Chương 617: Wherever the teachings reached and wherever people went, they became Han subjects!

This is not the achievement of this subject alone, but rather the result of the blessings of our ancestors, the bravery of our soldiers, and the support of the people.

I now report this victory to comfort the spirits of our ancestors in heaven. I dare not fail the mandate of heaven. I will strive to govern well, allow the people to rest and recuperate, and ensure the longevity of the Han Dynasty so that the people may live in peace and prosperity.

With the utmost respect, we offer this sacrifice to our ancestors. May they accept our offering!

Xun Yu's voice was solemn and dignified, echoing for a long time within the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

The officials bowed their heads, their expressions solemn.

Many soldiers heading into battle thought of their brothers who had sacrificed their lives on the battlefield, and their eyes quietly reddened...

After reading it, Liu Ce bowed his head again, drank the blessed wine, received the sacrificial meat, and then distributed it to the officials and the generals leading the expedition.

...

At noon on the day of the sacrifice, in the Taiji Hall.

Inside the hall, the emperor sat on the dragon throne, with civil and military officials standing on both sides according to their rank, and representatives of the soldiers going to war lined up outside the hall, a dark mass of people.

"Take the prisoners of war!"

At the command of the Imperial Guard, more than a dozen monarchs from various countries were escorted into the palace.

They were forced to kneel on the ground, trembling all over, not daring to look up at the man on the dragon throne.

Liu Ce's gaze slowly swept over them, his voice icy, like the north wind in winter:

"The Xianbei have repeatedly invaded the borders of the Han Dynasty for decades, killing hundreds of thousands of our people and plundering countless riches. The Western Regions are fickle in their allegiance, killing our Han envoys and disrupting the Silk Road. Funan invades our southern borders and kills our border people. The Japanese..."

"I originally did not wish to wage war, but you are all ignorant and arrogant, thinking that the Han Dynasty has no one to rely on. Today, I will destroy your country not for the sake of exhausting the people, but for the sake of all living beings, so that the millions of my Han people will no longer suffer the ravages of war!"

The hall was completely silent; even breathing became cautious, and someone swallowed hard.

......

After the ceremony of presenting the prisoners concluded, the next step was to reward those who had rendered meritorious service.

Looking down at the soldiers fighting valiantly, Liu Ce's voice softened considerably, as if speaking to a family member:

"In this campaign, our soldiers fought valiantly, narrowly escaping death. I will not forget your contributions, nor will the Han Dynasty."

"... each general will be rewarded with a certain amount of money and brocade, and their rank will be promoted... and their fiefdoms will be increased..."

"Ordinary soldiers will each receive a certain amount of money and cloth, and will be granted a rank of nobility. Wounded soldiers will be supported by the state for life, receiving ten shi of grain and one thousand coins per month, ensuring they have no worries about food and clothing.

Soldiers who die in battle will be posthumously awarded the title of Loyal and Brave Captain, their families will receive an annual pension, and their children will be raised and educated by the state until they reach adulthood; if they cannot afford to go to school, the court will take care of them."

"By imperial decree, a shrine to the martyrs shall be established in Luoyang to enshrine the spirit tablets of the soldiers who died in this campaign. Sub-shrines shall be established in all provinces, prefectures and counties throughout the country, and local officials shall personally offer sacrifices every year during the Qingming Festival, without fail."

As the imperial edicts were read aloud, jubilation erupted both inside and outside the palace.

The soldiers were so moved that tears welled up in their eyes, and some even cried on the spot.

...

The state banquet at Taiji Hall officially began at 5 p. m. that day.

Inside the Taiji Hall, Liu Ce, Empress Cai Yan, Crown Prince Liu Chen, ministers, and the generals leading the expedition were seated, and the table was laden with delicacies.

A thousand tables were set up in the square outside the palace, where representatives of the soldiers going to war, officials of the sixth rank and above from Luoyang, and representatives of the people were all seated, and each table was full.

Each table was laden with imperial wine, beef, mutton, pork, fish, and seasonal fruits and vegetables... The air was filled with the aroma of wine and meat, and laughter and cheerful conversation filled the air, with the sounds of drinking games and clinking glasses rising and falling.

Liu Ce stood up and raised his wine glass.

The hall fell silent instantly. Everyone stood up, raised their wine glasses, and stood in a sea of black.

"The first toast," Liu Ce's voice echoed clearly throughout the square, "is a tribute to the fallen heroes!"

"They didn't make it back to Luoyang alive, and they didn't get to see this grand occasion. But they fought with their blood and lives to build this land for the Han Dynasty. Their names will forever be engraved on the stone tablets of the Martyrs' Shrine, and they will live forever in our hearts. They are true heroes!"

"Dry!"

Everyone drank it all in one gulp, some with tears in their eyes.

"The second cup of wine," Liu Ce raised his cup again, "a toast to every soldier present!"

"For one year and five months, you fought in the freezing snow, your hands so cold you could barely hold your swords; you marched through the deserts and Gobi, your lips cracked with thirst; you crossed the seas in raging waves, seasick and vomiting until you were dizzy. I know how much hardship and suffering you endured. Without you, there would be no vast empire of the Han Dynasty, no peaceful and prosperous era as we enjoy today!"

"Dry!"

They drank it all in one gulp, and the atmosphere became lively.

"The third cup of wine," Liu Ce said, looking at everyone with sincere eyes, "a toast to all the people of the world!"

"I raised an army not to become emperor myself, but to ensure that all the people of the land can have enough to eat, warm clothes, and live in peace. Today, we have conquered the four barbarian tribes and expanded our territory by thousands of miles. But this is not the end; this is only the beginning. The road ahead is long, and we will walk it together!"

After the toasts, Liu Ce gave an impromptu speech, delivered without any notes, yet every word carried immense weight and struck a chord deep within people's hearts:

"I know many people say that I am a warmonger, that I have fought so many wars and that so many people have died. But I tell you, we are fighting this war today so that our descendants will never have to fight again!"

"Today we shed blood on the grasslands so that our children will never again have to face the cavalry of the nomadic tribes on the Central Plains! Today we shed blood at sea so that our children will never again have to face the plundering of pirates! Today we shed blood in the Western Regions so that our children can travel along the Silk Road to farther places and see the outside world!"

"You are not fighting for me alone; you are fighting for yourselves, for your parents, wives, and children, and for our descendants! Everything you have done today will be remembered by history! Future generations will thank you!"

"From this day forward, wherever any citizen of the Great Han goes, if they encounter danger, they only need to shout 'I am Han,' and the army of the Great Han will stand up for them! The banner of the Great Han will fly for them! Anyone who dares to bully a Han person is opposing the Great Han!"

"Wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever rivers flow, that is Han territory! Wherever our teachings reach, wherever people tread, that is Han territory!"

"Long live the Great Han! Long live His Majesty!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the glazed tiles of the Taiji Hall and even causing ripples to spread across the distant Luo River.

The people cheered along, and many were moved to tears.

The state banquet lasted until late at night, when the moon was high in the sky.

Liu Ce stepped down from the main table and toasted the soldiers at each table in turn, drinking every cup in his cup.

He clinked glasses with the soldiers, listened to their stories from the battlefield, inquired about their hometowns and living conditions, and asked how many people were in their families and whether they were married.

He didn't act like an emperor; he was like a brother fighting alongside them, patting them on the shoulder and laughing heartily.

The soldiers loosened up, drinking and eating heartily, talking about their heroic deeds on the battlefield and dreaming about a better future.

Some people said they wanted to go back to get married, some said they wanted to build a new house, and some said they wanted to buy a cow for their parents.

...