AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Chen Lang's voice was filled with sorrow, but he did not know the answer to the question, so he turned his head to look at Chen Yun, who stood beside him, his brows also etched with sadness.
Chen Yun stepped forward and said softly, "Grandfather, your grandson has already sent word to the palace. His Majesty should be on his way now."
He held Chen Xi's hand, knowing that Chen Xi wanted to see the Emperor one last time before he died. So, when he realized Chen Xi's condition was deteriorating and it was time to call the Tai Yi Ling, he immediately sent word to the palace.
Chen Xi nodded slightly, gathering what little strength he had left, and looked at Chen Yun, saying, "Yun'er, after I am gone, you will take over as the head of the Chen family!"
His voice was firm and solemn: "You must never allow the Chen family's traditions to be corrupted!"
Chen Yun knew what Chen Xi was referring to and nodded slightly, while Chen Lang stood there stunned, his face then showing a hint of sadness.
He was not sad about losing the position of "head of the Chen family"; he was sad that his father was disappointed in him.
Chen Lang hesitated, wanting to say something, but in the end, he did not speak.
Chen Xi saw his intention and immediately said, "It's not that you haven't done well enough; it's just that the current Chen family doesn't need a family head like that!"
"After I am gone, you should properly inherit the title of Guandu Marquis. For family matters, listen more to Yun'er."
"In the past, you did very well in Guandu. All the Qian Shou in Guandu were very grateful for your benevolence, and because of that, they were willing to tolerate the actions of some scoundrels within our Chen family."
"This is the Qian Shou's gratitude to you!"
"You don't need to change your personality. One strong person like Yun'er in the family is enough. Just like yin and yang, they need to intermingle and merge, otherwise, they will be like fire and water, destroying the entire family."
Chen Lang nodded slightly, clearly having taken Chen Xi's words to heart.
While the father, son, and grandson were talking, there was a hurried sound of footsteps outside the room, and then a flustered figure appeared.
It was the current Emperor, Liu Heng!
Liu Heng took large strides, reaching Chen Xi's side, his face filled with sorrow.
This time, it was not feigned but genuine.
There was sadness over his teacher's impending death, and also sadness over the Guandu Marquis's impending death, which would leave the entire meritorious official group leaderless, forcing Zhou Bo to take the lead.
Without the Guandu Marquis, the entire court would lose its balance!
"Your Majesty....."
Chen Xi swallowed the ginseng slice hidden under his tongue, and a warm current surged through his body with this action.
This was a hundred-year-old ginseng he had obtained years ago, used to sustain his life at the very end.
"You have come."
At this moment, Chen Xi's body seemed to have recovered, but everyone knew that this was merely a final burst of energy.
The other disciples made way, allowing Liu Heng to sit beside Chen Xi.
Liu Heng held Chen Xi's hands: "Teacher, I am here. Do you have any instructions?"
At this time, he was also very clear that Chen Xi was merely clinging to life with a slice of ginseng, his spirit forcefully lifted by a final burst of energy.
So Liu Heng, uncharacteristically, did not beat around the bush.
Chen Xi clasped Liu Heng's hands in return, slowly explaining the arrangements he had made and the Chen family's "influential" disciples, practically handing over all his political power to Liu Heng.
He coughed several times in succession, and a little blood slowly seeped from his throat.
A final burst of energy would not be like this, but the backlash from Chen Xi forcibly prolonging his life with the ginseng slice had finally arrived. His hands trembled, but he spoke each of his arrangements firmly and steadily, word by word.
Finally, he looked at Liu Heng and said.
"After this old official dies, Zhou Bo and Chen Ping will not dare to act for a short time, but these two, relying on their status as meritorious officials, will certainly do things that violate the law."
"But Your Majesty should not strip them of their King titles. After all, they are founding meritorious officials!"
"If their King titles are also stripped, there will likely be rumors throughout the land."
He covered his mouth, coughing a few more times. By now, the ginseng slice's effect had fully manifested; he was like a blooming Tumi flower.
"Your Majesty, the affairs of the world concern only the people."
"As long as you keep the Qian Shou, the people of the world, in your heart, they will naturally lift you high!"
Chen Xi used almost all his remaining strength to instruct Liu Heng on these court affairs, not mentioning any arrangements for the Chen family, nor even asking Liu Heng to arrange matters for the most promising "Lang Zhong Ling" Chen Yun in the family.
He merely used all his strength, wanting to help Liu Heng stabilize the court before his death.
"Teacher—"
Liu Heng lowered his head, looking at Chen Xi: "Don't you have anything regarding the Chen family to tell me?"
"Teacher's contributions, both my Imperial Father and I know. At that time, reducing Teacher's King title already caused my Imperial Father regret before his death."
"Teacher, why not take this opportunity to request the restoration of the King title of Wei?"
He seemed to be considering Chen Xi greatly, his face showing a hint of excitement: "As long as you speak now, I can take the opportunity to restore you as King of Wei, and let Chen Lang succeed your King title!"
Upon hearing Liu Heng's words, Chen Xi merely smiled faintly: "Your Majesty, whether it be a King title or a Marquis title, they are all but fleeting clouds. I said this before Emperor Gaozu, and I also said it before Emperor Xian."
He looked at Liu Heng and said: "Those who are not of the Liu clan and claim to be King shall be attacked by all under heaven!"
"This is the promise I made to Emperor Gaozu back then!"
"The Chen family will never forget it for generations!"
After saying this, it seemed to have exhausted all of Chen Xi's strength. He slowly looked at Chen Yun and the others in the distance, seemingly speaking to them, but in reality, he was speaking to Liu Heng.
"Now the world is in distress. The burials of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Xian were both simple. I should not, for my own sake, go against this spirit of frugality."
"After I die, there should be no lavish or grand burial."
"Just bury me in the ancestral land of Guandu."
After saying this, Chen Xi could not even open his eyes.
His vision was completely dark; it was as if everything in the world had disappeared, everything had turned into smoke, drifting in mid-air.
Countless lights flashed past, and Chen Cheng heard bursts of weeping.
He was now looking at the room from a strange "third-person perspective." This small room seemed to have become a "television screen."
After "Chen Xi" died, Liu Heng was extremely saddened, even suspending court for three consecutive days.
When court resumed, he promoted Lang Zhong Ling "Chen Yun" to concurrently serve as Neili of the Prime Minister's Office, and then, due to his unwillingness for anyone else to sit in his teacher's position... he no longer appointed a second Prime Minister.
From then on, the Han Dynasty entered an era with only one Prime Minister.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"Records of the Grand Historian: Hereditary House of the King of Wei": "In the first year of Emperor Wen, spring. The King of Wei passed away, and the Emperor was deeply grieved, and from then on, did not establish a second Prime Minister."
"The King of Wei, concerned with state affairs, did not wish to burden the world because of himself, and thus, like Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Hui, had a simple burial. This was a blessing for the world. Due to the frugality of the two Emperors and one noble, from that time, the powerful nobles in Chang'an all adopted a style of frugality."
PS: Future updates will be at 11:30 AM and 5:30 PM ~ Extra updates at 9:30 PM ~ Currently owe 1 update, will post tonight. I will keep good track, and won't break or get stressed out and stop. Rest assured. I will slowly correct typos.