Chương 468: under discussion

"Alright, alright, stop arguing. Your voices are driving me crazy. It's not that I don't want to ascend the throne, it's just that I haven't decided on a specific date yet. Tell me your thoughts, and we'll settle this today."

Upon hearing that there was hope, everyone immediately quieted down and began arguing about choosing a date, becoming even more vocal than before.

"I think next month would be ideal! The sooner the better! The sooner we ascend the throne, the sooner things will be stable!" Cheng Yaojin was the first to shout.

"I won't feel at ease for even a day that's been delayed!"

"No, no!"

Xun Yu immediately objected:

"Next month is June, and the heat will be unbearable. The enthronement ceremony requires wearing imperial robes and standing under the sun for hours on end. Not only will the emperor suffer from heatstroke, but all the officials will too! Moreover, the ceremony preparations will take at least three months; there simply isn't enough time!"

......

"I believe September is the best month!"

Guo Jia stood up, smiling, and said, "The Double Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. The autumn air is crisp and clear, neither too hot nor too cold, perfect for holding a grand ceremony. Moreover, the autumn harvest has just ended, and the people have grain in their hands, making them feel secure and happy along with us. Furthermore, 'nine' is the extreme of Yang numbers, symbolizing longevity and the eternal stability of the country—it couldn't be more fitting!"

..................

Fang Xuanling smiled and said, "Next year, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, at the beginning of spring, when the yang energy is just rising, it's the perfect time to hold a grand ceremony. Moreover, the year-end is over, and people have prepared plenty of New Year's goods, allowing families to reunite and celebrate with us. Furthermore, 'one' is the beginning of all things, symbolizing a fresh start, a renewal of all things, and the foundation for lasting peace—it couldn't be more fitting!"

After much arguing, a vote was finally passed, and it was decided that he would ascend the throne and become emperor on the first day of the first month of 193 AD.

With the date set, Fang Xuanling continued:

"My lord, now that the date has been set, we must proceed with the preparations according to the established rites. According to the rules of past dynasties, we must first create public opinion so that the people of the world know that your ascension to the throne is the will of the people."

Then, all the civil and military officials would jointly submit a memorial urging you to ascend the throne. You would then decline and refuse the throne three times before finally taking the throne. This would demonstrate your humility and be in accordance with the established rites.

Everyone nodded in agreement, saying, "Brother Xuanling is right! This is how it has always been done in every dynasty. We can't break the rules, lest we be criticized by future historians."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ce chuckled and waved his hand, saying:

"Creating public opinion is possible, but I have my own ideas."

Lu Bing, you should arrange for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to secretly go to various prefectures and counties to mobilize the people, encouraging them to voluntarily submit petitions and make joint appeals, writing down their names and sending them to Luoyang in groups, requesting the Prince of Yan to ascend the throne and become emperor.

The will of the people is more effective than a hundred petitions from you officials urging me to ascend the throne.

Everyone's eyes lit up, and they slapped their thighs and cheered:

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! The people of the world are able to live a good life entirely thanks to you, my lord! They certainly can't wait for you to ascend the throne!"

When hundreds of thousands of people kneel at the gates of Luoyang to petition, who would dare utter a single word of dissent? This is far more realistic than any of our staged dramas of three refusals and three concessions!

"As for the ministers' urging to ascend the throne and their three refusals," Liu Ce paused, then smiled and said:

"Let's forget about that. There's no need for all that pretense. You all know what kind of person I am; the people of the world know whether I'm fit to be emperor. There's no need to put on this show for others; it's exhausting."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, and just as they were about to offer some advice, Liu Ce pulled out a scroll wrapped in layers of bright yellow silk from his robes and tossed it to Fang Xuanling:

"Take a look at this first, and you'll understand why it's unnecessary."

Fang Xuanling quickly caught it with both hands and carefully untied the silk, revealing a yellowed imperial edict inside!

The imperial edict began with the bright red Imperial Seal of the State and ended with the signature and seal of the late Emperor Liu Hong. The ink was clear and there was no trace of forgery.

Everyone immediately crowded around, craning their necks to see.

The imperial edict was short, but every word carried immense weight, causing everyone who read it to gasp in shock:

"... I have been on the throne for more than 20 years and I am well aware of the long-standing problems in the Han Dynasty. I fear that future generations will be unworthy, leading to the collapse of the nation and the suffering of the people."

I hereby issue this imperial edict: If Liu Bian and Liu Xie are deemed unfit to be rulers, a virtuous and capable member of the imperial clan may be chosen to succeed them. Liu Ce, the Prince of Yan, is my younger brother, loyal and courageous in serving the country, with outstanding achievements in his time. He possesses the talent to restore order and is fit to inherit the throne and restore the majesty of the Han Dynasty.

This proclamation is hereby issued to the world, so that all may know.

The entire council chamber fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

Xun Yu's eyes widened, his mustache stood on end, and he muttered to himself:

"The late emperor... the late emperor actually left a will long ago..."

Jia Xu stroked his chin, nodded knowingly, and whispered:

"I see, no wonder our lord hasn't been in a hurry to ascend the throne..."

Lu Bu scratched his head, looking completely bewildered, and asked Zhang Liao beside him:

"Wen Yuan, does this mean that our lord was originally the emperor designated by the late emperor? Then all our efforts to persuade him were in vain?"

Zhang Liao smiled and nodded, saying, "That's roughly the idea. With the late emperor's edict as proof, your ascension to the throne is a legitimate succession to the throne, and there's no need for any persuasion or three refusals."

After a long while, everyone finally reacted, and they all bowed deeply to Liu Ce, their voices filled with excitement and admiration.

"Congratulations, my lord! Congratulations, my lord! With the late emperor's edict as proof, your ascension to the throne is perfectly legitimate and lawful! No one in the world dares to disobey!"

Liu Ce waved his hand and said with a smile, "Alright, enough of this formality. Lu Bing, get on with the petition from the people that we just talked about. Remember, it must be voluntary. No one is allowed to be forced. I won't let anyone who tries to force anyone to participate."

"Yes, Your subordinate understands!" Lu Bing bowed and accepted the order, then turned around and hurried off to make the arrangements.

...

With the coronation settled, the crowd's enthusiasm soared, and they immediately began arguing about the new dynasty's system. Everyone was eager to contribute to the soon-to-be-born new dynasty.

Even Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong, who had been secretly munching on beef jerky, perked up their ears and chimed in every now and then.

"In my humble opinion, we absolutely cannot completely adopt the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers system of the previous dynasty!" Fang Xuanling was the first to stand up, speaking with conviction:

"The Three Dukes and Nine Ministers system of the previous dynasty was bloated and the responsibilities were unclear. A single matter could be pushed around and could not be completed for several months."

Your subject suggests implementing a system of three departments and six ministries: the Secretariat (中书省) is responsible for decision-making and drafting imperial edicts; the Chancellery (门下省) is responsible for reviewing and rejecting inappropriate edicts; and the Department of State Affairs (尚书省) is responsible for execution, with six ministries under it: Personnel (吏、户、礼、兵、刑、工), each performing its own duties.

With such clear division of responsibilities, whoever causes a problem is held accountable, which can increase efficiency by more than tenfold!

"Brother Xuanling is absolutely right!" Du Ruhui immediately added:

"The Secretariat, in particular, must have the power to reject edicts! Even if it is the Emperor's decree, if it is inappropriate, the Secretariat should have the right to reject it. Only in this way can we avoid decision-making errors. I am willing to take charge of the Secretariat's work and guarantee that I will never bend the law for personal gain."