Chapter 175 Leaving 88
There were still some who refused to give up and wanted to go to the National Temple to pay homage to the Han, but they found that without the help of the Crown Princess, they would not even be able to see the Han.
Neither the temple keeper nor the temple staff chased them away. They stood there, surrounded by a quiet atmosphere, which only made them feel more awkward.
Someone tried to say a few words, but received no response.
It's fortunate that this area is not open to the public; if it were next door, they would lose face in front of the common people.
---
A month later, Empress Lü Zhi declared herself Empress and changed the era name, but kept the name Han unchanged. Her second daughter, Liu Ya, was made Crown Princess.
Because the Lü clan remained silent before she became emperor, she did not bestow lavish rewards upon her family after taking the throne. Instead of wasting time on seeking titles, she should have thought about where to find lower-level officials for the new territory.
She dedicated herself to promoting agriculture, gradually relaxed business policies, and established numerous schools to recruit students regardless of gender, thereby training more grassroots officials. She also heavily relied on Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu, who was skilled in this area, and replaced the position of Prime Minister with Cao Can.
Weisheng Jiujiu only retains its name, focusing more on breeding research.
That same month, Liu Fei returned to Qi with numerous gifts to appease his frightened state, beginning his life as a leisurely prince in his fiefdom.
In the same year, there was a bumper harvest, and the emperor ordered a general amnesty, reducing the sentences of all prisoners except those on death row by one to two years.
It was also emphasized that if a person who has been released on parole commits another crime, the punishment will be increased by three degrees.
---
Five years later, Liu Ying died in despair.
In the same year that Liu Ya turned fifteen and held her coming-of-age ceremony, Empress Lü arranged for her to marry Han Tianzhen, the eldest son of Han Xin.
The man who had watched Liu Ya grow up looked at the name for two seconds, then asked Lü Zhi, "Do they know each other?"
She doesn't remember at all.
She's been spending most of her time traveling around the border regions these past few years.
Han Xin was not given important positions when he was conquering the country in his early years. He only became famous after following Emperor Gaozu in a campaign against the Xiongnu. He has lived well to this day.
At this time, he was in his forties and in the prime of his life. He was extremely skilled in military tactics and advanced westward. He made offerings to her at the national temple almost every month.
She even felt that in another two years, she might be able to break through the current server and then consider going overseas.
She glanced at him. Han Tianzhen wasn't very old either. Perhaps it was because Lü Zhi had hinted at it long ago. He was also Han Xin's eldest son. Born into a military family, he was raised to be gentle and refined, and was indeed a suitable candidate for a virtuous wife.
She's been too unrestrained; she hasn't paid attention to changes in power in recent years, focusing instead on boosting Xinjiang's land reserves.
Watching that number increase is really addictive.
Liu Ya said she didn't care: "I've always believed that the motherland is much more important than personal feelings. As long as he has the ability to manage the harem, that's enough. He's not ugly either, so I have no objection."
Han nodded slightly. That's good. She wasn't entirely worried about Liu Ya, but more worried that Liu Ya would drift apart from Lü Zhi because of the arranged marriage and follow the same path as Liu Ying.
Then he stabbed Lü Zhi in the heart.
It's true that Lü Zhi's blood turned cold when she became a political entity, but she could still feel pain.
Han believed that since the child she raised wanted more or less, Lü Zhi deserved it.
Liu Ying...
Forget it, the person is dead, she couldn't be bothered to say anything more.
Empress Lü has already had a very difficult journey, and it pains her to see her suffer.
However, she also loved Liu Ya; she couldn't let anything happen to the deluxe trumpet she had worked so hard to master.
She thought for a moment, then patted Liu Ya's head and said, "You're still young, there's no rush to get pregnant and have children."
The two are of similar age, and it's fortunate that it's a political marriage. Otherwise, if she saw a love story between middle school students, she really wouldn't know what expression to make, and she would probably have to bring back the cold-faced 'man' to the scene.
Liu Ya looked at 'Han' with sparkling eyes: "Yes, Ya has remembered."
Empress Lü looked at Liu Ya with affection, and only when she looked at her two daughters did she feel a sense of peace and happiness in her family life.
She spoke gently, "Ya'er, why don't you go to the study first? There are many new things in the Far West these days, why don't you go and take a look?"
"Your daughter will go now to bid farewell to the motherland and the Empress."
---
Lü Zhi coughed twice, somewhat worried: "Mother, do you think I will be able to see Ya'er's child born?"
Han frowned slightly and began to calculate. Giving birth at fifteen was too risky, and the sunk cost of losing this luxury miniature was too great. He should wait until he was at least twenty.
According to the original history, Empress Lü Zhi's lifespan was probably less than ten years. The original historical records are full of mythological elements, and the specific cause of her illness is questionable.
Lü Zhi added, “I am not worried about Ya’er. Many years ago, I ordered Wei Sheng Hou to oversee schools all over the world. Not to mention the old Qin territory, almost all the officials in the new territories over the years are my former students and officials.”
“I gave them a chance, and I’m not worried that they won’t support Ya’er.”
She sighed, but her tone remained calm: "I want to kill more."
'Han' did not express any objection; she was only concerned with territorial issues, and in her view, the struggle for power and profit was a reasonable form of competition among human beings.
More than that, she was concerned about something else: "Let's summon the imperial physician first; you just coughed."
“I see a pathogenic flow in your blood.”
Whether you're sick or not, it's always good to take care of your health.
She paused, still worried that Lü Zhi would be anxious, and that patients should be happier: "I support your decision."
"From the very beginning, I was drawn to your youth."
Since Liu Bang is already dead, no one will hear her if she speaks her true feelings.
"At that age, I knew it would be difficult for Liu Bang to give me what I really wanted."
When it was just the two of them, 'Han' didn't hesitate to open up about herself.
"To live is my desire, and to conquer nations is also my desire."
As she spoke, a deep blue sphere appeared in front of the person from the country.
"What was shown to Liu Bang at that time was only one or two of them."
There were many more labels around, and much more of the area was shrouded in mist. She raised her hand and turned it over: "I don't even know what's in these places."
“In my early years, I only realized that I was born from the masses and had the ambition of a nation, but later I longed to do more than that.”
"People have all sorts of desires, and so do nations, so I hope you can survive."
Tears welled up in Lü Zhi's eyes: "Mother... it seems that no one cared about me as a person since I was a child. At home, they cared more about my reputation for being virtuous and capable. After I got married, they valued my ability to manage the household frugally."
“Of course, there are advantages too,” she winked like a young girl back then, “Now, I can manage the country frugally.”
Fine wrinkles had long since crept onto her face; those youthful days were now just memories to cherish. Fortunately, she could peacefully enjoy those warm moments before she died.
---
Empress Lü Zhi did not change much. After the marriage of Crown Princess Liu Ya, she remained kind and benevolent to the common people. All places far from the border of the Han Dynasty were peaceful and safe. The number of criminals decreased year by year, and more people devoted themselves to farming.
Ambitious people will apply to local vocational schools. Apart from the fact that the official post they are assigned to after graduation is a bit far away, there are no other disadvantages. At least they will become officials.
It was after the Crown Princess's wedding that Empress Lü recalled Han Xin and others, halted the expansionist policies, and devoted herself to accumulating national wealth for many years.
She also had her own plans for developing navigation technology, including Han Xin and others.
Before Liu Ya turned twenty, over the course of five years, people successively submitted memorials to the emperor expressing their concern about the future of the Han Dynasty, noting that the crown princess had no heir.
When Empress Lü found out, she chose to shift the blame. First, it certainly wasn't her daughter's fault, and second, she arranged for the Crown Princess to marry a few more men.
After the number of people in the Crown Princess's palace increased, and it was the New Year, good news indeed came.
This was also the result of Liu Ya's deliberate control. She was unwilling to give birth to a child that was clearly Han Tianzhen's. Once the number of people in the harem increased, she could only be sure that the child was her own.
As for what Han Tianzhen thought, she hadn't considered it; after all, they hadn't married because of love.
Liu Ya also respected Han Tianzhen, and they had gotten along well for many years. She would be a good candidate for empress in the future.
The following year, the Crown Princess gave birth to a daughter, prompting the Han emperor to personally attend the 100-day celebration. In the same year, grain production increased again, and the whole country celebrated.
Once the eldest daughter of the Crown Princess was established, Empress Lü gradually felt her own powerlessness and began a second round of purges.
He spared no effort in eliminating the deeply entrenched figures in the court, yet left a few minor ones for the new emperor to practice on.
Finally, a powerful minister with only a nominal title was sidelined. With sufficient evidence of his years of corruption, the new emperor could execute him to establish his authority upon ascending the throne.
Under the dim candlelight, Lü Zhi rubbed her eyes; it seemed she had nothing left to leave behind.
Her posthumous reputation is no longer important; in recent years, she hasn't even built her own mausoleum.
Anyone with eyes could see that her intention was to be buried with Liu Bang at Changling.
Zhu Qing'ai also realized that this world was about to end, and her host had long since risen to the highest ranks of officialdom, achieving great success and leaving a lasting mark on history.
However, she couldn't bear to part with Lü Zhi, so she stayed here for many more years. The body that Wei Sheng Jiujiu used looked old and frail, and one could only vaguely glimpse its youthful splendor.
She stayed quietly by Lü Zhi's side, thinking about what she could leave for Liu Ya. In the end, she installed the plugin she had bought on the subprogram and left it behind.
Convenient communication always makes governance easier. The schools left behind by Wei Shengjiujiu will also give rise to new ideas. The agrarian society has reached its peak. Perhaps in the near future, the people here will think more deeply, making the emperor's position a thing of the past.
Much later than in history, Empress Lü Zhi naturally grew old, and after abdicating to the new emperor last year, she stayed in the national temple in Xianyang.
He often chatted with the "Han" and occasionally visited Liu Bang, who had become a memorial tablet.
Every day, the first thing he did when he got up and went to see 'Liu Bang' was to tell him, "Look, I've lived another day. My mother hasn't mentioned you in a long time. How pitiful."
"Only I remember you."
The second half of the sentence is obviously an exaggeration. Putting aside everything else, those who compiled history books in the court certainly remembered Emperor Gaozu, and the new generation will not forget the founding emperor either.
The 'Han' who had just appeared smiled helplessly: "The older I get, the more childish I become."
Lü Zhi followed Han slowly into the courtyard: "I just want to live more freely. Ya'er's performance this year has already put my mind at ease."
“When Wei Sheng passed away last year, I had a premonition that I would not live past this year.”
Han looked sad: "In my heart, you are different."
Empress Lü smiled and slowly leaned back under the largest tree in the temple. This tree had been transplanted from elsewhere and had survived all these years.
'Han' silently sat down beside her, and before she closed her eyes, she heard...
"To live on in my mother's heart is wonderful. Do you think I deserve that?"
Han raised his hand and brushed the withered leaf off her forehead, giving her an answer she might never hear again: "...Yes."
---
Two years after the new emperor ascended the throne, the retired emperor passed away under an ancient tree in the national temple. The ground was covered with withered leaves, but the retired emperor was clean and his clothes were neat, as if he were fast asleep.
The new emperor was deeply grieved and buried Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozu together in Changling the following month.
Thus, the era of Empress Lü officially came to an end. Apart from the emperor's grief, some people were relieved that the new emperor's position was secure and they would no longer be killed because of their illusory right of succession.
Later they discovered that the new emperor was not a good person either.
Dealing with these people is a matter of the new emperor's own hands. Since the maternal relatives don't know exactly who the emperor's children are, the situation becomes more complicated regarding the next generation.
However, this had nothing to do with Zhu Qing'ai anymore. She stayed for a few more years, packed up the ashes of Wei Sheng Jiu Shi Jiu's body in this world, and left this world with the host of the soul.
The rest was handled by the subroutines she left behind, that is, her alter egos. Thus, historical records state that Liu Ya, the third emperor of the Han Dynasty, was the last person to see the spirit, and there were no more extraordinary people for a thousand years afterward.
(End of main text)
(It will be marked as completed immediately. After it is marked as completed, any new chapters will automatically become side stories and will not affect the full subscription mark. PS: Bonus chapters will be issued after settlement (seven days).)
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Author's Note: The side story will probably include some information about future generations of marketing accounts (?). The kind-hearted author has decided to ensure that the future generations of this world don't suffer any more disasters or encounters with aliens. [doge]
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