kvmb Chapter 1037 Wu Chengsi's Death: The End of an Era (Page 12)
Chapter 1037 Wu Chengsi's Death: The End of an Era (Page 12)
Spring goes and autumn comes, flowers bloom and wither.
Eighteen years passed after Di Renjie's death.
Crown Prince Li Qiaonian married Wu Yanhao's daughter, Wu Shu, as his crown princess, further strengthening the ties between the two families.
That same year, after watching his granddaughter become the Crown Princess, Wu Chengsi mysteriously fell ill.
Without any warning, he suddenly collapsed in the main hall of the Prince of Jin's mansion while walking, and then never recovered.
The Jin Prince's mansion was filled with sorrow. Wu Yanji went to the palace to see Li Cunxi and told him about the matter. Li Cunxi dared not neglect him and left Taichu Palace with Ma Rong, whose temples were already gray, and came to the Jin Prince's mansion.
Upon seeing the emperor's arrival, everyone in the Prince of Jin's residence knelt down and kowtowed to Li Cunxi.
"Arise, rise, rise!"
Where is my father-in-law?
Li Cunxi was really anxious and grabbed the new housekeeper by the collar, asking him a question.
The last time Di Renjie passed away, he wasn't by his side and didn't even get to see him one last time.
Now that Wu Chengsi is seriously ill, if he cannot see him one last time, it will surely be a lifelong regret.
Fortunately, Wu Chengsi was not yet at the end of his life. The imperial physician sat by the bedside and examined him, but could only shake his head like a rattle drum.
Li Cunxi rushed in, and tears began to fall as he looked at Wu Chengsi.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."
Wu Chengsi tried to sit up, but his body, which usually seemed to have inexhaustible energy, was completely powerless today, and his face was full of apology.
"Your Majesty, I'm afraid I won't be able to get up."
Li Cunxi rushed to Wu Chengsi's bedside and held Wu Chengsi's hand tightly.
"Father-in-law!"
Wu Chengsi also shed tears: "To hear these words before my death, my life has been worthwhile."
He looked at Li Cunxi, trembling, and said, "Your Majesty, I probably won't survive this ordeal."
"Please grant me some time, Your Majesty, as I wish to make arrangements for my affairs after my death."
Li Cunxi nodded with tears in his eyes, wiping away his tears as he walked out.
The items lying in the system's inventory were of no use whatsoever in saving Wu Chengsi's life.
Or rather, the system never considered giving him a drug to extend his lifespan.
Even Xu Gu Zi, who had already merged with the destiny of the Tang Dynasty, did not have such means; otherwise, he could have saved Wu Cheng Si's life.
Upon reaching the courtyard, Li Cunxi stopped and closed his eyes.
In my mind, the faces of the civil and military officials who had passed away in the past twenty years flickered.
From Di Renjie at the beginning, to King Wu Zetian of Xia dying of grief and illness because of Di Renjie's death, and then to Zhang Jianzhi returning to mourn Wu Zetian after hearing about her death on the way, dying from exhaustion after a long journey.
The brothers Yao Zhu and Yao Ting passed away one after another; Li Huaiyuan died laughing while holding his great-grandson; and Zong Qinke died peacefully in the night without illness…
Among the military generals, Fang Zhe died six years ago from a stroke, Bu Zhen died eight years ago in a dream, Quan Shancai passed away five years ago in Dunhuang, and Daleha is still ill and it seems that he cannot be cured.
The former Turkic Khan Helu is still alive, but his health is not good. He died suddenly last year without illness.
Qinu, who should have died in 703, lived until 718, which is two years ago, before finally succumbing to illness.
Huan Bin, who initially sided with Li Cunxi, giving Li Cunxi enough power to contend with the entire Serpent Spirit, also died ten years ago.
His orphaned son was raised in the palace and kept company with Crown Prince Li Qiaonian. He is now a confidant of the Crown Prince, so Huan Bin has not been mistreated.
Thinking of his old friends, Li Cunxi felt a headache coming on. A considerable number of these people should have shared wealth and glory with him, but they died too young and didn't get to enjoy much of it.
All Li Cunxi could do was to give them posthumous honors that they could not have received during their lifetimes.
……
Kneeling before Wu Chengsi's sickbed was Wu Yanji.
This prince, who had been designated as the heir apparent for decades, was about to become king, but he was reluctant to let his father go.
"Father is dying."
"Dad has something on his mind to tell you."
Wu Chengsi coughed lightly twice.
"First, you can't handle the title of Prince of Jin. After your father's burial, if His Majesty asks you to inherit the title of Prince of Jin, you must refuse."
"His Majesty is a benevolent ruler for all ages and would never mistreat my family. If you refuse this matter, His Majesty will appreciate you even more and bestow his favor upon the entire household. Although the throne may change hands, you will remain safe."
"Secondly, your brothers have had a tough time. Your father has seen it all over the years. No matter how hard they try, if they can't climb to the top, they still can't."
"As the eldest brother, you should lend a hand if you can, at least let them live a life of comfort and wealth!"
"However, that's what your father says. What you do is up to you. Anyway, all of my possessions are yours."
"Third, you have no political acumen, so you must not get involved in politics. Even if His Majesty allows you to enter the court as an official because of your father, you must specifically choose a minor official position."
"When you become a prince, you will find that among your superiors, you will hardly find anyone of higher status than you. They will not dare to offend you, nor will they actually make you do anything. They will take the initiative to complete and do well what you are supposed to do."
"These are the three things Dad said."
"You must keep this firmly in mind."
"If you really can't remember, just write it down."
Wu Yanji knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face, but he didn't utter a sound.
The saying "father's love is as strong as a mountain" is true. Even though my father was about to pass away, he was still giving me advice.
"I understand!"
Wu Chengsi smiled and nodded: "Father's time is running out. Call all your brothers in... except Yanhao."
Wu Yanji got up and went out, his eyes red, and called all his brothers in to kneel down.
Wu Chengsi looked at his dozen or so sons, his smile widening.
"After I pass away, a portion of my estate will be distributed to you. Use it carefully; it will be enough to ensure you have enough to eat and wear."
"After I passed away, my biggest worry was you all. You must remember that the honor and favor I have received in this dynasty belong to me, not to you. Therefore, you must be humble, careful, and cautious in your actions. Do not cause trouble or cause problems for your brothers."
"In the future, if you encounter any problems that you can't solve, go to Yeon-ki or Yeon-ho, and they will help you get through the difficulties."
Wu Chengsi took a breath: "My time is running out. You may all leave and let Yanhao in."
Wu Yanhao, who was standing outside with Li Cunxi, had tears in his eyes. He cupped his hands in greeting to Li Cunxi and then turned and went into the house.
Wu Chengsi's mental state deteriorated further on his sickbed, and he only seemed more comfortable after lying down.
"Seeing you like this now, I know that it was the right decision to let you follow Cunxi."
"If you climb up step by step on your own, it could take many years."
Wu Yanhao forced a smile: "Father..."
Wu Chengsi immediately noticed the tears in Wu Yanhao's eyes: "Father doesn't want to see you like this. Father is not dead yet, you are not allowed to cry."
"Hmm, son, don't cry." Wu Yanhao quickly reached out to wipe away his tears, but the more he wiped, the more tears flowed, and he couldn't stop them at all.
"Sigh...you...never mind, let me give you a few words of advice."
"Now that you hold a high position, after your father passes away, you must help your brothers as much as possible... as long as they are harmless to you, help them out."
"Among your brothers, few can become officials. Your father has seen that. In the future, we will have to rely on you for anything."
Wu Chengsi took a deep breath and looked at Wu Yanhao:
"You are now the Crown Prince's father-in-law. From now on, you must be careful in everything you do, and in everything you do, you must put the Emperor and the Crown Prince first."
"You may have influence in the court, but it must not be too great. You must not threaten the emperor's power, nor should you think about things you shouldn't."
"The Li family's willingness to share the world with our Wu family is the result of three generations of hard work. Let's not put either of us in a difficult position."
Wu Yanhao nodded hurriedly. He understood these principles and knew what he should do.
Throughout his years in office, he has remained a staunch supporter of the emperor's faction.
"Don't worry about me, there's nothing more to say... Just remember, you can be close to your nephew, but you must never be one of his cronies."
Wu Chengsi lowered his voice.
The nephew he mentioned, Wu Yanhao, was none other than Li Mufeng, the son of his beloved daughter Wu Yuanhui. He was nineteen years old, only two years younger than Crown Prince Li Qiao.
Wu Yanhao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, "Father, I can tell right from wrong."
"If that's the case, then that's for the best."
Wu Chengsi breathed a sigh of relief: "Your mother passed away early, leaving your father all alone. I miss your mother. Before I leave, I still have to say some private words to His Majesty."
"Furthermore, when His Majesty enters, everyone must retreat outside the courtyard, and no one is allowed to eavesdrop."
"Is Your Majesty willing?"
"Yes, it will! It definitely will!"
"Your son invites His Majesty in on behalf of his father."
……
When Li Cunxi entered, he could clearly sense Wu Chengsi's physical weakness.
"Father-in-law, is there anything you want to say?" Li Cunxi squatted down beside the sickbed.
If someone sends everyone away before speaking, it must be because they have a huge secret they can't let outsiders know.
Based on previous speculations, Li Cunxi seemed to know exactly what Wu Chengsi was going to say.
"I have been blessed with Your Majesty's favor for more than twenty years, and I wish to resolve some of Your Majesty's troubles before I pass away."
"Father-in-law, please speak."
"After me, Lu Dayou can take my place. I personally trained Lu Dayou. He is reliable and can be of great help to Your Majesty."
Li Cunxi said in an unequivocal tone, "Da Youwei will become the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Yan Hao will take over the position of father-in-law."
"Your Majesty, I thank you." Wu Chengsi coughed twice. "Nowadays, almost all the high-ranking officials in the court were promoted by Your Majesty. Even the Grand Censor of the Censorate is one of Your Majesty's former protégés. There is nothing to worry about in the court."
"The Crown Prince has been studying under His Majesty for many years, and His Majesty and the civil and military officials have all witnessed his ability to handle government affairs, so there is no need to worry."
"The Li family and the Wu family are committed to peaceful coexistence, and our generation has done a very good job."
“Even someone like me, who was destined not to live past the Wu Zhou Dynasty, was able to die peacefully.”
Wu Chengsi revealed a mysterious smile.
"I have had enough in my life."
Li Cunxi sniffed, waiting for Wu Chengsi to continue.
"I was originally a man of exceptional talent from Lingnan. It just so happened that King Xia needed me and my brother, so he summoned us back from Lingnan. We were displaced several times, but eventually we were honored to ascend the throne. Now, more than forty years have passed."
"Your Majesty, I have lived a life without regrets, but there is one question that I dare to ask only now that I am nearing death."
"Before I inquire, I hope Your Majesty will show great compassion and not implicate my descendants."
Li Cunxi took a deep breath, his gaze intense.
It's been decades!
He could finally confirm one thing!
With a calm and focused mind, he made a promise:
"Father-in-law, please speak."
Wu Chengsi asked eagerly, "Your Majesty, have you ever watched 'Detective Dee'?"
Li Cunxi could no longer suppress his emotions, which were as still as water. He tried his best to control all his feelings and nodded vigorously.