Chapter 6: Bestowing Favor (Chinese)

Thinking of this, Liu De's eyes became somewhat moist, yet he could not show it.

The white paper was his most proud work in his previous life. In the Kingdom of Hejian, he employed the military and royal court craftsmen, spending three years on repeated experiments and refinements. Finally, he arrived at the optimal formula and the simplest production process for white paper. Perhaps it falls significantly short compared to the Xuan paper and industrial paper of later generations, but at the very least, it was already suitable for writing, binding, and preservation.

The late emperor ordered Liu De's convenient old man to suck the sores on his back

"Your Highness..." After inviting Liu Yan to kneel and sit in the guest seat, Liu De solemnly said to him: "I have called you over, Your Highness, because there is a matter I would like to ask for your assistance with."

He merely hummed in response, and then took Liu Yan's hand, entering his chamber.

When faced with an emperor whose heart is not much larger than a needle's eye, even if they are father and son, it is quite risky to hastily submit a memorial and speak of sensitive matters

However, as the Son of Heaven, as a politician, and as the ruler of the vast Han Empire, he is exceptionally outstanding and qualified

In the final year of his previous life, Liu De's daily activities had already been under surveillance.

Chao Cuo proposed to reduce the power of the feudal lords

The several years of being a monarch in a previous life have allowed Liu De to cultivate a commendable writing skill and a considerable proficiency in classical Chinese literature

Yet this little eunuch always accompanied Liu De in his previous life

This is undoubtedly a tremendous achievement for a time traveler

The general holding the Emperor's sword stood at the entrance of his palace, while the Prime Minister of Hejian, bearing the Emperor's decree, constantly monitored and scrutinized his every move

At this moment, Liu De's father happened to hear that the late emperor had fainted, and hurried over to pay a visit, coincidentally running into a confrontation.

It is rumored that the late emperor developed a sore on his back, which caused him excruciating pain, and on one occasion, he even fainted from the agony

This memorial cites classical texts and combines them with practical considerations. More importantly, Liu De believes that, solely in terms of written expression, his literary foundation is already on par with that of the average contemporary literati.

In the Han Dynasty, petitions that typically required joint signatures were usually those that were controversial or contained sensitive content

This is also an opportunity for Liu De to change Liu Yan's unfortunate fate in the future

Deng Tong quickly replied: The Crown Prince is the one closest to Your Majesty

Although the Han Dynasty did not exhibit the extreme measures of the later Qing Dynasty, it also did not punish individuals for their words

If I remember correctly, at this time, Wang Dao had just been assigned to serve Liu De for less than a month

At this moment, Liu De is filled with nostalgia for the white paper he invented and created in his previous life

This is a risky matter

However, in reality, this thing is completely risk-free

While thinking and writing, in just a quarter of an hour, Liu De had already written several hundred words on the silk scroll.

Unfortunately, Liu Rong hesitated and was indecisive, ultimately losing his last chance for survival

As soon as he entered, Liu De saw a person he was most familiar with from his previous life, the loyal servant Wang Dao, who had always followed him and ultimately committed suicide by poison alongside him.

Your Highness

Moreover, what Liu De intends to write is indeed fraught with risks, and it may even offend the cheap old man

How did Deng Tong offend Liu De's convenient father?

However, what Liu De intends to write, although it appears to carry significant risks on the surface, will also offend the current most powerful minister, Chao Cuo

As for this most proud work, Liu De naturally remembers its processes and procedures like the back of his hand

The current emperor, the father of the two brothers, is certainly not a man of good temper

Afterwards, the rebel forces of the Seven Kingdoms did not retreat as Yuan Ang had claimed; however, the old man did not hold Yuan Ang accountable for this.

Liu De sometimes even has to go hungry

After finishing, Liu De blew on the ink marks and handed the silk scroll to Liu Yan, saying: "Your Highness, take a look at this memorial from your foolish brother. How is it?" There was inevitably a hint of pride in his words.

This is extremely radical, and it will undoubtedly lead to civil war, but Old Cheap thinks it is reasonable, so he decided to cut it down

Liu De clearly remembers that in his previous life, after he wrote this item, he handed it over to Liu Rong, hoping that Liu Rong would use it as a tool to solidify the crown prince's position

Whether it is the glory of being conferred the title of King of Hejian or the years of suffering oppression and suspicion

Liu De ordered someone to bring silk scrolls along with ink and brushes, spread them out on the table, and began to write immediately

Through deceit and manipulation, Liu De coaxed Liu Yan back to his palace that belonged to him

Deng Tong is a very good example

However, writing on silk cloth always feels somewhat awkward

Upon seeing this, Deng Tong disregarded all considerations, including hygiene, and directly pounced onto the back of the late emperor, using his mouth to suck away the thick fluid. Only then did the late emperor awaken. After regaining consciousness, the late emperor was greatly moved and exclaimed: "You are the one closest to me."

However, the first minister that Liu De's cheap father dealt with after ascending the throne was Deng Tong—he was dismissed from his position, his assets confiscated, and ultimately this once-favored eunuch of the previous dynasty, whose wealth was comparable to that of a nation, ended up starving to death on the streets of Chang'an

As a result, Liu De deeply hated Deng Tong, so as soon as he ascended to the throne, he could not wait to issue an order to investigate Deng Tong

"It is like this, I wish to write a memorial to Father Emperor, but my royal brother's words carry little weight, therefore I would like to request my royal younger brother to co-sign..." Liu De said, looking into Liu Yan's eyes.

In fact, the experiences and memories from over a decade in his previous life have made Liu De very familiar with the character of his cheap old man and his attitude towards his children

Moreover

Due to the period of national mourning, everything within the inner palace is extremely simple, and there are no luxurious indulgences such as wine, song, dance, or palace maidens.

In those years, Deng Tong was indeed the most favored close aide of the late Emperor Xiaowen, to the extent that even the Prime Minister could not punish him, only imposing penalties.

Therefore, it does not feel difficult to write

Liu De's cheap old man, under great reluctance, forced himself to lean in, but before he could even open his mouth, he ended up vomiting all over the late emperor...

The current emperor certainly has many flaws and shortcomings

However, if the memorial submitted contains remarks that displease the emperor, one must be cautious of retribution in the autumn.

Through this story, one can imagine that the so-called wise ruler is not much more perceptive than a needle's eye

Therefore, as long as one does not tread on his sore spot, he can endure even the most radical ideas without blaming anyone for it. If he finds it reasonable, he may even elevate the proposer to great heights. The most typical examples are the current Minister of Internal Affairs, Chao Cuo, and Yuan Ang, who later sent Chao Cuo to the guillotine.

Therefore, upon returning and seeing Wang Dao again, Liu De was filled with emotions

Liu An boldly stated: "As brothers by blood, what need is there to speak of assistance? If Your Majesty has any commands, Liu An would dare not disobey"

Yuan Ang stated that the rebellion of the seven states was entirely the fault of Chao Cuo. By killing Chao Cuo, one could achieve victory without engaging in battle, which is akin to allowing the cheap old man to slap himself in the face. However, the cheap old man found this approach feasible, and thus he executed Chao Cuo

Liu De will always remember that during those days, it was Wang Dao who shared his food with his offspring to consume

Once this matter is settled, I should invent the blank paper! Liu De thought to himself

Wang Dao is a eunuch, and his age is not much different from Liu De's.

Reflecting on the past, Liu Dedao said: "Your Highness, do not be too quick to agree or refuse. Allow me to write it out first, and then you can decide whether to endorse it or not"

At that time, everything in the palace was extremely scarce