September 6, 25th year of Jian'an. North, Hanoi County, Chao Gau County.

Chaoge was once the ancient capital of the Shang Dynasty, but thousands of years later, people have long forgotten about it.

In the Han Dynasty, it was just an ordinary and ordinary county town.

After the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Dong Zhuo's Rebellion, and the princes' struggle for hegemony, Hanoi County has long become dilapidated and withered.

In particular, Chaoge County was looted by the warlords who once occupied Hanoi, the Kwantung Coalition Army, and the Black Mountain Army thieves in the Taihang Mountains, and almost fell into ruins.

It was not until Jian'an, Cao Cao settled in the north, and the situation of the Kwantung princes' melee gradually subsided.

A large number of remnants of the Yellow Turbans and the Black Mountain Army came out of the Taihang Mountains, and were edicted by Cao Cao, and began to multiply in Hanoi County, Wei County, Zhao State, Changshan Country and other places near the foot of Taihang Mountain, and Chaoge gradually regained some popularity.

Last year, Shen Chen first broke Cao Hong in Kunyang, Yingchuan, and then returned to Jingzhou, first broke the Jiangdong Army, and then went north to take Xiangfan, flooded the Seventh Army, captured the ban, beheaded Xiahou, and shocked Huaxia, which shocked Cao Cao and worried about the safety of the hinterland of the Central Plains in Henan and other places.

Therefore, at that time, he immediately ordered the capital to be moved, and the court of Chendu was moved to the north of the Yellow River, so as to prevent Shen Chen's army from moving north, breaking through Yuzhou and other places, and bringing the emperor of Han back to the south.

Although Cao Cao controlled almost the entire northern situation at that time, there were still those who cared about the Han family.

When Shen Chen shook China, the turmoil caused to the north was unimaginable, and the rebels and uprisings were like carp crossing the river, if it weren't for Liu Bei's reluctance at that time, Shu almost collapsed, and I am afraid that Cao Wei was on the verge of extinction.

Therefore, if Shen Chen is allowed to take Liu Xie away, at least in terms of prestige and righteousness, Cao Cao will immediately lose a lot, and once Liu Xie begins to command the world to conquer Cao Wei in the north, it will inevitably cause more people to revolt against Cao Wei's rule, thus exacerbating the internal friction in the north.

However, with the beginning of the war against Jiangdong by Liu Bei's group this year, Cao Pi finally got through this difficult period after inheriting the king of Wei, not only quelling the civil strife, but also strengthening the control of the place, and the turmoil that was originally due to the defeat of Jingzhou in Guanzhong and Cao Cao's death slowly returned to calm.

Although more than 100,000 troops were lost in the Battle of Jingzhou and the Battle of Guanzhong, compared to the population of nearly 20 million, Cao Wei was still able to accept this loss, so the situation gradually stabilized.

It was also at this time that Cao Pi began to think about usurping the Han dynasty.

If it was usual, he would definitely not dare.

Because once the usurper is usurped, the impact will be very large.

Liu Bei must go on a northern expedition.

Then the interior will also be extremely unstable, and people from all walks of life who have the Han family in their hearts will rise up, and Cao Wei will be very dangerous.

But it coincided with Liu Bei's expedition to Jiangdong, and he had no time to take care of the north.

Cao Pi secretly prepared for nearly half a year, first getting rid of a large number of ministers who cared about the Han family, and then began to build momentum for the usurper of the Han Dynasty.

First of all, Liu Xuan was ordered to connect many courtiers and persuade them to enter the table in order to observe the current situation.

After discovering that a large number of Cao Wei's courtiers had no objection, Cao Pi became more and more emboldened, and immediately began to snatch the emperor's seal and force Liu Xiechan to concede.

Originally, it was planned to hold a ceremony in October of this year, but because of Cao Chun's failure, Jiangdong was not delayed, so he was forced to hold it earlier, and arrived in September.

Chao Ge Ling is Wu Qian, one of Cao Pi's four friends, and is his most trusted courtier.

At this moment, the Ya Mansion of Chaogeyuan County, now the palace of Liu Xie's son of heaven, has three floors inside and three floors outside, and a large number of Cao soldiers control the entrances and exits.

Cao Pi entered the hall surrounded by everyone.

He arrived yesterday, and he didn't even go to see Liu Xie, and he couldn't wait to go to the palace on the second day.

Liu Xie sat on the main seat, guarded by attendants on both sides.

His face was almost invisible, and there was anger, trepidation, horror, and a hint of sadness in his eyes.

The Han world is going to be handed over.

"Your Majesty!"

Cao Pi stepped on the sword to go to the hall, did not tend to enter the court, praised and worshipped, and came to the hall generously to salute, and said: "Your Majesty is blessed with all the same." ”

"All blessings?"

Liu Xie laughed miserably: "My country is going to be taken away by you, what else is the blessing of all the same?" ”

Cao Pi said with a smile: "Your Majesty's words are wrong, the Son of Heaven has a virtuous person to live in, today, my Great Wei is only in the south, and the people of the Quartet all look up to the Great Wei Ende, and are willing to be for the Wei people and not for the Han Chen, and they have expressed the hope that Your Majesty will give up the throne, isn't it the will of heaven?" What's more, the number of days has changed, the artifact is easier, should be Tianhe people, Fa Yao Chan Shun, this is the principle of nature, why is Your Majesty absolutely the will of the people? ”

Liu Xie said sadly and indignantly: "The usurper and the traitor, I will never give way to you." ”

"Oh?"

Cao Pi's face darkened, and he glanced at Hua Xin.

Hua Xin was helpless, so he had to step forward and say half-coercively and half-persuasively: "Your Majesty, Wei Yidai Han is the destiny of heaven, thinking of Your Majesty's benevolence, I feel powerless to save the ruined country, and I am willing to give up the throne to King Wei." Please also ask Your Majesty to think twice, and at that time, do not return to heaven after Your Majesty's meditation. ”

Liu Xie was shocked, then fell silent, his lips squirmed, and he sat down in his position, he knew that even if he refused, it would be useless, because the history books would still write that he would let Cao Pi, and after three or five months, he would die violently, who would care about him?

So it's better to agree, think in a good direction, at least Liu Bei in the south is still there, the Han still has half of the country, and the Han didn't die in his hands, that's enough, right?

Thinking of this, Liu Xie said disheartenedly: "Since this is the case, then let it all be arranged by King Wei." I...... I am only willing to go into seclusion with the queen, and I hope that King Wei will not harm me and the queen for the sake of the queen's mother, brothers and sisters. ”

Cao Pi was overjoyed and said: "Your Majesty, please rest assured, as long as Your Majesty is willing to give me Zen, I will treat Your Majesty well." ”

Liu Xie sighed and said, "I hope you can keep your promise today." ”

"Your Majesty, please go to Zen and give way."

Seeing this, Hua Xin hurriedly shouted.

At that moment, everyone moved to the carriage of the Son of Heaven, surrounded Liu Xie out of the mansion, boarded the carriage, and drove towards the southern suburbs of the city.

The sacrificial activities of the Han Dynasty were generally in the southern suburbs, starting from the first year of the founding of Emperor Cheng of the Western Han Dynasty in the south of the ancient canal of Kunming outside Chang'an City, and the construction of a mound to worship heaven and earth and the gods of the five directions.

After leaving the city, I walked more than ten miles and arrived at the Zenrangtai.

Historically, this platform was outside the southern city of Xudu, in the area of Fancheng Town, Linying County, Henan Province in later generations.

But now Cao Cao moved the capital to Chaoge in order to avoid Shen Chen's edge, so this platform was repaired by Wu Zhen in the south of Chaoge City, located in the east of Beiyang Town, Qi County, Hebei Province in the later generations.

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Before he got closer, he had already seen countless Wei soldiers wearing black armor and black military uniforms from a distance, standing guard around the three outer floors of the Chanrang Taili.

Some of them lined up on the periphery, some lined up on the roads on both sides of the way, and some stood densely under the Zen Rang platform, lined up in several phalanxes to strengthen their momentum.

Around Chanrangtai, many Great Wei courtiers have already arrived, and some of them are ethnic minorities dressed in strange costumes and completely different from those of the Central Plains.

According to the enthronement ceremony of the Han Dynasty, the new son of heaven needs to go to the altar to worship, pray to heaven, and accompany hundreds of officials such as ministers, princes, and generals.

In addition, there will be tens of thousands of Xiongnu Shan Yu and the Quartet barbarian dynasty to celebrate.

Since the Western Han Dynasty opened up the Western Regions, beat Jiaozhi in the south, kicked the Xiongnu in the north, broke Korea in the east, destroyed Dawan in the west, and dominated the Quartet, every time the Han Dynasty had a major event, dozens of border ethnic minorities in the Western Regions, Dongyi, Nanman, Xirong, and Beidi would come to pay tribute.

This is the beginning of the so-called "Heavenly Empire, all nations come to court", and it is also one of the important reasons why the Han and Tang Dynasties were recognized as the two super empires in the history of the Chinese nation.

Now the end of the Han Dynasty naturally has no longer the prestige of the Han Wu Emperor period.

And Cao Pi's ascension to the throne was a bit hasty.

Historically, he held the Zen Concession Ceremony in October, and it has been preparing for nearly a year since he inherited the King of Wei, so the ceremony is still very successful.

Like the ethnic minorities in the Northeast region, some countries that still exist in the Western Regions have sent envoys to congratulate them.

But now it has to be held in advance due to Liu Bei's offensive, resulting in some envoys from Liaodong, the Western Regions, and Sanhan still on the way, so there are only a handful of barbarian courtiers from all directions.

Only the Southern Xiongnu, the Eastern Xianbei, and Youzhou Wuhuan each sent hundreds of envoys, and there were more than 1,000 people, which was far less powerful than the tens of thousands of courtiers in the Han Dynasty.

However, Cao Wei only has half of the country after all, and he is also trying to take back the Western Regions, so it is not bad to have these people who can give face.

This is also due to the fact that Cao Cao beat the Xianbei Wuhuan Huns in the north, and moved the Southern Xiongnu and Wuhuan to the interior, forcibly suppressing the ethnic minorities on the Cao Wei border, otherwise there might not even be these people.

At this moment, many courtiers and barbarians are already waiting.

The carriage of the Son of Heaven slowly drove into the formation and came to the Zen Rang stage.

It was about three zhang high, and there was a banner on it, and there was a sacrificial altar and three animals and five grains.

Liu Xie, accompanied by several attendants, trembled and ascended to the high platform, and Hua Xin sang loudly: "The Son of Heaven is on the stage, and the hundred officials salute!" ”

"Long live Your Majesty!"

Many courtiers knelt down one after another, sitting in a kneeling position, holding their hands flat on their foreheads, and then slowly bent down to bow down.

In the Han Dynasty, there was a kneeling ceremony, which was made by Liu Bangling's minister Shusun Tong, but it was not like the Qing Dynasty that had to kneel and bow all the time, but only appeared on important occasions.

For example, when the old emperor died, the new emperor ascended the throne, the heaven and the earth were burned, the ancestors and gods were sacrificed, and the emperor held a particularly important court meeting.

So in the past, even if you meet the Son of Heaven, you only need to bow your hand, but now you have to kneel.

At this time, even Cao Pi, the king of Wei, knelt under the stage.

"Welcome to God!"

Hua Xin shouted as one of today's salute officials.

The attendant lit the firewood from the burnt wood stove and let the smoke rise high to express the meaning of the earth's respect for heaven to the heavens.

Liu Xie bowed down to the main seat of the Haotian God tablet on the altar.

After that, lay the jade silk and offer jade and silk to the gods.

Taichangqing Xing Zhen walked to the stage, guided Liu Xie to wash and go to the god throne to make three incense offerings, and the deacon presented the jade silk to the emperor, and then the emperor presented it to the gods.

During this process, the band below continued to drum and play, and many courtiers still maintained a prostration.

Then the ceremonies such as the entrance ceremony and the first offering were completed.

Liu Xie was busy for half an hour, and finally Si Zhu knelt down to read the blessing and completed the ceremony of sacrificing heaven and earth.

In the past, sacrifices to heaven and earth were accompanied by sacrifices to ancestors.

But today is a special day.

It's not just as simple as sacrificing heaven and earth, but also holding Zen ceremonies.

If the previous emperors of the Han Dynasty saw Liu Xiexan giving up the throne, then they would not be angry?

Therefore, there was no arrangement to worship the ancestors.

After completing the ritual of sacrificing heaven and earth, it is the ritual of Zen relinquishment.

"Please King Wei on stage!"

Hua Xin sang again.

Cao Pi got up and came to the stage and knelt down in front of Liu Xie.

Liu Xie held a Zen edict in his hand, facing the many kneeling courtiers below, and read in a trembling voice: "I have reigned for thirty years and two years, and I have been overthrown by the world, but fortunately, thanks to the spirit of my ancestors, I have survived in danger. However, looking up at astronomy and looking down on the hearts of the people, the number of Yan Jing is over, and the luck depends on the Cao family. It is the achievements of the previous king who has established a martial arts, and now the king is bright and bright to respond to his period, which is a clear number of times, and the letter can be known. The trip of Fu Avenue, the world is for the public, and the selection of talents and abilities is carried out, so Tang Yao is not selfish in the Turks, but the fame is infinite. I envy and admire, now it is chasing Yaodian, Zen is located in the King of Wei. ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Cao Pi got up solemnly and took the edict with both hands.

"Your Majesty, please."

Hua Xin continued to shout.

The attendant on the side came with the jade seal of the country.

Liu Xie took the jade seal, glanced at it reluctantly, and slowly handed the jade seal to Cao Pi.

Cao Pi took the jade seal and bowed again.

After that, there were some ceremonies, such as Liu Xie taking off the robe of the Son of Heaven and putting on the clothes of the princes and kings, while Cao Pi took off the clothes of the princes and kings and put on the robes of the Son of Heaven and so on.

It wasn't until the afternoon that the Zen ceremony was nearing the end, and then Cao Pi also began to worship heaven and earth.

This time, unlike Liu Xie, in addition to sacrificing heaven and earth, Wuyue, Si Blasphemy and the gods of all parties, the ancestors of the Cao family were placed on the altar.

Therefore, Cao Pi's sacrifice has one more process than Liu Xie, that is, to give incense to the ancestors, bow down, and then offer incense, jade silk, wine and so on, in order to show respect for the ancestors.

After reading the blessing of the official, the official of the silk into the silk, the priest of the priest, all sent to the furnace for burning, as the new emperor ascended the throne of Cao Pi to the throne to watch the burning of the offerings, the internal praise is completed, and the ceremony of sacrificing to the sky is officially over.

And after the end, Cao Pi sat on the platform, accepting the courtiers and the envoys of the Quartet to bow down, and the whole venue except for Liu Xie, the black pressure fell to his knees.

Seeing this situation, Cao Pi was very satisfied, and announced some more things.

For example, Liu Xie is the Duke of Shanyang, 10,000 households, located on the princes and kings, not called ministers, edicts are not worshipped, and the suburbs worship the world with the Son of Heaven's car uniform, and the temple, ancestors, and wax are all like the Han system, and the turbid deer city of Shanyang is all in Shanyang.

There was also a large number of rewards, officially putting the Wei State in the position of the empire, opening three dukes and nine secretaries, and inheriting the Han system in all regulations, in order to express the legitimacy of the new empire.

At the same time, three generations were posthumously sealed, his father Cao Cao was Emperor Wu, his grandfather Cao Song was Emperor Tai, and Cao Song's adoptive father eunuch Cao Teng was Emperor Gao.

In the end, even the ministers who came from all over the world were rewarded.

Until this point, the Zen Rang (usurpation) ceremony finally ended, and many courtiers and envoys below thanked the new emperor several times.

Cao Pi stood on the stage, looking down on everyone, with a bright smile on his face.

Great Wei Empire.

After two generations, it was finally established!