Li Zhi and Princess Jinyang hugged their heads and cried for a long time, the brother and sister cried about the pain of losing their father, an hour later, the sky was slightly bright, and the eunuch cautiously asked for a performance outside the palace, saying that the civil and military officials headed by the eldest grandson Wuji asked to see.

Li Zhi patted the little son's shoulder, wiped the tears on his face, and said in a hoarse voice: "See you." ”

The little son bowed to Li Zhi and retired with interest.

Not long after, the eldest grandson Wuji, Chu Suiliang, Li Ji, Li Su and other courtiers entered the hall, and everyone knelt down in front of Li Zhi and officially bowed three times.

Li Zhi was stunned, and then unconsciously looked at Li Su, who blended in the crowd in a low-key manner, hanging his head and not saying a word.

After a long time, the eldest grandson Wuji said in a deep voice: "The first emperor dragon controls Bintian, the Tang Dynasty has lost the holy monarch, the subjects are very sad, and Chang'an City can hear the night crying for hundreds of miles, which is the blessing accumulated by the first emperor when he was alive. ”

Li Zhi nodded with red eyes: "Uncle and Baiguan are kind, I have accepted it, wait and retreat, I want to accompany my father and emperor again......"

The eldest grandson Wuji continued: "The minister is entrusted by the hundred officials, and there is one more thing to play." ”

"Uncle, please speak."

The eldest grandson Wuji paused, and said slowly: "The name is right, His Royal Highness is the prince of the East Palace designated by the emperor, His Royal Highness is benevolent and virtuous all over the world, the subjects are obedient, the country cannot be without a monarch for a day, His Royal Highness is the prince of the Tang Dynasty, so the ministers ask for orders on behalf of the hundred officials, please ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to ascend the throne immediately, that is, the emperor's throne, and handle the funeral of the emperor as the monarch, and everything can be done." ”

After speaking, the eldest grandson Wuji took the lead in kowtowing deeply to Li Zhi, and the hundred officials behind him said in unison: "The ministers invite His Royal Highness the Prince, that is, the Tang Emperor." ”

Li Zhi was startled, so frightened that he took three steps back, and his back was on top of the coffin before he stopped, and he was stunned for a long time, and suddenly said angrily: "My father's bones are not cold, and you don't want to handle the funeral, so you are in a hurry to let me ascend the throne and take the throne, what is your intention?" ”

The eldest grandson Wuji said calmly: "The name is right, it is the premise of the state funeral, since the Zhou and Han dynasties, it is the monarch who handles the funeral of the emperor, and the Tang Dynasty cannot violate the system, please Your Highness take the throne." ”

The ministers asked again: "Please ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to take the throne of the emperor." ”

Li Zhi shook his head with tears: "I can't do it...... My father is here, and I want to throw down my father's bones and ignore them, and rush to the throne, but I can't do it! This is not the work of the Son of Man, if I take the throne at this time, how can I rule the world? ”

The eldest grandson Wuji said: "The ministers persuaded to advance, not only out of public intentions, but also the edict left by the emperor before his death, the edict was clearly written, the emperor asked His Royal Highness to ascend the throne immediately, this move is in line with the courtesy of the Zhou and Han dynasties, there is no violation of the etiquette system, and the people of the world will not say anything." ”

Li Zhi frowned: "Edict? Why don't I know? ”

The eldest grandson Wuji sighed: "The first emperor regarded His Royal Highness as the son of filial piety, and knew that His Royal Highness could not agree to take the throne immediately, so he concealed it from His Royal Highness, and handed over the edict to the ministers at the same time, Chu Suiliang, Li Jing, and Li Ji, and the first emperor also said that if His Royal Highness refused to ascend the throne, he could announce the edict in the palace......"

Saying that, the eldest grandson Wuji took out a roll of yellow silk from his arms, slowly unfolded it in front of the ministers, and read: "The weight of the husband's destiny, the green mistake is his book, the respect of the Son of Heaven, and the pastor of Chixian County is the first...... The crown prince ruled, great filial piety, born virtuous, tired of supervision, familiar with machine service. All the hundreds of bureaucrats, the group of ministers, sent to the residence, there is no violation of the will. After the funeral, he was buried in seven days. The patriarchal society exists, can not be without an owner, the crown prince is in front of the emperor's throne, according to the old system of the Zhou and Han dynasties, military affairs, can not be stopped, ordinary leisure, let it have a division......"

A long edict expressed four meanings, one is to order Li Zhi to "be the emperor in front of the coffin", second, the major military affairs must not be stopped, third, the funeral must not be extravagant, and fourth, self-examination.

After the eldest grandson Wuji pronounced the edict, the hall fell silent for a long time.

After a long time, the eldest grandson Wuji bowed to the ground again and said loudly: "Please follow the edict of the emperor and the emperor!" ”

The ministers said in unison: "Please ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to take the throne of the emperor!" ”

Li Zhi looked at everyone with tears in his eyes and blurted out: "I can't ......"

Before he could finish speaking, a familiar voice came from the crowd.

"Your Highness, please obey the edict of the emperor!"

Li Zhi raised his eyes to look, but saw Li Su in the crowd nodding secretly at him, Li Zhi was stunned for a long time, and then said slowly: "Since it is the edict of my father, I ...... I have to comply. ”

Saying that, Li Zhi turned around and knelt down in front of Li Shimin's coffin, and cried: "My father is still working hard for the society when he is dying, and his sons are not filial. ”

After speaking, Li Zhi fell to the ground and cried, and the eldest grandson Wuji and other ministers wept and cried.

After a long time, the eldest grandson Wuji raised his sleeve to wipe his tears, coughed twice, turned to face the ministers, and said in a deep voice: "The scholars of Zhongshu Province have drafted the edict of the new emperor's enthronement, and the officials of the six ministries and their subordinate departments are preparing for the enthronement ceremony, and the eunuchs of the Inner Servant Province and the Provincial Palace are responsible for cleaning up the palace and preparing the new emperor's honor guard. ”

…………

An hour later, a slightly hasty enthronement ceremony began.

Officials above the fourth grade in Chang'an City entered the palace in formal court clothes, and all the eunuchs and palace maids in the Taiji Palace were busy cleaning the palace, of course, because of the period of national mourning, the new monarch could not wear red and hang colors, so in a plain white mourning dress and white flags, Li Zhi's enthronement ceremony began in a hurry.

When the first ray of sunlight shines on the eaves corner of the Taiji Hall in the early morning, the crisp bell of the bell and drum tower rings, the bell rhythm is slow, melodious and melodious echoes in the whole city, nearly 500 officials and envoys of various countries above the fourth grade of Chang'an City stand in the square in front of the Taiji Palace, and the black and oppressive crowd gathers together but is silent.

At the moment, the drums rumbled, and forty-nine big men carried the golden imperial chariot and slowly walked out of the harem.

Li Zhi knelt on the imperial chariot, wearing the emperor's golden crown, and the twelve jade flowers in front of the golden crown hung down, covering his face, which made people feel awe-inspiring, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe on his body, and holding a jade bi in his hand. As the imperial chariot slowly moved forward, an imperial majesty rushed to his face.

The ministers and envoys of various countries in the square knelt on the ground at the same time, calling His Majesty the Emperor.

Because of the national funeral, the ceremonial music used in the enthronement ceremony was abolished, and all the ceremonial instruments were not made, and the only people who were allowed to sound were the bells and drums of the bell and drum tower. There was no noisy ceremonial music, and Li Zhi's imperial chariot stepped on the rumbling bells and drums and slowly advanced, but it added a little majesty and oppression, and all the officials were in awe and worship.

Entering the Taiji Palace, the new monarch ascended to the throne, and the right servant of Shangshu Province shot the eldest grandson Wuji standing on the side of Li Zhi, holding the yellow silk roll call, and the hundreds of officials and ministers entered according to the name, kneeling and saluting to the new monarch.

After the lengthy ceremony, the sound of bells and drums stopped, and there was silence in the Taiji Hall. The eldest grandson Wuji took two steps forward, looked around at the ministers with a solemn face, and raised his voice: "The eldest grandson Wuji, I am ordered to announce the "Enthronement Amnesty Edict". ”

Goodbye, ministers.

The eldest grandson Wuji's waist straightened up, and his voice was loud: "...... Emperor Daxing gave up the whole world, and his soul was painful, as if he was on fire. Thinking of the great filial piety, I dare not destroy myself, I will always admire the trombone, and I will catch him ......"

The edict of enthronement is very short, and after reading about 200 words, the ministers bow three times.

The eldest grandson Wuji said: "The matter of the new dynasty year, after the discussion of the ministers of the three provinces, His Majesty accepted it, "Zhou Li" said: "Show prayer for blessings, ask for eternal chastity", Yuan De Chongmei said "Hui", therefore, since New Year's Day, the Tang Dynasty changed the Yuan "Yonghui". ”

…………

…………

After the slightly hasty enthronement ceremony, the Taiji Palace continued the state funeral ceremony, 800 monks and Taoists did enough for seven days of dojo rituals, Zhenguan 19 years of the fifth month of the sixth day, the new monarch Li Zhi and the courtiers sent Li Shimin's body to the Zhaoling Tomb.

In the early morning, there was a drizzle, located outside the Zhaoling Tomb in Liquan County, the courtiers knelt beside the muddy village road, forty-nine strong men of the forbidden army carried the coffin, staggered towards the Zhaoling, eight hundred monks and Taoist priests sat cross-legged on the ground, reciting the scriptures of the past life, Li Zhi was dressed in mourning clothes, holding Li Shimin's coffin with one hand, and staggered to follow the team.

The sky and the earth are low, the black clouds are overwhelming, the long horns on both sides of the road are whining and blowing, echoing outside the empty mountains and forests, and behind the coffin is the black pressure funeral procession, from civil and military officials to the Yulin guards, as well as tens of thousands of ordinary people who came spontaneously.

Zhaoling Cemetery covers an area of about 300,000 acres, dozens of meritorious burial people, including the famous general Qin Qiong, and the famous minister Wei Zheng, etc., Li Shimin has issued an order to give these meritorious heroes from the dragon to accompany the burial of Zhaoling honor.

More importantly, the eldest grandson empress, who died in the ninth year of Zhenguan, is also buried in this Zhao Mausoleum, which is actually the joint tomb of Li Shimin and his wife.

The scale of Zhaoling is not large, and before the death of Empress Changsun, there was a warning that the mausoleum should not be built on a large scale, so as not to make the people lose money, and Li Shimin did fulfill his promise. Zhaoling was originally just a grotto dug out under the main peak of Jiuzhi Mountain in Liquan County, and it is also the first imperial mausoleum of the tomb of the emperor because of the mountain in ancient times, after the death of the eldest grandson queen, Li Shimin only used a small number of craftsmen to repair it slightly, after nine years of Zhenguan, it has been changed and expanded several times one after another, the scale is not large, so Zhaoling still looks a little shabby.

Li Shimin's coffin walked in the muddy ground, walked to the mausoleum stone door, Li Zhi and the ministers wept bitterly, in the monks' scriptures, the coffin was slowly sent into the mausoleum by the guards, the great emperor and the beloved wife of his life were finally buried in the mausoleum, and bid farewell to the world forever.

Li Su stood outside the open stone door of the mausoleum, staring fixedly at this ancient giant gate, the inside of the door was pitch black, forming two completely different worlds from the outside, and a door seemed to separate the two worlds of yin and yang.

Chang Tu is dressed today, not the purple robe often worn by eunuchs, but a snow-white round-necked gown, his sparse hair is combed neatly, pulled up into a rigorous bun, and fixed with an emerald green hosta, the whole person looks like a scholar who is full of insight into the world.

Li Su looked at him with a complicated expression, his lips opened, but he didn't know what to say.

Chang Tu stood in front of the stone door of the mausoleum, but smiled at Li Su first.

"Li Xiangong, you and I will leave it today."

Li Su sighed and said, "If Father-in-law Chang doesn't want to ......"

Before he finished speaking, Chang Tu shook his head and interrupted: "Following Your Majesty in life and death is a grand oath I made back then, and Li County Gong Mo said it again, which stained my loyalty to Your Majesty." ”

Li Su had no choice but to sigh and remain silent.

Chang Tu smiled at him again and said, "At the time of parting, Chang Mou had a few words to say to Li Xiangong, which can be regarded as making up for His Majesty's unfinished words." ”

Li Su hurriedly said: "I wish to listen to you." ”

Chang Tu pondered for a moment, and said: "When Your Majesty was still the King of Qin, I waited for Your Majesty closely, followed Your Majesty over the years, experienced countless winds and waves, and also saw all kinds of characters, Chang Mou had to say, Li County Gong is the only handsome person I have seen in this life, your intelligence, your achievements, the amazing words you have said, the amazing things you have done, Chang Mou is all sincerely admired, no wonder Your Majesty is so important to you, speaking from the heart, there are such characters as Li County Gong in the world, and the Tang Dynasty is very lucky. ”

Li Su smiled bitterly: "Here and now, Father-in-law Chang doesn't have to say these flattering words." ”

Chang Tu smiled: "It's not a flattery, it's really from the bottom of my heart, you don't know how much Your Majesty values you, I often talk about you in front of me in private, and I praise and praise you a lot in my words, and I have sighed countless times that the sky has no eyes, why is there no prince who is like a son......"

Saying that, Chang Tu sighed: "However, Li County's public intelligence is extraordinary, if there is no common wisdom to enter the world, I am afraid it will be difficult to last long, this is also a sentence of Chang Mou's admonition." Over the years, courtiers have come and gone, those who have soared, those who have been imprisoned, and even those who have been beheaded all over the house, Chang Mou has seen a lot, and it is inevitable that he will feel a little emotional. If there are people who have made achievements in life and doing things, Feihuang Tengda is not a problem, although Li Xiangong has been an official for many years, he has been separated from the court and His Majesty, saying that it is the temperament of a hermit who is a master, but it is inevitable that His Majesty will be displeased. But Your Majesty often says that he is wrong, saying that even if he is not a holy monarch, at least he is not a faint monarch, Li Xiangong is so alienated from the court monarch, Ming Jun knows that you have an indifferent temperament and do not want to quarrel, if you change to a narrow-minded king, how do you know how to look at you? ”

Chang Tu smiled and glanced at Li Zhi next to him, who wanted to stop talking, raised his hand, stopped Li Zhi's words, and looked at Li Sudao: "Li Xiangong has made so many achievements for the Tang Dynasty at a young age, which is admired by people all over the world, but what Chang admires most is Li Xiangong's way of life, so young to know." Prosperity must decline', several shirks of promotion, to be lazy to show people harmless, in order to protect themselves and avoid disaster, even better, the court of monarchs and ministers have seen your intentions, but because of your age and do not want to worry about you, often smile and forgive, this is Li County's most wonderful move, barely can be regarded as a conspiracy......"

Li Sulao's face flushed, this ...... Does it count as a slap in the face?

Chang Tu sighed again after laughing, and said, "It's just, Li Xiangong, what about the future?" When you get older, can you use the trick of being lazy and tired until you get old? Or, simply resign from all the officials and be a rich man with peace of mind, or, change the way of life, do your best to assist the monarch, and the monarch and the ministers will create a vigorous and vigorous career in the history of the millennium, I don't want to be an official but I am worried about the world, self-protection and disaster avoidance and can't help but show off in the forest, doesn't Li Xiangong feel too hypocritical? In the end, both sides are not pleasing to you, and the future historian will not know how to define you if he sets up a biography for you, and he will not be able to have a satisfactory result in his life. ”

Chang Tu sighed: "Your Majesty entrusted you with a lot of things before he died, the burden on the shoulders of Li Xiangong is not light, in the next few decades in the Tang Dynasty, only one person will lead the way, but do you plan to do things like this?" I was an outsider, and I shouldn't have said these words, but before parting, I really couldn't bear to be entrusted by His Majesty, so I had to say a few words against my ears, and asked Li County Gong to think twice. ”

Looking up at the sky, Chang Tu's expression flashed a touch of heroic sorrow, laughed a few times, brushed his robe, and said: "The time has come, I should go in to accompany Your Majesty and the Queen, everyone, don't!" ”

After speaking, without waiting for Li Zhi and the others to speak, Chang Tu resolutely turned around and walked into the dark mausoleum.

Li Zhi looked sad and stood silent for a long time, and finally said in a hoarse voice: "Tell the guards to fall down the stone gate." The oath of life and death, I can only fulfill it. ”

The sound of the machine clicked, and the huge gate of tens of thousands of catties slowly fell, and finally with a dull sound, the stone gate completely cut off the yin and yang, and also isolated Changtu in the mausoleum.

Li Zhi and Li Su were still standing quietly outside the mausoleum, and after a while, Li Su suddenly faced the stone gate and shook his head to the ground, and said loudly: "What Chang Gong said, Li Zizheng remembers, you and I will talk about friendship in the next life, I owe you a pot of New Year's wine, remember to ask me for it in the next life." ”

Inside the stone gate, there was no echo.

Li Zhi turned his head to look at him and said: "What Father-in-law Chang said, I think it makes sense, Brother Zizheng used to cover up, because he was afraid that he would talk too much, cause trouble, or be afraid that his father would be jealous, now that I have ascended the throne as the emperor, I have no doubt about you all my life, why don't Brother Zizheng let go of his mind and relax his ambition of Lingyun?" ”

Pointing to the gray sky, Li Zhi suddenly said loudly: "How long wings do you have, how big a cloud sky I will give you!" ”

This sentence was said loudly, and the courtiers standing quietly behind them all heard it, and they couldn't help but be shocked when they heard it, and everyone's eyes instantly focused on Li Su.

Li Su sighed, saluted Li Zhi, and said: "First, Your Majesty has ascended the throne as the emperor, from today onwards, please call yourself 'I', second, to the ministers, Your Majesty can be called 'Zizheng', not 'brother', this is the courtesy of the monarch and the minister, the court etiquette, the third ......"

Li Su pondered for a moment and said slowly: "In this life, I only rely on my heart and ...... in the future The same is true. ”