Chapter 299: Posthumous Title
Li Chengqian quickly issued an edict to appoint Li Ke as the Minister of the Imperial Court and the Minister of Works, and granted Li Ke the title of Governor of Liangzhou.
This move was naturally opposed by Changsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang, and the objections of Changsun Wuji and others were suppressed by Li Chengqian.
In the end, Li Chengqian still granted Li Ke these official positions, and Changsun Wuji and others had no choice but to accept them.
At the same time, in addition to the establishment of the Sixteen Guards of the Southern Court and the Imperial Guards of the Northern Court, a new agency, the Jinyiwei, was officially established.
It was responsible for spying on military intelligence and other special activities, was not under the jurisdiction of any agency, and was directly responsible to the emperor himself.
Jinyiwei personnel were selected from the members of the Sixteen Guards of the Southern Court and the Imperial Guards of the Northern Court.
When Li Chengqian first proposed to establish the Jinyiwei organization, he was opposed by old ministers such as Zhangsun Wuji.
Fortunately, his years as a prince were not in vain. He had confidants in the three provinces and six ministries. This was how he was able to compete with Zhangsun Wuji and others in the court, and finally successfully established the Jinyiwei, a special agent organization.
"Report if you have something to report, and leave if you don't!" Wang Quan replaced Wang Yuan's job and shouted this sentence in the court.
"Your Majesty! I have a report to report." Li Jingxuan, the Minister of Revenue, stepped out.
"What do you want to report?" Li Chengqian asked.
It is now August. According to the trajectory of history, an earthquake has occurred in Hedong. What Li Jingxuan wants to report should be this matter.
In fact, in order to deal with this earthquake, Li Chengqian also made a lot of preparations. Although he could not stop the earthquake from happening,
he did take some precautions. Even if he could not avoid losses, he at least tried to minimize the losses.
However, Li Chengqian did not know how effective these preventive measures would be and how much losses could be reduced.
"Your Majesty, earthquakes occurred in Hedong and other places. The situation in other places is not bad, but Jinzhou is the most serious, with hundreds of people killed."
"I earnestly request Your Majesty to issue an edict to provide disaster relief, comfort the people, and order the local government to make proper arrangements." Li Jingxuan said.
Although such a result is still heartbreaking, it has saved a lot of losses, reducing the original possible death toll of 5,000 people to a few hundred.
This is enough to prove that his efforts are not ineffective. As for why people died despite the advance preparations, this needs to be carefully investigated.
Was there any mistake or other reasons?
"What you said is very true! The people in Hedong lost their homes and relatives due to this earthquake, and they must be heartbroken." "
In addition to letting the local government offices take charge of reconstruction, the Minister of Personnel will go to express condolences on behalf of the court and exempt Hedong from taxes for three years." Li Chengqian said.
The reason why the Minister of Personnel, who is in charge of the attendance and promotion of officials, was sent instead of the Minister of Revenue, who is in charge of civil affairs.
Because the Minister of Personnel was in the same group as Changsun Wuji, sending him to Hedong would help the Vice Minister of Personnel gain more power.
The Vice Minister of Personnel was Li Chengqian's man.
"I accept your order!" The Minister of Personnel stepped out to receive the order.
"My dear ministers, do you have anything else to report?" Li Chengqian asked. If not, he would have to leave the court.
"Your Majesty! The coffin of the late emperor has been in the Liangyi Hall for some time. It's time to choose an auspicious day for burial." The Minister of the Central Secretariat Chu Suiliang stepped out to say.
This is a big deal and must be done. The coffin of Li Er has been in the Liangyi Hall for more than two months, almost three months.
Li Chengqian looked at the Qintianjian and said, "Let the Qintianjian select an auspicious day so that the late emperor can be buried in the mausoleum and rest in peace."
As soon as Li Chengqian finished speaking, the Qintianjian stood up and saluted, saying, "Your Majesty! The 18th of this month is a very auspicious day and suitable for funerals."
"Since the Qintianjian has already selected an auspicious day, the late emperor will be buried on the 18th of this month." Li Chengqian said.
Everything was arranged properly. When the time came, Li Er's coffin would be moved out of the Liangyi Hall and transported to Zhaoling for burial.
"Your Majesty! I would like to give the late emperor a posthumous title and temple name!" Xu Jingzong, the Minister of Rites, stepped out to salute.
Giving the late emperor a posthumous title and temple name is a normal procedure. A minister proposed it, and then the emperor brought it to all the ministers for discussion.
What kind of posthumous title and temple name should be given to the late emperor to summarize his life's merits and demerits.
To put it simply, the new emperor gives a posthumous evaluation of the previous emperor, evaluating his life's merits and demerits.
Generally speaking, the succeeding emperor will naturally speak well of the late emperor, and the posthumous title and temple name are mostly given to him to honor his certain achievements.
The so-called posthumous title is to use one or two words to make a general evaluation of a person's life, which is considered a final conclusion.
"What do you think, my dear ministers, should be given to the late emperor as a posthumous title and temple name?" Li Chengqian asked, looking at the officials in the hall.
He had no idea about this matter, and he didn't understand the meaning of the posthumous title at all.
"Your Majesty! I think the posthumous title for the late emperor should be Emperor Wen." Changsun Wuji stepped out and said.
"Why?" Li Chengqian asked in confusion, he really had no idea about this.
When Changsun Wuji was asked this by Li Chengqian, he was stunned.
It was not that Changsun Wuji did not understand the meaning of posthumous titles, but he felt that Li Chengqian should not not understand this.
If he understood, why would he ask this, maybe he wanted to give the late emperor a different posthumous title?
"Your Majesty, do you think that there is something wrong with Emperor Wen and want to give the late emperor a different posthumous title?" Changsun Wuji asked.
"I don't think there is anything wrong, but I think that if I do this, it will not be enough to highlight the achievements of the late emperor." Li Chengqian naturally could not say that he did not understand posthumous titles, so he could only say this.
"To be able to understand the world is called Wen, to study hard and ask questions is called Wen, to cultivate virtue and come far is called Wen, to be kind and loving to the people is called Wen, to be loyal and faithful is called Wen, to be compassionate to the people is called Wen, to be moral and knowledgeable is called Wen, to bestow titles on the people is called Wen, to be able to complement the strong and the soft is called Wen, to improve the class system is called Wen, to be quick and studious is called Wen, to be generous and polite is called Wen."
"Looking at the merits and demerits of the late emperor throughout his life, they cannot be summarized without the posthumous title Wen, so it is most appropriate to give the late emperor
the posthumous title of Emperor Wen." Changsun Wuji said. "What the Taiwei said makes sense, but I still think it is not enough. One word is not enough to highlight the merits of the late emperor. I have decided to add a few more words to the posthumous title of the late emperor." Li Chengqian said.
"What words does your majesty intend to add to the posthumous title of the late emperor?" Chu Suiliang asked.
"I have decided to give the late emperor the posthumous title of Emperor Wenwusheng, and his temple name Taizong. What do you think, my dear ministers?" Li Chengqian asked.
"We have no objection!" After discussing it, everyone agreed to the posthumous title that Li Chengqian gave to Li Er.
"Okay, it's settled! Let's leave!" Li Chengqian said. Today's court meeting officially ended, and Li Chengqian left the Taiji Hall amid the farewell of the ministers.
On August 18, the 23rd year of Zhenguan, Li Er's coffin was moved out of the Liangyi Hall and transported to Zhaoling for burial with great fanfare.
The Tang Dynasty's foreign generals Ashina She'er and Qiheli requested to commit suicide to be buried with the late emperor, but Li Chengqian refused their request on the grounds that the late emperor's will did not allow them to be buried with the late emperor.
Fourteen barbarian leaders, including Jie Li, who were captured by the late emperor, were carved into stone statues, and their names were engraved and arranged inside the North Sima Gate.