Yinshan Record

Chapter 511 Farewell to the Old Year and Welcome the New: Grand Tutors of the North and South
Saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new, refreshing both the government and the people.

At this very moment, not a single one of the officials in the Taiji Hall, regardless of rank, was thinking about those four words.

"...The sins of all are my own fault...My virtue is meager and insufficient to nurture all people...My ignorance is truly profound...Moreover, the course of Heaven is constant, it does not exist for the sake of the sages, nor does it perish for the erroneous. The Crown Prince, for the sake of the nation, should be in the rightful position...Now, the court is filled with upright officials, and Grand Tutor Su Gui and Grand Commandant Wei Huaiwen are both important ministers of the state, whom we can entrust with the fate of the nation..."

The young eunuch read aloud the imperial edict in his hand.

This is both an edict of self-reproach and a will.

In this imperial edict, the emperor systematically summarized the achievements of his many years of governing the country.

That means there are no results, only trouble for everyone.

Because he has caused trouble, His Majesty is very sorry. After careful consideration, and taking into account his increasingly declining health, and after deliberation and without being forced by outsiders, the Emperor has made a major decision.

abdicate.

The crown prince naturally inherited the throne. At the same time, in order to stabilize the political situation, the emperor specially arranged several important ministers who could be entrusted with the task. These included Su Gui, Wei Huaiwen, the Yu family of Yingchuan, and the Wang and Xie families.

Su Gui was the Grand Secretary and Wei Huaiwen was the Minister of State Affairs; it can be said that the two families jointly controlled the government.

Meanwhile, the Yu clan of Yingchuan, the Xie clan of Chenjun, and the Wang clan of Langya firmly held several important positions. For example, Yu Ze served as Attendant-in-Ordinary and controlled the Secretariat, while the Wang clan of Langya gained a Minister of Works, and the Xie clan of Chenjun gained a General of the Guards.

It can be said that everyone except the emperor was happy.

Therefore, this is certainly also a will.

This edict announced the death of the Emperor of Liang in a sense, marking the end of his era. If nothing unexpected happens, we should hear of his death in three to five years. Of course, with more patience, perhaps nine or ten years.

The Taiji Hall was quiet, and everything proceeded in accordance with the established steps.

After the eunuch read out the Emperor's edict, the court officials began urging the Crown Prince to ascend the throne. Led by the leaders of the Wang and Xie families, the officials jointly submitted a memorial, hoping that the Crown Prince would step forward to inherit the throne.

The memorial was quickly sent to the Eastern Palace. Even though the Crown Prince was already prepared in the Taiji Hall, these were all unavoidable procedures.

The crown prince naturally refused, and the court officials then submitted another memorial.

This was done three times.

Finally, the Crown Prince, wearing a crown and imperial robes, ascended the Taiji Hall and received the homage and cheers of the assembled officials.

The overall situation has been decided.

Su Che stood beside Su Gui, looking at the new emperor who was now sitting upright in the Taiji Hall.

The crown prince's face showed no emotion, as if his ascension to the throne today had no other factors, but was simply due to the old emperor's peaceful death, a normal handover.

"...My virtue is shallow, and there are many troubles in all directions. I rely on the venerable elders who have rendered meritorious service..."

It was yet another meticulously crafted imperial edict.

Su Che listened quietly, feeling a sense of absurdity, as if one act ended and another began. Looking at the solemn face of the new emperor, what role did the Crown Prince play in this upheaval orchestrated by Old Su?

Nobody wants to be a puppet.

Although the old emperor was adept at manipulating power, he was, in any case, the crown prince's true protector. The interests of the royal family were always aligned; ultimately, the spoils would remain within the family.

Now, after this upheaval, the dominant figures in the imperial court have become Su Gui and Wei Huaiwen. Of course, the Crown Prince still controls the Secretariat through the Yu clan of Yingchuan, but this is not comparable to the old emperor's era. In this recent edict, the new emperor displayed a remarkably humble attitude. The statement, "Sacrifices are performed by me, governance is entrusted to you gentlemen," is tantamount to a clear declaration to the world that he intends to relinquish his responsibilities.

But after being the crown prince for so many years, is he really willing? Probably not. This edict is no different from the last one; it's the result of Old Su and Old Wei's discussion.

"...The disgraced official Zeng Mozhou of the Jingye Division has defied the Emperor's grace..."

The new emperor's edict ended with a long list of names, all undoubtedly the old emperor's confidants, or as the edict itself put it, "sycophants," whose loyalty was solely directed at the old emperor. Now that the old emperor had abdicated, their loyalty seemed somewhat out of place.

Thus, the once loyal henchmen have now fallen into the same predicament as the rabbits that have been caught and the hounds that have been cooked, becoming wanted criminals ordered to be captured.

The morning assembly proceeded smoothly, almost without any delay, like a play that had been rehearsed for a long time, slowly turning and unfolding like gears in a machine.

Ultimately, the court announced the new emperor's ascension to the throne, granted a general amnesty, released palace maids from the palace, reduced taxes, and provided relief to widows, widowers, and orphans, among other things.

These are all examples of virtuous and benevolent governance that should be implemented after a change in the political landscape.

With the ministers' final shouts of "Long live the Emperor!", this scene finally came to an end.

In this round, the Su and Wei clans of Duling, being from the same hometown, joined forces and reaped the greatest benefits, while the Crown Prince, in cooperation with his wife's clan, the Yu clan of Yingchuan, finally ascended to power. The Xie clan of Chenjun and the Wang clan of Langya maintained their lofty social standing.

Except for the old emperor, everyone was happy.

The court assembly ended, but the ceremony continued. The new emperor was to go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to worship his ancestors, set up an altar in the southern suburbs of the city to pray to Heaven and Earth, and then appoint the empress...

Although the changing circumstances necessitate simplification, every step in this process is unavoidable.

Young Master Su watched quietly from the side.

I was once in this situation myself, but now I've already stepped out of it with one foot out.

"How do you feel, Marquis Changxin?"

"It was like a dream."

Grand Tutor, Grand Chancellor, Duke of Yong – these are Su Gui's new titles.

The titles of Grand Tutor and Duke of Qin were both part of the old emperor's "last will and testament," serving as a summary of Su Gui's many years of achievements. They also represented the practical benefits Su Gui had secured for himself. As one of the emperor's three tutors, the Grand Tutor held a certain detachment from the emperor.

After all, he was considered the emperor's teacher.

The Duke of Yongguo goes a step further. The military force supporting the Liang Dynasty is now the Yongzhou warriors, and Old Su's status as the Duke of Yongguo is essentially confirmed as the leader of the Yongzhou warriors.

Of course, Wei Huaiwen also received equal benefits.

The Grand Commandant, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and the Duke of Qin—this Qin encompasses the next lower-ranking state of Yong. Of course, in the current court hierarchy, the Grand Tutor is above the Grand Commandant. These two old buddies, one with a higher official rank and the other with a more prestigious title, seem like a rather mismatched, makeshift group.

Su Che couldn't help but feel a little emotional. From this day forward, Grand Tutor Yuwen in the north wouldn't be so lonely anymore, since he now had Grand Tutor Su to keep him company in the south.

"Come with me."

Grand Tutor Su gently patted Su Che's shoulder and led him in another direction.

(End of this chapter)