Chapter 263 Death of Ma Zhou (2)
When the news of Ma Zhou's death reached the palace, Li Er and Li Chengqian reacted differently.
"Everyone! The King of Jin just sent a message that the Minister of the Central Secretariat Ma Zhou has passed away!" Wang Yuan hurried to Li Er and said.
Li Er, who was working overtime all night and reviewing memorials, dropped his brush and stood up and said, "What did you say?"
"The Minister of the Central Secretariat Ma Zhou has passed away!" Wang Yuan said.
"Ma Zhou!" Li Er burst into tears after hearing this, and cried for the loss of such a wise minister.
After crying for a while, Li Er ordered a mourning ceremony for Ma Zhou and issued an edict to posthumously confer Ma Zhou the title of Governor of Youzhou and bury him in Zhaoling Mausoleum.
On the other side of the East Palace, when Li Er learned of the news of Ma Zhou's death, Li Chengqian also learned the news.
"My dear! The Minister of the Central Secretariat Ma Zhou has passed away!" Wang Quan reported to Li Chengqian.
"Is Ma Zhou really dead? Is this news true?" Du He asked before Li Chengqian could speak.
In the past few days, Du He had been running to the East Palace, hoping that Li Chengqian could take action. In the eyes of Du He and others, Li Er was now old and confused. Maybe one day he would make a wrong decision and depose Li Chengqian and make Li Zhi the crown prince.
However, Crown Prince Li Chengqian was very patient and had not agreed to take action. Originally, this time when he came to the East Palace, Du He wanted to advise Li Chengqian again that he should take action immediately and not be soft-hearted. Before
he could speak, the bad news of Ma Zhou's death came. Du He was worried that this was fake news, so he asked Wang Quan for confirmation again.
Wang Quan first looked at Li Chengqian. After all, the Crown Prince was the master of the Eastern Palace. Seeing that Li Chengqian was not unusual, he said to Du He.
"It is absolutely true! It cannot be false! Ma Zhou has passed away."
Li Chengqian said: "Birth, aging, illness and death are common to all people! Ma Zhou has been working hard for state affairs for many years, and many diseases have been hidden in his body. Once they break out, it is normal for him to die."
"I heard that Ma Zhou's condition had improved a little, but since he took the medicine prepared by Your Majesty himself, it didn't take long for the news of his death to come. Could it be..." Wang Quan said that he got all this through gossip.
Li Chengqian didn't believe that Li Er poisoned Ma Zhou. Ma Zhou's administrative ability was outstanding and he had always been appreciated by Li Er.
Li Er once said: I miss Ma Zhou as long as I can't see him temporarily.
Based on this point, Li Er would not harm Ma Zhou, and Ma Zhou did not die from taking Li Er's medicine.
"It seems that the rumor should be true. Your Majesty's heart is still with the prince. Ma Zhou is the right-hand man of King Jin. Once he dies, King Jin's strength will be weakened."
"Your Highness's position as the prince will be as stable as Mount Tai. Your Majesty's love for the prince is really touching." Du He said.
In this way, he gave up the idea of continuing to persuade Li Chengqian to do something. Once Ma Zhou died, King Jin would no longer be a threat.
Why should he go to such lengths to persuade the prince to rebel?
Li Chengqian did not explain the reason. Since some people said that Li Er poisoned Ma Zhou, let them misunderstand.
Who told Ma Zhou that he died of illness not long after taking the medicine sent by Li Er!
Who else but Li Chengqian would believe that Li Er did not
poison him to death without the presence of cat grease? Anyway, Ma Zhou's death was good for him, so why should he do anything unnecessary?
"No matter what the reason is, I don't want you to spread rumors everywhere, so as not to cause a disaster of death." Li Chengqian said.
"I understand!" Wang Quan said.
"Don't worry, Your Highness! Du He knows what to do." Du He said.
According to funeral customs, Ma Zhou was buried in Zhaoling.
Not long after Ma Zhou was buried, Li Er was tortured by illness again during this period, so he let the prince supervise the country.
Li Er took Li Zhi to the Lishan Hot Springs to go on vacation and soak in the hot springs to recuperate.
The next day, Li Er appointed the Secretary of the Central Secretariat Cui Renshi as the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, and let Cui Renshi participate in the affairs of the court.
Although Li Er was recuperating in the hot springs of Mount Li, and the crown prince was in charge of the court, the real power was still in his hands.
Li Er issued an edict to appoint the general of the Right Guard Army Xue Wanche as the general manager of the Qingqiu Road, and the general of the Right Guard Army Pei Xingfang as the deputy general manager, leading more than 30,000 soldiers and warships from Laizhou to cross the sea to attack Goguryeo.
At the same time, Li Er also issued an edict to let Zhangsun Wuji inspect the Secretary of the Central Secretariat and know the affairs of the Shangshu and Menxia Province.
In short, the dispatch of senior officials and some major decisions still had to be decided by Li Er.
Donggong, Xiande Hall.
"Your Highness! Silla has sent an envoy to report to the Tang Dynasty that Queen Kim Deokman of Silla has passed away! The new heir of Silla is Kim Seungman, the cousin of Queen Kim Deokman of Silla."
"Silla requests the Tang Dynasty to confer titles on the new queen of Silla." An official in the Ministry of Rites in charge of diplomatic affairs reported.
Since Silla submitted to the Tang Dynasty, it has accepted the titles conferred by the Tang Dynasty. Now that the queen of Silla has changed, it is natural to send people to the Tang Dynasty to report the death, request the conferment of titles on the new queen, and ask the Tang Dynasty for a posthumous title for the deceased queen. Since the king
of Silla submitted to the Tang Dynasty, he has always accepted the titles of Zhuguo and Lelangjunwang conferred by the Tang Dynasty.
What a pity! Li Chengqian, the regent prince, cannot make the decision on this matter. It still has to be decided by Li Er, who is soaking in the hot springs in Mount Li.
"I understand! Send someone to deliver Silla's letter to Lishan Hot Spring immediately and give it to Your Majesty. Your Majesty will decide everything."
"The Ministry of Personnel will select a few posthumous titles and send them to Lishan Hot Spring for Your Majesty to select." Li Chengqian said.
"Yes!" The official of the Ministry of Personnel accepted the order.
"Do you have anything else to discuss? If not, then you can all go!" Li Chengqian said.
"Your Highness, we respectfully send you off!" The ministers saluted Li Chengqian, and Li Chengqian stood up and immediately went to Xiande Hall, and then everyone left.
Soon, Silla's letter and the posthumous titles selected by the Ministry of Personnel were delivered to Li Er.
"Everyone, this is an official letter sent from Chang'an." Wang Yuan said to Li Er who was soaking in the hot spring.
"What important matter is it?" Li Zhi asked.
"It's a letter from Silla, saying that Queen Kim Deokman of Silla has passed away! Silla has her cousin Kim Seungdeok succeeding to the throne, and is requesting Your Majesty to confer the title on her. The Ministry of Personnel has already drawn up several posthumous titles, and Your Majesty is requested to review them," said Wang Yuan.
"Silla is a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty and has always been respectful to the Tang Dynasty. So we sent envoys to Silla to offer condolences and confer the title of King Jin Shengde as the new king of Silla, Zhuguo, and Prince of Lelang County." Li Er said. He asked Wang Yuan
to bring the posthumous title selected by the Ministry of Personnel. After Li Er selected one, he wrote an edict and sent it back to Chang'an, along with the envoys to Silla. "Yes!" Wang Yuan took the order and withdrew, and conveyed Li Er's will to Chang'an. The officials of the three provinces signed and stamped the edict, and then sent envoys to Silla to read Li Er's edict. The Queen of Silla, Jin Shengde, was recognized by the suzerain state.