Young Prime Minister, a Hermit

Chapter 214

Yi Han slowly walked to my side and wrapped his arms around me. I felt a surge of happiness that made me want to smile from the bottom of my heart: "Today is the day I marry Feng Yi Han, and also the day we retire into seclusion. I hope that on this most important day of my life, I can receive the blessings of all the people of the beloved continent of Yi Xiu!"

After the bright sunshine comes the warmth of ordinary happiness; after the magnificent waves comes the tranquility of calm; after the rebirth from the ashes comes the life that ignites the future, and it has finally come to an end! And my other life, the life of an ordinary woman, is about to begin.

A thunderous applause erupted, spreading to every corner of the square. Everyone began to spontaneously call out my name, and Yihan's name.

"Qin Luo—Qin Luo—Qin Luo—"

"Wind Emperor—Wind Emperor—Wind Emperor—"

Applause mingled with shouts, and shouts intertwined with cheers. This magnificent and stirring symphony shook the mountains and rivers, shook the heavens and the earth, and shook the hearts of every person...

Flowers, applause, blessings, and the cool autumn breeze—in this beautiful season, we depart hand in hand, leaving behind an unforgettable legend.

postscript

On March 18th of the 780th year of the Wanli reign, the third imperial examination on the continent of Yixiu began. More than 200,000 talented scholars flocked to Luocheng to take the exam, creating an unprecedented spectacle that clearly foreshadowed the prosperity of the Fengyin Empire.

However, a minor but unexpected incident occurred during this imperial examination. At the time, no one expected that this incident would spread like wildfire, ultimately triggering the first "literary inquisition" since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The story begins like this. The topic of this year's imperial examination was: How to become a wise and capable minister and general of paramount importance to the country and its people. This was originally an examination question that focused on argumentation, but one candidate, instead of answering the question directly, ingeniously wrote a poem on his exam paper.

The next day, the examiner who was grading the exam papers saw the poem and was shocked and frightened. He then presented it to the current emperor, Qin Gui.

On the fifth day of the fourth month of the 780th year of the Wanli reign, the day before the results of the imperial examinations were to be announced, a large number of imperial guards stormed into the "Scholars' Inn" on the north side of the imperial city and abducted a scholar named Fan Jin.

Three days later, this well-read and learned young talent finally succumbed to torture and died unjustly.

Some say that Fan Jin angered the emperor by writing a poem that slandered him on his exam paper; others say that Fan Jin, out of loyalty to his former master Jin Yao, wanted to overthrow the current government...

Three days later, the current Prime Minister Han Ning issued the "Purification Decree," which, as the name suggests, was to purge all rebellious elements in the country who intended to undermine the court through poetry and rhetoric.

For more than a month after that, scholars and advisors were constantly imprisoned on various fabricated charges; generals at all levels in the army were also implicated for no reason.

For a time, the people of Fengyin were filled with panic and the political situation was unstable. It was not until half a year later, when the imperial court promulgated the "tax reform system" in a grand manner, that the turmoil was finally quelled.

Time flies, and the prosperity of the nation and the abundance of food and clothing have made people forget that there was once a scholar named Fan Jin who was tortured and died because of a poem, and whose poem also caused political turmoil. People would never have imagined that the upheaval of arresting rebels was actually just a pretext, a grand pretext to purge certain deep-rooted forces in the palace.

In May of the 783rd year of the Wanli reign, in the imperial palace of Luoyang, the capital city, Qin Gui sat alone on the high dragon throne, stroking a blank sheet of paper, lost in thought. After a long while, he sighed softly, his once youthful and handsome face now bearing the marks of vicissitude and the loneliness of solitude.

Qin Gui looked up at the high, resplendent golden ceiling, and for a fleeting moment, he seemed to see that familiar, handsome face. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and he murmured in a voice filled with utter desolation and self-mockery, "Young master, you never told me that this is a road with no return. Today, I can no longer... return to my only home. Qin Gui, Qin Gui, yet I have nowhere to return..."

With a slight loosening of his fingers, the paper in his hand fluttered down and fell to the ground. On the paper was, surprisingly, a poem written by Fan Jin, a scholar who had taken the imperial examinations years before.

On Wise Ministers of All Time

—Fan Jin

Harmonizing Yin and Yang brings peace to both the interior and exterior, and achieving harmony in the nation ensures its stability.

When the Great Way fails, we await a wise ruler; when the people are in turmoil, they yearn for virtuous and capable men.

Countless heroic deeds are worth remembering, but the young prime minister is the most memorable.

His given name was Qin, and his courtesy name was Linyu. He was originally from Jinyao Luocheng.

With the sun and moon shining upon him and a rainbow appearing, this child is surely no ordinary being.

I was fortunate to meet a wise man who guided me through my confusion, and in my youth I read extensively throughout the world.

I have studied countless classic texts and books, and my understanding of the principles of Yi Jing and its numerology is profound.

At fifteen, he wore purple robes; at sixteen, he distinguished himself in the Battle of Red Gorge.

He displayed his talent amidst internal and external troubles, and became a pillar of the nation, turning the tide for the country.

He helped Yang Yi ascend to the throne, and the young prime minister became famous throughout the land.

With martial prowess, literary talent, loyalty, and courage, he achieved his ambition and paid homage at Jintan.

Strategic planning from afar, the army sweeps across the vast land.

The flags of the central camp fluttered in the clouds, and the sound of the reed pipes echoed through the cold water at midnight.

After two years of military campaigns, the wind howled, and the border regions, once turbulent, finally found peace.

The four borders are well-governed and the people are deeply grateful for the Prime Minister's kindness.

To retire gracefully after achieving success is in accordance with the way of Heaven; to benefit all under Heaven is to leave behind a good name.

He was a hero who saved the people from fire and water; from then on, Emperor Feng was a benevolent man.

After conquering Jin Yaoxia and Huo Ling, the long-divided world was finally unified.

As the snow falls softly to bid farewell to the old year, the plum blossoms along the river eagerly await the arrival of spring.

After Ishu unified the empire, he discovered that the prime minister was a woman.

Along the ten-thousand-mile road to Dan Mountain, the phoenix chicks sing louder than the old phoenixes.

A lifetime of fame and glory will be passed down through the ages; her beauty will shine through the ages.

The successor passed the throne to his successor and departed on the wind, leaving only a legend in the world.

I am moved by your romantic charm and regret that I was born in this world; lingering among the fragrant grasses, my spirit is already soaring.