49Chapter 49: Emperor Wen's Death, Exploration of His Final Journey
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Liu Qi sat to the side, his eyes filled with a hint of tension and worry: "Father Emperor, your son is here."
He sat beside Liu Heng, looking at the person lying on the bed, who appeared very weak, and said softly: "Father Emperor, there is no need to worry, your son is handling all affairs of the court."
Liu Qi then nodded.
These years, he was truly too tired.
But there was no other way, he couldn't help but be tired, all the matters of the world were pressing down on him.
It almost made him unable to breathe.
Since ascending the throne, he had been racking his brains, wanting to make the world better, at least better than his predecessor, Emperor Xiaohui.
He also wanted his father to see who was truly the most suitable person for this position.
Thus, many years passed in a blink of an eye.
During his twenty years on the throne, he had never shown the slightest bit of slack.
At this moment, footsteps sounded outside the main hall; Chen Yun, Chen Xi, Zhou Shengzhi, and other court officials had all arrived and were standing there.
Liu Heng reluctantly raised his strength, looking at everyone and saying: "Now that I am gravely ill, the Crown Prince will oversee the state."
He pondered for a moment and said: "The former Prime Minister has passed away, and the Great Han has been without a Prime Minister for many years.
Now that I am gravely ill and cannot manage court affairs, Lang Zhong Ling and Feng Chang Chen Yun will serve as Prime Minister to assist in governing."
Liu Heng looked at Chen Yun, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity: "Chen Qing! Do not disappoint me."
Chen Yun did not show any signs of excitement; the position of Prime Minister was not much to him, so he immediately bowed in gratitude.
Zhou Shengzhi stood to the side, a hint of gloom flashing across his face.
He thought the Emperor would suspect the Chen Clan and thus make him Prime Minister to counterbalance Chen Yun and others.
However, he did not expect that at the most crucial moment, the Emperor still trusted the Chen Clan.
The Chen Clan… once again became one of the Three Dukes and the head of all officials, the Prime Minister.
This meant that the Chen Clan had officially passed through the "silent period" and once again stood above all court officials.
The power of the Chen Clan would also be strengthened again, and those disciples would once again gather and then form a habit.
In the future, even if the Chen Clan falls into a silent period again, they will no longer choose to wait and see.
Because the Chen Clan already had enough experience to pass through the "silent period" and rise again.
Liu Heng then relaxed and lay on his sickbed.
.... ....
In the spring and summer of Emperor Wen's twentieth year, Emperor Wen was gravely ill in bed, and no one knew how much longer he could last.
Under such circumstances, the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister, who was overseeing the state and assisting in governance, became the most esteemed people in the Great Han.
The Empress, however, wanted to cause trouble at this time, wishing for the Crown Prince to summon the Prince of Liang to the capital—the excuse she gave was also quite reasonable: the Emperor was gravely ill, on the verge of death, and not allowing the Prince of Liang to return at this time, wouldn't that mean wanting these father and son to not see each other one last time?
And the answer given by the Crown Prince was also very simple—this matter is not under my jurisdiction.
He directly told the Empress Dowager that when the Emperor could not preside over court affairs, matters concerning the vassal Kings were managed by the Zongzheng, the Feng Chang, and the Prime Minister.
Therefore, if the Prince of Liang wanted to return to the capital, he only needed to obtain the consent of these three.
As for his opinion?
He was not yet the Emperor, so he could not make this decision.
When he ascended to the throne, he could make this decision.
Dou Empress was very angry after receiving this answer—because she knew very well that the Zongzheng had not managed court affairs for many years and was now just lying at home waiting to die—even if the Zongzheng did manage affairs, she wouldn't dare to seek him out.
Because the Emperor was still alive.
She and Emperor Wen had been husband and wife for many years, how could she not understand what kind of person the Emperor was?
Jia Yi, who had offended him last time, had now been exiled to the King of Changsha, to serve as the King of Changsha's Prime Minister—and who was the King of Changsha?
He was an extremely cruel and wantonly murderous person.
Emperor Wen's intention was also very simple: he wanted to use the King of Changsha's hand to kill Jia Yi.
If she, as the Empress, was not obedient at this time and wanted to let the Prince of Liang return to the capital to cause trouble, then Dou Empress could almost foresee the Emperor's next move—either she would die, or the Prince of Liang would die, or both she and the Prince of Liang would die together.
And most likely it would be the latter.
As for seeking out the Prime Minister or the Feng Chang?
Dou Empress dared even less.
Who didn't know the bravery of Guandu Marquis back then—he directly charged into Changle Palace with a sword, forcing that extremely arrogant founding Empress out of Changle Palace, and incidentally made Lu Hou retract all her probes, finally pushing the Lü Clan into a deep pit and almost wiping out the Lü Clan.
As for saying that the current Guandu Marquis is not the Guandu Marquis of yesteryear?
Do you want to see the ruthlessness of this Guandu Marquis today?
He is even more ruthless than his Grandfather, the first Guandu Marquis.
Thus, the Great Han court once again fell into silence.
After three or four years passed like this, the Emperor remained confined to his sickbed, though he did experience a brief recovery once, thanks to the diligent care of an Inner Attendant named Deng Tong.
Because of this, the Emperor was able to get up from his bed with some effort.
He even personally sucked the pus from the Emperor's sores and the like, which deeply moved Emperor Wen.
It was also because of this that Emperor Wen, under the extreme interference of his serious illness, did the only thing in his life that could barely be considered a blemish—he gave Deng Tong a copper mine and also the power to mint coins.
Of course, the latter was rejected by Chen Yun.
Chen Yun personally came to Weiyang Palace and discussed with Emperor Wen for a long time, finally making Emperor Wen retract his order, simply bestowing Deng Tong with official positions, power, and money.
This point, Chen Yun had no way to continue to stop, after all, this was within the Emperor's scope of authority.
Even the Crown Prince had acquiesced, what did he, as Prime Minister, have to say?
In a blink of an eye, it was the winter of Emperor Wen's twenty-fifth year.
When the first heavy snow of that year fell, Emperor Wen finally fell ill again—this time, the illness was truly like a mountain collapsing and the earth splitting apart.
In just one or two short months, Tai Yi Ling directly declared that the Emperor "would not survive this winter," which was equivalent to a death sentence.
It was also in the winter of Emperor Wen's twenty-fifth year, on the last day of the twelfth lunar month.
An order came from Weiyang Palace, urgently summoning Chen Yun, Chen Xi, Zhou Shengzhi, Chen Hui, and others to stand in Weiyang Palace, a dense crowd.
Emperor Wen slowly opened his eyes, leaning against the soft cushion behind him with Liu Qi's attendance.
His eyes appeared incomparably calm, clearly having anticipated today's death and accepting it with equanimity.
"Chen Qing."
His voice was incomparably hoarse, looking at Chen Yun standing in the distance, he slowly said: "Chen Qing, I am afraid I will depart today."
Liu Heng's voice was weary and ancient: "These many years, it has all been by relying on Chen Qing that we have come through, and the world has become peaceful."
"Chen Qing's merits... are truly countless."
He whispered: "I... wish to restore the Chen Clan's status as King, to make the title of 'Prince of Qin' a reality, what does Chen Qing think?"
PS: I'm sick.
My head is dizzy and my eyes are almost too heavy to open.
Actually, I've been sick these past few days, so I've always finished writing very late, and some chapters even had some minor issues, but I kept putting off taking leave.
Today, I really can't go on, my head feels like it's about to explode, so I'm taking a day off to go to bed early.
Bowing to my lords or2