Chapter 8: How... how could this person from the celestial realm resemble my nephew so closely?
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“Wicked Wei Zheng, if it weren’t for Minister Fang holding me back, I would have made you accompany my canary (hawk) in death!”
Emperor Li II looked at the canary (hawk) in his hand with a pang of sorrow.
These words were nothing more than Emperor Li II venting his frustration; even if he wanted to kill ten burly men like Wei Zheng, nothing could restrain him!
During the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at the scenes unfolding on the celestial screen, lost in deep contemplation.
“Though Zhang Jiao harbors rebellious intent, it is the chaos of this era that has driven the common folk to desperation!”
“If only we had enough to eat back then, there would have been no rebellion. The world would have had one more honest man named Zhu Zhongba!” Zhu Yuanzhang said slowly, his voice heavy.
Zhu Biao nodded quietly beside him, fully trusting his father’s words.
Though his father was now the emperor, Zhu Biao knew well that his father was essentially a peasant, a true peasant at heart!
Zhu Biao watched as Zhang Jiao, with only a bowl of talisman water, commanded a crowd of commoners to serve him.
Whether the talisman water was effective or not, Zhu Biao did not know, but he assumed it was enough to stave off hunger.
Still, a force formed from hungry peasants could never shoulder great responsibilities!
At that moment, the scenes on the celestial screen shifted again!
A majestic and imposing soundtrack filled the air, thunderous voices exploded in the ears of the various dynasties!
The Grand Sui!
“The Chen State has fallen; the world is unified. I shall grant amnesty to all under heaven!”
“Across all borders, any barbarians who dare defy the Grand Sui shall see their nations destroyed, their lineages wiped out, and their descendants extinguished!”
The Grand Tang!
“Today, China is strong and thriving; a mere thousand troops can stand against tens of thousands of foreign soldiers. Though they are many, what ambition do they truly have?”
“Beat the drums, play the victory music...”
“I shall watch Khagan Xieli personally surrender before me!”
“Yuchi, I wield the bow, you hold the spear; even a million-strong force is nothing to fear!”
“The Great Tang unites the four seas, its power flourishing. The world trembles, shaking past and present. With the agreement of twenty-nine states including Gaochang, we bestow upon the Emperor of Tang the exalted title: ‘Heavenly Khagan!’”
“All heroes of the world fall into my net; the wise gather in Chang’an; myriad nations pay tribute to the flourishing Tang!”
...
The Great Ming!
“I, Zhu Yuanzhang, humbly report to the heavens, sun and moon, mountains and rivers, and the tombs of our imperial ancestors. Since the end of the Song, the Mandate of Heaven has moved, and after more than a hundred years, this era has reached its conclusion!”
“Humbly, I uphold the Way of Heaven above and serve the people below, driving out century-old afflictions, judging the heroes of north and south, proclaiming to heaven and earth the founding of the Great Ming, beginning the Hongwu era.”
“Generals and ministers may perish... but the realm shall endure!”
“Following the Way of Heaven, I command all lands!”
“The mountains and rivers belong to China; the sun and moon reopen the grand unification of the heavens!”
At the same time, subtitles streamed across the celestial screen one by one!
—“Awesome! Wherever the sun and moon shine, it is the land of Huaxia. Wherever the rivers flow, it is Han soil. A man’s ambition should be such. The unification of China is a model for us all.”
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—“Watching this sets my blood boiling; tonight I’ll launch a surprise raid on the Xiongnu!”
—“Leaving other things aside, the Sui Dynasty is truly ruthless—wiping out entire lineages!”
—“Nonsense! My Er Feng is definitely the best!”
—“If we’re talking dominance, my Brother Zheng still takes the crown; everything is his!”
—“Why isn’t my Judy here? My Judy refuses marriage alliances, tribute, reparations, or ceding land. The resolute Great Ming Dynasty!”
...
The Great Qin.
Ying Zheng stared at the celestial screen showing one dynasty after another, finally accepting the fact that his vast Qin had fallen.
“Han, Sui, Tang, Ming—who among them destroyed my Qin?”
His expression darkened and shifted unpredictably.
One thing was certain: the fall of Qin must be related to the remnants of Chu.
“The Western Chu Overlord, huh? I look forward to meeting you!”
The Great Han.
“Xiao He, tell me, is our great Han gone as well?” Liu Bang sat on the steps, staring blankly at the celestial screen.
Xiao He, though knowing most likely the Han had perished, could not bring himself to say it aloud.
“Your Majesty, each generation has its own fate. No one can predict the future, especially now with this celestial screen!”
...
During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han!
“No marriage alliances, no tribute, no reparations, no ceding land? Could this really be?”
Liu Che looked at the scrolling subtitles in disbelief, for his Han had always maintained balance through marriage alliances.
To hear someone now do otherwise was a slap in the face!
“Send someone to record these words ‘no marriage alliance’ for me—engrave them into my heart!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
...
The Great Sui.
Yang Jian, sitting on the dragon throne, kept glancing at Li Yuan.
The Li Shimin on the celestial screen increasingly resembled his own nephew. Could it be that the Grand Sui was seized by his nephew?
He knew well he had founded the Sui only after taking his grandson’s throne.
The more he looked, the more Li Yuan appeared like the man on the screen.
Looks like he’d have to have a serious talk with this nephew.
Li Yuan, in the great hall, looked quietly at his scrutinizing uncle, maintaining a calm exterior.
But inside, storms raged. Li Shimin, the Tang emperor on the screen, was none other than the name of his own second son.
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It seemed he must rename his second son soon, lest it bring about calamity for the family!
...
The Great Tang.
Emperor Li II, still moping over the death of his canary, saw his own bold declaration and the title “Heavenly Khagan” on the celestial screen, trembling with excitement!
He threw the dead canaries in his hand far away!
“Ha ha... I am the Heavenly Khagan, the Heavenly Khagan!”
“Someone fetch me the other canary from the rear garden; today I shall drink tea and entertain my birds!”
Meanwhile, Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, and others who had not yet left saw their emperor’s great achievements on the screen and turned to return to offer congratulations.
Upon returning, Wei Zheng overheard Li II’s plan for tea and bird play. How could he bear this?
How could his sharp tongue be dulled?
He immediately launched into a verbal assault!
“Your Majesty, since when did you keep canaries? Have you finished reviewing your memorials?”
Hearing this, Li II thought of the canary smothered in his sleeve earlier, and his anger flared. He pointed at Wei Zheng and shouted,
“Did you not see? I am the Heavenly Khagan! So what? Must I report to you even to drink tea and entertain birds? Is this Tang Dynasty ruled by the Li or the Wei?”
“You old scoundrel, don’t think I dare not kill you!”
Wei Zheng was fearless, standing tall and loud: “Your Majesty, if you entertain murderous thoughts over such trifles, how can you bear the title of Heavenly Khagan? Moreover, you are not yet the Heavenly Khagan!”
“All the people under heaven hope Your Majesty will prioritize the state, govern diligently, and not indulge in pleasures!”
“If Your Majesty insists on acting recklessly, I need not strike you down myself—I shall die crashing upon this stone bench!”
Li II was momentarily silenced by Wei Zheng’s rapid-fire reproach. Just as he was about to retort, Fang Xuanling hurried forward to smooth matters.
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Minister Wei speaks out of sincere loyalty. Now that Your Majesty knows the great future that awaits, you should set an example and govern diligently.”
“Playing with birds can wait for another day.”
Li II took a deep breath to steady his emotions.
I will not be angry, I will not!
A moment later, Li II, like a defeated rooster, lowered his head and waved his hand.
“Enough, enough. Today, I shall heed your counsel. I’ll go review the memorials.”
Wei Zheng bowed respectfully: “Your Majesty is wise.”
Then, Li II turned and strode toward his study, muttering under his breath.
In his heart, Li II truly wished to shoot that wicked Wei Zheng with an arrow!
Of course, it was just a thought. With his archery skills, one arrow would be enough to silence him!
...