Han Shizu

Chapter 2173: Emperor Shizong 49: The Emperor is old, the Crown Prince dies early

In the early summer of the 19th year of Jianlong's reign, in Xiyuan, Luoyang, after a grand unveiling ceremony, the new school of the Han Empire University of Politics and Law was officially completed and put into use.

After nearly twenty years of exploration, experimentation, and adjustment, the Imperial University of Politics and Law has thoroughly integrated the thoughts and ideas of various schools, becoming a palace of learning where a hundred flowers bloom, and is undoubtedly the best institution of learning in the empire.

In the past twenty years, the University Hall has provided more than 30,000 bureaucrats for government offices at all levels in the empire, and the success rate is not low. The best of the early batches have become the backbone of the empire's ruling class.

By the 17th year of Jianlong's reign, a long list of "famous people" who graduated from the University and entered the government through the imperial examinations could be listed, such as Bao Zheng, Fu Bi, Han Qi, Ouyang Xiu, Wen Yanbo, etc.
By the 18th year of Jianlong's reign, the number of students in the university had exceeded 5,000. The previous academy was small in size and had outdated facilities, which could no longer meet the needs of various teaching activities. Therefore, the construction of a new school was put on the agenda early under the emperor's promotion.

The location of the new school is also very special, in the beautiful royal garden of Xiyuan. Liu Wenji was not as obsessed with hunting as Emperor Kangzong, and he used Xiyuan very sparingly, so after more than 20 years, the ecological environment of Xiyuan has been greatly restored.

What is even more special is that the new school was rebuilt and restored on the site of the unfinished "Crystal Palace" in the late Kangzong period. With this foundation, it is conceivable how magnificent the new campus of the Imperial University is. The construction project took a year and cost more than two million strings of cash. In order to meet the deadline, the sound of hammering and chiseling continued day and night.

Although it was expensive, as an institution for cultivating imperial elites and the cornerstone of rule, it was fully worthy of the money, and it was sufficient to show the importance of the emperor and the court. At the same time, the number of positive and active comments in public opinion was much better than the emperor using national finances to renovate palaces, temples and monasteries for personal enjoyment.

Xuanguang Pavilion is the central building of the new school. It is used to pay tribute to the ancestors and hold large-scale college activities. The pavilion stands on the water. Outside the pavilion is the open Jinlong Lake. Four water corridors are steadily laid out, connecting the embankment and the pavilion. There are four artificial sandbanks in the lake, planted with green trees and flowers. At the turn of spring and summer, the scenery is extremely beautiful.
By the Jinlong Lake, which was formed by water from the Yi and Luo rivers, Liu Wenji, with half of his hair white, just like his royal grandfather, walked slowly along the carved willow banks, leaning on a simple bamboo stick, facing the rising sun.

After a long silence, he stopped, raised his hands to shield his eyes from the sky, and then leaned on the railing to look at the top of Xuanguang Pavilion shining brightly under the scorching sun. Liu Wenji said sadly: "The country is like the sun, the pavilion is full of treasures, but I am old."

In addition to the eunuchs and close ministers, the king was accompanied by two ministers, the cabinet minister and the minister of the Ministry of Personnel Du Yan, and the president of the university hall Cai Qi. Du Yan was the descendant of Du You, a famous prime minister in the Tang Dynasty, and a Jinshi in the only imperial examination during the reign of Emperor Kangzong. Like many commoner ministers who had made achievements in the Han Empire over the past few decades, Du Yan's childhood experience was also very difficult and rough. Although some luck was inevitable, it was also an important factor in their academic success.

Du Yan has been in officialdom for 28 years, serving in various posts from the capital to the local areas, with many achievements and praised by people. Now, Du Yan has become a top talent in the court, famous for his integrity and ability, and is even a "potential prime minister."

It was also an unspoken rule formed during the Jianlong Dynasty that when a minister of a ministry was given the title of "cabinet minister", he would soon be appointed as prime minister. Du Yan was in charge of selecting officials in the Ministry of Personnel, and his next step would most likely be the Minister of Personnel and the co-prime minister. After all, the old prime minister Zhang Jian was indeed old, and the emperor had to prepare for the next ten years.

As for Cai Qi, he was a famous official and scholar who was deeply marked by the Liu Wenji era. Although this number one scholar in the second year of Duangong was inferior to many talented people of his class in terms of administrative ability, especially compared with Fan Zhongyan, he worked hard in academic research and education and achieved many successes.

Therefore, when he was less than fifty years old, he not only participated in the compilation of the great book "Cefu Yuangui", but was also one of the editors-in-chief of "Guoshi". At the age of forty-five, he was placed by Liu Wenji as the president of the University Hall, a second-rank position and the top of the universities in the world.

Of course, Liu Wenji promoted Cai Qi and entrusted him with important tasks. In addition to valuing his talent in academic research and education, more importantly, he valued the "cleanliness and purity" in him. This was the quality of a real minister who was selected, trained, and grown up during his reign.

In fact, by the middle and late period of Liu Wenji's reign, more and more "new talents", regardless of whether they were legitimate or illegitimate, had grown into the cornerstone of the empire and played an increasingly important role in the operation of the empire.

The most famous one among them was Fan Zhongyan, who Liu Wenji praised himself as a man of great talent. The group of young talents who rose to prominence during the Jianlong period, including Fan Zhongyan, were also one of the most important sources of confidence for Liu Wenji as a powerful emperor.

"Your Majesty is in the prime of life." Seeing the emperor growing old, Cai Qi could not help but offer words of comfort.

However, Liu Wenji did not need others to comfort him. He waved his hand to interrupt Cai Qi, and then ordered in a complex tone and serious tone: "The court spent the people's money to build this place for learning, and it has also been criticized. The school has been built for you. I want to see the actual effect. You must give more to me and the court to cultivate some talents!"

"Yes! We obey your command!" Upon hearing this, Du Yan and Cai Qi looked at each other and then bowed.

"Go, gather all the scholars on campus to the Guangwenguan and tell them that I have something to say!" Liu Wenji paused and gave another order.

"It is a great honor for students to hear the teachings of the Holy Spirit in person. They will be happy to go and look forward to it." Upon hearing this, Cai Qi's face lit up with joy and said: I will do it immediately!

"Shichang, you can come with me. I don't need you to serve me here!" Liu Wenji also waved to Du Yan.

"Yes! Rong Chen will take his leave!"

He dismissed his attendants and was alone. Under the shade of the trees, willows swayed in the wind. Liu Wenji leaned against the stone railing. His old eyes were blurred as he looked at the sparkling Jinlong Lake and murmured in a low voice:

"Third brother, your 'Crystal Palace' has not been completed, but a magnificent and grand university hall that will be passed down through the ages has been built. I am only helping you to make up for your mistake. You should thank your second brother..."

Guangwenguan is one of the main schools of the university, where academic activities, meetings and examinations are held on weekdays. When the news of the emperor's summons for a speech spread, the whole university was in an uproar, and all the teachers and students were excited and flocked to the university.

Not to mention other aspects, the status of the current emperor Liu Wenzhi in the minds of scholars and students all over the world is higher than that of previous emperors. The real rise of the commoner class and the group of civil officials happened precisely in the Jianlong era.

The students of the university were either descendants of the powerful or the elite scholars and students. They were also the reserve force of the imperial ruling class, and the emperor was a "fatal" temptation to them.

The bustling Guangwen Hall quickly calmed down and returned to its solemnity with the arrival of the emperor. Liu Wenji walked slowly to the front of the stage, looked down at the eager students, and accepted their worship.
Originally, Liu Wenji had prepared a long speech for formal occasions, but when he was so "close" to the students, he decided to say something more practical:

"Everyone present here is the elite of the Han Dynasty. Each of them can tell a story of their impressive origins. At the very least, they are all carefully selected tribute students and tongsheng students from various prefectures. They are the best of the best and have outstanding qualifications.

I and the court have high hopes for you, and hope that you can become the pillars and rafters of the Han Dynasty. The future of the country, the stability of the country, and the well-being of the people will ultimately depend on you to maintain and consolidate. Seeing you all so energetic today, I am also filled with emotion, and I feel that there is hope for the court!

Over the past twenty years, more than 30,000 people have graduated from the university. Most of them have achieved academic success and are now making full use of their talents and contributions in various provinces of the empire. Some have become ordinary people, while others have become pillars of the country. At the same time, there are also quite a few who have fallen into depravity and depravity in the big dye vat of officialdom, amidst the fame and fortune, and the petty intrigues of the petty intrigues.
The latter, I hope you can take it as a warning. The court has spent a huge amount of money to build such a magnificent school, which is more beautiful than many palaces and pavilions in Ziwei City. I only hope that you can study hard, learn something, and use it, so that you can serve the country, the country, the world, and benefit the people.
I still remember that when I was a student at the lap of Emperor Taizu, I heard these words: Establish a mind for heaven and earth, and establish a destiny for the people. Carry forward the lost knowledge of the past sages, and bring peace to the world for all eternity!

The character and magnanimity of Emperor Taizu are unmatched among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and are unrivaled in the ages to come. For decades, I have kept these words in mind and used them to encourage myself from time to time. However, how can I reach the level of Emperor Taizu?
I have treasured these words for fifty years. Today, I have the opportunity to pass them on to all students and young talents. I hope you can use them to encourage yourselves! I hope that when you are in a high position and judge important matters in the future, you will not forget your original intention of studying hard today. "

After Liu Wenji finished speaking, Guangwen Hall was silent for a while, and then, under the leadership of Cai Qi, everyone bowed and said yes. Even the old masters were so excited about the birth of the "Hengqu Four Sentences", not to mention the young students, almost everyone was excited and enthusiastic. It is also hard to imagine that in the current social environment and cultural atmosphere, there would be students who would be indifferent to these four words, the words of encouragement spoken by the emperor himself.

Just after Liu Wenji finished his inspection of the University Hall with great emotion, he received a piece of news on his way back to the palace. It was unfortunate news. For Luoyang, it was a piece of bad news that shocked the court and the country, and it was very likely to have a profound impact on the future of the Han Empire.

The crown prince of the empire, Liu Jili, who had been the prince for twenty years, died in the Hongde Hall of the Eastern Palace!

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The death of Crown Prince Liu Jili was a sudden death, probably due to heart problems. For a long time, Crown Prince Liu Jili was a respectful, humble, polite, tolerant and measured person, but under the humble and peaceful surface, he was actually full of worries, full of pressure, and even depressed at one point.

On the one hand, Liu Jili's depression came from the fact that his father, Emperor Kangzong, had set an example for him. Liu Wenji attached great importance to the education and training of all the princes, and always paid attention to their learning and performance. As the crown prince and heir to the empire, he naturally received the most attention, and the emperor's strict constraints and excessive attention must have brought him tremendous pressure and strong discomfort.

On the other hand, it comes from the expectations of the court and the challenges of the brothers, especially the challenge from the youngest brother Liu Jiying who is supported by the Yang family. The struggle for succession has been a major drama in the court since ancient times, and it has never stopped. With the royal structure of the Jianlong Dynasty, the formation of the struggle for succession is inevitable, especially after Liu Jiying grew older.

However, even though Liu Jili had been carefully trained by Liu Wenji and had been influenced by King Zhao for many years during his lifetime, he was soft-hearted and even a little cowardly. This was the only thing that Liu Wenji, who looked kind but had a ruthless heart, disliked.

But apart from that, he was relatively satisfied with the Crown Prince Liu Wenji. He was modest, polite, and dutiful. He did not expect him to be innovative, but thought he would be a qualified ruler who would maintain the status quo. He also believed that he would follow his own policy ideas.

At the same time, Liu Jili had a good reputation among powerful bureaucrats and civil and military officials. They couldn't help but like a crown prince who was gentle, polite, and tolerant.

Therefore, after Liu Jili turned 35 years old (in the 15th year of Jianlong), Liu Wenji allowed him to truly participate in the handling of important state affairs to further cultivate his practical ability.

This was also a decision made by Liu Wenji to completely demonstrate his attitude towards the heir to the empire, and he almost directly told those restless people inside and outside the palace that the prince's position was unshakable, and his will was even more unshakable.

Under such circumstances, even though Liu Jili was the weakest crown prince in the history of the Han Empire, his position as crown prince was still difficult to shake. Inertia was strong, and the various systems formed in the empire over nearly ninety years were mature and complete. There were too many traditional conservative forces supporting and consolidating Liu Jili's position. This "conservatism" and "stubbornness" also included Liu Wenzhi himself.

However, if Liu Jili himself did not "live up to his duty" and died in his prime, the situation would be different. The loss of the crown prince is a world-shaking event in any era, any country, and any system. After all, the foundation of the country has been shaken.

Liu Jili's sudden death caused countless people who had thought of him to sigh and lament, and also broke the established arrangements of Emperor Liu Wenji and the expectations of many ministers. As the emperor was getting older and unable to handle state affairs, it aroused the concerns of many people with lofty ideals.

In fact, while Liu Jili was still in mourning, many people inside and outside the palace and the court were already ready to make a move. As soon as the mourning period was over, a new round of struggle for the throne began in Luoyang city without delay.

There were only two most competitive candidates, one was Liu Jiying, Duke of Suiyang, born to Empress Yang, and the other was Liu Weizhen, the eldest son of Prince Zhangde Liu Jili.

During the heyday of the Han Empire, Liu Wenji never imagined that the biggest challenge he would face in the later years of his reign would be the choice of a successor.
(End of this chapter)