Three Kingdoms: I am not Liu Bian

Chapter 100: The Zhao family of Zhending, surnamed Zhao and named Yun!
The vermilion lacquered door of the mansion was tightly closed, with plain silk lanterns hanging high on both sides. The steps in front of the door were covered with white linen cloth, and a white banner over a meter long hung from the lintel, with the word "甸" written in black ink in a mournful stroke.

Qian Zhao was about to go forward and knock on the door, but Liu Bian reached out and took him in, then walked past him.

Just when Liu Bian was about to knock on the door himself, a man came on horseback. His body was shaking violently as the horse galloped, and his hat was tilted to one side, obviously due to the hassle of running all the way.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince, I... Your Highness, the Governor of Changshan Commandery, Sun Jin, pays my respects to Your Highness!"

Sun Jin's shouts were so loud that they could be heard even through a mansion gate. Liu Bian also sensed his little thoughts but did not point them out.

After a few breaths, the door of the mansion slowly opened with a creaking sound, and a woman with a bulging belly was already standing inside. She was wearing a linen dress and a mourning hat on her head. Her face was haggard and her eyes were red. Several maids who were also in mourning were carefully supporting her.

"The widow Feng Chen pays her respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

As she was speaking, Feng Chen shook off the hands of the maids who were supporting her and was about to bow.

"Madam, there's no need to bow!" Liu Bian hurriedly stopped her, his words urgent. He subconsciously took a half step forward, but then realized the difference between men and women. He suddenly stopped and glared at the maid beside Feng Chenshi. He shouted, "Why don't you help Madam up?"

Several maids also hurriedly helped Feng Chen to her feet. Seeing Feng Chen stand up, Liu Bian finally breathed a sigh of relief and said slowly, "I came here today to pay my respects to Grandpa Ji."

Feng Chen nodded slightly, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. She didn't know whether she was sad because she thought of her deceased husband, or she was moved that the prince came in person to pay his respects.

"If my late husband knew this in the afterlife, he would surely be grateful for the prince's kindness."

Feng Chen took a handkerchief from the maid, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and then turned sideways to invite the prince into the mansion.

"You guys..." Liu Bian did not enter the mansion immediately, but turned around and looked at the five hundred guards of the Prince's Mansion.

Before Liu Bian could speak, Sun Jin spoke first, "Your Highness, how about we let the soldiers go to the training grounds to rest first? I will immediately have someone arrange for food and tents for them to rest."

Liu Bian nodded and instructed Qian Zhao, "Zijing, I will only leave Junming, Zhongkang, and ten guards to carry the offerings in. You will be in charge of the rest. Remember not to disturb the people."

"I accept your order."

Qian Zhao clasped his fists and accepted the order, then left under the leadership of the county chief clerk who came with Sun Jin. When leaving, he deliberately put away the prince's ceremonial guards.

Having been with the Crown Prince for a long time, how could he not know why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who did not want to disturb the people in Julu County, insisted on displaying the Crown Prince's ceremonial procession in Zhending County with great fanfare?
The prince entered the city in disguise, which shows his benevolence!

The prince Zhang Yang entered the city, which was also a sign of benevolence!
Feng Chen's husband was Feng Xun, the former Changshan Prime Minister, whose courtesy name was Jizu.

A few months ago, Liu Hao, the King of Changshan, abandoned his country and fled, causing the morale of the soldiers in the county to drop. Changshan Prime Minister Feng Xun fought hard and died to protect Zhending County, the county seat of Changshan.

The Crown Prince is kind and virtuous. He came to Zhending County to pay his respects to Feng Xun, a loyal and righteous man who died in the service of the king. He entered the city with the Crown Prince's ceremonial guard in a grand manner to publicly promote Feng Xun's reputation and to stand up for Feng Xun's wife and children!

Feng Xun's parents had both passed away, and the only people left at home were his wife Feng Chen and her unborn baby, with no other male descendants.

If someone who had a grudge against Feng Xun in the past took the opportunity to take revenge on such a weak pregnant woman... Although anyone who dared to do such a thing would certainly be regarded as a public enemy by the wealthy families and the people of Changshan County and would be torn to pieces, there was still a chance that it would happen.

The prince did not like to take the risk, nor did he want to regret it later, so he simply announced to the world that he would protect Feng Xun's wife and children, and no one could touch them.

In the mansion, Feng Chen, who was six months pregnant, walked very slowly, but Liu Bian walked even slower than her. Perhaps because he was worried that Feng Chen would be anxious because of her slow walking, he took the initiative to start a conversation.

"I know that Grandfather Ji was from the Feng family of Wancheng, and was a descendant of the former Marquis of Yangxia (Feng Yi). I don't know your wife's origins."

"I am the legitimate daughter of the Chen family of Xi'e."

"The Xi'e Chen family of Zhu Ayi Hou (Chen Jun), who is ranked among the Yuntai?" Liu Bian paused slightly. After getting Feng Chen's affirmative response, he was no longer worried about Feng Chen's future life.

Originally, I thought that the families of loyal and righteous men should not be bullied, but I didn't expect that Feng Chen's family background was also extraordinary.

Zhu Ayi Hou Chen Jun is also one of the twenty-eight generals of Yuntai. Feng Chen is the legitimate daughter of Chen Jun's direct branch of the Xi'e Chen family, so naturally she will not allow herself to be bullied.

I'm afraid that after a while, both the Feng family of Wancheng and the Chen family of Xi'e will send men to protect Feng Chen, who cannot withstand the bumpy ride and cannot return to her hometown in Nanyang due to her pregnancy.

Not long after, Liu Bian and Feng Chen finally walked into the courtyard, where the mourning hall was also set up.

The pillars of the hall are all wrapped in plain silk, and white gauze curtains hang low under the eaves. When blown by the wind, they look like the sleeves of a ghost.

A nanmu coffin stood on the blue brick ground. The coffin was not painted, but covered with pine and cypress branches and leaves. The faint fragrance mixed with the bitter smell of incense and candles filled the courtyard.

On the altar in front of the coffin were displayed three kinds of animals and sweet wine. Blue smoke curled up from the bronze incense burner, lingering around the nanmu spirit tablet with the inscription "My late husband, Feng Huixun, courtesy name Jizu".

Dian Wei took a coarse linen robe from the maid and put it on the prince, while Xu Chu took a plain belt and wrapped it around the prince's forehead. Liu Bian slowly bent down, bowed three times to Feng Xun as a gesture of condolence, and took out a bamboo slip from his sleeve.

"Alas, Ji Zu, you died with all your heart! Life and death are determined by fate, how can we not be sad? My heart is truly broken, I offer you a cup of wine; if your spirit remains, please enjoy my wine!
I mourn your youthful learning, yet a wealth of knowledge; your accession to the throne at a young age, your wise leadership of the people. I mourn your arrival, your role as the pillar of Jizhou; your reformed administration, eradicating corruption and maintaining a clean government. I mourn your crisis, your yellow turbans blanketing the countryside; your solitary banner, guarding the imperiled frontier. I mourn your divine prowess, your fierce battles at Zhending; even with your arrows and reinforcements exhausted, you still crushed the enemy's frontier. I mourn your loyalty, your blood soaking the ruins; your body anointed in the fields, your spirit enduring. I mourn your legacy, the entire army mourns; the very vegetation of Changshan is filled with your loyalty.

Thinking of you back then, your iron armor bathed in flames; mourning your passing, the sun and moon lose their brilliance. The pillar of state, the pillar of the people; yet, before your ambitions were fulfilled, you perished before your brilliance. The Hanque towers are desolate, the nine palaces filled with sorrow; I am heartbroken, and the officials and people are heartbroken.

Though young and humble, I have long admired his heroic spirit; yet Heaven mourns not, but has taken away his lonesome arm. Forever separated from the living and dead, where can his heroic spirit go? I offer you my peppercorn wine, pouring it into this cold river. From now on, who will guard the throne in the imperial court? How sorrowful! I beg you to accept my offer.

This eulogy was written by Chen Lin and copied by the prince himself.

After hearing this eulogy, Feng Chen could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes. Her eyes turned red and tears burst out like raindrops, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

The guests on both sides also burst into tears, some beat their chests and stamped their feet, while others wiped their tears with their sleeves.

Liu Bian threw the bamboo slips into the brazier. The flames in the brazier exploded with a "boom" the moment they touched the bamboo slips, causing everyone to exclaim in surprise. However, the flames did not hurt Liu Bian at all. Everyone said that this was the prince's kindness. If Feng Jizu knew about this in the afterlife, he would express his gratitude to the prince.

Perhaps Feng Xun really knew what he had done for him and heard this eulogy?

Oh, that’s ridiculous!

The truth is that after the bamboo slips were written, a layer of tung oil was brushed on their surface to prevent corrosion. This was the real reason for the flames.

Looking at the guests kneeling on both sides of the courtyard in mourning clothes, their sobbing sounds were intermittent and very disturbing.

He is not a fool. He can still distinguish between crying emotionally and howling at the top of his lungs.

Almost all of these people were hypocritical and seeking fame and reputation, and were far less sincere than the people in the city who spontaneously mourned for Feng Xun.

Of course, there were still a few people whose cries contained some truth. One of them was not wearing a crown, but had a bun like his.

He's already over seven feet tall even before he even puts on his crown?

Looking at his appearance, he has a majestic figure, a strong and handsome face with a hint of immaturity, which is particularly in line with the aesthetic of this era, and can even be called a "beautiful boy".

"Madam, who is this young man?" Liu Bian quietly pointed at the young man, slightly turned sideways, and asked Feng Chen, with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

Feng Chen looked in the direction the prince pointed, sighed softly, and looked gloomy.

"This is a young man from the Zhao clan of Zhending. His surname is Zhao Yun, and his name is Zhao. He is nineteen years old. He was skilled in riding and shooting since he was young, and is proficient in the martial arts. When the Yellow Turbans invaded, he joined the rebel army. My husband, considering he was still under the age of 18, kept him by his side as a guard. But unexpectedly... Alas!" Feng Chen sighed heavily, her tone tinged with regret. "That day, Zhao Yun was also seriously injured and nearly died. He survived, but his heart was dead. He blamed himself and became silent every day. I often tried to persuade him, but to no avail."

Feng Chenshi didn't blame Zhao Yun. Everyone had witnessed how dangerous the situation was that day. How could she blame a 19-year-old boy who nearly lost his life protecting her husband?

It can only be said that this is the way things are.

Liu Bian suppressed his excitement and glanced at Feng Chen meaningfully.

He didn't expect that Zhao Yun, who was not yet an adult this year, had joined the rebel army to fight against the Yellow Turbans and became Feng Xun's bodyguard.

Strictly speaking, Zhao Yun was indeed responsible for failing to provide adequate protection, but Feng Chenshi should have been consistent in not blaming Zhao Yun. She also deliberately emphasized Zhao Yun's loyalty and bravery in her words, obviously hoping to create a future for Zhao Yun.

He was not disgusted by Feng Chen's thoughts, or perhaps coming to mourn Feng Xun today was just an excuse. His real purpose was to find Zhao Yun, but he did not expect to meet him here.

Of course, mourning Feng Xun is also an important thing.

He could not let the people of the world down and forget Feng Xun, who died in the service of the king.

Therefore, Liu Bian made a high-profile announcement in front of all the guests in the mourning hall.

"The former Changshan governor, Feng Xun, was loyal, diligent, and conscientious, and his contributions to the country were significant. He is now posthumously granted the title of Marquis of Dongwuting in Wan County, and a shrine is established to honor him. His wife, Feng Chen, is pregnant with a child, and regardless of whether the child is a boy or a girl, the title will be passed down through the family line for three generations. If a boy is born, he will be admitted to the Imperial College when he reaches the age of twenty, to promote his education. If a girl is born, I will personally arrange for her to be married off to a prominent family, to honor her. In addition, I will grant Feng Chen a thousand coins (one million coins), a thousand dan of millet, and five hundred bolts of brocade as a reward for her chastity."

(3562 words)
-

PS: Sorry, sorry, I wrote more than a thousand words, so the update is a bit late, but I still worked hard to update this month, averaging 5217 words per day!

So I'm going to be shameless and beg my readers to subscribe!
PPS: The death of Feng Xun, the Prime Minister of Changshan, was briefly mentioned in "Chapter 62: Let them stir up trouble, let them stir up trouble!"

Historically, Feng Xun existed and served as the prefect of Changshan in the sixth year of the Guanghe reign (183 AD). However, his name is not recorded in historical records. Instead, the inscription "White Stone God Monument," which records the merits and eulogies of White Stone God, states: "In the sixth year of the Guanghe reign, the prefect of Changshan was Feng Xun of Nanyang, styled Jizu; the magistrate of Yuanshi, Wang Yi of Xinfeng, styled Yuanfu; the chief secretary was Xiong of Shentu, Yingchuan; the chancellor was Li Shao of Henan (missing content); the left lieutenant was Fan Wei of Baitu, Shangjun; the clerk of ancestral temples was Wu Yi; the historian was Jiewei; and the stone master was Wang Ming."

However, there is no other record of Feng Xun in history except for the descendants of Feng Yi, and his birth and death years and other experiences are unknown.

PPPS: Although the protagonist is the prince, and the prince is also the monarch, it may seem a bit exaggerated for the monarch to wear plain clothes to mourn his subjects, but in fact there is evidence of this in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

For example, after the death of Grand Commandant Yang Ci (AD 185), Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong, also dressed his ministers in plain clothes. According to the Book of the Later Han, Volume , Biography of Yang Zhen, Chapter : "In that month he died. The emperor wore plain clothes and did not attend court for three days. He presented Dongyuan wood carvings and clothing, three million coins, and five hundred bolts of cloth."

In addition, Emperor Guangwu of Han wore mourning clothes to the mourning hall for Zhuo Mao, Lai She and Ji Zun, and Empress Xiao Zhao of Emperor Zhao of Han (then the empress dowager) wore mourning clothes for her teacher Xiahou Sheng for five days.

Generally speaking, when an important official passed away, from the middle and late Western Han Dynasty to the Eastern Han Dynasty, the emperor would basically wear mourning clothes for his official, but he would not necessarily go to the mourning hall to pay his respects.

(End of this chapter)