I, Sun Shan, and the Imperial Examination

Chapter 1610 Hearing of Death (2)

Sister Yun carefully examined each person and made sure there were no problems.

He said, "Brother Shan, that's enough."

Sun Shan nodded and led the group to the main gate of the county government office.

As they went outside, Magistrate Wang and his family members had already arrived.

Cui, the clerk from the ceremonial office, hurriedly stepped forward to report: "Sir, everything is ready."

Sun Shan appointed a guide and arranged for someone to go to the post station to inform the messenger.

When Madam Wang, Old Madam Wu, and the others saw Madam Su and Yun'er, they slowly stepped forward and stood together.

Everyone looked at each other, but no one dared to speak.

Sister Yun nodded slightly, but as for laughing, she dared not.

Madam Wang nodded in agreement, standing silently beside Yun-jie, not daring to utter a sound.

The little girl stared wide-eyed at the chubby girl, her mouth agape in shock.

It's as if it's saying: "Xiaoxiao, how come you've lost so much weight? Wow, it's only been a month or two since I last saw you, and you've already lost weight?"

The chubby girl couldn't understand Wang Xiaogu's expression at all; her mind was filled with: ? ? ? ?

Little Liang saw the chubby girl and was about to greet her when she suddenly remembered that the emperor was dead and she couldn't speak. So she kept winking at the chubby girl.

Little Fatty Girl: ? ? ? ?

The young girl was equally surprised that the chubby girl had lost so much weight. Her once round belly seemed to have slimmed down, although it was still round, but it was visibly thinner.

Oh my, I never expected that the chubby girl had secretly gone on a diet.

It should be a new year, a year older, and I've learned to care about my appearance. As the saying goes, a woman dresses up for her lover, knowing that being too fat will make it harder to marry a good man.

Wu Xiaogu secretly examined her thin figure, trying to see where she was fat and that she needed to lose weight.

Little Fatty: ......

I really want to ask all the ladies why they kept blinking at her.

Is there sand in your eyes? Is it uncomfortable?

Little Fatty was about to meet the girls from various families when she encountered the "scissors party," and the girls from each family brought gifts to visit her.

After that, he was either tortured while recovering from his injuries or captured by Sister Yun to learn skills; his life was incredibly miserable.

The chubby girl eagerly awaited the arrival of her older sisters, but they all seemed to have amnesia and had forgotten about her.

Even if the girls really wanted to talk, they held back and didn't.

The emperor is dead, so they have to be careful not to cause trouble.

Sun Shan led a group of officials to stand at the front, waiting for the envoy to announce the imperial edict.

It must be said that the entire Yuanlu County team was really efficient; they received the message here and quickly assembled there.

Sun Shan had rehearsed the exercise beforehand, while County Magistrate Wang and others had put it into practice.

It's only been four or five years since the last emperor died, so we still have some experience to draw upon.

Plain clothes and simple attire had been prepared well in advance. So when the order was given, everyone readily followed the procedure.

Of all the people present, Sun Shan was undoubtedly the one who felt the most affection for the deceased emperor.

There's no other reason than that Sun Shan was a genuine disciple of the emperor, personally selected by the emperor himself.

Upon hearing of the emperor's death, Sun Shan felt nothing but regret.

Who wouldn't feel regretful if they were the closest they ever got to the emperor, yet didn't even see what he looked like?

If the emperor had lived longer, Sun Shan might have had a stroke of luck and met him.

Now, even if one day I become a high-ranking official and sit in the front row, I will never be able to see Emperor Zhengping's true face again.

Sun Shan was slightly disappointed.

However, it is even more regrettable that the emperor went to sell salted duck eggs after only four years on the throne.

Conquering and pacifying --- conquering all directions and bringing peace to the world.

It originates from the poem "Jiang Han" in the "Greater Odes" section of the Book of Songs: "Managing the four directions, reporting the results to the king, with the four directions at peace, the kingdom is settled."

The fact that Emperor Zhengping chose such a reign title for himself shows his great talent, ambition, and lofty aspirations.

He led his army to conquer various separatist forces across the country, ultimately unifying the nation and bringing peace to the land.

The person died before their wish was fulfilled.

Oh, that damn regret!

Sun Shan was lost in thought when, not long after, an envoy from Chenzhou Prefecture arrived on horseback.

Sun Shan led a group of officials and their families to kneel and listen to the imperial decree.

Seeing that everyone was dressed appropriately and in accordance with the law, the messenger nodded and formally announced the imperial edict.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees..."

The edict simply stated that the emperor, due to his illness and incurable condition, authorized the central cabinet and the Empress Dowager to handle the aftermath.

Then the new emperor was announced, and the successor was designated.

"The eldest son of the emperor...should be established according to the order of succession."

Sun Shan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing who his successor was.

Just as I had initially guessed, the crown prince, who was the grandson of the Duke of Xu, succeeded to the throne.

When the Duke of Xu was mentioned, Sun Shan's lips twitched.

Putting aside the personal grudges between Sun Shan and Duke Xu, it is truly admirable that Duke Xu has survived to this day so smoothly, outliving two emperors.

Now that his grandson has ascended to the throne, Duke Xu is enjoying even greater prestige.

Of course, in history, it was common for emperors to take the first three steps upon assuming power, and the first to be targeted were their maternal relatives.

I don't know if the new emperor will burn it down, or if he won't burn down his maternal uncle's house, burning down his brother-in-law's house would be fine too.

Sun Shan was glad that he hadn't become an official in the capital and was far away from the intrigues and conflicts surrounding the changing of imperial power.

On the one hand, he regretted not being an official in the capital and thus unable to be there in person to witness the drama unfold.

Thinking of this, Sun Shan froze.

Oh dear, how could he be so gossipy? He's only been in office in Yuanlu for a little over two years, how come his personality has developed into that of a typical Yuanlu resident who loves to gossip?

He shook his head secretly, trying to distance himself from the onlookers.

Be an upright, honest, impartial, and clean county magistrate who avoids gossip and promotes integrity.

After announcing who would succeed to the throne, the envoy would give instructions to local officials, ordering them to stabilize their jurisdictions, prohibit unauthorized departures, perform their duties, and reassure the people.

In short, the death of an emperor inevitably caused unrest, and local governments maintained order and stability so that the emperor could die in peace.

Finally, the standard procedure was concluded with the announcement: "Therefore, this is hereby proclaimed so that all may know."

After the imperial edict was read aloud, it was time for the officials to put on a show.

This was the first time Sun Shan had experienced something like this, so he was a step behind.

County Magistrate Wang, with his seasoned experience, was much more adept at handling such matters. After the proclamation was finished, he burst into tears on the spot.

County Magistrate Wang covered his eyes with his wide sleeves and suddenly burst into tears, "Waaaaah! Waaaaah! Waaaaah! Waaaaah!"

The way she cried, her expression, and her voice were just like the little chubby girl's.

If she hadn't been kneeling behind Sun Shan, he would have really thought the chubby girl was crying.

When Magistrate Wang started crying, Clerk Wu, Inspector Liang, and others followed suit and burst into tears.

Oh dear, how come they all turned into chubby little girls, crying so hard that it was like the sky was falling and the earth was collapsing?

At the crucial moment, Magistrate Wang, while crying, still managed to give Sun Shan a push.

Sun Shan snapped out of his daze, secretly pulled out a piece of spicy ginger from his sleeve, and with a determined look, rubbed it into his eyes.

A sharp, painful sensation struck him, and Sun Shan cried out, "Wah!"

If Magistrate Wang and others transformed into chubby girls, then Sun Shan was no different.

The crying, the grief, the unrestrained pain—if the uninformed masses saw it, they might think that Lord Sun's parents had died.