The bright winter glow spread over Kaifeng, and the entire imperial city was shrouded in a beautiful scenery. In the Tai Chi Hall, the sound of "ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, dang, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, dang, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang, dangdang.
Taiji Hall was originally an abandoned palace, and Emperor Liu had never set foot in it in the past. However, in the past few months, the hall had become very lively, and the originally empty hall was filled with stone walls.
At this time, the palace was in a busy state. There were people moving stones, people removing waste materials, and supervisors watching. Of course, the most important thing was a group of craftsmen carefully carving reliefs on the stone walls.
The content presented in the relief is a description of Emperor Liu's political and military career for more than thirty years. It is a panoramic display of the rise of the Han Empire to strength, and it is also an interpretation of the changes in the times during these thirty years.
This is obviously a big project, and it is of great significance, which is unexpected by ordinary people. It was proposed by Yongle Marquis Liu Yuan, and with the permission of Emperor Liu, he ordered it to be built. It was funded by the Shaofu and supervised by Liu Yuan.
Obviously, Liu Yuan went up to this table and reported this matter because he was aiming to please the crowd and show favor to Emperor Liu on the occasion of Emperor Liu's birthday. When Liu Yuan was the leader of the Southern Guangdong Kingdom, he was absurd and cruel. He was captured and brought to Beijing, so he had no intention of doing so.
She was his "Happy Marquis" heartlessly, loved to play, practiced some strange and obscene skills every day, and had some wild ideas, but this proposal was considered the most serious one.
Unexpectedly, he was recognized by Emperor Liu and given the task of overseeing the work. Liu Yuan was overjoyed, full of energy, and extremely dedicated to completing this task.
From the selection of stone materials, we pay close attention to the details. As for the craftsmen, we summoned skilled craftsmen from the Shaofu and the Ministry of Industry for selection. As for the content of the reliefs, they were also created by palace painters, erudite scholars from the Third Hall and the Hanlin Academy.
, everyone in history studies also participated in the guidance.
Obviously, if the Taiji Hall set of reliefs is completed, it will not only praise Emperor Liu, but also become a cultural treasure that embodies the efforts of the elites of the era and is a microcosm of Emperor Liu's era.
As a supervisor, Liu Yuan stayed in the Tai Chi Hall almost day and night. Over the past few months, he, who was originally fair and wealthy, could not help but lose weight.
When Emperor Liu came to Taiji Palace in a hurry, Liu Suan was rolling up his sleeves and giving orders. His voice was a little loud and his tone was impatient, as if he was dissatisfied with the progress of the project.
Liu Yuan was so engrossed that he didn't even notice Emperor Liu coming to his side. He was holding a drawing and comparing it against a carved screen wall with a very serious expression.
It wasn't until a supervisor next to him reminded him that he realized what he was doing. He turned around and saw Emperor Liu's smiling old face. He was startled. Liu Yun reacted and hurriedly knelt down to salute: "Your Majesty is here, but he didn't come far enough to greet you, so he begged for forgiveness."
!”
Emperor Liu had a gentle look on his face and said with a chuckle: "This palace is my home. Why do you need you to greet me when I'm walking at home? Get up!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
When some craftsmen on the side saw Emperor Liu, they also stopped what they were doing, put down their carving knives and chisels and saluted. Emperor Liu waved his hand and ordered: "You all return to your own duties and do your own thing!"
After saying that, Emperor Liu smiled at Liu Yuan and said: "I heard that you are doing a lot of work here, so I came here to see it. It's true!"
Liu Yuan immediately said: "Your Majesty is here to visit, it is an honor for me, and I will do my best to make the whole picture!"
"How is the progress? When will it be completed?" Emperor Liu asked casually.
A flash of embarrassment flashed across Liu Yu's face, and he replied cautiously: "Your Majesty, it has been eleven years since the painting was completed. I am urging the craftsmen to hurry up with the work. According to the current situation, it will be completed in another two months!"
Emperor Liu nodded and did not express dissatisfaction with the progress. He also knew in his heart that during his more than thirty years in power, most of the highlights were concentrated in the fifteen years of the Qianyou period. For Emperor Liu, that was The people and things during this period are more worthy of remembering and recalling.
Walking to the relief that Liu Yuan compared, the wall has a very large length-to-width ratio, a standard frame, and the corners are decorated with delicate lines, and the content presented is even larger and more complex.
This is a picture of people, and it is also a majestic war picture, with gold and iron horses, forests of spears, and tight barriers. The characters are lifelike and the momentum is magnificent. You can't help but be immersed in it when you look at it. Emperor Liu's thoughts can't help but fly, as if he has returned to Those eventful years.
"Is this what happened at the Battle of Nankou during the First Northern Expedition?" Emperor Liu asked.
"Exactly!" Liu Yuan said: "This picture was carved by five skilled craftsmen for twenty days, and I am just now making the final comparison!"
"You're really attentive!" Emperor Liu's tone was full of emotion. He walked to a stone wall next to him and stopped to look at it. What was painted on this wall was still the Battle of Nankou, but the scene after the war. On the picture, Emperor Liu came to the battlefield, accompanied by An Shenqi and other generals. He faced a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. Looking at Guanshan in the distance, his shoes and robes were stained.
Another picture shows Emperor Liu visiting wounded soldiers, and another picture showing Emperor Liu sitting in the imperial tent discussing military affairs with the generals...
Accompanied by Liu Yuan, Emperor Liu stopped and walked, following the reliefs and looking at each scene, from the eleventh year of Qianyou to the first year of Qianyou.
Emperor Liu stayed particularly long in front of the wall carving depicting the grand ceremony of Emperor Liu's coronation. It was the beginning of his imperial career. In the Chongyuan Hall, he sat high on the throne, with his ministers prostrating themselves, overlooking all living things.
At that time, Emperor Liu was young, confident, enterprising, and his high-spirited spirit almost burst out through the carvings. The hundreds of officials and ministers, Yuan Cong's meritorious deeds, and the character portrayal were also lifelike. Emperor Liu also saw too many old friends. At that time, Yang Bin was still the leader among the officials, and Shi Hongzhao was the leader among the generals.
The Chongyuan Hall at that time was far less magnificent than it is now. There were not many cumbersome decorations and even looked simple. Everything was neat and clear.
At that time, there were only a few foreign envoys watching the ceremony, like the Ganzhou Uighurs. Now they have disappeared into the long river of history and turned into dust, and are also recorded in the great achievements of Emperor Liu.
After watching and thinking for a long time, Emperor Liu's eyes began to turn red without realizing it. Emperor Liu, who was fifty years old, had no problems with his old age. Only when he recalled the past would he be like this. Emotional...
"Your Majesty!" Seeing Emperor Liu's appearance, Liu Yuan became a little nervous and asked in a low voice: "If there are any shortcomings, I will order someone to correct them!"
"No, you did a good job, and the craftsmen also worked hard!" Emperor Liu shook his head, took the silk scarf from Yan Tuo, and gently wiped his eyes.
"Look again!" Emperor Liu ordered after adjusting his mood.
"yes!"
The first year of Qianyou was not the beginning of Emperor Liu's career. Before that, there was a period of turmoil, which was also described on the stone wall.
During the prince's career, the King of Zhou stayed in his residence, regained Hebei, sent troops out of Hedong, and even inspected the Longqi Army. As for the Battle of Luancheng, it was the most glorious and dazzling moment in that period of his career, and it was also the most detailed depiction of the sword and chisel. scene.
However, what aroused Emperor Liu's doubts was one of the sides. The wall carving showed that Anyang City was dilapidated and desolate. Emperor Liu's large banner tree was there. Under the banner, a Han general was reporting to Emperor Liu. Whatever he was looking at, even if it was a stone carving, the solemn expression on Emperor Liu's expression was immediately apparent.
Next to it, there were officers and soldiers busy cleaning up corpses. Through the city gate, you could vaguely see the piles of corpses in the city, which was shocking. Across a dividing line, the other half of the display was where Emperor Liu led his soldiers to carry out the mission. Worship scene.
Memories came back like a tide, and the impression of Namo Lake gradually became clear. Emperor Liu asked: "Is this Anyang?"
"Exactly!" Seeing Emperor Liu's concern, Liu Yuan did not dare to neglect, and hurriedly reported: "Back then, the Khitan bandits committed numerous crimes in our country. When they fled north, they were blocked in Anyang. In anger, they They slaughtered all the rebels and people in the city. The behavior of the beasts was horrifying and aroused the indignation of the soldiers and civilians in Hebei. They responded in large numbers and followed His Majesty to expel the Khitans..."
Hearing this, Emperor Liu sighed softly: "I remembered that in Anyang, we sorted out hundreds of thousands of corpses. At that time, I was still wondering where so many people could come from in a small Anyang.
Later, I realized that in the troubled times, the wars continued, and the Khitans went south, leaving corpses everywhere. The bones in Anyang City were not just those left by the Khitan killings.
The world is in turmoil, the people are in danger, and there are countless people who have been killed. How many people have died without even taking care of their bodies..."
"Without Your Majesty's help to the world and the restoration of peace to the common people, how could the common people of the Han Dynasty live in peace like today?" Liu Yuan couldn't help but lick his lips: "Your Majesty is truly the Holy Lord who saves the world... "
Listening to Liu Yuan's naked praise, Emperor Liu wanted to laugh, but he couldn't. After pondering for a while, he pointed at these stone walls and acknowledged: "These stone carvings record not only my entrepreneurial history, but also the great events of the Han Dynasty." , it is very meaningful. Not only should it be engraved in the Taiji Hall and Gaoling, but also a set should be made so that it can accompany me to my eternal sleep in the future!"
Liu Yuan didn't know how to respond to Emperor Liu's words. Emperor Liu could say such things, but he didn't dare to discuss them rashly. He just responded with some hesitation: "Yes!"
After taking a look at Liu Yuan, I saw that he was almost forty years old. At this time, Liu Yuan was respectful, humble, polite, and had a little free and easy temperament. It was really impossible to connect him with the lewd and cruel Southern Guangdong Lord.
Emperor Liu's gaze always gave people a sense of pressure, and Liu Yuan couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed under his gaze.
With his smile still gentle, Emperor Liu said: "I heard that you worked hard and forgot to eat and sleep for these embarrassments. Now it seems that it is indeed the case.
However, I can't help but be curious. If you had been so serious and focused on governing the country and bringing peace to the people, how much trouble would it have taken for the imperial court to pacify Guangdong and Guangxi, and Pan Mei would not have been able to break into Guangzhou so easily!
"
Upon hearing this, Liu Yun suddenly showed fear. He was both ashamed and nervous and said: "Your Majesty, although I am absurd and foolish, I also know that the unification of the world is the general trend. How could it be that a mere Liu Yun was ignorant or not?
Can control.
Your Majesty is the Holy Lord of Destiny, destined to live in the same world. When the king's army went south, I had no choice but to open the city and ask for surrender, and bind myself to plead guilty in order to be forgiven.
When I was young, I was dissolute and did many ridiculous things, which also violated the power of God. Fortunately, Your Majesty was magnanimous and did not care about me. Instead, I was bestowed with honors and honors. I am truly grateful.
I have long understood that I am only suitable to be your Majesty's minister, and that I have usurped the throne of Southern Guangdong. This is also a legacy of my late father and is not what I want. I can only live a stable life under your Majesty's protection...
"
"Haha!" Emperor Liu couldn't help but feel happy after hearing Liu Yuan's tense statement. He patted him on the shoulder for the first time and said, "You have done a good job in reflecting and your understanding is very clear. Don't worry, I will guarantee you a lifetime of wealth."
"I thank you, Your Majesty!" Liu Yun knelt down quickly, his joy beyond words.