Guangwu. How could the armillary sphere and seismograph be located here?
Zhang Pingzi once denounced the government with his "Fu on the Two Capitals", but was moved by Empress Dowager Hexi's style of light taxes and levies and frugality, so he accepted the invitation.
Empress Dowager Hexi herself was good at mathematics and astronomy, and she also provided school education for girls. Was she also expecting that one day the person observing the celestial phenomena on the Lingtai would also be a woman?
Now it actually exists.
But to this day, Ma Lun can no longer guess what a long-dead extraordinary woman was thinking at that time, and of course she can't guess what Qiao Yan was thinking when he said this.
Who could have made this child with peculiar behavior turn around and walk into the temporary resting room after saying this? Only when he leaned against the door did he look back at her carefully.
Seeing that there was no strange expression on her face, he disappeared behind the door.
It was as if the child felt that he had said something that should not have been said during their first meeting and was afraid that she would be offended and unhappy.
But why would she feel offended?
Ma Lun touched his face which felt a little cold in the night wind, and realized that he actually smiled a little because of Qiao Yan's words.
This made Qiao Yan see her the next day. The red official uniform made her look even more energetic.
This mental state was enough for her to come and assist Qiao Yan in entertaining those who came to pay their respects after she had arranged for the Lingtai officials to perform their duties.
There were many people visiting the residences of the three Yuan family officials every day. Ma Lun was able to arrange everything properly, so he naturally knew everything about the officials at all levels in Luoyang.
Qiao Yan really felt that he should thank Mrs. Ma for her help.
After all, when Qiao Xuan mentioned his past to her, he didn't talk about what those people who had confronted or communicated with him looked like. At most, he just mentioned the names of some important people.
But Mullen's situation is different.
You have to know that even if the Yuan family of Runan is a family with three officials for four generations, they cannot avoid interacting with others simply as superiors in their interpersonal relationships in Luoyang.
If this were really done, it would be a big taboo in officialdom.
When Yuan Wei didn't have enough extra energy to remember these things, he asked Ma Lun to remember them.
Therefore, the first group of people who arrived at Lingtai could almost tell every detail from her mouth.
Even though the officials who came to pay their respects to Qiao Xuan did not think it was a problem for a child whose elder had just passed away to be disrespectful, no one would blame him for it.
But if she behaved properly and addressed people appropriately at this time, it would obviously make these people have a better impression of her.
Ma Lun didn't think there was anything wrong with her secret support for Qiao Yan. She even felt a strange sense of accomplishment from this guidance.
At least she felt much more accomplished than when she focused all her thoughts and concerns on Yuan Wei.
It just so happened that Qiao Yan had an amazing memory. After matching the appearances and names of these visitors, she didn't need to say anything more.
This undoubtedly reduces the possibility of this reminder being discovered.
Moreover, from Qiao Yan's previous performance, it was obvious that apart from showing goodwill towards Liu Hong, he did not take the position of any party.
In other words, she didn't need to have any emotional bias towards the guests. It was enough for her to avoid any major problems in her words and expressions under Maren's reminder.
Perhaps the only time Qiao Yan almost failed was when Yuan Wei came.
He stared in the direction of Ma Lun for a long while, as if he was seeing his wife clearly for the first time, and it seemed as if his three views had been reshaped.
So much so that when Qiao Yan bowed and greeted him, he almost didn't come to his senses.
Qiao Yan tried hard not to show any expression of enjoying the show on her face, and when Yuan Wei turned to her, his expression was also very subtle.
That's right.
Before this, he had only heard that after Qiao Yan was awarded the title of Marquis of Leping, she made such a fuss in the capital, but he had never met her formally. However, Yuan Wei had to come here today.
But whenever he saw her, he would think of the harsh rebuke Liu Hong had given him in the court that day.
And he couldn't clearly express any dissatisfaction with the child.
You should know that this is the place where Your Majesty allowed Qiao Xuan to offer sacrifices to his spirit.
As they had served in the same dynasty in the past, even he had great respect for Qiao Xuan. Now that the man had passed away, leaving only a ten-year-old child to support this branch of the Qiao family, he absolutely could not "bully others by taking advantage of his power".
In fact, he should have shown some kindness.
What’s more…
Your Majesty personally appointed the Imperial Censor to escort him with a royal seal, and the Imperial Censor arrived early.
Yuan Wei spotted the eight-foot bamboo handle made of a yak tail from among the crowd. It was a sign that the emperor had promoted the Imperial Censor who presided over the funeral ceremony, thereby indirectly improving Qiao Xuan's status.
It is hard to say whether Liu Hong, who is always unpredictable, will let the Assistant Censor take on the responsibility of supervision. Just like he actually knows about the questions and answers from decades ago, he is now observing the performance of everyone here.
If we catch any evidence, it will be bad if we use it to cause trouble in the future.
When Yuan Wei thought of this, he no longer cared about where he was at the moment, which was the territory ruled by his wife. He also didn't care about the face he had lost because of Qiao Yan's title of nobility. He immediately responded to Qiao Yan's salute.
It's just that his behavior seems to be a fake smile.
In contrast, although Taiwei Yang Ci had once opposed Liu Hong's direct award of the highest award, the rank of county marquis, he truly revealed some genuine grief during this condolence.
Qiao Yan watched these people coming and going, and gained a better understanding of the officialdom in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.
It didn't seem to be incomprehensible that Qiao Xuan would teach her everything he knew at the end of his life even though he knew she was not her original self.
Wang Fuzhi once said that high-ranking officials of the Eastern Han Dynasty, represented by Yuan Wei, were just ministers with their positions for show and their sense of integrity and shame was gone.
This is exactly the case with most of today's past officials.
On the contrary, among those who had just arrived from other places after several days, more of them were deeply moved by Qiao Xuan's death.
For example,
Cai Yong.
Cai Yong, who was famous for his Feibai calligraphy and the engraving of the Xiping Stone Classics, came from Wuhui.
He received the news a few days later than others, but as soon as he got the news, he ignored the bandits causing chaos on the way and rushed straight to the capital, arriving earlier than some people.
Fortunately, he had previously fled because he had offended the eunuchs, and Taishan Yang Shi took him in and provided him with support. When he heard that he was going to the capital to attend Qiao Xuan's funeral and to repay the favor of his old official's support, Yang Shi immediately had people prepare fast horses and escorts for him.
If not for this, Cai Yong would not have dared to bring his daughter with him when he came to the capital.
First she was exiled to Shuofang, and then she fled to Wuhui. The face of this girl, who was only seven or eight years old at the time, already had a calmness that was no less than that of an adult.
When Cai Yong walked straight into the mourning hall, she looked around with a restrained and sharp gaze, and her gaze met Qiao Yan's.
But before she could say anything, Cai Yong's grief-stricken wails in the mourning hall drowned out all other sounds.
"Mr. Bo Ji is a man of true character." Qiao Yan said with emotion, "Sister Cai, please follow me."
Others might not be sure, but Qiao Yan knew very well that Cai Yong's performance was by no means a show, because he was a person who would appreciate the kindness of others and repay it sincerely.
Otherwise, he probably would not have lost his life because of a sigh after Dong Zhuo's death.
She thought for a moment and said, "I have heard of the name of the Cai family's younger sister. You and I have the same name, both with the character Yan."
This is indeed a special fate, and it is also a good start to start a new topic.
But Cai Yan was precocious and cautious, and immediately replied: "For the sake of respecting your honor, Lord Qiao should call me Zhaoji."
Cai Yong had extraordinary attainments in literary creation and calligraphy art. He only had two daughters, so he taught his daughters everything he had learned after they became enlightened. Cai Yan was also very talented, and Cai Yong was delighted to see her, so he gave her a name early on.
The brilliance of Yanyu is so bright that it is derived into the word "Zhao".
Now that Qiao Yan and she have the same name, it is just right to call them by their courtesy names to distinguish them.
However, although the same topic was interrupted by Cai Yan with the sentence "she can be called Zhao Ji", in Qiao Yan's opinion, the word Zhao Ji was indeed a name that was particularly suitable for her.
She is still young, with a face as delicate as an orchid, but her eyes reveal a distinct and vigorous look, which can be expressed by the word "zhao".
Qiao Yan changed his words and called her Zhao Ji.
Cai Yan seldom interacted with people of her own age, and did not realize that the Marquis of Leping, who was only a few years older than her, treated her differently. She just thought that it was because of her father and that she was the youngest among the guests present, so he took some care of her.
Moreover, when the two of them entered the mourning hall together, they saw Cai Yong prostrating himself in front of Qiao Xuan's coffin and crying bitterly. He was indeed the most violent one among those who came to pay their respects.
From his somewhat messy sentences, the two could barely make out that he was talking about the events of the fourth year of Jianning.
The fourth year of Jianning, which was thirteen years ago.
Cai Yong at that time was living at home with nothing to do, spending all day with antiques, in order to avoid being caught by the powerful Eunuchs and forced to play music. Only Qiao Xuan valued his talent very much, and made him a clerk first, and then sent him out to be a county magistrate, and later promoted him to the position of counselor.
It is difficult to say whether Cai Yong's repeated submissions to Liu Hong to advise him were influenced by Qiao Xuan.
But what is certain is that Qiao Xuan helped Cai Yong to get promoted more than once.
Because even in his sad and weeping words at this time, he said: "Yong is not good at forming factions, but Mr. Qiao is kind and generous to help me, so that I can see the emperor. It's a pity that I have to stay away from the capital because of my advice on pacifying disasters, so I can't even see Mr. Qiao..."
“……”Qiao Yan choked.
One should be thankful that Cai Yong arrived relatively late and that not many people came to pay their respects today. Otherwise, he should have been exiled again just for this sentence.
What does it mean to be forced to leave the capital because of remarks about quelling disasters?
In the first year of Guanghe, strange phenomena repeatedly occurred in Luoyang. Liu Hong specially summoned Cai Yong to ask about it. Cai Yong said frankly that it was the eunuchs' interference in state affairs that caused the strange phenomena. He impeached several people and was then retaliated and ended up being exiled to the north.
He mentioned this matter again as soon as he returned to the capital, which was like he was spreading his wings on the verge of death.
But even Qiao Yan could not deny that although he had been an official for many years, he still did not understand the principles of political games and did not know how to protect himself. However, he had a cultural foundation and calligraphy attainments that would impress anyone.
On the second day, on the spirit platform, in front of Qiao Xuan's coffin, Cai Yong, whose face was still a little dark, came with a long scroll in his hands.
He actually wrote an obituary overnight that could be engraved as an epitaph.
As the scroll in his hand unfolded, the sacrificial text with traces of tears on the ink appeared in front of everyone.
"Glorious and wise, Duke Yuan of the Han Dynasty. He was wise and prudent, truly intelligent. He was as deep as a deep abyss and as high as a mountain. He comforted the people and conquered the barbarians. He spread his teachings throughout China and made the five religions known to all."
This is a comprehensive evaluation of Qiao Xuan, praising his lofty attitude.
"He was a man of modest character, not stingy with his desires. Although his sons and grandsons served in the government, he never asked for anything flattering."
This is said to be a compliment to Qiao Xuan for not seeking official careers for his descendants despite his high position.
In fact, this sentence was followed by another sentence in the original history, saying that on the day of Qiao Xuan's death, none of his descendants held high positions, and none of them had received good fiefdoms.
But there was an exception like Qiao Yan, who directly obtained the place of Leping and was even given the title of Marquis of Leping.
This does not match the original sentence "On the day of his death, he did not obtain a high position, and no one within a hundred miles could get a good county", so naturally these sentences were omitted in Cai Yong's eulogy.
Qiao Yan thought so in his heart, but his eyes couldn't help but fall on the following paragraph.
"The Duke is honest and upright, and is not afraid of strong control. When he is in the Ministry of Justice, he is loyal and faithful, and when he is in charge of the prefectures and counties, he has the power of a tiger. He promotes the virtuous like a whirlwind and punishes the evil like a thunderbolt. Wherever he goes, a clear wind will rise first, and people far and near will be shocked..."
This is truly a piece of speech where every word is full of gems.
Especially the sentence "When he is in the Xiantai, he is loyal and abides by the rules; when he is in charge of the prefectures and counties, he has the power of a tiger's gizzard"...
Qiao Yan looked at the coffin in front of him, which had been lying there for several days, and felt dazed.
Cai Yong's words were all sincere and heartfelt; otherwise he would not have been able to write a 2,000-word eulogy in one night.
If Qiao Xuan knew about this sacrificial text in his afterlife, it would probably satisfy him.
And there are these two sentences——
It is indeed the highest praise for a practical and loyal minister.
On June 24, the seventh year of Guanghe, Qiao Xuan's funeral was held in the north of Luoyang City. The body was carried on a chariot with yellow carriages and a left flag, and it passed by Mangshan.
The Northern Army went to Leping to carry out the funeral.
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