Li Yugang looked at Liu Mingzhi's confused reaction and gritted his teeth as if he had made a difficult decision.
“Can...can I be buried in the mausoleum of the imperial brother?
You are also aware of my past events. Ever since what happened in Jiangnan and the White Lotus Sect, I have lost the qualification to be buried in the accompanying mausoleum. A hundred years later, I can only build a new tomb under the arrangement of the clan government.
I am worried that if we build another tomb, after I go to the Jiuyou Land, I will never see the emperor brother,... and Chan'er again.
You are my old friend, so I hope that you, the current emperor, can show me great kindness and order me to be buried in the Ruiling Mausoleum.
This is also my last wish.
I wonder, Liu Xiaozi, if you can agree to this last request from this old man?”
When Liu Mingzhi heard the word "Chan'er", his heart trembled violently.
He naturally knew that the Chan Er mentioned by Li Yugang was Deng Chan, the empress of Concubine Jing, whom he had only met a few times. He also vaguely understood the fundamental reason why Li Yugang insisted on being buried in the mausoleum.
You don’t need to think carefully to know that it must be for Deng Chan, your old love who was not destined to be together.
Looking at Li Yugang's pleading eyes, Liu Mingzhi hesitated.
These eyes contain too many things that cannot be described in words. They are so familiar, just like the look in Tao Yingxiang's eyes when she suddenly knew her death.
Painful and helpless, unable to believe but forced to believe, unwilling to admit but forced to accept reality.
Li Yugang’s gaze suddenly made Liu Mingzhi feel empathetic.
It seems that I and Li Yugang are both fallen people in the world. They have been attracted by a certain beautiful woman, but have no chance to accompany them to grow old together.
As a prince from the previous dynasty who retained his title as the emperor of the new dynasty, Li Yugang did not require any specifications for his funeral, let alone any customization for his royal tomb.
The only requirement is that I want to be buried with my lover who I have known by fate but cannot stay together forever.
How much did Duke Ming love Deng Chan? What unforgettable regrets did he leave behind in his life?
Others don’t know, and neither do I. Only Ming Gong knows it best.
The grievances caused by Ming Gong Li Yugang and his father, Li Zheng, because of the grievances caused by Jing Fei, Deng Yan, and he knew from Lao Zhou clearly.
As a bystander, I can honestly say that this matter is indeed the result of my father, Emperor Li Zheng, feeling sorry for his old friend.
After all, it was his father who forcibly broke up Li Yugang and Deng Chan, a pair of lovers, for the sake of the throne and power. He didn't know whether Li Yugang was relieved now, but he couldn't deny that Li Yugang's life was really too wonderful.
How miserable.
Being born into an imperial family is both lucky and unfortunate.
It is true that I sympathize with him, but Li Yugang has lost the qualification to be buried in the mausoleum because of his secret friendship with the White Lotus Sect. If I force...
“Liu Xiaozi, can’t I please beg you?”
Liu Mingzhi came back to his senses and stared blankly at the wine glass Li Yugang was holding in the air, as well as the complicated look in Li Yugang's old eyes that revealed excitement and unwillingness. He was also confused for a moment.
"Little Liu, if the debt is wiped out after death, what can a pile of withered bones be filled with indignation?"
How about you fulfill my last wish?
I beg you."
Liu Mingzhi felt the strong emotional fluctuations in Li Yugang's eyes, and was deeply moved. He hesitated for a long time with his fists clenched, and his right hand trembled as he reached for the wine glass on the table.
“Okay! I promise you, boy!”
“It’s a big favor without saying thanks, let’s have a drink together.”
"cheers."
The two of them toasted to have a drink together. Liu Mingzhi's wine glass had been put back on the table. Li Yu had just taken the wine glass from his mouth tremblingly, looking at Mr. Liu with a dead look and grinning.
"the river is long and tempestuous, it was like a hero.
Success or failure is a matter of success or failure.
Aoyama is still there, How Many Suns.
The white-haired fisherman and woodcutter on the riverbank is used to watching the autumn moon and spring breeze.
Happy encounter with a pot of wine.
Many things in ancient and modern times have been discussed with laughter.
Happy encounter with a pot of wine.
Many things in ancient and modern times have been discussed with laughter.”
“Ming Gong! Are you okay?”
"Liu Xiaozi, thank you very much. It is worth my life to get to know you."
I hope God has mercy on you and I can be friends again in the next life, and we can meet happily over a glass of wine.
I...I really couldn’t hold it any longer, so I took the first step.”
The moment Li Yugang finished speaking, the wine glass between his withered fingers fell straight towards the table.
With a soft clang, the wine glass bounced off the table onto the floor tiles. As the wine glass rolled on the floor, Li Yugang's white-haired head hung weakly on his chest, without any movement.
Liu Mingzhi stared blankly at the lifeless Li Yugang, raised his head and blinked several times, one of his old friends was missing again.
The Duke of Wu, Wan Buhai, his father, Emperor Li Zheng, General Duan Buren of the Buddha Army, his brother Li Baiyu, his third son, Li Yunlong, Duke of Jing, Yunyang, the pretty Tao Ying, and now the king of Huainan, Li Yugang.
It turns out that it seems that only a dozen years have passed in a blink of an eye, and so many of my old friends have passed away one after another.
No matter what the relationship between these old friends is and oneself, they have all written a profound mark in their own lives.
With a deep sigh, Liu Mingzhi nodded, picked up the pot, filled his wine glass with wine, and raised it to Li Yugang, who was completely lifeless.
“Ming Gong, I hope that in the next life you and I will meet happily with a pot of wine.”
Liu Mingzhi brought the wine glass to his mouth and drank it. He savored the bad-tasting wine for a long time, as if he had gone back to the time when he first met Li Yugang outside the Yanbo Pavilion by the Qinhuai River.
Gently putting down the wine glass, Liu Mingzhi swallowed his drink and stood up and walked towards the door of Siguo Hall. He stared at the sect's mansion with all the pavilions and pavilions, and said loudly: "Here comes."
A moment later, under the long corridor on the left side of the Siguo Hall, under the guidance of the guards of the Zongren Mansion, Li Chengbai and others who had left earlier rushed towards the Siguo Hall again with heavy steps.
“Your Majesty, who is Mingcheng’s nephew?”
“Your Majesty, how is the fourth child doing?”
“Your Majesty, uncle Si Wang, is he okay?”
Before everyone could reach Liu Mingzhi, they all asked about Li Yugang's situation with uneasy expressions.
Liu Mingzhi glanced at the heavy-looking Li Chengbai and others, without any intention of hiding anything, and said calmly: "Ming Gong, I'm going."
Although everyone had already been mentally prepared, when they heard the news from Liu Mingzhi that Li Yugang had passed away, they were still shocked and hurriedly ran towards the palace.
“I’m rude.”
“I am also rude.”
“I am also rude.”
…”
When a group of people passed by Liu Mingzhi, one of them said he was rude and followed Li Chengbai straight into the Siguo Hall.
Hearing the low words coming from the palace behind him, Liu Mingzhi took out the folding fan from his waist and flicked it casually, stared at the clouds in the sky, and then walked towards the gate of the Zongren Mansion with a gentle fan.
On September 21st, the fourth year of Dalong’s reign, Li Yugang, the king of Huainan, passed away in the Siguo Hall of the Zongren Mansion.
During the period of Li Yugang's death, Liu Mingzhi summoned Li Chengbai, the Zongren's imperial magistrate, and a group of elders to the palace. He specially ordered the Zongren's Mansion and the Ministry of Rites to bury the body of Huainan King Li Yugang in the Ruiling mausoleum.
Liu Mingzhi's special order without any warning made all the Li clan members in the clan stunned for a long time before they reacted. Although Li Chengbai did not object vocally, 80% of the other clan elders were not happy.
They believed that Li Yugang's behavior in befriending the White Lotus Sect was immoral and had brought disgrace to the Li clan, so he should not be buried in a mausoleum to accompany the emperor.
Even some important officials in the court were quite critical after hearing Liu Mingzhi’s special order, but due to the majesty of Liu Mingzhi, the founder of the country, they did not mention it in person.
Liu Mingzhi didn’t say much to those who objected. He directly brought Li Chengbai, the Zongren’s magistrate, to the back hall for a private conversation.
After Li Chengbai returned to the front hall, as the Zongling of the Zongren Mansion, he fought against all opinions among the elders of the clan and strongly supported Liu Mingzhi's order.
No one knows what the two said in private.
Looking at Li Chengbai's attitude of raising his hand to hit anyone if he dared to object, Yiqian Zonglao could only agree to the matter under pressure.
Seeing this scene, all the officials in the court were glanced at by Liu Mingzhi's cold eyes one by one. They all nodded and lowered their eyebrows and did not dare to say anything. Their slightest criticism disappeared in an instant.
Liu Mingzhi’s last words finalized the matter, and the feud between Huainan King Li Yugang and Li Zheng and Jing Concubine Deng Chan finally came to a sad end.