novelAbuy Chapter 6: Crown Prince, you've changed!!!
Chapter 6: Crown Prince, you've changed!!!
"Zhang He, the Crown Prince's Guest, requests an audience with the Marquis of Changping!"
Shortly after the Crown Prince left Bowang Garden, Zhang He hurriedly arrived at the General's Mansion.
This grand and magnificent mansion, located in the most bustling part of Chang'an Avenue, was originally the residence of Princess Pingyang. However, because Princess Pingyang married Wei Qing, the Marquis of Changping was not established, and it would be inappropriate to continue using the name of Princess Pingyang's residence. Therefore, Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, bestowed the plaque of "Grand General's Mansion" upon it.
"Quickly, go and inform the princess!"
Upon seeing this, the guards of the General's Mansion immediately ordered the servants to obey.
"promise."
Without the slightest hesitation, the servant turned around and ran into the mansion.
.........
A moment later, in the inner garden of the General's Mansion.
Princess Pingyang, now over fifty, lay quietly on her couch. Time had left indelible marks on her, but it could not erase her innate grace and nobility. Her aged face was covered with wrinkles, like pages of an ancient book carefully sculpted by the hand of time.
Beneath his relaxed skin shone a warm, mellow glow accumulated over the years. His eyes drooped slightly, his eyelids looked a little heavy, but his gaze remained clear, like two deep pools reflecting the vicissitudes of life and the changes of the past fifty years.
Princess Pingyang, also known as Princess Yangxin, was the daughter of Emperor Jing of Han (Liu Qi) and Empress Wang Zhi, the elder sister of Emperor Wu of Han (Liu Che) of the same mother, and the wife of Marquis Pingyang Cao Shou and Marquis Changping Wei Qing. Her status was so high that it could not be described.
"The Crown Prince's guest Zhang He has come here, surely to seek out the General."
Princess Pingyang spoke slowly, her voice slightly hoarse, but her words were clear and her tone even. Every word contained the wisdom and composure that came from experiencing countless storms.
"Princess."
The female official who had accompanied her for many years reported: "Jiang Chong, the Imperial Censor, detained Shen Yu, a retainer of the Crown Prince, on the grounds that he violated the laws of the Han Dynasty by driving a carriage on the imperial road. I presume that His Highness the Crown Prince sent his guests here for this very reason."
"Oh?"
Princess Pingyang slowly rose to her feet, her movements deliberate and steady, each step carrying the solemnity and majesty bestowed upon her by the years.
The increase in age did not make her languid; on the contrary, it tempered her into a calm and resilient demeanor.
"Wanlan".
"Go and tell them that the General is ill and cannot see anyone."
"promise."
The maidservant respectfully responded and left the inner garden.
"Princess."
"Won't doing this anger the Crown Prince?"
The female official lowered her head and spoke softly.
"You know neither the Crown Prince nor His Majesty."
Princess Pingyang gazed in the direction of Ganquan Palace and said softly, "He may have some dissatisfaction with me, his aunt, but he would never show the slightest hostility towards Princess Yangxin. He wouldn't dare, and the Empress wouldn't allow him to do so."
"His Majesty's tolerance for the Crown Prince has reached its limit. Even if the Crown Prince changes, it will be of no use."
"For the sake of the General's Mansion, for the sake of the Wei family, I must make a choice."
"Go and tell Li Yannian, the Commandant of Music, that Lady Li can be sent over now."
"I will train this stunning beauty for him. Whether the Li family can seize wealth and glory depends on the Li family itself."
"promise."
The female official also left in a hurry.
When Zhang He, who was standing outside the General's Mansion, heard the message from the princess's maid, he was stunned. He never expected to be turned away at the General's Mansion. After all, the Crown Prince was the nephew of Marquis Changping, Wei Qing.
"please!"
The guards at the General's Mansion coldly drove Zhang He away.
"Bang! Bang!"
Zhang He looked up at the General's Mansion, stomped his foot, and left angrily.
Right now, there is no other way but to find the Empress. After all, it is no small matter for the Crown Prince to personally go to Ganquan Palace.
.............
At this moment, in Ganquan Palace, heavy curtains blocked out the sunlight, and only Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, and Crown Prince Liu Ju remained in the dark hall.
"Crown Prince."
"Do you really think I wouldn't dare to depose you?"
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, stared intently at the young man before him with his sharp, hawk-like eyes.
"Of course Your Majesty dares."
Liu Ju remained calm and composed, saying indifferently, "Under Your Majesty's rule, the Great Han Empire has reached an unprecedented level of power."
"Your Majesty wishes to expand the Tianhan territory to all corners of the world; therefore, conquering Nanyue and pacifying the southwestern barbarians are only the first steps."
"Dongyue (Minyue), Wiman Joseon, and even the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions, and the Xiongnu north of Yinshan."
"Wherever His Majesty takes a liking, the Han army will rush there without hesitation and fight to the death."
"What does my position as crown prince mean to His Majesty?"
This dialogue between father and son completely exposed the ugliest side of the Han Empire: an ambitious emperor and a crown prince who cares about the people's livelihood can never coexist; the most direct threat to the supreme imperial power has always been the crown prince.
Political differences are merely a fig leaf; the real reason lies in the fact that the dragon tightly grips power, and anyone who covets the throne will be seen as a threat.
"Liu Ju".
"They've rebelled! They've really rebelled!"
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, never imagined that one day he would be forced to this point by his own son.
He certainly couldn't depose the crown prince, because the crown prince had been on the throne for eleven years and had supporters all over the court and the country. Moreover, he was the nephew of Marquis Changping, Wei Qing, and the cousin of the late Marquis of Jingheng, the champion of the country, and the ruler whom the people most hoped for.
If the crown prince is abolished, not only will the court officials be unwilling, but Empress Wei Zifu will also be unwilling, the Wei family will be unwilling, the army will be unwilling, and the people of the world will be even less willing.
By then, he, the emperor, would be deserted by all, and the collapse of the Han dynasty would be imminent.
"I've thought about it."
"Your Majesty is determined to conquer the world, and I cannot stop you."
"But some things cannot be decided by His Majesty alone."
"Just as His Majesty values the Gongyang School but does not hate the Guliang School."
"The Gongyang School's ideas of 'great unification' and 'great revenge' laid the foundation for the expansion of the empire."
"For this reason, His Majesty did not hesitate to suppress all other schools of thought and promote the Six Classics, thus granting Confucianism a unique and exalted status."
"But Father Emperor never supported the Gongyang School's theory of the interaction between Heaven and Man. Dong Zhongshu was indeed a great Confucian scholar. His theory of the interaction between Heaven and Man provided strong support for the divine right of kings, but in a sense it limited the power of the emperor."
"The monarch's authority is manifested through the changes in heaven and earth. If the monarch practices benevolent governance, auspicious omens will descend from heaven; if he loses virtue and practices tyranny, heaven will issue a warning."
"It's like constantly reminding Father Emperor to revere the Way of Heaven and cultivate virtue and love the people."
"On the other hand, the Guliang School revered imperial power and provided ritual norms for the formulation of the Tianhan court ceremonies and regulations, emphasizing that feudal lords should abide by their duties and maintain hierarchical order."
"Therefore, the Emperor's attitude toward the Gongyang School and the Guliang School was the same."
Facing the gaze of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, Liu Ju openly revealed the long-standing mystery of the court.
Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, did not subscribe to any particular school of Confucianism. He always prioritized self-interest, and the Gongyang School and the Guliang School were merely means of governing the country.
"You've changed!"
Liu Che gave Liu Ju a deep look and said expressionlessly.
The former crown prince only knew how to study the ideas of Guliang, but did not understand the true meaning of the art of rulership. The current crown prince has gradually transformed into a monarch, and his perspective is no longer as pedantic and simplistic as before.
For Emperor Wu of Han, this was not just a subversion of the law; he felt surprise, fear, and also anticipation.
PS: The concept of a unified empire means that all government orders and systems are unified under the emperor, advocating the unity of thought and politics.
The Great Revenge: Can an enemy from nine generations be avenged? Even from a hundred generations, it can be avenged!
The Six Classics: *The Book of Poetry*, *The Book of Documents*, *The Book of Rites*, *The Book of Music*, *The Book of Changes*, and *The Spring and Autumn Annals*.