After saying a few words casually, Gu Xuan imdiately proceeded to enter the city.
But just at that mont—
The attendant responsible for receiving him blocked Gu Xuan imdiately, smiling as he said, "No need to hurry, Sir Gu. The Ping City Gate is currently under repair. I kindly ask Sir Gu to move with to enter through the Xia Sect Gate."
"The Emperor has long arranged for people to await you there... The people inside Luoyang also await Sir Gu."
His face was always adorned with a smile.
But at that instant, Gu Xuan’s expression sowhat froze.
—The Xia Sect Gate!
This is the gate used exclusively for state mourning processions, rarely utilized.
Yet now it was used to welco him!
The common people perhaps couldn’t see the underlying implications, but how could he not realize this was an intentional insult?
He almost imdiately wanted to get angry.
For Gu Xuan,
he himself wasn’t what mattered.
But this ti coming here, he represented the Gu Clan.
There could be a lack of etiquette, there could be a lack of preferential treatnt.
But as the current patriarch of the Gu Clan, he could absolutely not tolerate such an insult to the Gu Clan.
This was Gu Xuan’s bottom line!
He did not move.
But this action hit the very heart of those people’s intentions.
Of course, with the Gu Clan they would not use force, only so explicit and implicit ans to make Gu Xuan retreat in difficulties.
This was just the beginning; later, they would have many more tactics, all used to slyly mock the Gu Clan.
If he had not heard the prayers of the people along the way, Gu Xuan would have turned around and left at this mont, without any reluctance.
The na of the Gu Clan is the pride and honor of every descendant of the Gu Clan!
It must not be subject to any insult!
But for the sake of the people, he was willing to try again.
He indicated that there was no need for reception, he would just enter through the city gate directly.
But that attendant still insisted, even bringing out the expectations of the people of Luoyang.
Hearing this, Gu Xuan said no more and returned directly to the carriage.
He did not leave imdiately.
For the sake of the people of the world, he was willing to make one last attempt.
But Liu Chang also acted decisively.
He sealed all city gates except for the Xia Sect Gate, suppressing all court objections and public rumors.
A whole seven days.
—Gu Xuan waited for a full seven days.
This was the first ti since the rise of the Gu Clan that the Gu Clan had received such treatnt, not to ntion seeing the Emperor, they couldn’t even enter the city gate of Luoyang.
In the end, he only left the morial he had prepared long ago.
Then he followed the route back.
With Gu Xuan’s departure, the last ray of hope for the Great Han seed extinguished.
Especially as this gradually spread around.
Unrest among the people’s hearts in various places reached its peak at this mont.
"The Liu clan abandoned Gu... Heaven’s weariness is never tired" and such rumors slowly spread in all directions.
Just one last fuse remains until total chaos across the land.
But Liu Chang remained indifferent.
With Gu Xuan’s departure, he imdiately disposed of those ministers in court who did not support his southern expedition, launching the southern expedition despite the world’s sentints.
He could not hear the people’s wails, nor see the exhaustion of the Great Han.
Regarding this war,
he was extrely confident, firmly believing that this was the starting point of his glorious dominance.
His na would shine through ages past and present.
In generations to co, he would be comparable to Emperor Zhao Wu, the Zhong Zu.
But the southern expedition was destined to be extraordinarily difficult.
Although compared to the ti when Gu Ye undertook the southern expedition, now going to Lingnan was much easier,
yet the dispatch of a large army was still different.
Moreover, the most crucial point was that the conscripted soldiers were also devoid of fighting spirit, even if led by the Emperor, what difference would it make?
As days grew tougher, the benevolence of the Han court had long been exhausted.
Not to ntion the turmoil in hearts brought by rumors from everywhere.
In the sixth year of Qianwu, Liu Chang personally led an army of a hundred thousand to campaign against Lingnan, defeated at Longbian.
The Emperor perished;
Posthumous title "Li". ...
——————
"Spring of the sixth year, March, the Emperor personally campaigned against Lingnan.
Initially, the Jiaozhi Barbarians rebelled, the Emperor did not heed advice, rejected the Gu Clan outside of Luoyang, personally led a hundred thousand troops south to fight.
The army reached Longbian, and during the peak of sumr, miasma developed, causing sickness and epidemic among the soldiers. The barbarian leader occupied a strategic point and set an ambush, launching a charge of war elephants against the camp. The royal army was thrown into chaos, arrows reached the imperial tent. His personal guards fought bravely but could not hold, the Emperor’s steed, Scarlet, panicked and stumbled, causing the Emperor to fall into a mud swamp, sustaining seven wounds and perishing, at the age of twenty-nine in the Spring and Autumn Annals.
The dreadful news reached Luoyang, shocking the court and commoners.
Without an heir, the various princes coveted the divine artifact, with state prefects harboring divergent plans.
The Prince of Yuzhang assud control in Jiangzuo, while the King of Bohai proclaid himself over Youji, causing the realm to collapse into division.
The Ministry of Rites deliberated on the posthumous title, citing "to not regret past mistakes is ’Li’, being cruel and unkind is ’Li.’" In strict accordance with the posthumous title law, they conferred the posthumous title of ’Emperor Li.’
— "Yan Han Book. The Chronicles of Emperor Li"
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