Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 313 The Ancestral Temple Has Succession, the Emperor's Shrine is Owl

Chengdu.

Ten miles south.

Banners fluttered in the breeze, and dignitaries gathered in great numbers.

Wu Yizhong led the army, with Xiang Chong at the front.

The article was headed by Jiang Wan, the chief secretary of the Prime Minister's office.

Following them were Infantry Colonel Xi Long, Archer Colonel Zhang Yi, Changshui Colonel Liu Min, Yueqi Colonel Yan Yan, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel Dong Jue, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel Fan Jian, Grand Master of the Palace Li Yan... Hundreds of important civil and military officials who remained in Chengdu were present.

Empress Zhang, who had long resided deep within the palace, was also dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robes today. Surrounded by a group of palace maids, she stood quietly beside the carriage, her eyes filled with anticipation and longing.

The young princes, Liu Yong and Liu Gongshou of Lu, and Liu Li and Liu Fengxiao of Liang, who had not yet reached adulthood, stood obediently behind the empress with their wives and children.

The Prime Minister's wife, who has been so busy lately that she wished she could live in Chengdu, also stood at the front of the crowd today, her expression gentle and peaceful.

Four thousand Northern Army Imperial Guards lined both sides of the official road, all the way to the city gate. Outside the official road, however, the area was now crowded with wealthy young men who had come upon hearing the news and admired the emperor's martial prowess and virtue.

This group of wealthy young men, who would normally spend a fortune to win a smile from a pipa player in a teahouse or tavern, were all crowding together on the paddy field embankment and dam beside the official road today, standing on tiptoe and craning their necks, completely disregarding their disheveled appearance and muddy conditions, their faces full of excitement and curiosity.

"He's here! His Majesty has arrived!" Someone shouted first, and in an instant, the group of spirited and wealthy young men stirred.

On the official road, a troop of elite knights led the way, their black armor and red banners a testament to the Emperor's imperial guards.

A moment later, the dragon procession had passed, and the emperor's "imperial regalia" slowly appeared in everyone's sight.

However, the imperial carriage we are talking about today is not a jade chariot, but a magnificent white horse.

On the white horse, the emperor, though not wearing a crown and only dressed in a black robe, exuded a captivating majesty.

"Your Majesty is victorious!"

"Welcome back to the capital, Your Majesty!"

Cheers erupted like a thunderclap, suddenly bursting forth from the proud and wealthy young men, their sound shaking the surrounding area.

Last year, after a great victory in Guanzhong, the capital was returned to Chang'an. This year, the reign title was changed to Yanwu, and the emperor once again personally led an expedition against Eastern Wu. He broke through strong cities and strategic passes one after another, and great victories were reported frequently. The wealthy young men of Chengdu already regarded the emperor, who was about the same age as themselves, as a figure like Emperor Gaozu or Emperor Shizu.

Ministers Jiang Wan, Xiang Chong, Li Yan, Xi Long, and others stepped forward quickly and bowed to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome your return!" Jiang Wan, as the Chief Secretary of the Imperial Household Department, spoke first. "Your Majesty personally led the six armies, braving arrows and stones, to recapture Jingxi, enabling our Great Han to fully control the natural defenses of the Yangtze River and showcasing the prestige of our nation. Every time we hear the news of victory, we are all thrilled and cannot sleep at night!"

The commander of the central army, Xiang Chong, gazed intently at the emperor on horseback, his heart pounding with excitement. He took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said:
"Since Your Majesty's eastern expedition, you have swiftly defeated Wuzi in a month and captured Yiling in a day. Afterwards, Wuling responded and Jingnan was shaken... This is not only because the Mandate of Heaven is with Han, but also because Your Majesty is divinely martial, intelligent, and decisive!"
"Now that Wushan has been pacified and the Three Gorges are under our control, the gates to the rebel Wu are wide open. Our great Han Dynasty, occupying the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, will advance eastward with the momentum, and the recapture of Jiangling and the complete takeover of Jingzhou will be just around the corner!"

Liu Shan nimbly dismounted, stepped forward, and helped Jiang Wan and Xiang Chong to their feet. Then, looking around at the assembled civil and military officials, he loudly proclaimed:
"My beloved ministers have stayed in Chengdu to safeguard the country, comfort the people, provide supplies, ensure uninterrupted supply lines, and stabilize the rear. You have truly worked hard!"

Jiang Wan and Xiang Chong bowed deeply to the very end.

"Your Majesty is mighty and mighty! May the Han Dynasty be victorious forever!"

Behind them stood hundreds of civil and military officials, who also bowed deeply and shouted in unison.

"Your Majesty is mighty and mighty! May the Han Dynasty be victorious forever!"

Today marks the first time Emperor Liu Shan has returned to Chengdu since his personal campaign to the north. The ministers wished they could make a grand spectacle and hold the most solemn ceremony, yet they felt it was excessive in the slightest.

After all, last December, the emperor announced that he would return to Chengdu to preside over the victory banquet and the ceremony of establishing a new reign title. Everyone was looking forward to it, but unexpectedly, the emperor stood everyone up. Then came the news of the great defeat of Wuxian. The people of Chengdu were shocked. It was this battle that turned the wealthy young men of Chengdu into die-hard supporters of the emperor. The topic of the emperor continued for months.

Just as Wuxian was captured, news of another victory arrived at Zigui. The excitement brought by the great victory at Zigui was barely suppressed when Yiling was captured in a single battle.

can not stop.

Simply can not stop.

Many wealthy young men even spread rumors that if His Majesty did not return soon, Sun Quan might abandon Jingzhou this autumn.

After exchanging pleasantries with a group of civil and military officials, Liu Shan, surrounded by important ministers such as Jiang Wan and Xiang Chong, walked to the Empress and his two younger brothers.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects!" Liu Yong and Liu Li were overjoyed and, together with their wives and children, bowed deeply to the emperor.

Empress Zhang stepped forward and gave a graceful bow:
"Your Majesty, I respectfully welcome your triumphant return."

"Today, seeing Your Majesty's triumphant return, your spirit even more radiant than before, I am overjoyed." Empress Zhang raised her head, meeting the gaze of the emperor, her childhood sweetheart, her eyes filled with a complex mix of joy and emotion.

Liu Shan stepped forward and grasped the Empress's hand: "Your Majesty, you have worked hard."

Under the watchful eyes of the public, Liu Shan, though still deeply in love with his wife, could not afford to be too unrestrained.

Afterwards, Liu Shan greeted the Prime Minister's wife, who was standing beside him. The Prime Minister's wife returned the greeting with a smile, her tone as gentle as ever: "With Your Majesty in good health, the civil and military officials and the forty thousand people can also rest assured."

Liu Shan abandoned his white horse and boarded the imperial carriage with its canopy, which had been prepared in the palace, and slowly entered Chengdu amidst a large crowd.

Cheers and shouts echoed from both sides of the street, and the windows of the restaurants and teahouses along the street were crowded with men and women eagerly waiting.

Inside the teahouse, several young men who looked like scholars were having a lively discussion by the window.

"Your Majesty is truly valiant and extraordinary!"

"Yes, two years ago we both thought His Majesty was young and weak, and that the Prime Minister was the only one who could support the country."

"Unexpectedly, since His Majesty personally led the expedition, there have been frequent victories. Now that I have the honor of seeing His Majesty's face, I am amazed by his magnificent demeanor."

"Truly... lying dormant for five years without making a sound, and when it does, it shakes the heavens and the earth!" A scholar in a blue robe exclaimed sincerely.

An elderly scholar, also leaning against the window gazing into the distance, stroked his beard and spoke with a Guanzhong accent:

"This is truly a blessing for the nation."

"Last year, His Majesty personally led the northern expedition, beheading Cao Zhen, executing Zhang He, defeating Sima Yi, and recovering Guanzhong in one fell swoop, returning the capital to Chang'an. This year, the eastern expedition was once again unstoppable, successively recapturing the important towns of Wuzi and Yiling. The revival of our Great Han Dynasty is in sight!"

Liu Shan finally returned to the long-lost palace.

Everything seems different, yet it also seems the same.

That night, a simple family banquet was held in the palace.

Only Liu Shan, Empress Zhang, Prince Lu Liu Yong, Prince Liang Liu Li, and Empress Dowager Wu were present. During the banquet, Empress Dowager Wu looked at the much thinner emperor, feeling both heartache and pride, and asked him many questions about the front lines.

Empress Wu had no children, and A Dou was raised by her from a young age. Although he was not her biological son, their relationship was no different from that of a biological son.

The banquet ended.

Liu Shan and Empress Zhang returned to their palace.

The flickering candlelight in the palace illuminated Empress Zhang's slightly thinner yet still exceptionally beautiful and elegant face. If one were to describe her with a certain person, it would be like the feeling one gets from Zhao Min, who rides a white horse and glances back in the novel "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber".

During the winter equinox in the twelfth lunar month, while Liu Shan was still in Jiangzhou, Empress Zhang briefly left the palace to reunite with him, spending half a month together before returning.

Nearly half a year had passed since they parted, and Liu Shan's heart was burning with passion. He reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"Your Majesty..." Empress Zhang turned slightly to avoid Liu Chan's arm, a blush rising on her face.

Liu Shan was slightly taken aback: "Empress?"

Empress Zhang raised her head, her eyes filled with a hint of shyness and an irrepressible joy. She gently took Liu Shan's hands and placed them on her slightly protruding belly.

"Your Majesty, I...I am pregnant," Empress Zhang said in a barely audible voice.

Liu Shan stood frozen in place, as if under a spell. Through the thin summer clothes beneath his palm, he could clearly feel a rounded curve that was different from the last time.

In an instant, the emperor, who was used to being among rough soldiers and dealing with all sorts of enemies and allies, went blank, and a strange and unfamiliar emotion filled him. "Has the imperial physician examined him?" he asked subconsciously.

"I have seen it," Empress Zhang replied softly, observing the emperor's expression.

"After the year was changed, my period became late, but this was not the first time, so I didn't think much of it."

"However, after February, I began to feel nauseous."

"In mid-February, the imperial physician personally examined her pulse and confirmed that she was pregnant."

"But at that time Your Majesty was often on eastern expeditions, and I dared not disturb Your Majesty's mind with this matter, so I did not dare to report it. Now, it has been almost five months."

Liu Shan calculated the time. In December, he visited the Empress in Jiangzhou. Now it was mid-April, which was exactly five months ago.

He gently stroked the Empress's lower abdomen, and an indescribable, wonderful feeling welled up in his heart.

Is this time traveler about to become a father?

What if... what if the son I have is also a time traveler?!

Some whimsical ideas, or rather, wild thoughts, involuntarily popped into his mind. He had never experienced the prospect of becoming a father before, either in his past life or this one.

"Good, good..." the emperor, who was about to become a father, murmured to himself, and finally gently embraced the empress. This time, the empress did not resist.

He then, as if possessed, like those characters in TV dramas who are about to become fathers, pressed his ear against the empress's lower abdomen.

Listening carefully, although he couldn't hear any movement, he still said, "It's moving...it's moving...I...I'm very happy."

"I've been craving sour foods lately, and the Empress Dowager says it must be a prince," the Empress said gently.

Liu Shan raised his head and looked at the Empress:

"Good...good! With an heir, the nation will have sustenance, the ancestral temples will have a successor, and the Empress will have rendered a great service to both the family and the country!"

After Liu Shan finished speaking, he was momentarily stunned, wondering how he, a time traveler, could so naturally utter such words.

After a long while, he calmed down a bit and said:
"From this day forward, all expenses in the palace shall be made with the Empress's priority."

"I will personally select reliable people to serve you. Your Majesty need not worry about anything. I only wish you to rest peacefully and recover well."

Upon hearing this, the Empress nestled into her husband's arms, just like any young couple in the common world.

In the following days, Liu Shan arranged matters concerning the empress and imperial heir while also handling some government affairs. He listened to reports from civil and military officials such as Jiang Wan and Xiang Chong on the people's livelihood and military situation in Shu. In addition, he ordered people to prepare for the upcoming May sacrifice ceremony for the owl.

He had already missed the grand exorcism ceremony last winter, which symbolized bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new, and he also failed to attend the grand court assembly on New Year's Day to establish the new era. He even missed the annual February ceremony of personally plowing the fields to pray for a good harvest.

As the emperor, he could not be absent from these ceremonies, which had strong symbolic significance and served to unite the people. However, he repeatedly missed them. If a plague broke out among the people and the crops failed, it would be his responsibility as the emperor.

After all, no matter how many battles the emperor wins on the front lines, ordinary people don't really feel the impact.

On the contrary, because of your continuous northern and eastern expeditions, many people have been taxed for an extra year, and many families have lost their fathers, brothers, and sons on the front lines. To put it mildly, due to the large-scale national campaigns, even blacksmiths are hard to find in the countryside. There are countless major and minor issues that have affected people's livelihoods in this way.

There is some resentment among the people.

Now, Emperor Liu Shan, taking advantage of his return to Chengdu to deal with the national debt, personally presided over the May sacrifice to the owl, which was an opportunity to demonstrate the majesty of the state to his subjects, ward off misfortune, and boost morale.

It was midsummer, the fifth day of the fifth month.

The air in Sichuan is already thick with humidity and heat.

This day is considered by the people to be an "inauspicious month and day," when the yang energy is at its peak and poisonous gas is generated. It is a day that requires extra protection and warding off disasters during the year.

Outside the south gate of the imperial palace, which symbolizes the emperor's yang energy, the road was cleared, an altar was set up, and guards holding spears stood solemnly around the altar.

The core offerings were not ordinary sacrifices such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs, but five owls with wingspans of seven feet, almost as tall as Liu Shan, which are what later generations called large owls.

In the minds of people at the time, this bird that ate its mother was the embodiment of filial impiety and rebellion, and a sign of great evil.

Along with the five owls, a black ram and a variegated hound were offered as sacrifices. Rams are commonly used in sacrifices, but the choice of black today signifies evil.

As for dogs, there has been a custom in Han China since ancient times of dismembering dogs, with the dog's carcass being hung at each door, believed to have the power to stop the wind and ward off evil spirits.

The fact that all three were located at the South Gate meant that, in the eyes of ordinary people who believed in sacrifice, evil, plague, and misfortune were all gathered here, embodied in these sacrifices awaiting slaughter.

The auspicious time has arrived, and the sound of bells and chimes has ceased.

The Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Han Dynasty slowly ascended the altar, holding a prayer tablet, and faced south to sing:

"The illustrious are above, the clear are below!"

"It is midsummer, when the yang energy is excessive and toxins and pestilence proliferate, and all kinds of evils arise!"
"Now, with this ominous owl and rebellious sacrificial animal, I offer them to the gods of the four directions!"
"I pray that the gods will witness this sincere devotion, take away the evil spirits, and welcome the malevolent souls!"
"May the plague flee far away with this owl!"

May evil spirits perish and vanish along with this!

"Do not allow them to breach my city walls!"
"Do not let my subjects be harmed!"
"To dismember and exorcise it, so as to stop the disaster!"

All the officials stood in silence.

The sounds of prayer echoed through the southern city.

As soon as the prayers ended, Zhao Guang led Ji Bazhi, Gao Ang, and several other Longxianglang men forward. Zhao Guang was the first to grab a large owl from the cage and forcefully press it onto the wooden anvil.

"Execute him!" the Grand Master of Ceremonies announced loudly.

The term "磔" (zhē) does not simply mean killing someone with a single stroke, but rather "dismemberment".

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, General Zhao Guang, along with Ji Bazhi, Gao Ang, and other Longxiang soldiers, drew their short swords and swung them at the owl.

It begins with the wings, then dismembers the feet, and finally tears apart the torso.

Owl feathers flew everywhere, and flesh and blood were mangled.

The whole process was violent and bloody.

—For the most complete destruction.

The black sheep and the mixed dogs were also dismembered in the same way, and the scene was equally gruesome and bloody. This public and violent dismemberment was intended to completely shatter the carriers of evil, and to simulate the complete destruction of so-called disasters and evil spirits in an extreme way.

After the dismemberment was completed, Zhao Guang and the Longxianglang tied the owl's head with a crimson rope and finally hung it high in the center of the city gate lintel.

It was like hanging the head of a criminal at the city gate.

The evil in the world has been rectified by the Dharma!

The remains of the owl that had been dismembered were collected, placed in a cauldron, and boiled into a large pot of "owl soup".

Today, Liu Shan wore a nine-tassel crown, a nine-chapter robe, a leather belt with a jade hook at his waist, and red sandals on his feet. He personally presented the first bowl of steaming hot owl soup to Jiang Wan, the chief secretary of the Liu Palace.

"Serve me the soup!" the attendant said, his voice trailing off.

Jiang Wan, Xiang Chong, Zhang Yi, Xi Long, Yan Yan, Li Yan... all the important civil and military officials stepped forward one after another and respectfully received the owl soup from the emperor's hands.

Finally, Liu Shan also held a bowl in his hand.

The emperor, standing on the altar, swept his gaze across the assembled ministers and declared in a loud voice:

"In the past, the Han Dynasty collapsed, and treacherous heroes rose up everywhere! The world was in chaos, and the people suffered for a long time! Now, I and you ministers will share this evil, vow to eliminate the traitors of the country, sweep away the chaos from the world, and restore peace to the world!"

"We vow to eliminate the traitors and cleanse the world!" The civil and military officials responded in unison, then tilted their heads back and drank the owl soup in their bowls in one gulp.

(End of this chapter)