Han Shizu

Chapter 1594 Yu Guogong is also gone
Wei Renpu's legacy watch, described as a watch, may be a little thin, but a thick drop, as thick as two fingers, and wrapped in a simple cover, it looks more like a book.

Holding this legacy watch, Wei Renpu trembled his hands slightly, and gently stroked the surface, as if wiping away the dust that didn't exist. His fingers slid across the blank space of the title, with a look of contemplation.

"Ask someone to bring the brazier!" After a long time, Wei Renpu raised his head and ordered to Wei Xianxin.

Soon, two servants quickly brought a pot of charcoal fire into the door, and the empty hall suddenly became a little hotter.The charcoal fire is very strong, and with a few wisps of smoke, a flame is rising, stubbornly resisting the winter wind.

It was still early, but the sky looked much darker against the backdrop of the flames. The flames reflected on Wei Renpu's face, revealing a face with complex emotions.

With a leisurely sigh, Wei Renpu raised his hand and threw the forgotten watch into the brazier. Wei Xianxin who was on the side saw him, his face was shocked, he didn't care much, he rushed forward with all his strength, and rescued the forgotten watch.

Regardless of the embarrassment, Wei Xianxin carefully checked the damage, then raised his hand and looked at Wei Renpu: "Father, this is your painstaking effort! Why destroy it!"

"This kind of hard work has already aroused His Majesty's suspicion. What's the use of saving it?" Wei Renpu sighed.

Others don't know, but Wei Xian, who has been serving his father all day long, knows very well in his confidence that this bequest contains absolutely no rebellious words, it is just a political commentary, and it is a summary of Wei Renpu's career as an official.

Seeing that Wei Renpu wanted to personally destroy his work, Wei Xianxin excitedly dissuaded him: "Father, His Majesty already knows about this book, but you want to burn it, how will you explain it? Wouldn't it be more troublesome to do so? Suspect?"

Wei Xianxin obviously only wanted to dissuade him so as to keep his hard work, but he obviously reminded Wei Renpu, hesitation appeared on his old face, he thought for a while, and waved his hand wearily: "You are right, I am confused! "

Seeing his father's attitude softened, Wei Xianxin heaved a sigh of relief, stood up, held the posthumous memorial, and asked, "Father, what about this memorial?"

Glancing at him, Wei Renpu said: "Put it away! As you said, you should report this item to His Majesty on my behalf in the future!"

"Yes!" Wei Xianxin's voice was choked with sobs when he answered.

Seeing this, Wei Renpu smiled heartily: "You don't have to be like this, I'm already old and sick, and I'm about to die! When I die, I'll have nothing to worry about. Don't worry, Your Majesty is far from human, at least for you Junior, I will still take more care of you!"

Wei Renpu spoke peacefully, but Wei Xianxin felt desolate when he heard it, his eyes turned red before he knew it.

Wei Renpu still left after all, and he didn't even survive the 13 years of Kaibao. On the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month of that year, he died suddenly and forever in Yu Guogong's mansion.

Just like before he was alive, Wei Renpu walked in a low-key and peaceful way. In the few months before his death, except for Emperor Liu who visited the door once, no one else disturbed him. Yes, accept the gift and bring a gift in return, that's all.

Therefore, when the news of Wei Renpu's death spread, it also caused waves within the court that had been quiet for several months.The officialdom is a place where individuals take their tea, even Wei Renpu is no exception. After ten years of silence, his actual influence on the court has faded to an extreme level.

But things are often like this, when people are alive, few people pay attention to them, or even forget them, but after people die, all kinds of mourning and remembrance will come one after another.

The crowd who went to offer their condolences almost broke through the threshold of Duke Yu's mansion, and the facts also proved that Wei Renpu's fame exploded for the last time, and the effect was considerable.

Those officials who had been promoted and favored by Wei Renpu all looked sad and mournful. Several disciples even wailed loudly in the mourning hall, their voices were hoarse, and they were even more sad than Wei Xianxin.

Many people can't help but sigh with emotion, Qianyou's 24 ministers, another person, Wei Renpu's death, is like the farewell of an era, the magnificent and wonderful era of the past has indeed gradually moved away from the people of today.

At the same time, it also means that the current big Han is the world of "latecomers" and the world of "young people". This is indeed the case. Today, the nobles and bureaucrats who hold important power and real power between the military and government of the Han Dynasty have regressed ten times. In [-], they were still "disappearing from everyone", even if they had some fame, it was only the beginning of their glory.

Regardless of how the ministers viewed Wei Renpu's death, Emperor Liu felt extremely complicated.For so many years, having witnessed the departure of so many old ministers, Emperor Liu mostly harbored a feeling of sadness, regret, and regret.

But only for Wei Renpu, there is an extra layer of complexity, and this layer of complexity can be explained by guilt, which comes from that unreasonable and inexplicable suspicion.

Ask yourself, a courtier like Wei Renpu is worthy of doubt, is it necessary to doubt it?Of course, the answer in Emperor Liu's heart is yes.
However, after Wei Renpu passed away in such a desolate manner, Emperor Liu could calm down and grieve a little to express his regret and to comfort himself.

It was bitterly cold outside, but warm inside like spring. Emperor Liu, dressed in a solemn black coat, stood calmly in front of a row of lamp stands, with a pair of scissors in his hand, cutting the candle light slowly.

Cut off a little candle wick, bring down a little fire, watch it go out before your eyes, and return to eternal silence, and so on.Even if Prince Liu Yang entered the hall and stood beside him to salute, the rhythm of his movements did not change at all.

"Have you been to Duke Yu's Mansion?" Emperor Liu asked while continuing to work, with a little bleakness in his voice.

Liu Yang's expression is also very serious, and his mood is not very high. The teacher with the deepest friendship with him is undoubtedly Li Fang, but when the crown prince was appointed, Wei Renpu was the grand tutor appointed by Emperor Liu, and he also had the incense of teaching. .In terms of name, Wei Renpu is his master. Moreover, Liu Yang also has experience and knowledge of Wei Renpu's character and talent since he was a child, and he respects him very much.

The Prince's disposition is much gentler than that of Emperor Liu, so now that the person is gone, the feeling of grief and condolences is unavoidable.

"My son has been ordered by my father to go to the Duke of Yu's mansion to express my condolences!" Liu Yang said in a low voice, not very emotional.

"It's very lively!" Emperor Liu said.

Liu Yang's expression was slightly stern, the word "lively" always seemed a little inappropriate when it was uttered from Emperor Liu's mouth at this time.However, Liu Yang didn't dare to point it out, but responded: "When I heard that Duke Yu died of illness, the meritorious officials, ministers and officials in Beijing will come to express their condolences!"

"You are the prince and a student of Daoji, so you should go there on my behalf, and you should be dedicated enough!" Emperor Liu murmured, as if he was asking Liu Yang, but also asking himself.

Hearing this, Liu Yang hesitated for a moment, but still asked: "Father, Duke Yu is a meritorious official and a close friend of your old friend. Now that he is mourning, why don't you go out of the palace in person to visit the Wei Mansion for condolences?"

Liu Yang was really curious. In the past, after the death of an old official like Wei Renpu, Emperor Liu would go there in person to show his respect.

"I'm afraid that in this court, many people are wondering, and they are going to make wild guesses again!" Emperor Liu sighed, pointed to his old face with an empty hand, and said, "To tell you the truth, I'm a little ashamed to face it!"

After a pause, Emperor Liu said quietly again: "Furthermore, I have already bid him Daoji farewell!"

There was a little sense of bleakness in Emperor Liu's tone, Liu Yang was silent for a moment when he heard it.

After a while, Liu Yang mentioned another matter, saying: "When I passed the mansion to hang the sacrifice, I heard something. Wei Xianxin organized the funeral for Duke Yu and only paid fifty guan. His status, even if his funeral is not too grand, it shouldn’t be so shabby, it has the meaning of accusing Wei Xianxin of being unfilial!”

"Wei Daoji must have explained this, and Wei Xianxin is indeed frugal!" Emperor Liu sighed: "Although he lives in a dignified place, he is willing to live in a simple life. In the Han Dynasty, there was never a shortage of such moral gentlemen. Glad!"

Liu Yang: "Duke Yu's character and integrity are really admirable!"

Sighing slightly, Emperor Liu said: "I have already drawn up an edict regarding Wei Daoji's funeral, and it is up to you to announce and implement it!"

"Yes!"

Regarding Wei Renpu's mourning and glory after his death, it did not exceed the usual practice, but this time Emperor Liu personally drafted the edict, and his intentions can be regarded as sincere.

As if thinking of something, he raised his left hand and pointed to the case. Emperor Liu said, "The Wei Mansion has submitted Daoji's posthumous memorial. There are a lot of things written on it. Take a look too. Some of the content should be useful to you!"

"Yes!" Liu Yang vaguely felt something unusual, bowed his hands, walked to the royal case, picked up the posthumous memorial, and started to read it on the spot.

In Wei Renpu's posthumous memorial, in addition to the career summary and the discussion of the way of governing the country, the most critical, or most sensitive part of the content is about some problems that the big man has today.In translation, it is pointing out some gains and losses of Emperor Liu's administration.

Among them, the key points mentioned are Emperor Liu's high-pressure assimilation policy towards the Hu ethnic minorities, his intransigence towards Mobei Khitan, the hasty reform of the military system, the aftermath of forced emigration, prisoner camps, etc.
It can be said that Wei Renpu saw risks and hidden dangers in the policies that highlighted Emperor Liu's will, and saw the contradictions and crises hidden under the calm appearance.
And Liu Yang obviously read this passage. After all, it was marked with Emperor Liu's ink pen, and his face became serious. He raised his eyes to observe Emperor Liu's expression. What is the instruction given by Duke Yu?"

"What instruction can I give?" Emperor Liu finally turned around, looked at Liu Yang, and said in a tired voice: "Among the court ministers, few people can compare with Wei Daoji in terms of understanding righteousness and foresight. What he said These are not aimless. As for the instructions, my instruction is, you should study it carefully. If there are serious problems, you will need to make up for them in the future.

I will not and am unwilling to overthrow my own policies and ideas, but you are different. When you are in charge of your own affairs, you can figure it out! "

Hearing what Emperor Liu said, Liu Yang felt a little heavy and complicated. He opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't know where to start.

Emperor Liu continued to sigh with emotion: "Obviously, although Wei Daoji lives in the mansion, he always cares about the important affairs of the court and the common people in the world. This posthumous memorial is a big statement.

I also understood why he didn't want to talk to me face to face in life, because he was afraid of arousing my suspicion and dissatisfaction. After death, I naturally couldn't criticize him harshly and live up to his devotion and loyalty.

Unfortunately, he underestimated me after all?Am I so stubborn that I can't listen to others?"

(End of this chapter)