novelSusiti Chapter 2 The late emperor dies, the new emperor hides his incompetence and deceives the court and t
Chapter 2 The late emperor dies, the new emperor hides his incompetence and deceives the court and t
The chill of Yong'an Palace seeped into people's hearts overnight.
The news of Liu Bei's death struck like a thunderbolt, plunging the entire Shu Han kingdom into turmoil. Outside the palace, the autumn wind howled, the bronze bells fell silent, and the suppressed sobs of the palace servants mingled with the panic of the officials, echoing through the empty palace. A country cannot be without a ruler for a day, but could this new emperor truly support the crumbling Shu Han?
Before the imperial bed, Liu Shan was still weeping bitterly, his clothes soaked with tears, his hair disheveled, his face as pale as paper, and his body trembling incessantly, as if the sky had collapsed.
But only he knew that his hands, hanging by his sides, were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, and beneath the sorrow in his eyes lay a trace of calm. Zhuge Liang's gaze swept over him several times, sharp as an eagle, but he never caught this unusual expression—in the eyes of this entrusted minister, the young master was nothing more than a child wallowing in grief.
"My lords!" Zhuge Liang was the first to suppress his grief, his deep voice breaking the deathly silence. "With the sudden passing of the late emperor, the land of Shu is in imminent danger. The country cannot be without a ruler for even a day! His Highness the Crown Prince is benevolent and filial, and was designated by the late emperor as the heir apparent. He should inherit the throne and bring peace to the court and the people!"
All the officials knelt down and shouted in unison, "We beseech Your Highness to ascend the throne and secure the nation!"
Liu Shan seemed not to hear, continuing to weep bitterly, choking back sobs as he said, "Father has abandoned me, and I am utterly lost and without strategy. How dare I shoulder this heavy responsibility for the world? I wish to remain in Yong'an, to stay by Father's side forever..."
After saying this, his body went limp, and he almost fainted, but was quickly supported by the eunuchs. This sight made all the officials feel sorry for him, and further strengthened their belief that "the crown prince is cowardly."
Li Yan stepped forward and bowed, advising, "Your Highness, the late Emperor entrusted his son to you on his deathbed, hoping that you would inherit the foundation of the Han Dynasty. Your Highness must not indulge in grief and neglect the affairs of state!" His tone was earnest, but he was secretly testing the waters, and his eyes held a calculation—if this young master was truly cowardly, it would be the best opportunity for him to counterbalance Zhuge Liang and rise to power among the gentry.
Liu Shan was helped up, his eyes blurry with tears, his expression blank. He turned to look at Zhuge Liang, his voice hoarse: "Your subject is young and ignorant, and does not understand politics. From now on, the safety of Shu Han and all matters of the court will depend entirely on the decisions of Master Kongming and Master Zhengfang. Your subject will follow the lead of the two masters."
These words caused an uproar among the officials. A hint of secret joy flashed in Li Yan's eyes, but Zhuge Liang's heart stirred slightly as he looked at Liu Shan again—yet the young man before him still looked so grief-stricken and helpless, as if he were truly just a child incapable of shouldering great responsibilities.
"Your subject will certainly devote himself to the cause until his dying breath!" Zhuge Liang bowed and replied, but the doubts in his heart had not yet dissipated.
On that day, Liu Shan temporarily assumed power and issued an edict to the world, bestowing upon Liu Bei the posthumous title of Emperor Zhaolie. He announced that an auspicious day would be chosen for Liu Bei to return to Chengdu to hold a national mourning ceremony, after which he would ascend the throne. The news caused a stir throughout Shu, and the gentry of Yizhou submitted petitions of loyalty. However, some secretly observed the situation. Furthermore, intelligence reports indicated that the states of Wei and Wu, upon learning of Liu Bei's death, were already stirring on their borders. There were even spies planted by Wei who had secretly infiltrated Yong'an to gather intelligence on the court's movements.
Three days later, Liu Shan, supporting the coffin, set off back to Chengdu. Along the way, people knelt and wept to see him off. He sat upright to one side of the hearse, dressed in mourning clothes, head bowed and silent, tears streaming down his face, looking utterly grief-stricken.
Unnoticed by anyone, in the instant he lowered his head, his gaze swept quickly across the movements of the common people and officials along the way, taking in everything. Throughout the entire process, he did not utter a single word related to court affairs, only occasionally inquiring in a low voice whether the coffin was secure, behaving exactly like a young master unaware of the ways of the world.
Zhuge Liang accompanied him, observing the situation along the way, but he never found any flaws. Li Yan, on the other hand, frequently tested Liu Shan, but Liu Shan either shook his head blankly or said, "It is entirely up to you two gentlemen to decide," which made Li Yan more and more reassured.
Upon arriving in Chengdu, the national mourning ceremony was held as scheduled. Liu Shan personally presided over the funeral, kneeling and weeping throughout the entire ceremony, nearly fainting several times, which distressed all the officials. Only Zhuge Liang, during a break in the ritual, caught a glimpse of Liu Shan staggering as he rose, a fleeting clarity flashing in his eyes—so quick it was almost an illusion.
After the national mourning period, Liu Shan formally ascended the throne, changed the era name to Jianxing, and honored Zhuge Liang as Prime Minister, giving him overall control of the government; he appointed Li Yan as Central Protector, in charge of internal and external military affairs, and stationed him in Yong'an. He seemed to have completely relinquished power, appearing incompetent and foolish.
As he retreated into the inner palace and dismissed his attendants, the sorrow and timidity on Liu Shan's face vanished completely, replaced by a serene composure. He walked to a hidden compartment, took out the "Emperor's Strategy of Checks and Balances" and a map. Under the candlelight, besides the four characters "checks and balances on powerful ministers," the eight smaller characters on the title page, "understand people and discern their hearts; use their strength against them," were clearly visible. He ran his fingertips over the annotations about Zhuge Liang and Li Yan in the strategy—these were Liu Bei's observations of the two men over many years, each word a gem, instantly giving him a clearer understanding of the court's structure.
"Father, I know this play has only just begun." He traced the map with his fingertips, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Zhuge Liang's loyalty and Li Yan's ambition are both my pawns. With the strategic principles you left behind, I will surely be able to grasp the right balance and secure my position on this throne." As soon as he finished speaking, light footsteps sounded outside the hall. He raised his eyes to signal, and a dark figure quietly appeared, kneeling on one knee. It was none other than Mo Chen, the shadow guard commander he had secretly cultivated.
Mo Chen lowered his head and whispered, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Zhuge and Lord Li Yan are requesting an audience outside the palace; in addition, spies planted by Wei have arrived in Chengdu, and are suspected of trying to contact the gentry of Yizhou." A cold glint flashed in Liu Shan's eyes, and he calmly ordered, "Keep a close eye on the movements of the spies and Li Yan, and report any unusual activity immediately." Mo Chen bowed and withdrew, and then a palace attendant loudly reported the request for an audience.
Liu Shan quickly put away the strategy and map, put on a timid and bewildered expression again, and said softly, "Summon them in."
The candlelight flickered, illuminating his seemingly bewildered face. No one knew that the new emperor's plans had already far exceeded everyone's expectations. A covert battle for power was about to unfold in the Chengdu imperial court.