Chapter 687 Fengshan Ceremony at Mount Tai!
Cheng Zheng was buried in the imperial mausoleum, Wei Dongzhu was buried near the imperial mausoleum, and Xiao Fang and Ban Sicao were also buried near the imperial mausoleum.
He wanted to as well.
But Dongchuan's memories were so beautiful that he couldn't help but immerse himself in them and didn't want to pay attention to anything else.
It was as if he had returned to the road to exile in Dongchuan; he was still that young man in brocade robes.
He stood right next to her.
Not long after Liu Yanhui's death, the officials in the court changed again.
On this day, a courtier suddenly risked his life to offer advice.
"Your Majesty is already in your eighties and should abdicate and pass the throne to the young heir apparent."
Upon hearing this, all the officials stared in shock at the person who had made the suggestion.
His Majesty swung his sword sixty times this morning; his physique is better than yours.
This was the first time since she began her reign that someone had said she was old.
Shen Lanxi smiled faintly and said, "Then, according to your suggestion, who is suitable to ascend the throne?"
The man glanced at the plaque signifying uprightness and integrity, then bowed and said, "The crown prince is naturally chosen by His Majesty himself."
Shen Lanxi slowly suppressed her smile and calmly said, "I will ask you one more time: who is capable of ascending the throne?"
The civil official, who was being questioned, was so frightened that his knees buckled and he knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty, I was merely fulfilling my duty as an official who speaks out, and I have no regrets."
Shen Lanxi suddenly smiled: "I like people who dare to speak the truth. What is your position now?"
The civil official, his legs trembling, said, "Your subject is currently an Imperial Censor."
Shen Lanxi: "I need someone to tell the truth by my side. From today onwards, you no longer need to be an imperial censor. Become my personal recorder!"
The censor was shocked to find that His Majesty had dismissed him from his post with a single sentence.
He subconsciously looked in Shen Yuanjing's direction, but before he could cry out for justice, Shen Yuanjing had already fallen to the ground.
Shen Yuanxu had just collapsed in the main hall two days ago, and according to news from the Shen family, his days were probably numbered.
Shen Lanxi was determined to send off such a founding hero.
As Shen Yuanxu lay dying, the resentment on his face was impossible to suppress.
But he was still conscious. He couldn't cry out that he was unwilling. He could only look at Shen Lanxi's appearance, which was blessed by time, and reluctantly close his eyes.
The same thing happened to Shen Yuanjing; he also died of illness two days later.
Shen Lanxi also saw him off.
That same month, she received a letter from Dongchuan, informing her that Qiushuang and Chunxue had both passed away from illness.
These two, along with Wang Mama's family, were sent to Dongchuan by her in the second year of her reign.
Perhaps they had already guessed the reason, because after arriving in Dongchuan, they got married, had children, and lived ordinary lives.
In the following years, memorials announcing the passing of senior officials were sent from various places every year.
Of those who followed her into the capital, seven or eight out of ten have already passed away.
Time flies, and before we knew it, two more groups of court officials had passed away in the Golden Palace.
As far as Shen Lanxi's eyes fell, all the faces in the court were new.
As Your Majesty grows older, the question of when Your Majesty will abdicate has been replaced by when Your Majesty will grow old.
His Majesty is nearly a hundred years old, yet he can still chop the sword sixty times a day, and his movements appear more agile than those of a young man.
Sometimes they would look at the back of the plaque with suspicion.
The people up there must have changed several times, right?
Even Shen Chengfeng, whom they initially thought had the most potential, has grown old and passed away just last month.
Then, the Shen Qingshan, Shen Zhongshan, and even Shen An, whom they had previously favored, all retired one after another. When they left the court, they looked older than His Majesty.
Now the third generation of the Shen family has reached their thirties, and His Majesty is still so robust that it seems he can send them all away.
Whether in the court or in private, no one discussed when His Majesty would abdicate.
At some point, a rumor quietly began to circulate among the people.
It is said among the people that His Majesty is a true dragon emperor favored by Heaven, a celestial being who came to earth to save the people. The reason why he enjoys long life and good fortune is because he carries the great merit of saving the people.
After the rumors spread, temples were built for Shen Lanxi in various places, and people praised her by word of mouth.
In the imperial court, the officials, who had been influenced by the glorious deeds of Emperor Chongwu since childhood, all admired and respected Shen Lanxi more and more.
Time flies, and countless years have passed. The court has seen three more batches of officials come and go.
One day, Shen Lanxi was listening to the government affairs in the main hall with her eyes closed when she suddenly opened her eyes and asked a question.
"Who is submitting this memorial?"
A young man knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty, I am Shen Songxi."
Before she could speak, the eunuch beside her had already explained Shen Songxi's background.
"They are descendants of the Shen family, and their ancestor was Yuanxu Gong."
Shen Songxi was overjoyed when he heard His Majesty call his name. He was currently the only promising male heir in the Shen family, and His Majesty's special mention of him meant that His Majesty had been paying attention to him for some time.
Shen Lanxi recalled for a moment, and realized that Shen Yuanxu seemed to be someone from a long time ago.
She sent away all those who had connections with her.
She has no regrets now!
"By imperial decree, I shall proceed to Mount Tai to perform the Fengshan ceremony!"
These words caused an uproar among the officials.
However, after the initial uproar, everything turned into understanding.
With Your Majesty's achievements, the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai is well-deserved!
When the people learned that His Majesty was going to Mount Tai, they spontaneously went to escort him.
Before setting off, Shen Lanxi glanced back at the four characters "正大光明" (upright and honorable) and smiled with delight.
Mount Tai
"Emperor Chongwu, Shen Lanxi, was born in Anle. His youth was marked by tragedy, and he wandered from place to place. Moved by the hardships of the people, he rose up in rebellion..."
"During the reign of Emperor Chongwu Shen Lanxi, he pacified the southwest, destroyed the Turks, and all the surrounding ethnic groups submitted to him and dared not invade."
"During the reign of Emperor Chongwu Shen Lanxi, he promoted water conservancy projects, paid attention to agriculture, improved agricultural tools, and sent people overseas many times to introduce high-yield grains. As a result, the people were well-fed and clothed and there were no more starving people!"
"During the reign of Emperor Chongwu Shen Lanxi, schools and medical colleges were established so that both men and women could have access to education."
"During the reign of Emperor Chongwu Shen Lanxi, factories were established, maritime trade was developed, and trade routes were opened..."
"Emperor Chongwu, Shen Lanxi..."
After reading through the thick stack of achievements, more than an hour had passed.
Afterwards, the Ministry of Rites once again loudly proclaimed this to Heaven and Earth.
"The king is ordained by the mandate of heaven, and now I proclaim peace to the heavens with my achievements, and report to the gods!"
"Now that the world is at peace and has enjoyed two hundred years of prosperity, we hereby perform the Fengshan ceremony!"
"Your Majesty, please ascend the Fengtai Platform and receive the Fengshan ceremony!"
Shen Lanxi walked step by step to the Dengfeng Platform, put her hands behind her back, and looked down at all the living beings!
A verdant landscape stretched before them, with soldiers standing guard along the way, strong and ramrod straight. The people below, dressed in new clothes and shoes, had rosy complexions and healthy bodies; everywhere they looked, there was an air of wealth and prosperity.
She raised the corners of her mouth and said, "I have lived this life without shame before heaven and earth, before myself, and before the people of the world!"
"All my wishes in this life have been fulfilled. Today, my merits are complete, and I shall ride the wind and depart!"
A giant eagle circled above the summit of Mount Tai, cried out, and then circled down.
Shen Lanxi leaped up and mounted the giant eagle, thus ending the life of an empress in a magnificent way!
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